Senate debates

Monday, 15 June 2020

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Select Committee on Administration of Sports Grants; 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 will move on.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Amendment (Waiver of Debt and Act of Grace Payments) Bill 2019; Second Reading (21 speeches)
    I rise to speak on this important private senator's bill, the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Amendment (Waiver of Debt and Act of Grace Payments) Bill 2019, which, if passed,...
  • Migration Amendment (Regulation of Migration Agents) Bill 2019, Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Amendment (Rates of Charge) Bill 2019; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    I will continue with the summing-up speech for these bills. The bills reflect the government's deregulation agenda and its commitment to establishing a world-class migration advice industry, and...
  • Migration Amendment (Regulation of Migration Agents) Bill 2019, Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Amendment (Rates of Charge) Bill 2019; In Committee (4 speeches)
    by leave—I move to the Migration Amendment (Regulation of Migration Agents) Bill 2019 Greens amendments (1) and (2) on sheet 8957: (1) Clause 2, page 2 (table item 1), omit "Sections 1 to...
  • Migration Amendment (Regulation of Migration Agents) Bill 2019, Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Amendment (Rates of Charge) Bill 2019; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That these bills be now read a third time. Question agreed to.
  • Crimes Legislation Amendment (Sexual Crimes Against Children and Community Protection Measures) Bill 2019; Second Reading (6 speeches)
    I want to make clear at the beginning that Labor and I consider that there is nothing more sickening than child sexual abuse. As a father of two children, I feel that on a personal level, let...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • HomeBuilder Scheme (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. Assistant Treasurer Sukkar has said about the Home Builder scheme: 'Our view has been that this is a jobs program....
  • Economy (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann. Can the Minister inform the Senate how the Morrison government is driving the nation's economic recovery from COVID-19?
  • HomeBuilder Scheme (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. The design of the government's HomeBuilder program has been criticised internally and publicly. Housing experts...
  • JobMaker Scheme (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator Cash. Minister, as the global economy faces the greatest economic decline since the Great Depression as a...
  • Gilespie, Mr Karm (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Payne. Australian citizen Karm Gilespie has been sentenced to death in Guangzhou, China, and has just 10 days left to appeal his...
  • Aged Care (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Senator Colbeck. I refer to the minister who, when announcing the retention bonus for aged-care workers said, 'This will mean...
  • Water Infrastructure (8 speeches)
    My question is to Senator Cash, the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development. On 13 November 2019, the majority of coalition senators supported a...
  • Covid-19 (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Government Services, Senator Ruston. Can the minister update the Senate on how the Morrison government is using technology to respond...
  • Stoker, Senator Amanda (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. On Thursday, Senator Stoker appeared on Sky News and said, in relation to the Queensland Premier, 'She's choking...
  • Aged Care (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Senator Colbeck: This year has been challenging for all Australians, particularly our seniors. Today, as we mark World Elder...
  • Australia Post (28 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, Senator Reynolds. The CEO of Australia Post argued as justification for the government's...
  • Defence Cooperation: India (8 speeches)
    My question is for the Minister for Defence, Senator Reynolds. Can the minister outline how Australia will expand defence cooperation with India following the elevation of our bilateral...
  • COVID-19: Pensions and Benefits (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Women, Senator Payne. Sophie from Rose Bay in Tasmania is pregnant with her second child. She lost her work contract due to COVID-19 and needed to stay home to...
  • COVID-19: Domestic and Family Violence (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Ruston. How is the Morrison government ensuring vulnerable women and children experiencing or at risk of all forms of...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • HomeBuilder Scheme (15 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister representing the Prime Minister (Senator Cormann) to questions without notice asked today by Senators Gallacher and Green....
  • Gilespie, Mr Karm (2 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Senator Payne) to a question without notice asked by Senator Waters today relating to Mr Karm Gilespie,...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Coal Mining; Postponement (1 speech)
    I seek leave to defer notice of motion No. 650, standing in my name for today, until the next sitting day. Leave granted.
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (2 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Griff for the period 15 June 2020 to 18 June 2020, for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Economics Legislation Committee, Economics References Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
    I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator.
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Western Australia: Queen's Birthday Honours (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes the following West Australians who received Queen's Birthday Honours on 8 June 2020, for exceptional service to our community: (i) in the General...
  • Auslan (1 speech)
    I wish to inform that Senator Bilyk also will sponsor the motion. At the request of Senator Brown and Senator Bilyk, I move: That the Senate— (a) congratulates the Australian Bureau of...
  • International Justice Day for Cleaners and Security Guards (1 speech)
    I wish to inform the chamber that Senators Faruqi and O'Neill will also sponsor this motion. I, and also on behalf of Senators Sheldon, Watt, Wong, Lines, Faruqi and O'Neill, move: That the...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Services Australia; Order for the Production of Documents (4 speeches)
    I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 660, proposing an order for the production of documents concerning the Abbotsford service centre. Leave granted. I amend the motion in...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Withdrawal (1 speech)
    I should have done this earlier, sorry. It's in relation to motion No. 633, in the name of Senator Dodson. I wish to withdraw that motion.
