Senator Polley to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Finance and Public Administration Committee be authorised to hold public meetings during the sittings of the Senate, as follows:

(a)

on Thursday, 5 February 2009, from 3.45 pm, to take evidence for the committee’s inquiry into the Freedom of Information (Removal of Conclusive Certificates and Other Measures) Bill 2008; and

(b)

on Thursday, 26 February 2009, from 3.30 pm, to take evidence for the committee’s inquiry into residential and community aged care in Australia.

Senator Crossin to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 5 February 2009, from 4.30 pm to 6 pm, to take evidence for the committee’s inquiry into the provisions of the Federal Court of Australia Amendment (Criminal Jurisdiction) Bill 2008.

Senator Ludwig to move on the next day of sitting:

That, on Thursday, 5 February 2009:

(a)

the hours of meeting shall be 9.30 am to 6.30 pm and 7 pm to adjournment;

(b)

consideration of general business and consideration of committee reports, government responses and Auditor-General’s reports under standing order 62(1) and (2) shall not be proceeded with;

(c)

the routine of business from 12.45 pm till not later than 2 pm, and from not later than 4.30 pm shall be government business only;

(d)

divisions may take place after 4.30 pm;

(e)

the question for the adjournment of the Senate shall be proposed after the Senate has finally considered the bills listed below, including any messages from the House of Representatives:

Tax Bonus for Working Australians Bill 2009

Tax Bonus for Working Australians (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009

Household Stimulus Package Bill 2009; and

(f)

if the Senate is sitting at midnight, the sitting of the Senate be suspended till 9 am on Friday, 6 February 2009.

Senator Ludwig to move on the next day of sitting:

That the orders of the Senate agreed to on 12 November 2008 relating to days of meeting of the Senate for 2009, and estimates hearings dates, be varied as follows:

(a)

meeting of Senate for 2009 (as part of the Autumn sittings), omit “Monday, 23 February to Thursday, 26 February”, substitute “Monday, 9 February to Thursday, 12 February”; and

(b)

2008-09 additional estimates

omit:

“Monday, 9 February and Tuesday, 10 February 2009, and, if required, Friday, 13 February 2009 (Group A)

Wednesday, 11 February and Thursday, 12 February 2009, and, if required, Friday, 13 February 2009 (Group B)”,

substitute:

“Monday, 23 February and Tuesday, 24 February 2009, and, if required, Friday, 27 February 2009 (Group A)

Wednesday, 25 February and Thursday, 26 February 2009, and, if required, Friday, 27 February 2009 (Group B)”.

Senator Hurley to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

congratulates organisers of the Tour Down Under cycling event on staging the most successful cycling event since its inception in 1999;

(b)

expresses thanks to all the support staff and others who have contributed to the success of the event;

(c)

congratulates Mr Allan Davis (Quickstep) on winning an outstanding 2009 Tour Down Under cycling event;

(d)

conveys, on behalf of all Australians, the nation’s pride and congratulations for the performances of participants over the course of the competition;

(e)

thanks the South Australian people and the thousands from interstate who cheered cyclists in the 2009 Tour Down Under and participated in the event;

(f)

commends the contribution made by the South Australian State Government in announcing a massive roll-out of bike paths and honouring some of South Australia’s cycling greats;

(g)

notes the generous pledge by the South Australian Premier, Mr Mike Rann, to triple any funds raised by Cancer Council of South Australia during 2009 Tour Down Under;

(h)

also thanks Mr Lance Armstrong for his cancer awareness campaign and the high profile media coverage he brought to South Australia and Australia;

(i)

acknowledges the contribution of the International Cycling Union to the success of the Tour Down Under; and

(j)

congratulates the Minister for Sport, Ms Kate Ellis, and the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority for ensuring the conduct of a free and fair race.

Senators Minchin and Fielding to move on the next day of sitting:

That—

(1)

The additional estimates hearings of standing committees scheduled for the week beginning 9 February 2009 not take place.

