Since being elected as your community Independent in May 2022, I have worked tirelessly to ensure your concerns are represented in Parliament.
Together with my office, we have worked with federal government agencies to resolve issues for individual constituents relating to: Centrelink, Medicare, Child Support, NDIS, Aged Care, Health, NBN, Telecommunications, Ausgrid, Australia Post, Visas, Citizenship, Passports, Banking, ATO, Superannuation and Veterans' Affairs.
Here's what I've done since 2022:
Private Member's Bills
- Introduced the Transparent and Quality Public Appointments Bill 2023 aiming to end the “Jobs for Mates” culture in Canberra and build political institutions we can trust
- Introduced the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Healthy Kids Advertising) Bill 2023 to tackle chronic disease and childhood obesity by protecting our children from predatory junk food marketing
- Introduced the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Expanding the Water Trigger) Bill 2023 to ensure that all gas (including unconventional gas) fracking projects are assessed at the Federal level for their impacts on water resources. Soon afterwards, the Albanese government passed this change and amended our environmental legislation to include this expanded water trigger.
Mackellar Issues and Actions
- Alongside the Northern Beaches community, ended PEP-11 – the proposal to drill for oil and gas off our coastline
- Secured a full performance audit of Northern Beaches Hospital - currently underway (by the NSW Audit Office)
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Secured funding to expand the PACER program, which is the combined police, ambulance and health professional mental health crisis response team
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Worked with the NSW Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson to secure more funding for drug and alcohol services on the Northern Beaches
- Working with NSW Roads Minister John Graham and State MPs to complete the Mona Vale Rd west upgrade
- Helped secure fast tracked and much needed improvements to Narrabeen Sports High School
- Secured the construction of a mobile base station in Cottage Point that was delayed for years under previous Members for Mackellar
- Backed calls for safe staff-to-patient ratios at Northern Beaches Hospital and to align with public hospitals in NSW
- Supporting nurses’ call for a 15% pay rise increase, in line with their public hospital colleagues
- Secured vital funding to address the flooding of Wakehurst Parkway
- Urged the NSW Government to find an alternative solution for the proposed development of 450 new homes at the Patyegarang/Lizard Rock site in Belrose
- Advocated for the protection of Barrenjoey Headland and its historic cottages to the Federal Minister for the Environment Tanya Plibersek and NSW Environment and Heritage Minister
- Proposed actions to the NSW Inquiry on Essential Worker Housing to increase housing supply on the Northern Beaches for essential workers, including the development of a Northern Beaches Essential Worker Housing Supply Action Plan
- Worked with Aged Care Minister Anika Wells to support the residents who have been impacted by the closure of the Wesley Taylor Village in Narrabeen
- Sponsored a young person from Mackellar, through a competition and independent panel, to attend the National Leadership program in Canberra
- Established the Mackellar Youth Partnership Program to encourage local high school student leaders to engage in their own democracy
- Since being elected in May 2022 I have held 136 community organisation meetings at my Electorate Office, visited 142 organisations onsite and attended 414 community events in Mackellar (as of December 2024).
- Hosted a number of round tables covering: Local Businesses, Men's Mental Health, Adolescent Mental Health, Aged Care, Public School Principals, Student Leadership and Construction
Cost of Living
- Voted in favour of fee-free TAFE places, supporting Australians pursuing that career path, as well as supporting future building of housing and infrastructure.
- Supported tax reform, to create a fairer more balanced system
- Advocated for a cap on the price of gas
- Supported the extension of paid parental leave and super on parental leave payments
- Supported the government’s Housing Australia Future Fund which aims to build 30,000 more social and affordable homes across Australia over the next 5 years.
- Advocated for government action to identify and stamp out the potential for anti-competitive behaviour by supermarkets, energy providers, banks and airlines
- Supported the government’s childcare reforms to make childcare more affordable for all Australian families
- Voted for energy price relief for households and small businesses (capping energy prices to tackle rising electricity costs)
- Voted for a change allowing pharmacies to dispense 60-day prescriptions (rather than a month), so that patients need to see the GP less often.
