Senate debates

Thursday, 3 December 2020

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • National Disability Insurance Scheme Joint Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Australia's Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Bill 2020, Australia's Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2020; In Committee (36 speeches)
    by leave—In respect of the Australia's Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2020, I move amendments (4) and (5) on sheet 1078 together: (4)...
  • Australia's Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Bill 2020, Australia's Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2020; Third Reading (2 speeches)
    I move: That these bills be now read a third time.
  • Electoral Amendment (Territory Representation) Bill 2020; Second Reading (9 speeches)
    Given that we've had a fairly hectic morning here with previous bills, I'm absolutely delighted to be able to get to my feet on behalf of the people of the Northern Territory and speak about a...
  • Electoral Amendment (Territory Representation) Bill 2020; 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.
  • Native Title Amendment (Infrastructure and Public Facilities) Bill 2020; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    I rise to continue my speech on the Native Title Amendment (Infrastructure and Public Facilities) Bill 2020. The Greens will be moving amendments to this bill. Instead of extending the operation...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Withdrawal (1 speech)
    Pursuant to notice given yesterday, I withdraw business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1 standing in my name for 7 December 2020, proposing the disallowance of the Coronavirus Economic...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (3 speeches)
    I present the 11th report of 2020 of the Selection of Bills Committee and seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The report read as follows— SELECTION OF...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Ruston, I move: That— (a) government business orders of the day as shown on today's order of business be considered from 12.45 pm today; and (b) government business be...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Withdrawal (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator Farrell, I withdraw general business notice of motion No. 818 standing in his name for Monday 7 December.
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Renewable Energy (8 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) the New South Wales (NSW) Government has released a plan to transition to renewable energy, including through the creation of renewable energy...
  • Ukraine: Holodomor (1 speech)
    At the request of Senators Bilyk and Dean Smith, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that during the week of 22 to 29 November 2020 the Ukrainian community in Australia commemorated the 87th...
  • COVID-19: Tasmania (4 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Polley, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes:   (i) that demand for Tasmania's primary exports, international education and tourism are expected to remain...
  • Rabin, Mr Yitzhak (15 speeches)
    Before moving general business notice of motion No. 898 can I recognise the presence of Mr Gerstenfeld from the Embassy of Israel in the gallery. I, and also on behalf of Senators Kitching,...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Withdrawal (11 speeches)
    I move: That the government business order of the day relating to the Currency (Restrictions on the Use of Cash) Bill 2019 be discharged from the Notice Paper. Question agreed to.
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Scientific Research (8 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) recognises that: (i) there are many approaches to epistemology, including rationalism, empiricism and scepticism, (ii) data backed up by robust quality...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Trade with China; Order for the Production of Documents (3 speeches)
    I move: That— (a) the Senate notes that: (i) the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) entered into force on 20 December 2015, and (ii) the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Community Radio Station 4ZZZ (4 speeches)
    At the request of Senators Chisholm, Watt and Green, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) 8 December 2020 is the 45th anniversary of the first official broadcast of community radio...
  • Paris Agreement (8 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Pratt, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that the Morrison Government intends to use so called Kyoto carryover credits to meet its Paris Agreement target even...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Extension of Coronavirus Support) 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.
  • Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Extension of Coronavirus Support) Bill 2020; 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 Australian...
  • Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Donation Reform and Other Measures) Bill 2020; Report from Committee (1 speech)
    I present the report of the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee on the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Donation Reform and Other Measures) Bill 2020, together with the...
  • Native Title Amendment (Infrastructure and Public Facilities) Bill 2020; Second Reading (3 speeches)
    I continue my contribution to the debate on the Native Title Amendment (Infrastructure and Public Facilities) Bill 2020. If only they listened to our mobs in the way that they say they do,...
  • Native Title Amendment (Infrastructure and Public Facilities) Bill 2020; In Committee (1 speech)
    This is such an important topic around native title. I would remind all senators of some of the unhelpful comments that were made in relation to this bill—and towards a First Nations...
  • Family Law Amendment (Western Australia De Facto Superannuation Splitting and Bankruptcy) Bill 2020; Second Reading (4 speeches)
    Well, finally this bill, the Family Law Amendment (Western Australia De Facto Superannuation Splitting and Bankruptcy) Bill 2020, comes before this parliament and, now, the Senate. It has taken...
  • Family Law Amendment (Western Australia De Facto Superannuation Splitting and Bankruptcy) Bill 2020; Third Reading (2 speeches)
    No amendments have been circulated. Does any senator require a committee stage? If not, I'll call the minister to move the third reading.
