Zhi Soon
Banks · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“Let's be clear: if these companies want to do business in Australia, they must obey Australian laws. It is important to note that the legislation passed by the parliament to institute this ban was the beginning and not the end of this reform. The same is true of the legislation passed yesterday.”
“As the compliance update demonstrates, the need exists, and the legislation passed by this House earlier this week is the consequence of big tech failing to respect Australian law and uphold the standards Australians expect.”
“They are worried about the type of content that is out there online that their children could inadvertently be exposed to. They want to see greater protections for their children online. Keeping Australians safe online, particularly children and young people, is a top priority for this government.”
“Unfortunately, though, in March of this year the eSafety Commissioner published their first compliance update, which contained some unwelcome news. The commissioner had serious concerns about compliance and the practices of some of the platforms in the tech industry.”
“I rise to support this profoundly significant matter of public importance put forward by my friend the member for Newcastle—not least because this is an issue that matters to so many people across our great country but also because it matters to so many parents in my electorate of Banks.”
“A number of locals in the seat of Banks were recognised as part of the King's Birthday Honours, and I want to acknowledge them here. Mark Connell of Oatley was awarded an OAM for services to youth through scouting, and, as an integral part of the 1st Oatley Bay Sea Scouts, he has contributed to the outdoor skills and confidence of countle…”
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“During his term, he authored and funded a book on local war heroes which has been distributed widely, honouring our community's history of service. In recognition of his incredible contributions, the Oatley RSL sub-Branch hall will be renamed the William 'Billy' Wright sub-branch hall. I know you're watching out there, Billy. Thank you for all your remarkable work for our community, your dedication to veterans and your service to— (Time expired)”
“I rise today to recognise William 'Billy' Wright of Oatley in my electorate and his extraordinary service. Billy was conscripted into the Australian Defence Force in February 1966. After undertaking training with the RAAF and RAEME, he was deployed to Vietnam in 1969 as an engine fitter. His time in Vietnam exemplified dedication to service and bravery, volunteering for air control missions and infantry patrols. Billy returned to Australia after a year and concluded his military service in 1972. In post-military life, he would continue his work as an engine fitter with Qantas, working there for over 30 years. Most remarkable has been his support for veterans and their legacy. Billy joined the Oatley RSL sub-Branch in 2008 and became its president in 2015.”
“A Revesby resident since she was 10 years old, a devoted wife to Vietnam veteran Robert and a proud mother and grandmother, Barbara was a community connector. She remembered every single birthday and anniversary and had a gift for making others feel seen and valued. She was a quiet powerhouse of warmth, always lending her listening ear and supporting others. Her legacy is one of love, one of humility and deep devotion to her family and the community she was such a valued part of. Thank you so much, Barbara, for everything that you have done for our community.”
“I rise to recognise the fantastic teams at SDN Riverwood and Milperra. SDN have been providing child care and early childhood education services in Riverwood since the 1940s. Both centres consistently rate as exceeding the national quality standards and are fantastic examples for best practice in the sector. I had the pleasure of visiting Milperra just a few weeks ago with Minister Jess Walsh and Riverwood just last week, where I was greeted by the smiles of quite a number of babies and toddlers. Thank you to the staff at SDN for the fantastic work that you do and for setting the standard for others in our communities to follow. Secondly, I want to pay tribute to Barbara Bailey, who passed away recently at the age of 82.”
“My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. How is the Albanese Labor government strengthening Medicare and making it easier to see a bulk-billing doctor? Why is it so important to lift Medicare and bulk-billing after a decade of cuts and neglect?”
“My question is to the Treasurer. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to make the most of the global move to cleaner, cheaper and more reliable energy? How does this compare to other approaches?”
“Dr Khoury can be proud that his work has informed the decisions to protect some of the most vulnerable populations and contributed to saving thousands of lives around the world. I had the pleasure of meeting Dr Khoury this morning and hearing about his story and his research. Dr Khoury is a great local in Banks and an extraordinary Australian. I look forward to seeing what he can accomplish in the future. Congratulations, Dr Khoury, to you, your team and your family for a remarkable achievement. And to the young people of Banks: Dr Khoury is a great example of how a career in science can change the world.”
