Kevin Hogan
Page · National Party · Australia
“Deputy Speaker, you know and we all know on this side of the chamber that Australian families, Australian businesses and Australians generally are despairing right now. We've had 15 interest rate increases under this Labor government. The average mortgage costs have gone up—not total, they have gone up—by $30,000 a year.”
“As I've said earlier, every member over on that side of the chamber should hang their heads in shame by deceiving every single one of their electorates at the last election. You know that, Speaker, and I know that.”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, you said that families will be better off under your government, but, under Labor, interest rates have increased 15 times, meaning an average new mortgage holder is around $30 a year worse off.”
“We have always been the country that has driven trade deals, and we have been very successful at it. Members have been talking about fuel security. I want to remind everyone in this chamber right now that we sell about $650 billion worth of stuff overseas every year, and there are four big ones: coal, iron ore, gas and food/agriculture.”
“This is not me saying this; this is actually in the budget paper, so I assume it's Treasury saying this. Why do you think it's a good idea, when we don't have enough housing stock, that tax proposals you announced on budget night will mean that 35,000 fewer homes will be built over the next 10 years?”
“I have about three or four questions to the government and to the minister, and the first one is: why did you deceive the Australian public? There's an issue of integrity that's really important here. I understand that people might have opinions on certain policies and might want to do stuff.”
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“My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, you said that families will be better off under your government, but, under Labor, interest rates have increased 15 times, meaning an average new mortgage holder is around $30 a year worse off. Prime Minister, isn't it true that, under Labor, Australians have experienced the biggest crash in living standards in the developed world?”
“As I've said earlier, every member over on that side of the chamber should hang their heads in shame by deceiving every single one of their electorates at the last election. You know that, Speaker, and I know that. But what the Australian public has also picked up, especially since the budget, is the arrogance of this government, the arrogance of the Prime Minister, the arrogance of the Treasurer, who says: 'I know best. You might think you know a different argument and want to have a debate, but I know best. I always know best.' They see your deceit and they see your arrogance.”
“Deputy Speaker, you know and we all know on this side of the chamber that Australian families, Australian businesses and Australians generally are despairing right now. We've had 15 interest rate increases under this Labor government. The average mortgage costs have gone up—not total, they have gone up—by $30,000 a year. Food prices are up, and power prices are up. The Australian public is doing it really tough. What would you think is the answer to that? What would the Labor government think is the answer to Australian families and Australian businesses doing it tough? Of course, the answer is to increase taxes. That was their answer. There are two things I want to say about the fact they increased taxes when Australians are doing it tough. One is that they deceived the Australian public as they did that.”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, can you confirm that, even after the budget backflip, during your time in office the Albanese Labor government has been the highest-taxing government in Australia's history?”
“I think Treasury probably may be interested as well in why you want to build fewer houses. I do want to bring up trusts as well. I've got a couple of good examples here that I'll let go. So just remember: Why did you deceive the Australian public? Why do you think the highest capital gains taxes in the world are going to be good for our economy? And why do you want fewer homes to be built?”
“This is not me saying this; this is actually in the budget paper, so I assume it's Treasury saying this. Why do you think it's a good idea, when we don't have enough housing stock, that tax proposals you announced on budget night will mean that 35,000 fewer homes will be built over the next 10 years? You might say, 'You're just saying that because you're the other side of politics.' No, I'm not. I'm quoting Treasury. I'm very interested in the answer to this one as well: why do you think we don't have enough homes being built? We all acknowledge that. It's something we both agree on in politics. So I'd love to know the answer to the question: why have you introduced tax policies that will mean 35,000 fewer homes will be built over the next 10 years? That's in quotation marks from Treasury. So could you explain that to me and to Treasury.”
