On this fourth anniversary of my election to this parliament—and I hear the members on the opposite side cheering in remembrance!—I rise to speak about two transit guards who suffered some horrific injuries at the Beckenham train station in my electorate of Swan in the early hours of Sunday morning....

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Last Thursday I held a community meeting at Lynwood Village Shopping Centre to discuss security concerns that have been raised with my office by businesses and residents. Over the last few weeks concerned locals told me about problems at the centre, including persistent antisocial behaviour during ...

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I rise to speak on the Minerals Resource Rent Tax Bill 2011. I, like the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, the member for Curtin—who spoke here before—am a proud West Australian and see that this tax will affect my home state more than it will affect any of the other states. It was clear from the ...

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Today I rise to talk about Louis Rowe, a young Australian who I met recently. I feel his story must be told. I will continue to update parliament on his story while I am still in this place. The information I am giving you has come from Louis's website and from my discussions with him. Louis began p...

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I rise to speak on the Higher Education Support Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2011. It is always a pleasure to follow the member for Bradfield, and I thank him for his contribution. I will pick up on the point in his speech where he spoke about people who are lucky enough to attend tertiary or higher educa...

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I rise to support the Air Services (Aircraft Noise) Amendment Bill 2011 brought forward by the member for Pearce, and I congratulate her on all the work that she has done in Western Australia, in particular, and with Airservices Australia and the government in trying to get the recommendations of th...

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I rise today to speak about hospitals and health care in my electorate of Swan. The South Perth Hospital has once again been ranked highly in the national survey of hospital satisfaction run by Medibank. This year they have been awarded second place in Western Australia, and this comes on the back o...

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I rise to inform the House of a new parliamentary seniors advocacy group that I have established with the member for Shortland, the Parliamentary Friends of Seniors and Ageing. The member for Shortland and I decided to form the group as a response to Australia's ageing population and the challenges ...

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I rise today to speak on the Clean Energy Bill 2011 and related bills, otherwise known as the carbon tax legislation, the tax we were never going to have under the Prime Minister, who said, 'There will be no carbon tax under the government I lead.' I have spoken in this place before about renewable ...

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I rise in this evening's grievance debate to speak about a situation where potentially thousands of Australians contracted the disease adhesive arachnoiditis after receiving a spinal injection of the chemical dyes Myodil or Pantopaque in the period from 1945 to the late 1980s. I bring to the attenti...

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I rise to brief the House on the results of my recent South Perth train station survey. After being contacted by constituents about controversial council plans for a train station and accompanying land intensification plan on the South Perth peninsula in my electorate of Swan, I decided to survey af...

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I rise this evening to speak on the Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill 2011 and the Trade Marks Amendment (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Bill 2011. Over recent decades there has been strong bipartisan support in this chamber for reducing the rate of smoking across Australia. Since the 1950s, research has highl...

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I rise to speak on the Cybercrime Legislation Amendment Bill 2011. In recent decades there has been an explosion in the use of telecommunication technologies in Australia. Each year, more and more of us use mobile phones and the internet. It is the way we interact in the 21st century. It is the way ...

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I rise to speak on the Standing Committee on Health and Ageing report tabled on Monday, titled Before it’s too late, about youth suicide in Australia. The report focused on early intervention programs aimed at preventing youth suicide and covered two parliaments, those being the 42nd Parliament and ...

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I rise today to speak on the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (National Regulator) Bill 2011, the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Registration Fees) Amendment Bill 2011, the Offshore Petroleum (Royalty) Amendment Bill 2011, the Offshore Resources Legislation Ame...

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I rise to talk about the Standing Committee on Health and Ageing report tabled today titled Before it's too late: report on early intervention programs aimed at preventing youth suicide. I also endorse heartily the speech given by the member for Hindmarsh, who is chairman of the committee. The repo...

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It is with great pleasure that I rise today to talk about the celebration of the commencement of the Great Eastern Highway, an important road in my electorate of Swan. The celebration of the commencement took place on Saturday 25 June in Rivervale and I attended the latter part of the proceedings at...

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I rise this morning to continue my remarks in support of the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Amendment (Registration of Foreign Proceeds of Crime Orders) Bill 2011. By way of background to members who may not have been in the chamber yesterday evening, I was talking about how Western Australia...

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Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, and I am the member for Swan. It was interesting to listen to the member for Deakin. I went to Blackburn High School and hearing him talk about Blackburn Primary School brings back memories of the time—Orchard Rise, Springfield Road and all those sorts of places. I rise...

