Senate debates

Friday, 25 November 2011

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Economics Legislation Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    by leave—At the request of the Chair of the Economics Legislation Committee, Senator Bishop, I seek leave to move a motion to enable the committee to meet during the sitting of the Senate...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (49 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senators Carr, Farrell and Wong today, on account of ministerial duties.
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Presentation (2 speeches)
    To move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) 25 November 2011 commemorates the United Nations' International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women –White...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present the 17th report of 2011 of the Selection of Bills Committee and I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The report read as follows— SELECTION OF...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Days and Hours of Meeting (25 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate not meet from Monday, 28 November to Wednesday, 30 November 2011. I indicate at the outset that I do not intend to speak for very long. We do have bills before the...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Competition and Consumer Legislation Amendment Bill 2011; Second Reading (4 speeches)
    Debate resumed on the motion: That this bill be now read a second time.
  • Competition and Consumer Legislation Amendment Bill 2011; In Committee (23 speeches, 2 comments)
    Bill—by leave—taken as a whole.
  • Competition and Consumer Legislation Amendment Bill 2011; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Bill 2010, Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2010; Second Reading (9 speeches)
    Debate resumed on the motion: That these bills be now read a second time.
  • Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2011, Social Security Amendment (Student Income Support Reforms) Bill 2011; Second Reading (15 speeches)
    Debate resumed on the motion: That these bills be now read a second time.
  • Deterring People Smuggling Bill 2011; Second Reading (18 speeches)
    Debate resumed on the motion: That this bill be now read a second time.
  • Deterring People Smuggling Bill 2011; In Committee (32 speeches)
    Bill—by leave—taken as a whole.
  • Deterring People Smuggling Bill 2011; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the bill be now read a third time. Question put. The Senate divided. [15:56] (The President—Senator Hogg) Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
• Privilege (0 speeches)
  • (9 speeches)
    By letter dated 24 November, Senator Bob Brown has raised a matter of privilege: a possible improper relationship between Senator Boswell and Metcash, a listed company in the grocery marketing...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Privileges Committee (3 speeches)
    I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move: That the following matter be referred to the Standing Committee of Privileges for inquiry and report: Having regard to Senator...
  • Reference (3 speeches)
    I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move: That the following matter be referred to the Standing Committee of Privileges for inquiry and report: Having regard to Senator...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Suspension of Standing Orders (21 speeches)
    I move: That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent me making a statement. Mr President, I do that because what we have now before the Senate is a request, which you have...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present the report of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity on integrity testing, together with the Hansard record of proceedings and...
  • Education, Employment and Workplace Relations References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Education, Employment and Workplace Relations References Committee, I present the report on the administration and purchasing of disability employment services in Australia...
  • Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee; Report (2 speeches)
    On behalf of the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee, I present the report titled Held hostage: government’s response to kidnappings of Australian citizens...
  • Economics References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Economics References Committee I present the report titled Investing for good: the development of a capital market for the not-for-profit sector in Australia together with the...
  • Publications Joint Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Publications Joint Committee, I present the 12th report of the committee. Ordered that the report be adopted.
  • Economics Legislation Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Economics Legislation Committee, I present additional information received by committee relating to the 2011-12 supplementary budget estimates, and I present the...
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, I present the report on the Northern Land Council's evidence to the committee's inquiry into the provisions...
  • Public Accounts and Audit Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present the 426th report of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit on the Ninth biannual hearing with the Commissioner of Taxation. I move: That the Senate take note of the report. I...
• Delegation Reports (0 speeches)
  • Parliamentary Delegation to the 124th Interparliamentary Union Assembly to Panama and bilateral visit to Brazil (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Stephens I present the report of the Australian Parliamentary Delegation to the 124th Interparliamentary Union Assembly to Panama and bilateral visit to Brazil, which took...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • National Broadband Network Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present the second report of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Broadband Network on the review of the rollout of the National Broadband Network. by leave—I move:...
  • Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Rural Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
    I have received letters from party leaders requesting changes in the membership of committees.
  • Community Affairs References Committee; Additional Information (1 speech)
    I present additional information received by the Community Affairs Reference Committee on its inquiry into the funding and administration of mental health services.
  • National Capital and External Territories Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present the report of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories, Etched in Stone? inquiry into the administration of the National Memorials Ordinance 1928,...
