Senate debates

Wednesday, 4 February 2026

  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Meeting (1 speech)
      If there is no objection, the meetings are authorised.
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide (10 speeches)
      Pursuant to contingent notice, I move: That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me moving a motion to provide for the consideration of a matter, namely a motion to allow...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
    • Housing, Hanson, Senator Pauline, Tamil Oppression Day, Kurdish Community (1 speech)
      If you haven't already bought a house in Sydney, it's basically impossible to do it now. Even with two wages, most families can't manage the obscene mortgages required for what used to be called...
    • Energy (1 speech)
      Yesterday the Reserve Bank of Australia delivered the verdict that Australians had feared and that the Albanese Labor government pretended would not come. The Reserve Bank lifted the cash rate by...
    • Education, Waste Management and Recycling (1 speech)
      This week, school gates have swung open across the country. Families are back to that familiar rhythm. This moment always feels like a reset, but it's also a reminder of something deeper:...
    • Economy (1 speech)
      Queenslanders are doing it tough right now—really tough. I know that, after a summer of being battered by a monsoon troughs, floods and extreme weather, Queenslanders are calling out for...
    • Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games, Albanese Government, Queensland: Natural Disasters (1 speech)
      Queensland is embarking on a bold and ambitious vision for Brisbane 2032 with the construction of the new Brisbane Stadium at Victoria Park, an investment that's going to shape our capital city...
    • Tasmania: Hospitals, Thriving Kids (1 speech)
      The hospital funding deal between the Commonwealth and the states has now been agreed to. It's been signed, sealed and sold as a win. But, for Tasmanians who rely on our public hospitals every...
    • Medicare (1 speech)
      I rise today to speak about something that affects every Australian family: access to affordable health care. I've just come from the ABC Heywire Regional Youth Summit showcase of young people...
    • Indigenous Australians (1 speech)
      Every day, First Peoples are under attack and dealing with racism in this country, whether it is what people say to us in the street or what they at the supermarket, online, in our workplaces or...
    • Bondi Beach: Attack (1 speech)
      I rise with a heavy heart to reflect on the Bondi Beach massacre. On 14 December 2025 at Bondi, our country changed forever. As a nation, we are still reeling from the shock and pain of the act...
    • Energy (1 speech)
      There actually have been two interest rate decisions this week, and I wanted to highlight the lesser known interest rate decision in my contribution today. Understandably the focus has been on...
    • Economy (1 speech)
      Could this be the worst economic management of the Australian economy in history? It has to be close. Let's start with forecasting. One of the most important jobs that the parliament has is to...
    • One Nation (2 speeches)
      On the day before One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson returns to the Senate, I'd like to reflect on just how Australia has changed during her absence. If a week is a long time in politics,...
    • Australian Society (1 speech)
      The science has weighed in, and it turns out that the right of politics is the more pleasing to the eye. Research in Politics and the Life Sciences journal has now found that the more attractive...
    • Dapiran, Ms Faye Lynette (1 speech)
      I rise today in the Senate in memory of a Labor true believer, patriot and friend to many. Her name was Faye Dapiran, a woman whose contribution to this parliament was matched only by the...
    • Perth: Attack (1 speech)
      Since the first colonial ships landed on this continent, First Nations people have been sent a very clear message: that their lives are not valued, that their safety doesn't matter and that their...
    • Economy (1 speech)
      I rise to speak about an issue that impacts every single Australian, whether you're paying a mortgage, whether you're renting, whether you're running your own business or whether you're a family...
    • Victoria: Bushfires (1 speech)
      Across Australia this summer, communities have endured floods, fires and searing heat, and in many places the challenge is not over. Across Victoria, in places like the Mallee, where I grew up,...
    • Cost of Living (1 speech)
      The Albanese Labor government has failed the most basic test of economic management. Under Labor, inflation is up, interest rates are up, and families are paying the price. Australians are now...
    • Victoria: Bushfires (1 speech)
      I rise today to speak on behalf of the communities across regional Victoria who have endured an extraordinarily difficult and confronting bushfire season. Having visited the aftermath of the...
    • Liberal-National Coalition (1 speech)
      Here we go again—divorce No. 2 for the coalition. Clearly, they both have their divorce lawyers on speed dial! And it's been a bumpy ride. But wait—there is hope. Apparently, they...
    • Discrimination (1 speech)
      Australia's Commonwealth laws still allow faith based institutions to lawfully discriminate against people, whether they be teachers at schools, patients in hospitals or people relying on...
    • Parliamentary Representation (1 speech)
      Australia likes to think that it has a two-party system, but what we really have is a political photocopier. Labor presses the button, and the Liberals take the copy. Sometimes they change the...
    • Johnston, Professor Emma Letitia, AO (1 speech)
      On Boxing Day last year, Australia lost a visionary, an extraordinary marine scientist, a gifted educator and communicator, and a wife and mother: Professor Emma Johnston, AO. Her passing was...
    • Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month (1 speech)
      February is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, which is held each year to educate, advocate and elevate awareness of ovarian cancer. I recently met with a Canberran who shared the story of her...
    • Connolly, Mr David (4 speeches)
      King Charlie, old mate, how have you been? It's me, Lidia, the angry black woman from Down Under. I hear you have a new representative in the Northern Territory—David Connolly, a man with...
    • Labor Government (1 speech)
      Labor is bad for families. Inflation is up, four per cent is on the horizon and, according to the Reserve Bank's own analysis, it's likely to go even higher. Interest rates are on the rise once...
    • Early Childhood Education and Care (2 speeches)