“They wouldn't know what it's like to make money and don't know what it takes to make money in a private enterprise because they've never had any experience in private enterprise. They've been bubble boys in the sense that all they've ever done is work in politics, whether it be in federal or state politics as a staffer. So neither the Treasurer nor the Prime Minister has had a real job. That's one of my theories. If I'm wrong, please tell me why they understand private capital and how the world works at that front. So I have two questions so far: why did you deceive the Australian public last year, and why do you think some of the highest capital gains levels in the world are going to help our economy? I do have a theory, though, for that one. I was actually in the budget lock-up.”
“So why are you making us one of the countries in the world with the highest level of capital gains tax? The thing that people now tell me—small businesses, medium-sized businesses and big businesses now say: 'This is the rule in Australia. This is how Australia now works. We have to take the risk, and the Albanese Labor government take the reward.' That's what they're saying to me. Why do you think one of the highest levels of capital gains taxes in the world is good for our economy? I'd like to know your answer for that. I do have a little bit of a theory behind it, which I'm happy to share. I think it's because both the Treasurer and the Prime Minister have never worked in private enterprise.”
“The Prime Minister has got a bit of a record of it: 'No, we're not going to make changes to super. No, we're not going to make changes to tax cuts, and we're going to promise you $275.' There's a long list now of deception and deceit. I think they've now finally worked it out. So my question is: why did you deceive the Australian public 12 months ago? My next question is: why do you think one of the highest capital gains levels in the world is good for business and private enterprise in this country? We have countries like New Zealand and Singapore. I mention them because they're sort of our closest neighbours and two comparisons which are moving capital gains taxes in the exact opposite direction because they realise to attract investment, to attract capital, you've got to be competitive.”
“I know you're all looking at your phones, but hang your heads in shame at the same time, because what you went to the Australian public with 12 months ago was that you weren't going to do this. Not only did you not announce it—a lot a lot of governments haven't announced things that they then went and did after the election; I get that—but you actually said you wouldn't do it. So there's a level of deceit there. There's a level of dishonesty there. There's a level of a lack of integrity there. There's a level of arrogance there. There's a level of hubris there that I really think you should all have a long, hard look at, because what's happened is the Australian public now don't believe you. Anything that especially your leader and your Treasurer say no-one believes any more.”
“I have about three or four questions to the government and to the minister, and the first one is: why did you deceive the Australian public? There's an issue of integrity that's really important here. I understand that people might have opinions on certain policies and might want to do stuff. I even understand that you might say, 'Well, we came to this conclusion because of whatever reason.' When you do something that you didn't say you were going to do is one thing. If you just said, 'Well, we didn't say we—' there's so much deceit here, I'm not even sure how to frame this. At the election campaign, you said you weren't going to do it. So there's a different level you've gone to in the deceit of the Australian public. There's a different level of deceit you've gone to with your communities, and you should hang your heads in shame.”
“We will guarantee you all the coal and all the gas and all the iron ore that we sell you.' That was what we had to trade. I never hear it, but I'd love members opposite in the chamber to get up and celebrate our coal industry, to get up and celebrate our gas industry and to get up and celebrate our iron ore industry, because they are the industries that the ministers had as leverage to get our fuel supplies. The other thing— Matt, I'll take the interjection. Have you ever celebrated the word—have you said 'coal' in the House? Have you said the word 'coal'?”
“We have always been the country that has driven trade deals, and we have been very successful at it. Members have been talking about fuel security. I want to remind everyone in this chamber right now that we sell about $650 billion worth of stuff overseas every year, and there are four big ones: coal, iron ore, gas and food/agriculture. They're the four big ones, and they add up to about $400 billion worth of stuff. Everyone was talking just now about what the government has been doing to guarantee fuel security—speaking to some of the leaders across South-East Asia and trying to guarantee that we would get fuel supply. Do you know what they were guaranteeing in return? There was something they went up there with. They said, 'If you give us and guarantee us the fuel supplies that we need, do you know what we'll make sure we guarantee you?”
