Summary
The Online Safety Amendment (Strengthening Enforcement for the Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2026 was introduced in the Senate on 8 September 2026, amending the Online Safety Act 2021 to give the Online Safety Commissioner broader investigative powers and the ability to issue tougher penalties against non-compliant social media platforms. No divisions were held. During question time, Senator Duniam questioned Minister Wong about whether tobacco tax policy is contributing to illicit tobacco and organised crime, with Wong citing a $350 million enforcement increase and tripled border interceptions. Senator Sharma asked Minister Wong which veterans representatives support a proposed $5,000 cap on allied health services, receiving no direct answer on that point. Senator Bleyer asked Minister Ayres to intervene on salmon farming at Macquarie Harbour over environmental and animal welfare concerns, with the minister noting state constitutional responsibility for aquaculture. Senator Lambie asked Minister McAllister for exemption numbers under the allied health cap, receiving figures of 6,976, 25,028, and 52 veterans across three categories. Senator Pocock questioned Minister Gallagher about whether 73 per cent of a $560 million infrastructure program going to Labor-held seats constituted pork-barrelling, with Gallagher defending the program as consistent with Commonwealth Grants Rules.
Questions
Tobacco Control
Duniam questioned whether the government understands the scale of the illicit tobacco crisis, arguing that tobacco tax hikes have collapsed the legal market and fueled organized crime, and cited NSW Premier Chris Minns' criticism that the policy is 'not working.' Wong acknowledged illicit tobacco as a serious organized crime issue and stated the government has increased enforcement by $350 million and tripled border interceptions, emphasizing that addressing it requires Commonwealth-state cooperation, though she did not directly address Duniam's criticism that government tax policy is driving people to the black market.
Veterans: Health Care
Senator Sharma questioned Minister Wong about which veterans representatives support the government's $5,000 cap on allied health services and what specific concerns veterans have raised. Minister Wong deflected by reaffirming government support for veterans, citing increased fees for allied health professionals and consultations led by Minister Keogh, but did not directly name which representatives support the policy or detail specific concerns raised.
Tasmania: Salmon Farming Industry
Senator Bleyer asked Minister Ayres to immediately reduce fish stocking levels at Macquarie Harbour and end industrial-scale salmon farming due to animal welfare concerns and environmental impacts on the endangered Maugean skate. The minister deflected by defending the salmon industry's economic contribution ($1.3 billion production value and thousands of jobs), stating the government supports both a sustainable industry and environmental protections, and noting that state governments have constitutional responsibility for managing aquaculture, limiting Commonwealth intervention.
Veterans: Health Care
Senator Lambie asked how many veterans would be exempt from proposed allied health service caps under various pension categories and raised concerns about veterans requiring ongoing treatment for service-related injuries. Minister McAllister provided specific numbers for the three exemption categories (6,976 special rate disability pension recipients, 25,028 totally and permanently incapacitated pension recipients, and 52 catastrophically injured veterans) but did not directly address the senator's broader concerns about working veterans or those recovering from major operations, instead noting that consultation on the policy is ongoing.
Major and Local Community Infrastructure Program
Senator Pocock questioned whether the Major and Local Community Infrastructure Program constituted pork-barrelling, citing analysis showing 73% of $560 million went to Labor-held seats. Minister Gallagher defended the program as legitimate delivery of pre-election commitments made through a closed, non-competitive process allowed under Commonwealth Grants Rules and Principles, distinguishing it from the previous government's sports grants scheme.
Employment
Senator Roberts challenged the Treasurer's claim that six out of seven jobs created were in the private sector, citing ABS data showing over 70 per cent of new jobs were in taxpayer-funded sectors, and asked what the government is doing to reverse falling labour productivity. Minister Gallagher defended the government's job creation record across all sectors and rejected Roberts's characterization of care workers as a 'Ponzi scheme,' but did not directly address the specific claim about private sector job proportions or provide concrete measures to address productivity decline.
Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union
Senator Kovacic asked the government when it became aware of cash withdrawals from a CFMEU fund, why John Setka still controls over $1 million in union assets, and whether Labor would support coalition legislation to indefinitely exclude him from holding office. Minister Walsh deflected by criticizing the coalition's record on the CFMEU during their time in government, emphasizing the current government's actions in placing the union into administration and appointing an independent administrator, but did not directly address the specific questions about the timeline of awareness, the status of Setka's funds, or the government's position on the proposed legislation.