Senate debates
Thursday, 26 March 2026
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Presentation (1 speech)
I give notice that on the next day of sitting I will introduce a bill that will allow individuals to choose what is in their social media feeds—to control their algorithms. That bill will...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Selection of Bills Committee; Report (9 speeches)
I present the fourth report of 2026 of the Selection of Bills Committee and I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The report read as follows— Selection of...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Postponement (1 speech)
If there is no objection, the business is postponed.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Reporting Date (1 speech)
If there is no objection, the business is postponed.
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Housing; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that the Minister representing the Minister for Housing has failed to comply with order for the production of documents no. 208, agreed to on 3 November...
- National Anti-Racism Framework; Order for the Production of Documents (6 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that the Minister representing the Prime Minister has failed to comply with order for the production of documents no. 356, agreed to on 4 March 2026,...
- Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026; Order for the Production of Documents (4 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that the Minister representing the Prime Minister has failed to comply with order for the production of documents no. 357, agreed to on 4 March 2026,...
- Accenture Australia; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, by no later than 5 pm on Thursday, 9 April 2026: (a) copies of all ministerial...
- National Anti-Racism Framework; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Attorney-General, by no later than 9.30 am on Wednesday, 1 April 2026, all ministerial submissions, records of...
- Home Guarantee Scheme; Order for the Production of Documents (3 speeches)
At the request of Senator Bragg, I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 460.
- Housing Australia; Order for the Production of Documents (4 speeches)
At the request of Senator Bragg, I move: That— (a) the Senate notes that: (i) order for the production of documents no. 371, relating to Housing Australia staff surveys, required the...
- Department of the Treasury, Home Guarantee Scheme; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
At the request of Senator Bragg, I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 460. Leave granted. I amend the motion in the terms circulated in the chamber and move: That—...
- Home Guarantee Scheme; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
On behalf of Senator Bragg, I move: That— (a) the Senate notes that: (i) order for the production of documents no. 372, relating to users accessing the Home Guarantee Scheme, required the...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Economics References Committee; Reference (1 speech)
I will continue my speech on this motion from Senator Bragg. I am trying to recall where I finished up yesterday. The key is that we need some scrutiny on the Housing Australia Future Fund. We...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
I move: That: (a) following question time and the reporting of a message from the House of Representatives relating to the Treasury Laws Amendment (Doubling Penalties for ACCC Enforcement) Bill...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
- Fuel (1 speech)
Labor has not been upfront with the Australian people. The economy is weak. It was weakening before the Iran crisis, and now we see that fuel supplies are simply not secure. What have we heard...
- Parkinson's Disease (1 speech)
I rise to speak about an important event recently held at Parliament House, the launch of Australia's first National Parkinson's Action Plan. This plan represents a real step forward for people...
- Middle East (1 speech)
Four weeks ago, Trump and Netanyahu launched a war of aggression against Iran, triggering a global crisis that may take years to recover from. Instead of denouncing this act of madness, Labor...
- New South Wales: Ramadan (1 speech)
Last month, I was able to visit the Lakemba Ramadan dinner. It was a great pleasure to be there as Ramadan finished last week with my good friends in the Lakemba branch of the Liberal Party, led...
- Artificial Intelligence (1 speech)
The data centre gold rush is on. Australia has around 250 data centres. About 40 of these are in Victoria and there's a pipeline of about $40 billion in investment. The community, however, has...
- Middle East (1 speech)
As a senator for the ACT, I never expected to spend so much time here in the chamber speaking about international relations. But here I am again. What's happening overseas has an impact on our...
- Fuel (1 speech)
Australians have been let down by this government, and Australians are hurting because of this government's flat-footedness when it comes to our latest crisis, which, of course, is amidst a...
- Taxation, Ports: Port Operators (1 speech)
AI and automation are already changing how work is carried out across the country, including at our ports. DP World is now the world's fifth-largest port operator and handles close to 40 per cent...
- Fuel, Workplace Relations (1 speech)
I rise to speak to our fuel crisis and how people working from home could help ease supply. Australians are really hurting. We want nothing to do with Trump and Netanyahu's illegal war, the war...
- Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence (1 speech)
I was shocked but not surprised when I read this morning's Sydney Morning Herald headline: 'Chalmers' razor gang eyes cuts to legal services for DV victims'. It is a disgraceful headline. We are...
