Senate debates
Tuesday, 8 August 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)
- Statements (0 speeches)
- Parliamentary Standards (1 speech)
by leave—On Thursday 22 June I used a term that was unparliamentary, and I now withdraw that remark.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
- Gas Industry (1 speech)
Last year the government made one of the biggest public policy mistakes I have seen in my four years in this place. That was to introduce draconian market intervention laws in relation to the gas...
- Focussed Ultrasound Therapy (1 speech)
Imagine trying to sip a glass of water, eat a mouthful of food or type a text message while your hands are uncontrollably shaking. Essential tremor is a nervous system disorder which causes...
- Toowoomba North South Transport Corridor (1 speech)
We're in the middle of a climate and an extinction emergency and yet development keeps being approved in areas of significant environmental importance. In my home state of Queensland, the...
- Afghanistan (1 speech)
Over the last 24 hours, two seemingly unconnected events have occurred. The first of those, yesterday morning in this place, was when Andrew Wallace brought before a number of my coalition...
- Energy (1 speech)
Every morning, the LNP wake up and think about how they're going to pick a fight with this government and other governments about decarbonisation and the energy performance agenda. But they are...
- Donations to Political Parties (1 speech)
The government wants to tighten the tax rules on the petroleum resource rent tax—the PRRT. Labor wants to get a bit more tax from the gas companies. Senator Tyrrell and I and millions of...
- Aukus (1 speech)
I rise to extend a very warm welcome to Perth to the USS North Carolina, the first US Virginia class attack submarine to visit the nation since the AUKUS defence agreement was announced in March...
- Australian Constitution: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice (1 speech)
Over the past month, I've been travelling across my home state and talking to regional Victorians about the up-and-coming referendum to enshrine an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice...
- Pensions And Benefits (1 speech)
The robodebt scheme was one of the darkest chapters of Australia's social security system and, indeed, of our history. It caused devastating emotional and psychological harm to people across the...
- Law Enforcement (1 speech)
I rise to speak to the beauty, strength and resilience of the queer community, my sister girls, brother boys, intersex and disabled siblings. I rise in solidarity against the police, the armed...
- Albanese Government (1 speech)
Over the past few weeks, many Australians have received their most recent power bill, and for many it's been a real shock—no pun intended. I've been inundated with countless stories of the...
- Local Government (1 speech)
I rise to note a South Australian council has decided to back the 'yes' campaign with ratepayers' money and to note the enormous backlash from ratepayers that has resulted. I refer to the Mitcham...
- Homelessness (1 speech)
A recently released report from Homelessness Australia was appropriately entitled Overstretched and overwhelmed:the strain on homelessness services. It revealed a toxic combination of soaring...
- Albanese Government (1 speech)
It has been 15 months and there have been two budgets since the Albanese government came to power. As I get around my home state of Tasmania, there is one thing Tasmanians have been asking this...
- Australian Antarctic Division (2 speeches)
I rise today to speak about funding for the Australian Antarctic Division. Recently, certain media outlets have reported that the federal government is reducing the operating budget of the...
- Ministry (0 speeches)
- Temporary Arrangements (1 speech)
Senator Farrell will be absent from question time today for personal reasons. In his absence, ministers will represent portfolios in question time in accordance with the letter circulated to the...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Cost of Living (20 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. One Australian told the cost-of-living committee that their mortgage is going up month after month while at the same...
- Cost of Living: Health Care (13 speeches)
My question as to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Gallagher. Can the minister outline how the Albanese government is making medicines cheaper for Australians, and how...
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice (30 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Minister, over the past week the government has repeatedly criticised the opposition for wanting to talk about...
- Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct (14 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Minister, the Albanese government is continuing the Morrison government's climate-destroying gas obsession,...
- Trade with China (11 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Watt. We've heard already about the good news of China lifting its trade barriers in relation to barley. I note the...
- Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct (17 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the minister for infrastructure, Minister Watt. Today I will table an open letter with nearly 2,300 signatures from doctors and medical professionals....
- COVID-19 Vaccines: Livestock (13 speeches)
My question is for the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Minister Watt. You previously discussed the topic of livestock mRNA vaccines at one of your agriculture minister meetings....
