I rise today with a deep sense of gratitude, pride and responsibility. To the people of Newcastle: thank you. Thank you for once again placing your trust in me to represent you in the Australian parliament. It's an extraordinary honour and one that I will never take for granted. The message Australians sent at this election was clear. They want a government that rolls up its sleeves, tackles the big challenges and delivers real, practical change. And that's exactly what this Labor government is doing and will continue to do. This election delivered Labor a strong mandate. It is a mandate for action—action to help with the cost of living, to rebuild our health and education systems, to deliver secure jobs and better wages, to tackle climate change and create a clean energy future, and to deliver a more inclusive, fairer, more resilient Australia for every Australian, no matter where they live, where they work or who they voted for.

We know that, right now, Australians are feeling the pinch, from power bills to groceries to mortgages. That's why, on 1 July, new cost-of-living measures kicked in—meaningful, targeted relief that is already making a difference. We've seen a 3.5 per cent increase to the minimum wage. This, of course, is the third consecutive increase to the minimum wage. We've seen the superannuation guarantee increase from 11.5 per cent to 12 per cent. We've got 30 per cent off home batteries, $10,000 for housing apprenticeships and $150 in energy bill relief for every household, building on the energy relief that was provided in the last term of government. We've got an extra two weeks of paid parental leave and superannuation being paid on paid parental leave for the first time ever. There's the $20,000 instant asset write-off, extended again for small businesses, and a $1.8 billion boost for our public schools. There are the historic investments in women's health, giving women more choice, lower costs and a higher quality of care.

These are not just promises; these are real, tangible outcomes from a Labor government that cares and delivers. We welcome the Reserve Bank's decision to cut interest rates for the third time in six months. This is welcome relief for millions of Australians and reflects the substantial and sustained progress we've made on inflation in a volatile and uncertain global environment. And we know there's more work to do, which is why we're building on this relief with long-term reforms to improve housing, skills, energy and income support to build a more secure future for all. One of the most exciting opportunities ahead is Australia's clean energy future, and the Albanese Labor government is making sure Newcastle is at the centre. With a strong industrial base, a world-class port, a skilled and resilient workforce and critical infrastructure, our region is perfectly placed to lead this next chapter. We've already seen a massive $100 million commitment by the Albanese Labor government to establish a clean energy precinct at the port of Newcastle, a project that will revitalise our port and transform our regional economy.

Let's take a moment to appreciate what that means. Land that was once earmarked for the expansion of a coal terminal will now be home to the industries of the future: green hydrogen, green ammonia, renewable exports and energy innovation. This is a game changer. On top of that, we've just announced $425 million for our hydrogen hub at Orica, one of the big heavy industries on Kooragang Island, further cementing Newcastle at the forefront of our clean energy transformation.

But we know that infrastructure alone is not enough, and that's why Labor is also establishing a net zero manufacturing centre of excellence at the Tighes Hill TAFE, ensuring that local workers have the skills and training they need to thrive in these new energy industries. We've also delivered $21 million for a new future industries facility at the University of Newcastle, where researchers, industry and students will help shape the net zero economy together. From coal to clean energy, this is what transition looks like: thoughtful, strategic and grounded in the strengths of our region and our people. Novocastrians should be proud. We are not just adapting to the future; we are shaping it.

Medicare remains at the beating heart of our health system. And I want to be absolutely clear. Under Labor, it will never be privatised. It will never be dismantled. It will be protected, strengthened and modernised. We've made the biggest investment in bulk-billing by any government ever, saving families thousands in out-of-pocket expenses and ensuring access is based on need, not wealth. We're putting nurses and doctors back into local communities through our Medicare urgent care clinics. We've secured the future of GP access-after-hours services at the John Hunter and Mater hospitals—a fight I was proud to lead on behalf of my local community.

We're launching 1800MEDICARE, a free, nationwide, 24/7 health advice line and an after-hours GP telehealth service. We're strengthening access to mental health care through our new walk-in Medicare mental health clinic at Charlestown and our newly expanded headspace Plus in Newcastle. We're boosting funding for hospitals across Australia, we're delivering cheaper medicines, already saving Novocastrians more than $10 million, and we've made record investments in women's health, men's health and mental health for parents. From menopause treatments to subsidised contraceptives, targeted prostate cancer support and community based care, we're building a health system that actually serves the people it's meant to protect.

