Dan Tehan
Wannon · Liberal Party · Australia
“We all remember the budget speech of this year, which had all those toxic taxes and broken promises. Those toxic taxes and broken promises are getting bigger by the day, especially the broken promises. Who remembers the Treasurer saying: 'Reforming and strengthening care.”
“I move: That subparagraph (6)(b) in paragraph (1) of the motion be amended to read: "(b) Opposition member as its deputy chair who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee;" The Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade has had a very long tradition of…”
“I think it's really important that that continues, and I hope that the government will support this amendment, which would continue that long tradition and make sure this very important committee can continue to do that important work.”
“I move: That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the member from Wannon from moving the following censure motion immediately: This House censures the Minister for Defence Industry and Minister for Pacific Island Affairs for comments made today at the National Press Club—”
“on indulgence—This is obviously an issue between the teals and the government. There's obviously been some disagreement about how the House should be managed. Our hope is that the teals and the government will be able to work it out and that this issue won't further delay all the bills.”
“I can tell you that people will vote with their feet at the next Victorian state election unless this is fixed—and fixed quickly. They're sick of standing on their feet for the whole three hours because of this failure.”
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“Are we going to be able to travel to where we normally go, and is there going to be fuel there for us to be able to get home with?' All they're getting from the government is—and we saw this; there were five senior cabinet ministers out there yesterday saying, 'We've got more fuel than we did when the Iran war started.' Where is it? We've been saying to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy: 'Why don't you do your job? Find out where the fuel shortages are, and get the fuel to where the shortages are.' Yet we've had nothing. They've said that they're going to make this big impact on anyone that's gouging—'We're going to double the fines.' Where's the legislation? It is not here. Where is the urgency in dealing with the national fuel crisis?”
“It gives me no joy to be in here doing the government's job for them. As a matter of fact, I find it quite sad, because there doesn't seem to be an understanding on the government benches of what is actually occurring out in Australia at the moment. They seem to be just caught in some sort of bubble where they don't have any realisation about what is happening in Australia right across the nation. At the moment, families are sitting at their kitchen tables, saying: 'Are we going to be able to afford to go on Easter holidays?”
“The standing and sessional orders must be suspended, because the opposition is being forced to do the government's job for it during this national fuel crisis. The government made a big deal about this ACCC bill. They said that it was urgent. We had the minister saying that it was urgent. Yet here we are, on Thursday of this parliamentary sitting week, in the middle of a national fuel crisis, and all we've had is this bill introduced. They've made no efforts to come to the opposition and say: 'This is what's in it. We want to get it done quickly.' There've been no briefings for the shadow Treasurer. And all this is happening while diesel and petrol prices are going through the roof. I've just had a report in Warrnambool, in my electorate, that the diesel price has just hit $3.20.”
“I move: That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the following from occurring immediately: (1) the Treasury Laws Amendment (Doubling Penalties for ACCC Enforcement) Bill 2026 being called on immediately and having precedence over all other business; (2) debate on the second reading of the bill proceeding without interruption, with the time for each speech limited to 5 minutes; (3) questions then being immediately put on any amendments moved to the motion for the second reading and on the second reading of the bill; (4) if required, a consideration in detail stage of the bill, with any detail amendments to be moved together, with: (a) one question to be put on all government amendments; (b) one question to be put on all opposition amendments; (c) separate questions then to be put on any sets of amendments moved by crossbench Members; and (d) one question to be put that the bill [as amended] be agreed to; (5) any remaining questions required to conclude consideration in detail being put from no later than 1 pm; (6) when the bill has been agreed to, the question being put immediately on the third reading of the bill; and (7) any variation to these arrangements being made only on a motion moved by the Manager of Opposition Business.”
“My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. This morning the minister said: We have as much fuel in Australia today as we had on the day Iran was attacked. How many service stations have to be out of fuel before the minister will use his powers to require mandated reporting of disruption and the immediate domestic redistribution of stock to where it is needed?”
“My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. More than two weeks ago, the minister told the house: Today the Treasurer and I have worked very closely together with the ACCC to ensure that ACCC penalties are increased … With fuel prices having doubled in three weeks, has the minister been advised as to when the legislation will actually be introduced?”
