Andrew Leigh
Fenner · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“I move: That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969 , it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and on which the committee has duly reported to Parliament: Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation—Deco…”
“The proposed works were referred to the public works committee on 3 March 2026. Following its inquiry, the committee has recommended that the House of Representatives resolve that it is expedient to carry out the proposed works.”
“When the Leader of the Opposition became leader, getting rid of the first woman to head the Liberal Party, he said that his party needed to 'change or die'. I don't think many Australians thought that they were going to choose door 2, but that's what's happening right now. The modern Liberal Party won't change, and it's choosing to die.”
“From today, Labor is putting in place six months of paid parental leave. But the shadow treasurer has called paid parental leave 'a very bad scheme', saying: … that is not my choice that women have children; it's not. It's genetic. From today, Labor is delivering tax cuts for every working Australian.”
“But when asked the same question, the Leader of the Opposition said things like, 'I don't quite know what you mean by that question,' and, 'Do you want to define it for me?' and, 'There's all these vague words running around.' Asked seven times, he couldn't back in multiculturalism.”
“For small business, we've changed the R&D tax credit so that every dollar of R&D tax credit drives 20 per cent more research and development. For Australians who are looking to afford medicines, the health minister has been putting a record number of drugs through the PBS and driving record funding through our hospital system.”
The complete record
Every one of 364 lines we hold for Andrew Leigh, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 8.
“The proposed works were referred to the public works committee on 3 March 2026. Following its inquiry, the committee has recommended that the House of Representatives resolve that it is expedient to carry out the proposed works. Subject to parliamentary approval, the works are expected to commence in January 2028 and be completed by August 2029. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee, ably chaired by the member for Makin, for undertaking a timely inquiry. I commend the motion to the House. Question agreed to.”
“I move: That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969 , it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and on which the committee has duly reported to Parliament: Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation—Decommissioning of the National Research Cyclotron Facility, Camperdown. The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation seeks parliamentary approval to decommission and demolish the National Research Cyclotron Facility, located near the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney. These works are required to meet the organisation's end-of-lease obligations to the Sydney Local Health District. The total estimated cost of the works is $17 million excluding GST.”
“It'll be the last election all over again, when the member for Hume was the shadow treasurer, championing policies that saw the Liberal Party promising to the Australian people to increase their taxes and deliver higher deficits, to fund policies such as taxpayer funded long lunches for bosses. We've seen this movie before. The Liberal Party went to the 1987 election promising to repeal the capital gains tax and fringe benefits tax. They never did it, and they will fail again to roll back Labor's reform agenda, delivered in the interests of all Australians.”
“But the Liberal Party is now the party which is arguing against tax changes, which, as people like Joe Hockey and Dom Perrottet have pointed out, are necessary if we are to allow young Australians to break into the property market. So, at the next election, the coalition will go to the Australian people promising to roll back our changes. To be quite clear about what that means, they will be going to the Australian people calling for the reinstatement of huge tax breaks for investors that will reduce homeownership and will be paid for by higher taxes and worse services.”
“We will ensure that it's easier for Australians to work across state and territory borders by getting rid of unnecessary occupational licensing rules. Our negative gearing and capital gains tax changes ensure that all small businesses have access to the capital gains tax exemptions and that 98 per cent of all businesses have access to those exemptions. We are driving reforms which will see the government contribute to some 420,000 new homes, and the tax changes in the budget will see another 75,000 Australians own their own home. Labor believes in the same values that once used to be bipartisan. Back in the days of Chifley and Menzies, we had two parties in this country committed to homeownership.”
“For small business, we've changed the R&D tax credit so that every dollar of R&D tax credit drives 20 per cent more research and development. For Australians who are looking to afford medicines, the health minister has been putting a record number of drugs through the PBS and driving record funding through our hospital system. We've made urgent care clinics permanent. We are ensuring that the productivity benefits that come from a healthier workforce flow to more Australians. Labor's competition reform agenda will not only make it easier for Australians to move to a better job but also drive competition through the National Competition Policy in a compact with states and territories. We will ensure that reforms such as planning, zoning and growth boosting will be enhanced.”
“Another critic quoted in the same story, business leader Phillip Wang, said: … the government's tax changes would continue to drive capital and innovation out of the country. Asked how the Telegraph found him, he said: I got a phone call from a friend in the Liberal Party … They asked around to see who's willing to take that call. Oddly, given those opposite have been complaining about the level of net overseas migration, you'd think they might be quite happy about some Liberal Party members saying they're going to move overseas. But, in fact, they're happy to run these scare campaigns on the measures in the budget which are ensuring that we boost homeownership, which are all about driving productivity.”
“One news report quoted by those opposite had a business leader saying that they were going to leave Australia because 'China provides a better life than Australia right now, so I was thinking about going back.' But when quizzed by Media Watch as to whether it was really the effect of the budget, he said: No it's not just the budget. That's just a small thing … The bigger part is … the infrastructure and our cost of living, that's the main thing … So is he going to move back? 'Well,' he said, 'I have to let my daughter finish school first.' How old is she? She's nine years old. So he'll go back to China when she finishes year 12? Well, maybe, or when she finishes university, which, according to Media Watch , makes it 2037.”
“The member for Barker, who, thankfully, is here in the House, has said he wants them to have their own 'non-compete clause' with One Nation. While John Howard said he would put One Nation last, the modern Liberal Party is a tribute act to One Nation. The modern Liberal Party want to collaborate with One Nation. They want a non-compete with One Nation. They don't believe in standing up against One Nation—well, maybe with one or two exceptions. But, basically, if you put Andrew Hastie off to one side, the modern Liberal Party are in favour of collaborating with One Nation. And we've seen the scare campaigns being run by those opposite.”
“But when asked the same question, the Leader of the Opposition said things like, 'I don't quite know what you mean by that question,' and, 'Do you want to define it for me?' and, 'There's all these vague words running around.' Asked seven times, he couldn't back in multiculturalism. As the saying goes, if you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there. Multiculturalism has been a key driver of Australia's success and is supported by four out of five Australians, yet the modern Liberal Party can't bring themselves to back it. From the beginning of next year, Labor will be getting rid of non-compete clauses for nine out of 10 Australian workers, ensuring that they can move to a better job. Yet there's one kind of non-compete that those opposite are in favour of.”
“Labor is committed to reforms which will boost productivity. From today, we're going to see the $20,000 instant asset write-off become permanent, encouraging small businesses to invest. From today, we're banning price gouging by the big supermarkets, ensuring that those big supermarkets no longer charge excessive prices, as defined by the cost of supply plus a reasonable margin. We've seen the coalition backing away from the sources of dynamism that have made Australia so prosperous over past decades. Multiculturalism is backed by 83 per cent of Australians, according to last year's Scanlon survey. Past Liberal leaders, such as Malcolm Turnbull and Malcolm Fraser, and leaders such as Philip Ruddock, Nick Greiner and Jeff Kennett have backed multiculturalism.”
“From today, Labor is putting in place six months of paid parental leave. But the shadow treasurer has called paid parental leave 'a very bad scheme', saying: … that is not my choice that women have children; it's not. It's genetic. From today, Labor is delivering tax cuts for every working Australian. Yet the shadow treasurer believes that we have to increase taxes on working Australians, having said: … we have to move towards a simpler 20 per cent flat personal, company and consumption tax … That's right; the shadow treasurer wants to double the GST. From today, Labor is increasing funding to public hospitals by $25 billion. Yet the shadow treasurer has championed the privatisation of Medicare so there could be a 'transfer of the health-financing burden shifted from government to individuals'.”
“We are boosting minimum wages and award wages, benefiting more than three million Australians, and yet the shadow treasurer is on the record criticising the Fair Work Commission's decision to deliver a real wage increase to low-income workers. We're increasing wages for care workers, who'll benefit by around $59 a week. A registered nurse will benefit to the tune of about $86 a week. And yet the shadow treasurer has criticised better wages for frontline workers as 'borrowing from future generations'. From today, workers will see payday super. They'll actually see money coming into their super accounts when it should. But the shadow treasurer has criticised universal superannuation, labelling it 'a form of economic social engineering' and 'a form of economic insanity'.”
“When the Leader of the Opposition became leader, getting rid of the first woman to head the Liberal Party, he said that his party needed to 'change or die'. I don't think many Australians thought that they were going to choose door 2, but that's what's happening right now. The modern Liberal Party won't change, and it's choosing to die. They won't change a system that's locked a generation of young Australians out of homeownership. They won't change their natural inclination, in a choice between opportunity and privilege, to back privilege every time. As the opposition leader himself might have said: 'Fantastic. Great move. Well done, Angus.' The fact is that Labor is today introducing measures which are going to benefit millions of Australians, and so many of these measures have been opposed by the shadow treasurer.”
