Senate debates

Wednesday, 24 February 2016

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    Does any senator wish to have that motion put? There being none, we will proceed to business.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment Bill 2016; Second Reading (3 speeches)
    I rise to speak in support of this bill. The opposition are supporting this legislation so that the petroleum exploration industry does not suffer from uncertainty brought about by an oversight...
  • Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment Bill 2016; In Committee (50 speeches)
    I would like to ask the minister: when was this issue first brought to the attention of the government and how was it discovered?
  • Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment Bill 2016; Third Reading (2 speeches)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to.
  • Narcotic Drugs Amendment Bill 2016; 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.
  • Narcotic Drugs Amendment Bill 2016; Second Reading (10 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— NARCOTIC DRUGS...
  • Narcotic Drugs Amendment Bill 2016; 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.
  • Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Measures) Bill 2015; Second Reading (3 speeches)
    Labor will not be opposing the two measures in this bill today, which is another part of an ongoing range of issues around family payments and government savings. This is one that Labor will be...
• Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
  • Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (5 speeches)
    I rise today for chapter 1 of what will take many hours. I recently have been given an order to produce documents to the McClellan Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual...
  • Tropical Cyclone Winston (8 speeches)
    I rise to speak about the awful devastation wrought by Tropical Cyclone Winston on the people of Fiji and to offer my support to all the families who are suffering and have lost loved ones....
  • Safe Schools Coalition Australia (1 speech)
    My contribution today is also on the Safe Schools Coalition program. I want to make the point that is perhaps lost on my colleague in the Greens that Senator Bernardi is not the only individual...
  • Economy (1 speech)
    There has been much discussion and debate in the parliament and the media in recent times about the state of the economy. This is something that people in Australia are rightly concerned about:...
  • Inglis, Mr Brad, Kulture Break, Ricky Stuart House, Canberra Grammar School, Adoption (1 speech)
    Today I to rise to speak about some important local events and individuals. I recently had the opportunity to meet an up-and-coming local sports star, Brad Inglis. Brad was recently drafted to...
  • Australian Embassy: Doha (1 speech)
    In my contribution yesterday, I put on the public record that in 2015-16 we expect to collect $405.4 billion, an increase of 5.5 per cent on 2014-15, and that expenses are expected to be $434.5...
  • Education Funding (5 speeches)
    In the few minutes that I have today I want to comment on what I find a really sad indictment on the character of modern political debate. It involves the Leader of the Opposition,...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Taxation (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. I refer to comments this morning by his senior cabinet colleague, Ms O'Dwyer, who says that Labor's negative...
  • Tropical Cyclone Winston (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. Will the minister update the Senate on the situation in Fiji, including Defence's contribution to the Australian government's response?
  • Education Funding (14 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. Does the Prime Minister agree with the Minister for Education, Senator Birmingham, that the Safe Schools program...
  • Building and Construction Industry (30 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Cash. Is the minister aware of any instances of bullying, harassment or intimidation in the building and construction sector which should be...
  • Meat Industry (6 speeches)
    Mr President, my question is to Senator Canavan, representing the Minister for Resources, Energy and Northern Australia. Given the recent downturn in the domestic meat processing industry and the...
  • Education Funding (6 speeches)
    Mr president, my question is to the Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham. Will the minister update the Senate on what elements of the jobs for families package will support...
  • Liberal Party (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Finance and the Special Minister of State, Senator Cormann. It concerns liberal values, as do my supplementary questions. Last week the Treasurer said: So, if...
  • Defence Procurement (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. Is it correct that the participants in the future submarine competitive evaluation process were required to submit their final bids on...
  • Senator Ronaldson, Domestic and Family Violence (10 speeches)
    My question is to Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. This is a very serious issue, and I hope colleagues will resist the temptation to interject. Will...
  • Higher Education (7 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Vocational Education and Skills, Senator Ryan. Is the government considering placing a cap on the size of loans charged to students under a revamped VET...
• Parliamentary Office Holders (0 speeches)
  • Nationals Whip (1 speech)
    I wish to advise the Senate that Senator O'Sullivan will be replacing Senator Canavan as Nationals Whip in the Senate. I would like to take the opportunity to thank Senator Canavan for the...
• Answers to Questions on Notice (0 speeches)
  • Question Nos 2642 and 2907 (19 speeches, 1 comment)
    Pursuant to standing order 74(5), I ask the Minister representing the Minister for Resources, Energy and Regional Australia, Mr Frydenberg, for an explanation as to why answers have not yet been...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Taxation, Education Funding (7 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Attorney-General (Senator Brandis) to questions without notice asked by Senators Wong and Dastyari today relating to negative gearing...
  • Education Funding (7 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Education and Training (Senator Birmingham) to a question without notice asked by Senator Simms today relating to the...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Postponement (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That business of the Senate notice of motion no. 2 standing in his name for today, proposing a reference to the Education and Employment References Committee, be postponed...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Steel Industry (1 speech)
    I, and also on behalf of Senators Carr, Lazarus, Madigan and Muir, move: That the Senate— (a)   notes: (i)   the importance of Australia's steel industry, not...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation; Order for the Production of Documents (4 speeches)
    I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, no later than 9 am on 3 March 2016, the following documents in relation to...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Anti-Protest Laws (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a)   notes that three United Nations human rights experts have urged the Parliament of Western Australia not to adopt new anti-protest laws which...
