COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Official Hansard MONDAY, 4 JUNE 2001 THIRTY-NINTH PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSION—NINTH PERIOD BY AUTHORITY OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONTENTS CHAMBER HANSARD Delegation Reports— Commonwealth of Australia Branch Delegation to the 46th Common- wealth Parliamentary Conference, United Kingdom............................... 27107 Committees— Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee—Report........................... 27110 Treaties Committee—Report....................................................................... 27114 Communications, Transport and the Arts Committee—Report................... 27116 Defence Act Amendment (Victoria Cross) Bill 2001— First Reading ............................................................................................... 27120 Statements By Members— Vietnam: Campaign for Religious Freedom................................................ 27123 Australian Defence Force: Cadets ............................................................... 27124 Greenway Electorate: Wyndham College.................................................... 27124 Community Legal Services, Victoria........................................................... 27124 Veterans: Prisoner of War............................................................................ 27125 Cook Electorate: Sharks Leagues Club Redevelopment ............................. 27125 Lowe Electorate: Homebush Boys High School ......................................... 27126 Regional Airlines: New South Wales Services............................................ 27126 Middle East: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict..................................................... 27126 Murray-Darling Basin: Water Quality......................................................... 27127 Division of Aston: By-Election ........................................................................ 27127 Ministerial Arrangements ................................................................................. 27127 Questions Without Notice— One.Tel: Employee Entitlements................................................................. 27127 Middle East.................................................................................................. 27128 Employee Entitlements Support Scheme..................................................... 27129 Economy: Current Account Deficit............................................................. 27130 Employee Entitlements Support Scheme..................................................... 27131 Taxation: Services and Programs................................................................. 27132 Economy: Foreign Debt .............................................................................. 27133 Taxation: Small Business............................................................................. 27134 Taxation: Anti-Avoidance Provisions.......................................................... 27135 Rural and Regional Australia: Health Initiatives......................................... 27136 Wide Bay Electorate: Regional Solutions Program..................................... 27137 Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme................................................................. 27138 Nursing Homes: Yagoona............................................................................ 27139 Education: Funding for Government Schools ............................................. 27140 Nursing Homes: Yagoona............................................................................ 27141 Dissent from Ruling.......................................................................................... 27142 Divisions: Conduct ........................................................................................... 27152 Personal Explanations....................................................................................... 27153 Petitions— Asylum Seekers: Work Rights..................................................................... 27155 Asylum Seekers: Work Rights..................................................................... 27155 Asylum Seekers: Work Rights..................................................................... 27155 Asylum Seekers: Work Rights..................................................................... 27155 Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Independence and Funding............. 27156 Fuel Prices ................................................................................................... 27156 Fuel Prices ................................................................................................... 27156 Goods and Services Tax: Pensioners ........................................................... 27157 i CONTENTS—continued Health: Bulk-Billing.................................................................................... 27157 Fuel Prices ................................................................................................... 27157 Goods and Services Tax: Caravan Parks ..................................................... 27157 Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Independence and Funding............. 27157 Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Independence and Funding............. 27158 Kirkpatrick, Private John Simpson.............................................................. 27158 Medicare: Belmont Office........................................................................... 27158 Food Labelling ............................................................................................ 27158 Centrelink: Job Cuts .................................................................................... 27158 Goods and Services Tax: Caravan Parks ..................................................... 27159 Telstra: Privatisation.................................................................................... 27159 Goods and Services Tax: Sanitary Products ................................................ 27159 Goods and Services Tax: Receipts............................................................... 27159 Compact Disc Prices.................................................................................... 27159 Wallsend After-Hours Medical Service....................................................... 27160 Health: Diabetes Diagnostic Products ......................................................... 27160 Economy: Standard of Living...................................................................... 27160 Bankstown Airport: Proposed Expansion.................................................... 27160 Bankstown Airport: Proposed Expansion.................................................... 27161 Roads: F3 Freeway...................................................................................... 27161 Banking: Branch Closures........................................................................... 27161 Telecommunications: Mobile Phone Numbers............................................ 27161 Australia Post: Kingaroy ............................................................................. 27161 Australia Post: Winston Glades................................................................... 27162 Administrative Appeals Tribunal: Abolition ............................................... 27162 Leave Of Absence............................................................................................. 27162 Private Members Business— Economy: Performance ............................................................................... 27162 Private Members Business— Australian Army: 100th Anniversary ........................................................... 27169 Assent To Bills.................................................................................................. 27175 Grievance Debate— Health: HIV-AIDS....................................................................................... 27175 Politics and Politicians ................................................................................ 27177 Hobart: Australian Antarctic Base............................................................... 27179 Herbert Electorate: Infrastructure Projects .................................................. 27181 Rural and Regional Australia: Infrastructure Spending............................... 27183 Youth: Government Policy .......................................................................... 27185 Internet Chat Rooms.................................................................................... 27187 Inland Marketing Corporation..................................................................... 27189 Committees— Corporations and Securities Committee—Report ....................................... 27191 Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Amendment Bill 2001— First Reading ............................................................................................... 27192 Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2001-2002— Second Reading........................................................................................... 27192 Adjournment— Answers to Questions on Notice: Carbon Dioxide Emissions .................... 27218 La Trobe Electorate: History ....................................................................... 27219 Retirees: Computer Training ....................................................................... 27220 Tourism: Bibles in Hotels............................................................................ 27221 ii CONTENTS—continued Centenary of