The House met, at 10 am, pursuant to adjournment. The Speaker (the Honourable M. Dick) took the Chair, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.

Report

The Speaker presented the following document:

Determination made pursuant to the resolution of the House on 23 July 2025, relating to committee and delegation business and private Members’ business for Monday, 28 July 2025.

AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION —REPORT—STATEMENT BY MEMBER

Mr Leeser presented the following document:

Australian Parliamentary Delegation to Canada and the 70th annual session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Ottawa and Montreal, 20 to 28 November 2024—Report, February 2025.

Mr Leeser made a statement in connection with the report.

Repeal Net Zero Bill 2025

Mr Joyce, pursuant to notice, presented a Bill for an Act to repeal legislation relating to emissions reduction targets, and for related purposes.

Document

Mr Joyce presented an explanatory memorandum to the bill.

Bill read a first time.

Mr Joyce moved—That the bill be now read a second time.

Debate adjourned and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Criminal Code Amendment (Using Technology to Generate Child Abuse Material) Bill 2025

Ms Chaney, pursuant to notice, presented a Bill for an Act to amend the Criminal Code Act 1995 , and for related purposes.

Document

Ms Chaney presented an explanatory memorandum to the bill.

Bill read a first time.

Ms Chaney moved—That the bill be now read a second time.

Debate adjourned and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Communications) Bill 2025

Ms Steggall, pursuant to notice, presented a Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to elections and referendums in respect of electoral communications, and for related purposes.

Document

Ms Steggall presented an explanatory memorandum to the bill.

Bill read a first time.

Ms Steggall moved—That the bill be now read a second time.

Debate adjourned and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Student debt

Ms Mascarenhas, pursuant to notice, moved—That this House:

(1) commends the Government for its commitment to reduce student debt by 20 per cent by amending the law relating to:

(a) apprenticeship support loans;

(b) the Higher Education Loan Program;

(c) student start-up loans;

(d) vocational education and training student loans; and

(e) the student financial supplement schemes;

(2) recognises that when combined with the 2024 changes to indexation introduced by the Government, the 20 per cent reduction in student debt will cut approximately $20 billion in debt for approximately three million Australians;

(3) acknowledges that reducing the debt burden for Australian graduates will enable them to better use their skills and earnings to build a better future for themselves and their families;

(4) further commends the Government for promoting intergenerational fairness, recognising that quality education can change lives, and noting that the rising cost of tertiary education over recent decades has coincided with increasing demands for higher qualifications; and

(5) calls on the Opposition to support the Government’s measure to help more Australians access quality education, increase their earning potential and keep more of what they earn.

Debate ensued.

Debate adjourned and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Small business

Mr T Wilson, pursuant to notice, moved—That this House:

(1) acknowledges 2.5 million small businesses have been abandoned by the Government;

(2) notes the Government has:

(a) achieved a record number of small business insolvencies this financial year;

(b) done nothing to create an environment for small businesses to thrive; and

(c) made it more difficult than ever to do business in Australia; and

(3) calls on the Government to prioritise the problems facing small businesses by:

(a) removing excessive regulation it insists on applying to small business;

(b) scrapping its plans to impose a family savings tax on unrealised capital gains; and

(c) backing small business to make it easier to employ Australians.

Debate ensued.

Debate adjourned and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.

MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE

Message No. 4, 24 July 2025, from the Senate was reported informing the House that the Senate concurs with the resolutions of the House conveyed by message Nos 1 to 16 relating to the appointment of joint committees.

MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE

Message No. 1, 24 July 2025, from the Senate was reported informing the House that, contingent on the establishment of joint committees, Senators had been appointed as follows:

Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs—Senators Liddle, Stewart and Whiteaker.

Joint Committee on the Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings—Senators Blyth and Ciccone.

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services—Senators Hume, O’Neill, Barbara Pocock, Sharma and Whiteaker.

Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade—Senators Babet, Cadell, Ciccone, Colbeck, Darmanin, McLachlan, Nampijinpa Price, O’Neill, Shoebridge, Dean Smith, Stewart and Whiteaker.

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights—Senators Ananda-Rajah, Collins, Scarr, Shoebridge and Walker.

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement—Senators Antic, Cox, Polley, Sharma and Shoebridge.

Joint Standing Committee on Migration—Senators Ananda-Rajah, Bragg, Dolega and Shoebridge.

Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission—Senators Henderson, McGrath, Polley, Stewart and Walker.

Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories—Senators McLachlan, O’Sullivan, David Pocock, Polley and Walker.

Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme—Senators Brown, Chandler, Kovacic, Mulholland and Steele-John.

Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia—Senators Allman-Payne, McDonald, Dean Smith, Sterle and Walker.

Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library—Senators Askew, Blyth, Brown, Ghosh, Mulholland and Waters.

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Parliamentary Standards—Senators Chandler and Henderson.

Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit—Senators Darmanin, Dowling, Ghosh, Hume, O’Sullivan and Barbara Pocock.

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works—Senators Colbeck, Dolega and Kovacic.

Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth—Senators Canavan, Colbeck, Cox, Marielle Smith and Whish-Wilson.

Joint Standing Committee on Treaties—Senators Brockman, Canavan, Dolega, Ghosh, Nampijinpa Price, Sterle and Whish-Wilson.

MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE

Message No. 2, 24 July 2025, from the Senate was reported informing the House that, contingent on the establishment of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, Senators had been appointed to the committee as follows:

Senators Grogan, Hodgins-May and Mulholland as members; and

Senators Ananda-Rajah, Antic, Askew, Blyth, Bragg, Brockman, Brown, Canavan, Cash, Chandler, Ciccone, Collins, Cox, Darmanin, Dolega, Dowling, Duniam, Ghosh, Henderson, Hume, Kovacic, Liddle, McDonald, McKenzie, McLachlan, Nampijinpa Price, O’Neill, O’Sullivan, Paterson, David Pocock, Polley, Ruston, Scarr, Sharma, Sheldon, Dean Smith, Marielle Smith, Sterle, Stewart, Walker and Whiteaker as participating members for the committee’s inquiry into the 2025 election.

MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE

Message No. 3, 24 July 2025, from the Senate was reported informing the House that, contingent on the establishment of the Joint Standing Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme, Senators had been appointed to the committee as follows:

Senators Dowling and Dean Smith as members; and

Senators Ananda-Rajah, Antic, Askew, Blyth, Bragg, Brockman, Brown, Cadell, Canavan, Cash, Chandler, Ciccone, Colbeck, Collins, Cox, Darmanin, Dolega, Duniam, Ghosh, Grogan, Henderson, Hume, Kovacic, Liddle, McDonald, McGrath, McKenzie, McLachlan, Mulholland, Nampijinpa Price, O’Neill, O’Sullivan, Paterson, David Pocock, Polley, Ruston, Scarr, Sharma, Sheldon, Marielle Smith, Sterle, Stewart, Walker and Whiteaker as participating members.

MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE

Message No. 5, 24 July 2025, from the Senate was reported informing the House that Senator Shoebridge had been appointed a member of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

ADDRESS IN REPLY TO THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S SPEECH

The order of the day having been read for the resumption of the debate on the question—That the following Address in Reply to the speech of Her Excellency the Governor-General be agreed to:

May it please Your Excellency:

We, the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, in Parliament assembled, express our loyalty to the Sovereign, and thank Your Excellency for the speech which you have been pleased to address to Parliament—

Debate resumed.

Mr Chester addressing the House—

It being 1.30 pm, the debate was interrupted in accordance with standing order 43, Mr Chester was granted leave to continue his speech when the debate is resumed, and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for a later hour this day.

MEMBERS’ STATEMENTS

Members’ statements were made.

