Senate debates

Thursday, 17 October 2019

• Parliamentary Office Holders (0 speeches)
  • President (1 speech)
    I'd just like to commence by expressing my appreciation to senators for their understanding of my absence yesterday and my particular thanks to the Deputy President for standing in for me during...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Emergency Response Fund Bill 2019, Emergency Response Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2019; Second Reading (28 speeches)
    I rise to deliver a contribution on behalf of the opposition today. I'll flag at the outset that the opposition will be supporting the Emergency Response Bill 2019, with amendments. Those...
  • Emergency Response Fund Bill 2019, Emergency Response Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2019; In Committee (44 speeches)
    The question is that the bills stand as printed.
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That— ( a) if consideration of the Emergency Response Fund Bill 2019 and a related bill has not concluded by 11.45 am today, the questions on all remaining stages, including any...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Emergency Response Fund Bill 2019, Emergency Response Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2019; In Committee (6 speeches)
    The committee will resume consideration of schedule 2.
  • Emergency Response Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2019; Third Reading (1 speech)
    The question now is that the Emergency Response Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2019 be read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
• Petitions (0 speeches)
  • Religious Freedom (6 speeches)
    I seek leave to make a short statement.
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Withdrawal (2 speeches)
    Pursuant to notice given on 16 October 2019 on behalf of the Standing Committee on Regulations and Ordinances, I withdraw notices of motion proposing the disallowance of various legislative...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence by granted to Senator Di Natale for today due to personal reasons. Question agreed to.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (8 speeches)
    I present the seventh report of 2019 of the Selection of Bills Committee, and I seek leave to have the report incorporated into Hansard. Leave granted. The report read as follows—...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That— (a) the Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Work Test) Bill 2019 be considered from 12.45 pm today; and (b) government business be called on after consideration of the bills listed...
  • Days and Hours of Meeting (1 speech)
    I move: That, on Monday, 11 November 2019, to enable senators to attend Remembrance Day services: (a) the Senate meet at 12pm; (b) the routine of business from 12pm till 2 pm shall be...
  • Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: (1) That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent this resolution having effect. (2) That the second reading of the Productivity Commission Amendment...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Productivity Commission Amendment (Addressing Inequality) Bill 2017; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to continue my remarks later. Leave granted; debate adjourned.
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: (1) That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent this resolution having effect. (2) That the Fair Work Amendment (Restoring Penalty Rates) Bill 2018...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Fair Work Amendment (Restoring Penalty Rates) Bill 2018 (1 speech)
    I move: That these bills be now read a second time. I seek leave to continue my remarks later. Leave granted; debate adjourned.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Community Affairs References Committee; Reference (1 speech)
    Before moving business of the Senate notice of motion No. 4, I ask that the names of Senators Kitching and Siewert be added to the motion. I, and also on behalf of Senators Askew, Kitching and...
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Reference (8 speeches)
    I seek leave to amend business of the Senate notice of motion No. 5 standing in my name for today proposing a reference to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee...
  • Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee; Reference (8 speeches)
    I move: (1) That the following matter be referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee for inquiry and report by 28 November 2019: The proposed Indonesia, Hong Kong and...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • National Integrity (Parliamentary Standards) Bill 2019; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to enhance the integrity of the Parliament of Australia, and for related purposes. Question agreed to. I present the bill and...
  • National Integrity (Parliamentary Standards) Bill 2019; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to table an explanatory memorandum relating to the bill. Leave granted. I table an explanatory memorandum, and I seek leave to have...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Brain Cancer (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator Bilyk, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) International Brain Tumour Awareness Week will be held from 26 October to 2 November 2019,...
  • Youth Policy (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) Anti-Poverty Week is from 13 to 19 October 2019, and 17 October 2019 is the United Nations Day for the Eradication of Poverty,...
  • Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator McCarthy, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) Anangu traditional owners have been working with the tourism industry and national parks to...
  • Western Australia: Gold Mining (1 speech)
    I, and also on behalf of Senators Scarr and Brockman, move: That the Senate— (a) recognises the significance of the discovery of gold in the state of Western Australia; (b) notes the...
  • Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act (11 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Keneally, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) it can currently take up to two years for police or security agencies to access data held in the...
  • Education (7 speeches)
    I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 200 standing in my name for today relating to a rural hardship education fund. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended: That the...
  • Live Animal Exports (2 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate calls on the Federal Government to amend the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997, the Export Control Act 1982 and the proposed Export Control Act 2018 to...
  • National Alcohol Strategy (4 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) the Federal Government is currently in the process of developing the National Alcohol Strategy 2018-2026 (NAS) which aims to reduce...
  • Poverty: Older Women (1 speech)
    Before moving general business notice of motion No. 203, I ask that the name of Senator Marielle Smith be added to the motion. I, and also on behalf of Senator Marielle Smith, move: That the...
  • Thermal Coal (8 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate agrees that, given we are in a climate emergency, no new thermal coal mines should be opened.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Work Test) Bill 2019; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Work Test) Bill 2019, and I begin by stating that Labor supports this bill. This bill will improve the paid parental leave work test by...
  • Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Work Test) Bill 2019; Third Reading (2 speeches)
    No amendments to the bill have been circulated. Does any senator require a Committee of the Whole stage? If not, I shall call the minister to move the third reading.
  • National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Streamlined Governance) Bill 2019; Second Reading (5 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Streamlined Governance) Bill 2019. This bill amends the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 governance...
  • Emergency Response Fund Bill 2019; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (2019 Measures No. 2) Bill 2019; 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.
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (2019 Measures No. 2) Bill 2019; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    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— This Bill contains...
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (2019 Measures No. 2) Bill 2019; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Streamlined Governance) Bill 2019; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I rise to speak on the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Streamlined Governance) Bill 2019. This is a bill that I had a bit to do with during the Senate inquiry on these measures,...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Economy (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. Was the IMF wrong to downgrade its forecast for Australia's economic growth by four times as much as advanced...
  • Employment (8 speeches)
    My question is to Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator Cash. Can the minister update the Senate about the results of the recent Australian labour force figures for...
  • Economy (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. After the IMF downgraded Australia's growth outlook for this year by four times more than downgrades for advanced...
  • Budget (7 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Cormann. There's an old political joke in this country that goes something like this: what have all Young Liberals got in...
  • Pensions and Benefits (17 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Ruston. At a forum held in Murray Bridge on 2 October, the minister argued against the need for an increase to Newstart,...
  • United Nations (8 speeches)
    My question is for Senator Cormann, representing the Prime Minister. On 3 October 2019 the Prime Minister, during an address to the Lowy Institute, highlighted that 'unelected international...
  • Exports (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Senator Birmingham. How does the government's strong economic management assist exporters financially grow their businesses and...
  • Department of Health (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Cash. Minister, I want to ask about the report Economic and social impacts of recreational hunting and shooting,...
  • Newstart Allowance (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Ruston. Can the minister confirm that in September Newstart payments were indexed by only 24c per day?
  • Palfreeman, Mr Jock (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Payne. Can the minister advise the Senate of any continuing concerns the government has about the consular case of Australian citizen...
  • Prime Minister (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. In an article in this morning's TheAustralian entitled 'It's Brian Houston, and the Prime Minister does have a...
  • Water Infrastructure (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Senator Canavan. How is the Liberal-National...
  • Aged Care (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Senator Colbeck. How many residential aged-care facilities do not have a registered nurse on site 24 hours a day?
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Economy (9 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Finance (Senator Cormann) to questions without notice asked by Senators Gallagher and Watt today relating to the...
  • Department of Health (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business (Senator Cash) to a question without notice asked by Senator Faruqi today...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Postponement (2 speeches)
    I seek leave to postpone business of the Senate notice of motion No. 2 standing in my name for today proposing the disallowance of the Migration (Fast Track Applicant Class — Temporary...
