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.”
The complete record
Every one of 374 lines we hold for Sarah Witty, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 8.
“We try to compare products online, only to be flooded with countdown clocks, pop-ups, hidden charges and endless prompts, pushing us towards a decision. We all feel that frustration every single day, and what frustrates us even more is the sense that these practices are not accidental; they are designed that way. This bill says clearly, 'This is not good enough.' This legislation modernises the Australian Consumer Law to reflect the way Australians buy things now. We buy things online, through apps, through subscriptions and through digital platforms designed to shape our behaviour. Importantly, this bill recognises something we already know: there is a difference between persuasion and manipulation. Businesses should absolutely promote their products. Competition matters, advertising matters, innovation matters—but there is a line.”
“I rise to speak in support of the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Bill 2026. At its core, this bill is about fairness. It's about whether people can trust the prices they see, whether they can leave a subscription as easily as they joined it, whether businesses compete by offering a better product or by wearing people down through confusion, pressure and manipulation. Australians are smart consumers. We compare prices, we budget carefully and we shop around, especially right now, but increasingly we are navigating markets that are designed to exhaust us. We click on what looks like a cheap ticket, and a few screens later the price has jumped. We sign up for a free trial in under a minute and then spend half an hour trying to cancel it.”
“Melbourne shows us what is possible. It's a city where people do not just live side by side; they live together. It's a city built on contribution, on community and on people showing up for each other. But it also reminds us of something else—that this work is never finished. In the end, this comes down to something simple. When the moment comes, when something is said, when something is done, when something is not right, we all face the same choice: to stand up or to stand by. I know what my choice is. For the people I represent, for the community that raised me and for an Australia where no-one should be made to feel like they do not belong, I will stand up so they do not stand alone.”
“They were both asked a simple question: do you think Australia is racist? They answered the question at the same time— A division having been called in the House of Representatives— Sitting suspended from 11:43 to 11:55 My sister and her husband were asked: do you think Australia is a racist country? They answered at the same time. My sister, who looks like me, said no. Her husband said yes. They both meant it, because they were speaking from lived experience. That moment has stayed with me because it shows something we have to be willing to face—that people can live in the same place, build the same life and still experience this country in very different ways. If we are serious about eliminating racial discrimination, we have to be willing to hold the truth—not one version of the story but all of them.”
“Through the National Anti-Racism Framework, we are setting a clear direction for how institutions respond to racism. Through investment in multicultural community organisations, we are backing the people who are already doing the work on the ground. Through stronger protections in the workplace and public life, we are making it clear that discrimination is not acceptable. Through education and community programs, we are helping build understanding earlier so that the next generation expects something better. But we also know this: policy alone does not solve this. It only works if we stay connected to the people who are experiencing it. I have had conversations with people in my life that have stayed with me. One was with my sister and her husband. Her husband is Maori and has darker skin.”
“There is a difference between celebrating diversity and defending it. Celebration is easy; defending it is much harder. It means acting when something is not right, it means listening when people tell us that something is not working and it means being prepared to change what we are doing when the evidence is there. This is not about getting it right once; it's about continuing to learn and continuing to respond. This is where government matters, because government has a responsibility to not just to reflect the country but respond to it. This government looks more like modern Australia than ever before. It reflects the diversity of the people it represents, and that matters. When people are in the room, their experiences are in the room too, and that shapes what gets heard. This government is taking action.”
“It slips in the moment someone laughs off a comment that should have been called out, when a name gets shortened because it feels easier than correcting it and when someone walks into a room and quietly works out how much of themselves is safe to show. It shows up in small decisions: a pause before speaking, a choice to stay quiet, a decision to not put your hand up this time—not because people lack ability but because they are reading the space around them. These moments build. They follow people into classrooms, into workplaces and into the choices they make about what they go for and what they step back from. Over time, they shape who participates, who leads and who feels like they belong. If we are serious about the kind of community we say we are, we cannot just point to diversity and assume that is enough.”
“The strength of this amazing city is in the places where people come together, in places like Youlden Parkville Cricket Club, where people from different backgrounds play side by side and build something shared over time; in places like Queen Victoria Market, where culture, food, language and tradition are where diversity is part of everyday life; and, in schools like Abbotsford Primary School, where bilingual education is not treated as something different but as something core to who we can be. A division having been called in the House of Representatives— Sitting suspended from 11:28 to 11:40 This is what cohesion looks like: not something declared but something built. It only holds if we keep choosing it. Even in a city like Melbourne, it can slip.”
