Bob McMullan MP - Speeches

Speech at the Alfred Medical Research and Education Precinct World Health Day Symposium

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 03:08:46 +0000

Tabling Australian Youth Climate Coalition petition

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 00:53:35 +0000

Northern Territory National Emergency Response Bill Speech

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 23:53:45 +0000

I support the amendment moved by the shadow minister and the position which she outlined in her remarks. I have some serious concerns about the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Payment Reform) Bill 2007 and cognate legislation, notwithstanding the proper and necessary decision that we, as an opposition, have made to support it—hopefully with some amendments. But in the realistic knowledge that the government will never accept amendments we reluctantly support the bill as it is.

Speech to the National Millennium Development Goals Summit

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 04:51:55 +0000

Kevin Rudd on A New Approach to Australia's Arc of Instability

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 07:08:37 +0000

Click here to read Kevin Rudd's speech to the Lowy Institute

Adjournment Speech: Liberal Party

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 00:16:06 +0000

I want to raise a series of issues this evening concerning a growing trend in the Howard government’s failure to distinguish between the national interest and the Liberal Party’s interests, between public purposes and private purposes and a trend towards confusing public assets and private assets. We have seen it recently with advertising. We have seen it recently with polling. We have seen it recently with fundraising. We are seeing serious allegations raised now with regard to the overlap between the Liberal Party, the government and what was previously seen as being, quite properly, a legitimate business campaign. We are starting to see the first glimpses of it with regard to taxpayer funded dirt units. In the time available, I want to talk mainly about that.

Adjournment Speech: Australian Public Service

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 01:22:12 +0000

I want to talk this evening about some matters relating to the Public Service. Firstly, and most importantly, I want to talk about politicisation of the Public Service. I have a serious concern that after 11 years we have a government which takes the benefits of office as a right. We have seen it in highly publicised ways in, for example, the outrageous advertising campaigns robbing the taxpayers to fund what should be funded by the Liberal Party. But I want to proceed from that, which I now take as a given fact, to some serious matters concerning the Public Service.

Speech: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research Amendment Bill

Wed, 23 May 2007 23:31:14 +0000

Speech: Canberra planning, Federal/State Relations, Overseas Aid Performance

Mon, 21 May 2007 00:59:22 +0000

The debate on the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2007-2008 and cognate bills gives me an opportunity tonight to speak on three matters of my shadow portfolio: firstly, my constituents in the ACT; secondly, federal-state relations; and, thirdly, international development assistance.

Speech: Reforming the Federation: A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity

Fri, 18 May 2007 01:25:51 +0000

The recent Budget speech by the Treasurer and the Budget Reply by Kevin Rudd illustrated the contrast in approach to Federal/State relations which is at the heart of the philosophical and policy division in this area in the lead-up to the 2007 election. The Treasurer made only one reference to the states and territories in his Budget speech – that was to blame the states for the inadequacy of current dental services to the poor and disadvantaged, not withstanding that his own government had cut $100 million from the programs which states run. By contrast, Kevin Rudd’s two principal initiatives of his Budget Reply were predicated on a cooperative, Federal/State approach.

Speech to the ALP National Conference

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 03:37:10 +0000

In 2007 Australia not only faces what looks like a very tight election; it also faces a once in a generation opportunity to transform our federation.

We won’t be able to make more substantial progress without leadership from a federal government which actually believes in co-operative federalism.

So if the essential task of federation reform is going to be done, it will have to be done by a Rudd Labor Government.

Adjournment Speech - Reforming the Federation

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 02:13:41 +0000

Everyone in this parliament knows that in 2007 we are facing what looks like a very tight election. I am not going to talk about that. We are also going to face a once in a generation opportunity to transform our federation. The question I want to deal with tonight is: will the Prime Minister use this crucial 18-month period during which no state or territory election is due to fundamentally reform the operations of the federation to save the $9 billion which the Business Council of Australia says the current mismanagement of federal-state relations is costing the economy each year?

The Rise of the Global Slave Trade

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 06:23:28 +0000

We live in the South East Asian region, and it's here the issue of human trafficking, bond of labour, and other forms of contemporary slavery flourish. We are not responsible for that, other than in small part where it takes place here, but we are responsible to be part of a solution.

Adjournment Debate - The Prime Minister's standing

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 22:13:14 +0000

Last year I made a speech in this House outlining my critique of the manner in which the published opinion polls were being reported. I believe subsequent events have borne out the validity of that analysis. This afternoon I want to add a further chapter to the ongoing debate about what the polls tell us. This is not to comment on the recent boost in support for the opposition in the polls—that is much too recent to give any confidence as the basis of analysis. All those polls tell us is that the next election is likely to be close and that the opposition has a chance. Rather, I want to look at an apparently unnoticed long-term trend which has developed over the full 2½ years of this term.

Once in a Generation Opportunity - Speech to the Australian Fabian Society

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 00:02:18 +0000

Australia in 2007 not only faces what looks like a very tight election; it also faces a once in a generation opportunity to transform our federation.

The recognition that reform of federal/state relations is the key to the new round of economic and social reform we need over the next decade is spreading.

After all, how often do you see a common viewpoint on such an important issue from the Business Council of Australia, Steve Bracks, a Liberal dominated parliamentary committee; Professor Ross Garnaut, the Productivity Commission, Nick Greiner and the Leader of the Opposition.

It’s not surprising that all these individuals and groups have come to that recognition. The need is more obvious every week, every month, every year.