Tanya Plibersek is asked if public life is safe for women
Independent for Bradfield and the electorate’s first female MP, Nicolette Boele, directs a question to the longest-serving female member of the House of Representatives, Tanya Plibersek.
Boele says:
Violence against women, whether physical, spoken, or in writing, is used to silence them. And when it keeps women out of this place, it decides to represent us. That is not democracy.
What does the minister say to the young women of Australia now, wondering whether public life is safe for them?
Plibersek responds:
I’m not surprised if there are young women all over Australia looking at the horrific [alleged] attack on Helen Haines, and wondering whether a life in public is worth it, whether it’s safe for them.
And what I would say to them is 100% it is worth it.
Every single day in this place, we make important decisions that change this country and change it for the better.
We can’t vacate the field to the people who would stop us from doing that.
Social services minister Tanya Plibersek, 26 October, 2026. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
The independent MP, who sits next to Haines in the lower house, said “there is a link between our words and actions”.
At a press conference shortly before question time, Steggall said:
I did not feel that Angus Taylor read the room when it comes to the lesson that Helen would like us all to learn. To make what’s happened to her, the utter tragedy of it, make sense to all of us, makes sense for Australia, then we have to be able to take responsibility for the impact our words and our debate has beyond the walls of Parliament. And the same goes to the words and the images and the editorials used in media, social media ... what ads we authorise at election time for a party.
These were all part of Phil [Haines]’s speech to us this morning, his words to us, asking us to raise the bar so that when Helen does come back to this place, there’s been a meaningful shift in how we can have a respectful debate.
We can disagree respectfully, but words matter and have an impact.
The alleged attack on independent MP Helen Haines loomed large over the House of Representatives, creating a civil yet sombre question time. Some politicians offered compliments to their counterparts across the aisle, others contributed by keeping their derision for dixers to themselves.
The government faced questions on the sale of Victoria Barracks in Sydney.
The impact of social media on violence against women, workers and politicians came under the spotlight.
There were no ejections and just one warning.
It’s yet to be seen whether this question time atmosphere will last more than one day.
Helen Haines granted leave of absence until at least end of sitting year
The independent MP for Indi, Helen Haines, has been given leave of absence until 26 November after she was injured in an alleged attack in her electorate.
The leader of the House of Representatives, Tony Burke, clarified he had simply chosen the last sitting date of the year:
Obviously, we will continue to move resolutions for as long as Helen needs us to.
No leave of absence motion stops the fact that, if at any moment, Helen feels she’s ready to come, then obviously she immediately will.
Continuing from the previous post, social services minister, Tanya Plibersek, says the tenor of public debate has changed significantly during her three-decade long political career.
It is more violent in its tone, and I think the industrial scale of the abuse that all of us receive – but particularly the women here receive – that has changed.
It’s been supercharged by social media.
But I’d say this about social media … Social media companies profit by the division they drive in our society.
And that’s why all of us have a responsibility to resist that too. To resist that division, to resist the violence and discourse, that the big tech giants are forcing on us.
Tanya Plibersek is asked if public life is safe for women
Independent for Bradfield and the electorate’s first female MP, Nicolette Boele, directs a question to the longest-serving female member of the House of Representatives, Tanya Plibersek.
Boele says:
Violence against women, whether physical, spoken, or in writing, is used to silence them. And when it keeps women out of this place, it decides to represent us. That is not democracy.
What does the minister say to the young women of Australia now, wondering whether public life is safe for them?
Plibersek responds:
I’m not surprised if there are young women all over Australia looking at the horrific [alleged] attack on Helen Haines, and wondering whether a life in public is worth it, whether it’s safe for them.
And what I would say to them is 100% it is worth it.
Every single day in this place, we make important decisions that change this country and change it for the better.
We can’t vacate the field to the people who would stop us from doing that.
Social services minister Tanya Plibersek, 26 October, 2026. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
Greens leader expects Steele-John to remain on leave until investigation complete
Greens leader David Shoebridge says he’s “glad” Jordon Steele-John made the decision to stay away from Senate estimates after a week of confusion following the release of a letter accusing him of inappropriate behaviour.
Over the weekend, Steele-John said he would not attend parliament next week after seven members wrote to Shoebridge urging an investigation into claims he had acted inappropriately towards women between 2017 and 2025.
