Senate debates

Wednesday, 27 March 2024

• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Competition and Consumer Amendment (Divestiture Powers) Bill 2024; Second Reading (15 speeches)
    The Greens' Competition and Consumer Amendment (Divestiture Powers) Bill would, if passed, give the courts and competition regulators the power, where misuse of market power has occurred, to...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Afghanistan Inquiry Implementation Oversight Panel; Order for the Production of Documents (11 speeches)
    As the opposition is well aware, the Attorney-General has claimed public interest immunity in relation to the documents that were the subject of the orders for production Nos. 472 and 501. While...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024; Reference to Committee (1 speech)
    I seek leave to move a motion to refer the Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024 to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee a circulated. Leave not granted.
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (20 speeches)
    Pursuant to contingent notice standing in the name of Senator Waters, I move: That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me from moving a motion to provide for the...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; Reference (5 speeches)
    I move the motion and commend the motion to the House: That the provisions of the Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024 be referred immediately to the Legal and...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (9 speeches)
    Noting that, if senators wish, they're able to ask that the question be put separately on bills, I move: That on Wednesday, 27 March 2024- (a) after formal motions, the questions on all remaining...
  • Consideration Of Legislation (35 speeches)
    I seek leave to move, on behalf of Senator McDonald, an amendment to government business of notice motion No. 1 that would provide for the inclusion in this motion of the Offshore Petroleum and...
• Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
  • E-Cigarettes and Vaping Products, Veterans Affairs (1 speech)
    I rise this afternoon to speak on two extremely important issues and two very different groups of Australians. I am speaking about vaping and veterans affairs. I have made it abundantly clear in...
  • Freedom of Speech (1 speech)
    Freedom of belief is not an optional extra in our society. Let me say that again: freedom of belief or freedom of religion is not an optional extra. It is a core part of who we are, what we...
  • Covid-19 (1 speech)
    In January 2017, on the day before Donald Trump was inaugurated, Anthony Fauci made the following statement in a speech at Georgetown University: … if there's one message that I want to...
  • Cost Of Living (1 speech)
    I rise to talk about the Albanese government's top priority: providing cost-of-living relief to Australian families. Our cost-of-living plan is providing relief in three critical ways. Firstly,...
  • Arts and Music Festivals Industry (1 speech)
    I rise today to call on the government to step in and help our artists and musicians, who are feeling the real brunt of the cost-of-living crisis. We've just heard the urgent and breaking news...
  • Digital ID Bill 2023 (1 speech)
    Life is about to change for every Australian. As much as Senator Gallagher seeks to downplay the significance of introducing one central digital identifier for each and every Australian, the...
  • Renewable Energy (1 speech)
    Our government is committed to unlocking the jobs of the future, and we're also committed to a future made in Australia. We're doing that right now in regional Queensland. A few weeks ago, I was...
  • Alice Springs (1 speech)
    I stand today very, very distressed at the circumstances that have taken place in my home-town community of Alice Springs. We are in such a dire situation. We have hit absolute crisis point....
  • Higher Education: Practical Placements, Building and Construction Industry (1 speech)
    This morning I had the pleasure of hosting a breakfast with academics, workers, students, the think tank Per Capita and the Australian Services Union to launch a new report and talk about the...
  • Australian Law Reform Commission (1 speech)
    I rise today to speak about the recommendations by the Australian Law Reform Commission on religious discrimination. These recommendations are an egregious attack on people of faith. That's what...
  • Government Accountability (2 speeches)
    Here we are at the end of another session of the parliament, the summer session in the Senate. There are so many things to talk about here. We can talk about transmission lines, the plight of our...
  • Domestic and Family Violence (1 speech)
    Senator Cadell, of course it's got worse in two years. You've probably seen the vision on your screens, whether that was a phone or a television screen, but try living it out in everyday life and...
  • Parkinson's Disease (1 speech)
    As co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Parkinson's it was my pleasure to host, along with Senator Askew, the National Summit to End Parkinson's disease last night at Parliament House....
  • Higher Education: Practical Placements (1 speech)
    Amidst the cost-of-living and rental crisis, placement poverty is pushing students to the absolute brink. Saddled with soaring student debt and paying ridiculously high course fees, students also...
  • South Australia: First Nations Voice to Parliament (1 speech)
    When the votes had stopped being counted, over 64 per cent of South Australians voted no to the national Voice referendum last October. But, despite this, the South Australian state government...
  • Easter (1 speech)
    Easter is the holiest time on the Christian calendar. It's not just a time for us to reflect on the death and resurrection of Jesus, but it's also time for many of us to reflect on the meaning of...
  • Digital ID Bill 2023 (1 speech)
    One Nation opposes digital ID. Labor and its allies, the coalition and the Greens, are rushing nine laws through the Senate today with no debate or scrutiny, and One Nation opposed all of them on...
