House debates
Thursday, 12 February 2015
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Publications Joint Committee; Report (1 speech)
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. Report—by...
- Privileges and Members' Interests Committee; Report (1 speech)
I present the report from the Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests concerning an application from Mr Marcus Lee for publication of response to a reference made in the House of...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
I move: That business intervening before notice No. 2, Government business, be postponed until a later hour this day. Question agreed to.
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Martin Place: Siege (6 speeches)
Earlier this year I visited the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in Manhattan. The Americans can be proud, and in fact the world can be proud, that they have created there a noble...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- Budget (1 speech)
Earlier this week we had the extraordinary spectacle of the Prime Minister claiming that 'good government starts today'. What an acknowledgement of just how bad this government has been so far....
- Tourism (1 speech)
Seventy-five per cent of the Australian economy resides in the services sector—health, education, aged care, tourism, legal services and the like. Yet only 15 per cent of our nation's...
- Budget (1 speech)
I rise today on behalf of the Australian families who are hurting hard as a result of the Abbott government's cuts, including over $1 billion that they have cut from existing childcare programs....
- Asylum Seekers (5 speeches)
The Australian public understand Labor's failures when it comes to border protection. But what they may not understand is that more than 8,000 children arrived by boat and that in 2013 the number...
- Lu, Professor Max (1 speech)
I rise today to pay tribute to Professor Max Lu from the University of Queensland for winning the inaugural Australia-China Achievement Award. Professor Lu, who is the Provost and Senior...
- Schoolkids Bonus (1 speech)
Families and schools in Lalor are doing it tough. Lalor has the second highest number—behind Rankin—of families receiving childcare benefits. That is nearly 7,000 families in my...
- Bass Electorate: Information Technology (1 speech)
I am pleased to report that the IT sector in Tasmania has recently had some wins on the international scene and is generating much-needed optimism at a time when the economy is struggling after...
- Indi Electorate: Australia Day Events (1 speech)
Communities are at the heart of rural Australia. And, from my experience on the Australia Day, community pride is alive and well in Indi. Attendance was high at all events, and it was great to...
- Boothby Electorate: Roads (1 speech)
After nine years of local campaigning, the residents of Boothby will finally see real action and real improvements to address traffic congestion on South Road. In the 2014 federal budget, an...
- Abbott Government (3 speeches)
The Liberal Party used to take delight in lecturing us about family values, about those values of the 1950s that they hold so dear, but they have not been talking family values so much lately,...
- Australia Day (1 speech)
On a lighter note, I enjoyed the tradition of Australia Day this year, on 26 January. That tradition may have first begun in the 19th century, but Australia Day has evolved since that time as a...
- Abbott Government (1 speech)
Here we are, four days into the government's new era of so-called good government, four days which have been characterised by policy confusion, chaos, disunity and a stubborn insistence on...
- Green Army Program (1 speech)
The Green Army is one of this government's great success stories. It is a success for the environment, a success for the young people that take part in the program and a success for local...
- Abbott Government (1 speech)
More than nine months after the Abbott government handed down its unfair budget, it is still hanging over their heads. That is because it is fundamentally flawed. It cuts into our social fabric...
- Child and Forced Marriage (1 speech, 1 comment)
Last week I had a meeting with the director of the Immigrant Women's Health Service in Western Sydney, Dr Eman Sharobeem. She raised with me the growing problem of forced child marriages, a most...
- Abbott Government (1 speech)
I remember during the election campaign Tony Abbott saying that his government would start running on day one. On day one they would hit the ground running. And I saw day one come and go. Some 13...
- Cunningham, Ms Nita (1 speech)
It is with deep regret that I advise the House of the passing of Nita Cunningham on the weekend, aged 75 and just short of her 76th birthday. Nita was a local councillor from 1988 until 1991. She...
- Abbott Government (2 speeches)
This week Tony Abbott said that 'good government starts today'. I am sure most Australians said: 'Hang on a minute. Seriously? Does that mean the government is acknowledging that every day before...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Death Penalty; Report from Federation Chamber (1 speech)
The question is that the motion be agreed to. I understand it is the wish of the House that the motion is carried and that the names of all members, including the Speaker, shall be recorded in...
- Sydney: Martin Place Siege (1 speech)
The question is that the motion moved by the honourable the Prime Minister be agreed to. I ask all honourable members to signify their approval by rising in their places. Question agreed to,...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Asylum Seekers: Children (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. The Human Rights Commission has detailed serious concerns about the wellbeing of children in detention. Beyond the statement of Senator Brandis last night,...
- National Security (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister further update the House on Tuesday's counterterrorism arrests in Sydney? What is the government doing to keep the community safe?
- Employment (15 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Today's labour force figures show that there are now 100,000 more Australians out of work than when the Liberal-National government was elected. When will...
- Iraq (2 speeches)
The my question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will the minister update the House on events in Iraq and how Australia is contributing to international efforts there to combat the Daesh...
- Defence Procurement (11 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Today Australia's unemployment rate reached its highest level since 2002, when the Prime Minister was the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations....
- National Security (29 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. I remind the minister of the recent arrest of two men on terrorism charges in Sydney this week. Minister, when did the men...
- Denison Electorate: Cadbury Chocolate Factory (4 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, before the last election you promised unambiguously $16 million for Cadbury to build critical tourism infrastructure at its Claremont factory...
- Crime (4 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Justice. Will the minister update the House on what action the government is taking to crack down on organise crime and the illegal drugs and firearms trade?...
- Defence Procurement (9 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Defence. Given the minister's refusal to confirm whether the Prime Minister has already made a captain's pick on submarines, does he agree with one of his...
- Economy (2 speeches)
Madam Speaker, my question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline the importance of building a strong and prosperous economy? Particularly, what does this mean for families in my...
- Defence Procurement (2 speeches)
Madam Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Defence. Can the minister confirm that his office or his department are in possession of draft talking points, draft media releases or any other...
- Shipping (2 speeches)
Madam Speaker, my question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Will the Deputy Prime Minister update the House on how changes to the...
- East West Link (7 speeches)
My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. Will the Deputy Prime Minister cooperate with the National Audit Office investigation into the allocation of $3 billion to the East West Link,...
- Higher Education (5 speeches)
I call the member for— Government members: Moore. Moore, I beg your pardon. We will have some more from the member for Moore.
- Child Care (7 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Social Services. Before the last election the government promised not to means test the childcare rebate. Does the minister stand by this election commitment...
- Agriculture: Foreign Investment (10 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. Will the minister update the House on important changes being made to foreign purchases of agricultural land?
- Abbott Government (6 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. This morning in a radio interview the Prime Minister said, 'I freely admit that a couple of pre-election commitments we have not been able to keep.' But...
- Employment (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Social Services. Will the minister update the house on action the government is taking to get more Australians into work? What are the key challenges that have...
- Abbott Government (7 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. On Monday, 39 Liberal MPs voted against the Prime Minister's leadership. On Tuesday, the Defence Minister failed to explain the Prime Minister's...
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Parliamentary Office Holders (0 speeches)
- Speaker's Panel (1 speech)
Pursuant to standing order 17, I lay on the table my warrant nominating the honourable members for Corangamite, Swan, Capricornia, Ryan and Robertson to be members of the Speaker’s panel to...
- 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 and I move: That the House take note of...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Leave of Absence (1 speech)
I move: That leave of absence from the determination of this sitting until 15 June 2015 be given to the honourable Member for Kingston for parental leave purposes. Question agreed to.
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Higher Education (18 speeches)
I have received a letter from the honourable member for Kingston proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The Liberal-National...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Economics Committee; Membership (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That Ms O’Dwyer be discharged from the Standing Committee on Economics and that, in her place, Mr Alexander be appointed a member of the committee. Question agreed to.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Chifley Electorate (1 speech)
Every summer an Australian state or territory, or several at a time, face the ravages of bushfires. While my home state of New South Wales, fortunately, was able to avoid what looked like an...
- Infrastructure (1 speech)
I rise today to recognise the great contribution the federal government is making in New South Wales to infrastructure, in particular the Western Sydney infrastructure package that the Prime...
- O'Grady, Mr Paul (1 speech)
I rise to pay tribute to former New South Wales MLC Paul O'Grady, who passed away on 18 January this year at the age of 54. At Paul's farewell ceremony his brother, Tony O'Grady, spoke about what...
- Webb, Ms Giovanna, Reed, Mr Michael, Kendrick, Mr Robert, Michael Long Learning and Leadership Centre, Solomon Electorate: Roads (1 speech)
I rise tonight to talk about a wonderful Territorian, Ms Giovanna Webb, who happens to be a good friend of mine. I am delighted that Giovanna has been appointed as an executive committee member...
- Petition: Big Fat Smile (1 speech)
It is a pleasure to participate in this debate. I enjoy hearing everybody's reports from around their electorates at this part of the day. I want to take the opportunity in the adjournment debate...
- Moore Electorate: Ocean Reef Marina (2 speeches)
We are reaching the next critical phase in the redevelopment of the marina at Ocean Reef. This represents the most significant economic development project in my electorate of Moore. The site...
- Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
- Holt Community Spirit and Leadership Awards (1 speech)
In this fine chamber I would like to raise the matter of some very young people that I am very proud of. On Monday, 15 December last year, 46 students from 45 local schools in my constituency...
- Banks Electorate: Padstow Community Care, Banks Electorate: Bayanihan Hopping Spirit House Project (1 speech)
I want to take the opportunity this morning to talk about a couple of tremendous community organisations in my community, which I have had the pleasure of meeting with in recent times. The first...