“I rise to celebrate the achievements of Dr David Khoury, a Peakhurst Heights local from my electorate of Banks, who's right up there in the gallery today. This week, Dr Khoury was awarded the Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year as part of the Prime Minister's Prizes for Science—a remarkable accomplishment. Dr Khoury is a Scientia fellow and the leader of the Infection Analytics Program at the University of New South Wales's Kirby Institute. He has been recognised for his work bringing his advanced mathematics background to public health research, with his use of quantitative methods to translate scientific research into actionable evidence to guide public health decisions, especially those related to drug and vaccine development, assessment and deployment.”
“This bill may be the first of its kind in this term of parliament, but it will not be the last as we seek to improve the productivity of both the government and the Australian economy as a whole. I am so pleased to be able to speak to this bill. I commend the government's economic team for their work on this legislation and I commend the bill to this House.”
“Gross debt is $188 billion lower, saving us more than $60 billion in interest costs over the next decade. But, most importantly, our sensible approach to the economy and the budget is enabling us to do what matters most to the Australian people—more tax cuts for all 14 million taxpayers, a 20 per cent cut to HECS balances for every Australian with student debt, the biggest ever boost to Medicare to deliver 18 million more bulk-billed GP visits across the country. In conclusion, this government, the Albanese government, is getting on with the job of creating an economy that works for the Australian people. And, like any good government, we are regularly reviewing regulatory settings to identify areas where we can improve and open doors for economic activity and ways to boost productivity.”
“The coalition love to claim that they are the parties of competence when it comes to the budget, but history, including recent history, tells a very different story. In the first three years after Labor came to government, we delivered the biggest nominal improvement in the budget in a parliamentary term. The budget is more than $200 billion stronger than what was inherited from those opposite. We found more than $100 billion in savings for the budget, where the coalition could not find one single cent in their last budget. While the closest the Liberals got to being back in the black was getting mugs printed, Labor actually delivered it—not once but twice. The significant improvement in the budget position means that we've been able to pay back some of the debt that was inherited when we came to government.”
“As a result, real wages were falling and Australians felt the pinch on their living standards. But this government, the Albanese Labor government, has turned around these failures. Inflation is now half the level it was at in May 2022, and this has enabled the RBA to make some rate cuts, making it cheaper for Australians all around the country to pay their mortgages. We've seen seven straight quarters of real wage growth and the lowest average unemployment of any government in 50 years, and 1.1 million jobs have been created. This is nothing short of remarkable, and it demonstrates clearly what happens when the government has the interests of working people at the core of its mission.”
“I was fortunate enough to speak in the House just last week, during private members' business, about the economic reforms delivered by successive Labor governments, from Hawke and Keating modernising our economy and opening it up to the world to Rudd and Swan steering Australia through the global financial crisis while avoiding the deep recessions that plagued the world. This government's agenda continues in the Labor Party's enviable tradition of delivering an economy that works for all Australians, and the results speak for themselves. When Labor came to government, the warning signs were everywhere. Inflation was rising out of control, more than double the top of the RBA's target band, showing no real signs of slowing and taking interest rates with it.”
“It also provides more consistency across legislation to deliver a more streamlined approach, ensuring that the importance of our renewable energy transition is recognised, and repeals some redundant legislation that is no longer relevant or fit for purpose. Overall, this suite of measures will improve how information is shared within government, improve how the government responds to certain shortages, improve the standard of interactions the Australian people have with government and improve the efficiency of public sector operations. While these reforms will not attract the same attention as some other bills that go before this House, they are an important part of building a stronger economy for all Australians.”
“For example, the bill amends legislation related to the National Broadband Network, which currently references Geoscience Australia's NationalMap. That NationalMap was actually decommissioned at the end of June this year. The current legislation both demands that it be a basis for certain public data and limits alternatives. Sensibly, this bill replaces that provision with a more generic one to ensure that the public continues to enjoy an NBN that is transparent and visible as it continues to be rolled out and upgraded for the best outcomes for all Australians. Additionally, the legislation makes amendments to the regulation of critical fields to enable more targeted responses to shortages.”
“These changes will support better coordination across regulators, especially by ensuring that the roadblock often presented to regulators in the private sector can be bypassed. Finally, the bill makes amendments to increase the efficiency of government and in turn improve productivity across our economy. In the same way that updated regulations can increase the costs to Australian businesses and consumers, outdated regulations in the public sector create the need for Commonwealth departments and agencies to devote time to bureaucratic work with little return on investment. This bill makes a number of regulatory changes that cut down on the number of junk tasks required of public servants and improve transparency and public oversight for certain government works.”
