https://ozpolitics.au/parliament/Independent plain-English reviews of Australian federal bills and parliamentary debates.en-AUSat, 12 Sep 2026 10:39:38 GMThttps://ozpolitics.au/government/tertiary-education-quality-and-standards-agency-amendment-national-student-ombudsman-levy-bill-2026/https://ozpolitics.au/government/tertiary-education-quality-and-standards-agency-amendment-national-student-ombudsman-levy-bill-2026/Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Amendment (National Student Ombudsman Levy) Bill 2026 is the second of two government bills introduced in the House of Representatives in the sitting week of 7-10 September 2026 to move the running costs of the National Student Ombudsman onto higher education providers. The first, the National Student Ombudsman Levy Bill 2026, creates the levy itself. This companion bill does the regulator's side of the job: it amends the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 to provide for the collection and administration of that levy, so that the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) becomes the body that collects the charge from registered providers. The design follows the standard cost recovery architecture for the sector. The amount each provider pays is not set in the bill; the method of calculation is to be specified in regulations after consultation with the sector, with the levy intended to be payable from next year. Penalties would apply for late payment, and failure to pay would be treated as a breach of a condition of registration, exposing a provider to enforcement action by the regulator. Individual college administrators may be liable for the levy if a provider's registration is cancelled. Students would continue to use the ombudsman free of charge. The bill was at introduction stage when this article was prepared: it had not been passed by both houses, had not received royal assent and had not commenced.https://ozpolitics.au/government/national-student-ombudsman-levy-bill-2026/https://ozpolitics.au/government/national-student-ombudsman-levy-bill-2026/Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe National Student Ombudsman Levy Bill 2026 was introduced in the House of Representatives in September 2026 by the Minister for Education, Jason Clare. It establishes the legislative framework for a levy on higher education providers to recover the costs of administering the National Student Ombudsman, moving about $11 million a year in running costs from the federal government to the sector. The method of calculating the levy is to be set out in regulations after consultation with the sector, and the levy is intended to be payable from next year. Late payment would attract penalties, and failure to pay would constitute a breach of a condition of registration, potentially leading to enforcement action by the higher education regulator. The ombudsman itself remains free to students. At the time of writing the bill had been introduced but not passed, assented to or commenced.https://ozpolitics.au/government/knox-class-action-facilitation-bill-2026/https://ozpolitics.au/government/knox-class-action-facilitation-bill-2026/Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Knox Class Action (Facilitation) Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives in the sitting week of 7–10 September 2026 and presented by the Minister for Social Services, Tanya Plibersek. It takes its name from Knox v The Commonwealth, the class action that arose as an appeal from the original robodebt class action, Prygodicz v The Commonwealth. That appeal was settled in September 2025 for an additional $475 million, and the Federal Court approved the settlement on 23 June 2026. The bill is a facilitation measure: it deals with the legal machinery needed to give effect to the settlement arrangements, rather than with the substantive social security rules. Introduction is the first stage of the parliamentary process; at the time of writing the bill had not been passed, had not received royal assent and had not commenced.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/house-of-representatives-proof/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/house-of-representatives-proof/Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives Proof record for 10 September 2026 is the working, uncorrected transcript of that day's chamber proceedings, published by the Parliament of Australia's Hansard service while the sitting was still being transcribed. A Proof record is a provisional working document: it is issued before Hansard reporters and members have completed the correction and verification process, and it may change. It is not final Hansard, it is not a statement of parliamentary approval or disapproval of anything said, and it carries no legal or procedural effect. The Proof contains the speeches, questions, answers and procedural exchanges of the day as recorded from the chamber, including debate on legislation and Question Time, and it is later superseded by the final Hansard and by the Votes and Proceedings, which record what the House actually resolved.https://ozpolitics.au/government/customs-and-other-legislation-amendment-illicit-tobacco-enforcement-modernisation-and-other-measures-bill-2026/https://ozpolitics.au/government/customs-and-other-legislation-amendment-illicit-tobacco-enforcement-modernisation-and-other-measures-bill-2026/Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Customs and Other Legislation Amendment (Illicit Tobacco Enforcement Modernisation and Other Measures) Bill 2026 was introduced in the House of Representatives on 10 September 2026 by Assistant Minister for Customs Julian Hill. It amends the Customs Act 1901 and related laws to create separate offences for the importation of illicit tobacco and for its possession or movement inside Australia, and to allow prosecutors to rely on objective circumstances — such as prices below the applicable excise and GST, non-compliant plain packaging, or hidden goods — to show tobacco entered the country unlawfully. The bill also strengthens proceeds of crime powers so investigators can obtain documents and act against assets linked to the illicit trade. Introducing the bill is the start of the parliamentary process only: at this stage no vote has been taken, no royal assent has been given and no commencement date is set.https://ozpolitics.au/government/tax-laws-amendment-incentivising-food-donations-to-charitable-organisations-bill-2026/https://ozpolitics.au/government/tax-laws-amendment-incentivising-food-donations-to-charitable-organisations-bill-2026/Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Tax Laws Amendment (Incentivising Food Donations to Charitable Organisations) Bill 2026 is a private senator's bill introduced in the Senate on 7 September 2026. It amends the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and the Income Tax (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 to provide a tax offset for companies for certain expenditure incurred in undertaking food donation activities for registered food charities. The measure is intended to change the economics of surplus food so that donating is preferable to dumping. It is a reintroduction: an earlier bill of the same name was introduced by West Australian Liberal senator Dean Smith in July 2024, referred to the Senate Economics Committee, and then rejected; the government confirmed in March 2026 that it would not proceed with that bill. At the time of writing the 2026 bill had been introduced only. It has not been passed, has not received royal assent and has not commenced, and no tax offset is available under it.https://ozpolitics.au/government/firearms-legislation-amendment-repealing-unfair-gun-laws-bill-2026-no-2/https://ozpolitics.au/government/firearms-legislation-amendment-repealing-unfair-gun-laws-bill-2026-no-2/Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Firearms Legislation Amendment (Repealing Unfair Gun Laws) Bill 2026 (No. 2) is a private member's bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 7 September 2026 by the Member for Maranoa, David Littleproud, and seconded by the Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox. It would repeal the National Gun Buyback Scheme and reverse several firearms-related amendments made by the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Act 2026, which Parliament passed in January 2026 after the Bondi attack of 14 December 2025. The bill would restore Commonwealth firearms and importation law to its position before that Act. It does not disturb the 2026 Act's firearms background checks or its prohibition on importing extremist material. The explanatory memorandum cites savings of about $5.8 million a year in departmental administrative funding and the removal of the buyback's costs. The bill is a No. 2 version: an earlier bill of the same name was introduced in the Senate by Senator Bridget McKenzie on 13 August 2026. At the time of writing the House bill had been introduced only. It has not been voted on, passed, assented to or commenced.https://ozpolitics.au/government/diplomatic-appointments-selection-process-bill-2026/https://ozpolitics.au/government/diplomatic-appointments-selection-process-bill-2026/Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Diplomatic Appointments (Selection Process) Bill 2026 was introduced in the Senate on 7 September 2026 by Senator Fatima Payman, as a private member's bill. It would change how candidates are selected for specified diplomatic postings. Its centrepiece is a 10-year cooling-off period barring former federal, state or territory parliamentarians from appointment to designated diplomatic offices — the high-profile roles identified as historically prone to political appointment. For candidates with a significant political affiliation, including former parliamentarians from more than a decade ago, ministerial staff and party officials, the bill would require a more rigorous vetting process. The core mechanism is a set of independent Selection Committees, each made up of three experts with relevant diplomatic experience, whose recommended candidate the Minister must appoint. If two successive committees fail to reach consensus, a failsafe would let the Minister appoint a candidate, but if that person has a significant political affiliation the appointment would have to be endorsed by resolutions of both Houses of Parliament. The bill would also stop people with disqualifying or significant political affiliations from serving in these roles in an acting capacity as chargé d'affaires, so that temporary appointments cannot be used to bypass the process, and its framework would apply to appointments starting at least 12 months after commencement. It was at introduction stage when this article was prepared and had not been passed, assented to or commenced.https://ozpolitics.au/government/automated-decision-making-safeguards-and-transparency-bill-2026/https://ozpolitics.au/government/automated-decision-making-safeguards-and-transparency-bill-2026/Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Automated Decision-Making (Safeguards and Transparency) Bill 2026 was introduced in the House of Representatives on 7 September 2026 by Kate Chaney, the independent member for Curtin, as a private member's bill. It would set mandatory safeguards for significant automated administrative action by Commonwealth government bodies. Its central rule is that certain decisions cannot be automated at all: the bill sets out six outright prohibitions, including automation that would likely produce unlawful action, automation of actions that require an evaluative determination — the exercise of a discretion, an evaluative judgement or the formation of a state of mind — and automation where a plain English and technical explanation of the system's outputs cannot be produced. No action could be automated until a risk assessment is published on a new Commonwealth Automated Tools Register, and assessments must classify each automation as high risk or not. High risk systems would carry extra duties: a human decision maker able to substitute a different action where the automated result is not correct or preferable, internal merits review within four weeks, external review by the Administrative Review Tribunal and judicial review, publication of rules, algorithms, weightings and testing, and review by the Commonwealth Ombudsman at least once every three years. The bill implements recommendations 17.1 and 17.2 of the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme. It was at introduction stage when this article was prepared and had not been passed, assented to or commenced.https://ozpolitics.au/government/ai-kill-switch-and-data-centre-control-bill-2026/https://ozpolitics.au/government/ai-kill-switch-and-data-centre-control-bill-2026/Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe AI Kill Switch and Data Centre Control Bill 2026 was introduced in the House of Representatives on 7 September 2026 as a private member's bill by Andrew Gee, the member for Calare, who sits as an independent after leaving the Nationals. The bill has two limbs. The first would require providers of covered advanced AI systems to maintain ways to restrict, suspend or shut those systems down, giving government a last-resort ability to intervene when an AI system presents a serious safety risk. The second would establish a moratorium on new AI data centre construction and expansion. The measure has been categorised by regulation trackers as a prohibition of goods and services affecting AI development and cloud infrastructure providers, and it was introduced in the same period as comparable debates in the United States and the United Kingdom about statutory emergency shutdown powers. It is a private member's bill, not a government bill, so its passage depends on the Parliament giving it time and support; introducing it is the first stage of the process only. At the time of writing the bill was before the Parliament and had not been passed by both houses, had not received royal assent and had not commenced.https://ozpolitics.au/government/biosecurity-amendment-improving-operational-efficiency-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/biosecurity-amendment-improving-operational-efficiency-bill-2026-explained/Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Biosecurity Amendment (Improving Operational Efficiency) Bill 2026 is a government bill under the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio that proposes amendments to the Biosecurity Act 2015 aimed at improving the operational efficiency of Australia's biosecurity framework. According to the official summary on the Parliament of Australia bill page, the bill would require travellers arriving from outside Australian territory to provide biosecurity information or documents at prescribed times and in prescribed manners, thereby supporting the expanded use of technologies such as the digital Australia Travel Declaration. It would also require a notice of intention process for decisions relating to approved arrangements, and make a minor technical amendment. The bill passed the House of Representatives on 13 August 2026: the second reading was agreed to on 12 August, the Federation Chamber reported the bill without amendment on 13 August, and it was read a third time the same day. It is now before the Senate, where it has been referred to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee for inquiry, which was due to report by 28 August 2026. The bill has not yet been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/wine-and-other-legislation-amendment-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/wine-and-other-legislation-amendment-bill-2026-explained/Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Wine and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 1 July 2026 under the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio. According to the official summary on the Parliament of Australia bill page, the bill would amend the Wine Australia Act 2013 to enable Wine Australia to conduct or arrange surveys of the grape and wine industry, including to support the operation of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, and to enable Wine Australia to use and disclose information for authorised purposes. It would also amend the Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Act 2024 to enable the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) to disclose certain information to non-Commonwealth persons or bodies, and would make a technical amendment to an existing rule-making power. The bill forms part of the government's response to Dr Craig Emerson's Review of regulatory options for the wine and grape sector and is the vehicle for a mandatory code of conduct for wine grape purchases. The bill passed the House of Representatives on 13 August 2026 without amendment, and completed its Senate stages on 11 September 2026. As at 12 September 2026 it is not yet enacted and awaits Royal Assent.https://ozpolitics.au/government/online-safety-amendment-strengthening-enforcement-for-the-social-media-minimum-age-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/online-safety-amendment-strengthening-enforcement-for-the-social-media-minimum-age-bill-2026-explained/Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Online Safety Amendment (Strengthening Enforcement for the Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2026 is a government bill that amends the Online Safety Act 2021 to strengthen enforcement mechanisms for the social media minimum age restriction. According to the official summary on the Parliament of Australia bill page, the bill would amend the Online Safety Act 2021 in relation to the operation of the social media minimum age framework by expanding the eSafety Commissioner's information-gathering powers and increasing civil penalties for non-compliance. The bill passed the House of Representatives on 1 July 2026 — where it was debated, agreed to at second reading, and passed at third reading — and was introduced in the Senate the same day. It was referred to the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, which was due to report by 25 August 2026. The Senate debated the bill on 8 and 9 September 2026 and passed it with amendments; the House of Representatives considered the Senate's message on 10 September 2026, so the bill has now passed both houses in identical form and awaits Royal Assent. It had not been enacted as at 12 September 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/government/cash-distribution-framework-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/cash-distribution-framework-bill-2026-explained/Sat, 22 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Cash Distribution Framework Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 2 July 2026 under the Treasury portfolio. It proposes to establish a framework to regulate cash distribution services in Australia, including an oversight framework for service agreements and access agreements and powers for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to set service-level standards, as described in the official summary on the Parliament bill page. The bill passed the House of Representatives on 12 August 2026 and passed the Senate on 20 August 2026, when the second reading and third reading were agreed to and one Australian Greens amendment was agreed to. The Senate returned the bill to the House with an amendment (message No. 161 of 20 August 2026), and the House agreed to the Senate's amendment by division 266 (84 votes to 34) on 20 August 2026, according to the House Live Minutes. As of 23 August 2026 the Parliament of Australia bill page records the status 'Passed Both Houses', having finally passed both Houses on 20 August 2026, and the bill awaits Royal Assent; it has not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/house-of-representatives-proof-19-august-2026/https://ozpolitics.au/government/house-of-representatives-proof-19-august-2026/Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe Proof Hansard for the House of Representatives sitting of 19 August 2026 records a full day of legislation: the House considered and passed the five-bill News Media Bargaining package, including the News Journalism Payments Bill 2026, the News Journalism Payments (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2026, 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 second reading debate on the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 was resumed and the bill was declared referred to the Federation Chamber; the second reading debate on the Australia's Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Amendment Bill 2026 was resumed and the bill was also declared referred to the Federation Chamber as the PJCIS presented its advisory report; and the Combatting Illicit Tobacco Bill 2026 was declared referred to the Federation Chamber. A Proof Hansard is an uncorrected working transcript that is subject to revision before the final Hansard is published; the settled record of the sitting is the Votes and Proceedings and the corrected Hansard.https://ozpolitics.au/government/treasury-laws-amendment-news-media-bargaining-consequential-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/treasury-laws-amendment-news-media-bargaining-consequential-bill-2026-explained/Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Treasury Laws Amendment (News Media Bargaining) (Consequential) Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 13 August 2026. It would make consequential amendments to the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977, the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and the Taxation Administration Act 1953 to support the operation of the News Media Bargaining (Administration) Act 2026, which establishes the administration of the News Bargaining Incentive. The bill would, among other things, ensure that amounts of the news media bargaining charge are not tax-deductible and are treated as tax-related expenses for the purposes of managing a taxpayer's affairs, and would include the administration Act in the schedule of decisions subject to review under the ADJR Act. The bill's commencement is tied to the commencement of the News Media Bargaining (Administration) Act 2026. As introduced, the bill was read a first time and the second reading was moved in the House of Representatives on 13 August 2026. The bill passed both Houses of Parliament on 20 August 2026 and now awaits Royal Assent.https://ozpolitics.au/government/news-media-bargaining-charge-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/news-media-bargaining-charge-bill-2026-explained/Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe News Media Bargaining Charge Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 13 August 2026 by the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services, Dr Daniel Mulino. It would impose a news media bargaining charge — the News Media Incentive (NMI) — on large digital platforms, with the detailed liability and calculation rules set out in the News Media Bargaining (Administration) Bill 2026. The explanatory memorandum describes the NMI as a charge paid by digital platforms that can be reduced or eliminated through certain expenditure arising from commercial deals with Australian news organisations, creating an incentive for platforms to enter into commercial deals directly with news organisations. All NMI amounts received would be directed to the News Journalism Payments Scheme established by the News Journalism Payments Bill 2026. As introduced, the bill was read a first time on 13 August 2026 and the second reading was moved the same day, with debate adjourned. The bill passed both Houses of Parliament on 20 August 2026 and now awaits Royal Assent; it has not yet been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/news-media-bargaining-administration-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/news-media-bargaining-administration-bill-2026-explained/Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe News Media Bargaining (Administration) Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 13 August 2026 by the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services, Dr Daniel Mulino. Together with the News Media Bargaining Charge Bill 2026 and the Treasury Laws Amendment (News Media Bargaining) (Consequential) Bill 2026, it would establish the framework to impose, implement and administer the News Media Incentive (NMI) — a charge on large digital platforms. Under the framework, a parent entity would be required to pay the NMI if the parent entity, or a member of its service group, provides a significant social media or search service and the parent entity's service group meets the relevant Australian digital advertising revenue threshold. The NMI could be partially or fully offset if the service group has new eligible expenditure in relation to a minimum of eight Australian news business corporate groups. As introduced, the bill was read a first time on 13 August 2026 and the second reading was moved the same day, with debate adjourned. The bill passed both Houses of Parliament on 20 August 2026 and now awaits Royal Assent; it has not yet been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/news-journalism-payments-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/news-journalism-payments-bill-2026-explained/Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe News Journalism Payments Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 13 August 2026 by the Minister for Communications, Anika Wells. It would establish the News Journalism Payment Scheme to distribute revenue raised by the News Bargaining Incentive (NBI) — a charge on digital platforms, proposed in the News Media Bargaining Charge Bill 2026, that can be reduced or eliminated through commercial deals with Australian news organisations — to eligible news organisations, supporting the employment of journalists producing core news content. The bill passed both Houses of Parliament on 20 August 2026 and now awaits Royal Assent; it has not yet been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/news-journalism-payments-consequential-amendments-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/news-journalism-payments-consequential-amendments-bill-2026-explained/Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe News Journalism Payments (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 13 August 2026 by the Minister for Communications, Anika Wells. It accompanies the News Journalism Payments Bill 2026 and provides for consequential amendments to Part IVBA (Division 3) of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 that are necessary because of the creation of the News Journalism Payment Scheme and its eligibility requirements. The bill would require the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to notify the Secretary of the department administering the scheme of specified events occurring in relation to registered news businesses and registered news business corporations, which is pertinent to assessing eligibility and entitlement to a share of funds under the scheme. As introduced, the bill was read a first time on 13 August 2026 and the second reading was moved the same day, with debate adjourned. The bill passed both Houses of Parliament on 20 August 2026 and now awaits Royal Assent; it has not yet been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/counter-terrorism-legislation-amendment-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/counter-terrorism-legislation-amendment-bill-2026-explained/Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 12 August 2026 that would extend critical counter-terrorism powers for a further three years and amend the control order and post-sentence order frameworks in the Criminal Code, including information sharing, access to criminal history information, application of the framework to young people, and electronic surveillance warrants. On 19 August 2026 the second reading debate resumed in the House and was adjourned the same morning, and the bill was declared referred to the Federation Chamber. The bill passed the House of Representatives on 20 August 2026 and is now before the Senate, where it has been referred to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security; it has not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/cash-distribution-framework-consequential-amendments-and-transitional-provisions-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/cash-distribution-framework-consequential-amendments-and-transitional-provisions-bill-2026-explained/Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThis bill is a companion to the Cash Distribution Framework Bill 2026. It makes consequential amendments to other Acts and establishes transitional provisions, including giving the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) an interim power to help ensure continuity of cash distribution services while the broader framework is implemented. According to the official summary on the Parliament bill page, the bill amends the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, Corporations Act 2001, Payment Systems and Netting Act 1998 and Reserve Bank Act 1959 to make consequential amendments, and also provides for transitional arrangements. The parent bill seeks to maintain access to cash across Australia and support businesses and financial institutions to continue offering cash services. This consequential bill was introduced by the Assistant Treasurer on 2 July 2026; it passed both Houses of Parliament on 20 August 2026 and now awaits Royal Assent.https://ozpolitics.au/government/administrative-and-judicial-review-legislation-amendment-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/administrative-and-judicial-review-legislation-amendment-bill-2026-explained/Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Administrative and Judicial Review Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 1 July 2026 under the Attorney-General's portfolio. According to the official summary on the Parliament of Australia bill page, the bill would amend the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024 to authorise registrars to exercise additional powers, enable correction of obvious errors in registrar orders, change the basis on which non-judicial members are appointed, and expand the class of decisions treated as intelligence and security decisions. It would also amend the Migration Act 1958 to require approved forms for certain review applications and identity verification for certain matters, prescribe a standardised timeframe for certain applications to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) under the Taxation Administration Act 1953, and enable the ART to give reasons for its decisions orally. The bill was referred to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee on 2 July 2026, with a report due 7 August 2026. The bill passed the House of Representatives on 20 August 2026 and is now before the Senate; it has not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/australia-s-foreign-relations-state-and-territory-arrangements-amendment-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/australia-s-foreign-relations-state-and-territory-arrangements-amendment-bill-2026-explained/Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Australia's Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Amendment Bill 2026 would implement recommendations of the 2025 Independent Review of the Foreign Arrangements Scheme led by Rosemary Huxtable. The bill would embed the national interest as an explicit test in the scheme's objects, would give the minister power to impose conditions on foreign arrangements, would extend oversight to overseas campuses of Australian universities, and would remove approval steps for minor variations and renewals of already-assessed arrangements; according to the official summary on the Parliament of Australia bill page, it would also amend the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 so that certain advice and recommendations relating to the scheme are not prescribed administrative actions for the purposes of the security assessment framework. Introduced in the House of Representatives on 1 July 2026 and referred to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security on 6 July 2026, the bill passed both Houses of Parliament on 20 August 2026 and now awaits Royal Assent; earlier, on 19 August 2026 the second reading debate resumed and was adjourned, the Leader of the House declared the bill referred to the Federation Chamber, and the committee presented its advisory report on the bill, made a Parliamentary Paper; the bill is not enacted and would need to pass both houses and receive Royal Assent before any provision could commence.https://ozpolitics.au/government/customs-tariff-amendment-incorporation-of-proposals-bill-no-1-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/customs-tariff-amendment-incorporation-of-proposals-bill-no-1-2026-explained/Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Customs Tariff Amendment (Incorporation of Proposals) Bill (No. 1) 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 27 May 2026 and now passed both Houses of Parliament on 20 August 2026. It would amend the Customs Tariff Act 1995 in four parts: setting the general rate of customs duty to 'Free' for approximately 500 tariff headings (abolishing 'nuisance tariffs'); extending the 35% additional duty on Russian and Belarusian goods for a further 24 months to October 2027; continuing the free rate for Ukrainian goods for a further 24 months to July 2028; and repealing spent phasing rates for Peruvian originating goods. The bill gives legislative effect to three Customs Tariff Proposals tabled in Parliament in 2025 and 2026. Portfolio: Home Affairs.https://ozpolitics.au/government/combatting-illicit-tobacco-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/combatting-illicit-tobacco-bill-2026-explained/Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Combatting Illicit Tobacco Bill 2026 is a government bill from the Home Affairs portfolio that would amend multiple Commonwealth Acts to combat the illicit tobacco trade. It would increase penalties for illicit tobacco offences, enable telecommunications interception warrants for illicit tobacco investigations, and expand the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 framework for confiscating criminal assets, including streamlined unexplained wealth orders. Introduced in the House of Representatives on 26 March 2026, the bill was debated on 14 May, 4 June and 22 June 2026; on 19 August 2026 the Leader of the House declared it stands referred to the Federation Chamber for further consideration. The bill passed both Houses of Parliament on 20 August 2026 and now awaits Royal Assent.https://ozpolitics.au/government/crimes-and-other-legislation-amendment-omnibus-no-1-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/crimes-and-other-legislation-amendment-omnibus-no-1-bill-2026-explained/Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Crimes and Other Legislation Amendment (Omnibus No. 1) Bill 2026 is an Attorney-General's portfolio bill that packages six separate reform schedules into a single piece of legislation. Introduced on 11 March 2026 and now passed both Houses of Parliament on 20 August 2026, the bill would grant the Australian Federal Police move-on and identity-check powers at the new Sydney West Airport, reform how drug quantity thresholds are determined in serious drug offence proceedings (moving from purity-based to mixture-weight measurement), enable the Attorney-General to authorise another person to act when the Director of Public Prosecutions has a conflict of interest, clarify extradition processes and grant police new entry and force powers for extradition arrest warrants, and update telecommunications interception legislation. The bill passed the House on 25 March 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/government/australian-security-intelligence-organisation-amendment-bill-no-2-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/australian-security-intelligence-organisation-amendment-bill-no-2-2025-explained/Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025 is a government bill that would make ASIO's compulsory questioning powers framework permanent, expand the scope of adult questioning warrants, and introduce additional safeguards including mandatory reporting to the Attorney-General and a requirement that post-charge questioning occur only before a retired judge. The bill, which falls within the Home Affairs portfolio, passed both Houses of Parliament on 20 August 2026 and now awaits Royal Assent. The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security reported on the bill on 5 February 2026, and multiple senators — including David Shoebridge (Greens), David Pocock (Independent), Malcolm Roberts (One Nation), and Ralph Babet (UAP) — have circulated proposed amendments.https://ozpolitics.au/government/migration-amendment-overseas-organ-transplant-disclosure-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/migration-amendment-overseas-organ-transplant-disclosure-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 20 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Migration Amendment (Overseas Organ Transplant Disclosure) Bill 2026 is a private senator's bill introduced in the Senate by Senator Dean Smith (Western Australia) on 20 August 2026. It would amend the Migration Act 1958 to place new reporting requirements on people entering Australia: an incoming passenger card question asking whether the traveller has received an organ transplant outside Australia within the last five years, and, if so, the name and location (country, town or city) of the medical facility where each transplant took place. The bill would also require the Minister to cause an annual report on the information provided to be prepared and tabled in each house of Parliament. As of 21 August 2026 the bill was before the Senate and had not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/house-of-representatives-proof-20-august-2026/https://ozpolitics.au/government/house-of-representatives-proof-20-august-2026/Thu, 20 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe Proof Hansard for the House of Representatives sitting of 20 August 2026 records a full sitting day: the introduction of two new government bills (the Criminal Code Amendment (National Sport Integrity Offences) Bill 2026 and the Carbon Credits and Other Legislation Amendment (Integrity and Transparency) Bill 2026); the passage of five bills including the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment Bill 2026, the Universities Accord (Opening the Doors of Opportunity) Bill 2026, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Strengthening Accountability for Tax Adviser Misconduct and Other Measures) Bill 2026 and the Administrative and Judicial Review Legislation Amendment Bill 2026; the House's agreement to a Senate amendment to the Cash Distribution Framework Bill 2026 by division (84 votes to 34); and the reporting of Senate messages returning the three interactive gambling bills without amendment. Proof Hansard is a draft working record published quickly after the sitting; it is subject to correction and is not the authoritative record, which is the final Hansard and the Votes and Proceedings.https://ozpolitics.au/government/criminal-code-amendment-national-sport-integrity-offences-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/criminal-code-amendment-national-sport-integrity-offences-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 20 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Criminal Code Amendment (National Sport Integrity Offences) Bill 2026 is a government bill, introduced in the House of Representatives on 20 August 2026 under the Attorney-General's portfolio. It would insert a new Part 10.10 into the Criminal Code Act 1995 creating seven offences that criminalise the manipulation of sporting events, including match-fixing, and related conduct such as inducing or soliciting corruption of an event, concealing or using corrupt conduct information, and using inside information. The bill implements the government's response to the 2018 Report of the Review of Australia's Sports Integrity Arrangements (the Wood Review) and, unlike the review's recommendation, generally does not link the offences to betting. On 20 August 2026 the bill was referred to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee with a report due by 2 October 2026. As of 21 August 2026 it had not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/carbon-credits-and-other-legislation-amendment-integrity-and-transparency-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/carbon-credits-and-other-legislation-amendment-integrity-and-transparency-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 20 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Carbon Credits and Other Legislation Amendment (Integrity and Transparency) Bill 2026 is a government bill, introduced in the House of Representatives on 20 August 2026 under the Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water portfolio. It would amend the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011, the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 and the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard Act 2024 to strengthen the integrity, transparency and administration of Australia's carbon crediting, emissions reporting and vehicle efficiency schemes. The changes draw on the 2022 Chubb Review of Australian Carbon Credit Units and statutory reviews by the Climate Change Authority, and include a two-stage native title consent process for ACCU projects, a reformed integrity committee, a new method transition power for methods with critical integrity risks, and administrative date