Senate debates

Thursday, 9 February 2023

• 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)
  • Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Fight for Australia's Coastline) Bill 2022; Second Reading (8 speeches)
    I'm very pleased to rise today and introduce the debate on this private member's bill, fighting for Australia's coastlines. PEP-11, petroleum exploration permit 11, has become a bit of a...
  • Migration Amendment (Aggregate Sentences) Bill 2023; In Committee (2 speeches)
    CHAIR ( Senator Walsh ) (): The Committee is considering the Migration Amendment (Aggregate Sentences) Bill 2023. Two divisions were called for after 6.30 pm yesterday, and those questions will...
  • Migration Amendment (Aggregate Sentences) Bill 2023; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Higher Education Support Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) Bill 2022; In Committee (4 speeches)
    by leave—I move opposition amendments (1) to (5) on sheet 1799 together: (1) Schedule 2, item 30, page 19 (line 7), omit "commence", substitute "cause to be conducted independent". (2)...
  • Higher Education Support Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) Bill 2022; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
• Governor-General's Speech (0 speeches)
  • Address-in-Reply (11 speeches)
    Well, we're done. We're out of an agenda, and we're out of anything to do. It's only been about 260 days since the election, and the government has got nothing left in the tank. They're the...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Presentation (1 speech)
    I give notice that, at the giving of notices on the next day of sitting, I shall withdraw business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1, standing in my name for the next day of sitting.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (3 speeches)
    I present the first report of 2023 of the Selection of Bills Committee. I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The report read as follows— SELECTION OF...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That general business notice of motion No. 155 standing in the name of the Leader of the Australian Greens in the Senate (Senator Waters), relating to maternity and reproductive health...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Reporting Date (1 speech)
    PRESIDENT (): Thank you. I remind senators that the question may be put on that proposal at the request of any senator.
• Regulations and Determinations (0 speeches)
  • Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Amendment (Annual Members' Meetings Notices) Regulations 2022; Disallowance (1 speech)
    Yesterday a division was deferred relating to a motion moved by Senators Lambie and McKim proposing the disallowance of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Amendment (Annual Members'...
• 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 9 June 2023: The impacts and management of feral horses in the...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Australian Defence Force; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
    I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, by no later than midday on Monday, 6 March 2023: (a) advice provided to the Prime Minister in...
  • Interest Rates; Order for the Production of Documents (3 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Dean Smith, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Treasurer, by no later than midday on Friday, 10 February 2023, the following...
  • Oil and Gas Exploration; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
    I move general business notices of motion Nos 150 and 151 together: GENERAL BUSINESS NOTICE OF MOTION NO. 150 (1) That the following documents be laid on the table by the Minister representing...
  • Bunbury Outer Ring Road; Order for the Production of Documents (3 speeches)
    I move: That the final independent cost assessment for the Bunbury outer ring road project be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional...
  • Department of Finance; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Hume, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) on 7 February 2023, the Senate agreed to order for production of documents no. 123 (the order), requiring the...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Export Control Amendment (Streamlining Administrative Processes) Bill 2022, Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) Bill 2022; First Reading (1 speech)
    OWN (—) (): 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.
  • Export Control Amendment (Streamlining Administrative Processes) Bill 2022, Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2022 Measures No. 1) Bill 2022; 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 spee ches read as follows— EXPORT CONTROL...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • National Anti-Corruption Commission Legislation Joint Select Committee; Appointment (6 speeches)
    A message has been received from the House of Representatives forwarding a resolution agreed to by that House relating to the appointment of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Higher Education Support Amendment (Australia's Economic Accelerator) 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.
  • Higher Education Support Amendment (Australia's Economic Accelerator) 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 amends the...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Budget; Order for the Production of Documents (26 speeches)
    I refer to the notice of motion from Senator McKenzie, agreed by the Senate on 26 October 2022, for the order for the production of documents, order 55. The senator's request relates to...
