Lyn Allison (Victoria, Australian Democrats) Share this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senators Ferris and Moore, give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that

(i)

National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Week runs from Sunday, 25 February to Sunday, 4 March 2007,

(ii)

more than 1 000 women get ovarian cancer every year,

(iii)

between 1991 and 2001 there was a 23 per cent increase in the number of new cases of ovarian cancer and other cancers of the female genital organs, and

(iv)

the relative 5 year survival rate for ovarian cancer is less than half that for breast cancer;

(b)

draws attention to the Community Affairs Committee report Breaking the silence: A national voice for gynaecological cancers which was tabled in the Senate on 19 October 2006; and

(c)

calls on the Government to implement the recommendations in the report.

Senator Watson to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit be authorised to hold public meetings during the sittings of the Senate as follows:

(a)

on Wednesday, 28 February 2007, from 11.30 am to 1 pm, to take evidence for the committee’s review of Auditor-General’s reports; and

(b)

on Thursday, 1 March and 29 March 2007, from 10.30 am to 1 pm, and Wednesday, 28 March 2007, from 11.15 am to 1.30 pm, to take evidence for the committee’s inquiry into financial reporting and equipment acquisition at the Department of Defence and the Defence Materiel Organisation.

Senator Humphries to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Community Affairs Committee be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 1 March 2007, from 3.30 pm, to take evidence for the committee’s inquiry into the provisions of the Aged Care Amendment (Security and Protection) Bill 2007.

Senator Payne to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 1 March 2007, from 4.30 pm, to take evidence for the committee’s inquiry into the provisions of the AusCheck Bill 2006.

Senator O’Brien to move on the next day of sitting:

That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee for inquiry and report by the first sitting day in June 2007:

An examination of the effect on regional and rural Australia of the Government’s February 2007 decision to phase-out Non-Forestry Managed Investment Schemes, including:

(a)

the effect on jobs and investment in rural and regional Australia;

(b)

the identity of agricultural industries which will be most affected;

(c)

the regional and rural communities which will be most affected;

(d)

the effect on exports; and

(e)

the merits of maintaining Non-Forestry Managed Investment Schemes and alternatives to the Government’s decision.

Senator Murray to move on 1 March:

That the following matters be referred to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee for inquiry and report by 14 August 2007:

(a)

a review of Commonwealth statutory exemptions provided to religious or other organisations, or individual members thereof, on the grounds of religion, belief or conscience;

(b)

whether such Commonwealth statutory exemptions should be maintained, withdrawn or restricted, including in specific instances where they are abused or are made no longer appropriate by the conduct of individuals or organisations conflicting with the justification being provided for the exemption;

(c)

whether any religious organisation, as a result of its beliefs, prevents an adequate and productive education of minors or young persons, including at the tertiary level, contrary to the public interest;

(d)

whether statutory or administrative changes in respect of Commonwealth law or practice are necessary; and

(e)

any other relevant matters.

Senator Nettle to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes:

(i)

the growing tension between the United States of America (US) and Iran, including the military build-up in the Persian Gulf,

(ii)

the indication by US Vice President Dick Cheney, while in Sydney from 22 February to 25 February 2007, that a military strike on Iran is an option, and

(iii)

that US intelligence bases in Australia are likely to be used in any military strike on Iran; and

(b)

calls on the Government to:

(i)

support a diplomatic resolution to the crisis, and

(ii)

rule out Australian support for a military strike on Iran.

Senator Nettle to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes:

(i)

the comments on 26 February 2007 by former Family Court Chief Justice Alastair Nicholson that the Prime Minister, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Attorney-General could be charged with war crimes for insisting Mr David Hicks face trial before a United States of America military commission,

(ii)

the Federal Court case examining the Government’s breach of its protective duty to Australian citizen Mr Hicks, and

(iii)

that Mr Hicks has been detained for 1 909 days; and

(b)

calls on the Government to fulfil its duty of care and return Mr Hicks to Australia.

Senator Stephens to move on the next day of sitting:

(a)

notes:

(i)

the plight of Mr Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, a Bangladeshi journalist who is on trial for sedition, an offence punishable by death, because as editor of an English-language newspaper he has been critical of Islamic extremism and has expressed his belief in interfaith dialogue, particularly between Christians, Muslims and Jews,

(ii)

that Mr Choudhury was detained in Dhaka Central Jail in November 2003 for passport violation, was charged with sedition, interrogated and was held in prison for 17 months without legal recourse until April 2005 when he was released on bail after intervention by the United States Department of State,

(iii)

that on 6 July 2006 Mr Choudhury’s newspaper offices were bombed by an Islamic extremist organisation after the newspaper published articles in support of the Ahmadiyya Muslim minority,

(iv)

that on 18 September 2006 a Bangladeshi judge ruled that Mr Choudhury would stand trial for sedition and that his trial commenced, only to be suspended when a state of emergency was declared in Bangladesh on 11 January 2007 and a caretaker government was installed by the military on 22 January 2007,

(v)

that Mr Chouldhury’s trial has been suspended while the new government is established, and

(vi)

that the previous government admitted that there was no basis for the charges against Mr Choudhury and the Public Prosecutor testified that there was no evidence against him; and

(b)

calls on the Government of Bangladesh to:

(i)

drop all charges against Mr Choudhury,

(ii)

ensure his confiscated possessions are returned, and

(iii)

investigate those responsible for his harassment and intimidation because of his call for interfaith tolerance.