BUSINESS OF THE MAIN COMMITTEE

Wednesday, 23 February 2011

The Main Committee meets at 9.30 a.m.

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

Orders of the day

1   Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2010-2011 ( Special Minister of State ): Second reading—Resumption of debate ( from 10 February 2011—Mr A. D. H. Smith ).

2   Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2010-2011 ( Special Minister of State ): Second reading—Resumption of debate ( from 10 February 2011—Mr A. D. H. Smith ).

3   Screen Australia (Transfer of Assets) Bill 2010 ( Minister for the Arts ): Second reading—Resumption of debate ( from 21 February 2011—Mr Symon, in continuation ).

4   Statute Law Revision Bill (No. 2) 2010 ( Attorney-General ): Second reading—Resumption of debate ( from 24 November 2010—Ms Gambaro ).

5   prime minister’s report 2011—CLOSING THE GAP—MOTION TO TAKE NOTE OF DOCUMENT: Resumption of debate ( from 22 February 2011—Mr Entsch ) on the motion of Mr Dreyfus—That the House take note of the document.

6   commemoration of the 2nd anniversary of the black saturday bushfires—ministerial statement—MOTION TO TAKE NOTE OF DOCUMENT: Resumption of debate ( from 21 February 2011—Mr C. R. Thomson ) on the motion of Mr Rudd—That the House take note of the document.

† 7   GRIEVANCE DEBATE: Question—That grievances be noted—Resumption of debate ( from 21 February 2011 ).

Committee and delegation reports

Orders of the day

1   Economics—Standing Committee—REPORT ON the Inquiry into the Income Tax Rates Amendment (Temporary Flood Reconstruction Levy) Bill 2011 and the Tax Laws Amendment (Temporary Flood Reconstruction Levy) Bill 2011—MOTION TO TAKE NOTE OF DOCUMENT: Resumption of debate ( from 21 February 2011 ) on the motion of Mr C. R. Thomson—That the House take note of the report. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 8 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

2   Education and Employment—Standing Committee—advisory report on the higher education legislation amendment (student services and amenities) bill 2010—MOTION TO TAKE NOTE OF DOCUMENT: Resumption of debate ( from 15 November 2010 ) on the motion of Ms Rishworth—That the House take note of the report. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 6 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BUSINESS

Orders of the day

1   GAS APPLIANCE SAFETY: Resumption of debate ( from 21 February 2011 ) on the motion of Dr Stone—That this House:

(1) mourns the tragic loss of young Chase and Tyler Robinson, who died at Mooroopna on 30 May 2010 i n a recently rented home;

(2) notes that Chase and Tyler Robinson were the victims of a faulty gas wall heater emitting carbon monoxide; and

(3) calls upon the Australian Government to work with the State and Territory governments through the Council of Australian Governments to:

(a) urgently introduce legislation that requires:

(i) approved carbon monoxide detectors to be fitted in all homes that have gas appliances; and

(ii) landlords to arrange for suitably qualified contractors to biannually inspect all gas appliances and a ssociated fittings in rental properties; and

(b) institute a national safety awareness campaign alerting all Australians to the dangers and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and the need to regularly maintain gas appliances to ensure that they operate efficiently and safely. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 8 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. On Wednesday 9 February 2011, the Selection Committee recommended that this order of the day be voted on. )

2   Viability of the Murray-Darling river system: Resumption of debate ( from 21 February 2011 ) on the motion of Ms Rishworth—That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) s upport for a solution to return the Murray-Darling river system to health is widespread across Australia;

(b) a poll by the Australian Conservation Foundation found that 77 per cent of Australians agree that environmental degradation in the Murray-Darling Basin must be reversed;

(c) the Government is working towards an effective strategy for the integrated and sustainable management of water resources in the Murray-Darling Basin; and

(d) this strategy includes purchasing water for increased environmental flows, setting sustainable diversion limits on the quantity of water removed from the Basin, managing water quality and investing in water-saving infrastructure; and

(2) recognises that the Government:

(a)  has already began the task of returning the Murray-Darling river system to health through the Water for the Future plan;

(b) is working towards ensuring the long term viability of this river system for all those who rely on its precious water resources; and

(c) will continue to consult openly with all stakeholders in the Murray-Darling Basin. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 8 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

3   Foreign ownership of agricultural land and agribusiness: Resumption of debate ( from 21 February 2011 ) on the motion of Mr Cobb—That this House:

