Senate debates

Monday, 3 March 2014

• Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
  • Election Petition (1 speech)
    For the information of senators, I present orders from the Court of Disputed Returns disposing of the election petitions in respect of the election of senators for the state of Western Australia.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee, Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    by leave—I move— That— (a) the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate today, from 10 am...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Climate Change Authority (Abolition) Bill 2013; Second Reading (5 speeches)
    I thank senators for their contributions to the debate on this bill to abolish the Climate Change Authority—and, when I say 'contributions', I mean there were very extensive, detailed...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That government business orders of the day Nos 2 to 10, relating to the Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 and eight related bills, may be taken...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, True-up Shortfall Levy (General) (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, True-up Shortfall Levy (Excise) (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Customs Tariff Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Excise Tariff Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Clean Energy (Income Tax Rates and Other Amendments) Bill 2013; Second Reading (7 speeches)
    The Labor Party and Labor senators oppose the Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill and related bills. Why? Because Labor's position on climate change is very clear. It is a clear...
  • Climate Change Authority (Abolition) Bill 2013 (17 speeches)
    The question is that the amendment moved by Senator Pratt be agreed to.
• Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    Order! I draw the attention of honourable senators to the presence in the gallery of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On behalf of all senators, I wish you a warm...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Health (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Assistant Minister for Health. I refer the minister to a decision to shut down the health star rating system website. Does the minister still stand by her statement to the...
  • Carbon Pricing (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz. Can the minister update the Senate on the impact of the carbon tax impost on the aviation...
  • Ministerial Staff: Code of Conduct (17 speeches)
    My question is to the Assistant Minister for Health, Senator Nash. Why did the minister advise the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee last Wednesday that her chief of staff had...
  • Ukraine (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator the Hon. George Brandis. Can the minister update the Senate on developments in Ukraine and Australia's attitude to those developments?
  • Homelessness (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Social Services, Senator Fifield, because I understand there is no longer a housing minister. Are you aware that the National...
  • Drought (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Senator Abetz. Can the minister outline to the Senate what new action the government is taking to support farmers and...
  • Water (13 speeches)
    My question is to the Assistant Treasurer, the minister responsible for corporate law and business law and practice. I refer the Assistant Treasurer to his statement to the Senate, on 28 February...
  • Australian Defence Force (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Johnston. Can the minister inform the Senate why it is important that senior Defence Force personnel receive bipartisan support from the...
  • Water (22 speeches)
    My question without notice is to the Assistant Treasurer and relates to his responsibilities for business law and practice. I again refer the Assistant Treasurer to his statement to the Senate on...
  • Asylum Seekers (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Assistant Minister for Immigration Senator Cash. Can the minister advise the Senate how previous approaches to border protection impacted those asylum seekers waiting in...
  • Financial Services (17 speeches)
    My question is to the Assistant Treasurer.
  • Indigenous Affairs (7 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. Could the minister update the Senate on the implementation of the Remote School Attendance Strategy following his visits...
• Answers to Questions on Notice (0 speeches)
  • Question No. 7 (9 speeches)
    Pursuant to standing order 74(5), I ask the Minister representing the Minister for Communications, Senator Fifield, for an explanation as to why answers have not yet been provided to question on...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Water (20 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Assistant Treasurer (Senator Sinodinos) to questions without notice asked by Senators Wong and Carr today relating to Australian...
  • Homelessness (5 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Assistant Minister for Social Services (Senator Fifield) to a question without notice asked by Senator Ludlam today relating to...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That general business order of the day no. 9 (Landholders' Right to Refuse (Gas and Coal) Bill 2013) be considered on Thursday, 6 March 2014 under the temporary order relating to the...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That the time for the presentation of the report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee on the provisions of the Migration Amendment (Regaining...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Withdrawal (1 speech)
    I ask that business of the Senate notice of motion No. 3 standing in my name and in the name of Senator Madigan for today proposing a reference to the Economics References Committee be withdrawn....
