Senate debates
Wednesday, 28 March 2007
- Business (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Legislation (15 speeches)
I move government business notice of motion No. 1:(1)That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the Migration Amendment (Border Integrity) Bill 2006, allowing...
- Gene Technology Amendment Bill 2007; Food Standards Australia New Zealand Amendment Bill 2007 (0 speeches)
- First Reading (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Mason, I move: That the following bills be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to gene technology, and for related purposes.A Bill for an Act to...
- Second Reading (1 speech)
I move: That these bills be now read a second time. I table the explanatory memoranda relating to the bills and seek leave to have the second reading speeches incorporated in Hansard. Leave...
- Airports Amendment Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (5 speeches)
Debate resumed from 27 March, on motion by Senator Johnson: That this bill be now read a second time. upon which Senator O’Brien moved by way of amendment: At the end of the motion, add:...
- In Committee (24 speeches)
Bill—by leave—taken as a whole.
- Third Reading (1 speech)
I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
- Tax Laws Amendment (2007 Measures No. 1) Bill 2007; Tax Laws Amendment (2006 Measures No. 7) Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (3 speeches)
Debate resumed from 1 March, on motion by Senator Coonan, and from 7 February, on motion by Senator Abetz: That these bills be now read a second time.
- In Committee (3 speeches)
Bills—by leave—taken together and as a whole.
- Third Reading (1 speech)
I move: That these bills be now read a third time. Bills read a third time.
- Farm Household Support Amendment Bill 2007 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (14 speeches)
Debate resumed from 22 March, on motion by Senator Scullion: That this bill be now read a second time. (Quorum formed)
- Matters of Public Interest (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Order! It being 12.45 pm, I call on matters of public interest.
- Valedictory (1 speech)
It goes with saying that, in commencing my final speech to the Senate today, I do so with some regrets. All politicians, either actual or aspiring, know Enoch Powell’s famous maxim about...
- Anti-Semitism (1 speech)
Might I just say at the outset that I extend best wishes to Senator Santoro and his family in his new career. Today I want to speak in this matter of public interest debate on the increasing...
- Indigenous Affairs (1 speech)
Today I want to speak about some significant anniversaries dealing with Indigenous Australians that are coming up in the next few months. The first, which occurs on 27 May, is the 40th...
- Wheat Industry (1 speech)
For many months, the issue of export wheat marketing has been a matter of public interest. Today I intend to inform the Senate of the progress made in the debate. The current wheat marketing...
- Workplace Relations; Economy (3 speeches)
I rise to speak today on the pressures facing families in greater Western Sydney. These pressures centre on the convergence of three issues, all of which lie with the actions of this government....
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Climate Change (4 speeches)
My question is to Senator Minchin, representing the Prime Minister. Is the minister aware that those who have lodged submissions with the Prime Ministerial Task Group on Emissions Trading in...
- Future Fund (2 speeches)
My question is also directed to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Minister for Finance and Administration. Will the minister explain how the government is preparing Australia to...
- Climate Change (11 speeches)
My question is to Senator Abetz, the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources. As a minister who likes to play the guessing game, guess who said this: ... we...
- Green Corps (2 speeches)
My question is to Senator the Hon. Eric Abetz, the Minister representing the Minister for Workforce Participation. In addition to the first anniversary of the excellent and outstanding government...
- Carbon Trading (8 speeches)
My question is to Senator Minchin, the Minister representing the Prime Minister. Hasn’t the government had an array of different positions on carbon trading over the past 10 years,...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
Order! I draw the attention of honourable senators to the presence in the President’s Gallery of an Australian Political Exchange Council delegation from the International Youth Cooperation...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Health (2 speeches)
My question is to Senator Ellison as the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing. I am aware that there have been very substantial improvements in the last 11 years in the rate...
- Climate Change (13 speeches)
My question is to Senator Abetz, the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources. Sir Nicholas Stern stressed today at the National Press Club the need for global...
- Indigenous Communities (18 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Community Services, Senator Scullion—and a good senator he is too—from the Northern Territory. Will the minister outline the Indigenous policy...
- Workplace Relations (7 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Is the minister aware of Minister Hockey’s claim: The evidence now clearly illustrates that...
- Petrol Sniffing (4 speeches)
My question is to Senator Ellison, the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing. It relates to the provision of infrastructure to support youth diversionary programs to combat...
- Child Care (22 speeches)
My question is to Senator Scullion, Minister for Community Services. Is the minister aware that analysis by ANZ chief economist Saul Eslake has shown that the cost of child care has risen by 58.6...
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Aged Care (1 speech)
Yesterday Senator McLucas asked me a number of questions about aged-care places. I undertook to provide to the Senate any further detail that I could. I can report the Minister for Ageing tabled...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Climate Change (8 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by Senators Abetz and Minchin to questions without notice asked today, relating to climate change. Every week we hear something a little...
- Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I seek leave to make a brief personal explanation as I claim to have been misrepresented. Leave granted. Last night during the adjournment debate, Senator Ronaldson stated in his speech—and...
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
The Clerk: A petition has been lodged for presentation as follows:
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Presentation (1 speech)
Senator Eggleston to move on the next day of sitting:That the time for the presentation of the report of the Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Committee on...
