Senate debates

Tuesday, 8 September 2015

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Meeting (1 speech)
    Does any senator wish to have the question put on any of those motions? There being none, we will proceed.
• 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 following bills, allowing them to be considered during this period of sittings: Aged Care Amendment...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Banking Laws Amendment (Unclaimed Money) Bill 2015; 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.
  • Banking Laws Amendment (Unclaimed Money) Bill 2015; Second Reading (29 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— BANKING LAWS AMENDMENT...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption (15 speeches)
    My question is to Senator Abetz, the Minister representing the Prime Minister. Can the minister confirm that the star witness of the coalition's Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and...
  • Trade with China (6 speeches)
    Mine is a serious question. It is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz. Can the minister inform the Senate how the China-Australia Free Trade...
  • Royal Commission on Trade Union Governance and Corruption (79 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. I refer to the personal coaching received by Ms Jackson from the royal commission's legal team. I also refer to rule 24 of the Law...
  • Refugees (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Will the government distance itself from the shameful comments made by Senator Bernardi, who said that the family of...
• Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    Before I call the next senator, I draw to the attention of honourable senators the presence in the chamber of a parliamentary delegation from Latin America. On behalf of all senators I extend to...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Trade with China (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham. Can the minister outline to the Senate the process a foreign worker will need to go through to work as a...
  • Employment: Foreign Workers (19 speeches)
    Mr President, my question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz. It has now been one week since the exposure of widespread underpayment of foreign workers at 7-Eleven stores in...
  • Trade with China (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Assistant Minister for Social Services, Senator Fifield. Will the minister inform the Senate of the benefits of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement for Australian...
  • Illicit Drugs (10 speeches)
    My question without notice is to the Prime Minister's representative, the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Abetz. I refer the senator to the fact that Australian parents do not...
  • Environment (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. I refer to the government's proposed changes to the EPBC Act, which remove the rights of third parties to challenge environmental approval...
• Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
  • Employment: Foreign Workers (1 speech)
    Further in response to Senator Ketter, I can advise him that the department and the Fair Work Ombudsman are working closely to ensure visa applicants who are 7-Eleven employees are provided with...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Royal Commission on Trade Union Governance and Corruption (29 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Employment (Senator Abetz) and the Attorney-General (Senator Brandis) to questions without notice asked by Senators...
  • Illicit Drugs (1 speech)
    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 Lambie today relating to policies concerning...
• Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    I seek leave to make a brief personal explanation as I claim to have been misrepresented. Leave granted. I thank the Senate. It is incumbent upon senators to use facts and truth in their...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Withdrawal (1 speech)
    Pursuant to notice of intention given yesterday, I withdraw business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1 standing in my name and Senator Muir's for today, proposing that the Customs (Prohibited...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Clarke, Mr Michael John (1 speech)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Moore, move: That the Senate notes that: (a) the 43rd Australian Test cricket captain, Mr Michael Clarke, has retired from International cricket; (b) the position...
  • National Asthma Week (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) National Asthma Week was held from 1 September to 7 September 2015, (ii) the theme of National Asthma Week 2015 was 'You Care We Care—One...
  • Cummings, Mr James Bartholomew 'Bart', OAM (1 speech)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Lazarus, move: That the Senate— (a) notes the significant contribution of Mr Bart Cummings to the Australian racing industry; (b) recognises Mr Cummings'...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Select Committee on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan; Meeting (1 speech)
    I move: That the Select Committee on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan be authorised to hold private meetings otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sittings of the Senate,...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Royal Commission on Trade Union Governance and Corruption (12 speeches)
    I move: (1) That the following Address to His Excellency, the Governor General be agreed to: To His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd) Governor General of the...
  • Coal Industry (1 speech)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator O'Sullivan, move: That the Senate notes— (a) the ambition of the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to bring 24/7 power to some 50 million households...
  • Australian Republic (2 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes significant support across the Australian community for a transition to an Australian republic with an Australian head of state; and (b) acknowledges that...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Abbott Government (15 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...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Select Committee on the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru; Corrigenda to Report (1 speech)
    I present a corrigendum to the dissenting reporting by coalition senators to the report of the Select Committee on the Recent Allegations relating to Conditions and Circumstances at the Regional...
  • Report (1 speech)
    Pursuant to the order at the request of the chairs of the respective committees, I present reports on the examination of annual reports tabled by 30 April 2015. Ordered that the reports be printed.
  • Select Committee on the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru; Report (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That the Senate take note of the report. The report entitled Taking responsibility: conditions and circumstances at Australia's regional processing centre in Nauruwas...
  • Law Enforcement Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement, I present a report of the committee on financial related crime, together with the Hansard record of proceedings and documents...
  • Intelligence and Security Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present the report of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security on the Review of administration and expenditure No. 13 (2013-2014)—Australian intelligence agencies. I...
