The SPEAKER ( Hon. Bronwyn Bishop ) took the chair at 09:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.
G20 (Safety and Security) Complementary Bill 2014
That this bill be now read a second time.
Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Bill 2014
That this bill be now read a second time.
Defence Force Retirement Benefits Legislation Amendment (Fair Indexation) Bill 2014
That this bill be now read a second time.
Clean Energy Finance Corporation (Abolition) Bill 2013
That this bill be now read a second time.
Marriage (Celebrant Registration Charge) Bill 2014
That this bill be now read a second time.
Marriage Amendment (Celebrant Administration and Fees) Bill 2014
That this bill be now read a second time.
Export Market Development Grants Amendment Bill 2014
(1) Schedule 1, page 6 (after line 13), after item 9, insert:
9A Section 105
Omit "The costs", substitute "(1) The costs".
9B At the end of section 105
Add:
(2) Paragraph (1)(b) does not apply in relation to the financial year that started on 1 July 2013. Despite paragraph (1)(a), to the extent that the costs of the administration of this Act for that financial year exceed 5% of the appropriation amount for that financial year, those costs are to be paid otherwise than out of that appropriation amount.
That this bill be now read a third time.
Land Transport Infrastructure Amendment Bill 2014
I have been a member of the CFA for 35 years and I have been to my fair share of fatalities on the crossroads of the Calder. There are a lot of near misses as well …
Critically important for the efficient, reliable and safe movement of people and freight throughout the state, and is the most significant single piece of transport infrastructure used by residents, visitors, business and industry all year around.
… the Bruce Highway is medium-high and high risk along much of its length.
Of course you’ll see Coalition Members queuing up to be a part of this. Joel Fitzgibbon was only invited yesterday. I’m sure my invitation’s in the mail, but Joel Fitzgibbon is the local member had to wait until yesterday before he received an invitation to this project.
It's an ugly mess. When I was elected in 1996 this project was on track and it was worth $285 million.
Eleven-and-a-half years later, we haven't turned a sod of soil and it's apparently worth $1.2 billion.
So we've got a hell of a mess to sort out. The design and treatment was done in 1994/1995. We're in 2007.
Is the F3 link still the best and right solution for our traffic problems? Maybe yes, but we don't know.
He denied he was backing away from statements made during the campaign where he said Labor would "absolutely match" a $780 million Howard government commitment of construction money for the link if it were properly costed and budgeted from the AusLink program.
I don't mean to back away from it because the money and the arrangements are not there. There was never a final costing, there was never an agreement.
MONDAY was a great day for flying over the Hunter Valley.
Building it was, by all accounts, a pretty challenging exercise in engineering terms.
But getting the money out of the federal and state governments—now that was a once-in-a-generation achievement.
When the thing gets officially opened, everybody and their dog will be scrambling for a bit of credit, and good luck to those who deserve it. Many do.
The earliest I can remember people promoting this roadway was in the 1990s, when they reckoned it was going to cost about $180 million.
Everybody agreed it was a great project with a lot of benefits, but because it wasn’t in Sydney or in a state with a government that cares about its non-capital cities, it languished.
The state allocated some planning funds pretty early in the piece, but it never looked like chipping in any serious money, arguing instead that it was a federal job.
By 2006, Hunter Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon, in whose electorate the road lies, was telling the Coalition federal government that he didn’t care if the road had to be a private tollway, just so long as it got built before it got too expensive for anybody to ever contemplate.
The Coalition feds found about $250 million to get it started.
But it didn’t start, because the state—
didn’t want to contribute.
It took the Rudd-slide election to put the project on the map. That’s when Paterson MP Bob Baldwin promised that the Coalition would stump up another $780 million if his mob got back in. Fitzy, for his part, said Labor would match that promise.
Until Labor got in, when all bets were suddenly off because, Fitzy said, the money hadn’t really been allocated. Oh, and the NSW government didn’t have its $240 million share to spare anyway.
Enter the financial crisis …
For reasons that I don't understand, the present crop of Coalition governments—federal and state—seem biased against public transport as the answer to traffic congestion and have reverted to the 1960s notion that more tollways will fix everything.
… by its very nature, infrastructure planning and delivery is a long-term business requiring long lead times, careful planning …
Sydney's transport system is, of course, the Moorebank Intermodal project. It was initially opposed by the coalition, including the member for Hughes. The member for Hughes campaigned very strongly against it …
… a position which is now rejected by his party, who understand how important the Moorebank Intermodal project is for Sydney in taking trucks off the road and providing a productivity benefit.
…is essentially unproven in Sydney. At present, most intermodal demand in Sydney is for longer-haul export freight, and there is significant capacity available at a number of existing intermodal sites.
Sydney Ports and Hutchison are currently developing a 300,000 TEU per annum intermodal facility at Enfield.
Infrastructure NSW recommends that state public funding for additional intermodal terminal capacity in Sydney (including in relation to supporting infrastructure) be minimised until there is greater clarity on whether the short-haul rail freight market is viable.
Through the Infrastructure Investment Program, the government has committed $35.5 billion over six years to road and rail projects, including:
For decades we have tried to solve the problem of too many cars on too few lanes by building more roads, but each new highway or bridge then attracts more traffic.
