The SPEAKER ( Hon. Bronwyn Bishop ) took the chair at 12:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.
Governor-General Amendment (Salary) Bill 2014
Across my life, I've been inspired by women's work and women's leadership.
The salary of a Governor-General shall not be altered during his continuance in office.
That this bill be now read a third time.
Excise Tariff Amendment (Tobacco) Bill 2014
Customs Tariff Amendment (Tobacco) Bill 2014
My great grandfather, grandfather, father and one of my uncles all died from smoking related conditions. Each of the latter three died 20 to 30 years before the life expectancy for their generation. My father's addiction contributed to two decades of poor health prior to his premature death, resulting in frequent periods where he was unable to work. My siblings and I grew up in poverty, the effects of which are still evident, and the taxpayer bore the cost of his many hospitalisations as well as the cumulative years of income support our family depended on in lieu of employment. I say this so you will understand my absence of sympathy for the 'principled' argument that tobacco companies have a right to make a profit from pushing legal drugs.
That all the words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:
"whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House is of the opinion that:
(1) tobacco continues to be the world's leading preventable cause of death;
(2) in government, Labor implemented measures to reduce smoking, including plain packaging; and
(3) the National Party continue to accept donations from tobacco companies."
Price increases encourage existing smokers to quit and raise the barrier for people considering taking up smoking, especially young people.
If, as indicated, contracts are in place for the full fibre roll out in Tasmania, then there will be absolutely no difference in who gets fibre to their home in Tasmania under Labor or Liberal.
Labor is on the record as having an open mind on the relaxing of the 49 per cent foreign ownership cap on Qantas as we recognise that without significant capital investment the airline is putting at risk its future international and domestic competitiveness.
A Labor government would consider lifting the restrictions limiting foreign ownership of Qantas to 49 per cent in a significant shift in policy.
Political parties have a choice: they can lead the debate on foreign investment, or they can follow it. Tony Abbott's Liberal Party has decided to follow it, and Labor must lead it.
All round, foreign investment is a good thing for Australia. There is an obligation for responsible Australian political parties to lead this debate … Promoting foreign investment to promote growth would be a very Labor thing to do.
Governments should not have to prop up private businesses, but they do have the capacity to make a mess of private business, and over the last few years we have seen legislation and regulation that has impacted us.
To reduce these costs, Labor should step aside and let the government repeal the carbon tax legislation.
Abolishing the carbon tax and mining tax and coming up with a pathway back to surplus will go a long way to restoring business confidence.
AUSTRALIA'S navy patrol boats are literally cracking up under the strain of intercepting the surge in asylum-seeker vessels …
… we looked at every dollar of aid spending to make sure that it was well targeted.
Qantas, Virgin Blue and other domestic airlines will voluntarily pay the carbon tax after lobbying to be included in the scheme.
A spokeswoman for Virgin Blue said the carbon pricing scheme would allow the company to source abatement measures at lowest cost.
The national interest in maintaining aviation jobs in Australia.
… if one foreign investor has gotten 49 per cent of the airline, then its strategic policy is likely to change, the attitude of its board would change and we could therefore not be confident anymore that Qantas would put the interests of Australia first.
… the best assistance the government and the opposition can provide is the removal of the—
… which has cost this industry hundreds of millions of dollars.
Mr Hockey the Aviation White Paper, Anthony Albanese flagged a relaxing of our foreign ownership in Qantas and allowing maybe up to 49% to be foreign-owned…
Well this is something I have previously been on the record about. Very concerned about any dilution of Australian control of Qantas. Qantas has, over the years, tried to increase foreign investment in the airline. We have been very concerned for a number of reasons. First and foremost, Qantas is an Australian icon and Qantas undertakes significant tasks in the national interest …
The Government’s decision to allow a single foreign investor to own 49 percent of Qantas would deliver effective control to a foreign investor, including possibly a competitor airline. Loss of effective Australian control could leave Australia without an airline primarily committed to our interests.
Excise Tariff Amendment (Tobacco) Bill 2014
Customs Tariff Amendment (Tobacco) Bill 2014
'Our position has been that it's a legal product, they're legitimate businesses,' Mr Mitchell said. 'Like all other parties we accept money from a broad range of organisations and individuals.
