Senate debates

Thursday, 7 December 2023

• Statement by the President (0 speeches)
  • Parliamentary Staff (1 speech)
    Senators, as some of you will be aware, this fortnight will be the last for several retiring staff from the Senate chamber attendant and Comcar liaison teams. In the chamber, after seeing six...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Consideration of Legislation (14 speeches)
    I seek leave to move a motion to divide the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023 into two bills and to provide for their consideration, as circulated in the Senate. Leave...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023; Second Reading (24 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023 that has just been presented to the parliament. Those on the coalition side of the chamber will always stand...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Consideration of Legislation (4 speeches)
    Pursuant to contingent notice standing in my name, I move: That so much of standing order 142 be suspended as would prevent further consideration of the bill without limitation of time. What we...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023; Second Reading (10 speeches)
    The question is that the second reading amendment on sheet 2331, moved by Senator Ruston at the request of Senator Cash, be agreed to.
  • Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023; Third Reading (1 speech)
    The question now is that the remaining stages of the bill be agreed to and the bill be now passed.
  • Defence Capability Assurance and Oversight Bill 2023; Second Reading (9 speeches)
    I seek leave to table a supplementary explanatory memorandum in respect of the amendments to be moved to the bill. Leave granted. The Defence Capability Assurance and Oversight Bill 2023 was...
• Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
  • Gas Industry (1 speech)
    As we approach the end of the parliamentary year, we have seen this week a government willing to do dodgy backroom deals to ram legislation through this place—legislation that is not in the...
  • Domestic and Family Violence (1 speech)
    I rise to pay tribute to and remember the five South Australian women who were murdered at the hands of a partner in the last month, and all of those other women murdered before them. The scourge...
  • Sotounzadeh, Mr Hamid, Bangladesh: General Election (1 speech)
    On 9 February, Hamid Sotounzadeh was peacefully protesting—peacefully—the brutality of the Iranian regime outside the Iranian embassy in Canberra. We all saw what followed—a...
  • Labor Government (8 speeches)
    Merry Christmas everyone. Here's 'The 12 days of Christmas under Labor': On the first day of Christmas, Labor gave to me Mr Watt's ban on live exports, destroying families. On the second day of...
  • Yirrkala Bark Petitions (1 speech)
    I'd like to inform the Senate of the important return of the missing Yirrkala bark petition. It's one of four sent by the Yolngu people of north-east Arnhem Land to the Commonwealth parliament in...
  • Valedictory (1 speech)
    'Oh and it's Christmas!' I won't sing in here. It's okay; I'll save you all from that. But I've been making a list and checking it twice. I already know who's been naughty and nice in this...
  • Tasmania: Industry (1 speech)
    Once again, the Labor Party are showing their true colours by teaming up with green activists to put Tasmanian aquaculture jobs under threat. The decision by the Minister for the Environment and...
  • Road Transport Industry (1 speech)
    In the debate on the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill, Liberal and Nationals senators repeatedly referred to the needs of business to justify their low-wage agenda. If...
  • Climate Change (1 speech)
    Our planet is in trouble. For years we've had too much talk and too little action by the major parties—years of stalling from National and Liberal parties and too little from Labor. Just...
  • Domestic and Family Violence (1 speech)
    Last week I marched with local organisations Rotary, Zonta, Amnesty, DVCS, Vinnies and other frontline organisations calling for an end to violence against women and for more support for...
  • Education Standards (1 speech)
    The last thing students need right now is less time in the classroom. With declining academic standards in Australian schools such a critical issue, no school should be cutting attendance and...
  • Homelessness (1 speech)
    As we go about the business of the Senate today in the Labor Party's normal chaotic, despotic manner, out there in Labor's heartland everyday Australians are sleeping in tents in public parks and...
  • Cost of Living (4 speeches)
    Prices at supermarket check-outs are going through the roof while Coles and Woolies are raking in billions of dollars in profits. What critical issue is the centrepiece of the government's...
  • Valedictory (1 speech)
    On a day where it has been fantastic to be a senator here in Australia, I just want to end the year on a happy note. It has been a happy note all day. I want to put out a special 'merry...
  • Workplace Relations (2 speeches)
    Merry Christmas to you, Senator Sterle, as well, and congratulations on your contribution. But we did hear some very, very lame contributions for two-minute statements from some senators there....
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Immigration Detention (27 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Senator, over the last four weeks, at least 147 detainees have been released into the Australian community, including...
  • Middle East (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Wong. This week, the good friend of Israel United States defence secretary Lloyd Austin said: … protecting Palestinian civilians...
  • Rural and Regional Australia (34 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. At the last election the Australian Labor Party said in its policy platform: 'We want rural and regional Australians...
  • Middle East (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Wong. Minister, you've said that the State of Israel must exercise restraint and protect civilian lives in Gaza and must comply with...
  • Workplace Safety (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Industry and Science, Senator Farrell. Minister, the vast majority of businesses do the right thing by their employees and ensure that...
  • Health Care (8 speeches)
    My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Gallagher. In an announcement on 13 April 22, then opposition leader Anthony Albanese and shadow health...
