Senate debates

Tuesday, 16 March 2021

  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • Consideration (1 speech)
      by leave—I move: That the Aged Care Act 1997—Independent review of legislative provisions governing the use of restraints in residential aged care—Final report, dated December...
  • 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)
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • COVID-19: Vaccination (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Colbeck. This morning, speaking about COVID vaccines, Senator Canavan called for the Morrison government...
  • Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
    • (1 speech)
      Order! I would like to draw the attention of honourable senators to the presence in the gallery of the Ambassador of Japan to Australia, His Excellency Mr Yamagami Shingo. On behalf of all...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Payne. Can the minister update the Senate on Australia's participation in the Quad leaders summit?
    • Sexual Harassment (12 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Women, Senator Payne. On the treatment of women in the parliament, the Minister for Women has said, 'The only way it will change is if we, as parliamentarians,...
    • Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Terrorist Attack on Christchurch Mosques on 15 March 2019 (12 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Birmingham. Yesterday marked the two-year anniversary of the far-right terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, when...
    • Gambling (9 speeches)
      My question is to Minister Hume, representing the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts. The pandemic crisis has been a time of heightened stress, anxiety and...
    • March 4 Justice (14 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Women, Senator Payne. In reflecting on the tens of thousands of women who marched for justice across the country, the Prime Minister said, 'Not far from here,...
    • COVID-19: Economy (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Birmingham. Can the minister advise on how the Liberal-National government's economic recovery plan is working to support...
    • COVID-19: Vaccination (11 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Minister Colbeck. Spain, Germany, France, Cyprus, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands and Ireland have hit pause on...
    • Women's Safety (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Women, Senator Payne. The government promised new school teaching materials on consent and respectful relationships back in the 2015 plan for women's safety but...
    • Aviation (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Senator Cash. Regional communities rely on aviation services to support small...
    • Attorney-General (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Birmingham. I refer to reports that key components of the job of the Attorney-General, Christian Porter, will be delegated...
  • Answers to Questions on Notice (0 speeches)
    • Senate Estimates Hearings (16 speeches)
      Under standing order 74(5)(a), I seek an explanation from the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Birmingham, as to why 108 questions—108 questions!—taken on notice...
  • Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • Presentation (1 speech)
      I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move: That the Senate— (a) notes the Attorney-General has instituted legal proceedings against the Australian Broadcasting...
    • Postponement (1 speech)
      I remind senators that the question may be put at the request of any senator. If not, we shall proceed.
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
      I seek leave to amend government business notice of motion No. 1 before seeking to have the motion taken as formal. Leave granted. I move the motion as amended: That the provisions of paragraphs...
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Landcare Australia (2 speeches)
      I ask that general business notice of motion No. 1060, relating to Landcare Australia, be taken as a formal motion.
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Consideration of Legislation (4 speeches)
      On indulgence, could we revert back to the first motion? The Greens were seeking to move an amendment to remove—
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Dementia (2 speeches)
      I ask that general business notice of motion No. 1061 be taken as a formal motion.
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Economics References Committee; Reference (5 speeches)
      At the request of Senator Gallacher, I move: That— (1) The Senate notes: (a) the Treasury Laws Amendment (2021 Measures No.1) Bill 2021 was introduced in the House of Representatives and...
    • Makarrata Committee; Appointment (10 speeches)
      I move: (1) That a select committee, to be known as the Joint Select Committee on Makarrata, be established to inquire into and report on the truth telling and treaty making elements of Makarrata...
    • Big Tech Influence in Australia Select Committee; Appointment (11 speeches)
      I seek leave to amend paragraph 2 of general business notice of motion No. 1054 standing in my name by omitting '30 December 2022' and substituting '30 November 2021'. Leave granted. I move the...
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Gender Language (6 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) our fundamental biology and relationships are represented through the following descriptors - mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister,...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Climate Change (7 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that the World Health Organization has acknowledged climate change to be the greatest threat to health this century; (b) recognises that acting on climate...
    • National Disability Insurance Scheme (4 speeches)
      I ask that the name of Senator Steele-John be added to the motion. At the request of Senator Bilyk and Senator Steele-John, I ask that general business notice of motion No. 1058 be taken as a...
    • Racism (4 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) on 15 March 2019 an Australian man walked into two mosques in Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand, and killed 51 innocent Muslims, (ii) the New...
    • Attorney-General (2 speeches)
      I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 1062. Leave granted. I, and on behalf of Senator Waters, move the motion as amended: (1) That the Senate— (a) notes that...
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Consideration of Legislation (2 speeches)
      At the request of Senator Gallagher, I move: That— (a) a message from the House of Representatives relating to the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Income Support) Bill...
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Landcare Australia (1 speech)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) the launch of Parliamentary Friends of Landcare tonight at Parliament House, and (ii) the group will provide a non-partisan forum for...
