Senate debates

Tuesday, 1 December 2015

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    Does any senator wish to have that question put? If not, I will proceed.
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (3 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That, on Tuesday, 1 December 2015: (a) the hours of meeting shall be 12.30 pm to adjournment; (b) any proposal pursuant to standing order 75 shall not be proceeded with;...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Higher Education Support Amendment (VET FEE-HELP Reform) Bill 2015; Second Reading (11 speeches)
    I move the second reading amendment standing in my name: At the end of the motion, add: ", but the Senate calls on the Government to: (1) appoint a National VET Ombudsman who would have the power...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Goods and Services Tax (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Tourism and International Education, Senator Colbeck. I refer to the minister's statement this time last week that, 'There is no proposal from the government on...
• Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    I draw to the attention of honourable senators the presence in the chamber of a parliamentary delegation from Indonesia, led by His Excellency Mr Irman Gusman MP, Speaker of the House of Regional...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Climate Change (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann, representing the Treasurer. Can the minister inform the Senate of what impact an emissions reduction target in Australia of 45 per...
  • Goods and Services Tax (15 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Nash. Is the president of the Victorian branch of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Tony Bartone, right to say...
  • Renewable Energy (21 speeches)
    My question is to the Leader of the Government, representing the Prime Minister. Today the Australian Renewable Energy Agency and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation announced the deployment of...
  • Employment (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Cash. Can the minister inform the Senate of how many jobs have been created since the government came to office?
  • Special Minister of State (6 speeches)
    My question is to Senator Brandis, the Minister representing the Minister for Justice. I refer to guidelines issued by the Australian Federal Police for search warrants, which state: All matters...
  • Trade (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Cabinet Secretary, Senator Sinodinos, representing the Minister for Trade and Investment. Can the cabinet secretary inform the Senate how the government's success in...
  • Automotive Industry (6 speeches)
    My question is for the Minister for Finance, representing the Minister for Small Business. It is now the 12-month anniversary of the voluntary code of conduct in relation to automotive service...
  • Political Fundraising (26 speeches)
    My question is to Senator Nash, the Minister representing the Minister for Health. I refer to the minister's statement yesterday: All of us in this chamber know that smoking causes great harm to...
  • Higher Education (47 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham. Will the minister inform the Senate about the results of the trial of the new literacy and numeracy test for teacher...
  • Remote School Attendance Strategy (7 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. Will the minister update the Senate on how the government's Remote School Attendance Strategy is delivering on this...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Goods and Services Tax (20 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Tourism and International Education (Senator Colbeck) and the Minister for Rural Health (Senator Nash) to questions...
  • Renewable Energy (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Attorney General (Senator Brandis) to a question without notice asked by the Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Di Natale) today...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to Australia) Bill 2015; Explanatory Memorandum (1 speech)
    I table a revised explanatory memorandum relating to the Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to Australia) Bill 2015.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Community Affairs References Committee; Reference (1 speech)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Polley, move: That the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 30 June 2016: The future of...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day (1 speech)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Bilyk, move: That the Senate— (a) recognises: (i) the successful campaigning of Maria Bond from Bears Of Hope, whose efforts have prompted the Tasmanian...
  • World AIDS Day (1 speech)
    I, and also on behalf of Senators McAllister, Singh and Simms, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) 1 December marks World AIDS Day, which is held every year to raise awareness about...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Australian Broadcasting Corporation Amendment (Rural and Regional Advocacy) Bill 2015; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the Charter and board composition in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983, and for related purposes....
  • Australian Broadcasting Corporation Amendment (Rural and Regional Advocacy) Bill 2015; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to table the explanatory memorandum relating to the bill. Leave granted. I table an explanatory memorandum and I seek leave to have...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Law Enforcement Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator Singh, I move: That the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement be authorised to hold private meetings otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1),...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • West Papua (8 speeches)
    I ask that general business notice of motion No. 960 standing in my name for today relating to West Papua be taken as a formal motion.
  • Central Coast: Australian Taxation Office (8 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) the importance of jobs on the Central Coast, and the vital role that governments can play in delivering those opportunities, stimulating the local...
  • Timor-Leste (4 speeches)
    I seek leave to add Senator Xenophon's name to general business notice of motion No. 976 before we proceed. Leave granted. I ask that general business notice of motion No. 976, which relates to...
  • Suspension of Standing Orders (8 speeches)
    Pursuant to contingent notice and at the request of the Leader of the Australian Greens, I move: That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent Senator Ludlam moving a motion...
• Petitions (0 speeches)
  • Medicinal Cannabis (1 speech)
    by leave—I table a document that is in the form of a nonconforming petition relating to medicinal cannabis.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Economics References Committee; Report (13 speeches)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Senate Economics References Committee, I present the report on Australia's automotive industry together with the Hansard record of proceedings and documents...
  • Joint Statutory Committee on Public Works; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present report no. 10 of 2015, referrals made August and September 2015. by leave—I move: That the Senate take note of...
  • Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, I present two reports as listed at item 13 on today's order of business. I move: That the Senate take note of the...
  • Economics References Committee; Report (3 speeches)
    I present the report of the Economics References Committee on Australian food certification schemes and certifiers together with the Hansard record of proceedings and documents presented to the...
• Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
  • Centenary of Anzac (2 speeches)
    I table a ministerial statement relating the Centenary of Anzac national program.
  • Infrastructure (3 speeches)
    I table the annual ministerial infrastructure statement.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Economics References Committee, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee (2 speeches)
    The President has received letters requesting changes in the membership of committees.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Amendment 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.
  • Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Amendment Bill 2015; Second Reading (1 speech)
    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— AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF...
  • Export Control Amendment (Quotas) Bill 2015; First Reading (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That this bill may proceed without formalities and be now read a first time. Question agreed to. Bill read a first time. by leave—I move: That the provisions of...
  • Export Control Amendment (Quotas) Bill 2015; Second Reading (1 speech)
    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— EXPORT CONTROL...
  • Higher Education Support Amendment (VET FEE-HELP Reform) Bill 2015; Second Reading (15 speeches)
    This is a continuation of my speech. I had a few minutes earlier today just before question time, and for those who might be listening and paying attention to this debate at the moment I would...
  • Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to Australia) Bill 2015; Second Reading (11 speeches)
    Today the Senate is being presented with the Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to Australia) Bill 2015, a bill that provides for three new ways by which a person who is a dual national...
  • Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to Australia) Bill 2015; In Committee (33 speeches)
    I have a few questions for the minister, if I may? Minister, in your summing up speech you referred to the constitutional robustness of this bill not having been made publicly available and that...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Agriculture (1 speech)
    I rise tonight to talk about a business in my local town, Bindaree Beef. In the mid-1990s, the town of Inverell in northern New South Wales was facing a bleak future. North West Exports...
  • Northern Tasmania (1 speech)
    Tonight I rise to speak about a very important local issue—that is, the need for a hospice in Northern Tasmania. I would like to acknowledge Barb Baker, who has been the champion of the...
  • Change the Record Coalition (2 speeches)
    I rise tonight to speak of an issue of the utmost importance. Yesterday I had the pleasure of co-hosting the launch of a report from the Change the Record Coalition, Blueprint for change:...
  • HIV-AIDS (2 speeches)
    I rise to reflect on Australia's handling of HIV-AIDS. In the 1980s we took action in the face of strident conservative opposition. That action saved lives. Today, on World AIDS Day, it deserves...
  • Santamaria, Mr Bartholomew Augustine (1 speech, 1 comment)
    There is a common and very human tendency to accept unquestioningly that the way things are is the way they must be, as if history has been guided by some predetermined inevitability which has...
  • Business Council of Australia (9 speeches)
    Right back in August this year, when Malcolm Turnbull's prime ministership was just a gleam in his eye and he was busy doing the numbers, we had a small business minister who actually cared about...
  • Victoria: Gambling (2 speeches)
    The digital age was supposed to make our lives easier and, to a large extent, it has. But, as we can plainly see, changing landscapes require new rules because our old rules do not fit the...
  • Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption (1 speech)
    I rise this evening to take advantage of the last significant adjournment opportunity of the year to again draw the Senate's attention to the ongoing hypocrisy of Prime Minister Turnbull's Royal...
  • Perth Freight Link (1 speech)
    Tonight I rise to acknowledge a real turning point in the campaign against the Perth Freight Link. I seek leave to table a letter to the Prime Minister from Miss Corina Abraham, a local...