(1)  requires the responsible Minister to:

(a)  commission the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), with the assistance of ABARE, to prepare an information database on the foreign ownership of agricultural land and agribusiness, which should:

(i)  show the level of foreign ownership for Australia as a whole, by state and for key regions, and for particular agribusinesses;

(ii) include an annual formal statistical release; and

(iii) recommend what steps need to be taken to establish and maintain a public register of foreign ownership of agricultural land and agribusiness;

(b)  task the Productivity Commission, on the receipt of the initial ABS data, to:

(i)  review foreign ownership of agricultural land and agribusiness, with an evaluation of its contribution to the national interest in terms of economic development, food and water security, and agricultural sustainability; and

(ii) recommend how the foreign investment policy on agricultural land and agribusiness should be modified, if necessary, to ensure the optimum outcomes for economic development and the national interest, including whether the Government needs to:

• lower the threshold for notification to the Foreign Investment Review Board for rural land and agribusiness acquisitions;
• introduce a national interest test for food security ; and
• ensure that foreign entities do not establish monopoly or near monopoly positions in key sectors.

(2)  commit to establishing a Joint Parliamentary Committee to consider the information provided by the ABS, ABARE and the, Productivity Commission, taking into account public concern in this area. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 8 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. On Wednesday 9 February 2011, the Selection Committee recommended that this order of the day be voted on. )

4   Violence in Western Sahara: Resumption of debate ( from 21 February 2011 ) on the motion of Ms Saffin—That this House:

(1)   notes that the Government:

(a)  deeply regrets recent reports of violence in Western Sahara, and allegations of human rights violations with respect to Western Sahara;

(b) urges parties to uphold international human rights standards, and to maintain their resolve to work peacefully through these issues in the United Nations led process currently underway;

(c) strongly supports the efforts of the United Nations to find an enduring and mutually acceptable settlement in relation to Western Sahara;

(d) welcomes progress made during the third round of informal talks here on 8-9 November in New York between Morocco and the Polisario Front, facilitated by the United Nations Secretary General's Personal Envoy Christopher Ross, including agreement to further informal talks later in 2010;

(e) calls on the parties to continue to work through these issues in the United Nations process underway; and

(f) hopes the next round of informal talks, scheduled for December 2010, will make further progress; and

(2)  fully supports:

(a)  the efforts of the United Nations Secretary General, his Special Envoy, and the United Nations to find an enduring settlement to the Western Sahara issue; and

(b) these concerns, calls, hopes and actions. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 8 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

5   Coptic Orthodox community of Egypt: Resumption of debate ( from 21 February 2011 ) on the motion of Ms Vamvakinou—That this House:

(1) condem ns the New Year’s Day attack on the Al-Qiddissin Church, the Church of the Two Saints, in Alexandria, Egypt;

(2) acknowledges the historical role of the Coptic Orthodox community of Egypt;

(3) expresses its condolences to all victims of violence and terrorism;

(4) reaffirms the Australian Government's call for fundamental political reform in Egypt and the protection of the rights of all Egyptian citizens; and

(5) recognises:

(a) the contributions made by the Coptic Orthodox community of Australia under the leadership of His Grace Bishop Suriel of the Coptic Orthodox Church Diocese of Melbourne and Affiliated Regions;

(b) the value and role of interfaith dialogue in building a diverse and harmonious society; and

(c) the value of democratic rights and the right to freedom of religion and culture. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 8 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

6   Australian arts community: Resumption of debate ( from 21 February 2011 ) on the motion of Mr Perrett—That this House:

(1) recognises the conclusion of a great television police drama, The Bill , and thanks the ABC for its long standing commitment to the program;

(2) acknowledges that since 1983, The Bill , has kept many of us from fully engaging with the broader Australian arts community on a Saturday night;

(3) recognises the broad contribution that our local arts make to Australian society and culture;

(4) reaffirms our commitment to the arts and to engaging with our local performers, artists and writers (particularly on our now Bill -less Saturday nights); and

(5) calls on the Minister for the Arts to lead Australia into a new era of artistic development and excellence and for all Australians to better support their local live performances. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 8 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

7   Tourism funding: Resumption of debate ( from 21 February 2011 ) on the motion of Mr Baldwin—That this House:

(1) condemns the Rudd-Gillard Government for:

