House debates
Tuesday, 27 May 2008
- Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Mr Speaker, I inform the House that the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs will be absent from question time today as he is attending the New South Wales RSL state conference in Rooty Hill. The...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Budget (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his Adelaide declaration that he has done everything that he possibly can for Australian families, including those paying $1.60...
- Economy (2 speeches)
My question is also directed to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister outline the government’s responsible approach to economic management?
- Fuel Prices (10 speeches)
My question is addressed to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, how will a national Fuelwatch scheme reduce the price of petrol in Wagga Wagga, where today the price is $1.58 per litre? Will the...
- Budget (7 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. What steps did the government take to ensure this year’s budget was more responsible than the budgets of the immediate past?
- Fuel Prices (37 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister aware of the Queensland government’s investigation into the Fuelwatch scheme headed by the now state Treasurer, Andrew Fraser?...
- Budget (2 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline for the House the targeted, responsible measures the government delivered in the budget which are specifically designed to help...
- Fuel Prices (8 speeches)
My question is directed to the Prime Minister. I refer to the comments from the New South Wales Treasurer, Michael Costa, that the states would demand compensation for the hundreds of millions of...
- Skills Shortage (14 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Education, the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and the Minister for Social Inclusion. Will the Deputy Prime Minister update the House on the...
- Fuel Prices (10 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to petrol prices today in Western Sydney, where residents are paying over $1.53 a litre for petrol. Why did the Prime Minister say...
- Zimbabwe (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will the minister please update the House on developments in Zimbabwe?
- Fuel Prices (4 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to petrol prices in Sale, where residents are paying over $1.50 for petrol, and in Wonthaggi, where they are paying nearly...
- FIFA Congress (10 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Sport and Minister for Youth. Will the minister update the House on the FIFA Congress being held in Sydney this week and the government’s support for...
- Fuel Prices (4 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Now that it is clear that the Prime Minister’s GST petrol review has been discredited by the states, his own minister believes Fuelwatch is...
- Prime Minister (0 speeches)
- Censure Motion (24 speeches)
by leave—I move: That this House censures the Prime Minister for letting down Australians struggling to make ends meet with the high cost of petrol, in particular for:(1)supporting a...
- Dissent from Ruling (0 speeches)
- (79 speeches)
I move: That the Speaker’s ruling be dissented from. Mr Speaker, I stood before this House to have the call to move a subsequent amendment to call on the Prime Minister to guarantee to this...
- Prime Minister (0 speeches)
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Budget (30 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his failure to answer my question yesterday about the $2.5 billion tax grab from gas field condensate announced in the budget....
- Questions to the Speaker (0 speeches)
- Tabling of Documents (8 speeches)
Mr Speaker, I have a question relating to the Prime Minister’s behaviour and non-tabling of a document on 15 May. My question to you is: who determined that this document was confidential...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
A document is presented in accordance with the list circulated to honourable members earlier today. Details of the document will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings.
- Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
- Australia-Chile Free Trade Agreement (12 speeches)
by leave—I am very pleased to convey to the House the news that I have this morning concluded negotiations with Chile on the Australia-Chile Free Trade Agreement. This morning I spoke by...
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Fuel Prices (50 speeches)
I have received a letter from the honourable member for Cowper proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The failure of FuelWatch to...
- Tax Laws Amendment (Budget Measures) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- First Reading (0 speeches)
Bill and explanatory memorandum presented by Mr Swan. Bill read a first time.
- Second Reading (1 speech)
I move: That this bill be now read a second time. This bill makes a number of important improvements to the tax law. First, it improves the fairness and integrity of the fringe benefits tax...
- Tax Laws Amendment (Medicare Levy and Medicare Levy Surcharge) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- First Reading (0 speeches)
Bill and explanatory memorandum presented by Mr Bowen. Bill read a first time.
- Second Reading (1 speech)
I move: That this bill be now read a second time. This bill will increase the Medicare levy low-income thresholds for individuals and families in line with increases in the consumer price index....
- Tax Laws Amendment (Medicare Levy Surcharge Thresholds) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- First Reading (0 speeches)
Bill and explanatory memorandum presented by Mr Bowen. Bill read a first time.
- Second Reading (1 speech)
I move: That this bill be now read a second time. This bill will increase the Medicare levy surcharge thresholds for individuals and families. The Medicare levy surcharge imposes a one per cent...
- Governor-General’S Speech (0 speeches)
- Address-in-Reply (1 speech)
Order of the day returned from Main Committee; certified copy of the report presented. Ordered that the order of the day be considered immediately.
- Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2008-2009; Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2008-2009; Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2008-2009; Appropriation Bill (No. 5) 2007-2008; Appropriation Bill (No. 6) 2007-2008 (0 speeches)
- Referred to Main Committee (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That the bills be referred to the Main Committee for further consideration. Question agreed to.
