SENATE

More documents

Recommendations

Info

96 <strong>SENATE</strong> Thursday, 13 October 2016 What I do understand is there is an issue with whether or not arrangements could be made for photography for a particular vote which is coming up in that week. Some informal discussions have been held on that, and I have indicated we are quite willing to have that discussion. But in the absence of being advised and having some consultation internally, we are disinclined to give leave to amend a motion which has already been passed. Senator HINCH (Victoria) (17:42): Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement. The PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for two minutes. Senator HINCH: My apologies to Senator Wong; it is my newcomer ignorance that I did not follow a formality. It was not meant as any manner of disrespect at all to the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. What I was trying to do was have the motion accepted this morning amended. That date, 28 November, was picked to help the Clerk of the Senate, because they wanted to have a bit of time to do some drafting. I would like to now move that date forward. I thought I had some agreement that we would move it forward to 7 November, which is the first sitting day of the next session. I just want to stress that the only reason why the 28 November date was ever picked was that I was trying to make things easier for the Clerk of the Senate. That is why we picked Monday, 28 November. I would now like to try to change it, if I get permission to move it, to 7 November. Senator SIEWERT (Western Australia—Australian Greens Whip) (17:43): Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement. The PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for two minutes. Senator SIEWERT: I wonder if perhaps the chamber could extend to Senator Hinch the opportunity to lodge a late notice of motion that would then go through the first Monday we are back that would let him change it to 8 November. Perhaps that would be a way forward. If there was a disinclination not to progress this matter now, I wonder whether we could do that in order to facilitate Senator Hinch's objective, which is to get the photography happening sooner than 28 November. The PRESIDENT: I just indicate to the chamber that I had a conversation with Senator Hinch earlier in the day about the date and the proposed change. My understanding was that his office was going to contact all parties, and that obviously has not happened. So there is no appetite for the change. Senator Siewert made a useful suggestion of a permission for lodging, by leave, a notice of motion. He would need leave to lodge a notice of motion as it is beyond the time frame for lodgement. Is the chamber happy for Senator Hinch to seek leave to lodge a notice of motion that will be lodged on Monday, 7 November for photography in the chamber to then take effect post that lodgement? Do I hear agreeance in the chamber for that course of action? He will lodge the motion today. The motion will then be debated or discovered in formal business on Monday, 7 November. I would assume that photography rules would then change post the passing of that motion, if indeed it passes. Senator Hinch, I think we have reached a resolution. I am sure you will have some assistance in the drafting of the notice of motion. There will be leave granted probably at the end of this session for you to lodge that notice of motion. I think we have agreement. Firefighting Foam Contamination Senator XENOPHON (South Australia) (17:46): by leave—There was some confusion as to the order of speaking and I was caught unaware, so thank you very much to my colleagues for this opportunity to speak very briefly on this important issue. I commend Senator Burston for raising the groundwater contamination issue with his motion. Many hundreds of people have felt abandoned by our defence forces because there has not been an adequate system or adequate processes to assess the issue of groundwater contamination arising out of firefighting foam contamination at RAAF Base Williamtown in New South Wales and the Oakey Army Aviation Centre in Queensland. Indeed, there are rising concerns over groundwater contamination in Adelaide's north at the RAAF Base Edinburgh. Back in May of this year I visited Oakey in Queensland along with the candidate for the NXT for the seat of Groom, Josie Townsend, who put up a terrific fight for that seat, as well as the Senate candidates for NXT in Queensland, Dr Suzanne Grant and Daniel Crow. There were very serious concerns in Oakey. We were talking to residents—people whose property values had plummeted and people whose properties were virtually worthless and unsaleable because of the concerns about groundwater contamination. Clearly, the work of the Senate committee in relation to this in the previous parliament was absolutely critical. I commend those who worked on that, including, I note, Senator Gallacher from my home state of South Australia. They did valuable work in relation to that committee. All I think needs to be said at this stage is that there must be expedited environmental investigations into the impact of this firefighting foam, there must be an opportunity for people to be allowed to have blood tests without CHAMBER
