The SPEAKER ( Hon. Bronwyn Bishop ) took the chair at 09:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.
Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims Amendment Bill 2015
That this bill be now read a second time.
Customs Amendment (Anti-dumping Measures) Bill (No. 1) 2015
That this bill be now read a second time.
Customs Tariff (Anti-Dumping) Amendment Bill 2015
That this bill be now read a second time.
Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Miscellaneous Matters) Bill 2015
That this bill be now read a second time.
Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Regulatory Levies) Amendment (Miscellaneous Matters) Bill 2015
That this bill be now read a second time.
Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Legislation Amendment (Exit Arrangements) Bill 2015
That this bill be now read a second time.
Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2015
That this bill be now read a second time.
Australian River Co. Limited Bill 2015
That this bill be now read a second time.
Defence Trade Controls Amendment Bill 2015
That this bill be now read a second time.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition (Sunset Extension) Bill 2015
Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2014-2015
Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2014-2015
Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2014-2015
Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2014-2015
Scientific research shows that prescribed burning is very effective, especially when managing bushfires. We know from experience over a wide range of weather conditions and vegetation types that direct attack on bushfires with flame heights of more than three meters or where fires are moving faster than 200 metres per hour (in forest) is not likely to succeed. Fire behaviour is directly affected by the amount of available fuel. Therefore, direct attack on the flanks of a fire is likely to succeed where fires run into recently burnt areas of low fuel.
The reduced fire intensity and rate of spread observed when bushfires enter a reduced fuel area allows firefighters greater opportunity to effectively combat the fire and to limit its impact. In fact, the Special Inquiry heard evidence that the Roleystone-Kelmscott fire was extinguished on one front when it entered a section of the Banyowla Regional Park that had been the subject of a prescribed burn by DEC—
I am unaware of any authoritative research in Australia specifically about the impact of something like Medicare co-payments or a reduction in the rebate.
Somehow, at some point, I cannot help but feel that these very long rates that are literally as low as they have ever been recorded, ever, must someday be higher.
Someday they have to be higher, especially given the amount of public debt which is on issue in so many countries around the world. But I cannot predict for you quite how that will come to pass, or when. My five-year horizon: surely they have to be higher.
In modern war, the great expense of firearms gives an evident advantage to the nation which can best afford that expense; and, consequently, to an opulent and civilized, over a poor and barbarous nation. In ancient times, the opulent and civilized found it difficult to defend themselves against the poor and barbarous nations. In modern times, the poor and barbarous find it difficult to defend themselves against the opulent and civilized. The invention of fire-arms, an invention which at first sight appears to be so pernicious, is certainly favourable, both to the permanency and to the extension of civilization.
I pledge my loyalty to Australia and its people, whose democratic beliefs I share, whose rights and liberties I respect, and whose laws I will uphold and obey.
I have done this in view of the considerable commitment of Commonwealth Government funding made towards the project and the importance of the processes established at Commonwealth level to assess the merits of nationally significant infrastructure investments.
… a movement bringing something better to the people, better standards of living, greater happiness to the mass of the people. We have a great objective – the light on the hill – which we aim to reach by working the betterment of mankind not only here but anywhere we may give a helping hand. If it were not for that, the Labour movement would not be worth fighting for.
Big business in Australia is losing confidence affecting medium-term growth and capital expenditure plans. Overall confidence among larger firms has now fallen below its long-term average and is weaker than for smaller companies and the broader economy.
Is Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott the most incompetent leader of any industrialized democracy?
Tony Abbott, however, is in charge of a regional power, a country that is the twelfth largest economy in the world and the only rich world nation to have survived the 2008-9 financial crisis unscathed. Yet in less than two years as prime minister, Abbott has proven shockingly incompetent, which is why other leaders within his ruling coalition, following a set of defeats in state elections, may now scheme to unseat him.
Abbott’s policies have been all over the map, and the lack of coherence has often made the prime minister seem ill-informed and incapable of understanding complex policy issues.
That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent Mr Feeney speaking for a period not exceeding 14 minutes.
It is important also to appreciate that Daesh or ISIL is well led. It is not a rabble of immature foreign fighters running around at the back of utes. It is led by experienced former Iraqi generals and others with substantial military experience. So as an enemy, as brutal and as nasty and as terrible as they are, you should not underestimate …
Since our operations began last August, the international coalition has assisted Iraqi and Kurdish forces to reclaim 700 to 800 square kilometres of previously occupied territory and restricted Daesh's freedom of movement, forcing the terrorists to become increasingly defensive.
