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November 22, 2010
As we know, the Murray-Darling Basin is very much in the news at the moment, with people considering the needs of environment, agriculture and communities. The point about that is that each is dependent on the other. If you have the environment in a bad condition, quite obviously farmers, who depend on natural resources for their agribusiness production, would also be in great strife.
I want to ... Click here for full story
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November 17, 2010
Australia’s kiwi fruit industry has thrived in a virtually disease-free environment protected by highly vigilant expert growers and our perfect climate and soil types.
They in fact produce very superior fruit.
Over 70 per cent of Australia’s kiwi fruit is grown in the Goulburn Valley in my electorate.
It is a very important industry for its income earnings and its job generation.
... Click here for full story
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November 17, 2010
I too rise to talk about the Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Student Services and Amenities) Bill 2010. The bill is being introduced by Labor for a third time. The first bill was introduced in February 2009 and then again in September 2009. The point of course is that Labor promised during the 2007 election that it would not reintroduce a compulsory fee. This is another broken promise.
I... Click here for full story
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October 27, 2010
I rise to speak about the history of Australia in relation to our drinking of alcohol. We had a currency of rum in the 1700s and ever since then we have had quite an affection for alcohol. Raising a glass is what we do at a time of celebration.
In fact, about 84 per cent of people over 14 in Australia say they drink alcohol. Nine per cent say they drink daily and 41 per cent say they dri... Click here for full story
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October 27, 2010
Dr STONE (Murray) (1.55 pm)—The Rochester irrigators, who are along the Campaspe River in northern Victoria, suffered from shocking drought impacts and had no water allocation for about four years. So, with great sadness and heavy hearts, some 90 per cent of them very recently—a few months back—decided to sell all of their water via the Victorian government to the environment, to the Commonwealth’... Click here for full story
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October 26, 2010
In January this year Ms Rosemary O’Donnell of Mooroopna, a 64-year-oldpensioner, had insulation installed in her ceiling under the commonly called pink batts program. She says she had been bullied by a company called Spiffing Solutions. They said she really needed to take advantage of the free government program, so the insulation was installed. Just four days later her ceiling collapsed. This was... Click here for full story
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October 25, 2010
Dr STONE (Murray) (4.18 pm)—
I welcome this opportunity to make a contribution to this debate about the Afghan war. I think it is the most important debate that we are having because Australians as a nation do not glorify war. We are not a warmongering society. I know that no-one in this parliament glories in the notion that we are currently at war in Afghanistan.
This fact is b... Click here for full story
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October 25, 2010
Dr STONE (Murray) (11.24 am)—
Today, 25 October, is Pink Ribbon Day. It is recognition of breast cancer as one of the most common forms of cancer to affect women, although a very small number of men can also have this disease. It is a disease which takes the lives of women in their prime, who are young mothers, but on average the age of diagnosis is at 60. The risk of developing bre... Click here for full story
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October 21, 2010
The member for Shortland asked why we did not do something about it.
I suggest she reads the record.
When in government, the coalition developed a package of measures to improve the position of carers. We included more respite and the establishment of the National Respite for Carers Program. We actually did that. In 1999 we introduced the carer allowance. We also gave... Click here for full story
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October 21, 2010
I rise to talk about the terrible problems that rural Australians are having in being able to afford to have their children leave home to go quite long distances to take up tertiary studies.
In beginning these remarks, I must say that I am so pleased that just hours ago the Australian Electoral Commission put out a new proposal for redistribution of electoral boundaries in Victori... Click here for full story
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