Senate debates
Wednesday, 14 February 2018
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Withdrawal (1 speech)
I withdraw government business notice of motion No. 1.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
- Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia (1 speech)
I want to briefly mention two hidden gems of Australia, and they are the Indian Ocean territories of Christmas and Cocos islands. But before I do that, I want to mention another island, which is...
- Home Stretch Campaign (1 speech)
This afternoon I want to talk about the Home Stretch campaign. Mr Acting Deputy President Sterle, I wonder how old you were when you moved out of home. I wonder how old many of my fellow senators...
- Tasmanian State Election (5 speeches)
It's a pleasure to take this opportunity today to make a contribution in the senators' statements period of time. I'm again taking an opportunity to speak about things Tasmanian, and the thing at...
- South Australia (1 speech)
I want to speak today, on Valentine's Day, about one of my greatest loves: my state of South Australia. We've got a reputation for being a clean green state, and so many of us love that. We lead...
- The Nationals, National Rugby League (1 speech)
Yesterday I met with the delegation of AWU members from across Australia. They were in town to talk about gas, and particularly domestic gas as a feedstock for the places where they worked. They...
- Immigration, Natural Resources (1 speech)
The government, in a recently published opinion piece, crowed that, since Labor left office in 2010, Australia's population has grown by 1.5 million people. But the Australian Bureau of...
- Tasmanian State Election (1 speech)
The Tasmanian people have benefitted in the foundational and fundamental transformation in their personal prospects, household budgets and job prospects as a result of the federal and state...
- Ultimate Fighting Championship (4 speeches)
In the short time allotted to me, I'd like to make a contribution to talk about a fantastically brilliant event that happened on the weekend in Western Australia, and that is the Ultimate...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Taxation (32 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. This morning the ABC reported that one in five companies operating in Australia have not paid a single cent in...
- Welfare Reform (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Social Services, Senator Fierravanti-Wells. Can the minister update the Senate on the Turnbull government's cashless debit card initiative?
- Deputy Prime Minister (16 speeches)
My question is to Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Senator Canavan. Did the minister or any of his staff raise with the secretary or any other senior official in the Department of...
- Mining (31 speeches)
My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, representing the Prime Minister. Minister, today the ABC revealed that the Adani Group paid no tax on its Abbot Point coal terminal...
- Indigenous Affairs (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for the Arts, Senator Fifield. Can the minister update the Senate on how the portfolio of the arts is supporting the creation of jobs for Aboriginal and Torres...
- Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Senator Cormann. It relates to the CPTPP. On 23 January 2018, 11 countries, including Australia,...
- Tasmania: Economy (31 speeches)
My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Can the minister advise the Senate of the progress made on the coalition's election promises to help revitalise the Tasmanian economy...
- Energy (8 speeches)
My question is to Senator Birmingham, representing the Minister for the Environment and Energy. Despite the hoo-ha about the personal affairs of the Deputy Prime Minister, based on the silly idea...
- Deputy Prime Minister (6 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. Yesterday Deputy Prime Minister Joyce confirmed that his former media adviser was subsequently employed in the...
- Skilling Australians Fund (16 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham. Can the minister inform the Senate of the extent of interest by some states in the Skilling Australians Fund?
- Deputy Prime Minister (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. Yesterday, when asked about reports the Prime Minister has been ringing National Party members of parliament and...
- Women in Science (9 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Jobs and Innovation, Senator Cash. I refer to the minister's answer yesterday about providing opportunities for women in STEM. Can the minister update the...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (3 speeches)
by leave—I move: That a motion relating to the routine of business for today and the consideration of disallowance motions may be moved immediately and determined without amendment or...
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Disabled Prisoners (1 speech)
Yesterday Senator Steele-John asked me a question in relation to disabled prisoners. The matters raised by Human Rights Watch relate to people with disability within the prison system in...
- Infrastructure (1 speech)
During question time yesterday, in response to a question from Senator Brown, I agreed to seek further information on the government's annual infrastructure investment. Part of the question was:...
- Indigenous Affairs (2 speeches)
During question time on Thursday, 8 February, I agreed to seek advice about deliverables under the Implementation Plan for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013-2023...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Taxation (6 speeches)
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 Watt today relating to company tax cuts. Yet...
