MPs urge changes for next generation of Australians

The Advertiser

28-07-2025

As one teal MP called for the Albanese government to follow in the footsteps of visionary prime ministers, a former basketball player used his first speech to parliament to open up on his mental health struggles.
In the opening days of the 48th parliament, first-term MPs have been sharing their path into politics in their maiden speeches.
Among them is high-profile independent Nicolette Boele, who won the once-safe Liberal seat of Bradfield on Sydney's north shore, and who called for MPs to be bold and brave in their decision-making in the next three years.
Ms Boele won the seat by just 26 votes in one of the closest results in Australian election history, with the final outcome going down to a recount.
In her maiden speech, she said big reforms similar to John Howard's gun restrictions and Gough Whitlam's reforms on healthcare are necessary to ensure systemic issues are dealt with.
"Politics as usual isn't working," Ms Boele told the House of Representatives on Monday.
"Difficult decisions are delayed until the failure to act ushers in disastrous consequences, at which point a royal commission is called for, a referendum sought, or a plebiscite scheduled, or important decisions are made in the dark.
"Independents like me have been elected to put people back into the process of creating our future. This is how we fix things."
Ms Boele's future in the parliament however remains under a cloud, with her Liberal opponent Gisele Kapterian launching a petition with the High Court to overturn the tight result.
The independent did not mention the court challenge in her speech, instead talking about her parents' arrival from the Netherlands and their initial confusion at Australian customs.
"Like so many in this nation, when they arrived, there were challenges fitting in, finding their tribe and that sense of belonging," she said.
"For my mum, it was finally being invited by school mums to join a morning tea and being told to bring a plate, which she did, literally."
Meanwhile, Matt Smith, who won back the far north Queensland seat of Leichhardt for Labor, spoke about the importance of men's mental health.
He told parliament about his own struggles after retiring from basketball with the Cairns Taipans, where he had taken a 75 per cent pay cut just to keep the team afloat.
"I lost five years of my life wildly oscillating between a fight-or-flight response and numb blankness," Mr Smith said.
"I found the strength I needed to get out of the depression in asking others for help, not drowning in my own ego and weird perceptions of masculinity."
Far north Queensland is the site of one in ten domestic violence cases in Queensland, he said, and challenged men to do more to combat the issue.
"As men, we have to call out this behaviour, protect those we love and help other men to break the cycle and deal with the mental health issues that exacerbate violence," he said.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Lifeline 13 11 14
Men's Referral Service 1300 766 491
beyondblue 1300 22 4636
As one teal MP called for the Albanese government to follow in the footsteps of visionary prime ministers, a former basketball player used his first speech to parliament to open up on his mental health struggles.
In the opening days of the 48th parliament, first-term MPs have been sharing their path into politics in their maiden speeches.
Among them is high-profile independent Nicolette Boele, who won the once-safe Liberal seat of Bradfield on Sydney's north shore, and who called for MPs to be bold and brave in their decision-making in the next three years.
Ms Boele won the seat by just 26 votes in one of the closest results in Australian election history, with the final outcome going down to a recount.
In her maiden speech, she said big reforms similar to John Howard's gun restrictions and Gough Whitlam's reforms on healthcare are necessary to ensure systemic issues are dealt with.
"Politics as usual isn't working," Ms Boele told the House of Representatives on Monday.
"Difficult decisions are delayed until the failure to act ushers in disastrous consequences, at which point a royal commission is called for, a referendum sought, or a plebiscite scheduled, or important decisions are made in the dark.
"Independents like me have been elected to put people back into the process of creating our future. This is how we fix things."
Ms Boele's future in the parliament however remains under a cloud, with her Liberal opponent Gisele Kapterian launching a petition with the High Court to overturn the tight result.
The independent did not mention the court challenge in her speech, instead talking about her parents' arrival from the Netherlands and their initial confusion at Australian customs.
"Like so many in this nation, when they arrived, there were challenges fitting in, finding their tribe and that sense of belonging," she said.
"For my mum, it was finally being invited by school mums to join a morning tea and being told to bring a plate, which she did, literally."
Meanwhile, Matt Smith, who won back the far north Queensland seat of Leichhardt for Labor, spoke about the importance of men's mental health.
He told parliament about his own struggles after retiring from basketball with the Cairns Taipans, where he had taken a 75 per cent pay cut just to keep the team afloat.
"I lost five years of my life wildly oscillating between a fight-or-flight response and numb blankness," Mr Smith said.
"I found the strength I needed to get out of the depression in asking others for help, not drowning in my own ego and weird perceptions of masculinity."
Far north Queensland is the site of one in ten domestic violence cases in Queensland, he said, and challenged men to do more to combat the issue.
"As men, we have to call out this behaviour, protect those we love and help other men to break the cycle and deal with the mental health issues that exacerbate violence," he said.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Lifeline 13 11 14
Men's Referral Service 1300 766 491
