Photo caption: Federal Member for Parkes spoke in support of paraquat in Parliament last week.

Remembering our fallen

Today is Remembrance Day – one of the most important days on our commemorative calendar. As a nation, we pause in silence at the 11^th hour on the 11^th day of the 11^th month to acknowledge the sacrifices made in service of our country.

Almost two million Australians have served in wars, conflicts and peace and humanitarian operations from World War I onwards. Tragically, more than 103,000 names are listed on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial. On this day we remember the men and women of the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force who died as a result of their war service.

I encourage everyone in the Parkes electorate to take a moment to reflect on the sacrifice of those who have given their lives so that we can live ours.

In keeping with remembrance, I’d also like to use today to inform people in my electorate of a grant opportunity to mark unmarked private graves of First World War veterans.

The Marking (First World War) Private Graves (MPG) Grants Program provides one-off funding of up to $620 per grave to assist with the purchase of a grave marker for unmarked private graves of veterans of the First World War. Community groups, ex-service organisations and individuals can now apply for funding, with applications open until 3 December 2024.

For more information about the MPG Program, visit: www.dva.gov.au/recognition/office-australian-war-graves/marking-first-world-war-private-graves-grants-program

Supermarket code of conduct

Last week the Coalition introduced the Food and Grocery (Mandatory) Code of Conduct Bill 2024 to restore fairness for consumers, families, suppliers and farmers.

Our plan is to make the Code of Conduct mandatory for supermarkets with an annual turnover of at least $5 billion, enforce high penalties for breaches of the Code, give the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) powers to undertake audits of supermarkets, create a Supermarket Commissioner, and introduce the Consumer Competition Amendment (Tougher Penalties for Supermarket and Hardware Businesses) Bill 2024 to establish sector-specific divestiture powers.

For too long, the big supermarkets have been taking advantage of consumers and farmers, so this Bill will ensure everyone gets a fairer go with stronger penalties for anti-competitive behaviour. Competitive markets benefit everyone by ensuring lower prices, creating more employment opportunities and fostering innovation.

Support for paraquat

In Parliament last week I spoke in support of my friend and colleague Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster’s motion, urging the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) to listen to farmers and science on herbicide dosages, instead of sensationalist journalism.

The motion followed an ABC Landline story which aired in August-September about the use of paraquat and diquat, and alleged links to neurological diseases. While I have sympathy for those interviewed by the ABC who believe paraquat may be behind their Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis, times have changed, and historical practises of chemical use are no longer occurring today. Farmers now apply herbicides in a safe and protected environment, with limited exposure to the chemicals.

I know when I was farming and used paraquat, I wore rubber gloves and a long-sleeved shirt and was in a tractor with a carbon filtered cab. If you follow the recommendations, it is a safe chemical to use. It’s an essential one – one that has enabled our farmers to produce record crops while preserving the soil moisture.

 Aged Care Bill

I also spoke on the Aged Care Bill 2024 in Parliament last week, which is an extremely important piece of legislation for our ageing population.

In the coming years, as the baby boomer generation begins to require aged care, there is going to be enormous pressure put onto the system, both in terms of funding and the workforce required to care for the influx of people that will require it. By this time, we’re going to go from three out of five Australians in the workforce to two which is going to be a major issue, particularly in regional Australia where it’s already hard enough to find aged care staff.

The Labor Government’s legislation for 24/7 registered nurses has created a massive burden for aged care providers in regional Australia. I’ve been working with a number of providers in the Parkes electorate that have been struggling to meet these staffing requirements and are having to bring in agency nurses from the cities which is not only more costly but is impacting morale on the ground when local nurses with years of experience and loyalty are being paid significantly less than younger, less experienced nurses who are being flown in for a few weeks at a time. This problem needs to be fixed.

I’ve also heard from several couples who have been together for 60 or more years and sadly have to spend their final years apart as they’re forced to go to aged care facilities hundreds of kilometres from their hometowns. It’s a terrible tragedy. I believe it’s so important for everyone to have access to aged care facilities in their own town, surrounded by family and friends. It’s a basic human need and one we must strive for. I’m hopeful this legislation will address these issues and consider the unique needs of regional communities.