• Governor-General's Speech (0 speeches)
  • Address-in-Reply (6 speeches)
    I know it's some time, as others in this place have mentioned, since the Governor-General actually gave his address. In that address the Governor-General stated: The Government commits to engage...
• Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
  • Cashless Debit Card (1 speech)
    There is a crisis unfolding in the Western Australian Goldfields towns of Leonora and Laverton, which the Albanese government is directly responsible for and, quite frankly, should be absolutely...
  • Nambucca Heads: Youth (1 speech)
    I rise to speak today about the youth advisory council at Nambucca Heads High School. Rural and regional communities are too often forgotten about, overlooked or dismissed in the public debate,...
  • Governor-General Amendment (Cessation of Allowances in the Public Interest) Bill 2023 (1 speech)
    I have today given notice of the Governor-General Amendment (Cessation of Allowances in the Public Interest) Bill 2023. The bill creates a power for the removal of access to lucrative...
  • South Australia: Education (1 speech)
    It has become apparent that sending your child to a South Australian public school might be the worst thing you could ever do to them. We all know that the education system has been thoroughly...
  • International Visitor Leadership Program (1 speech)
    I rise today to speak about a program that you, Acting Deputy President Chandler, and I recently took part in—the International Visitor Leadership Program of the United States Department of...
  • Australian Constitution: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice (1 speech)
    Yesterday, I released a pamphlet which sets out a Liberal conservative outlook on why the Voice to Parliament is a good idea. I have long been of the idea that it is a good idea because it would...
  • Banking and Financial Services (1 speech)
    Last week I was informed that Cloncurry, Ingham and Tully would be the sites of the latest Westpac bank closures. I acknowledge that times have changed and there are fewer people going into...
  • Australian Constitution: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, Turkiye and Syria: Earthquake (1 speech)
    Firstly, I begin by acknowledging the statement by Senator Bragg and thank him for his courage in being able to come forward from the Liberal Party and show his support for the Voice in terms of...
  • Education (1 speech)
    Many times in this chamber I have got to my feet to talk about the chronic underfunding of our public schools. In the last few weeks, students right around the country have gone back to school...
  • Housing Australia Future Fund (1 speech)
    Today, the government introduced legislation into the other place to establish the Housing Australia Future Fund, the HAFF. That fund aims to add 30,000 new homes to the supply of social and...
  • Henderson Maritime Precinct (1 speech)
    Today I rise to address the WA state government's abject failure to invest in critically important state infrastructure at the Henderson maritime precinct. As a senator for WA, and also as a...
  • Clean Ocean Foundation (1 speech)
    Recently I had the pleasure of meeting with John Gemmill and Pete Smith, the CEO and President, respectively, of the Clean Ocean Foundation. The Clean Ocean Foundation is a fantastic...
  • Mining Industry (1 speech)
    I listened really closely to the debate this morning about my colleague Senator Whish-Wilson's private senator's bill to stop the PEP 11 project, which would allow for the expansion of oil and...
  • Centrelink (1 speech)
    You might think it's just a phone call; someone will pick up eventually, it's nothing to worry about. But it's so much more than that. Imagine being scared that you couldn't feed your kids next...
  • Sydney WorldPride (2 speeches)
    Sydney WorldPride of 2023 is almost upon us As the excitement and momentum grow, I stand to acknowledge the hard work of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, who were successful in securing...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • National Security (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Watt. An audit, through questions on notice, revealed that almost 1,000 units of surveillance equipment provided...
  • Cost of Living (13 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Women, Senator Gallagher. Can the minister outline how the policies of the Albanese Labor government will assist Australian households to manage the cost of living?
  • Fuel (14 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Watt. I refer the government to the report by the Grattan Institute Fuelling budget repair: how to reform fuel...
  • Income Tax (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Last week, the IMF—which, it has to be said, is one of the chief agents of neoliberalism around the...
  • Western Australia: Natural Disasters (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Emergency Management, Senator Watt. In my home state of Western Australia, we've seen flooding in the Kimberley and fires down south. Can the minister please...
