Senate debates
Wednesday, 14 August 2024
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
- Outback Way (1 speech)
Outback Australia and northern Australia are known for vastness and big things. It is unsurprising then that the Outback Way is known as Australia's longest shortcut. The Outback Way will be the...
- Economy (1 speech)
I rise today to speak about the heady days of the 1980s and what was pretty much the cultural flavour of the day: neoliberalism. I had planned to make this speech anyway, but it's actually quite...
- Truth and Justice Commission Bill 2024 (1 speech)
As some of you may be aware in this place, the Greens have a bill currently before the standing committee on Indigenous issues called the Truth and Justice Commission Bill 2024. The aim of this...
- Housing (1 speech)
Unless this country cracks down on those flouting the rules on foreign investment in Australian homes and land, we will never get out of this housing crisis. Unless we can see the true picture of...
- Romaniw, Mr Stefan OAM, Early Childhood Education (1 speech)
On a Thursday in late June, I woke to the sad news that the co-chair of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations, Stefan Romaniw OAM, had died. This came as a shock to me, as it did...
- Venezuela: Presidential Election, Queensland: Crime (1 speech)
Notwithstanding our weak Prime Minister and this woeful Labor government, we do live in the greatest country on earth and we are privileged to have a strong democratic system. However, not...
- Southern Tasmanian Netball Association Junior Leadership Program (1 speech)
When we think about leadership, we often picture someone at the top of an organisation giving orders or making important decisions, but leadership is so much more than that. It's about...
- Grocery Prices (1 speech)
I want to begin by putting on the record that I've spent many years arguing with Coles and Woolworths around supply chain challenges, fatigue management, waiting times at distribution centres for...
- Multiculturalism (1 speech)
Multiracial—yes, no problem. Multiculture—heck, no. Multiculturalism does not work. It does not work. It is a failed experiment that has only served to dilute what is great about...
- Workplace Relations: BHP (1 speech)
Madam Acting Deputy President Smith, you and I have both been in the Senate now for almost five years. Actually, I think we might have reached our five-year milestone a few days ago. And, for the...
- Early Childhood Education (1 speech)
It's great that the government recognises the vital importance of early childhood education. Early learning matters; it sets up kids with skills for life. Early childcare education isn't a...
- Electric Vehicles (2 speeches)
Electric vehicles equipped with vehicle-to-grid technology represent a revolution in energy management, but we find ourselves held hostage by outdated regulations and an overly cautious approach...
- Western Australia (1 speech)
On his most recent trip to Western Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese kept highlighting how many times he's been to WA, my home state. He said: 'You need to be here in Western Australia....
- Workplace Relations (1 speech)
A couple of weeks ago I attended a family day in Burnie to support Saputo Burnie maintenance workers. Twenty-four members of the AMWU and CEPU are currently on strike, seeking pay parity with...
- Middle East (1 speech)
It's been 10 months of Israel's genocide in Gaza. It's been 10 months of unimaginable savagery—of slaughtered children, of families burning in tents, of body parts blown to bits and shoved...
- Raise Our Voice in Parliament (1 speech)
The Raise Our Voice in Parliament campaign is a program designed to enable young people from across Australia to have speeches they have prepared read in this building. Young people are...
- Landcare Week (1 speech)
We've all heard the name 'Landcare'. Over the last 35 years, Landcare groups have done an enormous job in protecting and enhancing our environment. As co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of...
- Albanese Government (1 speech)
For years now, I have been trying to introduce legislation into this parliament that I think is very important to the Australian people. In light of what happened with the Voice, when 60 per cent...
- Domestic and Family Violence (1 speech)
Family violence, we know, is more prevalent in regional, rural and remote Australia, but it's a problem everywhere and in all communities. In regions like Coffs Harbour family violence has risen...
- Live Animal Exports (1 speech)
During the winter break, I embarked on a journey of over 7,500 kilometres, visiting 12 regional towns and communities where Western Australians told me that the government's live sheep export...
- Employment (1 speech)
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the new minister for employment, Senator Watt. If the minister is looking for some savings, I have some ideas on where he could start. Every year...
- Human Rights (Children Born Alive Protection) Bill 2022 (1 speech)
Nobody is more vulnerable than a newborn baby yet, in a nation that prides itself on championing a fair go for all, not all newborns are equal. An infant who survives an abortion is a genuine...
- Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (1 speech)
In the shadow of the corruption and thuggery that has now been revealed in the CFMEU and in the shadow of the inherent weakness on display in this Labor government in the last two years as it...
- Volunteers (1 speech)
Last week I went with my partner Tim—good old Tim!—to the Launceston Salvation Army and volunteered to do breakfast. I flipped eggs and bacon until 150-odd sandwiches were made, and...
