2016-08-30 45 1 1 House of Reps 0 1 OPENING OF THE PARLIAMENT 1 OPENING OF THE PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION 1 PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance 1 Returns to Writs 1 Members Sworn 1 PARLIAMENTARY OFFICE HOLDERS 4 PARLIAMENTARY OFFICE HOLDERS Speaker 4 11:19 Mr SUKKAR 242515 Deakin I move: That the honourable member for Casey do take the chair of this House as Speaker. It really is a true honour to nominate a most distinguished and respected member of our parliament, the member for Casey, as the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 45th Parliament of Australia. As members of this House are aware, the member for Casey has given many years of dedicated service to his electorate and this House in a number of different capacities. As my electoral neighbour, I have had the absolute privilege of working closely with the member for Casey and, in doing so, I have seen firsthand the outstanding work that he has done representing the people of Deakin—Casey. An honourable member: Old habits die hard! Mr SUKKAR 242515 We have had some redistributions! Importantly though, away from his electorate, as the Speaker in the previous parliament, the member for Casey demonstrated that he understands the robust nature of this House, not only respecting its traditions and conventions but also applying a sensible practicality which ensured its smooth operation. As Speaker, we also saw how scrupulously fair and impartial he was in the chair, and that impartiality was most obviously demonstrated to me when the member for Casey in the chair ejected me from the House—the first on the government side—just three days after I nominated him as Speaker the first time around. I really hope there is no repeat of that this week! In my view, and in the view of many in this House, there is no-one in this parliament who is more qualified or deserving of the speakership than the member for Casey, who I know will bring to the House the experience and the stability that this parliament will require. It is therefore an honour to nominate Tony Smith, the member for Casey, as Speaker. The Clerk: Is the nomination seconded? 11:22 Mrs WICKS 241590 Robertson It is an absolute honour to be able to second the nomination of the member for Casey as Speaker of this House. We know that it is a responsibility of each of us here to contribute to making this parliament a better place. In fact, I think the people of Australia believe and know that, and they expect no less. Since he was first elected as Speaker around 12 months ago, the member for Casey has acted in a most exemplary manner. He served our parliament and our nation with dignity, and he has earned the esteem of members from right across the chamber. He has used his considerable political experience to uphold the traditions of this place, and he has presided over the business of the House in a way that has elevated the tone of the chamber, as well as the respect in which this place is held. He has served in many capacities: as an outstanding community representative for the people of Casey, as the chair of various standing committees in the parliament, as a parliamentary secretary and a shadow minister and as a mentor, leader and friend to many. He is somebody who has a great love of history and a deep appreciation and understanding of the importance of civics education in our society, especially for our next generations, and I know that this place, and indeed our nation, will be better served with the member for Casey as Speaker. In fact, it was his chairmanship of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, and particularly the inquiry into electoral education, that I am sure, in part, led to the member for Casey travelling to different electorates, including more recently Robertson and Grayndler, to share the importance of our parliamentary and democratic history with school students. I recall his words while he addressed a debate about democracy at the Kariong Mountains High School. The Speaker said, 'When you understand our democratic history, you then understand our democratic destiny.' From there, he went on to say, 'You also have a better understanding of your own ability to have a say and to participate in our democratic and political processes.' And so I thank the member for Casey for both his service and his leadership. I know that he will continue to preside over the business of this House without fear or favour, while also continuing to promote and uphold the importance of our democratic traditions and our processes for the governance and for the future of this great nation. I commend the member for Casey's nomination to the House. The Clerk: Does the member for Casey accept the nomination? Mr TONY SMITH 00APG I accept. The Clerk: Is there any further proposal? The time for proposals having expired, I declare the honourable member for Casey duly elected as Speaker. Honourable members: Hear, hear! The SPEAKER 10000 I wish to express my grateful thanks for the high honour the House has been pleased to confer upon me. The Speaker having seated himself in the chair— 11:26 Mr TURNBULL 885 Wentworth Thank you, Mr Speaker, and, on behalf of the government, the warmest congratulations on your elevation—or your re-elevation—to the great office of Speaker of the House of Representatives. You have conducted this vitally important office with elegance, intellect, dignity, charm and impartiality. This is a very robust chamber, as we all know, and sometimes in question time even people that are naturally very reasonable will become unreasonable and even intemperate. But you, Sir, have risen above that, and you project a calm that reflects so well on our House and so well on our democracy. You have demonstrated that as Speaker in the last parliament, and it is a great achievement that you have done that because all of us understand that we come into politics as advocates, making a strong case for our principles, for our constituents, being prepared to take on arguments with force and sometimes with ferocity. So to translate from that role to one of calm, equanimity, impartiality yet nonetheless authority is a really profound transition, and you have achieved that. You have reflected so well on our democracy, so well on our House, and we from the government are so delighted that you have, once again, consented to be the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Congratulations and, of course, to Pam and your family without whose support we know you would not be able to perform your high office. Honourable members: Hear, hear! The SPEAKER 10000 I thank the Prime Minister. 11:28 Mr SHORTEN 00ATG Maribyrnong Mr Speaker, congratulations on your re-election to one of the oldest and most important offices in our representative democracy, and congratulations to Pam and your family for the support which they provide you. On behalf of the opposition, can I say how pleased we were to support you for your role. In your time in the chair, you did earn the respect of both sides of the chamber. You have often been firm but always fair. Your efforts to be even-handed have gone a long way, I believe, to improving the accountability, the productivity and the civility of this place. Of course, all of us who speak in this chamber are only part-time residents of the parliament. The beginning of the 45th parliament is an appropriate time for us to pay tribute to all of us who call this grand building home: the army of clerks and attendants, the cleaners and the caterers, the librarians, and even the baristas, the security guards and the drafting officers who work tirelessly behind the scenes. As we strut and fret upon this stage they are behind the curtain, keeping the show running smoothly. Also today, we note the absence of some familiar faces—old friends and colleagues—but we also welcome 37 new members to the House of Representatives who will experience your leadership as Speaker. We congratulate the members for Hindmarsh and Eden-Monaro on their return. Looking out from the dispatch box for the first time in this 45th Parliament, I am pleased that the Labor Party takes up more room than we did before. I am also pleased now that there are more women in the chamber. The member for Barton becomes the first Indigenous woman to sit in the House of Representatives, and the member for Cowan, the first Muslim woman. Indeed, I am proud to say that Labor have more women members and senators than any time in the history of Federation. Improving the mix of experience and backgrounds and faiths in this House can only help make our parliament a more representative and more inclusive place. On that positive note, I inform honourable members that I have written to the Prime Minister seeking his support for a motion reaffirming this House's commitment to the right of all Australians to enjoy equal rights and be treated with equal respect regardless of race, colour, creed or origin, consistent with the Speaker's values. Prime Minister John Howard and opposition leader Kim Beazley cooperated to support an identical resolution in 1996 and I believe this will be a powerful and bipartisan note to strike at the beginning of this term. Mr Speaker, let this spirit of cooperation, this spirit of diversity and respect, guide us all in the sitting days ahead. The SPEAKER 10000 I thank the Leader of the Opposition. 11:30 Mr JOYCE E5D New England Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, and I would like to concur with the partisan and bipartisan remarks of both the Leader of the Opposition and the Prime Minister. I want to convey the best of will to you in the conduct of your duties; to also acknowledge the work that Pam and your family do in supporting you in that role. It is a fact that so many people do watch parliament and they see this as a reflection of their nation and, as such, they expect there to be, as it is an adversarial chamber, the heat of debate, but they expect it to be conducted in such a way that they would feel proud to show it to their children. I know at times we are a little bit shy of that and it is your job to do your very best to keep this as a vibrant House, as a House that challenges ideas, as a House that puts people under pressure because if you are not good under pressure you are probably not going to be good at doing your job; also, that it is conducted in such a way that people remain with their dignity, and those who watch it believe that the person they voted for was worthy of their vote. Mr Speaker, I am looking forward to the election of your deputy and I note the great aspirations that we have for a person of the calibre of Mark Coulton to ably assist you in that job. Until such time, I wish you all the best. The SPEAKER 10000 I thank the Deputy Prime Minister. 11:32 Ms PLIBERSEK 83M Sydney Thank you, Mr Speaker, and congratulations to you on your reappointment in the role that all of us respect and admire so much. You have been a wonderful speaker, perhaps benefiting by comparison with your predecessor. We have appreciated, very much, your ability to guide the parliament to a respectful tone of debate. Winston Churchill said that democracy was the worst form of government except for all the others, and I think it really does take someone who loves our democracy, who loves our Westminster system and our Westminster traditions, to do your job well. I see that love in you—a respect for our traditions, a respect for the rules that we all abide by, and I wish you all the very best in this term as well. The SPEAKER 10000 I thank the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. 11:33 Mr PYNE 9V5 Sturt Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, and I congratulate you on your re-election as Speaker of the House in the 45th Parliament. As you know, I have known you for about 30 years—it is now getting on far too long to even mention it any more—and we have been through a great deal together. I do concur with the remarks on both sides of the House, that you have been a very fair and reasonable Speaker, and I think that makes the whole parliament work much better. This is my 23rd year in the parliament and sometimes I have been on the Leader of the Opposition's side of the House and sometimes on this side of the House, and I have always tried to cooperate with all members to try and bring about a happier parliament, a better parliament. An honourable member interjecting— Mr PYNE 9V5 What is wrong? What are you talking about? But Mr Speaker, on a more serious note, I do know about both sides of the House and how they operate, and having a strong Speaker who tries to be fair to both sides, and keeps the standing orders, makes the parliament work better and it makes it look better, and I think the public appreciate it. You have done that in the almost 12 months that you have been the Speaker. I think in the years ahead, you will go down as one of the great speakers of the House of Representatives. I look forward to working with you again over the next three years as Leader of the House. The SPEAKER 10000 I thank the Leader of the House. 