The SPEAKER ( Hon. Milton Dick ) took the chair at 09:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.
Report relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and of private Members' business
1. The Committee met in private session on Tuesday, 20 August 2024.
2. The Committee deliberated on items of committee and delegation business that had been notified, private Members' business items listed on the Notice Paper and notices lodged on Tuesday, 20 August 2024, and determined the order of precedence and times on Monday, 9 September 2024, as follows:
Items for House of Representatives Chamber (10.10 am to 12 noon)
COMMITTEE AND DELEGATION BUSINESS
PRIVATE MEMBERS ' BUSINESS
Notices
1 DR M RYAN: To move:
That this House:
(1) acknowledges that the tenor of political debate undertaken within this place has deteriorated from the standards expected by the Australian people;
(2) recognises that this place has a responsibility to elevate the national political debate to enhance and encourage social cohesion within Australian communities;
(3) commits to the eradication of the exploitation of race and ethnicity as a political tool within this place; and
(4) agrees to eliminate the use of language corrosive of national unity and cohesion.
(Notice given 20 August 2024.)
Time allotted — 20 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Dr M Ryan — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
2 MS J RYAN: To move:
That this House:
(1) acknowledges that:
(a) 26 September 2024 marks 30 years since the Australian Labor Party adopted affirmative action quotas for female candidates in held and winnable seats.
(b) the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party has met every quota and target set since its adoption ahead of schedule, including:
(i) 35 per cent by 2002 set in 1994;
(ii) 40 per cent by 2012 set in 2002; and
(iii) 50 per cent by 2025 set in 2015;
(2) notes the Government is the first Commonwealth Government to have a majority of female members, which amongst other accomplishments, has led to:
(a) expanded paid parental leave; and
(b) wage increases for feminised sectors;
(3) on this significant anniversary, pays tribute to the pioneering women who led the fight for this significant change that has placed women at the centre of decision making; and
(4) recommits to the fact that a woman's place is in the House and the Senate.
(Notice given 19 August 2024.)
Time allotted — 45 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Ms J Ryan — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 9 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
3 MR VAN MANEN: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that productivity growth is a key contributor to increases in Australia's economic welfare and prosperity;
(2) acknowledges that:
(a) according to the June 2024 National Accounts, productivity has fallen 5.2 per cent since the Government came to office;
(b) the Government's continued failure on industrial relations legislation and poor economic management have caused businesses to rethink expansion and investment efforts;
(c) decline in business investment and dynamism has slowed the rate of innovation and technology adoption by firms, which in turn has slowed the nation's ability to increase productivity; and
(d) Reserve Bank Governor, Michele Bullock's recent comments that 'the only way interest rates can be reduced is an improvement in our appalling productivity' demonstrate that our current cost-of-living crisis is being impacted by our declining rate of productivity; and
(3) calls on the Government to support research and development efforts in the business sector and to remove burdensome red tape, which is slowing business growth and innovation, in an effort to increase Australia's productivity.
(Notice given 13 August 2024.)
Time allotted — remaining private Members ' business time prior to 12 noon.
Speech time limits —
Mr van Manen — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 9 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
Items for Federation Chamber (11 am to 1.30 pm)
PRIVATE MEMBERS ' BUSINESS
Notices
1 MR BATES: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) for decades, mining companies have been making excessive profits that should have been taxed in order to put dental and mental health into Medicare, build affordable homes and fund the rapid transition away from coal and gas; and
(b) in Queensland, big mining companies have exported $634 billion of our resources but only paid nine per cent of that in royalties over the past ten years; and
(2) calls on the Government to rein in the excessive profits of mining corporations.
(Notice given 20 August 2024.)
Time allotted — 20 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Mr Bates — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
2 DR ANANDA-RAJAH: To move:
That this House congratulates the efforts of the athletes, coaches, and support staff of the Australian Paralympic Team at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.
(Notice given 19 August 2024.)