… for all intents and purposes … their major push and their major strategic message of being able to establish a caliphate is in question.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition (Sunset Extension) Bill 2015
That this bill be now read a third time.
Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2014-2015
Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2014-2015
Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2014-2015
Client services are well managed through the Organisation's Client Management Framework. This framework provides a one-page overview of the client management process and is an effective tool for ensuring that all key steps and decisions are made by the rural financial counsellors and for recording client decisions and outcomes.
It can be incorporated into client management files and used as a tool to review the performance of individual rural financial counsellors.
We fear that the so called independent report will, with the backing of blinkered civilian bureaucrats in the Department of Finance, recommend the selling of DHA for a one off financial windfall to the Government. This would effectively result with ADF families being thrown onto the private rental market and destroy the good work that DHA has done in providing ADF families with quality housing, in the areas where they are needed.
We are achieving all of those KPIs, so we are providing an absolutely good product that helps with the retention and employment of Defence personnel.
Some of our families will be homeless because they don't have accommodation to go to … of course there's been cuts to housing funding as well.
Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie …
There are a lot of people in New South Wales especially the Northern Rivers who depend on us to survive, especially mothers with kids, people are going to go hungry …
… We've had an unfair budget and now this …
That the member for Rankin be suspended from the service of the House.
The House divided. [14:14]
(The Speaker—Hon. Bronwyn Bishop)
I can advise that no such offer was made.
The Attorney-General wished me to point out that the government was prepared to consider a specific senior role ..
As I am at pains to point out to you, I have a high regard for Professor Triggs. It was an awkward situation.
That so much of standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Leader of the Opposition from moving the following motion immediately:
That the House censures the government for:
(1) launching an unprecedented attack on the Australian Human Rights Commission, designed to undermine its independence;
(2) treating an independent statutory office holder with contempt;
(3) directing the Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department to offer an inducement to the President of the Australian Human Rights Commission in return for her resignation; and
(4) attempting to mislead the Australian people in its bid to cover up its offer of an inducement.
That the member be no longer heard.
The House divided. [15:10]
(The Speaker—Hon. Bronwyn Bishop)
That the member be no longer heard.
The House divided. [15:14]
(The Speaker—Hon. Bronwyn Bishop)
That the question be now put.
The House divided. [15:17]
(The Speaker—Hon. Bronwyn Bishop)
The House divided. [15:19]
(The Speaker—Hon. Bronwyn Bishop)
Building Energy Efficiency Disclosure Amendment Bill 2014
Treasury Legislation Amendment (Repeal Day) Bill 2014
Amending Acts 1970 to 1979 Repeal Bill 2014
Customs Amendment Bill 2014
Statute Law Revision Bill (No. 2) 2014
Crimes Legislation Amendment (Unexplained Wealth and Other Measures) Bill 2014
Australian Citizenship Amendment (Intercountry Adoption) Bill 2014
Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Bill 2014
Federal Courts Legislation Amendment Bill 2014
The importance of supporting Australian families with affordable, quality and accessible child care.
… there is very good evidence that the major influences on female workforce participation are marginal tax rates and the net costs of childcare.
Full replacement wages … would be very costly and … would have few incremental labour supply benefits.
… international experience suggests that government support for childcare has about double the impact of spending on parental leave.
In this modern era with billion dollar TV rights it is nothing short of a joke that our sports biggest day is shown in SD.
… … …
Some might say "get over it" or "not first world problem" but this is a massive industry and the great game is let down by not being telecast in HD.
This is something they could do tomorrow. Just do it. It’s bleedingly obvious.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Hon. BC Scott ) took the chair at 09:30.
It is funny to lie here in my room listening to the men talking. They say some funny things at times especially if a few beers in. They curse and grumble but they also laugh and joke. One chap has just remarked, "When I enlisted I was full of two things, good Australian beer and patriotism."
They sometimes lie in bed and swear most vilely about work and at other things. Other times they quote poetry, sing songs and laugh for hours. They argue most heatedly on every conceivable subject and Billy Hughes gets a fair share of it.
All of us in the Labor Party offer our heartfelt condolences to Faith Bandler's family and loved ones. Let us promise to honour her memory by carrying on her work. Let us vow not to rest until Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are honoured and recognised in our nation's founding document. Let us make Faith Bandler's lasting memorial a full life of equal opportunity for every Australian. In Faith's words, 'It would be a wonderful thing.' May she rest in eternal peace.
So he survived the pointless killing of the Dardanelles campaign,
And the horror of the Western Front, the shelling and the rain.
In the rent and wretched trenches
His defiant fist he clenches,
But the shrapnel tears him fiercely and he'll never rise again.
