SENATE Official Hansard

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SENATE Official Hansard WEDNESDAY, 19 JUNE 1996 THIRTY-EIGHTH PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSION—FIRST PERIOD BY AUTHORITY OF THE SENATE CANBERRA CONTENTS WEDNESDAY, 19 JUNE Petitions— Higher Education ..................................... 1753 Uranium ........................................... 1753 Gun Control ........................................ 1753 Higher Education ..................................... 1753 Gun Control ........................................ 1754 Notices of Motion— Consideration of Legislation ............................. 1754 Employment, Education and Training References Committee ....... 1754 Introduction of Legislation .............................. 1755 Consideration of Legislation ............................. 1755 Aboriginal Deaths in Custody ............................ 1755 Skillshare .......................................... 1756 Sales Tax .......................................... 1756 Order of Business— BHP Petroleum ...................................... 1756 Supply Bill: Answers to Questions ......................... 1757 Native Title Committee ................................. 1757 Statute Law Revision Bill 1996— First Reading ........................................ 1757 Second Reading ...................................... 1757 Brazil .............................................. 1758 Gun Control .......................................... 1758 Burma— Suspension of Standing Orders ............................ 1758 Procedural Motion .................................... 1759 Motion ............................................ 1759 Committees— Superannuation Committee—Report ........................ 1769 Membership ......................................... 1770 Export Market Development Grants Amendment Bill (No. 1) 1996— Second Reading ...................................... 1770 Taxation Laws Amendment Bill (No. 1) 1996— Second Reading ...................................... 1793 Matters of Public Interest— Post-secondary Education ............................... 1794 Aborigines: Traditional Land Owners ....................... 1797 Gun Control ........................................ 1800 Commonwealth-State Relations ........................... 1803 Notre Dame University ................................. 1805 Tax File Numbers .................................... 1806 Australian Geological Survey Organisation ................... 1808 Questions Without Notice— Wholesale Sales Tax on Motor Vehicles ..................... 1809 Taxation: New South Wales ............................. 1810 Wholesale Sales Tax on Motor Vehicles ..................... 1811 Telecommunications Equipment Industry .................... 1812 Taxation ........................................... 1813 Environment Funding .................................. 1813 Housing Interest Rates ................................. 1815 Distinguished Visitors ................................... 1816 Questions Without Notice— Aboriginal Health ..................................... 1816 Auditor-General ...................................... 1816 Aborigines .......................................... 1817 Wholesale Sales Tax on Motor Vehicles ..................... 1818 Australian Customs Service .............................. 1818 Senate Committees .................................... 1819 CONTENTS—continued Senator Crichton-Browne ............................... 1819 Taxation Returns ..................................... 1820 Public Housing ...................................... 1820 Australian Federal Police ................................ 1821 Wholesale Sales Tax on Motor Vehicles ..................... 1822 Taxation ........................................... 1823 Senator Crichton-Browne ............................... 1830 Notices of Motion— Industrial Relations System .............................. 1831 Documents— Auditor-General’s Reports—Report No. 29 of 1995-96 ........... 1831 Committees— Scrutiny of Bills Committee—Report ....................... 1834 Membership ......................................... 1834 Customs Amendment Bill 1996 ............................. 1834 Customs Tariff Amendment Bill (No. 1) 1996— First Reading ........................................ 1834 Second Reading ...................................... 1834 Customs and Excise Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 1996— Consideration of House of Representatives Message ............. 1837 Export Market Development Grants Amendment Bill (No. 1) 1996— Second Reading ...................................... 1837 In Committee ........................................ 1839 Third Reading ....................................... 1844 Taxation Laws Amendment Bill (No. 1) 1996— Second Reading ...................................... 1844 In Committee ........................................ 1858 Third Reading ....................................... 1865 Notices of Motion— Introduction of Legislation .............................. 1865 Adjournment— Australian Geological Survey Organisation ................... 1866 Parliamentary Association for UNICEF ...................... 1867 Bougainville ........................................ 1869 Aust-Home Investment Scheme ........................... 1870 Drought ............................................ 1872 Documents— Tabling ............................................ 1873 Questions On Notice— Overseas Students—(Question No. 19) ...................... 1874 Higher Education Funding—(Question No. 36) ................ 1876 Universities—(Question No. 37) ........................... 1877 Road Funding—(Question No. 43) ......................... 1878 SENATE 1753 Wednesday, 19 June 1996 Gun Control To the Honourable the President and members of the Senate assembled in Parliament: The PRESIDENT (Senator the Hon. The petition of certain citizens of Australia Michael Beahan) took the chair at 9.30 a.m., Your petitioners request that the Senate, in and read prayers. Parliament assembled should legislate to establish national Gun Controls binding upon all States. PETITIONS That a National Register of guns and those The Clerk—Petitions have been lodged for possessing guns be established, and that a penalty presentation as follows: of one year imprisonment be established for any person found to be in possession of an unregistered Higher Education gun. That the private ownership, or possession of To the Honourable the President and Members of automatic and semi-automatic guns of all calibre’s the Senate in Parliament assembled: The humble be made illegal and strong penalties introduced for petition of the undersigned citizens of Australia all those found to be in breach of these provisions. respectfully showeth: And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever That we are opposed to any moves to cut funding pray. to universities. We believe that funding cuts to universities can only have a negative impact on by Senator Patterson (from 25 citizens). society and will impede the development of our Nation. Higher Education Furthermore, that we are opposed to any in- To the Honourable the President and Members of creased to the annual amount payable by students the Senate in Parliament assembled: The humble via the Higher Education Contribution Scheme petition of the undersigned citizens of Australia (HECS). We believe that increases to HECS will respectfully showeth: discourage individuals from enrolling in universi- That we are opposed to any moves to cut funding ties. We believe that university entry should be to universities. We believe that funding cuts to based upon relative merit, not relative wealth. We universities can only be to the detriment of an believe that education has a direct social and educated and democratic society. We believe that economic benefit and appropriate levels of funding a broadly accessible and liberating higher education should be made available from public revenue. system is fundamental to efforts at creating a more Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you just and equitable society. will not cut funding to universities or increase In particular we are opposed to any attempts to: HECS fees. introduce up front fees for any students, And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever including any attempt to allow universities to pray. charge up front fees to students enrolled in by Senator Vanstone (from 1,663 citizens). excess of Commonwealth funded quotas; increase the level of debt incurred by students Uranium through the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS); To the Honourable the President and Members of the Senate in the Parliament assembled. lower the level at which HECS debts must be repaid through the taxation system; The petition of the undersigned strongly opposes any attempts by the Australian government to mine replace the grant based component of the uranium at the Jabiluka and Koongara sites in the AUSTUDY/ABSTUDY scheme with a loans World Heritage Listed Area of the Kakadu National scheme; Park or any other proposed or current operating expand the loans component of AUSTUDY/ site. ABSTUDY; Your petitioners ask that the Senate oppose any cut funding on a per student basis, in particular intentions by the Australian government to support operating grants; and the nuclear industry via any mining, enrichment and sale of uranium. cut the number of Commonwealth funded places already in the system or promised during by Senator Bell (from 48 citizens). the previous Parliament. 1754 SENATE Wednesday, 19 June 1996 Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that

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