Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present the third report of 2026 of the Selection of Bills Committee, and I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The report read as follows—

Selection of Bills Committee

REPORT NO. 3 OF 2026

12 March 2026

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

Senator Tony Sheldon (Government Whip, Chair)

Senator Wendy Askew (Opposition Whip)

Senator Sean Bell (One Nation Whip)

Senator Nick McKim (Australian Greens Whip)

Senator Ralph Babet

Senator Leah Blyth

Senator the Hon. Matt Canavan (Nationals Whip)

Senator Susan McDonald (Acting Nationals Whip)

Senator the Hon. Anthony Chisholm

Senator Jessica Collins

Senator the Hon. Katy Gallagher

Senator Jacqui Lambie

Senator Fatima Payman

Senator David Pocock

Senator Lidia Thorpe

Secretary: Tim Bryant 02 6277 3020

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

REPORT NO. 3 OF 2026

1. The committee met in private session on Wednesday, 11 March 2026 at 7.11 pm.

2. The committee made no recommendations to refer bills to committees.

3. The committee recommends that the following bill not be referred to a committee:

4. The committee deferred consideration of the following bills to its next meeting:

Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Amendment (Consideration of UNDRIP) Bill 2023

5. The committee considered the following bill but was unable to reach agreement.

(Tony Sheldon)

Chair

11 March 2026

I move:

That the report be adopted.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move the following amendment:

At the end of the motion, add ", and the Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill 2026 not be referred to a committee".

David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move the amendment circulated in Senator McKim's name:

At the end of the motion, add: "and, in respect of the Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill 2026, the bill be referred immediately to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 27 June 2026".

We can see what's happening here. Labor, the coalition—and, no doubt, with their race-baiting friends in One Nation—have—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Shoebridge, withdraw that remark.

David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw that. Labor, the coalition and One Nation have all come together to try and shut the door today on 7,200 Iranians who have been granted visas that would entitle them to come to this country and then, when they're onshore, seek the protection of this country from a brutal regime and the bombs falling from Israeli and US planes and the missiles coming from Israeli and US warships and installations.

This is a war that all three of the war parties—Labor, the coalition and One Nation—support. You all support the war. You support your Uncle Donald, the fascist duck over in the United States, who has commenced this war in gross breach of international law—in obscene breach of international law. Now you see the consequences of the war that you support, congratulate and endorse. You see the consequences of this war in real people's lives. People are seeing their country destroyed from the air and attacked by its own regime. People are seeing black rain falling from the sky because of the Israeli and US bombs and missiles that have taken out huge oil reservoirs near Teheran.

You've seen the images of the school that was blown up by a US missile, now admitted to by the US—maybe not by Donald Trump, who's still pretending that the missile was stolen by some Iranian secret agent. But you don't mind the lies. You don't mind Donald Trump's lies, because you're supporting a war based on those lies, and now you see the consequences of it: the dead schoolkids, the grieving mums, the country in despair, the ripple of chaos around the region. With all of that, with that wave of despair passing over the Middle East, you then shut the door on 7,200 Iranians who could have had a chance for some safety.

Labor are trumpeting the fact that they gave a life raft to five or six incredibly brave Iranian women's football team players. It seems to me that Labor's position on helping the Iranian people—refugees that are coming from Iran—is that they will only help refugees if they can excel at sport and Labor can manipulate that for a media moment, or if Donald Trump rings them up at 2 am and tells them to. Unless you get the phone call from Donald Trump or you see it as a media opportunity, you do not care about Iranian people fleeing their regime or fleeing the war that you support—the war that the Albanese Labor government supports and has now made Australia a part of by deploying Australian troops.

Maybe next time, before you three war parties—Labor, the coalition and one Nation—support another illegal US war, you should reflect just for a moment upon the actual lives that you are destroying, the countries whose tearing apart you are supporting and the misery that you support every time you support another US forever war. Think about where it will end—because it turns out that, once your mate Donald starts one of these wars, the other side gets a vote in it too—and the unpredictability, chaos and violence that comes every time a nation starts a war.

