A Senate Committee inquiry into childcare has heard damning evidence on the disastrous impact which new regulations brought in by the Gillard/Rudd Governments are having on the operation of childcare centres in regional Australia, according to committee member and Victorian Nationals Senator, Bridget McKenzie. “The Labor reforms were intended to raise standards, but it is…
Nationals Senator for Victoria Bridget McKenzie has welcomed the recommendations made by the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee regarding the importation of potatoes from New Zealand. The report recommends that before potatoes are imported from New Zealand an Import Risk Analysis should be conducted, which should consider scientific research into disease…
Nationals Senator for Victoria Bridget McKenzie has condemned Labor and the Greens for voting against the repeal of Mining Rent Resources Tax in the Senate this week saying the vote highlighted the need for a strong regional Western Australian presence in the Senate. ‘‘This is an anti-Western-Australian tax that has not worked,’’ Senator McKenzie said.…
Nationals Senator for Victoria Bridget McKenzie has welcomed the support of Labor and the Greens for a notice of motion which asked the Senate to note the importance of high quality teaching to student outcomes. Senator McKenzie said the motion acknowledged that all Australian students deserved quality teachers and teaching to ensure the highest standard…
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 something like the Buy American Act, just as Australian farmers would like our own version of…
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 thuggery by the CFMEU prompted an excellent question from Senator Boswell yesterday during Senate question time, which…
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 fixing the mess that the former government has left us. Today…
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 2010 the resources super profits tax proposal was replaced with the…
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 default superannuation funds in modern awards. The Financial Services Council had earlier raised concerns about potential conflicts of…
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 implementation group, Senator Sue Boyce, to make a very short contribution.…