House debates
Tuesday, 3 February 2026
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Membership (3 speeches)
I inform the House that, due to the recent party changes, certain members are no longer members of certain committees. As the list is a lengthy one, I do not propose to read it to the House....
- Business (0 speeches)
- Standing and Sessional Orders (10 speeches)
This procedure is in two parts. First of all, this is a procedure I hadn't expected to have to come back here and update. I move: That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- Visas (1 speech)
I bring the attention of the House to the case of Reyna Nangan, Karin Yechoku and their beautiful daughter, Kaia. Reyna came to Australia in 2011 and Karin in 2014. Kaia was born here in 2017....
- Health Care (1 speech)
When it comes to bolstering health care—and, in particular, Medicare—the Albanese Labor government's record is second to none. The government's record investment in health has been a...
- Casey Electorate: Schools (1 speech)
Over summer, I had the privilege of visiting many local schools across our community. It was fantastic to congratulate new leaders and hear from students about what they'd been learning, and it...
- Ferguson, Mr James Alexander (Jim) (1 speech)
Jim Ferguson was dedicated to serving the Australian community on both the international and domestic stages. From 1966 to 1986, Jim worked for DFAT, with several senior overseas postings, most...
- Calare Electorate: Hindu Community (1 speech)
In our electorate of Calare, we have a growing Hindu community comprising well over 500 families. They've recently come together with a shared dream of building the first Hindu temple in the...
- Lew Fatt, Mrs Sandra Joan, Lew Fatt, Mr Walter (Benny), OAM, Connell, Mr Edward Francis (Frank), Shaw, Kwementyaye, OAM (1 speech)
I rise to recognise some great Territorians who have passed in recent weeks. My Darwin neighbours, Territory legends Benny and Sandra Lew Fatt, husband and wife, passed away weeks apart, Sandra...
- Water Infrastructure (1 speech)
Every year in Queensland under the old Country Party government, we built a major dam. I will quote but three examples. There were 800 people living in a little town called Griffith in New South...
- Warrandyte Pink Ladies (1 speech)
I rise today to acknowledge the amazing work of the Warrandyte Pink Ladies—Katie, Sandra and Nicole. Every year for the past five years, the Warrandyte Pink Ladies have been bringing our...
- Hinkler Electorate: Australia Day Honours and Awards (1 speech)
On the Australia Day long weekend, I was proud to attend awards and citizenship ceremonies in Hinkler. They were a true celebration of the people of my community and a salute to what it means to...
- Education (1 speech)
School is back. Right across Australia and throughout my community in Griffith, the contact has been patiently placed on the books, the lunch boxes have been lovingly packed and oversized...
- Victoria: Bushfires (1 speech)
Earlier last month large areas of my electorate and the member for Indi's electorate were ravaged by bushfire. Fires that started around the Longwood area were pushed by a north-westerly into...
- Australia Day Honours and Awards (2 speeches)
I'd like to congratulate three of Aston's finest who received the Medal of the Order of Australia last week as part of the Australia Day 2026 honours list. Mrs Elizabeth Aylett OAM received the...
- Victoria: Bushfires (1 speech)
In recent weeks, Victoria faced its most severe bushfire emergency since Black Summer and too many families faced the terrifying reality of fire at their door. Victoria also experienced its...
- Australia Day Awards and Honours (1 speech)
I rise today to acknowledge an extraordinary woman from my electorate of La Trobe, Norliah Syer-Peterson, who I had the great honour of presenting the Citizen of the Year to at the Latrobe...
- Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (1 speech)
On 17 December 2025, a new Medicare urgent care clinic opened in a suburb of Norwood, in my electorate of Sturt, providing the people of Sturt with free and accessible urgent medical care. When I...
- Australia Day Awards and Honours (1 speech)
I rise to celebrate the extraordinary Mornington Peninsula locals who were honoured this Australia Day. We are not overrepresented in the honours list; we are overrepresented with people who will...
- Media (1 speech)
Regional media matters because local stories matter. For more than 60 years, NBN News has been part of the fabric of the Hunter. It's been through floods, fires, factory openings, factory...
