House debates
Monday, 22 March 2021
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Petitions Committee; Report (1 speech)
I present the 24th report of the Petitions Committee for the 46 parliament, comprising 30 petitions and 19 ministerial responses to petitions previously presented. I also present a corrigendum to...
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- Responses (1 speech)
Ministerial responses to petitions previously presented to the House have been received as follows:
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Human Rights in China (13 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) the Canadian House of Commons unanimously passed a resolution that, 'in the opinion of the House, the People's Republic of China has engaged in...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Federation Chamber (1 speech)
On behalf of the Acting Leader of the House, I move: That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent: (1) the Selection Committee: (a) making determinations in relation to the...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Northern Australia Committee; Membership (1 speech)
I have received a message from the Senate informing the House that Senator Siewert is to be discharged from the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia on 19 April 2021 and is to be...
- Resolutions of the Senate (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Senate Message (15 speeches)
The Speaker has received the following message from the Senate: The Senate transmits to the House of Representatives the following resolution which was agreed to by the Senate this day: That the...
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- March 4 Justice (1 speech)
The events of these last few weeks have demonstrated that the culture of parliament has not evolved to make women feel safe, welcomed and valued. It reflects the widespread and structural...
- Lionheart Camp for Kids (1 speech)
The loss of a family member brings an immeasurable amount of grief to those left behind. Grief is a natural, healthy response to loss but sometimes it can be hard to understand, particularly for...
- JobKeeper Payment (2 speeches)
JobKeeper ends this Sunday. It's six days until Australian businesses and workers are left behind by this government. Some industries and businesses have recovered, and that is a good thing, but...
- Multiple Birth Awareness Week (1 speech)
Ossian, Dashiell and I want everybody to know that it's Multiple Birth Awareness Week this week. It's important because, even though multiple births account for only 1.5 per cent of births across...
- Australian Floods (1 speech)
I rise today because, in so many areas down our east coast, we have almost diluvian floods that are beyond comparison. Now we hear about another rain event coming that will absolutely saturate...
- Prime Minister (1 speech)
For the last month, the women of Australia been crying out for this Prime Minister to listen to their concerns and to show leadership on gender equality and men's violence against women, to...
- Operation Hard Yakka (1 speech)
Deputy Speaker Mitchell, I rise to speak on a topic close your heart. Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Wide Bay's Bob Davis, who runs Operation Hard Yakka, a military style youth diversion...
- Indi Electorate: Wodonga Men's Shed (1 speech)
The old saying that every cloud has a silver lining springs to mind when I think of the Wodonga Men's Shed. After being in hibernation for most of 2020, the shed has reopened with a boom. Freedom...
- 25twoZERO Movement (1 speech)
Today I wish to raise awareness of a new initiative for mentoring men, the 25twoZERO Movement. This initiative aims to reduce male suicide by creating awareness about suicide rates among...
- Veterans (1 speech)
I want to send a message to the Prime Minister from Russ Swan, a Vietnam veteran in Darwin, in my electorate. Russ, in part, says: 'Consider this: you sign up to serve your country and, as a...
- Puckapunyal Military Area, Australian Defence Force (1 speech)
A strong Australian Defence Force protects our liberal democratic values that have empowered us to build a free, fair and prosperous nation. It was a pleasure to recently join Senator Van and the...
- Amnesty International (1 speech)
A world of closed borders means different things to different people. For some, it's meant safety, but, for the most vulnerable, it has meant being unable to get to safety. Amnesty...
- Box Hill Returned and Services League (1 speech)
Over the weekend, I had the great pleasure of attending the 100th anniversary celebrations of the Box Hill RSL. Since it was established in 1920, the RSL has been a place where generations of...
- World Down Syndrome Awareness Week (1 speech)
In this World Down Syndrome Awareness Week, I want to tell the House about Darcy and his mother Julie Fisher. Darcy is a teenager at Frankston Special Development School. He loves playing...
- Reid Electorate: Tooheys Brewery (1 speech)
I'm sure the former member for Reid would agree that the local watering hole is more than just a place to have a schooner. It's where friends and family come together. It's where: a sense of...
