Senate debates

Tuesday, 16 June 2009

  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Rearrangement (6 speeches)
      by leave—We are now in the last two weeks of this sitting period. During this period we usually, through a leaders and whips process, ask for additional sitting hours so we can deal with...
  • Nation Building Program (National Land Transport) Amendment Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
    • Second Reading (39 speeches)
      Debate resumed from 15 June, on motion by Senator Faulkner: That this bill be now read a second time.
    • In Committee (7 speeches)
      Bill—by leave—taken as a whole.
    • Second Reading (4 speeches)
      by leave—I seek leave to recommit the vote on my amendment to the opposition’s second reading amendment.
    • In Committee (9 speeches)
      Bill—by leave—taken as a whole.
    • Third Reading (1 speech)
      by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Employment (7 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Employment Participation, Senator Arbib. Is the minister aware that 47 per cent of job seekers will be reassigned case workers and job providers on 1 July as a...
    • Nation Building and Jobs Plan (10 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Evans. Can the minister inform the Senate of the progress on rolling out the government’s nation-building economic...
    • Employment (6 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Employment Participation, Senator Arbib. With regard to the new Job Services Australia contracts, will the minister confirm that there were employment services...
    • Climate Change (11 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Wong. Can the minister outline why it is necessary to act on climate change, can the minister provide authoritative sources...
    • Broadband (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. I refer the minister to the outrage sparked in the early 1990s when aerial pay television...
    • Environment: Dieback (6 speeches)
      My question is to Senator Wong, the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. I wish to draw the minister’s attention to the recently released four-year...
    • Budget (33 speeches)
    • Building the Education Revolution Program (10 speeches, 3 comments)
      My question is to the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery, Senator Arbib. Can the minister inform the Senate of actions the government has taken to invest in...
    • Defence (7 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Faulkner—and I, of course, congratulate him on his elevation to that position. On a very good day, the Navy can have two of our six...
  • Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
    • Employment (5 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Employment Participation and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery (Senator Arbib) to...
    • Environment: Dieback (1 speech)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Climate Change and Water (Senator Wong) to a question without notice asked by Senator Siewert today, relating to...
  • Petitions (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      The Clerk: A petition has been lodged for presentation as follows:
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • Withdrawal (1 speech)
      Pursuant to notice given on the last day of sitting, I now withdraw business of the Senate notice of motion No.1 standing in my name for six sitting days after today and business of the Senate...
    • Presentation (0 speeches)
      Senator Ludwig to move on the next day of sitting:That the government business order of the day relating to the Social Security and Veterans’ Entitlements Amendment (Commonwealth Seniors...
  • Leave of Absence (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Stephens from 15 June 2009 to the end of the 2009 winter sittings, for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Poland (0 speeches)
    • (5 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate—(a)notes that 4 June 2009 was the 20th anniversary of the free elections in Poland, elections which were the beginning of the end of communist party rule not only in...
  • Human Rights: China (0 speeches)
    • (4 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate—(a)remembers the thousands of people who were killed 20 years ago on 4 June 1989 in the Tiananmen Square massacre;(b)supports the pro-democracy and pro-human rights...
  • Peruvian Amazon (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 444 standing in my name by adding the word ‘peacefully’ before the word ‘protest’ in paragraph (a) and by...
  • Antarctica (0 speeches)
    • (3 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate—(a)recognises, with the Australian Government, the effective protection of Antarctica that is already in place through global agreements;(b)notes that Australia is...
  • Parliamentary Standards Commissioner (0 speeches)
    • (3 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate calls on the Rudd Government to establish an independent Parliamentary Standards Commissioner to give clear and independent advice on the legitimate expenditure of...
  • Australian Terrestrial Biodiversity Assessment 2008 (0 speeches)
    • Order (2 speeches)
      I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts (Senator Wong), by 22 June 2009, the Australian Terrestrial...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • Survey of Senators’ Satisfaction with Services (1 speech)
      On behalf of the President, I present a report, prepared by Ipsos-Eureka for the Department of the Senate, on senators’ satisfaction with departmental services, dated June 2009.
  • Plebiscite for an Australian Republic Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity Committee; Report (1 speech)
      On behalf of the Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity, I present the report of the committee on the examination of the annual...
    • Treaties Committee; Report (2 speeches)
      On behalf of the Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties I present the committee’s report entitled Report 101—Treaties tabled on 3 February 2009. I seek leave to move a...
