House debates

Tuesday, 20 October 2009

  • Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I inform the House that the Prime Minister will be absent from question time today as he is attending the inauguration of the Indonesian President, Mr Yudhoyono. I will answer questions on behalf...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Asylum Seekers (13 speeches)
      My question is to the Acting Prime Minister and I refer her to the 78 asylum seekers aboard the Australian Customs vessel Oceanic Viking in waters off the coast of Indonesia. I also refer her to...
    • Economy (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. How is the government supporting the Australian economy and employment?
    • Asylum Seekers (4 speeches)
      My question is again to the Acting Prime Minister. I refer her to the government’s repeated assertions that the surge in boat arrivals to Australia is due to international push factors and...
    • Economy (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer update the House on the recent assessment of business and consumer confidence and on the economy more generally?
    • Asylum Seekers (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. I refer the minister to the revelation by the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police in Senate estimates last night that a reference to the...
  • Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
    • (2 speeches)
      I inform the House that we have present in the galleries this afternoon the Premier of Tasmania, David Bartlett, and the Deputy Premier, Lara Giddings. On behalf of the House, I extend to them a...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Road and Rail Infrastructure (7 speeches)
      My question is for the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. How is the government investing to improve road and rail infrastructure in Tasmania...
    • Asylum Seekers (14 speeches)
      My question is to the Acting Prime Minster. I refer to comments yesterday by the National Secretary of the Australian Workers Union, Paul Howse, about the surge in asylum seekers. I quote: I...
    • Economy (11 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Human Services and Minister for Financial Services, Superannuation and Corporate Law. Will the minister update the House on recent reports into the strength of...
    • Asylum Seekers (6 speeches)
      My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. I refer her to a press release which she issued on 23 April 2003, when she was shadow immigration spokesman, and I quote her: Another boat on the way....
    • Climate Change (2 speeches)
      My question is for the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline for the House what is so vital that the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme be voted on this year and implemented in the most fiscally...
    • Economy (31 speeches)
      My question is to the Treasurer. I refer the Treasurer to today’s Reserve Bank board minutes on the decision of 6 October to raise interest rates. The minutes state: … the balance of...
    • Climate Change (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science and the Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change. Why is it vitally important that Australia acts now on...
    • Economy (10 speeches)
      My question is to the Treasurer. I refer the Treasurer to the recent statement by the Reserve Bank governor: … the downside risks to which the Board was responding earlier have not...
    • Climate Change (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. Will the minister outline the importance of growing clean energy jobs and transforming Australia’s economy for a...
    • On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program (12 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. Minister, I refer you to the public comments made recently by the CEO of New South Wales—
    • Carers (3 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Families, Housing Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. As this is national Carers Week, how is the government improving support for carers?
  • Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
    • (2 speeches)
      Because a statistically significant number of members have brought it to my attention I inform the House that we have present in the gallery today a former Speaker of this place, Steve Martin. On...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Defence Personnel (5 speeches, 1 comment)
      My question is to the Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science and the Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change. Is the minister aware that 10 members of No. 4 Squadron,...
    • Aged Care (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Ageing. Will the minister update the House on the government’s reform plans for health, hospitals and aged care?
    • Indigenous Housing (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. I refer the minister to her answer yesterday in which she claimed that some 230 demountables had...
    • Health (13 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. How are the government’s plans for GP superclinics progressing and what is the community’s response?
    • Nation Building and Jobs Plan (12 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. It follows his failure yesterday to deny a meeting in which the government was warned of cost blow-outs in the $2.7...
    • Small Business (15 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy. Minister, how is the government providing support for small business, and are there any...
  • Queensland Bushfires (0 speeches)
    • (3 speeches)
      Mr Speaker, with your indulgence: during the course of question time I had a discussion with the member for Capricornia and with the Attorney-General on the question of the bushfires in...
  • Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
    • (11 speeches)
      Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.
  • Department of Parliamentary Services (0 speeches)
    • Annual Report (1 speech)
      Pursuant to section 65 of the Parliamentary Services Act 1999, I present the annual report of the Department of Parliamentary Services for 2008-09. Ordered that the report be made a parliamentary...
  • Auditor-General’S Reports (0 speeches)
    • Report No. 7 of 2009-10 (1 speech)
      I present the Auditor-General’s Audit report No. 7 of 2009-10 entitled Administration of Grants by the National Health and Medical Research Council. Ordered that the report be made a...
  • 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...
  • Higher Education Support Amendment (Vet Fee-Help and Tertiary Admission Centres) Legislation (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I present a corrected explanatory memorandum to the Higher Education Support Amendment (VET FEE-HELP and Tertiary Admission Centres) Bill 2009.
  • Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Competition and Consumer Safeguards) Legislation (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I present a replacement explanatory memorandum to the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Competition and Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2009.
  • Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
    • Bushfire Season (2 speeches)
      by leave—The summer season represents a time for holidays and celebration for Australians. Unfortunately, it is also a time when we are most likely to suffer from natural disasters. The...
  • Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
    • People-Smuggling (12 speeches)
      I have received a letter from the honourable member for Wentworth proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The consequences of the...
  • Fuel Quality Standards Amendment Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
    • Consideration of Senate Message (4 speeches)
      Consideration resumed from 19 October. Senate’s amendment— (1)    Schedule 1, page 10 (after line 6), after item 15, insert: 15A After paragraph 70(1)(d) Insert:...
  • Trade Practices Amendment (Australian Consumer Law) Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
    • Second Reading (4 speeches)
      Debate resumed from 19 October, 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.
  • Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Income Support for Students) Bill 2009 (0 speeches)
    • Second Reading (10 speeches)
      Debate resumed from 10 September, on motion by Ms Gillard: That this bill be now read a second time.
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      Order! It being 8.30 pm, I propose the question: That the House do now adjourn.
    • Barden Telstra Mobile Phone Facility (1 speech)
      During the recent recess, I had the opportunity of meeting David and Goliath—David being the local residents of Bardon and Rainworth, and Goliath being the Telstra Corporation. Telstra is...
    • Dobell Electorate: Stimulus Package (1 speech)
      I rise to speak about the stimulus package, its importance and the success that it has had for both the Australian economy and in particular my electorate of Dobell. It is without doubt that...
    • Cowan Electorate: Girrawheen Senior High School (1 speech)
      There are many schools in the electorate of Cowan, and they do great work. On Friday night I attended a dance performance at Girrawheen Senior High School. The Special Dance program is a key...
    • Ballarat Electorate: Homelessness (2 speeches)
      Recently I was presented with a petition on homelessness in the Ballarat region. The petition was gathered by the social justice ministry of the Our Lady Help of Christians in Wendouree. This...
    • Mr Robert Wilson (1 speech)
      I would like to highlight one man’s quest for justice from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. My constituent had joined the New Zealand Navy as a young lad in 1955. About 10 years...
    • Greek Welfare Centre (2 speeches)
      Last Sunday, 18 October, I had the great pleasure of being invited to attend the launch on Sunday night of the seventh national Greek Welfare Conference, which was held in Adelaide in South...
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • (9 speeches)
      The following notices were given: