Senate debates

Monday, 24 February 2020

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Meeting (1 speech)
    I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator.
• Statements (0 speeches)
  • Private Senators' Bills (4 speeches)
    I seek leave to make a short statement in relation to private senators' bills. I did clear this with Senator Ruston.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Climate Trigger) Bill 2020; Second Reading (7 speeches)
    I rise to speak in favour of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Climate Trigger) Bill 2020—the Greens' bill that looks to introduce a climate trigger impact...
  • Galilee Basin (Coal Prohibition) Bill 2018; Second Reading (13 speeches)
    I rise to speak to the Greens' Galilee Basin (Coal Prohibition) Bill 2018. This is a bill that would keep coal in the ground. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the IPCC—the...
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (Recovering Unpaid Superannuation) Bill 2019; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I thank those senators whose have contributed to this debate. The government is acting to improve the integrity of the superannuation guarantee. With the introduction of near real-time reporting...
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (Recovering Unpaid Superannuation) Bill 2019; In Committee (21 speeches)
    Unless other senators indicate that they have general questions that they wish to direct to the minister, I am contemplating moving Labor's amendment now.
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (Recovering Unpaid Superannuation) Bill 2019; Third Reading (2 speeches)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time.
  • Wine Australia Amendment (Label Directory) Bill 2019; Second Reading (13 speeches)
    Labor supports the passage of the Wine Australia Amendment (Label Directory) Bill. The bill's primary purpose is to allow Wine Australia to establish a label directory, which will include digital...
• Statements (0 speeches)
  • Domestic and Family Violence (7 speeches)
    by leave—Last Thursday our nation was shocked by a crime so terrible that it is difficult for most of us to comprehend how it could possibly have happened. Hannah Clarke and her...
• Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    by leave—I advise the Senate that Senator Birmingham will be absent from question time this week, from Monday 24 to Thursday 27 February 2020, due to ministerial business overseas. In...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Domestic and Family Violence (16 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. Will the Prime Minister convene a national summit that brings together governments, advocates, service providers...
  • Climate Change (13 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, Senator Ruston. Can the minister confirm that the National Farmers Federation 2030...
  • Defence Procurement (10 speeches)
    My thanks go to the opposition for such a welcome! Thank you very, very much! My question is for the Minister for Defence, Senator Reynolds. Can the minister update the Senate on how the Future...
  • Domestic and Family Violence (12 speeches)
    My question is to the minister representing the Attorney-General, Senator Payne. Frontline domestic violence crisis services have said for years that women and children are being turned away from...
  • Climate Change (8 speeches)
    My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. The Liberal member for North Sydney, Trent Zimmerman, said that, 'Transitioning to net zero emissions by 2050:...
  • Coronavirus (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Cash. Minister, it's reported that 78,442 people are infected with the coronavirus, of which 2,456 have died. Based on...
  • Employment (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator Cash. Can the minister update the Senate on the latest employment figures for January and how the...
  • Community Sport Infrastructure Grant Program (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. At the National Press Club on 29 January, the Prime Minister said about the Community Sport Infrastructure...
  • Pensions and Benefits (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Ruston. Can the minister please update the Senate on how the Liberals and Nationals in government are seeking to change...
  • Infrastructure (34 speeches)
    My question without notice is to the Minister representing the Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure, Senator Cash. Can the minister confirm that the Urban Congestion Fund will...
  • Coronavirus (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Cash. Can the minister update the Senate on the status of the novel coronavirus and what further precautions the...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Climate Change (26 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Senators Ruston and Cormann in response to questions asked by Senators McAllister and Kitching. We have to do better. This parliament...
  • Domestic and Family Violence (6 speeches)
    Today, a question was put by Senator Waters, this morning—
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    by leave—I move that leave of absence be granted to Senator Birmingham from 24 February to 27 February 2020 on account of ministerial business. Question agreed to.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Economics References Committee, Environment and Communications References Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
    ( I remind senators that the question may be put on any of those proposals at the request of any senator.
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That consideration of the business before the Senate on Wednesday, 26 February 2020, be interrupted at approximately 5 pm, but not so as to interrupt a senator speaking, to enable Senator...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Dental Health (4 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) an estimated 2 million Australians forego necessary dental treatment each year because of the high cost, leaving many with ongoing...
  • Manufacturing (1 speech)
    I'd like to inform the Senate that Senator Patrick will be co-sponsoring this motion with me. I move That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) Beyond Business as Usual – A 21st...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Postponement (1 speech)
    I seek leave to postpone general business notice of motion No. 471, standing in my name, until the next day of sitting. Leave granted.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Mental Health; Order for the Production of Documents (4 speeches)
    I, and also on behalf of Senators Watt, Sheldon and Pratt, I move: (1) That the Senate notes that: (a) the report of the Senate Education and Employment References Committee into The role of...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Newstart Allowance (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) according to the latest figures from the Department of Social Services, there are more than 330,000 people aged between 45 and 65 on...