One of the biggest pressures facing Australians right now is housing. Whether you are trying to buy your first home, afford your rent, pay your mortgage or find a safe place to live, too many people are being left behind. Labor believes that housing is a fundamental human right. When Labor came to office, the cupboard was bare when it came to housing. Funding for social and affordable homes had declined to its lowest level since World War II. Under Labor, this has changed. We're delivering our $43 billion housing for Australians project, making it easier to buy and better to rent, and we'll be building more homes. This includes the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund, the single largest investment in social and affordable housing. We've worked with the states and territories to unlock more housing supply and provide better protections for renters. We've delivered back-to-back increases to Commonwealth Rent Assistance, benefiting more than 10,000 people in Newcastle alone. We've got a $1 billion fund to build more crisis and transitional housing. We've increased the incentive payment for housing construction apprentices from $5,000 to $10,000, and I'm proud glad to say that more than 500 apprentices in my local community are benefiting from that incentive payment right now.

While I celebrate the progress that this Labor government has made, I must be frank: I wish we were further along. This plan should have been in motion much earlier, but it was blocked. It was blocked in the Senate by the most unlikely alliance of the Greens and the Liberals. While families were struggling to pay the rent, while people were sleeping in cars, while frontline services were crying out for support, the Greens and the Liberals put themselves and their political games first and delayed critical housing investment.

Labor doesn't think that housing should be a political football; we think it should be a national priority. And the results of the last election showed that the Australian people agree. Despite the obstruction, we got there. We passed the Housing Australia Future Fund. We're delivering more emergency accommodation, more affordable rentals and more community housing every day. And we had important announcements as a result of the economic roundtable—announcements that were made in this House today, in fact. But let me be clear: there is much more to do, and we will keep going—building more homes, cutting red tape, unlocking land and giving more Australians a secure place to call home.

Education is the bedrock of opportunity, and Labor is making historic investments right across the board. Labor doesn't see education in silos; we understand it is a lifelong journey from early learning, through school, into vocational education and training or university, and beyond. We've already cut student debt, and we've made the HELP system fairer to ensure your debt doesn't keep rising unfairly. Now we've gone a step further, wiping a further 20 per cent off all student loans as our first order of business in this new 48th Parliament.

We've delivered more than 600,000 free TAFE places, including more than 5,100 Novocastrians who are now enjoying the benefits of free TAFE. We've made free TAFE a permanent feature of our vocational education system. We're fully funding public schools, and that is great news for more than 18,000 students across 43 public schools in my electorate of Newcastle. We've delivered cheaper child care to more than one million families, and now we're making early childhood education safer, simpler, more accessible and more affordable.

We've introduced paid prac, so that Australians studying nursing, teaching, midwifery or social work can get paid while they're on a placement. I can't stress what a game changer this is. These were people who previously had to give up paid jobs in order to undertake unpaid placements that are a mandatory part of their degree program. This is making sure we get people into all of those jobs that we all depend on and need done in our communities.

Here in Newcastle, Labor is also delivering a future that works—one with secure jobs, strong industry and modern infrastructure. We've got our $55 million investment into Newcastle Airport's international terminal. It's about to come into being, and, in October, the very first direct international flights from Newcastle to Bali will take off. This means tourism, jobs and global connections for our region, and I can't tell you how excited Novocastrians are about that. There was a sale of those tickets; it was sold out within hours of them going online.

It's the same story that we have with the highly anticipated final link of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass, the M1 extension to Raymond Terrace, and the notorious Hexham Straight—backed by this government to the tune of $2.1 billion, and getting closer to completion. Once operational, those road projects combined will significantly benefit the hundreds of thousands of motorists who travel in and around our region every day—improving road safety, reducing travel times and giving people more time with their families. No-one wants to sit in congested traffic when you could be at home with your kids.

