Summary
Parliament introduced the Appropriation Bills (No. 1), (No. 2), and (Parliamentary Departments) for 2026-27, along with Appropriation Bills (No. 5) and (No. 6) for 2025-26, seeking authorisation for government spending across departments and agencies. Other bills introduced for second reading included two measures amending secrecy offences — one removing certain criminal penalties and another adding a sunset clause — as well as two bills improving payments to authors under public and educational lending rights schemes, the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Bill 2026 expanding ACCC powers, and the Treasury Laws Amendment (The Survivors Law) Bill 2026. No divisions were recorded. Question time was dominated by opposition questioning on taxation, with Angus Taylor, Darren Chester, and Andrew Hastie each pressing Prime Minister Albanese on reports of planned new taxes affecting housing, savings, small businesses, and farmers. Albanese did not directly address the specific allegations in any of those exchanges. Andrew Gee also questioned Minister Catherine King about business support following a two-month closure of the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass due to geotechnical failure, with no funding commitment announced.
Questions
Taxation
Taylor questioned whether Australians could trust Labor's commitments, citing reports of planned new taxes on housing, savings, businesses and farmers. Prime Minister Albanese deflected from addressing the tax allegations directly, instead listing fulfilled and upcoming budget commitments including income tax cuts, Medicare funding, aged care support, and the Future Made in Australia plan.
Budget
Taylor asked why Australians should trust the Prime Minister's commitment not to impose new taxes on homes and savings if reports suggest the opposite. Albanese deflected by discussing the government's broader budget priorities and highlighted past statements from opposition members suggesting they were open to tax reform, rather than directly addressing the specific allegation about new housing and savings taxes.
Great Western Highway: Victoria Pass
Andrew Gee asked the Minister for Catherine King about business support and funding for the Great Western Highway closure at Victoria Pass, which has been closed for two months due to geotechnical failure. The minister outlined the technical nature of the problem and the ongoing engineering assessment process, but did not directly commit to a business support package or funding announcement for high-speed road access to the Central West.
Budget
Chester questioned the Prime Minister about breaking a pre-election promise not to impose new taxes on farmers and small businesses, asking why Australians should trust future Labor commitments. Albanese deflected by pointing to a Senate review on tax policy that included members from the opposition parties and citing a senator's comments about considering tax changes to address the housing crisis, without directly addressing whether the government had broken its election promise.
Budget
Andrew Hastie asked the Prime Minister when they had promised tax changes on small businesses, citing media reports of impending new taxes. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese did not directly answer the question about specific promises, instead deflecting by criticizing Hastie's conduct toward his leader.
Taxation
Taylor asked whether the Prime Minister would raise taxes on houses, savings, small businesses and farmers. Albanese deflected the question by inviting Taylor to attend the budget speech, making critical remarks about the opposition's leadership changes, and did not directly address whether specific taxes would be increased.
Aged Care
Helen Haines raised concerns about lengthy delays (up to nine months) for older constituents waiting for home support services, citing specific examples from her electorate. Minister Sam Rae acknowledged the correspondence, noted the significant increase in aged care demand and the expansion of the Support at Home program to over 350,000 recipients, and stated that 83,000 additional places are being allocated this financial year to reduce wait times, though they did not directly address whether the current delays are acceptable or provide specific solutions for the cases mentioned.
Minister for Communications
Mary Aldred asked Communications Minister Anika Wells whether she stood by her declaration to an independent inquiry that she held an official ministerial meeting with South Australian Labor minister Chris Picton at his wife's 40th birthday party at a live music venue. Wells directly confirmed she stands by her statements to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority and noted that Minister Picton has publicly confirmed the events.
Inland Rail
Joyce asked the minister to specify the five largest cost items making up the claimed $31 billion Inland Rail cost blowout. King deflected from the specific question by attacking the previous government's handling of the project, explaining its cost escalation from $9 billion in 2013 to $16.4 billion by 2020, but did not provide the itemized breakdown that was requested.
Minister for Communications
Member Aldred asked the Minister for Communications whether ministerial staff or departmental officials were present at a meeting and if notes were taken. The minister did not directly address these specific questions, instead deflecting to discuss a voluntary audit by the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority that reviewed their travel and deemed the trip in question to be for parliamentary purposes.
Great Western Highway closure
The Member for Calare pressed the Prime Minister for business support and improved road access following a two-month closure of the Great Western Highway due to geotechnical failure. The Prime Minister acknowledged the community's concerns and outlined the NSW Government's assessment of the engineering issues and repair process, but did not directly commit to the requested business support package or high-speed road access funding.
Tax increases pledge
The Member for Lyneham asked the Prime Minister whether they would raise taxes on houses, savings, small businesses and farmers. The Prime Minister deflected the question by inviting the member to hear the budget speech, and instead focused on criticising the opposition's internal leadership changes and past political decisions.
Kwementyaye Liddle Baby death
The Member for Lingiari asked how Parliament and the government were standing in solidarity with the family and community following the death of five-year-old Kwementyaye Liddle baby in Alice Springs. Prime Minister Albanese extended deepest condolences on behalf of the government and parliament, respected the family's request for space to conduct sorry business, acknowledged the community's grief and anger, and noted that governments have not done enough to address generational challenges affecting child safety and wellbeing.
Aged care home support delays
The Member for Indi raised concerns about significant delays (up to nine months) for aged care home support services for constituents in their electorate. Minister Wells acknowledged the increased demand for aged care services and outlined government initiatives including the expansion of the Support at Home program to 350,000 Australians and the allocation of an additional 83,000 places this financial year to reduce wait times, but did not directly address whether the current delays are acceptable or provide specific timelines for the named constituents.
Ministerial travel declaration
The Member for Monash asked the Minister for Communications and Sport whether they stood by their declaration to an independent inquiry that they held an official ministerial meeting with South Australian Labor minister Chris Picton at his wife's 40th birthday party at a live music venue. The minister directly answered yes, stating they stand by their declaration to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority and noted that Minister Picton has confirmed the series of events in media outlets.
Inland Rail cost blowout
The Member for New England asked the Minister for Infrastructure to identify the five largest cost items within the reported $31 billion Inland Rail cost blowout. The minister deflected from providing specific cost breakdowns, instead attributing responsibility for the project's problems to the previous National Party government and criticising the lack of planning in the original 2013-2020 project development.