Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to present a bill for an act to repeal the Australia-Japan Foundation Act 1976, and for related purposes. (Australia-Japan Foundation (Repeal and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2006)

Mal Brough (Longman, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to present a bill for an act to amend the law relating to the child support scheme, and for related purposes. (Child Support Legislation Amendment (Reform of the Child Support Scheme—Initial Measures) Bill 2006)

to present a bill for an act to amend the law relating to social security and veterans’ entitlements, and for other purposes. (Social Security and Veterans’ Entitlements Legislation Amendment (One-off Payments to Increase Assistance for Older Australians and Carers and Other Measures) Bill 2006)

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to move:

That standing order 31 (automatic adjournment of the House) be suspended for the sitting on Thursday, 11 May 2006.

Gary Nairn (Eden-Monaro, Liberal Party, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to move:

That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, the following proposed work be referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works for consideration and report: Facilities upgrade to Shoalwater Bay training area, Rockhampton, Queensland.

Kelly Hoare (Charlton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to move:

That this House:

(1)

notes the release of a confidential document by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief, which shows the Iranian authorities continue to identify and monitor the lives of Baha’is living in Iran;

(2)

recognises the right of all people to worship freely without fear of persecution;

(3)

expresses its concern that the Government of the Islamic Republic is monitoring the activities of the Baha’i community in Iran and that Iranian newspapers and radio stations have been conducting an intense anti-Baha’i campaign, similar to those that occurred in 1955 and 1979 in the lead up to Government campaigns of persecution against the Baha’i community; and

(4)

calls upon the Government of the Islamic Republic to cease its monitoring of the Baha’i community and to desist from any campaign of persecution against Iranian Baha’is.

Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Resources, Forestry and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to move:

That this House:

(1)

acknowledge that on 16 June 2006 Australia and Japan celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the signing of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation between Australia and Japan that came into force on 20 August 1977; and

(2)

recognise that:

(a)

the Basic Treaty was a key step in helping to overcome the suspicions of the post World War Two environment and the establishment in our region of a commitment to peace and support for the United Nations; and

(b)

thirty years on Australia and Japan share a great friendship and partnership on the political, security, economic, social, cultural, environmental and development fronts.

Duncan Kerr (Denison, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to move:

That this House:

(1)

conveys its respects to His Excellency the Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran and request His Excellency to convey to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini the House’s opinion that the report of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief Concerned about Treatment of Followers of Baha’i Faith in Iran dated 20 March 2006 has raised important issues regarding the impermissible treatment of members of religious minorities; and

(2)

calls on the Government of Iran to refrain from categorising individuals according to their religions and to ensure that members of all religious minorities are free to hold and practise their religious beliefs without discrimination or fear.

Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to move:

That this House:

(1)

acknowledges that many people over 50 are computer illiterate or do not own a computer;

(2)

notes that:

(a)

telephone numbers and postal addresses for government departments are not always featured in government advertisements and e-mail addresses only are shown;

(b)

government departments do not always have their street addresses in telephone directories, resulting in the cost of a telephone call for pensioners to locate the address of the government department; and

(c)

the absence of a tenants directory in government buildings makes it difficult to locate the floor of the government department, once the street location has been found; and

(3)

calls on the Federal Government to recognise:

(a)

the difficulty older people are having in accessing information regarding the contact telephone number and location of government departments; and

(b)

older people do not have the computer skills or access to computer technology to locate government departments if e-mail addresses alone are given.

Kerry Bartlett (Macquarie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to move:

That this House:

(1)

recognises Taiwan’s:

(a)

world class health care system;

(b)

strong commitment to improved international health standards and international health security; and

(c)

proud record of medical assistance to developing countries;

(2)

notes that:

(a)

as emphasised by Dr Jong-wook Lee, Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the experience of SARS in 2003, and the ongoing threat of Avian Influenza, show the imperative of an internationally coordinated approach to international health emergencies;

(b)

in the same way that Taiwan’s containment and management efforts during the SARS epidemic in 2003 were hampered by its inability to access the expertise of the WHO, its capacity to meet the challenges of a global Avian Influenza epidemic would be similarly constrained if it continues to be denied the right to participate in the operation of the WHO;

