I move:

That the Senate:

(a)

notes that Australian citizen, Mr David Hicks has been detained for 1 888 days; and

(b)

calls on the Government to return Mr Hicks to Australia.

by leave—Family First has supported similar motions for David Hicks’s immediate return in the past but, given reports that David Hicks is about to be charged, I call on the government to assure Australian families that Mr Hicks will receive an immediate and fair trial. When I was in Washington last week I met with a number of members of congress and senators during which I urged them to lobby the Bush administration to ensure that Mr Hicks be immediately charged and given a fair trial or returned to Australia. Hicks has already served five years and should not be detained indefinitely. Family First would support a motion along those lines.

Question put:

That the motion (Senator Nettle’s) be agreed to.