11:34 Mr BURKE DYW Watson Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Congratulations! Whether your term is for three years, as the Leader of the House said, or for a different period for this parliament, we congratulate you. I want to note that the fact you were elected unopposed was deliberate. The opposition from time to time does put forward candidates; we did not in this situation quite deliberately. It is fair to say that since you took the chair the debate that has gone on in this chamber has been about the issues before the parliament rather than the procedure of the parliament. That is exactly what the chamber is here for and you have facilitated that. As well as managing the House, it will also fall to you as Speaker, given the issues that are already running, to have the role of someone defending the privileges of the parliament. We certainly trust that this House will defend parliamentary privilege as robustly as the Senate does. Finally, the Leader of the Opposition in his comments made reference to the 'struts and frets' line in Macbeth in terms of the players here. There is something eerily familiar about that for the second term of this government. Shakespeare's tragedies run for five acts, so I will start this term by saying, 'Mr Speaker, welcome to act 4.' We look forward to it unfolding. 11:36 Mr BANDT M3C Melbourne Mr Speaker, congratulations on your re-election. When you were elected last time, one of the requests that I made, and I think a number of the members of the crossbench made, was that when you look to the left and to the right you also look down the middle. I want to thank you for doing so. When you look down the middle in this parliament, you might not always be looking at the 'sensible centre', but you will see members who represent a very high number of people who voted at this election for third parties or independents. We hope that our voices continue to be heard in this parliament, where there may be many, many close votes, and that you always remember that there are not just two sides to this parliament but a number of people sitting down on the crossbenches as well. 11:37 The SPEAKER 00APG I thank the member for Melbourne and all the previous speakers, led by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, for their generous remarks. I thank all of you for electing me as your Speaker in this 45th Parliament. It is truly a special honour to be chosen by you as Speaker, and especially so to be chosen unanimously, as the Leader of the Opposition referred to. To have the unanimous support of the House is not just a welcome endorsement; it is an important reminder that I am Speaker not only of the House of Representatives but also for the House of Representatives—that is, for you, the members of the House of Representatives. I am always mindful of that as I discharge my duties—I was in the last parliament and I will be in this one as well. When I was elected just over a year ago, I pledged to do all I could to deliver a better parliament, to be as fair as I could in exercising my duties and responsibilities, and to strongly defend the contest of ideas and ideals—a contest that should be vigorous and at times will be willing. I also said it did not need to be as loud or rude as it is on some occasions. That does demoralise the public; we all know that. At the outset of this 45th Parliament, can I say I welcome the kind words but it is my job never to be satisfied. I will be doing everything I can to improve standards further, and of course each and every one of the 150 of us has a responsibility in that regard. I think, whether you represent a party or whether you are an independent, whether your electorate is inner urban, outer suburban, regional, rural or remote, none of the 150 of us can say that our constituents are satisfied with parliamentary standards as they are. We owe it to them to do more to improve things, and I will have more to say to that, not today but on another day. But let me conclude my remarks on this first day of the 45th Parliament by congratulating each and every one of you on your election. As the Leader of the Opposition indicated, there are 37 members who have just been elected for the first time, two returning and 111 of us who have been re-elected. It is a rare honour indeed to be a member of the House of Representatives. Fewer than 1,200 people have had that honour since Federation, and on this first day of the 45th Parliament let us remember that. Thank you very much. Presentation to Governor-General 7 11:40 Mr TURNBULL 885 Wentworth Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I have ascertained that it will be His Excellency the Governor-General's pleasure to receive you, Mr Speaker, in the Members Hall immediately after the resumption of sittings at 2.40 pm. The SPEAKER 00APG I thank the Prime Minister. Prior to my presentation to His Excellency this afternoon, the bells will ring for five minutes so that honourable members may attend in the chamber and accompany me to the Members Hall. Sitting suspended from 11:41 to 14:40 The Speaker and honourable members proceeded to the Members Hall and having returned— The SPEAKER 00APG I have to report that, accompanied by honourable members, I proceeded to the Members Hall and presented myself to His Excellency the Governor-General as the choice of the House as its Speaker, and that His Excellency was kind enough to congratulate me. PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION 8 PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance 8 14:50 The SPEAKER 00APG His Excellency also presented to me an authority to administer to members the oath or affirmation of allegiance. I now lay the authority on