The SPEAKER ( Hon. Tony Smith ) took the chair at 10:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.
Refugee Protection Bill 2019
That this bill be now read a second time.
Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Lowering Voting Age and Increasing Voter Participation) Bill 2019
That this bill be now read a second time.
The year 2078 I will celebrate my 75th birthday. If I have children maybe they will spend that day with me. Maybe they will ask me about you. Maybe they will ask why you didn't do anything while there still was time to act. You say you love your children above all else and yet you're stealing their future in front of their very eyes.
There are almost 600,000 of us who are, by and large, deemed to be adults by our society and yet cannot participate in the decisions being made about their future. Sixteen- and 17-year-olds can work full time, pay tax, contribute to superannuation, drive a car and own a car and therefore pay stamp duty to contribute to maintenance of our roads and public transport infrastructure. They can legally have sex and make medical decisions about their bodies. They can join our political parties, all except, of course, the absent Ms Hanson's party. In many cases, they can be treated as an adult by our criminal justice system. In short, they cannot vote although they are treated in many ways by our society as adults.
… … …
My generation will have to live with the consequences of the decisions made in this place for the longest time. The fact that I am the youngest person in this place by close to a decade, and that I am the only person under the age of 30, speaks volumes about the lack of representation of Australia's young people in our political system. It is time we recognised 16- and 17-year-olds and their contribution. It is time we recognised they should have the right to a vote and that they make an enormous contribution to our society.
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) climate change is a significant threat to our economy, natural environment, farming communities and national security;
(b) Australia’s annual emissions have been rising in recent years;
(c) as a global problem, the solution to climate change requires concerted international cooperation to limit the production of greenhouse gases;
(d) as the only global agreement designed to address climate change, the Paris Accords must play a central role in addressing climate change;
(e)the Paris Accords require signatory countries to deliver actions consistent with keeping the global temperature rise this century to well below 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius;
(f) based on the latest scientific advice, the world is currently on track for warming of above 3 degrees, and efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions need to be strengthened to avoid catastrophic climate change impacts; and
(g) as a result of the threat posed by climate change, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Portugal, Argentina and the Republic of Ireland have declared a climate emergency; and
(2) therefore, affirms that:
(a) Australia remains committed to delivering on its obligations under the Paris Accords;
(b) failing to meet the goals of the Paris Accords would have unprecedented and devastating environmental, economic, societal and health impacts for Australia; and
(c) the threat posed by climate change on the future prosperity and security of Australia and the globe constitutes a climate change emergency.
It is with great sorrow and disappointment that I am here again to talk about the impact of climate change and the importance of doing something about it.
As I said in my previous speech on climate change, electors in Canberra have vocalised their concerns—
on what the Australian government is doing to prevent our planet from dying.
Under the power of the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government, no difference is being made whatsoever. Australians are living under the power of an all talk, no action government.
The government is doing nothing to contribute to change the situation that we are in, despite of the public's needs and wants.
On the 20th of September, my Labor colleagues and I joined with 10,000 Canberrans in Glebe Park to strike for Climate as part of the—
movement inspired by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.
300,000 people gathered around Australia calling for action on climate change.
Out of 195 countries, Australia is the 20th richest country in the world and we are within the top 15 countries in terms of carbon emissions. We have the ability to reduce our carbon emissions and fossil fuels—
However, the federal government has chosen not to act.
It appears to me that the government is not comprehending how much of an issue climate change is. So let me lay out the facts for you.
The Great Barrier Reef is able to be seen from outer space, is visited by 2 million tourists every year and generates—
roughly 5-6 billion dollars per year in economic gains.
However, if we keep emitting carbon dioxide into the environment, the Great Barrier Reef is expected to die by 2050, and, according to scientists, half of the great barrier reef is already dead.
If a climate emergency is not announced, and we do not make a change, the Great Barrier Reef has no hope whatsoever. The Great Barrier Reef will die.
This is not just tragic because the Great Barrier Reef is home to over 1,000 different species of living organisms; but we will also lose a lot of tourism in Australia.
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Australia. If the Great Barrier Reef dies, Australia will lose roughly 1.3 million tourists every year. Nobody wants to visit a dead reef; it would just be a painful reminder of how terribly we have treated this earth.
The reef has become vulnerable because of human activity and the pollution that has been emitted to the environment. Oceans absorb up to 25% of the carbon dioxide which citizens across the world produce every year.
