Senate debates

Tuesday, 18 November 2014

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services; Meeting (2 speeches)
    I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Australian Education Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (15 speeches)
    I am in continuation on the Australian Education Amendment Bill 2014, Mr President. I just felt that as I finished in the middle of a sentence it would be appropriate to come back and wrap it up,...
  • Australian Education 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.
  • Private Health Insurance Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2014; Second Reading (9 speeches)
    The bill before us is a bill amending the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 to pause the income thresholds that determine the tiers for the Medicare levy surcharge and the rebate on private...
  • Private Health Insurance Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2014; In Committee (12 speeches)
    The question is that the bill stand as printed.
  • Private Health Insurance Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2014; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
• Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    by leave—I advise the Senate that the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann, will be absent from question time today as he is representing Australia at G20 related events in Sydney. In his...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Migrant Workers (34 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Can the minister confirm that the China-Australia free trade agreement will permit temporary migrant workers to be...
  • China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate and the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Senator Abetz. Yesterday the Prime Minister and President Xi announced the...
  • Defence Procurement (22 speeches)
    Mr President, my question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. I refer the minister to the Senate report into the Future Submarine project tabled yesterday. The...
  • China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (13 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Trade and Investment, Senator Brandis. Yesterday's announced Chinese-Australian deal to have a trade deal did not deliver a final...
  • Climate Change (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Brandis. Can the minister inform the Senate of any recent bilateral agreements between the governments of...
  • Budget (15 speeches)
    My question is to Senator Fifield, representing the Minister for Communications. Before last September's election, the then opposition, now government, guaranteed there would be no cuts to the...
  • Trade with China (6 speeches)
    My question is to the very alert Minister, Senator Ronaldson, representing the Minister for Industry. Will the minister advise the Senate how the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement will benefit...
  • Australian Defence Force (9 speeches)
    My question without notice is to the minister representing the Minister for Defence. I refer the minister to his government's disgusting pay offer to the men and women of the Australian Defence...
  • Australian Broadcasting Corporation (23 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Minister, what is the status of the Prime Minister's pre-election promise that there would be 'no cuts to the ABC'?
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Defence Procurement (23 speeches)
    I move: I wanted to take note of the future of our submarines because it is too important for this government to cut corners when it comes to our naval capabilities. The government has the power...
  • China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (7 speeches)
    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 Whish-Wilson today relating to the China-Australia...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Presentation (3 speeches)
    On behalf of the Standing Committee on Regulations and Ordinances, I give notice that, on the next sitting day, I will withdraw business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1 standing in my name...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    I move: That leave of absence be granted to the following senators: (a) Senators Edwards and Reynolds from 17 November to 19 November 2014, on account of parliamentary business; (b) Senator...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
    As no senators have requested that that question be put, we will deem that to be carried.
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Resources Sector (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate acknowledges the fact that, according to the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics, over the past 12 months over $50 billion worth of resource projects have been...
  • G20 Leaders' Summit (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator Wong, I move: That the Senate commends the outstanding contribution of officials and volunteers to the staging of the G20 Leaders' Summit and other G20 events in...
  • National Apology to the Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants (1 speech)
    I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 507 standing in my name and in the name of Senator Moore relating to the anniversary of the apology to forgotten Australians and former...
  • Mental Health (4 speeches)
    I, and also at the request of Senator Di Natale, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that four out of five Victorians believe mental health must be a top priority in the upcoming state...
  • 2022 FIFA World Cup (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) a report commissioned by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) into the awarding of 2018 and 2022 World Cups...
  • Queensland Government (21 speeches)
    I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 506 standing in my name relating to ruling out using federal money for private coal infrastructure in the Galilee Basin. Leave not granted.
• Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
  • Australian Defence Force (18 speeches)
    I inform the Senate that I have received the following letter, dated 18 November, from Senator Moore: Pursuant to standing order 75, I give notice that today I propose to move "That, in the...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Consideration (1 speech)
    In addition to that document, I seek leave to move a motion to have documents from yesterday listed on the Notice Paper for consideration. I will hand the list to the Clerk so that they can be...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights; Report (4 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the document. I rise to thank the members and the secretariat of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights for their valuable contribution to the...
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the report. I did not intend to speak on this committee report but I thought Senator Di Natale might do so, so I am more or less taking note of it to keep it...
• Petitions (0 speeches)
  • Aged Care (1 speech)
    by leave—I table a petition which is not in conformity with the normal procedures of the Senate. It is a petition by some large number of people who have signed on 64 pages from the Ingham...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; Membership (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That Senators Back and McKenzie replace Senators Heffernan and Edwards on the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee from Thursday, 20 November...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Seniors Supplement Cessation) Bill 2014; Second Reading (12 speeches)
    Because of some confusion we have had in this place on previous occasions, I thought it was important that I put on record immediately what our position is: we are opposed to this legislation....
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Withers, Rt Hon. Reginald (Reg) Greive (1 speech)
    I felt it fitting in my contribution this evening to pay tribute to someone who was a hugely significant figure not just in the Western Australia Liberal Party but also in the institution that is...
  • Department of Parliamentary Services (1 speech)
    Over recent years both in Senate committees and in this chamber I have raised concerns about the senior management of the Department of Parliamentary Services. I have said in the past I consider...
  • Australian Defence Force (1 speech)
    The government's unfair pay deal for Australian Defence Force personnel cuts real pay and takes away vital Christmas and recreational leave. I thank Senator Moore and the Labor opposition for...
  • Joanna Briggs Institute (1 speech)
    One of the great things about working in parliament—and I have the privilege of having been in the other place as a member of the lower house and now being here in the Senate—is that...
  • China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (1 speech)
    Nearly two months ago, I addressed the Senate on why a trade deal with China was so important to our farmers, and I am absolutely thrilled to be standing here tonight to say that the Abbott-Truss...
  • Griffin, Erin (1 speech)
    Tonight I rise to pay tribute to the extraordinary and inspiring life of Erin Griffin, from my home state of South Australia. On 5 December last year I spoke in the Senate about Erin's monumental...
  • Digital Currency (3 speeches)
    I did not have the honour of directly being involved in the G20 proceedings on the weekend, but I did go to an event on Sunday night in Brisbane. It was on the sidelines of the G20, and it was...
  • Climate Change (1 speech)
    Who could forget the iconic movie The Castle that came to our screens in 1997. You will recall the patriarch Darryl Kerrigan and one of his sons, the idea's man, Steve, and that great statement...
  • Indigenous Homeland Communities (1 speech)
    Yesterday in this place, Senator Back accused me of being 'loose with the truth' and 'ignorant of remote Aboriginal communities' in Western Australia. The truth is that it is Senator Back who is...
  • Rural and Regional Health Services, Employment (1 speech)
    I rise tonight to speak about two matters of community importance. The first touches on the community of Charters Towers in my home state of Queensland, and the second relates to a recent report...
  • Animal Welfare (1 speech)
    Most people would baulk at the idea of harming animals for human pleasure. Most people would agree the deliberate and calculated infliction of pain, stress or terror on animals as sport or...
  • Budget (1 speech)
    Despite the promises made by the now Prime Minister before the 2013 federal election that, if he won, his would be a 'no surprises, no excuses government' and that the election would be 'all...
  • Hunting (1 speech)
    Today I speak to the hunting community in Australia to say, 'Thank you for hunting.' You are part of an enduring tradition of humanity. Your endeavours are an integral part of Australia's rural...