Senate debates

Tuesday, 20 November 2012

  • Privilege (0 speeches)
    • (2 speeches)
      By letter dated 5 November 2012, Senator Thistlethwaite, the former chair of the Select Committee on Electricity Prices, raised a matter of privilege under standing order 81. The matter of...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Days and Hours of Meeting (4 speeches)
      I move: That— (1) On Tuesday, 20 November 2012: (a) the hours of meeting shall be 11 am to 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm to adjournment; (b) the routine of business from not later than 7.30 pm shall...
    • Consideration of Legislation; Consideration of Legislation (15 speeches)
      I table statements of reasons relating to the Fair Entitlements Guarantee Bill 2012 and the Fair Work Amendment (Transfer of Business) Bill 2012 and seek leave to have the statements incorporated...
    • Consideration of Legislation; Rearrangement (1 speech)
      I move: That intervening business be postponed till after consideration of the government business order of the day relating to the Water Amendment (Long-term Average Sustainable Diversion Limit...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Ministerial Arrangements (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I indicate to the Senate that Senator Abetz will be absent from question time today because of illness.
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Convention against Corruption (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Bob Carr. Is the minister aware that Australia became a signatory to the United Nations Convention against Corruption on 9 December...
    • Economy (6 speeches)
      My question is to Minister Wong, representing the Treasurer. Can the minister update the Senate on the outlook for the Australian economy? Has the minister seen any recent international reports...
    • Indigenous Employment (9 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development, Minister Ludwig. Can the minister explain why the government has made changes to the...
    • Mining (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Wong. Given that the Australian Greens have a bill before the parliament to close the state royalties loophole in the mining...
    • Asylum Seekers (20 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Wong. I refer the minister to the fact that the government's budget in the immigration portfolio for 2012-13 is based on 450...
    • Education Funding (9 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, Senator Kim Carr. Following the mass rally on the weekend in support of Australian...
    • Carbon Pricing (9 speeches)
      We were going so well until Senator Carr answered his questions. My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Senator Ludwig. Can the...
    • Pensions and Benefits (6 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Human Services, Senator Kim Carr. Last week the minister gave media interviews in which he said the government currently believes that 10,000 single parents...
    • Carbon Pricing (12 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Senator Ludwig. I refer the minister to three denials the White House issued in three days...
    • East Asia Summit (9 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Bob Carr. Can the minister inform the Senate of the Australian government's objectives for the seventh East Asia Summit in Cambodia?
  • Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
    • Convention against Corruption (17 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Senator Bob Carr) to a question without notice asked by Senator Fierravanti-Wells today relating to the...
    • Pensions and Benefits (1 speech)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Human Services (Senator Kim Carr) to a question without notice asked by Senator Siewert today relating to Newstart. The...
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • Presentation (1 speech)
      I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move: That the exposure draft and explanatory notes of the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012 be referred to the Legal and...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (1 speech)
      At the request of the chair of the Selection of Bills Committee, Senator McEwen, I present the 15th report of 2012 of the Selection of Bills Committee and I seek leave to have the report...
    • Selection of Bills Committee; Reference (8 speeches)
      Could I just check that Senator Brown referred the bills to the community affairs committee and the finance and public administration committee?
    • Gambling Reform Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
      by leave—I move: That the Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sitting of the...
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
      by leave—on behalf of Senator Kroger, I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Abetz for today, 20 November, for personal reasons; and leave of absence be granted to Senator...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Water and Sanitation (1 speech)
      I move the following motion standing in the names of Senators Moore, Boyce, Rhiannon and Cash: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) 2.5 billion people currently live without access to...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • University of Western Sydney (1 speech)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) the University of Western Sydney (UWS) has foreshadowed planned cuts to economics and community languages courses and academic staffing cuts...
  • Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
    • Budget (26 speeches)
      A letter has been received from Senator Fifield: Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion: The Gillard...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • Equal Pay (1 speech)
      I rise tonight to speak on the issue of the social and community services pay equity case. A principle that is strongly held by the Australian Labor Party is that workers who perform equal work...
    • Australian Defence Force Parliamentary Program (1 speech)
      (): Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. 'Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns!' he said: Into the valley of Death Rode...
    • United States of America: Military Bases in Australia (1 speech)
      That is such an interesting speech to follow that I would like to add my remarks to some of those of Senator McKenzie as the beneficiary also of the trip that directly preceded hers into the same...
    • Malaysia (1 speech)
      I rise tonight to speak of on an issue of great importance in our region, an issue I feel we as Australian parliamentarians have an obligation to speak out on because it concerns a great friend...
    • World Toilet Day (1 speech)
      Madam Acting Deputy President Pratt, as you know, 19 November is World Toilet Day. Every year I try to come into this place and make some comment about the importance of clean water and...
    • Hancock, Mr Lang (1 speech)
      This Thursday marks the 60th anniversary of Mr Lang Hancock’s famous flight during which he discovered enormous iron ore deposits in Western Australia. It also marks the start of a shining...
    • Equality (1 speech)
      Tonight I am going to speak about the importance of the right to equality in Australian society. Equality is a core democratic principle that underpins our society. Applying this principle is...