The SPEAKER ( Hon. Bronwyn Bishop ) took the chair at 09:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.
That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent Mr Albanese speaking in reply to the ministerial statement for a period not exceeding 15 minutes.
You don't tell deliberate lies, but sometimes you have to be evasive.
Things do not happen. They are made to happen.
So we are driving the state governments very hard to give us timetables to ensure that we’re meeting the expected time of delivery of these projects. That we’re hitting milestones, that we’re only making payments to states when they actually deliver the milestones, that they’re not getting money in their bank account prior to milestones being delivered …
... at this stage we have not actually got plans that are worthy of public scrutiny.
Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2014
That this bill be now read a second time.
Australian War Memorial Amendment Bill 2014
That this bill be now read a second time.
Many a man lying out there at Pozieres or in the low scrub at Gallipoli, with his poor tired senses barely working through the fever of his brain, has thought in his last moments: "Well—well—it's over; but in Australia they will be proud of this."
Proposals described as Customs Tariff Proposal (No. 1) 2014 and Excise Tariff Proposal (No.1) 2014 in the terms of the printed proposals which are now being circulated to honourable members.
Tax and Superannuation Laws Amendment (2014 Measures No. 6) Bill 2014
That this bill be now read a second time.
Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Amendment Bill 2014
We are only now learning the full extent of "treatments" offered to footballers … In the rush to stay competitive some sportsmen are happy to play guinea pigs. For an insight into this mindset, consider this from AFL great Leigh Matthews: "If you ask any sportsmen, 'What do you want to be, a squeaky clean loser or a rule-bending winner?', they'll choose the latter every time."
That this bill be now read a third time.
Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014
That this bill be now read a second time.
One of the fundamental freedoms of which we have heard far too little when we speak about human rights is the right to religious freedom. In fact not only is religious freedom being neglected, it has actually been the subject of open attack from those who dominate much of our political discourse, and particularly in [the ABC] and the Fairfax media. Almost invariably their targets have been the Christian faith ...
(1) Schedule 1, item 110, page 82 (line 1) to page 85 (line 10), omit sections 119.2 and 119.3.
(2) Schedule 1, item 110, page 92 (line 32), omit "or 119.2".
(3) Schedule 1, item 110, page 82 (line 13), at the end of subsection 119.2(1), add:
; and (d) the person enters, or remains in, the area with the intention of engaging in:
(i) a terrorist act; or
(ii) a hostile activity; or
(iii) an activity prescribed by the regulations.
(4) Schedule 1, item 110, page 83 (line 5), after "family member", insert "or friend".
(5) Schedule 1, item 110, page 83 (after line 5), after paragraph (3)(g), insert:
(ga) making a bona fide visit to a personal or business associate;
(gb) providing legal advice;
(gc) performing a bona fide business, teaching or research obligation;
(6) Schedule 1, item 110, page 83 (line 6), at the end of subsection 119.3(3), add:
; (i) any other purpose that a court determines is legitimate in all the circumstances.
(1) Schedule 1, item 110, page 91 (lines 10 to 13), omit paragraph 119.7(2)(a), substitute:
(a) the person publishes an advertisement in Australia; and
(2) Schedule 1, item 110, page 91 (line 15), omit "or item of news".
(3) Schedule 1, item 110, page 91 (lines 20 to 23), omit paragraph 119.7(3)(a), substitute:
(a) the person publishes an advertisement in Australia; and
(4) Schedule 1, item 110, page 91 (line 24), omit "or item of news".
The unarguable right of Australians to know what is done in their name is being torn down by security laws being rushed through Parliament.
The laws that make it a criminal offence to publish what are loosely called 'news items' about the way terror suspects are recruited is only one arm of an arsenal of restrictive legislation affecting the media.
But it is the public who are to be denied what they should be told. The community at large should know how young men are radicalised. Parents have every right to know how their sons are turned into willing recruits for Islamic State terrorism. They should be made aware of the pitfalls awaiting them, whether on the internet with its hate preachers, or in associating with the shadowy groups who will lead them astray.
That the bill be read a third time.
That Notice No. 3 of Government Business be postponed until a later hour.
Australian Citizenship and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2014
… we have always been very uncomfortable with this regulator.
Life is not easy in Wiluna—to find a job, a house—and if you get a job, then you lose your house. Alcohol is the end result, the escape from desolation and desperation.
We have to do everything that we can to make it as safe as possible for our medical staff.
… there is no reason to think that deregulated student fees will adversely affect poorer students.
Much-needed additional funding will be available to universities that capitalise on their strengths and develop compelling educational offerings. The result will be a better funded, more dynamic and competitive education sector.
Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten has demanded that union leaders outlaw the entry of anyone wearing bikie colours or badges into building and construction sites across the country.