(a)  reducing funding for Tourism Australia at a time when the high Australian dollar is putting pressure on local tourism operators; and

(b) increasing business costs for local tourism operators through:

(i) higher tourism taxes;

(ii) the bungled award modernisation; and

(iii) additional superannuation guarantee payments which will be entirely funded by employers; and

(2) calls on the Rudd-Gillard Government to match the Coalition’s commitment to increase tourism funding by $100 million to:

(a) focu s on high-yielding business events tourists;

(b) build stronger research foundations;

(c) encourage tourism infrastructure and product development; and

(d) boost domestic tourism marketing. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 8 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. On Wednesday 9 February 2011, the Selection Committee recommended that this order of the day be voted on. )

8   Public libraries: Resumption of debate ( from 21 February 2011 ) on the motion of Mr Hayes—That this House:

(1) notes the importance of public libraries in communities across Australia;

(2) recognises that:

(a) various state-based research provides clear evidence of the contribution and value of public libraries in terms of the triple bottom line: economic, environmental and social impact; and

(b) recognises that libraries provide access to information technology, research, educational resources and recreational materials for many people who otherwise could not afford them;

(3) congratulates public library staff for their commitment to facilitating life long learning in the community;

(4) supports the wide availabilit y of public library collections as a way to help address disadvantage by ensuring free and equitable access to collections for all community members;

(5) notes that in 2008-09, 7.7 million Australians visited a library and the total asset value of library collections in this country was $4.3 billion;

(6) expresses concern over the action instigated by Liverpool City Council to investigate the viability of closing Green Valley, Miller, Moorebank and Casula public libraries; and

(7) specifically notes the community outrage and concern as a result of this decision, giving regard to the proven benefits of local public libraries as noted above. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 8 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

9   Defence housing as an immigration detention facility: Resumption of debate ( from 21 February 2011 ) on the motion of Mr Robert—That this House:

(1)  notes that:

(a)  Defence Housing Australia (DHA) is the professional manager of Defence houses;

(b) the Department of Defence still retains over 1650 homes that have not been handed over to DHA; and

(c) the Government is using some of these 1650 homes, notably over 50 at Inverbrackie, as a detention facility to house Irregular Maritime Arrivals (IMA), rather than Defence families; and

(2) calls on the Government to:

(a)  cease using Defence housing as an immigration detention facility;

(b) hand over all houses managed by the Department of Defence to DHA; and

(c) categorically state that it will not acquire the homes of Defence families for the purpose of housing the ever increasing number of IMA arriving in Australia as a result of the Government's soft border protection policies. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 8 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. On Wednesday 9 February 2011, the Selection Committee recommended that this order of the day be voted on. )

10   Security in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo: Resumption of debate ( from 21 February 2011 ) on the motion of Ms A. E. Burke—That this House:

(1) notes:

(a) the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to suffer from high levels of poverty, insecurity, and a culture of impunity, in which illegal armed groups and military forces continue to commit widespread human right abus es;

(b) that, according to a study by the International Rescue Committee released in January 2008, conflict and related humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo have resulted in the deaths of an estimated 5 400 000 people since 1998, and continue to cause as many as 45 000 deaths each year; and

(c) the mismanagement and illicit trade of extractive resources from the Democratic Republic of Congo supports conflict between militias and armed domestic factions in neighbouring countries; and

(2 ) calls on the Government to promote peace and security in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo by supporting efforts of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, civil society groups, and the international community to monitor and stop commercial activities involving natural resources that contribute to illegal armed groups and human rights violations. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 8 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

11   Proposed amendments to the Family Law Act 1975 : Resumption of debate ( from 21 February 2011 ) on the motion of Mr Neumann—That this House:

(1)  notes that in 2006, the Howard Government made sweeping changes to the Family Law Act 1975 in parenting matters, and that these changes:

(a)  elevated the rights of parents above the need to protect children; and

(b) have been analysed and criticised in the following reports:

(i)  Family Courts violence review by Professor Richard Chisholm, former Justice of the Family Court;

(ii)  Evaluation of the family law reforms by the Australian Institute of Family Studies; and

(iii)  Improving responses to family violence in the family law system by the Family Law Council;

(2)  acknowledges that on 11 November 2010, the Hon. Robert McClelland, Attorney-General, released a draft bill Family Law Amendment (Family Violence) Bill 2010 (the Bill) for public consultation open to 14 January 2011, proposing amendments to the Family Law Act 1975 to provide better protection for children and families at risk of violence;