Time allotted — 30 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Dr Ananda-Rajah — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
3 MR L O'BRIEN: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) analysis of Australian Road Assessment Program data by the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) has found that motorists travelling on the national highway between Gympie and Cairns are five times more likely to be injured or killed in a crash than people driving on the national highway between Sydney and Melbourne;
(b) the RACQ has found that 1,398 kilometres of the national highway between Gympie and Cairns is undivided and much of this section is rated just two stars out of five for safety;
(c) the Government's funding cut to upgrades of the national highway from 80 per cent to 50 per cent of project costs will:
(i) delay or cease future upgrades to the national highway;
(ii) put motorists' lives at risk;
(iii) leave communities disconnected when the national highway floods; and
(iv) constrain economic growth and regional development by failing to properly fund upgrades to increase the capacity of the national highway and make it more efficient; and
(2) calls on the Government to:
(a) restore the former Government's 80 per cent funding share of projects to upgrade the national highway to expedite projects that will make it safer, increase capacity, and make it less prone to flooding; and
(b) work with the Queensland Government to prioritise and fast track projects to make the national highway from Gympie to Cairns as safe as it is between Sydney and Melbourne.
(Notice given 15 August 2024.)
Time allotted — 25 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Mr L O ' Brien — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 5 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
4 MS STANLEY: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) the Government's workplace relations policies are getting wages moving again, with annual real wages growing for the past three consecutive quarters;
(b) nominal real wages grew 4.1 per cent in the year to the June quarter 2024;
(c) annual real wages grew 0.3 per cent through the year to the June quarter 2024; and
(d) this result comes off the back of inheriting a real wage decline of 3.4 per cent at the time of the election; and
(2) recognises the Government is laying strong foundations for a better future for Australian workers, their families and communities, by:
(a) advocating for the wages of Australia's low paid in three consecutive submissions to the Annual Wage Review that the real wages of low paid workers not go backwards;
(b) supporting pay rises for aged care workers of up to 28 per cent through submissions to the Fair Work Commission's Aged Care Work Value Case;
(c) having a 15 per cent pay rise for early childhood education and care workers;
(d) getting almost half a million more workers covered by current enterprise agreements, boosting wages and conditions; and
(e) making gender equality an object of the Fair Work Act and narrowing the gender pay gap to 12 per cent, the lowest level on record.
(Notice given 19 August 2024.)
Time allotted — 40 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Ms Stanley — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
5 MR COULTON: To move:
That this House:
(1) acknowledges that:
(a) Royal Far West (RFW) is a national charity dedicated to the health and wellbeing of Australia's country children across more than 200 schools and 364 communities; and
(b) RFW is celebrating its centenary of service to Australia in 2024;
(2) notes that:
(a) in 2019, RFW received funding from the Department of Health and Aged Care to provide services online to schools and preschools under the National Paediatric Telecare Service (NPTS), and that funding finishes in June next year;
(b) workforce shortages in regional areas, and a resulting lack of access to services, has seen high demand for NPTS;
(c) the NPTS overcomes the tyranny of distance and reduces expenses for families in the midst of a cost of living crisis; and
(d) operating across four states, the NPTS has provided support to 20,000 children, parents and educators; and
(3) urges the Government to provide ongoing funding to RFW to allow this vital allied health and mental health service to continue to support families in rural, regional and remote Australia.
(Notice given 20 August 2024.)
Time allotted — remaining private Members ' business time prior to 1.30 pm.
Speech time limits —
Mr Coulton — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 7 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
Items for Federation Chamber (4.45 pm to 7.30 pm)
PRIVATE MEMBERS ' BUSINESS
Orders of the day
1 SMALL BUSINESSES: Resumption of debate ( from 19 August 2024 ) on the motion of Mr Violi—That this House:
(1) acknowledges that Australian small businesses are at breaking point and are being failed by the Government; and
(2) notes that:
(a) under this Government, a record number of Australian businesses have become insolvent in the most recent financial year, including:
(i) 4,635 businesses in New South Wales;
(ii) 2,863 businesses in Victoria;
(iii) 2,036 businesses in Queensland;
(iv) 733 businesses in Western Australia;
(v) 194 businesses in the Australian Capital Territory;
(vi) 94 businesses in Tasmania; and
(vii) 43 businesses in the Northern Territory;
(b) this Government is now the worst government for Australian business on record, having surpassed the 10,757 businesses collapsing under the Government of 2011-12; and
(c) Australian small businesses could survive a once-in-a-century pandemic but cannot survive the disastrous policies of this Government.
Time allotted — 30 minutes.
