Sarah Witty
Melbourne · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“Before entering parliament, I worked in the homelessness sector at Homes for Homes. I there helped to build a pipeline of more than $110 million for social and affordable housing. During my time, I worked with property developers and helped them to engage with the organisation and raise that money.”
“But what had happened to her was that she had experienced domestic violence. Her husband had stopped her bank account. She was living on a friend's couch and couldn't stay there any longer. I was completely shocked. It is also a reminder to me that homelessness can happen quickly and it can happen to anyone.”
“Today, I want to speak about housing, not as a market and not as a headline but as a place where a person can close the door and feel safe. Recently, I met with the Victorian Homelessness Fund. Since 1987, the fund has worked to provide long-term homes for women and children escaping domestic violence. Their model is practical.”
“Where a cancelled flight causes additional cost, the proposed scheme seeks to make sure airlines cover reasonable costs, such as meals, transport or overnight accommodation. This bill is also important because aviation is not experienced equally by everyone.”
“This bill is not pretending every flight will run on time. It is not pretending every disruption can be avoided, and it is not pretending aviation can be simplified by legislation alone, but it does something important.”
“The ombudsperson will provide a fair, accessible and independent external dispute resolution service for complaints about airlines and airports.”
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“We cannot accept a future where women and children who are escaping violence are left waiting for a safe door to be open. The Victorian Homeless Fund shows what practical action can look like, and Homes for Homes shows what industry help can deliver.”
“But what had happened to her was that she had experienced domestic violence. Her husband had stopped her bank account. She was living on a friend's couch and couldn't stay there any longer. I was completely shocked. It is also a reminder to me that homelessness can happen quickly and it can happen to anyone. That is why housing affordability matters. That is why I am proud to be part of the Albanese Labor government's legislation to change housing affordability and cost-of-living support. Our housing reforms will support 75,000 more Australians into homeownership. They will help investment to flow into new housing supply. Our tax reforms will reduce the tax burden for more than 13 million workers. We cannot accept a future where homeownership is only for people who already have wealth.”
“Before entering parliament, I worked in the homelessness sector at Homes for Homes. I there helped to build a pipeline of more than $110 million for social and affordable housing. During my time, I worked with property developers and helped them to engage with the organisation and raise that money. During that time, I met with some property developers, went up to their beautiful office at the top of the building, had a look out at their view and spent some time letting their staff know about Homes for Homes and how they could help end homelessness. Just as I finished, I walked to the door and someone called out my name. I thought I'd left something behind. A woman came up nice and close to me in her lovely suit and said to me, 'Sarah, I am homeless.' I couldn't believe it, because she was in a well-paid job.”
“Today, I want to speak about housing, not as a market and not as a headline but as a place where a person can close the door and feel safe. Recently, I met with the Victorian Homelessness Fund. Since 1987, the fund has worked to provide long-term homes for women and children escaping domestic violence. Their model is practical. Homeowners partner with the fund and community housing providers to provide homes to families in crisis, and these homes are not empty shells. They are furnished, and the pantry is fully stocked. They are ready for a mother and her child to arrive, take a breath and begin again with dignity, because, for someone escaping violence, housing is not a political debate. It can be the difference between staying trapped or finding a way out.”
“I am proud to support this bill, I am proud to support stronger protections for Australian travellers, and I commend this bill to the House.”
“This bill is not pretending every flight will run on time. It is not pretending every disruption can be avoided, and it is not pretending aviation can be simplified by legislation alone, but it does something important. It puts consumers back at the centre, it says trust has to be earned, it says accountability cannot be voluntary, it says passengers deserve better than confusion, delay and silence. This is practical Labor reform. It takes a system that was too unclear, too weak and too frustrating, and starts to build something stronger in its place—a system where standards are clear, complaints are heard fairly, industry is accountable and people are treated with dignity when plans fall apart. That is the kind of reform Australia expects from this parliament, and it is the kind of reform the Albanese Labor government is delivering.”
