Well, that was 10 minutes of wind and straw. There was nothing of any substance there. There were certainly no accurate representations of positions that anyone is putting in this debate. No-one that I've heard from in the government—indeed no-one really anywhere in society—is saying that people shouldn't have the right to protest or have their voices heard, or that journalists shouldn't have the right to report. No-one has that position whatsoever; no-one at all. Read more

In North Queensland there is not a reliable base load form of power supply. The last northern-most power station of that kind is west of where I live, which is in Rockhampton, and where Susan lives, which is up in Townsville.  Read more

Given this event has occurred, the right thing to do is for the government to respond expeditiously to help those impacted, and that has occurred. Both the Commonwealth government and the Queensland Department of Health acted quickly to ensure that a level of care was provided to those impacted. Read more

The government is investing to help support new apprenticeships through our $60 million investment in the Australian apprenticeship wage subsidy trial. That builds on other initiatives the government has in place, which include an additional identified skills shortage payment of $156 million and the incentives for the Australian Apprenticeships program of $44 million. Read more

I rise tonight to pay tribute to a titan of Australia's resources sector. On 1 May this year Australia lost one of its greatest contributors to our nation's mining and resources industry with the sad passing ofSir Arvi Parbo. Sir Arvi's long and successful career in Australian business continues to have its legacy felt today, and it will be felt for many decades more. His life and achievements contain many lessons for us. Read more

You would think that the once-proud Australian Labor Party maybe would have a position themselves on something as important as large income tax cuts to help stimulate the economy and return wealth to the Australian people. You'd think they might have their own policy position on that given the nature of their party and their dreams one day to be in government. But instead, you have this absurd situation where apparently they're going to hold a shadow cabinet meeting this afternoon after Senator Patrick, Senator Griff, Senator Lambie and others come to a position. Read more

We on this side of the chamber know how much the mining sector delivers to our country in terms of jobs, in terms of wealth and in terms of prosperity. That's why we are never ashamed of defending and supporting that sector and wanting to see it grow and back those projects. Read more

Bob Hawke has become an embodiment of a uniquely Australian form of leadership. Bob's type of leadership can be summed up as a 'both/and' style; both determined and irreverent, both successful and humble, and both resolute and kind. Read more

As we've heard tonight, Nigel's been a fisherman, a shooter, an industry representative, a mango farmer, a senator, and a family man. In my view, in many respects, tonight we are losing more than just a senator; we're losing a number of people all at once, rolled into one, because he brings such diversity to this place. He brings something that no one person can replace. Read more

They've got to have growing markets to get more money to stay competitive and also to make sure they keep the bank happy and the wife happy and the family happy and all those things happy. That's what they need. That's why, as a government, over the last six years we have signed new trade agreements with Japan, with China, with Korea, through the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreements and with Indonesia more recently—all massive markets for our farming produce. Read more