Speech time limits —
All Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
Notices — continued
6 MS MASCARENHAS: To move:
That this House:
(1) acknowledges the data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showing the national gender pay gap is the lowest on record, falling to 11.5 per cent from 12 per cent in November 2023, and 14.1 per cent in May 2022;
(2) recognises the progress of the Government in advancing the economic empowerment of Australian women, noting the following initiatives:
(a) a $173.80 per week increase to women's average weekly earnings since May 2022;
(b) funding a 15 per cent wage increase for early childhood education and care workers;
(c) reaching a 63.2 per cent record high for women's workforce participation;
(d) a tax cut for every Australian woman taxpayer from July 1, and a bigger tax cut for 90 per cent of Australian women taxpayers;
(e) $1.1 billion over four years to pay superannuation on Government-funded paid parental leave from 1 July 2025;
(f) $427.4 million over four years to provide financial support to students on mandatory nursing (including midwifery), social work and teaching placements;
(g) expansion of paid parental leave, providing families with access to 26 weeks of leave by July 2026;
(h) $38.2 million over eight years to support a thriving, skilled and diverse science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce in response to the Pathway to Diversity in STEM Review; and
(i) $55.6 million over four years to establish the Building Women's Careers program;
(3) supports the Government as it continues to develop policies and invest in programs to improve women's economic empowerment, recognising the connection between the safety of women and women's financial autonomy and wellbeing; and
(4) commends the Government's commitment to putting women at the centre of Australia's economic plan to make the lives of Australian women safer, fairer and more equal.
(Notice given 20 August 2024.)
Time allotted — 40 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Ms Mascarenhas — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
7 MR PASIN: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes:
(a) the death of the late Steele Hall on 10 June 2024, aged 95 years;
(b) that Steele Hall is the only Australian to have served as Premier of a state, as well as a Member of three houses of parliament; and
(c) that Steele Hall served as the 36th Premier of South Australia from 1968 to 1970, also served in the Commonwealth Parliament as a Senator for South Australia from 1974 to 1977, and was the federal Member for the electoral division of Boothby from 1981 to 1996; and
(2) acknowledges the service of Steele Hall across four decades and three houses of parliament to the Australian and South Australian people.
(Notice given 15 August 2024.)
Time allotted — 30 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Mr Pasin — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
8 MR R MITCHELL: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) 1 to 7 September 2024 marks Men's Shed Week led by the Australian Men's Shed Association, with this year's theme, 'Send him down to the Shed'; and
(b) the theme acknowledges that most men are introduced to a Men's Shed by someone else, and reconnects men with community;
(2) recognises:
(a) the essential service the Men's Sheds provide nationally as one of Australia's largest community development organisations with around 1,300 Men's Sheds across Australia and over 50,000 Australians participating in Men's Sheds; and
(b) that participation in Men's Sheds leads to improved mental health outcomes, with participants reporting increased self-esteem, awareness and destigmatisation of mental health, and fosters community spirit and mateship which are key to the foundations of our nation; and
(3) reiterates:
(a) the Government's ongoing support for the Australian Men's Shed Association and commitment in the 2024-25 budget to provide $6 million over two years to support Men's Sheds; and
(b) that this provides funding for health and wellbeing events, shed improvements, tools and equipment and automated external defibrillators.
(Notice given 20 August 2024.)
Time allotted — 45 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Mr R Mitchell — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 9 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
9 MR WALLACE: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) on 6 February 2023, United Nations independent experts identified that approximately one million Tibetan children were being affected by Chinese government policies aimed at assimilating Tibetan people culturally, religiously and linguistically through a residential school system;
(b) on 14 December 2023, the European Union Parliament adopted a resolution on the abduction of Tibetan children and forced assimilation practices through Chinese boarding schools in Tibet;
(c) on 10 June 2024, the Canadian House of Commons unanimously passed a resolution in support of Tibet and the Tibetan people; and
(d) on 12 June 2024, the United States Congress passed the 'Promoting a Resolution to Tibet-China Act';
(2) stands in solidarity with the people of Tibet;
(3) recognises Australia is deeply concerned about reports detailing China's assimilationist policies, including:
(a) forced labour transfer programs and the coerced separation of Tibetan children from their families through state-run boarding schools;
(b) the detention of Tibetans for peaceful expression of political views;
(c) the suppression of Tibetan religious expression; and
(d) the use of excessive security measures against Tibetans;
(4) reiterates that the Tibetan people are entitled to their fundamental human rights and freedoms, including their right to self-determination;
(5) further recognises that:
(a) Tibetans should be empowered to freely choose their economic, social, cultural, and religious policies without interference; and
(b) religious and spiritual communities should be empowered to choose their own religious and spiritual leaders without government interference, and this should include the eventual successor of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama;
(6) calls on:
(a) the Chinese Government to reengage with the representatives of the 14th Dalai Lama to establish genuine autonomy for Tibetans within China, and urges the Chinese authorities to release the Panchen Lama; and
(b) China to:
(i) repeal legislation and cease practices which discriminate against Tibetans on the basis of race or religion;
(ii) cease arbitrary detention, coercive labour transfer, and family separation programs;
(iii) end restrictions on movement and on the rights of Tibetans to enjoy their own culture and language; and
(iv) allow meaningful and unfettered access to Tibet for independent human rights observers; and
(7) further notes successive Australian Governments have and should continue to raise the issue of human rights violations in China, through political dialogues with the Chinese authorities at the highest levels.