“Aviation should be safe, it should be competitive, it should be sustainable, and it should be fair. For Melbourne, this matters deeply. My electorate is full of people who fly on flights to stay connected with family across the country and around the world. We are home to international students, workers, families, small businesses and older Australians who need certainty when they travel. They deserve to know that, when they buy a ticket, they are not buying a fight. They deserve to know that, when something goes wrong, they will not be left alone at the gate refreshing an app and waiting for the answer that never comes. They deserve clear standards, they deserve fair remedies, and they deserve a voice that is independent of the company they are complaining about. That is what this bill delivers.”
“That is why, consistent with the aviation white paper, airlines will not be required to provide automatic monetary compensation for cancellations, significant delays or disruptions. Instead, this framework focuses on clear rights, better supports, proper refunds, reasonable costs, stronger complaint handling and real accountability. The reforms do not stand alone. In its first term, the Albanese government released the Aviation white paper . It passed new laws to boost competition at Sydney Airport; it released the draft passenger charter of rights. It reinstated ACCC monitoring of airlines, which the Liberals and Nationals had planned to end. It is part of a broader plan to give passengers a better deal, strengthen competition and make airlines and airports more accountable while maintaining Australia's strong safety record.”
“The government intends to exempt airports with fewer than one million passengers per year. That means the framework would apply to Australia's 14 largest airports and Western Sydney airport, capturing 93 per cent of passenger movements while recognising the role and limits of smaller airports, with strong standards for consumers, a practical approach for industry and care for regional, rural and remote communities where aviation can be a lifeline. The government has also taken a sensible approach on costs and compensation. The priority is to lift the standards of passenger air travel in Australia. Financial compensation has been considered, but international experience shows costs can be passed onto consumers and do not always improve airline performance.”
“Transparency is essential to this reform. The bill will support the reporting and publication of reasons for flight delays, cancellations and disruptions. That will help consumers understand what happened and help the regulator and the ombudsperson determine whether a disruption was within or outside the control of the airline or airport. Accountability depends on information. Consumers should not have to guess. The government understands that aviation industry is not one single thing. A major airline is not the same as a small regional airport. A large airline is not the same as a small operator. That is why the framework includes the ability for the minister to exempt regulatory entitlements in full or in part with regard to factors like the impact on consumers and the size, type and financial capacity of the entity.”
“This bill helps shift responsibility back where it belongs. The charter will put the obligation on airlines and airports to treat customers, including those with accessibility needs, in a fair and reasonable way when delays inevitably occur. Fairness means more than a refund. It means dignity. It means information people can understand. It means assistance that is actually accessible. It means systems that see people as people, not booking numbers. The bill also establishes the Aviation Consumer Protection Authority inside the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts. The authority will enforce the charter, investigate systematic issues, carry out enforcement activity and, where needed, pursue enforcement of ombudsperson's determinations through judicial processes.”
“Where a cancelled flight causes additional cost, the proposed scheme seeks to make sure airlines cover reasonable costs, such as meals, transport or overnight accommodation. This bill is also important because aviation is not experienced equally by everyone. For people with disabilities, medical conditions or injuries, air travel can involve extra barriers, extra planning and extra risk. The government's research found that around one in four travellers identified as having a disability, medical condition or injury. Two in five did not know how to access the assistance service available to them. That should trouble all of us. Accessibility cannot be treated as an optional extra. People should not have to fight to be told what assistance exists. They should not be treated as an afterthought in a system that exists to move people safely.”
“It will also deal with booking information, assistance, communication and consumer complaint handling. At the moment, too many passengers do not know what they are entitled to when a flight is cancelled—whether that be a refund, a credit, a hotel room, transport, meals or better information. It says the system should not depend on who knows the rules, who has the time to fight or who can afford to wait. It says there should be a minimum standard for everyone. The government has also been clear about refunds and support. When flights are cancelled for reasons within an airline's control, passengers should be able to get their money back in the form they paid, unless they choose a travel credit. A travel credit might suit some people, but it should not be forced on people when what they need is the money returned.”
