Speeches in Parliament
Speech: Medicare November 2016
Ms RISHWORTH (Kingston) (10:36): I rise again today to talk about our ongoing battle on this side of the House to save Medicare. Of course, we have seen the continued attack by the Liberal government on our universal health-care system and particularly on the institution of Medicare. It was not that long ago that the Liberals attempted to bring in the unpopular $7 GP co-payment, otherwise known as the $7 GP tax. Labor stood strong against this, along with the community, sending a clear message that we would defend our universal healthcare system.
Speech: Murray-Darling Basin Plan
Ms RISHWORTH (Kingston) (13:58): All South Australians were deeply disturbed by reports that emerged on Friday that the Deputy Prime Minister is planning to rip up the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. He is walking away from returning an extra 450 gigalitres to the river. This is an absolute disgrace.
Speech: National Broadband Network
Ms RISHWORTH (Kingston) (19:50): 'Very, very frustrating'; 'Endless problems causing great stress and problems'; 'I have no idea how the elderly, those who live alone or with a disability will ever manage. Something needs to be done.' These are just three of the recent complaints I have had about the NBN rollout in my electorate of Kingston in South Australia. The rollout of the NBN across Australia under this government has been abysmal. Under Malcolm Turnbull's watch, the cost of this second-rate network has nearly doubled; the time taken to install the system has more than doubled; and Australia has dropped to 60th in the world for nternet speeds.
Speech: Remembrance Day
I am very pleased to move this motion, which recognises the importance of our national day of remembrance to honour the many service men and women who left their homes and loved ones to fight for their country, and to remember the sacrifice of those who never returned and those who returned but whose service left them physiologically and psychologically wounded.
Speech: Veterans
Ms RISHWORTH (Kingston) (19:40): I rise tonight to raise a number of issues in my shadow portfolio area of veterans affairs. It has been my absolute privilege and pleasure since taking over this portfolio in July to have met with many ex-service organisations as well as individual veterans to discuss the issues that are important to them. A number of common themes have been raised with me, which I will speak about tonight.
Speech: National Carers Week
Ms RISHWORTH (Kingston) (16:13): This week is National Carers Week. It is an important time to recognise the 2.8 million carers in this country who do unpaid caring work for so many. It is important to remember them this week and commit ourselves to providing support to those who care. These carers are right through our community, caring for people with disabilities, older family members and younger children with a disability. They are not able to meet their full potential because they are caring for those in need.
Speech: Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2016-2017
Ms RISHWORTH (Kingston) (18:27): I am very pleased to have the opportunity to speak on the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2016-2017. Of course, this bill encapsulates what unfortunately represents another unfair budget by this coalition government. While they have tried to hide from the Australian people with the fact that indeed his
does not have the nasty elements of what we experienced in 2014, many of the elements are still there. There is still a $30 billion cut from our schools. There are still cuts from our universities. There is still a plan to have a pension age of 70, the highest in the world. It is a budget that calls parents rorters and double dippers and one that makes young job seekers wait for four weeks. It also is cutting the pension to 190,000 pensioners through the plan to limit overseas travel to Australian pensioners. Far from being a budget that supports our most vulnerable in our community—a budget that looks to lift people up—it is a budget that is inherently unfair.
Speech: Employment, CSL Brisbane
Ms RISHWORTH (Kingston) (10:42): I rise to speak about the uncertain future that seafarers on the CSL Brisbane have in front of them. Last week I met with Paul and Thomas, two men who unexpectedly found out only a number of weeks ago that they would no longer have work on the CSL Brisbane .
Speech: Kingston Electorate Floods
Ms RISHWORTH (Kingston) (13:36): Today I also rise to recognise those in my electorate and right across Adelaide who have been affected by significant flooding in the last 24 hours. Today is not a day for politics but a time to actually think of those over 100 homes in my electorate that have been affected. The school of Old Noarlunga has been shut down and many people wait very nervously in the townships of Old Noarlunga and Port Noarlunga as the water moves down the Onkaparinga river. At this time, there have been close to 800 calls to the SES for assistance, and I would like to pay tribute to all those volunteers, those men and women who have been taking a proactive approach, knocking on doors to actually get people into a safe place.
Speech: Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Ms RISHWORTH (Kingston) (13:53): If we look around the chamber, many of us have started to wear yellow ribbons. These are very important symbols of recognising that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This month was first proclaimed in 2010 by US President Obama, and it has since become a global initiative.