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- United States Congressional Staff Delegation (1 speech)
I wish to draw to the attention of honourable senators to the presence in the gallery of a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade hosted United States Congressional Staff Delegation. On behalf...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Veterans: MATES Program (8 speeches)
Welcome. My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Senator Wong. Last week it was revealed in the Saturday Paper that the Department of Veterans' Affairs has...
- International Development Assistance (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Wong. Given it has been nearly a decade since there was a long-term international development policy to drive the government's...
- Middle East (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Wong. Will the Albanese Labor government be changing Australia's position in terms of how we describe Israeli settlements as being...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Answers To Questions (6 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of answers given by ministers to all questions asked by coalition senators this afternoon. Australians are getting increasingly cranky. They're getting cranky...
- Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy (Senator Wong) to a question without noticed asked by Senator Faruqi...
- 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 Telecommunications (Interception and Access)...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Leave of Absence (3 speeches)
by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Payne for 7 to 10 August for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Economics Legislation Committee; Reference (1 speech)
I move: That the Competition and Consumer (Gas Market Code) Regulations 2023 be referred to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 6 October 2023. Question agreed to.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Australis II; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Water, by no later than midday on Thursday, 11 August 2023, any emails, file notes,...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Withdrawal (1 speech)
I withdraw general business notice of motion No. 288 standing in my name for today.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Housing (17 speeches)
A letter has been received from Senator McKim: Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion: The Albanese...
- Cost of Living (13 speeches)
The Senate will now consider the proposal from Senator O'Sullivan: The Prime Minister said before the election that Australians will be better off under a Labor government; however, since the...
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- Oil and Gas Exploration (1 speech)
by leave—I table two nonconforming petitions. One, signed by 2,281 health professionals, calls on the Albanese government to withdraw its $1.5 billion support for the Middle Arm...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Albanese Government (1 speech)
A fresh start for Australia: that is what the Albanese Labor government is comprehensively delivering by enshrining Jobs and Skills Australia as a permanent body this week. We are converting...
- Walk for a Veteran (1 speech)
On 29 July, I stood in the darkness of the early morning at the foot of the Seacliff Surf Life Saving Club and listened to the waves roll in. I was awaiting first light and preparing myself to...
- O'Byrne, Mrs Colleen (1 speech)
I rise to acknowledge and pay tribute to Colleen O'Byrne, an extraordinary mentor, friend and life member of the Australian Labor Party, who passed away at the age of 80 on 2 July. I attended...
- Invasive Species Management (1 speech)
We have the Labor Party to thank for the introduction of cane toads into Queensland and Australia, and it looks like we're going to have the Labor Party to thank for the infestation and the...
- Tumbers, Mr Michael Frederick Hugh (Mick) (1 speech)
Michael Frederick Hugh Tumbers, a leader of the South Australian labour movement across five decades, sadly passed away recently at the age of 78. Mick was a true comrade. There is no-one you...
- Workplace Bullying, Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault (7 speeches)
The Albanese government claims to champion the victim, but as time goes by it's becoming more and more evident that this Prime Minister and his colleagues in both chambers have been up to their...
- Freedom of Speech (1 speech)
If you were to ask Australians who they least trust to decide what is true or false, government and big tech would be at the top of the list. There is very little more chilling to the concept of...
- Homelessness Week, Climate Change (1 speech)
In recognition of national Homelessness Week, I would like to share a story from someone who contacted my office who is part of a growing cohort of homeless people. Sadly, this story is about...
- Freedom of Speech (1 speech)
Last week I spoke about a very disturbing piece of proposed legislation which has been released in exposure draft, namely the Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and...
- Medical Countermeasures Consortium (1 speech)
As a servant to the many different people who make up our one Queensland community, tonight I speak to an aspect of COVID-19 I haven't raised before. Information now in the public domain...
- Tasmania: Renewable Energy (1 speech)
Did anybody watch the story at the end of the 7.30 Report last night? It was an absolute beauty. Watching this report, I learned that over the last 20 years our biggest infrastructure projects...
- Live Animal Exports (1 speech)
I rise tonight to speak on a topic that I've spoken on in this place a number of times, and that is the impact of the Labor Party's decision to ban the live export of sheep on my home state of...
