Senate debates

Thursday, 26 March 2015

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Queensland Government Administration Committee; Meeting (23 speeches)
    Mr President, I object to that, and I seek leave to make a 30-second statement to indicate why. Leave granted. Thank you, Mr President. I have been advised of this meeting. Three of my colleagues...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2015; In Committee (81 speeches)
    The committee is considering the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2015. The question for the before the chair presently is that Senator Leyonhelm's...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present the fourth report of 2015 of the Selection of Bills Committee. Ordered that the report be adopted. I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The report...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That consideration of general business order of the day No. 48 for consideration of the Freedom to Marry Bill 2014, under standing order 57(1)(d)(xi) shall not be proceeded with today....
  • Leave of Absence (2 speeches)
    I move: That leave of absence be granted to the following senators for today: (a) Senators Cormann on account of ministerial business; (b) Senator Day on account of personal reasons; and (c)...
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That the remaining items listed at items 10, 11 and 12 on today's order of business be called on immediately till not later than 2 pm. I seek leave to make a short statement. Leave...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Reporting Date (1 speech)
    Does any senator wish to have the question put on any of those motions? There being none, we will move on.
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Centenary of Anzac (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senators Ronaldson, Scullion, Wong, Milne, Day, Lazarus, Wang, Madigan, Xenophon, Muir and Lambie, by leave—I move: That the Senate notes that: 1. 25 April 2015 marks the 100...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Judiciary Amendment Bill 2015; First Reading (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator Brandis, I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to consolidate the Australian Government Solicitor into the Attorney-General‘s...
  • Judiciary Amendment Bill 2015; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I table the explanatory memorandum relating to the bill 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...
• Parliamentary Zone (0 speeches)
  • Approval of Works (1 speech)
    I move: That, in accordance with section 5 of the Parliament Act 1974, the Senate approves the following proposal for work within the Parliamentary Zone which was presented to the Senate on 24...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia; Meeting (1 speech)
    I move: That the Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia be authorised to hold private meetings otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sittings of the Senate as...
  • Joint Select Committee on Trade and Investment Growth; Meeting (1 speech)
    I move: That the Joint Select Committee on Trade and Investment Growth be authorised to hold private meetings otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sittings of the...
  • Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee; Reference (1 speech)
    I, and on behalf of Senator Ludwig, move: That the following matter be referred to the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 13 May 2015: The proposed...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Food Standards Amendment (Fish Labelling) Bill 2015; First Reading (3 speeches)
    I inform the Senate that Senators Lazarus, Lambie, Whish-Wilson, Wang and Madigan have been added as co-sponsors to the bill and I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act...
  • Food Standards Amendment (Fish Labelling) Bill 2015; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I table the explanatory memorandum and 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...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Great Barrier Reef (3 speeches)
    At the request of Senators Canavan and O'Sullivan, I move: That the Senate— (a) supports the Australian and Queensland Governments' release of the Reef 2050 Long Term Sustainability Plan...
  • Automotive Transformation Scheme (4 speeches)
    At the request of Senators Carr, Xenophon, Muir, Wright, Wang and Lazarus, I move: That the Senate— (a) recalls its resolution of 13 May 2009, moved by Senator Cormann, setting out the...
  • Senate Casual Vacancies (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator Wong, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that former Senator John Faulkner resigned his place as a Senator for the State of New South Wales by letter to the...
  • Special Broadcasting Service (4 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes the reports That the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) may have to cut the specialist news program on its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander channel...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Appointment (6 speeches)
    At the request of Senators Gallacher and Hanson-Young, I move: (1) That a select committee, to be known as the Select Committee on the Recent Allegations relating to Conditions and Circumstances...
  • Environment and Communications References Committee; Reference (12 speeches)
    I move: That the following matter be referred to the Environment and Communications References Committee for inquiry and report by 11 November 2015: The future of Australian forest management,...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Coal Seam Gas (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) the concern expressed by regional communities about the impacts on food security and water resources from coal seam gas, shale gas and tight gas, and...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Public Governance and Resources Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2015; Second Reading (3 speeches)
    I rise today to speak on the Public Governance and Resources Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2015. This bill is another stage in the financial framework reform process that Labor commenced...
  • Public Governance and Resources Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 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.
  • Parliamentary Service Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (3 speeches)
    The Parliamentary Service Amendment Bill 2014 amends section 65A of the Parliamentary Service Act 1999 to provide that the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, or a deputy commissioner...
  • Parliamentary Service Amendment Bill 2014; Third Reading (1 speech)
    As no amendments to the bill have been circulated, I propose to move the third reading unless any senator requires that the bill be considered in Committee of the Whole. I move: That this bill be...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Legal Aid (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes the effects of Commonwealth funding uncertainty on the legal assistance sector, including the possible closure of community legal centres, staff loss, a...
  • Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (4 speeches)
    I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 695. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended: That the Senate— (a) notes that the Malaysian Government: (i) is undertaking a...
  • Research and Development (4 speeches)
    I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 689 standing in my name for today. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended: That the Senate— (a) notes that science and...
  • Community Pharmacy Agreement (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes the findings of the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) performance audit into the Administration of the $15 billion Fifth Community Pharmacy...
  • Duck Hunting (2 speeches)
    I, and also on behalf of Senators Muir and McKenzie, move: That the Senate notes that: (a) there has been a successful start to the Victorian duck hunting season, with hunters demonstrating their...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Membership (2 speeches)
    The President has received letters from party leaders requesting changes in memberships of committees.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2015; In Committee (22 speeches)
    The question is that Senator Xenophon's amendments (4), (5), (6), (8) and (9) on sheet 7672 be agreed to.
• Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    I advise the Senate that Senator Cormann, the Minister for Finance, will be absent from question time today as he is travelling to China to represent Australia at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Economy (18 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. I ask whether the minister can confirm that the Prime Minister made the following statement last week in his...
  • Legal Aid (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. Can the Attorney-General update the Senate on the government's recent announcement on the Commonwealth's contribution to legal assistance?
  • Defence Procurement (27 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. I again refer to the government's decision to appoint an expert advisory panel to oversee your sham competitive...
  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Coal Industry (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Can the minister confirm that the Australian government instructed its officials to oppose moves within the OECD's...
  • Consumer Lease Companies (32 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Human Services, Senator Payne. I refer to the Chief Executive Officer of the Consumer Action Law Centre, Gerard Brody, who says that consumer lease companies...
  • Gas Prices (6 speeches)
    My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Industry and Science, Minister Ronaldson. The east coast gas market has changed due to the trebling of gas demand from LNG exports and...
  • Indigenous Communities (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. Can the minister explain to the Senate how the coalition government is supporting the delivery of municipal and essential...
  • WestConnex (19 speeches)
    I direct my question to the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Senator Cash. How does the government justify contributing $500 million to the...
  • Offshore Oil and Gas (16 speeches)
    I am a bit nervous. I may need protection because my question is to the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Senator Cash! Can the minister confirm that today the Full Court...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Answers to Questions (18 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of answers to all questions asked by the opposition. It is no wonder that the Australian public have lost all confidence and all trust in this rabble of a...
  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Coal Industry (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister representing the Prime Minister (Senator Abetz) to a question without notice asked by Senator Milne today relating to...
• Budget (0 speeches)
  • Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
    I present additional information received by committees relating to estimates.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Joint Standing Committee on Treaties; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Fawcett, I present the 147th report of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties: Treaties tabled on the 18th of June, the 24th of November and the 2nd of December 2014. I...
• Delegation Reports (0 speeches)
  • Parliamentary Field Visit to Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon (1 speech)
    by leave—On behalf of Senator Bushby, I present the report of the parliamentary field visit to Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon, which took place from 10 to 19 November 2014.
• Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
  • Murray-Darling Basin Plan (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Minister for the Environment, I table a ministerial statement on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and seek leave to incorporate the statement in Hansard. Leave granted. The...
• Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
  • Australian Capital Territory (1 speech)
    I table the original certificate received through the Administrator of the Commonwealth of Australia from the Chief Minister of the ACT of the choice by the legislative assembly of the ACT of...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Private Health Insurance Amendment Bill (No. 2) 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.
  • Private Health Insurance Amendment Bill (No. 2) 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— PRIVATE HEALTH...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Abbott Government (1 speech)
    I rise today to draw attention to the shameful treatment that this Liberal government has displayed towards Australian pensioners. Those on the other side should be ashamed of themselves. The...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2015; In Committee (10 speeches)
    The question is that Palmer United Party amendment (1) on sheet 7690 be agreed to. (Quorum formed)
• Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
  • Valedictory (3 speeches)
    This is the last time I will have the honour of addressing the Australian Senate. While of course I am very sad to be leaving, the overwhelming sense I have is one of gratitude and...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2015; In Committee (46 speeches)
    The next amendments are Senator Xenophon's amendments (10) to (12) on sheet 7672.
  • Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2015; Third Reading (8 speeches)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time. I want to thank the Senate for the debate that we have had through a long committee stage. Nobody could say that this has been a rushed process,...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Membership (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That senators be discharged from and appointed to committees as follows: Environment and Communications Legislation Committee— Substitute members: Senator Ludlam to...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Days and Hours of Meeting (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate at its rising adjourn till Monday, 11 May 2015 at 10am, or such other time as may be fixed by the President or, in the event of the President being unavailable, by the...
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to every member of the Senate from the end of the sitting today to the day on which the Senate next meets. Question agreed to. Senate...