  • International Monetary Agreements Amendment (Financial Assistance) Bill 2009; Social Security Amendment (Training Incentives) Bill 2009 (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 Senator Ludwig’s second reading speeches incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speeches read as follows—...
  • Health Insurance Amendment (Extended Medicare Safety Net) Bill 2009 (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 Senator Ludwig’s second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speech read as follows— This...
  • Social Security Legislation Amendment (Improved Support for Carers) (Consequential and Transitional) Bill 2009 (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 Senator Ludwig’s second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speech read as follows— The...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Membership (0 speeches)
      Messages received from the House of Representatives informing the Senate of members having been discharged from, and of the appointment of members to, the following joint committees: Joint...
    • Economics Committee; Report (1 speech)
      On behalf of the chair of the Economics Legislation Committee, Senator Hurley, I present the report of the committee on the provisions of the Guarantee of State and Territory Borrowing...
    • Community Affairs Committee; Reports (1 speech)
      On behalf of the Chair of the Community Affairs Legislation Committee, Senator Moore, I present four reports on legislation from the committee, together with the Hansard record of proceedings and...
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Rearrangement (1 speech)
      I move: That intervening business be postponed till after consideration of government business order of the day no. 2, the Australian Business Investment Partnership Bill 2009 and a related bill....
  • Australian Business Investment Partnership Bill 2009; Australian Business Investment Partnership (Consequential Amendment) Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
    • In Committee (20 speeches)
      Consideration resumed from 14 May. (Quorum formed) Australian Business Investment Partnership Bill 2009 Bill—by leave—taken as a whole.
    • Third Reading (3 speeches)
      I move: That these bills be now read a third time.
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Rearrangement (4 speeches)
      by leave—I move: That, on Tuesday, 16 June 2009: (a)the hours of meeting shall be 12.30 pm to adjournment; (b)the routine of business after the consideration of government documents shall...
  • Social Security Legislation Amendment (Improved Support for Carers) Bill 2009; Social Security Legislation Amendment (Improved Support for Carers) (Consequential and Transitional) Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
    • Second Reading (3 speeches)
      Debate resumed from 15 June and 16 June, on motions by Senator Faulkner and Senator Wong: That these bills be now read a second time.
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      Order! It being 6.50 pm, the Senate will proceed to consideration of government documents.
    • Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (1 speech)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the document. I particularly wish to highlight the issue of the telecommunications industry in Tasmania and the importance of ensuring that competition...
    • Departmental and Agency Contracts (8 speeches)
      That document included advice to the Senate with respect to agency appointments and so on. I think you may not have called it, Mr Acting Deputy President? If so, I seek the call.
  • Social Security Legislation Amendment (Improved Support for Carers) Bill 2009; Social Security Amendment (Training Incentives) Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
    • Second Reading (6 speeches)
      Debate resumed.
    • In Committee (29 speeches)
      Bills—by leave—taken together and as a whole.
    • Third Reading (1 speech)
      I move: That these bills be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bills read a third time.
  • Fair Work (State Referral and Consequential and Other Amendments) Bill 2009; Fair Work (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
    • In Committee (34 speeches)
      Bills—by leave—taken together and as a whole.
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      Order! It being 9.50 pm, I propose the question: That the Senate do now adjourn.
    • Brighton Secondary School: Study Tour; One Tree Hill Progress Association (1 speech)
      I rise this evening to recognise an important study tour that students from Brighton Secondary School in South Australia recently embarked upon to learn more about Australia’s involvement...
    • Senator Bob Brown (1 speech)
      Last week Senator Brown, in a soap opera type performance, publicly appealed for donations supposedly to stave off imminent bankruptcy and consequent expulsion from the Senate—a claim...
    • Economy; National Institutions (1 speech)
      As the Prime Minister has suggested with due caution in recent weeks, Australia’s economic numbers through this global recession are holding up remarkably well. The stimulus package is...
    • Heart Disease (1 speech)
      On Friday, 12 June, the National Heart Foundation called upon women and men in our country to join together and be involved in a special campaign called Go Red for Women. It unites Australian...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • Tabling (0 speeches)
      The following documents were tabled by the Clerk: [Legislative instruments are identified by a Federal Register of Legislative Instruments (FRLI) number] Australian Research Council...