It will cripple the state's fiscal position for many years through massive payments to the public-private partnership consortium that will finance it.
The financial burden on the Victorian taxpayer will be so big that it will ''crowd out'' the state's core responsibilities for funding schools, hospitals, rail transport and even other roads for at least a generation.
… the methodology ''has not been used in any of [the Transport Department's] other public transport projects or program modelling to date''.
The financial case for the east-west link hinges on a prediction that toll road use will jump over the next 30 years because of rising wealth and shrinking petrol and CBD parking price rises.
… the controversial $6 billion to $8 billion road as a key example of why the public are cynical about ''big-ticket'' infrastructure announcements.
This is a particular problem during election periods where commitments are often made although robust business cases have not been prepared, let alone independently reviewed.
… is particularly concerned about changes proposed by the Deputy Prime Minister, Warren Truss, which will give the federal government discretion to ring-fence some projects from independent scrutiny.
Mr Deegan warned that any such change would ''exacerbate'' the problem of projects being presented to Infrastructure Australia ''with limited or questionable business cases''.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who is opposed to Commonwealth funding for public transport projects, has pledged $1.5 billion for the east-west project, with the rest coming from the state government, which will collect toll revenue, and the private sector.
''If it's reaching 120,000 we're at a position where we're reaching capacity,'' Mr Pelosi said. ''Unless you intervene in some manner and manage the toll rate to influence demand, you get a situation where you're near capacity."
Australia's future growth will be significantly influenced by our capacity to deliver more appropriate, efficient and effective infrastructure. The amendments in this bill will help to better deliver the infrastructure Australia critically needs.
Labor and the Greens are not different shades on the same continuum; we are different parties that believe in different things. People need to be very clear in their understanding: if you vote Labor, you will not get Greens policies.
I would have loved to have gone out and sold it. But the central command had the view that this was something you're not allowed to talk about and I just think that's crazy.
If we don't have the revenue from the tax then we can't make the investments.
But they are only possible if you have revenue from somewhere—
Well, I want to absolutely scotch any suggestion that there is a cloud over Arthur Sinodinos. There is not. I wouldn’t be appointing Arthur to the incoming ministry if I thought there was any cloud over him.
That the House:
(1) notes that the Prime Minister:
(a) committed to the Australian people that he would lead a Government that is 'transparent and open' and would 'restore accountability and improve transparency measures';
(b) is accountable to the Australian people and the Australian Parliament; and
(c) has been asked on numerous occasions to explain to the House what he knew about Senator Sinodinos' involvement in Australian Water Holdings and when he knew it;
(2) requires the Prime Minister, for 15 minutes, to immediately explain to the House:
(a) all the information in the possession of the Prime Minister or his office in relation to Senator Sinodinos' involvement in Australian Water Holdings; and
(b) what changed between the Prime Minister appointing Senator Sinodinos as Assistant Treasurer in September, expressing full confidence in Senator Sinodinos on Tuesday and allowing Senator Sinodinos to stand aside on Wednesday; and
(3) allow the Leader of the Opposition, for 15 minutes in the House, to immediately reply to the Prime Minister.
That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Watson moving immediately:
That the House:
(1) notes that the Prime Minister:
(a) committed to the Australian people that he would lead a Government that is 'transparent and open' and would 'restore accountability and improve transparency measures';
(b) is accountable to the Australian people and the Australian Parliament; and
(c) has been asked on numerous occasions to explain to the House what he knew about Senator Sinodinos' involvement in Australian Water Holdings and when he knew it;
(2) requires the Prime Minister, for 15 minutes, to immediately explain to the House:
(a) all the information in the possession of the Prime Minister or his office in relation to Senator Sinodinos' involvement in Australian Water Holdings; and
(b) what changed between the Prime Minister appointing Senator Sinodinos as Assistant Treasurer in September, expressing full confidence in Senator Sinodinos on Tuesday and allowing Senator Sinodinos to stand aside on Wednesday; and
(3) allow the Leader of the Opposition, for 15 minutes in the House, to immediately reply to the Prime Minister.
The House divided. [15:39]
(The Speaker—Hon. Bronwyn Bishop)
The government's moves to cut transparency, accountability and consumer protection, and its impact, particularly, on the voters of Western Australia.
There will be a single national database for university reporting, so government departments will coordinate with each other rather than putting that burden of coordination on the university sector—
The commission is actually working for us, and it gives the public confidence. It underpins the consumer benefit to charities.
During its short history, the ACNC has played a positive role in the overall regulatory environment of charities.
Its stellar improvement in terms of timeliness, consistency of decision making and responsiveness…
The ACNC is a dream come true for small charities…The ACNC has cut red tape dramatically. The staff are helpful and navigate complexities so we can be sure we are compliant and efficient.
The ACNC is more efficient than the government regulators it replaced, is doing good work and deserves a chance to achieve its three goals of reducing red tape, increasing public trust and strengthening the charity sector.
Since the ACNC’s establishment as an independent charities regulator, Philanthropy Australia has consistently supported the ACNC’s important role in our community.
