House debates
Wednesday, 13 March 2013
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- Breast Cancer (1 speech)
This morning I attended the launch of the Parliamentary Friends of Secondary Breast Cancer with the member for Robertson, Deb O'Neill, and a number of other members from both sides of the House...
- Richmond Electorate: International Women's Day (1 speech)
) ( ): I am very pleased today to outline some of the wonderful events in my electorate during International Women's Day, which, of course, was last week. The first great event I was able to...
- Research Funding (1 speech)
In June last year I spoke in this place about a constituent of mine, Dr Julia Sarant, a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne. Dr Sarant is the chief investigator of grants from...
- Porte, Mr Richie (1 speech)
I rise today to warmly congratulate an outstanding athlete from my electorate of Bass, Richie Porte. Over the weekend, Richie, who lives at Hadspen, won the Paris-Nice cycle race tour, by 21...
- Coeliac Awareness Week (1 speech)
Today is the start of Coeliac Awareness Week. This annual event has been celebrated here in Canberra with an opportunity for the occupants of this place to get a blood screening test. I want to...
- Natural Disasters (1 speech)
I rise to talk about the extraordinary natural disaster events on the mid-North Coast of New South Wales over the last eight weeks. In the middle of some extraordinary rain we had several days of...
- Regional Development Australia Fund (1 speech)
It was bad enough when Mackay Gymnastics were competing against the Geelong Cats for funding. Now they are competing with Sydney's newest AFL club and the Penrith Panthers, Canterbury Bulldogs,...
- Owusu, Mr Francis (1 speech)
I rise today to pay tribute to another Canberra legend—Francis Owusu. Francis is the founder and CEO of Kulture Break and was a national finalist in Australia's Local Hero awards. Francis,...
- Knox Relay for Life (1 speech)
The Knox Relay for Life, a fantastic community event in which members across my electorate come together to raise funds for the Victorian Cancer Council, is due to take place in a week or so. I...
- Shipping (2 speeches)
Australia is a nation of over 22 million people and has the 12th largest economy in the world, yet we have the fourth largest shipping burden. That is why Australia needs more boats and more...
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I inform the House that the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation will be absent from question time today for personal reasons....
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Archer, Mr Brian Roper (1 speech)
I inform the House of the death on Sunday, 10 March 2013 of Brian Roper Archer, a former senator who represented the state of Tasmania from 1975 to 1994. As a mark of respect to the memory of...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Asylum Seekers (6 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm that more people have arrived illegally by boat in the last nine months, on her watch, than during the entire 11 years of the...
- Immigration (21 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship. How do the government's reforms to the 457 visa scheme work hand in hand with the government's agenda of skilling and training...
- Asylum Seekers (5 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Given that the budget for border protection has blown out by more than $5 billion since the last election, how can the Prime Minister justify reducing the...
- Employment (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Industry and Innovation. What progress has been made in implementing the government's plans to support jobs in Australia; and how is the government dealing with...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I would like to advise the gallery that with us this afternoon is Mr Paul Kehoe, a member of the Irish parliament. He is also the chief government whip, obviously a very important job, and we...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Asylum Seekers (18 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship. Can the minister advise why there have been no transfers of asylum seekers to the Manus Island processing centre since 9 February,...
- Goods and Services Tax (7 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister, but I encourage the opposition leader to, on indulgence, also respond on this important matter.
- Education (4 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. How is the government's My School website giving parents better information about the performance of their child's school, and how will both My School and...
- Media (14 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Can she provide the House examples of published content in breach of the standards her government wishes to enforce through the Public Interest Media...
- Education (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth. Will the minister update the House about the launch of the My School 2013 website in my electorate today? What are...
- Budget (10 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. I refer him to this bill, introduced by Labor, that raised the credit card limit of the Commonwealth government to $75 billion, this bill that increased the...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I inform the House that we have present in the gallery this afternoon members of a delegation of parliamentarians from Pacific countries who are participating in the Pacific Parliamentary...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Economy (6 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. How is the government putting in place the economic reforms we need to build a stronger, smarter and fairer Australia?