    • National Disability Insurance Scheme, Aged Care: Dementia (6 speeches)
      I seek leave to move motions Nos 1058 and 1061 together and that they be determined without amendment or debate. Leave not granted. I move: That so much of the standing orders be suspended as...
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Consideration of Legislation (5 speeches)
      With the leave of the Senate—and I understand it's been agreed between the whips—I am going to recommit government business matter No. 1, the matter listing the bills exempt from the...
  • Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
    • March 4 Justice, Sexual Harassment, Attorney-General (11 speeches)
      I inform the Senate that at 8.30 am today 28 proposals were received in accordance with standing order 75. The question of which proposal would be submitted to the Senate was determined by lot....
  • Petitions (0 speeches)
    • Myanmar (1 speech)
      by leave—I table a non-conforming petition relating to the coup in Burma, which I have circulated to the whips.
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
    • COVID-19: Tourism (1 speech)
      I table responses to questions taken on notice during question time on 4 February 2021, asked by Senator Green, relating to the tourism industry. I seek leave to have the document incorporated in...
  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Membership (2 speeches)
      The President has received letters requesting changes in the membership of various committees.
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • Cormann, Hon. Mathias Hubert Paul (3 speeches)
      I rise tonight to make a brief contribution to acknowledge the extraordinary outcome for Australia of former senator Mathias Cormann being chosen as Secretary-General of the OECD. Many of us in...
    • Sexual Harassment (1 speech)
      The announcement of Grace Tame as Australian of the Year prompted the beginning of a movement across Australia. Her powerful rendition and the harrowing details of the grooming and repeated rape...
    • Welfare (1 speech)
      This government treats people on income support and people who are looking for work with disdain and contempt. It implements policies which make their lives as difficult as possible, and it has...
    • Politics in Australia (1 speech)
      I rise this evening to speak in relation to the urgent need to stamp out the ever-present, corrosive and divisive scourge known as identity politics. Identity politics is the phenomenon of basing...
    • Women (4 speeches)
      Australians are appalled at what they're seeing happening here in Parliament House. Women and men around this country were shocked when they heard the incredibly brave account from Brittany...
    • COVID-19: Aviation Industry (1 speech)
      Aviation has a special place in the national psyche of Australians. It's the Royal Flying Doctor Service touching down on a red dirt airstrip. It's the iconic flying kangaroo adorning the world's...
    • South Australia: REDARC Electronics (1 speech)
      I recently had the great pleasure of travelling to the south of Adelaide and visiting a great South Australian success story. REDARC Electronics is a remarkable organisation which has had an...
    • Myanmar (1 speech)
      I rise tonight in the Australian parliament to condemn in the loudest of terms the military coup that is taking place in Myanmar and to add my voice to the voices of many people in Australia and...
    • Victoria: Employment, Landcare (1 speech)
      We know that workers all over Australia are doing it tough right now. Tonight I'd like to speak in particular about the circumstances confronting around 150 workers in Portland, whose jobs are...
    • Zhuang, Mr Peter (1 speech)
      I rise this evening to pay tribute to Mr Peter Zhuang, who was the Liberal National Party candidate for the seat of Stretton in the Queensland election held on 31 October 2020. People might be...
    • Gender Equality (1 speech)
      In September 1881 a 260-metre-long petition was tabled in the Victorian parliament. The petition, which was glued to fabric backing and secured with cardboard spools, recorded 30,000 signatures...
    • Tasmania: Ferries, Nuclear Energy (1 speech)
      Thank you, Senator Urquhart, for letting me go before you. You're going to love this, trust me. It's all about Premier Gutwein, and I know you're going to love it because I know you and I have...
    • Water (1 speech)
      I rise to talk about a scandal in relation to water purchases. I will reveal what the government has recently found out, but which it has not yet made public: that the government paid $13 million...
    • Human Rights (1 speech)
      The Australian Greens believe that universal human rights are fundamental and that they must be respected in all countries, in all regions and for all people. That's why it's so important that we...
    • Palestinian Territories: COVID-19 (1 speech)
      I rise to speak about the current wave of COVID-19 infections and deaths amongst the Palestinian people and to implore the state of Israel to do more and do better when it comes to the health and...
    • Water (1 speech)
      As a servant to the people of Queensland and Australia, my comments relate to the February 2021 review of the National Water Initiative, which forms the basis of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan....
    • Aged Care (1 speech)
      On 10 July 2020, I made a 52-page submission to the royal commission on aged care based on two key premises: ensuring older Australians have the care they need when they need it and wherever they...
    • Queensland: Paradise Dam (1 speech)
      Paradise Dam is Australia's greatest—or, indeed, worst—infrastructure fail. I think the word 'fail' does not do justice to the scandal that is Paradise Dam. It's a stuff-up. If...