House debates
Monday, 15 February 2021
- 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 nomination of the honourable member for O'Connor and nominating the honourable member for Swan to be a member of the...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Petitions Committee; Report (1 speech)
I present the 21st report of the Petitions Committee for the 46th Parliament, comprising 127 petitions and 106 ministerial responses to petitions previously presented. This is the first report of...
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- Responses (1 speech)
I present the following ministerial responses to petitions previously presented:
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Private Members' Business (0 speeches)
- Social Media Platforms (9 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) is alarmed by the undue pain and distress experienced by Australians who are defamed, bullied or otherwise harassed on social media platforms; (2) notes that: (a)...
- Closing the Gap (12 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) acknowledges: (a) that on 13 February 2008 the then Prime Minister made a national apology to the Stolen Generations on behalf of the Parliament and the nation; and...
- Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Minister for Home Affairs (14 speeches)
I seek leave to move the following motion: That the House: (1) notes: (a) the Minister for Home Affairs arbitrarily rejected merit-based recommendations made by his Department for the...
- Crown Resorts (13 speeches)
I move: That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Melbourne from moving the following motion immediately: That this House: (1) notes the Bergin report...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- Lunar New Year (1 speech)
It's lunar new year again, and we ring in the Year of the Ox—a time of stability and calmness, which is something we need. It's interesting the way the lunar new year usually gives us...
- Rural and Regional Services: Health (1 speech)
During the last week, I was very pleased to host the Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government, Mark Coulton, in my electorate. We met with a number of...
- COVID-19: Arts and Entertainment Industry (1 speech)
Last week, on Monday 8 February, I joined some wonderful supporters and volunteers at the Capri Cinema in my electorate to call on the Prime Minister to do more to support independent cinemas...
- Chinese New Year, China (1 speech)
I extend my warm wishes for the new year to the many Australian Chinese communities—the Year of the Ox. Happy new year! Australia is blessed to have a large number of diverse Chinese...
- Veterans (1 speech)
I want to talk about an issue which is of great importance to our nation but which, unfortunately, isn't being treated as important by those opposite, the members of the government. It is the...
- Bonner Electorate: Infrastructure (1 speech)
I'm very pleased to share with the House that the Lota Skatepark and the Minnippi Parklands bikeway are two of the 41 projects to benefit from a $40 million Morrison government injection into...
- Pearce, Mr Kevin, OAM (1 speech)
In January, the late Kevin Pearce was posthumously awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his service to the Wyong community. Kevin worked as a criminal lawyer with Aubrey Brown Lawyers on the...
- Energy (1 speech)
I have some good news. Today the Essential Services Commission of South Australia released figures showing that electricity prices in my home state have fallen by an average of $111 a year for...
- Indi Electorate: People with Disability (1 speech)
There are times when I'm so proud to share the story of a local hero in my electorate. Today, I commend Ms Jennifer Tait, who has dedicated her life to helping people with disabilities. Ms Tait...
- Board, Ms Jennifer (1 speech)
Two Friday nights ago, Townsville lost a young woman to a senseless crime. Twenty-two-year-old Jennifer Board had only just bought her new motorbike when she was hit by a car that was chasing a...
- Eden-Monaro Electorate: Tumbatrek (1 speech)
Thank you. I rise today fresh from a 9.5-kilometre walk through the both beautiful and traumatised landscape of the Snowy Valleys. Tumbatrek was the brainchild of the late Deputy Prime Minister...
- Forde Electorate: Twin Rivers Community Mallet Sports Club (1 speech)
I'm very proud to be the patron of the Twin Rivers Community Mallet Sports Club, one of the many great sports clubs in my electorate of Forde. This club was formed by Des and Beryl Schodel and...
- Covid-19 (1 speech)
It is a difficult thing to be here while my home state is in a five-day lockdown and it is heartbreaking for all the Melburnians and Victorians who have endured so much throughout this pandemic....
- Anzac Day (1 speech)
I rise to speak on an issue that is absolutely outrageous. In Queensland the RSLs have put forward a proposal with a COVID-safe plan to the Queensland government for a very modest Anzac Day dawn...