“I see it in the Somali communities across inner Melbourne, where families are building lives, raising children and starting to shape what our city will become next. As I spend time with these communities, I also hear something deeper: discrimination has not disappeared. It's not always loud. It's not always called out. But it is still there, in comments that are brushed off, in assumptions that go unchallenged, in moments that people carry, even when they do not speak about them. That silence does not mean it is not there; it means that people have learnt to carry it. If we do not hear these stories or do not listen to the people living them every day, we risk building a picture of Australia that is only true for some people. But across Melbourne, people are not waiting for things to be perfect. We are building community anyway.”
“It reminds us that questions of fairness and Justice in this country did not begin recently. They have been part of our story for a long time, and they are still part of our responsibility today. If we want to understand what facing these questions look like in practice, we can look to my electorate of Melbourne, because this is where it is tested every day—not in theory, not in policy, but in real life. I see it when I walk through Chinatown, the largest, continuous Chinese settlement in the Western world where generations have built community, businesses and a sense of belonging in the heart of our city. I see it in Richmond and in Abbotsford, where the Vietnamese community has built an enduring place, shaping the streets, the culture and the identity of the suburb.”
“It comes from a moment in 1960, in Sharpeville, South Africa, where people gathered to peacefully protest apartheid laws and were met with violence. Lives were lost and the world was forced to confront what happens when racial injustice is allowed to go unchecked. That moment does not belong to one country, but to all, because while Australia's story is different, it is not separate from the same question of fairness, of equality and of who is made to feel like they belong. The story of this country begins with the oldest, continuous civilisation on earth. For tens of thousands of years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have cared for this land, built cultures of extraordinary depth and passed knowledge from generation to generation. That history is not just in the distance; it is part of the present.”
“In a place like Melbourne, it can be easy to point to diversity and feel the job is done. We see diversity in our streets, in our schools and in the community that I represent and am proud of. But, when we listen closely, we hear something else. We hear that for many people the experience of this country is not the same and that, even in places that look inclusive, people still carry moments where they are treated differently, where they are questioned and where they are made to feel they are outside something they should belong to. If we are serious about eliminating racial discrimination, we have to start by listening to the people who have experienced it—not explaining it away, not comparing it, but hearing it for what it is. The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination exists for a reason.”
“Open Place has created a space where those stories are finally acknowledged, but listening is only the beginning. We must remember. We must carry these stories forward, because we cannot forget what happened, and we cannot let it happen again. The task in front of us is to listen, to remember and to make sure the stories of Forgotten Australians shape what we do next.”
“I want to reflect on a visit I recently made to Open Place in Richmond, where I met with Forgotten Australians and listened to their experiences. Forgotten Australians are people who, as children, were placed in institutions, orphanages and out-of-home care. Many were neglected, mistreated and failed by the very systems meant to protect them. After that visit, one person reached out to me thanking me for taking the time to listen and hear about their childhood in those institutions. They said something that stayed with me. They said they felt warmth, sincerity and compassion in being listened to and that being heard mattered. They also hoped, from hearing their stories, I now understood the challenges Forgotten Australians have carried throughout their lives. For too many, that that moment of being heard came far too late.”
“We can cling to outdated frameworks that force people into silence or hesitation, or we can embrace a future where science advances, prevention expands and fairness underpins our laws. For the people of Melbourne, for families across this country, for every young person considering a test that could change their future, I know whose side I am on. I commend this bill to the House.”
“When I think about this reform, I think about Kara, about a young woman who chose not to wait. She now has a plan. She has the support. She has time. This reform is also about the thousands of Australians who will now step forward to participate in research without fear, about families who will make decisions in consultation with doctors, not insurers. And I think of what this reform says about us. It says we trust people with the truth and place control of their health in their hands. It says that we act early, giving people a real chance to change their future. It says we stand beside Australians when it matters most with care, strength and certainty. We promised to ban the use of adverse genetic test results in life insurance. We are delivering on that promise. This parliament has a choice.”
“We are living through a revolution in medicine. Genomic sequencing is faster, cheaper and more precise. It is changing what is possible. We can find risk before disease takes hold. We can step in earlier. We can guide treatment. We can give people time—time to act, time to plan, time to protect the people they love. This changes lives. It takes someone out of the dark and puts them back in control. But policy must keep up. Antidiscrimination law must keep up. Insurance law must keep up. Regulation must keep up. This bill ensures they do. There will be some who argue that this interferes with market practice. I say this: markets exist to serve people, not the other way round. Penalising someone for taking a test that could prevent disease crosses a line. We are drawing that line today.”
