COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SENATE Official Hansard WEDNESDAY, 27 AUGUST 1997 THIRTY-EIGHTH PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSION—FIFTH PERIOD BY AUTHORITY OF THE SENATE CANBERRA CONTENTS WEDNESDAY, 27 AUGUST Higher Education Funding Amendment Bill (No. 1) 1997— Second Reading ...................................... 5745 Excise Tariff Amendment Bill (No. 1) 1997— Second Reading ...................................... 5760 In Committee ........................................ 5773 Third Reading ....................................... 5782 Matters of Public Interest— United Nations: Contracts ............................... 5782 South Australia: Leader of the Opposition .................... 5786 Global Electronic Commerce ............................. 5789 Industry Policy ....................................... 5792 X-rated Videos ....................................... 5795 Questions Without Notice— Superannuation: Fringe Benefits ........................... 5796 Taxation Reform ..................................... 5797 Distinguished Visitors ................................... 5798 Questions Without Notice— Sale of Commonwealth Buildings ......................... 5798 Taxation Reform ..................................... 5799 Firearms Buyback .................................... 5800 Australian Public Service ............................... 5800 Privacy Scheme ...................................... 5800 Senate: Press Photographs ............................... 5801 Australia on CD Program ............................... 5801 Women ............................................ 5803 Long Range Cruise Missiles ............................. 5804 Social Security Income and Assets Test ..................... 5805 Copyright .......................................... 5805 ABC Weekend Regional Weather Reports .................... 5806 South Pacific Cruise Lines Ltd ............................ 5808 Education: Indigenous Students ........................... 5809 Answers to Questions Without Notice— Australia on CD Program ............................... 5810 Fitzroy River: Proposed Dam ............................. 5810 Long Range Cruise Missiles ............................. 5810 Access to House of Representatives by Senators ................. 5811 Answers to Questions Without Notice— ABC Weekend Regional Weather Reports .................... 5811 Petitions— Logging and Woodchipping .............................. 5818 Notices of Motion— Textile, Clothing and Footwear Industries .................... 5818 Mr Michael Doohan ................................... 5819 Legal and Constitutional References Committee ................ 5819 Mr Geoff Nicholas .................................... 5820 Aboriginal Delegation to the United Nations .................. 5820 Community Affairs References Committee ................... 5820 Jabiluka Uranium Mine ................................. 5821 Textile, Clothing and Footwear Industries .................... 5821 Order of Business— Migration Regulations .................................. 5821 Committees— Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee—Extension of Time .......................................... 5821 Information Technologies Committee—Appointment ............ 5821 Superannuation Committee—Extension of Time ................ 5822 Higher Education: Undergraduate Fees and Abstudy .............. 5822 Matters of Urgency— CONTENTS—continued Privacy Legislation .................................... 5822 Committees— Scrutiny of Bills Committee—Report ....................... 5836 Ministerial Statements— Visit by the Prime Minister to the United Kingdom and the United States of America ................................... 5836 Constitutional Convention (Election) Bill 1997— Consideration of House of Representatives Message ............. 5843 Documents ........................................... 5862 Adjournment— South Australia: Leader of the Opposition .................... 5862 South Australia: Leader of the Opposition .................... 5864 Schools and Literacy .................................. 5867 South Australia: Leader of the Opposition .................... 5869 Fitzroy River: Proposed Dam ............................. 5870 Documents— Tabling ............................................ 5871 Questions On Notice— British Commonwealth Occupational Forces—(Question No. 625) . 5872 Logging and Woodchipping—(Question No. 634) .............. 5873 Defence Force: Entitlements—(Question No. 645) .............. 5873 East Timor—(Question No. 649) .......................... 5875 Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs: Mr Dean McCarthy—(Question No. 655) ..................... 5875 Tasmania: Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund—(Question No. 659) ............................. 5876 Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission—(Question No. 661) 5876 Turkish Incursion into Northern Iraq—(Question No. 666) ........ 5880 Indian Port Facility—(Question No. 670) .................... 5881 Papua New Guinea: Export Finance and Insurance Corporation—(Question No. 672) ........................ 5882 Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families—(Question No. 683) .......................... 5882 Department of Veterans’ Affairs: Appeal Mechanisms—(Question No. 692) ............................................ 5883 Telstra: 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games—(Question No. 698) ....... 5885 Minister for Resources and Energy: Media Monitoring Services—(Question No. 727) .......................... 5886 Answers to Questions Without Notice— Austudy ........................................... 5886 Austudy ........................................... 5886 SENATE 5745 Wednesday, 27 August 1997 triennium funding structure for higher educa- tion in this country. The Democrats will be supporting the The PRESIDENT (Senator the Hon. simplification of the remission of debt for the Margaret Reid) took the chair at 9.30 a.m., open learning scheme. I note that this govern- and read prayers. ment is the first government to preside over HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING a universal up-front fee payment for under- graduate education with the introduction of a AMENDMENT BILL (No. 1) 1997 gap fee. A gap fee is one that open learning Second Reading students have no opportunity to defer. So Debate resumed from 26 August, on motion although it can be argued that open learning by Senator Minchin: is one way of making higher education more accessible to, say, traditionally disadvantaged That this bill be now read a second time. groups, particularly those in remote or region- Senator CARR (Victoria) (9.31 a.m.)—To al areas, the lack of opportunity to defer those conclude, the Labor Party believes that the payments is sad. Senate should carry a second reading amend- ment. Accordingly, I move: This government is also continuing the tradition of user pays begun under the former At the end of the motion, add: Labor government. I note the amount that the "but the Senate: Commonwealth is granting towards the open (1) is of the opinion that a properly resourced learning system is only $218,000 in this bill, university sector is vital to Australia’s compared with around $9.5 million as recent- economic and social well-being; ly as 1995. I am dismayed to see a diminution (2) expresses deep concern at the damage in the resources being allocated to open caused by the Government’s funding reduc- learning in this bill. In fact, it puts Australia tions to higher education, which are forcing universities to seek alternative sources of at odds with the rest of the world which is funds, such as undergraduate fees, which in increasingly recognising the joys and the turn are reducing access to universities at possibilities of open learning and distance the very time when Australia needs to be education. This bill also allows for the 25 per broadening such access; cent discount on some course contributions. (3) expressed particular concern at the ending Probably one of the biggest features of this of the successful Commonwealth Industry Places Scheme; and bill is the rationalisation and restructuring program—$26 million over the next four (4) condemns the Government for failing to recognise the importance of education to years. While the Democrats support that addi- Australia’s future and for continuing to tional money, particularly for regional and withdraw public investment in it". remote institutions, we treat this as an ac- Senator STOTT DESPOJA (South Aus- knowledgment, as basically a concession by tralia) (9.32 a.m.)—The Australian Democrats this government that, in fact, its regressive will be supporting the measures contained in budget cuts have hit hardest at regional and the Higher Education Funding Amendment remote institutions. Bill (No. 1) 1997. There are a number of The Democrats will be supporting the Labor measures in this bill to which I will refer. Party’s second reading amendment and we First of all, I note that this particular higher will seek to amend that with a second reading education funding bill departs from tradition; amendment of our own. We endorse the that is, it represents a break from the tradi- sentiments expressed by Senator Carr in his tional structure of higher education bill amendment, but we recognise, as our second funding in that it allows for the provision of reading amendment does, that this path of funds for 1998 and earlier. I note there is no user pays was begun under the Hawke and allocation for 1999 and 2000. I think you will Keating governments and