Speech

Marriage: Speech to Parliament

Mr BUCHHOLZ (Wright) (13:46): Yesterday in the House we saw the introduction of the plebiscite same-sex marriage bill by no other than the Prime Minister. This is a potentially vexed issue. I call on colleagues to show the courage to respect the opinions of others during this debate and to show the courage of their…

White Ribbon Day 2015

Wednesday is White Ribbon Day, Australia's only national male-led campaign to end men's violence against women. White Ribbon Day was prompted by a massacre of 14 female students at a school in Montreal in Canada. In 1999, the United Nations General Assembly declared 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against…

Customs Amendment (China-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2015, Customs Tariff Amendment (China-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2015

I rise to speak on the Customs Amendment (China-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation) Bill 2015 and cognate bill. Entering the chamber at the moment is no less than the Minister for Trade and Investment, Mr Robb, who negotiated the free trade agreements. If I could just acknowledge his contribution and associate myself with the many compliments…

Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2014 [No. 2]

Mr BUCHHOLZ (Wright—Chief Government Whip) (11:23): I acknowledge the wholehearted way in which the previous speaker tried to defend his undefensible position. Mr Brendan O'Connor: Indefensible. Mr BUCHHOLZ: Indefensible—thank you. With the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2014 [No. 2] we intend to establish an independent watchdog, the Registered Organisations Commission, to monitor and regulate registered organisations,…