Newsletters 2024

If you can believe it, we are now halfway through the parliamentary year having just finished the 8th sitting week.

During this time, we’ve delivered 55 speeches, reviewed and commented on over 40 pieces of legislation and have participated in innumerable briefings and meetings to ensure we are across the latest information to help inform our vote. We have fought hard to encourage the government to act with more bravery when it comes to housing, environmental reform, and women’s safety.

But the work is far from over.

If the government has made a promise to its people, it’s only reasonable to expect that any government of the day would ensure the decisions it makes do not negatively affect future generations.

Yet in just this past fortnight, not only did we see this government reject a proposal to legislate a positive duty of care for future generations, but also proceed with legislation to establish both a national Environmental Protection Agency and an Environmental Information Agency that are fundamentally weaker than they could have been.

Despite significant work right across the crossbench, the Ministers’ decision to proceed without any adjustment in the government’s course of action on the Nature Positive Bill was disappointing.

Ultimately, I can’t help but see the lack of action as being in direct contradiction of the Labor Party’s promise during the 2022 election to ‘overhaul our broken environmental laws’. This is exactly the kind of empty promise that’s causing growing distrust in government.

In our own community at the EPBC Forum held in April, people expressed their concerns that the current legal system that protects our environment is broken. While we do then need both a national Environmental Protection Agency and a national agency to oversee the collection of Environment Information, the legislation that passed in the house yesterday distinctly lacks protections for public participation and community consultation.

Separately, it was an honour this week to co-host the launch of a world-first support resource for young metastatic breast cancer patients and their loved ones alongside So Brave Australia. As a co-convenor of the Parliamentary Friends of Cancer Care and Cure, this event involved working with a group very close to my heart, and it was incredibly moving to be in a room of nearly 100 young women and families with lived experience and hear their stories. If you want to learn more about this amazing resource, I encourage you to visit the So Brave website for more info.

Lastly, we now have one week left until AEC Boundary submissions close on Friday 12th July, so please continue making your submissions, signing the petition and spreading the word!

- KT

SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK ON AEC BOUNDARIES

Thank you to all who have written in about the Australian Electoral Commission's (AEC) proposal to abolish our Federal Seat of North Sydney in the next election. The draft plan detaches the residents of Northbridge from those of Naremburn; St Leonards from Crows Nest; Greenwich from Wollstonecraft; and Chatswood's CBD from its state schools. Like many others, I fear that our sense of community and social cohesion will be lost in the boundary redistribution and will be submitting an objection to the AEC accordingly.

Ultimately, electoral boundaries aren't about me — they're about you. My team has heard from residents who are concerned about being moved into a different electorate from their sports facilities, schools, and community groups. And we want to know more: If your group is likely to be negatively impacted by the proposed redistribution, please get in touch.

COME AND MEET KYLEA

WHAT'S ON IN NORTH SYDNEY

IN THE NEWS

Revealed: The 'Missing Middle' Sydney housing changes delayed until after council elections - The Sydney Morning Herald, 4 July. North Sydney Council has written to the NSW Government rejecting a plan to increase the number of medium density homes around transport hubs. The council has rejected all 14 proposed planning triggers including around town centres in Cammeray, Cremorne, Crows Nest, Milsons Point and Neutral Bay.

Kylea Tink comes out fighting - The Australian Business Review, 1 July. Kylea holds her stance on the AEC Boundary Redistribution stating "This has never been about me", and continues to dedicate her focus to the North Sydney community despite uncertain times.

'A diabolical mess': How did we get into this housing crisis, and how do we get out? - The Sydney Morning Herald, 30 June. As the Australian housing crisis continues, this feature article dives into how we got to this point, and how Kylea and David Pocock's joint Housing Bill is seeking to establish housing as a human right, and start a conversation on what housing actually is - a human right, or a profit centre?

Independent MPs stand united on need to legislate Duty Of Care Bill to protect future generations - Media Release, 27 June. Independent MPs have united in their call for the Albanese Government to urgently legislate a Duty of Care that would force governments to consider the impact of climate harm on young people’s wellbeing when making decisions.

Independents push for 'Right To Housing' - ABC Listen, 24 June. Kylea speaks with ABC RN about her National Housing and Homelessness Plan Bill and changes to national vaping laws.

More media mentions here.