COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SENATE Official Hansard TUESDAY, 22 JUNE 1999 THIRTY-NINTH PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSION—THIRD PERIOD BY AUTHORITY OF THE SENATE CANBERRA CONTENTS TUESDAY, 22 JUNE Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Bill 1998— Suspension of Standing Orders ............................ 5893 Business— Consideration of Legislation ............................. 5898 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Bill 1998 [1999]— Second Reading ...................................... 5898 Questions Without Notice— Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Legislation . 5909 Telstra Sale: Social Bonus ............................... 5911 Ministerial Code of Conduct ............................. 5913 Telstra: Further Sale ................................... 5913 Member for Leichhardt: Disclosure of Interests ................ 5914 Cross-vesting: High Court Decision ........................ 5915 Member for Leichhardt: East Trinity Development .............. 5916 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Legislation . 5917 Member for Leichhardt: East Trinity Development .............. 5918 Albury-Wodonga Freeway ............................... 5918 Member for Leichhardt: East Trinity Development .............. 5920 Skase, Mr Christopher: Assets ............................ 5920 Goods and Services Tax: Public Housing .................... 5921 Telstra Sale: Environment ............................... 5922 Answers to Questions Without Notice— Member for Leichhardt: Disclosure of Interests ................ 5923 Ministerial Code of Conduct ............................. 5923 Member for Leichhardt: East Trinity Development .............. 5923 Member for Leichhardt: East Trinity Development .............. 5924 Condolences— Luck, Mr Aubrey William George ......................... 5930 Petitions— Sexuality Discrimination ................................ 5930 Genetically Engineered Food ............................. 5930 Notices— Presentation ......................................... 5931 Postponement ....................................... 5931 Committees— Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee— Extension of Time .................................. 5932 Personal Explanations .................................... 5932 Electoral Amendment (Senate Elections) Bill 1999— First Reading ........................................ 5932 Second Reading ...................................... 5932 Goods and Services Tax: Environmental Impacts ................. 5935 Goods and Services Tax: Legislation ......................... 5936 Goods and Services Tax: Environmental Impacts ................. 5937 Committees— Privileges Committee—Report ............................ 5937 Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Legislation Committee—Submission and Supplementary Information ....................................... 5938 Budget 1998-99— Consideration by Legislation Committees—Additional Estimates .... 5938 Committees— Treaties Committee—Report ............................. 5938 Budget 1998-99— Consideration by Legislation Committees—Reports ............. 5939 CONTENTS—continued Committees— Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education References Committee —Membership ..................... 5939 Superannuation Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 3) 1999— Report of Economics Legislation Committee ................. 5939 Commonwealth Grants Commission Amendment Bill 1999— First Reading ........................................ 5940 Second Reading ...................................... 5940 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Bill 1998 [1999]— Second Reading ...................................... 5940 A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Bill 1999 . 5993 A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Consequential and Related Measures) Bill (No. 1) 1999— First Reading ........................................ 5994 Second Reading ...................................... 5994 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Bill 1998 [1999]— In Committee ........................................ 5996 Adjournment— Jubilee 2000 ........................................ 6001 Information Technology: Equity of Access ................... 6003 Telstra Sale: Social Bonus ............................... 6005 Telstra: Further Sale ................................... 6007 Documents— Tabling ............................................ 6009 Questions On Notice— Minister for Industry, Science and Resources: Newspapers, Magazines and Other Periodicals—(Question No. 530) ................. 6010 Minister for Sport and Tourism: Newspapers, Magazines and Other Periodicals—(Question No. 545) ......................... 