“Subject to parliamentary approval, the works are expected to commence in October 2026 for completion in May 2027. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee, ably chaired by the member for Makin, for undertaking a timely inquiry. I commend the motion to the House. Question agreed to.”
“The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts seeks parliamentary approval to fit out levels 1 to 6 in new leased premises at One City Hill, Canberra City. The proposed work will comprise predominantly open-plan and modular workstations, meeting and breakout areas, and support facilities. The work will conform to the department's operational requirements, including physical and electronic security, with higher security zones and secure lift lobbies to each floor. The total project cost is estimated to be $46.4 million excluding GST. The proposed works were referred to the public works committee on 25 November 2025. Following its inquiry, the committee recommended that the House of Representatives resolve that it is expedient to carry out the proposed works.”
“On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee, ably chaired by the member for Makin, for undertaking a timely inquiry. I commend the motion to the House. Question agreed to. I move: That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969 , it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and on which the committee has duly reported to Parliament: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts—Proposed fit-out of new leased premises at One City Hill, Canberra City.”
“The scope of works is for fit-out works only, including the demolition of internal services and fittings, removal of redundant services, new wall and ceiling linings, a full refurbishment of wet areas and kitchens, replacement flooring, upgrades to building services and safety upgrades to staircases. The estimated total cost of the works is $37.3 million, excluding GST but including Papua New Guinean value-added tax. The proposed works were referred to the Public Works Committee on 25 November 2025. Following its inquiry, the committee recommended that the House of Representatives resolve that it is expedient to carry out the proposed works. Subject to parliamentary approval, including resolution of any outstanding requirements, construction is expected to commence in 2026 and be completed in 2029.”
“I move: That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969 , it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and on which the committee has duly reported to Parliament: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade—Refurbishment of Australian High Commission Staff Residential Compound, Konedobu, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade seeks parliamentary approval to refurbish 39 of the 45 staff residences located at the Australian High Commission's staff residential compound in Konedobu, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.”
“The scope of works includes the construction of workstations, individual offices, meeting and conference rooms, utility and storage spaces, secure rooms, training rooms, breakout spaces, an emergency operations centre and ICT help desk space. The estimated total cost of the works is $103.9 million, excluding GST. The proposed works were referred to the Public Works Committee on 3 November 2024. Following its inquiry, the committee recommended that the House of Representatives resolve that it is expedient to carry out the proposed works. Subject to parliamentary approval, the works are expected to commence in mid-2026 for completion by late 2027. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee, ably chaired by the member for Makin, for undertaking a timely inquiry. I commend the motion to the House. Question agreed to.”
“On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee, ably chaired by the member for Makin, for undertaking a timely inquiry. I commend the motion to the House. Question agreed to. I move: That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969 , it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and on which the committee has duly reported to Parliament: Department of Defence—9 Molonglo Drive Project, Brindabella Park, Australian Capital Territory. The Department of Defence seeks parliamentary approval to fit out newly leased premises at 9 Molonglo Drive, Brindabella Park, ACT to enable the department to consolidate four existing leases at Brindabella Park which have aged office fit-outs that are now beyond end of life.”
“The scope of works includes significant architectural works and redevelopment of the existing building, living and thematic exhibitions, filtration and life support systems, and remediation of dilapidated structural, electrical, mechanical services and civil foundation works. The estimated total cost of the works is $161.1 million (excluding GST). The proposed works were referred to the Public Works Committee on 25 November 2025. Following its inquiry, the committee recommended that the House of Representatives resolve that it is expedient to carry out the proposed works. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction and major works are scheduled to commence in the 2026-27 financial year, with re-opening scheduled for 2029.”
“I move: That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969 , it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and on which the committee has duly reported to Parliament: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority—Aquarium Redevelopment project, Townsville, Queensland. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority seeks parliament's approval to redevelop the Great Barrier Reef Aquarium, the national education centre for the Great Barrier Reef, at 2-36 Kelleher Place, Townsville, Queensland. This project is a key deliverable of the Townsville City Deal signed in 2016.”
“Pam and Jenny both took up serious running in their 50s, and these two remarkable women inspire many to run further than they might have imagined.”
