Senator RHIANNON  (New South Wales) (12:35): I move: 

That the Senate— 

(a) notes that: 

   (i) a video in circulation violently threatens a high-profile gun control advocate, 

   (ii) the individuals in the video have previously been referred to the New South Wales Police for posting violent videos aimed at racial and religious minorities and the Greens, and 

   (iii) former Prime Minister John Howard performed a courageous act in 1996 by pursuing national gun law reform; and 

(b) calls on the Federal Government to: 

Senator RHIANNON: Commissioner, when AFP personnel travel overseas on official business with family or friends, do the family and friends have to be given a security clearance?

Mr Colvin : The only time that AFP would travel overseas with family, certainly not with friends-are you talking official travel?

Senator RHIANNON: Yes, official travel.

Mr Colvin : I could not imagine a reason they would be travelling officially with friends, unless they were officials as well.

Senator RHIANNON: With regard to the advice given to ministers and the Prime Minister with regard to events they attend—you spoke about the consultation that was undertaken—are there any specific protocols or guidelines used to judge when an event warrants advice to senior members of government not to attend, or is it on a case by case basis, or is it when requests come from the minister's or the Prime Minister's office?

Prime Minister Tony Abbott will be asked to justify his remarks excusing torture in Sri Lanka following the success of an Australian Greens motion today.

The motion by Senator Penny Wright and Senator Lee Rhiannon called on Mr Abbott to retract his comments that 'we accept that sometimes in difficult circumstances difficult things happen' and was passed with the support of the opposition.

"There are absolutely no circumstances where torture is justifiable," Australian Greens spokesperson on Human Rights Senator Wright said.

We move that the Senate

1.       notes that

a.       10 December is Human Rights Day, proclaimed by the United Nations' General Assembly in 1950;

b.      on 15 November 2013 the Prime Minister said, regarding reports of torture by Sri Lankan security forces, that 'we accept that sometimes in difficult circumstances difficult things happen'; and

Adjournment debate, Tuesday 18 June 2013

 In the shadow of legislation passed in the NSW Upper House which allows recreational hunters to shoot feral animals in designated national parks and reserves, Labor and the Coalition parties today voted against a Greens Senate motion condemning this move and calling on the Attorney General to strengthen national gun laws.

The motion below was moved by Greens Senators Penny Wright and Lee Rhiannon.

Greens spokesperson for Legal Affairs, Senator Penny Wright, said strengthening uniform gun laws would help increase public safety.

The Australian Greens will today call on Attorney-General Nicola Roxon to get on with the job that former Prime Minister John Howard started and tighten uniform national gun laws, in response to the O'Farrell government's deal making with the Shooters Party and today's ongoing debate of legislation allowing recreational hunters into 79 national parks and reserves.

The Gillard government continues to baulk at funding the continuation and expansion of the highly successful Victorian Bsafe domestic violence pilot which provides personal safety alarms to women and children at risk of domestic violence. A motion by Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon was agreed to by the Senate today, however Labor Senators voiced opposition to it in the chamber (full motion below).

Greens Senator and spokesperson for women Lee Rhiannon said: