House debates
Wednesday, 18 March 2015
- Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
- Autumn Repeal Day 2015 (2 speeches)
by leave—Today, the third repeal day, is another milestone in the government's commitment to rid the community of unnecessary and costly red tape. It is now more than a year since we...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Intelligence and Security Committee; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security I present the committee's report entitled Review of the declaration of al-Raqqa province, Syria. Report made a...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- Canberra Electorate: Soldier On (1 speech)
It is with great pleasure that I rise today to congratulate Soldier On on its relocation and on the reopening of the Robert Poate Reintegration and Recovery Centre. Yesterday I joined with my...
- Budget (2 speeches)
Today we are stopping Labor's raid on ordinary Australians' bank accounts. When the Labor Party was in government they loved to spend Australian taxpayers' money, and at a much greater rate than...
- Berowra Electorate: Centenary of Anzac (1 speech)
I want to make a positive contribution, because there are positive things happening in Australia at this time. It is appropriate at the moment that we think about the Anzac centenary and the...
- Indigenous Communities (1 speech)
I rise today on the eve of National Close the Gap Day because I want to bring this House's attention to a really critical—indeed dire—situation that now exists for up to 150 remote...
- Lindsay Electorate: Kurrambee School (1 speech)
The Aboriginal word for laughter is kurrambee. Laughter is what you hear when you walk through the school gates of Kurrambee School in Werrington. This remarkable school turned 50 this year. This...
- Indi Electorate: The Border Mail (1 speech)
Our regional newspapers are community institutions as well as products of public companies and private enterprise. Our newspapers are, at their best, much more than the front and back page. In my...
- Cowan Electorate: Vikings Women's Softball Club (1 speech)
On 14 March I was invited to the vote count ceremony for the Vikings Women's Softball Club for the Valhalla Award—the award for best player. I would like to thank the club for their...
- Batman Electorate: Darebin Community and Kite Festival (1 speech)
On 15 March the city of Darebin and hosted the Darebin Community and Kite Festival. This year I again had the pleasure of attending this festival which has been a hallmark of the city of...
- Casey Electorate: Lilydale West Primary School (1 speech)
Last Tuesday, I was pleased to attend the leadership assembly at Lilydale West Primary School in the heart of the Casey electorate to present leadership certificates and badges to a number of...
- Food and Grocery Code of Conduct (1 speech)
Surprise, surprise, the Abbott government is divided again. Already cracks are appearing in the Abbott government's ranks, this time on the food and grocery code of conduct. Consultation on the...
- Boothby Electorate: Anzac Centenary Local Grants Program (1 speech)
I rise to congratulate many groups across my electorate who have been successful in receiving funding through the Australian government's Anzac Centenary Local Grants Program. In particular, I...
- Migration (1 speech)
It is another day in this place and there has been another breach of temporary work visas, another case of abuse and exploitation of people who are here as guest workers. This time it has been...
- Food Labelling (1 speech, 1 comment)
Australia's reputation is as one of the safest producers in the world of eggs, seafood, meat, fruit, honey, nuts and cereals. Our farmers grow this produce in compliance with some of the world's...
- Blair Electorate: Road and Rail Infrastructure (1 speech)
I welcome the council of south-east Queensland mayors to Canberra, once again, for their annual visit. As someone who has lived in Ipswich all of my life, I am committed to South-East Queensland....
- Gilmore Electorate: Relay for Life (1 speech)
Each year, many Australians take part in the Cancer Council's Relay for Life. Gilmore has four of these events. This Saturday, the Albion Park Showground will come alive for the Shellharbour...
- Remote Aboriginal Communities (1 speech)
Tomorrow I will join Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people rallying in Perth to protest the closure of up to 150 remote Aboriginal communities against the wishes of these communities. For a second...
- East West Link (1 speech)
This week marked the occasion when Bill Shorten finally confirmed that he has turned his back on the people of Melbourne's eastern suburbs, by supporting the reckless tearing-up of the contracts...
- Close the Gap Day (1 speech)
Tomorrow in my electorate, elders from the Dharawal tribe will be joining with their supporters throughout the region in celebrating and taking action around Close the Gap Day. When they gather...
- Hume Electorate: Road Infrastructure (2 speeches)
I am pleased to announce a joint federal and state government commitment to fund up to an additional $15 million for much-needed safety works on the Barton Highway between Yass and Canberra. This...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Higher Education (7 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's comments this morning on radio station 2SM, where he was asked about the future of his defeated plans for $100,000 degrees,...
- Bank Deposits (9 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I ask the Prime Minister to update the House on action being taken to ensure that the money in Australians' bank accounts is secure.
- Higher Education (4 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Education. In January, when asked what would happen if the government's unfair university changes were not passed by the Senate, the minister said, 'Well, the...
