NOTICES

The Chair of the Joint Select Committee on Cyber Safety (Senator Bilyk): To move on the next day of sitting—That the Joint Select Committee on Cyber Safety be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Wednesday, 14 March 2012, from 4.15 pm. (general business notice of motion no. 652)

The Deputy Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (Senator Birmingham): To move on the next day of sitting—That the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sitting of the Senate on Tuesday, 28 February 2012, from 8 pm, followed by a private briefing. (general business notice of motion no. 653)

Senator Carol Brown: To move on the next day of sitting—That the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Wednesday, 29 February 2012, from 9.30 am to 11.30 am, to take evidence for the committee's inquiry into the Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Protecting Elector Participation) Bill 2012. (general business notice of motion no. 654)

The Chair of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee (Senator Crossin): To move on the next day of sitting—That the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 1 March 2012, from 4 pm, to take evidence for the committee's inquiry into the provisions of the Access to Justice (Federal Jurisdiction) Amendment Bill 2011. (general business notice of motion no. 655)

The Chair of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee (Senator Crossin): To move on the next day of sitting—That the time for the presentation of reports of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee be extended as follows:

 (a) Crimes Amendment (Fairness for Minors) Bill 2011—to 4 April 2012;

 (b) Migration Amendment (Removal of Mandatory Minimum Penalties) Bill 2012—to 4 April 2012; and

 (c) Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2010—to 6 June 2012. (general business notice of motion no. 656)

Senator Crossin: To move on the next day of sitting—That the Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sitting of the Senate on Tuesday, 28 February 2012, from 4 pm, followed by an in camera hearing. (general business notice of motion no. 657)

The Deputy Chair of the Joint Select Committee on Australia's Immigration Detention Network (Senator Hanson-Young): To move on the next day of sitting—That the Joint Select Committee on Australia's Immigration Detention Network be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Wednesday, 29 February 2012, from 5.30 pm. (general business notice of motion no. 658)

The Chair of the Community Affairs Legislation Committee (Senator Moore): To move on the next day of sitting—That the time for the presentation of reports of the Community Affairs Legislation Committee be extended as follows:

 (a) provisions of the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Records Bill 2011 and a related bill—to 13 March 2012; and

 (b) 2011-12 additional estimates—to 29 March 2012. (general business notice of motion no. 659)

Senator Singh: 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, 14 March 2012, from 10.30 am. (general business notice of motion no. 660)

The Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Bob Brown): To move on the next day of sitting—That there be laid on the table by 13 March 2012, by the Minister representing the Prime Minister (Senator Evans), the report undertaken by the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security into the actions of the relevant Australian agencies in relation to the arrest and detention overseas of Mr Mamdouh Habib. (general business notice of motion no. 661)

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

 (a) notes that:

  (i) the quality of our higher education contributes to Australia's social well-being and builds the skills and knowledge vital to our economic development and our place within the competitive global economy,

  (ii) demand for higher education graduates is expected to be stronger than overall employment growth over the next decade,

  (iii) Australian universities are being asked to significantly expand at a time when their income is increasingly uncertain, and when their dependence on international student fees to subsidise teaching and research is severely compromised with diminishing overseas student enrolments,

  (iv) decades of decline in public university funding has driven up student to staff ratios, increased staff workloads and dated infrastructure,

  (v) in Australia average base funding per student declined in real terms from 1994 to 2003, and only increased in 2010 to the same level as in 1994, whilst the real value of the Commonwealth contribution per student remains well below the 1994 level,

  (vi) in 2008 Australia's expenditure on tertiary education was 0.7 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), which equalled the Slovak Republic, fell well short of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 1 per cent average, and was lower than 25 out of 30 countries which spent more than Australia,

  (vii) the 2011 Lomax-Smith Higher education base funding review stated it believed `an increased level of investment per student would be required to improve the quality of higher education teaching' and to `maximise the sector's potential to contribute to national productivity and economic growth', and

  (viii) the 2008 Bradley Review of Australian higher education recommended that the Australian Government increase the base funding for teaching and learning in higher education by 10 per cent; and

 (b) calls on the Government to:

  (i) immediately increase base funding for public universities by a minimum of 10 per cent in the 2012-13 federal budget,

  (ii) position Australia ahead of the OECD average for public investment in higher education, with an initial budget increase to equal 1 per cent of Australia's GDP, the OECD average, increasing over time to take Australia's ranking on public investment in higher education from the bottom to the top of the OECD countries, and

  (iii) not increase student contributions in proportion to any increases in government base funding. (general business notice of motion no. 662)