House debates
Thursday, 3 December 2015
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Prime Minister; Attempted Censure (11 speeches)
I seek leave to move the following motion: That the House: 1. Notes that yesterday, the Prime Minister said in Question Time in relation to the Special Minister of State’s involvement in...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements (0 speeches)
- Valedictory (3 speeches)
on indulgence—I wish to make some remarks about the year we have just had. Today is the last day sitting day of the year. Of course, every year in this place feels like a momentous one, and...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Electoral Matters Committee; Appointment (2 speeches)
Mr Speaker has received a message from the Senate informing the House that the Senate has agreed to the following resolution: That the resolution of appointment of the Joint Standing Committee on...
- Publications Committee; Report (1 speech)
I present the first report from the Publications Committee sitting in conference with the Publications Committee of the Senate. Copies of the report are being circulated to honourable members in...
- Standing Committee on Tax and Revenue; Report (2 speeches)
On behalf of the Standing Committee on Tax and Revenue, I present the committee's report, entitled the Tax expenditures statement,together with the minutes of proceedings. Report made a...
- Privileges and Members' Interests Committee; Report (1 speech)
As required by resolution of the House, I table Notification of alterations of interests received during the period 24 June to 1 December 2015. I present the report of the Standing Committee of...
- Delegation Reports (0 speeches)
- Statements (0 speeches)
- Valedictory (5 speeches)
Thank you, Deputy Speaker Mitchell, for the work that you do. It is greatly appreciated by all of us in this place. In thanking and acknowledging the work of the past 12 months, I really want to...
- Valedictory; Valedictory (1 speech)
I would like to give this valedictory on the year that has gone past in agriculture and show what a brilliant year it has been for the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, and go...
- Valedictory (10 speeches)
I am pleased to be able to make a contribution to the valedictories of the 2015 sitting of the parliament. Of course, they are earlier and longer than the normal valedictories because this is a...
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- Indi Electorate: National Big Idea Competition Winners (1 speech)
I have a great news story to share with the House today. A group of young people, business students at Wodonga's La Trobe University, have won the national Big Idea competition. It is sponsored...
- Dawson Electorate: Queensland Sugarcane Growers (1 speech)
I am pleased to report that the Queensland parliament last night did the right thing by Queensland sugarcane growers by passing a law to ensure that they have a choice in the marketing of their...
- Medicinal Cannabis (1 speech)
While many members opposite were wondering whether to take the walk across the hallway to join a different party room over the last 48 hours, we have been focusing on the government's promises...
- Calare Electorate: Local Sporting Champions (1 speech)
It is with great pleasure I rise in the House today to speak about some of the very talented young sportsmen and women we have in Calare. The second round of Local Sporting Champions have been...
- Goods and Services Tax (1 speech)
I know that, for many members opposite, there is a lot going on in their minds at the moment . There is a Special Minister of State regretting that TV confession, a new Prime Minister trying to...
- Capital Gains Tax Initiative (1 speech)
I want to address the House today about a very important issue in the area of innovation. Start-ups are an incredibly important part of our economy but there is an opportunity for them to become...
- Goods and Services Tax (1 speech)
It is nearly time for us all to go home and it is nearly time for Christmas. I have been thinking about families and what they are going to find in their Christmas stocking from our Christmas...
- Parkes Electorate: WAR FM (1 speech)
And now for some good news! I would like to congratulate Gilgandra Community Radio station, WAR FM, for winning two prestigious national awards at the 2015 Community Broadcasting Association of...
- Goods and Services Tax (1 speech)
We have a Prime Minister who wants to redefine 'fairness' by supporting a tax that takes more from the poor than it does from the rich. Now we have a Treasurer wanting to redefine 'friendly' by...
- Brisbane Electorate (1 speech)
I rise today to speak for the last time for the year in this chamber. I want to take this opportunity to briefly reflect on the achievements of the past 12 months. As everyone in this House would...
