Thursday, 21 April 1983 THE PARLIAMENT DISSOLVED THIRTY-SECOND PARLIAMENT PROCLAMATION Commonwealth of Australia N. M. STEPHEN Governor-General By His Excellency the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia WHEREAS by section 57 of the Constitution it is provided that if the House of Representatives passes any proposed law, and the Senate rejects or fails to pass it, or passes it with amendments to which the House of Representatives will not agree, and if after an interval of three months the House of Representatives, in the same or the next session, again passes the proposed law with or without any amendments which have been made, suggested, or agreed to by the Senate and the Senate rejects or fails to pass it, or passes it with amendments to which the House of Representatives will not agree, the Governor-General may dissolve the Senate and the House of Representatives simultaneously: AND WHEREAS the conditions upon which the Governor-General is empowered by that section of the Constitution to dissolve the Senate and the House of Representatives simultaneously have been fulfilled in respect of the several proposed laws intituled- Sales Tax Amendment Bill (No. 1A) 1981 Sales Tax Amendment Bill (No. 2A) 1981 Sales Tax Amendment Bill (No. 3A) 1981 Sales Tax Amendment Bill (No. 4A) 1981 Sales Tax Amendment Bill (No. 5A) 1981 Sales Tax Amendment Bill (No. 6A) 1981 Sales Tax Amendment Bill (No. 7A) 1981 Sales Tax Amendment Bill (No. 8A) 1981 Sales Tax Amendment Bill (No. 9A) 1981 Canberra College of Advanced Education Amendment Bill 1981 States Grants (Tertiary Education Assistance) Amendment Bill (No. 2) 1981 Australian National University Amendment Bill (No. 3) 1981 Social Services Amendment Bill (No. 3) 1981. NOW THEREFORE I, SIR NINIAN MARTIN STEPHEN, the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, do by this my Proclamation dissolve the Senate and the House of Representatives. (L.S.) GIVEN under my Hand and the Great Seal of Australia on 4 February 1983. By His Excellency's Command, MALCOLM FRASER Prime Minister GOD SAVE THE QUEEN! THE PARLIAMENT CONVENED THIRTY-THIRD PARLIAMENT PROCLAMATION Commonwealth of Australia N. M. STEPHEN Governor-General By His Excellency the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia WHEREAS by section 5 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia it is provided, amongst other things, that the Governor-General may appoint such times for holding the sessions of the Parliament as he thinks fit: NOW THEREFORE I, Sir Ninian Martin Stephen, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, by this Proclamation appoint Thursday, 21 April 1983 as the day for the Parliament of the Commonwealth to assemble for the despatch of business: And all Senators and Members of the House of Representatives are hereby required to give their attendance accordingly at Parliament House, Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory, at 10.30 o'clock in the morning on Thursday, 21 April 1983. (L.S.) GIVEN under my Hand and the Great Seal of Australia on 7th April 1983. By His Excellency's Command, BOB HAWKE Prime Minister GOD SAVE THE QUEEN! COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SENATE Hansard 1983 FIRST SESSION OF THE THIRTY-THIRD PARLIAMENT (FIRST PERIOD) The Thirty-second Parliament was, by proclamation, dissolved on 4 February 1983 . The Thirty-third Parliament was convened for the dispatch of business on 21 April 1983, and the First Session commenced on that day. The Senate met at 10.30 a.m., pursuant to the proclamation of His Excellency the Governor-General. The Clerk read the proclamation. The Senior Deputy appointed by His Excellency the Governor-General for the opening of the Parliament, the Right Honourable Sir Harry Talbot Gibbs, G.C.M.G. , K.B.E., Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, and the Second Deputy, the Right Honourable Sir Anthony Frank Mason, K.B.E., a Justice of the High Court of Australia, having been announced by the Usher of the Black Rod, entered the chamber and took their seats on the dais. The Senior Deputy directed the Usher to desire the attendance of the members of the House of Representatives. Members of the House of Representatives attending accordingly- The Senior Deputy said: Members of the Senate and Members of the House of Representatives: His Excellency the Governor-General, not thinking fit to be present in person at this time, has been pleased to cause letters patent to issue constituting me his deputy to do in his name all that is necessary to be performed in declaring this Parliament open, as will more fully appear from the letters patent which will now be read. The letters patent having been read by the Clerk- The Senior Deputy said: Members of the Senate and Members of theHouse of Representatives: We have it in command from the Governor-General to let you know that, after Members of the Senate and Members of the House of Representatives shall have been sworn, the causes of His Excellency calling this Parliament will be declared by him in person at this place; and, it being necessary that a President of the Senate and a Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be first chosen, you, Members of the Senate, will proceed to choose some proper person to be your President, and you, Members of the House of Representatives, will retire to the place where you are to sit, and there proceed to the choice of some proper person to be your Speaker; and later this day you will respectively present the persons whom you shall so choose to His Excellency at such time and place as he shall appoint. Sir Anthony Mason will attend in the House of Representatives for the purpose of administering the Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance to Honourable Members of that House. The Second Deputy and members of the House of Representatives having retired- The Senior Deputy produced a commission authorising him to administer the oath or affirmation of allegiance and directed the Clerk to read the same. The Clerk read the commission. The Clerk produced and laid on the table the certificates of election of senators elected on 5 March 1983 to serve in the Senate from 1 July 1982 as follows: NEW SOUTH WALES McClelland, Douglas Carrick, John Leslie Gietzelt, Arthur Thomas Baume, Peter Erne Richardson, Graham Frederick Scott, Douglas Barr Sibraa, Kerry Walter Lajovic, Milivoj Emil Childs, Bruce Kenneth Mason, Colin Victor James QUEENSLAND Georges, George Bjelke-Petersen, Florence Isabel Martin, Kathryn Jean Colston, Malcolm Arthur Collard, Stanley James Jones, Gerry Norman Boswell, Ronald Leslie Doyle Reynolds, Margaret Macklin, Michael John MacGibbon, David John SOUTH AUSTRALIA Elstob, Ronald Charles Messner, Anthony John Haines, Janine Foreman, Dominic John Hill, Robert Murray Bolkus, Nick Jessop, Donald Scott Maguire, Graham Ross Teague, Baden Chapman Crowley, Rosemary Anne TASMANIA Rae, Peter Elliot Grimes, Donald James Harradine, Brian Walters, Mary Shirley Tate, Michael Carter Archer, Brian Roger Townley, Michael Watson, John Odwin Wentworth Hearn, Jean Margaret Coates, John VICTORIA Button, John Norman Guilfoyle, Margaret Georgina Constance Chipp, Donald Leslie Evans, Gareth John Lewis, Austin William Russell Primmer, Cyril Graham Missen, Alan Joseph Ray, Robert Francis Hamer, David John Zakharov, Alice Olive WESTERN AUSTRALIA Walsh, Peter Alexander Chaney, Frederick Michael Coleman, Ruth Nancy Durack, Peter Drew McIntosh, Gordon Douglas Crichton-Browne, Noel Ashley Giles, Patricia Jessie Withers, Reginald Greive Cook, Peter Francis Salmon Evans, John Gordon AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY Ryan, Susan Maree Reid, Margaret Elizabeth NORTHERN TERRITORY Kilgariff, Bernard Francis Robertson, Edward Albert The abovenamed senators, with the exception of Senator Archer, made and subscribed the oath or affirmation of allegiance. The Senior Deputy having retired- Senator BUTTON(Victoria-Leader of the Government in the Senate) —Mr Cumming Thom , I remind the Senate that the time has come when it is necessary for the Senate to choose one of its members to be President. I propose to the Senate for its President, Senator McClelland. I move: That Senator McClelland do take the chair of the Senate as President. Senator Grimes —I second the motion. Senator CHANEY(Western Australia-Leader of the Opposition) —Mr Cumming Thom, I propose to the Senate for its President, Senator Austin Lewis. I move: That Senator Lewis do take the chair of the Senate as President. Senator Durack —I second the motion. The Clerk-Are there any further nominations? There being no further nominations , I now invite the two candidates to address the Senate. Senator Douglas McClelland —I submit myself to the will of the Senate. Senator Lewis —I submit myself to the will of the Senate. The Clerk-There being two nominations, in accordance with the Standing Orders a ballot will be taken. Before proceeding to the ballot, the bells will be rung for three minutes. The bells having been rung- The Clerk-The Senate will now proceed to ballot. Ballot papers will be distributed to honourable senators, who are requested to write upon the paper the name of the candidate for whom they wish to vote. The Clerks will now distribute ballot papers to all honourable senators. The candidates are Senator McClelland and Senator Lewis. A ballot having been taken- The Clerk-Honourable senators, I announce the result of the ballot as follows: Senator McClelland, 35 votes; Senator Lewis, 27 votes. Senator McClelland is therefore elected President of the Senate in accordance with the Standing Orders . Senator Douglas McClelland having been conducted to the dais- The PRESIDENT(Senator the Hon. Douglas McClelland) —Colleagues, I am very conscious of the high honour that you have bestowed upon me by electing me President of the Senate. At the same time I am very much aware of the responsibilities attaching to this office. The standards set by my predecessors have been very high indeed and I shall be doing all within my role not only to emulate them but also to carry out my responsibilities in a way that will reflect credit on each of us and on the Australian Parliament and the parliamentary system of government. With your permission, I shall now occupy the chair. Senator BUTTON(Victoria-Leader of the Government in the Senate) —Mr President, it is my privilege to congratulate you on your election as President of the Senate. I think I speak with the warm enthusiasm of all my colleagues on the Government side and, I hope, with the good will of all honourable senators when I say that I believe you will discharge with distinction and impartiality your duties as President of the Senate. My President, your qualifications for being President of the Senate are considerable. You were elected to the Senate in 1962. If my arithmetic is correct, that means that this is your twenty-first year as a member of the Senate. You have been a Chairman of Committees of the Senate. You were a Minister of State between 1972 and 1975. You have served on numerous committees of the Senate and, more recently, you have been Deputy President of the Senate. I believe it is appropriate that a Deputy President of the Senate should become, in the course of time and in the course of political wisdom in Australia, President of the Senate. Mr President I personally wish you well. I know that you start in your office with the support and good wishes of the members of this chamber. Senator CHANEY(Western Australia-Leader of the Opposition) —Mr President, it is my privilege on behalf of the Opposition and in particular on behalf of the Liberal Party senators in this place to congratulate you on your election as President. You are, of course, the father of this place. I suppose Senator Lewis , seeing Justin O'Byrne sitting upstairs, might have hoped that was a talisman for his election to the office you now hold. But I, on behalf of the Opposition, do extend you our best wishes and our congratulations. Senator Button has referred to your very considerable experience in this place- to your role as Deputy President and as Chairman of Committees. Of course you are familiar with all facets of what happens in this chamber because you have served as a senator, as a senior member in opposition and as a Minister. I am sure, Mr President, that your experience makes you very aware of the importance of your role as far as the Opposition and minor parties are concerned and of the fact that we look to you for those standards of impartiality and fairness which I believe you displayed as Chairman of Committees. So, Mr President, we have confidence in you because of your recent experience and we look forward to working with you. I am sure that the work you did as Chairman of Committees was part of the reason that you got the support of the majority of honourable senators in the ballot today. I can assure you that you will have the full support of the Opposition in the discharge of your duties of office. As well as extending you best wishes from the Opposition I would like to extend my personal best wishes to you on your election to the presidency. Senator CHIPP(Victoria-Leader of the Australian Democrats) —Mr President, on behalf of my party, the Australian Democrats, I give you our warm congratulations and assure you of our support. Although it was a secret ballot I make no secret of the fact that you won our support. You won our support for two reasons, which I stated a couple of years ago when we voted for the then Liberal -National Country Party nominee and which I state again now. We believe that this place is entirely separate from the Executive. It is a House of Parliament and is a separate arm of government from the Executive. Therefore, it is irrelevant which party is in power when determining who should be President of this place. The fact is, Mr President, that you are a member of the political party which has the greatest number of honourable senators in this place and because of that we think it fitting that you should be President. In the same way, we believe that a member of the party with the second greatest number of honourable senators in this place should be the Deputy President and Chairman of Committees in this place. The second reason you won our support is that we believe you to be a fine and proper person to hold this very important office. I am glad personally to see you there because I am pleased to have been able to call you a personal friend of mine over the last 21 years. You have a difficult job ahead of you as your predecessors have had. It is a hung Senate; it will be an interesting Senate and a fascinating place in which to look at legislation. I have in mind that this Senate will run more smoothly with a greater deal of concensus than other Senates. I look forward to working with the leaders of the other parties and with you and your assistants in this place. The last Senate was not an easy one to chair, and I place on record my party's appreciation of your predecessor, Sir Harold Young, who, sometimes under extremely difficult circumstances, did what I believe to be a very creditable and worthwhile job. It is worthy to note that not once during his tenure of office was any motion of dissent from one of his rulings moved or even, as far as I am concerned, contemplated. You will have full support from us and I wish you well in your difficult task. Senator SCOTT(New South Wales) —As the leader of the other party in the coalition Opposition, the National Party, I certainly want to endorse the congratulations and good wishes that have been expressed this morning. I have had the privilege and, indeed, the pleasure of knowing you, Mr President, as a political opponent but certainly as an individual friend. I am sure that your capacity and the depth of your knowledge and experience in this chamber can only add to the efficiency of the chamber and, to the general atmosphere that must be generated in it. Mr President, on behalf of my party I endorse all those things that have been said of you. I believe you deserve them. I wish you well and congratulate you on having reached this august position. Senator LEWIS(Victoria) —Mr President, I join in congratulating you on your successful election to this very high office. It was not a surprise to me. My disappointment in the election is being on this side of the chamber and not on that side of the chamber. I am certainly not disappointed in your election as President. You and I have worked together on a number of Senate committees and over a period of almost seven years I believe we have become friends. I am certainly aware of your talents and your good humour which, I am sure, will come into play in this chamber from time to time. Yours is not an easy task. Some people seem to think that it is, but we who have sat in that chair know that it is not an easy task. Apart from the administrative roles, the control of this chamber, especially with the numbers the way they are, frequently proves to be a very difficult task. I am sure that your experience as a Minister, as a back bencher and as the Deputy President will show forth in the performance of your role. I am sure that you will perform your role as our President with distinction and dignity, and I support and endorse the remarks of others in congratulating you. Senator HARRADINE(Tasmania) —Mr President, I also congratulate you on your election to the presidency of the Senate. In a former administration you were Minister for the Media. Despite your undoubted qualities in your involvement with the media and before television cameras, the President of the Senate does not require those qualities, even though there is something in the air about the televising of Parliament. The functions of the President of this chamber are the same as those of the president of any other organisation; that is to say, to uphold and preserve the integrity of the organisation or the institution and to uphold its rules and objectives against all comers. I am sure that the role of the Senate as a States' House, as the House with the powers to preserve the rights of individuals, will be upheld by you as its President, even if these areas come under attack from pressures from executive government and elsewhere. I wish you success in your role as President of the Senate and very much look forward to working with you. Senator KILGARIFF(Northern Territory) —Mr President, as Opposition Whip, I offer you my sincere congratulations and at the same time I wish to draw to your attention the fact that in the election that has just taken place it was necessary to ask for a pair for Senator Archer who is unable to attend the Senate today. This was provided by Senator Georges from the Government ranks. Senator GIETZELT(New South Wales-Minister for Veterans' Affairs) —Mr President, I offer my personal congratulations to you. I think I can lay claim to being the senator who has known you longest, first meeting you when you held important positions in the Australian Labor Party organisation in the electorate of Barton when our leader was the late Dr Evatt. I can also lay claim to playing a significant part in my party in your election as a senator in 1961 and subsequently in your re-election in later preselection processes. Consequently you have been a personal friend of mine for all of those years-pretty close to 30 years. During that time we have enjoyed a warm and friendly relationship. I was able to accord you a vote when you were elected to the Ministry in 1972 and to see the important work that you did in several portfolios of the first Labor administration that had taken office since 1949. I think it is a fitting recognition of your service to the Parliament that you now have the support of the Senate in such a substantial way. I know that during the next period-we all hope it will be a long period-you will perform your duties as President of the Senate in the way in which you performed your duties as a Minister of the Crown. I agree with Senator Chipp; I am sure, Mr President, that the Senate will work in a much more co-operative way in the years that lie ahead and that you will apply yourself, in accordance with the impartial way in which you have been a member of the Senate, to the various rulings that you will be called upon to make. We hope that as our new President you will enjoy the co- operation that has been expressed by honourable senators opposite. You will certainly have the very strong support of the Government. I express my personal congratulations, and those of my family, to you. I also extend congratulations to your wife who is here today to see this important honour bestowed upon you. The PRESIDENT —Honourable senators, I am grateful to those who have spoken, the Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Button), the Leader of the Opposition (Senator Chaney), Senator Chipp, Senator Scott, Senator Lewis, Senator Harradine, Senator Kilgariff and Senator Gietzelt for the congratulatory remarks that they have made upon my election to this very important office. I also want to place on record my appreciation for the tremendous work put into this office by my immediate predecessor, Sir Harold Young. In the time that I was the Deputy President of the Senate and he was the President, notwithstanding the difference in political persuasions that we had, he was able to be of tremendous assistance to me in the occupancy of my position as Deputy President. No matter who will be chosen today to be the Deputy President, I sincerely trust that the relationship and close association that I was able to forge with Senator Sir Harold Young will be forged between me and my successor in office. Again, I appreciate what has been said by those who have spoken. I know my task will be a difficult one. I shall keep on hand the record of today's proceedings so that when I do make a ruling that is challenged I shall be able to pull it out and relate what has been said today. I am most grateful to those who have spoken, I shall tackle this task with enthusiasm and, I assure you, in a way which I trust will bring credit to the parliamentary institution. Senator BUTTON(Victoria-Leader of the Government in the Senate) —I wish to inform honourable senators that His Excellency the Governor-General will be pleased to receive Mr President and such honourable senators as may desire to accompany him in the Library at 2 p.m. this day. The PRESIDENT —Honourable senators, prior to my presentation to His Excellency the Governor-General this afternoon the bells will be rung at three minutes to 2 p.m. for three minutes so that honourable senators may attend in the chamber and accompany the President to the Library. Sitting suspended from 11.51 to 2 p.m. The PRESIDENT —I invite honourable senators to accompany me to the Library where I shall present myself to His Excellency the Governor-General as the choice of the Senate to be its President. The members of the Senate proceeded to the Library, and being reassembled- The PRESIDENT —I have to report that, accompanied by honourable senators, I presented myself to His Excellency the Governor-General as the choice of the Senate, and His Excellency was pleased to congratulate me upon my election. His Excellency the Governor-General