House debates
Monday, 5 February 2018
- Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
- Members Sworn (1 speech)
I have received a return to the writ which I issued on 13 November 2017 for the election of a member to serve for the electoral division of Bennelong, in the state of New South Wales, to fill the...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Petitions Committee; Report (1 speech)
Today I present the 19th report of the Petitions Committee for the 45th Parliament together with 97 petitions and 20 ministerial responses to petitions previously presented. This report is the...
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- Responses (1 speech)
I present the following ministerial responses to petitions previously presented:
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Private Members' Business (0 speeches)
- Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (9 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) acknowledges the importance of the trade and economic relationship between Australia and Japan; (2) welcomes the sixty year anniversary since the signing of the...
- Domestic and Family Violence (10 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) one in three Australian women have experienced physical violence since the age of 15; and (b) two thirds of women who experience violence...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Suspension of Standing and Sessional Orders (1 speech)
I move: That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the following from occurring: (1) today, if any member draws the attention of the Speaker to the state of the House: (a)...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- National Basketball Association (1 speech)
I rise today to express my outrage at the exclusion of Australian Ben Simmons from this year's NBA All-Star game. In a record-breaking rookie year for the Philadelphia 76ers, Ben is currently...
- Robertson Electorate: Australia Day Awards (1 speech)
I rise to speak about some incredible individuals on the Central Coast who have recently been honoured with awards on Australia Day. Five people received an Order of Australia, including Tom...
- Tasmania: Biosecurity (1 speech)
Tasmania has a fruit fly emergency on its hands. Fruit fly has been found in Flinders Island and also in my electorate. The Tasmanian fruit industry is worth almost $200 million, employing...
- O'Connor Electorate: Employment (1 speech)
I recently hosted a youth PaTH forum in the beautiful seaside town of Esperance in my electorate. This was an opportunity to promote the PaTH program to local businesses and to unemployed young...
- Tasmania: Biosecurity (1 speech)
You can't muck around when it comes to biosecurity, and certainly not in Tasmania. We're GM free, we're hormone promoting free, and until the last month we were fruit fly free. Now all the hard...
- Higher Education (1 speech)
Universities have a responsibility to pass knowledge from one generation to the next. When universities neglect their responsibility to pass on the accumulated knowledge of our society and...
- Tasmania: Biosecurity (1 speech)
I thank both the member for Lyons and the member for Braddon for the contributions they have made today about the very important issue of fruit fly being discovered in Tasmania. This pest has the...
- La Trobe Electorate: Australia Day Awards (1 speech)
Today I'm delighted to acknowledge the Australia Day awards that have been bestowed upon two residents within La Trobe. The first is Frank Phillips, who has been awarded the Order of Australia...
- Kangaroo Island: Heart Disease (1 speech)
I'm proud to share the news that Kangaroo Island is now recognised by the international HEARTSafe Communities program as Australia's first HEARTSafe community. This title identifies Kangaroo...
- Australian Men's Shed Association (1 speech)
I rise today to acknowledge the work of the Australian Men's Sheds Association and the sheds they represent across my electorate and indeed Australia. In fact, Australia's very first Men's Shed...
- Morris, Ms Narelle (1 speech)
It was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of one of Parramatta's local heroes, Narelle Morris. Narelle started volunteering with Holroyd Community Aid in 2004, quickly moving into a...
- Bennelong By-Election (1 speech)
It's a real honour to serve as the member for Bennelong. The last few months of 2017 were chaotic. I say thank you to everyone who supported me, backed our campaign and voted for me as...
- Canberra Electorate: Broadband (1 speech)
Last week NBN Co updated its rollout map, forcing Canberrans to face yet another delay in connecting to the technology patchwork that is the NBN. My community suffers from some of the worst...
- Bougias, Mr Lou (1 speech)
On Australia Day, I was able to honour more than 50 local people who've made outstanding contributions to the community, including Lou Bougias. His story came to light following a Facebook post...
