Mr RAMSEY (Grey—Opposition Whip) (13:32): On 14 November, it was World Diabetes Day, and I stand here as one of the co-chairs of the parliamentary enemies of diabetes. As I normally do when I begin these speeches, I say diabetes is the leading cause of coronary heart disease, the leading causes of blindness and the leading…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Opposition Whip) (13:50): I often rise in this place to lament the lack of country doctors, and I must say I’m quite happy today to have a good story to tell. Dr Holly Deer from Crystal Brook in my electorate of Grey has received recognition as GP of the year for SA and NT…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Opposition Whip) (21:52): There is a saying: ‘time to pay the piper’—and that’s what this bill, the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill 2022, is about. It’s the Labor Party paying its debt to the union movement. It gives them everything they own. The union movement owns the Labor Party; we…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Opposition Whip) (19:17): I have to say that this agreement by the government to reduce methane output by 30 per cent—and I point out at this stage that 30 per cent of Australia’s methane emissions come from agriculture—just came from nowhere. We had no idea they were going to do it before the election,…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Opposition Whip) (18:46): I thank the member for Hinkler for bringing this matter to the House’s attention, and I’m indebted to energy minister Chris Bowen for a moment of clarity a few weeks back when he informed us that by 2030 Australia would need to build 40 new seven-megawatts wind towers a month and…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Opposition Whip) (18:46): I thank the member for Hinkler for bringing this matter to the House’s attention, and I’m indebted to energy minister Chris Bowen for a moment of clarity a few weeks back when he informed us that by 2030 Australia would need to build 40 new seven-megawatts wind towers a month and…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Opposition Whip) (21:31): This is a very important issue for my electorate. Let me say from the outset how disappointed I am that I only have five minutes to speak about a matter that is so important. The rush to get this legislation through the House for a measure that doesn’t occur until the…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Opposition Whip) (11:39): I thank the member for Fremantle for that contribution. I’ll take it, by the fact that he didn’t declare Fremantle waters open for business, that maybe he doesn’t support wind farms in his electorate, but we’ll have to see how that unfolds in the future. That does come to one of…
DetailsMr RAM SEY (Grey—Opposition Whip) (11:09): This initiative contained in the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Incentivising Pensioners to Downsize) Bill 2022 was put forward by the coalition. It was a good initiative then, and it’s a good initiative now. Given the tightness of the housing market in Australia, the government should respond in this way,…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Opposition Whip) (11:58): I’ll just pick up on some of the remarks of the previous member, welcoming the member for Fisher’s comments about the coalition commitment to Medicare. It’s not a new thing. It is not a new thing at all. The coalition is very committed to Medicare. One would not have thought so…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Opposition Whip) (17:47): The Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (AFP Powers and Other Matters) Bill 2022 is about the extension of temporary arrangements to enable the parliament to act on the recommendations of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security for tightening the permanent legislation. It is a priority, but it should not be rushed.…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Opposition Whip) (16:21): I was unable to be present last Friday for the special sitting of parliament to debate the condolence motion on the passing of Queen Elizabeth, and I thought might take a few minutes here this afternoon to make some remarks. The level of emotion raised by the passing of Queen Elizabeth…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Opposition Whip) (13:52): Just last Friday I was given the privilege of opening the new administration building and four classrooms at Sunrise Christian School in Whyalla. The expansion was helped by a $700,000 grant from the Capital Grants Program, but I make the point that the school community contributed two-thirds of the $2.1 million…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Opposition Whip) (12:06): I rise to speak on the Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Bill. Family, domestic and sexual violence is a hidden scourge in our modern society. The statistics are horrifying. In the last parliament I was privileged but challenged to sit on the inquiry into family, domestic and…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Opposition Whip) (17:49): I thank the member for Fenner for his contribution, and I’m pleased that his boys like him taking them to school in his new car. Given that it was cheaper than another equivalent, I’d be interested to know what model you bought, Member for Fenner, but we’ll put that to one…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Opposition Whip) (16:21): On 13 August, I was very pleased to welcome back the 143rd Crystal Brook Show, which had had a couple of years off because of COVID. The show was opened by the newly decorated Commonwealth marathon gold medallist, Jess Stenson, and it was wonderful to have her in Crystal Brook on…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey) (10:06): I’m going to take this opportunity to add to my comments from last night on the cashless debit card and its rollout. I said at the time that I thought it was pretty sad that the first urgent bill the government had to get through the parliament was on the cashless debit…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey) (17:21): Let me say from the outset that a reduction of 43 per cent of CO2 emissions by 2030 on 2005 levels is an admirable target. It is a good target. It may be ambitious but it is an admirable target. It has already been adopted by the government and they have submitted…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey) (13:39): The government has introduced legislation regarding two weeks leave for domestic and family violence. I’d like to lay on the record that I am supportive of the concept, but I am not supportive of the concept that it should be funded by the employer. I think there is a whole lot of…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey) (21:07): I must say, as I stand here today as the member for Grey but also the member for Ceduna, how saddened, deeply apprehensive and angry I am about the gutting of the cashless debit card. To understand the origin of the cashless debit card, I think the House needs to know about…
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