(2)

The Senate meet from Monday, 9 February to Thursday, 12 February 2009.

(3)

The Senate not meet from Monday, 23 February to Thursday, 26 February 2009.

(4)

That the 2008-09 additional estimates hearings by standing committees be scheduled as follows:

Monday, 23 February and Tuesday, 24 February 2009, and, if required, Friday, 27 February 2009 (Group A)

Wednesday, 25 February and Thursday, 26 February 2009, and, if required, Friday, 27 February 2009 (Group B).

(5)

The provisions of the following bills (the bills) be referred to the Finance and Public Administration Committee for inquiry and report by 10 February 2009:

Appropriation (Nation Building and Jobs) Bill (No. 1) 2008-2009

Appropriation (Nation Building and Jobs) Bill (No. 2) 2008-2009

Commonwealth Inscribed Stock Amendment Bill 2009

Household Stimulus Package Bill 2009

Tax Bonus for Working Australians Bill 2009

Tax Bonus for Working Australians (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009.

(6)

Notwithstanding the reference of the provisions of the bills, the Senate may consider the bills to the conclusion of the second reading stage, but shall not further consider the bills until the report of the Finance and Public Administration Committee on the bills has been tabled.

(7)

On Thursday, 5 February 2009:

(a)

the hours of meeting shall be 9.30 am to 7 pm;

(b)

consideration of general business, and consideration of committee reports, government responses and Auditor-General’s reports under standing order 62(1) and (2) shall not be proceeded with;

(c)

the routine of business from not later than 4.30 pm till 7 pm shall be consideration of the bills (second reading speeches);

(d)

divisions may take place after 4.30 pm; and

(e)

at 7 pm the Senate shall adjourn without any question being put.

(8)

The Finance and Public Administration Committee shall meet from 7 pm to 9 pm on Thursday, 5 February 2009, and from 9 am on Friday, 6 February 2009 to take evidence from government departments and agencies, including (but not limited to):

(a)

Treasury;

(b)

Centrelink;

(c)

Education, Employment and Workplace Relations;

(d)

Environment, Heritage and the Arts; and

(e)

Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

(9)

The Finance and Public Administration Committee shall meet on Monday, 9 February 2009 to take further evidence in relation to the bills from non-government organisations, community groups and other interested parties as determined by the committee, and may meet during the sitting of the Senate for that purpose.

(10)

The presentation of the report of the Finance and Public Administration Committee on the bills be an order of the day for 12.31 pm on Tuesday, 10 February 2009.

(11)

On Thursday, 12 February 2009, the hours of meeting shall be 9.30 am to adjournment, and the question for the adjournment of the Senate shall not be proposed until the Senate has finally considered the bills listed in paragraph (5).

Senator Siewert to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that:

(i)

on 25 November 2008, the Senate urged the Australian Government to set a timeline for legal proceedings in an international court to stop illegal Japanese whaling if Japan does not commit to stop whaling by 8 December 2008,

(ii)

Japanese whaling operations continued past this deadline, and

(iii)

no such legal action has been undertaken by the Government;

(b)

urges the Government to:

(i)

strongly oppose the proposal in the document, ‘The Future of the IWC’, currently before the International Whaling Commission, which seeks to legitimise Japanese whaling operations, and

(ii)

immediately commence international legal action to stop illegal Japanese whaling; and

(c)

condemns the violent actions of the Japanese whaling fleet, who have reportedly thrown metal balls at environmental activists, and used acoustic weapons to send out painful high frequency sound waves.

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

That there be laid on the table, by 1 March 2009, an analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from the logging of native forests in Tasmania in public and private forests, including an assessment for 2008 of:

(a)

the total amount;

(b)

the component due to regeneration burning;

(c)

the component due to export woodchips; and

(d)

the component due to waste from other losses accrued in transport and manufacturing.