Andrew Leigh

I made a personal explanation today about a deliberately deceptive advertisement posted online by the Liberal Party this week.

Personal Explanation
28 June 2012

In a Liberal Party ad posted online yesterday, I’m quoted as saying ‘I think my colleagues, like me, are looking forward to the tax which is coming on the 1^st of July’.

This is an incorrect transcript of my statement. In fact, I said that ‘my colleagues, like me, are looking forward to the tax switch that’s coming on the 1^st of July’.

The incorrect transcribing in the Liberal Party ad isn’t an accident. The ad is clearly aimed at deceiving the viewer. The Liberal Party operative who transcribed my words would also have heard my next sentence: ‘taxes on big polluters going up, taxes on workers going down’.

Not only are we pricing pollution, we are also cutting income taxes for many Australian workers. This tax switch will help our economy and improve our environment.

It’s about time the Liberal Party focused on the facts rather than peddling untruths.

I spoke in parliament this morning about the ACT Welcome to Australia Day.

Welcome to Australia Day
27 June 2012

Last Saturday, it was my pleasure to join a significant group of Canberrans on the Welcome to Australia walk. Welcome to Australia walks were organised throughout Australia on Saturday. They recognise that there are thousands of Australians who do not care much for politics and do not know a great deal about immigration policy but do know that they care about people. Welcome to Australia began as a conversation between a number of individuals and not-for-profit organisations who believed that there needed to be a positive voice in the conversation around multiculturalism. Last Saturday was certainly a positive experience. The speakers included Henry Sherrell, the tireless organiser; MLA Joy Burch; Mark Kulasingham; Claire Doube; Dr Kim Huynh, from ANU, who told a wonderful story in which he used the analogy of tomato soup, salads and stir fries to describe the three alternative visions of multiculturalism; and Greens MLA Amanda Bresnan. Chris Bourke and Katy Gallagher from the ACT Legislative Assembly were also there.

I want to acknowledge David, a local Canberra resident and volunteer from Amnesty International ACT; Brad Chilcott, the national organiser of Welcome to Australia; the major sponsors, Amnesty International Australia and Mission Australia; as well as the National Capital Authority and the ANU student society. I also want to recognise the member for Hindmarsh, for his spearheading of Welcome to Australia walks within this parliament.

As we were walking down to the assembly area, my five-year-old son, Sebastian, said, 'Dad, what's a refugee?' I said, 'It's someone who's been treated badly in the place where they grew up and so they've gone somewhere else to find a safe space.' He paused for a moment and he said, 'So it's a bit like Harry Potter then.' I thought it was a nice analogy.

It was my great pleasure to attend the Migrant and Refugee Settlement Services of the ACT career and housing expo in the Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre on 7 June. I pay tribute to Dewani Bakkum, the CEO of MARSS, for her work in providing opportunities for newly arrived migrants and refugees in the ACT to access those two critical pathways into Australia society: good quality housing and a fulfilling job. Those around the room, whether they were from the University of Canberra, from rental services, or from the employment agencies, were all there united to help ACT refugees blend into the Canberra community whilst still retaining that great spark of the individual societies from which they come. Australia is a stronger nation for our migrants and refugees, and I am proud to have been a part of these events.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/tPCvylJMkwE

I spoke in parliament this morning about evidence-based policies to boost the number of students studying maths and science.

Higher Education Support Amendment (Student Contibution Amounts and Other Measures) Bill 2012
27 June 2012

Graham Freudenberg recalls in his book A Certain Grandeur Gough Whitlam was asked for concrete example of equality. Whitlam replied, 'I want every kid to have a desk with a lamp in his own room to study.' One can argue that for Whitlam the light on the hill shone from that lamp on the desk. I would like to think that at some of those desks they would be studying the sciences and mathematics, fulfilling their curiosity and passion for new insights and a deeper understanding of the world, building and developing skills that will enable them to make new discoveries, create innovations and be part of breakthroughs that will revolutionise our way of life. The sciences and mathematics are vital fields of knowledge for our prosperity and for our place in the world. Labor recognises this, which is why we are taking evidence based steps to ensure we foster the critical thinking, reasoning and creativity the sciences engender.

I want to outline the importance of supporting study in the sciences and mathematics and how this bill targets incentives for study in these areas. The Mathematics, Engineering and Science in the National Interest report noted:

'There is a global perception that a workforce with a substantial proportion educated in Mathematics, Engineering and Science (MES) is essential to future prosperity.'

But it noted that Australia's graduation rates in maths, engineering and science are low by international comparison. Globally, policies are emerging that focus on science and technology recognising that Australia, like the rest of the world, needs to increase our investment in sciences and mathematics. I commend Chief Scientist Ian Chubb, formerly my vice-chancellor at ANU, for his activism on these issues.

The Chief Scientist recently published a paper comparing Australia's science, research and innovation system with other developed nations. He found we had a similar percentage of researchers in our workforce compared to North America and Europe. We have a low number of researchers working in business enterprises with relatively high numbers working in higher education. So the bulk of Australia's research and development in these areas takes place in universities. We are fortunate to have that base in universities, but the challenge for Australia is to capitalise on this and build more researchers and innovators in industry. The more students we have educated in maths and science, the more workers we will have in the workforce who are pursuing research in these areas.

