MARK DREYFUS MP

I want to take this opportunity to thank the petitioners, who are from St Augustine's Anglican Church and Bayside Deanery Meeting of the Mothers Union, in Mentone in my electorate, for their commitment to achieving justice for those who have sought political asylum in this country.

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship has done a fine job in keeping our borders secure, and in massively improving our treatment of refugees in his first year in office.

I had the pleasure of opening the Australian Over-60s Cricket Carnival

Ending violence against women means creating a culture in which such violence is unacceptable. Many have traditionally viewed violence against women as a women's problem. In fact it is a problem for men it is men, working with women, who are in a position to create a culture in our country in which violence is unacceptable.

It is fantastic to see a school in a growth area of my electorate able not only to celebrate its long history but also to look ahead and plan for the future. I congratulate the Carrum Downs Primary School on its 100th anniversary.

This is an excellent free trade agreement. It takes us beyond our World Trade Organisation commitments. This is a bilateral free trade agreement that will support Australian efforts for further trade liberalisation at both a multilateral level through the Doha Round as well as at a regional level. It is consistent with the principles of multilateralism that will deliver further trade liberalisation.

I am proud to be part of a government that takes decisive action in times of crisis decisive action that will give assistance to 38,900 people in my electorate, decisive action that will help more than five million people across the country, decisive action to secure all Australians bank accounts, decisive action that will strengthen our economy at the time it needs it most.

The $622 million in the National Rental Affordability Scheme, as well as the $1.5 billion directed at housing objectives in the Economic Security Strategy announced by the Prime Minister last week, provides a very clear distinction between the Rudd government and the 11 years of neglect of the policy area of housing and housing affordability under the Howard government.

Through the measures contained in this legislation, and through the Economic Security Strategy, we are acting decisively, calmly and in a timely fashion to ensure that Australians are protected through this global financial crisis.

I firmly believe that through the Enterprise Connect network Australian manufacturing industries will become more innovative, productive and internationally competitive, and in my electorate the Dandenong Manufacturing Centre will be a large part of that.