the table. GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S SPEECH 8 GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S SPEECH Message from the Governor-General 8 MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMENTS 8 MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMENTS 15:52 Mr TURNBULL 885 Wentworth I have the honour to inform the House that following the election held on 2 July, the Governor-General commissioned me to form a government. Ministers and assistant ministers were appointed on 19 July 2016. For the information of honourable members, I present a list of the full ministry. The document lists all ministers and assistant ministers and the offices they hold. It shows those ministers who comprise the cabinet and provides details of representation arrangements in each chamber. I understand the document will be included in the Votes and Proceedings and Hansard. The document read as follows— TURNBULL MINISTRY    19 July 2016 Each box represents a portfolio. Cabinet Ministers are shown in bold type. As a general rule, there is one department in each portfolio. However, there is a Department of Human Services in the Social Services portfolio and a Department of Veterans' Affairs in the Defence portfolio. The title of a department does not necessarily reflect the title of a minister in all cases. Assistant Ministers in italics are designated as Parliamentary Secretaries under the Ministers of State Act 1952. Mr TURNBULL 885 I would also like to inform the House that the honourable member for Forrest has been appointed Chief Government Whip and that the honourable members for Forde and Grey have been appointed government whips. SHADOW MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMENTS 9 SHADOW MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMENTS 15:53 Mr SHORTEN 00ATG Maribyrnong I have the honour to inform the House that the Australian Labor Party has re-elected me as its leader and the honourable member for Sydney as deputy leader. The honourable member for Fowler has been appointed Chief Opposition Whip and the honourable members for Lalor and Moreton as opposition whips. I understand that a full list of my shadow ministry will be included in Hansard. The document read as follows— SHADOW MINISTRY LIST 23 July 201 6 Shadow Cabinet Ministers are shown in bold type. PARTY OFFICE HOLDERS 11 PARTY OFFICE HOLDERS The Nationals 11 15:54 Mr JOYCE E5D New England I have the honour to inform the House that the Nationals have elected myself as leader. The honourable member for Dawson has been appointed the Nationals Chief Whip, the honourable member for Capricornia is the Nationals Whip and the honourable senator from New South Wales Fiona Nash was elected as Deputy Leader of the Nationals. BILLS 11 BILLS Statute Law Revision Bill 2016 11

Statute Law Revision Bill 2016

First Reading 11 GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S SPEECH 12 GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S SPEECH Address-in-Reply 18 15:55 Mr TURNBULL 885 Wentworth I move: That a committee, consisting of Ms Flint, Mr E. L. O'Brien and the mover, be appointed to prepare an address-in-reply to the speech delivered by His Excellency the Governor-General to both houses of the parliament and that the committee report at the next sitting. Question agreed to. Honourable members interjecting— Honourable members: Two-nil. The SPEAKER 00APG I made the mistake of pausing then. I understand that it will suit the convenience of the House to have the sitting suspended until 5 pm. I will resume the chair at that time. Sitting suspended from 15:56 to 17:00 PARLIAMENTARY OFFICE HOLDERS 18 PARLIAMENTARY OFFICE HOLDERS Deputy Speaker 18 17:00 Mr CHRISTENSEN 230485 Dawson I move: That Mr Coulton be elected Deputy Speaker of this House. It is my pleasure to nominate the member for Parkes as the Deputy Speaker of the House. Farmers bring to this place a strong connection to the country in the industries that made this country what it is today. The member for Parkes has maintained a very strong connection with the land for generations, particularly around the Warialda and Gravesend districts—so much so that every second name in the local paper, TheWarialda Standard, is a Coulton. The name 'Coulton' is now regularly mentioned in more than 40 newspapers across New South Wales, as the electorate of Parkes takes up nearly all of it, covering 393,000 square kilometres. But the Coulton in those stories never actually planned to be a politician. He knew from birth that he wanted to be a farmer, and he spent his first full day driving a tractor at the age of 10. The member for Parkes has spent 30 years as a farmer and grazier. He and his wife, Robyn, owned a farm producing cereal crops and beef cattle before he became the inaugural mayor of the Gwydir Shire Council in 2004. Those who know the member for Parkes will well understand the important role that his wife, Robyn, has played throughout his political career, giving up her career as a school teacher to dedicate her time to serving the electorate of Parkes as well. I have to say, she has also been a dedicated organiser in the Nationals chief whips' office. They are probably valuable traits that prompted the member for Parkes, some 35 years ago, to sell his best horse for an engagement ring. Should the member for Parkes be elevated to the role of Deputy Speaker, I have no doubt Robyn will be a tireless worker for this parliament as well. We can only hope that the member for Parkes is able to go as good a job in the Speaker's chair as he did horsetrading in the past. He has been the Nationals' whip for the past three years in government. He was the Nationals' whip for three years prior to that, in opposition. For the better part of those past six years the member for Parkes and I have been seated together in this House. He has provided wise counsel. He was probably seated there to keep an eye on me! However, given that he knows my propensity to interject, I am sure I am going hear a bit from him in the future when he is sitting in your seat, Mr Speaker. Speaking of your seat, Mr Speaker, taking up his new seating arrangement is probably going to be one of the highlights of parliament for the member for Parkes, because we were complaining