Senator Hurley to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Economics Committee be authorised to:

(a)

hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Wednesday, 26 November 2008, from 4.30 pm, to take evidence for the committee’s inquiry into matters relating to the gas explosion at Varanus Island, Western Australia; and

(b)

hold an in camera hearing during the sitting of the Senate on Wednesday, 26 November 2008.

Senator Faulkner 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 access to information, and for related purposes. Freedom of Information (Removal of Conclusive Certificates and Other Measures) Bill 2008.

Senator Payne to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes and agrees with the comments of the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Mr Burke) when he called for all governments to refocus on agricultural research and development so as to boost agricultural productivity;

(b)

condemns:

(i)

the New South Wales Labor Government for eroding agricultural research and development institutions like Hurlstone Agricultural High School and the Glen Innes Research and Advisory Station, and

(ii)

the Federal Government’s decision to axe funding to various Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation agricultural research institutions, such as JM Rendel Laboratory for livestock research in Rockhampton, Queensland, and the plant research laboratory in Merbein, Victoria; and

(c)

calls on the Federal Government to intervene and prevent the destruction of these institutions and to save the future of the Australian agricultural research and development sector.

Senators Barnett and Fisher to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes the Government’s GROCERYchoice website is:

(i)

not delivering any valuable information to consumers with website hits suffering a massive reduction from more than 3 million hits per month on commencement to 104 000 hits in October 2008 and only 54 608 on the last report,

(ii)

unable to produce a specific cost of a specific grocery item at a specific supermarket, and in some cases compares supermarkets several hundred kilometres apart,

(iii)

damaging to the best interests of independent supermarket retailers,

(iv)

wasting $13 million of taxpayer’s funds, and

(v)

fundamentally flawed and unable to be improved or upgraded so as to provide any consumer benefit or adequate return on taxpayer funds, irrespective of whether the website is managed and operated by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission or the consumer organisation Choice; and

(b)

calls on the Government to close the website down immediately.

Senator Xenophon to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes the role of the United Nations (UN) Special Envoy for Cyprus, the Honourable Alexander Downer, to achieve a just and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem; and

(b)

urges the Australian Government to continue its support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus, and for a just and lasting solution to be achieved in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions on Cyprus which embody the principles enshrined in international and European Union law and norms.

Senator Heffernan to move on the next day of sitting:

That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee for inquiry and report by 19 March 2009:

Issues relating to the import risk analysis (IRA) for the importation of Cavendish bananas from the Philippines, including:

(a)

Biosecurity Australia’s administration of the IRA process;

(b)

the scientific and technical information relied upon by the IRA team;

(c)

the feasibility of the risk management measures and operational arrangements proposed in the final IRA report; and

(d)

the capability of the Australian Government and, in particular, the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service to monitor and enforce compliance with the risk management measures and operational arrangements proposed in the final IRA report.

Senator Ian Macdonaldto move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes the backflip of the Queensland Government in deferring the construction of the Traveston Crossing Dam; and

(b)

calls on the Queensland Government to remove the social threat to people living in the Mary Valley and to ensure protection of the Mary River cod, Mary River turtle and the Australian lungfish, by permanently shelving the proposal to construct the Traveston Crossing Dam.