Senate debates

Wednesday, 9 November 2011

• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Steel Transformation Plan Bill 2011; Second Reading (16 speeches, 1 comment)
    Debate resumed on the motion: That this bill be now read a second time. to which the following amendment was moved: At the end of the motion, add "and that at the Government, in allocating funds...
  • Steel Transformation Plan Bill 2011; Third Reading (1 speech)
    The question now is that the remaining stages of this bill be agreed to and the bill be now passed. The Senate divided. [11:46] (The President—Senator Hogg) Question agreed to. Bill read...
  • Australian Renewable Energy Agency Bill 2011, Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2011; Second Reading (4 speeches)
    Debate resumed on the motion: That these bills be now read a second time.
• Matters of Public Interest (0 speeches)
  • Asbestos (1 speech)
    I rise today to speak on the issue of asbestos and the failure of home renovation TV shows to highlight the dangers of this toxic substance. Australia is a country with one of the highest rates...
  • Mental Health (1 speech)
    We are fortunate in this country that health care is, by and large, free and available to all. From last week, however, a needy section of our community does not have that facility and is not...
  • New South Wales: Infrastructure (1 speech)
    New South Wales is stuck in the grip of an ongoing transport crisis with no solution in sight. For decades the state's roads budget has outstripped the rail budget. In Sydney, privately owned...
  • Israel (4 speeches)
    My contribution to today's matters of public interest is on the subject of Israel. I must put on record initially that I am no expert on Israel, but I am better informed than those who have not...
  • Australia Network (1 speech)
    At the outset may I concur with Senator Mason and congratulate Senator Furner on a very wise and appropriate speech on an important subject matter. But I rise to offer some advice to the Prime...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Carbon Pricing (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Finance and Deregulation as the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency. Will consumers be paying more GST by virtue of the...
  • Mining (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Evans. Can the minister advise the Senate how the minerals resource rent tax is essential to delivering the long-term...
  • Carbon Pricing (61 speeches, 1 comment)
    My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Senator Wong. I refer the minister to Minister Combet's interview on 7.30 last night in which he was asked of the carbon...
  • Mining (38 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Wong. I refer to revelations that under the mining tax deal negotiated exclusively and in secret between the Prime Minister and...
  • Steel Industry (20 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Carr. Can the minister respond to claims that the steel industry has been mugged, vandalised, shot and...
  • Australia Network (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. I refer the minister to the corrupted Australia Network tender process under his watch. Had...
• Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
  • Schools: Music (1 speech)
    On 3 November, Senator Bob Brown asked me a question about music education. I seek leave to incorporate the answer in Hansard. Leave granted. The answer read as follows— Senator Chris...
  • Forestry (1 speech)
    Yesterday Senator Rhiannon asked me a question about forestry operations in Victoria. I seek leave to incorporate further information in Hansard. Leave granted. The document read as...
  • Carbon Pricing (1 speech)
    I have some further information in relation to Senator Abetz's question of me today. I can confirm that the 0.7 CPI impact includes the GST effect. I can also confirm that the GST was explicitly...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Australia Network (9 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (Senator Conroy) to a question without notice asked by Senator...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
    by leave—at the request of the Chair of the Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee (Senator Heffernan), I move: That the time for the presentation of the report of the Rural...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to the following senators:   (a) Senator Ryan for 9 November and 10 November 2011, for personal reasons; and   (b)...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Presentation (7 speeches)
    To move: That the Senate— (a)   notes that:   (i)   11 November is Remembrance Day, which commemorates the official end of World War I on that date...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Ludwig on 10 November 2011, on account of parliamentary business. Question agreed to.
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Youth in Communities (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a)   recognises:   (i)   the success of the Youth in Communities (YIC) measure which has led to improved school attendance,...
  • Australia Network (1 speech)
    I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 543. Also, I indicate that I will be adding the name of Senator Ludlam to the motion. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended: That...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Community Affairs References Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    I move: That the Community Affairs References Committee be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sitting of the Senate on...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Coal Seam Gas (1 speech)
    I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 546 standing in my name. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended: That the Senate notes:   (a)   that no...