only this morning about how we have not really moved much in the seating arrangement since we have been here—two to the left every time. Now he gets to go to the front of the parliament and sit in the box seat, and that is certainly a move that was worth waiting for. One thing that everyone will say about the member for Parkes is that he puts on a pretty good Christmas party. While it might be the Nationals' Christmas party, members from the Liberal Party, the Labor Party and Independents alike have all joined in the entertainment which the member for Parkes has arranged. I am not sure we will see any karaoke machines in the Deputy Speaker's office, though. In all seriousness, the calm nature, grace and measured approach the member for Parkes has brought to parliament since his election in 2007 are welcome attributes in the Deputy Speaker. He is widely regarded as a voice of reason in the House. One of his favourite lines is: 'You get more done here with honey than with vinegar.' He is also a man of vision. He has long promoted the need for inland rail to open up for the future of this country—a passion of his before coming to this place. That dream that he has pursued is becoming a reality, with funding now available for preconstruction planning and for the purchasing of a corridor, and, hopefully, during his time as Deputy Speaker he will see that work commence. The member for Parkes is not in this place to be a politician. He is here to represent his local region and to bring to parliament his strong belief in agriculture and the land in inland Australia. I have no doubt that the member for Parkes will carry out the role of Deputy Speaker with great professionalism. I wish him all the very best in discharging those duties. 17:05 Mr HOGAN 218019 Page It is an honour to second the nomination of the member for Parkes, Mark Coulton, as Deputy Speaker of this House. We know that we all bring two things to any position we have: our experience and our character. The member for Parkes scores mightily well on both of these traits. With regard to character, he is widely respected on both sides of this House. He is a person of great integrity and someone I respect very much. In relation to experience, he has been a member of this House for nine years. He has served in many capacities: as shadow minister, the National Party whip for six years—as the member for Dawson has just said—and he has been the chair, or the member, of many standing committees. He has been the chair of the Standing Committee on Publications and a member of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Appropriations and Administration. He has also been on the Standing Committee on Indigenous Affairs, the Joint Committee on the Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings, Standing Committee on Health and Ageing and many more. Being the member for an electorate that spans nearly 400,000 square kilometres brings some unique skills. The role of Deputy Speaker, like the Speaker, very much sets the tone of this chamber. Given his sense of a fair go, his stability and his compassion for others, I know the member for Parkes would make a fine Deputy Speaker—one that would uphold and promote the importance of our democratic traditions and processes for the governance and future of this great nation. I commend the member for Parkes' nomination to the House. 17:07 Ms RYAN 249224 Lalor I move: That Mr R. G. Mitchell be elected Deputy Speaker of this House Mr Speaker, I join the Leader of the Opposition, the deputy leader and the Leader of the House in congratulating you on your re-election to the chair of the House of Representatives. As referenced by the member for Watson when he spoke this morning, in a spirit of bipartisanship the opposition quite deliberately supported your election as Speaker. Your unanimous election came about because we valued the role you played as an independent Speaker in the 44th Parliament and wish to see it continue. It is in hope of that same spirit of bipartisanship and for those same reasons that I commend the member for McEwen as Deputy Speaker. Like you, Mr Speaker, the member for McEwen is someone who has shown the ability and the experience to be even-handed, reasonable and capable of considering the other's point of view and argument. He is in fact the most experienced person in this House at presiding over the House's daily proceedings. This experience began during the 43rd Parliament, when the member for McEwen served on the Speaker's panel. He also served as deputy chair of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Australia and as the deputy chair of the Joint Committee on the National Broadband Network. He is nominated because he genuinely believes in the institution of parliament, which we all serve, and because his passion for better parliamentary standards holds him in good stead for the position of Deputy Speaker, as does his sense of humour. The member for McEwen has been a valuable mentor to new members in this place, helping them to learn and understand proceedings and standing orders and giving generously of his time, encouragement and support to new members joining the Speaker's panel in the 44th Parliament. I commend the member for McEwen into the House as someone in the mould of former Speaker Jenkins, who I think was adept at presiding over the House through goodwill and by earning the consent of members rather than through the use of the rule book. In this respect, I think that the member for McEwen has been demonstrated in his time presiding in this place to have the right qualities. He is liked by both sides of the House, is respectful of varying points of view and, as he has demonstrated in this place, is diligent in applying the standing orders objectively when the pressure is on. I hope the House will put aside partisan politics and consider the member for McEwen for this position today. I commend him for this role, not as a criticism or because of any perceived shortcomings of the member for Parkes, whom I congratulate on being nominated. Like many here, I admire the member for Parkes, having been a teller with him for the 44th Parliament, and wish him well. I commend the member for McEwen because, like our current Speaker and unlike, perhaps, others in the past, he would come to this role not as compensation for dashed opportunities but as a willing servant of the parliament, committed to fairness and objective rulings in this, the people's House. With the House's indulgence, in just one more reference to the Bard, today, I would proffer that the member for McEwen is our everyman, our Falstaff, in the people's House. It is in celebration of that and in recognition of those qualities that I urge the House to support this nomination 17:10 Ms CHESTERS 249710 Bendigo I second the nomination of the member for McEwen as Deputy Speaker. The opposition today has shown a tremendous display of bipartisanship in accepting the government's choice for Speaker unopposed. Will the government now reciprocate that approach and support the opposition's nominee for Deputy Speaker? Given that the member for McEwen is the most experienced person for this position, it should. The member for McEwen has served in both the state and federal parliaments. In this place he has served on the Speaker's panel, been a government whip and served on several committees. In the 44th Parliament the member for McEwen served as the Second Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives. The member for McEwen has always been a passionate advocate for improving parliamentary standards and the working of this place. He is well regarded by members on all sides for his level of professionalism and integrity and the impartial way in which he chairs. His commitment to the role cannot be questioned. The member for McEwen is aware of and understands the Australian people's view that parliamentary standards need to be improved. In working in this position as the Deputy Speaker alongside the member for Casey, the member for McEwen would maintain the dignity and respect of the chair that the 45th Parliament needs. His becoming Deputy Speaker would be in keeping with the view of the member for Sturt, who championed the view that the Deputy Speaker should be a member of the opposition. In this context, obviously, the Deputy Speaker should be the member for McEwen. We support that position put forward by the member for Sturt in the spirit of bipartisanship championed by the Prime Minister. The member for McEwen and I are neighbours. I know how well respected and regarded he is across his electorate. The member for McEwen has vast experience in the chair and in representing his community. I wholeheartedly second the nomination. The SPEAKER 00APG The time for motions has expired. The question is that the question be now put. Question agreed to. The SPEAKER 00APG In accordance with standing order 11, the bells will be rung and a ballot taken. The bells having been rung and a ballot having been taken— The SPEAKER 00APG Order! The result of the ballot is: Mr Coulton, 77 votes; Mr Mitchell, 71 votes. Mr Coulton is elected Deputy Speaker and Mr Mitchell shall be the Second Deputy Speaker. 17:35 Mr TURNBULL 885 Wentworth On behalf of the government, I congratulate Mr Coulton on being elected Deputy Speaker. He stands in the boots of Bruce Scott, his predecessor, another National Party member and great farmer. As Deputy Speaker he will bring all of that wisdom and experience of the land to support you in your role, Mr Speaker, so we are delighted by his success in this ballot. Our congratulations, too, to the Second Deputy Speaker, Rob Mitchell, the member for McEwen. I would say to the honourable member that his numbers might have been a bit better had the member for Bendigo not described him as the Labor Party's Falstaff. Of course, Falstaff— Opposition members: Lalor! Mr TURNBULL 885 I do beg your pardon—Lalor. Falstaff had almost none of the qualities required of a Speaker, so that may have undermined his candidacy. Nonetheless, we congratulate the member for McEwen on his election and look forward to him too supporting the Speaker in this House. 17:37 Mr SHORTEN 00ATG Maribyrnong I congratulate the member for Parkes. I congratulate the member for McEwen. 17:37 Mr JOYCE E5D New England After that loquacious endorsement by the Leader of the Opposition, I would like to also add to the comments that the member for Parkes has had an exceptional career. He is seen as the person who has the capacity to reach out to both sides of the House. He is absolutely recommended and commended by his colleagues. I am sure he will do an exceptional job, and I put his success down to the marvellous speech given by the member for Dawson. 17:37 Ms PLIBERSEK 83M Sydney I would like to start by congratulating the member for Parkes on the win that he has just had. There is a vacancy in my book of favourite Nationals, so I am hoping he will take over from his predecessor, Bruce Scott, who took over from Paul Neville. Of course, that will rely on you being a very good and unbiased Deputy Speaker. I have high hopes on that score. I also want to congratulate the member for McEwen. Youse was robbed, Rob! We know you would have made a great Deputy Speaker, because you are a person with a very professional background who is deeply committed to his community and deeply committed to representing the people of McEwen in this place—a man who takes our democracy very seriously, but does not mind having a laugh with his friends too. 17:38 Mr PYNE 9V5 Sturt As the Leader of the House, I join my colleagues in congratulating the member for Parkes and the member for McEwen on their selection as the Deputy Speaker and the Second Deputy Speaker. Obviously they are both very important roles, especially in a parliament where the numbers are much closer than in the previous parliament. I am pleased to see that the Labor Party has agreed to join the Speaker's panel as well, in order to have some of their members find out what it is like to be in the chair and be able to take part in those proceedings. It is a very important role, and I do look forward to the member for Parkes being in that role. He deserves to be the Deputy Speaker, and to follow in the footsteps of the member for Maranoa, with his experience of the House. The member for McEwen acquitted himself well in the Second Deputy Speaker role in the last parliament, and I am sure he will continue to do so into the future. 