Senate Summary for 03/02/2026

The proceedings took place in the Australian Senate on February 3, 2026, presided over by Senator Sue Lines. A range of topics was discussed, and several significant motions and debates unfolded:

Document Tabled

• Senator Lines reported that documents were tabled in accordance with the relevant statutes, with details recorded in the Journals of the Senate (p. 1).

Committee Announcements

• Upcoming committee meetings were announced, including:
• Corporations and Financial Services on February 5, 2026 (p. 1).
• Education and Employment Committees on February 3, 2026 (p. 1).
• Foreign Affairs and Defence, and Environment and Communications Committee meetings scheduled for February 4-5, 2026 (p. 1).

Motion Regarding Perth Bombing

• Senator Lidia Thorpe presented a motion addressing a bombing attempt targeting First Peoples during an Invasion Day rally in Perth on January 26, 2026, condemning the act as terrorism and urging urgent government responses against racism and violence (pp. 2-3).
• Several senators responded:
• Senator Malarndirri McCarthy emphasized the need for leadership in tackling racism (p. 3).
• Senator Kerrynne Liddle expressed concern over the politicization of the event (pp. 3-4).
• Senator Larissa Waters criticized media inaction and called for consistency in condemnations (pp. 4-5).
• Senator Fatima Payman and Senator Dorinda Cox echoed support and called attention to the negative impact on First Nations communities (pp. 5-6).

Economic Discussions

• Senator Bell raised concerns regarding foreign ownership of Australian homes, suggesting a permanent ban on foreign purchases due to weak enforcement of laws by the Albanese Labor government (p. 28).
• Minister Gallagher responded, noting foreign ownership accounts for a small percentage of transactions and that investigations had revealed several breaches (p. 28).
• Senator Sheldon queried wage increases since the Secure Jobs, Better Pay reforms, with Minister Watt highlighting that women’s wage growth had improved significantly (p. 29).

Housing and Cost of Living

• Discussions focused on housing affordability and planned investments for social housing, with significant attention on the challenges of youth homelessness (pp. 26-27).
• Ongoing debates critiqued government spending amid rising inflation and interest rates, with the opposition attributing economic challenges to the Labor government’s policies (pp. 57-58).

Tributes and Acknowledgments

• Several senators paid tribute to the late Hon. Nick Bolkus, noting his commitment to multiculturalism and public service (pp. 41-45).
• Senator Paul Scarr expressed solidarity with Kurdish and Iranian communities, condemning human rights abuses (p. 94).

Concluding Discussions

• As the day concluded, senators addressed the cost of living crisis, interest rate hikes, and the government’s fiscal policy (p. 56).
• Critiques of the Labor government’s handling of economic management continued, with various motions raised for transparency in public spending and new inquiries into governance accountability referenced (pp. 85-89).

Adjournment

• The Senate adjourned at 21:18 (p. 98).