The Australian government needs to take action on climate change. Climate change is not impacting on an environment that is somehow separate to our every day lives. It is our world that we are destroying, our home.
Our Prime Minister needs to step up and recognise the science, for current and future generations.
He must not settle for anything less than to declare urgent climate action, because it is with great regret that this has become an emergency.
The Australian government doesn't understand that climate change is a silent killer—it is staring them in the face, why won't they open their eyes and look at it?
That this House:
(1) recognises that after more than twelve years at school, year 12 students will soon complete their final examinations and transition to the next phase of their lives—this may include pursuing higher education, engaging with vocational education and training (VET) or entering the workforce;
(2) acknowledges the valuable contribution hard working teachers have made in our communities in educating, nurturing, encouraging and motivating our 2019 school leavers;
(3) notes the Government's record investment in education funding including:
(a) a record $21.3 billion for state schools, catholic schools and independent schools for the 2020 school year, an increase in funding of $8.5 billion since 2013;
(b) a record $8.6 billion for child care and $17.7 billion for the university sector in the 2019-20 budget;
(c) $30.2 million in 2019-20 to establish the Local School Community Fund to support priority projects in local schools that benefit students and their communities;
(d) $71.6 million to improve outcomes for very remote students by encouraging teachers to teach and stay longer in their schools through remitting the HELP debt; and
(e) a commitment to support the VET sector through a $525.3 million Skills Package; and
(4) congratulates the Government on its continued commitment and investment in education from early learning through to higher education and VET to ensure our young people have the opportunity to succeed, gain employment and live their best lives.
National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation Amendment Bill 2019
Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Work Test) Bill 2019
Treasury Laws Amendment (2019 Measures No. 2) Bill 2019
Emergency Response Fund Bill 2019
That business intervening before the order of the day No. 11, government business, be postponed until a later hour this day.
Customs Amendment (Growing Australian Export Opportunities Across the Asia-Pacific) Bill 2019
Customs Tariff Amendment (Growing Australian Export Opportunities Across the Asia-Pacific) Bill 2019
That all 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:
(1) notes with concern potential temporary foreign labour arrangements concerning Contractual Service Suppliers;
(2) notes the importance of ensuring robust public interest safeguards, including on health and environmental law, relating to the new, modernised investor-state dispute settlement provisions;
(3) commends the outstanding work by civil society, the wider labour movement and the trade union movement in campaigning against antiquated investor-state dispute settlement provisions, for better, fairer free trade agreements;
(4) calls on the government to implement the recommendation made by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, to ensure that future proposed free trade agreements are accompanied by independent modelling and analysis;
(5) notes with concern the growth in worker exploitation under current temporary work visa arrangements; and
(6) calls on the Government to rigorously enforce anti-dumping measures to ensure Australian industry is not subject to anti-competitive and predatory trade practices".
We feel that for good policymaking it's very important that we conduct independent cost-benefit analysis, and not just of the economic effects—we'd also say environmental and, for us particularly, looking at the labour market. We want to understand what the effects on the labour market are in these agreements. We know that in the past some industries have benefited but some others have not and there have been job losses as a result. Without an independent economic assessment no-one knows what the effects are.
… Australia needs to seek its security in Asia rather than from Asia.
We are not just neighbours, we are not just friends; we are strategic partners. We are equal stakeholders in a common future with much to gain if we get this relationship right and much to lose if we get it wrong.
… … …
We in Indonesia will always remember that Australia resolutely stood by us when Indonesia was struggling for our God-given right to independence and statehood. We remember how Prime Minister Chifley, foreign minister Evatt and diplomat Sir Richard Kirby actively supported Indonesia during critical moments of diplomacy in the United Nations—a standard collegiate with that of the Netherlands. That was one of the finest hours of our relationship, and we have had many more high points since.
•Grants will be made available to eligible applicants on a first come, first served basis.
The Federal Government has already invested heavily in our region, and this bridge funding is the icing on the cake …
The bridge has been a long term aspiration of our community, and this funding will help us achieve a new bridge much sooner.
the Australian economy appears to have reached a gentle turning point. The economy has been through a soft patch recently, but we are expecting a return to around trend growth over the next year. There are a number of factors that are supporting this outlook. These include the low level of interest rates, the recent tax cuts, ongoing spending on infrastructure, signs of stabilisation in some established housing markets—
We want to look at the ability for companies to negotiate with unions for extended greenfields agreements, project life, you can go to the global investors who will back it.
