House debates
Thursday, 4 December 2014
- Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
- Valedictory (5 speeches)
Today is most likely the last sitting day, and it is appropriate that we should reflect on the year that has been and offer some thoughts as to the year that is to come. While every year is...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Register of Members' Interests (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
As required by resolutions of the House I present copies of notifications of alterations of interests received during the period 16 July 2014 to 2 December 2014.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
- Schools and Cross-border Education (11 speeches)
by leave—I rise to make a ministerial statement about our achievements in schools and cross-border education. Introduction This government has honoured all its education election promises....
- Business (0 speeches)
- Leave of Absence (1 speech)
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. Question agreed to.
- Suspension of Standing and Sessional Orders (1 speech)
To ensure the House can sit past five o'clock tonight in the event that the Senate continues to sit, I move: That standing order 31 (Automatic adjournment of the House) and standing order 33...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
- Valedictory (11 speeches)
First of all to Warren Truss and Lyn, who I stand in proxy for at this point in time, we will welcome you back early in the new year. We know that you have had a bit of a hard run but we know...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- Abbott Government (1 speech)
Prime Minister Tony Abbott once told this parliament: The Australian people want a government that is competent and trustworthy. The test of a trustworthy government is: does it keep its...
- McPherson Electorate: Tugun Lights Up (1 speech)
I want to take this opportunity to inform the House of the outstanding success of the Tugun Lights Up event on the southern Gold Coast recently. Tugun Lights Up is a community event which...
- Indi Electorate: Benalla P-12 College, Parliamentary Education Office (1 speech)
On Wednesday, I had the pleasure to meet with 140 grade 5 and grade 6 students from Benalla P-12 College on the final day of their Canberra camp. I was delighted to talk to them about the...
- National Broadband Network (1 speech)
This nation needs fast broadband, and it is extraordinary that the HFC network passing three million households was going to be ignored by the Labor government and that they were simply going to...
- Environment (1 speech)
The Prime Minister does not lie; apparently, he just 'misspeaks'. Well, he made a whopper 'misspeaking' when it came to the renewable energy target. Before the election, he told the people of...
- Western Australia Government: Department of Agriculture and Food (1 speech)
I wish to speak on behalf of the Hills Orchard Improvement Group, or HOIG, and their current struggles now that the APVMA is phasing out the use of fenthion. Throughout the inquiry on the use of...
- Budget (4 speeches)
There is no cheer in the Prime Minister's Christmas cracker for Australians this year: business confidence, down; unemployment, up; youth unemployment at record highs and full-time unemployment...
- Eureka Stockade (1 speech)
One hundred and sixty years ago yesterday, the tensions on the goldfields in Ballarat erupted, with miners taking up arms against the colonial authorities in the Eureka rebellion. The rebellion...
- Budget (1 speech)
Never in Australia's history has there been a worse government than the Abbott government. It is a government that has lied. It is a government that has broken promise after promise after...
- White Hill Truck Driver Memorial (1 speech)
Mr Deputy Speaker, you know, as I do, that truckies carry this nation. Indeed, it was in this context that I was honoured to speak at the White Hill Truck Drivers Memorial last Saturday, in...
- Abbott Government (1 speech)
This has been a year of an unprecedented number of broken promises. It has been Tony Abbott's year of lies. Where do we begin? I may need to ask for an extension of time to be able to list the...
- Deputy Prime Minister (1 speech)
I rise to place on the Hansardmy thanks to the Deputy Prime Minister, Warren Truss, and his wife, Lyn. They have been incredibly supportive of the new people on the backbench. I would like to...
- Education Funding (4 speeches)
As we reflect today on the year of chaos, the year of dysfunction and on the pure number of lies exposed, which have been given by this government, I am led to think that there are few areas that...
- Landcare: 25th Anniversary (1 speech)
This year marks the 25th Anniversary of Landcare. In commemoration of this great milestone, Minister Hunt announced a one-off $5 million grant round, some of which I hope will be awarded to...