“Fair enough—that seems like an important thing to check! However, the regulations have not been updated for some time, meaning celebrants must cite physical copies of identity documents. To ease the burden on celebrants while not compromising on the level of due diligence that must be undertaken for such an important process, celebrants will now be allowed to use digital identity solutions as well to overcome some of the limitations of physical copies. Another notable change in the third schedule of the bill is the one allowing petroleum and environmental regulators to share information, to avoid needing to collect information from industry more than once, in the same style as the 'tell me once' system for public services.”
“The third key theme is reducing the regulatory burden on Australians and Australian businesses. In my first speech, I also spoke about the need for Australia to find ways to boost its productivity. As a rule, well-balanced regulation provides vital protections to the Australian community while allowing business to succeed and thrive. However, when outdated or needlessly prescriptive regulations exist, they drive up the cost for Australians and the Australian businesses that have to navigate them. This omnibus bill updates some provisions that have been left unchanged for too long, as well as enabling better information-sharing between regulators to reduce the burden on business. As an example, under the current law, a marriage celebrant must verify the identity of the parties to a marriage.”
“The current regulation fails to give leeway for the reality that sometimes services can be delayed for reasons beyond the patient's control. This legislation changes that, doubling the access period from seven days to 14. This will immediately make access to health and diagnostics easier for Australians. While this week and just past the government's once-in-a-generation reforms to make GP visits more accessible through more bulk-billing came into effect, no-one wants to return to their GP to get the same referral a second time. Additionally, the bill includes changes that enable better information-sharing between the Commonwealth agencies involved in administering Medicare and addressing gaps in regulations that currently can allow unapproved pharmacies to continue operating in some specific circumstances.”
“Medicare is the envy of the world, and we should be incredibly proud of it, as Australians are. However, there are opportunities for government to improve the way it functions. As I said in my first speech, having high expectations of your government is a good thing. This legislation before the House improves on the current regulatory settings around key healthcare services and a form of the additional childcare subsidy, making them more efficient and reducing the burden on Australian patients. For example, when a patient needs multiple diagnostic imaging services, their doctor can use one form to make several requests. However, currently, all the services requested must be accessed within seven days.”
“With the passage of this legislation, Australians will not have to contact Services Australia multiple times for something as simple as updating their address with each program they rely on. Additionally, there are currently more than $270 million of Medicare benefits that are rightfully owed to Australians but that are not yet able to be disbursed. This legislation will allow Medicare to access payment destination details from Centrelink where an individual is a customer of both programs, ensuring Australians get everything from the government that they are owed, delivering a real and immediate benefit for Australians. Another area the bill looks to improve is maintaining access to government services. Many Australians rely on government services to support their access to health care.”
“A tell-us-once approach does what the tin says: it aims to support sharing and use of information provided to government agencies to reduce instances of Australians being asked to repeat and provide the same information. Currently, the existing legislation includes an unnecessarily narrow information-sharing provision which fails to facilitate government agencies sharing information they already have. It is clearly out of date. This bill goes some way to fixing this bottleneck by giving the administrators of various programs within Services Australia more leeway. Australians should never have to feel like they are battling their own government, especially not when trying to access the important services they need and are entitled to, such as pensions, childcare subsidies and Medicare benefits.”
“This bill delivers its reforms in line with four key themes. The first is supporting the implementation of a tell-us-once approach within Services Australia, which aims to reduce the number of times Australians are asked to provide the same information across its various programs. This is something that I personally was very pleased to see. In my first speech to the House a few months ago, I spoke about how I wanted to help create an environment where government was more accessible to the people it serves. Perhaps the most common source of frustration that I hear from my constituents, from my electorate, about Services Australia and Centrelink is being asked to provide documentation they have handed over previously and that each time they're required to repeat their story or situation, again and again.”
“Those who paid attention to the Economic Reform Roundtable would remember that it identified fit-for-purpose regulatory settings as a key enabler for unlocking Australia's economic potential, as has the Productivity Commission. This bill is a key step in the continuous improvement of Australia's regulatory environment to achieve these outcomes, getting the balance right between important protections and opening the door for continued economic growth. Altogether, this legislation contains 60 measures, which amend 28 existing acts, repeal two acts, and will affect the operation of 13 different government Commonwealth agencies. I want to spend my time today looking at the legislation, some of its stand-out provisions, and ones that I think will make real difference in our communities.”
