Senate debates

Tuesday, 11 February 2020

  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Meeting (1 speech)
      I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator.
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Statement by the President (0 speeches)
    • Question Time (5 speeches)
      Could I make a brief statement about issues raised in question time yesterday. I reviewed the Hansard. I said I would come back to the chamber. The first matter was about the direct relevance of...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Energy (10 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, Senator Birmingham. Yesterday the Liberal member for North Sydney, Trent Zimmerman, said: We have no...
    • Employment (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator Cash. Can the minister please update the Senate on how the Morrison government is building a stronger...
  • Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      I draw to the attention of honourable senators the presence in the chamber and the gallery of a parliamentary delegation from Cyprus, led by Mr Demetris Syllouris, President of the House of...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Morrison Government (11 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. Prime Minister Morrison has promised Australians a strong and stable government. Today one Liberal MP has told The...
    • Welfare (10 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Ruston. Minister—through you, Mr President—my question relates to the opt-out provisions of the cashless debit...
    • Coronavirus (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Cash, and concerns biosecurity measures directed against the 2019 coronavirus, which has now claimed over 1,000 lives....
    • Female Facilities and Water Safety Stream (12 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Youth and Sport, Senator Colbeck. Yesterday I asked the minister about the Prime Minister's media release dated 30 March 2019, which stated: Further details on...
    • Welfare (10 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Ruston. Can the minister update the Senate on how the Morrison government's plan to provide pathways from welfare to work...
    • Veterans Affairs (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Minister Reynolds. My question refers to the announcement of 10 new case coordinators for the Department of...
    • Australian Bushfires (12 speeches)
      My question is for the Minister for Defence, Senator Reynolds. I refer to the party political advertisement published on the Prime Minister's social media channels at the height of the bushfire...
    • Australian Bushfires: Tourism (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Senator Birmingham. Can the minister outline how the Morrison government's $76 million bushfire recovery package is helping to...
    • Australian Bushfires (16 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Ruston. Yesterday the minister told the Senate: I think you will find that the majority of Australians impacted by these...
    • Middle East (8 speeches)
      This is not my first speech. My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Reynolds. Can the minister update the Senate on how the Australian Defence Force is working with its partners to...
    • Ministerial Standards (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. When was the last time the minister tabled a report by the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and...
  • Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
    • Energy, Morrison Government (19 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Finance (Senator Cormann) and the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment (Senator Birmingham) to questions without...
    • Welfare (1 speech)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Families and Social Services (Senator Ruston) to a question without notice asked by Senator Siewert today relating to the...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • National Smart Energy Summit (1 speech)
      At the request of Senator McAllister, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes the address of New South Wales Minister for Energy and Environment and Liberal Matt Kean MP on 10 December 2019 to...
    • Murray-Darling Basin (4 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) environmental flows are critical to the health of the Murray-Darling Basin, which is home to more than 2 million people and more...
    • International Holocaust Remembrance Day (1 speech)
      Before moving general business notice of motion No. 413, I ask that the names of Senators Chandler, Hughes, Kitching, O'Neill and Wong be added to the motion. I, and also on behalf of Senators...
    • Palliative Care Tasmania (4 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) Palliative Care Tasmania's (PCT) three-year $1 million funding agreement expires on 30 June 2020, and   (ii) most state...
    • Climate Change (7 speeches)
      At the request of Senator McAllister, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes the address of New South Wales Minister for Energy and Environment and Liberal Matt Kean MP on 10 December 2019 to...
    • Australian Renewable Energy Agency (4 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) the Morrison Government told the United Nations in Madrid that technology improvements are central to their plan to reduce Australia's...
    • National Aerial Firefighting Centre (4 speeches)
      At the request of Senators Watt and Griff, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) reports that, in December 2017, the National Aerial Firefighting Centre (NAFC) submitted a business case...
    • Button Batteries (4 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) global estimates indicate more than 600 children have died from ingesting button batteries, (ii) up to 20 children each week present to...
    • Internet Content (4 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that 11 February 2019 is Safer Internet Day, a worldwide event that raises awareness about online safety and encourages everyone to help create a better...
    • Aged Care (4 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) Australia's aged care system receives over $21 billion of taxpayer money each year,   (ii) despite receiving large...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Aged Care (5 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that:   (i) Aged Care Assessment Teams ('ACATs') are teams of medical professionals which run clinical and psychological checks on older...
    • Energy (8 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that building new high-efficiency low-emission coal fired power stations will create jobs, lower power prices, increase competition and increase...
    • Middle East (8 speeches)
      I ask that notice of motion No. 421, standing in my name for today, relating to the peace proposal for Israel and Palestine, be taken as a formal motion.
    • Nuclear Energy (8 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate: (a) affirms its commitment to a complete moratorium on nuclear energy, as expressed in the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 and the Environment...
    • Cashless Debit Card (5 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that the Government is in discussions with the big four banks, major retailers and EFTPOS around a possible national rollout of the cashless debit card...
