Senate debates

Thursday, 6 February 2025

• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Commission of Inquiry into Antisemitism at Australian Universities Bill 2024 (No. 2); Second Reading (30 speeches)
    I rise to continue to speak to the Commission of Inquiry into Antisemitism at Australian Universities Bill 2024 (No. 2). I last rose to speak on this private senator's bill in July 2024. At that...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (2 speeches)
    by leave—I move: That— (a) the Criminal Code Amendment (Hate Crimes) Bill 2025 be called on at 10.30 am; (b) the time allotted for the second reading of the bill be one hour; (c) the...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Future Made in Australia (Production Tax Credits and Other Measures) Bill 2024; Second Reading (9 speeches)
    I again rise to speak on the Future Made in Australia (Production Tax Credits and Other Measures) Bill 2024. As I observed briefly last night, this is a typical Labor piece of legislation. It's...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (3 speeches)
    With your indulgence, Senator Sterle, I just need to move an amendment, and then we're back on to you.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Future Made in Australia (Production Tax Credits and Other Measures) Bill 2024; Second Reading (4 speeches)
    As I was saying, the production tax credit scheme is quite simple. I'll explain it for those opposite. If companies don't produce a processed critical mineral, once again, they don't receive a...
  • Criminal Code Amendment (Hate Crimes) 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.
  • Criminal Code Amendment (Hate Crimes) Bill 2024; Second Reading (7 speeches)
    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— Acceptance and...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (21 speeches)
    I present the first report of 2025 of the Selection of Bills Committee. 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. 764, standing in the name of Senator Rennick relating to political culture, be considered during general business today. Question agreed to. I...
  • Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
    I move: That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the Defence Service Homes Amendment (Insurance) Bill 2025, allowing it to be considered during this period...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts; Order for the Production of Documents (3 speeches)
    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...
  • Local Content Broadcasting; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
    I move: That— (a) the Senate notes that: (i) on 16 September 2024 access to correspondence, including email, pertaining to Australian content quotas and/or associated models between the...
  • Stronger Communities Program; 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...
  • Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts; 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...
  • Migration: Transitory People; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
    I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, by 2 March 2025, all documents related to payments and the cost of payments made between 21...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; Reference (1 speech)
    I remind senators that earlier this week three votes were deferred, as listed at item 12 on the Dynamic Red. I understand it suits the convenience of the Senate to hold those votes now. I will...
  • Environment and Communications References Committee; Reference (2 speeches)
    I'll now deal with the motion moved by Senator David Pocock concerning a proposed reference to the Environment and Communications References Committee. The question is that the motion be agreed to.
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
    I have received a letter requesting changes to membership of a committee.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Defence Service Homes Amendment (Insurance) Bill 2025; 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.
  • Defence Service Homes Amendment (Insurance) Bill 2025; 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— I rise to introduce the...
  • Free TAFE Bill 2024; First Reading (1 speech)
    GALLAGHER (—) (): I move: That this bill may proceed without formalities and be now read a first time. Question agreed to. Bill read a first time.
  • Free TAFE Bill 2024; Second Reading (2 speeches)
    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— Today, I introduce the...
  • Criminal Code Amendment (Hate Crimes) Bill 2024; Second Reading (8 speeches)
    This legislation is an important step in combating the antisemitism crisis that Australia has today. The coalition has secured some very significant amendments to the legislation, and we are...
  • Criminal Code Amendment (Hate Crimes) Bill 2024; In Committee (24 speeches)
    Minister, I think you're completely aware of this, because it was interrogated during the committee stage by Senator Scarr—in the inquiry into the bill, it was confirmed by the...
  • Criminal Code Amendment (Hate Crimes) 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.
  • Navigation Amendment Bill 2024; Second Reading (1 speech)
    The question now is that this bill be now read a second time. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time.
  • Navigation Amendment Bill 2024; Third Reading (1 speech)
    The question now is that this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
• Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
  • Redtails Pinktails Right Tracks Program (1 speech)
    I rise to speak about a vital project planned for my home town of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. These days, I often find myself saying that my home town doesn't look the way I remember...
  • Victoria: Bushfires (1 speech)
    Today I want to express my gratitude to our remarkable volunteer firefighters and crews who continue to be on high alert in western Victoria. At the worst of times, we always see the best of the...
  • Closing the Gap (1 speech)
    On Monday the Closing the gap report will be released. I, like you, want change but expect it won't come. Violence, fuelled by alcohol and the associated chaos, is at the heart of the gap...
  • Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (2 speeches)
    This is the 80th year since the nuclear age began, with the testing on First Peoples' country. Australia has to come to terms with its nuclear past to avoid a nuclear catastrophe in the future....
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Antisemitism (15 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. On 21 January, National Cabinet agreed to establish a new national database to record antisemitic crime and other...
