House debates
Wednesday, 8 October 2025
Committees
Selection Committee; Report
9:01 am
Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
On behalf of the Speaker, I present report No. 3 of the Selection Committee, relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and private members' business on Monday 27 October 2025. The report will be printed in the Hansard for today, and the committee's determinations will appear on tomorrow's Notice Paper. Copies of the report have been placed on the table.
The report read as follows—
Report relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and of private Members' business
1. The Committee met in private session on Tuesday, 7 October 2025.
2. The Committee deliberated on items of committee and delegation business that had been notified, private Members' business items listed on the Notice Paper and notices lodged on Tuesday, 7 October 2025, and determined the order of precedence and times on Monday, 27 October 2025, as follows:
Items for House of Representatives Chamber (10.10 am to 12 noon)
COMMITTEE AND DELEGATION BUSINESS
Presentation and statements
1 AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION
Report of the Parliamentary Delegation to the Forty-fifth General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic.
The Committee determined that statements on the report may be made all statements to conclude by 10.20.
Speech time limits
Mr Georganas 5 minutes.
Mr Birrell 5 minutes.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 5 mins]
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Notices
1 MR LEESER: To present a Bill for an Act to amend the Crimes Act 1914, and for related purposes. (Crimes Amendment (Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Child Sexual Abuse) Bill 2025)
(Notice given 7 October 2025.)
Presenter may speak to the second reading for a period not exceeding 10 minutes pursuant to standing order 41. Debate must be adjourned pursuant to standing order 142.
2 DR M RYAN: To present A Bill for an Act to establish a scheme to promote and enhance transparency, integrity and honesty in dealings between lobbyists and Government representatives, and for related purposes. (Lobbying (Improving Government Honesty and Trust) Bill 2025)
(Notice given 7 October 2025.)
Presenter may speak to the second reading for a period not exceeding 10 minutes pursuant to standing order 41. Debate must be adjourned pursuant to standing order 142.
Orders of the day
1 REPEAL NET ZERO BILL 2025 (Mr Joyce): Second reading—Resumption of debate (from 1 September 2025).
Time allotted 20 minutes.
Speech time limits
All Members 5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
Notices — continued
3 MS J RYAN: To move:
That this House:
(1) acknowledges the Government's commitment to strengthen Medicare, including $8.5 billion to deliver an additional 18 million bulk billed general practitioner (GP) visits each year, hundreds of nursing scholarships and thousands more doctors in the largest GP training program ever;
(2) notes:
(a) this measure has already seen practices around Australia become fully bulk billed, with nine out of ten GP visits expected to be bulk billed by 2030 and around 4,800 fully bulk billed practices, which is triple the current number; and
(b) that while the Government is expanding access to bulk billing by expanding the bulk billing incentive, by contrast the Leader of the Opposition, as the Minister for Health:
(i) never increased Medicare rebates, the only health minister in Australian history to do so;
(ii) doubled-down on the then Government's $50 billion cut to hospitals; and
(iii) continued the fight for the then Leader of the Opposition's GP tax; and
(3) further acknowledges that only the current Government will strengthen Medicare.
(Notice given 7 October 2025.)
Time allotted 20 minutes.
Speech time limits
Ms J Ryan 5 minutes.
Other Members 5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue at a later hour.
