Senate debates
Thursday, 14 September 2006
Committees
Consideration
The following orders of the day relating to committee reports and government responses were considered:
Migration—Joint Standing Committee—Report—Negotiating the maze: Review of arrangements for overseas skills recognition, upgrading and licensing. Motion of Senator Kirk to take note of report called on. On the motion of Senator McEwen debate was adjourned till the next day of sitting.
ASIO, ASIS and DSD—Joint Statutory Committee—Report—Private review of agency security arrangements—Government response. Motion of Senator Ray to take note of document agreed to.
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee—Interim report—Water policy initiatives. Motion of the chair of the committee (Senator Siewert) to take note of report called on. On the motion of Senator McEwen debate was adjourned till the next day of sitting.
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee—Interim report—Australia’s future oil supply and alternative transport fuels. Motion of the chair of the committee (Senator Siewert) to take note of report called on. On the motion of Senator McEwen debate was adjourned till the next day of sitting.
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee—First progress report—Reforms to Australia’s military justice system. Motion of the chair of the committee (Senator Johnston) to take note of report called on. On the motion of Senator McEwen debate was adjourned till the next day of sitting.
Community Affairs Legislation Committee—Report—Transparent Advertising and Notification of Pregnancy Counselling Services Bill 2005. Motion of the chair of the committee (Senator Humphries) to take note of report called on. On the motion of Senator McEwen debate was adjourned till the next day of sitting.
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee—Report—National Animal Welfare Bill 2005. Motion of Senator Bartlett to take note of report called on. On the motion of Senator McEwen debate was adjourned till the next day of sitting.
Community Affairs References Committee—Report—Beyond petrol sniffing: Renewing hope for Indigenous communities. Motion of the chair of the committee (Senator Moore) to take note of report called on. On the motion of Senator McEwen debate was adjourned till the next day of sitting.
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade—Joint Standing Committee—Report—Expanding Australia’s trade and investment relations with North Africa. Motion of the chair of the committee (Senator Ferguson) to take note of report agreed to.
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade—Joint Standing Committee—Report—Australia’s defence relations with the United States. Motion of the chair of the committee (Senator Ferguson) to take note of report called on. On the motion of Senator McEwen debate was adjourned till the next day of sitting.
Electoral Matters—Joint Standing Committee—Report—Funding and disclosure: Inquiry into disclosure of donations to political parties and candidates. Motion of Senator Carr to take note of report called on. On the motion of Senator McEwen debate was adjourned till the next day of sitting.
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee—Report—China’s emergence: Implications for Australia. Motion of the chair of the committee (Senator Hutchins) to take note of report called on. On the motion of Senator McEwen debate was adjourned till the next day of sitting.
Mental Health—Select Committee—First report—A national approach to mental health—from crisis to community. Motion of the chair of the committee (Senator Allison) to take note of report called on. On the motion of Senator McEwen debate was adjourned till the next day of sitting.
Legal and Constitutional References Committee—Report—Administration and operation of the Migration Act 1958. Motion of the chair of the committee (Senator Crossin) to take note of report called on. On the motion of Senator McEwen debate was adjourned till the next day of sitting.
Community Affairs References Committee—Reports—Forgotten Australians: A report on Australians who experienced institutional or out-of-home care as children—Protecting vulnerable children: A national challenge: Inquiry into Australians who experienced institutional or out-of-home care—Government responses. Motion of Senator Murray to take note of document called on. On the motion of Senator McEwen debate was adjourned till the next day of sitting.
Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
We now move to Auditor-General’s reports.
Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I wish to speak to a document.
Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
No. 11. I seek leave to address document 11, which is the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner’s report 2005—the social justice report. As was well articulated in this report by Tom Calma, the Social Justice Commissioner, there persists a gap—
Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I did actually stand up at the time, and you did not see me.
John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
That is the problem. We are through documents.
Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Documents are between 6 pm and 7 pm. I am seeking leave to talk about a document.
John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
You are not getting leave, because unfortunately the time for that has elapsed.
John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
We would all like to speak on documents.
Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Let us make this clear. Senator Siewert is now seeking leave of the Senate to speak on that document—that is her right—and the Senate can make that decision.
Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
According to the red, documents start no later than six o’clock. This is normal practice. Documents are between 6 pm and 7 pm and Auditor-General’s reports are done from 7 pm till 8 pm.
John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Madam Acting Deputy President, I rise on a point of order. While I understand the point that Senator Siewert makes—because, obviously, if there is an interest in a particular government document, a senator appreciates five minutes to be able to speak, and often that is available at this time of day—like Senator Siewert, I would have liked to have spoken on a government document higher in priority than No. 7. So, if we are going to go through the process of seeking leave, I will be seeking leave before document No. 7 to speak to document No. 2—and I can assure you that I will be making a very interesting contribution on that document. But the problem we have is that the way this joint works is that this ordinarily does not occur, because the time for general business has elapsed.
John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I am just taking a point of order. If we are going to have a situation where leave is granted—and I accept, by the way, that anything can be done by leave—it is going to be a madhouse, or even madder than it is already.
The Acting Deputy President:
Thank you, Senator Faulkner. We will proceed with the Senate program. I think we have had the explanation for the way the session has operated this afternoon. The documents to which Senator Faulkner and Senator Siewert have each referred will remain on the Notice Paper for future consideration.