The SPEAKER (Mr Harry Jenkins) took the chair at 10:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.
The Standing Committee on Regional Australia will inquire into and report on the use of 'fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) and 'drive-in, drive-out' (DIDO) workforce practices in regional Australia, with specific reference to:
That this bill be now read a second time.
The committee recognises that when a person spends their professional career inhaling and absorbing known—and probably some as yet unknown—carcinogens in the course of public service, it is the moral duty of the community to enable them to seek compensation should they fall ill as a consequence.
That this bill be read a second time.
… strongly expressed concerns about the potential impact of wild rivers declarations on economic development opportunities for indigenous people on Cape York. Some critical issues in relation to legislation include the onerous and unnecessary process for development approvals in wild river areas.
Man cannot live by bread alone, but he does need bread, and in the modern world the broader economy is where he'll earn it.
The education system, as I knew it before, has been of low standard. The curriculum in the past, as it is in all cape Aboriginal communities, has been of very low standard. By the time our children go out to mainstream schools they are hardly there—a child in grade 8 still has the understanding of a child in grade 1. Speaking for Aurukun, I was one of the persons who were invited to the States last October; I went to New York and Los Angeles visiting African-American schools. What we have brought back to Aurukun is a new kind of teaching method and we are having that implemented in the school. Of course it took time. At the beginning it pretty much had been, in my words, chaos before that. Since having this new program come in, if you come to the classrooms in Aurukun the kids are fully focused. This new method of teaching has got them going. The teacher is full-on with the tasks given and you cannot believe it when you enter those classrooms—it is as if some of those kids are play-acting. They are not; they are just full-on, focused. I guess in time we have to have expectations for our children to be educated in a way where they have to balance both worlds—the Western world and the traditional way. Of course we want them to hang onto the traditional way because that is where they are going to be identifying themselves for the future. And with them having to venture out into mainstream, we want them to compete. It is a competitive world out there. We want our black little kids to start taking on the world. That is the aim of all this.
We understand … that the cost of abatement might double if we try to achieve the full abatement domestically—
There will be no carbon tax under a government I lead.
I rule out a carbon tax.
… you can have a proper office there doing the processing, staffed by Australian officials applying Australian law.
… offshore processing in Malaysia, as per the High Court's decision, and in Nauru or Papua New Guinea, would not be legally permissible.
No, let … let me … let me put this in my own words: that if Nauru were to make itself compliant with all its obligations under Section 198—sorry, under the UN Refugee Convention and Section 198a of the Australian Migration Act—then the Nauru solution would work. But I do acknowledge that there is a sufficient area of doubt that it would be prudent and desirable to put the matter beyond doubt by legislative change.
I would rule out anywhere that is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention.
The 'Tele' is very keen to do a story for tomorrow's paper on the impact of the carbon tax ...
…the PBO should not be required to produce its own fiscal forecasts. Rather, it should provide analysis of the Government ' s fiscal forecasts…
To enhance PBO's independent analysis on the state of the nation's finances and trends in the national economy and given the downside risks to the average private sector outlook, PBO is providing—for the first time—its own medium‐term economic outlook … PBO's economic outlook incorporates its judgement of the balance of risks and as a result it can be viewed as a 'balanced' projection, which means that higher or lower outcomes are equally likely.
(2) The Parliamentary Budget Officer's functions under subsection (1) do not include:
(a) preparing economic forecasts; or
(b) preparing budget estimates (whether at the whole-of-government, agency or program level.
(3) In performing his or her functions under subsection (1), the Parliamentary Budget Officer must use the economic forecasts and parameters and fiscal estimates contained in the most recent relevant reports released under Parts 5, 6 and 7 of Schedule 1 to the Charter of Budget Honesty Act 1998.
Commonwealth bodies to provide information to help prepare report
(1) To help the Treasurer to prepare a budget economic and fiscal outlook report, the Treasurer may request a Commonwealth body to provide information.
