House Debates NDIS Reform, Tax Cuts and Appropriation Bills – 28 May 2026

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House Debates NDIS Reform, Tax Cuts and Appropriation Bills – 28 May 2026

The 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.

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Evidence review

NDIS Reform: Securing the Scheme for Future Generations

The National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 was the first major bill considered. The second reading debate went to a division, signalling contested legislative terrain. Mark Butler MP spoke during proceedings, and the Speaker, Milton Dick MP, presided over the division. The bill forms part of ongoing efforts to ensure the financial sustainability of the NDIS while maintaining support for participants — a policy challenge that has drawn attention from disability advocates, state governments, and the Commonwealth.

Evidence review

Tax Reform: Two Bills, One Package

Treasurer Jim Chalmers introduced a package of two bills: the Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 1) Bill 2026 and the Income Tax Rates Amendment (Tax Reform No. 1) Bill 2026. The second reading debate for both was moved by the Treasurer. The bills were referred to a committee for further consideration, with crossbench members Allegra Spender MP, Kate Chaney MP, Zali Steggall MP, and Sam Rae MP, along with Opposition member Dan Tehan MP, contributing to the referral debate before it went to a division. The referral to committee indicates the complexity and sensitivity of the proposed tax changes.

A third tax bill — Treasury Laws Amendment (Delivering an Efficient and Trusted Tax System) Bill 2026 — was debated separately, with speakers including Matt Thistlethwaite MP, Michael McCormack MP, Claire Clutterham MP, Julie-Ann Campbell MP, and Daniel Mulino MP.

Evidence review

Appropriation Bills: Funding Government for 2026-27

The three Appropriation Bills for the 2026-2027 financial year were introduced and debated. These bills — covering the ordinary annual services of government, other annual services, and parliamentary departments — are the constitutional mechanism for funding executive government. The second reading debate featured at least nine speakers: Simon Kennedy MP, Susan Templeman MP, 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 among the most consequential legislation Parliament considers each year.

Evidence review

Other Legislation: Coal Mining, Telecommunications and Competition

Three additional bills were debated. The Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 passed through second reading (Mary Aldred MP, Amanda Rishworth MP), consideration in detail, and third reading with Amanda Rishworth MP managing the bill. The Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation) Bill 2025 was debated by Alice Jordan-Baird MP, David Littleproud MP, Ash Ambihaipahar MP, Simon Kennedy MP, and Aaron Violi MP. The Competition and Consumer Amendment (Responding to Exceptional Circumstances) Bill 2026 received assent.

Evidence review

Question Time and MPI: Budget under the Microscope

Question Time was dominated by Budget scrutiny. Opposition questions from Angus Taylor MP and others probed taxation, housing, national security, chemical contamination, and the capital investment scheme. Government members raised health care, defence, employment, and schools. Crossbench questions covered domestic, family and sexual violence and gas industry taxation. An MPI on the Budget later in the day saw 10 speakers, led by Angus Taylor MP and responded to by Assistant Minister Patrick Gorman MP, with eight additional members contributing to the extended debate.

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