House debates

Tuesday, 10 November 2015

  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Statements by Members (0 speeches)
    • Goods and Services Tax (1 speech)
      When government tax reform is centred around increasing the GST it is a clear sign that the government has lost control of its budget. Even worse, it means that the government has no ideas for...
    • Sutherland, Mr Greg (1 speech)
      It is my sad duty to report the recent sudden passing of Greg Sutherland in Mackay. Greg's ill health over a number of years never slowed him down, even when he lost a leg to diabetes. He rolled...
    • Goods and Services Tax (1 speech)
      There is nothing fair about a 50 per cent increase to the GST or broadening its base, but members of the coalition opposite are lining up to back it in: senators McGrath, Smith and MacDonald and...
    • Calare Electorate: Small Towns (1 speech)
      I really enjoy this opportunity to talk about one of the best things in my electorate—that is, what I call 'small town visits'. Having three cities and two large towns in an electorate,...
    • Goods and Services Tax (1 speech)
      Australians have endured, for a number of weeks now, Liberal MPs from right across the country going around our nation and extolling the virtues of increasing the GST and broadening the base of...
    • Banks Electorate: M5 Motorway (1 speech)
      I rise this afternoon to speak about a very important issue in my electorate—that is, access to the M5 on-ramps at Riverwood. Nearly 20 years ago, the M5 was constructed. At Riverwood it...
    • Indi Electorate: Volunteering (1 speech)
      Colleagues, we all know that rural communities and communities in general thrive because of the work of volunteers. I am delighted to welcome to Parliament House today some wonderful volunteers...
    • Recruitment March (1 speech)
      In 1915, a group of young men left Gilgandra and marched to Sydney, recruiting men on the way to join the AIF to do their bit to support their country in World War I. Tomorrow, a group of equally...
    • Taxation (1 speech)
      Apparently, we have been having a tax debate for some weeks. Apparently, everything is on the table, except that the only thing we are hearing in the electorate of Lalor, in my community, is...
    • Petrie Electorate: Employment (1 speech)
      Job creation is a huge focus for me in my electorate of Petrie. Recently, I had the pleasure of hosting a successful job seekers boot camp in Deception Bay. The boot camp gave local job seekers...
    • McEwen Electorate: Goods and Services Tax (1 speech)
      The average weekly income in the electorate of McEwen is under $1,500 a week. A number of families our community are doing it a lot tougher, earning less than $800 a week. Out of that weekly...
    • 2015 Queensland Tennis Awards (1 speech)
      Last Saturday I was delighted to be invited to the Queensland Tennis Awards evening and to be invited to present the award for the outstanding school. There were four finalists: Brookfield State...
    • Canberra Electorate: Goods and Services Tax (1 speech)
      I rise today to stand with my colleagues in opposing any changes to the GST. NATSEM modelling shows that an increase in the rate of the GST to 15 per cent would see people in the lowest 20 per...
    • Lyne Electorate: National Police Service Medals (1 speech)
      The rule of law keeps us safe and makes our society what it is. The police uphold the law and enforce it. At times they put their personal safety on the line for us. So last week when I attended...
    • Goods and Services Tax (1 speech)
      Many of my colleagues today have been talking about the way a flat tax like a goods and services tax hits hardest in middle- to low-income families. That is very true. I want to talk this...
    • Adoption (1 speech)
      The eighth National Adoption Awareness Week, coordinated by Adopt Change, founded by Deborah Lee Furness, a wonderful, passionate woman, was launched in Parliament House yesterday. Currently...
    • Taxation (1 speech)
      Last week the Turnbull government announced a debate on tax, and quicker than a horse out of the gates at Flemington we saw a whole range of backbencher Liberal and National Party MPs keen to get...
    • Page Electorate: Pink Halloween (1 speech)
      I would like to thank everyone involved in the Jodie's Inspiration Pink Halloween fundraiser at Trinity on Saturday, 31 October. It was a great night with a fantastic community atmosphere. The...
    • Taxation (2 speeches)
      Australia faces some significant economic challenges right now: growth sitting below trend, inequality at a 75-year high and housing affordability increasingly being pushed out of reach for young...
  • Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I inform the House that the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister for Human Services will be absent from question time for the remainder of the week as he is attending Remembrance Day...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Goods and Services Tax (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Leader of the House, who is responsible for the government's legislative program. Can the Leader of the House confirm that he has no intention of bringing any legislation...
    • Economy (2 speeches)
      By contrast, my important question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister outline to the House what steps the government is taking to grow the economy and generate jobs? Why is it...
  • Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I wish to inform the House we have present in the gallery this afternoon the Premier of Tasmania, the Hon. Will Hodgman. On behalf the House, I extend a warm welcome. Honourable members: Hear, hear!
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Goods and Services Tax (4 speeches)
      Mr Speaker, my question is to the Treasurer. I refer to reports that the minister for innovation reassured nervous coalition MPs that the government would in fact not jack up the GST. Will the...
