Senate debates
Wednesday, 23 June 2010
- Opening of Parliament (0 speeches)
- (20 speeches)
I move: That the Senate is of the view that the declaration of the opening of Parliament should be preceded by an Indigenous ‘Welcome to Country’ ceremony. I seek the Senate’s...
- Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment Bill 2010; Renewable Energy (Electricity) (Charge) Amendment Bill 2010; Renewable Energy (Electricity) (Small-Scale Technology Shortfall Charge) Bill 2010 (0 speeches)
- In Committee (60 speeches, 2 comments)
Consideration resumed from 22 June.
- Matters of Public Interest (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Pursuant to order, I now call on matters of public interest.
- Hospitals (4 speeches)
I rise today to speak on matters of public interest and certainly matters which are initiating topical debate around this country. Indeed, it is not a simple task to overhaul years of neglect by...
- Mental Health (1 speech)
I have the opportunity to follow on from Senator Polley’s contribution in this matters of public interest debate because I was intending to speak on the topic of mental health. I find it...
- Food Labelling; Water; Gambling (1 speech)
As an Independent senator, matters of public interest speeches are a rare treat indeed. For me they happen only twice a year, and so I intend to speak on not one, not two but three issues of...
- Parkinson’s Disease; Go Red for Women (1 speech)
I rise today in this matters of public interest debate to inform the chamber of two recent events. The first that I will speak about concerns Parkinson’s Disease. As Convenor of...
- Australian Council of Trade Unions (5 speeches)
I rise to speak on a threat to the union movement’s ability to look after the jobs of its members. Once that threat was communism; today it comes from an extreme greens agenda. Union...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Broadband (20 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. I refer to the non-binding agreement for Telstra to participate in the National Broadband...
- Afghanistan (6 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Faulkner. Can the Minister outline to the Senate the new leadership arrangements in Oruzgan province? Can he further inform the Senate whether...
- Broadband (18 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. Is it true that Telstra’s HFC cables in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane could be...
- Aged Care (8 speeches)
My question is to Senator Ludwig, the Minister representing the Minister for Ageing. My question relates to the open letter to the PM today around aged care, one which concerns the widening gap...
- Building the Education Revolution Program (32 speeches)
My question without notice is to Senator Carr, the Minister representing the Minister for Education. Under the Building the Education Revolution Program how does the government independently...
- Digital Television (6 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. Given that in just one week the analog television signal in the Mildura-Sunraysia region will...
- Budget (12 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Sherry. I ask whether the government is aware of the comments of the Canadian Minister for International Trade in the Financial...
- Problem Gambling (8 speeches)
My question is to Senator Sherry, the Assistant Treasurer. On 11 September 2007 the then opposition leader and now Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, said: I hate poker machines and I know something of...
- Home Insulation Program (10 speeches)
My question is to the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery, Senator Arbib.
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Budget (18 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 Ryan today, relating to the budget. Kevin Rudd,...
- Government Advertising (0 speeches)
- Return to Order (1 speech)
by leave—With reference to Senator Ronaldson’s return to order motion dated 22 June 2010 requesting the production of a copy of a draft statement of reasons and draft correspondence...
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Presentation (1 speech)
Senator Hutchins to move on the next day of sitting:That the Senate—(a)welcomes the signing of various bilateral agreements between China and Taiwan, including on direct flights, maritime...
- Withdrawal (1 speech)
Pursuant to notice of intention given yesterday, I withdraw business of the Senate notice of motion No. 2 standing in my name for today.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Selection of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
I present the 9th report of 2010 of the Selection of Bills Committee. Ordered that the report be adopted. I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The report read...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Legislation; Variation (1 speech)
I move: That the Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Close of Rolls and Other Measures) Bill (No. 2) 2010 be listed on the Notice Paper as a separate order of the day for the next day of sitting....
- 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 Ryan for today, proposing a reference to the Finance and Public...
- Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee: Attendance of Witness (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate—(a)notes the opening statement made by the President of Fair Work Australia on 1 June 2010 during his appearance at an estimates hearing of the Education,...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Last Resort Builders’ Home Warranty Insurance (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate—(a)notes that:(i)a crisis is looming in the building industry with Vero exiting the last resort builders’ home warranty insurance market in New South Wales by...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Timor Sea Oil Spill (0 speeches)
- Order (4 speeches)
I move:That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Resources and Energy, by Thursday, 24 June 2010, the report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Montara oil...
