Senate debates

Tuesday, 4 March 2014

  • Canberra Burns Club's 90th Anniversary (1 speech)
    I am pleased to rise tonight to commemorate the 90th anniversary of Canberra's oldest social club, the Canberra Burns Club. The Burns Club began in 1924, when only 3,000 people called Canberra...
  • Broadband (1 speech)
    I rise to decry the abysmal state of communications policy under the people's choice for Liberal Party leader. When you have polls like the recent ReachTEL one that puts the Minister for...
  • Sharks (1 speech)
    People will hardly find it surprising that I rise tonight to talk about the ongoing shark slaughter in Western Australia. This is reckless, it is cruel, and it is needlessly destructive of sharks...
  • World Plumbing Day (1 speech)
    In my brief contribution this evening, I would like to note an important date that will occur next week but is, perhaps, not at the forefront of public awareness. On Tuesday, 11 March, those...
  • Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (1 speech)
    I rise today to address the house on a rare medical condition that has recently affected Isabelle Ruiz, the granddaughter of Mary Meldrum, one of my central Australian constituents. The disease...
  • Western Australian Goldfields Miners Monument (1 speech)
    It was my privilege last Saturday to join my colleague Rick Wilson, the member for O'Connor, in Kalgoorlie, along with some 350 eastern goldfields residents and guests for the unveiling of a...
  • Seeger, Mr Pete (1 speech)
    He was a peace activist and environmentalist, a civil rights campaigner and union man. He collected the songs of America's poor and poorly treated. He made their melodies popular, conserving...
  • National Broadband Network (1 speech)
    Not many people would have heard of the Danish scientist Jakob Nielsen nor realise his relevance to one of Australia's current political debates. Dr Nielsen has a PhD in human-computer...
  • Aviation Transport Safety Bureau (1 speech)
    I would like to speak tonight on an incredibly seriously issue that goes to the heart of aviation safety in Australia. In May last year, the Senate Rural And Regional Affairs and Transport...
  • Forced Adoption (1 speech)
    About four years ago, I had a meeting in my office with three amazing women: Marg Hamilton, Jan Kashin and Therese Hawken. They came to see me because they were part of an organisation in...
  • Kangaroos (1 speech)
    I speak today in response to a speech in this place on February 11 by Senator Rhiannon, from the Greens. Senator Rhiannon's speech was about kangaroos and, in particular, about kangaroo...
  • Abbott Government (1 speech)
    Since the election of the new Abbott government in September last year, I have met with a number of concerned individuals and groups in civil society, each with very important issues that are...
  • Thebarton Senior College, Time for Kids, Youth Connections (1 speech)
    One of the best things about my job is the people I get to meet and the places I get to visit. Today I have the very pleasant task of talking about three South Australian organisations I have had...
  • Manufacturing (1 speech)
    I think we have all heard, over and over again, the catchcry that manufacturing in Australia is in crisis. I would like to suggest to everyone here that in fact it is not in crisis at all; it is...
  • International Women's Day, Overseas Aid (1 speech)
    International Women's Day will be marked with inspiring celebrations around the world. One of the creative actions will be the women's peace camp held in Shannon, Ireland. The camp has been...
  • Sri Lanka (1 speech)
    I speak today of a young man and of the cruelty to which he has been subjected; I speak today of genocide and of how this government is complicit; and I speak today of how Australia is now lining...