Senator Allison to move on the next day of sitting:

That there be laid on the table by the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, no later than 4.30 pm on Thursday, 20 March 2008, a copy of the KPMG ABC Funding Adequacy and Efficiency Review report.

Senator Allison to move on the next day of sitting:

That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Education, no later than 4.30 pm on Thursday, 20 March 2008, a copy of the Department of Education, Science and Training review of private school funding report.

Senator Ian Macdonald to move on the next day of sitting:

That the time for the presentation of the report of the Select Committee on State Government Financial Management be extended to 18 June 2008.

Senator Murray to move on the next day of sitting:

(1)

That the Senate, noting concern in the community at the abuse of alcohol, asks that the Government refer the following matter to a parliamentary committee, an appropriate body or a specially-established task force for inquiry and report:

The need to significantly reduce alcohol abuse in Australia, especially in geographic or demographic hot spots, and what the Commonwealth, states and territories should separately and jointly do with respect to:

(a)

the pricing of alcohol, including taxation;

(b)

the marketing of alcohol; and

(c)

regulating the distribution, availability and consumption of alcohol.

(a)

economic as well as social issues;

(b)

alcohol rehabilitation and education;

(c)

the need for a flexible, responsive and adaptable regulatory regime; and

(d)

the need for a consistent, harmonised Australian approach.

Senator Murray to move on the next day of sitting:

That, in view of:

(a)

the instances of developers being identified in investigations into corrupt influence in local government, and other levels of government;

(b)

public and media perceptions of improper conduct and influence by developers; and

(c)

calls for donations, loans, gifts and favours from developers to be prohibited,

the Senate calls on the Prime Minister (Mr Rudd) to put this matter before the Council of Australian Governments, with a view to designing amendments to all federal, state and territory electoral laws no later than 1 December 2008 either:

(a)

prohibiting donations, loans, or gifts by developers, either directly or indirectly, to candidates or political parties at any level of government; or

(b)

significantly improving and harmonising law, regulation and governance in this area.

Senator Ellison to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that at the first ever global forum to fight the crime of human trafficking, the Vienna Forum to Fight Human Trafficking was held from 13 February to 15 February 2008 and convened by the United Nations (UN) Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking, an initiative launched by UN Office on Drugs and Crime and several UN partners in 2007; and

(b)

urges the new Government to continue the initiatives of the previous Government to combat human trafficking:

(i)

by ensuring that Australian agencies are properly funded in the upcoming budget to fight human trafficking and continues to be a world leader in this important area,

(ii)

developing initiatives with regional partners to address this important issue, and

(iii)

requiring the new Government to report to the Senate on the measures it will take to ensure that Australia is at the forefront of combating human trafficking.

Senator Conroy to move on the next day of sitting:

That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to communications, and for related purposes. Communications Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2008.

Senators Allison and Stott Despoja to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that:

(i)

8 March was International Women’s Day,

(ii)

Australia trails other comparable economies in the area of gender equity,

(iii)

despite achieving the universal right to equal pay more than 35 years ago, Australian women still experience a pay gap of 16 per cent compared with their male counterparts, and

(iv)

the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was established more than 8 years ago to ensure the full and equal enjoyment by women of all human rights and fundamental freedoms; and

(b)

calls on the Government to stand by its promise and ratify the Optional Protocol to the CEDAW as a matter of urgency.

Senator Bob Brown to move on 18 March 2008:

That the Senate:

(a)

having regard to:

(i)

the 11th Australia-China Human Rights Dialogue held in Beijing on 30 July 2007,

(ii)

the United Nations (UN) Olympics Truce, as passed by the UN General Assembly on 31 October 2007 (A/RES/62/4),

(iii)

the 49th anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising of 10 March 1959,

(iv)

the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, with particular attention to Article 9, concerning arbitrary arrest and detention, Article 13 on the right to freedom of movement and Article 18 on the rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion,

(v)

the establishment of diplomatic relations between Australia and the Peoples Republic of China on 21 December 1972 resulting in Australia-China relations developing strongly, politically and economically, and

(vi)

the Australia-China Strategic Partnership, established on 7 September 2007, which is of great importance for the relationship between Australia and China;

(b)

regrets that there have been no further rounds of the Sino-Tibetan dialogue since February 2006 and that the five rounds of talks between Chinese officials and representatives of the Dalai Lama from 2002 to 2006, led by his Special Envoy Lodi Gyari, brought no substantive results;

(c)

calls on the parties to make every effort to continue the dialogue and on the Chinese Government to engage in substantive negotiations, taking into due consideration the Dalai Lama’s Middle Way Approach to the resolution of the Tibet issue; and

(d)

reiterates its concern over the reports of continuing human rights violations in Tibet, including torture, arbitrary arrest and detention, repression of religious freedom, ‘patriotic re-education’ including forcing Tibetans to denounce the Dalai Lama, arbitrary restrictions on free movement, rehabilitation through labour camps and coercive resettlement.

Senators Allison and Ronaldson to move on the next day of sitting:

That—

(1)

The following matter be referred to the Environment, Communications and the Arts Committee for inquiry and report by 23 June 2008:

The sexualisation of children in the contemporary media environment, including radio and television, children’s magazines, other print and advertising material and the Internet.

