Senate debates
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Days and Hours of Meeting (1 speech)
I move: That the hours of meeting for Tuesday, 10 May 2011 be from 12.30 pm to 6.30 pm and 8 pm to adjournment, and for Thursday, 12 May 2011 be from 9.30 pm to 6 pm and 8 pm to adjournment, and...
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
I move: That the order of consideration of government business orders of the day for today be as follows: No. 4–Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 1) Bill 2011 No. 2–Personal...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 1) Bill 2011; Second Reading (10 speeches)
Debate resumed on motion: That this bill be now read a second time.
- Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 1) Bill 2011; Third Reading (2 speeches)
As no amendments to the bill have been circulated, I shall now call the minister to move the third reading unless any senator requires that the bill be considered in the Committee of the Whole.
- Personal Property Securities (Corporations and Other Amendments) Bill 2011; Second Reading (2 speeches)
Debate resumed on the motion: That this bill be now read a second time.
- Personal Property Securities (Corporations and Other Amendments) Bill 2011; Third Reading (2 speeches)
As no amendments to the bill have been circulated, I shall now call the minister to move the third reading unless any senator requires that the bill be considered in the Committee of the Whole.
- Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Regulatory Levies Legislation Amendment (2011 Measures No. 1) Bill 2011, Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Regulatory Levies (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2011; Second Reading (2 speeches)
Debate resumed on the motion: That these bills be now read a second time.
- Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Regulatory Levies Legislation Amendment (2011 Measures No. 1) Bill 2011, Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Regulatory Levies (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2011; Third Reading (2 speeches)
No amendments to the bills have been circulated. Before I call the parliamentary secretary to move the third reading, does any senator wish to have a committee stage on the bills to ask further...
- Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2010; Second Reading (3 speeches)
Debate resumed on the motion: That this bill be now read a second time.
- Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2010; In Committee (1 speech)
Bill—by leave—taken as a whole.
- Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2010; Third Reading (1 speech)
I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
- Human Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2011; First Reading (1 speech)
Bill received from the House of Representatives.
- Human Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2011; Second Reading (3 speeches)
I table the 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....
- Human Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2011; Third Reading (2 speeches)
No amendments to the bills have been circulated. Before I call the minister to move the third reading, does any senator wish to have a committee stage on the bills to ask further questions or...
- Autonomous Sanctions Bill 2010; Second Reading (2 speeches)
Debate resumed on the motion: That this bill be now read a second time.
- Autonomous Sanctions Bill 2010; Third Reading (2 speeches)
No amendments to the bill have been circulated. Before I call the minister to move the third reading, does any senator wish to have a committee stage on the bill to ask further questions or...
- Electronic Transactions Amendment Bill 2011; Second Reading (1 speech)
Debate resumed on the motion: That this bill be now read a second time.
- Electronic Transactions Amendment Bill 2011; Third Reading (2 speeches)
No amendments to the bill have been circulated. Before I call the minister to move the third reading, does any senator wish to have a committee stage on the bill to ask further questions or...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Asylum Seekers (6 speeches)
My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Will the government acknowledge that the asylum-seeker policies it has pursued for the last three years have encouraged the...
- Osama bin Laden (6 speeches)
My question is to Senator Evans, representing the Prime Minister. Can the minister advise the Senate about the government's response to the death of Osama bin Laden?
- Asylum Seekers (6 speeches)
My question is directed to the Minister representing the Minister for Justice, Senator Ludwig. I refer the minister to the recent protests at the Villawood detention centre in Sydney. Can the...
- Budget (14 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Senator Wong. Can the minister advise the Senate on the importance of maintaining sound financial management? Opposition senators...
- Asylum Seekers (43 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Carr.
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I draw the attention of honourable senators to the presence in the chamber of a parliamentary delegation from the National Assembly of Malawi, led by the speaker, the Rt Hon. Henry Chimunthu...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Telecommunications (9 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. Can the minister inform the Senate about the funding that was announced on the weekend...
- Asylum Seekers (17 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister. I refer the minister to the so-called 'Malaysian deal'. Can the minister guarantee that unaccompanied minors arriving in an...
- Economy (9 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Small Business, Senator Sherry. Can the minister outline to the Senate how the Gillard government is meeting its commitment to providing ongoing support for...
