Senate debates
Wednesday, 19 March 2008
- Statute Law Revision Bill 2008; Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (National Broadband Network) Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- First Reading (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Ludwig and Senator Conroy, I move: That the following bills be introduced:A Bill for an Act to make various amendments of the statute law of the Commonwealth, to repeal...
- Second Reading (1 speech)
I table the explanatory memoranda relating to the bills and move: That these bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speeches incorporated in Hansard. Leave...
- Business (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Ludwig, I move: That the provisions of paragraphs (5) and (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the following bills, allowing them to be considered during this period...
- Infrastructure Australia Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- (0 speeches)
Consideration resumed from 18 March.
- In Committee (82 speeches)
Bill—by leave—taken as a whole.
- Matters of Public Interest (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Order! It being 12.45 pm, I call on matters of public interest.
- Arthritis (1 speech)
I rise to speak today on a matter of public interest which currently affects one in two households in Australia and is a major cause of chronic pain and disability. It is estimated that around...
- Rural and Regional Services (6 speeches)
I rise with a heavy heart to inform the Senate of the negative and short-sighted policy decisions that the Rudd Labor government has pursued toward rural and regional Australia in its first 100...
- Natural Resource Management (1 speech)
I would like talk today about the need for a strategic, science based approach to natural resource management and conservation. Natural resource management, NRM, is complex and of vital...
- 60th Anniversary of the State of Israel (1 speech)
I rise to express my support for the motion that was carried in the House of Representatives last Wednesday congratulating the state of Israel on its 60th anniversary. That motion was moved by...
- Indigenous Affairs (1 speech)
I would like to speak today about the rights of Indigenous Australians and some of the political dynamics surrounding them. I have said on the record a number of times, in this place and outside...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Climate Change (10 speeches)
I direct my question to the Minister for Climate Change and Water. By how much will electricity prices rise as a result of Labor’s mandatory renewable energy target?
- Tibet (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Faulkner. Can the minister advise the Senate on the most recent developments in Tibet, and Australia’s...
- Workplace Relations (7 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Wong. Given that Labor yesterday voted with the coalition to continue the former...
- Discretionary Grants (14 speeches)
Mr President, my question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Senator Sherry. Can the minister inform the Senate on any new trends in the use of...
- Immigration: Overseas Trained Doctors (12 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship. Given that the minister’s own department’s review of the qualifications and work experience of overseas trained doctors...
- Economy (11 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Conroy. Through you, Mr President: Minister, given the concern about inflation and high public spending, is the government...
- Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
- (2 speeches)
Order! Before I call Senator Scullion, I draw the attention of honourable senators to the presence in the chamber of a parliamentary delegation from the Republic of Lithuania, led by Mr Algirdas...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Indigenous Communities (13 speeches)
My question is to Senator Evans, the Minister representing the Prime Minister. Given the reports in the Northern Territory News today that Senator Crossin has been forced to apologise to the...
- Workplace Relations (2 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Wong. Can the minister outline to the Senate what impact Australian workplace agreements...
- Square Kilometre Array Radio Telescope (18 speeches)
My question is to Senator Carr. I refer him to his embarrassing and rambling answer yesterday. Can the minister inform the Senate exactly how much new money the Labor government has committed to...
- Welfare Reform (4 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Wong. I refer to recent media reports that the rules on welfare payments to single mothers...
- Broadband (4 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Education, Senator Carr. Now that the Rudd government has confirmed that it will break its promise to begin building a national...
- Automotive Industry (11 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Carr. Can the minister explain to the Senate the significance to Australia of Holden’s VE ute export...
- Department of Parliamentary Services (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I am pleased to announce that Mr Alan Thompson has accepted an offer to take up the position of Secretary of the Department of Parliamentary Services. Mr Thompson has extensive public sector...
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Work for the Dole (1 speech)
I have a very short additional response to a question from Senator Cormann yesterday regarding Green Corps and Work for the Dole. I make the following statement in response to Senator...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Climate Change (11 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Climate Change and Water (Senator Wong) to a question without notice asked by Senator Chapman today relating to...
- Economy (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (Senator Conroy) to a question without notice asked by Senator Murray...
- Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I seek leave to make a personal explanation. Leave granted. In response to a supplementary question during question time, the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Evans, had some...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Presentation (0 speeches)
Senator Ian Macdonald to move on the next day of sitting:That the time for the presentation of the report of the Select Committee on State Government Financial Management be extended to 27 August...