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • COVID-19: Health Care (7 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) pays tribute to Australia's world-class healthcare professionals for their incredible, life-saving work during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic; (b)...
  • Brisbane Sikh Temple (4 speeches)
    At the request of Senators Watt, Chisholm and Green, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) the Brisbane Sikh Temple (Gurdwara) Inc ("Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara") has provided...
  • Media (4 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) streaming 'video on demand' services have no Australian content obligations requiring them to produce or show Australian-made TV shows,...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Sheean, Ordinary Seaman Edward (Teddy); Order for the Production of Documents (7 speeches)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Urquhart, move: That— (1) The Senate notes that: (a) in July 2019, the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal recommended to the Minister for Defence...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Australian History (7 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that on Thursday June 11th the Prime Minister said in a radio interview that "there was no slavery in Australia", (b) acknowledges that: (i) First Nations...
  • Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills (2 speeches)
    On behalf of Senator Polley, I move: (1) That the Senate notes that: (a) the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills plays an essential role in the Senate's legislative function by drawing...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Community Development Grants Program; Order for the Production of Documents (3 speeches)
    Before I move general business notice of motion No. 652, I seek leave to amend the return date by one additional sitting day, to Wednesday 17 June. Leave granted. I, and also on behalf of Senator...
  • COVID-19: Higher Education (9 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) Australian universities are facing massive losses in revenue as a result of falling enrolments during the COVID-19 crisis, and (ii) universities...
  • National Integrity Commission Bill 2018 (No. 2) (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) the Senate passed the Australian Greens' National Integrity Commission Bill 2018 (No. 2) on 9 September 2019 to establish a federal corruption...
  • Women: Employment (8 speeches)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Faruqi, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) the Government continues to exclude over 1 million casual workers from the JobKeeper payment, (ii) the...
  • Environmental Conservation: New South Wales (8 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) that the New South Wales (NSW) government has included the former IBM site at 55 Coonara Avenue West Pennant Hills in its planning acceleration...
  • Coal Seam Gas (11 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) the Morrison Government is pushing for a 'gas led recovery', which is expected to increase gas extraction across Australia,...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Morrison Government (12 speeches)
    A letter has been received from Senator Walsh: Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion: The Morrison...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Commonwealth Integrity Commission; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I table documents relating to the order for the production of documents concerning the proposed Commonwealth Integrity Commission.
  • Building Landcare Community and Capacity Program; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I table documents relating to the order for the production of documents concerning the Building Landcare Community and Capacity grants program.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • National Radioactive Waste Management Amendment (Site Specification, Community Fund and Other Measures) Bill 2020; 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 Radioactive Waste Management Amendment (Site Specification, Community Fund and Other Measures) Bill 2020; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I table a revised explanatory memorandum relating to the bill. I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave...
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (2019 Measures No. 3) Bill 2019; Consideration of House of Representatives Message (12 speeches)
    I move: That consideration of message No. 218 in Committee of the Whole be made an order of the day for the next day of sitting.
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (2019 Measures No. 3) Bill 2019; In Committee (1 speech)
    I was in the process of describing to Senator Lambie about government actions towards tax avoidance measures in the last few years. We got to the multinational anti-tax avoidance law. That...
  • Crimes Legislation Amendment (Sexual Crimes Against Children and Community Protection Measures) Bill 2019; Second Reading (5 speeches)
    Prior to question time, I was speaking in support of the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Sexual Crimes Against Children and Community Protection Measures) Bill 2019. I had outlined some of my...
  • Crimes Legislation Amendment (Sexual Crimes Against Children and Community Protection Measures) Bill 2019; In Committee (26 speeches)
    I table a supplementary explanatory memorandum relating to the government amendments to be moved to this bill.
  • Crimes Legislation Amendment (Sexual Crimes Against Children and Community Protection Measures) Bill 2019; Third Reading (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to.
  • National Skills Commissioner Bill 2020; Second Reading (9 speeches)
    This evening we are, of course, debating the National Skills Commissioner Bill 2020, and Labor does not oppose this bill. We note that it establishes a new statutory office for the National...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • COVID-19: Queensland (1 speech)
    I rise to provide context and to apologise for any genuine hurt caused by a comment I made last Thursday which was raised in this chamber during question time today. The comments made were in...
  • Renewable Energy (1 speech)
    I wish to draw the attention of the Senate to a very important matter regarding the national interest, particularly with regard to Australia's renewable energy future, foreign investment and the...
  • All Lives Matter Movement (1 speech)
    As a servant to the people of Queensland and Australia, I want to speak on a fundamental for human progress: freedom and freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is enshrined in our country after...
  • COVID-19: Community Services (1 speech)
    I rise tonight to acknowledge and express my deep appreciation to two faith based community organisations in the Ipswich-Springfield region who are doing wonderful work to assist Queenslanders...