Senate debates

Thursday, 30 October 2014

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, Environment and Communications References Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator. There being no such request, we shall move on.
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Withdrawal (2 speeches)
    Pursuant to standing order 78(3), I object to the withdrawal of the notice of motion for the disallowance of the Financial Management and Accountability Amendment (2014 Measures No. 6)...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Days and Hours of Meeting (13 speeches)
    I seek leave to move a motion relating to the hours of meeting and routine of business for today. Leave not granted. Pursuant to contingent notice standing in the name of the Leader of the...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Trade and Foreign Investment (Protecting the Public Interest) Bill 2014; Second Reading (13 speeches)
    This is a very important piece of legislation that is before the Senate. The Trade and Foreign Investment (Protecting the Public Interest) Bill 2014 is a bill about restricting power of...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (4 speeches)
    I present the 14th report of 2014 of the Selection of Bills Committee. Ordered that the report be adopted. I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The report read...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That: (a) government business orders of the day as shown in the list circulated in the chamber be considered from 12.45 pm today; and (b) government business be called on after...
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence for personal reasons be granted to Senator Carr for today, 30 October 2014. Question agreed to.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator. Are there any such requests? There being none, I shall now proceed to the discovery of formal business.
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Days and Hours of Meeting (4 speeches)
    I ask that government business notice of motion No. 1 relating to days of meeting and routine of business be taken as formal.
  • Suspension of Standing Orders (27 speeches)
    Pursuant to contingent notice standing in the name of the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Abetz, I move: That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent me moving a...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Dental Benefits Legislation Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (6 speeches)
    I rise to speak to the Dental Benefits Legislation Amendment Bill 2014 and indicate that the opposition will be supporting this legislation. This is legislation that would have been adopted by...
  • Dental Benefits Legislation Amendment Bill 2014; Third Reading (2 speeches)
    As no amendments to the bill have been circulated, I shall call the minister to move the third reading unless any senator requires that the bill be considered in Committee of the Whole.
  • Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (6 speeches)
    Labor supports the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Amendment Bill 2014. All of us in this place should do what we can to avoid overregulation. It reduces productivity and...
  • Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law 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.
  • Albury-Wodonga Development Corporation (Abolition) Bill 2014; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    I am pleased to speak today on the Albury-Wodonga Development Corporation (Abolition) Bill 2014. I was glad to read the remarks of the Independent member for Indi in the other place on this bill....
  • Albury-Wodonga Development Corporation (Abolition) Bill 2014; Third Reading (2 speeches)
    As no amendments to the bill have been circulated, I shall call the minister to move the third reading unless any senator requires that the bill be considered in Committee of the Whole.
  • Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 6) Bill 2014; Second Reading (4 speeches)
    I am pleased to rise to speak on the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 6) Bill 2014. Social security has been getting a pretty bad rap from the coalition....
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Fuel Prices (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. I refer to the comments by the Premier of Victoria, Mr Napthine, on the Abbott government's petrol tax ambush. He...
  • Indigenous Employment (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. Will the minister update the Senate on the government's commitment to provide meaningful employment for Indigenous people...
  • Defence Procurement (14 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Johnston. I refer the minister to reports that ASC in Adelaide will be prevented from tendering for the future submarine project. I remind the...
  • Direct Action (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, Senator Cormann. The Minister for the Environment consistently states that he is confident that the Emissions...
  • Defence Personnel (13 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence. I refer the minister to his answer yesterday when he claimed that he had no power to intervene on the government's decision to cut the real pay the...
  • Law Enforcement (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, the senator from Tasmania, Senator Abetz. Mr President, with your permission and with leave from the chamber I would like to table...
  • Building and Construction Industry (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz. I refer the minister to yet more reports in today's media of criminal elements involved in the building industry in my home state of...
  • Higher Education (9 speeches)
    I direct my question to the Minister representing the Minister for Education, Senator Payne. Considering Mr Pyne regularly states that the university sector is behind the Liberal-National plan to...
  • Sinodinos, Senator Arthur (15 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Can the minister confirm that Senator Sinodinos has been the longest stood aside minister since 1901?
  • Asylum Seekers (6 speeches)
    I am delighted to advise that I do have a question of substance and an issue of national security that is worthy of this place and this question time. My question is to the Assistant Minister for...