(c)

the World Health Assembly’s (WHA) Rules of Procedure formally allow for the participation of observers in the activities of the organisation, without reference to questions of sovereignty;

(d)

the participation of observers in WHO activities is consistent with the principle of ‘universal application’, given expression in the WHO’s constitutional mandate to “advance the health of all peoples”;

(e)

there are currently six semi-permanent WHA observers, including a sovereign state (the Holy See), a quasi-state (Palestine), a political entity (the Order of Malta), and three international organisations, and thus the granting to Taiwan of observer status should not be construed as a form of political recognition;

(f)

private Members’ bills in support of Taiwan’s bid for observer status with the WHO were tabled in this House in both 2003 and 2004;

(g)

support for Taiwan’s previous bids has also come from many other governments, including the US Government, the EU, Japan and Canada at the May 2003 and 2004 Summits of the World Health Assembly in Geneva; and

(h)

there is considerable public support for Taiwan’s participation in the WHO from professional medical organisations; and

(3)

supports the participation of Taiwan in the WHA as an observer, given that such participation would allow Taiwan to more effectively contribute to international health coordination, and to better protect its 23 million people from possible trans-national health emergencies, including Avian Influenza.

Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Resources, Forestry and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to move:

That this House, in recognising support by the Australian Government, Maritime Unions and shipowners for the new International Labour Organisation consolidated Maritime Convention:

(1)

urges the Australian, State and Territory Governments to expedite recognition of the Convention by Australia; and

(2)

calls upon the Australian Government to commit:

(a)

resources to enhance compliance and enforcement measurers to ensure successful implementation of the Convention as shipping workers are amongst the most exploited in the world because of the extensive use of flag on convenience vessels; and

(b)

to cooperative processes including legislative change and resource allocation to support implementation of the Convention code as there is exhaustive documentation of violence, intimidation, double book keeping to cover up underpayment of wages and even rape and murder in the maritime industry.

to move:

That this House believes that the Australian Government should declare 3 September each year as Merchant Navy Day in Australia as a means of:

(1)

recognising the heroism of Australian seafarers in times of war;

(2)

acknowledging that during World War II, one in eight Australian merchant seafarers perished; and

(3)

noting that, in her address to the 2005 US National Maritime Day memorial service, US Secretary of Labour, Elaine L Chao, called on all Americans to honour the brave men and women who served the country, in times of war and said “American merchant mariners have a rich history in this nation… They have served in every American war since the United States was born. With their tradition of courage, patriotism and perseverance, merchant mariners have proven that they stand by this great nation no matter what the challenge. And in so doing, they have served as an inspiration to every generation of Americans.”; and

(4)

recognising the debt that all Australians owe to Australian merchant seafarers for the contribution they have made to the defence of this nation, particularly their role in the allied victory in World War II.

Jennie George (Throsby, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to move:

That this House:

(1)

notes the statement made on 20 March 2006 by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief expressing concern about the treatment of followers of the Baha’i faith in Iran;

(2)

expresses its grave concern that instructions have been issued to collect information and monitor activities of members of the Baha’i faith in Iran;

(3)

regards such action as an unacceptable interference with the rights of members of religious minorities;

(4)

fears that such monitoring could be used as the basis for persecution and discrimination against members of the Baha'i faith; and

(5)

urges the Government to pursue these concerns with our Embassy and with representatives of the Iranian Government.

Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Resources, Forestry and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to move:

That this House:

(1)

in recognising that the Australian Government terminated Australia’s Social Security agreement with the United Kingdom on 1 March 2001 in an attempt to force the U.K Government to address conditions of the agreement, notes that as a result of the Government’s decision to terminate the Agreement:

(a)

new arrivals from the UK of pension age will now need to accrue 10 year’s residence in Australia to qualify for the Australian age pension; and

(b)

former Australian residents will no longer be able to claim a non-means tested UK retirement pension using their Australian residence; and

(2)

calls on the Government to negotiate a new Agreement with the UK Government and that such an Agreement address the issue of the non-indexation of UK pensions in Australia so that the indexation of UK pensions will be of benefit to UK pensioners in Australia and Australian taxpayers.