changes under the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard. As of 21 August 2026 the bill was before the House of Representatives with the second reading debate yet to be resumed; it has not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/housing-australia-amendment-transparency-and-reporting-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/housing-australia-amendment-transparency-and-reporting-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 20 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Housing Australia Amendment (Transparency and Reporting) Bill 2026 is a private senator's bill introduced in the Senate by Senator Andrew Bragg (New South Wales) on 19 August 2026. It would amend the Housing Australia Act 2018 to require Housing Australia to prepare and give the Minister a quarterly report on its operations, covering spending across each program or measure, the number of projects receiving financial assistance, the cost per dwelling, spending on administration and consultants, guarantees issued broken down by stream and recipient income decile, and summarised board minutes. As of 21 August 2026 the bill was before the Senate and had not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/fair-work-amendment-disqualified-officers-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/fair-work-amendment-disqualified-officers-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 20 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Fair Work Amendment (Disqualified Officers) Bill 2026 is a private senator's bill introduced in the Senate by Senator Jane Hume (Victoria) on 19 August 2026. It would amend the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 to remove the five-year statutory limit that currently applies to disciplinary action under the scheme of administration for the Construction and General Division of the CFMEU, so the administrator could impose a longer or indefinite period of expulsion or disqualification of officers where warranted. The explanatory memorandum cites the administrator's public statement that the current rules limited him to a maximum five-year suspension. As of 21 August 2026 the bill was before the Senate and had not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/interactive-gambling-cost-recovery-levy-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/interactive-gambling-cost-recovery-levy-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 20 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Interactive Gambling (Cost Recovery Levy) Bill 2026 is a government bill that would impose a levy on licensed interactive wagering service providers so that the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) can recover the costs of administering and enforcing new wagering advertising reforms proposed by the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026. The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on 17 August 2026, passed the House on 18 August 2026, and passed the Senate on 19 August 2026, when the second reading and the third reading were agreed to; the bill finally passed both houses on 19 August 2026. The Senate returned the bill to the House without amendments or requests (message No. 153 of 19 August 2026, reported in the House on 20 August 2026). As of 21 August 2026 the bill had not received Royal Assent and was not yet an Act.https://ozpolitics.au/government/interactive-gambling-amendment-gambling-reform-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/interactive-gambling-amendment-gambling-reform-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 20 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 2 July 2026. It would amend the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 to restrict wagering advertising, expand the BetStop national self-exclusion register, ban online keno and foreign matched lotteries, and strengthen enforcement against illegal offshore gambling services. The House passed the bill with amendments on 18 August 2026, and the Senate passed it on 19 August 2026, when the second reading, Committee of the Whole stage and third reading were completed the same day; the bill finally passed both houses on 19 August 2026. The Senate returned the bill to the House without amendments or requests (message No. 151 of 19 August 2026, reported in the House on 20 August 2026). As of 21 August 2026 the bill had not received Royal Assent and was not yet an Act.https://ozpolitics.au/government/house-of-representatives-proof-18-august-2026/https://ozpolitics.au/government/house-of-representatives-proof-18-august-2026/Tue, 18 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe 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.https://ozpolitics.au/government/crimes-amendment-prohibiting-the-strip-searching-of-children-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/crimes-amendment-prohibiting-the-strip-searching-of-children-bill-2026-explained/Tue, 18 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Crimes Amendment (Prohibiting the Strip Searching of Children) Bill 2026 is a private bill introduced in the Senate by Senator Lidia Thorpe (Victoria) on 18 August 2026, when it was read a first time and the second reading was moved. The bill would amend the Crimes Act 1914 to prohibit the strip searching of children under 18; the explanatory memorandum says its purpose is to end the practice of strip searching children under 18 and to ensure that it cannot legally happen in any Australian jurisdiction. No proposed amendments to the bill have been circulated. The bill is before the Senate and has not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/crimes-amendment-prohibiting-shackling-during-childbirth-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/crimes-amendment-prohibiting-shackling-during-childbirth-bill-2026-explained/Tue, 18 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Crimes Amendment (Prohibiting Shackling During Childbirth) Bill 2026 is a private bill introduced in the Senate by Senator Lidia Thorpe (Victoria) on 18 August 2026, when it was read a first time and the second reading was moved. The bill would amend the Crimes Act 1914 to prohibit the restraint of people while they are giving birth; the explanatory memorandum says its purpose is to end the practice of shackling people during childbirth and to ensure that it cannot legally happen in any Australian jurisdiction. No proposed amendments to the bill have been circulated. The bill is before the Senate and has not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/broadcasting-services-amendment-register-of-media-interests-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/broadcasting-services-amendment-register-of-media-interests-bill-2026-explained/Tue, 18 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Broadcasting Services Amendment (Register of Media Interests) Bill 2026 is a private bill introduced in the Senate by Senator Alex Antic (South Australia) on 18 August 2026. It would amend the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to establish a Register of Media Interests, administered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), under which media entities and certain staff and individuals connected with them would have to disclose interests, pecuniary or otherwise, that could conflict with, influence or bias information disseminated by an outlet. As at 19 August 2026 the bill is before the Senate and has not been enacted: it was read a first time and the second reading was moved on 18 August 2026, and no proposed amendments have been circulated.https://ozpolitics.au/government/passenger-movement-charge-amendment-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/passenger-movement-charge-amendment-bill-2026-explained/Tue, 18 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Passenger Movement Charge Amendment Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 12 August 2026. It would amend the Passenger Movement Charge Act 1978 to increase the passenger movement charge (PMC) from $70 to $80 per departing passenger, with effect from 1 January 2027, and would change the timing rule so that the charge is calculated by reference to the passenger's date of departure rather than the date the ticket was sold, with a six-month transition arrangement for carriers where tickets were sold before the new rate took effect. On 19 August 2026 the second reading debate resumed in the House and was adjourned the same morning, and the Leader of the House declared the bill referred to the Federation Chamber; the bill is before the House and has not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/national-self-exclusion-register-cost-recovery-levy-amendment-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/national-self-exclusion-register-cost-recovery-levy-amendment-bill-2026-explained/Tue, 18 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe National Self-exclusion Register (Cost Recovery Levy) Amendment Bill 2026 is a government bill proposing to expand the recoverable costs under the National Self-exclusion Register (Cost Recovery Levy) Act 2019, so the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts — not just the Australian Communications and Media Authority — could recover BetStop costs, including promotion and awareness activities. Introduced in the House of Representatives on 2 July 2026, the bill passed the House on 18 August 2026, when the second and third readings were agreed. As at 19 August 2026 it was before the Senate, with a second reading vote noted to be held immediately; it has not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/treasury-laws-amendment-tax-reform-no-2-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/treasury-laws-amendment-tax-reform-no-2-bill-2026-explained/Tue, 18 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 2) Bill 2026 is a government bill under the Treasury portfolio that, according to the official summary on the Parliament bill page, makes three main changes: it would enable corporate tax entities that are not significant global entities to carry back a tax loss in an income year and apply it against tax paid in either or both of the previous two income years; it would permanently extend the $20,000 instant asset write-off from 1 July 2026; and it would provide an income tax exemption for income derived from employment with PNG Chiefs Limited. The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on 25 June 2026, passed the House on 18 August 2026, and was introduced in the Senate on 19 August 2026, where the second reading debate was in progress that morning. The bill is before the Senate and has not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/universities-accord-opening-the-doors-of-opportunity-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/universities-accord-opening-the-doors-of-opportunity-bill-2026-explained/Tue, 18 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Universities Accord (Opening the Doors of Opportunity) Bill 2026 introduces two major reforms to Australian higher education. According to the official summary on the Parliament bill page, it amends the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to change the basis of higher education funding to a managed growth funding system based on a total number of equivalent full-time student load places, and to provide for needs-based funding grants to higher education providers in relation to specific types of Commonwealth supported students, including students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, First Nations students and students studying at regional campuses. The bill also provides a framework for the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC) to allocate international student places, requires ATEC to assess providers against the terms of their mission-based compacts, and makes minor amendments to the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, Ombudsman Act 1976 and Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 in relation to information management. As at 19 August 2026 the bill is before the House of Representatives, where the second reading debate resumed on the morning of 19 August 2026 and was adjourned later that morning, with the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for a later hour that day. The bill has been referred to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee, with a report due by 3 September 2026, and has not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/human-rights-children-born-alive-protection-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/human-rights-children-born-alive-protection-bill-2026-explained/Mon, 17 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Human Rights (Children Born Alive Protection) Bill 2026 is a private member's bill sponsored by Llew O'Brien, the member for Wide Bay, introduced in the House of Representatives on 17 August 2026. The bill would declare that a child born alive is a person for the purposes of Commonwealth law, including a child born alive as a result of a termination of pregnancy, and would impose a duty on health practitioners to provide medical care or treatment to such a child. It would create an offence for a health practitioner who contravenes that duty, require health practitioners present at a termination or birth to report births of children born alive without identifying the mother, and exempt the mother from prosecution. The bill is at the second reading stage in the House of Representatives and has not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/house-of-representatives-proof-17-august-2026/https://ozpolitics.au/government/house-of-representatives-proof-17-august-2026/Mon, 17 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe proof Hansard for the House of Representatives sitting of 17 August 2026 records a full sitting day that began with the Speaker welcoming members of the National Youth Parliament to the gallery, followed by petitions, a long grievance debate, question time, an attempted censure motion concerning veterans' allied health services, committee reports, debate on the Universities Accord (Opening the Doors of Opportunity) Bill 2026, and a business rearrangement motion setting up the next day's debate on the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026. During the attempted censure, Phillip Thompson (Herbert) moved to suspend standing orders so the House could consider a motion censuring the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel; Andrew Charlton (Parramatta) then moved that the debate be adjourned, and the House agreed to that adjournment motion by 86 votes to 43. The censure motion itself was not put to a vote. The proof record is preliminary and is subject to correction before the official Hansard is published.https://ozpolitics.au/government/treasury-laws-amendment-removing-the-widows-and-spouses-tax-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/treasury-laws-amendment-removing-the-widows-and-spouses-tax-bill-2026-explained/Sat, 15 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Treasury Laws Amendment (Removing the Widows and Spouses Tax) Bill 2026 is a private senators' bill introduced by Senators Matt Canavan and David Pocock on 13 August 2026. It responds to a gap in the Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 1) Bill 2026, which became law on 25 June 2026. That Act grandfathered existing negative gearing and capital gains tax arrangements for property held before 7:30pm on 12 May 2026, but the grandfathering could be lost when a jointly held investment property was transferred to a single owner following the death of one owner or the breakdown of a marriage or de facto relationship — an effect that has been described as a 'widows and spouses tax'. The bill would amend the tax law so that the grandfathered treatment is preserved when property transfers on death or pursuant to a family law court order or a binding financial agreement. As introduced, the bill was read a first time in the Senate on 13 August 2026 and the second reading was moved the same day. It is before the Senate and has not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/superannuation-legislation-amendment-fair-super-for-young-workers-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/superannuation-legislation-amendment-fair-super-for-young-workers-bill-2026-explained/Sat, 15 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Superannuation Legislation Amendment (Fair Super for Young Workers) Bill 2026 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator Barbara Pocock (Australian Greens) on 12 August 2026. It responds to the exclusion of workers under 18 who work fewer than 30 hours in a week from the superannuation guarantee. Under current law, employers are generally required to pay the superannuation guarantee (12 per cent of ordinary time earnings) for eligible workers, but workers under 18 are only entitled to superannuation guarantee contributions if they work more than 30 hours in a week. Senator Pocock has said the exclusion leaves hundreds of thousands of young workers without superannuation and costs an estimated $405 million in contributions in a single year. The bill would extend the superannuation guarantee to workers under 18 regardless of the number of hours they work. As introduced, the bill was read a first time in the Senate on 12 August 2026 and the second reading was moved the same day. It is before the Senate and has not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/protecting-australians-from-foreign-terrorist-fighters-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/protecting-australians-from-foreign-terrorist-fighters-bill-2026-explained/Sat, 15 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Protecting Australians from Foreign Terrorist Fighters Bill 2026 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator Pauline Hanson (One Nation) on 12 August 2026. According to the sponsor's published statements, the bill would create a new 'foreign terrorist fighter exclusion order' that the Minister for Home Affairs could ask the Federal Court to impose, strengthening powers to cancel or refuse passports, and toughening bail laws for terrorism charges. The bill is One Nation's first complete legislative proposal of this term. The Coalition announced it would support the bill, while the Government and constitutional experts questioned its legal viability. As introduced, the bill was read a first time in the Senate on 12 August 2026 and the second reading was moved the same day. On 13 August 2026 it was referred to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, with a report due by 7 September 2026. It is before the Senate and has not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/wage-justice-early-childhood-education-and-care-workers-special-account-extending-support-and-strengthening-safety-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/wage-justice-early-childhood-education-and-care-workers-special-account-extending-support-and-strengthening-safety-bill-2026-explained/Sat, 15 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Wage Justice for Early Childhood Education and Care Workers (Special Account) (Extending Support and Strengthening Safety) Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 12 August 2026. It would amend the Wage Justice for Early Childhood Education and Care Workers (Special Account) Act 2024 to extend the Act's sunset date from 30 June 2028 to 31 December 2029 and to credit the Special Account with additional funding. The bill delivers on the Government's 17 June 2026 announcement of $3.6 billion over two years to lock in the pay rise for early childhood educators, and adds $226 million in Commonwealth child safety reforms, with the states and territories committing more than $270 million — around half a billion dollars in total for strengthening the quality and safety of early childhood education and care. As introduced, the bill was read a first time and the second reading was moved in the House of Representatives on 12 August 2026. On 13 August 2026 it was referred to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee, with a report due by 4 September 2026. It is before the House and has not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/house-of-representatives-proof-11-august-2026/https://ozpolitics.au/government/house-of-representatives-proof-11-august-2026/Sat, 15 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe proof Hansard for the House of Representatives sitting of 11 August 2026 records the day's proceedings in the chamber, which resumed after the winter break. The record shows that business began with a rearrangement motion moved by the Leader of the Opposition, Angus Taylor, followed by a division; five bills were then referred to the Federation Chamber, including the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation) Bill 2025, the Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Medicines Shortages and Other Measures) Bill 2026, the Therapeutic Goods (Charges) Amendment Bill 2026, the Biosecurity Amendment (Improving Operational Efficiency) Bill 2026 and the Wine and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026. The Leader of the House, Tony Burke, moved business orders of the day, and a suspension of standing and sessional orders motion was debated with contributions from Kate Chaney, Monique Ryan, Mark Butler and Rebecca White, followed by a division. The Aged Care Amendment (Restoring Human Override for Aged Care Needs Assessments) Bill 2026 was then read a first time, with contributions from Rebecca White, Dan Tehan and Cameron Caldwell, followed by a division. The day also included statements by members, a statement on indulgence on international relations between Australia and Vietnam by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, and questions without notice. The proof Hansard is the unedited preliminary record of proceedings and is subject to revision before the official Hansard is published.https://ozpolitics.au/government/firearms-legislation-amendment-repealing-unfair-gun-laws-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/firearms-legislation-amendment-repealing-unfair-gun-laws-bill-2026-explained/Wed, 12 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Firearms Legislation Amendment (Repealing Unfair Gun Laws) Bill 2026 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator Bridget McKenzie on 13 August 2026. It would repeal the provisions creating the National Gun Buyback Scheme and restore Commonwealth law relating to firearms and the importation of firearms to the position that applied immediately before the commencement of the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Act 2026. The explanatory memorandum states the bill would not repeal laws relating to firearms background checks introduced by the 2026 Act, and would not change the prohibition on importing or exporting certain violent extremist material or material depicting or containing prohibited symbols. As introduced, the bill was read a first time in the Senate on 13 August 2026 and the second reading was moved the same day. It is before the Senate and has not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/criminal-code-amendment-equal-access-to-voluntary-assisted-dying-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/criminal-code-amendment-equal-access-to-voluntary-assisted-dying-bill-2026-explained/Wed, 12 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Criminal Code Amendment (Equal Access to Voluntary Assisted Dying) Bill 2026 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator Sarah Hanson-Young on 13 August 2026. It would amend the Criminal Code Act 1995 to clarify that the use of telehealth for voluntary assisted dying (VAD) does not constitute an offence under Subdivision G of Division 474 of the Criminal Code when carried out in line with state and territory VAD laws. The bill responds to a 2023 Federal Court ruling, Carr v Attorney-General (Cth) [2023] FCA 1500, which found that the ending of a person's life as authorised by Victoria's VAD legislation could be defined as assisting or counselling suicide under the Commonwealth offence provisions, with the result that telehealth consultations for VAD could be captured by the criminal law. As introduced, the bill was read a first time in the Senate on 13 August 2026 and the second reading was moved the same day. It is before the Senate and has not been enacted. The explanatory memorandum states the amendments would apply retrospectively so that medical professionals who used telehealth for VAD before commencement are protected.https://ozpolitics.au/government/therapeutic-goods-charges-amendment-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/therapeutic-goods-charges-amendment-bill-2026-explained/Wed, 12 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Therapeutic Goods (Charges) Amendment Bill 2026 is a government bill that amends the Therapeutic Goods (Charges) Act 1989 to allow annual charges to be prescribed for grouped biological entries in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG). Introduced on 2 July 2026 by the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, the bill is a companion to broader TGA reforms and passed the House of Representatives on 12 August 2026 and was introduced and read a first time in the Senate the same day, where the second reading was moved. It is now before the Senate, with a Senate committee report due 1 September 2026. It has not yet been enacted. According to the official summary on the Parliament bill page, the bill was introduced with the Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Medicines Shortages and Other Measures) Bill 2026 and enables annual charges to be prescribed for the inclusion of grouped biologicals in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.https://ozpolitics.au/government/therapeutic-goods-amendment-medicines-shortages-and-other-measures-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/therapeutic-goods-amendment-medicines-shortages-and-other-measures-bill-2026-explained/Wed, 12 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Medicines Shortages and Other Measures) Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 2 July 2026. It proposes to amend the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 to: require medicine sponsors to give 12 months' notice of permanent discontinuations; empower the Secretary to demand supply information from all sponsors; allow common biologicals to share single Register entries; move clinical trial site inspection powers from delegated legislation into primary law; and enable the Medicines Watch List to incorporate external documents by reference. The bill is currently before the House of Representatives and must still pass both chambers before becoming law. It was referred to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee on 2 July 2026, with a report due by 1 September 2026. The portfolio is Health, Disability and Ageing.https://ozpolitics.au/government/national-disability-insurance-scheme-amendment-securing-the-ndis-for-future-generations-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/national-disability-insurance-scheme-amendment-securing-the-ndis-for-future-generations-bill-2026-explained/Wed, 12 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 is the latest in a series of legislative efforts to reshape the governance and operation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Introduced in the House of Representatives on 14 May 2026 as a Government bill under the Health, Disability and Ageing portfolio, the bill represents one of the most substantial packages of NDIS reforms since the scheme's inception. The bill would amend legislation passed the House on 2 July 2026 after extensive debate, with 12 crossbench amendments and 18 Government amendments agreed to during the consideration-in-detail stage. It has been referred to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee, which delivered an interim report on 23 June 2026; a final report is due by 14 August 2026. It is Before House of Representatives as of 17 July 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/government/regulatory-reform-omnibus-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/regulatory-reform-omnibus-bill-2026-explained/Wed, 12 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Regulatory Reform Omnibus Bill 2026 is a Government bill from the Finance portfolio that proposes to amend 26 Acts (rising to 28 including repeals) across four schedules. If enacted, the changes would span the repeal of two obsolete corporations Acts, streamlined administrative processes for businesses and community organisations, expanded 'tell us once' data-sharing arrangements between government agencies, and a suite of technical amendments. Introduced in the House of Representatives on 13 May 2026, it passed that chamber and is now before the Senate in the 48th Parliament.https://ozpolitics.au/government/major-sporting-events-indicia-and-images-protection-amendment-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/major-sporting-events-indicia-and-images-protection-amendment-bill-2026-explained/Mon, 10 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Amendment Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 25 June 2026 that has passed the House and is now before the Senate. According to the official summary on the Parliament of Australia bill page, it amends the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act 2014 to change the framework for protecting the commercial rights associated with major sporting events by enabling future events and associated matters to be prescribed by legislative instrument, replacing the need to amend primary legislation for each new event. This means future events including the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games could be prescribed by legislative rules rather than requiring new primary legislation. The bill also introduces criteria for which events qualify and limits on how long protections can last. The portfolio is Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts.https://ozpolitics.au/government/private-health-insurance-amendment-modernising-the-private-health-insurance-rebate-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/private-health-insurance-amendment-modernising-the-private-health-insurance-rebate-bill-2026-explained/Mon, 10 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Private Health Insurance Amendment (Modernising the Private Health Insurance Rebate) Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 25 June 2026 under the Health, Disability and Ageing portfolio. According to the official summary on the Parliament bill page, the bill amends the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 to provide that the private health insurance rebate percentage and calculation method for people aged 65 years and over are the same as those applying to people under 65 years of age, and makes a technical amendment to the Age Discrimination Act 2004. The bill is before the House of Representatives as of 10 August 2026. A Bills Digest has been prepared and the bill has been referred to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee, with a report due by 7 October 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/government/statute-update-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/statute-update-bill-2026-explained/Mon, 10 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Statute Update Bill 2026 is a government bill in the Attorney-General's portfolio introduced in the House of Representatives on 25 June 2026. According to the official summary on the Parliament bill page, it amends 41 Acts to make minor and technical amendments, including correcting errors, removing spent or obsolete provisions, and updating references to align with modern legislative drafting practice, and it also repeals 106 spent or obsolete Acts. The bill passed all stages in the House of Representatives on 1-2 July 2026 and was introduced in the Senate on 2 July 2026. It has been referred to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, which reported on 7 August 2026; the bill remains before the Senate as of 10 August 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/government/customs-amendment-safeguard-inquiries-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/customs-amendment-safeguard-inquiries-bill-2026-explained/Mon, 10 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Customs Amendment (Safeguard Inquiries) Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the Senate on 24 June 2026 under the Industry, Science and Resources portfolio. According to the official summary on the Parliament bill page, the bill amends the Customs Act 1901 to rename the Anti-Dumping Commission as the Australian Trade Remedies Commission and to transfer responsibility for safeguard inquiries from the Productivity Commission to the renamed Australian Trade Remedies Commission, with consequential amendments to the Customs Tariff (Anti-Dumping) Act 1975. Safeguard measures are distinct from anti-dumping duties: they address surges of fairly traded imports and can apply to all imports of a product regardless of origin. As of 10 August 2026, the bill is before the Senate; it has been referred to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee, with a report due by 210 August 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/government/workplace-relations-legislation-amendment-clearing-the-fair-work-commission-backlog-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/workplace-relations-legislation-amendment-clearing-the-fair-work-commission-backlog-bill-2026-explained/Mon, 10 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment (Clearing the Fair Work Commission Backlog) Bill 2026 is a private senator's bill introduced by Liberal Senator Jane Hume on 24 June 2026. According to the official summary on the Parliament bill page, the bill amends the Fair Work Act 2009 in relation to ministerial membership arrangements for the National Construction Industry Forum, travel allowances for members of the Road Transport Advisory Group, Fair Work Commission processes, and supported bargaining authorisations; the Fair Work Act 2009 and the Independent Contractors Act 2006 in relation to the road transport contractor high income threshold; and the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 in relation to reporting timeframes for the Administrator of the Construction and General Division of the Construction Forestry Manufacturing and Energy Union. Key measures include allowing the Commission to dismiss frivolous or vexatious applications, delegating certain procedural powers to Commission staff, enabling matters to be determined 'on the papers' where parties agree, and creating a streamlined pathway for replacing supported bargaining agreements. It is currently before the Senate as of 10 August 2026 and has not been debated.https://ozpolitics.au/government/aged-care-amendment-restoring-human-override-for-aged-care-needs-assessments-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/aged-care-amendment-restoring-human-override-for-aged-care-needs-assessments-bill-2026-explained/Mon, 10 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Aged Care Amendment (Restoring Human Override for Aged Care Needs Assessments) Bill 2026 is a private senators' bill co-sponsored by Senator Anne Ruston (Liberal), Senator Penny Allman-Payne (Greens) and Senator David Pocock (Independent). It was introduced in the Senate on 23 June 2026 and passed all Senate stages on 2 July 2026. According to the official summary on the Parliament bill page, the bill amends the Aged Care Act 2024 to clarify that, when undertaking an aged care needs assessment, an approved needs assessor may exercise their professional discretion and is not limited by the Integrated Assessment Tool or any other requirements prescribed by the Aged Care Rules 2025. As of 11 August 2026 the Parliament's bill tracker records the bill as before the House of Representatives: the Senate's message transmitting the bill for the House's concurrence was reported in the House on 11 August 2026, the bill was read a first time, and the second reading was made an order of the day for the next sitting.https://ozpolitics.au/government/carbon-credits-carbon-farming-initiative-amendment-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/carbon-credits-carbon-farming-initiative-amendment-bill-2026-explained/Mon, 10 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Amendment Bill 2026 is a private member's bill introduced by independent MP Alison Penfold on 22 June 2026. According to the official summary on the Parliament bill page, the bill amends the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011 to require the Minister to consider additional matters before making or varying a methodology determination for a carbon offset project. The bill specifically responds to the New South Wales government's proposed improved native forest management (INFM) methodology, which Penfold argues would generate carbon credits by ceasing timber harvesting in forests already earmarked for the Great Koala National Park — a policy commitment that predates the carbon methodology. The bill is before the House of Representatives as of 10 August 2026 and has not yet been debated.https://ozpolitics.au/government/commonwealth-electoral-amendment-voter-protections-in-political-advertising-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/commonwealth-electoral-amendment-voter-protections-in-political-advertising-bill-2026-explained/Mon, 10 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Voter Protections in Political Advertising) Bill 2026 is a private member's bill introduced in the House of Representatives by Zali Steggall MP, the independent member for Warringah. According to the official summary on the Parliament bill page, the bill amends the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to prohibit misleading or deceptive electoral or referendum matter, and amends the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984 to impose additional transparency and standards requirements in relation to political advertising. It was introduced and read a first time on 22 June 2026, with the second reading moved the same day. As at 10 August 2026, the bill is before the House of Representatives and has not been passed or enacted. As a private member's bill (not a government bill), whether it proceeds to a vote would depend on government allocation of debate time and whether it attracts crossbench support.https://ozpolitics.au/government/public-governance-performance-and-accountability-amendment-supporting-small-businesses-to-be-paid-on-time-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/public-governance-performance-and-accountability-amendment-supporting-small-businesses-to-be-paid-on-time-bill-2026-explained/Mon, 10 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Amendment (Supporting Small Businesses To Be Paid On Time) Bill 2026 is a private member's bill introduced by Allegra Spender MP (Independent, Wentworth) on 22 June 2026. According to the official summary on the Parliament bill page, the bill amends the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 to provide that the Commonwealth must not enter into a procurement contract above a prescribed threshold with a business that, in each of its three most recent reporting cycles, either had an average payment time to small business suppliers exceeding 30 calendar days or failed to lodge a required payment times report. The bill is before the House of Representatives as of 10 August 2026. As a private member's bill without government backing, its path to passage is uncertain, and if passed it would take effect as drafted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/commonwealth-land-affordable-housing-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/commonwealth-land-affordable-housing-bill-2026-explained/Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Commonwealth Land (Affordable Housing) Bill 2026, introduced by Independent Senator David Pocock on 2 July 2026, would require the Commonwealth Government to impose affordable housing conditions whenever it sells or long-leases land suitable for residential development. The bill would mandate that at least 30% of dwellings on such sites be designated as affordable housing, managed by registered not-for-profit community housing providers, and rented at the lower of 75% of market rent or 30% of household income. The bill is a private senator's bill currently before the Senate and has not yet been debated or voted on. It would amend no existing Act but would operate alongside the Lands Acquisition Act 1989, with the bill prevailing where there is any inconsistency.https://ozpolitics.au/government/treasury-laws-amendment-strengthening-accountability-for-tax-adviser-misconduct-and-other-measures-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/treasury-laws-amendment-strengthening-accountability-for-tax-adviser-misconduct-and-other-measures-bill-2026-explained/Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Treasury Laws Amendment (Strengthening Accountability for Tax Adviser Misconduct and Other Measures) Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 2 July 2026 under the Treasury portfolio. According to the official summary on the Parliament of Australia bill page, the bill would expand the Tax Practitioners Board's regulatory penalty powers under the Tax Agent Services Act 2009; amend the foreign resident capital gains tax (CGT) regime, including by introducing a definition of 'real property'; provide a transitional 50 per cent CGT discount for certain foreign residents who dispose of Australian renewable energy assets; amend the operation of the mandatory and suspensory merger control regime; give effect to the National Competition