COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SENATE Official Hansard MONDAY, 2 MARCH 1998 THIRTY-EIGHTH PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSION—SIXTH PERIOD BY AUTHORITY OF THE SENATE CANBERRA CONTENTS MONDAY, 2 MARCH Representation of South Australia ........................... 1 Social Security Legislation Amendment (Youth Allowance) Bill 1997— Second Reading ...................................... 1 Questions Without Notice— Hindmarsh Island Bridge ................................ 17 Economy .......................................... 18 Hindmarsh Island Bridge ................................ 20 Employment Services Market ............................ 20 Hindmarsh Island Bridge ................................ 21 Howard Government .................................. 22 Aboriginal Reconciliation ............................... 24 Children with Disabilities ............................... 24 Natural Heritage Trust ................................. 26 Mr Christopher Skase .................................. 27 Government Appointments .............................. 29 Employment Market Services ............................ 29 Answers to Questions Without Notice— Timorese Democratic Union Congress: Visa Applicants .......... 30 Hindmarsh Island Bridge ................................ 31 Natural Heritage Trust ................................. 31 Condolences— Roger Levinge Dean, CBE .............................. 38 Roger Francis Shipton.................................. 38 Petitions— East Timor ......................................... 38 Uranium ........................................... 38 Logging and Woodchipping .............................. 38 Australian Broadcasting Corporation ........................ 38 Native Title ......................................... 38 Timed Local Calls .................................... 39 Timed Local Calls .................................... 39 Live Sheep Export Trade ................................ 39 Cruelty in Animal Transport ............................. 39 Sydney Airport ...................................... 39 Great Northern Highway: Western Australia .................. 40 Multilateral Agreement on Investment ...................... 40 Notices of Motion— Katherine Floods ..................................... 40 Treaties Committee .................................... 41 Economics Legislation Committee ......................... 41 Multilateral Agreement on Investment ...................... 41 Multilateral Agreement on Investment ...................... 41 Senator Julian McGauran ............................... 41 Consideration of Legislation ............................. 42 Certain Government Accountability Matters Committee .......... 42 Kyoto: Climate Change Convention ........................ 43 Multilateral Agreement on Investment ...................... 44 Personal Explanations .................................... 44 Committees— Superannuation Committee—Meeting ....................... 44 Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee—Extension of Time ......................... 44 Order of Business— Socio-Economic Consequences of the National Competition Policy . 44 Notices of Motion— Employment, Education and Training References Committee ...... 44 Order of Business— Government Business .................................. 44 CONTENTS—continued Australian Workplace Agreements ......................... 45 Genetic Manipulation .................................. 45 Introduction of Legislation .............................. 45 Constitutional Convention ................................. 58 Committees— Community Affairs References Committee—Report ............. 66 Family Trust Distribution Tax (Primary Liability) Bill 1997, Taxation Laws Amendment (Trust Loss and Other Deductions) Bill 1997, Family Trust Distribution Tax (Secondary Liability) Bill 1997, Medicare Levy Consequential Amendment (Trust Loss) Bill 1997— Report of Economics Legislation Committee .................. 67 Committees— Certain Family Law Issues Committee—Report: Government Response 67 Documents— Tabling ............................................ 68 Auditor-General’s Reports—Report No. 23 of 1997-98 ........... 68 Business of the Senate ................................. 73 Questions on Notice: Summary ........................... 73 Tibet 73 Northern Territory: Legislation ............................. 73 Human Rights ......................................... 73 Budget 1997-98— Consideration by Legislation Committees—Additional Information . 73 Committees— Membership ......................................... 73 Assent to Laws ........................................ 73 Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 1997-98, Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 1997-98, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 1997-98— First Reading ........................................ 74 Second Reading ...................................... 74 Social Security Legislation Amendment (Youth Allowance) Bill 1997— Second Reading ...................................... 76 Answers to Questions Without Notice— Natural Heritage Trust ................................. 91 Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 1997-98 ..... 93 Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 1997-98 .......................... 93 Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 1997-98— Second Reading ...................................... 93 Adjournment— Katherine Floods ..................................... 109 Goods and Services Tax ................................ 111 Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras ............................. 114 Abortion ........................................... 114 Green Corps ........................................ 116 Documents— Tabling ............................................ 117 Proclamations ......................................... 120 Questions on Notice— Gun Buyback Scheme—(Question No. 696) .................. 122 F2 Freeway—(Question No. 747) .......................... 124 Department of Communications, The Information Economy and the Arts: Government Contracts—(Question No. 764) ............. 124 Department of Transport and Regional Development: Grants and Programs—(Question No. 797) .......................... 125 Government Contracts—(Question No. 829) .................. 127 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission: Public Relations Contracts—(Question No. 831) .......................... 127 Australian Securities Commission—(Question No. 866) .......... 128 Nursing Homes—(Question No. 898) ....................... 128 CONTENTS—continued Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet: Qualitative and Quantitative Research—(Question No. 902) ................. 130 Department of Work Place Relations and Small Business: Research—(Question No. 907) .......................... 134 Kingfisher Bay Resort Village—(Question No. 922) ............. 140 Nam Theum 2 Hydropower Project in Laos—(Question No. 924) . 140 Taxation—(Question No. 925) ............................ 142 Member for Oxley—(Question No. 950) ..................... 142 Charter of Budget Honesty Legislation—(Question No. 952) ....... 142 Taxation: Public Benevolent Institutions—(Question No. 954) ...... 143 Farm Property Assets—(Question No. 956) ................... 143 Higher Education Contributions Scheme—(Question No. 957) ...... 144 World Heritage Committee—(Question No. 958) ............... 144 Medicare—(Question No. 959) ........................... 145 New Port Developments in Western Australia—(Question No. 961) . 146 Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet: Australian Conservation Society Funding—(Question No. 962) ..................... 146 The Treasury: Australian Conservation Foundation Funding—(Question No. 964) ......................................... 147 Department of Environment, Sport and Territories: Australian Conservation Foundation Funding—(Question No. 966) ........ 147 Department of Communications, the Information Economy and the Arts: Australian Conservation Foundation Funding—(Question No. 967) ............................................ 148 Department of Workplace Relations and Small Business: Australian Conservation Foundation Funding—(Question No. 968) ........ 148 Department of Social Security: Australian Conservation Foundation Funding—(Question No. 969) ........................... 148 Department of Defence: Australian Conservation Funding—(Question No. 972) ......................................... 148 Department of Health and Family Services: Australian Conservation Foundation Funding—(Question No. 973) .................. 149 Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs: Australian Conservation Funding—(Question No. 974) ......... 149 Department of Transport and Regional Development: Australian Conservation Foundation—(Question No. 976) ............... 149 Department of Veteran Affairs: Australian Conservation Foundation—(Question No. 978) ........................ 149 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission : Australian Conservation Foundation Funding—(Question No. 979) ........ 150 Sydney (Kingsford-Smith) Airport: Slot Management Scheme—(Question No. 985) ........................... 150 Student Unionism—(Question No. 986) ..................... 151 Disability Services—(Question No. 987) ..................... 151 Mr Alan Bond—(Question No. 988) ........................ 152 South Australian Public Hospitals: Beds—(Question No. 989) ...... 152 HMAS Sydney—(Question No. 990) ........................ 154 Telstra: Perth International Telecommunications Facility—(Question No. 992) ......................................... 154 Hearing Services