- Advocated for policies that will push down the cost of the transition to renewable power, including to make residential batteries more available and affordable
- Supported legislation to remove the fringe benefits tax for new electric cars purchased by employers for use by employees, to help increase the number of affordable electric vehicles in the Australian market
- Supported changes to the Stage 3 tax cuts to ensure more Australians benefitted from them.
- Advocated for broader tax reform to set our country up for a more prosperous and fair future
- Hosted the Mackellar People’s Jury on Housing. This brought together a panel of Mackellar residents who were presented with evidence from independent housing experts and community housing advocates. The panel made recommendations for me to take to Canberra.
- Supported government programs to improve access to and the affordability of housing for Australians, including the Help to Buy Bill 2023, the Social Housing Accelerator, the National Housing Infrastructure Facility, the National Housing Accord, the Capital Works (Build to Rent Misuse Tax Bill) 2024 and the increases to the rate of Commonwealth Rent Assistance
- Supported the Paid Parental Leave Amendment (More Support for Working Families) Bill 2023 which seeks to increase paid parental leave from 20 to 26 weeks, and the Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Adding Superannuation for a More Secure Retirement) Bill 2024 to ensure superannuation is paid on Commonwealth parental leave payments.
Supporting Small Business
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Proposing a $20,000 tax-free threshold for company income tax to lower tax for small businesses
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Urged Treasurer Jim Chalmers to extend the instant asset write-off scheme for small businesses – announced in the 2023 Budget
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Leading the charge to change the definition of small business from 15 employees to at least 25 to reduce red tape
- Supported protection of small business from cybercrime such as scams
- Hosted business grants workshops to assist in accessing and applying for grants, as well as learning helpful skills for the future
- Took issues construction companies have directly to Canberra, pushing for further support in issues facing the sector
- Supported grants for energy efficient appliances for business
- Advocated for measures to incentivise businesses to electrify and become more energy efficient
- Advocated for the elimination of the gender pay gap including by legislative reform
- Voted for the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act 2022 to improve job security, close the gender pay gap and modernise workplace bargaining
- Moved amendments to the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill 2022 seeking to protect small businesses by:
- preventing the abolishment of the Australian Building and Construction Commission
- amending the definition of the small business exemption to be based on 15 full-time equivalent employees - Offered amendments to the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023 to mitigate the adverse impacts of the bill on small businesses
- Provides the Mackellar community with a business specific newsletter that raises awareness of the many supports available to them such as events, grants and government organisations
- Provides businesses free access to the Mackellar Grant Finder to enable them to source grants, incentives, rebates and more from all levels of government
- Established a business newsletter for Mackellar businesses to raise awareness of government support for businesses and latest policy decisions relevant to small business owners
- Has a volunteer attend business networking events such as Chambers of Commerce, to raise awareness of the business supports available
Economic and Business Policies
- Proposing a $20,000 tax-free threshold for company income tax to lower tax for small businesses
- Led calls for reform of the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax (PRRT) so oil and gas companies pay their fair share of tax
- Pushed the Government to fast-track investment in clean and cheap renewables, electric vehicles and battery technology
- Hosted a roundtable for local businesses to meet Industry Minister Ed Husic MP and learn more about funding opportunities available through the $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund (NRF)
- Supported cheaper childcare to support parents to return to the workforce
- Urged the Government to extend the instant asset write-off scheme for small businesses –which was announced in the 2023 Budget. The government extended this in the 2024/25 budget
- Voted in favour of more fee-free TAFE places
Climate Change and the Environment
- Alongside the Northern Beaches community, ended PEP-11 – the proposal to drill for oil and gas off our coastline
- Tabled a ‘Save the Aussie Bush’ petition, signed by 25,000 Australians
- Campaigning for an end to logging in native forests across Australia, through the Forest Pledge.