“I acknowledge the minister in the chamber, and I have some specific questions, especially in relation to the EU deal, compared to the UK deal that we did when in government, because there's a stark contrast. But I want to pick up a couple of things about trade. I acknowledge the great work the coalition did when in government. As members would remember, when we came to government in 2013, about 20 per cent of goods and services that Australia exported were covered by free trade agreements, and by the time we left government it was 80 per cent. There were 15 or 16—I forget which number—multilateral or bilateral trade agreements that we did, including the CPTPP, which was significant, but also Korea, Malaysia and China. We set up a lot of free trade agreements in government because we believe in free trade.”
“I congratulate all past and present members on this remarkable milestone and thank them for their service to the Bonalbo community.”
“I'd like to congratulate the Bonalbo CWA on its 100th birthday, to be celebrated this month. The branch held its first meeting on 26 June 1926, with the goal of establishing a local hospital, which opened in 1930 on the current Bonalbo MPS site. The Bonalbo CWA Younger Set, formed in 1933, raised funds to furnish a hospital ward and later built the Bonalbo CWA rest rooms, which opened in 1938. Although the CWA later gave up the building, it was repurchased in 2024 and will be restored, bringing the organisation back to its original home. Today the branch is led by President Helen Tart; Vice President Judy Spargo; secretary, Helen Negus; treasurer, Ivy Hsieh; cookery officer, Veronica Moore; and publicity officer, Sharon Tucker.”
“I'd like to congratulate 15-year-old Ayla Kowalczyk from Wollongbar on her selection in the Australian Commonwealth Games parasports program to compete in long jump at Glasgow. Earlier this year, Ayla competed at the Australian Athletics Junior Championships, where she broke the Australian under-15s long jump record, finding herself in Australia's top rankings and named an Australian champion. Ayla is coached by her father, Zenon, and represents Ballina Allstar Athletics and the North Coast Academy of Sport. Ayla was named the 2025 NCAS athlete of the year after breaking national records and achieving multiple personal bests throughout the year. She's dreaming big for the 2028 and 2032 Paralympics. I wish her every success in Glasgow, and I know her family are very proud.”
“I'd like to acknowledge and congratulate two competitors from the Grafton Athletics Club and their recent success at the Australian Athletics Championships held in Sydney. William Tait, who competed in the 400-metres hurdles, finished second, with a qualifying time of 52.38 seconds, which achieved the world junior standard. He now holds the second-fastest under-20s time in Australia. William has now been selected to represent Australia in the 400-metres hurdles at the World Athletics under-20s championships in Oregon, USA, this August. Congratulations, William. And Annika Swift made the 100- and 200-metres finals at the championships. Annika also ran the anchor leg in the 4 x 100-metres mixed state relay team and powered the team home to win gold and secure the Australian title. Congratulations to Annika.”
“We now have one of the highest capital gains tax rates in the world, and that's what is going to kill the entrepreneurial spirit in this country. We on this side understand it. We will reverse these changes. We will have the tax-back guarantee as well. There's one other thing that we all have to remember. There's one thing about not taking something to an election and then bringing these major tax increases to the public, but what is unforgivable is the deceit behind this. When you say you're not going to do it—you should all hang your heads in shame. You went to the last election deceiving the Australian public.”
“Something significant and something badly significant happened in this country two or three weeks ago when the Albanese government announced its budget and changed the risk-reward equation in this country. If you wanted to have a go, if you wanted to start your own business, if you wanted to put your own money on the line, if you wanted to hammer up a shingle or roll up a door and put your money and skills towards making money, there was a reward there. Now there's a big change! What happens now is that you take the risk and the Albanese Labor government takes the reward. That's what's happening now—and that is a disgrace! And why are they doing it? Because they don't understand it. None of them have ever taken that risk in private enterprise.”
“This is radical reform to the tax system. That's when you take that to an election first because of the ramifications it will have. I say shame on every Labor MP who's going to vote for this. Debate adjourned.”