The repeal of the ACNC will simply recreate more bureaucracy, lessen protection for the public and add unnecessarily to the workload of community service providers. It will also create uncertainty as there is no clear replacement. Uncertainty is the biggest enemy of efficiency, as big business tells us.
A silent majority in Western Australia think the ACNC is the way forward. Regulation is only part of what it offers.
Its best practice governance principles have been very well accepted. It has provided the sector with a good set of financial principles that allow for differences between charities. It recognises that the WA sector is every bit as complex as any other sector.
Removing the ACNC without a fair trial and without leveraging the hard work of the commission in recent months would be a mistake.
Yet the common law definition of a charity, which is based on a legal concept dating back to 1601, has resulted in a number of legal definitions and often gives rise to legal disputes.
Remus Reid, horse thief, sent to Montana Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Montana Flyer six times. Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889.
Remus Reid was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed.
West Australian Labor MP Alannah MacTiernan says the Federal Opposition should go "back to the drawing board" on the mining tax.
Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says Labor's policy is to support the mining tax.
But Ms MacTiernan—
says the policy, implemented by former Prime Minister Julia Gillard and former Treasurer Wayne Swan—
has been ineffective.
"I think it would be fair to say that the mining tax hasn't done the job that it was designed to do," Ms MacTiernan told reporters at Parliament House in Canberra. "This is time to look at that again and look at how we do that in a better way. "We will have to be talking to state governments about how to introduce a successful mining tax."
The NBN rollout has not started in your area. Keep checking the website for updates and more information.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Hon. BC Scott ) took the chair at 09:30.
The battle over the WA Senate vacancy created by the exit of Chris Evans … is instructive even if details will remain confusing to most of the public.
The retiring WA secretary of the left's United Voice union, Dave Kelly, who has just become a new state Labor MP, has been negotiating for a female United Voice candidate to return from Sydney to take the Senate spot. The right wing Shop, Distributive and Allied (SDA) Employees Association (the old shoppies union) may support this in exchange for United Voice giving its support for the SDA to replace its former state secretary and (near invisible)—
senator Mark Bishop with its current secretary, Joe Bullock, in the No.1 spot on the Senate ticket.
That vacancy is being lined up for one of Mr Kelly's union colleagues, Sue Lines, who wants to return to WA after eight years as an official in the east, to enter Federal Parliament from here.
Brian Burke is continuing to cast a shadow over Labor's Senate … Senator Mark Bishop, whose spot is being challenged by former friend and union ally Joe Bullock, said the weekend's State election showed Federal Labor faced "serious structural issues" in WA that "border on the existential".
"The real problem in my view is Federal Labor does not get WA," he said. "It does not understand its size, its distance or its wealth."
… "party hacks and union officials" have captured Labor, including for parliamentary pre-selection.
… as Mr Watson complains, Labor needs more genuine representatives of the community, not labour movement hacks who think they have a God-given right to represent the people.
It is too late to reform WA Labor rules in time to prevent factional self-interest dominating the coming Senate preselection round in WA.
We will honour the agreements that Labor has entered into. We will match the offers that Labor has made. We will make sure that no school is worse off.
Malaysia’s police have a weak record of investigative work, partly because the police—like virtually every other part of the Malaysian government—are … highly politicized, stuffed with patronage jobs, and perceived as very corrupt
Government leaders have long been obsessed with Anwar,—
as his opposition alliance has gotten closer and closer to winning a national election and ending the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition's reign. Malaysian officials have been acting as if Shah's support—
for Anwar's opposition party was something shocking …
In respect of his direction to NBN Co Limited on 24 September 2013 to continue deploying the fixed wireless network, (a) can he guarantee that no previously announced sites to be serviced by the fixed wireless components of the National Broadband Network (NBN) in the electoral division of Richmond will be removed from the first phase of the fixed wireless rollout, (b) when will construction begin on the fixed wireless components of the NBN in Richmond, (c) when is it anticipated that construction of the fixed wireless components of the NBN will be completed in Richmond, and (d) when will residents of Richmond be able to connect to the fixed wireless components of the NBN.
The Government's Interim Statement of Expectations provided to NBN Co on 24 September 2013, directed NBN Co to continue deploying the fixed wireless network, but, in doing so, take into account the very likely availability of fixed line broadband technologies via very-high-bit-rate digital subscriber line (VDSL) in smaller communities not currently in the fixed line footprint.
The planning of the fixed wireless network, including site selection and the construction schedule are commercial decisions for NBN Co. As part of the Government's direction to increase transparency in NBN Co, as construction commences in areas, these areas will be updated to the rollout maps, which are all publicly available on the NBN Co website.
Additionally, the NBN Co Strategic Review, received by the Government on 12 December 2013, advised that NBN Co will undertake a detailed review of its Fixed Wireless and Satellite programs. The review will consider strategic options available to NBN Co to cost effectively provide coverage to areas outside the fixed footprint, as well as considering the optimal model to provide this coverage.
The Government will consider the recommendations of the Strategic Review, together with the outcomes of other reviews as part of its transformation of the NBN.