Senate debates

Wednesday, 3 February 2021

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Meeting (1 speech)
    I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Native Title Legislation Amendment Bill 2020; In Committee (32 speeches)
    The committee is considering the Native Title Legislation Amendment Bill 2020. The question is that the bill stand as printed.
  • Native Title Legislation Amendment Bill 2020; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the bill be read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Crimes Legislation Amendment (Economic Disruption) Bill 2020; Second Reading (4 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Economic Disruption) Bill 2020. I will say from the outset that Labor supports these reforms. Labor has consistently argued that Australia's...
  • Crimes Legislation Amendment (Economic Disruption) Bill 2020; Third Reading (2 speeches)
    No amendments have been circulated. Does any senator require a committee stage? If not, I shall call the minister to move the third reading.
  • National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Mandatory Credit Reporting and Other Measures) Bill 2019; Second Reading (4 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Mandatory Credit Reporting and Other Measures) Bill 2019. At the outset, I can confirm that Labor will be supporting the bill...
  • National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Mandatory Credit Reporting and Other Measures) Bill 2019; In Committee (6 speeches)
    I table a supplementary memorandum relating to the government amendments to be moved to the National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Mandatory Credit Reporting and Other Measures) Bill...
  • National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Mandatory Credit Reporting and Other Measures) 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.
  • Customs Amendment (Product Specific Rule Modernisation) Bill 2019; Second Reading (8 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the Customs Amendment (Product Specific Rule Modernisation) Bill 2019. Labor has consistently argued that free trade should be fair trade. At a time when the government should...
• Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
  • Manufacturing (2 speeches)
    The need to reinvigorate and bolster Australia's manufacturing capability to protect our supply chains in essential products has never been more important. Indeed, its fragility and our...
  • Technology Companies (1 speech)
    I rise today to talk about the power of big tech and the influence that big tech has on our lives. My teenage daughter is a digital native. She's got a smartphone, a laptop and social media. She...
  • Western Australia: Bushfires (1 speech)
    I really appreciate the opportunity to be able to take this time in the Senate today to address an issue that is going on in my home state, in my home city of Perth right now. What we're seeing...
  • Workplace Relations: Food Delivery Industry (1 speech)
    Last week Uber Eats made an announcement that they'll be making significant changes to their business model. Those of us concerned with the impacts of the growing gig and on-demand economies on...
  • Raby, Dr Geoffrey William (Geoff), AO (1 speech)
    Just on a year ago I embarked on a series of speeches in the Senate that aimed to put the spotlight on Australian businesspeople who, in various ways, have had an impact on Australian society,...
  • Australian Sovereignty (1 speech)
    The last 12 months has illustrated the importance of self-reliance. When a country cannot rely on itself then its sovereignty is jeopardised. In his political masterpiece The Prince Niccolo...
  • Tasmania: Morrison Government (4 speeches)
    Before I start my contribution here today, I would like to just take up one point in Senator Rennick's contribution, and that is about teachers. We have a former teacher right here in Senator...
• Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    by leave—I advise the Senate that Senator Payne will be absent from question time today, Wednesday 3 February 2021, due to ministerial business. In Senator Payne's absence I will represent...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • COVID-19: Vaccine (17 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Colbeck. Yesterday in question time the minister said: The confidence that Australians have in the...
  • Western Australia: Bushfires (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Reynolds. Can the minister update the Senate on the devastating situation occurring in Perth right now, with the Wooroloo bushfire that's...
  • Member for Hughes (22 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Birmingham. Can the minister confirm that the Prime Minister has now met face to face with Mr Kelly? Did the meeting occur...
  • Apprenticeships (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small—
  • Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Legislative Review (8 speeches)
    My question is to Senator Birmingham, representing the Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer. Minister, as you would be aware there are now over 56,000 registered charities collecting well over $10...
  • Covid-19 (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Colbeck. Can the minister update the Senate on the Morrison government's comprehensive plan to roll out the COVID-19...
  • Environment (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, representing the Prime Minister. On 30 October last year the government was handed the final report from Professor Graeme Samuel...
  • Motor Industry: Electric Vehicles (4 speeches)
    My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, Senator Seselja. The federal government promised to release the electric vehicle strategy in 2019. It...
  • COVID-19: Vaccine (12 speeches)
    Sorry, I was taken back, listening about Senator Seselja's new fondness for electric vehicles!
  • Gas Industry (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia, Senator Ruston. Can the minister please update the Senate on the Morrison-McCormack...
  • Member for Hughes (22 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Birmingham. Last night the member for Dawson took to Facebook in defence of the member for Hughes, accusing others and the...
• Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
  • COVID-19: Vaccine, Member for Hughes (8 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services (Senator Colbeck) and the Minister representing the Prime Minister (Senator...
