July 1, 2026
Appropriation bills head for royal assent, the workplace bill returns from the Senate, and a gambling-ads amendment sits on the online safety bill ahead of today's vote.
Parliament did its bit yesterday: the budget appropriation bills and the Treasury package funding it returned from the Senate unamended and is now headed for royal assent. Media reports also have the government planning to reintroduce its reworked online gambling advertising laws this week, responding to the Murphy review of three years ago; it's not on today's running sheet, but it's the backdrop to a Coalition-crossbench amendment now attached to the Online Safety Amendment (Strengthening Enforcement for the Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2026 which will go to a vote today.
The Trusted Tax System Bill, the Fuel Excise Relief No. 2 Bill and the Business Registries Stabilisation and Uplift Bill went with the Budget package for royal assent.
The Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment (Building Cooperative Workplaces No. 1) Bill 2026 came back from the Senate with amendments tightening protections for workers under Fair Work Commission pay determinations. Following five divisions inside half an hour from the Coalition, the House agreed the amendments. The Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Reporting System Reform) Bill 2026 also returned with amendments, mostly technical fixes to governance criteria for the new standard-setter, External Reporting Australia and was agreed without division. The Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Amendment Bill 2026, which shifts recognition of protected events like the 2032 Brisbane Olympics from primary legislation to ministerial instrument, was referred to the Federation Chamber for debate and returns to the House today for third reading.
In the tabled interim report into the conduct of the 2025 federal election, 13 recommendations focus on disrupting misinformation and managing poor behaviour, such as requiring a new "campaign zone" to curb deliberate interference and misconduct at polling places.
Question time made the nightly news. Garth Hamilton (LNP), a former firefighter, was named and suspended for 24 hours after yelling "bullshit" across the chamber and storming out - the fallout from Emergency Management Minister McBain accusing Opposition leader Angus Taylor of telling a protest crowd that authorities "let" the catastrophic 2003 Snowy Mountains bushfires burn rather than manage national parks properly.
During debate, the Greens opposed the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Bill 2026, but it easily passed its third reading and goes back to the House today.
The four Aviation Consumer Protection bills arrived from the House and opened second-reading debate. The Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025, which widens the range of PBS medicines nurse practitioners and other authorised health professionals can prescribe, also opened second reading and resumes today against an amendment from Ruston (Liberal).
In general business, the Senate ordered the Attorney-General to hand the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission all primary documentation on candidates for the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner roles, and directed the committee to interview shortlisted candidates in camera. A separate motion from Kovacic (Liberal) to establish a select committee on corruption in the construction industry failed.
The Attorney-General will introduce the Administrative and Judicial Review Legislation Amendment Bill 2026; the Defence Legislation Amendment (RCDVS Implementation and Related Measures No. 2) Bill 2026 and the Statute Update Bill 2026 head to the Federation Chamber.
Votes are expected today on the Online Safety Amendment bill (link above), the Health Insurance Amendment (Incentive Payments and Other Measures) Bill 2026, the Universities Accord (Opening the Doors of Opportunity) Bill 2026 and the Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 2) Bill 2026. The Major Sporting Events bill (link above) will have its third reading by leave.
The Prime Minister will also move a condolence motion for joint 2024 Australian of the Year Professor Richard Scolyer AO, who passed on 7 June.
Trade and Tourism Minister Farrell will introduce the Trade and Investment Agreements (Consultation) Bill 2026; Environment Minister Watt will move to exempt the Online Safety Amendment bill from the usual cut-off so it can clear the Senate this week. Formal motions include a referral from Bragg (Liberal) for inquiry on foreign currency loans to the Economics References Committee, and one from Hodgins-May (Greens) on fossil fuel industry engagement with children, to Environment and Communications References Committee. Cash (Liberal) gives notice of a bill reintroducing sex-based rights provisions into anti-discrimination law.
The Senate also tables the text and supporting analysis of the Vanuatu–Australia Nakamal Agreement, signed at Parliament House on Monday, alongside government responses on ADF superannuation schemes (report tabled 19 March 2026) and the listing of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps as a state sponsor of terrorism (report tabled in March 2026), and a fresh Scrutiny of Bills digest.
No public hearings are listed today, though the Royal Commission obviously continues its third hearing in Sydney.
Tomorrow will be the last sitting day until 22 August and Friday I will recap the sitting period thematically. Know a colleague who'd find Krafted. useful? Forward this on, or point them to https://www.statekraft.au/krafted.
Until tomorrow!
— Mia
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