I recently visited the ANU Research School of Physics and Engineering. Prof. Stephen Buckman, the director of the school, invited me to visit and to see the research taking place there. ANU physics is built around three big picture themes: quantum science and technology; advanced materials and technology; and energy and environmental science and technology. I got a chance to see Australia's largest accelerator and the H1-NF National Stellarator Facility. They are doing impressive work at the ANU.

Earlier this year Prof. Brian Schmidt, winner of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics, made the following comment when talking about funding extension of his research. He said that hiring extra staff at the facility allowed him to spend more time promoting science as a career prospect for young Australians. He said:

'Science is a great career and I think we undersell it. There's this misbelief within the community that somehow by being a scientist, you're making a sacrifice. We are very well supported in this country right now ... and I think it really shouldn't be anything other than the first choice for our best young men and women across the country.'

This was an optimistic vision from Prof Schmidt when he took time from his busy schedule to speak to a cross-parliamentary group of members and staff organised by myself and the member for Bowman. At the announcement of the extension of the Prof. Schmidt's laureate fellowship, the minister Senator Evans commented:

'Everyone understands that we've had a drop off in interest in science. It's been true of most western democracies and advanced industrial societies and what we've got to do is try and arrest that decline in the learning of science, in the promotion of science, in the engagement with the community. And one of the greatest vehicles we've got for that is using Brian's abilities to communicate and his standing in science.'

I want to take a moment to note a few other innovations in this area. Melodie Potts Rosevear, Teach For Australia's founder and CEO, and Tanya Greeves, a teacher at Lanyon High School, came to parliament this week to speak with members of staff about the Teach for Australia program, which is, I think, one of the great ways of getting talented scientists into high school classrooms.

Indeed, in the 2012 Public Education Excellence Awards in the ACT it was a Teach for Australia teacher, Igraine Ridley-Smith of Calwell High School, who received the New Educator of the Year award—a testament to the ideas that she is conveying to her science and mathematics students.

Australia is fortunate to be hosting the International Olympiad in Informatics in July 2013, at the University of Queensland. I commend Dr Benjamin Burton and his colleagues for the work they are doing to organise that important international event. Last week in this House the Parliamentary Friends of Women in Science, Maths and Engineering was convened by the members for Kingston and Higgins. The guest speaker was Professor Elizabeth Blackburn. I had the pleasure of chatting with Carola Vinuesa, Mahananda Dasgupta and other scientists in the ACT about the research they are doing.

Mathematics, statistics and science are classified as national priority units of study, so students are charged a reduced maximum student contribution amount for those units. But the 2008 Bradley Review of higher education found that there was no evidence that lower student contributions had a positive impact on student demands. We thought when we were setting this policy up that it would have a positive effect, but the evidence found otherwise. We are therefore changing the policy. I would call on those opposite to likewise listen to the evidence when it is as clear as it is in this case. The policy was found not to be well targeted. It did not deliver value for money. Accounting for growth in the higher education sector, it was estimated the government paid over $150,000 for each place gained through transitional loading in 2010.

This bill amends the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to increase the maximum student contribution amount for mathematics, statistics and science units of study for all students from 1 January 2013. The maximum student contribution for students enrolled in science and maths units will increase to $8,363 in 2013. We will be using the savings from that to support additional investments in the new demand driven funding system for universities.

Just as the expansion of Australia's universities supported by HECS in the 1980s and 1990s brought about a revolution in higher education, so too will demand driven funding under this government expand the number of students who go to university. It is always pleasing to me when I meet a student who is the first from their family to attend university. There will be many more of those students thanks to these reforms. The total level of funding provided to universities for these units will be maintained with the government reinstatement of the maximum student contribution amounts for students who enrol in mathematics, statistics and science units.

As priority units of study, we still want to encourage and provide incentives for students to study mathematics and sciences. In this year's budget we announced $54 million for a range of measures to encourage the study of mathematics and sciences. Graduates from a natural and physical sciences course with a HECS-HELP debt who work in a relevant field can have their compulsory repayments reduced by more than $1,600. Those who work as a maths or science teacher—as Ms Ridley-Smith does—may qualify for both the HECS-HELP benefit for maths and science graduates and the HECS-HELP benefit for teachers. They can have their compulsory repayments reduced by more than $3,000. We believe these measures will be more cost-effective than allowing students to pay a reduced student contribution amount and having the government paying transitional loading to universities. We are moving from policies that did not work to policies that will.

The government does not believe it is appropriate that students residing overseas continue to receive large subsidies towards obtaining a higher education degree from an Australian university. So the residency amendment ensures government assistance is restricted to study predominantly completed within Australia. I am somebody who benefited from overseas study, but I believe it is appropriate that the Australian taxpayer support higher education that takes place in an Australian university. The funding priority should be those students who are most likely to pursue a career in Australia, to commence repayment of their HELP debt and use their education to benefit Australia's workforce and economic needs.

The number of students currently enrolled with an Australian providers and not residing in Australia is relatively small. In 2010, for example, there were only about 1,000 full-time students enrolled in Commonwealth supported places or accessing FEE-HELP who resided overseas. With the growth in Commonwealth supported places under the demand driven model for university funding and the growth in online delivery, it is important to clarify eligibility conditions before there are further increases in the number of students being assisted by the government who do not live within the borders of this country.