Customs Amendment (Growing Australian Export Opportunities Across the Asia-Pacific) Bill 2019
Customs Tariff Amendment (Growing Australian Export Opportunities Across the Asia-Pacific) Bill 2019
For a long time we have looked north; to Japan, Korea and China, and so has Australia, but in both looking north we have missed each other.
The House divided. [17:21]
(The Speaker—Hon. Tony Smith)
(1) Clause 2, pages 2 and 3, table items 2 to 4, omit the table items, substitute:
(2) Clause 2, pages 2 and 3, table items 2 to 4, omit the table items, substitute:
(3) Clause 2, pages 2 and 3, table item 4, omit the table item, substitute:
The House divided. [17:50]
(The Speaker—Hon. Tony Smith)
(2) Clause 2, pages 2 and 3, table items 2 to 4, omit the table items, substitute:
(3) Clause 2, pages 2 and 3, table item 4, omit the table item, substitute:
They should pause the trade deal and put in some guarantees on human rights and an independent investigation on police brutality.
I’m not asking them to scrap this deal. I’m sure it will be beneficial to both sides. But more importantly if we are facing imminent danger, if we are about to be killed, what good is the trade deal for us?
That this bill be now read a third time.
Customs Tariff Amendment (Growing Australian Export Opportunities Across the Asia-Pacific) Bill 2019
That this bill be now read a third time.
Australian Veterans' Recognition (Putting Veterans and Their Families First) Bill 2019
That this bill be now read a second time.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Zimmerman) took the chair at 10:29.
That this House:
(1) recognises that:
(a) social harmony is vital to the continuation of a successful Australian democracy;
(b) all Australians should be able to go about their lives free from discrimination; and
(c) there is no legislative protection against vilification and incitement to hatred and/or violence based on a person's religion or religious belief;
(2) notes that:
(a) incitement of hatred and violence is a threat to religious minorities;
(b) vilification of minority groups through online social media is prolific;
(c) fifty-three per cent of Australian youth have witnessed anti-Muslim harmful content online;
(d) online vilification normalises negative attitudes against minority groups;
(e) vilification or inciting hatred is often the initial stage of a hate crime;
(f) personal attacks are also occurring against religious minorities, including verbal insults, graffiti, targeting religious dress and physical attacks on buildings and individuals;
(g) women are the main targets of personal attacks based on their religion; and
(h) almost half of all personal attacks occur in crowded community spaces where women should feel safe; and
(3) calls on the Government to protect:
(a) religious communities at risk of endangerment; and
(b) all Australians from incitement of hatred and violence.
That this House:
(1)notes:
(a)14 September 2019 marks National Peacekeeper and Peacemaker Day; and
(b)20 September 2019 marks the 20th anniversary of the deployment of the International Force East Timor (INTERFET), the peacemaking taskforce that came to Timor-Leste to address the humanitarian and security crisis from 1999-2000;
(2)recognises:
(a)the vital role of Australians in peace operations and their more than 70 years of dedicated service to the international community; and
(b)the more than 5,500 personnel who contributed to INTERFET—including that of former Governor-General, General Sir Peter Cosgrove, AK, CVO, MC (Retd)—and the important contribution they made at a critical time in the history of Timor-Leste; and
(3)acknowledges:
(a)the service and sacrifice of all those who served in peacekeeping operations and the families who supported them; and
(b)those currently serving in the UN Truce Supervision Organisation, the UN Mission in the Republic of South Sudan, the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, and the UN Disengagement Observer Force.
We do not seek peace in order to be at war, but we go to war that we may have peace. Be peaceful, therefore, in warring, so that you may vanquish those whom you war against, and bring them to the prosperity of peace.
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) the latest Government report indicates around 120,000 older Australians are waiting for their approved home care package; and
(b) more than 72,000 older Australians on the waiting list have no home care package at all;
(2) recognises:
(a) the majority of older Australians waiting for level three and level four packages have high care needs;
(b) some older Australians have been waiting more than two years for their approved package, many of whom are in their 90s and others who have terminal illnesses; and
(c) older Australians are entering residential aged care or even emergency departments instead of receiving their approved home care package;
(3) condemns the Government for failing to stop the wait list growing; and
(4) calls on the Government to listen to the growing chorus of voices for urgent action to fix the home care packages wait list now and properly address this national crisis.
Willy Loman never made a lot of money. His name was never in the paper. He's not the finest character that ever lived. But he's a human being, and a terrible thing is happening to him. So attention must be paid. He's not to be allowed to fall into his grave like an old dog. Attention, attention must be finally paid to such a person.