      Last week, like thousands of children across Australia, my daughter, Zara, started her first year of primary school, excited to dive straight into learning. A lifetime of adventure awaits her....
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Housing (24 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Across the government's housing funds, how many dwellings have now been completed because of Commonwealth support...
    • Albanese Government: Economy (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Since coming to government, the Albanese Labor government has focused on dealing with the inflation challenge across...
    • Interest Rates (10 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Minister, yesterday the Reserve Bank of Australia announced a decision that many struggling Australian families had...
    • Taxation (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Finance, Minister Gallagher, representing the Treasurer. Housing cost is the single biggest contributor to recent inflation. The RBA governor yesterday singled...
    • Critical and Strategic Minerals Industry (9 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Industry and Innovation, Senator Ayres. The Albanese Labor government is driving new investment in world-class industrial firms in regional Australia. The...
    • Services Australia (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Social Services, Minister Gallagher. The Commonwealth Ombudsman found that in 2019 Services Australia became aware that its...
    • Economy (20 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Gallagher. Banks are passing on interest rate rises, and families today are making more sacrifices to afford higher home loan repayments as a...
    • Housing (9 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Housing, Senator Ayres. In my home state of WA, the median house price in Perth has recently hit $1 million. It won't be long before...
    • Health Care (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator McAllister. In its first term, the Albanese Labor government delivered cost-of-living relief to all...
    • Economy (10 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Minister Wong. On 29 January 2025, the Prime Minister enthusiastically endorsed his treasurer when he said: The worst of the...
  • Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
    • Housing, Interest Rates, Economy (11 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked by Liberal senators today. What a 'come to Jesus' moment it was yesterday for the Treasurer...
    • Taxation (2 speeches)
      ():  I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Finance (Senator Gallagher) to a question without notice asked by the Leader of the Australian Greens...
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Ovarian Cancer (1 speech)
      by leave—I, and also on behalf of Senators Marielle Smith, Ruston, Waters, McKenzie, Thorpe, Tyrrell, Payman, Lambie, Bell and Babet, move: That the Senate: (a) recognises that February is...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Reporting Date (1 speech)
      by leave—I want to make a contribution here because I think there's an important discussion that the Senate needs to have about orders for the production of documents. I made a contribution...
    • Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee; Reference (4 speeches)
      I move: That the following matter be referred to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 7 September 2026: The fatal July 2023 MRH-90 Taipan Helicopter...
    • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Reference (8 speeches)
      I move: That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 12 May 2026: The effectiveness of preparedness,...
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Rearrangement (1 speech)
      I move: That on Wednesday, 4 February 2026: (a) the hours of meeting be 9 am till adjournment; (b) the routine of business from 6.30 pm be: (i) condolence statements, of not more than 5 minutes...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
    • High Seas Biodiversity Bill 2026; First Reading (1 speech)
      At the request of Senator Watt, I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to give effect to the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the...
    • High Seas Biodiversity Bill 2026; Second Reading (1 speech)
      I table the explanatory memorandum relating to the bill and move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted....
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • Withdrawal (1 speech)
      I ask that general business notice of motion No. 319 be withdrawn.
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • Withdrawal (1 speech)
      I withdraw general business notice of motion No. 325.
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Condolences (0 speeches)
    • Picton, Mr Tim (6 speeches)
      It's with the greatest sadness that I make this contribution to the Senate this afternoon in remembrance of one of my former staff, a colleague, a party stalwart, a business leader and, most...
    • Allen, Dr Katrina Jane (Katie) (10 speeches)
      I rise today to pay tribute to the life of Professor Katie Allen and to extend my deepest condolences to her husband, Malcolm, to their children, Monty, Jemima, Arabella and...
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • Royal Australian Mint (1 speech)
      I rise today to speak about the Royal Australian Mint and the 60th anniversary of Australia's move to decimal currency. On 14 February 1966, Australia changed how it counted money. Pounds,...
    • Victoria: Crime (1 speech)
      I rise to speak on a matter of grave importance to the people of my state, and that is Victoria's crime crisis. This is not the first time I've spoken about Victoria's crime crisis in this place,...
    • International Relations: Australia and the United States of America, Social Cohesion (1 speech)
      We are living in dangerous times. Fascism is building right before our eyes, and it is no accident. In the United States, a country built on violence and exploitation, state violence is moving...
    • Victoria: Community Services (1 speech)
      Last week I had the immense pleasure of visiting friends at the Gurdwara Sri Guru Nanak Darbar in Officer and seeing firsthand the extraordinary contribution this community makes to the lives of...
    • National Security (1 speech)
      In an era of increasing geopolitical volatility and fragmented global supply chains, the concept of national security has evolved far beyond the strength of our nation's military. For Australia,...

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What are Debates?

Debates in the Senate are an opportunity for Senators from all parties to scrutinise government legislation and raise important local, national or topical issues.

And sometimes to shout at each other.