The Hon Stephen Jones MP

Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services

Member for Whitlam

Alison Byrnes MP

Member for Cunningham

Australians, including our local region, voted for change and the new Albanese Labor Government has hit the ground running in the first two sitting weeks. We have taken action on climate change, started work on bringing humanity back into aged care, abolished the cashless debit card and started work on the referendum to provide an Indigenous voice to parliament.

Today we passed legislation to address climate change and the jobs of the future. We took a pledge of a minimum 43 per cent emissions reductions target to the election and we have wasted no time honouring our commitment to the Australian people. We are also increasing accountability by requiring the Minister for Climate Change to report on the progress of reaching these minimum targets. We worked constructively with the crossbench and accepted amendments to clarify that the target of 43 per cent by 2030 is a minimum and to ensure that we boost economic and employment benefits, including for regional and rural Australia.

Our government understands the role that the Illawarra can play in powering Australia and providing the jobs of the future. Training Australians for these vital jobs; helping to reduce our national emissions; and rebuilding our proud manufacturing industry. This significant role for our region was demonstrated when we were mentioned by three Ministers this week in Question Time. As part of Labor’s Power to the People community battery plan, Alison Byrnes and Stephen Jones have made significant strides in their local election promises in securing a community battery for Warrawong and Dapto. Once complete, the battery will serve around 500 households and 2500 households, respectively, in the community. Currently underway, the batteries will ultimately serve to reduce electricity bills and emissions for those with solar panels while reducing pressure on the grid.

After ten years of neglect Labor has inherited $1 trillion of debt, an aged care and disability sector in shambles, environmental policy failures that had been hidden from Australians, and a lack of planning for the jobs of the future. Our Government did not create this mess, but we take responsibility for cleaning it up.