Senate debates
Wednesday, 12 February 2025
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Meeting (1 speech)
If there is no objection, the meetings are authorised.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Withdrawal (26 speeches)
I seek leave to move a motion relating to the discharge of bills from the Notice Paper, as circulated in the chamber. Leave not granted. Pursuant to contingent notice standing in my name as...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
- Women's Health (1 speech)
(): For too long in this building, women's health hasn't received the attention, solutions or funding that it has deserved. I doubt—actually, I know—there's not a single...
- Domestic and Family Violence (1 speech)
Today I rise to speak about the domestic violence and related deaths in the Northern Territory as well as the government's inaction and failure to address these issues at their core. Reports in...
- Australian Greens, Tasmania: Environment (1 speech)
There's obviously an election looming, and I want to take this opportunity to share a few thoughts with Australians who are thinking about how they might vote in this election. I have to say,...
- Western Australia: Albanese Government (1 speech)
Western Australia's prosperity is every bit as critical to the nation as it is to those in the west, but it is under attack on multiple fronts from Anthony Albanese and his Labor government. The...
- Albanese Government (1 speech)
As we approach the next election and I near the end of my term in the Senate, I'm incredibly proud of what the Albanese government has achieved in just three years. Looking back, I see the firm...
- Migration (1 speech)
Australia's immigration system is broken. It no longer works in the interest of the Australian people. Immigration policy from both parties of government, Labor and the coalition, does not...
- Women's Health (1 speech)
This week the Albanese Labor government made a game-changing announcement on women's health. It's an announcement that will impact women of all ages and will really change the game for women's...
- Cost of Living (1 speech)
Millions of Australians standing at the check-out feel the pain of our cost-of-living crisis. Yesterday new research revealed that one in three Australians aren't confident they'll be able to...
- Early Childhood Education (1 speech)
My kids are the men they are today because of great early childcare educators. I'm so lucky to have had wonderful educators in my kids' lives when they were little. As a young mum, I returned to...
- Freedom of Speech (1 speech)
Today I will introduce the Constitution Alteration (Right to Free Speech) Bill 2025. The purpose of my bill is to enshrine freedom of speech in the Australian Constitution. This bill is urgently...
- Sport Safety: Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury (2 speeches)
In 2022 I set up an inquiry into concussions and repeated head trauma in contact sports due to the shocking accounts from people who approached my office concerned by the lack of action from the...
- Women's Health (1 speech)
Too often women's health is not taken seriously. But we're changing that with an historic investment of over half a billion dollars into women's health, and we know that will deliver more choice,...
- National Apology to the Stolen Generations: 17th Anniversary (1 speech)
Tomorrow is the 17th anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations delivered by former prime minister Kevin Rudd in 2008. It's a significant milestone of healing for First Nations...
- Forestry Industry (3 speeches)
I rise today to speak of some deceptive, dishonest and unethical advertisements that have been calling for the end of the native forest industry in this country based on the fact that 90 per cent...
- Medicare (2 speeches)
I had the privilege this week to be introduced to a young woman who has a very rare cancer. It was at an event hosted by Rare Cancers Australia. This young woman, living in regional Australia, is...
- Banking and Financial Services (1 speech)
I want to call out the Labor Party on this absolute cop-out of a decision yesterday. They have rolled over to the big banks yet again, like they did in 1985 when they lifted capital controls and...
- Economy (1 speech)
Australia's economy is in trouble, and working people are the ones paying the price. Rents have never been higher, every trip to the grocery store feels like daylight robbery and, while Aussie...
- Pensions and Benefits (1 speech)
I rise to speak to just some of the litany of issues that plague the social security system in this country. Firstly, I want to talk about the punitive partner income test for the disability...
- Federal Election (1 speech)
The so-called battle between Labor and Liberal is an illusion. Both parties push the same agenda; it's different only in presentation. The two-party system is designed to give voters the illusion...
- Banking and Financial Services (1 speech)
I would like to say thanks to the many Australians who have fought hard to save the banks in their country towns. I should recognise your efforts as well, Mr Acting Deputy President Sterle. A few...
- Superannuation (Better Targeted Superannuation Concessions) Imposition Bill 2023 (1 speech)
Apparently, there have been a couple of rumours getting around in the last couple of weeks about where I stand with the Superannuation (Better Targeted Superannuation Concessions) Imposition Bill...
- First Nations Australians (1 speech)
'Are you waiting for us to die?' These words reflect the testimony of survivors of the stolen generation who continue to wait for the implementation of the 1997 national inquiry into the stolen...