“You might agree with the policy. I respect the fact that you might agree with it. I disagree with it. I think it will kill private enterprise. I encourage the Labor caucus members in this chamber to go to the leadership of your party and at least question whether it was appropriate to be deceptive with this. Was it appropriate that, 12 months ago, we, as a political party, as the government of this country, deceived the Australian people? Dave Hughes has gone public. He said he voted for you lot in the election last year. He is saying that you do not have the mandate for this. And you don't have the mandate. If you think you have the mandate, look at how you important you think democracy is and how important you think elections are. If you're going to bring important legislation—this is not just normal budget appropriation stuff.”
“I also put the challenge out to the Greens. The only people who can leverage the government into doing something here is the Greens in the Senate. I made the point with one of the Greens senators this morning on an interview panel we were both on. Are they going to support this? They might agree with the policy, but do they support the fact that the Labor Prime Minister was deceptive to the Australian people at the last election, because he didn't take these policies to the election? His worst deception was that he actually denied he was going to do this. So the Greens have a question here too. Are they going to support deception? Forget the policy for a second. Are they going to support the deception of this Labor prime minister and this Labor government? I encourage all the Labor caucus members who are in here to stand up to this.”
“As the Prime Minister said, the most important thing he does in this building is fight Tories. He's actually said that. That's not my quote. That's his. It's all just politics. It's all just the art of what this building is about. It's not about the real world. It's not about private enterprise. It's not about people trying to build this country, build the economy of this country and, importantly, employ people. I reiterate that this Labor government did not take this to the last election like Bill Shorten did in 2019, when it was rejected. Worse than that, he actually ruled it out. I think there's an important message for the Greens here too. The Greens, at least, admit to their socialism and their crazy left-wing ideas. I respect that. They don't pretend to be something they're not, like the Labor Party does.”
“Forty under 40 leaders have said that this will crush ambition. We've had people like the starter of Boost Juice and many others saying it. Australia was built on a fair go, and we all know this. If you had a go, you had the opportunity to do well. That's what's been the successful culture of this country. But not our socialist Labor prime minister and our Labor socialist treasurer. They don't get it. When you work in private enterprise, when you have to make money not only to fund your salary but to fund other people's salaries, there is something cellular that happens to you. You understand the importance of private enterprise and the importance of building something. You understand that. When all you've done is operate within this building, or with people who work in this building, it's just theoretical.”
“As an aside, I make the point that, while the Treasurer and the Prime Minister have no idea about and have never stepped in a private enterprise as an employee, let alone owned or operated one in their lives, two state premiers seem to have a little bit more connection with their communities. Chris Minns and Premier Cook in Western Australia are also saying that this government's lost the plot on this stuff. They're saying that. That's not me. I give credit to some Labor MPs who have had real-world experience. The member for Parramatta has done very well in private enterprise. He's been a staffer as well, but at least he stepped out into private enterprise. He's made comments about the inappropriateness of this. I also read out a number of quotes from business people yesterday.”
“This has been deceitful to the Australian public not just because they said they didn't take it to the election but because they were deceiving and misleading the Australian public before the last election in actually ruling it out. Shame on them! Not only is it the three tax increases—the capital gains tax, the changes to negative gearing and the changes to trusts—which they were deceptive about, which they misled the Australian public on and which they didn't give the Australian public the opportunity to vote on or talk about, but the other issues too.”
“He has no real-world example. Does he know what it's like to open a small business? Does he know what it's like to work in a small business? Let alone does he know what it's like to work in private enterprise in any structure? No. I thought I might get a bit more encouragement from the Treasurer having some real-world, practical economic, financial experience. As the Treasurer, you would hope he would have that. But, no. He went from Wayne Swan's office, I think, to Kim Beazley's office to Morris Iemma's office and then back to Wayne Swan's office—God help us! That demonstrates the hubris and arrogance of the leadership of the Labor government and the bubble that they operate in, where they have no practical, real-world example, as the Prime Minister and Treasurer of this country. So there are two things.”
