Community News & Speeches

26 Mar | '2026

Bangarra Dance Theatre: Venice Biennale Golden Lion

Fine words from the Minister for the Arts. Perhaps he should consider a career post politics as a writer, with such wonderful words and his contribution this morning. As an author myself, I’ll try and do my best, but I don’t think I can match that poetic speech that the minister’s just delivered. Australians are indeed known for punching above their weight on the world stage in the arts. We’ve seen it time and again across the different subsectors of the arts, including our Australian actors like Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, for example, who are household names, and many, many artists across all the different disciplines within the arts.

25 Mar | '2026

Rhoda Roberts AO

I commend the minister on his very fine words, and I have some words to say from the coalition. I acknowledge the passing of Rhoda Roberts, AO, a remarkable Australian whose contribution to our nation’s cultural life cannot be overstated. A true trailblazer, artist, storyteller and, indeed, a cultural leader, her passing at the age of 66 marks the loss of one of Australia’s most influential voices in the arts and in the elevation of First Nations culture in our country.

25 Mar | '2026

Moncrieff Electorate: Schools

I’ve been visiting schools in Moncrieff to present students with leadership certificates and engage in very rich discussion about what leadership is and means. The electorate of Moncrieff, the heart of the Gold Coast, is home to 33 schools, almost half of which I’ve already had the privilege to visit this year. When visiting schools, I present each of the leaders with their congratulatory leadership certificates.

24 Mar | '2026

Cost of living

Australians don’t need spin. We need honesty. And right now, the reality is, the economy is weak. Fuel supplies aren’t guaranteed, and Australian families are hurting. Households are being squeezed from every direction. Grocery bills are climbing, energy prices are biting, and now uncertainty around fuel supply is adding yet another layer of pressure. For families already struggling to make ends meet, this isn’t abstract economics.

12 Mar | '2026

Cost of living

It’s a sad state of affairs when every time I step up to the dispatch box, it’s to talk about how much Australians are struggling. Why? Because of those opposite. Australians are being hit from every direction in this government’s home grown cost of living crisis.

5 Mar | '2026

MPI – Cost of living

Has anyone noticed the two things the government doesn’t talk about? They don’t talk about productivity, and they don’t talk about inflation. They are the two topics that this government has absolutely avoided. The member across there, the member for Bonner, just mentioned a number. That number was 41,000. What do you think Australians might equate that number to? Well, I’m telling you now that it’s 41,000 small and family businesses—incomes and livelihoods—that have gone broke since this government came to power. It’s a disgraceful number, and the member for Bonner should think about that number that she just spruiked. That’s 41,000 families who now do not have a small and family business.

5 Mar | '2026

Transcript – 2CC Breakfast with Stephen Cenatiempo

STEPHEN CENATIEMPO:
The Shadow Minister for the Arts, Shadow Minister for Sport and Shadow Minister for Youth, Angie Bell joins us. Angie, good morning.

ANGIE BELL:
Good morning, Stephen. Great to be with you.

STEPHEN CENATIEMPO:
A lot to talk about this week. The first sitting week and first set of question time performances under the new leadership structure of Angus Taylor and Jane Hume. How do you think it’s gone so far?

4 Mar | '2026

Inside Pompeii: Origins of a European Way of Life

I recently had the pleasure of attending my first event as the shadow minister for the arts, a topic I’m deeply passionate about. As part of a strategic cultural partnership between the European Union, Arts Queensland and the Gold Coast’s Home of the Arts, locally known as HOTA, I explored the new and acclaimed exhibition […]

4 Mar | '2026

National Security

The first job of any government is to keep its people safe. But over the past week, Australians have watched this minister for home affairs dodge serious and legitimate questions—questions about what assistance the Albanese government has provided to individuals linked to ISIS. This is not a political game; this is a matter of national […]

20 Feb | '2026

Transcript – ABC Radio Brisbane with Steve Austin

STEVE AUSTIN:

Let’s go to federal politics and look at both sport and art with my guest, Queensland Federal Liberal MP, Angie Bell, the MP, the Member for Moncrieff, based on the Gold Coast. Angie Bell was reshuffled, if you like, with Angus Taylor winning the leadership. And Angie Bell now has the role for the opposition federally. Normally called an outer ministry role, so I regard that as somewhat of a demotion, covering youth, sport and art. Angie Bell, do you see it as a demotion? Morning to you.

ANGIE BELL:

Good morning, Steve. Great to be with you. Look, I see it as a great opportunity to deliver Liberal values to young Australians, and that is through the arts and through the sport portfolios. Because it really is the great leveller when it comes to opportunities for young people, and we want young people to have those opportunities to be ambitious as artists and sports people. We want more Australians to be successful and we’re seeing great success on the world stage at the moment obviously at the Winter Olympics and our artists are doing great things abroad as well.