Senate debates

Wednesday, 27 August 2014

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia; Meeting (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That the Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia be authorised to hold private meetings otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sittings of...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Land Transport Infrastructure Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (31 speeches)
    I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Land Transport Infrastructure Amendment Bill. Building infrastructure for the long term can be truly transformative for an economy. It can deliver...
• Matters of Public Interest (0 speeches)
  • Road Safety (3 speeches)
    I would like to speak this morning about the trucking industry and its safety. I do so with some familiarity with the industry. My father-in-law is a truck driver. My uncle is a truck driver. I...
  • China (1 speech)
    Let me begin by saying 'dajia hao'. Recent remarks about China by our friends on the cross benches and in the government compel me to reiterate to parliament that the strong and enduring...
  • Op Shop Week (1 speech)
    I rise today to talk about two celebratory events this week. One is Op Shop Week and the other is to do with hearing. I will address both of those today. This week, from 24 August to 31 August,...
  • Budget (2 speeches)
    In the short time allotted to me I would like to make a contribution on the budget. On 6 September 2013 Tony Abbott said, 'no cuts to education, no cuts to health, no changes to pensions, no...
  • National Marriage Day (1 speech)
    Today is National Marriage Day. To mark this, the Australian Family Association, the Knights of the Southern Cross and the Australian Christian Lobby, among others, are holding a variety of...
  • Budget, Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme (1 speech, 1 comment)
    This is not my first speech; this is however a speech which I need to make today in order to highlight a number of matters of public importance to the Australian people and my Tasmanian people....
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Defence: Submarines (30 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Johnston. I refer to the minister's pre-election promise that: The coalition is committed to building 12 new submarines here in Adelaide. Is...
  • Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. Can the Attorney-General advise the Senate why it is important to support the work of ASIO and other national security agencies in their...
  • Defence Procurement (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence. Does the minister recall that, in 2011, the then head of the Future Submarine program, Rear-Admiral Moffitt, told him that to acquire the capability...
  • National Security (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General. Is it seriously government policy to introduce a mandatory data retention regime covering every man, woman and child in the country? If so, when? Does the...
  • Asylum Seekers (7 speeches)
    My question is to the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator Cash. Can the minister outline to the Senate the details of the government's new bridging visa...
  • Defence: Naval Vessels (38 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Johnston. I remind the minister that he justified his decision to exclude Australian shipbuilders from tendering to build Australia's new...
  • Indigenous Affairs (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. Will the minister inform the Senate about his recent visit to the APY Lands in South Australia and, in particular, how...
  • Taxation (8 speeches)
    My question is directed to Senator Abetz representing the Minister for Agriculture. The government is proposing to permanently increase the levy on mangoes. A secret ballot of levy-paying growers...
  • Family Violence Prevention Legal Services Program (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. I refer to the Family Violence Prevention Legal Services program, and I acknowledge some of the representatives who are here in the...
  • Building and Construction Industry (19 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz. Will the minister inform the Senate of the importance for the building and construction industry of re-establishing the Australian...
  • Revenue (14 speeches, 1 comment)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Senator Johnston. I refer to the minister's comments on the GST earlier this month at the...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Defence Procurement (16 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Defence (Senator Johnston) to questions without notice asked by Senators Wong, Conroy and Carr today relating to the...
  • Family Violence Prevention Legal Services Program (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 Peris today relating to the National Family Violence...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Withdrawal (1 speech)
    I withdraw general business notice of motion No. 376 standing in the name of Senator Dastyari authorising the Joint Standing Committee on Migration to meet.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
    I move: That the time for the presentation of the report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee on the Recognition of Foreign Marriages Bill 2014 be extended to 25...
  • Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
    I move: That the time for the presentation of the report of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee on its inquiry into Australia Post be extended to 24 September 2014. Question...
  • Corporations and Financial Services Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    I move: That the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services be authorised to hold private meetings otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the...
  • Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade; Meeting (1 speech)
    I move: That the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade be authorised to hold public meetings during the sittings of the Senate, as follows: (a) on Monday, 1 September...
  • Environment and Communications References Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
    I move: That the time for the presentation of the report of the Environment and Communications References Committee on its inquiry into Australia's environment be extended to the third last...
  • Finance and Public Administration References Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
    I move: That the time for the presentation of the report of the Finance and Public Administration References Committee on its inquiry into violence against women be extended to 2 March 2015....
  • Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
    I move: That the time for the presentation of the report of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee on its inquiry into abuse in Defence be extended to 30 October 2014....