DEATHS OF FORMER MEMBER ( the Honourable Dr Charles Race Thorson Mathews ) AND FORMER SENATOR (DR ALAN EGGLESTON)

The Speaker informed the House of the deaths of the Honourable Dr Charles Race Thorson Mathews, on 5 May 2025, a Member of this House for the Division of Casey from 1972 to 1975 and Dr Alan Eggleston AM, on 13 May 2025, a Senator for the State of Western Australia from 1996 to 2014.

As a mark of respect to the memory of the deceased, all Members present stood, in silence.

DEATH OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS

Mr Albanese (Prime Minister) referred to the death of His Holiness Pope Francis, and moved—That the House record its sadness at the death, on 21 April 2025, of His Holiness Pope Francis, formerly Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, place on record its gratitude for his life of service, compassion and leadership, and tender its sympathy to Australian Catholics and people of all faiths who mourn his passing.

Ms Ley (Leader of the Opposition) having seconded the motion and all Members present having risen, in silence—

Debate adjourned (Mr Burke—Leader of the House), and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Mr Burke declared the order of the day referred to the Federation Chamber for debate.

QUESTIONS

Questions without notice were asked.

DOCUMENTS

The following documents were presented:

*Australian National University—Report for 2024.

Foreign Arrangements Scheme—Report for 2024.

Treaty— Text, together with associated documents —Nuclear-Powered Submarine Partnership and Collaboration Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Geelong, 26 July 2025).

*The document was made a Parliamentary Paper.

NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA ADVISORY COUNCIL

Mr Burke (Leader of the House), by leave, moved—That, in accordance with the provisions of section 10 of the Archives Act 1983 , this House appoint Mr D Smith as a member of the National Archives of Australia Advisory Council for a period of three years.

Question—put and passed.

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA COUNCIL

Mr Burke (Leader of the House), by leave, moved—That, in accordance with the provisions of the National Library Act 1960 , this House elect Ms Claydon to be a member of the Council of the National Library of Australia and to continue as a member for a period of three years from this day.

Question—put and passed.

Committee of Privileges and Members’ Interests—MEMBERSHIP

The House was informed that the Chief Government Whip had nominated Ms Chesters to be a member of the Committee of Privileges and Members’ Interests in place of Mr Laxale.

Mr Burke (Leader of the House), by leave, moved—That Mr Laxale be discharged from the Committee of Privileges and Members’ Interests and that, in his place, Ms Chesters be appointed a member of the committee.

Question—put and passed.

Committees —MEMBERSHIP

The House was informed that the Chief Government Whip had nominated Members to be members of certain committees.

Mr Burke (Leader of the House), by leave, moved—That Members be appointed as members of certain committees in accordance with the following list:

Standing Committee on Primary Industries—Ms Ambihaipahar, Mr Burnell, Ms T Cook, Dr Freelander, Mrs Phillips and Ms Swanson.

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services—Ms Jarrett, Ms Lawrence and Mr Moncrieff.

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights—Dr Freelander, Mr Holzberger and Ms Mascarenhas.

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement—Mr Abdo, Mrs Elliot and Mr Repacholi.

Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission—Dr Garland, Ms J Ryan and Ms Thwaites.

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Parliamentary Standards—Ms Chesters, Ms J Ryan and Ms Stanley.

Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs—Ms K Cook, Mr Lim, Ms Scrymgour and Mr M Smith.

Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters—Ms Campbell, Mr Laxale, Mr Neumann and Ms Payne.

Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade—Ms Clutterham, Mr Georganas, Mr Gosling, Ms Jarrett, Mr Lim, Mr Neumann, Ms Payne, Mrs Phillips, Ms Templeman, Ms Thwaites, Mr Watts and Mr Zappia.

Joint Standing Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme—Ms Belyea, Ms Coffey and Dr Reid.

Joint Standing Committee on Migration—Ms Fernando, Mr Georganas and Ms Miller-Frost.

Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories—Ms Claydon, Ms Coffey, Mr Gosling and Ms Payne.

Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme—Ms Berry, Ms Coker and Mrs Elliot.

Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia—Mr Gosling, Ms Scrymgour and Mr M Smith.

Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library—Ms Fernando, Mr French, Dr Reid and Ms Stanley.

Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth—Ms Briskey, Mr Georganas and Mr Lim.

Joint Standing Committee on Treaties—Ms Briskey, Ms Chesters, Ms Clutterham, Ms Lawrence, Mr Watts and Mr Zappia.

Question—put and passed.

ADDRESS IN REPLY TO THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S SPEECH

The order of the day having been read for the resumption of the debate on the question—That the Address in Reply to the speech of Her Excellency the Governor-General be agreed to ( see item No. 14, page 74 )—

Debate resumed.

Debate adjourned (Mr Burke—Leader of the House), and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for a later hour this day.

Selection Committee —MEMBERSHIP

The House was informed that the Chief Opposition Whip had nominated Members to be members of the Selection Committee.

Mr Burke (Leader of the House), by leave, moved—That Mr Caldwell, Ms Landry, Mr Pike and Ms Sharkie be appointed members of the Selection Committee.

Question—put and passed.

ADDRESS IN REPLY TO THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S SPEECH

The order of the day having been read for the resumption of the debate on the question—That the Address in Reply to the speech of Her Excellency the Governor-General be agreed to ( see item No. 14, page 74 )—

Ms J Ryan, by leave, again addressed the House.

Debate continued.

Ms Chesters addressing the House—

ADJOURNMENT

It being 7.30 pm—The question was proposed—That the House do now adjourn.

Debate ensued.

The House continuing to sit until 8 pm—The Speaker adjourned the House until 12 noon tomorrow.

DOCUMENTS

The following documents were deemed to have been presented on 28 July 2025 (An explanatory statement has been presented with each instrument unless otherwise indicated by an asterisk):

Air Services Act 1995— Notice under section 54—30 June 2025.

Defence Act 1903— Defence Determination, Conditions of service Amendment (Cyber warfare pay structure) Determination (No. 12) 2025 [F2025L00866].

Migration Act 1958— Notices under section 501C—

2 July 2025.

22 July 2025.

Superannuation (Unclaimed Money and Lost Members) Act 1999— Superannuation (Unclaimed Money and Lost Members) Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2025 [F2025L00865].

Sydney Airport Curfew Act 1995— Dispensation report—03/25.

ATTENDANCE

All Members attended (at some time during the sitting) except *Ms Fernando, Mr Gosling, Mr Katter, Ms Swanson and Ms Templeman.

* On leave

Claressa Surtees

Clerk of the House of Representatives

2025

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SUPPLEMENT TO VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS

No. 4

FEDERATION CHAMBER

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Monday, 28 July 2025

The Federation Chamber met at 10.30 am.

MEMBERS’ CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS

Members’ constituency statements were made.

Home Affairs Portfolio

Mr Hastie, pursuant to notice, moved—That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) the Government prioritised party politics over the protection of Australians by dismantling the Home Affairs portfolio after the 2022 election;

(b) only the Opposition took a commitment to the 2025 election to undo the Government’s damage and restore Home Affairs to its rightful place as the pre-eminent domestic national security policy and operations portfolio; and

(c) the decision to reconstitute the Home Affairs portfolio following the election, and the Prime Minister’s acknowledgement that there were issues with information sharing during the Dural caravan incident are an admission that the national security architecture that was put in place by dismantling the Home Affairs portfolio failed at a critical time; and

(2) calls on the Government to apologise for putting party politics over Australia’s national security by changing the Home Affairs portfolio three times in three years in a pointless factional tug-of-war.

Debate ensued.

