SENATE Hansard
WEDNESDAY, 12 OCTOBER 2011
http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/senate/la ... ansard.pdf
Lots of goodies in this one guys... a must read!
CONTENTS
WEDNESDAY, 12 OCTOBER 2011
Chamber
COMMITTEES—
Environment and Communications References Committee—
Meeting ...............................................................................................................................................................1
BUSINESS—
Days and Hours of Meeting.................................................................................................................................1
Consideration of Legislation ...............................................................................................................................5
MOTIONS—
Gillard Government—
Censure ................................................................................................................................................................7
BUSINESS—
Consideration of Legislation .............................................................................................................................12
Consideration of Legislation .............................................................................................................................25
MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST—
Polio Eradication ..................................................................................................................................................25
Freedom of Speech ...............................................................................................................................................27
Dental Health........................................................................................................................................................28
Launceston City Mission ......................................................................................................................................30
Asylum Seekers ....................................................................................................................................................33
Middle East ..........................................................................................................................................................35
QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE—
Carbon Pricing......................................................................................................................................................36
Employment .........................................................................................................................................................37
DISTINGUISHED VISITORS .................................................................................................................................38
QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE—
Carbon Pricing......................................................................................................................................................39
Olympic Dam .......................................................................................................................................................40
DISTINGUISHED VISITORS .................................................................................................................................41
QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE—
Carbon Pricing......................................................................................................................................................41
Indigenous Employment.......................................................................................................................................42
Carbon Pricing......................................................................................................................................................44
Manufacturing ......................................................................................................................................................45
Carbon Pricing......................................................................................................................................................46
QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE: TAKE NOTE OF ANSWERS—
Carbon Pricing......................................................................................................................................................47
Olympic Dam .......................................................................................................................................................50
PETITIONS—
Australian Flag .....................................................................................................................................................51
NOTICES—
Presentation .......................................................................................................................................................51
Withdrawal ........................................................................................................................................................53
Postponement ....................................................................................................................................................53
COMMITTEES—
Community Affairs References Committee—
Reporting Date ..................................................................................................................................................53
Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee—
Reporting Date ..................................................................................................................................................54
NOTICES—
Withdrawal ........................................................................................................................................................54
COMMITTEES—
National Broadband Network Committee—
Meeting .............................................................................................................................................................54
Corporations and Financial Services Committee—
Meeting .............................................................................................................................................................54
NOTICES—
Postponement ....................................................................................................................................................54
CONTENTS—continued
COMMITTEES—
Australia's Immigration Detention Network Committee—
Meeting .............................................................................................................................................................54
Community Affairs References Committee—
Reporting Date ..................................................................................................................................................54
Environment and Communications References Committee—
Reporting Date ..................................................................................................................................................54
Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity Committee—
Reporting Date ..................................................................................................................................................54
Public Accounts and Audit Committee—
Meeting .............................................................................................................................................................54
Migration Committee—
Meeting .............................................................................................................................................................55
Treaties Committee—
Meeting .............................................................................................................................................................55
MOTIONS—
Vefamehr, Ms Marzieh .........................................................................................................................................55
Asylum Seekers ....................................................................................................................................................55
Olympic Dam .......................................................................................................................................................56
BILLS—
Clean Energy Bill 2011—
Clean Energy (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2011—
Clean Energy (Income Tax Rates Amendments) Bill 2011—
Clean Energy (Household Assistance Amendments) Bill 2011—
Clean Energy (Tax Laws Amendments) Bill 2011—
Clean Energy (Fuel Tax Legislation Amendment) Bill 2011—
Clean Energy (Customs Tariff Amendment) Bill 2011—
Clean Energy (Excise Tariff Legislation Amendment) Bill 2011—
Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Amendment Bill 2011—
Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Amendment Bill 2011—
Clean Energy (Unit Shortfall Charge—General) Bill 2011—
Clean Energy (Unit Issue Charge—Auctions) Bill 2011—
Clean Energy (Unit Issue Charge—Fixed Charge) Bill 2011—