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I rise in support of the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Amendment (Registration of Foreign Proceeds of Crime Orders) Bill 2011. It is always a pleasure to follow the former member for Werriwa and current member for Fowler. It is interesting to note that the three speakers from the coalition s...

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I rise today to speak on the National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Home Loans and Credit Cards) Bill 2011. When the Treasurer introduced this bill, on 24 March this year, he stated early in his speech that the government was introducing three broad streams of reform: to empower consumers, t...

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I rise to talk about junior football in my electorate. I see the honourable member for Corio in the chamber and, knowing his passion for the Geelong Football Club and that they are undefeated at the moment, I am sure we will hear more about the club later in the year from the member for Corio. Last ...

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I rise to congratulate WA Premier, Colin Barnett, on his defence of the WA government's sovereign right to scrap royalty rate exemptions. Mr Danby: And rip off the rest of Australia. Mr IRONS: Where was the government when they scrapped the condensate exemptions? In my discussions with Colin he ha...

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In a week where we saw former Australian Olympic champion Ian Thorpe return to the Adelaide pool where his career started, I am pleased to raise the important issue of aquatic centres in my electorate of Swan. Australia has a proud tradition in this Olympic sport, with Australian swimmers credited w...

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In a week where we saw former Australian Olympic champion Ian Thorpe return to the Adelaide pool where his career started, I am pleased to raise the important issue of aquatic centres in my electorate of Swan. Australia has a proud tradition in this Olympic sport, with Australian swimmers credited w...

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I rise this evening not only to join with my parliamentary colleagues Senator Johnston, Senator Ronaldson, the member for Fadden and all the coalition in recognising that military service comes with dangers that other public servants never face and that this service to our country is valued by every...

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I second the motion. Today I rise to support the motion put forward by the member for Kingston that this House recognises the devastating impact of early onset dementia on the lives of the sufferers and their families. The member for Kingston and I both served on the health and ageing committee in t...

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I support your cause, Member for Newcastle. My eldest brother died of a brain tumour at the age of 51, so I understand the reason for the speech you made. Also talking about cancers, last Sunday, Mother's Day, I had the privilege to be involved in the annual Mother's Day Classic walk and run in Pert...

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I rise to support the motion of the Prime Minister that was also spoken to by the Leader of the Opposition, about the death of the Australian boxing legend Lionel Rose. The reason I rise to speak about Lionel Rose is that I had the good fortune of meeting Lionel on quite a few occasions and entertai...

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I rise today to support the motion by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. The member for Fremantle and I have something in common: Claude was living in the electorate of Swan when he passed away but he also, as the member for Fremantle said, spent time living in the Fremantle electo...

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I rise to speak about and welcome the new season of the AFL, which commences tomorrow night with a match between Carlton and Richmond at the MCG, a grand stadium which ranks as one of the best sporting arenas in the world. These two clubs have long been rivals and have fought many battles over the y...

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I rise this evening to support this condolence motion. It is always a pleasure to follow the member for Dobell. It was interesting to hear that he has done so much research on this subject. He spoke with passion about his connections to New Zealand. On behalf of the people of Swan, particularly the ...

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On behalf of the coalition members of the committee, the member for Hasluck, the member for Parkes and myself, and in my capacity as the Deputy Chair of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing, I rise this evening to speak to the dissenting report to the committee’s inqu...

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I rise to speak to this motion celebrating World Veterinary Year 2011, which marks the 250th anniversary of world veterinary education. I acknowledge the contributions of the members for Calare and Robertson, and I hope the member for Robertson has a long and enjoyable time with her new pet. I thank...

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Today I rise to talk about an issue my electorate which I am sure is being felt right across Australia due to the extensive flooding throughout Australia over the summer. Believe it or not, the problem is still occurring in my electorate, even though we have not had a lot of rainfall in Western Aust...

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Today I rise to speak about the Labor government’s response to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee inquiry report, The effectiveness of Airservices Australia’s management of aircraft noise. It is not a history lesson—it is not about cookbooks either, as suggested...

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I rise to contribute to the debate on Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2010-2011 and Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2010-2011. It is always good to follow the member for Dobell. I know how passionate he is about his electorate and he is basically a good bloke, but I think he is starting to repeat himself. I h...

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I congratulate the previous speaker, the member for Banks, for his passionate speech. I know he is a passionate man with regard to this area, and it is good to see him in here quoting statistics about his electorate. I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate and this issue before the H...