- Withdrawal (1 speech)
At the request of Senator Stott Despoja, I withdraw business of the Senate notice of motion No. 3 standing in the name of Senator Stott Despoja for today relating to a reference to the Senate...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Selection of Bills Committee; Report (2 speeches)
I present the third report of 2008 of the Selection of Bills Committee, and I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The report read as follows— SELECTION OF...
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Postponement (0 speeches)
The following items of business were postponed: General business notice of motion no. 41 standing in the name of the Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Bob Brown) for 20 March 2008,...
- Tibet (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate urges the Government to initiate or support moves to have a fact-finding delegation from the United Nations, or its Human Rights Council, visit Tibet as a matter of...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Electoral Matters Committee; Reference (7 speeches)
by leave—I move: That the provisions of Schedule 1 of the Tax Laws Amendment (2008 Measures No. 1) Bill 2008 be referred to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters for inquiry and...
- Economics Committee; Reference (2 speeches)
I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 4 standing in my name for today relating to a reference to the Senate Standing Committee on Economics, Australia’s space science...
- Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee; Reference (1 speech)
I move: That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee for inquiry and report by 4 September 2008:Concerns in relation to meat marketing,...
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Mr William Alfred (Bill) Brown OAM (1 speech)
I move:That the Senate—(a)notes with deep regret the passing of Mr William Alfred (Bill) Brown, OAM on 16 March 2008;(b)acknowledges the significant contribution Mr Brown made...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Regional and Remote Indigenous Communities Committee; Establishment (30 speeches)
I seek leave to make a short statement in relation to general business notice of motion No. 49 standing in the name of Senator Scullion. Leave granted. This motion seeks to establish a select...
- Scrutiny of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
I present the second report of 2008 of the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills. I also lay on the table Scrutiny of Bills Alert Digest No. 2 of 2008, dated 19 March 2008. Ordered...
- Public Works Committee; Reports (1 speech)
On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present four reports of the committee, as listed at item 12 on today’s Order of Business. Ordered that the reports be...
- Delegation Reports (0 speeches)
- Interstate Road Transport Charge Amendment Bill 2008; Road Transport Charges (Australian Capital Territory) Repeal Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- First Reading (1 speech)
Bills received from the House of Representatives.
- Second Reading (1 speech)
I move: That these bills be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the minister’s second reading speeches incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speeches read as follows—...
- Infrastructure Australia Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- In Committee (22 speeches)
Consideration resumed.
- Third Reading (1 speech)
I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
- Interstate Road Transport Charge Amendment Bill 2008; Road Transport Charges (Australian Capital Territory) Repeal Bill 2008 (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Membership (2 speeches)
Order! I have received letters from party leaders seeking to vary the membership of committees.
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That consideration of government documents be not proceeded with today, and that government business continue until 7.20 pm. Question agreed to.
- Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2007-2008; Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2007-2008 (0 speeches)
- Second Reading (2 speeches)
Debate resumed from 11 March, on motion by Senator Faulkner: That these bills be now read a second time.
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- (1 speech)
Order! It being 7.20 pm, I propose the question: That the Senate do now adjourn.
- Homelessness (1 speech)
I rise this evening to speak in support of Prime Minister Rudd’s commitment to tackling the growing problem of homelessness around Australia. At the beginning I would like to introduce...
- Hon. Peter Garrett MP (1 speech)
When rock singer and greenie activist Peter Garrett announced that he was standing for federal parliament as a candidate for the Australian Labor Party, a lot of people thought it was a fairly...
- Family First Party (1 speech)
Two-and-a-half years ago I stood here as Family First’s inaugural senator to explain why there was a need for a political party in Australia called Family First. We all know that big...
- Tasmanian Health System (5 speeches)
I felt moved to speak in the chamber today about health in general and developments in health in my home state of Tasmania in particular. Health is an important issue for many Tasmanians, and in...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- 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...
- Departmental and Agency Contracts (0 speeches)
The following document was tabled pursuant to the order of the Senate of 20 June 2001, as amended: Departmental and agency contracts for 2007—Letter of advice—Veterans’ Affairs...
- Tabling (0 speeches)
The following documents were tabled by the Clerk: [Legislative instruments are identified by a Federal Register of Legislative Instruments (FRLI) number] Christmas Island Act—List of...