“That's the problem, and the Australian people are rightly concerned, because guess what this minister promised them in the lead-up to the 2022 election on over 97 occasions? The minister promised $275 off your power bill. This is the minister who's now in charge of this national fuel crisis. Not only that; guess what he did last week when the national fuel crisis was getting worse and worse and supplies were getting worse and worse? He went to Brisbane for a climate change meeting, because guess what else he's doing at the moment? He's the chief negotiator for COP. What a cop-out! Seriously, do your job, Minister.”
“Let's be maybe a little unkind: what incompetence! It beggars belief. Now we get here to today, and where is the minister? We ask, because we wrote to him on 10 March, asking him to detail where the fuel shortages are and where his plan is to make sure that he could get fuel to where those fuel shortages are, and he should be able to do that location by location. We haven't heard boo, yet today he turned up in question time and was able to give partial answers for Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. But guess what he had to say about Tasmania? Nothing. Guess what he had to say about South Australia? Nothing. Guess what he had to say about the Northern Territory? Nothing. And my good friend from Western Australia is here. Guess what it was with Western Australia? No idea! I don't think the minister's got any idea.”
“Well, for this government, there might have been issues with the drafting or whatever.' But it's true to form, because Chris Bowen also announced that he was going to put measures in place to stop fuel being exported out of Australia because of its sulphur content during this national fuel crisis. He made that announcement, and the member for Maranoa will remember when he made that announcement. Well, guess what? It required paperwork to make those changes. Guess how long it took the minister to do the paperwork? One day? Two days? Three days? Four days? It took five days to tick off on something which would've meant that we would've had fuel staying here in Australia instead of being exported overseas. It took five days to do the paperwork. What utter arrogance! How out of touch is this minister?”
“Was it here at midday or at 10 o'clock, when we got back here to parliament, because, of course, it was very urgent? They were going to come down on people who were driving the prices up. There was nothing—not one bit of legislation—and I'll be very interested to see what's on the Notice Paper tomorrow, because I doubt whether the ACCC legislation is going to be on the Notice Paper . This great urgency, this great hurry, has turned into zilch. There is nothing, nothing, nothing on the ACCC, these new powers and this new legislation. You could think to yourself: 'Okay.”
“The thing, the issue, the subject that's on everyone's lips at the moment is what is happening with fuel in this nation. People want to know where they can get cheap fuel, when they're going to get cheap fuel and what the government is actually doing to try and help this situation. To give you a sense of the froth and bubble that we've seen from the Albanese Labor government on this issue, let's look at one announcement that they made recently. They were going to get the ACCC to deal with gouging and they were bringing in wholly new powers to get the ACCC onto it. Guess what? They made that announcement I think—let's be kind to them—about two weeks ago. Have we seen the legislation that's going to give the ACCC these new powers?”
“Speaker, it's a question to you. It concerns the administration of the House with respect to Hansard . During the course of question time, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy responded to a direct question from you on a point of order. In responding to that question, he said, 'I'm done.' That remark was not captured on the live caption service. Hansard should capture a question that you ask—”
“My question is to the Minister for Resources. On the ABC this morning the Minister for Resources on two occasions refused to guarantee that Australia won't run out of fuel as a result of the ongoing Iran war. Can the Minister for Resources guarantee that Australia won't run out of fuel because of the ongoing Iran war? Minister, is this a national crisis?”
“There are young kids, there are people playing in the veterans—it's just absolutely fantastic. So well done to everyone across the long weekend. A division having been called in the House of Representatives— Sitting suspended from 11 : 05 to 11 : 18”
“On the Friday afternoon, I had a very good social game of doubles, which was a lot of fun, and then we were able to have a sausage and a cold beer afterwards, which was great. Unfortunately we went down, but I was able to redeem myself in the singles the next morning, which was fantastic. I've got to say there were some muscles that I hadn't used before, because I hadn't played tennis for a while, which then meant I was a little bit sore to continue on for the rest of the tournament. To Lew Officer, Kim Tobin and all the volunteers at the Warrnambool Lawn Tennis Club, thank you for putting on such a great event. Once again, people travel from right across Victoria to come play and contribute. They spend dollars in the local community. They have great social fun.”
