COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SENATE Official Hansard THURSDAY, 5 MARCH 1998 THIRTY-EIGHTH PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSION—SIXTH PERIOD BY AUTHORITY OF THE SENATE CANBERRA CONTENTS THURSDAY, 5 MARCH Petitions— Housing ........................................... 441 Australian Broadcasting Corporation ........................ 441 Notices of Motion— Women ............................................ 441 Cobar Copper Mine ................................... 442 Order of Business— Government Business .................................. 442 General Business ..................................... 442 Certain Government Accountability Matters Committee .......... 442 Travel Allowances .................................... 442 Multilateral Agreement on Investment ...................... 443 Romania: Mariana Cetiner ............................... 443 Media Control and Ownership ............................ 443 Logging and Woodchipping .............................. 443 Police Behaviour at Demonstrations ........................ 443 Multilateral Agreement on Investment ...................... 443 Treaties Committee .................................... 443 Tobacco Advertising .................................... 443 Committees— Genetic Manipulation Committee—Establishment .............. 443 Logging and Woodchipping ............................... 444 Managed Investments Bill 1997, Social Security and Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Budget and Other Measures) Bill 1997, Workplace Relations Amendment Bill 1997 [No. 2], Company Law Review Bill 1997, Insurance Laws Amendment Bill 1997— First Reading ........................................ 445 Second Reading ...................................... 445 Social Security Legislation Amendment (Youth Allowance) Bill 1997— In Committee ........................................ 454 Criminal Code Amendment Bill 1997 [1998]— Second Reading ...................................... 483 Civil Aviation Legislation Amendment Bill 1997— Second Reading ...................................... 485 Flags Amendment Bill 1996— Second Reading ...................................... 485 Questions Without Notice— Natural Heritage Trust ................................. 489 Trade Unions: Funds .................................. 490 Natural Heritage Trust ................................. 491 Mr Christopher Skase .................................. 493 Natural Heritage Trust ................................. 494 Native Title ......................................... 495 Waterfront Reform .................................... 496 Youth Allowance ..................................... 497 Compact Disc Imports ................................. 497 Government Schools Funding ............................ 498 Compact Disc Imports ................................. 499 Economy: Asian Crisis ................................. 500 Suspension of Standing Orders ............................ 501 Procedural Motion .................................... 508 Committees— Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee: Joint—Chair ...... 534 Ministerial Statements— Trade Outcomes and Objectives Statement ................... 534 Committees— CONTENTS—continued Treaties Committee—Membership ......................... 538 Documents— Department of Industry, Science and Tourism ................. 538 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner . 539 Superannuation Complaints Tribunal ........................ 539 Department of Industry, Science and Tourism ................. 541 Nuclear Safety Bureau ................................. 542 Australian Law Reform Commission ....................... 542 National Museum of Australia ............................ 543 Department of Communications and the Arts .................. 544 Consideration ........................................ 545 Committees— Community Affairs References Committee—Report ............. 545 Publications Committee —Report .......................... 549 Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee: Joint—Report: Government Response ................................ 551 Consideration ........................................ 552 Adjournment— Airline Passenger Security ............................... 553 Golden West Network Television .......................... 554 Waterfront Reform .................................... 555 Compact Disc Imports ................................. 557 Mr Roger Francis Shipton ............................... 559 Mr Roger Francis Shipton ............................... 559 Documents— Tabling ............................................ 560 Questions On Notice— Department of Primary Industries and Energy: Public Relations Services—(Question No. 817) .......................... 561 Commonwealth Indigenous Policy and Advisory Structures— (Question No. 1048) ................................. 564 Literacy Standards: Learning Disabilities ..................... 565 Taxation: Families .................................... 565 Common Youth Allowance .............................. 566 SENATE 441 Thursday, 5 March 1998 (3) Reminds Parliament that the policy includes the following unqualified promises: The Coalition will maintain existing levels of Commonwealth funding to the ABC and retain The PRESIDENT (Senator the Hon. triennial funding. Margaret Reid) took the chair at 9.30 a.m., The Coalition will maintain the current prohi- and read prayers. bition on advertising and sponsorship on ABC PETITIONS television and radio. The Coalition will ‘Cease the politicisation of The Clerk—Petitions have been lodged for the ABC Board’ and ‘will ensure that future presentation as follows: appointees to the ABC Board not only possess the broadcasting, management, and financial Housing skills needed to guide Australia’s pre-eminent To the Honourable President and Members of the broadcaster into the next century but also reflect Senate in Parliament assembled: a broad cross section of the Australian communi- ty.’ We the undersigned respectfully submit that Social Housing is a major social safety net, crucial for all The Coalition will insist upon strict managerial Australians. and financial separation of the ABC’s Charter broadcasting activities from its commercial Your petitioners therefore call upon the Senate to ventures. maintain a commitment to the buying and building of new housing properties. The new Common- The Coalition ‘will encourage and support the wealth State Housing Agreement must provide the ongoing expansion of ABC radio, including the States with monies to buy and build more Public extension of the highly successful Triple J and Community Housing. Dismantling the safety network into regional Australia’ net of Social Housing will mean homelessness, The Coalition will ‘Maintain current levels of overcrowding and the scrapping of public housing financial support for the orchestras’. redevelopment plans, all of which will impact on (4) Reminds Parliament that the Prime Minister the most disadvantaged groups in the Australian made an unqualified commitment to keep his society. promises Your petitioners support an increase in assistance (5) Calls upon the Senate: to low income earners in the private rental market, but not at the expense of Public and Community (i) To oppose any weakening of the comprehen- Housing. sive Charter of the ABC, and Your petitioners thus urge the Senate to reject (ii) To honour these unqualified commitments current plans in the area of public and community which we, the undersigned, regard as core promises housing. to the Australian people. by Senator O’Chee (from 14 citizens). by Senator O’Chee (from 14 citizens). Petitions received. Australian Broadcasting Corporation To the Honourable President and Members of the NOTICES OF MOTION Senate in the Parliament assembled: Women This petition of the undersigned residents on the electoral roll in Australia Senator PATTERSON (Victoria)—I give (1) Deplores the proposed funding cuts to the notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall ABC, and the consequent major cuts to staffing and move: programs. That the Senate— (2) Commends to the Parliament the Coalition’s (a) notes that 8 March 1998 is International national and community broadcasting policy, which Women’s Day; states: ‘The ABC must be an independent, truly national, publicly funded broadcaster devoted to (b) recognises the many and varied contribu- excellence and objectivity and offering a clear tions women make to Australian public life, alternative to the commercial broadcasting sector. particularly the achievements of women in The ABC should reflect the broad spectrum of inte- Australia’s foreign service both at home and rests, values and views in the Australian overseas; community’. (c) notes, with approval: 442 SENATE Thursday, 5 March 1998 (i) the recent appointment of Victoria Owen and farmers, affected by the closure of as Australia’s ambassador to Egypt, and the Cobar mine and the Grafton meat- (ii) that this brings to 11 the number of works; female heads of mission or heads of post (b) condemns the Ashanti company and J J at Australian missions, a record number Gilbertson for their financial mismanage- of female appointments; and ment and their callous action in depriving (d) commends the Minister for Foreign Affairs these workers of their lawful entitlements; (Mr Downer) for his appointment of eight and women as heads of mission or heads of post (c) calls on the Federal Government to provide since coming into office in March 1996, immediate assistance to these workers and reflecting the Government’s