The SPEAKER ( Hon. Milton Dick ) took the chair at 12:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.
That an Address of Congratulation be presented to His Majesty The King, as follows:
YOUR MAJESTY
We, the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives, express to Your Majesty our warm congratulations at this time of your Coronation.
We express our respect and regard for the dedication you have displayed in your commitment to public service and to the people of Australia.
Wherever you may live in the United Kingdom, or in the realms and territories across the world, and whatever may be your background or beliefs, I shall endeavour to serve you with loyalty, respect and love, as I have throughout my life.
The myriad connections between our nations have sustained and enriched us for more than seven decades. Our commitment to peace, progress and opportunity will sustain us for many more.
Everybody sooner or later discovered that … they had in their midst not only an inevitable celebrity, but a human being of extraordinary warmth and worth …
… … …
… the resulting affection and understanding between him and Australians at large is a bond much appreciated by many.
Amidst the horror and the sorrow, I have … felt the greatest possible sense of admiration for the extraordinary determination and resilience of the Australian people.
There is no point now in trying to gloss over the circumstances in which the country, of which you are rightly proud, began.
The true celebration of this nation is in its constitution. In those dry-sounding but hard fought for rules and regulations, every family in this remarkable country has its rights protected and cherished.
… there are those who would wish to see such a rapidly changing world reflected by a change in Australia's institutions … it is also not surprising that there are differing views: some people will doubtless prefer the stability of a system that has been reasonably well-tried and tested over the years …
The point I want to make here … is that this is something which only you—the Australian people—can decide.
—That:
(1) standing order 31 (automatic adjournment of the House) and standing order 33 (limit on business) be suspended for the sitting on Tuesday, 9 May 2023;
(2) so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent, on Thursday, 11 May 2023:
(a) the meeting of the House commencing at 12 noon, to enable the Address-in-Reply to be presented to His Excellency the Governor-General; and
(b) the Federation Chamber not meeting; and
(3) standing order 31 (automatic adjournment of the House) be suspended for the sitting on Thursday, 11 May 2023 and at that sitting, after the Leader of the Opposition completes his reply to the Budget speech, the House automatically to stand adjourned until 10 am on Monday, 22 May 2023, unless the Speaker or, in the event of the Speaker being unavailable, the Deputy Speaker, fixes an alternative day or hour of meeting.
Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2023
Infrastructure Australia Amendment (Independent Review) Bill 2023
Family Law Amendment Bill 2023
Family Law Amendment (Information Sharing) Bill 2023
Crimes and Other Legislation Amendment (Omnibus) Bill 2023
National Reconstruction Fund Corporation Bill 2023
Royal Commissions Amendment (Enhancing Engagement) Bill 2023
Safeguard Mechanism (Crediting) Amendment Bill 2023
Australia Council Amendment (Creative Australia) Bill 2023
National Health Amendment (Effect of Prosecution—Approved Pharmacist Corporations) Bill 2023
Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Information Disclosure, National Interest and Other Measures) Bill 2022
Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Closing the Gender Pay Gap) Bill 2023
That the House take note of the report.
That the order of the day be referred to the Federation Chamber for debate.
Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2023
Infrastructure Australia Amendment (Independent Review) Bill 2023
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 this Government's record of cancellations, cuts and delays to infrastructure projects across Australia;
(2) criticises the Government's failure to adhere to processes of assessing infrastructure investment projects they set themselves before the 2022 election by agreeing to invest $2.2 billion in the Melbourne Suburban Rail Loop and $2.5 billion in the Brisbane Arena without first obtaining advice from Infrastructure Australia; and
(3) notes the nation-building and economy strengthening $120 billion 10-year pipeline of infrastructure investments inherited by the Government upon its election in May 2022".
Family Law Amendment Bill 2023
The ALRC supports the idea that a presumption of shared parental responsibility serves as a good starting point for negotiations between parents and recommends that the concept be retained.
While it is agreed that the current provisions in Division 13A are a complex mess and should be simplified, the ACT BA does not consider that the proposed changes would make the division easier to understand. They are, instead, a different complex mess … ACT BA submits that the provisions should be reconsidered and consultation with the profession should occur before that reconsideration.
In 2021, despite a campaign with the support of over 100 peak bodies, health experts, and community organisations; data collection about LGBTIQA+ Australians were dropped due to the conservative position of the Chief Statistician within the Australian Bureau of Statistics. This essentially means that neither the federal or state governments within Australia have any definitive data about lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex, queer and other sexuality and bodily diverse Australians within their communities; or the intersectionality of this data with other factors such as health, income, culture, location, etc. The lack of current population-level data limits understanding of health and wellbeing needs of LGBTIQA+ people, and both the development of policy and allocation of resources for LGBTIQA+ communities
We therefore ask the House to makes changes to the Census and Statistics Act 1905 to legally mandate the inclusion of LGBTIQA+ data within the census. The Chief Statistician's current authority to include this data per the Act "as he or she considers appropriate" subjects marginalised people such as LGBTIQA+ Australians to the personal bias of a singular individual. No one person has the right to say that a group of people are invalid and do not deserve to be counted, and this authority needs to be stripped away and replaced with statutory directives mandating the collection of this data.
… wholesale spot prices averaged $83 per megawatt hour (MWh) for the March quarter, down from $93/MWh and $216/MWh in the previous December and September quarters.
Our latest quarterly wholesale report—
shows forward base futures prices for electricity initially stabilised during the early part of 2023, and … remain well below levels observed in 2022.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, having the ability for self-reliance, be it vaccine development or the defence of Australia, is vital to meeting our own requirements in a changing global environment.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute has estimated that Australia will spend $100 billion in the next 20 years on missile and guided weapons purchases.
It's the Australian Property Trust. It's a unit trust.
On 13 September 2017, you emailed your accountant, Mr Beasley, and advised him: 'FYI, anything that comes in from this in the future, I will end up sending to APUT—
the same amount that comes in.'
I had a business relationship with Mr Robert at one point in time. That finished around about, give or take, the end of 2018. He would have been a unit holder through whatever mechanism, whether it be his family trust or personally … up until … that time, give or take.
The Housing Australia Future Fund is an important step towards providing more Australians a safe and secure home.
It provides an ongoing stream of commonwealth funds to support the delivery of social and affordable housing.
… the cost will potentially be higher interest rates, which households and businesses cannot afford.
It's a small step, but I think it's the right step, to have a Voice and be heard. I've taken the time over the past 12 months to speak to elders, community members and people I trust to get more information about the Voice.
… … …
I feel like it's the opening of a pathway to make sure we're included and respected in decision-making on issues that affect us.
… if the Voice gets up with the support of Australian sport, it will be able to look back with pride in decades to come on the fact that it was on the right side of history—the way Peter Norman was at the Mexico Olympics supporting the black athletes on the podium…
The cost of living crisis and the Prime Minister's broken promise that Australians would be better off under his government.
As cost of living continues to rise, families are being forced to choose between keeping a roof over their heads and putting food on the table.
soooo good… I'm on a lot of meds so it just makes life easier that it is so cheap to buy.
At a time when things are more expensive and cost of living is really tough, this is such a huge benefit.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PETITIONS COMMITTEE
REPORT No. 9
Petitions and Ministerial Responses
9 May 2023
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
Chair Ms Susan Templeman MP
Deputy Chair Mr Ross Vasta MP
Mr Sam Birrell MP
Ms Alison Byrnes MP
Ms Lisa Chesters MP
Mr Garth Hamilton MP
Ms Tracy Roberts MP
Ms Meryl Swanson MP
Report summarising the petitions and ministerial responses being presented.
The committee met in private session in the 47th Parliament on 8 March 2023, 22 M arch 2023, 29 March 2023 and 12 April 2023.