Principles; update the list of deductible gift recipients; rename public and private ancillary funds as public and private giving funds; and make minor and technical amendments. As of 5 August 2026, the bill remains before the House of Representatives and has not yet been debated.https://ozpolitics.au/government/aged-care-legislation-amendment-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-aged-care-commissioner-and-other-measures-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/aged-care-legislation-amendment-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-aged-care-commissioner-and-other-measures-bill-2026-explained/Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care Commissioner and Other Measures) Bill 2026 is a Government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 1 July 2026 by the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors, Sam Rae MP. The bill would amend the Aged Care Act 2024 to create a statutory Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care Commissioner within the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, give effect to Recommendation 49 of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, and make a range of technical amendments to the Aged Care Act 2024 and Aged Care Rules 2025. According to the official summary on the Parliament of Australia bill page, the bill would also repeal the Aged Care (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) (Aged Care System Modification) Rules 2025. The bill is currently before the House of Representatives and was referred to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee on 2 July 2026, with a report due 11 August 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/government/social-security-and-other-legislation-amendment-technical-changes-no-2-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/social-security-and-other-legislation-amendment-technical-changes-no-2-bill-2026-explained/Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2026 is a government bill that makes technical and administrative amendments to the Social Security Act 1991 and related legislation. Introduced on 1 July 2026 by Tanya Plibersek MP under the Social Services portfolio, the bill corrects cross-referencing errors, clarifies ambiguous provisions and makes related machinery changes. According to the official summary on the Parliament of Australia bill page, the bill would enable the automation of advance payments of social security or family assistance entitlements, clarify the use of pre-issue income data (PIID), make minor amendments in relation to the operation of the urgent payment provisions, and make related changes to the Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989 and the Paid Parental Leave Act 2010. It is the second in a series of technical changes bills. As of 5 August 2026, it is before the House of Representatives and has been referred to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee, with a committee report dated 28 July 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/government/trade-and-investment-agreements-consultation-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/trade-and-investment-agreements-consultation-bill-2026-explained/Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Trade and Investment Agreements (Consultation) Bill 2026 is a private senator's bill introduced in the Senate on 1 July 2026 under the Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio. According to the official summary on the Parliament of Australia bill page, the bill implements certain recommendations of the Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth's inquiry into the Australian Government's approach to negotiating trade and investment agreements, by establishing a framework for the negotiation, consultation and review of Australia's free trade agreements (FTAs), and establishes certain requirements relating to Australia's bilateral investment treaty (BIT) negotiations. Key measures include creating a 7-8 member Trade Advisory Group representing employers, unions and NGOs; requiring independent analysis of FTAs before signature; mandating that FTAs include certain outcomes on labour, environment and regulatory sovereignty; and ensuring public access to negotiating objectives. As of 5 August 2026, the bill is before the Senate, having been read a first time on 1 July 2026 with the second reading moved the same day.https://ozpolitics.au/government/anti-discrimination-legislation-amendment-sexual-orientation-gender-identity-and-sex-characteristics-discrimination-commissioner-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/anti-discrimination-legislation-amendment-sexual-orientation-gender-identity-and-sex-characteristics-discrimination-commissioner-bill-2026-explained/Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Anti-Discrimination Legislation Amendment (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Sex Characteristics Discrimination Commissioner) Bill 2026 is a private senator's bill introduced in the Senate on 30 June 2026 by Senator Nick McKim (Australian Greens, Tasmania). According to the official summary on the Parliament of Australia bill page, the bill would amend the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 to establish the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Sex Characteristics Discrimination Commissioner, whose role would be to protect and promote the human rights of LGBTIQA+ people in Australia. It would also make consequential amendments to the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 and the Fair Work Act 2009. As at 5 August 2026, the bill is before the Senate at the second reading stage. It is a private bill, not a government bill, meaning it was introduced by an individual senator rather than by a minister on behalf of the government.https://ozpolitics.au/government/higher-education-support-amendment-fix-hecs-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/higher-education-support-amendment-fix-hecs-bill-2026-explained/Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Higher Education Support Amendment (Fix HECS) Bill 2026 is a private member's bill introduced by independent MP Monique Ryan on 29 June 2026. According to the official summary on the Parliament of Australia bill page, the bill would amend the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to alter the timing of the indexation of Higher Education Loan Program debts. The bill proposes a single legislative change: moving the annual indexation date for HECS-HELP and other student loans from 1 June to 1 November. This five-month shift means both voluntary and compulsory repayments made during the financial year would be credited to a person's loan balance before indexation is applied, so graduates pay indexation only on what they actually owe. According to Parliamentary Budget Office costing cited in the second reading speech, the change would save graduates approximately $3 billion over the next decade. The bill is before the House of Representatives and, as a private member's bill, faces significant procedural hurdles.https://ozpolitics.au/government/public-governance-performance-and-accountability-amendment-local-industry-preference-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/public-governance-performance-and-accountability-amendment-local-industry-preference-bill-2026-explained/Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Amendment (Local Industry Preference) Bill 2026 is a private member's bill introduced by Dai Le MP (Independent, Fowler) on 29 June 2026. It seeks to amend the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 to introduce a local industry preference mechanism in Commonwealth procurement. According to the official summary on the Parliament of Australia bill page, the bill would provide that, for specified Commonwealth projects, domestic manufacturers are to be considered ahead of non-domestic manufacturers in tender processes, and that at least 30 per cent of the total value of goods used in those projects must consist of products manufactured domestically. As at 5 August 2026, the bill is before the House of Representatives at the second reading stage and, as a private member's bill without government backing, faces significant obstacles to passage.https://ozpolitics.au/government/defence-legislation-amendment-rcdvs-implementation-and-related-measures-no-2-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/defence-legislation-amendment-rcdvs-implementation-and-related-measures-no-2-bill-2026-explained/Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Defence Legislation Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 2) Bill 2026 is a government bill that implements 15 recommendations and supports a further 20 from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. Introduced by the Minister for Defence Personnel on 25 June 2026, it passed the House of Representatives on 2 July 2026 and is now before the Senate. According to the official summary on the Parliament of Australia bill page, the bill would amend the Defence Act 1903 and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 to expand the functions of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission to support the wellbeing, health and safety of ADF members, veterans and their families and to provide for the collection, use and disclosure of information for certain purposes. It would also establish a legislative basis for Defence health services, ensure that benefits for former partners of ADF members can continue in the immediate aftermath of a separation, support direct engagement between Defence and ADF families, prohibit persons sentenced to imprisonment for a sexual offence from joining the ADF, and implement a policy of mandatory discharge for persons convicted of sexual and other serious offences. It would also make minor amendments to the Defence and Veterans' Service Commissioner Act 2026 relating to the operation of the Defence and Veterans' Service Commission. The bill has been referred to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee, which is due to report by 4 September 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-07-02/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-07-02/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 2 July 2026 the House of Representatives debated legislation to establish Australia's national gambling self-exclusion register cost-recovery framework, to reform interactive gambling, and to create a cash distribution framework alongside strengthening accountability for tax adviser misconduct. The House also voted by division on multiple procedural matters, established the Centenary of Parliament in Canberra Joint Select Committee, and made appointments to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Committee and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-07-02/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-07-02/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe Senate sat on Thursday 2 July 2026 and dealt with a substantial legislative agenda, passing a private senator's bill to restore human override powers in aged-care needs assessments, finalising legislation to let registered nurses prescribe under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and debating a major competition law reform. Question time ranged across housing affordability, cost of living, aged care and gambling advertising. The most significant vote of the day was on the Aged Care Amendment (Restoring Human Override for Aged Care Needs Assessments) Bill 2026, a private senator's bill co-sponsored by the Coalition, the Greens and Independent Senator David Pocock. The bill passed the Senate on a division despite the Albanese government opposing it, meaning it now proceeds to the House of Representatives. The bill responds to widespread concern about the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT), a computer algorithm introduced under the new Aged Care Act that determines the level of support-at-home funding an older Australian receives. Senator Anne Ruston, the Deputy Opposition Leader in the Senate, told the chamber the IAT had never been clinically validated or tested in a live trial. The department confirmed at estimates in June 2026, she said, that the tool was developed and tested internally only. The bill would restore the discretion of qualified assessors to override the algorithm where their clinical judgement says the outcome is wrong, require decision notices to explain how the algorithm was used, and create a right for people assessed since 1 November 2025 to seek a fresh assessment. Assistant Minister Senator Anthony Chisholm, speaking for the government, said Labor shared the intent of the bill but could not support it as drafted. He told the chamber that departmental analysis estimated the changes could blow out wait times by five months and carry significant cost implications. The government instead announced a new 'legislated escalation option' for extenuating circumstances, to be consulted on and implemented after the winter break. Senator Penny Allman-Payne for the Greens countered that 'every older person in this country has a right to have a human make the decision about their care needs', arguing the algorithm had been designed to reduce costs of care. Senator Pocock relayed the story of a Canberra woman in her 70s whose cognitive decline, poor nutrition and confusion were assessed by the algorithm as warranting only a level 1 package — less than two hours of care per week. The Senate also completed consideration of the Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025. The bill allows designated registered nurse prescribers to prescribe medications under the PBS from 1 July 2026. The Senate had earlier added amendments from Senator Jacqui Lambie to extend the same PBS prescribing rights to endorsed podiatrists, but the House of Representatives disagreed with those amendments. On 2 July, the Senate decided not to insist on its podiatry amendments, allowing the nurse prescribing provisions to become law. Senators Ruston, Pocock and Steele-John expressed frustration that podiatrists who can already prescribe under state law cannot have those prescriptions covered by the PBS, forcing patients — disproportionately older Australians and people in rural areas — to pay full price or make a second GP appointment. The Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Bill 2026 was debated in committee. Greens Senator Nick McKim moved amendments to explicitly include lead generation in the list of unfair trading practices and to extend the ban to the financial services sector under the ASIC Act. Both amendments were negatived on division. Senator McKim argued the collapse of First Guardian and Shield, which cost about 12,000 Australians over $1 billion in retirement savings, showed why financial services needed to be covered. Minister for Industry and Innovation Senator Tim Ayres confirmed the government is examining extending the unfair trading ban to financial services but would not commit to a timeline. Senator David Pocock introduced the Commonwealth Land (Affordable Housing) Bill 2026, a private senator's bill that would require affordable housing to be included in residential developments on surplus Commonwealth land sold or leased to private entities. In his second reading speech, Senator Pocock cited the Defence Department's plan to sell off obsolete sites — estimated at $3 billion in market value — and argued for a default expectation of a social or affordable rental contribution. The Senate dealt with multiple orders for the production of documents from Senator David Shoebridge, with mixed results. Motions to release the Australia-Nauru third-country reception memorandum of understanding and a privacy determination involving American Express passed; motions seeking the Inspector-General of the ADF's Afghanistan command accountability report and the Grzeskowiak nuclear waste review were defeated. Question time saw sharp exchanges on housing, with opposition senators pressing on whether the budget's changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax would push first home buyers into negative equity. Minister Penny Wong, representing the Prime Minister, defended the government's Help to Buy shared equity scheme, saying 'some 40,000 Australians have saved up to 40 per cent of the cost on their own home'. Senators also questioned the government on gambling advertising reform, energy prices and sovereign capability.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-07-01/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-07-01/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 1 July 2026 the House of Representatives progressed a busy legislative agenda including the Defence Legislation Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 2) Bill 2026, the Statute Update Bill 2026, and the Online Safety Amendment (Strengthening Enforcement for the Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2026. Members also debated bills on biosecurity operational efficiency, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aged care, wine regulation, social security technical changes, foreign relations arrangements, administrative and judicial review, and major sporting events protection. A Senate message concerning the National Anti-Corruption Commission Joint Committee was considered and put to a division.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-07-01/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-07-01/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe Senate sat on Tuesday 1 July 2026 and dealt with higher education reform, payday superannuation, online safety enforcement and cost-of-living pressures. A Greens bill to reverse the Job-ready Graduates university fee hikes was defeated after the Coalition and Labor both opposed it, while the government moved to block a disallowance of its payday super regulations and advanced legislation to toughen enforcement of the under-16 social media ban. The Greens' Higher Education Support Amendment (Reverse Job-Ready Graduates Fee Hikes and End 50k Arts Degrees) Bill 2025 was the first major item of business. Senator Mehreen Faruqi, the Deputy Greens Leader, opened the debate by calling JRG 'one of the five worst policy mistakes made by the Commonwealth this century'. She told the chamber the cost of humanities degrees had 'skyrocketed to $56,000' and that low-SES student commencements had declined by almost 20 per cent for the highest-cost degrees. The bill would have reverted student contributions in law, accounting, commerce, communications, society and culture to pre-2021 levels, effectively halving the cost of an arts degree. Senator Faruqi told the chamber that since 2021 nearly $4 billion had been taken out of the higher education system and argued the government could fund reform for approximately $1 billion — contrasting this with the $385 billion committed to nuclear submarines. She said students were 'skipping meals, sleeping in cars, living in tents while completing placements' and described a system where an arts student now pays 93 per cent of their degree cost with the government contributing just seven per cent. Minister for Youth Senator Steph Hodgins-May defended the government's record, pointing to the 20 per cent HELP debt reduction that cut $16 billion in student debt, fairer indexation, the new Commonwealth Prac Payment, and the establishment of the Australian Tertiary Education Commission. But she said the Greens bill would 'reduce university funding and could adversely affect course offerings, staffing, research capacity and the sustainability of regional and smaller providers'. Liberal Senator Matt O'Sullivan said the Coalition would not support the bill either, arguing it would strip an estimated $1.3 billion a year from universities without any mechanism to replace that funding. 'The Greens made the decision to introduce the bill in this place; they decided as a party not to introduce the legislation in the House, where they would have been constitutionally permitted to appropriate the consolidated revenue,' he said. He also argued the bill selectively reversed increases while keeping the JRG fee reductions for teaching, nursing and agriculture — producing a fee structure 'that has never previously existed'. Senator Pocock supported the bill's intent, telling the chamber that JRG had been in place longer under Anthony Albanese than under Scott Morrison, and relayed the story of students facing debts of $90,000 for undergraduate degrees. The bill was defeated on a division. The Senate then resumed debate on the Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025, which enables designated registered nurse prescribers to prescribe under the PBS. Senator Jenny McAllister, representing the Health Minister, said the reform had been developed through 'multiple rounds of public consultation' with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia since 2017, with the first cohort of nurse prescribers expected to complete endorsement by July 2026. Jacqui Lambie Network amendments to also allow PBS prescribing by endorsed podiatrists passed the Senate at this stage but were later rejected by the House. A significant regulatory debate occurred over the Treasury Laws Amendment (Payday Superannuation) Regulations 2026. A disallowance motion was moved against paragraph 11(f) in item 18 of Schedule 1 — a provision that the opposition and crossbench argued created a loophole in the government's payday super regime. The Greens' Senator McKim sought leave to move a motion that he said would provide 'an opportunity for even one Labor senator to explain why they're voting with the antiworkers', but leave was not granted. Senator David Shoebridge moved a reference to the Environment and Communications References Committee to inquire into fossil fuel industry engagement with children and young people. The inquiry, with a reporting date of 14 October 2026, would examine educational materials, school partnerships and sponsorship, advertising and marketing directed at young people, and the industry's use of digital platforms and influencers. The Senate also debated legislation to strengthen the social media minimum age enforcement, with the Online Safety Amendment (Strengthening Enforcement for the Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2026. The bill doubles maximum penalties to $99 million and gives the eSafety Commissioner stronger information-gathering powers to check whether platforms are genuinely complying. Question time covered housing, energy, superannuation, small business and education. A Matter of Urgency debate was held on the cost of living, with opposition senators accusing the government of failing to address rising prices for staples including milk, bread, groceries and petrol. A separate Matter of Public Importance debate focused on what the Coalition called Labor's 'unfair widow tax' — changes to superannuation taxation affecting people who inherit super from a deceased spouse. The day concluded with adjournment speeches covering the upgraded maternity facilities at Calvary Lenah Valley Hospital in Hobart, social cohesion and wages.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-06-30/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-06-30/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives sat on Tuesday 30 June 2026 — the last sitting day before the 1 July changes to tax, wages, paid parental leave and superannuation took effect. The day was dominated by a fiery question time focused on housing affordability, the suspension of a Coalition MP for unparliamentary conduct, and debate on legislation to strengthen enforcement of the social media minimum age and modernise protections for major sporting events. Question time opened with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton asking the Housing Minister about first home buyers and negative equity in light of the budget's changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax. Minister Clare O'Neil said Treasury modelling showed house prices would 'continue to grow over time but a little bit more slowly', by about two percentage points relative to no policy change, and that the reforms would result in 'around 75,000 additional owner-occupiers over the next decade'. The Prime Minister used a government question to preview the 1 July changes: a tax cut for 14 million workers, a 4.75 per cent award wage increase (6 per cent for minimum wage workers), paid parental leave extended to 26 weeks with superannuation, and payday superannuation commencing. The Treasurer fielded a pointed question from the Member for Flinders about his own past use of negative gearing, with the Speaker reluctantly allowing the question on the basis it touched on the Treasurer's portfolio responsibilities. Mr Chalmers responded that those opposite were becoming 'increasingly desperate and more than a little bit pathetic' and defended the budget changes as making the housing market 'fairer for everyone'. Questions about the Victorian CFMEU and the Big Build dominated the middle of question time. The Opposition Leader asked the Prime Minister whether Commonwealth taxpayer funds had gone to 'convicted criminal and underworld figure Mick Gatto or any associated companies'. Mr Albanese responded that within three weeks of becoming Labor leader he had expelled John Setka from the party, that the CFMEU had been excluded as a Labor affiliate and placed into administration, and that the Commonwealth had inserted specific integrity provisions into funding agreements with states — including requirements for fraud management plans, expanded conflicts-of-interest rules, and a mandatory register of approved industrial relations consultants. Tensions boiled over when the Member for Groom, Garth Hamilton, was named by the Speaker and suspended for 24 hours after an incident during question time. The Speaker described it as 'a new low' and 'severe disrespect to this House'. The suspension motion passed on a division. Immediately afterwards the Leader of the Opposition rose to make a personal explanation, denying claims by the Emergency Management Minister that he had impugned Rural Fire Service firefighters. Mr Dutton said his remarks at Kiandra related to National Parks mismanagement, not firefighters, and sought to table a 2003 Commonwealth report titled A Nation Charred. The House debated the Online Safety Amendment (Strengthening Enforcement for the Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2026. Shadow Communications Minister Melissa McIntosh moved a second reading amendment criticising the government's implementation of the under-16 social media ban, citing a University of Sydney study published in the British Medical Journal that found 85 per cent of under-16s were still accessing social media. Government speakers highlighted that more than five million underage accounts had been removed or restricted since 10 December 2025 and that the UK had announced it would follow Australia's model. The Member for Maribyrnong, a former educational and developmental psychologist, told the chamber 'these platforms are not public areas that happen to have a few teenagers in them — they are products that are brilliantly built, backed by billionaires and designed to get a hold of a person's attention and never let go.' The bill doubles maximum penalties to $99 million and gives the eSafety Commissioner power to compel documents from platforms and third-party age assurance providers. Independent MP for Curtin, Kate Chaney, while supporting the bill, used her speech to outline what she saw as essential design features for the government's promised digital duty of care, including a single overarching obligation rather than a list of specific duties, a threshold of 'harm' rather than 'serious harm', proper resourcing for the eSafety Commissioner, and inclusion of AI chatbots within the framework. She warned: 'In 15 years we don't want to be in the same position with AI that we are now in with social media.' The Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Amendment Bill 2026 was also debated. The bill shifts the process for recognising major sporting events from primary legislation to a disallowable legislative instrument. The Coalition's Angie Bell opposed this change, arguing it traded off transparency by concentrating power in the executive. She also criticised the government's sports funding record, citing Australian Sports Commission CEO Kieren Perkins' evidence that approximately 2,000 athletes lacked certainty about their scholarships beyond 30 June 2026, and that $182 million had been cut from grassroots sports programs including Sporting Schools — a program that serves close to two million children. A Matter of Public Importance on 'the Government's failure to govern for older Australians' was raised by the Nationals. In other business, the House dealt with Senate amendments to the Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Reporting System Reform) Bill 2026 — establishing External Reporting Australia — and the Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment (Building Cooperative Workplaces No. 1) Bill 2026. Question time also covered the Mitchells Causeway closure on the Great Western Highway, after-hours health care in rural areas, bowel cancer screening for young people (with Cancer Australia-funded research underway), veterans' allied health caps, and a milestone for the cheaper home battery policy — now one year old with over 456,000 Australian households participating.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-06-30/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-06-30/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe Senate passed the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Bill 2026, extending the NAIF for a decade, after rejecting Coalition and Greens amendments. Debate continued on allowing registered nurses to prescribe PBS-subsidised medicines, with calls from the Coalition and Greens to include podiatrists. Senator McKim introduced a Greens private senator's bill to create a Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Sex Characteristics Discrimination Commissioner, which passed its first reading 35 to 6. Question Time was dominated by Opposition attacks on Labor's so-called widows tax and falling auction clearance rates, while the Government highlighted new cost-of-living measures taking effect from 1 July, including additional tax cuts, a minimum wage rise, and grocery pricing reforms.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-06-29/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-06-29/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn Monday 29 June 2026, the House of Representatives sat from 10:00 am with Speaker Milton Dick presiding. The sitting day covered three bill introductions including the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Amendment (Local Industry Preference) Bill 2026 and the Online Safety Amendment (Strengthening Enforcement for the Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2026. Debate continued on the Sex Discrimination Amendment (Sex-based Rights) Bill 2026. Private Members' Business included motions on taxation, plastic waste, housing and vocational education. Question Time featured exchanges on the budget, environment heritage listing, and a statement on indulgence for the Socceroos' FIFA World Cup campaign. The Petitions Committee presented its 12th report and the Education Committee reported on building Asia capability.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-06-29/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-06-29/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn Monday 29 June 2026, the Senate sat under the presidency of Senator Sue Lines. The day's proceedings were dominated by debate on three government Treasury bills: the Secrecy Provisions Amendment (Sunsetting Provision) Bill 2026, which passed its second and third readings; the Treasury Laws Amendment (Delivering an Efficient and Trusted Tax System) Bill 2026; and the Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Reporting System Reform) Bill 2026. Senators also dealt with committee reports, senators' statements, questions without notice, and a matter of public importance.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-06-25/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-06-25/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives met on 25 June 2026 for a sitting day that included the introduction of legislation, question time and debate on bills before the chamber. This was one of the final sitting days before the winter recess, and the chamber dealt with a range of government business. This article draws on the Proof Hansard for 25 June 2026 — an uncorrected transcript of what members said. Hansard records parliamentary speech; it does not independently verify whether statements made by members are factually accurate. Readers should treat claims made in parliamentary debate as claims, not as established facts, unless corroborated by primary evidence.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-06-25/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-06-25/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn Thursday 25 June 2026, the Senate's main debate centred on the Online Safety and Other Legislation Amendment (My Face, My Rights) Bill 2025, a private senator's bill introduced by Senator David Pocock (Independent, ACT) to regulate deepfakes and AI-generated content. The Government, represented by Senator Murray Watt, opposed the bill on the grounds that it would create regulatory overlap between the eSafety Commissioner, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and law enforcement agencies, while supporting its intent. One Nation's Senator Pauline Hanson also opposed the bill, arguing existing eSafety powers were sufficient and that the bill risked curtailing satire and free expression. The Greens' Senator Sarah Hanson-Young supported the bill and used the debate to accuse One Nation of being connected to deepfake content being generated from overseas. Senator Corinne Mulholland (ALP) also spoke, defending the Government's 'digital duty of care' approach. These are claims made by senators during debate, not verified facts.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-06-24/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-06-24/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives sitting on Tuesday 24 June 2026 saw the passage of the Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment (Building Cooperative Workplaces No. 1) Bill 2026 following multiple divisions in both the second reading and consideration-in-detail stages. The House also debated the Health Legislation Amendment (Improving Choice and Transparency for Private Health Consumers) Bill 2026 and the Regulatory Reform Omnibus Bill 2026. Question Time covered the economy, Australian War Memorial funding, housing, cost of living, local government, wages, defence industry, avian influenza and paid parental leave. A matter of public importance debate on data centres drew contributions from ten members. The Federation Chamber separately considered the Customs Tariff Amendment (Incorporation of Proposals) Bill (No. 1) 2026 and constituency statements.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-06-24/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-06-24/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 24 June 2026 the Senate debated Senator Hume's private senator's bill to address the gender superannuation gap, which was defeated on a second reading division 27–34. The Senate resumed debate on the government's Tax Reform No. 1 bills, which replace the 50% capital gains tax discount with an inflation-based model from 1 July 2027. During question time ministers faced questions on CGT valuations for personal assets, women's economic security, superannuation, and Indigenous housing. The Senate also considered a Greens urgency motion on NDIS funding linked to AUKUS (defeated), a Coalition matter of public importance on housing, condoled the passing of former NT Senator Trish Crossin AM, and saw first reading of bills on customs safeguard inquiries and clearing the Fair Work Commission backlog. The Senate divided on seven occasions over various procedural and substantive matters.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-06-23/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-06-23/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives sat on 23 June 2026 and conducted a broad program of legislative business, question time, and member statements. The centrepiece of the day's legislative agenda was the Treasury Laws Amendment (Fuel Excise Relief No. 2) Bill 2026, which passed all stages with debate from members across the chamber. The sitting also featured a significant matter of public importance (MPI) debate on the Budget, a statement on indulgence regarding the Australian War Memorial, and an extensive question time covering topics from avian influenza to housing affordability. Treasury Laws Amendment (Fuel Excise Relief No. 2) Bill 2026 was the main legislative item. The second reading debate saw contributions from Tim Wilson MP, Catherine King MP, Leon Rebello MP, Monique Ryan MP, Michael McCormack MP, and Alison Penfold MP in the first tranche. A second round of debate followed later in the day with Alison Penfold MP, Nicolette Boele MP, Dai Le MP, Dan Tehan MP, and Dan Repacholi MP speaking. The bill then proceeded to a division and passed its third reading. While Hansard records the speeches made in Parliament, it does not independently verify the factual claims advanced by members during debate. Readers should treat assertions about the bill's economic impact as claims made by parliamentarians rather than independently established facts. Question Time was dominated by Budget-related questions, reflecting the proximity of the recent Budget. Opposition members including Angus Taylor MP, Melissa McIntosh MP, and David Moncrieff MP questioned the government on budget measures, cost of living, fuel prices, and housing. Government backbenchers raised questions on employment (Joanne Ryan MP), broadband (Alison Byrnes MP), early childhood education and care (Sam Lim MP), and defence (Emma Comer MP). Crossbench members raised specific issues: Tania Lawrence MP asked about avian influenza, Bob Katter MP questioned on migration, and Monique Ryan MP raised aged care and motor neurone disease. David Farley MP asked about water, and Jamie Chaffey MP asked about housing. The Speaker, Milton Dick MP, acknowledged distinguished visitors on three separate occasions during the question time session. A matter of public importance (MPI) debate was held on the Budget. The Speaker accepted the proposal, and the debate featured Tim Wilson MP opening for the mover, followed by Peter Khalil MP, Michael McCormack MP, Ali France MP, Anne Webster MP, Jerome Laxale MP, Melissa Lee Price MP, Carina Garland MP, Tom Venning MP, and Alice Jordan-Baird MP. The MPI format allows for a broad-ranging policy discussion without a specific vote at its conclusion. A notably bipartisan moment occurred when the House made statements on indulgence regarding the Australian War Memorial. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese MP and Opposition representative Angus Taylor MP both made statements. The specific subject of the indulgence is recorded in the Hansard Table of Contents as concerning the Australian War Memorial. Members' statements covered an unusually wide range of local and national issues. Allegra Spender MP spoke on the 'Cosy Companion' and 'Kids Breaking Bread' initiatives. Other topics included: Nestory Irankunda (Tony Zappia MP), the Australian national men's football team (Zali Steggall MP), Constable Keith Anthony Smith (Anne Urquhart MP), taxation (Jason Wood MP), paid parental leave (Renee Coffey MP), illicit tobacco crime (Mary Aldred MP), pensions and benefits (Zaneta Mascarenhas MP), motor neurone disease (Alex Hawke MP), health care (Anne Stanley MP), the Budget and Judith Ann Peters OAM (David Batt MP), national security (Claire Clutterham MP), Budget (Leon Rebello MP and Julian Leeser MP), Olympic Day and Medicare (Dan Repacholi MP), Medicare (Alice Jordan-Baird MP), veterans (Michael McCormack MP), the Labor Government (Basem Abdo MP), and the Prime Minister (Aaron Violi MP). In the adjournment debate, Rowan Holzberger MP spoke on the Budget, Helen Haines MP presented a petition on tertiary education and training, Matt Gregg MP addressed taxation, and Ben Small MP discussed the FIFA World Cup and the Albanese Government. A subsequent grievance debate covered topics including the Albanese Government (Helen Haines MP), housing (Trish Cook MP), La Trobe electorate infrastructure (Jason Wood MP), Aston electorate community awards (Mary Doyle MP), taxation (Andrew Wallace MP), Isaacs electorate civics education (Mark Dreyfus MP), and Bradfield electorate scams (Nicolette Boele MP). Constituency statements later in the sitting day included topics spanning the length and breadth of the country: Ngong Arou (Matt Smith MP), the Henry Lawson Heritage Festival at Gulgong (Andrew Gee MP), Greenway electorate infrastructure and cost of living (Michelle Rowland MP), cost of living (Jason Wood MP), Swan electorate King's Birthday Honours (Zaneta Mascarenhas MP), Monash electorate infrastructure (Mary Aldred MP), Tangney electorate infrastructure (Sam Lim MP), Hinkler electorate acknowledgments (David Batt MP), Eden-Monaro electorate acknowledgments (Kristy McBain MP), the Victorian state election (Darren Chester MP), WIN News and Medicare (Emma McBride MP), local government (Pat Conaghan MP), the Manayingkarirra Primary Health Care Centre (Marion Scrymgour MP), Harry and Hugh Littleproud (Scott Buchholz MP), Paterson electorate King's Birthday Honours (Meryl Swanson MP), feral animal management and Tuncurry Post Office (Alison Penfold MP), the World's Greatest Shave (Matt Burnell MP), regional Australia investment (Andrew Willcox MP), and Hughes electorate acknowledgments (David Moncrieff MP). The day began with a suspension of standing and sessional orders, moved and debated by Tony Burke MP, Dan Tehan MP, and Kevin Hogan MP, which proceeded to a division. Tony Burke MP also presented documents and announced temporary ministerial arrangements on behalf of Prime Minister Albanese MP. The day's proceedings followed a familiar parliamentary rhythm. The suspension of standing and sessional orders moved by Tony Burke MP — with Dan Tehan MP and Kevin Hogan MP also speaking — reflects the government's management of the legislative timetable. This procedural motion went to a division, indicating contested procedural terrain even before substantive business began. Tony Burke MP also used the day's documents presentation slot to table materials and announce temporary ministerial arrangements on behalf of Prime Minister Albanese, a routine function of the Leader of the House. The adjournment and grievance debates that concluded the sitting day provided backbench members with opportunities to raise local concerns. The range of topics — from the FIFA World Cup (Ben Small MP) to tertiary education petitions (Helen Haines MP) to the Henry Lawson Heritage Festival at Gulgong (Andrew Gee MP) — illustrates how the parliamentary day serves dual purposes: legislating for the nation while providing members a platform for constituency advocacy. The presence of both King's Birthday Honour acknowledgments and community infrastructure concerns across multiple electorates suggests that, regardless of the high-profile Budget debates occurring in the main chamber, the bread-and-butter of electorate representation remains a priority for members on all sides. For readers following specific policy areas: the avian influenza question (Tania Lawrence MP) is notable given biosecurity concerns affecting Australia's poultry industry; the migration question (Bob Katter MP) reflects ongoing crossbench engagement with population and border policy; and the water question (David Farley MP) signals continued parliamentary attention to water management in the Murray-Darling Basin and beyond. The presence of motor neurone disease in both question time (Monique Ryan MP) and members' statements (Alex Hawke MP) indicates ongoing parliamentary focus on neurodegenerative disease support and research funding.