At the request of the Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, Senator Mark Bishop, I move:

That the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 12 March 2009, from 4.30 pm, to take evidence for the committee’s inquiry into the economic and security challenges facing Papua New Guinea and the island states of the southwest Pacific.

Question agreed to.