beyondblue 1300 22 4636
As one teal MP called for the Albanese government to follow in the footsteps of visionary prime ministers, a former basketball player used his first speech to parliament to open up on his mental health struggles.
In the opening days of the 48th parliament, first-term MPs have been sharing their path into politics in their maiden speeches.
Among them is high-profile independent Nicolette Boele, who won the once-safe Liberal seat of Bradfield on Sydney's north shore, and who called for MPs to be bold and brave in their decision-making in the next three years.
Ms Boele won the seat by just 26 votes in one of the closest results in Australian election history, with the final outcome going down to a recount.
In her maiden speech, she said big reforms similar to John Howard's gun restrictions and Gough Whitlam's reforms on healthcare are necessary to ensure systemic issues are dealt with.
"Politics as usual isn't working," Ms Boele told the House of Representatives on Monday.
"Difficult decisions are delayed until the failure to act ushers in disastrous consequences, at which point a royal commission is called for, a referendum sought, or a plebiscite scheduled, or important decisions are made in the dark.
"Independents like me have been elected to put people back into the process of creating our future. This is how we fix things."
Ms Boele's future in the parliament however remains under a cloud, with her Liberal opponent Gisele Kapterian launching a petition with the High Court to overturn the tight result.
The independent did not mention the court challenge in her speech, instead talking about her parents' arrival from the Netherlands and their initial confusion at Australian customs.
"Like so many in this nation, when they arrived, there were challenges fitting in, finding their tribe and that sense of belonging," she said.
"For my mum, it was finally being invited by school mums to join a morning tea and being told to bring a plate, which she did, literally."
Meanwhile, Matt Smith, who won back the far north Queensland seat of Leichhardt for Labor, spoke about the importance of men's mental health.
He told parliament about his own struggles after retiring from basketball with the Cairns Taipans, where he had taken a 75 per cent pay cut just to keep the team afloat.
"I lost five years of my life wildly oscillating between a fight-or-flight response and numb blankness," Mr Smith said.
"I found the strength I needed to get out of the depression in asking others for help, not drowning in my own ego and weird perceptions of masculinity."
Far north Queensland is the site of one in ten domestic violence cases in Queensland, he said, and challenged men to do more to combat the issue.
"As men, we have to call out this behaviour, protect those we love and help other men to break the cycle and deal with the mental health issues that exacerbate violence," he said.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Lifeline 13 11 14
Men's Referral Service 1300 766 491
beyondblue 1300 22 4636
As one teal MP called for the Albanese government to follow in the footsteps of visionary prime ministers, a former basketball player used his first speech to parliament to open up on his mental health struggles.
In the opening days of the 48th parliament, first-term MPs have been sharing their path into politics in their maiden speeches.
Among them is high-profile independent Nicolette Boele, who won the once-safe Liberal seat of Bradfield on Sydney's north shore, and who called for MPs to be bold and brave in their decision-making in the next three years.
Ms Boele won the seat by just 26 votes in one of the closest results in Australian election history, with the final outcome going down to a recount.
In her maiden speech, she said big reforms similar to John Howard's gun restrictions and Gough Whitlam's reforms on healthcare are necessary to ensure systemic issues are dealt with.
"Politics as usual isn't working," Ms Boele told the House of Representatives on Monday.
"Difficult decisions are delayed until the failure to act ushers in disastrous consequences, at which point a royal commission is called for, a referendum sought, or a plebiscite scheduled, or important decisions are made in the dark.
"Independents like me have been elected to put people back into the process of creating our future. This is how we fix things."
Ms Boele's future in the parliament however remains under a cloud, with her Liberal opponent Gisele Kapterian launching a petition with the High Court to overturn the tight result.
The independent did not mention the court challenge in her speech, instead talking about her parents' arrival from the Netherlands and their initial confusion at Australian customs.
"Like so many in this nation, when they arrived, there were challenges fitting in, finding their tribe and that sense of belonging," she said.
"For my mum, it was finally being invited by school mums to join a morning tea and being told to bring a plate, which she did, literally."
Meanwhile, Matt Smith, who won back the far north Queensland seat of Leichhardt for Labor, spoke about the importance of men's mental health.
He told parliament about his own struggles after retiring from basketball with the Cairns Taipans, where he had taken a 75 per cent pay cut just to keep the team afloat.
"I lost five years of my life wildly oscillating between a fight-or-flight response and numb blankness," Mr Smith said.
"I found the strength I needed to get out of the depression in asking others for help, not drowning in my own ego and weird perceptions of masculinity."
Far north Queensland is the site of one in ten domestic violence cases in Queensland, he said, and challenged men to do more to combat the issue.
"As men, we have to call out this behaviour, protect those we love and help other men to break the cycle and deal with the mental health issues that exacerbate violence," he said.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Lifeline 13 11 14
Men's Referral Service 1300 766 491
beyondblue 1300 22 4636