  • Election of Senators (10 speeches)
    I seek to add the names of Senators Muir, Leyonhjelm, Lazarus, Madigan, Wang, Day and Lambie to the motion.
  • Alcohol-fuelled Violence (2 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) on 3 February 2016, the Senate referred the ‘need for a nationally-consistent approach to alcohol-fuelled violence’ to the Legal and...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Education and Employment References Committee; Reference (2 speeches)
    I, and also on behalf of Senators Leyonhjelm, Lambie, Muir, Wang, Lazarus, Day and Xenophon, move: That the following matters be referred to the Education and Employment References Committee for...
  • Establishment of a National Integrity Commission; Appointment (10 speeches)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Madigan, move: (1)   That a select committee, to be known as the Select Committee relating to the establishment of a National Integrity Commission,...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Government Departments: Outsourcing to Foreign Businesses; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
    I move: That there be laid on the table by each Government minister, no later than 4 pm on Thursday, 12 May 2016, any documents relevant to the outsourcing of work by their government departments...
• Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
  • Donations to Political Parties (22 speeches)
    I inform the Senate that I have received the following letter, dated 24 February 2016, from Senator Siewert: Pursuant to standing order 75, I give notice that today I propose to move "That, in...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Polley, the chair of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, I present the second report and alert digest No. 2 of 2016 of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny...
  • Regulations and Ordinances Committee; Delegated Legislation Monitor (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Williams, the chair of the Standing Committee on Regulations and Ordinances, I present the Delegated Legislation Monitor No. 2 of 2016 of the Standing Committee on...
  • Human Rights Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, I present the 34th report of the 44th Parliament, Human rights scrutiny report. I seek to have the tabling statement incorporated...
  • Economics References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Ketter, the chair of the Economics Reference Committee, I present the report of the Economics Reference Committee on the scrutiny of financial advice, together with the...
  • Economics References Committee; Government Response to Report (1 speech)
    I present the government's response to the report of the Economics References Committee on its inquiry into the need for a national approach to retail leasing arrangements. I seek leave to have...
  • Economics References Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
    The President has received letters requesting changes in the membership of various committees.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Dairy Produce Amendment (Dairy Service Levy Poll) Bill 2016, Parliamentary Entitlements Amendment (Injury Compensation Scheme) Bill 2016; First Reading (1 speech)
    These bills are being introduced together. After debate on the motion for the second reading has been adjourned, I shall move a motion to have the bills listed separately on the Notice Paper. I...
  • Dairy Produce Amendment (Dairy Service Levy Poll) Bill 2016, Parliamentary Entitlements Amendment (Injury Compensation Scheme) Bill 2016; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That these bills be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speeches incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speeches read as follows— DAIRY PRODUCE...
  • Family Law Amendment (Financial Agreements and Other Measures) Bill 2015; Report of Legislation Committee (1 speech)
    On behalf of the chair of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Senator Macdonald, I present the report of the committee on the Family Law Amendment (Financial Agreements...
  • Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Measures) Bill 2015; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I got a start on my summing up before other matters intervened, and I will now continue. The first measure that the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Measures) Bill deals with will...
  • Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Measures) Bill 2015; In Committee (1 speech)
    I table a supplementary explanatory memorandum relating to the government's amendments to be moved to this bill. I move government amendment (1) on sheet JC283 that has been circulated in my...
  • Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Measures) Bill 2015; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Tax Laws Amendment (Implementation of the Common Reporting Standard) Bill 2015; In Committee (4 speeches)
    The question is that the bill stand as printed. (Quorum formed)
  • Tax Laws Amendment (Implementation of the Common Reporting Standard) Bill 2015; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Omnibus Repeal Day (Autumn 2015) Bill 2015; Second Reading (5 speeches)
    Today was a glorious Canberra summer day. In just over a week it will be March, and autumn will be upon us. The leaves will change colour and start their descent to the ground. The flame tree in...
  • Omnibus Repeal Day (Autumn 2015) Bill 2015; In Committee (8 speeches)
    by leave—I move Australian Greens amendments (1) and (2) on sheet 7769: (1) Clause 2, page 2 (table item 4), omit "Schedule 4", substitute "Schedules 3A and 4". (2) Page 13 (after line 28),...
  • Omnibus Repeal Day (Autumn 2015) Bill 2015; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Omnibus Repeal Day (Spring 2015) Bill 2015; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    The Omnibus Repeal Day (Spring 2015) Bill 2015 was introduced as part of the fourth so-called red-tape repeal day in the life of this government. How far it has come! Back in the old days, the...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People: Segregation (1 speech)
    In 1964 and 1965, Charlie Perkins and students from the University of Sydney organised a series of freedom rides inspired by the American freedom rides to end segregation. Segregation of...
  • Mining (1 speech)
    I want to take this opportunity to raise what I think are some very serious concerns about the conduct of a Hunter based mining company, Yancoal Australia. I am concerned that they are setting up...
  • Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (1 speech)
    Many Tasmanians as well as me and many Australians who care about climate change, and, in fact, thousands in the international community and science institutions everywhere have been watching the...