Senate debates
Wednesday, 21 March 2018
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Meeting (1 speech)
I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator. There being none, we'll move on.
- Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
by leave—I inform the chamber that this is not my first speech. I inform the chamber that I will be sitting as an Independent senator for South Australia.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
- South Australian State Election (11 speeches)
Today I rise to congratulate Steven Marshall and the South Australian Liberal team on a stunning election victory on Saturday night.
- Roma (1 speech)
I rise to inform the chamber about my recent productive visit to the town of Roma, which is part of one of my duty electorates, the vast electorate of Maranoa. I was very pleased to be able to...
- Australian Democracy, World Down Syndrome Day, Cybersafety (1 speech)
I welcome the opportunity to make a senator's statement today on some very important issues related to our democracy and political processes. I would particularly like to address issues of...
- Australia: Allies (1 speech)
I too rise to discuss the health of our democracy but in this case in relation to the enduring value of our liberal democratic allies globally. I was reflecting on the Prime Minister's successful...
- Road Safety (1 speech)
I rise to make a contribution in senators' statements on my favourite topic: road safety. I just want to give a little bit of a history lesson to those on the other side about some of the...
- Economy (1 speech)
A sign in Bill Clinton's campaign office used to say 'It's the economy, stupid'. It was a good sign. We politicians should focus on the economy and not grandstanding about Australia's...
- Western Australia: Goods and Services Tax (1 speech)
It's not often that senators come to the Australian Senate and begin with a quote from Mao Zedong, so let me be the first. We know that when Mao Zedong remarked that a journey of a thousand miles...
- Endangered Species (2 speeches)
I rise today, in sadness, to note the death of Sudan, this planet's last male northern white rhinoceros. On Monday, Joseph Thuita, from Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya, comforted Sudan before he...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Workplace Relations (24 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Jobs and Innovation, Senator Cash. I refer to a submission to the Fair Work Commission by Hair and Beauty Australia, which argues for the wages of workers in...
- Trade (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Senator Payne. Can the minister outline to the Senate the benefits for Australia of the landmark TPP-11...
- Pensions and Benefits (30 speeches)
My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Social Services, Senator Fierravanti-Wells. I refer to reports today that the Prime Minister is taking his misleading scare campaign...
- Waste Management and Recycling (13 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Energy, Senator Birmingham. Minister, in February last year China announced its intention to ban the import of...
- Queensland: Infrastructure (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government, Senator Scullion. Can the minister please outline how the coalition...
- Defence Procurement (15 speeches)
My question is to Minister Payne, representing the Minister for Defence Industry. I refer to documents released to me under FOI on Monday, two days after the South Australian state election, that...
- Natural Disasters (8 speeches)
Thank you very much. My question is to the , Senator Fierravanti-Wells. Opposition senators: Yes! It's great to see the enthusiasm from those opposite! Can the minister please advise the Senate...
- Taxation (11 speeches)
My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator McKenzie. The Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance is an umbrella organisation made up of a variety of...
- Pensions and Benefits (61 speeches)
My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Social Services, Senator Fierravanti-Wells. Yesterday, in defending her understanding of the government's misleading argument against...
- Questions to the President (0 speeches)
- Parliament House: Cleaning Services (1 speech)
I was asked a question yesterday by Senator Wong with respect to the contract for cleaning services at Parliament House—whether it had been awarded and whether I could advise the Senate of...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Workplace Relations (11 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Jobs and Innovation (Senator Cash) to a question without notice asked by Senator Cameron today relating to the annual...
- Waste Management and Recycling (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Education and Training (Senator Birmingham) to a question without notice asked by Senator Whish-Wilson 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 notices of motion Nos 1 to 13, standing in my name for 25 June 2018, proposing...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
I move: That general business order of the day No. 59, High Speed Rail Planning Authority Bill 2017, be considered on Monday 26 March 2018 at the time for private senators' bills. Question agreed to.
