House debates
Monday, 7 September 2015
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- Responses (1 speech)
The following ministerial responses to petitions have been received:
- Statements (1 speech)
The last time I addressed the House following the presentation of petitions on behalf of the Petitions Committee, I commented on the role and the responsibilities of members physically presenting...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
At the request of the member for Kennedy, I fix the next sitting as the day for presenting the Trade Marks Amendment (Iconic Symbols of National Identity) Bill 2015.
- Private Members' Business (0 speeches)
- National Stroke Week (9 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) National Stroke Week: (i) will run this year from 14 to 20 September; and (ii) is about raising awareness to prevent stroke in Australia; and (b) the...
- Broadband (8 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) places on the record that: (a) the National Broadband Network (NBN) is rolling out too slowly under the current Government, and there are many difficulties being...
- Tourism and Small Business (7 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) acknowledges the Northern Australians working within the tourism industry, which plays a vital role in supporting the Northern Australian economy; (2) recognises that...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Public Accounts and Audit Committee; Report (1 speech)
() (): On behalf the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit I present Report 450: Annual Report 2014-15—Report, August 2015. In accordance with standing order 39(e) the report was...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Intelligence and Security Committee; Report (1 speech)
I present the Review of Administration and Expenditure No. 13 (2013-2014)—Australian Intelligence Agencies. Ordered that the report be made a parliamentary paper. by leave—I would now...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- Abbott Government (1 speech)
It is a big day today. Today the Abbott government turns two, and hasn't it been a terrific two years? The deficit is up. Debt is up. Unemployment is up. Taxes are up. The number of flags at...
- RedFest, Universities of the Future (1 speech)
The voice of onion eating is exposed on the other side of politics. The strawberry festival now known as RedFest was held last weekend. If you can talk about too much of a good thing, half a...
- Petition: Caged Chickens (2 speeches)
by leave—I present a petition of 145 signatures from Hilltop Road Public School. A number of weeks ago four extraordinary young students from the Hilltop Road Public School came to see me...
- Capricornia Electorate: Sarina Office (1 speech)
I recently opened my new Sarina office to support the Sarina and western districts of Capricornia. This is the first time a federal MP's office has been based in Sarina. This was an election...
- Public Transport (1 speech)
Many people depend on trains to travel to Melbourne to see specialists or receive treatment. There is huge inconvenience if the train runs late or, worse still, is cancelled or becomes a bus. It...
- Reid Electorate: Santa Sabina College (1 speech)
I had the opportunity last week to attend Santa Sabina College at Strathfield. It is a special school because I am an old boy of that school, as are my brother and two sisters—not that I...
- Adult Learners' Week (1 speech)
Last week was Adult Learners' Week. Adult learning is an issue very close to my heart, so I was very pleased to be able to present the REACH Awards at Griffith University's Logan campus. The...
- Harvey Bulls Football Club (1 speech)
The Harvey Bulls Football Club has a proud history, winning premierships in league and reserves in the Peel Football League. This proud history was added to yesterday when the club won its...
- School Lawyer Project (1 speech)
I rise in the chamber this afternoon to make the House aware of an event that occurred in my electorate across the break. On 27 August I was pleased to officially launch the School Lawyer...
- Great Blue Mountains Trail (1 speech)
Recently I had the pleasure of attending the official opening of the Great Blue Mountains Trail at Medlow Bath. The extension and upgrade of the 13.2-kilometre trail was made possible under round...
- Canberra Electorate: Legacy Week (1 speech)
I rise today to speak about last week's Legacy Week, the national appeal to raise awareness and funds for the families of our injured and deceased veterans. I was away for most of the week, for...
- Macarthur Electorate: 100th Anniversary of Women in the New South Wales Police Force (1 speech)
I rise today to pay tribute to the 100th anniversary of women in the New South Wales Police Force. This year the New South Wales Police Force celebrates 100 years of women in policing, in what...