- Etsy (1 speech)
Earlier today I spoke in the Federation Chamber about Etsy, which is an online, US based shopping portal. It's a very popular website, especially with women. It sells a lot of handmade,...
- Employment (3 speeches)
After months of silence from members opposite about what the policy of the Labor Party was on anything, we have finally had a thought bubble from the Leader of the Opposition. If this is the best...
- Sexual Harassment (1 speech)
How many times do we have to hear about sexual harassment, discrimination and even assault occurring in the corridors of this parliament, or in the bars and boardrooms surrounding it, before...
- Food Labelling (1 speech)
Last week the Australian and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation drove a stake through the heart of the citrus industry in my electorate of Mallee. Now, 100 per cent fruit and...
- Morrison Government (1 speech)
Rorts, rorts and more rorts—that's the standard Australians now expect from the Morrison government, because this is a government whose members are only in it for themselves. Just the...
- Australian Labor Party: Housing Affordability (2 speeches)
() (): With Labor, it's always them first, you last. At the last election, Labor said negative gearing was critical to housing affordability. They knew it wasn't true, and yesterday Labor MPs...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Members of Parliament: Staff (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister advise the House how the government has responded to the allegation that a woman was sexually assaulted in the defence minister's...
- COVID 19: Vaccines (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister inform the House about the latest developments in the Morrison government's COVID-19 vaccination strategy and how the rollout of...
- Workplace Relations (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister agree that two workers doing the same job at the same workplace should get the same pay?
- COVID 19: Vaccines (2 speeches)
My question is to the minister for health. Will the minister please update the House of the Morrison government's response to COVID-19, including the vaccine rollout, and how this approach will...
- Workplace Relations (6 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister now tell the House whether he agrees that two workers doing the same job at the same workplace should get the same pay?
- China (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. Minister, you're aware of China's Daru initiative in the Fly River, half of New Guinea. The Singapore Strait is controlled by Muslims enraged by...
- Transport Industry: COVID-19 Vaccine (2 speeches)
My question is to the vaccine and how this will be critical to the Morrison-McCormack government in building a stronger Australia?
- Workplace Relations (9 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister, and I refer to the working conditions of Queensland coalminers Simon and Ron. They work in the Bowen Basin, in the same job with the same boss, side-by-side...
- JobKeeper Payment (2 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer please update the House on the success of the Morrison government's JobKeeper program and how it proved to be such a valuable lifeline for jobs...
- Workplace Relations (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Industrial Relations. The minister says that paying at least the minimum wage to every worker is complicated. What exactly is complicated about workers being...
- COVID-19: Income Support Payments (2 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. Would the Treasurer remind the House of the wide range of economic supports the Morrison government is providing to create a stronger Australia as we continue to...
- Employment (2 speeches)
My question is for the Minister for Industrial Relations. Could the minister outline to the House which workers the government believes should be paid less than the minimum wage?
- COVID-19: Business (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology. Will the minister please outline to the House how the Morrison government is backing innovative businesses to commercialise...
- Workplace Relations (8 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, food delivery rider Rosya suffered a concussion and an arm injury in a road accident while on the job. She says she had to return to work...
- COVID-19: Film Industry (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts. Will the minister update the House on how the Morrison government's handling of the pandemic,...
- Morrison Government (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Was the decision by the Minister for Home Affairs to provide the National Retail Association an $880,000 grant from the proceeds of crime, after they had...
- Agriculture (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management. Will the minister outline to the House how the Morrison-McCormack government's trade pillar of the Ag2030 plan is...
- Safer Communities Fund (4 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister aware that the $880,000 grant to the National Retail Association was a completely one-off separate grant from the safer communities...
- HomeBuilder (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Housing and Assistant Treasurer. Will the minister please update the House on how the Morrison government's HomeBuilder grant is creating and supporting jobs in...
- Safer Communities Fund (4 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. Why did the minister announce two Safer Communities Fund grants during the Braddon by-election before grant guidelines were written, before grant...