- Calwell Electorate: Hume Citizen of the Year (1 speech)
Each year the Hume City Council in my electorate, apart from the very successful citizenship ceremony on Australia Day, also awards its Australia Day awards, recognising outstanding individuals...
- Forde Electorate: Community Achievements (1 speech)
It is always a terrific opportunity, as we have heard from several of our colleagues across the chamber today, to speak about some of the positive stories in our communities, and it is in that...
- Education: Early Childhood Education (1 speech)
I am firmly of the view that one of the smartest investments that governments can make is in education. We know that the very best investments we can make in education are, in fact, in the early...
- Education: Trades Training (1 speech)
I had the chance to visit the Australian Trade College North Brisbane two weeks ago and meet the students and teachers there. The Australian Trade College is based in Scarborough. It offers...
- Abbott Government (1 speech)
It is great to be back in the federal parliament representing my community, the electorate of Lalor. It is terrific to be in this chamber, which is very special to me, with its refurbishments. I...
- Lyne Electorate: Community Service (1 speech)
I rise today to outline an initiate I have commenced in my electorate of Lyne. In establishing this initiative my goal was to recognise and promote the involvement of youth in the community...
- CRS Australia (1 speech)
On 27 February this year the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service will close its doors after 70 years of providing extraordinary assistance to those with injuries and disabilities who are wanting...
- Bass Electorate: Derby Mountain Bike Trails (2 speeches)
Can I say how refreshing it is to have some Labor members here this morning, using precious time in this chamber to highlight some great achievements in their electorates, rather than engaging in...
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Western Australia (1 speech)
As a representative from Western Australia, a place famous for its natural environmental riches, its beautiful beaches and rivers, tall tree forests and woodlands, gorges and desert landscapes, I...
- Queensland State Election (1 speech)
The recent state election in Queensland may see a Labor government form in Queensland over the next few days. If Anna Palaszczuk does have the confidence of the parliament to be able to form...
- Parramatta Electorate (1 speech)
There is something really special about my home in Parramatta. People who move into the area often say after a few months that, 'It gets under your skin like very few places do.' And it does. You...
- Brisbane Electorate: Childhood Cancer Support (1 speech)
I rise today to commend the exceptional work that the Childhood Cancer Support group, based in the electorate of Brisbane, does for children undergoing oncology treatment, and the ongoing support...
- Shortland Electorate: Community Awards (1 speech)
Every year I conduct the Shortland awards, and last year was no different. I give awards for health and disability, education, to a junior under the age of 17, youths between 18 and 25, seniors,...
- Riverland and Mallee Vocational Awards (1 speech)
I rise to speak on the Riverland and Mallee Vocational Awards, hosted by the Rotary Club of Berri, which I was delighted to attend on Friday last at the Berri Hotel in my electorate....
- Health Care (1 speech)
This is the week that the house of cards that is the Abbott government has collapsed. It started with a public blue; it ended with a failed coup. And now we are in policy chaos: not just the...
- Electorate of Swan: Infrastructure (1 speech)
I rise to update the House on an infrastructure project in the electorate of Swan. I was pleased to recently join with the federal Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development,...
- International Development Assistance (1 speech)
I rise today to speak about my recent visit to Cambodia as part of a joint Australia-United States delegation organised by CARE US and CARE Australia. It was to see, first-hand, the meaningful...
- Page Electorate: Australia Day Honours (2 speeches)
Australia Day is celebrated in our communities across the nation with a lot of joy, because it is a day where we acknowledge great community members. I would like to go through some of the...
- Corio Electorate: Alcoa (1 speech)
On 18 February, Alcoa made its very difficult decision to cease operations in Geelong at Point Henry. This has resulted in a very significant economic shock for the city that I represent in this...
- Nuclear Power (1 speech)
I would like to put on record my admiration and thanks to Engineers Australia for the important work they do every day, but specifically in relation to participating in an up-coming nuclear power...
- O'Connor Electorate: Bushfires (1 speech)
Today I rise to update the House on the bushfire situation in my electorate of O'Connor. There are currently four bushfires burning in various parts of my vast electorate. On Tuesday of this week...
- Blacktown Community Aid (1 speech)
When I was growing up one of my very good friends, Virginia Shedden, told me what her mother did. I did not quite understand what she meant. Her mother is Zena Shedden and she used to have a very...
- Budget (1 speech)
Every single day, the government is spending $100 million more than it collects in revenue due to the fiscal irresponsibility and economic vandalism of the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd governments. The...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Death Penalty (12 speeches)
Today, as we debate, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, two of the Bali nine, are preparing to face a firing squad in Indonesia. Along with Scott Rush, the position of Chan and Sukumaran is one...
