Senate debates

Wednesday, 4 March 2015

• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (Direct Lending and Other Measures) Bill 2014; Second Reading (5 speeches)
    I rise today to support the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (Direct Lending and Other Measures) Bill 2014. This side of politics has long supported the Export Finance and...
  • Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (Direct Lending and Other Measures) 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.
  • Enhancing Online Safety for Children Bill 2014, Enhancing Online Safety for Children (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2014; Second Reading (20 speeches)
    How can we create an approach to youth wellbeing that builds resilience, is adolescent centred and has the potential to prevent mental illness later in life? The truth is that right now we do not...
  • Enhancing Online Safety for Children Bill 2014, Enhancing Online Safety for Children (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2014; In Committee (8 speeches)
    by leave—I move government amendments (1) and (2) on sheet HA125: (1)   Clause 50, page 37 (line 13), omit "sector.", substitute "sector;". (2)   Clause 50,...
  • Enhancing Online Safety for Children Bill 2014, Enhancing Online Safety for Children (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2014; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That these bills be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bills read a third time.
  • Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013, Building and Construction Industry (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013; Second Reading (3 speeches)
    Labor opposes the Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013 and the Building and Construction Industry (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013. These...
• Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
  • Nasheed, President Mohamed (1 speech)
    While the world and those who believe in freedom and democracy mourn the political murder of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, a state planned judicial assassination of another freedom...
  • Cyclone Marcia (1 speech)
    On 20 February this year Cyclone Marcia made landfall in North Queensland as a category 5 tropical cyclone. Residents in Yeppoon, Rockhampton and surrounding areas faced ferocious winds of up to...
  • Carbon Pricing, Education (1 speech)
    It is now over three years since I stood in this chamber and made my first speech. At that time I was very mindful of the responsibility and the trust the voters of South Australia had placed in...
  • Family Violence (1 speech)
    I rise to speak on an issue relating to violence against women and children in our society. I made a pledge in this place on a number of occasions to continue to keep this discussion alive; to...
  • International Women’s Day (1 speech)
    In Australia and around the world, gender continues to be a barrier to equality. Last month, at the opening of the second session of South Australia's 53rd Parliament, Governor Hieu Van Le spoke...
  • Road Safety (1 speech)
    I rise to speak on the important issue of road safety. Road safety is an issue that is close to the hearts of the motoring enthusiast community and of course the broader community. We all want to...
  • Ageing Population (1 speech)
    It is good to see Minister Nash here in the chamber, because Minister Nash thinks I am a little bit of a nerd at times, particularly sitting down here with the National Party. She probably thinks...
  • Workplace Relations (2 speeches)
    I want to revisit the absolute rubbish we heard from Senator Abetz yesterday during question time when Labor put it to him that he had reduced cleaners' pay and that he was responsible for a...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Higher Education (9 speeches)
    My question without notice is to the Minister representing the Minister for Education, Senator Birmingham. Can the minister confirm that the government is considering imposing what Professor...
  • Death Penalty (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. Can the Attorney-General update the Senate on the latest developments in relation to Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran?
  • Economy (15 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Cormann. I refer to his endorsement of the Business Council of Australia's report in question time yesterday. I also refer to...
  • Budget (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Social Services, Senator Fifield. Yesterday the Prime Minister said that the GP co-payment is dead, buried and cremated. However, the...
  • Defence Force Remuneration (8 speeches, 1 comment)
    My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Minister for Employment and Minister assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service, Senator Abetz. Will the minister explain to...
  • Coalmining (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, Senator Birmingham. In my engagement with communities relating to the need to balance economic development with...
  • Indigenous Affairs (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. Can the minister advise the Senate on progress with the grant round for the Indigenous Advancement Strategy?
  • Employment (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz. All over Australia, people over the age of 70 volunteer in op shops, Meals on Wheels, food banks, canteens, tuckshops, hospital...
  • Australian Human Rights Commission (7 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. I refer to the joint statement of the Australian Bar Association and the Law Council of Australia entitled 'Personal attacks on Human...
  • Green Army Program (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham, representing the Minister for the Environment. Can the minister update the Senate on the progress of...
  • Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (13 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. I refer to the Attorney-General's plan to weaken section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act because, according to Senator Brandis,...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Higher Education (24 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Assistant Minister for Education and Training (Senator Birmingham) to a question without notice asked by Senator Carr today relating...
  • Budget (1 speech)
    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 Siewert today relating to the...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Forestry Tasmania (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) recognises and commends Forestry Tasmania's pre season fuel reduction burn strategy across 3 500 hectares of forestry assets, such as plantations, as well as...
  • Children in Detention (4 speeches)
    I, and also on behalf of Senators Wang and Hanson-Young, move: That the Senate— (a) recognises that Australia has an obligation to protect the health, safety and welfare of people placed in...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Landholders' Right to Refuse (Gas and Coal) Bill 2015; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the following bill be introduced: A bill for an Act to provide Australian landholders the right to refuse the undertaking of gas and coal mining activities on their land without...
