House debates

Wednesday, 26 February 2014

  • Delegation Reports (0 speeches)
    • Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (2 speeches)
      For the information of members, I present the report of the Australian parliamentary delegation to the 22nd annual meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum held in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Statements by Members (0 speeches)
    • National Partnership Agreement on Improving Public Hospitals (1 speech)
      I rise today to commend the former Labor government's National Partnership Agreement on Improving Public Hospitals, which has come to fruition today in my electorate. This morning was the...
    • SPC Ardmona (1 speech)
      I rise to thank Australians who have given huge support in buying Australian processed fruit, all grown in my electorate and manufactured by SPC Ardmona. Just weeks ago, the future of the last...
    • Twentyman, Mr Les, OAM (1 speech)
      I commend the member for Murray for her strong advocacy for Australian manufacturing. There ought to be more of it. Les Twentyman OAM is a youth worker who has spent a lifetime working with...
    • Dobell Electorate: Tuggerah Sporting Precinct (1 speech)
      I am happy to announce that the government is honouring its election commitments to the people of Dobell by delivering $1 million towards the land acquisition and planning studies for the...
    • Special Olympics Logan (1 speech)
      On a Saturday earlier this month I was really privileged to join the team from Special Olympics Logan for their Come and Try Day at the Logan Metro Sports Centre, a fantastic purpose-built...
    • Bruce Highway (1 speech)
      I would like to inform the House that the federal government continues to pour much-needed money into improving the Bruce Highway in the City of Rockhampton. The George and Albert streets...
    • South East Neighbourhood Centre (1 speech)
      On 21 February this year, I was privileged to join the South East Neighbourhood Centre for their International Mother Language Day celebration at their centre headquarters in Eastlakes. The South...
    • Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1 speech)
      The ABC has again sought to slur and denigrate an honourable Australian citizen on behalf of left-wing activists. On Monday's PM program, Mark Colvin and Sarah Dingle ran a story that suggested...
    • DonateLife Week (1 speech)
      This week is DonateLife Week, Australia's national awareness week to promote organ and tissue donation. This morning I participated in Canberra's eighth annual DonateLife Week walk around the...
    • Ringwood Secondary College (1 speech)
      It gives me great pleasure to rise today to recognise the significant milestone for Ringwood Secondary College in my electorate of Deakin. On 18 February, I was honoured to attend a whole college...
    • Preventative Health (3 speeches)
      I want to reflect on the comments of my colleague the member for Rankin and the Special Olympics Logan, and commend them for what sounds like good work. I also commend them on the fact that they...
    • Macquarie Electorate: Small Business (1 speech)
      Last week, I was honoured to host the Minister for Small Business, the Hon. Bruce Billson, in the electorate of Macquarie. Mr Billson and I addressed two round tables of small business owners,...
    • Gellibrand Electorate: Yarraville Festival (1 speech)
      I recently had the pleasure of attending the 33rd annual Yarraville Festival in Melbourne’s west. The Yarraville Festival celebrates what makes us proud about the west of Melbourne. During...
    • Macedonia (1 speech)
      Ten years ago today, the president of the republic of Macedonia Boris Trajkovski died in a plane crash. The crash occurred in thick fog in southern Bosnia. The President is remembered as...
    • Health Funding (1 speech)
      I was pleased to hear the member for Chifley's comments about the $6 co-payment for visiting a GP—the $6 GP tax. His electorate has a 98.9 per cent rate of bulk-billing, the highest in the...
    • Higgins Electorate: Local Sporting Champion Grants (1 speech)
      (   Today, I am delighted to rise to congratulate the recipients of the Local Sporting Champions grants in my electorate of Higgins. These recipients have displayed excellence in their...
    • Greenway Electorate: Trucking Industry (1 speech)
      I rise to acknowledge the hard work of truck drivers and the role they perform in our community. I particularly note more than 1,000 professional drivers I represent in the electorate of...
  • Petitions (0 speeches)
    • Pharmacy Guild of Australia (1 speech)
      by leave—I rise today to present a petition on behalf of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia—indeed, the largest petition ever tabled in the House of Representatives, with 1,210,471...
  • Statements by Members (0 speeches)
    • Bendigo Electorate: Bulk Billing (1 speech)
      I rise to raise my concerns about the future of bulk billing and GP visits in the Bendigo electorate. Under the Howard government bulk billing in the Bendigo electorate fell to as low as 49.9 per...
    • Forde Electorate: Community Organisations (1 speech)
      I take this opportunity to praise the efforts of a number of community organisations in Forde. Firstly, I commend the Beenleigh Lapidary Club for last year's gem festival. I acknowledge the...