  • Environment (2 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Birmingham) today to a question without notice to asked by Senator Hanson-Young...
• Condolences (0 speeches)
  • Anthony, Rt Hon. John Douglas (Doug), AC, CH (7 speeches)
    Senators, it is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death on 20 December 2020 of the Rt Hon. John Douglas Anthony AC CH, a former Deputy Prime Minister and member of the House of...
  • Sullivan, Mr Jonathan Harold (1 speech)
    It is also with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death on 17 January 2021 of Jon Harold Sullivan, a former member of the House of Representatives for the division of Longman,...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Marielle Smith for Tuesday 2 February 2021 to Tuesday 11 May 2021 for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Ovarian Cancer (1 speech)
    On behalf of all Labor senators and also Senators Hughes, Henderson, Askew, Davey, Brockman, Griff, Patrick and all Green senators, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) ovarian...
  • Defence Equipment (4 speeches)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Gallacher, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) Australia's Collins Class submarines are a vital capability of the Australian Defence Force, (ii) in...
  • Climate Change (11 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) acknowledges that the global carbon budget has been updated since the Climate Change Authority's targets and progress report of February 2014 so that according...
  • Domestic and Family Violence (4 speeches)
    I, and also on behalf of Senator Waters, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) the Counting Dead Women Australia reports that: (A) 55 women were killed by violence in 2020, and (B) 4...
  • Racism (8 speeches)
    I inform the chamber that Senator Keneally will also sponsor the motion. I, and also on behalf of Senator Keneally, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) Australia is a hugely diverse...
  • Member for Hughes (8 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Watt, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) the Member for Hughes', Mr Craig Kelly's, repeated use of social media to spread damaging mistruths about COVID-19,...
• First Speech (0 speeches)
  • (3 speeches)
    Pursuant to order, I now call Senator Small to make his first speech. I ask that the usual courtesies be extended to him.
• Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
  • National Security (11 speeches)
    I inform the Senate that at 8.30 today 25 proposals were received. In accordance with standing order 75, the question of which proposal would be submitted to the Senate was determined by lot. As...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Payne for today, on account of ministerial business. Question agreed to.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Scrutiny Digest (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Polley, I present Scrutiny Digest No. 2 of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, dated 2021.
  • Human Rights Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, I present Human rights scrutiny report 1 of 2021, together with the minutes of proceedings of the committee and the...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Withdrawal (1 speech)
    I withdraw general business notice of motion No. 820 standing in my name for 16 March 2021.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Membership (2 speeches)
    I have received letters requesting changes in the membership of various committees.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Serious Incident Response Scheme and Other Measures) Bill 2020, Export Control Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2020; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That these bills may proceed without formalities, may be taken together and be now read a first time. Question agreed to. Bills read a first time.
  • Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Serious Incident Response Scheme and Other Measures) Bill 2020, Export Control Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2020; 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— AGED CARE...
  • Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2020 Measures No. 2) 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.
  • Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2020 Measures No. 2) 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— I am pleased to...
  • Customs Amendment (Product Specific Rule Modernisation) Bill 2019; Second Reading (3 speeches)
    Here we have the coalition essentially handing the pen over to intergovernmental organisations and telling them, 'Write our laws.' That's what we're voting on today. Those rules get updated by...
  • Customs Amendment (Product Specific Rule Modernisation) Bill 2019; In Committee (37 speeches)
    There are amendments that have been circulated in my name to the Customs Amendment (Product Specific Rule Modernisation) Bill 2019. I will be brief in speaking to these amendments. I did...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Democracy (1 speech)
    It is well known that his in his farewell speech the great American president Dwight Eisenhower warned about the military industrial complex. Today, of course, it is not just the military...
  • Economy (1 speech)
    We live in extraordinary times—a time when the world is crying out for leadership over politics and leadership over fear. Good economic policy will deliver us out of this pandemic and out...
  • Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, Extremism (1 speech)
    February is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer in Australia, and there is no detection test for it. Tragically, almost half of the 1,560 Australians...
  • Callaghan, Mr Kym Leslie, OAM (1 speech)
    I want to put some remarks on the table about the Australia Day honours list in which 844 Australians were recognised. In announcing the list, the Governor-General said: On behalf of all...
  • Shark Fishing (1 speech)
    I rise tonight to speak about the global shark fin trade and inhumane practise of shark finning. For some years I have spoken out about shark finning, its inherent cruelty and the need for...
  • Meat Industry (1 speech)
    The last 12 months, since the COVID-19 pandemic arrived on our shores, have thrown into sharp relief what is necessary to Australia and Australians: a hardworking, efficient transport industry...
  • Tasmania: Dairy Industry (1 speech)
    Last Thursday I attended the opening of the Duck River Meadows dairy and cheese factory in Smithton in the far north-west of Tasmania. Back in 2012 an announcement by the then Labor regional...