“Accountability is there, which means what was proposed was extra process, not extra protection. Many financial advisers are small business operators. They employ staff. They serve families. They guide Australians through some of the most important financial decisions of their lives. They should spend their time supporting clients, not navigating unnecessary bureaucracy. This government is serious about reducing regulatory burden where it does not serve a clear public purpose. We will strengthen rules where consumers need protection. Schedule 4 delivers practical reform and reflects the government's focus on substance over symbolism. These are sensible, measured reforms, but the moral centre of this bill sits with schedule 1. Australians deserve certainty when they seek knowledge about their bodies.”
“When our region is stronger, more resilient and more prosperous, Australia benefits too. Together, schedules 2 and 3 show that government understands both the domestic and international dimensions of economic policy. This is a government that strengthens our financial system at home while reinforcing Australia's leadership role abroad. Schedule 4 reflects something equally important: this government knows when to step in and when to step back. The previous framework proposed a second layer of financial adviser registration that would have required individual advisers to undertake additional annual processes supported by new and costly IT systems. The current system already provides strong oversight. Advisers are registered, misconduct can be investigated, and registrations can be suspended or cancelled.”
“Through our work with these department banks and funds, Australia supports infrastructure, climate resilience and economic stability across our region. Australia has agreed to participate in hybrid capital and guarantee arrangements that expand the lending capacity of these institutions. These amendments ensure our domestic legislation can accommodate such innovative financial tools without repeated technical, legislative change. They reduce administrative burden while preserving transparency, including parliamentary notifications of new financial obligations. This is responsible internationalism in practice—Australia showing up, Australia investing in regional stability, Australia using its place as a middle power to shape solutions that no country can deliver alone.”
“In my electorate of Melbourne, home of some of the country's largest super funds and asset management firms, this creates stronger connections to global markets and more opportunities to grow Australian savings. At the same time, the reform maintains appropriate oversight, balancing openness with integrity. Schedule 3 speaks to Australia's role beyond our shores. It modernises and futureproofs the legislative framework that governs our participation in mutual development banks. These institutions are evolving rapidly, particularly in response to climate change and shifting global economic pressures. Australia is not a superpower; we are something else. We are a middle power with influence. We are a trusted partner in the Australian Pacific. We are a country that builds bridges and brings nations together.”
“It is also important to reflect more fully on the broader architecture of this bill. Schedule 2 provides targeted licensing exemptions for foreign financial service providers where they are already subject to comparable regulation in trusted jurisdictions. This is not deregulation for its own sake; it recognises that Australian businesses operate in a global marketplace and that access to international capital strengthens our economy. Australians' retirement savings system is one of the largest pools of capital in the world. Access to global markets helps deliver stronger returns, builds competition and opens up new sources of investment for Australian businesses.”
“In my electorate, we want to be at the forefront of genomic medicine. We want our young people to participate in research that advances global understanding. We want families to make health decisions based on evidence and trust. This bill will ensure they can. This bill also speaks to something bigger. It speaks to what kind of government we choose to be. The Albanese government has been clear that health should never depend on wealth. We have reduced the cost of medicines. We have strengthened Medicare. We have invested in urgent care clinics. We have acted on women's health. And now we are ensuring that preventive genetic medicine is not undermined by financial fear. That is the story of our government—a government that backs prevention, a government that removes barriers, a government that puts people before profit.”
“Investment in disease prevention reduces pressure on our healthcare system. It keeps people in work longer. It strengthens productivity. It lowers long-term costs. It is not just a health reform, it is an economic reform, and it is a structural reform. It will be backed with real action. The ban creates civil penalties and criminal offences for noncompliance and places enforcement authority with ASIC. Vulnerable Australians deserve more than good intentions. They deserve enforceable protections. For Melbourne, this reform matters deeply. We are a city of students, researchers, health professionals and young families. We are home to world-class institutions like the Florey institute in Parkville, where this government announced over $40 million for the fight against motor neurone disease.”
