Senate debates

Tuesday, 14 November 2017

  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
    • Valedictory; Qualifications of Senators (22 speeches)
      Mr President, I seek leave to move a motion relating to Senator Lambie. Leave granted. I thank the Senate. Before I come to the formal terms of the motion, might I say a few words about Senator...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Parliamentary Representation (0 speeches)
    • Tasmania (1 speech)
      I inform the Senate that I have received a letter from Senator Lambie resigning her place as a senator for the state of Tasmania. I table the correspondence. It being 2.00 pm, we will move to...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Parry, Hon. Stephen (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Communications, Senator Fifield. I refer to the minister's statement to the Senate yesterday, confirming he had 'varied and casual' conversations with Senator...
    • National Security (8 speeches)
      Mr President, can I also extend my warmest congratulations on your elevation to high office in this great institution of the Australian Senate. My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator...
  • Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I draw to the attention of honourable senators the presence in the gallery of a distinguished former senator from the state of Western Australia, the Hon. Ian Campbell. On behalf of all senators,...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Parry, Hon. Stephen (11 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. Yesterday after question time the minister assured the Senate that Senator Parry never told any media he had...
    • Australian Constitution (9 speeches)
      My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. The constitutional crisis around section 44 is destabilising the nation. It is...
    • Philippines: Australian Defence Force, Global Security (8 speeches)
      Mr President, may I also add my congratulations on your appointment as President. My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. Can the minister please update the Senate on how ADF...
    • Minister for Employment (23 speeches)
      Mr President, I add my congratulations on your appointment. My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Cash. After failing to attend a supplementary budget estimates spillover hearing...
    • Adani Carmichael Coalmine (13 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Senator Canavan. Can the minister explain what the Adani Carmichael coalmine means for the businesses in Queensland.
    • Marriage (7 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. When the same-sex marriage postal survey result is released tomorrow, which bill will the government endorse? Will...
    • Minister for Employment (20 speeches)
      Mr President, I join with other senators in congratulating you on your appointment. My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Cash. On 25 October, the minister told the Senate...
    • Energy (8 speeches)
      I'm almost prepared to concede my questions to Senator Watt again. I will instead ask the Minister for Education and Training, in his role, which he has equal expertise in and understanding of,...
    • Prime Minister (8 speeches)
      Mr President, I join other senators in congratulating you on your new role. My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Brandis. I refer to media reports that state that...
    • Innovation Week (10 speeches)
      Mr President, may I also add my voice to the chorus of congratulations on your appointment, particularly as a fellow Victorian. My question is to the Acting Minister for Industry, Innovation and...
    • Parry, Hon. Stephen (9 speeches)
      My question is again to the Minister for Communications, Senator Fifield. I refer to his answer in question time today. Can the minister advise the Senate: at any point in his varied and casual...
  • Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
    • Minister for Employment (9 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Employment (Senator Cash) to questions without notice asked by Senators Cameron and Watt today relating to the...
    • Australian Constitution (1 speech)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Attorney-General (Senator Brandis) to a question without notice asked by Senator Di Natale today relating to section 44(i) of the...
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • Withdrawal (1 speech)
      I withdraw general business notice of motion No. 371 standing in my name for today.
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
      by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Lines for the period from 14 November to 16 November, for personal reasons, and to Senator Brown for 15 November, on account of...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Immigration Detention (5 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) acknowledges the failure of the Abbott-Turnbull Government to manage offshore processing arrangements and secure other third country resettlement arrangements...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Budget (0 speeches)
    • Consideration by Estimates Committees (8 speeches)
      I move: That— (a) the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee meet to consider 2017-18 supplementary Budget estimates on 23 November 2017, from 3 pm to 6 pm, to further examine...
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Asylum Seekers (5 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate—   (a) notes that:      (i) in 2013, the New Zealand Government first made an offer to Australia to resettle 150 refugees sent by...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Australian Greens (13 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that the Australian Greens website claims that the President of the United States of America "was elected on a platform of racism, division and fear" and...
    • Communism (15 speeches)
      I ask that general business notice of motion 548 standing in my name for today relating to the victims of communism be taken as a formal motion.
    • Higher Education: Student Services Amenities Fee (5 speeches)
      Yes. The third time strikes a charm! I move: That the Senate supports repealing the Student Services Amenities Fee.
    • Reformation: 500th Anniversary (4 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that 31 October 2017 marked the 500th anniversary of the Reformation triggered by Martin Luther; (b) also notes that, in Australia and around the world,...
    • Siege of Vienna (5 speeches)
      I move: (1) That the Senate notes: (a) the auspicious date of 15 October 1529 on which the Ottoman Empire's Siege of Vienna was broken; (b) that, despite the lifting of the Siege of Vienna,...
    • Australian Electoral Commission (1 speech)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) affirms the independence of the Australian Electoral Commission; (b) rejects allegations that the Australian Electoral Commission is partisan or unprofessional;...
    • World Diabetes Day (1 speech)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) 14 November 2017 is World Diabetes Day,   (ii) the theme of World Diabetes Day 2017 is women and diabetes,...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
    • Immigration Detention (29 speeches)
      I inform the Senate that at 8.30 am this morning 11 proposals were received in accordance with standing order 75. The question of which proposal would be submitted to the Senate was determined by...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • Diabetes (1 speech)
      Today is World Diabetes Day. The theme for World Diabetes Day 2017 is women and diabetes. According to the International Diabetes Federation, 199 million women are currently living with diabetes...
    • Parliament (3 speeches)
      This is not my first speech, once again! Tonight I would like to challenge one of the persistent myths which surround my generation. There are those within this chamber and beyond who believe...
    • Suicide Prevention (1 speech)
      I won't respond to Senator Dastyari's interjection. Too many people in this place are lured in by him in that very way. I congratulate you, Acting Deputy President Kitching, on your first time of...
    • Queensland State Election (1 speech)
      I've spoken in this chamber on a number of occasions of how sick and tired Gold Coast residents are of the LNP representation they've been getting, or not getting, for many years now. The Gold...
    • McPhee, Mrs Anna (1 speech)
      It's sometimes difficult to recall where friendships begin. For me, a very special friendship began in the spring of 1996 at a local Chinese restaurant in Garema Place here in Canberra on a...
    • Davis Street Kindergarten, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre (1 speech)
      Mr President, congratulations on your elevation to the presidency of this great chamber. I wish this evening to speak about the Davis Street Kindergarten program at the Uniting AgeWell Carnsworth...
    • Australian Constitution (1 speech)
      I rise tonight to talk about the government's decision not to support the Referendum Council's key recommendation for a voice to this parliament. I stand with Aboriginal and Torres Strait...
    • Tasmania: Aquaculture Industry (2 speeches)
      I rise this evening to talk about salmon aquaculture in my home state of Tasmania and, in particular, the job prospects associated with plans to expand the salmon industry. The salmon industry...
    • Williams, Mr Hughie (1 speech)
      On 27 June 2009, I attended a splendid book launch in Brisbane. It was a book about Hughie Williams called A Life. I was surrounded by greatness at that launch. My friend Senator Alex Gallagher,...
    • Queensland State Election (2 speeches)
      As a senator for Queensland, it would be remiss of me not to alert people listening to this broadcast and to remind people in Queensland that we have a state election coming up on 25 November,...
    • Western Australia: Mining (1 speech)
      A few weeks ago Pauline Hanson and I launched a new gas policy in Perth. It is aimed at benefiting Australians and ensuring that as a nation we get full value from the sale of our offshore gas....
    • Palestine (1 speech)
      Tomorrow, 15 November, is Palestinian National Day. It is the day that the state of Palestine was proclaimed in 1988. I'm moved to make this speech tonight not just because it is Palestinian...
    • Yemen, Palestine, Kurdish People (1 speech)
      In recent weeks I have met with representatives and supporters of some of the diverse communities that are active in Sydney. Tonight I will share with the Senate the information I have been...