Senator Mark Bishop to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Friday, 20 June 2008, from 9.15 am, to take evidence for the committee’s inquiry into the review of reforms to Australia’s military justice system by the Australian Defence Force.

Senator Fielding to move on the next day of sitting:

That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to provide for the regulation of poker machines to promote responsible gambling practices and minimise problem gambling, and for related purposes. Poker Machine Harm Minimisation Bill 2008.

Senators Stott Despoja and Bartlett to move on 19 June 2008:

That the Senate—

(a)

welcomes the Government’s engagement with the United Nations (UN) and commitment to human rights via its:

(i)

 proposed ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and

(ii)

 consultations on Australia’s ascension to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment;

(b)

notes that:

(i)

 Australian companies are increasingly active in developing countries, some of which have weak regulatory environments,

(ii)

 the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises has reported to the Human Rights Council on the responsibilities of host and home states and the corporate responsibility to respect human rights,

(iii)

 the Special Representative emphasises that it should be an ‘urgent priority of governments’ to ‘foster a corporate culture respectful of human rights at home and abroad’, and that states must provide access to remedies, and

(iv)

 the Special Representative advises that companies have a responsibility to respect human rights, undertake human rights impact due diligence, and institute rights-compliant grievance mechanisms; and

(c)

calls on the Government to:

(i)

 encourage Australian companies to respect the rights of members of the communities in which they operate and to develop rights-compliant grievance mechanisms, whether acting in Australia or overseas,

(ii)

 consider options to develop regulatory and non-regulatory measures to prevent human rights violations by Australian companies overseas,

(iii)

 consider options to develop mechanisms, that are accessible to persons whose human rights are violated by Australian companies operating overseas, to hear complaints and enforce remedies against companies, and

(iv)

 support development at the international level of standards and mechanisms aimed at ensuring that transnational corporations and other business enterprises respect human rights.