This section applies in relation to a policy costing request that is made under subsection 64J(2) or (5) before polling day during the caretaker period for a general election.
As soon as practicable after the request has been made and before polling day, the Parliamentary Budget Officer must publicly release the request and a costing of the policy.
Purpose of Parliamentary Budget Office
is to inform the Parliament by providing, in accordance with this Division, independent and non-partisan analysis of the budget cycle, fiscal policy and the financial implications of proposals.
The Parliamentary Budget Officer's functions under subsection (1) do not include:
(a) preparing economic forecasts; or
(b) preparing budget estimates
Given the resource intensive nature of the work and the need to minimise the duplication of work produced elsewhere, the PBO should not be required to produce its own fiscal forecasts. Rather, it should provide analysis of the Government's fiscal forecasts, commenting on the assumptions, judgements and overall reliability of Government assessments.
It is infinitely preferable that all parties' costings be prepared on the same basis—
The Parliamentary Budget Officer may make an arrangement—
in writing, with the Head … of a Commonwealth body … to obtain from the body information and documents relevant to the Parliamentary Budget Officer's functions.
An authorised member of a Parliamentary party may request the Parliamentary Budget Officer to prepare a costing of a publicly announced policy of the Parliamentary party.
... discussion may be more comprehensive if Members had access to some additional quantitative analysis on how government projections had been arrived at and their sensitivity to assumptions.
That the amendment (Mr Hockey's) be agreed to.
If the world as a whole cut all emissions tomorrow the average temperature of the planet is not going to drop in several hundred years, perhaps as much as a thousand years.
Dear Ms Rowland
We are worried about our future. We want you to help our country to reduce greenhouse gas production. Climate scientists tell us that we only have ten years to turn things around. If we don't, by the time we are adults in 2020, it will be too late.
We will still be alive when your life is over. We want to have a good life like you have had. We don't want to live in a mess.
The people of Funafti in Tuvalu and on Kiribati island are lobbying to find new homes: salt water intrusion has made groundwater undrinkable and these islands are suffering increasing impacts from hurricanes and heavy seas. In the village of Saoluafata in Samoa, villagers have noticed that their coastline has retreated by as much as 50 metres in the last decade. Many of these people have had to move further inland as a result.
The low-lying delta region that makes up much of Bangladesh and the neighbouring Indian state of West Bengal are acutely vulnerable to climate change.
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts rising sea levels will devour 17 per cent of Bangladesh by 2050, displacing at least 20 million people.
The Bangladesh non-governmental organisation Coastal Watch says an average of 11 Bangladeshis are losing their homes to rising waters every hour.
Superannuation investment managers can manage carbon risk by integrating carbon metrics into investment processes and identifying opportunities from companies that are better positioned for a low-carbon economy
We protect nature not for sake of the trees and the fishes and the birds, but because it is the infrastructure of our communities. If we want to provide our children with the same opportunities for dignity and enrichment as those our parents gave us, we've got to start by protecting the air, water, wildlife, and landscape that connect us to our national values and character.
My husband and I are quite worried about the new Carbon Tax. We are pensioners but only own a diesel powered automobile. I have gone on the Internet to find the actual document that Ms Gillard will introduce but I can't find it. We want to know how her scheme will hurt us. We can see no benefits for the atmosphere or the Australian people.
I am very concerned about the Gillard carbon tax. I believe that it will not benefit any individual, nor the environment, but it will cost our country dearly by driving more industry offshore, simply by the fact that it is going to make Australia even less competitive in the World market. I urge you please to oppose this foolhardy action proposed by the government and furthermore stop their socialist agenda.
The (industry) won't improve until we get a different government.
The Gillard government had the opportunity to help us with the school buildings being built, but barely any of them went to local contractors. Had they been given to local guys, our contractors would be busy right now.
The main problem in my opinion is people haven't got confidence in the government so they haven't been spending.
The building industry is struggling at the moment—we need it like a hole in the head.
