Senate debates
Wednesday, 13 May 2026
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Meeting (1 speech)
If there is no objection, the meetings are authorised.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Legislation (9 speeches)
I move: That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Responding to Exceptional Circumstances) Bill 2026, allowing it to...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
- Taxation (1 speech)
Who could believe that we'd live through a period in Australian history where we would see a government announce a new plan to smash Australians with $77 billion in new taxes and, at the same...
- Budget (1 speech)
This budget is what it looks like when a government stops working for people and starts working for the one per cent. After Labor being in power for nearly four years, it's starting to dawn on...
- Economy, Grayden, Hon. William Leonard (Bill), AM (1 speech)
I've come to Canberra to remind the Labor government of Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers of the very real cost of living pressures facing Western Australians and how those pressures are being...
- Tasmania: Community Events (1 speech)
As a senator for Tasmania, I have the great privilege of being able to work across my home state, especially across the north-west of Tasmania, and getting to meet with community members,...
- Health Care, Budget (1 speech)
There is a question many Canberrans ask, and that is: why in the national capital, a city of half a million people and a region of 1.2 million people, can't we look after young Canberrans and...
- Budget (13 speeches)
It's a defining feature of our political system that people are losing hope that a better life is possible, and more and more Australians are losing faith that politics in this country can...
- Domestic and Family Violence (1 speech)
When we talk about domestic and family violence, we also have to talk about housing because, for a lot of women and kids, leaving a violent situation is not just emotionally terrifying; it also...
- Middle East (1 speech)
Every day, the world is told to look away from Palestine, to move on, to accept the unthinkable as the norm. But the brave humanitarians who are on the Global Sumud Flotilla to break Israel's...
- Gun Control (1 speech)
We've all gone over many aspects of the reaction of this government to the Bondi massacre—gun laws and what they've done. It was only touched on very briefly at the time, but the effects...
- Budget (3 speeches)
Last night, Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down a budget that delivers for Queensland. But, today, I want to highlight an announcement of $1.7 million for mental health support in Brisbane's...
- Budget: Housing (1 speech)
I am a millennial, and I know acutely that my generation has felt locked out and let down by the housing market. Those of us lucky enough to be in a position to buy before COVID may be able to...
- Budget (1 speech)
This budget tells people on income support exactly where they stand with this Labor government. After all the spin, the speeches and the stories about understanding poverty, Labor has delivered...
- Australian Society (1 speech)
Australia is sleepwalking into collectivism. That's what is happening. The tragedy is that many Australians are cheering it on. Every year, there are more regulations, more restrictions and more...
- Nicholls Electorate (1 speech)
I rise to speak about regional Australia and what it looks like when a government shows up for it. I want to talk about the electorate of Nicholls in my home state of Victoria, where I had a...
- Gynaecological Cancers (1 speech)
A couple months ago, I came into this place to share the story of a young Canberran named Heidi who tragically passed away from ovarian cancer at the age of just 35. Ovarian cancer and, indeed,...
- National Walk for Truth (4 speeches)
Mass killings, disease, sexual violence and environmental degradation. This was genocide. This is not a quote about Israel's genocide in Gaza. It's a quote from the Yoorrook Justice Commission...
- Budget (6 speeches)
We are in the land of broken promises. Last night Prime Minister Anthony Albanese broke some very serious contracts with the Australian people, but this is a man very comfortable with breaking...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Budget (16 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Can the minister confirm that their own budget shows young Australians today face a diabolical combination of higher...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- Acknowledgement (1 speech)
I draw to the attention of honourable senators the presence in the chamber of a parliamentary delegation from the National Assembly of Kenya. On behalf of all senators, I wish you a warm welcome...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Budget (27 speeches)
My question is for the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. I refer to an example in the government's own budget documents. Jack has a taxable income, before capital gains, of...
- Housing (26 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Housing, Senator Ayres. Building more homes and making housing fairer have been key focuses of the Albanese Labor government....
- Indigenous Australians (19 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians. In the Northern Territory, data shows only 17.5 per cent of First Nations children being removed are placed with an Aboriginal family...
- Taxation (20 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. How many times before last year's elections did the Prime Minister promise the Australian people that he would not...
- Data Centres (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator Ayres. Minister, I refer to reports in the Australian Financial Review that energy ministers are...
