Senate debates

Thursday, 1 March 2012

• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Commonwealth Commissioner for Children and Young People Bill 2010; Second Reading (21 speeches)
    The Australian Greens consider that the welfare and the best interests of children should be front and centre in government decision making .We know that failure to address issues of disadvantage...
  • Environment Protection (Beverage Container Deposit and Recovery Scheme) Bill 2010; Second Reading (16 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the Environment Protection (Beverage Container Deposit and Recovery Scheme) Bill 2010 and to support the call for a national container deposit scheme. The time for this scheme...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That government business be interrupted at 1 pm to allow consideration of the following government business orders of the day till not later than 2 pm today: No. 3––Tax...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Low Aromatic Fuel Bill 2012; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to promote the supply of low aromatic fuel and control the supply of other fuels in certain areas, and for related purposes....
  • Second Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to table an explanatory memorandum relating to the bill. Leave granted. I table the explanatory memorandum and I seek leave to have...
  • Assisting Victims of Overseas Terrorism Bill 2012; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to establish a process for assisting victims of overseas terrorist acts, and for related purposes. Assisting Victims of Overseas...
  • Second Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to table an explanatory memorandum relating to the bill. Leave granted. I table the explanatory memorandum and I seek leave to have...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • World Plumbing Day (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator Boyce, I move: That the Senate—   (a)   recognises:      (i)   the importance of World Plumbing...
  • Nadarkhani, Pastor Youcef (1 speech)
    I ask that general business notice of motion No. 669 standing in my name and the name of Senator Stephens for today relating to Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani be taken as a formal motion. I also...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
    I move: That the time for the presentation of the report of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee on the Foreign Investment Review Board national interest test be...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Human Rights (2 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate—   (a)   notes the deteriorating human rights situation in China and Tibet over recent months, including the following developments:...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Environment and Communications References Committee; Reference (2 speeches)
    I move: That the following matter be referred to the Environment and Communications References Committee for inquiry and report by 28 June 2012: The Murray Darling draft Basin Plan, and in...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Renewable Energy (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator Milne, I move: That the Senate—   (a)   notes that:      (i)   solar hot water is among the most...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Publications Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Carol Brown I present the 14th report of the Publications Committee. Ordered that the report be adopted.
• Budget (0 speeches)
  • Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
    I present the following additional information received by committees relating to estimates: Economics Legislation Committee––1 volume Finance and Public Administration Legislation...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Finance and Public Administration References Committee; Report (2 speeches)
    I present the report of the Finance and Public Administration References Committee on the operation of the Lobbying Code of Conduct and the Lobbyist Register, together with the Hansard record of...
  • Law Enforcement Committee; Report (2 speeches)
    I present the report of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity on the examination of the annual report for 2010-11 of the Integrity...
  • Corporations and Financial Services Committee; Report (4 speeches)
    On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services, I present the report of the committee on the Corporations Amendment (Future of Financial Advice) Bill 2011...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Family Assistance and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2012; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill may proceed without formalities and be now read a first time. Question agreed to. Bill read a first time.
  • Family Assistance and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2012; 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— FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, Senator Cameron, I present the report on the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 9) Bill 2011; Second Reading (1 speech)
    The coalition does not oppose the Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measure No. 9) Bill 2011. The bill makes the following changes to taxation law. It allows certain superannuation fund members to...
  • Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 9) Bill 2011; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I thank Senator Cormann for his contribution and I commend the bill to the Senate. I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • National Health Amendment (Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement Initiatives) Bill 2012; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    The bill contains the continued dispensing initiative and the medication chart initiative, as included in the Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement between the Commonwealth and the Pharmacy Guild....
  • Third Reading (2 speeches)
    As no amendments to the bill have been circulated, I shall call the minister to move the third reading, unless any senator requires that the bill be considered in committee of the whole.
