Did you know that over five million Australians are volunteers?

That’s five million individuals who have decided to generously commit their time and effort to serving others and making our community a better place.

In my electorate of Bonner, we have hundreds of volunteer organisations. To anyone who sacrifices their own time to improve the lives of others, I say thank you.

From MacKenzie Bushcare to our Bayside’s Coast Guard, your generosity and commitment is valued and appreciated.

I’m proud to have supported many of our local groups by providing funding through the Volunteer Grants program.

Of the many outstanding Bonner volunteer organisations, I’d like to highlight one mission in particular, StandbyU Foundation.

StandbyU is a not-for-profit that provides unique access points for people seeking refuge from domestic violence, abuse or loneliness.

At their Westfield Helensvale location, the team has provided help for over 3,000 vulnerable people in just three years.

I’m proud to have been able to partner with Chris and Michelle and the team at StandbyU to help them set up a shopfront in the heart of Westfield Mount Gravatt.

Named Magnolia Place, the shopfront will be an easily accessible place for individuals or families to find safety and support, whatever their circumstances.

Domestic violence is never okay, which is why I applaud StandbyU for their commitment to stop this scourge on a society. Again, to all the volunteers in in Bonner: thank you very much.

I’d firstly like to thank Mr Mike Goldman for bringing this important issue to my attention.

Voice acting is an art form. Professionals spend years training their vocals to entertain, inform and comfort us.

They make our favourite audiobooks believable, breakfast radio engaging and GPS systems lifelike. Currently, Australian voice actors risk losing their livelihoods due to synthetic clones of their own human vocals.

That’s right: replica sound bites created and broadcasted using AI without the original artist’s consent.

These are real Australians, such as Alistair Lee. Alistair is a blind vocal artist and could lose his income, leaving his family and young children vulnerable.

He said, ‘It comes back to consent and control over your own voice.’

The potential consequences of unregulated AI are vast, powerful and, frankly, terrifying.

These clones could be used to say anything at any time, with no-one able to determine the authenticity of the sound bite.

From scammers to perpetrators of domestic violence—we’ve even seen the use of AI manipulation during elections overseas.

This is why I’ll be working with the Minister for Communications and the Australian Association of Voice Actors to protect not only voice actors like Alistair and Mike but all Australians. Innovation and digital media should be used to make our lives better, not to replace us.

As I stand here today, an estimated 2.2 million Australians are living with anxiety, 1.5 million are suffering depression and, on average, nine Australians per day tragically take their own life.

It is sad to see that, according to Beyond Blue, 75 per cent of mental health challenges start before the age of 25.

Youth mental health is one of the most pressing issues of our time.

That is why we’re making sure there are appropriate and relevant supports that are easily accessible for those in need, and that’s become a priority of mine.

To make this happen, we need a youth perspective on youth issues, and I’m partnering with Tom and Wilson from youth mental health organisation You Are Not Alone to deliver my Bonner Youth Mental Health Forum.

As young people themselves, Tom and Wilson have run mental health workshops with over 16 local schools and reached over 50,000 students in South-East Queensland.

Each year, Tom and Wilson also organise the You Are Not Alone Fun Run, and I’ve had the pleasure of being involved in, supporting and attending this event since it started.

Last year it was fantastic to see over 2,000 participants running to raise awareness for youth mental health, with over $37,000 raised for Lifeline Queensland.

This year’s run will be held on 16 June in Brisbane’s CBD.

The Your Are Not Alone Fun Run is a great day to shine a light on mental health and bring young people together for a conversation.

I encourage anyone who lives in or around Brisbane to get behind this great cause by registering through the You Are Not Alone website.

As much as I look forward to attending this year’s You Are Not Alone Fun Run, I would like to talk a little bit more about my Bonner Youth Mental Health Forum.

The Bonner Youth Mental Health Forum is an opportunity for the youth in our community to have their say on how to better support young people struggling with mental health challenges.

It is putting the youth at the centre of decision-making and making sure that we develop solutions for young people by young people.

It will be held on Saturday 4 May at Mount Gravatt High School.

I urge all those in the Bonner community who are aged between 15 and 25 to RSVP for this event.

This is your opportunity to have your voice heard, and I can’t wait to see you there and have you share all your great ideas.

Google Maps, pacemakers, medical penicillin and wi-fi: what do these life-changing innovations have in common? They were all created by Australians.

It is undeniable that we were once a nation of innovation, betterment and growth.

We were building a reputation around the world as a land of creativity, ingenuity and problem-solving, proudly inventing, making and packaging creations to then export to our friends across the globe.

But today we’re seeing a very different narrative play out. It is disappointing to see Australian businesses and manufacturers feeling left behind and forgotten.

They are at their wits’ end, knowing that they would be better helped and supported by moving their operations overseas, taking Aussie jobs with them.

One of the latest businesses that has shut down their Australian manufacturing hub is Tritium Charging. Tritium is an international company home-grown in my electorate of Bonner.

Until last year, it manufactured hardware and software for electric-vehicle chargers in Brisbane.

