House debates
Thursday, 23 October 2014
- Statement by the Speaker (0 speeches)
- Ottawa: Attack, Parliament House: Security (1 speech)
In light of last night's occurrence in Ottawa, I would like to make a statement to the House. I am sure you were all shocked to hear of the serious incident in Ottawa, Canada overnight. Of...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- Budget (1 speech)
The evidence is mounting: the Abbott government's first terrible budget is carving up a social divide, disgracefully, along social and political lines. A study by the University of Canberra's...
- Cootamundra Shire Council (1 speech)
Congratulations to Cootamundra Shire Council on winning the rural category of the AR Bluett Memorial Award for local government. Winners were announced at the Local Government NSW conference...
- Budget (1 speech)
This government, through this budget, is seeking to entrench a deep division in Australian society—in Australia and between Australians. This budget, in essence, is a road map towards a...
- Robertson Electorate: Volunteers (1 speech)
Today, I rise to honour the more than 19,000 people who, in one way or another, volunteer in our local community and in my electorate of Robertson. On behalf of our local community, I express our...
- Budget (1 speech)
When I was a kid, the big football battle was between Wests and Manly—yes, Max Krilich versus Tommy Raudonikis, the beach versus the 'burbs, the fibros versus the silvertails. I thought...
- O'Connor Electorate: National Anzac Centre (1 speech)
I rise today with a good news story and a positive story—that is, the completion of the National Anzac Centre in Albany. The city of Albany and the RSL hosted a preview with a soft opening...
- Budget (1 speech)
There is much to be proud of in my electorate. It is the most multicultural electorate in the whole of Australia. The people work tirelessly to provide opportunities for their kids. But how do...
- Corangamite Electorate: Broadband (1 speech)
I rise to celebrate the news that telecommunications provider, iiNet, is upgrading its cable broadband service across the Geelong region. Geelong is one of few centres in Victoria to have cable...
- Budget (1 speech)
We did not need the recent NATSEM modelling to know that the Abbott government's shameful budget was unfair. It screamed it from the dispatch box on that very night—attacks on the low paid,...
- Australian Red Cross (1 speech)
This year marks 100 years of service in Australia for the Red Cross. The Red Cross is one of the oldest and largest humanitarian movements in the world. The centenary milestone is a time to...
- Budget (1 speech)
It has been said of the Australian people, 'They will respond to an argument for change and reform but they want two requirements. They want to be satisfied it's in the national interest, because...
- Capricornia Electorate (1 speech)
Recently, I had the privilege of hosting the Prime Minister in Capricornia. The Prime Minister attended a community afternoon tea at Rockhampton Girls Grammar School. The event acknowledged the...
- Budget (1 speech)
The recent report by the University of Canberra's National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling details the impact of the federal budget on electorates across the country. The report has...
- Cancer (1 speech)
With one in two Australians diagnosed with cancer before the age of the 85, we have all experienced the sobering reality of a loved one affected by this disease. For 14 years, the Central Coast...
- Budget (1 speech)
A political party which campaigned on cost of living at the last election has delivered a blow in their budget to Australia's earning below average incomes and the Australian people know it. It...
- 75th Anniversary Bicheno Primary School (1 speech)
There is nothing fair about stealing from my children, nothing at all—the Bicheno Primary School on Tasmania's beautiful east coast recently celebrated its 75th birthday. For a small...
- Budget (1 speech)
The Prime Minister and the Treasurer should come to my community of Rankin. They should go door to door and explain to the good people in my area why they deserve to pay almost four times more...
- Barker Electorate: Agricultural Shows (1 speech)
I rise to advise the House that it is currently agricultural show and field day season in my electorate of Barker and, as such, I have enjoyed the opportunity of attending a multitude of shows in...
- Budget (1 speech)
According to NATSEM, families in the Prime Minister's own electorate will be $144 worse off every year because of his unfair budget; but families in my electorate of Lalor will be $578 worse of...
- McHappy Day (1 speech)
Like many members in this House, I was pleased to participate in McHappy Day last Saturday at the Lilydale restaurant in my electorate of Casey. Lilydale McDonald's has been a big supporter of...
- Statements (0 speeches)
- Ottawa: Attack (3 speeches)
As we all know, overnight there has been an attack on the Canadian parliament. A soldier has been killed and others have been wounded following the terrorist murder of a Canadian soldier the day...
- Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I inform the House that the Deputy Prime Minister will be absent from question time today attending to personal matters. The Minister for Foreign Affairs will answer questions on his behalf and...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Ebola (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. In the last 24 hours we have heard conflicting accounts of the government's preparedness to respond to the Ebola crisis from: one, the Chief Medical Officer;...
- National Security (2 speeches)
My question is addressed to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister please inform the House on action the government is taking to strengthen our national security?
- Ebola (9 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Yesterday the Prime Minister spoke to the US President and they discussed Australia making additional contributions to the Ebola crisis response. The UK...
- National Security (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will the minister update the House on the government's cooperation with key security partners on counter-terrorism and its efforts to combat...
- Health Care (6 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Yesterday during question time the Prime Minister said: The propositions that are being put by members opposite are simply false. They are simply false. How...