• Regulations and Determinations (0 speeches)
  • Civil Aviation (Community Service Flights — Conditions on Flight Crew Licences) Instrument 2019; Disallowance (8 speeches)
    I move business of the Senate notice of motion No.1 standing in my name for today: That the Civil Aviation (Community Service Flights — Conditions on Flight Crew Licences) Instrument 2019,...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Procedure Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present the Procedure Committee's second report of 2019, and I move: That the Senate adopt the recommendations within the report. Question agreed to.
  • Public Works Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present the fourth and fifth reports of 2019 of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works.
  • Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee; Additional Information (1 speech)
    I present additional information received by the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee relating to estimates.
  • Intelligence and Security Joint Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, I present the Advisory report on the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (2019 Measures No. 1) Bill 2019.
  • Community Affairs Legislation Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Community Affairs Legislation Committee, I present the report of the committee on the Human Services Amendment (Photographic Identification and Fraud Prevention)...
  • Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Scrutiny Digest (1 speech)
    I present Scrutiny Digest No. 7 of 2019 of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, and I move: That the Senate take note of the report. I rise to speak to the tabling of the Scrutiny of...
  • Regulations and Ordinances Committee; Delegated Legislation Monitor (1 speech)
    I present the Delegated Legislation Monitor No. 7 of 2019, and I move: That the Senate take note of the report. I rise to speak to the tabling of the Regulations and Ordinances Committee's...
  • Intelligence and Security Joint Committee; Government Response to Report (1 speech)
    I present the government's response to the report of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security on its review of the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment...
• Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Minister for Veterans and Defence Personnel, Mr Chester, I table the third annual statement on veterans and their families, and I seek leave to incorporate the statement in...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Asylum Seekers; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I table documents relating to the order for the production of documents concerning the final report of a review conducted by Professor Shergold.
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Anti-Poverty Week (15 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— This is Anti-Poverty Week and what better time is there to discuss the issues around the adequacy of our social safety net and specifically the payments Newstart...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Department of Home Affairs: Paladin Contracts; Order for the Production of Documents (3 speeches)
    I note document Nos. 7 and 8 on today's Notice Paper on the Migration Act—the Independent Health Advice Panel quarterly report for 1 April to 30 June 2019 and the government...
  • Independent Health Advice Panel; Consideration (1 speech)
    I rise to take note of documents produced under order by the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Cash. On 12 September the Senate ordered Minister Dutton and the home...
  • Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business; Consideration (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the document. This report makes for some incredible reading. If you read this report, you would think that everything was perfect in the land of jobs, small...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Amendment (Air Pollution) Bill 2019, Treasury Laws Amendment (2018 Measures No. 2) Bill 2019; 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...
  • Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Amendment (Air Pollution) Bill 2019, Treasury Laws Amendment (2018 Measures No. 2) Bill 2019; 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— PROTECTION OF THE...
  • Medical and Midwife Indemnity Legislation Amendment Bill 2019, National Health Amendment (Safety Net Thresholds) Bill 2019, New Skilled Regional Visas (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2019, Social Services Legislation Amendment (Drug Testing Trial) Bill 2019; 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. I move: That these...
  • Medical and Midwife Indemnity Legislation Amendment Bill 2019, National Health Amendment (Safety Net Thresholds) Bill 2019, New Skilled Regional Visas (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2019, Social Services Legislation Amendment (Drug Testing Trial) Bill 2019; 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 into Hansard. Leave granted. The speeches read as follows— MEDICAL AND...
  • Crimes Legislation Amendment (Sexual Crimes Against Children and Community Protection Measures) Bill 2019; 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.
  • Crimes Legislation Amendment (Sexual Crimes Against Children and Community Protection Measures) Bill 2019; 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 into Hansard. Leave granted. The speech read as follows— CRIMES LEGISLATION...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; Report (4 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee's report on the Performance of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, and in particular its report on the...
  • Treaties Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I rise, in the metaphorical sense, to speak to the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties report relating to the Hong Kong and Indonesian free trade agreements. Just a few days ago, China's...
• Auditor-General's Reports (0 speeches)
  • Report No. 10 of 2019-20; Consideration (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the document. I want to speak briefly on the Auditor-General's report on the design and governance of the childcare package that was published on 30 September...