- Centrelink (1 speech)
You know when you sort of wake up and think: 'Just how disastrous is this government? What's next?' I think a lot of people would think, 'Seriously, can the government have spent $430,000 on an...
- Chisholm Electorate: Australia Day Awards (1 speech)
On Australia Day some very special Chisholm residents were acknowledged as part of our nation's honours system. Professor David Kissane was made a Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent...
- Biosecurity (1 speech)
Earlier today, the members for Braddon, Bass and Lyons made an appeal to governments, plural, to start taking Australia's biosecurity more seriously. Their immediate concern is the incursion of...
- Mallee Electorate: Air Ambulance Transfer Station (1 speech)
The people I serve are the people who live in Mallee. I always say they should be able to drive on a decent road, make a mobile phone call, have good educational opportunities for their children...
- Rural and Regional Australia (1 speech)
We've got to do something this year about growing inequality in this country. It's a problem. The Prime Minister is blind to it, but the rest of parliament should not be. If you live in rural or...
- Gordon, Mr Michael (2 speeches)
Mr Speaker, there's a space up there in the press gallery. He walked me into the San Remo Hotel. He took me through to the back. He walked me up to the Channel Challenge honour board. There on...
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Taxation (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Last year company profits increased by 20 per cent while average wages for Australians increased by just two per cent, so why is the Prime Minister giving...
- Employment, Economy (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister update the House on how the government's policies are driving jobs, investment and economic growth, including in my electorate of...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I inform the House that we have present in the gallery this afternoon the Hon. Michael Lee, former minister and former member for Dobell. On behalf of the House, I extend a very warm welcome to...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Taxation (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Why is the Prime Minister increasing taxes on ordinary working Australians by about $300 every year at the same time as wages growth is at record lows?
- Economy (2 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer update the House on implementation of the government's plan to grow the economy to support more and better paid jobs, including the more than...
- Mining (2 speeches)
My question is for the Minister for the Environment and Energy. I refer to reports that Adani tampered with scientific evidence in relation to contamination of sensitive wetlands with coal-laden...
- Batman By-Election (6 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. For four decades the trickle-down troika of Labor, Liberal and big business have sold off public assets with privatisation after privatisation, but with...
- Inland Rail (2 speeches)
My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Will the Deputy Prime Minister update the House on the government's progress on delivering the Inland...
- Private Health Insurance (3 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. The cost of private health insurance has never been higher. So why won't the Prime Minister support Labor's plan to cap private health insurance increases,...
- Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (2 speeches)
My question is for the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment. Will the minister outline to the House the benefits of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and what this agreement means for...
- Private Health Insurance (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Some of the big private health insurance companies are making a return on equity of over 20 per cent, a return even larger than the big banks. At the same...
- Defence Industry (2 speeches)
My question is for the Minister for Defence Industry. Will the minister update the House on the government's Defence Export Strategy and its ambition to make Australian defence exports among the...
- Housing Affordability (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister: The Prime Minister and the Treasurer both claimed that Labor's reforms to negative gearing would be like a sledgehammer to property prices. Why were the...
- Trade (4 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs: Will the minister update the House on the government's efforts to promote economic links between Australia and markets in the Indo-Pacific? Is...
- National Integrity Commission (3 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. All Australians deserve to have confidence in their government, their parliament and, of course, the Commonwealth Public Service. The Prime Minister has...
- National Security (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. Will the minister update the House on the importance of strong and consistent border protection policies for Australia's national security agenda?...
- Housing Affordability (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. The Deputy Prime Minister has told first home buyers in Sydney to move to the country, saying, 'Houses will always be incredibly expensive if you can see the...
- Small Business (3 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Small and Family Business, the Workplace, and Deregulation. Will the minister update the House on actions the government is taking to make it easier for small...
- Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I table for the information of the House a revised ministry list reflecting changes made on 20 December 2017. The document read as follows—
- Questions to the Speaker (0 speeches)
- Questions in Writing (2 speeches)
Mr Speaker, under standing order 105(b), where replies have not been received 60 days after a question first appeared on the Notice Paper, may I please request you to write to the Minister...
- Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
- (8 speeches)
Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.
- Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
- Qualifications of Members (1 speech)
For the information of members, I present a copy of a letter from the Chief Executive and Principal Registrar of the High Court of Australia dated 8 December 2017, relating to the reference to...
- Member for Batman; Resignation (1 speech)
I also inform the House that, on 1 February this year, I received a letter from David Feeney resigning his seat as the member for the electoral division of Batman. Consideration is being given to...
- Parliamentary Office Holders (0 speeches)
- Speaker's Panel (1 speech)
Pursuant to standing order 17, I lay on the table my warrant revoking the nomination of the honourable member for Durack to be a member of the Speaker's panel. I also lay on the table my warrant...
- 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.
- Auditor-General's Reports (0 speeches)
- Delegation Reports (0 speeches)
- Australian Parliamentary Delegation to India (1 speech)
I present the report of the Australian Parliamentary Delegation to India from 28 October to 4 November 2017, and I ask leave of the House to make a short statement in connection with the report....
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
I move: That business intervening before Order of the Day No. 6, government business, be postponed until a later hour this day. Question agreed to.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Australia Day (1 speech)
In recent times, there has been an increasing level of debate about the significance of Australia Day being held on 26 January. There is no doubt that this has the potential to be a divisive...
- Solomon Islands: International Development Assistance (1 speech)
The long-term friendship between Australia and the Solomon Islands is based on a shared history and common interests. We're both parliamentary democracies located in the Pacific and part of the...
- Cowan Electorate: Health Care (1 speech)
Every parent knows this story: that pit in your stomach as you watch your child struggle to breathe and with a soaring temperature that just won't go down. The midnight run to the hospital...
- Mackellar Electorate: Schools (1 speech)
Late last year I was fortunate enough to visit the Forest High School as they celebrated the end of the school year, the achievements of their students and their positive impact on the community....
- South Australian State Election: Nick Xenophon Team (1 speech)
Previously in this place I've given a few speeches about the undemocratic nature of the Nick Xenophon Team, about how four people control this party, about how there are many members of this...
- Canning Electorate (1 speech)
It's my belief that security is the precondition for prosperity. To be truly free, we must first be secure. The people of Canning are concerned about three types of security. They are concerned...
- Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
- Private Health Insurance (1 speech)
Several days ago I received an email from a resident of my electorate, and I want to read part of it. It says: I have been a dialysis patient and disability pensioner for 24 years. I have no...
- Norman, Mr Robert John (1 speech)
You don't meet many people in your life who are gifted enough to inspire change in business in a community and who leave a long-lasting impression on all of those that they meet. Robert John...
- Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1 speech)
It's no surprise that the ABC continues to be far and away the most trusted source of news in this country, including in my electorate of Fremantle. It's no surprise that Australians from every...
- Defence Industry (1 speech)
Two hundred billion dollars—that's the headline number regarding the federal government's investments in our defence capabilities. It's a significant investment, demonstrating this...
- Energy (1 speech)
On 28 January this year, constituents in a number of suburbs in my electorate experienced power outages on a day when the maximum temperature soared past 40 degrees and the minimum barely fell...
- Australia Day Awards (1 speech)
This Australia Day, once again, those who go above and beyond in their contributions to our community were recognised with Order of Australia awards. Emeritus Professor Russell Duncan Lansbury...
- Calwell Electorate: Roxburgh Park Football Club (1 speech)
I rise today to congratulate Roxburgh Park Football Club on being named Victorian Good Sports Club of the Year. I commend the club for the important work they have done and continue to do in...