(3) supports the Federal Labor Government in taking steps to protect children from abuse, neglect and family violence; and

(4) urges the Federal Labor Government to proceed with the Bill to ensure that the best interest of the child is the paramount consideration in all court proceedings in relation to children. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 8 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

12   Paid Parental Leave (Reduction of Compliance Burden for Employers) Amendment Bill 2010 ( Mr Billson ) : Second reading—Resumption of debate ( from 22 November 2010 ). ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 7 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. On Thursday 25 November 2010, the Selection Committee recommended that this order of the day be voted on. )

13   white ribbon day: Resumption of debate ( from 22 November 2010 ) on the motion of Mr Hayes—That this House:

(1) notes that 25 November marks White Ribbon Day, the symbol of the United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women;

(2) recognises that White Ribbon Day aims to preven t violence against women by increasing public awareness and education by challenging the attitudes and behaviours that allow violence to continue;

(3) asks all Australian men to challenge these attitudes and behaviours, so that we can begin to drive real change in our community;

(4) asks all Australian men to join the ‘My Oath Campaign’ and take the oath: I swear never to commit, excuse or remain silent about violence against women;

(5) notes with concern that one in three women will experience physical violence, and one in five will experience sexual violence over their lifetime;

(6) understands that domestic and family violence are primary causes of homelessness;

(7) acknowledges the cost of violence against women and their children to the Australian economy was estimated to be $13.6 billion in 2008-09, and if we take no action to shine a light on this violence, that cost will hit an estimated $15.6 billion by 2021-22; and

(8) asks all Members to show that they are challenging violence against women by wearing a white ribbon or wristband on White Ribbon Day. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 7 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

14   national curriculum: Resumption of debate ( from 22 November 2010 ) on the motion of Mr Pyne—That this House:

(1) expresses its conc ern that the Government’s deadline to have the national curriculum available for implementation from January 2011 will result in a substandard curriculum; and

(2) requires the Government to delay the implementation of the national curriculum until January 2012 for K-10 in the areas of English, maths, science and history. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 7 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. On Wednesday 24 November 2010, the Selection Committee recommended that this order of the day be voted on. )

15   united nations convention on the rights of the child: Resumption of debate ( from 22 November 2010 ) on the motion of Ms Parke—That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) on 17 December 2010 Australia will celebrate the 20 ^th anniversary of the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child;

(b) the Convention on the Rights of the Child is an attempt to ensure that children everywhere have the best opportunity in life regardless of where they live, their race or gender, including the right to go to school, to have access to shelter and food, to play and to have their opinions heard and respected; and

(c) there has been significant progress in that 10 000 fewer children die per day than they did twenty years ago but there are still 8 million children dying each year before their fifth birthdays of causes that are easily preventable through such simple and inexpensive measures as insecticide-treated mosquito nets, vaccinations, breast-feeding for six months, clean water and sanitation;

(2) applauds the work done for the benefit of children internationally by United Nations age ncies, in particular UNICEF (the United Nations Children’s Fund), and Non Government Organisations, such as World Vision, Save the Children and Marie Stopes International;

(3) notes that while on the whole children in Australia fare better than children in other parts of the world, there remains significant issues to be tackled in Australia including child abuse and neglect, youth homelessness and the disadvantage suffered by indigenous children;

(4) applauds the work done for the benefit of Australian ch ildren by the National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, as well as the Australian Human Rights Commission and Child Commissioners in the States and Territories;

(5) welcomes the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009-2020 as endorsed at the Council of Australian Governments meeting on 30 April 2009; and

(6) calls upon the Federal Government to further consider:

(a) incorporating the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Federal legislation; and

(b) appoi nting a National Commissioner for Children. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 7 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

16   Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: Resumption of debate ( from 22 November 2010 ) on the motion of Mr Sidebottom—That this House:

(1)  acknowledges the Government's recent increased commitment to the replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which:

(a) increased the previous commitment of $145 million in 2008-10, to $210 million for the 2011-13 period;

(b) recognised the importance of the Global Fund in the treatment and prevention of AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the three major infectious diseases;

(c) acknowledges the Global Fund as a highly effective funding mechanism for promoting global health and preventing 5.7 million deaths from AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in some of the world poorest countries; and