“And I say this to the Victorian state government: this club deserves your support, including you helping them fund a new club facility. The hours that those volunteers put in and what they contribute to not only keeping people safe along the beach but also running carnivals that people from across Victoria come to is second to none. They deserve your support. And a big shout-out to John McNeil. I was able to go over, have a chat with John and find out all the latest that was occurring with the nippers carnival. We also had the lawn tennis championships on at the Warrnambool Lawn Tennis Club, and what an event! I had the great honour of being able to enter in both the doubles and the singles—admittedly not at the highest grade.”
“Across the south-west of Victoria on the long weekend we saw the very best of what our volunteers do by putting on the wonderful community events which thousands upon thousands of people attend. We had the Port Fairy Folk Festival, and once again people turned up in their thousands to watch a great display of folk music. And to all the wonderful volunteers who put that on, a huge congratulations and thank you. In particular, thank you for what you then put back into the community, back into the clubs and the schools that service the community so wonderfully well. There was also the nippers carnival on at the Warrnambool Surf Lifesaving Club. What a venue to host the nippers from right across Victoria, and once again the Warrnambool Surf Lifesaving Club do such a fantastic job putting that event on.”
“So you want us to legitimately put requests to you about people who are hurting in our electorates because of higher fuel prices and because they can't get fuel, and you won't even take those requests because of the high number that are coming in your door. What this points me to is another big problem that this minister has.”
“I think all the Australian people are waiting. But it gets better. In the House today he said that his door is open and if you've got a problem, if anyone in industry has got an issue then you just give him a call and he'll make sure that he'll talk to you, he'll deal with the issue and there's no problem. So one of our MPs, who will remain nameless—he can out himself, but I was happy to keep it quiet. I'm happy for him to out himself. He actually has requested to go and see the minister about one of his constituents on the Mooloolaba wharf that has no diesel. So we're not going to get tuna. We're not going to get tuna. Guess what the response was? 'The minister is unfortunately unable to meet with individual requests due to a high number of requests.' It reminds me of Corporal Jones of Dad's Army don't panic, don't panic, don't panic!”
“Sadly, Australians should be very concerned today, because the person in charge of trying to make sure that fuel is distributed across this country has one of the worst ministerial track records this country has ever seen. You have only to go back to his period of time as immigration minister, when we saw more deaths at sea and more people arrive on this shore than nearly any other Labor minister has ever achieved. Go back to his time when he was assistant Treasurer, when he was actually encouraging bigger deficits and higher taxes. Go back to his record when it comes to grocery watch and fuel watch. Remember that? Remember fuel watch? He doesn't seem to be using it now. I wonder why. Then, of course, there was the promise of $275 off your power bill. How did that go? I think we're all still waiting.”
“Chris Bowen was saying there was still no issue, and the next phone call I got was from our fuel supply, saying there were no orders available. Minister, there is a real discrepancy between what you're saying in here versus what is happening out in the street. You need to start listening to the Australian people. They're hurting because fuel prices are going up and supply isn't where it needs to be.”
“Yesterday we found out a few home truths about the ineptitude of the Minister for Energy and Climate Change. Firstly, he has no idea that Australia runs on diesel—and I'm glad he's come in, because, Minister, you need to learn Australia runs on diesel. The second thing we learned is that, when you are a part-time minister, you don't have your mind on the job. You're more worried about what's happening at COP than you are about Australians. So, Minister, forget being part time. Get your mind on the job. We also heard this from him: Australia's fuel security is good. That's what we heard. Yet what did we hear from Transwest Fuels? What did we hear from United Petroleum? What did we hear from Nick Emin?”
“My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Industry is required under current laws to provide the Department of Climate Change and Energy with detailed weekly updates on fuel stock levels across the country. Can the minister advise the House of where there are fuel supply shortages in Australia?”
“The clause states: Within a period of six months from the presentation in the House of a report by a House or Joint Committee, the Government shall present its response to the recommendations contained in the report to the House.”