entered the chamber and, being seated, with the President on his right hand, commanded that a message be sent to the House of Representatives intimating that His Excellency desired the attendance of honourable members in the Senate chamber forthwith. Members of the House of Representatives attending accordingly, with their Speaker- His Excellency was pleased to deliver the following speech: Honourable Members of the Parliament of Australia here assembled: At the elections for both Houses of Parliament on 5 March 1983, the people of Australia declared firmly for a change of government and for a change of national direction. You have been called together to consider a wide-ranging program of legislation designed to give effect to the mandate of the people. The new Government has assumed office at a time of Australia's gravest economic crisis since the Great Depression fifty years ago. In the twelve months from March 1982, unemployment grew from 6.6 per cent to 10 .4 per cent of the workforce. Unemployment among fifteen to nineteen year olds in the workforce rose above 29 per cent. It is estimated some two million of our fellow Australians are now living in poverty. Accordingly, my new advisers will give the highest priority to the task of restoring sustained growth to the Australian economy, now in deep recession. The Government, however, is deeply committed to the need for social, economic, legal and Parliamentary reform. The work of reform, to create a more equal and a more just society, must continue side by side with the urgent task of removing the acute injustice and deprivation caused by Australia's present massive unemployment. The Economy In fulfilment of an important undertaking given during the recent elections, my Government invited representatives of the governments, business and industrial unions of Australia to assemble in the national capital for a National Economic Summit Conference. My advisers are confident that this historic Conference has achieved wider community understanding of the nature of the economic problems facing Australia and broad agreement upon a national effort to attack those problems. The agreement reached at the Conference contains the basic framework and approach to enable Australia to begin to arrest the serious economic decline and place the economy on a path of sustained, non-inflationary growth. My advisers have assured the participants at the Summit and their representative organisations of the Government's support and assistance in building upon the foundations laid so successfully at the Conference. An essential ingredient to the success of the Conference was the dissemination of information to an extent not previously attempted in Australia. My advisers have undertaken that this process of information-sharing, which they believe essential to the making of sound economic decisions, will continue. Certain matters arising from the Conference will require legislative action which you will be asked to consider during this Session. The Government will establish an Economic Planning Advisory Council, representing governments, business, unions, farmers and community groups, to advise on economic developments and provide a forum for community consultation on national economic and social strategies. The Government will establish a price surveillance mechanism to assess pricing decisions made by the strategic price setters, in both the private and public sectors. The Government will also review the structure and operation of the Petroleum Products Pricing Authority to ensure adequate supervision of petroleum prices. My new Government has inherited a budgetary deficit problem of an unprecedented magnitude. A comprehensive review of budgetary commitments, both in terms of outlays and taxation expenditures, has been set in train. Nevertheless, within the severe budgetary constraints it has inherited, the Government will give the highest priority to measures to create jobs and restore economic growth. My Government will give high priority to combating tax avoidance and evasion. Legislation on this and other taxation matters will be introduced during the present Session. Employment and Industrial Relations A Community Works Program will be established. This Program, including Jobs on Local Roads, will be designed to provide jobs on projects of lasting benefit to the community which would not otherwise have been commenced. A new Private Sector Assistance Program will be introduced to co-ordinate and enhance the value of existing programs. This program will give special emphasis to the needs of the young unemployed. An Australian Labour Office will be established to develop a comprehensive workforce strategy. My advisers believe that better industrial relations are essential in the achievement of national economic recovery. To this end the National Labour Consultative Council will be developed as the major forum for consultation on industrial relations matters and a tripartite review of the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Act will be conducted. Legislation will be introduced this Session to abolish the Industrial Relations Bureau and to facilitate trade union amalgamation. Measures will be taken to improve the working environment by programs to enhance the standard of occupational health and safety and by encouraging the expansion of industrial democracy. Secondary Industry The development of a strong, competitive manufacturing industry will be of crucial importance to my Government's efforts towards national recovery and reconstruction. The Government will develop a program of industrial regeneration to revitalise existing industries and seek new opportunities for growth in areas of high technology. The Australian Industry Development Corporation will be given an enhanced status and provided with adequate funds to promote industrial reconstruction and develop new industries. The Government intends to preserve a viable and efficient steel industry and is engaged in consultation with a view to formulating a long-term development plan. The technological capability of Australian industry will be improved by incentive measures to stimulate research and development. The role of the Industries Assistance Commission will be reviewed to ensure that its operations are directed towards the development and extension of industry. Temporary assistance and anti-dumping procedures are being reviewed as a matter of urgency. It is my Government's policy not to reduce existing protection programs in current conditions of high unemployment. Legislation will be introduced to give effect to the accelerated depreciation allowance on plant and machinery, together with 2 1/2 per cent depreciation allowance on non-residential income- producing buildings. Parliament will be asked to consider a proposal for a Buy Australian Act. Small Business My Government recognises the vital contribution of the small business sector to the Australian economy. A National Small Business Action Program will be developed, designed to improve access to finance, to ease the tax burden as budgetary circumstances permit and to improve managerial skills. Housing and Construction In its efforts towards national recovery, my Government will give the highest priority to the revitalisation of the Australian housing industry. This priority reflects the social as well as the economic goals of my Government. A range of policies will be implemented to increase access to housing. The Government's objectives are to increase significantly the availability of public housing and other low-cost rental accommodation, provide assistance in bridging the deposit gap, and ensure adequate funds are available for housing. Trade As a major world trading nation, Australia's economic strengths must depend on the strength of our export industries. Multilateral and bilateral trade policies will be pursued to ensure that markets for Australian exports are made secure and develop to their full potential. The supporting services available to Australian companies will be improved. The Export Finance and Insurance Corporation, the Australian Overseas Projects Corporation and the Trade Commissioner Service will be reviewed with a view to improving their effectiveness. Primary Industry The rural sector remains of fundamental importance to Australia's export earning capacity. My Government is committed to progressive long term policies designed to ensure a strong rural sector. Although recent widespread rainfall has reduced the extent of the drought over Eastern Australia, a large area is still classed as rain-deficient. Measures to ensure equitable treatment for farmers during the drought and beyond will continue to be given high priority. The role and function of statutory marketing authorities will be reviewed. A national soil conservation program will be introduced. Legislation of significance to the rural sector will include reform of the administration of the meat and livestock industry, and a new wheat marketing plan to apply from the 1984-85 season. Resources In consultation with the States, my Government will review the Study on the Perspective on Water Resources to the Year 2000 as a basis for determining national water resource priorities. The Government will consider the establishment of an institute of freshwater studies to investigate water quality , and, as a matter of priority, advise on the equitable and effective management of the River Murray system. The Government will promote the pursuit of comprehensive knowledge of the oceans in the 200-mile exclusive economic zone around Australia. The Government is reviewing the operation of the Commonwealth and State legislation covering off-shore petroleum and mining activities. The Australian coal mining industry is experiencing severe problems, largely created by depressed international prices. An Australian Coal Consultative Council has been established so that governments, industry and unions can co- operate in the task of maintaining the strength and stability of the industry. The task of national reconstruction calls for a major national effort to improve the efficiency of the basic economic infrastructure. Transport An Inter-State Commission will be established to develop a balanced national transport framework. There will be a national inquiry into the road freight industry to undertake, in co-operation with the States, a wide-ranging examination of the problems currently facing the industry. The Australian Bicentennial Road Development Program will continue, in addition to other road programs. Measures will be taken in co-operation with the States, within current budgetary restrictions, to improve the efficiency of national rail services and to upgrade designated railway routes of national importance, including port and rail facilities for exports. The Government is considering steps which might be taken to place the Australian Shipping Commission and the Australian National Railways Commission on an improved commercial basis. Legislation will be introduced to provide financial incentives for the expansion of Australia's shipping industry. Australia intends to become a party to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 1973 and the Protocol of 1978 which amends that Convention. My Government recognises the importance of the aviation industry to the Australian economy and the Australian quality of life. The national airline, TAA, will remain in full public ownership. Consideration will be given to the capital needs of both TAA and Qantas and steps will be taken to place them on an improved commercial basis. My Government is considering the establishment of an airports authority to plan , develop and operate the major airports. The Government will promote participation by the community, the users and industry employees in decision-making on aviation issues, especially the provision of airports. My Government is mindful of the significance of the general aviation sector and will ensure that it is fully consulted on its regulation and levels of costs attributed to it. Communications You will be asked to consider legislation to establish the Australian Broadcasting Corporation to give the ABC a clear charter, a modern structure and effective, businesslike management. The Broadcasting and Television Act will be amended to remove the ban on political news and comment applying to radio and television stations in the three days before Federal and State elections. To stimulate innovation and expansion in the area of radio-communications and to control interference in the radio frequency spectrum, a radiocommunications bill will be introduced this Session. My Government's efforts in the communications area will form a significant Australian contribution to the World Communications Year of 1983. Science and Technology My Government will use the Industrial Research and Development Incentives Scheme to encourage the development of new high technology industries in Australia, with particular emphasis on biotechnology. Australia will increase the level of its scientific work in Antarctica and provide more effective transport links including landing strips. My Government will work to decrease Australia's technological dependence and raise levels of community understanding in science and technology. Recognising the impact of technological change on educational and employment opportunities, the Government will allocate funds to provide secondary schools, including needy non-government schools, with computers. It is intended eventually to extend this program to primary schools. Education and Youth Affairs In recognition of its pre-eminent concern to meet the needs of our young people , the new Government has established the Ministry of Education and Youth Affairs . The Government is determined to restore the confidence of the community in the nation's public education system while at the same time assisting in the operation of non-government schools. My Government is firmly committed to the principle of genuine equality of educational opportunity and the elimination of disadvantage and discrimination. A major effort will be applied to increasing the numbers of young people who complete their secondary education and to increasing the numbers who continue into tertiary education. The education assistance schemes will be progressively improved as budgetary circumstances permit. In consultation with the States, my Government seeks to expand training opportunities in educational institutions for young people and adults affected by technological change and unemployment. In response to social and economic changes affecting work patterns and the availability of work, the Government will encourage developments designed to equip young people to engage in innovative enterprises. While current unemployment falls with particular severity on young people, the problem of the demand for jobs concerns the whole community. At the Economic Summit Conference, my advisers undertook to examine co-operatively the possibility of providing fulfilment in life for some of our people alongside the conventional production system. Social Security The deep economic recession has exposed serious inequalities in Australian society. My Government is deeply committed to the elimination of poverty and gross inequality and a wide range of policies will be progressively implemented towards that goal. My advisers note with deep satisfaction the centrality given to the need for reform in the welfare area during the recent Economic Summit Conference and in its communique. The highest priority has been given to assistance to the unemployed and legislation will be introduced immediately to increase the single adult rate of unemployment benefit. Further initiatives will be taken in the areas of child care, lone parents, the aged, widowed, invalid and the disabled and the sick. Health My Government will proceed to fulfil its undertaking with regard to the proposed Medicare arrangements, to ensure that the costs of health care in Australia are fairly shared and that proper health care is available to all. My Government will end the existing fragmentation of policies and funding for the aged through the creation of an Office of Aged Care. The Government proposes to modify the present over-emphasis on nursing home care for the aged and improve the availability of hostels and community care services. Veterans' Affairs A Royal Commission will be established to inquire into the effects of herbicides and pesticides on veterans of the Vietnam war. The Government will proceed to modernise the Repatriation Act, including the Appeals system, to remove existing anomalies. Sport, Recreation and Tourism The great cost to this nation of avoidable ill-health was a significant factor in my Government's decision to establish a Ministry of Sport, Recreation and Tourism. My Government will move to increase the availability of sport, physical fitness and recreation facilities throughout the Australian community. My Government fully recognises the importance of tourism to the Australian economy. The role of the Australian Tourist Commission will be strengthened. Emphasis will be given to the promotion overseas of Australia's tourist potential and to measures to encourage domestic tourism. The Arts My Government places great importance on the role of the arts in the development of the national character and identity. Support for the arts will be aimed at widening the access to, and participation in, the arts by all sections of the community. The development of the Australian film industry will be encouraged by amendment to the legislation providing taxation incentives for the production of Australian films. The Environment My new Government has been elected with a very clear mandate from the people of Australia to protect the Australian environment. My Government is convinced that it would be a gross dereliction of its Constitutional responsibility were it to fail to carry out the clear wishes of the overwhelming majority of the Australian people. The national Government is obliged to protect Australia's natural and cultural heritage, including the South-West Tasmanian wilderness. Legislation will be introduced this day to protect areas identified as being of World Heritage status. My Government is also committed to investigating possibilities for alternative hydro electricity schemes and employment-generating activities in Tasmania. The Government will move to include the whole of the Great Barrier Reef in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. My Government will improve the measures to protect Australia's fauna and flora, including the introduction of a national kangaroo monitoring group. Aboriginals My Government is deeply committed to the discharge of its Constitutional responsibility towards the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people. My Government seeks a national approach to the rights, status and living standards of these most disadvantaged of our fellow Australians. Discussion will be undertaken with the States and Territories to establish a consistent national approach to Aboriginal land rights. At all stages, there will be full consultation with the Aboriginal people. Parliamentary, Legal and Constitutional Reform A wide range of proposals and legislation designed to enhance the quality of government in Australia and to strengthen the foundations of Parliamentary democracy will be submitted for your consideration. My advisers deeply believe that public confidence in the effectiveness and integrity of our parliamentary institution must be strengthened. Legislation will be introduced to ensure that the principle of one vote-one value is clearly established. My Government will introduce public funding of election campaigns and measures to reduce the incidence of informal voting through simpler voting procedures. The Parliamentary Committee system of the national Parliament will be strengthened to give Members of Parliament a more effective role and participation in the great affairs of this nation. My Government proposes to amend the Parliamentary contributory superannuation scheme in line with the general agreement that restraint should be shared by all sections of the community. My Government proposes to place before you a Bill for a referendum on Fixed Term Parliaments, involving the setting of a fixed date for general elections to provide greater stability in the Australian political system. My Government will be supporting a systematic review of the Constitution with a view to developing a consensus on modernisation of the Australian Constitution by the Bicentennial year of 1988. It is also proposed to develop, in consultation with the States and the Judiciary, a Constitutional amendment to provide for a single national courts system. My Government is committed to bringing self-government to the Australian Capital Territory. As a first step, a broad range of local government powers will be transferred to the House of Assembly. For the first time in the nation's history, a Commonwealth Department has been created with specific responsibility for local government. The Freedom of Information Act 1982 will be amended to broaden and make more effective its operation. Complementary legislation will be introduced to provide a legislative basis for the management of all government records and archives. The Family Law Amendment Bill will be re-introduced, with further amendments to give effect to recommendations of the Parliamentary Joint Select Committee. My advisers are considering the establishment of a National Maintenance Collection and Enforcement Agency and ways of improving the delivery of legal aid services. Bills will be introduced so as to abolish the residual and anachronistic Constitutional links with the United Kingdom, but not affecting the Constitutional position of Her Majesty the Queen of Australia. The Australian Security Intelligence Organization Act of 1979 will be amended to define more precisely the Organization's jurisdiction and to ensure its private and public accountability. A comprehensive review of company and securities law will be undertaken by the Company and Securities Law Review Committee; and the Trade Practices Act and the operations of the Trade Practices Commission will also be reviewed. The proposal for a National Crimes Commission will be reviewed. My advisers are considering a revised Criminal Investigation Bill. A Directorate of Public Prosecutions for the Commonwealth is under active consideration. My advisers are considering a number of initiatives relating to human rights, especially in regard to the elimination of all forms of discrimination on the grounds of sex or race and the enactment of an Australian Bill of Rights. Status of Women Legislation will be introduced dealing with discrimination on the basis of sex or marital status. My Government will ensure that women are appointed to key government advisory bodies. Mechanisms will be established for consultation with women throughout the community. Australia will ratify the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Through the Office of the Status of Women, within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, my Government is determined to ensure that the