- Treasury Laws Amendment (Build to Rent) Bill 2024 (1 speech)
I rise to speak about housing and specifically about the government's build-to-rent bill and a really constructive joint proposal from the Community Housing Industry Association, National Shelter...
- Education Standards (1 speech)
Young Australians deserve the very best education to reach their best potential. Today's disastrous NAPLAN results show there is a national crisis in Australian schools, compounded by Labor's...
- Workplace Relations: Qantas (2 speeches)
Last week I joined Qantas workers around Australia in cheering the new Qantas chair's decision to revoke nearly $10 million of Alan Joyce's final bonus. I can hear the cheers around the chamber....
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Cost of Living (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Last week the Prime Minister posted a photo on social media imitating the iconic So Fresh music CD series with the...
- Future Made in Australia (14 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Industry and Science, Minister Farrell. I refer to the Albanese Labor government's commitment to deliver a future made in Australia...
- Health Care: Intravenous Fluid Products Shortage (14 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Gallagher. Minister, it has been reported that a national shortage of saline intravenous fluids has now...
- Education (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Education, Minister Watt. This year's NAPLAN results are the consequence of over a decade of chronic underfunding of the public...
- Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games (10 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Sport, Senator Gallagher. Australians have been glued to their TVs, sometimes in the early hours, watching our athletes compete on the...
- Indigenous Education (14 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator McCarthy. The 2024 NAPLAN results are out and call into question the entire education process for Aboriginal Australians in the...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- Timor-Leste (1 speech)
I draw to the attention of honourable senators the presence in the gallery of a delegation from the Women's Parliamentary Group of Timor-Leste, led by Ms Sancha Tilman. I note also the presence...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Native Title (23 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Last week the High Court spent several days hearing a claim made by the Gumatj people in relation to the Gove...
- Live Animal Exports: Sheep (22 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in the Senate, Minister McCarthy. Over the winter break, I visited regional sheep farms and spoke...
- Cost of Living (10 speeches)
My question today is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Can the minister please tell the Senate how the Albanese Labor government is working to ease cost-of-living...
- Antisemitism (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Wong. In November 2023 the Iranian ambassador posted antisemitic comments on social media which, in media reports, were condemned by an...
- Closing the Gap (9 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator McCarthy. The government has said that it is committed to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, state and...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Answers to Questions (9 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by ministers to questions asked by coalition senators. When I contract constituents in my home state of South Australia via phone canvassing...
- Indigenous Education (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer by the Minister for Indigenous Australians (Senator McCarthy) to a question without notice I asked today relating to NAPLAN testing in the Northern...
- Education (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister representing the Minister for Education, Minister Watt, to questions I asked today relating to public schools. Over a decade...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Presentation (1 speech)
On behalf of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation, I give notice of my intention to, at the giving of notices on the next day of sitting, withdraw business of the...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Economics References Committee; Reference (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Bragg, I move: That the following matter be referred to the Economics References Committee for inquiry and report by 5 December 2024: Whether the present financial...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (9 speeches)
At the request of Senator Chisholm, I move: That on Thursday, 15 August 2024: (a) the questions on all remaining stages of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Administration) Bill...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Great Barrier Reef; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 564 for today, standing in my name, relating to an order for the production of documents. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended:...
- 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 midday on Wednesday, 21 August 2024, a copy of the 2024 assurance...
- Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
At the request of Senator McKenzie, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, by...
- Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that order for the production of documents no. 541 relating to the final report of the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force twenty-year...
- Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
- Gambling Advertising (11 speeches)
Senator David Pocock has submitted a proposal under standing order 75 today which has been circulated, as follows: That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency: The...
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Cost of Living (10 speeches)
A letter has been received from Senator Dean Smith: Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion: The Reserve...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Delegation Reports (0 speeches)
- Australian Parliamentary Delegation to Vietnam (2 speeches)
On behalf of Senator Sterle, I present the report of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation and References Committees visit to Vietnam. I seek leave to move a motion in relation...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Regulations and Determinations (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Bladel, Ms Frances Mary (Fran) (1 speech)
I rise today to pay tribute to Fran Bladel. I first met Fran in 1984, over 39 years ago. Fran was an active member of the Australian Labor Party (Tasmanian Branch) for more than 50 years. Fran...
- Myanmar (1 speech)
There are many things about life in Australia that we may take for granted; in particular in our civil society, where we enjoy the benefits of living in one of the most robust democracies in the...
- Big Steps Campaign (1 speech)
I rise this evening as a proud member of the United Workers Union, the union for early childhood educators and the union for the Big Steps Campaign. And what a result we've seen in this last week...
- Gender And Sexual Orientation (1 speech)
At the Paris Olympics, the world saw what happens when you put the safety of women in the hands of fools who say it's impossible to know what a woman is. One of the world's most powerful...
