Tim Watts: I rise today to offer my wholehearted congratulations to Natasha Stott Despoja on her election to a seat on the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. She is the first Australian to hold such a position in 30 years. Natasha was Australia's candidate after the completion of a merit based selection process, and I can't think of anyone more qualified to take...
Read More >Tim Watts: We're just one week away from the US presidential election, and the eyes of the world are on the democratic processes of the United States. Unfortunately, the attention of groups of state backed hackers from around the world has also been trained on the US election as the US's adversaries seek to interfere in that great nation's democratic process. Last week the FBI, the Director of National...
Read More >Tim Watts: Raising young children can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling parts of life, but it's also one of the most challenging things that you can do, especially if you're trying to juggle being a parent with also having a career. Governments should back in parents who try to make this work, and that means universal affordable child care. As an MP with two young children, I know that my...
Read More >Tim Watts: I have a question to the Speaker. Like a number of members of this chamber, I quarantined for a fortnight to be here for this sitting. I don't recommend it. I know that my Victorian colleagues watching on videopresence today would have dearly loved to have been here today, but personal circumstances did not allow them to spend a month away from their families in order to attend today. I must...
Read More >Tim Watts: We debate these budget measures here today, in perhaps the most trying times that have faced our nation since the Second World War. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a test of who we are as a nation. I've been really proud of the way that my community has pulled together to confront these challenges. From the community Facebook groups to the neighbourhood WhatsApp groups, people have been...
Read More >Tim Watts: The names of our federal electorates are intended to recognise the outstanding contributions of Australians to our nation, yet the contributions of women who have helped make Australia the country it is today are dramatically underrepresented in the names of our federal electorates. As Professor Clare Wright has pointed out, there are many women who have made outstanding contributions to our...
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