Welcome to the latest edition of Clark Matters, Andrew’s monthly email newsletter to help keep you abreast of federal politics and what he’s been up to.
Human Rights Bill
This week I tabled the Human Rights Bill 2026 in the Federal Parliament. This is the third time I’ve introduced comprehensive human rights legislation and it follows the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights recommending in their 2024 inquiry that the Government “re-establish and significantly improve Australia’s Human Rights Framework”, including “the establishment of a Human Rights Act”.
My Bill spells out, in plain terms, the rights and freedoms that everyone in Australia is entitled to. It requires that core Australian values of fairness, respect, dignity and compassion must be put at the centre of every decision the Parliament takes, and at the heart of the decisions and policies governments pursue.
Frankly it’s appalling that Australia is the only liberal democracy in the world without some sort of comprehensive national guarantee of Human Rights. We cannot keep accepting second-rate protections which lag behind the rest of the world. Australians deserve a Human Rights Act, and this Parliament should deliver it.
National Disability Insurance Scheme
I will not be supporting the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026. Yes, deep reform of the NDIS is needed because the Scheme is financially unsustainable, has expanded way beyond its original scope, and is plagued by fraud by some service providers.
However, the reforms currently before the Parliament would push more than 100,000 NDIS participants off the Scheme and into a very uncertain future, especially in places like Tasmania where the State Government doesn’t have the capacity to adequately ramp up services. The reforms would also “medicalise” disability, reduce funding for social and community participation supports, centralise too much power for arbitrary decision-making with the Minister and reduce access to plan managers.
These are just some examples of the deficiencies in the current Bill. Clearly a rethink is warranted and the Government would be wise to pause the reforms, consult more widely and be prepared to amend the legislation.
Defence and Veterans’ Workshop
The commitment by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs to ensuring that the Defence and Veterans’ Workshop will remain at Dowsing Point is wonderful news. Responding to my question in the Parliament, the Minister was unequivocal about the future of the Workshop, despite the remainder of Derwent Barracks being disposed of as a part of the reform of the Defence Estate.
The Workshop has supported serving and ex-serving Defence personnel since 1980. It’s an essential service, especially in light of the findings of the recent Defence and Veteran Royal Commission. Good on the Federal Government for listening and responding appropriately.
Capital gains tax and negative gearing changes
I’ll reserve my comments on the Federal Government’s capital gains tax and negative gearing changes until next month’s newsletter. Hopefully by then the detail will have firmed up and we’ll all have a better understanding of the situation.
Yours sincerely
