Senate debates

Wednesday, 18 October 2017

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Meeting (1 speech)
    Does any senator wish to have the question put on any of those proposals? There being none, we will proceed to business.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Regional Investment Corporation Bill 2017; In Committee (213 speeches)
    I was thinking that the minister might stand to answer the question that I asked when we finished up yesterday, which was about consultations in relation to the location of the RIC in Orange.
• Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
  • Polio Immunisation (1 speech)
    In the early 20th century, polio was one of the most feared diseases in industrialised countries, paralysing hundreds of thousands of children every year. For many Australians, polio may seem...
  • Energy (1 speech)
    I rise today to talk about the Turnbull government's latest policy on power prices. We—and, indeed, Australian voters—have waited a long time for this. I say 'latest' because we've...
  • Tasmania: Workplaces (Protection from Protesters) Act 2014, Environmental Conservation (3 speeches)
    Today, in the High Court of Australia, the radical and extremist antiprotest laws that were brought in by the Will Hodgman government in Tasmania were ruled, in large part, to be...
  • Diwali, Football (1 speech)
    I always enjoy it when a Greens senator calls other people 'extremists'. Senator McKim is part of a party that regularly gets about eight per cent of the vote, so we can only assume what the...
  • Defence Facilities: Chemical Contamination (1 speech)
    I rise to talk about the town of Katherine in the Northern Territory. It's a community three hours south of Darwin when you travel by car. It captures the great Katherine region with the rivers...
  • International Day of the Girl Child (2 speeches)
    Last Wednesday was the International Day of the Girl Child. On this day we should consider the progress humanity has made in recognising the rights of children, and girls especially; however,...
  • University of Tasmania (1 speech)
    I'll also commend Ella and Senator Kakoschke-Moore on that very strong and timely message about the future composition of this place. I think that was a very important message to hear. I myself...
  • Health Care (2 speeches)
    I am very pleased, during my time here in the parliament, to have a role assisting the member for Franklin, Julie Collins, in her work as shadow minister for mental health. In this capacity, last...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Energy (7 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. Yesterday the minister claimed that households would see a reduction in their power prices of between $110 and...
  • Iraq and Syria (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. Noting the reports of the liberation of Raqqa in Syria from Daesh control overnight, could the minister update the Senate on the...
  • Energy (58 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. Yesterday, the minister assured the Senate that, even with the Turnbull government's latest energy policy, 'the...
  • Automotive Industry (14 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Finance, representing the Treasurer, Senator Cormann. In my home state of South Australia this week marks the closure of the Holden car-manufacturing plant,...
  • Energy (16 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. Can the minister confirm that the Turnbull government's latest energy policy assumes investment in renewable...
  • Registered Organisations (14 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Cash. Is the minister aware of reports concerning the intimidation of workers by members of registered organisations?
  • Automotive Industry (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Senator Cash. In 2013, the then Treasurer Joe Hockey goaded the motor industry into leaving...
• Parliamentary Office Holders (0 speeches)
  • Temporary Chairs of Committees (1 speech)
    Pursuant to standing order 12, I lay on the table warrants nominating senators Fawcett, Kitching and McCarthy as additional temporary chairs of committees when the Deputy President and Chair of...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Energy (10 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Attorney-General (Senator Brandis) to questions without notice asked by Senators Gallacher, Chisholm and McAllister today relating to...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Presentation (1 speech)
    I give notice of my intention at the giving of notices on the next sitting day to withdraw business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1 standing in my name for 16 November 2017, proposing the...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (2 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Macdonald for 19 October 2017, on account of parliamentary business. Question agreed to.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • 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 the second last sitting day in March 2018: The adequacy of the...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Australian Broadcasting Corporation Amendment (Fair and Balanced) Bill 2017, Australian Broadcasting Corporation Amendment (Regional Australia) Bill 2017; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the following bills be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend legislation relating to the duties of the Board of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and for other purposes; and...
  • Australian Broadcasting Corporation Amendment (Fair and Balanced) Bill 2017, Australian Broadcasting Corporation Amendment (Regional Australia) Bill 2017; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I table the explanatory memoranda relating to the bills and move: That these bills be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speeches incorporated in Hansard. Leave...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator McGrath, 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...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Death Penalty (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) 10 October 2017 was the 15th World Day Against the Death Penalty, (ii) the aim of the 2017 World Day Against the Death Penalty was to raise...
  • Cardiovascular Disease (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its most common form heart disease causes one-fifth of all deaths in Australia, and it affects more Australians...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Commonwealth Procurement Rules; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    At the request of Senators Carr and Xenophon, I move: That— (1) The Senate notes that: (a) on 29 June 2017, the Joint Select Committee into Government Procurement tabled its report, Buying...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • World Sight Day (1 speech)
    I, and also on behalf of Senators Moore and Siewert, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) 12 October 2017 marked World Sight Day 2017, (ii) the international theme for World Sight Day...
  • International Day of the Girl Child (4 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Moore, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) the International Day of the Girl is celebrated each year on 11 October and the focus of this day is on...
  • Death Penalty (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) that 10 October 2017 marked World Day Against the Death Penalty, (ii) that it is 40 years since the landmark Declaration of Stockholm, the first...
  • Fuel (4 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) on 2 October 2017, the Hobart City Council supported a motion in relation to cruise ship fuel in Hobart, (ii) the City of Hobart resolved to...
  • Women in Politics (3 speeches)
    I wish to inform the chamber that Senator Moore will also sponsor this motion.
  • Women, Domestic and Family Violence (1 speech)
    Similarly, I wish to inform the chamber that Senator Moore also sponsors this motion. I, and also on behalf of Senator Moore, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) this week there has...
  • Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Special Broadcasting Service (12 speeches)
    I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 539 standing in my name for today, relating to the ABC and SBS. Leave granted. I have had the amendments circulated in the chamber....
  • Department of Human Services: Staffing (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that the Turnbull Government cut nearly 1200 jobs from the Department of Human Services in the 2017-18 Budget; (b) acknowledges that 42 million calls to...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Environment and Communications References Committee; Reference (5 speeches)
    I move: That the following matter be referred to the Environment and Communications References Committee for inquiry and report by 9 May 2018: The economic and cultural value of Australian...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Russian Revolution (2 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) takes note of an event scheduled to occur on 26 October 2017 at the Australian National University entitled "Celebrating the 1917 Russian Revolution", organised...
  • Austria: General Election (2 speeches)
    I seek leave to amend the motion by deleting the words 'also growing' in the terms circulated in the chamber. Leave granted. I move: That the Senate— (a) congratulates Mr Sebastian Kurz and...
  • United Nations: Membership (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) the United States of America' s Department of State has informed the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)...
  • Higher Education: Australian History (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) commends the Institute of Public Affairs for its research report, The Rise of Identity Politics: An Audit of History Teaching at Australian Universities in 2017...
  • United Nations Human Rights Council (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) acknowledges Australia has secured a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC); (b) notes that some past and present UNHRC member states have poor...
  • Racehorses (2 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate notes that— (a) the Melbourne Cup is known as the "race that stops the nation"; (b) according to the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses' analysis of...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • National Energy Guarantee; Order for the Production of Documents (4 speeches)
    I move: That— (a) the Senate notes the Government' s claims that its National Energy Guarantee will reduce household bills by an average of $110 to $115 per year over the period between...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Turnbull Government (20 speeches)
    I inform the Senate that at 8.30 am today, five proposals were received in accordance with standing order 75. The question of which proposal would be submitted to the Senate was determined by...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Australian Hearing; Consideration (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the document. This is the Australian Hearing report for 2016-17. Australian Hearing is, of course, the very body that the government originally wanted to flog...
  • Administrative Appeals Tribunal; Consideration (1 speech)
    I would like to speak on the annual report of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for 2016-17, and I move: That the Senate take note of the document. The AAT is an independent statutory authority...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Report (2 speeches)
    On behalf of Senator Sterle, I would like to present the report of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee on the state of Australia's rail industry together with the...
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; Additional Information (1 speech)
    I present additional information received by the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee on its inquiry into the provisions of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism...
  • 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 Delegated Legislation Monitor No. 13 of 2017. Ordered that the report be printed.
  • Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Scrutiny Digest (1 speech)
    I present Scrutiny Digest No. 12 of 2017 of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills. Ordered that the report be printed.
• Budget (0 speeches)
  • Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, I present the committee's report on the 2017-18 budget estimates, together with the Hansard record of...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Human Rights Committee; Report (4 speeches)
    On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, I present the 11th report of 2017, Human rights scrutiny report. Ordered that the report be printed.
  • Environment and Communications References Committee; Report (2 speeches)
    I present the report of the Environment and Communications References Committee, Participation of Australians in online poker, together with the Hansard of proceedings and documents presented to...
  • Select Committee on Red Tape; Report (33 speeches)
    I present an interim report of the Red Tape Committee on the effect of red tape on environmental assessments and approvals, together with the Hansard record of proceedings and documents presented...
  • Community Affairs References Committee, Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee; Government Response to Report (2 speeches)
    I present two government responses to committee reports as listed at item 14 on today's Order of Business. In accordance with the usual practice, I seek leave to have the documents incorporated...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Customs Amendment (Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement Amendment Implementation) Bill 2017, Customs Tariff Amendment (Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement Amendment Implementation) Bill 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.
  • Customs Amendment (Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement Amendment Implementation) Bill 2017, Customs Tariff Amendment (Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement Amendment Implementation) 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— CUSTOMS AMENDMENT...
  • Defence Legislation Amendment (Instrument Making) Bill 2017, Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Measures No. 6) 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...
  • Defence Legislation Amendment (Instrument Making) Bill 2017, Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Measures No. 6) 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— DEFENCE...
  • Industrial Chemicals Bill 2017, Industrial Chemicals (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2017, Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Amendment Bill 2017, Industrial Chemicals Charges (General) Bill 2017, Industrial Chemicals Charges (Customs) Bill 2017, Industrial Chemicals Charges (Excise) 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— INDUSTRIAL...
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (Reducing Pressure on Housing Affordability Measures No. 1) Bill 2017, First Home Super Saver Tax 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— TREASURY LAWS...
• Regulations and Determinations (0 speeches)
  • Citizenship (Authorisation) Revocation and Authorisation Instrument 2017, Citizenship (Authorisation) Revocation and Authorisation Amendment Instrument 2017; Disallowance (3 speeches)
    Before the debate was interrupted, I was pointing out that it is some three months since the Referendum Council placed its report and its recommendations in the hands of the Prime Minister and...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Lenton, Mr Graham 'Butch' (3 speeches)
    I rise tonight to pay tribute to a remarkable Australian, Graham 'Butch' Lenton, who, very sadly, passed away recently after a rather lengthy battle with cancer. Butch Lenton was the mayor of...
  • Road Safety (1 speech)
    My contribution is on road safety. Last week I was in the great city of Perth, attending the Australasian Road Safety Conference—a very insightful conference, gathering the top minds from...
  • Donations to Political Parties (5 speeches)
    I do not know when I'll be making my last speech in the Senate. I hope this won't be it, because I have a lot to say about many issues affecting my home state of South Australia, but, like...