Senate debates
Tuesday, 3 February 2026
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Meeting (1 speech)
If there is no objection, the meetings are authorised.
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Perth: Attack (19 speeches)
by leave—Pursuant to contingent notice standing in my name, I move: That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me moving a motion to provide for the consideration of...
- International Relations: Australia and Israel (21 speeches)
I seek leave to move a motion relating to the Israeli president's visit to Australia, as circulated. Leave not granted. Pursuant to contingent notice of motion standing in the name of Senator...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
- Iran (1 speech)
Like so many in this place, I continue to meet with members of the Iranian community here in Australia. In recent weeks I met with representatives of the Iranian Australian community in my...
- John Houston Memorial Swimming Pool (1 speech)
There is so much terrible news to report to the chamber, but I want to take the opportunity to bring some good news—that is about the official reopening of the John Houston Memorial...
- Domestic and Family Violence (1 speech)
We're just one month into 2026 and already six women have been killed by men's violence. The murder of pregnant First Nations woman Sophie Quinn, her new partner, and her aunt, Nerida Quinn,...
- Middle East (1 speech)
I seek to address the horrific rise in state violence in Iran over the past month. Since late December, a population crushed by economic despair and bereft of hope has sought to assert its basic...
- Murray-Darling Basin (1 speech)
I rise today to thank the Minister for the Environment and Water, the Hon. Murray Watt, for his commitment and attention to the Murray-Darling Basin, particularly in listing the lower Murray as...
- Perth: Attack (1 speech)
Australians hate double standards, and the double standard around the response to the attempted terrorist attack in Perth needs to be called out. A spotlight needs to be shone on the racism that...
- Economy (1 speech)
This afternoon Australian families might get some pretty bad news—if interest rates go up. And, if they don't go up this afternoon, they still face grave risks of that because Australia now...
- Bunbury: Australia Day (1 speech)
On 26 January I attended the City of Bunbury's Australia Day citizenship ceremony in WA's South West. Seventy-one people from 27 unique countries became new Australian citizens. It was a proud...
- Indigenous Australians: Freedom of Speech, Indigenous Australians: Youth Justice (1 speech)
I rise to speak in support of the ABCs show Always Was Tonight, a satirical show that uses humour and creativity to challenge and provoke thought on how we treat our First Nations people. It...
- Pregnancy (1 speech)
I want to speak today as a woman who's pregnant and learning in real time just how humbling this experience can be. Each trimester brings its own challenges and lessons. The first trimester can...
- Garden Island Highway (1 speech)
My congratulations to you on your wonderful news, Senator Payman. I rise to speak on the Albanese and Cook governments' mismanagement of the proposed Garden Island Highway project in Western...
- Economy (1 speech)
What a place to find ourselves in at the beginning of 2026. In as late as August last year, the Labor government were claiming credit for a recovering economy and touting their fiscal...
- Oil and Gas Exploration (1 speech)
Today, in the Australian Senate, I'd like to give a massive shout-out to the more than one thousand Victorians who turned up on Saturday afternoon for a protest paddle-out against the Albanese...
- Superannuation (1 speech)
In a land far away, I was 17 years old when I got my first job. I was young, impressionable and ready to work hard to prove myself and put a bit of money away for the future. Back then, wages...
- Hospitals (2 speeches)
I rise today to welcome the National Cabinet's agreement, delivered by the Albanese Labor government, to provide record new funding for Australia's public hospitals. For Western...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Economy (15 speeches)
My question is to Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Last July, the Prime Minister stood before Australians and said that inflation had 'turned the corner'. The reality for...
- Albanese Government (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister. Australians rightly want their government focused on the things that matter to them, like tackling the cost-of-living pressures,...
- Cost of Living (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Families in regional Australia are being hit hardest by Labor's cost-of-living crisis, paying more for fuel,...
- International Relations: Australia and Israel (8 speeches)
My question is to Minister Wong. Minister, late last year, you told the Australian Institute of International Affairs: Australia will always make our contribution, as part of multilateral efforts...
- Economy (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. The OECD's latest report provides a powerful endorsement of Australia's economic position, highlighting the Albanese...
- Veterans (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Veterans' Affairs. The Royal Commission into Defence and Veterans Suicide found serious issues with the quality, timeliness and...
- Housing (28 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Minister Gallagher. Minister, you would have seen analysis released by ACOSS finding that the federal government is spending more on tax...
- Wages (12 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Watt. It's been more than three years since the government's Secure Jobs, Better Pay...
- Interest Rates (23 speeches)
My question is for the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Minister, this afternoon the Reserve Bank board increased interest rates by 25 basis points. How much will this rate...
- Health Care (9 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator McAllister. Delivering cost-of-living relief and accessible, quality health care is a key priority for the...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Answers to Questions (5 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by ministers to all opposition questions without notice asked today. As I kick off, I'd like to first assist our mathematically challenged...
- International Relations: Australia and Israel (1 speech)
I rise to take note of the minister's response to my question. The Labor government have now stopped even pretending that they care about Palestinians or international law or even international...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
I move: That private senators' bills be considered this week as follows: (a) Housing Australia Amendment (Accountability) Bill 2025, on Wednesday, 4 February 2026; and (b) Competition and...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Withdrawal (1 speech)
I withdraw general business notice of motion No. 305 for today and business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1 for tomorrow.
- Business (0 speeches)
- Leave of Absence (3 speeches)
by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Lambie for 19 and 20 January 2026, for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Bolkus, Hon. Nick (10 speeches)
It is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death on 25 December 2025 of the Hon. Nick Bolkus, a former minister and senator for the state of South Australia from 1981 to 2005. I call...
