Senate debates
Wednesday, 20 March 2024
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Meeting (1 speech)
If there are no objections, the meetings are authorised.
- Statements (0 speeches)
- Personal Explanation (3 speeches)
I seek leave to make a personal explanation under standing order 190. Leave granted. In question time on Monday 18 March 2024, I made a reflection on Senator Cox that had implications that I was...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
I move: That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the following bills, allowing them to be considered during this period of sittings: Appropriation Bill (No....
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
- Labor Government (1 speech)
Transportation is critical to all of us. Our transport workers and freight operators bring food to our tables, medicines to our chemists and our exports to the global markets. It heartens me that...
- Murray-Darling Basin (1 speech)
Australians, what have we done? After dedicating $13 billion, after recovering more than four Sydney Harbour's worth of water in the name of the environment—on top of three Sydney Harbours...
- Hemp Industry, Forestry Industry (1 speech)
The Greens have long advocated in this place and elsewhere for the hemp industry in Australia: industrial hemp, hemp for food, hemp for fuels, hemp for building materials and, of course, hemp for...
- Workplace Relations (1 speech)
I want to welcome members of the Health Services Union, care industry workers and the assistant secretary of New South Wales, Lauren Hutchins. I'll say a few things about the health services...
- Middle East (2 speeches)
October 7 saw the largest murder of Jews since the Holocaust. Over 1,300 souls were massacred. Hundreds were taken hostage. Previously in the Senate, I read out the names of all hostages: mums...
- Tasmania State Election (1 speech)
It's just a few days until Tasmania votes. This campaign has been a lot dirtier than usual, and that has been a pure case of fear. What are Premier Rockliff and Tasmanian Liberals so afraid of?...
- Endometriosis (1 speech)
Endometriosis is a disease that is estimated to affect one in seven Australian women. It's an untreatable, unpreventable and, in many cases, extremely painful disease. One woman in every seven is...
- Energy (1 speech)
I rise today to talk about energy prices—something that I know every Australian household is interested in. Yesterday, the Australian Energy Regulator released its draft default market...
- Middle East: Protests, Nuclear Waste Management (1 speech)
During parliament question time on Monday this week, we saw protesters disrupting parliamentary procedure because they were calling for a ceasefire and for an end to the genocide in Gaza. Many of...
- Homelessness (1 speech)
Last night, the Parliamentary Friends of Housing, which I co-chair with the members for Macnamara and Moncrieff, Josh Burns and Angie Bell, hosted a screening of Under Cover, a chilling...
- Grocery Prices (2 speeches)
In large parts of the Australian economy at the moment corporations have got too much power, and that is resulting in bad outcomes for our environment, for nature and for the planet's climate....
- Mining Industry (1 speech)
The federal Labor government's hostility towards the mining resources sector is reverberating around the world. After recently attending the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada...
- Foote, Mr David (1 speech)
Today I rise to pay tribute to everyone's favourite Scotsman—someone who has called Parliament House home for the past 32 years and has captured many significant moments through his camera...
- Climate Change (1 speech)
By a clear margin, 2023 was the hottest year on record. We are now closer than ever before to breaching the 1.5-degree global heating limit. These are not records that the world should be...
- Tweed Valley (1 speech)
During the sitting break, I travelled to the Tweed Valley in northern New South Wales to hear from local families and small businesses about how the housing crisis and increasing cost-of-living...
- Marriage (2 speeches)
It gives me great pleasure to rise today to do a little trip down memory lane, if the Senate will indulge me. On 16 November 2017, in here, I made a contribution on the outcome of the marriage...
- Gender and Sexual Orientation (1 speech)
Trust the Brits to get it right! They showed the way with Brexit, and now they're showing the way with gender dysphoria. The United Kingdom's National Health Service last week announced that it...
- Western Australia: Volunteers (1 speech)
I'd like to talk about the generosity of Western Australians. The generosity of Western Australians was revealed just recently in the 2023 Western Australia state of volunteering report. We know...
- Superannuation (1 speech)
In 2011, Labor made paid parental leave a reality, but super wasn't part of the deal until now. Our government will proudly extend this legacy by introducing superannuation on paid parental...
- Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Legislation Amendment (Safety and Other Measures) Bill 2024 (1 speech)
Today, I'm going to share some of the statements that First Nations people gave during the rushed half-day hearing into the government's bill to allow gas companies to bypass our environmental...
- International Relations: Australia and the United States of America (1 speech)
Say what you like about Donald Trump; if his assessment of Kevin Rudd is any indication, the man is an excellent judge of character. Trump, when asked overnight about Australia's ambassador to...
- Cyclone Megan (1 speech)
This morning I received a briefing from the National Emergency Management Agency regarding Cyclone Megan, currently impacting the Northern Territory's north-east. While the classification has...
- Launceston City Deal (1 speech)
If you gave me hundreds of millions of dollars to go out and complete a five-year project, you'd expect me to keep you updated on it regularly. After all, it's your money. That's the expectation...
- Human Rights (1 speech)
As First Peoples of this country, we know what it's like to have your children ripped away by a system that tries to erase you; this is genocide. Genocide is also what is happening in East...
