The PRESIDENT (Senator the Hon. Sue Lines ) took the chair at 12:00, read prayers and made an acknowledgement of country.
Climate Change (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2022
That these bills be considered urgent bills:
Climate Change Bill 2022
Climate Change (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2022
The climate wars will not end this week with the passage of Labor's climate bill—
so long as they keep approving new coal and gas.
Locking up land is not the answer. It has the potential to have the reverse effect on biodiversity, with a lack of land management allowing feral animals and plants to flourish, as well as heightening the risks from fire, drought and flood.
It's the bubbles in your soda water or out of your SodaStream … So, you know, we've got to keep it in balance, how we think about carbon dioxide.
… an important consideration is how inflation expectations and the general inflation psychology in the community evolve. If inflation expectations shift up and businesses and workers come to expect higher rates of inflation on an ongoing basis, it will be harder to return inflation to target … It is in our collective interest that this does not happen.
That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Finance (Senator Gallagher) to a question without notice asked by Senator Paterson today relating to the Australian economy.
Because we actually—this might sound bizarre to many of your listeners—
—but if we have demand galloping ahead and galloping ahead and people just putting up prices for a limited supply of goods and services, then that is going to feed into hyperinflation.
It will cut power bills for families and businesses by $275 a year for homes by 2025, compared to today.
That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Trade and Tourism (Senator Farrell) to a question without notice I asked today relating to gas and oil exploration.
That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Treasurer, by no later than 3 pm on Thursday, 8 September 2022:
(a) any briefing materials provided by the Department of the Treasury to the Treasurer and/or the Treasurer's office since 23 May 2022 in relation to:
(i) potential pension changes, including changes to the Work Bonus Scheme, or
(ii) the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Enhancing Pensioner and Workforce Participation) Bill 2022;
(b) any emails, file notes or other records of interactions between the Department of the Treasury and the Treasurer and/or the Treasurer's office since 23 May 2022 in relation to:
(i) potential pension changes, including changes to the Work Bonus Scheme, or
(ii) the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Enhancing Pensioner and Workforce Participation) Bill 2022; and
(c) any emails, file notes or other records of interactions between the Department of the Treasury and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet or the Department of Social Services since 23 May 2022 in relation to:
(i) potential pension changes, including changes to the Work Bonus Scheme, or
(ii) the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Enhancing Pensioner and Workforce Participation) Bill 2022.
That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Prime Minister, by no later than 3 pm on Thursday, 8 September 2022:
(a) any briefing materials provided by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to the Prime Minister and/or the Prime Minister's office since 23 May 2022 in relation to:
(i) potential pension changes, including changes to the Work Bonus Scheme, or
(ii) the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Enhancing Pensioner and Workforce Participation) Bill 2022;
(b) any emails, file notes or other records of interactions between the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Prime Minister and/or the Prime Minister's office since 23 May 2022 in relation to:
(i) potential pension changes, including changes to the Work Bonus Scheme, or
(ii) the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Enhancing Pensioner and Workforce Participation) Bill 2022; and
(c) any emails, file notes or other records of interactions between the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Department of Social Services or the Department of the Treasury since 23 May 2022 in relation to:
(i) potential pension changes, including changes to the Work Bonus Scheme, or
(ii) the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Enhancing Pensioner and Workforce Participation) Bill 2022.
That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Social Services, by no later than 3 pm on Thursday, 8 September 2022:
(a) any briefing materials provided by the Department of Social Services to the Minister and/or the Minister's office since 23 May 2022 in relation to:
(i) potential pension changes, including changes to the Work Bonus Scheme, or
(ii) the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Enhancing Pensioner and Workforce Participation) Bill 2022;
(b) any emails, file notes or other records of interactions between the Department of Social Services and the Minister and/or the Minister's office since 23 May 2022 in relation to:
(i) potential pension changes, including changes to the Work Bonus Scheme, or
(ii) the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Enhancing Pensioner and Workforce Participation) Bill 2022; and
(c) any emails, file notes or other records of interactions between the Department of Social Services and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet or the Department of the Treasury since 23 May 2022 in relation to:
(i) potential pension changes, including changes to the Work Bonus Scheme, or
(ii) the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Enhancing Pensioner and Workforce Participation) Bill 2022.