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It is good to see the member for Bennelong contributing to this discussion tonight. The fact that he is an internationally recognised sportsperson means he can play an important role in taking activity out to the nation and also to the children of Australia. I congratulate him on his speech. I do ri...

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I rise this morning to speak about an important report tabled in the Senate on 10 February. This report is entitled Donor conception practices in Australia and I want to bring it to the House’s attention. Almost exactly one year ago I spoke in the House on behalf of the Donor Conception Support Grou...

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As we all know, it has been a summer of natural disasters for Australia, a summer of floods, fires and storms. I am sure the thoughts of all Australians who were not affected by these disasters go out to the families of those who have lost their lives, their livelihoods and their homes through the d...

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I second the motion. I congratulate the member for Shortland for bringing this motion to the House. I know her passion for the seniors in our society is strong. It is great that we share a role in the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing, as we do with the member for Hind...

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I rise to support this motion by the member for Fowler, as I firmly believe in the importance of public libraries for communities across Australia. Again, I do not know about the Liverpool situation, but it is good to see that our members in New South Wales are supporting public libraries. My older ...

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I rise to speak about the continued tax levied by the Gillard government on the state of Western Australia, its economy, its lifestyle and its people. There are many ways that WA is being attacked, whether it be through anti-small-business Fair Work legislation which strikes at the very heart of our...

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Today I want to talk about Mr Tony Manuli, a gentleman from my electorate. I promised him that I would get this on the record. But first, to set the scene: I am sure we all know who the Englishman named Thomas Crapper is and what he is supposed to be famous for. Well, he did not really invent the fl...

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As you would be aware, Mr Deputy Speaker, there have been many high-profile problems with the government’s energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. There has been confusion surrounding some programs such as the solar panel rebate scheme, which was unexpectedly cut off by the former environme...

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Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker Bird. I rise to give my address-in-reply. I would first like to congratulate you on your selection to the Speakers Panel. If I had been in the main chamber I would have been congratulating the Speaker on his re-election to the panel. For the people of Swan I would lik...

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Mr Speaker, on indulgence: I would like to associate the coalition with the comments made by the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and congratulate her and, particularly, her staff for the work they did in organising the apology last year. I also acknowledge t...

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I rise to support the motion from the member for Canberra and further to the member for Fremantle for giving a Western Australian perspective on this. I would also like to thank the member for Canberra for bringing this matter to the attention of the House. It was good of the member for Fremantle to...

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I acknowledge the contribution made by the member for Makin and also those made by other speakers on this subject. I rise to speak on Australia’s involvement in the war in Afghanistan. For me, this is an excellent opportunity not only to reflect on and review Australia’s role in the war but also to ...

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Australians have become used to big numbers being bandied around under this Labor government: a couple of billion for the home insulation scheme; a few more billion for the school halls program—it sounds a bit like the whistle effect from The Hollow Men. The Australian people can perhaps be forgiven...

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In light of it being Seniors Week next week, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge an important organisation which I have had the opportunity to meet with on a number of occasions. Along with the member for Tangney, I was invited just last week to their 10-year anniversary celebration...

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It is a bit of deja vu for me to be following the member for Page, because I followed her maiden speech with my maiden speech. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then. It is good to see she has got her voice back. I look forward to the maiden speech next week of the new member for Longma...

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I rise to speak about a dangerous intersection in my electorate of Swan which needs immediate attention. Recently, local resident and small businessman Wayne Frendo contacted me about the Cohn Street-Harris Street intersection in Carlisle. Living on the corner of the intersection, Mr Frendo had seen...

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On 22 September 2010, I attended the Millen Primary School, in my electorate of Swan. The purpose of the visit was to present a certificate to the school as it is in the running to be named the WA Super Site. The Super Site award recognises the outstanding contribution that schools and after-school ...

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I note the member for Hindmarsh was speaking about taking the time to listen, making sure that everyone has a chance to put something forward, and that is what I rise to speak about...[continued]

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Tonight I rise to talk about the resources super profits tax and how it is affecting constituents in my electorate and what it will mean to Western Australia. I recently spoke about this subject in a matter of public importance but, as the third speaker with only five minutes, I was unable to give t...

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As Deputy Chair of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing, I am pleased to speak, along with the chairman of the committee and other members, on this report of the Australian parliamentary committee delegation to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. To give a bit o...