Shortly after the letter’s release to parts of the media, Shoebridge said Steele-John would go on leave while an independent investigation took place. Steele-John publicly rejected the idea that he was on leave.
In a press conference before question time this afternoon, Shoebridge said other members of the Greens will ask questions of the departments and agencies involved in the NDIS when they appear later this week. He added he would not go into a “blow-by-blow discussion about the exchanges”.
Asked whether Steele-John would remain on leave until the investigation is complete, Shoebridge responded:
Well, I’ve made it very clear to Senator Steele-John what I believe the community expectations are. If you ask me tomorrow, I’ll say the same. If you ask me the day after it, I’ll say the same. I’ve made it very clear what I believe the community expectations are.
Online radicalisation involves mixed ideologies, with violence the ‘only principle’, Burke says
Home affairs minister, Tony Burke, is asked a dixer on how the government is working with neighbours and partners to keep Australians safe.
He says all countries are now dealing with the radicalisation of young people:
Every country is reporting a new cohort, and growing fast, of young people, particularly male, where we used to worry about people becoming involved and radicalised in their teens.
The radicalisation [is] happening online and involving mixed ideologies.
Ideologies that would be completely incoherent with each other, but only having violence together as their only principle.
I want to assure the House of the cooperative work that Australia is doing with all of our agencies and all of our effort.
Albanese asked about sale of Victoria Barracks in Sydney
The opposition leader, Angus Taylor, has referred to a rally on the weekend that united Australians from all parts of the political spectrum as they called on the government to stop the sale of Victoria Barracks in Sydney.
He asks:
Former governor general, Sir Peter Cosgrove, RSL president Peter Tinley, NSW premier Chris Minns, former prime ministers John Howard and Tony Abbott; the leader of the Greens, and thousands of veterans across the country are calling on the minister to change his mind.
When will the prime minister start listening to veterans, step in and stop the sale?
Anthony Albanese responds:
I understand the importance of heritage, and one of the ways that we can ensure that that heritage is protected, and indeed enhanced, is by giving some ordinary citizens access.
So that it isn’t cut off from what is a part of Sydney.
Leader of the opposition Angus Taylor addresses a crowd during a rally opposing the federal government's proposed sale of the historic Victoria Barracks in Sydney, 25 October 2026. Photograph: Steven Markham/EPA
PM says Australia one of few advanced economies with no recent contraction
Deputy Nationals leader, Darren Chester, is warned not to interject for the remainder of question time after the prime minister said the global price of oil was flowing through to supermarket shelves.
Liberal MP Tim Wilson offers his Coalition colleague a sad face as the prime minister continues his answer:
We are one of the few advanced economies that haven’t gone through a recession or a single quarter of economic contraction over recent years.
We do have faster economic growth than Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the UK.
We have a lower unemployment rate than Canada, France and Italy, the same as the UK.
Independent Andrew Gee asks about violence against women
Independent MP for Calare, Andrew Gee, has spoken about the “vicious and violent” alleged attack on Helen Haines and mentioned violence against women and the need to bolster health and mental health services before asking how this government will act.
The prime minister responds with an all-encompassing answer about rising violence towards police and increased threats to hospitality, retail and emergency service workers.
He points to a second national plan on violence against women and children and notes the impact of the “online manosphere”.
Prime minister and opposition leader welcome new Western Sydney airport
The leaders of both major parties have continued their cordial streak, congratulating those involved in paving the way for the newly opened Western Sydney international airport.
Anthony Albanese said:
What it does is turn Sydney westward rather than just towards the east and the harbour.
It will be a dynamic part of growth and jobs for western Sydney and I congratulate everyone who worked on the project for such a long period of time.
Opposition leader, Angus Taylor, agreed and said he was “delighted” it was in his electorate of Hume.
It is a real milestone for western Sydney.
And not only will it create great transport options, it is an extraordinary opportunity for development of the new city in western Sydney that is developing every day.
Departure times on a screen at the new Western Sydney international airport, 26 October, 2026. Photograph: Hollie Adams/Reuters
Angus Taylor asks about tax changes in restrained start to QT
Question time is noticeably less ferocious than usual.