(1) notes that 29 October 2019 is the 100th anniversary of the International Labour Organization (ILO);
(2) acknowledges that the ILO:
(a) was established following the first world war in an effort to bridge the gap between governments, employers and working people;
(b) was originally an agency of the League of Nations and has continued as a specialised agency to this day where 187 member states work together on improving labour standards and living standards throughout the world; and
(c) is a tripartite organisation that seeks co-operation between governments, employers and workers through the development of policies, standards and programmes that reflect the views of all the representative groups;
(3) recognises:
(a) the historical, cultural and social significance of the ILO over the past 100 years in an Australian context and throughout the world;
(b) that the work of the ILO has played an important role in:
(i) improving incomes, working conditions, safety, equality and protections at work as well as improving productivity and living standards; and
(ii) ending oppressive work practices, removing discrimination and ending child labour; and
(c) that the ILO has passed some of the most important international agreements that reduce exploitation, discrimination and inequality and promote collective bargaining, including the:
(i) Forced Labour Convention of 1930, banning forced or compulsory labour;
(ii) Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention of 1948, providing the right to union organising for collective bargaining;
(iii) Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention of 1949, protection against discrimination for joining a trade union, and taking collective action;
(iv) Equal Remuneration Convention of 1951, providing the right to equal pay removal of gender discrimination;
(v) Discrimination Convention of 1958, providing the right not to be discriminated against on grounds of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin; and
(vi) Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention of 1999, prohibiting the worst forms of child labour (slavery, prostitution, drug trafficking and other dangerous jobs); and
(4) calls on the Government to adopt a more cooperative approach to workplace relations in the ILO tradition to work with unions and employers to improve Australian’s incomes and living standards.
It is bad enough that it should so casually intrude upon rights of free association so valued by societies of conscience; much worse that it should do so, yet again, in deliberate defiance of the law that it has been told time and time again that it must obey.
… call us criminals [and] all sorts of things [and] fine us millions of dollars [despite having] probably never done a day’s work in their li[ves].
(a) labour is not a commodity;
(b) freedom of expression and of association are essential to sustained
progress;
(c) poverty anywhere constitutes a danger to prosperity everywhere;
(d) the war against want requires … unrelenting vigour—
… promotion of the common welfare.
The CFMMEU, and in particular the—
Divisional Branch, has an appallingly long history of prior contraventions of industrial laws.
… … …
… there is no evidence before me … of any compliance regime ever put in place by the CFMMEU to address its long history of prior contraventions.
The CFMEU, as a holistic organisation, has an extensive history of contraventions dating back to at least 1999. The only reasonable conclusion to be drawn is that the organisation either does not understand or does not care for the legal restrictions on industrial activity imposed by the legislature and the courts.
… to promote opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work, in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity.
That this House:
(1) notes the important, practical contribution the Black Spot Program makes in addressing the nation's road toll under the National Road Safety Action Plan 2018-2020;
(2) recognises the need for the Government to continue to invest in the Black Spot Program to improve road safety and reduce the death toll;
(3) commends the Government for putting road safety at the forefront of infrastructure investment, with further commitments to providing an additional $50 million per year from 2019-20 to 2022-2023 to the Black Spot Program; and
(4) acknowledges the Government's Black Spot Program reduces on average at the treated sites, death and serious injury from crashes by 30 per cent according to data from the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics.
Over the past five Easter breaks, the roads through the Yarra Ranges, and neighbouring shires of Murrindindi and Delatite—
… have proven to be among the most treacherous outside Melbourne, according to the Transport Accident Commission.
In Easter breaks since 1997, crashes in these three municipalities alone left one person dead and 51 people seriously injured.
In Easter breaks since 1997, crashes in these three municipalities alone left one person dead and 51 people seriously injured.
Last year, crashes in the Yarra Ranges claimed 17 lives and caused 193 serious injuries.
The winding Black Spur has had 99 casualty crashes since 1997: five fatalities, 35 serious casualty crashes and 59 lesser injury crashes.