  • Landholders' Right to Refuse (Gas and Coal) Bill 2015; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to table an explanatory memorandum relating to the bill. Leave granted. I table an explanatory memorandum and I seek leave to have...
  • Defence Legislation Amendment (Parliamentary Approval of Overseas Service) Bill 2015; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the following bill be introduced: A bill for an act to amend the law relating to defence to provide for parliamentary approval of overseas service by members of the Australian...
  • Defence Legislation Amendment (Parliamentary Approval of Overseas Service) Bill 2015; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I think this is the 30th year that this bill has been on the Notice Paper in one form or another. I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to table an explanatory memorandum...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Consideration of disallowance motion (4 speeches)
    I ask that government business notice of motion No. 1, relating to the consideration of a disallowance motion, be taken as formal.
  • Suspension of Standing Orders (4 speeches)
    Pursuant to contingent notice standing in the name of the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Abetz, I move That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me moving...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Finance and Public Administration References Committee; Reference (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator Lines, I move: That the following matter be referred to the Finance and Public Administration References Committee for inquiry and report by 10 August 2015: Aboriginal...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
    I move: That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition (Sunset Extension) Bill 2015, allowing it to...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Budget (2 speeches)
    I, and also on behalf of Senators Day and Madigan, move: That the Senate recognises that: (a) the Commonwealth Government's net worth is negative (that is, negative $229 billion in 2014-15,...
  • Workplace Relations (1 speech)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Cameron, move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) That the Productivity Commission has indicated it would examine penalty rates and the minimum wage in its...
  • Donations to Political Parties (15 speeches)
    I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 632 standing in my name for today relating to political donations. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended: That the Senate—...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Higher Education (41 speeches)
    I have 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 discussion: "The...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Death Penalty; Consideration (1 speech)
    I wish to speak about document 1, tabled today, which is a letter from the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to a resolution of the Senate of 10 February, concerning Mr Sukumaran and Mr...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Polley, Chair of the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, I present the second report. I also lay on the table Alert DigestNo. 2 of 2015. Ordered that the...
  • Regulations and Ordinances Committee; Delegated Legislation Monitor (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Williams, Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Regulations and Ordinances, I present the Delegated Legislation Monitor No. 2 of 2015. Ordered that the report be printed.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
    I table a document relating to the order for the production of documents concerning the mental health review.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Select Committee on Health, National Broadband Network Select Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
    Order! The President has received letters from the party leaders requesting changes in the membership of various committees.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2014, Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Regulatory Levies) Amendment (Designated Coastal Waters) Bill 2014; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That these bills may proceed without formalities, may be taken together and be now read a first time. Question agreed to. Bills read a first time.
  • Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2014, Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Regulatory Levies) Amendment (Designated Coastal Waters) Bill 2014; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I present the explanatory memoranda and 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 speech es...
  • Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Miscellaneous Matters) Bill 2015, Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Regulatory Levies) Amendment (Miscellaneous Matters) Bill 2015; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That these bills may proceed without formalities, may be taken together and be now read a first time. Question agreed to. Bills read a first time.
  • Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Miscellaneous Matters) Bill 2015, Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Regulatory Levies) Amendment (Miscellaneous Matters) Bill 2015; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I present the explanatory memoranda and 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...
  • Australian River Co. Limited Bill 2015, Defence Trade Controls Amendment Bill 2015; First Reading (1 speech)
    These bills are being introduced together. After debate on the motion for the second reading has been adjourned, I shall move a motion to have the bills listed separately on the Notice Paper. I...
  • Australian River Co. Limited Bill 2015, Defence Trade Controls Amendment Bill 2015; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I present the explanatory memoranda and 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...
• Regulations and Determinations (0 speeches)
  • Competition and Consumer (Industry Code — Port Terminal Access (Bulk Wheat)) Regulation 2014; Disallowance (12 speeches)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Day, move business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1: That the provisions of subclauses 5(1), 5(4) and 5(5) of the Competition and Consumer (Industry...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013, Building and Construction Industry (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013; Second Reading (7 speeches)
    I rise in continuation of my speech on this bill. I was describing the concerns that both the Senate Scrutiny of Bills Committee and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights had in...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Hadgkiss, Mr Nigel (17 speeches)
    This evening I want to talk about a manifest abuse of the privileges we have in this place by a senator so that she could besmirch the personal reputation of a senior statutory officer holder by...
  • Homelessness (1 speech)
    Tonight I want to make some remarks about a very important issue that is affecting communities right across this nation but particularly communities on the Central Coast. I would like to begin...
  • Raupach, Professor Michael, McMichael, Professor Emeritus Anthony (1 speech)
    As a passionate believer in the importance of science and evidence based research, and especially in the need for strong and urgent action on global warming, which threatens the very life-support...