concerns of women are made an integral part of all government policies and programs. In co-operation with the States and community groups, my Government will co- ordinate the provision of emergency services for women and children in need of crisis care. My advisers place great significance on the fact that the agreed Communique of the Economic Summit Conference stresses that the basic rights of women should be recognised and protected and that the move towards greater equality and independence for women should be encouraged. Migrants Migrants have contributed significantly to Australia's national interest. My Government will give special consideration to Family Reunion Programs and will continue to recognise United Nations and humanitarian obligations in respect to refugees. The services available to migrants to facilitate their settlement into the Australian community will be co-ordinated and upgraded. The Citizenship Act will be amended to remove anomalies and discrimination. The Migration Act will be amended to remove discrimination between Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth citizens. Australian Public Service My Government recognises that an effective public service is an integral part of an effective democracy. My Government will strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of the Australian Public Service. The Public Service Board will be expected to promote efficiency, with particular attention to the impact of new technology in Government departments. The Board will be asked to establish a special unit to develop more participatory forms of management within the service. My advisers are currently considering the creation of a special division of senior officers appointed by the Governor-General in Council with a view to creating a more open and responsive service, and to making more effective use of talents and skills outside the service. The present staff ceiling system is being reviewed to remove the justifiable dissatisfaction about its operation. The British subject requirement for permanent employment in the Public Service will be replaced with an Australian citizenship requirement. Repressive legislation which unfairly restricts the freedom of Commonwealth employees to exercise their basic industrial rights will be repealed. The Ombudsman Act is being reviewed to develop the Ombudsman role. An Office of Defence Force Ombudsman is to be created and vested in the Commonwealth Ombudsman. A Defence Force pay-fixing tribunal will be established. Defence and Foreign Affairs The defence and security of Australia and the integrity of her territory is the fundamental obligation of the Government of Australia. My Government will continue programs now underway and review the content and priorities of defence forward planning. Despite the economic constraints, my Government will make a significant investment of the nation's resources in defence preparedness, maximising defence procurement in Australia. My Government will seek to develop close working relations with our neighbours in South-East Asia and the South Pacific to contribute to the stability and security of our region. My advisers seek to ensure that relations with the member nations of ASEAN are placed on the firmest possible footing through closer and more frequent consultations at the highest level. The Fourteenth South Pacific Forum bringing together Heads of Government of the region will be held in Australia later this year. My Government will maintain its close and wide-ranging relations with Japan, and continue to broaden relations with the People's Republic of China. Our close relationship with the United States, built up over many decades within the framework of the ANZUS Treaty, will be maintained. My advisers propose to have discussions with the United States administration at the highest level to ensure that the interpretation and application of the provisions of the ANZUS Treaty are mutually consistent. Normal relations are being re-established with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Particular emphasis will be given to support for bilateral and multilateral arms control arrangements. In general, the conduct of Australia's international relations is presently characterised by a high degree of consensus and continuity. In all aspects of our international relationship my Government will be using Australia's influence to try to ensure as far as possible that the conditions for an internationally peaceful world are strengthened. Senators and Members of the House of Representatives: my new Government has pledged itself to the pursuit of national reconciliation, national recovery and national reconstruction. The spirit of co-operation which marked the National Economic Summit Conference last week has, my advisers believe, laid good foundations for a renewed national effort to enable Australia and its people to surmount the present grave crisis and indeed emerge from it a more united, stronger, and better nation. The comprehensive program I have outlined is designed to further the great national goals of reconciliation, recovery and reconstruction. There can be no doubt that the gravity of Australia's present crisis imposes on this Parliament a burden and a responsibility as challenging as that faced by any of its predecessors since Federation. The people of Australia have placed upon you, as their representatives, a trust and a duty of the highest order. With confidence that you will fulfil to the utmost of your abilities the deep responsibility the Australian people have placed upon you, I leave you to carry out your high and important duties. His Excellency the Governor-General and members of the House of Representatives retired. Sitting suspended from 3.21 to 4.30 p.m. The PRESIDENT (Senator the Hon. Douglas McClelland) took the chair at 4.30 p.m. , and read prayers. The PRESIDENT —I inform honourable senators that I have received from His Excellency the Governor-General a Commission to administer to honourable senators the oath or affirmation of allegiance. Commission laid on the table and read by the Clerk. Address-in-Reply The PRESIDENT —I inform the Senate that I have received a copy of the opening Speech which His Excellency the Governor-General was pleased to deliver to both Houses of the Parliament. Motion (by Senator Button) agreed to: That consideration of the Speech of His Excellency the Governor-General be made an order of the day for the next day of sitting. Senator BUTTON(Victoria-Leader of the Government in the Senate) —Mr President, I have the honour to inform the Senate that, following the elections held on 5 March, the Ministry was sworn in on 11 March. I seek leave to incorporate in Hansard the details of the Ministry. Leave granted. The document read as follows- COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT Hawke Ministry Representation in other Chamber *Prime Minister The Hon. R. J. L. Hawke, A.C., M.P. Senator Button *Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Trade and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Commonwealth-State Relations The Hon. Lionel Bowen, M.P. Senator Walsh *Leader of the Government in the Senate, Minister for Industry and Commerce and Minister Assisting the Minister for Communications Senator the Hon. John Button Mr Brown *Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister for Social Security Senator the Hon. Don Grimes Dr Blewett *Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Public Service Matters The Hon. Ralph Willis, M.P. Senator Button *Treasurer The Hon. P. J. Keating, M.P. Senator Walsh *Special Minister of State, Vice-President of the Executive Council and Leader of the House The Hon. Michael J. Young, M.P. Senator Evans *Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs The Hon. Stewart West, M.P. Senator Grimes *Minister for Resources and Energy Senator the Hon. Peter Walsh Mr Jones *Minister for Foreign Affairs The Hon. Bill Hayden, M.P. Senator Evans *Minister for Education and Youth Affairs and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women Senator the Hon. Susan Ryan Mr Cohen *Attorney-General Senator the Hon. Gareth Evans Mr Bowen *Minister for Defence The Hon. Gordon Scholes, M.P. Senator Evans Minister for Transport The Hon. Peter Morris, M.P. Senator Gietzelt Minister for Primary Industry The Hon. John Kerin, M.P. Senator Walsh Minister for Aviation and Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence The Hon. Kim C. Beazley, M.P. Senator Gietzelt Minister for Housing and Construction The Hon. Chris Hurford, M.P. Senator Grimes Minister for Sport, Recreation and Tourism, Minister for Administrative Services and Minister Assisting the Minister for Industry and Commerce The Hon. John Brown, M.P. ** ** Senator Ryan Senator Gietzelt Minister for Finance The Hon. J. S. Dawkins, M.P. Senator Walsh Minister for Health The Hon. Neal Blewett, M.P. Senator Grimes Minister for Science and Technology The Hon. Barry O. Jones, M.P. Senator Ryan Minister for Communications The Hon. Michael Duffy, M.P. Senator Button Minister for Home Affairs and Environment The Hon. Barry Cohen, M.P. Senator Ryan Minister for Aboriginal Affairs The Hon. A. C. Holding, M.P. Senator Ryan Minister for Veterans' Affairs Senator the Hon. A. T. Gietzelt Mr Holding Minister for Territories and Local Government and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Community Development and Regional Affairs The Hon. Tom Uren, M.P. Senator Gietzelt Minister for Defence Support The Hon. Brian Howe, M.P. Senator Evans * Minister in the Cabinet. ** Senator Ryan to represent the Minister for Sport, Recreation and Tourism and Senator Gietzelt to represent the Minister for Administrative Services. Senator BUTTON —The list shows those Ministers who constitute the Cabinet and provides details of representation arrangements in each chamber. I also confirm that Senator Robertson has been elected Government Whip and Senator McIntosh has been elected Deputy Government Whip. Senator CHANEY(Western Australia-Leader of the Opposition) —by leave-Mr President, I inform the Senate that the Parliamentary Liberal Party has elected me its leader in this place and Senator Durack my deputy. Senator Kilgariff has been elected Opposition Whip and Senator Reid Deputy Opposition Whip. The Opposition has established a shadow Ministry. For the information of honourable senators, the shadow Ministers in the Senate and the shadow Ministers they will represent in the Senate, are set out on a list which I seek leave to incorporate in Hansard. Leave granted. The document read as follows- SHADOW MINISTER REPRESENTATION IN OTHER CHAMBER IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Shadow Minister Portfolio Representative Chaney Resources and Energy Anthony Durack Attorney-General Spender Rae Industry and Commerce Moore Guilfoyle Taxation Howard Baume Education Fife Messner Social Security Carlton Scott Veterans' Affairs Ruddock Martin Home Affairs, Administrative Services Hall IN THE SENATE Shadow Minister Portfolio Represents Chaney Resources and Energy Prime Minister Trade Durack Attorney-General Foreign Affairs Defence Industrial Relations Rae Industry and Commerce Science and Technology Transport Sport, Recreation and Tourism Guilfoyle Taxation Treasury Finance Territories and Local Government Baume Education Special Minister of State Communications Health Messner Social Security Aviation Defence Support Aboriginal Affairs Scott Veterans' Affairs Primary Industry Housing and Construction Martin Home Affairs, Administrative Services Immigration and Ethnic Affairs Environment Office of Status of Women Senator CHIPP(Victoria-Leader of the Australian Democrats) —by leave-Mr President, I have the honour to inform the Senate that I have been re-elected by my party as parliamentary leader and my colleague Senator Mason has been re- elected as deputy parliamentary leader. The election was by secret ballot in which all members of the Australian Democrats could participate. Senator Macklin has been elected party whip by the parliamentary party. Senator Coates —I suggest you give us the voting numbers. Senator CHIPP —Senator Coates has enough to worry about with his party in Tasmania, which originally decided to dam the Franklin River, rather than worrying about the Democrats. The PRESIDENT —Order! Senator Chipp, you have been given leave to make a statement. Senator CHIPP —I have a list setting out how the responsibilities have been allocated amongst our five senators. Copies have been forwarded previously to both the Leader of the Government in the Senate and the Leader of the Opposition . I seek leave to have that list incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The document read as follows- FOR THE INFORMATION OF SENATORS AND THE MEDIA I am pleased to announce the allocation of the following areas to the respective Australian Democrat Senators. I will be responsible for the: Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs Department of Communications Department of Territories and Local Government My Deputy, Senator Colin Mason, will be responsible for the: Department of Employment Department of Resources and Energy Department of Foreign Affairs Department of Defence Department of Science and Technology Department of Environment Department of Defence Support My Party Whip, Senator Michael Macklin, will be responsible for the: Special Department of State Department of Education and Youth Affairs Department of Primary Industry Department of Aboriginal Affairs Department of Veterans' Affairs Senator Janine Haines, will be responsible for the: Department of Social Security Department of Attorney-General Department of Housing and Construction Department of Administrative Services Department of Finance Department of Health Department of Home Affairs Senator Jack Evans, will be responsible for the: Department of Trade Department of Industrial Relations Department of Treasury Department of Transport Department of Aviation Department of Sport, Recreation and Tourism Senator the Hon. D. L. Chipp April 1983 Senator SCOTT(New South Wales-Leader of the National Party in the Senate) —by leave-Mr President, I inform the Senate that I have been re-elected Leader of the National Party and that Senator Collard remains the Whip of the National Party in the Senate. Motion (by Senator Button) agreed to: That the Senate do now proceed to elect a Deputy President and Chairman of Committees. Senator BUTTON(Victoria-Leader of the Government in the Senate) —I propose Senator Tate and move: That Senator Tate be appointed Deputy President and Chairman of Committees. Senator Grimes —I second the motion. Senator CHANEY(Western Australia-Leader of the Opposition) —I propose to the Senate for its Deputy President and Chairman of Committees, Senator Hamer. I move: That Senator Hamer be appointed Deputy President and Chairman of Committees. Senator Durack —I second the motion for the nomination of Senator Hamer. The PRESIDENT —Are there any further nominations? There being no further nominations, I invite the two candidates to address the Senate. Senator Tate —Mr President, I submit myself to the will of the Senate. Senator Hamer —Mr President, I submit myself to the will of the Senate. The PRESIDENT —There being two nominations, in accordance with the Standing Orders a ballot will be held. Before proceeding to the ballot, the bells will be rung for three minutes. The bells having been rung- The PRESIDENT —Order! The Senate will now proceed to the ballot. Ballot papers will be distributed to honourable senators, who are requested to write upon the paper the name of the candidate for whom they wish to vote. The clerks will now distribute the ballot papers to all honourable senators. The candidates are Senator Tate and Senator Hamer. A ballot having been taken- The PRESIDENT —Order! If all honourable senators have marked their ballot papers , the clerks will now collect the ballot papers. Senator Townley —Mr President, I take a point of order. If it is to be a truly secret ballot I think some ballot papers from each side should go into each box so that there is some mixing of the ballot papers. The PRESIDENT —Order! I understand that the ballot papers are mixed when they get to the table and are counted by the clerks. Senator Townley —They were not last time. The PRESIDENT —I will ensure that it is done on this occasion. I invite Senator Robertson and Senator Kilgariff to act as scrutineers. The ballot papers having been counted- The PRESIDENT —Order! The result of the ballot is: Senator Tate, 29 votes; Senator Hamer, 32 votes. I declare Senator Hamer elected Deputy President and Chairman of Committees. Senator HAMER(Victoria) —Mr President, I thank honourable senators for the honour which has been conferred on me. It is obviously thought helpful that an Opposition senator should be Deputy President and Chairman of Committees. Mr President, I pledge myself to work closely and co-operatively with you to ensure that this chamber is run efficiently, with dignity and with fairness to all senators. Senator BUTTON(Victoria-Leader of the Government in the Senate) —Mr President, on behalf of Government senators I congratulate Senator Hamer on his election as Deputy President and Chairman of Committees. Senator Hamer is a member of a well -known Victorian political family. Somehow members of that family always seem to get to the top and Senator Hamer is getting close to it now in the Senate. I should say that Senator Hamer came into the Senate in 1978 and in more recent years has been a Deputy Chairman of Committees. In that role he discharged his responsibilities with impartiality, fairness and, if I might say so, an encouraging appearance of interest in the debates which took place in this chamber. I wish him well, and do so on behalf of the Government. Senator CHANEY(Western Australia-Leader of the Opposition) —Mr President, on behalf of Opposition senators I congratulate Senator Hamer on his election as Deputy President and Chairman of Committees. This morning I said on behalf of the Opposition that we expected and hoped that you would show the qualities of impartiality and fairness, and I say the same thing to Senator Hamer. Mr President, I am sure that all senators were heartened by your comments when you were elected about the successful way in which you had worked in harness with former Senator Sir Harold Young in the last Parliament, and I have no doubt that the combination in this Parliament will be just as happy. Mr President, a number of honourable senators here have tasted the delights of both chambers. Senator Hamer is one, Senator Jessop is another and Senator Chipp is another. I suppose it is true in this as in all things that the converts tend to be those who are most attached to the principles of what they are converted to. I have little doubt that Senator Hamer will, in his role as Chairman of Committees, look to the interests and traditions of the Senate and the protection of them. Senator CHIPP(Victoria-Leader of the Australian Democrats) —Mr President, I add the warm congratulations of the Australian Democrats to those extended to Senator Hamer upon his election. I have embarrassed him in public before by stating the very high regard we have for his ability. We have embarrassed him by criticising the Liberal Party on how unwise it has been in not using more fully a man of such talents as Senator Hamer. At least we can rest assured today that the Senate has had the wisdom to see and recognise those talents and to elevate him to this very high and respected position. We wish him well and offer our total support. Senator SCOTT(New South Wales-Leader of the National Party in the Senate) —On behalf of the National Party I too extend our congratulations and good wishes to Senator Hamer. On a number of occasions I have had the opportunity of serving on committees with Senator Hamer. I have always observed his very great capacity and, indeed, above all things, his fairness. I am sure that he will add a measure of distinction to the office to which he now succeeds. Perhaps I should know about that as I vacated that office some four years ago. I endorse the remarks of the preceding speakers and wish Senator Hamer all sorts of good luck and success in his new job. Senator HARRADINE(Tasmania) —I join the rest of my colleagues in congratulating Senator Hamer on his election as Chairman of Committees. I look forward to working with him in the interests of the Parliament of the people whom we represent. Senator TATE(Tasmania) —I wish to offer my congratulations to Senator Hamer. I was not utterly astonished by the result, although Senator Townley's point of order gave me a glimmer of hope for a short moment-but my election was not to be . To those of us who served in the last Parliament Senator Hamer has already commended himself as a very effective Chairman of Committees. My association with him on the Standing Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs leads me to attest to his very keen intelligence, his following of an argument as to its relevance and his sense of humour. These are all qualities which I am sure he will bring to this chamber as we discharge the duties which the Governor-General indicated to us earlier in the day are our business for the coming Parliament. I wish him well in the discharge of those duties. Senator KILGARIFF(Northern Territory) — In congratulating Senator Hamer on his election to the important post of Chairman of Committees I once again point out that on this occasion Senator McIntosh from the Government ranks has been paired with Senator Archer, who is absent from the Senate today. The PRESIDENT —I join my colleagues in the Senate in congratulating Senator Hamer upon his election as Deputy President and Chairman of Committees in the Senate. I had a very close working arrangement with Senator Hamer when I was Deputy President of the Senate and he was a Temporary Chairman. I am sure that the harmony and close co-operation that developed between us in that capacity will continue in this Parliament in our respective positions. I congratulate Senator Hamer and look forward to working closely with him. The PRESIDENT —I understand that a number of Senators wish to give notices of motion. With the concurrence of honourable senators and in order to facilitate the working of the chamber the leaders of the Government, the Opposition and the Australian Democrats and Senator Harradine might give notices of motion on their own behalf and on behalf of other senators, in accordance with the lists that have been circulated in the chamber. I believe this is a sensible practice and undertake to honourable senators that I will have the notices of motion put on the Notice Paper in the order in which I would have called honourable senators. Senator BUTTON(Victoria-Leader of the Government in the Senate) —I give the following notices of motion and contingent notice of motion: NOTICES OF MOTION The Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Button): To move- (1) Rotation of Senators: That, in pursuance of section 13 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth, the Senators chosen for each State shall be divided into two classes, as follows: (1) The name of the Senator