“It tells Australians, especially those at high risk of inherited conditions, that their decision to undertake genetic testing will not jeopardise their ability to protect their families. It does something else. It supports medical research. Treasury's analysis makes clear that concerns about life insurance have discouraged participation in clinical research. When people hold back from research, the full benefits of genetic science are not realised. That slows discovery, it stifles innovation, and it dims hope. By removing this barrier, we pave the way for greater participation in preventive genomic screening and stronger public health outcomes. This is what proactive governments look like. It looks ahead. It recognises that prevention is not just kinder; it is smarter.”
“She now has a care plan, and she is being regularly monitored. She has options, she has time, she has control, and what could have been overwhelming became empowering. However, the reality is that too many people are still held back from taking that step. The main reason people who signed up for DNA Screen ultimately decided not to participate was fear of genetic discrimination. It was fear, not science, not medicine, not cost. It was just fear. For decades, Australians have raised ethical concerns about genetic discrimination. They have asked why a test taken to prevent illness could be used to price them out of insurance protection. This bill answers that question.”
“It allows doctors to monitor more closely, to intervene early, to prevent disease altogether. This is the frontier of modern medicine. In my electorate of Melbourne, more than a hundred young people participated in a DNA screening study. Backed by Monash University, the study looks into preventive genetic testing. While attending an event with DNA Screen, I met Kara, a young woman from my community who did not want to wait for a health scare to take control of her future. She was told she was too young to worry. She chose to act anyway. Through DNA screening, Kara discovered she carries the BRCA2 gene variant, putting her at higher risk of breast and ovarian cancer. That kind of news could stop you in your tracks. For Kara, it did the opposite. With the right support, she was connected to medical specialists.”
“They will still be able to consider diagnosed conditions, symptoms and family medical history. It does not prevent individuals from volunteering genetic test results with written consent where doing so benefits them. What it does do is end the practice of penalising someone for proactively seeking information about their own health. It ends a regime that has forced Australians into cruel calculations—'Should I stay in the dark and protect my insurance or seek knowledge and risk financial consequences?' This is not a fair choice; this is not a humane choice. This is not consistent with a country that believes in preventive health care. Genetic testing can identify risks for cancers, heart diseases and other inherited conditions long before symptoms appear.”
“Australians should never have to choose between their health and their financial security. People have been delaying or avoiding genetic testing and even avoiding participating in medical research because they are worried about how insurers might respond. This hesitation can mean a missed opportunity to prevent illness. It is a barrier to prevention, a barrier to early treatment and a barrier to scientific progress. The Albanese Labor government is removing that barrier. Schedule 1 implements a clear, scientifically led decision: life insurers will no longer be able to use an individual's adverse genetic test results to determine whether they can access cover or to set the terms of that cover. It is important to note that this bill does not interfere with insurance companies designing their policies.”
“I rise to speak on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Genetic Testing Protections in Life Insurance and Other Measures) Bill 2025. At its heart, this bill asks a simple question: in a country as wealthy and as clever as ours, should anyone have to choose between knowledge that could save their life and the security of protecting their family? Our government is saying no. This bill delivers on the Albanese government's commitment to ban the use of adverse genetic test results in life insurance underwriting, changing the law so that Australians can engage with their own health care without fear of discrimination. This government is aligning the Insurance Contracts Act and the Disability Discrimination Act so our antidiscrimination framework keeps pace with modern science, because genetic testing saves lives.”
“My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. How is the Albanese Labor government making medicines cheaper for all Australians? How do cheaper medicines help strengthen Medicare after a decade of cuts and neglect?”
“The gender pay gap is at its lowest level ever recorded, and we are investing in policies that strengthen women's health, safety and economic security. But equality is not a destination we arrive at. It is a commitment we renew again and again, because the measure of a society is not simply how it distributes power; it is how it protects dignity, supports families and ensures that every woman and girl can live safely, work fairly and build the life she chooses. That is the work ahead of us, and it is the work this government will continue to do. Sitting suspended from 13:31 to 15:59”
“Through that network, I found a community of women who believe something powerful—if we want to see more women in leadership, we have to support each other to get there. Equality does not grow out of patience. It grows when women back each other, when communities organise and when systems are built to give everyone a fair chance. International Women's Day reminds us that the progress we see today was built by generations before us, from the suffragette movement led by Vida Goldstein here in Melbourne to the union women who organised through Trades Hall and the hundreds of people who rallied at the same great building on Friday. Each generation builds on the work of the last. Today, Australia is making real progress. Our global ranking on gender equality is rising.”