- Economy (1 speech)
The reason it's so important to get your house in order is that you never know what is just around the corner, and inflation data that was released this week hammered home the point that the RBA...
- Fuel (1 speech)
Labor is now holding its second national crisis meeting to deal with the fuel crisis it denied existed for weeks. Yet once again Labor is showing it's too weak, too slow and too out of touch to...
- Asylum Seekers (1 speech)
This week, I was so lucky to meet with three refugees from Iran, who have been part of our communities for years as our neighbours, workmates, colleagues and friends. It shocks people to know...
- Middle East (1 speech)
In recent weeks, Israel has killed more than 1,100 civilians in Lebanon and displaced more than a million people. They are systematically destroying housing, roads, bridges, water systems and...
- Early Childhood Education and Care (2 speeches)
I recently had the opportunity to visit Goodstart Early Learning Centre in East Bunbury, and I want to take a moment to thank Kerryn, Sally and Jessica for showing me around their wonderful...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Fuel Security (16 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Yesterday, as reported by the ABC, S-Bend service station, which is 30 kilometres south of Geraldton in my home state...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- Acknowledgement (1 speech)
I draw the attention of honourable senators to the presence in the gallery of the Australian Political Exchange Council's 16th delegation from the Philippines, led by the honourable congresswoman...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Fuel Security (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Iran is holding the Strait of Hormuz hostage, attacking or threatening to attack merchant and civilian vessels and...
- Waste Management and Recycling (8 speeches)
My question is also to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. The ABC has reported that waste industry leaders across Australia, including the Waste Recycling Industry...
- Cybersafety (18 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Communications, which I believe is Senator Farrell. Today a US jury has found Meta and Google liable for deliberately designing...
- Fertiliser (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Industry and Innovation, Senator Ayres. Global energy markets and supply chains are disrupted due to the war in the Middle East, and these disruptions include...
- Donations to Political Parties (11 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Minister McCarthy. I have seen that you are selling tickets to a Labor Party business event in Sydney on 9 April, offering corporate...
- Fuel (25 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Ports are warning trade could grind to a halt unless fuel is urgently prioritised. More than 200 electrical...
- Disaster and Emergency Management (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator McCarthy. Northern Australia has been experiencing successive and compounding natural disasters this wet season. It has...
- Fuel (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Minister, can you guarantee that Australia will not run out of fuel supplies?
- Road Transport Industry (8 speeches)
My questioning is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Minister, our road transport industry is vital to keeping our nation's economy moving, as I...
- Fuel (11 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator Ayres. The West Australian reported that Lauren Thompson and Jet Wilson are young Western...
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Fuel, Artificial Intelligence (2 speeches)
In question time on Wednesday 11 March, I undertook to provide further information in response to questions asked of me by Senator Canavan in my capacity as the Minister representing the Minister...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Answers to Questions (27 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked today. We heard in question time today—and I like to throw in quotes with...
- Fuel Security, Waste Management and Recycling, Cybersafety, Fuel (2 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Senator Wong) and the Minister for Trade and Tourism (Senator Farrell) to questions without notice...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Housing Australia, State of Australian Cities Report, National Anti-Racism Framework, Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026, Home Guarantee Scheme, Cybersafety, Aged Care; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
I table documents relating to orders for the production of documents concerning Housing Australia, the State of Australian cities report, the National Anti-Racism Framework, the Race...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
I move: That consideration of general business not proceed today. Question agreed to.
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Mining Industry (1 speech)
It's been Minerals Week 2026, and I recognise a sector that does not merely talk about national prosperity but that actually delivers it. It is a timely reminder of something that should be front...
- Freedom of Speech (1 speech)
'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.' This is the peaceful, hopeful cry for freedom that the people of Palestine and their allies have been making for decades. It's a chant that...
- Workplace Relations (1 speech)
The Australian Labor Party and the Australian trade union movement want a better deal for working people in this country. The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association brought an...
- Critical and Strategic Minerals Industry (1 speech)
Liberty Bell Bay, located in the north of my home state of Tasmania, is Australia last manganese smelter and, as such, is a vital piece of nationally strategic infrastructure. Earlier this week,...
- Middle East (1 speech)
Last week, millions of people around the world, including here in Australia, marked Nowruz, the Iranian new year, a time of renewal, hope and peace. But, as communities gathered, we have seen a...