  • Coral Sea (17 speeches)
    The National Party is back. I, and also on behalf of Senator Waters, move: That the Senate— (a)   notes the unique biodiversity and natural heritage of the Coral Sea that is...
  • Vocational Education and Training (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a)   notes that:   (i)   the technical and further education (TAFE) system, as the dominant provider of vocational...
  • Recycling (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a)   notes that:   (i)   National Recycling Week runs from 7 November to 13 November 2011,...
  • Parliamentary Behaviour (2 speeches)
    I ask that general business notice of motion No. 549, which relates to conduct following the final vote on the clean energy bills, be taken as a formal motion.
  • Suspension of Standing Orders (37 speeches)
    Pursuant to contingent notice, I move: That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me moving a motion to give precedence to general business notice of motion no. 549. I am...
  • Great Barrier Reef (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate calls for all applications and approvals made under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 which would have a significant impact on the Great...
  • Standing Order 193(3) (8 speeches)
    Mr Deputy President, I seek leave to amend motion No. 544 in the terms circulated in the chamber. Leave not granted.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Environment and Communications References Committee; Additional Information (8 speeches)
    At the request of the Chair of the Environment and Communications References Committee I present additional information received by the committee on its inquiry into recent ABC.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Tabling (0 speeches)
    The Clerk: Documents are tabled pursuant to statute. Details will be recorded in the Journals of the Senate and on the Dynamic Red. Details of the documents appear at the end of today’s...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Native Title Amendment (Reform) Bill 2011; Report of Legislation Committee (1 speech)
    On behalf of the chair of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Senator Crossin, I present the report of the committee on the Native Title Amendment (Reform) Bill 2011,...
  • Australian Renewable Energy Agency Bill 2011, Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2011; Second Reading (12 speeches, 1 comment)
    Debate resumed.
  • Australian Renewable Energy Agency Bill 2011, Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) 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...
• Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
  • Mining (1 speech)
    by leave—I will make a short statement correcting something I said at question time. In answer to a question from Senator Sterle during question time I referred to Fortescue Metals Group as...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill 2011, Trade Marks Amendment (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Bill 2011; Second Reading (27 speeches, 1 comment)
    Debate resumed on the motion: That these bills be now read a second time.
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Multicultural Policy (1 speech)
    On Monday of this week I was fortunate enough to be representing the Prime Minister at the annual Ethnic Business Awards ceremony in Sydney. The Ethnic Business Awards recognise the economic...
  • Media Inquiry (1 speech)
    Tonight I want to pursue further a matter that I have questioned during recent question times, and that is the so-called independent inquiry into the media. Senators will recall that that inquiry...
  • Coal Seam Gas (1 speech)
    I rise to speak about coal seam gas. It is particularly appropriate, given that today we saw all parties, bar the Greens, vote against the need for coal seam gas to be safe for our environment...
  • Alzheimer's Disease (1 speech)
    Tonight I rise to speak about the most common form of dementia, Alzheimer's disease. It is a disease that has a significant impact on many Australians. Not only do people with Alzheimer's suffer...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Order for the Production of Documents (0 speeches)
    Documents were tabled pursuant to the order of the Senate of September 2011 for the production of documents relating to the National Police Remembrance day.
  • 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)
  • Immigration and Citizenship (Question No. 1166) (2 speeches)
    asked the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, upon notice, on 13 September 2011: (1) What was the total cost of allowances for government employees or contractors...
  • Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Question No. 1175 amended) (2 speeches)
    asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, upon notice, on 13 September 2011: With reference to the department and all agencies within the Minister's portfolio: (1) What was the...
  • Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations (Question No. 1204) (2 speeches)
    asked the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations, upon notice, on 15 September 2011: How many students are in receipt of ABSTUDY payments, broken down by: (a)...