I rise this evening to make some remarks regarding the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Child Care Rebate) Bill 2011 and I am very pleased to do so. The shadow minister for child care and early childhood learning, Susan Ley, the member for Farrer, is respon- sible for this in the other place... ...more
Firstly, can I thank all of those who have made a contribution to my bill this morning. It certainly has been a very lively debate. I would like to thank the member for Sturt and the shadow minister for education, apprenticeships and training, Christopher Pyne, the member for Gippsland, Darren Chest... ...more
I rise tonight to raise what I think is a very serious issue for this parliament. Recently I introduced the Social Security Amendment (Income Support for Regional Students) Bill 2010, which is a bill to make access to independent youth allowance fair for regional students, regardless of wher... ...more
This is without doubt one of the saddest days I have seen in this place since I came here. We have just witnessed the Labor Party, the Greens and the Independent Nick Xenophon refuse to debate the bill that would have given fairness and equity to regional students, and I think everybody living in a ... ...more
I seek leave to move a motion relating to the consideration of the Social Security Amendment (Income Support for Regional Students) Bill 2010 and message No. 38 from the House of Representatives on a related matter, as circulated in the chamber.
Leave not granted.
Pursuant to contingent notice... ...more
First Reading
I move:
That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the Social Security Act 1991 to improve income support for regional students, and for related purposes.
Question agreed to.
I present the bill and move:
That this bill may proceed ... ...more
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