Senate debates

Tuesday, 12 May 2009

• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That the hours of meeting for Tuesday, 12 May 2009 be from 12.30 pm to 6.30 pm and 8 pm to adjournment, and for Thursday, 14 May 2009 be from 9.30 am to 6 pm and 8 pm to...
• Australian Business Investment Partnership Bill 2009; Australian Business Investment Partnership (Consequential Amendment) Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
  • Second Reading (15 speeches)
    Debate resumed from 18 March, on motion by Senator McLucas: That these bills be now read a second time.
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Emissions Trading Scheme (20 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Minister Wong. Does the minister stand by her statement at the Poznan climate change conference on 12 December last year when, in...
  • Broadband (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. I refer the minister to the government’s announcement in relation to the National...
  • Climate Change (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Minister Wong. I refer the minister to a letter she wrote me asking for help to promote a schools competition on the topic ‘What...
  • Economy (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law, Senator Sherry. Given that in the last 12 months Australia and the world have experienced unprecedented financial turmoil and...
  • Broadband (8 speeches)
    My question is to the minister for very expensive broadband, communications and the digital economy, Senator Conroy. Following the complete failure of its first broadband plan, has the government...
  • Nuclear Energy (15 speeches)
    My question is addressed to the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Wong. Has this government expressed a position on whether or not nuclear power should be incorporated into the Clean...
  • Asylum Seekers (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Evans. I refer to the 20 vessels and the 714 people who have reached Australia since Labor softened our border protection...
  • Pakistan (6 speeches)
    My question is to Senator Faulkner, the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs. On the issue of surges, in light of reports of heavy fighting in Pakistan between the government...
  • Forestry (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, Senator Wong. What consultations with the New South Wales government were undertaken before...
  • Economy (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Carr. Can the minister inform the Senate how the government is working with Australian businesses to help...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Emissions Trading Scheme (12 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Climate Change and Water (Senator Wong) to questions without notice asked by Senators Cash and Boswell today relating to...
  • Nuclear Energy (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Climate Change and Water (Senator Wong) to a question without notice asked by Senator Ludlam today relating to nuclear...
• Condolences (0 speeches)
  • Mr George Conrad Hannan (5 speeches)
    It is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death on 1 May 2009 of George Conrad Hannan, a senator for the state of Victoria from 1956 to 1965 and 1970 to 1974. I call the Leader of...
  • Mr John Lindsay Armitage OAM; Mr William George Burns (2 speeches)
    It is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death of two former members of the House of Representatives:(a)on 13 April 2009, of John Lindsay Armitage OAM, a member of the House of...
  • Sergeant Brett Till (5 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That the Senate records its deep regret at the death, on 19 March 2009, of Sergeant Brett Till while on combat operations in Afghanistan, places on record its appreciation...
• Petitions (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    The Clerk: Petitions have been lodged for presentation as follows:
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Withdrawal (2 speeches)
    Pursuant to notice given on 19 March 2009, I now withdraw business of the Senate notice of motion No. 2 standing in my name for 10 sitting days after today.
  • Presentation (0 speeches)
    Senator Moore to move on the next day of sitting:That the time for the presentation of the report of the Community Affairs Committee on compliance audits on Medicare benefits be extended to...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee; Extension of Time (1 speech)
    by leave—On behalf of the Chair of the Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport, Senator Sterle, I move: That the time for the presentation of reports of the Rural and...
• Leave of Absence (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Pratt for 13 and 14 May 2009, for personal reasons.
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Postponement (0 speeches)
    The following items of business were postponed: General business notice of motion no. 399 standing in the name of Senator Cormann for today, proposing an order of continuing effect relating to...
• Departmental and Agency Appointments and Vacancies (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    I move: That the order of the Senate of 24 June 2008 for the production of documents relating to departmental and agency appointments be amended as follows:At the end of paragraph (1)(a), add...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Agricultural and Related Industries Committee; Reference (2 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Heffernan, I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 413. The details of the amendment have been circulated. Leave granted. I move the motion as...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Asylum Seekers (27 speeches)
    I have received a letter from Senator Fierravanti-Wells proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion, namely: The recent increased activities of...
• Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
  • Sri Lanka (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Smith, I table a ministerial statement relating to the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka.