4 MR KATTER: To move:
That this House:
(1) acknowledges that:
(a) the Australian banana industry:
(i) is worth $1.3 billion to the Australian economy and is the dominant employer in northern Australia; and
(ii) represents more than 540 growers and employs over 15,000 people;
(b) Australia, being a continent which until the 1800s had no farming, remains free of many of the world's most devasting vegetation diseases, including Moko, Black Sigatoka, and Banana Freckle, however, these diseases are found throughout plantations in the Philippines causing widespread crop losses and often producing a flawed, largely inedible product;
(c) these diseases will destroy Australia's banana industry and seriously damage our virgin, natural wonderland and threaten other food production activities;
(d) the US Department of Labor, the Centre for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR), and the Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research (EILER) have all found significant instances of poor work conditions in banana plantations across the Philippines, including widespread child labour;
(e) the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is currently considering an application to import bananas from the Philippines, and has advised that it will only consider the risk of disease; and
(f) bad enough in itself, the application does not consider the need for imports, the disparity in environmental conditions, chemical usage, wages and the various other factors that fail to make free trade, fair trade; and
(2) calls on the Government to take immediate and decisive action to protect Australia's banana industry by ensuring that the:
(a) application to import bananas from the Philippines be rejected, due to:
(i) unacceptable biosecurity risks that will create real danger to not only Australia's banana industry but also to Australia's virgin nature wonderland as Philippine banana imports will be the vector of a myriad of diseases including Black Sigatoka, Moko Disease and Banana Freckle;
(ii) economic impact of decimating Australia's $1.3 billion banana industry, specifically considering the huge social and economic impact on communities where bananas are grown;
(iii) devastating environmental impacts of bananas grown in the Philippines that have vastly different chemical and pesticide usage and lower overall environmental standards;
(iv) the difference in cost of production including wages and working conditions, for example, the average wage of $50 per week in the Philippines verses $1,153.30 per week in Australia; and
(v) significant evidence of child labour throughout Philippine banana plantations, as reported by the US Department of Labor, CTUHR and EILER, with studies indicating that 22.5 per cent of households in banana growing regions have a child working in banana plantations;
(b) Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry immediately reject the import application as there is no overriding need nor demand for the imported product; and
(c) Government immediately introduce legislation that acknowledges our other international obligations including, but not restricted to, slavery, child labour and other unfair working conditions and wages, and environmental impacts including pesticide and chemical usage.
(Notice given 7 October 2025.)
Time allotted 15 minutes.
Speech time limits
Mr Katter 5 minutes.
Other Members 5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 3 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
5 MR VIOLI: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) the Government's spending will reach its highest level outside of recession since 1986;
(b) since the Government came to office, it has added $100 billion to the national debt, set to breach $1 trillion this financial year and $1.2 trillion by the time of the next election;
(c) the Government's new decisions since coming to office total a shocking $22 billion, and had the Government shown any fiscal discipline to find savings to fund the new commitments, the Government would be delivering a healthy surplus today;
(d) we are spending $50,000 on interest every minute, which is money that cannot be spent on essential services;
(e) the persistence in inflation has pushed out the prospect of further interest rate relief with markets now expecting it may be 'one and done', that is, for interest rates to remain at around 3.25 per cent indefinitely, little more than one rate cut lower than the current level; and
(f) millions of Australian mortgage holders will have repayments on the average mortgage set to remain at $1,700 higher per month indefinitely under this Government than under the previous Government; and
(2) calls on the Government to reintroduce the quantifiable fiscal rules that every recent government of either political persuasion has adopted, and to heed the calls of leading economists like former Treasury Secretary Ken Henry, and former Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Phillip Lowe, as well as leading international organisations like the International Monetary Fund to introduce such rules.
(Notice given 7 October 2025.)
Time allotted 25 minutes.
Speech time limits
Mr Violi 5 minutes.
Other Members 5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 5 x 5 mins]
Time allotted remaining private Members' business time prior to 12 noon.
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue at a later hour.
Items for Federation Chamber (11 am to 1.30 pm)
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Notices
1 DR HAINES: To move:
That this House:
(1) recognises that:
(a) 28 per cent of the Australian population live outside major cities;
(b) people living in rural and remote areas have higher rates of hospitalisations, deaths and injury and also have poorer access to, and use of, primary health care services, than people living in major cities, yet investment in regional and rural health is falling behind leaving regional communities with outdated facilities, insufficient training places and healthcare students struggling to train locally; and
(c) the lack of open, competitive and needs-based hospital infrastructure funds means regional and rural hospitals have no transparent, competitive Commonwealth funding pathways to build critical infrastructure to deliver health services for the growing border population into the future;
(2) notes that premiers are calling for increased funding from the federal government for hospitals, including specifically for infrastructure; and
(3) calls on the Government to establish a $2 billion Building Regional and Rural Hospitals Fund to provide competitive and needs-based investment for new buildings, equipment and planning, so health services in regional, rural and remote areas classified as MM2 and higher can apply for hospital infrastructure funding to meet the needs of their communities now and into the future.
(Notice given 7 October 2025.)
