Senate debates
Tuesday, 20 March 2007
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That question time today commence at 2.45 pm. Question agreed to.
- Yogyakarta Airline Crash (0 speeches)
- (6 speeches)
by leave—I move: That the Senate: (a)records its deep regret at the tragic loss of life and serious injuries that resulted from the aircraft accident in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on 7 March...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (3 speeches)
At the request of Senator Ellison, I move: That, on Tuesday, 20 March 2007:(a)the hours of meeting shall be 12.30 pm to 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm to adjournment;(b)the routine of business from 7.30 pm...
- Private Health Insurance Bill 2006; Private Health Insurance (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Bill 2006; Private Health Insurance (Prostheses Application and Listing Fees) Bill 2006; Private Health Insurance (Collapsed Organization Levy) Amendment Bill 2006; Private Health Insurance Complaints Levy Amendment Bill 2006; Private Health Insurance (Council Administration Levy) Amendment Bill 2006; Private Health Insurance (Reinsurance Trust Fund Levy) Amendment Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (13 speeches)
Debate resumed from 26 February, on motion by Senator Scullion: That these bills be now read a second time.
- Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
by leave—On 5 March and 18 March this year, the Prime Minister announced a number of changes to the ministry. I inform the Senate that, as a result of those changes, Senator Chris Ellison...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Ministerial Responsibility (4 speeches)
Firstly, I would like to congratulate the new ministers on their appointments; I hope that they have better luck tomorrow in finding their seats as they move up the chain. My question is to...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
Order! I draw the attention of honourable senators to the presence in the chamber of a parliamentary delegation from Mongolia, led by His Excellency Mr Nyamdorj Tsend, Chairman of the State Great...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Workplace Relations (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Abetz. Will the minister inform the Senate of employment and wage outcomes in the...
- Ministerial Responsibility (4 speeches)
My question is to Senator Minchin, representing the Prime Minister. I refer the minister to his press release of 16 March, in which he praised Senator Santoro’s contribution as minister and...
- Economy (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Finance and Administration, Senator Minchin. Will the minister inform the Senate of the very fine results of the December quarter national accounts? What do...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
Order! I draw the attention of honourable senators to the presence in the President’s Gallery of the Hon. Jane Aagaard MLA, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Ministerial Responsibility (4 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Can the minister confirm that Centrelink requires people to inform it of a change...
- Centrelink (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Human Services, Senator Ellison. Minister, I was in Innisfail on the weekend, handing over a cheque for $35,000 from the Minister for the Arts and Sport to the...
- Australian Defence Force Personnel: Mental Illness (4 speeches)
My question is to Senator Ellison, the minister representing the ministers responsible for veterans and Defence personnel issues. I refer to media reports that 121 Australian Defence Force...
- Child Protection (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Coonan. I am sure the minister is aware of media reports alleging that the government is failing to...
- Ministerial Responsibility (6 speeches)
My question is to Senator Minchin, Minister representing the Prime Minister. Can the minister confirm that in the first four years Senator Santoro was in the Senate, prior to his declaration of...
- Gunns Pulp Mill (4 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Minchin. Given the collapse of the Commonwealth-accredited joint assessment process for the proposed Gunns pulp mill in...
- Ministerial Responsibility (7 speeches)
My question is to Senator Minchin, representing the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister’s announcement last night of an investigation into the provisions of bed licences to...
- Disability Services (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Community Services, Senator the Hon. Nigel Scullion. Will the minister inform the Senate of the government initiatives that are assisting employment...
- Ministerial Responsibility (6 speeches)
My question without notice is to Senator Minchin, Minister representing the Prime Minister. Minister, hasn’t the Prime Minister taken his eye off the ball when it comes to ministerial...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Ministerial Responsibility (11 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of answers given by the Minister for Finance and Administration (Senator Minchin) to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today relating to...
- Australian Defence Force Personnel: Mental Illness (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Human Services (Senator Ellison) to a question without notice asked by me today relating to Australian Defence Force...
