House debates
Thursday, 13 March 2008
- Interstate Road Transport Charge Amendment Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- First Reading (0 speeches)
Bill and explanatory memorandum presented by Mr Albanese. Bill read a first time.
- Second Reading (1 speech)
I move: That this bill be now read a second time. The Interstate Road Transport Charge Amendment Bill 2008 enables nationally agreed new heavy vehicle registration charges to be applied to heavy...
- Road Transport Charges (Australian Capital Territory) Repeal Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- First Reading (0 speeches)
Bill and explanatory memorandum presented by Mr Albanese. Bill read a first time.
- Second Reading (1 speech)
I move: That this bill be now read a second time. The Road Transport Charges (Australian Capital Territory) Repeal Bill 2008 (the bill) meets the Australian government’s obligation, under...
- Veterans’ Entitlements Legislation Amendment (2007 Election Commitments) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- First Reading (0 speeches)
Bill and explanatory memorandum presented by Mr Griffin. Bill read a first time.
- Second Reading (1 speech)
I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I am pleased to present legislation that demonstrates this government’s commitment to Australia’s veteran community. The measures in...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Public Works Committee; Reference (1 speech)
I move: That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, the following proposed work be referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works for...
- Skills Australia Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Workplace Relations Amendment (Transition to Forward with Fairness) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (34 speeches)
Debate resumed from 20 February, on motion by Ms Gillard: That this bill be now read a second time.
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Economy (7 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to statements by Westpac’s chief economist, who said: Confidence on issues such as employment, inflation, international...
- Dr Mohamed Haneef (2 speeches)
My question is to the Attorney-General. Will the Attorney-General inform the House of what the government is doing to ensure public confidence in Australia’s counterterrorism arrangements...
- Workplace Relations (12 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Education, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister for Social Inclusion. Given that today’s employment figures prove the government...
- Fuel Prices (9 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister outline the factors behind the rising cost of petrol and the impact this is having on working families?
- Economy (25 speeches)
My question is addressed to the Treasurer. I refer the Treasurer to the statement of the Reserve Bank Governor, Glenn Stevens, on 11 December last year when he said: When people expect prices to...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
We have in the gallery today the Tasmanian Treasurer, Michael Aird. I am sure that the House would wish to give him a warm welcome.
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Counselling Services (6 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his decision, on the one hand, to spend $2½ million on the unions’ Tree of Knowledge at Barcaldine but, on the...
- Economy (5 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. Would the minister advise the House about Australia’s infrastructure bottlenecks and...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
Before calling the member for Moncrieff, I have had a few notes since my last acknowledgement. I acknowledge the Treasurer of South Australia, Kevin Foley, and the Northern Territory Treasurer,...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Small Business (11 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister aware that the most recent Sensis survey of small and medium businesses shows the largest decline in confidence in government policies...
- Environment (10 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. Will the minister inform the House about the dangers of reckless spending on environmental schemes with dubious...
- Small Business (6 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Minister for Education and Minister for Social Inclusion. I refer the minister to her disparaging comments yesterday in this...
- Higher Education (11 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Education. How does Australia’s higher education system measure up against the world? What action is the government taking to address this?
- Local Government (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his stated strong opposition before the election to Labor’s forced council amalgamations in Queensland and to the...
- Aged Care (9 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Ageing. Could the minister please inform the House of the government response to community concerns about quality in Australia’s 2,870 aged-care facilities?
- Fuel Prices (21 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. I refer the minister to the earlier question from the member for Parramatta and to the continued spiralling of the world...
- Economy (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy. Has the slump in Australia’s productivity growth over the last several years been caused...
- Expenditure Review Committee (5 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister confirm that, in his absence, the Minister for Finance and Deregulation has been chairing many meetings of the all-important...
- Rudd Government (0 speeches)
- Suspension of Standing and Sessional Orders (58 speeches)
I seek leave to move a motion condemning the government’s continued efforts to misrepresent Australia’s economic circumstances and in so doing exacerbating our nation’s economic...
- Delegation Reports (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Documents are presented as listed in the schedule circulated to honourable members. Details of the documents will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings.
- Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
- Wheat Export Marketing Bill 2008 (6 speeches)
by leave—Australia’s export wheat marketing arrangements are in desperate need of reform. The current arrangements are a shambles and have failed growers on several levels—the...
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move: That the House do now adjourn.
