House debates
Monday, 19 October 2015
- Live Animal Exports (1 speech)
On Saturday I attended a rally on the steps of Parliament House, Adelaide, aimed at drawing public attention to animal cruelty and in particular to the ongoing cruelty which Australian sheep and... - Hindmarsh Electorate: Sport (1 speech)
Over the weekend it was a pleasure to attend the Edwardstown junior football club and the Flinders Park football and netball club end-of-season events with my wife, Leanne. On Friday the Flinders... - Calwell Electorate: Stepping Stones Program (1 speech)
I am very pleased today to speak about a Brotherhood of St Laurence initiative, the Stepping Stones program, which has worked to empower refugee and migrant women towards entrepreneurship since... - Marine Pollution: Tangaroa Blue Foundation (1 speech)
Around eight million tonnes of plastic rubbish, the equivalent of 16 full plastic shopping bags per metre on the world's coastline, finds its way into the world's oceans each year. It is an issue... - Petition: Asylum Seekers (1 speech)
I rise to present a petition from Dr Penny Vine. Dr Vine is petitioning the government to legislate time limits in detention for asylum seekers, with a maximum of 30 days for adults and five days... - Petition: Infrastructure (1 speech)
I present a petition from Mr David Wortmann, from Granya. It contains 324 signatures. Mr Wortmann is petitioning the government to contribute $2.6 million for infrastructure improvements, as... - Solomon Electorate: National Carers Week (1 speech)
I rise today to speak about National Carers Week, which actually ran last week from 11 to 17 October. National Carers Week is about recognising and celebrating the outstanding contribution that... - Richmond Electorate: Ballina (1 speech)
We have just had draft changes announced to the boundaries of federal electorates in New South Wales. In Richmond, this is really exciting as Ballina will now be included in the electorate.... - Hughes Electorate: Diwali (1 speech)
After last year's successful Diwali event, I will again be hosting the Hughes Diwali celebrations on Sunday 1 November between 1 pm and 4 pm at Moorebank High School. Diwali is a festival of... - Environment: Tibet (1 speech)
Last Tuesday the Australia-Tibet Council released their report, Tibet—an environmental challenge, at Parliament House. The report highlights the cultural, environmental and geostrategic... - Bushfire Action Week (1 speech)
Next week is Bushfire Action Week in South Australia. I would like to remind the thousands of my constituents who live in areas of bushfire danger that they should know their risk, prepare their... - Shortland Electorate: Nords Wharf Public School (1 speech)
The week before last I attended Nords Wharf Public School. When I visited that school, I presented them with two new flags—an Australian flag and an Aboriginal flag. They had just had two... - Domestic and Family Violence (1 speech)
Sexual and domestic violence is a heartbreaking reality in the lives of many people on a daily basis. With one in three women targeted for sexual violence, the odds are high that we all know... - Asylum Seekers (1 speech)
Over the last couple of weeks we have heard about the horrifying experience of 23-year old-Abyan, a Somali refugee being held on Nauru. She says that, while on Nauru, she was raped and, as a... - Eye Health (1 speech)
In Australia's world-class eye health and vision care system, ophthalmologists and optometrists have not always had that love affair that the Prime Minister spoke about on the weekend, but... - ACT Australian of the Year Awards (1 speech)
I rise to congratulate the17 Canberrans who have been named as finalists in the 2016 ACT Australian of the Year awards. These awards highlight the breadth of talent we have in Canberra, with the... - Herbert Electorate (1 speech)
What a weekend it was for Townsville and North Queensland. If you were not at the launch of the Adani India Fest on this weekend in Townsville, you would have been sitting on The Strand having... - Micah Challenge (1 speech)
Last week, I was visited in my office in Parliament House by representatives of Micah Challenge, a global movement of Christians committed to speaking out against poverty and injustice around the... - Calare Electorate: Orange Wine Festival (1 speech)
I rise to speak to about the Orange Wine Festival that is happening in my electorate over the next fortnight. This was formerly known as wine week but it has become so successful it had to be... - Noble Park Community Art Show (1 speech)
I draw the attention of the House to the recent Noble Park art show, which had its 10th birthday celebration at the Noble Park Community Centre. The opening was on Friday, 9 October, but it was... - Lindsay Electorate: Breast Cancer (1 speech)
On Saturday I had a fabulous day with the Penrith Pendragons. These spectacular ladies are breast cancer survivors. They have taken to their dragon boat, and up the Nepean River they go. This... - Fraser Electorate: Innovation (1 speech)
It was my great pleasure last Thursday night to attend not one but two innovation events in the ACT. In Braddon, just across the road from my electorate office, The Studio Braddon is... - Lyons Electorate: Ouse and Highlands Festival (1 speech)
I have pleasure in talking about what a privilege it was on the weekend to open the Ouse and Highlands Festival. I acknowledge in particular the work done by Fran Macdonald in organising a... - Indi Electorate: Friends of Lacluta (1 speech)
Recently, I had the real privilege of celebrating 10 years of friendship between communities in Indi and East Timor. Today, in this place, I would like to particularly acknowledge the work of... - Robertson Electorate: Higher Education (1 speech)
I was privileged to be able to address the Central Coast education summit at the Impact Centre in Erina this morning. Organised by the University of Newcastle, the summit was a great opportunity... - Richmond Electorate: Stone & Wood Brewing Company (1 speech)
I am always thrilled to see businesses in my electorate thrive and today I am so excited to talk about the Stone & Wood Brewing Company, a fantastic local business making fantastic local beer... - Energy (1 speech)
When the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, visited this place a year ago, he spoke about the growing energy demands of his country. In particular, he spoke about the need for clean energy and... - Shortland Electorate: Valentine Hydrotherapy Pools (1 speech)
():Yesterday, I attended the 50th anniversary, or birthday party, of the Valentine Hydrotherapy Pools and swimming centre. The Valentine Hydrotherapy Pools and swimming centre is built on council... - Dobell Electorate: Koala Publishing (1 speech)
Earlier this month, I visited Koala Publishing—successful producers of quality greeting cards in my electorate of Dobell. I would like to thank Reuben Machin and Julie-Anne Goodman for... - Middle East (2 speeches)
Last week I joined with others to welcome to Parliament House John Salisbury. John is a Melbourne man who walked all the way from Sydney to Canberra over 10 days to deliver a petition calling on...
