Senate debates
Thursday, 24 July 2025
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Selection of Bills Committee; Report (3 speeches)
At the request of Senator Sheldon, I present the third report of 2025 of the Selection of Bills Committee. I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The report read...
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
I seek leave to have business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1 and general business notices of motion Nos 1 to 5 and 18 considered during formal business today. Leave not granted.
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Membership (6 speeches)
Order! I have received letters requesting changes in the membership of committees. I draw the Senate's attention to there being two nominations for a number of committees. In accordance with...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Joint Committee, Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings Joint Committee, Corporations and Financial Services Joint Committee, Electoral Matters Joint Committee, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Committee, Human Rights Joint Committee, Implementation of the National Redress Scheme — Joint Committee, Law Enforcement Joint Committee, Migration Joint Committee, National Anti-Corruption Commission Joint Committee, National Capital and External Territories Joint Committee, National Disability Insurance Scheme Joint Committee, Northern Australia Joint Select Committee, Parliamentary Library Joint Committee, Parliamentary Standards Joint Committee, Public Accounts and Audit Joint Committee, Public Works Joint Committee, Trade and Investment Growth Joint Committee, Treaties Joint Committee; Membership (1 speech)
by leave—I move: That senators appointed to committees as follows: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs — Joint Standing Committee — Appointed—Senators Liddle,...
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Members of Parliament: Staffing (7 speeches)
I, and also on behalf of Senators Thorpe, Babet and Tyrrell, move: That the following matter be referred to the Finance and Public Administration References Committee for inquiry and report by 27...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (1 speech)
I move: That the general business debate not proceed today. Question agreed to.
- Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
- Albanese Government (1 speech)
It was disappointing but perhaps not surprising that today in the Sydney Morning Herald we see the headline 'Secretive Albanese government goes backward on transparency'. This government has gone...
- Queensland: Local Government (1 speech)
Ask anyone in this place, and they will tell you all politics is local. Without the work to improve the lives of locals out there, we don't have a job in here. The backbone of Australian...
- Discrimination: Gender and Sexual Orientation (1 speech)
I'm proud to have been named the Australian Greens LGBTIQA+ spokesperson. I take on this role at a time of great challenge for the community. To quote Alastair Lawrie, a hugely respected...
- Central Queensland Hydrogen Project (1 speech)
Today we have learned that Fortescue has officially sounded a death knell for its Gladstone hydrogen project, after tens of millions of government funds have been wasted on a pipedream. A few...
- Indigenous Australians (1 speech)
Truth-telling is the foundation of trust, integrity and meaningful relationships. It paves the way for accountability and healing. In my home state of Victoria, the Yoorrook Justice Commission...
- Albanese Government: Transparency (1 speech)
I congratulate Catherine Williams and the Centre for Public Integrity, and I thank them for their research into the declining transparency of the 47th parliament. In the last parliament, the...
- Western Australia: Roads (1 speech)
Acting Deputy President Sterle, you will be interested to know that I recently had the great privilege of travelling on a large section of the Outback Way—the Great Central Road—all...
- Lund, Mr Simon (1 speech)
Today, I just want to pay tribute to Simon Lund, a deeply respected member of Victoria's firefighting community. Known to many as Lundy, Simon sadly passed away in May after a courageous battle...
- Disability Services (1 speech)
I strongly support the recent efforts across the country to expand access to ADHD diagnosis and treatment. Almost every state and territory has now committed to allowing GPs to diagnose ADHD and...
- Defence Recruitment (1 speech)
Last year, the government announced that New Zealanders living in Australia could join the ADF with Canadians, Brits and Americans, eligible to enlist from January this year. But, in response to...
- Fawcett, Hon. David (1 speech)
I rise to honour the service to this chamber and Australia of my friend and former colleague in this place David Fawcett. David was the 95th senator from South Australia. I always considered...
- Beef Industry (1 speech)
This is not my first speech. Australia's biosecurity and our agricultural sector have today been thrown under the bus by the Albanese government. Without any consultation with Australian farmers,...
- Francis-Coan, Councillor Sinead (1 speech)
It is with the deepest sorrow and a broken heart that I rise today to pay tribute to my dear friend and comrade Sinead Francis-Coan who passed away last month. She was a ray of sunshine in...