Clean Energy (International Unit Surrender Charge) Bill 2011—
Clean Energy (Charges—Customs) Bill 2011—
Clean Energy (Charges—Excise) Bill 2011—
Clean Energy Regulator Bill 2011—
Climate Change Authority Bill 2011—
First Reading .....................................................................................................................................................57
MOTIONS—
Senator Bob Brown—
Second Reading .................................................................................................................................................81
ADJOURNMENT—
Aunty Penny Bond ...............................................................................................................................................94
Mental Health .......................................................................................................................................................95
Genocide...............................................................................................................................................................97
Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies ........................................................................................................98
DOCUMENTS—
Departmental and Agency Appointments .............................................................................................................99
Departmental and Agency Grants.........................................................................................................................99
Questions On Notice
Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy—(Question No. 353) .................................................100
Defence: Staffing—(Question No. 792) .............................................................................................................101
Defence: Staffing—(Question No. 793) .............................................................................................................101
Defence: Staffing—(Question No. 802) .............................................................................................................102
Defence: Staffing—(Question No. 803) .............................................................................................................102
Defence: Staffing—(Question No. 812) .............................................................................................................102
Defence: Staffing—(Question No. 813) .............................................................................................................103
CONTENTS—continued
Defence: Staffing—(Question No. 822) .............................................................................................................103
Defence: Staffing—(Question No. 823) .............................................................................................................103
Bureau of Meteorology—(Question No. 918)....................................................................................................104
Murray-Darling Basin Authority—(Question No. 921) .....................................................................................104
Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities—(Question No. 1020) ...............................105
Defence: Explosive Detection Dogs—(Question No. 1025) ..............................................................................105
Fair Work Australia—(Question No. 1039)........................................................................................................109
Fair Work Australia—(Question No. 1040)........................................................................................................109
Health and Ageing: Code of Conduct Investigations—(Question Nos 1053, 1078 and 1081) ..........................109
Finance and Deregulation—(Question No. 1056) .............................................................................................. 111
Resources and Energy and Tourism—(Question Nos 1061 and 1062) .............................................................. 111
Special Minister of State—(Question No. 1083)................................................................................................ 112
Nuclear Testing—(Question No. 1085) .............................................................................................................. 112
Health and Ageing—(Question No. 1098) ......................................................................................................... 113
Oil Product Stewardship Scheme—(Question No. 1101) .................................................................................. 113
Australia Post—(Question No. 1107) ................................................................................................................. 114
Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government—(Question No. 1115) ............................. 114
Infrastructure and Transport: Staffing—(Question No. 1120)............................................................................ 115
Health and Ageing: Staffing—(Question Nos 1121 and 1147) .......................................................................... 115
Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs: Staffing—(Question No. 1122) .................. 115
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry: Staffing—(Question No. 1128)................................................................. 116
Health and Ageing: Staffing—(Question Nos 1168, 1193 and 1196)................................................................. 116
Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs—(Question No. 1169) ................................. 117
Innovation, Industry, Science and Research—(Question No. 1207) .................................................................. 117
Broadband—(Question No. 1210)...................................................................................................................... 117
Broadband—(Question No. 1221)...................................................................................................................... 117
Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy—(Question No. 1228) ............................................... 118
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission—(Question No. 1260) .................................................... 118
Senate Hansard October 12 , 2011
Forum rules
Don't poop in these threads. This isn't Europe, okay? There are rules here!
Don't poop in these threads. This isn't Europe, okay? There are rules here!
-
mellie
- Posts: 10859
- Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2011 7:52 pm
Re: Senate Hansard October 12 , 2011
Whips retorts annoy me....when they respond to questions as is follows...
"Senator
SIEWERT(WesternAustralia—
Australian Greens Whip) (10:45): Here we have the
opposition complaining about the use of the guillotine
and the gag. We have done some research and
established that the Howard government used the
guillotine 116 times—let me repeat that: 116 times—
for such legislation as the Telstra privatisation bla bla bla "
When are these lame-ducks going to stop justifying their deeds of today, with actions of past governments ...a current opposition should not have to answer for when they were who asked the question?
Answering questions with questions is what they do best, all of which consumes precious time this and railroads discussion concerning current issues and concerns.
There should be legislation passed to stop these twits wasting time in parliament, and penalties imposed for railroading, avoiding, or in this case, point-blank refusing to answer questions.
This way, we might actually get some answers for a change.
"wheat marketing legislation; Work Choices, which I
will come back to in a minute; Welfare to Work bla bla bla" - Blathering Greens Whip
Past government blamers, pathetic, considering the government they now question in response to their being questioned, left the house 4 years ago.
"Senator
SIEWERT(WesternAustralia—
Australian Greens Whip) (10:45): Here we have the
opposition complaining about the use of the guillotine
and the gag. We have done some research and
established that the Howard government used the
guillotine 116 times—let me repeat that: 116 times—
for such legislation as the Telstra privatisation bla bla bla "
When are these lame-ducks going to stop justifying their deeds of today, with actions of past governments ...a current opposition should not have to answer for when they were who asked the question?
Answering questions with questions is what they do best, all of which consumes precious time this and railroads discussion concerning current issues and concerns.
There should be legislation passed to stop these twits wasting time in parliament, and penalties imposed for railroading, avoiding, or in this case, point-blank refusing to answer questions.
This way, we might actually get some answers for a change.
"wheat marketing legislation; Work Choices, which I
will come back to in a minute; Welfare to Work bla bla bla" - Blathering Greens Whip
Past government blamers, pathetic, considering the government they now question in response to their being questioned, left the house 4 years ago.
