Senate debates

Monday, 16 March 2015

• Statements (0 speeches)
  • Palmer United Party (1 speech)
    by leave. I would like to inform the Senate that I have resigned from the Palmer United party and from my position as the Leader of the Palmer United Party in the Senate. I would like to thank...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Abbott Government's Budget Cuts Select Committee, Economics Legislation Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    Does any senator require the motion to be put? There being none, we will proceed to business.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Migration Amendment (Protection and Other Measures) Bill 2014; Second Reading (71 speeches)
    Australia has a long and proud tradition of offering protection to people fleeing persecution in their home countries. To ensure that this tradition can continue, there must be a robust and...
• Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    by leave—I advise the Senate that Senator Cash will be absent from question time today and tomorrow for personal reasons. In her absence, questions on the Immigration and Border Protection...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Higher Education (14 speeches)
    My question without notice is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Can the minister confirm that despite another policy backflip the government remains committed to...
  • Death Penalty (6 speeches)
    Mr President, my question is for the Attorney-General. Can the Attorney-General update the Senate on the current situation regarding Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran?
  • Superannuation (24 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Finance, representing the Treasurer, Senator Cormann. I refer to the Treasurer's latest thought bubble involving young Australians accessing their...
  • Higher Education (12 speeches)
    My question is to the excellent Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham, representing the Minister for Education and Training. Will the minister outline to the Senate...
  • Renewable Energy (6 speeches)
    My question is to Senator Ronaldson, the Minister representing the Minister for Industry and Science. Is the government aware of the evidence in all the reviews, including its own review, that...
  • Indigenous Health (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Assistant Minister for Health, Senator Nash. Will the minister update the Senate on the government's commitment to funding for Indigenous health?
  • Telecommunications Data Retention (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. Attorney, I refer to representations made to the government by national broadcasters, publishers, journalists and the Australian Press...
  • Industry (8 speeches)
    My question without notice is to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Senator Ronaldson, representing the Minister for Industry and Science. Will the minister update the Senate on the government's...
  • Indigenous Communities (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. Minister, is Mr Pat Dodson, first Chairman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, correct when he says: It is not a...
  • Vocational Education and Training (6 speeches)
    Can the Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham, advise the Senate how the problem of dodgy training providers and marketing has come about?
  • Indigenous Communities (6 speeches)
    My question is for the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. What did the minister mean when he said his capacity to consult with the remote communities was limited and 'has been...
  • Competition Policy (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Abetz. Can the minister outline to the Senate what steps the government is taking to address imbalances of market power...
• Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
  • Higher Education (1 speech)
    I understand that in answer to a question earlier in question time, I may have referred to a Professor Ian Chubb instead of a Professor Ian Young. If I did so, I seek to correct the record that...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Higher Education (13 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 Carr today relating to higher education. What we...
  • Renewable Energy (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister representing the Minister for Industry and Science (Senator Ronaldson) to a question without notice asked by Senator Milne...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Presentation (1 speech)
    I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move: That the provisions of paragraph (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to various bills, as set out in the list circulated in...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That general business order of the day no. 52 (Defence Amendment (Fair Pay for Members of the ADF) Bill 2014) be considered on Thursday, 19 March 2015 under the temporary order relating...
  • Leave of Absence (2 speeches)
    I move: That leave of absence be granted to the following senators for personal reasons: Senator Cash for today and 17 March 2015; and Senator Lambie for today. Question agreed to.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Reference (1 speech)
    I move: That the following matters be referred to the Environment and Communications References Committee for inquiry and report by 25 June 2015: (a) the quantum of stormwater resource in...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Senate Temporary Orders (1 speech)
    I move: That on Monday, 23 March 2015 consideration of the business before the Senate shall be interrupted at 5 pm, but not so as to interrupt a senator speaking, to enable valedictory statements...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Country of Origin Labelling (4 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) recognises and applauds the Federal Government's move to introduce better country of origin labelling rules to give Australians a clearer understanding of where...
  • Tibet (7 speeches)
    I ask that general business notice of motion no. 641 standing in my name for today, relating to Tibetan political prisoners, be taken as a formal motion.
  • Suspension of Standing Orders (5 speeches)
    Pursuant to contingent notice, I move: That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me from moving this general business notice of motion no. 641. I find it convenient of the...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Higher Education (44 speeches)
    A letter has been received 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 Abbott...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Auditor-General's Report (2 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the Auditor-General report No. 25 2014-15: Performance audit:administration of the fifth community pharmacy agreementbetween the Commonwealth of Australia and the Pharmacy...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Australian Securities and Investments Commission Amendment (Corporations and Markets Advisory Committee Abolition) Bill 2014, Tribunals Amalgamation Bill 2014; Report of Legislation Committee (1 speech)
    Pursuant to order and at the request of the chairs of the respective committees, I present reports on the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Amendment (Corporations and Markets...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    (): I move: That government business order of the day no.1, Migration Protection and Other Measures Bill 2014, be postponed until the next day of sitting. Question agreed to.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment Bill 2015; Second Reading (12 speeches)
    Labor supports the Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment Bill 2015, although we wish the government had moved much sooner to ensure appropriate regulation of the VET sector....
  • National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment Bill 2015; 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.
  • Fair Work Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (10 speeches)
    Labor opposes the Fair Work Amendment Bill 2014. This bill is yet another example of the Abbott government's failure to keep an election commitment. The election commitment of the Abbott...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Workplace Relations (1 speech)
    I want to continue on with a speech that I started last week looking at the Abbott government's desire to get rid of penalty rates. Last week, I drew links between the North Sydney Forum, John...
  • Tasmania: Gunns Ltd (1 speech)
    I rise to talk this evening on the recent release of an extraordinary book, the first of its kind, a book that needs to be read and debated by every Tasmanian, indeed, Australian, who cares for...
  • Sexism Report (1 speech)
    Last week the Australia Institute released a paper entitled, Everyday sexism: Australian women's experiences of street harassment. This particular survey was conducted last November and looked at...
  • New South Wales State Election (1 speech)
    The New South Wales Liberal and National parties are hell-bent on selling off our collective wealth. While Premier Michael Baird might put a smiley face on the harsh coalition policies, he is not...