Senator Ronaldson to move on the next day of sitting:

That the time for the presentation of the report of the Economics Committee on private equity markets be extended to 16 August 2007.

Senator Faulkner to move on the next day of sitting:

That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Defence all documents including briefs to ministers concerning complaints and allegations made in 1997 and 1998 about substandard maintenance on Navy ships and the likely risks of harm, particularly with respect to the safety of HMAS Westralia, as well as responses and results of any investigations into those complaints and allegations subsequently conducted.

Senator Murray to move on the next day of sitting:

That general business order of the day no. 16 relating to the Public Interest Disclosure (Protection of Whistleblowers) Bill 2002 [2004] be discharged from the Notice Paper.

Senator Nettle to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate:

(a)

notes that:

(i)

the respected British Broadcasting Corporation journalist Alan Johnston was abducted whilst on assignment in the Gaza Strip more than 3 months ago and his whereabouts remains unknown,

(ii)

the Army of Islam group has claimed responsibility for that abduction, and

(iii)

all factions in the Palestinian Parliament, including the Fatah and Hamas factions, have condemned the abduction; and

(b)

calls on the Australian Government to:

(i)

express its concern about the plight of Mr Johnston to the Palestinian authorities,

(ii)

use whatever influence it may have with the Palestinian authorities to secure the safe return of Mr Johnston, and

(iii)

use whatever influence it may have in the region to ensure that the release of Mr Johnston does not add to the bloodshed in the Palestinian territories.

Senator Stephens to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate:

(a)

notes that:

(i)

an estimated one million children are driven into the multi-billion dollar commercial sex trade every year,

(ii)

more than 100 countries are parties to the United Nations (UN) ‘Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography’, which opposes the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and requires those offering or delivering or accepting children for the purposes of sexual exploitation, organ harvesting or forced labour to be punished,

(iii)

while Australia ratified the optional protocol on 8 January 2007, some countries in our region that receive aid from Australia have signed the optional protocol but are yet to ratify it, while others are yet to sign the document, and

(iv)

poverty is a key driver in fuelling child and adult trafficking; and

(b)

calls on the Federal Government to:

(i)

encourage countries in the region to sign to and ratify the UN ‘Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children’ on Trafficking and implement its requirements,

(ii)

increase support for poverty alleviation programs directly targeted to assist poor communities particularly affected by people trafficking, and

(iii)

enhance its responses to the needs of victims of trafficking into Australia by improving support services and access to visas and by assisting the repatriation of those who wish to return to their country of origin.