Parliament

Senator LUDLAM :

I, and also on behalf of Senator Rhiannon, move:

Voice for Animals (Independent Office of Animal Welfare) Bill 2013, Second Reading, Monday 3 June 2013

Federation Chamber

Mr BANDT (Melbourne) (11:01): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

To ensure that as many as others as possible can contribute to this debate, I refer to the comments made during my introductory speech.

I would like to reflect on the decision by the High Court last Friday that the government has been acting unlawfully in relying on negative ASIO assessments to withhold protection visas from people found to be refugees. Refugees in this situation remain in detention but they are not told why they are being indefinitely detained, nor are they entitled to a review of this decision at law.

Mr BANDT (Melbourne) (19:57): I rise this evening to discuss a matter of increasing importance to those living in Australia's major cities such as Melbourne, and that is the matter of planning infrastructure for growing populations. Who is responsible for planning our cities? What criteria are being applied? How can Commonwealth funding contribute to sensible and sustainable planning for Melbourne?

I rise to speak on the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Amendment (R 18+ Computer Games) Bill 2012. I am sorry that I cannot join in the debate about slide rules and slates, but, like the member for Solomon, I do remember having the Commodore 64. I do remember that, to play a computer game, you had to sit and wait for a tape player to load a game for about half an hour, and hope that it did not get caught some way through it, so that you could play a game of Aztec Challenge or Soccer.

There are a number of things I would like to do today but I can't.

I would like to talk to you about the detail of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) - but I can't, the draft text is being negotiated in secret.

I would like to reassure you that the US negotiators aren't demanding changes to our domestic policies - but I can't and the leaks suggest they are.

I would like to explain how the draft agreement will impact on the regulation of intellectual property in Australia - but I can't, it's confidential.

Right now nurses in my electorate of Melbourne and across the state of Victoria are being forced lift to work bans they have put in place at a number of hospitals.

The decision of Fair Work Australia to order the lifting of the bans again highlights the disadvantage of state employees, such as nurses, because they work in an essential service.

Nurses, midwives and mental health nurses save lives and care for people.

Mr BANDT (Melbourne) (09:45): Nothing is more important to the future of our society and our economy than the state of our schools and our education system. I am a passionate supporter of every child's right to access a high-quality public education and I want to see our country do better at providing parents a real choice.

It is with great pride that I present the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2012 and the explanatory memorandum. Today is the eve of Valentine's Day-a big day for love in the Australian parliament. We have here the first equal marriage bill ever to be introduced in this chamber.