Senate debates
Tuesday, 18 August 2026
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Meeting (1 speech)
If there is no objection, the meeting is authorised.
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (22 speeches)
by leave—I move: That a motion relating to the hours of meeting and routine of business for this week may be moved immediately and determined without amendment or debate. And I move: That...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
- Mann, Mr Cooper (1 speech)
I rise this afternoon to congratulate Cooper Mann on receiving the South Australian Skills Commission Outstanding Apprentice Award of 2026. At just 22, Cooper has demonstrated leadership that is...
- Indonesia: Independence Day (1 speech)
Yesterday marked the 81st anniversary of Indonesia's declaration of independence, and I wanted to wish all Indonesians in Indonesia and the many who also live here in Australia a happy...
- Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence (1 speech)
In the past week, another woman has been killed by a former partner in Queensland. In New South Wales, three private school boys have been charged with raping a 14-year-old girl. In Victoria, AFL...
- Housing (3 speeches)
It's of no great shock to the Australian people that the—
- Forestry Industry (1 speech)
Today is National Forestry Day, and it's a day to recognise an industry that is very important to the lives of Australians. I'm very proud to be the Co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of...
- National Science Week (1 speech)
This week is National Science Week. It's a chance to celebrate the people who quietly make this country a better place. As we all know, Australians have punched well above their weight for many,...
- Aged Care (1 speech)
Labor is pitching young people against older Australians—those people who have contributed to our country. They do it for so-called inter-generational equity, which is a nonsense statement...
- Gender Equality (1 speech)
To earn the same amount as a man in a year, the average woman would need to work 48 extra days. Thinking of the wonderful women in my life, I am not sure how any of them would fit in those extra...
- Pensions and Benefits (1 speech)
Politicians love to tell you that getting money from the government that you need to survive has to be difficult. But, as a politician, I know this: getting money from the government is not hard...
- Middle East (1 speech)
I recently heard from members of the Kurdish community about the persecution and violence Kurdish people are facing in Iran and elsewhere. They spoke about the need for the world to pay attention...
- Workplace Relations (1 speech)
I rise to congratulate the mighty Transport Workers' Union on a historic world-first win for gig workers. Think about the worker who brings your dinner to your door. They ride through traffic,...
- Western Australia: Goods and Services Tax (1 speech)
The Productivity Commission have handed down their interim report on the GST carve-up. They are coming after WA's GST again. The Productivity Commission recommend returning to the pre-2018 system...
- Western Australia: Secret Harbour By-Election (1 speech)
On 29 August we get to decide what kind of future we want to build for WA. In Secret Harbour, Rhi Davies and her Greens campaign team are putting forward a clear set of priorities. First is...
- Vietnam Veterans' Day (1 speech)
Today, on Vietnam Veterans' Day, we honour 60,000 Australians who served our nation in the Vietnam War. We remember the 524 Australians who gave their lives and the thousands more who came home...
- Medicare (2 speeches)
In the last few weeks we've got some amazing new data about how bulk billing is way more available across the country thanks to the government's investment in health. The data has told us that...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Aged Care (27 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Minister Wong. In the lead-up to the 2020 election, the then opposition leader, and now Prime Minister, said, 'The idea that you...
- Superannuation (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Gallagher. Superannuation was designed to give every working Australian savings of their own to retire with. Four decades later, it has changed...
- Veterans (10 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Yesterday I joined Liberal and Nationals members of parliament in meeting veterans who had travelled from across...
- Gambling (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Minister, what would Peta Murphy say?
- National Youth Parliament (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Youth, Senator Walsh. This week, 150 young Australians from every federal electorate across the country are in Canberra for the first national youth parliament....
- Freedom of Information (23 speeches)
My question is for the Minister representing the Attorney-General, Minister Farrell. The Albanese government came to office promising greater transparency and a promise to sweep away the culture...
- Artificial Intelligence (11 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Science. Minister, I refer to the assistant minister's speech on AI today at the Crawford School about how we ensure that Australia captures the economic...
- Veterans (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Senator McAllister. Today is Vietnam Veterans' Day, and Labor has chosen to cap veteran allied health services at...
- Indigenous Employment (17 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator McCarthy. The dignity of work through employment is critical in building a stronger future for remote communities and creating...
