House debates

Monday, 7 September 2009

  • Main Committee (0 speeches)
    • Private Members’ Motions (1 speech)
      In accordance with standing order 41(h), and the recommendations of the whips adopted by the House on 19 August 2009, I present copies of the terms of motions for which notice has been given by...
  • Excise Tariff Amendment (2009 Measures No. 1) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Customs Tariff Amendment (2009 Measures No. 1) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Financial Sector Legislation Amendment (Enhancing Supervision and Enforcement) Bill 2009; Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2009 Measures No. 1) Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
    • Assent (0 speeches)
      Messages from the Governor-General reported informing the House of assent to the bills.
  • Law and Justice (Cross Border and Other Amendments) Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Migration Committee; Report (1 speech)
      I present a correction to a dissenting report incorporated in the report of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration entitled Immigration detention in Australia: Facilities, services and...
  • Health Legislation Amendment (Midwives and Nurse Practitioners) Bill 2009; Midwife Professional Indemnity (Commonwealth Contribution) Scheme Bill 2009; Midwife Professional Indemnity (Run-Off Cover Support Payment) Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
    • Second Reading (31 speeches, 8 comments)
      Debate resumed from 20 August, on motion by Ms Roxon: That this bill be now read a second time.
  • Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      Mr Speaker, I inform the House that the Treasurer will be absent from question time today as he is in India meeting with senior counterparts to discuss outcomes of the G20 finance ministers...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Economy (12 speeches)
      My question is addressed to the Minister for Finance and Deregulation. I refer the minister to the following comment by the Prime Minister, in November 2007, about the impact of government...
    • Employment (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Education, the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and the Minister for Social Inclusion. Will the Deputy Prime Minister update the House on the...
    • Indigenous Housing (17 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. By way of introduction may I commend her on her response to the UN special representative, who...
    • Economy (2 speeches)
      Mr Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Finance and Deregulation. Will the finance minister provide the House with an overview of last week’s national accounts and what the figures...
    • Primary Schools for the 21st Century Program (22 speeches)
      My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Education, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister for Social Inclusion. I refer the minister to her $1.7 billion...
    • Nation Building and Jobs Plan (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. Will the minister update the House on how the government’s stimulus investment in...
    • Building the Education Revolution (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Finance and Deregulation. What reasons did the Department of Finance and Deregulation give you for the massive $1.7 billion blow-out in the schools program?
    • Small Business (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs and Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy. Will the minister advise the House of...
    • Building the Education Revolution Program (15 speeches)
      My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Minister for Education and Minister for Social Inclusion. I refer the minister to the Evesham State...
    • Maternity Services (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Will the minister update the House on the government’s plans to improve maternity services?
    • Building the Education Revolution Program (18 speeches)
      My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Education, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister for Social Inclusion. Given that the Australian Electoral...
    • Aged Care (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Ageing. What action is the government taking to improve the quality of care for older Australians through investment in the aged-care workforce? How is it...
    • Building the Education Revolution Program (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Education and relates to changes to infrastructure funding in New South Wales schools. The minister would be well aware of the disappointment felt by 26 central...
    • Timor Sea Oil Spill (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Resources and Energy and Minister for Tourism. What action is being taken to safely and quickly shut off the leaking well on the Montara oilfield?
    • Workplace Relations (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Minister for Education and Minister for Social Inclusion. I refer the minister to her guarantee that...
    • Timor Sea Oil Spill (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. Will the minister outline how the Australian government is responding to any environmental threat posed by the Montara...
    • Workplace Relations (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his Deputy Prime Minister’s previous answer. I also refer him to his guarantee given in this House that ‘no working...
    • Australian Federal Police (3 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. Will the minister update the House about the appointment of the new Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police and the government’s...
  • Auditor-General’S Reports (0 speeches)
    • Report No. 2 of 2009-10 (1 speech)
      I present the Auditor-General’s Audit report No. 2 of 2009-10 entitled Campaign advertising review 2008-09. Ordered that the report be made a parliamentary paper.
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      Documents are presented as listed in the schedule circulated to honourable members. Details of the documents will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings and I move: That the House take note of...
  • Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
    • Timor Sea Oil Spill (2 speeches)
      by leave—On Friday, 21 August 2009 an uncontrolled release of oil and gas into the ocean and atmosphere occurred from a well on the Montara oil field in the Timor Sea. At the time of the...
    • Victorian Bushfires (2 speeches)
      by leave—The devastating Victorian bushfires of February 2009 have been described as Australia’s worst natural disaster, and it certainly was in terms of the catastrophic loss of life...
  • Safe Work Australia Bill 2008 [No. 2] (0 speeches)
    • Returned from the Senate (0 speeches)
      Message received from the Senate returning the bill without amendment or request.
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Rearrangement (1 speech)
      I move: That orders of the day Nos 2 and 3, government business, be postponed until a later hour this day. Question agreed to.
  • Tax Laws Amendment (2009 Measures No. 4) Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
    • Second Reading (7 speeches)
      Debate resumed from 25 June, on motion by Dr Emerson: That this bill be now read a second time.
    • 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.
  • International Monetary Agreements Amendment Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
    • Second Reading (6 speeches)
      Debate resumed from 19 March, on motion by Mr Bowen: That this bill be now read a second time.
    • 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.
  • Health Legislation Amendment (Midwives and Nurse Practitioners) Bill 2009; Midwife Professional Indemnity (Commonwealth Contribution) Scheme Bill 2009; Midwife Professional Indemnity (Run-Off Cover Support Payment) Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
  • Petitions (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      On behalf of the Standing Committee on Petitions, and in accordance with standing order 207, I present the following petitions:
    • Responses (1 speech)
      Ministerial responses to petitions previously presented to the House have been received as follows:
    • Responses; Indigenous Languages (0 speeches)
      Dear Mrs Irwin Thank you for your letter of 9 June 2009 about a petition regarding Indigenous languages which was submitted for consideration of the Standing Committee on Petitions. As Minister...
    • Responses; Fuel Excise (0 speeches)
      Dear Mrs Irwin Thank you for your letter of 8 May 2009 concerning a petition regarding the excise on fuel. I apologise for the delay in responding to you. On 13 May 2008, I announced a...
    • Responses; Northern Territory: Bilingual Education (0 speeches, 1 comment)
      Dear Mrs Irwin Thank you for your letter of 9 June 2009, forwarding a petition recently considered by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Petitions regarding changes to Indigenous...
    • Responses; Youth Allowance (0 speeches)
      Dear Mrs Irwin Thank you for your letter of 9 June 2009 referring to a petition from Gippsland residents requesting that the second and third elements of the workforce participation criterion to...
    • Responses; Renewable Energy (0 speeches)
      Dear Mrs Irwin Thank you for your letter of 9 June 2009 concerning a petition presented by the Member for Chisholm in relation to alternative energy. I am also responding on behalf of the...
    • Responses; Climate Change (0 speeches)
      Dear Mrs Irwin Thank you for your letter of 9 June 2009 concerning a petition on climate change. Tackling the challenge of climate change is one of the Australian Government’s highest...
    • Responses; Medicare Office: Mirrabooka (0 speeches)
      Dear Mrs Irwin Thank you for your letter of 8 May 2009 to Senator the Hon Joe Ludwig regarding a petition received by the Committee requesting a Medicare office be established in Mirrabooka,...
    • Responses; Income Management (0 speeches)
      Dear Mrs Irwin Thank you for your letter of 4 December 2008 about a petition on quarantining social security income recently received by the Standing Committee on Petitions. I apologise for the...
    • Statements (1 speech)
      I rise this evening also to speak about the work of the Standing Committee on Petitions. In my previous statements I have talked about various aspects of the committee’s work, including,...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Rearrangement (1 speech)
      by leave—At the request of the member for Lyne, I move: That order of the day No. 1, private members’ business, be postponed until the next sitting. Question agreed to.
  • Private Members’ Business (0 speeches)
    • Textile, Clothing and Footwear Industry (3 speeches)
      I move: That, recognising the necessity to preserve manufacturing in Australia to address rising unemployment and the plight of people about to be dismissed at Pacific Brands, the House:(1)calls...
