Senate debates

Monday, 23 June 2014

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples; Meeting (1 speech)
    ) ( ): by leave—I move: That the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than...
  • Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    by leave—At the request Senator Sterle, I move: That the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Export Legislation Amendment Bill 2014, Export Inspection (Quantity Charge) Amendment Bill 2014, Export Inspection (Service Charge) Amendment Bill 2014, Export Inspection (Establishment Registration Charges) Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (4 speeches)
    I rise to address the Export Legislation Amendment Bill 2014 and cognate bills and indicate that the opposition will be supporting the legislation. The Export Control Act 1982 provides the basis...
  • Export Legislation Amendment Bill 2014, Export Inspection (Quantity Charge) Amendment Bill 2014, Export Inspection (Service Charge) Amendment Bill 2014, Export Inspection (Establishment Registration Charges) Amendment Bill 2014; Third Reading (2 speeches)
    As no amendments to the bills have been circulated, I shall call the minister to move the third reading unless any senator requires that the bills be considered in Committee of the Whole.
  • Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Child Care Measures) Bill 2014; Second Reading (10 speeches)
    I move: At the end of the motion, add: but the Senate notes that: (a) the Government has failed to provide sufficient information about the impact on families of the changes to the Child Care...
  • Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Child Care Measures) Bill 2014; In Committee (4 speeches)
    Mr Chairman, the opposition opposes item 2 in schedule 1 in the following terms: (1) Schedule I, item 2, page 3 (lines 7 to 13), to be opposed. The amendment will have the effect of splitting the...
  • Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Child Care Measures) Bill 2014; Third Reading (2 speeches)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time.
  • Infrastructure Australia Amendment Bill 2013; Second Reading (6 speeches)
    Building the right infrastructure is critical to national economic development and productivity. To secure the productivity gains that drive jobs growth, you need to invest in roads, ports,...
• Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    I draw to the attention of honourable senators the presence in the gallery of a parliamentary delegation from Sri Lanka, led by the Hon. Nimal de Silva MP. On behalf of all senators, I wish you a...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Future of Financial Advice (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Acting Assistant Treasurer, Senator Cormann. Senator, I refer you to your recent announcement regarding the Future of Financial Advice package. Is the minister aware that...
• Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    I draw to the attention of honourable senators the presence in the chamber of a parliamentary delegation from Uganda, led by the Hon. Wafula Phillip Oguttu MP. On behalf of all senators, I wish...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Asylum Seekers (16 speeches)
    My question is to the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator Cash. Will the minister inform the Senate why it is important that the government disrupts the evil trade...
  • School Chaplains (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. Does the Attorney-General stand by his statement that the decision in Williams v Commonwealth of Australia No. 2 has no implications for...
  • Malaysia: Missing Aircraft (10 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister of Defence, Senator Johnston. Can the minister update the Senate on the search for the missing Malaysian airline flight MH 370?
  • School Chaplains (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Education regarding the High Court judgement in Williams v the Commonwealth (No. 2), which held that the National School Chaplaincy...
  • Textile, Clothing and Footwear Industry (8 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz. Has the minister seen reports of an attempt by the Textile Clothing & Footwear Union to obtain money from employers in the...
  • Middle East (6 speeches)
    My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Brandis. I refer to the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which met in...
  • Veterans (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs. Can the minister advise the Senate what the government is doing to improve the understanding of the needs of recent veterans?
  • Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. I refer to the Attorney-General's attempt to water down protections against hate speech in the Racial Discrimination Act. Is the minister...
  • Higher Education (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Human Services, Senator Payne, representing the Minister for Education. Can the minister explain how the government's higher education reform package spreads...
  • Future of Financial Advice (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Acting Assistant Treasurer, Senator Cormann. I refer to the Acting Assistant Treasurer's recent announcement on future of financial advice requirements. Does the minister's...
  • Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Special Broadcasting Service (9 speeches)
    My question is to the Assistant Minister for Social Services, representing the Minister for Communications, Senator Fifield. Can the minister advise the Senate why it is important that the ABC...
  • Trade in Services Agreement (9 speeches)
    My question is to the minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Cormann. I refer to reports of leaked text of the Financial Services Annex to the Trade in Services Agreement, which the...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Middle East, School Chaplains, Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (12 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Attorney-General (Senator Brandis) to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today. Questions today dealt with three...
  • School Chaplains (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Human Services (Senator Payne) to a question without notice asked by Senator Wright today relating to the National School...
