Mr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (16:35): I have to say, I farmed for 35 years. It’s always challenging, and this year is proving absolutely no different. In my state and in my electorate after a wonderful start to the season, where, in particular, the June and July rainfalls were exceptionally good and the seasons seemed to be…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (20:39): I rise to speak on the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Voter Integrity) Bill 2021. I’m surprised that the member for Solomon—as he leaves the chamber—has so little faith in Labor’s candidate in Lingiari, Marion Scrymgour. I can tell him that the seat of Grey has a far longer boundary with the seat…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (13:32): I must say, Deputy Speaker O’Brien, I was expecting someone else to be in your chair when I rose to speak, because I did want to speak about my good friend the new Speaker, Andrew Wallace. I didn’t know this man before 2016, and that’s not unusual in this place, but…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (16:28): Those that sit on the other side of this chamber must be the only people in Australia, it seems, that think Australia has not dodged an economic bomb. The economic management of Australia over the last two years through the pandemic has been quite extraordinary. In fact, almost any other country in…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (11:11): I’d like to thank the member for Chifley for bringing to the House this important motion, which commemorates or recognises 75 years of the diplomatic relationship between Australia and the Philippines. I gave a speech on this in February this year as that date approached. I am the co-chair of the…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (16:05): I too echo those comments. On a brighter note, last Friday I was given the opportunity, along with Mayor Clare McLaughlin, to open the new Whyalla airport terminal, a $12 million expansion or upgrade of the existing facilities. It came about as a result of the mandatory implementation of passenger screening…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (15:38): The topic of this matter of public importance today is, of course, ‘the importance of legislating net zero emissions by 2050’. I was surprised, then, when the member for Grayndler, the Leader of the Opposition, took 10 minutes of this chamber’s time and didn’t actually mention what he would legislate if…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (11:00): I was very pleased with the news late yesterday afternoon that the state government in South Australia has now set an open-up day of 23 November, when we are expected to reach the target of 80 per cent fully vaccinated, for those over the age of 16. We’re currently at 63.1…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (10:44): As of yesterday afternoon, there have been over two million vaccine shots administered in South Australia. That represents 79 per cent first dose and 62.3 per cent second dose. While this is a significant mark, we are obviously lagging behind primarily New South Wales, ACT and Victoria. To those who choose…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (15:38): The topic of this matter of public importance today is, of course, ‘the importance of legislating net zero emissions by 2050’. I was surprised, then, when the member for Grayndler, the Leader of the Opposition, took 10 minutes of this chamber’s time and didn’t actually mention what he would legislate if…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (13:34): Labor’s actions yesterday in this chamber, in moving a bill for the abolition of the cashless debit card, had a broader and more sinister purpose—to establish a platform based on a lie to take to the next election. That the government will put aged pensioners on the cashless debit card is…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (18:50): Mr Deputy Speaker, we do both have the same haircut, it’s true! I rise to speak on the Territories Stolen Generations Redress Schemes (Facilitation) Bill 2021 and the related bills. I’ve been here since 2007—not as long as the member Lingiari, and as one of the crop of 2007—I was here…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (19:18): In reflection on the member’s very good speech, ‘Don’t come the raw prawn with me,’ I was thinking! I’ve been married for over 40 years and I’ve farmed for 35 years. My wife and I had been married for, I suppose, five or seven years when some new virus got into…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (18:56): I must say that I am pretty disappointed in the very mean-spirited, negative and overtly political way that the two speakers from the opposition thus far have approached this debate on the Social Security Legislation Amendment (Remote Engagement Program) Bill 2001. I come to this place as someone who represents a…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (11:52): Let me start off by thanking those who work in aged care. We’ve had a royal commission. It was necessary. But there is no doubt it’s a two-edged sword, and it has attacked the morale and confidence of those who work in aged care. As I move around my electorate, I…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (11:10): It would come as no surprise to anyone in this place that there’s been a lot of focus on GFG Alliance, Mr Sanjeev Gupta and the collapse of Greensill and the effect it had on his global empire. Citibank, here in Australia, had lodged an application to wind up the operations…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (10:16): It will come as no surprise to the members of this place that Grey covers 92.4 per cent of the area of South Australia and is filled with vibrant communities. The BBRF program represents the regional areas of Australia. We have been great beneficiaries of it over a long period of…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (16:08): It’s been a difficult time for community organisations in Grey as they make decisions about whether or not to progress with their community events, given the vagaries of COVID lockdowns and restrictions. So I was very pleased indeed when it was decided that the Yorke Peninsula Field Days, a biennial event,…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (17:56): I rise to speak on the Health Insurance Amendment (Enhancing the Bonded Medical Program and Other Measures) Bill 2021. The amendments in this bill will make welcome changes, as the member for Cooper said, to a scheme that is designed to attract more doctors to work in rural and regional areas.…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (13:22): I rise to speak on the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Amendment (Economic Empowerment) Bill 2021 and I make the point from the start that, as I’m the member for Grey, this legislation doesn’t apply across the border to the south; it is about the Northern Territory. But, while the structures…
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