NOTICES

The Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (Senator Abetz): To move on the next day of sitting—That the Senate—

 (a) notes:

  (i) its decision on 23 March 2011 to acknowledge that Israel is a legitimate and democratic state and a good friend of Australia and to denounce the Israeli boycott by Marrickville Council and condemn any expansion of it,

  (ii) the response by the Leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Bob Brown, to this decision of the Senate, which was to ask that the Australian Greens' opposition to this motion be recorded,

  (iii) subsequent statements by Senator Brown that it was a mistake for the New South Wales Greens to advocate this policy and that it was neither the Federal Greens, nor his policy to boycott Israel, and

  (iv) Marrickville Council's decision on 19 April 2011 to rescind its Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) policy against Israel;

 (b) rejects the policy of the New South Wales Greens which calls on all Australians and the Australian Government to boycott Israeli goods, trading and military arrangements, and sporting, cultural and academic events;

 (c) notes with concern:

  (i) the resolution carried at the 2010 Regional Conference of the Queensland Branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) to support the BDS campaign against Israel,

  (ii) initial support for the support for the BDS campaign against Israel by four Labor councillors on Marrickville Council,

  (iii) the decision by the New South Wales ALP to preference Greens candidate and Marrickville Mayor, Fiona Byrne, in the seat of Marrickville at the New South Wales state election, and

  (iv) reports that Mr David Forde, Convenor of Labor 4A Just Palestine, who supports the BDS campaign, is a frontrunner for ALP preselection for the Queensland state seat of Stretton;

 (d) denounces support lent to the BDS campaign against Israel by the: Victorian Trades Hall Council; Geelong Trades Hall Council; Newcastle Trades Hall Council; South Coast Labour Council; Queensland Council of Unions; UnionsACT and branches of the Australian Services Union; Teachers' Union; Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union; Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union; Maritime Union of Australia; Australian Manufacturing Workers Union; Communications, Electrical, Plumbing Union; Electrical Trades Union; Finance Sector Union; Health and Community Services Union; and Rail, Tram and Bus Union;

 (e) calls on the Australian Council of Trade Unions to oppose this campaign; and

 (f) in light of events and information available to the Senate since 23 March 2011, reaffirms its decision that Israel is a legitimate and democratic state and a good friend of Australia. (general business notice of motion no. 226)

The Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Bob Brown): To move on 15 June 2011—That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to encourage healthier eating habits among children by restricting the broadcasting of advertisements for junk food, and for related purposes. Protecting Children from Junk Food Advertising (Broadcasting and Telecommunications Amendment) Bill 2011. (general business notice of motion no. 227)

The Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Bob Brown): To move on the next day of sitting—That the Senate opposes the Government's move to impose an efficiency dividend on Australia's cultural institutions such as the National Gallery of Australia, the National Library of Australia, the National Portrait Gallery and the National Museum of Australia. (general business notice of motion no. 228)

The Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Bob Brown): To move on the next day of sitting—That the following matter be referred to the Environment and Communications References Committee for inquiry and report by 12 October 2011:

The social, environmental, health, economic and legal impacts of coal seam gas mines, with particular reference to:

 (a) adverse health effects associated with coal seam gas mines;

 (b) impact of coal seam gas mines on property values;

 (c) food security and the viability of farms with coal seam gas mines;

 (d) contamination of underground water sources and soil;

 (e) the legal rights of property owners versus gas companies; and

 (f) any other relevant matters.

Senator Macdonald: To move on the next day of sitting—That the following matter be referred to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 27 January 2012:

The incidence of international child abduction to and from Australia, including:

 (a) the costs, terms and conditions of legal and Commonwealth departmental assistance for parents whose child has been abducted overseas;

 (b) the effectiveness of the Hague Convention in assisting the return of Australian citizens abducted overseas;

 (c) the roles of various Commonwealth departments involved in returning Australian citizens;

 (d) policies, practices and strategies that could be introduced to aid the return of abducted children; and

 (e) any other related matters.

