Good morning and thank you Mary Lalios for your kind introduction. I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of this land and pay my respects to Elders past and present. I also extend that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who may be present here today. I am delighted…
Pic source: ABC Radio Australia Senator McKENZIE: The Australian Broadcasting Corporation Amendment (Rural and Regional Advocacy) Bill 2015 seeks to clarify the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's (ABC) mandate in its role as a public broadcaster. In particular, the Bill implements guiding principles, reporting requirements and practical mechanisms for the Corporation to be able uphold this mandate.…
Pic source: acci.asn.au Senator McKENZIE (Victoria) (13:11): The Education and Employment Legislation Committee, which I chair, yesterday tabled its report on the Higher Education Support Amendment (VET FEE-HELP Reform) Bill 2015. I am incredibly proud of Minister Birmingham's and Minister Hartsuyker's absolute determination to clean up the mess left by the poor regulatory environment that…
Pic source: dss.gov.au Senator McKENZIE (Victoria) (22:26): The digital age was supposed to make our lives easier and, to a large extent, it has. But, as we can plainly see, changing landscapes require new rules because our old rules do not fit the current scene any longer. Wagering is a perfect example of where laws…
Pic source: go8.edu.au Senator McKENZIE (Victoria) (12:03): I rise to speak in support of the government's Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Streamlining Regulation) Bill 2015. We have over 2½ million international students studying in our great country. It is, as Senator Carr said, one of our great export success stories. In my own home…
Pic source: businessfoundations.com.au Senator McKENZIE (Victoria) (17:09): I rise this afternoon to contribute to another senseless debate of legacy weeping by the Labor Party as they look over their failed tenure as the government of this country and their lack of investment and foresight and as they start to attempt to lay the blame for…
Senator McKENZIE (Victoria) (19:39): It gives me great pleasure as the Chair of the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee to stand here and speak to the government delivering on the Senate doing its work. That is what is so exciting as a chair of a Senate committee—when we work very hard on some of…
Senator McKENZIE (Victoria) (13:24): I too rise to put on record my views, my support and my praise for the Minister for Trade and Investment, Andrew Robb, for delivering, in race week, the trifecta of free trade agreements into the Senate. I thank the Labor Party for getting behind regional jobs right across regional Australia…
Pic source: coag.gov.au Senator McKENZIE (Victoria) (16:14): I rise today as Deputy Chair of the Education and Employment References Committee to speak on its report Getting our money's worth: the operation, regulation and funding of private vocational education and training (VET) providers in Australia. If only the students of Australia could get their money's worth.…
Pic source: techworld.com.au Senator McKENZIE (Victoria) (18:32): I am incredibly pleased with our government's enlightened approach to innovation and look forward to contributing to facilitate a variety of policy directions for technology and regional Australia. Contrary to the belief that politicians are using the recent focus on innovation in government to define themselves as a…