The House met, at 12 noon, pursuant to adjournment. The Speaker (the Honourable M. Dick) took the Chair, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.

Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Bill 2025

Mr Burke (Minister for Home Affairs), pursuant to notice, presented a Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to migration, and for related purposes.

Document

Mr Burke presented an explanatory memorandum to the bill.

Bill read a first time.

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

Debate adjourned (Mr Wallace), and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.

National Anti-Corruption Commission—Parliamentary Joint Committee—Amendment of resolution of appointment

Mr Burke (Leader of the House), pursuant to notice, moved—That:

(1) the resolution of appointment for the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission be amended to replace subparagraph (1)(l) with the following:

“(l) the committee or any subcommittee have power to consider and make use of the evidence and records of the former Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity, and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission appointed during previous Parliaments;”; and

(2) a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly.

Question—put and passed.

Suspension of standing and sessional orders

Mr Burke (Leader of the House), pursuant to notice, moved—That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Leader of the House from moving the following motion immediately—That all words in paragraph (d) of standing order 215 be omitted and the following words substituted:

“(d) Each committee appointed under paragraph (a) shall consist of 10 members (six government Members, three opposition Members and one crossbench Member), with the exception of the Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water, and the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability, which shall consist of six government Members, two opposition Members and two crossbench Members. Each committee may have its membership supplemented by up to four members for a particular inquiry, with a maximum of two extra government and two extra opposition or crossbench Members. Supplementary members shall have the same participatory rights as other members, but may not vote.”

Question—put and passed.

Amendment to standing order 215( d )

In accordance with the resolution agreed to earlier this sitting—

Mr Burke (Leader of the House) moved—That all words in paragraph (d) of standing order 215 be omitted and the following words substituted:

“(d) Each committee appointed under paragraph (a) shall consist of 10 members (six government Members, three opposition Members and one crossbench Member), with the exception of the Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water, and the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability, which shall consist of six government Members, two opposition Members and two crossbench Members. Each committee may have its membership supplemented by up to four members for a particular inquiry, with a maximum of two extra government and two extra opposition or crossbench Members. Supplementary members shall have the same participatory rights as other members, but may not vote.”

Question—put and passed.

MATTER DECLARED REFERRED TO FEDERATION CHAMBER

Mr Burke (Leader of the House) declared the following order of the day, government business, referred to the Federation Chamber for debate:

Address in Reply to the Governor-General’s speech: Resumption of debate.

MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE

Message No. 18, 25 August 2025, from the Senate was reported informing the House that:

Senators Cash, Ciccone, Grogan, McDonald and Marielle Smith had been appointed members of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security; and

Senators Polley and Walker had been discharged from attendance on the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission and Senators Darmanin and Ghosh had been appointed members of the committee.

MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE

Message No. 19, 25 August 2025, from the Senate was reported returning the Defence Housing Australia Amendment Bill 2025 without amendment.

National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025

The order of the day having been read for the resumption of the debate on the question—That the bill be now read a second time—

Debate resumed.

Mrs McIntosh moved, as an amendment—That all words after “That” be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

“whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House:

(1) notes with concern the Government’s continuing delays in implementing the recommendations of the Health Technology Assessment review; and

(2) condemns the Prime Minister’s failure to secure a meeting with the President of the United States to advance Australia’s interests in relation to possible pharmaceutical tariffs and other issues”.

Debate ensued.

Ms Clutterham addressing the House—

It being 1.30 pm, the debate was interrupted in accordance with standing order 43, Ms Clutterham was granted leave to continue her 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.

QUESTIONS

Questions without notice were asked.

DOCUMENT

The following document was presented:

Workplace Gender Equality Agency—Progress report for the period 1 June 2022 to 31 December 2024.

DISCUSSION OF MATTER OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE— AUKUS Agreement and Defence Spending

The House was informed that Mr Taylor had proposed that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely, “The importance of the AUKUS agreement and greater defence spending to Australia’s security and prosperity”.

The proposed discussion having received the necessary support—

Mr Taylor addressed the House.

