Portfolio — 25 March 2026

Senator McAllister's activity across 24–25 March spans two distinct modes: a personal tribute delivered in the Senate adjournment debate, and a substantive question time exchange that placed her at the intersection of aged-care viability and the government's broader fuel-cost response.

On the evening of 24 March, Senator McAllister used the adjournment to pay tribute to Jenny Dowell, a Labor activist and community leader in Lismore and the Northern Rivers who died that afternoon [TA-260324-senate-dd516f85acd4:s228]. Dowell served as a teacher, councillor, and mayor of Lismore — overseeing fluoridation of town water, establishing the Lismore Regional Gallery, expanding community infrastructure, and deepening ties between Lismore and Southern Cross University [TA-260324-senate-dd516f85acd4:s228].

As Chair of the Northern Rivers Regional Organisation of Councils she advocated for the broader region, and beyond elected office she mentored more than 18 mayors across New South Wales while volunteering with the Lismore Theatre Company, Red Cross, Northern Rivers Rail Trail, and Northern Rivers Flood Action Group [TA-260324-senate-dd516f85acd4:s228]. Senator McAllister characterised Dowell as a leader who rejected simple answers and division, and whose life demonstrated that ordinary citizens can achieve extraordinary change.

The following day in question time, Senator McAllister handled questions about the impact of global uncertainty — specifically rising fuel costs linked to Middle East instability — on the aged-care sector [TA-260325-senate-9aaa61ce6ff6:s153]. She acknowledged sector anxiety and confirmed the Minister for Aged Care is actively monitoring provider viability. She outlined three existing support mechanisms: the Market Adjustment Program, which deploys targeted funding where critical viability risk is identified; the Rural, Remote and First Nations Aged Care Service Development Assistance Panel, which provides free professional support to build capability and sustainability; and free business and workforce advisory services covering operations, financial management and workforce strategy [TA-260325-senate-9aaa61ce6ff6:s154].

The questioning also drew from her a summary of the government's whole-of-economy fuel response: doubled penalties for price-gouging, an ACCC mandate to intensify monitoring and issue on-the-spot fines, a temporary reduction of minimum stockholding obligations for diesel and petrol, the establishment of a Fuel Supply Taskforce, and the convening of National Cabinet to coordinate the response to Middle East flow-through impacts [TA-260325-senate-9aaa61ce6ff6:s155].

The question time exchange is notable because it positioned the NDIS minister — rather than the Aged Care or Energy ministers — as the government's Senate spokesperson on fuel-cost impacts for a vulnerable sector. The observations flagged a reference to the Liquid Fuel Emergency Act in the questioning line, suggesting the opposition was probing whether aged-care workers are covered under emergency fuel legislation; Senator McAllister's answer addressed provider viability support without directly engaging that statutory question, which may warrant follow-up.