Community Affairs 23 February 2011

Senator SIEWERT—I have another one that you may say to do somewhere else. I am going to be asking this in several portfolio areas: how much does the department spend on managing contracts and grants with NGOs?

Ms Halton—We probably cannot do it by NGOs. We have done quite a bit of work as part of the strategic review on what we think we spend, in macro terms, on managing grants in toto. I cannot disaggregate it.

Senator SIEWERT—Between commercial and NGOs?
Ms Halton—No.

The tragic loss of life in the Queensland floods, as well as the shocking images of besieged cities, evacuated suburbs, homes and cars swept away and farms ruined, leaves us luckier Australians asking how we can help.

Please join with us in giving to the Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal.

From http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html

The Australian Greens and the Labor Party have signed an agreement to ensure stability for Labor in Government. The Greens will ensure supply and oppose any motion of no confidence in the Government from other parties or MPs.

Labor will work with the Greens to deliver improved transparency and integrity to Parliament and pursue policies that promote the national interest and address climate change.

As part of the agreement there will be regular meetings between the Prime Minister and Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown and newly-elected Lower House MP Adam Bandt.

Rearrangement

Senator LUDWIG (Queensland—Special Minister of State and Cabinet Secretary) (3.45 pm)—I seek leave to move the government’s motion on varying the hours of meeting and routine of business this week.

A battle of Senate tactics went the way of the Government and Greens with Senator Xenophon's support tonight, blocking a bid by the Opposition to disallow the Coral Sea Conservation Zone.

An Opposition disallowance motion seemed set to succeed and would have stymied Environment Minister Peter Garrett's proclamation of the Coral Sea Conservation Zone. The Coalition tactic was to talk out the motion and avoid a vote.

The Greens moved a last minute motion, supported by the Government and most of the cross-bench, which led to the vote being put.

The Australian Greens are calling for Federal and Northern Territory action to ensure logging and plantation operations on Tiwi Islands are sustainable and bring benefits to the Island's community.

"I am very concerned by the admission of the administrators of the forestry project on Melville Island, that the operations as commercially unviable," said Greens Senator Rachel Siewert.