6010 Department of Industry, Science and Resources: Accrual Accounting—(Question No. 559) ........................ 6010 Department of Industry, Science and Resources: Cost of Legal Advice—(Question No. 577) ........................... 6011 Christmas Islanders: Repatriation and Resettlement Compensation—(Question No. 584) ...................... 6011 Community Aged Care: Subsidies—(Question No. 594) .......... 6012 Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business: Public Opinion Polling Research—(Question No. 614) ......... 6013 Bulk Billing Medical Centres—(Question No. 649) ............. 6014 Australian Customs Service, Coastwatch Branch: Staff— (Question No. 668) .................................. 6015 Australian Customs Service, Coastwatch Branch: Illegal Foreign Fishing Vessels—(Question No 669) ...................... 6016 Coastal Surveillance Program: Civil Aviation Contractors— (Question No. 670) .................................. 6016 Jabiluka Uranium Mine Project—(Question No. 689) ............ 6017 Jabiluka Uranium Mine Project—(Question No. 690) ............ 6017 Jabiluka Uranium Mine Project—(Question No. 691) ............ 6018 Jabiluka Uranium Mine Project—(Question No. 692) ............ 6018 Jabiluka Uranium Mine Project—(Question No. 693) ............ 6019 Jabiluka Uranium Mine Project—(Question No. 694) ............ 6019 Jabiluka Uranium Mine Project—(Question No. 696) ............ 6019 Jabiluka Uranium Mine Project—(Question No. 697) ............ 6020 Jabiluka Uranium Mine Project—(Question No. 698) ............ 6021 Jabiluka Uranium Mine Project—(Question No. 699) ............ 6021 Jabiluka Uranium Mine Project—(Question No. 700) ............ 6021 Jabiluka Uranium Mine Project—(Question No. 701) ............ 6022 Reeves, Mr John QC: Appointment—(Question No. 711) ......... 6022 National Land and Water Resources Audit—(Question No. 714) .... 6024 SENATE 5893 Tuesday, 22 June 1999 formed correctly and that the proper outcome had come from the will of the Senate. This is one of those occasions when, if The PRESIDENT (Senator the Hon. more of us had had the information in front Margaret Reid) took the chair at 12.30 p.m., of us, we may well have called a division. A and read prayers. division was not called and I believe that had it been called it would have gone in a differ- TELECOMMUNICATIONS ent direction than was recorded last night. (CONSUMER PROTECTION AND I ask for support on this issue. As I said, SERVICE STANDARDS) BILL 1998 there are lots of important issues, and I would Suspension of Standing Orders like to think that the whole process is such that we will not end up with an outcome Senator MARGETTS (Western Australia) which contradicts the will of the Senate. It (12.31 p.m.)—Pursuant to contingent notice, may well be that decisions are being made I move: which mean that votes are with the govern- That so much of the standing orders be suspend- ment but, if it is the case that the will of the ed as would prevent Senator Margetts moving a Senate has not been abided by, I think it motion to provide for the consideration of a matter, deserves recommittal. namely a motion to give precedence to a motion to Senator HILL (South Australia—Minister reconsider the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Bill 1998. for the Environment and Heritage) (12.33 p.m.)—The government will not agree to the I hope the debate will not necessarily take too suspension. With all respect to Senator long. The motion is in relation to the confu- Margetts, if she were serious about this matter sion that occurred during the debate last night. she would have given us notice of it this Most of the attention yesterday was in rela- morning so that it could be properly inves- tion to the Telstra (Transition to Full Private tigated. To be told that this was to be moved Ownership) Bill 1998, but the Telecommuni- as we came into the chamber for prayers this cations (Consumer Protection and Service afternoon is not a sign that that this is an Standards) Bill 1998, a bill relating to the issue of serious moment. I can only presume services of Telstra, was also in there. On the that it is another one of the Greens’ stunts— night, there was a lot of confusion about the ungracious for me to say—to try to attract amendments. I asked about the running sheet attention to their cause, which in this instance and about continuing without knowing exactly is a lost cause. In such circumstance, I see no the relevance of the particular amendments we reason why the suspension should be granted were voting on. and the matters recommitted. The government I believe that the will of the Senate was not will therefore vote accordingly. necessarily done last night because, on reflec- Senator FAULKNER (New South