Senate debates

Thursday, 1 September 2016

  • Governor-General's Speech (0 speeches)
    • Address-in-Reply (36 speeches)
      Before I concluded my previous contribution on this, I was speaking about the fact that the government's so-called border protection regime is crumbling before our eyes. I want to note in that...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Selection of Bills Committee; Report (17 speeches)
      I present the fifth report for 2016 of the Selection of Bills Committee and seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The report read as follows SELECTION OF BILLS...
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Rearrangement (1 speech)
      I move: That the order of general business for consideration today be as follows: (a) general business notice of motion no. 18 standing in the name of Senator Dastyari relating to section 18C of...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Privileges Committee; Reference (1 speech)
      At the request of Senator Conroy, I move: That the following matters be referred to the Standing Committee of Privileges for inquiry and report: In relation to the execution of search warrants by...
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Senate Temporary Orders (1 speech)
      I move: That consideration of the business before the Senate on the following days be interrupted at approximately 5 pm, but not so as to interrupt a senator speaking, to enable senators to make...
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Banking and Financial Services (19 speeches)
      I move: That— (a) the Senate notes that:   (i) confidence and trust in the financial services industry has been shaken by ongoing revelations of scandals, which have resulted in...
    • Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games (4 speeches)
      At the request of Senators Brown and Conroy, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) the 2016 Paralympics will take place in Rio from 7 September to 18 September,...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Mining (1 speech)
      I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 19 standing in my name for today, relating to the Adani coalmine. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended: That the Senate—...
    • AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (1 speech)
      I, and also on behalf of Senators Moore and Pratt, move: That the Senate— (a) recognises the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria:   (i) provides an invaluable...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Donations to Political Parties (3 speeches)
      I ask that Senator Conroy's name be added to general business notice of motion No. 25 standing in my name and in the name of Senator Rhiannon for today.
    • Taxation (3 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) statistics from Tourism Research Australia show that backpackers spent approximately $3.4 billion in Australia for the year ending...
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • Postponement (1 speech)
      by leave—I move: That business of the Senate notice of motion No. 2 in my name be postponed until the next day of sitting. Question agreed to.
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Immigration Detention (3 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) a large cache of documents has been made public regarding the treatment of asylum seekers including children on Nauru, and...
  • Governor-General's Speech (0 speeches)
    • Address-in-Reply (22 speeches)
      I wish to make a contribution to this debate. But before I do I would like every single person in Australia to hear what I have to say. It should be of no surprise, because it is on my...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Membership (2 speeches)
      The President has received letters requesting changes to the membership of certain committees. As there are now two nominations for one position on the Economics References Committee allocated to...
    • Treaties Committee; Appointment (2 speeches)
      A message has been received from the House of Representatives forwarding a resolution agreed to by that House relating to appointment of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties. Copies of the...
  • Party Office Holders (0 speeches)
    • Derryn Hinch's Justice Party (1 speech)
      by leave—I am not looking for congratulation, but I wish to advise the Senate that I am the leader and the whip of Derryn Hinch's Justice Party.
  • Questions to the President (0 speeches)
    • Deputy President, Lambie, Senator Jacqui (2 speeches)
      Mr President, I seek your advice on a couple of events that have recently taken place in the chamber, and you may want to take this on notice. Firstly, in my time here—10 years—I do...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Northern Territory: Juvenile Detention (7 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. Can the minister advise the Senate when he or his office first became aware of allegations of abuse at the Don Dale Youth...
    • Foreign Policy (9 speeches)
      My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis, representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Can the Attorney-General advise the Senate why it is important to have a consistent...
    • Northern Territory: Juvenile Detention (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. Can the minister advise the Senate when he or his office became aware of the Four Corners report and the nature of the...
    • Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (11 speeches)
      My question is to the Attorney-General. Attorney, I draw your attention to the push by pretty much the entire Liberal backbench in this chamber to destroy the integrity of the Racial...
    • Ministerial Conduct (9 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. I refer to the minister's confirmation that his department advised him in October 2015 that …the Northern Territory...
    • Defence Facilities: Chemical Contamination (5 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. As you are aware, toxic chemicals used in firefighting foam have leaked from the Williamtown RAAF Base at Salt Ash, near Newcastle. The...
    • National Security (8 speeches)
      My question is also to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. I ask if the minister can advise the Senate on legislative changes announced by the Turnbull government today which will better...
    • Budget (12 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Cormann. The IMF has recently called for Australia to increase borrowings to boost public investment in infrastructure as it...
    • Goods and Services Tax (14 speeches)
      My question is the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. I refer to the Prime Minister's announcement to the Western Australian Liberal Party that the government would change...
    • Media (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Communications, Senator Fifield. Can the minister advise the Senate of how the government is reforming Australia's media laws to bring them into the digital age?
    • Cabinet Secretary (21 speeches)
      My question is to the Cabinet Secretary, Senator Sinodinos. I refer to the Cabinet Secretary's categorical assurance to the Senate on 2 May 2016 that he never participated in or witnessed...
    • Dairy Industry (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Senator Canavan, representing the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources. Given more than 20,000 Victorians are employed...
    • Federal Election (12 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. I refer to the former Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senate Abetz, who said: It would be fair to say that...
    • Child Care (14 speeches)
      Thank you— Senator Conroy interjecting—
  • Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
    • Northern Territory: Juvenile Detention (21 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Indigenous Affairs (Senator Scullion) to questions without notice asked by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate...
    • Budget (9 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Finance (Senator Cormann) to a question without notice asked by Senator Whish-Wilson today relating to investment in...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Economics References Committee; Membership (1 speech)
      Earlier today I informed the Senate that I had received letters from Senator Leyonhjelm and Senator Xenophon seeking appointment to the Economics References Committee. There are two nominations...
  • Budget (0 speeches)
    • Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
      On behalf of the respective chairs, I present additional information received by committees relating to the following estimates: Additional estimates 2015-2016—Environment and...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Government Response to Report (1 speech)
      I present three government responses to committee reports as listed on today’s Order of Business. In accordance with the usual practice, I seek leave to incorporate the documents in...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Budget (0 speeches)
    • Proposed Expenditure (1 speech)
      I table particulars of proposed and certain expenditure for 2016-17, and seek leave to move a motion to refer the documents to legislation committees. Leave is granted. I move: That the documents...
  • Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
    • National Security (3 speeches)
      This morning in the House of Representatives the Prime Minister delivered the government's national security statement for 2016. I table a copy of the Prime Minister's statement and I wish to...
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • Postponement (1 speech)
      by leave—On behalf of Senator Siewert, I move: That business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1 be postponed until the next day of sitting. Question agreed to.
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (5 speeches)
      At the request of Senator Dastyari, I move: That the Senate notes that the Prime Minister (Mr Turnbull) has repeatedly said making changes to section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act is "not...
  • First Speech (0 speeches)
    • (5 speeches, 2 comments)
      Ngaji mingan, Mr President? How are you, Mr President?
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (1 speech)
      I am pleased to participate in this debate, and I remember that some time ago I participated in a previous discussion on this issue when the coalition were proposing to change section 18C, which...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Membership (2 speeches)
      I have received letters requesting changes in the membership of committees.
  • Statement by the President (0 speeches)
    • Parliamentary Language (1 speech)
      I wish to make a statement in relation to unparliamentary language. Before question time today, senators may recall that Senator Bernardi asked whether there were precedents for Deputy Presidents...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (1 speech)
      I rise tonight    to speak on the subject of section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. I believe that freedom of speech is, and always will be, the defining characteristic of...