Parliament

This motion seems simple, but accepting it means accepting all the consequences that flow from it. By publicly calling the science of climate change ‘crap' and then cleverly maintaining wiggle room, as the members for Flinders and Mitchell have just done-that, perhaps, any changes in temperature are not in fact human induced - the opposition condemns itself globally as a fringe group unwilling to accept the logical consequences of the argument that they have made for many years.

Speech to Workforce Conference - 23 November 2010

INTRODUCTION

As a former industrial lawyer, and now the Greens' spokesperson on employment and workplace relations, I'm sure few will be surprised by my claim that IR is a centrally important policy and legislative agenda for any political party. However, as I am here today among the like minded, I take it as given that you already understand the importance of a strong and fair industrial relations system.

Love knows no boundaries.

Love knows no limits.

And love knows when it has found its partner.

Mr Speaker, there have been many attempts through history to limit love.

And all have failed.

And as we move further into the 21st century I am confident that attempts to limit love will fail again, that full marriage equality will become a reality.

Mr Speaker, this motion before the Parliament does not seek to overturn the Howard government's change to the Marriage Act which sought to limit marriage to a few.

NOTICE OF MOTION

MR BANDT: To move-That this House:
(1)   Notes that:

(a)    there is a the growing list of countries that allow same-sex couples to marry including the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Spain, Canada and South Africa; and

(b)   there is widespread support for equal marriage in the Australian community.

(2) calls on all parliamentarians to gauge their constituents' views on the issue of marriage equality.

Towards the end of last year, the Karzai government passed a law which applies to the country’s minority Shi’ite population, and in particular its women. The law allows police to enforce language that sets out a wife's sexual duties and restricts a woman’s right leave her own home. According to US reports, child custody rights still go to fathers and grandfathers, women have to ask before they get married for permission to work and a husband is still able to deny his wife food and shelter if she does not meet his sexual needs.

Adam Bandt: My question is to the Minister for Defence. Given that one of the oft-stated rationales for our involvement in Afghanistan is the propping up of the Karzai government, is the government concerned about the reported level of corruption, to the highest levels of the Karzai government, and does the government agree with US General David Petraeus’s reported comment that the Afghan government is a ‘criminal syndicate’?

Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak today. I am very pleased to be addressing you as the first Greens MP elected to a lower house seat at a general election.

There is no greater leadership required at the moment than that necessary to meet the carbon challenge.

The challenge of how to shift to a zero-carbon economy in Australia contains many pitfalls and hurdles, but also enormous opportunities and possibilities.

But, given the perils we face, we have no choice but to pursue these opportunities.

To say that we have just witnessed an interesting election is somewhat of an understatement. And I've probably had one of the more unusual first few weeks in the new job. But I think if anything can train you for high-stakes multi-party negotiations with people you've only just met, it's being a Victorian industrial lawyer. So it is a great pleasure to be back here and talking to many people I have worked with in one form or another. It's an honour to be asked to speak at the start of the day's proceedings.

Speech to All-Energy Australia 2010 Conference in Melbourne

Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak today. I am very pleased to be addressing you as the first Greens MP elected to a lower house seat at a general election. If you cross the river you will be in my electorate of Melbourne, a place that has for much of Australia's history been a centre of movements for change. And there is no bigger set of changes required at the moment than those necessary to meet the climate challenge.