PARLIAMENT HOUSE, Canberra: Could I start my remarks today with a congratulations to the Labor Party for at least being able to get two out of three of their members who have a small business background to speak on this matter which concerns small business. So congratulations to the Labor Party, bec... ... (07-Feb)
PARLIAMENT HOUSE, Canberra: I rise to condemn in the strongest possible terms the federal government's cut of $107 million to the Victorian health system. In my own electorate of Aston, local residents will suffer because, as a result of these cuts, Eastern Health has been forced to announce that th... ... (06-Feb)
PARLIAMENT HOUSE, Canberra: I rise to speak on the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Income Support Bonus) Bill, the purpose of which is to provide two extra cash payments to certain income support recipients. As you would be aware, this bill comes out of a package which the Prime Min... ... (06-Feb)
PARLIAMENT HOUSE, Canberra: I rise to also speak on the National Gambling Reform Bill 2012 and the two other bills before us. I say at the outset that I am not a huge fan of pokies. In fact, I have great difficulty with them because of their social consequences, their impact on many people wit... ... (29-Nov)
PARLIAMENT HOUSE, Canberra: I rise to speak today on the report of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education and Employment on Workplace Bullying: we just want it to stop. As a member of the committee, I will make some brief comments on it and note that the chair of that com... ... (28-Nov)
PARLIAMENT HOUSE, Canberra. A drivers licence is critical to everyday life for most Australians.
This is why I am so concerned about a new standard introduced by AustRoads and the National Transport Commission that may unfairly deny a licence to thousands of diabetes sufferers.
Diabetes sufferers ... ... (31-Oct)
PARLIAMENT HOUSE, Canberra: It seems that there have been too many of these condolence motions lately. It is all too recently that we spoke in this place about five young military men who gave their lives in Afghanistan. Despite the fact that we have had many such motions before, it does not d... ... (30-Oct)
PARLIAMENT HOUSE, Canberra: Our higher education sector is set for a massive transformation whether we like it or not. Just as the newspaper and retailing industries are facing huge disruptions due to the internet so too will the education sector. It will be immensely challenging to existing i... ... (30-Oct)
PARLIAMENT HOUSE, Canberra: We have sat here for 15 minutes listening to the member for Moreton, but he barely, if at all, discussed any reason as to why the government are cutting the Chronic Disease Dental Scheme, which is the central focus of this bill, the Dental Benefits Amendment Bill 20... ... (09-Oct)
PARLIAMENT HOUSE, Canberra: I also support the motion that Health Insurance (Dental services) Amendment Determination 2012 (No. 1), dated 3 September 2012, made under subsection 3C(1) of the Health Insurance Act 1973, be disallowed. If this disallowance motion does not pass today and if the go... ... (20-Sep)