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Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Page: 3902

Presentation

S enator Bishop to move:

That the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit be authorised to hold private meetings otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sittings of the Senate as follows:

   (a)   on Wednesday, 15 August 2012, from 11 am to 11.45 am, followed by a private briefing till 1 pm; and

   (b)   on Wednesday, 22 August 2012, from 11 am to 11.30 am, followed by private briefings till 1 pm.

Senator Cameron to move:

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, 21 June 2012, from 1 pm.

Senator Marshall to move:

That the Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Friday, 22 June 2012, from 9.30 am to 1 pm, to take evidence for the committee's inquiry into the provisions of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2012.

Senator Moore to move:

That the Community Affairs Legislation Committee and the Community Affairs References Committee be authorised to hold private meetings otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sitting of the Senate on Tuesday, 26 June 2012, from 12.30 pm.

Senator Stephens to move:

That the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 21 June 2012, from 5 pm to 7 pm.

Senator Boyce to move:

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, 28 June 2012, from 10 am.

Senator Boyce to move:

That the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Friday, 22 June 2012, from 9.30 am.

Senator Colbeck to move:

That the Select Committee on Australia's Food Processing Sector be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sitting of the Senate on Monday, 25 June 2012, from 4 pm, and on Wednesday, 27 June 2012, from 11.30 am.

Senator Heffernan to move:

That the time for the presentation of reports of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee be extended to 12 September 2012, as follows:

   (a)   management of the Murray-Darling Basin; and

   (b)   Foreign Investment Review Board national interest test.

Senators Boswell and Furner to move:

That the Senate—

   (a)   notes that:

      (i)   since 2002, Australia and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) has held nine rounds of the Australia-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue, and

      (ii)   the Australian Government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, considers the improvements in human rights in SRV 'a high priority of the Australian government'; and

   (b)   calls on the Australian Government to:

      (i)   encourage the Minister for Foreign Affairs to ensure parliamentary supervision of the Australia-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue by appointing Members to take part in the Dialogue,

      (ii)   encourage more active community awareness of the work of the Dialogue,

      (iii)   ensure Australia's overseas development aid to SRV includes a focus on promoting human rights, and

      (iv)   improve the effectiveness of the initiative by encouraging a more whole of government approach.

Senator Wright to move:

That the Senate—

   (a)   notes that:

      (i)   2012 marks the 40th anniversary of Community Legal Centres, which started with the establishment of the Fitzroy Legal Service in Melbourne, and

      (ii)   there are over 200 Community Legal Centres currently operating throughout Australia;

   (b)   recognises that:

      (i)   Community Legal Centres, and the passionate and committed lawyers and advocates working for them, provide essential legal assistance services and advocacy to some of the most marginalised and disadvantaged members of our community, and

      (ii)   Community Legal Centres remain under-resourced and continue to struggle to meet the rising demand for affordable and effective access to justice; and

   (c)   calls on the Government to conduct a comprehensive investigation of levels of demand and supply of legal assistance services, unmet need and gaps in service delivery, with a view to directing the improved use and funding of legal assistance services and consequently advancing access to justice.

Senators Rhiannon and Wright to move:

That the Senate—

   (a)   notes that:

      (i)   uniform gun laws were introduced across all states and territories following the ground-breaking work undertaken by the former Prime Minister, Mr Howard, in the aftermath of the Port Arthur massacre,

      (ii)   the New South Wales Government has sponsored a two-day 'Shot Expo' that promotes guns, knives and pistols, in conjunction with firearm manufacturers, including Beretta, a weapons supplier to the former Gaddafi regime, and

      (iii)   the New South Wales Government has given its support to a longstanding Shooter and Fishers Party plan to allow recreational hunting with firearms in designated New South Wales national parks;

   (b)   condemns the New South Wales Government's plans to allow recreational hunting with firearms in its national parks; and

   (c)   calls on:

      (i)   the Federal Government to support the adoption of a global arms trade treaty at the United Nations, and

      (ii)   the Attorney-General (Ms Roxon) to take the steps required to strengthen uniformity of Australian gun laws.

Senators Rhiannon and Moore to move:

That the Senate—

   (a)   notes that 2013 is:

      (i)   the 110th anniversary of women winning the right to vote and the right to stand in elections in Australia, and

      (ii)   the 70th anniversary of the election of the first women to the Federal Parliament; and

   (b)   encourages responsible agencies, including the Office for Women, the parliamentary departments and the Museum of Australian Democracy, to mark these anniversaries with suitable events such as displays, lectures, seminars and the updating of existing exhibitions.

Senator Cormann to move:

That the Senate condemns the Labor Government for imposing the world's biggest carbon tax on the Australian economy at the worst possible time, when the Prime Minister (Ms Gillard) promised before the 2010 election that there would be no carbon tax under a government she leads and when it will:

   (a)   push up the cost of living;

   (b)   push up the cost of doing business;

   (c)   make Australia less competitive internationally;

   (d)   cost jobs;

   (e)   result in lower real wages and cause a cumulative reduction in Australia's gross domestic product in the order of $1 trillion between now and 2050, according to the Government's own Treasury modelling; and

   (f)   shift economic activity and emissions overseas, therefore doing nothing to help reduce global emissions.

Senator Ludlam to move:

That the Senate—

   (a)   notes that inconsistent or selective application of the Consular Services Charter leaves Australian citizens in doubt about the level of assistance they may receive if facing difficulties overseas; and

   (b)   calls on the Prime Minister (Ms Gillard) to:

      (i)   ensure that the Government's efforts and engagement on behalf of Mr Julian Assange» are consistent with the highest level of support provided to other Australians in difficulty overseas, and

      (ii)   retract prejudicial statements regarding the illegality of Wikileaks' publishing endeavours, found to be groundless by the Australian Federal Police, which have the potential to seriously jeopardise the potential for any fair trial or hearing for Mr «Assange .

Senator Milne to move:

That the Senate—

   (a)   notes that:

      (i)   more than a million people have signed a petition to governments convening at the Rio + 20 summit calling on them to end fossil fuel subsidies,

      (ii)   the Rudd Government agreed at the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh in 2009 to phase-out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that cause wasteful consumption,

      (iii)   similar language is being inserted into negotiating text at the Rio conference, and

      (iv)   the Government has acknowledged that fossil fuel producers benefit from economy or sector-wide concessions; and

   (b)   calls on the Government to explain how providing concessions to fossil fuel producers is consistent with pricing greenhouse gas pollution, efforts to tackle global warming, the G20 agreement, the intent of the Rio + 20 negotiating text, and measures to build a clean energy economy.

Senators Hanson-Young and Moore to move:

That the Senate—

   (a)   notes that international trade in arms, when undertaken irresponsibly, or diverted to illicit markets, contributes to unlawful armed violence, violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, acts of genocide and other crimes against humanity, forced displacement, terrorist attacks, patterns of organised and violent crime and corrupt practices;

   (b)   affirms that an effective arms trade treaty would strengthen the rule of law, peace and peace-building processes, human security, poverty reduction initiatives and prospects for sustainable socio-economic development;

   (c)   acknowledges:

      (i)   that a robust arms trade treaty would assist to reduce the extensive loss of human life and livelihoods caused by illegal weapons while at the same time not impeding the operation of the legitimate global arms trade as carried out with full respect for the rule of law and international legal obligations and standards, and

      (ii)   the important role that Australia has played as a co-author of every United Nations resolution on an arms trade treaty since 2006 and can continue to play as a champion of a robust, comprehensive and legally binding instrument;

   (d)   calls on states to adopt a treaty:

      (i)   at the United Nations in July 2012, whereby international transfers of arms will not be authorised if there is a substantial risk that the weapons will be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international human rights law or international humanitarian law, or will seriously impair poverty reduction or socio-economic development,

      (ii)   that covers a comprehensive scope of conventional arms, including ammunition, small arms and light weapons, as well as a wide range of trade activities, including transfers and transhipments, and

      (iii)   that includes mechanisms to ensure full implementation, including transparent reporting, international cooperation, compliance and accountability; and

   (e)   notes the important contribution of non-government organisations, including Amnesty International, Oxfam and the International Committee of the Red Cross, in working towards the achievement of an effective and robust global arms trade treaty.