Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To move:

That—

(a) the questions in question time be allocated on an equal basis to all members, including the first question; and

(b) an exception be made where any senator, or party, including the Government, ask the President for a less than equal allocation.

Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Minister for Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To move:

That the following drafts settled with state/territory officials be referred to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 15 August 2011:

Business Names Registration Bill 2011

Business Names (Transitional and Conse­quential Provisions) Bill 2011

Business Names Registration (Fees) Bill 2011.

Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To move:

That the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 22 September 2011:

A review of the Professional Services Review (PSR) Scheme provided for under the Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act) which is responsible for reviewing and investigating the provision of Medicare or Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme services by health professionals, with particular reference to:

(a) the structure and composition of the PSR, including:

(i) criteria for selection of the executive and constituent members encompassing their experience in administrative review proceedings,

(ii) the role of specialist health professionals in assisting in cases where members lack relevant specialist expertise, and

(iii) accountability of all parties under the Act;

(b) current operating procedures and processes used to guide committees in reviewing cases;

(c) procedures for investigating alleged breaches under the Act;

(d) pathways available to practitioners or health professionals under review to respond to any alleged breach;

(e) the appropriateness of the appeals process; and

(f) any other related matter.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To move:

That the Senate—

(a) condemns the heavy handed tactics of the Western Australian Government which has instructed Western Australian police to forcibly remove locals from the road blockade at James Price Point, arresting elderly women, traditional owners and custodians;

(b) acknowledges the concern in the Broome community about the regional impact of the Browse development at James Price Point; and

(c) calls on the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (Mr Burke) to:

(i) withdraw his decision to allow clearing to take place as an uncontrolled action before the heritage and environmental assessments have been completed,

(ii) undertake an environmental assessment of the clearing activity,

(iii) accept and table a petition of 3 000 local people opposing the development, and

(iv) undertake immediate consultation with the Broome community.

To move:

That the Criminal Code Amendment (Cluster Munitions Prohibition) Bill 2010 be referred to the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties for inquiry and report by 7 September 2011.

Bill Heffernan (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To move:

That—

(a) the following matter be referred to the Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 30 November 2011:

An examination of the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) National Interest Test (the test), including:

(i) how the test was applied to purchases of Australian agricultural land by foreign companies, foreign sovereign funds and other entities in the past 12 months,

(ii) how the test was applied to purchases of Australian agri-businesses by foreign companies, foreign sovereign funds and other entities in the past 12 months,

(iii) the role of the Government, regulators and receivers, including their obligations under the Corporations Act 2001 and/or the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975, including the role of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, in upholding the test,

(iv) the global food task and Australia's food security in the context of sovereignty, and

(v) the role of the foreign sovereign funds in acquiring Australian sovereign assets; and

(b) in conducting this inquiry, the committee should examine ways of improving the transparency of decisions made by the FIRB under the test and all other rules which govern its operation.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To move:

That the Senate calls on the Government to hold an independent inquiry into any Australian involvement in the conduct of the Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad from 2003, including knowledge of such involvement by the then Prime Minister or other ministers.

To move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) Sri Lanka's 'killing fields', which aired on Four Corners on Monday, 4 July 2011, is further shocking evidence supporting allegations of war crimes committed during the 2009 civil conflict in Sri Lanka, and

(ii) that British Prime Minister, Mr David Cameron, said in response to the program on 15 June 2011 that, 'the Sri Lankan Government needs that to be investigated, and the UN needs it to be investigated. We need to make sure that we get to the bottom of what happened, and that lessons are learned'; and

(b) urges the Australian Government to support an international call for an independent investigation into war crimes committed by both the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.