Senate debates

Wednesday, 16 July 2014

• Privilege (0 speeches)
  • (2 speeches)
    By letter dated 11 July 2014, the chairs of the Senate Standing Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation and References Committees, Senators Heffernan and Sterle, have raised a matter...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Corporations and Financial Services Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    by leave—On behalf of the chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services, Senator Fawcett, I move: That the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2014, True-up Shortfall Levy (General) (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2014, True-up Shortfall Levy (Excise) (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2014, Customs Tariff Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2014, Excise Tariff Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2014, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2014, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2014, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2014; In Committee (114 speeches, 1 comment)
    The committee is considering the Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2014 and seven related bills. The question is that amendment No. 3 on sheet 7527, moved by Senator Singh, be...
• Matters of Public Interest (0 speeches)
  • Budget (5 speeches)
    It is with pleasure that I rise to take part in this discussion of matters of public interest today, because, if there is one thing that is of interest to the people of Australia, it is the Labor...
  • Jones, Mr Gavin (1 speech)
    I rise to speak of matters of public interest. Not too long ago, mainstream media across this country reinforced negative stereotypes and negative depictions about Aboriginal and Torres Strait...
  • Western Australia: Housing and Homelessness (3 speeches)
    In May of this year, a young diabetic woman and her partner ducked into the undergrowth at Lake Richmond in the southern suburbs of Perth, in search of a few hours of undisturbed sleep in the...
  • Homophobia (1 speech)
    Australia is a sporting nation. We love sport and we celebrate our sporting heroes. Sport is part of our national identity. Often events in sport can tell us something about who we are and the...
  • Health Care, Veterans' Affairs, Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (3 speeches)
    This is not my first speech. I rise to contribute to today's matters of public interest discussion. There are four important matters that I will bring to the attention of the Senate chamber in...
  • Budget (2 speeches)
    As I have mentioned on several occasions in this chamber, the Assistant Minister for Social Services, Mitch Fifield—who has just entered the chamber—announced on 26 June this year...
• Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    Prior to moving to questions, I advise honourable senators that we have a distinguished visitor today from New Zealand. I draw to the attention of honourable senators to the presence in the...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Future of Financial Advice (35 speeches, 1 comment)
    Mr President, my question is to the acting Assistant Treasurer, Senator Cormann. I refer to comments by Michael O'Neill, CEO of National Seniors, who has described the government's actions...
  • Carbon Pricing (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Abetz. Will the minister advise the Senate why it is so important to remove the carbon tax?
  • Workplace Relations (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz. I refer to the minister's decision to revoke the Commonwealth Cleaning Services Guidelines. I also refer to advice from the...
  • Schools: Corporal Punishment (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Education, Senator Payne, regarding comments made by Dr Kevin Donnelly, co-chair of the government's national curriculum review. Dr...
  • Budget (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Finance and the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Cormann. Can the minister advise the Senate how decisions made this year about budget repair will...
  • ANZUS Treaty (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence. I refer the minister to an answer he gave on Lateline on 12 June when asked whether the ANZUS alliance commits Australia to support the United States...
  • National Broadband Network (16 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Communications, Senator Fifield. Can the minister please update the Senate on the importance of actually rolling out the NBN to rural...
  • Employment (19 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment and Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Abetz. I refer to the statement by the Prime Minister on 28 May 2014 when he said, 'People are...
  • Education (10 speeches)
    My question is to Senator Payne, the minister representing the Minister for Education. I refer to a statement by the education minister: 'We are trying to help rural and regional Australians by...
  • Child Care (6 speeches)
    My question is also to the Minister representing the Assistant Minister for Education, Senator Payne. Can the minister confirm reports that the budget for childcare payments supporting low-income...
  • Budget (22 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, Senator Cash: I refer to the government's failure to produce substantiated data that demonstrates the impact of the 2014...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Future of Financial Advice (5 speeches)
    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 O’Neill today relating to the regulation of...
  • Schools: Corporal Punishment (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Human Services (Senator Payne) to a question without notice asked by Senator Wright today relating to comments made by...
• Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    I seek leave to make a brief personal explanation as I claim to have been misrepresented. Leave granted. Over the past month the member for Leichhardt and I have been having a debate in the pages...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Postponement (1 speech)
    That general business notices of motion nos 351 and 352 standing in his name for today, relating to the Select Committee on the National Broadband Network and to the proposed establishment of a...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence for personal reasons be granted to Senator Xenophon for today, 16 July 2014. Question agreed to.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • National Security Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2014; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to national security and intelligence services, and for related purposes. Question agreed to. I present...
  • National Security Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2014; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    I present the 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. Leave granted. The speech read...
  • Guardian for Unaccompanied Children Bill 2014; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to establish an independent Office of Guardian for Unaccompanied Non-citizen Children, and for related purposes. Question agreed...
  • Guardian for Unaccompanied Children Bill 2014; Second Reading (3 speeches)
    I present the 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. Leave granted. The speech read...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
    At the request of the Chair of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee, Senator Sterle, I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 349 before seeking to...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Falun Gong Practitioners (14 speeches)
    Mr President, I ask that general business notice of motion No. 344, standing in my name for today relating to Falun Gong practitioners be taken as a formal motion.
  • Asylum Seekers (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That the Senate— (a) expresses its concern for the asylum seeker children who are currently missing in South Australia; (b) notes That the Minister for Immigration...
  • Higher Education (11 speeches)
    by leave—at the request of Senator McKenzie, I move: That the Senate— (a) congratulates Central Queensland University on its partnership with TAFE [technical and further education]...
  • Campervan Slogans (4 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes the litany of sexist, misogynistic, and racist slogans which have been used by Wicked Campers on their hire vans, including: 'In every princess, there's a...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Scrutiny of Bills Committee (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Polley, I present the 9th report of the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills. I also lay on the table the Scrutiny of Bills Alert Digest No. 9 of 2014. Ordered...
  • Regulations and Ordinances Committee; Delegated Legislation Monitor (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Regulations and Ordinances, Senator Williams, I present the Delegated Legislation Monitor No. 9 of 2014.
  • Community Affairs Legislation Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Senator Seselja, I present a correction to the report of the committee on the provisions of the Australian National...
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Report (4 speeches)
    Pursuant to order, I present the report of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee on the future of beekeeping and pollination service industries in Australia, together...
  • Education and Employment References Committee; Report (3 speeches)
    Pursuant to order and at the request of the chair of the Education and Employment References Committee, I present the report on the delivery of quality and affordable early childhood education...
  • Constitutional Recognition of ATSIP; Report (4 speeches)
    I present the interim report of the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Ordered that the report be printed. I move:...
• First Speech (0 speeches)
  • (7 speeches)
    Order! Before I call Senator McGrath, I remind honourable senators that this is his first speech; therefore, I ask that the usual courtesies be extended to him.
• Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
  • National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, Senator Cash, I table a ministerial statement on the launch of the second action plan of the national plan to reduce violence...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Government Response to Report (2 speeches)
    In accordance with the usual practice, I table a report of parliamentary committee reports to which the government has not responded within the prescribed period. The report has been circulated...
  • Membership (2 speeches)
    Order! I have received letters from party leaders requesting changes in the membership of various committees and a letter from Senator Ludwig resigning his place in the Parliamentary Joint...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Trade Support Loans Bill 2014; Returned from the House of Representatives (1 speech)
    I have received a message from the House of Representatives informing the Senate that the House has agreed to the amendments made by the Senate to the Trade Support Loans Bill 2014.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Report (1 speech)
    Pursuant to order and as the chair of the respective committee, I present the report of the Committee of the National Broadband Network Companies Amendment Tasmania Bill 2014 together with the...
• Regulations and Determinations (0 speeches)
  • Migration Amendment (Offshore Resources Activity) Regulation 2014; Disallowance (16 speeches)
    I move: That the Migration Amendment (Offshore Resources Activity) Regulation 2014, as contained in Select Legislative Instrument 2014 No. 64 and made under the Migration Act 1958, be disallowed....
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Budget (1 speech)
    I rise tonight to speak about the future of higher education in Australia—a future that could see many people denied the opportunity to reach their full potential because of the Abbott...
  • Domestic Violence (1 speech)
    I rise tonight to speak about an issue that all of us here in the chamber are united in our concern about. Despite our concern and good intentions, it is an issue that we are taking a backward...
  • Budget (1 speech)
    I rise to make a contribution in this adjournment debate about an issue that probably has not had the prominence it deserves. Views on this issue are widely held and deeply felt in the community....