Senate debates

Wednesday, 23 June 2021

  • Committees (0 speeches)
    • Meeting (1 speech)
      I remind senators the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator. There being none, we will move on.
  • Statements (0 speeches)
    • Business (11 speeches)
      I seek leave to make a short statement of no more than five minutes—in fact, it won't be anywhere near that—to seek clarification about the government's sitting program.
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
    • Immigration Detention (4 speeches)
      I want to talk about the Murugappan family from Biloela. Before I start, let me say this: I'm not a bleeding heart. The courts have decided that Priya and Nades aren't owed protection as...
    • COVID-19: International Travel (1 speech)
      Last Sunday marked the 15-month anniversary of Australia's international border closure. In the first few months of the pandemic, the chaos and the lack of a plan were understandable. We were...
    • Climate Change (1 speech)
      Australia is a nation that has a reputation of being true to its word—a nation that plays by the rules and a nation that seeks to ensure those rules are fair and enforceable. This is the...
    • Workplace Relations (1 speech)
      I want to take the opportunity to touch on a few subjects in this statement that are of great concern in my home state of Queensland. We've seen yet another week in parliament that was hijacked...
    • Banking and Financial Services, Nuclear Energy (1 speech)
      To those watching and listening: you and I may not often think about the issue of debit payments, but it's an issue that affects just about every Australian every day. About 70 per cent of the...
    • COVID-19: Vaccination (1 speech)
      I rise to speak on vaccine related issues. Earlier this week the Morrison government announced what they describe as 'a complete refresh' for Australia's vaccine rollout. That review was revealed...
    • Child Care (8 speeches)
      I didn't intend to come into the chamber today and stand up to speak about child care, but after the disgusting and offensive reports about what went down in the government party room yesterday,...
  • Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
    • Murray-Darling Basin (14 speeches)
      My question is to Senator Birmingham, the Minister representing the Prime Minister. Yesterday, when asked whether the Morrison government will commit to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in full and...
    • Energy (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, Senator Seselja. Can the minister update the Senate on how the Morrison government's 'technology, not...
    • COVID-19: Vaccination (12 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Colbeck. I refer to an article in the Australian Financial Review, entitled 'Just 30pc of aged care...
    • Women (10 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister for Women, Senator Payne. Can the minister please outline what the Liberals and Nationals in government are doing to support more women into leadership positions...
    • Climate Change (10 speeches)
      My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Birmingham. While the Liberal and National parties are squabbling over net zero by 2050, global leaders are focused on the...
    • Gas Industry (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia, Senator Ruston. The Beetaloo Basin has potentially enough gas to supply Australia's needs for...
    • Commonwealth Integrity Commission (10 speeches)
      My question is to the Attorney-General and concerns the government's failure to deliver on its 2019 election promise to legislate the national integrity commission. What is the Attorney's...
    • COVID-19: Vaccination (8 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Colbeck. On Monday, the minister promised to provide the Senate with the government's document outlining how many...
    • Aged Care (8 speeches)
      My question is to Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Senator Colbeck. How is the Morrison government ensuring more older Australians are receiving the support they need in...
    • Child Care (24 speeches)
      My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Education and Youth, Senator Reynolds. I refer to reports that in yesterday's joint party room, chaired by newly re-elevated Deputy...
    • Employment (9 speeches)
      Can I add that I did stay home and raise my children for four years, and they were the happiest days of my life being a stay-at-home parent. My question is to the Minister representing the...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • COVID-19 Vaccination Certificates; Tabling (1 speech)
      I present COVID vaccination allocations horizons provided to state and territory health CEOs by the coordinator-general of the national vaccine taskforce on 19 June 2021.
  • Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
    • COVID-19: Vaccination (5 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services (Senator Colbeck) to questions without notice asked by Senators Gallagher and...
    • Climate Change (1 speech)
      I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Birmingham) to a question without notice asked by Senator Waters today relating to...
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • Presentation (1 speech)
      I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move: That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the following bills, allowing them to be considered...
    • Postponement (1 speech)
      I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator. There being none, we will continue.
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
      by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senator Henderson today for personal reasons. Question agreed to.
