Senate debates

Thursday, 12 February 2015

  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (4 speeches)
      I present report No. 1 of 2015 of the Selection of Bills Committee and I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The report read as follows— SELECTION OF...
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Rearrangement (1 speech)
      I move: That— (a) government business orders of the day as shown in the list circulated in the chamber be considered from 12.45 pm today; and (b) government business be called on after...
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • Postponement (1 speech)
      I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator.
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Community Affairs References Committee; Reference (1 speech)
      I seek leave to amend business of the Senate notice of motion No. 2 standing in my name for today proposing a reference to the Community Affairs References Committee relating to a tender process....
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Ibrahim, Mr Anwar (1 speech)
      I, and also on behalf of Senators Milne, Leyonhjelm, Mason and Marshall, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) on 10 February 2015, the Federal Court in Malaysia upheld a charge of...
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
      by leave—I move: That Senator Peris be granted leave of absence for today, 12 February 2015, for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Nuclear Energy (4 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) opposes the establishment of nuclear power plants in Australia, based on the best available expert advice; (b) recognises that the production of uranium and its...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Mining (8 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes recent media reporting which shows that Adani's ownership and taxation arrangements in relation to the Abbot Point coal terminal and proposed Carmichael...
    • Domestic Violence (5 speeches)
      I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 611 standing in my name. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) That the Federal Government...
    • Vocational Education and Training (4 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes the report published by the University of Sydney on 6 February 2015 which found that private education companies had made hundreds of millions of dollars...
    • Dairy Industry (1 speech)
      At the request of Senator O'Sullivan, I move: That the Senate— (a) recognises the Victorian dairy industry's continued efforts to capitalise on opportunities in China; and (b) notes that:...
    • Illegal Fishing (6 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) acknowledges the efforts of the Sea Shepherd in tracking, locating and reporting to authorities the presence of illegal fishing vessels in the Southern Ocean;...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Defence Procurement (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister. I refer to reports in The Australian today that extensively outline that Japan believes it already has a deal to build Australia's...
    • Trade with China (13 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Human Services, representing the Minister for Trade and Investment. Will the minister update the Senate on how the recent China-Australia free trade agreement...
    • East West Link (25 speeches)
      My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Senator Cash. I refer to the Prime Minister's pre-election promise that the government would...
    • Asylum Seekers (20 speeches)
      My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Minister, the Human Rights Commission report The forgotten children shows that one in three children in detention...
    • Veterans: Legal Aid (26 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Senator Ronaldson. I refer to the Abbott government's decision to cut $15 million from legal aid in last year's budget. I also refer to Ms...
    • Defence Procurement (17 speeches)
      Mr President, my question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate and the Minister representing the Prime Minister. Given the critical role and interest that the Prime Minister's office...
    • Shipping (6 speeches)
      Mr President, my question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Abetz. Can the minister outline why reform to coastal shipping legislation is needed, particularly for my home...
    • Iraq and Syria (6 speeches, 1 comment)
      My question is to Senator Abetz, the Minister representing the Prime Minister. Given the serious danger in which the government is putting our men and women in the armed services by sending them...
  • Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
    • Ministerial Expenditure (10 speeches)
      My question is to the Attorney-General and Minister for the Arts, Senator Brandis. I refer to reports of the Attorney-General's lavish, taxpayer funded dinner at a topnotch restaurant in London's...
    • Centenary of Anzac (7 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC, Senator Ronaldson. Will the minister inform the Senate of the support...
  • Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
    • Answers to Questions (5 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today. At the end of this first week when the Prime Minister has now...
    • Asylum Seekers (3 speeches)
      I rise to take note of the response from Eric Abetz to my question in relation to— Senator Ruston interjecting—
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Senate Publications Committee; Report (1 speech)
      On behalf of the Chair of the Publications Committee, I present the 12th report of the Publications Committee. Ordered that the report be adopted.
  • Budget (0 speeches)
    • Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
      I present additional information received by committees relating to estimates.
    • Proposed Expenditure (1 speech)
      I table particulars of proposed additional expenditure for 2014-15. I seek leave to move a motion to refer the documents to legislative and general purpose standing committees. Leave granted. I...
    • Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements (2 speeches)
      I table the portfolio additional estimates statements 2014-15, in accordance with the list circulated in the chamber.
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
      I table documents relating to the orders for the production of documents concerning answers to questions taken on notice during estimates and the mental health review.
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Membership (2 speeches)
      Order! The President has received letters from the party leaders requesting changes in the membership of committees.
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • National Archives of Australia (2 speeches)
      The President has received a letter from a party leader nominating a senator to be a member of the Advisory Council on Australian Archives.
    • Abbott Government (26 speeches)
      At the request of Senator Moore, I move: We have seen an extraordinary first week of parliament for 2015, so I think it is appropriate that we do a summary of what has happened. The Australian...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • Defence Materiel Organisation (14 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the document. This report on the Defence Materiel Organisation is so important in the context of the situation we are facing in South Australia at the moment....
    • National Health Funding Body (10 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the document. The National Health Funding Body report for 2013-14 is a very important report in the context of what is happening in health in this country. As...
    • National Mental Health Commission (1 speech)
      The National Mental Health Commission report for 2013-14 gives me a great opportunity to commend the work of the National Mental Health Commission. The National Mental Health Commission was...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • Australian Labor Party (1 speech)
      Today's Sydney Morning Herald reports that an ALP tribunal has found that the mailing addresses of at least 20 ALP members' ballot papers for the federal Labor leadership election in 2013 were...
    • Australia Post (1 speech)
      I rise tonight to present a petition containing the signatures of over 1,000 Australians who are gravely concerned by what appears to be an ongoing push for the privatisation of Australia Post....
    • Health Care (1 speech)
      I rise this evening in this period of adjournment to speak to the health matters that are so preoccupying the minds of Australians and also the minds of the Labor senators, certainly, with regard...
    • Domestic Violence (1 speech)
      I have made a decision that, amongst all the other things that are important to me as a senator, and, in the hierarchy of importance, I want to raise awareness of, promote debate on and stimulate...
    • Ovarian Cancer (1 speech)
      I am delighted to make a contribution tonight to acknowledge the people who work tirelessly to raise awareness of ovarian cancer. In 2014 alone, almost 1,500 women in Australia and 250,000 women...
    • Workplace Deaths (1 speech)
      Tonight I will speak about deaths in the construction industry in Australia, the number of which is very high. Last year 28 deaths occurred and this year, as we just go into February, one death...
    • Australian Human Rights Commission Report (1 speech)
      I rise tonight to speak about the Australian Human Rights Commission's report The forgotten children: national inquiry into children in immigration detention: 2014. It is a startling and...
    • Bushfires (1 speech)
      It is with a sense of disappointment and frustration this evening that I rise to reflect on the topic of bushfires around Australia, particularly now in the days after the massive and horrific...
    • 800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta (1 speech)
      There was a time when women could be accused of witchcraft. All it took was an accusation. Any women accused had to prove their innocence. They did this with a ducking stool. Ducking was seen as...
    • Murray-Darling Basin (2 speeches)
      I rise to speak tonight about a matter of national importance. It impacts our ability to feed ourselves. It goes to the heart of our rural and regional communities, not to mention our capital...