- Petition: Water (2 speeches)
I would like to use the adjournment debate to present a petition which was signed by over 7,000 people six months ago. This petition addressed water security in South Australia. What I have found...
- Dental Health (1 speech)
I take this opportunity to reinforce my support for the Rudd government’s Teen Dental Plan, a health initiative that is a marvellous long-term policy to improve the dental health of young...
- Fadden Electorate: Oxenford and Coomera Community Youth Centre (1 speech)
I seek to raise a serious issue that pertains to the Oxenford and Coomera Community Youth Centre in Oxenford on the Gold Coast. The centre was founded seven years ago by the Oxenford Christian...
- Parental Leave (1 speech)
I rise to speak about the issue of parental leave. I do so in light of the announcement by the Rudd Labor government that the Productivity Commission will examine ways the government can provide...
- Ryan Electorate: Youth Leadership (2 speeches)
I am pleased to be speaking in this great chamber, this house of democracy, as the federal member for Ryan, representing the wonderful people of the western suburbs of Brisbane. I want to take...
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- Cowan Electorate: Rawlinson Primary School (1 speech)
This morning I would like to speak briefly on the circumstances of the Rawlinson Primary School, which is within the electorate of Cowan. Rawlinson Primary is in the suburb of Marangaroo. It is a...
- Burma (2 speeches)
On 24 November last year, in the evening while we in this House were occupied with the election, the Burmese Medical Association of Australia and the Burmese community jointly hosted a...
- Casey Electorate: Volunteers (1 speech)
Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker. We in this place all know that the strength of our local communities is very much dependent on the tireless volunteers and the community leaders who...
- Climate Change (1 speech)
A couple of weeks ago in this place, during debate on the appropriation bills, I raised the issue of the state of the world’s coral reefs and in particular the threats that are being posed...
- Pensions and Benefits (1 speech)
I join with many Australians who are not certain but who would like to think they could welcome the Rudd Labor government’s kind of decision relating to the bonuses paid to carers and age...
- Dare to Lead Excellence in Leadership in Indigenous Education Awards (1 speech)
I want to speak this morning about the Dare to Lead Excellence in Leadership in Indigenous Education Awards, which have been presented annually since 2004. These awards recognise schools that...
- Flinders Electorate: The Sisters (1 speech)
I rise to ask the state government of Victoria to purchase a piece of land known as ‘the Sisters’ on the edge of Sullivan Cove, in Sorrento, on the Mornington Peninsula. I want to set...
- Alcohol Abuse (1 speech)
After raising this issue in the last fortnight of parliamentary sittings, I am delighted to again speak on the same matter and be able to commend the Prime Minister for his announcement on Monday...
- Forrest Electorate: Busselton Jetty (1 speech)
I am constantly being contacted by many constituents in the Busselton area who are concerned that there has been no answer from the new federal government—in the positive or the...
- Pensions and Benefits (2 speeches)
I want to place on record my absolute disgust at the opposition raising concerns and anxiety among carers and pensioners about whether or not they are going to get paid a bonus this year. To put...
- Infrastructure Australia Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (23 speeches)
Debate resumed from 12 March, on motion by Mr Albanese: That this bill be now read a second time.
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move: That the Main Committee do now adjourn.
- La Trobe Electorate: Community Facilities (1 speech)
In recent weeks in Boronia we have had two serious criminal incidents which I wish to bring to the attention of the chamber. The first was an arson attack in the Boronia Village in late January,...
- Rugby League (1 speech)
I have been accused of a number of things in my time, but I do plead guilty to being a rugby league tragic and a diehard supporter of the Wests Tigers rugby league team. I can’t wait for...
- Housing Affordability (1 speech)
A lot has been said in recent times about mortgage stress, and the government have come up with their plan. I now suggest a new approach, my own approach, to housing affordability. My proposal is...
- Mental Health Services (1 speech)
Last Friday, I had the great privilege of being with our Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon. We were able to announce $1.25 million funding for a wonderful example of self-help in the...
- Broadband (1 speech)
Late last year, a number of residents of the Epsom estate of Mordialloc in my electorate contacted me about the lack of availability of high-speed broadband in their area. Working with Janice...
- Indigenous Affairs (1 speech)
I seize this moment to speak in the adjournment debate on a topic most current. With the new government, the creation of new standing committees and the investigation as to particular topics of...