-
mellie
- Posts: 10859
- Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2011 7:52 pm
Re: Senate Hansard October 12 , 2011
Much of this precious time in parliament is consumed with Gillards idiotic tax-$ wasting committees.
-
mellie
- Posts: 10859
- Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2011 7:52 pm
Re: Senate Hansard October 12 , 2011
The subject of freedom of speech came up also....
Freedom of Speech
Senator BOSWELL (Queensland) (12:57): Let me
say, firstly, that I am glad Senator Brandis is in the
chamber at the moment, because what I am about to
speak to will affect him.
I wish to raise a matter pertaining to the restrictions
that we have in Australia on free speech. This issue has
recently attracted attention in the case of the well-
known columnist Andrew Bolt. I also wish to draw the
attention of the Senate to another case, that of Dr
David van Gend, who makes regular public
contributions on social conservative issues. Dr van
Gend is the subject of a complaint to the Anti-
Discrimination Commission of Queensland for
comments he made in a public forum on the issue of
same-sex parents. The Courier-Mail sponsored the
forum, aimed at providing a balance of opinion both
for and against this issue, which is important to many
Australians. It was a democratic exchange of ideas and
opinions.
On 29 June 2011 the Courier-Mail invited Dr Karen
Brooks and Dr David van Gend to submit opinion
pieces—the case for and against—on gay marriage. Dr
van Gend wrote for the case against. This is part of
what he wrote:
IF you hold to the old-fashioned idea a baby deserves both a
mother and a father, the president of the Queensland branch
of the Labor Party, Andrew Dettmer, calls your views
"abominable".
The state Labor conference recently voted to destroy the
timeless meaning of marriage and redefine it to include a
pair of men or a lesbian couple, and Dettmer slurred
opponents as being no better than racists ...
He further said:
Discrimination against people on the basis of their gender or
their sexual orientation is just as abominable and just as
unsupportable as discrimination on the basis of race.
Dr van Gend replied:
Yes, it is discrimination to prohibit the "marriage" of two
men, but it is just and necessary discrimination, because
the only alternative is the far worse act of discrimination
against children brought artificially into the world by such
men, compelled to live their whole lives without a mother.
Now that approaches the abominable.
Dr van Gend's comments were quoting the Queensland
President of the Labor Party when he used the words
'approaching the abominable'. I do not think they can
be in any way construed as vilification on the grounds
of race, religion, sexuality or gender identity. These
comments invoked an anti-discrimination complaint
under section 12A of the Queensland Anti-
Discrimination Act by a member of the Gay Dads
lobby group. The complaint was issued on 30 June.
The fact that the Labor Party president used the word
'abominable' to describe people that have a different
view from him and that Dr van Gend used similar
words in saying 'approaching the abominable' to
reinforce his arguments should not invoke the Racial
Discrimination Act.
The next thing you know, Dr van Gend has to attend
a compulsory mediation, which is to take place
tomorrow. Nothing has been proved against him. A
complaint was made and, regardless of substance or
being right or wrong, the person complained about
must turn up and participate in mediation with the
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
complainant. Naturally the doctor feels aggrieved,
especially as it takes him away from a busy medical
practice where he does much good work.
I did not think that we lived in an Australia where a
disagreement of opinion can result in hauling someone
before an anti-discrimination board. This is a country
where we agree to disagree. This is a country where a
two-sided debate can exist. This is a country where
people are not intimidated from sharing their point of
view. Or is it? First Andrew Bolt, now David van
Gend. I know many people do not agree with their
views and I know many who do. It seems that tolerance
for the views of others goes out the window if you are
from the Left and you do not like to hear an opposing
argument. These are the same people who preach
tolerance on everything, yet in fact they are the least
tolerant when it comes to open debate. Dr van Gend
expressed his views that, essentially, a child deserves a
mother and that compelling a child to live his life
without a mother approaches the abominable. Is that
really a sentiment, which was expressed by a caring,
mature, educated medical doctor, that can trigger a
compulsory action under anti-discrimination law?
The case of Dr van Gend makes a mockery of the
anti-discrimination law. It lowers the value of free
speech in Australia. If people like Dr van Gend are
forced to appear before the Anti-Discrimination
Commission of Queensland, that is a threat to one of
Australia's greatest freedoms: the right to free speech.
It is a major disincentive to people making a
contribution to debate across Australia. Tomorrow will
be a sad day for free speech in Australia. How has a
country like Australia come to this? Anti-
discrimination bodies should not be used as star
chambers by those who simply do not like what
someone else says.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
The Journals for the Senate are available at
http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/work/journals/index.htm
Proof and Official Hansards for the House of Representatives,
the Senate and committee hearings are available at
http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard
For searching purposes use
http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au
Freedom of Speech
Senator BOSWELL (Queensland) (12:57): Let me
say, firstly, that I am glad Senator Brandis is in the
chamber at the moment, because what I am about to
speak to will affect him.