That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the following:
(1) further debate on the motion moved by the Prime Minister in connection with the death of the Hon. Edward Gough Whitlam AC QC taking place in the Chamber between 9 am and 12 noon on Tuesday, 25 November 2014; and
(2) during the period from 9 am to 12 noon on Tuesday, 25 November:
(a) any division on a question called for in the House, other than on a motion moved by a Minister during this period, shall stand deferred until after the discussion of the matter of public importance; and
(b) if any member draws the attention of the Speaker to the state of the House, the Speaker shall announce that she will count the House after the discussion of the matter of public importance, if the Member then so desires.
The Prime Minister’s unfair Budget taking money from Australians and handing it to multinational corporations and big polluters.
… as we are being blunt, the fact is that—
Tony and the people who put him in his job do not want to do anything about climate change. They do not believe in human caused global warming. As Tony observed on one occasion "climate change is crap"—
or if you consider his mentor, Senator Minchin, the world is not warming, its cooling and the climate change issue is part of a vast left wing conspiracy to deindustrialise the world.
The Government has decided to terminate the carbon tax to help cost-of-living pressures for families and to reduce costs for small business.
The Government has decided to terminate the carbon tax to help cost-of-living pressures for families and to reduce costs for small business.
Supporting greater tax transparency and information exchange is our best weapon to crack down on tax avoidance and evasion right now.
Most small businesses are struggling to keep afloat due to the high utility costs and the impacts of the carbon tax.
Dental Benefits Legislation Amendment Bill 2014
Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Amendment Bill 2014
Albury-Wodonga Development Corporation (Abolition) Bill 2014
Australian Citizenship and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2014
… applications for migration would be accepted from well-qualified people on the basis of their suitability as settlers, their ability to integrate readily and their possession of qualifications positively useful to Australia.
… it is our duty to present to the world the spectacle of a rich country with a great people …
The purpose of this bill is to make racial discrimination unlawful and to provide an effective means of combatting racial prejudice in this country.
If Australian society is committed to racial tolerance, this commitment should be reflected in our law. The law should set some civil standards of acceptable behaviour. The law should provide remedies for public acts of racial vilification. There should be no legal right to be a bigot.
… a back room deal with the Greens is a deal with the devil, and I'm … not going to sell my soul for the sake of remaining in power.
I'm thrilled with how we are proceeding and the allocation from the Federal Government is exactly the right amount of money and it came at exactly the right moment … so we must thank the Federal Government through you, Minister, and also the Member for Bass, Andrew Nikolic, who gives me no rest.
When I realised we weren't talking about this, I felt that this was part of the crime.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Hon. BC Scott ) took the chair at 09:30.
The petition of the Casey Cardenia Community Legal Service draws to the attention of the House the concern about the federal government's decision to cease on 30 June 2015 the additional funding the centre was meant to receive. This cut in funding will lead to a loss of 1,144 hours of managerial work per year and would undermine the current assistance it provides to over 1,500 local people—mainly women—with family violence issues per year. We therefore ask the House to reinstate the funding of $100,000 per year for four years to continue all of its current operations including maintaining an office at the Fountain Gate shopping centre in Narre Warren.
Arguably the finest moment of his career came in 1973 when he almost single-handedly helped Newtown to a remarkable comeback win over St George in the final of the 1973 Wills Pre-Season Cup.
'Newtown were down 15-2 at halftime and the heat was horrendous,' says respected rugby league historian Terry Williams.
'They won 17-15 and that was largely on the back of Chicka. He basically took St George on on his own. In attack he cut the Dragons to pieces out wide and when they had the ball he became a road block.
If elected to Government the Coalition will continue the data collection work that has commenced, which will be used to deliver more funding for people with disability through the 'disability loading' in 2015.
On schools, those loadings will be fully delivered …
The federal Government … via then Shadow Minister and now Hon Minister Mr. Kevin Andrews had made an announcement to grant $150,000 to rebuild the current clubrooms of the Sikh Community at Ashwood Reserve. A further $650,000 was confirmed from the Monash City Council.
The plans and designs were finalised in Feb/March … The committee of VSA and thus our community were made to believe that the tender process would commence in July—
The bombshell agenda item then slowly came to light. We were asked if we knew of the announcement by the State coalition—an election promise to give the Waverley Hockey Club $1.5M (should they win the elections) to build a second hockey pitch at the grounds used by our community for soccer and other sports activities. This therefore puts an indefinitely hold on the VSA community pavilion …
Joan & Evan Hartley, owners of the above restaurant, regretfully advise residents of Moranbah that we are forced to close the sit down meal section due to the downturn in the mining industry; contractor's employees having to stay in the camps; and the reduction in the requirement of motel accommodation.
… because the mining companies are building their own camps for their FIFO employees, all town businesses have been brought to their knees.