  • Brough, Councillor Thomas (1 speech)
    In a recent City of Albany council meeting on 27 February this year, Councillor Thomas Brough, a highly regarded councillor and emergency medicine doctor, briefly commented on the funding of the...
  • Women in Science (1 speech)
    I'm proud to be a member of a government that believes in science and especially one that supports women in science. In today's tech driven world, STEM skills are vital, and that's why our...
  • World Water Day (1 speech)
    World Water Day was on March 22, a global event to celebrate water and to raise awareness of the two billion people living without access to safe water. The theme for 2024 was 'water for peace',...
  • Albanese Government (3 speeches)
    The Albanese government has never seen a tax it did not want to flirt with. And it has never met a tax it did not want to take home. Of course, the Australian public do not take kindly to being...
  • Tasmania Football Club (1 speech)
    I stand here today as a proud foundation member of the Tasmania Football Club and very proud to wear the badge of that football club on my lapel. I would like to lend my congratulations to Grant...
  • Public Services (1 speech)
    Exeter market is now one of the biggest markets in Tassie. When I was there earlier this month, there were 190 stores and thousands of people. It's not a tourist market; it's a community market....
  • Tasmania State Election (1 speech)
    In the latest Tasmanian election Jacqui Lambie Network candidates ran on transparency and integrity. What we learned is that Tasmanians do not trust the Liberal and Labor parties any more. If you...
  • Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024 (1 speech)
    I don't think that since PJ Keating was Prime Minister and referred to this chamber as 'unrepresentative swill' has a minister shown such disdain for the processes of this Senate. I saw Minister...
  • Tertiary Education (2 speeches)
    We're bringing Australia's universities closer to students living in regional, rural and remote areas with the expansion of our Regional University Study Hubs network. From King Island to Arnhem...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Labor Government (24 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. In a press conference on 25 November 2022, the Prime Minister said: 'We're operating as a mature, orderly...
  • Economy (32 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Gallagher. Today's monthly consumer price index indicator shows inflation remains steady at 3.4 per cent in the year to February 2024. So,...
  • PricewaterhouseCoopers (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Finance, and it's about the ongoing PwC scandal. A secret legal agreement has allowed PwC International to take control of PwC Australia following the tax leaks...
  • Defence Procurement: Submarines (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Last week the Albanese Labor government announced Australia's build partners for the conventionally armed...
  • Ministerial Conduct (27 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. I refer to the code of conduct for ministers, section 1.3 part (iii), published in June 2022, personally signed by...
  • Central Australia: Community Safety (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. In February last year the Prime Minister announced $250 million to improve community safety in Central Australia. In...
  • Telecommunications (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Communications. Last week it was revealed by Channel 7's The Nightly that telecommunications companies in Victoria are charging for...
  • Vocational Education and Training (15 speeches)
    My question is to Senator Watt, the Minister representing the Minister for Skills and Training. I note that the Albanese government inherited one of the worst skills shortages in more than 50...
  • Energy (13 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Resources, Senator Farrell. Last week's Gas statement of opportunities highlighted an imminent risk of gas shortfalls. Labor today...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Answers to Questions (6 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of all answers to all questions asked by coalition senators. What we've experienced this afternoon is one of those out-of-body experiences where you get to look...
  • Ministerial Conduct (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister representing the Prime Minister (Senator Wong) to a question without notice I asked today relating to ministerial conduct....
  • PricewaterhouseCoopers (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 PricewaterhouseCoopers. This...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Basin Officials Committee, Murray Darling Basin Plan, Northern Basin Aboriginal Nations Funding Agreements; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
    Pursuant to order, I call on Minister Wong to provide an explanation.
  • Defence Procurement: Submarines; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, by no later than midday on Tuesday, 16 April 2024: (a) all documents or...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (11 speeches)
    I present the fourth report of 2024 of the Selection of Bills Committee, and I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The report read as follows— SELECTION...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave Of Absence (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator McAllister for today for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Public Works Joint Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present the second report for 2024.
  • Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the chair, Senator Dean Smith, I present Scrutiny Digest 5 of 2024 of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, together with ministerial correspondence received by the...
  • Finance and Public Administration References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present an interim report of the Finance and Public Administration References Committee titled: PwC: The Cover-up Worsens the Crime.
  • Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee; Reference (3 speeches)
    I move: That the following matter be referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee for inquiry and report by 4 July 2024: Support to Ukraine by the Australian...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Days and Hours of Meeting (1 speech)
    I move: That (1) On Tuesday, 14 May 2024, the hours of meeting be midday to 6.30 pm and 8.30 pm to adjournment, and the routine of business from 8.30 pm be: (a) Budget statement and documents...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Public Works Joint Committee; Reference (1 speech)
    On behalf of Senator Gallagher, I move: That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, the following proposed work be referred to the Parliamentary Standing...
