House debates
Thursday, 20 September 2012
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Private Members' Business (0 speeches)
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- Montrose Netball Club (1 speech)
Last Saturday evening I had the pleasure of attending the presentation night for the Montrose Netball Club. The Montrose Netball Club began back in 1974 and since then has been a highly...
- Tango Netball Club (1 speech)
In 2010 the netball premier league in South Australia was reduced from 10 teams to six. As a result, the Tango Netball Club, based in the north-eastern suburbs of Adelaide, lost its premier...
- Southern Districts Rugby Union Club (1 speech)
I rise with a degree of reluctance following the final of the New South Wales rugby premiership, the Shute Shield, played last weekend. I was pleased to attend, along with my colleague the member...
- Rosh Hashana, Q&A (1 speech)
On Monday and Tuesday I had leave for Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year. I thank the whips and the parliament. For 120,000 Australians of similar background, even the most secular families, this...
- Dementia (1 speech)
The importance of diagnosing dementia early cannot be overstated, especially when the prevalence of dementia is expected to rise sharply. In Queensland, it is expected that the prevalence of...
- Australian Rare Chromosome Awareness Network (1 speech)
I rise to mention the fantastic work of the Australian Rare Chromosome Awareness Network and the efforts of my constituent Patricia Jonas, who is the NSW ARCAN president. Since there is very...
- Child Obesity (1 speech)
I wish to touch on the issue of childhood obesity. A recent UniSA study found that youngsters' mobility is jeopardised by obesity, even with simple tasks. It is sad to think that young children...
- Bass Electorate: Community Cabinet (1 speech)
I rise today to mention an exciting event coming up in Tasmania. The Australian government community cabinet will be held in my electorate of Bass in early October. Community cabinet meetings are...
- Dairy Industry (1 speech)
I rise to raise an issue in my electorate which is quite pressing at the moment, and that is the demise of the dairy industry. Over a period of six weeks, I have lost six dairy farmers in my...
- Throsby Electorate: Jobs and Skills Expo (1 speech)
I am delighted to advise the House that the Australian government's Jobs and Skills Expo is coming to the Illawarra next Wednesday, 26 September, where we will be joined by the Minister for...
- National Family Business Day (2 speeches)
Yesterday was National Family Business Day. To all those men and women operating family businesses across Australia, thank you for your contribution. We recognise your important role in the...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Victims of Terrorism (4 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister consider making assistance available to the previous Australian victims of overseas terrorism as a way to suitably mark the...
- Multiculturalism (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister update the House on the work of the Australian Multicultural Council that the government established last year, and why does mutual...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I recognise in the gallery today the former Premier of Victoria, the Hon. Joan Kirner, and her husband Ron. I welcome them to the House.
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Multiculturalism (7 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I remind the Prime Minister of her comments last year in response to the riots on Christmas Island where 200 detainees confronted the Australian Federal...
- Economy (28 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer update the House on the response of global ratings agencies to the strong fundamentals of our economy? Why is it important to represent the...
- Mining Tax (13 speeches)
I refer the Prime Minister to reports that BHP Billiton has cancelled plans for its Red Hill mine that would have created work for 3½ thousand Australians. Given that the chairman of BHP and...
- Gambling (12 speeches)
Deputy—
- Dental Health (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Health. Will the minister update the House on the government's plans to invest in the oral health needs of children and low-income adults? How do these policies...
- Carbon Pricing (23 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I remind the Prime Minister of the closure of the Clyde oil refinery, the statement by the Australian Institute of Petroleum that the carbon tax has placed...
- Age Pension (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Minister for Disability Reform. Will the minister update the House on how the government is supporting...
- Carbon Pricing (18 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to this power bill from Garry Gibson, who runs the Beau Monde hotel in Doncaster in my electorate. This bill clearly shows that...
- Budget (3 speeches)
My question is to the Assistant Treasurer and the Minister Assisting for Deregulation. What is the government doing to manage the budget in a responsible way under difficult global economic...
- Australian Defence Force Cadets (3 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to Army cadet units that will affect over 1,000 cadets at the three cadet units in my electorate of Bradfield, and to the...
- Workplace Relations (16 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and the Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation. Will the minister explain the need for positive policies that...
- Statements (0 speeches)
- Minister for Infrastructure and Transport (1 speech)
I just want the House to note that the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport has been named Infrastructure Minister of the Year by Infrastructure Investor. I would like to give him our...
- Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
- (11 speeches)
I congratulate the Minister Albanese. Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.
