STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator CAROL BROWN (Tasmania) (13:15): I rise today to speak about a recent visit to the Hamlet cafe in Hobart with Minister Jenny McAllister and to recognise the work of Hamlet's founder and CEO, Emily Briffa. It was great to sit down with Emily and hear more about the work Hamlet is doing. Hamlet is a social enterprise cafe, but it is also much more than that.

It provides individualised training, work readiness and supports to Tasmanians who can face significant barriers to employment, including people with disability, neurodivergent people and people experiencing mental health concerns. The idea behind Hamlet is excellent. People should have the opportunity to work, learn new skills, build confidence and be part of their community.

For some people, getting that first opportunity can be the hardest. We know people with disability still face barriers when looking for work. A lack of experience can make it harder to get a job, but it can also be very difficult to gain that experience if nobody is prepared to give you a start.

Hamlet helps break that cycle. Since it began, more than 700 people have gained experience through Hamlet and developed skills to help them enter the workforce. Around 75 per cent of people who complete Hamlet's training program go on to employment.

That is an extraordinary achievement. Those numbers only tell part of the story. Behind every one of them is a person who has been given an opportunity.

It might be someone learning how to work in a kitchen, serve customers or prepare food. It might be someone learning how to work as part of a team, communicate with colleagues or build the confidence to apply for their next job. It might be someone who, perhaps for the first time, has had an employer or mentor focus on what they can do rather than the barriers they face.

That is very important. Work is about earning an income, but it is also about independence, confidence, connection and having the opportunity to contribute. That is why organisations like Hamlet are so important.

They show what can happen when we support people properly and create pathways that recognise individual strengths. I also want to recognise CEO Emily Briffa. Emily was named as the 2026 Local Hero for Tasmania as part of the Australian of the Year Awards, and I can certainly understand why.

Through her leadership, Hamlet has become an important part of the Hobart community and has continued to create opportunities across hospitality and catering. What impressed me most in speaking with Emily was that the focus remains firmly on people. It's about meeting people where they are, understanding what support they need and helping them take the next step.

Our visit with Minister McAllister was also a valuable opportunity to hear more about Hamlet's work and what makes this model successful. Hamlet demonstrates that inclusion is not simply something we talk about. It is something we have to create.

We create it when workplaces are prepared to give people a chance, we create it when training is flexible enough to meet individual needs and we create it when people with disability are recognised for their skills, their ambitions and what they can contribute. There is still more work to do. Too many people with disability continue to experience barriers to employment and are excluded from opportunities others take for granted, but Hamlet shows us what is possible.

I want to thank Emily and the entire Hamlet team for welcoming Minister McAllister and the Tasmanian Labor team. More importantly, I want to thank the trainees, staff and volunteers who make Hamlet such a special part of Hobart. Their work is changing lives, one opportunity at a time.

I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate Emily on her recognition as Tasmania's local hero. I look forward to seeing Hamlet continue to grow and create opportunities for Tasmanians for many years to come.