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Today I rise to speak about the Swan and Canning Rivers in my electorate of Swan. I have on many occasions in the past spoken in this place about the high concentration of nutrients in the Swan and Canning river system. Mr Sidebottom interjecting—   I hear the member for Braddon supporting...

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To celebrate International Women’s Day last week, my office organised a morning tea for a group of women who have for most of their lives taken a back seat in order to support their husbands. These women have not had an easy ride in their lives and face the day-to-day challenges of caring for a love...

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I thank the member for Riverina for bringing this important matter to the attention of the House today. I note that in her speech she mentioned that all members in this place represent people with disabilities, and they all have carers, so it is an important issue for all of us in all of our elector...

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I rise to speak about the Rudd government’s failed insulation scheme. Before I proceed, I will admit that, yes, I did have a haircut on the weekend. It is probably better described as a very close shave, but it was all for a good cause—the Leukaemia Foundation of Australia. To all the people who sai...

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I rise to speak today about a meeting I had this week with the Governor of Bali, Governor Pastika, and also Lindsay Ross of the Bali Peace Park Association. The purpose of the meeting was to update Governor Pastika on the association’s activities and to thank him for his previous assistance and to s...

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Last week I met with the staff and graduates of the Brightwater Oats Street home in East Victoria Park in my electorate of Swan. Brightwater Oats Street provides a wide range of specialist services for people with brain injury and other neurological disorders. The care is focused on helping clients ...

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Last Sunday I had the privilege to be involved in a fundraising event for the Centre for Cerebral Palsy called the Wheelie Big Day Out. The Wheelie Big Day Out is a community event that not only raises money for those who live with cerebral palsy but also gives people an opportunity to appreciate th...

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I rise today to talk about a couple of upcoming community events in the electorate of Swan. This Sunday I will be hosting a community walk around Tomato Lake in Kewdale to raise awareness of organ donation week 2010. I think it is particularly important to talk about organ donation in Western Austra...

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Today the parliament was visited by members of the Donor Conception Support Group of Australia. I have recently become the patron of this organisation and pass on the sincere thanks of the Donor Conception Support Group to my colleagues who attended the presentation they gave. Particular thanks shou...

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I too feel very comfortable in this committee room when you are in the chair, Mr Deputy Speaker Sidebottom, to support the member for Lyons and his compliments to you as well. I also understand your affection for the great game of the Australian Football League. We just heard the member for Cowan ta...

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I take this opportunity to mention that, following on from the Forgotten Australians apology, this Thursday in Perth there will be an apology from the British High Commissioner to the UK migrants, who were also known as the Lost Innocents, who were transported by the British government to Australia....

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I rise this evening to speak to the motion on World Wetlands Day 2010. I congratulate the member for Page for putting this motion forward and other members for their contributions to the debate. I spoke about World Wetlands Day during the last sitting week. I also spoke about the Canning Wetlands in...

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On a brighter note: Christmas lunch in 2009 was an experience for me and many others in Perth that I will raise today and I will never forget. In our second week back in parliament, I hope that all our colleagues are refreshed from the summer recess and are looking forward to another hectic and busy...

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Nearly two weeks ago, we celebrated Australia Day in my electorate. Australia Day is an important day for my constituents. Many of them turn out to local council events to celebrate the day and to celebrate the swearing-in of our new citizens. Celebrations and citizenship ceremonies were held across...

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It is good to hear the member for Dawson talking about saving the environment. The electorate I represent is named after the Swan River. However, there is a problem with the Swan River: it is slowly dying and this government is doing nothing to prevent it from doing so. Just before Christmas, six ri...

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Recently, I had the unique opportunity of getting involved with the arts through a constituent in my electorate. Unfortunately, when it comes to the arts my brother was first in line and took all of the artistic genes available to the male line of the family, and he kept them for himself. My limited...

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Last week we celebrated Australia Day and I rise to talk about a disgraceful act that occurred in my electorate of Swan during the Australia Day week. On Wednesday, my office received a call from Ms Sherryl Pattison of Carlisle, who had noticed that the Australian flag had been stolen from the pole ...

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I rise to take this opportunity to reflect on the year 2009. As I, the member for Swan, know and as you, Madam Deputy Speaker Moylan, would know, we have a fantastic airport in Perth and Perth is probably a better place in which to have a holiday than Cairns, and we welcome everyone to come to Perth...

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As a member of the Standing Committee on Education and Training, I rise to speak on the tabling motion of the report put forward by the committee entitled Adolescent overload? I see the member for Cunningham, the chair of the committee, here. It was a pleasure working with her on this particular rep...

