House debates
Thursday, 4 December 2008
- Valedictory (0 speeches)
- (15 speeches)
Mr Speaker, on indulgence: one of the great conventions of this parliament is what we refer to as valedictories. For those who are listening to this debate and are not familiar with this...
- Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2008-2009 (0 speeches)
- (0 speeches)
Message from the Governor-General transmitting particulars of proposed expenditure and recommending appropriation announced.
- First Reading (0 speeches)
Bill and explanatory memorandum presented by Mr Tanner. Bill read a first time.
- Second Reading (1 speech)
I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I rise to introduce the Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2008-2009. There are two additional estimates bills this year: Appropriation Bill (No. 3) and...
- Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2008-2009 (0 speeches)
- (0 speeches)
Message from the Governor-General transmitting particulars of proposed expenditure and recommending appropriation announced.
- First Reading (0 speeches)
Bill and explanatory memorandum presented by Mr Tanner. Bill read a first time.
- Second Reading (1 speech)
I move: That this bill be now read a second time. Appropriation Bill (No. 4) provides additional funding to agencies for:expenses in relation to grants to the states under section 96 of the...
- Tax Laws Amendment (Taxation of Financial Arrangements) 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. The Tax Laws Amendment (Taxation of Financial Arrangements) Bill 2008, or TOFA bill, introduces a comprehensive framework for the taxation of...
- Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Television Switch-over) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- First Reading (0 speeches)
Bill received from the Senate, and read a first time. Ordered that the second reading be made an order of the day for a later hour this day.
- Business (0 speeches)
- (3 speeches)
I move: That standing order 31 (automatic adjournment of the House) and standing order 33 (limit on business) be suspended for this sitting. Just to make some very brief remarks for the benefit...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Fair Work Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (6 speeches)
Debate resumed from 3 December, on motion by Ms Gillard: That this bill be now read a second time.
- National Security (0 speeches)
- (3 speeches)
by leave—I make a ministerial statement relating to national security. Introduction The first priority of government is the nation’s security. Consistent with this priority, I present...
- Main Committee (0 speeches)
- Fair Work Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the report from the Main Committee relating to the condolence motion on the death of the...
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- (3 speeches)
Mr Speaker, on indulgence: it might assist the House if there is an update, which I was asked to give by the opposition, on how we are going with regard to departing this place later today. It is...
- Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Mr Speaker, I inform the House that the Prime Minister will be absent from question time today as he is attending the funeral of Lieutenant Fussell in Sydney. I will answer questions on his...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Banking (2 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. Why is the government establishing a new bank that will channel petrodollars from the Middle East to state Labor governments?
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
I inform the House that we have present in the gallery this afternoon members of a parliamentary delegation from the Republic of Indonesia, led by the Speaker of the People’s Representative...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Education (13 speeches)
My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. Will the Acting Prime Minister update the House on progress in delivering the government’s education revolution?
- Banking (2 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. When did the Treasurer first become aware of the proposal for a new government owned bank? Can the Treasurer confirm that this new bank was born out of a...
- Pensions and Benefits (2 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. Would the Treasurer outline for the House the economic benefits of the Economic Security Strategy payments that will start reaching families and pensioners from...
- Banking (2 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. Is the Treasurer giving consideration to the establishment of a government bank and, if so, given the poor financial position of many state Labor governments, has...
- Pensions and Benefits (13 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Will the minister update the House on responses to the government’s Economic Security...
- Banking (28 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer rule out the establishment of a new government bank?
- Veterans (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs. What action has the government taken to assist Australia’s veteran community and what other positions have been taken with...
- Murray-Darling River System (6 speeches)
My question is to the Acting Prime Minister, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Education and Social Inclusion. Acting Prime Minister, why has the government turned a blind eye to...
- Fair Work Legislation (10 speeches)
My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. Acting Prime Minister, does the Fair Work Bill allow a union to impose a bargaining fee?
- Murray-Darling River System (21 speeches)
My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. I refer the Acting Prime Minister to the letter I am holding from the Alexandrina Council, which covers the Lower Lakes that are in my electorate,...
- Tourism (3 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Resources and Energy and Minister for Tourism. Will the minister advise the House of any initiatives to encourage Australians to assist the Australian tourism...
- Interest Rates (2 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. I refer to the reported comments by the Chief Executive of the National Australia Bank that credit card interest rates are a sideshow to divert attention from...
- Road Safety (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. Will the minister inform the House about the importance of road safety, especially over...
- New South Wales: Blood Services (4 speeches)
Thank you, Mr Speaker. Yes, I am standing.
