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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“That is a relief you can feel in your chest. It is the difference between whether or not you still have something left over after paying rent. It is the difference between being able to save for a deposit or staying stuck. It's the difference between exhaustion and hope. And this government did not stop there. We raised the minimum repayment threshold to $67,000 and replaced the outdated whole income repayment system with a fair, modern marginal system. For someone in Melbourne earning $70,000, that is $1,300 back every year—real money, real relief. These reforms reflect a simple truth: opportunity should not come with a lifetime of punishment. They sit alongside broader investments that matter to Melbourne's young people and mature aged students alike.”
“The people of Melbourne have been telling me the same story even before I was elected to parliament. Their debt grows faster than their pay. Indexation felt brutal and unfair. With Melbourne's rent rising faster than anywhere else in the country, they felt like they were running on a treadmill that never slowed down. This government heard that and we acted. This 20 per cent cut is the largest reduction in student debt in Australia's history. For an average debt of $27,000, that's a reduction of more than $5,500. Around three million Australians will benefit, including tens of thousands in my community of Melbourne. People won't need to fill in a form or fight through government processes. The ATO will do it automatically. People will simply receive a text or email telling them their debt has been cut.”
“I rise to speak on this motion and to welcome the Albanese government's delivery on the commitments made to young Australians by cutting student debt by 20 per cent and making repayments fairer and simpler. This matters deeply to Melbourne. My electorate has more than 36,000 people carrying HELP or VET student debt—the highest in Victoria. You see them every morning walking into RMIT and Melbourne Uni, weaving through Carlton, Fitzroy, Parkville and the CBD. You see them behind the espresso machines in Collingwood, doing night shifts at the hospitals, running tutor sessions in Abbotsford or bouncing between share houses in Prahran. For them, student debt has not been an abstract line on a tax statement. It's been a weight they carry every day.”
“Part of that investment is through our government's successful Revive Live program, which is delivering millions in funding to help live music venues and festivals bounce back, supporting touring artists and ensuring Australian music is heard, loud and proud, across the country and the world—because when Australian music thrives, our whole culture thrives.”
“That energy, creative people working side by side, is what makes Bakehouse so special and why I truly enjoyed my visit there. What struck me most was not just the history of those walls but the sense of community. Bakehouse has long been a place where musicians, producers and performers come together to collaborate, experiment and keep our live music culture thriving. As we celebrate Australia's music month, we recognise the artists, venues and workers who make this industry possible and we commit to supporting them through fair pay, safe workplaces and investment in the creative economy.”
“I give a very special thanks to Quincy McLean and Helen Marcou for their passion and for helping to keep Australian music alive. Bakehouse has hosted everyone, from the Go-Betweens to Courtney Barnett, Paul Kelly and the Avalanches—the list goes on and on. Bakehouse is also a favourite destination for international music artists. It showcases visual arts and it opens its doors for photography and filming. It is truly a wonderful creative space. On the day I visited, at least five bands and artists were rehearsing, including the Temper Trap, the Pierce Brothers and an artist named r.em.edy, who is writing and recording her music there with the help of Revive Live grants received by Bakehouse to help artists with disabilities.”
“I'm excited to let you know that November is Australian Music Month, a fantastic time to celebrate the incredible talent, creativity and culture power of our local Aus music scene. In my electorate of Melbourne, music isn't just entertainment; it's a part of who we are. It fills our iconic pubs, like the Corner Hotel and the Tote, laneways and stadiums as big as the MCG. It drives our festivals—too many to mention—and brings people together across all generations and backgrounds. Recently I had the privilege of visiting the amazing Bakehouse Studios in Richmond with the Special Envoy for the Arts, Susan Templeman. It is a legendary creative space that has hosted just about every major Australian artist you can name.”
“Her dedication shows what grassroots sports is all about: shaping not only better players but better community. Earlier this year, FC Birrarung received $4,560 from the Albanese Labor government Volunteer Grants program, helping them with new gear, training and small essentials that keep a club strong. Sport teaches more than skills; it teaches community. FC Birrarung is proof of what happens when people come together and build something worth cheering for.”