first elected shall be placed first on the Senators ' Roll for each State and the name of the Senator next elected shall be placed next, and so on in rotation. (2) The Senators whose names are placed first, second, third, fourth and fifth on the Roll shall be Senators of the second class, that is, the long-term Senators, and Senators whose names are placed sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth on the Roll shall be Senators of the first class, that is, the short-term Senators. (2) Days and Hours of Meeting: That, unless otherwise ordered, the days and hours of meeting of the Senate shall be Tuesdays at fifteen minutes to two p.m., Wednesdays at half past eleven a.m. and Thursdays at ten a.m. (3) Suspension of sitting: That unless otherwise ordered, on Wednesdays, the sittings of the Senate, or of a Committee of the Whole, shall be suspended from one p.m. till fifteen minutes past two p.m. and from half-past six p.m. till half-past eight p.m. (4) Adjournment of the Senate: That, unless otherwise ordered, at seven p.m. on Tuesdays, half-past ten p.m. on Wednesdays and seven p.m. on Thursdays the President shall put the Question-That the Senate do now adjourn-which Question shall be open to debate; if the Senate be in Committee at that hour, the Chairman shall in like manner put the Question-That he do leave the Chair and report to the Senate; and upon such report being made the President shall forthwith put the Question-That the Senate do now adjourn-which Question shall be open to debate: Provided that if the Senate or the Committee be in Division at the time named, the President or the Chairman shall not put the Question referred to till the result of such Division has been declared; and if the business under discussion shall not have been disposed of at such adjournment it shall appear on the Notice Paper for the next sitting day. (5) Routine of Business: That, notwithstanding anything contained in the Standing Orders and unless otherwise ordered, on Thursdays, the Senate shall proceed with its ordinary business in the following routine: 1. Petitions 2. Notices 3. Formal Motions 4. Postponement of Business 5. Motions and Orders of the Day, or vice versa, as set down on the Notice Paper 6. At 12 o'clock midday, Questions 7. Further Motions and Orders of the Day, or vice versa, as set down on the Notice Paper. (6) Government and General Business-Precedence: That, on all sitting days of the Senate, unless otherwise ordered, Government Business shall take precedence of General Business, except that General Business shall take precedence of Government Business on Thursdays, from a quarter-past two p.m. until the expiration of two and one half hours or until there is no further debate; and that, unless otherwise ordered, General Business Orders of the Day shall take precedence of General Business Notices of Motion on alternate Thursdays. (7) Petitions-Procedure for Presentation: That, notwithstanding anything contained in the Standing Orders, the procedure for the presentation of Petitions be as follows: (1) A Senator wishing to present a petition shall lodge it with the Clerk. (2) The Clerk shall make an announcement in respect of petitions lodged with him, indicating in respect of each petition the Senator who presents it, the number of signatures, and the subject matter of the petition. (3) Every petition so presented shall be deemed to have been received by the Senate unless a motion, moved forthwith, that a particular petition be not received, be agreed to. (4) The terms of the petitions presented shall be printed in Hansard. (8) Legislative and General Purpose Standing Committees-Reference of Annual Reports: (1) That, unless otherwise ordered, all annual reports of Government departments and authorities, including statutory corporations, laid on the Table of the Senate, shall stand referred, without any Question being put, for consideration and, if necessary, for report thereon, to the Legislative and General Purpose Standing Committees. (2) That the President shall transmit a copy of each report so tabled to the Committee which he deems appropriate. (3) That the Legislative and General Purpose Standing Committees may, at their discretion, pursue or not pursue inquiries into reports so received; but any action necessary, arising from a report of a Committee, shall be taken in the Senate on motion after notice. (9) Legislative and General Purpose Standing Committees-Reference of Bills: That, after the Second Reading of a Bill (other than an Appropriation Bill, Supply Bill, or Bill imposing taxation), and notwithstanding anything contained in the Standing Orders and without limiting the operation of Standing Orders 36AA and 196A, the following procedure shall apply- (1) A motion (of which notice need not be given) may be moved to refer the Bill to a Legislative and General Purpose Standing Committee: Provided that if no such motion be moved, or if moved and negatived, the Senate shall forthwith resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole for consideration of the Bill. (2) Upon motion to refer a Bill to a Legislative and General Purpose Standing Committee, no debate thereon shall be allowed for more than one hour, and in speaking thereon no Senator shall exceed ten minutes. If the debate be not sooner concluded then forthwith upon the expiration of that time the President shall put any Questions on any amendment or motion already proposed from the Chair. (3) On reference of a Bill to a Legislative and General Purpose Standing Committee, a day shall be fixed for the reporting of a Committee's proceedings to the Senate, by which day the final report of the Committee shall be brought up, unless further time be moved for and granted: Provided that the Senate may at any time prior to such day receive the final report of the Committee. (4) Upon a Bill being committed to a Legislative and General Purpose Standing Committee pursuant to this Order, it shall be set down on the Notice Paper as an Order of the Day for further consideration following report from the Committee. (5) The procedure to be adopted by a Legislative and General Purpose Standing Committee shall, as far as possible, be the same as that in Committee of the Whole: Provided that a Committee may ask for explanations from the Minister in charge of a Bill, or officers, relating to the clauses of the Bill. (6) A Legislative and General Purpose Standing Committee shall have no power to make amendments to a Bill, but may recommend amendments or requests for amendments. No amendment or request for amendment may be proposed which would not be in order if proposed in a Committee of the Whole. (7) A report from a Legislative and General Purpose Standing Committee, relating to a Bill, shall be received by the Senate without debate and its consideration deferred until the reading of the Order of the Day for the further consideration of the Bill, when the procedure, unless otherwise ordered shall be as follows: (a) motion may be proposed that the report be adopted; and such motion shall be open to debate; (b) on the motion for the adoption of the report, amendments may be proposed; (c) in these proceedings, the same right of speech and time limits shall apply as in debate in Committee of the Whole; (d) if amendments or requests for amendments be made, additional to any recommended by the report of a Standing Committee, the Chair shall propose a Question-That the Bill as reported (with or without amendments or requests for amendments), and as further amended, be agreed to; (e) a motion may be moved, by any Senator, that the Bill as reported from a Standing Committee be recommitted, in whole or in part, to the Standing Committee, or that the Bill as reported be committed, in whole or in part, to a Committee of the Whole; and (f) when the report from the Committee, or from a Committee of the Whole, is finally adopted, the Bill may be proceeded with in the usual way. (10) Appointment of Estimates Committees: That, in accordance with Standing Order 36AB, six Estimates Committees be appointed, to be known as Estimates Committees A, B, C, D, E and F; and that, unless otherwise ordered, the Committees consider the Proposed Expenditure in relation to Departments, as follows: ESTIMATES COMMITTEE A Parliament Industry and Commerce Prime Minister and Cabinet Employment and Industrial Relations Communications ESTIMATES COMMITTEE B Social Security Immigration and Ethnic Affairs Housing and Construction Health ESTIMATES COMMITTEE C Resources and Energy Trade Treasury Primary Industry Finance ESTIMATES COMMITTEE D Education and Youth Affairs Sport, Recreation and Tourism Science and Technology Home Affairs and Environment Aboriginal Affairs ESTIMATES COMMITTEE E Attorney-General Special Minister of State Foreign Affairs Defence Defence Support ESTIMATES COMMITTEE F Veterans' Affairs Transport Aviation Administrative Services Territories and Local Government (11) Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills: (1) That the Committee known as the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, constituted by Resolution of the Senate on 25 May 1982, be re-constituted , under the same terms, and with the same functions and powers. (2) That the Committee have power to consider Minutes of the Evidence and Records of the Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills appointed in the previous Parliament. (3) That the foregoing provisions of this Resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the Standing Orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the Standing Orders. (12) Standing Committee on Appropriations and Staffing: (a) The Committee known as the Standing Committee on Appropriations and Staffing, constituted by Resolution of the Senate on 25 March 1982, be re- constituted, under the same terms, and with the same functions and powers. (b) The Committee have power to consider Minutes of the Evidence and Records of the Standing Committee on Appropriations and Staffing appointed in the previous Parliament. (c) The foregoing provisions of this Resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the Standing Orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the Standing Orders. (13) Consideration of Government Papers: (1) That, unless otherwise ordered and notwithstanding anything contained in the Standing Orders, on Tuesdays after Questions Without Notice, and Wednesdays and Thursdays after Notices of Motion, Papers may be presented by Ministers. Upon the presentation of such Papers, a Senator may move, without notice, that the Senate take note of one, or several, of the Papers. Senators may not speak to any such motion for more than five minutes. Any debate pursuant to this Sessional Order shall be interrupted after the expiration of 30 minutes or until there is no further debate: Provided that, on Wednesdays, any debate pursuant to this Sessional Order shall be interrupted at 12 o'clock midday. Provided further that, at the conclusion of his or her speech, or, if the debate is interrupted pursuant to this Sessional Order, a Senator may move that the debate be resumed pursuant to Sessional Order on Thursdays at the time for consideration of General Business. At that time, further such motions may be moved with respect to any Government Paper tabled during the current sitting week and in relation to which no motion to take note has been moved. Debates on any such motion or motions shall take precedence of other General Business, but shall not continue beyond one hour. (2) Where debates on motions moved under the provisions of this Sessional Order are adjourned and are called on in the normal course of business, Senators who have spoken to the Questions under the provisions of this Sessional Order may speak again for the time allowed under Standing Order 407A. (14) Consideration of Committee Reports: (1) That, notwithstanding anything contained in the Standing Orders, and unless otherwise ordered, where in any week there are Orders of the Day for the resumption of debate on motions for the consideration or adoption of reports of committees- (a) on Wednesdays after Questions Without Notice, Orders of the Day relating to reports of committees presented to the Senate during that week shall be severally called on, in the order in which the respective reports were presented ; (b) if there were no committee reports presented during that week, or if debate on motions relating to such reports concludes before the expiration of one hour, Orders of the Day relating to committee reports presented prior to that week shall then be severally called on in an order which is the reverse of the order in which the respective reports were presented; (c) in any debate on such motions so called on, each Senator may speak for not more than 10 minutes; and (d) any debate pursuant to this Sessional Order shall be interrupted after the expiration of one hour. (2) Provided that, where debate on any motion debated under the provisions of this Sessional Order is adjourned or is interrupted under the provisions of this Sessional Order, Senators who have spoken to such motion under the provisions of this Sessional Order may speak again to the motion for the time allowed under Standing Order 407A, when the debate on the motion is again called on in the normal course of business. (15) Time Limits to Speeches-Proposed Amendment to Standing Order 407A: That the following proposed amendment to Standing Order 407A operate as a Sessional Order for a trial period: No Senator shall speak for more than thirty minutes in any debate in the Senate . Any Senator may move that the time limit of thirty minutes be extended for fifteen minutes; such motion shall forthwith be put without debate: Provided that where a right of reply is allowed in any debate a Senator speaking in reply shall speak for not more than thirty minutes: Provided further that, in debate on the first reading of a Bill which the Senate may not amend, no Senator shall speak for more than fifteen minutes. In Committee no Senator shall speak for more than fifteen minutes at any one time on any one Question: Provided that where the speech of a Senator is interrupted by this provision, and no other Senator rises to speak, the Senator so interrupted may continue his speech for a further fifteen minutes but no longer continuously on any one Question. CONTINGENT NOTICE OF MOTION The Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Button): to move- (1) That (contingent on any Bill being reported from a Committee of the Whole) that so much of the Standing Orders be suspended as would prevent the Bill being passed through its remaining stages without delay. (2) That (contingent on any Bill originating in the Senate having been read a first time) that so much of the Standing Orders be suspended as would prevent the Bill being passed through its remaining stages without delay. Senator CHANEY(Western Australia-Leader of the Opposition) —On my own behalf and at the request of Senator Baume, Senator Messner, Senator Teague, Senator Lewis and Senator Walters I give the following notices of motion and contingent notice of motion: CONTINGENT NOTICE OF MOTION THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN THE SENATE (SENATOR CHANEY) Mr President, I give contingent notice that, contingent on the President proceeding to the placing of business on any day, I shall move-That so much of the Standing Orders be suspended as would prevent Senator Chaney moving a motion relating to the order of business on the Notice Paper. NOTICE OF MOTION Senator MESSNER: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move- That, following the Hawke Government's conversion to the previous Government's economic policies, the Senate notes the Government's adoption of the previous Government's social security policies, and in particular- (a) the introduction of family income supplement for needy families; (b) retention of the mobility allowance for the disabled; (c) the increase in the over 18 year old unemployment benefit; (d) the maintaining of the twice yearly indexation of pensions and benefits; and (e) the retention of other Budget family measures. NOTICE OF MOTION Senator TEAGUE: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move-That the Senate oppose any aid from Australia to Vietnam so long as Vietnamese military forces are occupying Kampuchea and Laos. NOTICE OF MOTION Senator Peter BAUME: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move-That the Senate notes the disservice that the Bannon Labor Government has done to teachers and education by requiring compulsory teacher unionism in South Australian schools. NOTICE OF MOTION Senator Peter BAUME: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move-That the Australian Senate condemns the systematic deprivation by the Islamic Republic of Iran of the most basic rights of citizens of that country whose only crime is that they are members of the Baha'i and other minority religious faiths. NOTICE OF MOTION Senator TEAGUE: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move- That it is the view of the Senate- (a) that decisions of the Commonwealth Parliament concerning financial support for Government and non-government schools in recent years have been grossly misprepresented to the public by the opponents of non-government schools; and (b) that consideration should be given to Commonwealth grants to the States for schools being presented in a new and consistent way by providing for a basic per capita grant in respect of all schoolchildren, whether in Government or non- government schools, and by providing for supplementary needs-based grants for schools incorporating the special and supplementary programs of the Schools Commission. NOTICE OF MOTION Senator Peter BAUME: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move- That the Senate is of the opinion that tertiary students in Australia have been disadvantaged by the precipitate action of the Labor Government discontinuing student loans before any of the promised alternative forms of student support have been put in place. NOTICE OF MOTION Senator Peter BAUME: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move- That the Australian Senate condemns the events which led to the loss by the people of the Baltic States of the three independent republics which enjoyed the popular support of the Baltic people. NOTICE OF MOTION Senator WALTERS: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move- That the Senate- (a) deplores the fact that the Prime Minister, Mr Hawke, has failed to provide any response whatsoever to a letter from the Tasmanian Premier, Mr Gray, on 11 April 1983, in which Mr Gray: (i) sought a firm assurance for all Tasmanians ruling out any future use of the military in the matter now before the High Court, and (ii) sought clarification as to whether the due processes relevant to the use of our defence forces for non-military purposes were exercised in this matter; and (b) expresses the gravest concern at the arrogant attitude demonstrated by the refusal to even acknowledge such a letter from a State Premier, particularly given the important issues involved, and the fact that at the same time the Prime Minister is claiming that all Australians should exercise reconciliation and consensus. I draw to the attention of the Senate one minor amendment: The second-last notice of motion appears in the name of Senator Baume and relates to the Baltic States. Both Senator Baume and Senator Lewis have an interest in that notice of motion and it is to appear in the name of Senator Lewis, not Senator Baume as shown. Senator CHIPP(Victoria-Leader of the Australian Democrats) —On my behalf and at the request of Senator Mason, Senator Haines, Senator Macklin and Senator Jack Evans I give the following notices of motion and contingent notices of motion: NOTICE OF MOTION Senator MASON: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move- That the Senate requests the Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations to initiate a new program for young people aged 16 to 21 years to alleviate the worst effects of unemployment in this age group by: (a) the introduction of permanent part-time work without penalty in the form of reduced unemployment benefits; (b) encouraging businesses and unions to co-operate in making at least one work place per enterprise available, worked on a roster basis, for young unemployed people; and (c) providing many more part-time and full-time educational and training opportunities for unemployed people. NOTICE OF MOTION Senator MASON: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move- That the Senate- (a) expresses its awareness of and deep concern at the continuing threat to the world represented by the massive and increasing number of nuclear weapons in existence, especially in the Soviet Union and the United States; (b) notes the existence and rapid growth of a world movement embracing all areas of political opinion designed to reduce and ultimately eliminate nuclear weapons from the world on a multilateral basis; and (c) requests the Government to make urgent representations to the Governments of the Soviet Union, the United States, Britain, France and China to confer with the objective of an early and effective reduction of nuclear weapons of all kinds, bearing in mind the lack of effective progress in this matter at the recent disarmament session of the United Nations and the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks. NOTICE OF MOTION Senator MASON: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move- That in the opinion of the Senate- (a) a user-pays principle should be instituted by which the manufacturers, sellers and users of substances which can be demonstrated to increase the costs of health care to the community should contribute substantially towards those costs; (b) the Government should institute a health cost compensating tax which would be applied to: (i) tobacco products, and (ii) alcohol products, and (iii) products containing excessive amounts of sugar, salt, or other harmful additives; and (c) a special committee of the National Health and Medical Research Council should be established to assess, on a conservative basis, the minimum health care costs caused by the above products, to provide a basis on which the tax should be assessed. NOTICE OF MOTION Senator HAINES: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move- That the Senate is of the opinion that, given the anomalies and inequities existing in the present age pension scheme and given that Australia has an aging population, the Government should implement, as a matter of urgency, a national portable contributory superannuation scheme of a type similar to that recommended in the majority report of the National Superannuation Committee of Inquiry in April 1976. NOTICE OF MOTION Senator HAINES: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move- That the Senate- (a) notes with concern the alarming incidence of sexual and emotional abuse of children, particularly within family units; (b) deplores the lack of available support mechanisms for these children and their families; and (c) requests that action be taken to investigate the matter, collect statistical data, and provide