(d) recognises the need to better fund the work of the Global Fund to deliver increases in the provision of antiretroviral therapy, tuberculosis treatment, long lasting insecticidal nets to prevent malaria, and treatment of women for mother-to-child transmission of HIV; and

(2)  urges all aid donor countries in the world to fund their fair share of the global amount required by the Fund, which is estimated to be $20 billion over the next three years. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 7 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

17   Daw Aung San Suu Kyi: Resumption of debate ( from 22 November 2010 ) on the motion of Ms Saffin—That this House:

(1) w elcomes, on behalf of the Australian people, the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest;

(2) congratulates the Burmese pro-democracy movement for its steadfast resistance to military rule and ongoing campaign for democracy;

(3) calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the more than 2000 political prisoners still detained in Burma;

(4) calls upon Burmese authorities to embark on a genuine process of national reconciliation and engage in dialogue with all of Burma's ethnic groups; and

(5) calls on the Australian Government to:

(a)  make the most of this opportunity to bring about lasting reform for Burma and its people;

(b) reinforce the campaign for political reform in Burma with increased engagement through government and diplomatic channels;

(c) maintain efforts to enforce a universal arms embargo against Burma; and

(d) support at the highest levels of Government the efforts of Aung San Suu Kyi and her colleagues to restore democracy and peace. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 7 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

18   Population growth: Resumption of debate ( from 22 November 2010—Mr Alexander , in continuation ) on the motion of Mr Ripoll—That this House:

(1) the Intergenerational Report predicts Australia’s population may reach 35.9 million by 2050;

(2) population growth continues to be centred around Australia’s capital cities;

(3) the electorate of Oxley contains parts of Ipswich East, one of the statistical areas that has seen the largest population increases in Australia between 2004 and 2009;

(4) continuing population growth is placing pressure on the sustainability of Australian cities and the lifestyles of their residents;

(5) a ‘business as usual’ approach to planning and development will no longer be sufficient for the future needs of Australian cities;

(6) building Sustainable Cities must become a policy priority for all levels of government; and

(7) the future sustainability of Australian cities must include a need to ‘decentralise’ the capital cities and encourage major employers, such as government department, to regional and outer urban centres. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 7 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

19   organ donation: Resumption of debate ( from 15 November 2010 ) on the motion of Ms Brodtmann—That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) organ donor rates are showing slow and sustained improvement in 2010;

(b) more than 98 per cent of Australians agree that organ and tissue donation have the potential to save and improve lives, yet less than 60 per cent of Australians accept the invitation for their loved ones to become organ donors when asked;

(c) there a re more than 1700 Australians on the transplant waiting list at any time;

(d) many more Australians cannot get into waiting lists as they are too sick or unlikely to receive a life saving transplant because there are not enough donors; and

(e) the Government has invested more than $150 million over four years to establish a coordinated approach to organ donation, enabling all jurisdictions to work cooperatively to support sustained improvements in organ donation in Australia; and

(2) acknowledges:

(a) t he selfless act of the 228 donor families who have already donated organs in 2010 (to 30 September), which has saved or improved the lives of at least 683 Australians;

(b) the work undertaken across jurisdictions led by the National Medical Director of the Australian Organ and Tissue Authority, State and Territory Medical Directors and clinical groups to develop nationally consistent protocols and clinical triggers;

(c) the support of community groups such as Gift of Life, Kidney Health Australia, Transplant Australia, the Organ Donation and Transplant Foundation of Western Australia and the David Hookes Foundation, which are integral in supporting the work of clinicians in improving organ donor rates; and

(d) the importance of a steady and sustained improvement in organ donor rates to support Australia’s quest to become a world leader in organ and tissue donation and transplantation. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 6 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

20   human rights in iran: Resumption of debate ( from 15 November 2010 ) on the motion of Mr Neumann—That this House:

(1)  notes with deep concern the ongoing human rights violations in Iran, including the:

(a)  use of the death penalty, especially the use of stoning as a method of execution;

(b) violations of the rights of women;

(c) repeated violations of due process of law;

(d) use of violence, intimidation and arbitrary arrest to suppress peaceful opposition activity and the impact this has on the ability of Iranians to exercise their freedom of expression, association and assembly;

(e) reported arbitrary arrest and detention, and torture of opposition protestors;

(f) discrimination against and failure to protect the rights of minorities, including the Bahá’í, Sufi, Baluch, and Kurdish communities; and