- Binge Drinking (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Will the minister outline actions to tackle binge drinking and any attempts to undermine those actions?
- Hospitals (9 speeches)
My question is also to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Is the minister aware of reports that 30 maternity units in local hospitals have now been closed throughout rural and regional New South...
- Agriculture (4 speeches)
My question is the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. What is the government doing to help position Australian agriculture for the future?
- Ipswich Motorway (7 speeches)
My question is to Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. Will the minister confirm that the latest cost estimate for the construction of the Dinmore to...
- Education (5 speeches)
My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. Will the Acting Prime Minister inform the House of the importance of developments in popular media in relation to education?
- Questions to the Speaker (0 speeches)
- Questions in Writing (2 speeches)
My question is in relation to the Minister for Sport and Minister for Youth and standing order 104 relating to questions in reply and unanswered questions. Mr Speaker, I am asking if you could...
- Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
- (34 speeches)
Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Reports: Government Responses (3 speeches)
Order! For the information of honourable members, I present a schedule of outstanding government responses to reports of House of Representatives and joint committees, incorporating reports...
- Auditor-General’S Reports (0 speeches)
- Report No. 11 of 2008-09 (1 speech)
I present the Auditor-General’s Audit report No. 11 of 2008-09 entitled Performance Audit: Disability employment services: Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous...
- 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 and I move: That the House take note of...
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Economy (21 speeches)
I have received a letter from the honourable member for Curtin proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The Government’s...
- Water Amendment Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Senate Message (0 speeches)
Message received from the Senate returning the bill and informing the House that the Senate does not insist on its amendments Nos 2 to 8, 10, 11 and 13 to 15 disagreed to by the House and has...
- Schools Assistance Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Senate Message (0 speeches)
Message received from the Senate returning the bill and informing the House that the Senate does not insist on its amendment No. 4 disagreed to by the House.
- Fair Work Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Publications Committee; Report (1 speech)
I present the report from the Publications Committee sitting in conference with the Publications Committee of the Senate. Copies of the report are being placed on the table. Report—by...
- Fair Work Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (9 speeches)
Debate resumed.
- Third Reading (1 speech)
by leave—I move, with some astonishment: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
- Leave of Absence (0 speeches)
- (15 speeches)
I move: That leave of absence be given to every Member of the House of Representatives from the determination of this sitting of the House to the date of its next sitting.
- Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Television Switch-over) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- (0 speeches)
Consideration resumed.
- Second Reading (2 speeches)
I present a revised explanatory memorandum to this bill and move: That this bill be now read a second time. The Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Television Switch-over) Bill 2008 makes...
- Safe Work Australia Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Senate Message (8 speeches)
Message received from the Senate returning the bill and acquainting the House that the Senate insists upon the amendments disagreed to by the House. Ordered that the amendments be considered...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Coag Reform Fund Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Television Switch-over) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Road Charges Legislation Repeal and Amendment Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Senate Message (7 speeches)
Bill returned from the Senate with requests for amendments. Ordered that the amendments be considered immediately. Senate’s requested amendments— (1) Page 2 (after...
- Interstate Road Transport Charge Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2008 (0 speeches)
- Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Television Switch-over) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Nation-Building Funds Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Senate Message (3 speeches)
Bill returned from the Senate with amendments. Ordered that the amendment be considered immediately. Senate’s amendments— (1) Clause 4, page 5 (after line 29), after...
- Nation-Building Funds (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Senate Message (2 speeches)
Bill returned from the Senate with amendments. Ordered that the amendments be considered immediately. Senate’s amendments— (1) Schedule 2, page 16 (line 11), omit...
- Temporary Residents’ Superannuation Legislation Amendment Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Senate Message (1 speech)
Message from the Governor-General recommending appropriation for requested amendments announced. Bill returned from the Senate with requested amendments. Ordered that the amendments be considered...
- Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Television Switch-over) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I might assist members by giving some advice to the best of our knowledge, given that the workings of the Senate are sometimes complex, that it is intended that very soon we will be suspending...
- Superannuation (Departing Australia Superannuation Payments Tax) Amendment Bill 2008; Corporations Amendment (Short Selling) Bill 2008; Aged Care Amendment (2008 Measures No. 2) Bill 2008; Tax Laws Amendment (Luxury Car Tax — Minor Amendments) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Returned from the Senate (0 speeches)
Message received from the Senate returning the bills without amendment or request.
- Member for Dawson (0 speeches)
- (6 speeches)
Yesterday I indicated that I would advise the House of any appropriate course of action in relation to the use of photographs taken by the member for Dawson. I believe my powers in relation to...
