Hi Allegra,

It has been a busy two weeks representing Wentworth in Canberra. The crossbench put forward a new way to end the impasse on housing, the Voice to Parliament passed the Senate, and my amendments strengthened crucial environmental legislation.

In this newsletter I have provided a Parliamentary wrap and included details for my upcoming Housing Forum. Next week is also NAIDOC Week, so I have summarised all of the events happening in Wentworth - many of them great for the school holidays.

Breaking the Political Impasse on Housing

• Housing affordability is one of the biggest issues facing our country. Last week I stood alongside my crossbench colleagues and called for a new way to escape Australia’s housing policy dead-end. A Citizens’ Assembly on Housing Affordability would bring together 100 randomly selected Australians, including renters, owners and mortgage holders to examine the evidence and find common ground.
• Listen: I joined ANU's Democracy Sausage with Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss this further.
• Last week I joined Senator David Pocock, Senator Tammy Tyrrell and housing groups to call on the Senate to support additional funding for social housing. Whilst the government’s Housing Australia Future Fund is not ambitious enough, it’s a starting point. It was therefore deeply disappointing to see the Coalition and the Greens block the proposal.
• Do you want to have your say on housing affordability? This July, I am hosting a community Housing Forum to discuss our housing challenges and potential solutions. This is an opportunity to have a meaningful discussion with members of the local community and develop a consensus on housing solutions. Register here.

Strengthening Environmental Protection Climate Action

• Last week I was proud to join my crossbench colleagues in significantly strengthening crucial environmental legislation. My amendments to the Nature Repair Market Bill will mean more investment goes into projects that protect and restore nature. They will ensure that conservationists and investors can have confidence that projects which they support lead to positive outcomes – and are not just offsetting environmental destruction somewhere else.
  
  
• I was delighted to co-host the Electrify Parliament breakfast with Dr Monique Ryan MP and Senator David Pockcock. We were joined by Assistant Minister Jenny McAllister and industry experts including Rewiring Australia, Grattan Institute and the Smart Energy Council. Following the breakfast, I called a debate in the House to urge the government to accelerate action on household electrification. This is important because it will cut Australians’ power bills and is crucial to reaching net zero.

Enshrining a Voice to Parliament in our Constitution

• The Voice legislation passed the Senate last week! We now have between two and six months before there is a referendum. One great thing about this legislation being passed is that the referendum is now out of the hands of politicians, and into the hands of the community - where it should be.
• As part of Parliamentary Friends of Uluru Statement, I was pleased to meet with the four NT Land Councils in Parliament. They told me they are calling for the Voice because it will recognise Australia’s first peoples and make a practical difference.

Standing up for Women and Girls

• Over the past weeks, we were reminded of the historical patterns of bad behavior in Parliament and the need for change. The toxic politicization of sexual assault was disheartening and discouraging for many women. But I do believe we are seeing change. Women now make up 46% of this Parliament - and having more women in positions of leadership is integral to driving a shift in culture.
• If we want to change the culture of this place and of the country, we need to elect more women across the board. I recently attended the Parliamentary Friends of Women for Election (WFE) who are doing such fantastic work to equip more women to run for office at all levels of government. As they say, don't get mad, get elected. You can find out more about WFE's programs here.

Attend NAIDOC Week in Wentworth

There are many exciting events happening next week for NAIDOC Week in Wentworth. Here are some you may like to attend.

Aboriginal Contemporary Dance Workshop

• Creative Caring in partnership with Woollahra Council is hosting an Aboriginal contemporary dance class.
• 3 Jul 2023 2:00PM
• Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf