Senate
16 February 1971

27th Parliament · 2nd Session



The PRESIDENT (Senator the Hon. Sir Alister McMullin) took the chair at 3 p.m., and read prayers.

page 3

REPRESENTATION OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND VICTORIA

The PRESIDENT:

– I inform the Senate that I have received certificates of the choice at the election held on 2 1st November 1970 of senators to. fill casual vacancies in the representation of the Slates of New South Wales and Victoria. The certificates will be laid on the table by the Clerk.

The Clerk then laid on the table (he certificates of election of John Thomas Kane for the State of New South Wales and George Conrad Hannan for the State of Victoria.

Senators John Thomas Kane and George Conrad Hannan made and subscribed the oath of allegiance.

page 3

MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMENTS

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:
Minister for Supply · New South Wales · LP

– I inform the Senate that, following the resignation of Rt Hon. Sir John McEwen, Hon. J. D. Anthony has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, Hon. Ian Sinclair has been appointed Minister for Primary Industry, Hon. P. J. Nixon has been appointed Minister for Shipping and Transport and Hon. R. J. D. Hunt has been appointed Minister for the Interior. 1 will continue to represent the Minister for Trade and Industry in the Senate; Senator Drake-Brockman will continue to represent the Minister for Primary Industry; and Senator Cotton will continue to represent the Minister for Shipping and Transport and the Minister for the Interior.

Since the Senate last met the name of the Department of External Affairs has been changed to the Department of

Foreign Affairs, and Rt Hon. William McMahon was sworn to as Minister for Foreign Affairs on 6th November 1970.

page 4

REPRESENTATION OF NEW SOUTH WALES

The PRESIDENT:

– It is with deep regret that I have to inform the Senate of the death of Senator James Patrick Ormonde, which occurred on 30th November last. Pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution, on 4th December I notified the Governor of the State of New South Wales of the vacancy in the representation of that State because of the death of Senator Ormonde. On 8th December the Governor acknowledged receipt of my communication.

page 4

QUESTION

DEATH OF SENATOR JAMES PATRICK ORMONDE

Senator Sir Kenneth Anderson:
Minister for Supply · New South Wales · LP

Mr President, you have announced the death of Senator James Patrick Ormonde, but it is proper now that I as Leader of the Government in the Senate give honourable senators an opportunity to record our condolences. Senator Ormonde, who died in Sydney on 30th November last at the age of 65 years, was appointed to the Senate to represent New South Wales by the Governor-General on 30th July 1958. He took the place of the late Senator W. P. Ashley. He was elected in the general election of 1957 to fill a periodical vacancy, taking his place on 1st July 1959. He was again elected in the Senate election of 1 964, for the normal term.

Senator Ormonde was a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works from 28th February 1962 to 16th May 1963. He was also a member of the Printing Committee from 7th March 1962 (o 31st October 1966. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the Australian Group of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association from 1964. and a member of the Commonwealth parliamentary visit to London in 1966. He was a member of the House Committee from 8th March 1967.

Jim Ormonde, as we all knew him. was a former coal miner, journalist and public relations officer. He brought with him to the Senate a wealth of human understanding. He was a simple, forthright and direct man who was dedicated to furthering the ideals he held to be true, and dedicated to his convictions in relation to his Party. Jim Ormonde was a practising Christian, not only in the sense of being deeply involved with his church, but also in his dealings with his’ fellow human beings. He had a brother who was a priest. In the district where I live and where Jim Ormonde lived, he was a foundation member of the beautiful little Catholic Church of St Therese. He. his wife and family, were regular attenders at that church.

Senator Ormonde in his way was humble, gentle and kind. I ani sure we all believe that he loved people. He did not allow his political convictions, strong though they were, to interfere with his relationships with human beings. He liked people. Friendly and kind, he enjoyed a story. He liked to smile. I always regarded him in this chamber as the spontaneous senator. Ff he was moved by anything that was said he would seek the] call from the Presiding Officer to express his views. He will be sadly missed by as ail. 1 do not think I need to say more than that we respect his memory. I move:

Senator WILLESEE:
WESTERN AUSTRALIA · ALP

– by leave - The Australian Labor Party gathers today, very deeply conscious of the loss that has been occasioned by the death of Senator Jim Ormonde. We knew last session - it was very obvious, and I think Jim knew it - that he did not have a long time to live. Many of us thought that he would not see the session out last year. His death was a very great loss to the Australian Labor movement, to his colleagues in this Senate and to »H his comrades in the Labor movement. Jim Ormonde was our friend and our loyal colleague. Everybody in the Labor movement recognises that Jim dedicated his life to that movement. He was a man of compassion, humanity and humour. AH his friends will miss his wry comments on life, his penetrating insight into politics and his firm belief in democratic socialism. Throughout his life he worked for his ideals; he genuinely wanted to create a better life for bis fellow men through a political system concerned with human values.

James Patrick Ormonde was born in Kirkcaldy. Scotland. After his arrival in Australia he was educated at the Marist Brothers College, Maitland, and then worked in the coal mines. Later he trained as a journalist and worked on the old Labor Daily’. He had a distinguished career in journalism. He was editor of the Weekly Standard’ in the 1940s, worked as a feature writer on the ‘Sydney Morning Herald” and later became public relations officer for the Joint Coal Board. Many of us remember the joke that Jim liked to tell against himself in the field of journalism. He frequently told the story that at a Labor branch meeting one night he was dealing with the history of Labor newspapers in New South Wales and said: ‘I know something about them because I worked on all of them’. He recalled that someone interjected and said: ‘Was there any other reason why they went broke?’ Jim loved to tell this story against himself.

Jim Ormonde was appointed to the Senale in 1958 to fill a vacancy which, as Senator Sir Kenneth Anderson said, was caused by the death of his great friend and predecessor. Senator Bill Ashley. Later in the same year he was elected to the Senate in his own right. In 1964 he topped the ALP Senate ticket and became the first Australian politician ever to win more than a million first preference votes. He held a number of important posts within the Labor Party. He was an executive officer of the ALP for more than 20 years, holding the position of New South Wales VicePresident in 1954 and 1958. In 1962 he was appointed to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and the Printing Committee. He was also an executive of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and Secretary of the Australian Labor Party’s Automation Committee.

Senator Sir Kenneth Anderson referred to the spontaneous way in which Jim Ormonde used to ask questions. I felt that Senator Sir Kenneth Anderson waited for Jim to ask a question because he had a way of bringing in the topical headlines of the day. In the days when unity tickets were given much publicity he would refer to a unity ticket between a member of the Liberal Party and the Australian Country Party or the Australian Lab.or Party. These topical references resulted. 1 suppose, from his training in journalism. But in all his comments there was never a barb but always much good clean humour. I think we were fortunate in having a journalist to bring the news of the day before us. I think it must be said that his days in the Senate, valuable as they were to the Party, were perhaps the least turbulent of his life. He was an early supporter of the Lang Labor Party, standing as its candidate for the New South Wales seat of Waverley in the 1930s. He was defeated by the official Heffron Australian Labor Party candidate. Later he opposed Lang during the State split.

Jim Ormonde always held strong anti-war views until his death. He was one of the first Labor men to associate himself with Australian peace groups and worked for peace, despite criticism that came, particularly in those days, because of the misunderstanding of what the people in those groups were doing. Senator Murphy has asked me to say that he feels a great personal loss at the death of his comrade from New South Wales, Senator Jim Ormonde. I think that expression of Senator Murphy’s can be backed by all of us. lt is a personal loss and a political loss and (he Australian Labor movement extends its sympathy to Jim Ormonde’s widow and family.

Senator DRAKE-BROCKMAN:
Minister for Air · Western Australia · CP

– On behalf of the Austraiian Country Party I support most sincerely the tributes paid by the Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Sir Kenneth Anderson) and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Senator Willesee) following the passing of the late Senator Ormonde. Jim Ormonde, as he was known to most of us, was a friend of mine. Ours was a friendship that went back to the early days when we became members of this Senate. We were appointed by our respective State Parliaments within a matter of weeks of each other in 1958. Later we contested the Senate election and were returned to the Senate. For various reasons both of us were out of this chamber for a matter of 7 months. From the outset Jim Ormonde and I had a common bond in that we came into this chamber as political novices very much aware of the important jobs in front of us. 1 speak for the Australian Country Party and, I believe, for every honourable senator in this chamber when 1 say that at all times Jim Ormonde applied himself with dedication and vigour to the task of ensuring good government for Australia. He staunchly supported his Party and attended to the needs of the electors. Jim Ormonde possessed a very human streak. When things got tough and tense in the Senate he used his sense of whimsy and joviality to remove the tension from this chamber instantly. I believe that such traits in a man are very important and 1 think it was because of them that Jim had so many friends not only in this Senate but throughout the Parliament. He will be sadly missed here both as a political colleague and as a friend of all of us. I and my Country Party colleagues extend our deepest sympathy to his widow and family.

Senator GAIR:
Leader of the Australian Democratic Labor Party · Queensland

– On behalf of the Democratic Labour Party 1 join with the Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Sir Kenneth Anderson) in the motion of condolence to the widow and family of the late James Patrick Ormonde I bad known him only since I met him here when I became a Senator. Naturally I knew a good deal of his record in the Australian Labor Party. Since I met him personally in this chamber I found him agreeable, jovial and friendly. I assessed him as being a good Christian gentleman. I believe he conscientiously desired to serve this country in his own ways according to his own political ideologies and ideas and for that T suppose he has to be given credit. Whether they agreed with mine or with others 1 suppose is secondary to the individual’s sense of purpose and sincere desire and motivation. Senator Ormonde, as has been said, had been sick for some time off and on and his death was not altogether unexpected. However, death comes to us ail - it is the only thing we can be sure about - and it comes in different ways, but we do not want to dwell on that subject. I believe he contributed something to the parliamentary and political life of this country for which the people of Australia owe him a debt and which f believe will bring him some merit.

Senator FITZGERALD:
New South Wales

– I wish to join the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Senator Willesee, and other leaders who have spoken in paying my respect and tribute to the memory of the late Senator Jim Ormonde. I had known him since I joined the Labor movement just on 40 years ago. He was a good Labor man. He came from a great Labor family. As has been said he worked in mines before serving on the Joint Coal Board, during which service he gave great help and assistance in the war years to Labor Prime Ministers John Curtin and Ben Chifley, f know of the great work he performed in this trying period when a lot of difficulties arose.

Tt has been truly said by other speakers tha! he worked as a journalist on the ‘Labor Daily’ and the ‘Weekly Standard’ and was a Labor publicist of the highest order. He was for a number of years vice-president of the same executive on which I served and his diligent work there earned him the respect of people right throughout the length and breadth of . the Labor movement. As Senator Willesee has already pointed out, Jim Ormonde contested the State electorate of Waverley, but it has not been mentioned that prior to that, as a very young man, he also contested the blue ribbon conservative seat of Wentworth as Labor’s representative.

Jim Ormonde was always at the forefront in fighting for every tenet of the Labor movement. Tt can be truly said that he was a man of very high principle. One could disagree wilh him but one could never disregard his friendship. I think all honourable senators regarded him as one of the most loveable characters ever to enter the Federal Parliament. He was a good man in every respect. He loved his family deeply. You, Mr President, and many other distinguished members of this Parliament attended the church service which was held in his honour. T think we were all touched by the very fine tribute which was paid to him by the attendance of such a large congregation. I was very moved by the remarks made by his own brother, the Rev. Father Ormonde, who conducted the service, and 1 am sure we all understood the strain that the occasion placed on Father Ormonde.

On behalf of my own family and all Jim’s friends in the Labor movement I would like to express to his dear wife, sons and daughters my deepest sympathy in their bereavement.

Senator TURNBULL:
TASMANIA · IND; AP from Aug. 1969; IND from Jan. 1970

– In my 9 years as a senator I have only once stood up and spoken to a condolence motion but I feel that I must speak to this one because I always admired the late Senator Ormonde. He was one of the most helpful senators when I first entered the Senate. He was always friendly and cheerful and he always had a joke 10 tell. We will all miss him. One of his traits which has not been mentioned was his sense of humanity. In my 9 years as a member of this chamber I never heard him make a vindictive remark about any member of Parliament.

Senator Douglas McClelland:
NEW SOUTH WALES · ALP

– i wish to pay my personal tribute to my good friend, great mate and colleague throughout the years, the late Senator Jim Ormonde. I first met Jim Ormonde in 1947 when I joined the Labor movement. He was then a member of the New South Wales Executive of the Australian Labor Party and I was there attending my first parly branch meeting. From then onwards we trod practically the same path for a great number of years. I had the honour of serving with him on the New South Wales Executive of the Australian Labor Party. I also had the honour of serving with him in this chamber; indeed, I can say that he was one of those who encouraged me in 1966 to seek my Party’s endorsement as a Senate candidate-

He was a member of the Australian Journalists Association, as I am a member of the Australian Journalists Association. He was a member of the Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union of Australia, of which I am a member. He and I often went to the Sydney Cricket Ground together to watch a game of rugby league football, which sport we both loved. When the late Dr Evatt decided to step down from the Barton electorate to seek Labor endorsement for the seat of Hunter. Senator Ormonde and I, with others, accompanied the then Labor Leader to Newcastle.

As Senator Turnbull said, the late Jim Ormonde was a great lover of humanity. He was never vindictive. He was a tolerant and understanding man. He had a great love of children and he took a great interest in the affairs of the younger generation of Australians. He was a friend of my late father’s and also a close personal friend of mine and of my family. He had a great love for his country. He had a wonderful sense of humour. He will be missed not only by his immediate relatives but also by the great Labor movement. Honourable senators may not know that within a couple of weeks of the death of Senator Ormonde one of his brothers, another eminent journalist, also passed away. I thank Jim Ormonde for his friendship and for his guidance to me.” My sympathy and that of my family go to his widow, to his sons and to his daughters in their very great and overwhelming loss.

Senator MULVIHILL:
New South Wales

– I align myself with other speakers in paying tribute to the late Senator Ormonde. Like Senator McClelland, the late Senator Ormonde and I had links, as fellow Labor Party officers, on the New South Wales Executive. Senator Willesee, in his opening remarks, said that Senator Ormonde s period in the Senate was for him a lot less turbulent than his early days. I know that in the 1950s, in his Party work, he went through a somewhat turbulent period, but Jim Ormonde always had the ready quip to ease tense situations. I can recall attending a meeting of the New South Wales Executive in the early 50s when I wished to make out a case. When I entered the room I was greeted with a cheery remark from Jim Ormonde which put me at ease. In 1964 he and I were part of a New South Wales Senate team. Recently I visited some of the areas that he traversed then, lt was remarkable to discover the little things that he was always available to do for small hamlets in those areas, lt certainly could be said that Jim Ormonde left the world in a much better state than that in which he found it. He was always accessible. He had a cheery disposition. He had no rancour in his make-up.

Senator GEORGES:
Queensland

– I wish to add a few brief words to. what has been said about the late Senator Ormonde. When I became a senator a short time ago, it was my privilege to sit next to Jim Ormonde. I benefited from the advice that he gave me. As honourable senators arc well aware, 1 needed that advice quite often. I, and other honourable senators, gained considerably from his experience, from his good humour and from his advice. I will find this corner a particularly lonely one for the next 6 months. I wish to add to the condolences which have been extended to his wife, whom I came to know very well, and to members of his family who I am sure will follow the tradition of Jim Ormonde.

Question resolved in the affirmative, honourable senators standing in their places.

page 8

DEATH OF FIELD-MARSHAL VISCOUNT SLIM

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:
Minister for Supply · New South Wales · LP

Mr President, I have to inform the Senate that a former Governor-General, Field-Marshal Viscount Slim. K.G.. G.C.B., G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O., G.B.E.. D.S.O,. M.C., died in London on 14tt December 1970 after a long illness. He was born on 6th August 1891 and spent most of his youth in Birmingham where he began his working life as a junior clerk in a Birmingham city office. Then he became a gang foreman and after that an elementary school teacher. At the outbreak of the First World War he joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and after a short spell in the ranks was given a commission. By August 19.15 he had seen action at Gallipoli where he was wounded, France and Mesopotamia where he was wounded again and awarded the Military Cross. Although he was then discharged as permanently unfit he rejoined the Army within a year and saw action in France and in Baghdad. After the war be went to India and spent the next 20 years in the Indian Army.

When the Second World War broke out he was a brigade commander in the 5th Indian Division in the Sudan. He also served in Eritrea, Iraq and Syria and when Burma was falling he was sent to command the First Burma Corps. He was given command of the famous 14th Army which finally cleared the Japanese from the Indian frontier and eventually right out of the sub-continent. He wrote 2 notable books about the war in Burma - ‘Defeat into Victory’ and ‘Courage’. In 1947 he left the Army to become a full time member of the British Railways Executive. In 1948 he was asked to return to the Army as Chief of the Imperial General Staff and was promoted to Field-Marshal.

In 1952 he was appointed GovernorGeneral of Australia in succession to Sir William McKell. He remained GovernorGeneral until January I960, a term of office longer than any except that of Lord Gowrie. He was a highly respected and popular Governor-General in Australia who in lime of war had been a down to earth, courageous professional soldier who had risen through the ranks. He travelled eagerly to all parts of Australia and both he and Lady Slim, though she had a great deal of illness, obviously relished their tasks. On retiring from his post as GovernorGeneral Sir William Slim was created Viscount Slim. In 1963 he was appointed Deputy Constable and Lieutenant Governor of Windsor Castle. He remained in that post until June last year.

On behalf of the Australian Government and people and speaking on behalf of honourable senators on the Government side, including members of the Australian Country Party, I extend our sympathy to his widow and family. I take this opportunity to inform the Senate that a memorial service for the late Lord Slim will be held at St John’s Church, Reid, Australian Capital Territory, at noon on Wednesday, 24 February. 1 move:

That the Senate expresses its deep regret at the death on 14 December 1970 of Field-Marshal Viscount Slim, K.G., G.C.B., G.C.M.G.. G.C.V.O., G.B.E.. D.S.O., M.C.. a former Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia from 1953 to I960, and lenders ils profound sympathy io Viscountess Slim and family in their bereavement.

Senator WILLESEE:
Western Australia

– 1 second the motion. I say on behalf of the Australian Labor Party that the late Field-Marshal Viscount Slim was one of the best of the overseas Governors-General in Australia. He was one of the last English Governors-General and was certainly one of the most outspoken. It was not. always that many of us liked to hear some of his outspoken remarks but he made them without fear or favour. It was only by studying his life in later years that I personally was able to obtain a different slant to this outspokenness.

I remember that on one occasion while he was Governor-General of Australia I was in a group of people whom he told that he had been asked to inspect some people who wore uniforms and rode motor bikes. He said that after inspecting them - looking up and down their lines and examining the bikes - he had remarked: ‘I thought that your uniforms had been used to clean your bikes but I changed my mind after I inspected the bikes.’ To me, the inspection of guards is a pretty serious ceremonial. This type of humour and outspokenness was something which took some understanding. It was only after reading books about him, his life in Burma, his attitude as a soldier and his attitude since returning to England, that T have been able to accept some of this humour which, quite frankly, I found difficult to accept in those days. He was certainly a down-to-earth person with a very egalitarian manner.

I think the phase of his character of which 1 am speaking came through clearly in his book ‘Unofficial History’, a volume of his World War I reminiscences, which told deprecatingly of his rise from private to corporal and his return to private. It is a gentle satire on ponderous official war histories, full of the dry, sardonic humour which helped him greatly in his duties in Canberra. At one point in the book Sir William remarked that Napolean never felt as Napoleonic as he did while in command of British forces in Mesopotamia. He then went on to record all the mistakes he had made. Yet Lord Slim later proved to be a highly competent general against the Japanese in Burma. His campaign there was described as a model of strategy and a triumph of leadership. He was a general who looked after his men and won their support. Men who fought under him apparently took to him because he never strutted, posed or played to the crowd.

As Senator Sir Kenneth Anderson has said, he came from the position of Chief of the Imperial General Staff to GovernorGeneral in Australia in 1.953 and stayed here until 1960. When he left in 1960 thousands of people fa re welled him at Canberra Airport. I believe this to be a tribute to his great personal popularity. As I have said he was one of the last of the English Governors-General of Australia and I think that he is certainly the best remembered of them. In supporting the motion the Australian Labor Party extends its sympathies to those members of his family who remain.

Question resolved in the affirmative, honourable senators standing in their places.

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON (New South Wales - Minister for Supply) - I ask as a mark of respect to the late Senator Ormonde and the late Field-Marshal Viscount Slim that the sitting of the Senate be suspended until 8 p.m.

Sitting suspended from 3.38 to 8 p.m.

page 9

NOTICE OF MOTION

Senator BYRNE:
QUEENSLAND

– I give notice that on the next day of sitting I will move the following motion:

That the Senate is of the opinion th.it the Government should establish immediately a National Rural Finance Corporation as u means of providing long-term low-interest loans and the funding and refinancing of rural debts, including an interest-free and non-red emotion period for the debts so funded.

page 9

ASSENT TO BILLS

Assent to the following Bills reported:

Air Navigation (Charges) Bill 1070. Lighthouses Bill 1970. Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 1970-7!. Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 1970-71. Loan (Mousing) Bill 1970. States Receipts Duties (Administration) Bill 1970.

States Receipts Duty Bill (No. I) 1970.

Stales Receipts Duty Bill (No. 2) 1970.

States Receipts Duly Bill (No. 3) 1970.

Slates Receipts Duties (Exemption) (till 1970.

Stales Grams (Receipts Duty) Bill ‘.970.

Australian Wool Commission 8ill 1970.

Customs Tariff Validation Bill 1970.

Papua and New Guinea Loan Onternation.il

Bank) Bill 1970. States Grants (Water Resources Measurement)

Bill 1970. States Grants Bill 1970.

States Grants (Debt Charges Assistance) Bill 1970.

States Grants (Capital Assistance) Hill 1970.

Education Research Bill 1970.

Asian Development Bank (Special Funds Contributions) Bill 1970.

Canberra College of Advanced Education Bill 1970.

Phosphate Fertilisers Bounty Bill 1970. Stales Grants (Aboriginal Advancement) Bit! 1970.

Navigation Bill (No. 2) 1970.

States Grants (Advanced Education) Bill 1970. States Grants (Special Assistance) Bill 1970. States Grants (Universities) Bill (No. 2) 1970. Commonwealth Places (Application of Laws)

Bill 1970. Bankruptcy Bill 1970.

Australian Film Development Corporation Bill (No. 2) 1970. Export Payments Insurance Corporation Bill (No. 2) 1970. Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation Bill (No. 2) 1970. Stevedoring Industry (Temporary Provisions)

Bill (No. 2) 1970. Loan (Defence) Bill (No. 2) 1970.

page 10

SENATE COMMI TTEES

The PRESIDENT:

– in” accordance with the resolutions of the Senate of 11th June 1970 and 19th August 1970, I present a report on the operation, administration, accommodation and staff requirements of the legislative and general purpose standing committees and estimates committees.

Ordered that the report be printed.

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:
Minister for Supply · New South Wales · LP

(8.2) - I moye:

That consideration of the report be made an order of the day for the next day of sitting.

The effect of this will be to enable us to have an opportunity to read the report and then to bring the matter on for discussion.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

page 10

QUESTION

BUDGET 1970-71

Senator MURPHY:
NEW SOUTH WALES

– My question is directed to the Leader of the Government in the Senate. 1 - remind him that at the time of the last Budget he was warned by the Opposition and almost every other credible authority in the country that his Government’s Budget would produce air economic mess. Now that it has done so, will he, on behalf of his Government, apologise to the pensioners and all the other sections of the community that have already been damaged by the Budget and will be damaged further by the unwise and panic measures that the Government has indicated it proposes to introduce?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

– This is the first question of the new series of sittings. T say with great respect that it is hardly a question; it is taking advantage of an opportunity for propaganda and to get in in advance of a motion which we have heard will come on a little later. I apologise for nothing, and the Government apologises for nothing in the context of the question. The fact of the matter is that in relation to the economic condition of this country - indeed, of most countries - at the present time all thoughtful governments and all thoughtful people are having regard to the world trends. I hope at a later time tonight - if not tonight, then possibly tomorrow - to read on behalf of the Prime Minister a statement in relation to the economy which he may well have it in contemplation to make. At this point of time, therefore, 1 do not think any demand is put upon me to go any further. If Senator Murphy, in his capacity of Leader of the Opposition, wants at question time to postulate speeches instead of questions that seek knowledge, I cannot do anything abou! that.

page 10

QUESTION

EYRE HIGHWAY

Senator DAVIDSON:
SOUTH AUSTRALIA

– In addressing my question to the Minister representing the Minister for Shipping and Transport I draw his attention to Press reports appearing today in a number of States, including South Australia, of further unfortunate accidents. on the Eyre Highway in South Australia and a statement by the South Australian Minister of Roads and Transport. Can the Minister say whether the Government has received recent representations from the South Australian Government on this matter, and whether it has in mind or in hand a plan to make funds available for the sealing of the important section of the Eyre Highway which is involved?

Senator COTTON:
Minister for Civil Aviation · NEW SOUTH WALES · LP

– I have been aware for some time that the honourable senator has a deep and continuing interest in problems associated with the Eyre Highway. I have in my papers some information on the matter which may help him, but I may Well need to get more information for him. The present- situation, as I understand it,- is that 300 miles of the Eyre Highway in South Australia are unsealed. The Western Australian portion is fully sealed. The South Australian Government is upgrading the section of 44 miles from Penong to Ceduna, and it-is to be completed by 1972.

Representations have been made by the South Australian Government to the Commonwealth for grants to seal the remainder of the South Australian section of the highway. Those representations have been made by the Premier of South Australia to the Prime Minister. The importance of the highway is recognised by the Commonwealth, as 1 have said on many occasions on behalf of the Minister for Shipping and Transport.

Senator Cavanagh:

– Particularly for interstate visitors.

Senator COTTON:

– After thanking Senator Cavanagh for his interjection perhaps I should comment that South Australia received a 50 per cent increase in the road grant under the 1969 Commonwealth Aid Roads Act and can allocate those funds at its own discretion among defined classes of roads. Under that Act South Australia received $13.67m for rural arterial roads and a supplementary grant of $9m, any portion of which can be spent on the Eyre Highway. 1 imagine that I should now obtain any additional information available to bring up to date the reply to the honourable senator’s question. I have no further advice of representations to the Commonwealth. I am aware of the newspaper reports referred to by the honourable senator.

page 11

QUESTION

OIL

Senator CANT:
WESTERN AUSTRALIA

– I ask the Minister representing the Minister for Customs and Excise: Has H.C. Sleigh Ltd exported to C. Itoh and Co. of Japan 230,000 barrels of crude oil from Bass Strait? Who issued the export licence, special licence or export permit that allowed the export of this amount of crude oil? ls Australia so affluent in reserves of crude oil that we can afford to export it? What price a barrel did H.C. Sleigh Ltd have to pay for the oil? Was it $3.50, $2.06 or a combination of those prices? What was the export price paid for each barrel of crude oil by C. Itoh and Co? fs it the intention of the Commonwealth to continue to allow the export of Australian crude oil?

Senator COTTON:
LP

– I shall have to ask the honourable senator to put that question on the notice paper, in the full detail in which he read it out. As it refers to the export of crude oil by H.C. Sleigh Ltd to C. Itoh and Co. of Tokyo, Japan, he will understand that it requires an answer in great detail, which I will have to obtain from . the appropriate department.

page 11

QUESTION

PARLIAMENTARY HANDBOOK

Senator BRANSON:
WESTERN AUSTRALIA

– 1 address ray question to the Minister representing the Prime Minister. As it is almost 15 months since the Twenty-seventh Parliament met, on 25th November 1969, can the Minister explain the delay in the production of the Parliamentary Handbook for the Twentyseventh Parliament? When will it be distributed to senators and members?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

The honourable senator has directed his question to me in my capacity as representative of the Prime Minister. 1 am not sure that the Parliamentary Handbook is a responsibility of the Prime Minister’s Department, lt may be within the administration of the Presiding Officers. As I will need an opportunity to confer with the Presiding Officers, the question should bc placed on the notice paper.

The PRESIDENT:

– Attention is being given to the production pf the Handbook, ft is a matter of how quickly it should be brought out. It is a very expensive item to publish. The whole matter ‘is being examined very closely by the Library Committee. The Handbook will be brought out at a time considered by the Committee to be opportune.

page 11

QUESTION

EDUCATION

Senator McMANUS:
VICTORIA

– Has the Minister representing the Minister -for Education noted the statement by the Catholic education authorities in Canberra on the deteriorating financial situation of their schools, necessitating considerable increases in their fees? Will the Minister give consideration to the claims of private schools of all kinds in the National Territory for assistance, particularly because their existence saves the Commonwealth considerable education costs?

Senator WRIGHT:
Minister for Works · TASMANIA · LP

– T. did notice the statement referred to by the honourable senator, ft would be in line with past experience that we should give the consideration that the honourable senator has suggested. But with regard to any detail, I shall ask the Minister whom ( represent to consider the statement and, if he feels that it is fitting to do so, to afford a fuller answer later.

page 12

QUESTION

TRADE COMMISSIONER SERVICE

Senator PROWSE:
WESTERN AUSTRALIA

– My question is addressee! to the Minister representing the Minister for Trade and Industry. In what countries does Australia maintain agricultural attaches to its- Trade Commissioner Service? If there is no agricultural attache in Tokyo, why nol? What apportioning of time is allocated to increasing agricultural product sales in various countries by our trade commissioners?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

– In response to the first part of the question, I am informed that all trade commissioners at our 46 overseas posts in 35 countries are competent to handle trade inquiries for agricultural products. All trade commissioners receive specialist briefing from the Department of Primary Industry and the various marketing boards. Because of peculiar and particular problems where specialist policy knowledge is required, trade commissioners of agriculture are specifically located in London, Rome and Washington and provide a trade commissioner service from those bases. I was asked whether there was an agricultural attache in Tokyo and, if not, why not. The answer which has been supplied to me is that at present there is no specialist trade commissioner service in Tokyo dealing exclusively with agricultural products. However, the Department has a minister commercial heading a relatively large staff in Tokyo, all of whom are fully aware of the importance of sales of primary produce in this market. In the third part of this question the honourable senator asked what apportioning of time was allocated to increasing agricultural product sales in various countries by our trade commissioners. The answer with which I have been supplied, on request, is that it is not possible to state with any exactitude the proportion of time that each trade commissioner post would spend in attending to the promotion of exports of primary produce. This would depend on the market for those products within the area of each post and the situation existing from time to time in each post.

page 12

QUESTION

CIVIL AVIATION

Senator Douglas McClelland:
NEW SOUTH WALES · ALP

– Does the Minister for Civil Aviation recall that last week I sent to him an urgent telegram expressing the concern of many residents in the southern suburbs of Sydney at a report that his Department intends to resume land in the Bankstown district, including portion of the Riverwood Golf Club, for general aviation purposes? Because 1 have not yet received from the Minister an acknowledgment to my telegram, can he say whether he has received it and, if so, why it was not acknowledged? Will the Minister now advise me whether the report is correct and, if it is correct, give details of the land that it is intended to resume and state whether the phrase ‘general aviation purposes’ includes jet flying operations? What is the reason for the land grab and what is meant by general aviation purposes’?

Senator COTTON:
LP

– As one has learnt to expect, this is a long question. The telegram was received and was sent to the Department for a considered answer which has not yet been supplied. The telegram should have been acknowledged by informing the honourable senator: ‘Received your telegram. Preparing answer for you.’ However, if that was not done the honourable senator has my apologies. I could not go further than that at that stage. We have been in discussion with the State Planning Authority of New South Wales and the golf club to which the honourable senator referred about the acquisition of some land adjoining the Bankstown Airport. Bankstown Airport is a general aviation field. This means that it caters for light aircraft, including the occasional agricultural aircraft which is taken to Sydney for repair work. The De Havilland enterprise is based there. I cannot say any more than that but from that one should not conjecture that it is to be the brand new international airport. That is not to be conjectured. I do not think there is anything more that I can tell the honourable senator now, but I will ask the Department to get some information for him and see that he gets it this week.

page 12

QUESTION

OCEANIC GRANDEUR

Senator MULVIHILL:

– I ask the Minister representing the Minister for Shipping and Transport: What were the terms of the final settlement involved in the claims by the Queensland Government against the owners of the oil tinker ‘Oceanic Grandeur’ following the recent oil spillages in Torres Strait?

Senator COTTON:
LP

– The honourable senator is anxious to ascertain the terms of the final settlement in the claim by the Queensland Government against the owners of the ‘Oceanic Grandeur’. This is a matter in which he has had a lot of interest - indeed, so have I. I do not know the final details of the terms of the settlement. The honourable senator was good enough to tell me today that he was interested in this matter and I am trying to find out for him.

page 13

QUESTION

EYRE HIGHWAY

Senator BISHOP:
SOUTH AUSTRALIA

– My question, which is addressed to the Minister representing the Minister for Shipping and Transport or the Minister in Charge of Tourist Activities, relates to the Eyre Highway and the question asked by Senator Davidson in which he pointed out that there had been a number of deaths on the 270 miles of that road which are unsealed. Is the Minister aware that in the last 12 months S people have been killed on this unsealed portion of the Highway? ls he aware that the previous Minister for Shipping and Transport, Mr Sinclair, said last year that he accepted the principle that this road was of national significance? 1 also ask: ls the Minister aware that representations were made by a number of tourist agencies in a question directed to the Minister in Charge of Tourist Activities, Senator Wright, late last year and that he promised to investigate

Senator Sir Magnus Cormack:

– What is the question?

Senator BISHOP:

– The question is: To what extent is the road being used by tourists from interstate? In view of the inquiries and representations from various bodies will the Minister consider to what extent the Government might now change its policy and agree to special financial arrangements so that the small unsealed section of this Highway, which is now accepted as being a national one, can be sealed in the near future?