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Notices (0 speeches)
    • Postponement (1 speech)
      I seek leave to postpone business of the Senate notice of motion No. 4 standing in my name for today, relating to the reference of a matter to the Economic References Committee, until the next...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Australian Broadcasting Corporation (5 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that, under the leadership of Chair Ms Ita Buttrose, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has risen to the number 1 online news source for...
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Consideration of Legislation (5 speeches)
      I move: That if by 12 August 2021 the government business order of the day relating to the consideration of the National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Supporting Economic Recovery) Bill...
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Charitable Organisations (4 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that the Government's proposed changes to Governance Standard 3 in the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Regulation 2013 have been...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Motions (0 speeches)
    • Discrimination (8 speeches)
      I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) Investigation Arista by the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) found that: (A) the Queensland Police Service (QPS) engaged in...
    • Western Australia: Korean Community (2 speeches)
      I ask that general business notice of motion No. 1165, relating to the Korean community in Western Australia, be taken as formal.
    • Queensland: Coal Industry (2 speeches)
      I ask that my name and also those of Senators Rennick, Stoker, McGrath and McDonald be added to the motion standing in the name of Senator Canavan. I ask that general business notice of motion...
    • Immigration Detention (3 speeches)
      Before moving general business notice of motion No. 1168, I inform the Senate that Senators Keneally and McCarthy will also sponsor the motion. I, and also on behalf of Senators Thorpe, Keneally...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
    • Energy; Order for the Production of Documents (5 speeches)
      Pursuant to contingent notice of motion No. 3 standing in the name of Senator Wong, I move: That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent motion No. 1162 in the name of...
    • Western Australia: Korean Community, Queensland: Coal Mining (3 speeches)
      I seek leave to move general business notices of motion Nos 1165 and 1166 together and that they be determined without amendment or debate. Leave not granted. I move: That so much of standing...
    • Western Australia: Korean Community (1 speech)
      At the request of Senator Dean Smith, I move: That the Senate— (a) acknowledges that 2021 marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and the Republic of Korea; (b)...
    • Queensland: Coal Mining (11 speeches)
      At the request of Senator Scarr, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) coal mining at Acland has been a big employer for 92 years and helped support the town of Oakey over that time, (ii)...
  • Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
    • Morrison Government (14 speeches)
      I inform the Senate that, at 8.30 today, 27 proposals were received. In accordance with standing order 75, the question of which would be submitted to the Senate was determined by lot. As a...
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Documents (0 speeches)
  • Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
    • Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (1 speech)
      I table a response to a question taken on notice during question time on 21 June 2021, asked by Senator Siewert, relating to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission and seek leave...
  • Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Committees (0 speeches)
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Business (0 speeches)
    • Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
      by leave—I move: That— (a) the hours of meeting be 9.30 am till adjournment; (b) the Water Legislation Amendment (Inspector-General of Water Compliance and Other Measures) Bill 2021...
  • Bills (0 speeches)
  • Adjournment (0 speeches)
    • Energy (1 speech)
      Australia has the potential to be a renewable energy superpower not only generating renewable energy but also manufacturing the components to ensure that we are world leaders in renewable energy...
    • Middle East (1 speech)
      This month Queensland Labor passed a fact-devoid resolution falsely accusing Israel of ethnic cleansing. This follows a resolution by federal Labor in March to foolishly seek unilateral...
    • Australian Senate (1 speech)
      I have some bad news for people tonight. It turns out that the pandemic didn't kill the so-called culture wars, which are being manufactured again by the far Right in this chamber. There are a...
    • National Education Standards (2 speeches)
      We need to talk about our national curriculum. Students right across Australia are currently leaving school with lower comprehension of basic skills than their contemporaries had only a decade...
    • Lester, Ms Kunmanara (1 speech)
      Until last night, I wanted to use this time to record the tragic death last month of Kunmanara Lester, a Yankunytjatjara Anangu woman who was an esteemed antinuclear campaigner. I phoned...
    • Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (1 speech)
      If the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, the world's highest rated World Heritage wilderness, continues to be mistreated, disrespected, privatised and developed, it could join the Great...
    • Coalition Government (1 speech)
      This week the government has been focused on the numbers—the numbers in the Nationals party room, numbers that have delivered a reheated, rehashed Deputy Prime Minister in Barnaby Joyce....