“I raised this in the House of Representatives yesterday in an MPI. What I think one of the main major problems the Labor Party have, especially the leadership of the Labor Party—being the Prime Minister and the Treasurer—is that they have no real-world example. It's actually embarrassing, I think, to the Labor Party and to this government that both the Treasurer and the Prime Minister are bubble boys. They have never worked outside of politics. They've never worked outside of a Labor minister's office or this chamber. That's embarrassing, and it shows they have no real-world example. From memory, I think the Prime Minister's first job was with Tom Uren, a Labor minister. Then, he worked for the General Secretary of the Australian Labor Party in Sussex Street. Then he worked, I think, for Bob Carr, and then he became a Labor MP.”
“There are two very distinct things here: (1) they didn't take it to the Australian public to vote on, like Bill Shorten did in 2019 and got rejected, and (2), worse than that, they actually said they wouldn't do it. Shame on every member of the Labor caucus who voted for this and put this through. They have basically deceived the Australian public. They were deceptive in their language before the last election, and they deceived the voters of Australia. Shame on every single member of the Labor caucus for doing that. The other thing that's been interesting is that, in reaction to this budget, there's been an organic uprising from small businesses in Australia and the mum-and-dad investors of Australia across social media and many other platforms. It's been an organic uprising led by them.”
“What this government has done is deceitful. It's disrespectful of the Australian people and is almost dismissive of our parliamentary democracy. Why do I say that? Not only did they not get the mandate from the Australian people by taking it to an election—it actually gets worse than that. Not only did they not take it to an election, like Bill Shorten tried to; what they also did, which is an insult to the Australian public—and shame on every member of the government for it; shame on every single member of the Labor caucus for it!—is they actually said at the last election that they weren't going to do this. Infamously, the Prime Minister was asked 52 times if he was going to make these changes to negative gearing, if he was going to make these changes to the capital gains tax and trust, and over 50 times before the election he said no.”
“The theme of this budget is deceit, deceit and deceit. That is the whole theme of the budget. Why do I say that? Because, when you are doing radical reform of the tax system—and this is a radical reform of the tax system, what the Labor government are doing—you never do it as a matter of course through a budget; you always take radical reform like this to an election. Historically, that's how it's always been done. With respect, that's what Bill Shorten attempted to do. Bill Shorten attempted to do what this government is now doing in this budget. Bill Shorten at least had the credibility to take the reforms that this government are now doing to an election. And, in the 2019 election, the Australian public had the opportunity to have their say on that, and they said no by voting against the then Bill Shorten Labor opposition.”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, it has now been two weeks since the budget, so the Prime Minister should be across the details of his toxic taxes. Can the Prime Minister confirm that, unlike the pre-1999 system, capital gains will now be taxed at a minimum 30 per cent, which would hit those on the lowest incomes the hardest?”
“If he's so enthusiastic, as he says, about the processes within these chambers, I don't think he'll have a problem with this. I think he'll go: 'You know what? Let's do this. Let's make sure our ministers are there defending the budget. Let's make sure the Treasurer does go in there and defend what he thinks are the bravest reforms this government has ever done.' Of course, all his ministers would support this because all his ministers think this is brave reform transforming our country to the positive. So let's see them turn up and defend it in consideration in detail.”
“There are a lot of opposition shadow ministers who have real questions and ramifications and things they want to ask about—if things have been modelled, if things have been looked at in relation to this current budget and their portfolios. The fact of asking—the fact that the Manager of Opposition Business feels he needs to move an amendment to encourage ministers to turn up to this—is a bit embarrassing in itself. But we're here to help, and we are doing this in a consultative and transparent manner. It was a positive suggestion to give to the Leader of the House, who I know respects these processes. He says he respects them. I actually heard him say one day that, if he could, he would spend every day of every week sitting in the parliament rather than going home.”
“I think what we've seen ever since they've been elected, with all due respect, is everything the opposite of that. There have been changes to the standing and sessional orders—with, indeed, suspensions of standing orders and the way those processes would work—that I think have weakened the transparency of this chamber, parliamentary democracy and parliamentary processes. I reiterate what the Manager of Opposition Business just said, listing 13 ministers who couldn't be bothered to turn up to consideration in detail last year. I think it's especially important, with all due respect too, this year more than any other and this time more than any other. We have quite a controversial budget.”