- Leave of Absence (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That leave of absence by granted to Senator Polley from Friday 22 March to Wednesday 28 March 2018 for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Western Australia: Order of Australia Awards (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Smith, I move: That the Senate— (a) congratulates the following worthy Western Australians who were recipients of Order of Australia awards on 26 January 2018, for...
- Palm Oil (4 speeches)
I move: That the Senate: (a) notes that: (i) the world's leading conservation organisation, World Wide Fund for Nature, notes that palm oil is the most widely-consumed vegetable oil...
- World Down Syndrome Day (1 speech)
At the request of senators Brown, Reynolds and Steele-John, I move: That the Senate notes that: (a) 21 March 2018 marks World Down Syndrome Day; (b) the theme for World Down Syndrome Day 2018 is...
- Higher Education (4 speeches)
I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 750, standing in my name today. There has been a slight amendment to paragraph (b), section (ii), deleting the words 'they want to...
- Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (7 speeches)
At the request of Senator Cameron, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes the claim of public interest immunity grounded on legal professional privilege made by the Minister for Jobs and...
- Mitochondrial Donation (1 speech)
I, and on behalf of senators Di Natale and Watt, move: That the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 19 June 2018: (a) the science...
- Forced Adoption (1 speech)
I, and also on behalf of Senator Moore, move: That the Senate— (a) recognises that 21 March 2018, marks the 5-year anniversary of the National Apology for Forced Adoptions; (b)...
- South Africa (9 speeches)
I, and also on behalf of Senator Anning, move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) the revival of a revolutionary song "Shoot the Boer" at political rallies in South Africa,...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Withdrawal (1 speech)
by leave—I withdraw general business notice of motion No. 746, standing in my name.
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Queensland: Native Title (8 speeches)
I move: That the Senate calls on the Queensland Government to publicly rule out extinguishing the native title of the Wangan and Jagalingou people before investigating the circumstances in which...
- Personal Information and Privacy (8 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) on 18 March 2018, The Guardian reported that Cambridge Analytica harvested the Facebook profiles of more than 50 million users...
- International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (4 speeches)
At the request of Senator Singh, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) 21 March 2018 is the International Day of Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and...
- Taxation (13 speeches)
At the request of Senator Wong, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) the Australian Labor Party's proposed reforms to cash refunds for excess dividend imputation credits...
- International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (5 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) 21 March 2018 is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and (ii) racial discrimination is...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Withdrawal (1 speech)
by leave—I withdraw general business notice of motion No. 745 standing in my name for today, relating to victims of racist violence in South Africa.
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Gun Control (9 speeches)
I inform the Senate that, at 8.30 am today, three proposals were received in accordance with standing order 75. The question of which proposal would be submitted to the Senate was determined by...
- First Speech (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
Order! Pursuant to order, I now call Senator Martin to make his first speech. I ask honourable senators that the usual courtesies be extended to him.
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Gun Control (7 speeches)
According to popular legend, Hitler's master of propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, said: 'A lie told once is still a lie. But a lie told a thousand times becomes the truth.' The claim that there have...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Consideration (9 speeches)
We now proceed to the consideration of documents which are listed on page 4 of today's Order of Business. They are all government documents, so we might deal with the first seven.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Pensions and Benefits (10 speeches)
Thank you. I wish to clarify remarks I made in question time regarding the impact of Labor's retiree tax on low-income Australians. This was based on advice that was provided to me and my office...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Taxation (2 speeches)
I rise tonight to speak on Labor's big new tax on retirees—the changes to the dividend imputation system that have been proposed by Labor which will hit the retirement incomes of pensioners...
- Welfare Reform (1 speech)
Today the Senate's been witness to a double whammy, but a double whammy that very clearly encapsulates the priorities of this government and clearly also the priorities of the One Nation party,...
- Russia (1 speech)
Today, I want to discuss one of the most important questions which confronts us: how can Australia as a democratic state defend its institutions against the rising tide of authoritarianism,...
