Senate debates

Thursday, 15 August 2024

• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Migration Amendment (Overseas Organ Transplant Disclosure and Other Measures) Bill 2023; Second Reading (7 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the Migration Amendment (Overseas Organ Transplant Disclosure and Other Measures) Bill 2023, which has been prepared and brought to this place by my colleague Senator Dean...
  • Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Administration) Bill 2024; Second Reading (9 speeches)
    I want to be really, really clear. The amendments that the coalition will put forward, the 20 recommendations for changes that need to be made to this legislation to put the CFMEU into...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Withdrawal (1 speech)
    At the request of the Chair of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation, Senator O'Neill, I withdraw business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1, proposing the...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present the eighth 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 of...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That general business notice of motion no. 570 standing in the name of Senator Kovacic, relating to the cost of living, be considered during general business today. Question agreed to.
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to the following senators for personal reasons: (a) Senator Nampijinpa Price for 14 August; and (b) Senator Hughes for today. Question...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Amendment (Scheduling) Bill 2024; First Reading (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator McCarthy, I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976, and for related purposes....
  • Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Amendment (Scheduling) Bill 2024; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I table the explanatory memorandum relating to the bill and I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    At the request of Senator Henderson, I formally withdraw business of the Senate notice of motion No. 562.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Australian Federal Police; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
    I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Attorney-General, by no later than Monday, 9 September 2024: (a) a list disclosing the total cost in each year from 2019...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Customs Amendment (Strengthening and Modernising Licensing and Other Measures) Bill 2024, Customs Licensing Charges Amendment Bill 2024; First Reading (1 speech)
    CHISHOLM (—) (): 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.
  • Customs Amendment (Strengthening and Modernising Licensing and Other Measures) Bill 2024, Customs Licensing Charges Amendment Bill 2024; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That these bills be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speeches incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speeches read as follows— CUSTOMS AMENDMENT...
  • Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Quality and Integrity) Bill 2024; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill may proceed without formalities and be now read a first time. Question agreed to. Bill read a first time.
  • Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Quality and Integrity) Bill 2024; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    I present the revised explanatory memorandum relating to the bill and move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave...
  • Telecommunications Amendment (SMS Sender ID Register) Bill 2024; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill may proceed without formalities and be now read a first time. Question agreed to. Bill read a first time.
  • Telecommunications Amendment (SMS Sender ID Register) Bill 2024; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speech read as follows— The Telecommunications...
  • Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Administration) Bill 2024; Second Reading (6 speeches)
    It is a delight to be back and pick up where I left off. I was reminding the chamber of an event in history that many of us can't forget and that is 'Baghdad Bob', who, in the early 2000s, was...
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (Consumer Data Right) Bill 2022; Second Reading (7 speeches)
    The Australian economy right now is in desperate need of productivity reform and competition improvements. Amidst the cost-of-living crisis and broader economic uncertainty and stagnation, we...
  • Treasury Laws Amendment (Consumer Data Right) Bill 2022; 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.
  • Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Administration) Bill 2024; Second Reading (5 speeches)
    My question is: is this behaviour intimidation, and how broad is that intimidation? Or is it arrogance—an arrogance completely out of touch with community expectations of what is okay and...
• Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
  • Health Care: Intravenous Fluid Products (1 speech)
    A severe shortage of saline IV fluids has hit hospitals across Australia. Saline IV bags, as we all know, are absolutely critical to the emergency health care provided to patients in our...
  • Workplace Relations: Early Childhood Education (1 speech)
    I rise to congratulate our nation's early childhood educators, particularly Cass, who visited me this week with her three-month-old son, Archie. It's wonderful to know that earlier childhood...
  • Great Barrier Reef (1 speech)
    Last week, the Australian Institute of Marine Science reported that the water temperatures in the Great Barrier Reef are the warmest that they have been in 400 years. Record-high water...
  • India (1 speech)
    On this date in 1947 we saw the birth of a proud and sovereign nation with a long and rich civilisational and cultural history. On this date in 1947 India attained its independence. That...
  • Albany Surf Life Saving Club, Albany Motorsport Park, Korean War Armistice: 71st Anniversary (1 speech)
    I recently visited the beautiful city of Albany in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. With the wonderful local member, Rebecca Stephens, I attended the AGM of the Albany Surf Life...
  • Vietnam Veterans' Day (1 speech)
    I asked for leave to move a motion today that the Senate acknowledges this Sunday 18 August is Vietnam Veterans' Day. On that date 58 years ago, 108 soldiers faced an enemy that outnumbered them...
  • Bangladesh (1 speech)
    In the last few weeks, we have seen horrendous and horrific scenes in Bangladesh where former prime minister Hasina has been allowing extraordinary violence to be perpetrated against peaceful...
