Senate debates

Monday, 12 February 2018

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Community Affairs References Committee, Environment and Communications References Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Customs Amendment (Safer Cladding) Bill 2017; Second Reading (10 speeches)
    The Customs Amendment (Safer Cladding) Bill 2017 responds in part to a recommendation made by the Senate Economics References Committee's inquiry into the effects of non-conforming building...
  • Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017; Second Reading (8 speeches)
    I rise to speak about why Labor is opposed to the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017, which we are currently debating. I do so from a position of listening to...
  • Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017; In Committee (6 speeches)
    This is another example of the coalition not consulting and not understanding what the real issues for the community are. This is a government so enmeshed in its own internal problems that it...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Indigenous Affairs (14 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. In October last year the minister declared, 'Safe, appropriate housing is crucial to better lives for residents in remote...
• Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    Mr President, with the small kerfuffle just before question time, I missed the window to make a statement regarding ministerial absence. I now seek leave to do that. Leave granted. I thank the...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Indigenous Affairs (18 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion, and I detect it's going to be a busy day. Can the minister update the Senate on progress against the Closing the Gap...
  • Taxation (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann. Why is it important, particularly for working families in my home state of South Australia, that the government's plan to reduce the...
  • Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry (12 speeches)
    My question is to the minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Cormann. In the opening statement of the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services...
  • Ministerial Staff (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. I refer to the former Special Minister of State, Senator Ryan, now President, who, when asked about staffing...
  • Veterans (8 speeches)
    My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Senator Cormann. In recent years, the Department of Veterans' Affairs has failed to cloak itself in glory. It has...
  • Child Care (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham: Will the minister update the Senate on the government's new childcare package? How will the package benefit low- to...
  • Small Amount Credit Contracts (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Revenue and Financial Services, Senator Cormann. On 28 November 2016, the Minister for Revenue and Financial Services, Kelly O'Dwyer,...
  • Broadband (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Communications, Senator Fifield. Can the minister update the Senate on the NBN's half-yearly results?
  • Child Care (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Education, Senator Birmingham. The government's own figures show that almost a quarter of South Australian families, including almost 4,000 families in the...
  • Science (12 speeches)
    My question without notice is the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. Minister, this is the 19th annual Science meets Parliament event. How will the Prime Minister explain...
  • Work for the Dole (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Jobs and Innovation, Senator Cash. Can the minister update the Senate about the benefits that the Work for the Dole program provides for participants and...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Indigenous Affairs (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Indigenous Affairs (Senator Scullion) to questions without notice asked by Senators Dodson and McCarthy today relating...
  • Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Finance (Senator Cormann) to a question without notice asked by Senator Whish-Wilson today relating to the Royal...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Reporting Date (1 speech)
    ( I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any Senate.
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Cambodia (8 speeches)
    I ask that general business notice of motion No. 699 standing in my name for today, relating to Cambodia, be taken as a formal motion.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Naval Group Australia; Order for the Production of Documents (6 speeches)
    I move: That— (1) The Senate notes that: (a) in April 2016, former Australian CEO of Future Submarine designer DCNS (now known as Naval Group), Mr Sean Costello, stated to the media that...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Indigenous Affairs (4 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that the Closing the Gap report 2018, A ten-year review: the Closing the Gap Strategy and Recommendations for Reset, was released in Parliament House on 8...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Allocation of Departments and Agencies (1 speech)
    I move: That the order of the Senate agreed to on 31 August 2016 relating to the allocation of departments and agencies to legislative and general purpose standing committees, be amended to read...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Defence Facilities: Chemical Contamination (9 speeches)
    I inform the Senate that, at 8.30 am today, four proposals were received in accordance with standing order 75. The question of which proposal would be submitted to the Senate was determined by...
• Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
  • Closing the Gap (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Prime Minister, I table the annual report on closing the gap and accompanying ministerial statement. Pursuant to order, the documents are listed for consideration at item 18 as a...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Murray-Darling Basin Plan, Future Frigate Program; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I table documents relating to the orders for the production of documents concerning the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and the future frigate tender.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Membership (2 speeches)
    The President has received letters requesting changes in the membership of various committees.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits — Budget 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.
  • National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits — Budget and Other Measures) 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— The National Health...
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (Enterprise Tax Plan Base Rate Entities) Bill 2018, Treasury Laws Amendment (Enterprise Tax Plan No. 2) Bill 2017; First Reading (1 speech)
    I indicate to the Senate that these bills are being introduced together. After debate on the motion for the second reading has been adjourned, I will be moving a motion to have the bills listed...
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (Enterprise Tax Plan Base Rate Entities) Bill 2018, Treasury Laws Amendment (Enterprise Tax Plan No. 2) Bill 2017; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I table a revised explanatory memorandum relating to the Treasury Laws Amendment (Enterprise Tax Plan Base Rate Entities) Bill 2018. I move: That these bills be now read a second time. I seek...
  • Communications Legislation Amendment (Online Content Services and Other Measures) 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 committee on the Communications Legislation Amendment...
  • Communications Legislation Amendment (Regional and Small Publishers Innovation Fund) 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 committee on the Communications Legislation Amendment...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Closing the Gap; Consideration (21 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the document. I'd like to start by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Ngunawal and Ngambri peoples. I'd like to pay my...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017; In Committee (133 speeches)
    Labor has a number of amendments that we want to propose to the bill. They are contained in sheet 8354. In relation to the amendments, we believe that there is insufficient evidence at this stage...
  • Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017; Third Reading (2 speeches)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time.
• Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
  • Small Amount Credit Contracts (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Cormann, I table a response to a question taken on notice during question time today asked by Senator McAllister relating to the independent review of the small amount credit...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Australia Day Honours (1 speech)
    I rise this evening to offer my most sincere and heartfelt congratulations to those recipients of this year's Australia Day honours. Those recognised in these honours are Australians from across...
  • Middle East: Human Rights (1 speech)
    I rise tonight to talk about the rights of children in detention and, in particular, to talk about a very valiant young girl, a young girl whose courage in defence of her family and freedom has...
  • Drought (1 speech)
    Tonight, 1,250 kilometres away on the side of the road around Augathella, lie 1,200 head of cattle and two drovers who've already have walked over 800 kilometres to graze their cattle in the...