Senate debates

Thursday, 14 November 2013

  • Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
    • Anzac Centenary (3 speeches)
      by leave—On 2 September this year, the coalition gave a commitment to deliver a ministerial statement in relation to the Centenary of Anzac. This came on the back of my 28 November 2012...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (16 speeches)
      At the request of the Chair of the Selection of Bills Committee (Senator Kroger), I present the ninth report of 2013 of the Selection of Bills Committee and seek leave to have the report...
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Rearrangement (1 speech)
      I move: That consideration of non-controversial government business not be proceeded with today and that the following government business orders of the day be considered till 2 pm: Commonwealth...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Senate Temporary Orders (1 speech)
      I move: That the temporary order of the Senate relating to consideration of private senators' bills, which applied until 30 June 2013, be adopted to operate as a temporary order until 30 June...
    • Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
      I move: That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the Commonwealth Inscribed Stock Amendment Bill 2013, allowing it to be considered during this period of...
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Heaney, Mr Seamus (1 speech)
      I, and also on behalf of Senator Mason, move: That the Senate— (a) pays tribute to the Irish poet and Nobel laureate, Mr Seamus Heaney, who died in Dublin on 30 August 2013 at the age of...
    • Australian Automotive Industry (7 speeches)
      I, and also on behalf of Senators Farrell, McEwen and Wong, move: That the Senate— (a) notes That the car industry contributes $21.5 billion to Australian gross domestic product and That...
    • Workplace Relations (5 speeches)
      I, and on behalf of Senator Moore, move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) 15 November 2013 is the 75th anniversary of the start of industrial action taken by waterside workers to stop...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Sri Lanka (1 speech)
      I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion no. 25 standing in my name and in the name of Senator Milne for today relating to the UN Human Rights Council resolution on Sri Lanka and...
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • Postponement (1 speech)
      by leave—I move: That general business notice of motion no. 21 standing in her name for today, relating to the arrest of persons from the Arctic Sunrise, be postponed till 2 December 2013....
    • Japan Natural Disasters (2 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi reactor site is progressively deteriorating, (ii) that Australian uranium was in each of the reactors at...
    • Agriculture (4 speeches, 1 comment)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) recent reports in the Sydney Morning Herald that the Prime Minister personally promised Tara resident, Ms Debbie Orr, that nobody should be forced to...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • Presentation (4 speeches)
      I seek leave to put in a notice of motion. With the kerfuffle this morning, I missed the jump.
  • Budget (0 speeches)
    • Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
      On behalf of the respective chairs, I present additional information received by committees relating to estimates: Additional estimates 2011-12—Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Governor-General's Speech (0 speeches)
    • Address-in-Reply (8 speeches)
      Today, at the start of the 44th Parliament of Australia, I would like to begin by welcoming and congratulating the new senators who have just been sworn into this place. I would particularly like...
  • Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I draw the attention of honourable senators to the presence in the gallery of the Australian Political Exchange Council's 30th delegation from the United States of America. On behalf of all...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Asylum Seekers (31 speeches)
      My question is to the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Can the minister outline to the Senate the government's procedures for processing people arriving in Australia by boat?
    • Philippines: Typhoon Haiyan (6 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Johnston. I refer the minister to the devastating typhoon which recently struck the Philippines. Can the minister inform the Senate whether the...
    • Asylum Seekers (14 speeches)
      My question is to the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Can the minister advise the Senate of the current capacity of the Blaydin Point Detention Centre in Darwin? Has the...
    • Climate Change (6 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, Senator Cormann. Given Minister Hunt's many statements while in opposition that Australia will use the G20 to broker...
    • Economy (22 speeches)
      My question is to the Assistant Treasurer, Senator Sinodinos. Will he outline to the Senate the parlous state of the economy left behind by the former Labor government?
    • Department of Immigration and Border Protection (13 speeches)
      Mr President, my question is to the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator Cash. Can the minister confirm the number of staff who will lose their jobs within her...
    • Asylum Seekers (9 speeches)
      My question is to the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Can the minister advise the Senate what is the rationale for the government's reintroduction of temporary...
    • Australian Competition and Consumer Commission: Fuel Discount Dockets Inquiry (8 speeches)
      My question is to Senator Sinodinos, representing the Minister for Small Business. Since July 2012 the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has been conducting an investigation into...
    • Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payments (6 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. When and why did the government impose new and restrictive criteria on Australian Government Disaster Recovery...
    • Higher Education (6 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Human Services, Senator Payne, in her capacity as Minister representing the Minister for Education. Can the minister inform the Senate of the effects that a...
    • Afghanistan: War Memorial (14 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs. I refer the minister to the planned demolition of the Tarin Kot war memorial in Afghanistan, which commemorates the deaths of 114...
  • Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
  • Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • Tabling (1 speech)
      I table documents providing details of travelling allowance payments made by the Department of the Senate to senators and members during the period 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013, and travel...
    • Reserve Bank of Australia; Tabling (1 speech)
      I table my response relating to the order for the production of documents concerning the Reserve Bank of Australia reserve fund.
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Community Affairs References Committee; Report (1 speech)
      On behalf of the Chair of the Community Affairs References Committee, Senator Siewert, I present a report of the Community Affairs References Committee on matters referred to the committee during...
    • Membership (2 speeches)
      The President has received letters from the Leader of the Government in the Senate and the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate requesting changes in the membership of various committees.
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Commission of Audit (40 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate condemns the Government for its failure to rule out cuts to health and education programs, instead making it clear, when the Commission of Audit was announced by the...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Cyber-Safety Committee (1 speech)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the report. I would like to take a few minutes to talk about the Senate Select Committee on Cyber Safety's report entitled Options for addressing the issue of...
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • Abbott Government (1 speech)
      I rise this evening to speak about some of the opportunities that now lie within Australia's grasp. As the Prime Minister said on election night in claiming the strong mandate his government has...
    • Grey Electorate: Labor Government Achievements (1 speech)
      I rise tonight to make a contribution in the adjournment debate on my favourite subject: the electorate of Grey. I would like to place on the record at the commencement of the 44th Parliament the...
    • Sri Lanka (1 speech)
      Two years ago, when the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting was being held in Australia, the campaign to stop Sri Lanka hosting the next CHOGM kicked off. This campaign commenced because of...
    • Aviation (2 speeches)
      I come to the Senate following a career largely in the military and aviation over a number of hears. Having flown aircraft ranging from the venerable DC3 or C47 Dakota through to the most modern...