- Budget (4 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Earlier today in response to my question about border protection blow-outs, the Prime Minister said that the forward estimates figure was produced by 'public...
- Aged Care (6 speeches)
My question is to be Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Minister for Social Inclusion and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Mental Health Reform....
- Budget (4 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I remind the Prime Minister of the July 2010 economic statement, in which she promised Australians that the net debt would peak this year at less than $90...
- Arts (2 speeches)
My question is the Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government and Minister for the Arts. Will the minister update the House on the government's plan to strengthen...
- Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (5 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Given that the Executive Director of the Australian Crime Commission, Mr Paul Jevtovic, has confirmed that intelligence from the ACC's Organised crime and...
- National Disability Insurance Scheme Committee (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 the government's plan for a fairer...
- Obeid Family (2 speeches)
My question is to the Assistant Treasurer. I remind the minister of media reports concerning payments to Mr Moses Obeid and other members of the Obeid family through various family trusts,...
- Water (3 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. What progress has the government made in introducing a new water trigger into national...
- Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
- (10 speeches)
Madam Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Selection Committee; Report (1 speech)
I present Report No. 76 for the Selection Committee, relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business, private members' business and referral of bills to committees. The report...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Presentation (1 speech)
Documents are tabled in accordance with the list 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...
- Statement by the Speaker (0 speeches)
- Disruption in the Galleries, Use of Twitter (1 speech)
Yesterday I was asked by the member for Lyne if persons in the public gallery who were disruptive during question time had been signed in by a member. I inform the House that bookings for the...
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Migration (25 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 failure...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
I move: That order of the day No. 3, government business, be postponed until a later hour this day. Question agreed to.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Broadcasting Legislation Committee; Appointment (9 speeches)
by leave—I move: That: (1) a Joint Select Committee on Broadcasting Legislation be appointed to inquire into and report on potential areas for further reform of Australia’s...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Fishing Industry (1 speech)
Tonight I stand in defence of the five million recreational fishing people in Australia. The recreational fishing industry is worth conservatively around $10 billion to our national economy....
- Griffith Electorate: Bus Services (1 speech)
The business of government is largely about the delivery of government services. I rise this evening to speak about the decline in the delivery of basic state government services, which has...
- Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (1 speech)
I recently met representatives from a fertility and stem cell research company, Genea, who brought to my attention the extraordinary difficulties faced by couples with serious genetic disorders...
- Interfaith Dialogue (1 speech)
On Wednesday, 6 March, I hosted an interfaith forum at the Ingle Farm Recreation Centre in the Makin electorate. The forum was attended by about 200 people, including religious and community...
- Northern Territory (1 speech)
In these halls many comment that in the Territory we do things differently. This is true—it is our badge of honour. You cannot fit a square peg in a round hole; that is the way it has...
- National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence (1 speech)
On 15 March 2013, schools across Australia will celebrate the third annual National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence, an initiative of governments and schools across the country...
- Small Business (1 speech)
Small businesses employ almost half the total number of private sector employees. Regrettably, in our country we currently have a federal government that constantly ignores and refuses to listen...
- keys2drive (1 speech)
On 25 February, I had the great pleasure of the Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport, the Hon. Catherine King, coming out to my electorate of Deakin to celebrate a milestone...
- Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (1 speech)
I rise tonight to offer my congratulations and support to the new ACCC Chairman, Mr Sims, on some of the comments he has made which have been a refreshing change from the last 10 years of the...
- Floods (1 speech)
Tonight I want to talk about floods, and in particular two floods that have had a devastating impact on sections of the New South Wales mid-north coast community, and a bureaucratic process that...
- Voices of Outer Suburbs Campaign (1 speech)
I rise tonight to talk about a great initiative which will be an important vehicle and a voice for people living in the outer suburbs of Australia's major cities, including people living in...
- Bonner Electorate: Carindale Post Office (1 speech)
I rise tonight to advise the House of the recently announced plans by Australia Post to relocate its Carindale Post Office, which is in my electorate of Bonner. The post office is currently...