- Lyons Electorate: Aged Care (1 speech)
The ACAR funding recipients for aged-care facilities around Australia were announced today. I want to congratulate a number of facilities in my electorate of Lyons in Tasmania. Corumbene, at New...
- Education Funding (1 speech)
It has been a year of lies from the Abbott government—and none more egregious than the promise that there would be no cuts to education. In Queensland, the grade 6s are graduating and they...
- Infrastructure (1 speech)
Those opposite have a shameful record on infrastructure, and nowhere is that more obvious than in their appalling failure to support the critical WestConnex project. We will build WestConnex;...
- Barton, Mr Russell (2 speeches)
Later this afternoon Russell Barton, the host of question time on the ABC, will sign off for the final time. Through the sixties, seventies and eighties there were few national publications that...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Abbott Government (33 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. This year the government launched an unprecedented attack on fairness. This year the government attacked the living standards of Australian families: a new...
- Economy (6 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline to the House how the government has laid down strong foundations for future prosperity over the past year?
- Prime Minister (12 speeches)
My question is of course to the Prime Minister. Why did the Prime Minister lie to Australians before the election—
- Budget (17 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline the importance of putting the budget on a sustainable path back to surplus?
- Health Care (11 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Why did the Prime Minister lie to Australians and then introduce a GP tax?
- National Broadband Network (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Communications. We have been pleased to have announcements recently on fixed and wireless internet. My question is about the NBN long-term satellite service....
- National Security (5 speeches)
I have a question for the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I ask the minister to advise the House on the steps that the government is taking to prevent extremists from leaving Australia to fight in...
- Abbott Government (4 speeches)
I have a question for the Prime Minister. Why did the Prime Minister break his promise to Australians and cut $6,000 from families?
- Small Business (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Small Business. Will the minister update the House on how the government has assisted small businesses in my electorate of Lyons and around the country by...
- Education (8 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister broke his promise to Australians by introducing $100,000 degrees. Does the Prime Minister now regret his year of unfairness, chaos and...
- Maranoa Electorate: Drought (11 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. I remind the minister that parts of my electorate of Maranoa are experiencing a one-in-100-year drought event. Will the minister update the House...
- Asylum Seekers (9 speeches)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection.
- Budget (18 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister intending to present savings that will never pass the parliament, like his unfair GP tax, a tax on pensions, and $100,000 university...
- Regional Development Australia Fund (36 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer—
- Economy (6 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. The Treasurer has told Australians to 'go out and spend big'. So why on earth, in this Prime Minister's last parliamentary act before Christmas, is he trying...
- Regional Development Australia Fund (3 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Education. I remind the minister that the ANAO report into the Regional Development Australia Fund found that: A feature of the Minister's decision making was...
- Abbott Government (9 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm that, when parliament resumes next year, Senator Johnston will be the Minister for Defence, Senator Sinodinos will be the...
- Regional Development Australia Fund (13 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Health. I remind the minister of the ANAO report into the Regional Development Australia Fund, and I quote: A feature of the Minister’s decision …...
- Questions to the Speaker (0 speeches)
- 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.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Government Response (1 speech)
For the information of honourable members I present a schedule of outstanding government responses to reports of the House of Representatives and joint committees, incorporating reports tabled...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Days and Hours of Meeting (4 speeches)
On indulgence—Madam Speaker, members might like to know the status of the Senate at the moment. They are debating legislation which will have to return to the House of Representatives. My...
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Abbott Government (16 speeches, 1 comment)
I have received a letter from the honourable the Leader of the Opposition proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The Prime...
- Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
- Delivering Prosperity and Growth for Australia (7 speeches)
by leave—I rise to make a ministerial statement relating to delivering prosperity and growth for Australia. The National Accounts released this week reiterate the need for Australia to work...
- Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
- Valedictory (4 speeches)
Firstly, can I take the opportunity to wish you and all the parliamentary team a wonderful Christmas, a restful Christmas and a very happy New Year. Can I also express my deep appreciation to my...
- Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
- Delivering Prosperity and Growth for Australia (3 speeches)
by leave—I will now start my response to the Treasurer. The Treasurer and I agree on one thing: Australia's 24 years of uninterrupted economic growth should be celebrated and, even more...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Education and Employment Committee (1 speech)
On behalf of the Standing Committee on Education and Employment, I present the corrigendum to the committee's report, entitled TAFE: An Australian Asset, which was presented on 24 November 2014.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Days and Hours of Meeting (2 speeches)
Madam Speaker, it would be important to update the House on the situation involving the Senate and bring some closure to today's proceedings. The Senate have decided to continue to debate the...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Australia Fund Establishment; Membership (1 speech)
The Senate informs the House of Representatives that, in accordance with the resolution agreed to by both Houses, Senator Wang has been appointed as a participating member of the Joint Select...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
In adjourning the House I thank my colleagues, from both sides of the House, for their forbearance in remaining today. There are not as many members of the opposition, but certainly there are...
- Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
- Vietnamese Community in Australia (1 speech)
I rise today to express a number of concerns on behalf of the Vietnamese Community in Australia. This organisation, which represents the ex-patriot Vietnamese community, is deeply concerned about...
- Maranoa Electorate: Christmas (2 speeches)
I rise in this three-minute statement to associate myself with those comments being made by the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Speaker of the House. I think a way that we...
- Lingiari Electorate: Centenary of The Battle of Cocos (1 speech)
Can I thank the Deputy Speaker, the member for Maranoa—he is a good bloke. I want to concur with his comments and observations about the workings of this place, and how we should respect...
- Macquarie Electorate: Youth Off The Streets (1 speech)
I rise today to congratulate Father Chris Riley's Youth Off The Streets on the relaunch of their outreach service in Macquarie Fields. Since 2012, Youth Off The Streets has offered a crucial...
- Dutton, Mr Alan (1 speech)
Today I wish to honour someone that did not necessarily make headlines in the newspaper or stories on the nightly news, but someone who worked diligently and persistently to assist those in need...
- Forde Electorate: Local Sport (1 speech)
It is with great pleasure that I rise today to recognise the wonderful sporting talent that we have in the electorate of Forde. I have previously recognised some of those in this parliament, and...
- Melbourne Ports Electorate: Victorian State Election (1 speech)
On Saturday, Victorians made history by electing Daniel Andrews and Victorian Labor to form state government, consigning the Ted Baillieu-Denis Napthine Liberal government to being the first...
- Gilmore Electorate: Economy (1 speech)
This year, 2014, was a good year for Gilmore. In fact, if you were to include our Defence announcements, Gilmore has delivered $3.74 billion of coalition government support in the 15 months since...
- Transport Infrastructure (1 speech)
The second President of the United States, John Adams, once remarked that 'facts are stubborn things'. 'Whatever our wishes, inclinations or passions,' Adams said, 'we cannot alter facts. We...
- Lyons Electorate (1 speech)
I rise to wish everybody in this place, all members and senators, including the member for Grayndler, a very happy Christmas. I hope 2015 is a wonderful year for you as well, sir. On behalf...
- Indigenous Affairs (1 speech)
The Prime Minister's claim to be the Prime Minister for Indigenous affairs has been exposed as a hollow platitude. The Indigenous affairs portfolio is in an utter shambles at the moment. The...
- Southcott, Mrs Heather, AM (1 speech)
I would like to express my condolences at the recent death of Mrs Heather Southcott AM, who was a former member of the South Australian House of Assembly in the seat of Mitcham. Heather was my...
- Calwell Electorate: Business (1 speech)
I want to congratulate businesses in my electorate who have received funding from the Melbourne's North Innovation and Investment Fund. This was a fund set up by the former federal Labor...
- Petition: Feed the Little Children Charity (1 speech)
As we head towards Christmas it is timely to think about those for whom Christmas Day will be just another day—nothing special, just a struggle to keep a roof over your children's head,...