- Postponement (0 speeches)
The following items of business were postponed: General business notice of motion no. 747 standing in the name of the Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Bob Brown) for today, proposing the...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Tasmania: Proposed Pulp Mill (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate calls on the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources to ensure that federal guidelines for assessing Gunns Limited proposed pulp mill in Tasmania include the...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Postponement (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That general business notice of motion 770 standing in the name of Senator Bob Brown for today, relating to interrogation and torture, be postponed till the next day of...
- Tasmania: Proposed Pulp Mill (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate calls on the Government to ensure that both the Stockholm Convention and the Biodiversity Convention will be upheld in assessing Gunns Limited proposed pulp mill in...
- MR David Hicks (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate—(a)notes the guilty plea by Mr David Hicks;(b)rejects the validity of the United States of America military commission occurring in Guantanamo Bay; and(c)calls on the...
- Northern Ireland (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate notes the achievement of the power sharing agreement in Northern Ireland as an historic day and trusts that this will lead to a lasting and resilient peace for the benefit...
- Annual Science Meets Parliament Event (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate—(a)notes that 28 March 2007 is the annual Science Meets Parliament event;(b)congratulates the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies for...
- Opal Fuel and Substance Abuse (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I, and also on behalf of Senators Adams, Humphries, Moore, Bartlett and Crossin, move:That the Senate—(a)notes:(i)the success to date of the roll-out of the non-sniffable Opal fuel and the...
- Slavery and Trafficking of Humans (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate—(a)notes that 25 March 2007 was the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the trans-Atlantic slave trade;(b)calls on the Government to:(i)work for the eradication of...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Community Affairs Committee; Reference (1 speech)
I move:(1)That the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs Committee for inquiry and report by 30 June 2008: Ongoing efforts towards improving mental health services in Australia,...
- Northern Ireland (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Given the importance of my motion and that there is some confusion associated with it, and given that we are on air, I seek leave to read out my notice of motion. Leave not granted.
- Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
- Housing Affordability (11 speeches)
I inform the Senate that the President has received the following letter, dated 28 March 2007, from Senator Bartlett: Dear Mr President, Pursuant to standing order 75, I give notice that today I...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of Senator Robert Ray, I present the fourth 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. 4 of...
- Qantas Sale (Keep Jetstar Australian) Amendment Bill 2007 (0 speeches)
- Report of Economics Committee (1 speech)
On behalf of Senator Joyce, I present a corrected version of his comments on the report of the Senate Standing Committee on Economics on the Qantas Sale (Keep Jetstar Australian) Amendment Bill...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Public Works Committee; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of Senator Troeth, I present the report of the Joint Standing Committee on Public Works on the redevelopment of propellant manufacturing and other specified capabilities at Mulwala. I...
- Migration Legislation Amendment (Information and Other Measures) Bill 2007 (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— MIGRATION LEGISLATION...
- Migration Amendment (Border Integrity) Bill 2007 (0 speeches)
- First Reading (1 speech)
Bill received from the House of Representatives.
- Second Reading (1 speech)
I table a revised explanatory memorandum to the bill and 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...
- Aged Care Amendment (Security and Protection) Bill 2007; Private Health Insurance Bill 2006; Private Health Insurance (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
- Private Health Insurance (Reinsurance Trust Fund Levy) Amendment Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
- Returned from the House of Representatives (0 speeches)
Message received from the House of Representatives agreeing to the amendments requested by the Senate to the bill.
- Third Reading (1 speech)
I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Farm Household Support Amendment Bill 2007 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (5 speeches)
Debate resumed from 22 March, on motion by Senator Scullion: That this bill be now read a second time.
- In Committee (3 speeches)
Bill—by leave—taken as a whole.
- Third Reading (1 speech)
I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
- 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 25 March 2007 was the 200th anniversary of the passing of William...
- Migration Legislation Amendment (Information and Other Measures) Bill 2007 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (2 speeches)
Debate resumed.
- Third Reading (0 speeches)
Bill passed through its remaining stages without amendment or debate.
- Documents (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Order! It being 6.50 pm, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of government documents.
- Migration Act (2 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the document. This document comprises a couple of tabling statements of decisions made by the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship under section 46A of...
- Superannuation Co-Contribution Scheme (2 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the document. The latest quarterly report by the Australian Taxation Office on the Australian government’s superannuation co-contribution scheme for the...
- Consideration (0 speeches)
General business orders of the day nos 12 to 14 and 16 relating to government documents were called on but no motion was moved.
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Order! It being 7.07 pm, I propose the question: That the Senate do now adjourn.
- Children and Sport (1 speech)
I wish to raise in the chamber today an issue of utmost importance, not just to the families of Australia but to the country as a whole. There is a massive problem in Australia with the lack of...
- Intellectual Property (1 speech)
Tonight I would like to follow up on my earlier speech on how the government manages intellectual property. Then, I highlighted an Australian National Audit Office report which showed that piracy...
- Aceh (1 speech)
At the end of 2006 and again this month, the first free elections for a self-governing Aceh were conducted. These elections were conducted in a manner which befits a burgeoning democracy and...
- 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] Civil Aviation Act— Civil Aviation...