- Social Security and Veterans’ Entitlements Legislation Amendment (Schooling Requirements) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Road Charges Legislation Repeal and Amendment Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Senate Message (0 speeches)
Message received from the Senate returning the bill and informing the House that the Senate has agreed to the bill as amended by the House at the request of the Senate.
- Nation-Building Funds Bill 2008; Nation-Building Funds (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Senate Message (0 speeches)
Message received from the Senate returning the bills and informing the House that the Senate does not insist on its amendments to which the House had disagreed.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Intelligence and Security Committee; Membership (1 speech)
I have received a message from the Senate informing the House that Senator Nash has been discharged from attendance on the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security and that...
- Temporary Residents’ Superannuation Legislation Amendment Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Senate Message (6 speeches)
Bill returned from the Senate with amendments. Ordered that the amendments be considered immediately. Senate’s amendments— (1) Schedule 1, item 4, page 4...
- Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Television Switch-over) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Senate Message (41 speeches)
Message received from the Senate returning the bill and informing the House that the Senate has agreed to certain amendments made by the House and has disagreed to other amendments made by the...
- House of Representatives Chamber Galleries (0 speeches)
- (3 speeches)
On indulgence: Mr Speaker, the day before yesterday there was a visitor in the gallery with a young child. The young lady raised with me the issue that she was embarrassed about the child crying...
- Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
- Petition: Paterson Electorate Roads (1 speech)
I rise today to present a petition signed by over 1,500 constituents from the electorate of Paterson who are concerned about the current state of the Bucketts Way—one of the most...
- World AIDS Day (1 speech)
This week was the 20th anniversary of the first World AIDS Day. HIV is an illness that is not going to go away. There are now about 10,000 people in NSW living with HIV. Of course the nature of...
- Barker Electorate: Lake Bonney (1 speech)
I rise to speak about Lake Bonney, which is the geographic centre of the Riverland in South Australia, in the mighty electorate of Barker. The natural, sparkling freshwater lake is fed from the...
- Petition: Make Poverty History Campaign (2 speeches)
I rise to table a petition about an issue that has been raised by constituents of mine, the Baptist Church in Kotara and St Luke’s Uniting Church in Belmont, about the Make Poverty History...
- Stirling Electorate: Nollamara Shopping Centre (1 speech)
I am very pleased to be able to talk today about something I worked very hard to achieve in my electorate of Stirling—that is, to make my electorate safer for local residents, especially...
- Kingsford Smith Electorate: Volunteers (1 speech)
It is a great pleasure to rise to give due recognition to the role that volunteers play in our community, particularly in Kingsford Smith. I specifically want to note not only the efforts of the...
- McEwen Electorate: Fuel Prices (1 speech)
I rise in this place today to bring to the attention of the parliament a couple of matters which are of great concern to constituents in my electorate. The first of these is the disparity in the...
- Cantonment Hill (1 speech)
I rise today to speak about Cantonment Hill, a precious jewel in the historic city of Fremantle. In 1892, Cantonment Hill was gifted by the Crown to the City of Fremantle forever ‘for the...
- Forrest Electorate: Chefs Long Table Lunch (1 speech)
I rise to support the Chefs Long Table Lunch Voluntary Organising Committee in Bunbury in my electorate. The Chefs Long Table Lunch is an outstanding community event that has been held every...
- Thorndale Foundation (2 speeches)
I rise to take note of the valuable work being undertaken by the Thorndale Foundation. The Thorndale Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that provides accommodation, community...
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Hon. Francis (Frank) Daniel Crean (5 speeches)
Debate resumed from 3 December, on motion by Mr Rudd: That the House record its deep regret at the death on 2 December 2008 of the Honourable Frank Crean, former Federal Treasurer and Deputy...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
Before I call the member for Blair, on behalf of all members I welcome members of the parliament of the Republic of Iraq to our second chamber.
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move: That the Main Committee do now adjourn.
- Senator Chris Ellison (1 speech)
The pastor at my church, Bruce Stewart, when he talks about being a Christian often talks about being real, which is by my reckoning another way of talking about being authentic. The great...
- Wine Industry (1 speech)
I rise today to talk specifically about one of the great export industries of South Australia, the wine industry. In the electorate of Kingston we have the beautiful area of McLaren Vale, which...
- Parliamentary Year (1 speech)
I wish the member for Kingston good health. I know she has been feeling poorly and I wish her well for the Christmas season. It is in that spirit of Christmas that I rise and extend my personal...
