Senate debates

Tuesday, 11 March 2008

  • Cross-Border Insolvency Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
    • Second Reading (3 speeches)
      Debate resumed from 13 February, on motion by Senator Ludwig: That this bill be now read a second time.
    • Third Reading (0 speeches)
      Bill passed through its remaining stages without amendment or debate.
  • Governor-General’S Speech (0 speeches)
    • Address-in-Reply (6 speeches)
      Debate resumed from 13 February, on motion by Senator Wortley: That the following address-in-reply be agreed to: To His Excellency the Governor-General MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY—We, the...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Pensions and Benefits (6 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Senator Evans. Will the minister guarantee the retention of the lump sum...
    • Climate Change (9 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Wong. Can the minister outline to the Senate what the Kyoto protocol, coming into force today, means for Australia? How is...
    • Pensions and Benefits (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Senator Evans. Will the minister guarantee the retention of the $500...
    • Broadband Services (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. Can the minister update the Senate on progress in implementing the government’s...
    • Superannuation (11 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Governance, Senator Sherry. Will the minister guarantee that low- and middle-income families will continue to receive the $1.1...
    • Illicit Drugs (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Evans. Minister, the Prime Minister said this week he would tackle binge drinking and illicit drugs. Given the expected...
    • Indigenous Communities (6 speeches)
      My question is directed to the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Faulkner. Is it still the intention of the government that Australia become a signatory to the...
    • Alcohol Abuse (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Ludwig. Can the minister explain the health impacts of binge drinking and why the government is taking...
    • Consultancies (24 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Evans. Minister, given the Prime Minister’s assertion that he will crack down on MP consultancies and work outside of...
    • Middle East (6 speeches)
      My question is to Senator Faulkner as the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Can you explain how the approach of this government to ensuring that there is a just peace in...
    • Consultancies (4 speeches)
      My question is again addressed to Senator Evans, representing the Prime Minister. Minister, having had the opportunity to see the Observer ‘Property Week’ of Saturday, 23 February,...
    • Pacific Island Nations (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Faulkner. Can the minister inform the Senate of recent developments in respect of Australia’s relations...
    • Education (5 speeches)
      My question is to Senator Carr, the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, representing the Minister for Education. Will the minister guarantee that the Rudd government will not...
  • Answers to Questions (0 speeches)
    • (2 speeches)
      On 14 February 2008, Senator Ian Macdonald asked whether the President had any power to require ministers who are correcting answers to table the corrections so that interested senators could...
  • Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
    • Indigenous Communities (1 speech)
      I want to add to my answer to the question which Senator Brandis asked me. The office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs has provided me in fact with a transcript of an interview that the...
  • Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
    • Consultancies (14 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship (Senator Evans) to questions without notice asked by Senator Ronaldson today relating to the...
    • Illicit Drugs (1 speech)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship (Senator Evans) to a question without notice asked by Senator Allison today relating to drug...
  • Condolences (0 speeches)
    • Mr Siegfried Emil (Sid) Spindler (6 speeches)
      It is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death, on 1 March 2008, of Sid Spindler, a senator for Victoria from 1990 to 1996.
  • Petitions (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      The Clerk: Petitions have been lodged for presentation as follows:
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • Presentation (1 speech)
      Senator Allison to move on the next day of sitting:That there be laid on the table by the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, no later than 4.30 pm on Thursday,...
  • Leave of Absence (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Stott Despoja from 11 March to 20 March 2008. Question agreed to.
  • Budget (0 speeches)
    • Consideration by Estimates Committees; Meeting (1 speech)
      by leave—At the request of Senator Hurley, I move: That the Standing Committee on Economics be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate today, from 7.30 pm,...
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • 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 Milne for today, proposing a reference to the Economics Committee,...
  • Indigenous Health (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 17 standing in my name, relating to Indigenous Australians affected by trachoma. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended: That the...
  • MS Ingrid Betancourt (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I move:That the Senate—(a)notes that 23 February 2008 marked the 6th year that Ingrid Betancourt has been held hostage by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC); and(b)calls on...