That this House:
(1) notes that the:
(a) Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) has assisted generations of Australians to access affordable medicines since its inception by the Chifley Government in 1948; and
(b) longstanding practice of successive governments has been to accept and act on the advice of the independent experts—the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC)—when listing medicines on the PBS;
(2) acknowledges that the Department of Health revealed at Senate estimates hearings that there are more than 20 drugs that this Government will never list on the PBS because pricing negotiations with their manufacturers have broken down;
(3) recognises that there are increasing barriers to Australians accessing affordable medicines, including:
(a) the failure to act on a number of PBAC recommendations;
(b) the affordability of PBS co-payments; and
(c )increasing out of pocket costs to access primary and specialist health care; and
(4) condemns the Government for failing to recognise and address these barriers and calls on the Government to do so as a matter of urgency.
Ultimately I think the important point is that we can't in every instance guarantee that a drug will be listed immediately because there are financial consequences for doing that …
Ultimately I think the important point is that we can't in every instance guarantee that a drug will be listed immediately because there are financial consequences for doing that …
That this House:
(1)notes that:
(a)after six years of the previous Labor Government, just 51,000 users were connected to the National Broadband Network (NBN);
(b)under the Liberal National Coalition Government, over 60,000 premises are being connected to the NBN every two weeks; and
(c)the network roll out is scheduled to be completed in 2020;
(2)welcomes NBN Co's announcement that the NBN is now available to more than 10 million homes and businesses; and
(3)congratulates the Government for adopting a broadband roll out plan which will see the NBN completed four years early and for $30 billion less than had Labor's approach been continued—meaning that Australians will get access to fast broadband services more quickly, and at lower prices, than what would have occurred under Labor's plan.
(1) In respect of the Minister's announcement in April 2019 to equip every Men's Shed in Australia with a portable defibrillator: (a) has the Government commenced a survey of Men's Sheds to determine how many require a portable defibrillator; (b) if the survey has not commenced, when will it commence; and (c) if the survey has been completed, can a breakdown be provided of the number of Men's Sheds in each state and territory that have an identified need for a portable defibrillator.(2) Can a timeline be provided for: (a) the completion of the survey; (b) any subsequent grant application process that the Men's Sheds must complete, if any; (c) the intended date of notification of successful applicants; and (d) the intended date of distribution of the portable defibrillators to the successful applicants.(3) Of the announced $2 million in funding, what proportion of the funds is to be allocated to: (a) the purchase of the defibrillator machines; and (b) the management of the survey and/or grant application process.(4) How did the Government determine which company or organisation will supply the portable defibrillator machines.(5) Will the Government expand the scheme to ensure Men's Sheds that have already purchased a portable defibrillator are able to be reimbursed by the Government.
The Department of Health has undertaken a survey of men's sheds to determine how many require a defibrillator. A competitive procurement process informed by the outcomes of the survey will now commence to determine a suitable supplier. Survey results will not be released until the procurement process is finalised.
The total value of the procurement will be up to $2 million for the purchase and roll-out of defibrillators and associated training for shed members. Specific funding for the management of the survey was not required.
Men's sheds identified as needing a defibrillator will be notified prior to distribution, which is expected to take place early in 2020. In future defibrillators will be available through the National Shed Development Programme (NSDP). Defibrillators have previously been available under the NSDP from Round 9 (2014) up to and including Round 18 (2019).
1.What steps does the Government take to ensure that products containing asbestos are not imported into Australia.2.Have any products containing asbestos been detected by customs over the past five years.3.Have any importers been prosecuted by customs for importing any non-compliant building products over the past five years.
1. The ABF conducts risk assessments on all cargo imported to Australia. For cargo identified as at-risk subject to further assessment and intervention, the ABF undertakes intervention activities designed to prevent goods containing asbestos from entering Australia.
Risk based profiles and alerts for goods at risk of containing asbestos are developed using historical detection data and referrals from industry, other agencies and statutory authorities involved in asbestos management. These profiles cover a wide range of goods including building materials, automotive parts, machinery, crayons and children's toys.
The ABF also engages closely with industry, other government agencies and internationally to raise awareness of Australia's asbestos import prohibition, promote voluntary compliance and to reduce the risk of the unlawful importation of asbestos.
Importers are responsible for the risk management of their supply chains to ensure they do not import prohibited goods, including goods containing asbestos. The ABF may seek assurances, through documentary evidence, that imported goods do not contain asbestos. If the importer is unable to provide the appropriate assurances, the goods may be held at the border and the importer required to arrange sampling and testing of the goods at their cost.
2. Yes. Products detected at the border containing asbestos have included:
3. No. The ABF does not have legislative powers to ensure that imported building products conform to domestic building standards or performance levels. State and territory governments are responsible for ensuring that building products meet the relevant building regulations in each jurisdiction in line with the National Construction Code.