Senator COTTON:
LP

– I share the concern of the honourable senator about the loss of life on this Highway but I do not think one could fairly say that it is- a light undertaking to seal 300 miles of roadway. 1 can do no more than to say that I share his concern and that of Senator Davidson and that I will refer what he said to the Minister for Shipping and Transport who also deals with the question of road safety at Commonwealth level.

page 13

QUESTION

JETAIR AUSTRALIA LTD

Senator KEEFFE:
QUEENSLAND

– My question is directed to the Leader of the Government in the Senate or to the appropriate Minister. Can he inform the Parliament whether one or more of the DC3 planes purchased from Jetair and donated to Cambodia and other countries was previously owned by a Commonwealth department and sold to Jetair? If this is a fact, what was the original sale price to Jetair and what was the purchase price from Jetair?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSONI cannot give the honourable senator a direct answer to his question this evening but I can provide some background and subsequently perhaps we can get further information. The Minister for Foreign Affairs issued a statement on 14th February which I presume the honourable senator would have received by now. In it he indicated that Australia bad agreed to supply 11 DC3 aircraft to 3 countries, the Khmer Republic, which was formerly Cambodia, Nepal and Laos, as a foreign aid project. In that project there- was a component of 6 DC3 aircraft which are to be purchased from Jetair Australia Ltd. Those are the aircraft involved in the questions asked by the honourable senator. At this point of time the Department of Supply has no policy initiatives in this matter at all. The Department of Supply is the body which will complete the final transaction. At present I am not in a position to say whether, the policy decision having been taken, the transaction has been completed. It is obvious that after the final completion of the contract t will be asked to give information about whether the 6 aircraft that Jetair is selling to the Government for it to give away in the form of foreign aid were in fact purchased by Jetair from the Government and then resold to the Government. I think that is the implication of the honourable senator’s question. I am not clear on this matter, but I would think - I will have to make some inquiry with the Department of Civil Aviation - that this is not so. I will make some inquiries into this matter. I should think that they were probably purchased some time ago by another organisation and sent out of Australia because these are the circumstances under which we would normally sell.

Senator Keeffe:

– I think there are 3 involved.

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSONI do nol know whether 3 of these aircraft were originally sold by the Royal Australian Air Force to some other organisation after tenders had been called from all over the word and Jetair in turn brought them back here and sold them. 1 am in the process of obtaining this information. When I receive this information I will make it available However the truth of the situation is that the Department of Supply is not the policy maker in such a transaction; it is the instrument for the carrying out of the Government’s decision to buy these aircraft for presentation in the form of aid to other countries.

page 14

QUESTION

WITHOUT HARDWARE

Senator CAVANAGH:

– I desire to ask a question of the Minister representing the Prime Minister. Has the Prime Minister’s Department studied the book ‘Without Hardware’, which was written and produced by Mrs Catherine R. Dalton? Will the Minister make a statement on the serious allegations contained in this book about the operations of foreign political agents in Australia with the resultant tragic consequence to Australian lives?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

The honourable senator has asked me whether somebody in the Prime Minister’s Department has read a book entitled Without Hardware’. Quite frankly, 1 would not know. I would not have thought so.’ The Prime Minister’s Department is a very busy department and I should’ not imagine that it would employ people whose sole purpose is to read fiction stories , or books of that nature. However, I will accept the honourable senator’s question in good faith and I will find out whether in fact atn body in the Department has read the book ‘Without Hardware’. I will certainly have a look at the book myself.

page 14

QUESTION

PRIMARY. PRODUCTION

Senator HANNAN:
VICTORIA

– I wish to direct a question to the Minister representing the Minister for Primary Industry. I refer to statements made by the Prime Minister and other Government speakers during the recent Senate election campaign in respect of the proposal to set up a rural industries board as a first step towards rendering urgent assistance to Australia’s primary industries. Can the Minister inform the Senate whether the Government has been able to take any steps in the direction of setting up this urgently needed body?

Senator DRAKE-BROCKMAN:
CP

– rs the honourable senator referring to the allocation of $100m to the States?

Senator Hannan:

– No, the proposal which was mentioned during the Senate election campaign to set up a rural industries board.

Senator DRAKE-BROCKMAN:

– I would prefer to seek further details on this matter as I do not have this information with me at the moment. I will supply an answer to the honourable senator.

page 14

QUESTION

JETAIR AUSTRALIA LTD

Senator GEORGES:

– I wish to ask a question of the Leader of the Government in the Senate. I refer to the question asked of him earlier by Senator Keeffe concerning the purchase of DC3 aircraft to give to Cambodia. When the Leader of the Government is searching out information on this subject will he ascertain why it was necessary to buy 6 DC3 aircraft from Jetair Australia Ltd when others were available and will he take steps to assure the Senate that this was not a convenient arrangement to assist Jetair’s directors to rid themselves of a serious liability, especially when at least one of its directors is closely associated with leading members of the Liberal Party of Australia?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

In view of the last part of the honourable senator’s question and until the honourable senator explains himself more fully, I do not feel disposed to give any answer because the last part of the question was a backhanded inferential slur, intended as such, and 1 will not treat the question as a serious one until he lays on the line what he is trying to say.

page 14

QUESTION

PIGS

Senator MCMANUS:

– Is the Minister representing the Minister for Primary Industry aware of the strong opposition from many pig producers to the proposed voluntary levy to finance research and other projects which they consider to be of doubtful value? Will the Minister for Primary Industry grant the request of these producers for a poll or referendum to determine the issue? If not, what are the reasons for the decision?

Senator DRAKE-BROCKMAN:
CP

– Proposals for the introduction of a research scheme which will benefit the pig industry have been put before the Government. This scheme, which would be similar to the research schemes operating already in several other rural industries such as the wool, wheat, meat, dairy, tobacco, egg and chicken meat industries, would be financed jointly by the industry and by the Commonwealth. The proposals put forward by the Australian Commercial Pig Producers Federation, which represents all pig producers, have been accepted by the Government. The operating levy suggested by the Federation is 5 cents per pig slaughtered for human consumption, with a maximum payment of 10 cents. Any rise in the levy would be on the advice of the industry. A small section of the Victorian pig industry has made representations for a poll of producers, but in view of the widespread acceptance of the whole scheme in all States it is felt that a referendum on this matter would serve no useful purpose.

page 15

QUESTION

MERINO RAMS: EXPORT

Senator GEORGES:

– May I. be so brash as to ask the Leader of the Government in the Senate why, when the Senate voted against the lifting of the embargo on merino rams, the Prime Minister had the audacity to use Royal Australian Air Force aircraft to facilitate their export to Russia?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

We have debated this matter a number of times. It would be an odd circumstance if it were regarded as audacity - if that is the appropriate word - for the Government, which has to accept the responsibility to govern, to choose to do something which was in contradiction to what the Senate resolved. The very process of government in our democratic system is such that we can express a view, that we can pass resolutions, that we can move amendments and that we can seek requests. Under the Constitution, we have our rights and powers.

Senator Keeffe:

– What are they?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

– lt will be a long time before the honourable senator appreciates them because he does not do his homework. Our expression of a view is not binding on the Government when it makes a decision. If it were a:t Act of Parliament which we amended that would be a different matter. But the fact of the matter is that the Government in its wisdom - and I think it was good judgment - decided that it was appropriate to allow this export of merino rams. The Senate did not think that was a good view. But the Government, believing it to be proper and right in the interests of the people of Australia, made its contribution to see that the decision was carried out.

Senator Georges:

– But it was ignored.

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

The honourable senator has been here long enough now and he is quick enough on the uptake to know that whilst the Senate can express a view, that view is not necessarily binding on the Government.

page 15

QUESTION

JETAIR AUSTRALIA LTD

Senator KEEFFE:

– I ask a supplementary question to the one I asked a few moments ago which the Leader of the Government in the Senate has offered to investigate through the Department of Supply as to what happened to these famous DC3 aircraft. 1 direct this question to the Minister for Air. Is the Minister prepared to undertake a complete investigation in his Department to ascertain whether, if any DC3s were sold to Jetair Australia Ltd, the planes were sold direct to the company or through a third party?

Senator DRAKE-BROCKMAN:
CP

– Any aircraft which we have surplus to requirements are sent to the Department of Supply for disposal.

Senator Poyser:

– The honourable senator is giving us the run around.

Senator DRAKE-BROCKMAN:

– I am not giving anyone the run around. This is the procedure which takes place in my Department. I shall make some inquiries and sec what information I can find for the honourable senator.

page 15

QUESTION

PEARS

Senator WEBSTER:
VICTORIA

– My “ question is directed to the Minister representing the

Minister for Primary Industry. I acknowledge that the former Minister has recently been in the Goulburn Valley of Victoria. 1 ask whether the Minister confirms that the Government is aware of the financial disaster which is said to face growers of pears in the Goulburn Valley area of Victoria, a disaster which is due to no fault of the growers. .

Senator Poyser:

– But it is the fault of the Government.

Senator WEBSTER:

– We will hear the altitude of the Australian Labor Parly on this matter in seeking assistance for those in hardship, ls the Minister aware that it is estimated that in excess of 20,000 tons of peats will rot in orchards in that area as local canneries are unable to accept these goods for processing? Will the Minister assure urgent consideration of a request to the Government for financial assistance to those growers who are facing extreme financial loss due to the conditions applying in that area?

Senator DRAKE-BROCKMAN:
CP

– I am aware of the situation and it is a serious one. The problem is that the production of pears in 1970 was the largest ever and the carry over of canned pears at the end .of 1970 was something like li million to 2 million cartons. In the light of the marketing possibilities for the 1971 season the canneries have agreed that this year they will be able to process only about 75,000 tons. This leaves the situation which the honourable senator remarked on that there will be somewhere in the vicinity of 20,000 tons of pears surplus to requirements. It is true that the former Minister for Primary Industry visited the Shepparton district and discussed the problem of over production of pears with the growers concerned. At that time Mr Anthony discussed the possibility of growers submitting a claim for assistance for hardship. The growers agreed that they would raise the matter with the Victorian Government which has prime responsibility for this matter. It was agreed that if the Victorian Government passed the application on to the Commonwealth Government the matter would receive careful consideration.

page 16

QUESTION

JETAIR AUSTRALIA LTD

Senator TURNBULL:
TASMANIA · IND; AP from Aug. 1969; IND from Jan. 1970

– I would like to ask some questions about the Jetair air craft. I was out of the chamber for a short while and 1 may be repeating a question that has been asked already. What was the price, date and purpose of the purchase of 6 DC3 aircraft from Jetair Australia Ltd? At the time of the purchase did the Royal Australian Air Force have any similar aircraft for disposal and, if so, why were these not used for the purpose to be outlined in the Minister’s answer to my first question? 1 would suggest, if I may, that the Minister make a statement. Some very serious aspersions seem to be cast oh people concerning this matter and 1 think it would clear the air if the Minister made a statement tomorrow.

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

Perhaps the honourable senator was not here at the beginning of question time and 1 do nol blame bini for that. As I pointed out, the Minister for Foreign Affairs did in fact make a statement on 14th February. The honourable senator should have a copy of it. I will be happy to supply him with a copy of it. 1 do not want to read it again at question time, although I would be quite happy to do so. I think everybody should have the burden of it. The burden of it really is that a decision was taken to acquire 1 1 aircraft for the purpose of giving aid to certain countries by supplying them with the aircraft.- Perhaps 1 could read a little of the text which 1 think is germane to the honourable senator’s point. The statement reads in part:

The availability of the Jetair fleet was most opportune, particularly as il consisted of a mixlure of passenger and freight aircraft in very good condition with civilian certificates of airworthiness which is a prerequisite for Nepal and Laos, and in configurations required by the receiving countries.

The Khmer Republic-

That is Cambodia: . . requirement is for freighter aircraft for use by the Khmer Air Force as general freight and personnel carriers. The 5 ex-RAAF freighters and 1 ex-Jetair freighter consequently will be supplied to fulfil this need.

I suggest that if there is any doubt honourable senators should read this statement and then ask questions tomorrow.

In relation to the questions asked by Senior Turnbull, I have been supplied with answers by the Department of Foreign Affairs. The Government is in the process of purchasing 6 DC3 aircraft from Jetair. The actual contract should be completed in the very near future when the precise purchase price will be made public. My Department has the responsibility of completing that transaction and that information will be made available. The purpose of the purchase is to supply 2 passenger planes for civilian use to Nepal, 2 passenger and 1 freighter aircraft for civilian use to Laos and 1 freighter to the Khmer Republic. The honourable senator’s question as to whether the RAAF had any similar aircraft for disposal at the time of purchase can be best answered by stating that under its foreign aid programmes the Department of Foreign Affairs has a requirement for 11 DC3 aircraft, 5 of which are coming from ex-RAAF sources and will be supplied to the Khmer Republic and the remaining 6 will be obtained from Jetair. The decision to purchase from Jetair was made because its planes have both the configurations and civilian certificates of airworthiness which are required for Nepal and Laos. The RAAF aircraft do not possess these. 1 hope this information will help to give a background to the situation, ff it does not, the matter can be raised again tomorrow. I will certainly try to find the information that Senator Keeffe asked for earlier.

page 17

QUESTION

NEW AND PERMANENT PARLIAMENT HOUSE

Senator DEVITT:
TASMANIA

– My question is directed to you, Mr President, and is prompted by the earth moving works proceeding on the Senate side of this building. Can you tell me when the Committee on the New and Permanent Parliament House last met, what stage has been reached in the planning of the new structure, and what is the latest situation regarding the siting of the proposed new and permanent Parliament House?

The PRESIDENT:

– To the best of my knowledge the report is still on the table awaiting debate. After it has been debated and the report has been either adopted or thrown out we will know where we are going.

page 17

QUESTION

EXPORT OF SHEEP

Senator BUTTFIELD:
SOUTH AUSTRALIA

– My question is directed to the Leader of the Government in the Senate and is supplementary to that asked by Senator Georges. Did Russia purchase rams from Australia in good faith?

Is the Government justified in preserving the reputation of Australia in matters of integrity by facilitating the export of goods purchased by Russia? ls Australia to submil to the judgment of the unions and Senator Georges on Australia’s obligations in matters of international trade?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

– This matter has been debated in the Senate with some vigour. I am sure that both Senator Georges’ earlier question and Senator Buttfield’s helpful question now could easily precipitate a situation which would prevent our dealing with other business tonight. 1 do not want that to happen. In the circumstances 1 think 1 should simply rely upon the fact that I believe rams were bought in good faith, not only by Russia but also by other countries, that we sold the rams in good faith and that there was an obligation upon us to complete the transaction.

page 17

QUESTION

MAINLAND CHINA

Senator MURPHY:

– My question is directed to the Minister representing the Minister for Trade and Industry, ls it a fact that mainland China has not yet renewed its order for Australian wheat and that it is now 2 months after the normal ordering date? Is this market worth over $ 10Om annually to Australian wheat growers? Could the loss of this market cause the present rural crisis to become catastrophic? Is it correct that Canada received an order for wheat from mainland China which was 10 per cent larger than the usual order after Canada accorded Peking diplomatic recognition? If these are facts - perhaps the Minister will indicate if they are nol - will he tell us for how much longer the Australian Government will maintain the fiction that the 700 million or 800 million people in mainland China are represented by the Chiang Kai-shek Government in Taiwan?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

– The Leader of the Opposition has asked questions on 2 matters and has attempted to link those 2 matters. One relates to the recognition of mainland China and the other to trade relations between that country and Australia in terms of the sale of wheat to it by the Australian Wheat Board. T am not in a position to answer the question relating to the prospective sale of wheat. That would be more within the administration of the Minister for Primary Industry who would be better equipped than I to answer it. I certainly shall take the question on notice and obtain a reply for the honourable senator. The question nl the recognition of mainland China comes within the administration of the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The Government’s views in relation to it have always been clear and 1 do not believe that they need to be re-stated here tonight.

Senator Murphy:

– We think that they do. We would like to hear the Government’s present views.

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

This is not a matter which should be the subject of a formal debate at question time. If the honourable senator wishes to do so, he can use the forms of the Senate to bring on a debate on the issue but, as I have said, I do not think that the relationship of that matter to the sale of Australian wheat is a subject to be discussed at question time.

page 18

WHEAT

Will rite Minister representing the Minister for Trade and Industry verify the report by the Australian Wheat Board which 1 read recently that the Australian wheat surplus will be reduced below that which was expected 12 months ago irrespective of any purchases by the People’s Republic of China?

That is a valid question but, in fairness, I think it warrants a reply by the Minister for Trade and Industry, not by myself as the Minister’s representative in this place. lt is definitely related to the question asked by Senator Murphy. This is the first question time of the new sessional period and I do not want to start pontificating on the issue at this time. I have promised to obtain a reply to the first part of Senator Murphy’s question, and I shall certainly refer the question now asked by Senator Sir Magnus Cormack to the Minister for Trade and Industry for a considered reply.

page 18

QUESTION

FRUIT

Senator LITTLE:
VICTORIA

– Is the Minister representing the Minister for Primary Industry aware that the fruit growers of the Goulburn Valley also have a problem in that the price being offered for peaches is uneconomic and that the export market for pears can be affected disastrously unless the supply of peaches is maintained because overseas buyers will not purchase pears unless peaches are also available at the same time? Has the Minister’s attention been drawn to the disastrous circumstances of the fresh fruit growers in the Harcourt Valley in Victoria? Is the Government aware that grower co-operatives and canneries are paying ordinary overdraft rates of interest on money that is being used to finance these primary producers in their difficulties?

Senator DRAKE-BROCKMAN:
CP

– I am not aware of all the details the honourable senator has given to the Senate. 1 shall take the matter up wilh the Minister for Primary Industry and obtain some information for the honourable senator.

page 18

QUESTION

MERINO RAMS

Senator PROWSE:

– My question, which is directed to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, relates to the 2 questions already asked this ‘ evening by Senator Georges and Senator Buttfield. Having regard to the present price of wool, what would be the use of the rams in question either in Australia or in China, or elsewhere?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSONWithout wanting to be profound. I would say that the use of rams is well known universally.

page 18

QUESTION

SECOND AIRPORT FOR SYDNEY

Senator Douglas McClelland:
NEW SOUTH WALES · ALP

– My question is directed to the Minister for Civil Aviation. Because the report of the inter-departmental committee on the site of the second airport for Sydney was received by the Minister on 24th September last year, can he say what stage has- been reached in his Department’s consideration of the report and the proposed .reference to the New South Wales Government for that Government’s consideration? When does he expect he will be able to make an announcement to the Parliament on this matter?

Senator COTTON:
LP

– Firstly, I should like to say that since I gave the last answer to Senator McClelland a note has been passed in to me to the effect that the telegram that he sent me was acknowledged to his secretary on receipt in our office. That ought to clear up that point. I turn now to his question regarding a second airport for Sydney. That report is on its way to the Government with a recommendation. All 1 want to say in addition io that is that when we are looking at a major airport in a major capital city we should think about Tullamarine in Victoria. It cost S82m of which S52m was Commonwealth expenditure and S30m was expenditure by the State Government for an expressway about 16 miles in length. Then there was a sum of money, which one cannot really apportion, for reserved land without housing outside the boundary. The analysis which all honourable senators can make will show them that any State Government has a tremendous interest in any proposal for the development of an airport in its capital city.

page 19

QUESTION

CANBERRA

Senator CAVANAGH:

– I address a question to the Minister representing the Minister for the Interior. Was the recent tragedy in Canberra during the period of heavy rain, in which lives were lost, the result of excessive water flowing over Melrose Drive? Was the volume of water flowing over the road greatly increased by the national development committee acting on a plan of the Department of Works in directing alt drainage water into a cement channel that stopped 25 feet from the road, resulting in flood waters having to take an S course to flow through pipes under the road? Did the construction of the channel up to the road before the construction of the channel under the road cause or contribute to the volume of water flowing over the road and therefore contribute to the drownings that occurred?

Senator COTTON:
LP

– I, and I think all honourable ‘Senators, have been most upset by the tragedies brought about by flooding in the Woden Valley. I assume that in referring to’ the national development committee Senator Cavanagh intended to refer to the National Capital Development Commission. He has asked a detailed question and is entitled to a detailed answer. There has been a recent change in the Ministry and I do not have with me tonight any further information on this matter. However, I shall direct the honourable senator’s question to the Department of the Interior this evening or first thing tomorrow morning.

page 19

QUESTION

AVIATION

Senator BISHOP:

– My question, which I direct to the Minister for Supply, refers to the Government Aircraft Factories. What progress has been made to date in the development of a light or medium weight aircraft for use in Australia? What will be the market requirements for such an aircraft when it is finally available?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

I understand the honourable senator to be asking a question about what we choose to call Project N through which we have committed ourselves to the production of a prototype aircraft. That work is proceeding. Concurrently with the development of the prototype, naturally surveys are being carried out and consideration is being given to the possible requirements of the Services. I can give no further information tonight other than to say that I was told today that the prototype work at the Government Aircraft Factories has reached quite a significant stage. If Senator Bishop or any other honourable senator wishes to visit the factories I will certainly make the facilities available for him to do so.

page 19

QUESTION

JETAIR AUSTRALIA LTD

Senator TURNBULL:
TASMANIA · IND; AP from Aug. 1969; IND from Jan. 1970

– I ask the Minister representing the Prime Minister whether, when finding out the prices paid for the DC3 aircraft purchased from Jetair Australia Ltd. he will also find out the dates on which the Government received requests for’ DC3 aircraft from the governments mentioned by him. That will complete the information we want.

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

The honourable senator’s question about prices concerns a transaction that is proceeding at present. When the transaction has been completed, the information will be made available. The honourable senator’s second question involves the Department of Foreign Affairs. He is asking me to ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs to indicate when the various countries requested assistance in terms of that type of aircraft. 1 will put the question to my colleague in the normal way

page 20

QUESTION

JETAIR AUSTRALIA LTD

Senator KEEFFE:

– 1 address to the Minister for Civil Aviation a question supplementary to the question on DC3 aircraft I addressed previously to the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Will the Minister inform the Parliament whether he will carry out a complete investigation in his Department to ascertain whether any DC3 aircraft were sold to Jetair Australia Ltd? If so, were the aircraft sold direct or through a third party? Will the Ministeralso supply dates of these transactions and the amounts paid and received for the aircraft involved?

Senator COTTON:
LP

– Yes, I will certainly find out from my Department any information that will help the honourable senator to make a judgment on the matter. I am not worried about it. lt seems to me to be a perfectly sensible transaction.

page 20

QUESTION

VICTORIAN FLOODS

Senator POYSER:

– I ask the Minister representing the Prime Minister whether the Prime Minister has received from the Premier of Victoria an application for financial assistance in respect of huge losses incurred in the recent Hoods in the Gippsland area of Victoria? If so, what grant has been made?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSONI have here a brief on this matter. The Commonwealth has already offered to join with the Victorian Government in the usual way in financing a scheme for the relief of personal hardship and distress in the areas affected by floods in Victoria. The Prime Minister had a letter from the Premier of Victoria regarding damage to public structures and the destruction of crops. The information furnished by the Prime Minister’s Department of 15th February states that the Prime Minister expected to be replying shortly to the Premier of Victoria.

page 20

QUESTION

CIVIL AVIATION

Senator TURNBULL:
TASMANIA · IND; AP from Aug. 1969; IND from Jan. 1970

– I address a question lo the Minister for Civil Aviation. Did the Department of Civil Aviation allow Jetair Australia Ltd to use DC3s and exgovernment VIP aircraft, contrary to the Department’s own regulations? If so, why did it allow the use of these aircraft?