I was fortunate enough to show my colleague the Deputy Leader of the Opposition—the member for Farrer—and Brisbane City Councillor Lisa Atwood around Tritium last year.

As the member for Farrer said so eloquently, Tritium represents the very best of Australian innovation and manufacturing.

It is exactly the type of company we should be backing to transition to a low-emission economy.

It is so disappointing to see that, owing to the lack of support from both the federal Labor and Queensland state Labor governments, this proud Aussie business will consolidate its operations in the United States.

Two hundred workers, many of whom live in my electorate, have already lost their livelihoods, with a total of 400 jobs to be lost in advanced manufacturing.

This government claim that they are on the side of people who want to work hard to get ahead, but in reality, instead of supporting home-grown talent, they are forgetting them.

Their policies are just not working. How can mum-and-dad businesses operate with this government’s complex industrial relations laws hanging over their heads? Their disastrous right to disconnect law could lead to fines of more than $18,000.

This law just opens up another level of complexity for businesses at a time when they are doing it very tough. Tritium isn’t the only business in my electorate that is feeling left-behind.

Vuly, located in my electorate, develops and creates trampolines and outdoor-play equipment, and as a multimillion-dollar business, Vuly is proudly Australian-owned and -operated.

For over a decade, they have pushed the limits of innovation and fun while making sure their products are safe for kids around the world.

Like many Australian businesses, Vuly wants to expand and build to have greater manufacturing capabilities in Tingalpa in my electorate, but when it reached out for help and support from both the federal and state governments they were given the cold shoulder.

I want to make it clear: Vuly wasn’t looking for a handout. It wanted reduced bureaucracy—that means it wanted red tape to be cut—and for better incentives to invest in growing its Australian manufacturing capabilities.

After being ignored, Vuly is planning to expand its operations overseas, taking jobs and future growth opportunities for Australia with them.

That is so disappointing. I have had so many local-business owners in the area of hospitality and retail who have said that it is harder for them to operate under this federal Labor government.

One local business owner, Matt, told me that last year alone, overhead costs for running his automotive dealership have increased by $1 million.

This is owing to spiralling electricity prices, the new ute tax, wage rises and rent increases on top of 13 interest rate rises.

But Matt is not alone.

A local Bonner business cafe owner, Sam, told me the cost-of-living crisis has also resulted in a cost-of-doing-business crisis.

He has now had to look at reducing his team—which is like a family to him—from 14 down to 10 just to keep afloat. Sam said that if things don’t change, that 10 may be reduced to eight.

Australians and Australian business owners deserve better.

They deserve a government that will protect Australia’s sovereign capabilities.

They deserve a government that has an economic plan that will put downward pressure on interests rates.

They deserve a government who will create a strong economic future, one full of innovation, growth and sustainability.

They deserve a government who puts Australian businesses first.

Right now that’s not happening.

Australian businesses have been abandoned by this federal government, and only a coalition government can get the country back on track and support Australian businesses.

The cost of everyday essentials is through the roof. Last year, we saw the price of milk increase by 19.4 per cent.

While a couple of cents on the household essentials may not seem so severe, how much more is a healthy lunch box for our kids costing, and what are Aussies having to sacrifice to fill up their cars?

Labor’s ute tax is costing families and tradies as much as an extra $25,000 on vehicles.

We all watched them fork out $240 million on the Voice, only to be met with a resounding ‘no’ from everyday Australians.

Disappointingly, those are the same taxpayers whose hip pockets are hurting.

Aussies have been left high and dry by a disconnected government who cannot seem to devise a plan to tackle the rising cost of living.

Despite promising Aussies $275 off their electricity, we have sadly seen bills rise by 20 per cent.

I’ve had far too many fearful and frustrated Bonner locals and small business owners reach out to my office about the rising costs of their electricity.

They ask: ‘What about the $275 savings we were promised at the last election?’ One business owner in my electorate even said that they will have no choice but to close up shop if electricity goes up in the next quarter.

I’ve been very, very sorry to see that the strong economy left by the coalition has all but evaporated completely.

So, next time you’re at the shops picking up some milk and sugar or paying for your electricity bill, I urge each of you to stop and ask: ‘Why am I paying so much more? Why is the Labor government breaking promises — (Time expired)

 I’d like to take this moment to acknowledge the tremendous efforts of the volunteers who came out in support of our LNP candidates in Queensland over the weekend.

We all know that behind every member, senator and councillor stands a team of generous and dedicated volunteers.

This weekend they came out in full force, and I’m incredibly proud of our efforts. We saw a significant swing in Inala, and I commend Trang Yen for her dedication and hard work.

I would also like to extend my special congratulations to the re-elected Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Adrian Schrinner, and the newly elected state member for Ipswich West, Darren Zanow.

They are both stand-up, experienced and hardworking community leaders who will no doubt get the job done.

Lastly, it would be remiss of me if I didn’t acknowledge what a pleasure it has been to work with Alex Givney, the Lord Mayor’s representative for Wynnum Manly Ward, on her campaign to be the next councillor for Wynnum Manly Ward.