- Cyclones (6 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will the minister please update the House on the government's disaster relief efforts in Vanuatu?
- Budget (13 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to today's front-page story in The Sydney Morning Herald which refers to deep spending cuts in the Prime Minister's next budget. Will the Prime...
- Death Penalty (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The Fin Review quotes retired ASIO chief David Irvine: … look at the … Indonesian Parliament and you see the level of criticism and...
- Deregulation (2 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer update the House on how the government is removing red tape to the benefit of business and consumers, and how does this build a more efficient...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Before I give the call to the honourable member for Jagajaga, I wish to advise the House that we have in the gallery today the Hon. Gary Higgins, Minister for Sport and Recreation, Environment,...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Carer Supplement (2 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer rule out limiting the annual carer supplement to only one payment per carer, as recommended in the government's Commission of Audit?
- Unclaimed Money (7 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer inform the House how the government is restoring certainty and predictability to the savings of Australians by reforming the unclaimed money...
- Budget (22 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has today promised that the budget will be in broad balance within five years. The last budget cut the rate of pension increase, it...
- New South Wales State Election (15 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. I refer the Treasurer to comments yesterday in state parliament by the Western Australian Treasurer, Mr Nahan, who said, and I quote: Joe Hockey now has the...
- Workplace Relations (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Education and Training representing the Minister for Employment. Will the minister explain why the government is taking action to restore the rule of law on the...
- Road Infrastructure (4 speeches)
My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Will the Deputy Prime Minister please update the House on how projects like WestConnex...
- Hospitals (14 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's decision to cut more than $50 billion from Australia's hospitals. Can the Prime Minister confirm that, in New South Wales,...
- New Colombo Plan (4 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will the minister update the House on progress of the government's New Colombo Plan? How has this initiative been received by Australian...
- Budget (9 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. In his last budget, the Prime Minister cut more than $50 billion from hospitals across Australia, including the equivalent of a $729 million dollar cut to...
- Asylum Seekers (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Will the minister update the House on the success of Operation Sovereign Borders over the last 18 months, and what effect the...
- Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (4 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. On 18 September 2013, the Prime Minister described Dr Paul Grimes PSM, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture as having a distinguished career. But two...
- Employment (2 speeches)
My question is to the Assistant Minister for Employment. Will the minister update the House on how the government's reforms to the employment services system are reducing red tape? And how will...
- Minister for Agriculture (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. I refer him to his answers during question time yesterday regarding the sacking of the secretary of the Department of Agriculture. I also refer him...
- Environment (3 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for the Environment. Will the minister update the House on the progress of the government's Green Army Program? And how is the Green Army delivering environmental...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Before the members depart the chamber, I would just like to say that we have had a number of mayors who have been present with us today in the chamber. Five of them come from the Geelong G21...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Selection Committee; Report (1 speech)
I report No. 22 of the Selection Committee relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and private members business on Monday 23 March 2015. The report will be printed in...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Presentation (1 speech)
Documents are tabled in accordance with the list circulated to honourable members earlier today. Full details of the documents will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings.
- Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
- (5 speeches)
Madam Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Budget (31 speeches)
I have received a letter from the honourable member for McMahon proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The government’s...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Human Rights Committee; Report (1 speech)
Today I do have a report, and on behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, I present the committee's 20th report to the 44th Parliament, entitled 'Human Rights Scrutiny...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Defence Procurement (1 speech)
I rise to report to the House about submarines. The other night's Four Corners was a very interesting program that had a lot to do with the leadership of the government and the nation and the...
- New South Wales State Election (1 speech)
Mr Deputy Speaker Scott, I am sure you are very aware, even though you are a Queenslander, that on Saturday week there will be an election in New South Wales—and a very important election,...
- Holt Electorate: Little India, Dandenong (1 speech)
Last month I was delighted to make my way down to the Little India cultural precinct in Foster Street, Dandenong to meet with two well-known and respected community advocates, Manoj Kumar and...
- Coastal Shipping (1 speech)
The coastal shipping trade in Australia has been in trouble for some time. Let me explain. While there has been a dramatic increase of 57 per cent in total Australian freight over the past...
- Employment (1 speech)
I rise to draw attention to the increasing rate of unemployment in my electorate of Chisholm, which has seen a dramatic rise in joblessness over the last 12 months, something I have...
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (2 speeches)
In this adjournment this evening, I would like to welcome the environment minister's announcement this week that there will be zero capital disposal anywhere in the entire Great Barrier Reef...
- Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
- Richmond Electorate: Schools (1 speech)
I rise today to speak on two great education initiatives that have happened recently in Pottsville in my electorate of Richmond. Last week I had the great privilege of participating in the...
- Petition: Child, Early and Forced Marriage (1 speech)
I rise to present a petition on behalf of Samantha Goerling and the Bunbury Cathedral Grammar school community. The petition read as follows— To the Honourable The Speaker and Members of...
