Russell Trood (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1 standing in my name in the following terms:

in paragraph (a), omit the words “and the Torres Strait Regional Authority (the authority)”;

in paragraph (b), omit the word “authority”, and substitute “the Torres Strait Regional Authority”.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the following matter be referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee for inquiry and report by 26 February 2010:The administration and management of matters relating to Australia’s northern air, sea and land approaches in the region of the Torres Strait, including:

(a)

the provisions of the Torres Strait Treaty;

(b)

the role of the Torres Strait Regional Authority in respect of treaty and border issues, including how the authority interacts with the governments and people of Papua New Guinea (PNG);

(c)

the extent of cooperation with, and between, Australia’s northern neighbours, PNG and Indonesia, in relation to the health, welfare and security of the Torres Strait region and communities in and around this region; and

(d)

the challenges facing this region in relation to:

(i)

the management of fisheries,

(ii)

the contribution of international trade and commerce to regional economic sustainability,

(iii)

the maintenance of strong border security across the Torres Strait region, including but not limited to, issues related to Australia’s defence, biosecurity, public health, immigration and customs,

(iv)

cooperation between federal, state and local levels of government, and

(v)

air, sea and land transport linkages.

Question agreed to.