For the last 72 years, Wynnum Manly Ward has been taken for granted by Labor.

During this election, locals took a stand.

While we don’t know the official result yet, either way, Alex has reminded Labor not to take Bayside voters for granted.

Alex eagerly listened to locals and energetically stood up against Labor and the Greens, with integrity and positivity the whole way.

Well done, Alex, Adrian, Trang, Darren and all the candidates who stood for the LNP. It was a great weekend and a great result.

Bonner is a great place to live, work and raise a family.

But, unfortunately, our local community has not been left unscathed by the Queensland crime crisis.

This is the result of unsuccessful policy and a broken system created by the state Labor government.

It’s ruining livelihoods, hurting families and tearing communities apart.

Bonner locals reach out daily to tell me about the crime in their homes, neighbourhoods, sporting clubs and small businesses.

Just recently, Marilyn, from St Pete’s Pantry, rang my office to tell me that they had been broken into, not once but twice.

St Pete’s is an extraordinary charity in Wynnum which supports the most vulnerable in our community.

Their mission is to make sure that no-one goes hungry and, during the cost-of-living crisis, their mission is more important than ever.

Whilst, luckily, no-one was hurt, their laptop, which is used by volunteers, and the Bonner Bright Star Award which they won last year for services to our community were stolen.

I have been able to organise a replacement medal for Marilyn and the team at St Pete’s Pantry, but many items are not so easy to replace.

Our community deserves better; Queenslanders deserve better. We need a state government which is going to prioritise our safety and which has a plan to overcome this crime crisis.

We need a change in Queensland, which is why I’m backing David Crisafulli and his team to make our homes and communities so much safer.

Last May, I moved a motion to make financial literacy a compulsory part of the national curriculum. This motion is more important today than it has ever been.

Last week, the member for Kennedy was told that cash wasn’t accepted by our staff right here in Parliament House.

The truth is that, since the pandemic, cash use has halved from 32 per cent of in-person transactions to now just 16 per cent.

When I owned a restaurant in 1994, 98 per cent of the transactions were in cash.

Thirty years later, in that same restaurant, 99 per cent of the transactions are cashless.

What a turnaround! While each of us in this room is fortunate enough to understand the implications of a cashless society, much of Australian youth is not, and the problem does not stop here.

Many Australian graduates don’t understand basic topics such as compound interest, negative gearing and taxation.

It is our responsibility to ensure the next generation is set up to make informed personal decisions, especially in finance.

In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, we need to be empowering youth to take charge and better understand their finances.

We simply can’t afford to miss this opportunity. Let’s make financial literacy a compulsory part of the national curriculum to educate and empower our next generation, especially as we move to a cashless society.

Today’s students are tomorrow’s teachers, doctors, carpenters and politicians.

As we continue to grow older, it is our shared responsibility to raise quality members of society who will work hard and contribute, and might I say Bonner is a treasure trove of curious minds and dedicated students.

I would like to thank the 13 Bonner students in years 10, 11 and 12 who committed to my Bonner Youth Advisory Council, BYAC, in 2023.

I’ve been so impressed by their passion and hard work and have no doubt that each of them will achieve great things in their future. Congratulations to Abigail and Blanca from Citypointe Christian College; Bailey and Ollie from Iona College; Aimi, Georgia, Sharna and Xavier from Mansfield State High School; Zayden from Queensland Academies Creative Industries; Alice from Redeemer Lutheran College; and Araminta, Heer and Ishita, who are all from Rochedale State High School in my electorate.

Throughout the year we heard from leaders in our community. Last year I was able to partner with You Are Not Alone, the Queensland Koala Society and Ocean Crusaders to speak with BYAC at our meetings.

Throughout our workshops, students from different schools collaborated on research projects aligned with their personal interests.

Last year we had four groups, who investigated the topics of mental health, the cost of living, the impact of technology on young people, and the environment.

Each group worked together to identify specific issues within their topic and proposed problem-solving strategies.

At the end of January, the group submitted their reports, and I would like to share with my parliamentary colleagues some of the interesting findings from BYAC.

The group who investigated mental health found that some young people may be unable to distinguish between online connections and genuine, meaningful relationships in person.

The group on the cost of living found a worthwhile solution would be teaching students about financial independence and money, and this feedback was particularly interesting to me, as I continue to fight for my motion to make financial literacy a compulsory part of our national curriculum.

The students who reported on the impact of technology found that education on cyberbullying should be compulsory in all schools, including what cyberbullying is, what to do if you are being cyberbullied, and how to prevent and report cyberbullying.

When it came to the environment, the team found the establishment of a youth advisory council for environmental planning would be useful, particularly to consult on any trail bike tracks and jumps in Brisbane. Nominations for the 2024 Bonner Youth Advisory Council are filling rapidly but have not yet closed.

I encourage any parents to apply to BYAC on behalf of their keen child, and I look forward to meeting you all.