SENATOR BIRMINGAM: (South Australia) (17:31): On behalf of the Chair of Joint Standing Committee on Treaties I present the 126th report on Treaty relating to the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement tabled on 21 November 2011. In taking note of this report on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement-or ACTA, as it has become known-which was tabled in the…
SENATOR BIRMINGHAM: (South Australia) (10:51): It is a pleasure to follow Senator Nash in this debate on this appalling piece of legislation, the Passenger Movement Charge Amendment Bill 2012. Senator Nash has highlighted so many of the flaws in this proposal and just how much these flaws are a result of the hopeless management of…
SENATOR BIRMINGHAM: (South Australia) (15:50): I thank the Senate for the support in considering this matter of public importance: the failure during the two years of the Gillard prime ministership to honour the commitment to fix the climate change, mining tax and border protection policy disasters. It is important to remember that this year we…
SENATOR BIRMINGHAM: (South Australia) (20:57): I am pleased to speak on the National Water Commission Amendment Bill 2012. The National Water Commission was established in 2005 by the coalition government led by Prime Minister Howard. At that stage Mr Anderson was the Deputy Prime Minister. Both were very cognisant of the importance and significance of…
SENATOR BIRMINGHAM:(South Australia) (17:00): I want to commence my contribution to this debate with a quote: You do not just need to be here in this chamber to realise how arrogant and out of touch this government has become, with the ramming through of legislation, ridiculously tight deadlines for legislation, changing the sitting pattern all…
SENATOR BIRMINGHAM: (South Australia) (12:52): It is a pleasure to present this report on a series of treaties tabled on 7 and 28 February 2012. One of the more important treaties to put some remarks on the record about is the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment…
SENATOR BIRMINGHAM: (South Australia) (20:30): I rise to speak on the Clean Energy Legislation Amendment Bill 2012, the Clean Energy (Customs Tariff Amendment) Bill 2012 and the Clean Energy (Excise Tariff Legislation Amendment) Bill 2012. Let me say at the outset that those of us on this side have said all along that these carbon…
SENATOR BIRMINGHAM: (South Australia) (12:44): I rise to speak on the Clean Energy Finance Corporation Bill 2012. I have been listening to Senator Pratt’s comments and I listened to Senator Milne’s contribution prior to that. The chamber just received a lecture from Senator Pratt about how this bill was going to support projects that were…
SENATOR BIRMINGHAM: (South Australia) (11:07): I rise to speak on the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Improved Access to Television Services) Bill 2012. At the outset of my remarks, let me reflect on what we just saw in the chamber. I am not referring to the division we just saw, although the division was of course like…
SENATOR BIRMINGHAM: (South Australia) (21:21): Thank you, Madam Acting Deputy President, and it is a pleasure to see you in the chair. Can I say as I rise to speak and congratulate you on that role. It is also a pleasure to follow Senator Joyce in speaking and to have heard some of his remarks…