- Lyne Electorate (1 speech)
It was all happening in the Lyne electorate last weekend, particularly in the Manning Valley. Firstly, I would like to congratulate the Old Bar Growing Friends Garden Club, which organised a...
- Goods and Services Tax (1 speech)
'Now for some good news,' said the member for Parkes a minute ago. I thought he was referring to the new members who had defected from the government to the National Party. They are going up by...
- Solomon Electorate: Salter, Mrs Lillian Kym (1 speech)
I rise today to speak on Darwin's newest centenarian, Lillian Kym Salter, affectionately known as Kym. I recently had the pleasure of meeting Kim at the Pearl residential care facility where she...
- Goods and Services Tax (1 speech)
In the lead-up to Christmas I cannot help but think about the negative impact a GST would have on families at this particular time of year. This mean-spirited government is hell-bent on punishing...
- Moore Electorate: Cash, Ms Joanna Christina (1 speech)
I rise to pay tribute to the extraordinary life of Joanna Christina Cash, who passed away on 20 November. I extend my sincere condolences to her parents, George and Ursula; her sisters, Michaelia...
- Goods and Services Tax (1 speech)
Families can be forgiven if they are slightly confused in the lead-up to this Christmas. First this government said, 'Don't worry. If we introduce a GST, there will be compensation.' We kept...
- Canning Electorate: Bedfordale Connect Bush Markets (1 speech)
On 14 November I had the pleasure of attending the inaugural Bedfordale Connect Bush Markets at the Bedfordale Hall. I was very pleased to see the local community out in force on a Saturday...
- International Day of People with Disability (1 speech)
On the International Day of People with Disability, I offer the deep sorrow and sympathy of all of us in this place to the victims of the senseless shooting that has occurred in San Bernardino,...
- Mallee Electorate: Heartbeat of the Murray Experience (3 speeches)
One of the great things about the Mallee is not only the food that is grown here but the tourism. So it was with a lot of pride that last night the Heartbeat of the Murray Experience was opened...
- Goods and Services Tax (4 speeches)
I note from media reports that the member for Groom and the member for Wright are defecting from Malcolm Turnbull's Liberal Party to the Nationals.
- Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I inform the House that the— Mr Watts interjecting— I think the answer to the member for Gellibrand's invitation would be, quoting Billy Hughes many years ago, that you have to draw...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Special Minister of State (6 speeches)
My question is to the Special Minister of State. I refer to the minister's answers and statements in the House. What discussions did the minister have with the Assistant Minister for Innovation...
- Economy (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister update the House on the importance of productivity, growth and innovation in maintaining a high-wage, First World, fair, social...
- Special Minister of State (20 speeches)
My question is to the Special Minister of State. I refer to the minister's answers and statements in the House, and I refer to the claims made by James Ashby about the Assistant Minister for...
- Financial Services (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister update the House on how the government is protecting the consumer by dealing with excessive credit card surcharging?
- Special Minister of State (2 speeches)
My question is to the Special Minister of State. This week in question time, the minister said: … I at no time passed any diaries to any journalists. Can I be any clearer than that? Can the...
- Water (5 speeches, 1 comment)
() (): Prime Minister, media photos of the $5,000 million Northern Australia development fund featured giant monopolists Wilmar and JBS Swift, and Darwin port monopolist Landbridge, describing...
- Infrastructure (6 speeches)
My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Will the Deputy Prime Minister update the House on what infrastructure projects have been...
- Special Minister of State (15 speeches)
My question is to the Special Minister of State. I refer to the minister's answers and statements in the House concerning his 60 Minutes interview with Liz Hayes. On 30 July 2012 on ABC radio,...
- Trade with China (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Trade and Investment. I congratulate the minister for overnight winning the prestigious Gold Standard Award for policymaker of the year from PublicAffairsAsia...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I inform the House that we have present in the gallery this afternoon the former member for Hasluck, Mr Stuart Henry. On behalf of the House I extend a warm welcome. Honourable members: Hear, hear!