recommendations for overcoming the problem. NOTICE OF MOTION Senator MACKLIN: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move- That the Senate- (a) recognises the problems that ex-servicemen are encountering due to their service in support of the nuclear tests conducted at Emu Field, Maralinga and Monte Bello between 1953 and 1958; (b) supports the efforts of the Regular Defence Forces Welfare Association and the Australian Nuclear Veterans Association to gain recognition for those veterans and, in some cases, their widows; and (c) considers that the best method of compensation for their disabilities would be to grant them cover of the Repatriation Act for their service during the period of the nuclear weapons test programme in Australia. NOTICE OF MOTION Senator MACKLIN: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move- That, having regard to the agreement of all State Governments, except Queensland, in 1974, to co-operate with the Federal Government in the matter of the ratification of the International Labour Organization Convention No. 107, relating to the rights of indigenous peoples, and having regard to the statement of co-operation of the Government of Queensland in 1977, the Senate calls upon the Government to immediately ratify that Convention. NOTICE OF MOTION Senator MACKLIN: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move- (1) That so much of the Standing Orders be suspended as would prevent the succeeding provisions of this Resolution having effect. (2) That the following Bills be restored to the Notice Paper and that consideration of each of the Bills be resumed at the stage reached in the last Session of the Parliament: Customs Amendment Bill (No. 2) 1981 Income Tax Assessment Amendment Bill (No. 2) 1981 Sales Tax Assessment (Rebate for Transport Costs) Bill 1981 Liquor Advertising Tax Assessment Bill 1981 Liquor Education Fund Bill 1981 Rainforest Preservation Agreements Bill 1982 Constitution Alteration (Electors' Initiative) Bill 1982 Sales Tax (Exemptions and Classifications) Amendment Bill (No. 2) 1982 Petroleum Retail Marketing Sites Amendment Bill 1982 Banks and Financial Corporations (Overdraft and Loan Charges) Bill 1982 NOTICE OF MOTION Senator MACKLIN: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move- That leave be given to introduce a Bill for an Act to amend the Broadcasting and Television Act 1942 to alter the restrictions on the broadcasting and televising of election matter in an election. NOTICE OF MOTION Senator Jack EVANS: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move- That leave be given to introduce a Bill for an Act to encourage the introduction of industrial democracy in Australian enterprises through reductions in company tax for enterprises classified as industrial democracy enterprises. Senator HARRADINE(Tasmania) —Mr President, I give the following notice of motion and contingent notice of motion: NOTICE OF MOTION Senator HARRADINE: Mr President, I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move-That the Senate requests the Australian Government to convey to the Government of the U.S.S.R. its deep concern at the repeated harassment of the 'Ukrainian Public Group to Promote the Implementation of the Helsinki Accords'. CONTINGENT NOTICE OF MOTION Senator HARRADINE: Mr President, I give notice that, contingent on the President proceeding to the placing of business on any day, I shall move-That so much of the Standing Orders be suspended as would prevent Senator Harradine moving a motion relating to the order of business on the Notice Paper. Senator CHANEY —My question is addressed to the Minister representing the Prime Minister. I draw his attention to paragraphs 15 and 16 of the communique issued after last week's Summit, which read as follows: 15. Business participants have emphasised their concern with overall unit costs of production and their importance in preserving the competitiveness of business and therefore its ability to survive, expand and create jobs. 16. They maintain that to achieve the growth in GDP and employment on which the nation's prosperity will depend, increased profitability is now essential if new investment is to be generated at an effective level. Can the Minister explain why these crucial factors in Australia's economic recovery are attributed in the communique only to business participants in the Summit? Do the Government and the unions not share those views? Is there, in fact, no consensus over these matters which were put so ably to the Summit by members of the business community? Senator BUTTON —The outcome of the Summit was explained and articulated in a long communique in which there are many paragraphs which express the concern of all those who participated in the Summit. To take the two paragraphs out of context in the way in which the Leader of the Opposition has done perhaps reflects unfairly on the communique which was issued at the end of that meeting. The communique, in respect of all its paragraphs, was accepted by those members of the Government who were present at the Summit as a statement of shared views which arose from the Summit. The two paragraphs to which Senator Chaney referred are matters of concern to the Government, as they are to business participants in the Summit and, indeed, to trade union participants in the Summit. Senator CHANEY —Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Is it not a fact that the communique we have referred to contains paragraphs which refer to views of business participants in some cases, views of unions in others and views of the Summit as a third category? Is it not true that paragraphs which describe the views of business participants or, alternatively, union participants, do not have the unanimous endorsement of all the participants in the Summit? Senator BUTTON —Insofar as the communique is expressed in the way to which Senator Chaney has again pointed, I agree that paragraphs are expressed as being the views of union representatives, articulated at the Summit. Others are expressed as being the views of business representatives. At the conclusion of the Summit the communique was adopted by all those present with the exception of Mr Bjelke-Petersen and the representative of the Law Council of Australia. That is all. Mr Townley —Mr President, I raise a point of order. Is it not usual for Question Time either to be broadcast or recorded for broadcasting at a later stage in the day? The PRESIDENT —I am given to understand by the Clerk that the Governor-General's Speech takes precedence for broadcasting purposes this day. Senator COLSTON —I direct a question to the Minister representing the Minister for Health. Has the Government been able to investigate the possibility of abandoning the use of the patient declaration form for pharmaceutical benefits? If so, does the Government intend to abandon its use? How soon is this expected to occur? Senator GRIMES —As Senator Colston has implied, the use of this form, which is extremely complicated, has caused great difficulties in pharmacies, both to pharmacists and to patients. My colleague in another place, Dr Blewett, has been consulting with the pharmaceutical profession and various pensioner groups and others to see what can be done about this matter but, of course, legislative changes are needed. Certainly the form, in its present form, will be abandoned. Agreement has been reached, I believe, with the pharmaceutical profession. The arrangements to abandon the form will be put to the Government shortly and I hope that in the May session of Parliament this matter will be resolved to everybody's satisfaction. Senator DURACK —I direct my question to the Attorney-General. When his bizarre escapade with RAAF spy planes flying over Tasmania became known to the public on Sunday, 10 April, why did he not, without delay, tell the people of Australia the whole truth about this bizarre event instead of it having to be dragged out of him and the Government over the next four days? Senator GARETH EVANS —I resist the description 'bizarre escapade' and simply draw the Attorney's attention to the-- Senator Messner —You are the Attorney. Senator GARETH EVANS —How the fallen have become mighty! I draw the former Attorney's attention to the terms of the detailed Press release which was issued jointly by myself and the Minister for Defence, Gordon Scholes, on 14 April and which describes, in very considerable detail-I am happy to seek leave to incorporate it in Hansard if it would assist the convenience of honourable senators-the precise course of events, who knew what and when. The reality of the matter is that when the news broke about the Mirage flight on the Sunday afternoon I had no knowledge that other than a single flight had taken place. It was not until Tuesday afternoon, as this statement clearly indicates, that I developed knowledge that there had been two flights. I would be only too pleased to endeavour to oblige the honourable senator with any other information that he seeks to extract from me. I seek leave to incorporate in Hansard the text of that Press statement which, I believe, answers the question the honourable senator put to me. Leave granted. The statement read as follows- JOINT STATEMENT BY THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL AND THE MINISTER FOR DEFENCE FLIGHTS OVER SOUTH-WEST TASMANIA The proposal for a RAAF photographic-survey flight over the Tasmanian Dam site was first discussed on a Department to Department basis on Tuesday morning 5 April. It was agreed by Attorney-General's Department and Defence Department officials that the most technically appropriate means of filming would be to use an F-111. Later that day, the Attorney-General spoke to the Minister for Defence and requested the use of an F-111 for the purpose of evidence-gathering in the High Court action, if that was consistent with the RAAF's training and operational activity. The Minister for Defence agreed with the proposal, but requested confirmation in writing. That confirmation was supplied by the Attorney-General in a letter dated and signed the following day, Wednesday 6 April. The detailed arrangements for the carrying out of the photography at the Attorney-General's request were then made by the RAAF. In the belief that the photography was required by Thursday 8 April, and because of the unavailability on that day of an appropriately-equipped F-111, the RAAF tasked a Mirage for the flight, which took place on that day. In the event, the photo coverage obtained by the Mirage proved incomplete, and the original task was completed by the F-111 when it became available on Friday 9 April. Neither Minister became aware until significantly later that two aircraft rather than one had been used to complete the task. In the case of the Minister for Defence, this occurred when he received Departmental advice to this effect late on Monday afternoon. In the case of the Attorney-General, he had been alerted to the possibility of there having been more than one flight by his Departmental officers on Monday morning after he arrived in Canberra from Melbourne, but did not receive confirmation of this, or an explanation as to how it had come about, until he received from his Department late on Tuesday afternoon, 12 April, the same information from the Defence Department which had been given to the Defence Minister the day before. The Prime Minister first became aware of the RAAF filming as a result of the press reports of the Mirage flight on Sunday 10 April. Early on Monday morning he advised the Minister for Defence that no further use was to be made of Defence personnel or facilities in respect to the Tasmanian dam issue. The Attorney-General first spoke to the Prime Minister on the question during the Monday morning break of the Summit Conference. In the course of that discussion-which focussed on the general question of principle involved in RAAF photo-reconnaissance of the dam site, and not matters of detail-he told the Prime Minister that he had just received information from the Attorney-General's Department from which it appeared that there may in fact have been two flights the previous week and that he was seeking verification of this. No further substantive discussion on this issue took place between any of the three Ministers until today. Canberra 14 April 1983 Senator DURACK —Mr President, I wish to ask a supplementary question. I have read the statement made on 14 April, four days after the news became public. I want to know why you did not know about both flights-- The PRESIDENT —Order! I suggest to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition that he address his question through the Chair. Senator DURACK —I ask the Attorney-General why he did not know about the two flights until at least Tuesday afternoon when both the Minister for Defence and the Prime Minister seemed to know about them on Monday. Senator GARETH EVANS —There is no question of the Prime Minister knowing about the two flights on Monday. He did not know about them, as I have indicated in subsequent public statements, until later in the week. The Minister for Defence did know, as the Press statement indicated, by late on Monday afternoon that there had been two flights; I did not know until Tuesday. There seemed little point at that stage in generating a new controversy entirely on a unilateral basis although I remained then, as I remain now, perfectly willing to answer any further questions that Senator Durack or any other honourable senator may wish to ask about this matter. Senator COLEMAN —My question is directed to the Minister for Education and Youth Affairs and relates to the Curriculum Development Centre. I am sure that the Minister will be aware that the national Curriculum Development Centre was effectively destroyed by the Fraser Government, which disappointed large sections of the community. Will the Minister please advise the Senate whether the Labor Government has any plans to revive this important national function? Senator RYAN —The Government is keen to reactivate the important work carried out in the past by the Curriculum Development Centre. In the first instance I intend to do this by utilising the staff and resources of the curriculum development branch in the Department of Education and Youth Affairs. Expansion in the curriculum development area is something that the Government would very much like to see. It will be considering the question of expansion in the context of the Budget. I should indicate too that I have told the officers of my Department that the areas of curriculum development which I think ought to have priority include reform of the secondary curriculum to overcome the problem of low participation rates in some areas, Aboriginal education and the introduction of Aboriginal studies into the general curriculum, education of girls, arts education and the introduction of community languages, particularly into secondary schools. Senator TOWNLEY —My question is directed to the Attorney-General. It relates to the use of Royal Australian Air Force aircraft. Does the Attorney-General now agree that his use of Air Force planes to spy on the Gordon-below-Franklin Dam construction site was, in the words of a respected Tasmanian Leader of the Australian Labor Party and former Government and Opposition Leader in the Senate , who happens to be in the Senate chamber at the moment, Mr Ken Wriedt, both provocative and irresponsible? Senator GARETH EVANS —I am not going to defend the decision I made to request a Royal Australian Air Force overflight of the dams. I find myself rather in the position, I suppose, of a judge at first instance who subsequently is overruled on a court of appeal. Having been overruled, I must have been wrong. I indicate to the Senate however, without seeking to defend that decision, that it was taken against a background of what appeared to me to be four highly relevant factors: First, the need to monitor closely the situation on the ground in the South West wilderness area to ensure that in the period between the commencement of the action and its hearing and determination by the High Court no irreparable damage took place. The second factor that I perceived to be relevant was the wildly inflammatory statements of the Tasmanian Premier, Mr Gray, over the weekend of 3 to 5 April which suggested that if there was any attempt to monitor that situation by way of the physical presence in the area of Federal police or anyone else, then a situation of physical violence could be expected. Senator Chipp —He was going to arrest them. Senator GARETH EVANS —He was indeed, as Senator Chipp says, going to arrest them . All sorts of inflammatory statements were being made by all sorts of people and it did not seem to me to serve the cause of rationality to have people crawling through the undergrowth with burnt cork on their noses or engaging in any other form of physical, on the ground, surveillance of that kind. The third factor that seemed to me to be of relevance in this situation, and against which my decision should be understood, is that it was undoubtedly the case, as I was advised by my Department and have subsequently confirmed, that RAAF photo reconnaissance of this kind is a thoroughly routine activity which has occurred on innumerable occasions and which I am happy, in answer to a later question, to elaborate should it become necessary and including situations where the military resources have been used in aid of the Commonwealth in its endeavour to enforce the laws of the Commonwealth. The fourth relevant consideration which lay behind my decision was that, in the terms in which I made my decision and communicated it to the Department of Defence, nothing in the nature of a provocative flight would have taken place. I have made perfectly clear that what was asked for, and indeed was most technically satisfactory, was a single run over the dam site- Senator Walters —In secret. Senator GARETH EVANS —I will come to that-by an F111 aircraft at an altitude of 30,000 feet, not a run six times up and down the valley at an altitude of between 200 and 2,000 feet which was in fact the information on the flight that we first received. There was no element, I might add, in probable anticipation of a further question or supplementary question, of deception or intended deception involved in an RAAF over flight at that altitude for the simple and obvious reason that, if this material was to have been of any utility in the kind of interim injunction court proceedings for which it was designed, obviously it would have had to have been produced in evidence in the court and the source of the material disclosed. There was no element of deception intended , there was simply an element of provocation avoidance involved. I simply repeat that I do not regard any of those factors to which I have referred as amounting to a defence of my decision. I simply put them forward as matters which ought to be taken into account in understanding why the decision was made at the time it was made. Senator COOK —My question is to the Minister for Education and Youth Affairs. The use of existing industry facilities for trade training instruction was mentioned by the Minister in a statement she made at the National Economic Summit Conference. What plans does the Government have in this area? Senator RYAN —I intend to ask the Technical and Further Education Council of the Tertiary Education Commission to consult with industry representative bodies and State TAFE authorities on the best use that might be made of the existing-- Senator Teague —I raise a point of order. Can the Minister incorporate her answer because they are obvious Dorothy Dixers-- The PRESIDENT —There is no point of order. Senator RYAN —As I was saying, I intend to consult with industry groups, with TAFE State education bodies and the TAFE Council to work out the most practical way in which these underused or unused facilities within industry could be used for practical trade training for those young people currently unemployed. I would have thought that that was an objective which would have had the concurrence, not only of all the parties involved in the Summit-which it certainly did-but also of all senators in this place, given the crisis of youth unemployment with which we, as a nation, are faced. It is the case, as Senator Teague and other honourable senators may be aware, that there are, at this stage, extensive unused workshop facilities and other very modern and useful facilities which industry, I am pleased to say, seems-in some instances at least-happy to make available for training purposes. The Government's responsibility would be to ensure that there were teachers and that the appropriate curriculum was developed. This is something which will be developed in consultation with the appropriate bodies in due course. I think this will be a very useful initiative in the face of the crisis of unemployed and untrained youth. Senator CHIPP —I ask a question of the Minister representing the Minister for Finance. Is it true that during the election campaign Mr Ralph Willis, then a shadow Minister, made an undertaking in writing on 23 February on behalf of the Australian Labor Party that if it won office it would introduce appropriate legislation to prevent sales tax being applied for the retreading of tyres? Will the Minister confirm that the current Minister for Finance in a telex dated 14 April to me confirmed 'The Government's decision that no legislative action would be taken to override the decision of the Commissioner that re-treading of tyres from used tyre casings was a manufacturing operation'? Does he agree that this course of action, if pursued, constitutes a most flagrant breach of a specific promise made in writing to the Australian electorate during the election campaign and could, according to industry estimates, cost up to 8,000 jobs as the market would clearly prefer to buy imported tyres which would be cheaper than retreads if sales tax were applied? Is he prepared to give an undertaking that the Government will reconsider this decision? Senator WALSH —I will seek an answer from Mr Willis to the first part of Senator Chipp's question. In regard to the second part of his question, it is correct that the Minister for Finance stated that no action would be taken to overturn the determination previously made by the Commissioner of Taxation on this matter . There are a number of reasons for that decision. Firstly, and most importantly , the full enormity of the Budget deficit which this Government had inherited required the Government to look more closely at the revenue implications of the Taxation Commissioner's decision. Secondly, it is not correct, as Senator Chipp has said, that people will be buying new, imported tyres instead of having old tyres retreaded. It is not correct for two reasons: Firstly, because a person who supplies his or her own casing for a retread will not be liable to pay tax on the casing but will be liable to pay tax only on the retreaded component-the value added to the casing-and, secondly, because, according to the advice that I have received-- Senator Chipp —Isn't that a tax on labour? Senator WALSH —It is a tax on the value added to it in precisely the