Senate

Answer from Penny Wong

The minister stated that the government is committed to securing a future for Whyalla through consultation with unions and workers, contrasting this with previous Liberal policies that allegedly encouraged industry departures. She noted that the failure to invest by the previous owner, GFG Alliance, had negative consequences for the community. The minister affirmed that the government would work with industry and unions to find a sustainable path forward for the site.

Answer from Katy Gallagher

The minister reported that global headline inflation had increased by 4.7 per cent, but Australian inflation had decreased considerably. She highlighted that Australia's economic growth, employment growth, and participation rates outperformed those of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The minister stated that the budget exceeded the mid-year update by $44.9 billion and was over $250 billion stronger than when the government took office, citing fiscal discipline and debt reduction as key strategies.

Answer from Penny Wong

The minister affirmed that securing domestic structural steel capability at Whyalla was essential and that the government was prepared to invest taxpayer funds to support the transition. She attributed the facility's state to underinvestment by the previous owner and criticized the opposition for complaining about government intervention in industries like Tomago. The minister reiterated the government's commitment to working with the South Australian government, unions, and communities to ensure a future for Whyalla.

Answer from Murray Watt

The minister highlighted the government's investment of over $200 million in more than 70 new recycling facilities, including plastic recycling sites. He stated that the government intended to propose reforms for greater harmonisation of packaging rules at the upcoming Environment Ministers' Meeting. The minister criticized the Greens for their inconsistent stance on native forests and asserted that the government was actively increasing recycling capacity by over 1.3 million tonnes annually.

Answer from Jenny McAllister

The minister reported that over 3,800 GP practices were fully bulk-billing, two years ahead of schedule, with more than eight out of 10 GP visits in Tasmania being free. She noted the establishment of 137 permanent Medicare urgent care clinics nationwide. Regarding medicines, she stated that the government had reduced the maximum PBS co-payment to $25 from 1 January, the lowest level since 2004, contrasting this with opposition policies that would have resulted in higher costs.

Answer from Murray Watt

The minister stated that the budget had made provision for the protective service framework across the budget years and that the AFP was not using contractors for this role. He confirmed that $199.1 million was assigned in the 2025-26 budget to deliver 199 protective force officers and 245 additional staffing levels at HMAS Stirling. The minister noted that the AFP headcount had increased by about 435 between June of the previous year and June of the current year, and he offered to provide further information if available.

Answer from Don Farrell

The minister stated that the government was interested in maximizing AI benefits while protecting Australian creatives and media. He confirmed that the government sought to attract frontier AI investment while setting terms that included control and payment for copyright owners regarding the use of their material. The minister affirmed that strong protections for Australian artists and media would remain a core part of the government's approach to artificial intelligence.

Answer from Murray Watt

The minister stated that the government was considering changes to the migration system but would not adopt One Nation's policies, arguing they would cause a recession and staff shortages in hospitals and aged care. He noted that net overseas migration had fallen by 45 per cent in the previous four years. The minister emphasized that the government's approach aimed to balance migration reduction with economic needs, rejecting suggestions that would harm the economy or turn Australians against each other.

Answer from Murray Watt

The minister reported that trade apprenticeship completions rose by 10 per cent, marking the strongest outcome in ten years, and commencements increased by 2 per cent year-on-year. He highlighted significant jumps in electrical (19 per cent), carpentry and joinery (10 per cent), and plumbing (5 per cent) commencements. The minister noted a 15 per cent increase in school student commencements and increases in women entering construction and electrotechnology trades, attributing these results to targeted government incentives.

Answer from Penny Wong

The minister stated that housing affordability issues were fundamentally about supply and demand, noting that investor loans for new builds had increased by 27.5 per cent and construction loans by 20 per cent due to tax incentives. She reported that less than one per cent of mortgage holders were in negative equity, compared to over two per cent when the opposition was in government. The minister argued that increasing supply and removing competitive advantages for investors over first-home buyers were the correct strategies to improve affordability.