“I recently joined players, families and volunteers at Princes Park in North Carlton for the FC Birrarung end-of-season presentation. FC Birrarung is a true community club. More than 550 players, most of them children, pull on their boots each week with pride and excitement. I saw that joy as they cheered for their teammates, accepted their medals and ran back to their friends, clutching trophies almost as big as they were. I spoke with the president, Marie-Liesse Labat, whose pride in the club was unmistakable. She spoke about the sense of belonging the club has built. It's a place where every young person feels supported, included and part of something bigger than themselves. It was also special to celebrate coach and mentor Julie Ryan, who has given 10 years of her time, patience and heart to the club.”
“This division is evident everywhere, from the halls of parliament to the very streets of our cities. We have lost our vital sense of community. We must move forward as one country. It's imperative that we support those in our community who are less fortunate, ensuring everyone has the chance to experience the incredible potential Australia holds. But above all, we must remember that we are one massive community that must help each other in building the Australia we all envision. Well done Arwa, and thank you for your speech.”
“I rise to read a speech by a student in my electorate of Melbourne as part of Raise Our Voice Australia. I'm excited to be part of amplifying the voices of young people. Today I am reading a speech written by 19-year-old Arwa. They wrote: Australia has been my home for many years, a country that has offered me incredible opportunities and success. But despite these immense benefits, it's simply not enough. Australia is stalling. We lack critical progression in so many vital areas: from innovative ideas and committee wellness to health care, climate action, housing affordability, the cost-of-living crisis, and education. Beyond these critical issues, Australia is suffering from a fundamental breakdown in social cohesion. We're losing the societal framework where all people, regardless of race, colour, or religion work together.”
“She wasn't allowed because of her being in foster care. She just wanted to be like everybody else. Every story was a reminder that behind the policies and programs, there are lives shaped by care, patience and empathy. Getting to hear those stories, like so many I've heard as a foster carer, reminds me of the importance of the work I've come to do in this parliament: to advocate for children in foster care, to support the carers who give them so much of their time and energy, and to remind the parliament that our policies affect real people. That is why I will keep working to make sure that every child in every care has a voice in this place.”
“Being a foster carer is an incredibly fulfilling job, or should I say volunteer position, and one of the most difficult challenges someone can undertake. To bring into your home a child in need is one of the greatest acts of care there is. To care for kids in out-of-home care is the honour of a lifetime. I recently had the privilege of launching the Parliamentary Friends of Foster Carers and Children in Foster Care group. Along with my co-chairs, we gathered voices from across the broad foster care community, from advocacy groups, like Families Australia and the National Foster Care Sustainability Group, through to foster children themselves. Those voices are the most important of all. One child that I met said that all she wanted to do was to be able to get a photo taken with the group.”
“The goal is simple: every Australia deserves a safe, secure, affordable place to call home. Behind every policy, every number, every brick, there is a person waiting for a key. Our job is to make sure they get it.”
“More than 63,000 applicants sit on the social housing register. Every new home built under the HAFF is another family with stability, another child with space to grow, another community made stronger. In Melbourne I see the impact every day. My work is to make sure new developments include social and affordable homes. This is work that means a great deal to me. Before entering parliament I helped to raise a pipeline of more than $110 million through the Homes for Homes model, creating real pathways to safe and secure housing for more Australians. The next phase of this plan will keep building on that progress. We will expand the HAFF pipeline, we will strengthen renters' protections through a national rental framework, and we will continue to grow social and affordable housing each year.”
“We are also rolling out Help to Buy to help low- and middle-income earners purchase a home with a smaller deposit and a smaller mortgage. The government has delivered the largest increase to Commonwealth rent assistance in 30 years, a rise of more than 40 per cent since returning to government in 2022. This is real relief for more than half-a-million households. Social and affordable housing is at the heart of our government's plan. Affordable housing gives people on modest incomes a chance to build a life without sacrificing everything else. Social housing provides safety for those in greatest need. It supports women and children leaving domestic violence. It protects older women, the fastest-growing group at risk of homelessness. The only real answer to homelessness is housing. Across Victoria, demand remains high.”
“It is funding homes for people who have been locked out of the market through no fault of their own. It supports the nurses, teachers and key workers who hold our community together, helping them live near the people they care for and close to the places where their work changes lives. In Victoria, federal investment supports the Big Housing Build, and, in my electorate of Melbourne, projects in Carlton and Fitzroy are replacing outdated housing with modern, secure homes. Labor is backing homebuyers. The five per cent deposit scheme began on 1 October. It was delivered months ahead of schedule, and now first home buyers are cutting years off the time it takes to save a deposit and avoiding paying mortgage insurance.”
“The Albanese Labor government understands how hard this is. We have a $43 billion housing agenda that is tackling the crisis from every angle. The Commonwealth is no longer a bystander in this challenge, and we are the most ambitious government on housing since the post-war period. At the centre of this work is building more homes. More homes mean more affordability for everyone. Through the National Housing Accord, we are working with the states and territories, councils and industry. The goal is 1.2 million new homes by 2029. We are cutting red tape, training more tradies and delivering the infrastructure to unlock supply. The Albanese government is directly supporting the delivery of 55,000 social and affordable homes. The Housing Australia Future Fund, the HAFF, is driving that work.”
“I rise to speak about Australia's housing crisis and the action this government is taking to combat it. We are building more homes, supporting renters and investing in social and affordable housing at a scale not seen in decades. This progress is making a real difference in everyday lives, because every house built by this government is proof that progress is not just possible, it is happening. That progress matters, because housing is now a life-defining challenge for so many Australians. People are working hard and doing everything right. Still, they have not been able to find a place to call home. Young people line up around the block for rental inspections. Families who once would have owned a home now find themselves in long-term rentals. Parents tell me that they cannot give their children the stable home that they grew up in.”
“That includes ensuring bereavement leave and workplace supports are fit for purpose, that parents have access to counselling and culturally-safe services and that health systems are responsive to the needs of families in their care. Community groups, peer networks and charities also play an essential role, providing understanding, remembrance events and practical support during the darkest moments. Their work deserves recognition and sustained support. Tonight, as, around the country, homes light up a candle to mark Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, we remember all the little lives gone too soon. We stand with families who carry their memories every day and we recommit to creating a society where their grief is acknowledged, their babies are remembered and they are supported with love and dignity.”
“As those wonderful kids face the end of their school life and wonder what to do next, it's important to remember that pregnancy and infant loss affect not only parents but also siblings, grandparents, extended families, friends and workplaces. It touches every part of our community. As a society we have become better at speaking openly about many forms of grief, but pregnancy loss and infant loss are still often spoken about in hushed tones or not at all. Many parents say what hurts most is when their baby's life goes unacknowledged and when others do not know what to say. But, by having conversations like this one here in the parliament, we can help break that silence, validate that grief, honour the lives lost and ensure that families feel seen and supported. Awareness must always be matched with action.”
“The hopes and dreams of a future are suddenly replaced with deep sorrow. Did you know that every year 2,200 babies are stillborn and more than 700 newborns die before their first birthday? The Public Health Association estimates that around 100,000 pregnancies end in miscarriage. At the time of my miscarriage, my first miscarriage, it was one in four pregnancies. At that time, it was me, my sister and two friends all pregnant at the same time. It was my baby that was lost. It was my husband and I who watched those kids grow and reach those wonderful milestones in life—first birthdays, first steps, first days at school.”
“If the people that were closest to me were unable to understand the extent of my loss, how could I expect others to know what I was going through? I couldn't. Losing a child at any stage is profoundly painful, yet babies lost before they are even able to breathe are often met with silence, discomfort or avoidance. October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month—a time to recognise thousands of families across Australia who have experienced the heartbreak of losing a pregnancy, a baby or a young infant. For too long, these experiences have been endured in silence. I know I did. This month provides a moment for our nation to pause, acknowledge the grief of families and recommit to supporting them with compassion, understanding and care. The loss of a baby is a profound and life-altering event.”
“'It's better this happens now than later. We can always try again.' These are things that were said to me when I experienced the devastating loss of yet another baby before they had the chance to take their first breath. Words meant to comfort instead cut deeply into my grief. At the time, I felt angry and a pain at how misunderstood I was, but over the years that anger slowly transformed into something else: gratitude. Strange, I know. As much as their words hurt, I came to realise they were spoken from a place of not knowing. They didn't understand the depth of this kind of loss, and in a strange way I was glad they didn't—gratitude. If they had truly known the pain of pregnancy loss, they would never have said those things to someone hurting like I was.”
“That is what this bill delivers. In doing so, it shows once again that the government stands with the Australian people who, for whatever reason, rely on social security to live with dignity, security and hope. I commend the bill to the House.”
“For them an unexpected Centrelink debt can be overwhelming, especially when they are still learning how our system works and do not have the same networks of support to fall back on. And we know insecure work hits youngest people hardest. The Young Workers Centre in Melbourne has been clear about how casualisation and underemployment leave young workers vulnerable with little financial buffer when mistakes or debt arise. This bill recognises that reality. It acknowledges those struggles, and it changes the system so it supports people instead of punishing them. Australia deserves a social security system that is fair, efficient and humane—a system that reflects modern realities not outdated thresholds, a system that protects victims-survivors not perpetrators and a system that offers solutions not distress.”
“What should be a step towards stability, studying, working or raising a family can end in an unexpected debt that leaves people with more stress and more uncertainty. In Carlton and Fitzroy, students juggling study and part-time work tell me how hard it is to keep on top of their obligations when their working hours change without notice. Melbourne has the highest number of people receiving student debt relief through the HECS system, and that is no coincidence. This bill, alongside HECS debt relief, shows the government is serious about removing barriers that hold young people back and about giving them a fair chance to build their future. I also think of the stories I've heard from migrant support workers of new arrivals trying to get their first job in Australia, often in insecure work like hospitality or cleaning.”
“In my electorate of Melbourne, these reforms will make a real difference. Melbourne is a city of creativity, resilience and diversity, but it is also a city where hardship sits alongside wealth. I hear from single parents trying to re-enter the workforce while raising their children. I am reminded of Kathy, a single mum who, like many others, is retraining through TAFE so she can build a more secure future for herself and her children. At the same time, she is holding down casual shifts to make ends meet and to give her kids those small extras that matter so much, like a costume for book week. When working casual hours, income goes up and down, and that can be where debt errors have so often crept in.”
“The government could attempt to reopen millions of debts, some going back 20 or 30 years, but that would cause untold distress, uncertainty and expense. Many of these debts have been repaid years ago. People have moved on with their lives. Instead we are fixing the law on income apportionment and creating a resolution scheme so people who were affected can be compensated. People with historical debts that happened between 2003 and 2020 will be entitled to a resolution payment of up to $600. If their debt was under $200, they will receive the full amount back; for debts between $200 and $2,000, the payment will be $200; between $2,000 and $5,000, the payment will be $400; and, for debts above $5,000, the payment will be $600. This is a fair and caring way to finally put the issue to rest.”
“This responds directly to the recommendations of the 2024 joint parliamentary inquiry into financial abuse, and it is a critical step under the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children. This is not just good policy; it's a moral responsibility. I want to turn to the longstanding issues of income apportionment. From 1991 until 2020, income apportionment was used to calculate debts for people on social security who also earned income from employment. In situations where the exact daily earnings were not clear, income was spread across multiple Centrelink fortnights. We know these practices were inconsistent with the law. While they have never been used by the Albanese Labor government, the fact remains that people were impacted by debt for decades.”
“You worry about how you will pay the rent and how you can get the support you need, and in those moments even a small debt can feel like a wall you just cannot get past. That is why this bill is so important. It means Services Australia will be able to wipe debts that come from coercion or abuse so women and children are not punished for the actions of an abuser. Until now, the system has punished victims of that abuse. With this bill, Services Australia will have the power to waive debt where coercion or abuse played a role. That means no-one will be forced to carry a debt because their abuser manipulated them into signing a form or pressured them into providing false information.”
“Imagine that woman taking the brave but difficult decision to escape that violence, only to be faced with a debt in her name. Her partner's control lingers even after the violence has stopped. For women from migrant and refugee backgrounds, this can be even harder. What happens if you cannot read English and you are too afraid to ask how the system works? You are left relying on someone who can easily take advantage of you. And what if you're afraid of authority? That fear can silence you and leave you carrying debts that were never really yours. Too many women who came here for safety have found themselves trapped again, this time by debts they never chose and cannot pay. When you do not know how you are going to pay for your groceries, it's very hard to think about making a move to safety.”
“This mother was not irresponsible. She was not careless. She was a survivor, trying to hold her family together with whatever she had. This government, by raising the small debt waiver threshold, is sparing women in these situations the unnecessary trauma of being told they owe their government $50 or $100—sums that might mean nappies for the month or groceries for the week. This bill also makes critical changes to ensure the social security system cannot be weaponised against victims-survivors of coercion and financial abuse. Financial abuse is one of the most menacing forms of family violence. It strips people of their independence. It traps them in unsafe relationships. Imagine a woman being physically abused by her partner and forced to sign forms she does not understand.”