same way that virtually all manufacturing output is subject to varying rates of sales tax . The second reason that they are not likely to do what Senator Chipp suggested is, I am advised, that the price of a new tyre of comparable size is $45.50; the price of a retread, even if the sales tax were applied to both the retread and the casing, would be about $28.60. Senator Chipp asked also about employment implications. Quite clearly the claims that it will cost 8,000 jobs are gross exaggerations. It is not at all clear whether there will be any net employment effects whatsoever. Senator CHILDS —My question is directed to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs. Has the Government reviewed the decision of the previous Government, as recommended to it by the Committee of Review of Commonwealth Functions, to contract out to the private sector the manufacture of artificial limbs for the repatriation free limb scheme? If so, what is the Government's intention? Senator GIETZELT —Senator Childs asks me about a decision I made recently to overturn the decision made by the previous Government as a result of a recommendation of the Committee of Review of Commonwealth Functions which sought to hand over to private enterprise a considerable proportion of the work undertaken by the Government; that is, work undertaken at repatriation and artificial limbs and appliance centres. I saw fit to change that decision because it was proven to be very costly to the Commonwealth. The figures show that, despite the fact that there was an increase of only 4.7 per cent from one year to the next in the manufacture of artificial limbs and that repairs decreased by 13.7 per cent, the total cost went up by a dramatic 28.8 per cent. So we finished up with no cost benefit as a result of the Review of Commonwealth Functions but an increase in government expenditure which denied the very purpose of the Review of Commonwealth Functions. I have taken the additional step of indicating that no new manufacturers will participate in the free limb scheme and that the Government's operation will continue, with a great deal of assistance from the Commonwealth. Senator REID —My question is directed to the Attorney-General. Since he now pleads the streaker's defence in relation to the spy flights fiasco, will he also accept the public condemnation which inevitably follows from such acts of irrational exhibitionism? Senator GARETH EVANS —I have been on the receiving end of a series of po-faced editorials on this subject. Now I am in receipt of a po-faced question from the Minister for the Australian Capital Territory- Senator Chaney —Thank you for reminding us all. This is terrific. Senator GARETH EVANS —The senator for the Australian Capital Territory. It is a matter of some difficulty coming to grips with these new power relationships, Mr President, but we are working on it. I, of course, accept that some forms of criticism of the action that took place are valid. I have readily acknowledged that. I believe that other forms of criticism have been wildly astray and have totally missed the point. Senator TATE —Does the Minister for Resources and Energy acknowledge the imperative need of a new legislative framework to govern the limited development of Australia's uranium resources to replace the utterly inappropriate legislative framework devised in the 1950s when Australia's uranium was used in the nuclear weapons programs of our allies? When does the Minister intend to bring to the Parliament legislation to govern the transition phase of the operations of existing mines in accordance with the policy of the Australian Labor Party? In the meantime, will he give an assurance to this chamber that those powers of a kind which are offensive to civil liberties and conferred by much of the present legislation will not be exercised by Ministers or officials of this Government? Senator WALSH —It is planned by the Government that legislation of the type outlined by Senator Tate will be introduced. The exact time at which it will be introduced has not yet been determined. In addition to the matters to which Senator Tate referred, we envisage significant amendments to the operations of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission so that its three current and, to some extent, conflicting functions-its research, regulatory and commercial functions- will be split into three different organisations, as was envisaged in the Labor Party's platform. Some changes were made to the Atomic Energy Commission in 1981 . I understand that the previous Government also had legislation in the pipeline with respect at least to the Atomic Energy Commission, if not to the other matters to which Senator Tate referred. As I said earlier, the time at which this legislation will be introduced has not yet been determined. I propose to submit the matter to the Government party' s relevant committee for input and discussion. I also invite input and suggestions from members of the Opposition as to the precise way in which this legislation should be amended in order to achieve in the most expeditious way the objectives set out in the Labor Party's official platform. Senator MASON —My question is addressed to the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Does the Minister agree that the Republic of Indonesia has never had, and does not have, any historic, cultural, ethnic or, indeed, moral justification for its invasion and occupation of East Timor? Is it not a fact that Australia owes a substantial debt of honour to the people of East Timor for the heroic way in which they helped our servicemen during World War II, often at the cost of their own lives? Can the Minister assure the Senate that the Government will maintain its declared policy of self-determination for East Timor? Alternatively, does the Government porpose to sacrifice East Timor to a policy of appeasement, for fear of what the Foreign Minister is reported to have described in this morning's Press as Indonesian retaliation, such as the withdrawal of landing rights for Qantas Airways Ltd? If so, how far would this policy of appeasement go? For instance, would it be maintained if Indonesia made incursions into the territory of Papua New Guinea? Senator GARETH EVANS —The answer to the first and second parts of the question is yes. With regard to the remainder of the question, I draw the honourable senator 's attention to the detailed Press statement made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs at the conclusion of his visit to Jakarta. The situation is obviously fluid. Australia has obvious moral obligations to press the point about the absence of self-determination having been allowed to the Timorese people. It is a matter for judgment, which will have to work itself out in the months ahead, as to how that strong expression of a moral viewpoint, to which our party certainly remains strongly committed, can be accommodated with the overall pattern of Australia's interests here and in the region. Nothing that the Foreign Minister has said in any way reflects a derogation from the policy position which has been strongly expressed over a long period by the Australian Labor Party. Senator MASON —Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. The Minister may not be in a position-that would be reasonable-to answer the last point I made. I asked: Would this policy be maintained if Indonesia made incursions into the territory of Papua New Guinea? Senator GARETH EVANS —I simply make the point that the question is highly hypothetical and suppositious. No doubt if activity of that kind occurred a dramatic change in our perception of regional relationships would take place. Senator CROWLEY —My question is directed to the Minister for Social Security. Is it the Government's intention to honour the funding commitments which his predecessor made during the recent election campaign? In particular, I am interested to hear about the grants which the previous Minister made with regard to senior citizens centres in South Australia. Senator GRIMES —Yes, in general the Government will honour the funding commitments entered into by the previous Government. The centres which the honourable senator mentioned have created some difficulty for both the Federal Government and the South Australian State Government. The previous Government announced to the State Minister, the Honourable Greg Crafter, on 2 March, only three days before the election, the expenditure of some $500,000 under the States Grants (Home Care) Act on senior citizens centres, I think at Gawler, Elizabeth and Blackwood. Honourable senators may know that these centres are in fact funded by a combination of State and Federal Government money and in general the Federal Government follows as much as possible and within budgetary limits the recommendations of the State Government. The difficulty in this situation was that there had been a change of government in South Australia in November. The present Minister involved, the Minister of Community Welfare, in fact was very surprised when he received on 2 March a Press statement announcing Federal Government funding for centres which was contrary to the advice he had been given. He thought that this was a funny way in which to consult with State governments. A similar situation happened in Western Australia where an attempt was made, according to my understanding, to get the State Labor Minister to agree with priorities which had been established by the previous Liberal Minister. I found some difficulty when faced with a situation in which the previous Government quite clearly ignored the wishes of the existing State governments and chose to follow the views of the previous State Government, even though in South Australia that Government had been rejected by the people in the previous November. I also found it rather difficult to deal with grants which had been announced like this only two or three days before the election. Perhaps the Minister involved did not believe that anything could happen on 5 March. Unfortunately for him, it did. However, there is no question that the people who sought funding for these senior citizens centres had their expectations raised. It was announced officially that they would receive such funding. In consultation with both State Ministers, we have agreed that it would be wrong of us in these circumstances to withdraw this funding even though the situation in Western Australia involves of necessity considerable funding in the next financial year. So the people involved in, I think, the Gawler, Elizabeth and Blackwood senior citizens centres can rest assured that they will get their funding. I am disturbed only at the manner in which those grants were announced by the previous Government and, in particular, their timing. Senator HAMER —I would like to take up the Attorney-General's offer to answer questions on the spy flights, not on his non-justifying justifications of his decision but on one of his remarks since when he was reported to have said: ' There is a lot of difference between flying over at 30,000 feet and hot-dogging at 200 feet'. Does he not realise that in making those sorts of remarks he is belittling the role of the Mirage pilot who was in fact acting under orders and trying to make the best use of the equipment available to meet an urgent Government request? Does he not agree that this apparent attempt to make an Air Force officer a scapegoat for the whole disgraceful business is inappropriate for the first law officer of the Commonwealth? Senator GARETH EVANS —I think that my expression was a natural reflection of the frustration I felt at the way in which what appeared on the face of it to be a perfectly rational request was communicated down through the bowels of the Defence establishment in such a way that it came out at the other end in a form which was very far from rational in all the circumstances of the case. Senator REYNOLDS —Can the Minister representing the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs inform the Senate whether any communication has been received from the Queensland Premier indicating his Government's response to the recent publication in the Australian Medical Journal of statistics on Aboriginal health which indicate that mortality and morbidity rates in Queensland, particularly on Aboriginal reserves, are considerably higher than for the rest of the Australian community? Senator RYAN —The Government, of course, is very concerned about the reports which have been made public in the media over the last few days concerning the appalling health situation of Aboriginals living on reserves in Queensland. We are distressed but not surprised because for some years now, prior to our being in government, we sought to raise this matter continually in this place and in the other place. We sought to persuade the previous Government to take some Commonwealth or Federal action in response to this extraordinary and intolerable situation. So we are not amazed although, of course, we are deeply concerned by the news of health problems which are on an even greater scale than those documented in recent reports such as that of the World Council of Churches. I am not able to give the honourable senator an answer with regard to any response by the Premier of Queensland because I have no information that such a response has been made. However the Federal Minister for Aboriginal Affairs has met with the Queensland Minister for Northern Development and Aboriginal and Island Affairs, Mr Bird, on a range of matters, some of which I think will cover the health issues which have been raised. These discussions are in progress and are continuing. The Federal Minister has called for an urgent report from his Department on the situation of Aboriginal health in Queensland. He has also asked the Queensland Minister for Northern Development and Aboriginal and Island Affairs for further information on these matters. If any more information regarding the Queensland Government's attitude to the information becomes available I will certainly let the honourable senator have it. Senator HILL —I direct a question to the Attorney-General regarding the military spy flights over Tasmania. Will the Attorney-General table his letter to the Minister for Defence requesting Air Force help? Has he yet responded to the requests lodged by the Australian newspaper under the Freedom of Information Act seeking other documents on his actions? If not, when does he intend responding? Senator GARETH EVANS —I and the Australian Labor Party Government remain committed to the principles of freedom of action-freedom of information; Freud is alive and well in the Senate today. I and the Government remain fully committed to the principles of freedom of information and, indeed, the practice of freedom of information. Under those circumstances I am prepared, after consultation with my colleague the Minister for Defence and one or two other people in this instance, to table in the Parliament, and indeed table right now, a series of documents covering Royal Australian Air Force aerial photographic surveys over the listed World Heritage site. The documents that I table now are in two bundles: First of all, a series of 17 documents in the possession of the Attorney-General's Department; and secondly, a bundle of 33 documents in the possession of the Department of Defence. There is some overlap in content as between the two because there has been a degree of minute swapping, as might be appreciated, in the last few days. I am advised that the documents now tabled are all those directly related to the requesting of the survey, the flights which took place, and the explanation by Ministers of the sequence of events. Senator Harradine —Are there any photos? Senator GARETH EVANS —I am not tabling the photographs themselves at this stage. However, if the honourable senators were to express an interest in seeing them I would be only too delighted to see whether arrangements could be made for some prints, or at least a fair sample of the 200 feet of continuous film, to be made available for inspection in the Parliamentary Library. Indeed, I indicate that I am prepared to make that material available to the Tasmanian Premier. Might I indicate in relation to the tabling and free and full disclosure of this information that there are two particular points in relation to which hormones might be set racing if I do not anticipate the point at this stage. The first point is this: There is an apparent discrepancy between the account by Mr Glare of my Department in his minute dated 11 April 1983 and that of Major-General Gration in his minute of the same date as to whether a telephone conversation between Mr Glare and Group Captain Waterfield took place at about 1 p.m. or 3 p. m. on 5 April 1983. This point is clarified in the note for file by Mr Glare which is dated 18 April 1983 and which is also part of that tabled bundle of documents. The second point concerns the time of my conversation on 5 April with Mr Scholes when he gave his oral approval for the RAAF survey flight. There is no doubt that this conversation took place when both of us were present for the Cabinet meeting which took place on the afternoon of that day. My own clear recollection, as is indicated in my letter to Mr Scholes of 20 April, which letter is also included in this bundle of material, is that the conversation took place just before that Cabinet meeting began. I table the documents in question. Senator MacGibbon —I raise a point of order, Mr President. In view of the importance of these documents, will the Attorney seek leave to have them incorporated in Hansard rather than tabling them? The PRESIDENT —That is a matter for the Attorney-General. He has tabled the documents. From what I see of them from the chair, I think there would be an enormous problem in having them printed in Hansard. There is no point of order. Senator GARETH EVANS —I am indebted to you for those remarks, Mr President, but I indicate that copies of the material in question will be available for honourable senators, I gather in the near future-possibly later today. Senator ZAKHAROV —I address a question to the Minister for Education and Youth Affairs. What steps does the Government intend to take to redress the present educational disadvantage which is suffered by women and girls in our community? Senator RYAN —The Government is acutely aware of the educational and, indeed, employment disadvantages suffered by women and girls. Those honourable senators who paid attention to the Governor-General's Speech would have heard within that Speech a number of very general and wide-ranging commitments to overcome these disadvantages. Undoubtedly, many of the disadvantages that young women are currently experiencing on the labour market stem from the disadvantages and the unequal opportunities which they have in the school system. I have already set in train a number of initiatives by which these disadvantages can be overcome. As I have indicated, I want one of the priority areas for the revived national curriculum development exercise to be in this area of the education of girls. We will also be asking the Schools Commission to upgrade its efforts in this direction and to that end I will shortly be making an announcement concerning the appointment of a new commissioner. In general, all of the projects funded through the Schools Commission and all of the activities of my Department will now be pursued in such a way that they offer full and real equal opportunity to girls and boys in post-secondary education-to women as with men. Senator WATSON —I seek a further response from the Attorney-General following a reply to my colleague Senator Hill about the extraordinary precedent of ordering Royal Australian Air Force planes into a party political mission. If the Air Force special flight had not become known, as a champion of open government did the Attorney-General intend to offer to the Tasmanian Government before today the photographs taken by the Defence Force planes? If so, at what stage did he intend to do so? Senator GARETH EVANS —I indicated earlier that the point in obtaining the photographs was to acquire, in a non-provocative and non-confrontationist way, a record of the course of events during the phase of the dam construction that was proceeding notwithstanding the existence of prohibitions in Commonwealth law pending the determination of the High Court case. Had it come to a situation in which, as a result of the evidence of these photographs or any other evidence, it became necessary for the Commonwealth to seek an interim injunction or some other form of legal redress in which those photographs had evidentiary relevance , of course the material would have been put into those court proceedings. No doubt in the course of those court proceedings it would have been made available to the other side. As I indicated earlier, there was certainly no intention to deceive at any stage in this exercise. There was a manifest intention to avoid undue provocation. Senator WATSON —Mr President, I wish to ask a supplementary question. If the Minister intended not to be provocative why did he not order a Transport Australia plane? Why was it necessary, given the sophisticated photographic equipment of the Air Force, to go below 1,000 feet on at least four separate occasions? The PRESIDENT —Order! I do not know that that was a supplementary question, but I will allow it on this occasion. Senator GARETH EVANS —I am advised that no civilian aircraft facility was available within the time frame we wanted-namely, in the week in which the High Court action commenced-which could have produced photographs of the quality that was necessary at any height to give an accurate depiction of what was going on in the area in question and whether, in fact, irreparable environmental damage was occurring. As to the Mirage photographs to which the honourable senator refers, the reality of the matter is that the Mirage photographs in quality bore the same relationship to the quality of the F111 photographs as the product of a Box Brownie would to that of a Leica or a Rolleiflex. Senator COATES —Has the Minister representing the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs noted that the Tasmanian Government has indicated that it has no intention of proceeding with any Aboriginal land rights legislation, despite the confidence expressed last year by Senator Baume when he was Minister for Aboriginal Affairs that the Tasmanian Government would do what he called the right thing? Can the Minister tell the Senate what action the Commonwealth will take to ensure the implementation of the proposals on Aboriginal land rights announced in the Governor-General's Speech this afternoon? Senator RYAN —Yes, I am aware that the Tasmanian Government is of a mind not to proceed in this very vital area of achieving justice for Aboriginal people in Tasmania. However, the honourable senator will also be aware that the policy of the new Government is that land rights will be achieved in all parts of Australia and that the Federal Government will undertake the responsibility of seeing that they are achieved. Clearly, it is preferable if land rights in the States are achieved as a result of State legislation. That is obviously the most direct and most efficient way of achieving the objective of land rights. It is clear that several States are prepared to act in this way. South Australia, of course, already has land rights legislation and is, I understand, planning to extend the provisions of its land rights legislation. New South Wales has made a start by implementing land rights legislation. In Victoria there is preparation for State legislation to achieve land rights for Victorian Aborigines. In the case of the Northern Territory, of course, land rights have been enacted by the Federal Government. But it seems at this stage that the question of Tasmanian land rights will have to be resolved by some sort of Federal Government action, although clearly it is very early days and obviously a great deal of consultation with Aboriginal Tasmanians, the State Government and the Opposition in Tasmania will need to take place before an appropriate course of action can be determined. Senator PETER BAUME —My question is directed to the Minister for Education and Youth Affairs. Did recent Press reports of the appointment of a new permanent head of her Department precede that appointment being made by the Governor- General-in-Council, the only place where it could be made? Further, have Press reports today of a full time appointment to the Commonwealth Schools Commission preceded the consideration of that appointment by the Governor-General-in- Council? Alternatively, can the Minister advise the Senate when the Governor- General-in-Council considered the appointments? Can she in fact assure the Senate that the appointment of Mrs Connors to the Commonwealth Schools Commission was approved by the Governor-General-in-Council before it appeared in the Press? Senator RYAN —It is the case, as the honourable senator has noted, that there were some Press reports on the appointment of Dr Wilenski as head of my Department before that appointment had gone through all its proper stages. I was very displeased to note those reports because they did not emanate from the Government or from Government sources. They certainly did not emanate from my office or my Department. But, as the senator who asked the question will be aware, rumours have a habit of getting under way against the best wishes and desires of the Minister in question. It is true that there were some Press reports regarding the appointment of Dr Wilenski before all procedures were gone through. Senator Peter Baume —Or the Governor-General considered it. Senator RYAN —As I recall, it was the case that those reports appeared. What I must make quite clear is that those reports had no official source whatsoever. They were mere rumours. I can also assure the senator that all proper procedures were followed before any announcement was made. By happy coincidence I was the duty Minister for the signing of Executive Council decisions on the day on which Dr Wilenski's appointment was confirmed, so I am in a position personally to say that all proper procedures were followed. Subsequent to proper procedures being followed an announcement was made and the Government can take no responsibility for any rumours that appeared before. I also agree with Senator Peter Baume that there has been at least one report regarding my intentions and the Government's intentions to appoint a new full time commissioner of the Schools Commission. I can only say again that I am most displeased that those reports have appeared. They are rumours; they have no official source. I am certainly displeased as to the content of the report I saw in the Sydney Morning Herald. Taking account of the implication in the senator's question, I cannot make any comment at this stage although, clearly, decisions are in train. When all proper procedures have been gone through and when the Governor-General-in-Council has had an opportunity to approve this appointment I will be happy to make a public statement and, in doing so, correct some misinformation which appeared in today's report in the Sydney Morning Herald. Senator SIBRAA —My question is directed to the Minister representing the Special Minister of State and relates to the speech this afternoon by the Governor- General and that section of it that dealt with electoral reform. Is the Attorney -General aware that electors of New South Wales in the recent Senate election had to vote for 62 candidates in order to cast a formal vote and that as a result of this the informal vote was approximately 11 per cent? Will the Government take steps to ensure that this scandalous state of affairs will not occur in the future? Senator GARETH EVANS —I am aware of the situation to which the honourable senator referred, and the answer to his question is yes. Senator MARTIN —Is the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs and Environment aware that last Saturday, 16 April, the United States television network, National Broadcasting Company, broadcast an excerpt from the so-called Australian documentary, Goodbye Joey? Is it a fact that this film alleges that twice the present annual quota of three million kangaroos are shot each year, that 90 per cent of the roo skins sold are from illegally shot animals and that roo meat is still being sold to the United States market as beef? What information can the Minister give the Senate as to the factual basis of these allegations? In view of the fact that a member of the United States Congress has introduced a Bill to restore the kangaroo to the endangered species list with the effect that the United States market would be closed to the sale of kangaroo products, would the Minister agree that the allegations made on NBC are very damaging to this Australian export industry? What action has the Government taken and what further action will it take to ensure that the American public, members of the United States Congress and the United States Administration are informed of the facts of this industry and the export beef industry as against the fabricated horror scenes and unsubstantiated allegations in Goodbye Joey? Senator RYAN —The Government and I share the concern expressed by Senator Martin in her question. I am aware of the reports of the showing on NBC of a particularly exaggerated and melodramatic program and I am also aware of untrue representations of kangaroo harvesting in Australia. Senator Martin listed in her question the allegations contained in those reports. I am advised, with regard to the allegation about cruelty associated with kangaroo harvesting, that kangaroo shooters operate in a generally humane manner and that the film to which Senator Martin's question referred, Goodbye Joey, presents a highly distorted picture. With regard to the action that has been taken to date, I am advised that an Australian wildlife expert was sent to assist embassy staff in presenting a more balanced view of kangaroo harvesting. I should add that, with regard to the cruelty, I share the concern expressed by not only Senator Martin but also other people who have drawn attention to this matter and the Government will montitor the situation very closely. Responsibility for kangaroo management rests primarily with State and Territory governments and I believe that these governments are both competent and responsible with regard to this matter. Nevertheless, further ways of improving the situation are being considered. Regarding that part of the honourable senator's question which concerns the attempts to have the red eastern grey and western grey kangaroos listed as endangered species on the United States threatened list, on the basis of evidence the Government has received these species are not endangered and the Australian Government will continue to seek their removal from the United States threatened list. As to further action, the honourable senator may have noted the following statement in the Governor- General's Speech this afternoon: My Government will improve the measures to protect Australia's fauna and flora, including the introduction of a national kangaroo monitoring group. I am aware that the thrust of Senator Martin's question was more towards the danger being done to Australian primary industry than to the environmental side but both of these are matters which will be monitored by the national kangaroo monitoring group. Senator MAGUIRE —I ask the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether it is the Government's intention that the Department of Industry and Commerce continue to compile and publish information on new investment in Australia in the periodic report 'Major Manufacturing and Mining Investment Projects', which in the past was used to talk up the resources boom, in view of the deficiences of that series in overstating investment through the inclusion of competing projects where only one could go ahead and the fact that investments recorded could be spread over decades? Senator BUTTON —The Government has not made a decision about the future of the survey to which the honourable senator refers. At the moment the matter is subject to review. I see the usefulness of the survey as an information source rather than some of the purposes to which it has been addressed in the past. The schedule is also being reviewed to determine whether it should continue and, if so, in what form and with what modifications. The honourable senator who asked the question referred to some of the deficiencies which have been pointed out in relation to the- Senator Peter Rae —The question is contrary to Standing Order 99. Senator BUTTON —Senator Rae, out of charity, should allow Senator Maguire, on his first day, to address a question in that way. The honourable senator drew attention in his question to some of the deficiencies which have been pointed out in relation to the schedule, and that is certainly true. The Government is concerned that in future it should be used, as I said, for information purposes and not for the sort of purposes it was used for prior to the 1980 election, which was to talk up a resources boom which burst in February the following year . That would not be the purpose of the survey if it continued into the future. Senator LEWIS —My question is also addressed to the Attorney-General and is about the Tasmanian spy flights. Has the Attorney-General considered the legality of the orders given by the Minister for Defence to the Royal Australian Air Force to carry out these flights over Tasmania? Can he tell the Senate whether the orders were lawful or otherwise? Senator GARETH EVANS —I put on record my resistance to the description of these flights as 'spy flights'. That implies something in the nature of an incursion into a foreign country. I appreciate that on some occasions that is the way in which Tasmanian representatives in this place behave. Indeed, on some occasions it appears as though they come from another planet. I still think that description is nonetheless wildly inappropriate to the occasion and I resist it. As to the legality of the flights in question, I satisfied myself both before the flights took place, and certainly subsequently, that there was no question whatsoever but that the flights were legal. Indeed, in the last three or four days I have had oral confirmation of that perception from the Solicitor-General of Australia with whom I raised that question. There are some legal uncertainties about the precise nature and extent of the powers available to the military and the limitations on those powers in the context of aid to the civilian power. There is no question but that under section 61 of the Constitution and with the legislative back-up of the Defence Act under section 51 (6), plus a whole mass of individual pieces of legislation and Defence Force regulations and directions that bear upon this, the flights in question were not only entirely within the range of normal practice so far as the Royal Australian Air Force is concerned but also unquestionably within the legality of the RAAF, and indeed the military role. Senator LEWIS —Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I draw the Attorney 's attention to the fact that, while he has been talking about the legality of the flights, that was not the question. The question I was asking was about the legality of the orders of the Minister for Defence to the RAAF. Senator GARETH EVANS —The fact is that the Minister made no such order. The flights were made at the direction of the relevant operational commander in accordance with both military practice and military law. Senator CHANEY(Western Australia-Leader of the Opposition) —Mr President, I seek leave to make a personal explanation. Leave granted. Senator CHANEY —Senator Crowley opened her batting in this place by asking a question about the allocation of funds under the States Grants (Home Care) Act. The purport of the question and the answer taken together was that there was something to be disturbed about in the manner in which funds were allocated under that Act, in particular in Western Australia and South Australia. As I was the Minister concerned, I would like to advise the Senate that, as was put down by Senator Grimes in his answer, those decisions are made by the Commonwealth following advice from State governments, which advice is based on criteria which have been laid down, such as numbers of aged and so on. In all cases that I can recall I acted upon State advice in making approvals or in approving grants under that Act. I have no recollection at all of the particular circumstances in South Australia, apart from receiving representations from all around Australia from individual centres to which my response was that it was a matter which would have to await State government recommendation. I have no recollection of anything other than simply accepting the Department's recommendation. With respect to Western Australia, at the request of the State Minister, the original recommendation to make grants to, I think, three centres, the third of which was the shire of Rockingham, was reconsidered. The State Minister at the time in the previous Government, Mr Young, sought a revision on the basis that another centre in the shire of Melville might be included. I sought further advice from my Department. There was a change of government. I had some representations from the State Minister. Following those representations, with his approval, people from my office spoke with officers of his State Department who confirmed a State view that the grants should be made to the three centres originally recommended and the centre at Melville. I checked, and my understanding is that the centre at Melville is in a Labor State electorate and in a Labor Federal electorate. I proceeded with the totality of the grants which had been somewhat delayed by the back and forth which had occurred. I wish to reject any suggestion that there was any political motivation in what occurred at that time. The PRESIDENT —Pursuant to the resolution of the Senate on 16 December 1982, I lay on the table the report of the Standing Committee on Trade and Commerce on the Australian Fishing Industry. I advise honourable senators that the printing and circulation of the report has been undertaken consistent with the terms of the resolution. Senator COLEMAN(Western Australia) — On behalf of the Committee, I table the transcript of evidence and seek leave to move a motion. Leave granted. Senator COLEMAN —I move: That the Senate take note of the report. I seek leave to continue my remarks later. Leave granted; debate adjourned. The PRESIDENT —I draw the attention of honourable senators to the presence in the gallery of our erstwhile colleagues, former senators Justin O'Byrne, Ken Wriedt and Geoff McLaren. I accord them, on your behalf, a warm and friendly return and welcome to the Senate chamber. Senator Peter Rae-Magnus Cormack was here earlier. The PRESIDENT —I am reminded that former Senator Sir Magnus Cormack also is in the precincts of the Parliament. Motion (by Senator Button) agreed to: That Standing Order 14 be suspended to enable the Senate to consider business beyond what is of a formal character before the Address-in-Reply to the Governor General's Opening Speech has been adopted. Motion (by Senator Button)-by leave-agreed to: That, in accordance with Standing Order 36AA, the following legislative and general purpose committees be appointed: (a) Constitutional and Legal Affairs; (b) Education and the Arts; (c) Finance and Government Operations; (d) Foreign Affairs and Defence; (e) National Resources; (f) Science and the Environment; (g) Social Welfare; and (h) Trade and Commerce. The PRESIDENT —I inform the Senate I have received letters from the Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Button), the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (Senator Chaney) and the Leader of the Australian Democrats (Senator Chipp) nominating senators to be members of the legislative and general purpose standing committees. Motion (by Senator Button)-by leave-agreed to: That the senators indicated in the following list, having been duly nominated in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order 36AA, be appointed members of the respective legislative and general purpose standing committees. Constitutional and Legal Affairs Senators Bolkus, Cook, Hill, Lewis, Missen and Tate Education and the Arts Senators Baume, Colston, Hearn, Martin, Reynolds and Teague Finance and Government Operations Senators Coates, Jack Evans, Guilfoyle, Robert Ray, Richardson and Withers Foreign Affairs and Defence Senators Bolkus, Hamer, MacGibbon, McIntosh, Primmer and Scott. National Resources Senators Boswell, Crichton-Browne, Georges, Robertson, Townley and Zakharov Science and the Environment Senators Foreman, Jessop, Jones, Mason, Reynolds and Townley Social Welfare Senators Bjelke-Petersen, Crowley, Elstob, Giles, Messner and Walters Trade and Commerce Senators Archer, Childs, Coleman, Collard, Lajovic and Maguire The PRESIDENT —Pursuant to Standing Order 82A, I lay on the table my warrant nominating Senators Coleman, Collard, Colston, Elstob, Haines, Lewis, Sibraa and Townley to act as Temporary Chairmen of Committees when the Chairman of Committees is absent. Senator BUTTON(Victoria-Leader of the Government in the Senate) —by leave-I move : That the Senate, recognizing the desirability of a thorough review of the Australian Constitution in the light of experience since its establishment and of modern day requirements, agrees that the Commonwealth Parliament continue its participation in the Australian Constitutional Convention established to review the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution and accordingly resolves: (1) That, for the purposes of the Convention- (a) a delegation from the Commonwealth Parliament take part in the deliberations of the Convention, and comprise sixteen members of the Parliament of whom six shall be members of the Senate and ten shall be members of the House of Representatives; (b) the six members of the Senate comprise three members of the Australian Labor Party, two members of the Opposition and one member of the Australian Democrats. (2) That- (a) three Senators being members of the Australian Labor Party, nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate; (b) two Senators being members of the Opposition, nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate; and (c) one Senator being a member of the Australian Democrats, nominated by the Leader of that Party in the Senate, be members of the Delegation: (3) That the Prime Minister be the Leader of the Delegation, and the Leader of the Opposition be the Deputy Leader: (4) That a member of the Delegation cease to be such a member if- (a) he ceases to be a member of the Commonwealth Parliament; (b) the House of the Parliament of which he is a member terminates his appointment; or (c) he resigns as a member of the Delegation by writing addressed to the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as the case requires. (5) That where, because of illness or any other cause, a member of the Delegation is not available to attend a meeting, or part of a meeting, of the Convention, the Leader or senior available member of the Party in the House from which the member was drawn may nominate an alternate member (being a member of the House of which the first-mentioned member is a member) and the member so nominated shall be a member of the Delegation for that meeting, or that part of that meeting: (6) That, in the event of a member of the Delegation ceasing to be such a member, the Leader of the Party in the House from which the member was drawn may nominate another member (being a member of the House of which the first- mentioned member is or was a member) to replace the first-mentioned member: (7) That the Leader of the Delegation from time to time make a report for presentation to each House of the Parliament on matters arising out of the Convention, and that the Deputy leader of the Delegation may make an accompanying report. (8) That a message be sent to the House of Representatives acquainting it of the resolution agreed to by the Senate. The meeting of the Australian Constitutional Convention to be held this year in Adelaide will be the fifth plenary meeting of the Convention. Since the last Convention in Perth in 1978 the standing committees have considered a number of proposals arising from that Convention. On this occasion the Convention will conduct its business in the presence of a number of officially accredited services which will widen the range of participation in the Convention. The motion I moved is in very similar terms to the motion which was moved prior to the 1978 Convention and earlier motions. It, of course, relates specifically to Commonwealth representation. That will be fixed at 16 delegates, with each State sending 12 delegates and the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory each sending two delegates. There will also be delegates from local government and representatives from each State. There appears to be some concern about the personnel who will attend the Constitutional Convention as representatives of the Commonwealth Parliament. I understand that a document has been circulated in the chamber showing the names of the proposed personnel. The names of the senators representing the Government at the Convention are: Senator Button, Senator Evans and Senator Tate. Mr President, I understand that Senator Chaney, as Leader of the Opposition, will inform you of the names of the Opposition representatives. Senator CHANEY(Western Australia-Leader of the Opposition)(6.12) —The motion provides for the Opposition to be represented by two senators from the official Opposition and one senator from the Australian Democrats. The two senators from the Liberal-National Party Opposition will be Senator Durack and Senator Rae. We will, pursuant to the motion, appoint some alternate representatives during the Convention but I do not think the Senate is particularly concerned about that. The motion permits that to occur at the Convention. Senator CHIPP(Victoria-Leader of the Australian Democrats)(6.13) —Just for the record, Mr President, the Australian Democrats will be represented by me, with Senator Macklin as my alternate. Question resolved in the affirmative. Senator BUTTON(Victoria-Leader of the Government in the Senate) —I table the papers arising from the National Economic Summit Conference which was conducted approximately 10 days ago. Senator CHANEY(Western Australia-Leader of the Opposition) —I move: That the Senate take note of the papers. I seek leave to continue my remarks later. Leave granted; debate adjourned. Motion (by Senator Button) agreed to: That the Senate, at its rising, adjourn till tomorrow at 10 a.m. Senate adjourned at 6.15 p.m. The following papers were presented, pursuant to statute: Australian Bureau of Statistics Act-Australian Bureau of Statistics-Proposal for collection of information-1983-No. 1-New topics to be included in the monthly population survey, May 1983. Australian Capital Territory Supreme Court Act-Rules of Court-Statutory Rules- 1982-Nos 359, 365. 