House debates

Tuesday, 27 November 2012

• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Treasury Legislation Amendment (Unclaimed Money and Other Measures) Bill 2012; Second Reading (18 speeches)
    As I was saying, this is an extra tax grab of $900 million. Basically, it is the government with its hands in the pockets of Australians. This is Robin Hood in reverse. While it may be...
  • Treasury Legislation Amendment (Unclaimed Money and Other Measures) Bill 2012; Consideration in Detail (11 speeches)
    I move amendment (1) as circulated in my name: (1) Clause 2, page 2 (table item 2), omit the table item, substitute: Submissions from the Australian Bankers' Association (ABA), the Commonwealth...
  • Migration Amendment (Unauthorised Maritime Arrivals and Other Measures) Bill 2012; Second Reading (12 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the Migration Amendment (Unauthorised Maritime Arrivals and Other Measures) Bill 2012. In consideration of this measure, it is worth noting that five years ago the Labor...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Prime Minister (13 speeches)
    My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to her statement yesterday on the misuse of AWU funds and to the statutory declaration of former AWU Victoria president Bob...
  • Economy (2 speeches)
    My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister update the House on the government's policy to build a stronger future for Australia?
  • Prime Minister (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to her statement in August as to whether she received any benefit from Town Mode in 1994: … an allegation was made that I...
  • Economy (7 speeches)
    My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer update the House on the importance of investing in our nation's future? How is the government doing this and what benefits have we seen as a result?
  • Prime Minister (19 speeches)
    My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to her previous answer and to this cheque drawn by Bruce Wilson in 1995 from the AWU Members Welfare Association for $15,000—
• Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    I inform the House that we have present in the gallery this afternoon members of a delegation from Lao led by the Minister for Education and Sports, His Excellency Dr Phankham Viphavanh. On...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Native Title (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Prime Minister and is on an actual national policy question.
  • Abuse in Defence (2 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence. I refer the minister to his historic apology in the House yesterday to men and women in the Australian Defence Force and Department of Defence who have...
  • Prime Minister (7 speeches)
    My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to her statement yesterday and to this statutory declaration of former AWU employee Wayne Hem sworn on 11 November this year that,...
  • National Plan for School Improvement (2 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth. Minister, would you update the House on the need for a national plan for school improvement. Minister, are there...
  • Prime Minister (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's statement yesterday and to this 1996 affidavit of Ian Cambridge that states $300,000 in cash was withdrawn by Bruce Wilson...
  • Murray-Darling Basin (2 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Last week, after a century of disagreement between governments, the government presented the...
  • Prime Minister (13 speeches)
    My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to her statement yesterday and to the affidavit of then AWU head Ian Cambridge that states around $100,000 from the AWU slush fund...
  • Mental Health (2 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Mental Health and Ageing. Today the National Mental Health Commission launched the first ever national report card on mental health and suicide prevention,...
  • Prime Minister (2 speeches)
    My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's statement yesterday and to the statement today by Slater & Gordon which I am holding my hand and which states that, in...
  • Health Care (2 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Health. Will the minister update the House on the government's plan for strengthening Australia's health care system. How will the government continue to tackle...
  • Prime Minister (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's statement yesterday and to the affidavit of Ian Cambridge that around $100,000 from the AWU slush fund was used to purchase...
  • Small Business (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Small Business. What is the government doing to help small business in Australia and are there alternative approaches to providing support for small business?
  • Prime Minister (5 speeches)
    My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to her statement yesterday that, after she learned in August 1995 of the AWU's investigations into Bruce Wilson's misuse of funds...
  • Foreign Affairs and Trade (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness and the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will the minister inform the House of the government's recent...
• Privilege (0 speeches)
  • (3 speeches)
    In the last sitting week the Manager of Opposition Business raised as a matter of privilege two claims that the House had been misled. One concerned an answer that had been given by the...
• Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
  • (6 speeches)
    Madam Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    Documents are presented as listed in the schedule circulated to honourable members earlier today. Details of the documents will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings, and I move: That the...
• Auditor-General's Reports (0 speeches)
  • Report No. 11 of 2012-13 (1 speech)
    I present the Auditor-General's performance audit report No. 11 of 2012-13 entitled Establishment, implementation and administration of the quarantined heritage component of the Local Jobs stream...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Asylum Seekers (23 speeches)
    I have received a letter from the honourable member for Cook proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The Government’s...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Customs Amendment (Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation and Other Measures) Bill 2012, Customs Tariff Amendment (Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2012; Reference to Federation Chamber (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That the following bills be referred to the Federation Chamber for further consideration: Customs Amendment (Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation and...