- Geelong Manufacturing Industry (1 speech)
The announcement on Tuesday night that the Ford FG Falcon XT has been awarded Best Large Car of 2008, as judged by the nation’s motoring clubs, is just one of several announcements over the...
- Left Right Think Tank (1 speech)
I have an unusual presentation to the parliament today, because I rise to talk about an inspiring movement of young Australians dedicated to empowering all young people to contribute to public...
- Environment (1 speech)
The Humane Society International has put forward two legislative proposals for consideration to help protect the world’s rainforests. The first proposal is for the creation of a federal...
- Child Care (1 speech)
It has been some five weeks now since a constituent of mine from the electorate of Ryan, Mr Matthew Preston, was in contact with the federal government and I want to raise on his behalf his...
- Australia Day Awards (1 speech)
I wish to speak on the Australian of the Year awards. There are four categories to this award: the Senior Australian of the Year for people over 60; the Young Australian of the Year for people 16...
- Mr Bill Trevor (1 speech)
The Wide Bay Burnett Area Consultative Committee has just bid farewell to its longstanding chair, Bill Trevor, and I commend his service to the organisation and the entire region. Bill is...
- Blair Electorate (1 speech)
Today I rise to congratulate the community of Boonah and the Scenic Rim Regional Council, who had the foresight to allocate $480,000 of the money that we gave them as part of our $300 million...
- Fuel Prices (1 speech)
I rise to talk about the cost of petrol, particularly the contrast between the cost of petrol and the cost of diesel today. People in the bush, and indeed across Australia, have seen record high...
- Dobell Electorate: Water (1 speech)
I rise to speak about and express concern as to the progress that is not being made on a promise of the Rudd government regarding a pipeline on the Central Coast. The lack of progress is not of...
- Mackellar Electorate: Mona Vale Hospital (1 speech)
I rise to speak about Mona Vale Hospital, in my electorate of Mackellar. It is a vital institution for the people who live there, particularly for those in the north of Mona Vale but also for the...
- Death Penalty (1 speech)
I rise to speak again in respect of the death penalty involving Australian citizens, and I do so particularly in the aftermath of the execution in Indonesia of the Bali bombers. I am concerned...
- Murray-Darling Basin (3 speeches)
I rise on what perhaps will be the last opportunity to raise an issue which I feel passionately about, as do the people of my electorate—one that I think that anyone who cares about the...
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1 speech)
I want to take this opportunity to note the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December. I wholeheartedly support the motion moved by the Prime Minister on...
- Fadden Electorate: Economy (1 speech)
Christmas, the Yuletide season, is upon us. It is a time when we remember our Christian heritage as a nation, going back through our roots in Britain, and of course a time when we remember the...
- Rudd Government; Newcastle Electorate (1 speech)
I would also like to reflect on the first 12 months of the Rudd Labor government. For the people of Newcastle, I am very proud to say that we have been able to deliver on all our election...
- Mr Keith Payne (1 speech)
Today I rise to speak about someone who I believe is really an Australian hero. The man I would like to tell the parliament about today is a Queenslander. He is a man I have come to know well and...
- Moreton Electorate: Sherwood Community Street Festival (1 speech)
Madam Deputy Speaker, as you well know, successful communities are those that regularly come together. We all live busy, often isolated, lives, so it is important that we have opportunities to...
- North Sydney Electorate: Community Organisations (1 speech)
All of our electorates are strengthened by the community organisations which work so hard, usually on the back of the efforts of volunteers, to make our places, our community and our areas a...
- Newcastle Electorate (1 speech)
I am delighted to stand and speak further to my previous speech about the achievements of this first year of the Rudd government and extend it to the future agenda for the electorate of...
- Pensions and Benefits; Local Government Elections (1 speech)
There has been much said about the term ‘maximum pass through’ in relation to interest rate reductions from the Reserve Bank and their cash rate reductions being fully transferred on...
- Christmas (1 speech)
I take this opportunity to wish all members all the best for the Christmas season and a very happy new year. It is a time when we all spend a little bit of time with our family and we can be back...
- Murray-Darling River System (1 speech)
I recently had the very powerful experience of driving from the Darling Downs to the mouth of the Murray, 3½ thousand kilometres through the Murray-Darling Basin. On the way I met with...
- Parliamentary Year (2 speeches)
I would like to thank my colleague, the member for Flinders, for allowing me to stand up. The year 2008 has been an historic year for our nation. This year we have seen starkly what we have...
- Human Trafficking (1 speech)
I appreciate the opportunity to speak on the very important subject of human trafficking, particularly for sex slavery. My attention was drawn to two articles in the Daily Telegraph yesterday. In...