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
The Clerk: Petitions have been lodged for presentation as follows:
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Presentation (1 speech)
Senator Stott Despoja to move on the next day of sitting:That the Senate:(a)notes that:(i)March 2007 marks the one year anniversary of Mr David Hicks’ solitary confinement,(ii)in less than...
- Withdrawal (1 speech)
On behalf of the Standing Committee on Regulations and Ordinances and pursuant to notice given at the last day of sitting, I shall now withdraw business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1...
- Leave of Absence (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Ferris for the period of 20 March to 29 March 2007, for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Postponement (0 speeches)
The following items of business were postponed: Business of the Senate notice of motion No. 3 standing in the name of Senator Bartlett for 21 March 2007, proposing the reference of a matter to...
- MR David Hicks (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate:(a)notes:(i)the recent statements by the United States of America military lawyer Major Mori that Australian citizen Mr David Hicks wanted to join the Australian Defence...
- Leave of Absence (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Wong for the period of 20 March to 23 March 2007 inclusive, on account of parliamentary overseas business. Question agreed to.
- Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
- Register of Senators’ Interests (59 speeches)
I inform the Senate that the President has received the following letter, dated 20 March 2007, from Senator Chris Evans: Dear Mr President, Pursuant to standing order 75, I give notice that today...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Tabling (1 speech)
Pursuant to standing orders 38 and 166, I present documents listed on today’s Order of Business at item 15 which were presented to the President, Deputy President and a temporary chair of...
- Statute Law Revision Bill 2007; Tax Laws Amendment (Simplified Superannuation) Bill 2007; Superannuation (Excess Concessional Contributions Tax) Bill 2007; Superannuation (Excess Non-Concessional Contributions Tax) Bill 2007; Superannuation (Excess Untaxed Roll-over Amounts Tax) Bill 2007; Superannuation (Departing Australia Superannuation Payments Tax) Bill 2007; Superannuation (Self Managed Superannuation Funds) Supervisory Levy Amendment Bill 2007; Superannuation Legislation Amendment (Simplification) Bill 2007; Income Tax Amendment Bill 2007; Income Tax (Former Complying Superannuation Funds) Amendment Bill 2007; Income Tax (Former Non-Resident Superannuation Funds) Amendment Bill 2007; Income Tax Rates Amendment (Superannuation) Bill 2007; Australian Citizenship Bill 2007; Australian Citizenship (Transitionals and Consequentials) Bill 2007; Electoral and Referendum Legislation Amendment Bill 2007; Family Law (Divorce Fees Validation) Bill 2007; Maritime Legislation Amendment (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) Bill 2007; Acis Administration Amendment (Unearned Credit Liability) Bill 2007; Australian Technical Colleges (Flexibility in Achieving Australia's Skills Needs) Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2007; Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Amendment Bill 2007; Broadcasting Legislation Amendment Bill 2007; Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Statements of Principles and Other Measures) Bill 2007 (0 speeches)
- Assent (0 speeches)
Messages from His Excellency the Governor-General were reported informing the Senate that he had assented to the bills.
- Bankruptcy Legislation Amendment (Debt Agreements) Bill 2007; Bankruptcy (Estate Charges) Amendment Bill 2007 (0 speeches)
- First Reading (1 speech)
Billss received from the House of Representatives.
- Second Reading (1 speech)
I table a correction to the explanatory memorandum relating to the Bankruptcy Legislation Amendment (Debt Agreements) Bill 2007 and move: That these bills be now read a second time. I seek leave...
- Statute Law Revision Bill (No. 2) 2006 [2007] (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
At the request of the Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Economics Committee, Senator Ronaldson, I move: That business of the Senate order of the day No. 1, relating to the presentation of...
