Senate debates
Monday, 31 October 2011
- Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
- Senators Sworn (0 speeches)
Senator Arthur Sinodinos made and subscribed the oath of allegiance.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Economics References Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That the Economics References Committee be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sitting of the Senate...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Clean Energy Legislation (10 speeches)
I seek leave to move a motion relating to the Clean Energy Bill 2011 and 17 related bills. Leave not granted. Pursuant to contingent notice, I move: That so much of the standing orders be...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Clean Energy Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Income Tax Rates Amendments) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Household Assistance Amendments) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Tax Laws Amendments) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Fuel Tax Legislation Amendment) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Customs Tariff Amendment) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Excise Tariff Legislation Amendment) Bill 2011, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Amendment Bill 2011, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Amendment Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Unit Shortfall Charge — General) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Unit Issue Charge — Fixed Charge) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Unit Issue Charge — Auctions) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (International Unit Surrender Charge) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Charges — Customs) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Charges — Excise) Bill 2011, Clean Energy Regulator Bill 2011, Climate Change Authority Bill 2011; Second Reading (12 speeches)
Debate resumed on the motion: That these bills be now read a second time.
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I draw to the attention of honourable senators the presence in the chamber of a parliamentary delegation from the national People's Congress of the People's Republic of China, led by Mr Liu Dong...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Qantas (12 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations and the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Evans. Does the government accept any...
- Broadband (6 speeches)
Mr President, my question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. Can the minister provide an update to the Senate on the progress of the...
- Qantas (12 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations and the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Evans. I refer the minister to the statement...
- Asylum Seekers (12 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Justice, Minister Joe Ludwig. Can the government confirm that the Indonesian consulate is currently...
- Executive Remuneration (10 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Assistant Treasurer, Senator Sherry. Is the minister aware of the headlines surrounding executive remuneration in these recent weeks with the...
- Qantas (10 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations, Senator Evans. Following the media conference today of the Minister Evans, the Prime Minister and...
- National Food Plan (6 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Ludwig. Can the minister please inform the Senate about food security in Australia and abroad? Can the minister...
- Forestry (13 speeches)
Mr President, my question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Ludwig. Can the minister confirm that the panel established under the Tasmanian Forests...
- Housing Affordability (7 speeches)
Mr President, my question is to the Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness, Senator Arbib. Can the minister update the Senate as to what the government is doing to help Australian families...
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Vocational Education and Training (1 speech)
On 11 October, Senator Rhiannon asked me a question about vocational education and training. I seek leave to incorporate the answer in Hansard. Leave granted. The answer read as follows—...
- Australian Defence Force: Fuel and Carbon Costs (1 speech)
On 13 October, Senator Johnston asked me a question about fuel and carbon costs for the Australian Defence Force. I seek leave to incorporate the answer in Hansard. Leave granted. The answer...
- Dementia (1 speech)
On 13 October, Senator Siewert asked me a question about dementia support. I seek leave to incorporate the answer in Hansard. Leave granted. The answer read as follows— SENATOR...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Qantas (6 speeches)
Happy birthday, Mr Deputy President. On behalf of the opposition, I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Presentation (11 speeches)
I present correspondence from the Leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Bob Brown, relating to the position of Chair of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee.
- Withdrawal (1 speech)
Happy birthday, Mr Deputy President. I withdraw general business notice of motion No. 494 standing in the name of Senator Singh relating to a committee matter.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Leave of Absence (2 speeches)
by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Adams for 31 October 2011 for personal reasons and to Senator Ryan from 31 October 2011 to 3 November 2011 for personal reasons....
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Economics References Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Bushby, I move: That the time for the presentation of the report of the Economics References Committee on a capital market for social economy organisations be extended...
- Public Accounts and Audit Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Bishop, I move: That the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit be authorised to: (a) hold private meetings otherwise than in accordance with...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Nuclear Weapons (4 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) 23 300 nuclear weapons are in existence posing direct and constant...