• Personal Explanations (0 speeches)
  • (2 speeches)
    I seek leave to make a brief personal explanation as I claim to have been misrepresented. Leave granted. I thank you, Mr Deputy President, and I thank the Senate. In last Saturday's Weekend...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    by leave, I move: That leave of absence be granted to the following senators: Senator Fawcett for 23 June and 24 June 2014, on account of parliamentary business; and to Senator Mason from 23 June...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Meeting (1 speech)
    by leave, on behalf of the chair of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee (Senator Williams), I move: That the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee be...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Seafood and Seafood Products (1 speech)
    I seek leave to amend the motion No. 3 standing in my name by deleting the words 'Community Affairs References Committee' and replacing them with 'Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport...
  • Marrakesh Treaty (9 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) the World Blind Union estimates that currently only 5 per cent of all published books in the developed countries and less than 1 per cent in...
  • Iraq (9 speeches)
    I ask that general business notice of motion No. 285 standing in my name for today relating to a moratorium on the return of Iraqi asylum seekers, given Iraq is now a war zone, be taken as formal.
• Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
  • Future of Financial Advice (15 speeches)
    The President has received the following letter, dated 23 June 2014, from Senator Moore: Dear Mr President Pursuant to standing order 75, I move that, in the opinion of the Senate, the following...
• Auditor-General's Reports (0 speeches)
  • Report Nos 47 and 48 of 2013-14 (1 speech)
    In accordance with the provisions of the Auditor-General Act 1997, I present two reports of the Auditor-General as listed at item 11 on today’s Order of Business: No. 47 of...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Defence Legislation Amendment (Woomera Prohibited Area) Bill 2014; Explanatory Memorandum (1 speech)
    I table a replacement explanatory memorandum relating to the Defence Legislation Amendment (Woomera Prohibited Area) Bill 2014.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee; Additional Information (1 speech)
    I present additional information received by the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee on its inquiry into Operation Sovereign Borders.
  • Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Report (1 speech)
    On behalf of the chair of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, Senator Williams, I present the report of the committee on the provisions of the Environment Protection and...
• Delegation Reports (0 speeches)
  • 130th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly (1 speech)
    On behalf of the Deputy President, Senator Parry, I seek leave to present a delegation report. Leave granted. I present the 130th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly report of the Australian...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Asset Recycling Fund Bill 2014, Asset Recycling Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2014; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That these bills may proceed without formalities, may be taken together and be now read a first time. Question agreed to. Bills read a first time.
  • Asset Recycling Fund Bill 2014, Asset Recycling Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2014; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That these bills be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speeches incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speeches read as follows— ASSET RECYCLING...
• Regulations and Determinations (0 speeches)
  • Bankruptcy Amendment (2014 Measures No.1) Regulation 2014, Bankruptcy (Fees and Remuneration) Determination 2014; Disallowance (3 speeches)
    I seek leave to move two motions together. Leave granted. I move: That item 4.10A of Schedule 1 of the Bankruptcy Amendment (2014 Measures No. 1) Regulation 2014, as contained in Select...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Infrastructure Australia Amendment Bill 2013; Second Reading (13 speeches)
    Before I was interrupted for question time and other business I mentioned that the Infrastructure Australia Amendment Bill 2013 went through 20 drafts but that there was no consultation by...
  • Infrastructure Australia Amendment Bill 2013; In Committee (108 speeches, 1 comment)
    I table a supplementary explanatory memorandum relating to the government amendments to be moved to this bill.
  • Infrastructure Australia Amendment Bill 2013; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bills read a third time.
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • Abbott Government (1 speech)
    Good policy does not live in a vacuum and it is not an 'operational matter'. Under Mr Abbott's government, policy has become a descriptor for repeated slaps in the face to the Australian people....
  • Evans, Mr Ray (1 speech)
    I rise to speak on the passing of a great Australian. Last week, at the age of 74, Ray Evans passed away. My friend John Roskam, in The Financial Review, wrote that Ray: …had more influence...
  • National Water Commission (1 speech)
    Among the numerous disappointments coming from the federal government, it is fair to say that the decision to shut down the National Water Commission is but one. But this is one that deserves...
  • Infrastructure (1 speech)
    On a day when the whole question of Infrastructure Australia has been so much to the fore, as it has this evening, I thought it interesting to reflect on some of my own observations in this area,...