Senate debates

Tuesday, 31 August 2021

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Australia's Family Law System Joint Select Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    I remind senators that that question may be put at the request of any senator.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Sex Discrimination and Fair Work (Respect at Work) Amendment Bill 2021; Second Reading (10 speeches)
    There is scarcely an institution in Australia that has not been touched by an allegation of sexual harassment over the past few years—the Defence Force, the High Court, hospital operating...
• Statements (0 speeches)
  • Aged Care (1 speech)
    Tomorrow is Thank You for Working in Aged Care Day. I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to aged-care workers for all their hard work and dedication and the care they give...
  • COVID-19: Children (1 speech)
    Within the community the consensus is clear: the children need to go back to school. In the quiet, deserted streets of Melbourne there are no conversations and no people meeting. Through...
  • Afghanistan (1 speech)
    [by video link] Yesterday I spoke about the crisis in Afghanistan and the impact on the people of Afghanistan of Australia's invasion and the 20 years of war. Often, when we raise these issues we...
  • Aged Care (1 speech)
    [by video link] Today is Equal Pay Day, and today I want to recognise some of Australia's most overworked and undervalued women: our aged-care workers. As a country we ask an incredible amount of...
  • Mining Industry (1 speech)
    [by video link] The national accounts figures published yesterday carried great news for our community and very bad news for those in the Senate for whom 'mining' is a dirty word. Australia's...
  • Mental Health (1 speech)
    I want to take a couple of minutes to speak about some of the challenges facing our younger Australians. Professor Patrick McGorry, arguably the most respected mental health expert in the...
  • Superannuation (1 speech)
    [by video link] An enduring problem with superannuation is that many Australians have, without knowing so, invested in super funds with high fees and low returns. Many, without doubt, would be...
  • Wavehill, Mr (1 speech)
    [by video link] My condolences go to the Kalkarindji community for the passing of Mudburra elder Mr Wavehill last week. He was one of the stockmen who walked off Wave Hill in 1966, led by Vincent...
  • Australia Post (1 speech)
    ABETZ () (): [by video link] Some time ago, I was critical of Australia Post's service delivery standards, noting specific examples of where Australia Post could do better. Part of the criticism...
  • Gas Industry (1 speech)
    [by video link] Total policy failure. When I see news reports talking about import terminals for gas, that's what I think: total policy failure. Australia exports two units of gas for every one...
  • Hanson, Senator Pauline (3 speeches)
    I rise to speak about some very mysterious things that seem to be happening in Central Queensland, particularly in Rockhampton. This weekend, the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin reported that...
  • COVID-19: Vaccination (1 speech)
    I rise to acknowledge the rapid progress of the government's COVID-19 vaccine rollout and its critical role in unlocking my home state of Western Australia and the whole nation. In doing so, I...
  • Workplace Relations (1 speech)
    [by video link] On Friday, in evidence to the job security Senate inquiry, labour hire companies, including Hays, gave evidence that 2,500 staff contracted in the Australian Public Service have...
  • Member for Hughes (2 speeches)
    [by video link] If you are one of the millions of Australians yesterday who received a spam text from the United Australia Party, from Clive Palmer, you're not alone. I got one yesterday too....
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • COVID-19: Vaccination (16 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Colbeck. Is the minister aware that today the New South Wales health minister, Brad Hazzard, confirmed...
  • COVID-19: New South Wales (8 speeches)
    [by video link] My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Colbeck. Today 1,164 new local COVID-19 cases were reported in New South Wales, with 143 people...
  • COVID-19: Indigenous Health (30 speeches)
    [by video link] My question is for the Minister representing the Prime Minister. A First Nations man died because of COVID-19 this week. Our communities are not getting the help they so urgently...
  • COVID-19: Vaccination (35 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Colbeck. Can the minister update the Senate on Australia's COVID-19 vaccine rollout as part of the...
  • Women's Safety (8 speeches)
    ANDLER () (): My question is to the Minister for Women's Safety, Senator Ruston. Can the minister update the Senate on the National Summit on Women's Safety and how the summit will be delivered...
  • COVID-19: Testing (8 speeches)
    [by video link] My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Colbeck. Senator, rapid antigen testing kits for COVID-19 are going to be a fact of...
  • COVID-19: First Nations (13 speeches)
    [by video link] My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Colbeck. I refer to reports a First Nations woman with COVID-19 and breathing...
  • Superannuation (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and the Digital Economy, Senator Hume. Unlike the Labor Party, which included a retiree tax in its policy platform taken to...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Covid-19 (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services (Senator Colbeck) to questions without notice asked by Senators Sheldon,...
  • COVID-19: Indigenous Health (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 Thorpe today relating to COVID-19 vaccination...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Presentation (1 speech)
    I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move: That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the following bills, allowing them to be considered...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (3 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to the following senators from 30 August to 2 September 2021: (a) Senators Antic, Birmingham, Fawcett, Griff, McLachlan, McMahon, Paterson...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Postponement (1 speech)
    That question may be put, if requested by any senator. There being none, I shall now proceed to the discovery of formal business. I'll go through them in the order they're on the Notice Paper.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • COVID-19 Vaccination Certificates; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator Kitching, I move: That the continuing order of the Senate of 18 March 2021 relating to COVID-19 vaccination certificates be amended to read: (1) That there be laid on...