“In accordance with the resolution adopted by the House, relevant ministers who have not provided responses to committee reports within six months are required to 'present to the House at the next available opportunity a signed statement stating the reasons for the delay in presentation of the response'. In terms of the operation of the House, can you please tell members how this resolution is given effect? Administratively, is procedural advice provided by departmental staff to committee chairs advising them of overdue committee responses? And can I take this opportunity to also ask what action you, as Speaker, will make to ensure compliance with clause 1 of the resolution in the future?”
“The resolution states: If a period of six months has elapsed from a report being presented and a response has not been presented, the relevant Minister (or Minister representing the Minister) shall: (a) present to the House at the next available opportunity a signed statement stating the reasons for the delay in presentation of the response … As you are probably aware, Mr Speaker, around 50 reports that have been delivered by Labor chaired committees remain unresponded to per the terms of this resolution. Some of these unanswered reports have inquired into financial abuse as a form of domestic violence, antisemitism on university campuses and the National Redress Scheme, which supports victims of child sexual abuse.”
“I have a question for you, Speaker. I note you have, as other Speakers have in the past, allowed such questions to be asked of you, including by leaders of the House. As you would be aware, on 29 September 2010, the House adopted a resolution concerning government responses to committee reports. For the information of members, this resolution is at page 131 of the Standing and Sessional Orders .”
“My question is to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. In her last answer, the minister said that she is looking into the matter of $670,000 being promised to the Taha association. When was she made aware of this issue and when did she start 'looking into it'?”
“My question is to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. The Albanese Labor government promised last May, in the member for Bruce's electorate, $670,000 to the TAHA association, who have been mourning the death of Iran's brutal dictator, Ayatollah Khamenei. Will the minister act to prevent this payment being made?”
“My question is to the Treasurer. The Albanese Labor government promised last May, in the member for Bruce's electorate, $670,000 to the TAHA association, who have been mourning the death of Iran's brutal dictator, Ayatollah Khamenei. Will the Treasurer act to prevent this payment being made?”
“I thank the Leader of the House for his kind words. I absolutely, 100 per cent guarantee and assure him that we won't be back here in three weeks. What he's going to see is that the government will be held to account. I will not go anywhere near breaking his record. Question agreed to.”
“In question after question, we've asked him whether he's going to deliver his promise on $275, and he won't even mention the words. He will not mention the words. When they're talking about the history of people here in this question time, have a look at their track record because it is appalling. The minister for energy is absolutely the prize example.”
“I'm pretty sure, during this question time, we're going to see those in government looking back at people's track records to see whether they're suitable for higher office or not, so what I thought I'd do is look at the Minister for Climate Change and Energy's previous record and why he was appointed as the minister for energy. He had nearly three months as Treasurer in the lead-up to the 2013 election. Guess what he defended? He defended higher deficits. Guess what he defended? The bank deposit levy. Do you remember the bank deposit levy? He defended lower growth, and he defended higher employment. Isn't that the most impeccable track record for Labor to appoint as the minister for energy? He hasn't let us down in that portfolio either!”
“So you shouldn't be running around the world racking up telephone bills which are eye watering—over $60,000. Meanwhile, Australians are facing a $1,200 to $1,300 increase in their electricity bills. That's why this motion is so important, and it's why Minister Bowen should listen to it.”
“And we've already had a 40 per cent increase in electricity prices since the Albanese Labor government came to office. Why? Surely, Minister Bowen, you have to stop, think and say: 'We're heading in the wrong direction. We're not addressing affordability. We're not even addressing emissions reduction. We're failing on all fronts.' At the moment, electricity prices are going up. Emissions are flatlining. Electricity prices are putting pressure on inflation, which is driving interest rates up. We all know that energy is the economy. Yet Minister Bowen doesn't seem to get it. I say this to Minister Bowen and to those opposite. You can't be a part-time minister when electricity prices are going through the roof. You've got to focus 100 per cent on your day job.”