The bill removes eligibility for Commonwealth supported places and the HELP schemes for Australian citizens who commence a course of study on or after 1 January 2013 where a higher education provider reasonably expects the person will not undertake any of their course of study in Australia. Students undertaking study as part of a formal exchange or study abroad program for some of the units in their course, including those students receiving assistance through the OS-HELP system, will not be affected by this change. The amendments ensure that government assistance is restricted to people who will retain a strong attachment to Australia.

The reduction in student contributions for mathematics, statistics and science units has not been effective in substantially increasing the number of students undertaking study in these areas at university. This government has a passion for education and we have a passion for evidence. Because of those two goals, we have doubled investment in school education. We are providing more information to parents than ever before through the MySchool and MyUniversity websites. We now have an additional 150,000 students attending university. It is absolutely vital that we support the study of mathematics and science. It is critical education policy and is vital to Australia's productivity in the future. But we must have the right tools to do the job.

The third year university students who dedicate their summer holidays to work at the CSIRO and be part of new research and innovation show that the passion for mathematics and science is still there. You only need to take a stroll through Questacon to see the excitement in science among young Australians. We need to encourage that excitement at school through such things as: Teach For Australia; at university, the hard work of groups such as the ANU physics school; here in the parliament, groups such as the Parliamentary Friends of Women in Science, Mathematics and Engineering; and the right, effective policies at our universities.

The light of opportunity Whitlam spoke of as shining from a desk lamp is for our maths and science students also the light of discovery, of innovation, of prosperity. This government wants the light to shine even brighter. I commend the bill to the House.

If you haven't yet filled in my Child Care Survey, you can follow the hyperlink or complete it below. I want to hear from a wide variety of parents in my electorate of Fraser, including those who care for their own children at home.

The Hansard from the parliament's biannual quizzing of the National Capital Authority became available today. For the benefit of Campbell residents who are interested in Development Application 74, I've pasted below the answers to my questions. The full transcript is available here.

Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories - 20/06/2012 - National Capital Authority

Dr LEIGH: As the member representing Campbell, my questions today will just relate to DA 74. Many of the submissions that you and we have received address the issue of the height limit. Why did the NCA choose to keep the seven- or eight-storey built form adjacent to the memorials and Anzac Parade?

Mr Rake : It is important to clarify that the amendment that we are proposing at the moment reduces an existing development ability. There is a provision in the National Capital Plan at the moment that already allows for development at that height but on a much larger footprint and, in particular, in a form that would have large, multistorey development directly across the road from existing single-storey dwellings. We have retained a portion of the development at that upper height limit, but the new form of this development, both as originally proposed and as modified after community consultation, reduces both the overall development capacity of the site and the building heights in a transition fashion as it moves closer to existing residential development, and improves heritage protection on the site both in a landscape sense and in a cultural sense. So across three areas we believe there have been considerable improvements compared to development permissions that exist in the current framework.

Dr LEIGH: Notwithstanding the response of the NCA to the submissions, there still seem to be a number of concerns about increased traffic through Constitution Avenue and the potential for rat-running through Campbell. The response to the submissions talks about parking in great detail but has deferred consideration of traffic to a later date. Have you considered the cumulative impacts of increased traffic in and around Campbell for the purposes of considering this amendment?

Mr Rake : We have. We commissioned detailed traffic modelling that took into account current and future expected development, and Mr Smith made a detailed presentation to the residents of Campbell on Wednesday evening last week, Wednesday the 13th, which highlighted the outcomes of that traffic modelling. What it did identify as one of the key findings was that a lot of the traffic congestion in Campbell relates to the suburb itself—for example, people going to the Campbell shops or to and from the couple of schools. Campbell has a private school and a childcare centre. A lot of the traffic in those surveys emanates from visits to or from those sites. There was not a lot of rat running recorded in these traffic surveys. We looked at both the am and pm peak times and used number-plate recognition technology. Campbell is a busy suburb but a lot of the traffic relates to the fact that the suburb is busy rather than that it is a rat run.

Dr LEIGH: The DA anticipates an increase in both cyclists and walkers. Have you considered issues of safety of pedestrians and cyclists as a result of increased traffic?

Mr Rake : Very much so. The master plan for Constitution Avenue, which is being built by the ACT government with funding provided by the Commonwealth, provides for two new pedestrian paths linking Campbell to the city along Constitution Avenue and for a dedicated off-road cycleway. Within traffic management on-site at the section 5 development, we have also increased the visitor parking and made sure that it is above ground and accessible, so that it is not a hassle for visitors to get to those car parks and they are not encouraged to park in the streets of Campbell.

Dr LEIGH: There is going to be some landscaping around the proposed DA. Who will plant and who will maintain that landscaping? There has been concern from some residents that they will be expected to maintain the landscaping that is put in place to address the heritage and environmental issues.

Mr Rake : It will be a combination. Some of that planting will be in public space and will be the responsibility of the leaseholder. If it is a multi-unit development it will be the body corporate's responsibility. But there will be some trees planted in the road reserve and the public land managers, whether they be the ACT government or the NCA—and we both have responsibility for road reserves there—and the responsible government agency would take over management of those. That landscaping is designed to take account of heritage values, in particular, its proximity to Anzac Parade and the New Zealand memorial. One of the basket handles is very close to this site. We have had close interactions with the New Zealand high commissioner to make sure that we are addressing those concerns.

Dr LEIGH: On that, do you believe that the additional trees and landscaping will be sufficient to protect the heritage status of that memorial?