17:39 Mr BURKE DYW Watson Congratulations to both the member for Parkes and the member for McEwen. Both of them are well regarded and well liked on all sides. This will be a parliament that tests people's patience on many occasions. I do not know why people nominate for that particular role. We very much wish them both well; they enjoy goodwill across the House. CONDOLENCES 21 CONDOLENCES Cameron, Mr Eoin Harrap 21 Reference to Federation Chamber 21 17:40 Mr PYNE 9V5 Sturt by leave—I move: That statements on indulgence in relation to the death of Mr Eoin Harrap Cameron be permitted in the Federation Chamber. In doing so, I might add that Eoin Cameron was a very good and dear personal friend of mine. I served in the parliament with him from 1993 to 1998. His death at such an early age is to be marked and it is very saddening for us all. I look forward to speaking on his passing in the Federation Chamber. Question agreed to. STATEMENTS ON INDULGENCE 21 STATEMENTS ON INDULGENCE Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games 21 17:41 Mr TURNBULL 885 Wentworth All of us over recent weeks have watched with pride as each of our Olympians donned the green and gold to compete for our country. The commitment, determination and courage of our athletes symbolised and embodied the Olympic spirit and propelled Australia to another top 10 finish in the medals tally. Of course, being selected for the Olympics is about more than being a gifted athlete; it is about hard work, discipline and sacrifice. Most of us, most Australians, will never know what it is like to compete in sport at an elite level. We can only imagine how those few minutes on the track, in the boat or on the bike represent the culmination of years of sacrifice, hours of training, overcoming self-doubt, pushing bodies to the limit and missing out on time with family and friends—all for the love of sport. Gold medal glory, let alone any financial reward, is all too rare. Each of our Olympians has won the respect of a proud nation. For a country of 24 million we have again punched well above our weight—an outstanding achievement and a credit to each of our athletes. The team brought home eight gold medals, 11 silver and 10 bronze. Let me reflect on a few of the many great moments. Anna Meares, a real Olympic legend, became our most successful track cyclist with four Olympics and six Olympic medals under her belt. What an achievement. Our women's rugby sevens team made history to secure the first rugby sevens gold at an Olympics, and of course they beat New Zealand in the final. Our champion swim team includes individual gold medal winners Kyle Chalmers and Mack Horton, and our triumphant 4 x 100 metre women's relay team. Then there is Tom Burton, the young sailor. His faultless tactics won him gold in the Laser. That will be emulated I am sure by many junior sailors for many years to come at every sailing race on every weekend. Kim Brennan—what a wonderful role model for women's rowing and for women's sport—now has a gold medal to add to her collection. Chloe Esposito made history with Australia's first medal—and a gold—in the Olympic modern pentathlon. Jared Tallent—what a great Australian athlete. His great performance in the 50-kilometre walk won him silver. No other Australian male has won four Olympic medals in track and field. And, of course, there were so many more. But Australia's performance is not just measured by the final medal tally. Some of the most memorable moments, as we witnessed, were events where our athletes achieved their personal best and showed incredible grace and sportsmanship under the glare of the spotlight, often in the face of disappointment. These moments are an indelible part of our national life. To the athletes, the officials, the coaches, the families and friends that supported them with so much enthusiasm and love over so many years, to all of that wide family of the 2016 Australian Olympic Team, I know that I speak on behalf of all honourable members and indeed all Australians in saying congratulations on a job well done. 17:45 Mr SHORTEN 00ATG Maribyrnong It is a pleasure to join the Prime Minister in congratulating all 422 of our Australian Olympians on their efforts in Rio. Before we go any further, we send the goodwill and best wishes of this House and the Australian people to the 178 members of our Paralympic Team who are preparing for their games which will begin on 7 September. Every four years, Australians from all walks of life are consumed by the performance, by the athleticism, by the opportunity to watch the best in the world perform at the Olympic Games. We sacrifice sleep to follow the fortunes of people who have given up years of their lives in pursuit of excellence. At these Olympics, we had so much to be proud of and so much to cheer about. Mack Horton reclaimed the 400-metre freestyle title for Australia. We had the remarkable comeback of Kyle Chalmers, who was seventh at the turn and first to the wall in the 100-metre freestyle. In that same race we saw the extraordinary sportsmanship of Cam McEvoy, who was overjoyed for his friend rather than disappointed for himself. Our sailors, as we have heard, raked in the medals yet again. And, as is so often the case, the women of the Australian team carried the torch for us at the Olympics, claiming five of our eight gold medals. We had the trailblazing success of our rugby sevens and Kim Brennan's stunning victory in the singles sculls. Catherine Skinner is the new hero of Mansfield in Australia, winning gold in the trap shooting. Our women's 4 x 100 metre relay team defended their London title. Chloe Esposito became the first Australian to win a gold medal in the modern pentathlon. Rather than basking in her well-deserved glory, she rushed back to the stands to watch her brother compete. In winter, we honour the achievements of our football codes. But, when it comes to the Olympics, our women athletes always deliver. The tradition we saw in Rio was the same tradition of the 1956 Melbourne golden girls—Marlene Mathews, Marjorie Jackson and Dawn Fraser—and Susie O'Neil and so many other Australian women champions. In Rio our women were led by the remarkable Anna Mears. Perhaps this might prompt us to redouble our efforts in supporting women's sport and the coverage of women's sport in this