Mark Butler has pledged to re-submit a bill that would reduce subsidies for private health insurance for people over 65. That bill was previously rejected in the Senate by the votes of independent MPs and the Coalition.
Wells stated that not enough beds are being built for older Australians who need support. He also highlighted that changes to private health insurance represent 'redirecting valuable tax dollars.' Wells dismissed Coalition claims that eSafety 'sock puppets' would spread disinformation. He explained that a sock puppet is a fake hidden account that allows researchers or the eSafety Commissioner to test and verify how technology companies comply with the law. He added that the only way eSafety or researchers can examine these issues in many cases is by creating a test account as a 14-year-old for the purpose of investigation. According to his words, the provisions simply make this lawful and the collected evidence usable.
Australian researchers have used sock puppets to demonstrate how platforms respond to complaints about content regarding eating disorders. Wells said this revealed a wide variation in platform responses to reports of this dangerous and disturbing content, ranging from inadequate to negligent. He stressed that sock puppets are legally protected under the law. He explained that the reason they are in the law is that eSafety and accredited researchers currently operate outside Australia because they lack legal protection in the country, and they want this to be enabled so they can carry out this important work here and so the collected evidence can be used in enforcement.
Anthony Albanese defended his economic record after Greens MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown asked him whether he accepted responsibility for falling real wages, rising corporate profits and a declining standard of living for Australians. Albanese said employment is now 14.8 million, compared with 13.5 million when the Labor Party was elected. He noted that the participation rate is now higher than then, despite population growth, at 66.8 per cent, an increase of 0.5 per cent. He added that the pay gap between men and women was 14.2 per cent and is now 11.3 per cent, a record low. Watson-Brown lodged a objection to relevance, saying she had asked about the cost of living. Milton Dick rejected the objection and said she had not used the words 'cost of living' and that the prime minister was relevant. Albanese said that last year a projected deficit of $78 billion was converted into a surplus of $22 billion thanks to the treasurer, and next year a deficit of $56 billion was converted into a surplus of $15 billion.
Anne Aly faced Coalition criticism questioning a bill of $150,000 for several international trips over 17 months. Aly said she is also the minister for international development, a portfolio within foreign affairs and trade that requires her to travel internationally on behalf of the country. Independent MP Kate Chaney asked when the attorney-general's department will implement a five-year time-limited program according to the recommendation of the family, domestic and sexual violence commissioner in order to stop ongoing harm in family law and judicial systems. Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said work is underway on a second national action plan to combat violence against women and children, but she gave no commitments regarding the commissioner's recommendation. Rowland said that in March this year they announced the establishment of new specialised trauma-informed pilots for sexual violence in New South Wales and Queensland. Those pilots build on the expansion and extension of pilots already operating in the ACT and Western Australia, and the establishment of new pilots in South Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania, announced in November 2025.
National Party MP Anne Webster asked the small business minister about approximately 350,000 businesses that use trusts and which will face costs of tens of thousands of dollars to adjust their finances if a 30 per cent minimum tax on trusts is introduced. Minister Anne Aly and Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino exchanged views and briefly teased each other. Mulino will take over the question.