“Before becoming a parliamentarian, I spent many years working across businesses and community organisations in Melbourne. During that time I was often one of the only women in leadership positions. Around International Women's Day each year, I would often receive the same request: could you come and speak at our International Women's Day event and talk about being a woman in leadership? I would often talk about the first time I heard about subconscious bias. It was like a light-bulb moment. It wasn't something that I could really put my finger on, but once I heard that, I knew what was happening to me. Those conversations stayed with me because the same questions kept coming up: How do we make workplaces fairer? How do we support more women to move into leadership? For me, those questions led me to join EMILY's List.”
“That reality is why the Albanese government has committed more than $4 billion nationally to end gender based violence in one generation. That funding is strengthening frontline services, expanding crisis accommodation and supporting prevention programs that work with communities before violence occurs, in recognition that leaving violence is rarely a single moment—it requires housing, financial security and a support system that walks besides the woman every step of the way. At the same time, the report warns us about new challenges. Abuse through the use of technology is becoming more common, with tracking apps and digital monitoring tools used by predators to control partners. It is a reminder that the fight for equality evolves with the world around us.”
“Before that change, some parents who experienced the heartbreak of a stillbirth or the loss of a new child could also lose their employer funded paid parental leave. That meant families facing unimaginable grief could also lose the support they had been promised. The federal Labor government changed that, because equality is not only about opportunity when things are going well; it's also about dignity, compassion and fairness when life becomes incredibly hard. Of course, health and economic security are only part of the story; safety must always come first. Across Australia, a woman is killed by a current or former partner, on average, every eight days. That number can sound like a statistic, but every one of those eight days is a life—a daughter, a friend, a mother who should still be here.”
“That is why we are expanding access to cheaper medicines through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, helping to reduce the treatments that many women rely on. Across the country, we are establishing endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics so women can receive earlier diagnosis and proper treatment. For decades many women living with chronic pain were told their symptoms were normal, exaggerated or simply something they had to live with. Too many were dismissed or left waiting years for answers. That culture is changing because women spoke up, shared their experiences and demanded that the system listen. This government has also acted to protect dignity for families at some of the most difficult moments in life. Last year I spoke in support of Baby Priya's bill.”
“Listening to those stories made something very clear. Our workplaces have changed in many ways, but many of our leave systems were designed for a different time. They assume a worker who never needs reproductive health care, never needs flexibility and never experiences the interruptions that real life can bring. That's why the 'It's for Every Body' campaign is calling for 10 days of paid reproductive health leave. The idea behind it is simple: when someone needs treatment for endometriosis, fertility care or pregnancy loss, that is health care, and health care should never cost someone their job. This is the same principle guiding the actions of this Labor government. We believe that women shouldn't face barriers to getting the care they need.”
“Across my electorate of Melbourne, our communities run on the work of women, but too often the systems around them struggle to reflect the realities of their lives. That was reinforced to me when I met with Carolyn and Wil from the Victorian Trades Hall Council. They came to my office to talk about the union movement called It's for Every Body. We spoke for a long time about the stories they were hearing from workers across Victoria, about how women undergoing IVF had quietly used up their annual leave because they had no other options, about workers returning to their jobs just days after miscarriage because they felt they had no choice. They also described people who had hidden medical appointments from their employers because they were worried it might affect their job security or career progression.”
“Standing there on Friday morning, you could feel the long stretch of history surrounding you as the next generation of women take up the fight. International Women's Day always invites us to reflect on how far we have come. This year the Status of Women Report Card gives us some real reasons to feel encouraged. Australia is now ranked 13th in the world for gender equality. Just four years ago, we were ranked 43rd. Our national gender pay gap has fallen to 11.5 per cent, the lowest ever on record. Those improvements didn't happen by accident. They reflect decades of work by women in unions, community organisations and parliamentarians who pushed for change. But the report card also reminds us that progress doesn't mean the work is finished.”
“On Friday morning I walked down Lygon Street in Carlton towards Trades Hall for the annual International Working Women's Day Rally. You could hear the crowd before you saw it. Women were calling to the gathering crowd through megaphones, and the steps of Trades Hall were already filled with union banners and handmade signs. There were students standing beside nurses, teachers beside hospitality workers and parents beside young people who were attending their first rally. It was a powerful reminder that in Melbourne the fight for equality has always been at the heart of who we are. The Victorian Trades Hall carries a rich history. For more than a century, women have gathered there to organise for fair pay, safer workplaces and the right to participate fully in our economy and our democracy.”