Mr Rake : Yes, we do. We have also referred the matter to the department responsible for heritage, the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities and had it assessed under the EPBC Act. The current provisions in the plan would not have protected those heritage values. The amendment that we are proposing does, and it embeds those protections within the planning framework. We have also embedded, in the planning framework, mandatory consultation on every single development that would occur on that site in future. That is the strongest level of consultation that exists in that part of the city. We have embedded that in the plan so that it is mandatory.

Mr Smith : One further thing in regards to the landscape protections: the proposed amendment makes mandatory that that landscape be in place prior to approval of any building development on the site. The first thing that has to happen is the landscaping.

Dr LEIGH: Thank you. Many submissions suggested that DA 74 be adjusted to set the first building 25 metres further east on Constitution Avenue and away from Anzac Parade East, so the symmetry of the eastern handle of the New Zealand memorial is not affected as much. Why was that not done?

Mr Rake : The detailed landscape assessment found that the treatment we had in mind and the form of the development were not going to compromise that value in the first place, so it was not necessary to make the change. We have procured quite a bit of three-dimensional modelling to help explain to the community what the view sheds will be. We have fully completed development from as many angles as we can—from the human height perspective, from the top of Mount Ainslie, from the steps of the War Memorial. We have picked as many angles as we can to demonstrate that this proposal is a marked improvement and will not unduly affect the heritage values of that area.

Dr LEIGH: Are there going to be requirements for further consultation by developers with residents?

Mr Rake : Yes. For each and every development, we have mandated that and we have put it into the amendments. It is now compulsory. It is very rare in the National Capital Plan for developments that are not in existing residential areas—and this site is at the interface of that—to have mandatory consultation. We have done it by protocol over the past couple of years; here, we are locking it into the plan. There is no wriggle room.

Dr LEIGH: Just one final question. There has been concern that the lack of development on Constitution Avenue east will lead to an unbalanced vista and use of the road. Have you taken into account the effect and the overall feel and appearance of the entirety of Constitution Avenue? Some constituents raised the notion that, if the intention is to create a grand boulevard, it might look a bit odd if it ends abruptly at the eastern end.

Mr Rake : I think the concerns of those residents are driven by the ACT' government's focus on the western end of Constitution Avenue for redevelopment, funded by the Commonwealth as part of last year's budget announcement. We have a planning framework that would extend that full boulevard character along the entire length of Constitution Avenue. As private developments occur at the eastern end, particularly on the northern side of the road where we have the RSL building and various other privately owned buildings, we are pushing the developers, as part of their redevelopment, to upgrade the public domain in a manner that is consistent with that full boulevard effect. The landscape treatment, the provision of the cycleways, the bike paths, the pedestrian paths are all allowed for to maintain that corridor. We do not want it to be a piecemeal approach. It needs to be a high-quality public domain, and we have set a framework that will achieve that.

On Sky Lunchtime Agenda, I spoke with David Lipson and Liberal Senator Arthur Sinodinos about the need to find a bipartisan solution on asylum-seekers, how emission trading schemes harness the ingenuity of the market, and the proper role of governments in providing industry assistance.http://www.youtube.com/embed/jRQ4FWHQkP4

I spoke today about payday lending, reverse mortgages, and Labor's history of consumer protection.

Consumer Credit and Corporations Legislation Amendment (Enhancements) Bill 2011
26 June 2012

Not all debt is bad. Many of us here have a mortgage. Many of us have taken a loan to buy a car. My own calculations using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey suggest that 60 per cent of Australian adults live in a household that has some debt and that the average is $100,000 of property debt. On average, debt levels rise with household net worth: if a household increases their net worth by $10, they will typically take another dollar of debt. Thanks to home loans, Australians are now able to buy houses at a much younger age than was the case in my grandparents generation. So credit in that sense has made us better off. Business loans also make the corporate sector grow faster; they help productive firms grow more rapidly. Car loans allow young people to take a job that requires four wheels. And although too many Australians probably carry unpaid balances on own credit cards, they are a handy source of finance to carry us through a tight spot.

It is only when sources of credit are made available to people in circumstances contrary to their interests that it becomes a problem. Care Inc., a financial counselling service in the ACT, told me the story of a client of theirs on a disability support pension, supporting her low income by selling the Big Issue magazine. She had sought assistance for a payday loan she had been paying for well over a year, and that was despite the initial loan being for one month. The client was regularly short of money to pay for food and utilities but continued to take out payday loans. Often a new loan would be provided with the outstanding amount being rolled in. That client felt trapped in a cycle of debt and felt great anxiety. Care Inc. told me that her limited understanding of budgeting and dependence on payday loans significantly affected her quality of life. Having an intellectual disability and mental health issues only compounded the issue.

The Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation referred in his second reading speech to documented cases of lenders charging $1,477 in interest and fees on a loan for $1,000 for 26 weeks, or $2,074 in interest and fees on a loan for $1,000 over the course of a year. So the Consumer Credit and Corporations Legislation Amendment (Enhancements) Bill 2011 introduces essential consumer protection reforms. It is about providing greater protection for those experiencing financial hardship, those who feel vulnerable and desperate and seek sources of credit ultimately to their own disadvantage. We need to make sure a financial rough spot does not lead to financial ruin. This bill also delivers on the reforms to reverse mortgages promised in the 2010 election. Through COAG those reforms will be national, so all Australians can benefit from the protections in the bill.

