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Senate Daily Summary
No. 36/2011
Tuesday, 16 August 2011
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The Senate met from 12.30 pm until 8.11 pm
Senators
Senator Carr was sworn in as a senator for Victoria.
Senators Singh and Di Natale gave their first speeches.
Legislation
Bills and related documents
Bills considered
The following bill was debated
- Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Bill 2011–committee of the whole continued–2 Senator Xenophon amendments agreed to and 1 Government amendment to be determined [further amendments remain to be considered]
The following bill was discharged from the Notice Paper
- Federal Financial Relations Amendment (National Health and Hospitals Network) Bill 2010
Notice of motion to introduce a private senator’s bill
- Air Navigation and Civil Aviation Amendment (Aircraft Crew) Bill 2011–notice given by Senator Xenophon
See Committees for details of reports relating to legislation
Committees
Scheduled public committee hearings
Committee reports
Reports tabled
- Economics Legislation Committee–Draft of the Business Names Registration Bill 2011 and related bills [report]
- Economics References Committee–State government insurance and the flood levy–Interim report [report] [a motion to extend the reporting date to 22 September 2011 was agreed to]
- Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Committee–Review of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade annual report 2009-10 [report]
Government responses tabled
- Education, Employment and Workplace Relations References Committee–Industry Skills Councils
- Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee–Australian Law Reform Commission
- Parliamentary Budget Office Joint Select Committee–Report
Meetings during the sitting of the Senate
The Senate authorised the following meetings to be held while the Senate is sitting:
- Australia’s Food Processing Sector Select Committee–17 August 2011 from 11.30 am–private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1)
- Australia’s Immigration Detention Network Joint Select Committee–16 August 2011–private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) from 6.30 pm followed by a public hearing
- Public Accounts and Audit Joint Committee–17 August 2011 from 11.15 am till 1.00 pm–public hearing–Review of Auditor-General’s reports
Reporting dates extended
The Senate extended reporting dates for the following inquiries:
- Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee–Family Law Legislation Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2011–to report by 18 August 2011
- Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee–Live Animal Export (Slaughter) Prohibition Bill 2011 [No. 2] and a related bill–to report by 12 October 2011
Notices of motion
To refer matters to committees
- Environment and Communications References Committee–Matters relating to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation–to report by 12 October 2011–notice given by Senator Xenophon
- Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee–Matters relating to the transfer of asylum seekers–to report by 22 September 2011–notice given by Senator Hanson-Young
- Privileges Committee–Possible interference with a witness–notice given by the Chair of the Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee (Senator Heffernan) [the President made a statement]
To extend reporting deadlines
- Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee–Live export trade–to report by 12 October 2011
To hold meetings when the Senate is sitting
- Community Affairs References Committee –18 August 2011 from 4.00 pm–private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1)
- Corporations and Financial Services Joint Committee–18 August 2011 from 11.30 am–private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1)
- Gambling Reform Joint Select Committee–23 August 2011 from 4.00 pm–private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1)
- Migration Joint Committee–24 August 2011 from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm–public meeting
- Public Accounts and Audit Joint Committee –24 August 2011 from 11.15 am to 1.00 pm–private briefing
- Treaties Joint Committee–22 August 2011 from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm–public meeting
Documents
Delegated legislation
See Disallowance Alert for a complete list of notices of motion to disallow (and outcomes)
Orders for the production of documents
Notices of motion
The following notices of motion were given requiring Ministers to table documents:
- The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Senator Ludwig) to table documents relating to a claimed high conservation value area in the Tasmanian Forest Inter-Governmental Agreement–no later than 5.00 pm on 18 August 2011–notice given by Senator Colbeck
- The Minister representing the Treasurer (Senator Wong) to table an answer to a question on notice relating to the stimulus package–no later than 12.30 pm on 18 August 2011–notice given by Senator Cormann
Documents tabled
Ministerial statement tabled
The Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers (Senator McLucas) tabled a ministerial statement about Afghanistan.
Other business
Questions without notice and issues arising during question time–first question
Adjournment debate–first speaker
Motion agreed to
Matter of public importance discussed
Death of former member
The President informed the Senate of the death, on 31 July 2011, of the Honourable Allan Clyde Holding, a former minister and member of the House of Representatives for the division of Melbourne Ports from 1977 to 1998. A motion moved by the Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Conroy) was carried [first speaker].
Death of Nancy Grace Augusta Wake
The Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Evans) moved a motion of condolence on the death, on 7 August 2011, of Nancy Grace Augusta Wake, AC, GM. The motion was carried [first speaker].
Questions on notice–Failure to provide answers
Senator Cormann asked the Minister representing the Treasurer (Senator Wong) why an answer had not been provided to question on notice no. 437 asked on 11 March 2011 relating to the stimulus package. Senator Wong responded and a motion moved by Senator Cormann to take note of the response was debated and agreed to [first speaker].
Senator Humphries asked the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Senator Conroy) why an answer had not been provided to questions on notice nos 232 and 274 asked on 29 November 2010. Senator Conroy provided an explanation. A motion moved by Senator Humphries to take note of the explanation was agreed to.
Temporary chair of committees
A warrant was tabled nominating Senator Coonan as a temporary chair of committees.
Notices of motion
Notices of motion given today are available in the Senate Journals.
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Online
The Senate Daily Summary is available on the Internet at www.aph.gov.au/senate
It is issued by the Senate Table Office as a convenient summary of each day’s proceedings in the Senate. For a complete account see the official record, the Journals of the Senate,on the Internet at http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/pubs/index.htm.
Related resources
The Order of Business (or ‘Senate Red’) and the Dynamic Red (which updates the Order of Business throughout the sitting day) are also available on the Internet at www.aph.gov.au/senate
Contact details
Inquiries, comments and suggestions:
phone 6277 3021
e-mail: sds@aph.gov.au