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.

STATEMENT ON A SIGNIFICANT MATTER— Fifteenth Anniversary of the National Apology to Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants

Ms Rishworth (Minister for Social Services), pursuant to notice, made a statement in relation to the fifteenth anniversary of the national apology to Forgotten Australians and former child migrants.

Mr Sukkar addressed the House in reply.

Ms Rishworth, by leave, moved—That further statements on the fifteenth anniversary of the national apology to Forgotten Australians and former child migrants be permitted in the Federation Chamber.

Question—put and passed.

STATEMENT ON A SIGNIFICANT MATTER— Australian Consular and Crisis Support 2023-2024

Mr Watts (Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs), pursuant to notice, made a statement in relation to Australian consular and crisis support 2023-2024.

Mr Tehan addressed the House in reply.

Mr Watts, by leave, moved—That further statements on Australian consular and crisis support 2023-2024 be permitted in the Federation Chamber.

Question—put and passed.

Selection Committee

The Speaker presented the following document:

Report No. 33 relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and private Members’ business on Monday, 25 November 2024.

Health Insurance (Pathology) (Fees) (Repeal) Bill 2024

Ms Kearney (Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care), pursuant to notice, presented a Bill for an Act to repeal the Health Insurance (Pathology) (Fees) Act 1991 , and for related purposes.

Document

Ms Kearney presented an explanatory memorandum to the bill.

Bill read a first time.

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

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

Midwife Professional Indemnity (Commonwealth Contribution) Scheme Amendment Bill 2024

Ms Kearney (Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care), pursuant to notice, presented a Bill for an Act to amend the Midwife Professional Indemnity (Commonwealth Contribution) Scheme Act 2010 , and for related purposes.

Document

Ms Kearney presented an explanatory memorandum to the bill.

Bill read a first time.

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

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

Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) Bill 2024

Ms Thwaites (Assistant Minister for Women), pursuant to notice, presented a Bill for an Act to amend the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 , and for related purposes.

Document

Ms Thwaites presented an explanatory memorandum to the bill.

Bill read a first time.

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

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

Competition and Consumer Amendment (Australian Energy Regulator Separation) Bill 2024

Mr J Wilson (Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy), pursuant to notice, presented a Bill for an Act to separate the Australian Energy Regulator from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, and for related purposes.

Document

Mr J Wilson presented an explanatory memorandum to the bill.

Bill read a first time.

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

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

Cyber Security Bill 2024 —REPORT FROM FEDERATION CHAMBER

The Deputy Speaker reported that the bill had been fully considered by the Federation Chamber, a Governor‑General’s message recommending an appropriation had been reported, and the bill had been agreed to with amendments ( see item No. 6, Minutes of Proceedings of the Federation Chamber, 19 November 2024 ), and presented a certified copy of the bill together with a schedule of amendments.

Amendments made by the Federation Chamber agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

On the motion of Mr Keogh (Minister for Defence Personnel), by leave, the bill was read a third time.

Intelligence Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Cyber Security) Bill 2024 —REPORT FROM FEDERATION CHAMBER

The Deputy Speaker reported that the bill had been fully considered by the Federation Chamber and agreed to with amendments ( see item No. 7, Minutes of Proceedings of the Federation Chamber, 19 November 2024 ), and presented a certified copy of the bill together with a schedule of amendments.

Amendments made by the Federation Chamber agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

On the motion of Mr Keogh (Minister for Defence Personnel), by leave, the bill was read a third time.

Security of Critical Infrastructure and Other Legislation Amendment (Enhanced Response and Prevention) Bill 2024 —REPORT FROM FEDERATION CHAMBER

The Deputy Speaker reported that the bill had been fully considered by the Federation Chamber and agreed to with amendments ( see item No. 8, Minutes of Proceedings of the Federation Chamber, 19 November 2024 ), and presented a certified copy of the bill together with a schedule of amendments.

Amendments made by the Federation Chamber agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

On the motion of Mr Keogh (Minister for Defence Personnel), by leave, the bill was read a third time.

Customs Tariff Amendment (Incorporation of Proposals and Other Measures) Bill 2024 —REPORT FROM FEDERATION CHAMBER

The Deputy Speaker reported that the bill had been fully considered by the Federation Chamber and agreed to without amendment, and presented a certified copy of the bill.

Bill agreed to.

On the motion of Mr Keogh (Minister for Defence Personnel), by leave, the bill was read a third time.

Treaties—Joint Standing Committee —REPORT—STATEMENT BY MEMBER

Ms Chesters (Chair) presented the following document:

Treaties—Joint Standing Committee—Report 223: Security agreement between the Government of Australia and the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation on the Protection of Classified Information—Report, November 2024.

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

Ms Chesters, by leave, made a statement in connection with the report.

Economy —MINISTERIAL STATEMENT—MOTION TO TAKE NOTE OF DOCUMENT—REFERENCE TO FEDERATION CHAMBER

Dr Chalmers (Treasurer), by leave, made a ministerial statement relating to the economy, and presented the following document:

Economy—Statement by the Treasurer, Jim Chalmers MP, 20 November 2024.