1. The committee resolved to present the following 55 petitions in accordance with standing order 207:
Petitions certified on 8 March 2023
From 161 petitioners—requesting Just terms compensation for the Noongar people of Western Australia. (EN4808)
From 132 petitioners—requesting Ban mRNA vaccines. (EN4810)
From 20 petitioners—requesting Cancel the referendum for indigenous Voice to Parliament (EN4819)
From 11 petitioners—requesting Control inflation with compulsory savings (EN4822)
From 91 petitioners—requesting Independent review into the Australian Broadcasting Corporation for media bias (EN4823)
From 254 petitioners—requesting Turkish Family Scheme visa (EN4824)
From 52 petitioners—requesting Trove is an essential source for researching all historical data. (EN4825)
From 1507 petitioners—requesting Parliamentary inquiry into the wind turbine industry in Australia (EN4826)
From 3056 petitioners—requesting Australia's Heritage Brumbies Deserve Recognition and protection in Commonwealth Legislation (EN4827)
From 218 petitioners—requesting Amend Social Security law to include Nurse Practitioners (EN4834)
From 270 petitioners—requesting Reduce the Retirement Age for Aboriginal people in Australia. (EN4835)
From 21 petitioners—requesting Outlaw hidden charges (EN4838)
From 13 petitioners—requesting Improve rights of employees when made redundant after November 1st (EN4839)
From 7645 petitioners—requesting Unrestricted work rights for students (EN4842)
From 14 petitioners—requesting Medicare Coverage for Foreign Aged Parents in Australia (EN4843)
From 279 petitioners—requesting Medicare improve access to bulk billing GP's (EN4849)
From 3875 petitioners—requesting Support Current Victorian Nursing and Midwifery students (EN4851)
From 19 petitioners—requesting Withdraw Triple J Sponsorship of the Groovin' the Moo festival (EN4854)
From 14 petitioners—requesting National testing for dioxins in Australia. (EN4856)
From 417 petitioners—requesting Permanent residency pathway for family members on long-term bridging visas (EN4857)
From 32 petitioners—requesting PCR tests—change back to no referral required (EN4859)
From 15 petitioners—requesting Add jab data to the next Australian census. (EN4862)
From 3261 petitioners—requesting Allowing asylum for individuals with non-conforming in traditional gender identities (EN4863)
From 43 petitioners—requesting Including onboarding and psych-evaluations to the NDIS worker screening checks(EN4870)
From 138 petitioners—requesting Improve access to Medicare for telehealth consultations with General Practitioners (EN4872)
From 31161 petitioners—requesting Bereavement suite or room in every hospital in Australia (EN4873)
Petitions certified on 22 March 2023
From 12 petitioners—requesting Subsidise EV Conversions (EN4880)
From 27 petitioners—requesting Keep Fiasp (ultra-fast acting) Insulin on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (EN4886)
From 9 petitioners—requesting Revoke Pauga Extraditable Person notice since Samoan Arrest warrant withdrawn (EN4889)
From 45 petitioners—requesting Royal Commission into Murdoch media empire (EN4891)
From 10 petitioners—requesting 1000Mbit to our 12Mbit? Country internet speeds are not equitable! (EN4892)
From 10 petitioners—requesting Sponsored Tourist visa facilitation for Lebanese (EN4895)
From 10729 petitioners—requesting Stop the partner income assesment for the Disability Support Pension. (EN4899)
From 3 petitioners—requesting Prepare for war with China. (EN4903)
From 231 petitioners—requesting Increase the medicare rebate and financial support to GP practices (EN4906)
From 766 petitioners—requesting Give Lactation Consultants a Medicare Provider Number (EN4909)
From 603 petitioners—requesting Implement a Commonwealth Harassment Act (EN4913)
From 6 petitioners—requesting Reject a National Human Rights Act (EN4914)
From 8 petitioners—requesting Batteries in every home to cut the costs of electricity. (EN4917)
From 27 petitioners—requesting Stop the cancellation of Single Parenting Payment (EN4919)
From 15 petitioners—requesting Cessation of alliance with the USA due to extremist views. (EN4926)
From 18 petitioners—requesting Encourage Peace Talks between Ukraine and Russia (EN4928)
From 34 petitioners—requesting Legislation to prevent telecommunication companies forcing direct debit upon consumers (EN4939)
From 376 petitioners—requesting Pakistan Is Under Facism: Australia Must Act. (EN4942)
Petitions certified on 29 March 2023
From 57 petitioners—requesting VC Medal awarded to Leading Seaman Ronald Taylor 20863 (EN4948)
From 19 petitioners—requesting Ban executives from failed banks, from running another one. (EN4951)
From 73 petitioners—requesting Democracy in Pakistan (EN4954)
From 1 petitioners—requesting UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT TO BE INDEX ONLY EVERRY 2 YEARS! (EN4958)
From 248 petitioners—requesting Free Mental Health Care in Australia (EN4960)
From 42 petitioners—requesting Failed outcomes of Australia's development partnership with Sri Lanka (EN4961)
From 6 petitioners—requesting Filming in public (EN4966)
From 39 petitioners—requesting Climate action: everything, everywhere, all at once. (EN4967)
From 77 petitioners—requesting Stop Companies Keeping Unnecessary Data—Protect Consumers' Privacy (EN4968)
From 5 petitioners—requesting Free tubal ligation for willing and dumb/ crazy women (EN4969)
Petition certified on 12 April 2023
From 16 petitioners—requesting support for Trove (PN0557)
2. The following 31 ministerial responses to petitions were received:
Ministerial responses received by the Committee on 29 March 2023
From the Treasurer to a petition requesting the repatriation of the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) gold holdings held at the Bank of England (BoE) (EN4029)
From the Minister for Finance to petitions regarding digital identity legislation (EN4090 and EN4588)