Senator Bilyk: To move on the next day of sitting—That the Joint Standing Committee on Migration be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Wednesday, 15 June 2011, from 10.30 am to noon, to take evidence for the committee's inquiry into multiculturalism in Australia. (general business notice of motion no. 229)

Senator Bilyk: To move on the next day of sitting—That the Senate—

 (a) notes that:

  (i) 25 years have passed since an explosion and fire destroyed the number four reactor at the nuclear power plant at Chornobyl, on 26 April 1986,

  (ii) 28 deaths are directly attributable to the incident, although the World Health Organization estimates that thousands of additional cancer deaths, including deaths from thyroid cancer and leukaemia, may result from the incident,

  (iii) 116 000 people were immediately evacuated following the incident and another 230 000 people were relocated in subsequent years,

  (iv) an estimated 200 000 clean-up workers from the army, power plant staff, local police and fire services were initially involved in containing and cleaning up the radioactive debris during 1986-87,

  (v) more than 5 million people still live in areas of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine that were contaminated by radiation from the incident,

  (vi) Ukraine has shut down (in 1991, 1996 and 2000) the three remaining reactors at the Chornobyl site and constructed a sarcophagus over reactor number four, and

  (vii) nuclear power accounts for approximately one-third of Ukraine's electricity production, it has 15 nuclear power plants in operation and 2 under construction, and its nuclear power plant operators follow the internationally agreed nuclear safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency;

 (b) commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster; and

 (c) acknowledges the importance of nuclear safety. (general business notice of motion no. 230)

The Chair of the Finance and Public Administration References Committee (Senator Fifield): To move on the next day of sitting—That the time for the presentation of the report of the Finance and Public Administration References Committee on the
administration of health practitioner registration by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency be extended to 3 June 2011. (general business notice of motion no. 231)

The Chair of the Standing Committee of Senators' Interests (Senator Bernardi): To move on the next day of sitting—That the time for the presentation of the report of the Standing Committee of Senators' Interests on the development of a draft code of conduct for senators be extended to 7 July 2011. (general business notice of motion no. 232)

The Chair of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee (Senator Barnett): To move on the next day of sitting—That the time for the presentation of the report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee on Water Act 2007 provisions relating to the development of a Basin Plan be extended to 6 June 2011. (general business notice of motion no. 233)

The Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services (Senator Boyce): To move on the next day of sitting—That the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 12 May 2011, from 11.30 am. (general business notice of motion no. 234)

The Chair of the Environment and Communications References Committee (Senator Fisher): To move on the next day of sitting—That the Environment and Communications References Committee be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 12 May 2011. (general business notice of motion no. 235)

The Chair of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee (Senator Cameron): To move on the next day of sitting—That the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 12 May 2011. (general business notice of motion no. 236)

The Chair of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee (Senator Cameron): To move on the next day of sitting—That the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee be authorised to hold public meetings during the sittings of the Senate on Wednesday, 15 June, and Thursday, 16 June 2011, to take evidence on matters arising from consideration of the 2011-12 Budget estimates. (general business notice of motion no. 237)

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Senator Ludwig): To move on the next day of sitting—That—

 (1) On Tuesday, 14 June and 21 June 2011:

  (a) the hours of meeting shall be 12.30 pm to 8 pm;

  (b) the routine of business from 4 pm shall be valedictory statements; and

  (c) the question for the adjournment of the Senate shall be proposed at 7.20 pm.

 (2) On Wednesday, 15 June and 22 June 2011:

  (a) the hours of meeting shall be 9.30 am to 8 pm;

  (b) the routine of business from 4 pm shall be valedictory statements; and

  (c) the question for the adjournment of the Senate shall be proposed at 7.20 pm.

 (3) On Thursday, 16 June and 23 June 2011:

  (a) the hours of meeting shall be 9.30 am to 8.40 pm;

  (b) the routine of business from not later than 3.45 pm shall be:

   (i) any proposal pursuant to standing order 75, and

   (ii) government business only;

  (c) consideration of general business and consideration of committee reports, government responses and Auditor-General's reports under standing order 62(1) and (2) shall not be proceeded with;

  (d) divisions may take place after 4.30 pm; and

  (e) the question for the adjournment of the Senate shall be proposed at 8 pm.

 (4) In making valedictory statements, a senator shall not speak for more than 20 minutes.

The Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Bob Brown): To move on the next day of sitting—That the Senate supports the aspirations and rights of the Palestinian people to an independent state, living in peace and free of the threat of invasion from its neighbours. (general business notice of motion no. 238)

Senator Hanson-Young: To move on the next day of sitting—That the Senate—

 (a) condemns the Gillard Government's deal with Malaysia that would see 800 asylum seekers intercepted in Australian waters and sent to Malaysian detention camps; and

 (b) calls on the Government immediately to abandon this proposal. (general business notice of motion no. 239)