Senate debates
Thursday, 27 November 2014
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Tabling (3 speeches)
I seek leave to table a document.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Australia Fund Establishment; Meeting (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 are none.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Selection of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
I present the 15th Report of 2014 of the Selection of Bills Committee. and I seek to have the report incorporated in Hansard Ordered that the report be adopted. I seek leave to have the report...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Legislation (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...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Leave of Absence (2 speeches)
by leave—I move: That Senator Cameron be granted leave of absence for today, 27 November 2014 for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
- Regulations and Determinations (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Newcastle Rail Line (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) the New South Wales Government has decided to stop train services in Newcastle on Boxing Day 2014, with heavy rail services to Wickham, Civic...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Great Barrier Reef (10 speeches)
I, and also on behalf of Senators Williams and Bernardi, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) a Sea Shepherd environmental vessel recklessly discharged up to 500 litres of diesel into...
- Whaling (10 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes the Japanese Government's announcement that it plans to resume hunting whales in the Southern Ocean in 2015; and (b) calls on: (i) the Prime Minister (Mr...
- Radioactive Material (4 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) it has been reported that United States based company, Halliburton, has been using radioactive isotope caesium 137 for coal seam gas drilling on...
- Animal Welfare (4 speeches)
I, and also on behalf of Senators Rhiannon, Singh, Lazarus, Wang, Xenophon, O'Sullivan and Muir, move: To That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) the majority of Australians believe the use of...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Agricultural Exports (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate— (a) acknowledges: (i) the importance of agricultural exports to Australia's overall balance of payments position as well as the viability and economic health of...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Homelessness; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
By leave, I had intended to add Senator McLucas's name to my general business notice of motion No. 542. I am just wondering, with leave of the Senate, if I can just correct that. Leave granted.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Customs Amendment Bill 2014, Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Legislation Amendment Bill 2014; First Reading (1 speech)
I indicate to the Senate that these bills are being introduced together. After debate on the motion for the second reading has been adjourned, I will be moving a motion to have the bills listed...
- Customs Amendment Bill 2014, Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Legislation Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (1 speech)
I move: That these bills 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— CUSTOMS AMENDMENT...
- Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (Direct Lending and Other Measures) 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.
- Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (Direct Lending and Other Measures) 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— I am delighted to be...
- Higher Education and Research Reform Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (8 speeches)
When I left off on the Higher Education and Research Reform Amendment Bill 2014 a couple of sessions ago, I noted that vice-chancellors had a lot to say about the interest charges, demanding the...
- Customs Amendment (Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement Implementation) Bill 2014, Customs Tariff Amendment (Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement Implementation) Bill 2014; Second Reading (9 speeches)
I rise to speak on the Customs Amendment (Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement Implementation) Bill 2014 and the Customs Tariff Amendment Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement...
- Customs Amendment (Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement Implementation) Bill 2014, Customs Tariff Amendment (Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement Implementation) Bill 2014; Third Reading (1 speech)
I move: That the bills be read a third time. Question agreed to. Bills read a third time.
- Australian War Memorial 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 War Memorial Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (3 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...
- Australian War Memorial Amendment Bill 2014; Third Reading (2 speeches)
As no amendments to the bill have been circulated, I will call the minister to move the third reading unless any senator requires that the bill to be considered in Committee of the Whole.
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Minister for Defence (10 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Defence. Has the minister been counselled by the Prime Minister or the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff for saying that he would not trust ASC to build a canoe?
- Budget (26 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Finance and the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Cormann. Will the minister please advise the Senate of the most recent expert opinion on the need...
- Minister for Defence (8 speeches)
Mr President, my question is to the Minister for Defence. I refer the minister to an article by Dennis Shanahan in The Australian which says of the defence minister: His long-term standing is...
- Health Care (11 speeches)
Mr President, my question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Nash. Given that the Prime Minister's office told journalists last night that the GP co-payment was...
- Financial Services (10 speeches)
My question is to the acting assistant Treasurer, Senator Cormann. The minister will recall the collapse of Trio Capital and the devastating effect that collapse had on thousands of investors. I...
- Queensland: Mining (6 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, represented by Senator David Johnston. Large-scale projects undertaken in Australia in regional and rural areas should...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Thank you, Minister. Before I call the next question, I also acknowledge in the gallery today former Senator Sandy Macdonald. Good to see you. Honourable senators: Hear, hear!