- Kingsford Smith Electorate: Harmony Week (1 speech)
A few years ago a group of primary school students from Mount Sinai College were racially abused on their bus trip home from school. I condemned the actions of the perpetrators at the time, and...
- Higgins Electorate: Business Research and Innovation Initiative (1 speech)
The Morrison government's Business Research and Innovation Initiative awards grants to innovate solutions for government policy. Currently, the grant round is focused on important environmental...
- Child Care (1 speech)
Australians want cheaper child care. Australian women want to be able to work the hours they want and need. The current system is busted. It's one of the most expensive in the world and it's...
- Queensland: Olympic and Paralympic Games (2 speeches)
South-East Queensland has now been confirmed as the preferred candidate for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is vitally important, therefore, that we start a conversation about what this...
- Statements on Indulgence (0 speeches)
- Australian Floods (2 speeches)
Australia is being tested once again. The east coast of Australia, predominantly New South Wales but, I stress, also South-East Queensland, has faced an extraordinary deluge over recent days. In...
- Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I inform the House that the Leader of the House, Attorney-General and Minister for Industrial Relations will be absent from question time today and for the remainder of the week due to personal...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Members of Parliament: Staff (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Why did the Prime Minister tell the House on Thursday, about the Gaetjens inquiry, 'Those inquiries are being made by the secretary of my department', when...
- Australian Floods (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister please update the House on how the Morrison government is providing support and assistance to communities across the east coast that...
- Members of Parliament: Staff (13 speeches)
My question is again to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm last Thursday after first telling the House, 'Those inquiries are being made by the secretary of my department,' he then...
- Floods (2 speeches)
My question is to the
- Attorney-General (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. Why did the Prime Minister tell the house on Tuesday he was briefed by the commissioner of the Federal Police on the contents of the dossier which contains...
- Employment (2 speeches)
My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer remind the House how the Morrison government's strong economic management is delivering on our commitment to generate more and more jobs for...
- Members of Parliament: Staff (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister and is regarding the Gaetjens review. Last Thursday journalist Laura Tingle reported: … there are suggestions that there are quite a lot of lawyers...
- Indigenous Australians (4 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians. First Australians on traditional lands have the lowest life expectancy of any identifiable group on earth, the highest incarceration...
- Australian Floods (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Drought, and Emergency Management. Will the minister outline to the House how the Morrison government is responding, through the provision of...
- Members of Parliament: Staff (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. It has been one week since Brittany Higgins told the Women's March 4 Justice that the Prime Minister's office had sought to undermine her loved ones. Prime...
- Australian Floods (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Defence. Will the minister please outline to the House how the Morrison government stands ready to provide critical ADF support to...
- Members of Parliament: Staff (10 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to his previous answer. Can the Prime Minister confirm that he has never actually told this House whether he asked his staff if they sought to...
- Australian Floods (2 speeches)
My question as to the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme and Minister for Government Services. Will the minister update the House on what the Morrison government is doing to...
- Members of Parliament: Staff (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister. I again refer to his previous answer. Is the Prime Minister's refusal to answer the question whether he asked his staff if they sought to undermine Brittany...
- Women (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Women. Will the minister please update the House on how the Morrison government is working to support both the safety and the economic...
- Members of Parliament: Staff (6 speeches)
My question is again to the Prime Minister, and I refer to his previous answer. Why hasn't the Prime Minister asked his staff whether they sought to undermine Brittany Higgins's loved ones? Is...
- Covid-19 (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Can the minister please update the House on Australia's progress in the fight against COVID-19 and how the commencement of phase 1b of the...
- Members of Parliament: Staff (5 speeches)
My question is again to the Prime Minister, and I refer to his previous answer. The Prime Minister just said that there was no evidence that his staff undermined Ms Brittany Higgins' loved ones....
- COVID-19: Vaccines (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government. Will the minister please outline to the House how the Morrison-McCormack government is working to...