“I'll second the motion, and I acknowledge the Leader of the House being here. I know the Leader of the House and, indeed, the Prime Minister have always said how much they respect the processes of this chamber and the parliament and the importance of transparency and the parliament itself, and I think to maintain rigorousness about this chamber—within this chamber, the Federation Chamber and the Senate—is very important to our parliamentary democracy. I'd also like to reiterate and remind those opposite that, when this government got elected the first time, four years ago, they said one of their main aims was going to be improved transparency within this chamber and in the parliamentary processes and the rigorousness of this chamber and the consultative nature of what they wanted to undergo.”
“It's not me saying that; it's a very successful Australian businesswoman saying that. She also said the government should say what they do and do what they say, after telling people before the election they would not touch negative gearing and capital gains taxes. Chris Richardson, an economist, says you don't want to discourage people from taking a risk. Dave Hughes—this is an interesting one—starts by saying: I voted for Albo and Chalmers, they didn't have a mandate for changing capital gains tax. It's now the highest in the world. No one is going to want to invest in Australia. … … … You didn't have a mandate for it. You— Can I quote 'lie'? I'd better not say it.”
“It's not me saying that; 40 young leaders in Australia who have done very well are calling this an aspiration ambush. Young business builders in Australia from technology, artificial intelligence, retail and manufacturing sectors told Anthony Albanese that his budget has hit them the hardest. They said: We work the hours. We carry the risk. But now the reward is going to the Albanese Labor government. Janine Allis, Boost Juice founder, said the changes could 'destroy the core of what Australians are'. We're built on having a go. If you have a go, you should get rewarded. She went on to say that you need to inspire people to actually take the risks needed to get ahead. With this policy of the Labor government, she says: We won't want to open businesses or start businesses, because the risk of failure and the risk for reward doesn't add up.”
“There's something cellular that you get when you know that when you go to work, you've got to make money that day. You've got to sell whatever you're selling, or you can't pay your own salary or other people's. That's something cellular that everyone here gets. We get it. We know the importance of it, and that what is sadly lacking on the other side of politics. Now I want to go to some people who do know. I want to just quote four or five people who do know. Actually, I will give a shout-out that the member for Parramatta has had some real-world experience. I think he's been a Labor staffer as well. He's made some interesting comments about this budget. Firstly, 40 Australian business owners under 40 have penned an open letter to the Prime Minister, saying that his tax reform is an 'aspiration ambush'.”
“What we have are two senior people who are running the Australian economy on behalf of the government right now, the Prime Minister and the Treasurer. I have respect for both those positions. The problem—we can't overstate this—is that neither of them have actually worked in the real world. Neither of them has actually worked in a business. They've all worked in this bubble of federal politics. They've all worked as staffers or walked into this chamber at a young age—I congratulate them on getting into this chamber at a young age; I'm not criticising that—with no real-world experience. That is the problem with everything we're talking about, because for them this is just theoretical. This is just some idea or some understanding they wouldn't have of the real world.”
“Surely, he has worked for a business and knows the pressure of having to pay someone's salary from your efforts or the efforts of your staff.' So I had a quick look. The first job was research officer for Tom Uren, a Labor minister. I thought: 'Okay, that's only his first job. It might get better.' The second job was assistant general secretary of the New South Wales branch of the Labor Party. I thought, 'Okay, he might have branched out after that.' The third job was senior adviser to Morris Iemma. Well, at least he swapped from federal to state Labor. Anyway, let's keep going. The fourth job was principal adviser for Wayne Swan. So we've gone back to Swan. The fifth job: Labor MP. Deflated by then. This is an important point.”