“I rise to speak in support of the Regulatory Reform Omnibus Bill 2025. This legislation is the latest example of a tangible set of reforms to come out of the Economic Reform Roundtable hosted by the Treasurer earlier this year. This bill follows the previous announcement that we'll be moving forward with implementation of hundreds of ideas from the roundtable, including those put forward by various regulators, and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's announcement that it would partner with the New South Wales state government to crack down on illegal bid-rigging practices in government procurement processes.”
“The second group I want to acknowledge is St George Basketball, who have been playing in Sydney's southern suburbs for more than 50 years. It was great to attend their presentation dinner in September, celebrating another successful season for the team. As a lifelong basketball tragic and fan, it is great to see the sport thriving in our community. Like so many grassroot clubs, St George Basketball is run entirely by volunteers. I would like to acknowledge all of their contributions but especially those of their president, Ray Barbi, who has been a fierce advocate for basketball in the area for a long time. I look forward to supporting St George Basketball again in the future, hopefully for many years to come.”
“I would like to recognise two community groups in Banks that I've seen in the last few weeks. The Autism Community Network is a fantastic organisation supporting members of our community with autism, their carers and their families. They operate five social clubs in Sydney, including two in my electorate in Riverwood and in Oatley. Just last month, I had the privilege of attending the ACN Carers Week High Tea, celebrating more than 120 carers who were in attendance and acknowledging the incredible work that they're doing to support people in our community with autism. Thank you to ACN and to its CEO, Vanessa Gauci, for all their incredible work and the great work they do in celebrating carers in our community.”
“Unfortunately, not everyone is as focused as we are on this side of the House. While the Australian people sent those opposite a clear message at the election, the Liberals and the Nationals simply aren't listening. In recent weeks, we've seen the Liberals and the Nationals battling with and amongst each other over which leftovers of the Dutton era they want to serve up to the Australian people once again. Whether it's abandoning net zero, reviving the doomed nuclear scheme or just wanting to fight pointless culture wars, there is a clear pattern. From the—”
“Importantly, the first piece of legislation in this new parliament was a 20 per cent cut to student debt for every Australian with a HECS balance. We delivered as promised, making life easier for young Australians. Australians know that, with a Labor government, they will have the leadership that is focused on ensuring that they earn more and keep more of what they earn. Further, the Future Made in Australia will maximise the economic and industrial benefits as we move towards net zero by supporting clean energy and advanced manufacturing. While there are some people in this place who prefer to talk down our manufacturing industry, this government is doing the opposite and working to make sure Australian people and Australian workers reap the economic rewards of Australia becoming a renewable energy superpower.”
“Alongside two budget surpluses and a single deficit that was significantly smaller than originally projected, the improvement of the overall budget position by $209 billion, and the lowering of the national debt by $188 billion, this is a record that the former coalition government could only dream of. As a result of our sensible and considered approach, we have also been able to roll out cost-of-living relief for all Australians. At the centre of this are the multiple rounds of tax cuts for every taxpayer already delivered, with two more rounds to come in 2026 and 2027, and supporting raising the pay of minimum wage workers and award workers earlier this year, while protecting penalty rates as well as quarterly energy bill relief, taking money straight off of people's expense bills.”
“This is combined with 50 more fully bulk-billed urgent care clinics across the country, medicines made even cheaper from 1 January next year, a $500 million program for women's health, and more free and accessible mental health support. Together, these initiatives are part of Labor's plans to deliver for the health of every Australian. Easing cost-of-living pressures is at the top of the agenda for so many Australians, and rightly so. For the government, this begins with responsible management of the economy and the budget. The results already speak for themselves: getting inflation down to half of what was inherited from the previous government; seven straight quarters of real-wages growth; the lowest average unemployment of any government in the last 50 years; and more than 1.1 million jobs created in just three years.”
“The Australian people returned a significant Labor majority, recognising the importance of protecting Medicare, easy cost-of-living pressures and investing in a future made in Australia, and that is exactly what we are delivering. On Strengthening Medicare, last Saturday our latest reforms targeting improving bulk-billing rates came into effect. For the first time the bulk-billing incentive has been expanded to all Australians, and a boost introduced to payments for practices that bulk-bill every single patient. This investment will deliver 18 million more bulk-billed GP visits each year nationwide. In my electorate of Banks alone, 14 GP practices have already indicated their intent to become Medicare bulk-billing practices, making it easier for people in my community to see a doctor without fearing the cost.”
