Sue Lines

ALP Federal

First Speech in Parliament

26 June 2013

# Social Justice # Education Reform # Labor Rights

Personal Background

• Senator Sue Lines shares her family history, highlighting her father's journey as a child migrant and his service in WWII, and her mother's career as a teacher, advocating for the education of disadvantaged children.
• Lines was influenced by her family’s values of resilience, compassion, and the importance of education and politics.

Work Experience and Advocacy

• For six years, Lines led campaigns in early childhood education and aged care for United Voice, focusing on wage justice for low-paid workers.
• She references the passing of the workforce compact bill, underlining her commitment to fairness and social justice, particularly for Aboriginal rights and against deaths in custody.

Policy Goals and Current Issues

• Lines criticises the Western Australian government for failing to sign up for the NDIS and Gonski reforms, stressing the need for equitable education and a focus on public welfare.
• She highlights alarming statistics on public housing, homelessness, and Aboriginal incarceration rates, advocating for a fairer economy that prioritises the wellbeing of all citizens over profit.
• Lines aims to build coalitions for social change, emphasizing the need for political action to address inequality and ensure support for the vulnerable in society.