23-07-2025
Question Time heats up over housing, Nationals leadership and superannuation
For someone on a date with destiny, Sussan Ley was at risk of being late.
With just 30 seconds until the start of question time, the new opposition leader arrived just in time for her history-making moment.
Clad in a pink suit and flanked by three women from her shadow cabinet, Ley took her seat.
When her moment came to speak, a muted 'hear, hear' rang out from the Coalition benches, far quieter than the echoes that had filled the chamber minutes earlier.
A boisterous Coalition, which sought to use volume to offset its lacking numbers, cheered Nationals frontbencher Darren Chester's criticism of Anthony Albanese, as he entered the chamber minutes before 2pm.
'Some people may think he's a handsome boy but he's running an ugly, ugly government when it comes to regional Australia,' Chester bellowed, attracting an Albanese grin and Labor heckles.
Ley used her first question to ask Albanese if he would "abandon his failing" commitment to build 1.2 million new homes.
Albanese wasn't even on his feet to answer the first question before the first politician would be put on notice.
Housing Minister Clare O'Neil nodded as Speaker Milton Dick scolded her for interjecting. She later used her first answer in question time to apologising to the speaker to the groans of those opposite: "I hope we didn't get off on the wrong foot."
O'Neil wouldn't be the last. Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud would each find themselves in the speaker's sights as question time rolled on.
As Albanese defended his now second term government's record on housing, two seats back, two hands tightly gripped a folded piece of paper.
New Dickson MP Ali France, fresh from delivering her first speech last night, sat like a coiled spring, poised to stand and ask Labor's first question.
As she did so, the strength of a 94-member government became audibly apparent as Labor MP belted out 'hear, hear'.
A more nervous display came later when newly minted frontbencher Daniel Mulino faced his first blooding in parliament's bear pit.
Frantically flipping notes as he started speaking, Mulino caught a reprieve when he had to sit down mid-answer.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers slipped him papers, that the former university debater took with him when he returned to finish his answer. Hand slightly shaking, his voice remained steady as he navigated his defence of Labor's plans to increase the rate of tax on superannuation balances with more than $3 million.
One by one, Labor rubbed the Coalition and Greens' noses in the election result. Starting with Peter Dutton-slayer France, Labor called on the MPs who defeated Adam Bandt and Max Chandler-Mather to serve up Dorothy Dixers.
For the most part, the leaders were relatively quiet, especially Ley, who sat with her head down, taking notes throughout the theatrics.
Labor's Leader of the House Tony Burke and whip Jo Ryan wandered the benches, quietly whispering in the ears of new MPs seemingly worried they'd stuff up their moment in the spotlight.
Thirty minutes in and the chamber was getting vocal.
Like a country race caller, Energy Minister Chris Bowen turned his attention to the National Party's back benches, dubbing former leaders Michael McCormack, the Member for Riverina, and Barnaby Joyce, the Member for New England, the new "dream couple" eager to tear down Littleproud's leadership.
"The Member for Riverina said (on Sky News) 'we're virile and we're out there'," Bowen told the chamber.
"This is not his Tinder profile, this is his dream ticket.
"He's not looking to swipe right, he's looking to swipe out the Member for Maranoa."
McCormack had earlier confirmed he would support Joyce's private member's bill to repeal net zero, something Bowen said would betray people in rural and regional Australia.
The newly forced double acts previous contributions to net zero policies was to neutralise each other's vote in their rival bids for the leadership. But there is nothing like the enemy of my enemy being my friend in politics.
Both sat with neutral expressions in their seats on the outer fringes of the opposition benches, while Littleproud looked to be having a lovely time cackling at Bowen's barbs at both men's expense (see: earlier point about the enemy of my enemy).
By the time Albanese called an end to question time, all those who'd started the proceedings had survived the debut outing for the 48th parliament.
Tested at times, Dick refrained from kicking anyone out. But he left few doubting he would willing to start swinging the axe should his authority be challenged.
