Senator Ellison to move on 16 October 2008:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that:

(i)

in 2008, Deepavali will be celebrated on 28 October,

(ii)

Deepavali is of great significance to the Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist communities,

(iii)

‘Diwali’ is a shortened version of the Sanskrit term ‘Deepavali’, which means ‘a row of lamps’,

(iv)

Diwali is celebrated by lighting small oil lamps called Diyas; which symbolises the lifting of spiritual darkness and the renewal of life, a time to pray for health, knowledge and peace,

(v)

Diwali is an annual celebration, falling on the last day of the month in the lunar calendar and is celebrated as a day of thanksgiving and the beginning of a new year for many Hindus, and for Hindus is a celebration of the victory of good over evil,

(vi)

for Sikhs, Diwali is feted as the day that the sixth founding Sikh Guru, or revered teacher, Guru Hargobind ji, was released from the ruling Mughal Emperor, and

(vii)

for Jains, Diwali marks the anniversary of the attainment of moksha or liberation by Mahavira, the last of the Tirthankaras, who were the great teachers of Jain dharma, at the end of his life in 527 BC,

(viii)

in 2008, Deepavali will be celebrated by many Australians including members of Australia’s over 600 000 strong Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist communities,

(ix)

the Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist communities have a long and strong heritage in Australia, beginning in the 19th century, and

(x)

today the Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist communities are strong and vibrant communities that continue to make a significant contribution to Australia’s economic and social prosperity; and

(b)

sends its best wishes to all members of our Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist communities celebrating Deepavali in 2008.

Senator Abetz to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

congratulates Dr Megan Clark on her appointment as the next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO); and

(b)

notes:

(i)

that the current CEO, Dr Geoff Garrett, will leave his position at the end of 2008 and expresses its appreciation to Dr Garrett for his selfless service over that time, and

(ii)

the importance of the CSIRO to Australia’s innovation future; and

(c)

condemns the Rudd Labor Government for cutting $63 million out of the CSIRO’s budget over the forward estimates.

Senator Ludwig to move on the next day of sitting:

That, for the purposes of paragraph 48(1)(a) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003, the Senate rescinds its resolution of 19 June 2008 disallowing the Health Insurance (Dental Services) Amendment and Repeal Determination 2008, made under subsection 3C(1) of the Health Insurance Act 1973.

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

That the Senate—

(a)

gives considered support to legislation for an increase in pensions, in particular an immediate rise of $30 per week for single aged pensions; and

(b)

calls on the Government to act on this immediately.

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

That the Senate calls on the Prime Minister (Mr Rudd), the Deputy Prime Minister (Ms Gillard), the Treasurer (Mr Swan), the Minister for Health and Ageing (Ms Roxon) and the Minister for Finance and Deregulation (Mr Tanner), who have all publicly stated that they could not live on the single aged pension, to explain why they will not immediately increase the single aged pension by $30 per week.

Senators Ellison and Ludwig to move on the next day of sitting:

(1)

That the subject of the motion for disallowance of item 16525 in Part 3 of Schedule 1 to the Health Insurance (General Medical Services Table) Regulations 2007 be referred to the Finance and Public Administration Committee for inquiry and report on and not before 13 November 2008.

(2)

That the committee in particular report on:

(a)

the terms of item 16525 of Part 3 of Schedule 1 to the Health Insurance (General Medical Services Table) Regulations 2007;

(b)

the number of services receiving payments under this item and the cost of these payments;

(c)

the basis upon which payments of benefits are made under this item; and

(d)

the effects of disallowing this item.

Senator Siewert to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

recognises that 13 September 2008 was the first anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;

(b)

notes the promise from the Australian Labor Party that it would sign the declaration; and

(c)

calls on the Rudd Government to immediately sign the declaration.

Senator Siewert to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes the threat to the communities and the environments of the Murray-Darling Basin posed by the combined pressures of climate change, extended drought and over-allocation of our limited shared water resources;

(b)

welcomes recent measures by some governments and communities of the basin to reduce their dependence on the system or recover and set aside water for environmental needs;

(c)

notes the concerns expressed by the Victorian Auditor-General in his analysis of the water savings claimed by the Victorian Government’s Food Bowl Modernisation Project;

(d)

condemns the decision by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts (Mr Garrett) to give approval to the Sugerloaf Pipeline under the provisions of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999; and

(e)

calls on all governments to commit that no new projects or schemes that increase the level of dependence on and the amount of water extracted from the system will be countenanced or approved.

Senator Hurley to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Economics Committee be authorised to hold public meetings during the sittings of the Senate, to take evidence for the committee’s inquiry into Australia’s mandatory Last Resort Home Warranty Insurance scheme, as follows:

(a)

Wednesday, 17 September 2008, from 4 pm to 5.30 pm;

(b)

Tuesday, 23 September 2008, from 5 pm to 6 pm; and

(c)

Wednesday, 24 September 2008, from 5 pm to 6 pm.