  • Perth Mint and Commonwealth Regulatory Compliance Select Committee; Reporting Date (5 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Dean Smith, I move: That the time for the presentation of the report of the Select Committee on the Perth Mint and Commonwealth regulatory compliance be extended to 21...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Department of Education; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) order for the production of documents no. 374, agreed to by the Senate on 7 November 2023, relating to the Minister for Education's review of...
  • Defence Procurement: Submarines; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
    I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, by no later than midday on Tuesday, 16 April 2024: (a) all documents or correspondence between the...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Defence Amendment (Safeguarding Australia's Military Secrets) Bill 2024, Defence Trade Controls Amendment Bill 2024; Third Reading (6 speeches)
    Senators, the time allotted for consideration of the bills listed in the order agreed to earlier today has expired. I will now put the questions required to conclude consideration of the bills,...
  • Autonomous Sanctions Amendment Bill 2024 (0 speeches)
  • Autonomous Sanctions Amendment Bill 2024; Third Reading (1 speech)
    The question now is that the remaining stages of the bill be agreed to and the bill be now past. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (Making Multinationals Pay Their Fair Share — Integrity and Transparency) Bill 2023; Second Reading (5 speeches)
    I will put the questions on the remaining stages of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Making Multinationals Pay Their Share—Integrity And Transparency) Bill 2023. The question now is that the...
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (Making Multinationals Pay Their Fair Share — Integrity and Transparency) 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. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Fees Imposition Amendment Bill 2024, Treasury Laws Amendment (Foreign Investment) Bill 2024; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I will now put the questions on the remaining stages of the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Fees Imposition Amendment Bill 2024 and a related bill. The question is that the bills now be read a...
  • Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Fees Imposition Amendment Bill 2024, Treasury Laws Amendment (Foreign Investment) Bill 2024; Third Reading (1 speech)
    The question now is that the remaining stages of the bills be agreed to and the bills be now passed. Question agreed to. Bills read a third time.
  • Customs Tariff Amendment (Incorporation of Proposals) Bill (No. 2) 2023; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    I will now put the questions on the remaining stages of the Customs Tariff Amendment (Incorporation of Proposals) Bill (No. 2) 2023. I will first deal with the second reading amendments...
  • Customs Tariff Amendment (Incorporation of Proposals) Bill (No. 2) 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. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment Bill 2024; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    I'll now put the questions for the remaining stages of the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment Bill 2024. The question is that the bill now be read a second time.
  • Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment Bill 2024; Third Reading (1 speech)
    The question now is that the remaining stages of the bill be agreed to and the bill be now passed.
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (Support for Small Business and Charities and Other Measures) Bill 2023; Second Reading (4 speeches)
    I will now put the questions on the remaining stages of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Support for Small Business and Charities and Other Measures) Bill 2023. I will first deal with the second...
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (Support for Small Business and Charities and Other Measures) 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. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Digital ID Bill 2023, Digital ID (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Bill 2023 (0 speeches)
  • Digital ID Bill 2023, Digital ID (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Bill 2023; Third Reading (1 speech)
    The question now is that the remaining stages of the bills be agreed to and the bills be now passed.
  • Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2023-2024, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2023-2024, Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2023-2024; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I will now put the questions on the remaining stages of Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2023-2024, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2023-2024 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2)...
  • Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2023-2024, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2023-2024, Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2023-2024; Third Reading (1 speech)
    The question now is that the remaining stages of the bills be agreed to and the bills be now passed. Question agreed to. Bills read a third time.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) Select Committee, Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Environment and Communications References Committee, Economics Legislation Committee, Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
    I have received letters requesting changes in the membership of committees.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024, Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Legislation Amendment (Safety and Other Measures) Bill 2024; First Reading (1 speech)
    I indicate to the Senate that these bills are being introduced together. After debate on the motion for the second reading has been adjourned, I will be moving a motion to have the bills listed...
  • Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024, Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Legislation Amendment (Safety and Other Measures) Bill 2024; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    I table a revised explanatory memorandum relating to the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Legislation Amendment (Safety and Other Measures) Bill 2024 and move: That these bills be...
  • Agriculture (Biosecurity Protection) Levies Bill 2024, Agriculture (Biosecurity Protection) Charges Bill 2024, Agriculture (Biosecurity Protection) Levies and Charges Collection Bill 2024; 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.
  • Agriculture (Biosecurity Protection) Levies Bill 2024, Agriculture (Biosecurity Protection) Charges Bill 2024, Agriculture (Biosecurity Protection) Levies and Charges Collection Bill 2024; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    I move: That these bills now be read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speeches incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speeches read as follows— AGRICULTURE...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Days and Hours of Meeting (1 speech)
    I move: That— (a) the Senate, at its rising, adjourn till Tuesday, 14 May2024, at midday, or such other time as may be fixed by the President or, in the event of the President being...