- Defence Industry (6 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Defence Industry. Will the minister outline to the House how the Morrison government's record investment in Australia's defence industry is helping to create...
- Minister for Home Affairs (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. Why did the minister reject merit based recommendations from his own community safety experts for the Safer Communities Fund and redirect funding...
- Resources Sector (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia. Can the minister inform the House how the Morrison-McCormack government is supporting investment in the Australian...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Minister for Home Affairs (14 speeches)
I seek leave to move the following motion: That the House: (1) notes: (a) the Minister for Home Affairs cut funding to projects recommended by community safety experts in his department to fund...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Statement by the Speaker (0 speeches)
- Deputy Clerk (1 speech)
I have a short statement to provide some information to members. As many of you would know, shortly after the House rose last year, our Deputy Clerk, Catherine Cornish, made known her intention...
- 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.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Suspension of Standing and Sessional Orders (3 speeches)
by leave—I move: That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Groom making a statement immediately and that the Member speak without limitation of time....
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre (1 speech)
I was just amused by that comedy. Last week I was honoured to visit the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre at its dedicated facility at Darwin airport and later at its Howard...
- Travel Agents (1 speech)
Today, in this place and also in the Federation Chamber, much has been said about the plight of our nation's travel agents, and justifiably so. There are some 40,000 people in the industry, 80...
- Paterson Electorate: Independent Cinemas (1 speech)
Most of us love a trip to the movies—the smell of popcorn, the choc-top and the big screen. Last week I visited Scotty's Cinemas in Raymond Terrace in my electorate of Paterson. I was...
- COVID-19: Business (1 speech)
I rise this evening to pay tribute to the businesses across my electorate. Like many others across the nation, they face challenges like never before. Far North Queensland, especially Cairns and...
- Werriwa Electorate: Aged Care, Liverpool City Council: 2168 Children's Parliament, COVID-19: Australians Overseas (1 speech)
This government is not on the side of Australian families. Whether it's cutting wages, breaking promises, rorting community grants or making dishonest land deals, they continue to neglect...
- Bloom, Ms Sam (1 speech)
Who amongst us here is good enough to have a movie made about their lives? Who can claim to be so charismatic that Naomi Watts would be happy to portray us? None, I am guessing. But such a person...
- Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
- St Sava College (1 speech)
I was honoured to be invited to the opening of St Sava College in Varroville last month with my colleague the member for Macarthur, the state member for Macquarie Fields and the member for...
- Wentworth Electorate: Boosting Female Founders Initiative (1 speech)
I want to congratulate three innovative and accomplished women in the Wentworth community who were successful in receiving a Boosting Female Founders Initiative grant recently. Members may know...
- COVID-19: Income Support Payments (1 speech)
The Morrison government's focus on announcement over delivery is putting at risk tens of thousands of jobs of workers in our travel and tourism industry and the small businesses that employ them....
- Boothby Electorate: Australia Day Awards (1 speech)
I would like to congratulate our Australia Day award winners in Boothby. The City of Mitcham's Young Citizen of the Year is Tom Morrison, who has been a vocal advocate for our local environment....
- Western Australia: Bushfires (1 speech)
Last summer's unprecedented bushfires, our first national climate change disaster, were of course concentrated in Victoria and New South Wales. While there were significant fires in Western...
- Braddon Electorate: Wave Energy (1 speech)
It's my pleasure to update the House on an exciting project that's taking place in Grassy Harbour on King Island. Thanks to a collaboration between the Morrison government, Wave Swell Energy...
- Aged Care (1 speech)
The royal commission into aged care will be completed and delivered at the end of this month. The recommendations are vital to fixing the flaws—indeed, fault lines—in aged care in...
- Food Labelling (1 speech)
It's my melancholy duty to inform the chamber about the decision recently by the Australian and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation, which rubberstamped the previous decision of...
- Calwell Electorate: Grech, Mr Charlie (1 speech)
At our Australia Day citizenship ceremony this year, it was an honour to be present when Mr Charlie Grech was named Hume City Council Senior Citizen of the Year. Charlie was unfortunately unable...