The Labor Party have a proud tradition of being the workers party, but we are also the party that looks after consumers. It was the Whitlam government that established the Prices Justification Tribunal. The Prices Justification Act 1973 was directed at foreign corporations and trading or financial corporations that had annual receipts over $20 million. Those companies were required to notify the tribunal when they proposed to raise the price of goods and services, and the penalty was a fine of $10,000. It was the function of that tribunal to inquire into proposed price rises to ascertain if they were justifiable or whether a lower price should be charged. Most companies did comply due to the likelihood of adverse publicity. It was later that year that Lionel Murphy began preparing a bill dealing with restrictive trade practices, monopolies and consumer protections, and the Trade Practices Bill 1973 went beyond the competition matters contained in earlier statutes.

In introducing the bill to the House, Kep Enderby, Minister for Manufacturing Industry said:

‘The Bill will also provide on a national basis long overdue protection for consumers against a wide range of unfair practices.’

…  …  …

‘In consumer transactions unfair practices are widespread. The existing law is still founded on the principle known as caveat emptor—meaning 'let the buyer beware'. That principle may have been appropriate for transactions conducted in village markets—‘

than for the modern, consumer oriented transactions of today. He continued:

‘The untrained consumer is no match for the businessman who attempts to persuade the consumer to buy goods or services on terms and conditions suitable to the vendor. The consumer needs protection by the law and this Bill will provide such protection.’

The Trade Practices Act 1974 became operative on 1 October that year. It was the first legislation to contain consumer protection provisions. It empowered consumers to take private action to enforce their rights. It was legislation introduced by a Labor government. Until that time, through those long salad days of the Menzies government, consumers had to rely on common law remedies in matters where there was evidence of duress, negligence or unconscionable conduct.

It is no accident that Australia's most efficient and commercially successful producers are those that have been subject to strong competition. The most competitive standards are those found in world markets. Suppliers of goods or services protected from international competition are not subject to the pressures that ensure efficient management and production techniques which require them to deliver high-quality products. They can get away with shoddy or overpriced goods and services without fear of loss of markets. The effect of this is doubly damaging and debilitating for the rest of the economy. It imposes higher prices and poorer services on Australian consumers. In this sense Labor's tariff cuts did as much to help Australian consumers through lower prices as they did to encouraging Australian companies to compete in the world stage and to raise their performance to a world level.

In 1995 under the Keating government the Independent Committee of Inquiry into a National Competition Policy reviewed the Trade Practices Act. Fred Hilmer's committee found that ordinary Australians benefited from the competition reforms in the way of price reductions, lower inflation, greater economic growth and more jobs. The key institution that came out of the Hilmer committee was the Australian Competition Commission, later the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Again, the Labor Party were looking after consumers. The tradition of protecting consumers from unconscionable business practices continues with this government. The changes proposed in this bill are part of a broader suite of reforms to increase fairness for consumers seeking credit, to better educate consumers about what they are signing-up for, to create a set of uniform laws across Australia. As the minister said in his second reading speech, this bill:

‘… is part of our commitment to always stand on the side of consumers.’

Today this bill is part of another Labor tradition of looking out for those who are vulnerable to poor consumer practices. It introduces reforms to the regulation of payday loans. These include: increasing the cap on short-term small-amount contracts to a 20 per cent establishment fee and a four per cent monthly fee; introducing a mid-tier cap of 48 per cent plus $400 for loans between $2,000 and $5,000 in terms of two years or less; a prohibition on loans of terms of 15 days or less; and a maximum 200 per cent total cap on charges for all lending. This bill enhances credit regulation and provides greater consistency between consumer leases and credit contracts. While access to credit can help manage unexpected expenses or see us through a rough spot, we need to remember that the most vulnerable members of our community are the ones least able to access legal advice to help them understand their rights and obligations of credit providers.

The reforms in this bill may have an impact on some lenders, and we have certainly heard from some of those lenders over recent months. We need to keep sight of the big picture. Research shows that over a third of all payday loan consumers have an annual income of less than $24,000. The majority have an annual income of less than $36,000. For those at the lower end of the income scale, the risk and consequences of getting caught in the debt spiral are all too real.

A client of Care Inc. in the ACT was a single female on the disability support pension. She had a number of health issues and had taken three short-term loans with separate credit providers. All of the loans were to cover medical and living expenses. Soon she was repaying by direct debit a third of her net pay. As a result there was not enough left to cover the rent and over a few months she had built up substantial arrears and was at risk of being evicted from her government rental property. In the meantime the credit card debt was increasing and that was exacerbating her existing health issues and she became stressed by it. With the assistance of a Care Inc. financial counsellor she was able to access emergency relief to buy food and negotiate an arrangement to repay her rental arrears. She eventually paid out the short-term loans, but not without considerable stress.

The bill also introduces statutory protections for those taking out a reverse mortgage. Just as a regular mortgage allows people to live in a house while they are paying it off to the bank, a reverse mortgage allows someone to live in a house while receiving regular payments from the bank. A regular mortgage ends when the house is paid off. A reverse mortgage ends when both members of a couple pass away. Reverse mortgages have the potential to allow older Australians to access the equity that is in their home for living expenses. But it is important that we put statutory protections around them. This bill introduces statutory protections against owing more than the value of the asset, effectively against negative equity, and puts in place additional precontractual disclosure requirements.