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Special Minister of State (7 speeches)
My question is to the Special Minister of State. I refer to the minister's answers and statements in the House concerning his 60 Minutes interview with Liz Hayes. On 20 July 2012 on ABC Radio the...
- Agriculture and Water Resources (12 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources. Will the minister update the House on how the coalition government has backed farmers, agriculture and rural and regional...
- Special Minister of State (7 speeches)
My question is to the Special Minister of State. I refer to the minister's previous answer. How can the diary have been unsolicited when the minister asked James Ashby, by SMS, for a clearer...
- Travel Advice (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will the minister advise the House what the Australian government is doing to help Australians travelling overseas during the Christmas period...
- Special Minister of State (15 speeches)
My question is to the Special Minister of State. I refer to his previous answers about the Federal Court decisions. How can the minister claim that the Federal Court exonerated him when the full...
- Automotive Industry (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science. On innovation, I would like to commend the Speaker on his support of the employee share ownership schemes earlier this year...
- Special Minister of State (8 speeches)
My question is to the Special Minister of State. I refer to the fact that James Ashby signed a statutory declaration confirming that everything he said in his 60 Minutes interview was true. How,...
- Telecommunications (6 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects, representing the Minister for Communications. Minister, reliable communications are essential for the...
- Special Minister of State (15 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the answers and statements that the Special Minister of State has given in parliament over the past two weeks. Today's Sydney Morning Herald...
- Health Care (3 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Health. I was pleased when the Nepean Blue Mountains PHN was chosen as the first Australian trial site for the all-inclusive creation of My Health Records with...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Special Minister of State; Attempted Censure (12 speeches)
(): I seek leave to move: That the House has no confidence in the Special Minister of State and Minister for Defence Materiel and Science. Leave not granted. I move: That so much of the standing...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Government Response (1 speech)
For the information of honourable members, I present a schedule of outstanding responses to reports of the House of Representatives and joint committees, incorporating reports tabled and details...
- Auditor-General's Reports (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I present the Auditor-General's Audit reports for 2015-16, Performance audits: No. 11—Indigenous Home Ownership Program: Indigenous Business Australia. No. 12—Administration of the...
- 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.
- 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)
by leave—I move: That standing order 31 (automatic adjournment of the House) and standing order 33 (limit on business after normal time of adjournment) be suspended for this sitting. I am...
- Privilege (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
Mr Speaker, I wish to raise a matter of privilege under standing order 51. I would ask you to examine the statements of the Special Minister of State in relation to his involvement in matters...
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Special Minister of State (23 speeches)
I have received a letter from the honourable member for Isaacs proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: “The need for the...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Statements (0 speeches)
- Valedictory (6 speeches)
On indulgence, I am very pleased to rise in the House at the end of the year 2015 to make a few remarks to thank the people in this building who keep the House operating very successfully and...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Public Works Committee; Approval of Work (1 speech)
I move: That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary...
- Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
- Bowen, Mr Jack (1 speech)
For many of us, sporting clubs and recreational activities are the centre of our social lives. This is especially the case for young people. Some of these young people are lucky that they...
- Lindsay Electorate: Nepean River (1 speech)
The electorate of Lindsay is bound and cut through by the beautiful Nepean River. This wonderful freshwater river has served our community for many generations. Many of the farming communities in...
- Reconnect Youth Homelessness Prevention Program (1 speech)
I rise today to commend the work of the Reconnect West, the Reconnect Youth Homelessness Prevent Program in Hobsons Bay and Wyndham. This is a joint program between Uniting Care Werribee Support...
- Bradfield Electorate: North Shore Synagogue (1 speech)
I am very proud of the fact that the electorate of Bradfield is home to the second largest Jewish community in the state of New South Wales. One of the pillars of the Jewish community in the...
- Holt Electorate: Community Carols (1 speech)
We are clearly approaching the festive season. In that spirit, particularly for my constituency, which had some challenges late last year and this year, it is a time, regardless of where we have...
