Senator NASH (New South Wales) (1.00 pm)—I rise today to make a contribution to the matter of public interest discussion, and I think it most certainly is a matter of public interest that I am raising. It is that of the issue of student access to independent youth allowance. Over the last year ... ...more
I rise to make a contribution to the debate on Australia’s involvement in Afghanistan. It will be a brief contribution. I feel it somewhat inappropriate to do so. I have not been to Afghanistan; neither do I have family or friends serving in Afghanistan. However, what I do have is a deep and s... ...more
I am very happy to stand here and join my coalition colleagues in this debate, because there is probably only one word that can properly describe this government’s management, if you want to call it that, of the Murray-Darling Basin water reform—that is, an absolute shambles. How they have run this ... ...more
I rise today to make some remarks in reply to the address given by Her Excellency the Governor-General. The other day when I was listening to the speech that she presented here in the chamber I had this feeling that we were heading down to some sort of nirvana land of political perfection—if y... ...more
The ever-lengthening list of broken promises from this government is nothing short of appalling, and what is really sad is that the Australian people are almost starting to become immune. They are almost immune to the seemingly almost daily broken promises from this government. I say to the Australi... ...more
24/06/2010
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Sherry. Is the minister aware of the discovery in the United States of the Chinese fruit fly, Drosophila suzukii, or spotted-wing drosophila? Is he also aware that the Chines... ...more
Just when you thought the government could not come up with another bad idea, here comes another one, wham! It is unbelievable—bad idea, after bad idea. It is just extraordinary to watch how many stupid ideas this government can actually come up with. This one is an absolute ripper. What have we got... ...more
I rise tonight to talk about apples. ‘Apples are not apples’—and they certainly are not in this instance. In particular, I want to talk about the Australian apple industry and the potential importation of apples from China. There is a very serious issue looming for the Australian apple industry. It ... ...more