I join with my colleague the member for McPherson to respectfully urge the Prime Minister to consider attending the UN summit later this month, which is aimed at reviewing the Millennium Development Goals. I also express my support for the motion of the member for Macquarie.

I want to speak on the very important issue of breast cancer, as October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Whilst there have been improvements in breast cancer awareness programs and treatments, there is still lots of work to be done if we are to successfully continue the fight against this disease that affects so many Australian families.

As Deputy Chair of the Human Rights Subcommittee, I would like to join my colleague the member for Cook in speaking to these two reports today. Firstly, the inquiry into Australia’s human rights dialogue process has highlighted the importance of dialogue as an instrument in promoting human rights.

Today there is only one country in the Western world where a worker can be locked up for six months for failing to cooperate with a government interrogator and thrown in jail for refusing to dob in a mate. These powers have been described by the Federal Court as:

I want to join with my colleagues in this place in expressing my horror at the senseless loss of life in the recent Bali bombings. This recent round of attacks on innocent people is a sober reminder of the serious threat that terrorism continues to be for Australians, for our neighbours in Indonesia and for the entire world community.

On Tuesday one of my constituents, Mrs Karen Palmer, sat in the public gallery during question time as questions about her unfair dismissal from her job were put by the Leader of the Opposition to the Prime Minister. In his response to the Leader of the Opposition the Prime Minister stated:

I want to speak today about an issue that is causing great concern in my electorate. It is largely as a result of recent comments by members of this House in regard to young girls wearing hijabs, or headscarfs, at state schools.

Can I start by thanking the member for Canning for his gracious and diligent observance of the clock so as to give me an opportunity to have some say today on the effects of the federal budget on my electorate. I have listened to a number of government speakers in particular talk about the budget and, as is to be expected, government members like the Treasurer and the Prime Minister hail the budget with great aplomb and excitement.