- Energy (1 speech)
The part-time energy minister is at it again—just splashing taxpayers' cash around to try and make up for his failed energy policies, which are causing Australian households an enormous...
- Medicare (2 speeches)
Today I want to talk about a clear choice in Australian politics: delivery versus division. In the last two months, Labor has delivered not one but two Medicare urgent care clinics to service my...
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Allen, Dr Katrina Jane (Katie) (1 speech)
I inform the House of the death on 23 December 2025 of Dr Katrina Jane Allen, a member of this House for the division of Higgins from 2019 to 2022. As a mark of respect to the memory of Katie...
- Bolkus, Hon. Nick; Reference to Federation Chamber (1 speech)
I declare that the resumption of debate on the Prime Minister's motion of condolence in connection with the death of the hon. Nick Bolkus is referred to the Federation Chamber.
- Ministry (0 speeches)
- Temporary Arrangements (1 speech)
I inform the House that the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia will be absent from question time this week. She has travelled to the United States to have further discussions about...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Economy (7 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. The average mortgage holder is already paying around $21,000 more each year in interest under Labor. Today, Australians anxiously await the RBA's...
- Health Care (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, how is the Albanese Labor government strengthening Medicare, including our public hospital systems, so Australians can access the world-class...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- Acknowledgement (1 speech)
Before I call the honourable member for Warringah, I'll just welcome a few guests to our parliament today. I'm pleased to advise that the Hon. Reece Whitby MLA, Minister for Police; Road Safety;...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence (5 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. In recent times, federal governments have called royal commissions into veteran suicide, aged care, antisemitism and social cohesion. Last year, the Prime...
- Victoria: Bushfires (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Emergency Management. What support measures have been activated for communities in Victoria hit by recent bushfires, and what is the outlook for the rest of the...
- Economy (9 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. In 2022 the now Treasurer declared, 'There are things that real leaders take responsibility for, which matter in the context of high inflation, rising interest...
- Regional Australia (4 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. How is the Albanese Labor government focused on keeping regional communities connected in...
- Economy (12 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. The RBA has just confirmed the worst fears of Australians. Interest rates have risen by a quarter of a per cent, meaning the mortgage repayments of millions...
- Health Care (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering cheaper medicines for all Australians and making life-changing medicines available on the...
- Economy (5 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. AMP Chief Economist Shane Oliver and many other economists have warned that record government spending is adding to inflationary pressures and keeping prices...
- Tertiary Education and Training (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Education. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to provide real cost-of-living relief to Australians and support them to get a university degree? Why is...
- Economy (8 speeches)
My question goes to the Treasurer. Scores of economists have linked higher inflation and interest rates to this government's spending spree. Former Treasury assistant secretary David Pearl said...
- Cost of Living (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering cost-of-living relief to Australian workers, and what could put workers'...
- Taxation (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Australia's billionaires increased their wealth by almost $30 million a day in the last year, according to a new Oxfam report. They now hold more wealth than...
- Cybersafety (4 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Communications. What has been the impact of the Albanese Labor government's social media age restrictions so far, and how is this policy helping to protect...
- Parliamentarians' Entitlements (6 speeches)
Prime Minister, it is well established that the opposition is the party or the group which has the most non-government members in the House of Representatives. Seeing as the crossbench is now as...
- Health Care (16 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering more urgent care clinics across the country? Why is it important for Australians to be able...
- Interest Rates (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Today, the Prime Minister's handpicked secretary of the treasury, Jenny Wilkinson, joined every other RBA board member in voting to raise interest rates....
- Energy (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. How is the Albanese Labor government getting on with the job of building cleaner, cheaper energy? Why is focusing on the needs of...
- National Security (5 speeches)
My question is for the Prime Minister. Parliament has passed laws to combat antisemitism, hate and extremism, but legislative levers are one of a myriad of responses required to prevent terror...
- Tertiary Education and Training (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Skills and Training. How is the Albanese Labor government's policy of free TAFE supporting Australians to get the skills they want and need, and are there any...
