Senate debates
Wednesday, 19 August 2009
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That consideration of government business continue from 6.50 pm to 7.20 pm today. Question agreed to.
- Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment Bill 2009; Renewable Energy (Electricity) (Charge) Amendment Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (19 speeches)
Debate resumed from 18 August, on motion by Senator Carr: That these bills be now read a second time.
- In Committee (41 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.
- Swimming Pool Safety (1 speech)
I rise today to bring to the attention of the chamber the very important issue of infant mortality rates as a result of drowning in home swimming pools and the need to improve pool fencing...
- Water (2 speeches)
Today I want to talk about why any proposition for the Commonwealth to buy the land and water resources of Cubbie Station will be a fraud on the public purse. Section 99 of chapter IV, Finance...
- Radioactive Waste (11 speeches)
I rise to speak again, as I have already done a few times in the last 13 months in here, about radioactive matters of public interest. I want to point out that, until very recently, the ALP...
- Geographic Price Discrimination (1 speech)
I thank Senator Ludlam for being gracious enough to give up some of his time for me to speak today. I rise today to speak about the issue of geographic price discrimination. This is an issue of...
- Victoria: Abortion Law Reform Act (1 speech)
On 10 October 2008, the Victorian parliament passed the Abortion Law Reform Act—the freest abortion laws in the world. The new law has opened the floodgates to late-term abortions, right up...
- Drugs (1 speech)
I rise today to speak on a matter of public interest: the unhealthy and ever-increasing influence of different classes of drugs on our children. Alcohol and other drugs are, sadly, the largest...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Taxation (19 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Sherry. Will the minister confirm that in the lead-up to the May budget Treasury modelled an income-tax surcharge on so-called...
- Liquefied Natural Gas Exports (18 speeches)
My question is to the Assistant Treasurer, Senator Sherry. Can the Assistant Treasurer inform the Senate about the record international trade deal signed overnight involving the Gorgon liquefied...
- Economy (6 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Sherry. Aren’t economists such as Chris Richardson, Stephen Kirchner and Sinclair Davidson right when they say that the...
- Afghanistan: Women’s Rights (11 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister. What has been the reaction of the Prime Minister to news that President Karzai of Afghanistan has signed a decree repressing women...
- Building the Education Revolution Program (6 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Education, Senator Carr. Will the minister explain why the government’s education infrastructure program has allowed seven South...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
Order! I draw the attention of honourable senators to the presence in the President’s Gallery of the members of Commission III (Law and Legislation, Human Rights, and Security Affairs) from...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Nation Building and Jobs Plan (33 speeches)
My question is to the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery, Senator Arbib, in relation to the Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan. Could the minister advise...
- Australian Defence Force (11 speeches)
Thank you, Mr President. My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Faulkner. Minister, last week in a speech you gave a firm commitment that the safety and security of our deployed...
- Water (8 speeches)
My question, of which I have given some notice, is to the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Wong. What powers does the Commonwealth have to intervene to protect the reactivation of...
- Energy Efficient Homes Package (12 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Sherry. Given that recent reports illustrate that dishonest insulation installers are exploiting the government’s $4...
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Water for the Future Program (1 speech)
Yesterday, Senator Birmingham asked a question of me. I seek leave to table some additional information in response to that question. Leave granted. The document read as follows— Question...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Taxation (5 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Assistant Treasurer (Senator Sherry) to a question without notice asked by Senator Coonan today relating to taxation. For a minister...
- Afghanistan: Women’s Rights (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship (Senator Evans) to a question without notice asked by Senator Bob Brown today relating to...
- Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
- (15 speeches)
I seek leave to make a brief personal explanation as I claim to have been misrepresented. Leave granted. Senator Sherry gave today a spiel which asserted that I was fervently against the Gorgon...
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
The Clerk: A petition has been lodged for presentation as follows:
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Presentation (0 speeches)
Senator Ludwig to move on the next day of sitting:That the Senate—(a)notes that:(i)Thursday, 3 September 2009 marks Australian National Flag Day, commemorating 108 years since the...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Leave of Absence (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Scullion and Senator Ryan for the period 19 August to 21 August 2009 on account of 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. 1 standing in the name of Senator Colbeck for 20 August 2009, proposing the disallowance of the Export...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Japanese Comfort Women (0 speeches)
- (14 speeches)
I move: That the Senate—(a)notes that:(i)15 August 2009 was the 64th anniversary of the conclusion of World War II, and(ii)during the war up to 200 000 women and girls were forced into...
- Hearing Awareness Week (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 519 standing in my name. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended:That the Senate:(a)notes that:(i)the week beginning Sunday, 23...
- National Preventative Health Taskforce (0 speeches)
- (4 speeches)
I ask that general business notice of motion No. 523, standing in my name and in the name of Senator Barnett for today, proposing an order for the production of documents on the report of the...
- Audits of General Purpose Accounts of Aged Care Providers (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
I move:That the Senate:(a)notes that:(i)the Department of Health and Ageing has been collecting audited General Purpose Accounts from aged care providers since the 2004-05 financial year,(ii)this...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Community Affairs References Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Siewert, I move:That the Community Affairs References Committee be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 20 August 2009,...
- Environment, Communications and the Arts References Committee; Extension of Time (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Birmingham, I move:That the time for the presentation of the report of the Environment, Communications and the Arts References Committee on forestry and mining...
- Corporations and Financial Services Committee; Extension of Time (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Mason, I move:That the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services be authorised to meet during the sitting of the Senate on Wednesday, 19...
- Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of Senator Coonan, I present the ninth report of 2009 of the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills. I also lay on the table Scrutiny of Bills Alert Digest No. 10 of 2009,...
- Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
- Chemotherapy (0 speeches)
- Return to Order (1 speech)
I rise to provide a response to the order for production of documents regarding chemotherapy treatment moved by Senator Cormann and carried by the Senate. It is No. 24 of the Notice Paper. I seek...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Tabling (0 speeches)
The following documents were tabled by the Clerk: Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act—Notices under section 45— Australian Rail Track Corporation Limited, dated 24 June 2009....
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Higher Education Support Amendment (2009 Budget Measures) Bill 2009 (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 Government is...
- Veterans’ Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Pension Reform) Bill 2009 (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— This bill gives effect...
- Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment Bill 2009; Renewable Energy (Electricity) (Charge) Amendment Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Order! It being 7.20 pm, I propose the question: That the Senate do now adjourn.
- Millennium Development Goals (1 speech)
This evening I rise to speak on the importance of Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5, particularly in the face of the current global economic downturn. These goals enshrine our commitment to...
- Bushfires (1 speech)
I rise to talk about the environment, especially national parks. I take the Senate back to what I said in my maiden speech to this chamber last September: I disagree with a lot that the New South...
- Sri Lanka (1 speech)
On Tuesday afternoon of this week, I greeted two young Australians, Seran and Vishna, who had just completed a 300 kilometre walk from Sydney to Parliament House. The journey took nine days. It...
- Work of the Senate (1 speech)
I wish to raise a couple of matters not only concerning my particular role as Manager of Opposition Business but also defending the good work of the Senate. On Monday, 17 August, Mr Albanese, the...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Tabling (0 speeches)
The following documents were tabled by the Clerk: Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act—Notices under section 45— Australian Rail Track Corporation Limited, dated 24 June 2009....
- Indexed Lists of Files (0 speeches)
The following document was 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 documents were tabled pursuant to the order of the Senate of 20 June 2001, as amended: Departmental and agency contracts for 2009—Letters of advice— Finance and...
