Mr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (17:11): Firstly, I’d like to thank the member for Indi for bringing this motion forward. It gives us an opportunity to talk about many good things in regional Australia. I was a bit surprised by her speech, though, when she talked about the lack of action. I vehemently disagree. In fact, I…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (18:03): The Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Student Assistance and Other Measures) Bill 2021, in its primary form, is really a tidying up of some loose ends around the support for isolated children and people who receive support under Abstudy. It goes to the heart of the requirement to provide tax…
DetailsFew people understand what has contributed to Nicolle Flint’s decision to leave parliament. Safety in the workplace should transcend politics. Here is a speech I made earlier today.
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (16:01): Honestly, I can’t believe this motion. I am really struggling. Energy and emission policies by this government are a spectacular success, and saying it ain’t so does not make it fact. We are completely on target. We beat our Kyoto targets. We’ll beat Kyoto 2. And, despite what the member for…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (19:55): Let me say from the outset, before the member leaves the chamber: I’m sure I’m speaking on behalf of all of us in this place when we wish her all the very best with the rest of her pregnancy and the upcoming birth. All the best with that. What I wanted…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (12:34): Firstly, let me thank the member for Bowman for bringing this motion forward. I think it’s very important and quite proper that we discuss this issue in this place. I thank the member for Dunkley for her comments as well, but I must take issue with her view that the proposals…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (13:43): One of the privileges of the position I hold is that I am the co-chair, along with the member for Solomon, of the Parliamentary Friends of the Philippines. Last week I had the great pleasure of hosting the ambassador, Hellen De La Vega, for a quiet meeting in the house. We…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (17:34): I raised an issue in the party room a couple of weeks ago about a doctor distribution problem that we have in Australia. We don’t have a shortage of doctors, we have a doctor distribution problem. This was raised by a good article in The Weekend Australian Magazine here, I think about three weeks…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (18:21): As I begin, I should take the opportunity to inform the member for Gilmore that it was no less than Greg Combet, the minister, that introduced the Clean Energy Finance Corporation in 2012. In his second reading speech he said ‘conventional gas … may technically be eligible for funding as a…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (16:35): In November last year the final report into the Inquiry into the Working Holiday Maker Program was delivered. I’m drawn to recommendation three: The Committee recommends that Working Holiday (subclass 417) and Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa holders should be able to work in tourism and hospitality in all hard-to-staff…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (13:31): During the last week, I was very pleased to host the Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government, Mark Coulton, in my electorate. We met with a number of delegations of doctors, discussing the rural doctor crisis. We met with, I think, 12 different mayors in a couple of…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (11:29): I welcome this motion put forward by the Leader of the Opposition. It does give us a chance to talk about a very important issue. Eight per cent or thereabouts of my electorate of Grey is Indigenous, and I have made it a core part of my workload, since I came…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (09:54): After listening to the shadow minister, I must say that was a very glass-half-empty summation of the National Broadband Network. We have actually come a very long way here in Australia. I don’t want to spend the whole of my allotted time going back through a potted history of this, but…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (12:13): I welcome the fact that the cashless debit card trials have been extended for two years in Australia. But, at the same time, I must say I’m really disappointed that they haven’t become permanent in the sites that are designated, including Ceduna in my electorate of Grey—which was, of course, the…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (13:34): An Albanese federal Labor government is a bit like a mirage in the desert. I don’t think it’s coming any time soon, but, anyway, there you go. There is a percentage of people who still think that a mobile phone is for having a conversation on. In fact, it is the…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (19:45): In August 1998 the Nantawarrina Indigenous Protected Area was declared. It was the first one in Australia. It’s in the Gammon Ranges, or near that, in the northern Flinders Ranges, near Nepabunna. I went there two years ago for a celebration of the 20th anniversary. In 2015 another Indigenous protected area…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (10:22): Hot off the press! We all know that COVID-19 has created a lot of issues throughout Australia and particularly with country shows. In my electorate of Grey, not one of our country shows was able to operate this year. So I’m pretty happy to announce that 18 of them plus the…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (13:59): In 2015, following the advice of an independent committee, the government called for people to volunteer their land for the siting of the new National Radioactive Waste Management Facility. We stand in this parliament 5½ years later, and we have found that community. It’s called Kimba. We have been through three…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (10:54): Following a number of thwarted attempts, in March 2015 the government called for voluntary nominations of land on which to establish a national radioactive waste management facility. I raised the possibility of this being well sited in my home town—in fact, on my own farm—in April 2015. The process came about…
DetailsMr RAMSEY (Grey—Government Whip) (16:41): The announcement by China that it will put 100 to 200 per cent tariffs on Australian wine comes as a fairly cruel blow. South Australia will be badly hit by this, given that we are the biggest wine-producing state in Australia and the home of many of the premium brands which…
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