Senate debates

Thursday, 30 March 2006

  • Telecommunications (Interception) Amendment Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
    • In Committee (160 speeches)
      Consideration resumed from 29 March.
    • Third Reading (4 speeches)
      I move: That this bill be now read a third time.
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Workplace Relations (6 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Can the minister confirm that nearly four million Australian workers can now be sacked unfairly...
    • Workplace Relations: Unfair Dismissal (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Abetz. I refer the minister to a question asked yesterday about employers who sack their...
    • Cyclone Larry (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Arts and Sports, Senator Kemp, in his capacity representing the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Will the minister inform the...
    • Workplace Relations (4 speeches)
      My question is to Senator Abetz, the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Can the minister confirm that the new Howard government Workplace Relations Act...
    • Goods and Services Tax (2 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Finance and Administration, representing the Treasurer. Will the minister inform the Senate of the benefits to state governments, like my state of New South...
  • Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
    • (2 speeches)
      Order! I draw the attention of honourable senators to the presence in the chamber of a parliamentary delegation from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, led by the Hon. Chaudhary Amir Hussain,...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Christmas Island Mining (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell. I refer to phosphate mining operations on Christmas Island, which were allowed to continue in 1991 on the...
    • Skilled Migration (4 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Senator Vanstone. Will the minister inform the Senate of the valuable work being done by regional certifying bodies to...
    • Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Funding (8 speeches)
      My question is to Senator Coonan, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. Has the minister’s attention been drawn to a report today that the KPMG review into...
    • Tasmanian Forests (7 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Minchin. Given the Prime Minister’s promise in his now infamous 2004 election forest policy entitled...
    • Regional Services: Program Funding (19 speeches)
      My question is to Senator Campbell, the Minister representing the Minister for Transport and Regional Services. I refer the minister to the government grant of $1.5 million for the dredging of...
    • Fishing Industry (5 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation, Senator Abetz. Will the minister inform the Senate how the Howard government is acting to ensure the sustainability and...
  • Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
    • Work Choices (18 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation (Senator Abetz) to questions without notice asked today relating to changes to...
    • Christmas Island Mining (3 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage (Senator Ian Campbell) to a question without notice asked by Senator Siewert today relating...
  • Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I seek leave to make a brief personal explanation as I claim to have been misrepresented. Leave granted. Last evening the member for Lindsay made a contribution, a rare one, in the House of...
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Rearrangement (1 speech)
      by leave—I move:That, on Thursday, 30 March 2006:(a)the hours of meeting shall be 9.30 am to adjournment;(b)consideration of general business and consideration of committee reports,...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Mental Health Committee; Report (5 speeches)
      I present the first report of the Select Committee on Mental Health entitled A national approach to mental health: from crisis to community, together with the Hansard record of proceedings and...
  • Petitions (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      The Clerk: Petitions have been lodged for presentation as follows:
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • Presentation (0 speeches)
      Senator Stott Despoja to move on the next day of sitting:That the Senate—(a)notes:(i)the Make Poverty History campaign’s White Band Day on Sunday, 2 April 2006;(ii)the continuing...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (2 speeches)
      I present the third report of 2006 of the Selection of Bills Committee and move: That the report be adopted. I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The report...
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • Postponement (0 speeches)
      The following item of business was postponed: Business of the Senate notice of motion no. 1 standing in the name of Senator Bartlett for today, proposing the reference of matters to the Community...
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Withdrawal (1 speech)
      by leave—I move: That the following government business orders of the day  be discharged from the Notice Paper:No. 19 Workplace Relations Amendment (Better Bargaining) Bill 2005.No. 20...
  • Children: Sexual Assault (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I move:That the Senate—(a)notes that the recent Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) conference passed a resolution calling on ‘the Federal Coalition Government, the...
  • Genetic Use Restriction Technologies (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I move:That the Senate—(a)notes:(i)that the Australian Government has not as yet stated a public policy position on genetic use restriction technologies (GURTs), and has not yet undertaken...
  • Climate Change (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I move:That the Senate—(a)notes:(i)the comments by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK), Mr Tony Blair, made in the House of Representatives on 27 March 2006, about the need for...
  • Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I move:That the Senate—(a)notes that the Federal Government’s Climate Change: Risk and Vulnerability report states that:(i)both the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics are very...
  • Parliamentary Zone (0 speeches)
    • Proposal for Works (1 speech)
      At the request of Senator Ellison, I move:That, in accordance with section 5 of the Parliament Act 1974, the Senate approves the proposal by the National Capital Authority for capital works...
