Senate debates
Wednesday, 11 February 2015
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Customs Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (11 speeches)
This bill which, you would be pleased to hear, Mr President, the Labor Party is supporting seeks to make some minor amendments to the Customs Act. These amendments remove anomalies arising from...
- Customs 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.
- Amending Acts 1970 to 1979 Repeal Bill 2014, Statute Law Revision Bill (No. 2) 2014; Second Reading (11 speeches)
Listening to my colleagues in the earlier bill debate, and in terms of dealing with these two bills cognately, I am left to wonder why we are occupying government business time with bills of such...
- Amending Acts 1970 to 1979 Repeal Bill 2014, Statute Law Revision Bill (No. 2) 2014; Third Reading (1 speech)
I move: That these bills be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bills read a third time.
- Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (27 speeches)
Labor opposes this bill. We do so on the basis of what we have just heard from Senator Brandis . The pomposity and hypocrisy of Senator Brandis talking about red tape, green tape and beige tape,...
- Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
- Defence Procurement (1 speech)
I rise to speak on Australia's vital submarine capability, the procurement process for the replacement fleet and the opportunities for Australian industry if they are able to rise to the...
- Health Care (1 speech)
I rise today to try to shed some light on the healthcare disaster that the government has brought upon itself. We had commitments from Mr Abbott when he was in opposition that there would be no...
- Health Care, Abbott Government (2 speeches)
I rise today to discuss the future of Australia's healthcare system and, indeed, the very future of our nation. I want to start by reflecting on the turmoil of the past few days. It was only a...
- Child Care (1 speech)
I want to talk today about tax policy and families. In the last few months, the Prime Minister has indicated that the government will focus on developing a policy for a fairer go for families in...
- National Capital (1 speech)
As I near the end of my time in this place I recognise more than ever before just how lucky I have been to be nearly 19 years a senator for the Australian Capital Territory—lucky because I...
- Smoke Alarms (1 speech)
Today I am speaking about a matter of national importance and an issue which affects every Australian: the issue of smoke alarms, also referred to as smoke detectors. Smoke alarms are one of the...
- Budget (2 speeches)
Over the past few weeks we have seen those opposite return to tried-and-true scaremongering tactics in an attempt to distract from their own internal chaos and to try to justify their vicious...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Prime Minister's Office (31 speeches, 1 comment)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Yesterday, the foreign minister, Ms Bishop, said: 'I think people have been very frank and blunt in their assessment...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Before I call the next questioner, I draw to the attention of honourable senators the presence in the gallery of a parliamentary delegation from Germany led by Dr Peter Ramsauer, chair of the...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- National Security (6 speeches)
My question is to my good friend and colleague the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. Can the Attorney-General update the Senate on recent counter-terrorism activity—this is a serious...
- Defence Procurement (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister. I refer the minister to an interview given by Senator Edwards on Sky News yesterday when he again confirmed that the Prime Minister...
- Closing the Gap (10 speeches)
My question is to the Assistant Minister for Health, Senator Nash. Given that, as the Prime Minister said today, the Closing the gap report is profoundly disappointing and there has been little...
- Indigenous Employment (6 speeches)
My question is to one of the hardest working ministers in the place, the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. Will the minister advise the Senate why the government is implementing...
- Environmental Policies (6 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, Senator Birmingham. Australian farmers are still principally small business. The Palmer United Party supports the...
- Workplace Relations (15 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz. Will the minister inform the Senate about the government's efforts to protect honest, hardworking union members from the activities...
- Economy (30 speeches)
My question is to the finance minister. The opposition leader has said: If you've got growth, if you're creating national wealth, then a lot of pressure comes off the budget. The Prime Minister...
- Industry Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda (9 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Senator Ronaldson, in his capacity as representing the Minister for Industry and Science. Will the minister please update the Senate on the...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Defence Procurement (12 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Employment (Senator Abetz) to a question without notice asked by Senator Conroy today relating to the manufacture of the...
- Closing the Gap (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 Siewert today relating to funding for...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
I move: That, on Wednesday, 11 February 2015, on its presentation to the Senate, the Prime Minister's annual report on Closing the Gap and accompanying ministerial statement be considered for not...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Greste, Mr Peter (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Milne, I move: That the Senate— (a) welcomes the Egyptian Government's decision to unconditionally release and deport Australian journalist, Mr Peter Greste; (b)...
- Kangaroo Meat and Hide Industry (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate recognises Australia's ability to develop and expand the kangaroo meat and hide industry, which can create jobs and build wealth for communities across rural and regional...
- Ovarian Cancer (2 speeches)
I indicate that I will be adding my name and that of Senator Moore to this motion. I, and also on behalf of Senators Bilyk, Polley and Moore, move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) that...
- Trade (6 speeches)
At the request of Senator Wong, I move: That— (a) the Senate— (i) notes the Abbott Government's failure to keep Parliament and the public informed of the nature and progress of its...
- White Sharks (11 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) the Western Australian Government has implemented a new catch and kill policy which applies to the International Union for Conservation of...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Closing the Gap (14 speeches)
On behalf of the Prime Minister, I table the annual report on Closing the Gap and accompanying ministerial statement. I seek leave to move a motion relating to the consideration of the document....
- Motions (0 speeches)
- White Sharks (3 speeches)
Mr Acting Deputy President, earlier today there was a vote taken on my sharks motion which I do not believe reflected the will of the Senate, and the President undertook to recommit that vote. I...
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Abbott Government (30 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...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- White Sharks (1 speech)
Before we move onto the next item of business, with the concurrence of the Senate I would like to recommit a vote that was taken earlier in the day. It was in relation to general business notice...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, I present the first report and alert digest No. 1 of 2015. Ordered that the report be printed.
- Regulations and Ordinances Committee; Delegated Legislation Monitor (1 speech)
On behalf of Senator Williams I present the Delegated Legislation Monitor No. 1 of 2015 of the Standing Committee on Regulations and Ordinances.
- Joint Standing Committee on Treaties; Report (1 speech)
Mr Acting Deputy President, I present the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties' Report 146. Ordered that the report be printed. I move: That the Senate take note of the report. The report...
- Privileges Committee (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Collins, I move: That the Senate: (a) adopt the recommendation in the 160th report of the Committee of Privileges, on the use of CCTV material in Parliament House, that...
- Membership (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That senators be discharged from and appointed to committees as follows: Community Affairs Legislation and References Committees— Appointed—Participating...
- Economics Legislation Committee, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee; Report (1 speech)
Pursuant to order and at the request of the chairs of the respective committees, I present: [HSU to take in incorp re presentation of committee reports] Ordered that the reports be printed.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Faulkner, Senator John Philip (1 speech, 1 comment)
I want to pay tribute tonight to a distinguished senator and fine man who recently resigned from this place. He is a person I respect. Senator John Faulkner was a Labor warrior. He was a tough...
- Queensland State Election (1 speech)
I congratulate Annastacia Palaszczuk and her team on the outstanding outcome for them in the recent Queensland state election. I thought I would take a moment to reflect on the Queensland...
- Environment (1 speech)
Tonight I rise to talk about climate change, our oceans, ocean warming and sharks. 2014 was a record year, but there is nothing to be proud of in that record. It was hotter in 2014 than in any...
- Building and Construction Industry (1 speech)
Two of the very first actions—and I have spoken already in the chamber today on this—of the new Victorian Labor government have been to abolish the state's safety- and...
