Senate debates

Tuesday, 25 November 2014

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Meeting (1 speech)
    I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Australian National Preventive Health Agency (Abolition) Bill 2014; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    The government is fast tracking the full implementation of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, building on the successes it has achieved to date, thereby providing access for all...
  • Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2014; Second Reading (5 speeches)
    The Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2014 is the third national security bill the government has introduced into this parliament, though it is essentially ancillary to the...
• Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    by leave—I advise the Senate that the Minister for Finance will be absent from question time today as he is on ministerial business interstate. In Senator Cormann's absence, Senator Brandis...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Australian Broadcasting Corporation (22 speeches)
    My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. I refer to the minister's answer yesterday that nobody has lost their job at the ABC. Is the minister aware that at...
• Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    Order! I draw to the attention of honourable senators the presence in the chamber of the Hon. Dr Peter Phelps MP, Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. On behalf of all senators, I...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Domestic Violence (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, Senator Cash. Today is White Ribbon Day. Will the minister inform the Senate on the action being taken by government in...
  • Australian Broadcasting Corporation (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Sport, Senator Nash. Can the minister confirm that local women's sport broadcasts, including the Women's National Basketball League...
  • Workplace Gender Equality (13 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, Senator Cash. Today we have seen the results of the first year of data collected by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency,...
  • Infrastructure (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Johnston, representing the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Will the minister outline to the Senate how the government's...
  • People with Disability: Abuse in Institutional Care (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Social Services, the Assistant Minister for Social Services, Senator Fifield. There is outrage throughout the community and the...
  • Workplace Relations (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz. I refer the minister to secondary boycott proceedings commenced last week by the ACCC against the CFMEU in the state of Victoria. Can...
  • National Sex Offenders Register (6 speeches)
    I rise today to ask a question of the Attorney-General, Senator the Hon. George Brandis. In December 2003 a young 13-year-old boy by the name of Daniel Morcombe was abducted by a known convicted...
  • Australian Defence Force (22 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence. I refer the minister to his answer yesterday about Australian Defence Force personnel and the government's unfair pay deal when he said: 'They are not...
  • Australian Defence Force, Veterans' Affairs (6 speeches)
    My question is for the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Senator Ronaldson. Will the minister inform the Senate how the Department of Veterans' Affairs and Defence are working together to educate...
  • Defence: Naval Vessels (17 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Johnston. I refer the minister to his mocking comments about the CEO of submarine builder ASC, Mr Stuart Wiley: The guy's a fascinating...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Australian Broadcasting Corporation (10 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Employment (Senator Abetz) and the Assistant Minister for Health (Senator Nash) to questions without notice asked by...
  • Workplace Gender Equality (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women (Senator Cash) to a question without notice asked by Senator Waters today relating to...
  • Solomon Islands: General Election (2 speeches)
    I seek leave to correct information I provided in an adjournment speech last night on the Solomon Islands election. Leave granted. Thank you. Last night I reported to the Senate on my...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Queensland Government Administration Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    I seek leave to move a motion to enable the Queensland Government Administration Committee to meet during the sitting of the Senate today. Leave not granted.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Moreton Bay Rail Link Project; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator Ludwig, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development (Senator Johnston) and the Minister...
  • Ipswich Motorway; Order for the Production of Documents (4 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Ludwig, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development (Senator Johnston) and the Minister...
  • National Mental Health Commission; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator McLucas, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Health, no later than 3.30 pm on Tuesday, 1 December 2014, copies of the...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Economics References Committee; Reference (4 speeches)
    At the request of Senators Carr, Muir, Xenophon, Madigan and Rice, I move: That the following matter be referred to the Economics References Committee for inquiry and report by the first sitting...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (1 speech)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Cash and Senator Waters, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) Tuesday, 25 November 2014, marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Abbot Point Onshore Dumping Proposal; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, no later than noon on 27 November 2014, any documents, including any attachments, containing...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Reclink National Program (4 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) That the Reclink National Program has delivered over 100 000 participation opportunities to thousands of people experiencing disadvantage across...
  • Asylum Seekers (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) condemns the Government's decision to no longer resettle United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) approved refugees from Indonesia after 1 July...
  • Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Special Broadcasting Service (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) the promise of the Prime Minister (Mr Abbott) at the 2013 election not to cut funding to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) or the Special...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Environmental Policies (16 speeches)
    A letter has been received from Senator Siewert: Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion: "The lack of...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Consideration (3 speeches)
    I shall now proceed to the consideration of documents under the new temporary order. The documents are listed on page 5 of today's Order of Business.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Human Rights Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, Senator Smith, I present the 16th report of the 44th Parliament of the committee on the examination of legislation in...
  • Education, Employment and Workplace Relations References Committee, Finance and Public Administration References Committee; Government Response to Report (7 speeches)
    I present two government responses to committee reports as listed at item 13 on today's order of business. In accordance with the usual practice, I seek leave to incorporate the documents in...
  • Australia's Food Processing Sector Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate takes note of the report of Senate Select Committee on Australia’s Food Processing Sector's inquiry into Australia's food processing sector and government response....
• Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
  • Trade (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Minister for Trade and Investment, Mr Robb, I table a ministerial statement and document on the first protocol to amend the agreement establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Telecommunications; Tabling (1 speech)
    I table a document relating to the order for the production of documents containing a data retention policy.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Law Enforcement Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
    The President has received letters from party leaders seeking variations to the membership of committees.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Australian Citizenship and Other Legislation 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.
  • Australian Citizenship and Other Legislation 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— AUSTRALIAN CITIZENSHIP...
  • Intellectual Property Laws 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.
  • Intellectual Property Laws 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— INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Economics Legislation Committee; Report (1 speech)
    Pursuant to order and at the request of the chairs of the respective committees, I present reports on legislation as listed at item 17 on today's order of business together with the Hansard...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2014; In Committee (44 speeches)
    I have amendments to move in relation to this bill, so I certainly do not want it to stand as printed. I was of the understanding that the Attorney-General would be here to speak to the bill,...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Centenary of Anzac (1 speech)
    The recent commemorations marking the centenary of the departure of the first Anzac convoy from Albany were especially meaningful for two residents of Albany. On the afternoon of Saturday, 1st of...
  • Department of Parliamentary Services (1 speech)
    Last week in this chamber, I raised my continuing concerns about the administration of the Department of Parliamentary Services, in particular two contracts that had been awarded through a...
  • Tasmanian Economy, Shipbuilding Industry (1 speech)
    I rise to share with this Senate the grave concerns I have for the security of tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs tied to Tasmania's heavy manufacturing industry. I will repeat that...
  • Israel: Terrorist Attack (1 speech)
    Last Tuesday, two Palestinian terrorists entered a Jerusalem synagogue armed with a pistol and meat cleavers, killing four Jewish worshippers and critically injuring several others. The victims...
  • Central Coast Performing Arts Centre (1 speech)
    I recently received a petition signed by more than 2,000 Central Coast residents calling on the federal coalition government to honour a Labor Party commitment to fund a Central Coast performing...
  • Queensland Government (12 speeches)
    I love being a Queenslander. I love our state. We have great beaches; we have great farmland and landscapes. Senator O'Sullivan interjecting— Thank you, Senator O'Sullivan, for your warm...
  • Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Special Broadcasting Service (1 speech)
    Today in the Senate, together with my Labor colleague, Senator Lisa Singh, I moved a motion that called on the Senate to oppose the cuts to the ABC and SBS and called on the government to protect...
  • Same-Sex Relationships (1 speech, 1 comment)
    I rise to speak about the issue of same-sex marriage, on which I will introduce a bill in this place tomorrow. There have been several attempts to pass marriage equality into law and all of them...
  • Domestic Violence (1 speech)
    Tonight, I intend to speak briefly in relation to today's event of White Ribbon Day. It is well known that I spent a large part of my formative adult years in the Queensland Police Service as a...
  • Reclink Australia (1 speech)
    Today our Senate Select Committee into the Abbott Government's Budgets Cuts heard from an organisation called Reclink Australia. Reclink Australia was one of the organisations behind the Choir of...
  • National Apology to the Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants (1 speech)
    Today I rise to mark the anniversary—and I admit I am late—of the apology to the forgotten Australians and former child migrants. The anniversary was on 16 November. This year was the...
  • Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1 speech)
    It gives me absolutely no pleasure at all this evening to reflect on the ABC and the way it has lost its way. My family, since we are a rural-regional family, has grown up with the ABC. I often...
  • White Ribbon Day (1 speech)
    I would like to associate myself with the comments made by Senator Siewert earlier about the importance of the five-year anniversary of the apology to the people who were in institutions in our...