ADDRESS TO PARLIAMENT – Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Quality and Integrity) Bill 2024
The coalition will not be opposing the Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Quality and Integrity) Bill 2024, but I do suggest that the government support the very reasonable and thought-out amendment put forward by the member for Bradfield. I agree with the member for Solomon when he talks about how important international education is […]
ADDRESS TO PARLIAMENT – PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BUSINESS – Geneva Conventions
Today, 12 August 2024, marks the 75th anniversary of the Geneva conventions of 1949. Following the tragedy, the atrocities of World War II, it was clear to the peace-loving international community that a global set of minimum standards had to be implemented to ensure such atrocities were never committed again. As the member for Bean […]
ADDRESS TO PARLIAMENT – MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS – National Apology to the Stolen Generations: 16th Anniversary
I’m so very pleased that you are in the chair for my contribution, Deputy Speaker Scrymgour, member for Lingiari, because I have so much respect for you and for the positions that you take not just on matters pertaining to Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples but, indeed, all Australians. I know the importance of […]
ADDRESS TO PARLIAMENT – MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS – Australia’s International Environment Leadership
This is an important statement for talking about Australia’s international obligations in the environment space. I note that, in the nine years we were in government, we had rooftop solar on one in four houses. That was world’s best. That was world’s best practice. A lot is often said condemning what the coalition did or […]
ADDRESS TO PARLIAMENT – MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE – Live Animal Exports
On 14 May, federal budget night, the Treasurer, the member for Rankin, went to that spot and adjusted his red tie, and in his budget he announced the biggest spend for agriculture would be that he would pay farmers to stop farming. He would pay farmers to stop farming. Wouldn’t you think that a government […]
ADDRESS TO PARLIAMENT – ADJOURNMENT – Environment: Kosciuszko National Park
During the winter recess we will, as parliamentarians, go back into our electorates. It will be cold. Some of us may work, some of us may do other things but, all the while, we should think about and reflect upon what will be happening in Kosciuszko National Park, because what will be happening there, unfortunately, […]
address to parliament – PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BUSINESS – Energy Bill Relief
In question time today I asked the Prime Minister a very serious question about Capital Brewing Co, a local success story. He took me up on the regionality of that. Given my boundary changes—many of us in New South Wales are experiencing electorate boundary changes, and I’m no different—my electorate will now wrap right around […]
ADDRESS TO PARLIAMENT – PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BUSINESS – Energy
I very much take pleasure in speaking on this motion brought to the parliament by the member for Gippsland, who is unwell, as we’ve heard. He will be back tomorrow; don’t worry. But it is with great pleasure that I follow the members for O’Connor, Durack and Casey on the coalition side, arguing about the […]
ADDRESS TO PARLIAMENT – MOTIONS – Wages
I rise to speak on this motion put forward by the member for Lalor, and, in doing so, I note that from today, 1 July 2024, the national minimum wage will increase to $915.90 per week, or $24.10 per hour, and award minimum wages will increase by 3.75 per cent. Other award wages, including junior […]
ADDRESS TO PARLIAMENT – PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BUSINESS – Queensland: Beef Industry
Beef roads are so very important. I can remember when I was the Deputy Prime Minister—in the golden age of Australian democracy!—going to a press conference with the erstwhile Minister Matthew Canavan and the then member for Flynn, Kenny O’Dowd. We were announcing significant funding for an upgrade—a $30 million project. We were contributing $20 […]