Senate debates

Wednesday, 29 March 2017

• Statement by the President (0 speeches)
  • Parliamentary Language (7 speeches)
    Yesterday the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Senator Wong, raised a point of order in relation to language used during question time. I indicated that I would reflect on the matter and...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (Enterprise Tax Plan) Bill 2016; Second Reading (21 speeches)
    I rise to make a contribution to the debate on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Enterprise Tax Plan) Bill 2016. Let us be clear: this is an incredibly consequential piece of legislation that we have...
  • Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2016-2017, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2016-2017; 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. I seek leave to move a motion to exempt...
  • Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2016-2017, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2016-2017; Second Reading (3 speeches)
    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...
  • Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2016-2017, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2016-2017; Third Reading (2 speeches)
    In accordance with the provisions of standing order 115(4) I will call the minister to move the third reading.
• Budget (0 speeches)
  • Advance to the Finance Minister (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That the Senate approves the advances provided under the annual Appropriation Acts as a final charge for the year ended 30 June 2016. Question agreed to.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill 2017; Second Reading (4 speeches)
    While I am in the chamber I will give a shout out to the delegation of New Zealand parliamentarians that is in my office right now. Yesterday, I was reminding people about what ANTaR had written...
• Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
  • Mining Industry (1 speech)
    I rise to reflect today on the value of the resources sector in this country historically, in the present day and going forward. Historically, we often forget the importance of the resources...
  • Schools (1 speech)
    I believe in the power of education to change lives. Education brings significant benefits to the individual and society and it allows individuals to gain access to better career opportunities...
  • Mining (1 speech, 2 comments)
    On 11 March 2017 we marked the sixth anniversary of the great Tohoku earthquake off Japan's Pacific coast. Nearly 20,000 people died as a wall of water hit the coast less than an hour after the...
  • Wild Dogs (1 speech)
    It was just over two years ago this month, on 5 March 2015, that I drew the attention of this chamber to a matter of increasing seriousness for many pastoralists across Western Australia, one...
  • Rural and Regional Services (1 speech)
    Today I rise to speak on a growing and persistent concern, that of regional inequality. I do so because time and again our rural, remote and regional areas are ignored by this government. It is a...
  • Indigenous Affairs (1 speech)
    In 1991, Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody wrote the now famous song From Little Things Big Things Grow. Apparently they were sitting around a campfire, and a few hours later they had written a...
  • Defence (2 speeches)
    I rise to talk about the powers of the Commonwealth government under section 51 of our Constitution, which relates to the defence of the nation. Over the years, leaders of both political...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Cyclone Debbie (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. Firstly, I would like to say to Queenslanders that the thoughts of all Labor senators and, I am sure, the thoughts...
• Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    I draw to the attention of honourable senators the presence in the chamber of a parliamentary delegation from New Zealand, representing the Justice and Electoral Committee, led by Ms Sarah Dowie...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Energy (8 speeches, 3 comments)
    My question is for the Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham, representing the Minister for the Environment and Energy. Can the minister update the Senate on the cost that South...
  • Privilege (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. In its report into search warrants tabled yesterday in the Senate the Privileges Committee found that warrants...
  • National Congress of Australia's First Peoples (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. The secretariat of the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples is based in Redfern, Sydney, in a building leased to...
  • Energy (10 speeches, 2 comments)
    My question is to the Minister for Regional Development, Senator Nash. Over recent months, I have met with businesses throughout regional Victoria about increasing their growth opportunities....
  • Domestic and Family Violence (8 speeches)
    My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Social Services, Senator Ryan. 1800RESPECT is the National Sexual Assault and Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service. Rape and...
  • Welfare Reform (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Cash. Can the minister inform the Senate of the benefits of the Turnbull government's Youth Jobs PaTH Prepare Trial Hire program and how...
  • Migration (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator Cash. Since 2007, net migration to Australia compromised over 60 per cent of Australia's...
  • Workplace Relations (21 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. On 17 March, when asked by Neil Mitchell of 3AW, 'Do you support the cut to Sunday penalty rates or not?' the...
  • Resources Industry (10 speeches)
    As a senator for the great state of Western Australia, my question is to the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Senator Canavan. Can the minister please update the Senate on the...
