Parliament

For decades we've seen our TAFE system ripped apart by successive federal governments and state governments through neglect, through lack of funding and through privatisation. This is incredibly short-sighted and destructive. TAFE educates and trains the skilled workers that communities, businesses and industries across the country depend on. TAFEs will be at the centre of rebuilding after the bushfires and the pandemic as we transition to a renewable energy future.

I move:

That the provisions of the Higher Education Support Amendment (Job-Ready Graduates and Supporting Regional and Remote Students) Bill 2020 be referred to the Education and Employment Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 30 November 2020.

The PRESIDENT: The question is that business of the Senate motion No. 3, in the name of Senator Faruqi, be agreed to.

HANSARD LINK

I rise on behalf of the Greens to speak to the Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Jobkeeper Payments) Amendment Bill 2020. The bill extends the prescribed period of operations for the coronavirus payment framework, which allows JobKeeper to be extended until March of next year. It also enables the ATO to share some JobKeeper payment information with the Commonwealth, state and territory government agencies. The bill extends the temporary JobKeeper fair work provisions in part 6-4C of the Fair Work Act, except for those relating to annual leave, until next March.

(12:10): by leave—I move Greens requests for amendments (1) and (5) on sheet 1009 together:

That the House of Representatives be requested to make the following amendments:

(1) Clause 2 , page 2 (at the end of the table), add:

(5) Page 33 (after line 21) , at the end of the Bill, add:

I rise on behalf of the Greens to speak to the Australian Education Legislation Amendment (Prohibiting the Indoctrination of Children) Bill 2020 which has been introduced by Senator Hanson of One Nation. The bill amends the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority Act 2008 to require ACARA to ensure that school education provides what the bill refers to as 'a balanced presentation of opposing views on political, historical and scientific issues'.

(21:18): I rise on behalf of the Greens to support the Labor amendment. This amendment removes the new category of legacy employers. These are employers who are no longer eligible for JobKeeper, but they will still be able to use the flexibility measures, such as reducing workers' hours by up to 40 per cent and changing dates, locations and shift times.

 I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 758 in the terms circulated in the chamber.

Leave granted.

Senator FARUQI: I move the motion as amended:

That there be laid on the table, by the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, by no later than 10 am on Thursday, 3 September 2020, the following documents:

(a) documents relating to the MV Al Kuwait voyage which departed Fremantle in June 2020, including:

   (i) all daily voyage reports,

   (ii) the end of voyage report, and

I rise to speak on the Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Amendment (Dairy Cattle Export Chart) Bill 2020 as the Greens senator responsible for animal welfare.

I rise to make some short comments on the amendment from my colleague Senator Sarah Hanson-Young. I associate myself with the comments made by my colleagues. This government is doing what it does best: hiding from scrutiny, avoiding transparency, making decisions behind closed doors. We know that this legislation is ecocide. We know that you are environmental vandals. That's pretty clear. All you see nature is is as a commodity to use and abuse. Why?

I have spoken numerous times in this chamber about the government's failure to support international students during COVID-19. Sadly, since I spoke on this matter in June the situation has deteriorated even further for the hundreds of thousands of international students who have been left high and dry. Students who are greedily welcomed here are then treated as cash cows.