“I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) 3 November 2025 marks six months since the federal election; and (b) the Government is delivering on the commitments it made to the Australian people by: (i) strengthening Medicare; (ii) ensuring Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn; (iii) easing cost of living pressures; and (iv) building a Future Made in Australia; and (2) acknowledges that while the Government is focused on building Australia's future, the Opposition is focused on themselves. I am pleased to move the motion before the House today, recognising six months since the federal election and how the Albanese Labor government is delivering on its second term of government. The election in May was a historic moment in Australia's political history.”
“I want to say, from the bottom of my heart, 'Congratulations, Sabrina and all the worthy winners across the club, for another successful year in AFL Sydney.' Congratulations to St George Australian Football Club for a fantastic season.”
“Brendan was involved with the club for many years, joining the committee when the club was on the verge of being removed from the competition as a result of its financial position. Today, the club is financially healthy and widely respected across AFL Sydney for the fantastic grassroots club that it is. This wouldn't have been possible without Brendan Donahue, and it is widely acknowledged that his efforts were instrumental in saving the club altogether. That is why it is particularly fitting that the club person of the year award is now named in Brendan's memory. This year it was awarded to Sabrina Saez in recognition of her work in developing the club's social media presence, leading the way amongst AFL Sydney clubs. It would just about rival any professional club's across the country.”
“Congratulations to the Georges River Association for putting on a fantastic event. The St George Australian Football Club have been playing Aussie rules football for nearly 100 years, now fielding eight teams across both men's and women's competitions each week at Olds Park in Penshurst in my electorate. It was my pleasure to attend their presentation night a couple of weeks ago in Oatley with the member for Barton and both state and local government colleagues. I would like to congratulate club president Angie Zissis—who does an amazing job—alongside Vice President Dale Widders and the fantastic organising committee for putting on an amazing evening. In particular, I want to acknowledge the late Brendan Donahue.”
“I rise to acknowledge some of the community groups in my electorate who I've had the pleasure of meeting with over the last few weeks. The Mid-Autumn Festival is an important date in the calendar for Chinese Australians. The festival celebrates the end of the autumn harvest and dates back over 3,000 years in Chinese culture. This was a very special mid-autumn festival for my family this year, as it was the first one for my baby daughter, Dorothy. I was able to join the Georges River Association for their celebrations in Hurstville alongside the member for Barton, as well as local Georges River councillors Leon Pun, Elaina Anzellotti, Gerard Hayes, Thomas Gao and Ben Wang. It was a fantastic celebration of Chinese Australian culture, including the unveiling of a mega mooncake—spectacular stuff!”
“I'd like to thank the community for supporting our efforts to save the post office, with special recognition to Amanda Sweeney, who took it upon herself to collect signatures. While the post office will close on 29 of this month, there is still work to do. Revesby is a growing community. It needs more services, not fewer. I will continue to work with local residents, businesses and Australia Post to find alternative solutions to preserve access to services in our community.”
“When Australia Post announced that the post office in Revesby town centre would be closing, I knew that the wrong decision had been made—and it came as extremely disappointing news for the community in Revesby and the surrounding areas it services. When I spoke about the situation during the last parliamentary sitting week, I said I looked forward to further discussions with Australia Post, particularly around alternatives to closure. While I'm pleased that these conversations were had, I am terribly disappointed that, unfortunately, Australia Post did not recognise the importance of the post office and are pushing forward with its closure. The petition I launched in September received the support of more than 2,600 local residents from our community.”
“The budget position improved by $209 billion, and debt, as I mentioned, is $188 billion lower, saving $60 billion in interest rate costs. In fact, last year the IMF's data saw Australia rise to second in the world for budget management, just behind the Canadians. (Time expired)”
“This government is addressing the big structural processes and the pressures that people are facing, turning deficits into surpluses and driving down our debt. The motion before the House also talks about fiscal rules. This government has a fiscal strategy and is delivering on it. Our rules include reducing gross debt as a share of the economy, and we've got debt down by $188 billion. When we came to government, as the wonderful member for Menzies outlined, inflation was high and rising—and taking interest rates with it—while real wages and living standards were falling. The government is making incredible progress. Inflation is at four-year lows, real wages have been growing for seven straight quarters, more than 1.1 million jobs have been created, and we have the lowest average unemployment rate of any government in 50 years.”
