Senate debates
Wednesday, 1 July 2026
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Meeting (1 speech)
If there is no objection, the meetings are authorised.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Higher Education Support Amendment (Reverse Job-Ready Graduates Fee Hikes and End 50k Arts Degrees) Bill 2025; Second Reading (6 speeches)
I rise to speak to the Greens Higher Education Support Amendment (Reverse Job-Ready Graduates Fee Hikes and End 50k Arts Degrees) Bill 2025. This bill does something very meaningful and long...
- Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025; Second Reading (8 speeches)
To continue the remarks that I commenced last night—the matters contemplated by the legislation before the Senate have been considered since 2017 by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of...
- Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025; In Committee (4 speeches)
by leave—I, at the request of Senator Lambie, move Jacqui Lambie Network amendments (1) and (2) on sheet 3666 together: (1) Schedule 1, heading, page 3 (line 1), omit "Amendments",...
- Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025; Third Reading (1 speech)
I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
- Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Bill 2026; Second Reading (16 speeches)
I rise to give qualified, if you like, support to the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Bill 2026. We do think there is a need for action here on certain unfair...
- Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Bill 2026; In Committee (8 speeches)
by leave—I move amendments (1) and (2) on sheet 3912 together: (1) Schedule 1, item 7, page 4 (line 17), before "manipulate", insert "unfairly". (2) Schedule 1, item 7, page 4 (line 20),...
- Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
- Domestic and Family Violence (1 speech)
I rise today to speak about one of the most urgent responsibilities before this parliament: preventing violence against women and children, supporting victims-survivors, and building an Australia...
- Valedictory (2 speeches)
When I first stood in this place in April 2019, I said that none of us knows what the future holds. None of us knows how long we have to serve here. I have been so grateful to have served my...
- Askew, Senator Wendy, Western Australia: Health Care (1 speech)
I will get to my 10-minute statement, but, before she leaves the chamber, I'll just place on the record my personal thanks for the years that I've spent working with Senator Askew and for her...
- Child Care (1 speech)
Over the last five months I've had the immense privilege of meeting with parents, educators, providers and communities right across Australia, and these conversations have reinforced something...
- Cost of Living (1 speech)
As everyone is aware, it is 1 July, and there are a number of changes coming for Australians today. Because our government continues to deliver real change for Australians, they will see real...
- Housing, Middle East (1 speech)
This week the National Rental Affordability Scheme, NRAS, a previous Labor government initiative, came to an end. At its peak it provided affordable rental accommodation to around 55,000...
- Artificial Intelligence, Taxation: Gas Industry, Australian Greens (1 speech)
We are being inundated from overseas by AI slop and bots. It's being used to boost One Nation and spread hate online. Foreign websites are pumping out hundreds of fake posts a week, using...
- Australian Society (1 speech)
From the day Labor's Gough Whitlam imposed multiculturalism as an official government doctrine in 1973, Australians have been misled about what it really means. We were told it was simply about...
- Be Hers Foundation (1 speech)
I rise to speak about the Be Hers Foundation, an organisation doing important work with women and girls in our community. Recently I attended the Key to Freedom evening hosted by Be Hers in...
- Veteran and Family Wellbeing Agency, Lambie, Senator Jacqui, Askew, Senator Wendy (1 speech)
This morning I attended the launch of the Veteran and Family Wellbeing Agency. Along with many other coalition MPs and senators, I was pleased to welcome the Chief of the Defence Force, Admiral...
- Budget, One Nation (2 speeches)
Taxation is an anchor on productivity growth, reducing wealth creation for all Australians. The Treasurer has produced a budget that overtaxes and undersupports productivity. The social...
- Cost of Living (6 speeches)
I refuse to give up on Australia. And I refuse to abandon the Australian people to the Labor Party and their obsession with taxes and desire for control. Your family deserves better than what...
- Australian National Men's Football Team (1 speech)
This is a shout-out to our wonderful Socceroos. In an upside-down world, where so many are struggling and suffering, cheering for the Socceroos gives us wonderful moments of joy and unity. The...
- Albanese Government (2 speeches)
Well, today it's seven years since I first started in the Senate—seven-year anniversary. It is an enormous privilege to come and represent the great state of Queensland and, of course, be...