  • Economics Legislation Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
    On behalf of the chair of the Economics Legislation Committee, Senator Bishop, I seek leave to move a motion relating to the presentation of a report of the committee. Leave granted. I move: That...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    I move: That leave of absence be granted to every member of the Senate from the end of the sitting today to the day on which the Senate next meets. Question agreed to.
  • Days and Hours of Meeting (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate, at its rising, adjourn till Tuesday, 7 February 2012, at 10 am, or such other time as may be fixed by the President or, in the event of the President being unavailable,...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present the report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee on the unauthorised disclosure of proceedings relating to the committee's inquiry into Australia's arrangement...
  • Economics References Committee (1 speech)
    I seek leave to move a motion in relation to the Economics References Committee report. Leave granted. I move: That the Senate take note of the report. I seek leave to continue my remarks. Leave...
• Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
  • Valedictory (6 speeches, 2 comments)
    At the conclusion of yet another very busy parliamentary year, I take this opportunity on the last sitting day for 2011 to acknowledge and express my gratitude to a number of people. Firstly, I...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Meredith, Ms Bronwen, Asbestos Awareness Week, Goodwood Primary School (4 speeches)
    I pay tribute to Bronwen Meredith, a human rights activist who passed away on 19 November. Born in Hobart in 1919 and raised in a Quaker family, Bronwen Meredith learnt the values of tolerance,...
  • Marine Conservation (1 speech)
    This morning the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Mr Burke, released the maps of the proposed Coral Sea marine reserve. The completion of that map...
  • Meningococcal Disease (1 speech)
    I would like to take this opportunity to update the Senate on recent developments in the fight against meningococcal disease. I have spoken previously in this chamber on the frightening risks and...
• 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)
  • Australian Bureau of Statistics (Question No. 686) (2 speeches)
    asked the Minister representing the Treasurer, upon notice, on 14 June 2011: With reference to the proposed changes to the way the Australian Bureau of Statistics(ABS) will conduct the...
  • Finance and Deregulation (Question No. 1103) (2 speeches)
    asked the Minister for Finance and Deregulation, upon notice, on 9 September 2011: Has the Commonwealth made or is it planning to make direct payments to local councils for road works, including...
  • Finance and Deregulation: Staffing (Question No. 1124) (2 speeches)
    asked the Minister for Finance and Deregulation, upon notice, on 12 September 2011: (1) Have staffing numbers in agencies within the Minister's portfolio been reduced as a result of the...
  • Special Minister of State: Staffing (Question No. 1149) (2 speeches)
    asked the Minister representing the Special Minister of State, upon notice, on 12 September 2011: (1) Have staffing numbers in agencies within the Minister's portfolio been reduced as a result of...
  • Climate Change and Energy Efficiency (Question No. 1179) (2 speeches)
    asked the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, upon notice, on 13 September 2011: With reference to the department and all agencies within the Minister's...
  • Charitable Organisations (Question No. 1222) (2 speeches)
    asked the Minister representing the Treasurer, upon notice, on 21 October 2011: With reference to the High Court of Australia ruling handed down on 3 December 2008, Commissioner of Taxation of...
  • Climate Change and Energy Efficiency (Question No. 1223) (2 speeches)
    asked the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, upon notice, on 20 September 2011: With reference to the mandatory residential disclosure scheme: (1) What...
  • Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (Question No. 1266) (2 speeches)
    asked the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, upon notice, on 4 October 2011: With reference to the answer provided to question...
  • Carbon Pricing (Question No. 1269) (2 speeches)
    asked the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, upon notice, on 6 October 2011: (1) What percentage of the atmosphere is composed of carbon dioxide. (2)...
  • Austrade (Question No. 1280) (2 speeches)
    asked the Minister representing the Minister for Trade, upon notice, on 14 October 2011: (1) Is the Minister aware of the case history between Austrade Nagoya and Mr Mark Eather formerly of Jolly...
  • Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (Question No. 1281) (2 speeches)
    asked the Minister representing the Treasurer, upon notice, on 14 October 2011: With reference to the answer to question on notice no. 708 (Senate Hansard, 17 August 2011, p. 4768): (1) In...
  • Mr Assange, Julian (Question No. 1282) (2 speeches)
    asked the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, upon notice, on 21 October 2011: Given the Minister's responsibility for the protection of consular and legal rights of all...
  • Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (Question No. 1286) (2 speeches)
    asked the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, upon notice, on 27 October 2011: With reference to the answer to question on...