Wednesday, 15 October 2008

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No. 66/2008

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The Senate met from 9.30am until 6.52pm

Legislation

Bills and related documents available on BillsNet <www.aph.gov.au/bills/index.htm>

Bills considered

The following bills were debated

• Family Law Amendment (De Facto Financial Matters and Other Measures) Bill 2008–second reading agreed to [first speaker ] [details of the bill will be considered on a future sitting day]
• Offshore Petroleum Amendment (Greenhouse Gas Storage) Bill 2008 and 3 related bills–second reading continued [first speaker ]
• Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws—Superannuation) Bill 2008–second reading agreed to [first speaker ] [details of the bill will be considered on a future sitting day]
• Tax Laws Amendment (Medicare Levy Surcharge Thresholds) Bill (No. 2) 2008–second reading agreed to and committee of the whole commenced–6 Senator Xenophon amendments to be determined

Notices of motion

To introduce a private senator’s bill

• Plebiscite for an Australian Republic Bill 2008–notice given by the Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Bob Brown)

To exempt bills from the cut-off order [to enable consideration this period of sittings]

• Archives Amendment Bill 2008
• Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Radio) Bill 2008
• International Tax Agreements Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2008
  –notice given by the Minister for Human Services (Senator Ludwig)

Committees

For scheduled public committee hearings
For committee reports

Reports tabled

• Scrutiny of Bills Committee–PDF 274KB of 2008 and PDF 212KB of 2008 [contain assessments of bills on civil liberties and related grounds] [A motion to take note of the report was agreed to]

Report debated

• Procedure Committee–Second report of 2008 [A motion that the amendments to standing order 72 contained in the attachment to the report be adopted immediately as a temporary order for the remainder of 2008 was agreed to.]

New inquiries

Selection of Bills Committee report

The Senate adopted report no. 13 of the Selection of Bills Committee, and made the following references:

• A Bill for an Act about the Building Australia Fund, the Education Investment Fund and the Health and Hospitals Fund, and for other purposes and a related bill, together with a bill to establish the COAG Reform Fund, and for other purposes–Economics Committee–to report by 10 November 2008
• Interstate Road Transport Charge Amendment Bill (No.2) 2008 and a related bill–Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee–to report by 21 November 2008
• Migration Legislation Amendment (Worker Protection) Bill 2008–Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee–to report by 7 November 2008
• Schools Assistance Bill 2008 and a related bill–Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Committee–to report by 27 November 2008
• Water Amendment Bill 2008–Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee–to report by 19 November 2008

Public meeting

The Senate authorised the Community Affairs Committee to hold a public meeting while the Senate is sitting on 16 October 2008 from 3.30pm for the committee’s inquiries into the Poker Machine Harm Reduction Tax (Administration) Bill 2008, the Poker Machine Harm Minimisation Bill 2008 and the ATMs and Cash Facilities in Licensed Venues Bill 2008.

Notice of motion given

A notice of motion was given to extend the reporting deadline of the Agricultural and Related Industries Select Committee for its inquiry into pricing and supply arrangements in the Australian and global fertiliser market to 2 December 2008.

Membership

The Senate agreed to various changes to committee membership.

Documents

Orders for the production of documents–Orders with continuing effect

Departmental and agency appointments
Statements of compliance for various agencies were tabled [Lists of appointments made and existing vacancies are required to be tabled 7 days before the commencement of budget, supplementary budget and additional estimates hearings]

Departmental and agency grants
Statements of compliance for various agencies were tabled [Lists of all grants approved are required to be tabled 7 days before the commencement of budget, supplementary budget and additional estimates hearings]

Documents tabled

• Government documents [and considered]

Ministerial statement tabled

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing (Senator McLucas) tabled a ministerial statement about Iran. [A motion to take note of the statement was debated and agreed to.]

Other business

Questions without notice and issues arising during question time–first question
Matters of public interest debate–first speaker

Motions agreed to

• 1999 Montreal Convention–moved by Senator Xenophon
• Peel Health Campus–moved by Senator Cormann
• Elimination of violence against women–moved by Senator Hanson-Young

Motions negatived

• 7th anniversary of the SIEV X incident–moved by Senator Hanson-Young
• Fair Go for Pensioners Coalition–moved by the Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Bob Brown)
• Termination payouts for executives–moved by the Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Bob Brown)

Motion debated

• Australian economy–moved by Senator Abetz [debated as a matter of public importance–first speaker]

Notices of motion

Notices of motion given today are available in the Senate Journals.

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