I'd like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, and pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging, and to the First Nations people of my region, the Wadawurrung.
It is my great honour to stand here as the elected representative for Corangamite for the third time. I thank the people of my region for placing their faith in me. That trust I carry with me every single day. It drives me to work hard on behalf of my communities—communities that are diverse, thriving and resilient. From the Surf Coast to the Bellarine, from Geelong to Armstrong Creek, my region is growing rapidly. We are one of the fastest-growing regions in the nation and, while we have seen much change, our character remains—the character shaped in the swell of Bells Beach; forged in the old factories of Grovedale, Marshall, and Moolap; and nurtured by the farms and schools stretching from Torquay through to Queenscliff. This is who we are.
We are resilient, caring, compassionate and creative. We love our unique natural environment: the sharp red cliffs of Jan Juc, the sweeping grasslands of the Bellarine, and the rolling hinterland yellow gums that stretch from Armstrong Creek to Point Addis. Together we share a commitment to protecting our unique natural environment and our ocean. We look out for one another and, like all Australians, we value fairness. Together, we are determined to make a positive difference.
On 3 May my communities made their priorities heard for the future. They voted for a government that will continue to tackle cost-of-living pressures, act decisively on climate change, deliver world-class services in health and in education, and ensure that we are a nation where everyone gets a fair go. In Corangamite these issues were at the heart of every conversation I had. These issues are grounded in lived realities. Families told me how the cheaper childcare subsidies have changed their lives. Pensioners shared their enthusiasm for our cheaper medicines policy. Young people spoke to me on the prepoll line about how our cuts to student debt will mean they get ahead. Women spoke of Labor's focus on gender equity and our strong women's health policy that reduces costs for essential medications. Local businesses in Waurn Ponds and Drysdale talked about how free TAFE is opening the doors of opportunity for workers to pursue new career paths and about our investment in the local infrastructure their communities need and deserve.
Labor's first term of government and our recent election campaign offered practical, compassionate, forward-thinking policies that deliver for Australians—from strengthening Medicare and making free TAFE permanent, to cutting student debt and investing in housing, emissions reduction and energy bill relief. We put forward a plan that resonated with voters because it responded to Australians' concerns and aspirations. Of course, there are people in my electorate of Corangamite who did not vote for me. My commitment is clear: I will always be there for you, because that is what matters most to your representative. It is the foundation on which I will fight every day in this place.
But, as every member in this place knows, taking on that fight is not possible in isolation. Behind every public moment there's a private foundation—our families. To my husband, Hugh; my daughters, Issy and Lily; my siblings, Marty, Stephen and Janet; and my mum Fran: thank you. You've been with me throughout my journey as a quirky, inquisitive kid who became a teacher, a journalist, a business owner, a councillor, a Surf Coast mayor, a candidate for state parliament and as your member for Corangamite. Through wins and losses, through long days and even longer nights, you've kept me grounded. You have believed in me and backed me in with sound advice and strong principles of compassion, inclusion and respect for others. I could not stand here without you.
I also want to take a moment to sincerely thank every person who participated in the election. Whether you voted, cooked snags at a local fundraiser, handed out how-to-vote cards or worked tirelessly for the Australian Electoral Commission, your efforts make our democratic process possible. Our democracy rests on those quiet acts of service, those hours volunteered and those ballots carefully counted late into the night.
But I cannot stand here today without addressing the conduct of the election campaign, particularly in my electorate. While elections should be a celebration of our democracy, too often this one felt like a contest of intimidation. At prepoll voting centres in Torquay and Drysdale, groups of up to 10 to 12 volunteers linked to the Exclusive Brethren and supporting the Liberal Party encircled me—literally. They stood in a diamond formation, blocking me from speaking to voters. Every step I took was mirrored by them. At times, it was an ugly, coordinated performance. This experience wasn't mine alone. Candidates from the Greens, Legalise Cannabis and an Independent all came forward with similar stories shared publicly on ABC 774. I want to thank the ABC for enabling the discussion and bringing attention to this unacceptable behaviour. We need frank and fearless media to provide unbiased and robust reporting. I must say: why was the Liberal Party backed by the Exclusive Brethren in such numbers? What was offered in return? Australians have the right to know, and they have the right to vote without being harassed.
