Huge win on lobbying reform today with reports the govt will establish a public register for sponsored pass holders replicating the voluntary register I established, limit access to the building & publish more information about who has access.
We still need more reform to ensure ALL lobbyists (not just 3rd party lobbyists) are properly regulated by a body with teeth, and to shut the revolving door between government and industries.
https://t.co/oeNJmEFgrt
This๐๐ผ is EXACTLY why we need lobbying reform & greater transparency over ministerial diaries - things I've been pushing alongside colleagues on the crossbench for years.
"In-house lobbyists" (people who work for a company or peak body) should be subject to the same rules and cooling off periods as "third party lobbyists" (people who work for a lobbying firm).
Action on these changes are well overdue.
https://t.co/5pl8kG20Ow
Are we sleepwalking into the AI era? ๐ค๐ฑ
I sat down with Digital Rights Watch founder Lizzie O'Shea to unpack the hidden costs of Big Tech, exploring everything from addictive algorithms and scams to the massive environmental toll of new AI data centres.
Listen via the links below to learn how strong privacy laws can help us take power back.
Spotify - https://t.co/sltbuoPwCU
YouTube - https://t.co/bIrv5kGYOi
Apple Podcasts - https://t.co/s9Gpj8dA96
Well done to Tom Emerson for taking on this usage in the ACT. He is introducing a bill to ban gambling donations in the ACT.
Vested interests have far too much power over the major parties and communities pay the price.
This is a sensible step that ACT Labor & Liberals should support.
https://t.co/HZ5JbbxxZ6
My piece in the @GuardianAus today arguing govts can't afford to repeat the mistakes they made with the gas industry.
With huge investment in data centres - why aren't we asking what this is all for and how Australians are going to benefit from it?
If we do want data centres and multinational tech giants are going to use Australian land, Australian energy, Australian water & Australian workers to build the infrastructure that powers the AI revolution, then Australians deserve a fair return.
That's the lesson we failed to learn with gas. We shouldn't wait another generation to learn it again.
https://t.co/HJvwk474L9
Congratulations to every Australian and every Canberran recognised in this yearโs Kingโs Honours list.
We are so fortunate to have so many people who give so much to our community.
A special shout out to Mohammed Ali for your tireless work making sure fewer Canberrans go to bed hungry. You are a tireless champion for our community with endless energy and compassion, itโs wonderful to see that recognised today.
https://t.co/ovrFsLipb4
Yet another parliamentary inquiry recommends a full ban of gambling advertising.
What will it take for govts to put people first, act on the evidence and reduce harm?
The evidence is there we just need the political will.
https://t.co/2evTxJXPLy
Asking questions at Senate Estimates about why a year on from an investigation by Choice, which found that 16 out of 20 sunscreens tested didn't meet their SPF claims, 15 are STILL being investigated.
The TGA has put forward some options for reforms, but I'm worried how slowly this is moving.
In the country with the highest skin cancer rates in the world, confidence in sunscreens is vital and we need to rebuild that.
https://t.co/OllqmLaBJc
Banning gambling ads to protect young Australians is not a left vs right issue.
Weโre seeing yet again vested interests control of the major parties meaning the Australian people lose.
MPs across the Parliament support stronger action on gambling ads. If there was a conscience vote on a full ban, as was recommended by the Murphy Review, it would pass.
https://t.co/t1bvEhdk47
The ANAO's audit of โRenew ANUโ highlights how much unnecessary damage was done to our national university and its people.
I'll keep pushing for reform to ensure that this kind of leadership & governance failure can't happen again.
https://t.co/3ZNd09lLVw
Australians lose $35 billion to gambling every year. In this episode we speak with Prof. Samantha Thomas who expose the industryโs "tobacco-style" playbook that targets kids and normalises addiction. We discuss the landmark Murphy Reportโs push for a total ad ban, and why the government is choosing to protect vested interests over Australian kids.
Listen at the link in bio/below and email your MP letting them know you support a full gambling ad ban.
Spotify - https://t.co/r1K6E9vbuf
YouTube - https://t.co/qnf1jBTRLw
Apple Podcasts - https://t.co/sY3JLDRPvx
Approximate passports costs:
๐จ๐ฆ Canada = ~$170
๐ฌ๐ง United Kingdom = ~$195
๐บ๐ธ United States = ~$180
๐ณ๐ฟ New Zealand = ~$225
Australian ๐ฆ๐บ passport cost...$422
Passport fees and charges are expected to generate $1.12 billion for the 2029/30 FY. In the same FY, expected revenue for PRRT is projected to be $1.25 billion
The cost of these degrees is completely unsustainable & we haven't seen the Albanese Govt treat reform of the failed Job Ready Graduates scheme with the urgency it deserves.
While they delay tens of thousands of students are racking up tens of thousands of $$ in student debt that will dog their life choices.
Govt needs to understand this failed policy is having huge real world impacts on students lives & futures.
Fix the timing of indexation and reform JRG. We could tax gas exports to pay for it.
https://t.co/RoNC3JAOLf
AstraZeneca's decision to withdraw this drug from the PBS will affect 1000's of women in Australia living with endo & breast cancer.
They say it's a "commercial decision" but are leaving the higher dose used for prostate cancer as is.
I asked questions at Estimates yesterday on behalf of Canberrans who had contacted me, worried about what their treatment looks like in the future.
I urge AZ to front up and explain what's happening - women with breast cancer deserve transparency here.
https://t.co/Ik0FCb8EBp
The Major Projects Report, the public's main window into how our biggest defence purchases are tracking, is being dumped.
This is due to Defence choosing to strip information out of it & the Audit Office's funding being cut in real terms.
National security can't be a shield to dodge basic transparency. If a project is late or over budget, Australians deserve to know.
Govt should fund the ANAO properly and let it do its job.
https://t.co/UFMAx4d7pS
The data centre boom might present opportunities for ๐ฆ๐บ, but we have to be honest about the downsides and have an actual plan to deal with them.
If new data centres are built without enough new energy and storage, households and businesses could end up paying the price through higher power bills. Their impact on water also needs to be considered.
Govt should ensure genuinely additional renewable energy is entering the grid before major new data centres begin drawing power.
https://t.co/B2e0ZJRmGy
Household electrification holds the key to lower power prices for Australians. Weโre world leaders in rooftop solar & there's an opportunity to generate & store even more electricity at a household level, reducing the need for expensive transmission costs & providing real energy security.
Our challenge is to ensure renters & low income households can also benefit from the $1000s of savings electrification offers households.
https://t.co/SIjsvQl4xv
Invasive species are doing huge damage to our continent's incredible biodiversity. Cats alone kill over two billion reptiles, birds and mammals per year. Add in foxes, cane toads, carp and other invasives, and native species are under massive pressure.
We have the resources and tools to protect native species - all that's missing is political will and investment.
https://t.co/0MhxlQxQ09
Gene drive technology has the potential to be a game-changer for invasive species management, helping address the physical, ecological and economic damage caused by pests like rabbits. If the science continues to stack up, it could fundamentally reshape how we protect landscapes and biodiversity.
18 months ago, I was able to negotiate an additional $10 mil investment in gene drive research. The govt needs to back this work with sustained investment so promising technologies can be developed safely & as quickly as possible.
https://t.co/OyY39TiWkt
The ๐ฆ๐บ Govt needs to ensure we capture a fairer share of tax from massive multinational companies - from gas to big tech - that export our resources or make $ off Australians.
The business model of offshoring profit has to be challenged.
We keep hearing about the data centre and AI boom - we have to get a fair return from the companies using our resources.
https://t.co/EULUvPaAXH