Senate debates
Tuesday, 12 May 2026
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Meeting (1 speech)
If there is no objection, the meetings are authorised.
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Kumanjayi Little Baby (21 speeches)
by leave—I move a motion relating to Kumanjayi Little Baby, as circulated: Omit all words after "That the Senate" and insert: (a) mourns the tragic death of 5-year-old Kumanjayi Little...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Days and Hours of Meeting (1 speech)
I seek leave to amend government business notice of motion No. 1. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended: Omit paragraphs (2)(c)(ii) and (iii), substitute: (ii) adjournment without debate....
- Governor-General's Speech (0 speeches)
- Address-in-Reply (1 speech)
The only thing worse than being misled is being lied to, and this government told Australians that they would be better off under them. Four years ago they made that commitment, and, at the last...
- Gas Industry (2 speeches)
As many Australians feeling the weight of the cost of living look to tonight's budget, we know one thing that won't be in the budget: ensuring Australians get a fair return from the export of our...
- Budget (1 speech)
Labor prime minister Anthony Albanese and Labor treasurer Jim Chalmers say that governments are allowed to change their minds. My message to the Labor government is simple: voters are free to...
- Warrnambool May Racing Carnival, Farrer By-Election (1 speech)
Good to see you, Acting Deputy President! Today I wanted to recognise the outstanding success of the 2026 Warrnambool May Racing Carnival. It is one of Australia's greatest regional sporting...
- South Australia: Environment (1 speech)
Yesterday, bulldozers and chainsaws rolled into Possum Park in Adelaide's beautiful national heritage-listed parklands in my home state of South Australia. More than 585 trees are set to be...
- Child Care (1 speech)
Labor's Minister for Women's recent comments that the sooner you get a child into early education or care, the better prepared they are clearly wrong and fundamentally misunderstand the needs of...
- Farrer By-Election (1 speech)
I rise to speak about the result in the Farrer by-election. Let's not dress this one up; it was a political disaster for the Liberal Party. Farrer is not some inner city seat that the Liberals...
- Josh4Hearts Foundation (1 speech)
On Sunday I joined the Oguns family and hundreds of Canberrans for the launch of the Josh4Hearts foundation. Josh Oguns was an exceptional young man, a gifted athlete with a passion for football....
- Antisemitism (3 speeches)
Things stick with you in this job, things that you see many years before. They come back to you. I remember very vividly going to the Carmel School in Perth, a Jewish school, many years before...
- Coalition (1 speech)
In the Labor government, we're going to get on with the job of delivering for the nation. But seated across from us, this rapidly diminishing opposition struggles to maintain any relevance. After...
- Climate Change (1 speech)
As we burn more coal and gas, our oceans warm and our climate changes. The science is unequivocal. The Pacific Ocean, in particular, is a giant cauldron for this planet's weather and climate....
- Labor Government (1 speech)
What defines this Labor government more than anything else is its total and abject lack of ambition. Every policy is triangulated. Every so-called reform is watered down to the bare minimum....
- Grayden, Mr Bill, AM (1 speech)
I rise to record the very remarkable life of Bill Grayden AM, who passed away in Perth on 28 April at the age of 105. Born in Bickley, Western Australia in 1920, Bill was determined to serve his...
- Renewable Energy (1 speech)
You can feel the panic from the Albanese Labor government as their green energy transition obsession starts to fall apart. Where is this planet coming from? There was a piece published this...
- Housing (1 speech)
WA's housing crisis is cooked. People are sleeping in their cars. Young people are locked out of homeownership. Meanwhile, property investors, billionaires and the big corporations are doing just...
- Liberty Bell Bay (1 speech)
By a small town on a beautiful river lies a cornerstone of Australian manufacturing, Liberty Bell Bay. It's the only manganese smelter in the country, run by a dedicated team in the clean, green...
- Farrer By-Election (2 speeches)
The result in Saturday's by-election in Farrer was not just a bad night for the Liberal Party; it was a catastrophic judgement on the Leader of the Opposition and a damning warning about where...
- Ministry (0 speeches)
- Temporary Arrangements (1 speech)
I advise changes to ministerial arrangements. Senator Gallagher, as is usually the case for the budget, is absent from question time today due to—it says ministerial business, but it's the...
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Muddle, Warrant Officer Class 2 Lachlan (3 speeches)
by leave—Before we proceed to questions, I wish to acknowledge, on behalf of the government, a tragic loss for the Australian Defence Force and for our nation. Warrant Officer Lachlan...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Taxation (29 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Last year the Prime Minister stood before the Australian people and declared: The only tax policy we're implementing...
- Budget (41 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer and Minister for Finance, Senator Wong. The conflict in the Middle East is disrupting global oil supplies and contributing to higher...