“This change will save resources, but, even more importantly, it will spare Australians who are already doing it tough the significant stress of being hounded over tiny accidental debts. I would like to take a moment to speak about what this means for a woman, and in particular women who have been pushed to the margins. When I was the CEO of the Nappy Collective, I saw up close how families—and overwhelmingly women—were making impossible choices. Women escaping family violence would come to us for nappies because they had nothing left after rent, bills and putting food on the table. I will never forget a mother who told me that, to save money, her only option was to change nappies only for number twos and how receiving a Centrelink debt notice on top of that pressure filled her with fear about how she could ever possibly pay it back.”
“If someone tries to game the system by deliberately racking up small debts, those debts will not just be wiped away; this is about fairness, not loopholes. We must never forget the damage of robodebt. Robodebt was unlawful, it was cruel, and it left hundreds of thousands of Australians carrying debts they did not owe. The royal commission exposed just how badly people were treated. Labor has either accepted or accepted in principle all 56 recommendations of that commission; three-quarters of them are already done or well underway. This bill is part of that work. It makes sure debts are handled properly, with fairness, safeguards and humanity. Unlike those opposite, we will never repeat the mistakes of robodebt.”
“The current threshold is just $50, and it has not changed since the 1990s even though government payments have tripled since then. What we considered small in 1993 is not what small means today. By lifting the waiver threshold to $250 we are ensuring Services Australia does not waste time and money chasing debts that cost more to recover than they are worth. Around 1.2 million undetermined debts will be waived or never raised in 2025-26 as a result. There are two important details about this change. First, the new threshold will not just rise once and then fall behind. For the first time, it will be indexed every year in July with inflation to keep pace with the real cost of living. Second, strong safeguards will remain.”
“It is unfortunate that there have been times when people who have turned to the system in good faith have been left carrying the stress of debts—debts that were small, accidental or calculated under flawed rules, as we have seen with robodebt. This bill will wipe almost half of Australia's undetermined social security debt backlog and, importantly, will establish a resolution scheme offering payments of up to $600 for those who were impacted by the historical method known as income apportionment. This is fairness in action, this is efficiency in action, and this is Labor putting people back at the heart of government. One of the most important changes in this bill is the increase in the threshold for waiving small debts. This is the first increase in more than 30 years.”
“On top of that is the stress of having to ask for help in the first place and the crushing worry of not knowing how you'll ever pay that back. The last thing people deserve is to be hounded and shamed by a system that is meant to support them. This legislation reforms how we manage social security debts, resolves the longstanding issue of income apportionment and makes the system work for people instead of against them. For many of us, at some point in our lives, there will be a need to access the social security system. It might be because of illness, the loss of a job, caring for children or older relatives, or simply trying to get through a tough period.”
“This bill is another important step in that record. It shows Labor is building a system that helps people when they need it most. One of these changes, which support Australians, is the end of the use of external debt collection agencies. Many of us here are privileged in that we have never had to experience what it feels like to be chased by a debt collector. We have not had to know that gut-wrenching feeling when the phone rings from a private number—not knowing if it's a debt collector, a job offer or a call from your doctor. You live your life gambling on whether someone will leave a voicemail. That constant fear strips people of their dignity as they try to pick themselves up after the safety net has caught them.”
“I rise today to contribute to the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025. With this bill, the Albanese Labor government is delivering a fairer, more efficient and more compassionate social security system. This bill builds on what Labor have already delivered to strengthen our social safety net. Since we came to government we have raised JobSeeker by almost $4,000 a year, giving people looking for work a better chance to get by. We have lifted the pension by almost $5,000 a year for a single person, giving older Australians more security in retirement. We have boosted rent assistance by almost 15 per cent to help ease the pressure of rising rents, and we are delivering paid parental leave with super so families are almost $12,000 better off for every child.”
“For example don't use a petrol car, use an electric car! I think taxes should go down. Some people work so hard to be able to pay for the things their family needs. While supporting the homeless and struggling, people also help them to get a job they can do. Thank you and well done, Bastian.”
“I rise to read a speech by a student from my electorate of Melbourne. It was submitted as part of Raise Our Voice. Raise Our Voice mobilises young people through education, campaigns and communities to transform politics and policy. This week, members of parliament are amplifying the voices of young people by reading a speech written by a person under the age of 25 who lives in our electorates. I was excited to be a part of Raise Our Voice, and it was difficult to select from the speeches to read because there were so many and all of them were so good. The speech I am about to read is by Bastian, aged eight. Bastian wrote: Use less money. Only spend it on things we need such as fixing our roads, sick people and making school better! I care about the environment! I think we should only use natural materials to make energy.”
“It's about creating pathways. It's about honouring community. So to the Richmond Football Club, to MITS and to all the people working to make the vision a reality: thank you. Thank you for showing Australia what community leadership looks like. Thank you for showing us what 'more than a game' really is.”
“The club hopes to include new learning spaces for MITS students within the William Cooper Centre, named in honour of the legendary Yorta Yorta activist and leader. What a powerful statement that would be—a world-class sporting precinct that also houses a space dedicated to education, culture and opportunity for young Indigenous Australians. When I visited the staff and students at MITS, they spoke with enormous pride about their connection to Richmond Football Club. They know they are part of something special—something that celebrates their culture, supports their studies and welcomes them as part of the Richmond family. This is what 'more than a game' truly means. It's not just about a scoreboard; it's about the impact beyond the boundary line in classrooms, in communities and in the lives of young people finding their way in the city.”
“It's a place that provides not just education but belonging and not just a school but a second home, and that's what makes its partnership with Richmond so powerful. For the young people at MITS, having the Tigers in the same building means they have role models who look out for them—people who show them what's possible through hard work, teamwork and community spirit. And, for players and staff at Richmond, it's a two-way exchange. They learn from the students about culture, about country, about resilience and about pride. It's a partnership built on respect and mutual benefits. If stage 2 of the Punt Road redevelopment proceeds as planned, this partnership will grow even stronger.”
“It's about ensuring that every fan—young or old, local or visitor—feels proud and connected when they walk through those gates. But what really stands out, and what I want to shine a light on today, is Richmond's deep, genuine and enduring commitment to community. This is not a club that turns inward. Richmond looks outward to the people who have always supported it. One of the best examples of this commitment is the club's longstanding partnership with the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School, known as MITS. MITS, which proudly calls my electorate home, supports Indigenous students from remote and rural communities as they take the brave step of moving to Melbourne to study and build their futures.”
“The existing facilities simply didn't serve the needs of today's players, staff or fans. They included an ageing and unsafe grandstand and a playing surface that no longer meets elite standards. The vision for stage 1 is to create a home that truly reflects what the club stands for today: inclusion, equality and excellence. It will provide modern facilities for both men's and women's games, ensuring Richmond's AFLW team finally have a home that properly supports them, with the same high-performance resources and spaces that have long been standard for the men's game—or, as I like to say, the AFLM. The redevelopment will also welcome more supporters back into the ground through improved spectator spaces, better amenities and more accessible parking.”
“For years The Footy Show told us that footy is more than a game, and, for those of us who follow the mighty Richmond Football Club, that couldn't be more true, because for Richmond footy is not just about what happens between the sirens; it's about people, it's about place and it's about community. Recently, I had the privilege of visiting the redevelopment of Punt Road Oval, the heart and home of the Tigers for more than 135 years. Anyone who's ever stood on that patch of ground feels the energy of generations of Tigers. It's players, supporters, families and volunteers who have poured their hearts into the yellow and black. But this redevelopment is not about nostalgia; it's about the future for the club, for women's sport and for a very special group of kids. The project is the biggest infrastructure upgrade in the club's long history.”
“Enterprize is sailed by volunteers and runs sail training and public sails across the bay. I thank her crew and supporters for keeping these skills alive. I thank Bill Reid for the kind invite and for his work, and I thank every volunteer—older hands passing on skills and new faces learning them. This is Melbourne at its best—community, history and hope in one project. I encourage people to check them out online and support their inspiring work. Alma Doepel shows what we can do when we back our volunteers—”
“Ahoy, Deputy Speaker! At North Wharf in Docklands, I saw volunteers bring a 122-year-old ship back to life: the Alma Doepel , a three-mast tall ship built in 1903. This ship has served our nation. She carried goods on our coast and worked as an army supply ship to Papua New Guinea. Today, a skilled team and many local volunteers are bringing her back to life. More than 100,000 volunteer hours have gone into this work so far. This is a huge gift of time and craft. When Alma Doepel sails again, she will become a youth training ship. It's a program which will build grit, teamwork and confidence. Also in Docklands is the topsail schooner Enterprize , a 27-metre all-timber working replica of the 1830 ship that carried the first European settlers to Melbourne.”