country. In Rio the Boomers, the Opals, the Stingers, the Sharks, the Kookaburras, the Matildas and the Hockeyroos gave their all against the best in the world. When I think about Australia's performance, I am a little disappointed by the lack of generous comment in some parts of our media about the accomplishments of our young athletes. When you look at any medal tally in the world, we do very well. And there is not an Australian who does not feel more proud of Australia at the end of an Olympics than at the start. Sure, we would always like to have more medals. But, when you think about how Australian athletes performed at the Olympics, they have everything to hold their heads up about. The Prime Minister and I had the opportunity to meet the Olympic athletes on their return from Rio. There, we also saw other people who deserve to be mentioned—the parents who drove their kids to practice before first light; the coaches inspiring, motivating, driving, timing and demanding every inch of effort and absolute self-discipline with early starts and late finishes; and the physios, the medicos and the support staff at Rio who kept these high-performing people healthy and well. And now so many of our heroes we honour today have spent the past week visiting their former schools and their junior sporting clubs, showing a new generation that the track marked on their school oval, the little lasers at their local beach and the humble community pool were the training grounds of athletes and dreams. If the efforts of our athletes inspire more Aussie kids to try something new, to step away from the screen, to go for a ride or a run, to join a team and to be active and healthy, then it is a very good thing that they do. And for all those young Australians who watched these games, who witnessed the toughest of athletes shed tears of both joy and pain, who could see athletes from small and developing nations struck by the vivid delight of wearing their country's name in the highest global stage, it is not too much to hope that the Olympic ideal will live in their memory too—not just the pursuit of individual excellence to be the strongest, to jump the highest and to run the fastest, but to draw satisfaction from beating your personal best and from the thrill of simply taking part. In the 'modern spectators pentathlon', complaining about the broadcast coverage comes right after pretending you knew about judo! My particular favourite is 'the diver's splash was too big'! And, of course, there is the perennial event 'I reckon I could do that if I trained'—it is a great event and many of us enter it! I think we can agree that Channel Seven did an outstanding job of bringing the Rio games into our lounge rooms and onto our phones. The deeds of the Australian Olympic team deserve the widest possible audience and Seven did a great job in making it happen. In the weeks to come, some our team will already be turning their minds to the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018. I am sure all Australians, including our top sports administrators, will be backing our team for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and for the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020. Others from Rio will be moving on to a new phase of their lives. But wherever our Olympians go, whatever the do, no-one can take away from them the fact that they were Australian Olympians and the rest of us are very proud of them. BUSINESS 23 BUSINESS Days and Hours of Meeting 23 17:51 Mr PYNE 9V5 Sturt I present a chart showing the proposed program of sittings for the remainder of 2016. Copies of the program have been placed on the table, and I ask leave of the House to move that the program be agreed to. Leave granted. Mr PYNE 9V5 I thank the House and I move: That the program of sittings for 2016 be agreed to. 17:52 Mr BURKE DYW Watson The program that has been put in front of us means that from budget week till the end of the year this government has 6½ weeks worth of agenda to fill—from the May budget through to the end of the whole year. Contrast this with what the Leader of the House said when he was on this side of the chamber. I quote the Leader of the House: The people of Australia expect us to serve our electorates and legislate, not to spend 18 weeks here when we should be spending 20 or 21 or 22 weeks. Know that for this entire year he is only going to make it to 13½ weeks. He said on the same occasion: The government manage the schedule of business, and we are prepared— and I agree with these words— to let them keep on being incompetent. We will turn up. We will keep showing them up for the failures that they are. We will scrutinise them and hold them accountable right through to the next election. So, while the opposition will not oppose this motion, we certainly place on record our dismay and disdain for the management of this House by the current Leader of the House. He later said: Why doesn't it have to sit? There are two reasons. Firstly, it does not have a plan for the future for the Australian people. Secondly, it cannot rely on its numbers in the House to pass legislation to win a procedural vote. Can I say that for this government there is a third reason: every time the parliament sits, its party room has to meet, and the last thing this Prime Minister wants is for all the members of the Liberal Party to ever be in the same room. Have you ever seen a mob, the first time they get back after an election, looking as miserable as they have looked today? This is when you are in government. This is meant to be your happy day—your happy moment. They have arrived with all the enthusiasm of the speech we heard next door where the subtitles were the highlight. For those opposite, if this is an indication of the agenda to come, if this is your achievement after an election when you come here with the enthusiasm for the Australian people, you can be assured there is an enthusiasm and a hunger to make a difference for this country from this side of the chamber, and we will be here for every moment of it. Question agreed to. Leave of Absence 23 17:55 Mr BURKE DYW Watson I move: That leave of absence until 22 November 2016 be given to Ms O'Neil for parental leave purposes. Question agreed to. House adjourned at 17:56