- Economy (4 speeches)
My question goes to the Treasurer. In announcing today the 13th interest rate rise under Labor, the Reserve Bank said in its official statement: … inflation is likely to remain above target...
- Paid Parental Leave Scheme (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Social Services. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering on its commitment to strengthen paid parental leave? What approaches has the government been...
- Energy (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. How many Australians received the $275 reduction in their energy bill that Labor promised by the end of last year?
- International Relations (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister inform the House about his recent visit to Timor-Leste and explain why building our partnerships, Australia's partnerships, in our...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Leave of Absence (1 speech)
I move: That leave of absence for the remainder of the current period of sittings be given to Mr Neumann. I spoke with the member for Blair yesterday. On behalf of all members, we wish him, as he...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Auditor-General's Reports (0 speeches)
- Report Nos 10 to 21 of 2025-26 (1 speech)
I present the Auditor-General's Audit Reports Nos 10 to 21 for 2025-26. Details of the reports will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings. Documents made parliamentary papers.
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Presentation (1 speech)
Documents are tabled in accordance with the list circulated to honourable members earlier today. Full details of the documents will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings.
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Economy (14 speeches)
I have received a letter from the honourable the Leader of the Opposition proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The failure of...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Perth: Attack (16 speeches)
I move: That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the following: (1) the Member for Curtin immediately moving a motion relating to the Boorloo (Perth)...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Housing (1 speech)
Strata living is now a defining feature of Australia's housing system. Yet too often strata owners and renters are being asked to carry risks they did not create and cannot control. Almost half...
- Bondi Beach: Attack (1 speech)
Days after the horrific antisemitic attack at Bondi on 14 December, people in my community of Griffith were shaken. I was shaken, as I know every single Australian was. If we are honest, that...
- Community Events, Schools (1 speech)
Australia Day is one of my favourite days in my community. We're a community backed by our strong volunteerism, a place where people show up, help others and find ways to bring our community...
- Sturt Electorate: Awards and Honours (1 speech)
I rise today to share stories of exceptional contributions being made by selfless and incredible people living in my electorate of Sturt. Sturt is home to seven local councils, and many of these...
- Interest Rates (1 speech)
Before I make a contribution, today in the House the Prime Minister advised the House that absent would be the member for Blair. This is the first opportunity I've had to get to my feet to offer...
- Ngarrama, Energy, Tertiary Education and Training (1 speech)
Last week, I attended the Ngarrama, a much-loved community gathering on Awabakal and Worimi country in Newcastle, now in its fifth year. I want to acknowledge just how important this event has...
- Grievance Debate (0 speeches)
- Transport Industry (1 speech)
Without trucking, the nation stops. Australia is so heavily reliant on our transport industry, particularly our truckies. They do a power of good, and they've never been under more pressure than...
- Social Cohesion (1 speech)
There's rightly been a lot of focus in this parliament on the events of 14 December, and there should continue to be. We witnessed 15 of our fellow Australians killed—Jewish Australians...
- Jonceski, Mr Ljupco (Luch) (1 speech)
Today it is the grievance debate, and it occurs to me that I rose here exactly 12 months ago and took some creative licence with the inherent grief in the word 'grievance'. I spoke of the loss of...
- Hughes Electorate: Roads (1 speech)
I want to acknowledge those beautiful words from the honourable member opposite. Those on this side of the House are also missing Luch, and I want to acknowledge the beautiful sentiment brought...
- Cost of Living (1 speech)
Every day, the people of Lindsay, in my community, are feeling the very real, growing impact of the failure of the Albanese Labor government to get the cost of living under control. I hear from...
- Albanese Government (1 speech)
I rise today to talk about the issues that really matter to the people of McEwen. We are a community of working families, young people trying to get ahead, older Australians who have given so...
- Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
- Housing (2 speeches)
I know we have a housing affordability crisis, and I know this as acutely as anyone. Despite our relatively strong position on socioeconomic scales, my electorate is one of Australia's most...