- Hobart: Macquarie Point (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, representing the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Minister, I helped secure a $50 million grant to refurbish Macquarie...
- National Security (2 speeches)
My question is for the Minister for Justice. Will the minister inform the House what measures federal law enforcement agencies are taking to keep all Australians safe and our public buildings secure?
- Budget (12 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. At Senate estimates yesterday the Department of Health confirmed that, because of the GP tax and the Prime Minister's decision to cut the bulk billing...
- Ebola (5 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Health. Will the minister update the House on the steps the government is taking to ensure we are prepared in the event of a confirmed the Ebola diagnosis in...
- Health Care (3 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister and it follows his previous answer. Now that he has admitted that he was aware that there will be around 680,000 fewer diagnostic imaging services in 2015-16,...
- Asylum Seekers (5 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Will the minister update the House on the savings to the budget of regaining control of our borders. How have these savings...
- Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (4 speeches)
Madam Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Can the minister please advise the House the extent to which his portfolio carries expertise relevant to the...
- Carbon Pricing (9 speeches)
Madam Speaker, my question is to the Minister for the Environment. Will the minister inform the House how repealing the world's biggest carbon tax has reduced costs for Australian families and...
- Tourism Australia: Marketing Campaign (22 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Trade and Investment, in his capacity of responsibility for tourism. Is it the case that a restaurant in which the minister has a pecuniary interest has...
- Carbon Pricing (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Small Business. Will the minister inform the House of how the repeal of the carbon tax is benefiting small businesses and consumers in my electorate of Bonner...
- Tourism (5 speeches)
My question is again to the Minister for Trade and Investment, and I refer to his previous answer. Has the minister promoted the Restaurant Australia campaign overseas as the Minister for Trade...
- Building and Construction Industry (9 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Education representing the Minister for Employment. Can the minister inform the House why it is important to restore law and order in the construction industry,...
- Renewable Energy (5 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. In May, Keppel Prince Engineering in Portland warned of uncertainty created by the government's approach to renewable energy. Sadly, today, Keppel has...
- Vocational Education and Training (5 speeches)
My question is addressed to the Assistant Minister for Education. Will the minister outline what the government is doing to help develop the next generation of Australian innovators and job-ready...
- Serana (WA) Pty Ltd (9 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. In a speech to the Asia Society in March, the Prime Minister lauded the exports of biotech company Serana (WA). Given the Department of Agriculture's bungled...
- Employment (8 speeches)
() (): My question is to the Assistant Minister for Employment. Will the minister update the House on the Relocation Assistance to Take Up a Job program? How is this program helping to change the...
- Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
- (5 speeches)
I wish to make a personal explanation.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Membership (2 speeches)
I have received advice from the Chief Government Whip and the Chief Opposition Whip that they have nominated members to be members of certain committees.
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Presentation (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.
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Family Day Care (21 speeches)
I have received a letter from the honourable member for Adelaide proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The government making life...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Serana (WA) Pty Ltd (1 speech)
Recently, I alerted the House to the unethical treatment by the Department of Agriculture of Serana (WA) Pty Ltd, a burgeoning biotech company in Western Australia's south-west.In December last...
- Braddon Electorate: Industrial Dispute (1 speech)
Job creation and job security is my priority and it is certainly the priority of this government. We know that to create jobs and to protect the ones that we already have it is often the case...
- Blair Electorate: Medicare Locals (1 speech)
I wish to congratulate West Moreton-Oxley Medicare Local on the publication of its Comprehensive needs assessment 2014-2015 report. The West Moreton-Oxley Medicare Local has provided the highest...
- Economy (1 speech)
The only constant in our lives is change. The best businesses, the best countries and the best communities all adapt to change. Australia is facing another period of change, especially our...
- Digital Economy (1 speech)
I would like to turn the attention of the House to the growing concern becoming evident within the digital economy sector at the indifference of the coalition government. Time and again we see...
- Maritime Defence Capability (1 speech)
I am rising today to make some brief comments on the issue of maritime defence capability, in particular the forward program in terms of the submarine fleet. I know, Madam Speaker, this is a...
- Illawarra Business Awards (1 speech)
I would like to put in a big plug for the Illawarra Business Chamber's Illawarra Business Awards that are on tomorrow evening. There are 52 finalists out of 100 nominations. Hundreds of local...
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- Calwell Electorate: Sayegh, Dr Dorette (1 speech)
I rise today to speak about my constituent Mrs Dorette Sayegh, an exceptional woman who recently celebrated her 80th birthday. Dorette lives in Greenvale Lakes in my electorate, and I was...
- National Schools Chaplaincy Program (1 speech)
I want to speak in strong support of the National Schools Chaplaincy Program. Next week, 30 October marks the eighth anniversary of the commencement of the program. Last week I had the privilege...
- Charlton Electorate: Hunter Volunteer of the Year Awards (1 speech)
Last week I had the great honour of attending the 2014 Hunter Volunteer of the Year ceremony. This annual event, run by the Centre for Volunteering, recognises the efforts of volunteers from...