- Education Funding (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate— (a) acknowledges the proven success and cost-effectiveness of the national programs PrimaryConnections and Science By Doing, run by the...
- Taxation (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) a number of submissions to and participants at the recent tax forum...
- Tibet (6 speeches)
I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 487 standing in my name for today relating to human rights in Tibet. I have circulated the amendment. Leave granted. It is with great...
- Nuclear Nonproliferation (7 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) congratulates the Government for maintaining Australia's longstanding policy of predicating bilateral nuclear cooperation...
- James Price Point (7 speeches)
I, and on behalf of Senators Scullion, Cash, Cormann, Eggleston, Back, Adams and Johnston, move: That the Senate— (a) calls on the Australian Greens and green...
- Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
- Afghanistan (8 speeches)
I inform the Senate that, at 8.30 am today, two senators each submitted letters in accordance with standing order 75. Senator Siewert proposed a matter of urgency and Senator Fifield proposed a...
- Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
- Afghanistan (1 speech)
On behalf of the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, I table a statement on Afghanistan.
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Tabling (1 speech)
Pursuant to standing orders 38 and 166, I present documents as listed below which were presented to the President, the Deputy President and Temporary Chairmen of Committees since the Senate last...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Delegation Reports (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Responses to Senate Resolutions; Tabling (1 speech)
I present the following responses to resolutions of the Senate: (a) Response from the Office of the Commissioner of Police of New South Wales to a resolution of the Senate of 22...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Public Works Committee; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present a report on public works on Christmas Island.
- 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.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Work Health and Safety Bill 2011, Work Health and Safety (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Bill 2011; First Reading (1 speech)
Bills received from the House of Representatives.
- Work Health and Safety Bill 2011, Work Health and Safety (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Bill 2011; Second Reading (1 speech)
I present the explanatory memoranda and 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...
- Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 7) Bill 2011; First Reading (1 speech)
Bill received from the House of Representatives.
- Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 7) Bill 2011; 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— TAX LAWS AMENDMENT...
- Superannuation Legislation Amendment (Early Release of Superannuation) Bill 2011, National Health Reform Amendment (National Health Performance Authority) Bill 2011, Offshore Petroleum (Royalty) Amendment Bill 2011, Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Registration Fees) Amendment Bill 2011, Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (National Regulator) Bill 2011, Offshore Resources Legislation Amendment (Personal Property Securities) Bill 2011, Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Regulatory Levies Legislation Amendment (2011 Measures No. 2) Bill 2011, Horse Disease Response Levy Bill 2011, Horse Disease Response Levy Collection Bill 2011, Horse Disease Response Levy (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2011, Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Amendment Bill 2011, Australian Energy Market Amendment (National Energy Retail Law) Bill 2011, Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Child Care Financial Viability) Bill 2011, Migration Amendment (Complementary Protection) Bill 2011 (, Schools Assistance Amendment Bill 2011, Customs Amendment (Anti-dumping Improvements) Bill 2011, Customs Amendment (Anti-dumping Measures) Bill 2011, Banking Amendment (Covered Bonds) Bill 2011; Assent (0 speeches)
Messages from the Governor-General reported informing the Senate of assent to the bills.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Clean Energy Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Income Tax Rates Amendments) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Household Assistance Amendments) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Tax Laws Amendments) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Fuel Tax Legislation Amendment) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Customs Tariff Amendment) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Excise Tariff Legislation Amendment) Bill 2011, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Amendment Bill 2011, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Amendment Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Unit Shortfall Charge — General) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Unit Issue Charge — Fixed Charge) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Unit Issue Charge — Auctions) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (International Unit Surrender Charge) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Charges — Customs) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Charges — Excise) Bill 2011, Clean Energy Regulator Bill 2011, Climate Change Authority Bill 2011; Second Reading (19 speeches)
Debate resumed on the motion: That these bills be now read a second time.
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- International Brain Tumour Awareness Week, Genetic Haemochromatosis (1 speech)
To begin with tonight I would like to recognise that this week is International Brain Tumour Awareness Week. There are a number of senators, members and staffers wearing grey ribbons to signal...
- Dementia (1 speech)
On 13 October, the Thursday of the last parliamentary sitting week, 300 people marched on Parliament House to raise awareness of dementia, an increasing problem afflicting Australians. The number...
- Organ and Tissue Donation (1 speech)
I rise to speak on a very important health topic in this country: organ and tissue donation. Despite widespread public support for the concept of organ and tissue donation and Australia being...
- Regional Development Australia Fund (1 speech)
It is a long way from Queensland to Geelong and Geelong is where I was on the weekend. Whilst I was travelling down from St George, I went past Thallon, which is a town that at times has up to...
- 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)
- Foreign Affairs: Social Media (Question No. 544) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, upon notice, on 25 March 2011: (1) Has the department undertaken any studies into the effectiveness of new social media in its...
- AusAID (Question No. 552) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, upon notice, on 25 March 2011: (1) Of the 487 Australian adviser positions in Papua New Guinea that were...
- Uranium Mining (Question No. 578) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Trade, upon notice, on 4 April 2011: With reference to uranium mining in Africa by Australian mining companies: (1) Did any...
- Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (Question No. 705) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, upon notice, on 22 June 2011: Given that in 2002 the Commonwealth contributed $75...
- Pontville Detention Centre (Question No. 707) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, upon notice, on 23 June 2011: In regard to the Pontville Detention Centre: (1) What is the cost of the security for...
- Defence (Question No. 712) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 23 June 2011: In regard to the DLA Piper Review of Allegations of Sexual and Other Abuse (and related matters) in...
- Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (Question No. 722) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, upon notice, on 29 June 2011: With reference to finance provided by the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC) to the...
- Defence (Question No. 789) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 5 July 2011: As at 30 June 2011: (1) From which areas of expenditure will the enhanced force protection measures be made....
- Defence (Question No. 844) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 25 July 2011: Can the department: (1) Confirm its statement that a total of 182 Australian soldiers...
- Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations, and School Education, Early Childhood and Youth (Question Nos 900 and 901) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations and Minister representing the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, upon notice, on 1 August...
- Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (Question No. 913) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, upon notice, on 16 August 2011: In regard to the following answers to questions...
- Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (Question No. 914) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, upon notice, on 16 August 2011: With reference to the Department of Families,...
- Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (Question No. 915) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, upon notice, on 17 August 2011: (1) What was the total government...
- Special Minister of State (Question No. 1026) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Special Minister of State, upon notice, on 25 August 2011: With reference to the answer to question on notice no. F118 taken on notice during the 2011-12...
- Fair Work Australia (Question No. 1030) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations, upon notice, on 29 August 2011: In regard to Fair Work Australia, has it contracted any organisation to conduct...
- Defence: Code of Conduct Investigations (Question Nos 1050, 1076, 1077 and 1084) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 29 August 2011: (1) How many Code of Conduct investigations have there been within the Minister's...
- Immigration and Citizenship: Code of Conduct Investigations (Question No. 1051) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, upon notice, on 29 August 2011: (1) How many Code of Conduct investigations have there been within...
- Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (Question Nos 1054, 1071 and 1074) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, upon notice , on 29 August 2011: (1) How many Code of Conduct investigations have...
- Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (Question No. 1087) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, upon notice, on 1 September 2011: (1) Are there any agreements, funding or other,...
- Pontville Detention Centre (Question No. 1088) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, upon notice, on 6 September 2011: In regards to the Pontville Immigration Detention Centre: (1) How...
- Pontville Detention Centre (Question No. 1090) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, upon notice, on 6 September 2011: With reference to the answer to question on notice no. 894 relating to the...
- Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (Question No. 1093) (2 speeches)
asked the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, upon notice, on 6 September 2011: (1) For each program administered by the department and each agency in the Ministers...