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Last Friday I was pleased to attend the launch of the City of Belmont’s CCTV Alarm Assist project in my electorate of Swan. I have followed the progress of this project closely over the last couple of years and was pleased to be at the launch. The basis of Alarm Assist was actually a coalition promi...

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I am pleased to speak on the House of Representatives Standing Committee’s roundtable forum held on impotence medications in Australia. I thank the member for Hindmarsh, the chair of this committee, for his interest in the subject and of course the secretariat for their fantastic contribution on the...

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I thank the Chair of the Standing Committee on Health and Ageing for tabling the report on the roundtable forum on impotence medications in Australia, and as deputy chair I would like to add some comments. I would like to start by thanking everyone who was involved in the report. I thank the member ...

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This evening I want to brief the House on moving forward after the apology to the care leavers, forgotten Australians and child migrants last week, who I will now refer to as the ‘remembered Australians’. I also take this opportunity to report back to the House that the majority of responses I have ...

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I rise to support and commend the motion put forward by the member for Hindmarsh and also to support the inaugural R U OK? Day on 29 November. As members would be aware from my previous speeches, I have close links with Youth Focus, a youth suicide prevention organisation in my electorate of Swan. T...

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I rise to discuss the recent meeting I attended with the Manning Community Association in my electorate of Swan. The Manning Community Association was established by local resident Steve Neates in June this year as an advocacy group for issues affecting local residents. I am pleased to report that t...

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After yesterday’s apology to the forgotten Australians and in my 100th speech in parliament, I want to speak about today’s youth. I also thank the member for Fadden for attending my 100th speech as I was there for his. Last parliamentary sitting week I organised a breakfast meeting for Youth Focus,...

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Today I rise to speak on the motion put to the House by the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Ms Jenny Macklin, and responded to by the coalition shadow minister, Mr Tony Abbott. I also thank the member for Blaxland for his kind words and I look forward to th...

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I rise to speak on the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Amendment Bill 2009. I would like to acknowledge the contribution from the member for Forrest, but I correct her and say that I played AFL and not netball. Ms Marino —But you are good at both! Mr IRONS —Yes, thank you. I also recog...

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At St Augustine’s School in Rivervale in my electorate of Swan last Friday, they held a community water grant recognition ceremony, which I attended. St Augustine’s School had received a community water grant to the value of $49,986, which was used to save water by installing tanks and efficient tap...

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I rise today to speak on the amendments to the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme put forward by the Leader of the Opposition. The amendments relate to concerns surrounding the timetable for a vote on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill 2009 [No. 2], the effectiveness of the scheme before the ...

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On behalf of the Liberal-National Party coalition, I would like to associate us with the comments made by the minister. This will be an acknowledgement for a lot of Australians—500,000, as the minister mentioned. I know that the Leader of the Opposition is looking forward to delivering the apology o...

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Maggie Richardson, a senior from Lathlain in my electorate of Swan, has been given the prestigious WA Senior of the Year award for her outstanding contribution to the community. Maggie, who is 78 years old, has a fantastic enthusiasm for life which is reflected in her scope of volunteering. Maggie i...

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The Kent Street Senior High School held a dinner on Saturday night, which I attended, to celebrate 30 years of aviation at the school. Aviation was first introduced into the school curriculum back in 1979. It was a single class and comprised 27 year 11 students, many of whom had come from outside th...

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I want to speak about access to broadband in my electorate. It is an issue that is of some contention in Swan. In almost every corner of my electorate there are telecommunications problems, ranging from excruciatingly slow broadband to periodic outages. The problem affects thousands of families in t...

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I thank the member for Pearce and the member for Canning for the opportunity to speak on this motion, and I also acknowledge the contributions of the members for Hasluck and Hindmarsh. I acknowledge the nine points in the member’s motion and support the member’s call to implement an inquiry and also...

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Last Thursday I held a seniors forum at Queens Park Homestay Village in my electorate of Swan. I am pleased to report that the forum attracted a lively and inquisitive audience of senior Australians and was supported by both the shadow minister for ageing, Margaret May, and WA Senator Chris Back. A ...

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At the beginning of Carers Week 2009 it seems fitting that I rise to talk about Southcare, a community based organisation in my electorate of Swan which provides caring services. Last Tuesday I attended Southcare’s AGM and was pleased to hear about the progress being made on a project that I feel pr...

