MARK DREYFUS MP

Our objectives should be at all times that the best interests of children lie at the heart of every decision that is made in this area.

Environmental Defenders Offices, EDOs, are community legal centres which operate in each state and territory. They are small, highly dedicated organisations which work to protect the environment through law. They provide the community with legal advice and representation in public interest environmental matters. They work towards the improvement of our environmental laws and regulations. They are in a real sense the environment's own legal team.

The Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Bill 2014 is, in effect, an initiative of the last Labor government. A bill in substantially identical terms was introduced into the parliament by the then Attorney-General, the Hon. Nicola Roxon MP, but it lapsed at the end of the 43rd Parliament. That bill had the same name. It was the Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Bill 2012.

The campaign, embraced by the City of Greater Dandenong in the form of its 'Racism. Get Up. Speak Out' program, aims to raise awareness about racism and its effect on individuals and communities; give individuals and organisations tools and resources to take practical actions against racism; and empower individuals and organisations. It was for this bold and innovative campaign that the council won its national award last night.

It is a pity that they have not been able to do anything about the Attorney-General, who thinks it is appropriate to stand up in the Australian Senate and say things like, 'People do have a right to be bigots, you know.'

In the petition, the members of the Chilean community are urging the government to extradite Ms Adriana Rivas to Chile to face criminal charges. The charges concern her alleged involvement in violent crimes committed by the intelligence services of the Pinochet military dictatorship.

The challenge of succeeding at referendum in Australia is such that we cannot rest on our laurels. We cannot be an inevitable' cause which nonetheless never succeeds. We must build a positive, inclusive case for the republic.

What a dreadful and disappointing budget was handed down by this government on 13 May. It is a dreadful and disappointing budget because it is filled with lies and broken promises, and it has been so seen by the people of Australia right across the country. Parents, young people, pensioners - anyone that uses the services the government provides can see now what they got when they elected the Abbott government in September last year.

This attempt at silencing community legal centres comes on top of a cut of $9.6 million from community legal centres in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook and a further $6 million cut in the budget, part of a broader attack on the whole legal assistance sector.

It has deeply disappointed Australians because of the number of broken promises that we find in this budget. It has deeply disappointed Australians because of the unfair and uneven pain that this budget inflicts on so many Australians. And it is deeply unpopular and bitterly disappointing to Australians because of the wrong choices that this budget is full of.