Senate debates

Wednesday, 26 March 2014

• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Private Health Insurance Legislation Amendment Bill 2013; Second Reading (3 speeches)
    The opposition will be supporting the Private Health Insurance Legislation Amendment Bill 2013. I think people in the wider community know that Labor has always believed it is important to have a...
  • In Committee; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the bill now be read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2013-2014, Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2013-2014, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2013-2014; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    I am appreciative of the opportunity to be able to speak in this debate because it allows me to talk about an issue quite dear to my heart—social equity. Senators would know that one of the...
  • Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2013-2014, Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2013-2014, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2013-2014; Third Reading (2 speeches)
    As no amendments to the appropriation bills have been circulated, I shall call the minister to move the third reading pursuant to standing order 115.
• Budget (0 speeches)
  • Advance to the Finance Minister; In Committee (1 speech)
    I move: That the committee approves the advances provided under the annual Appropriations Acts as a final charge for the year ended 30 June 2013. Question agreed to. Resolution reported; report...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That intervening business be postponed till after consideration of the government business order of the day relating to the Qantas Sale Act Amendment Bill 2014. Question agreed to.
  • Consideration of Legislation (4 speeches)
    I seek leave to move a motion relating to the consideration of legislation.
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That intervening business be postponed till after consideration of the government business order of the day relating to the Export Market Development Grants Amendment Bill 2014. Question...
  • Consideration of Legislation (4 speeches)
    I seek leave to move a motion relating to the consideration of legislation.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Export Market Development Grants Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (4 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the Export Market Development Grants Amendment Bill 2014, allowing it to be considered...
  • Export Market Development Grants Amendment Bill 2014; In Committee (13 speeches)
    I have a number of questions further to Senator Birmingham's contribution. I am grateful for his outlining of the position of both the government and the department. Of course I want there to be...
  • Export Market Development Grants Amendment Bill 2014; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
• Governor-General's Speech (0 speeches)
  • Address-in-Reply (4 speeches)
    I am very privileged to be able to reply to the Governor-General's speech. I am especially fortunate to be doing it nearly six months after I started—I am in continuation. Back then, in the...
• Matters of Public Interest (0 speeches)
  • Cattle Industry (1 speech)
    I rise today to issue this warning to the owners of Australia's 77,000 cattle properties: examine very closely the international campaign to make you prove you are environmentally sustainable....
  • International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (1 speech)
    I rise to make a small contribution in this the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. It was designated by the United Nations late last year as a year to promote...
  • Whaling (1 speech)
    Over 12 months ago I got to give a speech in the matters of public interest discussion and I talked about the problem of plastics in our oceans. Since I made that speech billions of tonnes of...
  • Wind Farms (1 speech)
    I rise to express deep concern at the approval of an application for an industrial wind turbine development in New South Wales, the actions of the proponents and, indeed, the actions of the New...
  • Inter-Parliamentary Union Delegation (2 speeches)
    Last week I had the privilege of being a member of the Australian delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Geneva. Delegations from 141 countries met to discuss and craft resolutions on a...
• Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    by leave—I inform the Senate that Senator Cash, the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women and the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, will be absent from the...
• Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    I draw to the attention of honourable senators the presence in the President's gallery of an APEC delegation from the Philippines. On behalf of all senators, welcome to the Senate. We wish you...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Ageing (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Acting Assistant Treasurer, Senator Cormann. I refer the minister to comments from the Council on Ageing that abolishing the requirement for financial advisers to act in the...
  • Budget (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann. Can the minister inform the Senate of whether the government has received any recent unsolicited advice about fiscal controls that...
  • Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (22 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. I refer to the Attorney-General's decision to weaken the Racial Discrimination Act. Can the Attorney-General confirm that representatives...
  • Renewable Energy (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, Senator Cormann. Notwithstanding the government's review of the Renewable Energy Target, will the government commit...
  • Western Australia: Infrastructure (21 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Senator Johnston. Can the minister inform the Senate how the government is building the...
  • Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (13 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. I refer to the Attorney-General's decision to weaken the Racial Discrimination Act. I also refer to the comments made by the executive...
  • Industrial Relations (11 speeches)
    Mr President, my question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz. I refer the minister to comments made by the Boral chief executive—
  • Wind Farms (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Nash. In light of the still unactioned research recommended by the inquiry into the social and economic impacts of...
  • National Science Week (14 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Industry, Senator Ronaldson. I note that applications for grants for National Science Week 2014 closed on 24 October 2013, and I refer...
  • National Broadband Network (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Communications, Senator Fifield. Can the minister inform the Senate of any new information about the management of the National...
  • South Australia State Election (14 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence. The minister has now had more than a week to find out how a South Australian Liberal party banner was used as a backdrop for a press conference on RAAF...