  • Community Legal Centres (20 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. On 1 July 2017 the Attorney-General's 30 per cent cuts to community legal services will come into effect. Does the...
  • Arts (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Communications and Minister for the Arts, Senator Fifield. Can the minister apprise the Senate of the arts funding changes that were announced last week?
• Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
  • National Congress of Australia's First Peoples (1 speech)
    I just want to add to my answer to Senator Siewert regarding the accommodation of the National Congress. I stated that congress was staying in their own premises, and my answers were quite...
  • Disability Services (1 speech)
    I would like to add to information I said I would bring back to the chamber in answer to a question from Senator Brown yesterday. The government considers all violence and abuse against people...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Privilege (12 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 Carr today relating to the report of the Standing...
  • National Congress of Australia's First Peoples (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Indigenous Affairs (Senator Scullion) to a question without notice asked by Senator Siewert today relating to the...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Withdrawal (4 speeches)
    I give notice of my intention for the giving of notices on the next sitting day to withdraw businesses of the Senate notice of motion No. 1 standing in my name for 20 June 2017, proposing the...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That a leave of absence be granted to Senator Xenophon for 29 and 30 March 2017 due to a death in the family. Question agreed to.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Community Affairs References Committee; Reference (7 speeches)
    I seek leave to amend business of the Senate notice of motion No. 5, standing in my name and in the name of Senator Xenophon, proposing a reference to the Senate Community Affairs Reference...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Days and Hours of Meeting (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Fifield, I move: That the hours of meeting for Tuesday, 9 May 2017 be from 12.30 pm to 6.30 pm and 8.30 pm to adjournment, and for Thursday, 11 May 2017 be from 9.30 am to 6...
• Budget (0 speeches)
  • Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Fifield, I move: That the order of the Senate of 8 November 2016 relating to the hearings for the 2017-18 Budget estimates, be amended as follows: after paragraph (2),...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
    I move the motion as amended: 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:...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Fair Work Amendment (Pay Protection) Bill 2017; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the law in relation to workplace relations, and for related purposes. Question agreed to. I present the bill and move:...
  • Fair Work Amendment (Pay Protection) Bill 2017; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to table an explanatory memorandum relating to the bill. Leave granted. I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Craft Beer Industry (4 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes the growth of the craft brewing sector in recent years as a generator of employment, tourism and exports in capital cities and regional communities; (b)...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility; Order for the Production of Documents (4 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Moore, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, by no later than 3.30 pm on 30 March 2017: (a) the contract or...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Global Polio Eradication Initiative (4 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Moore, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) was formed nearly 30 years ago, bringing together...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Corporations and Financial Services Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator O'Neill, I move: That the time for the presentation of the report of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services into the life insurance...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Rowing (3 speeches)
    I seek leave to add the names of Senator Farrell and Senator Cash to general business notice of motion No. 292.
  • Autism (1 speech)
    I, and also on behalf of Senators Siewert and Reynolds, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) 2 April 2017 is the ninth anniversary of World Autism Awareness Day,...
  • Royal Australian Navy (4 speeches)
    Subject to Senator McGrath giving us 60 seconds of his opinions, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes with concern reports that the Royal Australian Navy's two largest ships, the Canberra...
  • Legal Services (5 speeches)
    I, and also on behalf of Senators Lambie, Hinch, Hanson and McKim, move: That the Senate— (a) notes, with respect to legal assistance services:   (i) legal aid commissions,...
  • Ministerial Standards (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) on 23 November 2016, the Senate passed a motion known as Senate Order 20C ("the Order") requiring rolling disclosure of meetings...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Saudi Arabia; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
    I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 297 standing in my name today, which concerns an order for the production of documents relating to Saudi Arabia and Mr Pyne. Leave...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Asylum Seekers (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) Australia's offshore processing is a deliberately cruel policy that has created a humanitarian crisis,   (ii) men, women...
  • Institutional Care (8 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) on 27 March 2017, the ABC's Four Corners program clearly showed that abuse, violence and neglect of people with disability in...
  • Returned and Services League of Australia (New South Wales Branch) (2 speeches)
    I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 294, relating to the New South Wales RSL. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended: That the Senate— (a) draws to the...
