Matters of Public Importance – Cost of Living, Monday November 27, 2023 Senator BABET (Victoria—United Australia Party Whip) (17:22): The days of blaming the war in Ukraine for inflation are over, or at least they should be. While I’ll admit that the war in Ukraine has had some ripple effects, it was never true that overseas events were the major cause of this Labor government’s economic woes. In fact, our government is the main architect of our nation’s problems. Those on my left, on that side of the chamber, shouldn’t take all the blame. The Libs had a part in that…
Statements by Senators – Energy, Monday 27 November, 2023 Senator BABET (Victoria—United Australia Party Whip) (13:48): I often hear calls in this place by some to end the subsidies on fossil fuels. I don’t disagree with ending subsidies. You know what? I support that call. But I urge those in this place to go one step further. If we’re going to cut subsidies on one energy source, why not do it on all of them? So, yes, let’s cut subsidies on coal and gas, and let’s end the so-called renewable energy subsidies while we are at it. We’re continually told that…
Motions – Rewiring The Nation, Thursday 16 November, 2023 Senator BABET (Victoria—United Australia Party Whip) (17:15): I thank Senator Van for his motion and the opportunity to make a contribution on it. We must shine a light on the government’s Rewiring the Nation program. That’s obvious. It’s a program that feels like it was inspired by that ABC show—comedy, documentary, whatever it is—by the name of Utopia. Senator Davey: Documentary! Senator BABET: Documentary, I’ve been told. If you haven’t seen that show, it’s about a bunch of bureaucrats who are in charge of big building schemes. That’s what it is. I don’t watch the ABC,…
Matters of Urgency – Housing, Wednesday 15 November, 2023 Senator BABET (Victoria—United Australia Party Whip) (16:05): I understand Senator McKim’s intention with the Greens’ urgency motion on the rental crisis, but, unfortunately, I cannot support it, because of basic economics. Price caps are not the answer. We all know that. They have never worked. They will never work. The Australian people are hurting because they want to see action from their government, but, unfortunately, the government is fuelling the fire of inflation with the big migration and big, wasteful spending. Rent caps may appear attractive on the surface, but they are…
Statements by Senators – Fatherhood, Wednesday November 16, 2023 Senator BABET (Victoria—United Australia Party Whip) (13:47): Last month the Department of Social Services announced something. It had allocated $3.5 million to help combat what it calls harmful gender stereotypes. We know what that means. It’s code for: ‘The government wants to create a generation of soy boys.’ That’s what it’s about. Let me save the Albanese government a few million dollars and a great deal of time with just one word: fathers. If the question is how to raise well-adjusted young men, the answer is ‘fathers’. If the government is eager,…
Statements by Senators – Environmental and Social Governance, Wednesday 15 November, 2023 Senator BABET (Victoria—United Australia Party Whip) (13:21): Today I’d like to talk about ESG. When companies talk about ESG, consumers and shareholders should walk away as quickly as possible. That’s because ESG is code for something: ‘wasting company money on elitist woke agendas that have nothing to do with producing value for shareholders’. ESG stands for environmental, social and governance. The idea is that, instead of making the best product possible or providing the best service at the lowest possible cost for the maximum amount of return for shareholders,…
Matters of Urgency – Cost of Living, Tuesday 14 November, 2023 Senator BABET (Victoria—United Australia Party Whip) (15:42): I move: That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency: Since the 2022 election, the Albanese Labor government has committed billions in spending, which contributes to inflationary pressure and drives up interest rates. Tradies are in short supply, reducing the amount of houses that can be built. Almost half of Australian mortgage holders are now in mortgage stress. The government must reduce spending and cancel or delay unnecessary and wasteful projects, such as Snowy 2.0, to temper…
Statements by Senators – Migration, Monday November 13, 2023 Senator BABET (Victoria—United Australia Party Whip) (13:45): Whenever I travel abroad and return home, I am always reminded of just how amazing our country is and how lucky we are to live in Australia. I’ve never been to another country that’s as good, obviously. Now, Australia is not only blessed with great natural beauty; we are also blessed with abundant mineral resources and, as a result, we have a great quality of life. But what really makes this country special is the society that we have created: a society that allows individuals…
Statements by Senators – Australia Society: Motherhood, Friday 10 November 2023 Senator BABET (Victoria—United Australia Party Whip) (13:48): I want to use my time today to talk about a subject rarely mentioned in this place and yet more important to the future of this great nation than almost any other topic that you might care to name. There is no role as vital as motherhood, and yet I would argue that it is not just a role; it is a calling, the highest calling in our land. How do I know that? Because I saw what my mum did for me,…
Matters of Public Importance – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, Wednesday 9 November, 2023 Senator BABET (Victoria—United Australia Party Whip) (17:42): I rise in support of Senator Hanson’s matter of public importance. As a proud Australian, just like Senator Hanson, I believe that we should do all that we can to unite our beautiful nation. I love Australia, and I will proudly fight to preserve my home for future generations. On 14 October, what happened? The Australian people overwhelmingly voted to reject the government’s plan to permanently enshrine an Indigenous Voice to Parliament within our Constitution. Every single state resoundingly…
