SENATOR BIRMINGHAM: (South Australia) (6:12 PM) -It is a pleasure to rise to make a few brief comments on the Australian National Preventive Health Agency Bill 2010. Everybody believes in having a healthier society, promoting health outcomes and encouraging healthier lifestyles amongst all Australians. These are motherhood statements. These are things that I think we…
The Labor Government is a one trick pony on Murray-Darling Basin reform, Coalition Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. It follows today’s announcement of another round of water buybacks, for the southern part of the Basin and the Lower Balonne region of Queensland. “When in trouble Labor have returned to the only…
CHRIS UHLMANN: I’m joined in the studio by Catherine King, who’s the Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing, good afternoon. CATHERINE KING: Good afternoon. CHRIS UHLMANN: And Simon Birmingham, who’s the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray-Darling. Good afternoon to you. SIMON BIRMINGHAM: Chris, Catherine. CHRIS UHLMANN: This afternoon the Coalition continued its attack which…
Another Labor election campaign platform is unravelling at a cost of millions of litres in lost water savings, Coalition Murray-Darling Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. Prime Minister Julia Gillard was keen in August to make election mileage out of an agreement with New South Wales on operation of the Menindee Lakes storage…
The Gillard Government has today confirmed the enormous extent of its underspending from the $5.9 billion program designed to deliver water saving infrastructure, Coalition Murray-Darling Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. In response to questions from Senator Birmingham in Question Time today, Senator Stephen Conroy revealed the Government’s total spending to date is…
DAVID MARR: The High Court this morning said however you arrive in Australia, if you seek refugee protection in this country, the assessment of your claim will be done according to law and according to the principles of natural justice. That’s what they said this morning and as of 10 o’clock when business resumed, I…
Water Minister Tony Burke took 22 days following his swearing-in to meet with the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s chairman, ultimately doing so just two days before the release of its Basin Plan Guide, it has been revealed in Parliament. The revelation came in responses, tabled yesterday afternoon, to questions asked by Coalition Basin spokesman…
SIMON BIRMINGHAM: This is a classic re-announcement timed to coincide with the Victorian state election. This $1 billion was first announced in July 2008 by Kevin Rudd, and here we have Julia Gillard and John Brumby fronting up and re-announcing it now, just weeks away from the Victorian state poll. That makes me pretty…
SIMON BIRMINGHAM: Thanks, Tony. Tony Abbott has done today what Tony Burke has failed to do and that is turn up, turn up to these Basin communities and actually listen to people’s grievances, turn up and see just how wrong Labor is getting this process. Three years ago the Labor Party was left…
Further delays in finalising a Murray-Darling Basin Plan are a direct result of Labor’s mismanagement and will only prolong uncertainty for Basin communities, Coalition Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. It follows reported indications from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s chief executive that the already delayed process could be pushed out to 2012. …