CrowdStrike, Scams and the Cash Economy 

The recent global CrowdStrike outage highlighted to me two dangers of the over-reliance on technology to our economy.

Firstly, there is the risk of a cashless society. Banks, media outlets, supermarkets, retailers, and airports were among the core societal institutions affected, leaving the public unable to access essential services for hours. During the outage, we needed cash to pay for our groceries, petrol, and other expenses, as card readers were down.

Likewise, the surge in opportunistic phishing scammers following the CrowdStrike outage is concerning. Treat any phone call, email, or text message from anyone claiming to be Microsoft or CrowdStrike with suspicion. Hang up immediately and do not disclose any personal information or bank details. If you suspect you have been scammed, contact your bank and report the incident to Scamwatch.

Indeed, it was a wake-up call to the lack of control we have in a cashless society.

In June, I supported Andrew Gee MP’s private bill alongside Bob Katter MP, which would make it illegal for businesses to deny in-person cash payments. Mr. Katter intends to reintroduce similar legislation to hold banks more accountable for preventing scams and to ensure that cash is always accepted as legal tender.

 

Education and Cost-of-Living

Free National Broadband Network (NBN) for school students and their families

The cost-of-living crisis continues to heighten the digital divide that threatens education opportunities across the country, particularly in our community of Fowler.

The Australian Government is offering free NBN service to up to 30,000 eligible school students and their families without internet at home as part of the School Student Broadband Initiative.

For information on eligibility criteria, read here. Applications close 31 December 2025.

 

Education (HECS-HELP)

The Budget 2024-25 was disappointing due to its lack of provisions aimed at alleviating cost-of-living pressures for our communities. While I am pleased with the Government’s plan to reduce Higher Education Loan Program (HECS) debts, which has skyrocketed due to inflation and indexation, more work remains as fixing indexing is not enough to HELP. The unfair increase in fees for Arts degrees, implemented by the Morrison Government, has to be addressed.

In the last Parliamentary Sitting, I advocated for students in allied health fields – excluding teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work – who is missing out on financial support during their placements.

 

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