Fairer Private Health Insurance Incentives Bill 2011

I rise to speak on the Fairer Private Health Insurance Incentives Bill 2011. The ‘fairer’ component of the title should be well and truly removed. I raise serious concerns about the grave impact these changes will have on our public health system, in my electorate and around Australia. The public health system is already significantly…

Adjournment – Cairns Business and Sporting Group

It is no secret that, over the past four or five years, under both state and federal Labor governments and a Labor dominated local government in Cairns, Cairns and the region have been struggling. Labor continually argues that it is all about the global financial crisis, but unfortunately it is a lot more to do…

Grievance Debate: Insurance in Far North Queensland

Mr ENTSCH (Leichhardt-Chief Opposition Whip) (21:37): I rise this evening to express a very serious grievance I have relating to the activities of the insurance industry and what they are doing in my electorate. I have some serious concerns that there are companies there that are engaged in a serious gouging effort in ramping up…

Wild Rivers (Environmental Management) Bill 2011

Mr ENTSCH (Leichhardt-Chief Opposition Whip) (11:11): by leave–on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition I move: That this bill be read a second time. I rise to strongly support the Wild Rivers (Environmental Management) Bill 2011 introduced into this House by the Leader of the Opposition on 12 September 2011. The existing wild rivers…

Clean Energy Bill 2011

Mr ENTSCH (Leichhardt-Chief Opposition Whip) (13:02): I rise today to speak on the Clean Energy Bill 2011 and related bills. I have gone through the plethora of bills to try to see if there is anything really positive that I can speak on but, quite frankly, the more you look into the legislation the greater…

Live Animal Exports

Mr ENTSCH (Leichhardt-Chief Opposition Whip) (19:11): I rise to speak on this motion. There is much in what the member for Fremantle has said that I agree with. I am somebody who has had quite considerable experience in the cattle industry and I still have an interest in it. I agree that stunning is the…

Access to Finance in Leichhardt

Mr ENTSCH (Leichhardt-Chief Opposition Whip) (16:40): I rise today to raise serious concerns about what I see as unconscionable gouging practices by the big banks in my electorate. Over an extended period of time, Far North Queensland has suffered what could be described as almost the perfect storm. The hangover from the GFC has stopped…

Matter of Public Importance: Live Animal Exports

Mr ENTSCH (Leichhardt-Chief Opposition Whip) (16:11): All I can say is God help the graziers in northern Australia when you have got that type of absolute uninformed drivel that is coming forward here on an issue that is so critically vital to so many families in Northern Australia. We are supposed to be talking about the…

Condolence Motion – National Sorry Day

Mr ENTSCH (Leichhardt-Chief Opposition Whip) (18:00): I rise today to lend my support to this motion and to express my sorrow for what has happened to our Indigenous population in the past. I think it is very befitting that we have the opportunity to continue to reflect on things that occurred in the past, but…