Senate debates
Tuesday, 23 November 2010
- Business (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
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 sittings: Family Law Amendment...
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
I move: That intervening business be postponed till after consideration of government business order of the day no. 3 Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Competition and Consumer...
- Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Competition and Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2010 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (46 speeches)
Debate resumed from 17 November, on motion by Senator Feeney: That this bill be now read a second time.
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Broadband (26 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Senator Wong. Why has the minister commissioned an independent review of NBN Co.’s business case and 2010-11 corporate plan?
- Employment (10 speeches)
My question is to Senator Wong, the Minister representing the Treasurer. Can the minister inform the Senate on the state of the Australian economy—in particular, its relationship to job...
- Broadband (15 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Communications, Broadband and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. I refer to the services contract with Greenhill Caliburn to advise on the ‘robustness...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
Order! I draw to the attention of honourable senators the presence in the gallery of the 19th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation—APEC—delegation from the Republic of China. On behalf...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Economy (9 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Small Business and Minister Assisting on Deregulation, Senator Sherry. Can the minister outline to the Senate how the Gillard government’s regulatory...
- Broadband (26 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. Will the government release the contents of the Greenhill Caliburn report—yes or no?
- Asylum Seekers (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Carr. Given recent reports of an increase in self-harm by asylum seekers and the two suicides at...
- Broadband (14 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. I refer the minister to the letter from the NBN Co. CEO, Mr Mike Quigley, to the minister and...
- Forestry (13 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Ludwig. My question concerns contractors in Tasmanian forestry.
- Broadband (18 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. When will the government provide certainty to the residential development sector and...
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Woodside Energy Ltd (1 speech)
I seek leave to incorporate in Hansard a response to a question asked of me yesterday by Senator Brown. Leave granted. The answer read as follows— Resources, Energy and Tourism Portfolio...
- Broadband (13 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of answers given by the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Digital Productivity (Senator...
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
The Clerk: A petition has been lodged for presentation as follows:
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Presentation (1 speech)
Senator Bob Brown to move on the next day of sitting:That the Senate supports the agreement reached by logging industry representatives and non-government organisations on the future for...
- Leave of Absence (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Hutchins for the period 24 November and 25 November 2010 on account of personal reasons. Question agreed to.
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Postponement (1 speech)
The following item of business was postponed: Business of the Senate notice of motion no. 4 standing in the names of Senators Fisher and Ludlam for today, proposing a reference to the...
- National Broadband Network Financial Transparency Bill 2010 (0 speeches)
- First Reading (1 speech)
I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to require the preparation and publication of a business case and a cost benefit analysis of the proposed National Broadband...
- 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 purpose of the...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- GST Arrangements (0 speeches)
- Order (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate—(a)notes that:(i)the Government has refused to provide the information requested by the Senate in relation to advice to Government about the requirement for unanimous...
- Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Anti-Siphoning) Bill 2010 (0 speeches)
- First Reading (1 speech)
I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 in relation to anti-siphoning provisions, and for related purposes. Question agreed...
- Second Reading (1 speech)
I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to table an explanatory memorandum and have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speech read as...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Postponement (1 speech)
by leave—at the request of Senator Ludlam, I move: That general business notice of motion No. 125 standing in the name of Senator Ludlam, relating to the elimination of violence against...
- Exercise Hamel (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate—(a)notes that:(i)Exercise Hamel was conducted by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) at the Townsville Field Training Area, Cowley Beach and RAAF Townsville,...
- Go Home on Time Day (0 speeches)
- (7 speeches)
I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 120 standing in my name for today relating to Go Home on Time Day. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended:That the Senate:(a)notes...
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Broadband (16 speeches)
I have received a letter from Senator Fifield proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion, namely: The Gillard Government’s secrecy...
- Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
- People Trafficking (1 speech)
On behalf of the Minister for Home Affairs and Justice, Mr O’Connor, I table a statement on people trafficking, together with the second report of the Anti-People Trafficking...
- Building the Education Revolution Program (0 speeches)
- Return to Order (2 speeches)
I present a letter from the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations, Senator Evans, relating to an order for the production of documents on the Building the...
- Broadband (0 speeches)
- Return to Order (1 speech)
I table a statement relating to the order for the production of documents concerning the National Broadband Network.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Fisheries Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2010 (0 speeches)
- Tax Laws Amendment (Research and Development) Bill 2010; Income Tax Rates Amendment (Research and Development) Bill 2010 (0 speeches)
- First Reading (1 speech)
I move: That these bills may proceed without formalities, may be taken together and be now read a first time. Question agreed to. I present the bills and move: That these bills may proceed...
- 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— Tax Laws Amendment...
- Tax Laws Amendment (Confidentiality of Taxpayer Information) Bill 2010 (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, the...
- Evidence Amendment (Journalists’ Privilege) Bill 2010; Evidence Amendment (Journalists’ Privilege) Bill 2010 (No. 2) (0 speeches)
- Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Competition and Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2010 (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
The Acting Deputy President: Order! It being 6.50 pm, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of government documents.
- Agreement making in Australia under the Workplace Relations Act: 2007 to 2009 (12 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the document. Agreement making in Australia under the Workplace Relations Act: 2007 to 2009 is a document that outlines what has happened to collective...
- Australia Post: Statement of corporate intent 2010-11 to 2012-13 (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the document. ThisStatement of corporate intent 2010-11 to 2012-13 is by Australia Post, one of the biggest government organisations. It is quite an...
- Australia Post (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the document. This report is about equal opportunity employment within Australia Post. Generally speaking, Australia Post does a reasonably good job in that...
- Consideration (0 speeches)
The following government documents tabled earlier today were considered: Airservices Australia—Equity and diversity program 2007-10—Progress report for 2009-10. Motion to take note of...
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Order! It being 7.20 pm, I propose the question: That the Senate do now adjourn.
- Volunteering (1 speech)
Tonight, I rise to talk about one of the most important facets of Australia’s culture and character, but it presents as one of the more confusing pictures as well. I am talking about...
- Regional Students (1 speech)
I rise tonight to raise what I think is a very serious issue for this parliament. Recently I introduced the Social Security Amendment (Income Support for Regional Students) Bill 2010, which is a...
- Forget-me-knot Day (1 speech)
Tonight I rise to speak on the important organisation Adults Surviving Child Abuse, or ASCA. I know, Madam Acting Deputy President Kroger, that you share this interest with me, so I am sure you...
- Economy (1 speech)
Senators always use the adjournment debate to speak on a range of serious issues, and I want to bring up an issue—that is, Australia’s two-speed economy—that I think is probably...
- Equal Pay for Women (1 speech)
I wish to speak tonight about the important issue of equal pay for Australian women, which has recently been in the news—and, in a sense, has been somewhat misreported. Last Thursday the...
- Senate Prayers (3 speeches)
As the Senate would be only too aware, every morning at the opening of the parliament the President commences with the Lord’s Prayer, also known as the Our Father. The Christian prayer said...
- Mr John McCulloch OAM (1 speech)
I am almost speechless from that last contribution, but I will struggle on. A few weeks ago a good friend of mine came to visit me in my office. His name is—I emphasise...
- Press Gallery (1 speech)
Tonight I want to raise concerns I have about unethical and inaccurate journalism in press gallery coverage of federal politics. I am, and always have been, an advocate of an independent and...
- Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program (1 speech)
There has been a lot of criticism levelled recently in this chamber at the government’s Close the Gap initiatives, including its national partnership agreements on remote Indigenous housing...
- Wenlock River (1 speech)
For the second consecutive year I have made my now annual pilgrimage to Cape York in Far North Queensland. In particular I returned to the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve on the banks of the Wenlock...
- R18+ Games Classification (1 speech)
I rise today to advocate for the introduction of an R18+ games classification to Australia in my capacity as senator for the ACT. This is not a decision to be made by the government; rather, it...
- Australian Greens (1 speech)
I seek leave to speak for 20 minutes. Leave granted. I want to speak tonight about the role of the Australian Greens in the recent election campaign with regard to education policies,...
- Wind Power (1 speech, 1 comment)
I seek leave to speak for 20 minutes. Leave granted. We are going on leave in a couple of days, and it is probably time that both the government and the coalition reviewed some of their policies...
- Defence, Science and Technology Organisation; Marriage (7 speeches, 2 comments)
I seek leave to speak for 20 minutes. Leave granted. Initially tonight I wish to make a call for the government to commit wholeheartedly and immediately to the redevelopment of the Defence...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Tabling (0 speeches)
The following government documents were tabled: Airservices Australia—Equity and diversity program 2007-10—Progress report for 2009-10. ASC Pty Ltd— Report for 2009-10....
