June 26, 2026
The tax package clears the Senate as last-ditch amendments fail, the House finalises it and the private health consumers bill, and seven public hearings run today.
Yesterday's busy-ness in APH was not particularly well covered by the media, in a large part due to the tax reform package already home and hosed before the Senate vote. But also due to politics itself. A brief moment here to note the effect on democracy and policy of a new national-level political party being birthed in the Community Strong Australia party.
I'll start with the Senate because, ahead of the House's work to fully pass the tax reform package, the vote came in - but not without last-ditch efforts by some Senators to further amend the package. This saw David Pocock (independent) crossing to vote with the Coalition on their call for indexed tax brackets and a "Tax Back Guarantee"; the amendment failed on voting.
In other business, Senator Pocock was making the case for his Online Safety and Other Legislation Amendment (My Face, My Rights) Bill 2025, which would let people stop AI deepfakes of their face, voice and likeness and give the eSafety Commissioner takedown powers. The debate took a sharp turn when Senator Whiteaker (Labor) spent much of her time condemning Senator Hanson (One Nation) over online content aimed at young Labor senator Walker. The President called time and the debate was interrupted for the tax vote, so the bill rolls over.
Reports also landed: the Economics Legislation Committee on the Unfair Trading Practices Bill, the Education and Employment References Committee on reversing the Job-Ready Graduates fee hikes and on wage theft, and a Privileges Committee report. Orders for documents were pressed on Tangentyere Council, the Climate Change and Energy portfolio, health care and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander welfare corporation, and Barbara Pocock (Greens) brought on an expected motion on KPMG late in the day.
In the House, the Senate's amendments to the tax bills and to Appropriation Bills (No. 5) and (No. 6) passed final reading and they're off for royal assent. The private health consumers bill, held over from the day before with three crossbench amendments still live, was resolved through consideration in detail and read a third time. It lets the government publish what individual specialists charge and stops insurers quietly reopening near-identical policies at higher prices.
The House has risen, so the Senate carries the day on its own. The order of business focuses on bills passed from the House yesterday. The Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment (Building Cooperative Workplaces No. 1) Bill 2026 is the live one, the bill that lets the Commonwealth favour firms whose staff are on enterprise agreements when it spends, which the crossbench fought hard in the House. The customs and fuel excise bills sit behind it, plus the private health consumers bill and the Aviation Consumer Protection package. The My Face, My Rights bill waits for its interrupted debate to resume.
An apology for missing a new inquiry that was established on Wednesday by the Senate Environment and Communications References Committee on the Australia Post retail network. The call for submissions has been immediately announced, closing on 7 August 2026.
Seven public hearings run today; in Canberra:
Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs - on its Inquiry into racism, hate and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia - on its inquiry into Preparing for emerging industries across Northern Australia
Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission - on Aspects of the NACC's performance of its functions
House Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs - on its Inquiry into the relationship between domestic, family and sexual violence and suicide
Senate Community Affairs References Committee - on its inquiry into Epilepsy in Australia
Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee - on its inquiry into Australia’s youth justice and incarceration system.
And in Sydney:
Environment and Communications Legislation Committee - on its inquiry on the Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) Bill 2026.
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That wraps an action-packed sitting week; both Houses are back Monday.
Until then!
— Mia
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