“Yet I'm sure what we'll get is excuse after excuse, and we'll get example after example of everything and anything except addressing the issue about what is happening to retail electricity prices in this nation. Let me give you a sense of how bad things are. We've just had inflation start to peak again, and, as a result, interest rates have started to go up—the 13th interest rate increase under this government. A lot of it is driven by what is happening to electricity prices. And we're likely to see two more interest rate increases, at least, over the next six months. That's because, when it comes to electricity prices, we're going to see, in the 12 months to 30 June this year, a 24 per cent increase in electricity prices. That's what's being forecast.”
“He says, 'Batteries are doing this.' But he will not address the retail cost of electricity at the household level, where mums and dads are sitting around the kitchen table asking, 'How the hell am I going to pay this bill?' and pensioners are sitting around the kitchen table asking, 'How the hell am I going to pay this power bill?' I challenge anyone on the Labor side who's going to speak on this motion—and there'll be two of them—to just mention the phrase '$275' and be upfront in saying: 'That was a promise we never were going to keep. We were deceitful to the Australian people. We never should have done it, and we apologise.' That would be doing the right and honourable thing.”
“And he won't be upfront with the Australian people; he won't be honest with the Australian people about what is happening. We see it in the parliament day after day after day. He's asked: 'What is happening to retail prices in this country? Are you going to be able to deliver your $275 reduction in power bills as you promised to do?' And he will not even answer the question. He will never, ever answer the question. He goes on about wholesale prices. He says, 'Wholesale prices are doing this.' He goes on about batteries.”
“It says: (1) the Government's energy policies have seen a record number of Australians having an energy debt and facing a 24 per cent increase in their electricity bills in the next six months … It notes that: (2) Australians were promised a $275 cut to their power bills by last Christmas and $378 lower by 2030 … (3) Australians, instead, are paying up to $1,300 more; I'm going to repeat that; it's $1,300 more. It says: (4) electricity costs rose by 21.5 per cent in the 12 months to December 2025; and (5) instead of lower energy costs, as promised by the Government, Australians are now paying more due to the policies of the Government. What Chris Bowen, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, is doing to electricity prices in this country is nothing short of a disgrace.”
“I move: That this House notes that: (1) the Government's energy policies have seen a record number of Australians having an energy debt and facing a 24 per cent increase in their electricity bills in the next six months; (2) Australians were promised a $275 cut to their power bills by last Christmas and $378 lower by 2030; (3) Australians, instead, are paying up to $1,300 more; (4) electricity costs rose by 21.5 per cent in the 12 months to December 2025; and (5) instead of lower energy costs, as promised by the Government, Australians are now paying more due to the policies of the Government. For the benefit of the House, I'm going to read parts of the motion out because I think it's very important that this is noted.”
“One of the things with the Black Saturday royal commission that the communities on the west fought for was to make sure there was recognition of what had occurred in the west of the state and, in the end, to be able to point out—because it was a fault with one of the Powercor pieces of infrastructure that led to the fire—the need for us to continue to upgrade our power infrastructure to ensure that these types of fires don't happen again. The Black Saturday bushfires royal commission handed down important recommendations. One of the things that they pointed to was the need for controlled burning to occur where it can every single year, and yet that has failed to happen. It also pointed to making sure that our CFA volunteers have the fighting equipment that they need, and sadly that is deteriorating too.”
“To the east of Coleraine, you have the town of Hamilton, with a population of 8,000. South—and it's a fair way south—you hit Heywood and Portland. North, you run into other population bases. So this fire had the potential, if it had got out of control, to do enormous damage. Yet the way that the local CFA volunteers were able to hit that fire, protect the community of Coleraine, with a population between 1,500 and 2,000, and also make sure that there wasn't the damage that there potentially could have been was extraordinary.”
“But, if it weren't for the absolute heroic efforts from all the volunteers on that day, that Coleraine fire could have been significantly worse. As a matter of fact, what we saw in the north and north-east of the state very much could have played out in the west of the state of Victoria. It didn't, because of the ability of local volunteers but also farmers who were able to bring their own firefighting apparatuses. Many farmers in western Victoria now have their own trucks and their own ability to fight fires. They fund that themselves. This is not a debate where we want to go into politics, but funding our volunteer CFA has never been more important in Victoria. It's something that we need to see happen more and more. What they did on Black Saturday in 2009 was quite extraordinary.”