The time allotted for the debate having expired, the debate was interrupted, and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Medicare

Ms J Ryan, pursuant to notice, moved—That this House:

(1) acknowledges the Government’s commitment to strengthening Medicare;

(2) welcomes that, from 1 July 2025, the following measures to strengthen Medicare began:

(a) a $1.8 billion boost to hospital funding, helping Australians get the quality healthcare they deserve;

(b) more choice, lower costs, and high-quality care for Australian women; and

(c) expanded access to Medicare-funded magnetic resonance imaging scans;

(3) further welcomes the Government’s commitments to strengthen Medicare through:

(a) the single largest investment in Medicare to deliver more bulk billing;

(b) opening an additional 50 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, on top of the 87 already in operation;

(c) cutting the maximum cost of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medicine to $25; and

(d) launching 1800 MEDICARE to take pressure off hospitals and make free, urgent care available to all Australians;

(4) notes the stark contrast between the Government’s investment in Medicare and the Leader of the Opposition, who, as health minister, extended the Medicare rebate freeze; and

(5) welcomes the Government delivering the better future Australians voted for by strengthening Medicare.

Debate ensued.

The time allotted for the debate having expired, the debate was interrupted, and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Victory in the Pacific Day

Mr Chester, pursuant to notice, moved—That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) 15 August 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Pacific Day (VP Day);

(b) VP Day marks the end of the Second World War in the Pacific, following Japan’s surrender on 15 August 1945;

(c) victory in the Pacific marked the end of the biggest ever threat to Australian soil at the time;

(d) the formal surrender took place on 2 September 1945 aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay;

(e) Australian forces were engaged in campaigns across the Pacific, in New Guinea, Bougainville, New Britain, Borneo and the Philippines, and Australian prisoners of the Japanese were spread throughout Asia; and

(f) over 200,000 Australian servicemen and women were involved in the war against Japan, and over 17,000 died; and

(2) acknowledges our:

(a) gratitude to those who served, and their families, for the sacrifices they made which secured the freedoms we enjoy today; and

(b) bipartisan ongoing commitment to remember their service and sacrifice.

Debate ensued.

The time allotted for the debate having expired, the debate was interrupted, and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Anniversaries of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Ms Lawrence, pursuant to notice, moved—That this House:

(1) commemorates the 80th anniversaries of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 9 August 1945, which caused the deaths of over 200,000 people and left enduring human, environmental and generational harm;

(2) congratulates Nihon Hidankyo on their 2024 Nobel Peace Prize for their lifelong work to draw the world’s attention to the impact of nuclear weapons, and acknowledges the profound suffering of direct and descendent nuclear bomb survivors (Hibakusha) and nuclear test survivors, including First Nations communities and military veterans affected by British nuclear testing in Australia and the Pacific;

(3) recognises the importance of a robust international legal architecture for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, including the cornerstone Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Rarotonga) and a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty;

(4) reaffirms that Australia shares the ambition, with States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, of a world without nuclear weapons;

(5) welcomes global efforts to reduce the risk of nuclear war and strengthen disarmament norms; and

(6) calls on the Government to continue engaging constructively in international disarmament forums and to work with allies, civil society, and affected communities to advance practical steps towards a world without nuclear weapons.

Debate ensued.

Debate adjourned and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Job Ready Graduates Scheme

Mr Wilkie, pursuant to notice, moved—That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) when the previous Government introduced the Job Ready Graduates Scheme, many students, education experts, universities, and members of the then Opposition criticised the scheme as an inequitable and damaging attack on students, and on the humanities and social sciences in particular;

(b) the subsequent Australian Universities Accord final report found the Job Ready Graduates Scheme had been a policy failure and an expensive impost on students, and recommended it be replaced with a more equitable funding arrangement; and

(c) despite three years in power and 18 months since the Universities Accord Report, the current Government has failed to act in the best interests of students and has left the Job Ready Graduates Scheme in place; and

(2) calls on the Government to:

(a) urgently repeal the Job Ready Graduates Scheme; and

(b) implement a return to fee-free first degrees for Australian citizens.

Debate ensued.

Debate adjourned and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Suspension of meeting

At 1.22 pm, the Deputy Speaker left the Chair.

Resumption of meeting

At 4 pm, the Deputy Speaker resumed the Chair.