  • Economy (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I move:That the Senate—(a)notes the Reserve Bank of Australia’s concern about ‘significant inflation pressures’ and the Rudd Government’s call for wage restraint...
  • Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • Tabling (1 speech)
      Pursuant to standing order 166, I present documents which were presented to the President, the Deputy President and Temporary Chairmen of Committees since the Senate last sat. In accordance with...
  • Auditor-General’S Reports (0 speeches)
    • Report No. 26 of 2007-08 (3 speeches)
      by leave—I move: That the Senate take note of the document. This report deals with the Tasmanian forestry industry development and assistance programs. It is vitally important that this...
    • Report No. 23 of 2007-08 (1 speech)
      In accordance with the provisions of the Auditor-General Act 1997, I present the following report of the Auditor-General: Report No. 23 of 2007-08: Performance audit: the management of cost...
  • Parliamentarians Entitlements (0 speeches)
    • (5 speeches)
      In relation to item 13(d) on the red, tabling of documents by the Clerk, I seek leave to make a statement about printing entitlements. Leave granted. I thank the Senate for the opportunity to...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Membership (2 speeches)
      The President has received a letter from a party leader seeking variations to the membership of committees.
  • Advisory Council on Australian Archives; Parliamentary Retiring Allowances Trust (0 speeches)
    • Membership (1 speech)
      The President has received a letter from Senator Faulkner resigning his place as a member of the National Archives of Australia Advisory Council and as a member of the Parliamentary Retiring...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Membership (0 speeches)
      Messages from the House of Representatives were reported informing the Senate of the appointment of members of the House of Representatives to joint committees, as follows: Australian Commission...
  • Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2007-2008; Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2007-2008; Higher Education Support Amendment (Vet Fee-Help Assistance) Bill 2008; Social Security and Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Enhanced Allowances) Bill 2008; Tax Laws Amendment (2008 Measures No. 1) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
    • First Reading (1 speech)
      Bills received from the House of Representatives.
    • 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— ...
  • Aged Care Amendment (2008 Measures No. 1) Bill 2008; Appropriation (Drought and Equine Influenza Assistance) Bill (No. 1) 2007-2008; Appropriation (Drought and Equine Influenza Assistance) Bill (No. 2) 2007-2008 (0 speeches)
    • Assent (0 speeches)
      Message from His Excellency the Governor-General was reported informing the Senate that he had assented to the bills.
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Rearrangement (1 speech)
      I move: That intervening business be postponed till after consideration of government business order of the day no. 3 (Financial Sector Legislation Amendment (Review of Prudential Decisions)...
  • Financial Sector Legislation Amendment (Review of Prudential Decisions) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
    • Second Reading (3 speeches)
      Debate resumed from 13 February, on motion by Senator Ludwig: That this bill be now read a second time. (Quorum formed)
    • Third Reading (0 speeches)
      Bill passed through its remaining stages without amendment or debate.
  • Governor-General’S Speech (0 speeches)
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • Consideration (0 speeches)
      The government documents tabled earlier today were called on but no motion was moved.
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      Order! There being no further consideration of government documents, I propose the question: That the Senate do now adjourn.
    • Women in the Parliament (1 speech)
      When I entered the federal parliament in 1996, I was one of 23 women elected to the Senate. At the time, this represented a huge increase in the percentage of senators who were women: 30.3 per...
    • Regional Tasmania: Health Services (5 speeches)
      I stand tonight to condemn the Labor Party for its shabby treatment of regional Tasmania. I am sure the story that I am about to tell is indicative of similar treatment in many other parts of...
    • Mr Rudie Sypkes (3 speeches)
      I rise tonight—
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • 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 2007—Letters of advice— Defence. Innovation,...
    • Indexed Lists of Files (0 speeches)
      The following document was 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 January to 30 June...
    • Tabling (0 speeches)
      The following government documents were tabled: Aboriginal Land Commissioner—Report for 2006-07. Airservices Australia—Report for 2006-07. Anglo-Australian Telescope...