- Fuel Security (8 speeches)
My question is to the only competent minister representing a prime minister since 2013, Senator Wong. Last night the Treasurer announced Australia's fuel security and resilience package in the...
- Housing (13 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. The government has conceded that its higher housing taxes will now reduce housing supply by 35,000 dwellings. How...
- 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. Labor's higher taxes are intergenerational fraud. They pull the...
- Budget (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of answers given by the Minister for Finance (Senator Gallagher) to questions without notice asked today. It was wonderful to have so many disabled people in the...
- Indigenous Australians (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the response from the Minister for Indigenous Australians (Minister McCarthy) to a question without notice I asked today relating to Indigenous Australians....
- Data Centres (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science (Senator Ayres) to a question without notice I asked today relating to...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Public Works Joint Committee; Reference (1 speech)
I move: That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, the following proposed work be referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works for...
- Legislation Committees; Reference (1 speech)
I move: That— (1) To ensure appropriate consideration of time critical bills by Senate committees, the provisions of all bills introduced into the House of Representatives after 14 May 2026...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Aged Care; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Ruston, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) on Monday, 23 March 2026, the Senate agreed to order for the production of documents no. 438, relating to the...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Taxation; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Bragg, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Treasurer, by no later than midday on Thursday, 14 May 2026, all advice by the Treasury...
- Festival Tower Two; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Barbara Pocock, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister for the Environment and Water, by no later than midday on Monday, 15 June 2026, all documents,...
- Budget (0 speeches)
- Consideration by Estimates Committees (4 speeches)
At the request of Senator Liddle, I move: That, during the 2026-27 Budget estimates hearings, the hours of meeting of the Economics Legislation Committee from Tuesday, 2 June to Friday, 5 June...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Budget (0 speeches)
- Consideration by Estimates Committees (13 speeches)
At the request of Senator Collins, I move: That, during the 2026-27 Budget estimates hearings, the hours of meeting of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee from Tuesday, 2...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Housing; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
On behalf of Senator Bragg, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Housing, by no later than midday on Thursday, 14 May 2026, all documents relating...
- Youth Justice; 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 Wednesday, 20 May 2026: (a) details of all briefings to the Attorney-General, her...
- Northern Territory Remote Aboriginal Investment Agreement; Order for the Production of Documents (4 speeches)
I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister for Indigenous Australians, by no later than Wednesday, 20 May 2026: (a) the following documents referred to in the Monitoring, Evaluation,...
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Budget (12 speeches)
Senator Henderson has submitted a proposal, under standing order 75, today. It has been circulated and is shown on the Dynamic Red: Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following...
- Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
- Budget (13 speeches)
The Senate will now consider the proposal from Senator David Pocock, which has been circulated and is shown on the Dynamic Red. That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Delegation Reports (0 speeches)
- Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
- Regional Budget Statement (1 speech)
On behalf of the Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, I table the 2026-27 regional budget statement.
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts, Housing, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Energy, Cybersafety, Defence Personnel, Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, Fuel Security, Social Policy and Legal Affairs Committee, Accenture Australia; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
I table documents relating to 12 orders for the production of documents as listed in the document available in the chamber.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Economics References Committee; Reference (8 speeches)
I move: That the following matter be referred to the Economics References Committee for inquiry and report by 15 September 2026: The extent and impact of foreign influence in Australia's critical...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Morris, Mr Peter Frederick (1 speech)
I was unable to be in the chamber at the time appointed for the condolence motion for Peter Morris and I seek to make a contribution this evening. Peter Morris was one of Newcastle's great Labor...
- Defence Facilities (1 speech)
For nearly three decades, Training Ship Argonaut at St Helens has stood as a cornerstone of its community and a proven pathway into service. Within its walls, more than 300 naval cadets have been...
- Palestine (1 speech)
A few short weeks ago I received contact from a brave woman called Caroline Graham. Caroline had lived a full and passionate life. She was a retired senior lecturer in international politics at...
- Fuel Security, Defence Industry (1 speech)
As we know, the federal budget delivered $10 billion for an Australian fuel security and resilience package that was introduced by the Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, on Tuesday night. That is to ensure...
- Budget (1 speech)
A budget of broken promises, an ambush on aspiration and an assault on Australians' standard of living—this is what we had from the Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, and his budget last night. That...
