Senate debates

Monday, 9 February 2015

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Committee, Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator.
• Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
  • New South Wales (1 speech)
    I inform the Senate that I have received a letter from Senator Faulkner, resigning his place as a senator for the state of New South Wales. Pursuant to the provisions of section 21 of the...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Australian Citizenship Amendment (Intercountry Adoption) Bill 2014; Second Reading (7 speeches)
    I am in continuation from last year but, given that that was some time ago, I will remind the chamber about where I was coming from at the time. I can see the smile on your face, Mr President,...
  • Australian Citizenship Amendment (Intercountry Adoption) 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.
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That government business order of the day no. 2, Crimes Legislation Amendment (Psychoactive Substances and Other Measures) Bill 2014, be postponed to a later hour of the day. Question...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Crimes Legislation Amendment (Unexplained Wealth and Other Measures) Bill 2014; Second Reading (6 speeches)
    Organised crime in this country is something all levels of government need to tackle. And one way to do this is to target the unexplained wealth of individuals, especially those who are not...
• Statements (0 speeches)
  • Sydney: Martin Place Siege (7 speeches)
    by leave—On 15 December last year, as Australians were going about their normal activities in the busy period leading up to Christmas, truly horrendous events occurred in the heart of the...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Crimes Legislation Amendment (Unexplained Wealth and Other Measures) Bill 2014; In Committee (25 speeches)
    Chair, I seek your guidance. I seek to move some amendments, but I have some questions to ask before that occurs. The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN: Proceed with your questions and then we will determine...
  • Crimes Legislation Amendment (Unexplained Wealth and Other Measures) Bill 2014; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the bill be read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Crimes Legislation Amendment (Psychoactive Substances and Other Measures) Bill 2014 (5 speeches)
    Labor welcomes measures to improve Commonwealth criminal justice arrangements, and we are pleased that the government is bringing this bill before the Senate to build on the reforms undertaken in...
• Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    by leave—for the information of honourable senators, I table the current list of ministers, which includes representation of House of Representatives ministers in the Senate. It is dated 23...
• Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    I acknowledge the presence on the floor of the Senate chamber today a delegation from Canada of distinguished members of parliament. It is good to have you with us. Honourable senators: Hear, hear!
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Liberal Party Leadership (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Can the minister confirm today 39 Liberal senators and MPs, some 40 per cent of the party room and the overwhelming...
  • Economy (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Finance and Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Cormann. Can the minister provide an update to the Senate on recent economic indicators?
  • Abbott Government (17 speeches)
    My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. I refer to comments by the member for Brisbane, Ms Gambaro, who said yesterday: … we cannot govern the country...
  • Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption (6 speeches)
    My very important question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz. Will the minister inform the Senate of the findings of the interim report of the Royal Commission into Trade Union...
  • Taxation (6 speeches)
    My question is to the minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Cormann. Does the government agree with Treasury that when some taxpayers avoid or minimise their tax in a sustained way the tax...
  • National Security (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. Will the Attorney-General update the Senate on the recent meeting in London of ministers responsible for national security?
  • Homelessness (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Assistant Minister for Social Services, Senator Fifield. I refer to the extraordinary open letter signed by more than 60 homeless service providers today, pointing out that,...
  • Asylum Seekers (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator Cash. I refer to the fact that it has now been six months since the last successful people-smuggling...
  • Defence Procurement (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Finance. I refer to the claim by Senator Edwards that the submarine builder ASC will now be allowed to bid for Australia's new submarine contract, telling...
  • Higher Education (7 speeches)
    It is with great pleasure that I rise to ask the first question of the Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham, representing the Minister for Education and Training....
  • Medicare Copayment (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann. Does the GP tax remain a government policy or not?
  • National Disability Insurance Scheme (7 speeches)
    My question is to the Assistant Minister for Social Services, Senator Fifield. Will the minister update the Senate on the latest milestone achieved by the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
• Answers to Questions on Notice (0 speeches)
  • Answers to Questions (35 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today. Mr Deputy President, if you ever wanted an example of the...
  • Homelessness (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Assistant Minister for Social Services (Senator Fifield) to a question without notice asked by Senator Ludlam today relating to...
• Condolences (0 speeches)
  • Enderby, Hon. Keppel Earl, QC (4 speeches)
    It is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death, on 7 January 2015, of the Hon. Keppel Earl Enderby QC, a former minister and member of the House of Representatives for the divisions...
  • Uren, Hon. Thomas (Tom), AC (7 speeches)
    It is also with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death on 26 January this year of the honourable Thomas Uren AC, a former minister and member of the House of Representatives for the...