  • Cost of Living (18 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. The key focus of the Albanese Labor government has been to ease the cost of living for all Australians. Our plan has...
  • United States of America (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Wong. US President Donald Trump, standing alongside the Israeli Prime Minister and fugitive war criminal, Benjamin Netanyahu, has...
  • Economy (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Resources, Senator Farrell. I refer to the Albanese Labor government's plan to process critical minerals here in Australia instead of...
  • Fishing Industry (19 speeches)
    My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Water, Minister Watt. In the space of two months, we've seen Labor bring forward their own nature-positive bills...
  • Agriculture Industry (17 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Food prices have increased by 12 per cent under Labor and could rise even further as farmers and food processors face...
  • Renewable Energy (14 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator McAllister. Minister, what is the total cost of the net zero transition?
  • United States of America (14 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister Wong. I note that Senator Faruqi asked questions earlier, but I would also like to acknowledge that there is an outbreak of Trump...
  • Environmental Defenders Office (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. I refer the minister to the most recent financial report of the Environmental Defenders Office which outlines the $9...
  • Energy (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator Watt. Cost-of-living pressures are front of mind for all Australians. When speaking with...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Gambling; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
    Senator Pocock, I'm attending the chamber in accordance with your request. I would have been happy to have a chat. The government rejects Senator Pocock's assertion that the Prime Minister has...
• Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
  • Antisemitism (1 speech)
    I just want to add some additional information to answers given in question time today relating to the national database to track antisemitism. As I think was referred to—at the National...
• 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 the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Senator Wong) to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today. There were so many...
  • United States of America (2 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Senator Wong) to a question without notice Senator Faruqi asked today relating to the Trump...
• Condolences (0 speeches)
  • Hodges, Hon. John Charles (5 speeches)
    On Thursday 28 November 2024, the Senate was informed of the death, on 14 November 2024, of the Hon. John Charles Hodges, a former minister and member of the House of Representatives for the...
  • Tambling, Hon. Grant Ernest John, AM (5 speeches)
    It is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death, on 24 January 2025, of the Hon. Grant Ernest John Tambling AM, a member of the House of Representatives for the Northern Territory...
• Budget (0 speeches)
  • Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
    I present additional information received by committees relating to the following estimates: Budget estimates 2023-24 (Supplementary)—Economics Legislation Committee—Documents...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Education and Employment Legislation Committee; Additional Information (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Chair of the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee, Senator Sheldon, I present additional information received by the committee on its inquiry into the provisions...
  • Human Rights Joint Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights I present Human rights scrutiny report: report 1 of 2025.
  • Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Report (1 speech)
    As Chair of the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, I present the report of the committee on the provisions of the National Broadband Network Companies Amendment...
  • Economics References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I rise to speak on the Economics References Committee report Australia's taxation system. I thank the people who made submissions about the need to overhaul Australia's tax system. It's been one...
  • Community Affairs References Committee; Government Response to Report (3 speeches)
    Could I clarify whether the government's response to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee report Assessment andsupport services for people with ADHD is still on the Notice Paper.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Department of Defence (1 speech)
    I rise today to discuss the Department of Defence annual report 2023-24 and the subsequent committee inquiry. The report included five key themes, with the first theme focusing on Australia's...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Finance and Public Administration References Committee; Report (3 speeches)
    I rise to take note of committee report No. 52 from the Finance and Public Administration Reference Committee, Management and assurance of integrity by consulting services, on an inquiry I...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, Department of the Treasury; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I table documents relating to orders for the production of documents concerning the Cbus super fund inquiry and the board of Housing Australia.
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Parliament (13 speeches)
    RENNICK () (): I move: That, in the opinion of the Senate, despite being the cause of Australia's cost of living, energy, housing and immigration crises, neither the Labor Party or the Coalition...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Education (1 speech)
    I rise this evening to speak on matters of education. We in the Labor Party know just how important our education system is. It is one of the foundations of our amazing country, and that's why I...
  • Western Australia: Community Events (1 speech)
    Western Australia is home to a thriving and diverse multicultural community, one that has shaped our state's identity and continues to enrich our social fabric. Over recent months, I've had the...
  • Tertiary Education (1 speech)
    There are 200,000 people working in our universities who deserve better than the governance disasters that so many vice-chancellors around the country are serving up. To give one example, this...
  • Medicare (1 speech)
    . I rise to speak on what is an important week for many Australians. On 1 February 1984, the Hawke Labor government introduced Medicare, building on the foundations of the Medibank system...
  • Brisbane Valley Highway (1 speech)
    Can I say to Senator Brown that I'll always fight for the people of the Somerset region, and today I stand up for the people of the Somerset region in relation to the appalling state of the...