    • National Database for Missing Persons (2 speeches)
      In May 2003 Mr Ian Stanton, the son of a constituent of mine, went missing. More than 10 years later his whereabouts is still unknown. I was recently contacted by Mr Stanton's father, Norman, who...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Ministerial Staff: Code of Conduct (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. Given everything that the public now knows, does the Prime Minister still have full confidence in the Assistant Minister for Health?
    • Drought Assistance Package (3 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister inform the House what the government is doing to help Australian farmers who are suffering through crippling drought?
    • Ministerial Staff: Code of Conduct (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's answer in question time on Monday, when he said Senator Nash's chief of staff: … was required to divest himself of a...
    • Drought Assistance Package (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. Will the minister outline what new action the government is taking to support farmers and communities both in Parkes and other drought-affected...
    • Ministerial Staff: Code of Conduct (6 speeches)
      My question is again to the Prime Minister. I refer to the statement of Minister Nash at Senate estimates this morning: 'My chief of staff has complied with all the requirements to ensure that...
    • United States Economy (3 speeches, 4 comments)
      I have a question for the Treasurer. The US economy leads the world with its economic strength, growth and exports. I understand that Equatorial Guinea and Uzbekistan have the lowest debt levels...
    • Mining Tax (4 speeches, 1 comment)
      My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline the medium- to long-term impact of the mining tax on the Australian economy?
    • Ministerial Staff: Code of Conduct (3 speeches)
      My question is again to the Prime Minister. Senator Nash told Senate estimates this morning that her chief of staff resigned solely because of the media interest that was causing a distraction...
    • Australian Defence Force (8 speeches, 1 comment)
      My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs representing the Minister for Defence. I remind the minister of the 56,000 Australian men and women serving our nation in the Australian Defence...
    • Ministerial Staff: Code of Conduct (17 speeches)
      My question is again to the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister aware that 66 eminent public health professors have written to all state and territory health ministers, including Senator Nash,...
    • Australian Defence Force (32 speeches)
      My question is to the Assistant Minister for Defence. I remind the minister of this statement of the Leader of the Opposition of 23 January this year: … what I won't do is join in and start...
    • Asylum Seekers (4 speeches)
      Madam Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Will the minister update the House on how many days it has been since a successful people-smuggling venture...
    • Ministerial Staff: Code of Conduct (3 speeches)
      Madam Speaker, my question is to the Prime Minister. Today at Senate estimates Minister Nash explained how she managed her chief of staff's conflicts of interest: 'I required those undertakings....
    • Former Member for Dobell (13 speeches)
      Madam Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Education and Leader of the House, representing the Minister for Employment. I remind the minister that the House passed a motion yesterday...
    • Building and Construction Industry (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Walton Construction company, which paid an LNP trust $430,000 and recently collapsed, owing its employees millions of dollars in wages and...
    • Telecommunications (3 speeches)
      Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is to the Minister for Communications. Will the minister explain the importance of government agencies, including the NBN Co., giving the...
    • Health (2 speeches)
      Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is to the Prime Minister. Given everything that has been put to the Prime Minister, and given the testimony at estimates this morning, how on earth can the...
    • Carbon Pricing (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline the medium- to long-term impacts of the carbon tax on the Australian economy?
  • Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I wish to announce that we have with us today in the gallery the Hon. Mark Vaile AO, former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and also Mr Mike Symon, the former member for Deakin. We make you...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Asylum Seekers (7 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm his office was told before 1 pm on Saturday that the information provided to the Minister for Immigration and Border...
    • Carbon Pricing (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for the Environment. I refer to the information released by the Clean Energy Regulator last week that shows that the cost of the carbon tax is a $1.1 billion impost...
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Senator Conroy (78 speeches, 1 comment)
      by leave—I move: That the opposition defence spokesperson be admonished for calling into question the integrity of Lieutenant General Angus Campbell. I think everyone in this place would be...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • Presentation (1 speech)
      Documents are presented in accordance with the list circulated to honourable members earlier today. Details of the documents will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings.
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Selection Committee; Report (1 speech)
      I present Report No. 4 of the Selection Committee relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and private members' business on Monday, 3 March 2014. The report will be...
  • Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
    • Economy (28 speeches)
      I have received a letter from the honourable member for McMahon proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The failure of the...
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Rearrangement (1 speech)
      I move: That business intervening before order of the day No. 5, government business, be postponed until a later hour this day. Question agreed to.