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I move: That the House do now adjourn.
    • Climate Change (1 speech)
      Much has been made in recent times by climate change sceptics of supposed false or misleading claims made by scientists about the reality of global warming and the impact of human activities on...
    • Mwika Hope Foundation (1 speech)
      I recently met with Phil McWilliams, who is the Australian Project Manager for the Mwika Hope Foundation, and Pastor Godsave Ole Megiroo, the Imara Foundation Assistant CEO. They told me of the...
    • Hindmarsh Electorate: King Street Bridge (1 speech)
      I rise this evening to congratulate all who have contributed toward the decision of this Rudd Labor government to allocate $1½ million this financial year towards the replacement of the King...
    • Ryan Electorate: Storm Damage (1 speech)
      Last Thursday, 3 September, I hosted a community meeting at St Peter Chanel School, in The Gap. The meeting was to bring together constituents of the Ryan electorate—particularly those who...
    • Political Donations (1 speech)
      This month the Rudd government is sending its bill on donations to political parties back to the Senate for a second time. The coalition parties have already rejected the bill once. I hope this...
    • Coffs Coast Flood Victims (1 speech)
      I take the opportunity to again raise in this House the plight of the flood victims on the Coffs Coast from the flood event of 31 March. I also take the opportunity to commend the local...
  • Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
    • Mitchell Electorate: Mr John Lindsay Armitage (1 speech)
      I rise today to pay tribute to a former federal member for Mitchell, Labor Party member John Lindsay Armitage OAM of Seven Hills, who passed away this year at the age of 88. He was born in Sydney...
    • Warrant Officer Herbert Anderson (1 speech)
      Last Wednesday was proclaimed Battle for Australia Day, a day when the nation pays homage to the men and women who defended Australia when it came under direct attack in 1942 and 1943. As we...
    • Petition: Charter of Rights (1 speech)
      I rise to present a petition on behalf of Canning constituents and Western Australians calling for the government to reject the adoption and notion of a charter or bill of rights in Australia....
    • Kingston Electorage: Volunteers (1 speech)
      I rise today to talk about an event I held in my electorate to salute volunteers in the local area. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Tom Koutsantonis, the state Minister for...
    • Barker Electorate: Digital Television (1 speech)
      It might interest the member for Kingston that I recognise quite a few of those names, having grown up in Happy Valley and having played football for the Happy Valley Football Club. In fact, I...
    • Meals on Wheels (1 speech, 1 comment)
      I take this opportunity to applaud and support the work of the national organisation Meals on Wheels, which was founded in South Australia in 1953 by Doris Taylor. Because of a childhood...
    • McMillan Electorate: Hazelwood Power Station (1 speech)
      Madam Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to table a letter from Graeme York, Chief Executive Officer of International Power, the owners and operators of Hazelwood power station in Gippsland. Leave...
    • Forgotten Australians (1 speech)
      In my electorate of Page there are a significant number of people who are referred to as forgotten Australians and lost innocents. I have been privileged to get to know some and become friends...
    • White Balloon Day (1 speech)
      Tomorrow is White Balloon Day, the day that highlights the problem of child sexual abuse and assault. I personally have had no experience with this problem, but as an adult it is my...
    • Charlton Electorate: Landcare (2 speeches)
      I wish to update the House on the opening of the new Landcare resource centre in my electorate of Charlton, which coincided with Landcare Week being celebrated nationally. Landcare, of course, is...
  • Resale Royalty Right for Visual Artists Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
    • Second Reading (13 speeches)
      Debate resumed from 20 August, on motion by Mr Garrett: That this bill be now read a second time.
    • Consideration in Detail (13 speeches)
      Bill—by leave—taken as a whole.
  • Access to Justice (Civil Litigation Reforms) Amendment Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
    • Second Reading (3 speeches)
      Debate resumed from 22 June, on motion by Mr McClelland: That this bill be now read a second time.