- Bendigo Electorate: Eat.Drink.Shop Bendigo (1 speech)
Today I rise to acknowledge the Bendigo community and the local traders who got behind the Eat.Drink.Shop Bendigo campaign that we held last weekend. It was an opportunity for people to get out...
- Dobell Electorate: SpotGo (1 speech)
I rise to share with the House a local small businesses success story in my electorate of Dobell. Family owned and operated, SpotGo recently burst onto the national scene with its new and...
- Canning Electorate: Roads (1 speech)
Last weekend I was out with Labor's fantastic local candidate for Canning, Matt Keogh. We saw the huge boom in housing and population in this area and we heard from punters about the enormous...
- Landsdale Primary School (1 speech)
At about 1.40 pm on 6 August at the Landsdale Primary School early childhood annex, a fire started in a demountable classroom. Fortunately, the children were all evacuated safely, and I...
- Randwick Boys High School, Randwick Girls High School (1 speech)
I congratulate the students, teachers, parents and staff of the Randwick Boys High School and the Randwick Girls High School, who recently performed their 25th annual arts extravaganza and Rock...
- Flynn Electorate: Mining (1 speech)
The Central Highlands community in my electorate is still coming to terms with the news that BMA will award new service contracts to help operate its Blackwater mine. I have been told that BMA...
- Nasheed, Mr Mohamed (1 speech)
Mohamed Nasheed, the 'island president', the man who became the first democratically elected President of the Maldives in 2008 and resigned in 2012 at gunpoint, is serving a 13-year sentence on...
- Barker Electorate: Small Business (2 speeches)
I rise to share with the chamber the positive impacts that this government's small business package is having in my electorate of Barker. Since the House rose a fortnight ago, I have had the...
- Statements on Indulgence (0 speeches)
- Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I can inform the House that the Treasurer will be absent from question time today while he returns from a G20 meeting in Turkey. The Deputy Prime Minister will answer questions on his behalf. As...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Asylum Seekers (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. There is an unprecedented humanitarian crisis unfolding in Syria and surrounding countries. All Australians have been shocked by those horrifying images that...
- Trade with China (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. How is the government's economic plan supporting job creation? What will the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement do to further strengthen the economy and to...
- Syria (10 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Millions of Syrians are facing death, injury, hunger, homelessness and a breakdown of health, education, electricity, water and other services. Will the...
- Trade with China (4 speeches)
My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Mr Truss. Will the Deputy Prime Minister update the House on the benefits to northern...
- Employment (6 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. A few minutes ago in question time the Prime Minister said about his last two years: 'We had a plan.' Prime Minister, how is your plan working for 800,000...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I have pleasure in informing the House that we have present in the gallery this afternoon the Speaker, Hon. Elise Archer MP, and the Clerk, Mr Shane Donnelly, of the Tasmanian house of assembly....
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Syria (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Do you accept that bombing Syria will not make Australians safer, will not make Syrians safer and will instead increase instability in a country facing the...
- Trade with China (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will the minister explain how this government's China-Australia Free Trade Agreement will deliver jobs and growth to the resources and energy...
- Shipping (8 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Senate submission by Mr Bill Milby of North Star Cruises in Western Australia, which states that a senior infrastructure department official...
- Trade with China (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Trade and Investment. Will the minister inform the House on the importance of our landmark free-trade agreement with China for job creation in Australia during...
- Employment (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. This morning on Sunrise, the Prime Minister said: …the plan is working and we are sticking with the plan. Given that there are 1,200 more unemployed...
- Trade with China (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Education and Training. Will the minister inform the House of the benefits to the international education sector of the government's recently concluded free...
- Employment (15 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. This morning the Prime Minister said: The plan is working and we are sticking with the plan. Prime Minister, given that in the Illawarra there are 10,000...
- Trade with China (3 speeches)
My question is to the Assistant Treasurer. Will the Assistant Treasurer update the House on the importance of the China Australia Free Trade Agreement to jobs creation in Australia, particularly...
