House debates
Monday, 12 October 2015
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- Responses (1 speech)
Ministerial responses to petitions have been received as follows:
- Statements (1 speech)
From time to time the House Petitions Committee conducts public hearings on petitions received. This is a practice that was established by the first Petitions Committee in 2008 and has continued...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Broadband (8 speeches)
I would like to start by thanking the member for Robertson, Lucy Wicks, for this excellent motion on the NBN rollout. The NBN has been a hot topic in my electorate of Macarthur this year and I...
- Migration (13 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) notes that as at: (a) 31 March 2015 there were over 106,000 primary Temporary Work (Skilled) (subclass 457) visa holders in Australia; (b) 31 December 2014 there were...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Membership (2 speeches)
Mr Speaker has received advice from the Chief Government Whip nominating changes to the membership of certain committees.
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
On behalf of the Leader of the House, I move: That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Kennedy's private Members' business notice relating to...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- Defence Procurement (1 speech)
As the submarine contract debacle continues, we now have all three contenders—and that includes Japan—saying that they can build the submarines in Australia. The coalition's rhetoric...
- Bass Electorate: Australian Honey Products (1 speech)
Earlier this year the Launceston based company Australian Honey Products was awarded a federal innovation and investment grant. Launceston couple Lindsay and Yeonsoon Bourke, who own and operate...
- Australian Century Farm and Station Awards (1 speech)
I add my words of congratulations to Tasmanian honey growers, but I have to say that north-east Victoria outcompetes every single time. It gives me great pleasure today to welcome to parliament...
- Deicke, Mrs Eileen (1 speech)
It is with great sadness that I report to the parliament the passing of a valued constituent in Dawson. Eileen Deicke was 80 years of age when she passed away on 28 September. It was a sad blow...
- Rankin Electorate: Logan City Special School (1 speech)
Mr Speaker, as you know, we are approaching that time of year when senior students graduate from our local high schools. Honourable members will agree that these are proud and happy occasions. I...
- Domestic Violence (2 speeches)
Yesterday, more than 300 people turned out for the Safer Families, Better Communities walk on the Cairns Esplanade. It was a very public statement that Cairns has zero tolerance for domestic and...
- National Rugby League: 2015 Grand Final (1 speech)
I rise to congratulate the North Queensland Cowboys on their first-ever win in the NRL grand final on 4 October. Deputy Speaker Vasta, you might notice that I stand here adorned in a North...
- Throsby Electorate: BlueScope Steel (1 speech)
It takes a lot of guts to stand up at the front of a room and deliver some hard news, particularly if that hard news means that over 500 blokes in that room will lose their jobs. I pay tribute,...
- Petrie Electorate: Mental Health (1 speech)
Last week was Mental Health Week. It was great to see people all around Australia acknowledging their role in looking after their own mental health and wellbeing as well as reaching out to...
- Maroubra Saints AFL Club (1 speech)
I wish to congratulate the mighty Maroubra Saints AFL girls under-18 team, who won their first premiership in September this year. Guided by co-captains Erin Keogh and Greta Stonier and coached...
- Adult Learners' Week (1 speech)
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Griffith University's Logan Campus for their 2015 Adult Learners' Week celebrations, which I attended with the member for Rankin. Adult...
- Cultural Diversity (1 speech)
In recent days there has been a calming in a lot of the public debate from national and state leaders in terms of how we discuss the diversity of Australia. That is welcomed, it is important and...
- Infrastructure Funding (1 speech)
I am pleased to inform the House that this week will mark another important milestone in a significant project on the Bruce Highway in Central Queensland. On Thursday 15 October traffic will for...
- Afghanistan: Kunduz Hospital Air Strikes (1 speech)
On 3 October, the Medecins Sans Frontieres hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan was subjected to a prolonged air attack by US forces, with horrifying casualties among staff and patients: 22 people...
- Suicide (1 speech)
More than 65,000 Australian people attempt to take their lives every year. Today seven people will die by suicide. Aboriginal and Torres Strait people continue to have amongst the highest suicide...
- Multiculturalism (1 speech)
I would like to endorse the comments of the member for Watson. I think it is incredibly important that at this challenging time, as we attempt to deal with terrorism, we work to bring the...
- Community Science Forum (1 speech)
Last week the Assistant Minister for Science, Karen Andrews, and I hosted a community science forum at Central Queensland University to inspire businesses and young job seekers. About 65 people...
