COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SENATE Official Hansard No. 9, 2002 WEDNESDAY, 18 SEPTEMBER 2002 FORTIETH PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSION—THIRD PERIOD BY AUTHORITY OF THE SENATE INTERNET The Journals for the Senate are available at: http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/work/journals/index.htm Proof and Official Hansards for the House of Representatives, the Senate and committee hearings are available at: http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard SITTING DAYS—2002 Month Date February 12, 13, 14 March 11, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21 May 14, 15, 16 June 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27 August 19, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29 September 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26 October 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24 November 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21 December 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12 RADIO BROADCASTS Broadcasts of proceedings of the Parliament can be heard on the following Parliamentary and News Network radio stations, in the areas identified. CANBERRA 1440 AM SYDNEY 630 AM NEWCASTLE 1458 AM BRISBANE 936 AM MELBOURNE 1026 AM ADELAIDE 972 AM PERTH 585 AM HOBART 729 AM DARWIN 102.5 FM SENATE CONTENTS WEDNESDAY, 18 SEPTEMBER Temporary Chairmen of Committees.................................................................. 4335 Ministerial Statements— Foreign Affairs: Iraq...................................................................................... 4335 Commonwealth Electoral Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2002— In Committee................................................................................................. 4336 Adoption of Report........................................................................................ 4358 Third Reading................................................................................................ 4360 Health Insurance: Anticompetitive Practices...................................................... 4360 Matters of Public Interest— Indigenous Affairs: Gordon Report............................................................... 4361 Foreign Affairs: Israel ................................................................................... 4363 Insurance: Professional Indemnity ................................................................ 4366 Foreign Affairs: India.................................................................................... 4368 Ferguson, Laurie John (Jack) AO.................................................................. 4370 Ferguson, Mr Laurie John (Jack) AO............................................................ 4372 Human Rights: China and Tibet .................................................................... 4372 Questions Without Notice— Superannuation: Ansett Australia.................................................................. 4374 Workplace Relations: Waterfront Reform ..................................................... 4374 Superannuation: Ansett Australia.................................................................. 4375 Taxation: Family Payments ........................................................................... 4376 Budget: Printing Industry .............................................................................. 4377 Taxation: Family Payments ........................................................................... 4378 Superannuation: Commercial Nominees of Australia Ltd............................. 4379 Agriculture: Sugar Industry........................................................................... 4380 Finance: Small Business................................................................................ 4381 Crime: Money Laundering ............................................................................ 4382 Superannuation: Fees and Charges................................................................ 4383 Defence: Use of Facilities.............................................................................. 4384 Superannuation: Fees and Charges................................................................ 4385 Telstra: Services............................................................................................. 4386 Parliamentary Language ..................................................................................... 4387 Questions Without Notice: Take Note of Answers— Answers to Questions.................................................................................... 4387 Defence: Use of Facilities.............................................................................. 4392 Petitions— Immigration: Asylum Seekers....................................................................... 4393 Science: Stem Cell Research ......................................................................... 4393 General Agreement on Trade in Services...................................................... 4394 Notices— Presentation ................................................................................................... 4394 Committees— Selection of Bills Committee—Report.......................................................... 4395 Notices— Postponement ................................................................................................ 4398 National Review of Nursing Education .............................................................. 4398 Committees— Economics References Committee—Extension of Time............................... 4399 Human Rights: China.......................................................................................... 4399 Matters of Urgency— Agriculture: Sugar Industry........................................................................... 4399 SENATE CONTENTS—continued Committees— Scrutiny of Bills Committee—Report ........................................................... 4412 Budget— Consideration by Legislation Committees—Additional Information............ 4412 Committees— Public Works Committee—Report................................................................ 4412 Public Accounts and Audit Committee—Report .......................................... 4413 Legislation Committees—Reports ................................................................ 4415 Workplace Relations Amendment (Paid Maternity Leave) Bill 2002— Report of Employment, Workplace Relations and Education Legislation Committee ................................................................................................. 4415 Documents— Auditor-General’s Reports—Report No. 8 of 2002-03 ................................. 4421 Committees— Community Affairs Legislation Committee—Membership.......................... 4421 Assent ................................................................................................................. 4421 Committees— Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee: Joint—Meeting................. 4421 Prohibition of Human Cloning Bill 2002— First Reading ................................................................................................. 4421 Second Reading............................................................................................. 4421 Committees— Employment, Workplace Relations and Education References Committee— Reference.................................................................................................... 4423 Public Accounts and Audit Committee—Report .......................................... 4426 Health Insurance: Anticompetitive Practices...................................................... 4428 Higher Education Funding Amendment Bill 2002 ............................................. 4428 Higher Education Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2002— In Committee................................................................................................. 4428 Adjournment— Foreign Affairs: Zimbabwe ........................................................................... 4440 See Yup Temple and Memorial Hall.............................................................. 4442 Environment: Youth Roundtable ................................................................... 4443 Documents— Tabling........................................................................................................... 4445 Departmental and Agency Contracts............................................................. 4446 Indexed Lists of Files .................................................................................... 4446 Questions on Notice— Rural Networks Grants Program—(Question No. 534) ................................ 4447 Finance: Creditors Meetings—(Question No. 556)....................................... 4448 Finance: Debt Agreements—(Question No. 557) ......................................... 4449 Defence: Depleted Uranium—(Question No. 568) ....................................... 4450 Australian Defence Force: Depleted Uranium—(Question No. 582)............ 4451 Wednesday, 18 September 2002 SENATE 4335 Wednesday, 18 September 2002 duct of such a war, of course, you need other ————— matters: you need proportionality, you need to achieve the objective and you need to en- The PRESIDENT (Senator the Hon. sure the protection of innocent civilians. I Paul Calvert) took the chair at 9.30 a.m., would have liked to have expounded on and read prayers. those matters last night, and I am sorry—I do TEMPORARY CHAIRMEN OF not apologise because the government is COMMITTEES pressing to get the matter considered that we The PRESIDENT—Order! Pursuant to were considering—that I was not here last standing order 12, I lay on the table a war- night to hear other senators. rant nominating Senator Brandis to act