House debates

Wednesday, 16 June 2021

  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Member for Bowman (7 speeches)
      I move: That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Jagajaga from moving the following motion immediately— That the House: (1) notes: (a) the Federal...
    • Mouse Plague (29 speeches)
      I move: That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the member for Franklin from moving the following motion immediately— That the House: (1) notes: (a) the Federal...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Selection Committee; Report (1 speech)
      I present report No. 33 of the Selection Committee, relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and private members' business on Monday 21 June 2021 and Wednesday 23 June...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Resolutions of the Senate (0 speeches)
    • JobKeeper Payment; Consideration of Senate Message (8 speeches)
      The Speaker has received the following message from the Senate: The Senate transmits to the House of Representatives the following resolution which was agreed to by the Senate this day: That the...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Statements by Members (0 speeches)
    • Darwin GleNTi (1 speech)
      This past weekend, the Queen's Birthday weekend, up in Darwin we had the Greek GleNTi festival, an amazing couple of days of Greek culture, food, dance, wine and song. It was amazing. It was the...
    • Mallee Electorate: Queen's Birthday Honours (1 speech)
      Today I rise to acknowledge several members of my electorate of Mallee who have been honoured in the 2021 Queen's Birthday list in recognition of their outstanding service to their communities...
    • Corangamite Electorate: Environment (1 speech)
      On behalf my electorate of Corangamite, I stand today to urge the government to immediately rethink its plan to allow oil and gas exploration only five kilometres from the Twelve Apostles on the...
    • Tasmania: Freight (1 speech)
      In April this year Tasmania's capacity to transport freight the 211 nautical miles across Bass Strait was given a significant boost with the arrival of SeaRoad's new vessel the MV Liekut. Berthed...
    • Australian War Memorial (1 speech)
      I rise to pay tribute to an extraordinary constituent of mine: Connie Boglis, a woman who has done so much for so many. Today Connie has been in Canberra in conjunction with the announcement of a...
    • Grey Electorate: Mortlock Shield (1 speech)
      On Saturday I had the great pleasure of attending the Mortlock Shield on Eyre Peninsula. It started in 1936, so this is the 75th year—with interruptions for World War II and, last year,...
    • Pensions and Benefits (1 speech)
      On Friday, Justice Murphy of the Federal Court ruled that the Morrison government's robodebt scheme was flawed, unlawful and a very shameful chapter in Australia's history. This was a disgraceful...
    • State of Origin (1 speech)
      I want to congratulate the Coach Brad Fittler, a former Rooster; Captain James 'Teddy' Tedescoe, himself a Rooster; and some of the star players in the New South Wales Blues team last week,...
    • Mayo Electorate: Queen's Birthday Honours (1 speech)
      I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate the Mayo residents who were honoured in the Queen's Birthday honours. That list includes Members of the Order of Australia Anthony Phillips of...
    • Queensland Government (1 speech)
      In the last federal election, we saw that there was not much that the Labor Party didn't want to put a new tax on. They wanted to tax our houses, our cars and our retirement. Every member of the...
    • Tasmanian Government (1 speech)
      The residents of East Coast Tasmania have been severely impacted by the ongoing closure of the Tasman Highway, which is now in its third week. Last Friday, I drove from the airport to Orford and...
    • Trade with United Kingdom (1 speech)
      I rise to commend our Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on the conclusion overnight of negotiations for the Australia-UK free trade agreement. This is...
    • Renewable Energy (1 speech)
      Yesterday in this place the government voted to allow the Australian Renewable Energy Agency to invest in non-renewable technologies, to invest in what this government calls low-emissions...
    • Herbert Electorate: Bureau of Meteorology (1 speech)
      The Bureau of Meteorology is returning to Townsville. It was fantastic to be able to make the announcement a couple of weeks ago that six new bureau staff will be based on the ground in our city...
    • Burt Electorate (10 speeches)
      Quite offensively, last week Armadale, a suburb in the federal electorate of Burt was voted, and I'm quoting the precise language: 'Perth's shittest suburb 2021'. The poll criticised our fashion...
    • Forde Electorate: Queen's Birthday Awards (1 speech)
      I want to take this opportunity to congratulate three winners of Queen's Birthday honours in my electorate of Forde: Heather Christensen, who received an OAM; Annette Mundt, an OAM; and Mick...
    • Frankston and District Basketball Association (1 speech)
      I rise to tell the House about the mighty Frankston and District Basketball Association and to congratulate them for recently being awarded as one of the two top associations of Basketball...
    • Economides, Mr Steven (1 speech)
      It is with great sadness that I'd like to inform the House of the passing of one of Bayside's most influential businessmen, Mr Steven Economides. Steve was a larger-than-life character who would...
    • Asylum Seekers (1 speech)
      Members of the government have provided many reasons why the Biloela family Kopika, Nades, Priya and Tharunicaa cannot go home to Biloela—something the family and their community so...
