The House met, at 9 am, pursuant to adjournment. The Speaker (the Honourable M. Dick) took the Chair, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.

Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025

Ms Wells (Minister for Communications), pursuant to notice, presented a Bill for an Act to amend the Telecommunications Act 1997 , and for related purposes.

Document

Ms Wells presented an explanatory memorandum to the bill.

Bill read a first time.

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

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

Defence Amendment (Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal) Bill 2025

Mr Keogh (Minister for Defence Personnel), pursuant to notice, presented a Bill for an Act to amend the Defence Act 1903 , and for related purposes.

Document

Mr Keogh presented an explanatory memorandum to the bill.

Bill read a first time.

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

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

CUSTOMS TARIFF PROPOSAL

Mr Hill (Assistant Minister for Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs) moved Customs Tariff Proposal (No. 2) 2025.

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

Commonwealth Workplace Protection Orders 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.

Question—put and passed—bill read a second time.

Leave granted for third reading to be moved immediately.

On the motion of Mr Thistlethwaite (Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade), the bill was read a third time.

POSTPONEMENT OF ORDER OF THE DAY

Ordered—That order of the day No. 3, government business, be postponed until a later hour this day.

Housing Australia Act 2018 —Housing Australia Investment Mandate Amendment (Delivering on Our 2025 Election Commitment) Direction 2025 —MOTION TO TAKE NOTE OF DOCUMENT

In accordance with the resolution agreed to on 27 August 2025—

The order of the day having been read for the resumption of the debate on the motion of Ms Kearney (Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence)—That the House take note of the document ( presented on 27 August 2025 ), viz.—

Housing Australia Act 2018 —Housing Australia Investment Mandate Amendment (Delivering on Our 2025 Election Commitment) Direction 2025—

Debate resumed.

Debate adjourned (Ms M M H King—Minister for Northern Australia), and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for a later hour this day.

Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility —MINISTERIAL STATEMENT—MOTION TO TAKE NOTE OF DOCUMENT—REFERENCE TO FEDERATION CHAMBER

Ms M M H King (Minister for Northern Australia), by leave, made a ministerial statement relating to the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, and presented the following document:

Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility—Statement by the Minister for Northern Australia, Madeleine King MP, 28 August 2025.

Mr Littleproud (Leader of The Nationals) addressed the House in reply.

Ms M M H King moved—That the House take note of the document.

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

Ms M M H King, by leave, moved—That the order of the day be referred to the Federation Chamber for debate.

Question—put and passed.

Public Works—Parliamentary Standing Committee—MEMBERSHIP

The House was informed that the Chief Government Whip had nominated Ms Lawrence to be a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works in place of Mr Burns.

Ms McBride (Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health), by leave, moved—That Mr Burns be discharged from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and that, in his place, Ms Lawrence be appointed a member of the committee.

Question—put and passed.

Housing Australia Act 2018 —Housing Australia Investment Mandate Amendment (Delivering on Our 2025 Election Commitment) Direction 2025 —MOTION TO TAKE NOTE OF DOCUMENT

In accordance with the resolution agreed to on 27 August 2025—

The order of the day having been read for the resumption of the debate on the motion of Ms Kearney (Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence) ( see item No. 8 )—

Debate resumed.

Mr McCormack addressing the House—

It being 1.30 pm, the debate was interrupted in accordance with standing order 43, Mr McCormack 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 Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart—STATEMENTS

Mr Albanese (Prime Minister), by indulgence, made a statement in relation to the deaths of Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart.

Ms Ley (Leader of the Opposition) and Dr Haines, by indulgence, also made statements on the matter.

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

QUESTIONS

Questions without notice being asked—

Member directed to leave

At 2.47 pm the Member for O’Connor ( Mr R Wilson ) was directed, under standing order 94, to leave the Chamber for one hour for interjecting and he accordingly left the Chamber.

Questions without notice continued.

DOCUMENT

The following document was presented:

Defence Act 1903— Independent review of Part IIIAAA of the Act—Final report, 20 December 2024.

DISCUSSION OF MATTER OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE— Government spending

The House was informed that Mr Ted O’Brien (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) had proposed that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely, “The impact of the Government’s spending spree on Australian households”.

The proposed discussion having received the necessary support—

Mr Ted O’Brien addressed the House.

Discussion ensued.

Documents

Mr T Wilson , by leave, presented the following documents:

Australian LGBTIQ+ politicians were hit with vile online abuse at the last federal election. The coming campaign could be even worse— The Conversation —Elise Stephenson, Blair Williams, Gosia Mikolajczak and Jack Hayes, posted 19 February 2025.

‘Risky visibility’: the online harassment of queer politicians—European Journal of Politics and Gender—Research article by Elise Stephenson, Blair Williams, Gosia Mikolajczak and Jack Hayes, 10 February 2025.

Message to Tim Wilson MP, 29 April 2025.

Discussion continued.

Discussion concluded.

MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE

Message No. 21, 28 August 2025, from the Senate was reported returning the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Penalty and Overtime Rates) Bill 2025 without amendment.

Intelligence and Security—Parliamentary Joint Committee —REPORT—STATEMENT BY MEMBER

Mr Wallace (Deputy Chair) presented the following document:

Intelligence and Security—Parliamentary Joint Committee—Advisory report on the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2025—Report, 27 August 2025.

In accordance with standing order 39(e) the report was made a Parliamentary Paper.

Mr Wallace, by leave, made a statement in connection with the report.

Housing Australia Act 2018 —Housing Australia Investment Mandate Amendment (Delivering on Our 2025 Election Commitment) Direction 2025 —MOTION TO TAKE NOTE OF DOCUMENT

In accordance with the resolution agreed to on 27 August 2025—

The order of the day having been read for the resumption of the debate on the motion of Ms Kearney (Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence) ( see item No. 8, page 145 )—

Debate resumed.

ADJOURNMENT

It being 4.30 pm—The question was proposed—That the House do now adjourn.

Debate ensued.

The House continuing to sit until 5 pm—The Speaker adjourned the House until 10 am on Monday, 1 September 2025.

DOCUMENTS

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

A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999— A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) (Simplified Accounting Methods—Government Entities Selling Food in Prisons and Detention Institutions) Determination 2025 [F2025L00997].

Australian Education Act 2013— Australian Education Amendment (2025 Capital Funding Indexation) Regulations 2025 [F2025L00986].

Biosecurity Act 2015— Biosecurity Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2025 [F2025L00995].

Corporations Act 2001— ASIC Corporations (Repeal) Instrument 2025/522 [F2025L00993].

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999— List of Exempt Native Specimens Amendment (Queensland Commercial Crayfish and Rock Lobster Fishery) Instrument, August 2025 [F2025L01001].

Lands Acquisition Act 1989— Statement under section 125—August 2025.

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986—

Amendment Statement of Principles concerning sensorineural hearing loss (Balance of Probabilities)—No. 76 of 2025 [F2025L00978].

Amendment Statement of Principles concerning sensorineural hearing loss (Reasonable Hypothesis)—No. 75 of 2025 [F2025L00977].

ATTENDANCE

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

* On leave

Claressa Surtees

Clerk of the House of Representatives

2025

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SUPPLEMENT TO VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS

No. 11

FEDERATION CHAMBER

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Thursday, 28 August 2025

The Federation Chamber met at 9.30 am.

MEMBERS’ CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS

Members’ constituency statements being made—

Suspension of meeting

At 9.32 am, a division having been called in the House, the proceedings were suspended.

Resumption of meeting

At 9.45 am, the proceedings were resumed.

Members’ constituency statements continued.

National Skills Week—STATEMENTS

Statements were made.

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

Mr Ng moved—That the Federation Chamber do now adjourn.

Debate ensued.

Question—put and passed.

At 1.30 pm, the Deputy Speaker adjourned the Federation Chamber until 10.30 am on Monday, 1 September 2025.

Peter Banson

Clerk of the Federation Chamber