Time allotted 15 minutes.
Speech time limits
Dr Haines 5 minutes.
Other Members 5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 3 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
2 MR BURNS: To move:
That this House:
(1) acknowledges the Government's commitment to help first home buyers realise their dream of ownership by:
(a) bring forward the launch of the 5 per cent deposits scheme for all first home buyers to 1 October 2025, instead of next year;
(b) expanding the 5 per cent deposits scheme with unlimited places and increased property price caps;
(c) guaranteeing a portion of a first home buyer's home loan through the 5 per cent deposits scheme, so they can purchase with a lower deposit and avoid lenders' mortgage insurance; and
(d) offering eligible single parent families with a saved 2 per cent deposit access to the Family Home Guarantee; and
(2) notes that one hundred and eighty thousand Australians have already been helped into home ownership through the Government's housing policies.
(Notice given 7 October 2025.)
Time allotted 30 minutes.
Speech time limits
Mr Burns 5 minutes.
Other Members 5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
3 MR CHESTER: To move:
That this House:
(1) acknowledges that:
(a) some of Australia's leading forest scientists have acknowledged we have the knowledge, practical skills and regulatory framework to sustainably mange our native forests, including for timber harvesting on small, carefully targeted areas;
(b) we have a world-class and sustainable native hardwood timber industry in Australia which delivers social, economic, cultural and environmental benefits for our nation;
(c) timber industry workers provide invaluable skills and practical support to their communities during times of natural disasters, particularly bushfires;
(d) banning native timber harvesting in Australia will result in more imported timber products, often sourced from countries with poorer environmental protocols; and
(e) a sustainable native hardwood timber industry is part of the answer to reducing Australia's carbon emissions as timber products sequester carbon in our floorboards, furniture and other timber products;
(2) notes that the Victorian and New South Wales state governments have made illogical decisions to ban native hardwood timber harvesting which is based on political science, not environmental science; and
(3) urges the Government to:
(a) recognise the sovereign capability to maintain a sustainable native hardwood timber industry is an issue of national importance because of the impact on house prices, supply chain considerations, carbon sequestration, biodiversity and community safety;
(b) support a taxpayer-funded public information campaign to explain the importance of the native hardwood timber industry and dispel the myths perpetuated by environmental activists; and
(c) resist any further attempts to ban the sustainable harvesting of native hardwood timber.
(Notice given 7 October 2025.)
Time allotted 30 minutes.
Speech time limits
Mr Chester 5 minutes.
Other Members 5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
4 MS LAWRENCE: To move:
That this House:
(1) acknowledges the Government's will make available an initial $12 billion towards the Henderson Defence Precinct to deliver continuous naval shipbuilding and an AUKUS presence in Western Australia, meaning:
(a) record investments across shipbuilding and in AUKUS in the west;
(b) support for approximately 10,000 direct jobs over the next two decades;
(c) opportunities for small and medium sized businesses across the state and Australia; and
(d) certainty for industry that will partner on the construction of infrastructure and facilities; and
(2) notes that the Government continues to increase defence spending to record levels to deliver the capabilities Australia needs through measures like:
(a) the arrival of the first two of 29 Apache attack helicopters;
(b) $1.7 billion for a new fleet of autonomous maritime vehicles including Ghost Shark for the navy;
(c) selection of the Mogami-class frigate as our new general purpose frigates;
(d) boosting Australia's long-range strike capability with the Precision Strike Missiles and $2.12 billion in additional stocks of advanced medium-range missiles to strengthen Australia's air defence and aerial strike capability; and
(e) $1.3 billion investment over the next ten years in counter-drone capabilities and technologies.
(Notice given 7 October 2025.)
Time allotted 20 minutes.
Speech time limits
Ms Lawrence 5 minutes.
