House of Representatives, 18 August 2026: what the proof Hansard records

The short answer

House of Representatives, 18 August 2026: what the proof Hansard records

The proof Hansard for the House of Representatives sitting of Tuesday 18 August 2026 records a full sitting day in which the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026 passed the House with amendments after a long consideration in detail, and the National Self-exclusion Register (Cost Recovery Levy) Amendment Bill 2026, the Interactive Gambling (Cost Recovery Levy) Bill 2026 and the Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 2) Bill 2026 also passed all of their House stages. The day opened at 12:00 with the Speaker taking the chair, making an acknowledgement of country and reading prayers, and included question time on economic security, aged care and avian influenza, a matter of public importance debate on privatisation, and second reading debates on the news journalism payments package. The record is a proof transcript: it is preliminary and subject to correction, and the official Hansard and the Votes and Proceedings remain the authoritative record of the sitting.

This is a federal system guide. State constitutions, parliaments and local-government laws can allocate comparable functions differently.

The useful question is not only “what is the rule?” but also “who administers it, which document controls it, and when might it change?” That distinction prevents an accurate general explanation from becoming wrong advice in a particular election, chamber or policy setting.

Evidence review

What the proof Hansard records

The proof Hansard for 18 August 2026 is the preliminary transcript of the House of Representatives for that sitting day, published on the Parliament of Australia website. It records the order of business, the speakers who addressed the chamber and the divisions that were held.

The Speaker, Milton Dick, took the chair at 12:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers before the day's business began.

The record is published as proof text and is subject to revision; the official Hansard and the Votes and Proceedings remain the authoritative record of the sitting.

Evidence review

Question time and matters of public importance

Question time covered economic security, with a question from Joanne Ryan (Lalor), aged care, with a question from Allegra Spender (Mackellar), and avian influenza, with a question from Anne Urquhart. The Leader of the House, Tony Burke, presented a document to the House.

A matter of public importance debate on privatisation was held, with the Speaker in the chair. Speakers included Elizabeth Watson-Brown, Patrick Gorman, Helen Haines, Jo Briskey, Zali Steggall, Zhi Soon, Rebekha Sharkie, Claire Clutterham, Dai Le, Matt Gregg and Andrew Gee.

Tony Burke also moved a business rearrangement motion, which rearranged the business of the House.

Evidence review

Gambling reform package passes the House

The Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026 was considered in detail, with the Deputy Speaker, Ms Claydon, in the chair. Ms Wells, Ms Chaney and Mr Wilkie spoke during the consideration, and a series of divisions was held.

At 12:31, an amendment moved by the member for Ryan, Joanne Ryan of Lalor, was negatived. At 12:39, an amendment moved by the member for Curtin, Kate Chaney, was negatived. The Speaker noted that, in accordance with the resolution agreed to on 12 August 2026, he would put the question immediately; the House had resolved on 12 August 2026 to put questions immediately under a programmed arrangement.

Further divisions were held at 13:22, 16:32, 16:49, 17:00 and 17:26, with the questions negatived. At 17:33, the House agreed that the bill, as amended, be agreed to. At 17:44, the House agreed that the bill be read a third time.

The National Self-exclusion Register (Cost Recovery Levy) Amendment Bill 2026 and the Interactive Gambling (Cost Recovery Levy) Bill 2026 were each read a second time and a third time, with the Deputy Speaker, Mr Georganas, in the chair.

The proof record shows the gambling reform package passed the House of Representatives on 18 August 2026. Passing the House does not enact a bill: a bill must also pass the Senate and receive Royal Assent before it becomes law, and the proof record of 18 August 2026 does not record any Senate proceedings on these bills.

Evidence review

Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 2) Bill 2026

The Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 2) Bill 2026 was read a second time and then considered in detail, with Dr Andrew Leigh among the speakers. Two government amendments were agreed during the consideration in detail.

The bill was then read a third time, completing all of its stages in the House of Representatives on 18 August 2026. As with the gambling bills, the record of that day shows the bill passing the House; it does not record its enactment.

Evidence review

News journalism payments bills

The House debated the News Journalism Payments Bill 2026 and the News Journalism Payments (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2026 at the second reading stage. Speakers included Melissa McIntosh, Basem Abdo, Sam Birrell, Carol Berry, Anne Webster, Kate Thwaites, Monique Ryan and Tom French.

Later in the sitting, the full news media bargaining package was debated at the second reading stage, including the News Journalism Payments Bill 2026 and its consequential amendments bill, the News Media Bargaining (Administration) Bill 2026, the News Media Bargaining Charge Bill 2026 and the Treasury Laws Amendment (News Media Bargaining) (Consequential) Bill 2026. The Deputy Speaker, Ms Garland, was in the chair, and Tom French, Kate Chaney, Jo Briskey and Sophie Scamps spoke.

The proof record shows these bills were at the second reading stage on 18 August 2026; the record does not show that any of them passed the House that day.

Evidence review

Adjournment and the Federation Chamber

During the adjournment debate, members spoke on the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan (Sophie Scamps), the Labor government (Zhi Soon), gun control (Jamie Chaffey), The Pyjama Foundation (Sarah Witty), health care (Darren Chester) and the Labor government (Joanne Ryan). The claims made in these speeches are the speakers' statements rather than findings of the House.

In the Federation Chamber, grievance debate covered artificial intelligence, with Kate Chaney speaking, and avian influenza, with Steve Georganas speaking.

Members delivered constituency statements on a wide range of subjects, including whistleblower protection (Andrew Wilkie), volunteering in the Hotham electorate (Clare O'Neil), housing (Nicolette Boele), cost of living (Shayne Neumann), SunRice (David Farley), Vietnam Veterans' Day acknowledgements (Zhi Soon and David Batt), mobility devices for Fiji (Rick Wilson), Afghanistan (Cassandra Fernando), superannuation (Mary Aldred), the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (Fiona Phillips), roads (Jason Wood), international development assistance (Alicia Payne), St Agnes' Anglican Church and Brighton Grammar School (Tim Wilson), the Hunter electorate wine industry (Dan Repacholi), Moreton community events (Julie-Ann Campbell), Iran (Angie Bell), Robertson acknowledgements (Gordon Reid), the economy (Sam Birrell), and Greenway's Yarra Park, Medicare and early childhood education and care (Michelle Rowland).

The Federation Chamber also debated the Administrative and Judicial Review Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 at the second reading stage, with speakers including Tom French, Monique Ryan, Claire Clutterham, Andrew Wallace, Shayne Neumann, Michael McCormack, Ash Ambihaipahar and Madonna Jarrett.

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