Senate debates

Thursday, 5 December 2013

• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Poker Machine Harm Reduction ($1 Bets and Other Measures) Bill 2012 [2013]; Second Reading (15 speeches)
    It is very timely to debate the Poker Machine Harm Reduction ($1 Bets and Other Measures) Bill 2012 [2013] today, a bill that I and my colleagues Senator Di Natale and Senator Madigan introduced,...
  • Fair Trade (Australian Standards) Bill 2013; Second Reading (5 speeches)
    I am very pleased to bring forth the first of a series of fair trade bills before the Senate for debate. As senators are probably aware, the second free trade bill, the Free Trade (Workers'...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (11 speeches)
    I present the 10th report of 2013 of the Selection of Bills Committee. I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The report read as follows— SELECTION OF...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (3 speeches)
    I move— That: (a)   government business order of the day no. 15 (Australian Capital Territory Water Management Legislation Amendment Bill 2013) be considered from 12.45 pm...
  • Leave of Absence (2 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Heffernan for today for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
  • Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
    I move: That the following bills be considered on Thursday 12 December 2013 under the temporary order relating to the consideration of Private Senators' Bills: Migration Amendment (Disallowance...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Migration; Presentation (5 speeches)
    Mr President, I was waiting for this from the Clerk but it came during the selection of bills debate, which obviously happened after the notices of motion. I seek leave to put in a notice of...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Reserve Bank Amendment (Australian Reconstruction and Development Board) Bill 2013; First Reading (1 speech)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Madigan, move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the Reserve Bank Act 1959, and for related purposes. Question agreed to. I...
  • Reserve Bank Amendment (Australian Reconstruction and Development Board) Bill 2013; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I present an explanatory memorandum and I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard and continue my remarks. Leave...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Rural Clinical Schools (4 speeches)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Fawcett, move: That the Senate— (a) celebrates the success of Rural Clinical Schools (RCS) around Australia, commenced in 1999 by the then Minister for...
  • Royal National Park (4 speeches)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Waters, move: That the Senate— (a) recognises that: (i) the Royal National Park in New South Wales is Australia's first national park, one of the world's...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Asylum Seekers; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Carr, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, no later than Tuesday, 10 December 2013,...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Australian Capital Territory Water Management Legislation Amendment Bill 2013; Second Reading (12 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the Australian Capital Territory Water Management Legislation Amendment Bill 2013. I indicate at the outset that the opposition, in the typical constructive way in which we...
  • Australian Capital Territory Water Management Legislation Amendment Bill 2013; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Commonwealth Inscribed Stock Amendment Bill 2013; In Committee (26 speeches)
    I move: That the committee does not insist on its amendment to which the House of Representatives has disagreed.
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Health Funding (15 speeches)
    My question is to the Assistant Minister for Health, Senator Nash. I refer the minister to her statement in question time yesterday when she said: … there are a range of programs across...
  • Defence (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Johnston. I noticed in recent media reports that Defence has been weakened by the previous government's budget cuts. Can the minister please...
  • Health Funding (20 speeches)
    My question is to the Assistant Minister for Health, Senator Nash. I refer the minister to Health Workforce Australia and its work in improving—
  • Forestry (9 speeches, 1 comment)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, Minister Cormann. Can you confirm that Environment Minister Greg Hunt has written to the Tasmanian government...
  • Budget (18 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann. Can the minister inform the Senate about the current pressures on the expenditure side of the budget?
  • National Broadband Network (28 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Finance in his capacity as shareholder minister of the NBN, Senator Cormann. I refer the minister to his answer on Tuesday when he refused to commit to the...
  • Public Service (13 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service, Senator Abetz. Has the minister seen claims that the coalition government has plans for mass and ruthless cuts...
  • Timor-Leste (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Brandis. On 20 May 2002 Timor-Leste officially became an independent nation. On the same date they signed the...
  • Trade: South Korea (6 speeches)
    My question is to Senator Cormann, the Minister representing the Minister for Trade and Investment. I refer the minister to the Prime Minister's statement in the other place today, at two...