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-06-23/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-06-23/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe centrepiece of the day's business was the second reading debate on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 1) Bill 2026 and the Income Tax Rates Amendment (Tax Reform No. 1) Bill 2026. The package proposes replacing the longstanding 50 per cent capital gains tax discount with an inflation indexation model, alongside income tax cuts for workers. Senator Pauline Hanson, Leader of One Nation, opened the debate with a blistering attack, describing the legislation as a 'blatant tax grab worth $77 billion' and 'a litany of broken promises'. She accused Labor of breaking more than 50 assurances that negative gearing and capital gains would not be touched. Senator Hanson told the chamber that 337,000 Australian households can no longer afford their energy bills, 50,000 small businesses havhttps://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-06-22/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-06-22/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn Monday 22 June 2026, the House of Representatives sat with Speaker Milton Dick presiding. Three government bills were introduced: the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Amendment Bill 2026, the Combatting Illicit Tobacco Bill 2026 (which continued its second reading debate), and the Treasury Laws Amendment (Fuel Excise Relief No. 2) Bill 2026. Private Members' Business covered employment, gambling advertising, Medicare bulk billing, and the Active Transport Fund. Question Time featured exchanges on the budget, veterans' affairs and fuel security. The Cyber Security for Small to Medium Sized Businesses committee reported, and the Human Rights Joint Committee updated its membership.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-06-22/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-06-22/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn Monday 22 June 2026, the Senate sat under the presidency of Senator Sue Lines. The day was dominated by the introduction of the government's Tax Reform No. 1 package — comprising the Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 1) Bill 2026 and the Income Tax Rates Amendment (Tax Reform No. 1) Bill 2026. Senators also made statements on a range of topics, dealt with committee business, and debated a matter of urgency.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-06-04/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-06-04/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn Wednesday 4 June 2026, the House of Representatives convened at 9:00 am with Speaker Milton Dick presiding. The day's business included committee appointments — notably the establishment of a Select Committee on Cyber Security for Small to Medium Sized Businesses and Organisations — debate on multiple bills, statements by members, two Question Time sessions, Auditor-General's reports, committee reports, a matter of public importance debate, and an adjournment debate. The Federation Chamber also sat. The Hansard is the official transcript record of what was said in the chamber, not a verification of claims made.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-06-03/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-06-03/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives met on 3 June 2026, in the first full sitting week following the delivery of the 2026-27 federal budget in May. The sitting day was dominated by budget-related legislation and debate as the government sought to progress its budget measures through Parliament. Question Time exchanges focused heavily on budget measures, cost-of-living pressures and economic management. This article draws on the Proof Hansard for 3 June 2026 — an uncorrected transcript of parliamentary proceedings. Hansard records what members said; it does not independently verify the factual accuracy of those statements. Claims made in parliamentary debate require corroboration from primary evidence.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-06-02/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-06-02/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives sat on Tuesday 2 June 2026 with the Speaker, the Hon. Milton Dick, taking the chair at midday. The day's proceedings were dominated by fierce debate over the government's tax reform package, scrutiny of the AUKUS submarine program, and the swearing-in of a new member following a by-election. Question Time saw the Fair Work Commission's minimum wage decision become a central talking point, while the Appropriation Bill for 2026-2027 progressed through its parliamentary stages.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-05-28/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-05-28/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives sat on 28 May 2026 and conducted one of the most legislatively substantial sitting days of the Budget period. Members debated the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026, two landmark tax reform bills, the 2026-2027 Appropriation Bills, and a suite of other legislation covering competition law, long service leave in coal mining, and rural telecommunications. The day also featured extensive question time, members' statements heavily focused on Budget measures, and a matter of public importance debate. The National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 was the first substantial bill considered. The second reading debate went to a division, with the Speaker, Milton Dick MP, presiding over the proceedings. Mark Butler MP spoke during the consideration. The bill represents a significant legislative step in the ongoing reform of the NDIS, which has been a focus of bipartisan and multi-stakeholder engagement over successive parliaments. Two linked tax reform bills were introduced and debated: the Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 1) Bill 2026 and the Income Tax Rates Amendment (Tax Reform No. 1) Bill 2026. Treasurer Jim Chalmers MP introduced both bills and moved the second reading. The bills were subsequently referred to a committee for consideration, with contributions from Allegra Spender MP, Kate Chaney MP, Dan Tehan MP, Zali Steggall MP, Sam Rae MP, and Colin Boyce MP (as Deputy Speaker) before the referral went to a division. The reference to committee indicates these tax reform measures warranted further scrutiny. The Treasury Laws Amendment (Delivering an Efficient and Trusted Tax System) Bill 2026 was also debated. Matt Thistlethwaite MP, Michael McCormack MP, Claire Clutterham MP, Julie-Ann Campbell MP, and Daniel Mulino MP spoke during the second reading debate. This bill forms part of the government's broader tax reform agenda. The Competition and Consumer Amendment (Responding to Exceptional Circumstances) Bill 2026 received assent during the sitting. This bill, which would also be debated in the Senate on 14 May 2026, deals with the legislative framework for competition regulation during exceptional circumstances. Other legislation debated included the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, with Mary Aldred MP and Amanda Rishworth MP speaking on the second reading before a consideration-in-detail stage and third reading moved by Amanda Rishworth MP. The Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation) Bill 2025 saw contributions from Alice Jordan-Baird MP, David Littleproud MP, Ash Ambihaipahar MP, Simon Kennedy MP, and Aaron Violi MP. Later in the sitting, the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2026-2027, Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2026-2027, and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2026-2027 were debated in the second reading. Simon Kennedy MP and Susan Templeman MP were among the early speakers, followed by Andrew Gee MP, Kara Cook MP, Tony Pasin MP, Matt Thistlethwaite MP, Michael McCormack MP, Julian Hill MP, and Kevin Hogan MP. The Appropriation Bills are the legislative mechanism through which the government secures supply for the financial year. Question Time on this day was dominated by the Budget, which had been handed down in the preceding weeks. Angus Taylor MP led the opposition's questioning on taxation and the Budget, with other opposition members including Julie-Ann Campbell MP (Budget), Zaneta Mascarenhas MP (housing), Dai Le MP (national security), Meryl Swanson MP (chemical contamination), Tim Wilson MP (Budget), Matt Smith MP (Budget), and Kevin Hogan MP (Budget). Government backbench questions covered health care (Luke Gosling MP), defence (Tania Lawrence MP and Lisa Chesters MP), employment (Ash Ambihaipahar MP), and schools (Sally Sitou MP). Barnaby Joyce MP raised the capital investment scheme, Monique Ryan MP asked about tertiary education and training, and Rick Wilson MP questioned on the Budget. Crossbench members raised domestic, family and sexual violence (Alison Byrnes MP) and taxation of the gas industry (Elizabeth Watson-Brown MP). A matter of public importance on the Budget featured a substantial debate with Angus Taylor MP opening, followed by Patrick Gorman MP, Melissa McIntosh MP, Ash Ambihaipahar MP, Aaron Violi MP, David Moncrieff MP, Andrew Wallace MP, Gabriel Ng MP, Tom Venning MP, and Sarah Witty MP. The MPI format allowed extended discussion of the government's fiscal approach without a binding vote. Members' statements were overwhelmingly focused on Budget impacts in local electorates, with members from both sides highlighting or criticising specific measures. Other notable statements included International Sagarmatha Day (Zhi Soon MP), artificial intelligence (Kate Chaney MP), World Blood Cancer Day (Ali France MP), and chemical contamination (Meryl Swanson MP). The adjournment debate and constituency statements covered a broad range of local issues: the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass (Andrew Gee MP), Drummoyne Rowing Club (Sally Sitou MP), Yeppoon Surf Life Saving Club (Michelle Landry MP), First Nations netball (Marion Scrymgour MP), domestic, family and sexual violence (Garth Hamilton MP), the Bondi Beach attack (Josh Burns MP), and small business (Anne Aly MP). The day began with committee membership changes for the Corporations and Financial Services Joint Committee and ended with contributions on the NDIS (Dai Le MP), National Volunteer Week (Tracey Roberts MP), Small Business Month (Michelle Landry MP), Australian Made Week (Basem Abdo MP), and national security (Julian Leeser MP). The legislative density of this sitting day reflects the post-Budget period when the government seeks to advance its fiscal and legislative agenda. The referral of the two Tax Reform bills to a committee is a standard but important procedural step. Committee referrals allow for detailed scrutiny, public hearings, and stakeholder submissions — processes that can significantly shape the final form of legislation. The crossbench contribution to the referral debate — from Allegra Spender MP (Wentworth), Kate Chaney MP (Curtin), Zali Steggall MP (Warringah), and Sam Rae MP (Hawke) — demonstrates the influence of the expanded crossbench in the 47th Parliament on legislative process. The debate on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Delivering an Efficient and Trusted Tax System) Bill 2026, while receiving fewer speakers than the headline Tax Reform bills, forms part of the government's broader narrative of tax system modernisation. Matt Thistlethwaite MP as the lead government speaker, with Michael McCormack MP, Claire Clutterham MP, Julie-Ann Campbell MP, and Daniel Mulino MP also contributing, provided the chamber with perspectives spanning government, opposition and backbench views. The Competition and Consumer Amendment (Responding to Exceptional Circumstances) Bill 2026 receiving assent on this day is significant. 'Exceptional circumstances' provisions in competition law typically relate to emergency or crisis scenarios where normal market competition rules may need temporary adjustment. The bill's parallel appearance in the Senate on 14 May 2026 suggests coordinated inter-chamber processing. The Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, managed by Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth MP, demonstrates the ongoing legislative work to maintain and update industry-specific employment entitlements. The Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation) Bill 2025, debated by both government and opposition members, addresses a persistent policy challenge: ensuring mobile coverage in regional and remote Australia. On question time: chemical contamination questions from Meryl Swanson MP likely relate to PFAS and other environmental contamination issues affecting communities near defence bases and airports — an issue of enduring parliamentary and community concern. The capital investment scheme question from Barnaby Joyce MP signals National Party engagement with regional infrastructure funding priorities. Domestic, family and sexual violence questions (Alison Byrnes MP) and gas industry taxation questions (Elizabeth Watson-Brown MP) reflect the ongoing parliamentary agenda on social policy and resource taxation respectively.https://ozpolitics.au/government/health-insurance-amendment-incentive-payments-and-other-measures-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/health-insurance-amendment-incentive-payments-and-other-measures-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Health Insurance Amendment (Incentive Payments and Other Measures) Bill 2026 is a government bill that has passed the House of Representatives and is now before the Senate. It would establish a framework for Commonwealth health incentive payment programs and rename the Health Insurance Act 1973 to the Medicare Act 1973. The bill would also make consequential amendments to 37 other Commonwealth Acts. It is Before Senate as of 17 July 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-05-27/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-05-27/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 27 May 2026 the House of Representatives held an extended second reading debate on the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026, with 19 members speaking across the day. The House also introduced and debated the Health Insurance Amendment (Incentive Payments and Other Measures) Bill 2026, the Customs Tariff Amendment (Incorporation of Proposals) Bill (No. 1) 2026, and the Treasury Laws Amendment (Business Registries Stabilisation and Uplift) Bill 2026. A wide-ranging Question Time covered the budget, taxation, employment, housing and national security, while Members' 90-second statements canvassed gas industry taxation, Medicare, and budget impacts across electorates.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-05-26/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-05-26/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 26 May 2026, the House of Representatives met during Budget week. Key legislative business included the 2026–27 Appropriation Bills, the NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS) Bill 2026 and the Treasury Laws Amendment (Business Registries) Bill 2026. Question Time covered small business taxation, Defence and veterans' issues, housing and energy. The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security presented a report. Fifteen members made statements on topics from gambling advertising to menopause.https://ozpolitics.au/government/commonwealth-environmental-water-holder-commission-of-inquiry-bill-2026-no-2-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/commonwealth-environmental-water-holder-commission-of-inquiry-bill-2026-no-2-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder Commission of Inquiry Bill 2026 (No. 2) is a private member's bill introduced by Nationals MP Alison Penfold that proposes establishing a statutory commission of inquiry into the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH). The inquiry would examine the management, use, performance and outcomes of Commonwealth environmental water holdings across the Murray-Darling Basin, with particular focus on the role, functions and conduct of the CEWH itself.https://ozpolitics.au/government/human-rights-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/human-rights-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Human Rights Bill 2026 is a private member's bill introduced in the House of Representatives by Andrew Wilkie MP, the independent member for Clark. Introduced on 25 May 2026, the bill proposes to establish a legislative framework to advance and protect human rights in Australia. Its central mechanism is to give domestic legal effect to Australia's obligations under international human rights law, and it would provide the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) with additional powers and functions. The bill is a private member's bill, meaning it is not part of the government's legislative program and faces significant hurdles to passage. Australia remains the only Western liberal democracy without a national bill of rights or human rights act, a fact the bill's explanatory materials cite in arguing for the reform.https://ozpolitics.au/government/sex-discrimination-amendment-sex-based-rights-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/sex-discrimination-amendment-sex-based-rights-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Sex Discrimination Amendment (Sex-based Rights) Bill 2026 is a private member's bill introduced by Independent MP Alison Penfold in the House of Representatives on 25 May 2026. The bill would amend the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 to insert a definition of sex as biological and binary, restore the definitions of 'man' and 'woman' as designations of sex (removed in 2013), change the definition of 'gender identity' to make clear it is a chosen self-classification, replace 'different sex' with 'opposite sex' throughout the Act, and introduce a new section 32A to provide explicit protection for services, activities and spaces exclusively for women. The bill explicitly states it retains full discrimination protections for gender identity and sexual orientation. It is currently before the House of Representatives and has not been debated.https://ozpolitics.au/government/telecommunications-legislation-amendment-strengthening-communications-in-natural-disasters-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/telecommunications-legislation-amendment-strengthening-communications-in-natural-disasters-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Communications in Natural Disasters) Bill 2026 is a private member's bill introduced by independent MP Helen Haines on 25 May 2026. The bill would amend the Telecommunications Act 1997 and the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999 to address communications failures during natural disasters. It would require the Australian Communications and Media Authority to mandate minimum power backup requirements at high-risk mobile sites, enable the minister to make rules requiring temporary disaster roaming so affected communities can access any available network, and provide that the provision of telecommunications services during natural disasters is an eligible purpose for public interest telecommunications grants. The bill is before the House of Representatives.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-05-25/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-05-25/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 25 May 2026 the House of Representatives debated the government's main 2026–27 Budget appropriation bills — Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2026–2027 and its companion bills — with opposition members criticising the capital gains tax changes as a broken promise. The House also passed supplementary appropriation bills for 2025–2026. Prime Minister Albanese led condolences for Neale Daniher AO, the 2025 Australian of the Year and motor neurone disease campaigner who had recently died. The petitions committee presented 186 petitions on topics from nuclear energy to political advertising. Private members' business covered cost of living, domestic and family violence, endometriosis, private health insurance, the EU security and defence partnership, carp management, Inland Rail, energy policy, and donations to political parties. The House divided three times on procedural and substantive matters.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-05-14/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-05-14/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 14 May 2026 the House of Representatives sat for what was the second sitting day after the 2026-27 federal Budget. The House completed passage of the Secrecy Provisions Amendment (Repealing Offences) Bill 2026 — a major reform to Commonwealth secrecy laws — and the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Bill 2026. Members also introduced the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 and began second reading debate on the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2026-2027, the principal Budget appropriation legislation. Question Time covered taxation, energy, housing, negative gearing, biosecurity and the Prime Minister, while condolence motions were held for former minister Peter Morris OAM.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-05-14/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-05-14/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe Senate sat on 14 May 2026 and conducted a wide-ranging legislative program that included debates on electoral reform, competition law, the gas industry, ASIO powers, and Australia's security treaty with Indonesia. The day also featured question time focused on the Budget, housing, and aged care, plus a notable matter concerning Senator Tammy Tyrrell's parliamentary representation. The Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Banning Dirty Donations) Bill 2026 was the first substantial item of business. The second reading debate saw contributions from Senator Steph Hodgins-May (who moved the bill), Senator Murray Watt, Senator Matthew Canavan, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, Senator Susan McDonald, Senator Steph Hodgins-May (in reply), and Senator Nick McKim. The bill addresses electoral funding transparency and donation restrictions — a perennial area of parliamentary debate where crossbench and major party perspectives often diverge. Readers should note that Hansard records what senators said in the chamber; it does not independently verify claims about donation practices or the projected effects of reform. The Competition and Consumer Amendment (Responding to Exceptional Circumstances) Bill 2026 was debated and went to a committee stage. Senator Malcolm Roberts, Senator Tyron Whitten, and Senator Tim Ayres spoke on the second reading. The bill then moved into committee of the whole, where Senator Matthew Canavan and Senator Tim Ayres debated specific provisions. A limitation of debate was imposed, with Senator Slade Brockman in the Chair. This bill, which also appeared in the House on 28 May 2026, concerns the competition framework during exceptional circumstances. The Treasury Laws Amendment (The Survivors Law) Bill 2026 was introduced by Senator Nita Green and passed through all stages in a single sitting day. Senator Green moved the first and second readings, with Senator David Shoebridge and Senator Susan McDonald also contributing to debate before the third reading. Senator Dave Sharma was in the Chair as Acting Deputy President for the passage. Three further bills were passed: the Customs Legislation Amendment (False Trade Marks Infringement Notices) Bill 2026 (second reading speakers: Senator Susan McDonald, Senator David Shoebridge, Senator Nita Green); the Public and Educational Lending Rights (Better Income for Authors) Bill 2026 and its consequential amendments bill (first reading by Senator Nita Green, second reading with Senator Susan McDonald and Senator Anthony Chisholm, third reading with Senator Dorinda Cox as Acting Deputy President); and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025, debated by Senator Maria Kovacic and Senator David Pocock. The Senate also considered committee business extensively. The Selection of Bills Committee report was presented by Senator Karen Grogan, with Senator Katy Gallagher, Senator Jordon Steele-John, and Senator Penny Allman-Payne contributing before a division. The Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee meeting was noted by Senator Wendy Askew. Senator David Pocock moved directions to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, which proceeded to a division. Committee reports were presented on economics (Senator Barbara Pocock, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson), foreign affairs, defence and trade (Senator Dean Smith, Senator Jessica Collins), the gas resources select committee (Senator Penny Allman-Payne), and education and employment (Senator Bridget McKenzie). Orders for the production of documents were moved on renewable energy (Senator Jessica Collins), housing (Senator Jessica Collins), aged care (Senator Penny Allman-Payne), and the NDIS (Senator Jordon Steele-John). Senator David Shoebridge moved on consideration by estimates committees regarding the Budget, and Senator Jessica Collins and Senator Katy Gallagher debated the matter to a division. A ministerial statement on the Australia-Indonesia Treaty on Common Security was delivered by Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong. Treaty statements of this nature typically outline the strategic rationale, key provisions, and implementation framework for international agreements, and are followed by parliamentary scrutiny through the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties process. Question Time covered: housing (Senator Andrew Bragg), the Women's Budget Statement (Senator Jana Stewart), Budget (Senator James Paterson), gas industry taxation (Senator Larissa Waters), Budget (Senator Charlotte Walker), aged care (Senator David Pocock), energy (Senator Matthew Canavan), housing (Senator Pauline Hanson), Budget (Senator Michelle Ananda-Rajah and Senator Anne Ruston), and Budget (Senator Tony Sheldon). Senator Penny Wong provided additional answers on housing. During 'take note of answers', senators spoke on: answers (Senator Ross Cadell, Senator Dorinda Cox, Senator Maria Kovacic, Senator Ellie Whiteaker, Senator Dean Smith), gas industry taxation (Senator Penny Allman-Payne), aged care (Senator David Pocock), and housing (Senator Pauline Hanson). A matter of parliamentary representation concerning Senator Tammy Tyrrell was raised. Senator Penny Wong spoke to the matter, and Senator Tyrrell herself made a statement — an unusual occurrence in Senate proceedings that signals the significance of the issue. Senators' statements covered a diverse range: the Budget (Senator Bridget McKenzie, Senator Dave Sharma, Senator Michelle Ananda-Rajah), Lung Health Awareness Month (Senator Carol Brown), Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day (Senator David Shoebridge), North Bondi RSL Club (Senator Andrew Bragg), Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games and manufacturing (Senator Lisa Darmanin), Parliament House sponsored access (Senator David Pocock), Inland Rail (Senator Ross Cadell), the trucking industry (Senator Glenn Sterle), housing and the Budget (Senator Barbara Pocock), Nakba (Senator Lidia Thorpe), the ABC (Senator Pauline Hanson), Medicare (Senator Steph Hodgins-May), and the Farrer by-election (Senator Ralph Babet). Motions on the Budget were debated with contributions from Senator Claire Chandler, Senator Lisa Darmanin, Senator Corinne Mulholland, and Senator Dean Smith. A further Budget-related statement with documents was tabled by Senator Michaelia Cash, with Senator Matthew Canavan and Senator Pauline Hanson also speaking. The Senate's distinct procedural character was on full display during this sitting. Unlike the House of Representatives, where the government typically controls the legislative program, the Senate's power to order the production of documents gives it a unique oversight function. The four orders moved on 14 May — covering renewable energy, housing, aged care, and the NDIS — represent the chamber exercising its accountability function. Senator Jessica Collins sponsored two of these orders, Senator Penny Allman-Payne moved the aged care order, and Senator Jordon Steele-John moved the NDIS order. When a minister (in this case, Senators Katy Gallagher and Jessica Collins on Budget estimates matters) resists or debates an order, the matter can proceed to a division, as occurred with the consideration by estimates committees motion. The committee reports presented on this day spanned a remarkable breadth of policy. The Economics References Committee (Senator Barbara Pocock, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson) and the Gas Resources Select Committee (Senator Penny Allman-Payne) both focus on areas of significant public interest — economic management and resource taxation respectively. The Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee (Senator Dean Smith, Senator Jessica Collins) presented multiple reports, underscoring the Senate's active role in foreign policy scrutiny. The Education and Employment References Committee report (Senator Bridget McKenzie) rounded out a full slate of committee activity. Senators' statements on this day captured the breadth of the chamber's representational role: from the international (Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day, Nakba) to the hyper-local (North Bondi RSL Club). Senator David Pocock's statement on Parliament House sponsored access raised governance questions about the institution itself. Senator Ralph Babet's statement on the Farrer by-election connected Senate proceedings directly to electoral politics. Senator Steph Hodgins-May's contribution on Medicare and Senator Barbara Pocock's on housing and the Budget tied senators' statements to core policy debates. The Export Control Amendment (Clarifying Obligations Relating to Registered Establishments) Bill 2026, while receiving only brief debate (Senator Dave Sharma and Senator Nita Green), reflects the ongoing legislative work of maintaining Australia's biosecurity and export regulatory frameworks — issues of critical economic importance given agriculture's role in the national economy. The motions on the Budget, with contributions from Senators Claire Chandler, Lisa Darmanin, Corinne Mulholland, and Dean Smith, and the Budget statement with documents from Senator Michaelia Cash (with Senators Matthew Canavan and Pauline Hanson also speaking), provided the opposition with structured opportunities to critique the government's fiscal approach — opportunities that exist alongside, but are distinct from, Question Time.https://ozpolitics.au/government/extended-producer-responsibility-scheme-for-packaging-no-time-to-waste-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/extended-producer-responsibility-scheme-for-packaging-no-time-to-waste-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) Bill 2026 is a private Senator's bill introduced by Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson on 13 May 2026. If passed, it would establish a mandatory extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme requiring producers, importers and distributors of packaging to manage that packaging across its full lifecycle — from design and material choices through to collection, recycling and disposal. The bill would shift the financial and operational burden of packaging waste away from local councils and households and onto the businesses that place packaged goods on the Australian market. As at 17 July 2026 the bill is before the Senate, having been referred to the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee with a report due by 6 August 2026. No amendments have been circulated. For the bill to become law it must pass the Senate, then the House of Representatives, and receive Royal Assent.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-05-13/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-05-13/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 13 May 2026, during Budget week, the House of Representatives debated the Regulatory Reform Omnibus Bill 2026 (amending 26 Acts and targeting $10.2 billion in regulatory burden reduction), the Treasury Laws Amendment (The Survivors Law) Bill 2026, and the Defence Force Discipline Amendment (RCDVS) Bill 2026. The chamber also paid tribute to author David Malouf AO, heard a Regional Ministerial Budget Statement, and conducted Question Time on budget, housing, Medicare and taxation.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-05-13/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-05-13/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 13 May 2026 the Senate debated a private senator's bill to tackle the gender superannuation gap, fast-tracked the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Responding to Exceptional Circumstances) Bill 2026 through all remaining stages in a single sitting day, heard statements on topics ranging from the Budget to domestic violence and gun control, and conducted Question Time focused largely on Budget measures. The chamber also paid tribute to Bill Grayden AM, the Western Australian war veteran and former state and federal parliamentarian who died aged 105, and considered committee reports on disallowable instruments including new tobacco regulations and payday superannuation rules.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-05-12/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-05-12/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives sat on Tuesday 12 May 2026 for what was Budget Day — the day the Treasurer delivered the 2026-27 federal budget. Before the evening budget speech, the House dealt with an extraordinary volume of business. The government introduced 23 bills in a single batch, headlined by a five-bill fuel security package responding to global fuel supply disruptions triggered by conflict in the Middle East. Standing orders were suspended to allow the Treasurer to deliver the budget speech at 7:30 pm and for the Leader of the Opposition to deliver the budget reply on Thursday. During Question Time, the Prime Minister previewed budget measures including a halved fuel excise, a government-owned fuel reserve of one billion litres — the first since World War II — and an additional $25 billion for hospitals. The opposition pressed the government on reports of new taxes on housing and savings. The House also debated the Secrecy Provisions Amendment bills, the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Bill 2026, and a private member's bill on survivors of institutional abuse.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-05-12/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-05-12/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe Senate sat on Tuesday 12 May 2026 with President Sue Lines in the chair. The day's proceedings included the presentation of documents and committee reports, the Governor-General's speech opening the new session, statements by senators, condolence motions, question time, consideration of budget measures and committee business. The chamber dealt with multiple matters of urgency and public importance, reflecting the broad scope of Senate business on a budget sitting day.https://ozpolitics.au/government/aviation-consumer-protection-consequential-amendments-and-transitional-provisions-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/aviation-consumer-protection-consequential-amendments-and-transitional-provisions-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsIf passed, The Aviation Consumer Protection (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026 is one of four bills in the government's aviation consumer protection reform package. It amends the Air Navigation Act 1920 to exclude compliance with the new framework as a condition of international airline licences, and provides transitional arrangements for moving the existing Aircraft Noise Ombudsman from Airservices Australia to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts. The bill has passed the House of Representatives and is before the Senate.https://ozpolitics.au/government/aviation-consumer-protection-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/aviation-consumer-protection-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Aviation Consumer Protection Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 1 April 2026 as part of a package of four bills. It would establish Australia's first dedicated aviation consumer protection framework, imposing enforceable requirements on airlines and airport operators regarding the offer and supply of services, creating a scheme for handling eligible passenger complaints, and establishing the office of the Aircraft Noise Ombudsperson to review how aircraft noise management agencies handle noise in Australian territory. The bill passed all stages in the House of Representatives on 29 June 2026 — with second reading amendments proposed by three crossbench MPs — and was introduced in the Senate on 30 June 2026, where the second reading was moved. It was referred to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, which reported on 19 June 2026 (before the House votes). The bill now awaits second reading debate and a vote in the Senate.https://ozpolitics.au/government/aviation-consumer-protection-levy-collection-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/aviation-consumer-protection-levy-collection-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Aviation Consumer Protection Levy (Collection) Bill 2026 is a Government bill from the Infrastructure, Transport, and Communications portfolio that proposes to establish the collection mechanism for a levy imposed on airline operators. The levy would fund Australia's new aviation consumer protection framework, including an Aviation Consumer Protection Ombuds or equivalent dispute resolution body. Introduced in the House of Representatives as a companion bill to the Aviation Consumer Protection Bill 2026, it has passed the lower house and is now before the Senate in the 48th Parliament.https://ozpolitics.au/government/aviation-consumer-protection-levy-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/aviation-consumer-protection-levy-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Aviation Consumer Protection Levy Bill 2026 is part of a four-bill package that creates Australia's first comprehensive aviation consumer protection framework. It imposes an annual levy on certain airlines and airport operators to fund the new Aviation Consumer Protection Authority (ACPA). The bill passed the House of Representatives on 29 June 2026 and is now before the Senate. It is a government bill under the Infrastructure and Transport portfolio, and if passed would take effect as drafted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/defence-force-discipline-amendment-rcdvs-implementation-and-related-measures-no-1-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/defence-force-discipline-amendment-rcdvs-implementation-and-related-measures-no-1-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Defence Force Discipline Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 1) Bill 2026 would implement key recommendations of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. Introduced in the House of Representatives on 1 April 2026 and now before the Senate, the bill proposes reforms to military discipline including suspension from duty during investigation, sentencing disclosure, and removing stigmatising language. It would also establish a Defence Mental Health Tribunal, modernise tribunal procedures, and create a summary contravention scheme. The bill affects all ADF members subject to the military discipline system.https://ozpolitics.au/government/online-safety-amendment-fix-our-feeds-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/online-safety-amendment-fix-our-feeds-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Online Safety Amendment (Fix Our Feeds) Bill 2026 is a Private Senator's bill introduced in the Senate on 1 April 2026 by South Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young. The bill would amend legislation seeks to amend the Online Safety Act 2021 to give social media users in Australia the right to opt out of algorithmically recommended content, and to impose new transparency and risk-management obligations on online service providers. The bill was introduced and read a first time on 1 April 2026, with the second reading moved on the same day. As a private senator's bill, its path through the Parliament faces the additional hurdle of securing government support or sufficient crossbench backing to progress. It is Before Senate as of 17 July 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/government/secrecy-provisions-amendment-repealing-offences-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/secrecy-provisions-amendment-repealing-offences-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Secrecy Provisions Amendment (Repealing Offences) Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced by the Attorney-General that overhauls Australia's framework of Commonwealth secrecy offences. It replaces the existing broad offence of unauthorised disclosure by Commonwealth officers with a new offence requiring proof of intent to obtain a benefit or cause detriment. It also removes criminal liability from secrecy offences across 17 Acts and 5 regulations, converting them to non-disclosure duties without criminal penalties. The bill requires the Attorney-General's consent to prosecute journalists or certain other persons for secrecy offences. As of July 2026, the bill has passed the House of Representatives and is before the Senate, having been referred to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee which reported on 19 June 2026. Key amendments proposed by crossbench MPs Andrew Wilkie, Allegra Spender and Kate Chaney were defeated in the House during consideration in detail. If passed, the bill would take effect on proclamation.