House debates

Tuesday, 3 June 2014

  • Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
    • Aviation Safety Regulation Review (2 speeches)
      by leave—On 14 November last year, I advised the House that the government had commissioned an independent review of Australia's system of aviation safety regulation, to be undertaken by a...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Public Works Committee; Approval of Work (1 speech)
      I move: That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, the following proposed work be referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works for...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Statements by Members (0 speeches)
    • Budget (1 speech)
      I rise today to speak in opposition to the GP co-payment—the GP tax of $7. It is not just me who is speaking against it in my electorate; thousands and thousands of people who live in the...
    • Lyne Electorate: Prostate Cancer (1 speech)
      I rise to congratulate some gentlemen from the fine city of Port Macquarie for their fundraising efforts on the weekend. They held a fundraiser for prostate cancer. As we know, one in eight who...
    • Budget (5 speeches)
      I rise to talk about the terrible impact that the Abbott government's GP tax is having on the people of Chifley and the absolute deceit that ushered it in. There was no warning about—
    • Robertson Electorate: Roads (1 speech)
      There are over 900 kilometres of local roads and more than 150 kilometres of regional roads in my electorate. People in my electorate depend on roads to get around, so I am proud of the fact that...
    • Budget (1 speech)
      I rise, not for the first time, to express my grave concerns at the impact of this cruel budget on the health and wellbeing of people in the Scullin electorate. Before I go directly to that, it...
    • Barton Electorate: Egyptian Community (1 speech)
      I rise to inform the chamber that recently I had the great privilege of attending the Australian Egyptian Council Forum in my electorate, representing the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott. The event...
    • Budget: Health (1 speech)
      In defending their unconscionable $80 billion cuts to health and education, those opposite have said, 'Nobody is losing money now,' and, 'The cuts only come into effect beyond the forward...
    • Lindsay Electorate: Mrs Lana Borg and Mr Roger Borg (1 speech)
      It is with huge pride that I rise today to commend the amazing, fabulous and incredible work of Lana and Roger Borg. Last night, under the Trade Secret bridge, surrounded by their team of...
    • Budget (4 speeches)
      He is not here today, I note, but I sat here yesterday and watched the member for Braddon as he took a 90-second statement and desperately tried to defend this budget. And he told a few porkies...
    • Deakin Electorate: St Thomas the Apostle Parish (1 speech)
      Earlier this year I had the great privilege of joining in a special celebration in my electorate of Deakin—the 60th anniversary of St Thomas the Apostle Parish in Blackburn. The parish held...
    • National Rural Women's Coalition (1 speech)
      It gives me great pleasure to welcome to this place today members of the National Rural Women's Coalition's E-Leaders Program and, in particular, to acknowledge the skill, dedication and...
    • Solomon Electorate: SIDS and Kids Campaign (1 speech)
      Just in case you did not know, Mr Deputy Speaker, it is June, which means that SIDS and Kids volunteers and supporters will be out selling red nose products right across the country. As the...
    • Throsby Electorate: Diabetes (1 speech)
      Last week in this place I asked the Prime Minister a question about the one million Australians who suffer from diabetes. I pointed out that someone diagnosed with the disease must visit the GP...
    • Fraser Electorate: Health (1 speech)
      The ACT will be hard hit by the federal budget. From July, these cuts will see ACT health funding drained of a much needed $47 million. Over the next four years, Canberrans will see more than...
    • Capricornia Electorate: Flying Fortress Memorial (1 speech)
      I rise to acknowledge a ceremony that took place at the weekend at Bakers Creek near Mackay in my electorate of Capricornia. The ceremony marks a plane crash on 14 June 1943, which was, at the...
    • Chisholm Electorate: Medicare Locals (1 speech)
      Before the election, we had many promises from the Prime Minister and the shadow minister for health, now the Minister for Health. They claimed that there would be no reductions in Medicare...
    • Higgins Electorate: Little St Margaret's Kindergarten (1 speech)
      Last Friday was a very good demonstration of just how varied this job of being a federal parliamentarian can be. In the morning, I chaired the first public hearing of the House of Representatives...
    • Fairfax Electorate: Paid Parental Leave (1 speech)
      I am concerned that women who work on our rural properties, who support their husbands and families on rural properties and who work hard for this nation to help produce our exports are...