- Regional Australia (2 speeches)
I rise to raise my concern that regional Australia does not have an authentic regional voice within this current government's cabinet. Despite the recent reshuffle of the ministry, it is alarming...
- Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
- Hasluck Electorate: Woodbridge (1 speech)
I rise this morning to share with the House the work of a group of my constituents living in the suburb of Woodbridge in my electorate. Lois and Gerry Crowley recently found out, under Freedom of...
- Blair Electorate: Ipswich Motorway and Blacksoil Interchange (1 speech)
Delays to the work with the Blacksoil Interchange intersection of the Warrego and the Brisbane Valley highways have caused motorists and residents aggravation, hindered further economic...
- Casey Electorate: Warburton Fun Run (1 speech)
On Sunday, 24 February I had the pleasure of attending the Warburton Up and Running Fun Run to present prizes to the winners and placegetters in a series of fun runs. This was the 10th annual run...
- Redhead, Mr Bill, My Eye Health Program (1 speech)
Today I recognise the recent passing of Bill Redhead, a long-time resident of Para Hills. Bill came to Australia from England with his wife, Rene, and in the early 1960s settled in Para Hills. At...
- Harvey, Mrs Isobel (1 speech)
I want to commend the community spirit and generosity of Mrs Isobel Harvey, a Kyabram woman who has spent much of her adult life collecting vintage women's and children's clothing. She now has a...
- Richmond Electorate: Coal Seam Gas (1 speech)
I am very pleased to rise today to speak about the government's announcement yesterday in relation to the additional environmental protections around coal seam gas proposals. The member for Page...
- Wright Electorate: Australian Natural Disasters, Members of Parliament National Volunteer Awards (1 speech)
A news cycle can last 24 hours or it can last 36 hours, but I can tell you that the rebuilding phase of trying to rebuild a community after devastating floods can last many, many, many months and...
- Fowler Electorate: Ms Lucy Reggio (1 speech)
I would like to congratulate Lucy Reggio, a Bonnyrigg Heights resident, who was highly commended in last week's University of Western Sydney Women of the West Awards. This award recognises...
- Refugees (1 speech)
At present, the United Nations estimates that there are more than 43 million displaced people worldwide. It is a great shame that only 100,000 resettlement places are available annually....
- Road Infrastructure (2 speeches)
I was pleased to have the Prime Minister in my electorate last week and pleased to see her spending the best part of the week touring around various parts of Western Sydney. As part of this trip,...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
- Closing the Gap (7 speeches, 1 comment)
Australia is frequently called the lucky country, but too often you are out of luck if you are born an Australian Aborigine in a rural or remote community, that is if you consider life...
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Morrison, Hon. William 'Bill' Lawrence, AO (5 speeches)
I thank the member for Riverina for his courtesy and allowing me to speak at this point. Bill Morrison AO was a most distinguished member of this House. He was proud to be the member for St...
- Child, Hon. Joan, AO (6 speeches)
It is with great respect I rise today to speak about Joan Child AO who was the first woman to be Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives, and what a marvellous achievement that was....
- Statements on Indulgence (0 speeches)
- Harvey, Mr Peter (2 speeches)
There is no better known sign-off in the Australian media than 'Peter Harvey, Canberra'. It has resonated down through the ages. It has shaped so many Australians' knowledge of politics and of...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Regional Australia Committee; Report (11 speeches)
The mining boom, that began under the Howard government, has been hugely beneficial to Australia in a broad range of ways. It has provided royalties and payroll tax to state governments, company...
- Health and Ageing Committee; Report (2 speeches)
It is my pleasure to stand in this place and speak this evening briefly on the report that was tabled in the House when we last sat entitled Living with the pain of adhesive arachnoiditis. I want...
- Constitutional Recognition of Local Government Committee; Report (2 speeches)
I rise tonight to speak on the preliminary report on the majority finding of the Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Local Government: the proposal, timing and likely success of a...
- Economics Committee; Report (1 speech)
The question we are debating is the report of the Economics Committee, Report on Australia's oil refining industry. I know, Deputy Speaker Owens, that you participated in that—indeed, you...