(g) trial and reported sentencing of seven Bahá’í leaders—Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie, Mahvash Sabet, Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Vahid Tizfahm—for insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic Republic; and

(2) calls upon the G overnment of the Islamic Republic of Iran to:

(a)  ensure that the rights of all individuals are fully protected, without discrimination, and that it fulfils its obligations to its own citizens as set out in the Iranian constitution;

(b) abide by its international human rights obligations, including the rights to freedom of religion or belief as set out in Article 18 of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights; and

(c) ensure that all trials, including the case of the seven Bahá’í leaders, are fair and transparent and conducted in accordance with Iran's international obligations. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 6 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

21   pensions: Resumption of debate ( from 25 October 2010 ) on the motion of Mr Adams—That this House:

(1) notes that pensions must keep pace with the cost of living;

(2) recognises the significance and importance of the Labor G overnment’s $14 billion reform of the pension system after over 11 years of Coalition inaction;

(3) understands that when there is a Commonwealth pension rise, some of it is likely to be absorbed into pensioners’ rising living costs, often as a result of States and Territories lifting housing rents and power costs;

(4) notes the danger that pension ers are at risk of becoming impoverished if State and Territory governments do not allow the benefits of pension increases to flow through to pensioners; and

(5) demands that all State and Territory Governments commit to permanently quarantining last September’s pension rise, in the calculation of pensioners’ public housing rent levels and other State and Territory government controlled costs. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 6 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

22   surf life saving australia: Resumption of debate ( from 25 October 2010 ) on the motion of Mr Lyons—That this House:

(1) a cknowledges and congratulates the over 153 000 volunteer members and staff of Surf Life Saving Australia;

(2) notes that:

(a) Surf Life Saving Australia faces many challenges in looking after the nation’s largest and most popular playground, our beaches, with over 100 million beach visitations each year; and

(b) in its 103 years of service, Surf Life Saving Australia is defying trends by increasing volunteer numbers, which is a great reflection of an organisation strongly connected to unique Aussie lifestyle, culture and adaptability;

(3) supports Surf Life Saving Australia’s efforts in advocating for nationally consistent standards for coastal safety services, systems and signage;

(4) acknowledges Surf Life Saving Australia’s international aid and development programs in 25 countries, mainly in the Asia Pacific region, playing its part in showcasing the nation’s global goodwill; and

(5) supports the establishment of bi-partisan ‘Friends of Surf Life Saving’ amongst Members of Parliament and Senators, providing the opportunity for Surf Life Saving Australia to keep the country’s leaders informed about the humanitarian, social and economic value of Surf Life Saving Australia to the Australian community. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 6 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

23   national carers week: Resumption of debate ( from 25 October 2010 ) on the motion of Ms Owens—That this House:

(1) recognises:

(a) that the week of 17 to 23 October was National Carers Week;

(b) that there are more than 2.6 million carers in Australia;

(c) the caring role is one of immense social and economic va lue, with carers being the foundation of our health, aged, palliative and community care systems;

(d) as health care increasingly moves away from ‘institutional’ settings into the home and community, family carers shoulder greater responsibility for managing complex conditions and providing the emotional and physical support for the person for whom they are caring;

(e) without carers, no future health or community care system will be able to respond to changing demographics and health needs, clinical practices and societal influences, in the long term;

(f) the Government’s practical measures to improve the lives of carers through significant reforms across the disability, health, mental health and aged care service systems, including:

(i) delivering a $6 0 a fortnight increase to the base pension plus an increase of $5 a fortnight in the new Pension Supplement for carers receiving the maximum single rate of Carer Payment (a total increase of around $100 per fortnight, after indexation increases from 20 March);

(ii) guaranteeing the certainty of an annual ongoing Carers Supplement of $600 for each person cared for, benefiting around 500 000 carers;

(iii) overhauling the complex and restrictive eligibility requirements for Carer Payment (Child);

(iv) significantly boosting funding to the State and Territory governments for specialist disability services including supported accommodation, in-home care and respite; and

(v) commissioning the Productivity Commission to examine the feasibility, costs and benefits of a National Long Term Disability Care and Support Scheme; and

(2) calls on the Government to renew its commitment to carers in this Parliament and to exercise all instruments of policy to support carers in their vital work. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 6 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

24   cord blood donations: Resumption of debate ( from 25 October 2010 ) on the motion of Mrs D'Ath—That this House recognises:

