Eight bills on a three-day clock

A timetable worth reading closely

Yesterday, the House granted Helen Haines a leave of absence until 26 November (the last sitting day of the year), which is a procedural date, but it was verbally noted the door is open whenever she is ready to return. A civility pledge made during tributes was optional with the Speaker calling it a personal decision for each member; many took the opportunity.

Today, the House returns to regular business. The clock is ticking on bills and inquiries, and a Reserve Bank board meeting looms next Tuesday, with markets pricing a better-than-even chance of a rate rise. As is usual for Senate Estimates, all manner of productive and not-so productive topics have already been raised as hearings continue. Here's where to watch.

Today, in the House

If the revised timetable for the week is agreed when MPs kick off today at midday, eight bills are slated to finish their House stages by Thursday, two of them introduced only today. Related bills would be debated together, the sitting is proposed to run until 10pm tonight and tomorrow (or later if a Minister says so), and at the committee stage, there would be one question on all government amendments, one on all opposition amendments and one on each crossbench member's set, capped at ten minutes a question unless a Minister extends it. The bills, in the order the notice takes them:

• Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 3) Bill 2026: second reading debate resumes today; remaining stages tomorrow - remembering this is the omnibus bill that seeks to enact the minimum 30% tax on certain discretionary trusts from 1 July 2028 (with a roll-over relief period and an election to be exempt; the 30% rate itself is imposed in the companion bill below), plus capital gains tax and negative gearing changes for trusts and housing investments and a one-off relief for the Payday Super transition
• Income Tax Rates Amendment (Minimum Tax on Discretionary Trusts) Bill 2026: debated with Tax Reform No. 3; remaining stages tomorrow
• Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 4) Bill 2026: to be introduced and debated today; remaining stages tomorrow
• Domestic Gas Reservation Bill 2026: second reading debate resumes today, then the Federation Chamber; remaining stages Thursday
• Domestic Gas Reservation (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2026: debated with the main gas bill; remaining stages Thursday
• Domestic Gas Reservation Levy Bill 2026: debated with the main gas bill; remaining stages Thursday
• Defence Legislation Amendment (Accelerating Capability and Protecting Bases) Bill 2026: presented today; second reading tomorrow; remaining stages Thursday
• Online Safety Amendment (Digital Duty of Care) Bill 2026: debate resumes tomorrow; remaining stages Thursday.

This is where sequencing comes into play with the proposed schedule. The tax bills would be voted on in the House tomorrow, before the Senate Economics Legislation Committee's inquiry on those bills holds public hearings on 5 and 6 November; and the gas bills going to a vote on Thursday, the day submissions to the Senate's gas inquiry close.

On Tax Reform No. 4, the parliament hasn't yet been provided specifics on what it will cover on introduction. Though, the Treasurer told Question Time yesterday that the keenly awaited research and development incentive legislation is coming this week, and Startup Daily reports the Treasurer said last week the next tax bill would include startup capital gains tax concessions, R&D changes and venture capital incentives.

Tomorrow, it is also expected the House will address the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Bill 2026 and its companion Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (National Policing Information Charges) Bill 2026. The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security supported passage of both on 21 October, subject to 25 recommendations (see committees).

Three other bills still in the queue noted in yesterday's Krafted. edition:

• Carbon Credits and Other Legislation Amendment (Integrity and Transparency) Bill 2026: second reading resumption, with Tehan (Liberal) and Joyce (One Nation) amendments before the House
• Child Support and Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Ending Financial Abuse in the Child Support Scheme No. 1) Bill 2026: second reading resumption, with Steggall (CSA) and McIntosh (Liberal) amendments
• Private Health Insurance Amendment (Modernising the Private Health Insurance Rebate) Bill 2026 [No. 2]: second reading resumption; Butler (Labor) defended the over-65 rebate change in Question Time yesterday.

Also: Le (Independent) has notice to present a private member's bill on protecting people affected by data centres and energy infrastructure projects, via the Protecting Our Property and Quality of Life Bill 2026. It is likely that tributes for Helen Haines will resume today.

Today, in the Senate

As noted yesterday, the Senate is not sitting this week, its business is Estimates, which you can watch live in the Statekraft app. Yesterday, as reported by the ABC and others, Snowy Hydro's appearance before Environment and Communications heard from Chief executive Dennis Barnes that the federal government will need to fund a "substantial proportion" of the extra $10 billion on Snowy 2.0, building on the $22 billion target released on Friday, with talks on the split continuing.

In the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation committee, the acting National Anti-Corruption Commission commissioner, Kylie Kilgour said the commission has received referrals on the $560 million Local Community Infrastructure program and is holding off a decision until a parliamentary inquiry and a possible Australian National Audit Office audit conclude. The same committees sit again today:

• Environment and Communications Legislation Committee: the ABC at 10.45am, the Australian Communications and Media Authority at 1.45pm, the Office of the eSafety Commissioner at 2.30pm, NBN Co at 3.30pm and Australia Post at 4.15pm
• Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee: the Department of Finance from 2pm and Services Australia at 4.45pm
• Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee: the Department of Home Affairs from 10am, the Australian Federal Police at 7.05pm and ASIO at 8.55pm
• Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee: the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry from 9am.

Tomorrow the remaining committees start, including the Department of the Treasury from 9am and the Reserve Bank at 11.15am before the Economics Legislation Committee, and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing from 9am before the Community Affairs Legislation Committee.

From the committees

• Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence will hold its next public hearing this Friday in Canberra, report due 30 November
• House Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water: Inquiry into solar panel reuse and recycling in Australia holds its next public hearing tomorrow in Canberra
• Senate Economics Legislation Committee: Domestic Gas Reservation Bill 2026 and related bills holds its second hearing this Friday in Canberra, submissions close Thursday 29 October; report due 11 November. The ABC reports the Australian Workers' Union's Paul Farrow and analyst Saul Kavonic are warning of loopholes that could let a major exporter avoid obligations, while the Australian Energy Producers' Samantha McCulloch told the last hearing some parts of the bill are unworkable
• Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee: Carbon Credits and Other Legislation Amendment (Integrity and Transparency) Bill 2026 will hold its next public hearing this Friday in Canberra, report due 24 November
• Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee: Department of Veterans' Affairs funded health treatment will hold its next public hearing this Friday in Canberra, report due 10 November
• Senate Economics Legislation Committee: noted above, Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 3) Bill 2026 and Income Tax Rates Amendment (Minimum Tax on Discretionary Trusts) Bill 2026 holds public hearings Thursday 5 and Friday 6 November in Canberra with submissions closing this Thursday and report due 13 November
• Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee: Online Safety Amendment (Digital Duty of Care) Bill 2026 holds more public hearings on Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 November in Canberra. Submissions close Friday 30 October; report due 20 November.

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Until tomorrow!

— Mia