(2)

In undertaking the inquiry, the committee, in particular:

(a)

examine the sources and beneficiaries of premature sexualisation of children in the media;

(b)

review the evidence on the short- and long-term effects of viewing or buying sexualising and objectifying images and products and their influence on cognitive functioning, physical and mental health, sexuality, attitudes and beliefs; and

(c)

examine strategies to prevent and/or reduce the sexualisation of children in the media and the effectiveness of different approaches in ameliorating its effects, including the role of school-based sexuality and reproductive health education and change in media and advertising regulation such as the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice and the Commercial Radio Codes of Practice.

Senator Bartlett to move on the next day of sitting:

(1)

That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent this resolution having effect.

(2)

That the following bills be restored to the Notice Paper and that consideration of each bill resume at the stage reached in the 41st Parliament:

  Migration Legislation Amendment (Migration Zone Excision Repeal) Bill 2006

  Migration Legislation Amendment (Migration Zone Excision Repeal) (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2006

  Migration Legislation Amendment (Temporary Protection Visas Repeal) Bill 2006

  Migration Legislation Amendment (Provisions Relating to Character and Conduct) Bill 2006

  Migration Legislation Amendment (End of Mandatory Detention) Bill 2006

  Migration Legislation Amendment (Complementary Protection Visas) Bill 2006

  Migration Legislation Amendment (Access to Judicial Review of Migration Decisions) Bill 2006

  Migration Legislation Amendment (Restoration of Rights and Procedural Fairness) Bill 2007.

Senator Allison to move on the next day of sitting:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes:

(i)

that Amnesty International, CARE International UK, CAFOD, Christian Aid, Medecins du Monde UK, Oxfam, Save the Children UK and Trocaire, in the week beginning 2 March 2008 said that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is now worse than it was at any time since Israel occupied the Palestinian territories in 1967,

(ii)

that those organisations in the week beginning 9 March 2008 described Israel’s blockade of Gaza as a collective punishment of the entire Gazan population of 1.5 million and said it was unacceptable and illegal,

(iii)

that the situation has worsened since Israel imposed the severe restrictions over the Gaza Strip and hindered the movement of residents and goods,

(iv)

that poverty levels in the Gaza Strip are rising and that hospitals are suffering 12 hour power cuts each day while water and sewage systems are close to collapse,

(v)

that the United Nations (UN) emergency relief coordinator in Gaza says medical services are deteriorating, private industry has more or less collapsed, hospitals lack sufficient beds, drugs, resuscitation devices, needles and blood to meet the demand and more than 80 per cent of the population are receiving emergency rations from UN agencies as their main source of food,

(vi)

that 40 per cent of the Gaza population has access to water for only a few hours a day and that municipal authorities lack the fuel and spare parts needed to maintain water delivery infrastructure which could collapse at any time and that 40 million litres of raw or partially-treated sewage is being pumped into the Mediterranean Sea every day with long-term risks to the environment, and

(vii)

that the International Save the Children Alliance advised that hundreds of thousands of children are among those most at risk in the crisis in Gaza with increased levels of chronic disease, anaemia, diarrhoea and malnutrition in children under 5 years of age;

(b)

urges the Government to work with the international community and parties to the conflict to, as a matter of urgency:

(i)

establish procedures to manage the crossings and re-establish full humanitarian and commercial access to Gaza,

(ii)

enforce the full implementation of the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access, which was announced by the United States Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, in Jerusalem on 15 November 2005,

(iii)

develop a strategy that ensures the protection of children and other civilians in Gaza, while negotiations continue for an end to the violence and a comprehensive settlement of the conflict, and

(iv)

increase the levels of humanitarian aid in Gaza to reflect the severity of need; and

(c)

considers that celebrating the 60th anniversary of Israel’s statehood should not be interpreted as endorsement of action that gave rise to such crises or approval of the failure to deliver peace and a separate state for Palestinians, an objective that appears less likely now than at any time in the past 60 years.

Senator Ronaldson to move on the next day of sitting:

(1)

That the following matter be referred to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters for inquiry and report:

All aspects of the 2007 Federal Election and matters related thereto, with particular reference to:

(a)

the level of donations, income and expenditure received by political parties, associated entities and third parties at recent local, state and federal elections;

(b)

the extent to which political fundraising and expenditure by third parties is conducted in concert with registered political parties;

(c)

the take up, by whom and by what groups, of current provisions for tax deductibility for political donations as well as other groups with tax deductibility that involve themselves in the political process without disclosing that tax deductible funds are being used;

(d)

the provisions of the Act that relate to disclosure and the activities of associated entities, and third parties not covered by the disclosure provisions;

(e)

the appropriateness of current levels of public funding provided for political parties and candidates contesting federal elections;

(f)

the availability and efficacy of ‘free time’ provided to political parties in relation to federal elections in print and electronic media at local, state and national levels;

(g)

the public funding of candidates whose eligibility is questionable before, during and after an election with the view to ensuring public confidence in the public funding system;

(h)

the relationship between public funding and campaign expenditure; and

(i)

the harmonisation of state and federal laws that relate to political donations, gifts and expenditure.

Senator Allison to move on the next day of sitting:

That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to prohibit disruptive advertising in SBS television programs, and for related purposes. Special Broadcasting Service Amendment (Prohibition of Disruptive Advertising) Bill 2008.

Senator Fielding to move on the next day of sitting:

That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to provide for product control and payment and refund of deposits in relation to certain drink containers in order to protect the environment, and for related purposes. Drink Container Recycling Bill 2008.