  • Governor-General's Speech (0 speeches)
    • Address-in-Reply (13 speeches)
      We got the drought package today, and one has to look at government decision making in the light of comparisons. Unfortunately for the LNP, we have to compare their performance with the ALP. The...
  • Statements on Indulgence (0 speeches)
    • Special Minister of State (1 speech)
      on indulgence—This afternoon I referred to the Special Minister of State. At the time I had been advised that the minister had made the remark I attributed to him. Tonight at 7.20 pm, I...
  • Governor-General's Speech (0 speeches)
    • Address-in-Reply (1 speech)
      It is absolutely correct that the government respond to the challenges besetting our farmers, and the opposition totally supports the response, although we make the point that it was later than...
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • Banjo Paterson: 150th Anniversary (1 speech)
      I rise to speak to speak about the celebrations that took place in my electorate of Calare to mark the 150th birthday of Australia's best-known poet and, indeed, Australia's greatest writer. Of...
    • General Pinochet (1 speech)
      I rise today to speak on behalf the people in the Latin American community in my community, who have contacted me in relation to a specific incident that occurred at the end of last year. They...
    • Moore Electorate: Neerabup Industrial Area (1 speech)
      Local employment self-sufficiency is one of the most important issues in my suburban electorate of Moore. The majority of the working population is faced with commuting long distances to work...
    • Tasmanian Election (1 speech)
      One hundred years ago, my great-uncle left Tasmania to serve in the Great War. He never returned. But when he left Tasmania he did it in a spirit of service—to serve the community so that...
    • Drought, Ethanol (1 speech)
      I wish to speak on two critical issues: the drought and an issue engulfing the Central Queensland ethanol production industry. Firstly, this morning the Prime Minister announced a $320 million...
    • Fowler Electorate (1 speech)
      As the member for Fowler, I have the honour of representing one of the largest Asian communities in Australia. This has given me the opportunity to learn much about the rich customs and...
    • Australian Natural Disasters (2 speeches)
      It is with great pleasure that I rise to report on the activities of surf-lifesaving in the electorate of Hinkler, and in particular the actions of the chief instructor of the Bundaberg club,...
  • Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
    • Automotive Industry (1 speech)
      Labor has always supported the dignity of workers and the capacity of work to give people that dignity. Today I will speak on behalf of my constituents about the failure of this government to...
    • Ogaden Community Association of Western Australia (1 speech)
      I recently met with several members of the Ogaden Community Association of Western Australia, including the chairman, Asad Omar. The meeting served as an update concerning the human rights...
    • Indi Electorate: Melrose Primary School (1 speech)
      I rise to acknowledge the work of the staff, students and community of Melrose Primary School in building and sustaining a culture of strong emotional health and emotional intelligence. I had the...
    • Parkes Electorate: Clontarf Foundation (1 speech)
      I rise to speak once again about the great work of the Clontarf Foundation. The Clontarf Foundation was first established in 2000 in Western Australia by Gerard Neesham, a former coach of the...
    • Perth Electorate: Meningococcal Disease (1 speech)
      Today in parliament there are two extraordinary West Australians, Lorraine and Barry Young. They are here to support the work of Meningococcal Australia, a national organisation which is designed...
    • Scott, Ms Bianca (1 speech)
      I rise to speak today about a young girl, 17 years of age, who is very ill. Bianca Scott graduated from All Saints Anglican School in my electorate of McPherson in December last year. Two weeks...
    • Murphy, Ms Allison (1 speech)
      I met Allison Murphy in 2006 after I had won ALP preselection in the electorate of Corio. We were at the opening of a park and she made a point of introducing herself to me. Within a second of...
    • Dobell Electorate: Merchant Navy (1 speech)
      Late last year I had the honour of attending the 19th annual Merchant Mariners Memorial Service at Norah Head. The service pays tribute to merchant mariners who made the ultimate sacrifice during...
    • Scullin Electorate: Employment (1 speech)
      On 24 October last year, the workers at the Golden Circle factory in Mill Park received the news that no employee wants to hear: their positions were to be made redundant. The news that the plant...
    • Newton Moore Senior High School (2 speeches)
      I rise to congratulate the principal, staff and students of Newton Moore Senior High School in Bunbury, Western Australia. The reason I am doing that is because that school has been approved by...
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Closing the Gap: Prime Minister's Report 2014 (16 speeches)
      I thank the opposition for their assistance in this matter. In this discussion on Aboriginal disadvantage, I would like to acquaint the House with the Noongar people of the south-west of Western...
  • Statements by Members (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      Madam Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to make a statement. Leave granted. I rise to pay tribute to a wonderful member of the Geelong community, Alison Murphy, who very tragically and very suddenly...