I move that the Senate:

1.      notes the importance of protecting valuable agricultural, residential and conservation land from unconventional gas activities;

2.      supports the right of landholders and local residents to say "no" to unconventional gas exploration and mining in their communities;

3.      recognises the concerns expressed by communities in the South East of South Australia over potential groundwater contamination from unconventional gas activities; and

South Australian Greens Senators Sarah Hanson-Young and Penny Wright have slammed the Coalition's first budget, which slugs SA families while letting big business off the hook.

"This is a brutal budget by a cruel Coalition," Senator Wright said.

"Not only has Education Minister Christopher Pyne turned his back on SA school students by ripping the heart out of the Gonski reforms, he wants to make it harder and more expensive to go to university.

Senator WRIGHT (South Australia) (10:57):  I rise to speak in support of this motion on behalf of the Australian Greens. This is a motion calling on Assistant Treasurer Senator Sinodinos:

... to immediately attend the Chamber to provide the Senate with a full explanation of his dealings as a director of Australian Water Holdings, with particular reference to political donations, his shareholdings and his role in contract negotiations ... and his statement made in the Senate on 28 February 2013 and reaffirmed during question time on 6 March 2014;

The motion goes on to say:

Senator Wright asked questions on a range of topics during Additional Estimates in February, 2014. 

Please follow the links below to read transcripts and view the related footage. 

Additional transcripts and answers to questions on notice will be uploaded as they become available. 

Education and Employment 

DGR status for government schools 

I move that the Senate:

1)      notes the public comment period has started,  for Bight Petroleum's referral (Reference Number 2013/6770) under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth), which sets out its intention to do seismic testing in Commonwealth waters, to the west of Kangaroo Island in South Australia;

2)      recognises the economic, ecological and social importance of the Kangaroo Island marine environment, first and foremost for the Kangaroo Island community, but also for  South Australia as a whole; and

Please use the links below to find transcripts of Senator Wright's Estimates questions. We will continue to upload answers to questions taken on notice as they are received. 

Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee

Indigenous Legal Aid funding cuts 

Family Court of Australia: performance targets and budget cuts 

Economics Legislation Committee 
Department of Industry 

21 November, 2013

Senator WRIGHT: I have some questions in relation to car manufacturing subsidies, so we may need to have the other person come back up to the table and play musical chairs. I understand that in the last few minutes you actually gave an indication in response to a question from Senator Carr as to the budgeting for the ATS over the forward estimates up to 2019-20. Was that correct?

Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee 
Defence Materiel Organisation 

20 November, 2013

Senator WRIGHT: I really just have one question with a couple of sub-parts to it, regarding submarines. I am interested to know: what are the government's plans on the number of submarines it intends to build via the Adelaide Submarine Corporation over the forward estimates?