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No. 71/2011
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
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The Senate met from 2.00 pm until 1.17 am, Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Legislation
Bills and related documents
Bills considered
The following bills were introduced
- Defence Trade Controls Bill 2011 [passed by the House of Representatives on 21 November 2011]
Customs Amendment (Military End-Use) Bill 2011 [passed by the House of Representatives on 21 November 2011]
- Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 8) Bill 2011 [passed by the House of Representatives on 21 November 2011]
The following bills were passed
- Aviation Transport Security Amendment (Air Cargo) Bill 2011-1 Government amendment agreed to [The House of Representatives will now consider the amendment made by the Senate]
- Crimes Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2011 [The bill will now be assented to]
- Family Law Legislation Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2011-6 Government amendments agreed to [The House of Representatives will now consider the amendments made by the Senate]
- Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Amendment (Oils in the Antarctic Area) Bill 2011 [The bill will now be assented to]
- Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Participants in British Nuclear Tests) Bill 2011 [The bill will now be assented to]
Bills assented to
Assent to a number of laws was reported in the Senate.
Notice of motion to introduce a private senator's bill
- Crimes Amendment (Fairness for Minors) Bill 2011-notice given by Senator Hanson-Young
Committees
Scheduled public committee hearings
Committee reports
Reports tabled
- Community Affairs References Committee-Regulatory standards for the approval of medical devices in Australia [report] [a motion to take note of the report was debated - first speaker]
- Intelligence and Security Joint Committee-Annual report of committee activities 2010-11 [report] [a motion was moved to take note of the report]
- Treaties Joint Committee-122nd report-Treaties tabled on 23 August, 13 and 20 September and 13 October 2011 [report] [a motion to take note of the report was debated and agreed to - first speaker]
Document tabled
- Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Committee-Statement discharging the committee's requirement to present a report on the Customs Amendment (Military End-Use) Bill 2011 and Defence Trade Controls Bill 2011
Government response tabled
- Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee-Pilot training and airline safety; and consideration of the Transport Safety Investigation Amendment (Incident Reports) Bill 2010 [a motion was moved to take note of the response]
Proposed reference
The Senate did not agree to refer matters relating to the impact of fixed currencies on international trade to the Economics References Committee.
Meetings during the sitting of the Senate
The Senate authorised the following meetings to be held while the Senate is sitting:
- Community Affairs References Committee-24 November 2011 from 4.30 pm-private briefing
- Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Committee-24 November 2011 from 10.00 am to 11.00 am-public meeting
- Migration Joint Committee-8 February 2012 from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm-public meeting
- National Capital and External Territories Joint Committee-23 November 2011 from 12.30 pm to 1.45 pm-public meeting
Reporting dates extended
The Senate extended reporting dates for the following inquiries:
- Economics References Committee-Capital market for social economy organisations-to report by 24 November 2011
- Environment and Communications Legislation Committee-Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Emergency Listings) Bill 2011-to report by 1 March 2012
Notices of motion
To establish a committee
- Select Committee on the Australia Network service-to report by 31 January 2012-notice given by Senator Birmingham
To hold a meeting when the Senate is sitting
- Corporations and Financial Services Joint Committee-24 November 2011 from 11.30 am-private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1)
To extend reporting deadlines
- Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee-
- Biosecurity and quarantine arrangements-to report by 21 March 2012
- Foreign Investment Review Board national interest test-to report by 14 March 2012
To refer matters to committees
- Australia and the countries of the Indian Ocean rim-Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee-to report by 1 November 2012-notice given by the Chair of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee (Senator Eggleston) [notice of motion]
- Operation of the Lobbying Code of Conduct and the lobbyist register-Finance and Public Administration References Committee-to report by 1 March 2012-notice given by Senator Rhiannon
- Palliative care in Australia-Community Affairs References Committee-to report by 12 September 2012-notice given by the Chair of the Community Affairs References Committee (Senator Siewert)
- Retention of documents relating to criminal activities-Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee-to report by 14 April 2012-notice given by Senator Xenophon
Documents
Delegated legislation
See Disallowance Alert for a complete list of notices of motion to disallow (and outcomes)
Orders for the production of documents
Notice of motion
Senator Cormann gave a notice of motion to require the Minister representing the Treasurer (Senator Wong) to table information relating to the modelling of the carbon tax-no later than noon on 2 December 2011.
Documents tabled
- Auditor-General-Audit report no. 13 of 2011-12 [a motion was moved to take note of the report]
- Government documents
- Parliamentary zone-proposal and documentation relating to landscape works and the installation of a concrete bench at the High Court of Australia [A notice of motion was given to approve the proposal]
Other business
Questions without notice and issues arising during question time-first question
Adjournment debate-first speaker
Point of privilege
Senator Macdonald raised a point of privilege, namely, that senators appeared to be reading papers on his desk which he intended to use for the purpose of informing himself in relation to further proceedings on other bills.
Motions agreed to
Motions negatived
Matter of public importance discussed
Question on notice-Failure to provide answer
Senator Ludlam asked the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Senator Conroy) why an answer had not been provided to question on notice no. 1282 asked on 21 October 2011 relating to Mr Julian Assange. Senator Conroy provided an explanation. A motion moved by Senator Ludlam to take note of the explanation was agreed to.
Notices of motion
Notices of motion given today are available in the Senate Journals [See Journals entries 6, 24 and 27).
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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