That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Education, by no later than midday on Tuesday, 13 September 2022, tabulated information about applications for the following Australian Research Council (ARC) funding schemes:
Future Fellowships 2022
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award 2023 Linkage Projects 2021, round 3
Laureate Fellowships 2022
Discovery Indigenous 2023
Discovery Projects 2023 Centres of Excellence 2023
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities 2023,
for each scheme:
(a) the total number of applications;
(b) the number of applications for which the ARC CEO has requested at least one set of revisions to the national interest test statement;
(c) the number of applications for which the ARC CEO has requested multiple sets of revisions to the national interest test statement; and
(d) the number of applications that the ARC CEO has not recommended for funding on the basis of the national interest test statement.
Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion:
The failure of the Albanese Government to have a plan that addresses the rising cost of living facing all Australians.
We never said that a no vote would mean this flying would be outsourced.
Had either pilot group not been able to provide us with the working arrangements needed to get a return on our investment, another entity would have done the flying.
The failure of the Albanese Government to have a plan that addresses the rising cost of living facing all Australians.
A compassionate nation like ours cannot simply allow the suffering of our fellow Australians to continue unabated.
That the Senate take note of the document.
That senators be appointed to committees as follows:
I ntelligence and Security—Joint Statutory Committee—
Appointed—Senators Birmingham, Ciccone, Paterson, Marielle Smith and Walsh, pursuant to the Intelligence Services Act 2001
Northern Australia—Joint Select C ommittee—
Appointed—Senators Dodson and Green
That the motion to appoint senators to committees be amended as follows:
At the end of the motion add:
, except in relation to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, and that in relation to that committee:
(a) the nominations advised by the Leader of the Government in the Senate not be approved, as the Leader of the Government has not consulted the leaders of each recognised, non-government, political party in the Senate about the membership of the committee (as required by subsection 14(4) of Schedule 1 of the Intelligence Services Act 2001 ); and
(b) nominations for membership of the committee not be further considered until the Senate is notified by the Leader of the Government that:
i. this consultation has occurred, and
ii. as required by subsection 14(5) of Schedule 1 of the Act, due regard has been had to the desirability of ensuring that the composition of the committee reflects the representation of recognised political parties in the Parliament.
I seek a nation that is truly one nation, one in which all Australians can share regardless of race or gender, or other attribute, and regardless of where they live, and where difference is not a basis for exclusion.
Human beings are members of a whole
In creation of one essence and soul
If one member is afflicted with pain
Other members uneasy will remain
If you have no sympathy for human pain
The name of human you cannot retain
In nominating the members, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Government in the Senate must have regard to the desirability of ensuring that the composition of the Committee reflects the representation of recognised political parties in the Parliament.
In nominating the members, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Government in the Senate must have regard to the desirability of ensuring that the composition of the Committee reflects the representation of recognised political parties in the Parliament.
Before nominating the members, the Leader of the Government in the Senate must consult with the Leader of each recognised political party that is represented in the Senate and does not form part of the Government.
The Senate divided. [18:20]
(The Acting Deputy President—Senator McLachlan)
The Senate divided. [18:28]
(The Acting Deputy President—Senator McLachlan)
Narcotic Drugs (Licence Charges) Amendment Bill 2022
That these bills may proceed without formalities, may be taken together and be now read a first time.
That these bills be now read a second time.
MILITARY REHABILITATION AND COMPENSATION AND OTHER LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (INCAPACITY PAYMENTS) BILL 2022
Making sure our veterans and their families are well supported and looked after as they transition from the Australian Defence Force is an important task and responsibility of government.
The Australian Government is committed to supporting our veterans.
The unique nature of military service justifies rehabilitation and compensation arrangements specific to the needs of the military.
The government is committed to continuously improving and adapting to the needs of veterans, serving and former members and their families.
The Military Rehabilitation and Compensation and Other Legislation Amendment (Incapacity Payments) Bill 2022 will maintain access to the beneficial calculation of incapacity payments for eligible veterans.
These arrangements provide targeted support to those engaged in approved full-time study under a Department of Veterans' Affairs rehabilitation program.
Incapacity payments are compensation paid for a loss of earnings because of physical or mental health conditions related to military service.
These payments reduce or 'stepdown' to 75 per cent (or a higher percentage depending on hours worked) of normal earnings after a period of 45 weeks.
Under a four-year pilot, for veterans participating in a rehabilitation plan, and in approved full-time study, their incapacity payments were not reduced after 45 weeks.
These arrangements ended on 30 June 2022. It meant this cohort of veterans face an immediate payment reduction of up to 25 per cent.
Veterans in the pilot had indicated that they valued the extra financial support these incapacity payments provided.
The payments assist with their transition from military service to a rehabilitation program focused on gaining sustainable employment in the civilian workforce.
The Bill will enable veterans undertaking an eligible course of study to access the beneficial arrangements for an additional year, to 30 June 2023, where the calculation of incapacity payments is based on 100 per cent of the individual's pre-injury earnings.