“Whether it's a classroom in Collingwood, a primary school in Fitzroy or a high school in Parkville, the goal is the same: to give every child the chance to learn, grow and succeed to be the best they can be. For me, that is at the heart of why I am in politics. Every child deserves the best chance in life to reach their full potential.”
“For those who go on to further study, our government has also changed the HECS-HELP repayment system, so graduates can keep more of what they earn. For someone earning around $70,000 a year that means about $1,300 more in their pocket each year. That means more young people can study, train and build their future without carrying such a heavy burden of debt. The honourable Minister for Education summed up why this matters. He said, 'Education opens the doors to opportunity.' This highlights how access to learning can transform individual lives and expand their future possibilities, and I see that clearly when spending time visiting schools across Melbourne.”
“While walking through schools like Fitzroy Primary School you see what education means at its most local level. Children arriving each morning ready to learn, supported by teachers who care deeply about their future. That is why the Albanese Labor government is working with states and territories, through the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement and under the Schooling Resource Standard, to lift the federal government's share of school funding. The Commonwealth contribution will rise from 20 per cent to 25 per cent by 2034, bringing billions of dollars in extra funding into schools across the country and across Melbourne. Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting University High School in Parkville, where I spoke with students. And although it is still early in the school year, they are already thinking about what is next.”
“Strong schools build strong communities, and strong communities create better futures for everyone. That is why I am proud to highlight two schools in my electorate that are receiving support through the Commonwealth's Capital Grants Program. At St Joseph's School in Collingwood, a $1.5 million grant will refurbish classrooms and buildings and improve learning spaces for children. At Saints College in North Melbourne, a $3 million grant will upgrade key buildings on campus, improving safety and access for students and staff. For the students who learn there everyday, that will make a real difference to their school lives. Since being elected as the member for Melbourne, one of the most rewarding parts of this job has been getting out and visiting schools across our community.”
“People inside Tibet continue to disappear with no explanation—imprisoned or tortured simply for communicating with others, for possessing a photo of the Dalai Lama or for speaking openly about their identity—and yet the Tibetan people have never surrendered their identity. In exile, they rebuild monasteries, teach language and celebrate their culture in acts of quiet defiance. Even now, the Chinese government seeks to control the future of Tibetan Buddhism itself, attempting to dictate who the next Dalai Lama will be. Tibet is often called the 'Third Pole', a vast and vital region of our planet rich in natural resources. Above all, it is a homeland for people— (Time expired)”
“The Tibetan community is something that must be experienced before you can describe it. It is colour and mantras woven into prayer flags and spinning wheels. Earlier this year I had the privilege of meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama. When he entered the room, it felt as though the whole of Tibet entered with him, for he remains the living symbol of a people's enduring hope that one day they may again govern themselves peacefully in their homeland. For many people around the world, Tibet has faded from public consciousness but the reality for Tibetans has not changed. Inside Tibet, language, religion and culture remain tightly restricted. Families are separated as children are sent to state-run boarding schools where their own language and traditions are absent.”
“Australians remember that decade, and they remember who was in charge. The Albanese Labor government is taking a very different approach. We recognise the pressure Australians are under, and we are acting to relieve it. We are delivering cost-of-living relief, we are strengthening the economy at the same time and the results are clear. Strong economic management means we can provide cost-of-living relief without adding to inflation. Nothing hits the household budget faster than the cost of staying healthy. No Australian should stand at a pharmacy counter wondering whether they can afford to pay for the medicine they need. That is why—”
“Australians do know that the cost of living has been tough. Families feel it when they pay the bills, when they buy groceries or when they line up at the pharmacy counter. But Australians also understand something else. They understand that living standards are not shaped by slogans in this chamber; they are shaped by the economic choices governments make. The reality is this: many of the pressures Australians face today were years in the making. For a decade, those opposite were in government. For a decade, real wages went backwards. For a decade, housing supply stagnated. For a decade, bulk-billing declined. For a decade, they watched pressure building across household budgets, while racking up almost $1 trillion of debt and leaving Australians with falling real wages and living standards.”
“It shows a government getting on with the work, a government legislating, a government delivering and a government committed to seeing this transmission through. The climate challenge is generational. It requires consistency, persistence and integrity. This government has fronted up to the challenge, and we will continue to do so.”