“I've had the privilege not only of running plenty of Pam's races but also of running alongside her, so I can attest that she's not only a great race director but also a terrific ultramarathoner. Pam has won the Glasshouse Mountains hundred-miler three years in a row, raced the 240-kilometre Coast to Kosci on multiple occasions and runs the Sri Chinmoy Canberra Trail 100 race each year. Her 2025 ACT Local Hero nomination recognised the admiration Canberrans have for Pam. I also pay tribute to Jenny Kellett of Hawker. At 71, Jenny holds multiple Australian age group records for the half marathon and marathon. Two years ago she ran the Chicago Marathon in three hours, 23 minutes. Last year she completed the Comrades Marathon in nine hours, 29 minutes. Jenny keeps proving that older athletes can produce speedy times.”
“Through our five per cent deposit scheme, a quarter of a million Australians have already been helped towards their first home. We're changing negative gearing so new investors are encouraged to finance new homes, which means more construction and a fairer contest at auction for first home buyers. In Jacka and across the country, Labor is building that future. Yesterday, Pam Muston organised her 10th Kowen trail marathon, an event that raises funds for the Wamboin Rural Fire Brigade, turning hills and kilometres into community strength. Hundreds of runners chose to run the 12-, 21-or 42-kilometre courses through Kowen Forest before returning to a breakfast cooked by the local firies.”
“Last week I joined the Prime Minister and housing minister at the North Canberra suburb of Jacka. Jacka is named after Albert Jacka, the first Australian to receive the Victoria Cross. Before he served in the First World War, he worked as a forester, which raises a question: could a worker on a forester's wage buy a secure home today? To address that, the Australian government is boosting housing supply across the country. In Jacka, skilled tradies are building 57 social and affordable homes backed by $50 million in Commonwealth funding through the Housing Australia Future Fund. These homes are due to welcome their first residents within a year. Our $47 billion Homes for Australia agenda will unlock 420,000 homes over the next decade.”
“by leave—I move: That Mr Abdo, Ms Clutterham, Ms Sitou and Ms Templeman be appointed members of the Select Committee on Cyber Security for Small to Medium Sized Businesses and Organisations. Question agreed to.”
“They improve the integrity and usefulness of registry information, support transparency and market confidence, and ensure stability in the administration of Australia's business registers. Finally, I acknowledge the Treasury officials who worked on this bill: Percy Bell, Michael Fitzgerald, George Kelleher, Michael Joost, Harry Braddick, Anne Nguyen, Mana Addepalli, David Haines, Angelina Kosev, Nelson Mendonca and Zoe Winston-Gregson. This bill ensures these important reforms remain on track and that Australia's business registers continue to be trusted, resilient and fit for purpose. I commend the bill to the House. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time. Ordered that this bill be reported to the House without amendment.”
“These powers support more efficient digital interactions, improve data quality and strengthen ASIC's ability to respond where registry information is inaccurate, misleading or being misused, while balancing transparency with privacy and safety. Schedule 3 addresses a critical legislative issue by removing legacy provisions that would otherwise automatically commence and which would disrupt registry operations if they did so. The changes in this bill provide certainty and continuity, including ensuring ASIC remains responsible for the registers and the current uplift program can proceed as planned. Taken together, the measures in this bill are practical, proportionate and necessary.”
“While directors are already required to hold a director ID, linking this information to the companies register ensures it can be used as intended—to strengthen transparency, improve the traceability of directors and reduce opportunities for misuse of corporate structures, including illegal phoenix activity. The schedule also includes appropriate safeguards, including notification and consent measures, and provides sensible transition arrangements. Schedule 2 equips ASIC with a new and targeted set of registry powers, so it can administer the registers effectively in a contemporary digital environment and respond to external risks such as fraud and misuse.”
“The government's targeted registry stabilisation and uplift program is already delivering improvements following the cessation of the former Modernising Business Registers program, which was paused after it blew out to five times its projected cost. This bill is necessary to ensure that work can continue without disruption and that the significant investment already made delivers lasting benefits. Schedule 1 strengthens the director identification number regime by embedding it more effectively into existing company registration and reporting processes.”
“I'd like to thank the members who have contributed to the debate, the members for Page, Maribyrnong and Moreton. I'd particularly like to thank the member for Forde for his generous words about me and for his wise words about phoenixing and for telling us the story of Les. There is no bigger champion of the working class in parliament than the member for Forde, and we're lucky to serve alongside him. The Treasury Laws Amendment (Business Registries Stabilisation and Uplift) Bill is about strengthening the integrity of Australia's business registers as critical economic infrastructure. These registers underpin confidence in our corporate system by providing reliable information that supports informed decision-making by businesses, regulators and the public.”
“Those on that side of the House are continuing their tradition of opposing every significant reform in Australian history. They will go down again on the wrong side of history.”