- Bushfires (1 speech)
On Saturday the member for McEwen and I attended a community meeting at the Lancefield Mechanics Institute. It was to deal with the Lancefield-Benloch bushfires. We spoke with families who had...
- Way In Network (2 speeches)
I am very honoured to be associated with the Way In Network and its passionate members—Councillor Annie Tang, Linda Tang, Florence Chau, Elsa Shum and Hon. Helen Sham-Ho, to name a few....
- Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
- Members Sworn (1 speech)
I have received a return to the writ which I issued on Monday 17 August 2015 for the election of a member to serve for the electoral division of Canning, in the state of Western Australia, to...
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Whan, Mr Robert Bruce, AM (1 speech)
I inform the House of the death on Sunday, 4 October 2015 of Robert Bruce Whan, a member of this House for the division of Eden-Monaro from 1972 until 1975. As a mark of respect to the memory of...
- Statements on Indulgence (0 speeches)
- National Security (2 speeches)
Ten days ago, Curtis Cheng was murdered in a shocking act of terrorism made all the more appalling because the killer was a 15-year-old boy. Curtis was a loving father and husband, for 17 years...
- Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
For the information of honourable members, I present a list of the full ministry. The document lists all ministers and provides details of representation arrangements in each chamber. The...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Leave of Absence (1 speech)
I inform the House that the Minister for Foreign Affairs will be absent from question time this week as she attends the annual Australia-US ministerial consultations in the United States with the...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Member for Warringah (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. On Saturday, the now Prime Minister heaped praise on the member for Warringah, saying that he had achieved, 'great things, great reforms, great commitments,'...
- Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (5 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister outline to the House the benefits in jobs, investment and innovation for the Australia economy arising from the successful...
- Workplace Relations (4 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Last week, when interviewed on radio about cutting penalty rates, the Prime Minister said that workers would have to be persuaded that: … in net terms...
- Taxation (6 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline the importance of keeping taxes low. What is the government doing to reduce the tax burden on hardworking Australians and help people...
- Workplace Relations (6 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. Can the Treasurer inform the House how his plan to trade tax credits for slashing the penalty rates of 4½ million Australians will work? And what will the...
- Asylum Seekers: Children (4 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Staff at the Royal Children's Hospital in my electorate have refused to discharge asylum seeker children because your government will lock them back up in...
- National Security (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Justice and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Counter-Terrorism. Will the minister please advise the House as to what steps the government is taking to...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Just before I call the member for Gorton, it is my pleasure to inform the House that we have present in the gallery this afternoon Mr Pat Farmer, a former member for Macarthur and now an...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Workplace Relations (18 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister provide any evidence to substantiate the claim that slashing penalty rates will increase employment opportunities?
- Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (4 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Trade and Investment—the minister who was known as Mr Trifecta. He will now need a new name, given his—
- Workplace Relations (6 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Shane Townsend is a full-time security guard, who works the night shift to earn about $24,000 a year in penalty rates. Shane's mother is on an age pension...
- Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources. Will the minister update the House on how the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement will help to secure farm gate returns and to...
- Infrastructure (7 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the latest ABS statistics, which show public infrastructure spending has fallen by 20 per cent since the coalition was elected. When will the...
- Innovation (4 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science. Will the minister update the House on how the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement will boost innovation, so creating jobs and...
- Infrastructure (2 speeches)
My question is addressed to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure. On Sunday, when speaking about the Gold Coast light rail project, the Prime Minister said that the project...
- Trade with China (7 speeches)
My question is for the
- Infrastructure (18 speeches)
My question is addressed to the Minister for the Environment. Is the minister aware that the so-called new project to improve the Monash Freeway that he announced in today's Herald Sun, was, one,...
- Public Transport (7 speeches)
My question is addressed to the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister stand by his statement in 2008: 'What we haven't done'—'we' being federal governments—'is spend a lot of money,...
- Parliamentary Office Holders (0 speeches)
- Speaker's Panel (1 speech)
Pursuant to standing order 17(a), I lay on the table my warrant revoking the nominations of the honourable members for Mitchell, Herbert and Braddon to be members of the Speaker's panel and...
- Questions to the Speaker (0 speeches)
- Questions in Writing (4 speeches)
Mr Speaker, I wish to raise an issue in relation to standing order 105(b).