    • Barker Electorate: Early Learning and Community Centre (2 speeches)
      Last Sunday I had the privilege of attending the official opening of the early learning and community centre at Tenison Woods College in Mt Gambier. The opening was conducted by the most Reverend...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Budget: Medical Research Future Fund (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. Senior officials from the Health Department yesterday revealed that they first heard about the Prime Minister's Medical Research Future Fund only days and...
    • Budget (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister update the House on the action the government is taking to reduce Commonwealth debt and to foster economic growth? How will tackling...
    • Indonesia (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. It has been 180 days since the government said it would work to agree a code of conduct with Indonesia. On the front page of today's Jakarta Post, a...
    • Tax (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Treasurer. Treasurer, would you please advise the House of the status of the repeal of the mining tax? Could you advise of any alternative approaches?
    • Budget: Health (10 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. Yesterday, Senate estimates revealed that his government has made no attempt to find out the impact of the GP tax on hospital emergency departments. Why on...
    • Telecommunications (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Communications. Thank you for the funding of the election commitment of $100 million for mobile phone black spots. I understand that nationally over 1,800 black...
  • Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I wish to advise that we have with us today the Rt. Hon. John Spellar, the member for Warley and shadow minister of state for foreign and Commonwealth affairs in the Miliband opposition. We make...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Infrastructure and Regional Development (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Will the Deputy Prime Minister update the House on how the government's commitment of $6.7...
    • Budget: Health (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. Senate Estimates revealed that the government has made no attempt to find out what the impact of the GP tax would be on the out-of-pocket expenses for...
    • Budget: Higher Education (12 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Education. Will the minister explain how the government's higher education reforms will help the people in my electorate of Lindsay gain greater access to...
    • Budget: Health (5 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. The Premier of New South Wales has said of the Prime Minister's $80 billion cuts to hospitals and schools: The cuts have an immediate impact … what we...
    • Asylum Seekers (11 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Will the minister update the House on the impact of Operation Sovereign Borders on people-smuggling ventures to Australia?...
    • Budget (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. The Premier of Queensland has said of the Prime Minister's $80 billion cut to schools and hospitals: A big red cross is cutting health and education...
    • Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, Medicare (11 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Health. Will the minister inform the House how a co-payment has helped make the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme sustainable? What plans does the government have...
    • Budget (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to a report today that the people of ACT will lose $47 million out of their healthcare budget on 1 July as a result of the Prime Minister's $80...
    • Broadband (9 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Communications. Will the minister outline how the government will deliver the NBN faster and more affordably to all Australians? What will be the impact on the...
    • Budget (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. The health department has confirmed that the government has not investigated the impact of its health policies on hospitals. Can the Prime Minister confirm...
    • Child Care (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Assistant Minister for Education. Will the minister inform the House what the government is doing to ensure more flexible, affordable and accessible child care for...
    • Budget: Health (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. The median waiting time for elective surgeries like hip replacements is 36 days. What will happen to people already on surgical waiting lists because of the...
    • Carbon Pricing (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. Will the minister inform the House how repealing the carbon tax and putting spending in agriculture on a sustainable footing will help fix Labor's...
    • Queensland Budget: Health and Education (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Queensland budget released minutes ago which refers to a $16 billion cut for Queensland schools and hospitals. Is Premier Newman lying when he...
    • Infrastructure (2 speeches)
      My question is addressed to the Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Will the minister update the House on what the government is doing to accelerate the construction...
    • Climate Change (6 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. I note that the Prime Minister leaves to go overseas tomorrow. I also note that, courtesy of American comedian John Oliver's video going viral on the...
    • Economy (9 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Trade and Investment. Will the minister inform the House how trade and investment boosts the government's Economic Action Strategy and how this will support...
  • Statements on Indulgence (0 speeches)
    • Asylum Seekers (1 speech)
      On indulgence, Madam Speaker, to update the House on an incident, I am advised that a decision was taken last night to intervene and end a protest at the Christmas Island Immigration Detention...
  • Questions to the Speaker (0 speeches)
    • Parliament House: Security (2 speeches)
      Madam Speaker, in light of recent exchanges in Senate estimates about surveillance in our workplace, I ask if you approve of, and/or have final say over, CCTV footage in the House of...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • Presentation (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.
  • Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
    • Health Care (19 speeches)
      I have received a letter from the honourable member for Ballarat proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The Government undermining...
  • Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
    • (5 speeches)
      My Deputy Speaker, by leave, I wish to make a personal explanation.
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Statements on Indulgence (0 speeches)
    • Asylum Seekers (1 speech)
      On indulgence, Mr Deputy Speaker, I want to correct a statement earlier in the House, based on new advice that I have received from my department. In my earlier statement, I noted, based on...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • Budget (1 speech)
      The recent Abbott government budget has sent Australians into a white-hot rage, and deservedly so. Not only is the budget an attack on Medicare, the pension, our higher education system, our...
    • Dobell Electorate: Telecommunications (1 speech)
      Quality investment in telecommunication infrastructure is essential in developing a digital economy to support and generate job growth, particularly in electorates such as Dobell. The government...
    • Budget: Rural and Regional Areas (1 speech)
      I rise this evening to draw to the attention of the House the absence of a rural and regional ministerial statement in the 2014-15 budget. To my knowledge, this statement has been included in...
    • Speaker (1 speech)
      I rise in this debate on behalf of the many Australians who expect higher standards of parliamentary behaviour than what we have been witnessing lately, and who recognise that decent standards...
    • Palliative Care Week (1 speech)
      Last week was Palliative Care Week, and it gives me the opportunity to acknowledge and pay tribute to Ipswich Hospice Care, a wonderful facility in my electorate. Like many in this place I had...
    • Rossi, Mr Bob Snr, Rossi, Mr Bob Jnr (2 speeches)
      I rise to pay tribute to a remarkable family from the Far North, the Rossi family, who had two very sad losses in the last couple of weeks. Bob Rossi Snr, OAM, KC, passed away last month aged 90...
  • Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
    • Mabo Day (1 speech)
      Today on Mabo Day on ancient Ngunnawal and Ngambri land and recognising the Yugambeh and Jaggerra people who have long inhabited my own local area, we celebrate the life and achievements of an...
    • Banks Electorate: Anzac Day (1 speech)
      I rise to congratulate the Banks community on the recent Anzac Day commemorations. Anzac Day reminds us of the sacrifices made by so many Australians on our behalf. Those of us who have not...
    • Budget (1 speech)
      I want to report to the House about an issue raised with me by a delegation of local constituents who are members of the GetUp! organisation who attended my office on 7 May and I indicate to the...
    • Queensland Sugar Industry (1 speech)
      I rise to raise a serious issue impacting on the Queensland sugar industry in my electorate of Capricornia and the nearby electorates of Dawson, Flynn and Hinkler. It relates to a recent decision...
    • Medical Research (1 speech)
      I rise to speak on the subject of medical research and the scientists who do this work. I rise to speak in particular about the Royal Melbourne Hospital's Research Hall of Fame. In 1848 a small...
    • Petrie Electorate: Margate CBD (1 speech)
      I rise today to talk about the Margate CBD in the Petrie Electorate. The Margate CBD is soon to become a lot safer, thanks the coalition government's Safer Streets Program. The government is...
    • Australian Interactive Games Fund (1 speech)
      It was my pleasure this morning, with the shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, to meet with Adam Boyle and Tony Lawrence, from 2K Australia, to discuss the government's axing of the Australian...
    • Chatfield, Mr Alan, Wagstaff, Mrs Margaret (1 speech)
      I will call this statement 'Two Beginnings' because this week we lost two icons of music and arts in West Gippsland—Alan Chatfield and Margaret Wagstaff. I was extremely close to these...
    • Gellibrand Electorate: Save Sunvale Campaign (1 speech)
      I rise today to update the House on the progress of a community campaign that has been running in my electorate for almost five years. Since 2009 the Save Sunvale campaign has sought to have the...
    • East West Link, Jobs 4 Geelong Jobs Fair (2 speeches)
      I rise to speak about the Geelong jobs fair that is going to be held on 20 and 21 June. Before I do I would like to ask the member for Gellibrand to stay for one minute because his constituents...
  • Bills (0 speeches)