Senate debates

Monday, 11 May 2015

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Committee, Public Works Committee, Treaties 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)
  • Queensland (1 speech)
    I inform the Senate that I have received a letter from Senator Mason resigning his place as a senator for the state of Queensland. Pursuant to the provision of section 21 of the Constitution, I...
• Party Office Holders (0 speeches)
  • Australian Greens (1 speech)
    by leave—I wish to inform the chamber that following Senator Milne's resignation as leader, I am now Leader of the Australian Greens. Senators Ludlam and Waters are co-deputy leaders, and...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Construction Industry Amendment (Protecting Witnesses) Bill 2015; Second Reading (11 speeches)
    I rise to indicate Labor's opposition to the Construction Industry Amendment (Protecting Witnesses) Bill 2015. The bill will continue state discrimination against building and construction...
  • Construction Industry Amendment (Protecting Witnesses) 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.
  • Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims Amendment Bill 2015; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    The opposition is happy to support the Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims Amendment Bill 2015. On 11 March 2009, as Cyclone Hamish bore down on south-eastern Queensland, a freight vessel...
  • Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims 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.
  • Tribunals Amalgamation Bill 2014; Second Reading (3 speeches)
    Labor is pleased to support the Tribunals Amalgamation Bill 2014. I will touch on some of its history before I go into some more detailed considerations. Proposals for the amalgamation of...
  • Tribunals Amalgamation Bill 2014; In Committee (28 speeches)
    I table a supplementary explanatory memorandum relating to the government amendments to the bill.
  • Tribunals Amalgamation 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. I move: That the sitting of the Senate be suspended until 2 pm. Question agreed to. Sitting suspended...
• Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    by leave—I advise the Senate that the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann, will be absent from question time today and tomorrow in connection with preparation for the 2015-16 budget. I...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Budget (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. I refer to the Prime Minister's pre-election pledge that there would be no change to pensions under a coalition...
  • National Security (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. Can the Attorney-General update the Senate on the counter-terrorism operation in Melbourne on Friday? And can he advise the Senate what...
  • Budget (37 speeches)
    Mr President, my question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Can the minister confirm that the Chief Government Whip, Mr Buchholz, has delivered a message to the...
  • Asylum Seekers (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Abetz. Can the minister advise the Senate of the benefits of stopping the boats both in terms of lives saved and an orderly...
  • Paid Parental Leave, Pensions and Benefits (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Social Services, Senator Fifield. My question is in relation to the government's decision to fund its new childcare package by cutting...
  • Centrelink (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Human Services, Senator Payne. Will the minister update the Senate on progress with replacing the Centrelink computer system which was announced last month?
  • Childcare Package (13 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. I refer to yesterday's announcement by the Prime Minister and the de facto Treasurer, Mr Morrison, which links the...
  • Apprenticeships (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham. Can the minister update the Senate on how the Australian Apprenticeship Support Network will better assist...
  • Pensions and Benefits (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Social Services, Senator Fifield. The Prime Minister has argued for a year that his cuts to the pension indexation were fair. Now that...
  • Aged Care (7 speeches)
    Mr President, my question is also to the Assistant Minister for Social Services, Senator Fifield. Can the minister update the Senate on what the government is doing to support innovation and...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Answers to Questions (33 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today relating to the 2015-16 Budget. This really is a government in...
  • Budget (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Employment (Senator Abetz) and the Assistant Minister for Social Services (Senator Fifield) to questions without notice...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (2 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That intervening business be postponed till after consideration of government business order of the day no. 6 (Biosecurity Bill 2014 and related bills—second reading...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Biosecurity Bill 2014, Quarantine Charges (Imposition — General) Amendment Bill 2014, Quarantine Charges (Imposition — Customs) Amendment Bill 2014, Quarantine Charges (Imposition — Excise) Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (10 speeches)
    I indicate that I will support the second reading of the Biosecurity Bill 2014, because our biosecurity framework does need to be revamped. I know enormous work has been done by the previous...