Mr Taylor addressed the House in reply.

Mr Keogh (Minister for Defence Personnel) 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.

Mr Keogh, by leave, moved—That the order of the day be referred to the Federation Chamber for debate.

Question—put and passed.

BILL DECLARED REFERRED TO FEDERATION CHAMBER

Ms J Ryan (Chief Government Whip) declared that, unless otherwise ordered, the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Reform) Bill 2024 stands referred to the Federation Chamber for further consideration.

MEMBERS’ STATEMENTS

Members’ statements were made.

QUESTIONS

Questions without notice being asked—

Member directed to leave

At 2.02 pm the Member for Spence ( Mr Burnell ) was directed, under standing order 94, to leave the Chamber for one hour for interjecting and he accordingly left the Chamber.

Questions without notice continuing—

Member directed to leave

At 2.11 pm the Member for Fairfax ( Mr Ted O’Brien ) 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.

Inspector of the National Anti-Corruption Commission Annual Report

The Speaker presented the following document:

Inspector of the National Anti-Corruption Commission—Report for 2023-24.

The document was made a Parliamentary Paper.

Auditor-General’s Report

The Speaker presented the following document:

Auditor-General—Audit report No. 14 of 2024-25—Performance audit—Implementation of parliamentary committee and Auditor-General recommendations—Indigenous affairs portfolio: Indigenous Business Australia; National Indigenous Australians Agency.

The document was made a Parliamentary Paper.

DOCUMENT

The following document was presented:

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002— National Cooperative Scheme on Unexplained Wealth—Review of the Intergovernmental Agreement—Government response, November 2024.

DISCUSSION OF MATTER OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE— Regional Australia

The House was informed that Mr Chester had proposed that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely, “After two and a half years, regional Australians are worse off under this Government”.

The proposed discussion having received the necessary support—

Mr Chester addressed the House.

Discussion ensued.

Discussion concluded.

Human Rights—Parliamentary Joint Committee —REPORT—STATEMENT BY MEMBER

Mr Burns (Chair) presented the following document:

Human Rights—Parliamentary Joint Committee—Human rights scrutiny report: Report 10 of 2024—Report, 20 November 2024.

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

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

AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION —REPORT—STATEMENT BY MEMBER

Ms Le presented the following document:

Australian Parliamentary Delegation to Vietnam, 25 to 30 August 2024—Report, October 2024.

Ms Le, by leave, made a statement in connection with the report.

Migration Amendment Bill 2024

The order of the day having been read for the further consideration of the bill—

Consideration in detail

Bill, by leave, taken as a whole.

Document

Mr Thistlethwaite (Assistant Minister for Immigration) presented a supplementary explanatory memorandum to the bill.

On the motion of Mr Thistlethwaite, by leave, Government amendments (1) and (2) were made together.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

Consideration in detail concluded.

On the motion of Mr Thistlethwaite , by leave, the bill was read a third time.

Free TAFE Bill 2024

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.

Mr Bandt 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 that if the Government can legislate its promises on Fee-Free TAFE right now, it can also legislate to wipe student debt; and

(2) calls on the Government to legislate its promise to wipe 20 per cent of student debt and raise the repayment threshold now, not wait for an election”.

Debate adjourned (Ms McBride—Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health), and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for a later hour this day.

Sydney Airport Demand Management Amendment Bill 2024 —REPORT FROM FEDERATION CHAMBER

The Deputy Speaker reported that the Federation Chamber had been unable to complete its consideration of the bill and had returned the bill with an unresolved question ( see item No. 6, Minutes of Proceedings of the Federation Chamber, page 2041 ), and presented a certified copy of the bill together with a schedule of the unresolved question.

Unresolved question—That the amendment be agreed to—

Question—put.

The House divided and only Mr Bandt, Mr Bates, Mr Chandler-Mather and Ms Watson-Brown voting “Aye”, the Speaker (Mr Dick) declared the question resolved in the negative.

Question—That the bill be now read a second time—put and passed—bill read a second time.

Message from the Governor-General

Message No. 215, 8 October 2024, from Her Excellency the Governor-General was announced recommending an appropriation for the purposes of the bill.

Leave granted for third reading to be moved immediately.

On the motion of Ms McBride (Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health), the bill was read a third time.

Free TAFE Bill 2024

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 Mr Bandt (see item No. 30, page 2036) —

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.

PRIVILEGE—COMPLAINT OF BREACH

Ms C King (Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) raised a matter of privilege in relation to the filming of a drop-in session in her ministerial office by the Member for Barker.

Document

Ms C King presented the following document:

Email from Catherine King MP, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, inviting Members and Senators to a drop-in session, 19 November 2024.

The Speaker stated that he would consider the matter and report to the House at a later time.

Free TAFE Bill 2024

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 Mr Bandt (see item No. 30, page 2036) —

Debate resumed.