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-04-01/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-04-01/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives sitting on Wednesday 1 April 2026 was bookended by a sombre condolence motion for one of Australia's greatest jurists and a fiery debate over fuel security that laid bare the political contest over cost-of-living pressures heading into the Easter weekend. Between those poles, the chamber worked through a packed legislative agenda that included the passage of the NDIS Amendment (Integrity and Safeguarding) Bill, the introduction of sweeping reforms to Commonwealth secrecy laws, and a suite of new bills covering aviation consumer rights, unfair trading practices, and lending rights for Australian authors. The day opened with Attorney-General Michelle Rowland moving a condolence motion for Sir Anthony Frank Mason AC KBE GBM KC, the former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, who died on 17 March 2026 just weeks shy of his 101st birthday. Rowland described Mason as 'one of the most consequential jurists in the history of our great nation', chronicling his service as a RAAF flying officer in World War II, his appointment as Commonwealth Solicitor-General at just 39 by the Menzies government, and his 23 years on the High Court including eight as Chief Justice from 1987 to 1995. She highlighted Mason's role in the landmark Mabo native title decision of 1992 and the court's recognition of an implied freedom of political communication. Shadow minister Ted O'Brien, speaking for the Coalition, noted that Mason 'played a pivotal role in shaping modern Australian legal thought', adding that 'his judgements and influence on the direction of the court will continue to be studied for generations to come.' Further tributes continued in the Federation Chamber, with speakers including Andrew Leigh acknowledging Mason as 'one of the most distinguished jurists of his generation.' The most substantive legislative debate of the day concerned the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Integrity and Safeguarding) Bill 2026, which passed with bipartisan support but not without pointed criticism from both sides. Henry Pike (LNP, Bowman) signalled Coalition support while warning that annual scheme expense growth of 10.3 per cent was well above the National Cabinet target of five to six per cent. He described the NDIS as being 'like a 13-year-old teenager' at a crossroads, calling for vigilance against 'fraud and rorting.' Labor's Louise Miller-Frost (Boothby) defended the scheme as 'a vital part of Australia's social support system' and praised the government's stewardship, while Nationals MP Anne Webster (Mallee) accused Labor of leaving regional Australians behind, saying the Prime Minister's 'nobody held back, nobody left behind' mantra was 'ringing increasingly hollow.' The bill ultimately passed with broad support, with government speakers including Carol Berry (Whitlam), Gabriel Ng (Menzies), and Libby Coker (Corangamite) all speaking in favour. A matter of public importance on fuel security and leadership, moved by Opposition Leader Angus Taylor, dominated the afternoon and exposed the raw partisan divide over the government's handling of a fuel supply crisis. Taylor accused the government of 'complacency and confusion', telling the House: 'Searching for a servo that's not empty, filling up a car at an exorbitant cost, cancelling travel plans altogether — this is the Easter that so many Australians face.' He claimed over 600 service stations were without fuel and that the government only adopted the Coalition's fuel excise cut plan after a weekend of inaction. Assistant Minister Matt Thistlethwaite fired back, describing the MPI as 'irony' given the Coalition's track record. Nationals MP Michael McCormack reminded the House that the excise cut 'was what the coalition asked, demanded, implored the government to do.' Government backbenchers including Sally Sitou (Reid) and Dan Repacholi (Hunter) argued that the Coalition was playing political games while the government was focused on practical relief. The Treasurer had earlier announced a 50 per cent fuel excise cut of 26.3 cents per litre, which Labor MP Matt Burnell (Spence) told the House 'has started to come into effect' that very day. The Attorney-General also introduced a package of two secrecy reform bills: the Secrecy Provisions Amendment (Repealing Offences) Bill 2026 and a companion sunsetting bill. Rowland told the chamber the bills would repeal or remove criminal liability from more than 300 secrecy provisions across the statute book, responding to multiple reviews that found Australia's secrecy framework had become 'a complex patchwork of provisions — while some are essential, others are outdated and broader than necessary.' The sunsetting bill extends a key Criminal Code provision until 29 December 2026 to allow parliament time to consider the broader reforms. In the infrastructure and consumer protection space, Minister Catherine King introduced a package of four aviation consumer protection bills alongside a Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Bill. Minister Tony Burke introduced the Public and Educational Lending Rights (Better Income for Authors) Bill, noting that the average income for an Australian writer in 2021-22 was reportedly $16,100, and arguing that 'an author's creativity is their property. It should not be stolen by those that wish to use it for other purposes.' The bill unifies existing Public Lending Right and Educational Lending Right schemes into a single contemporary framework. Defence Force Discipline reforms responding to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide were also introduced by Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh, who said the bill 'represents one of the most significant reforms to Australia's military discipline framework in decades.'https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-04-01/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-04-01/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe Senate sat on 1 April 2026 as part of the final sitting week before the May 2026 federal budget. The day's proceedings included consideration of government legislation, a question time session where senators questioned ministers on policy and administration, presentation of committee reports, and a series of adjournment speeches. The sitting occurred against the backdrop of pre-budget positioning, with both government and opposition senators using parliamentary time to frame their priorities. As a proof transcript, the Hansard record is subject to correction by senators before the final version is published.https://ozpolitics.au/government/commonwealth-environmental-water-holder-commission-of-inquiry-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/commonwealth-environmental-water-holder-commission-of-inquiry-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder Commission of Inquiry Bill 2026 is a private senator's bill introduced by Nationals Senator Ross Cadell on 31 March 2026. The bill proposes to establish a formal commission of inquiry to investigate and report on the management, use, performance and outcomes of Commonwealth environmental water holdings, with particular focus on the role, functions and conduct of the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, or CEWH. The CEWH is a statutory office established under the Water Act 2007. Its role is to manage the Commonwealth's portfolio of water entitlements — water that has been recovered from consumptive uses, largely in the Murray-Darling Basin, and set aside for environmental purposes. This environmental water is used to improve the health of rivers, wetlands, floodplains and the native plants and animals that depend on them. The CEWH decides when, where and how much environmental water to release, often in coordination with state environmental water managers and in accordance with annual watering plans. As of 2024, the Commonwealth held water entitlements worth over 2,900 gigalitres across the Basin. Senator Cadell's bill proposes a commission of inquiry — a formal investigative body with powers modelled on the Royal Commissions Act 1902. A commission of this nature can compel witnesses to give evidence under oath, require the production of documents, and hold public hearings. The proposed inquiry would examine four areas: the management of Commonwealth environmental water holdings; the use of that water; the performance and outcomes achieved using it; and specifically the role, functions and conduct of the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder both as an office and as an individual office-holder. The bill was introduced in the Senate on 31 March 2026, with the second reading moved the same day. The second reading debate was adjourned on 1 April 2026 after Senator Cadell delivered his introductory speech. The bill is currently before the Senate awaiting resumption of the second reading debate. No date has been set for the debate to resume, and the bill has not been referred to a committee for inquiry. No proposed amendments have been circulated. As a private senator's bill — a bill introduced by a senator who is not a minister — it faces a significantly harder path to becoming law than a government bill. Private senators' bills rarely pass without government support, as the government controls the legislative agenda in both houses. While the Senate routinely debates private senators' bills during dedicated time slots for general business and private senators' business, only a small fraction progress to a vote, and fewer still pass both houses. Senator Cadell represents New South Wales and is a member of the Nationals, the junior Coalition partner. The Nationals have consistently raised concerns about the Commonwealth's approach to water recovery in the Murray-Darling Basin, particularly the use of water buybacks and the management of environmental water releases. Some Nationals members have argued that environmental water has been poorly managed, causing unintended flooding of private land, or that water has been 'wasted' when environmental flows reach the sea. The CEWH and its supporters reject these characterisations, pointing to the ecological benefits of environmental watering, including improved waterbird breeding, native fish spawning, and wetland rehabilitation. They argue that environmental watering is undertaken according to scientifically rigorous annual plans and that water reaching the river mouth is often an intended outcome that supports estuarine and marine ecosystems. Senator Cadell's claims about the CEWH's performance should be understood in this contested political context. The bill's explanatory memorandum presumably sets out the senator's specific concerns and the evidence on which he relies. However, it is important to distinguish between the senator's claims and independently verified facts about the CEWH's operations. The CEWH publishes annual reports, annual watering plans, and watering outcomes reports that provide data on environmental water use, and its operations are subject to scrutiny through Senate estimates hearings and Australian National Audit Office performance audits. These existing accountability mechanisms already provide avenues for parliamentary and public scrutiny. For the bill to become law, it would need to pass the Senate and then the House of Representatives. In the current parliament, this would require government support or, at minimum, the government choosing not to oppose the bill. Given that the CEWH is a creation of the Water Act 2007, originally passed by the Howard Coalition government with bipartisan support, and that the current government has its own policies on water management and the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, the government's position on this bill is a key unknown. The minister responsible would typically indicate the government's position during the second reading debate, but that debate has not yet resumed. A more realistic outcome for this bill is that it serves as a vehicle for debate rather than legislation. Private members' and senators' bills are frequently used to draw attention to issues, pressure the government to act, and create a parliamentary record of concerns that can be cited in future policy debates. Even if the bill never comes to a vote, it may have influence if it shapes public discussion or prompts the government to announce its own review or inquiry into environmental water management.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-31/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-31/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives sat on Tuesday 31 March 2026 in what was one of the final sitting weeks before the traditional May federal budget. The day's proceedings followed the standard House routine: prayers, acknowledgement of country, petitions and committee membership, followed by question time and government business including the consideration of legislation. The Speaker, the Hon. Milton Dick MP, presided over the chamber. As a proof transcript, the Hansard record is subject to correction by members before the final version is published.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-31/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-31/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe Senate sat on Tuesday 31 March 2026 for a long and combative sitting that ran through legislation, disallowance motions, and a matter of urgency on taxation — all against the backdrop of the escalating global fuel crisis. The day's most substantive legislative work was on the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Integrity and Safeguarding) Bill 2025, which progressed from second reading through the committee stage with extensive debate and multiple divisions. The Copyright Amendment Bill 2026 was debated at second reading and ultimately passed its third reading. A significant procedural moment came with a disallowance motion on the Competition and Consumer (Industry Codes—Cash Acceptance) Regulations 2025, where One Nation's move to strike down the regulations drew fierce opposition from the Coalition. The Treasury Laws Amendment (Fuel Excise Relief) Bill 2026 was also introduced. Question Time was heavily weighted toward fuel security, and senators across the chamber addressed topics from women in sport to the Perth antisemitic attack.https://ozpolitics.au/government/australian-citizenship-amendment-stripping-terrorists-of-australian-citizenship-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/australian-citizenship-amendment-stripping-terrorists-of-australian-citizenship-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Australian Citizenship Amendment (Stripping Terrorists of Australian Citizenship) Bill 2026 is a private member's bill introduced by Barnaby Joyce MP (Nationals, New England) on 30 March 2026. It amends the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 to allow a court to order the cessation of Australian citizenship for a dual national convicted of a terrorism offence. The bill is before the House of Representatives and has not been debated beyond the second reading speech, and if passed would take effect as drafted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/interactive-gambling-amendment-stop-the-gambling-ads-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/interactive-gambling-amendment-stop-the-gambling-ads-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Interactive Gambling Amendment (Stop the Gambling Ads) Bill 2026 is a private member's bill introduced by independent MP Kate Chaney on 30 March 2026. It proposes to amend the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 to phase in a comprehensive prohibition on advertising of licensed interactive wagering services across broadcast television and radio, digital platforms, other media, and in-stadia signage. The ban would be implemented over three years with limited exceptions for political communication, harm-reduction messaging, and small community radio. The bill responds directly to the June 2023 Murphy Report which found extensive gambling advertising exposure contributes to gambling-related harm, particularly among children and young people. It is currently before the House of Representatives and has not yet been debated.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-30/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-30/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives sitting on Monday 30 March 2026 was shaped by a dominant theme: fuel security. The Government brought forward a three-bill package comprising the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (Strategic Reserve) Bill 2026 and two Appropriation (Fuel Security Response) Bills for 2025–2026, which together formed the centrepiece of the day's legislative business. The package passed through all stages in a single sitting, drawing debate from both sides of the chamber and a wide range of crossbench voices. Alongside the fuel package, the House considered the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Stop the Gambling Ads) Bill 2026, the High Seas Biodiversity Bill 2026, and a suite of private members' business items.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-30/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-30/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn Monday 30 March 2026, the Senate convened for a sitting day that covered a broad agenda including documents, committees, motions, bills, statements by senators, and an extended question time session. Question time was dominated by two key topics: taxation policy, raised by Greens Senator Barbara Pocock; and Australia's diplomatic and strategic posture towards Russia, raised by United Australia Party Senator Ralph Babet. The take-note-of-answers debate that followed question time featured contributions from Senators Leah Blyth, Deborah O'Neill, James McGrath, Helen Polley and Jessica Collins. The Senate also considered committee reports, condolence motions, matters of urgency, and conducted debate on bills. The chamber adjourned in the evening after completing its scheduled business.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-26/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-26/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 26 March 2026, the House of Representatives sat from 9:01 am and covered a range of parliamentary business. The day began with Statements on Significant Matters, where MPs from both major parties paid tribute to Bangarra Dance Theatre for receiving the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in Dance at the Venice Biennale. The House then moved through question time, statements by members, condolence motions, documents, a matter of public importance debate, and multiple bill debates before adjourning. The official record is the proof Hansard transcript, which captures all speeches, questions and procedural motions for the sitting day.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-26/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-26/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 26 March 2026 the Senate passed two private senator's bills from Senator Andrew Bragg — the Housing Australia Amendment (Accountability) Bill 2025 and the Housing Investment Probity Bill 2024 — both on divisions of 36–25. The Senate passed additional estimates appropriation bills and the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 1) Bill 2026. Multiple orders for the production of documents were debated, including on the National Anti-Racism Framework, the Combatting Antisemitism bill, and Accenture Australia contracts. The Treasury Laws Amendment (Doubling Penalties for ACCC Enforcement) Bill 2026 passed with amendments. Question time focused on fuel security after a regional WA service station reported diesel shortages ahead of Cyclone Narelle. The Fair Work Amendment (Fairer Fuel) Bill 2026 was introduced. Sixteen divisions were recorded across the sitting day.https://ozpolitics.au/government/australian-criminal-intelligence-commission-national-policing-information-charges-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/australian-criminal-intelligence-commission-national-policing-information-charges-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (National Policing Information Charges) Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 25 March 2026 by the Home Affairs portfolio. It forms part of a legislative package introduced alongside the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Bill 2026. The bill imposes a 'national policing information charge' on applications made to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission for a nationally coordinated criminal history check service. As of July 2026, the bill remains before the House of Representatives. It has been referred to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, and has been considered by the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, which published its findings in Scrutiny Digest 6 of 2026 on 6 May 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/government/australian-criminal-intelligence-commission-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/australian-criminal-intelligence-commission-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 25 March 2026 by the Minister for Home Affairs. It is accompanied by a related bill, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (National Policing Information Charges) Bill 2026, which deals with charges for national policing information services. Together, they represent a legislative package that refreshes the governing framework for one of Australia's key law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The bill continues the existence of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, or ACIC, as Australia's national criminal intelligence agency, but with realigned functions and powers. According to the official parliamentary summary, the bill equips the ACIC to: obtain, analyse and communicate intelligence relevant to serious and organised crime; provide nationally coordinated criminal history check services; prepare and issue criminal intelligence assessments; and provide advice about crime trends, criminal activity and preventing crime. The ACIC was established in 2016 through the merger of the Australian Crime Commission, or ACC, and CrimTrac. The ACC had existed since 2002, though its lineage traces back to the National Crime Authority established in 1984. CrimTrac was the national policing information sharing service that managed systems used by every police force in Australia, including the national fingerprint database, the national DNA database, and the national criminal history check system. The merger was intended to create a single agency that combined criminal intelligence functions with the technical infrastructure for national police information sharing. This new bill appears to be a legislative update that refreshes and realigns the ACIC's governing legislation, potentially reflecting lessons learned over the first decade of the merged agency's operations. The bill was introduced and had its second reading moved on 25 March 2026. It is currently before the House of Representatives awaiting resumption of the second reading debate. No proposed amendments had been circulated at the time of writing. The government, through the minister's second reading speech, has framed this bill as a necessary update to ensure the ACIC has the legislative framework it needs to combat serious and organised crime effectively. Several parliamentary committees have already begun their scrutiny of the bill, which is notable and indicates the bill engages significant questions about civil liberties, human rights, and the appropriate scope of intelligence agency powers. On 30 March 2026, the bill was referred to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, or PJCIS, for inquiry. The PJCIS is a statutory committee established under the Intelligence Services Act 2001 that reviews matters relating to Australia's intelligence and security agencies. Its inquiry into this bill will examine the proposed powers and functions in detail, take evidence from the ACIC, the Australian Federal Police, state and territory police, legal and human rights organisations, and other stakeholders, and is a critical part of the legislative scrutiny process. The PJCIS has a track record of recommending significant amendments to national security and intelligence legislation, and its report will be an important checkpoint before the bill proceeds further. The Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills considered the bill and published its assessment in Scrutiny Digest 6 of 2026 on 6 May 2026. The Scrutiny of Bills Committee examines all bills against a set of scrutiny principles, including whether they trespass unduly on personal rights and liberties, whether they provide appropriate parliamentary oversight of delegated powers, and whether they delegate legislative power inappropriately. The committee's comments on this bill would typically flag any provisions that raise scrutiny concerns, such as expanded coercive information-gathering powers, broad secrecy provisions, or provisions that make rights dependent on non-reviewable administrative decisions. The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights also considered the bill and published its assessment in Report 5 of 2026 on 7 May 2026. This committee examines bills for compatibility with Australia's international human rights obligations under seven core treaties. Its report would assess whether the bill's provisions — particularly any coercive information-gathering powers, powers to share personal information between agencies, or criminal offences created by the bill — are consistent with rights such as privacy, fair trial, freedom of expression, and freedom from arbitrary detention. The involvement of three separate parliamentary committees in scrutinising this bill should give readers confidence that the bill is receiving thorough examination before it proceeds to a vote. The committee reports are publicly available and provide an important independent perspective on what the bill would actually do, as distinct from what the government claims it would do. The Parliamentary Library has also published a Bills Digest providing independent analysis of the bill's provisions, background, and implications. For the bill to become law, it must complete its passage through the House of Representatives — including resumption and conclusion of the second reading debate, consideration in detail where the bill is examined clause by clause, and third reading — before being introduced in the Senate and passing through equivalent stages there. The companion bill dealing with national policing information charges must also pass. If the PJCIS recommends amendments, these would need to be considered and potentially adopted by the government before the bill proceeds. Once passed by both houses in identical form, the bill would be presented to the Governor-General for royal assent.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-25/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-25/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives sat on Wednesday 25 March 2026. The proceedings followed the established House schedule, including question time where ministers faced questions from the opposition and crossbench on current policy matters. The government used its legislative programme time to advance bills through various parliamentary stages. The official Hansard provides the verbatim record of all speeches, questions and procedural motions from this sitting day. As a proof transcript, the record is subject to correction by members before the final version is published.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-25/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-25/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe Senate sat on Wednesday 25 March 2026 and achieved a significant legislative outcome: the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026, along with its transitional provisions bill, passed its third reading and completed its passage through the Parliament. The Senate also dealt with a packed agenda that included the resumed second reading of the Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Approval of Overseas Service) Bill 2020, the introduction of four new government bills, and a ministerial statement on the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement. The afternoon was consumed by two substantial debates — a matter of public importance on trade with the European Union and a matter of urgency on fuel — both of which reflected the Senate's preoccupation with the intersecting challenges of international trade relationships and domestic economic resilience. Committee reports were tabled and an extensive series of orders for the production of documents covered topics from Prince Andrew to the Murujuga Cultural Landscape.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-24/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-24/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 24 March 2026 the House of Representatives hosted an address by the President of the European Commission to the Australian Parliament, conducted Question Time dominated by fuel prices and Australia-EU trade, passed three appropriation bills (Nos 3 and 4 and Parliamentary Departments No. 2) totalling billions in additional government spending, debated the Treasury Laws Amendment (Genetic Testing Protections in Life Insurance) Bill 2025, and introduced the High Seas Biodiversity Bill 2026. A Matter of Public Importance on fuel prices was also debated, reflecting the dominant policy concern of the sitting day.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-24/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-24/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe Senate sitting on Tuesday 24 March 2026 was a day of both legislative progress and political contest. The Commonwealth Entities Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 was the primary legislative item, passing through second reading, a protracted committee stage, and third reading — all in a single sitting. Outside the chamber's legislative work, a series of orders for the production of documents tested the Government's willingness to release information on housing, defence, the National Justice Reinvestment Program, and superannuation. The day also saw a disallowance motion moved against the Competition and Consumer (Industry Codes—Cash Acceptance) Regulations 2025, significant discussion of sovereign capability and cost of living, and the tabling of multiple committee reports.https://ozpolitics.au/government/protecting-australia-s-prime-agricultural-land-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/protecting-australia-s-prime-agricultural-land-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Protecting Australia's Prime Agricultural Land Bill 2026 is a private member's bill introduced by Independent MP Andrew Gee on 23 March 2026. Its central provision is straightforward: prime agricultural land must not be used for a purpose other than agriculture. The bill would create a statutory prohibition on the conversion of designated prime agricultural land to non-agricultural uses, which would affect sectors including renewable energy development (particularly large-scale solar and wind farms), residential subdivision, mining, and other forms of development that displace farming. As at 17 July 2026 the bill is before the House of Representatives, having been introduced and had its second reading moved on 23 March 2026. No second reading debate has yet occurred and no proposed amendments have been circulated.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-23/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-23/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 23 March 2026 the House of Representatives debated the Protecting Australia's Prime Agricultural Land Bill 2026 at second reading, held a private members' business debate on the free TAFE program, and considered a motion on housing. Question time was dominated by exchanges on national security, antisemitism, gun control, the Bondi Beach attack, and Iran's human rights record. The House also received the Petitions Committee report, with citizen petitions addressing nuclear energy, child safety, cybersafety, the Middle East, health care, and the Australian Constitution.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-23/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-23/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 23 March 2026, the Senate debated the Superannuation (Supporting Choice) Bill 2025, the High Seas Biodiversity Bill 2026 to ratify the UN High Seas Treaty, and the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026. Question Time was dominated by fuel security, with senators from both major parties and the crossbench raising concerns. The sitting also included ministerial arrangements, shadow ministry presentations, and statements on topics from the economy to salmon farming.https://ozpolitics.au/government/anti-money-laundering-and-counter-terrorism-financing-amendment-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/anti-money-laundering-and-counter-terrorism-financing-amendment-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Amendment Bill 2026, introduced by the government into the House of Representatives on 12 March 2026, amends the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006. Its central change enables the CEO of AUSTRAC (the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre) to restrict or prohibit reporting entities from using high-risk mechanisms to provide designated services. It also updates the definition of financing of terrorism to reference new offences for financing a state or terrorist organisation, and makes technical amendments to improve the operation of the AML/CTF regime. The bill is currently before the House of Representatives.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-12/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-12/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives sat on Thursday 12 March 2026 with a heavy legislative agenda overshadowed by the escalating global fuel crisis. The day opened with two statements on significant matters — the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme. Three government bills were introduced: the Export Control Amendment (Clarifying Obligations Relating to Registered Establishments) Bill 2026, the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Amendment Bill 2026, and the Royal Commissions Legislation Amendment (Protections for Providing Information) Bill 2026. The three Appropriation Bills for 2025-2026 (Nos 3, 4, and Parliamentary Departments No. 2) progressed through second reading debate with fourteen members speaking. But the dominant theme throughout the day was fuel — Question Time saw questions on fuel from both sides of the chamber, members' 90-second statements repeatedly returned to the issue, and the matter of public importance on energy provided an extended examination of the government's response to the crisis. The adjournment debate featured Barnaby Joyce on fuel security alongside contributions on infrastructure, online safety, and social cohesion.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-12/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-12/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe Senate sat on Thursday 12 March 2026 with President Sue Lines in the chair from 9:00 am. The day's proceedings included the presentation of documents and committee reports, notices of motion, multiple bill debates, statements by senators, question time and a subsequent take note of answers debate, petitions, further committee business, and the adjournment debate. Bills featured prominently on the agenda with multiple legislative items debated throughout the day.https://ozpolitics.au/government/prime-agricultural-land-protection-bill-2026-no-2-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/prime-agricultural-land-protection-bill-2026-no-2-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Prime Agricultural Land Protection Bill 2026 (No. 2) is a Private Senator's bill introduced in the Senate on 11 March 2026 by Queensland Nationals Senator Matthew Canavan. The bill would amend legislation seeks to establish a national framework for identifying and protecting Australia's prime agricultural land from encroachment by competing land uses — particularly renewable energy projects, mining, and urban development. The bill was introduced and read a first time on 11 March 2026, with the second reading moved on the same day. The bill's designation as 'No. 2' indicates a prior iteration was introduced in an earlier parliament or earlier in the 48th Parliament, reflecting Senator Canavan's sustained advocacy on this issue. It is Before Senate as of 17 July 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-11/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-11/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn Wednesday 11 March 2026, the House of Representatives conducted a full sitting day that covered a wide range of parliamentary business. The day began with statements on significant matters, followed by committee reports and two separate blocks of bill debates. Members' statements provided backbench and crossbench MPs an opportunity to raise local and policy issues. Question time proceeded in two segments, separated by the arrival of distinguished visitors. A ministerial statement was delivered, documents were tabled, and the day concluded with a matter of public importance debate, further bill consideration, and the adjournment. The Federation Chamber also sat, handling additional legislative and committee business.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-11/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-11/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe Senate sitting on Wednesday 11 March 2026 was dominated by two deeply contentious debates that revealed a chamber sharply divided on matters of war, national security and social cohesion. Senators spent the morning trading accusations over Australia's military involvement in the escalating Iran conflict before turning to a Coalition private senator's bill that would criminalise the rescue of Australian children from war zones — legislation the Greens denounced as 'unprincipled, unethical, unconstitutional.' The day also saw progress on superannuation reform, senators' statements on topics ranging from Queensland floods to the Iranian women's football team, and a Greens motion marking the International Day to Combat Islamophobia that the government opposed. The most sustained debate of the day concerned the Middle East conflict, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong delivering her daily update on the hostilities and Australia's decision to support US-Israeli military action against Iran. Wong told the Senate: 'The judgement the government made was that it was in Australia's interests for Iran not to be able to obtain a nuclear weapon and for Iran to be prevented from continuing to disrupt international peace and security.' She emphasised that 'the principles of the Geneva conventions on international humanitarian law continue to apply' but acknowledged the government was 'not in a position to determine the legal basis' of the US-Israeli action. Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young responded forcefully: 'Australia is now at war. Australia has sent a warplane with missiles and dozens of personnel. It doesn't matter how the Albanese government tries to spin this, to sugar-coat this.' She noted the reported death toll of over 1,300 and invoked Albanese's own 2003 criticism of the Iraq war. Independent senator Lidia Thorpe went further, claiming: 'The Albanese government has taken this country to war. They deny this fact, but legal experts have clearly said that the military assets are an act of war.' Coalition senators, while broadly supportive of the government's alignment with US action, used the Middle East debate to attack Labor's national security credentials more broadly. Senator Michaelia Cash pivoted from the Iran situation to accuse the government of duplicity over the repatriation of so-called ISIS brides, saying the Prime Minister 'tells the Australian people that ISIS sympathisers are not welcome in Australia, yet what we do know is that passports have been issued to them.' She claimed federal and state agencies had been meeting 'for months and months to coordinate' the return of the women and children. This critique fed directly into the second major debate: the Criminal Code Amendment (Keeping Australia Safe) Bill 2026, a Coalition private senator's bill. Senator Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania) opened the debate, characterising the bill as 'an important piece of legislation given the context this country is currently operating in.' But Greens senator David Shoebridge delivered one of the most scathing speeches of the sitting, describing the bill as 'unprincipled, unethical, unconstitutional' and accusing the Coalition of 'scooping into the bottom of some fetid tank of coalition politics' to produce legislation that would 'make it a crime to bring children out of a war zone.' Shoebridge said the Coalition 'know it's unconstitutional, know it would get struck down within two minutes in the High Court — but they don't care about that. They want their hateful sound bite to feed a race debate in Australia and to feed Islamophobia.' One Nation's Tyron Whitten indicated support for the bill, telling the Senate: 'Australians are outraged at the way the Albanese Labor government continues to fail to protect our national security and our border sovereignty.' Senator Claire Chandler (Tasmania) led the Coalition's contribution on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Supporting Choice in Superannuation and Other Measures) Bill 2025, a bill the Coalition supported. The legislation includes measures allowing Australians greater choice in their super fund when covered by workplace determinations. Labor senator Lisa Darmanin asserted that 'Labor is the party of superannuation' and defended the measures. Greens senator Nick McKim offered his party's support for the bill while using schedule 5 — concerning charitable fundraising — as a platform to criticise 'dark money' in politics. The day began with a procedural clash over a Greens motion marking the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. Senator Mehreen Faruqi sought leave to move the motion, which was denied, prompting a suspension of standing orders debate. Government senator Murray Watt accused the Greens of 'focusing on launching political attacks on their political enemies and not on social cohesion,' claiming the motion 'was first circulated minutes before the chamber sat this morning.' In senators' statements, a diverse range of topics were covered. Corinne Mulholland (ALP, Queensland) spoke on widespread flooding in Queensland that had cut hundreds of roads and required swift-water rescues. Steph Hodgins-May (Greens, Victoria) discussed International Women's Day and the South Australian state election. Raff Ciccone (ALP, Victoria) recognised the Iranian women's national football team members granted humanitarian visas. Nick McKim raised the stark claim that 'Australia is at war with Iran,' while Matt Canavan (Nationals, Queensland) spoke on fuel prices and the sugar industry. Questions without notice focused heavily on fuel security, with Coalition senators pressing the government on supply disruptions, while Greens and independent senators pursued the government on the legal basis for Australia's involvement in the Iran conflict.https://ozpolitics.au/government/offshore-petroleum-and-greenhouse-gas-storage-amendment-domestic-reserve-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/offshore-petroleum-and-greenhouse-gas-storage-amendment-domestic-reserve-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Domestic Reserve) Bill 2026 is a private Senator's bill introduced by Senator Pauline Hanson on 10 March 2026. It would amend the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 to require petroleum production licensees to enter into a domestic reserve agreement with the Commonwealth. In practical terms, the bill would compel companies that extract gas from Australian offshore fields to reserve a portion of that gas for sale to Australian customers — rather than exporting the entire volume — as a condition of their production licence. The bill is currently before the Senate with no second reading debate held as at 17 July 2026. No proposed amendments have been circulated.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-10/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-10/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 10 March 2026 the House of Representatives debated the Parliamentary Frameworks Legislation Amendment (Reviews) Bill 2026, the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Bill 2026, the Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill 2026, the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, and three Appropriation Bills (Nos 3 and 4 of 2025–2026 and Parliamentary Departments No. 2). Fuel security was the dominant theme of question time, members' statements, and the adjournment debate. The House also held a condolence motion for Mr Leslie Cook and a matter of public importance debate on energy.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-10/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-10/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 10 March 2026, the Senate debated the Superannuation (Stronger and Fairer System) Bill 2026 and associated Imposition Bill — a major reform package introduced by Senator Don Farrell. The chamber also debated and voted on a Middle East motion moved by Senator David Shoebridge (Greens), and engaged in a significant procedural contest over business rearrangement with five or more divisions involving Wong, McKim, Cash, Pocock and Thorpe. Statements by Senators covered topics from the SA election to gender equality and energy security.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-05/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-05/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives sat on Thursday 5 March 2026 for a historically significant day headlined by an address from the Right Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, to a joint sitting of the Australian Parliament. This was the first address by a Canadian prime minister to the Australian Parliament since 1944. Before and after the address, the House passed substantive legislation: the Treasury Laws Amendment (Building a Stronger and Fairer Super System) Bill 2026 and its imposition bill both passed their third readings after consideration in detail and multiple divisions, and the Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Reporting System Reform) Bill 2026 also completed its passage through the House. The House condoled the passing of celebrated sports broadcaster Dennis Cometti AM, issued a writ for a by-election in the electorate of Farrer, and conducted Question Time across a broad range of topics including the economy, the Australia-Canada relationship, migration, critical minerals, political advertising, the Middle East, cost of living, housing, gambling advertising, and elder abuse. A matter of public importance on the cost of living was debated by ten members. The adjournment debate featured contributions on cost of living, road infrastructure, the economy, social cohesion, disaster management, and employment in remote electorates.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-05/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-05/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe Senate sat on Thursday 5 March 2026 with President Sue Lines in the chair from 9:00 am. The day's proceedings included the presentation of documents, committee reports, bills, statements by senators, question time with additional answers, a distinguished visitors acknowledgment, motions, a take note of answers debate and the adjournment. The day was notable for a relatively full legislative agenda with documents and committee business interspersed throughout the sitting.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-04/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-04/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives sitting on Wednesday 4 March 2026 was dominated by a marathon debate on the Albanese government's superannuation tax reforms — legislation that pitted Labor's vision of a 'stronger and fairer' system against Coalition accusations of a 'sneaky and devious taxation proposal.' The chamber also heard a powerful crossbench-led discussion on the postcode lottery of health care, sombre statements on the domestic and family violence crisis, and the introduction of bills to extend northern Australia's infrastructure facility and streamline parliamentary review frameworks. The longest and most contentious debate of the day concerned the Treasury Laws Amendment (Building a Stronger and Fairer Super System) Bill 2026 and its companion imposition bill. The legislation reduces tax concessions on superannuation balances above $3 million while boosting the Low Income Superannuation Tax Offset (LISTO). Treasurer Jim Chalmers, closing the debate after contributions from more than 20 MPs, said the reforms are 'all about helping workers earn more, keep more of what they earn and retire with more,' noting that more than a million low-income workers would benefit — including around 750,000 women and 550,000 young people under 30. The concessional tax rate on future earnings for balances between $3 million and $10 million will be a combined 30 per cent, rising to 40 per cent on earnings above $10 million, with both thresholds indexed. However, the Coalition mounted a sustained attack. Ben Small (Forrest) opened the opposition's case by telling the House: 'The one word missing from this debate is sorry. The Treasurer should be saying sorry to the Australian people, particularly those aspirational Australians who believe in reward for effort.' He accused the government of initially proposing to tax unrealised capital gains — 'for the very first time in this country' — before backtracking under pressure. Angie Bell (Moncrieff) argued the bill 'undermines confidence in the entire retirement savings system.' Simon Kennedy (Cook) called it a 'tax grab by a government that is addicted to spending,' while Nationals MP Jamie Chaffey (Parkes) said Labor 'runs out of money, they come after yours.' Labor MPs framed the reforms as a matter of fairness. Libby Coker (Corangamite) told the chamber: 'This is commonsense reform. The concession rate applying to future earnings on balances below $3 million will continue to be taxed at 15 per cent. This reform maintains the concessional treatment of super but ensures it is provided in a more equitable and sustainable way.' Sally Sitou (Reid) asked: 'What and who is superannuation for? Is it for ordinary Australians saving for retirement, or is it a tax shelter for people with tens of millions of dollars?' Sarah Witty (Melbourne) called super 'not a privilege; it's a promise.' The bill passed after an extensive debate stretching into the evening. A matter of public importance on 'the postcode lottery of accessing quality healthcare in Australia,' moved by independent MP Dai Le (Fowler), produced one of the day's most affecting debates. Le shared a constituent's story of watching her elderly father's wound deteriorate at Fairfield Hospital, saying: 'When vulnerable people are left without basic care and dedicated health workers are burning out, that's not just a staffing hiccup; that is a policy failure.' She noted that Fowler has roughly one GP for every 917 people — compared with around one per 700 in wealthier electorates. Helen Haines (Indi), Andrew Wilkie (Clark), and Andrew Gee (Calare) all spoke in support, with Wilkie declaring that 'access to quality, affordable health care is a fundamental right, and it should not depend on where you live.' Government speakers defended the record. Assistant Health Minister Rebecca White pointed to investments in urgent care clinics and bulk-billing incentives. Ed Husic (Chifley) contextualised the debate with international comparisons, noting Americans 'spend on average more than $12,000 per person on health.' But Le retorted that 'national figures don't mean much if you can't find a doctor in south-western Sydney.' The chamber also devoted substantial time to statements on the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission's yearly report to parliament. Kara Cook (Bonner), a former domestic violence lawyer, said she had 'represented women and children at the most terrifying moments of their lives,' and called on men to 'step up.' Jo Briskey (Maribyrnong) quoted the commission: 'I'm struck not by despair but by a profound sense of possibility and urgency.' Zali Steggall (Warringah) cautioned that while Australia has plans and strategies, 'we are still not matching our ambition with adequate resourcing.' Nationals MP Michael McCormack broke from partisan lines: 'It's 2026, and there should be no more silence about domestic and family violence.' Earlier, Minister Madeleine King introduced the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Bill 2026, which extends NAIF's investment decision-making window by 10 years to 2036. The facility has delivered commitments exceeding $4 billion supporting economic development in northern Australia. Assistant Minister Patrick Gorman also introduced the Parliamentary Frameworks Legislation Amendment (Reviews) Bill 2026. The day also saw debate on the annual climate change statement, Closing the Gap implementation, and Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Reporting System Reform) Bill 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-04/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-04/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe Senate sat on Wednesday 4 March 2026, in the early part of the autumn parliamentary sitting period. The day's proceedings included the routine formal business, question time where senators questioned ministers on current policy and administrative matters, consideration of legislation at various stages, and committee business. As a proof transcript, the Hansard record captures all speeches, questions and procedural motions but is subject to correction by senators before the final version is published. The Senate's committee system — one of the chamber's most distinctive and powerful features — continued its work of scrutinising bills, public administration and policy questions through the tabling of reports.https://ozpolitics.au/government/online-safety-amendment-broadening-adult-cyber-abuse-protections-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/online-safety-amendment-broadening-adult-cyber-abuse-protections-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Online Safety Amendment (Broadening Adult Cyber Abuse Protections) Bill 2026 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator Fatima Payman on 3 March 2026. It would amend the Online Safety Act 2021 to lower the threshold for material to be considered by the eSafety Commissioner under the adult cyber abuse scheme. Currently, a complainant must show that an ordinary reasonable person would conclude the material is both 'menacing, harassing or offensive' and 'would have an effect of causing serious harm' to an Australian adult. The bill would replace 'serious harm' with 'have an effect' while simultaneously raising the offensiveness threshold to 'seriously offensive'. It implements recommendation 18 of the October 2024 Statutory Review of the Online Safety Act, which found the existing threshold was too high — only about 6 per cent of adult cyber abuse reports met it.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-03/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-03/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives sitting on Tuesday 3 March 2026 was notable for two things: the dominance of national security as a political theme, and the progress of significant superannuation reform legislation. The day saw debate on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Building a Stronger and Fairer Super System) Bill 2026, the Commonwealth Entities Legislation Amendment Bill 2026, three appropriation bills for 2025–2026, and the Royal Commissions Legislation Amendment (Protections for Providing Information) Bill 2026. A rearrangement of business was moved by Leader of the House Tony Burke and debated by the opposition, with Ted O'Brien (Liberal, Fairfax) and Angus Taylor (Liberal, Hume) opposing aspects of the Government's proposed schedule.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-03/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-03/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn Tuesday 3 March 2026, the Senate convened a sitting day characterised by a dense legislative and committee agenda. Bills were debated in three separate blocks — before and after question time, and again before the adjournment — indicating the government was advancing its legislative program through the upper house. Question time produced additional answers tabled after the formal session. Multiple committee reports were presented across the day, including two separate committee segments in the morning. Motions, notices, statements by senators, documents and a matter of urgency debate filled out the remainder of the chamber's time. A condolence motion was also moved, a traditional practice for honouring notable Australians who have passed away.https://ozpolitics.au/government/australian-centre-for-disease-control-amendment-gambling-as-a-public-health-issue-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/australian-centre-for-disease-control-amendment-gambling-as-a-public-health-issue-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Australian Centre for Disease Control Amendment (Gambling as a Public Health Issue) Bill 2026 is a private member's bill introduced in the House of Representatives by Monique Ryan MP, the independent member for Kooyong. The bill proposes a single, targeted amendment: it would extend the definition of 'public health matters' in the Australian Centre for Disease Control Act 2025 to explicitly include 'the health impacts of gambling harm and addiction'. If passed, this would require the Australian CDC — a newly established federal body — to treat gambling-related harm as part of its public health remit, alongside communicable diseases, chronic conditions, and environmental health threats. The bill was introduced and read a first time on 2 March 2026, with the second reading moved the same day. As a private member's bill from a crossbench MP without government backing, its prospects of passing are uncertain. As of 17 July 2026, the bill remains before the House of Representatives with no proposed amendments circulated and no debate beyond the sponsor's introductory speech.https://ozpolitics.au/government/prime-agricultural-land-protection-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/prime-agricultural-land-protection-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsIf passed, the Prime Agricultural Land Protection Bill 2026 is a private member's bill introduced by Independent MP Alison Penfold on 2 March 2026. The bill proposes to establish a Commonwealth framework for identifying and protecting Australia's prime agricultural land, responding to long-standing concerns about the loss of productive farmland to urban development, mining and other non-agricultural uses. As a private member's bill, it faces the usual challenges of securing government support and parliamentary time for debate.https://ozpolitics.au/government/transparent-and-quality-public-appointments-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/transparent-and-quality-public-appointments-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Transparent and Quality Public Appointments Bill 2026 is a private member's bill introduced by Independent MP Dr Sophie Scamps on 2 March 2026. It would establish a statutory framework for making public appointments to government boards, agencies, commissions and other Commonwealth bodies. The bill creates three new institutional mechanisms: Independent Selection Panels to assess candidates on merit; the Office of the Public Appointments Commissioner to oversee the appointments process; and a Parliamentary Joint Committee on Appointments to provide parliamentary scrutiny of proposed appointments. The bill is currently before the House of Representatives with no second reading debate held as at 17 July 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-02/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-03-02/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 2 March 2026 the House of Representatives debated six bills: the Prime Agricultural Land Protection Bill 2026, the Transparent and Quality Public Appointments Bill 2026, the Australian Centre for Disease Control Amendment (Gambling as a Public Health Issue) Bill 2026, the Royal Commissions Legislation Amendment (Protections for Providing Information) Bill 2026, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Supporting Choice in Superannuation and Other Measures) Bill 2025, and the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation) Bill 2025. The Member for Farrer resigned, the shadow ministry was presented, and the House offered congratulations to Australia's Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games team. National security and the Middle East dominated question time.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-02/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-03-02/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 2 March 2026, the Senate heard the annual Closing the Gap Ministerial Statement from Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, debated a Middle East motion for a second consecutive sitting, and conducted a further round of business rearrangement divisions. Senator Lidia Thorpe raised the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) — connecting directly to her bill for parliamentary scrutiny of UNDRIP compliance. Statements by Senators covered child care, manufacturing, Ramadan, cost of living, migration and regional economies.https://ozpolitics.au/government/health-legislation-amendment-improving-choice-and-transparency-for-private-health-consumers-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/health-legislation-amendment-improving-choice-and-transparency-for-private-health-consumers-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Health Legislation Amendment (Improving Choice and Transparency for Private Health Consumers) Bill 2026 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 12 February 2026 by the Albanese Government. It proposes two significant changes to the regulation of Australia's private health system: first, it would enable the public release of data about what individual medical specialists actually charge for procedures, along with estimates of likely out-of-pocket costs; second, it would require private health insurers to seek ministerial approval before increasing their premiums. The bill amends the Health Insurance Act 1973 and the Private Health Insurance Act 2007. It passed the House of Representatives and is currently before the Senate, where it has been referred to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry, with a report originally due by 15 April 2026. As of July 2026, the bill had not yet passed the Senate and had not become law. The first major component of the bill deals with medical fee transparency. Under current law, there is no comprehensive public database showing what individual specialists charge for specific procedures. While Medicare publishes aggregate statistics on bulk-billing rates and average fees at a regional level, patients typically cannot compare the gap fees charged by different specialists before booking a consultation or proceeding with surgery. This information asymmetry is widely acknowledged as a driver of unexpected out-of-pocket costs, sometimes running to thousands of dollars, which patients only learn about after treatment. The bill proposes to amend the Health Insurance Act 1973 to authorise the collection and publication of information on medical fees charged by medical practitioners. It would also amend the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 to enable the publication of likely out-of-pocket costs associated with particular procedures and practitioners. The published information is intended to allow consumers to compare costs between different specialists before committing to treatment. This could be particularly valuable for elective surgeries such as orthopaedic procedures, cataract surgery, and obstetrics, where out-of-pocket costs vary significantly between practitioners even within the same geographic area. The second major component would change how private health insurance premiums are set. Currently, insurers submit proposed premium increases to the Department of Health and Aged Care annually. The minister can request that insurers revise their proposals, and there is a negotiation process. However, there is no explicit statutory power to reject a proposed increase outright — the current system relies on a combination of ministerial persuasion, public pressure, and the threat of adverse publicity if increases are deemed excessive. Under the bill, the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 would be amended so that private health insurers must apply to the minister for approval before changing the premiums charged under a complying health insurance product. The minister would be given the explicit statutory power to approve or refuse a premium change, shifting from a consultative model to an approval-based model. The bill was scrutinised by the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, which reported in Scrutiny Digest 3 of 2026 on 25 February 2026. The scrutiny committee typically examines bills for compliance with principles of personal rights, parliamentary oversight, and the rule of law. It may have raised concerns about the breadth of delegated legislative power in setting fee publication rules, potential privacy implications of publishing practitioner-level fee data, or the absence of specified criteria for the minister's premium approval decisions. The bill has also been examined by the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee following referral on 5 March 2026, which provides a forum for stakeholder evidence from consumer groups, medical organisations, insurers, and health economists. Who would be affected: The bill affects several groups. For consumers with private health insurance — approximately 14.7 million Australians — the proposed fee transparency measures could provide significantly better information when choosing specialists, potentially reducing unexpected out-of-pocket costs. The Grattan Institute and the Consumers Health Forum have long advocated for greater transparency in medical fees, arguing it is a fundamental consumer right in a market where patients currently make decisions with incomplete information. However, the actual impact depends on whether publication of fees leads to genuine price competition or simply greater awareness of existing gaps without changing behaviour. For medical specialists, the bill would create new reporting obligations and public scrutiny of their fee-setting practices. The Australian Medical Association has historically expressed caution about fee transparency measures, arguing that raw fee data without clinical context about case complexity, patient comorbidities or procedural difficulty can be misleading and may unfairly penalise specialists who take on more complex cases. For private health insurers, the premium approval requirement represents a material constraint on their commercial pricing decisions. Insurers argue that premium increases reflect underlying healthcare cost inflation, including rising hospital charges, device costs, and utilisation rates, and that constraining premiums without addressing cost drivers could affect insurer solvency or the breadth of coverage over time. Important uncertainties remain. The bill does not specify the exact format or level of detail in which fee information will be published. Critical implementation questions include: will the published data identify individual specialists by name or will it be de-identified or aggregated by region? Will it include Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item numbers to allow comparison of fees for specific procedures? Will it include information about the hospital or day surgery where the procedure was performed? Will it distinguish between in-hospital and out-of-hospital services? The bill defers these questions to regulation, meaning Parliament will not directly debate or vote on the implementation details. The bill also does not specify the criteria the minister would use when deciding whether to approve or reject a premium increase, leaving significant discretion to the executive. Different health ministers could apply different standards. The Parliamentary Library's Bills Digest, which is available for this bill, provides independent analysis of the bill's provisions, context and potential issues. The Senate committee inquiry will also have generated submissions and evidence that address many of the uncertainties identified here. The next steps for the bill are: the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee inquiry report, debate in the Senate including a second reading vote, possible amendments proposed by senators or the government, and if passed with amendments, return to the House of Representatives for concurrence on any amendments. If passed by both houses in identical form, the bill would be presented to the Governor-General for royal assent. The operative provisions would commence on a date to be fixed by proclamation, or six months after royal assent if no proclamation is made earlier. It is important to distinguish what the bill proposes from what has been claimed in political debate. The government has presented the bill as delivering greater transparency and consumer choice in private health. Whether fee publication would meaningfully change consumer behaviour, referral patterns, or specialist pricing is genuinely uncertain — it depends on factors including how the data is presented, whether consumers and referring GPs actively use it, and whether there is sufficient competition among specialists in a given geographic area and specialty. The premium approval power gives the government a direct regulatory lever over insurance costs, but could also be characterised as a form of price control that would need to be exercised carefully to avoid unintended consequences for insurer viability, product innovation, or coverage levels in the longer term. The bill should be understood as a framework that sets the direction of policy; its real-world impact will be largely determined by the regulations and administrative practices that follow if it passes.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-02-12/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-02-12/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives sat on Thursday 12 February 2026 in the first sitting week of the 2026 parliamentary year. Returning from the summer recess, the House resumed its legislative programme with government business, question time, and members' statements. The first sitting week of the year typically sets the political tone for the session ahead, with the government outlining its priorities and the opposition establishing its lines of attack. The official Hansard provides the verbatim record of all proceedings. As a proof transcript, it is subject to correction by members before final publication.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-02-11/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-02-11/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn Wednesday 11 February 2026, the House of Representatives held a sitting day that covered committee reports, two separate blocks of bill debate, members' statements, and question time. A formal statement by the Speaker was delivered, an unusual procedural event that commands the attention of the House. Distinguished visitors were acknowledged, interrupting question time in the traditional manner. Documents were tabled, a matter of public importance was debated, and the Federation Chamber sat concurrently to handle additional committee and legislative business. The day concluded with the adjournment, notices for future business, and the Federation Chamber's proceedings.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-02-10/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-02-10/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 10 February 2026 the House of Representatives convened for the first full sitting week of the parliamentary year. The Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 proceeded through consideration in detail, with the Law and Justice Legislation Amendment (New South Wales Local Court) Bill 2026 debated at second reading. The grievance debate covered trust in government, education, cost of living, women in STEM, community events and energy. Members' statements addressed bushfires in South Australia, aged care, domestic and family violence, Medicare, agriculture, and Lunar New Year celebrations. The House also paid condolences to Ljupco Jonceski.https://ozpolitics.au/government/criminal-code-amendment-flag-protection-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/criminal-code-amendment-flag-protection-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Criminal Code Amendment (Flag Protection) Bill 2026 is a private member's bill introduced by Rebekha Sharkie MP that proposes to amend the Criminal Code Act 1995 to create a new Commonwealth criminal offence. The offence would apply to a person who, intentionally or recklessly, causes damage to or mistreats the Australian National Flag, the Australian Aboriginal Flag, or the Torres Strait Islander Flag. The bill is before the House of Representatives and, as a private member's bill from a crossbench MP, it would require support from the government or a majority of members to proceed through the legislative process.https://ozpolitics.au/government/flags-amendment-protection-of-australian-national-flags-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/flags-amendment-protection-of-australian-national-flags-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Flags Amendment (Protection of Australian National Flags) Bill 2026 is a private member's bill introduced by Pat Conaghan MP (Nationals, Cowper) on 9 February 2026. It amends the Flags Act 1953 to create new criminal offences for burning, destroying, desecrating or seriously dishonouring the Australian National Flag or the Australian Red Ensign. Penalties include fines of $16,500 or up to 12 months' imprisonment for a first offence, with a mandatory minimum 12 months for repeat offences. Non-citizen offenders face automatic referral for visa cancellation. The bill is before the House of Representatives, and if passed would take effect as drafted.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-02-09/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-02-09/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 9 February 2026 the House of Representatives sat from 10:00 am and debated four bills at the second-reading stage, received 90-minute statements and 23 questions without notice, disposed of one motion, and heard constituency statements and adjournment speeches. The private members' bills on flag protection — the Flags Amendment (Protection of Australian National Flags) Bill 2026 and Criminal Code Amendment (Flag Protection) Bill 2026 — drew the most extended debate. The government's Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 and Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025 also progressed. Question Time was dominated by the economy (five questions), energy (three questions), international relations with Indonesia, housing, cost of living, and aged care. The sole formal motion concerned small business. Adjournment debates ranged across rural and regional services, protests, South Australian government matters, and the Royal Exhibition Building.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-02-05/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-02-05/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 5 February 2026 the House of Representatives introduced legislation to establish a National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People, debated the Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025 through to a third-reading division, and progressed the Universities Accord bills. The House also heard condolence motions for former senator Nick Bolkus and community leader Ljupco Jonceski, and conducted adjournment debate on topics ranging from ovarian cancer to domestic and family violence.