(Notice given 2 July 2024.)
Time allotted — remaining private Members ' business time prior to 7.30 pm.
Speech time limits —
Mr Wallace — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
THE HON D. M. DICK MP
Speaker of the House of Representatives
21 August 2024
Better and Fairer Schools (Information Management) Bill 2024
Administrative Review Tribunal (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2024
That this bill be now read a second time.
Parliamentary Workplace Support Service Amendment (Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission) Bill 2024
That this bill be now read a second time.
National Health Amendment (Technical Changes to Averaging Price Disclosure Threshold and Other Matters) Bill 2024
That this bill be now read a second time.
…there will be no further price reductions under the Act unless, over a period of three consecutive data collection periods (1.5 years), the brand is discounted on average by 12.5% or more without taking a price reduction, or if the brand is discounted by more than 30% in any one price disclosure cycle.
Where a PBS listed brand is protected by the price reduction floor, it will be subject to a condition that minimum stocks of the brand are held in Australia
That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Griffith moving the following motion—That the House:
(1) notes:
(a) the recent opinion of the International Court of Justice that the State of Israel's occupation is illegal and that Israel is responsible for apartheid;
(b) the widespread allegations of torture and sexual abuse against Palestinian prisoners in Israel's prisons and detention centres, including from the UN Human Rights Office and B'Tselem;
(c) statements from Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Likud Member of the Knesset Hanoch Milwidsky that support the legitimacy of the rape of Palestinian prisoners;
(d) the recent statement by Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich that the starving of 2 million Palestinians 'might be justified and moral';
(e) Israel's systematic bombing of water and sewerage treatment facilities has reduced water supply in Gaza to about a quarter of what it was pre the war, and has contributed to the re-emergence of polio in Gaza, which causes paralysis and death in children; and
(f) the continuing genocide and war crimes in Gaza including the widescale deaths and injuries caused by the State of Israel's bombings and other attacks; and
(2) calls on the Government to:
(a) sanction the State of Israel and members of the extremist Netanyahu Government, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich; and
(b) end two way arms trade with the State of Israel including the F35 parts manufactured in Australia and used in the State of Israel's fighter jets
That the debate be adjourned.
The House divided. [10:17]
(The Speaker—Hon. Milton Dick)
Better and Fairer Schools (Information Management) Bill 2024
Universities Accord (Student Support and Other Measures) Bill 2024
… the Australian Government work with tertiary education providers, state and territory governments, industry, business and unions to introduce financial support for unpaid work placements. This should include funding by governments for the nursing, care and teaching professions, and funding by employers generally (public and private) for other fields.
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 notes that:
(1) the Government's economic mismanagement and high inflation has resulted in escalating student debt for some 3 million Australians with a HELP (Higher Education Loan Program) loan;
(2) the proposal to change HELP indexation to the lower of the wage price index or the consumer price index would still result in student debts increasing by 11.1 per cent since June 2022, with no date by which student debt credits will be applied or refunds paid;
(3) whether it is student debt, housing or paying bills, Australians continue to suffer acute cost-of living pain under this Government;
(4) the Government has failed to detail eligibility criteria for the Commonwealth Prac Payments or how students will receive those payments, noting that students studying in other areas of workforce shortage such as occupational therapy, psychology and veterinary studies have been excluded from the scheme;
(5) the Government's decision to mandate 40 per cent of the Student Services and Amenities Fee revenue be directed to student led organisations, including student unions, associations and guilds, lacks any transparency measures to ensure money is spent on services which support student welfare; and
(6) the bill has been referred to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee for inquiry to report by 3 October 2024".
