TRIBUTE TO ABC JOURNALIST PAUL LOCKYER

Paul Lockyer, just 11 days before the horrific crash, visited the township of Grantham, where he was doing a follow-up story. Eleven days beforehand was the last interview that I did with him and I feel sure, though I would need to check the records, that that was the last interview Paul did—the follow-up story…

Tax Laws Amendment Bill 2011

I rise to lend my support to the Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 6) Bill 2011. The bill is not controversial. It is broken up into three segments. The first schedule amends the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 in order to ensure that certain payments made under the Better Start for Children with Disability…

POSITION STATEMENT ON LIVE EXPORT

Like all Australians, I was shocked and deeply disturbed by the mistreatment of Australian livestock exposed during the Four Corners program on 30 May 2011. As a cattle owner myself I do not condone any ill-treatment of animals such as we’ve seen in some Indonesian abattoirs. However bad practices at some abattoirs are not a reason…

NATIONAL HEALTH REFORM AMMENDMENT BILL 2011

This bill, the National Health Reform Amendment (National Health Performance Authority) Bill 2011, proposes to establish a statutory authority known as the National Health Performance Authority. It introduces amendments to the National Health and Hospitals Network Act 2011, which was only passed by the House on 21 March this year. The National Health and Hospitals…

Act fast to stop future deaths: Buchholz

Federal Member Scott Buchholz has called on all levels of government to implement the Flood Inquiry’s recommendations before the next wet season. The report handed down yesterday by the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry contains 175 recommendations to mitigate the impact of further flood events. Although the report contained disturbing evidence of a lack of…