Senate debates

Tuesday, 28 February 2006

  • Leave of Absence (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Bishop for the period 27 February to 2 March 2006, on account of ill health. Question agreed to.
  • Future Fund Bill 2005 (0 speeches)
    • Second Reading (14 speeches)
      Debate resumed from 9 February, on motion by Senator Ellison: That this bill be now read a second time.
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Aged Care (7 speeches)
      My question is to Senator Santoro, the Minister for Ageing. Is the minister aware of fresh allegations on Lateline last night of the abuse of frail aged care residents? Didn’t the program...
  • Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
    • (2 speeches)
      Order! I draw the attention of honourable senators to the presence in the President’s gallery of an Australian Political Exchange Council delegation from the Philippines, led by the Hon....
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Aged Care (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Ageing, Senator Santoro. The proper care and humane treatment of older Australians is a key responsibility for all levels of government and, indeed, the wider...
    • Illegal Fishing (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation. Will the minister update the Senate on the status of the fight against illegal fishing in Australia’s northern...
    • Aged Care (18 speeches)
      My question is to Senator Santoro, the Minister for Ageing. Can the minister confirm that the government has received repeated warnings that the aged care complaints system is not working?...
    • Criminal Justice (10 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Ellison. Will the minister update the Senate on the Australian government’s commitment to ensuring ongoing public confidence...
    • Ms Cornelia Rau (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Senator Vanstone. Minister, it is now over a year since Cornelia Rau was found suffering untreated schizophrenia in...
    • Climate Change (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell. Will the minister advise the Senate of actions the Australian government is taking to address the problem of...
    • Economy: Debt Management (4 speeches)
      My question is to Senator Minchin, the Minister for Finance and Administration, representing the Treasurer. I refer to the release today of Australia’s December current account figures,...
    • Live Animal Exports (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Abetz. I refer the minister to the footage screened on the 60 Minutes program last Sunday...
    • Telstra (29 speeches)
      My question is to Senator Coonan, the minister for communications. I refer the minister to Telstra’s plans to dramatically slash payphone services in Australia. Is the minister aware that,...
  • Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
    • Aged Care (9 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Ageing (Senator Santoro) to questions without notice asked by Senators McLucas, Moore and Marshall today relating to...
    • Ms Cornelia Rau (1 speech)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (Senator Vanstone) to a question without notice asked by Senator Nettle today...
  • Petitions (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      The Clerk: Petitions have been lodged for presentation as follows:
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • Presentation (0 speeches)
      Senator Allison to move on the next day of sitting:That the time for the presentation of the report of the Select Committee on Mental Health be extended to 28 April 2006. Senators Kemp and Lundy...
    • Postponement (0 speeches)
      The following items of business were postponed: Business of the Senate notice of motion no. 1 standing in the name of Senator O’Brien for today, proposing the reference of a matter to the...
  • Leave of Absence (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Siewert for 28 February 2006, on account of ill health. Question agreed to.
  • Whaling (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I move:That the Senate opposes whaling and calls on the Australian Government to request Japan to withdraw its whaling fleet from Australia’s southern oceans. Question agreed to.
  • Iran: Nuclear Program (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I move:That the Senate—(a)notes:(i)that the International Atomic Energy Agency’s board of governors will meet on 6 March 2006 to consider the resumption of aspects of Iran’s...
  • Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I move:That the Senate—(a)notes that:(i)India is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty,(ii)the President of the United States of America (US), George W Bush, will visit...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Australian Citizenship (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I move:That the Senate—(a)notes the call by the Treasurer (Mr Costello) for people applying for Australian citizenship who do not ‘share certain beliefs’ to be refused...
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • Postponement (1 speech)
      by leave—At the request of the Chair of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee, Senator Siewert, I move: That general business notice of motion no. 376 standing...
  • Auditor-General’S Reports (0 speeches)
    • Report No. 30 of 2005-06 (2 speeches)
      In accordance with the provisions of the Auditor-General Act 1997, I present the following report of the Auditor-General: Audit report No. 30 of 2005-06: Performance Audit—The ATO’s...
  • Budget (0 speeches)
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Membership (2 speeches)
      The President has received a letter from a party leader seeking to vary the membership of a committee.
  • Tax Laws Amendment (2005 Measures No. 6) Bill 2005 (0 speeches)
    • First Reading (1 speech)
      Bill received from the House of Representatives.
    • 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— This bill amends various...
  • Trade Practices Amendment (National Access Regime) Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
    • First Reading (1 speech)
      Bill received from the House of Representatives.
    • Second Reading (1 speech)
      I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I table a revised explanatory memorandum relating to the bill and I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave...
  • Future Fund Bill 2005 (0 speeches)
    • Second Reading (2 speeches)
      Debate resumed.
    • In Committee (35 speeches)
      Bill—by leave—taken as a whole.
    • Third Reading (1 speech)
      I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Offshore Petroleum Bill 2005; Offshore Petroleum (Annual Fees) Bill 2005; Offshore Petroleum (Registration Fees) Bill 2005; Offshore Petroleum (Repeals and Consequential Amendments) Bill 2005; Offshore Petroleum (Royalty) Bill 2005; Offshore Petroleum (Safety Levies) Amendment Bill 2005 (0 speeches)
    • In Committee (12 speeches)
      Consideration resumed from 27 February. OFFSHORE PETROLEUM BILL 2005
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      Order! It being 6.50 pm, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of government documents.
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner (1 speech)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the document. There is always one point in the year that is a watershed for people interested in Indigenous issues in this country. That is, of course, the...
    • Consideration (0 speeches)
      The following government documents were considered: Migration Act 1958Section 486O—Assessment of appropriateness of detention arrangements—Government response to the Commonwealth...
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      Order! There being no further consideration of government documents, I propose the question: That the Senate do now adjourn.
    • Iraq (1 speech)
      This morning I returned from Iraq with the Deputy Prime Minister, Mark Vaile. We met with senior members of the Iraqi government on behalf of Australian wheat growers. We wanted to assure the...
    • The Coodabeen Champions (2 speeches)
      Last Sunday evening when I came back to Canberra, I was lucky enough to attend a live broadcast by the ABC local radio network at our National Museum in Canberra. The performance was by a group...
    • Wheat Exports (12 speeches)
      Happy birthday, Senator Moore! As I rise here tonight, grain growers across the country are working on their cropping strategy for the coming year. They are working out how rising fertiliser...
    • Volunteering (1 speech)
      I rise tonight to talk about the generosity of spirit and community mindedness that characterises this country. I am talking about volunteering: a vital thread of the fabric that makes up our...
    • Labour Day, Western Australia (1 speech)
      Monday, 6 March this year is a public holiday in Western Australia in celebration of Labour Day. While Labour Day is something that a lot of members here understand a lot about, it gives people...
    • The Hon. Terance Gerald Roberts MLC (1 speech)
      I rise tonight to pay tribute to a great South Australian and champion of the people, a friend and political colleague, the Hon. Terance Gerald Roberts, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • Tabling (0 speeches)
      The following government documents were tabled: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner—Reports for 2005— Native title. Social justice. Australian...
    • Indexed Lists of Files (0 speeches)
      The following documents were tabled pursuant to the order of the Senate of 30 May 1996, as amended: Indexed lists of departmental and agency files for the period 1 July to 31 December...
    • Departmental and Agency Contracts (0 speeches)
      The following documents were tabled pursuant to the order of the Senate of 20 June 2001, as amended: Departmental and agency contracts for 2005—Letters of advice— Employment and...