Senate debates
Wednesday, 30 July 2025
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Meeting (1 speech)
If there is no objection, the meetings are authorised.
- Business (0 speeches)
- Consideration of Legislation (1 speech)
I move: That general business order of the day no. 5 (Housing Investment Probity Bill 2024) be considered today at the time for private senators' bills. Question agreed to.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Statements by Senators (0 speeches)
- Mentor, Mr James Edward (2 speeches)
I rise today in the Senate with a very heavy heart to mark the sudden and heartbreaking passing of a friend and staff member of mine, James Edward Mentor, last month. What I share today is drawn...
- Trade with the United States of America, Coleman, Emeritus Chief Rabbi Dr Shalom, CBE, AM, Myanmar (1 speech)
I want to speak on behalf of Western Australia's livestock producers, who have once again been sold out by the Albanese Labor government. First, Labor moved to shut down the live sheep export...
- Housing (1 speech)
I rise to make some comments about the nation's housing nightmare and to give a preview as to why the coalition is not of the view that prioritising build-to-rent developments is appropriate in...
- Middle East, Environment (1 speech)
On the evening of Thursday 17 July, just a couple of weeks ago, I attended a peace vigil for Gaza in my home town of Launceston at our beautiful Launceston Town Hall. I was disappointed to learn...
- Yoorrook Justice Commission (1 speech)
I rise today as a proud Mutthi Mutthi and Wamba Wamba woman and as a Victorian to speak about the nation-leading work that is happening in my home state on the path to treaty, truth and justice....
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (1 speech)
Imagine spending 25 years of your life unable to talk, unable to speak up for what you need. That was life for a young man with autism on Tassie's east coast. Eighteen months ago he could only...
- Renewable Energy, Trade Unions (1 speech)
Collie, in the south-west of Western Australia, has a proud and enduring history as one of our state's great industrial heartlands. For nearly a century, its coalmines and power stations have...
- Yoorrook Justice Commission (1 speech)
Earlier this month, the Yoorrook Justice Commission, the first formal truth-telling commission of its kind in this country, handed down its final historic reports. Amongst the commission's many...
- Blair Electorate: Federal Election (1 speech)
I rise to place on the record of the Senate my congratulations to the member for Blair, Shayne Neumann, on his outstanding seventh election victory for the community there. I said during the...
- Schools: Gender and Sexual Orientation (2 speeches)
I want to give Australian parents examples of what's being taught in our classrooms: 'You can't tell if someone is a boy or a girl by looking at their genitals. You can be a boy but feel like a...
- Treasurer (3 speeches)
I want to tell you a story about a man from Queensland who was doing a job for the last three years which was somewhat related to government—in fact, I would say it was quite heavily...
- Rivers, Ms Lyn (1 speech)
It is with great sadness that I rise to speak about the extraordinary Lyn Rivers, president of the South Australian and Northern Territory branch of the SDA, who tragically passed away last week....
- Teachers (1 speech)
I rise to speak in support of our public school teachers. Next Wednesday teachers in Queensland will go on strike for the first time in over 15 years, standing together to demand better pay and...
- Parkinson's Disease (1 speech)
As the co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Parkinson's group throughout the last parliament, I have seen and heard just how little many Australians know about this disease. Parkinson's is...
- Tasmania: Economy (1 speech)
The Albanese Labor government is driving a national push for practical long-term economic reform, reform that lifts productivity, strengthens the budget and improves the lives of working...
- Cybersafety (1 speech)
My comments today follow on from the vote last night calling for a review of the compulsory code of conduct for search engines, for which I thank Senator Babet. I also thank Senator Shoebridge...
- South Australia: Marine Environment (1 speech)
The algal bloom disaster is still unfolding in South Australia. My thoughts are with the communities that have been and are being affected. I extend my thanks to my fellow senators for supporting...
- Albanese Government (1 speech)
Over the last two weeks of sittings of the 48th Parliament, the Albanese Labor government has been delivering on our election commitments. We've been delivering on what we said we would do, and...
- Great White Sharks (1 speech)
Sharks are apex predators, and healthy shark populations are essential to healthy oceans, so it was with great alarm that I recently read that new genetic tests of great white shark populations,...
- Cybersafety (1 speech)
The government's sudden decision to include YouTube in its social media ban for under-16s is a textbook case of panic-driven policy, not principle. It's a backflip so hard and fast it should come...
- Royal Flying Doctor Service (1 speech)
For more than 90 years, the Royal Flying Doctor Service has been a lifeline to rural and regional communities, delivering not just emergency care but also essential primary care to communities in...
- Calgaret, Ms Heather, Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (1 speech)
Today I want to honour Heather Calgaret, a proud Yamatji, Noongar, Wongi and Pitjantjatjara woman who died in custody in 2021 after being found unresponsive in her cell at Victoria's Dame Phyllis...