It was good to see in the chamber today the member for North Sydney claiming paternity for parts of this bill, which is certainly true. I have a press release of 3 April 2001 from the member for North Sydney when he was the Minister for Financial Services and Regulation in which he said, 'Payday lending is an insidious practice.' But it is Labor that finally brought these reforms home, as we have done with other reforms. The Howard government talked about education reform and structural separation of Telstra. I was reminded on reading the member for Moreton's ‘Moreton Report’ that it was the Howard government which in 2007 said:

‘In the years to come it will provide a model for other nations to follow. Being among the first movers in carbon trading in this region will bring new opportunities and we intend to grasp them.’

But, while John Howard just talked about pricing carbon, it is this government that has done it.

The Labor Party takes care of the vulnerable in our society, be it with the pension in 1909, Medicare in 1984 or the National Disability Insurance Scheme we are working towards today. It is what we do. Good government involves the economic and the social; they are not mutually exclusive. For pensioners and retirees taking out reverse mortgages, we understand the risks they take. For those who need payday lending, we understand that it is important to place protections around them. Taking the sharp edges off predatory business practices is a social responsibility that this government takes seriously.

In my electorate there are organisations working with people experiencing credit and debt problems. Some of the organisations doing this marvellous work include Moneycare, provided through the Salvation Army, and Care Inc., which includes the Care Inc. Financial Counselling Service and the Consumer Law Centre of the ACT. I have met with Moneycare at their Dickson offices and seen how hard they work to provide assistance to people in the community who are under pressure from their debts. Moneycare reminded me that many people suffering from financial difficulty are also experiencing high levels of depression or anxiety as a result—that financial pressure and financial stress can trigger a number of other burdens that reduce a person's quality of life.

Care Inc. are the main consumer law advocacy body in the ACT and also provide advice and assistance to consumers. They rightly point out that, even though low-income earners carry less debt than high-income earners, the potential for that debt to have a negative impact is far greater.

Moneycare told me of a client whose wife had an addiction and left him when the youngest of their four children was only a baby. Raising their four children by himself, he eventually got into another relationship. By his own admission, he was so in love with his new partner that he bought her whatever she wanted. Making purchases on multiple credit cards and short-term, no-interest loans, he accumulated a significant debt. His new partner then also left him. With $140,000 worth of debt and on a single income, he could not keep up with repayments. He became suicidal and tried to kill himself. He felt like a failure who was no good to anyone, but, with help from Moneycare, things are now going well for him and his children.

The history I have outlined demonstrates that it is vital to look out for the interests of consumers as well as the interests of the workers. This bill reflects the values of the Labor Party. Care, decency and respect are at the heart of decent, humane and responsible government. I commend the bill to the House.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/nCYhKqIUctM

I moved a private member's motion in parliament today wishing our Olympians and Paralympians well in London.

2012 London Olympics
25 June 2012

To move—That this House:
(1) notes:
(a) that the 2012 London Olympics will take place from 27 July to 12 August and the Paralympics will take place from 29 August to 9 September, with London becoming the first city to host the modern Olympics on three occasions; and
(b) the diversity of the Australian team, comprising athletes from all parts of Australia;
(2) recognises the dedication and hard work of the extraordinary athletes that make up the Australian Olympic and Paralympic teams, and their coaches, friends and family;
(3) acknowledges the unique role played by the Australian Institute of Sport in preparing athletes for the Olympics and Paralympics; and
(4) wishes our athletes well in London.

Fraser is the sportiest electorate in Australia. In any Olympic sport, I would pit my electorate against the electorate of any other person in this place. Of course, it helps to have the Australian Institute of Sport! But it is also true that Canberra has plenty of non-elite athletes. Over 40 per cent of the ACT public plays some form of organised sport. The nation's capital is also its sporting capital.

In my time as member for Fraser, I have had the pleasure of allocating Local Sporting Champions grants. Local Sporting Champions assists young athletes aged 12 to 18 with the costs of competing at state, national or international competitions. Over the past 18 months, I have been joined by swimmer Sally Foster and Hockeyroo Anna Flanagan to award Local Sporting Champions grants to individuals and sporting clubs in my electorate.

Sally, who lives in the Fraser electorate and trains at the Australian Institute of Sport, is competing in the 200 metres breaststroke at her second Olympic Games. Sally also has a special connection to the Olympics. Her great-aunt competed in the 1936 Berlin games. On the six-week boat trip over to Germany, she and the other swimmers trained by having someone hold their arms while they kicked their legs in the small pool on board the ship.

Anna Flanagan is heading to London as part of the Hockeyroos squad, playing in the position of full-back. Anna debuted for Australia against Korea in 2010 and has scored six goals in 56 international matches. She plays for the Canberra Strikers in the Australian Hockey League, and she is also studying journalism. So who knows—at some point after her hockey career is over we may see her in this place as a journalist covering the nation's politics.

The AIS is a terrific facility that has been producing great athletes for many years. I know there are many athletes who live and train at the institute, each with their own unique story. I want to wish each of those AIS athletes the best for the games.

London hosted the modern Olympics in 1908 and 1948. In 1939 it was granted the 1944 games, but these were cancelled due to World War II. Had they held the Olympics in 1944, it would have been the 50th anniversary of the modern Olympics.

