Senate debates
Wednesday, 19 March 2014
- Statement by the President (0 speeches)
- Questions Without Notice (1 speech)
Yesterday in question time, I ruled a number of opposition supplementary questions out of order and undertook to review the Hansard. As I have said on many occasions, ministers must answer...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Australian Water Holdings (287 speeches)
I seek leave to move a motion relating to the conduct of the Assistant Treasurer, Senator Sinodinos. Leave not granted. Pursuant to contingent notice, I move: That so much of the standing orders...
- Matters of Public Interest (0 speeches)
- Western Australia: Senate Election (1 speech)
I rise to speak on a number of issues currently prominent in public discussions surrounding the upcoming re-run of the Western Australian Senate election on 5 April. Of course, I am not the first...
- Middle East (1 speech)
I rise on a matter of public interest—that is, the urgent need to progress peace talks between Israel and Palestine. I rise to make a small contribution to the United Nations International...
- Asylum Seekers (1 speech)
I rise today to speak on behalf of the many Australians in this country who are very concerned by the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers under the watch of our government, our parliament...
- Mental Health (1 speech)
I rise today to speak about an extremely important issue throughout Australia, particularly in rural Australia, and that issue is mental health. There has been a severe drought in northern New...
- Homelessness (1 speech)
I rise today to speak on a matter of public interest: the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, NPAH, which has been in operation since 2009. NPAH funds a range of innovative programs...
- Australian Water Holdings (7 speeches)
I rise to make a statement in regard to the current inquiry into Australia Water Holdings Pty Ltd by the Independent Commission Against Corruption in New South Wales. I have been called as a...
- Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
by leave—I inform the Senate that, given the announcement by Senator Sinodinos that he has voluntarily stood aside from his role as Assistant Treasurer while the Independent Commission...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Australian Water Holdings (6 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. I refer to the decision of the Assistant Treasurer to stand aside. What steps did the Prime Minister take to satisfy...
- Mining (11 speeches)
My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz. Is the minister aware of any new proposals to revise the mining tax and can the minister...
- Australian Water Holdings (26 speeches)
My question is to Senator Abetz, the Minister representing the Prime Minister. I refer to the decision to stand aside the Assistant Treasurer, Senator Sinodinos. When did the Prime Minister...
- Racial Equality (18 speeches)
My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. Regarding your plans to amend section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act and remove the law against offending, insulting or humiliating...
- Carbon Pricing (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Finance representing the Minister for the Environment, Senator Cormann. I refer to figures released by the Clean Energy Regulator, which showed that the carbon...
- Education (8 speeches)
My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. I ask the minister: why has the Prime Minister, who promised no cuts to education, cancelled all future trades...
- Aged Care (6 speeches)
My question is to the Assistant Minister for Social Services, Senator Fifield. Can the minister advise the Senate of what the government is doing to ensure that older Australians who wish to stay...
- Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (6 speeches)
My question is to Senator Cormann, representing the Minister For Trade and Investment. An article in the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday reported that the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation...
- Superannuation (15 speeches)
My question is to Senator Cash, the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women. Can the minister confirm that the government is committed to removing the low-income superannuation...
- Education (6 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Education, Senator Payne. Can the minister please advise the Senate how the coalition government is supporting the improvement of...
- Science (39 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Industry, Senator Ronaldson. I refer the minister to the government's election promise to boost investment in clinical trials—a...
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Cambodia: Election (4 speeches)
I seek leave to add to an answer I gave to Senator Milne yesterday. Leave granted. Yesterday, Senator Milne asked me some questions about irregularities in elections for the Cambodian National...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Australian Water Holdings (13 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Employment (Senator Abetz) to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today. There are so many legitimate...
- Racial Equality (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Attorney-General (Senator Brandis) to a question without notice asked by Senator Wright today relating to proposed changes to the...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Presentation (1 speech)
I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move: That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the following bills, allowing them to be considered...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Leave of Absence (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Ludlam from 19 March to 20 March 2014 for electorate business. Question agreed to.
- Days and Hours of Meeting (7 speeches)
I move: That— (a) if by 8 pm on Thursday, 20 March 2014, the following bills have not been finally considered: Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal)...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Coal Seam Gas (2 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) recent revelations of threats to water from the unconventional gas industry, including water contamination with uranium at 20 times the safe level,...
- Building and Construction Industry (7 speeches)
I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 180 standing in my name as circulated in the chamber. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended: That the Senate— (a) notes...
- Carers (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) the launch of the Carers Australia report Defusing a Ticking Time Bomb on improving the quality and delivery of home care in Australia, (ii) that...
- South Sudan (1 speech)
I, and also on behalf of Senator Singh, move: That the Senate— (a) notes the ongoing violent conflict in South Sudan; (b) supports Australia's commitment of additional resources to the...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Ministerial Conduct (11 speeches)
The President has received the following letter from Senator Moore: Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for...
- First Speech (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
Order! Before I call Senator O'Sullivan, I remind honourable senators that this is his first speech; therefore, I ask that the usual courtesies be extended to him.
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Ministerial Conduct (2 speeches)
Before I forget, I would just like to congratulate Senator O'Sullivan on a very fine first speech. Clearly a touch of the Irish remains—an irreverence, a lyricism, a wit and a touch of the...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Corporations and Financial Services Committee; Report (1 speech)
I present the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services Report on the 2012-13 annual reports of bodies established under the ASIC Act, together with the minutes of...
- Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of Senator Polley, I present the third 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. 3 of 2014....
- Regulations and Ordinances Committee; Delegated Legislation Monitor (1 speech)
On behalf of the Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Regulations and Ordinances, Senator Edwards, I present the Delegated Legislation Monitor No. 3 of 2014.
- Legislation Committees; Report (1 speech)
Pursuant to order and at the request of the chairs of the respective committees, I present reports from committees in respect of the examination of annual reports tabled by 31 October 2013....
- Community Affairs References Committee; Report (1 speech)
I present an interim report of the Community Affairs References Committee on the care and management of younger and older Australians living with dementia and behavioural and psychiatric symptoms...
- Community Affairs References Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That the Senate adopt the recommendation contained in the interim report that the time for the presentation of the report of the Community Affairs References Committee on...
- Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
- Deregulation (2 speeches)
On behalf of the Prime Minister, Mr Abbott, I table a ministerial statement on deregulation.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Regulations and Determinations (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Illicit Drugs (1 speech)
Tonight I rise to speak on the increasingly devastating effects that ice, or crystal methamphetamine, is having on regional Australian communities. The increasing prevalence of ice has been...
- Sri Lanka (1 speech)
Like Australia, Sri Lanka is an island nation. The Sri Lankan diaspora has settled around the globe, and the 2011 census records that more than 86,000 people born in Sri Lanka are living here in...
- Oil and Gas Industry (1 speech)
I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak this evening on what I see to be an opportunity that unfortunately is slipping through our fingers, and that is the opportunities in the oil and gas...
- South Australia State Election (4 speeches)
I rise tonight to make some comments about the South Australian election that was held last Saturday and to advise this house that we have the extraordinary situation where 53 per cent of South...