When the demand for motel accommodation was at its highest, BMA approached us to rent all our rooms 52 weeks a year.
Have any staff transferred from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to the Department of Social Services to work on the Building Multicultural Communities Program. If so, how many and what proportion is full time?
Twelve staff from the Settlement Grants team transferred from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to the Department of Social Services (DSS) under Machinery of Government changes. The work of the team included Building Multicultural Communities Programme. It is not possible to distinguish the specific elements of this work.
(1) Has his Parliamentary Secretary actioned any of the freedom of information requests made by me in 2014, pertaining to the Building Multicultural Communities Program; if so, (a) on what date, and (b) did his department provide a copy, if so, (i) on what date, and (ii) when will I be provided a copy.
(2) Did his department seek any advice from the (a) Attorney-General's Department, (b) Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, or (c) Australian Government Solicitor, in respect of any of my freedom of information requests; if so, (i) which one(s), (ii) on what date(s), (iii) on what date was the advice received, and (iv) did any of this advice relate to freedom of information processing times and costs.
(1 ) ( a) and (b) FOI request 13/14-078 relating to the Building Multicultural Communities Programme (BMCP) was received by the Department of Social Services on 20 February 2014. A decision was notified to the applicant on 6 June 2014 and documents were sent to the applicant on this date and also on 10 July 2014 after third party review rights had expired.
(2 ) ( a) to (c) The Department did not seek any advice from the Attorney-General ' s Department, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet or the Australian Government Solicitor in regard to FOI request 13/14-078. The FOI decision was made by a Principal Legal Officer in the Department ' s legal area.
(1) Did his department send him a brief in respect of the Mid-year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) cut of funding for the Building Multicultural Communities Program (BMCP); if so, (a) on what date was it sent to his office, and (b) was it signed by him, if so, on what date.
(2) Did his department send a brief to his Parliamentary Secretary in respect of the MYEFO cut of funding for the BMCP; if so, (a) on what date was it sent to her office, and (b) was it signed by her, if so, on what date.
(3) Did (a) he, (b) his Parliamentary Secretary, or (c) any member of his Department or the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, instruct his department, in any forum or by any means of communication, to delay or refrain from executing any of the funding agreements.
(4) Did his department refrain from executing any funding agreements whilst waiting for any Cabinet decisions or decisions of the Economic Review Committee.
(1 ) ( a) and (b) No.
(2 ) ( a) and (b) No.
(3 ) ( a) to (c) No.
(4) Please refer to the responses to Questions on Notice 590 and 591 relating to Additional Estimates hearings in February 2014. From 4 October 2013, while the whole of government review of grants was undertaken by the Department of Finance, no funding agreements were entered into or executed.
In respect of the cross government process for reviewing grants, as referred to on 5 June 2014 in Senate Estimates, (a) what is the process, (b) when did this process (i) start, and (ii) finish, (c) was the process led by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet; if not, who led it, and (d) did his department receive written direction to review all grants; if so, can he provide a copy.
(a) to (d) Please refer to the response to Question in Writing 590 relating to Additional Estimates hearings in February 2014.
Since 7 September 2013, has the Minister's department paid for or stocked the drinks cabinet for (a) the Minister, and where applicable, each (b) junior Minister (including Assistant Ministers), and (c) Parliamentary Secretary; if so, at what cost.
Please refer to Question on Notice SI-190 available at:
www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Senate_Estimates/economicsctte/estimates/index.
In 2013-14, how many Commonwealth grants were approved by the Minister's Department, and at what cost, and of these, how many recipients have (a) signed funding agreements, and at what cost, and (b) received payment, and at what total cost.
Information on approved grants in the 2013-14 financial year can be found in the completed Senate Order on grants tabled for that period.
(a) Information on grants awarded by the Department are available on the website:
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/department/grants/index.aspx.
(b) The Departments total expenditure on grants payments in the 2013-14 financial year is $3,321,213,000
In respect of departmental staff overseas travel since 7 September 2013, what (a) was the total cost, (b) is the breakdown of this cost, i.e., airfares, accommodation, hospitality, official passports, and minor incidents, and (c) was the travel for.
(a), (b) and (c) This information is available from previously answered Senate Estimates Questions in writing.
Since 7 September 2013, how many corporate credit cards have been issued to departmental staff, and what is the total cost of all transactions made on them.
202 credit cards issued.
$1,080,033.73.
Since 7 September 2013 can the Minister provide details as to the use of all consultants within his/her department, including reasons for engaging their services, and the costs involved
A list of consultancies valued at $10,000 or more can be found on the AusTender website.
Will Australia Week in China take place in (a) 2015, (b) 2016, and (c) 2017.
The next Australia Week in China is planned for 2016.