These Olympics will be held from 27 July to 12 August, followed by the Paralympics from 29 August to 9 September. It was a pleasure this morning to join the Prime Minister and the Minister for Sport, Kate Lundy, to farewell our Paralympians.

My own personal connection to the London games is courtesy of a childhood friend, Bronwen Watson. Bronwen also trained at the AIS and is representing Australia in the women's lightweight double sculls. The winner of four world championships, she is one of the fittest and most dedicated people I know. I wish her all the best and hope that she manages to come home with gold. Her dedication and that of all of our athletes are examples of what individuals, with the support of others, can achieve. It is witnessing athletes achieving gold medals or, in some cases, simply participating, that makes the Olympics such a special event.

I also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the dedication and sacrifice of coaches, families and friends. No athlete makes it to the games alone and they rely heavily on the support of those close to them. So to those friends, families and support crews, I say thank you.

My favourite Olympic moment has to be Cathy Freeman's 400-metres victory at the 2000 Games: that look of steely determination and focus; that moment as she strode away to consolidate her lead as she came out of the final turn; the sight of her sitting on the track alone in a full stadium, the relief of having carried her own and a nation's expectations. For me that moment signified more than a nation celebrating the triumph of an individual athlete. For me it was also a great moment of unification between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, one based on rejoicing our shared histories and cultures. It is my favourite moment because in that symbolic sense it managed to get the combination of Indigenous celebration and pathos.

Every Olympic Games produces moments of heroism, humanity and humility. Proposed in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin, its motto Citius, Altius, Fortius—Swifter, Higher, Stronger—will again be on display by our athletes at the Olympics and Paralympics. I wish them, and in particular those from the ACT, every success and the experience of a lifetime.

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I moved a private member's motion in the House of Representatives today on United Nations Public Service Day.

United Nations Public Service Day
25 June 2012

To move—That this House:
(1) recognises that:
(a) 23 June is the United Nations Public Service Day;
(b) democracy and successful governance are built on the foundation of a competent, career-based public service; and
(c) the day recognises the key values of teamwork, innovation and responsiveness to the public; and
(2) commends the Australian Public Service on continuing to be an international model of best-practice public service and providing outstanding services to the Australian community.

The United Nations General Assembly designated 23 June as United Nations Public Service Day. In the words of the UN, it is a day to celebrate the value and virtue of public service to the community. Public servants make an enormous contribution to the Australian community, and as a member for a seat based in the ACT I have the privilege of representing, meeting and working with a large number of public servants. Public servants form a significant portion of my community. In my electorate of Fraser we also benefit from a continual influx of people moving here to take up opportunities to serve the Australian public. We see this passion for community translated into a great benefit locally, the ACT having higher than average rates of volunteering and participation in sports and recreation—two indicators in which we top the nation.

Very rarely do we stop and appreciate the hard work performed by Australian public servants. Australian public servants have performed extraordinary acts. They headed into flood-affected Brisbane to make sure that people received their government payments, they developed a fiscal stimulus package to get us through the global financial crisis, they are in Australian workplaces making sure that Australian workers have good conditions, they are keeping infectious diseases out of the country and they are finding the most effective way to price pollution to protect our environment. None of these tasks would be possible without a public service to develop and implement policy and programs. We would all still be stuck with old-fashioned ways of running our economy and society if it were not for the public servants who continually review and refine what we do now and develop innovative approaches to public policy. I commend the Crawford School of Public Policy for its work through the HC Coombs Policy Forum in developing better policies.

Australia is at an exciting point in its history. The government is looking to the future to develop policies that will shape our place in the world and the way we look after the most vulnerable. Australians joining the public service today have the opportunity to form and influence Australia's future. This ties in with another aim of UN Public Service Day, which is to encourage young people to pursue careers in the public sector. Every year thousands of young and not so young people move to the ACT to take up jobs as graduates in the Australian Public Service. I encourage all young Australians to consider a career in the public service. In doing so they will be able to help address the challenges of today, and inform the decisions we make for Australia's future.

UN Public Service Day is also a time for us to reflect on and recognise that an efficient and effective public service helps to achieve international goals as well as national ones. The Australian Public Service is one of the most efficient in the world, which is how we are able, as a medium-sized power, to have a strong voice in the international community. One of the things that Australia does best as part of our foreign aid strategy is to assist countries such as Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and East Timor set up transparent and accountable public services. Knowing our foreign aid dollars will be managed for the benefit of the entire community is important, and we also know that structures of government are a vital part of a robust democracy. Assisting with good governance is of long-term benefit in our region.

Successful nations are underpinned by successful public sectors. Those nations that were most successful in the last century were so successful because they had a capable public sector. In fact, progress as a nation is virtually impossible without a committed public service. It is vital for our region for Australia to continue to be an example, to provide practical assistance to those countries most in need. We are fortunate in Australia to have a public service offering frank and fearless advice to governments of all persuasions, and it is time we all took a moment to thank our hard-working public servants.

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I spoke in parliament today on the 20th anniversary of the Mabo judgment.

20th Anniversary of the Mabo Judgment
25 June 2012

Imagine the moment in 1974 when, talking with his friends, Eddie Koiki Mabo realised his land was owned by the Crown, not by him and his people. Noel Loos and Henry Reynolds recall: 'Koiki was surprised and shocked'. He had kept saying, 'No way, it's not theirs. It's ours.' It would turn out to be one of the most significant moments in Australian history. From then to the historic High Court decision of 3 June 1992 Eddie Mabo showed us that a deeper appreciation of Indigenous Australia is the responsibility of all Australians and that the recognition of Indigenous history and culture and the challenges it faces is not an optional part of being Australian but is essential to who we are.