- Lindsay Electorate: Manufacturing, Hotel Energy Uplift Program (2 speeches)
I am passionate about ensuring Western Sydney is at the heart of the new era in manufacturing. That's why last week I was proud to join the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction to take a...
- Private Members' Business (0 speeches)
- Tourism Industry (16 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) acknowledges the dire financial situation facing travel agents and the tourism industry in general as a result of Australia's current health and economic crisis; (2)...
- Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (9 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) recognises that the Government has established the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) as the frontline defence in the Government's fight to...
- COVID-19: Economy (10 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) notes that in July 2020, the UN Sustainable Development Goals index ranked Australia third globally for our management of the COVID-19 crisis, but 37th for our...
- COVID-19: Gambling (2 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) Australian Institute for Family Studies research shows that more than half a million Australian adults regularly bet on sports; (b) 41 per cent of...
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- Mayo Electorate: Langhorne Creek Wine Region (1 speech)
The wine region of Langhorne Creek sits on the rich soil of a flood plain in a cool-climate region, resulting in high-quality grapes that produce many sought-after varietals. Langhorne Creek, in...
- Ivermectin (1 speech)
On Saturday The Canberra Times published an article in which it referred to ivermectin as both a treatment and prophylaxis for COVID as 'a snake oil remedy'. Therefore, I'd like to take this...
- Members of Parliament: Staff (1 speech)
Today we were confronted with yet another shocking revelation of alleged sexual harassment within this building. I do not use the word 'shocked', because, sadly, I'm not. My heart goes out to the...
- Redlands Youth Justice and ICE Forum (1 speech)
In the shadow of the Australia Day atrocity in my electorate, my city of Redland came together to seek solutions to youth justice and ice addiction. Recognising that Queensland has double the...
- COVID-19: Vaccines (1 speech)
Across the world, 171 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have now been delivered, including 50 million in the US, 15 million in the UK, five million in Brazil, two million in Indonesia. Israel...
- Berowra Electorate: Smith, Mr Lionel (1 speech)
As a community we owe a great debt of gratitude to the men and women of the Rural Fire Service, particularly those who have dedicated their life to serving through the RFS. Bruce Linton, of the...
- India and Myanmar (1 speech)
Darwin is the northern capital of Australia but we are also at the forefront of the Indo-Pacific region. Recently, two of our most important regional partners, India and Myanmar, have experienced...
- Chisholm Electorate: Nicolas, Mr James (1 speech)
Today, I would like to acknowledge someone who has gone above and beyond for our Chisholm community. When James Nicolas walked into the Blackburn Football Club in 2016, he fell in love with the...
- Moreton Electorate: Lunar New Year (1 speech)
Gong xi fa cai to all who are celebrating the Lunar New Year, welcoming the Year of the Ox and bidding farewell to the Year of the Rat. I think that, after 2020, we can all say, 'Good riddance.'...
- Bass Electorate: Rosevear, Mr Patrick (1 speech)
It's always an enormous privilege to speak about the wonderful members of my local northern Tasmanian community, particularly when I've had the opportunity to meet them in person. I was fortunate...
- Macquarie Electorate: National Broadband Network (1 speech)
Yet again, the needs of Macquarie internet users have been ignored by the Morrison government. In this case, it's the upper Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury users on fibre to the node. The...
- Lindsay Electorate: Sporting Infrastructure (1 speech)
The St Mary's Convent Football Club is a passionate and enthusiastic team oriented club. Last week, it was a delight to join the under 13s and under 11s at training on the Myrtle Road playing...
- Oxley Electorate: Oxley Men's Shed (1 speech)
Ten years ago a man in my electorate called John Brown wanted to open a place where men could go to relax, to rub shoulders and to exchange banter—a place to get out of the house and maybe...
- Wide Bay Electorate: Infrastructure (1 speech)
The new Orealla Crescent bridge at Sunrise Beach is a major feat of quality Australian workmanship and engineering and a great example of this government's commitment to working with local...