- Members of Parliament: Staff (2 speeches)
My question is to the Prime Minister and it relates to the reported sexual assault of Brittany Higgins. Can the Prime Minister confirm that he told the House inquiries were being made when they...
- COVID-19: Economy (2 speeches)
My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business. Will the minister please outline to the House how the Morrison government is providing...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Prime Minister; Attempted Censure (14 speeches)
I move: That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Leader of the Opposition moving the following motion forthwith— That the House: (1)notes that:...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Energy (3 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction. Will the minister please update the House on the action the Morrison government is taking to secure Australian jobs while...
- Auditor-General's Reports (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I present the Auditor-General's Audit performance audit report No. 32 of 2021-2021 entitled Performance audit—Cyber security strategies of non-corporate Commonwealth entities: Across...
- Resolutions of the Senate (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Senate Message (20 speeches)
It's with some joy, but also some reluctance that I make this speech about the motion to support a royal commission into veteran suicides. First and foremost, I absolutely commend the speakers,...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Members of Parliament: Staff (1 speech)
This is my workplace, one that I am incredibly proud to have been elected to work in, and it's your workplace, Deputy Speaker Goodenough. It's the workplace of the minister and the shadow...
- Western Australia: Election (1 speech)
The member for Brand might like to wait for a moment because I'm going to say some very complimentary words about the WA Labor Party and the WA election. I congratulate Premier McGowan on his...
- Members of Parliament: Staff (1 speech)
I'm a bloke—and a white bloke at that—so in making this speech tonight I am wading into territory that some men dare not tread. The point I wish to address tonight though is culture....
- COVID-19: Vaccination (1 speech)
COVID has been brutal, but we have responded in a uniquely Australian way. The Morrison government's response has been evidence based and expert informed, and it has engaged with the public to...
- Myanmar (1 speech)
I am saddened to have to rise again in this chamber to speak on the atrocities that are occurring in Myanmar. Every day there is a new number of lives lost. At least 249 people have been...
- World Down Syndrome Day, Menzies Electorate: Disability Services (1 speech)
May I at the outset commend the remarks of my colleague and friend, the member for Wills, in relation to the situation in Myanmar. It is a dreadful situation, and everything that we in this...
- Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
- Barton Electorate: Roads (1 speech)
Last year in July the New South Wales government opened the new M8 tunnel. It runs from Beverly Hills to St Peters. At the same time the government introduced a new toll on the M5 East. It runs...
- Wide Bay Electorate: Roads (1 speech)
When it comes to the highway north of Gympie, all levels of government need to start taking it seriously. From Melbourne to Gympie, motorists and their passengers travel on a four-lane safe...
- Watson Electorate: Religious Gatherings (1 speech)
In my part of Sydney, the major religious gatherings are enormous. I want to note that, over the last 12 months, the pandemic has been a significant hit to not only the religious but the cultural...
- Madden, Mr Bob (1 speech)
I was deeply saddened to learn of the recent passing of my good friend and community champion, Bob Madden. I firstly became aware of Bob shortly after I was elected into the parliament back in...
- JobKeeper Payment (1 speech)
At the end of this week, we will see the cessation of the JobKeeper supplement to support local businesses that have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and the economic impacts that has...
- Family Law (1 speech)
Yesterday, the Morrison government released its report on the Australian Law Reform Commission review on the family law system. This follows the tabling of the final report of the Joint Select...
- Daoud, Ms Fay (1 speech)
As the House is aware, my community is home to many thousands of Iraqis who are Christians, Assyrians and Chaldeans. Many people fled Iraq, particularly after the fall of Saddam Hussein, and...
- Modern Manufacturing Initiative (1 speech)
Last week it was absolutely fantastic to show my good friend the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Karen Andrews, the Box Hill headquarters and manufacturing facilities of Planet...
- Migration (1 speech)
Like most offices, my electorate office in Cowan deals with a large number of inquiries about immigration and about visas. One case in particular that I'd like to highlight today really does...
- Mental Health (2 speeches)
Last week I had an interesting and enlightening conversation with a woman in my electorate Dr Kate Witteveen, who in the depths of despair in an emotional breakdown, threw in her long-term career...