“Ken Henry says: Finally, a budget of economic reform. … Jim Chalmers' budget takes a very big step. And it is a step in the right direction. The CEO of Chartered Accountants ANZ, Ainslie van Onselen, says: There are genuine positives in tonight's Budget, and we acknowledge the government's willingness to address some long-standing imbalances. Luci Ellis, chief economist at Westpac and former assistant governor at the RBA, says: I think the tax changes on negative gearing and capital gains are really significant. These are changes that everybody thought was politically impossible. … Suddenly a government has actually dealt with that. It's an intergenerational issue that they're addressing. We on this side of the House are addressing longstanding tax reform and boosting housing supply.”
“It was a pleasure for me to join the Treasurer and the housing minister at Belconnen at a new development in my electorate just near the Belconnen owl that will see 315 new units, some of them social and affordable homes, improving housing affordability. Our budget has been praised by many outside experts. Chris Richardson says: There's a lot to like in this budget. … what we haven't had is a budget that tackles some of the 'to-do' list that Treasury and the Productivity Commission have had sitting in their top drawers for many years. This does that. Aruna Sathanapally, the CEO of the Grattan Institute, says: … the government delivered a broad and ambitious budget. It is meaningfully working its way through the to-do list for making Australia's economy more dynamic and thereby more resilient.”
“Those opposite are fighting for investors' fourth homes; we on this side of the House are fighting for first home buyers getting their first home and getting into the housing market. The coalition used to support this, back in the days of Menzies, when the coalition oversaw an increase in the homeownership rate in Australia. But, over the last couple of decades, we've seen a fall in the homeownership rate, and under the previous government they went years without even having a housing minister. This budget invests $2 billion in enabling infrastructure, speeding up housing approvals and cutting red tape.”
“We're investing in infrastructure, building more homes, improving digital systems and supporting the transport and energy networks that connect people to opportunity. Our changes to capital gains will ensure that the system is fairer, taking it back to the way in which it taxed real gains from 1985 through to 1999. For some asset classes, this is going to be better for investors than the current arrangement. If your gain is less than twice the inflation rate, you'll be better off as a result of Labor's approach of taxing real gains. We're taking away a distortion that arose from the combination of the 1936 change that introduced negative gearing and the 1999 change that put in place a distorting capital gains tax discount. That led to the housing market blowing up, pushing the price of homes outside the reach of regular Australians.”
“The budget will also cut the time it takes migrant trade workers to enter the workforce by up to six months. We've got a shortage out there of electricians, plumbers and carpenters. Faster recognition means more people earning and more homes being built. This is all part of the government's housing supply agenda. Many small businesses will benefit from the $20,000 instant asset write-off being made permanent, which gives them more certainty when deciding whether to buy the ute, the coffee machine, the laptop or a new piece of machinery. We are investing in the institutions that shape Australia. We're investing in individuals through free TAFE, better skills recognition, reforms to occupational licensing and the huge power of work the education minister is doing from early childhood right up to university.”
“That means that a builder can read the rule book without paying for the privilege. That'll save small trade businesses up to $1,600 a year in access fees. We've seen productivity in the housing construction sector fall 12 per cent over the past three decades, even adjusting for the fact that modern houses are bigger and better quality. The Productivity Commission has estimated that new regulation can add hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cost of new homes. This budget speeds up approvals and encourages the better use of modern construction methods. A new report out today by Danika Adams and Jonathon Mahon from CEDA on modern methods of construction finds that they can make houses that are 20 per cent cheaper and produced up to 50 per cent quicker. This budget will help the uptake of modern construction methods.”
“That productivity package is absolutely fundamental to ensuring that dynamic businesses can thrive. The national competition policy reforms are estimated to add around $13 billion to the economy every year, which is an average benefit of $1,200 for every household every year. That involves cutting financial sector paperwork, reducing duplicative data requests, streamlining foreign investment and ensuring skilled workers don't need separate licences and fees to work across state borders. Just to take one example which is so important to this government's housing supply agenda, before this budget, it was necessary for Australian builders to pay to access the construction rules to which they had to comply. This budget makes access to all standards referenced in Australian legislation free.”
