Ley calls on government to enact recommendations of antisemitism envoy
Albanese and the opposition leader, Sussan Ley, acknowledge Galit Carbone, an Australian who died in the 7 October attack. Ley says:
October 7 was a brutal reminder of the depths of human cruelty and of the evil that flourishes when hatred is armed.
Ley then criticises Albanese and the Labor government, accusing them of not taking a strong enough stance against Hamas.
As she criticises the government, there are a few grumbles from the Labor benches.
She calls on the government to enact the recommendations of the antisemitism envoy, Jillian Segal.
To our great shame, the Albanese Labor government dragged its feet listing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation. Two years on, we stand apart from our friends in this time of their greatest need. Two years on, Australia has failed to stand firm in the face of terror. Australia has been lauded by Hamas and condemned by Israel and by the United States.
The Coalition leader also condemns the graffiti seen in Melbourne this morning.
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Updated at 05.21 CEST
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Wells calls on opposition to back new bill that requires immediate information sharing by telcos
It’s question number five for Anika Wells, who is asked by Nationals MP Alison Penfold how many triple zero outages have occurred since Wells became communications minister.
Wells tells the opposition to read the Bean review, which she says shows Australian telcos were not previously required to report outages. She says the opposition should back the new bill:
Until our government acted, Australian telcos were not required to report outages at all. None at all … [the bill] will mean telcos must immediately share information relating to outages with relevant emergency service organisations such as police, fire and ambulance.
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Updated at 05.49 CEST
Wells calls accusation that Labor sat on triple-zero legislation recommendations a ‘complete fabrication’
Melissa McIntosh is back at the podium, and asks Wells: “why did people have to die before you instructed your department to accelerate the implementation of triple-zero guardian legislation, as recommended by an independent review to your government over 18 months ago?”
Wells says its a “complete fabrication” to say the government has sat on this report.
The only thing that could have stopped Optus from having this outage was Optus themselves. They are responsible for their failure and they are held to account for their failure.
Wells says after the report was released in March 2024, the government set up a committee to look at how the custodian should work, which she says handed down its report to the department in November 2024, who then made recommendations to the government in March.
Upon accepting the recommendation, that work began immediately and work began on the legislation that we are introducing now.
Anika Wells during question time. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare
Updated at 05.48 CEST
During a dixer for the housing minister, Clare O’Neil, the deputy leader of the Nationals, Kevin Hogan, is booted from the chamber under 94a.
Speaker Milton Dick warns:
I just said there is far too much noise. There are consequences for actions.
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Updated at 05.40 CEST
Anika Wells fends off opposition criticisms over triple-zero failures
The spotlight is focused on Anika Wells today.
The shadow communications minister, Melissa McIntosh, stands up next and asks why the government hasn’t implemented all the recommendations of the Bean review which was handed to government more than 500 days ago. She asks if the government will apologise for a “delay in acting on these vital recommendations?”
Wells says 13 of the 18 recommendations are now complete, and five are in implementation. Of those five, she says four hinge on work by the industry.
At my meeting with the chief executives of the three telcos who I summonsed to Canberra earlier today ahead of introducing the triple zero custodian legislation, I urged industry to go faster on those remaining four recommendations that they have carriage of, and I’m pleased to update the House, Mr Speaker, that they agreed to do so.
Wells then criticises the opposition and McIntosh for not committing to passing the bill.
This is a shadow minister who is on record criticising me for not going faster, when presented with the opportunity to support the bill, dithered and equivocated over whether the opposition would support it.
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Updated at 05.47 CEST
Butler outlines medical training plans in response to question from Andrew Gee
Over to the crossbench, Andrew Gee asks the health minister why more commonwealth places for doctors aren’t made available for regional universities, like Charles Sturt university in his electorate. Gee says there are only 37 places available each year.
The health minister, Mark Butler, says there’s currently a tender out for 100 supported places for medical schools which Charles Sturt can apply for.
We have asked in the tender, as I understand it, for universities to indicate a particular focus on general practice because although we want to see doctors more broadly come into the system, we are prioritising an increase in general practice above all things else
Butler says there has been limited growth in medical school training places, “often because of a pretty determined opposition from the medical community itself, including the AMA over the years.” James Cook University in Darwin, he says, will soon have its own medical school for the first time.
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Updated at 05.32 CEST
Ley questions if Wells has spoken to families of those who died during triple zero outage
Sussan Ley puts a second question to Anika Wells, asking how many deaths were due to the Optus outage and whether Wells has called the families of those that died and apologised for “the Albanese government’s inaction”.
Wells says there were four deaths, three announced by the Optus CEO and a fourth announced by WA’s premier, Roger Cook, the next day.
What happened in September was not good enough, and legislating a triple zero custodian will drive real change, but for us here, there is no silver bullet when it comes to corporate failures.
So, have I spoken with the families? I have spoken with Optus, the company who has failed Australians and these families here.
There are some murmurs from the Coalition – a few say, “so you haven’t spoken to the families”.
Wells continues:
Frankly, I am disappointed that the leader of the opposition seeks to let Optus off the hook and try to say that other people should apologise for the failures of a private company in Optus …
Mr Speaker, this is a tragic circumstance. There are family whose have lost the ones they love and that hardens my resolve. Optus is accountable and as the minister, I will hold them to account. The independent regulator has an investigation on foot.
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Updated at 05.27 CEST
Hastie on the sidelines
Andrew Hastie is sitting on the backbench today, next to conservative South Australian MP Tony Pasin (who has also publicly and privately criticised net zero targets).
Hastie quit the frontbench on Friday.
Sussan Ley hasn’t chosen a replacement for him yet, so the shadow frontbench is a bit roomier for now.
