Tonight I rise to make to make some comments on how the government's higher education reform will expand opportunities for regional students. As Sam Seaborn famously said, 'Education is the silver bullet.' It is critical for our economic and social wellbeing as a nation. I am concerned and frustrate... Read more

I only have a limited amount of time available to me, but I do recognise that government procurement is an attractive option as a solution to shoring up local manufacturers. I understand that. Australian manufacturers would love to have somethi... Read more

Over the past month Boral Chief Executive Mike Kane has brought to public attention the orchestrated and costly secondary boycott campaign waged against it by the Victorian branch of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union. The continued ... Read more

I rise this evening to speak about Labor's failed mining tax and its impact on Western Australia. This is an anti-Western-Australian tax that has not worked. It is time that this tax was abolished so that we can get on with the business of fixi... Read more

I rise this evening to speak on the Minerals Resource Rent Tax Repeal and Other Measures Bill. It gives me pause to mention the original mining tax, the resources super profits tax, which was expected to raise $49.5 billion over five years. In July 2... Read more

During the last round of Senate estimates in the Education and Employment Legislation Committee, my colleague Senator Back asked a number of questions regarding the appointment of expert panel members for the Fair Work Commission's review of de... Read more

I rise to join with former members of the Senate Community Affairs References Committee that I had the pleasure to serve with during the production of this report. I stand here in place of a great advocate and member of the working group and implemen... Read more

Tonight I rise to speak on the increasingly devastating effects that ice, or crystal methamphetamine, is having on regional Australian communities. The increasing prevalence of ice has been called 'a scourge', 'devastating', 'an epidemic' and 'a drug... Read more

It would seem that both the Greens and Labor have a complete tin ear when it comes to the evidence that we have heard on the subject of this MPI—educational inequality and needs based funding—in the Senate Select Committee on School Fundi... Read more

Retiring Director of National Parks Peter Cochrane stated in the opening pages of his report for 2012-13 that he, and obviously the Australian government as a result, values engaging and responding to stakeholders and likes achieving objectiv... Read more

I rise this evening to briefly talk about the coalition's agricultural competitiveness white paper, which is designed to ensure a vibrant, innovative and competitive agricultural sector, by making sure industry can make the most of the opportun... Read more

I want to speak briefly on the Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill and related bills. I will speak briefly as I want the Senate to deal as quickly as possible with the passage of these bills because the Australian people made it s... Read more

I want to speak briefly on the Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill and related bills. I will speak briefly as I want the Senate to deal as quickly as possible with the passage of these bills because the Australian people made it s... Read more

I want to speak briefly on the Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill and related bills. I will speak briefly as I want the Senate to deal as quickly as possible with the passage of these bills because the Australian people made it s... Read more