Senator COTTON:
LP

– The Department does not behave like that. This general information is what J think the honourable senator wants: When a number of country towns were without air services following a withdrawal of airline operations and the subsequent failure of commuter services, 1 agreed that the Director General of Civil Aviation should exercise his discretion under- regulation 203 of the Air Navigation Regulations so as to permit the operation of DC3s on these routes by Jetair without the necessity of obtaining an airline licence. Jetair had acquired the DC3s from various sources. They had been completely overhauled and in every way met the demanding technical and operational standards of the Department of Civil Aviation. lt is a matter of history that the services did not attract sufficient patronage to enable their continuation on an economic basis.

page 20

QUESTION

SENATE VACANCY

Senator MURPHY:

– My question is addressed to the Leader of the Government. Owing to the death of the late Senator Ormonde there is a vacancy in the representation of New South Wales in this chamber. That death occurred on 30th November of last year, lt appears that owing to the neglect of the Government of New South Wales, for the second time within 12 months New South Wales is to be deprived unnecessarily of its representation for some time in this chamber. I refer to the constitutional provisions which require action to be taken by the Government of New South Wales to replace a senator in the case of a casual vacancy occurring. Will the Leader of the Government use his best offices, whether officially, unofficially or both, to see to it that the representation of New South Wales is brought up to what it should be and that the State has full representation in this chamber?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

– I agree with the Leader of the Opposition that it is desirable that any casual vacancy, whether it is for New South Wales, the mother State, or for any other State, should be filled as quickly as possible. I do not want to take too much time on this, but unfortunately there is a constitutional problem which relates to whether a parliament is in session or has been prorogued. We had this situation when the late Senator Colin McKellar died. Because the New South Wales Parliament was not in session, and had not been prorogued, we had to wait a long time for a replacement to fill the casual vacancy. 1 understand that there has been an election in New South Wales and that the Parliament was prorogued for the purposes of the election. During this time the late Senator Ormonde passed away. Now that the election is over, although the Parliament is Stil prorogued, I am sure that it will be competent for a recommendation to be made to the State executive council, prior to the reassembly of the Parliament, to fill the vacancy. If representations do not bring about a quick result I shall add my weight to the request that something be done about fining the vacancy. When Senator McKellar died the Opposition granted a pair to the Government for a considerable time and I already have indicated to Senator Murphy that the same rule will now apply in relation to Senator Ormonde’s replacement. A pair will be permitted for a reasonable time if necessary but I hope it is not necessary and that the position will be filled very quickly.

page 21

QUESTION

WOOL

Senator O’BYRNE:
TASMANIA

– Has the Minister representing the Minister for Primary Industry seen a report on wool prices which appeared in yesterday’s ‘Financial Review’., which pointed out that wool prices could go even lower and which stated that 70’s quality wool is 34c per pound cheaper, 64’s is dawn 25c and 60’s is J 9c cheaper than the prices ruling at the same time last year? The article pointed out that the average price now is 30.33c per pound, which is lower than the cost of production. As this price of 30.33c has been maintained only by the purchase of 20 per cent of the clip by the Australian Wool Commission and there seems little likelihood of an immediate improvement, what does the Government propose to do to alleviate the depression in the wool industry?

Senator DRAKE-BROCKMAN:
CP

– In the last parliamentary session as well as in recent months there were great discussions on the wool industry and the situation prevailing therein. Last November the Government put through legislation setting up the Australian Wool Commission. The Commission has been in operation now for some months. I believe it has been the salvation of the wool industry and t hope it will continue to operate. Following a detailed report by an inter-departmental committee the Government had talks with State Ministers and offered assistance to wool growers in the form of the SI 00m reconstruction plan. In the last Budget the Government made available a §30m emergency grant to the wool industry, because of falling wool prices and drought. These things speak volumes in themselves for the assistance that the Government is giving to the wool industry. The Senate can rest assured that the Government is having frequent talks with leaders of the industry, is watching the situation very carefully and will take what action it can to assist wool growers further.

page 21

QUESTION

PASSPORTS

Senator MULVIHILL:

– By way of preface to my question, which is addressed to the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration, I refer to a case last year involving a part Aboriginal boy named McKenzie who disappeared into East Germany and was then returned. I refer now to a recent case in which the name of Mrs Heisler was mentioned again. The Minister will recall that Mrs Heisler’s name appeared in the answer I received to the question I asked about the McKenzie case and that that matter was left in suspense. I now ask the Minister whether our authorities can give us any information about Mrs Heisler who, T understand, has an Australian passport. In view of all the machinations in which she has been involved and as other people have had their passports taken from them, how does she lead a charmed life?

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– 1 recall the earlier case to which the honourable senator referred and I note the points he raised tonight about the person mentioned on that other occasion. I shall take up with the Minister for Immigration the points he raised and get what information 1 can in reply.

page 21

QUESTION

TRADE PRACTICES ACT

Senator MURPHY:

– I direct my question to the Minister representing the AttorneyGeneral and I refer to the Trade Practices Act. What progress has been made towards getting the agreement of the States who have not done so to pass the complementary legislation, which matter was referred to in this Chamber some months ago during the last session? Secondly, can the Minister tell us whether the AttorneyGeneral will table a statement in this Parliament as soon as possible on the intensification and acceleration of his review of the effectiveness of the Trade Practices Act in its present form which he announced a couple of weeks ago? Thirdly, will he assure the Senate that the case concerning the validity of the Trade Practices Act which is going on appeal to the High Court of Australia will be pursued with all expedition by the Government and not left, as have some other constitutional cases concerning important interests, to linger on?

Senator WRIGHT:
LP

– The Senate can be assured that the High Court case will proceed with due dispatch. I will submit to the Attorney-General for his consideration the suggestion that he should make a statement as to the measures he has in mind for improving the Trade Practices Act. With regard to the progress which has been made in securing State agreement, I have not been informed of any additional agreement by any State. If there has been any State agreement which is unknown to me at present 1 shall advise the Senate accordingly.

page 22

QUESTION

POSTAL DEPARTMENT

(Question No. 511)

Senator KEEFFE:

asked the Minister representing the Postmaster-General, upon notice:

  1. Is a massive advertising campaign being carried out by the Postmaster-General’s Department against its employees, who are seeking wage justice; if so, are the expensive advertisements being financed by the Postmaster-General or is the cost being met by the use of taxpayers funds.
  2. What is the total sum expended on such advertisements.
Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– The Postmaster-General has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. The decision to utilise the news media in recent postal disputes arose from the Department’s concern at the inconvenience caused by the disruption of such an important community service, and the need to inform the general public of the circumstances surrounding the disputes. It was considered desirable, in the public interest, in these instances, that the facts should be brought under notice and paid press advertisements provided an effective means of doing this. The cost of the advertisements was met from Post Office revenue.
  2. The total cost incurred between 2nd February and 30th June 1970, was $15,210.76.

page 22

QUESTION

VIETNAM

(Question No. 592)

Senator KEEFFE:

asked the Minister representingthe Prime Minister, upon notice:

Have any Australian servicemen or civilians been charged with and/or convicted in South Vietnam for black marketing activities.

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

– The Prime Minister has provided me with the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. Servicemen: The Minister for Defence has informed me as follows:

Yes. Minor infringements concerning black marketing and currency dealings have been detected and investigated. I am advised that there is no evidence of large scale or organised activities by Australian servicemen in these crimes. An investigation into the one case of alleged smuggling of arms failed to produce any evidence of an offence having been committed.

  1. Civilians: The Minister for Foreign Affairs has advised me that two Australian civilians are believed to have been charged in South Vietnam with black market activities, one of whom was convicted and the other was not brought to trial.

page 22

QUESTION

WORKING CONDITIONS OF ABORIGINALS

(QuestionNo. 726)

Senator KEEFFE:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Labour and National Service upon notice:

What are the wages and working hours of aborigines employed in the pastoral industry in the Northern Territory who are not members of the North Australian Workers’ Union.

Senator WRIGHT:
LP

– The Minister for Labour and National Service has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

The Cattle Station Industry (Northern Territory) Award applies only to employees who belong to the North Australian Workers’ Union.

Nevertheless, I am informed that on advice from the Northern Territory Cattle Producers Council the award is regarded by employers in the industry as the standard regardless of whether a particular employee is a member of the union or not.

page 23

QUESTION

LIQUID PETROLEUM GAS

(Question No. 707)

Senator CANT:

asked the Minister repre senting the Prime Minister, upon notice:

  1. Will the Prime Minister advise the Senate to which Department enquiries may be directed to ascertain the price which Broken Hill Pty Co. Ltd and Esso are selling liquid petroleum gas from Bass Strait to overseas countries.
  2. I have asked the Minister for Industrial Development and the Minister for Customs and Excise without result, which Department is responsible for the sale overseas of Australian raw resources.
Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

– The Prime Minister has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

As answers provided to questions the honourable senator has asked of other ministers concerning exports of liquified petroleum gas have indicated, information on export prices for this commodity is regarded as confidential between the companies concerned and governments.

As pointed out, however, in the Minister for National Development’s answer to Question No. 316 -(Hansard page 1082) the Commonwealth Statistician docs make available figures on the quantity and value of liquified petroleum gas exported from Australia.

page 23

QUESTION

THE WEST AUSTRALIAN

(Question No. 727)

Senator WILLESEE:

asked the Minister representing the Postmaster-General, upon notice:

Has the newspaper ‘TheWest Australian” recently negotiated the sale of the bulk of its 600,000 shares in television station TVW Ltd; if so, to whom werethe shares sold and what are the implications both to the buyer and seller in the transaction of that sale, in terms of the Broadcasting and Television Act.

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– The Postmaster-General has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

West Australian Newspapers Ltd has disposed of 575.000 of the 600,000 shares it held in TVW Ltd at the time of the takeover of West Australian Newspapers Ltd by the Herald and Weekly Times Ltd to 56 individual persons. Those who acquired 15.000 shares or more were as follows:

As a result of the acquisition of shares as set out above, Tasmanian Television Ltd and the Mutual Life & Citizens Assurance Co. Ltd have each acquired prescribed interests, within the meaning of Section 91 (2) of the Broadcasting and Television Act 1942-1969 in the licence for station TVW. There is no objection to the acquisition of such interests by these two companies as no contravention of the law is involved. At the same time, the sale of the 575,000 TVW shares and some other investments of West Australian Newspapers Ltd. rectified the contraventions of the provisions of the Broadcasting and Television Act 1942-1969 by the Herald and Weekly Times Ltd, in respect of the licences for commercial television station TVW Perth, BTQ Brisbane. ADS Adelaide, which resulted from the take-over by that company of West Australian Newspapers Ltd.

page 23

QUESTION

COMMONWEALTH EMPLOYEES

(Question No. 732)

Senator POYSER:

asked the Minister representing the Prime Minister:

  1. Will the Prime Minister initiate an immediate top level inquiry into allegations made in this morning’s issue of ‘The Age’ that Commonwealth employees arc receiving valuable prizes as rewards for placing orders with Magna Alloys and Research Pty Ltd, a Sydney-based company, which has extensive dealings with the Commonwealth and State Governments and semi-government authorities.
  2. Will the Prime Minister ascertain whether the directors of this company have committed any criminal offences in offering valuable prizes, which are at the best only thinly disguised bribes, to public servants

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSONThe Prime Minister has provided me with the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. and (2) I refer the honourable senator to statements made by representatives of the Public Service Board to the Senate Estimates Committee A on 22nd October 1970 (Hansard p. 535-537). The Public Service Board has informed me that it is discussing with the Attorney-General’s Department and other relevant Departments the documentation received by the Board.

page 23

QUESTION

COAL

(Question No. 741)

Senator GEORGES:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for National Development, upon notice:

For each of the years 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969- 70, what has been the average import price into Japan of coking coal from (a) Queensland: (b) New South Wales; (c) Canada; (d) United States of America; (e) Poland; (f) Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; and (g) any other major’ exporters.