  • Public Works Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present the committee's report No. 7 of 2015, which deals with three projects referred to the committee in June. I move: That...
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; Government Response to Report (1 speech)
    I present the government’s response to the report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee on its inquiry into the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer...
  • Environment and Communications References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I rise to speak on the Environment and Communications References Committee's report, Regulation of the fin-fish aquaculture industry in Tasmania. First of all I acknowledge the submitters to this...
  • Intelligence and Security Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I would like to make a few remarks about the Intelligence and Security Committee's report on the Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to Australia) Bill 2015. The report goes into the...
  • Recent Allegations Relating to Conditions and Circumstances at the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru Select Committee; Report (3 speeches)
    by leave—this report into recent allegations relating to conditions and circumstances of the regional processing centre in Nauru is, regrettably—unlike Senator Fawcett said—not...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Social Services Legislation Amendment (No. 2) Bill 2015; Explanatory Memorandum (1 speech)
    I table a supplementary explanatory memorandum relating to the government amendments moved to the Social Security Legislation Amendment (No. 2) Bill 2015.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee, Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
    The President has received a letter requesting changes in the membership of committees.
  • Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, Senator Ruston, I present the report of the committee on the provisions of the Water Amendment Bill 2015,...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Banking Laws Amendment (Unclaimed Money) Bill 2015; Second Reading (11 speeches)
    I rise to continue remarks that were interrupted by question time earlier today. To recap in simple terms, a few years ago the then Labor government made a decision to take money away from...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Sugar Industry (5 speeches)
    Mr Acting Deputy President, it may come as a shock to you, or perhaps it would not, that everything that is said in this chamber is not necessarily true or correct. It would not be a shock to...
  • Superannuation (1 speech)
    Tonight I want to talk about an issue that is significant for low-income earners and significant for women—women like Barbara. Barbara is a teachers aide from Queensland, and in 2014 she...
  • Australian Border Force (1 speech)
    Mr Acting Deputy President, I plan to recite a poem. You will recognise its origins but the subject matter is contemporary: There was movement at the station, for the word had passed around That...
  • O'Shea, Mr Pat (1 speech)
    I rise tonight to pay tribute to a very prominent and great Queenslander, the late Pat O'Shea, who was lost to us just recently. Pat O'Shea was a great identity in my state, particularly in the...
  • Wunungmurra, Mr (1 speech)
    I rise this evening to pay tribute to a great Northern Territorian and Yolngu leader who passed away last month in north-east Arnhem Land. Last Friday, at Yirrkala, I attended the state memorial...
  • McIver, Mr Bruce, Bruce Highway (5 speeches)
    Tonight I want to talk about two Bruces— one briefly and one in more detail. The first is Bruce McIver, the President of the Liberal-National Party, who announced this week that he was...
  • Milby, Mr Bill (1 speech)
    I was amazed last week to hear the Prime Minister, at a doorstop interview in Armadale in the seat of Canning, call a cruise ship operator based in Broome a liar. When asked about a report that a...
  • National Child Protection Week (1 speech)
    I rise to speak on an issue of critical importance today: the safety and wellbeing of children across this country. This week is National Child Protection Week in Australia. In its 25th year,...
  • Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption (7 speeches)
    Today in this house we saw a motion about a respected member of the legal fraternity that has placed the Senate in unconstitutional territory. The exposed corruption and vile behaviour of the...
  • Ukraine Independence Day (1 speech)
    As co-chair of the Australian-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group I take a keen interest in Ukrainian issues. Recently, I had the pleasure of celebrating Ukraine Independence Day with members...
  • Marine Environment (1 speech)
    Our ocean is turning into a plastic soup and we need to do something about it. I rise tonight to talk about the scourge of marine plastics and about what the Senate can do to start to help to fix...
  • Human Rights: Morocco (1 speech)
    The Australia Western Sahara Association works for self-determination for the Saharawi people, raising awareness about the injustice of Morocco's occupation of their country for over 40 years,...
  • Workplace Relations: 7-Eleven (1 speech)
    I want to take this opportunity in my adjournment speech this evening to call on the Abbott government to grant amnesty to staff of the 7-Eleven stores. These are students who are working on...
  • Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption (5 speeches)
    I rise this evening to again draw the Senate's attention to the untenable position of Mr Abbott's trade union royal commission. I have addressed the Senate before in relation to this royal...
  • Domestic Violence (1 speech)
    How wonderful was the news that Rosie Batty was to be the Australian of the Year. It was a most important decision. The Baird Liberal government in New South Wales, however, is not doing enough...
  • Trade with China (1 speech)
    For reasons which will become obvious as my speech tonight unfolds, the information I am about to disclose to the Australian Senate would never have been spoken about by members of either the...