Eddie Mabo Day, 3 June, helps us identify, acknowledge and celebrate all Indigenous Australians and their contribution to our nation. It is a critical part in the process of reconciliation. But it is also a great moment to celebrate the life of a great Australian and to remember a man of extraordinary vision, warmth and intelligence. Eddie Mabo's story is one in which I think Australians can take great pride. I think it is also a reminder that Australia is at its strongest when we remember the stories of Indigenous Australians.

One of the books that have made an impression on me is Stories of the Ngunnawal, a collection of stories of the local Ngunawal people. To me those stories reflect that so much of what Eddie Mabo was facing was also being faced here in the Canberra region. There had been suggestions in the middle of the 20th century that the last remnants of the Ngunawal people had gone. An article in the Canberra Times in 1985 said, according to the writers, it was felt the last remnants of the Aboriginal tribes of this area were gone by 1911 with the deaths of Ned and Lucy Carroll at the Edgerton mission station.  The article went on to say that reports of the extinction of the Ngunawal people had been greatly exaggerated 'according to a very much alive survivor, Mr Tom Phillips of Kambah'. Tom Phillips was indeed a character. One story has him being arrested while walking naked in the Namadji area. Apparently he was called into a courtroom with a blanket wrapped around him. The judge said, 'What are you doing, walking around like that? You can't walk around like that in front of people.' Mr Phillips said to the judge: 'Mate, I'm an Aboriginal. I was born naked, and I'll walk around how I want. I'm not going to sit here and listen to a man sitting there with a dead carcass on his head telling me I can't do this and that. I'll walk around how I want.'

Another great survivor of the Ngunawal people is Auntie Agnes Shea. She is a familiar sight to those of us who attend conferences in Canberra because she is one of the most frequent of those to welcome attendees to country. Auntie Agnes tells the story about how as a young girl she did not learn the Ngunawal language. She says: 'The elders decided that, if we kept using it at home, we wouldn't do it intentionally but automatically we'd use it if we were off down the town or somewhere, and it would get us into trouble.' By that, she means the risk of being taken away from her parents. Auntie Agnes says: 'So they forbade us to use our language, for our protection, and that's how we came to lose so much of the Ngunawal language. I was around seven or eight around then.'

It is a great source of pride to me to be a federal member representing the land of Ngunawal people, to be able to remember some of their stories and recognise the great strength of Indigenous Australia and that we are greater as a country thanks to that Indigenous heritage. This is, I think, broadly recognised by both sides of parliament, on this the 20th anniversary of the Mabo judgment, but it was not always thus. The Attorney-General, in a speech on 6 June, reminded her audience of some of the history of the Mabo case. She said:

'Disenfranchised by the Bjelke-Petersen government, Eddie Mabo, David and Sam Passi, Celuia Salee and James Rice, all from the Meriam people, set themselves the seemingly improbable task of literally creating a space for indigenous rights to land and waters—where previously this had been said to be an impossibility.'

She pointed out that the Bjelke-Petersen government dogmatically attempted to legislate away any prospect of native title, that Tim Fischer had said that native title was unnecessary as 'dispossession of Aboriginal civilisation was always going to happen' and that Hugh Morgan said that the High Court had thrown property law into chaos and 'given substance to the ambitions of Australian communists and the Bolshevik left for a separate Australian state'. She pointed out that Tim Fischer said: 'Mabo has the capacity to put a brake on Australian investment, break the economy and break up Australia—a brake, a break and a break-up we can do without,' and that John Hewson, after native title legislation passed the parliament, in December 1993, described it as a 'day of shame'. John Hewson said:

'The Coalition is totally opposed to this piece of legislation. It is bad legislation. It will prove to be a disaster for Australia. It goes way beyond the High Court. It introduces inequities into the Australian system. It consciously sets out to divide the Australian nation and there is only one thing you can do with bad legislation and that is to throw it out.'

The reason I quote all these statements made two decades ago by a business leader and prominent members of the opposition is that they remind us of what the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency has called the divide in Australian politics between the reformers and the wreckers. It reminds us that almost every reform that is now held dear in Australia was not gotten through bipartisan agreement but was hard-fought-for at the time. Great reform never comes easy. It is often opposed at the moment at which it is fought for. But in so many cases Australia can now look back to great Labor reforms like native title with a sense of pride. I believe it will be so for the great Labor reforms like a price on carbon, a mining tax, the National Disability Insurance Scheme and the National Broadband Network.

Reconciliation works best in Australia when it is not just self-flagellatory reconciliation—although there were great wrongs done—but when it also operates with a sense of pride. The moment in the 2000 Olympics when Cathy Freeman won gold and the moment when she lit the Olympic flame were moments that did as much for the cause of reconciliation as perhaps all the honourable speeches of this kind. There was the moment when Gough Whitlam poured sand into the hand of Vincent Lingiari and Lingiari said to him, 'We're all mates now'. These sparks of positive reconciliation are a great source of pride for all Australians, and it is with a great sense of pride that I remember the 20th anniversary of the Mabo judgment.

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