COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SENATE Official Hansard TUESDAY, 21 MAY 1996 THIRTY-EIGHTH PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSION—FIRST PERIOD BY AUTHORITY OF THE SENATE CANBERRA CONTENTS TUESDAY, 21 MAY Questions Without Notice— Export Market Development Grants ........................ 773 Sale of Telstra ....................................... 774 Higher Education ..................................... 776 National Reconciliation Week ............................ 777 Migrants: Social Welfare Entitlements ...................... 777 Commonwealth Ombudsman ............................. 778 Higher Education ..................................... 779 Logging and Woodchipping .............................. 780 Superannuation ...................................... 781 Women Parliamentarians ................................ 782 Native Title ......................................... 783 Social Security Recipients ............................... 784 Superannuation ...................................... 785 Self-funded Retirees ................................... 786 Migrants: Social Welfare Entitlements ...................... 787 Sale of Telstra ....................................... 787 Petitions— French Nuclear Testing ................................. 793 Afghanistan ......................................... 793 Religion and Democracy in Australia ....................... 794 Notices of Motion— Condolences: Mr Michael Lloyd .......................... 794 Student Newspapers ................................... 794 Public Service: Office Closures ........................... 794 Schizophrenia Awareness Week ........................... 795 Industrial Relations Law ................................ 795 Order of Business— BHP Petroleum ...................................... 795 Committees— Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee—Extension of Time . 795 Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee— Extension of Time .................................. 795 Order of Business— Customs (Prohibited Exports) Regulations .................... 795 Committees— Employment, Education and Training Legislation Committee— Extension of Time .................................. 796 Order of Business— Nuclear Testing: China ................................. 796 Superannuation Committee .............................. 796 Coalition: Election Commitments .......................... 796 Committees— Community Affairs Legislation Committee—Extension of Time .... 796 Export Market Development Grants Amendment Bill (No. 1) 1996— First Reading ........................................ 796 Second Reading ...................................... 796 Committees— Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee— Extension of Time .................................. 797 Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee— Meeting .......................................... 797 Natural Heritage Trust Fund Bill 1996— First Reading ........................................ 797 Second Reading ...................................... 797 Senator-elect Ferris— Suspension of Standing Orders ............................ 801 CONTENTS—continued Order of Business— NASA Shuttle Endeavour ............................... 803 Committees— Employment, Education and Training Legislation Committee— Additional Information ............................... 803 Membership ......................................... 803 Consideration of Legislation ............................... 803 Therapeutic Goods Amendment Bill 1996 (No. 2)— In Committee ........................................ 815 Third Reading ....................................... 823 Customs and Excise Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 1996— Second Reading ...................................... 828 Documents— Treaty—Bilateral Agreement with Indonesia on Maintaining Security . 832 Australian Science and Technology Council .................. 834 Documents— Tabling ............................................ 835 Questions On Notice— Labour Market Programs: Women—(Question No. 5) ............ 837 Taxation—(Question No. 17) ............................. 837 Primary Industries and Energy: Staff—(Question No. 20) ......... 838 SENATE 773 Tuesday, 21 May 1996 er made a very enlightening comment. He said: How come the budget is not in better shape after The PRESIDENT (Senator the Hon. 4½ years of sustained growth? Michael Beahan) took the chair at 2.00 p.m., Senator Sherry—I raise a point of order and read prayers. concerning relevance. He is not answering QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE anything to do with the export market devel- opment scheme. The answer is totally irrel- Export Market Development Grants evant. Senator SHERRY—My question is ad- The PRESIDENT—Order! I have taken the dressed to Senator Short. Yesterday in the answer so far as being a preamble. I would Senate your colleague Senator Parer failed to ask Senator Short to get to the point of the give a commitment to maintain the export answer. market development grant scheme. In a Senator SHORT—I will get to the answer speech to the ACCI on 15 May you conceded to that specific question in due course. I that some successful government programs thought the shadow Treasurer’s statement was would have to be wound back or scrapped, pretty enlightening. The shadow Minister for even where such programs are ‘meeting a Finance is here and I suggest that perhaps you relevant objective effectively and efficiently’. have a look at what the shadow Treasurer said Will you inform the Senate where you rate in last night. terms of priority the export market develop- ment grant scheme? Has the scheme been Opposition senators interjecting— meeting its objective of facilitating the growth Senator SHORT—Opposition senators of exports by Australian small businesses both should listen to this because it is very inter- effectively and efficiently? Will the minister esting. He said: guarantee the operation of the scheme in its How come the budget is not in better shape after current form? 4½ years of sustained growth? Senator SHORT—Yes, Senator Sherry is He answered it himself. He said: correct and has quoted correctly from my This is a point that many commentators, not just on speech to the ACCI last week. Your question the government side but in the media, constantly reveals much more about the opposition than make. it does about the government, because it reflects that Labor continues to hold a deficit Mr Evans went on to say: mentality. You people seem to have a deficit Let me answer it by saying it is not a product of fixation or deficit disorder requiring some mismanagement in any sense; rather, it is a product professional treatment. You seem to believe of deliberate policy choice. that Australia can afford each and every In other words, what Mr Evans said last night program put forward by the plethora of in the House of Representatives was that, groups in our community which argue that through deliberate policy actions by the their programs are worthwhile. previous government, we finished up with a It is now 10 years since the banana republic budget deficit of $8 billion, contrary to all the and Labor has learnt absolutely nothing about statements made by the former government. that. The question I would ask Senator Sherry Senator Cook—I raise a point of order. We is, just where does the opposition stand on the have had four minutes of irrelevant answer. question of getting the books of this nation Mr President, I wonder whether you might back into balance? If you look at what the direct Senator Short to favour us with a reply shadow Treasurer said in the House of Repre- to a very direct question for at least a minute. sentatives last night, you would quite rightly If you cannot do that, Mr President, would feel rather confused because during the debate you ask him to simply resume his seat be- on the appropriation bill in the House of cause he is in fact parading his ignorance to Representatives last night the shadow Treasur- the Senate. 774 SENATE Tuesday, 21 May 1996 The PRESIDENT—Order! I did ask the Sale of Telstra minister to come to the point of the question Senator O’CHEE—Mr President, my and I will again ask the minister to do so. question is directed to the Minister for Com- Senator SHORT—In response to the munications and the Arts. I refer the minister specific question, as Senator Parer said yester- to the statements made by the Deputy Leader day, if you are going to be a responsible of the Opposition on the Meet the Press government—which this government is, in program on 12 May. Mr Evans said in that stark contrast to the former government—you interview that he was prepared to debate the have to look at all items of government Telstra legislation in the normal way when it expenditure. In that context many situations came up. are under review and the answer to those Senator Sherry—What did you say in your questions will be revealed at the time of the interview this morning? budget. Senator O’CHEE—For Senator Sherry’s The question that opposition senators have benefit, Mr Evans said—and I quote— to answer is, do they want to continue to run Opposition senators interjecting— a continuing budget deficit that leads to The PRESIDENT—Order! There are too higher interest rates, less jobs, more unem- many interjections on my left. Senator ployment, lower economic growth and less O’Chee has the call. international competitiveness? That is the path Senator O’CHEE—Thank you, Mr Presi- you led Australia down in the last 13 years. dent. For the benefit of the rabble