- Banking and Financial Services (1 speech)
When a local bank branch shuts down, it takes a part of the community with it. It's not just about putting a few coins into your account; it's a lifeline for small businesses who need cash floats...
- Labor Government (1 speech)
It is so good to be back in parliament and alongside so many new colleagues, including eight new Queensland MPs and one new Queensland senator. We want to say a big thank you to Queensland. Thank...
- Liberal-National Coalition (1 speech)
What a rabble they are opposite! We've only been back in parliament for three days. The Nats are already at war, and the Libs are undermining their leader already. The behaviour they've been up...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Child Abuse: Childcare Centres (26 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Early Childhood Education, Senator Walsh. Given the state and territory governments are responsible for the majority of urgent reforms that need to be made to...
- Workplace Relations (25 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Watt. Prior to the election, big retailers like Kmart, Big W and Costco, as well as...
- Taxation (14 speeches)
My question is to the minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. In a leaked recording of comments to the Park Orchards Ratepayers Association in the lead-up to the last election,...
- Aukus (27 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Wong. The Albanese government is trying to appease an increasingly belligerent United States, having recently provided an additional...
- Indigenous Employment (9 speeches)
My question is to our fabulous minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator McCarthy. We know the Albanese Labor government was re-elected with a mandate to deliver jobs in remote communities....
- Child Care (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Early Childhood Education, Senator Walsh. The issue of child care has been a topic of national debate in recent weeks. The safety of children is very important...
- Critical Minerals Industry (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Industry and Innovation, Senator Ayres. With respect to your government's decision to bail out the Whyalla smelter and, more recently, the Nyrstar smelters in...
- International Students (27 speeches)
My question is to Minister Watt, representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship. In July the Australian Skills Quality Authority issued notices cancelling the qualifications of more...
- Economy (11 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. The Albanese Labor government's first-term economic agenda focused on budget repair, providing targeted...
- Ministerial Statements (0 speeches)
- Parliamentary Standards (9 speeches)
I seek leave to make a statement of no more than five minutes. Leave granted. I speak today as a Yanyuwa Garrwa woman. We are known as li-Anthawirriyarra, which means our spiritual origin comes...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Answers to Questions (7 speeches)
After that hiatus, I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by ministers to all questions without notice asked by coalition senators today. Of course, there is plenty to talk about....
- International Students (1 speech)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for the Environment and Water (Senator Watt) to a question without notice I asked today relating to international students. I...
- Aukus (3 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Senator Wong) to a question without notice I asked today relating to AUKUS. It was pretty remarkable...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Condolences (0 speeches)
- Nixon, Hon. Peter James, AO (9 speeches)
It is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death on 1 May 2025 of the Hon. Peter James Nixon AO, a former minister and member of the House of Representatives for the division of...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee, Finance and Public Administration References Committee, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee, National Anti-Corruption Commission Joint Committee, Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Membership (1 speech)
Earlier today, senators voted by ballot to determine the crossbench members of various committees. The votes have now been counted, and the senator that received the most votes for each committee...
- Delegation Reports (0 speeches)
- Budget (0 speeches)
- Consideration by Estimates Committees (1 speech)
I present additional information received by various legislation committees relating to estimates: Budget estimates 2016-17—Education and Employment Legislation Committee—Additional...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Petitions (0 speeches)
- Middle East (1 speech)
by leave—I table a non-conforming petition from Medecins Sans Frontieres, signed by 65,000 Australians: Protect the people of Gaza now: public petition. What we are calling for is to...
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Labor Government (1 speech)
It has been great to be back in this place this week, starting the 48th Parliament to make Australia a fairer place. The next three years mean more tax cuts; more energy bill relief; a stronger...
- Georgiou, Mr Petro, AO (1 speech)
At item 9 on the Notice Paper earlier today, the President informed the Senate of the passing of a number of former members of the House of Representative, and one of them was Mr Petro Georgiou,...
- Middle East, International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica: 30th Anniversary (1 speech)
I will start by saying I'd like to associate myself with the comments from Senator Scarr about Petro Georgiou. May he rest in decency. Just today my office received direct communication from an...
- Torres Strait Islands: Climate Change (1 speech)
I rise today in deep solidarity with Uncle Pabai Pabai and Uncle Paul Kabai, two proud Torres Strait elders who led the class action claiming that the Australian government breached its duty of...