- Auditor-General's Reports (0 speeches)
- Report No. 4 of 2015-16 (1 speech)
I present the Auditor-General's Audit report No. 4 for 2015-16, entitled Performance Audit: confidentiality in government contractsSenate order for departmental and entity contracts (calendar...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Presentation (1 speech)
Documents are presented in accordance with the list circulated to honourable members earlier today. Full details of the documents will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Intelligence and Security Committee; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, I am pleased to present the committee's report of its review of the relisting of five terrorist organisations under...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
- (5 speeches)
It might suit the House, given there is a change of business here, that I seek leave to make a personal explanation.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Australian Technology Park (1 speech)
Tonight I want to speak about the Australian Technology Park, which is in my electorate, located on the site of the Eveleigh railway workshops, which operated for over 100 years. The Australian...
- Bass Electorate (1 speech)
I am happy to report that in recent weeks we have completed a number of projects in my electorate of Bass, with others being rolled out that will make a real difference to my community of...
- Lalor Electorate: Water (1 speech)
Back in August, trade minister Robb spoke about the opportunities for produce growers and the Chinese free trade agreement. He mentioned Fresh Select, located in my electorate of Lalor. It is a...
- Domestic and Family Violence, Illicit Drugs, Depression and Suicide (1 speech)
I rise today to speak on three issues that are sweeping our rural communities, and it is not only the rural communities that are suffering from these problems, but they are very prevalent in...
- Illicit Drugs (1 speech)
Following the member for Flynn, I should say that I also want to talk about crystal methamphetamine this evening. A very notorious drug known as ice has become a growing problem in many...
- Domestic and Family Violence (2 speeches)
I rise this evening to discuss a circumstance that has rocked the Murraylands community in my electorate of Barker. On Friday, 25 September, the body of Jody Meyers was found...
- Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
- Wakefield Electorate: Thompson, Mr Anthony (1 speech)
It is my sad duty to inform the House of the passing away of Mr Anthony Thompson—or Tony, as he was known always to me. Tony was President of the Elizabeth RSL, having served in Vietnam...
- Robertson Electorate: Central Coast Storms (1 speech)
Six months ago on the Central Coast we were battered by devastating storms that few will forget. We saw howling winds of up 125 kilometres an hour; driving rain; and trees, some more than 60...
- Fraser Electorate: Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Liberal Party (1 speech)
Canberrans won a huge victory recently when Finance Minister Matthias Cormann abandoned the government's plans to uproot the immigration department from the Belconnen Town Centre, where it has...
- Corangamite Electorate: Carbon Revolution (1 speech)
Last Wednesday was another great day for Geelong, and a great day for Corangamite: the opening of the Carbon Revolution factory in Waurn Ponds on the site of Deakin University—a great...
- Isaacs Electorate: Seniors Week (1 speech)
I stand to speak about the seniors morning tea event that I held last week at the Chelsea Heights Community Centre. Since my election to parliament in 2007, I have held morning teas for seniors...
- Northern Australia Insurance Task Force (1 speech)
I rise again today to talk about the insurance crisis in northern Australia. Unfortunately, the insurance industry is still not serious about improving the affordability and the availability of...
- Macquarie Electorate: Anzac Centenary Local Grants Program (1 speech)
I had the privilege and pleasure of attending the unveiling of the World War I honour board at Valley Heights Locomotive Depot Heritage Museum last week. The honour board will be a permanent...
- Shortland Electorate: Domestic and Family Violence (1 speech)
I would like to share with the House a forum dealing with domestic violence that I held at Mannering Park in Shortland electorate. It was a morning where we had a number of guest speakers and...
- Bonner Electorate: Small Business (1 speech)
I rise to acknowledge the work of the local support services available to small businesses in my electorate of Bonner. I would like to speak about the important work they do in helping local...
- Domestic Violence (2 speeches)
Sixty-nine women have died so far this year from acts of violence in Australia, in the home. In my home town, Geelong, we have also seen a spike in family violence incidents, with more than 1,200...
- Private Members' Business (0 speeches)
- National Carers (7 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) National Carers Week runs from 11 to 17 October 2015 to recognise and celebrate the outstanding contribution unpaid carers make to our nation; (b)...
- Papua New Guinea (6 speeches)
A move the motion relating to Papua New Guinea in the terms in which it appears on the Notice Paper. Modern Papua New Guinea is a proud and vibrant nation of 7.3 million people. It is a nation of...
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (8 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) acknowledges the critical role that women have played in advancing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in Australia; (2) notes that despite this,...
