It’s Chinese New Year this weekend, and the year of the Dragon, symbolising new beginnings, luck, happiness and prosperity.

But in an unfortunate and unexpected end to 2023 which continued through January, my family spent many days at the bedside of my 25-year-old son who survived a heart attack. He’s on track to recovery thanks to the amazing doctors and nurses who cared for him. 

I’m ever conscious it’s a tough time for a lot of people across Australia, for many reasons. 

Damaging floods in the Timber Creek region, power outages, long wait times at hospitals, and empty shelves at supermarkets are just some of the challenges Territorians have faced so far this year.

But the year of the Dragon and the new year reminds us there is so much opportunity to make positive change, help those in need, and make sure no one is left behind.

As I write this article, I’m travelling back to Darwin from federal Parliament where the Albanese Labor Government has voted to deliver a tax cut for every single Australian taxpayer.

That’s 13.6 million people who will have more of their hard-earned money in the bank. 

And in good news for the NT, around 84 per cent of Territorians will receive an even bigger tax cut than first planned. This includes our hardworking frontline employees, nurses, teachers, police and truck drivers, just to name a few.

The week also started with federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt announcing financial disaster assistance for flood impacted communities in the Victoria Daly region, in partnership with the NT Government.

This month also marked the 40th anniversary of Australia’s universal health insurance system — Medicare.

And while services on all levels of local, state, territory and Commonwealth governments aren’t always perfect, it is so important for the Federal Government to assist wherever it can.

After years of neglect and threats to Medicare by the Coalition over a decade, the Albanese Labor Government is making the largest ever investment in bulk billing to make it easier and cheaper to see a doctor.

In the first two months since we tripled the bulk billing incentive, Territorians have had an estimated additional 2,800 bulk billed GP doctor visits.

This is in addition to delivering cheaper medicines, cheaper childcare, fee-free TAFE and raising the minimum wage. All of these are important policies for Territorians that the 

Liberal/National Coalition have either criticised or voted against.

The Liberal/National Coalition have even criticised or voted against an energy price relief plan, more social and affordable housing, and tripling the Medicare bulk billing incentive for Territorians.

Labor built Medicare and will always defend it and other policies that help all Australians live longer, healthier and happier lives. 

And in reflecting on my son’s experience in hospital, I am grateful we live in a country where we have universal healthcare.

It is so important that we continue work to ensure that everyone can be healthy and achieve their full potential whether they live in the city, town, or the bush.

While some unfortunate events can come up unexpectedly, it is the responsibility of good governments to respond and help as much as they can.

And as kids across the Territory and nation return to their first term of the schoolyear, I continue to look forward to seeing a future where the doors of opportunity are open to all, and no one held back or left behind.

Malarndirri McCarthy is a Labor Senator for the Northern Territory

This opinion piece was first published in The NT News on Saturday 10 February 2024.