“Perhaps this advice should have been provided to the former members for Kooyong and Cook instead, because we have kept average real spending growth to 1.7 per cent—less than half the former government's, which sat at 4.1 per cent. More importantly, we have also found more than $100 billion of savings since we came to government, when the former government did not deliver one dollar of savings in their final budget. The Liberals have no interest in finding savings for government or the people of Australia. They took bigger deficits, bigger debt and higher taxes to the last election—a real trifecta—in order to pay for a $600 billion nuclear scheme which they still continue to talk about.”
“The stimulus approach, rather than austerity, has been praised internationally and studied as a model for effective economic management. You will see a clear trend here: these were all led by Labor governments. Those opposite claim they are the party of economic management, but history tells a very different story. It was Labor that reformed the economy, it was Labor that built decades of growth and it was Labor that protected Australians in times of crisis. We make the hard decisions, we get the big calls right and we do it while keeping fairness and opportunity at the core of our mission. The motion brought before the House today suggests the government should show fiscal discipline to find savings to fund new commitments.”
“Hawke's reforms laid the foundation for a stronger, fairer economy. He was followed by Prime Minister Keating, who built on that foundation. He introduced compulsory superannuation so that every worker could retire with dignity. He reformed the tax system to make it fairer and modernised key industries through competition. Keating turned Hawke's groundwork into a productive, resilient economy that could meet global challenges head-on. When the global financial crisis hit, it was again a Labor government, with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Treasurer Wayne Swan, that kept Australia safe. While other advanced economies sank into deep recession, Australia was resilient. We kept people in jobs and we kept businesses afloat.”
“The Chief Opposition Whip has us debating government spending and fiscal rules today, and I am so glad that he does. It means I get to talk about some of the most important economic reforms in this great country's history and the repair that has been required because of the actions and inactions of those opposite. While this government has an enviable record, I want to start by spending some time talking about the history of economic and budget management in this country. Prime Minister Bob Hawke inherited an economy that was closed, overregulated and falling behind. He had the courage to modernise it, floating the dollar, opening the banking system and cutting tariffs. He worked with the unions through the accords to control inflation while strengthening Medicare, education and the social wage.”
“The organisation have been working towards this for a long time, and it will enable them to continue the great work that they do. In closing, I want to recognise the work being done in the multiculturalism space. It is so important not just for highlighting the incredible diversity of our country and all the benefits that come with that but for building a more cohesive and united society. I look forward to continuing to contribute to this government's agenda in this very important area.”
“I want to take this opportunity to highlight some of the funding provided in the multiculturalism space for the electorate of Banks. I am so proud that this government will deliver $10 million to help with the construction of the United Muslims of Australia Community Centre. The UMA is an important organisation for the Muslim community in Western and south-western Sydney, supporting young people and fostering a deep sense of belonging to our community. The commitment made to fund this project will complete the construction of the UMA precinct that integrates sports, education and social services all in one place. It would include a state-of-the-art sports complex, a youth centre and parking to allow many people to participate—truly a one-stop shop for all of the programs that UMA delivers.”
“The Albanese government remains committed to the review, which will continue to influence our understanding of multiculturalism in our communities and will help shape the future policy and investments of this government. Community language schools are so important for multicultural communities in this country, and this government has invested $15 million since the 2023-24 financial year, supporting 600 community language schools across the country. This support has helped more than 90,000 students across 84 languages. The government is continuing to build on this with an additional $25 million, which will see thousands more children take up another language and feel pride in their heritage, wherever their families may have come from, as well as strengthen their sense of identity as Australians.”
“For the first time our government has appointed a dedicated minister for multicultural affairs and has elevated that position into the cabinet. Together with the new Office for Multicultural Affairs we have the means to drive a comprehensive approach to multicultural policy that will work across all three levels of government. The minister has well and truly hit the ground running, and I had the pleasure of welcoming her to my electorate last month to visit a number of constituents in the suburb of Padstow where I live. The 2024 Multicultural Framework Review was the first in-depth examination of Australia's multiculturalism in Australia in 50 years.”
“This part of our social fabric has been tested recently, and, while, unfortunately, there will always be people seeking to divide Australians, this government, our government, the Albanese government knows that multiculturalism and understanding one another are what bring Australians together. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the success of Australia's multiculturalism than the citizenship ceremonies we all have the opportunity to attend as members of this place. Since being elected I have been able to attend a number of ceremonies and have witnessed people from dozens of backgrounds become Australian citizens. Seeing the pure joy on the faces of the newest Australians as they take their pledge is incredibly heartwarming—every single time I see it.”