John Watson (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Standing Committee on Regulations and Ordinances, I give notice that 15 sitting days after today I shall move:

That the Civil Aviation Amendment Regulations 2005 (No. 3) as contained in Select Legislative Instrument 2005 No. 243 and made under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, be disallowed.

I remind the Senate that these regulations amend the principal regulations to introduce new provisions concerning pilot operating procedures on and in the vicinity of non-controlled aerodromes. I seek leave to incorporate in Hansard a short summary of the matters raised by the committee.

Leave granted.

The summary read as follows—

Civil Aviation Amendment Regulations 2005 (No. 3) Select Legislative Instrument 2005 No. 243

These Regulations amend the principal Regulations to introduce new provisions concerning pilot operating procedures on, and in the vicinity of, non-controlled aerodromes.

New paragraph 166(2)(c) requires that the pilot in command of an aircraft that is being operated in the vicinity of a non-controlled aerodrome must conform with, or avoid, the circuit pattern. New paragraph 166(2)(d) requires that when the pilot joins the circuit pattern this must be done in a certain direction. The latter requirement is subject to subregulations 166(3) and (4). The relationship between paragraphs 166(2)(c) and (d) is not clear.

Regulation 166 prescribes a number of strict liability offences. New regulation 166A also prescribes a strict liability offence, but subregulation 166A(4) provides a defence of reasonable excuse.

The Committee wrote to the Minister seeking advice on the operation of these provisions. The Minister has responded providing information on these matters. The Committee appreciates this advice which addresses most of its concerns. The Committee has decided to seek further advice on the circuit pattern provisions to allow it to finalise its consideration of these Regulations.

Senator Milne to move on Thursday, 9 February 2006:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes:

(i)

the announcement by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) that it will redirect its energy research work away from renewable energy towards ‘cleaning up’ coal, a priority of the Australian Government,

(ii)

a breakthrough in solar energy technology, developed by the CSIRO and a private company, with a turbine that has the potential to replace coal-fired power stations in 20 years, and

(iii)

that the CSIRO has had to look offshore for investment funding to advance its work on the solar turbine technology; and

(b)

calls on the Australian Government to re-prioritise its policy and funding objectives to provide more support for renewable energy so that Australian breakthrough research is not forced offshore for further development and commercialisation.

Senator Nettle to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes:

(i)

that elections for regional government in West Papua have again been delayed by the Indonesian Government,

(ii)

reports of increasing human rights violations by the Indonesian military and militias in West Papua,

(iii)

the recent arrival of 43 asylum seekers in Australia seeking refuge from persecution in West Papua, and

(iv)

the renewal of joint training and cooperation between the Australian Defence Forces and the Indonesian Kopassus special forces; and

(b)

calls on the Australian Government to:

(i)

suspend joint training and cooperation with the Indonesian special forces until a thorough and independent investigation of their involvement in human rights abuses in West Papua has concluded,

(ii)

not sign on to any agreement between Australia and Indonesia that requires Australia to recognise Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua and remain silent about human rights abuses that occur in West Papua at the hands of the Indonesian military and militias,

(iii)

work towards restoring human rights to the West Papuans,

(iv)

facilitate a meeting between the Indonesian Government and the West Papuan independence movement, and

(v)

respect the rights of the West Papuans to determine their own future.