  • Gambling (8 speeches)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Xenophon and Senator Griff, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) the National Consumer Protection Framework, in relation to interactive...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Turnbull Government (38 speeches)
    I inform the Senate that, at 8.30 am today, 10 proposals were received in accordance with standing order 75. The question of which proposal would be submitted to the Senate was determined by lot....
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, I present report No. 3 of 2017 Human rights scrutiny report. Ordered that the report be printed. I seek leave to have...
  • Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights; Delegated Legislation Monitor (1 speech)
    On behalf of the chair of the Standing Committee on Regulations and Ordinances, I present Delegated Legislation Monitor No. 4 of 2017. Ordered that the report be printed.
  • Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the chair of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, I present the report on Scrutiny DigestNo. 4 of 2017, dated 29 March 2017. Ordered that the report be printed.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Interactive Gambling Amendment (Sports Betting Reform) Bill 2015; Report of Legislation Committee (1 speech)
    On behalf of the chair of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, I present the report on Interactive Gambling Amendment (Sports Betting Reform) Bill 2015, together with the...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Environment and Communications References Committee; Report (2 speeches)
    I present the report of the Senate Environment and Communications References Committee on closures of electricity generators, together with the Hansard record of proceedings and documents...
  • Select Committee on Red Tape; Report (10 speeches)
    I present the interim report of the Senate Select Committee on Red Tape, titled Effect of red tape on the sale, supply and taxation of alcohol, together with the Hansard record of proceedings and...
  • Public Accounts and Audit Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audits, I present a report of the review of the Parliamentary Budget Office and move: That the Senate take note of the report. As chair of...
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee; Report (3 speeches)
    As chair of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, I present the interim report on the compliance with notice of motion No. 274. Ordered that the report be printed. I move: That the...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Export Finance and Insurance Corporation and Chilled Meat Trade, Perth Freight Link, Draft national Recovery Plan for Leadbeater's Possum; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That the Senate take note of the documents.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Membership (2 speeches)
    Order! The President has received a letter from the Leader of the Government in the Senate and the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate requesting changes in the membership of a committee.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Biosecurity Amendment (Ballast Water and Other Measures) Bill 2017; 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.
  • Biosecurity Amendment (Ballast Water and Other Measures) Bill 2017; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I present a revised explanatory memorandum relating to the bill and I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave...
  • Copyright Amendment (Disability Access and Other Measures) Bill 2017, Crimes Amendment (Penalty Unit) Bill 2017, Disability Services Amendment (Linking Upper Age Limits for Disability Employment Services to Pension Age) Bill 2017, Personal Property Securities Amendment (PPS Leases) Bill 2017, Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Amendment (Polar Code) Bill 2017; 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...
  • Copyright Amendment (Disability Access and Other Measures) Bill 2017, Crimes Amendment (Penalty Unit) Bill 2017, Disability Services Amendment (Linking Upper Age Limits for Disability Employment Services to Pension Age) Bill 2017, Personal Property Securities Amendment (PPS Leases) Bill 2017, Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Amendment (Polar Code) Bill 2017; 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— COPYRIGHT...
  • Competition and Consumer Amendment (Misuse of Market Power) Bill 2017; 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.
  • Competition and Consumer Amendment (Misuse of Market Power) Bill 2017; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I present a revised explanatory memorandum relating to the bill and I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave...
• Regulations and Determinations (0 speeches)
  • Social Security (Administration) (Trial Area) Amendment Determination 2017; Disallowance (9 speeches)
    I move: That the Social Security (Administration) (Trial Area) Amendment Determination 2017, made under the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999, be disallowed [F2017L00210]. This is about...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Cyclone Debbie (1 speech)
    Tonight I want to very briefly but very sincerely pay tribute to all of those who assisted selflessly during Cyclone Debbie, which ravaged parts of North Queensland in the past few days, and...
  • Parliamentary Friends of Road Safety (1 speech)
    Obviously, our commiserations go to those people in Queensland battling the storm. But today I want to speak about the Parliamentary Friends of Road Safety. Today we convened in room 2S1 and...
  • Immigration Detention (1 speech)
    Tonight I want to give voice to the many hundreds of innocent men, women and children who are detained in Australia's offshore detention regimes on Manus Island and Nauru and also many of those...