Senate Summary for 27/11/2025

The proceedings on November 27, 2025, in the Senate of Parliament House, Australia, were presided over by Senator Sue Lines. Key points from this session included:

Tabling of Documents

• Documents were tabled as per statute, with detailed records in the Journals of the Senate (Page 1).

Committee Proceedings

• Meetings were announced for the Economics Legislation and References Committees and the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee (Page 1).

Legislative Discussions

• Senator Penny Wong sought to introduce a motion for legislative consideration, which was not granted. She did successfully suspend standing orders for immediate discussion on legislation, with a vote of 34 in favor and 31 against (Page 2).
• Wong’s subsequent motion, related to the consideration of legislation, was also passed with 34 ayes vs. 31 noes (Page 3).

Criticism and Support for Legislation

• Senator Jonathon Duniam criticized the agreement between the Labor government and the Greens, arguing it threatens jobs in industries like native forestry (Page 7).
• Senator Ananda-Rajah endorsed the Environmental Protection Reform Bill 2025, emphasizing potential long-term benefits (Page 9).
• Senator Waters from the Greens discussed amendments achieved through negotiations, designed to enhance environmental protections despite ongoing fossil fuel influences (Page 11).
• There were claims from Senator Susan McDonald that government actions harm jobs and prosperity, labeling processes as undemocratic (Page 14). Senator Jenny McAllister countered, asserting the reforms were necessary (Page 15).
• Senator Sarah Hanson-Young advocated for reforms, stressing their importance for nature conservation amidst fossil fuel dependency (Page 16).

Defence and Inquiry Bills

• Discussion included the Defence Amendment (Sexual Assault Prevention, Intervention and Response Commission) Bill 2025. Senator David Pocock suggested referring this to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee for further inquiry (Page 34).

Voting Outcomes

• A detailed vote count indicated 50 members supported various motions (Page 36), with 23 opposing and 7 members listed as pairs (Page 36).

Housing and Gambling Issues

• Senator David Shoebridge proposed a motion related to offshore processing and resettlement to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee, opposed by Senator Katy Gallagher (Page 36).
• The Senate discussed gambling, where Senator Don Farrell noted government efforts in regulating online gambling and the introduction of a self-exclusion program, responding to Senator Pocock’s inquiries about recommendations from the Murphy report (Page 62).

Environmental Legislation Insights

• Significant debates arose regarding the Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025, particularly about job impacts from changes to forestry practices. Senators expressed concerns over removing regional forestry agreements and their ramifications for local economies (Pages 44-50).
• Senator Tim Ayres defended the government’s climate targets despite critiques of stagnation in emissions reductions (Page 67).

Procedural Matters

• Among procedural matters, proposed amendments to various bills encountered significant opposition, and discussions continued about establishing a Commonwealth Parole Board as part of Senator Gallagher’s legislative efforts for public safety (Page 158).
• The session concluded with discussions on the need for senators’ leave until the next sitting (Page 167), reinforcing ongoing legislative scrutiny regarding various policies.

Overall, this session addressed pressing issues of environmental protection, defense reforms, housing, and gambling regulations, reflecting a robust exchange of diverse perspectives among parties in the Parliament.