Latest Speeches
Mining Tax opposition
28 November 2011
Why are we here again debating what is clearly just the latest—though, I guarantee you, not the last—new Labor Party tax? It is another seriously flawed, illconceived tax aimed at making Australian businesses and industry less productive and less competitive in global markets. Why are we here debating a tax which is so complex—it ranges across 287 pages—so costly to business and obviously so flawed in its assumptions that the Treasurer will not release the figures? Why is this government not providing the parliament with its economic modelling of world commodity market price fluctuations on the projected mining tax revenues?The real reason we are here debating this latest inequitable and inefficient Labor tax is simply that this government is vicariously addicted to reckless spending—to wasting billions and billions of dollars of taxpayers' funds—and it now has to tax its way out of a mess of its own creation in order to desperately raise revenues.
Sam Stosur Winning the US Cup
21 September 2011
Ms MARINO (Forrest—Opposition Whip) (12:55pm) - Sam Stosur is another Australian sporting hero, whose achievements are highlighted by her dedication to overcoming adversity and reaching the pinnacle of the tennis world. As we know, Sam was born in Brisbane and moved to Adelaide when she was just 6 years old after the family home and business were devastated by floods on the Gold Coast. At the age of eight, Sam was given her first tennis racquet as a present and she showed immediate promise. She entered her first international tournament at the age of 13 in the World Youth Cup in Jakarta, and this was to be just the start of a professional tennis career. At 14 Sam entered the Queensland Academy of Sport and by 16 was enrolled in the Australian Institute of Sport. She clearly showed so much determination, commitment and, clearly, talent.
Cadel Evan Winning the Tour de France
21 September 2011
Ms MARINO (Forrest—Opposition Whip) (12:10pm) - I rise to congratulate Cadel Evans on his win in the Tour de France. He is our first ever Australian Tour de France winner. Cadel is a living example of our great Australian spirit, a living example of our Australian capacity to overcome adversity both in life and in sporting endeavours. As Australians we all love our sporting heroes and we are inordinately proud of Cadel's success. We feel as though he epitomises the things we value and respect in our sports people: dedication, planning, focus and discipline, what we know would have been lonely days and lonely years of hard work and sheer determination in competition— often at times of disappointment and frustration; a very graphic example for young people of what it takes to succeed in the pursuit of their dreams and ambitions in sport and in life.
Carbon Tax
19 September 2011
Ms MARINO (Forrest—Opposition Whip) (16:15pm) - The Labor-Greens proposal for an economy-wide tax on carbon is the wrong answer to the question of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Through the Clean Energy Bill 2011 and associated bills, the government is imposing a unilateral tax and costs on Australia's industries, businesses, families, local governments, hospitals, schools, community groups and sporting organisations. No-one will be exempt. It will cost Australians $9 billion in the first year alone. At the same time as the US is facing a double-dip recession and Europe is staring down the barrel of debt default, this is beyond irresponsible.
Quarantine and Border Protection motion
19 September 2011
Ms MARINO (Forrest—Opposition Whip) (7:51pm) - I rise to support the motion moved by the member for Calare. I note that the motion states:That this House:(1) requires the responsible Minister to:(a) immediately commission an independent study on the legitimate costs to the Government of Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) export service inspection fees and charges for the six affected industries (meat, fish, dairy, horticulture, grain, and live export) as evidenced at the AQIS—Australian Meat Industry Council joint ministerial taskforce meeting No. 15 on 7 May 2010; and(b) table in the House:(i) a document that explains how the Government will provide a reduction in annual regulatory costs to the export industries in the order of $30 million per year from 1 July 2011; and(ii) a document that outlines the completion of reforms that were to be delivered as part of the agreement to remove the AQIS export service rebate between the Government and the six affected industries;