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Debate on the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Donations Reform) Bill 2014

Lee Rhiannon 4 Mar 2016
Democracy
Energy

Senator RHIANNON

I am pleased to resume my contribution to the debate on the Greens' Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Donations Reform) Bill 2014.

If passed, this bill would stop certain industries, often linked with having a corrupting influence on the political process, from donating to political parties. The Greens' donations reform bill bans political donations from developers and the tobacco, alcohol, gambling and mining industries.

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Restoring Territory Rights (Dying with Dignity) Bill 2016

Richard Di Natale 1 Mar 2016
Health

That the following bills be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend certain territory legislation to restore legislative powers concerning euthanasia and to repeal the Euthanasia Laws Act 1997, and for related purposes.

Question agreed to.

I present the bill and move:

That this bill may proceed without formalities and be now read a first time.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a first time.

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Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme Amendment Bill 2016

Richard Di Natale 1 Mar 2016
Workplace Relations
Social Services

First, let me make an apology. I want to apologise to all the people who are listening on broadcast right now who have had to endure 20 minutes of vitriol, of nonsense from the Labor Party. The Labor Party are intent on frustrating the business of this parliament. We get that we have a Labor Party who are torn and divided over the issue of electoral reform. We understand that. We understand there is a big tussle going on at the moment within the Labor Party—there are those people who support electoral reform and those people who do not. That is a legitimate position to take.

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Immunisation

Richard Di Natale 1 Mar 2016
Health

Senator DI NATALE

I move:

That the Senate notes that:

(a) in the past 20 years, Australia has an excellent record of achievement in the prevention of disease through immunisation;

(b) in the most recent annual data records (2012), there were 1,897 adverse events following immunisation;

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A better tax reform debate

Richard Di Natale 1 Mar 2016
Economic Justice & Treasury

I think the government's problems on this tax reform debate, indeed the government's problems under its former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, can be sheeted home to the simple proposition that really is its underlying philosophy. That proposition is this: this government, consistent with their philosophy, want to reduce taxes—income taxes, corporate taxes—and the cost of doing that is that we then do not have the revenue to fund essential services, things like health care, education, or to fund vital public infrastructure.

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Question – The government’s abandonment of tax reform

Richard Di Natale 25 Feb 2016
Economic Justice & Treasury

My question is for the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. Reports today indicate that your government has walked away from major tax reform, and yet today you have announced a major increase in defence spending. Given the so-called budget emergency and your refusal to end huge tax concessions like negative gearing and like the concessions in the superannuation system, Minister, how do you intend to pay for it?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General)  

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Richard's Closing The Gap Statement

Richard Di Natale 22 Feb 2016
First Nations

Firstly, let me acknowledge the traditional owners, the Ngunnawal people. I want to pay my respect to their elders, past and present. The official Closing the Gap report and the civil society reports are very clear-we have a long way to go when it comes to achieving equal health, social and economic outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Of course, the statistics tell the story-they are damning-but there is no substitute for seeing and experiencing.

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The reality of the Turnbull Government

Richard Di Natale 3 Feb 2016
Economic Justice & Treasury
Climate Change
Energy

I rise to speak to today's matter of public importance.

There was a national sigh of relief when Tony Abbott was replaced by Malcolm Turnbull. Most Australians gave the new Prime Minister the benefit of the doubt. We were pleased to see the end of Tony Abbott's divisive politics. We hoped that it would mark a turning point on so many critical issues-issues like climate change, getting children out of detention and marriage equality-that we would finally be able to transition our economy and set ourselves up for those industries of the future-

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