Senate debates
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Notices
Presentation
Senator Crossin to move:
That the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee be authorised to hold public meetings during the sitting of the Senate on 16 June 2011, as follows:
(a) from 5.30 pm, in relation to its inquiry on the provisions of the Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test and Other Provisions) Bill 2011; and
(b) from 4 pm, in relation to its inquiry on the provisions of the Intelligence Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2011.
Senator Crossin to move:
That the Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sitting of the Senate on Tuesday, 21 June 2011, from 4 pm.
Senator Marshall to move:
That the Joint Select Committee on the Christmas Island tragedy of 15 December 2010 be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 16 June 2011, from 4 pm to 5 pm.
Senator Hurley to move:
That the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Wednesday, 15 June 2011, from 5 pm to 6.30 pm, to take evidence for the committee’s inquiry into the statutory oversight of the operations of ASIC.
Senator Hurley to move:
That the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 16 June 2011, from 11.30 am.
Senator Trood to move:
That the Select Committee on the Reform of the Australian Federation be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sitting of the Senate on Thursday, 16 June 2011.
Senator Parry to move:
That the time for the presentation of the report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee on the Patent Amendment (Human Genes and Biological Materials) Bill 2010 be extended to 25 August 2011.
Senator McGauran to move:
That the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Monday, 20 June 2011, from 10 am to noon.
Senator Coonan to move:
That the time for the presentation of the report of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills on the future direction and role of the committee be extended to 22 September 2011.
Senator Bilyk to move:
That the Joint Standing Committee on Migration be authorised to hold a public meeting during the sitting of the Senate on Wednesday, 22 June 2011, from 10.30 am to noon.
Senator Moore to move:
That the time for the presentation of the report of the Community Affairs Legislation Committee on the 2011-12 Budget estimates be extended to 5 July 2011.
Senator Crossin to move:
That the time for the presentation of the report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee on the provisions of the Family Law Legislation Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2011 be extended 16 August 2011.
Senator Crossin to move:
That the time for the presentation of the report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee on the provisions of the Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test and Other Provisions) Bill 2011 be extended to 23 June 2011.
Senator Siewert to move:
That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the Export Control Act 1982 to prohibit the export of live animals for slaughter, and for related purposes. Live Animal Export (Slaughter) Prohibition Bill 2011.
Senator Siewert to move:
That the following matter be referred to the Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 25 August 2011:
The role of Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), and other industry groups, in the failure to ensure adequate animal welfare standards in live export markets, including:
(a) the level, nature and effectiveness of the MLA’s:
(i) expenditure and efforts to promote or improve animal welfare standards with respect to live export market countries,
(ii) expenditure and efforts on marketing and promoting live export to Australian producers,
(iii) ongoing monitoring of the subscription to, and practise of, animal welfare standards in Indonesia and other live export market countries, and
(iv) actions to improve animal welfare outcomes in Indonesia and other live export market countries and the evidence base for these actions;
(b) the extent of the MLA’s knowledge of animal welfare practices in Indonesia, and other live export markets, including:
(i) formal and informal monitoring and reporting structures,
(ii) formal and informal processes for reporting and addressing poor animal welfare practices, and
(iii) communication of any animal welfare concerns to Australian producers and other Australian government agencies; and
(c) any other related matters.
Senator Bob Brown to move:
That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 in relation to political donations by the tobacco industry, and for related purposes. Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Tobacco Industry Donations) Bill 2011.
Senator Xenophon to move:
That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to restrict the export of live animals for slaughter pending its prohibition, and for related purposes. Live Animal Export Restriction and Prohibition Bill 2011.
Senator Bob Brown to move:
That the Senate—
(a) endorses the meetings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Coalition leaders Messers Tony Abbott and Warren Truss, and Australian Greens’ Leader Senator Bob Brown;
(b) expresses disappointment that neither the Prime Minister (Ms Gillard) nor the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr Rudd) were available to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama;
(c) notes that the last Prime Minister to meet His Holiness was Mr John Howard in 2007; and
(d) wishes the people of Tibet well in their aspiration to have His Holiness return home to Tibet’s capital, Lhasa.
Senators Scullion and Colbeck to move:
That the Senate—
(a) deplores the inhumane treatment of cattle at some abattoirs in Indonesia;
(b) notes that this is unacceptable to all Australians, especially our farmers, who take great pride in breeding and raising healthy and well cared for animals;
(c) supports the suspension of trade of Australian live cattle to facilities that fail to comply with acceptable practices;
(d) notes, with concern, the impact of a total live exports suspension to Indonesia on:
(i) the economic, social and environmental fabric of northern Australia,
(ii) Indigenous employment in northern Australia,
(iii) Indonesian abattoirs already operating at acceptable standards, and
(iv) the entire cattle industry, including producers in the south who are already seeing reduced sale yard prices; and
(e) calls on the Gillard Government to:
(i) immediately establish a register of Indonesian abattoirs, to be known as the Approved Indonesian Abattoir Register, that have adopted and implemented acceptable animal welfare standards,
(ii) require that Australian sourced cattle be processed only at abattoirs that are listed on the register,
(iii) revoke the legislative instrument Export Control (Export of Live stock to the Republic of Indonesia) Order 2011 on one or more Indonesian abattoirs being included on the register,
(iv) provide support to Indonesia to bring more abattoirs up to acceptable standards, and
(v) provide assistance to the cattle industry to deal with the consequences of this suspension.
Senator Xenophon to move:
That the time for the presentation of the report of the Community Affairs Legislation Committee on the Food Standards Amendment (Truth in Labelling—Genetically Modified Material) Bill 2010 be extended to 13 October 2011.