Other Members 5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
5 MR BUCHHOLZ: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes:
(a) the National Centre for Vocational Education Research advises that there are 320,830 active apprentices and trainees in training, representing a drop of 107,320 apprentices and trainees in training compared to when the Opposition was last in office;
(b) that new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics released in September 2025 shows Australia's building approvals are collapsing, with total dwelling approvals down by 8.2 per cent and private sector apartment approvals down by 22 per cent; and
(c) the critical link between the collapse in apprentice and trainee numbers and the shortage of skilled workers needed to address Australia's growing housing crisis, with fewer tradespeople available to build the homes Australians desperately need;
(2) recognises that the housing crisis is being compounded by this failure in skills and training, leading to higher costs, longer delays, and fewer Australians able to achieve the dream of home ownership;
(3) condemns the Government for failing to ensure an adequate pipeline of skilled workers to meet Australia's needs, and for overseeing a collapse in both apprentice numbers and housing approvals at a time when the nation can least afford it; and
(4) calls on the Government to take immediate and urgent action to:
(a) rebuild apprentice and trainee numbers across the economy, particularly in construction and housing trades;
(b) work with industry and employers to support real pathways into skills and training; and
(c) develop a credible strategy to ensure Australia has the skilled workforce required to meet current and future housing demand.
(Notice given 7 October 2025.)
Time allotted 30 minutes.
Speech time limits
Mr Buchholz 5 minutes.
Other Members 5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
Orders of the day
MEDICARE: Resumption of debate on the motion of Ms J Ryan—That this House:
(1) acknowledges the Government's commitment to strengthen Medicare, including $8.5 billion to deliver an additional 18 million bulk billed general practitioner (GP) visits each year, hundreds of nursing scholarships and thousands more doctors in the largest GP training program ever;
(2) notes:
(a) this measure has already seen practices around Australia become fully bulk billed, with nine out of ten GP visits expected to be bulk billed by 2030 and around 4,800 fully bulk billed practices, which is triple the current number; and
(b) that while the Government is expanding access to bulk billing by expanding the bulk billing incentive, by contrast the Leader of the Opposition, as the Minister for Health:
(i) never increased Medicare rebates, the only health minister in Australian history to do so;
(ii) doubled-down on the then Government's $50 billion cut to hospitals; and
(iii) continued the fight for the then Leader of the Opposition's GP tax; and
(3) further acknowledges that only the current Government will strengthen Medicare.
(Notice given 7 October 2025.)
Time allotted 25 minutes.
Speech time limits
All Members 5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 5 x 5 mins]
Time allotted remaining private Members' business time prior to 1.30 pm.
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
Items for Federation Chamber (4.45 pm to 7.30 pm)
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Orders of the day — continued
GOVERNMENT SPENDING: Resumption of debate on the motion of Mr Violi—That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) the Government's spending will reach its highest level outside of recession since 1986;
(b) since the Government came to office, it has added $100 billion to the national debt, set to breach $1 trillion this financial year and $1.2 trillion by the time of the next election;
(c) the Government's new decisions since coming to office total a shocking $22 billion, and had the Government shown any fiscal discipline to find savings to fund the new commitments, the Government would be delivering a healthy surplus today;
(d) we are spending $50,000 on interest every minute, which is money that cannot be spent on essential services;
(e) the persistence in inflation has pushed out the prospect of further interest rate relief with markets now expecting it may be 'one and done', that is, for interest rates to remain at around 3.25 per cent indefinitely, little more than one rate cut lower than the current level; and
(f) millions of Australian mortgage holders will have repayments on the average mortgage set to remain at $1,700 higher per month indefinitely under this Government than under the previous Government; and
(2) calls on the Government to reintroduce the quantifiable fiscal rules that every recent government of either political persuasion has adopted, and to heed the calls of leading economists like former Treasury Secretary Ken Henry, and former Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Phillip Lowe, as well as leading international organisations like the International Monetary Fund to introduce such rules.
(Notice given 7 October 2025.)
Time allotted 40 minutes.
Speech time limits
All Members 5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
Notices — continued
6 MS BRISKEY: To move:
That this House:
(1) acknowledges the enormous changes that artificial intelligence (AI) will create for Australia and Australians;
(2) welcomes the Government's commitment to ensuring that AI:
(a) contributes positively to a Future Made in Australia;
(b) delivers benefits to all Australians, not just a small number of individuals and businesses; and
(c) is developed, deployed and used in a way that keeps Australians safe; and
(3) recognises the work being led by the Government to ensure that Australians are ready to take advantage of AI, including, more than:
(a) $47 million for the Next Generation Graduate program;
(b) one million free 'introduction to AI' scholarships delivered from TAFE NSW to give Australians the fundamental skills to adopt and use AI; and
(c) $17 million to create four AI Adopt Centres, which are supporting businesses across the country to use responsible AI enabled services to enhance their businesses.
