Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Leader of the Opposition) (13:58): 

Today, 200 years since the birth of the great Florence Nightingale, we celebrate International Nurses Day. In celebrating the work of nurses, I acknowledge the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, the biggest union in this country. I consider myself very fortunate to have a former nurse on my team, Ged Kearney.

Nurses and health professionals are at the front line of the fight against coronavirus. Nurses across Australia and the world are risking their health and putting their own lives on the line to protect ours. We will never forget their courage in this time. Of course we also think of those who have lost their lives to the coronavirus around the world. The pandemic has highlighted the care and dedication that nurses provide each and every day, whether in hospitals, surgeries or aged care. Together we recognise their care, their commitment and their compassion.

We've all experienced the empathy and professionalism of a nurse. They care for us at home and in hospital, in residential aged care and multiple other settings in our cities and our regions. I acknowledge those nurses who came forward, spoke up and exposed what was happening behind closed doors in powerful testimony to the aged care royal commission.

On behalf of the Australian Labor Party, I say thank you to our nurses.