- Aged Care (20 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Minister, 96-year-old Audrey Staniland is blind, has emphysema and lives alone in the Perth home that she has lived...
- Wages and Salaries (9 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Watt. The Albanese Labor government is delivering real change for Australian workers by...
- Statement by the President (0 speeches)
- Leave of Absence (1 speech)
I wish to inform the Senate that on Wednesday 19 August 2026 I will be temporarily absent from the Senate on account of parliamentary business. In accordance with the standing orders, the Deputy...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Aged Care (37 speeches)
I seek leave to move a motion relating to the integrated assessment tool, as circulated in my name. Leave not granted. Pursuant to contingent notice standing in the name of Senator Waters, I...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Answers to Questions (6 speeches)
With the concurrence of the Senate, the clerks will set the clock in accordance with informal arrangements agreed by the whips.
- Gambling (2 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Senator Wong) to a question without notice I asked today relating to gambling. I want to put it on the...
- Veterans (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Senator McAllister) to a question without notice I asked today relating to...
- Freedom of Information (6 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Trade and Tourism (Senator Farrell) to a question without notice I asked today relating to freedom of information. When...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Leave of Absence (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That Senator Lambie be granted leave of absence for the period 12 August 2026 to 17 August 2026 inclusive, for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Animal Welfare; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, by no later than 9 am on Monday, 7 September 2026, all animal welfare...
- Cheaper Home Batteries Program; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
I understand Senator Henderson has agreed to put motion Nos 610 to 615 together, but I further understand that the Greens party wish to vote differently on No. 610.
- Renewable Energy, Climate Change; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
by leave—At the request of Senator Henderson, I move general business notices of motion Nos 611, 612, 613, 614 and 615 together: GENERAL BUSINESS NOTICE OF MOTION NO. 611 That there be laid...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (4 speeches)
I move: That the consideration of private senators' bills not proceed on Wednesday 19 August.
- Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
- Privatisation (11 speeches)
Senator McKim has submitted a proposal, under standing order 75, shown at item 13 of today's Order of Business: That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency: The need...
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Taxation (8 speeches)
Senator Dean Smith has submitted a proposal, under standing order 75, today, which is shown at item 13 of today's Order of Business: Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Taxation (1 speech)
Labor under Anthony Albanese has failed the most basic requirement of a government, which is to ensure that it acts in the best interests of Australia and its people. Every Australian mine begins...
- Battle of Long Tan: 60th Anniversary (1 speech)
Tonight I rise to mark the 60th anniversary of one of the most significant actions in Australia's military history, the Battle of Long Tan. On 18 August 1966, in a rubber plantation in Phuoc Tuy...
- Defence (1 speech)
On 2 July 2026, the Senate passed an order to produce the tender documents for the Base Services Transformation Program and the executed contracts by 3 August. The Base Services Transformation...
- Goods and Services Tax (1 speech)
This is a test for Prime Minister Albanese—another test! He's already failed so many, but now he has a new test and that is in the form of the Western Australian fair share of the GST. The...
- Media (1 speech)
Once upon a time, the role of the media was to uncover and disseminate information about the world around us. Journalists were important cogs in the political machine. They used to call...
- AUKUS, Education Standards (1 speech)
AUKUS promises billions of dollars of investment, thousands of highly skilled jobs and the opportunity to establish South Australia as a global centre for advanced manufacturing, engineering and...
- Gun Control (1 speech)
On 20 January this year, a great injustice was done to Australia's law-abiding firearm owners, who number nearly a million people—Australian citizens, and their families, who were unfairly...
- Veterans (1 speech)
I'm going to tell the story tonight of a female veteran and her treatment at the hands of the Department of Veterans' Affairs over the last 30 years. I need to warn anyone listening and watching...
- Queensland: Community Events (1 speech)
Can I just say this first: Senator Lambie, since I've been in this place, since 2019, your advocacy for veterans like Kate has been an absolute inspiration, so thank you for that. Obviously,...
- Woodside Energy, Australian Federal Police, Sri Lanka (1 speech)
It's no secret that, in Australia, the police and courts often end up doing the dirty work for corporations—not to deliver justice, but to be part of a system that exhausts their critics...
- Media, COVID-19 (1 speech)
In the last few weeks, the media have tried to drive a wedge between me and Senator Hanson. The journalists' plan was simple—take statements I've made over many years out of context,...