- Statements on Indulgence (0 speeches)
- World War II (15 speeches)
I rise to speak on the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Pacific Day. This is an incredibly important event that we mark in this House today. The conflict in the Pacific during World War II was...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Membership (2 speeches)
The Speaker has received advice from the Chief Government Whip nominating members to be members of certain committees.
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent: Order of the day no 1, committee and delegation reports, being called on and debated...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Constitutional Recognition of ATSIP; Report (4 speeches)
I thank the very insightful Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence for moving that motion to allow us to conclude this discussion about constitutional reform. This document, the...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Charlton Electorate: Communications (1 speech)
Rarely a week passes in my electorate office where complaints are not received about inadequate or intermittent internet, mobile phone or digital television reception. These are longstanding...
- Social Welfare (1 speech)
I wish to speak about social welfare payments and the very large role that they play in the federal budget. Our social welfare system matters a great deal, because it is the means by which we...
- Lalor Electorate (1 speech)
On this day two years ago the electors of Lalor put their trust in me to become the member for Lalor—a humbling experience. Two years later, being the member for Lalor is inspiring. The...
- Parkes Electorate (1 speech)
Tonight I too mark the anniversary of the occasion two years ago when the coalition government was elected. I have to say, after sitting in here for two terms in opposition under the...
- Rankin Electorate: Logan City Hip Hop Collective (1 speech)
I was born in Logan City. I grew up there. I started a family there. I live there. I love the place. I am proud I get to represent it here in the people's house of the Australian parliament. For...
- National Stroke Week (2 speeches)
One in six people has a stroke in their lifetime. That means that, in this House of 150 representatives alone, 25 of us could suffer a stroke. It does not discriminate between men and women or...
- Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
- Richmond Electorate: Health (1 speech)
I have spoken in the House many times before about this government's debits adding cuts to health services and hospitals across the nation and the harsh impact that this has, particularly on...
- Queensland Country Women's Association (1 speech)
The Queensland Country Women's Association needs no introduction. For more than 90 years they have operated constantly to support women and families, particularly when times are tough. They do...
- Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants (1 speech)
I rise today to condemn the Prime Minister and the Minister for Social Services' decision to cut support services for the forgotten Australians and former child migrants. One of the many cuts...
- Hunt, Mr Greg (1 speech)
Gregory Wayne Hunt of Old Beach was a passionate, generous, caring, good-humoured and most decent man. He passed away, very sadly, on 23 July this year. Greg was the Southern Midlands Council...
- Blair Electorate (1 speech)
One of the great things about representing the people of Ipswich and the Somerset region is the opportunity to join with them to celebrate community milestones and achievements. My day on...
- Cummings, Mr James Bartholomew (1 speech)
It is with sadness today that I rise in this chamber to talk about the loss of Bart Cummings. As I rise, the state funeral for Bart Cummings is taking place in Sydney. Bart Cummings, in fact,...
- National Flag Day (1 speech)
Last week Australia celebrated National Flag Day. Now, few Australians may fly the Australian flag in their backyard, but many of us wear it, whether it be on caps, capes, thongs or T-shirts. And...
- Hume Electorate: Wollondilly Shire (1 speech)
We have just celebrated two important community milestones in the Wollondilly Shire. I was delighted to join residents for the reopening of the Picton-Thirlmere-Bargo RSL Hall—a bit of a...
- Shortland Electorate: Sport (1 speech)
On Tuesday 25 August the Shortland electorate sporting champions presentation took place in my office. We had phenomenal athletes who attended. I commence by thanking Dive Pasco, Clive Mart and...
- Bennelong Electorate: Macquarie Park, North Ryde Fun Run (1 speech)
I would like to inform the House about two recent developments in my Bennelong electorate. Macquarie Park is Sydney's fastest growing businesses district and is home to some of the country's most...
- Private Members' Business (0 speeches)
- Heavy Schoolbags (5 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) notes that every school day across Australia, school students are carrying heavy school bags on their way to and around schools and this poses a risk to the long term...
- Students with Disabilities (7 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) all students, including students with disability, deserve to be recognised as learners and supported to achieve their best; (b) research by Children...