1983-Nos 26, 27. Australian Federal Police Act-Regulation-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 367. Australian National Railways Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 398. Australian National University Act-Statutes- No. 163-Staff Superannuation Amendment No. 11. No. 164-Faculties (The Faculties) Amendment No. 17. Bounty (Agricultural Tractors) Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules- 1982-No. 400. 1983-No. 29. Bounty (Berry Fruits) Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 377. Canberra College of Advanced Education Act-Statute-No. 48-Courses and Awards Amendment (No. 2) 1982. Commonwealth Employees (Redeployment and Retirement) Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules- 1982-No. 391. 1983-No. 11. Commonwealth Serum Laboratories Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1983 No. 23. Commonwealth Teaching Service Act- Determinations- 1982-No. 6. 1983-Nos 1, 2, 3 . Continental Shelf (Living Natural Resources) Act-Regulation-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 389. Cotton Research Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1983 No. 25. Customs Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 404. Dairy Products (Export Inspection Charge) Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 378. Dairy Products (Export Inspection Charge) Collection Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 379. Defence Act- Determinations- 1982- No. 49-Cadet Forces Allowances. No. 50-Flying Allowance and others. No. 51-Special Action Forces Allowance. No. 52-Indonesia Living Allowance. No. 53-Recreation Leave. No. 54-Flight Duties Allowance and others. No. 55-Expense Allowance Payable on Purchase or Sale of a Dwelling. No. 56-Dwelling Purchase on Sale Expenses Allowance. No. 57-District Allowance and others. No. 58-Higher Duties Allowance. No. 59-Insurance on Removal of Urgently Required Household Items. No. 60-Locum Tenens Allowance. Regulations-Statutory Rules 1983 No. 21. Defence Act, Naval Defence Act and Air Force Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 368. Defence Amendment Act-Interim Determinations-Statutory Rules- 1982-Nos 352, 356 , 357, 358, 360, 361, 362, 407. 1983-Nos 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20. Domicile Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 401. Dried Fruit (Export Inspection Charge) Collection Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 384. Edible Oils (Export Inspection Charge) Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 380. Edible Oils (Export Inspection Charge) Collection Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 381. Eggs (Export Inspection Charge) Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 382. Eggs (Export Inspection Charge) Collection Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 383. Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1983 No. 8 . Epidemiological Studies (Confidentiality) Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 371. Export Control Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 Nos 354, 355. Federal Court of Australia Act-Rules of Court-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 408. Fish (Export Inspection Charge) Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 387. Fish (Export Inspection Charge) Collection Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 388. Fisheries Act-Regulation-Statutory Rules 1983 No. 10. Health Insurance Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 370. Historic Shipwrecks Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1983 No. 24. International Organizations (Privileges and Immunities) Act-Regulations- Statutory Rules 1983 Nos 7, 22, 32. Lands Acquisition Act- Land, etc., acquired for- Defence purposes-Mulwala, New South Wales. Postal service purposes-Turrella, New South Wales. Statements (17) of lands acquired by agreement authorised under sub-section 7 ( 1). Live-stock Export Charge Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 363. Live-stock Slaughter (Export Inspection Charge) Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 385. Live-stock Slaughter (Export Inspection Charge) Collection Act-Regulations- Statutory Rules 1982 No. 386. Live-stock Slaughter Levy Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 364. Migration Act-Regulation-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 375. National Companies and Securities Commission Act-Regulation-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 366. National Health Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules- 1982-No. 372 1983-No. 28 National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1983 No. 31. Naval Defence Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1983 No. 1. Navigation Act- Navigation (Dangerous Goods) Regulations-Determination, dated 15 December 1982. Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 Nos 396, 397, 399. Overseas Students Charge Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 373. Overseas Students Charge Collection Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 374. Overseas Telecommunications Act-Regulation-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 353. Postal Services Act-Australian Postal Commission-By-Laws-Postal (Staff)-1982- Amendment No. 1. Public Service Act- Appointment-Department of Health-R. Hackett. Determinations- 1982-Nos 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22. 1983-Nos 1, 2, 3. Regulations-Statutory Rules- 1982-Nos 390, 392, 393, 394, 395, 405, 406. 1983-Nos 4, 5, 9, 30. Public Service Arbitration Act-Public Service Arbitrator-Determinations by the Arbitrator, accompanied by statements regarding possible inconsistency with the law- 1982- No. 442-Royal Australian Nursing Federation.* No. 461-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others.* No. 556-Federated Clerks Union of Australia. No. 557-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others.* Nos 558 and 559-Federated Storemen and Packers Union of Australia.* No. 560-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others. Nos 561 and 562-Royal Australian Nursing Federation. No. 563-Australian Public Service Artisans' Association. No. 564-Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners of Australia and others.* No. 565-Federated Clerks Union of Australia. No. 566-Meat Inspectors' Association, Commonwealth Public Service.* No. 567-Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union. Nos 568 to 582-Administrative and Clerical Officers' Association, Commonwealth Public Service and others. Nos 583 and 584-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others. No. 585-Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union. No. 586-Federated Liquor and Allied Industries Employees Union of Australia. No. 587-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). Nos 588 and 589-Australian Public Service Artisans' Association. No. 590-Hospital Employees Federation of Australia. No. 591-Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union of Australia. No. 592-Australian Government Lawyers Association. No. 593-Commonwealth Works Supervisors Association. No. 594-Electrical Trades Union of Australia. No. 595-Vehicle Builders Employees Federation of Australia. Nos 596 and 597-Federated Storemen and Packers Union of Australia. Nos 598 and 599-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees and others. No. 600-Association of Professional Engineers, Australia and others. No. 601-Professional Officers Association, Australian Public Service. No. 602-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees and others. No. 603-Professional Radio and Electronics Institute of Australasia. No. 604-Australian Theatrical and Amusement Employees Association. No. 605-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others. Nos 606 and 607-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees. No. 608-Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners of Australia and others. No. 609-Federated Engine Drivers' and Firemen's Association of Australasia.* No. 610-Transport Workers' Union of Australia. No. 611-Australian Workers' Union. No. 612-Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners of Australia. No. 613-Electrical Trades Union of Australia. No. 614-Professional Officers Association, Australian Public Service. No. 615-Administrative and Clerical Officers' Association, Commonwealth Public Service and others. No. 616-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others.* No. 617-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees. No. 618-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others.* No. 619-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). No. 620-Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers. Nos 621 and 622-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees. No. 623-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees and others. No. 624-Association of Professional Engineers, Australia. Nos 625 and 626-Administrative and Clerical Officers' Association, Commonwealth Public Service and others. No. 627-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others. No. 628-Administrative and Clerical Officers' Association, Commonwealth Public Service.* No. 629-Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union of Australia.* Nos 630 and 631-Royal Australian Nursing Federation. No. 632-Administrative and Clerical Officers' Association and another.* No. 633-Printing and Kindred Industries Union. No. 634-Transport Workers' Union of Australia.* No. 635-Federal Firefighters' Union. No. 636-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). No. 637-Administrative and Clerical Officers' Association, Australian Government Employment.* No. 638-Australian Government Lawyers Association. No. 639-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). No. 640-Transport Workers' Union of Australia.* No. 641-Administrative and Clerical Officers' Association, Commonwealth Public Service.* No. 642-Commonwealth Foremen's Association of Australia (Australian Public Service). Nos 643 to 649-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others. No. 650-Australian Broadcasting Commission Staff Association. Nos 651 to 672-Professional Officers Association, Australian Public Service and others. No. 673-Administrative and Clerical Officers' Association, Australian Government Employment.* No. 674-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others. No. 675-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). No. 676-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees. No. 677-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others. No. 678-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers).* No. 679-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others. No. 680-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees. No. 681-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). Nos 682 to 686-Australian Public Service Artisans' Association. No. 687-Meat Inspectors' Association, Commonwealth Public Service. No. 688-Professional Radio and Electronics Institute of Australasia. Nos 689 to 692-C.S.I.R.O. Officers Association and others. No. 693-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others. No. 694-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees. No. 695-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). No. 696-Australian Journalists Association. No. 697-Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization Technical Association. Nos 698 and 699-Hospital Employees Federation of Australia. No. 700-Professional Officers Association, Australian Public Service. No. 701-Australian Journalists Association. No. 702-Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union of Australia. No. 703-Professional Radio and Electronics Institute of Australasia. No. 704-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers).* Nos 705 to 708-Royal Australian Nursing Federation. Nos 709 to 712-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others. No. 713-Professional Officers Association, Australian Public Service and another.* No. 714-Professional Officers Association, Australian Public Service and others . No. 715-Australian Journalists Association. Nos 716 to 718-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers) . No. 719-A.C.T. Medical Officers' Association. No. 720-Professional Radio and Electronics Institute of Australasia. No. 721-Repatriation Department Medical Officers Association. No. 722-Commonwealth Medical Officers Association. No. 723-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others. Nos 724 and 725-Australian Broadcasting Commission Senior Officers' Association and another. No. 726-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees. No. 727-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers).* No. 728-Customs Officers' Association of Australia, Fourth Division. No. 729-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). No. 730-Australian Public Service Artisans' Association. No. 731-Customs Officers' Association of Australia, Fourth Division. No. 732-Transport Workers' Union of Australia.* No. 733-Australian Workers' Union.* Nos 734 and 735-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers ).* No. 736-Professional Officers Association, Australian Public Service and others . No. 737-Australian Broadcasting Commission Staff Association. Nos 738 and 739-Professional Officers Association, Australian Public Service. No. 740-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others. No. 741-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). No. 742-Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union of Australia. No. 743-Administrative and Clerical Officers' Association, Australian Government Employment and another. No. 744-Hospital Employees Federation of Australia. No. 745-Australian Broadcasting Commission Staff Association. No. 746-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees. No. 747-Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers. Nos 748 and 749-Hospital Employees Federation of Australia. Nos 750 to 752-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees and another. No. 753-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). No. 754-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees. No. 755-Federated Liquor and Allied Industries Employees Union of Australia. Nos 756 to 762-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers) . No. 763-Federated Clerks Union of Australia. Nos 764 to 768-Australian Broadcasting Commission Staff Association. No. 769-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others. No. 770-Commonwealth Foremen's Association of Australia, Commonwealth Public Service. No. 771-Administrative and Clerical Officers' Association, Australian Government Employment.* No. 772-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees and others. No. 773-Australian Journalists Association. No. 774-Australian Broadcasting Commission Staff Association. No. 775-Hospital Employees Federation of Australia.* No. 776-Commonwealth Foremen's Association of Australia (Australian Public Service). No. 777-Meat Inspectors' Association, Commonwealth Public Service. No. 778-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees. No. 779-Australian Broadcasting Commission Staff Association. Nos 780 to 784-Australian Workers' Union and others.* Nos 785 to 787-Australian Workers' Union and others. No. 788-Australian Workers' Union and others.* No. 789-Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union of Australia. No. 790-Administrative and Clerical Officers' Association, Australian Government Employment and others. 1983- No. 1-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). No. 2-Musicians' Union of Australia. No. 3-Australian Broadcasting Commission Senior Officers' Association and another. No. 4-Royal Australian Nursing Federation.* No. 5-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). No. 6-Australian Journalists Association. No. 7-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). No. 8-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees. No. 9-Professional Para-Medical Officers' Association, Commonwealth Public Service. No. 10-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees. No. 11-Federated Clerks Union of Australia. No. 12-Hospital Employees' Federation of Australia. No. 13-Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union of Australia. Nos 14 and 15-Commonwealth Medical Officers' Association. Nos 16 and 17-Repatriation Department Medical Officers Association. No. 18-Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association. Nos 19 to 24-Hospital Employees Federation of Australia. No. 25-Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union of Australia. No. 26-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees. Nos 27 and 28-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). Nos 29 and 30-Federated Liquor and Allied Industries Employees Union of Australia. No. 31-Australian Journalists Association. No. 32-Australian Theatrical and Amusement Employees Association. Nos 33 and 34-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). No. 35-Transport Workers' Union of Australia. Nos 36 to 41-Australian Broadcasting Commission Staff Association. No. 42-Australian Theatrical and Amusement Employees Association. No. 43-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers).* Nos 44 to 48-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). No. 49-Australian Journalists Association. Nos 50 and 51-Meat Inspectors' Association, Commonwealth Public Service. Nos 52 to 54-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). No. 55-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees. No. 56-Administrative and Clerical Officers' Association, Commonwealth Public Service and others. No. 57-Royal Australian Nursing Federation. No. 58-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). No. 59-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others. Nos 60 and 61-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). No. 62-Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union of Australia. No. 63-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others. No. 64-Commonwealth Works Supervisors Association. Nos 65 and 66-Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union of Australia. No. 67-Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees. No. 68-Printing and Kindred Industries Union. Nos 69 and 70-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). No. 71-Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union of Australia. No. 72-Professional Para-Medical Officers' Association, Commonwealth Public Service. Nos 73 and 74-Commonwealth Police Officers' Association. No. 75-Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers). No. 76-Electrical Trades Union of Australia. Nos 77 to 80-Customs Officers' Association of Australia, Fourth Division. No. 81-Commonwealth Foremen's Association of Australia (Australian Public Service). No. 82-Transport Workers' Union of Australia.* No. 83-Australian Workers' Union.* No. 84-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others.* No. 85-Federated Ship Painters and Dockers Union of Australia.* No. 86-Federated Furnishing Trade Society of Australia.* No. 87-Federated Engine Drivers' and Firemen's Association of Australasia.* No. 88-Transport Workers' Union of Australia.* No. 89-Australian Workers' Union.* No. 90-Electrical Trades Union of Australia.* Nos 91 and 92-Amalgamated Metal Workers' and Shipwrights Union and others.* No. 93-Australian Building Construction Employees' and Builders Labourers' Federation.* Nos 94 and 95-Australian Broadcasting Commission Staff Association. No. 96-Actors' and Announcers Equity Association of Australia. Nos 97 to 101-Australian Broadcasting Commission Staff Association. (*Not accompanied by statement. *Determinations resulting from decisions by the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission, pursuant to the Public Service Arbitration Act.) Royal Commissions Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1983 No. 6. Seat of Government (Administration) Act- Ordinances- 1982- No. 93-Ordinances Revision (Companies Amendments) (No. 2). No. 94-Motor Traffic (Alcohol and Drugs) (Amendment). No. 95-Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment). No. 96-Motor Traffic (Amendment) (No. 5). No. 97-Sewerage Rates (Amendment) (No. 3). No. 98-Water Rates (Amendment) (No. 4). No. 99-Gaming and Betting (Amendment). No. 100-Consumer Affairs (Amendment). No. 101-Pool Betting (Amendment) (No. 2). No. 102-Real Property (Amendment) (No. 2). No. 103-Workmen's Compensation (Amendment). No. 104-Workmen's Compensation (Amendment) (No. 2). No. 105-Public Assemblies (Amendment). No. 106-Land Valuation (Amendment). No. 107-Leases (Amendment). No. 108-Commonwealth Dwellings (Rent) (Amendment). 1983- No. 1-Remuneration (Amendment). No. 2-Unit Titles (Amendment). No. 3-Canberra Theatre Trust (Amendment). No. 4-Seat of Government (Administration) (Amendment). No. 5-Interpretation (Amendment). Regulations-1982- Nos 52 and 53 (Co-operative Societies Ordinance). Spirits Act-Regulation-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 376. States Grants (Petroleum Products) Act-Amendment of the Schedules to the subsidy schemes in relation to the States of- New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, dated 30 March 1983. Western Australia, dated 21 December 1982. States Grants (Schools Assistance) Act-Statement by the Minister of a direction under sub-section 16 (2) of the Act, dated 11 April 1983. Stevedoring Industry Levy Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1983 No. 2. Superannuation Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1983 Nos 33, 34. Supply and Development Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 No. 369. Telecommunications Act-Australian Telecommunications Commission- By-laws- Telecommunications (Charging Zones and Charging Districts)- Amendment Nos 29, 30 , 31, 32. Telecommunications (Community Calls)-Amendments Nos 23, 24, 25. Telecommunications (General)-Amendments Nos 34, 35, 36. Telecommunications (Staff)-Amendments Nos 38, 39, 40. Trade Commissioners Act-Regulation-Statutory Rules 1983 No. 3. Wireless Telegraphy Act-Regulations-Statutory Rules 1982 Nos 402, 403.