- Cobby, Mrs Anita Lorraine (1 speech)
I rise today to remember the life of Anita Cobby, who was cruelly taken from us 40 years ago at the hands of monsters. For my community of Blacktown, which prides itself on connection and...
- Victoria: Bushfires (1 speech)
I acknowledge the words of the Attorney-General. The Longwood fire in the south and the Walwa fire in the Upper Murray have burned through hundreds of thousands of hectares of farmland, national...
- Victoria: Natural Disasters (1 speech)
I acknowledge the words of the member for Indi. From fires to floods, the Surf Coast region has experienced an extremely challenging few weeks. We have seen cars swept into the ocean and...
- Calare Electorate: Homelessness (1 speech)
Homelessness is a growing issue across our region, and for many it's all too easy to look the other way. On any given night there are hundreds of people sleeping rough and homeless across...
- Gilmore Electorate: Military History (1 speech)
Last week I was pleased to drop into the Nowra Museum and meet with the enthusiastic and dedicated members of the Shoalhaven Historical Society. The local historians work really hard to look...
- McCamley, Sir Graham Edward, MBE (1 speech)
I rise today to pay tribute to the life and legacy of Sir Graham McCamley, a leader in Australia's beef industry and a proud Central Queenslander. Sir Graham stands alongside tennis great and...
- Education (1 speech)
As students, families and teachers return to school for the new school year, I want to recognise the hard work that's happening in every classroom and every staff room around Australia, from...
- Hinkler Electorate: Community Events (1 speech)
I have a good news story for the town of Childers in the heart of my electorate: the Isis RSL sub-branch is now the proud custodian of a HMAS Childers shield or crest, as it's known. The shield...
- Medicare, Hume Men's Shed, Country Fire Authority (1 speech)
I recently had the pleasure of visiting the dedicated team at Melton Medical and Dental Centre to mark their transition to 100 per cent bulk-billing for every patient. This is a direct result of...
- Australia Day (1 speech)
Australia Day is a day that reflects who we are as a nation: resilient, generous, hardworking and community minded. Like many Australians, I spent the day with local families, volunteers and...
- Labor Government (1 speech)
Whether it's infrastructure, health care or investing in the arts, the Albanese Labor government is investing in communities right around the country, including mine in the southern suburbs of...
- Home Insurance (1 speech)
No-one should have to choose between putting food on their table and being able to afford insurance. This is the unfortunate reality for the people that call Townsville home. Reports show that...
- Lalor Electorate: Medicare (1 speech)
I rise today to talk about what Labor is doing to strengthen access to local health care. In recent months, I visited GP clinics across the electorate of Lalor to see firsthand what our...
- Interest Rates (1 speech)
Interest rates are up. There was a decision today from the RBA to raise interest rates after inflation had been going up. Today, headline inflation is sitting at 3.8 per cent. Today, our...
- Sharing for Kids (1 speech)
In Griffith, going back to school can bring a sense of routine back to the house. I know it has for my household. But for some families it also brings a quiet stress, because the book list is...
- Australia Day (1 speech)
Every Australia Day, we celebrate our great country, our democratic values, our freedoms and our beautiful landscape, as well as our national character of strength and resilience, forged over...
- Pearce Electorate: Health (2 speeches)
I understand the member for Pearce would like to present a copy of their speech for incorporation into Hansard in accordance with the resolution agreed to on 6 November 2025.
- Cook Electorate: Sutherland Shire Citizens of the Year Awards (1 speech)
This Australia Day weekend in the Sutherland Shire, we had a weekend of festivities. It was glorious, but one of the top events was the 2026 Sutherland Shire Citizens of the Year Awards, for...
- Hunter Electorate: Awards and Honours (1 speech)
I rise today to recognise some truly outstanding Aussies from the Cessnock and Singleton local government areas whose service, generosity and leadership remind us what community spirit really...
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (2 speeches)
by leave—I've been very blessed to be a father to two beautiful daughters: Astin, who's seven, and Emery, who's five. Coming into the new parliament, we were talking about different...
- Bills (0 speeches)
