Senator Stott Despoja to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that:

(i)

the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Committee’s 34th session was held in New York from 16 January to 3 February 2006,

(ii)

the 34th session examined the Australian Gov-ernment’s combined fourth and fifth periodic reports on 30 January 2006, and the Australian non-government organisation (NGO) shadow report on the Implementation of CEDAW, prepared by the Women’s Rights Action Network Australia and endorsed by more than 100 organisations, on 23 January 2006,

(iii)

the shadow report acknowledged that there ‘have been clear improvements in the status of women during this reporting cycle’, but a number of challenges remain for women in Australia, particularly in the areas of violence against women, leadership and political participation, law and justice, housing and utilities, health, education, and economic security and employment, and

(iv)

the shadow report makes a number of recommendations in each of these areas, noting changes which must be implemented if CEDAW is to be fully realised in Australia;

(b)

congratulates all those involved in contributing to and compiling the Australian NGO shadow report; and

(c)

calls on the Government to implement the recommendations contained in the shadow report before the Australian Government presents its combined fifth and sixth periodic reports to the CEDAW Committee in 2008.

Senator Humphries to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 9 February 2006, from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm, to take evidence for the committee’s review of Auditor-General’s reports.

Senator Brandis to move on the next day of sitting:

That the time for the presentation of the report of the Economics Legislation Committee on the provisions of the Future Fund Bill 2005 be extended to 28 February 2006.

Senator Ellison to move on the next day of sitting:

(1)

That estimates hearings by legislation committees be scheduled as follows:

2005-06 additional estimates:

Monday, 13 February and Tuesday, 14 February and, if required, Friday, 17 February (Group A)

Wednesday, 15 February and Thursday, 16 February and, if required, Friday, 17 February (Group B).

(2)

That the committees consider the proposed expenditure in accordance with the allocation of departments to committees agreed to by the Senate.

(3)

That committees meet in the following groups:

Group A:

Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts

Finance and Public Administration

Legal and Constitutional

Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport

Group B:

Community Affairs

Economics

Employment, Workplace Relations and Education

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade.

(4)

That the committees report to the Senate on 28 March 2006 in respect of the 2005-06 additional estimates.

Senator Ellison to move on the next day of sitting:

That the continuing order relating to the allocation of departments and agencies to standing committees be amended to read as follows:

Departments and agencies are allocated to the legislative and general purpose standing committees as follows:

Community Affairs

Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

Health and Ageing

Economics

Treasury

Industry, Tourism and Resources

Employment, Workplace Relations and Education

Employment and Workplace Relations

Education, Science and Training

Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts

Environment and Heritage

Communications, Information Technology and the Arts

Finance and Public Administration

Parliament

Prime Minister and Cabinet

Finance and Administration

Human Services

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

Foreign Affairs and Trade

Defence (including Veterans’ Affairs)

Legal and Constitutional

Attorney-General

Immigration and Multicultural Affairs

Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport

Transport and Regional Services

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Senator Stott Despoja to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes the final report of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor, which:

(i)

provides a comprehensive analysis of Indonesia’s occupation of East Timor and the effect of this occupation on the Timorese people,

(ii)

reinforces the right of the people of Timor-Leste to self-determination and challenges the role of the Australian Government in delaying the recognition of that right,

(iii)

records the unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, forced displacement, detention, starvation and torture of the Timorese by Indonesian forces,

(iv)

calls for reparations from Indonesia and other members of the international community such as Australia, ‘who looked the other way’ and thus ‘bear a portion of responsibility’ for the atrocities committed, and

(v)

was delivered to the United Nations by Xanana Gusmao, the President of Timor-Leste on 20 January 2006; and

(b)

calls on the Australian Government to:

(i)

acknowledge its role in denying the people of Timor-Leste their right to self-determination and prolonging their suffering at the hands of Indonesian forces,

(ii)

offer reparations to the Government of Timor-Leste in accordance with the recommendations made in the report,

(iii)

encourage the Indonesian Government to ensure the delivery of reparations to the people of Timor-Leste, and

(iv)

recognise the importance of reparations in assisting Timor-Leste to heal the wounds of occupation and rebuild a stable, democratic and well-functioning civil society.