- Private Health Insurance Bill 2006; Private Health Insurance (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Bill 2006; Private Health Insurance (Prostheses Application and Listing Fees) Bill 2006; Private Health Insurance (Collapsed Organization Levy) Amendment Bill 2006; Private Health Insurance Complaints Levy Amendment Bill 2006; Private Health Insurance (Council Administration Levy) Amendment Bill 2006; Private Health Insurance (Reinsurance Trust Fund Levy) Amendment Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
I move: That the order of consideration of government business orders of the day for the reaminder of today be as follows:No. 6 Energy Efficiency Opportunities Amend-ment Bill 2006—second...
- Energy Efficiency Opportunities Amendment Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (4 speeches)
Debate resumed from 6 February, on motion by Senator Colbeck: That this bill be now read a second time.
- Qantas Sale (Keep Jetstar Australian) Amendment Bill 2007 (0 speeches)
- Report of Economics Committee (2 speeches)
On behalf of the Chair of the Economics Committee, Senator Ronaldson, I present the report of the committee on the Qantas Sale (Keep Jetstar Australian) Amendment Bill 2007, together with the...
- Airspace Bill 2006; Airspace (Consequentials and Other Measures) Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (3 speeches)
Debate resumed from 6 February, on motion by Senator Colbeck: That these bills be now read a second time.
- Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Amendment Bill 2007 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (10 speeches)
Debate resumed from 1 March, on motion by Senator Coonan: That this bill be now read a second time.
- Native Title Amendment Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (2 speeches)
Debate resumed from 26 February, on motion by Senator Scullion: That this bill be now read a second time.
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Order! It being 10.00 pm, I propose the question: That the Senate do now adjourn.
- Ministerial Responsibility (1 speech)
I stand here tonight with a heavy heart to address an institution that I hold most dear. By now, honourable senators are well aware of my transgressions of Senate reporting requirements which...
- Zimbabwe (1 speech)
Last week’s international media carried reports about the increasing violence that has now become public in Zimbabwe. It is impressive that we are able to have that media coverage of this...
- Housing Affordability (2 speeches)
I rise tonight to once again draw attention to the major crisis in many Australian towns and cities in the area of housing affordability. It is an issue that I have raised a number of times over...
- RAAF Accident, Canberra 1957 (1 speech)
On this day 50 years ago, the Hon. the Minister for Air and Civil Aviation, Mr Townley, rose in the House of Representatives following question time and advised the House: The House will be aware...
- Geothermal Energy (1 speech)
I want to speak tonight about emissions policy and carbon trading, which in much of the debate has been painted as jobs versus a responsible greenhouse gas policy. However, I think there are a...
- Global Changing Diabetes Leadership Forum (1 speech)
Tonight I rise to advise the Senate of the Global Changing Diabetes Leadership Forum held in New York last week. I was fortunate enough to be a speaker at the forum and was honoured to meet the...
- Australian Political Parties for Democracy (1 speech)
Tonight I provide the Senate with a further report on Labor’s Australian Political Parties for Democracy, APPD, work. The ALP is committed to using the APPD program for a range of...
- Australian Labor Party (1 speech)
Today the New South Wales Labor Party has reached a new low. I have become aware of yet another disgraceful item on the Australian Labor Party’s website, authorised by the New South Wales...
- Philippines (1 speech)
I rise tonight to talk about recent events which give further cause for concern about the status of democracy in the Philippines. In particular, I refer to a warrant of arrest which has been...
- Rotavirus Vaccination (1 speech)
I would like to bring to the Senate’s attention issues relating to the vaccine for rotavirus gastroenteritis. Rotavirus is a preventable illness and one of many preventable illnesses that...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- 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 July to 31 December...
- Departmental and Agency Contracts (0 speeches)
The following documents were tabled pursuant to the order of the Senate of 20 June 2001, as amended: Departmental and agency contracts for 2006—Letters of advice— Employment and...
- Tabling (0 speeches)
The following documents were tabled by the Clerk: [Legislative instruments are identified by a Federal Register of Legislative Instruments (FRLI) number] Aged Care Act— Aged Care (Amount of...
