STRONGER COMMUNITIES

My Priorities

• A ban on harmful gambling advertising

• Well paid, secure jobs in health, aged and childcare sectors

• Better support for our mental health epidemic

• Nationally consistent assessment framework for Family Violence risks

Getting Things Done

As your Curtin Independent MP, I’m proud to have helped deliver results for our community.

• Leading the calls in Parliament to ban online gambling ads, like we did with tobacco

• Supported bans on vape imports and shut down a vape shop

• Called for well-paid, secure jobs in health, aged and childcare sectors

• Advocated for stronger domestic violence laws

• Pushed for better access to mental health support services for young people

A compassionate community is a strong and safe community.

In Australia we talk about giving each other a ‘fair go’. But many people in our community do not feel like they belong. Connection and inclusivity are hallmarks of happy communities -  improving community networks helps reduce isolation and exclusion.

Australia has always been a diverse nation and diversity is our strength. We need to go beyond knowing morally that diversity is important. Diversity of background, perspective, age and gender supports community and secures its future growth.

National Framework to address Family Violence

Following the devastating Floreat attack in our local community, the Attorney General referred an enquiry to the Social Policy and Legislative Affairs Committee, of which I am a member, to consider how we can provide better access, for victim-survivors, to Family Violence Orders (FVO) and the effective enforcement of those orders.  

Our inquiry is currently considering: 

• the current barriers for litigants in the family law system to obtain and enforce FVOs,  

• how FVOs could be more accessible for victims of violence going through the family law system, and 

• the legal and non-legal support services required to promote early identification of and response to family violence. 

There is a strong appetite in my community and across the country for greater support for women experiencing or at risk of violence and to hold to account men who use violence.

Whilst I welcome the continuation of the Leaving Violence Program in the 2024 Budget and the payment of superannuation on paid parental leave, it was disappointing to see no new funding for frontline domestic violence services, which are struggling.

I will continue to work in Western Australia for further reforms for gender based violence issues with the police, justice and communities portfolios. 

Listen to my speeches on gender based violence here.

Online Gambling and Advertising

I am particularly concerned about children’s exposure to gambling products.  Three quarters of Australian children aged 8–16 years who watch sport think betting on sport is normal and can also name one or more sports betting companies. 

Almost 75% of Australian parents reported being ‘bothered’ by their children being exposed to gambling ads, whilst 86% of Australians agreed that gambling adverting should not be shown to children while online. 

In June 2023 the House Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs, of which I am a member, completed its inquiry. We presented our report ‘You Win Some, You Lose More’ with 31 recommendations which urge the government to respond with a national strategy for online gambling harm reduction based on public health principles.  

A key recommendation in the report was a comprehensive ban on all forms of advertising for online gambling.  A gambling ad is shown every two minutes on free to air TV in Australia.  This recommendation reflects the very broad consensus and alarming supporting data, that gambling does a great deal of harm, not just significant financial harm but psychological and social harm as well. 

The Government was meant to respond to this report within six months, but almost 18 months later it says it is still considering the recommendations. 

I have continued to speak in Parliament and in media about the impact of online gambling in Parliament and the need for Government to respond to the committee recommendations.   

I will continue to push the Government until the committee recommendations are implemented. 

Listen to my speeches on gambling harms and banning gambling advertising here.