- Bradfield Electorate: Edgeworth David Community Garden (1 speech)
I rise to speak about the Edgeworth David Community Garden in Hornsby. A little over a year ago I had the chance to visit the garden, meet some of the volunteers and formally announce the grant...
- Wenham, Professor Stuart (1 speech)
I pay tribute to Professor Stuart Wenham of the University of New South Wales who, unfortunately, recently lost his battle with melanoma. If you have solar panels on your rooftop then you've...
- Australia Day (2 speeches)
On 26 January we celebrated Australia Day, which is the day for all Australians to celebrate our peaceful, free and democratic nation. It's a day when we celebrate and recognise our Indigenous...
- Private Members' Business (0 speeches)
- Myanmar: Rakhine State (7 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) Amnesty International has evidence that hundreds of Rohingya women, men and children have been killed since the escalation of a violent assault in...
- City Deals (13 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) welcomes the Government's action to make our cities better places to live in and do business through ongoing City Deal developments in Townsville, Launceston, Western...
- Aviation Rescue and Firefighting Services (7 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) declares: (a) its support for the vital work performed each and every day by the highly trained professionals providing aviation rescue and fire fighting (ARFF)...
- Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (6 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) acknowledges the important contribution that the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (Efic) makes to supporting Australian exporters; (2) notes the recent...
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- New South Wales: Roads (1 speech)
One of the reasons I entered this parliament was to bridge the great divide between the city and the country. Our electorate lies on the western side of the Great Dividing Range—the...
- Tasmania: Schools (1 speech)
The Tasmanian Liberal government have been crowing about record education spending, but the government, Deputy Speaker Claydon, are lying, because it turns out that they've actually been cutting...
- Australia Day (1 speech)
I was delighted on Australia Day to be able to present community Australia Day awards in my electorate of Menzies for the 23rd year running. Indeed, some 600 people joined me at the Manningham...
- Brand Electorate: Schools (1 speech)
Nearly 60 schools across the electorate of Brand opened their doors last week to welcome new and old students to the new school year. Our growing community has two new primary schools this year:...
- Chisholm Electorate: Blessing of the Waters (1 speech)
One of the great joys of being a member of parliament is attending marvellous events which celebrate our vibrant multicultural communities. To commence 2018, I was honoured to represent Prime...
- Workplace Relations (1 speech)
Although I did not make the Theophania this year, I was very pleased that one of my constituents was successful in swimming out and grabbing the cross. So I'm pleased to have been in the chamber...
- Mallee Electorate: Infrastructure (1 speech)
The people who live in my patch work very hard, and often the things that we're trying to get for them are basic infrastructure so that we can get the products that they produce to the...
- Australia Day (1 speech)
On 26 January, people all over Parramatta got together to mark Australia Day. They got together with friends and family to reflect or celebrate. My local councils hosted a number of citizenship...
- National Integrity Commission (1 speech)
I think the calls for a new national corruption body are wrong. Australia has one of the best justice systems in the world. We have a system where everybody is treated equally before the law...
- Australia Day (1 speech)
I want to congratulate the Illawarra and Southern Highlands Australia Day award winners. In particular, from Shellharbour there was Kiki Cuda, who was the youngest ever winner of the Shellharbour...
- Annual Health Check (1 speech)
As we welcomed in the year 2018, many Australians made resolutions at the beginning of the new year: getting into shape, reading more or learning a new language. It's still early, but I hope...
- Payday Loans (1 speech)
Today is 'payday mayday'. The front page of today's Courier-Mail says it all. As the cost of living dramatically rises under this government, 1.8 million households are now financially distressed...
- Dunkley Electorate: Australia Day (1 speech)
I was honoured to participate again this year in the Australia Day citizenship ceremonies hosted by both the Frankston City Council and the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council. Well done, in...
- Infrastructure (1 speech)
During the recent Christmas break, one of the most illustrative political farces was the naming—or I should say the misnaming—of one of Sydney Harbour's new ferries by the New South...