For every government law hurriedly passed in response to a current or recent crisis, there will be two or more unintended consequences, which will have equal or greater negative effects then the problem it was designed to fix.
It is going to increase the cost of living for smokers, but smokers could be pensioners, low-income people, it could be smokes and beers might be the thing that is important to them.
I want to know what the impact is on lower income people of just increasing their cost of living.
One of the big statements that comes from this government and many governments is that pricing is one of the best means to stop access for children.
… … …
We understand that the price going up when the excise goes up reduces consumption.
… … …
There was a 25 per cent increase in the excise and we saw the volumes go down by about 10.2 per cent; there was about a 10.2 per cent reduction in the industry last year in Australia.
That this bill be now read a third time.
Customs Tariff Amendment (Tobacco) Bill 2014
That this bill be now read a third time.
Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2014 Measures No. 1) Bill 2014
That all the words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:
"whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading the House is of the opinion:
(1) that the government has made clear its intentions of creating a two tiered system of health care by hitting vulnerable Australians with extra out-of-pocket costs while considering further cuts to payments and support;
(2) that savings generated under this Bill must be reinvested to enhance health care affordability and universally accessible health care for all Australians; and
(3) that it was an Australian Labor Government that revolutionised health care in 1983 with the establishment of Medicare and will always defend the right of every Australian to universal, affordable and high quality health care."
Compulsory superannuation is one of the biggest con jobs ever foisted by government on the Australian people.
We have always as a Coalition been against compulsory superannuation increases.
That makes tomorrow April 21, 2006 Debt Free Day. It is the day we pay off the mortgage.
… the Rudd and Gillard governments boasted about the amount of legislation they passed, the problem though was much of it was detrimental to the economy, cutting jobs, impeding innovation and deterring investment. The fact is the Labor government introduced 975 new or amending pieces of legislation and over 21,000 additional regulations and now it is our responsibility to clean-up the mess.
To give you a sense of the significant increase in the amount of legislation and regulation, it is worth mentioning that in 1912 the federal parliament passed just 43 acts and created just 254 statutory rules, while in 2012 it passed 206 acts and created 1702 regulations. There are now nearly 800 current acts of Parliament and 50,000 regulations on the Federal Register and the Abbott Government is determined to clean-up the statute books. On the Parliament’s first ever repeal day, we will repeal more than 100 acts and over 8,000 regulations.
The spent and redundant legislation and regulation will be tabled in the House of Representatives on March 19 and debated as part of the Coalition’s Repeal Day on March 26.
We don't want to create a situation where people defer seeking healthcare, and that might be expensive later …
The AMA does not support this concept and we have made our view very well known.
We have always as a coalition been against compulsory superannuation increases.
Compulsory superannuation is one of the biggest con jobs ever foisted by government on the Australian people.
The Inquiry will report on the consequences of developments in the Australian financial system since the 1997 Financial System Inquiry and the global financial crisis, including implications for:
1.how Australia funds its growth;
2.domestic competition and international competitiveness; and
3.the current cost, quality, safety and availability of financial services, products and capital for users.
The Inquiry will refresh the philosophy, principles and objectives underpinning the development of a well-functioning financial system, including:
1. Balancing competition, innovation, efficiency, stability and consumer protection;
2. How financial risk is allocated and systemic risk is managed;
3. Assessing the effectiveness and need for financial regulation, including its impact on costs, flexibility, innovation, industry and among users;
4 .the role of Government; and
5. The role, objectives, funding and performance of financial regulators including an international comparison.
The Inquiry will identify and consider the emerging opportunities and challenges that are likely to drive further change in the global and domestic financial system, including:
1. The role and impact of new technologies, market innovations and changing consumer preferences and demography;
2. International integration, including international financial regulation;
3. Changes in the way Australia sources and distributes capital, including the intermediation of savings through banks, non-bank financial institutions, insurance companies, superannuation funds and capital markets;
4. Changing organisational structures in the financial sector;
5. Corporate governance structures across the financial system and how they affect stakeholder interests; and
6. Developments in the payment system.
The Inquiry will recommend policy options that:
1. Promote a competitive and stable financial system that contributes to Australia’s productivity growth;
2. Promote the efficient allocation of capital and cost efficient access and services for users;
3. Meet the needs of users with appropriate financial products and services;
4. Create an environment conducive to dynamic and innovative financial service providers; and
5. Relate to other matters that fall within this terms of reference.
The inquiry will take account of the regulation of the general operation of companies and trusts to the extent this impinges on the efficiency and effective allocation of capital within the financial system.
