- The SPEAKER, Hon. Milton Dick, opened the parliamentary session at 12:00 PM with an acknowledgment of country and a reading of prayers (Pg. 1).
- Multiple bills were introduced including:
- Health Legislation Amendment (Improved Medicare Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2025
- National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025
- The SPEAKER also provided updates on the assent of previous bills (Pg. 1).
- Ms. Anika Wells, MP, addressed the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Triple Zero Custodian and Emergency Calling Powers) Bill 2025, emphasizing its significance for emergency services in light of recent failures by Optus. She argued for the necessity of a reliable Triple Zero service (Pg. 1-2).
- Discussions on telecommunications issues were prominent, particularly in light of outages leading to fatalities. There were calls for legislation to enhance emergency call reliability (Pg. 2-3).
- In the BUSINESS section, Mr. Patrick Gorman, MP, pushed for expedited processes regarding the Appropriation Bill (2025-2026) to ensure quicker legislative approval (Pg. 3).
- The Health Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures No. 1) Bill 2025 sparked extensive debate, with concerns over healthcare system efficiency and accessibility.
- Mr. Angus Taylor from the opposition criticized the government’s handling of Medicare and rising out-of-pocket expenses while acknowledging certain aspects of the bill (Pg. 6-7).
- Jo Briskey, MP, defended government initiatives aimed at strengthening Medicare in the face of past criticisms, listing positive outcomes from recent funding (Pg. 7-9).
- Members delivered various statements addressing local and national issues such as renewable energy (Pg. 16), infrastructure challenges in Newcastle (Pg. 16), and community initiatives like Midland Meals (Pg. 20).
- The topic of telecommunications and emergency call reliability was critically examined, with Ms. McIntosh questioning the government’s response to service failures affecting emergency support (Pg. 24-25).
- Minister for Communications Anika Wells reiterated government efforts to enhance the reliability of the triple 0 service through legislative reforms and industry adjustments (Pg. 28).
- Dr. Jim Chalmers, Treasurer, addressed biosecurity measures concerning banana imports and expressed concern about the impact of gas policy discussions on jobs in North Queensland (Pg. 31).
- Amanda Rishworth, Minister for Employment, responded to cost-of-living pressures, asserting improvements in wages and job security, with significant growth in real wages reflected in enterprise agreements (Pg. 32).
- Anika Wells confirmed she was informed about the Optus triple 0 outage resulting in fatalities (Pg. 33).
- Minister for Education Jason Clare discussed reforms aimed at reducing student debt through initiatives like paid practical placements (Pg. 33).
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shared news regarding a colleague’s parental leave (Pg. 33).
- Concerns were raised about overdue questions directed to ministers, with Speaker Milton Dick agreeing to follow up (Pg. 34).
- Zaneta Mascarenhas, MP, presented reports from the Australian National Audit Office, while Julian Leeser, MP, raised a public importance matter regarding the Middle East and rising antisemitism (Pg. 34).
- Mark Dreyfus, MP, reflected on the impact of the October 7 Hamas attack, calling for social cohesion (Pg. 36).
- Andrew Wallace, MP, highlighted issues about national security related to telecommunications and online threats (Pg. 37).
- The session included discussions on the Middle East conflict with various MPs providing perspectives on the aftermath of October 7 attacks (Pg. 73).
- A significant focus was placed on antisemitism, with the appointment of Jillian Segal as Australia’s first Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism and the establishment of the National Student Ombudsman (Pg. 73).
- Anne Webster, MP for Mallee, criticized Qantas for closing its Mildura base, stressing the severe local economic impacts (Pg. 73).
- Matt Burnell, MP for Spence, praised local development initiatives to boost community and business confidence (Pg. 74).
- Jo Briskey addressed climate change, emphasizing government commitments to emissions reduction (Pg. 76).
- Multiple MPs, including Matt Keogh and Dai Le, discussed healthcare access, educational funding equity, and the need for investment in rural regions (Pg. 96, Pg. 107).
- Zoe McKenzie critiqued funding disparities in education, stressing support for regional schools (Pg. 107).
- The report highlighted community achievements and recognized local individuals for their contributions (Pg. 103)
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