What to Look Out For: The Fourth Sitting Week of the 48th Parliament (1-4 September)

The 48th Parliament of Australia enters the fourth week of its 2025 Spring Sittings from Monday, 1 September to Thursday, 4 September. The Albanese Government will continue to pursue its legislative agenda, with debate this week focusing on cost-of-living relief, economic management, and national security.

Following last week's focus on health and workplace relations, this week will see the progression of several key pieces of legislation, including the Cheaper Medicines Bill in the Senate and a new ministerial statement on housing affordability in the House. Additionally, bills concerning the modernisation of Australia's payment systems, the separation of the Australian Energy Regulator, and amendments to national security laws are scheduled for debate.

Please find below the key legislative items scheduled for debate in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

House of Representatives

Monday, 1 September

• Ministerial Statement – Five per cent deposits for all first home buyers: The Government will formally announce its policy to assist first home buyers in entering the property market.
• Health Legislation Amendment (Improved Medicare Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2025: This bill aims to strengthen the integrity of Medicare by reducing the timeframe for bulk-billed claims and enhancing investigative powers for fraud.
• Appropriation Bills (No. 1 & 2) 2025-26 & Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2025-26: Debate will continue on the annual budget bills, which authorise government expenditure for the financial year

Tuesday, 2 September

• Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Bill: This bill proposes various amendments to legislation within the Home Affairs portfolio, including provisions for reception arrangements and visa decisions.
• Treasury Laws Amendment (Payments System Modernisation) Bill 2025: This bill aims to update the regulatory framework for payment systems to accommodate new technologies, and introduce civil penalty provisions.
• Defence Amendment (Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal) Bill: This bill amends the framework governing the appeals process for Defence honours and Award Appeals Tribunal.

Wednesday, 3 September

• Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Board of Management Functions) Bill: This bill seeks to amend the functions of a board of management related to environmental protection.
• Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill: This bill is designed to provide stronger protections for consumers in the telecommunications sector.

Thursday, 4 September

• Debate is expected to continue on the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment Bill and the Telecommunications Amendment Bill. 

Senate

Monday, 1 September

• National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025: This bill seeks to reduce the general co-payment for medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from 1 January 2026.
• Health Insurance (Pathology) (Fees) (Repeal) Bill 2025: This bill repeals the Act that imposes fees for the approval and accreditation of pathology laboratories, aiming to reduce costs in the sector.
• Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025: This bill makes technical amendments to support the implementation of the new Aged Care Act. 

Tuesday, 2 September

• Pacific Banking Guarantee Bill 2025: This bill appropriates funds to meet potential liabilities from a government guarantee for an Australian bank operating in the Pacific.
• Competition and Consumer Amendment (Australian Energy Regulator Separation) Bill 2025: This bill will formally separate the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

Wednesday, 3 September

• Members of Parliament (Staff) Amendment (Providing Certainty and Improving Integrity) Bill 2025: This private senator's bill aims to amend the employment and integrity framework for parliamentary staff.
• Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2025: This bill proposes amendments to the legislation governing Australia's national security agency. 

Thursday, 4 September

• Commonwealth Workplace Protection Orders Bill 2025: This bill introduces a scheme for workplace protection orders to safeguard Commonwealth employees from harassment and violence.
• The Senate will also consider a private senator's bill from Senator David Pocock (topic to be confirmed).

Further information

For more information, please contact Hawker Britton's Managing Director Simon Banks on simon.banks@hawkerbritton.com

Further Hawker Britton Occasional Papers on the activities of the Federal Government are available here.