  • Women in Cabinet (19 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, Senator Cash. I refer to Liberal MP Teresa Gambaro's comments today, 'The situation we have now with there being only one...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Days and Hours of Meeting (6 speeches)
    I seek leave to move government business notice of motion No.1. Leave not granted. Pursuant to contingent notice standing in my name I move: That so much of standing orders be suspended as would...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Ebola; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    by leave—I table a document in response to an order for the production of documents following Senate general business notice of motion No. 484 from yesterday.
• Questions to the President (0 speeches)
  • Standing Orders (2 speeches)
    Mr President, I seek clarification of an issue that I raised in question time with you about the use of quotations. I draw your attention to the 13th edition of Odgers' Australian Senate...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Days and Hours of Meeting (6 speeches)
    Mr President, I seek leave to make a very short statement.
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Fuel Prices, Defence Procurement (19 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Employment (Senator Abetz) and the Minister for Defence (Senator Johnston) to questions without notice asked by Senator...
  • Higher Education (1 speech)
    I rise to speak on the response given to the clear question on the consultation the government undertook on its higher education bill. I asked a very simple question: how many of the one million...
• Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    I seek leave to make a personal explanation under standing order 190. Leave granted. I rise to give a personal explanation in response to recent media reports relating to a number of private...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    by leave—At the request of Senator Brown, I move: That leave of absence for personal reasons be granted to Senator Brown for today for 30 October 2014. Question agreed to.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Publications Committee (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Publications Committee, I present the 10th report of the Publications Committee. Ordered that the report be adopted.
• Budget (0 speeches)
  • Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
    I present additional information received by committees relating to estimates.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Environment and Communications References Committee; Additional Information (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Environment and Communications References Committee (Senator Urquhart), I present additional information received by the committee on its inquiry into the management...
  • Education and Employment References Committee; Government Response to Report (1 speech)
    By leave—I present a government response to a committee report as listed in today’s Order of Business as well as the government's response to reports of the Education and Employment...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme; Tabling (1 speech)
    by leave—I table a non-conforming petition from thousands of students to continue the funding of the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait...
• Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
  • Infrastructure (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Prime Minister, I table a ministerial statement on infrastructure and seek leave to incorporate the statement in Hansard. Leave granted. The statement read as follows—...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Freedom of Information Amendment (New Arrangements) Bill 2014; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    I table a revised explanatory memorandum relating to the bill 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...
  • Social Security Legislation Amendment (Strengthening the Job Seeker Compliance Framework) 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.
  • Social Security Legislation Amendment (Strengthening the Job Seeker Compliance Framework) Bill 2014; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    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— SOCIAL SECURITY...
  • Omnibus Repeal Day (Spring 2014) Bill 2014, Amending Acts 1970 to 1979 Repeal Bill 2014, Statute Law Revision Bill (No. 2) 2014; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That these bills may proceed without formalities, may be taken together and be now read a first time. Question agreed to. Bills read a first time.
  • Omnibus Repeal Day (Spring 2014) Bill 2014, Amending Acts 1970 to 1979 Repeal Bill 2014, Statute Law Revision Bill (No. 2) 2014; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill 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— OMNIBUS REPEAL DAY...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Economics Legislation Committee, Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee, Joint Select Committee on Trade and Investment Growth; Membership (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: Economics Legislation Committee— Appointed— Substitute member: Senator Carr to replace Senator Dastyari for the committee’s inquiry into the Automotive...
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Reference (8 speeches)
    At the request of the Chair of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee, I move: That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Fuel Excise (17 speeches)
    On behalf of Senator Moore, I move: That the Senate notes the Abbott Government's petrol tax ambush and its negative impact on cost pressures facing Australian households and businesses. I am...
• Statement by the President (0 speeches)
  • Ruling (1 speech)
    Earlier today, Senator Bernardi asked me about a ruling made in 1950 by President Brown that: … it is not permissible to quote from newspapers, books or periodicals when asking questions....
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Carbon Farming Initiative Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (18 speeches)
    I am not sure that I was on the speakers' list, but I am always happy to debate any particular motion before the Senate. The Carbon Farming Initiative is another initiative of the Abbott...
  • Carbon Farming Initiative Amendment Bill 2014; In Committee (41 speeches)
    I table a supplementary explanatory memorandum relating to the government amendments to be moved to this bill and seek leave to move the government amendments (1) to (7) together. Leave not...