- Mining (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 Di Natale today relating to the Adani coal mine....
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Reporting Date (1 speech)
Thank you, Clerk. I remind senators that the question may be put on any of those proposals at the request of any senator. There being none, we will move on.
- Business (0 speeches)
- Leave of Absence (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator McCarthy for today for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Economics References Committee; Reference (4 speeches)
At the request of Senator Ketter, I move: That the following matter be referred to the Economics References Committee for inquiry and report by the last sitting day in June 2019: The indicators...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- World Cholangiocarcinoma Day (6 speeches)
I inform the chamber that Senator Griff will join Senator Bilyk in sponsoring notice of motion No. 710.
- HIV Prevention (4 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) welcomes the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee's positive recommendation of the "game-changing" HIV prevention drug, Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP),...
- Aged Care (4 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) the latest waiting list for aged care home care packages indicates there are more than 100 000 vulnerable older Australians waiting...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Kangaroos (5 speeches)
I, and also on behalf of Senators Hinch and Bartlett, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) Australian Government management of kangaroos tends to be structured to service...
- Iraq War (8 speeches)
I move general business notice of motion No. 717 standing in my name for today: That the Senate— (a) notes that this week marks the fifteen-year anniversary of over 200 000 people marching...
- Energy (5 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) electricity prices have gone up 12.4 per cent from December 2016 to December 2017 and are too high, (ii) the companies...
- Gambling (5 speeches)
I, and also on behalf of Senator Bartlett and Senator McKim, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) Australia is home to 0.3 per cent of the world's population, but 18 per...
- Mining Industry: Adani (7 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes reports that: (i) an internal investigation, by the Department of the Environment (the Department), found that the Adani mining company "may...
- Tasmania: Environment (5 speeches)
I, and also on behalf of Senator Whish-Wilson, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) Tasmania's unique environment is under threat from inappropriate development, and the...
- South Australian State Election (13 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that the South Australian state election will occur on 17 March 2018, in which the Weatherill Labor Government will be asking voters to endorse it to...
- Environment (9 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) holds that human life is more important than animal life; and (b) calls upon the Government to prioritise human life in all portfolio areas, including the...
- Parliamentary Privilege (2 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) commends our current and former armed servicemen and servicewomen for their service to our country; (b) condemns cowardly senators who use parliamentary...
- Abortion (16 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) every human being, no matter what stage of development, is sacred and is deserving of the rights to life and liberty, and...
- Kurdish People (10 speeches)
I ask that general business notice of motion No. 719, relating to the war in Syria, be taken as a formal motion.
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- South Australian State Election (19 speeches)
I inform the Senate that at 8.30 am today six proposals were received in accordance with standing order 75. The question of which proposal would be submitted to the Senate was determined by lot....
- First Speech (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
Order! Before I call Senator Molan, I remind honourable senators that this is his first speech and, therefore, I ask that the usual courtesies be extended to him. Senator Molan.
- Regulations and Determinations (0 speeches)
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- South Australian State Election (2 speeches)
I understand that, pursuant to order, we now return to discussion of the MPI: "The vital importance that the South Australian state election on March 17th produces a government focussed on energy...
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Bitcon, Mr Richard George 'Dick' (1 speech)
I rise to give in the short time allocated to us tonight a synopsis of the life of the great Dick Bitcon. He was a community leader, a successful family and business man, and, for almost 50...
- Tasmania: Surgical Termination Services (1 speech)
I rise today to talk about an issue of great concern to many Tasmanian women, that being our access to surgical termination services in my home state of Tasmania. I am deeply concerned about the...
- Australian Capital Territory (1 speech)
Late last year I was extremely pleased to be part of a government that put their money where their mouth is in terms of supporting our local defence families through a number of grants for...
- Regional Australia (1 speech)
I rise tonight to speak on an issue very close to my heart. As a senator for Queensland, with duty electorates including Flynn, Maranoa and Wright, I hear a lot about regional inequality on the...
- South Australia (1 speech)
As a senator for South Australia it is one of the great privileges to travel around my home state to visit the regional communities to identify and understand what the challenges are in a state...
- Tasmanian State Election (1 speech)
Tasmania four years ago was a very different place to what it is today. After 16 years of continuous Labor and Labor-Greens governments, Tasmanians were living in a state that was bouncing along...
