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No. 43/2011
Senate Daily Summary
Thursday, 25 August 2011
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The Senate met from 9.30 am until 7.03 pm
Senators
Senators Edwards , McKenzie and Madigan gave their first speeches.
Legislation
Bills and related documents
Bills considered
The following bills were introduced
- Qantas Sale Amendment (Still Call Australia Home) Bill 2011 [private senator’s bill]
- Quarantine Amendment (Disallowing Permits) Bill 2011 [private senator’s bill]
- Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill 2011 [passed by the House of Representatives on 24 August 2011]
- Trade Marks Amendment (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Bill 2011 [passed by the House of Representatives on 24 August 2011]
The following bills were debated
- National Broadband Network Financial Transparency Bill 2010 (No. 2) [private senator’s bill]–second reading debate commenced [first speaker ]
- Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (National Regulator) Bill 2011 and 4 related bills –second reading commenced [first speaker ]
The following bills were passed
- Indigenous Affairs Legislation Amendment Bill 2011 [The bill will now be assented to]
- Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Amendment Bill 2011–1 Government amendment agreed to [The House of Representatives will now consider the amendment made by the Senate]
- Legislative Instruments Amendment (Sunsetting) Bill 2011 [The bill will now be assented to]
Notice of motion to introduce a private senator’s bill
- Telecommunications (Mobile Phone Towers) Bill 2011–notice given by the Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Bob Brown)
See Committees for details of reports relating to legislation
Committees
Scheduled public committee hearings
Committee reports
Estimates
Additional information arising from estimates hearings was tabled.
A motion relating to the attendance of the President of Fair Work Australia at estimates hearings of the Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee was debated [first speaker].
Reports tabled
- Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee–Defence’s request for tender for aviation contracts [report] [a motion was moved to take note of the report]
- Publications Committee–8th report [report] [motion to adopt the report agreed to]
Government responses tabled
- Community Affairs References Committee–Towards recovery: Mental health services in Australia [a motion to take note of the report was agreed to]
- Regional and Remote Indigenous Communities Select Committee–Fourth report 2010
Meeting during the sitting of the Senate
The Senate authorised the National Broadband Network Joint Committee to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sitting of the Senate on 25 August 2011 from noon.
New inquiries
Selection of Bills Committee report
The Senate adopted report no. 11 of 2011 of the Selection of Bills Committee, and made the following reference:
- National Health Reform Amendment (Independent Hospital Pricing Authority) Bill 2011–Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee–to report by 15 September 2011
Notices of motion
- To enable the Privileges Committee and the Senators’ Interests Committee to confer on a draft code of conduct for senators–notice given by the Chair of the Privileges Committee (Senator Johnston)
- To establish an inquiry into media in Australia–notice given by the Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Bob Brown)
Membership
The Senate agreed that Senator Edwards replace Senator Heffernan on the Rural Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee for the committee’s inquiry into the Air Navigation and Civil Aviation Amendment (Aircraft Crew) Bill 2011, and that Senator Heffernan be appointed as a participating member.
Documents
Delegated legislation
See Disallowance Alert for a complete list of notices of motion to disallow (and outcomes)
- Clerk’s documents were tabled [legislative instruments and other documents required by statute to be tabled]
Notice of intention to withdraw a notice
The Chair of the Standing Committee on Regulations and Ordinances gave notice of intention to withdraw a notice to disallow Instrument no. CASA EX48/11, made under subregulation 308(1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 [homepage].
Orders for the production of documents
Orders with continuing effect
Departmental and agency contracts published on the Internet
Letters of advice for various agencies were tabled [Letters of advice about certain contracts valued at $100 000 or more entered into by departments and agencies are required to be tabled twice a year]
Indexed lists of departmental and agency files published on the Internet
Statements of compliance for various agencies were tabled [Letters of advice about certain files created by departments and agencies are required to be tabled twice a year]
Documents tabled
Documents discussed
Government documents and committee reports were discussed.
Other business
Questions without notice and issues arising during question time–first question
Adjournment debate–first speaker
Motion agreed to
Motions negatived
Temporary chair of committees
A warrant was tabled nominating Senator Fawcett 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