Thursday, 13 October 2016 <strong>SENATE</strong> 97 any cost to themselves in relation to this, there must be soil testing—not just the surface soil but deeper than that—and there also must be testing in relation to the groundwater on a regular basis so that there can be some longitudinal tests with respect to this. I think it is important that we also look at the issue of land remediation and relocation, because the stress of the people that I spoke to in Oakey and the concerns we have in the north of Adelaide are very real. I am not blaming Defence in this regard; the risks involved with this firefighting foam were obviously not known to Defence at the time. I presume they were not known, but we now know that this firefighting foam can be carcinogenic, can cause contamination of land and water, and above all poses a real and significant risk to human health. That is why there is an obligation on the part of Defence to ensure that there is ongoing monitoring of this; that, if there is evidence of contamination of land, either remediation is offered or, more importantly, compensation for the loss of the value of that land, or indeed if that land is no longer able to be sold because of that contamination; and, above all, ongoing monitoring of the risk to human health, particularly to young children. A number of residents of Oakey spoke to me and are concerned about the impact on the health of their children and their families because of the contamination by these toxins. I understand in the United States there have been significant class actions launched with respect to these contaminants. This is an important motion moved by Senator Burston. I am very happy to work with Senator Burston on this issue because these people deserve certainty rather than the real concerns they have about this. There needs to be an approach by Defence that is comprehensive rather than piecemeal so that we can address these very significant issues. If we do not, the health of individuals will continue to be affected in an emotional and psychological sense. More importantly, there must be a proper assessment of their physical wellbeing. It is something that Defence will need to deal with for many years because the leaching of these toxins into groundwater a fair distance from the original source—from ground zero, if you like—needs to be monitored in a very responsible way. This is an issue that I presume Senator Burston will take up in Senate estimates next week, so I look forward to joining him at that time so that we can get answers, not just for the residents of Oakey and Williamtown but also for those near the Edinburgh Air Force base in South Australia. Thank you very much for your indulgence. PETITIONS SIDS and Kids Senator BILYK (Tasmania—Deputy Opposition Whip in the Senate) (17:51): by leave—I present to the Senate a nonconforming petition from SIDS and Kids. It has been to the whips meeting and agreed to. There are over 5,000 signatures in support of a Medicare rebate payable for services provided by an international boardcertified lactation consultant. NOTICES Presentation Senator HINCH (Victoria) (17:51): Mr President, with your permission, I give notice that on the next day of sitting I shall move: That the order of the Senate agreed to on 13 October 2016 relating to photography in the chamber be amended by omitting '28 November 2016' and substituting '7 November 2016'. The PRESIDENT: Thank you. We agreed by leave earlier that you could do that, so that is now lodged. DOCUMENTS Consideration The following orders of the day relating to documents were considered: Estimates hearings—Unanswered questions on notice—Additional estimates 2015-16—Statements pursuant to the order of the Senate of 25 June 2014—Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio; Health portfolio; Tourism Australia. Motion of Senator Urquhart to take note of document called on. Debate adjourned till Thursday at general business, Senator Bilyk in continuation. Regional Forest Agreement between the Commonwealth and Tasmania—Joint Australian and Tasmanian government response to the Review of the implementation of the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement for the period 2007 to 2012. Motion of Senator McKim to take note of document agreed to. Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse—Royal Commission—Report of case study no. 33—The response of The Salvation Army (Southern Territory) to allegations of child sexual abuse at children's homes that it operated. Motion of Senator Urquhart to take note of document called on. On the motion of Senator Bilyk the debate was adjourned till Thursday at general business. Register of Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land Act 2015—Report of registrations for 2015-16. Motion of Senator Macdonald to take note of document agreed to. CHAMBER
Page 1 and 2:
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA SENATE Ha
Page 3 and 4:
FORTY-FIFTH PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSIO
Page 5 and 6:
Senator State or Territory Term exp
Page 7 and 8:
Title Minister Minister for Health
Page 9 and 10:
Title Shadow Minister Deputy Manage
Page 11 and 12:
CONTENTS—continued International
Page 13 and 14:
Thursday, 13 October 2016 SENATE 1
Page 15 and 16:
Page 17 and 18:
Page 19 and 20:
Page 21 and 22:
Page 23 and 24:
Page 25 and 26:
Page 27 and 28:
Page 29 and 30:
Page 31 and 32:
Page 33 and 34:
Page 35 and 36:
Page 37 and 38:
Page 39 and 40:
Page 41 and 42:
Page 43 and 44:
Page 45 and 46:
Page 47 and 48:
Page 49 and 50:
Page 51 and 52:
Page 53 and 54:
Page 55 and 56:
Page 57 and 58: Thursday, 13 October 2016 SENATE 45
Page 107: Thursday, 13 October 2016 SENATE 95
Page 125: Thursday, 13 October 2016 SENATE 11
show all

SENATE

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?