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Health, Family Relationship Services (1 speech)
I seek leave to incorporate two responses to questions taken on notice during question time. The first relates to a question Senator Williams asked me, as Minister representing the Minister...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Asylum Seekers (5 speeches)
I move: I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by Senators Evans, Ludwig and Carr to questions without notice asked in question time today. It is an interesting day today because,...
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Choules, Mr Claude (2 speeches)
by leave—I inform the Senate that on Thursday, 5 May 2011, the last known allied veteran of World War I, Mr Claude Choules, passed away at the age of 110.
- Cowan, Mr David Bruce (1 speech)
It is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death on 7 April 2011 of David Bruce Cowan a member of the House of Representatives for the division of Lyne, New South Wales, from 1980 to 1993.
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- Carbon Pricing (0 speeches)
To the Honourable President and members of the Senate in Parliament assembled: This petition of the undersigned shows: During the 2010 election campaign the Prime Minister of Australia stated...
- Wine Grape Growers (0 speeches)
To the Honourable President and members of the Senate in Parliament assembled: The petition of the undersigned shows: The current low price for fruit within the wine grape industry is...
- Live Animal Exports (0 speeches)
To the Honourable President and Members of the Senate in the Parliament assembled. This petition of undersigned citizens of Australia calls on the Australian government to end the export of live...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Presentation; Postponement (0 speeches)
The following item of business was postponed: General business notice of motion no. 199 standing in the name of Senator Cormann for today, relating to a proposed tax summit, postponed till 14...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Leave of Absence (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to the following senators: (a) Senator Stephens from 10 May to 12 May 201 1 , for personal reasons; and...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Community Affairs Legislation and References Committees; Meeting (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That the Community Affairs Legislation and References Committees be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the...
- Rural Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That the time for the presentation of the report of the Rural Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee on the exposure draft and explanatory memorandum of the Illegal...
- Electoral Matters Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Wednesday, 11 May 2011, from 9.30 am till...
- Gambling Reform Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That the Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sitting of the...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Humpback Whales (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) the humpback whale is listed as a threatened species,...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Withdrawal (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Brandis, I move: That general business order of the day no. 54, relating to the Assisting Victims of Overseas Terrorism Bill 2010, be discharged from the Notice Paper.
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Asylum Seekers (27 speeches)
The President has 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...
- Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I present three ministerial statements relating to: The economic impact of recent natural disasters, Afghanistan, and recent developments in the Middle East.
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Tabling (3 speeches)
Pursuant to standing orders 38 and 166, I present documents listed on today's Order of Business at item 15 which were presented to the President, the Deputy President and temporary chairs of...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Tabling (1 speech)
I present responses to various Senate resolutions as listed at item 16 (a) on today's Order of Business.
- Auditor-General's Report (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
In accordance with the provisions of the Auditor-General Act 1997, I present the following report of the Auditor-General: Report No. 34 of 2010-11: Performance audit––General practice...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Publications Committee; Report (1 speech)
Pursuant to order and at the request of the chairs of the respective committees, I present the fifth report of the Publications Committee. Ordered that the reports be printed.
- Publications Committee; Additional Information (1 speech)
Pursuant to order and at the request of the chairs of the respective committees, I present additional information received by committees relating to estimates hearings:
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Tabling (0 speeches)
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.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Membership (2 speeches)
The President has received letters from party leaders seeking to vary the membership of committees.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Consideration of HR Message (1 speech)
Messages have been received from the House of Representatives informing the Senate that the House has agreed to the following bills without amendment: Messages have been received from the House...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Assent (0 speeches)
Messages from Her Excellency the Governor-General were reported, informing the Senate that she had assented to the following laws: 22 March 2011—Message No. 2— Telecommunications...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Pursuant to order at the request of the chairs of respective committees, I present reports and legislation from the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, the Finance and...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Budget (0 speeches)
- Proposed Expenditure, Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
I table particulars of proposed and certain expenditure in accordance with the list circulated in the chamber and seek leave to move a motion to refer the documents to legislation committees....
- Portfolio Budget Statements (2 speeches)
I table the portfolio budget statements for 2011-12 for the Department of the Senate and the Department of Parliamentary Services. Copies are available from the Senate Table Office.
- Statement and Documents (1 speech)
I table the budget statement for 2011-12 and other documents as indicated on the list circulated in the chamber. I seek leave to move a motion in relation to the documents. Leave granted. I thank...
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Abbeyfield House (1 speech)
On 6 March this year, I had the opportunity to visit McMullen Abbeyfield House in Huonville in southern Tasmania for its 10th birthday celebrations. McMullen Abbeyfield House, in Huonville, is...