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-02-05/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-02-05/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 5 February 2026, the Senate convened for the first sitting day of the year and dealt with a packed agenda spanning national security, consumer protection, and committee business. The chamber divided on three major pieces of legislation: the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Make Price Gouging Illegal) Bill 2024 was defeated at second reading; the Administrative Review Tribunal and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 passed its third reading; and the Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence) Bill 2025 passed its second reading after extensive debate. The day also saw the tabling of the PJCIS report on the ASIO Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025, the introduction of five new government bills, and a contentious vote on whether to refer the gambling advertising ban bill to a committee inquiry.https://ozpolitics.au/government/commonwealth-electoral-amendment-banning-dirty-donations-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/commonwealth-electoral-amendment-banning-dirty-donations-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Banning Dirty Donations) Bill 2026 is a private senator's bill introduced by Greens Senator Steph Hodgins-May on 4 February 2026. It proposes three major reforms to Australia's political donations framework under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918: a prohibition on political donations from certain industries; a cumulative cap of $3,000 on political donations from any source per election term; and an expansion of the definition of 'gift' to include certain subscription and membership fees. The bill reflects the Greens' long-standing policy platform on political finance reform. As of July 2026, the bill has had its second reading moved and debated in the Senate on 14 May 2026 but has not progressed to a vote. As a private senator's bill without government support, its prospects of passage are uncertain. If passed, the bill would take effect on proclamation.https://ozpolitics.au/government/environment-and-other-legislation-amendment-removing-nuclear-energy-prohibitions-bill-2026-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/environment-and-other-legislation-amendment-removing-nuclear-energy-prohibitions-bill-2026-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Environment and Other Legislation Amendment (Removing Nuclear Energy Prohibitions) Bill 2026 is a private senator's bill introduced by Nationals Senator Matt Canavan on 4 February 2026. It proposes to remove two federal-level legislative prohibitions that currently prevent the construction and operation of nuclear power plants in Australia. The bill is before the Senate and was introduced as a private member's initiative, meaning it is not government policy and does not have the backing of the executive government. The bill would amend two key pieces of Commonwealth legislation. First, it would amend the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 (the ARPANS Act) to remove the prohibition on the construction or operation of 'certain nuclear installations'. Second, it would amend the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act) to remove the prohibition on the Minister for the Environment and Water declaring, approving or considering actions relating to the construction or operation of 'certain nuclear installations'. The prohibitions the bill seeks to remove have been in place for over two decades. Section 10 of the ARPANS Act currently prohibits the CEO of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) from issuing a licence for the construction or operation of a nuclear fuel fabrication plant, a nuclear power plant, an enrichment plant, or a reprocessing facility. Section 140A of the EPBC Act currently prohibits the Environment Minister from approving actions involving the construction or operation of any of those same categories of nuclear installation. Together, these sections form the Commonwealth-level legislative ban on nuclear power generation and associated fuel-cycle facilities. The bill would repeal both sections. It is critical to understand what this bill would and would not do. It would remove the Commonwealth legislative ban on nuclear power. It would not, by itself, authorise the construction of any nuclear plant anywhere in Australia. It would not address state and territory bans on nuclear activities, including uranium mining prohibitions in Western Australia, Queensland and Victoria. It would not establish a regulatory or licensing framework for nuclear power, set safety or security standards, address radioactive waste management and disposal, provide for emergency planning, or require community consultation. The bill is purely a removal of prohibitions; it does not create any positive authorisation or regulatory pathway for nuclear energy development. The bill is a private senator's bill, introduced by Senator Canavan in his personal capacity as a senator for Queensland, not on behalf of the government or even necessarily on behalf of the Coalition party room. Private senators' bills rarely pass without government support. Senator Canavan has been one of the most prominent parliamentary advocates for nuclear energy in Australia and has introduced similar bills in previous parliaments that did not pass. The Coalition, while it has expressed support for nuclear energy as part of its broader energy policy platform, had not formally endorsed this specific bill at the time of its introduction. The political context is significant. The bill was introduced against the backdrop of an intensifying national debate about Australia's energy future and the role of nuclear power. The Albanese Labor Government maintains a firm policy position opposing nuclear power in Australia, arguing it is too expensive and too slow to deploy compared to renewable energy alternatives backed by firming and storage. The Coalition under Peter Dutton has proposed including nuclear power as part of Australia's future energy mix, with a policy of constructing nuclear power plants on the sites of retiring coal-fired power stations. Senator Canavan's bill aligns with this Coalition policy direction but was introduced independently and without formal Coalition endorsement. There are several important legal and practical considerations that limit what even a successful passage of this bill could achieve. Even if the Commonwealth prohibitions were removed, state-level bans would remain firmly in force. Under Australia's federal system, environmental and resource regulation operates at both Commonwealth and state levels. Victoria's Nuclear Activities (Prohibitions) Act 1983 comprehensively prohibits nuclear activities including uranium mining, enrichment and power generation. Western Australia and Queensland have similar legislative or policy bans on uranium mining and nuclear activities. South Australia lifted its ban on nuclear activities in 2016 following a royal commission but has not proceeded with any nuclear power development. New South Wales has no specific legislative ban but has not pursued nuclear power development either. This means that even if this bill passed the Commonwealth Parliament, it would be legally insufficient to enable nuclear power development in most Australian jurisdictions. Additionally, Australia's international obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and its bilateral safeguards agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency would remain in place. These impose requirements around the peaceful use of nuclear technology, accounting for nuclear material, and IAEA inspections that would need to be met regardless of domestic legislative changes. The bill has not been referred to a committee for inquiry and no Bills Digest has been prepared by the Parliamentary Library. No substantive parliamentary inquiry has been initiated into its provisions at this stage. The bill was introduced and read a first time on 4 February 2026, and the second reading was moved the same day with Senator Canavan delivering a private senator's introductory speech. No proposed amendments have been circulated and no further parliamentary action had been recorded as of the most recent available records. The bill should be understood in the broader context of repeated parliamentary attempts to address Australia's nuclear energy prohibitions. It is one of several attempts over the past two decades to remove the legislative barriers to nuclear power at the Commonwealth level. Previous similar bills, including ones introduced by Senator Canavan and other Coalition senators in earlier parliaments, have not progressed beyond the Senate. The bill's primary function may be less about immediate legislative change and more about keeping the nuclear energy debate active in parliamentary proceedings, signalling Coalition policy intent, and providing a platform for public discussion of Australia's energy options. Its introduction may also serve to pressure the government to articulate and defend its opposition to nuclear power more explicitly on the parliamentary record. The bill remains an active item of parliamentary business. It could be brought on for debate at any time the Senate agrees to allocate time for private senators' business. The government controls the legislative program in both houses and has stated its opposition to lifting the nuclear energy prohibition.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-02-04/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-02-04/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesThe House of Representatives sat on Tuesday 4 February 2026 for the first sitting day of the 2026 parliamentary year. The chamber returned from the summer recess to resume its legislative programme, with the government advancing bills and the opposition using Question Time to test ministers on summer developments. The first sitting day typically includes the formal opening procedures and sets the parliamentary tone for the year ahead. The official Hansard records all proceedings verbatim. As a proof transcript, it is subject to correction by members before final publication.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-02-04/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-02-04/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn Wednesday 4 February 2026 the Senate met at 9:00 am with President Sue Lines presiding. The day covered a broad agenda including the tabling of documents and committee reports, multiple bills at various stages of consideration, statements by senators, question time with a subsequent take-note debate, formal motions, notices of motion, condolence motions, and an adjournment debate. This was the first full sitting day of February 2026 and potentially the first Senate sitting of the year following the summer recess. Hansard is the official written record of parliamentary proceedings and records what was said — the factual claims made in speeches are not independently verified by the parliamentary record and should not be taken as established fact.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-02-03/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-house-debated-2026-02-03/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 3 February 2026 the House of Representatives conducted a heavy legislative sitting, debating eight bills across multiple blocks and receiving 21 questions without notice. The government's legislative agenda was prominent: the Environment Information Australia Bill 2025 and associated EPBC charges bill, the Copyright Amendment Bill 2025, the Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures No. 2) Bill 2025, and the Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025 all progressed. The Excise Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025 offered a rare cross-partisan moment with a proposed excise reduction for draught beer. Two technical bills — the Corporations (Review Fees) Amendment (Technical Amendments) Bill 2025 and Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025 — were also debated. Question Time was dominated by the economy (eight questions) and health care (three questions), with Victoria's bushfires, domestic violence, cybersafety, interest rates, and national security featuring prominently. A motion on the Perth antisemitic attack was agreed to.https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-02-03/https://ozpolitics.au/review-desk/what-the-senate-debated-2026-02-03/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTDebatesOn 3 February 2026 the Senate convened for the first full sitting week of the year. Senators' statements covered a wide range of domestic and international issues including the Bondi Beach attack, cost of living, the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, political donations, Queensland floods, bushfires in Victoria, and Middle East relations. Questions without notice were followed by a take-note-of-answers debate. The Senate also tabled documents, considered committee business, and dealt with motions and condolence motions.https://ozpolitics.au/government/defence-amendment-sexual-assault-prevention-intervention-and-response-commission-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/defence-amendment-sexual-assault-prevention-intervention-and-response-commission-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Defence Amendment (Sexual Assault Prevention, Intervention and Response Commission) Bill 2025 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator Jacqui Lambie that proposes to amend the Defence Act 1903 to establish the Sexual Assault Prevention, Intervention and Response Commission (SAPIRC) as an independent statutory authority. The Commission would oversee the Australian Defence Force's prevention of, response to, and handling of sexual assault and related misconduct within the military. The bill is before the Senate and, as a private senator's bill, its passage depends on securing Government or crossbench support.https://ozpolitics.au/government/telecommunications-legislation-amendment-universal-outdoor-mobile-obligation-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/telecommunications-legislation-amendment-universal-outdoor-mobile-obligation-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation) Bill 2025 is a government bill that establishes a regulatory framework to ensure baseline mobile coverage is reasonably available outdoors to all people in Australia on an equitable basis. Introduced on 27 November 2025 under the Infrastructure and Transport portfolio, the bill has been debated four times, scrutinised by two Senate committees, and attracted crossbench and opposition amendments. As of 17 July 2026, it remains before the House of Representatives, and if passed would establish the mobile coverage framework.https://ozpolitics.au/government/a-new-tax-system-family-assistance-amendment-no-jab-no-pay-repeal-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/a-new-tax-system-family-assistance-amendment-no-jab-no-pay-repeal-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Amendment (No Jab No Pay Repeal) Bill 2025, introduced by Liberal senator Alex Antic, proposes to amend the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999. The bill would allow a child to meet immunisation requirements for the child care subsidy on the basis of a conscientious objection, or simply by reaching seven years of age. As of this review the bill is before the Senate and has not been debated.https://ozpolitics.au/government/unlocking-supply-of-family-homes-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/unlocking-supply-of-family-homes-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Unlocking Supply of Family Homes Bill 2025 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator Jane Hume that proposes three changes to the downsizer contribution scheme under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997: lowering the minimum age from 55 to 50, extending the contribution window from 90 days to one year after settlement, and increasing the maximum contribution from $300,000 to $500,000 per person. The bill is currently before the Senate and has passed the first reading and second reading moved stages. If enacted, it would allow Australians aged 50 and over to contribute up to $500,000 from the sale of their family home into superannuation, with a full year to make the contribution after the sale settles.https://ozpolitics.au/government/social-media-minimum-age-repeal-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/social-media-minimum-age-repeal-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Social Media Minimum Age Repeal Bill 2025 is a private senators' bill introduced in the Senate on 25 November 2025 by Senators Babet, Antic, Canavan, Hanson, Roberts, Bell and Whitten. The bill proposes to amend the Online Safety Act 2021 to remove the minimum age requirements that restrict social media access for underage users and eliminate the obligation on age-restricted social media platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent age-restricted users from holding accounts. It would also make a consequential amendment to the Age Discrimination Act 2004. The bill was moved for second reading on the day of introduction and as of July 2026 remains before the Senate with no further debate recorded.https://ozpolitics.au/government/online-safety-and-other-legislation-amendment-my-face-my-rights-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/online-safety-and-other-legislation-amendment-my-face-my-rights-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Online Safety and Other Legislation Amendment (My Face, My Rights) Bill 2025 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator David Pocock on 24 November 2025. It would amend the Online Safety Act 2021 if passed to establish a complaints and enforcement regime for the non-consensual sharing of digitally altered or artificially generated audio or visual content depicting a person's face or voice — commonly known as deepfake material. It also amends the Privacy Act 1988 to create a statutory cause of action allowing individuals to sue for the wrongful use or disclosure of deepfake material. The bill is currently before the Senate.https://ozpolitics.au/government/fair-work-amendment-right-to-work-from-home-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/fair-work-amendment-right-to-work-from-home-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Fair Work Amendment (Right to Work from Home) Bill 2025 is a private senator's bill introduced by Greens Senator Barbara Pocock on 5 November 2025. It proposes to amend the Fair Work Act 2009 to create a new statutory right for employees to request to work from home for up to two days per week. The bill is before the Senate and has been referred to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee for inquiry, with a report due by 18 June 2026. The bill is brief in its scope but potentially significant in its impact. It would insert a new provision into the Fair Work Act 2009 that gives employees the right to request to work from home for up to two days per week. The request would be made to the employer, who would be required to consider it and respond. The bill is modelled on, but goes further than, the existing right to request flexible working arrangements that was strengthened under the Albanese Government's Secure Jobs, Better Pay reforms passed in late 2022. Under the current Fair Work Act, employees who have worked for the same employer for at least 12 months, or casual employees with a reasonable expectation of continuing employment, have the right to request flexible working arrangements. These arrangements can include changes to hours, patterns of work, or location of work. Employers can refuse a request only on reasonable business grounds and must provide written reasons. The Fair Work Commission can deal with disputes about refusals, including by making orders. Senator Pocock's bill would create a specific, standalone right to request work from home. It would apply to employees more broadly than the existing flexible work provisions and would specifically carve out a two-day-per-week entitlement as a presumptive standard. The bill does not create an absolute right to work from home — employers would still have the ability to refuse requests on reasonable grounds — but it would shift the default expectation and strengthen the procedural and substantive protections for employees who wish to work remotely. Who would be affected: The bill would apply to employees covered by the national workplace relations system, which covers the vast majority of Australian workers. It would not apply to state public sector employees in Western Australia and some other categories of workers not covered by the Fair Work Act. Employers across all industries would need to establish processes for considering work-from-home requests and document their reasons for any refusals. The bill would particularly affect industries where remote work is feasible but employers have been resistant to it, such as professional services, public administration, finance and insurance, and some parts of the education sector. The bill's explanatory memorandum would typically set out the rationale for the legislation, which Senator Pocock has publicly described as recognising the changed nature of work following the COVID-19 pandemic and the benefits of remote work for employee wellbeing, productivity, gender equity, and reduced commuting. The explanatory memorandum may also address constitutional validity, noting that the bill relies on the corporations power and other heads of Commonwealth legislative power. Important context: The bill sits within a broader policy debate about the future of work and the regulation of remote and hybrid working arrangements in Australia. Unlike some European countries, Australia does not have a legislated 'right to disconnect' from work outside working hours (though a right to disconnect was legislated in 2024 as part of the Closing Loopholes reforms). The bill represents a different dimension of work-life balance — the right to choose where work is performed rather than when work communication occurs. The bill was referred to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee on 28 November 2025, with a reporting deadline of 18 June 2026. Committees examining private senators' bills typically hold public hearings and invite submissions from stakeholders including employer groups, unions, and academics. Employer organisations such as the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Australian Industry Group, and the Business Council of Australia are likely to have made submissions opposing or seeking to modify the bill, arguing for employer flexibility and expressing concerns about productivity, collaboration, and management oversight. Unions and community organisations are likely to have supported the bill or sought to strengthen it. The bill faces significant political hurdles. As a private senator's bill introduced by a Greens senator, it does not have government support. While the Albanese Government has pursued a broad workplace relations reform agenda including the Secure Jobs, Better Pay Act 2022 and the Closing Loopholes Acts of 2023 and 2024, it has not committed to a specific standalone right to work from home. Without government support, private senators' bills rarely pass. If the bill were to pass, practical implementation questions would arise: how 'work from home' is defined (does it include working from a co-working space, a cafe, or another location?), how the two-day limit interacts with part-time work, what happens when an employee's role changes, how disputes would be resolved, and what remedies would be available if an employer unreasonably refuses a request. The bill text and explanatory memorandum, which we have reviewed, address some but not all of these questions.https://ozpolitics.au/government/mandatory-regulation-impact-statement-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/mandatory-regulation-impact-statement-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Mandatory Regulation Impact Statement Bill 2025, introduced by Independent Senator Tammy Tyrrell on 3 November 2025, is a private senator's bill that would legally require a regulation impact statement (RIS) to be prepared for certain bills and legislative instruments introduced into the Commonwealth Parliament. Currently, the RIS process is a non-statutory administrative requirement under the Australian Government's Regulatory Impact Analysis framework, meaning compliance is a matter of government policy rather than law. Tyrrell's bill would embed the obligation in legislation for the first time, making it enforceable and justiciable. The bill would apply to government bills and legislative instruments that impose measurable regulatory burdens, with the scope to be defined in the legislation and any accompanying regulations. At the time of writing, the bill remains before the Senate, having been introduced and had its second reading moved on the same day in November 2025. It has not yet been debated or voted upon, and being a private senator's bill without government backing, its path to passage remains uncertain. The bill does not specify penalties but would create a statutory duty; failure to comply could provide grounds for judicial review or parliamentary scrutiny committee attention, though the practical enforcement mechanisms would depend on the bill's final drafting. The proposal reflects ongoing concerns about the quality of regulatory impact analysis accompanying legislation, particularly following several high-profile bills that proceeded without completed RIS documentation.https://ozpolitics.au/government/environment-and-other-legislation-amendment-low-emissions-future-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/environment-and-other-legislation-amendment-low-emissions-future-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Environment and Other Legislation Amendment (Low Emissions Future) Bill 2025 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator Jane Hume (Liberal) on 29 October 2025. It would amend three Acts: the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 to remove the moratorium on nuclear energy in Australia; the Australian Renewable Energy Agency Act 2011 to enable ARENA to exercise its functions in relation to 'clean emissions energy technologies', which includes civil nuclear energy and nuclear technologies; and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation Act 2012 to remove the prohibition on the CEFC's ability to invest in nuclear technology or nuclear power. As of July 2026, the bill remains before the Senate with its second reading having been moved on 29 October 2025. It is Before Senate as of 17 July 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/government/housing-australia-amendment-accountability-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/housing-australia-amendment-accountability-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Housing Australia Amendment (Accountability) Bill 2025 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator Andrew Bragg that would amend the Housing Australia Act 2018 to make ministerial directions under subsection 12(1) — collectively known as the Housing Australia Investment Mandate, which governs programs including the Home Guarantee Scheme — subject to parliamentary disallowance. The bill passed the Senate on 26 March 2026 and was introduced in the House of Representatives the same day. It has not yet been debated or voted on in the House.https://ozpolitics.au/government/public-governance-performance-and-accountability-amendment-ban-unethical-contractors-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/public-governance-performance-and-accountability-amendment-ban-unethical-contractors-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Amendment (Ban Unethical Contractors) Bill 2025 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator Barbara Pocock (Greens, South Australia) on 4 September 2025. It amends the PGPA Act 2013 to require that Commonwealth procurement contracts cannot be entered into with potential suppliers or tenderers who have engaged in unethical conduct. The bill is before the Senate and has been examined by a committee, which reported on 26 March 2026, and if passed would take effect as drafted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/repeal-net-zero-bill-2025-no-2-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/repeal-net-zero-bill-2025-no-2-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Repeal Net Zero Bill 2025 [No. 2] is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator Matthew Canavan (Nationals, Queensland) on 4 September 2025. The bill proposes to repeal five pieces of Commonwealth climate legislation — the Climate Change Act 2022, the Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin) Act 2024 and its Charges companion, the Net Zero Economy Authority Act 2024, and the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard Act 2024 — and amend three further Acts to remove emissions-reduction obligations. The bill is before the Senate and has progressed only to the second-reading stage. As a private senator's bill without government support it faces significant procedural hurdles. The explanatory memorandum frames the bill as a response to what Senator Canavan characterises as economic damage from net zero policy, but this characterisation is the sponsor's claim, not an independently established fact.https://ozpolitics.au/government/australia-day-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/australia-day-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsIf passed, the Australia Day Bill 2025, a private member's bill introduced by Liberal MP Henry Pike, proposes to declare in Commonwealth legislation that Australia Day is the national day of Australia and is to be observed on 26 January each year. At present, the date is not fixed by any federal Act. The bill is before the House of Representatives and has not yet been debated.https://ozpolitics.au/government/road-vehicle-standards-amendment-safer-e-bikes-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/road-vehicle-standards-amendment-safer-e-bikes-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Road Vehicle Standards Amendment (Safer E-Bikes) Bill 2025 is a private member's bill introduced by Independent MP Sophie Scamps that proposes to classify and regulate e-bikes as road vehicles under the Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018, and to require the minister to determine national road vehicle standards for e-bikes. The bill also makes a technical amendment to the Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule — Definitions and Vehicle Categories) 2005. It was introduced in the House of Representatives on 1 September 2025 and is currently before the House awaiting second reading debate. If enacted, it would create a nationally consistent regulatory framework for e-bikes, replacing the current patchwork of state and territory laws.https://ozpolitics.au/government/telecommunications-amendment-enhancing-consumer-safeguards-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/telecommunications-amendment-enhancing-consumer-safeguards-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025 is a government bill introduced in the House of Representatives on 28 August 2025 by the Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts portfolio. The bill amends the Telecommunications Act 1997 to establish a mandatory registration scheme for carriage service providers, make industry codes directly enforceable by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), and amend the penalty framework for infringement notices and civil penalties. The bill passed the House of Representatives on 14 May 2026 after extended debate and was introduced in the Senate on 22 June 2026, where it now awaits second reading debate.https://ozpolitics.au/government/social-security-and-other-legislation-amendment-responding-to-robodebt-bill-2025-no-2-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/social-security-and-other-legislation-amendment-responding-to-robodebt-bill-2025-no-2-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Responding to Robodebt) Bill 2025 [No. 2] is a private senator's bill introduced by Greens Senator Penny Allman-Payne on 26 August 2025. It would respond to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme by amending four key Acts: the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999, the Social Security Act 1991, the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999, and the Student Assistance Act 1973. The bill seeks to reform how social security debts are calculated, raised and recovered, and to constrain the use of automated data-matching in debt recovery processes. As a private senator's bill, it is currently before the Senate.https://ozpolitics.au/government/climate-change-national-framework-for-adaptation-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/climate-change-national-framework-for-adaptation-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Climate Change (National Framework for Adaptation) Bill 2025 is a private member's bill introduced by Independent MP Zali Steggall that would establish Australia's first legislated national framework for climate change adaptation. The bill would create an independent National Climate Change Adaptation Authority, require five-yearly national climate change risk assessments, mandate rolling national adaptation plans, and impose reporting and consideration obligations on Commonwealth decision-makers. Introduced in the House of Representatives on 25 August 2025, the bill remains before the House and has not yet been debated. As a private member's bill without Government support, its path to passage is uncertain. It is Before House of Representatives as of 17 July 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/government/higher-education-support-amendment-fair-study-and-opportunity-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/higher-education-support-amendment-fair-study-and-opportunity-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Higher Education Support Amendment (Fair Study and Opportunity) Bill 2025, introduced by Independent MP Dai Le on 25 August 2025, seeks to amend the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to reduce the maximum student contribution amount for Commonwealth supported places in units of study classified under the 'society and culture' field of education. The bill takes aim at the Morrison Government's Job-ready Graduates Package, which from 2021 substantially increased student contributions for humanities, social sciences, law, and communications degrees — the very subjects captured by the 'society and culture' classification — while reducing fees for courses deemed to have stronger employment outcomes such as teaching, nursing, and STEM. Under the current fee structure, students in society and culture disciplines face maximum annual student contributions of approximately $16,323, compared to $4,445 for teaching and nursing. Le's bill would directly amend the funding clusters in the Higher Education Support Act to lower the maximum contribution amount for these subjects, though the specific reduced rate would be specified in the bill's text and accompanying schedules. At the time of writing, the bill remains before the House of Representatives, having been introduced and had its second reading moved on 25 August 2025. It has not been debated or voted upon. As a private member's bill from a crossbench MP, its passage would require government or broad cross-party support.https://ozpolitics.au/government/social-security-and-other-legislation-amendment-responding-to-robodebt-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/social-security-and-other-legislation-amendment-responding-to-robodebt-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsIndependent MP Andrew Wilkie introduced the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Responding to Robodebt) Bill 2025 in the House of Representatives on 25 August 2025. The bill is a private member's bill — meaning it was not introduced by the government — and remains before the House of Representatives at the first-reading stage. It has not passed either house and is not law. The bill would amend four Commonwealth Acts — the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999, the Social Security Act 1991, the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 and the Student Assistance Act 1973 — to give legislative effect to outstanding recommendations from the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme. The Royal Commission, chaired by former Queensland Supreme Court Justice Catherine Holmes AC SC, delivered its final report in July 2023 after hearing from 116 witnesses over 46 sitting days. It found that the Robodebt Scheme — which used automated income averaging to calculate and raise debts against welfare recipients between 2015 and 2019 — was based largely on an unlawful application of social security law, was 'crude and cruel', and resulted in the government collecting over $750 million in unlawfully raised debts from more than 400,000 Australians. A $1.8 billion settlement was reached in a class action. The Royal Commission made 57 recommendations spanning legislative, administrative and cultural reform. The government has implemented some recommendations through administrative action, including abolishing income averaging for debt calculation and improving staff training. However, the Wilkie bill targets several clusters of recommendations that require legislative amendment and had not been implemented at the time of the bill's introduction. On debt recovery, the bill targets three distinct issues. First, it would remove existing barriers to debt waivers where a debt arose solely from a Commonwealth administrative error. Under current provisions in all four Acts, the Secretary may waive a debt attributable solely to administrative error, but only if the debtor received the payments in good faith and the debt was not raised within six weeks of the payment being made. The bill would strip out those limiting conditions. The Secretary would be required to waive any debt that was solely the result of a Commonwealth administrative error — a significantly broader obligation than the existing discretionary power. This gives partial effect to Royal Commission recommendation 18.1, which called for debt recovery policy to be fair, proportionate and equitable. Second, the bill would amend the special-circumstances waiver provisions in all four Acts to explicitly cover family and domestic violence circumstances. Notes would specify that the provisions cover acting under duress or under the influence of family or domestic violence. This is designed to allow debt waivers where a person knowingly but unwillingly provides incorrect information due to coercive control, or where a perpetrator of family violence knowingly provides false information to cause an overpayment that is then pursued against the victim. The EM states this responds to 'contemporary understandings of hardship, vulnerability, and family and domestic violence.' Third, and most structurally significant, the bill would reinstate a six-year time limit on commencing debt recovery actions. In 2018, the government removed the pre-existing six-year limitation. The Royal Commission found that removal was arbitrary and punitive, describing it as a measure that 'had no purpose other than to allow the Commonwealth to recover older debts' (recommendation 18.2). The bill would restore the six-year limit across all four Acts. On automated decision-making — the core mechanism of the Robodebt scandal, where an automated system calculated alleged debts from ATO income data without human intervention — the bill introduces two safeguards. First, where a decision affecting a recipient is made through automation, the recipient must be notified that the decision was automated and informed of their review options. Second, certain categories of high-impact automated decisions would require human oversight before taking effect: cancellation of a payment or benefit, raising a debt of $2,000 or more, exercising a discretion, reviewing a decision under Part 5, and initiating garnishee arrangements with the ATO. These respond to recommendation 17.1, which called for 'a consistent and compassionate framework for the operation of automated decision-making processes.' The Royal Commission specifically found that automated processes had been used to raise debts without adequate human oversight, treating recipients as if they were in a 'purely commercial debtor-creditor relationship' with Services Australia. The bill also extends crisis payment claim windows from 7 days to 14 days for four categories: release from gaol or psychiatric confinement, extreme circumstances forcing departure from home, remaining in a home after a family member leaves due to domestic violence, and arrival on a qualifying humanitarian visa. The EM ties this to recommendation 11.2 on vulnerability and the capacity of people in distress to engage with compliance systems. Further measures include inserting principles of good administration into each Act's objects, establishing positive duties for the Secretary drawn from recommendation 10.1 (which addressed the effects of Robodebt on individuals and called for sensitivity to financial and other stresses), requiring an annual review of all compliance activity with a report tabled in Parliament within 15 sitting days, and requiring the Secretary to have regard to the needs of people in rural, regional and remote areas. The EM states the bill would have no financial impact. As a private member's bill, its pathway to passage is narrow. Private members' bills rarely become law without government support, and the government has not indicated its position. The bill had its first reading and second reading moved on 25 August 2025 and has not progressed since. To become law it would need to pass the House, then the Senate, and receive Royal Assent. The bill would apply its debt-waiver amendments to debts incurred before, on or after commencement, meaning some past debts could be waived under the new provisions.https://ozpolitics.au/government/electoral-legislation-amendment-electoral-communications-bill-2025-no-2-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/electoral-legislation-amendment-electoral-communications-bill-2025-no-2-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Communications) Bill 2025 (No. 2) is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator David Pocock (Independent, ACT) on 30 July 2025. It amends four Acts to: prohibit materially inaccurate and misleading electoral matter, including deepfakes; require disclosure when electoral matter is created or modified using AI; establish an Electoral Communications Panel; and remove the 3-day broadcast media blackout before elections. The bill is before the Senate, and if passed would take effect as drafted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/parliamentary-joint-committee-on-public-consultancy-and-services-contracts-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/parliamentary-joint-committee-on-public-consultancy-and-services-contracts-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Parliamentary Joint Committee on Public Consultancy and Services Contracts Bill 2025 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator Richard Colbeck (Liberal, Tasmania) on 30 July 2025. The bill proposes establishing a joint standing committee of eight members — four from the House of Representatives and four from the Senate — to review, consider, and report on consultancy and services contracts entered into by Commonwealth entities. Contracts exceeding $2 million in value would be subject to mandatory referral. The bill has been referred to the Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee, which reported on 2 April 2026. The bill remains before the Senate at the second-reading stage.https://ozpolitics.au/government/criminal-code-amendment-using-technology-to-generate-child-abuse-material-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/criminal-code-amendment-using-technology-to-generate-child-abuse-material-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Criminal Code Amendment (Using Technology to Generate Child Abuse Material) Bill 2025 is a private member's bill introduced by Kate Chaney MP that would amend the Criminal Code Act 1995 to create new criminal offences for generating child abuse material using a carriage service. The bill targets the use of technology — including artificial intelligence and deepfake generation tools — to produce child abuse material. It was introduced in the House of Representatives and is currently before the House.https://ozpolitics.au/government/therapeutic-goods-amendment-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/therapeutic-goods-amendment-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsIf passed, the Therapeutic Goods Amendment Bill 2025 is a government bill that makes a single