Senator COTTON:
LP

– The Minister for National Development has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

The Joint Coal Board has provided the following statistics on the CIF price of coal imported into Japan. As the Japanese fiscal year runs from April to March, official figures for the year July to June are not available. Separate figures for the value of imports of coal from New South Wales end Queensland are also not available.

Source: Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Japan.

The table makes no allowance for differences in quality or for the way in which the proportions of coals of different types supplied by a country may have varied from year to year, and hence the figures are not strictly comparable. For example costs of coal to Japan from the various fields in New South Wales vary from one to the other depending on their chemical and physical specifications and freight rates at the time of shipment. Also much of the coal from the United Slates of America is regarded as the world’s best for coking purposes and hence commands a high price.

page 24

QUESTION

TOBACCO

(Question No. 743)

Senator GEORGES:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Primary Industry, upon notice:

What has been the average price per pound paid for tobacco leaf grown in Australia in each of the last 3 years.

Senator DRAKE-BROCKMAN:
CP

– The Minister for Primary Industry has supplied the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

The average price per pound paid for market ing quota tobacco leaf sold in Australia In each of the last 3 years was as follows: 1968- 114.5c per pound 1969 -116.2c per pound 1970- 114.0c per pound.

page 24

QUESTION

FOOTBALL TELECASTS

(Question No. 771)

Senator MULVIHILL:

asked the Minis ter representing the Postmaster-General, upon notice: (1)How many (a) Sydney Rugby League, and (b) Melbourne Australian Rules football games were presented to Australian Broadcasting Commission viewers resident in the New South Wales north coast towns of Port Macquarie and Wauchope, during the 1969 footballseason.

  1. Is the allotment of capital city football telecasts to country centres geared to the major football code played in the particular country centre.
Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– The Postmaster-General has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. (a) 27 New South Wales Rugby League Matches. (b) 23 Victorian Football League Matches.
  2. Yes.

page 24

QUESTION

AIRLINE PILOTS

(Question No. 778)

Senator Douglas McClelland:
NEW SOUTH WALES · ALP

asked the

Minister for Civil Aviation, upon notice:

  1. What was the capacity pilot strength of (A) Ansett Airlines of Australia (B) Trans-Australia Airlines, as at 31st December in each of the years 1965 to 1969 inclusive.
  2. How many pilots were employed by (A) Ansett . Airlines of Australia and (B) Trans-Australia Airlines, during the years 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969.
  3. How many pilots of (A) Ansett Airlines of Australia and (B) Trans-Australia Airlines, during 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969 (i) resigned, (ii) retired due to reaching retiring age; (iii) died while still employed; (iv) resigned or retired as a result of losing their licence due to ill health; and (v) were dismissed.
Senator COTTON:
LP

– The answer to the honourable senator’s question is as follows:

  1. and (2) Pilot employment as at 31st December
  1. Pilot Wastage

page 25

QUESTION

AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING COMMISSION

(Question No. 795)

SenatorWHEELDON asked the Minister representing the Postmaster-General, upon notice:

Is it a fact, as reported, that the Australian Broadcasting Commission has instructed one of its senior officers, Mr A. D. Ashbolt, to cease writing articles for the London journal ‘The New Statesman’.

If the report is correct and articles by officers, including senior officers, of the Australian Broadcasting Commission appear frequently in Other publications, why was this instruction given to Mr Ashbolt.

Yes.

In accordance with the provision of the A.B.C’s Staff Rules officers of the A.B.C. may not engage in outside work without prior approval. Mr Ashbolt had not sought prior approval to write for ‘The New Statesman’.

page 25

ABORIGINALS

The Minister is no doubt aware of the isolated nature of Cape Barren Island in Bass Strait. It is often cut off from shipping in bad weather, and the aerodrome is in bad shape. Is the Minister aware that the indigenous community on the Island is most concerned about the closing of the hospital and the departure of its trained nursing sister? They are concerned also at the lack of someone on the island trained in first aid for amongst the Island people are aged and invalids as well as families with young children and babies. Will the Minister make representations to the Minister-in-Charge of Aboriginal Affairs to have an inquiry made into the closing down of the hospital and the lack of a trainednursing sister on the Island?

The Minister-in-Charge of Aboriginal Affairs has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

The Tasmanian Department of Health Serv ices has advised that the whole question of the continuation of a District Nursing Centre on the Wand is at present under review and also alternative suggestions are being considered. The Sister who served on Cape Barren Island for some 15 years finally reached the stage where she was no longer able to continue. It is extremely difficult to obtain the services of a trained nursing sister forsuch a remote and lonely area as Cape Barren Island.

Atthe presenttime the District Medical Officer is visiting the Island on the second and fourth Thursday of every month. This service is supplemented by a Royal Flying Doctor Service medical chest which is administered by the Headmaster and his wife on a voluntary basis. The Royal Flying Doctor Air Ambulance Service providesan emergency service and can reach the island in approximately one hour, except at night and exceptionally bad weather conditions. There is also a fast Police Launch based on Flinders Island which can make the night crossings with the Doctor in emergencies. Until a firm decision is reached regarding the future of the District Nursing Centre the medical care of the Islanders is adequate.

page 25

ELECTRONIC DATA PROCESSING

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSONOn 26th August Senator Webster asked me a question without notice concerning electronic data processing in Australia. He asked whether the Government would put in hand a feasibility study into the wisdom of establishing an EDP industry in Australia.

The Prime Minister has provided the following reply:

There are already in Australia a number of companies engaged in the manufacture of EDP equipment. Although the range of local manufacture is being extended, the rate of expansion of local manufacture is necessarily constrained by basic economic and commercial considerations. These considerations include the size of the domestic market, the costs of design and development work in this industry and the extent of established manufacturing capacity and competition overseas. There are disabilities in these areas which are not easily overcome in relation to an industry such as this.

The Government does provide direct financial assistance to manufacturers in the form of grants for research and development in new products and processes. However, it would not accord with established policy foi the Government to initiate a feasibility study as proposed by the honourable Senator. Any feasibility studies into the expansion of EDP manufacturing facilities in Australia would, in the Government’s view, best be left to individual manufacturers who have ambitions in this area.

page 26

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSONOn 15th October 1970 Senator Laucke asked* me a question without notice on the subject of the professional qualification requirement of the Industrial Research and Development Grants Act. I undertook to have the question referred to the Minister for Trade and Industry. The Minister for Trade and Industry has now supplied me with the following answer:

Under the Industrial Research and Development Grants Act the Government provides Australian manufacturing and mining companies with an incentive to spend more on research and development. Grants are paid in relation to an increase in a company’s own expenditure in circumstances where the Australian Industrial Research and Development Grants Board, which administers the scheme, is satisfied that the company has met all the Act’s requirements.

The main purpose of the Act is to stimulate an increase in the overall level of industrial research and development performed by Austraiian industrial companies.

While acknowledging thai on occasions worinwhile research can be carried out by nonprofessional teams; the Government was conscious of the need to ensure that the funds available for grants were used in the most productive manner.

The Aci therefore aimed, by a few simple rules, to ensure that the work assisted could be generally expected to be of a high standard. The Act requires that to be eligible for assistance the industrial research and development must be undertaken on a full-time basis and by. or under the supervision of, a professionally qualified person. “I he company referred to by the honourable senator did apply- to the Board for a grant. On a preliminary examination of the company’s application it was found that the company did nol meet the Act’s requirements relating lo professional qualifications and was therefore ineligible for a gram. Consequently, there was no need for the application lo bc. subjected to full investigation by the Board lo determine whether or nol the professional qualification requirement was the only ground on which the company was ineligible for a grant.

The operation of the Act is now under review to determine the future form and extent of the Government’s assistance to industry in this field. All the points of concern about the provisions of the Aci which have been drawn to the Government’s attention will be fully considered in this review.

page 26

JAPAN

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSONOn 26th October Senator Murphy asked me to bring into the Senate whatever the Government has in the way of a full record of what has been stated on behalf of the Japanese Government in relation to its new military role. I agreed to take the question on notice and have it examined. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has provided the following answer:

Statements of another Government are more appropriately placed in the Parliamentary Library than tabled in Parliament. The Japanese Defence While Paper is not yet available in an English translation. When it is, copies will go to the Parliamentary Library. Al present, I have available only extracts from the Paper which have, for the most pari, appeared in the Press.

page 26

QUESTION

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

Senator DRAKE-BROCKMAN:
CP

– On 26th October Senator Drury asked the following question without notice:

Has the attention of the Minister representing the Minister for Primary Industry been drawn to the extensive damage caused by frost to cereal crops in the southern Murray-Mallee area in South Australia? Experts have estimated that the expected barley yield of 3.5 million bushels will bc cut to 500,000 bushels, that approximately 10 per cent of the sultana and wine grape crops have been affected and that the wheat yield will be affected. Will the Minister ask the Government to extend to the growers affected by this disaster the same assistance that is extended to those entitled to drought relief.

The Minister for Primary Industry has supplied the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

The long standing policy of the Commonwealth in these matters is clear cut and is well recognised by the States. It is that the responsibility for any financial assistance as the result of damage to crops rests solely with the Slates, lt is only when major disasters occur that the Commonwealth is prepared to consider the provision of assistance to a Stale for the purpose of relief measures.

page 26

QUESTION

ABORIGINALS

(Question So. 595)

Senator KEEFFE:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for the -Interior, upon notice: ls it a fact that ‘pensioner’ cottages on Old Wave Hill Station belong to some of the Aboriginal pensioners now living at Wattie Creek; if so, is any action being taken by the Northern Territory Aboriginal Welfare Department or any other institution, to have the cottages transferred to Wattie Creek for use by the owners.

Senator COTTON:
LP

– The Minister for the Interior has provided the following answer to the honourable senators question:

Under arrangements which operated some years ago, part of the money payable to Aboriginal pensioners living on pastoral properties in the Northern Territory was retained by the pastoral management to provide special facilities for pensioners. Under these arrangements the Wave Hill Pastoral Company erected eight cottages near the old Wave Hill Station and these are in the process of being removed to the site of the new homestead for occupation by pensioners residing on the pastoral property. lt is not considered that there is any obligation to erect the cottages on sites where pensioners may wish to live from time to time. A number of pensioners who contributed to the cost of erecting these cottages by deductions from their pensions have elected to live away from the homestead area and two of these have now been identified as living at Wattie Creek. These pensioners would be given a preference in occupying the cottages should they wish to live at the new homestead site.

page 27

QUESTION

ABORIGINALS

(Question No. 612)

Senator KEEFFE:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for the Interior, upon notice:

Has a detailed survey of water required by the aborigines in the Wave Hill area, for both rural and domestic uses, ever been carried out; if so, will the Minister make the report of the survey available to the Parliament.

