Senator Troeth to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Employment, Workplace Relations and Education Committee be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 8 February 2007, from 4.30 pm, to take evidence for the committee’s inquiries into the provisions of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2006 and the Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment (Welfare to Work and Vocational Rehabilitation Services) Bill 2006.

Senator Eggleston to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Committee be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 8 February 2007, from 1 pm.

Senator Allison to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes with concern new research from Europe indicating that:

(i)

the long-term use of mobile phones results in a 40 per cent likelihood of developing a type of nervous system tumour near the phone ear,

(ii)

researchers found those who had used a handset for more than 10 years were 39 per cent more likely than others to develop a tumour,

(iii)

the authors of the study believe that there is a need for further exploration of the effects of long-term mobile phone use, and

(iv)

in the United Kingdom a new study has recently been ordered where more than 200 000 volunteers, including long-term mobile phone users, are to be monitored for at least 5 years to plot mobile phone use against any serious diseases they may develop, including cancer, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease; and

(b)

recommends that the Government implements a similar long-term study in Australia.

Senator Stephens to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that:

(i)

child care costs are continuing to rise, with the average cost doubling under the Howard Government, and

(ii)

a recent report from the Department of the Treasury denies there is a crisis in accessible and affordable child care, instead saying that parents are too choosy; and

(b)

calls on the Government to improve the accessibility and affordability of child care for Australian families.

Senator Wong to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes:

(i)

the continued scepticism of the Prime Minister (Mr Howard) over the link between human activity and climate change,

(ii)

that the Howard Government has dragged the chain on climate change for more than 10 years, and

(iii)

the environmental and economic cost of past inaction and any future delays in tackling this challenge; and

(b)

calls on the Government to recognise the link between human activity and climate change and join in the efforts of the international community by ratifying the Kyoto Protocol.

Senator Ellison to move on the next day of sitting:

(1)

That, in accordance with section 213 of the Law Enforcement Integrity Commissioner Act 2006, matters relating to the powers and proceedings of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity shall be as follows:

(a)

That the committee consist of 10 members, 3 members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips, 2 members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips or by any independent member, 2 senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, 2 senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and 1 senator to be nominated by any minority group or groups or independent senator or independent senators.

(b)

That every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(c)

That the committee elect a member nominated by the Government Whips or the Leader of the Government in the Senate as its chair.

(d)

That the committee elect a deputy chair who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee, and at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting.

(e)

That, in the event of an equal vote on a question before the chair, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, have a casting vote.

(f)

That 3 members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include 1 Government member of either House and 1 non-Government member of either House.

(g)

That the committee have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of 3 or more of its members and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine.

(h)

That the committee appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a casting vote only and at any time when the chair of a subcommittee is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting.

(i)

That 2 members of a subcommittee constitute a quorum of that subcommittee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall comprise 1 Government member of either House and 1 non-Government member of either House.

(j)

That members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum.

(k)

That the committee or any subcommittee have power to call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced.

(l)

That the committee or any subcommittee may conduct proceedings in any place it sees fit.

(m)

That a subcommittee have power to adjourn from time to time and to sit during any adjournment of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

(n)

That the committee may report from time to time.

(o)

That, in carrying out its duties, the committee or any subcommittee, ensure that the operational methods and results of investigations of law enforcement agencies, as far as possible, be protected from disclosure where that would be against the public interest.

(p)

That the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders.

(2)

That a message be sent to the House of Representatives seeking its concurrence in this resolution.

Senator Ellison to move on the next day of sitting:

That—

(1)

The order of the Senate of 7 December 2006 relating to committee groupings for estimates hearings be modified as follows:

Group A

Community Affairs

Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts

Finance and Public Administration

Legal and Constitutional Affairs

Group B

Economics

Employment, Workplace Relations and Education

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade

Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport.

(2)

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 Water Resources

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 Affairs

Attorney-General

Immigration and Citizenship

Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport

Transport and Regional Services

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Senator Siewert to move on the next day of sitting:

That:

(a)

the Senate notes the likely impacts on agriculture, the community and the environment of the proposed dam on the Mary River at Traveston Crossing in Queensland; and

(b)

the following matters be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee for inquiry and report by 27 March 2007:

(i)

the impact on the Mary River, its dependent species and environs of the proposed dam,

(ii)

the implications for communities living along the Mary River of the proposed dam to their livelihood and lifestyle, and

(iii)

the balance of other options available to meet the regions water resource needs.

Senator Nettle to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate notes the right of the Australia Capital Territory Government to legislate for the legal recognition of same-sex relationships.

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

That the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs Committee for inquiry and report by 12 June 2007:

The role of the Exclusive Brethren, including its leadership, in:

(a)

breaching Australian Family Court agreements and denying access by ex-Brethren parents to their children;

(b)

ex-communicating family members;

(c)

prohibiting children from their Australian right to a university education;

(d)

banning unions from Exclusive Brethren workplaces;

(e)

discriminating against women in Australia;

(f)

the use of public monies; and

(g)

any related matters.

Senator Nettle to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate:

(a)

notes the rising tide of public protest in support of a fair go for Mr David Hicks who has been detained for 1 890 days; and

(b)

calls on the Government to return Mr Hicks to Australia to face justice.

Senator Milne to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes:

(i)

that the Marrickville Council in Sydney has adopted the Oil Depletion Protocol which seeks to address the impact of peak oil by steadily reducing oil usage, and

(ii)

the council will reduce its oil usage by 3 per cent per year; and

(b)

calls on the Government:

(i)

to adopt the Oil Depletion Protocol to reduce Australia’s dependence on oil and ensure an orderly restructure of the economy and society for the post-oil era, and

(ii)

encourage state and local governments to adopt the protocol and reduce oil usage.

Senator Nettle to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that:

(i)

the internationally significant Ramsar-listed wetlands, the Macquarie Marshes in New South Wales are dying because of a lack of water,

(ii)

water for cotton irrigation upstream on the Macquarie River has been over-allocated and has starved the Macquarie Marshes of water, specifically the periodic flooding necessary for the marsh flora and fauna to survive, and

(iii)

if there is not a substantial flood in the Macquarie Marshes in the near future, a substantial area of the marsh will be permanently damaged; and

(b)

calls on the Government to:

(i)

prioritise, for immediate buy-back, the over-allocation of water licences on the Macquarie River, and

(ii)

ensure that a substantial and immediate environmental flow to save the marshes is allocated as soon as the drought breaks and water is available.

Senator Nettle to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes the statements by Clean-Up Australia Day founder, Mr Ian Kiernan, regarding the ‘absolutely frightening’ contribution of Australia’s coal exports to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change; and

(b)

calls on the Government to work with state governments to reduce coal exports and provide a just transition for workers in the coal industry.