    • Commonwealth Integrity Commission (5 speeches)
      Before asking that motion No. 424 be taken as formal, I wish to inform the chamber that Senator Waters will also sponsor the motion. At the request of Senator Watt and Senator Waters, I move:...
    • Human Rights: Kashmir (6 speeches)
      I ask that general business notice of motion No. 425 standing in my name for today, relating to human rights in Kashmir, be taken as a formal motion.
  • Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
    • Australian Bushfires: Small Business (18 speeches)
      I inform the Senate that, at 8.30 am today, three 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)
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Membership (2 speeches)
      The President has received letters requesting changes in the membership of various committees.
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
    • Ministerial Standards (1 speech)
      I table a response to a question taken on notice during question time today, asked by Senator Gallagher and relating to the Parkinson report. I seek leave to have the correspondence incorporated...
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
      by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted for Senator Urquhart for today, for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • Nuclear Energy (1 speech)
      Last year I, along with Keith Pitt, the member for Hinkler and now the newly minted Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia, called for a conversation on nuclear energy. I didn't...
    • Myanmar: Human Rights (1 speech)
      Recently I met with a group of people in my home state of Queensland who wanted to talk to me about the continuing plight of the Rohingya people. In late 2017, Myanmar's military massacred tens...
    • Australian Bushfires: Charles Sturt University (1 speech)
      We in this chamber have already spoken about the bushfire response, but tonight I want to focus on an institution that has worked across my state and deserves recognition. Charles Sturt...
    • Pensions and Benefits (1 speech)
      I rise tonight to speak again on robodebt. This is an issue I have been pursuing since the debacle started in 2016 when people started getting those awful notices just before Christmas. So we're...
    • Trade Unions (7 speeches)
      I'm delighted to rise this evening and speak in favour of the government's ensuring integrity legislation, which has gone into the House of Representatives.
    • North Queensland: Tourism (1 speech)
      My home of North Queensland is home to an abundance of natural assets and talented operators which contribute to a world-class tourism industry. In Tropical North Queensland alone, more than...
    • Coronavirus (1 speech)
      I want to acknowledge the extraordinary work of the agencies and experts around the world who are managing the response to the coronavirus outbreak. I acknowledge in particular the loved ones of...
    • National Party of Australia (1 speech)
      Well, here we go again. We're starting yet another parliamentary year under this government in exactly the same way we have started every other year in the seven years it has been in power: more...
    • Assange, Mr Julian Paul (1 speech)
      I rise to make some remarks about Julian Assange. This Australian journalist faces 175 years—that is, death—in a US jail. And for what? For publishing truthful information in 2010...
    • Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month (1 speech)
      I rise tonight in the adjournment debate, as you did last night, Madam Acting Deputy President Polley, to recognise and bring awareness that February is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. I'd like...
    • Mining: Burrup Peninsula (1 speech)
      On the north-west edge of my great state of Western Australia there exists a remarkable stretch of country: Murujuga, also known as the Burrup Peninsula, the lands for almost 60,000 years or more...
    • Dams (1 speech)
      As a servant to the people of Queensland and Australia, I remind Australians that 112 years ago a young poet composed words that were inspired by a love of our beautiful but harsh country, words...
    • Tasmania (1 speech)
      While small in size and population, my state of Tasmania punches way above its weight when it comes to celebrating all the things we love about summer. The longer summer days and temperate...
    • ExxonMobil Australia (1 speech)
      I rise to speak this evening about a quiet Australian. He's someone who doesn't have a high profile. He doesn't seek publicity and he's not in the headlines. Indeed, he's someone whose name is...
    • Morrison Government (3 speeches)
      I rise to speak about an arrogant Prime Minister who is all spin and doesn't actually care about the long-term prosperity of our nation. The Morrison government is a government that does not know...
    • Queensland Government (1 speech)
      Today I rise to talk about a clever question that was asked of me by a good friend—Henry Pike, who is the LNP candidate for the state seat of Redlands. He asked me on Saturday: 'Which Labor...
    • Australian Bushfires (1 speech)
      Tonight I rise to speak about the recent bushfires which have devastated Australian communities, scarred our landscape and left many citizens mourning the loss of family and loved ones following...
    • Department of Veterans' Affairs (1 speech)
      This has been a long time coming for the Veterans' Affairs, I'll be honest with you. And this is only going to be the start of it tonight. I started up here naming and shaming, and I'm going to...
    • Palliative Care Tasmania (1 speech)
      In 2016 I started a campaign to save the peak body for palliative care in Tasmania from closure. At that time, Palliative Care Tasmania was funded to deliver their services through a grant from...
    • Victoria: Australian Labor Party (1 speech)
      As the patron Senator for Corangamite, Corio and Bendigo, amongst other federal electorates, I rise in this adjournment debate tonight to raise some deep concerns about a number of very shabby...
    • Liberation of Auschwitz: 75th Anniversary (1 speech)
      I rise tonight to mark a significant historical anniversary. On 27 January, it was the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and commemorated International Holocaust Remembrance Day....