    • Employment (2 speeches)
      Mr Speaker, my question is to the Treasurer. How is the government's national platform for economic growth and jobs backing Australians to work, save and invest? Will the Treasurer please update...
    • Goods and Services Tax (8 speeches)
      Mr Speaker, my question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to the Treasurer's previous answer. Can the Prime Minister please explain how exactly will jacking up the GST to 15...
    • Northern Australia (3 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Trade and Investment. Since the northern loans plan's $50 million requirement eliminates northerners, it will stop the northern beef on-farm irrigation plan,...
  • Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I inform the House that we have present in the gallery this afternoon Mr John Haslem, a former member for Canberra. On behalf of the House, I extend a very warm welcome to him. I also inform the...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Trade with China (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Will the Deputy Prime Minister please update the House on how the China-Australia Free Trade...
    • Goods and Services Tax (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. Over the last 10 years, the cost of fruit has risen by 43 per cent. The cost of vegetables has risen by 34 per cent. So, in the interests of open debate,...
    • Trade with China (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will the minister advise the House on the benefits that the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement will bring to the Australian economy as a...
    • Goods and Services Tax (7 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his previous answer. The Prime Minister has said that he wants the government to have a conversation with Australians about...
    • Agriculture (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources. Will the minister update the House on the implementation of the coalition government's white paper on agricultural...
    • Goods and Services Tax (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister and refers to his previous answer, in which he referred to fairness. Prime Minister, what is fair about cutting the family tax benefits of 1½ million...
    • Vocational Education and Training (18 speeches)
      My question is to the
    • Goods and Services Tax (13 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. Single parents in Parramatta, in my electorate, with an income of $55,000 and two teenagers will lose $4,700 every year because of the Prime Minister's...
    • Broadband (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects representing the Minister for Communications. The Whyanbeel community group has been in regular contact with my...
    • Pensions and Benefits (10 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Social Services. I refer to the minister's previous answer about the need for spending restraint. Why is the government bringing back a $1,000 baby bonus,...
    • Rail Infrastructure (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Local engineering and environmental consultancy firms in my electorate of Parkes have shown a...
    • Goods and Services Tax (7 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, if the GST is increased to 15 per cent, how much more will Australians pay for a second-hand ute?
    • Forde Electorate: Roads (2 speeches)
      My question is from constituent Tracey Ryder to the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. The Yatala Enterprise Area is one of the many regions in Forde experiencing rapid growth,...
    • Goods and Services Tax (5 speeches)
      My question is to the Prime Minister. Single parents in Sunbury, in my electorate, with an income of $31,000 and two teenagers will lose $4,700 every year because of the Prime Minister's unfair...
    • Diabetes (3 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Health. Does the government intend to assist individuals and families managing type 1 diabetes by subsidising continuous glucose monitoring devices,...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • Presentation (1 speech)
      A document is presented as listed in the schedule circulated to honourable members earlier today. Details of the document will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings.
  • Auditor-General's Reports (0 speeches)
    • Audit report No. 7 of 2015-16 (1 speech)
      I present the Auditor-General's Audit report No. 7 of 2015-16 entitled Managing compliance with the wildlife trade provisions of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999:...
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Days and Hours of Meeting (1 speech)
      On indulgence, members might like to know that the House will be suspended tomorrow at 10 am, the bells will ring at 11.45 am and the House will resume at 11.50. This is to enable members who...
  • Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
    • Household Budget (42 speeches)
      I have received a letter from the honourable member for Jagajaga proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The Government’s...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Human Rights Committee; Report (1 speech)
      On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, I present the committee's report entitled Human rights scrutiny report: thirtieth report of the 44th parliament, and I ask leave of...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Rearrangement (1 speech)
      I move: That business intervening before order of the day No. 8, government business, be postponed until a later hour this day. Question agreed to.
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • Africa (1 speech)
      In September I represented the opposition at the second Australia-Africa Dialogue, co-hosted by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and the Brenthurst Foundation, which is based in South...
    • Fiscal Policy (1 speech)
      On this quiet evening I wish to talk about fiscal reform. Our economy allows us to build a great society, but what is it that should be our endgame? What do we want to achieve from our economy?...
    • Gellibrand Electorate: Australia-India Relations (1 speech)
      This week, hundreds of thousands of Australians will be celebrating the ancient festival of Diwali, also known as the 'festival of lights'. In India and throughout the world, the Indian diaspora...
    • McMillan Electorate: Darnum War Memorial (1 speech)
      I identify with the member's words and I congratulate him on his address. Last Sunday was a beautiful morning in Gippsland. It was as if the weather had been organised for the event. It was just...
    • Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (1 speech)
      There is a new movie out in January called Spotlight. It is based on a true story. A story of six brave and relentless journalists at TheBoston Globe who, through their work, uncovered and...
    • Brisbane Electorate: Small Business (2 speeches)
      I rise tonight to speak of recent small business success stories from my electorate of Brisbane. As an electorate that includes the CBD and the inner-city rim, Brisbane is home to some 30,000...