A vision comes to Stanley Campbell of a favoured country lass
And a Blood and Mustard blazer and a sunlit Christmas mass.
He no longer hears the shelling,
And his final breaths are telling,
For the blood is now his own blood and the mustard now is gas.
Stanley Campbell died one hundred years and half a world away,
There's no telling what he'd say or do if he was here today.
But I'd like to think he'd stand again,
With his kindred Blood and Mustard men,
And honour well his fallen friends with a long and proud Hoopray!
Life is mostly froth and bubble, Two things stand like stone, Kindness in another's trouble, Courage in your own.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition (Sunset Extension) Bill 2015
So we got the petition going and I started to take this petition around—calling on the government to … well, hold a referendum to give the Indigenous people equal rights. And I peddled this petition from '57 until '67 with my little group. We only had a little handful. There would have been no more than 9 or 10. Every day for 10 years, except for the weekends, I took that petition around. I spoke, I suppose, to every VIEW club that was in existence, to every Rotary Club I could think of, Lions, churches, schools, um … Oh, you know, it just went on. It was pointless getting signatures to a petition. The petition, of course, had to be presented in the House. So every day … when the Speaker called for petitions, we'd have someone there to hop up with ours, and this went on for 10 years. We only had to get 100,000 signatures but we got 10 times that over. And we kept getting the federal members to present our petition, to present it, to keep it going. The most important visit to Parliament House was a visit with our executive—
They came from each State to meet Prime Minister Menzies and I am sure it was that visit that turned the tide, and I'm sure we convinced the prime minister that a referendum should be held.
This is important because so much is happening—and the Nationals have always taken a keen interest in Indigenous affairs because they share many of the rural and remote challenges and opportunities.
Like a few in this room I’m sure, I didn’t really think that the Apology we made in 2008 would matter.
I couldn’t see the apology helping at all to close the vast gap on vital issues such as Indigenous life expectancy, remote children’s education, housing, decent work for adults and community safety.
All the symbolic trumpeting was wonderful, but I could not see what difference it could make.
How wrong I was.
The changes to the way Aboriginal people as individuals and as communities saw themselves after that apology were extraordinary. Clearly, those who would diminish the importance of symbolism as something that doesn’t have a role to play in practical outcomes are quite wrong.
Symbolic change must happen if practical changes are to succeed.
They go hand in hand. The government’s response to the Forrest Report will give us the practical policy future while constitutional recognition of our Indigenous peoples will give the matching symbolic change. They are twin engines in a plane that we must bring in to land together.
(1) The Parliament, on behalf of the people of Australia, recognises that the continent and the islands now known as Australia were first occupied by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples—
(2) The Parliament, on behalf of the people of Australia, acknowledges the continuing relationship of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with their traditional lands and waters.
(3) The Parliament, on behalf of the people of Australia, acknowledges and respects the continuing cultures, languages and heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
… any adult person who is a native within the meaning of the Native Administration Act, 1905-1941, may make application for a Certificate of Citizenship to a resident or stipendiary magistrate or Government Resident in the magisterial district in which he resides.
… he has dissolved tribal and native association except with respect to lineal descendants or native relations of the first degree, …
(a) for the two years immediately prior the magistrate shall be satisfied that applicant has adopted the manner and habits of civilised life ;
(b) the full rights of citizenship are desirable for and likely to be conducive to the welfare of the applicant ;
(c) the applicant is able to speak and understand the English language ;
(d) the applicant is not suffering from active leprosy, syphilis, granuloma or yaws ;
(e) the applicant is of industrious habits and is of good behaviour and reputation ; …
Upon complaint of the Commissioner of Native Affairs or any other person, a magistrate may suspend or cancel a Certificate of Citizenship if he is satisfied that the holder-
(a) is not adopting the manner and habits of civilised life; or
(b) has been twice convicted of any offence under the Native Administration Act, 1905-1941, or is of habitual drunkenness; or
(c) has contracted leprosy, syphilis, granuloma or yaws.
Labor will review planning and environment laws … to:
In respect of his announcement of 10 September 2014 on the shortlisting of three consortia to submit project proposals for the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing, as of this date, (a) what advice had Infrastructure Australia provided to him or his Department on this project, and (b) had a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) for the project been assessed by Infrastructure Australia; if so, what is the BCR.
a) The Toowoomba Range Crossings currently on the Infrastructure Priority List with a categorisation of real potential.
b) The proponent's stated BCR in their December 2012 Business case is 1.27:1. Infrastructure Australia is currently awaiting updated information from the proponent in order to assess the BCR further. This is expected soon.