Australian politics live: Greens deputy Mehreen Faruqi not able to represent the Senate as part of delegations

In her second question to Parliament during the first Question Time, Sussan Ley has asked the PM about Labor’s superannuation tax policy.

Anthony Albanese has used the question to hit back at her predecessor Peter Dutton’s decision to oppose tax cuts ahead of the May 3 Federal Election.

“Remarkably, those opposite went to an election saying that they would actually introduce legislation to increase income taxes for every single Australian taxpayer by increasing that first marginal tax rate not once but twice,” he said.

Ms Ley called a point of order after his response, saying it didn’t address her question.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has also used the response to Ali France’s Dorothy Dixer to congratulate her on winning Dickson and her first speech in Parliament on Tuesday night.

“I congratulate her on what was an extraordinary first speech in this chamber last night,” he said.

“It was a privilege to be here, and I think that it will go down as one of the great speeches, a great beginning, to what I’m sure will be a long career as the member for Dickson.”

Her speech had shared her emotional journey to Parliament, including the loss of her 19-year-old son and living with a disability.

Rather than taking the first Labor question of his second term, Anthony Albanese welcomed a question by Ali Frances - a Queensland MP who knocked former Liberal leader Peter Dutton out of his seat of Dickson.

She asked a Dorothy Dixer to the PM about Labor “delivering real and lasting cost of

living relief” particularly for young Aussies, students and apprentices.

Mr Albanese took the opportunity to roll out a laundry list of his government’s measures to address cost-of-living pressures, including their new Bill today to reduce student debt by 20 per cent.

Anthony Albanese has hit back at the Opposition Leader after she opened Question Time by asking how Labor can keep its ambitious target promise of 1.2 million homes, despite accusing them of only delivering 17.

“The 1.2 million homes we say is achievable. Up until the Albanese government, we have seen Federal Governments say no,” he said.

“When you inherit a decade of neglect, you put in place investments, you put in place the construction, you put in place the refurbishments, delivering 55,000 social and affordable homes, our $43 billion homes for Australia plan, 100,000 homes for sale only to first home buyers, 5 per cent deposits for all first home buyers.

“The help-to-buy shared equity scheme, remember that, was only passed last December because the ‘Noalition’ held it up for three years.”

The speaker, Milton Dick, immediately called out the PM for name-calling rather than saying “Coalition”.

The first Question Time of the 48th Parliament and Anthony Albanese’s second term has kicked off.

After achieving a thumping majority at the May 3 Federal election, the Prime Minister’s 94-majority win is starkly represented in the House of Representatives with just 43 Coalition MPs across the floor.

It’s also a big moment for Sussan Ley, as her first time stepping up to the dispatch box for Question Time as the new Liberal and Opposition leader.

The first question has been asked by Ms Ley, who asked:

“My question is to the Prime Minister. The Liberal Party I lead will always champion policies to help more Australians into a home of their own.

“But under Labor the homeownership dream has never been further out of reach. The Prime Minister promised to deliver 1.2 million homes but he has let down young Australians by delivering just 17.

“With leaked Treasury advice confirming this is a broken promise, will the Prime Minister abandon his failing policies and work constructively with the Coalition to address Labor’s housing crisis?”

The Federal Coalition is appearing increasingly divided over their commitment to net zero by 2050, after Barnby Joyce introduced a net zero repeal private members’ bill.

In the latest development on Wednesday, several National party members have held a press conference in Canberra to discuss the pathway forward.

National Senator Matt Canavan said it would be a matter for the party to discuss with its Liberal colleagues but remained optimistic the Coalition wouldn’t be torn apart over the issue.

He said the partnership has “had difficult decisions like this before”, but “we find a way”.

Fellow Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie added there’s no “straw men or women” in the party.

Shadow Energy Minister Dan Tehan will convene a working group within the party this week to determine the Coalition’s stance on the matter.

As Question Time nears this afternoon, as does a strong visual representation in the House of Representatives of just how poorly Coalition fared at the May 3 election.

Shadow Defence Minister Angus Taylor has been asked on Sky News how it feels on the floor of Parliament now all MPs are back with such a depleted Opposition.

“Well, it’s disappointing,” he responded.

“Obviously, we’ve got a lot of work to do. It’s disappointing, not just for us, but for our supporters and those who voted for us, and we’ve got to do better, and that’s the work of the work that we’re doing now.”

The Albanese Government has introduced its first bills of the new term to slash student debt by 20 per cent and to tighten early childhood safety regulations by stripping funding from childcare centres that fail to meet minimum standards.

While student debt relief was a pledge Labor took to the Federal election campaign, the introduction of tougher child protection laws was spurred by national shock over the arrest and charging of alleged paedophile Joshua Dale Brown.

Mr Brown, who was able to work across 23 childcare centres, has been charged with dozens of offences including alleged sexual assault, producing child abuse material and contaminating food with his bodily fluids.

Since his arrest, more than 2,000 families have been urged to test their children for sexually transmitted infection, and faith has crumbled in the childcare vetting system.

Read more.

Parliament has returned with big changes to the way the government conducts its business, including a new change to how it references the royals.

The way that the parliament goes about its work in the House of Representatives is governed by “standing orders”. Now, those orders have been amended to remove all references to Queen Elizabeth II – even though it’s been almost three years since the Queen’s death.

As the British monarch is Australia’s head of state, they are mentioned alongside their representative, the Governor-General, in the standing orders.

Labor minister and leader of the House Tony Burke moved an amendment to the standing orders on Wednesday morning that would replace mentions of Queen Elizabeth II with King Charles III.

The Queen was referenced at least 15 times in the standing orders, but all of those mentions will now be taken over by her successor.

Read more.

Forrest MP Ben Small has spoken of the loss of his 30-year-old sister as a driver for his political motivations after winning his bid to return to Parliament.

Speaking for the first time on the green-carpeted floor of the House of Representatives, the former WA Senator drew on several pivotal moments which had shaped his journey to Canberra.

“I couldn’t possibly rise in the House today without acknowledging the people that have supported me, shaped me, and challenged me in the many chapters of my story so far,” Mr Small said.

“The sudden death of my younger sister at the age of just 30 has taken me years to process fully. I’ve seen so many grieving families on their worst days, but on mine, seeing my mum holding my dead sister’s babies in her arms is an image seared in my mind.

“For me, this perspective anchors the political struggles that play out each day in this building, against what really matters in life.”