40 Bills in a Day: Labor Government Faces Backlash Over ‘Guillotine Tactics’

On the Senate’s final sitting day of the year, MPs spent the morning debating how to work through the 40 bills.

Australian Finance and Women Minister Katy Gallagher holds a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on May 9, 2023. Martin Ollman/Getty Images

The Labor government has been criticised for potentially undermining parliamentary transparency as MPs contend with trying to work through an “unprecedented” 40 bills in a single day.

The massive legislative push has spurred criticism from independents and the federal opposition.

Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie delivered a scathing rebuke in the Senate on Nov. 28, accusing the government of using legislative “guillotines”—time limits designed to stop protracted debates—to rush through complex legislation.

Lambie described the motion as an “absolutely shameful” tactic to avoid proper scrutiny.

“Last night, at 8:30, Labor sent us the mother of all guillotines—40 bills, many of them massive and undercooked,” she said.

“These aren’t minor tweaks or non-controversial matters—they’re raw to the bone,” she said.

She pointed to major bills like the proposed social media ban for under-16s, reforms on privacy, migration, money laundering, and a veteran harmonisation bill.

She moved a motion in the house to oppose the government’s agenda, which ultimately did not succeed after it received 33 votes to 33.

Former Liberal Party Senator Gerard Rennick took to social media to voice his frustration saying numerous bills were being rammed through without scrutiny.

“Many of them significant, including the online safety bill and the Treasury Amendment Laws regarding the powers of the RBA,” he wrote on Facebook.

“I had expected the Online Safety Bill to be debated last night but it wasn’t.”

‘Unprecedented and Extraordinary’: Opposition

Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Simon Birmingham also condemned the government’s move, labelling it “unprecedented” and “extraordinary.”

“This was supposed to be the government of transparency, accountability, and proper process,” Birmingham told the Senate.

Birmingham said in nearly 18 years in this Senate, he had never seen anything like this.

“To ram 41 bills through in a single day is extraordinary and shameful,” Birmingham said.

He urged the government to withdraw its motion and reconsider its legislative approach.

“This is not how a responsible government operates. This is not how a government committed to transparency and accountability should behave,” he said.

Despite opposing the motion, Birmingham pledged the Coalition’s cooperation on urgent matters, citing examples of collaboration earlier in the fortnight on aged care, education, and land rights bills.

“We are willing to work with the government constructively but will not be taken for a ride,” he said.

Labor Defends Push, Says Opposition Not Cooperating

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher defended the government’s actions, blaming the heavy reliance on guillotines on the opposition’s obstructionism.

“The number of guillotines directly relates to the lack of cooperation from those opposite,” Gallagher said.

“Weeks have gone by with not a single bill passed.”

She argued that many of the bills being rushed through had been listed for over a year and criticised the federal opposition for blocking non-controversial legislation.

“These are not last-minute surprises. Vote yes or no, but don’t obstruct the process,” Gallagher said.

She pledged to sit as late as necessary to pass the government’s legislative agenda.

“We have a right to present our priorities to the Senate. This isn’t about guillotining democracy—it’s about progressing the critical work Australians need.”

She added most of the bills proposed have already gone through debate and scrutiny for months.

Gallagher dismissed accusations of secrecy and poor preparation, emphasising the government’s willingness to engage across the chamber.

The Leader of the Government in the Senate Penny Wong urged the chamber to stop debating on the procedure, and to instead debate on the issues concerning Australia.

Greens Largely Onboard With Government Agenda

Wong’s clarification prompted Greens Senator Nick McKim to outline his crossbench’s specific objections to portions of the government’s legislative agenda.

McKim requested that three specific provisions—the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024, the Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill, and the Veterans’ Entitlements, Treatment and Support, Simplification and Harmonisation Bill 2024—be voted on separately.

“So that we can take a different position on those while maintaining our stance on the broader motion.”

By the time this story was filed, over an hour of Senate proceedings had been consumed debating whether to proceed with discussion on key bills.