Senator Troeth to move on the next day of sitting:

That the time for the presentation of the report of the Employment, Workplace Relations and Education Committee on workforce challenges in the Australian transport sector be extended to 9 August 2007.

Senator Allison to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate:

(a)

notes that 25 March 2007 was the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the trans-Atlantic slave trade;

(b)

calls on the Government to:

(i)

work for the eradication of the modern day version of slavery, the trafficking of humans for the sex industry in Australia, and

(ii)

allocate sufficient funds for eradicating this form of slavery through prosecution of traffickers and support for the victims of this crime, noting that the current budget of $20 million for this work runs out in June 2007; and

(c)

congratulates the Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans for its work in the fight against trafficking, including its publication warning women in Thailand about the dangers of working in the Australian sex industry.

Senator Mason to move on the next day of sitting:

That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to gene technology, and for related purposes. Gene Technology Amendment Bill 2007.

Senator Mason to move on the next day of sitting:

That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to food regulatory measures, and for related purposes. Food Standards Australia New Zealand Amendment Bill 2007.

Senator Watson to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate notes the achievement of the power sharing agreement in Northern Ireland as an historic day and trusts that this will lead to a lasting and resilient peace for the benefit of all people in Northern Ireland.

Senator Adams to move on the next day of sitting:

That the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs Committee for inquiry and report by 20 September 2007:

The operation and effectiveness of Patient Assisted Travel Schemes, including:

(a)

the need for greater national consistency and uniformity of Patient Assisted Travel Schemes across jurisdictions, especially the procedures used to determine eligibility for travel schemes covering patients, their carers, escorts and families; the level and forms of assistance provided; and reciprocal arrangements for inter-state patients and their carers;

(b)

the need for national minimum standards to improve flexibility for rural patient access to specialist health services throughout Australia;

(c)

the extent to which local and cross-border issues are compromising the effectiveness of existing Patient Assisted Travel Schemes in Australia, in terms of patient and health system outcomes;

(d)

the current level of utilisation of schemes and identification of mechanisms to ensure that schemes are effectively marketed to all eligible patients and monitored to inform continuous improvement;

(e)

variations in patient outcomes between metropolitan and rural, regional and remote patients and the extent to which improved travel and accommodation support would reduce these inequalities;

(f)

the benefit to patients in having access to a specialist who has the support of a multidisciplinary team and the option to seek a second opinion;

(g)

the relationship between initiatives in e-Health and Patient Assisted Travel Schemes;

(h)

the feasibility and desirability of extending Patient Assisted Travel Schemes to all treatments listed on the Medicare Benefits Schedule Enhanced Primary Care items such as allied health and dental treatment and fitting of artificial limbs; and

(i)

the role of charity and non-profit organisations in the provision of travel and accommodation assistance to patients.

Senator Nettle to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate:

(a)

notes the guilty plea by Mr David Hicks;

(b)

rejects the validity of the United States of America military commission occurring in Guantanamo Bay; and

(c)

calls on the Government to expedite Mr Hick’s return to Australia.

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

That the Senate:

(a)

notes that 28 March 2007 is the annual Science Meets Parliament event;

(b)

congratulates the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies for organising this annual event since 1999;

(c)

welcomes the attending scientists to Parliament House; and

(d)

commends the Australian scientific community for its continued success in generating world-leading innovation.

Senator Siewert to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate:

(a)

notes:

(i)

the success to date of the roll-out of the non-sniffable Opal fuel and the dramatic reduction in the number of young people sniffing petrol over the 2006-07 summer, particularly in remote communities, and

(ii)

that some progress has been made on the difficult issue of tackling petrol sniffing in Alice Springs, but that some issues still remain to be resolved;

(b)

congratulates the film makers involved in the Remote Fest short film festival and all the participants in the successful youth programs they documented;

(c)

acknowledges that substance-abuse experts recommend (as noted in the Community Affairs References Committee report, Beyond petrol sniffing: Renewing hope for Indigenous communities, tabled on 20 June 2006) that reducing the availability of inhalants is an important first step to addressing petrol sniffing that needs to be backed up by other complementary programs, including youth workers, holiday programs and other diversionary programs; and

(d)

notes that further resources are needed to provide programs and infrastructure to consolidate the success of the initiative, and to bring renewed hope to Aboriginal communities of a future free from the scourge of petrol sniffing.

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

That the Senate rejects the dictum of former United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld that ‘interrogations must always be planned deliberate actions that take into account a detainee’s … physical strengths and weaknesses’ as tantamount to endorsing torture.