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I rise to speak tonight, a week after the seventh anniversary of the Bali bombings, which took the lives of 202 people in the tourist district of Kuta on 12 October 2002. In this cowardly act of terrorism, among the dead were 88 Australians, many of whom were from Western Australia, holidaying in Ba...

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Australia is one of the best places in the world to be educated. It is because of this that education is Australia’s third largest export, worth $15.4 billion to the Australian economy in 2008 alone. There are many other areas in our society which benefit from this industry. The Colombo Plan, introd...

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It is always a pleasure to rise in this place and discuss the topic of citizenship, the common bond that binds us together as a nation, particularly on this day—National Citizenship Day. However, I rise today to raise some concerns with the legislation before the House, the Australian Citizenship Am...

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I too am a proud dad. But this evening I am going to talk about women, so I will leave the dad things out because the member for Braddon did a great job of that. This evening I rise to talk about the results of the choice in childbirth survey I recently conducted in my electorate of Swan. Obviously ...

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I rise today to talk about the state of the roads in my electorate of Swan and how this government must do more to deliver on its promises. In my local area there are a number of significant roads and freight routes that are important to local communities and are important for the economic developme...

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Last week marked the conclusion of this season’s local community football competition in my electorate of Swan and I want to take the opportunity tonight to publicly congratulate all of the teams, players, umpires, coaches and supporters who helped make the season a success in the Demons District. ...

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This evening I rise to talk about an event I attended on 4 September, the Formula One Technology Challenge. The event involves student teams designing and racing small-scale versions of F1 cars. The 11- to 16-year-olds taking part have to grapple with some challenging engineering concepts. I, along ...

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I would like to thank the member for Wakefield for bringing this motion before the House and giving members the opportunity to reflect on gambling within our communities. The topic is of particular interest to my electorate of Swan, which contains the Burswood casino, one of the largest casinos and ...

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I thank the member for Calwell for her contribution in this debate on the Automotive Transformation Scheme Bill 2009 and the ACIS Administration Amendment Bill 2009. I might disappoint her by not attacking the unions, but if she wants me to and invites me to then I might have a shot at them. It is g...

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Click here to watch a video of this speech I began my life as a ward of the state in Victoria. I spent three years in an institution as a child and then I was taken into foster care by the Irons family until I was 18. Even as a foster child I was still a ward of the state; a responsibility of the V...

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There are few better ways of spending a Sunday morning in my electorate of Swan than by taking a stroll on the foreshore through the lush Canning wetlands to admire the magnificent natural beauty of the Swan-Canning estuarine environment. In June, I was given the chance to help a local effort to imp...

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It was interesting to hear the member for Barker give his contribution. I just had to check my speech, because there were a few similarities there—he and I are on the same wavelength. Today I was reading through a submission made by Ross Macmillan to the WA Greenhouse Task Force back in 2003. In tha...

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I want to talk about the good work that many Rotary and service clubs are doing across my electorate. Swan is in Rotary district 9470 and there are clubs in Ascot, Belmont, Bentley-Curtin, Cannington, Como, Mill Point, South Perth-Burswood, Victoria Park and Welshpool. Rotary was founded in 1905 by ...

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This afternoon, I wish to raise in the parliament the recent crime wave that has hit my electorate of Swan. It is one of the sad contradictions of life that criminals choose to target areas in which people who can least afford to lose their possessions live. This has been the case in my electorate, ...

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Today I rise to talk about a revolution that was proposed and heralded across the land as the saviour of the children and their parents of this great nation called Australia. The so called revolution called the Building the Education Revolution was announced with great fanfare by the Deputy Prime Mi...

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This evening I want to brief and update the House on significant changes to aircraft noise in my electorate of Swan. Most of Perth does not have to pay the price for having a close and convenient airport, but my constituents do. In January my office started to receive a surge of calls from local res...

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As we draw near to the winter recess and the attention of the members of this place turns to electoral issues, family and friends—and, for some, warmer climates—I would like to take this opportunity to remind all members and senators that tomorrow is SIDS and Kids Red Nose Day. This time last year ...

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I rise to talk about the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing report Weighing it up: obesity in Australia. I acknowledge the contribution of the member for Hindmarsh and the member for McPherson. I also see other committee members here. The member for Dawson and the membe...

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On 10 June I attended the Carlisle Primary School to present an award to Natascha Sieg for winning the antibullying slogan award by her school. There were some fantastic slogans put forward and the job of picking the winner would not have been easy. The program has been driven by Sonja Linkston who ...

