ELEANOR HALL: Let’s go now to the debate inside the federal Coalition about whether it should maintain the hefty Government subsidies to the car industry in Australia. The Federal Government says that every country that makes cars props up its local industry, and it’s accusing the Opposition of putting auto industry jobs at…
DetailsAustralian taxpayers are wearing a double hit from the carbon tax thanks to the high spending bureaucracy administering it, according to Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham. It follows revelations of Departmental staff and office arrangements in answers* to questions asked by Senator Birmingham through Senate Estimates. “Not only will…
DetailsDAVID LIPSON: … first, to political matters much closer to home, I want to go straight to our political panel today. The Shadow Parliamentary Secretary, Simon Birmingham, joins us from Adelaide and, here in Canberra, Labor MP Andrew Leigh. Good morning to both of you gentlemen and happy new year. ANDREW LEIGH: Morning,…
DetailsAustralians face a growing black hole to either the federal budget or household budgets that is being kept secret by Labor’s refusal to thoroughly model the impact of its carbon tax, according to the Acting Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Senator Simon Birmingham. Answers to Senate Estimates questions on notice confirm…
DetailsThe countdown to Labor’s costly carbon tax bureaucracy gets serious this Christmas, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham said today. “When Australians rest their heads on their pillows this Christmas Eve, it will be one sleep to their last Christmas before the carbon tax and just 100 sleeps to the start…
DetailsAustralians will face higher state taxes and/or service cuts as a direct result of the carbon tax, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham said today. It follows revelations from South Australian Labor Treasurer Jack Snelling about the extent of the financial impact on the state budget’s bottom line. “We expect…
DetailsSenator BIRMINGHAM: (20:50): It is a pleasure to follow Senator Boswell in this debate on the second reading of the Steel Transformation Plan Bill 2011. He makes so many valid arguments about what the government are up to with this bill and about its potential impacts. It is nothing more than a tricky little tactic…
DetailsSenator BIRMINGHAM: (13:43): At the outset may I concur with Senator Mason and congratulate Senator Furner on a very wise and appropriate speech on an important subject matter. But I rise to offer some advice to the Prime Minister. My advice is: never let Senator Conroy near a tender process! Senator Conroy has a track…
DetailsSenator BIRMINGHAM: (12:28): I rise to speak on Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill 2011 and the Trade Marks Amendment (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Bill 2011, and I do so having had, I think, a track record in my few years in this place of expressing reservations where appropriate about proposals that governments introduce that increase the nanny-state…
DetailsSenator BIRMINGHAM: (12:05): As always, it is a pleasure to follow Senator Bushby, who makes arguments in this place that are well considered, well constructed and really do highlight very sensible points of concern about legislation that comes before this chamber. It is disappointing that in this debate on the Parliamentary Service Amendment (Parliamentary Budget…
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