- Tourism Industry (1 speech)
Australia is speeding towards the JobKeeper cliff: that moment at the end of March when this government cuts JobKeeper to zero. For some sectors—tourism, for example—it is not going...
- Fairfax Electorate: School Principals (1 speech)
Time and hindsight will see many a lesson learnt about the pandemic that we're now amidst, but one of the early lessons—and a big one—is the need for resilience and resilience not...
- Tourism Industry (1 speech)
In the short time available to me I speak again today about the plight of travel agents as we head towards 31 March. Travel agents talk about their plight better than any politician can. Tina...
- Climate Change (1 speech)
I rise to talk about the shock announcement by the ANZ Bank, who recently pulled funding on the world's biggest coal-exporting terminal in Newcastle under the bank's new climate change policy....
- Chill Out & Look About (1 speech)
No doubt 2020 was a difficult year for all of us, but for some people it was perhaps the most devastating year of their lives. In March last year Dylan Briggs, a year 9 student from Frankston...
- McDonnell, Mrs Agnes Mary (Bub) (1 speech)
Today I rise to offer my condolences to the family of Agnes Mary 'Bub' McDonnell, who passed away at the age of 94 on Sunday 24 January. Matriarchs and the importance of matriarchies are...
- International Day of Women and Girls in Science (1 speech)
Last Thursday was International Day of Women and Girls in Science. When we consider the range of scientific challenges before us, from pandemics to climate and energy, from plastic waste to...
- Agriculture Industry (1 speech)
The Morrison government is committed to supporting Australian agriculture, which of course includes aquaculture and forestry, to achieve its ambitious goal of $100 billion in farmgate sales and...
- Pathinathan, Mr John, Polvere, Mr Donato (1 speech)
I rise to remember two constituents—two good friends of mine—who made extraordinary contributions to community life and deserve to be remembered in this place. I am proud to have...
- Working Holiday Maker Program (1 speech)
In November last year the final report into the Inquiry into the Working Holiday Maker Program was delivered. I'm drawn to recommendation three: The Committee recommends that Working Holiday...
- Australian Defence Force (1 speech)
It goes without saying that I have the best electorate in the country! I live there. I holiday there. One of the jewels in the crown of Paterson is RAAF Base Williamtown. I'm pleased to say that...
- Sydney Jewish Museum (1 speech)
It is easy for people to feel disconnected from major historical events as time passes and that is why firsthand testimony is so important. It provides proximity to realities that we cannot...
- Gilmore Electorate: Volunteers (1 speech)
This last year might be remembered for many reasons, but I think it should be renamed the 'Year of the Volunteer'. Last year our community was hit with drought, bushfire, flood and a pandemic. We...
- Ryan Electorate: Roads (1 speech)
I went to the last election promising to fix local roads in Ryan, and I'm very pleased to report that the latest project is underway to do just that. Early works have begun in Ashgrove to replace...
- COVID-19: Travel Agents (1 speech)
I rise to acknowledge the local businesses in my electorate who are facing probably the toughest challenge of their time in business. They, of course, are the travel agents. I, along with Senator...
- Marshall, Ms Isobel (2 speeches)
I would like to spend my time today paying tribute to Isobel Marshall, who was announced as the Young Australian of the Year by the Prime Minister at the event here in Canberra on Australia Day...
- Private Members' Business (0 speeches)
- COVID-19: Income Support Payments (13 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) notes that the Jobkeeper program is the most expensive one-off program ever implemented by an Australian Government, estimated to cost around $100 billion—it...
- Horticulture Industry (17 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) horticulture is essential to the Australian economy and is critical for the nation's food security; (b) the gross value of horticultural production in...
- Paid Parental Leave (10 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) there are around 2.6 million families with dependent children aged under 15 in Australia; (b) Australia has one of the least generous paid parental...
- Order of Australia Honours (10 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) places on record its support for recipients of the Order of Australia; (2) acknowledges the Order of Australia is the highest national honour awarded to Australian...