- Allen, Dr Katrina Jane (Katie) (1 speech)
It is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death on 23 December 2025 of Katrina Jane Allen, a former member of the House of Representatives for the division of Higgins in Victoria...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Withdrawal (1 speech)
I withdraw general business notice of motion No. 308 standing in my name.
- Business (0 speeches)
- Withdrawal (5 speeches)
I advise that Senators Lambie, Tyrrell, Thorpe and David Pocock are co-sponsoring this notice of motion. I move: That the government business order of the day relating to the Freedom of...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Workplace Relations; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
I move: GENERAL BUSINESS NOTICE OF MOTION NO. 311 That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, by no later than 5 pm on Tuesday, 24 February 2026,...
- Artificial Intelligence; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister for Industry and Innovation, by no later than 5 pm on Wednesday, 25 February 2026, copies of all ministerial submissions, records of...
- Housing; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
I move: GENERAL BUSINESS NOTICE OF MOTION NO. 315 That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Housing, by no later than 5 pm on Friday, 20 February 2026, copies...
- Grocery Prices; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Treasurer, by no later than 5 pm on Thursday, 26 February 2026, copies of all ministerial submissions, records of...
- Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
- Cost of Living (10 speeches)
Senator Paterson has submitted a proposal, under standing order 75, today, as shown at item No. 14 of today's Order of Business: The need for action to address the worsening cost of living crisis...
- Housing (11 speeches)
The Senate will now consider a proposal, under standing order 75, from Senator McKim, which is shown at item No. 14 of today's Order of Business: The urgent need for the Treasurer to intervene...
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Bolkus, Hon. Nick (1 speech)
by leave—I wish to correct an error made in my speech on the condolence motion for the former senator Nick Bolkus. In that speech, I stated that he had served as Australia's ambassador to...
- Party Office Holders (0 speeches)
- National Party of Australia (1 speech)
by leave—I advise the Senate that I am now the Nationals whip for the purposes of standing order 24A, relating to the Selection of Bills Committee.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Bondi Beach: Attack (1 speech)
I rise to speak about Australia's values and our great nation. The horrific events of 14 December at Bondi Beach broke many hearts, most especially the hearts of 15 families whose loved ones were...
- Health Care (1 speech)
It's good to have you back, Senator Lambie, and thank you for that contribution. We and many people in this chamber know that having a baby is the most wonderful thing in the world. But, for some...
- Evans, Mrs Barbara Eva (Barb), OAM, Evans, Mr Stanley George (Stan), OAM (1 speech)
I wish to honour the lives of Barb and Stan Evans. Both were great Liberal Party members who contributed so much to the Liberal Party and South Australia. They recently passed away, last year....
- Better Together Social Connection Program, Energy, International Relations: Australia and Israel (1 speech)
In my home of Port Phillip, the local council will soon vote on whether to end or continue developing aged social inclusion services through the better together program, a community based social...
- New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (1 speech)
You deserve to choose what car you buy, yet Labor is limiting your choice when it comes to buying a ute, SUV or four-wheel drive. Australians deserve to know the truth about Labor's ute tax. The...
- Cost of Living (2 speeches)
Interest rates have gone up today, and for millions of people that means another hit that they simply cannot absorb. If you're sitting at home wondering how much more you're expected to cop,...
- Cost of Living, Donations to Political Parties (1 speech)
Australians are doing it tough right now, and today's RBA rate hike won't help those struggling to pay off their mortgage and living with cost-of-living pressures, including higher rental,...
- Queensland: Floods, Economy (1 speech)
While I live on the Darling Downs—we have a bit of weather; we've had some rain recently, we've had a bit of wind, and sometimes we'd like some more rain—our weather is nothing...
- Freshwater Bay Primary School, Blackham, Ms Sandra (1 speech)
I rise this evening to commend the students, teachers and community partners involved in the Freshwater Bay Primary School Karrakatta Cross Initiative, a remarkable local project that brings...
- Appelbee, Austin (1 speech)
It's rare in this place to rise with unalloyed joy. Tonight I wish to relate a story and thank a young man in my home state of Western Australia: young Austin Appelbee, a 13-year-old who swam for...
- Bondi Beach: Attack (1 speech)
I was on leave during the last sitting of the Senate and was unable to participate in the condolence debate on the horrific terror attack at Bondi. I wish to place my remarks on the record now....
- Victoria: Bushfires, International Relations: Australia and Iran (1 speech)
Last month, the Victorian bushfires tore through communities with terrifying speed, particularly in the areas of Longwood, Harcourt, Walwa and the Otway Ranges. These fires have left families...
- Middle East, Interest Rates, Somali Community Association of Queensland (1 speech)
Good on you, Senator Ciccone! Good on you! I, too, rise in solidarity with the people of Iran. I stand with the courageous people of Iran, who are seeking peace, freedom and democracy. I stand...
- Griffin, Mr Paul Orlando, OAM, Ovarian Cancer (1 speech)
I rise this evening to pay tribute to a remarkable individual whose lifelong commitment to service has left an indelible mark on Tasmania and our nation: Paul Orlando Griffin OAM. Mr Griffin was...
- Tibet (1 speech)
It is my honour tonight to speak of the Dalai Lama and my recent trip to Dharamsala meet him—a highlight of my life—and to meet with the Tibetan government in exile. It's a particular...
- Labor Government (1 speech)
Tonight I deliver One Nation's eulogy for the status quo that had dominated Australian politics since 1949 and that passed away during the break. 1949 was the year Labor prime minister Ben...