- Questions to the Speaker (0 speeches)
- Questions in Writing (11 speeches)
Madam Deputy Speaker, I ask whether you will ask the Speaker to write to ministers to follow up questions which are more than—
- Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
- (5 speeches)
Madam Deputy Speaker, I rise to give a personal explanation.
- Auditor-General's Reports (0 speeches)
- Report No. 4 of 2012-13, Annual Report 2011-12 (1 speech)
I present the following Auditor-General's reports: Audit report No. 4 of 2012-2013, entitled Performance audit: confidentiality in government contracts: Senate order for departmental and agency...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Selection Committee; Report (1 speech)
I present report No. 66 of the Selection Committee relating to private members' business and the referral of bills to committees. Copies of the report have been placed on the table. The report...
- Economics Committee, Treaties Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
I have received advice from the Chief Government Whip nominating members to be members of certain committees.
- Economics Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
I have received advice from the Chief Opposition Whip nominating a member to be a supplementary member of the Standing Committee on Economics for the purpose of the committee's inquiry into the...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Presentation (1 speech)
Documents are presented in accordance with the list circulated to honourable members earlier today. Details of the documents will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings and I move: That the...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Questions to the Speaker (0 speeches)
- Granting of Leave (2 speeches)
I have a question for the chair, Madam Deputy Speaker. Can you, over the coming weeks, get clarification for the House on the game that has been played this week over leave? There is a backlog...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Publications Committee; Report (9 speeches)
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. I seek leave to move...
- Human Rights Committee (1 speech)
On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, I present the committee's fourth report of 2012, entitled Examination of legislation in accordance with the Human Rights...
- Statements on Indulgence (0 speeches)
- Committee Reports (19 speeches)
Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish to raise the issue of committee reports. It is now the case that the report from the member for Banks is—
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Carbon Pricing (20 speeches)
I have received a letter from the honourable member for Flinders proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The adverse impact of the...
- Sydney Protests (1 speech)
I want to make some comments about the events in Sydney on the past weekend that saw a demonstration against a video insulting the prophet Mohammad degenerate into a violent rampage that not only...
- Sturt Electorate: Druze Community (1 speech)
It is a pleasure to be speaking on the adjournment rather than in the full flight of question time, which is not always as easy and pleasant as speaking on the adjournment. But, tonight,...
- Norfolk Island, Taxation (1 speech)
I rise to talk about Norfolk Island, which is part of the electoral division of Canberra. In particular, I want to talk about the benefits that Norfolk Islanders are missing out on by not being...
- Aged-Care Funding (1 speech)
Over the months, I have been meeting with aged-care service providers in O'Connor and Western Australia generally. This has included various meetings and correspondence with Julie Christensen,...
- Building the Education Revolution Program: Laburnum Primary School (2 speeches)
This afternoon I would like to talk about yet another great local delivery of a new school building under the federal government's Building the Education Revolution program. This one was at a...
- Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
- Micah Challenge (1 speech)
This week, I was again delighted to show my support for Micah Challenge. Micah Challenge is a global campaign of Christians speaking out against poverty and injustice. It is currently working...
- St Mina and St Marina Coptic Orthodox Church (1 speech)
Thankyou. I rise today to express how proud I was to attend the official opening of the new St Mina and St Marina Coptic Orthodox Church in Hallam last Saturday with my federal parliamentary...
- Dawson Electorate: Sugar Industry (1 speech)
It is no secret that I am a passionate supporter of the sugar industry, given that my electorate is the biggest sugar-growing electorate in the nation. We should all be passionate supporters of...
- Tasmania: Public Health System (1 speech)
I have spoken many times in this place previously about the Tasmanian health system. I particularly want to talk about it again today, because just last week Ms Plibersek, the Minister for...
- Casey Electorate: Warburton CFA Station (1 speech)
A few weeks back I had the pleasure of attending the official opening of the Warburton CFA station, which has a very rich history. It was great to see all the volunteers who work so hard for the...
- Australian Public Service (1 speech)
The Public Service is once again under attack by the Liberals. The Liberals are proudly talking up the slashing of 20,000 Public Service positions in the APS. This contrasts with Labor's...
- Tourism (1 speech)
I rise to encourage all members in this place to support World Tourism Day on 27 September. This is an industry that employs one million people throughout the tourism and hospitality sector. 27...
- Dairy Industry (1 speech)
Good morning, colleagues. It gives me great pleasure as a parliamentary secretary with special responsibility for dairy to mention two dairy enterprises in my region which, Mr Deputy Speaker, you...