Discussion ensued.

Discussion concluded.

Suspension of standing and sessional orders—Private Members’ Notice

Ms White (Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care), for Mr Burke (Leader of the House), pursuant to notice, moved—That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the private Members’ business notice relating to the disallowance of item 12 of the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Health and Aged Care Measures No. 4) Regulations 2024 made under the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997 on 24 October 2024 and presented to the House on 4 November 2024, standing in the name of the Member for Kooyong, being called on immediately.

Question—put and passed.

DOCUMENTS—STATEMENT

Mr L O’Brien, by leave, presented the following documents:

Law Enforcement—Parliamentary Joint Committee—

Examination of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission annual report 2023-24 (report of the 47th Parliament)—Report, March 2025.

Examination of the Australian Federal Police annual report 2023-24 (report of the 47th Parliament)—Report, March 2025.

The documents were made Parliamentary Papers.

Mr L O’Brien, by leave, made a statement in connection with the documents.

National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025

The order of the day having been read for the resumption of the debate on the question—That the bill be now read a second time— And on the amendment moved thereto by Mrs McIntosh (see item No. 9, page 130) —

Debate resumed.

Ms Comer 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 9 am tomorrow.

DOCUMENTS

The following documents were deemed to have been presented on 26 August 2025 (An explanatory statement has been presented with each instrument unless otherwise indicated by an asterisk):

Civil Aviation Act 1988— Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998—MOS Part 139H Amendment Instrument 2025 [F2025L00987].

Currency Act 1965— Currency (Australian Coins) Amendment (2025 Royal Australian Mint No. 8) Determination 2025 [F2025L00981].

Customs Act 1901— Customs (United Arab Emirates Rules of Origin) Regulations 2025 [F2025L00957].

Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997— Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Portfolio Measures No. 1) Regulations 2025 [F2025L00961].

Health Insurance Act 1973— Health Insurance Amendment (Assignment of Medicare Benefits and Other Measures) Regulations 2025 [F2025L00983].

Radiocommunications Act 1992— Radiocommunications (Radio-controlled Models) Class Licence 2025 [F2025L00971].

Social Security Act 1991— Social Security (Deeming Threshold Rates) Determination 2025 [F2025L00989].

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986—

Statement of Principles concerning hepatitis D infection (Balance of Probabilities)—No. 72 of 2025 [F2025L00974].

Statement of Principles concerning hepatitis D infection (Reasonable Hypothesis)—No. 71 of 2025 [F2025L00973].

Statement of Principles concerning occipital neuralgia (Balance of Probabilities)—No. 74 of 2025 [F2025L00976].

Statement of Principles concerning occipital neuralgia (Reasonable Hypothesis)—No. 73 of 2025 [F2025L00975].

ATTENDANCE

All Members attended (at some time during the sitting) except *Ms Fernando, Dr Garland, Mr Hamilton, Mr Katter, Mr Marles and Ms Swanson.

* On leave

Claressa Surtees

Clerk of the House of Representatives

2025

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SUPPLEMENT TO VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS

No. 9

FEDERATION CHAMBER

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Tuesday, 26 August 2025

The Federation Chamber met at 12.30 pm.

GRIEVANCE DEBATE

Pursuant to the provisions of standing order 192 b , the order of the day having been read for the resumption of the debate on the question—That grievances be noted—

Debate resumed.

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

Suspension of meeting

At 1.30 pm, the Deputy Speaker left the Chair.

Resumption of meeting

At 3.59 pm, the Deputy Speaker resumed the Chair.

MEMBERS’ CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS

Members’ constituency statements being made—

Suspension of meeting

At 4.46 pm, a division having been called in the House, the proceedings were suspended.

Resumption of meeting

At 4.57 pm, the proceedings were resumed.

Members’ constituency statements continued.

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.

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

ADJOURNMENT

On the motion of Ms Jarrett, the Federation Chamber adjourned at 7.22 pm, until 9.30 am tomorrow.

Peter Banson

Clerk of the Federation Chamber