- Universities (1 speech)
I've spoken before about the need to break our universities of their addiction to foreign students. My concern has always been about the welfare of Australian students and the huge impact of...
- Fuel (1 speech)
Australia runs on diesel, whether it's our farmers, our mining industries or our transport operators, and that's exactly why Labor and the Greens need to keep their hands off our fuel tax...
- Grocery Prices (1 speech)
We've all seen how supermarkets increase their prices unfairly, even when things go on sale. Yes, it's about time someone did something about this. That's why this government has taken action,...
- Middle East (1 speech)
Israel intentionally targets children in Gaza—an infant shot in the head while breastfeeding, a 3-year-old shot dead in the arms of his father, a teenager slaughtered while carrying a white...
- Cost of Living (1 speech)
The Albanese government today celebrates its latest cost-of-living masterstroke, a tax cut. How much is it? Five bucks a week, just enough to buy, well, probably not much, actually. Decent...
- Albanese Government (1 speech)
Happy 1 July! Starting today, the Albanese Labor government is giving taxpayers another tax cut as part of our plan to deliver a series of five tax cuts and ultimately save the average worker up...
- Defence Procurement (1 speech)
Twenty-nine billion dollars—it's a lot of money. It could put dental into Medicare, you could build tens of thousands of new public homes, or it would go a long way to wiping all student...
- Artificial Intelligence (1 speech)
The Albanese government came to government on a promise of transparency, but the Prime Minister has proven to be secretive and has developed an allergy to transparency. Last week, my office was...
- Regional Media (1 speech)
As Joni Mitchell's song Big Yellow Taxi says, you don't know what you've got till it's gone. This is very prominent around regional media and our media outlets in Australia. We're seeing the big...
- Economy (1 speech)
Australians are hard workers and they always have been. They do the extra shift. They pay the bills. They raise the kids. They save a little extra for a rainy day. But, for too long, Australians...
- Wages and Salaries (2 speeches)
It is a great day to be a worker in this country. We backed a pay rise for three million minimum and award wage workers, which kicks in today. The minimum wage goes up to $26.44 an...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Taxation (15 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Can the minister explain why the Prime Minister voted for the widows' tax but has failed to introduce legislation to...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- Acknowledgement (1 speech)
Order! I draw the attention of honourable senators to the presence in the chamber of the Speaker of the House of Representatives from Malaysia and the Malaysian Minister of Defence. On behalf of...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Economy, Women's Economic Security (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Finance and Minister for Women, Senator Gallagher. From today, Australians will benefit from a new suite of cost-of-living measures, including the latest rounds...
- Housing (25 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Minister, can you confirm that Australia completed 198,000 houses a year on average under the former coalition...
- Fossil Fuel Industry (8 speeches)
The government hands over billions of dollars of public money every year to Australia's biggest and most profitable mining corporations through the Fuel Tax Credit scheme. It's cheap diesel for...
- Small Business (19 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Small Business, Senator Ayres. The Albanese Labor government is backing Australians through a range of measures designed to support...
- Education (13 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Early Childhood Education, Minister Walsh. Minister, this week Comms Declare revealed that big coal and gas corporations like Woodside, BHP and Santos are...
- Housing (9 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Minister, of Australian first home buyers who entered the market under Labor's expanded five per cent deposit scheme,...
- National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (19 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Science and the Minister for Industry and Innovation, Senator Ayres. Minister, this week, the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy, NCRIS,...
- Health Care (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator McAllister. Delivering cost-of-living relief and quality health care is a key priority for the Albanese...
- Taxation (11 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. In the four years since Labor was elected, according to the ABS, inflation has gone up by around 23.9 per cent for...
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Defence Procurement (1 speech)
In question time today, I undertook to provide further information in response to questions asked of me by Senator Shoebridge in my capacity as the minister representing the Prime Minister...
- Party Office Holders (0 speeches)
- National Party of Australia (1 speech)
by leave—as acting Nationals Senate leader, I advise the Senate that, due to my personal leave, Senator Canavan will be acting Nationals Senate leader tomorrow, Thursday 2 June.
- Budget (0 speeches)
- Consideration by Estimates Committees (5 speeches)
Pursuant to standing order 74(5), I ask the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs for an explanation as to why answers have not been provided to 27 questions on notice asked during...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (8 speeches)
I seek leave to move a motion relating to the consideration of a matter. Has it been circulated?