  • Statements by Members (0 speeches)
    • Roylestone Girls Brigade (1 speech)
      I take this opportunity to congratulate a group of young Canning girls on their outstanding efforts in raising awareness about poverty in Third World countries. Last week I welcomed the...
    • Motor Trades Apprenticeships (1 speech)
      I recently had the pleasure of meeting with young motor trades pre-apprentices and apprentices who have been given a head start by the Motor Traders Association Apprenticeships Plus program. This...
    • Granite Belt Orchards (1 speech)
      I rise this evening to bring to the attention of this parliament a very serious problem which is threatening the livelihoods and potentially the health of fruit growers on the Granite Belt in my...
    • Postnatal Depression (2 speeches)
      Postnatal depression is a very serious illness. It affects many women in our community. Terry Tindall, the prime petitioner associated with the petition I have in my hand, lost his daughter,...
    • Calare Electorate: Emissions Trading Scheme (1 speech)
      The New South Wales Labor Party has increased power bills by over 20 per cent this year, with more increases to come. Already small businesses and farmers are struggling to make ends meet with...
    • Fremantle Electorate: Women in History (1 speech)
      Fremantle has a rich history, going back thousands of years with our Indigenous people and more recently with our migrant history. Women have played an integral role in that history, but to look...
    • Fadden Electorate: Recycling (1 speech)
      I wish to bring to the attention of the House the need to continue our moves across the nation to advance recycling so that it becomes a core part of life, and, in the words of Bob the Builder,...
    • Page Electorate: Learning and Employment (1 speech)
      Last Thursday two significant events were held in my electorate of Page. One was in Grafton and was called Deadly Days. The other was in Lismore and was a jobs forum called Keep Australia...
    • Cowan Electorate: Northway Christian Centre (1 speech)
      In the past I have spoken on many occasions about the suburb of Girrawheen in the south of Cowan. It is without doubt an area of unfulfilled potential, but it is challenged by lower socioeconomic...
    • Parramatta Electorate: School Building (2 speeches)
      I rise to congratulate the parents, teachers, principals and supporters of each and every primary school in Parramatta on the fine work they are doing to roll out the Building the Education...
  • Private Members’ Business (0 speeches)
    • Nuclear Testing (6 speeches)
      Debate resumed, on motion by Ms Parke: That the House:(1)notes that:(a)over 2,000 nuclear weapons tests have been conducted between 1945 and 2009;(b)the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) bans...
    • Importation of Bananas (65 speeches)
      Debate resumed, on motion by Mr Hartsuyker: That the House:(1)condemns the Government’s decision to allow the importation of bananas from the Philippines in view of the direct threat such...
    • Administrative Fees for Cash Payments (12 speeches)
      Debate resumed, on motion by Ms Collins: That the House:(1)strongly objects to recent announcements by corporations, such as Telstra, that they will charge an administrative fee for payment of...
  • Grievance Debate (0 speeches)
    • (0 speeches)
      Question proposed: That grievances be noted.
    • Ramadan; Water; Forests (1 speech)
      I am pleased to be able to contribute to the grievance debate tonight and to mention a few important issues in my electorate of Farrer. But, before I do so, I firstly acknowledge a special event...
    • Parliamentary Delegation to India (1 speech)
      The visit during early July of an unofficial Australian parliamentary delegation to Dharamsala, India, to meet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan parliament in exile caused a bit...
    • Child Care (1 speech)
      I rise this evening to talk about matters that are very important to so many Australian families and quite important to me in my shadow ministerial portfolios and to many families in my...
    • Anti-Semitism (1 speech)
      Jonathan Sacks, the Chief Rabbi of the Commonwealth, offered the following comment in response to a recent speech by Iranian President Ahmadinejad: There can be no doubt as to the most tenacious...
    • Education (1 speech)
      I stand in this parliament tonight to raise a grievance on behalf of the electors of Paterson. It is clear to the thinking Australian that the Rudd Labor government’s education revolution...
    • Parallel Importation (2 speeches)
      This evening I want to speak in this grievance debate in relation to the very complex issue of parallel importation. The House will be aware that there is much debate in the community regarding...