- Small Business (1 speech)
I rise to give voice to the concerns of small-business owners in my home state of Victoria. Everywhere I go, the messages are the same: it is getting tougher and tougher for small-business owners...
- Road Safety (2 speeches)
The problem of driver fatigue is one of the contributing factors in many fatalities on our roads. A well-timed 20-minute power nap could literally save your life and the lives of your loved ones....
- Statements (0 speeches)
- Wong, Senator Hon. Penny (2 speeches)
by leave—I wish to note that, since Senator Wong was last present for a question time, a couple of significant events have occurred. On 6 March, Senator Wong became the longest serving...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- United States of America (12 speeches)
Niceties aside, my question is to the Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator Farrell. During question time on Monday, Senator Farrell made comments in response to a question from Senator Cox. He...
- Interest Rates (10 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. I refer to the independent Reserve Bank's decision to leave interest rates unchanged at 4.35 per cent—a relief...
- Immigration Detention (20 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Watt. The Australian Federal Police confirmed in Senate estimates last night that 152 former detainees have now...
- Health Care: Women (8 speeches)
I'll take the opportunity to add my congratulations to Senator Wong for her nuptials on the weekend. My question is to Minister Gallagher, representing the health minister. Two weeks ago the...
- Energy (10 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator Wong. Can the minister please inform the Senate how the Albanese Labor government's energy plan is...
- Housing (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Gallagher. Labor's record immigration is directly responsible for the housing and rental crisis...
- Oil and Gas Exploration (12 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Resources, Senator Farrell. Today's Gas statement of opportunities release confirms that the government has not averted the looming...
- Women's Economic Security (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. This month your government announced it would pay superannuation on government-funded paid parental leave. You...
- Ukraine (8 speeches)
My question is to the Special Minister of State, Senator Farrell. I refer to Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine and the impact the war is having on the country, its sovereignty, its people and,...
- Citadel Secure Pty Ltd (16 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator Farrell. Official documents obtained under freedom-of-information requests show that the South Australian Minister for Trade and...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- United States of America, Immigration Detention, Oil And Gas Exploration (7 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Trade and Tourism (Senator Farrell) and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Senator Watt) to questions...
- Housing (1 speech)
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 housing. I asked a question today of...
- Health Care: Women (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by Senator Gallagher to a question without notice I asked today relating to reproductive health care. I asked why the government is taking so...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Presentation (2 speeches)
On behalf of the chair of the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation, Senator O'Neill, I give notice of her intention, at the giving of notices on the next day of...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Chisholm, I move: That— (1) Consideration of the business before the Senate be interrupted at the specified time, but not so as to interrupt a senator speaking, to...
- Days and Hours of Meeting (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Chisholm, I move: That the Senate not meet on Thursday, 28 March 2024. Question agreed to.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Services Australia; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Henderson, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) order for the production of documents no. 479, agreed to by the Senate on 28 February 2024, regarding...
- Department of Finance; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister for Finance, by no later than midday on Monday, 25 March 2024, a copy of the February 2024 assurance review into the Research Supply...
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water; 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 8 April 2024, the following: (a) all documents, advice and...
- Department of the Treasury; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
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 5 April 2024, all written or digital...
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water; 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 10 am on Thursday, 28 March 2024: (a) any ministerial...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Community Affairs References Committee; Reference (18 speeches)
I move: That the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 7 October 2024: The practice and governance surrounding the prescription of...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
- Defence Procurement: Submarines (7 speeches)
Senator McKim has submitted a proposal under standing order 75, which has been circulated, as follows: Pursuant to standing order 75, I give notice that today the Australian Greens propose to...
- Tasmania: Salmon Industry (7 speeches)
The Senate will consider the proposal from Senator Duniam, which has also been circulated as shown on the Dynamic Red, as follows: Pursuant to standing order 75, I give notice that today I...
- First Speech (0 speeches)
- Sharma, Senator Dave (2 speeches)
Order! Before I call Senator Sharma, I remind honourable senators that this is his first speech; therefore, I ask that the usual courtesies be extended to him.
- Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
- Tasmania: Salmon Industry (13 speeches)
Let's be clear: this matter of urgency is a stunt in the lead-up to the Tasmanian election this weekend. It's an attempt by the Liberal Party to scare workers and their communities in regional...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Budget (0 speeches)
- Consideration By Estimates Committees (1 speech)
Pursuant to order and at the request of the chairs of the respective committees, I present reports in respect of the 2023-24 additional estimates.
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Budget (0 speeches)
- Consideration by Estimates Committees (4 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the additional estimates reports of 2023-24 tabled by the government whip. In particular, I wish to take note of the Finance and Public Administration...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Renewable Energy Industry: Forced Labour (1 speech)
Today over 50 million people are enslaved—men, women and children. It's more than at any other time in human history. This servitude and exploitation of human labour and denial of human...
- Chinese Communist Party (1 speech)
Since this government was elected it has worked hard to fix up our trade relationship with China. That's good because it helps our farmers and fishers. Minister Wong met with the Chinese foreign...
