Senator Bob Brown to move on the next day of sitting:

That the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs Committee for inquiry and report by 12 June 2007:

The role of the Exclusive Brethren, including its leadership, in:

(a)

breaching Australian Family Court agreements and denying access by ex-Brethren parents to their children;

(b)

ex-communicating family members;

(c)

prohibiting children from their Australian right to a university education;

(d)

banning unions from Exclusive Brethren workplaces;

(e)

discriminating against women in Australia;

(f)

the use of public monies; and

(g)

any related matters.

Senator Nettle to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate:

(a)

notes the rising tide of public protest in support of a fair go for Mr David Hicks who has been detained for 1 890 days; and

(b)

calls on the Government to return Mr Hicks to Australia to face justice.

Senator Milne to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes:

(i)

that the Marrickville Council in Sydney has adopted the Oil Depletion Protocol which seeks to address the impact of peak oil by steadily reducing oil usage, and

(ii)

the council will reduce its oil usage by 3 per cent per year; and

(b)

calls on the Government:

(i)

to adopt the Oil Depletion Protocol to reduce Australia’s dependence on oil and ensure an orderly restructure of the economy and society for the post-oil era, and

(ii)

encourage state and local governments to adopt the protocol and reduce oil usage.

Senator Nettle to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that:

(i)

the internationally significant Ramsar-listed wetlands, the Macquarie Marshes in New South Wales are dying because of a lack of water,

(ii)

water for cotton irrigation upstream on the Macquarie River has been over-allocated and has starved the Macquarie Marshes of water, specifically the periodic flooding necessary for the marsh flora and fauna to survive, and

(iii)

if there is not a substantial flood in the Macquarie Marshes in the near future, a substantial area of the marsh will be permanently damaged; and

(b)

calls on the Government to:

(i)

prioritise, for immediate buy-back, the over-allocation of water licences on the Macquarie River, and

(ii)

ensure that a substantial and immediate environmental flow to save the marshes is allocated as soon as the drought breaks and water is available.

Senator Nettle to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes the statements by Clean-Up Australia Day founder, Mr Ian Kiernan, regarding the ‘absolutely frightening’ contribution of Australia’s coal exports to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change; and

(b)

calls on the Government to work with state governments to reduce coal exports and provide a just transition for workers in the coal industry.