- Citizenship (3 speeches)
I stand tonight to speak to a matter of serious concern relating to the professionalism, or lack of it, of the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen. On 4 April the minister, on...
- Mothers (1 speech)
Following Mothers Day, I want to speak this evening about the privilege I had recently to be in a roomful of true 'supermums' while presenting the Victorian Mother of the Year award, hosted by...
- Dairy Industry (1 speech)
Tonight I take the opportunity to speak about the Senate Economics References Committee's recently completed second interim report on its inquiry into the impacts of supermarket price decisions...
- Identity Theft Legislation (1 speech)
Chairing the parliament's Joint Select Committee on Cyber Safety, I have heard from many about their concerns regarding privacy and related issues. One that causes great concern is that of...
- Afghanistan (1 speech)
I seek leave to extend my comments to 20 minutes. Leave granted. I recently had the opportunity to be part of the Australian Defence Force Parliamentary Program that visited Afghanistan, in...
- 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. An explanatory statement is tabled with...
- Questions on Notice (0 speeches)
- Climate Change and Energy Efficiency: Hospitality (Question No. 151) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, upon notice, on 29 September 2010: (1) (a) Can an itemised list be provided of how much the department has...
- Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program (Question No. 213) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, upon notice, on 29 November 2010: I would like to clarify the employment and working...
- Climate Change and Energy Efficiency: Green Loans (Question No. 220) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, upon notice, on 24 November 2010: With reference to the answer provided on 14 May 2010 through additional...
- Prime Minister: Stationery (Question No. 226) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Prime Minister, upon notice, on 29 November 2010: Since 14 September 2010, for each Minister and any Parliamentary Secretaries in their portfolio: (1) What has...
- Veterans' Affairs: Stationery (Question No. 259) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Veterans ' Affairs, upon notice, on 29 November 2010. Since 14 September 2010, for each Minister and any Parliamentary Secretaries in their...
- Special Minister of State for the Public Service and Integrity: Stationery (Question No. 265) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Special Minister of State for the Public Service and Integrity, upon notice, on 29 November 2010: Since 14 September 2010, for each Minister and any...
- Finance and Deregulation (Question No. 281) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister for Finance and Deregulation, upon notice, on 29 November 2010: Since 14 September 2010, for each Minister and any Parliamentary Secretaries within their portfolio: (1) Do the...
- Special Minister of State for the Public Service and Integrity (Question No. 307) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Special Minister of State for the Public Service and Integrity, upon notice, on 29 November 2010: Since 14 September 2010, for each Minister and any...
- Special Minister of State (Question No. 308) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Special Minister of State, upon notice, on 29 November 2010: Since 14 September 2010, for each Minister and any Parliamentary Secretaries within their...
- Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (Question No. 344) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Trade, upon notice, on 13 December 2010: With reference to the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC) and Burma: Has EFIC provided any...
- Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (Question No. 345) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Trade, upon notice, on 13 December 2010: Given that the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC) has provided new loan support to West...
- Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (Question No. 346) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Trade, upon notice, on 13 December 2010: With reference to the publication dated 18 August 2010 on the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation...
- Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (Question No. 349) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Trade, upon notice, on 13 December 2010: Has the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC) provided any services, assistance, funding or...
- Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (Question No. 350) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, upon notice, on 13 December 2010: With reference to the 5 year environment and social policy review conducted by the Export...
- Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (Question No. 351) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Trade, upon notice, on 13 December 2010: With reference to the current environment policy and reporting procedures of the Export Finance and...
- Automotive Industry Structural Adjustment Program (Question No. 380) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, upon notice, on 3 February 2011: (1) What amount of funding has been spent and/or committed under the Automotive Industry...
- Coal Seam Gas (Question No. 406) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, upon notice, on 25 February 2011: In regard to the extraction of coal seam gas: (1) What is the average...
- Permanent Migration Program (Question No. 412) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, upon notice, on 1 March 2011: (1) What formula or formulas are used to calculate: (a) the total annual level of...
- Indonesia (Question No. 413) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, upon notice, on 2 March 2011: With reference to the Government's promise to resettle 500 UNHCR registered refugees...
- Hungary (Question No. 414) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Justice, upon notice, on 3 March 2011: (1)When the Minister decided on 12 November 2009 that Mr Charles Zentai be extradited to the Republic of...
