Mr 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…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (13:56): Some years ago I had been campaigning for some passing lanes between Port Augusta and Whyalla; it’s a distance of about 87 kilometres and it’s a pretty busy bit of road. I had been informed by some people back in the electorate that I had Buckley’s chance of getting any kind…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (16:00): This Royal Commissions Amendment (Protection of Information) Bill 2021 amends the way in which we treat evidence given to the royal commission into disability. For the information of the House, I chair the coalition policy committee on Indigenous families and disability. Dealing with those in our community who are disabled forms…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (12:58): I think that our withdrawal from Afghanistan was very well highlighted or described by the Deputy Prime Minister when he spoke in this place, I think it was two days ago. He said that we should never forget why we went there. We went there after the two planes were flown…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (13:48): In 2010, young Sam White was living with his parents, Jim and Andrea, in Whyalla. Jim was a senior manager at Arrium. Sadly, he has passed since. But Sam had a motorbike accident at Port Lowly, about 15 kilometres out of the city and, sadly, he was rendered a paraplegic as…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (16:02): To say that I’m a little surprised at this subject would be putting it mildly. Prior to coming to parliament I spent 35 years farming. I’ve spent 13 years here now and still have agricultural interests, it would be fair to say. I struggle to remember a time over those more…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (11:09): I thank the member for Indi for bringing this important motion forward. It has dated a bit since she tabled it, of course—we’ve had a budget since then and $17.7 extra billion have been allocated over the forward estimates to aged care. Let me preface my remarks by saying that we’re…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (13:52): We’ve all been dealing with the effects of the COVID outbreak back in our electorates, helping where we can. Some electorates are affected more than others. In South Australia at the moment we’re in pretty good shape. But it seems, with the announcement two hours ago by the ACT government, that…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (15:54): Mr Deputy Speaker Wallace, you’d be well versed in that Australian poem Said Hanrahan. I’m afraidHanrahan has been breathing on the other side of the House. I’ve never heard such a group contagion of ‘glass half-empty-itis’. What we need is a little less of what’s going on in the rest of the world.…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (16:19): This bill, the Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority Amendment (Governance and Other Measures) Bill 2021, is largely a technical one. It refers basically to the management of the Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority. It would seem, listening to the speakers, that it has broad support…
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