My communities also endured a signage war. The signage war that played out at Corangamite was relentless. Signs were removed and vandalised. Illegal signs were erected and deliberately replaced within hours. These were dirty tricks. They were attacks on democracy and on integrity. Beyond integrity, there was an environmental question too. Thousands of plastic corflutes and wraparound bunting are now destined for landfill. It is wasteful, it is costly, and it undermines the credibility of politics when communities see our streets turned into advertising battlegrounds.
It's time to modernise the way we conduct elections. We must address the overuse of plastic corflutes and bunting and seriously consider these environmental and democratic costs. I also believe we need to look at the number of volunteers who stand for a party or a representative. This needs to be considered. We do not need 12 people or 20 people to be handing out for one candidate. I wholeheartedly encourage the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters to include these issues in its inquiry into the 2025 election. Our democracy is robust, but it's not unbreakable. It must be protected.
That's why I've invested time and energy into strengthening civic education across my electorate. For the past three years, I've led a democracy-in-schools program, visiting schools and working with students to better understand how our system works. As a former teacher, I love going into schools, and my work is inspired by our Speaker, whom I congratulate on his reappointment. His leadership and promotion of civic engagement and the initiative of the National Youth Parliament is exceptional. He knows as I do that rebuilding trust in our democratic institutions starts with education. Too many Australians feel disconnected from the mechanisms that govern their lives. When young people feel politics is a separate entity to them, irrelevant from their daily lives, when misinformation spreads faster than facts and when cynicism replaces trust and respect, that is when democracy falters.
I have seen firsthand the difference that civics education can make. When a student at Armstrong Creek explains the meaning of preferential voting to their peers, when a group of year 12s in Drysdale debate whether the voting age should be lowered, or when students grasp that numbers in the chamber matter, that their vote matters—these lightbulb moments show that democracy is not static; it is dynamic, it is alive, it is contested, and it must be strengthened. Teachers have told me that students come away from these sessions with a changed perspective and a sense that politics is not something that happens 'up there', here in Canberra, but is something they can influence. They do have power. This is how trust can be rebuilt.
Trust must also be restored in one of our most important social programs, the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The NDIS changes lives. It is a Labor reform. And it has given people with disability choice, control and dignity. But in recent years that trust has been shaken. Our government is absolutely committed to restoring that trust and to ensuring that the scheme delivers on its promise to Australians with disability and their families. This is a monumental task, but it is one that, together with the disability community, our government is committed to tackling. That's why I'm deeply honoured to have been reappointed chair of the Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS. I take this responsibility seriously. Along with my friend and colleague Senator Jenny McAllister, the Minister for the NDIS, and Minister Mark Butler, I'm committed to working alongside my committee to help rebuild the confidence of participants and their families in the scheme. Like Medicare and superannuation, the NDIS is a symbol of what we can achieve when we prioritise fairness, dignity and opportunity for all. It represents the very best of who we are as Australians.
If there is one thing that comes up again and again across my electorate it is the opportunity to get a good job and to learn new skills. That's why free TAFE has been an absolute game changer. I have met students who never thought tertiary education was for them, young people who left school early, parents retraining after time at home with kids, and workers who've lost jobs in old industries. Free TAFE opens doors. It is a pathway into areas we desperately need workers in, like nursing, aged care, disability support, early childhood education, clean energy, construction and advanced manufacturing. I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the Minister for Skills and Training, who is driving reform in this space.
In my region the clean energy transition is not an abstract debate. It represents jobs being created in wind and solar, in building new transmission and in advanced manufacturing that underpins it all. Local apprentices and workers are wiring solar panels, laying transmission lines, installing subsidised batteries in homes and businesses, and welding the infrastructure that will power our future. When people in Corangamite look ahead they can see a future of secure, well-paid jobs. That is what the Albanese Labor government is determined to deliver.
And this term of government is about delivery. We have already cut student debt by 20 per cent for university and TAFE graduates; increased the HECS repayment threshold from $56,000 to $67,000, allowing people to earn more before repaying; reduced the cost of medicines on the PBS to $25 from January next year; made free TAFE permanent and nationally accessible; and expanded marine protected areas to more than 50 per cent.
