Speeches

MOTIONS Aged Care Federation Chamber I rise to support the motion moved by the member for Nicholls, noting the government’s failure to deliver adequate aged-care beds, with an annual shortfall of more than 9,000 beds. I serve the community with the second-highest number of people aged over 65 in Australia. I also represent the community…

CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS National Police Remembrance Day Remembrance Day Hinkler Electorate: Small Business   Mr BATT (Hinkler—Deputy Nationals Whip) (09:42): Like many in this House, I recently attended a moving National Police Remembrance Day event on 29 September. I joined my community in Bundaberg to pay respects to the police officers who run towards danger when…

BILLS Excise Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025 Customs Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025 Second Reading Mr BATT (Hinkler—Deputy Nationals Whip) (18:55) I rise to speak to the Excise Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025 and the Customs Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025. My electorate of Hinkler is famous all over Australia and…

My electorate of Hinkler is full of opportunity, new beginnings and wonderful people getting things done. This was on show at the blessing of a new grotto and garden at the Sacred Heart Catholic Parish in Childers recently. The famous Bruce Highway runs through this town and the peaceful space is open to locals and…

27 October, 2025 Last week, I had the privilege of personally presenting 17 sporting champions from Hinkler with certificates of recognition for their amazing efforts across a wide range of sports, including Lincoln Davis from Hervey Bay, who represented Australia in Muay Thai. These school-age stars represented our region in sports such as basketball, touch…

It’s Get Ready Queensland Week, a time to prepare for unpredictable weather. Get Ready Queensland’s catchphrase, ‘Weather doesn’t plan – but you can,’ rings true for my community of Hinkler. In the five years prior to being elected as the federal member for Hinkler, I worked as the community resilience and disaster management officer at…

I’d like to applaud the local media in my electorate of Hinkler for helping me spread the word about democracy and how civics works in all three levels of government, and for letting the people of Hinkler know what’s happening in the parliament while I’m here in Canberra. A special mention goes to the eloquent…

My home of Hinkler is one of the most famous food bowls in the nation. Starting this Friday, for 10 days, locals and tourists will enjoy the annual Taste Bundaberg Festival. It will showcase the finest local produce from our farms, and freshly caught seafood, and will celebrate the world-class makers, processors, retail and hospitality…

Too many lives are being lost on our roads. In my electorate, I’m sad to say the statistics are among the worst in Queensland. The Wide Bay district, which includes Bundaberg and Hervey Bay, has recorded the highest number of road crash deaths this year—31 lives lost. That is 11 more than the same time…

As the newly elected federal member for Hinkler, I will fight for all of those across my diverse electorate. As an election commitment I pledged to do everything in my power to deliver a Hervey Bay electorate office, an essential service for my community. The very first official correspondence I sent following my successful election…