• 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 16 which were presented to the President, the Deputy President and temporary chairs...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Procedure Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I move: That the report be printed. Question agreed to. by leave—I move: That consideration of the report be a business of the Senate order of the day for the next day of sitting. Question...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Presentation (1 speech)
    by leave—I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move: That, effective on 14 May 2009, standing order 25 be amended to read as follows:...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Finance and Public Administration Committee; Additional Information (2 speeches)
    I present additional information received from the Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration on its inquiry into residential and community aged care in Australia. I also present a...
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee; Report (1 speech)
    by leave—On behalf of the Chair of the Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Senator Crossin, I move: That the final reports of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Responses to Senate Resolutions (1 speech)
    I present the following responses to resolutions of the Senate:(a)Response from the Acting Prime Minister, Ms Gillard, to a resolution of the Senate of 11 March 2009 concerning International...
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner (0 speeches)
  • Report (1 speech)
    I seek leave to move a motion in relation to this report, government document No. 8, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner—Report for 2008—Social Justice,...
• Water Amendment (Saving the Goulburn and Murray Rivers) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
  • Report of Environment, Communications and the Arts Committee (3 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That the Senate take note of the report. I thank the Senate for its indulgence. I want to make a few remarks this evening on the report presented by the Senate Standing...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Environment, Communications and the Arts Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I seek leave to move a motion in relation to committee report No. 7 of the Standing Committee on the Environment, Communications and the Arts into the operation of the Environment Protection and...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • 14th National Schools Constitutional Convention (1 speech)
    I present a communique from the 14th National Schools Constitutional Convention held at Old Parliament House from 17 March to 19 March 2009.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee: Joint; Additional Information (1 speech)
    I present a report on access to documents of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence’s subcommittee on human rights in the Soviet Union.
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee; Additional Information (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport, Senator Sterle, I present additional information received by the committee in its inquiry into...
  • National Broadband Network Committee; Report (6 speeches)
    I present the second interim report of the Senate Select Committee on the National Broadband Network, entitled Another fork in the road to national broadband. Ordered that the report be printed....
• Excise Tariff Validation Bill 2009; Customs Tariff Validation Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
  • First Reading (5 speeches)
    Bills received from the House of Representatives.
  • Second Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That these bills be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speeches incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speeches read as follows— EXCISE TARIFF...
• Federal Financial Relations Bill 2009; Federal Financial Relations (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2009; Tax Agent Services Bill 2009; Tax Laws Amendment (2008 Measures No. 6) Bill 2009; Tax Laws Amendment (Taxation of Financial Arrangements) Bill 2009; Telecommunications Amendment (Integrated Public Number Database) Bill 2009; Australian Energy Market Amendment (Aemo and Other Measures) Bill 2009; Defence Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2009; Civil Aviation Amendment Bill 2009; Transport Safety Investigation Amendment Bill 2009; Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2008-2009; Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2008-2009; Appropriation Bill (No. 5) 2008-2009; Appropriation Bill (No. 6) 2008-2009; Social Security Amendment (Liquid Assets Waiting Period) Bill 2009; Aviation Legislation Amendment (2008 Measures No. 2) Bill 2009; Tax Laws Amendment (2009 Measures No. 1) Bill 2009; Fair Work Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
  • Assent (0 speeches)
    Messages from Her Excellency the Administrator of the Commonwealth of Australia were reported informing the Senate of assent to the bills.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee; Report (1 speech)
    Pursuant to order and at the request of the Chair of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, I present two reports on legislation as listed at item 20 on today’s Order of Business,...
• Australian Business Investment Partnership Bill 2009; Australian Business Investment Partnership (Consequential Amendment) Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
  • Second Reading (1 speech)
    Debate resumed.
• Budget (0 speeches)
  • Statements and Documents (1 speech)
    I table the following documents: Budget speech 2009-10—Statement by the Treasurer (Mr Swan), dated 12 May 2009. Budget papers— No. 1—Budget strategy and outlook 2009-10. No....
  • Proposed Expenditure; Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
    I table particulars of proposed expenditure, in accordance with the list circulated in the chamber, and seek leave to move a motion to refer the documents to standing committees. Leave granted. I...
  • Portfolio Budget Statements (2 speeches)
    I table the portfolio budget statements for 2009-2010 for the Department of the Senate and the Department of Parliamentary Services. Copies are available from the Senate Table Office.
• 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] Acts Interpretation Act and Financial...