(1) that many lives have been saved through the research and the use of orga n and blood donations throughout Australia;

(2) that one form of donation is cord blood from the umbilical cord and placenta, and that:

(a) research has shown that his blood is a rich source of blood forming stem cells known as haemopoietic stem cells;

(b) the use of these cells for transplantation to a sufferer of leukaemia, lymphoma, and some tumours, provides the best chance for a cure; and

(c) recent research has established that umbilical cord blood stem cells can demonstrate plasticity, suggesting a role for them in the treatment of diseases such as diabetes, cerebral vascular disease, and Parkinson’s disease;

(3) that the collection of umbilical cord blood cells for research and for processing is a safe and non-invasive procedure, and that this p rocedure does not involve the destruction of an embryo given that the umbilical cord and placenta are usually discarded as waste;

(4) that the collection of umbilical cord blood is not available in all States and Territories or hospitals throughout Australia, and that:

(a) the collection, processing and storage of umbilical cord blood requires specialised techniques by appropriately trained and accredited professionals; and

(b) based on limitations on the collection centres that currently exist, not all permissions for donations given by women at existing collection centres results in the actual collection of the cord blood;

(5) that the Federal Government already funds the Australian National Cord Blood Collection Network;

(6) the great work being don e by the Australian National Cord Blood Collection Network, AusCord, the Australian national network of umbilical cord blood banks and cord blood collection centres; and

(7) that refocused cord blood collection and banking strategies that enable greater matching of donations to those people who need them would increase the clinical value of Australia’s cord blood collection. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 6 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

25   telstra’s grafton call centre: Resumption of debate ( from 18 October 2010 ) on the motion of Ms Saffin—That this House:

(1) notes with grave concern:

(a) Telstra’s stated proposal to close its Business Call Centre in Grafton, with the loss of 108 local jobs, and the relocation of some of these jobs to Brisbane and Melbourne;

(b) the damaging flow on effect to a regional economy from such sig nificant job cuts;

(c) the perception that Telstra is abandoning regional Australia; and

(d) Telstra’s claim that it can improve customer service while carrying out a program of job cuts;

(2) acknowledges the Clarence Valley community’s strong support for the campaign to save local Telstra jobs evidenced by the actions of Mayor Richie Williamson, the Grafton Chamber of Commerce and the 5559 people who signed my petition calling for Telstra to keep the Call Centre open, and not abandon regional Australia; and

(3) calls upon Telstra’s Chief Executive Officer David Thodey to stop the closure of the Grafton Call Centre to demonstrate a commitment by Telstra to Regional Australia. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 5 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

26   forestry industry: Resumption of debate ( from 18 October 2010 ) on the motion of Mr Adams—That this House:

(1) recognises that the forestry industry is a n important part of the Australian economy but is currently in crisis;

(2) understands that it is necessary to secure the viability of forestry dependent communities and to create well paid, high skilled jobs by value adding to our natural resource;

(3) supports the process whereby the forestry unions, government, industry, environment and community groups working together will allow a complete restructure of the industry that will determine that any transition is fair and just for workers, their families and communities; and

(4) calls on the House to ensure that interim payments to those facing hardships because of the transition, and those exiting the industry, can be assisted in a timely manner. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 5 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )

27   national stroke awareness week: Resumption of debate ( from 18 October 2010—Ms O'Neill , in continuation ) on the motion of Ms Hall—That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) National Stroke Awareness Week was 13 to 19 September;

(b) sixty thousand people will suffer a stroke this year, that is, one stroke every 10 minutes;

(c) stroke is the second single greatest killer after coronary and a leading cause of disability in Australia;

(d) one in five people having a first stroke die within one month, and one in three die within one year;

(e) twenty per cent of all strokes occur in people under fifty five years of age;

(f) eighty eight per cent of stroke survivors live at home, and most have a disability;

(g) stroke kills more women than breast cancer;

(h) stroke costs Australia $2.14 billion a year, yet is preventable; and

(i) education plays an important role in reducing the occurrence of stroke; and

(2) acknowledges:

(a) the role played by the families and carers of stroke victims;

(b) the work of the National Stroke Foundation;

(c) the effectiveness of the FAST camp aign; and

(d) that prevention is the best cure. ( Order of the day will be removed from the Notice Paper unless re-accorded priority on any of the next 5 sitting Mondays after 28 February 2011. )