“I drove through Alexandra recently, and once again it has been the heart of another devastating fire, which, sadly, is part and parcel of living in regional and rural Victoria. That is why it is so important we're doing everything we can to back and support our wonderful CFA volunteers. What I'd like to do today is put a little bit of focus on one other fire that occurred in my electorate on Black Saturday and just commend everyone who was involved in putting that fire out. There was a fire in Pomborneit, in my electorate, and the local CFA did an extraordinary job there. But the fire at Coleraine on Black Saturday was also a significant fire. It burnt about 700 acres. One home and significant livestock were lost, and, sadly, one individual was severely burned. For that individual, the scars of that day continue up until this very day.”
“It is a great privilege for me to stand up and back this motion by the member for Casey on the Black Saturday bushfires. It was a day that those of us who were in Victoria will always remember—the worst conditions that you could possibly imagine. And we were warned, but I don't think anyone could have quite anticipated how bad conditions were going to get on Black Saturday. We saw that play out, and it played out in particular around the north and north-east of the state with horrific consequences. We heard the member for Casey detail what was done and in particular the heroic efforts of our CFA volunteers to try and protect communities. But, sadly, there was significant loss of life and significant damage to property and to livestock. We are still overcoming many of those scars today.”
“It wouldn't require all that $54 million. As a matter of fact, it would only require about three, and the community would put resources in as well. So forget about your Australian Tertiary Education Commission. It is not needed. Spend that $54 million on something which will change lives in communities, because that's what this nation needs at the moment. The money that is being wasted by this government—which is driving up inflation, driving up interest rates and leaving communities desperate for services—has to stop. It's about time you got your priorities right.”
“The Australian Tertiary Education Commission is just an excuse for the minister, who loves being loved but does not want to make any hard decisions. Well, Minister, that's what you're paid the big bucks for—to actually make the tough decisions, not to outsource them. Not only that, but think about what that $54 million could go to if it doesn't get spent on setting up this bureaucracy. As I've said, in the communities of Wannon—and I'm sure it's the same in the communities of Cook—there are real-life outcomes that could be changed with that $54 million. I mentioned a few, but I'll mention the one in particular that I referred to. That money could fund a new headspace centre in Ararat. That is a community that needs those mental health resources and needs them desperately, and the community has come together and articulated that.”
“I was very pleased to be able to show the shadow health minister the work that they've done, and I commend her because she has also made representations to headspace, as a result, about the need for Ararat to be able to get a headspace. It's something the community has been advocating incredibly strongly for. We've got important work that One Red Tree are doing in our schools to help with the mental health of young people in the area, but we need the follow-up to make sure that we can get headspace into Ararat and those services can go to the next level. So I say to the government—and I've made representations to the minister on behalf of the Ararat community—it's time that headspace was delivered to Ararat. I will just conclude by saying that we do not need another bureaucracy in the higher education sector. We do not.”
“We also met with two wonderful individuals, who were nominated for Australian of the Year, who have set up One Red Tree. One Red Tree is about taking people who are studying psychiatry and psychology, especially at Federation University, and making sure that they've got placements right through western Victoria. It's outstanding work that One Red Tree are doing, and it's so outstanding now that, when we get a headspace for Ararat—and we need a headspace for Ararat. One of the things which is often put is that there is a shortage of making sure you've got the psychologists and psychiatrists to be able to offer the services that a headspace needs. Well, we have no issues when it comes to psychologists because of the work that One Red Tree has done.”
“The state government—and it's one of the few things that I can say about the Victorian state Labor government that is at all positive—has put money into redeveloping the Willaura Aged Care facility, which works incredibly well with the Ararat hospital and with the Ballarat hospital. They work in conjunction with each other, and it enables them to make sure that patient flow works very well in that area. The Victorian state government have funded the Willaura Aged Care upgrade, but they've funded it 50 per cent. One of the things I'm hoping for, given that has happened, is that the Albanese Labor government will now match that 50 per cent. I'll be making representations to the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors and the Minister for Health and Ageing so that that can happen.”