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Workplace Relations (6 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz. Can the minister update the Senate on the current state of workplace relations in Victoria, and are there any threats to harmonious...
- Great Barrier Reef (18 speeches)
My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Brandis. I refer to US President Obama's recent comments on the Great Barrier Reef and foreign minister Julie...
- Income Tax (6 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann. Left unchecked, bracket creep will soon result in 1.8 million full-time workers being taxed at the second-highest tax rate of 37c in...
- Broadband (6 speeches)
My question is to the Assistant Minister for Social Services, Senator Fifield, representing the Minister for Communications. Can the minister update the Senate on the progress of the NBN in my...
- Minister for Defence (6 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Johnston. I refer to a media release of the Small Business Association of Australia, issued in response to the defence minister's outrageous...
- Higher Education (22 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Human Services, Senator Payne, representing the Minister for Education. Given the many benefits to students from the government's higher education reforms, can...
- Budget (17 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Nash. Has the government shelved its $7 GP tax?
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Answers to Questions (9 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today.
- Health Care (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Assistant Minister for Health, Senator Nash, to a question without notice asked by Senator Di Natale today relating to co-payments for...
- Budget (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Treaties Committee; Report (1 speech)
I present the government’s response to the 137th report of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, treaty referred on 15 January 2014. I seek leave to incorporate the document in Hansard....
- Budget (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Membership (2 speeches)
Order! The President has received letters from party leaders requesting changes in the membership of committees.
- Business (0 speeches)
- Government Spending (68 speeches)
I, and also on behalf of Senator Day, move: That the Senate acknowledges that it has a responsibility to propose and discuss options to cut government spending. My hope for this general business...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- National Blood Authority (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the National Blood Authority's report for 2013-14. Time will not permit me to speak fully, but I do want to draw the attention of the chamber to the diseases...
- National Mental Health Commission — Report for 2013-14 (3 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of document No. 24 and I seek leave to continue my remarks. Leave granted. I have to say I was probably looking at other issues, but it gives me an opportunity...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Australia's Food Processing Sector Committee; Report (1 speech)
I rise tonight to speak on the report from the Senate Select Committee on Australia's Food Processing Sector, for which the government's response was handed down this week. As a representative of...
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Indigenous Affairs (2 speeches)
I rise to speak about the decision by the Barnett government to close a significant number of homeland communities in Western Australia. Mr Barnett has been forced to do that by the withdrawal by...
- Cystic Fibrosis (1 speech)
Tonight I rise to speak about cystic fibrosis, which is a subject that I have spoken about a lot in this place. It is the most common life- threatening, recessive and genetic condition affecting...
- Queensland Gulf Country (3 speeches)
Queensland is actually still a frontier state. We have so much growth in front of us as we look to the future, unlike some other states, whose best days are behind them, I fear. This was really...
- Employment (3 speeches)
I want to speak about a very important issue: job security. Before I do that, I want to acknowledge my good friend Senator Canavan who is here today. It is important to note that Senator Canavan...
- Defence Personnel (1 speech)
In recent years there has been considerable research aimed at identifying Indigenous Australians who fought in our armed services during the period up until the 1970s. This research has been done...
- Government Spending (1 speech)
Mr President, I will start with an apology to you. I am sorry to keep you around here for 20 minutes, but I did think that you enjoyed my speech so much the other night that I will actually...
- Flanagan, Mr Richard (1 speech)
Tonight I would like to pay tribute to an incredible writer, who has recently been awarded The 2014 Man Booker prize for his extraordinary achievement in The Narrow Road to the Deep North,...
- Education (1 speech)
I rise tonight in this adjournment debate to make some comments with regard to arts education in Australia. I would like to commence by establishing the context in which I make my remarks. I am...
- Infrastructure, Renewable Energy Target, Australian Defence Force (1 speech)
Today I got Christmas tree envy! I walked past the Prime Minister's office and noticed his magnificent Christmas tree, and I wondered if there was a present or two for the people of Tasmania...
- Media (1 speech)
There is a bushfire ripping across rural and regional Australia that is, to a large extent, unreported and uncommented on in this place. It is an attack on our most vulnerable communities, small...