- RAF Bomber Command (5 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) recognises the courage and sacrifice of the young Australian men who actively served in Bomber Command in World War II; (2) requests the creation of a medal for Royal...
- Steel Industry (6 speeches)
I move: That this House calls on the Government to: (1) acknowledge that the impending loss of 500 jobs from the steelworks in Port Kembla will hurt the economic security of a region which...
- Small Business (4 speeches)
I rise to speak on this motion from the member for Forde, Mr van Manen, which notes in part that 96 per cent of all of Australian businesses are small businesses, employing more than 4.5 million...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- Singh, Mr Bharpur (1 speech)
I am very privileged today to congratulate a very special constituent of mine from Keilor Downs, Mr Bharpur Singh, who recently celebrated his 100th birthday. I had the honour of meeting Bharpur...
- Bennelong Electorate: Korean Moon Festival (1 speech)
A few weekends ago my electorate of Bennelong was ablaze with colour and festivities as we celebrated the Korean Moon Festival. Thousands of locals joined our large Korean community and were...
- Robson, Mr Bill and Mrs Flo (1 speech)
I rise today to talk about an incredibly joyous occasion that occurred recently in my electorate. I recently had the privilege of attending this very exciting occasion at the Fairways assisted...
- Dobell Electorate: Sport (1 speech)
I rise today to congratulate two outstanding Central Coast sporting clubs from Dobell: in Rugby League The Entrance Tigers, and in Rugby Union the Ourimbah Razorbacks. Both first-grade teams took...
- Fraser Electorate: Amaroo School (1 speech)
I rise to commend Amaroo School in my electorate, which has installed the ACT's largest rooftop solar system. More than 600 kilowatts of power will be fed into the ACT's electricity grid from the...
- Mallee Electorate: Nhill Airshow 2015 (1 speech)
I have often bragged about how much food is grown in the Mallee, but people do not think of the electorate of Mallee as the place to come for an air show. But last Saturday the Nhill Aviation...
- Shortland Electorate: Belmont Motor Registry Office (1 speech)
Last Tuesday I attended a public meeting called by the state member for Swansea, Yasmin Catley, at the Belmont 16Ft Sailing Club. The meeting was called because the New South Wales government...
- Mitcham Football Club (1 speech)
I have some good news today. After 34 years, just a few weeks ago the Mitcham Football Club in division 3 of the Eastern Football League broke the drought and won the grand final—their...
- Scullin Electorate: Emergency Services (1 speech)
On Saturday morning I was very privileged to attend the annual blessing of the emergency services fleet near the offices of the City of Whittlesea. This was a fantastic event brought on by the...
- Brisbane electorate: Hummingbird House (1 speech)
( On Saturday 10 October I attended the inaugural Hummingbird House Community Day, which also marked World Hospice Day and the Brisbane Open House. Hummingbird House is under construction and...
- 2016 ACT Rescue and Foster Best Friends Calendar (1 speech)
Saturday week ago, I had the great pleasure of launching the 2016 ACT Rescue and Foster Best Friends Calendar. ACT Rescue and Foster—or ARF—rehomes dogs who have not been in a loving...
- Lyne Electorate: Education (1 speech)
I would like to present the attention of the house some great work being done by teaching professionals in my electorate. Recently, I met with local principals and senior staff from a number of...
- Bendigo Electorate: Protests (1 speech)
The first and that I had the chance to address the parliament about the ugly protests that all would have seen their news on Saturday. Forgive me if I do get a bit emotional, because it has been...
- Grey Electorate: Solar Reserve (1 speech)
During September I had the privilege of leading a delegation to the US, taking the opportunity visit Solar Reserve's Crescent Dunes facility in Nevada. Undergoing final testing and due to come on...
- National Carers Week (1 speech)
This week is Carers Week, and today I would like to acknowledge Australia's 2.7 million unpaid carers. I would particularly like to draw attention to young carers and the many young people right...
- Macarthur Electorate: Oran Park Smart Work Hub (1 speech)
I rise today to speak about Oran Park Smart Work Hub, the New South Wales government pilot program operating in my electorate of Macarthur. Oran Park Smart Work Hub offers residents an...
- Fearnley, Mr Kurt, OAM (1 speech)
Australia woke this morning to news that wheelchair racing champion and adopted Novocastrian, Kurt Fearnley, had won the Chicago Marathon for a fifth time. After the disappointment of runner-up...