“And Noel Crichton-Browne said: This legislation will impose an added cost, an added burden, on the employers of Australia, significantly reduce employment and, naturally, increase unemployment. The fact is that they were dead wrong on all of those things. Uniform income tax, fringe benefits tax, capital gains tax and universal super are now fundamental pillars of the Australian taxation system. The coalition has long been on the wrong side of history. They are, after all, the party that opposed Medicare, native title and the Sex Discrimination Act. What we are doing in this budget is reducing the tax burden for over 13 million workers, supporting 75,000 more homeowners into the housing market and delivering a productivity package which will boost growth in this country.”
“We will vote against it here and in the Senate, and should the legislation pass we will repeal it on our return to office. Make no mistake: After our Bicentenary in Australia there will be no capital gains tax. It's one of the fundamental pillars of revenue raising in this country, and the coalition were against it when it came in. David Hawker said of it in 1986: … this tax is plain stupid … Then when Labor, under the Keating government, put in place universal superannuation—superannuation not just for those who came from money but from those who aspired to money—Richard Alston said in 1992: … we are still fundamentally opposed to the whole concept of compulsory superannuation.”
“Then in 1986 we've got the fringe benefits tax put in place by the Hawke government, and we had Jim Carlton standing in the House of Representatives saying: We are totally opposed to this new business tax, this new payroll tax, which will destroy investment and destroy employment. And we had Albert Adermann, another coalition member, in 1986 saying: … these inequitable taxation propositions must be reversed and abolished. The party of long, taxpayer funded lunches for bosses has always had its snout in the public trough. When the capital gains tax was introduced for the very first time and the debate came to this House in 1986, Jim Carlton said: This is a day of infamy for this Government … We are opposed to this capital gains tax.”
“What we just heard then was a diatribe by a dying tribe—a diatribe by a dying tribe that went to the last election promising to raise income taxes on all Australians and to spend taxpayer dollars on long lunches for bosses. But the fact is that the Liberal Party has always been the party that has opposed significant reform in Australia. Indeed, when we go back to 1942, when the Curtin government put in place uniform income taxes, the coalition were against it. Arthur Fadden said: … taxpayers under 1,000 pounds pay too little tax and those over 1,000 pounds pay, relatively speaking, too much tax. Even back then we had the coalition parties saying that low-income workers should pay more so high-income earners could pay less.”
“The government will not be supporting these amendments. The world is facing the largest shock to oil supply that we have seen in world history. In response to that, the government is putting in place unprecedented measures in order to ensure that fuel supply flows and to put downward pressure on fuel prices. This is part of the armoury of the government's response. It is important that it have the breadth as outlined in the bill and that it be able to take effect as outlined. These are important measures which will help consumers by ensuring that there can be coordinated action where it is to the benefit of motorists but not where it is to the detriment of motorists. I commend the unamended bill to the House.”
“It will allow the government to introduce severe penalties for breaches of the Oil Code of Conduct that reflect the gravity of these contraventions and provide a real disincentive to fuel companies disregarding their obligations and benefiting from the current conflict in the Middle East. These changes will allow penalties on corporations up to the greater of $10 million, three times the benefit they derive from breaching the code or 10 per cent of their adjusted turnover from the 12 months up to when the contravention occurred. Penalties of this size are needed to ensure fair and lawful conduct through the fuel supply chain to ultimately protect Australian consumers, who are already feeling the impacts of this conflict at the petrol pump. I commend the bill to the House.”
“These businesses may then take coordinated action to complement the work of government in protecting the Australian public and economy from the impacts of the crisis. These new powers will ensure the Treasurer and the competition watchdog can respond promptly to challenging situations Australia may face during exceptional global or domestic circumstances. They will make it easier and faster for businesses to assist these vital efforts to respond to such circumstances. Schedule 2 to the bill provides further protections against unfair and unlawful conduct by fuel companies.”
“I'd like to thank those members who contributed to the debate on the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Responding to Exceptional Circumstances) Bill 2026—the members for Page, Indi, Moreton, Maribyrnong, Forde and Sturt. Schedule 1 of the bill creates new powers for the Treasurer and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to permit coordinated action during a crisis. Where exceptional circumstances exist which are likely to cause harm to Australia's economy, business or consumers, similar to the current fuel crisis, the Treasurer will be empowered to make a declaration. After an exceptional circumstances declaration is made, the competition watchdog will be able to exercise new streamlined powers to either grant an authorisation to specific businesses or a class exemption to a broader cohort of businesses.”
“The bill will further discourage fuel companies seeking to flaunt their obligations under the Oil Code of Conduct, including those taking advantage of the conflict in the Middle East. Full details of the measures are contained in the explanatory memorandum. Leave granted for second reading debate to continue immediately.”