- Dunkley Electorate: Australia Day Awards (1 speech)
Today I also wanted to make my colleagues aware of the fantastic work of another dedicated Dunkley local, Mrs Gillian Tolley of Mornington, who on Australia Day was awarded the Medal of the Order...
- Afghanistan (1 speech)
I rise to condemn the horror of the ongoing and devastating violence in Kabul, Afghanistan, because, of course, many Australians are currently serving and working in Kabul right now, and many...
- Dawson Electorate: Cyclone Debbie (1 speech)
It is over 10 months, almost, since Cyclone Debbie crossed the coast in the Whitsundays. The problem is that not all the insurance claims have yet been settled and, along with that, there are...
- Herbert Electorate: JCU Townsville Fire (1 speech)
I stand here today, very proudly, to congratulate the JCU Townsville Fire on an outstanding win in the 2017-18 Women's National Basketball League championship. Once again, women are leading the...
- Brisbane Electorate: Spirit of Life Boutique (1 speech)
I love visiting small businesses for everything they represent: effort, enterprise, jobs and local opportunities. I recently met with a small business owner Debra Taylor, who owns and operators a...
- Wills Electorate: Australia Day Awards (1 speech)
I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate two members of the community in my electorate of Wills who were inducted into the Order of Australia on Australia Day this year. I'd like to...
- Daley, Mr Patrick John OAM (1 speech)
I rise to speak about a person I am honoured to call a friend, a friend who has over five decades made contribution after contribution to our community. I speak, of course, of Patrick John Daley....
- Central Victoria: General Practice (1 speech)
There's a growing problem that we've got in central Victoria: we are facing a new GP shortage because of repeated government policy failures. The health minister and the government will tell you...
- Leichhardt Electorate: Daintree River Ferry (1 speech)
For five days, at the end of this month, the Daintree River Ferry will be dry-docked to allow for an inspection to take place. While not forgoing the safety importance of any inspection on the...
- Western Australia: Infrastructure (1 speech)
When I was a kid we marvelled at the stunts of Evel Knievel, but I can tell you that Evel Knievel had nothing on the member for Tangney, who continues to promote a stunt that is bigger and...
- Boothby Electorate: Brighton Jetty Sculptures (1 speech)
On Wednesday, 24 January, I was delighted to attend the launch of a wonderful community event in my electorate of Boothby—the 11th annual Brighton Jetty Sculptures. This major fundraising...
- Barton Electorate: 1st Hurstville Scout Group (1 speech)
I rise today to pay tribute to the 1st Hurstville Scout Group. In August I had the privilege to meet group leaders John Dwyer and Helen Dwyer. The group is preparing to celebrate 110 years of...
- Bennelong Electorate: Australia Day Awards (1 speech)
Australia Day is a time for us to recognise many of the vital people at the heart of our community who set a fine example for us all to follow. I would like to mention two of these people here...
- Argy, Dr Fred (1 speech)
On 2 January, Australia lost one of our great economists, Fred Argy. Fred worked originally in business before completing a Bachelor of Economics in 1956 and a Master of Economics in 1960. He...
- Moore Electorate: Roads (2 speeches)
Improving east-west traffic connectivity between the residential and commercial areas within my electorate and beyond is one of my key priorities. Construction works are well advanced on the...
- Private Members' Business (0 speeches)
- Plastic Bags (9 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) plastic bags are detrimental to the environment; (b) Australians use an estimated 5 billion plastic bags a year, which represents over 20 million bags...
- ThinkUKnow (10 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) recognises the: (a) importance of educating and protecting our children in the online space; and (b) work of the Australian Federal Police...
- Cambodian Elections (8 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) recognises: (a) the role of Australia in helping to broker the Paris Peace Accords (PPA); and (b) that one of the core promises of the PPA was to provide the...
- Taxation and Superannuation (11 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) recognises positive effect of the Government's measures to assist more hard working Australians to: (a) earn more through the tax system, in particular by:...
