Senator BIRMINGHAM: (South Australia) (12:43): I rise to speak on the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment Bill 2013, which the government has just rushed into the Senate chamber. It is noteworthy that the Senate committee report on this bill was only concluded and tabled this morning, but this of course is symptomatic of a…
DetailsSenator BIRMINGHAM: (South Australia) (16:25): I thank the Greens for the opportunity to speak to this matter of public importance and note the fact that in doing so the Greens have highlighted another Labor broken promise. I am pleased that the Greens have done so. There are a number of ways in which they and their…
DetailsSenator BIRMINGHAM:(South Australia) (11:09): The Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Amendment Bill 2013 has been brought to the chamber unexpectedly today in a way that demonstrates the ongoing chaos that exists in the government's ranks, the ongoing chaos that exists in the government's legislative program and the chaos they are now extending to the treatment of this…
DetailsThe Government’s own senior Climate officials have today confirmed that revenue projections for carbon permits contained in this year’s budget are double and triple what the market is predicting. The consequence is that there is $6 billion in phantom revenue and therefore a $6 billion budget black hole in a document that is…
DetailsFederal and State Labor are both treating taxpayers with contempt by refusing to release information surrounding decisions to fund the Adelaide Desalination Plant, the Coalition’s Murray-Darling Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. It follows this month’s damning report of the Commonwealth Auditor-General* into $328 million in federal funding for the Desal Plant, including…
DetailsBELINDA HEGGEN: … onto a more serious matter and that is the $5 million coming out of your pockets to fund soundproofing insulation at a western suburbs church under the Adelaide Airport flight path. Now, parishioners at Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Thebarton have been complaining about aircraft noise disrupting their services for…
DetailsNATASHA STOTT DESPOJA: Well, this week, on Tuesday, an award was announced for achievement in gynaecological cancers. To tell us a bit about the person in whose honour it’s named that’s the late Senator Jeannie Ferris I’m joined by current Senator Simon Birmingham. He’s a Liberal Senator for South Australia. Good afternoon,…
DetailsDAVID BEVAN: Now, yesterday we brought you the news that, in the budget and it’s a pretty big document there was a line which said $5 million will be given to a church in Thebarton… it’s a Greek Orthodox church at Thebarton [Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Thebarton]… to pay for soundproofing…
DetailsFRAN KELLY: In what will be a significant extension of the Commonwealth’s environmental powers, a Senate committee has given a tick to Labor plans for a new federal water trigger. The plan would mean the Federal Government will have to take into account water use when approving large coal or coal seam gas mining…
DetailsKIERAN GILBERT: … let’s go to our panel this morning, the Minister for Home Affairs, Justice and Customs, Jason Clare, and Liberal frontbencher, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Water [Murray-Darling Basin], Environment, Senator Simon Birmingham. Gentlemen, good to see you. SIMON BIRMINGHAM: Morning, Kieran. … KIERAN GILBERT: Senator Birmingham, there isn’t bipartisan support…
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