House debates Questions without Notice

Albanese Government

Thursday, 27 November 2025 House of Representatives

Louise Miller-Frost

Louise Miller-Frost Boothby, Australian Labor Party

3:05 pm

My question is to the Leader of the House. As the parliamentary year draws to a close and we move towards the Christmas season, what are the different approaches to delivery that have been taken so far in the 48th Parliament?

Mr Tony Burke

Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House

I thank the member for Boothby for the question, because the approach to delivery could not be more stark. We have in this 48th Parliament, since the election and because we have an Albanese Labor government, cut 20 per cent of student debt. Because we have an Albanese Labor government, we have cheaper medicines. Because we have an Albanese Labor government, we are protecting penalty rates for Australian workers. Because we have an Albanese Labor government, we have five per cent deposits for first home buyers. To add to that today, because we have an Albanese Labor government, we have long awaited environmental reforms and, I might say, Australian content obligations for streamers.

This approach to delivery you see in the work of the parliament—for other members of parliament, the approach to delivery would be better represented at Christmas time by the movies that people watch at the end of the year, such as the great Christmas story A Christmas Carol. I suggest they all watch a version of it—probably the Muppets version of A Christmas Caroland, in doing so, don't focus on the tragedy of Tiny Tim

Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting

Milton Dick

Milton Dick Speaker

Order! Ministers on my right, just allow the Speaker to deal with this matter. The Leader of the House can resume his seat. There's only one point of order that you could be rising on, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, Member for Wannon.

Dan Tehan

Dan Tehan Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction

It's on relevance. This is about delivery. You can talk about delivering on energy bill relief, but not about movies.

Milton Dick

Milton Dick Speaker

It was a very broad question, Member for Wannon, and you're not to abuse standing orders like that. I'm feeling generous because it's Christmas time. When the House comes to order, the Leader of the House will continue.

Mr Tony Burke

Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House

In A Christmas Carol they should watch out for the ghosts of Christmas past, because we had two of them today. We had the ghost of Christmas past with their former prime minister referring to Liberals today as having 'insane conversations about energy'. He said:

… energy policy should be determined by engineering and economics, not ideology and idiocy.

The other ghost of Christmas past was the member for New England, who was the deputy to Malcolm Turnbull and decided to declare today that he will refuse to join any political party that will have him as a leader.

Milton Dick

Milton Dick Speaker

The Leader of the House, you've got a minute to go, but I ask you to resume your seat. The Leader of the Opposition.

Sussan Ley

Sussan Ley Farrer, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition

Following on from your frequent rulings, my point of order goes to the order of the House. This garbage is out of order.

Milton Dick

Milton Dick Speaker

This places the Speaker in a difficult position, because the question was so broad, but I'm going to ask the Leader of the House to conclude as quickly as possible.

Mr Tony Burke

Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House

It won't be long before they move on from that movie. With Love, Actually we'll have the member for New England turning up at Queensland doorstep for a different party holding a sign saying 'To me, you are perfect.' But while those opposite are watching, the Leader of the Opposition can spend that time watching Home Alone.