  • Geographic Vaccination Rates for First Nations Australians; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Dodson, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, by no later than 3 pm on 1 September 2021, the...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Federal Environment Watchdog Bill 2021; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to the environment, and for related purposes. Question agreed to. I present the bill and move: That this...
  • Federal Environment Watchdog Bill 2021; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to table an explanatory memorandum relating to the bill. Leave granted. I table an explanatory memorandum and seek leave to have the...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • COVID-19: Vaccination; Order for the Production of Documents (4 speeches)
    I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, by no later than 9.30 am on Wednesday, 1 September 2021: (a) first and second dose...
  • Energy; Order for the Production of Documents (7 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Waters, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, by no later than 9.30 am on 2 September...
  • Energy Security Board; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Waters, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, by no later than 9.30 am on 2 September...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Prime Minister (26 speeches)
    A letter has been received from Senator Pratt: Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion: The reported...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Law Enforcement Committee, Public Works Committee, Treaties Committee; Report (1 speech)
    Pursuant to order and at the request of the chairs of the respective committees, I present three reports of committees: Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement— Examination of the...
  • Joint Select Committee on Road Safety; Government Response to Report (1 speech)
    I present the government's response to the report of the Joint Select Committee on Road Safety and seek leave to have the document incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The document read as...
  • Economics References Committee; Report (6 speeches)
    I will now go to the Economic References Committee report presented out of sitting, Greenfields, cash cows and regulation of foreign investment in Australia.
  • Road Safety Joint Select Committee (2019); Government Response to Report (4 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the document.
  • Economics References Committee; Government Response to Report (1 speech)
    I notice that Senator Whish-Wilson has joined. With the leave of the chamber, we'll go back to Senator Siewert's motion to take note of the government response to the Economics References...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Urban Congestion Fund, Energy Security Board, Legislation (Exemptions and Other Measures) Regulation 2015; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I table documents relating to the following orders for the production of documents concerning, first, the Urban Congestion Fund; second, the Energy Security Board, and, third, the Legislation...
  • Legislation (Exemptions and Other Measures) Regulations 2015; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the document. I seek leave to continue my remarks later. Leave granted; debate adjourned.
  • Urban Congestion Fund; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the document. I will throw to Senator Rice. Hopefully her sound system is working!
  • Energy Security Board; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the response. I seek leave to continue my remarks later. Leave granted; debate adjourned.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
    The President has received a letter requesting changes in the membership of a committee.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Charter of the United Nations Amendment Bill 2021, Dental Benefits Amendment Bill 2021, Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (Equity Investments and Other Measures) Bill 2021, Treasury Laws Amendment (2021 Measures No. 6) Bill 2021; 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.
  • Charter of the United Nations Amendment Bill 2021, Dental Benefits Amendment Bill 2021, Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (Equity Investments and Other Measures) Bill 2021, Treasury Laws Amendment (2021 Measures No. 6) Bill 2021; 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— CHARTER OF THE...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, I present the report of the committee on the provisions of the Treasury Laws Amendment (2021 Measures No. 5) Bill...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Sex Discrimination and Fair Work (Respect at Work) Amendment Bill 2021; Second Reading (12 speeches)
    [by video link] I continue my earlier contribution on the Sex Discrimination and Fair Work (Respect at Work) Amendment Bill 2021. I was saying that I want to address the concerns that senators...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Cryptocurrency (1 speech)
    I rise this evening to make some remarks about cryptocurrency. It is remarkable that one in five Australians have exposure to cryptocurrency, according to various surveys. This is a phenomenon...
  • COVID 19: Tasmania (1 speech)
    I rise to speak about one element of the jobs crisis that has been created by the Morrison Liberal government's failure to maintain a uniform national wage subsidy scheme. The ham-fisted,...
  • Indigenous Australians (1 speech)
    I rise tonight to focus on a tragedy that is happening on the streets of Perth: recently, there have been a number of deaths of First Nations women experiencing homelessness on Perth's streets....
  • Banking and Financial Services (1 speech)
    I rise to speak on the pathetic failure, in fact, of the Treasurer Mr Frydenberg to adequately protect Australian consumers. The Treasurer has once again missed another deadline for...
  • Afghanistan (1 speech)
    [by video link] Overnight, the last US troops in Afghanistan flew out of Kabul. The Afghanistan conflict has been Australia's longest military commitment, a war repeatedly endorsed by this...
  • Siewert, Senator Rachel (1 speech)
    I rise tonight to make some brief comments in relation to Senator Rachel Siewert. This is her final week in the chamber, and, although I want to actually disagree with so many of the comments...
  • Internet Content (1 speech)
    I rise to talk about an uncomfortable but important subject. It's the harm that exposure to pornography is doing to our children. When a committee of this parliament examined the issue, it found...