Future Made in Australia Bill 2024
Future Made in Australia (Omnibus Amendments No. 1) Bill 2024
The Inflation Reduction Act's $370 billion in investments will lower energy costs for families and small businesses, accelerate private investment in clean energy solutions in every sector of the economy and every corner of the country, strengthen supply chains for everything from critical minerals to efficient electric appliances, and create good-paying jobs and new economic opportunities for workers.
If we are supporting industries that don't have a long-term competitive advantage, that can be an ongoing cost.
It diverts resources, that's workers and capital, away from other parts of the economy where they might generate high value uses.
We risk creating a class of businesses that is reliant on government subsidies, and that can be very effective in coming back for more.
Your infants grow up, they turn into very hungry teenagers and it's kind of hard to turn off the tap.
Australian industry is expected to have a sustained comparative advantage in a net zero global economy …
Public investment is needed for the sector to make a significant contribution to emissions reduction at an efficient cost.
… it's awesome, it means we'll be able to do a feasibility study on pre-heating our water with heat pumps which are a lot more efficient and also use more of our solar power on-site rather than exporting it to the grid. That means we don't have to draw as much energy which will reduce our costs.
… momentous for gender equity as it directly addresses the chronic undervaluing of a highly feminised workforce, and bolsters a critical enabler of women's workforce participation.
It is a good thing that Australia should have earned a reputation for a sensitive understanding of the problems of people in other lands, that we should not come to be regarded as people who are detached from the miseries of the world. I know that we will not come to be so regarded, for I believe that there are no people anywhere with warmer hearts and more generous impulses.
This Government's 'renewables only' policy, with industrial wind turbines, solar factories and 28,000 kilometres of new transmission lines, is ripping up agricultural land, pristine wilderness and driving up the cost of living in regional Australia.
I would be doubtful that a sensitive environmental and culturally significant area like North Head is the appropriate location.
The development of interconnectors and transmission is critical to bringing new generation capacity into the energy system, while shoring up reliability and affordability across state borders.
Thousands of kilometres of new transmission is likely to be needed to connect new generation, and deliver reliable and affordable energy across the national market.
We are increasingly seeing renewable energy records being set which is a good thing for Australian consumers as it is key in driving prices down …
… consumers are expected to face lower retail electricity prices on average, and a reduction in reliability risks.
The science shows Australia's whales do face serious threats—but not from wind farms. By reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, wind farms help protect ocean habitats from the impacts of rising temperatures and ocean acidification.
That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Manager of Opposition Business from moving the following motion forthwith—That the following matter be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests:
Whether in misquoting the Director-General of ASIO while answering a question without notice from the Leader of the Opposition on 15 August 2024, the Prime Minister had deliberately misled the House, such as would constitute a contempt of the House.
If they've been issued a visa, they've gone through the process … they're referred to my organisation and ASIO does its thing.
If they've been issued a visa they've gone through the process. Part of the process is where criteria are hit they're referred to my organisation and ASIO does its thing.
If successful I am determined to restore a greater sense of responsibility to the Office of Prime Minister.
A deeper respect for the Australian people and for the integrity of our democracy.
Real accountability—and delivery.
If they've been issued a visa, they've gone through the process. Part of that visa process is, where criteria are hit—
they're referred to my organisation and ASIO does its thing.
If they've been issued a visa, they've gone through the process … they're referred to my organisation and ASIO does its thing.
The House divided. [17:13]
(The Speaker—Hon. Milton Dick)
Better and Fairer Schools (Information Management) Bill 2024
That this bill be now read a third time.
Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Declared Areas) Bill 2024
Criminal Code Amendment (Deepfake Sexual Material) Bill 2024
Migration Amendment (Overseas Organ Transplant Disclosure and Other Measures) Bill 2023
Future Made in Australia Bill 2024
Future Made in Australia (Omnibus Amendments No. 1) Bill 2024
… domestically focused investments under the National Interest Account (NIA), following referral to Government and commercial assessment, to fund domestic projects where support is not available through existing funds and programs.