Mr Laxale 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 20 November 2024 (An explanatory statement has been presented with each instrument unless otherwise indicated by an asterisk):

Broadcasting Services Act 1992— Broadcasting Services (Primary Commercial Television Broadcasting Service) Amendment Declaration 2024 (No. 1) [F2024L01465].

Civil Aviation Act 1988— Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998—Part 61 Manual of Standards Amendment Instrument 2024 (No. 1) [F2024L01451].

Defence Act 1903— Defence (Afghanistan Inquiry Compensation Scheme) Regulations 2024 [F2024L00903]—Replacement explanatory statement.

Federal Financial Relations Act 2009— Federal Financial Relations (General Purpose Financial Assistance—2024-25 Payment No. 5) Determination 2024 [F2024L01466].

National Occupational Respiratory Disease Registry Act 2023— National Occupational Respiratory Disease Registry Rules 2024 [F2024L00148]—Replacement explanatory statement.

ATTENDANCE

All Members attended (at some time during the sitting) except Mr Albanese, Mr Bowen, Mr Conroy, Mr Hill, Mr Leeser and Mr L O’Brien.

Claressa Surtees

Clerk of the House of Representatives

The Federation Chamber met at 9.29 am.

MEMBERS’ CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS

Members’ constituency statements being made—

Suspension of meeting

At 9.52 am, a division having been called in the House, the proceedings were suspended.

Resumption of meeting

At 10.05 am, the proceedings were resumed.

Members’ constituency statements continued.

Migration Amendment Bill 2024

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 not being resolved—bill to be returned to the House with an unresolved question.

Sydney Airport Demand Management Amendment Bill 2024

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.

Suspension of meeting

At 11.14 am, a division having been called in the House, the proceedings were suspended.

Resumption of meeting

At 11.42 am, the proceedings were resumed.

Debate continued.

Ms Watson-Brown moved, as an amendment—That all words after “That” be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

“the House:

(1) notes that:

(a) the Sydney Airport Demand Management Act 1997 imposes an 11 pm to 6 am curfew and 80 per hour movement cap at Sydney Airport, protecting the inner Sydney community from the worst effects of aircraft noise; and

(b) other airports around Australia, including Brisbane, Melbourne, and the soon-to-be-opened Western Sydney International Airport are not subject to an equivalent regime; and

(2) calls on the government to consider whether an equivalent movement cap and curfew scheme should be applied to other airports in Australia, including Brisbane Airport”.

Debate ensued.

Suspension of meeting

At 12.49 pm, a division having been called in the House, the proceedings were suspended.

Resumption of meeting

At 4.02 pm, the proceedings were resumed.

Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Reform) Bill 2024

The order of the day having been read for the further consideration in detail of the bill—

Bill, as a whole—

Dr Haines moved amendment (1).

Question—That the amendment be agreed to—put and not resolved.

Dr Haines, by leave, moved amendments (5) to (7) together.

Debate ensued.

Question—That the amendments be agreed to—put and not resolved.

Dr Haines, by leave, moved amendments (3) and (4) together.

Debate ensued.

Question—That the amendments be agreed to—put and not resolved.

Dr Haines moved amendment (2).

Debate ensued.

Question—That the amendment be agreed to—put and not resolved.

Mr Wilkie having sought to move an amendment—

Deputy Speaker’s ruling

The Deputy Speaker ruled that Mr Wilkie’s amendment was out of order as an ironical amendment.

Debate continued.

Ordered—That the bill be returned to the House with unresolved questions.

Sydney Airport Demand Management Amendment Bill 2024

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 Ms Watson-Brown (see item No. 4, page 2040) —

Debate resumed.

Question—put and not being resolved—bill to be returned to the House with an unresolved question.

Treasury Laws Amendment (Mergers and Acquisitions Reform) Bill 2024

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 Mr Taylor, viz.— 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 the:

(1) Government has failed to recognise competition risks and sector-specific challenges within the supermarket, hardware and aviation sectors, and failed to make meaningful progress on the Consumer Data Right and News Media Bargaining Code;

(2) Coalition supports strong competition policy and the principle of aligning our merger laws with international best practice; and

(3) Coalition has concerns about this legislation, namely the:

(a) feasibility of scaled pre-approval and the risk of cost blowouts for the ACCC;

(b) impact on business activity and innovation, particularly for SMEs and startups;

(c) compliance burden being imposed across the economy, compared to targeted and structural ex-post remedies; and

(d) need to balance regulatory action with market confidence”—

Debate resumed.

Suspension of meeting

At 5.21 pm, a division having been called in the House, the proceedings were suspended.

Resumption of meeting

At 5.56 pm, the proceedings were resumed.

Debate continued.

Question—put and not being resolved—bill to be returned to the House with an unresolved question.

Oversight Legislation Amendment (Robodebt Royal Commission Response and Other Measures) Bill 2024

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 the question on the report to be put immediately.

Question—That the bill be reported to the House without amendment—put and passed.

ADJOURNMENT

On the motion of Ms Sitou, the Federation Chamber adjourned at 7.21 pm, until 9.30 am tomorrow.

Peter Banson

Clerk of the Federation Chamber