(Notice given 7 October 2025.)
Time allotted 20 minutes.
Speech time limits
Ms Briskey 5 minutes.
Other Members 5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
7 DR WEBSTER: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) a Royal Automobile Club of Victoria 'My Country Road' survey in July 2024 of over 7,000 Victorians saw 64 per cent of respondents identify potholes and poor road conditions as their top safety issue, up from 46 per cent in 2021;
(b) a National Transport Research Organisation survey found 91 per cent of Victoria's 8,400 kilometre road network is rated poor or very poor;
(c) the Audit Office of New South Wales identified in November 2024 that in the last available reporting year the estimated total replacement cost of council road assets across New South Wales was around $102 billion but in the same year local councils reported collective road asset maintenance expenditure of around $1 billion;
(d) according to the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), local roads make up 77 per cent of Australia's road network by length, with 678,000 kilometres managed by local governments, only 39 per cent of which are sealed roads;
(e) ALGA president Matt Burnett described the former Government's $3.25 billion Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) program as a 'game-changer', adding that 'reinstating the LRCI Program will support every council, and more importantly, provide tangible benefits to every Australian community'.
(f) former ALGA president Linda Scott said in 2023 'making the LRCI permanent would be an investment in Australia's future productivity';
(g) Local Government Association of South Australia CEO Clinton Jury said the LRCI program 'made a significant, positive impact on our neighbourhoods by uplifting our regional roads—making them safer for everyone'; and
(h) despite the very strong endorsements of LRCI and the road maintenance burden on local governments across regional Australia, the Government axed LRCI with final payments due this financial year and have not provided an alternative to make our roads safer and improve regional productivity; and
(2) calls upon the Government to outline how it will fund local roads to improve road safety and productivity for regional Australians.
(Notice given 28 August 2025.)
Time allotted 40 minutes.
Speech time limits
Dr Webster 5 minutes.
Other Members 5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
8 MS COFFEY: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes the:
(a) Government has accepted the Climate Change Authority's independent advice and has set Australia's climate change target at a range of between 62 to 70 per cent on 2005 emissions;
(b) release of the National Climate Risk Assessment, which found that no Australian community will be immune from climate risks that will be cascading, compounding and concurrent; and
(c) release of the Department of the Treasury's modelling on 18 September, which found Australia's ambitious and achievable plan to reduce emissions will support continued economic growth, higher living standards and employment, including resulting 2.3 million more people being employed by 2035, and Australia's economy being up to $2 trillion worse off cumulatively by 2050 compared to a disorderly transition scenario;
(2) recognises the Government is delivering on its promises which Australians voted for to act on climate change, upgrade our energy system and seize the economic opportunity before our nation; and
(3) calls on the Opposition to leave the climate wars in the past, solve its internal divisions and join the rest of the Parliament in taking meaningful action on climate change.
(Notice given 7 October 2025.)
Time allotted 40 minutes.
Speech time limits
Ms Coffey 5 minutes.
Other Members 5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
9 MS STANLEY: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month and that Wednesday, 15 October 2025 marks Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day; and
(b) this day acknowledges the shared loss experienced by parents, friends, and healthcare workers of babies lost through miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death;
(2) acknowledges:
(a) that there is a significant impact on families who have lost a baby;
(b) that every year 110,000 Australians experience a miscarriage, more than 2,000 experience stillbirth, and almost 700 lose a baby within the first 28 days;
(c) that stillbirth occurrence is higher in Aboriginal and culturally diverse communities; and
(d) all families who have experienced loss, either recently or over time; and
(3) commends the Government for providing more than $40 million to organisations to support women and families following stillbirth, neonatal death or miscarriage.
(Notice given 28 August 2025.)
Time allotted 25 minutes.
Speech time limits
Ms Stanley 5 minutes.
Other Members 5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 5 x 5 mins]
Time allotted remaining private Members' business time prior to 7.30 pm.
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
Speaker of the House of Representatives
8 October 2025