“When I think about this, we all—almost without exception, I would say—have worked in our own private enterprise or have worked in private enterprise, so we understand. When you hang up your shingle, when you roll up the door, when you open the door to your business and you are waiting for customers to come in or ring, you know the risk of that, you know the anxiety of that, and you know how hard you have to work to make money not only for your own salary but also for other people's salaries. As a matter of interest, I thought I'd Google two people and look up their work histories, because I thought, 'They should get this.' I thought: 'Let's have a look at the current prime minister of Australia's work history. Surely, he has worked in a private enterprise.”
“Two weeks ago, something changed in Australia. Something has changed in the psychology of Australians, and over time that will take effect in what Australians do and what Australians don't do—especially entrepreneurial Australia, Australians who want to take a risk, Australians who want to start a small business and any Australian who really wants to have a go. What happened two weeks ago was a very big change in the risk-reward of what you do with your money in Australia. Historically, if you took a risk in Australia, you got the reward. But the change is that now, when you take a risk with your money in the Australian economy, the people who will take the reward are the Albanese Labor government.”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, in a June 2025 secret meeting, the Minister for Home Affairs committed to find a way to return ISIS sympathisers to Australia. He said, 'The success of the first cohort arriving will be a great help to bring more to Australia.' At 5.30 pm today, another plane-load of ISIS sympathisers will touch down on Australian soil. Will the Prime Minister now admit this was all part of the Labor government's plan?”
“In closing, we on this side of the parliament are always looking to be constructive. We will support keeping registries operating. We support director ID and we support practical reform, but we will use the Senate inquiry to test some of the finer details around this, and we'll always look to hold the Treasurer to account if he's not doing his job. Debate adjourned.”
“There've been a lot of recent high-profile financial failures—First Guardian, Shield, Lion Property Group and others—and these failures raise serious concerns about consumer protection, enforcement and early intervention. We want the government to give far more clear direction to ASIC. The Treasurer's been in this job for four years. He has still not issued his statement of expectations for ASIC or the tax office. ASIC is still operating under the statement of expectations issued in 2021 by then treasurer Josh Frydenberg during the COVID recovery period. This needs to be updated. Statements of expectations are meant to give regulators clarity about government objectives and priorities, and we think the Treasurer is failing to set updated and clear expectations for them and for the ATO as well.”
“Directors should not be exposed to identity theft. They should not be exposed to coercion or personal safety risks. The Senate inquiry should test—this is one of the reasons why we support the inquiry—whether the bill gets this balance right or whether more protection is needed. The bill includes strict liability offences. These apply where information is not provided or updated, and that may be unfair in some cases. A company may take reasonable steps to comply, but a director may fail to provide the required information, and a reasonable steps defence should be considered as part of the Senate inquiry. On broader concerns about ASIC—just as a little bit of a segue here—while these reforms are important, we also want more direction given to ASIC. ASIC have a big job to do and have many competing priorities.”
“Linking director IDs to ASIC company records is sensible. On protecting directors, though, when you start to make information public, there are obviously protections that we want to put in place. While we want these transparency things to be in place for directors, there is, as I said, phoenixing. I understand phoenixing is when a director might be involved in a company that implodes—or there might even be some fraudulent, or allegedly fraudulent, activity—and then, when that company goes to the ashes, they literally rise out of the ashes and start a company doing the same thing. We want to keep track of that and have more transparency around that. But our support for director ID does not mean we want to give up on privacy. Company directors deserve proper protections. We do not want home addresses, for example, to be freely available.”
“I rise to speak to the Treasury Laws Amendment (Business Registries Stabilisation and Uplift) Bill 2026. As a starting point, the coalition is broadly supportive of this bill. We will not oppose it in the House, so there can be a proper consideration by a Senate inquiry. This bill is obviously going to keep Australia's business registers operating. Business registers are a core piece of economic infrastructure. Businesses, lenders, consumers, journalists and regulators rely on them, as you know, Mr Speaker, every day. We support keeping these systems stable, accurate and usable. The coalition supports director ID. It was a coalition reform. Director ID improves transparency. It helps tackle phoenixing. It helps regulators track directors across companies, and around three million directors have already obtained one.”