    • Budget (2 speeches)
      The Queensland state Labor treasurer, Cameron Dick, handed down a state budget which yet again delivered very little for the Sunshine Coast. While the Morrison government is investing in the...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Wages (11 speeches)
      My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. Does the Morrison government take responsibility for real wages going backwards, workers being paid below the minimum wage, cuts to penalty rates and...
    • Trade (4 speeches)
      My question is also to the Acting Prime Minister. Will the Acting Prime Minister inform the House of how the Morrison-McCormack government's free trade agreements are supporting the economic...
    • COVID-19: Vaccination (3 speeches)
      My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. As of today, less than three per cent of Australians are fully vaccinated against COVID. When will all Australians who wish to be vaccinated be fully...
    • Trade with the United Kingdom (5 speeches)
      My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer inform the House how Australia's strong trading performance, with the Morrison-McCormack government's new free trade agreement with the United...
    • COVID-19: Economy (7 speeches)
      My question is to the Treasurer. The government's budget assumes there'll be a one-week lockdown in Australia every month for the rest of this year. Hasn't Treasury been forced into these...
    • Water (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia. On 28 May in Senate estimates the government advised that only 100 gigalitres of water is estimated to be recovered...
  • Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      Before I call the next question, I welcome to the Speaker's gallery the President of the Legislative Council of South Australia, the Hon. John Dawkins. Welcome to question time. Honourable...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Trade with the United Kingdom (5 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment. Will the minister please update the House on yesterday's historic announcement that Australia and the United Kingdom have...
    • Mouse Plague (5 speeches)
      My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. The New South Wales agriculture minister said about the horrific mouse plague: It's incredibly disappointing to hear the Commonwealth admit they've...
    • Trade with the United Kingdom (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Drought, and Emergency Management. Will the minister outline to the House how the Morrison-McCormack government's historic Australia-UK free trade...
    • Mouse Plague (4 speeches)
      My question is again to the Acting Prime Minister. When strawberries and public health were under threat, this government pushed through urgent legislation in a single day. Why isn't the...
    • Trade with the United Kingdom (2 speeches)
      My question is to the . Will the minister outline to the House how the Morrison-McCormack government's historic Australia-UK free trade deal will strengthen our economy by delivering more jobs...
    • COVID-19: Vaccination (6 speeches)
      My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. The government announced that Australia's 360,000 aged-care workers would be fully vaccinated against COVID by Easter. How many aged-care workers are...
    • Trade with the United Kingdom (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Defence Industry. Will the minister outline to the House how the Morrison-McCormack government's historic UK-Australia free trade deal will strengthen our...
    • COVID-19: Vaccination (6 speeches)
      My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. Yesterday the aged-care minister said: Every aged care worker who wants access to a vaccine right now has access to a vaccine right now. It is the...
    • National Security (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Defence. Will the minister please outline to the House how the Morrison-McCormick government's strong relationship with Australia's strategic partners is...
    • COVID-19: Vaccination (4 speeches)
      My question is again to the Acting Prime Minister. The government announced that all aged-care workers would be fully vaccinated by Easter, but the minister just confirmed that only 41,000 of...
    • Trade with the United Kingdom (2 speeches)
      My question is for the Minister for Decentralisation and Regional Education and Minister assisting the Minister for Trade and Investment. Will the minister inform the House how the...
    • COVID-19: Vaccination (6 speeches)
      My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. In April the government announced it would establish 13 dedicated pop-up clinics to vaccinate aged-care workers by the end of May. How many of those...
    • National Security (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. Will the minister please outline to the House why improving security at airports and seaports is so crucial for national security and community...
    • COVID-19: Vaccination (15 speeches)
      My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. Aged-care residents across Australia were meant to be fully vaccinated by Easter. Is the Acting Prime Minister aware that the Department of Health...
  • Statements on Indulgence (0 speeches)
    • Brill, Mrs Jan Letchford, AM (2 speeches)
      I wish to do something we don't often do in this chamber—that is, to say a few words of thanks and express our gratitude to Australians who are often overlooked. The speed of things in this...
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
      I move: That leave of absence from the determination of this sitting until 3 August 2021 be given to Mr Pearce for parental leave purposes. Question agreed to.
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • Presentation (1 speech)
      Documents are tabled in accordance with the list circulated to honourable members earlier today. Full details of the documents will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings.
  • Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
    • Climate Change (26 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 Government's failure to...
  • 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: report 7 of 2021. Report made a parliamentary paper in...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • Aged Care, Child Care, Griffith Electorate: Roads (1 speech)
      Our aged-care system is in crisis. The Prime Minister has neglected older Australians for far too long. There is a reason people avoid putting their parents into aged-care facilities for as long...
