COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SENATE Official Hansard No. 1, 2001 7 FEBRUARY 2001 THIRTY-NINTH PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSION—EIGHTH PERIOD BY AUTHORITY OF THE SENATE CONTENTS WEDNESDAY, 7 FEBRUARY Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Bill 2000 [20001]— Consideration of House of Representatives Message.................................. 21439 Matters Of Public Interest— Human Cloning ........................................................................................... 21477 Electoral Matters: Fraud Allegations........................................................... 21480 Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters.......................................... 21482 Australian Labor Party: Leadership............................................................. 21486 Voluntary Student Unionism........................................................................ 21486 Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee............................................ 21490 Questions Without Notice— Legionella Bacteria: Department of Health and Aged Care........................ 21492 Interest Rates: Levels .................................................................................. 21493 Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee............................................ 21494 Innovation Statement: Backing Australia’s Ability..................................... 21495 Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee............................................ 21497 Australian Securities and Investment Commission: Kingstream................. 21498 Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee............................................ 21499 Environment: Global Warming.................................................................... 21500 Pharmaceutical Benefits: Celebrex.............................................................. 21501 Australian Electoral Commission: Accountability Documents ................... 21502 Pharmaceutical Benefits: Celebrex.............................................................. 21504 Dairy Industry: Deregulation....................................................................... 21504 Information Technology: Outsourcing ........................................................ 21505 Answers To Questions On Notice— Question No. 3114....................................................................................... 21507 Answers To Questions Without Notice— Aviation: Safety........................................................................................... 21510 Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee............................................ 21510 Australian Securities and Investments Commission: Kingstream............... 21516 Petitions— Petrol Prices................................................................................................. 21517 Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Independence and Funding............. 21517 Notices— Presentation ................................................................................................. 21518 Committees— Selection of Bills Committee—Report........................................................ 21520 Notices— Postponement .............................................................................................. 21523 Committees— Finance and Public Administration References Committee—Meeting....... 21523 Forests: Old Growth— Suspension of Standing Orders.................................................................... 21523 Research and Development: Determinations.................................................... 21527 Excise Tariff Amendment (Petrol Tax Cut) Bill 2001 and Customs Tariff Amendment (Petrol Tax Cut) Bill 2001— First Reading ............................................................................................... 21527 Second Reading........................................................................................... 21528 Committees— Scrutiny of Bills Committee—Report ......................................................... 21531 i CONTENTS—continued Documents— Auditor-General’s Reports—Report No. 28 of 2000-01 ............................. 21531 Committees— Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee— Membership................................................................................................. 21531 Defence Legislation Amendment (Enhancement of the Reserves and Modernisation) Bill 2000 and Defence Reserve Service (Protection) Bill 2000— First Reading ............................................................................................... 21532 Second Reading........................................................................................... 21532 Committees— Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Fund Committee—Membership ........................................................................... 21536 Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Bill 2000 [2001]— Consideration of House of Representatives Message.................................. 21536 Committees— Finance and Public Administration References Committee— Membership................................................................................................. 21538 Taxation Laws Amendment (Superannuation Contributions) Bill 2000— Second Reading........................................................................................... 21538 In Committee............................................................................................... 21558 Documents— Anglo-Australian Observatory .................................................................... 21561 Landcare Australia Limited......................................................................... 21562 Family Court of Australia............................................................................ 21563 Consideration............................................................................................... 21564 Adjournment— Innovation Statement: Backing Australia’s Ability..................................... 21564 Rural and Regional Australia: Petrol Prices ................................................ 21566 Australian Broadcasting Corporation .......................................................... 21566 Innovation.................................................................................................... 21568 Australian Council of Social Service........................................................... 21568 Price, Mr James ........................................................................................... 21570 Elections: Conduct....................................................................................... 21572 Documents— Tabling......................................................................................................... 21572 Tabling......................................................................................................... 21573 Indexed Lists of Files .................................................................................. 21573 Questions on Notice— Department of Defence: Contracts to Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu— (Question No. 2005).................................................................................... 21574 Department of Defence: Contracts with PricewaterhouseCoopers— (Question No. 2024).................................................................................... 21574 Department of Defence: Contracts with KPMG—(Question No. 2043)..... 21576 Department of Defence: Contracts with Arthur Andersen—(Question No. 2062)..................................................................................................... 21577 Department of Defence: Contracts with Ernst and Young—(Question No. 2081)..................................................................................................... 21578 Attorney-General’s Department: Fringe Benefits Tax Paid—(Question Nos 2317 and 2320) .................................................................................... 21580 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmcdxxxix CONTENTS—continued Civil Aviation Safety Authority: Whyalla Airlines—(Question No. 2717)..................................................................................................... 21586 Civil Aviation Safety Authority: Legal Advice to Former Chair— (Question No. 2861).................................................................................... 21588 Telstra: Sale—(Question No. 2901) ............................................................ 21588 Agriculture: New Zealand Apples—(Question No. 2935).......................... 21589 Agriculture: New Zealand Apples—(Question No. 2936).......................... 21591 Christmas Island: Public Housing—(Question No. 2942) .......................... 21591 Nuclear Reactor: Funding—(Question No. 2945)....................................... 21592 Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Unauthorised Computer Access—(Question No. 2971)..................... 21593 Department of Defence: Unauthorised Computer Access—(Question No. 2974)..................................................................................................... 21594 Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business: Programs and Grants to the Richmond Electorate—(Question No. 2995).. 21595 Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs: Programs and Grants to the Richmond Electorate—(Question No. 2998)......................... 21597 Department of Transport and Regional Services: Programs and Grants to the Cowper Electorate—(Questions