Senate debates
Wednesday, 31 October 2012
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Matters of Public Interest (0 speeches)
- Asian Century (1 speech)
The Prime Minister is to be congratulated on the leadership and vision she has offered our nation through the Australia in the Asian Century white paper, unveiled last Sunday. As we know, the...
- Australian Public Service (1 speech)
I rise today to speak on a matter of public interest. It is of public interest because it concerns Australian public servants and, in particular, absenteeism in the Commonwealth Public Service....
- Cycling (1 speech)
I rise this afternoon to make some observations about cycling in Western Australia and, in particular, in my home city of Perth. There are very few experiences more frustrating than sitting in a...
- Foster Carers (1 speech)
I rise today to acknowledge the hard work of Australian foster carers. These individuals truly are an inspiration and deserve the most sincere acknowledgement for their commitment to provide...
- Forced Adoption (2 speeches)
Madam Acting Deputy President Moore, I am so glad you are in the chair for my contribution, because I rise to speak on a matter of public interest which is of interest to both of us—that...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Mining (16 speeches)
Mr President, my question is to Senator Wong, the Minister representing the Treasurer. Can the minister confirm that, under Labor's special mining tax deal with the three biggest miners, the...
- Asia-Bound Grant Program (6 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research, Senator Evans. Can the minister advise the Senate on how the Gillard government is supporting more Australian...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Order! I draw to the attention of honourable senators the presence in the chamber of a parliamentary delegation from the People's Republic of China led by Mr Zhou Tienong, Vice-Chairman of the...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Budget (29 speeches)
My question is to Senator Wong, the Minister representing the Treasurer. I refer the minister to her statement to the Senate in question time yesterday, when asked if the budget would return to...
- Health: Coalmining (9 speeches)
My question is to Senator Ludwig, the Minister representing the Minister for Health. Is the minister aware of the report Health and social harms of coal mining in local communities: spotlight on...
- Economy (11 speeches)
My question is to Senator Wong, the Minister representing the Treasurer. I refer the minister to a Treasury study of the nation building and job stimulus plan, authored by researchers at the...
- Recreational Fishing (15 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Ludwig. Can the minister advise the Senate how the government supports the recreational fishing sector?
- Budget (11 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Wong. I refer the minister to last week's MYEFO, rushed in immediately ahead of advice that the minerals resource rent tax would...
- Renewable Energy (9 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Attorney-General, Senator Ludwig. In light of last night's revelations by Senator Back about the content of contracts used by the wind industry,...
- Education Funding (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Evans. The minister would be aware of a speech by the Prime Minister to the National Press Club on 3 September in which she...
- Centrelink (7 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Human Services, Senator Kim Carr. I refer the minister to his previous statement that the wait times on the Centrelink call line had reached unacceptable levels...
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Medical Workforce (1 speech)
(—) (): On Monday, 29 October, Senator Nash asked the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing a question on the medical workforce. I seek leave to incorporate the answer in...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Mining (5 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today. The mining tax has been a dog's breakfast for some time. The mining...
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- Live Animal Exports (1 speech)
by leave—I table a petition of 93 signatures relating to live animal exports which is not a standard petition and which I have circulated to other members through Whips. The Clerk:...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- Mining (1 speech)
by leave—I table two documents: one of 253 signatures relating to the need to stop mining in nature refuges and nature reserves, which is not a standard petition; and one of 662 signatures,...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
At the request of Senator McLucas, I move: That the government business orders of the day relating to the Superannuation Legislation Amendment (MySuper Core Provisions) Bill 2012 and the...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Yousafzai, Malala (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate— (a) condemns the contemptible act of attempted murder committed on 9 October 2012 by Taliban terrorists who boarded a school bus in the Pakistani town of Mingora,...
- World Health Organization (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are responsible for 36 million of the 57 million deaths that occurred globally in 2008, comprising...
- Hicks, Mr David (2 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit recently ruled that providing material support for terrorism...
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Uranium Exports (28 speeches, 2 comments)
The President has received the following letter from Senator Siewert: Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Report (5 speeches)
I present the 13th report and Alert Digest No. 13 of the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills. Ordered that the report be printed. Now that there is agreement that the report be...
- Corporations and Financial Services Committee; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of the Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services, I present the report on the statutory oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments...
- Human Rights Committee; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of the Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, I present the sixth report of 2012, Examination of legislation in accordance with the Human Rights (Parliamentary...
- Treaties Committee; Report (1 speech)
I present the 130th report of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties on a treaty tabled on 14 August 2012, and I move: That the Senate take note of the report. Today I present the 130th report...
- Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
- Disability Employment Services, Afghanistan (1 speech)
I present ministerial statements relating to disability employment services and Afghanistan.
- Afghanistan (2 speeches)
I seek leave to make a statement on the Prime Minister's statement delivered in the House of Representatives today on Afghanistan—Progress in transition, preparation for the future. Leave...
- Disability Employment Services — Employment Support Service (4 speeches)
I seek leave to take note of the ministerial statement on Disability Employment Services. Leave granted. I rise to take note, as long as my voice holds out.
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Responses to Senate Resolutions; Tabling (2 speeches)
I seek leave to move a motion that the Senate take note of the response to the resolution of the Senate. Leave granted. I move: That the Senate take note of the document. I congratulate the...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Appropriation (Implementation of the Report of the Expert Panel on Asylum Seekers) Bill (No. 1) 2012-2013, Appropriation (Implementation of the Report of the Expert Panel on Asylum Seekers) Bill (No. 2) 2012-2013; First Reading (1 speech)
I move: That these bills may proceed without formalities, may be taken together and be now read a first time. Question agreed to. Bills read a first time.
- Appropriation (Implementation of the Report of the Expert Panel on Asylum Seekers) Bill (No. 1) 2012-2013, Appropriation (Implementation of the Report of the Expert Panel on Asylum Seekers) Bill (No. 2) 2012-2013; Second Reading (1 speech)
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 read as follows— Appropriation...
- Corporations Legislation Amendment (Derivative Transactions) Bill 2012, Crimes Legislation Amendment (Serious Drugs, Identity Crime and Other Measures) Bill 2012, Tax Laws Amendment (Clean Building Managed Investment Trust) Bill 2012; First Reading (1 speech)
I indicate to the Senate that these bills are being introduced together. After debate on the motion for the second reading has been adjourned, I will be moving a motion to have the bills listed...
- Corporations Legislation Amendment (Derivative Transactions) Bill 2012, Crimes Legislation Amendment (Serious Drugs, Identity Crime and Other Measures) Bill 2012, Tax Laws Amendment (Clean Building Managed Investment Trust) Bill 2012; Second Reading (1 speech)
I present revised explanatory memoranda relating to the Corporations Legislation Amendment (Derivative Transactions) Bill 2012 and the Tax Laws Amendment (Clean Building Managed Investment Trust)...
- Defence Trade Controls Bill 2011; Consideration of House of Representatives Message (9 speeches)
I move: That the committee does not insist on its amendment to which the House of Representatives has disagreed.
- Dental Benefits Amendment Bill 2012; Second Reading (1 speech)
I would like to start my contribution to the debate on the Dental Benefits Amendment Bill 2012 by saying that the coalition supports investment in dental health and it has been a tenet of our...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Commonwealth Ombudsman (1 speech)
In relation to the Commonwealth Ombudsman's annual report 2011-12, I move: That the Senate take note of the document. As senators would be aware, the Commonwealth Ombudsman is the first port of...
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Brown, Ms Clarice (1 speech)
Last week in Brisbane the family and many, many friends of Clarice Brown gathered to celebrate her life. Clarice was almost 90 when we lost her on 7 October. I first met Clarice in the early...
- Medical Workforce (1 speech)
Senators will recall that I asked the government in question time on Monday what it was planning to do about the current medical internships crisis. The government has failed to fund internships...
- Dharamsala Visit (1 speech)
Over the parliamentary winter break, I was enormously privileged to visit the town of Dharamsala, high in the Himalayas in India, home away from home for exiled Tibetans, with my colleague...
- Questions on Notice (0 speeches)