- National Aboriginal and Islander Children's Day (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate—(a)acknowledges that Sunday, 4 August 2010 is National Aboriginal and Islander Children’s Day;(b)recognises that the theme for 2010 is ‘Value My Culture,...
- Mobile Phone Chargers (0 speeches)
- (12 speeches)
I inform the Senate that there is an opposition amendment to this motion relating to a regulation of mobile phone chargers. I have agreed to the amendment, but I do not have the words of it with...
- Koala Population (0 speeches)
- (10 speeches)
I move:That the Senate—(a)notes the decline in koala populations around Australia;(b)calls on the Government to have a public and transparent inquiry into the status, heath and...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (4 speeches)
I inform the Senate that Senator Parry has withdrawn the matter of public importance which he had proposed for today.
- Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment Bill 2010; Renewable Energy (Electricity) (Charge) Amendment Bill 2010; Renewable Energy (Electricity) (Small-Scale Technology Shortfall Charge) Bill 2010 (0 speeches)
- In Committee (40 speeches)
The committee is considering the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment Bill 2010 and related bills as amended, and government amendment (1) on sheet CA252. The question is that the amendment...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
- Afghanistan (2 speeches)
by leave—I indicate to the Senate that at the end of this brief statement in the chamber I will seek leave for the full ministerial statement on Afghanistan to be incorporated in Hansard....
- E-Health Reform (6 speeches)
I present a statement relating to e-health reform by the Minister for Health and Ageing.
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- Community Sector Funding (1 speech)
by leave—I present to the Senate a petition from 518 citizens to Australia’s federal, state and territory governments about community sector funding as part of the ASU’s pay...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Appropriations (0 speeches)
- Correspondence; Tabling (1 speech)
I present correspondence to the Minister for Finance and Deregulation, pursuant to a recommendation of the report of the Appropriations and Staffing Committee on ordinary annual services of the...
- Auditor-General’S Reports (0 speeches)
- Report Nos 47 and 48 of 2009-10 (1 speech)
In accordance with the provisions of the Auditor-General Act 1997, I present the following reports of the Auditor-General: Report No. 47 of 2009-10: Performance audit—Management of live...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Energy Efficient Homes Package (0 speeches)
- Return to Order (1 speech)
by leave—I table a statement relating to the order for the production of documents concerning the energy efficiency task force report.
- Government Advertising (0 speeches)
- Return to Order (11 speeches)
by leave—Just after question time and immediately before the condolence motion, the Special Minister of State, Senator Ludwig, tabled a statement in the Senate concerning an order for the...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Tabling (1 speech)
The Clerk: Documents are tabled in accordance with the list circulated to senators. Details of the documents appear at the end of today’s Hansard.
- International Monetary Agreements Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2010 (0 speeches)
- First Reading (1 speech)
Bill received from the House of Representatives.
- Second Reading (2 speeches)
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 bill amends the...
- Budget (0 speeches)
- Consideration by Estimates Committees; Reports (1 speech)
Pursuant to order and at the request of the chairs of the respective committees, I present reports from all legislation committees in respect of the 2010-11 Budget estimates, together with the...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Order! It being 6.50 pm, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of government documents. Orders of the day nos 74 to 99 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.
- Baby Safe Havens (1 speech)
I rise tonight in the Senate to speak on the heart-wrenching issue of child abandonment and the need for baby safe havens in Australia. The funeral service for an abandoned baby boy held in...
- Professor Christopher Nordin (1 speech)
This evening I would like to pay tribute to Professor Christopher Nordin and the contribution he has made to medical research and preventive health in Australia, particularly in the area of...
- Muresk Institute of Agriculture (1 speech)
I draw to the attention of the Senate the situation with the state of Western Australia’s leading agricultural education institution and voice the fear that what we are experiencing in WA...
- Victorian Ombudsman: Investigation into Brimbank City Council (1 speech)
I rise tonight to raise an important matter concerning flow-on effects of the 2009 Victorian Ombudsman investigation into the alleged improper conduct of councillors at Brimbank City Council. At...
- 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] Aged Care Act— Aged Care (Amount of...