“The ombudsperson will provide a fair, accessible and independent external dispute resolution service for complaints about airlines and airports. If a consumer believes an airline or an airport has acted inconsistently with the charter and they are not satisfied with how their complaint has been handled, they will be able to seek help from the ombudsperson. The ombudsperson will be able to investigate, compel information, recommend actions, help resolve disputes and make determinations requiring an airline or airport operator to resolve a complaint in a particular way. This bill also creates the framework for the Aviation Consumer Protections Charter. The charter will set out minimum standards that aviation consumers can expect from airlines and airports. It will cover obligations when flights are disrupted, delayed or cancelled.”
“This is a problem. Even more concerning is the fact that 82 per cent said they did not receive any support when they experienced a disruption and 81 per cent said they were not informed of their rights. This is not just an inconvenience; it is a system leaving people in the dark. And when people tried to complain, their experience was not much better. Only 39 per cent of people who made a complaint were satisfied with the outcome. Only 17 per cent were satisfied with the complaint process overall. People can accept that travel is sometimes disrupted. What is harder to accept is silence, being bounced from one channel to another or being told to check an app when what you need is a person, an answer and a fair resolution. This is where the Aviation Consumer Ombudsperson matters.”
“Weather events happen, global crises happen and technical issues happen. Many workers across aviation do difficult jobs to keep people moving safely. This bill recognises that reality, but it also says something simple: complexity cannot be an excuse for confusion. When a flight is delayed, cancelled or disrupted, people deserve clear information. They deserve fair treatment. They deserve to know what support they can access. And when a company does the wrong thing, people deserve a pathway that does not exhaust them before the complaint is even heard. The case for reform is strong. Research from the Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government found that more than half of the flying public experienced a flight disruption in a 12-month period. Only around a third were satisfied with how that disruption was handled.”
“It creates an independent aviation consumer ombudsperson, paves the way for an aviation consumer protection charter, establishes the Aviation Consumer Protection Authority to enforce that charter and supports the continued work of an aircraft noise ombudsperson. On that, I have seen firsthand that good advocacy leads to good legislation, like this bill. The East Melbourne Group, a suburb association within my electorate, has raised with me the real impact of aircraft noise on local residents. They have spoken about what it means for people living under flight paths—hearing the noise in their homes, in their streets and in the quiet parts of daily life. That kind of local advocacy matters. This bill is about supporting people. It is not about punishing airlines or pretending aviation is simple.”
“That is not a strong consumer protection system, it is not a clear pathway for passengers and it is not good enough for Australians, who pay good money for a service and deserve to know what they can expect in return. The aviation white paper released by the Albanese Labor government made this clear. It found that the industry-led Airline Customer Advocate had not delivered an effective complaints resolution service and that government needed to establish a stronger and more effective body. The Albanese government is delivering the most significant reform to aviation consumer protection this country has seen. This bill establishes a new aviation consumer protection framework.”
“A delayed flight can mean missing a connection, a shift, a medical appointment, a funeral or the first day of a long-planned holiday. Poor information turns stress into confusion. Poor complaints handling sends people running in circles. That is the heart of this bill. It is about what happens when things go wrong. It is about whether passengers are treated fairly, whether rights are clear, whether standards are real and whether accountability actually exists. The current system has not been good enough. For too long, airline passengers have had to rely on voluntary industry arrangements and airlines escalating complaints themselves. In practice, the same industry that caused the problem has controlled too much of the pathway for fixing it.”
“I rise today to speak in support of the Aviation Consumer Protection Bill 2026. Aviation matters in Australia in a way that is different to many other countries. We are a large island nation with vast distances between our cities, our regions and the rest of the world. For many Australians, flying is not a luxury. It is how people get to work, stay connected with family, get home for study, travel for medical care, attend funerals and reach holidays they have saved for, month after month. In a city like Melbourne, we know how deeply air travel connects to daily life. We are a city of students, migrants, workers, families, artists, businesses and visitors. People fly in to study, attend major events, see families, build a future or simply come home.”