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I rise this evening to talk about an amazing young woman who lives in Belmont in the electorate of Swan. On Friday morning I attended a prayer breakfast meeting held at the Belmont City Offices function room. There were plenty of people from the local district in attendance, including Mayor Glenys G...

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I am pleased to respond to the speech of the Chair of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing on the report Weighing it up: obesity in Australia. I endorse the chair’s comments and acknowledge his efforts during the inquiry. As I only joined the committee in November 200...

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Madam Deputy Speaker, as you know, I do not often get up here and have a gripe, but today I am going to. Nearly two years ago, in the lead-up to the federal election, the Labor Party promised the people of Belmont a Medicare office. More than 18 months have passed since the election and the people o...

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I am glad to note that you are also taking notice of what I am wearing. I rise to speak on this matter of public importance in relation to the impact of the government’s reckless spending and the debt explosion on Australian families. It was interesting to hear the member for Bendigo take a very pos...

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Members will be aware that I am a committed campaigner for the elderly in my electorate of Swan. I spend plenty of time in my electorate talking to older people and the organisations that represent them. One of the places that I visit regularly is the Bentley Park Retirement Village in the southern ...

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I rise today to talk on the Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Student Services and Amenities, and Other Measures) Bill 2009. I am probably a bit different from most members in this place. I admit that I did not attend university or a tertiary education institution. I was a humble tradesman and...

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Today I am going to talk about an impending event in my electorate which is part of the South Perth Fiesta, which I recently spoke about in this place. The event, to be held on 29 March 2009, is the Esther Fiesta ‘Fight Against Drugs’ Fun Run. It will be a five-kilometre walk or run along the South ...

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Western Australia is perhaps best known for the fantastic lifestyle it offers its residents. My seat of Swan, in Perth, is a great example of this lifestyle. On a typical summer evening along the South Perth foreshore, there will be people walking, running, cycling, kicking a football or soccer ball...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (4.45 pm)—Between 2002 and 2006 in the four main local council regions in my electorate of Swan, there were just short of 5,000 alcohol-related hospitalisations, costing the community over $23 million. Binge drinking is clearly a major problem within my electorate and, unfortunately,...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (12.41 pm)—I congratulate the member for Werriwa for the basket of goodies he has just told us about. I rise today to talk about the issue of youth suicide and the efforts of a charitable organisation within my electorate to prevent it. I begin with some sobering statistics. In 2005,...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (9.30 am)—Last year I attended the Queens Park Junior Football Club in my electorate to present some trophies. I went there as a representative of the Perth Football Club as I am the director of junior development at that club. While I was there I was pleased to receive a copy of a b...