From the Treasurer to a petition requesting the repatriation of the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) gold holdings held at the Bank of England (BoE) (EN4096)
From the Minister for Home Affairs to a petition regarding the stay period for Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa (TGV) holders who remained in Australia during the VOCID-19 pandemic (EN4340)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition regarding the conflict in Tigray, northern Ethiopia (EN4491)
From the Treasurer to a petition requesting to replace the Queen's portrait on the $5 banknote with an image of the National War Memorial (EN4543)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting to revoke protection for companies responsible for supplying COVID-19 vaccines to the Commonwealth (EN4610)
From the Minister for Housing to a petition requesting a Royal Commission into housing and homelessness in Australia (EN4753)
Ministerial responses received by the Committee on 12 April 2023
From the Minister for Communications to a petition regarding reporting by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) on a range of issues (EN3540)
From the Treasurer to a petition regarding the Medicare Levy (EN3543)
From the Minister for Communications to a petition requesting the Government privatise the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) (EN3554)
From the Minister for Communications to a petition regarding reporting by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on allegations of war crimes made against the 2nd Commando Regiment's November platoon (EN3637)
From the Minister for Communications to a petition requesting the prevention of the United Australia Party from sending text messages (EN3665)
From the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs to a petition regarding the cancellation of Mr Novak Djokovic's visa based on character ground (EN3861)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition requesting to include Ukraine into the Australian Generalized System of Tariff Preferences (EN4280)
From the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government to a petition regarding accountability of Australian airlines (EN4362)
From the Minister for Communications to a petition regarding federal legislation for production and distribution of adult media (EN4527)
From the Attorney-General to a petition regarding Google's indexing of personal information (EN4573)
From the Minister for Trade and Tourism to a petition requesting the creation of "The Defund Davos Act" (EN4591)
From the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs to a petition regarding Australia's treatment of asylum seekers (EN4601)
From the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs to a petition regarding the urgent prioritisation of Iranian visa applicants (EN4602)
From the Minister for Defence to a petition regarding nuclear-capable B-52 bombers, AUKUS and Marine Rotational Forces in Darwin (EN4647)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting to recognise pharmacists as valid healthcare providers and prescribers (EN4656)
From the Attorney-General to a petition requesting Australia Enact privacy laws similar to the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR) (EN4667)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition requesting the Australian Government to take stronger action against the Iranian regime to stop the execution of protestors (EN4682)
From the Minister for Housing to a petition regarding the use of cruise ships to assist with the housing crisis (EN4686)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting enhanced COVID-19 requirements or restrictions for travellers from the People's Republic of China, including the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau (EN4722, EN4726, EN4728, EN4731)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition regarding access of Schedule 8 medicines for chronic pain sufferers (EN4725)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting the removal of restrictions on travellers from the People's Republic of China (EN4732)
From the Minister for the Arts to a petition regarding funding for Trove (EN4737, EN4745, EN4747, EN4755, EN4761)
From the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister to a petition requesting to change the date of Australia Day (EN4773)
Ms Susan Templeman MP
Chair—Petitions Committee
Family Law Amendment Bill 2023
Family Law Amendment (Information Sharing) Bill 2023
The objective of the National Framework is to promote the safety and wellbeing of adults and children affected by family violence, child abuse and neglect, and support informed and appropriate decision-making in circumstances where there is, or may be, a risk of family violence, child abuse or neglect.
Crimes and Other Legislation Amendment (Omnibus) Bill 2023
Social Services Legislation Amendment (Child Support Measures) Bill 2023
Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2023-2024
That this bill be now read a second time.
Budget strategy and outlook—Budget paper No. 1—2023-24.
Budget measures—Budget paper No. 2—2023-24.
Federal financial relations—Budget paper No. 3—2023-24.
Agency resourcing—Budget paper No. 4—2023-24.
Women's budget statement 2023-24, 9 May 2023.
Regional ministerial budget statement 2023-24—Working together to Build Strong and Sustainable Regions, 9 May 2023.
Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2023-2024
That this bill be now read a second time.
Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2023-2024
That this bill be now read a second time.
Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2022-2023
That this bill be now read a second time.
Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2022-2023
That this bill be now read a second time.
Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2022-2023
That this bill be now read a second time.