We've got a $500 million investment in high-speed rail, which represents a new chapter in Newcastle and our region's economic story. Since coming to government, we've established the High Speed Rail Authority, with an office and community hub in Newcastle; we've completed all of the geotechnical drilling work that needed to be done; and Infrastructure Australia is now reviewing the business case. As the birthplace of high-speed rail in Australia, this project means generations of new opportunities for Novocastrians. We've got to understand that high-speed rail is not just fast transport. It means more jobs; sustainable, low-emissions transport into the future; and greater choice about where you get to live, work, study and play. There will be a tremendous economic uplift as a result of this project between the two major cities of New South Wales. But that, of course, is the first leg of a much larger project we envisage from Brisbane through to Melbourne.

This Albanese Labor government has also made massive investments in local sports facilities. There was $285,000 for a new in-ground irrigation system at Wallsend Park, $1.5 million for female change rooms at the Bernie Curran Oval at Callaghan, and $625,000 for a new grandstand and facility upgrades at the Darling Street Oval in Broadmeadow. And I am so pleased that I will soon be able to deliver a further $3 million for sorely needed drainage and irrigation at Upper Reserve in Wallsend.

Labor know that a great city is built on strong suburbs and towns, and that's why we're investing to make sure that people don't just live where they live; they love where they live. That's why we're investing $16.7 million for upgrades to the Cathedral Park and Newcastle's East End project. We've committed $5 million to stabilise Memorial Drive and provide safe pedestrian passage. This work has already been completed. It's a really iconic coastal stretch that suffered a landslip during a deluge of rain. It was simply too much for the local government to do on its own, and this is when partnerships between the federal and local governments work so brilliantly. We also had $6 million for upgrades to roads in Adamstown Heights, New Lambton and Elermore Vale; $661,000 for road and pedestrian upgrades to Woodford Street, Minmi; and $469,000 for safety upgrades to National Park Street in Hamilton South, along with another $450,000 for a shared path on Minmi Road in Fletcher.

Late last year I was so excited to visit the Hunter Wetlands Centre with some great news—that they had been successful in securing over $550,000 for the restoration of significant sites within this precious ecosystem. The reason this is so important is that it will help protect our internationally recognised Ramsar wetlands, making sure that our kids and future generations can continue to enjoy our unique plants, animals, habitats and places.

I am also so excited to deliver a further $10 million during this term to naturalise Ironbark Creek in Wallsend. For too long our community has lived with the shocking consequences of major flooding, and it's caused significant distress for residents while also constraining economic development in Wallsend. While this funding is about mitigating flooding in Wallsend, it also has positive impacts further upstream. This project will convert a degraded and graffiti covered urban drain into a living stream by providing new aquatic habitat to link restored upstream riparian corridors with the internationally significant Hunter wetlands that I mentioned before. These investments aren't just about fixing problems. They're about creating a healthier, more resilient environment that our community can be proud of for generations to come.

Newcastle has a massive cultural heart. This is something that the Albanese Labor government get, which is why we've also invested $100,000 in Catapult Dance Choreographic Hub, supporting residencies, First Nations and regional choreographers. There is $70,000 for King Street hotel to improve disability access and install lighting and a sound desk, $67,000 to keep live music fans singing and dancing at West Best Bloc Fest and almost $10,000 for Hamilton Station Hotel to upgrade their equipment so they can continue to host local, national and international artists.

While I don't have time to run through every bit of funding this Labor government has invested in my community, I would like to leave you with a figure—a figure of the total funding amount during the last term of government. It's $1.5 billion. That is just in the last three years alone. This term, Labor is just as, if not more, ambitious for our town.

Before I close, I'd like to take a moment to say thank you first and foremost to the people of Newcastle. Thank you again for putting your trust in me. Representing our incredible city is the honour of my life. I will never take it for granted and I will continue to fight for you every single day. To the tireless volunteers who gave their time, energy and heart to our campaign; to my campaign team; and to my parliament and electorate office teams: thank you for your dedication and care that you show to all of our constituents day in and day out. You're the backbone of my work, and your support ensures that every person who walks through our doors, rings or sends that email is heard and respected. To my Labor colleagues, to my family and friends and, finally, to the many community groups, unions, educators, community health workers, business owners, carers, students and everyday locals who engage with me: thank you. You always help shape the work I can do. I am here to represent you and, as I said, it is the greatest honour of my life.