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Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Page: 1753

Senator BOB BROWN (Tasmania—Leader of the Australian Greens) (15:35): I move:

That the Senate—

   (a)   notes:

      (i)   the impact of the Government's efficiency dividend and reduction in all capital budgets on the Parliamentary Library and its ability to continue to provide quality services to senators and members, and

      (ii)   that, whilst a number of cultural agencies are exempt from the additional 2.5 per cent efficiency dividend announced in December 2011 in the mid-year economic and fiscal outlook, the existing efficiency dividend of 1.5 per cent is continuing to have a disproportionate and unfair impact on many cultural agencies which are being forced to make savings by cutting staffing numbers, curtailing operations and limiting and delaying exhibitions; and

   (b)   calls on the Government to restore the Parliamentary Library's budget in full.

 

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: The question is that notice of motion No. 677 standing in the name of Senator Bob Brown be agreed to.