Senate debates

Thursday, 30 March 2017

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    Does any senator wish to have that proposal put? There being no senator, I call the Attorney-General.
• Statements (0 speeches)
  • Attorney-General (86 speeches)
    I am not seeking the—
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (2 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That- (1) If by 2 pm on Thursday, 30 March 2017, the following bills have not been finally considered: Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 Treasury Laws Amendment...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Take-Home Pay) Bill 2017; Second Reading (65 speeches)
    I rise to continue my contribution on the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Take-Home Pay) Bill 2017. This debate verifies and confirms how out of touch this government really is. Not only is this...
  • Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Take-Home Pay) Bill 2017; Third Reading (0 speeches)
  • Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill 2017; Second Reading (13 speeches)
    As I have said about section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, it is not in keeping with what I believe the majority of the people want. In listening to talkback radio and to other people who...
• Statement by the President (0 speeches)
  • Parliamentary Behaviour (3 speeches)
    In the 25 seconds before 2 pm, I indicate that the Deputy President has referred for my consideration matters raised in points of order during a speech by Senator Roberts earlier today during the...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Workplace Relations (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. When asked yesterday whether the Prime Minister supports a pay cut in real terms for those on the minimum wage,...
  • Cyclone Debbie (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence and relates to tropical Cyclone Debbie, which ravaged parts of the North Queensland coast, including the Whitsundays and Mackay, earlier this week. In...
  • Annual Wage Review 2017 (16 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Cash. In the Turnbull government's submission arguing against a fair increase in the minimum wage, it argues that: Low-paid employees are...
  • Forestry Industry (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Senator Canavan. This week we saw the Turnbull government's attempt, via Deputy Prime Minister Joyce,...
  • Justice Targets (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. For years the minister has been opposing calls from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and expert bodies...
  • Banking and Financial Services (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann. Minister, many Australians and small businesses are continually facing undue hardships placed on them from the banking sector. ASIC...
  • Higher Education (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham. Will the minister update the Senate on the action the Turnbull government is taking to ensure that Australia has a...
  • Health: Primary Health Networks (8 speeches)
    My question is to Senator Nash, representing the Minister for Health and Ageing. Between 2004 and 2015, government invested around $60 million in the Australian Primary Care Collaborative's...
  • Workplace Relations (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Cash. Last Monday the ABC's 7.30 program exposed the appalling conditions experienced by Aerocare workers at Sydney Airport. Aerocare...
  • Regional and Regional Australia (15 speeches)
    Brace yourselves over there, because this is a bobby-dazzler of a question. My question is to the Minister for Regional Development, Senator Nash.
  • Liberal Party of Australia (17 speeches)
    I will do my best, Mr President. My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann. Senator Cormann, last week veteran WA Liberal Party donor Julian Stawell wrote a stinging letter to...
  • Broadband (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Communications, Senator Fifield. Can the minister update the Senate on the latest NBN milestones?
• Statement by the President (0 speeches)
  • Day, Mr Bob, AO (1 speech)
    I advise senators that just a short while ago I was advised by the Court of Disputed Returns that it will hand down its judgement in relation to the matter referred to it concerning former...
• Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
  • Domestic and Family Violence (1 speech)
    I have some information that I said I would bring back to the chamber in answer to a question by Senator Kakoschke-Moore yesterday. MHS, the current provider of 1800RESPECT, has commenced a...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Answers to Questions (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Attorney-General (Senator Brandis) and the Minister for Employment (Senator Cash) to questions without notice asked by Senators...
  • Forestry Industry (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia (Senator Canavan) to a question without notice asked by Senator Rice today relating to...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (3 speeches)
    by leave—On behalf of Senator Bushby, I present the fourth report of 2017 of the Selection of Bills Committee. I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The...
  • Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Committee, Select Committee on Red Tape; Membership (2 speeches)
    The President has received letters requesting changes in the membership of committees.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Social Services Legislation Amendment (Seasonal Worker Incentives for Jobseekers) 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.
  • Social Services Legislation Amendment (Seasonal Worker Incentives for Jobseekers) Bill 2017; 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— This Bill introduces a...
• Parliamentary Office Holders (0 speeches)
  • Temporary Chairs of Committees (1 speech)
    Pursuant to standing order 12, I lay on the table a warrant nominating Senator Leyonhjelm as an additional Temporary Chair of Committees when the Deputy President and Chair of Committees is absent.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Great Australian Bight Environment Protection Bill 2016; Report of Legislation Committee (1 speech)
    On behalf of the chair of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, I present the report of the committee on the Great Australian Bight Environment Protection Bill 2016, together...
• Budget (0 speeches)
  • Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
    I present additional information received by committees relating to estimates.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Senate Publications Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Publications, I present the fifth report of the publications committee. I move: That the report be adopted. Question agreed to.
  • Public Works Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present report No. 3 of 2017, Referrals made December 2016.
  • Treaties Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present report 168 of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties Certain Maritime Arrangements - Timor-Leste. I move: That the Senate take note of the report. Question agreed to. I seek leave to...
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Sterle, I present the report of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee on airport and aviation security at Australian airports, together with the...
  • Education and Employment Legislation Committee, Education and Employment References Committee, Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; Government Response to Report (1 speech)
    I present three government responses to committee reports as listed on today's Order of Business, as well as the government's response to the report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I table a document relating to the order for the production of documents concerning the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility and the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation.
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That Senator Brown be granted leave of absence for 30 March 2016, for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill 2017; Second Reading (33 speeches)
    I rise today to speak to the Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 that has been tabled in this parliament and that we have spent the last few days debating. It strikes me that this piece...
  • Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill 2017; In Committee (47 speeches)
    I move government amendment (1) on sheet HV208: (1) Schedule 1, page 3 (after line 25), after item 4, insert: 4A Before subsection 18C(3) Insert: (2C) For the purposes of subsection (1), if an...