The Senate was swiftly moving its way through 31 government bills late on Thursday night after the Greens agreed to support a vote on 27 bills in return for $500m for social housing energy upgrades and commitments against fossil fuel investment.
While the Albanese government relied on the Greens and crossbench to pass its Future Made in Australia agenda and a range of treasury and attorney general’s portfolio bills, it planned to work with the Coalition to pass three controversial migration bills and the under-16s social media ban.
Labor attempted to guillotine debate in the Senate at 9.45am but fell short by one vote, with independent David Pocock siding with the Coalition.
But after a flurry of negotiations, the Senate agreed shortly after noon to reorder its business with the Greens, Pocock and Tammy Tyrrell voting with Labor to guillotine debate on 27 bills, meaning they will receive a final vote on Thursday.
It was a dramatic day all round as Coalition Senate leader, Simon Birmingham, announced his retirement from politics, hinting at his next steps as colleagues paid tribute to his parliamentary service.
The opposition foreign affairs spokesman will leave at the 2025 federal election to take on a “new, commercially oriented direction”.
The Greens revealed they had secured $500m to expand the social housing energy performance initiative to upgrade public and community homes to lower power bills for tenants.
The measure could help 50,000 social homes be retrofitted with energy efficient upgrades such as air conditioning and insulation; electric hot water systems, cooktops and ovens; and solar panels and batteries.
The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, said that “Greens pressure works”, helping tenants “save approximately $1,800 a year on power bills”.
The Greens also won amendments to the Future Made in Australia bill to ensure that no support will be provided to coal, oil and gas under that program and the commercial investments and programs of Export Finance Australia. The bills – five in all – were passed.
The government agreed to support Greens amendments to retain the power to override Reserve Bank decisions on interest rates and for the RBA to direct the lending activities of banks.
Amendments to the build-to-rent legislation will increase the minimum lease term that must be offered to tenants in new developments from three to five years.
Earlier on Thursday, the housing minister, Clare O’Neil, stood alongside Pocock, the Property Council and the Community Housing Industry Association to announce changes to the build-to-rent tax law include banning no-fault evictions.
O’Neil said 10% of build-to-rent properties must be affordable, defined as 74.9% of market rent or 30% of income, whichever is lower.
Pocock announced his deal with the government included these changes, bringing forward the mandatory food and grocery code, $10m for gene research into invasive species and “two further significant measures that will be announced in the coming days”.
The government suffered a setback on electoral law conceding it had reached an impasse with the Coalition and that the bill was off the table until next year.
The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, said the special minister of state, Don Farrell, will instead seek support over summer for a final push to pass donation and spending caps in February.
But the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, told 2GB Radio that he thought millionaires who “might be thinking that they can put $100m into an election campaign” constituted “subverting our democratic process”.
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“So, I think when people are buying elections, or they’re seeking to influence elections – either for their own ego or because they have an obsession on climate change or whatever else it might be – that’s something that I don’t think is healthy in the system,” he said.
Dutton said the government had “got some internal discussions going on in relation to one part of the bill”, suggesting the ball was still in Labor’s court for a last-minute deal.
The Senate was expected to give a final vote to the below legislation on Thursday, with votes in the guillotine motions and public positions indicating they are likely to pass.
Expected to pass with Coalition support
The social media age ban for under-16s.
Three migration bills:
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The migration amendment bill, allowing Australia to pay third countries to take non-citizens, and supporting the reimposition of ankle bracelets and curfews on people released on immigration detention.
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Powers to prohibit items including phones in immigration detention.
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The removals bill including criminal penalties for not cooperating with deportation and the power to blacklist visa applications from designated countries.
Expected to pass with Greens’ support
In the treasury portfolio:
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Tax and other measures no 1 bill.
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Build-to-rent tax changes.
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Mergers and acquisitions reform.
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Reserve Bank reforms.
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Responsible buy now, pay later laws.
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Fairer for families and farmers and other measures bill.
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The superannuation (objective) bill.
Three bills validating the imposition of payment surcharges by commonwealth entities.
In the attorney-general’s portfolio:
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Anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing amendment bill 2024
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Crimes amendment (strengthening the criminal justice response to sexual violence) bill 2024
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Family law amendment bill 2024
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Privacy and other legislation amendment bill 2024
Five bills relating to the Future Made in Australia legislation.
Other:
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Communications legislation amendment (regional broadcasting continuity) bill 2024.
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Crown references amendment bill 2023.
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Customs amendment (Asean-Australia-New Zealand free trade area second protocol implementation and other measures) bill 2024.
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Customs tariff amendment (incorporation of proposals and other measures) bill 2024.
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Midwife professional indemnity (commonwealth contribution) scheme amendment bill 2024.
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Surveillance legislation (confirmation of application) bill 2024.
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Sydney airport demand management amendment bill 2024.
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Universities accord (national student ombudsman) bill 2024.