  • Australian Research Council Amendment Bill 2011; Second Reading (8 speeches)
    This is a routine bill to apply indexation to existing appropriations and adds the last year of the forward budget estimates. The proposed amendments only impact on administered special...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Gillard Government (23 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister. Will the minister explain why the Prime Minister branded the story in yesterday's Australian about Mr Bob Carr being offered the...
  • Broadband (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. Can the minister inform the Senate if he is aware of any plans to emulate and replicate the...
  • Prime Minister (16 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Evans. I refer the minister to the fact that the Prime Minister has not visited Queensland in more than four months,...
  • Great Barrier Reef (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Senator Conroy, regarding the dumping of dredge spoil in the Great...
  • Renewable Energy (21 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister. The minister would be aware that Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has said that she would welcome Prime Minister Gillard joining her...
  • Agriculture (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Ludwig. Given that Australian agriculture is a critical sector within the nation's economy can the minister please...
  • Cape York: Heritage Listing (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Senator Conroy. Given that the Wilderness Society has sought emergency...
  • Solar Hot Water Industry (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Senator Wong. As the Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme has worked as an industry development scheme...
  • Carbon Pricing (11 speeches)
    Tempting as it is, my question is not to Senator Arbib. My question is in fact to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Senator Wong. I refer the...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senators Joyce and Payne for today, being 1 March 2012, for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
• Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
  • Fairer Private Health Insurance Incentives Bill, Dental Health, Indigenous Suicide (1 speech)
    I seek leave to table the following three documents and have them incorporated into Hansard. They relate to: figures I gave on 27 February 2012 in the second reading speech on the Fairer Private...
• Statements (0 speeches)
  • Questions Without Notice (2 speeches)
    I seek leave to make a short statement. Leave granted. In my question earlier to Senator Evans I said that the Prime Minister had not visited Queensland for more than four months. What I should...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Answers to Questions (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of answers given by the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research (Senator Evans) and the Minister for Finance and Deregulation (Senator...
  • Great Barrier Reef (1 speech)
    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 Waters...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
    By leave—I present the second report of 2012 of the Selection of Bills Committee. Ordered that the report be adopted. I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted....
• Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
  • Valedictories (26 speeches)
    Mr President, I seek leave to make a statement about my imminent retirement. Leave granted. So far this final speech is going much better than my first speech. Just seconds before I rose to give...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, Membership (2 speeches)
    Order! I have received letters from a party leader requesting changes in the membership of various committees.
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Gillard Government (7 speeches)
    by leave—At the requestion of Senator Fifield, I move: That the Senate notes the mismanagement of economic and fiscal policy by the current Government. The Labor Party in government this...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Australian Meat and Live-Stock Industry Act 1997: Livestock Mortalities During Exports by Sea (5 speeches)
    In taking note of the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997 report, I will say that livestock mortality is a particularly important issue for the Queensland community. I also raise a...
  • Australia Post (3 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the document. This report shows the operations of Australia Post in the last financial year. It is quite an interesting document. Australia Post clearly says...
  • Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (1 speech)
    In commencing my remarks on this document, the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service 2010-11 annual report, may I say that, consistent with remarks that have been made by the shadow...
  • Commonwealth Grants Commission (2 speeches)
    I rise to express concern that the whole Federation relationship is, I believe, at risk if we continue to see inequality in the allocation of funds to the states and territories. I had the...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Scrutiny of New Taxes Committee; Report (5 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the motion that the Senate take note of the Senate Select Committee on Scrutiny of New Taxes interim report, which is very appropriately titled The carbon tax: economic pain...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Denison Electorate (3 speeches)
    Tonight I rise as part of the adjournment debate to talk about a number of government funded initiatives that are improving the lives of people in the electorate of Denison and southern Tasmania....
  • Higher Education (1 speech)
    This week started for all parliamentarians with a flurry of excitement, with keen anticipation for some and trepidation for others. Tonight I rise to congratulate another group of Australians who...
  • Firefighters (1 speech)
    Last year the Senate passed the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment (Fair Protection for Firefighters) Bill 2011. This bill sought to right a great injustice that existed in...
  • Food Security (3 speeches)
    A billion people today—