Federal politics Steve Fielding

1 federal politics

1.1 balance of power
1.2 climate change
1.3 youth allowance
1.4 alcohol
1.5 stimulus package
1.6 voluntary student unionism
1.7 luxury car tax
1.8 considered changing parties
1.9 isp level content filtering
1.10 same-sex marriage
1.11 paid parental leave scheme
1.12 legislation

federal politics

while family first regarded conservative party, fielding stated not automatic supporter of coalition opposition in senate. on issues saw affecting wellbeing of families, such workchoices industrial relations policies, indicated disagreement government policies. in february 2009, told senate hearing believed divorce added impact of global warming because resulted in people switching resource-inefficient lifestyle .

balance of power

with backbenchers being willing cross floor, fielding s vote important on of howard government s more controversial legislation. vote ensured passage of voluntary student unionism, overturning of civil unions legislation in australian capital territory, , changes media ownership laws. conversely, intention vote no ensured defeat of howard government s proposed tightening of asylum seeker laws.

climate change

in mid-2009, fielding flew on self-funded trip discover more climate change. came unconvinced man-made carbon dioxide emissions main driver of climate change. subsequently voted against rudd government s carbon pollution reduction scheme. fielding attended copenhagen climate conference in december 2009.

youth allowance

in 2009 fielding teamed coalition defeat government s proposed changes youth allowance system. said changes unfair rural , regional students , leave 26,000 students worse off.

alcohol

fielding opposed rudd government s alcopops tax. argued taxing ready drink alcohol beverages wouldn t put end binge drinking. campaigned government act against practice.

stimulus package

following global financial crisis rudd government passed economic stimulus package of family first. part of deal fielding secured $200 million jobs fund called communities working .

voluntary student unionism

at end of campaign in support of howard government s voluntary student unionism legislation, passed, walls of fielding s office vandalised pro-union graffiti.

luxury car tax

an increase luxury car tax defeated in senate on 4 september 2008, fielding joining coalition in blocking budget legislation. passed after fielding negotiated exemptions farmers , tourism operators.

considered changing parties

in 2008, fielding reportedly considered breaking away family first establish new political party, inviting tim costello , other big names join him. revelations came after fielding changed position on abortion, after being rebuffed party taking softer approach.

isp level content filtering

fielding gave conditional support mandatory isp level filtering scheme. spokesperson family first indicated party want x18+ rated , refused classification (rc) content banned everyone, including adults. fielding s support internet censorship in australia not reported on official website.

same-sex marriage

fielding has compared same-sex marriages incest:

a bloke cannot marry brother; not right. woman cannot marry sister; not right. bloke cannot marry bloke because not right, , female cannot marry female because not right. don t support this.

paid parental leave scheme

in june 2010, during senate discussion on proposed paid parental leave scheme, fielding suggested women may rort scheme deliberately falling pregnant , having late-term abortion . subsequently criticised sides of australian politics these comments.

legislation

fielding introduced following legislation parliament:

protecting problem gamblers bill 2009
keeping jobs going offshore (protection of personal information) bill 2009
britt lapthorne bill 2009
removing branding cigarette packs bill 2009
keeping banks accountable bill 2009
removal of excessive super bill 2009
easy comparison of grocery prices bill 2008
poker machine harm minimisation bill 2008
poker machine harm reduction tax bill 2008
alcohol toll reduction bill 2007
restoring family work balance bill 2007
fair bank , credit card fees bill 2007
predatory pricing bill 2007
creeping acquisitions 2007 bill




^ divorce adds impact of global warming – steve fielding . daily telegraph. australia. 25 february 2009. retrieved 25 february 2009. 
^ graffiti attack on steve fielding s office after vsu vote, age, 10 december 2005
^ bid save act civil unions fails, pm, 15 june 2006
^ media laws pass senate, pm, 12 october 2006
^ backbench rebellion forces border protection backdown, lateline, 14 august 2006
^ kippist, lucy. real reason ll fight in senate on climate change | article . punch. archived original on 14 june 2010. retrieved 2 august 2010. 
^ senate blocks youth allowance changes – abc news (australian broadcasting corporation) . australian broadcasting corporation. 25 november 2009. retrieved 2 august 2010. 
^ kippist, lucy. our drunk nation | article . punch. retrieved 2 august 2010. 
^ parliament of australia:senate:committees:finance , public administration committee:nation building , jobs plan – inquiry provisions of appropriation (nation building , jobs) bill (no. 1) 2008–2009 , 5 related bills – $pagetitle$ . aph.gov.au. 12 february 2009. retrieved 2 august 2010. 
^ http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/17/2367134.htm, abc news, 17 september 2008
^ ben packham , peter jean (30 september 2008). senator steve fielding wanted quit . herald sun. archived original on 2 december 2008. retrieved 11 november 2009. 
^ ben packham (27 september 2008). family first senator steve fielding retreats abortion comments . herald sun. archived original on 17 march 2009. retrieved 11 november 2009. 
^ net filters may block porn , gambling sites, age, 27 october 2008.
^ schubert, misha (27 november 2009). fielding likens same-sex marriage incest . age. melbourne. retrieved 26 november 2009. 
^ fielding s abortion rorts claim offensive . sydney morning herald. retrieved 17 june 2010. 
^ http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlinfo/download/legislation/billslst/billslst_c5cb7dfd-6ea5-42d2-bea7-a4c40e628ce8/upload_pdf/bills%20list%202009.pdf;filetype=application%2fpdf#search=%22family%20first%22