Speeches
First speech
I come to this place from the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne where I was born and bred. It is a region which I am proud to call home and proud to represent as the Member for Bruce. (13 September, 2016)
National Employment Services Association (NESA) Conference 2023
We need serious reform to rebuild Australia's employment services system. That change will take time and investment, and not everyone will agree with every proposal. (11 October, 2023)
The Decline and Fall of Republican Afghanistan
The world must not abandon the people in Afghanistan, living right now under one of the world's most brutal, repressive and medieval regimes. (17 August, 2023)
Making multinationals pay more tax in Australia
People who pay their fair share of tax rightly get angry when big companies use every trick and loophole to avoid paying tax. (2 August, 2023)
Bruce electorate visas and citizenship
The cities of Greater Dandenong and Casey are some of the most multicultural places in the country. Greater Dandenong is the most multicultural place. (1 June, 2023)
Australia must make more things here
We can make more things here. We should make more things here and we must make more things here. (8 March, 2023)
Artificial general intelligence (AGI)
The development and implementation of artificial general intelligence (AGI) in Australia brings both risks and benefits. (6 February, 2023)
Parliamentary Budget Office 10th anniversary
The Parliamentary Budget Office has matured into an authoritative, trusted and independent source of budgetary and fiscal policy analysis. (3 November, 2022)
Everything and Nothing: The Life and Development Work of Bill Armstrong AO
There are untold thousands of people across the world who will never know how lucky they are that Bill chose to live his values and devote his life to international development. (16 October, 2022)
National Employment Services Association CEO Forum
When your sector is performing at its best, you don’t just get people a job. You change lives for the better. (4 October, 2022)
Inquiry into grants and rorts
Dodgy grants have further inflated nearly $1 trillion of debt. This inquiry is about learning the lessons of the past. (26 September, 2022)
Condoling Her Majesty
It's right that parliament honors the service of Her Majesty The Queen, whose like will not be seen again in our lifetimes, if ever. (23 September, 2022)
Visa and processing mess at Home Affairs
Over 10 years, the Liberals virtually destroyed the visa-processing system, and it affects every visa type. (1 August, 2022)
Abolishing the cashless debit card scheme
The Albanese government is implementing Labor's promise to abolish the Liberal and National parties' privatised cashless debit card scheme. (1 August, 2022)
The aged care crisis is a national emergency
Staff shortages, aged care residents unable to be fed or bathed - over 600 deaths this year alone - the Minister and the Prime Minister need to go. (14 February, 2022)
Truth: Karma bus has caught up with Scott Morrison
The problem isn't actually that the Liberals hate Scott Morrison and each other. Or that Scott Morrison is a liar and a fraud. The problem is, they are not doing their job. (10 February, 2022)
Scott Morrison's unconstitutional attack on class actions
The Liberals' new laws denying justice to millions of Australians hurt by big corporations or the government are wrong. (23 November, 2021)
Australia must be a country that makes things again
The COVID pandemic made it clear that Australia needs to be a country that manufactures more things here, and supports homegrown businesses and industries. (21 October, 2021)
Morrison failed Australians with family in Afghanistan
Afghan-Australians telephone their wives, daughters, sons, sisters, mothers, brothers in Afghanistan. Crying, knowing that every call may be the last. (23 August, 2021)
The nation's capital has fallen to Delta
In the midst of a national emergency, Scott Morrison insists he's done a great job. He has been warned that Delta is coming, as they failed to put a ring of steel around Sydney. (12 August, 2021)
Eight years of attacks on pensioners
We've had eight years of attacks on pensioners from this government. Forcing pensioners onto Scott Morrison's privatised cashless pension card is a new low. (4 August, 2021)
Arrest of 'friendlyjordies' producer raises serious questions
A YouTube producer shouldn't be violently arrested in his home because he engaged in journalistic behaviour. The threat to free speech and a free press is clear. (24 June, 2021)
PM has left the country exposed and vulnerable
Every future lockdown, every future restriction, every future leak is because of this Prime Minister's failure to do his two jobs: vaccines and quarantine. (24 June, 2021)
Housing affordability is a national disgrace
Young people are locked out of the housing market. Not one of the government's measures will actually do anything to add to supply. (26 May, 2021)
International students and 485 visa holders
International students were made a promise by Australia, which must be honoured. Graduate Student 485 visa holders should be allowed to return when it is safe to do so. (25 May, 2021)
Budget Bills 2021
At the centre of this budget is the real scam being pulled on Australian workers - that real wages, under this government, will go backwards in the next four years. (25 May, 2021)
Australia's partner visa system is broken
Australia's partner visa system is broken; it is the most expensive in the world. It is one of the slowest now on average. And I believe that what the government is doing is actually illegal. (8 May, 2021)
Liberal visa changes abandon stranded Aussies and jobs
When millions of Australians are looking for work, the priority of government members is to put Aussies at the back of the queue and make it easier for business to bring in foreign workers. (18 March, 2021)
Falling behind under the Liberals
Australia is falling behind the rest of the world and going backwards under the Liberals. I am old-fashioned, compared to the Deputy Prime Minister at least. I believe facts still matter. (15 March, 2021)
Consumer Credit Protection Bill
This bill scraps entirely the responsible lending laws, introduced after the global financial crisis, which protect Australian consumers from predatory lending. (25 February, 2021)
Industrial Relations Bill
Scott Morrison's industrial relations Bill will allow employers to cut workers' pay. The choice is clear. The Liberals are for pay cuts. Labor are for secure jobs. (22 February, 2021)
Living Treasures
I want to pay tribute and express our community's love and appreciation to two living treasures of the City of Greater Dandenong - Youhorn Chea and Roz Blades. (22 February, 2021)
Quarantine
Dogs, cats and horses all go into Federal government quarantine. But, if you're a person? According to Scott Morrison, that's a problem for State governments. (22 February, 2021)
International Education
The Prime Minister's personal behaviour, his words, his lack of empathy, and his lack of care has failed international education and international students during the pandemic. (18 February, 2021)
Cambodia
Australian citizens are being tried in a court in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on faked trumped-up criminal charges of things like incitement and fermenting social disorder. (16 February, 2021)
Sensible Visa Changes
People who are already safe here in Australia should be allowed to stay here and have their offshore visa granted. Instead of having to fly overseas and back again during the pandemic. (15 February, 2021)
Australia is Falling Behind
Australia is now less productive, more unequal, more corrupt, less happy, more indebted, less affluent, and less trusting of public institutions than when the Liberal government was elected in 2013. (15 February, 2021)
The Prime Minister is a fake
Scott Morrison makes announcements but never delivers. It's all about the photo-op and playing 'I'm an ordinary suburban guy'. (12 November, 2020)