I wish to raise a matter pertaining to the restrictions
that we have in Australia on free speech. This issue has
recently attracted attention in the case of the well-
known columnist Andrew Bolt. I also wish to draw the
attention of the Senate to another case, that of Dr
David van Gend, who makes regular public
contributions on social conservative issues. Dr van
Gend is the subject of a complaint to the Anti-
Discrimination Commission of Queensland for
comments he made in a public forum on the issue of
same-sex parents. The Courier-Mail sponsored the
forum, aimed at providing a balance of opinion both
for and against this issue, which is important to many
Australians. It was a democratic exchange of ideas and
opinions.
On 29 June 2011 the Courier-Mail invited Dr Karen
Brooks and Dr David van Gend to submit opinion
pieces—the case for and against—on gay marriage. Dr
van Gend wrote for the case against. This is part of
what he wrote:
IF you hold to the old-fashioned idea a baby deserves both a
mother and a father, the president of the Queensland branch
of the Labor Party, Andrew Dettmer, calls your views
"abominable".
The state Labor conference recently voted to destroy the
timeless meaning of marriage and redefine it to include a
pair of men or a lesbian couple, and Dettmer slurred
opponents as being no better than racists ...
He further said:
Discrimination against people on the basis of their gender or
their sexual orientation is just as abominable and just as
unsupportable as discrimination on the basis of race.
Dr van Gend replied:
Yes, it is discrimination to prohibit the "marriage" of two
men, but it is just and necessary discrimination, because
the only alternative is the far worse act of discrimination
against children brought artificially into the world by such
men, compelled to live their whole lives without a mother.
Now that approaches the abominable.
Dr van Gend's comments were quoting the Queensland
President of the Labor Party when he used the words
'approaching the abominable'. I do not think they can
be in any way construed as vilification on the grounds
of race, religion, sexuality or gender identity. These
comments invoked an anti-discrimination complaint
under section 12A of the Queensland Anti-
Discrimination Act by a member of the Gay Dads
lobby group. The complaint was issued on 30 June.
The fact that the Labor Party president used the word
'abominable' to describe people that have a different
view from him and that Dr van Gend used similar
words in saying 'approaching the abominable' to
reinforce his arguments should not invoke the Racial
Discrimination Act.
The next thing you know, Dr van Gend has to attend
a compulsory mediation, which is to take place
tomorrow. Nothing has been proved against him. A
complaint was made and, regardless of substance or
being right or wrong, the person complained about
must turn up and participate in mediation with the
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
complainant. Naturally the doctor feels aggrieved,
especially as it takes him away from a busy medical
practice where he does much good work.
I did not think that we lived in an Australia where a
disagreement of opinion can result in hauling someone
before an anti-discrimination board. This is a country
where we agree to disagree. This is a country where a
two-sided debate can exist. This is a country where
people are not intimidated from sharing their point of
view. Or is it? First Andrew Bolt, now David van
Gend. I know many people do not agree with their
views and I know many who do. It seems that tolerance
for the views of others goes out the window if you are
from the Left and you do not like to hear an opposing
argument. These are the same people who preach
tolerance on everything, yet in fact they are the least
tolerant when it comes to open debate. Dr van Gend
expressed his views that, essentially, a child deserves a
mother and that compelling a child to live his life
without a mother approaches the abominable. Is that
really a sentiment, which was expressed by a caring,
mature, educated medical doctor, that can trigger a
compulsory action under anti-discrimination law?
The case of Dr van Gend makes a mockery of the
anti-discrimination law. It lowers the value of free
speech in Australia. If people like Dr van Gend are
forced to appear before the Anti-Discrimination
Commission of Queensland, that is a threat to one of
Australia's greatest freedoms: the right to free speech.
It is a major disincentive to people making a
contribution to debate across Australia. Tomorrow will
be a sad day for free speech in Australia. How has a
country like Australia come to this? Anti-
discrimination bodies should not be used as star
chambers by those who simply do not like what
someone else says.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
The Journals for the Senate are available at
http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/work/journals/index.htm
Proof and Official Hansards for the House of Representatives,
the Senate and committee hearings are available at
http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard
For searching purposes use
http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au
-
mellie
- Posts: 10859
- Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2011 7:52 pm
Re: Senate Hansard October 12 , 2011
I hope you guys are watching SBS2 Assange.
Wouldn't it be nice if more reporters, journalists reported the unequivocal truth.
Wouldn't it be nice if more reporters, journalists reported the unequivocal truth.
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