The inquiry will examine the taxation of financial arrangements, products or institutions to the extent these impinge on the efficient and effective allocation of capital by the financial system, and provide observations that could inform the tax white paper.
In reaching its conclusions, the inquiry will take account of, but not make recommendations on the objectives and procedures of the Reserve Bank of Australia in its conduct of monetary policy.
The inquiry may invite submissions and seek information from any persons or bodies.
The inquiry will consult extensively, both domestically and globally. It will publish an interim report in mid-2014 setting out initial findings and seek public feedback. A final report is to be provided to the Treasurer by November 2014.
While we all want to live a long life in retirement, sometimes this can have financial consequences, which is why developing products which address longevity risk is crucial. With the Government committed to addressing the impediments which hinder the development and use of retirement income stream products, now is an opportune time to consider the positive adjustments that can be made to help facilitate this.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme … is expected to cover all related expenses previously covered by the net medical expenses tax offset for those eligible for a funded plan from the NDIS.
The government is committed to delivering a sustainable NDIS across Australia to support people with significant and permanent disability.
While this may seem costly to some, it makes a lot more economic sense than if I could no longer work and had to go on social benefits.
That this bill be now read a third time.
Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2013-2014
Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2013-2014
Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2013-2014
The latest OECD broadband statistics show Australia's ranking in the use of broadband remains mired at 17th out of 30 surveyed countries.
The recommendation from the panel is that we move to the next generation, not fibre optic to the node, but fibre optic to the home, fibre optic to the business, fibre optic to the premise.
I just want to make one thing clear: the panel of experts was never asked to and didn't make any judgement call on the issue of investment for a fibre to the home network.
We are inviting all companies in the Telco sector to join us and partner in this … And in terms of our initial contribution it is the $4.7billion which we have talked about at length over the last few years. So we believe that we are able to deliver this project very responsibly and we believe that there is genuine interest in being a partner in this proposal.
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has unleashed a tirade against Vodafone … accusing its chief executive of acting like Sol Trujillo, the divisive former Telstra boss.
'I find it extraordinary that the world's largest mobile operator wants to close down a regional network for people they don't service. They lost 750,000 customers due to poor service
Practical men who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influence, are usually the slaves of some defunct economist.
… ‘benign neglect’ or ‘caring indifference’.
It was Abbott who put the torpedo in the water over Holden.
… there is now no more hay left in the barn.
We are living beyond our means and spending must be cut in line with our reduced income so we do not go back into net debt.
I do regard access to justice not as an aspect of social welfare but as a necessary implication of the rule of law.
The couple took over the charity initially with the support of the members and existing board. However, many members cancelled their membership following the couple's increasing abuse of their position within the charity.
The commission is actually working for us and it gives the public confidence, it underpins the consumer benefit to charities.
The ACNC is a dream come true for small charities. We don't have the range of expertise needed to manage the ATO and ASIC, we do not have the time to do compliance for many different groups, nor can we easily stay on top of changes in regulations. The ACNC has cut the red tape dramatically.
We are also of the opinion that there was no basis for the primary judge to conclude that Brough was part of any combination with anyone in respect to the commencement of these proceedings with the predominant purpose of damaging Slipper in the way alleged or at all. Ashby was persuaded to contact Brough by Bradford. Despite Brough's hesitation at seeing Ashby he did so and referred him to Russell QC. There is absolutely nothing untoward about those matters. That he was the recipient of copies of some of Slipper's diary entries does not convert what he did in referring Ashby to Russell QC into something sinister. Beyond this referral there is no evidence which links Brough in any way to the decision by Ashby to commence proceedings or as to what claims would be made in any such proceedings. Evidence that Brough had an 'animus' towards Slipper does not alter this conclusion. Ashby's unchallenged sworn testimony was that he was not commencing his action at the instigation or behest of any member of parliament, State or Federal, or any political party. This evidence is neither inherently improbably nor do we consider that it is contradicted by other evidence.