My predecessor as member for Lalor, Barry Jones, once said this about climate change, 'If we are only prepared to plan five years, 10 years, 15 years or 20 years down the track all the dangers that are feared can be avoided.'
The ATA has welcomed the Government's decision to exempt the trucking industry from carbon tax until 1 July 2014.
give small trucking businesses a breathing space to increase their fuel efficiency and renegotiate contracts with their customers.
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) Australia needs a diverse economy to prosper now and into the future;
(b) Australia has a strong innovation framework, and some of the best research and development and skilled workers in the world, but industry and government support is needed to turn that capacity into goods manufactured in Australia;
(c) the Australian Government has an agenda for nation building, innovation and improving the productive performance of business and industry, but that more can be done in this area;
(d) the Australian Manufacturing industry should continue to be assisted by government to ensure that the mining boom does not crowd-out every other area of the economy; and
(e) the Government has already made a substantial contribution to the development of this agenda;
(2) reaffirms its belief in a modern, cohesive and comprehensive industry policy for Australian manufacturing which links these elements of the Australian economy;
(3) supports policies to spread the benefits of the mining boom to local manufacturers and the development of a skilled workforce by;
(a) ensuring that the mining industry invests in apprenticeships and training to ensure Australia continues to renew and develop a high-skilled workforce; and
(b) requiring:
(i) all new major resource projects have an Australian Industry Participation Plan (AIPP) which provides details of the Australian manufactured materials and services to be used on all major resource developments; and
(ii) open and transparent tendering arrangements which permit Australian industry to compete on an equal basis with international companies for sub-contracts associated with major resource projects;
(4) supports policies that require Australian Government infrastructure and defence industry projects to produce and publish an AIPP detailing Australian manufactured materials and services; and
(5) in the interests of accountability and transparency, insists that all AIPPs be published and regularly updated as projects progress.
The Textile, Clothing and Footwear Strategic Capability Program is a competitive, merit based grants program. It funds strategic projects that increase innovation across Textile, Clothing and Footwear industries …
Confirming your eligibility first can save you a lot of time and effort.
… the entity (if a clothing manufacturer) is accredited in accordance with the Homeworkers' Code of Practice or is seeking accreditation …
The prospects for the manufacturing industry are not good.
the Australian Government has an agenda for nation building, innovation and improving the productive performance of business and industry, but … more can be done in this area;
… we are now facing a wave of hostility to this record investment.
Instead of welcoming the opportunity … we hear all kinds of arguments … bemoaning the package.
The end result will be an exodus of manufacturing industries and investment offshore, jobs will be lost, the cost of housing will increase and there will be no change to carbon emissions.
… the opportunities and benefits of the commodities boom can accrue more broadly than is commonly understood.
accelerating and streamlining development processes and enacting other supportive policies—
less expansive fiscal policy—
encouragement of foreign investment …
If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidise it.
The structure of the economy is changing very dramatically and, one way or another, that is going to happen while the demand for resources is so strong—
The manufacturing sector is finding life more difficult with this exchange rate, and we've seen the result of that in recent days. But I don't think anybody can really work out what can be done about that—
What people say to me, I cannot verify it obviously, from their individual businesses is that they find it harder to negotiate flexibility. That is something that is said. If that is true that I think is a matter for concern—
What we do not do is get into political debates over particular policies.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER (Hon. Peter Slipper) took the chair at 10:31.
To the Honourable The Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives
This petition of...
Certain citizens of Australia
Draws to the attention of the House:
The opposition to the Commonwealth Government's blanket ban on live cattle export to Indonesia.
We therefore ask the House to:
Abhor the appalling treatment of Territory livestock in rogue Indonesian abattoirs as seen on the ABC's Four Corners program but oppose the Commonwealth Government's blanket ban on live cattle which will cost the Territory economy over $300 million a year, slash jobs and devastate families and businesses.
Our experience with dealing with this Program through this Government has been disastrous for us financially and has depleted our business to a third the size and is not therefore viable. By completing 1.1 million homes it has taken about 15 years of work away. By overlooking us for Home Insulation Safety Program it has excluded us from millions of dollars of Inspection and rectification work and by allowing untrained people to install it has taken work away from legitimate businesses like ours …
Analysis of 52 different garden organics end-products showed that the Victorian limit for copper was exceeded on 46% of occasions, 63% of occasions for zinc and 50% of occasions for chromium. These data support the need for a revision of the heavy metal limits used in the Australian Standard for composts, soil conditioners and mulches …
… the states and territories should consider, as a matter of priority, adopting uniform description and labelling of fertiliser products to ensure consistency between jurisdictions.
As the sun surely sets,
dawn will see it arise,
for service above self
demands its own prize.
You have fought the good fight,
life's race has been run,
and peace your reward,
for eternity begun.
And we that are left
shall never forget,
rest in peace friend and colleague,
for the sun has now set.
We will remember.
Hasten the dawn.
The Egyptian government engaged in and tolerated religious freedom violations before and after President Hosni Mubarak stepped down on February 11, 2011.
Serious problems of discrimination, intolerance and other human rights violations against members of religious minorities, as well as disfavoured Muslims, remain widespread in Egypt. Violence targeting Coptic Orthodox Christians remained high during the reporting period.
This high level of violence and the failure to convict those responsible—including two of the three alleged perpetrators of the 2010 Nag Hammadi attack—continued to foster a climate of impunity, making further violence more likely.
The Egyptian government has failed to protect religious minorities, particularly Coptic Christians, from violent attacks, including during the transitional period when minority communities are increasingly vulnerable.
Since February 11, military and security forces reportedly have used excessive force and live ammunition targeting of Christian places of worship and Christian demonstrators.
… … …
In addition, the government has not responded adequately to combat widespread virulent anti-Semitism in the government-controlled media.
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
We do not support the motion.
We do not support the motion. It has been a longstanding practice of the government to not deal with complex foreign policy matters by way of simple motion.
How do we respond to the evil destruction of an iconic landmark and symbol, thousands dead, thousands more lives ruined?
This very question was posed by the rabbis of the Talmud writing of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, the magnificent home of monotheistic belief.
When the Rabbis of the Talmud posed the question after the fall of the Temple, one school, the Mourners of Zion decreed that there could be no further happiness. Jerusalem should remain without music and celebration until it was blessed with messianic redemption. In Hebrew, the expression "Zecher LeChurban" means remembrance of destruction. Within Jewish practice today every home is supposed to have a "Zecher LeChurban" a remembrance of the destruction with a prominent area left unpainted or undecorated. We should have a constant reminder that our lives have lost some of their lustre. At every Jewish wedding we shatter a glass, Zecher LeChurban. However great our joy at the occasion, we remember the Temple with solemnity and sadness. All joy is incomplete and fragmented in the remembrance of what has been lost. Another school—
remembered the Temple with a different slant. "Zecher LeMikdash" means a remembrance of the sanctuary. Every Passover we eat unleavened bread in a sandwich that the sage Hillel recalled as a Temple practice. On the feast of Tabernacles today we process for seven days with the palm, which used to be done only in the Temple. "Zecher LeMikdash" exhort the rabbis. We should celebrate and honour the buildings and the lives lost by incorporating their memories, their virtues and their values into our ongoing lives.
How must we respond to tragedy? Do we focus on the churban, the destruction or the mikdash, the sanctuary and its vibrancy. For sure, we do not forget. We do not abandon. Nor do we lose ourselves and augment the ruin.
With twin responses we confront the ambivalence of our psyche expressing on the one hand our profound grief that our world is damaged and that we are bereft. But we express on the other, defiance and ongoing struggle; a striving to renew and rebuild. The physical may crumble but the spirit endures.
We must not let ourselves be defeated by acts of destruction; nor may we lose hope that we shall see reconstruction and redemption; nor ought we dishonour those who showed faith and resilience in the face of adversity through our own hesitation. We respond by living better lives, through celebrating life and imbuing it with meaning.
(1) Schedule 2, item 68, page 32 (line 11), omit "the issue of", substitute "surrender under".
(2) Schedule 2, item 74, page 33 (line 23), omit "the issue of", substitute "surrender under".
(3) Schedule 2, item 82, page 35 (line 7), after "magistrate", insert "or, if a court made the order releasing the person on bail, before that court,".
(4) Schedule 2, item 128, page 42 (lines 21 and 22), omit "the extradition country, to a person appointed by the extradition country", substitute "New Zealand, to a person appointed by New Zealand".
(5) Schedule 3, item 112, page 75 (lines 22 and 23), omit "that a person in a foreign country is capable of giving assistance that", substitute "carrying out a forensic procedure on a person in a foreign country".
(6) Schedule 3, item 112, page 76 (lines 3 and 4), omit "a person in a foreign country is capable of giving assistance in relation to", substitute "carrying out a forensic procedure on a person in a foreign country may result in evidence relevant to".
He left the Church of England Grosvenor School to become a radio cadet with Macquarie News Brisbane, where he was mostly involved with news programs and did the state parliamentary round—
… he was over ten years a newsreader, journalist and Show Host (he even compered "New Faces") …
His attractions to Liberal Party philosophy dates from when as a boarder, he was given leave to steer a campaign speech delivered by Sir Robert Menzies in the Brisbane City Hall. The contrast between "Ming" Liberalism and the ideas of … John Gorton led Jull to join the Liberal Party in 1969.
We as a government have a very real responsibility for small businesses throughout Australia, because it was the small businessman, the Australian who was prepared to get out and have a go, who was prepared to work hard, who helped build this nation and who made it great. Even today some 42 per cent of the population is employed by small businesses …
An electorate such as Bowman, because of its nature, has more than its fair share of social problems too.
This is … the 371st speech I have made since 1981 … I suppose you could add 100 on to that—so we are probably getting very close to the 500th speech …
… one should have a passionate devotion to a cause but I am aware that unless the passion is guided by a sense of responsibility it can be wasteful and indeed harmful to society.
I know that I am young and idealistic—
but I hope that my stay in this House does not breed that cynicism which has become so prevalent of late.
I just look at these wonderful parents and think to myself - what is being done for them. Everything they do is for their children.
The My Time program is one little thing we can do to help them. It gives them a chance to get together and network and learn from each other's experiences.
I can talk to my family and friends but they don't get it like the parents in this room. It is not just to have a chat - it's to share information too – it's a great support to me.
Tyson was recently diagnosed with high-function autism, which has been a huge challenge for me over the years. Michelle Brooks has helped me for two years now with Tyson and the change in him has been amazing. Tyson wouldn't be making friends if it wasn't for the centre and its fantastic workers. Tyson is also coming along in leaps and bounds with his speech because of the interaction with all the other children. Michelle goes out of her way for my son and to lose that now when he is doing so well would break both our hearts.
Successful implementation of these reforms will provide a reduction in annual regulatory costs to the export industries in the order of $30 million per year from 1 July 2011. It will also provide the opportunity for removal of substantial costs from the export supply chain for industry and AQIS.
That this House:
(1) requires the responsible Minister to:
(a) immediately commission an independent study on the legitimate costs to the Government of Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) export service inspection fees and charges for the six affected industries (meat, fish, dairy, horticulture, grain, and live export) as evidenced at the AQIS—Australian Meat Industry Council joint ministerial taskforce meeting No. 15 on 7 May 2010; and
(b) table in the House:
(i) a document that explains how the Government will provide a reduction in annual regulatory costs to the export industries in the order of $30 million per year from 1 July 2011; and
(ii) a document that outlines the completion of reforms that were to be delivered as part of the agreement to remove the AQIS export service rebate between the Government and the six affected industries;
(2) notes that the above commitments were part of a package agreed to by the former Minster for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in return for the passage of the Government's legislation to remove the 40 per cent AQIS export service rebate; and
(3) calls on the Government to continue the AQIS export service rebate until the reforms are delivered, as agreed to by the Government.
V & V Walsh Proprietary Limited, in operation since 1957, has never in its history had its day-to-day meat processing operations interrupted by industrial action.
We needed something that better reflected the needs of 2011 export market access.
… its work in pioneering the application of food safety reform under the ground-breaking Australian Export Meat Inspection System.
Nolan Meats has long had a goal to gain access to all international markets, with company people fulfilling the meat inspection role. It saw such a move as simultaneously providing a stronger career path for personnel, and greater flexibility and efficiency within the role carried out by meat inspectors.
"Most importantly we believe AEMIS enhances product safety," company director Tony Nolan said.
"It's about building-in quality at all points of the supply chain to reduce costs: not putting faith in government to 'inspect quality in' at greater cost, at just a couple of points in the chain."
"Quality and safety are our responsibilities under the system," Mr Nolan said.
"Having our own personnel take ownership and responsibility for meat inspection enables us to have a QA culture that embraces 'total accountability' instead of the government's 'all authority and no accountability' culture," Mr Nolan said.
As a result, productivity has been greatly improved, by having meat inspectors multi-tasking and performing all or part of other tasks necessary to allow smooth and efficient production flow. It also allowed valuable feedback to be transferred back up the supply chain where problems were identified.
The company has now achieved market access to countries that had been considered, under Australian Government Market Access terms, to be 'too sensitive' for the new AEMIS system. These included Japan, Taiwan and Korea.
Successful implementation of these reforms will provide a reduction in annual regulatory costs to the export industries in the order of $30 million per year from 1 July 2011. It will also provide the opportunity for removal of substantial costs from the export supply chain for industry and AQIS.
Myodil was on the Australian market from at least 1959 and Pantopaque from at least 1961. Both agents were therefore available before the introduction of a therapeutic regulation program and requirements for premarketing evaluations in 1970.
… protecting domestic employment through national infrastructure improvements that can stimulate economic activity and create jobs; protecting against unfair competition from foreign firms as a result of foreign government subsidies; and maintaining national security interests through the continued use and development of certain industries within the U.S. economy, like the iron and steel industries.
As long as the possibility of serious global conflict exists, no sensible nation should rely entirely on global free trade, which will immediately be disrupted in any serious conflict.
… no way to treat a strategic Australian defence business. It amounts to anti-protection (giving advantage to foreigners).
Of the 54 243 applications made for visas under the offshore component of Australia's Humanitarian Program in 2010-11, how many were granted by (a) post and offshore humanitarian processing centres, and (b) country of birth?
Of the applications lodged within the offshore component of Australia's Humanitarian Program in 2010–11, 3112 visas have been granted as at 5 August 2011.
Table 1 shows the number of this cohort who were granted a visa, by Post. Table 2 shows this same information, broken down by country of birth rather than Post.
Table 1: Grants to persons lodging applications for subclass 200, 201, 202, 203 and 204 visas 1 in 2010–11, by Post, as at 5 August 2011 2
1 Visa categories: 200 visa – Refugee Visa; 201 – In-country Special Humanitarian Visa; 202 – Special Humanitarian Visa; 203 –Emergency Rescue Visa; 204 – Woman at Risk Visa
2 Note: Data for decisions made in 2010–11 is current as at 30 June 2011. Data for decisions made in 2011–12 is current as at 5 August 2011.
Table 2: Grants to persons lodging applications for subclass 200, 201, 202, 203 and 204 visas 3 in 2010–11, by country of birth, as at 5 August 2011 4
3 Visa categories: 200 visa – Refugee Visa; 201 – In-country Special Humanitarian Visa;
202 – Special Humanitarian Visa; 203 –Emergency Rescue Visa; 204 – Woman-at-Risk Visa
4 Data for grants made in 2010–11 is current as at 30 June 2011. Data for grants made in 2011–12 is current as at 5 August 2011.
5 The country of birth of principal visa applicants is applied to secondary visa applicants