House debates

Tuesday, 18 March 2014

  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Statements by Members (0 speeches)
    • Gellibrand Electorate: Rickshaw Run (1 speech)
      I recently took part in the annual Rickshaw Run, which escorts epicureans through the streets, markets and restaurants of fantastic Footscray in my electorate. The Rickshaw Run is part of the...
    • Camp Cobbold (1 speech)
      I rise today in praise of the social development program Camp Cobbold and its many volunteers who provide essential services to families who are geographically disadvantaged in the remote parts...
    • Chifley Electorate: Students (1 speech)
      One of the most enjoyable aspects of representing an electorate is meeting our future generation of leaders, represented heartily and solidly by the school students who are active in almost 70...
    • Higgins Electorate: Railway Level Crossings (1 speech)
      I would like to congratulate the Victorian government on their announcement last Thursday that they will invest between $2 billion and $2.5 billion in the Dandenong railway line, including the...
    • Indi Electorate: Schools (1 speech)
      I rise today to acknowledge the wonderful work being done by schools in Indi and to thank the staff, students and parents for all the work they do. Last week I had the pleasure of visiting the...
    • Petrie Electorate: Schools (1 speech)
      Since the start of the year I have attended several school leadership team inaugurations around my electorate. Schools I have visited include Mango Hill State School, Bracken Ridge State School,...
    • National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence (1 speech)
      Bullying is when people repeatedly and intentionally hurt or cause harm to another person through the use of degrading words or actions which in turn leave the victim feeling worthless and...
    • Macarthur DA Global Swimathon for Cystic Fibrosis (1 speech)
      I rise to congratulate the Macarthur community on a fantastic event supporting locals living with cystic fibrosis and their families. The Macarthur DA Global Swimathon for Cystic Fibrosis raised...
    • Simpson Prize (1 speech)
      Today I am proud to recognise Ms Emily Leggett, who is a 2014 winner of the prestigious Simpson Prize. Ms Leggett attends Somerville House in Griffith and is a resident of the electorate. The...
    • Herbert Electorate: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (1 speech)
      Townsville is home to Lavarack Barracks, the largest army base in Australia. We are very proud of having that in our city. We are also a great defence and veterans community. Having seen 2 RAR, 3...
    • Blair Electorate: St Thomas' Anglican Church (1 speech)
      On Sunday, along with my wife Carolyn, I had the pleasure of joining the parishioners of St Thomas' Anglican Church for their 125th anniversary celebration in North Ipswich. The church was...
    • Free Meat Week (1 speech)
      Today I want to make a stand for Aussie farmers, who are once again in the crosshairs of the extreme Greens. Right now we have farming families devastated by circumstances beyond their...
    • Lalor Electorate: Jie, Dr Ferry, BSIE, MSIE, PhD (1 speech)
      I rise today to celebrate in the House the awarding of the Endeavour Research Fellowship 2014 to a member of our community, Dr Ferry Jie. Dr Ferry is a graduate of Sydney University and lived in...
    • Campaign Staff (1 speech)
      Whilst during an election campaign it is our face that appears on a billboard, it would be remiss of us as members in this place not to acknowledge the hardworking campaign teams that surround us...
    • Penalty Rates (1 speech)
      Today I rise to advise the House of an electronic petition I have been made aware of. More than 750 people have signed a petition started by Vanessa Harmer, a United Voice member and paramedic...
    • Dobell Electorate: Sport (1 speech)
      I recently had the privilege of hosting the Dobell Local Sporting Champions awards, to celebrate the achievements of young, local sporting champions. I was impressed with the professionalism and...
    • Jagajaga Electorate: Women of West Heidelberg (1 speech)
      Thank you. I rise to congratulate the Women of West Heidelberg in my electorate. On Friday 7 March I had the great pleasure of joining them, and their many supporters, to celebrate International...
    • Penrith Electorate (1 speech)
      It gives me great pride to stand today, to talk about a book, Penrith: The Makings of a City, which was put together by the Penrith Council over the course of seven years. This is a fabulous...
    • Hunter Electorate: Infrastructure (1 speech)
      Yesterday in this place, I spoke about the imminent opening of the $1.7 billion Hunter Expressway. I want to talk about it again, because I am excited—and why wouldn't I be excited about...
    • Brisbane Electorate: Brisbane Riverwalk (2 speeches)
      I am very pleased to report that work is underway on the Brisbane Riverwalk, which was devastated and washed away in the January 2011 floods. The Riverwalk was an iconic and much loved feature of...
  • Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
    • Malaysia: Missing Aircraft (1 speech)
      Madam Speaker, if I may on indulgence, I will just give the House a brief update on the Australian involvement in the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. I wish to inform House that so far...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Australian Water Holdings (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister retain full confidence in the Assistant Treasurer, Senator Sinodinos?
    • Economy (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister update the House on progress in cutting red and green tape by $1 billion a year? How will the government's deregulation agenda help...
    • Australian Water Holdings (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. Just six months ago the Prime Minister said: I want to absolutely scotch any suggestion that there is a cloud over Arthur Sinodinos. There is not. I would...