“Trish was always there in the background offering advice, sharing wisdom and helping Amanda navigate politics. In doing so she was helping me too—although, I didn't fully appreciate it at the time. It wasn't until her passing that I realised just how much she had helped me through her daughter. Through Amanda, I saw Trish's generosity, strength and compassion. Since her passing, I've heard many stories of her impact, from her work in the Northern Territory to her lifelong advocacy for community. She stood up, she showed up and she never gave up. That was Trish Crossin.”
“I rise today to celebrate the life of Trish Crossin AM. On this day 28 years ago, Trish stood in the Senate to deliver her first speech, championing social justice, First Nations rights and the advancement of women across the nation. I only met Trish once. She shook my hand, and I knew immediately that she was a force—a force of kindness, a force of strength and a force of action. We were at a barbecue. We had a great chat, but it was what she did when no-one was watching. At the end of the event, Trish gathered up the leftovers and made sure they went to a guest who really needed them. It was a small act, but it told me everything about the person she was. Trish saw people. She noticed need, and she quietly got on with helping. I came to know Trish especially through her daughter Amanda, who works in my office.”
“They say clearly that organised networks will not be allowed to treat Australian communities as easy targets for profits. Melbourne is a city that thrives on community life. People gather in cafes, support small businesses and build connections through space. Those places should feel vibrant and welcoming. These reforms help protect the sense of community confidence. They support the honest businesses who operate legally, employ workers properly and contribute positively to city life. Every time illegal tobacco products enter Australia through illegal supply chains, the risk grows louder, longer and larger. There's a risk to public health and a risk to public safety. I commend this bill to the House.”
“They want a government prepared to step in early. That is why the Albanese Labor government is coordinating a national response and strengthening the laws needed to deal with organised crime. Allowing illicit tobacco networks to continue growing unchecked would carry enormous consequences over time for public health, community safety and trust in the rule of law itself. Australians expect laws to mean something. They expect governments to enforce standards fairly and consistently. When people see illegal operators functioning openly, selling unregulated products while criminal groups make billions in profits, confidence in the system starts to weaken. That is why visible enforcement matters. That is why strong penalties matter. That is why these reforms matter.”
“Some people argue that the answer is to cut tobacco excise, but Australia should not surrender its health policy to organised crime. There is no realistic excise cut that would dismantle criminal supply chains already operating across borders, warehouses and illegal shopfronts. The answer is not to make smoking cheaper. The answer is to make illicit tobacco more risky and less profitable for criminals. Importantly, this legislation recognises something that my community already understands instinctively. If governments do not act early, these problems become harder to contain. People want to feel safe in their shopping strips, neighbourhoods and local communities. My community wants confidence that organised criminal activity is being confronted directly, not ignored until it becomes even more entrenched.”
“They invest in supply chains, distribution, storage, cash movement, property and systems designed to hide profits. These reforms strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to follow that money and disrupt those structures, because, when government starts taking away criminal profits, property, vehicles and assets, the pressure on these illegal operations increases. The reform also helps aid agencies dealing with serious illicit tobacco offending. That includes stronger surveillance, communication and disruptive powers. These powers are significant, and they should be because the groups involved in this trade are sophisticated and highly coordinated. Law enforcement agencies need modern tools that match the scale and complexity of the networks they are dealing with. These changes help ensure they have those tools.”
“That is why one of the strongest parts of these reforms is a focus on criminal profits. Organised criminal activity survives through money. If these groups continue making enough profits from illicit tobacco, they will continue investing in this trade. These changes directly target that business model. They strengthen proceeds-of-crime laws. They improve information sharing between agencies, and they give law enforcement stronger tools to investigate unexplained wealth and confiscate criminal assets. Dismantling these networks means more than shutting down one storefront; it means disrupting the financial structures underneath the trade itself. It means going after the profits that allow these organisations to expand. These groups treat their operations like businesses.”
“The Commonwealth plays a critical role at the border through intelligence sharing, through national coordination and through the agencies disrupting supply chains before these products reach Australian communities. States and territories play a different but equally important role through licensing systems, shop closures, local enforcement activity and stronger penalties targeting illegal operators on the ground. When those efforts work together, the impact is far stronger. Because organised crime does not stop at state borders, neither can the response. Importantly, governments are recognising that shutting down one illegal shop is not enough on its own. If the financial networks, supply chains and criminal profits remain untouched, these operations simply reappear somewhere else.”