- Cunningham Electorate: Broadband (1 speech)
I want to take the opportunity to put on the record today the great distress and disappointment of tens of thousands of people across my electorate—from the young to the very old—who...
- Ryan Electorate: Cubberla-Witton Catchments Network, Ryan Electorate: Thomas Park (1 speech)
One of the special things about the people in my electorate of Ryan is their genuine interest in the local environment. There are always plenty of green projects on the go, and residents take...
- Pensions and Benefits, Health Care (1 speech)
I rise to pass on a message to the Treasurer on behalf of Janet from Runcorn, in my electorate, who sent me an email after I invited her to the Lions Senior Health Awareness Expo, which she could...
- Barker Electorate: Murray-Darling Basin Agreement (1 speech)
I rise today to speak on a matter of critical importance to my electorate and, indeed, to the future economic prosperity of the Murray-Darling Basin communities within it. The Australian...
- Corio Electorate: Community Television, St Thomas Aquinas Primary School (1 speech)
Community television is an integral part of Geelong's local news and media services. It has a unique place in our region and is an irreplaceable part of a strong television industry that values...
- Capricornia Electorate: New Colombo Plan, Capricornia Electorate: Early Learning Languages Australia Program (2 speeches)
CQUniversity is the prominent university in my electorate of Capricornia. I am pleased to announce that 20 nursing students from CQUniversity will head to Nepal to increase their knowledge and...
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Hughes, Mr Phillip Joel (1 speech)
The tragic loss of Phillip Hughes, the batsman from the bush, has reverberated around the cricket world, shocked a nation and devastated the picturesque North Coast town of Macksville. In...
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Graffiti (1 speech)
I would like to share with the House an exciting and innovative approach adopted in Belmont to address the scourge of graffiti. We have called it 'Block by Block'. It is important to acknowledge...
- Gilmore Electorate: Illicit Drugs (1 speech)
Sometimes the pattern of life spins a number of coincidences into collision and suddenly your eyes open wide. The South Coast Register ran an article in October on crystal methamphetamine or ice....
- Melbourne Electorate, Victoria State Election (1 speech)
It has been a very good year for people in Melbourne. People in Melbourne want a clean economy and a caring society. They do not want Australia to become the kind of country where the gap between...
- Grey Electorate: Economy (1 speech)
Ceduna is a town of about 4,000 in the far west of my electorate. It is predominantly a broadacre farming district but it also has other serious contributors to the economy. In particular, it...
- Defence: Operational Sovereignty (1 speech)
I am very pleased to rise on this occasion to speak to the important question of operational sovereignty. As the Abbott government seems poised to ignore expert advice and send the manufacture of...
- Queensland: Tennis (1 speech)
All Australians love sport, and tennis has the benefit of being a sport that anyone can play, and, importantly, can continue to play in their more senior years. For a period of time in Queensland...
- Werriwa Electorate: Not-for-profit sector (1 speech)
Yesterday a litany of government speakers, in defence of the corporate sector—which means its financial trusts—and against the interests of charities in this country, cited the figure...
- Education (1 speech)
Firstly I would like to congratulate the graduating class of 2014 on completion of their secondary education. In WA, last week was schoolies week, and around my electorate of O'Connor there was...
- Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup, Murray, Mr Les, AM (2 speeches)
This tie promotes the AFC Asian Cup, a competition kicking off in roughly 36 days, eight hours and 40 minutes time and a massive event for football, to be held here in Australia. When I think...
- Robertson Electorate: Shop Local (1 speech)
Christmas on the Central Coast is a time of celebration. Whether it be in MacMasters Beach, Mangrove Mountain or everywhere across my electorate, families and communities really come together at...
- Automotive Industry (1 speech)
On 11 December last year, GM announced the closure of local production in Australia. This announced the end of what has been a great tradition in manufacturing in this country. It was a very sad...
- Hume Electorate: Abbott Government (2 speeches)
I stand to give the last speech for the government in the Federation Chamber for the year. As we all know, it is not easy having the last word in this place so this is a good feeling. In fact,...