- La Trobe Electorate: Bullen Bullen Bush Tucker Tours (1 speech)
I have the great pleasure of officially opening Bullen Bullen bush tucker tours in La Trobe at Grants Picnic Ground at Kallista. This is one of my election commitments—$150,000. The local...
- Richmond Electorate: Country Labor Forum (1 speech)
I rise to very proudly talk about federal Labor's first country Labor forum, a great event. On 26 September, 200 Labor members came together in Casino in New South Wales for our inaugural country...
- Swan Electorate: South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare (1 speech)
On Friday I attended the AGM of the South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare, also known as SERCUL, in my electorate. It was great to see their chairperson, Pat Hart, and CEO, Julie Robert....
- Centenary of Catherine Hill Bay Public School (1 speech)
Catherine Hill Bay is one of those unique places in Australia. It was an old mining town and it has maintained its character over the years. On Saturday, 26 September, I attended the centenary of...
- Hindmarsh Electorate: Active Elders (1 speech)
I would like to acknowledge a local community group in Ascot Park which is doing great things in my electorate of Hindmarsh. The Active Elders Association is a social group for the over-50s which...
- Immunisation (1 speech)
I recently met with RESULTS International (Australia), on behalf of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. One and a half million children die each year from vaccine-preventable diseases, with one-in-five...
- Mental Health (1 speech)
The first week in October is Mental Health Awareness Week. I cannot imagine too many people could say they do not know someone who has a mental health issue or who has never experienced any...
- Diabetes (1 speech)
Sorry, Mr Deputy Speaker—my mind was just on those jam tarts! I rise to congratulate a terrific young Canberran who has won the littleBIGidea national competition and will get the...
- Way In Network (1 speech)
I am very honoured to be associated with the Way In Network and its passionate members: Councillor Annie Tang, the Deputy Mayor of Kogarah City Council, Linda Tang, Florence Chau, Elsa Shum, and...
- Bendigo Electorate (1 speech)
I rise to acknowledge some of the many wonderful things that happened in my electorate of Bendigo over the weekend. Let's start with the Heritage Uncorked event that happened on Friday night....
- Hindmarsh Electorate: South Australian National Football League (2 speeches)
I want to congratulate the West Adelaide Football Club on winning the SANFL premiership this year after a 32-year drought. It was a great performance by the West Adelaide Football Club, and I was...
- Grievance Debate (0 speeches)
- Bendigo Electorate: Multiculturalism (1 speech)
I rise with some sadness, but at the same time this is an opportunity to put on the record, on behalf of my electorate and many people that live in the City of Greater Bendigo, a few things that...
- Mallee Electorate: Agriculture (1 speech)
Australia has always been a land of droughts and flooding rains. But I wish to update the house—I guess it is a grievance—of the difficult season that we have encountered across the...
- Multiculturalism (1 speech)
It is a frightening thing to feel different to everybody else. We have all experienced it at some time in our lives, even if it is just a fleeting moment. My parents separated when I was in grade...
- Forrest Electorate: Tuia Lodge (3 speeches)
On Saturday I was privileged to open the new wing, which is the expansion of Tuia Lodge, a community-managed aged-care facility in Donnybrook in my electorate of Forrest. The Commonwealth...
- Infrastructure (1 speech)
On Thursday of last week Labor's leader, Bill Shorten, outlined our plan for infrastructure in Australia. In his speech the Leader of the Opposition recognised that in order to generate economic...
- Robertson Electorate: Alcohol and Illicit Drugs (1 speech)
I rise to highlight a really important initiative that has been launched thanks to the vision and hard work of representatives of my local community. Last month we held the first meeting of a...
- International Development Assistance (1 speech)
Last month I travelled to Papua New Guinea as part of a delegation to inspect Australian development programs with Save the Children. I was joined on this delegation by the member for Batman, the...
- Grafton Jacaranda Festival 2015 (1 speech)
It is the time of year for the famous, indeed world-renowned, Jacaranda Festival, which is held annually in Grafton. It begins on the last weekend of October and runs until the first weekend in...
- National Broadband Network (3 speeches)
I rise today to speak on an issue that I have spoken on many, many times in this chamber and in the House, and an issue that I have been campaigning on for the last three months—the lack of...
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move: That the Federation Chamber do now adjourn. Question agreed to. Federation Chamber adjourned at 18:44