“Criminal networks move quickly. They operate across borders, and they exploit gaps between systems wherever they can. That is why coordination matters. The Commonwealth cannot solve this issue alone. States and territories cannot solve it alone either. The response only works when governments share intelligence, co-ordinate enforcement and target these operations from multiple directions at once. Through the National Illicit Tobacco and E-cigarette Coordination Forum, governments are working more closely together to strengthen enforcement, improve licensing systems, introduce tougher closure powers and target the structures that allow illegal operators to keep functioning. Victoria is part of the national effort.”
“Since 2023-24, this government has committed $346 million to the Australian Border Force to crack down on illicit tobacco and vaping products. We have appointed Australia's first Illicit Tobacco and E-cigarettes Commissioner, and, in the 2025-26 budget, a further $21.3 million was committed to strengthening national coordination efforts. That work is already producing results. Since January 2024, more than 14 million vaping products and accessories have been seized by the Australian Border Force. In 2024-25, the Australian Border Force seized 2.66 billion cigarettes, up more than 320 per cent on four years ago. That figure shows the scale, but it also shows that enforcement agencies are working to disrupt these operations before products reach Australian communities. This response has not relied on one agency acting alone.”
“Australians expect products sold in this country to meet proper standards, especially products that affect public health. Illicit tobacco bypasses all of that, and when criminal groups control the supply chain, public safety means nothing to them. Profit is the only goal. These networks are not interested in protecting people. They are interested in making money as quickly as possible, and if dangerous, poor-quality or unregulated products end up in Australian communities, that is simply treated as part of doing business. That is unacceptable. This legislation recognises that illicit tobacco is not just unlawful trade; it is part of a broader criminal ecosystem that harms communities in multiple ways at once. The Albanese Labor government has understood the seriousness of this issue from the beginning.”
“It backs the businesses that contribute to the community, not the criminal networks that exploit it. There is also a serious health concern sitting underneath this issue. Australians have spent decades reducing smoking rates and improving public awareness about the dangers of tobacco. That work has had a profound impact. Governments, health workers, community organisations and public health advocates have spent years driving smoking rates down and reducing the harm caused by tobacco products, but illicit tobacco creates a dangerous shadow market operating outside Australia's regulatory systems. These products are not subject to proper health checks, quality standards or legitimate oversight. Regulation exists for a reason.”
“Communities should not have to get used to organised crime operating in plain sight. Honest small businesses should not have to compete beside enterprises that ignore the law entirely, because these are not victimless crimes. The impacts spread outwards. They damage trust, they undermine safety, and they place pressure on businesses and workers trying to do the right thing. It matters on Victoria Street, Chapel Street, Swan Street, Errol Street, Brunswick Street and across the CBD. These places are more than commercial strips. They are where families run restaurants, cafes, groceries, pharmacies and retail stores. They are where workers rely on safe jobs and steady hours. They are where community life happens. That is why this bill matters to the community of Melbourne.”
“Not only was the smoke shop affected; whatever the circumstances, it was the neighbouring businesses that were forced to deal with the consequences. Workers at the bakery next door, Little Frenchie & Co, were close enough to see the smoke and flames. One worker, who said they had to move quickly, said, 'Quick! Move everything out the back.' The manager, Sam Razis, put it plainly: 'Little Frenchie's is our business. It is our livelihood, so to come so close to disaster is pretty awful.' That is the human reality behind this issue. For nearby traders, this is not a line in a criminal report; it is their shopfront, their staff, their stock, their lease, their livelihood. And when illegal tobacco becomes tied to arson, intimidation and organised crime, the damage spreads beyond one premises.”