  • Select Committee on Health; Meeting (1 speech)
    I move: That the Select Committee on Health be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 28 August 2014. Question agreed to.
  • Constitutional Recognition of ATSIP; Meeting (1 speech)
    I move: That the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples be authorised to hold private meetings otherwise than in accordance with...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Mining Subsidies Legislation Amendment (Raising Revenue) Bill 2014; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to taxation, and for related purposes. Mining Subsidies Legislation Amendment (Raising Revenue) Bill...
  • Mining Subsidies Legislation Amendment (Raising Revenue) Bill 2014; Second Reading (1 speech)
    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— The Mining Subsidies...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Suicide (4 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that a disproportionately high number of completed suicides and suicide attempts involve men in rural areas; and (b) calls on the Government to implement...
  • Environment (4 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes That the Minister for the Environment (Mr Hunt) has claimed on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's program 4 Corners to have drawn a 'line in the...
  • Macquarie University (6 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) higher education is an important sector that allows for intellectual development and increased job opportunity, (ii) independent student unions and...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Renewable Energy; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Prime Minister (Senator Abetz), no later than noon on 28 August 2014, the final report into the Renewable Energy Target...
  • Budget; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Treasurer (Senator Cormann), no later than noon on 28 August 2014, the distributional and cameo analysis of the impact of...
  • National Security; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) the Government has not yet provided a definition of 'metadata' to be retained under the proposed mandatory data retention scheme, and (ii) media...
• Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
  • Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (14 speeches)
    I inform the Senate that I have received the following letter from Senator Moore: Dear Mr President Pursuant to standing order 75, I give notice that today I propose to move that, in the opinion...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Regulations and Ordinances Committee; Delegated Legislation Monitor (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Standing Committee on Regulations and Ordinances, I present the Delegated Legislation Monitor No.10 for 2014.
  • Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, I present the report and alert digest No. 10 of 2014. Ordered that the report be printed.
  • Community Affairs References Committee; Report (2 speeches)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Community Affairs References Committee, I present a corrigendum to the report of the committee on Australia’s healthcare system. Ordered that the report be printed.
• First Speech (0 speeches)
  • (2 speeches)
    Order! Before I call Senator Rice to give her first speech, I remind honourable senators of the custom of allowing the speech to be given without interruption.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee; Report (2 speeches)
    I present the interim report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee on the comprehensive revision of the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 and I move:...
  • Human Rights Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present the 10th report of the 44th Parliament of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights. Ordered that the report be printed. I seek leave to incorporate the tabling statement in...
  • Economics References Committee; Report (4 speeches)
    I present the report of the Economics References Committee, The future of Australia's naval shipbuilding industry: tender process for the navy's new supply ships (part 1), together with the...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Tabling (1 speech)
    On behalf of the President, I present messages of condolence from overseas legislatures relating to the loss of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. Chairman of Parliament of Georgia (His Excellency Mr...
  • Abbot Point; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I table documents relating to the order for the production of documents concerning the water quality offset imposed on the Abbot Point dredging and dumping approvals.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Economics References Committee, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee, Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia, Parliamentary Library Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
    The President has received letters from a party leader and an independent senator requesting changes in the membership of committees.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Fair Work Amendment Bill 2014; 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.
  • Fair Work Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (1 speech)
    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— FAIR WORK AMENDMENT...
• Regulations and Determinations (0 speeches)
  • Social Security (Reasonable Excuse-Participation Payment Obligations) (Employment) Determination 2014 (No. 1); Disallowance (3 speeches)
    I move: That the Social Security (Reasonable Excuse - Participation Payment Obligations) (Employment) Determination 2014 (No. 1), made under subsection 42U(1) of the Social Security...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Report (1 speech)
    Pursuant to order and at the request of the chairs of the respective committees, I present reports on legislation from committees as listed at item 17 on today's Order of Business together with...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Tasmania (1 speech)
    In recent times, the people of Tasmania elected the Will Hodgman government. Tomorrow it will be delivering a state budget which seeks to repair the damage occasioned to that state and her people...
  • Animal Cruelty (1 speech)
    I thank the Leader of the Government in the Senate. I indeed have something to say, briefly, in the adjournment debate while Senator Lines makes her way into the chamber. Who in this chamber has...
  • Budget (1 speech)
    I rise tonight to speak about the GP tax the Abbott government wants to impose—one of the harsh, cruel measures in its recent budget. I particularly want to focus on the effect that...
  • Health Services Union, Afghanistan (1 speech)
    Tonight I rise to speak on a number of foreign and domestic matters, particularly on how they overlap. Before I get into those substantive issues, it has struck me as noteworthy—and you...