    • Running Wild (1 speech)
      The idyllic Moreton Bay islands are amazing places to visit, but thousands of local residents in my electorate suffer significant isolation challenges through lack of services. You can understand...
    • Sikh Volunteers Australia (1 speech)
      I rise tonight to speak about an amazing community organisation, which I proudly acknowledge as based in my electorate. It's an organisation that has become a beacon of hope for many people in my...
    • Liberalism (1 speech)
      The course of human progress is driven by empowered individuals, not acceptance by group identity. In 1853, abolitionist pastor Theodore Parker identified the necessity of perspective against the...
    • Intergenerational Reports (1 speech)
      We now know that the fifth Intergenerational report will be handed down after parliament rises in the last week of this month. It's a really important opportunity for long-term thinking about how...
    • O'Connor Electorate: Western Australia Day (1 speech)
      The Western Australia Day long weekend is an opportunity to celebrate who we are as Western Australians. In my enormous electorate, O'Connor communities come together and celebrate in a variety...
  • Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
    • Watson Electorate: Community Groups (1 speech)
      My mob celebrate the feast of All Saints in the Christian church at the beginning of November, but in the Orthodox Christian Church it's celebrated on the first Sunday following the feast of...
    • Blair Electorate: Aged Care (1 speech)
      I rise to speak on behalf of old and frail constituents in my electorate of Blair who are not getting the help they need from this government. They've been ignored, neglected and abandoned....
    • Moncrieff Electorate: Queen's Birthday Honours (1 speech)
      It gives me great pleasure to pay special tribute to Moncrieff constituents and fellow Gold Coasters who were recognised in the Queen's Birthday 2021 Honours List just this last Monday. Dr...
    • National Archives of Australia (1 speech)
      The preservation of our most precious historical records is at risk. Without effective long-term federal government funding, the National Archives of Australia will at least need to cut corners...
    • Nillumbik Prize for Contemporary Art, Warrandyte Festival (1 speech)
      There have been many casualties of the COVID pandemic, especially in Victoria, where abject failure of administration to provide for adequate quarantine, to put in place workable contact tracing...
    • Renewable Energy, Manufacturing (1 speech)
      This week, of course, we've seen the G7 meeting take place. The leading nations of the world that met reaffirmed their commitment to net zero by 2050—except, of course, Australia. We see...
    • Forde Electorate: Road Funding (1 speech)
      It's with great pleasure that I rise to speak about the latest round of black spot road funding announced in my electorate of Forde late last week. We all know the importance of road safety, and...
    • Nguyen, Mr Ted, Green, Mrs Oriel (1 speech)
      I rise to acknowledge the contributions of two valued members of the Cowan community. Mr Ted Nguyen is the president of Westnam United Soccer Club. It's my pleasure to award Ted the Australian...
    • 2NBC, 1st Oatley Bay Sea Scouts (2 speeches)
      I want to talk today about 2NBC, an incredibly important part of our local community in the St George area. Founded back in 1983, 2NBC has provided fantastic radio coverage for almost four...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Constituency Statements (0 speeches)
    • This is Holt: Our Community - Our Stories (1 speech)
      Today I wanted to talk specifically about people and organisations that make a massive difference to my community, my constituency and my region by their good efforts and good deeds. Being a...
    • Reid Print Technologies (1 speech)
      I visited Reid Print Technologies, a business in my electorate at Clontarf, and I was blown away by the products coming out of an unassuming building in one of our light industrial areas. People...
    • Fremantle Electorate: Aboriginal Cultural and Visitors Centre (1 speech)
      I was very glad to get an update last week from the City of Cockburn about the creation of a new Aboriginal, and indeed cultural and business, centre to be sited at Bibra Lake, or Walubup, a site...
    • Epis, Mr James Gregory (Jim) (1 speech)
      I rise today to give a shout-out to one of the Northern Goldfields great characters, Jim Epis, whose lifetime commitment to the Shire of Leonora was recognised in the recent dedication of the JG...
    • Medicare (1 speech)
      For 50 years Labor has fought for the right of all Australians to access decent, affordable health care, and for every one of those 50 years the Liberals have fought to tear that down. Here we...
    • Red Apple Day (1 speech)
      Today is a very important day for Bowel Cancer Australia as Red Apple Day is celebrated in communities right across Australia. I'm proud to once again be shining a spotlight on bowel cancer...
    • Macnamara Electorate: Creatives (1 speech)
      Macnamara is home to many outstanding creative and artistic organisations and businesses. It is a part of our local community to come to St Kilda, to come especially to Southbank and to come to...
    • Small Business (7 speeches)
      We bang on a lot about small business in this place. People ask why we keep banging on about it. Today I want to speak as a small-business owner rather than as a parliamentarian. I've got a...
    • Clemton Park Public School (1 speech)
      Today I would like to acknowledge the teachers and students at Clemton Park primary school. I had the privilege of visiting the school last Monday 7 June. I want to thank in particular year 3...
