Senate debates

Monday, 5 September 2022

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Meeting (1 speech)
    I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator.
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That the following general business orders of the day be considered today at the time for private senators' bills: No. 18, Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022, and No. 14,...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022; Second Reading (7 speeches)
    I welcome the opportunity to speak to the Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022 and I acknowledge the work of my House colleagues Alicia Payne and Luke Gosling in bringing this private member's...
  • Social Services Legislation Amendment (Enhancing Pensioner and Veteran Workforce Participation) Bill 2022; Second Reading (13 speeches)
    I rise this morning to speak to a bill that I introduced to the Senate in the last sitting fortnight, the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Enhancing Pensioner and Veteran Workforce...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Afghanistan (7 speeches)
    I, and also on behalf of Senators Birmingham and Payman, move: That the Senate— (a) acknowledges: (i) 15 August 2022 marks one year since Kabul fell to the Taliban, (ii) this date will be a...
  • Australian National Flag (1 speech)
    It is disappointing that MPs from the Greens choose not to fly our Australian flag. The new member for Ryan, Elizabeth Watson-Brown, has one of our country's largest Army barracks in her...
  • Workplace Relations: Qantas (1 speech)
    The Jobs and Skills Summit was a meeting of our nation's best and brightest. However, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce was also there. Mr Joyce has decided it isn't enough that he's ruined our national...
  • Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Climate Trigger) Bill 2022 (1 speech)
    Today I will be tabling a private member's bill that creates a climate trigger in our environment laws. This is essential if we are to ensure that any project being assessed by the environment...
  • International Day of Charity (1 speech)
    Today we celebrate the great work that the 60,000 charities that operate in Australia do for our community. Indeed, we celebrate the almost 4,000 of them in my home state of Western Australia....
  • Waverley Mills (1 speech)
    Labor outlined during the election campaign a holistic plan to deliver for Tasmania. Part of this strategy was to bring back manufacturing and, with it, more secure local jobs. Originally...
  • Jobs and Skills Summit (1 speech)
    Two minutes is more than enough to review Labor's Jobs and Skills Summit. Allowing pensioners and student visa holders to earn more will help small businesses in the city and in the bush. This...
  • Superannuation (1 speech)
    On Friday afternoon, the Assistant Treasurer, Stephen Jones, made a regulation which will exempt super funds from disclosing the payments they make to unions. I've lodged a freedom-of-information...
  • Nuclear Weapons (1 speech)
    I've got just a couple of words to say to Senator Bragg about that—super theft! Ridding the world of nuclear weapons should be the goal of all countries that committed to a lasting global...
  • Tarkine Rainforest (1 speech)
    Any day now the federal environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, will decide the fate of a beautiful patch of ancient rainforest in the Tarkine—rainforest that it has been declared has World...
  • Superannuation (1 speech)
    I rise today to speak of some flattering news. It turns out that the Labor Party has decided to copy the United Australia Party policy of bringing Australian super back home. This policy was one...
  • Australian National Flag (1 speech)
    I actually have been listening carefully to the two-minute statements being given in this chamber, and I decided to change my contribution during the course of the discussion. What prompted me to...
  • Paid Parental Leave Scheme (1 speech)
    One of the strongest, clearest messages coming from the Jobs and Skills Summit last week was the economic and social benefits of expanding paid parental leave to 26 weeks. The Grattan Institute,...
  • Education (1 speech)
    If you are a parent and a stranger approaches your child to tell them about safe sex, transgenderism, abortion and pornography, you'd probably call the police, or at least you'd intervene to...
  • Jobs and Skills Summit (1 speech)
    Last week's Jobs and Skills Summit produced 36 immediate actions and about the same number of issues for further action. This was a historic collaborative process, and it is just the beginning....
  • Volunteers (1 speech)
    Volunteers are the life blood of our communities, and, while that statement might sound like a cliche, everyone in this chamber knows this to be true. Being part of a volunteer organisation...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Economy (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Like my colleagues, I have been speaking to businesses across Australia about their experience of Labor's...
  • Jobs and Skills Summit (8 speeches)
    SMITH () (): My question is to the Minister for Finance and Minister for Women, Senator Gallagher. Can the minister update the Senate on the outcomes of last week's Jobs and Skills Summit and how...
  • Workplace Relations (19 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace relations, Senator Watt. Why is the Albanese government entertaining the proposal of the Australian Council...
  • Pakistan: Floods (12 speeches)
    RUQI () (): My question is to Minister Wong, representing the Prime Minister. The recent climate-fuelled floods in Pakistan are having horrific consequences. To date, one-third of Pakistan is...
  • Jobs and Skills Summit (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Watt. Last week's Jobs and Skills Summit, held right here in Parliament House, brought together industry groups,...
