Parliament

Senator DI NATALE (Victoria) (14:23):  My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Brandis. Does the government acknowledge concerns by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that the current Ebola outbreak is the worst in history, having killed an estimated 3,000 people and with the potential to infect over one million people by January 2015 if not contained?

Senator DI NATALE (Victoria) (12:18):  I move:

That the Senate—

(a) expresses concern over the audit of the National Medical Intern Data Management Working Group's findings that approximately 240 Australian medical graduates will not be offered a state or territory internship position;

(b) notes that completing a medical internship is an essential process for a graduate to work as a doctor in Australia;

(c) recognises that:

Senator DI NATALE:  I, and also on behalf of Senator Lazarus, move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) expresses concern at the proposed sale of the $29 billion Medicare payment system, which will put thousands of jobs at risk and compromise service;

(b) notes That the sale will open the door for further privatisations within the Department of Human Services and other federal government agencies, including the Australian Taxation Office; and

Senator Di Natale to move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) freedom of the press is an important element of any functioning democracy, and

(ii) access to Papuan provinces by foreign journalists has been tightly restricted by the Indonesian Government;