Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Ferguson, we will refer Senator Fielding’s notice of motion to the President for consideration and report back.

The amended notice of motion read as follows—

That the Senate:

(a)

notes that:

(i)

4 years ago more than 100 fishermen in Queensland had criminal convictions recorded against them and were each fined $2 500 for innocently dropping a fishing line in water which is part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, and

(ii)

2 years ago the Federal Government downgraded the offence to an infringement with a $1 100 fine and no criminal conviction, however, the fishermen still have a criminal conviction recorded against their name; and

(b)

calls on the Federal Government to fix this anomaly by making sure these fishermen are given a pardon and do not have the permanent stain of a criminal record to their names.

Notice amended by Mr President pursuant to standing order 76.

Senator Siewert to move on 28 August 2008:

That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to repeal the Building and Construction Industry Improvement Act 2005 and the Building and Construction Industry Improvement (Consequential and Transitional) Act 2005. Building and Construction Industry (Restoring Workplace Rights) Bill 2008.

Senators Hanson-Young, Bob Brown, Siewert and Xenophon to move on the next day of sitting:

(1)

That the following matters be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee for inquiry and report no later than 30 September 2008:

(a)

the volume of water which could be provided into the Murray-Darling system to replenish the Lower Lakes and Coorong;

(b)

options for sourcing and delivering this water, including:

(i)

possible incentive and compensation schemes for current water holders who participate in a once-off voluntary contribution of water to this national emergency,

(ii)

alternative options for the acquisition of sufficient water,

(iii)

likely transmission losses and the most efficient and effective strategies to manage the delivery of this water,

(iv)

Commonwealth powers to obtain and deliver water and possible legislative or regulative impediments, and

(v)

assessment of the potential contribution of bringing forward irrigation infrastructure spending under the Council of Australian Governments agreement to deliver water to save the Coorong and Lower Lakes;

(c)

the impact of any water buybacks on rural and regional communities and Adelaide including compensation and structural adjustment; and

(d)

any other related matters.

(2)

That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee for inquiry and report no later than 4 December 2008:

The implications for the long-term sustainable management of the Murray Darling Basin system, with particular reference to:

(a)

the adequacy of current whole-of-basin governance arrangements under the Intergovernmental Agreement;

(b)

the adequacy of current arrangements in relation to the implementation of the Basin Plan and water sharing arrangements;

(c)

long-term prospects for the management of Ramsar wetlands including the supply of adequate environmental flows;

(d)

the risks to the basin posed by unregulated water interception activities and water theft;

(e)

the ability of the Commonwealth to bind state and territory governments to meet their obligations under the National Water Initiative;

(f)

the adequacy of existing state and territory water and natural resource management legislation and enforcement arrangements; and

(g)

the impacts of climate change on the likely future availability of water.

Senator Siewert to move on 1 September 2008:

That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to prohibit the addition of synthetic trans fatty acids to food, and for related purposes. Food Safety (Trans Fats) Bill 2008.

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

That the Senate—

(a)

recognises that the desalination plant planned for Victoria’s Bass Coast near Phillip Island:

(i)

will produce 1.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases annually during construction and a further 1.2 million tonnes annually during operation,

(ii)

will discharge 280 billion litres of saline concentrate effluent into the ocean annually,

(iii)

may adversely affect several nationally protected species including the orange-bellied parrot, the growling grass frog and the giant Gippsland earthworm, and

(iv)

may damage the rocky reef habitat directly off the proposed plant site and Aboriginal artefacts; and

(b)

notes, amongst other options, that the installation of rain water tanks in every Melbourne property would save an estimated 50 billion litres of water a year with no such environmental cost.

Senator Fielding to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2008 be referred to the Environment, Communications and the Arts Committee for inquiry and report by 10 November 2008.