- Private Members' Business (0 speeches)
- Racism (10 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) 15 to 21 March 2021 marks Harmony Week, a time to recognise and celebrate diversity and inclusion in Australia; and (b) 21 March 2021 is International...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- HomeBuilder Program (18 speeches)
I move: That this House notes: (1 )the construction industry: (a) employs over 1 million Australians; (b) consists of 390,000 small and family businesses; and (c) generates more than $100...
- Human Rights: Cambodia (9 speeches)
I move: The motion was unavailable at the time of publishing It was three months ago—I think it was between Christmas and new year, if I recall correctly—that news broke that...
- Private Members' Business (0 speeches)
- COVID-19: Employment (12 speeches)
I move: The motion was unavailable at the time of publishing. Last week we had some great news on employment figures. The national unemployment rate dropped from 6.4 per cent in January to 5.8...
- Statements by Members (0 speeches)
- Indi Electorate: Be Connected Program (1 speech)
In June 2019, the federal government initiated a program to help older Australians improve their digital skills so that they could stay connected and participate fully in their community. Little...
- COVID-19: Vaccination, John Curtin School of Medical Research (1 speech)
Every day, the progress of medical research reminds us that the future is going to be awesome, and of course the development of the COVID-19 vaccine and what we're able to do to protect the...
- Chiou, Professor Lianggong (1 speech)
I rise to express my deep sorrow at the recent passing of Professor Lianggong Chiou. Professor Chiou was an educator for more than 40 years, who most recently taught at the University of...
- Bowman Electorate: Birkdale Community Precinct (1 speech)
I speak about the Birkdale Community Precinct on Redlands Coast. It's a unique opportunity to create a world-class precinct in this growing city of Redlands and Brisbane that could drive...
- Neighbour Day (1 speech)
Neighbour Day is Australia's annual celebration of community, encouraging people to connect with their neighbours. Neighbours matter, never more so than we've demonstrated in dealing with COVID...
- Lift the Lid on Mental Illness (1 speech)
I rise to raise awareness of the Lift the Lid on Mental Illness campaign currently run by Rotary Australia. This day is Rotary Health's national annual fundraising day for mental health research....
- JobKeeper Payment (1 speech)
It's estimated that one-fifth of JobKeeper payments made to major listed companies in the second quarter of 2020 went to firms who grew their profits during the pandemic. That could be up to $10...
- COVID-19: National Local Day (1 speech)
To everyone: happy National Local Day. As much as I like being here, I'd much rather be celebrating this special occasion in the very place that it asks us all to celebrate, which is in our local...
- COVID-19: Vaccination (1 speech)
One of the great challenges before the nation at the moment is to get the maximum rollout of the COVID vaccine, and it's something I think we all are absolutely dedicated to seeing happen across...
- Moncrieff Electorate: Queens Park Tennis Centre (1 speech)
Recently I attended the opening of the upgrade of the Queens Park tennis centre. The facility is very important to community sport on the Gold Coast and the upgrade is tremendous. The upgrade at...
- Oxley Electorate: 2021 Volunteer Grants (1 speech)
One of the great privileges I have in this job is talking about the many volunteer led organisations who provide great services and support to our community. Oxley's volunteers do it all. Some...
- Wide Bay Electorate: Travel Agents (1 speech)
When COVID-19 began, travel agents were the saviours of Australian tourists stuck in various corners of the globe. They worked around the clock to get people home and, since then, they've been...
- JobKeeper Payment (1 speech)
When this government cuts JobKeeper at the end of March, it will have a devastating economic impact in my region. Currently, there are more than 4,200 businesses in my electorate of Richmond that...
- Queensland: Olympic and Paralympic Games (1 speech)
South-East Queensland has been confirmed as the preferred candidate for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We're not there yet, and we will continue to work with the IOC as they are in their...
- Women in Parliament (1 speech)
Today I was joined in my office by Sharmini Caldwell, who's taking place in Jasiri Australia's Girls Takeover Parliament, a program encouraging young women to engage with politics. After similar...