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Forced Marriage (1 speech)
    At the request of Senators Cash, Moore and Waters I move: That the Senate acknowledges that: (a) underage and forced marriage is a totally unacceptable illegal practice and will not be tolerated...
  • Renal Services (7 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) poor kidney health continues to be a serious problem for Aboriginal people in Central Australia with an alarming growth in the need for dialysis...
• Notices (0 speeches)
  • Withdrawal (1 speech)
    I ask that business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1 standing in my name for today proposing a reference to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee be withdrawn.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • National Security; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
    I move: That there be laid on the table by the Attorney General, no later than 2 pm on 6 March 2014, evidence to substantiate the Attorney General's claim to the Senate on 11 February 2014 that...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Abbott Government (19 speeches)
    A letter has been received from Senator Moore: Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion: The failure of...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Tabling (1 speech)
    I move: That committee documents be printed in accordance with the usual practice. Ordered that the documents be printed.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee, Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee, Community Affairs References Committee; Reporting Date (1 speech)
    I move: That— (a) the time for the presentation of the report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee on its inquiry into a public interest immunity claim be extended...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That consideration of those documents be listed on the Notice Paper as separate orders of the day. Question agreed to.
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I table documents relating to the order for the production of the following document: Korea -Australia Free Trade Agreement.
  • Responses to Senate Resolutions (3 speeches)
    I present responses to Senate resolutions as listed at item 13 on today’s Order of Business, including a response from the Minister for the Environment (Mr Hunt) concerning the Tasmanian...
• Delegation Reports (0 speeches)
  • Parliamentary Delegation to Mexico (1 speech)
    I present the report of the Australian parliamentary delegation to the 22nd annual meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum held in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, from 12 January to 16 January...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, I present a report by way of a statement on the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Above the Line Voting) Bill 2013. Ordered that...
• Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
  • Questions Without Notice (6 speeches)
    by leave—I rise to correct the record. In answer to a question I received in question time today, I incorrectly stated that I resigned as a director of Australian Water Holdings on 2...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Membership (2 speeches)
    Order! The President has received a letter from a party leader requesting changes in the membership of various committees.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Amendment (Dairy Produce) Bill 2014; 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.
  • Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Amendment (Dairy Produce) Bill 2014; 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— PRIMARY INDUSTRIES...
  • Tax Bonus for Working Australians Repeal Bill 2013; 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.
  • Tax Bonus for Working Australians Repeal Bill 2013; 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 repeals the...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Abbott Government's Commission of Audit Select Committee, Community Affairs References Committee, Economics Legislation Committee, Economics References Committee, Education and Employment Legislation Committee, Education and Employment References Committee, Electoral Matters Committee, Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, Environment and Communications References Committee, Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee, Finance and Public Administration References Committee, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee, Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee, National Broadband Network Select Committee, National Disability Insurance Scheme, Northern Australia Select Committee, Public Works Committee, Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee, School Funding Select Committee; Membership (2 speeches)
    (
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, True-up Shortfall Levy (General) (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, True-up Shortfall Levy (Excise) (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Customs Tariff Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Excise Tariff Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Clean Energy (Income Tax Rates and Other Amendments) Bill 2013; Second Reading (18 speeches)
    Australian political representatives on both sides of the ideological divide are often accused of being short-sighted. Too concerned about immediate political advantage and winning the day, they...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • UWA Gives Back (3 speeches)
    I rise this evening to highlight some of the exciting happenings now going on across Western Australia—and I am not talking about the upcoming re-run of the Senate election on 5 April.
  • World War I (1 speech)
    This is the fourth of six speeches that I am in the process of giving about my grandfather's role in World War I and in the lead-up to commemorations of the 100th anniversary of that war. On 6...
  • Western Australia: By-election (1 speech)
    Tonight I rise to invite Prime Minister Tony Abbott to visit the beautiful state of Western Australia. I do this in good faith, because we are only a matter of weeks away from a historic...
  • International Women's Day (1 speech)
    I am actually very pleased to change the tone of the debate tonight after that contribution. I consider myself to be very fortunate to have grown up in an extraordinary, loving and supportive...