Senator ELLISON (Western Australia —Minister for Justice and Customs) [3:36 PM] —I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move:

(1)   That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the following bills, allowing them to be considered during this period of sittings:

   ACIS Administration Amendment (Unearned Credit Liability) Bill 2007

   Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Amendment Bill 2007

   Broadcasting Legislation Amendment Bill 2007

   Family Law (Divorce Fees Validation) Bill 2007

   Migration Amendment (Maritime Crew) Bill 2007

   Superannuation Legislation Amendment (Simplification) Bill 2007

   Income Tax Amendment Bill 2007

   Income Tax (Former Complying Superannuation Funds) Amendment Bill 2007

   Income Tax (Former Non-resident Superannuation Funds) Amendment Bill 2007

   Income Tax Rates Amendment (Superannuation) Bill 2007.

I also table statements of reasons justifying the need for these bills to be considered during these sittings and seek leave to have the statements incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statements read as follows—

Senator Milne to move on the next day of sitting:

   That the Senate—

(a)   notes:

(i)   growing international concern about nuclear proliferation and recent speculation about a possible United States of America (US) or Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities,

(ii)   Australia is a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) which makes its decisions by consensus,

(iii)   the US-India nuclear cooperation deal would breach the guidelines of the NSG that restricts trade with non-nuclear-weapon states that do not accept full-scope International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards,

(iv)   exemptions from NSG guidelines would erode the credibility of the NSG’s effort to restrict nuclear trade to those states that meet global nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament standards, and

(v)   the next NSG meeting is in April 2007 and the US is expected to seek agreement to allow the US-India nuclear cooperation deal to proceed; and

(b)   calls on the Government to preserve the integrity of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty by blocking the US-India deal at the NSG meeting in April 2007 and ruling out the supply of uranium to India.

Senator Fielding to move on the next day of sitting:

   That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to protect Jetstar from foreign ownership and ensure jobs and operations stay in Australia, and for related purposes. Qantas Sale (Keep Jetstar Australian) Amendment Bill 2007.

Senator Milne to move on the next day of sitting:

   That the Senate—

(a)   welcomes the call from the electricity sector for a greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme to promote investor confidence;

(b)   notes that:

(i)   the purpose of an emissions trading scheme is to create an economically efficient mechanism to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and

(ii)   notes that international emissions trading is a key mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol;

(c)   rejects the McKibbin-Wilcoxen proposal because it fails to cap greenhouse gas emissions and creates an unacceptable risk that long-term emission permits will be over-allocated; and

(d)   calls on the Government to announce the rules of an emissions trading scheme by 2008, for commencement in 2010.

Senator Bartlett to move on the next day of sitting:

   That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee for inquiry and report by 9 May 2007:

All aspects of the Federal Government’s 10 point National Plan for Water Security, including:

(a)   whether it will return sufficient water to the Murray-Darling Basin to meet the environmental needs of the Murray-Darling Basin catchment; and

(b)   what mechanisms are in place to ensure farmers and the environment obtain maximum value from the funds expended.

Senator Eggleston to move on the next day of sitting:

   That the time for the presentation of reports of the Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Committee be extended as follows:

(a)   Australia’s national parks—to 29 March 2007; and

(b)   Australia’s Indigenous visual arts and craft sector—to 12 June 2007.

Senator Johnston to move on the next day of sitting:

   That the time for the presentation of the report of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee on Australia’s public diplomacy be extended to 12 June 2007.

Senator Ferguson to move on the next day of sitting:

   That the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade be authorised to hold public meetings during the sittings of the Senate on Wednesday, 28 February 2007, and Wednesday, 21 March 2007, to take evidence for the committee’s inquiry into Australia’s trade with Mexico and the region.

Senator ALLISON (Victoria —Leader of the Australian Democrats) [3:38 PM] —I, and also on behalf of Senators Ferris and Moore, give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move:

   That the Senate—

(a)   notes that

(i)   National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Week runs from Sunday, 25 February to Sunday, 4 March 2007,

(ii)   more than 1 000 women get ovarian cancer every year,

(iii)   between 1991 and 2001 there was a 23 per cent increase in the number of new cases of ovarian cancer and other cancers of the female genital organs, and

(iv)   the relative 5 year survival rate for ovarian cancer is less than half that for breast cancer;

(b)   draws attention to the Community Affairs Committee report Breaking the silence: A national voice for gynaecological cancers which was tabled in the Senate on 19 October 2006; and

(c)   calls on the Government to implement the recommendations in the report.

