Senate debates
Wednesday, 12 February 2014
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Matters of Public Interest (0 speeches)
- Violence (1 speech)
The matter of public interest I wish to raise is the issue of violence fuelled by alcohol and drugs. Unfortunately this has been in the headlines again this year, and we have seen much discussion...
- Abbott Government (1 speech)
I rise today to talk about yet another broken promise from what appears to be an already tired and worn-out government. It is a government that is so bereft of foresight and vision that it has...
- Sri Lanka (1 speech)
I rise today to draw to the attention of parliament the forthcoming meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Committee. A meeting will be held in March where a resolution by the United States...
- Sugar (1 speech)
On every occasion of our lives sugar has been a part of the celebrations. Those treasured memories of christenings, birthday parties, weddings and anniversaries, for example, have all featured a...
- Closing the Gap (2 speeches)
I was proud today to attend Closing the Gap events in our parliament, to see many Aboriginal leaders and all major Aboriginal organisations represented here today and to hear the PM and the...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Automotive Industry (25 speeches)
Mr President, my question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer. I refer to reports in the Australian Financial Review today detailing the contents of a private meeting between the...
- Building and Construction Industry (14 speeches)
My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. Can the Attorney-General please inform the Senate of the advantages that a royal commission has over a police task force investigation...
- Assistant Minister for Health (14 speeches)
My question is to the Assistant Minister for Health. I refer to the minister's answer in question time yesterday when she informed the Senate her chief of staff has 'no connection with the food...
- National Commission of Audit, Medibank Private (14 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann. With the Treasurer's declaration that the age of entitlement is over, that corporate welfare is to be stopped and that auto...
- Asylum Seekers (6 speeches)
My question is to the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator Cash. Can the minister outline to the Senate the problems associated with previous approaches to offshore...
- Assistant Minister for Health (9 speeches)
My question is to the Assistant Minister for Health. Can the minister confirm that the declaration of conflicts of interest is a standing item on the agenda of the Legislative and Governance...
- Asylum Seekers (14 speeches)
My question is to Senator Johnston, the Minister for Defence. Does the minister support calls for an independent, external investigation into the claims that asylum seekers were deliberately...
- Financial Services (8 speeches)
In December last year, you announced reforms to the Future of Financial Advice legislation. It was asserted that the previous government's reforms went too far, creating unnecessary complexity,...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Before calling the next senator, I note the presence in the President's Gallery of former senator Grant Tambling. Welcome to the Senate! Honourable senators: Hear, hear!
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Defence Personnel (12 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Defence. I refer to the minister's comments last Friday, when asked about the Royal Australian Navy's involvement in Operation Sovereign Borders. The minister...
- Veterans' Affairs (11 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Senator Ronaldson. Can the minister outline to the Senate the government's plans for veterans and their families?
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Assistant Minister for Health (13 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 the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (Senator...
- National Commission of Audit (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Finance (Senator Cormann) to a question without notice asked by Senator Di Natale today relating to industry assistance....
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Finance and Public Administration References Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Lundy, I move: That the time for the presentation of the report of the Finance and Public Administration References Committee on its inquiry into Commonwealth...
- Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity Committee, Meeting (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Furner, I move: That the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity be authorised to hold a private briefing during the...
- Law Enforcement Committee, Meeting (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Singh, I move: That the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement be authorised to meet during the sittings of the Senate, as follows: (a) on Wednesday, 12...
- Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Reporting Date (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Macdonald, I move: That the time for the presentation of the report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee on the Criminal Code Amendment...
- Public Accounts and Audit Committee, Meeting (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Smith, I move: That the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit be authorised to hold public meetings during the sittings of the Senate, from 10.30 am, as follows:...
- National Disability Insurance Scheme Committee, Meeting (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Gallacher, I move: That the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme be authorised to hold private meetings otherwise than in accordance with...
- Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, Meeting (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Williams, I move: That the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Human Rights (5 speeches)
At the request of Senator Stephens, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, (ii) the former Labor Government's contribution of...
- Australian Curriculum (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) the Australian Curriculum was developed over 6 years, involving input from thousands of educators, parents and academics, and was negotiated with,...
- Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Milne, I move: That the Senate— (a) condemns the Abbott Government for its attempt to reduce the size of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area by 74 000...
- International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (1 speech)
I, and also on behalf of Senators Kroger, Moore and Waters, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) Thursday, 6 February 2014, marked the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female...
- Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month (1 speech)
I, and also on behalf of Senators Moore and Waters, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) February 2014 is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, (ii) Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is run...
- Sharks (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that (i) the Minister for the Environment has granted an exemption to Western Australia, under section 158 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Great Barrier Reef (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) the World Heritage Committee has expressed extreme concern about industrialisation of the Great Barrier Reef coastline, as have Queensland fishers...
- Sport (1 speech)
I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 108, standing in my name for today, relating to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended: That...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Postponement (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That business of the Senate notice of motion no. 1 standing in my name for today, proposing a reference to the Legal and Constitution Affairs References Committee, be...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Economy (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Carr, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Industry, no later than Thursday, 13 February 2014, a copy of the report...
- Asylum Seekers (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 noon on Thursday, 13...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- (14 speeches)
A letter has been received from Senator Moore: Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion: The decisions of...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of the Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, I present the report on the review and listing of Jabhat al-Nusra, the re-listing of six terrorist...
- Publications Committee; Report (1 speech)
At the request of Senator McKenzie, the Chair, I present the second report of the Publications Committee. Ordered that the report be adopted.
- Regulations and Ordinances Committee; Report (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Edwards, the Chair, I present the Delegated Legislation Monitor No. 1 of 2014.
- Public Works Committee; Report (2 speeches)
On behalf of Senator Boyce of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present two reports of the committee as listed at item 11 on today's Order of Business and move: That the...
- Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Polley, I present the first report of 2014 of the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills. I also lay on the table Scrutiny of Bills Alert Digest No. 1 of...
- Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
- Closing the Gap (7 speeches)
I table the report and statement of the Prime Minister on Closing the Gap. I seek leave to move a motion relating to the consideration of documents. Leave granted. I move: That the time for...
- Auditor-General's Reports (0 speeches)
- Report No. 19 of 2013-14 (1 speech)
In accordance with the provisions of the Auditor-General Act 1997, I present the following report of the Auditor-General: Report No. 19 of 2013-14: Performance audit: Management of complaints and...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Tabling (1 speech)
On behalf of the President, I table the following document: Supplement to the 13th edition of Odgers' Australian Senate Practice
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook 2013-14 (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the document. Budgets are more than just economic statements; they are more than just collections of numbers and lines on a page; they are more than...
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Bushfires (1 speech, 1 comment)
At this time of year in southern Australia, in a Mediterranean climate dominated by long, hot summers, we have the annual circumstance, as we all know, of bushfires. We saw them in the areas to...
- Abbott Government (3 speeches)
One of the most hypocritical things I find about the new government is their use of the word 'review'. Reviews are something they abhorred when they were in opposition. They railed against them...
- Mining (1 speech)
One of my most enjoyable days when I was a New South Wales MP was when farmers from Liverpool Plains, Gloucester and the Upper Hunter bussed to Sydney to protest on Macquarie Street in support of...
- Parliament House: Security (1 speech)
Mr President, it is with your indulgence and, I realise, maybe with some anguish, that I rise tonight to talk about something I think is quite serious for the wellbeing of this parliament. I do...