- Wright Electorate: Beaudesert Rotary Club (1 speech)
I rise to speak about the tremendous work being done in my electorate by the Beaudesert Rotary Club. Recently, I attended the club's weekly meeting as a guest speaker and shared my experience of...
- Chifley Electorate: St Michael's Primary School (2 speeches)
Last Friday I had the opportunity to attend a special event where friends, family and teachers, past and present, gathered at the Blacktown Workers Club to celebrate a special event that took...
- Statements on Indulgence (0 speeches)
- London Olympic Games (12 speeches)
We are a nation of sports fans. We can see it at the local level and we can see where sport divides us, but at state and national level sport unites us. Naturally, Australians revel in the...
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Maranoa Electorate: Blackbutt-Benarkin Postal Region (1 speech)
I rise to speak on a simple mathematical equation which, depending if you believe in unlucky 13, is a shock to logic. Postcode 4306—four, plus three, plus zero, plus six—equals 13 and...
- Education Funding (1 speech)
I strongly condemn the New South Wales Liberal government's decisions to cut education funding by $1.7 billion and jeopardise the future of our kids. While on one hand the federal Labor...
- Burma (1 speech, 2 comments)
The recent developments in Burma—or Myanmar—with Aung San Suu Kyi being released from 21 years of house arrest, being democratically elected to the Burmese parliament and finally...
- Deakin Electorate: AG Lavis Pavilion (1 speech)
Last year on 19 November I attended the official opening of the AG Lavis Pavilion in the suburb of Heathmont in the electorate of Deakin that I am privileged to represent. As I noted in this...
- Longman Electorate: Small Businesses (1 speech)
I have some great small businesses in my electorate, owned and managed by some very passionate and hardworking people. Last week I went to visit some of these people and their businesses. I...
- Chisholm Electorate: Education, 2012 Citations for Contributions to Student Learning (1 speech)
I rise to speak about the achievements of seven inspiring academic and teaching professionals at Monash and Deakin universities in my electorate of Chisholm who this week received the prestigious...
- Hughes Electorate: Intermodal Freight Terminal (1 speech)
I, along with many of the constituents in my area, rise to express my concerns about the supposed solution for Sydney's intermodal transport needs. I am very glad that the member for Fowler is...
- Chifley Electorate: Achievements (1 speech)
Today I want to celebrate some special achievements in the Chifley electorate by people who have made significant contributions to our community. First, I want to acknowledge the recent...
- St Joseph's Cathedral, Rockhampton (2 speeches)
Rockhampton is a city of considerable charm. Its public buildings reflect the history of Central Queensland and Rockhampton as its administrative centre. There are magnificent sandstone and...
- Micah Challenge (1 speech)
Thank you. On Tuesday this week I, like many other members of this parliament, met with young people from the Micah Challenge. I found it so invigorating and refreshing to meet with young people...
- Biosecurity, Murray-Darling Basin (3 speeches)
Of particular concern to Australia's agriculture, particularly for potato growers, is a zebra chip disease caused by the bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter. The disease first appeared in Central...
- Hodges, Mr Todd (1 speech)
I rise to congratulate a sporting champion from my electorate of Bass, Paralympian gold medallist, Todd Hodges. Todd recently won a gold medal in the F20 division of the shot put, the...
- Fadden Electorate: Volunteers (1 speech)
I rise to commend the great people of the northern Gold Coast in the electorate of Fadden to nominate the wonderful volunteers in their organisation of the annual Fadden Volunteer Awards. Every...
- G20 (1 speech)
Today I want to speak about the global challenge of poverty. This week Oxfam Australia brought Steve Price-Thomas, Oxfam's international adviser on the G20, to parliament. I had the opportunity...
- Research and Development (1 speech)
Australia has an important pedigree in medical and health research. Our researchers are some of the best in the world, and Australia is a centre of excellence for medical research. We have a...
- Parramatta Electorate: TAD Disability Services NSW (1 speech)
Hidden away in Northmead in my electorate is one of our best kept secrets: an organisation known as TAD. It is a secret to just about everyone in the world but, to those who know TAD well, it is...
- Boothby Electorate: Repatriation General Hospital (1 speech)
I rise to speak about a very important issue in my electorate, and that relates to the Daw Park Repatriation General Hospital. For over 70 years the Daw Park Repatriation General Hospital has...
- Multiculturalism (1 speech)
It is with great pride that I rise to salute a great Australian, Mr Frank Lowy, who last night delivered the inaugural Australian Multicultural Council Lecture in the main committee room in...