Senator Watson to move on the next day of sitting:

   That the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit be authorised to hold public meetings during the sittings of the Senate as follows:

(a)   on Wednesday, 28 February 2007, from 11.30 am to 1 pm, to take evidence for the committee’s review of Auditor-General’s reports; and

(b)   on Thursday, 1 March and 29 March 2007, from 10.30 am to 1 pm, and Wednesday, 28 March 2007, from 11.15 am to 1.30 pm, to take evidence for the committee’s inquiry into financial reporting and equipment acquisition at the Department of Defence and the Defence Materiel Organisation.

Senator Humphries to move on the next day of sitting:

   That the Community Affairs Committee be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 1 March 2007, from 3.30 pm, to take evidence for the committee’s inquiry into the provisions of the Aged Care Amendment (Security and Protection) Bill 2007.

Senator Payne to move on the next day of sitting:

   That the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 1 March 2007, from 4.30 pm, to take evidence for the committee’s inquiry into the provisions of the AusCheck Bill 2006.

Senator O’Brien to move on the next day of sitting:

   That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee for inquiry and report by the first sitting day in June 2007:

An examination of the effect on regional and rural Australia of the Government’s February 2007 decision to phase-out Non-Forestry Managed Investment Schemes, including:

(a)   the effect on jobs and investment in rural and regional Australia;

(b)   the identity of agricultural industries which will be most affected;

(c)   the regional and rural communities which will be most affected;

(d)   the effect on exports; and

(e)   the merits of maintaining Non-Forestry Managed Investment Schemes and alternatives to the Government’s decision.

Senator Murray to move on 1 March:

   That the following matters be referred to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee for inquiry and report by 14 August 2007:

(a)   a review of Commonwealth statutory exemptions provided to religious or other organisations, or individual members thereof, on the grounds of religion, belief or conscience;

(b)   whether such Commonwealth statutory exemptions should be maintained, withdrawn or restricted, including in specific instances where they are abused or are made no longer appropriate by the conduct of individuals or organisations conflicting with the justification being provided for the exemption;

(c)   whether any religious organisation, as a result of its beliefs, prevents an adequate and productive education of minors or young persons, including at the tertiary level, contrary to the public interest;

(d)   whether statutory or administrative changes in respect of Commonwealth law or practice are necessary; and

(e)   any other relevant matters.

Senator Nettle to move on the next day of sitting:

   That the Senate—

(a)   notes:

(i)   the growing tension between the United States of America (US) and Iran, including the military build-up in the Persian Gulf,

(ii)   the indication by US Vice President Dick Cheney, while in Sydney from 22 February to 25 February 2007, that a military strike on Iran is an option, and

(iii)   that US intelligence bases in Australia are likely to be used in any military strike on Iran; and

(b)   calls on the Government to:

(i)   support a diplomatic resolution to the crisis, and

(ii)   rule out Australian support for a military strike on Iran.

Senator Nettle to move on the next day of sitting:

   That the Senate—

(a)   notes:

(i)   the comments on 26 February 2007 by former Family Court Chief Justice Alastair Nicholson that the Prime Minister, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Attorney-General could be charged with war crimes for insisting Mr David Hicks face trial before a United States of America military commission,

(ii)   the Federal Court case examining the Government’s breach of its protective duty to Australian citizen Mr Hicks, and

(iii)   that Mr Hicks has been detained for 1 909 days; and

(b)   calls on the Government to fulfil its duty of care and return Mr Hicks to Australia.

Senator Stephens to move on the next day of sitting:

(a)   notes:

(i)   the plight of Mr Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, a Bangladeshi journalist who is on trial for sedition, an offence punishable by death, because as editor of an English-language newspaper he has been critical of Islamic extremism and has expressed his belief in interfaith dialogue, particularly between Christians, Muslims and Jews,

(ii)   that Mr Choudhury was detained in Dhaka Central Jail in November 2003 for passport violation, was charged with sedition, interrogated and was held in prison for 17 months without legal recourse until April 2005 when he was released on bail after intervention by the United States Department of State,

(iii)   that on 6 July 2006 Mr Choudhury’s newspaper offices were bombed by an Islamic extremist organisation after the newspaper published articles in support of the Ahmadiyya Muslim minority,

(iv)   that on 18 September 2006 a Bangladeshi judge ruled that Mr Choudhury would stand trial for sedition and that his trial commenced, only to be suspended when a state of emergency was declared in Bangladesh on 11 January 2007 and a caretaker government was installed by the military on 22 January 2007,

(v)   that Mr Chouldhury’s trial has been suspended while the new government is established, and

(vi)   that the previous government admitted that there was no basis for the charges against Mr Choudhury and the Public Prosecutor testified that there was no evidence against him; and

(b)   calls on the Government of Bangladesh to:

(i)   drop all charges against Mr Choudhury,

(ii)   ensure his confiscated possessions are returned, and

(iii)   investigate those responsible for his harassment and intimidation because of his call for interfaith tolerance.