House debates

Thursday, 11 May 2017

  • Workplace Relations (1 speech)
    I rise to speak today on the Turnbull government's attack on hundreds of thousands of Australian workers through their failure to prevent cuts to penalty rates from 1 July this year. I speak for...
  • Hinkler Electorate: Infrastructure (1 speech)
    It is vitally important that Australia's regions are supported with modern infrastructure—infrastructure that makes a real difference to regional economies and creates jobs. From the 2017...
  • Broadband (1 speech)
    'A national tragedy'—not my words but the words of the University of Melbourne's Professor Rodney Tucker in describing the member for Wentworth's failed National Broadband Network. It is a...
  • Schools (1 speech)
    I would like to talk this morning about the record funding the Turnbull government is providing to our schools, particularly schools in South Australia. In my electorate of Boothby alone, we are...
  • Shortland Electorate: Infrastructure (1 speech)
    The Commonwealth government has an important role to play in investing in local infrastructure, particularly in regional areas. When we talk about infrastructure we too often think of large-scale...
  • Corangamite Electorate: Infrastructure (1 speech)
    It is my great pleasure to rise to celebrate the Turnbull government's $100 million investment in the Geelong rail duplication project, as announced in our federal budget. This is a fantastic...
  • Solomon Electorate: Budget (1 speech)
    I would like to again extend an invitation to the Prime Minister, the member for Wentworth, and the Treasurer, the member for Cook, to visit Darwin and the Top End. We are a welcoming bunch and,...
  • Page Electorate: Maclean Show, Far North Coast Baseball Association (1 speech)
    The Maclean Show was held last week, and what better person to officially open the show than Joyce Watson. Joyce is 93 years old and has been involved in the show for most of her life. At an...
  • Budget (1 speech)
    The Prime Minister said this would be a budget to help Australians realise their dreams. On Tuesday night, the Treasurer targeted welfare, health and education spending as bad debt but...
  • Goldstein Electorate: Connor's Run 2017 (2 speeches)
    Today I rise to speak about the important initiatives by the Turnbull government to tackle the challenges of brain cancer. A few weeks ago, I had the honour of attending the launch of the fifth...
  • Budget (1 speech)
    The Treasurer touted this budget as being about fairness, security and opportunity from a government that is innovative and agile. I see none of that. I see a budget that takes some Labor ideas...
  • Banks Electorate: Community Events (1 speech)
    Last Sunday, 7 May, I attended the presentation day for the East Hills Baseball Club at Panania Diggers. It was fantastic to be there and to see all the great achievements of the club in the most...
  • Mount Lawley Society (1 speech)
    I am sure all of those within this chamber will be familiar with the adage that life begins at 40. Having ticked over into that phase of my life in the last year or so, I could not feel more...
  • McPherson Electorate: McPherson Community Achiever Awards (1 speech)
    This week is National Volunteer Week, and I thought it fitting that in today's debate I acknowledge the tremendous job that so many volunteers do in my southern Gold Coast community. These are...
  • Macquarie Electorate: Navua Reserve Bridge (1 speech)
    My electorate of Macquarie lies 80 kilometres from Bondi Beach, but we have our own beach. In fact it is a really lovely stretch of beach, but it is under threat thanks to an appalling plan to...
  • Groom Electorate: Rail Infrastructure (1 speech)
    I welcome the $8.4 billion injection into inland rail in the budget handed down this week. 'Budget bonanza: rail deal rolls on with hefty $8.4 billion' and 'Inland Rail steams ahead' were the...
  • Budget (1 speech)
    If the people of Tasmania needed any more proof that the Liberals could not give a stuff about them, the evidence was presented on Tuesday night. The Treasurer did not mention Tasmania once in...
  • Queensland: Floods (1 speech)
    It gives me great pleasure to rise in this House today to recognise the fabulous efforts of many, many volunteers in the recent floods. When Mother Nature throws her worst at us, it truly brings...
  • Geelong: Clocks (1 speech)
    Geelong is home to a wealth of hidden history and heritage. You only need to look down Ryrie Street in the CBD to see the story of Geelong right there in front of your eyes. Our town was the wool...
  • New South Wales: Floods (1 speech)
    I rise today to talk about the quite traumatic flood that happened in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales recently. It has been a very sad, traumatic time for our community. The levee...
  • Kingsford Smith Electorate: Botany Aquatic Centre (1 speech)
    Recently Botany pool, located in our community, again closed for the winter months and will not open again until early October. Local families who want their kids to continue swimming lessons...
  • National Volunteer Week (1 speech)
    This week is National Volunteer Week, when we acknowledge the important work of our volunteers and their organisations in building stronger communities. The spirit of volunteering is in the DNA...
  • Budget (1 speech)
    When I sat in the House on Tuesday night and listened to the budget, there was something that became absolutely clear to me—if it was not already—and that is that there was not much...
  • Parkes Electorate: Rail (1 speech)
    I would like to speak today about inland rail and the railway line from Brisbane to Melbourne, for which funding was announced, to the tune of $8.4 billion, in the budget on Tuesday night. This...
  • Budget (5 speeches)
    Tasmanians are pretty used to being left off the map, but I think we thought our Tasmanian Liberal senators and our state government might have a bit more influence in Canberra than they actually...
  • Forrest Electorate: Small Business (1 speech)
    I come from a family of small business people, and I am proud that the Turnbull government has been small business's best friend since we were elected over 3½ years ago. On Tuesday night the...
  • South Australia: Employment (1 speech)
    Today I rise to discuss an issue I have raised many times in this place, and that is jobs for South Australia. In particular, I have been disappointed that the government has not announced a...
  • Fisher Electorate: Volunteers (1 speech)
    This week is National Volunteer Week. Last week I met with some eight individuals and organisations in my electorate of Fisher on the Sunshine Coast who are among the 100,000 volunteers across...
  • Wright Electorate: Plasvacc (2 speeches)
    I thank the Federation Chamber for its indulgence in allowing me to pass on these few comments. I would not detain the House any longer than I have to if I did not think the matter was of global...