- Joined other independents in calling for the major parties to release 2035 emission reduction targets
- Opposed oil and gas projects off the coast of Newcastle and Sydney to protect our beaches
- Voted for the Climate Change Act 2022 to enshrine Australia's greenhouse gas emission targets and improve accountability, integrity and transparency in climate policy
- Introduced the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Expanding the Water Trigger) Bill 2023 to ensure that all gas (including unconventional gas) fracking projects are assessed at the Federal level for their impacts on water resources. Soon afterwards, the Albanese government passed this change and amended our environmental legislation to include the expanded water trigger
- Travelled to Liverpool and the Piliga Plains to hear directly from farmers and those impacted by Santos’ push to drill for more and more gas. It would poison the land which is a food basin for NSW
- Voted for the Nature Repair Market 2023 to encourage private sector investment in conservation
- Campaigned and voted against the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Amendment (Using New Technologies to Fight Climate Change) Bill 2023 because carbon capture and storage is an unproven technology, because the impacts of undersea storage of CO2 are unknown, and because it will enable the expansion of gas production
- Voted for the Safeguard Mechanism (Crediting) Amendment Bill 2023 as it requires big business to cut their carbon emissions and is vital to achieving our target of a 43% reduction in emissions by 2030
- Voted for the Fuel and Vehicle Standards Legislation Amendment (Reducing Vehicle Pollution) Bill 2022 to make vehicles cleaner by reducing carbon emissions and pollution
- Called for the establishment of a ‘National Health, Wellbeing and Climate Strategy’, which has now been established
- Strongly advocated for an end to taxpayer funded fossil fuel subsidies which cost taxpayers $14.5 billion a year
- Supported David Pocock’s Private Senator’s Bill – the Climate Change Amendment (Duty of Care and Intergenerational Climate Equity) Bill 2023
- Supported the government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard Bill 2024 for the regulation of carbon dioxide emissions of new passenger and light commercial vehicles
- Supported the establishment of the Net Zero Economy Authority to promote economic transformation as part of Australia’s transition to a net zero emissions economy
- Voted for the Future Made in Australia legislation to support review and decision-making in public investment that facilitates private sector investment in the green industrial revolution
Health and Aged Care
- Introduced and pushed for amendments to the Aged Care Bill 2024
- Called further support for veterans’ health services, including increased Department of Veterans' Affairs rebates for physiotherapists who care for veterans
- Worked with men's mental health groups to tackle the high male suicide rate
- Introduced the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Healthy Kids Advertising) Bill 2023 (a Private Member’s Bill) to tackle chronic disease and childhood obesity by protecting our children from predatory junk food marketing
- Advocated for a levy on sugar-sweetened drinks to encourage manufacturers to lower the sugar content of drinks
- Was a member of the Parliamentary Committee inquiring into The State of Diabetes Mellitus in Australia in 2024 which recently published its recommendations as to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes
- Successfully moved an amendment to the Government’s Higher Education Support Amendment Bill 2022 to help address GP and nursing shortages
- Advocated for an increase in the Medicare rebate to increase the number of GPs bulk billing patients
- Voted for a change allowing pharmacies to dispense 60-day prescriptions (rather than a month), so that patients need to see the GP less often
- Moved a motion in the House of Representatives to recognise climate change as a health emergency
- Co-founded the ‘Parliamentary Friends of General Practice’ to call attention to the problems with our primary health care network, so all Australians have affordable and easy access to a GP
- Voted to ensure aged care residents receive 24/7 registered nursing care in aged care facilities
- Worked with the government to ban single-use vapes to protect our kids
- Worked with Aged Care Minister Anika Wells MP to support residents impacted by the closure of the Wesley Taylor Village in Narrabeen
- Have spoken in the House of Representatives on the need for increased services and support for youth mental health on the Northern Beaches
Society
- Campaigning strongly for an end to gambling advertising
- Pushed for comprehensive amendments to the Social Media Ban
- Re-introduced the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Healthy Kids Advertising) Bill 2024 in order to tackle disease and childhood obesity by reducing junk food marketing
- Urged the government to increase the funding for public schools in NSW by increasing the Schooling Resource Standard, ensuring all schools receive fair and full funding
- Supported the Universities Accord Bill 2024, a bill aimed at allowing more Australians to pursue their goals in university, as well as moving for an amendment to increase the support provided by it.
- Successfully amended the Education Legislation Amendment (Startup Year and Other Measures) Bill 2023, which creates a new form of Higher Education loan programme. The amendment changed the name of the loans to help make access easier.
- Supported the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Prohibition of Gambling Advertisements) Bill 2023 - a Private Member’s Bill introduced by Independent MP for Goldstein Zoe Daniel to ban gambling advertising.