- Small Business (7 speeches)
Mr Deputy Speaker, I am particularly pleased, as you would be if you were in my position, to speak on this motion by the member for Ford. I congratulate and commend him for the motion. I look at...
- Rio 2016 Paralympic Games (4 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) 7 September 2015 marks one year to go until the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games; (b) the Paralympic Games will bring over 11 days of competition, with more...
- China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (5 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) commends the fantastic work that the Minister for Trade and Investment and the Government have done to secure the monumental Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China,...
- Perth Freight Link (3 speeches)
I move: That this House calls on the Australian Government to: (1) suspend its commitment to funding the $1.6 billion Perth Freight Link until the Western Australian Government is able to provide...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
- Road Infrastructure (1 speech)
It is very hard to understand why more than $2 billion would be spent on the Perth Freight Link—a road that came out of nowhere and goes nowhere but which would cause enormous environmental...
- Berowra Electorate: Northern Suburbs Football Association Inaugural Girls and Women's Football Shield (1 speech)
This is always a unique opportunity—largely because you never get such a large audience in the other chamber—but, for me, this is a particularly unique opportunity to be able to speak...
- Richmond Electorate: Tweed Valley Banana Festival (1 speech)
I was very pleased recently to attend the annual Banana Festival, a remarkable festival in my electorate. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Tweed Valley Banana Festival, a great...
- Fisher Electorate: Startup Weekend Youth Sunshine Coast 2015 (1 speech)
On 21 and 23 August the professional learning institute of the University of the Sunshine Coast hosted a start-up weekend for 36 year 10 to year 12 students. The remarkable thing was that one of...
- Shortland Electorate: Valentine Bowling Club (1 speech)
On Sunday, 23 August, I attended the annual general meeting of the Valentine Bowling Club. Valentine Bowling Club is nestled on the shores of Lake Macquarie, in one of the most picturesque areas...
- Banks Electorate: Blakehurst Baptist Church (1 speech)
On 23 August, I attended the 50th anniversary celebration of the Blakehurst Baptist Church. The 50th anniversary celebration was a great community event. The church plays an important role in...
- This is Not a 'Wife Beater' Campaign (1 speech)
In 2013, the ANU Women's Department's Alisa Draskovic thought to herself, 'Why is it that a blue singlet is referred to as a "wife beater"?' She said: When I heard the term 'wife beater' it...
- Salvation Army (1 speech)
I formally recognise the valuable contribution by the Salvation Army in my electorate of Moore. Earlier this year, Captains Scott and Natalie Norman were appointed to lead the local Heathridge...
- Refugees: Europe (1 speech)
If anything has mobilised the world to act on Syria and what is happening in the Middle East, it has been the image of that little boy—the body of Aylan Kurdi washed up on the beach. The...
- Corangamite Electorate (1 speech)
Today marks two years since the election of our government. Since 7 September 2013, under the leadership of Prime Minister Abbott, the coalition government has focused on building a strong and...
- South Asian Food Festival and India Day (1 speech)
Last month I attended the South Asian Food Festival and India Day celebrations in Werribee in Melbourne's west. Around 20,000 people attended the festival on the day to try all the different...
- Macquarie Electorate: Anzac Day Schools' Awards (1 speech)
Recently I had the pleasure of attending a morning assembly at Bligh Park Public School, where I presented them with an Anzac Day Schools' Award, a $500 cheque and a plaque. Due to the phenomenal...
- Shortland Electorate: Australian Red Cross (1 speech)
On Monday 24 August I attended the 51st anniversary of the Belmont branch of the Red Cross. This is a group that has served the community very well over those 51 years. They have been involved in...
- Petrie Electorate: Green Army (1 speech)
The Green Army encourages hands-on environmental action while providing paid work and training to thousands of young people around Australia. In my electorate of Petrie there have been two...
- Indi Electorate: Telecommunications (1 speech)
I would like to tell the House about a new mobile phone tower at Mount Dorothy in my wonderful electorate of Indi, in the shire of Murrindindi. Residents in the Mount Dorothy area near Yea can...