- Regulations and Determinations (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Superannuation (2 speeches)
I seek leave to move a motion that would provide an opportunity for even one Labor senator to explain why they're voting with the antiworkers in the Liberal Party to do young Australians—
- Universal Periodic Review (15 speeches)
I seek leave to move a motion relating to the UN's Universal Periodic Review as circulated. Leave not granted. Pursuant to contingent notice standing in the name of Senator Waters, I move: That...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Answers to Questions (20 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today. In my family, we have something called word of the day. I run...
- National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Science (Senator Ayres) to a question without notice I asked today relating to the National Collaborative Research...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Presentation (1 speech)
I give notice that, on 12 August, in the next sitting week, I will move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to the payment of superannuation to...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Leave of Absence (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator McKenzie from 29 June to 2 July for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Legislation (6 speeches)
On behalf of Senator Watt, I move: That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the Online Safety Amendment (Strengthening Enforcement for the Social Media...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
- Cost of Living (9 speeches)
Senator Bell has submitted a proposal, under standing order 75, today, which has been circulated and is shown on the Dynamic Red: That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of...
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Taxation (12 speeches)
Senator Collins has submitted a proposal under standing order 75, today, which has also been circulated and is shown on the Dynamic Red: Labor's failure to fix its unfair widow tax, instead...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Vanuatu-Australia Nakamal Agreement (7 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the document. The Vanuatu-Australia Nakamal Agreement is a very important one. I think we all know that the Pacific family is important to us. We are part of...
- Economics Legislation Committee; Tabling (1 speech)
At the request of the Chair of the Economics Legislation Committee, I present a corrigendum to the committee's report on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Payday Superannuation) Regulations 2026.
- Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation Committee; Tabling (4 speeches)
I present Delegated Legislation Monitor No. 7 of 2026 of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation, together with ministerial correspondence received by the committee, and...
- Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Scrutiny Digest (1 speech)
I present Scrutiny digest 8 of 2026 of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, together with ministerial correspondence received by the committee and the committee's annual report for...
- Electoral Matters Joint Committee; Report (16 speeches)
I present the interim report of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters on the inquiry into the conduct of the 2025 federal election, together with accompanying documents. I move: That...
- Finance and Public Administration References Committee, Intelligence and Security Joint Committee; Government Response to Report (1 speech)
I present two government responses to committee reports as listed at item 16 on today's Order of Business, and I seek leave to have the documents incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The...
- Snowy 2.0, Carbon Leakage Review, Northern Territory Remote Housing Federation Funding Agreement 2024-34, Workforce Australia; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
I table documents relating to orders for the production of documents concerning Snowy Hydro Limited, Australia's Carbon Leakage Review, funding for Northern Territory remote housing, and...
- Snowy 2.0; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
In respect of documents relating to the order for the production of documents concerning Snowy 2.0, I move: That the Senate take note of the document. I seek leave to continue my remarks. Leave...
- Carbon Leakage Review; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
In respect of documents relating to the order for the production of documents concerning the Carbon Leakage Review, I move: That the Senate take note of the document. I seek leave to continue my...
- Northern Territory Remote Housing Federation Funding Agreement 2024-34; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
In respect of documents relating to the order for the production of documents concerning the Northern Territory Remote Housing Federation Funding Agreement, I move: That the Senate take note of...
- Workforce Australia; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
In respect of documents relating to the order for the production of documents concerning Workforce Australia, I move: That the Senate take note of the document. I seek leave to continue my...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Calvary Lenah Valley Hospital (1 speech)
I rise today to speak about the opening of the upgraded maternity facilities at Calvary Lenah Valley Hospital in Hobart. I was pleased to attend the official opening with the Assistant Minister...
- Albanese Government (1 speech)
Just under three years ago, the majority of Australians in the majority of states rejected the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. The verdict was blunt, unambiguous and secured in a democratic...
- Social Cohesion (1 speech)
It has been curious to watch the outpouring of support for multiculturalism from Labor and the Liberals since Senator Hanson unveiled her sad, bleak vision of a monocultural Australia, where she...
- Wages and Salaries (1 speech)
I think it's fair to say that most people would agree with me when I say: being an adult can be hard. But this government is doing the work to turn it around and make real change that actually...