- Newcastle Electorate: Law on the Beach (1 speech)
I rise today to pay tribute to the University of Newcastle Legal Centre and their innovative program, Law on the Beach. Law on the Beach is a free legal advice clinic staffed by undergraduate law...
- Sheep Industry (1 speech)
I rise today to highlight the importance of the sheep meat and the sheep wool industry in my electorate—in fact, across rural Australia, being one of the most significant industries this...
- Science and Research (1 speech)
I am sick of science and research being treated as a plaything by politicians. I am outraged that, every time the budget gets tight, governments see science and research funds as a honey pot to...
- Dobell Electorate: Green Army (1 speech)
On Friday 6 March, I attended Dobell's first ever Green Army graduation ceremony. Over the past 12 months, I have been fortunate to support Green Army projects at Kanwal, The Entrance North,...
- Indigenous Affairs (1 speech)
We often hear statements in this House in thunderous and outraged tones, but today I rise to talk about something that to me is very sad and very serious. During his time as opposition leader,...
- Higgins Electorate: Higgins Stonnington Anzac Centenary March (1 speech)
I am pleased to inform the chamber that on Sunday, 19 April, together with the City of Stonnington, I will be holding the Higgins Stonnington Anzac Centenary March. The march, and following...
- Corio Electorate: Alcoa (1 speech)
A year and a month ago, on 18 February 2014, a very significant economic knock shocked Geelong to its core—a knock that the Abbott Liberal government, more than a year on, has yet to...
- Tasmania: Economy (1 speech)
There is no greater contrast between the previous, Labor government and this Liberal-National coalition government than in the economic management of Tasmania. The previous, Labor government was...
- Griffith Electorate: St Laurence's College (1 speech)
I rise to tell the parliament about the centenary of one of my local schools, St Laurence's College, fondly known in my electorate by its nickname, 'Lauries'. Lauries is a school of great...
- La Trobe Electorate: Community Awards (1 speech)
On Saturday 18 October I had the privilege of hosting the inaugural La Trobe Community Awards. The awards were designed to acknowledge the quiet achievers—the volunteers in my seat of La...
- Workplace Relations (1 speech)
Today, I rise to highlight another example of the exploitation of temporary overseas workers occurring in our country. This one also involves Fair Work Building and Construction and is a case of...
- Eucla (1 speech)
Last week, I visited the most eastern and isolated town in my electorate, the town of Eucla. I was so far east that a few steps further east and I was in the electorate of Grey of my good friend...
- Domestic Violence (1 speech)
This morning I attended the launch of the Re-focus smartphone app. This very clever use of technology was developed by the Brisbane Women's Legal Service—a service that is physically...
- Operation Slipper (1 speech)
This Saturday personnel from the Australian Defence Force, the Australian Federal Police and representatives from other agencies will march in every state and territory capital city and in...
- Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix (1 speech)
Last weekend my electorate once again experienced the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. When I was first elected I gave this event a fair go; I attended. It was like attending a dentists...
- Carrathool Bridge (1 speech)
The good folk in and around Carrathool, population 99, are a patient lot. They live in a shire which has a local government gross regional product per head of population which is the fourth...
- Bruce Electorate: headspace (1 speech)
I am not sure how I follow that. Last night I, and a number of other members, had the privilege of attending a reception for headspace here in Parliament House. Established in 2006, headspace is...
- Cowan Electorate: Basketball Competition (2 speeches)
On 1 April I will conduct my eighth annual mixed basketball competition for year 6 students, known as the Luke Simpkins Basketball Competition. I think it is important to acknowledge that I have...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
I move: That business intervening before order of the day No. 11, committee and delegation business, be postponed until a later hour this day. Question agreed to.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Agricultural and Related Industries Committee; Report (6 speeches)
I am a little bit confused as to why I am speaking before the chairman of a committee, but I take that as a great honour and a privilege and I thank the chamber for the opportunity. In my opening...
- Infrastructure and Communications Committee; Report (2 speeches)
I pay tribute to all the members of the Standing Committee on Infrastructure and Communications and the witnesses who gave evidence in this inquiry into the very important issue of infrastructure...
- Economics Committee; Report (1 speech)
I rise to make some brief remarks about the review of APRA undertaken by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics. First of all, I would like to thank the committee...
- Standing Committee on the Environment; Report (3 speeches)
I think one of the major jobs our government had on taking office was to reduce the costs of doing business. In the main, you could say that what we have done so far in dealing with state...
- Economics Committee; Report (2 speeches)
I rise to talk to the Australian parliament about what I think is a very important issue for everyday Australians—that is, the dream of owning your own home. We live very busy lives as...
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move: That the Federation Chamber do now adjourn. Question agreed to. Federation Chamber adjourned at 12:24