- Stewart, Ms Macey, Braddon Electorate: Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day (1 speech)
At 19 years of age, Macey Stewart from Devonport has a great future ahead of her in the sport of cycling. Last month Macey became the Junior Women's Individual Time Trial Wold Champion at the UCI...
- Queensland: Health Services (1 speech)
For the last 2½ years, the community I represent on the north side of Brisbane have suffered greatly from the Liberal and National parties' savage cuts to health services, particularly...
- War Memorials (1 speech)
Last month a new memorial wall dedicated to Australian service nurses was officially unveiled in Bundaberg by Governor of Queensland Paul de Jersey. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend due to...
- Multicultural Services (1 speech)
Recently, I was contacted by Sydney Multicultural Community Services about an important issue: the shortage of services to help older people from non-English speaking backgrounds remain in their...
- Prostate Cancer (1 speech)
Today I urge all men in Australia to give their walnut-sized prostate a name and take him to the doctor for a health check. This is a novel concept that I launched in my electorate of...
- Prostate Cancer, Electorate of Sydney: Housing Affordability (1 speech)
Can I just agree with the previous member on the importance of prostate testing. Indeed, my own father died of prostate cancer, and he got a call when he was first diagnosed from the member for...
- Queensland Health (2 speeches)
Thank you for the unexpected opportunity, Mr Deputy Speaker! Unfortunately, I sat through the member for Lilley's contribution and I thought that it could not go without a response. His...
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Wakefield Electorate: Balaklava Cup (1 speech)
I am going to report to the House about a very important event—the Balaklava Cup. It is a great race day, held in my electorate of Wakefield. Over 10,000 people are making their journey to...
- Lyons Electorate: Community Projects (1 speech)
This morning I would like to mention two unique community projects which were officially launched at Brighton in the southern end of my, by Tasmanian standards, large electorate of Lyons last...
- Budget (1 speech)
Today I rise to talk about the disgraceful impacts of the Abbott government's budget, which will have impacts in communities in my electorate of McEwen. Recently, in the National and regional...
- Such, Dr Bob (1 speech)
I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to one of the nice guys in politics, the member for Fisher, Bob Such, who recently passed away. Dr Such, who battled a brain tumour for six...
- McCloy, Mr Jeff (1 speech)
This week, with the passing of one of Australia's most venerated politicians, we have been reminded of the enormous honour and responsibility that comes with public office, not just the...
- Mediterranean fruit fly (1 speech)
About two Saturdays ago I was pleased to be asked to be involved in the opening of what is called the Karragullen Field Day in my electorate. Karragullen is an area in the Hills in my electorate,...
- Social Ventures Australia (1 speech)
It was my pleasure on 21 October to host a regular meeting of a group of Canberra social entrepreneurs in my Parliament House office. We were there to discuss common challenges for social...
- McPherson Electorate (1 speech)
When we come to Canberra, every member of this place has a variety of tasks and demands, whether in our party rooms, on the various committees we serve, on the Speaker's panel or parliamentary...
- Manufacturing (1 speech)
I want to speak today about Australian manufacturing in the 21st century and in particular in my electorate of Holt. My federal electorate of Holt is located in the middle of south-eastern...
- Woorabinda Aboriginal Community (1 speech)
Last week, on 15 and 16 October, I hosted a visit to my electorate by the Minister for Indigenous affairs Senator Scullion. We visited other locations in my area, but I want to talk about the...
- Richmond Electorate: Kingscliff Foreshore Master Plan (1 speech)
I rise today to speak in support of an application for federal funding made by the Tweed Shire Council in my electorate of Richmond. At the Tweed council's October meeting, held last week, they...
- Cowan Electorate: Kingsway Little Athletics Centre, Foley, Mr Kalin (1 speech)
Last Saturday, 18 October, I attended the official season opening of the Kingsway Little Athletics Centre. The centre consists of five clubs all within the boundaries of Cowan. These are...
- Petition: Environment (1 speech)
It gives me immense pleasure to table a petition of students, teachers and affiliates of Huntingtower School in my electorate of Chisholm. It has been to the Petitions Committee, is in accordance...
- Quarantine (1 speech)
I would like to speak today about Australia's biosecurity capabilities and about the need to ensure that our quarantine capabilities and border biosecurity are kept separate from Border Force....
- Greenway Electorate: Blacktown Regional Economic and Employment Development (1 speech)
I would like to start by quoting from a letter of 14 February this year. It reads: I doubt anyone here could dispute those words. What I just quoted from was a letter from Carmen Auer, chair of...
- Higgins Electorate: Social Services (1 speech)
I recently had the privilege of hosting my colleague and very good friend the Assistant Minister for Social Services, Senator the Hon. Mitch Fifield, to a day in my electorate of Higgins in...
- Social Cohesion (1 speech)
I want to inform the parliament of some sad events that are taking place in my electorate, but first let me note also my sadness about the events that we hear have happened in Canada overnight...
- Barton Electorate: St George Hospital (1 speech)
I rise to speak today about one of the important areas in my electorate that regularly features in the local news, and one that I know many Australians can relate to, whether they work in it,...