- Dobell Electorate: Tuggerah Lakes Mardi Gras Carnival (1 speech)
The Central Coast was brought to life at The Entrance last weekend with the 63rd annual Tuggerah Lakes Mardi Gras Carnival, formerly known as The Entrance Mardi Gras. The colourful, bright and...
- Butson, Ms Lisa (1 speech)
I would like to acknowledge the achievements of Lisa Butson, a young woman, who went to school at Swansea High School and who has been chosen as a New Colombo Plan fellow. Lisa is an outstanding...
- Broadband (1 speech)
In 2013 I promised the people of Petrie that they would see the NBN rolled out more quickly and more cost-effectively under a coalition government, and with me as the member for Petrie, than they...
- Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project (1 speech)
I rise to express my disappointment at the suspension of the Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project at the Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation centre, otherwise known as MITA, located in my...
- Valedictory (1 speech)
At this time of year every year we tend to look towards our constituents and our families as we approach the end of the parliamentary year. We all know parliament is an adversarial place. I see...
- Chifley Electorate: Sydney West Aboriginal Health Service, Second Sydney Airport (1 speech)
I wanted to speak in relation to the provision of healthcare services for Aboriginal communities residing within the Chifley electorate. Earlier this year there were a series of changes being...
- O'Connor Electorate: Education, Valedictory (1 speech)
As 2015 draws to a close, it is timely for me to acknowledge the young people in O'Connor whose school year is coming to an end. For many of them, their secondary schooling is about to end...
- Perth Electorate: Broadband (1 speech)
I join our colleagues on the other side of the House and wish everyone a fabulous Christmas and a magnificent 2016. Unfortunately, I have to talk about a topic today which is not joyous, and that...
- Hindmarsh Electorate: Education (1 speech)
As the 2015 school year comes to a close and all are looking forward to a well-earned break, I take this opportunity to acknowledge the tremendous work of teachers, principals, governing...
- Health: Hearing Services (1 speech)
We have a new PM but the policies remain the same. Today I call on the Turnbull government to drop Tony Abbott's plans to privatise Australian Hearing and its research arm, National Acoustic...
- Murray-Darling Basin Plan (1 speech)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for allowing me to speak to the parliament today not as health minister but as local member for Farrer in the New South Wales Murray region. Today I want to sound...
- Family Payments (1 speech)
Despite the harmful legacy of the 2014 budget, the Turnbull government is still intent on hurting families by cutting the family tax benefit. Labor has managed to protect grandparent carers from...
- Anti-Terrorism Legislation (1 speech)
I rise to speak about my concerns in relation to the lack of questioning time under preventative detention legislation and the interviewing of suspects held in detention for terrorist-related...
- Greenway Electorate: International Volunteer Day (1 speech)
This Saturday marks International Volunteer Day, and I rise to celebrate and recognise the outstanding contribution and spirit of volunteerism in my electorate of Greenway. There is no area of my...
- Braddon Electorate: Economy (2 speeches)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. You'd better watch out, you'd better not cry, you'd better not pout, 'cos I'm telling you why: Braddon in Tasmania is heading in the right direction. I would like...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Standing Committee on Procedure; Report (2 speeches)
I am delighted to speak on the Standing Committee of Procedure report Provisions for a more family-friendly chamber. I felt it was important that this report not go unremarked in this chamber,...
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Barker Electorate: Bushfires (1 speech)
) ( ): I rise today to speak about bushfires and tourism in my electorate of Barker. My electorate of Barker, and South Australia more broadly, is facing a once in a hundred years rainfall...
- Timor Sea Treaty (1 speech)
The Timor Sea Treaty, following the restoration of independence in Timor-Leste in May 2002, did not settle maritime boundaries between Australia and Timor-Leste. If these boundaries were drawn...
- Tasmania: Economy (1 speech)
I seek leave to speak without closing the debate. Leave granted. The approaching Christmas and New Year period is always a time for reflection. I was going through some clippings from...
- Vietnam: Human Rights (1 speech)
Over the past three months I have had the pleasure of hosting Tuan Anh Nguyen as an intern in my office. Tuan is a Vietnamese citizen who for the past two years has been working with VOICE, a...