- Bendigo Electorate: Federal Election (9 speeches)
Recently I had the pleasure of joining over 300 proud supporters of Andrew Lethlean, the National Party's candidate for the federal seat of Bendigo. What an event! People from all walks of life...
- Collingwood Football Club Foundation (1 speech)
I do want to change the tone in the Senate just for a moment. As you'd be aware, the AFL season is less than a month away, and I certainly cannot wait. But today I want to draw attention to the...
- COVID-19: Mortality (2 speeches)
The Australian Bureau of Statistics no longer provides official estimates of the rates of excess mortality in our community but we know that they are alarmingly high, and we know that because...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Antisemitism (17 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Today Australians witnessed utterly vile footage of two nurses at Bankstown hospital making despicable antisemitic...
- Aviation Industry (16 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Gallagher. Today, in Merimbula, the Prime Minister announced the Albanese Labor government will work with the administrators of Regional...
- Housing Australia Future Fund (13 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Yesterday during question time you'll recall that you said that 13,700 houses were 'in the pipeline' under round 1 of...
- Murujuga Cultural Landscape (8 speeches)
My question is to Minister McAllister, representing the Minister for the Environment and Water. Australia has committed to achieving net zero by 2050, but it has no 2035 climate target. We are...
- Housing (14 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. The people of our home state of South Australia, who have suffered from a wasted decade on housing under the former...
- Migration (16 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration, Senator Watt. Minister, the Department of Home Affairs has confirmed that over 75,000 unlawful noncitizens remain in...
- Medicare (31 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health. Minister, the GP bulk-billing rate was 86 per cent in December 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. What is the bulk-billing...
- Wreck Bay: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (14 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care. Is that Senator Gallagher or Senator McCarthy?
- Workplace Relations (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Minister Watt. Today marks one year since the second tranche of the Albanese Labor government's closing loopholes...
- Hate Speech (19 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Attorney-General, Senator Watt. The Minister for Sport has thrown her support behind Sam Kerr, the captain of the Matildas, even though body cam...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Answers to Questions (6 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today. Today we saw, in response to a question that I asked of the...
- Migration (1 speech)
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 in relation to migration. I...
- Murujuga Cultural Landscape (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Emergency Management (Senator McAllister) to a question without notice asked by Senator Cox today in relation to...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Presentation (1 speech)
On behalf of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation, I give notice of my intention, at the giving of notices on the next day of sitting, to withdraw business of the...
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Hughes, Hon. Thomas Eyre Forrest (Tom), AO, KC (6 speeches)
It is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death, on 28 November 2024, of the Hon. Thomas Eyre Forrest Hughes AO, KC, a former minister and member of the House of Representatives for...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Economics References Committee; Reference (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Dean Smith, I move: That the following matter be referred to the Economics References Committee for inquiry and report by the first sitting day in September 2025:...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Legislation (2 speeches)
I move: That— (a) the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Reform) Bill 2024 be divided into two bills and amended, in accordance with the amendments on sheet 3248, to create two...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
At the request of Senator McKenzie, I move: That— (a) the Senate notes that the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government...
- Stronger Communities Program; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
At the request of Senator McKenzie, I move: That— (a) the Senate notes that the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government...
- Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts; Order for the Production of Documents (2 speeches)
At the request of Senator McKenzie, I move: That— (a) the Senate notes that the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government...
- Local Content Broadcasting; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) on 6 February 2025, the Senate agreed to order for the production of documents no. 760, relating to access to documents dealing with Australian...
- Non-Disclosure Agreements; Order for the Production of Documents (10 speeches)
I move: That— (a) the Senate notes that: (i) on 3 October 2024, questions on notice nos 3633 to 3679 were submitted, requesting that ministers of all portfolios provide specific information...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (8 speeches)
I seek leave to move a motion relating to the consideration of legislation. Leave not granted. At the request of Senator Wong and pursuant to contingent notice, I move: That so much of the...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (4 speeches)
Pursuant to the contingent notice standing in my name, I move: That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent further consideration of the bill without limitation of time. I...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
by leave—For the benefit of the chamber, I indicate that the government will be granting leave for any amendments moved after the two-hour deadline for the purposes of the bills that we are...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Legislation (4 speeches)
Pursuant to contingent notice of motion, I move: That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent further consideration of the second reading stage of the Electoral Legislation...
- Bills (0 speeches)