  • Protecting Children from Junk Food Advertising Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
    • First Reading (1 speech)
      At the request of Senator Allison, I move: That the following bill be introduced:A Bill for an Act to amend the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to encourage healthier eating habits among children...
    • Second Reading (1 speech)
      I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speech read as follows— The Protecting Children...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Budget (0 speeches)
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Budget (0 speeches)
    • Consideration by Legislation Committees; Reports (1 speech)
      Pursuant to order and at the request of the chairs of the respective committees, I present reports in respect of the 2005-06 additional estimates from the Economics Legislation Committee, the...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Economics Legislation Committee; Report (3 speeches)
      On behalf of the Chair of the Economics Legislation Committee, Senator Brandis, I present the report of the committee on its examination of annual reports tabled by 31 October 2005.
    • Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee; Report (1 speech)
      I present the report of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee entitled China’s emergence: implications for Australia, together with documents presented to the...
    • Community Affairs References Committee; Report (1 speech)
      I present the response of the Community Affairs References Committee to the petition on gynaecological health issues, together with the Hansard record of proceedings and documents presented to...
    • Reports: Government Responses (2 speeches)
      I present two government responses to committee reports as follows: Employment, Workplace Relations and Education References Committee—Unfair dismissal and small business employment...
  • Maritime Legislation Amendment Bill 2005 [2006]; Jurisdiction of Courts (Family Law) Bill 2005 [2006] (0 speeches)
  • Family Assistance, Social Security and Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (2005 Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
    • Second Reading (0 speeches)
      Debate resumed from 29 March, on motion by Senator Ellison: That this bill be now read a second time. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time.
    • In Committee (56 speeches)
      Bill—by leave—taken as a whole.
    • Third Reading (1 speech)
      I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Cancer Australia Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
    • First Reading (1 speech)
      Bill received from the House of Representatives.
    • Second Reading (8 speeches)
      —I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speech read as follows— The establishment...
    • In Committee (9 speeches)
      Bill—by leave—taken as a whole.
    • Third Reading (1 speech)
      I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Family Law Amendment (Shared Parental Responsibility) Bill 2006 (0 speeches)
    • Second Reading (0 speeches)
      Debate resumed from 27 March, on motion by Senator Santoro: That this bill be now read a second time. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time.
    • In Committee (117 speeches)
      Bill—by leave—taken as a whole.
    • Third Reading (1 speech)
      I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2005-2006; Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2005-2006 (0 speeches)
    • Second Reading (0 speeches)
      Debate resumed from 29 March, on motion by Senator Kemp: That these bills be now read a second time. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time.
    • Third Reading (4 speeches)
      I move: That these bills be now read a third time.
  • Advance to the Finance Minister (0 speeches)
    • (0 speeches)
      Consideration resumed from 8 February.
    • In Committee (1 speech)
      I move: That the committee approves the statement of Issues from the Advance to the Finance Minister as a final charge for the year ended 30 June 2005. Question agreed to. Resolution reported;...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Membership (1 speech)
      by leave—I move: That senators be discharged from and appointed to committees as follows: Community Affairs Legislation Committee— Appointed—Substitute member: Senator Siewert...
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I move: That the Senate do now adjourn.
    • Westpoint Collapse (1 speech)
      It is again unfortunate that some 4,000 investors have pitifully lost a substantial level of their savings because of the high-risk, high-interest property schemes under the Westpoint banner....
    • Tasmania: Election (1 speech)
      I rise to speak on the recent outstanding results for the Labor Party in the Tasmanian state election. On Saturday, 18 March, Tasmanians voted to return Labor leader Paul Lennon as Premier and to...
    • Trade: Live Animal Exports (1 speech)
      I wish to respond in part to the speech given last night by Senator McGauran and also to expand on issues that I have raised here in the past regarding the live animal export trade. A lot has...
    • Mr Mick Farrelley (1 speech)
      I do not know whether Mr Michael Farrelley is listening tonight—I doubt it very much at 10 minutes to one in the morning—but I would like to take this opportunity to mark his...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • Tabling (0 speeches)
      The following documents were tabled by the Clerk: [Legislative instruments are identified by a Federal Register of Legislative Instruments (FRLI) number] Civil Aviation Act—Civil Aviation...
    • Indexed Lists of Files (0 speeches)
      The following document was tabled pursuant to the order of the Senate of 30 May 1996, as amended: Indexed lists of departmental and agency files for the period 1 July to 31 December...