Senate debates

Tuesday, 9 May 2017

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Meeting (1 speech)
    Does any senator wish to have the question put? There being none, we shall proceed.
• Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
  • South Australia; Senators Sworn (1 speech)
    Mr President, I seek leave to make a statement relating to my party affiliations. Leave granted. Mr President, I advise the Senate that I am taking my place in the chamber as an Independent senator.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Biosecurity Amendment (Ballast Water and Other Measures) Bill 2017; Second Reading (3 speeches)
    Labor supports the Biosecurity Amendment (Ballast Water and Other Measures) Bill 2017 to ensure that Australia is fully legislatively compliant with the ballast water convention when it comes...
  • Biosecurity Amendment (Ballast Water and Other Measures) Bill 2017; 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 Security Legislation Amendment (Youth Jobs Path: Prepare, Trial, Hire) Bill 2016; Second Reading (8 speeches)
    Previously I had almost finished my speech indicating that we would not be supporting the Social Security Legislation Amendment (Youth Jobs Path: Prepare, Trial, Hire) Bill 2016. However, in...
• Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    I inform the Senate that Senator Cormann, the Minister for Finance, will be absent from question time today due to budget arrangements. During Senator Cormann’s absence, I will represent...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Schools (38 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham. Modelling reveals that as a result of the education package announced by the minister last Tuesday, fees for some...
  • Budget (14 speeches)
    My question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Brandis, representing the Prime Minister. Every generation strives to hand down better living conditions to the generation...
  • Automotive Industry (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Senator Sinodinos. Can the minister explain what the Turnbull government is doing to support the transition of Australia's...
  • Schools (17 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister in the Senate, Senator Brandis. In response to the education package announced by the Prime Minister and Minister Birmingham a week...
  • Media Ownership (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Communications, Senator Fifield. Can the minister update the Senate on the government's plans for comprehensive media reform.
  • Veterans (9 speeches)
    My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Veterans' Affairs. Does the government's proposal extending the gold card to atomic veterans cover their children, given the genetic...
  • Education (21 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. Within days of the Prime Minister and Minister Birmingham announcing the so-called Gonski 2.0 package, Deputy...
  • Mining Industry (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Senator Canavan. I note that, over the past five weeks, many of my constituents in Central Queensland have raised with me the...
  • Education (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham. I refer to the Turnbull government's higher education reforms, which will see the HECS repayments threshold slashed...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Education (11 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Attorney-General (Senator Brandis) and the Minister for Education and Training (Senator Birmingham) to questions without notice asked...
  • Budget (1 speech)
    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 Di Natale today relating to the 2017-18 Budget. I...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Withdrawal (1 speech)
    Pursuant to notice given on 29 March 2017, I withdraw business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1 standing in my name for 19 June 2017 proposing the disallowance of the Financial Framework...
  • Presentation (1 speech)
    I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move: That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the following bills, allowing them to be considered...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That general business order of the day No. 42, Competition and Consumer Legislation Amendment (Small Business Access to Justice) Bill 2017, be considered on Thursday, 11 May 2017 under...
  • Leave of Absence (2 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Payne from 9 May 2017 to 11 May 2017 on account of ministerial business. Question agreed to.
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Postponement (1 speech)
    Does any senator wish the question to be put on any of those notifications? There being none, we will proceed.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Reporting Date (1 speech)
    Does any senator wish the question to be put on any of those notifications? There being none, we will proceed.
  • Environment and Communications References Committee; Reference (4 speeches)
    I move: That the following matter be referred to the Environment and Communications References Committee for inquiry and report by 23 November 2017: The current and future impacts of climate...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Senator Georgiou: First Speech (1 speech)
    I seek leave to amend government business notice of motion No. 1 standing in the name of Senator Fifield by omitting '10 May 2017' and substituting '14 June 2017'. The full text of the revised...
  • Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (3 speeches)
    Before asking that the motion be taken as formal, I wish to inform the chamber that Senator Kakoschke-Moore will also be a sponsor of the motion. I ask that general business notice of motion No....
  • World Parkinson's Day (1 speech)
    I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 303, standing in the names of Senators Brown and Williams, as follows: paragraph (a)(i) omit 'is', substitute 'was'. Leave granted. At...