  • Workplace Relations: Early Childhood Education (1 speech)
    Along with so many Australians every day, I know that what matters most at school or kindy drop-off is the person who is taking the hand of my child as I walk out the door to work. It makes a...
  • Human Rights (1 speech)
    The inquiry into Australia's human rights framework delivered its report in May this year with a very clear recommendation for a legislated enforceable human rights act. This is a...
  • Cost of Living (1 speech)
    I start by associating myself with the comments of Senator Bragg in his two-minute statement. Today I'd like to talk about the cost of living and just how grim things are for so many Australians....
  • Water (1 speech)
    I rise to tell a tale of two different approaches to water policy. On the one hand, in the Murray-Darling Basin, you have consultants at every river bend. For far too long, communities have been...
  • Competition Policy (1 speech)
    Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson recently declared that no new airlines could survive in Australia; that was about Bonza. We've since seen Rex's demise, leaving two companies running three major...
  • Middle East (1 speech)
    Well, another day, another racist dog-whistle. While the Israeli government continues to bomb schools and refugee shelters in Gaza, Peter Dutton is calling for those in Gaza to be blocked from...
  • Afghanistan (1 speech)
    Today marks three years since the fall of Kabul and three years since the return of the Taliban. Despite repeated assurances that Afghanistan would not again become a safe haven for terrorists,...
  • Oxenham, Ms Helen Patricia, OAM (2 speeches)
    I rise today to pay tribute to a pioneer of family and domestic violence services in our state and a truly great South Australian, Helen Oxenham, who passed away in July. Helen was of a...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Cost of Living (11 speeches)
    DUNIAM (—) (): My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. I refer to data released yesterday by the Commonwealth Bank which shows Australians are now...
  • Economy (35 speeches)
    My question is to a minister who does care about cost of living, and that is the Minister for Finance and Minister for Women, Senator Gallagher. The focus of the Albanese government, as we know,...
  • Universities (19 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Education. The Prime Minister graduated with a Bachelor of Economics in 1984. He did not pay a single dollar in tuition fees for his...
  • Renewable Energy (14 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator McAllister. Could the minister please update the chamber on the progress of the government's...
  • Defence Facilities (12 speeches)
    My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, Senator McCarthy. A project for a $20 million cadet facility in Launceston is...
  • Housing Australia Future Fund (20 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Housing, Senator Farrell. What steps is the government taking to protect taxpayer funds held by the Housing Australia Future Fund from...
  • Housing: Foreign Investment (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Overwhelmingly, Australians don't believe foreigners should be allowed to own residential property in our country. I...
  • Western Australia: Employment (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Senator Watt. On my regional tour of WA I heard time and time again about the challenges facing...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (67 speeches)
    I seek leave to move a motion concerning the consideration of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Administration) Bill 2024. Leave not granted. Pursuant to contingent notice of...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (16 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister. I ask the minister: what CFMEU or ACTU officials or members were consulted on, or involved in, the drafting of Labor's weak and...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Answers to Questions (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today. Day by day, month by month, Australian families and businesses...
  • Universities (1 speech)
    FARUQI () (): I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations (Senator Watt) to a question without notice I asked today relating to...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee; Report (3 speeches)
    I present the report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee on Missing and murdered First Nations women and children, together with accompanying documents, and I move: That...
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee; Additional Information (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, Senator Sterle, I present additional information received by the committee relating to estimates.
  • Social Media and Australian Society Joint Select Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society, I present an interim report of the committee.
  • Treaties Joint Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, I present the 218th report of that committee.
  • Environment and Communications References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I rise to take note of the Environment and Communications References Committee report into Australian Antarctic Division funding. This was a great Senate inquiry. It was done with collegiality...
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    The Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee's inquiry into the 3G mobile network shutdown can claim a small victory, yet there will be no champagne corks popped....
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Independent Review of National Natural Disaster Governance Arrangements, Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I table documents related to orders for the production of documents concerning national disaster governance arrangements and funding and the Australian Defence Force 20-year review.
  • Department of Health and Aged Care (1 speech)
    I seek leave to make a short statement regarding the explanatory statement for the National Health (Chairperson of the Pharmaceutical Benefit Remuneration Tribunal) Appointment 2024. Leave...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Albanese Government (3 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate notes that the Albanese Labor Government has lost its way and Australians are paying the price because of the Prime Minister's inability to control rampant inflation, as...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Member for Maribyrnong, Bangladesh (9 speeches)
    Minister 'Billboard' Shorten continuously hides behind the size of his department as to why he is unable to comply with orders for the production of documents. But that excuse is not good enough....
  • Cost of Living (1 speech)
    I rise today to speak on an issue that's weighing on the hearts and minds of Australians right across the country, and that, of course, is the cost-of-living crisis. Since the Albanese government...
  • Dementia (1 speech)
    I'd like to speak today about a disease that is greatly impacting our communities. Dementia is the silent killer responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Australians every year. In...