MEMBERS’ STATEMENTS

Members’ statements were made.

Artificial intelligence

Mr Violi, pursuant to notice, moved—That this House:

(1) acknowledges the opportunities generative artificial intelligence (AI) will have on the Australian economy;

(2) notes the AI driven productivity and innovation boosts already occurring in Australian businesses and households;

(3) further acknowledges Australia’s global AI competitive advantage and the risks associated with not grasping our AI opportunities; and

(4) further notes the speed at which AI technology is developing, and that Government must keep up with community expectations by ensuring Australians have access to reliable AI technologies domestically and that their governments create efficiencies by embracing new technologies such as AI as they develop.

Debate ensued.

Debate adjourned and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Men’s health

Mr Repacholi, pursuant to notice, moved—That this House:

(1) acknowledges that:

(a) too many Australian men are struggling with their health in silence, with outdated stereotypes stopping them from seeking support; and

(b) suicide rates among men remain far too high;

(2) recognises that the Government is delivering real support to men and boys by strengthening Medicare and investing $32 million in targeted men’s health initiatives, including:

(a) $11.3 million for Movember to train 60,000 primary health workers and encourage men to visit the doctor; and

(b) $20.7 million for grassroots mental health support, including expanded funding for Men’s Sheds, Ahead of the Game, Healthy Male, and the Danny Frawley Centre;

(3) notes that this builds on the Government’s broader investments of:

(a) $8.5 billion to strengthen Medicare;

(b) $11.6 million in men’s health funding in the 2024-25 budget; and

(c) $1 billion for mental health, including more headspace centres and more trained mental health professionals; and

(4) welcomes the Government’s commitment to breaking down stigma, supporting better health outcomes for men and boys, and building a stronger, fairer, healthier Australia for everyone.

Debate ensued.

The time allotted for the debate having expired, the debate was interrupted, and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Local government

Dr Webster, pursuant to notice, moved—That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) fourteen months ago, the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government referred the local government sustainability inquiry to the Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport because local government faced ‘pressing issues’ and that the inquiry was ‘long overdue’;

(b) local councils are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain their financial sustainability, especially in the regions;

(c) the President of the Australian Local Government Association, Matt Burnett, asserts that ‘financial sustainability is the biggest challenge facing our sector’ with many councils ‘at breaking point after years of delivering more local services and infrastructure with less funding’;

(d) the Government-dominated inquiry only delivered an interim report 11 months after it started, and the inquiry lapsed at the dissolution of the House of Representatives;

(e) the inquiry’s interim report made no recommendations; and

(f) the interim report identified emerging themes including:

(i) the significant expansion in the role of local government over time, much of which is due to cost shifting from other levels of government;

(ii) calls for a review of the Financial Assistance Grants program, and in particular the distribution formula, quantum of the funding pool, indexation methodology, and the national principles;

(iii) concerns by councils about the reliance on competitive grant programs requiring co‑contributions;

(iv) limits to revenue generation in some areas due to rate capping in Victoria and rate pegging in New South Wales; and

(v) considerable skills shortages experienced by councils which are exacerbated in the regions; and

(2) calls upon the Minister, as a first order of business, to refer the matter to the committee afresh to continue the unfinished inquiry and let it deliver a final report, for the sake of the 537 local councils and shires around the country.

Debate ensued.

Debate adjourned and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Award wages

Mr Burnell, pursuant to notice, moved—That this House:

(1) acknowledges the Government’s commitment to Australians earning more and keeping more of what they earn;

(2) notes that on 1 July 2025:

(a) millions of Australian workers on minimum and award wages got a 3.5 per cent pay rise; and

(b) the superannuation guarantee increased to 12 per cent; and

(3) welcomes the Government delivering the better future Australians voted for.

Debate ensued.

Debate adjourned and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.

ADJOURNMENT

On the motion of Mr Neumann, the Federation Chamber adjourned at 7.05 pm, until 12.30 pm tomorrow.

Peter Banson

Clerk of the Federation Chamber