minor technical amendment to the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989. The bill's official summary describes it in just one phrase: 'makes a minor technical amendment.' It was introduced in the House of Representatives on 22 July 2025 under the Prime Minister's portfolio and is before the House.https://ozpolitics.au/government/crimes-amendment-repeal-mandatory-minimum-sentences-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/crimes-amendment-repeal-mandatory-minimum-sentences-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Crimes Amendment (Repeal Mandatory Minimum Sentences) Bill 2025 is a private senator's bill introduced by Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi on 26 March 2025. It amends the Crimes Act 1914 to remove mandatory minimum sentences for certain Commonwealth offences. Mandatory minimum sentences require courts to impose at least a specified prison term regardless of the individual circumstances of the offence or the offender. The bill would restore judicial discretion, allowing courts to consider all relevant factors — including the offender's circumstances, prospects of rehabilitation, and the nature of the offence — when determining an appropriate sentence. The bill is currently before the Senate.https://ozpolitics.au/government/fair-work-amendment-paid-reproductive-health-leave-and-flexible-work-arrangements-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/fair-work-amendment-paid-reproductive-health-leave-and-flexible-work-arrangements-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Fair Work Amendment (Paid Reproductive Health Leave and Flexible Work Arrangements) Bill 2025 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator Larissa Waters (Australian Greens) in the Senate on 26 March 2025. The bill would amend the Fair Work Act 2009 to create a new entitlement of 12 days of paid reproductive health leave per 12-month period for all employees, and to give employees experiencing perimenopause or menopause symptoms an explicit right to request flexible working arrangements. It would also amend the Workplace Gender Equality (Matters in relation to Gender Equality Indicators) Instrument 2023 to enable collection of data on reproductive health leave. The bill lapsed at the end of the 47th Parliament on 21 July 2025 and was restored to the Notice Paper on 23 July 2025, where it remains before the Senate.https://ozpolitics.au/government/higher-education-support-amendment-end-dirty-university-partnerships-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/higher-education-support-amendment-end-dirty-university-partnerships-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Higher Education Support Amendment (End Dirty University Partnerships) Bill 2025, introduced by Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi on 13 February 2025, is a private senator's bill that would amend the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to impose new obligations on Australian universities receiving Commonwealth funding. The bill would require higher education providers to disclose all existing partnerships with, or investments in, 'defined prohibited entities' and to divest from those partnerships and investments within a six-month period. It would also prohibit universities from appointing to their governing bodies any individual who holds investments in a prohibited entity or serves on the board of a prohibited entity. The bill was originally introduced in the 47th Parliament, lapsed at the dissolution of that Parliament in July 2025, and was restored to the Senate Notice Paper on 23 July 2025 in the 48th Parliament. A second reading was moved on 6 November 2025 and debated the same day, but the bill has not been voted upon. The definition of 'prohibited entities' — which is critical to the bill's scope — would be set out in the bill text and would likely encompass entities involved in fossil fuel extraction, weapons manufacturing, and other industries that the bill's proponents consider to be inconsistent with the public purpose of universities. The bill represents one strand of a broader campus activism movement that has, over the past decade, called for universities to sever financial and research ties with certain industries on ethical grounds.https://ozpolitics.au/government/right-to-protest-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/right-to-protest-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsGreens Senator David Shoebridge introduced the Right to Protest Bill 2025 in the Senate on 13 February 2025. The bill is a private senator's bill — it was not introduced by the government — and remains before the Senate. It has had its first reading, second reading moved, and some second reading debate, but has not been voted on or passed. It is not law. The bill would create, for the first time in Commonwealth legislation, a statutory right to engage in peaceful protest in a public place. It draws on Australia's obligations under articles 19, 21 and 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which Australia ratified in 1980. Article 19 protects freedom of opinion and expression, article 21 protects the right of peaceful assembly, and article 22 protects freedom of association. While Australia ratified the ICCPR, it has not incorporated these rights into domestic legislation in the way that, for example, New Zealand's Bill of Rights Act 1990 or the United Kingdom's Human Rights Act 1998 give domestic legal force to ICCPR rights. Australia remains the only Western democracy without a national bill of rights or human rights act. The central mechanism is clause 8: 'A person has the right to engage in peaceful protest in a public place.' Clause 9 establishes that this right may be restricted only to the extent necessary in a democratic society for five specified purposes: national security, public safety, public order, protection of public health, and protection of the rights and freedoms of other persons. These mirror the ICCPR's own limitation clauses. The EM states that restrictions 'only apply insofar as restrictions appropriately are adapted to the goal of addressing an unacceptable risk of harm.' The bill further provides that excessive penalties — 'lengthy prison sentences or excessive fines' — are considered unnecessary restrictions regardless of their stated rationale. This language appears directed at state laws such as Tasmania's anti-protest provisions that introduced mandatory minimum sentences before being repealed, and NSW laws imposing fines of up to $22,000 and 2 years imprisonment for protests disrupting major roads, bridges and tunnels (introduced in 2022). Clause 10 is the bill's most consequential operative provision: it provides that any other law — Commonwealth, state or territory, passed before or after this bill — that is inconsistent with the right to protest would be inoperable to the extent of the inconsistency. This is the provision that would override state and territory laws restricting peaceful protest beyond what the bill permits. The EM singles out laws affecting environmental and social justice movements, arguing 'within a democracy the violent policing of peaceful protest and imposition of excessive criminal penalties for protest action undermines fundamental rights to free expression and assembly.' It further states that Australia's international obligations 'do not permit the restriction of protest purely to protect commercial interest or to protect a government from scrutiny or criticism from an engaged community.' Constitutionally, the bill relies on the external affairs power under paragraph 51(xxix) of the Constitution — the same power the High Court upheld in the Tasmanian Dam Case (1983) as allowing the Commonwealth to legislate to implement international treaty obligations, even in areas of traditional state jurisdiction. The bill includes fallback provisions: if the external affairs basis were insufficient to cover a particular application, the bill would still operate for protests in Commonwealth places and in the territories. It also contains an express safeguard stating it does not apply to the extent it would infringe the implied constitutional freedom of political communication, as recognised by the High Court in Lange v ABC (1997) and McCloy v NSW (2015). The bill binds the Crown in all capacities and extends to every external territory. The bill's statement of compatibility with human rights says it 'positively engages the right to protest and in particular freedom of assembly and freedom of association and freedom of opinion and expression,' and that its impact on state and territory laws is 'reasonable, necessary and proportionate to achieving the implementation of our international obligations.' Several states have strengthened anti-protest laws in recent years. Tasmania's Workplaces (Protection from Protesters) Act 2014 introduced mandatory minimum sentences for certain protest offences, survived initial constitutional challenge before aspects were struck down in Brown v Tasmania (2017), and was largely repealed in 2023. NSW's anti-protest amendments to the Roads Act 1993 and Crimes Act 1900 (2022) introduced heavy penalties for disrupting major roads, bridges and tunnels. Victoria's Strengthening the Protection of Critical Infrastructure Act 2023 increased penalties for protest activities at critical infrastructure. Queensland and WA have strengthened penalties in resource and agricultural contexts, and in 2024 the Queensland government passed laws increasing penalties for protests using 'dangerous attachment devices'. The Shoebridge bill is explicitly framed as a federal response to these state-level trends. As a private senator's bill from the Australian Greens, its prospects of passage are very limited without government support. The government has not indicated a position. To become law it would need to pass the Senate, then the House, and receive Royal Assent. Even if passed, the bill could face constitutional challenge regarding the scope of the external affairs power as applied to protest rights.https://ozpolitics.au/government/lobbying-improving-government-honesty-and-trust-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/lobbying-improving-government-honesty-and-trust-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Lobbying (Improving Government Honesty and Trust) Bill 2025 is a private senator's bill introduced by Independent Senator David Pocock that would establish a new statutory scheme governing dealings between lobbyists and Australian Government representatives. The bill was introduced in the Senate on 12 February 2025. It lapsed at the prorogation of Parliament on 21 July 2025 but was restored to the Notice Paper on 23 July 2025. The second reading was debated on 4 September 2025, and the bill remains before the Senate. As a private senator's bill, it does not have Government support and its path to passage is uncertain. It is Before Senate as of 17 July 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/government/great-australian-bight-world-heritage-protection-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/great-australian-bight-world-heritage-protection-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Great Australian Bight (World Heritage Protection) Bill 2025 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator Sarah Hanson-Young (Greens, South Australia) on 11 February 2025. It would prohibit all mining operations in the Great Australian Bight area and require the Minister for the Environment to submit the Bight for UNESCO World Heritage listing. The bill lapsed at the end of the 48th Parliament's first session and was before the Senate at the time of writing.https://ozpolitics.au/government/whistleblower-protection-authority-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/whistleblower-protection-authority-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Whistleblower Protection Authority Bill 2025 would establish an independent statutory authority to provide information, advice and support to whistleblowers across all federal whistleblower protection laws. Jointly sponsored by Senator David Pocock and Senator Jacqui Lambie and introduced on 11 February 2025, the bill runs to 89 sections and has been scrutinised by two Senate committees. It lapsed at the end of the 47th Parliament but was restored to the notice paper in July 2025. The bill is before the Senate and has not passed.https://ozpolitics.au/government/remuneration-tribunal-amendment-there-for-public-service-not-profit-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/remuneration-tribunal-amendment-there-for-public-service-not-profit-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsIf passed, the Remuneration Tribunal Amendment (There For Public Service, Not Profit) Bill 2025, introduced by Jacqui Lambie Network senator Jacqui Lambie, proposes to amend the Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973 to set a statutory limit on the remuneration of departmental secretaries and other senior public office holders. It was introduced alongside a companion bill targeting executive pay in tertiary education. The bill is before the Senate and has not been debated.https://ozpolitics.au/government/superannuation-guarantee-administration-amendment-frontline-emergency-service-workers-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/superannuation-guarantee-administration-amendment-frontline-emergency-service-workers-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Amendment (Frontline Emergency Service Workers) Bill 2025 is a private senator's bill that would increase the compulsory superannuation guarantee rate for firefighters and paramedics by 4.4 percentage points above the standard rate, matching the base superannuation contribution rate provided to Australian Defence Force personnel. Introduced by Senator Nick McKim (Greens, Tasmania) on 5 February 2025, the bill is currently before the Senate. It lapsed at the end of Parliament on 21 July 2025 but was restored to the Notice Paper on 23 July 2025, reflecting standard practice when a parliament is prorogued and bills are revived.https://ozpolitics.au/government/tertiary-education-legislation-amendment-there-for-education-not-profit-bill-2025-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/tertiary-education-legislation-amendment-there-for-education-not-profit-bill-2025-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Tertiary Education Legislation Amendment (There For Education, Not Profit) Bill 2025 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator Jacqui Lambie that would amend Australia's tertiary education laws to place restrictions on for-profit higher education providers. The bill was introduced alongside a companion bill, the Remuneration Tribunal Amendment (There For Public Service, Not Profit) Bill 2025. It is currently before the Senate.https://ozpolitics.au/government/electoral-legislation-amendment-fair-territory-representation-bill-2024-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/electoral-legislation-amendment-fair-territory-representation-bill-2024-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Electoral Legislation Amendment (Fair Territory Representation) Bill 2024 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator David Pocock (Independent, ACT) in the Senate on 20 November 2024. The bill would amend the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to increase the number of senators from the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory to half the number of senators for a state, and to provide for three senators from each territory to be elected at each federal election with six-year terms. Currently, each territory elects two senators who serve terms tied to the House of Representatives electoral cycle rather than the fixed six-year terms of state senators. The bill lapsed at the end of the 47th Parliament in July 2025 and was restored to the Notice Paper, where it remains before the Senate.https://ozpolitics.au/government/interactive-gambling-amendment-ban-gambling-ads-bill-2024-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/interactive-gambling-amendment-ban-gambling-ads-bill-2024-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Interactive Gambling Amendment (Ban Gambling Ads) Bill 2024 is a private senator's bill introduced by Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young on 9 October 2024. It amends the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 to provide for a staged implementation of a prohibition on the advertising of licensed interactive wagering services. This would extend the existing restrictions on gambling advertising — which already apply to broadcast media during children's viewing hours and live sport — to a comprehensive ban. The bill is currently before the Senate. As a private senator's bill, its prospects depend on attracting government and crossbench support.https://ozpolitics.au/government/digital-id-repeal-bill-2024-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/digital-id-repeal-bill-2024-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsSix senators — Alex Antic, Ralph Babet, Matt Canavan, Pauline Hanson, Gerard Rennick and Malcolm Roberts — introduced the Digital ID Repeal Bill 2024 in the Senate on 26 June 2024. The bill is a private senator's bill and remains before the Senate at the first-reading stage. It has not passed either house and is not law. The bill would repeal the Digital ID Act 2024 in its entirety. That Act — which passed Parliament with bipartisan support in May 2024 and received Royal Assent shortly after — established Australia's first national statutory framework for digital identity services. It created the Australian Government Digital ID System (AGDIS), a voluntary accreditation scheme for public and private sector digital ID providers, and a suite of privacy and consumer safeguards. The Digital ID (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Act 2024 made consequential amendments to integrate the framework with existing Commonwealth law, and the repeal bill would reverse those as well. The commencement provision is drafted to avoid retrospectivity. If the repeal bill passed before the Digital ID Act commenced, the repeal takes effect from the moment after commencement. If the repeal bill passed after commencement, the repeal takes effect from the start of the day it receives Royal Assent. In either case, the repeal does not operate on past conduct. The sponsors' case rests on a single central claim set out in the EM: 'While the Digital ID Act 2024 purports to create a "voluntary" system of Digital ID in Australia, its practical operation and the exceptions provided to Digital ID being voluntary will result in a Digital ID system that is, for all intents and purposes, mandatory if Australians wish to participate in society.' The EM does not identify which specific exceptions the sponsors rely on, nor does it provide evidence for how a voluntary accreditation framework would become functionally mandatory. To assess this claim it is necessary to understand what the Digital ID Act 2024 actually establishes. The Act creates a two-part system. The first part is an accreditation scheme: digital identity service providers — both government bodies (such as the ATO's myGovID, now renamed myID) and private sector providers — can apply to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to be accredited against privacy, security, fraud protection, accessibility and user experience standards. Accredited providers are listed on a public register and can display a trustmark. The second part is the AGDIS, a government-operated identity exchange that acts as a 'broker' between a person's chosen digital identity provider and a service they want to use. The AGDIS itself does not hold identity data; it facilitates a verified transaction so that a person does not need to share their raw identity documents (passport, driver licence, birth certificate) with each service they use. The Act specifically addresses voluntariness: section 16 provides that a person 'is not required to have, or to use, a digital ID' and that a person must not be discriminated against for not having or not using one. The Act also includes a range of privacy protections: it prohibits the use of digital ID information for surveillance or direct marketing; requires express consent before sharing biometric information (such as a facial scan used for identity verification); requires accredited entities to notify the Australian Information Commissioner of eligible data breaches; and imposes civil penalties for breaches of privacy and security obligations, with maximum penalties of up to $10 million or more for serious breaches. The repeal bill's statement of compatibility with human rights asserts the repeal advances human rights 'by ensuring that Australians are not forced to participate in centralised control of their identification information in order to participate in basic domestic and professional settings.' However, the Digital ID Act 2024 was itself subject to scrutiny by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, which raised no concerns about the Act creating a mandatory identification system. Several privacy and civil society organisations, including the Australian Privacy Foundation and Digital Rights Watch, engaged with the legislative process and focused their concerns on the adequacy of safeguards — such as the independence of oversight, the breadth of exemptions and the strength of consent provisions — rather than on voluntariness or compulsion. The six sponsors represent a mix of crossbench and minor-party senators. Antic, Canavan and Rennick were LNP senators sitting on the crossbench at the time; Babet was from the United Australia Party; and Hanson and Roberts were from Pauline Hanson's One Nation. None are government senators, and the bill does not have government support. The Digital ID Act 2024 passed the House and Senate with bipartisan support from the major parties. The repeal bill remains at first-reading stage. It has not progressed to debate or a vote in either house. The bill was introduced shortly after the Digital ID Act passed, and the six senators used the explanatory memorandum to advance their position that digital identity systems, even ostensibly voluntary ones, create a pathway toward surveillance and centralised control of personal information. The repeal bill has not attracted co-sponsors beyond the original six and has not been referred to a committee for inquiry.https://ozpolitics.au/government/commission-of-inquiry-into-antisemitism-at-australian-universities-bill-2024-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/commission-of-inquiry-into-antisemitism-at-australian-universities-bill-2024-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Commission of Inquiry into Antisemitism at Australian Universities Bill 2024 is a private senator's bill introduced by Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson that would establish a statutory commission of inquiry — with similar powers to a royal commission — to investigate antisemitism at Australian universities. Introduced on 25 June 2024, the bill was debated on 27 June and 3 July 2024, and again on 6 February 2025. It lapsed at the prorogation of Parliament on 21 July 2025 and was restored to the Notice Paper on 2 September 2025. As of July 2026, the bill remains before the Senate. As a private senator's bill, it does not have Government support. It is Before Senate as of 17 July 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/government/national-housing-and-homelessness-plan-bill-2024-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/national-housing-and-homelessness-plan-bill-2024-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe National Housing and Homelessness Plan Bill 2024, introduced by Independent ACT Senator David Pocock on 25 June 2024, proposes a legislative framework for coordinating Australia's response to housing affordability and homelessness. The bill would create three new institutional mechanisms: a statutorily mandated National Housing and Homelessness Plan to set long-term targets and guide Commonwealth, state, and territory housing policy; a National Housing Consumer Council to provide ongoing advice to government from the perspective of people with lived experience of housing stress and homelessness; and a National Housing and Homelessness Advocate — an independent statutory officer — to monitor progress, review systemic housing issues, and report publicly on the implementation of the Plan. The bill was introduced in the 47th Parliament, lapsed at the July 2025 federal election, and was restored to the Senate Notice Paper on 23 July 2025 in the 48th Parliament. At the time of writing, it remains before the Senate with its second reading having been moved but not debated. The bill responds to the growing national housing crisis, which has seen rents rise at their fastest rates in decades, home ownership decline particularly among younger Australians, and homelessness increase across multiple census periods. By proposing a legislative rather than administrative approach to national housing planning, the bill seeks to create durable institutional structures that persist across changes of government.https://ozpolitics.au/government/competition-and-consumer-amendment-divestiture-powers-bill-2024-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/competition-and-consumer-amendment-divestiture-powers-bill-2024-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Competition and Consumer Amendment (Divestiture Powers) Bill 2024 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator Nick McKim (Greens, Tasmania) on 20 March 2024. It would amend the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 to enable the Federal Court, on application by the ACCC, to give directions for securing a reduction in a corporation's market power or share, where the court is satisfied the corporation has misused its market power or that divestiture would be in the public interest. The bill is currently before the Senate and has not passed. As a private senator's bill, it does not have government backing.https://ozpolitics.au/government/human-rights-parliamentary-scrutiny-amendment-consideration-of-undrip-bill-2023-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/human-rights-parliamentary-scrutiny-amendment-consideration-of-undrip-bill-2023-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Amendment (Consideration of UNDRIP) Bill 2023 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator Lidia Thorpe (Independent, Victoria) on 29 November 2023. It amends the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011 to expand the definition of 'human rights' to include the rights and freedoms recognised by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. All Commonwealth bills would require a Statement of Compatibility with UNDRIP, and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights would scrutinise legislation for Indigenous rights compliance.https://ozpolitics.au/government/electoral-legislation-amendment-fairer-contracts-and-grants-bill-2023-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/electoral-legislation-amendment-fairer-contracts-and-grants-bill-2023-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Electoral Legislation Amendment (Fairer Contracts and Grants) Bill 2023 is a private senator's bill introduced by Senator Larissa Waters (Australian Greens) that would amend the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to prohibit political donations being made by corporations (or their close associates) that hold Commonwealth government contracts or receive Commonwealth grants. The bill is currently before the Senate and has not been enacted.https://ozpolitics.au/government/copyright-legislation-amendment-fair-pay-for-radio-play-bill-2023-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/copyright-legislation-amendment-fair-pay-for-radio-play-bill-2023-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Copyright Legislation Amendment (Fair Pay for Radio Play) Bill 2023 is a private senator's bill that would remove two longstanding statutory caps in the Copyright Act 1968: the cap limiting the Copyright Tribunal from ordering commercial radio broadcasters to pay more than 1 per cent of gross earnings for the use of sound recordings, and the cap limiting ABC radio's liability to 0.5 cents per head of the Australian population. Introduced by Senator David Pocock (Independent, ACT) on 3 August 2023, the bill was debated at second reading and referred to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, which reported in June 2024. The bill lapsed at the end of Parliament on 21 July 2025, was restored on 23 July 2025, and remains before the Senate.https://ozpolitics.au/government/electoral-legislation-amendment-lowering-the-voting-age-bill-2023-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/electoral-legislation-amendment-lowering-the-voting-age-bill-2023-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Electoral Legislation Amendment (Lowering the Voting Age) Bill 2023, introduced by Greens senator Jordon Steele-John, proposes to lower the minimum voting age for federal elections and referendums from 18 to 16 years. It would make voting voluntary for 16 and 17 year olds — they would be enrolled but not penalised for not voting — and expand access to provisional votes. The bill has been before the Senate since February 2023 and has not been debated.https://ozpolitics.au/government/environment-protection-and-biodiversity-conservation-amendment-climate-trigger-bill-2022-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/environment-protection-and-biodiversity-conservation-amendment-climate-trigger-bill-2022-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Climate Trigger) Bill 2022 is a private senator's bill first introduced by Senator Sarah Hanson-Young (Australian Greens) in the Senate on 5 September 2022, early in the 47th Parliament. The bill proposes to amend the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act) to require climate impacts to be considered when assessing major projects — a so-called 'climate trigger'. It would require actions emitting between 25,000 and 100,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent scope 1 emissions annually to undergo EPBC assessment, mandate outright rejection of projects emitting over 100,000 tonnes, direct the Climate Change Authority to develop a national carbon budget to 2050, and introduce penalties for unauthorised emissions-intensive actions. The bill has had two second reading debates, was referred to and reported on by a Senate committee, lapsed and was restored, making it one of the more scrutinised private senators' bills in recent years — but it has not passed.https://ozpolitics.au/government/customs-legislation-amendment-commercial-greyhound-export-and-import-prohibition-bill-2021-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/customs-legislation-amendment-commercial-greyhound-export-and-import-prohibition-bill-2021-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Customs Legislation Amendment (Commercial Greyhound Export and Import Prohibition) Bill 2021 is a private senator's bill introduced by Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi on 1 September 2021. It amends the Customs (Prohibited Exports) Regulations 1958 and the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 to prohibit the export and import of greyhounds for racing, breeding and commercial purposes. The bill aims to end Australia's participation in the international trade of greyhounds for the racing industry, which animal welfare organisations have criticised for the treatment of dogs exported to countries with weaker animal welfare standards. The bill is currently before the Senate.https://ozpolitics.au/government/defence-amendment-parliamentary-approval-of-overseas-service-bill-2020-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/defence-amendment-parliamentary-approval-of-overseas-service-bill-2020-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsGreens Senator Jordon Steele-John introduced the Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Approval of Overseas Service) Bill 2020 in the Senate on 7 December 2020. The bill had a lengthy legislative history spanning multiple parliamentary sittings — its second reading was debated on several occasions — but was ultimately defeated when the Senate negatived the second reading motion. In Australian parliamentary procedure, negativing the second reading means the house has voted against the principle of the bill. The bill is effectively dead: it is no longer before the Senate and cannot become law in its current form. It is not law. The bill would have amended the Defence Act 1903 to insert a new section 29A requiring that ADF members not serve beyond Australia's territorial limits in warlike actions except in accordance with a resolution agreed to by both houses of Parliament authorising that service. The requirement would cover deployments that could lead to hostilities, while exempting routine non-warlike service: attachments of Australian personnel to foreign forces, diplomatic or consular postings, service on ships or aircraft not involved in hostilities, educational and training deployments, and activities related to procurement of equipment or stores. The EM noted that 'any service on land overseas other than that specified... could lead to hostilities and would require approval.' This was a revised version of a bill first introduced in 1985 by Australian Democrats Senator Colin Mason (NSW). Senator Steele-John's version added more detailed emergency provisions, public accountability mechanisms, and provisions addressing what happens when Parliament is not sitting, has been prorogued, or is in an election period. Under current Australian law, the decision to deploy the ADF overseas is an exercise of the executive prerogative power — the Prime Minister and Cabinet decide, without any statutory requirement for parliamentary approval. The Governor-General, acting on ministerial advice, exercises the formal command-in-chief power under section 68 of the Constitution, but in practice the decision is made within the executive. Australia is unusual among comparable democracies in having no legislative requirement for parliamentary authorisation of military deployments. The United Kingdom, where no statute requires parliamentary approval, has developed a convention — established after the 2003 Iraq War — that the House of Commons should be given the opportunity to debate and vote on military deployments. The convention was formalised in the Cabinet Manual and was observed for deployments to Libya (2011), Iraq (2014) and Syria (2015). The US Constitution divides war powers between Congress (which declares war) and the President (Commander-in-Chief), and the 1973 War Powers Resolution requires the President to consult Congress and report within 48 hours of introducing armed forces into hostilities, with a 60-day limit on deployments without Congressional authorisation. Germany's Parliamentary Participation Act 2005 requires Bundestag approval for all armed deployments abroad. Spain, Denmark, Finland, Ireland and several other European democracies also require parliamentary approval for overseas military deployments. The bill's emergency provisions were carefully calibrated. In an urgent situation where prior parliamentary approval was impractical, the Governor-General could make a Proclamation authorising the deployment on the written advice of the Prime Minister explaining the emergency and why prior approval was not practical. Both the Proclamation and the advice would have to be published within 24 hours — a transparency mechanism aimed at preventing secret deployments. Within two days, each House would receive a report containing the Proclamation, the Prime Minister's advice, and detailed deployment information: the legal basis, geographical extent, expected duration and the number of ADF members involved. If Parliament was adjourned for more than two days, the relevant Presiding Officer would have to summon the House within two days. If Parliament had been prorogued when a Proclamation was made, or was prorogued within seven days after, the Proclamation would cease to have effect after seven days and no replacement could be made until Parliament met — compelling the government to recall Parliament if it wanted the deployment to continue. During a general election period — when the House of Representatives is dissolved and there can be up to 140 days without a complete Parliament — a Proclamation would cease seven days after the return of the writs. During any ongoing deployment, the Defence Minister would have to report in writing to each House every two months on the status, legality, scope, anticipated duration and efforts to resolve the circumstances requiring the deployment. The EM stated the bill would have no direct financial impact. Its statement of compatibility with human rights argued the bill enhanced 'what many regard as a pre-eminent human right to peace, safety and stability' and gave effect to the UN Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace (1984). The defeat of the second reading means the bill is no longer before Parliament. A similar bill could be reintroduced in a future parliament, and the underlying question — whether Australia should join comparable democracies in requiring parliamentary approval for overseas military deployments — has been raised repeatedly by Greens, independent and minor-party members over several decades without being adopted by either major party.https://ozpolitics.au/government/australian-education-legislation-amendment-prohibiting-the-indoctrination-of-children-bill-2020-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/australian-education-legislation-amendment-prohibiting-the-indoctrination-of-children-bill-2020-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Australian Education Legislation Amendment (Prohibiting the Indoctrination of Children) Bill 2020, introduced by One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson on 10 February 2020, is a private senator's bill with one of the longest legislative histories of any currently active bill before the Parliament. It has now been before the Senate across three consecutive parliaments — the 46th (2020-2022), 47th (2022-2025), and 48th (2025-present) — having lapsed twice at the dissolution of Parliament and been restored twice to the Senate Notice Paper. The bill would amend two key pieces of Commonwealth education legislation. First, it would amend the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority Act 2008 to require the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) to ensure that school education provides 'a balanced presentation of opposing views on political, historical and scientific issues'. Second, it would amend the Australian Education Act 2013 to make Commonwealth financial assistance to a state or territory conditional on that state or territory having laws in force that, in the bill's framing, prevent the indoctrination of children in schools. The bill has had two second reading debates — on 31 August 2020 and on 23 November 2022 — but has never been put to a vote. At the time of writing in July 2026, it sits once again on the Senate Notice Paper, restored on 23 July 2025 after the 2025 federal election.https://ozpolitics.au/government/broadcasting-services-amendment-audio-description-bill-2019-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/broadcasting-services-amendment-audio-description-bill-2019-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Broadcasting Services Amendment (Audio Description) Bill 2019 is a private senator's bill introduced by Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John that would amend the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to require national broadcasters, commercial television licensees, and subscription television licensees to provide a minimum number of hours of audio description per week. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) would enforce and periodically review the requirement. First introduced on 12 February 2019, the bill has now been before the Parliament for over seven years. It has lapsed three times — on 1 July 2019, 25 July 2022, and 21 July 2025 — and been restored each time. As of July 2026, it remains before the Senate without having been passed. It is Before Senate as of 17 July 2026.https://ozpolitics.au/government/plebiscite-future-migration-level-bill-2018-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/plebiscite-future-migration-level-bill-2018-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Plebiscite (Future Migration Level) Bill 2018, introduced by Senator Pauline Hanson on 15 August 2018, would establish a legislative framework for a national plebiscite asking Australians whether the current rate of immigration is too high, to be held alongside the next general election. The bill is before the Senate and has not passed. It has been on the notice paper since 2018 without progressing to a vote.https://ozpolitics.au/government/landholders-right-to-refuse-gas-and-coal-bill-2015-explained/https://ozpolitics.au/government/landholders-right-to-refuse-gas-and-coal-bill-2015-explained/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMTBillsThe Landholders' Right to Refuse (Gas and Coal) Bill 2015 is a private senator's bill originally introduced by Senator Larissa Waters (Greens, Queensland) in 2015 during the 44th Parliament. It has been restored to the 48th Parliament and is before the Senate. The bill gives landholders the right to refuse gas and coal mining on their land without prior written authorisation, sets detailed requirements for valid authorisation, and prohibits hydraulic fracturing by constitutional corporations, and if passed would take effect as drafted.