- Lyons Electorate: Forums (1 speech)
During the last two weeks, I have had three forums in my electorate, including a citizenship forum, which was conducted with the help of the member for Berowra, Mr Philip Ruddock. We had an...
- Gellibrand Electorate: Australia Turkey relations (1 speech)
This year I marked the Centenary of Anzac at a dawn service at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. Meanwhile, Mehmet Bicoll, a local icon from Footscray in Melbourne's west, travelled to...
- Capricornia Electorate: Health (1 speech)
Recently I hosted the federal Minister for Health in Rockhampton for a series of important engagements. The minister inspected a new three-storey cancer treatment unit at Rockhampton Base...
- Fisher, Ms Joyce (3 speeches)
Mr Deputy Speaker Southcott, congratulations on your retirement. One of the great events in the South Australian racing calendar is the Balaklava Cup. This year it was a very special cup because...
- Reid Electorate: Write for Reid (1 speech)
I am delighted to inform the House that the Write for Reid competition, which I was pleased to introduce into my electorate last year, has again been a huge success and has quickly become a...
- Shortland Electorate: St Brigid's Catholic College (1 speech)
On Friday, 28 August, I attended the opening of St Brigid's Catholic College, a new high school in the northern part of the Central Coast within the Shortland electorate. St Brigid's brings a...
- Campbell-Smith, Mrs Mollie (1 speech)
I would like to pay tribute to one of Tasmania's most notable educators and advocates for women's rights, Mollie Campbell-Smith, who died on 7 July at the age of 98. Mrs Campbell-Smith was...
- Petition: Internet at Allans Flat (1 speech)
I rise to present a petition that has been approved by the House. The petition read as follows— To the Honourable The Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives This petition of...
- Employment (1 speech)
As members know, employment is always a big issue, particularly youth unemployment, in my own electorate and I am sure in the electorates of the members for Forde, Capricornia and Hinkler. It is...
- Barossa and Light Herald (1 speech)
It is always a great honour to follow the member for Longman, the country's youngest MP. I wish to offer my appreciation for the service that Glenys Brooks and Graham Fisher have provided to the...
- Carers (1 speech)
Last week I had the absolute pleasure of meeting some members of STEPS Care for Carers group at Childers, a small town in the middle of my electorate. They are a small group of dedicated seniors...
- Shortland Electorate: Lake Haven YMCA (1 speech)
Recently I had the privilege of attending the YMCA at Lake Haven. It was very special, because Lake Haven is an area where there are a lot of families that do not have a lot of money but when I...
- Blakeway, Miss Heather (2 speeches)
It is always a great opportunity to stand in this place and recognise some of the wonderful achievements of the young athletes in our electorates. In this case I would like to recognise one of...
- Grievance Debate (0 speeches)
- Employment (1 speech)
The Australian Labor Party is no longer the party that stands for jobs and communities as they would have you believe. This is nowhere more evident than in my home electorate of Capricornia and...
- Senior Australians (1 speech)
As a member of parliament, I have found that older people in our society tend to be ignored to some extent. Quite often, seniors are thought of as being a burden. We constantly hear of the cost...
- Bowman Electorate: Capalaba Sports Club (1 speech)
I think every member in this place will have a community club, or a number of them, that they support in their own electorates. There is no doubt that one of the great challenges for these...
- Schools (1 speech)
Today I want to talk about second language learning in Australia. Frankly, learning to sing 'brilla brilla piccola stella' or to count to ju in Japanese is really not going to cut the mustard in...
- Defence Procurement (1 speech)
I would like to speak on the educational opportunities in naval shipbuilding. Every South Australian member and senator has been lobbying very hard for defence work for our state. The recently...
- Mobile Black Spot Program (2 speeches)
I rise to talk about round 1 of the Mobile Black Spot Program, which was undertaken by this government. Along with so many other members of parliament, I was asked to nominate three priority...