So of course we want this to go to an inquiry. Let's be clear: we will do everything we can to stop you three war parties shutting the door on Iranian refugees. That's one of the reasons we want this to go to an inquiry which would report by 27 June. I would have shot this bill to the moon if we could have, to keep the door open so that this country can show some decency. As for those 7,200 Iranians, think about the grief that they're in and about this country shutting the door on them like this, Labor.

Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Under Labor, Australia is at war with Iran, and, entirely predictably, that means the missiles, the armaments and the acid rain coming down not just on military installations in Iran but on the Iranian people—women, children and men. Innocent people, including schoolchildren, are being slaughtered in their droves, entirely predictably, and, entirely predictably, are being displaced in their tens and hundreds of thousands from their homes. And what is Labor doing to address the consequences—the predictable consequences—of its decision to enter Australia into a war with Iran, supported by the war parties in this place—the Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation, led by Labor, the unholy alliance of war parties in this place? What is Labor doing to respond to the entirely predictable consequences of going to war with Iran? It is slamming the door closed in the faces of the very Iranians that are being displaced.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKim, please resume your seat. Senator O'Sullivan.

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Choice in Childcare and Early Learning) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, a point of order on relevance: this is a debate about the selection of bills and the Migration Act. We're hearing—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator O'Sullivan. This has been a wide-ranging debate, but, Senator McKim, if you could also talk about why it needs to go to a committee, thank you very much. Please continue.

Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks very much, President. As I was saying, this bill slams the door closed on Iranian people who are suffering the entirely predictable consequences of a war that Labor has let Australia into, full-throatedly supported by the coalition and by One Nation, and that is why this bill needs to go before a committee for a long and robust inquiry, because this parliament should hear the voices of the people that Labor, with the support of the coalition and one Nation, is slamming the door closed on. Let's be very clear: this is a bill that exposes that Labor is not prepared to face the consequences of its decision to send Australia into a war on Iran, a decision roundly supported by the war parties in this place: the Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation.

This bill slams the door closed on innocent people who may well be trying to flee based on a well-founded fear of persecution and may well be intending to seek asylum in Australia. Andto be clear: they potentially need protection not only from matters internal to Iran but also from the bombs that Australia is playing a role in raining down on Iran. Of course the Iranian women's football team should have been offered asylum in Australia. Of course they should. But how cynical is it that the relevant minister, Mr Burke, would fly up and leverage that opportunity for his own media and for the government's media at the same time and on the same day that the government introduced legislation into this place to slam the door closed on many other Iranian women, children and men who were in an identical position except for the media profile?

They were instead taking shelter under their beds or any other place they could find to try to dodge the weapons from the military assault on Iran that Labor has joined Australia to. The hypocrisy from Labor is rank here. They join Australia to a war on Iran, rain the bombs down, rain the firestorm down, rain the acid down on the Iranian people and then slam the door closed on the consequences of a war that Labor was the first government in the world to cheer on and that Labor has subsequently joined Australia to. It's time for Labor to accept the consequences of its actions, and one of the consequences of its actions, entirely predictably, was the displacement of large numbers of Iranian people. Rather than slamming the door closed on them, we should be ensuring that we face up to the consequences, and Labor should be ensuring that it faces up to the consequences of its actions and provides an opportunity for them to claim asylum in this country.

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to support the amendment from the Greens to refer the Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill for inquiry until 27 June. Migration law sits at the intersection of sovereignty, human rights and the rule of law. Changes in this area carry profound consequences for people's liberty, for families and for Australia's international reputation. That is precisely why legislation of this kind demands careful parliamentary scrutiny. This bill proposes significant changes to the migration framework, yet the parliament is being asked to consider it at speed and with limited opportunity to hear from experts and affected communities and the organisations that work with them every single day across this incredible continent.

A short Senate inquiry is not an obstacle to good policy; it is the mechanism by which good policy is made. It would allow us to actually test the government's assumptions, to understand the real world impacts of the measures before us and to ensure that any powers granted by the parliament are proportionate, lawful and actually workable. Australians expect their parliament to get migration law right, and they expect us to legislate carefully, not hastily, as we're seeing. I've had significant correspondence from Canberrans voicing significant concerns about this policy. I think referring this bill for inquiry until 27 June is a modest, reasonable step that would actually strengthen the legislation and strengthen public confidence in the decisions we make in this place.

