House of Representatives

Answer from Anne Aly

The minister stated that the economy saw the addition of more than 385,000 new businesses last year, with 1.4 million companies registered since the government took office, a 35 per cent increase compared to the previous administration. She noted that insolvency rates were half the average under the Howard government. The minister highlighted that the government had made the $20,000 instant asset write-off and the two-year loss carry-back permanent, measures originally introduced by Labor and previously reduced by coalition governments.

Answer from Jim Chalmers

The Treasurer noted that the IMF highlighted global uncertainty, exacerbated by conflict in the Middle East, as driving inflation and pressuring budgets in advanced economies. He stated that Australia's budget was in stronger condition than comparable countries, with lower gross debt, the lowest unemployment in 50 years, and stronger growth than most major economies. He attributed this to responsible budget management and recent savings measures. The Treasurer emphasized that trust tax reforms, introduced that day, were necessary for long-term sustainability, noting that less than 10 per cent of small businesses would be impacted, while the reforms aimed to cut taxes for workers and assist first-home buyers.

Answer from Anne Aly

The minister reiterated that record numbers of small businesses were opening, supported by $3.8 billion in government assistance. She stated that regular meetings with business owners confirmed the positive impact of making the $20,000 instant asset write-off and the two-year loss carry-back permanent. She noted these measures were originally Labor initiatives that had been wound back by previous coalition governments.

Answer from Madeleine King

The minister announced the introduction of legislation to establish a national gas reservation scheme, described as Australia's first such scheme to secure gas for domestic use at fair prices. She outlined previous actions including reforming the Domestic Gas Security Mechanism, implementing a gas market code of conduct, capping gas prices at $12 a gigajoule, and releasing a Future Gas Strategy. The minister stated the reservation scheme would provide an enduring structural solution to ensure gas availability for households, manufacturers, and industries, supporting the transition to renewables and critical minerals processing.

Answer from Julie Collins

The minister confirmed that the New South Wales government manages the on-ground response. She stated that biosecurity officers detected suspected fire ants on 23 September, notified the NSW Department of Primary Industries on 24 September, and confirmed the species on 25 September. Treatment of the single nest located between concrete cracks was completed by 28 September. The minister noted that over $296 million had been invested in the national eradication program and an additional $2 billion in biosecurity investments, contrasting this with cuts made under the previous government.

Answer from Pat Conroy

The minister stated the scheme secures affordable gas for households and industry, addressing past shortages and price shocks. He claimed manufacturing exports had grown by 63 per cent and investment by 40 per cent since the government took office. He criticized the previous Liberal government for offshoring jobs, closing oil refineries and naval shipyards, and voting against a $15 billion national reconstruction fund and energy price relief for manufacturers. He asserted that supporting manufacturing required backing the gas reservation policy.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister rejected the premise of the question, stating that the decision to extend a pause on the credit card ban was made unanimously by the Expenditure Review Committee after consultation with the Treasurer. He defended the Treasurer's performance and criticized former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg for his public activities, contrasting the Labor government's focus on health, housing, and jobs with the Liberal Party's focus on Frydenberg.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister highlighted the free trade agreement with the European Union, negotiated over eight years, which would make 98 per cent of trade tariff-free and open 27 new markets. He stated the agreement would reduce inflation by making European products cheaper and boost exports for primary producers and manufacturers. He urged the parliament to endorse the agreement, criticizing the opposition for questioning their support and suggesting they were acting against business interests.

Answer from Chris Bowen

The minister confirmed that Fiji's energy system primarily runs on fossil fuels, a issue Pacific nations are keen to address. He stated that the pre-COP costs were covered by reallocating $500 million from international climate discussions previously allocated by the former shadow treasurer. He criticized the opposition for showing contempt for the Pacific and for dismissing the importance of the pre-COP meetings, highlighting the engagement with Pacific leaders and students regarding climate impacts.

Answer from Richard Marles

The Deputy Prime Minister noted the signing of the Australia-EU security and defence partnership in March and the conclusion of free trade negotiations. He stated the agreement would provide duty-free access for almost 98 per cent of exports to a $33 trillion economy with 450 million people. He criticized the opposition for lacking clear perspectives on trade, quoting the Leader of the Opposition's past support for trade and foreign investment, and asked if the opposition would pursue protectionism.

Answer from Anne Aly

The minister stated that the funding decision was made by the department, which had now issued a notice of intention to terminate the grant to OnePath. She mentioned that the government had introduced technology to scan visa applicants' public statements and directed the department to explore using this technology in the grants application process. She noted that the grants program supported a wide range of community media outlets.

Answer from Anika Wells

The minister highlighted the existing online safety framework and the upcoming introduction of a digital duty of care bill. She stated the duty of care would set basic safety standards for online services, shifting the burden from victims to tech companies. She noted that an independent review found the current framework unable to cope with growing online problems, citing warnings from the AFP commissioner about radicalization. The minister criticized the opposition for inconsistent positions on parliamentary scrutiny of online safety laws.

Answer from Mark Butler

The minister stated that state and territory governments had indicated they wanted to lead service delivery for children under nine with mild to moderate support needs. He noted that while there would be variation in service types and locations based on historical delivery models, the Commonwealth expected specific outcomes and performance indicators to be met. These were incorporated into bilateral agreements and implementation plans submitted by all states except Queensland. The minister emphasized that the Commonwealth would monitor outcomes closely.

Answer from Jason Clare

The minister cited a Chinese study showing AI use increased homework marks by 18 per cent but reduced exam marks by 20 per cent, arguing for a digital detox in schools. He stated that excessive screen time could harm concentration and critical thinking skills. He noted that jurisdictions like New York and LA had paused AI use in primary schools. The minister highlighted the upcoming digital duty of care bill to protect children from harmful online content, including pornography and material promoting eating disorders or gender-based violence.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister acknowledged the Federal Court's judgment that the declaration was not validly made. He described the matter as a complex legal case and stated that the government would work through the judgment with the Attorney-General and consider the findings carefully.

Answer from Sam Rae

The minister stated that the government had invested almost $18 billion in aged care wages over four years, resulting in registered nurses earning more than $36,000 more annually than in 2022. He criticized the previous government for granting only 88 skilled visas to personal care workers and for proposing migration plans that would force essential workers to leave and reapply from offshore. He argued that the opposition's policies would create vacancies and delay care for older Australians, whereas the Labor government had a plan to grow and strengthen the workforce.

Answer from Anika Wells

The minister clarified that the legislation would be introduced the following day. She explained that 'sock puppet' accounts are used by accredited researchers and the eSafety Commissioner to test whether platforms are enforcing safety standards, such as age verification. She cited examples where platforms failed to remove harmful content for 14-year-old girls. The minister stated that legal protections for researchers were necessary because they currently face legal threats from platforms, and the bill aims to ensure platforms are held accountable for preventing harm.

Answer from Chris Bowen

The minister reported that 574,400 homes had installed cheaper home batteries, with several electorates exceeding 10 per cent uptake. He noted that half a million Australians had bought electric vehicles, aided by the new vehicle efficiency standard which increased available models from 60 to 196. He stated that EV owners would save $76 million in petrol costs this year. He criticized the opposition for proposing to abolish the Cheaper Home Batteries policy and the New Vehicle Efficiency Standards, which he claimed would result in Australians paying $600 million more in petrol tax.

Answer from Jim Chalmers

The Treasurer stated that discussions were occurring at the departmental level and that Treasury advised the election option for trusts would not trigger state stamp duties as it applied only to Commonwealth income tax. He noted that Treasury had engaged with all states and territories on implementation details. He criticized Queensland Treasurer David Janetzki for a credit rating downgrade despite Commonwealth funding and contrasted this with the Commonwealth budget receiving triple-A ratings from all three major agencies.

Answer from Clare O'Neil

The minister stated that the government was reforming the National Construction Code to make it simpler and had paused it for five years. She noted that 82,000 environmental approvals had been processed through EPBC Act changes and that almost 250,000 homes were under construction, the highest level on record. She criticized the opposition for lacking sensible housing policies and for suggesting disadvantaged Australians should live in substandard homes.

Answer from Sam Rae

The minister stated that residential aged care funding is set based on advice from the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA), which models efficient costs rather than indexing existing funding. He noted that the hoteling supplement remained at $22.15 per resident per day, reflecting an average surplus of 18 cents per resident per day. The government had asked IHACPA to review the supplement to ensure it supports high-quality care. He emphasized that generational reforms were underway to meet demand.

Answer from Andrew Giles

The minister reported 850,000 enrolments and 275,000 course completions, with regional Australia accounting for a third of enrolments. He highlighted specific examples of students benefiting from the program, including nursing diplomas. He stated that free TAFE had been made permanent. He criticized the opposition for voting against making the program permanent and for disparaging it, arguing that their policies threatened the opportunities provided by free TAFE.

Answer from Anthony Albanese

The Prime Minister stated that the government took responsibility for producing two budget surpluses, a $230 billion improvement in the budget, and almost $180 billion in savings. He noted that eight separate budgets or updates had included savings measures. He did not directly address the interest rate rises or mortgage costs.

Answer from Daniel Mulino

The minister stated that tax changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax favored first-home buyers. He noted that tax cuts commencing on 1 July would benefit every taxpayer, with an average worker potentially being $2,116 better off from 2028. He highlighted a $1,000 instant tax deduction for 6.2 million Australians. He criticized the opposition for previously pledging to repeal tax cuts and for supporting GST increases, which he argued would boost inflation and hurt living standards.