And we're not stopping there. We are undertaking the biggest investment in Medicare since its inception, rolling out more bulk-billing and giving Australians better access to primary care without out-of-pocket costs. We've expanded paid parental leave to 26 weeks by mid next year. And we're including superannuation, because having a child shouldn't come at the expense of a woman's retirement.
Labor is also delivering infrastructure that shapes our communities and sets us up for the future. In my electorate, that means funding Stage Two of the Barwon Heads Road Upgrade, a new Medicare urgent care clinic in Torquay, a Medicare mental health prevention hub also in Torquay, and significant sporting infrastructure in Leopold, Drysdale, Grovedale, Barwon Heads and Ocean Grove. These projects are not just about roads, buildings, football and netball facilities; they're about connection, opportunity and care. They're about creating spaces where young people can thrive, where families can access urgent care and where local communities can come together.
Of course, at the heart of building stronger communities for the future is housing. Young families in Armstrong Creek want the chance to buy their first home close to work and schools. That is why Labor's investment in housing is so critical, and it's why our announcement this week to fast-track the five per cent home deposit scheme is such a game changer for people across my electorate. This is not only an economic reform; it is a social reform that underpins security and dignity for every Australian, and it's part of a broader agenda to build 1.2 million homes in the next five years.
As we build at home, we must also continue to stand up for Australian values on the world stage. I want to acknowledge the work of our foreign minister and the Prime Minister for their measured leadership on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The scenes from Gaza are horrific: children starving, families displaced and hospitals overwhelmed. Our government continues to call for a ceasefire, as well as the release of hostages and the genuine advancement of a two-state solution. Let me be clear: Israel has the right to exist, and Palestinians have a right to statehood. I am proud that Australia has joined our international partners in calling for this to occur. Recognition must come, not as a gesture but as a genuine step towards peace. It is the right thing to do and the fair thing to do, and fairness is at the heart of what we stand for as Australians.
None of the work that we do in this place would be possible without the people who put in the long hours behind the scenes. To our grassroots volunteers, thank you. I would not be here but for your passion and your commitment to Labor values. You know who you are. Your friendships matter so much to me—thank you. I'd like to thank Maddie, Atticus, Lottie and Alfonso for their tireless work. I'd also like to thank Paul Erikson. To the Australian union movement, particularly the Australian Services Union and the United Workers Union—you are the engine room of Labor values. Your fight for fairness inspires us all. I'm deeply grateful to my parliamentary colleagues, who stood with me on the pre-poll line and in the community. To my friend and electoral neighbour, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, thank you for your wisdom, your wise counsel and your support. Together, we share the immense privilege of representing the broader Geelong region. Your support throughout the campaign was invaluable. To Senator Jess Walsh, Senator Lisa Darmanin, Ged Kearney, Andrew Giles, Catherine King, Senator Wong, Brendan O'Connor, Lisa Neville and my state colleagues Alison Marchant, Gayle Tierney and Christine Couzens—thank you. And of course the Prime Minister, who, during a frenetic election campaign, took time to stand with me and my communities—you are an amazing, visionary leader. To my staff—Brenda, Moshi, Ellie, Grace, Nathan, Julian and my Chief of Staff Kylie Rawson—your commitment, compassion, friendship and resilience are unmatched. Whether helping with visa applications, Centrelink issues or local government advocacy, you go above and beyond every day to help constituents in my electorate. It's so important we do that.
Finally, a special acknowledgement to Lee Hubbard, my former Chief of Staff, on his retirement from the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation. Lee's lifelong dedication to the Labor movement is a legacy we all admire.
In closing, Australians faced a clear choice on 3 May—unity or division; optimism or grievance; progress or the politics of the past. They chose unity. They chose courage. They chose a government that will stand with them to build a stronger, fairer and more inclusive future. It's my privilege to help shape that future alongside my communities, one rooted in the values of fairness, decency and hope. Australians have placed their trust in us, and it is our duty, it is my duty, to honour that trust every single day.