  • Copyright (7 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. Can the Attorney-General advise the Senate of the Australian Law Reform Commission recommendations in relation to copyright law reform?
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Health Funding (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Assistant Minister for Health (Senator Nash) to questions without notice asked by Senators McLucas and McEwen today relating to...
  • Forestry (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Employment (Senator Abetz) to a question without notice asked by Senator Milne today relating to the Tasmanian Forests...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Asylum Seekers (1 speech)
    I inform the Senate that the matter of public importance proposed by Senator Bernardi has been withdrawn.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • National Broadband Network, Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I table a document relating to the order for the production of documents concerning the National Broadband Network, and I table a document relating to the proposed order for the production of...
• Budget (0 speeches)
  • Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
    I present additional information received by the Community Affairs Legislation Committee relating to estimates.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Membership (2 speeches)
    /The President has received letters from a party leader nominating senators to be members of committees.
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Advisory Council on Australian Archives (2 speeches)
    The President has received a letter from a party leader nominating a senator to be a member of the Advisory Council on Australian Archives.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia, Electoral Matters Committee; Appointment (1 speech)
    The President has received messages from the House of Representatives informing the Senate that the House has agreed to the amendments varying the resolutions of appointment of the Joint Select...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Cash Bidding) Bill 2013, Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Regulatory Levies) Amendment Bill 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.
  • Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Cash Bidding) Bill 2013, Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Regulatory Levies) Amendment Bill 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— OFFSHORE...
  • National Health Amendment (Simplified Price Disclosure) Bill 2013; 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.
  • National Health Amendment (Simplified Price Disclosure) Bill 2013; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    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— NATIONAL HEALTH...
  • Rural Research and Development Legislation Amendment Bill 2013, Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Amendment Bill 2013, Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Amendment Bill 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.
  • Rural Research and Development Legislation Amendment Bill 2013, Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Amendment Bill 2013, Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Amendment Bill 2013; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That these bills be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speeches read as follows— RURAL RESEARCH AND...
  • Customs Amendment (Anti-Dumping Commission Transfer) Bill 2013, Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2013, Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Submarine Cable Protection) Bill 2013; 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...
  • Customs Amendment (Anti-Dumping Commission Transfer) Bill 2013, Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2013, Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Submarine Cable Protection) Bill 2013; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I present the revised explanatory memoranda relating to the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2013 and I move: That these bills be now read a second time. I seek leave to have...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Education and Employment References Committee; Reference (41 speeches)
    The government have a fundamental objection to the referral of the provisions of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2013 to the Senate Education and Employment References...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (1 speech)
    I would like to make a brief comment on the importance of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade report Australia in the Asian century: towards 2025—country strategy. The recently...
  • Productivity Commission (1 speech)
    Earlier this year Goulburn Valley food processor SPC Ardmona slashed its grower contracts, essentially halving them. There are over 160 growers within the Goulburn Valley in the central heartland...
  • Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (1 speech)
    I note that many members of my community are very concerned about the health impacts of pesticides used in everyday life. We simply do not know enough about many of the pesticides that are being...
  • Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (5 speeches)
    This document is the first annual report of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, which came into operation on 3 December 2012. So this report reflects on seven months of...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee (1 speech)
    The interim and final reports of the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee into the performance of the Department of Parliamentary Services are, to say the least, perfunctory....
  • Environment and Communications References Committee; Report (3 speeches)
    I wish to take note of the committee's second interim and final reports on recent trends in and preparedness for extreme weather events. This was an issue that Senator Milne referred to the...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • World Toilet Day (1 speech)
    You would be aware, Acting Deputy President Fawcett, I am sure—as the vast majority of senators would be—that 19 November was World Toilet Day. Unfortunately, circumstances prevented...
  • Education Funding (1 speech)
    I have been told throughout my life never to expect a handout and that from hard work you always get results. While it is a view that I broadly agree with, it did set me wondering: what would be...
  • Griffin, Erin (1 speech)
    I rise tonight to pay tribute to a remarkable and brave South Australian I recently had the enormous privilege of meeting, who has been crusading for awareness of childhood cancer and the need to...