Senator Mason to move on the next day of sitting:

That the time for the presentation of the report of the Finance and Public Administration Committee on the transparency and accountability of Commonwealth public funding and expenditure be extended to 1 March 2007.

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

That the Senate:

(a)   welcomes the fifty-first session of the Commission on the Status of Women taking place from 26 February to 9 March 2007, with a theme of ‘The elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child’;

(b)   acknowledges the vital role of the Commission in bringing the concerns of women and girls to the attention of the world community and in promoting women’s rights;

(c)   stresses that it is important for world democracy that women should take a full and equal part in political, social, economic and cultural life;

(d)   condemns the continuing grave violations of the human rights of women and girls throughout the world;

(e)   expresses grave concern over continued restrictions on women’s access to education and health care, employment outside the home, freedom of movement and freedom from intimidation, harassment and violence in many countries;

(f)   notes that women in many parts of the world still lack the capacity and support to speak out against violence and discrimination;

(g)   emphasises that violence and discrimination against women and girls is a public issue and societal responsibility and that the education and development of men and boys is inextricably linked to advancing the rights and well-being of women and girls;

(h)   encourages the Government to expand its support and funding for international organisations and programs providing high-quality education for girls, nutrition for early growth and development, sexual and reproductive health services, and safe spaces, legal structures and advocacy for girls;

(i)   urges the Government to support organisations and programs that engage men in tackling discrimination and violence against women and girls, including changing harmful traditions and practices; and

(j)   calls for Government leadership to end gender-based violence and eliminate discrimination against women and girls in Australia.

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

That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Attorney-General (Senator Ellison), no later than the end of question time on 8 February 2007, any legal advice the Australian Government has received regarding the legality of the United States of America’s Military Commissions Act (2006).

Senator Murray to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate:

(a)   notes:

(i)   that the Canadian Government has delivered on its commitment to make government more accountable through the Federal Accountability Act, which received Royal Assent on 12 December 2006,

(ii)   that through this Act and the associated Action Plan, specific measures will be introduced to help strengthen accountability and increase transparency and oversight in government operations, and

(iii)   that the Canadian Government is now committed to:

(a)   reforming the financing of political parties, which includes the banning of all corporate and union donations and reducing the amount an individual can donate to $1 000 per year,

(b)   banning secret donations by closing loopholes that allow for the use of trust funds for political purposes,

(c)   ensuring truth in budgeting through a Parliamentary Budget Authority,

(d)   providing real protection for whistleblowers through the creation of an independent Public Servants Disclosure Protection Tribunal,

(e)   strengthening the power of the Auditor General and the role of the Ethics Commissioner, and

(f)   prohibiting ministers, ministerial staffers and senior public servants from lobbying government for 5 years after leaving office; and

(b)   calls on the Australian Government to report to the Senate within 12 months on whether similar legislative measures are required to enhance our Australian democracy.

Senator Ellison to move on the next day of sitting:

That the following operate as a temporary order until the conclusion of the 2007 sittings:

If a member of a committee appointed under standing order 25 is unable to attend a meeting of the committee, that member may in writing to the chair of the committee appoint a participating member to act as a substitute member of the committee at that meeting. If the member is incapacitated or unavailable, a letter to the chair of a committee appointing a participating member to act as a substitute member of the committee may be signed on behalf of the member by the leader of the party or group on whose nomination the member was appointed to the committee.

Senator Siewert to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate:

(a)   notes 2 February 2007 was World Wetlands Day;

(b)   understands that this date marks the anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) in Ramsar, Iran on 2 February 1971;

(c)   notes, with concern, that the Australia state of the environment 2006 report found that as many as 231 nationally important wetlands are under pressure across Australia, and that of our 64 Ramsar wetlands, 22 have changed in ecological character or have the potential to change;

(d)   notes that a recent report by the Inland Rivers Network on wetlands in crisis found that ‘changes in river flows have resulted in the loss of 90% of floodplain wetlands in the Murray-Darling Basin’;

(e)   recognises that the ongoing degradation of wetlands, particularly those listed as Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance, is a cause of national concern;

(f)   expresses concern that the continuing drought and the longer term impacts of climate change could cause further degradation of wetlands; and

(g)   calls on the Government to prioritise returning water flows to the degraded wetlands of the Murray-Darling system.