For those reasons, I support the motion. I think it is ironic that, on the same day that we see a minor party not allowed to debate a private senator's bill—the reason from the government is: 'It's not the convention that you introduce and vote on a bill in the same week.' How about the same day? What about the same day, by the Labor government? It seems like we're in this Orwellian situation where all animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others. It seems to me, when you have a cruel bill, that it is a knee-jerk reaction that I think is wildly out of step with what Australians want—clear the decks, ram through this bill, don't worry about what Australians might think. I think it's a really poor way to be governing.

It stands in such stark contrast to what we've seen with the Iranian women's team—brave young women who have sought asylum and have had the backing of the vast majority of Australians. We've seen all sides of politics—we've seen President Trump—say that this was the right thing to do. I think the reason why we've seen the government do it is that they know it's the right thing to do. In their hearts, they know that this is the right thing to do as Australians. We're the land of the fair go. We want to give these people a fair go.

We're seeing media and social media posts. I really applaud the minister's actions. He's clearly put a lot of time and effort into this. I think a lot of Australians look at Minister Burke's work and say: 'We can be proud of that. This is how a country should actually respond when brave young women's lives are at risk.' But it stands in such stark contrast to this bill that is affecting thousands of people, and I dare say we will not be seeing social media posts from Labor members about this bill explaining to the Australian people what this bill does and explaining to the Australian Iranian community what this means for their loved ones—for brothers, sisters and parents—who were due to come and visit them. I really do think it's so sad to see these migration bills get rammed through like this. I really thank the Greens for their work in pushing this Senate to actually (1) inquire into this bill and (2) have a more compassionate approach in times of crisis.

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise in support of the comments made by my colleagues Senator Shoebridge and Senator McKim and to support much of what was said also by Senator Pocock. So much about this illegal war that's come from this government is the height of hypocrisy, of doublespeak and of 'look over here, but don't look over here'. You said so quickly that you support this war because the people of Iran have been subjected to an oppressive regime—no dispute there; everybody knows that. But then you turn around and say that it's equally okay to have and, in fact, you're willing to support the raining down of bombs on that same population.

We are seeing the impact of that. The very first thing that happened as a consequence of this illegal war is that over 150 young schoolgirls, who were getting on with their lives, were bombed to smithereens, and then their parents and responders who came to help and to see this monstrosity were subjected to a second strike. Telling us that the reason you are sending planes and missiles to the UAE is that you care about the plight of Australians and staying mute and doing nothing about the thousands of Australians in Lebanon—there are reports out of Beirut this morning that bombs are raining down on the thousands of displaced people who are sleeping in the streets. It's immoral. It is a war crime, and this government says nothing.

Labor, the Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation are cheering on an immoral, illegal war. As my colleagues have said, you are shamelessly associating yourselves, on the part of the government, with brave Iranian soccer players and, as this bill seeks to do, slamming the door on 7,200 other Iranians who are trying to flee that same oppressive regime and who are potentially trying to flee the raining down of US and Israeli missiles and bombs. This is the height of hypocrisy. Clearly, as others have said, you do not want the Australian people to know about this; otherwise, you would send the Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill 2026 to inquiry. Shame on you.

I don't understand how Labor members who supposedly don't agree with this are staying silent. If the leadership of your party is leading you into an illegal, immoral war, then this is the time to stand up and say something. If you all sit silently while your leadership drags our nation into this, you are complicit. Show a backbone. It means nothing when we see articles in the Guardian saying Labor backbenchers are feeling uncomfortable about this.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Allman-Payne, you are a very long way from the debate. It is about the amendment standing in the name of Senator McKim and moved by Senator Shoebridge.

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Could I suggest that those Labor members who are uncomfortable put a submission into the inquiry that this government is trying not to have.

This war is illegal. It is immoral. Denying sanctuary to people who already hold valid visas—blocking them from coming to this country to potentially seek help and assistance as a consequence of that illegal, immoral war—is shameful. This bill should go to inquiry.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the amendment standing in the name of Senator McKim and moved by Senator Shoebridge be agreed to.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question now is that the amendment moved by Minister Gallagher be agreed to.