- Second Reading (19 speeches)
Debate resumed from 26 May, on motion by Mr Swan: That this bill be now read a second time.
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move: That the House do now adjourn.
- Fadden Electorate: Gold Coast Waterways Authority (1 speech)
I rise this evening to call for the immediate reintroduction of the Gold Coast Waterways Authority and the immediate dredging of the Broadwater and associated waterways. The Gold Coast Waterways...
- Budget (1 speech)
At the heart of the Rudd government is our plan for an education revolution. This morning I had the opportunity to catch up with the Prime Minister in his office to talk about the budget and how...
- Water (1 speech)
I rise this evening to address the issue of clean water challenges around Australia. In particular, we have two fundamental policies of importance here: clean rivers and clean coasts. I want to...
- Corio Electorate: Geelong Northern Community Hub (1 speech)
How we as a nation seek to meet the challenge of social inclusion today will have a dramatic effect upon the next generations, who will inherit our country tomorrow. It is with an acceptance of...
- Cowan Electorate (1 speech)
Good evening or good day, perhaps, and ‘dobro den’ in the Macedonian language. Tonight I rise to speak of the main interest of the people of Macedonian heritage who live in my...
- Albatrosses (1 speech)
I wish to talk this evening about the plight of albatrosses. A lot of attention is given to the issues surrounding whaling, but much less to the plight of albatrosses. They are large, beautiful...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- (7 speeches)
The following notices were given:
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Australian Federal Police (1 speech)
On 13 May 2008 answering a question without notice I stated upon advice that the Australian Bomb Data Centre had provided information to agencies in the United Kingdom following the London...
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- Regional Partnerships (1 speech)
I rise to challenge the statement by the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Anthony Albanese, that he did not realise how many community groups...
- Cluster Munitions (1 speech)
by leave—I present a petition from members of the Scoresby Uniting Church and other Uniting Church congregations in my electorate. They have collected 2,194 signatures on a petition calling...
- Ryan Electorate: Australian Defence Medal (1 speech)
I would like to formally acknowledge and recognise in the parliament today a group of very special individuals. I place on the record my formal thanks for the service to our country of Mr...
- Tasmanian Premier (1 speech)
I was going to speak about something else, but the events that took place in Tasmania yesterday have overtaken that in importance. Yesterday, the Premier of Tasmania, Paul Lennon, stepped down...
- Mr Bill Singleton; Mr Ted Brooker OAM (1 speech)
In April this year, Bill Singleton was recognised by his peers by being awarded life membership of Surf Life Saving Australia at the 2008 national surf lifesaving titles held in Western...
- Comitato Assistenza Italiani (1 speech)
Last Saturday night, 24 May, I along with my wife, Vicki, attended on behalf of the Prime Minister the 40th anniversary celebrations of the Italian-Australian welfare organisation known as...
- Drought (1 speech)
In November 2002, the Rural Lands Protection Boards of Bourke and Brewarrina became the first areas of south-eastern Australia to be declared to be in exceptional circumstances in the current...
- Motorcycling Australia’s Rider Safety Campaign (1 speech)
Last month I had the distinct pleasure of joining forces with MotoGP star Chris Vermeulen and Motorcycling Australia at the launch of Motorcycling Australia’s Rider Safety Campaign, to help...
- Indi Electorate: Wodonga Rail Bypass (1 speech)
I rise to speak on a matter of great importance to the people of Wodonga, in my electorate: the Wodonga Rail Bypass. It is one project that has been spoken about for too long with no action. The...
- Bennelong Electorate: Giant Steps School for Autistic Children (2 speeches)
I rise today to commend the imaginative initiative and the extraordinary commitment of the parents and staff at Giant Steps in Gladesville, a school for children with autism, which is located in...
- Governor-General’S Speech (0 speeches)
- Address-in-Reply (1 speech)
Debate resumed from 26 May, on motion by Mr Hale: That the address be agreed to.
- Export Market Development Grants Amendment Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (10 speeches)
Debate resumed from 20 March, on motion by Mr Crean: That this bill be now read a second time.
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Lance Corporal Jason Marks (6 speeches)
Debate resumed from 13 May, on motion by Mr Albanese: That the House record its deep regret at the death on 27 April 2008 of Lance Corporal Jason Marks while on combat operations in Afghanistan...
- Hon. John Norman Button (7 speeches)
Debate resumed from 13 May, on motion by Mr Albanese: That the House record its deep regret at the death on 8 April 2008 of the Honourable John Norman Button, former Federal Minister and Senator...
- 40TH Anniversary of the Battles of Fire Support Bases Coral and Balmoral (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
Debate resumed from 13 May.
- Civil Aviation Legislation Amendment (1999 Montreal Convention and Other Measures) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (5 speeches)
Debate resumed from 20 March, on motion by Mr Albanese: That this bill be now read a second time.