Schedule 1 to the Omnibus Bill allows EFA to disregard two of its primary duties for the purposes of enabling EFA to perform its new national economy and net zero functions. These primary duties—
are that it performs its functions in such a manner as will best assist the development of Australian export trade—
and that it has regard to the desirability of improving and extending the range of insurance and other financial services and products available (whether from EFIC or otherwise) to persons involved, or likely to be involved, directly or indirectly, in Australian export trade.
Promote safe and secure jobs that are well paid and have good conditions;
Develop more skilled and inclusive workforces, including by investing in training and skills development and broadening opportunities for workforce participation;
Engage collaboratively with and achieve positive outcomes for local communities, such as First Nations communities and communities directly affected by the transition to net zero;
Strengthen domestic industrial capabilities including through stronger local supply chains; and
Demonstrate transparency and compliance in relation to the management of tax affairs, including benefits received under Future Made in Australia Supports.
If we are supporting industries that don't have a long-term competitive advantage, that can be an ongoing cost. It diverts resources, that's workers and capital, away from other parts of the economy where they might generate high value uses.
At the end of the first term of a Labor Government, when we reflect on what we have built, we'll see this … an economy that makes more things here at home, powered by cheap renewable energy.
If we are supporting industries that don't have a long-term competitive advantage, that can be an ongoing cost.
… … …
We risk creating a class of businesses that is reliant on government subsidies, and that can be very effective in coming back for more.
We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibres connect us with our fellow men.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms Archer ) took the chair at 09:30.
Taxation (Multinational—Global and Domestic Minimum Tax) Bill 2024
Taxation (Multinational—Global and Domestic Minimum Tax) Imposition Bill 2024
Treasury Laws Amendment (Multinational—Global and Domestic Minimum Tax) (Consequential) Bill 2024
… this country's resources belong to all of us and mining companies should be paying us to dig up the land, take them and export them.
Possibly the biggest problem Australia has the growing inequality, with housing being the best example … This will lead to fractures in the stability of our society.
The promotion of investment and innovation is great but what is provided in tax benefits to achieve outcomes? The only increase is bureaucracy and more forms to fill.
Taxation (Multinational—Global and Domestic Minimum Tax) Imposition Bill 2024
Treasury Laws Amendment (Multinational—Global and Domestic Minimum Tax) (Consequential) Bill 2024
Better and Fairer Schools (Information Management) Bill 2024
That further proceedings be conducted in the House.
… where people with disability live free from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation; where human rights are protected; and individuals live with dignity, equality and respect and can fulfil their potential … where people with and without disability:
How can we get some answers on the most disappointing and distressing article? I've also heard roundup chemicals are showing up in human breast milk. What can be done about this?
This coating is known as C6 (perfluorohexane sulfonic acid)—it's supposed to be a nicer version of the more toxic C8, but appears to exhibit many of the same significant issues in terms of human health and damage to the environment
… due to our lax regulations we risk (and already are) becoming a bit of a dumping ground for companies to get rid of their stocks of these chemicals—until we catch up with meaningful restrictions—which is really disappointing.
As part of the inquiry, the Committee heard evidence discussing the possibility of a COVID-19 infection being an environmental trigger that could influence the development of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Multiple submitters, including the Department of Health and Aged Care, referenced emerging evidence suggesting that there may be a link between COVID-19 and new-onset Type 1 and/or Type 2 diabetes.
The Committee recommends that the Australian Government implements a levy on sugar-sweetened beverages, such that the price is modelled on international best practice and the anticipated improvement of health outcomes. The levy should be graduated according to the sugar content.
Our analysis projects this tax would reduce consumption by 31 per cent by 2025-26, and is estimated to result in 16,000 fewer cases of type 2 diabetes, 4,400 fewer cases of heart disease, and 1,100 fewer cases of stroke. It is a simple but effective way to improve the lives of Australians.
To effect a change in SSB consumption, both a clear message for consumers that the product is unhealthy, and a tangible deterrent are warranted. A tax can deliver on both counts by creating a price signal that the product is unhealthy, and reducing consumption through higher prices (and therefore lower affordability). Furthermore, an appropriately designed tax can also incentivise manufacturers of SSBs to reformulate their products to contain less free sugar.