Topics: Refusal to answer questions about Labor’s toxic taxes, Labor’s attack on Senator McKenzie, Tickle v Giggle
Kieran Gilbert: Senator Sarah Henderson taking on government cabinet Minister, Murray Watt, over broken promises in the Budget.
Excerpt of Environment and Communications, Budget Estimates, 25 May 2026:
Senator Henderson: When did you first become aware that your government was going to break those promises?
Senator Watt: In what way is that possibly related to the budget of this department?
Senator Henderson: Because there are many businesses across this country which operate in this sector, Minister. You’re not aware of small business operating in the energy and environment sector? It’s very relevant.
Senator Watt: That is the most pathetic attempt to weave a non-relevant issue into an estimates committee that I think I’ve seen in 10 years in this parliament.
Kieran Gilbert: There you go, Murray Watt, brushing off that question. Sarah Henderson is with me now. What did you make of that response? He wasn’t keen to get into the detail.
Senator Henderson: Well I have to say, it so pathetic that he would not answer these most basic questions, which go directly to small businesses operating in energy, in the environment and water. Of course, he made the claim the other day where he said only very few people are affected. These toxic taxes announced in Labor’s Budget are killing off investment and are affecting so many Australians. We will get rid of these taxes, we’ve made that very clear.
Kieran Gilbert: His argument was that it wasn’t relevant to that particular Senate hearing.
Senator Henderson: He took a point of order and he was overruled by the Labor chair. Then he continued to refuse to address the question because this is an issue that is killing this government. And it’s another reminder that this government has handed down a Budget which is killing off investment, which is imposing new taxes on housing, on savings, on start-ups, and of course, the death tax. This a disaster for Labor.
Kieran Gilbert: You’ve picked up on something, some behaviour, not a political response but more the tone of this response. This was Labor Senator, Glenn Sterle, in a hearing with Bridget McKenzie, today.
Excerpt of Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport, Budget Estimates, 25 May 2026:
Senator McKenzie: …Trucking industry is approving of this government’s approach to fuel excise, the truckee tax or taxes on small businesses. Let’s have that debate.
Senator Sterle: Happy to have that debate on any forum, any state, anywhere in Australia.
Senator McKenzie: Any forum, I will happily have that. Let’s go to the National Press Club.
Senator Sterle: Because I’ll cut you up.
Senator McKenzie: Cut me up?
Senator Sterle: Metaphorically, yes. I’ll carve you up, is what I should say.
Senator McKenzie: Yeah, I’ll be writing to Katy and Penny on that one.
Senator Sterle: Sham contractors?
Senator McKenzie: Yeah, I’m happy to fight sham contractors.
Senator Sterle: You weren’t when in government.
Senator McKenzie: Why aren’t you doing anything?
Senator Sterle: Oh my goodness, me. Can I come and sit down there, Minister? Can we swap? And I can educate the ignoramus on what’s been going on.
Senator McKenzie: Now you’ve called me an ignoramus?
Senator Sterle: Also, if you’ve got any dirt for estimates and they all laugh about it on podcasts, actually, do your homework, Senator. You might get enlightened. Talk to all the agencies…
Senator McKenzie: So, ignoramus, going to carve me up, going to cut me up. Anything else, Sterle? What a charmer.
Kieran Gilbert: There, Senator Sterle. What did you make of that exchange?
Senator Henderson: These are disgusting comments. This is our workplace and for a Labor Senator to make those sorts of comments, ‘I’m going to cut you up’ is disgusting. He then goes on to call Bridget McKenzie an ‘ignoramus’, that’s the sort of abuse that is unacceptable in this workplace and he must apologise. And as the Leader of the Senate on behalf of the government, Penny Wong, must do something to bring this Labor Senator, Glenn Sterle, into line.
Kieran Gilbert: What needs to happen?
Senator Henderson: Oh this is just completely unacceptable behaviour. He needs to apologise immediately and give an undertaking that this sort of behaviour will not continue to happen.
Kieran Gilbert: Should he do that in the Senate estimates forum, just come straight back in and apologise?
Senator Henderson: Absolutely.
Kieran Gilbert: Beyond that, is there any other sort of response that the Coalition might seek? I know the Senate’s not sitting this week, but it is at estimates.
Senator Henderson: Well Kieran, this is completely unacceptable behaviour. We are putting up with so much abuse, frankly, in our workplace. But Glenn Sterle has form. I have seen him in the Senate. He has been targeting Bridget McKenzie for a very long period of time, but he owes her an unconditional apology. He must step straight back into Senate estimates and apologise.
Kieran Gilbert: We will monitor that and see whether the apology comes. Before you go, I need to ask you about the news conference we took in, close to pretty much all of it with Matt Canavan, Alison Penfold and Sall Grover, introducing that legislation in this current sitting. Do you think that it will have the support across the parliament to see that definition of a biological woman included in the Sex Discrimination Act?
Senator Henderson: Well Kieran, I’ve been very long-standing on the record that the Act must change. The decision of the Full Federal Court is quite frankly, shocking. Biological sex must be protected, single sex spaces must be protected and Angus Taylor has made it very clear that under our government, if elected, we will change the Sex Discrimination Act. This was an Act implemented to protect women, principally, and girls. And now women and girls have effectively been expunged under the Act. That must change and it is time that we saw this Prime Minister step up and commit to change the Act.
Kieran Gilbert: Senator Henderson, thanks for your time. Appreciate it.
Senator Henderson: Thanks, Kieran.