The Bill will amend both the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 and theSafety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 to provide for all eligible veterans covered under these two schemes.
Application provisions will ensure that student veterans who should have been eligible for the higher rate of payment can receive back-payments to cover the period from 1 July 2022 until the day the Act commences.
Our serving men and women put themselves in harm's way and they do so in our national interest to protect our national interest.
We want our service men and women, veterans and their families to know that Australia is proud of them and that our country will always be there for them.
These proposed changes will result in a positive outcome for many in the Defence and veteran communities.
I commend the Bill.
NARCOTIC DRUGS (LICENCE CHARGES) AMENDMENT BILL 2022
I am pleased to introduce the Narcotic Drugs (Licence Charges) Amendment Bill 2022.
The Bill amends the Narcotic Drugs (Licence Charges) Act to clarify that the Narcotic Drugs (Licence Charges) Regulation may prescribe matters that will be the subject of multiple separate charges, which may be incurred by a licence holder during a particular charging period, and to enable a simpler method for working out the amount of charge prescribed.
The Narcotic Drugs Act provides, among other things, a licensing and permit scheme for regulating medicinal cannabis cultivation, production and manufacture in accordance with Australia's obligations under certain International Drug Conventions.
The medicinal cannabis regulatory scheme is cost-recovered in accordance with the Australian Government Charging Framework, through fees prescribed in the Narcotic Drugs Regulation. Charges are prescribed in the Narcotic Drugs (Licence Charges) Regulation pursuant to the Narcotic Drugs (Licence Charges) Act.
The Narcotic Drugs Act was amended in 2021 to simplify the medicinal cannabis licensing and permits framework, so the existing charges are intended to be revised to align with the new framework.
The Bill enables the regulations to prescribe matters that will be the subject of multiple separate charges, which may be invoiced at multiple times during a particular charging period. It also enables the regulations to prescribe a charge by reference to a method for working out the amount of the charge. These changes support the regulations being able to prescribe charges that more accurately reflect the particular matter to which the charge relates.
The amendments in the Bill are intended to provide sufficient flexibility for the regulations to appropriately prescribe charges, supporting the effective recovery of the costs associated with administering the Narcotic Drugs Act.
That the Export Control (Animals) Amendment (Northern Hemisphere Summer Prohibition) Rules 2022, made under the Export Control Act 2020 , be disallowed [F2022L00537].
The RSPCA does not support the proposal to reduce the prohibition to, or through, the Red Sea by a further fourteen days because the Indian Ocean equatorial region is hottest in May and June. Updating the Animal Rules in support of this proposal would be irresponsible given the scale of known animal welfare risk and the government's responsibility to protect animal welfare. The RSPCA understands that Red Sea destinations … represented 22.6 per cent of the sheep exported from Australia under the current regulations in the three-year period between 2019-2021.
… such conditions have not proven to protect animal welfare to date due to inadequate inspection requirements and insufficient enforcement.
On occasions, in our view, reportable mortality reports were revised or redrafted to dilute or expunge findings which adversely reflected on the regulatory framework.
But some who are now adolescents continue to experience the punitive effects, legal limbo and structural violence of Australia's deterrence system.
If the economy gets worse between now and then, as this has, it takes a week to change the tax rates. If, in six years time, the economy can't handle a huge tax cut, then people expect their politicians to say so, be up-front and be honest. If the risk is too big to justify, people will understand rolling it back or putting it on hold for the time being.
The only way you can think that the worst bits of this tax bill are permanent is if you believe that nobody in this place can do the right thing and the responsible thing. I'm not prepared to give up on the possibility that parliament can show a little bit of guts and do the right thing when the time is right. I'm not prepared to walk away from tax cuts for low-income workers starting next week simply because we don't know if we'll be able to afford tax cuts for everybody else five years from now. If we can't afford it then, we don't go ahead; it is that simple.
The dose of the lipids in the vaccine is below the threshold that internationally is assessed for genotoxicity and carcinogenicity.
… the lipids are hydrolyzed, destroyed by the body fairly rapidly, as are dietary lipids.
And they are distributed through a range of parts of the body, as are lipids that you have if you had a sausage or a steak for breakfast.
… Melissa French—
got the message: Pfizer needed large quantities of something called a cationic lipid that was critical to the COVID-19 vaccine. "This isn't an everyday lipid that's readily available …
Vaccine-associated enhanced disease (VAED) occurs when an individual who has received a vaccine, develops a more severe presentation of that disease when subsequently exposed to that virus …