Senate debates

Monday, 9 September 2024

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Meeting (1 speech)
    If there is no objection, the meetings are authorised.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • National Disability Insurance Scheme; Order for the Production of Documents (10 speeches)
    The government continues to reiterate its view that we cannot agree with the assertion made in this motion. We do, however, acknowledge the interest in the chamber in continuing to reform the...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Illegal Logging Prohibition Amendment (Strengthening Measures to Prevent Illegal Timber Trade) Bill 2024; Second Reading (18 speeches)
    I rise in relation to the Illegal Logging Prohibition Amendment (Strengthening Measures to Prevent Illegal Timber Trade) Bill 2024, which concerns illegal logging of timber and the importation of...
  • Illegal Logging Prohibition Amendment (Strengthening Measures to Prevent Illegal Timber Trade) Bill 2024; In Committee (44 speeches)
    I indicate to the Senate that the opposition won't be proceeding with any of the amendments it circulated. Off the back of very constructive discussions with stakeholders and the government, we...
  • Illegal Logging Prohibition Amendment (Strengthening Measures to Prevent Illegal Timber Trade) Bill 2024; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Australian Human Rights Commission Amendment (Costs Protection) Bill 2023; Second Reading (3 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the Australian Human Rights Commission Amendment (Costs Protection) Bill 2023. It's appropriate to commence my speech by reflecting on the genesis of this bill and the...
• Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
  • Agriculture (1 speech)
    Many people in recent years may have come across an initialism known as ESG. In theory, our corporate sector has been desperate to apply ESG principles—so called environmental, social and...
  • Early Childhood Education (1 speech)
    I recently celebrated the 15 per cent pay rise for people working in early childhood education—the educators who are ensuring that the next generation have the fantastic start they need to...
  • Yazidi Community (1 speech)
    Last month, on 3 August, I had the privilege to go to Wagga Wagga to be with the Yazidi community and the local Wagga community to reflect on the 10th anniversary of the appalling genocide...
  • Tibet Lobby Day (1 speech)
    Today is Tibet Lobby Day, an annual occasion when the Australian Tibet Council invites Tibetan Australians to meet with their parliamentary representatives and discuss the issues important to...
  • Hickey, Ms Wilma (1 speech)
    Can I associate myself with the remarks of Senator Dean Smith. Happily, I was able to meet with the delegation myself, and it's great to see multiparty support for the Tibetan people. We...
  • Economy (1 speech)
    In the last few days Australians have witnessed an unedifying sight: the Treasurer blaming the Reserve Bank for policy outcomes that are firmly the government's fault. When Treasurer Chalmers was...
  • Road Infrastructure: Highways (1 speech)
    Of all the issues faced by Australia, few are more damaging to our country than the fiscal imbalance and ambiguous responsibilities between state and federal governments. There is no better...
  • Immigration (1 speech)
    I rise today to speak on behalf of thousands of people whose lives have been marked by unimaginable hardship at the hands of our broken immigration system. I stand here with the words of...
  • Watson, Mr Paul Franklin (1 speech)
    Millions of people around the world are frustrated that again the Danish authorities have decided to keep Captain Paul Watson in jail in Greenland pending potential extradition to Japan—the...
  • Queensland: Cost of Living (1 speech)
    Queensland families are struggling in Labor's cost-of-living crisis. The Queensland Council of Social Service said today that 94 per cent of the state is worried about the cost of living. It said...
  • Victoria: Infrastructure (1 speech)
    I was delighted to recently join our wonderful hard-working candidate for Corangamite, Darcy Dunstan, to tour two major projects in the Geelong region: the Waurn Ponds rail upgrade and the Barwon...
  • Domestic and Family Violence (1 speech)
    Violence is everywhere, but it shouldn't be something we accept. It shouldn't be something that is spoken about secretly, because those secrets allow violent cultures to stay alive. Last week, I...
  • Schools (1 speech)
    We're hurtling towards a two-tiered school system in this country with Labor's new funding scheme a reverse Robin Hood, which is still bleeding public schools dry to give to wealthy private...
  • Central Land Council (1 speech)
    ():  Today in the gallery we are joined by three very brave, admirable women, Veronica and Margaret Lynch and Sabella Turner. Not only are they respected elders within the Arrernte...
  • Domestic and Family Violence (2 speeches)
    ():  Last Friday, the Labor Albanese government announced a $4.4 billion commitment to new funding to address gender based violence and investment in frontline services and initiatives...
  • Albanese Government (2 speeches)
    Madam President, I thought I'd give you an update on the achievements of the Albanese Labor government. It's an update. In the last 12 months, what has this government done? Nothing. The cost of...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Economy (16 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Households are facing higher interest rates for longer because Labor has failed to tackle homegrown inflation. Last...
• Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
  • Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates (1 speech)
    I draw to the attention of honourable senators the presence in the gallery of a delegation of senior officials from the Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates, led by the Secretary...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Economy (18 speeches)
    CANAVAN () (): My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Last week's national accounts showed that we are in an entrenched household recession, with...
  • Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Minister Wong. The funding announced after Friday's National Cabinet meeting for frontline family, domestic and sexual violence...
  • Cost of Living (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Watt. After a decade of deliberate wage stagnation under the Liberals and Nationals—those...
  • Energy (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator McAllister. For every 100 megawatts of installed coal-fired power station capacity, the production...
  • McPhillamys Goldmine (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Water, Senator McAllister. In relation to Minister Plibersek's Indigenous cultural heritage decision against the...
  • Child Care (12 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Early Childhood Education, Minister Watt. Minister, early education is a fundamental right, yet across the country 700,000 people live...
  • Anindilyakwa Land Council (13 speeches)
    My question is for the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator McCarthy. On 29 August the minister released an independent report into the Anindilyakwa Land Council's progress towards...
  • Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (43 speeches)
    My question is to Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith, whom the Albanese government refused to sack from the CFMEU, despite overseeing an...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Cost of Living (5 speeches)
    I rise to take note of answers to questions asked by coalition senators. What has become increasingly apparent is a marked difference between the rhetoric and the ideology of those opposite and...
  • Energy (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy (Senator McAllister) to a question without notice I asked today...
  • Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence (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 funding for family,...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
    I move: That general business order of the day no. 56 (Ending Native Forest Logging Bill 2023) be considered on Wednesday, 11 September 2024 at the time for private senators' bills. Question...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Reporting Date (1 speech)
    If there is no objection, the business is postponed. (Quorum formed)
• Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
  • Interest Rates (8 speeches)
    Senator McKim has submitted a proposal under standing order 75 today: That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency: The need for the Government to stop letting the...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Economy (21 speeches)
    A letter has been received from Senator Hughes: Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion: With Australia...
• Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
  • Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide (3 speeches)
    I table the report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • National Indigenous Australians Agency; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    by leave—I table documents relating to the order for the production of documents concerning Anindilyakwa Land Council.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Human Rights Joint Committee, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Select Committee, Public Works Joint Committee, Publications Committee, Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
    The President has received letters from the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate requesting changes in the membership of various committees.
  • Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, Senator Grogan, I present the report of the committee on the provisions of the Nature Positive (Environment...
• Regulations and Determinations (0 speeches)
  • Work Health and Safety (Operation Sovereign Borders) Declaration 2024; Disallowance (3 speeches)
    I move: That the Work Health and Safety (Operation Sovereign Borders) Declaration 2024, made under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, be disallowed. Let's be very clear as to what this...
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection (Kings Plains) Declaration 2024; Disallowance (17 speeches)
    I move: That the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection (Kings Plains) Declaration 2024, made under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984, be...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Reference (3 speeches)
    I rise to speak on this motion that has been moved by both Senator McKenzie and myself. It's very simple motion. One might even say it should be a non-controversial motion, when you look at what...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Australian Human Rights Commission Amendment (Costs Protection) Bill 2023; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    I wanted to make a contribution on this important legislation, the Australian Human Rights Commission Amendment (Costs Protection) Bill 2023. It's a privilege to speak on a really important piece...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Tasmanian Government (1 speech)
    In life there are two certainties: death and taxes. But I think there may be a third: an incompetent Tasmanian state Liberal government which continues its shambolic run in office. Parliament...
  • Freedom of Religion (1 speech)
    We often speak about human rights in this place, and for very good reason. Human rights are central to the dignity of every human person. Any deprivation of these rights is equivalent to...
  • Women's Health (1 speech)
    Last week, Senator Ruston, Sussan Ley, who is the deputy opposition leader, Melissa McIntosh, who is the member for Lindsay, and I, with the help of Western Sydney Executive Women, held a women's...