What the House of Representatives Debated on 4 June 2026: Committees, Questions Without Notice and Bills

The short answer

the House of Representatives Debated on 4 June 2026: Committees, Questions Without Notice and Bills

On 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.

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Evidence review

Opening of business and the cyber security select committee

Speaker Milton Dick opened the sitting at 9:00 am with an acknowledgement of country and prayers, as is standard practice. The first substantive item was committee business — specifically, the House dealt with the appointment of the Select Committee on Cyber Security for Small to Medium Sized Businesses and Organisations.

Select committees are temporary parliamentary committees established to inquire into a specific matter, usually with a reporting deadline. The creation of a committee focused specifically on cyber security for small and medium businesses reflects growing parliamentary concern about the vulnerability of Australia's 2.5 million small businesses to cyber attacks. According to the Australian Cyber Security Centre, small businesses are disproportionately targeted by cyber criminals but often lack the resources of larger enterprises to defend themselves.

The committee's establishment through the formal appointment of members means it has been given a specific terms of reference, membership, and reporting date. The Hansard TOC also records committee-related business later in the day, with a second committee segment and what appears to be a report from committees in the Federation Chamber.

Evidence review

Four bill debates across the sitting day

The House debated several bills across multiple sessions during the day. The Hansard Table of Contents records bill debates at page references 0007, 0032, 0129 and 0137, indicating four separate legislative items. Between those debates, the House also dealt with 'Business' items, which in parliamentary procedure typically include notices of motion, consideration of Senate messages, and other procedural matters that keep the legislative program moving.

Without accessing the full transcript for each page, the specific bills debated cannot be confirmed from the TOC alone. However, the presence of four separate bill debates across the sitting day indicates a substantial legislative workload. The final bill debate at approximately page 0137 was followed by the adjournment debate and the Federation Chamber's proceedings.

In standard House procedure, Government bills are typically given priority in the legislative program, while private members' bills are usually dealt with on Mondays or in the Federation Chamber. The spread of bill debates across the day suggests a mix of Government and possibly non-controversial legislation moving through its various stages — second reading debates, consideration in detail, and third reading votes.

Evidence review

Question Time, distinguished visitors and statements by members

The day included two Question Time sessions. The first 'Questions Without Notice' segment appears at page 0078, and a second follows after the entry for 'Distinguished Visitors' at approximately page 0083. Under standing orders, Question Time typically runs for approximately one hour, with questions alternating between Government and non-Government members. The presence of distinguished visitors between the two Question Time blocks suggests a formal welcome to visiting dignitaries in the gallery — a common courtesy in the House.

Statements by Members occurred at approximately page 0039. This is a regular feature of House sittings where backbench MPs from all parties are allocated 90-second speaking slots to raise constituency issues, acknowledge community achievements, or comment on matters of local or national importance. Statements by Members are often one of the few opportunities backbench MPs have to put issues directly on the parliamentary record outside of debates on specific bills.

The specific topics raised by members, the questions asked during Question Time, and which ministers responded would require consulting the full transcript. However, Question Time in mid-2026 would likely have included questions on cost of living, housing, energy prices, and other issues prominent in public debate at the time.

Evidence review

Matter of Public Importance and Auditor-General oversight

A Matter of Public Importance (MPI) debate was held at approximately page 0088. MPIs are a significant procedural tool available to the Opposition and crossbench. Under standing order 46, a member may propose a matter as 'definite matter of public importance' for discussion. If the Speaker agrees the matter is in order, it is debated for up to two hours. MPIs are typically used to criticise government policy or performance and put the government on the defensive.

Auditor-General's reports were presented at approximately page 0083, coinciding with the second Question Time session. The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) is an independent officer of the Parliament that conducts performance and financial statement audits of Commonwealth agencies. Tabling an ANAO report in Parliament is a formal step that makes the report public and places it on the parliamentary record. The specific reports tabled on this day would require examination of the full transcript, but ANAO reports often generate questions in Question Time and may prompt committee inquiries.

Evidence review

Adjournment debate, the Federation Chamber and how the day fits into the parliamentary week

The main chamber adjournment debate occurred at the end of the sitting day. Under standing orders, the adjournment debate provides MPs with a final opportunity to speak for a limited time on any matter before the House rises. Members often use adjournment speeches to raise local issues that did not fit elsewhere in the day's program.

The Federation Chamber — the House's second debating chamber, established in 1994 — also sat on this day. The Federation Chamber operates concurrently with the main chamber and typically handles less contentious legislation, committee reports, and private members' business. Its proceedings are recorded in a separate section of the Hansard. The presence of both chambers sitting, combined with four bill debates, two Question Time sessions, statements by members, an MPI, committee appointments, and ANAO reports, indicates a full parliamentary sitting day consistent with a Wednesday in a sitting week.

Wednesday 4 June 2026 fell towards the end of the autumn sitting period. The parliamentary calendar for 2026 shows the House sitting for a two-week block from late May through early June, with this being the second week — typically the heaviest for legislative business as the Government seeks to pass bills before the winter break.

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