  • Wright, Mr Keith Webb, Fitzgibbon, Mr Eric John (1 speech)
    It is also with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death of two members of the House of Representatives: (a) on 13 January 2015, of Keith Webb Wright, a member for the division of...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That the following general business orders of the day be considered on Thursday, 12 February 2015 under the temporary order relating to the consideration of private senators' bills: No....
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Community Affairs References Committee, Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
    I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator. There being none, we will move on.
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence for personal reasons be granted to Senator McEwen for the 9th to the 12th of February 2015. Question agreed to.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Community Affairs References Committee; Reference (1 speech)
    I move: That the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 28 April 2015: The details of Australia‘s bid to host the 2022 FIFA...
  • Public Accounts and Audit Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator Smith, I move: That the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit be authorised to hold private meetings otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1),...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Indigenous Employment (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate acknowledges and encourages the efforts of Indigenous groups across the nation working in partnership with resource companies to provide employment, training and...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Mental Health; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 587 standing in my name for today. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended: That— (a) there be laid on the table by the...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Israel (4 speeches)
    On behalf of Senator McKenzie, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes statements of support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel, including the Victoria...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • First Reading (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator Milne, I seek leave to introduce a private senator's bill. Leave granted. I move: That the following bill be introduced: A bill for an act to establish the Australian...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Defence Procurement (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator Wong, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes the motion passed in the South Australian House of Assembly on Wednesday, 3 December 2014, with the support of Labor,...
  • Palestine (4 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Milne, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) on 13 October 2014, the British House of Commons passed a motion to recommend the United Kingdom recognise the...
  • Taxation (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator Milne, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) the Abbott Government's failure to propose and deliver revenue measures that target the big end of town, instead of...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement; Order for the Production of Documents (4 speeches)
    I feel a bit like a jack in the box. At the request of Senator Whish-Wilson, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes the Government of Brunei Darussalam's recently adopted penal code, which...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Abbott Government (23 speeches)
    The President has received the following letter from Senator Moore: Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for...
• Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
  • Education (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Minister for Education, Mr Pyne, I table a ministerial statement on our achievements in schools and cross-border education.
  • Defence (1 speech)
    I table a correction to the explanatory memorandum relating to the Defence Legislation Amendment (Military Justice Enhancements—Inspector-General ADF) Bill 2014.
• 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 listed at item 18 on today's OrderofBusiness together with the Hansard records of...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Crimes Legislation Amendment (Psychoactive Substances and Other Measures) Bill 2014; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    I believe when I left off before question time I was saying that the government does believe that mandatory minimum sentences are necessary and will act as a strong deterrent for those who would...
  • Crimes Legislation Amendment (Psychoactive Substances and Other Measures) Bill 2014; In Committee (44 speeches)
    by leave—I move opposition amendments (1) and (2) on sheet 7657 together: (1) Schedule 2, item 14, page 16 (lines 17 to 24), to be opposed. (2) Schedule 2, item 18, page 21 (lines 13 to...
  • Crimes Legislation Amendment (Psychoactive Substances and Other Measures) 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.
  • Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (3 speeches)
    I indicate to the chamber that in most respects the Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Bill 2014 closely resembles a bill the Labor Party introduced when we were in office but which lapsed with...
  • Intellectual Property Laws 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.
  • Tax Laws Amendment (Research and Development) Bill 2013; Second Reading (7 speeches)
    At the start of the second reading debate on the Tax Laws Amendment (Research and Development) Bill 2013 I explained that Labor oppose this bill because it is not in the nation's interests....
  • Tax Laws Amendment (Research and Development) Bill 2013; In Committee (25 speeches)
    I move Australian Greens amendment (1) on sheet 7542: (1) Schedule 1, page 3 (line 1) to page 4 (line 13), omit the Schedule, substitute: Schedule 1—Quarterly R&D credits Part...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Agriculture (1 speech)
    I want to talk a little bit about beef prices and agriculture prices more generally tonight. A couple of weeks ago I went to the Gracemere saleyards near Rockhampton. They are getting record...
  • Greste, Mr Peter, Paris: Terrorist Attacks (1 speech)
    I rise this evening to talk about the importance of press freedom and welcome home Peter Greste, who was finally, and thankfully, released from the jails of the Egyptian government. After 400...
  • Ebola Virus (1 speech)
    In December last year I visited the countries of Liberia and Sierra Leone to monitor the international response to the Ebola epidemic. As a former doctor who has worked in international public...
  • Bushfires (1 speech)
    This year started, as many summers do in South Australia, being hot. I remember growing up there. You always planned on having at least two or three weeks of very hot weather, but this year the...