  • First Nations Australians (26 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. The last 18 months of the Albanese Labor government has seen the Labor Party spend $450 million on a failed...
  • Personal Information and Privacy (14 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Finance.
  • Workplace Relations (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Watt. This morning the Senate passed the first part of the government's 'closing...
  • Albanese Government: Economy (22 speeches)
    My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. After 18 months of the Albanese Labor government, and as Australians end 2023, Australians are being forced to live...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Answers to Questions (10 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of all answers to questions without notice asked today. I will start by saying that the performance by Senator Wong was quite unbecoming. It was basically just a...
  • Middle East (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Senator Wong) to a question without notice I asked today relating to the conflict in Gaza. The...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (3 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator O'Neill for today, for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Withdrawal (3 speeches)
    ():I withdraw business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1 for Thursday 7 December, standing in my name and in the name of Senator Colbeck.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
    ():  I present report the 16th 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...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Postponement (1 speech)
    ():  I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Education and Employment References Committee; Reference (8 speeches)
    ():  At the request of Senator O'Sullivan, I move: That the following matter be referred to the Education and Employment References Committee for inquiry and report by 2 July 2024: The...
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee; Reference (14 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Green, I move: That the following matter be referred to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 6 December 2024: Right wing...
  • Intelligence and Security Joint Committee; Additional Information (5 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Watt, I move: That the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, in undertaking any inquiry into the amendments made by the Australian Citizenship...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Launceston City Deal; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Defence Industry, by 6 February 2024, all documents and correspondence sent or received by the Department of...
  • Attorney-General's Department; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 444 standing in my name for today relating to an order for the production of documents. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended:...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Withdrawal (1 speech)
    by leave—I withdraw general business notice of motion No. 445 for today.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Department of the Treasury; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Treasurer, by no later than midday on 6 February 2024, all documents or correspondence relating to payments to the Burnie...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee; Reference (1 speech)
    I seek leave to make a short statement. Leave not granted. Pursuant to contingent notice, standing in the name of the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, I move: That so much of the standing...
• Condolences (0 speeches)
  • Hand, Hon. Gerard Leslie (Gerry) (3 speeches)
    It is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death, on 15 November 2023, of the Hon. Gerard Leslie (Gerry) Hand, a former minister and member of the House of Representatives for the...
• Budget (0 speeches)
  • Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
    I present additional information received by committees relating to estimates: Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee— Budget estimates 2022-23...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • National Disability Insurance Scheme Joint Committee, Public Works Joint Committee; Corrigenda to Report (1 speech)
    I present corrigenda to the reports of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme and the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Save the Koala) Bill 2021; Report from Committee (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, I present the report of the committee on the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Additional Information (1 speech)
    I present additional information received by the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for its inquiry into the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Bill 2023.
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; Additional Information (1 speech)
    I present additional information received by the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee for its inquiry into the Customs Legislation Amendment (Commercial Greyhound Export...
  • Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Scrutiny Digest (1 speech)
    At the request of the Chair of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, I present Scrutiny digest No. 16 of 2023 of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, together with...
  • Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    At the request of the Chair of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee, I present the report of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee on the Department...
  • Community Affairs References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present the report of the Community Affairs References Committee on the rental sector, together with accompanying documents, and I move: That the Senate take note of the report. As Chair of the...
  • Education and Employment References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    Last Friday I was very pleased to present the interim report of the Senate Education and Employment References Committee on the issue of increasing disruption in Australian school classrooms, and...
  • Environment and Communications References Committee; Government Response to Report (2 speeches)
    I present the government response to a committee report as listed on today's Order of Business. In accordance with the usual practice, I seek leave to incorporate the document in Hansard. Leave...
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee; Government Response to Report (1 speech)
    I present a government response to a committee report as listed on today's Order of Business. In accordance with the usual practice, I seek leave to incorporate the document in Hansard. Leave...
  • Education and Employment References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I rise to take note of the interim report of the Senate Education and Employment References Committee, on the issue of increasing disruption in Australian school classrooms. The Greens opposed...
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee; Additional Information (1 speech)
    I present additional information received by the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee relating to its inquiry into current and proposed sexual consent laws in Australia.
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee; Report (4 speeches)
    I present the report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee on freedom of information laws, together with accompanying documents. I move: That the Senate take note of the...
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    At the request of the Chair of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee, I present the second interim report of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (2 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate calls on the Government to expand the remit of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner to include the monitoring and reviewing of the...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Finance and Public Administration References Committee, Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee, Supermarket Prices Select Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
    I have received letters nominating senators to be members of committees.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Australian Army: Jervis Bay Incident, Treasury, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Department of Health and Aged Care, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Taxation, Department of Veterans' Affairs, Department of Social Services, Attorney-General's Department, Services Australia; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
    I table documents relating to orders for the production of documents concerning the MRH-90 helicopter; the Competition Taskforce Advisory Panel; the Smoky Creek solar farm; the Future Fit...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Days and Hours of Meeting (1 speech)
    It is my happy duty to move: That— (a) the Senate, at its rising, adjourn till Tuesday, 6 February 2024, at midday, or such other time as may be fixed by the President or, in the event of...