Senator Allison to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate:

(a)   notes that:

(i)   the World Wind Association has reported that the global installed capacity of wind energy at the end of December 2006 was 73 904 MW,

(ii)   based on the accelerated wind development in 2006, the World Wind Energy Association has increased its prediction for 2010 and now expects 160 000 MW to be installed by the end of 2010,

(iii)   the wind industry worldwide between 1997 and 2006 experienced a tenfold increase in installed capacity worldwide,

(iv)   the currently installed wind power capacity generates more than 1 per cent of global electricity consumption,

(v)   Germany has the highest proportion of installed capacity, where 5 per cent of electricity consumption is from wind, while Denmark’s is as high as 20 per cent, and

(vi)   this compares to wind energy in Australia in 2006 representing only 0.5 per cent of Australia’s electricity consumption; and

(b)   calls on the Government to increase and extend the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target to support wind energy and other renewable technologies in order to meet with world minimum practice and to strive to world best practice.

Senator Siewert to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate:

(a)   welcomes the adoption in December 2006 by the United Nations of the Convention on the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities; and

(b)   asks the Government to show leadership at home and to the international community by being one of the first countries to be a signatory to the Convention when this is possible after 30 March 2007.

Senator Milne to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate:

(a)   recalls that:

(i)   7 February is the 40th anniversary of the Tasmanian 1967 Black Tuesday bushfires, one of the worst disasters to have occurred in Australian history,

(ii)   the Black Tuesday fires tragically killed 62 people, injured approximately 900 more, directly affected 35 000 people and left 7 000 homeless,

(iii)   the Black Tuesday fires were the first in Australia to devastate suburbs of a capital city and caused extensive property loss, destroying approximately 1 300 homes in and around Hobart,

(iv)   the worst of the fires was the Hobart fire, which burnt suburbs of Hobart killing 52 people, and

(v)   the Black Tuesday fires caused extensive damage to agricultural property and livestock;

(b)   remembers the victims and their families and extends to all who suffered, profound sympathy and deepest condolences; and

(c)   also remembers the toll that the fires took on the Tasmanian community and expresses gratitude for the magnificent efforts of the volunteers who risked their own lives to help others.

Senator Milne to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate:

(a)   notes that on 2 February 2007 the world’s foremost authority on climate change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, released a review of the state of climate change science, including the important conclusions that:

(i)   most of the global warming over the past 50 years is very likely (at least 90 per cent chance) to be due to human activity, and

(ii)   the ‘likely range’ of temperature increases by 2100 for the range of modelled business-as-usual scenarios extends from 1.1°C to 6.4°C with ‘best estimates’ ranging from 1.8°C to 4°C;

(b)   recognises that a global temperature increase of above 2°C would pose an unacceptably high risk of dangerous climate change impacts; and

(c)   calls on the Government to introduce a policy framework that is underpinned by a commitment to contribute fairly to global efforts to constrain temperature rise to 2°C or less.

Senator Nettle to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate:

(a)   notes:

(i)   that Australian citizen, Mr David Hicks has been detained for 1 889 days,

(ii)   retrospective charges against Mr Hicks have been proposed by United States of America prosecutors, and

(iii)   further reports of mistreatment of Mr Hicks, including punishment for meeting with Australian officials; and

(b)   calls on the Government to return Mr Hicks to Australia.

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

That the following bill be introduced: Australian Territories Rights of the Terminally Ill Bill 2007.

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

(1)   That the Senate notes that Qantas:

(a)   plays a unique role in the Australian economy and in Australian society;

(b)   provides an essential service to regional Australia and is a major employer; and

(c)   is the backbone of the Australian tourism industry.

(2)   That the following matters be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee for inquiry and report by 20 March 2007:

(a)   the proposed takeover of Qantas by the consortium Airline Partners Australia, including:

(i)   the impact on air services to regional Australia and the tourism industry,

(ii)   the implications for Qantas’ 38 000 employees and its customers and frequent flyers,

(iii)   the implications of the proposed executive remuneration,

(iv)   the track record of the potential new owners,

(v)   the competition implications of the sale,

(vi)   the potential taxation implications,

(vii)   the level of debt Qantas will be asked to carry, and

(viii)   the implications of air safety;

(b)   conditions that the Government should require for a sale;

(c)   the need to broaden and improve the regulatory environment covering commercial arrangements which affect the national interest; and

(d)   any other related matters.