Senate debates
Wednesday, 21 March 2007
- Business (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Legislation (3 speeches)
At the request of Senator Ellison, I move:That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the following bills, allowing them to be considered during this period of...
- Rearrangement (3 speeches)
I move:That:(1) On Thursday, 22 March 2007:(a) the hours of meeting shall be 9.30 am to 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm to 11.40 pm;(b) the routine of business from...
- Energy Efficiency Opportunities Amendment Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (0 speeches)
Debate resumed from 20 March, on motion by Senator Colbeck: That this bill be now read a second time. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time.
- In Committee (71 speeches)
Bill—by leave—taken as a whole.
- Matters of Public Interest (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Order! It being 12.45 pm, I call on matters of public interest.
- Australian Greens (4 speeches)
The Greens are an extremist political organisation and should be recognised as such by all mainstream political parties. That recognition should extend to refusing to do preference deals such as...
- Mr Gough Whitlam (1 speech)
I rise today to speak on a matter of public interest—I could say ‘a milestone’ of public interest. Tomorrow, 22 March 2007, Gough Whitlam becomes the longest-lived of all...
- Asylum Seekers; Climate Change (1 speech)
Last weekend, the government flew 82 Sri Lankan asylum seekers to Nauru. These young men were found in a leaky boat by Australian Navy crew a month ago and then locked up by the Australian...
- Western Australian Institutes for Health (1 speech)
Today I wish to inform the Senate of an ambitious long-term proposal by an alliance of medical research organisations to develop two major medical research hubs in Western Australia. To establish...
- Defence Procurement (1 speech)
In today’s matters of public interest discussion I want to make a contribution on the proposed purchase by the government of 24 Super Hornet jet fighters at a price, we are told,...
- Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
by leave—As I said yesterday, on 18 March the Prime Minister announced a number of changes to the ministry. The swearing-in took place earlier today. For the information of senators I table...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Smartcard (4 speeches)
My question is to Senator Ellison, the Minister for Human Services. Can the minister confirm that the government is continuing to evaluate the two access card tenders before the actual access...
- Broadband (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Coonan. Will the minister inform the Senate how the government is assisting access to broadband,...
- Smartcard (6 speeches)
My question is directed to Minister Ellison, the Minister for Human Services. I refer to the report tabled by the Senate finance and public administration committee last week on the...
- Telstra (2 speeches)
My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister for Finance and Administration, Senator Minchin. Will the minister inform the Senate of the benefits to Australia from...
- Broadband (8 speeches)
My question is to Senator Coonan, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. Does the minister recall the Prime Minister’s statement just last month: One of the...
- Tough on Drugs Strategy (11 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Johnston. Will the minister please inform the Senate of the progress of the government’s Tough on Drugs policy? Is the...
- Water (4 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Senator Eric Abetz. I draw the minister’s attention to the announcement by South...
- Drought (4 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Human Services, Senator Ellison. Will the minister inform the Senate of the action taken by the government to assist farmers affected by the drought?
- Broadband (7 speeches)
My question is to Senator Coonan, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. Is the minister aware that Australia is ranked just 17th for its use of broadband out of 30...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
Order! I draw the attention of honourable senators to the presence in the President’s gallery of a parliamentary delegation from the Republic of Indonesia. On behalf of all senators, I wish...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Zimbabwe (5 speeches)
My question is addressed to the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I draw the minister’s attention to the continued repression of political opponents to the Mugabe...
- Defence Procurement (4 speeches)
My question is to Senator Minchin, the Minister for Finance and Administration. Does the minister recall telling the Senate on 1 March this year, in response to a question about the purchase of...
- Macquarie Island (11 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Senator Abetz. Will the minister please inform the Senate what the Howard government is doing to...
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Defence: Guided Missile Frigates (1 speech)
On Thursday, 1 March, in a question from Senator Faulkner, I undertook to obtain further information on the force guided missile frigates. I table additional information provided by the Minister...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Answers to Questions (16 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked today. I particularly want to address my remarks at this point to the answers given by...
- Water (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation (Senator Abetz) to a question without notice asked by Senator Siewert today relating...
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
The Clerk: Petitions have been lodged for presentation as follows:
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Withdrawal (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Carr, I withdraw business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1 standing in Senator Carr’s name for today relating to the reference to the Senate Standing Committee...
- Presentation (0 speeches)
Senator Bob Brown to move on the next day of sitting: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to provide for the disclosure of lobbying activities intended to inform and...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Selection of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Ferris, I present the fourth report of 2007 of the Selection of Bills Committee. Ordered that the report be adopted. I seek leave to have the report incorporated in...
- Leave of Absence (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Sherry from 20 March to 29 March 2007, for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Economics Committee; Extension of Time (1 speech)
by leave—At the request of the Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Economics, Senator Ronaldson, I move: That the time for the presentation of the report of the Economics Committee on...
- 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 the Leader of the Australian Democrats (Senator Allison) for today, proposing...
