Senate debates
Wednesday, 12 August 2026
- Governor-General's Speech (0 speeches)
- Address-in-Reply (1 speech)
Senators, I report to the Senate that, with other senators, I presented the address-in-reply to Her Excellency the Governor-General this morning. The Governor-General indicated that she would...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Meeting (1 speech)
If there is no objection, the meetings are authorised.
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
- Indigenous Australians: Education (1 speech)
If you want to change the story for First Nations people in this country, education is where some of that change begins. This is not because education alone can undo generations of disadvantage...
- Nixon, Mr Murray Davidson, AO (2 speeches)
I rise to acknowledge the life and contribution of a distinguished Western Australian, former member of the Legislative Council, farmer, community leader and lifelong Liberal Murray Davidson...
- Hanson, Senator Pauline, Economy, Freedom of Speech (1 speech)
It gives me great pleasure to share a win with all migrants and people of colour. When Senator Hanson told me to 'piss off back to Pakistan', I decided to hold her accountable on behalf of each...
- Queensland: Natural Disasters, Veterans: Rifle Company Butterworth (1 speech)
Queensland is Australia's most disaster-prone state. Last summer alone, 74 of Queensland's 77 local government areas were impacted by disasters, including two cyclones and monsoonal flooding that...
- Cost of Living (1 speech)
On this side of the chamber, we know that Australians are hardworking people. They get up early, they work long hours, they raise their families, they care for their loved ones and they volunteer...
- Askew, Ms Wendy Anne (1 speech)
I rise today on something that is incredibly pleasurable. Unlike the times when we come into this place to talk about colleagues who have passed—I mean that in the ultimate way—today...
- Tasmania: Economy (1 speech)
I want to call out to the people of northern Tasmania—people who have shown extraordinary patience while their state government fails them time and time again. It's 12 years, everybody. For...
- Food Safety (3 speeches)
I assume everyone here loves to eat berries and loves giving berries to their children and grandchildren, believing they are giving them something not just yummy but also healthy. Did you know...
- Women's Health (1 speech)
Over the past few weeks, I've had the pleasure of meeting with Western Australian women and healthcare providers in a series of women's health forums to better understand their experiences of the...
- National Security (1 speech)
The first responsibility of any government is to keep Australians safe. Australians rightfully expect this government to put their safety and our national security above all else. The Albanese...
- City Mission (2 speeches)
I rise today to talk about City Mission, which is a place that does so much good work, as most people would know in our communities. The City Mission proposal for the Launceston Community...
- Small Business (1 speech)
Labor has no clue about managing the economy and absolutely no clue about small business. When I look around the chamber here, I see three senators around me who have direct experience of working...
- Health Care (1 speech)
Earlier today, the Leader of the Opposition, Angus Taylor, convened a roundtable at Parliament House on Labor's private health insurance changes. It wasn't a partisan meeting: around the table...
- Colombia: Earthquake (1 speech)
I rise today to express my deepest sympathies with the people of Colombia following the devastating earthquake that struck their country. The scale of the tragedy is heartbreaking. Hundreds of...
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (1 speech)
We are in the middle of enormous changes to the way that disability support works in Australia. The government is gearing up to significantly cut the NDIS, all the time assuring us that there...
- Tertiary Education and Training (1 speech)
There aren't that many 21-year-olds who are following things in here that closely, perhaps apart from Senator Walker, who's 22. But my 21-year-old niece Maddy is a nurse, and she is super excited...
- Live Animal Exports (1 speech)
Well, they're at it again. The radical animal activists are stirring up their inner-city lefty luvvies to attack Australia's cattle trade. We've seen this before. We've seen the playbook before....
- Taxation (1 speech)
The Albanese Labor government's utter incompetence when it comes to their management of the economy is on full display this week with their total bungling of the widows tax. Australians who lose...
- Census (1 speech)
Every five years, the Australian government demands—I might say, under threat of daily fines—that you hand over the intimate details of your life, like who you live with, what you...
- Tertiary Education and Training (1 speech)
I rise to speak on the Albanese government's expansion of the Commonwealth paid prac payment. You shouldn't have to choose between paying the bills and graduating. That's a principle this...
- Privatisation (1 speech)
Today I've written to the Gold Coast City Council to urge them against privatising the management of the city's public pools and to stop their plan to sell off this community asset to the highest...
- Kidney Disease (1 speech)
This week marks Kidney Action Week. Kidney disease affects some 2.7 million Australians. One in seven Australian adults is directly affected by kidney disease, and behind that figure are people...
- Forestry Industry (1 speech)
As you know too well, Acting Deputy President Polley, investment in Tasmania is something the Rockliff Liberal government and their federal colleagues claim to support right up until somebody...
- Whistleblower Protection (1 speech)
Aussie whistleblowers continue to wait for reform. They continue to be prosecuted and suffer under a broken system—a system we were promised would be overhauled. Before the 2022 election,...
