Hi Vicky,

I wanted to give you a quick update on what's happening in Canberra and here in Wentworth. If you want to know more, join me and acclaimed economist Chris Richardson for Policy in the Pub next Monday September 15th at the Royal Oak Double Bay.

Parliamentary Wrap-up

Last Thursday, Parliament wrapped up after back-to-back sitting weeks and a busy agenda. The crossbench secured 20,000 new home care packages, I called for stronger action on domestic violence, supported greater regulation of e-bikes, and much more.

Aged Care: Delivering 20,000 Home Care Packages

The big win from the fortnight was the government agreeing to immediately release 20,000 new home care packages to help older Australians live independently for longer. Another 63,000 new packages will follow by mid-2026.

It’s a big step forward. At my pop-up offices, I’ve heard so many heartbreaking stories of locals stuck on the waitlist, desperate for care.

That’s why I have been pushing for action since last year, alongside other members of the crossbench and particularly Senator David Pocock.

I’m delighted that our persistence paid off – and I know these additional packages will make a big difference to older Australians and their families in Wentworth and across the country.

If you’d like more information on home care packages, please click here.

Standing Up on Domestic Violence

Nationwide, one in four women and one in fourteen men experience violence by a partner – and police in Wentworth tell me they spend up to half their time dealing with domestic violence.

There have been several steps taken to address this issue in the past couple of years, but much more needs to be done. That is why I moved a motion calling on the government to act on all 21 recommendations of their own Rapid Review on Prevention Action led by Jess Hill. Among the recommendations is a call for Federal and State governments to tackle harmful industries such as alcohol and gambling - a step that could have a major impact on preventing violence in our community.

I also pressed for urgent reform of the federal Crisis Payment – a one-off payment to help people fleeing violence. Fewer than half of applicants actually receive this payment because of tight restrictions, which is why I am calling on the government to expand eligibility so we aren't locking people out of support when they need it most.

I am in conversation with the Minister for Social Services on this and will keep you updated on progress.

Fighting for Stronger Protections Against AI-Enabled Child Abuse

AI has huge potential, but without safeguards it can be misused in dangerous ways.

I was grateful to attend a powerful roundtable led by Grace Tame and the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children on tackling AI-enabled child sexual abuse. The stories we heard were extremely harrowing, making it clear how urgently Australia needs to take action to protect our children and prevent technology being weaponised by abusers.

This in area where my fellow crossbencher Kate Chaney recently introduced her own Private Members Bill to ban some of the harmful technology, and I will continue to put pressure on the government to ensure this turns into strong action.

Safer E-Bikes

E-bikes are practical, affordable and clean – but they must be safe. At pop-up offices and in emails, I hear concerns regularly about rider and pedestrian safety.

Currently, imported e-bikes don’t have to meet any national safety standards, and many are easily modified to reach unsafe speeds.

That’s why I supported Dr Sophie Scamps’ Safer E-Bikes Bill.

The bill will bring e-bikes under the Road Vehicles Act, so they are required to meet minimum import standards. This will establish strong safety standards in line with global best practice – including new anti-tampering rules to stop bikes being modified to exceed safe speed and power limits. These changes will make e-bikes safer for riders and pedestrians alike.

Celebrating Wentworth in Parliament

One of my favourite parts of this job is showcasing the incredible work of our community in Parliament. Recently I was proud to highlight:

• Tama Touch, who set a world record for the longest continuous game of beach touch footy while raising over $170,000 for Beyond Blue.
• Sporting clubs like Easts Rugby Club, Emerald City Kickball and Woollahra Colleagues for their achievements and leadership in inclusivity.
• B’nai B’rith on their 80th anniversary, celebrating their extraordinary contribution to Australia, including the Courage to Care programs that have reached over 400,000 students.

It was also so much fun to welcome students from Sydney Grammar and my old school Ascham to Canberra!

Upcoming Events

Next Monday, I’m excited to be in Double Bay for a tax-themed Policy in the Pub with one of Australia’s leading economists: Chris Richardson.

If you’d like to come along, please RSVP at the link below.

If you can’t make it on Monday but want to say hi, we have a few pop-up offices coming up – so please come down.

Vaucluse - Thursday 11th September @ 8:30am

Corner of Old South Head Rd and Young St. Click here for info.

Potts Point - Friday 19th September @ 8:15am

Where: Llankelly Place. Click here for info.

Bondi Junction - Wednesday 24th September @ 8:00am

Where: Bondi Junction Station. Click here for info.

Community Opportunities

My First Speech

This isn’t about my first speech – it's about yours! It’s a national competition for year 10-12 students to write a 90 second speech as if they were a newly elected Member of the House of Reps. A winning student from each year group will get flown down to Canberra to deliver their speech live. I’d love to see a Wentworth student win – I know we have some great potential MPs out there!

Applications close on September 15th, so be quick: click here to learn more.

Raise Our Voice

Another one for our speech writers, but this time I’ll read out the winning speech in Parliament! This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone under 25. The deadline to apply is this Friday September 12th. Click here to apply.

Solar in Strata webinar

A great free webinar from Waverley Council on the steps and benefits of installing solar for your strata building. For more info, click here.

In the Media

🎧 Money Money Money podcast - debriefing on the Economic Reform Roundtable

🎧 Punter's Politics Podcast - answering questions from Punters and entering the Punt Tank...

📻 ABC Radio National - on pushing the government to take strong climate action

🎧 The Guardian's Australian Politics Podcast - on why tax reform will make young people's lives better

🎧 Politics with Michelle Grattan - on making tax fairer for younger Australians

As always, if you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to reach out to my office.

Warmest,

Allegra Spender