  • Covid-19: Vaccination (7 speeches)
    OBERTS () (): My question is for Senator Gallagher, for the Minister for Health and Aged Care. A peer reviewed paper last week in the establishment scientific journal Vaccine examined Pfizer's...
  • Mining Industry (13 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Northern Australia, Senator Watt. During the inquiry into the government's climate change bills, the Northern Australia Infrastructure...
  • Pensions and Benefits (16 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Minister Gallagher. Minister, the Treasurer was quoted this morning in relation to the indexation of income support payments as saying:...
  • Space Industry (21 speeches)
    My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Industry and Science, Senator Farrell. Is the minister aware of reports today that the Space Industry Association of Australia is...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Economy (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister representing the Treasurer (Senator Gallagher) to a question without notice asked by Senator Hume today relating to the...
  • Pakistan: Floods (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Wong) to questions without notice I asked today...
• Condolences (0 speeches)
  • Gayler, Mr John, Gibbons, Mr Stephen William (Steve), Mountford, Mr John Graham (1 speech)
    It is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death of three former members of the House of Representatives: on 27 July 2022, of John Gayler, a member for the division of Leichhardt,...
• Parliamentary Zone (0 speeches)
  • Proposed Works (1 speech)
    I give notice that, on Wednesday 7 September 2022, I shall move: That, in accordance with section 5 of the Parliament Act 1974, the Senate approve the proposal by the National Capital Authority...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (2 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to the following senators: Senators Brockman and Molan for 5 to 15 September, for personal reasons; Senator Fawcett for 5 September, for...
• Condolences (0 speeches)
  • Gorbachev, Mikhail Sergeyevich (4 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That the Senate records its deep regret at the death, on 30 August 2022, of Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, places on record its...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Environment and Communications References Committee; Reference (1 speech)
    I move: That the following matter be referred to the Environment and Communications References Committee for inquiry and report by 1 March 2023: The spread of climate related marine invasive...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Climate Trigger) Bill 2022; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, and for related purposes—Environment Protection...
  • Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Climate Trigger) Bill 2022; 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...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Albanese Government: Workplace Relations (9 speeches)
    I inform the Senate that at 8.30 am today 33 proposals were received in accordance with standing order 75. The question of which proposal would be submitted to the Senate was determined by lot....
• First Speech (0 speeches)
  • White, Senator Linda (2 speeches)
    Order! Before I call Senator White, I remind honourable senators that this is her first speech and, therefore, I ask that the usual courtesies be extended to her.
  • Cadell, Senator Ross (4 speeches)
    Pursuant to order I now call Senator Cadell to make his first speech and ask that the usual courtesies be extended to him.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Electoral Matters Joint Committee, Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
    Order! The President has received letters requesting changes in the membership of committees.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Tabling (4 speeches)
    I table a document relating to an order for the production of documents concerning animal welfare.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Climate Change Bill 2022, Climate Change (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2022; 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.
  • Climate Change Bill 2022, Climate Change (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2022; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I table revised explanatory memoranda relating to the bills and move: That these bills be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speeches incorporated in Hansard. Leave...
  • Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Lifting the Income Limit for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card) Bill 2022; 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 (Lifting the Income Limit for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card) Bill 2022; 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— This Bill delivers on...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Northern Australia Joint Select Committee; Appointment (1 speech)
    A message has been received from the House of Representatives transmitting for concurrence resolutions relating to the establishment of a Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia.
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Reference (3 speeches)
    I move: That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by the first sitting day of 2023: The project known as...
• Regulations and Determinations (0 speeches)
  • Code for the Tendering and Performance of Building Work Amendment Instrument 2022; Disallowance (27 speeches)
    I'm pleased to rise to speak on this disallowance motion in relation to the Code for the Tendering and Performance of Building Work Amendment Instrument 2022. In doing so, I note that this is the...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Commonwealth Bank Teaching Awards (1 speech)
    Teachers change lives. We often hear it, but I have always believed it. In July this year a teacher from Montello Primary School in Burnie on the north-west coast of Tasmania received the honour...
  • Cybersafety (1 speech)
    In my capacity as shadow minister for communications, I have been very proud to speak about the incredible work of the previous coalition government in protecting the online safety of all...
  • Jobs and Skills Summit (1 speech)
    Last week I attended the Jobs and Skills Summit here in this building. It occurred at a critical moment in our history in terms of the state of our economy and our labour market. We're in a...
  • De Bellis, Cavaliere Giovanni Battista, OAM (1 speech)
    Tonight, on behalf of former senator Fierravanti-Wells, I pay tribute to a great figure within the Australian-Italian community, Cavaliere Giovanni Battista De Bellis OAM. Mr De Bellis lost his...