The September sitting fortnight of Parliament was an unusual, but no less busy time on capital hill.

The death of Queen Elizabeth II saw the sitting fortnight postponed after the first week, so the Parliament could observe a 10-day mourning period for our longest reigning monarch. We then made up the sitting time the following week.

It was an honour to represent the people of Canberra signing the condolence book, laying a wreath, and attending the National Memorial Service to mark the occasion. 
 
As I said in my condolence speech in Parliament, whether Republican or Monarchist, it was right for the nation to acknowledge an extraordinary life of service and dedication, and to honour a life well-lived. 

You can watch my speech here.

The Labor Government has an ambitious and full agenda to deliver on our promises to build a better future for Australians. This fortnight we introduced and debated legislation to establish a National Anti-Corruption Commission, make childcare and medications cheaper, reform aged care, provide paid family and domestic violence leave, and to prevent workplace sexual harassment. 
 
We also delivered on a key election commitment to make climate action law and abolish the failed cashless debit card program - restoring dignity and pride to Australians.

In good news for Canberrans, my Private Members' Bill to restore territory rights - introduced alongside my NT colleague Luke Gosling - was introduced and debated in the Senate. Encouragingly, a number of Senators who previously opposed territory rights have now signalled their intention to vote in favour of the Bill.  

Leader of the Government in the Senate Penny Wong confirmed the Bill will be voted on this year. 

Labor committed to put this long-standing injustice to the Parliament and we are delivering on that commitment.

I spoke about the Bill on the ABC’s Capital Hill program. You can watch that interview here.

A significant focus of my fortnight was on social justice and creating a fairer Australia for all. 
 
In the first week, I spoke about the need for climate action and the threat it poses to global health, including famine, natural disasters and disease. We are already seeing this with an unfolding humanitarian crisis in Africa right now. You can watch my speeches here and here.

I also spoke in Parliament in support of paid family and domestic violence and aged care reform. Watch those speeches here and here.

I had the great pleasure of meeting Rev Tim Costello, who has always been a great inspiration to me for his work to fight poverty and inequality. I really appreciated the opportunity to pick his brain about a range of issues and his social justice campaigning.

Outside Parliament, I was pleased to join Territories Minister Kristy McBain ad ACT Planning Minister Mick Gentleman to re-commit the Albanese Labor Government to funding $38.5 million for renewal works on Scrivener Dam. It was interesting to have a tour inside the dam wall!

In the second sitting week, I was happy to join Early Childhood Minister Anne Aly and Education Minister Jason Clare for a visit to MOCCA Childcare Centre in Manuka ahead of the introduction of Labor’s cheaper childcare bill into Parliament. The bill will make childcare more affordable for about 1.26 million Australian families and support parents and carers to increase work more days.

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten announced Paralympic legend and disability advocate Kurt Fearnley as the new chair of the National Disability Insurance Agency. Dr Graeme Innes and Maryanne Diamond were also appointed as board members – taking the number of people with disability on the NDIA board to five. 
 
I spoke in Parliament in support of these appointments and about how Labor understands the importance of choice and control being at the centre of the scheme. You can watch that speech here. 
 

I also spoke about housing affordability and in support of a collection of bills to make the financial services sector in Australia a fairer place for consumers and to protect vulnerable citizens from predatory business practices, including through overdue reform to pay day lending and consumer leases.
 

Watch those speeches here and here.
 
Parliament will next return in October for the Albanese Labor Government's first budget.
 

Treasurer Jim Chalmers and the Finance Minister Katy Gallagher released the Final Budget Outcome on Wednesday. While there has been an improvement, Australians are still burdened with a multi-billion-dollar deficit and a trillion dollars of debt which is getting more and more expensive to service.
 

I’ll be sending out my 2022 community survey in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out for them in your mail box and take 5 minutes to tell me what matters to you most so I can best represent you in Parliament and in the Government Caucus. You can also fill out this survey here. 
 

This is also the first step of The Canberra Forum deliberative panel process I am establishing with the help of DemocracyCo. This is an Australian first that will enable 40 randomly selected Canberrans to participate in deliberative process over 6 months, enabling me to have a better understanding of the issues most important to Canberrans. Watch your mailbox for your invitation!
 

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