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Over the past month a passionate debate has been conducted on the pages of the local Southern Gazette, a newspaper in my electorate of Swan. At times the debate has been highly personalised. However, the subject matter is important and that is why I raise it in the House today. The debate has been b...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (8.29 pm)—On 2 February, World Wetlands Day was celebrated across Australia. The event marks the signing of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance in Ramsar in 1971. The UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre estimates that six per cent of the world’s land surface ...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (8.08 pm)—I rise this evening to commend and support this motion by the member for Forde. This motion recognises the importance of National Adoption Awareness Week and the significance of encouraging adoptees, adoptive parents and biological parents to open and continue the dialogue ...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (4.01 pm)—I rise today in support of the Aviation Legislation Amendment (2008 Measures No. 2) Bill 2008. Over the last few days, parliament has had a strong united voice in its resolve to help the victims of the Victorian bushfire tragedy. It is heartening that, whilst we can disagre...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (6.16 pm)—I rise this afternoon to commend and support this condolence motion. On behalf of my electorate, I wish to send the condolences of the people of Swan to the victims of the Victorian bushfire tragedy of 2009. The people of my electorate would want me to convey these sentimen...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (12.40 pm)—Every January or December since 1988 in my electorate of Swan the Burswood Dome has hosted the Hopman Cup international tennis tournament. The cup is Western Australia’s premier tennis event and serves as an important warm-up fixture prior to the Australian Open. I was for...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (10.46 am)—I fear that I will not have enough time to do justice to the gentleman I am going to speak about today, but I will do my best. One of the best things about being the member for Swan is meeting the great diversity of people who make up my electorate. From refugees and proud...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (12:47 PM) —I would like to thank my colleague, the member for Flinders, for allowing me to stand up. The year 2008 has been an historic year for our nation. This year we have seen how starkly we have created our increasingly interconnected world. The global financial crisis started ...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (11:13 AM) —I would first like to acknowledge the contributions made by the member for Flinders and the member for Fremantle. I know that the member for Fremantle has a long-term interest in human rights and has worked with the United Nations overseas. I applaud her contribution. I w...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (9:42 AM) —I rise to talk about the Como Golf Academy at the Como Secondary College in my electorate of Swan. The Como Golf Academy provides both a comprehensive academic and a golf program of the highest quality. The school recently held their annual golf day in November at Collier ...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (10:49 PM) —Last Sunday I attended the Thank a Volunteer Day breakfast organised by the City of South Perth in my electorate of Swan. Credit must go to the CEO, Cliff Frewing, and his staff for organising the awards ceremony. The event coincides with International Volunteer Day, an e...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (10:30 PM) —The Western Australian Minister for the Environment, the Hon. Donna Faragher MLC, recently announced more than $1 million for 14 local projects to improve the Swan and Canning River foreshores. I would like to welcome this announcement as it will greatly benefit my electo...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (7:40 PM) —I rise this evening to discuss World AIDS Day. Today marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. It is now viewed as one of the most successful commemorative days internationally, with more than 190 countries, including Australia, acknowledging this initiative. World AID...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (6:52 PM) —On Saturday evening I attended the opening of the new clubrooms at Fraser Park, in the suburb of Victoria Park in my electorate of Swan. Fraser Park was originally named after James Macintosh Fraser, who represented the Victoria Park Ward on the Perth City Council from 192...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (12:35 PM) —I rise to talk on the Fair Work Bill 2008. As the Leader of the Opposition said last week, the coalition will not oppose the government’s Fair Work Bill 2008 as we believe the Rudd-Swan government has achieved a mandate for its industrial relations reforms. However, we do...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (5:02 PM) —I rise to speak about Australia’s response to the global financial crisis. I must admit that this subject has the potential to be difficult to address. Mr Deputy Speaker, you may well ask: what could be difficult about this subject? The difficulty is associated with the wo...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (9:54 AM) —The first official duty I undertook after I was declared the federal member for Swan last December was at a Christmas event for Grandcare. Grandcare is an organisation that helps grandparents who are put in the position of having to look after their grandchildren. Sometime...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (8:48 PM) —I acknowledge the contribution from the member for Kalgoorlie—or should I say the member for Durack? Mr Haase —To be. Mr IRONS —To be. I acknowledge his serious concern for the aged-care industry in his electorate as well as in all of Western Australia and Australia. I ri...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (4:06 PM) —The recent announcement of the Caring for our Country grants by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts demonstrates the eastern centric focus of the Rudd government and represents a threat to the environment in my electorate of Swan and in Western Australi...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (4:06 PM) —The Belmont Small Business Association will be presenting its annual awards tomorrow night in my electorate of Swan. The manager of the BEC in Belmont is Carol Hanlon, who also is a councillor of the City of Belmont. Carol won an award in Melbourne recently for the best Au...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (6:46 PM) —Tomorrow at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month we will come together as a nation to mark Remembrance Day. This year will have special significance as the 90th anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the First World War. When we stand together in...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (7:20 PM) —When I first saw this private member’s motion, I saw that it had the honourable member for Solomon seeking endorsement for the Rudd government’s economic performance since November 2007. I know the member is a team player and a good bloke, but he is really sticking his nec...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (8:49 PM) —I rise this evening to talk about current developments with underground power in my electorate of Swan. I appreciate that within our system of government underground power is considered to be constitutionally a state and a local issue. However, the volume of constituents t...

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Temporary Residents’ Superannuation Legislation Amendment Bill 2008 and the Superannuation (Departing Australia Superannuation Payments Tax) Amendment Bill 2008. Mr IRONS (Swan) (5:52 PM) —I would like to congratulate the member for Wakefield on his speech and for recognising the member for Fadden....

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (4:00 PM) —Last Saturday I had the pleasure of attending the Ascot Racecourse in my electorate of Swan at the invitation of the Perth Racing committee for the opening day of the spring racing carnival. There are two racecourses in my electorate and the Ascot is considered to be the s...

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Mr IRONS (Swan) (8:50 PM) —I am going to talk to the House about the issue of poverty. Most people associate poverty with being a global issue somewhat removed from day-to-day life in Australia. However, poverty is an issue that we must acknowledge at a global and a domestic level. Globally, new est...

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