House of Reps Summary for 28/10/2025

Committee Membership Changes

• Senator Blyth was discharged from multiple committees including the Joint Committee on Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings, the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and the Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library, with Senator Nampijinpa Price appointed as his replacement (Page 1).
• Andrew Charlton MP requested discharges for Mr. Wallace from the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, and Mr. Hastie from the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, which were agreed upon (Page 1).

Bills Debated

• Criminal Code Amendment (State Sponsors of Terrorism) Bill 2025
• Presented by Andrew Wallace, emphasizing a need for a framework to list foreign state sponsors of terrorism due to ties with the IRGC (Page 1).
• Education Legislation Amendment (Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2025
• Introduced by Julian Leeser, addressing transparency in education providers and childcare pricing (Page 5).
• Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 2) Bill 2025
• Discussed by Zoe McKenzie, aimed at updating biometric laws and easing citizenship residence requirements for elite athletes (Page 8).
• Violent Crime Bill
• Proposed by Andrew Wallace, aimed at enforcing mandatory minimum sentences for child sexual abuse, receiving strong support for its urgency and community safety emphasis (Page 10).

Key Discussions

• The aluminum industry crisis, specifically regarding the Tomago smelter, and the government’s energy policies were debated. Chris Bowen defended these policies as vital for job security and managing energy prices (Page 22).
• Questions arose regarding consumer protection, job security, and local content in streaming services amid rising living costs. Ongoing government responses were provided (Pages 20-29).

Acknowledgments

• Distinguished visitors from the UK House of Commons and the French National Assembly were acknowledged (Page 23).

Local Concerns

• Local issues were addressed, including hospital funding, sporting initiatives, and youth mental health challenges.

Economic and Social Legislative Focus

• Milton Dick MP emphasized support for Australian manufacturing jobs, juxtaposing government efforts against claims of opposition complicity in job offshore movement (Page 30).
• Dan Repacholi MP questioned health policies tackling high medicine costs, with a focus on kidney disease and medication access (Page 30).
• Helen Haines MP inquired about funding invitations for community groups under the Major Local Community Infrastructure Program, highlighted by a positive response from Catherine King MP regarding ongoing projects (Page 31).

Cybersafety Initiatives

• Questions were raised about cyber safety measures for young Australians, with proposed changes to social media access age and support for responsible digital citizenship highlighted by Anika Wells MP (Page 32).

Energy Policy Discussion

• Concerns over job losses from rising energy costs were raised by Terry Young MP, seeking accountability for promised affordability reductions. Bowen responded by highlighting the previous government’s failures in energy policy and current efforts to ensure affordability (Page 32).

Baby Priya’s Bill

• This legislation aims to provide bereaved parents with paid parental leave entitlements after a stillbirth, drawing personal accounts from MPs on the significance of compassionate policies during grief (Pages 55-69).

Further Discussions

• Justine Elliot MP spoke on community engagement in renewable energy and proposed amendments to the EPBC Act (Page 71).
• Colin Boyce MP addressed housing crisis statistics in Flynn, criticizing the government’s housing targets and suggesting reforms in immigration (Page 72).
• Zhi Soon MP discussed the Payday Superannuation Bill aimed at improving tracking of super contributions (Page 72).
• Scott Buchholz MP criticized the Bureau of Meteorology’s failed website upgrade impacting farmers (Page 73).
• Ash Ambihaipahar MP advocated for reforms in anti-discrimination legislation to protect LGBTQ+ youth (Page 74).
• Dan Tehan MP expressed concerns over an offshore wind farm near Port Fairy and its potential environmental impacts (Page 80).
• Andrew Wallace MP discussed infrastructure needs in regional areas (Page 93), while Rob Mitchell MP supported the Criminal Code Amendment Bill highlighting Iranian terrorism concerns (Page 97).
• Allegra Spender MP and Michelle Rowland MP emphasized community distress from terrorism threats and highlighted legislative measures responding to antisemitic acts (Pages 100, 104).
• Zali Steggall MP outlined urgent needs for domestic violence support services and funding inadequacies (Page 88).

The session encapsulated a variety of political discussions, focusing on legislative reforms, personal narratives on social issues, and the responsibilities of government in addressing community needs.