- Criminal Code Amendment (Anti-Child Abuse and Pornography Materials) Bill 2007 (0 speeches)
- First Reading (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Ludwig, I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the Criminal Code Act 1995 to create new offences in relation to transmitting child...
- Second Reading (1 speech)
I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I table the explanatory memorandum and seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speech read as...
- Sydney Harbour Bridge (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I, and also on behalf of Senators Faulkner, George Campbell, Stephens and Foreshaw, move:That the Senate notes:(a) the 75th anniversary of the opening of the Sydney Harbour...
- MR David Hicks (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
by leave—I move the motion as amended:That the Senate—(a) notes that:(i) March 2007 marks the one year anniversary of Mr David Hicks’ solitary...
- Zimbabwe (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate—(a) notes:(i) the recent attacks and beatings of Zimbabwean opposition members, including Movement for Democratic Change leader Mr Morgan...
- Tasmania: Proposed Pulp Mill (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate— (a)notes:(i)that Gunns Limited, proponents of Tasmania’s proposed Bell Bay pulp mill, abandoned the independent Resource Planning and Development Commission...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Community Affairs Committee; Reference (4 speeches)
I move: That the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs Committee for inquiry and report by 12 June 2007: Allegations that the Exclusive Brethren, including its leadership, may...
- Carbon Dioxide Emissions (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate—(a) welcomes the decision by the European Union (EU) to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 2020 to 20 per cent below 1990 levels; and(b) calls on...
- MR David Hicks (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate—(a) notes:(i) that Mr David Hicks remains in Guantanamo Bay despite all British prisoners having been released by request of their government,...
- Sri Lankan Asylum Seekers (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
I move:That the Senate—(a) notes:(i) that 82 Sri Lankan asylum seekers have been transferred to Nauru,(ii) claims by one of the asylum seekers that they...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Presentation (1 speech)
by leave—I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move:That the Senate:(a) notes that on 22 March 2007 Gough Whitlam becomes Australia’s longest-lived...
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Iraq (13 speeches)
The President has received a letter from the Leader of the Australian Democrats, Senator Allison, proposing that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Robert Ray, I present the third report of 2007 of the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills. I also lay on the table Scrutiny of Bills Alert Digest No. 3...
- Public Works Committee; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Public Works, I present the committee’s 70th annual report. I move: That the Senate take note of the report. I seek leave to...
- Senators’ Interests Committee; Documents (1 speech)
On behalf of the Committee of Senators’ Interests, I table explanatory notes for statements of registrable interests as most recently amended by the Committee of Senators’ Interests,...
- Finance and Public Administration Committee; Report (1 speech)
I seek leave to move a motion in relation to the report of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration on the provisions of the Human Services (Enhanced Service Delivery)...
- Council of the National Library of Australia (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
The President has received a letter from Senator Brandis resigning his seat as a member of the Council of the National Library of Australia.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Airports 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 privatisation of...
- Budget (0 speeches)
- Consideration by Legislation Committees; Reports (1 speech)
Pursuant to order and at the request of the chairs of the respective committees, I present reports from standing committees, except the economics committee, on the 2006-07 additional estimates,...
- Energy Efficiency Opportunities Amendment Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
- In Committee (10 speeches)
Consideration resumed. (Quorum formed)
- Third Reading (1 speech)
I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
- Airspace Bill 2006; Airspace (Consequentials and Other Measures) Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (0 speeches)
Debate resumed from 20 March, on motion by Senator Colbeck: That these bills be now read a second time. Question agreed to. Bills read a second time.
- Third Reading (0 speeches)
Bills passed through their remaining stages without amendment or debate.
- Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Amendment Bill 2007 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (0 speeches)
Debate resumed from 20 March, on motion by Senator Coonan: That this bill be now read a second time. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time.
- In Committee (47 speeches)
Bill—by leave—taken as a whole. (Quorum formed)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Consideration (0 speeches)
The government documents tabled today and general business orders of the day Nos 14 to 18 relating to government documents were called on but no motion was moved.
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Order! There being no consideration of government documents, I propose the question: That the Senate do now adjourn.
- Telecommunications (5 speeches)
I rise tonight to talk about the announcement today by Labor of their proposal for telecommunications in this nation. Interestingly, we are seeing again a proposal for fibre to the node.
- Military Justice (1 speech)
Tonight I would like to make a few comments to the Senate on government attempts to reform elements of the military justice system, returning to a familiar topic that I know is of great interest...
- Press Freedom (1 speech)
Last week the Reporters Without Borders website reported that Australia had slumped to No. 35 on their press freedom index. I am not sure of the history and credibility of the index, and...
- Defence Materiel (1 speech)
Nearly four years ago the government finally acknowledged it had a problem with defence materiel acquisition and management and initiated the Kinnaird review to fix the problem. Even before the...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Tabling (0 speeches)
The following government documents were tabled: Dairy Produce Act 1986Funding contract with Dairy Australia Limited—Report for 2005-06. Migration Act 1958Section 486O—Assessment of...
- 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...