- Aluminium Industry (1 speech)
Today I rise to talk about the Australian aluminium industry. The industry is bouncing back from a low price and moderate demand. Australia is the world's largest producer of bauxite, and it has...
- Paterson Electorate: Natural Disasters (1 speech)
The people of our region could be forgiven for wondering when they're going to catch a break—last year, COVID; the year before that, a crippling drought; and, this year; mass flooding. The...
- WALKER, Pamela Lynette, OAM (1 speech)
I rise to offer my condolences on the recent passing of Pamela Lynette Walker OAM. Pamela passed away peacefully on 7 March, aged 79. She was a Limestone Coast icon, awarded the Order of...
- Greenway Electorate: Holi (1 speech)
I rise to extend my best wishes to Greenway's Subcontinent community on the auspicious occasion of Holi, popularly known as the festival of colours. Starting on Sunday 28 March, families across...
- Australia (1 speech)
Droughts, bushfires, floods and storms—we are humbled in the face of such displays of nature's power. Helpless, brought to our knees when control of our lives and property is given over to...
- Luka, Ms Selba (1 speech)
I want to record my tribute to the amazing Selba Luka. She's a legend in our community. She's the founder and CEO of Afri-Aus Care. She was awarded City of Dandenong's Citizen of the Year 2021....
- Grey Electorate: Tank Sheds (1 speech)
In my home town of Kimba, they began to open the farming lands in about 1908. In 1913, a railway line arrived, but there were considerable supplies coming from the coastal community of Cowell, 90...
- Western Australia: Election (4 speeches)
I rise today to ask a question on behalf of all Western Australians: where the bloody hell is Scott Morrison? The Prime Minister has not set foot in Western Australia for an extraordinary 17...
- New South Wales: Floods (1 speech)
My thoughts are with the communities in New South Wales who continue to be affected today by heavy rains and flooding right across the state. The situation remains very serious for much of the...
- COVID-19: Vaccination (1 speech)
Back in my community over the weekend, there were many, many questions about the vaccine rollout. Indeed, Scott Morrison, the Prime Minister, promised that four million COVID vaccine doses would...
- Women's Economic Security (1 speech)
Since entering this place I have been committed to empowering young women in my community to make their mark. Our society is richer when both men and women are involved in decision-making...
- Sloss, Mr Raymond (Ray) Austin (1 speech)
It's an honour to speak of a Chifley community champion, Ray Sloss. On the weekend, I attended the opening of the Ray Sloss Field at Federation Forest Football Fields at Mt Druitt. Ray was the...
- Sturt Electorate: Community Sport Infrastructure Grant Program (1 speech)
Two weeks ago I had, and this weekend I will have, the opportunity to attend milestones for two excellent local community sporting infrastructure projects that the Morrison government has been...
- Corangamite Electorate (1 speech)
The Australian Electoral Commission has just announced it's considering renaming my electorate of Corangamite, ahead of the next election. While I love being the member for Corangamite, I...
- Herbert Electorate: Townsville Flexible Learning Centre (2 speeches)
A couple of weeks ago I had an opportunity to visit the Townsville Flexible Learning Centre, run by the Edmund Rice Foundation. Flexible Learning Centres are for high-school-aged students who...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Resources Industry (16 speeches)
I move: The motion was unavailable at the time of publication The resources industry is the backbone of the Australian economy and, in turn, Australians' livelihoods. As this motion asserts,...
- Foreign Interference in Universities (10 speeches)
by leave—on behalf of the member for Lindsay, I move: That this House: notes that the Government is committed to safeguarding Australians from foreign interference in our universities and...
- Private Members' Business (0 speeches)
- Taxation: Distillers (12 speeches)
I move: Motion unavailable at the time of publishing. Less than 10 years ago, there were 28 distilleries in Australia, but today there are 300 locally-owned distilleries spread across the...
- Climate Change (14 speeches)
I move: That this House: (1) acknowledges that the Government is taking real and practical action to reduce emissions while protecting our economy, jobs and investment; and (2) welcomes that the...
