Senate debates

Monday, 24 August 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.
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • COVID-19: Parliamentary Procedure (3 speeches)
    by leave—I move: Rules for the remote participation of senators in Senate proceedings While these rules are in effect: (1) A senator may seek and receive the call to speak by video or audio...
• Statement by the President (0 speeches)
  • COVID-19: Parliamentary Procedure (3 speeches)
    With that, I'd like to formally welcome our colleagues who are attending remotely for the first time. Now that the Senate has adopted the rules for remote attendance, rather than go through a...
• Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    by leave—I inform the chamber that I now represent South Australia as an Independent. I also inform the chamber that I am designated as a whip for the purposes of standing order 24A...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Fair Work Amendment (COVID-19) Bill 2020; Second Reading (7 speeches)
    I rise to speak to the Australian Greens Fair Work Amendment (COVID-19) Bill 2020 that I introduced in the Senate during the last sitting. This bill will protect all workers during the crisis of...
  • Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Ensuring Fair Representation of the Northern Territory) Bill 2020; Second Reading (8 speeches)
    The Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Ensuring Fair Representation of the Northern Territory) Bill 2020 is a significant private senator's bill for the people of the Northern Territory. I stand...
  • National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment (Governance and Other Matters) Bill 2020; Second Reading (10 speeches)
    Labor does not oppose the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment (Governance and Other Matters) Bill 2020. The bill amends the governance structures of the Australian...
• Shadow Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    by leave—I advise that the opposition has made two changes affecting shadow assistant ministers. Ms Meryl Swanson MP has been appointed shadow assistant minister for defence, replacing the...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • COVID-19: Aged Care (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Senator Colbeck. Minister, on Friday, you could not tell the Senate select committee how many aged-care residents had passed...
  • COVID-19: Victoria (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Cash. Can the minister please update the Senate on how the Liberal and Nationals government is supporting Victoria...
  • COVID-19: Aged Care (17 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Senator Colbeck. How many aged-care residential facilities are currently experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks?
  • COVID-19: Defence (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Reynolds. Can the Minister update the Senate on what practical support Defence has been providing to states and territories to minimise the...
  • Aged Care (15 speeches)
    My question is to Senator Colbeck, the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians. Minister, on Friday the government announced $171 million additional funding for aged care, while experts...
  • COVID-19: Aged Care (17 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Senator Colbeck. On 12 April Minister Colbeck declared that he had planned for 'worst-case scenarios'. Given that 335 older...
  • Renewable Energy (9 speeches)
    My question is to Senator Birmingham, representing the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction. I commissioned a highly respected economist, Dr Alan Moran, to review government economic and...
  • Beirut: Explosion (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Payne. The explosion in Beirut was a shocking and distressing event that has rightly mobilised the international community. Can the...
  • Aged Care (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australian, Senator Colbeck. Minister, who is responsible for aged care?
  • Live Animal Exports (7 speeches)
    My question is to Senator Ruston, the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management. The egregious decision in 2011 by former Labor Minister for...
  • COVID-19: Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Senator Colbeck. Today the aged-care royal commissioners, the Hon. Tony Pagone QC and Ms Lynelle Briggs AO, said: 'Had the...
  • COVID-19: Domestic and Family Violence (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Ruston. Can the minister update the Senate on how the Morrison government is informing families at risk of violence about...
• Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
  • COVID-19: Aged Care (1 speech)
    I committed during question time to provide some information for Senator Keneally with respect to Epping Gardens. And I do just want to confirm that there are 126 facilities in Australia with an...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Aged Care (10 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians (Senator Colbeck) to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today...
• Condolences (0 speeches)
  • Foreman, Mr Dominic John (3 speeches)
    It is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death, on 17 July 2020, of Dominic John Foreman, a senator for the state of South Australia from 1981 to 1997. I call the Leader of the...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Presentation (1 speech)
    I give notice that on Wednesday 26 August I shall move a motion relating to the consideration of legislation, namely the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
  • Withdrawal (2 speeches)
    I withdraw general business notices of motion Nos 710, 711, 712, 713 and 717.
  • Presentation (1 speech)
    Pursuant to standing order 78(1), I, and also on behalf of Senators Kitching and Carr, give notice of my intention later today to withdraw notice of motion No. 2 proposing the disallowance of the...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (3 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to the following senators: (a) Senators Ciccone, Sterle, Kitching, Dodson, Gallacher and Brown from 24 August to 3 September for personal...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • JobKeeper Payment (5 speeches)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Steele-John, seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 714, relating to JobKeeper payments. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended: That the...
  • International Cooperation (4 speeches)
    At the request of Senator McAllister, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) the Prime Minister asserted in a speech at the Lowy Institute in October last year that: "We...
• Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
  • COVID-19: Aged Care (11 speeches)
    I inform the Senate that at 8.30 am today 16 proposals were received in accordance with standing order 75. The question of which proposal would be submitted to the Senate was determined by lot....
• Auditor-General's Reports (0 speeches)
  • Report No. 48 of 2019-20; Consideration (2 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the document. I seek leave to continue my remarks later. Leave granted.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Human Rights Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the report. This is report No. 9 from the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, dated 18 August 2020. This report covers two highly draconian pieces...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • National Integrity (Parliamentary Standards) Bill 2019; Report from Committee (3 speeches)
    Yes, I'm seeking leave to address item 69, which is a committee report into one of my private members' bills.
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Presentation (1 speech)
    by leave—I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move: That paragraph (a) of the temporary order agreed to on 18-06-2020 be varied as follows: (a) At the end of standing...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Water for Fodder; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I table documents relating to the order for the production of documents concerning the Water for Fodder program.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Foreign Interference through Social Media - Select Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
    The President has received a letter requesting changes to the membership of a joint committee.
• Regulations and Determinations (0 speeches)
  • Australian Postal Corporation (Performance Standards) Amendment (2020 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2020; Disallowance (3 speeches)
    There's an important principle that should be stated clearly at the outset of this debate: the government should not be using COVID-19 as a sneaky back door to cut services or implement...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Banking Amendment (Deposits) Bill 2020; Report from Committee (4 speeches)
    I present the report of the Economics Legislation Committee on the Banking Amendment (Deposits) Bill 2020 together with the Hansard record of proceedings and documents presented to the committee....
  • National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment (Governance and Other Matters) Bill 2020; Second Reading (4 speeches)
    I resume my speech on the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment (Governance and Other Matters) Bill 2020. I'll tell you what these big talkers have done so far. They've...
  • National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment (Governance and Other Matters) Bill 2020; In Committee (3 speeches)
    It's my pleasure to rise this evening and move Labor's amendment to the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment (Governance and Other Matters) Bill 2020 on sheet 8900,...
  • National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Amendment (Governance and Other Matters) Bill 2020; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Transport Security Amendment (Testing and Training) Bill 2019; Second Reading (10 speeches)
    The Labor Party supports a safe and secure transport sector in our nation. It needs to be managed by the right legislation and regulation to stay one step ahead of criminals and terrorists. We of...
  • Transport Security Amendment (Testing and Training) Bill 2019; In Committee (34 speeches)
    I table a supplementary explanatory memorandum relating to the government amendments moved to this bill. By leave—I move government amendments (1) to (7) on sheet SG103: (1) Schedule 1,...
  • Transport Security Amendment (Testing and Training) Bill 2019; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Amendment (Prohibiting Academic Cheating Services) Bill 2019; Second Reading (12 speeches)
    Today Labor supports the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Amendment (Prohibiting Academic Cheating Services) Bill 2019 and the introduction of deterrents to academic cheating...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Paradise Dam (1 speech)
    Queensland: perfect one day, paradise lost the next under Labor. For almost one full year—48 weeks, 335 days—the Queensland Labor government has been spinning, reviewing,...
  • COVID-19: Workplace Relations (3 speeches)
    I'm not sure what to say about that.