  • Treasury Legislation Amendment (Unclaimed Money and Other Measures) Bill 2012; Consideration in Detail (10 speeches)
    In accordance with the resolution agreed to, I shall now proceed to put the question on the motion moved earlier today by the honourable member for North Sydney on which a division was called for...
  • Treasury Legislation Amendment (Unclaimed Money and Other Measures) Bill 2012; Third Reading (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Migration Amendment (Reform of Employer Sanctions) Bill 2012; Third Reading (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Committee; Appointment (2 speeches)
    I move: (1) a Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples be appointed to inquire into and report on steps that can be taken to progress...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Fair Work Amendment (Transfer of Business) Bill 2012; Consideration of Senate Message (1 speech)
    I move: That the amendments be agreed to. I thank all members and senators for their contribution during the debates on the Fair Work Amendment (Transfer of Business) Bill 2012. In particular, I...
• Delegation Reports (0 speeches)
  • Australian Parliamentary Delegation to the 33rd ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (6 speeches)
    I present the report of the Australian Parliamentary Delegation to the 33rd AIPA general assembly from 16 to 22 September 2012, and I ask leave of the House to make a short statement in...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Agriculture, Resources, Fisheries and Forestry Committee; Report (3 speeches)
    On behalf of the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Resources, Fisheries and Forestry, I present the committee's report, entitled Netting the benefits:inquiry into the role of science for the...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Migration Amendment (Unauthorised Maritime Arrivals and Other Measures) Bill 2012; Second Reading (10 speeches)
    It is distressing to be here debating a bill that is similar for all intents and purposes to a step that was taken by the previous Howard government. Many of us had thought that we were no longer...
  • Customs Amendment (Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation and Other Measures) Bill 2012; Third Reading (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Customs Tariff Amendment (Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2012; Third Reading (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That business intervening before order of the day No. 10, government business, be postponed until a later hour this day. Question agreed to.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Health and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2012; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I thank members for their contributions to the debate on this bill. The bill makes minor amendments to the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 to correct referencing inconsistencies and...
  • Health and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2012; Consideration in Detail (5 speeches)
    by leave—I move opposition amendments (1) to (3), as circulated, together: (1) Clause 2, page 2 (table item 4), omit “items 20 to 23”, substitute “item 23”. (2)...
  • Water Amendment (Water for the Environment Special Account) Bill 2012; Second Reading (3 speeches)
    It gives me great pleasure to speak on the Water Amendment (Water for the Environment Special Account) Bill 2012 because it allows the opposition to place on the record the background, the...
  • Migration Amendment (Unauthorised Maritime Arrivals and Other Measures) Bill 2012; Second Reading (0 speeches)
  • Migration Amendment (Unauthorised Maritime Arrivals and Other Measures) Bill 2012; Consideration in Detail (2 speeches)
    I move: (1) Schedule 1, after item 47, page 9 (line 28), add: Item 47A At the end of section 198AH   Add:   198AI Ministerial report   The Minister must, as soon as...
  • Migration Amendment (Unauthorised Maritime Arrivals and Other Measures) Bill 2012; Third Reading (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Health and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2012; Consideration in Detail (1 speech)
    I have taken the view that deferred divisions should not be proceeded with until the member speaking at 8 pm has completed his or her speech and so I did not interrupt the member for Makin's...
  • Health and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2012; Third Reading (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • National Gambling Reform Bill 2012, National Gambling Reform (Related Matters) Bill (No. 1) 2012, National Gambling Reform (Related Matters) Bill (No. 2) 2012; Second Reading (7 speeches)
    I rise tonight to speak on the National Gambling Reform Bill 2012. Can I say that, from the outset, the coalition acknowledges that gambling is a major problem for some Australians, and that is...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Suspension of Standing and Sessional Orders (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That: (1) standing order 31 (Automatic adjournment of the House) and standing order 33 (Limit on business after normal time of adjournment) be suspended for this sitting;...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • National Gambling Reform Bill 2012, National Gambling Reform (Related Matters) Bill (No. 1) 2012, National Gambling Reform (Related Matters) Bill (No. 2) 2012; Second Reading (1 speech)
    ) ( ): Madam Deputy Speaker O'Neill, you and I both come from a region where we have a lot of clubs that do a great deal for the community. In fact, there are about 300,000 people who live on the...