- South Grafton Public School: Lego League, Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service: Rip it for Rescue, Northern Rivers Social Development Council (1 speech)
A group of young inventors from South Grafton Public School took part in the FIRST Lego League, in Sydney on Tuesday 1 December. The Lego League is a worldwide event with 250,000 students from 90...
- Child Care (1 speech)
I rise today to talk about childcare reform at a time when we can see just how much of a missed opportunity and, indeed, an anticlimax the government's childcare reform process is turning out to...
- Capricornia Electorate: Water (1 speech)
I rise in the House today to remind the people of Capricornia that I am in Canberra fighting for a significant share of Commonwealth support for water infrastructure projects. There are three key...
- Calwell Electorate: Hume City Council (1 speech)
I am very pleased to have the opportunity to speak today about the fantastic work of my local Hume City Council. Just in the past two weeks, Hume City Council has hosted two very successful and...
- Valedictory (1 speech)
It is hard to believe that 2015 has come and almost gone. It has been another busy year which has had its ups and downs. We said goodbye to two members of our Tuesday lunch group, Don Randall and...
- Parramatta Electorate: Community Peace Dinner, Maltese Anzacs (1 speech)
On Saturday 5 December, I will be attending a community peace dinner hosted by the Leigh Memorial congregation of Parramatta Mission. This follows on from a Parramatta Mission peace service event...
- Cowan Electorate: Infrastructure (2 speeches)
When I look back upon the last eight years, I can see that a lot of infrastructure has been provided in Cowan. I personally have been involved in many petitions and other advocacy is since 2004....
- Corangamite Electorate: Crystal Methamphetamine (1 speech)
Today I rise to make a desperate plea to my own government in relation to the scourge of ice in our community. Let me first say that the initiatives by our government in consultation with the...
- Asian Century (1 speech)
Most members of this chamber will agree that Australia's future prosperity depends on our making our way in the Asian century. It is well known that four out of our five top trading partners are...
- Koo Wee Rup Football Club, Road Safety (1 speech)
Today in the first part of my address I am going to celebrate and then in the second part I am going to recriminate. I am celebrating country sport in the first instance. Because of my inability...
- Bendigo Electorate (1 speech)
It has been a big year for us in central Victoria and it has had its high points and its low points. Given what our town has become world famous for, I thought it was important to put on the...
- Robertson Electorate: Illicit Drugs (1 speech)
I rise today to update the House on the vital and important work of the Robertson Tackling Drugs and Alcohol Committee. Over the past several months the committee has met several times and...
- Hill, Ms Jane (1 speech)
I rise in the House today to acknowledge the passing of a Labor stalwart of the Mornington Peninsula, Jane Hill. Jane was the state member for Frankston and then Frankston North during the time...
- Broadband (3 speeches)
Over the last few months I have been collecting signatures for a petition. It is a petition calling on the government to prioritise Canberra's NBN rollout, and today my petition has 774...
- Hinkler Electorate, Randall, Mr Donald James (1 speech)
Tomorrow, Bundaberg will become the first city in Queensland to connect to the NBN fibre-to-the-node network. As many in this place will already know, I fought hard to ensure my region was one of...
- Werriwa Electorate: Hurlstone Agricultural High School (1 speech)
In 2009, when the rather questionable suggestion emanated from the then Labor government in New South Wales to abandon and abolish Hurlstone Agricultural High School, the then Liberal opposition...
- Liquid Natural Gas Industry (1 speech)
Australia's economic growth is being underpinned by investment in liquefied natural gas, which is currently at record levels. The growth rate for the quarter was stronger than forecast. The...
- Climate Change (1 speech)
The international conference in Paris this week has placed a timely focus on climate change. Climate change is a global problem; it is a serious problem. Mounting scientific data confirms that....
- Barker Electorate (3 speeches)
I speak for the final time in 2015 and I think it is probably an apt time to reflect on some of the achievements of this year. Before I do, I want to talk about the overwhelming sense of optimism...
