Senate debates
Wednesday, 12 October 2016
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
- Federation (6 speeches)
I rise to speak about an issue that I believe is the single greatest act of national reform that we can achieve together as a nation—that is, change is required to generate new jobs and...
- Multiculturalism (1 speech)
Some people claim that Australia is a racist country, that there is something inherently racist in the Australian character. They point to the recent election of political parties and candidates...
- Western Australia: Economy (1 speech)
Over the last year, one of the things that has disturbed me as a senator for Western Australia is the rather gloomy prognosis about the performance of the economy in my home state of Western...
- Attorney-General (5 speeches)
I rise to speak on the issue of the behaviour and conduct of the Attorney-General, because this has been an issue of some focus in the media and, certainly, in this Senate. I think it is useful...
- Australian Greens (5 speeches)
As a servant to the people of Queensland, I rise in the house today for a most pressing and important issue: the threat posed to this great nation by the Australian Greens. Our great country has...
- Gold Coast (1 speech)
If you ask Australians and people all around the world what their favourite place in Australia is, many will say the Gold Coast, in my home state of Queensland. I personally have many memories of...
- Climate Change (1 speech)
I rise to address and respond to the remarks made by Senator Roberts just now, in his contribution to this debate. It concerns me deeply to hear a representative of the Australian people present...
- Pakistan: Christians (2 speeches)
In the few minutes available I thought I would raise the plight of persecuted Christians in Pakistan. Earlier today I had the opportunity of meeting with the Chairman of the British Pakistani...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Attorney-General (13 speeches)
This is a question to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. The Attorney-General, when asked in question time yesterday whether he agreed with Senator Macdonald's statement on the...
- Economy (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann. Can the minister update the Senate on the government's plans to facilitate the successful transition of the Australian economy from...
- Attorney-General (28 speeches)
My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. I refer to the censure of the Attorney-General passed by the Senate on 2 March 2015 for behaviour including failing to defend the...
- Asylum Seekers (8 speeches)
My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, representing the Prime Minister. Minister, your government has this week been crowing about 800 days without a boat arrival. However,...
- Singapore (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. I ask the minister to update the Senate on the Australia-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement reached between...
- Water (12 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Senator Canavan. I refer to the front-page report in the Adelaide Sunday Mail by Lauren Novak on 9...
- Resources Industry (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Senator Canavan. Can the minister update the Senate on the current state of the resources industry?
- Taxation (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Cormann. In your budget you proposed various tax increases. You proposed to increase tax on super by nearly $3 billion by 2020....
- Attorney-General (8 speeches)
My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. When did the Hon. Brian Martin advise the Attorney-General that he intended to resign as royal commissioner into the child protection and...
- International Development Assistance (8 speeches)
My question is to the multilingual Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Senator Fierravanti-Wells. Can the minister advise the Senate how the government's international aid...
- Attorney-General (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. Has the Prime Minister sought advice regarding the current conflict between Australia's first and second law...
- Indigenous Employment (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. Can the minister update the Senate on how the government is delivering on its commitment to support more Indigenous...
- Economy (20 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. I refer to the Treasurer, who says that monetary policy has 'exhausted its effectiveness', and reports which...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Attorney-General (28 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of answers given by the Attorney-General (Senator Brandis) to questions asked by opposition senators today relating to the Solicitor-General. We, on this side of...
- Asylum Seekers (7 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Attorney-General (Senator Brandis) to a question without notice asked by Senator McKim today relating to boat turn-backs, Manus Island...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Leave of Absence (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That Senator Waters be granted leave of absence for today, on account of ill health. Question agreed to.
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Postponement (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That business of the Senate notice No. 3 be postponed. Question agreed to.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
I move: That consideration of the business before the Senate on Thursday, 13 October 2016, be interrupted at approximately 4 pm, but not so as to interrupt a senator speaking, to enable Senator...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Renewable Energy (4 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes the large storm that lashed South Australia on 28 and 29 September 2016; (b) acknowledges the incredible effort of hundreds of emergency services...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Investor-State Dispute Settlement (7 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) clauses in trade agreements restrict Australia's sovereignty and ability to fairly regulate...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Tasmania: Indigenous Affairs (11 speeches)
I move: That— (1) With regard to Indigenous recognition in Tasmania, the Senate notes that the Premier of Tasmania made an historic Australia Day speech on the 21 January 2016 where he...
- Donations to Political Parties (5 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that the National Bank of Australia has announced a voluntary ban on all political donations to avoid perceptions of impropriety or graft; and (b) calls...
- Oil Exploration (5 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) welcomes the decision by BP to withdraw its application to drill for oil in the Great Australian Bight; and (b) calls on the Turnbull Government to permanently...
- Foreign Investment (3 speeches)
I ask that general business notice of motion No. 85 standing in my name for today relating to Chinese ownership of Australian assets be taken as a formal motion. The PRESIDENT: Is there any...
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Turnbull Government (26 speeches)
I have received the following letter from Senator Gallagher. Dear Mr President Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate...
- First Speech (0 speeches)
- (8 speeches)
Order! I remind senators that we are about to hear two first speeches and that we extend the normal courtesies to the two senators about to give those speeches. Firstly, I call Senator Chisholm.
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- Circus Animals (1 speech)
by leave—I present to the Senate a nonconforming petition on the use of animals in circuses.
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Senate Procedure Committee; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of the Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Procedure, I present the committee's First report of 2016. Ordered that the report be printed. by leave—I move: That consideration...
- Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
I present the seventh report of the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills. I also lay on the table Scrutiny of Bills Alert Digest No. 7 of 2016. Ordered that the report be printed....
- Regulations and Ordinances Committee; Delegated Legislation Monitor (1 speech)
On behalf of the Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Regulations and Ordinances, I present the Delegated Legislation Monitor No. 7 of 2016 of the Standing Committee on Regulations and...
- Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights; Report (1 speech)
On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, I present the report No. 7 of 2016: Human rights scrutiny report. Ordered that the report be printed. I seek leave to have the...
- Membership (2 speeches)
Order! The President has received letters requesting changes in the membership of committees and a letter from Senator Ludlam resigning his place on the Standing Committee of Privileges with...
- Report (1 speech)
Pursuant to order and at the request of the chairs of respective legislation committees, I present reports on the examination of annual reports tabled by 30 April 2016. Ordered that the reports...
- Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; Report (29 speeches)
by leave—I move: That the Senate take note of the annual report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee. The report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Gone Fishing Day (2 speeches)
It gives me a huge amount of pleasure to stand tonight to inform the Senate about a very exciting event that is going to be happening in Australia on Sunday. It is national Gone Fishing Day. Many...
- Australian National Audit Office (1 speech)
At the outset I want to place on the record once again my appreciation of the extraordinary good work done by the Australian National Audit Office. It is an invaluable resource and it allows all...
- Zuaiter, Mr Wael (1 speech)
Peter Manning, one of Australia's most distinguished journalists, has written a stunning book, Janet Venn-Brown: A Life in Art. The centrepiece is a moving love story, but this is a love story...
- Tasmanian Tourism (1 speech)
It is a pleasure to rise to speak briefly on the adjournment debate tonight about what I think is the best part of our country: the state of Tasmania. Last Friday I had the great pleasure of...