• Answers to Questions on Notice (0 speeches)
  • Questions Nos 223, 224, 225, 226, 227 and 234 (6 speeches)
    Mr President, under the 30-day rule contained in standing order 74(5), I seek an explanation from the Assistant Minister for Health for her failure to answer questions on notice Nos 223, 224,...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (18 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Attorney-General (Senator Brandis) to questions without notice asked by Senators Singh and Peris today relating to proposed changes...
  • Renewable Energy (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 the Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Milne) today...
• 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...
  • Withdrawal (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Standing Committee on Regulations and Ordinances, I give notice that, at the giving of notices on the next day of sitting, I shall withdraw business of the Senate notice of...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Community Affairs References Committee; Reference (1 speech)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Brown, move: That the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 16 July 2014: The out-of-pocket costs...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Sri Lanka: Human Rights (7 speeches)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Milne, move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) Australia's co-sponsorship of the: (A) 2012 United Nations (UN) General Assembly Human Rights Council (HRC)...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Corporations and Financial Services Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    On behalf of Fawcett, I move: That the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing...
  • National Broadband Network - Select Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Lundy, I move: That the Select Committee on the National Broadband Network be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1)...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Education (7 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) agrees that every Australian student deserves a world-class education, specifically: (i) that all Australian students deserve quality teachers and quality...
  • Somphone, Sombath (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) on 15 December 2012, prominent community development and youth education leader Mr Sombath Somphone disappeared in Vientiane, Laos, and (ii) his...
  • Cognitive impairment (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) acknowledges: (i) there are people with a cognitive impairment all around the country being held in indefinite detention without trial or conviction, (ii) that...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Asylum Seekers; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
    I move: That all video recordings, audio recordings and photographs taken during the interception and turn-back of an asylum seeker vessel named the Riski, that occurred between 1 January and 6...
  • Commonwealth Land: Sydney Harbour (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) a controversial development application on Commonwealth heritage land at Sydney Harbour's Middle Head is currently being assessed by the Sydney...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • (15 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 right of...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Senators' Interests Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present report No. 1 of 2014 of the Senate Standing Committee of Senators' Interests, which is its annual report for 2013. Ordered that the report be printed.
  • Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Polley, I present the fourth report of 2014 of the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills. I also lay on the table the table Scrutiny of Bills Alert Digest No. 4...
  • 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 Delegated Legislation Monitor No. 4 of 2014.
  • Publications Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator McKenzie, I present the fourth report of the Senate Standing Committee on Publications. Ordered that the report be adopted.
  • National Broadband Network Select Committee; Report (7 speeches)
    I present the interim report of the Select Committee on the National Broadband Network. Ordered that the report be printed. I move: That the Senate take note of the report. In doing so, I am very...
  • Joint Standing Committee on Treaties; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, I present the 138th report of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, dealing with treaties tabled on 11 and 12 December...
  • Economics References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present the report of the Economics References Committee on ticket scalping together with the Hansard record of proceedings and documents presented to the committee. Ordered that the report be...
  • National Broadband Network Select Committee; Membership (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That Senator O'Neill replace Senator Thorp on the Select Committee on the National Broadband Network on 5 May 2014, and Senator Thorp be appointed as a participating...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Amendment (Classification Tools and Other Measures) Bill 2014, Defence Force Retirement Benefits Legislation Amendment (Fair Indexation) Bill 2014; First Reading (1 speech)
    These bills are being introduced together. After debate on the motion for the second reading has been adjourned I shall move a motion to have the bills listed separately on the Notice Paper. I...
  • Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Amendment (Classification Tools and Other Measures) Bill 2014, Defence Force Retirement Benefits Legislation Amendment (Fair Indexation) Bill 2014; 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— CLASSIFICATION...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Environment and Communications References Committee; Report (4 speeches, 1 comment)
    Pursuant to order, I present the report of the Environment and Communications References Committee on the Direct Action Plan, together with the Hansard record of proceedings and documents...
  • Community Affairs References Committee; Report (2 speeches)
    Pursuant to order, I present the report of the Community Affairs References Committee on the care and management of younger and older Australians living with dementia and behavioural and...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Income Management; Tabling (1 speech, 1 comment)
    I seek leave to table an open letter from a constituent group in my home state of South Australia. Leave granted. I table an open letter to the Australian government from constituents in my home...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1 speech)
    In December last year, following the release of MYEFO, the Treasurer said in his speech to the National Press Club that taxpayers' dollars should be better respected. Further, the Treasurer said...
  • Glaucoma (1 speech)
    On 9 March this year, World Glaucoma Week began. That was the sixth World Glaucoma Week, which is a joint initiative of the World Glaucoma Association and the World Glaucoma Patient Association....
  • Human Rights: Sri Lanka (1 speech)
    As I stand here in the Australian Senate tonight, at exactly the same time there are people standing in Geneva at the Human Rights Council debating a resolution which is a move by the...
  • World Down Syndrome Day, National Disability Insurance Scheme (1 speech)
    Tonight I want to speak about two issues related to disability. Firstly, I want to talk about World Down Syndrome Day, which occurred on 21 March. The 21st day of the third month of the year was...