The SPEAKER ( Anna Burke ) took the chair at 14:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.
… no matter what one's perspective, we should not lose sight of the fact that maintaining overall macro balance through this period of change has been a significant achievement. And it is an achievement that has benefited the entire community.
Every time we announce something we properly account for it and we properly fund it.
Britain's politicians on Monday vied with each other to declare victory after 20 months of public hearings debate and chaotic last-minute haggling finally produced a new system of press regulation … A Royal Charter enshrining press regulation was agreed at 2.30am on Monday in the Commons room of Labour leader Ed Miliband—
What the imposition of the carbon tax has done is make industry take stock of what it is currently doing and has forced it to look at doing things in a better way. It means companies are now looking at ways to use less energy which equates to less cost … That has been the intention of the tax and clearly from that perspective it is working and working well.
Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Improving Electoral Administration) Bill 2013
Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2012-2013
Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2012-2013
Foreign Affairs Portfolio Miscellaneous Measures Bill 2013
Insurance Contracts Amendment Bill 2013
That the bills be referred to the Federation Chamber for further consideration.
That paragraph (17) of the resolution of appointment of the Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety be amended to read as follows:
(17) That the committee may report from time to time but that it present its final report no later than 27 June 2013.
That the message be considered immediately.
That the resolution of the Senate be agreed to.
The adverse effect of the carbon tax on jobs and manufacturing.
The carbon tax, if it is implemented the way it is intended to be, could be the death knell for a lot of Australian industry … From this year Penrice will pay $8m in carbon tax. Adelaide Brighton $80m, one of our big clients. The timing of it is excruciatingly poor.
The lack of pricing power and inability to pass on cost increases, such as the effect of the carbon tax, has dented small business profits and its ability to employ and expand.
We are going to be impacted by a carbon tax, and our competitors (overseas) won't.
The thing about the carbon tax is that it … will clean out people's wallets and it will wipe out jobs big time.
It will destroy the steel industry, the cement industry, the aluminium industry, the motor industry and it will be, over time, the death of heavy manufacturing in Australia.'
Senator Joyce, in November 2011, you said that citizens would not be happy when they were paying $100 for a roast under the carbon price. Now that the scheme has been in for some six months, this seems highly unlikely. Was your original comment intended to be hyperbole, or were you being deliberately deceptive?
In energy reliant industries—
such as manufacturers—
it is already showing up in job losses, deferred investment and in the worst cases, business closures.
In determining the appropriate climate change responses, what is needed is not grandstanding … but hard, rational analysis to determine how we can reduce global greenhouse gas emissions with the least possible cost.
… … …
Governments are poor at making such hard-headed assessments to determine what gives the best return for a dollar invested: political considerations and emotional arguments inevitably cloud judgments. The decisions should be left to the market.
The scheme has shaped forward and contracted prices for electricity, gas and other business inputs.
Royal Commissions Amendment Bill 2013
Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Convergence Review and Other Measures) Bill 2013
Television Licence Fees Amendment Bill 2013
Cognate debate.
Debate resumed on the motion:
That this bill be now read a second time.
(1) Schedule 1, item 5, page 5 (line 10), omit "1,095", substitute "1,460".
(2) Schedule 1, item 5, page 5 (line 17), omit "1,460", substitute "2,920".
… the role of broadcasting services in developing and reflecting a sense of Australian identity, character and cultural diversity, by supporting the community's continued access to television programs produced under Australian creative control.
If availability of these programs to Australian audiences declined, a loss of social and cultural benefits to the community would be likely. Australian drama can be effective in providing information and education as well as entertainment, for example, by canvassing contemporary community issues and concerns. Documentaries have a direct role in providing information and education.
Television Licence Fees Amendment Bill 2013
That this bill be now read a third time.
Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (News Media Diversity) Bill 2013
The public interest is extremely difficult to define and has a tendency to morph into a political interest. It would give those in government greater control over the media.
For example in the UK, consideration of the BSkyB/ITV case took more than three years to resolve, including references to both the Competition Appeal Tribunal and Court of Appeal. It has been observed that one of the problems with the public interest test in the UK is that too much discretion is given to regulators, which leads to contested decisions. Again, this leads to uncertainty for industry.
The practical application of this legislation is that it sets up a model where a minister of the government can pick up the phone to his own appointee and say 'fix it'. 'Fix it' being 'get the media off our backs' ... It is our strong view the fact that a government feels it is not getting a fair go from one or other media outlet is a very poor reason to regulate, in fact it is the worst reason. We believe (we) feel that the introduction of a government-appointed regulator to oversee print and digital newsgathering journalism will have seriously dangerous consequences for good government.
This is true liberty, when free-born men,
Having to advise the public, may speak free
The proposal of any new law or regulation of commerce which comes from this order, ought always be listened to with great precaution, and ought never to be adopted till after having been long and carefully examined, not only with the most scrupulous, but with the most suspicious attention. It comes from an order of men, whose interest is never exactly the same with that of the public, who have generally an interest to deceive and even to oppress the public, and who accordingly have upon many occasions, both deceived and oppressed it.
Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Convergence Review and Other Measures) Bill 2013
The House divided [20:09]
(The Speaker—Ms Anna Burke)
That this bill be now read a third time.
Insurance Contracts Amendment Bill 2013
That this bill be now read a third time.
Foreign Affairs Portfolio Miscellaneous Measures Bill 2013
That this bill be now read a third time.
Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (News Media Diversity) Bill 2013
The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms O'Neill ) took the chair at 16:01.
Insurance Contracts Amendment Bill 2013
Foreign Affairs Portfolio Miscellaneous Measures Bill 2013
… full compliance—
could in some circumstances place people who work for the Director-General of ASIS at risk and prejudice national security.
We have to manage risk across the whole range of our activity, from keeping our own staff and agents safe, to ensuring the integrity of our operational work and the validation of our sources.
… decided to establish a secret intelligence service which, when organised in due course, will operate in South East Asia and the Pacific areas adjacent to Australia.
Recent developments in Asia and our 'near north' make this both a prudent and an urgent measure.
Nothing in this Act requires or permits a person to take any action, or to refrain from taking any action, that would be, or could reasonably be expected to be, prejudicial to Australia’s national security.
That business intervening before order of the day No. 2, committee and delegation reports, be postponed until a later hour this day.
… modestly below that which the Board regards as desirable in the long term …