SENATE Official Hansard
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COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SENATE Official Hansard THURSDAY, 9 MAY 1996 THIRTY-EIGHTH PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSION—FIRST PERIOD BY AUTHORITY OF THE SENATE CANBERRA CONTENTS THURSDAY, 9 MAY Petitions— Logging and Woodchipping .............................. 587 Anzac Day ......................................... 587 Freedom of Choice .................................... 587 Overhead Cables ..................................... 588 French Nuclear Testing ................................. 588 Notices of Motion— Consideration of Legislation ............................. 588 Introduction of Legislation .............................. 589 Consideration of Legislation ............................. 589 Mr P.J. Keating: Piggery ................................ 590 Community Standards Committee ......................... 590 Committees— Selection of Bills Committee—Report ...................... 590 Order of Business— General Business ..................................... 591 Superannuation Committee .............................. 591 Leave of Absence ...................................... 591 Committees— Certain Land Fund Matters Committee—Documents ............ 591 Electorate Staff ........................................ 592 World Heritage Properties Conservation Amendment (Protection of Wet Tropics of Tully) Bill 1996— First Reading ........................................ 592 Second Reading ...................................... 592 Film and Video Guidelines— Suspension of Standing Orders ............................ 593 Procedural Motion .................................... 593 Motion ............................................ 593 Order of Business— BHP Petroleum ...................................... 604 Restitution of Property to King Island Dairy Products Pty Ltd Bill 1996— First Reading ........................................ 604 Second Reading ...................................... 604 Election Campaign Material— Suspension of Standing Orders ............................ 605 Procedural Motion .................................... 605 Motion ............................................ 605 Ministers of State Amendment Bill 1996— Excise Tariff Amendment Bill 1996— Dairy Produce Levy (No. 1) Amendment Bill 1996— Dairy Produce Amendment Bill 1996— First Reading ........................................ 618 Second Reading ...................................... 618 Therapeutic Goods Amendment Bill 1996 (No. 2)— In Committee ........................................ 620 Questions Without Notice— Superannuation ...................................... 626 Sale of Telstra ....................................... 626 Distinguished Visitors ................................... 628 Questions Without Notice— Minister for Primary Industries and Energy ................... 628 Land Degradation ..................................... 628 Election of Senator .................................... 629 Logging and Woodchipping .............................. 630 Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs . 630 St Mary’s Housing Development .......................... 631 Vietnamese Refugees .................................. 632 CONTENTS—continued Distinguished Visitors ................................... 632 Questions Without Notice— Beef Industry ........................................ 633 Tariffs ............................................. 633 Taxation: HECS ...................................... 634 Immigration ......................................... 634 Election Promises ..................................... 635 Social Security: Migrants ............................... 636 Labour Market Program Expenditure ....................... 636 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission .............. 637 Personal Explanations .................................... 638 Questions Without Notice— Election of Senator .................................... 638 Minister for Primary Industries and Energy ................... 638 Family Court of Australia ............................... 639 Sale of Telstra ....................................... 640 Minister for Primary Industries and Energy ................... 643 Telstra (Dilution of Public Ownership) Bill 1996— First Reading ........................................ 646 Second Reading ...................................... 646 Committees— Membership ......................................... 653 Notices of Motion— Coalition—Election Promises ............................. 654 Documents— Auditor-General’s Report—Report No. 22 of 1995-96 ........... 654 Committees— Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee— Additional Information ............................... 654 Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee— Additional Information ............................... 654 Economics References Committee—Terms of Reference .......... 654 Documents— Consideration ........................................ 654 Australian Taxation Office ................................ 655 Committees— Privileges Committee—Report ............................ 682 Migration Committee—Report: Government Response ........... 683 Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee— Report: Government Response .......................... 684 Legal and Constitutional References Committee—Report ......... 692 Consideration ........................................ 694 Sessional Orders ....................................... 694 Committees— Membership ......................................... 694 Adjournment— Education and Training in Correctional Facilities ............... 694 Gun Control ........................................ 696 Documents— Tabling ............................................ 697 Indexed Lists ........................................ 697 SENATE 587 Thursday, 9 May 1996 timber industry. We further request that the Government take effective action without further delay. The PRESIDENT (Senator the Hon. by Senator Kernot (from 127 citizens). Michael Beahan) took the chair at 9.30 a.m., Anzac Day and read prayers. To the Honourable the President of the Senate and PETITIONS Senators assembled in Parliament: The Clerk—Petitions have been lodged for The petition of certain citizens of Australia draws to the attention of the Senate: presentation as follows: The ANZACS at the Gallipoli landing on 25 Logging and Woodchipping April 1915 were instrumental in forging a new To the Honourable the President and Members of identity for Australia. That landing was a lifetime the Senate in Parliament assembled. ago but the deeds of those ANZACS of 1915-18 still speak a message of selfless service and We are dismayed at the continuing destruction of sacrifice that will last forever. old growth and wilderness forests around Australia, despite the National Forest Policy Statement jointly ANZAC Day is a day to remember those who signed by the Commonwealth and all States except left their homes with a strong desire to return but Tasmania. did not, as well as those who did return. The survivors carried for the remainder of their lives Intensive logging, most often to feed a voracious the scars of these experiences. woodchip industry is underway or planned for many high conservation value forests. These forests ANZAC Day is a day to contemplate the spirit should be protected by the commitments of the that moves men and women to serve, to suffer Commonwealth and State Governments under the discomforts, dangers and fears and to risk their NFPS. lives in defence of their country and in the pursuit of peace, justice and freedom. These forests include: On ANZAC Day, we salute not only the spirit of Coolangubra Wilderness and other areas of the the ANZACS but, in paying tribute to them, we S.E. Forests of NSW along with rainforest and take the opportunity to dedicate ourselves to other N.E. areas of NSW including Wingham, striving for our country as they did and to Mistake, Richmond Range, Chaelundi, North upholding their finest qualities of courage, Washpool, Barrington and Dorrigo. commitment, endurance and mateship. The Southern Highlands, Great Western Tiers Your petitioners therefore pray that the Senate and Tarkine Wilderness of Tasmania. draw to the attention of the Government the The Karri and Jarrah forests of S.W. Western desirability of declaring ANZAC Day an Australian Australia. National Day of Commemoration and that it be The Errinundra Plateau and other areas of the held on 25 April each year regardless of the day of East Gippsland forests of Victoria. the week on which it shall fall. The rainforests of the Proserpine region of by Senator Schacht (from 53 citizens). Queensland. Freedom of Choice We request that the Government act urgently to protect our precious forests by utilising the To the Honourable the President and Members of Commonwealth’s legal and constitutional powers, the Senate in Parliament assembled: including: The humble Petition of the Citizens of Australia, Refusal of export woodchip licences respectfully showeth: Powers to control corporations That we: Protection of areas listed on the register of the (1) Affirm the importance of quality education National Estate for all the children of this Commonwealth of Protection and effective funding of areas identi- Australia irrespective of their religion, nationality fied for their World Heritage values. or sex; Genuine and effective action by the Government (2) Support the rights of parents to have freedom to protect these and other old growth and wilder- of choice of the school for their child; ness forests