  • Military Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (6 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a)   is deeply concerned that the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is reportedly planning to purchase weaponised drones; (b)   notes...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Mining Industry: Adani (13 speeches)
    I inform the Senate that, at 8.30 this morning, Senators Gallagher and Siewert each submitted a letter in accordance with standing order No. 75, proposing a matter of public importance. The...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Closing the Gap; Consideration (2 speeches)
    I seek leave to move a motion in relation to the response by the South Australian Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Mr Maher. Leave granted. I move: That the Senate take note of...
  • National Wind Farm Commissioner; Consideration (2 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the annual report to the Parliament of Australia from the office of the National Wind Farm Commissioner. I am interested because this report was tabled not during the sitting...
  • Climate Change; Consideration (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the document. I rise to speak on the document tabled titled Australia's emissions projections 2016. This document makes for sobering reading. I think we can...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit; Additional Information (1 speech)
    I seek leave to make a statement concerning the draft budget estimates for the Australian National Audit Office and the Parliamentary Budget Office for 2017-2018. Leave granted. Each year the...
  • Community Affairs Legislation Committee; Additional Information (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Community Affairs Legislative Committee, Senator Duniam, I present additional information received by the committee on its inquiries into various bills, Fairer Paid...
  • Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I rise to speak on government response to the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade report Empowering women and girls: The human rights issues confronting women and girls...
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee; Report (13 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee on its inquiry into serious allegations of abuse, self-harm and neglect of asylum seekers in relation to...
  • Resilience of Electricity Infrastructure in a Warming World; Report (2 speeches)
    In respect of the report of the Select Committee on Resilience of Electricity Infrastructure in a Warming World, I move: That the Senate take note of the report. This inquiry was initiated at a...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Fair Work Amendment (Corrupting Benefits) Bill 2017; Report of Legislation Committee (1 speech)
    Pursuant to order and at the request of the Chair of the Education and Employment Legislation Committee, I present the report of the Education and Employment Legislation Committee on the Fair...
  • Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Vulnerable Workers) Bill 2017; Report of Legislation Committee (1 speech)
    Pursuant to order and at the request of the Chair of the Education and Employment Legislation Committee, I present the report of the Education and Employment Legislation Committee on the Fair...
  • Racial Discrimination Amendment Bill 2016; Report of Legislation Committee (1 speech)
    Pursuant to order and at the request of the Chair of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, I present the report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee...
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (GST Low Value Goods) Bill 2017; Report of Legislation Committee (1 speech)
    Pursuant to order and at the request of the Chair of the Economics Legislation Committee, I present the report of the Economics Legislation Committee on the Treasury Laws Amendment (GST Low Value...
  • Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Amendment Bill 2017; Report of Legislation Committee (1 speech)
    Pursuant to order and at the request of the Chair of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, I present the report of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee on...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Economics References Committee, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
    Order! The President has received letters requesting changes in the membership of various committees.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Saudi Arabia: Human Rights; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I table a document relating to the order for the production of documents concerning military exports to Saudi Arabia. Sitting suspended from 18 : 28 to 20:30
• Budget (0 speeches)
  • Statement and Documents (1 speech)
    I table the following documents: Budget statement and documents 2017-18 Budget speech 2017-18—Statement by the Treasurer (Mr Morrison), dated 9 May 2017. Budget papers— No....
  • Proposed Expenditure (1 speech)
    I table particulars of proposed and certain expenditure for 2017-18. I seek leave to move a motion to refer the documents to legislation committees. Leave granted. I move: That the documents be...
  • Portfolio Budget Statements (2 speeches)
    I table portfolio budget statements for 2017-18 for portfolio and executive departments in accordance with the list circulated in the chamber. Copies are available from the Senate Table Office....
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (1 speech)
    In March this year I was delighted to attend an ecumenical service at St Paul's Anglican Church in Manuka in celebration of the sapphire jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and to recognise...
  • Anzac Day Commemorations, Broadband (1 speech)
    I rise to make some remarks around Anzac Day, which has occurred in the interim since our last sitting. Traditionally, Anzac Day is a day of solemn reflection and remembrance, and senators in...
  • Freedom of Speech (1 speech)
    No other topic of recent debate in Australia sends people hurrying into their corners faster than debate about free speech. This complex and crucial topic has been appropriated by conservative...
  • Human Rights (1 speech)
    Recently reports from around the world have reminded us of the ongoing and deeply frightening human rights abuses of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people. Tonight I want to...
  • Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (1 speech)
    Many people in this country might think that the debate around section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act has been put to bed by a recent decision of this Senate. But, unfortunately, nothing...