Senate debates
Thursday, 2 March 2006
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
The Clerk: A petition has been lodged for presentation as follows:
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Presentation (1 speech)
Senator Watson to move on the next day of sitting:That the Senate—(a)notes that the Tasmanian Labor Government and Forestry Tasmania, in allowing major control of plantation softwood to be...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (5 speeches)
I move: That the following government business orders of the day be considered from 12.45 p.m. till not later than 2 p.m. today: No. 8 Australian Sports...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Postponement (1 speech)
The following items of business were postponed: Business of the Senate notice of motion no. 4 standing in the name of the Leader of the Australian Democrats (Senator Allison) for today, proposing...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (23 speeches)
At the request of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration (Senator Colbeck), I move:That on Monday, 27 March 2006:(a)the hours of meeting shall be 2.30 pm to...
- Science Week (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate—(a)notes:(i)that this week is the annual ‘Science Meets Parliament’ event,(ii)the critical role of science in the protection of the environment and the...
- Iraq (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate—(a)notes that:(i)20 March 2006 is the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq by coalition forces,(ii)the suffering of the Iraqi people continues and there is no...
- MS Cornelia Rau (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate—(a)notes that:(i)Ms Cornelia Rau was discovered detained in Baxter Detention Centre on 3 February 2005, almost 13 months ago, with an untreated mental illness,(ii)Ms...
- Medical Student Places (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate—(a)congratulates the Howard/Vaile Government on measures to increase the number of doctors in Australia by lifting the cap on full fee paying places for medicine from...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- MS Cornelia Rau (0 speeches)
- (3 speeches)
We understand that we may have incorrectly called a vote in respect of one of the formal motions. If so, we seek leave to revisit notice of motion No. 390 and to recommit for a vote the motion...
- Medical Student Places (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Mr President, I seek leave to revisit notice of motion No. 388 and to recommit for a vote the motion standing in my name relating to medical student places. Leave granted. Question put: That the...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Address by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
A message has been received from the House of Representatives forwarding a resolution relating to an address by the Right Honourable Tony Blair, MP, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Copies...
- Statute Law Revision Bill (No. 2) 2005 [2006]; Fisheries Legislation Amendment (Cooperative Fisheries Arrangements and Other Matters) Bill 2005 [2006] (0 speeches)
- Schools Assistance (Learning Together — Achievement Through Choice and Opportunity) Amendment Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
- First Reading (1 speech)
Bill received from the House of Representatives.
- Second Reading (1 speech)
I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speech read as follows— The purpose of the bill...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Valedictory (0 speeches)
- (5 speeches)
This is an historic day—not, of course, because I am retiring but because we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of good coalition government. I decided it was time to move on and allow...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That business of the Senate order of the day no. 2, relating to the presentation of the final report of the Legal and Constitutional References Committee on the...
- Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Bill 2005; Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2005 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (2 speeches)
Debate resumed from 9 February, on motion by Senator Ellison: That these bills be now read a second time.
- Third Reading (0 speeches)
Bills passed through their remaining stages without amendment or debate.
- Jurisdiction of Courts (Family Law) Bill 2005 [2006] (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (1 speech)
Debate resumed from 7 December 2005, on motion by Senator Ellison: That this bill be now read a second time.
- Third Reading (0 speeches)
Bill passed through its remaining stages without amendment or debate. Sitting suspended from 1.07 pm to 2.00 pm
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Telstra (13 speeches)
My question is to Senator Coonan, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. I refer the minister to Telstra’s plans to dramatically increase the prices charged...
- Opportunities for Women (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, representing the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women’s Issues. Will...
- Telstra (37 speeches)
My question is to Senator Coonan, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. I refer the Minister to Telstra’s extreme 43 per cent home phone connection price...
- Law Enforcement: Child Sex Exploitation (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Ellison. Will the minister update the Senate on the Australian government’s efforts to combat online child sex exploitation?
- Australia Post (22 speeches)
My question is to Senator Coonan, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. I again refer the minister to Australia Post’s plans to hit pensioners with new fees...
- Melbourne Commonwealth Games (13 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Kemp. Minister, as you know, the 2006 Commonwealth Games are only 13 days away. Will you outline to the Senate how the Australian...
