Speeches to Parliament

18 June, 2021 I start by offering my condolences to the family and friends of Duncan Pegg. Duncan and I shared this chamber for only a short time but we attended many community events...

27 May, 2021 The past year has been tough for so many Queenslanders. The social housing waitlist has grown by 7,000, more than a third of Queensland renters are in housing stress, nearly 300,000...

26 May, 2021 I present a bill for an act to amend the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000 and the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 to improve rights for renters, address...

Adjournment Speech on Housing and Renters Rights  Wednesday 13 May 2021 Mr Speaker, last week QCOSS, along with twelve other organisations (Anglicare, BHC, Micah Projects, Mission Australia, Multicap, Save the Children, St Vincent De...

22 April, 2021 Mr Speaker, I rise to speak to the Youth Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2021. The cohort of kids that will be most impacted by this Bill are some of...

Private Members Motion 21 April, 2021 Mr Speaker, the motion reads: That this House: Acknowledges: Foodbank’s 2018 “Rumbling Tummies” report shows that 20% of children start the school day without eating breakfast, and 15%...

25 March, 2021 I rise to speak to the Criminal Code (Consent and Mistake of Fact) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2020. Survivors of sexual assault in Queensland have been asked to share their...

23 March, 2021 I rise to speak to the Child Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2020. There are over 10,500 children in out-of-home care in Queensland. We know that removing a child from...

Public Health and Other Legislation (Extension of Expiring Provisions) Amendment Bill 2020 - Second Reading Speech 24 February 2021 I rise to support the extension of emergency powers, a Bill which recognises that we’re...

4 February 2021 Mr Speaker, I rise to speak about the growing list of sites across Queensland where First Nations peoples are standing their ground against continued dispossession of their land and culture.  There’s...