Senate debates
Thursday, 2 July 2026
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Governor-General's Speech (0 speeches)
- Address-in-Reply (2 speeches)
On 9 May 1901, beneath the great dome of Melbourne's Exhibition Building, Australia's first Commonwealth parliament was opened. It was a moment of ceremony, confidence and national ambition. More...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Selection of Bills Committee; Report (5 speeches)
I present the eighth report of 2026 of the Selection of Bills Committee. I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The report read as follows— Selection of...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
I move: That today— (a) the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 be considered at 12.15 pm; (b) government business then be called on and considered...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Withdrawal (2 speeches)
I ask that general business notice of motion 551 be withdrawn.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Leave of Absence (2 speeches)
by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator McDonald for 2 July, for personal reasons; and for Senators Antic and O'Sullivan for 2 July, also for personal reasons. Question...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Economics References Committee; Reference (2 speeches)
At the request of Senator Bragg, I move: That the following matter be referred to the Economics References Committee for inquiry and report by 25 November 2026: Foreign currency loans (FCLs)...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- National Anti-Corruption Commission; Order for the Production of Documents (3 speeches)
I move: That the Senate orders the Minister representing the Attorney-General to provide the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission, as part of its consideration...
- Early Childhood Education and Care; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
At the request of Senator O'Sullivan, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Education, by no later than 10 July 2026, the number of workers in the...
- Personal Information and Privacy; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Attorney-General, by no later than Tuesday, 28 July 2026, the following documents created, received or held by the Office...
- International Relations: Australia and Nauru; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, by no later than Tuesday, 28 July 2026, a full copy of the memorandum of understanding between...
- International Relations: Australia and Papua New Guinea; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, by no later than Tuesday, 28 July 2026, a full copy of the Funding Arrangement Supporting Papua...
- Nuclear Waste Management; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, by no later than Tuesday, 28 July 2026, a full copy of the report, provided to the minister in 2023,...
- Australian Defence Force; Order for the Production of Documents (7 speeches)
I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, by no later than Tuesday, 28 July 2026, a full copy of the report by the Inspector-General of the...
- Housing Australia; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Bragg, I move general business notice of motion No. 565: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Housing, by no later than midday...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Community Affairs References Committee, Corporations and Financial Services Joint Committee, Electoral Matters Joint Committee, Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, Environment and Communications References Committee, Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee, Productivity in Australia Select Committee, Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
I have received letters requesting changes in the membership of committees.
- Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Committee, Defence Joint Committee, Centenary of Parliament in Canberra; Appointment (2 speeches)
Messages have been received from the House of Representatives forwarding resolutions agreed to by that house relating to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence, the appointment of the Joint...
- Statement by the President (0 speeches)
- Senate Chamber (1 speech)
I advise the Senate that the clocks are being worked on. If any further work is required that might impede the Senate or interrupt the Senate, I'll be advised by the Clerk and I will come back...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Governor-General's Speech (0 speeches)
- Address-in-Reply (1 speech)
The first Commonwealth parliament sat in Melbourne because the Constitution required parliament to meet there until a permanent capital was chosen. It would not move to Canberra until 1927, but...
- Statement by the President (0 speeches)
- Senate Chamber (3 speeches)
Senator Smith, I'm very reluctant to interrupt you for this for the second time—
- Governor-General's Speech (0 speeches)
- Address-in-Reply (7 speeches)
Today, King Charles III continues that tradition of service with dignity, intelligence and quiet purpose. His Majesty has come to the throne after perhaps the longest apprenticeship in modern...
- Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
- Albanese Government (1 speech)
Labor is sending our country in the wrong direction. Under Labor, Australia has experienced the largest collapse in living standards in the developed world. Think about that, the largest collapse...
- Economy (1 speech)
It's the end of the financial year. The sales are on, and this Labor government is putting money back into the pockets of Australians. All working Australians will be getting a tax...
- Health Care, Gambling (1 speech)
Since the budget, I've been hearing from veterans in fear of Labor's proposed $5,000 allied health cap. This cap was proposed to limit veterans' access to the necessary care they need to live. It...
- Defence Properties (1 speech)
I would like to give a brief update on the Senate inquiry into the management of the defence estate, which I've been chairing. Back in 2023, well before the election, defence minister Marles...
- Women's Health (1 speech)
For too long, women's health has been put off, set to the sidelines or just downright ignored—women being dismissed by their doctor for real concerns, women being told that life-altering...
- Gambling Advertising (1 speech)
Media reporting this morning provides a rare moment of transparency around lobbying in this place. It was reported in the media that a Labor member sat with Sportsbet and the gambling lobby at...
- New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (1 speech)
A new financial year means that Labor has another chance to punish aspirational Australians with higher vehicle costs and fewer practical choices. Under Labor's new vehicle efficiency standard,...
- Albanese Government (1 speech)
This week is an important week for Australians, and it is a big week of delivery for this Labor government. We are delivering real change for Australians. From yesterday, 1 July, every Australian...
- Workplace Relations: Maritime Industry (1 speech)
Australians love their cruise ship holidays, but many would be shocked by the conditions of workers on board a lot of the boats they're on. This week I met with Christina and Queen, two former...
- Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (1 speech)
Labor's project to hijack the Australian economy for corrupt union bosses is becoming relentless. Legislation opposed by One Nation but rushed through by Labor and the Greens last month enables...
- One Nation (1 speech)
Crikey! One Nation often claims that they stand with the everyday, hardworking Australians. But, just like it is for the Liberals and the Nationals, the real test is not what they say but how...
- One Nation: Taxation Policy (1 speech)
In this time of high inflation, every wage rise or tax cut, rather than getting people ahead, just compensates for government driving inflation. Worse, these increases move many taxpayers into...
- Superannuation (1 speech)
Gravy burns, burnt coffee and long shifts: my memories of being a 15-year-old hospo worker in Ballarat. Like millions of young Australians, I wasn't just a teenager with a job; I was a worker....
- Aged Care (1 speech)
Labor was forced to treat older Australians with dignity and respect today. In November last year, Labor introduced an aged-care assessment tool with no ability for professional override and...
- One Nation Party (1 speech)
I would like to put on record that the new coalition partner of the Liberals and the Nationals, One Nation, are just regurgitating the same policies that they had 30 years ago. They're not a...
- Albanese Government (2 speeches)
I've got to say, having listened to that last contribution, that you'd be forgiven for thinking that all was well apart from, apparently, the coalition being the problem in Australia at the...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Housing (13 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Before the 2022 election, Prime Minister Albanese promised Australians cheaper mortgages. Instead, the reality facing...
- Labor Government (10 speeches)
My question is to Minister Wong. The Albanese Labor government has been delivering on a responsible budget that is focused on delivering real cost-of-living help for Australians, giving every...
- Aged Care (15 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors, Senator McAllister. Yesterday in this chamber we heard of 91-year-old John Wilson, who spent his final months...
- Gambling (22 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Minister Wong. Minister, can you confirm that no Labor MPs accepted free tickets or hospitality from gambling corporations or their...
- Sovereign Capability (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator Ayres. The conflict in the Middle East has resulted in extreme volatility in global fossil-fuel...
- Export Finance Australia (29 speeches)
My question is for the Minister for Finance, Senator Gallagher. Minister, Labor's export finance agency has guaranteed $250 million for an Indian government owned corporation to fund renewable...
- Trade with the European Union (12 speeches)
(): My question is to the Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator Farrell. On 24 March, the Prime Minister announced a landmark deal with the European Union. This deal—some eight...
- Energy (20 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator Ayres. In the early 2000s, electricity companies were allowed to charge a special solar metre fee...
- Albanese Government (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Yesterday, the Albanese Labor government's next round of income tax cuts came into effect alongside a pay rise for...
- Cost of Living (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Gallagher. After four years of the Albanese government, Australians are paying 42 per cent more for insurance, 38 per cent more for...
- Wages and Salaries (15 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Watt. From 1 July, a range of cost-of-living measures come into effect that will help...
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Budget (1 speech)
I wish to provide some further information to an answer I provided in the Senate during this sitting fortnight in question time and Senator Gallagher referred to in the committee stage of the tax...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Answers to Questions (5 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked by coalition senators today. There are two tales of two economies happening at the moment....
- Gambling (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of answers given by the Minister representing the Prime Minister (Senator Wong) to a question without notice I asked today relating to the gambling industry. I...
- Energy (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Industry and Innovation and the Minister for Science (Senator Ayres) to a question without notice I asked today relating...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of the wonderful Senator Askew, I present the report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee on offshore processing and resettlement arrangements together with...
- Human Rights Joint Committee; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of the Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, I present Human rights scrutiny report No. 8 of 2026 and the committee's annual report for 2025.
- National Disability Insurance Scheme Joint Committee; Report (2 speeches)
At the request of Senator Kovacic, the Deputy Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme, I present the report of the committee's inquiry into the integrity...
- Electoral Matters Joint Committee; Report (8 speeches)
I want to make some brief remarks here. I was in the chamber yesterday when this report was tabled. I have never really seen, in my experience, such a partisan attack on a group of Australians...
- Delegation Reports (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Community Affairs References Committee, Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, Environment and Communications References Committee, Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Committee, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee, Productivity in Australia Select Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
Order! The President has received letters requesting changes in the membership of various committees.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Grocery Prices (7 speeches)
I move: That the Senate notes that grocery prices have skyrocketed due to net-zero policies, energy costs, foreign corporate land ownership and massive regulatory costs faced by farmers dealing...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Days and Hours of Meeting (1 speech)
I move: That— (a) the Senate, at its rising, adjourn till Tuesday, 11 August 2026, at midday, or such other time as may be fixed by the President or, in the event of the President being...
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Morris, Ms Julia Anne (1 speech)
All parliamentarians know the quiet work of committees is essential to our democracy. Coherent reports emerge out of a maelstrom of evidence; rough edges are chipped off legislation; witnesses...
- Housing (1 speech)
This Labor government was elected and re-elected on the promise of housing affordability. It's been four years of Labor, and where are we? Housing is failing on three fronts at once: people can't...
- Canavan, Mr John (1 speech)
I wish to place a matter on the public record in relation to my brother, who, through a consortium, has acquired a minority interest in the Phosphate Hill fertiliser operation. I have sought...