  • Water Amendment (Water for the Environment Special Account) Bill 2012; Second Reading (10 speeches)
    The Water Amendment (Water for the Environment Special Account) Bill 2012 is another ill-conceived, poorly drafted, slapdash piece of legislation rushed into the House. If this was simply some...
• Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
  • McPherson Electorate: Sports (1 speech)
    I would like to acknowledge the outstanding achievements of the Gold Coast Master Rowers at the recent Pan Pacific Masters Games rowing regatta that was held on 3 and 4 November on the Gold...
  • Infrastructure, City of Giovinazzo (1 speech)
    Last week I was in Italy for high-level discussions on infrastructure and infrastructure financing and tomorrow in the House I will be welcoming the leaders of 35 infrastructure companies from...
  • Gippsland Electorate: Latrobe Regional Hospital (1 speech)
    I rise to highlight my ongoing concerns at the lack of funding to support a much-needed redevelopment of facilities at the Latrobe Regional Hospital in my electorate. By way of background, the...
  • Million Hearts, One Voice Campaign (1 speech)
    Australia has always been characterised as having a vibrant multicultural people from all parts of the world. From time to time they have come here in different ways. In particular, there is one...
  • Parenting Payments (1 speech)
    Catherine Harman is a constituent of the electorate of Canning. She came to my electorate office and I promised that I would bring her letter to the attention of the Prime Minister. On 25...
  • Renewable Energy (1 speech)
    A few weeks ago I met with a passionate young man from my electorate, Will Bennett. Will, along with 80 other young Australians, travelled to South Australia in September for the Repower Port...
  • Christmas (1 speech)
    Today marks four weeks until Christmas Day, so I take this opportunity to mention some of the fantastic things happening in Macarthur to celebrate Christmas and support others this holiday...
  • Fraser Electorate: Social Entrepreneurs (1 speech)
    On 16 October this year I held a breakfast meeting with a small but passionate group of local social entrepreneurs: Bradley Carron-Arthur, Courtney Slone, Katrina Marson, Melanie Poole, Tony...
  • National Disability Insurance Scheme (1 speech)
    Numerous members of this House have risen in support of the proposed National Disability Insurance Scheme and I would like to recommit, as I have to Ryan residents, to its implementation. I...
  • Deakin Electorate: Recurrent School Funding (2 speeches)
    Last Thursday, 22 November, I had the pleasure of hosting a local school principals forum on Labor's national plan for school improvement with the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That business intervening before order of the day No. 2, government business, be postponed until a later hour this day. Question agreed to.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Migration Amendment (Reform of Employer Sanctions) Bill 2012; Second Reading (1 speech)
    It is my pleasure to sum up this debate and to thank all honourable members for their contribution. However, I do have to correct a number of falsehoods and fallacies peddled by the honourable...
  • Customs Amendment (Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation and Other Measures) Bill 2012, Customs Tariff Amendment (Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2012; Second Reading (5 speeches)
    It is my pleasure to rise to talk on the Customs Amendment (Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation and Other Measures) Bill 2012 and the Customs Tariff Amendment...
• Statements on Indulgence (0 speeches)
  • Keighran, Corporal Daniel Alan, VC (2 speeches)
    I am very pleased to talk about Corporal Daniel Keighran, the third soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross for service in Afghanistan. We know that the Victoria Cross is awarded for conspicuous...
• Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    Before calling the member for Wannon I welcome to our public gallery in this Federation Chamber the Queensland member for the seat of Nanango and the minister as well. It is delightful to have...
• Statements on Indulgence (0 speeches)
  • Keighran, Corporal Daniel Alan, VC (3 speeches)
    I rise tonight to support the speeches given by the member for Lingiari and the member for Forrest. Those two speeches are the only two I have heard on this motion, but I commend both speakers...
• Condolences (0 speeches)
  • Riordan, Hon. Joseph Martin (Joe) (6 speeches)
    I wish to add my personal condolences to the remarks of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in the chamber yesterday on the death of Joe Riordan. Much has been said about Joe...
  • Courtenay, Mr Bryce AM (4 speeches)
    Today I want to pay tribute to the admired and much-loved author Bryce Courtenay. He died last week at home in Canberra aged 79. Bryce Courtenay was a master storyteller. He left an indelible...