- Supported the Copyright Legislation Amendment (Fair Pay for Radio Play) Bill 2023 introduced by Independent Senator David Pocock, which aims to remove caps on what artists can earn when their music is aired
- Supported the Paid Parental Leave Amendment (More Support for Working Families) Bill 2023 which seeks to increase paid parental leave from 20 to 26 weeks [and the more recent legislation adding super to paid parental leave]
- Advocated for stronger protection for whistleblowers
- Voted for the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee Bill 2023 - aimed at enhancing economic inclusion and participation by women
- Co-chair and co-founder of the ‘Parliamentary Friends for Future Generations’, a non-partisan forum to work on ensuring there is an intergenerational lens on policy development - for the long rather than short-term future
Integrity
- Supporting Independent Helen Haines' Bill to End Pork Barrelling to ensure transparent and fair use of public money based on need
- Opposed parts of the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Reform) Bill 2024, that would give major parties an unfair funding advantage
- Supported the Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2024 in order to bring greater transparency and truth on social media platforms
- Introduced the Transparent and Quality Public Appointments Bill 2023 aiming to end the “Jobs for Mates” culture in Canberra and build trustworthy political institutions
- Introduced amendments to ensure the Board of the National Reconstruction Fund (NRF) is independently appointed
- Supported Independent MP Zali Steggall's Private Member’s Bill, Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Stop the Lies) Bill 2022 aimed at prohibiting lies in political advertising
- Voted for National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022 – to investigate corruption in our political system, a top concern for the people of Mackellar
- Voted in favour of the Censure Motion against former Prime Minister Scott Morrison in relation to the multiple ministries scandal
- Negotiated with the Government on amendments to the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022 to strengthen the independence of the body
- Lobbied strongly for the government to enhance whistleblower protections including further reform of the Public Interest Disclosure Act
- Supported Independent MP Helen Haines’ Private Member’s Bill – The Accountability of Grants, Investment Mandates and Use of Public Resources Amendment (End Pork Barrelling) Bill 2024 to implement an independent and transparent process for allocating grant funding to eradicate pork barrelling in federal politics
- Backed Independent MP Kate Chaney’s Private Member’s Bill – the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Fair and Transparent Elections) Bill 2024 to ensure donation laws are fairer and more transparent
- Support Independent MP Monique Ryan’s Private Member’s Bill – Lobbying (Improving Government Honesty and Trust) Bill 2023
- Supported the creation of the new Administrative Review Tribunal (to replace the Administrative Appeals Tribunal) and successfully negotiated amendments to ensure that Tribunal members are appointed after an independent selection panel process, rather than directly by the Attorney-General.
- Voted for and spoke in favour of legislation establishing an Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission (to improve standards of behaviour in Parliament)
Veterans' Affairs
- I've been working to help veterans who have served our country to access government services and support, including:
- Urged the Minister for Veterans' Affairs Matt Keough to reduce the time it takes to rebate healthcare providers who care for veterans
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Called for the government to prioritise implementation of Recommendation 122 of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, to establish a new statutory entity to oversee system reform across the whole Defence
ecosystem - Called further support for veterans’ health services, including increased Department of Veterans' Affairs rebates in line with the NDIS for physiotherapists who care for veterans
- Remembrance Day Speech 2024 - Thanking local Newport group Saltwater Veterans Sailing Project
- Called for greater mental health support for our veterans
- Called for a national education campaign to support the rights of people with assistance dogs
- Supported the the Defence, Veterans' and Families' Acute Support Package Bill 2022, ensuring veterans have more flexible support
Animal Welfare
- Supported the Export Control Amendment (Ending Live Sheep Exports by Sea) Bill 2024 which bans the export of live sheep by sea from Australia from 1 May 2028
- Called for a national animal welfare strategy in parliament
Foreign Affairs
- Spoken in Parliament multiple times regarding the crisis in the Middle East
- Strongly supported the campaign to free Julian Assange, including signing a multi-partisan calling for the government to do more to bring Mr Assange home
- Supported AUKUS Legislation – the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Bill 2023 and the Defend Trade Controls Amendment Bill 2023