- Education Standards (1 speech)
The recent release of the NAPLAN results highlights the continuing trend of mediocrity and declining standards in our education system. The latest results reveal that one in three students, or...
- Education (1 speech)
Everyone in this chamber has lived the power of education. We see firsthand, in the states that we love and represent, education's capacity to transform lives. Education is not a privilege for a...
- Albanese Government, Child Care (1 speech)
I don't think we're in the way at all, Senator O'Neill. You have your supermajority, you have your ability to govern and you need to go and do it. I think it's time. You need to get ahead and do...
- Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
- Middle East (10 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Hamas is a terrorist organisation in exclusive control of the Gaza Strip. Hamas slaughtered 1,200 Israeli civilians...
- Cybersafety (8 speeches)
This is not my first speech. My question is to the Minister for Youth, Senator Walsh. I refer to the Albanese Labor government's legislated social media minimum age limit and the government's...
- Medicare (26 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. The Prime Minister told Australians on at least 71 occasions, 'All you need is your Medicare card, not a credit...
- Environmental Conservation (10 speeches)
My question is to the new minister for the environment and water, Minister Watt. Studies have shown that toxic microplastics are infiltrating our lives—our brains, blood, placentas and...
- Economy (9 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Today the Australian Bureau of Statistics released new figures that show that headline and underlying inflation are...
- Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme (8 speeches)
Good advice, President, thank you. My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Senator McCarthy. In April...
- Housing (37 speeches)
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. As you may recall, Minister, last week you did not know how many houses the Housing Australia Future Fund had built....
- Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (8 speeches)
My question is for the Minister for Indigenous Australians. Minister, earlier this month, you acknowledged that the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody said that, to reduce deaths...
- Renewable Energy (8 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for the Environment and Water, Senator Watt. Yesterday the Minister for Climate Change and Energy announced further support for renewable energy projects,...
- Critical Minerals Industry (15 speeches)
My question is to the Minister for Industry and Innovation, Senator Ayres. Minister, the Australian Workers' Union said earlier this month: Between skyrocketing energy prices, cheap dumping and...
- Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
- Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme (1 speech)
I would like to answer a question by Senator Tyrrell. The independent review of the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme will seek to ensure the scheme is fit for purpose and delivers for...
- Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
- Answers to Questions (7 speeches)
I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today. As many in this place and many listening along to what happened...
- Environmental Conservation (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 plastic pollution. I've...
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Motions (0 speeches)
- Council of the National Library of Australia (3 speeches)
I have received a letter from Senator Walsh, resigning from her place as a member of the Council of the National Library of Australia; and from the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate,...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Committees (0 speeches)
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Postponement (1 speech)
I seek leave to postpone general business notices of motion Nos 62, 63 and 64 to the next day of sitting. Leave granted.
- Business (0 speeches)
- Rearrangement (5 speeches)
I move: That, in recognition of the allocation of private senators' time to Senator Lambie for Thursday, 31 July 2025 when she is on leave, Senator Lambie be allocated time on a later sitting day...
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Documents (0 speeches)
- Notices (0 speeches)
- Presentation (1 speech)
by leave—At the request of Senator Ruston, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, she will move: That the Senate— (a) notes that the Prime Minister promised 71 times to...
- Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
- Middle East (7 speeches)
Senator McKim has submitted a proposal, under standing order 75, today, which has been circulated and is shown on the Dynamic Red: That the risk of mass death from starvation in Gaza, with...
- First Speech (0 speeches)
- Dolega, Senator Josh (2 speeches)
Pursuant to order, I now call Senator Dolega to make his first speech and ask senators that the usual courtesies be extended to him.
- Collins, Senator Jessica (2 speeches)
Pursuant to order, I now call Senator Collins to make her first speech and ask senators to extend the usual courtesies to her.
- Matters of Urgency (0 speeches)
- Middle East (4 speeches)
Today this parliament will finally acknowledge just some of the horrors of the situation the people in Gaza have faced now for more than 18 months. I'd take a moment to pause and reflect on this...
- Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
- Energy (10 speeches)
The Senate will now consider the proposal, under standing order 75, from Senator Dean Smith, which has been circulated and is shown on the Dynamic Red: Rising and volatile energy prices continue...
- Party Office Holders (0 speeches)
- National Party of Australia (2 speeches)
by leave—I nominate myself as whip for the purposes of the Selection of Bills Committee, to replace Senator Cadell.
- Bills (0 speeches)
- Adjournment (0 speeches)
- Frederico, Mr Ramon Hugh (1 speech)
I rise tonight, honoured and humbled, to pay tribute to a remarkable man. He was a man who was a member of Victoria's legal profession, he was a dedicated supporter of the Vietnamese community,...
