Senate debates

Wednesday, 13 September 2006

Notices

Presentation

Senators Hogg, Ludwig, McLucas and Moore to move six sitting days after today:

That the Senate—
(a)
congratulates the Beattie Government on its re-election on Saturday, 9 September 2006;
(b)
notes that the Liberal Party campaign was dominated by self-fleggellation and that the National Party campaign was clearly spring-bogged; and
(c)
recognises government senators for their contribution through ‘Dorothy Dixers’ and speeches in the Senate in maintaining Labor in government in Queensland.

Senator Milne to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—
(a)
notes that:
(i)
27 September 2006 is the 50th anniversary of the first of the nuclear tests at Maralinga,
(ii)
the nuclear tests resulted in fallout over most of Australia, and especially contaminated great tracts of traditional land, transforming an independent and physically-wide ranging people into a semi-static and dependent group, the damage being radiological, psycho-social and cultural,
(iii)
the Royal Commission into British Nuclear Tests in Australia concluded that, at Maralinga, ‘attempts to ensure Aboriginal safety’ during the tests ‘demonstrate ignorance, incompetence and cynicism on the part of those responsible for that safety’,
(iv)
the test site remains radioactive and that there are unresolved issues about compensation for the traditional owners,
(v)
approximately 16 000 servicemen exposed to radiation during the tests never received recognition of hazardous service and survivors receive limited ongoing support, and the high mortality and illness rates of these men have not yet been adequately acknowledged or explained,
(vi)
the Government breached its own standards for the disposal of long-lived radioactive waste disposal by burying plutonium-contaminated debris in shallow, unlined trenches,
(vii)
the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency described the ‘clean-up’ as marred by a ‘host of indiscretions, short-cuts and cover-ups’, and
(viii)
the radioactive waste legacy will inevitably be a cost unfairly borne by future Australians; and
(b)
calls on the Government to recommit to international nuclear non-proliferation, including ruling out the export of Australian uranium to countries that are not signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and ruling out the development of uranium enrichment plants in Australia.

Senator Chris Evans to move on the next day of sitting:

That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the Social Security Act 1991, to assist those who have had their pension cut because of lengthy delays in the construction of a new home due to the national shortage of building tradespeople. Social Security (Helping Pensioners Hit by the Skills Shortage) Bill 2006.

Senator Bartlett to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—
(a)
notes that:
(i)
26 September 2006 marks the 5th anniversary of the guillotining through the Senate of seven separate pieces of legislation amending the Migration Act 1958,
(ii)
some aspects contained in these pieces of legislation have caused enormous suffering and hardship to asylum seekers who were fleeing persecution, and
(iii)
5 years on, numerous reports and inquiries have uncovered multiple cases of damaged lives due to flaws in the legislation and in the culture of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, and repeated failures to ensure that the rights of asylum seekers and refugees are protected and that their cases are processed fairly;
(b)
expresses the view that some of the changes made to the Migration Act in the wake of the Tampa incident undermined basic legal principles such as equality before the law, procedural fairness, transparent accountability of the actions of Commonwealth officers and protecting against refoulement; and
(c)
calls for reform of the Migration Act to ensure greater fairness, transparency, accountability and compliance with Australia’s obligations under international law, and an end to the Pacific solution, mandatory detention and temporary protection visas.

Senator Coonan to move on the next day of sitting:

That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to broadcasting, and for other purposes. Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Television) Bill 2006.

Senator Coonan to move on the next day of sitting:

That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the Broadcasting Services Act 1992, and for other purposes. Broadcasting Services Amendment (Media Ownership) Bill 2006.

Senator Ellison to move on the next day of sitting:

That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the Crimes Act 1914, and for related purposes. Crimes Amendment (Bail and Sentencing) Bill 2006.

Senator Minchin to move on the next day of sitting:

That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to prudential regulation for the purpose of facilitating trans-Tasman cooperation, and for related purposes. Financial Sector Legislation Amendment (Trans-Tasman Banking Supervision) Bill 2006.

Senator Humphries to move on the next day of sitting:

(1)
That the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs Committee for inquiry and report by 27 October 2006:
Legislative responses to recommendations of the reports of the Legislation Review Committee on the Prohibition of Human Cloning Act 2002 and the Research Involving Human Embryos Act 2002 (the Lockhart review).
(2)
That in undertaking this inquiry the committee may consider:
(a)
any relevant bill or draft bill introduced or tabled in the Senate or presented to the President by a senator when the Senate is not sitting; and
(b)
any other relevant document.

Senator Bob Brown to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—
(a)
notes the imposition of new restrictions on the distribution of foreign news in China;
(b)
condemns any move by the Chinese Government to impose unfair restrictions on foreign press freedom; and
(c)
calls on the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr Downer) to investigate the matter.