Opposition leader, Angus Taylor, kicks things off by asking: “How many more small businesses have to close for the prime minister to axe his taxes on capital gains and negative gearing?”
But he’s relatively quiet and subdued when compared with his past QT performances.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, answers in kind, offering a clinical and restrained response.
He says:
The member raises the issue of tax changes that were in our budget.
Preceded by a plethora of heartfelt tributes to independent MP Helen Haines, today’s question time is expected to be more sombre and mellowed than usual.
Many MPs have spoken about the need to “tone down political debate” and signed on to a “civility pledge” after the alleged attack on Haines.
WA premier urges federal Labor to scrap changes to working holiday visa
WA premier Roger Cook has broken ranks with his federal Labor colleagues in criticising looming changes to working holiday visas, AAP reports.
In a letter to the immigration minister, Tony Burke, Cook said federal migration policy changes would lead to the loss of thousands of tourism and hospitality jobs, particularly in regional areas. Cook wrote:
We simply cannot support changes to the working holiday maker visa scheme that could have such a significant negative impact on regional Western Australia. This workforce is critical to ensuring Western Australia’s tourism and hospitality sectors can continue to provide quality experiences for Western Australians, as well as interstate and international visitors.
Under the changes, a ballot system will be put in place for working holiday makers seeking to spend more than one year in Australia.
Just 45,000 places will be offered for a second year, with 5,000 spots available for a third year. The WA premier estimated the reduction in backpackers visas would result in a loss of 4,500 tourism and hospitality workers.
We urge you to reconsider these proposed changes and would welcome the opportunity to discuss practical changes to the scheme to reduce the impacts on Western Australia.
Taylor says Coalition will work with government on ‘sensible measures’ to keep Australians safe
The opposition leader, Angus Taylor, spoke a moment ago in Canberra. He said the Coalition would be happy to work with the government on “sensible measures” to keep Australians safe, including politicians.
“We’ll always work with the government on that,” Taylor told reporters. “We’ve already laid out some areas where we think there’s a real need for additional spending on national security and intelligence, and in particular we are focused on the enhanced screening need in people on visas or coming into the country.”
Opposition leader Angus Taylor and shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson speak to the media at Parliament House in Canberra, Monday, 26 October 26, 2026. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
Taylor went on to say that the government was spending too much on other areas, saying there was “no doubt” Labor intends to “grow the size of government forever”.
Tim Wilson, the shadow treasurer, added the Coalition would work to “get the budget back under control”, ending what he called “climate bureaucracy”, “house bureaucracy” and “corporate welfare”.
He said:
The government is absolutely addicted to spending and that’s the basis that Australian household mortgage rates are going up and people are going to the supermarket and paying more and getting less.
Now, more than ever, with rising costs, households and particularly Australian small businesses need economic hope. They need confidence to look to the horizon and believe they can have a better economic future than they have today. Instead, they have been crushed by rising costs.
Banning politicians posting videos of bureaucrats to social media ‘not something’ they can do, Senate clerk says
Earlier this morning, the retiring clerk of the Senate, Richard Pye, was asked about a recent push by senior public servants to stop politicians from uploading videos of them to social media.
To recap, the secretaries’ board - which includes heads of departments and agencies - warned that uploading clips of public officials answering questions in public forums, like Senate estimates, risked exposing them to “ridicule, hostility and abuse”.
Pye said he offered the committee advice about the move, telling Senate estimates this mornin that it’s “simply ... absolutely not something that a witness can do”.
This is not to minimise the fact that there are some people who have been very bruised by their experiences before Senate and House committees, and the treatment of footage that has come out of those ... but it is profoundly unhelpful, I thought, on the day for the matter to be raised in that way without any notice to anybody, not through the secretariat, not to the chair, not to other members of the committee, when the secretary’s board had raised the matter in a submission to the Joint Committee on Parliamentary Standards ...
Pye added any proposals to deal with the issue would require “difficult discussions”.
He continued:
It’s going to require a lot of sensitivity and ingenuity to make sure that in trying to clean up the conduct associated with the way in which social media clips are dealt with, we need to remind ourselves that the accountability that is involved in these processes, the scrutiny - particularly in that case of a contested government policy - that that can’t be thrown out in these issues. That needs to be something that is given a great deal of weight.