Two bills to a vote, and the tax fight reopens

The eyes certainly have it, but see the detail

And we're back into the full swing of sitting, with much ground covered across the last fortnight coming into this sitting session. The House has two bills set up to pass today, the Senate reopens the tax argument from two directions, and a Greens move on gas exports lands in the afternoon. Here's where to watch.

Today, in the House

The Combatting Illicit Tobacco Bill 2026 (aph.gov.au) resumes second reading debate this morning, with the chamber set up to clear it today. The government's framing rests on the tax gap: an estimated 14.3 per cent, or $2.7 billion, in lost tobacco excise (aph.gov.au) in 2022-23, and Australian Border Force seizures under Operation PRINTWALL (minister.homeaffairs.gov.au) now past a kilotonne. You may have also seen very public closures in capital cities of convenience stores caught selling illicit cigarettes under the table (so to speak) for as little as $15 a pack.

The Health Legislation Amendment (Improving Choice and Transparency for Private Health Consumers) Bill 2026 (aph.gov.au) is procedurally tangled via independent MPs: an amendment from Monique Ryan has been amended by Sophie Scamps and amended again by Allegra Spender. Second and third reading are both listed for today.

Three private members' bills are to be introduced (first reading only, debate adjourned): Alison Penfold's Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Amendment Bill, Allegra Spender's bill on paying small businesses on time, and Zali Steggall's Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Voter Protections in Political Advertising) Bill. None progress today, but signal where crossbench attention is heading.

Today, in the Senate

The Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 1) Bill 2026 (aph.gov.au) and the Income Tax Rates Amendment sit at the top of government business, with the Senate Standing Committees on Economics having reported on 19 June (aph.gov.au), with a dissenting report from the Opposition and additional comments from the Greens and independent Senator David Pocock. Separately, Opposition Senator Bragg has an urgency motion arguing the government broke a pre-election commitment not to raise taxes, pointing to superannuation (ato.gov.au), savings, investments and small business. Expect the bill debate and the urgency motion to talk past each other.

Greens Senator McKim has an urgency motion calling for a moratorium on ministerial meetings with the gas industry while the export taxation debate runs, plus disclosure of the past 12 months of such meetings. It follows the Senate's select committee on the taxation of gas resources (greens.org.au), where the Greens have pressed the gap between current Petroleum Resource Rent Tax receipts and what a 25 per cent export tax might raise.

Greens Senators Shoebridge and Faruqi have moved to disallow the Migration Amendment (Temporary Graduate Visa Application Charge) Regulations 2026, the instrument behind the graduate (subclass 485) visa fee doubling from $2,300 to $4,600 on 3 March (studyaustralia.gov.au). If carried, the higher charge falls away. Universities and student bodies have been the loudest critics.

There will also be motions to establish a select committee on the impact of the conflict in Iran (pm.gov.au) (Cash, Opposition), the personal staffing of parliamentarians (Pocock, independent), and Inland Rail (McKenzie, Opposition).

Among today's tabled documents are three Auditor-General reports likely to surface in later estimates and committee work: Snowy 2.0 delivery (anao.gov.au) (No. 39), the Collins class submarines life-of-type extension (No. 33), and management of cyber security in the Department of Parliamentary Services (No. 38). The government's response to the Antisemitism and Social Cohesion Royal Commission interim report is also tabled. Summaries tomorrow.

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Until tomorrow!

— Mia