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (12 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Senator McAllister. Your government is expected to remove billions of dollars from the NDIS tonight. This is huge. It...
- Fuel Security (9 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator Ayres. Global energy markets and supply chains have been disrupted by the war in the Middle East....
- United Nations (34 speeches)
My question is for the Minister representing the Attorney-General. Does your government accept that it is a federal responsibility to uphold international agreements that this country ratifies?
- Artificial Intelligence (8 speeches)
I'll see what I can do, Matt. My question is to the Minister for Industry and Innovation and the Minister for Science, Minister Ayres. Minister, the Commissioner of Jobs and Skills Australia is...
- Housing (13 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer: I asked in November whether the Labor government had done any modelling on the default rates for young people accessing the five per...
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for the NDIS, Senator McAllister. Labor created the NDIS and it's a big part of Labor's social policy legacy. We want to make sure it's sustainable for future...
- Housing (14 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Labor's leaked cheat sheet of broken promises admits the government has 'focused on housing supply' and now needs to...
- Environmental Legislation (9 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for the Environment and Water, Minister Watt. Last year, the government passed historic reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to...
- 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 questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today. Wasn't it very interesting today, hearing from the Labor...
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of answers given by the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Senator McAllister) to questions without notice asked today. In my question to the...
- Artificial Intelligence (2 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Industry and Innovation (Senator Ayres) to a question without notice I asked today relating to artificial intelligence....
- Housing (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Wong) to a question without notice I asked today relating to housing. The government's...
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- Housing (1 speech)
by leave—I table a non-conforming petition. Leave granted.
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Presentation (1 speech)
I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move: That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair...
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Morris, Hon. Peter Frederick, OAM (4 speeches)
It is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death, on 26 April 2026, of the Hon. Peter Frederick Morris OAM, a former minister and member of the House of Representatives for the...
- Grayden, Hon. William Leonard, AM (1 speech)
It is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death, on 28 April 2026, of the Hon. William Leonard Grayden AM, a member of the House of Representatives for the division of Swan in...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
I move: That private senators' bills be considered this week as follows: a) Superannuation Legislation Amendment (Tackling the Gender Super Gap) Bill 2025 on Wednesday 13 May 2026; and b)...
- Leave of Absence (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to the following senators: (a) Senator Scarr from 12 to 14 May 2026, for personal reasons, (b) Senator McGrath for 14 May 2026, for...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
- Climate Change (1 speech)
The question is that the urgency motion moved by Senator Faruqi on 1 April 2026 be agreed to.
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Budget (8 speeches)
Senator Hanson has submitted a proposal, under standing order 75, today, as shown at item 16 of today's Order of Business: Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of...
- Private Health Insurance (9 speeches)
The Senate will now consider the proposal from Senator Ruston, which is also shown at item 16 of today's Order of Business: Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Budget (0 speeches)
- Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
I present additional information received by the Community Affairs Legislation Committee relating to estimates. The information was unavailable at the time of publishing.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Human Rights Joint Committee; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of the Chair of Human Rights Joint Committee, I present the human rights scrutiny reports 4 and 5 of 2026.
- National Anti-Corruption Commission Joint Committee; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of the Chair of the National Anti-Corruption Commission Joint Committee, I present two reports on the examination of annual reports for 2024-25.
- Treaties Joint Committee; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of the Chair of the Treaties Joint Committee, I present its 232nd report, Papua New GuineaAustralia Mutual Defence Treaty (the Pukpuk treaty).
- Education and Employment Legislation Committee, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Committee, National Capital and External Territories Joint Committee, Public Works Joint Committee; Government Response to Report (1 speech)
I present six government responses to committee reports as listed at item 19 on today's Order of Business. In accordance with the usual practice, I seek leave to incorporate the documents into...
- Privileges Committee; Report (1 speech)
I present the 189th report of the Privileges Committee, regarding the handling of documents and communications by the Department of Parliamentary Services, together with accompanying documents. I...
- Taxation of Gas Resources Select Committee; Report (7 speeches)
by leave—I move: That the Senate take note of the report. I note the final report of the Select Committee on the Taxation of Gas Resources. Our inquiry heard loud and clear from Australians...
- Budget (0 speeches)
- Statement and Documents (1 speech)
I table the following documents: The Budget 2026-27—Statement by the Treasurer (Dr Chalmers), dated 12 May 2026. Budget papers— No. 1—Budget strategy and outlook. No....
- Proposed Expenditure (1 speech)
I table the following documents: Particulars of proposed expenditure in respect of the year ending on 30 June 2027. Particulars of certain proposed expenditure in respect of the year ending on 30...
- Portfolio Budget Statements (2 speeches)
I table portfolio budget statements for 2025-26 for the Department of the Senate, the Parliamentary Budget Office and the Department of Parliamentary Services.