“And when criminals and activity criminal activity becomes more visible, more brazen and more violent, this chips away at public confidence. I've been meeting with business associations across my electorate, including those on Victoria Street and Bridge Road and across the CBD. Their members are running honest businesses in a hard economy. They are managing rent, wages, insurance, supply costs and thin margins. They are doing the right thing. Then, in some places, we see the impacts of organised criminal activity spilling into our precincts. It affects the way people feel about their local shopping strips. It affects business confidence. It affects the sense of safety that local communities deserve. We saw that danger clearly on Bridge Road in Richmond when a smoke shop was firebombed in the early hours of the morning.”
“If criminals are making billions from illicit tobacco, governments must be prepared to respond with the full strength of the law. In my community, these laws will make a real difference. Melbourne is a city built around busy shopping strips, small businesses, hospitality venues and local places where people gather every single day. But people in Melbourne have also watched illegal tobacco shops spread quickly across retail areas and commercial precincts. Alongside that growth, there have been reports of violence, arson attacks, threats and intimidation linked to organised criminal activity. My constituents are rightly concerned. It affects workers locking up shops at night. It affects nearby businesses trying to operate honestly.”
“That is why our government is acting—to protect communities, protect public safety and stop criminal networks from embedding themselves deeper into Australian life. The Illicit Tobacco and E-cigarette Commissioner estimated the illicit tobacco market was worth between $4.1 billion and $6.9 billion in 2024, with illicit tobacco products making up to 50 to 60 per cent of all sales. That is an enormous criminal economy. These groups are not investing in this market by accident. They see huge profits and vast distribution networks and, until recently, they had a level of risk that did not match the harm being caused. These reforms change that equation. They expand law enforcement powers to investigate illicit tobacco offences, they strengthen proceeds-of-crime laws and they increase the consequences for criminals operating in this trade.”
“I rise to speak in support of the Combatting Illicit Tobacco Bill 2026. This legislation responds to a problem that has changed rapidly in recent years. Illicit tobacco is no longer a problem on the edge of the economy; it has become tied to organised criminal activity, community safety concerns and growing risks to public health. Across the country, illegal tobacco products are being sold through unregulated networks with no oversight, no safety guards, no safety standards and no accountability for what these products actually contain. At the same time, criminal groups are making billions of dollars from the trade and using those profits to fund other serious criminal activities.”
“The budget strengthens energy security through the National Fuel Security Plan, with stronger reserves, storage, stockholding rules and market oversights. This budget passes the test—cleaner future, fairer systems, stronger protection and real help in people's lives. That is what Labor is delivering, and I am proud to support it.”
“This budget supports the National Consumer Energy Resources Roadmap. That means helping households and communities get the benefits of solar, batteries, electric vehicles and a smarter energy system. It maintains battery system inspections under the Cheaper Home Batteries Program. That means safer batteries, better consumer protection, more confidence for people buying electric vehicles and more support for workers and businesses making the transition happen. For Melbourne, fairness has to sit in the centre of this. Clean energy cannot only work for people with big roofs, a garage and a private driveway. It has to work for renters, apartment residents, students, older people and small businesses. The transition must be cleaner, and it must be fairer.”
“That work supports traditional owners, scientists, tourism operators and regional communities. It protects a living wonder, it protects jobs and it protects the future. And, because environmental work does not stop at the shoreline, this budget also invests in Australia's marine parks, including stronger action on illegal fishing and work to protect and restore our oceans. We are acting on waste. The budget delivers a national pilot of solar panel recycling, because the clean energy transition has to be clean all the way through. It is not enough to put panels on roofs; we have a plan for what happens when those panels reach the end of their life. That is forward thinking. That is responsible. That is Labor delivering. On climate change and energy, the same principles apply.”
“The budget funds modern environmental information, data and digital systems, including the use of artificial intelligence, so assessments can be clearer, simpler and faster. That matters, because Australia needs to build. We need homes, we need renewable energy and we need the critical minerals that power the clean economy. This budget funds changes to environmental offsets through the nature repair market on a new restoration contributions system. That means restoration must be real. When nature is damaged, the response cannot be vague. It must help repair the places and species that need it. The budget invests $110.8 million to extend the Saving Native Species program. We are delivering for the Great Barrier Reef, providing $91.8 million for protection, restoration and monitoring, supporting the Reef 2050 Plan.”