  • Aged Care (8 speeches)
    Thank you, President; I appreciate it. My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Minister Gallagher. Minister, last year this parliament passed the Aged...
  • Central Queensland Coal (27 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Water, Senator Wong. I refer to yesterday's Twitter announcement by Ms Plibersek that she will block Central...
  • COVID-19: Vaccination (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Minister Gallagher. In November 2022 I raised with you the issue of excess mortality as reported by the...
  • Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator Farrell. The Albanese Labor government finalised a trade agreement with India late last year which is now benefiting Australian...
  • Wages (14 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Watt. Is the current rate of real wages growth positive or negative?
  • Climate Change (10 speeches)
    My question is to Senator Wong, the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Could the minister update the Senate on how the Albanese government is working with...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Answers to Questions (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today. In my contribution, I particularly want to take note of the...
  • Income Tax (3 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Finance (Senator Gallagher) to a question without notice I asked today relating to income tax rates. At a time when...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Environment and Communications References Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
    nator McKIM (—) (): by leave—At the request of the Chair of the Environment and Communications References Committee, I move: That the time for the presentation of the report of the...
  • Human Rights Joint Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, I present Human rights scrutiny report 1 of 2023.
• Budget (0 speeches)
  • Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Senator Marielle Smith, I present the report of the committee on the 2022-23 budget estimates.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Treaties Joint Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, I present the 204th and 205th reports of the committee, entitled Report 204Agreement between the Government of Australia and...
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Additional Information (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee, my good friend Senator Canavan, I present additional information received by the committee on its...
  • Treaties Joint Committee; Government Response to Report (1 speech)
    I present the government response to the 194th report of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties. In accordance with the usual practice, I seek leave to incorporate the document in Hansard....
  • National Disability Insurance Scheme Joint Committee; Government Response to Report (1 speech)
    I present the government response to the 2021 general issues report of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme. In accordance with the usual practice, I seek...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity (2 speeches)
    I rise to speak to document 4, the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity's annual report 2021-22. The Joint Committee on the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity, of...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Additional Information (3 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the document. I'd like to comment on the foot-and-mouth outbreak in Indonesia and just how scary that could have been. I want to share my thoughts with the...
• Auditor-General's Reports (0 speeches)
  • Report No. 10 of 2022-23 (2 speeches)
    The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the importance of telehealth services into sharp focus. As we as a community continue to navigate through the pandemic it is clear that expanding telehealth...
• Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
  • National Security (4 speeches)
    On behalf of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Mr Marles, I table a ministerial statement on securing Australia's sovereignty.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Commonwealth of Australia Credit Rating, Australian Public Service; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I table documents relating to orders for the production of documents from 7 February 2023 concerning the Commonwealth's credit rating and the Australian Public Service employee census 2022.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Customs Legislation Amendment (Controlled Trials and Other Measures) Bill 2022, Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Improvements for Families and Gender Equality) Bill 2022, Work Health and Safety Amendment 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.
  • Customs Legislation Amendment (Controlled Trials and Other Measures) Bill 2022, Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Improvements for Families and Gender Equality) Bill 2022, Work Health and Safety Amendment Bill 2022; 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— CUSTOMS...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Economics Legislation Committee, Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, National Anti-Corruption Commission Legislation Joint Select Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
    The President has received letters requesting changes in the membership of committees.
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Health Care (4 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that inadequate funding and lack of workforce planning has closed or restricted many maternity and reproductive health services around the country,...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Cost of Living (2 speeches)
    I rise today to speak on the recent cost-of-living hearings that I and my colleague from this side of the chamber Senator Stewart participated in. We heard a lot, through those three days, of...
  • National Rugby League (1 speech)
    In less than an hour's time, the new NRL preseason kicks off with the Warriors playing the Tigers in Auckland. Around Australia and especially in my old neck of the woods, Sutherland Shire, rugby...
  • Employment (1 speech)
    I rise to speak about secure jobs and the strong economy that the government is focused on nurturing, because we know that strong jobs growth helps Australians to manage the cost of living. The...