SENATE Official Hansard
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COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SENATE Official Hansard WEDNESDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER 1999 THIRTY-NINTH PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSION—FOURTH PERIOD BY AUTHORITY OF THE SENATE CANBERRA CONTENTS WEDNESDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER Committees— Economics References Committee—Meeting .................. 8589 Notices— Withdrawal ......................................... 8589 Further 1998 Budget Measures Legislation Amendment (Social Security) Bill 1999— In Committee ........................................ 8589 Committees— Membership ......................................... 8627 Matters of Public Interest— Rural and Regional Australia ............................ 8627 Rural and Regional Australia ............................. 8630 Victoria: Election ..................................... 8630 Jubilee 2000 ........................................ 8634 Constitutional Referendum: Republic ....................... 8636 Airservices Australia: Structural Review ..................... 8638 Questions Without Notice— Business Tax Reform: Research and Development ............. 8640 Business Tax Reform: Proposed Changes .................... 8641 Business Tax Reform: Capital Gains ........................ 8642 Business Tax Reform: Information Technology ................ 8643 Business Tax Reform: Taxation Rates ....................... 8644 Business Tax Reform: Capital Gains Tax .................... 8645 Business Tax Reform: Taxation Rates ...................... 8646 Salmon Industry: Tasmania .............................. 8647 East Timor: Australian Troops ............................ 8648 Business Tax Reform: Manufacturing and Mining .............. 8651 East Timor: Australian Troops ............................ 8652 Aviation: Class G Airspace Trial .......................... 8653 Answers to Questions Without Notice— East Timor: United States Forces .......................... 8655 Child Care .......................................... 8655 Business Tax Reform .................................. 8655 Petitions— Nuclear Waste ....................................... 8662 Notices— Presentation ......................................... 8662 Committees— Selection of Bills Committee—Report ...................... 8663 Notices— Postponement ....................................... 8664 Convention on Climate Change (Implementation) Bill 1999— Referral to Committee—Reference ......................... 8664 South-East Queensland Regional Forest Agreement ............... 8664 Committees— Economics Legislation Committee—Meeting .................. 8664 Information Technologies Committee—Meeting ................ 8664 Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts References Committee—Reference ....................... 8665 Superannuation and Financial Services Committee— Appointment ...................................... 8665 Suspension of Standing Orders .......................... 8669 Procedural Motion .................................. 8671 Motion .......................................... 8671 Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts References Committee—Reference ....................... 8679 Scrutiny of Bills Committee—Report ....................... 8680 Budget 1999-2000— CONTENTS—continued Consideration by Legislation Committees—Additional Information . 8680 Committees— Community Affairs Legislation Committee —Additional Information . 8680 Public Works Committee—Report ......................... 8680 Ministerial Statements ................................... 8682 Documents— Auditor-General’s Reports—Report No. 11 of 1999-2000 ......... 8697 States Grants (Primary and Secondary Education Assistance) Amendment Bill 1999— First Reading ........................................ 8697 Second Reading ...................................... 8697 Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Border Interception) Bill 1999— First Reading ........................................ 8698 Second Reading ...................................... 8698 Migration Regulations ................................... 8700 Aged Care Amendment (Omnibus) Bill 1999— Second Reading ...................................... 8711 Documents— Airservices Australia .................................. 8718 Adjournment— Employees Productivity Award Superannuation Fund ............ 8721 Local Government: New South Wales Elections ................ 8723 Local Government: New South Wales Elections ................ 8725 Council for Equal Opportunity in Employment ................ 8725 Regional Forest Agreement: South-East Queensland ............. 8727 Documents— Tabling ............................................ 8728 Indexed Lists of Files .................................. 8729 Questions On Notice— Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service: Fish Quarantine Unit—(Question No. 1188) ............................ 8730 Aquatic Imports: Risk Minimisation Arrangements—(Question No. 1189) ............................................ 8730 Aquatic Imports: Risk Assessment—(Question No. 1194) ......... 8731 Aged Care: Provision Ratios—(Question No. 1208) ............. 8735 Airservices Australia: Enroute Services and Charges—(Question No. 1216) ............................................ 8736 Rail Reform Transition Program: Funding—(Question No. 1217) .... 8737 Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area: Mount McCall Road—(Question No. 1232) ............................ 8738 Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet: Cost of Dinners and Functions—(Question No. 1233) ......................... 8738 Aviation: Air Traffic Control Australian Advanced Air Traffic System—(Question No. 1243) .......................... 8742 Airservices Australia: Management Salary Packages—(Question No. 1246) ............................................ 8743 Narrakup Abattoir: Commonwealth Training Funds—(Question No. 1251) ............................................ 8743 Newcastle Disease: Compensation—(Question No. 1254) ......... 8743 Smith, Ms Lisa Marie: Passport—(Question No. 1340) ........... 8744 SENATE 8589 Wednesday, 22 September 1999 amendments—sheet 1546—has been circulat- ed in the chamber. I seek leave to vary my amendments in accordance with the details on The DEPUTY PRESIDENT (Senator the that sheet to bring them into line with the Hon. Sue West) took the chair at 9.30 a.m., government’s requests and amendments that and read prayers. have already been agreed to. Leave granted. COMMITTEES The amended amendments read as fol- Economics References Committee lows— Meeting Schedule 2, item 53, page 20 (lines 1 and 2), Motion (by Senator Denman, at the request omit "or the person’s partner". of Senator Murphy)—by leave—agreed to: Schedule 2, item 53, page 20 (lines 5 to 33), That the Economics References Committee be omit all words from and including "the following authorised to hold a public meeting during the provisions" to the end of subsection (1), substi- sitting of the Senate today, from 3.30 pm, to take tute "the ordinary income of the person includes evidence for the committee’s inquiry into the the CDEP Scheme payment referred to in para- operation of the Australian Taxation Office. graph (b).". Schedule 2, item 53, page 20 (lines 34 to 38), NOTICES omit subsection (2). Withdrawal Schedule 2, item 53, page 21 (line 27), omit "pension,". Senator DENMAN (Tasmania) (9.31 a.m.)—At the request of Senator Murphy, I Schedule 2, item 53, page 21 (line 33) to page 22 (line 11), omit paragraph (b) of the definition withdraw general business notice of motion of threshold. No. 308. Schedule 2, item 53, pages 22 to 28 (heading to FURTHER 1998 BUDGET MEASURES column 2), omit "pension,". LEGISLATION AMENDMENT Schedule 2, item 53, pages 22 to 24, 27 and 28, (SOCIAL SECURITY) BILL 1999 (table items 1 to 15, 26, 27 and 31), omit the table items. In Committee Schedule 2, item 53, heading to section 1188E, Consideration resumed from 20 September. page 30 (line 11), omit ": people not covered by section 1188D". The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN (Sena- tor Calvert)—The committee is considering Schedule 2, item 53, page 30 (lines 17 to 20), the Further 1998 Budget Measures Legislation omit subsection (2), substitute: Amendment (Social Security) Bill 1999 and (2) This section applies to a person in respect amendments (1) to (7) and (9) to (32) on of a payment period (the relevant pay- ment period) if: sheet 1391 moved on behalf of the opposition by Senator Evans. The question is that the (a) an instalment of any of the following: amendments be agreed to. (i) widow allowance; Senator NEWMAN (Tasmania—Minister (ii) newstart allowance; for Family and Community Services and (iii) youth allowance; Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the (iv) parenting payment at the rate applic- Status of Women) (9.32 a.m.)—I wish to able for a person who is a member table a replacement revised supplementary of a couple; explanatory memorandum relating to the (v) partner allowance; government amendments and request for (vi) mature age allowance under Part amendments to be moved to the bill. The 2.12B; memorandum was circulated in the chamber is payable to a person in respect of a on 22 September. payment period; and Senator CHRIS EVANS (Western Austral- (b) the person meets the requirements of ia) (9.32 a.m.)—A sheet of revisions to subsection (3) or (4). 8590 SENATE Wednesday, 22 September 1999 Paragraph 1188E(3)(a), omit "or the relevant too much—but I want to come to the key pension payday". point, and that is that I think the govern- Omit paragraph 1188E(3)(b), substitute: ment’s measure is one that seeks to reduce the (b) that a CDEP Scheme