Andrew Hastie on the backbench. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare
Updated at 05.36 CEST
Ley and Wells exchange criticism over triple zero failures and social media laws
On to the questions.
Ley puts the pressure on the communications minister, Anika Wells, on the triple-zero outage. She asks why Wells still calls herself a “new” minister and whether she regrets prioritising a trip to the US (where she spoke about the government’s social media ban).
Wells says everyone can agree the triple zero outages were “completely unacceptable”.
Optus’ repeated failure have made one thing very clear: The triple zero system needs reform [and] that exactly what our government is delivering. Today we have announced six key points that we are prioritising to make triple zero the most resilient and the most safe system that it can be.
Wells says Ley should apologise to the families who have had children die by suicide due to social media.
Our bipartisan new laws to delay access to social media are one of the most important things that our nation has ever done. And they have the potential to change the world, and that is why these laws were being discussed at the United Nations, and that is why I was at the United Nations.
The member would know, if they had met with the bereaved families who have been lobbying for these laws for many years – people like Rob Evans, who was carrying his daughter Liv’s ashes in an urn when he came to this place and begged us to act.
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Updated at 05.26 CEST
Ley calls on government to enact recommendations of antisemitism envoy
Albanese and the opposition leader, Sussan Ley, acknowledge Galit Carbone, an Australian who died in the 7 October attack. Ley says:
October 7 was a brutal reminder of the depths of human cruelty and of the evil that flourishes when hatred is armed.
Ley then criticises Albanese and the Labor government, accusing them of not taking a strong enough stance against Hamas.
As she criticises the government, there are a few grumbles from the Labor benches.
She calls on the government to enact the recommendations of the antisemitism envoy, Jillian Segal.
To our great shame, the Albanese Labor government dragged its feet listing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation. Two years on, we stand apart from our friends in this time of their greatest need. Two years on, Australia has failed to stand firm in the face of terror. Australia has been lauded by Hamas and condemned by Israel and by the United States.
The Coalition leader also condemns the graffiti seen in Melbourne this morning.
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Updated at 05.21 CEST
It’s Question Time
Before we get to questions, the prime minister stands up to mark the two year anniversary of the 7 October attack in Israel. He says it was a day of “pain and terror” and calls for the international community to “break this cycle of violence and terror and build something better.”
Two years on, we remember those who were lost on that day, the largest loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Jewish Holocaust. Over 1,200 lives taken without mercy.
Anthony Albanese says the government welcomes US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.
A future without Hamas, and a future that encompasses two states – the state of Israel and the state of Palestine, living side by side within internationally recognised borders, and recognising each other’s right to live in peace and security. That is the possibility of the future that is before us. It is our duty to do everything in our power to seize it.
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Updated at 05.07 CEST
Tom McIlroy
Singaporean PM to visit Australia this week
Anthony Albanese is preparing to welcome his Singaporean counterpart, Lawrence Wong, as part of an official visit to Australia this week.
It will be Wong’s first official visit to Australia since he became prime minister last year, and coincides with 60 years of diplomatic relations between Australia and Singapore.
Wong will visit Parliament House on Wednesday for the 10th Australia-Singapore annual leaders’ meeting. The two leaders are expected to discuss cooperation under the Australia-Singapore comprehensive strategic partnership.
While in Canberra, Wong will visit the governor general, Sam Mostyn, and opposition leader, Sussan Ley. In Sydney, he will meet the New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, senior business leaders, and have a dialogue at the Lowy Institute.
“Australia’s prosperity and economic future are linked with south-east Asia,” Albanese said.
Deepening our relationship with Singapore means more jobs, more trade, and improved security for Australians.
Singapore is a vital partner and close friend to Australia and we’re united by our commitment to an open, stable and prosperous region.
Wong will lay a wreath at the Australian War Memorial, and is also due to visit New Zealand as part of his trip.
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Updated at 04.39 CEST
Triple zero custodian can ask Acma to compel telcos to provide information about outages
The government’s triple zero bill will legislate the triple zero custodian and allow it to request the Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma) to compel telecommunications companies to provide more information in the event of a triple zero outage.
The custodian was a recommendation of a review commissioned by the government after the last Optus outage in 2023. That review was released in April 2024.
The shadow communications spokesperson, Melissa McIntosh, was critical of the governments timing, and says action should have been taken far sooner.
Shadow Minister for Communications Melissa McIntosh and Shadow Minister for Regional Development Anne Webster at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP
She’s also been calling for an independent investigation into the latest Optus outage. She told reporters in Canberra:
The Bean review made the recommendations. Yet here we are, and there’s been four deaths. There is nothing more serious than protecting Australians … Optus has failed Australians, their customers; and the government has failed in implementing the recommendations.
There are three weeks left of the year where both houses will be sitting.
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Updated at 04.29 CEST
First-term Liberal MP criticises Hastie, says infighting will leave opposition looking like ‘the Victorian Liberal party’
Dan Jervis-Bardy
The rookie Liberal MP Mary Aldred has criticised Andrew Hastie after his shock decision to quit shadow cabinet and urged the party to stop infighting during a closed-door meeting on Tuesday.
The member for the Victorian seat of Monash, who entered parliament at the May election, expressed disappointment in how Hastie handled his resignation, two Liberal sources confirmed to Guardian Australia.
Aldred also raised concerns about Liberals being publicly critical of each other, telling the meeting words to the effect of “if we continue infighting … I can tell you how it ends, it’s the Victorian Liberal party”.
The Victorian Liberal party has been riven with internal division for years and lost the past three state elections to Labor and a swag of federal seats in metropolitan Melbourne.
Hastie’s public crusades that ultimately led him to quit the shadow cabinet have divided colleagues, with many – including his allies – frustrated at the distraction it has caused to Sussan Ley.
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Updated at 04.00 CEST