- Pregnancy Counselling Services (4 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Santoro. I refer to the recent media comments that the government does not fund any dedicated pro-choice...
- Immigration: Commonwealth Games (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Senator Vanstone. By the way, I congratulate the minister on being the longest-serving minister in both houses and in...
- Aged Care (6 speeches)
My question is to Senator Santoro, the Minister for Ageing. Isn’t it now 10 days since allegations of the sexual abuse of four women at the George Vowell aged care facility were made...
- Pregnancy Counselling Services (4 speeches)
My question is addressed to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Santoro. It relates to pregnancy counselling and, specifically, today’s announcement and...
- Environment (13 speeches)
My question without notice is to Senator Campbell, the Minister for the Environment and Heritage. Is the minister aware that after 26 months of operation only one of Australia’s 16 World...
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Oil for Food Program (1 speech)
Yesterday, Senator Siewert wanted to know the OECD number of the development assistance code under which the $937,000 payment by AusAID to Mr Trevor Flugge was made. The answer is: agricultural...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Answers to Questions (22 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked by opposition senators today. If anything demonstrates what an arrogant, out-of-touch government...
- Pregnancy Counselling Services (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Ageing (Senator Santoro) to a question without notice asked by Senator Stott Despoja today relating to pregnancy...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Reports: Government Responses (1 speech)
I present three government responses to committee reports as follows: Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade—Australia’s engagement with the World Trade...
- Auditor-General’S Reports (0 speeches)
- Report No. 33 of 2005-06 (1 speech)
In accordance with the provisions of the Auditor-General Act 1997, I present the following report of the Auditor-General: Report No. 33 of 2005-06: Performance audit: Administration of petroleum...
- Report No. 32 of 2005-06 (8 speeches)
In accordance with the provisions of the Auditor-General Act 1997, I present the following report of the Auditor-General: Report No. 32 of 2005-06: Performance audit: Management of the tender...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Budget (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Membership (2 speeches)
The President has received letters from party leaders seeking to vary the membership of committees.
- Government Accountability (0 speeches)
- (19 speeches)
I move:That the Senate notes that:(a)over a decade in office the Howard Government has established a new low for government integrity and accountability; and(b)the Howard Government’s...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Auditor-General’S Reports (0 speeches)
- Report No. 22 of 2005-06 (1 speech)
Debate resumed from 9 February, on motion by Senator Siewert: That the Senate take note of the document.
- Consideration (0 speeches)
The following orders of the day relating to reports of the Auditor-General were considered: Auditor-General—Audit report no. 30 of 2005-06—Performance audit—The ATO’s...
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Order! There being no further consideration of committee reports, government responses and Auditor-General’s reports, I propose the question: That the Senate do now adjourn.
- Senator Robert Hill (1 speech)
I wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding contribution of Senator Hill and to add my sincere personal best wishes to Robert on his departure from this place today after what...
- Papua New Guinea: Police Brutality (1 speech)
I rise to speak on quite a different matter, but I would also like to add my best wishes to Senator Hill upon his departure from this place and in whatever role he might take up in the future....
- Senator Robert Hill (1 speech)
I would like to say a few words regarding the retiring Senator Robert Hill, following on from the contribution of Senator Watson. Senator Watson, of course, is the father of the Senate as the...
- Senator Robert Hill; Organ Donation (1 speech)
I, too, would like to join those who have praised Robert Hill during the time that he was Leader of the Government in the Senate and as Minister for the Environment and Heritage. I am one of...
- Lockhart River Air Disaster (1 speech)
I rise tonight to talk about a matter that was raised today by Senator O’Brien when he moved to refer a matter to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee. On 17...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Tabling (0 speeches)
The following documents were tabled by the Clerk: [Legislative instruments are identified by a Federal Register of Legislative Instruments (FRLI) number] Australian National University Act—...
- Indexed Lists of Files (0 speeches)
The following documents were tabled pursuant to the order of the Senate of 30 May 1996, as amended: Indexed lists of departmental and agency files for the period 1 January to 30 June...
- Departmental and Agency Contracts (0 speeches)
The following document was tabled pursuant to the order of the Senate of 20 June 2001, as amended: Departmental and agency contracts for 2005—Letters of advice—Health and Ageing...