  • VET Student Payment Arrangements (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2020; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the VET Student Payment Arrangements (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2020. I indicate that the bill proposes sensible administrative changes that Labor will of course support....
  • VET Student Payment Arrangements (Miscellaneous Amendments) 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.
  • Native Title Amendment (Infrastructure and Public Facilities) Bill 2020; In Committee (15 speeches)
    I seek to speak on the Native Title Amendment (Infrastructure and Public Facilities) Bill 2020. Labor does not support the amendment being proposed. When Labor introduced these measures back in...
  • Native Title Amendment (Infrastructure and Public Facilities) 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.
  • Recycling and Waste Reduction Bill 2020, Recycling and Waste Reduction (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2020, Recycling and Waste Reduction Charges (General) Bill 2020, Recycling and Waste Reduction Charges (Customs) Bill 2020, Recycling and Waste Reduction Charges (Excise) Bill 2020; Second Reading (5 speeches)
    Labor welcomes these bills. We generate 67 million tonnes of waste a year and a large portion of that waste is recyclable. On a per capita basis, we generate more than a hundred kilograms of...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Economy (18 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Birmingham. How many years has the coalition government presided over record low wages growth?
  • People with Disability (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Ruston. Can the minister please update the Senate on what the Morrison government is doing to remove barriers to...
  • Pensions and Benefits (15 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Government Services, Senator Ruston. On Monday the minister said that, as soon as the government became aware 'that the method of debt...
  • Climate Change (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Birmingham. Today, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the world to make peace with nature and to address...
  • COVID-19: Qantas (13 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Senator Cash. Can the minister confirm that Qantas has received more than a...
  • Foreign Affairs (12 speeches)
    My question is for Senator Payne, the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will a prisoner swap between Australia and Iran, as happened last week, start a new trend of Australia negotiating with...
  • Economy (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Birmingham. Can the minister please update the Senate on how the Morrison-McCormack government's economic and health response to...
  • Asylum Seekers (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Cash. Senator, I refer to the generous offer from the New Zealand Prime Minister to resettle refugees and people...
  • COVID-19: International Travel (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Payne. On 18 September the Prime Minister promised that 26,000 stranded Australians registered with his government at that time would...
  • COVID-19: Vaccine (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Cash. Can the minister please update the Senate on the global search for a COVID-19 vaccine and how it will impact...
  • Youth Employment (20 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Youth and Sport, Senator Colbeck. How many young Australians are unemployed?
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • COVID-19: Qantas (15 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business Energy (Senator Cash) to a question without notice asked by Senator Sheldon...
  • Climate Change (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Finance (Senator Birmingham) to a question without notice asked by Senator Hanson-Young today relating to climate change....
• Budget (0 speeches)
  • Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
    I present additional information received by the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee relating to estimates: The document was unavailable at the time of publishing.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Community Affairs Legislation Committee; Additional Information (8 speeches)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Senator Askew, I present additional information received by the committee on its inquiry into the provisions of the Social...
  • Economics References Committee; Report (2 speeches)
    On behalf of the Economic References Committee, I present the report of the committee, Final report: Inquiry into the indicators of, and impact of, regional inequality in Australia, together with...
  • Northern Australia Agenda Select Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present the interim report of the Select Committee on the effectiveness of the Australian Government's Northern Australia agenda and I move: That the Senate take note of the report. In the time...
  • Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity Committee; Government Response to Report (1 speech)
    (—) (): I present the government response to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity on its inquiry into the examination of the Annual...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Australian Sports Commission, Sport Australia, Naval Shipbuilding; Order for the Production of Documents (14 speeches)
    I table documents relating to orders for production of documents concerning Australian Sports Commission and Sport Australia legal advice and Australia's sovereign naval shipbuilding capacity.
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • China-Australia Relationship (6 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate notes that the current dispute between China and Australia is more deep-seated than a trade spat involving wine, coal and timber. The motion I moved is the opening...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Bertram Shallcross Bridge (1 speech)
    I rise in this adjournment debate to make a few short remarks in relation to a delightful event I attended on 26 November 2020, which was the opening of the Bertram Shallcross bridge within the...
  • Climate Change (1 speech)
    In the wake of a year marked by bushfires and coronavirus, the impact of the climate emergency on our health has never been more critical or more in our face. The World Health Organization has...
  • Australian Red Cross (1 speech)
    As we all know, and as a number of speakers have spoken about this evening, 2020 has been an incredibly difficult and trying year for us Australians. We've contended with drought, fires, floods...
  • Employment (1 speech)
    As the Morrison government continues to congratulate itself on a job well done and use slogans and advertising to try to convince Australians that they are on top of our economic recovery, the...