    • Wooldridge, Mrs Norma Margaret, Australian Surf Life Saving Championships, New South Wales Hockey State Championships (1 speech)
      I would like to acknowledge the wonderful life of Norma Wooldridge, from Lismore, who, sadly, passed away recently. Norma was a well-known Lismore caterer and volunteer for many community...
    • Climate Change (1 speech)
      The latest data shows that atmospheric carbon dioxide reached a monthly average level of 419 parts per million in May 2021, having increased from 417 parts per million in May 2020. The increase,...
    • Animal Products (1 speech)
      Increasingly we are seeing synthetic things—made mainly from oil—being passed off as vegan leather and fleece and we are seeing laboratory grown or plant based products being labelled...
    • Medicare (1 speech)
      Once again Medicare is under threat by the Liberals and the Nationals. They've been caught trying to sneak through almost 1,000 changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule under the cover of COVID....
    • Elders FarmFest (1 speech)
      For three huge days last week tens of thousands of people from all around South-East Queensland poured into Kingsthorpe for the 2021 Elders FarmFest. There was a record-breaking attendance. With...
    • Lilley Electorate: Aged Care (1 speech)
      A few weeks ago, before Victoria went into lockdown, I had the pleasure of visiting TriCare at Stafford Lakes with the shadow minister for senior Australians and aged-care services, the member...
    • Gas Industry (1 speech)
      On budget night the Treasurer laid the foundations for Australia's road to recovery, and that road to recovery is absolutely going to be gas fired. Gas supports our manufacturing sector. It also...
    • Immigration Detention (1 speech)
      Yesterday saw an overdue but welcome decision from the Morrison government in the case of the Murugappan family—the Biloela family, as they've become known around the country—Priya,...
    • Bowel Cancer (1 speech)
      I remember that back on 22 October 1975 I was dropped off at the Lonergan's place and my mom went in to have my younger brother, Timothy. He was born and it was a joyous event. A couple of years...
    • Patsikatheodorou, Mrs Helen (1 speech)
      Today I want to pay tribute to Helen Patsikatheodorou, who is a proud recipient of the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday 2021 Honours List. I have known Helen for almost 40 years. I...
    • Covid-19 (2 speeches)
      Despite the immense challenges of the past 16 months, Australia is roaring back to life. I'm so proud of our achievements. We have stuck together, we have looked out for each other and we have...
  • Grievance Debate (0 speeches)
    • Macarthur Electorate: Education (1 speech)
      I rise today as a firm believer in our public education system. As a paediatrician and a lover of science, I understand and appreciate the critical role that education and intervention in the...
    • National Security, Economy (1 speech)
      Australians have faced our fair share of challenges throughout the years: fires, floods, cyclones, world wars, and now a global pandemic and the associated global economic crisis. On top of that...
    • Parliamentary Privilege (1 speech)
      I rise today to speak further about what I view as a serious and unacceptable threat to the vital democratic principle of parliamentary privilege. Yesterday I raised this matter in the House in...
    • Agricultural Exports, Trade with the United Kingdom (1 speech)
      I rise to speak on how the Liberal-National government is pushing further ahead in its ambitious task o agricultural production in Australia to $100 billion by 2030. Australian agricultural...
    • Young Australians (3 speeches)
      'My age group isn't taken seriously when we report on a serious issue, and it pains me that we won't be taken seriously under a Scott Morrison government.' This is a quote from 19-year-old...
    • Cairns University Hospital, Insurance, Health Care (4 speeches)
      I can assure our previous speaker in this debate that I'm listening. I'm listening.
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • Oxley Electorate: Community Groups (1 speech)
      Over the past weekend we had the opportunity to celebrate all things Queensland in my electorate of Oxley. Queensland Day is a celebration of our state's birthday and it's official separation...
    • New Acland Coal Mine (1 speech)
      It was great to hear the member for Oxley praising the efforts of Councillor Sheila Ireland, a great local representative and someone who does a very good job in her local community. But tonight...
    • Fossil Fuel Industry (1 speech)
      Last year the climate fuelled bushfires burned across Australia. Last month the International Energy Agency said that, to get to net zero, the very first thing that every country has to do is...
    • COIVD-19: Emergency Powers (1 speech)
      Most people in the community accept that during times of crisis governments need to centralise some key decision-making and quickly implement laws to ensure the health, safety and security of...
    • Franklin Electorate: Community Organisations (1 speech)
      One of the great privileges as a local member, as I'm sure everybody in this place agrees, is going out to local community organisations and meeting some extraordinary people doing remarkable...
    • New England Electorate: Queen's Birthday Honours (1 speech)
      I rise tonight in regard to those people in Australia who take the extra step. I believe our nation is made up of roughly three groups. We've got the group who throw papers out the window of a...