Senator Allison to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that:

(i)

thirteen Melbourne men accused of terrorist-related crimes have been held for nearly 2 years in the maximum security Acacia unit in Barwon prison; segregated, shackled, regularly strip-searched, and confined to their cells for more than 20 hours every day,

(ii)

Justice Bongiorno, in a bail application hearing earlier in September 2007, said the conditions lacked any justification and risked undermining the rule of law by treating the men in the same way as the state’s worst convicted contract killers, stating that ‘I find the conditions in Barwon very troubling from the court’s perspective. The state runs Barwon prison. What is the reason why ... people need to be treated in the way that ... the accused in this case have been treated? ... It is extremely difficult not to see this as some sort of pre-emptive punishment being imposed’, and

(iii)

the trial, which may last for 6 months, is due to begin in February 2008;

(b)

considers that it is unacceptable for accused prisoners to be awaiting trial for 2 years in punitive conditions akin to criminals convicted of the most heinous crimes; and

(c)

urges the Government to ensure fair and reasonable remand conditions and the expeditious conduct of trial proceedings for these accused.

Senators Siewert and Milne to move on the next day of sitting:

That—

(a)

the Senate:

(i)

notes the dire state of agricultural production addressed in the latest report from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics’, Australian Crop Report: 18 September 2007, No. 143,

(ii)

recognises the severe impact of a series of ongoing poor seasons on the livelihoods of Australian farmers and the knock-on effect on the well-being of associated rural communities, and

(iii)

notes the need to ensure the security of Australian food production; and

(b)

the following matters be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee for inquiry and report by 30 June 2008:

(i)

the scientific evidence available on the likely future climate of Australia’s key agricultural production zones, and its implications for current farm enterprises and possible future industries,

(ii)

the need for a national strategy to assist Australian agricultural industries to adapt to climate change, and

(iii)

the adequacy of existing drought assistance and exceptional circumstances programs to cope with long-term climatic changes.

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

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that the Government:

(i)

has announced an additional $1 million to help the people of Lebanon clear unexploded cluster munitions, and

(ii)

describes itself as taking a ‘leading role’ in negotiating a new treaty to limit the use of cluster weapons; and

(b)

calls on the Government to show real international leadership and delay the impending purchase of new cluster weapons until after the Oslo negotiations to limit the spread of cluster weapons.

Senator Milne to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that:

(i)

the Tasmanian Government is moving to water down its firearms laws,

(ii)

the proposed changes, in clear breach of the National Firearms Agreement, would allow minors, aged between 12 and 16 years, to use powerful weapons in Tasmania in the bush, providing they are under adult supervision,

(iii)

under the agreement, the states resolved to implement laws requiring ‘genuine reasons for owning, possessing or using a firearm’,

(iv)

until the agreement and the gun buyback in 1996, guns were the weapon of choice for suicide in Tasmania, and

(v)

Tasmania has a suicide rate 65 per cent higher than the rest of Australia; and

(b)

calls on the Government to intervene and insist that the Premier of Tasmania (Mr Lennon) and the Tasmanian Government uphold the agreed undertakings, which were negotiated after the Port Arthur massacre.

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

That the Senate endorse the commitment of the Prime Minister (Mr Howard) that ‘the final decision to go ahead with the project [Gunns Limited’s proposed pulp mill] would be subject to all environmental considerations being fully satisfied’.

Senator Nettle to move on 20 September 2007:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes recent statements by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation that it ‘cannot give a firm time as to when the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor would be operational’; and

(b)

calls on the Government to use the reactor’s temporary closure as an opportunity to permanently close this nuclear white elephant.

Senator Nettle to move on 20 September 2007:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes:

(i)

the tragic loss of more than 70 lives in the devastating bush fires that have raged across Greece since August 2007,

(ii)

the loss of livestock, native fauna and flora and thousands of acres of mature trees,

(iii)

that the Australian Government has donated $3 million in aid to Greece via the Greek Red Cross, and

(iv)

that the Australian Government further promised a number of Australian bushfire experts to assist Greek authorities; and

(b)

calls on the Government to:

(i)

investigate expanding the scope of Australian aid to Greece, and

(ii)

pledge Australian aid for appropriate replacement tree planting programs.