Speeches
Statements by Members - Mrs Dimity Dornan AO
Monday, 21 March 2011 15:24 in Speeches
(10:47 AM) —As I said in my maiden speech, I draw great inspiration from the remarkable people living in my electorate of Ryan. One such person—and she is truly remarkable—is Mrs Dimity Dornan, AO, the 2010 Queensland of the Year and founder of the Hear and Say Centre. Dimity is a true inspiration. Graduating as part of the inaugural class of speech pathologists from the University of Queensland in 1964 at just 18 years of age, Dimity has dedicated over four decades of her life to improving the lives of the hearing impaired.
Australian Research Council Amendment Bill 2010
Thursday, 03 March 2011 15:20 in Speeches
(10:25 AM) Research is of fundamental importance to society. In particular, Australia has a proud history of delivering world-leading innovations, inventions and cutting-edge technology. From the Hills hoist, Victa lawnmower and Cochlear implant to the black box, Australian research has set high standards in improving lives all over the world.
Overseas Students Legislation Amendment Bill 2010
Thursday, 03 March 2011 15:17 in Speeches
(11:30 AM) International students bring huge benefit to the Australian economy, both socially and economically. That is why the Education Services for Overseas Students Legislation Amendment Bill 2010 is of such importance. It will enable the Commonwealth Ombudsman to establish an independent body for overseas students to make complaints against private registered providers, offer advice and training to private institutions to facilitate best practice complaint handling, and review and investigate complaint handling and report on systemic issues.
Food Labelling
Tuesday, 01 March 2011 15:14 in Speeches
(4:10 PM) The issue of food labelling in country of origin is of great importance to Australian consumers and our primary producers alike. The independent review of food labelling law and policy commissioned by the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council released its report Labelling logic on 28 January 2011. The independent review recommended, as part of its 61 recommendations, that information on food labels be presented in a clear and comprehensible manner to enhance understanding across all levels of the population. The national peak industry body representing vegetable and potato growers, Ausveg, has been very active over the years in calling for more accurate and understandable country-of-origin labelling to aid consumers in making informed purchasing choices. It is vital they say to level the playing field and provide consumers with a choice to purchase Australian or imported products as they see fit.
Australian Natural Disasters
Monday, 28 February 2011 15:10 in Speeches
(8:30 PM) This summer was a season of disasters and devastation, of clean-ups and courage, and of heartache and, most importantly, humanity. We all heard throughout the condolence motion countless stories of loss and despair, but also of bravery and kinship. Throughout, humanity shone through. The power of human compassion is a humbling thing. It is important that we recognise this and I commend the motion for doing so.
Appropriation Bill (No. 3 & 4) - Statement on Aged Care
Thursday, 24 February 2011 13:55 in Speeches
(11:56 AM) —We are here today to discuss a variety of appropriations put forward by the government in Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2010-2011 and Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2010-2011. I would like to take this opportunity to speak on an area where the government continues to lose its way, and that is the issue of aged care. Whilst there is, I note, $24 million for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, there is still a lot more that needs to be done. Aged care in Australia is a topic that is close to my heart. When I first arrived here I spoke about the importance of social connectedness and active ageing in my maiden speech.
Ryan Community Service Awards 2011
Wednesday, 23 February 2011 13:54 in Speeches
(9:47 AM) —I recently had the pleasure of launching the inaugural Ryan Community Service Awards. Volunteer organisations and those who work within them are the backbone of the Ryan community. I have been privileged to travel around the electorate and present awards to the outstanding residents who have been nominated by local organisations for their contributions to our community. I sincerely thank these volunteers for their tireless work to make Ryan a better place to live, work and raise a family.
Flood Levy
Wednesday, 23 February 2011 13:47 in Speeches
(5:37 PM) It is a sad day when human tragedy is used to cover up a government’s failure to properly manage the finances of our country. That is what the Gillard government’s opportunistic proposal to impose yet another tax on Australians, in the form of a so-called flood levy through the Tax Laws Amendment (Temporary Flood Reconstruction Levy) Bill 2011 and the Income Tax Rates Amendment (Temporary Flood Reconstruction Levy) Bill 2011, represents. Simply put, it is a disgrace. It is a tax without fairness or equity. Large parts of my electorate of Ryan were flooded. I have seen the devastation the floods caused and the toll it is continuing to take on my constituents—all of my constituents. When an area is flooded it is not only those who lose their homes and possessions that are affected but also their families, friends and colleagues.
National Broadband Development
Monday, 21 February 2011 13:40 in Speeches
(11:40 AM) I rise on this motion as it is an issue of great interest to me and one that I have worked on for many years. There is no doubt that Australia and Australians will benefit from the provision of high-speed broadband access across the nation. What is in dispute is that NBN Co. is the model with which to deliver it. If we look at the method of communication delivery and the access of communities in past centuries we see that that was through the roads and the railway lines that were built in those centuries. In this and in future centuries, the connection of our communities, in relation to economic agreements and business going forward, will definitely be through broadband. But just as roads were not the only way of accessing remote communities the NBN Co. will not be the only way to go forward. We need to look at fibre being delivered not just by a monopolistic outdated telco model but through a model that will deliver opportunities for everyone. A model which will have open access and high speeds and will encourage innovation and competitiveness.
Condolence Motion - Australian Natural Disasters
Tuesday, 08 February 2011 15:37 in Speeches
(6:58 PM) I rise to contribute to the Prime Minister’s condolence motion on this summer’s natural disasters and in particular the recent flooding in my home state of Queensland. It is fair to say that rarely has the Brisbane River risen so quickly and with so much force and fury. Sadly, in the weeks just gone, this was another occasion. In my electorate of Ryan people’s homes, businesses, cars, personal belongings and treasured possessions have, in so many cases, been ruined with little trace that they ever existed. People are devastated and Queensland is a state that will never be the same. So many thousands in my electorate were affected by the flood in some way or another.
Page 9 of 11
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next > End >>
