NOTICES

The Chair of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee (Senator Sterle): To move on the next day of sitting—That the time for the presentation of the report of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee on matters specified in part (1) of the inquiry into the management of the Murray-Darling Basin system and on the Emergency Water (Murray-Darling Basin Rescue) Bill 2008 be extended to 3 October 2008. (general business notice of motion no. 218)

The Chair of the Environment, Communications and the Arts Committee (Senator McEwen): To move on the next day of sitting—That the time for the presentation of the report of the Environment, Communications and the Arts Committee on the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment (Feed-in-Tariff) Bill 2008 be extended to 10 November 2008. (general business notice of motion no. 219)

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

 (a) notes:

  (i) the claims of both the Managers of Government Business in the Senate and the House of Representatives that the Government's legislative priority for the sitting week beginning 22 September 2008 is the passage of its budget-related bills, and

  (ii) that the Government has deferred consideration of its supposed priority bills on numerous occasions throughout the past three sitting weeks; and

 (b) calls on the Government to give precedence to the following bills over other legislation:

   Tax Laws Amendment (Medicare Levy Surcharge Thresholds) Bill 2008

   Excise Legislation Amendment (Condensate) Bill 2008 and a related bill. (general business notice of motion no. 220)

Senator Humphries: To move on the next day of sitting—That the following matter be referred to the Economics Committee for inquiry and report by the first sitting day of April 2009:

The funding, planning, allocation, capital and equity of residential and community aged care in Australia, with particular reference to:

 (a) whether current funding levels are sufficient to meet the expected quality service provision outcomes;

 (b) how appropriate the current indexation formula is in recognising the actual cost of pricing aged care services to meet the expected level and quality of such services;

 (c) measures that can be taken to address regional variations in the cost of service delivery and the construction of aged care facilities;

 (d) whether there is an inequity in user payments between different groups of aged care consumers and, if so, how the inequity can be addressed;

 (e) whether the current planning ratio between community, high- and low-care places is appropriate; and

 (f) the impact of current and future residential places allocation and funding on the number and provision of community care places.

The Minister for Human Services (Senator Ludwig): To move on the next day of sitting—That—

 (1) On Thursday, 25 September 2008:

  (a) the hours of meeting shall be 9.30 am to 6.30 pm and 7 pm to adjournment;

  (b) 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;

  (c) the routine of business from 12.45 pm till not later than 2 pm, and from not later than 4.30 pm shall be government business only;

  (d) divisions may take place after 4.30 pm;

  (e) the question for the adjournment of the Senate shall be proposed when a motion for the adjournment is moved by a minister; and

  (f) if the Senate is sitting at 11 pm, the sitting of the Senate shall be suspended till 9.30 am on Friday, 26 September 2008.

 (2) On Friday, 26 September 2008:

  (a) the hours of meeting shall be 9.30 am to 3.30 pm;

  (b) the routine of business shall be:

   (i) notices of motion, and

   (ii) government business only; and

  (c) the question for the adjournment of the Senate shall be put at 3.30 pm.

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

 (a) recognises that university enrolments for 2009 are due to begin in the week beginning 28 September 2008 around the country;

 (b) notes:

  (i) the summary report, The impact of voluntary student unionism on services, amenities and representation for Australian university students, dated April 2008, that specifically highlighted the devastating impact voluntary student unionism (VSU) has had on the quality of student support services on campuses across the country,

  (ii) the alternative solutions to the current system of VSU put forward by a number of key stakeholders, including a proposal based on a combination of shared funding arrangements between students, universities and government, and

  (iii) the Government's commitment to restoring essential student services and representation; and

 (c) calls on the Minister for Education (Ms Gillard) to confirm before enrolments for the 2009 university calendar commence, that the current system of VSU will be scrapped to address the regressive impact VSU has had on student services and the educational experience, to ensure any change in legislation is in place before 2010. (general business notice of motion no. 221)

Senator Ludlam: To move on the next day of sitting—That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to repeal the Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act 2005, and for related purposes. Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management (Repeal and Consequential Amendment) Bill 2008. (general business notice of motion no. 222)

The Chairman of the Standing Committee on Regulations and Ordinances (Senator Wortley): To move 15 sitting days after today—That the Private Health Insurance (Benefit Requirements) Rules 2008 (No. 2), made under item 3A of the table in section 333-20 of the Private Health Insurance Act 2007, be disallowed.

Senator Wortley, by leave, made a statement relating to the notice of motion.

Senator Milne: To move 10 sitting days after today—That the Environmental and Natural Resource Management Guidelines in relation to the establishment of trees for the purposes of carbon sequestration, made under subsection 40-1010(3) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, be disallowed.

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

 (a) notes that:

  (i) the South African Minister of Minerals and Energy, Ms Buyelwa Sonjica, in the week beginning 21 September 2008, put on hold the mining rights previously awarded to the Australian company Mineral Commodities Limited and its South African partner Transworld Energy and Mineral Resources,

  (ii) this planned sand mining operation along a 22 kilometre stretch of coastal dunes on South Africa's wild coast would have changed the way of life of the AmaDiba people who have lived in the area for centuries, and

  (iii) such changes may cause further social conflict, forced evictions, loss of access to farmland, relocation of ancestral graves, destruction of culturally important archaeological sites and unacceptable environmental and health impacts; and

 (b) calls on the Government to investigate whether human rights abuses, violence and conflict have occurred or are occurring, as a result of this Australian company's activities and planned mining operations. (general business notice of motion no. 223)

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

 (a) notes that:

  (i) prior to the 2007 federal election the Australian Labor Party (ALP) promised to reform the Freedom of Information (FOI) process and establish an FOI Commissioner,

  (ii) at the time the ALP said that `The current FOI regime allows the Howard Government to escape real transparency and genuine accountability. For 11 years, the Howard Government has shrunk away from the light of public scrutiny and transparency - by abusing the current FOI laws',

  (iii) it took the Government 6 months to decide to release (subject to the agreement of Gunns Ltd) the report by Dr Michael Herzfeld on the potential marine impact of effluent from the Gunns' pulp mill, and

  (iv) the Government has recently refused the Senate's request for the release of the Wilkins report, Strategic Review of Climate Change Policies, citing Howard Government precedence as an excuse; and

 (b) calls on the Government:

  (i) to live up to its election promise to govern with transparency and accountability, strengthening the public interest test for access to information, and

  (ii) to update the Senate on its review of the FOI process. (general business notice of motion no. 224)