  • Assange, Mr Julian (8 speeches)
    I ask that general business notice of motion No. 464, standing in my name for today, relating to Mr Julian Assange, be taken as a formal motion.
  • Climate Change (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) on 1 June 2017 during Senate Estimates hearings, Australia's Chief Scientist, Dr Finkel, was asked by former Senator Ian Macdonald...
  • Public Transport (2 speeches)
    I wish to inform the chamber that Senators Rice and Sheldon will also sponsor this motion. At the request of Senators O'Neill, Rice and Sheldon, I move: That the Senate— (a) recognises...
  • Parliament (11 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) former Liberal Opposition Leader, Dr John Hewson, in an article published in the Sydney Morning Herald on 13 February 2020, called...
• Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
  • Domestic and Family Violence (13 speeches)
    I inform the Senate that at 8.30 am today eight proposals were received in accordance with standing order 75. The question of which proposal would be submitted to the Senate was determined by...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse; Report (3 speeches)
    The government has finally responded to the select committee report. The Joint Select Committee on oversight of the implementation of redress related recommendations of the Royal Commission into...
• Parliamentary Zone (0 speeches)
  • Proposal for Works (1 speech)
    In accordance with the provisions of the Parliament Act 1974, I present a proposal for works within the Parliamentary Zone relating to the Sir John McEwen sculpture, pavement and interpretive...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (Combating Illegal Phoenixing) Bill 2019 (1 speech)
    I table a response to a question taken on notice by the Assi Leave granted. The document read as follows— Dear Senator I write regarding your question asked during the...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Banking Code of Practice, Climate Change; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I table responses for orders for the production of documents relating to (a) the Banking Code of Practice, (b) climate change reports and (c) an order for the production of responses to questions...
  • Climate Change; Order for the Production of Documents (4 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That the Senate take note of the document. As a servant to the people of Queensland and Australia, I always treat the people with respect and care, and that compels me to...
  • Centrelink; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    In relation to the government's response to the order for production of documents that there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Government Services, no later than...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Membership (2 speeches)
    The President has received letters requesting changes in the membership of committees.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Student Identifiers Amendment (Higher Education) 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.
  • Student Identifiers Amendment (Higher Education) 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 in Hansard. Leave granted. The speech read as follows— The Student Identifiers...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Community Affairs Legislation Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Community Affairs Legislation Committee, I present the report on the provisions of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Amendment (Enhancing Australia's...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Wine Australia Amendment (Label Directory) Bill 2019; Second Reading (8 speeches)
    I'm delighted to make a contribution on the Wine Australia Amendment (Label Directory) Bill 2019. Before doing so, I'm grateful to see Senator Ciccone here, who, just before question time and...
  • Trade Support Loans Amendment (Improving Administration) Bill 2019; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I rise to contribute to this debate on behalf of the opposition. Labor won't oppose the Trade Support Loans Amendment (Improving Administration) Bill 2019. This bill will provide legislative...
  • Wine Australia Amendment (Label Directory) Bill 2019; Second Reading (1 speech)
    That was for divisions. With the concurrence of the Senate I went back and there was no division to be called, so we have moved back to the bill amendment. The question is that the second reading...
  • Wine Australia Amendment (Label Directory) Bill 2019; Third Reading (2 speeches)
    As no amendments to the bill have been circulated, I shall call the minister to move the third reading unless any senator requires that the bill be considered in Committee of the Whole.
  • Trade Support Loans Amendment (Improving Administration) Bill 2019; Second Reading (17 speeches, 1 comment)
    I rise today to speak in support of the Trade Support Loans Amendment (Improving Administration) Bill 2019, which supports Australia's apprentices and the tradies of our future. I acknowledge the...
  • Trade Support Loans Amendment (Improving Administration) Bill 2019; Third Reading (2 speeches)
    No amendments to the bill have been circulated. As no senator requires a committee stage, I shall call the minister to move the third reading.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Community Sport Infrastructure Program; Tabling (1 speech)
    I table responses to an order for the production of documents relating to the Community Sport Infrastructure—Female Facilities and Water Safety program.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Amendment (Sport Integrity Australia) Bill 2019; Second Reading (8 speeches)
    The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Amendment (Sport Integrity Australia) Bill would establish a new Australian government agency, to be known as Sport Integrity Australia, to protect the...
  • Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Amendment (Sport Integrity Australia) Bill 2019; Third Reading (2 speeches)
    I understand no amendments to the bill have been circulated. Does any senator require a committee stage? There being none, I call the minister to move the third reading.
  • Agriculture Legislation Amendment (Streamlining Administration) Bill 2019; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    Labor will be supporting the Agriculture Legislation Amendment (Streamlining Administration) Bill 2019. The bill seeks to amend laws relating to biosecurity and imported food to provide for...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Rural and Regional Health Services (1 speech)
    Tonight, before the Senate, in this adjournment speech, I express some significant and deep concerns for the provision of health services to people in regional communities across Australia. There...