Senate debates

Thursday, 3 March 2016

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee, Joint Standing Committee on Migration; Meeting (1 speech)
    I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation; Order for the Production of Documents (11 speeches)
    I am just wondering if I could get some advice from you here: was there a response to a return to order by the Senate in regard to the CSIRO? I understand it was due at 9.30.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Restoring Territory Rights (Assisted Suicide Legislation) Bill 2015; Second Reading (7 speeches)
    Mr Deputy President, I rise to support passage of the Restoring Territory Rights (Assisted Suicide Legislation) Bill 2015, a private senator's bill I introduced late last year. In 1997, Kevin...
  • Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security Amendment Bill 2015; Second Reading (4 speeches)
    I am pleased to commence debate on the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security Amendment Bill 2015 in the Senate today. This is a bill which brings together a series of...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Electoral Commission; Order for the Production of Documents (15 speeches)
    by leave—Can the minister advise the Senate as to whether it is the government's intention to respond to the order regarding the CSIRO's Oceans and Atmosphere division, which was due at...
• Petitions (0 speeches)
  • Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Standing) Bill 2015, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Bilateral Agreement Implementation) Bill 2014 (6 speeches)
    I seek leave to table additional nonconforming signatories and to make a short statement.
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Presentation (1 speech)
    I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I will move: That the Senate— notes that World Kidney Day, held on 10 March 2016, is an opportunity to raise awareness of kidney disease;...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present the third report of 2016 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— (a) government business orders of the day as shown on today's order of business be considered from 12.45 pm today; and (b) government business be called on after consideration...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Economics References Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
    Does any senator require the question be put on that proposal? There is no such request.
  • Community Affairs Legislation Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That the Community Affairs Legislation Committee be authorised to hold a public hearing today, from 3.30 pm, for the committee's consideration of the 2015-16 additional...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Withdrawal (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Conroy, I withdraw motion 1065.
• 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 Legislation...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Defence Procurement; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    ) ( ): I, and also on behalf of Senator Xenophon, move: That— (a) the Senate notes that: (i) on 17 November 2014 the Senate agreed to an order for the production of documents directed at...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Social Security Amendment (Diabetes Support) Bill 2016; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the Social Security Act 1991, and for related purposes. Social Security Amendment (Diabetes Support) Bill 2016. Question...
  • Social Security Amendment (Diabetes Support) Bill 2016; 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 and to table an explanatory memorandum. Leave granted. The speech read as...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Homelessness (7 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Lines, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that Ruah Community Services has coordinated Perth’s third Registry Week, held between 8 February and 19 February...
  • Vietnam Veterans Day (1 speech)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Reynolds, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that Vietnam Veterans Day: (i) is celebrated on 18 August every year, (ii) commemorates the service and sacrifice...
  • International Women's Day (1 speech)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Cash and Senator Waters, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) 8 March is International Women’s Day (IWD), and that the theme for IWD 2016 is...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Education Funding; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator Dastyari, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister for Education and Training (Senator Birmingham), the Minister for Finance and the Minister representing...
  • Election of Senators; Order for the Production of Documents (15 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Collins, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Special Minister of State, no later than 2 pm on Thursday, 3 March 2016, documents recording the agreement...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Membership (2 speeches)
    The President has received a letter requesting changes in the membership of a committee.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Increasing Consumer Choice) Bill 2016, Tax Laws Amendment (Norfolk Island CGT Exemption) 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...
  • Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Increasing Consumer Choice) Bill 2016, Tax Laws Amendment (Norfolk Island CGT Exemption) 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— AGED CARE...
  • Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2015-2016, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2015-2016; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That these bills may proceed without formalities, may be taken together and be now read a first time. Question agreed to. Bills read a first time.
  • Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2015-2016, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2015-2016; 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— APPROPRIATION...
  • Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Single Appeal Path) 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.
  • Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Single Appeal Path) Bill 2016; 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— VETERANS' AFFAIRS...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Election of Senators; Order for the Production of Documents (30 speeches)
    by leave—I seek an explanation as to why the minister has not provided the documents required by the Senate under the orders agreed to by the Senate on 24 February, 29 February and 2 March....
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme Amendment Bill 2016; Second Reading (4 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme Amendment Bill 2016. This bill amends the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme to provide a higher...
  • Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme 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.
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That intervening business be postponed till after consideration of government business orders of the day relating to the Tax Laws Amendment (Norfolk Island CGT Exemption) Bill 2016 and...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Tax Laws Amendment (Norfolk Island CGT Exemption) Bill 2016; Second Reading (12 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the Tax Laws Amendment (Norfolk Island CGT Exemption) Bill 2016. But first I want to look at the Norfolk Island Legislation Amendment Bill 2015, which ended the island's...
  • Tax Laws Amendment (Norfolk Island CGT Exemption) 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 the Committee of the Whole.
  • Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Increasing Consumer Choice) Bill 2016; Second Reading (3 speeches)
    I rise to speak in support of the Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Increasing Consumer Choice) Bill 2016. Labor is supporting this legislation as it is essentially the next logical step in the...
  • Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Increasing Consumer Choice) Bill 2016; Third Reading (2 speeches)
    As there have been no amendments to the bill circulated, unless any senator wishes to have a committee stage, I intend to call the minister for the third reading.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Australian Electoral Commission; Order for the Production of Documents (4 speeches)
    I table documents relating to the order for the production of documents concerning electoral law changes and Senate voting and seek leave to make a brief statement of less than two minutes.
• Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    I advise the Senate that Senator Birmingham, the Minister for Education and Training, will be absent from question time today on ministerial business. In Senator Birmingham's absence, Senator...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Defence Procurement (11 speeches)
    My question is to Minister Payne. In an official press release on 20 February 2015 former defence minister Kevin Andrews said the future submarines would be delivered in the 2020s. Noting that...
• Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    I draw to the attention of senators the presence in the gallery of the parliamentary delegation from the Federal Republic of Germany. On behalf of all senators, I wish you a warm welcome in...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Defence White Paper (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. Will the minister advise the Senate on what the 2016 Defence white paper delivers for Defence bases and infrastructure across the country?
  • Workplace Relations (20 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Women, Senator Cash. Can the minister confirm that the Turnbull government is seeking to remove enforceable provisions in the current round of departmental...
  • Syria (13 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General in his capacity representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I refer to the negotiated cessation of hostilities in the Syrian civil war that has opened...
  • Defence White Paper (8 speeches)
    My question without notice is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. I refer to the leaking of a classified National Security Committee document to The Australian...
  • Extradition Law: China (6 speeches, 4 comments)
    My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. The treaty on extradition between Australia and the People's Republic of China has recently been tabled in the Senate. Given that China is...
  • International Women's Day (15 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment and the Minister for Women, Senator Cash. Next Thursday is International Women's Day. Can the minister advise the Senate on action being taken by the...
  • Workplace Gender Equality (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Women, Senator Cash, about the gender pay gap. A report released today by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency shows that women in senior management positions...
  • Broadband (20 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Communications, Senator Fifield. I refer to Mr Turnbull's claim in August last year that the cost of an optic fibre NBN would be $3,700 a home and stay that...
  • Illicit Drugs (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Rural Health and Minister for Regional Communications, Senator Nash. Will the minister provide the Senate with details on the...
  • Defence White Paper (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. On Tuesday the minister told the Senate that the government would deliver thousands of jobs in shipbuilding, but yesterday the ASC...
  • Overseas Students (7 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Tourism and International Education, Senator Colbeck. Will the minister advise the Senate how many international students chose Australia as their study...
• Statements (0 speeches)
  • Fair Work Commission (1 speech)
    by leave—Last week I provided the Senate with an update in relation to an inquiry into complaints related to Vice President Lawler of the Fair Work Commission. I advise the Senate that...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Workplace Relations (21 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service, the Minister for Employment and the Minister for Women (Senator Cash) to...
  • Extradition Law: China (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Attorney-General (Senator Brandis) to questions without notice asked today in relation to the extradition treaty between Australia and...
  • Syria (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Senator Brandis) to a question without notice asked by Senator Ludlam today...
• Budget (0 speeches)
  • Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
    I present additional information received by committees relating to estimates.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Publications Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Reynolds, I present the 22nd report of the Senate Standing Committee on Publications. Ordered that the report be adopted.
  • Electoral Matters Committee; Corrigenda to Report (1 speech)
    I present a corrigendum to the report of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters on the inquiry into the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment Bill 2016. Ordered that the document be printed.
  • Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present the report of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity on the examination of the 2014-15 annual report of the integrity commissioner,...
  • Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee; Government Response to Report (2 speeches)
    I present the government’s response to the report of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee on its inquiry into the use of unmanned air, maritime and land platforms by...
  • Membership (2 speeches)
    Order! The President has received letters requesting changes in the membership of various committees.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Donations Reform) Bill 2014; Second Reading (29 speeches)
    I am pleased to resume my contribution to the debate on the Greens' Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Donations Reform) Bill 2014. If passed, this bill would stop certain industries, often linked...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Select Committee on Health; Membership (1 speech)
    (): by leave—I move: That Senator Lazarus be appointed as a participating member of the Select Committee on Health. Question agreed to.
  • Electoral Matters Committee; Report (20 speeches)
    We had a fairly lengthy discussion—and I recall Senator Carr's remarks—when we first addressed this report. But it is very important, in my view, that we go back to a number of...
  • Economics References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I rise to take note of the Economics References Committee report: Future of Australia's automotive industry: driving jobs and investment. When we are talking about automotive industry, when we...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Tourism (1 speech)
    'Tasmania clearly has got a terrific boost from tourism. Anybody trying to book a hotel room in Hobart or elsewhere has seen that. That is terrific.' Those are the words of Treasury Secretary,...
  • Housing Affordability, Homelessness (1 speech)
    So here we are in the year of a federal election with no housing minister and no affordable housing policy. We have heard nothing from the government on homelessness, except that somehow it is...
  • Safe Schools Coalition Australia (1 speech)
    I seek leave to table the following letters and associated signatures: a letter from Senator Janet Rice and me relating to a petition of more than 35,000 people in support of the Safe Schools...