- Racism (1 speech)
Last Thursday, a 56-year-old man intentionally ran down two 12-year-old boys in Mildura's Langtree Mall with his Ford Ranger. This was a violent attack by a grown man on two children. They were...
- Liberal Party of Western Australia: Hyden Branch (1 speech)
Happy 50th birthday to the Hyden branch of the Liberal Party in Western Australia. On 13 August 1976, Theo Marshall decided that simply casting a vote was not good enough. Determined to have a...
- Superannuation (2 speeches)
Recently, the Labor Party celebrated its 50th ALP national conference in Adelaide. The Australian Labor Party, with the Albanese Labor government, has reaffirmed its core Labor principles: if you...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- Acknowledgement (4 speeches)
I draw to the attention of honourable senators the presence in the chamber and upstairs of the parliamentary delegation from the National Parliament of Timor-Leste, led by the president, Her...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Taxation (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Labor's new trust tax is forecast to rip $4½ billion from Australians, and religious leaders are now warning it...
- Cost of Living (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Gallagher. On 1 July, the Albanese government cut income taxes for every Australian taxpayer and will cut them again next year. We also...
- Prime Minister (30 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Women, Senator Gallagher. In April 2022, the then opposition leader, Anthony Albanese, made a solemn promise to the Australian people. He said: Earlier today I...
- Housing (19 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Housing, Senator Ayres. We are in a historic housing crisis, and Labor's housing policies are a spectacular failure in the face of the...
- Early Childhood Education and Care (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Early Childhood Education, Senator Walsh. Families rely on early learning services to help balance work and family life and to give their children a great start...
- Indigenous Housing (19 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians. In June I asked you what you were doing to stop 15 families in Mount Isa from becoming homeless after the council decided to auction off...
- Victoria: Construction Industry (11 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. The Victorian Labor government has been forced to establish a royal commission into corruption and organised crime in...
- Northern Territory: Housing (8 speeches)
I bet you're happy about that! My question is for the Minister for Indigenous Australians. My recent OPD about the Northern Territory's remote Aboriginal housing agreement revealed that more than...
- Medicare (23 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator McAllister. We on this side of the chamber believe that the only card you need to see a doctor is your...
- Economy: Productivity (19 speeches)
My question is to the minister representing—
- Party Office Holders (0 speeches)
- Liberal Party of Australia (2 speeches)
by leave—I advise the Senate that Senator Kovacic has been appointed Chief Opposition Whip in the Senate. I also take this opportunity to thank our former colleague, former senator Askew,...
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Veterans (2 speeches)
I wish to add to an answer that I gave to Senator Lambie on Tuesday 11 August in my capacity as the Minister representing the Minister for Veterans' Affairs. the Albanese Labor government is...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Taxation, Victoria: Construction Industry, Economy: Productivity (19 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Senator Wong) and the Minister for Finance (Senator Gallagher) to questions without notice asked by...
- Housing (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...
- Indigenous Housing (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of answers given by the Minister for Indigenous Australians (Senator McCarthy) to questions without notice I asked today relating to Indigenous housing. When...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Withdrawal (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Henderson, I withdraw general business notices of motion No. 577 and 578 for today.
- Postponement (1 speech)
If there is no objection to the business that was postponed, I'm assuming everyone is okay with that.
- 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...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Infrastructure: Land Transport; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
At the request of Senator McKenzie, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, by...
- National Disability Insurance Scheme; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, by no later than 4.30 pm on 14 August 2026, all internal documents, consultation notes,...
- Future Fit Program; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 569. Leave granted. I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors, by no...
- Australian Prudential Regulation Authority; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
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 Friday, 14 August 2026, all correspondence, emails...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
- Gas Industry: Taxation (10 speeches)
Senator McKim 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)
- International Relations: Australia and Japan (8 speeches)
The Senate will now consider the proposal, under standing order 75, from Senator Sharma, which has been circulated and is shown on the Dynamic Red: The need for the Prime Minister to apologise...
- Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
- Valedictory (34 speeches)
Every day here, we begin by paying our respects to Aboriginal people, the traditional custodians of this land. Words are cheap without actions. If we really respected our First Nations people, we...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Council of the National Library of Australia (2 speeches)
I have received a letter from the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate nominating Senator Kovacic to serve as a member of the Council of the National Library of Australia.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Southern Tasmanian Netball Association (1 speech)
On 30 July, I had the privilege of once again presenting at the Southern Tasmanian Netball Association Junior Leadership Program. This is a great program that has been part of the Tasmanian...
- Defence Properties (1 speech)
Labor's decision to sell off 67 Defence sites across Australia is a disgraceful betrayal of our veterans, our serving personnel and our military heritage. At a time when our strategic...
- Labor Government (1 speech)
Australians don't need more noise, more negativity or more slogans; they need a government that understands the pressure that households are under and that is prepared to do the hard work of...
- Colombian Australian Community, Housing (1 speech)
I note I'm the last speaker tonight. I'd like to express my condolences, my deep condolences, to the Colombian diaspora in Australia at the moment. I was touched to attend the Colombia festival...