“It takes the big national task in front of us and turns it into work that can be achieved step by step, program by program. The Albanese Labor government is delivering an extra $1.3 billion for the environment and water, taking total investment to $9.9 billion over the next four years. That means we are not just talking about protecting nature; we are funding it. We are starting up the new National Environmental Protection Agency from 1 July 2026. That means stronger enforcement of national environmental laws. For too long, Australians saw environmental protection treated like paperwork. This government is treating it like responsibility. We are also making the approvals systems work better.”
“There is a simple test for this budget. Does it make the future cleaner? Does it make the systems fairer? Does it help people in their real lives? On environment, water, climate change and energy, the answer is yes. For Melbourne, that matters, because my community does not see climate and environment policy as something distant from their daily lives. It is not distant when a family is trying to bring down their power bill. It is not distant when a renter wants access to clean energy but has no control over the roof above them. It is not distant when a young person asks whether government is actually listening to the science. Melbourne expects ambition but Melbourne also expects delivery. That is what this budget is doing.”
“From early learning to public schools, to TAFE and universities, it's a system that gives children the best start, that opens the door for opportunity and that backs students, teachers, educators and families. That is what Labor governments do, and I am proud to support this budget.”
“Melbourne has the highest number of people with student loans of any electorate in the country. Around 36,000 people in Melbourne are carrying student loan debt. That is why the government's 20 per cent student debt cut matters. The first bill passed by this parliament wiped more than $16 billion in student debt for more than 3.2 million Australians, and we have made repayments fairer. For someone earning $70,000, repayments will fall from $1,750 a year to about $450. That's about $1,300 less each year. It is also why the Commonwealth prac payment matters. It supports about 68,000 eligible teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students while they complete compulsory placements. Because education should open doors, not push people to breaking point. This budget delivers a better and fairer education system.”
“Through the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement, we are putting every public school on a pathway to full funding. That means an additional $20 billion for public schools over the next 10 years and $50 billion in the decade after that. For Victorian public schools, it means an extra $3.5 billion over the next 10 years. That funding is tied to reforms that matter in classrooms: more individualised support, more mental health support and more support to attract and retain teachers. That is what full and fair funding will do. It will help students catch up, keep up and finish school. It will back the teachers doing the work. It will strengthen the schools at the heart of our community and in higher education. This government is delivering reform that matters.”
“The government is also backing early childhood educators, with a 15 per cent pay rise tied to limits on fee increases for families. We are strengthening safety through a $226 million child safety package, including mandatory child safety training, a national early childhood worker register and more unannounced compliance visits, with stronger powers to cut funding from services that are not meeting safety standards. Affordable, safe, high-quality—this is the early education system this government is building. In schools, the Albanese Labor government is delivering full and fair funding for public schools. When we came to government, no public school outside the ACT was fully funded. That was not good enough, so this government is fixing it.”
“I believe every child deserves a chance to dream big, succeed and build a bright future, and a strong education is where that journey begins. That is the goal of this budget—a quality, affordable and safe early childhood education and care system, full and fair funding for public schools and a fairer higher education system, including cutting student debt by 20 per cent and making repayments fairer. In early childhood education and care we are delivering real reform. Our cheaper child care policy is already providing cost-of-living relief for more than one million Australian families. We have also replaced the activity test with the three-day guarantee, making sure every child can access at least three days of subsidised early education and care per week.”
“I rise to support a budget that continues the Albanese Labor government's work to build a better and fairer education system. From early childhood education right through to schools, TAFE and university, this budget is about opening doors for opportunity. When I was asked to run for the seat of Melbourne, I said yes because as a foster carer I met too many children who, through no fault of their own, had faced unbelievable challenges. I wanted to step up and do everything I could to help ensure every child gets the best possible start in life, and I know education is the key. It opens doors, builds confidence, sparks curiosity and creates opportunity. It gives children the tools to thrive and backs the teachers and educators who work every day to help young Australians reach their full potential.”