    • Economy (19 speeches)
      ) ( ): My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer update the House on the state of the economy, and what measures is the government taking to improve productivity in my home state of...
    • Future of Financial Advice (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. Why has the Prime Minister put the Assistant Treasurer in charge of future of financial advice laws which reduce accountability, reduce transparency and...
    • Employment (5 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, with the mining investment boom coming off the boil and Western Australia's unemployment spiking to a 10-year high, all under a Liberal state...
    • Infrastructure (9 speeches)
      My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Will the minister update the House on road projects in Western Australia, including the...
    • Veterans (6 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister said to the Legacy clubs of Australia late last year: … it’s not enough simply to care for those who come back; we must also...
    • Carbon Tax (14 speeches)
      My question is to Minister for the Environment. I refer to figures released by the Clean Energy Regulator that show that the carbon tax has hit the Karratha Power Station with at least $6.3...
    • Pensions and Benefits (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. Yesterday the President of the New South Wales RSL, Don Rowe, said he was absolutely disgusted with the government's mean-spirited decision that came as news...
    • Mongolia (13 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I note that the Mongolian foreign minister is visiting Australia to discuss cooperation, including in the mining sector. How is Australia...
    • Veterans (24 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's statement to the House yesterday that cutting support to the orphans of war veterans was implementing an election commitment....
    • Registered Organisations Commission (24 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Education representing the Minister for Employment. I remind the minister that the former Labor member for Dobell and head of the Health Services Union appears...
    • Education Funding (12 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. Before the election, the government loudly told the Australian people, 'You can vote Liberal or Labor and you will get the same amount of funding for your...
    • Broadband (1 speech)
      My question is to the Minister for Communications. Will the minister update the House on the government's efforts to deliver better telecommunications and broadband services to the people of...
  • Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      Before the Minister for Communications proceeds may I seek his indulgence to announce that we have with us a delegation from Mongolia led by the foreign minister. We do welcome that delegation....
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Broadband (3 speeches)
      I thank the honourable member for Tangney for his question. There is no part of Australia where telecommunications are more vital than Western Australia. The vast distances and remote communities...
    • Education Funding (5 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's decision to cut $1 billion from trades training centres and cancel all future centres. Given that the Prime Minister promised...
    • People Trafficking (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Minister, how many days have passed since the last successful people smuggling venture to Australia? How many days passed...
    • Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Treasurer. Can the Treasurer confirm that the government did not adhere to longstanding budget conventions in its Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook by changing the...
    • Pearce Electorate: Health (11 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Health. Minister, I refer to the Northam GP superclinic in my electorate, which clinic was promised more than three years ago, which clinic is still not open...
    • Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (10 speeches)
      My question is to the Treasurer. I refer the Treasurer to his previous answer and the government's decision to depart from longstanding budget conventions in its Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal...
    • National Rental Affordability Scheme (10 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Social Services. I refer the minister to a report in the Australian on 13 March 2014 that exposed how the National Rental Affordability Scheme has been...
    • Economy (3 speeches)
      My question is to the Treasurer. I refer the Treasurer to recent comments by respected market journalist Michael Pascoe: … the evidence keeps mounting that his— the Treasurer's—...
  • Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
    • Veterans (4 speeches)
      While I am on my feet, could I add to an answer that I gave earlier today. In an answer earlier today I said that the Leader of the Opposition must have been out to lunch when the coalition said...
  • Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
    • (17 speeches)
      Madam Speaker, I seek leave to make a personal explanation.
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • Presentation (1 speech)
      Documents are tabled in accordance with the list circulated to honourable members earlier today. Full details of the documents will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings.
  • Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
    • Education Funding (27 speeches)
      I have received a letter from the honourable member for Adelaide proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The Government’s...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
    • Farm Household Support Bill 2014; Second Reading (9 speeches)
      Picking up from where I left off before question time on the drought support package, I would like to now talk about the additional funding for water related infrastructure in New South Wales and...
  • Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
    • (5 speeches)
      I wish to make a personal explanation.
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Rearrangement (1 speech)
      by leave—I move: That government orders of the day Nos 5 to 7, Quarantine Charges (Imposition—Customs) Bills 2014, Quarantine Charges (Imposition—Excise) Bill 2014 and...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • Western Australian Senate Election (1 speech)
      The Senate election in Western Australia is of prime importance not just to the nation but to Western Australia. Over the years, successive Australian governments have relied on the wealth...
    • Sugar Industry (1 speech)
      I rise to speak on an issue of great concern in my electorate of Hinkler. The situation confronting canegrowers is dire. The region has endured two major floods in three years and is now in the...
    • Malaysia, Malaysia: Missing Aircraft (1 speech)
      The smooth transition by Indonesia from the Suharto dictatorship to a functioning democracy is something all observant Australians recognise. Nothing highlights this more than the raucous nature...
    • Beef Industry (1 speech)
      Building Australia's bilateral ties and maximising the value of our exports with our closest neighbour, Indonesia, was the key focus of an agricultural forum held in Broome on 28 February. This...
    • Deregulation (2 speeches)
      For some time now we have been subjected to a numbing barrage of platitudes on deregulation from the Prime Minister and the member for Kooyong. In opposition, their trite slogans were more like...