Senator COTTON:
LP

– The Minister for the Interior has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

Water requirements for the Wave Hill residential centre have been examined. The assessment is that the existing bore, together with new and potentially productive bores, will supply the immediate domestic requirements of the resident community there.

page 27

QUESTION

ABORIGINALS

(Question No. 620)

Senator KEEFFE:

asked the Minister representing (he Minister for the Interior, upon notice:

  1. How many discussions regarding Aboriginal land rights in the Northern Territory have been held during the last 12 months between the Minister and principals of the firm of Vesteys; on what dates did the discussions take place and what were the venues.
  2. Have officers of the Department of the Interior or officers of the Office of Aboriginal Affairs had discussions with any members of the Vestey family or representatives of the Vestey company, or any of its subsidiary companies.
Senator COTTON:
LP

– The Minister for the Interior has provided the following answer to the honourable senators question: (lj There have been no such discussions during the period referred to.

  1. There have been the normal discussions between employees and representatives of the Vestey group of companies and officers of the Department of the Interior which it would be expected that any pastoralist would have from time to time with officials on matters concerning the management and operations of his pastoral property in the Territory.

The Minister-in-Charge of Aboriginal Affairs advises that no such discussions have been held with officers of the office of Aboriginal Affairs.

page 27

QUESTION

MINERAL SANDS

(Question No. 683)

Senator GEORGES:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for National Development, upon notice:

  1. Has the Department of National Development made, or is it aware of, any comprehensive survey of the mineral sand resources cif the east coast of Australia.
  2. If a survey has been made, what are the total expected reserves, and what proportion of this total lies within the proposed Cooloola National Park.
  3. If no survey has been conducted, will the Minister instigate one. to enable the alternatives to be clearly understood when it is decided to prevent mining in an area of unique natural beauty.
Senator COTTON:
LP

– The Minister for National Development has provided the following answer to the nondurable senator’s question:

  1. A comprehensive survey ot mineral .-.and resources of the northern cost of New South Wales and of the southern coast of Queeusland was conducted by the Bureau of Mineral Resources in 1948-50 with the purpose of investigating the potential of the industry. This survey did not cover the Cooloola area. The results of the survey were published as Bulletin No. 28 - Beach-Sand Heavy-Mineral Deposits of Eastern Australia. Since 1950, surveys have been carried on by individual companies on their own teases or prospecting areas.
  2. The Bureau of Mineral Resources estimated reserves between Southport in Queensland and the mouth of the Clarence River in New South Wales as a result of their survey and published the reserves in the Bulletin No. 28. However, these estimates have been superseded because (hey were based on a cut-off grade of about 4 per cent by weight of heavy mineral, which was reasonable in 1950, whereas increase in prices and in the efficiency of the industry since that date have lowered thecut-off gradeto about 1 per cent heavy minerals and consequently greatly increased reserves. Reserve figures by individual mining companies have recently been collated by the Bureau and, on the basis of an average cut-off grade of about 1 per cent heavy minerals, these reserves along the east coast (including the Cooloola area) total about5.8 million tons of rutile with an equivalent tonnage of zircon. The Bureau has no specific figures for the reserves contained within the proposed Cooloola National Park.
  3. The honourable senator will no doubt appreciate that the administration of the mineral industry in Queensland is the responsibility of the Queensland Government. 1 understand that the Department of Mines in Queensland has thoroughly investigated the matter and reported fully to the Queensland Minister for Mines.

page 28

QUESTION

MINERAL SANDS

(Question No. 684)

Senator GEORGES:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for National Development, upon notice:

  1. What has been the average world price, during the past year, for each type of ore obtained fromthe mining of mineral sands in Australia.
  2. What has been the average world price, for each of the metals obtained, from the final stage of processing each of these ores.
  3. What has been the average world price at any intermediate stage of processing.
  4. What is the value of any by-products obtained in the processing.
  5. Is such processing beyond the capabilities of Australia.
Senator COTTON:
LP

– The Minister for National Development has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. The minerals, rutile, zircon, ilmenite and monazite which are produced from the mining of mineral sands are not quoted on the London Metal Exchange and accordingly there is no generally accepted world price for these minerals. As a guide however, for the year ended30th June 1970 the range of prices quoted for rutile, zircon, ilmenite and monazite concentrates in the United Kingdom and the United States of America are shown in the following table. Except for rutile in the United States of America prices are per long ton.
  1. In the United Slates of America, the world’s largest market for titanium metal, which is obtained by processing of rutile, prices quoted for titanium metal sponge were$US1.32 per lb for US-produced material of the commonest grade, and $1.20-1.25 for British and Japanese materials in the year ended 30th June 1970. Zirconium sponge (commercial grade) was quoted at $5-10 per lb. Metals derived from monazite were priced as follows: cerium and lanthanum,$US50- 150 per lb; neodymium, $100-125; praseodymium, $1 70-225; samarium and yttrium, $145-260; thorium powder, $65.
  2. Normally, prices of intermediate products of processing are not published. However, some approximate prices are listed below: titanium tetrachloride - $US300 per ton c.i.f. zircon oxide -$US0.64 per lb. cerium oxide -$USl.84 per lb.
  3. No saleable by-products are produced from the processing of titanium and zirconium concentrates to the metals. Sodium sulphate ($A64 per ton) and tri-sodium phosphate (8c per lb) are by-products resulting from the treatment of monazite concentrates.
  4. The further processing of mineral sands to the relevant metals in Australia could well be within the capabilities of Australian industry in terms of capital requirements and technical knowhow, but such processing may not be economic at present.

page 28

QUESTION

OIL SEARCH

(Question No. 685)

Senator GEORGES:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for National Development, upon notice:

  1. What has been the total amount of petroleum search subsidy paid for off-shore exploratory work in the area of the Great Barrier Reef.
  2. What are the names of the companies which have received subsidy, how much have they received each year for off-shore work in the area, and under which permits or authorities to prospect was exploration carrier out.
  3. What were the relevant costs on which subsidy has been paid.
Senator COTTON:
LP

– The Minister for National Development has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. $2,528,636.
  2. See table below.
  3. The subsidy paid has been the percentage specified in the subsidy agreements ofthe costs allowable under the agreements. Certain costs such as office expenses are not allowable. The total cost to the companies is not known. The total costs allowable under the agreements are shown in the table below.
Senator COTTON:

– The Minister for the Interior has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. Yes.
  2. No. See notes below.

Note (1)- Denmark- In Denmark, voters who cannot without excessive difficultypresent themselves at a polling station within the limits set for voting may for Lower House elections register their votes in accordance with the regulations. Voters domiciled in Denmark may register their votes at a Registry Office including that in the municipality in which they are listed on the Electoral Roll. Voting by inmates of certain public or private hospitals, certain nursing or convalescent homes is conducted by the local Registry Office at the hospital or institution. Voters residing outside the borders of the country may register their votes at a Danish diplomatic or consular post abroad or at the home of a person authorised by the Minister for the Interior. Voting in Denmark under these provisions may take place atthe earliest three weeks before the holding of the elections and at the latest on the week day nearest polling day. Voting abroad maytake place at the earliest three months before polling day.

Note (2) - Norway - Norwegian legislation provides that a voter who will be prevented from personal attendance at the booths on polling day by absence from the constituency on polling day, official functions within the constituency or hospitalisation, has, in conformity with the provisions of the relevant Act the right to cast his vote in advance by delivering his ballot-paper to a vote receiver in or outside his constituency. Advance voting must not take place prior to the 18th day before polling day nor later than 8 p.m. on the day before polling day but must in any case take place early enough to enable the vote receiver to ensure that the ballot-paper reaches the returning officials of the constituency in question before the closure of polling. Persons who expect to be outside the Kingdom on polling day may cast their votes before departure or abroad. Provision is also made for voting aboard Norwegian ships in which case the owner of the ship is responsible for ensuring that balloting equipment is immediately forwarded to the master of the ship.

Note (3) - Sweden - Under the Swedish Parliamentary Elections Act and the Municipal Elections Act a person entitled to vote who. owing residence abroad or at another place within the. Kingdom, or for other reason is prevented from voting on election day at the polling station for the electoral district in which be is entered in the electoral register, may vote at a post officewithin the Kingdom, at a Swedish diplomatic or consular mission or on a Swedish vessel in foreign trade. In’ the case of a person eligible to vole who is’ within the Kingdom but outside the electoral district for which he is enrolled, vot ing may take place at a post office during the 30 days preceding and including election day. Temporary post offices can be set up in hospitals, old peoples homes, prisons or other similar institutions but voting at such tempor ary post offices may take place only during the 7 days preceding and including election day. A Swedish citizen who has moved abroad and who is no longer registered for census purposes in Sweden may, on application, be recorded on the electoral register which entitles him to take part in elections if he (a) complies with the Riksdag Act and (b) has had his name entered in a parish register in Sweden at any time during the 5 calendar years preceding the year in which the electoral register is compiled. For persons thus eligible voting may sake place at Swedish diplomatic and consularmissions as from the 30th day, and on a Swedish vessel as from the 45th day prior to the date of the election until the date on which voles shall be dispatehcd to the National Board of Civic Registration and Tax Collection.

page 30

QUESTION

ELECTORAL

(Question No. 712)

Senator MULVIHILL:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for the Interior, upon notice:

  1. Does the voting system operating in Holland provide for absentee voting rights: for example, can crews of the North Sea fishing fleet delegate to other members of their family the right to exercise proxy votes.
  2. If so. what are the mechanics of such a voting system.
Senator COTTON:
LP

– The Minister for the Interior has provided the following answer to the honourable Senator’s question:

  1. Under Netherlands legislation, voters who are not ableto vote in person can vote by proxy. Crews of the North Sea fishing fleet can therefore delegate their right to vote to a person authorised by them. Persons able to act as proxy voters are the husband, wife. one of the relatives - from the first to the third degree, the spouse of a sisterinlaw or a brother-in-law, or any other occupant of the house where the voter resides. Occupants are persons who. according to the electoral roll, live at the same address as the voter.
  2. A voter who wishes to cast his vole by proxy has to lodge a petition with the burgomaster and aldermen of the municipality where he, on the day of the nomination-, is registered on the. electoral roll. If the petition is granted, a numbered certificate (proxy-identity card) will be issued authorising the proxy voter to vote and the name of the proxy voter will be recorded. The fact that the voter is not permitted to vote will be recorded on the electoral roll. When voting, the proxy voter hands his identity card to the chairman of the polling committee. The second member of the committee will sign the card and record that the proxy voter has attended the polling booth. The proxy voter has the same rights and duties as the voter.

page 31

QUESTION

WHEAT

(Question No, 748)

Senator CANT:

asked the Minister repre senting the Minister for Primary Industry, upon notice:

  1. Is it a fact that a substantial quantity of wheat is being used in the alumina industry in Australia.
  2. What is the quantity of wheal that has been used by the industry in each of the past 5 years.
  3. Did the industry pay the home consumption price or the export price for the wheat.
  4. If the wheat was sold for use in Australia at less than the home consumption price was it rendered unfit for human consumption; if not, what precautions were taken to see that it was used fornoother purpose.
Senator DRAKE-BROCKMAN:
CP

– The Minister for Primary Industry has supplied the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. The Australian Wheat Board advises that some starch produced from wheat flour is being used in the alumina industry. Compared with total domestic sales of wheat, the wheat equivalent of the starch so used is insignificant.
  2. Since starch, not wheat, is involved, the Wheat Board has no record of the quantities used.
  3. The Wheal Board advises that the home consumption price of wheat for all purposes was paid for all wheat equivalent of flour used in the production of starch up to 30th November 1969. Since that dale the home consumption price of wheat for flour products for industrial purposes has been paid. For the current marketing year (December, 1969 to November 1970) this price has been1431/2c per bushel for f.a.q. wheat bulk. f.o.r. ports of export basis, compared with1721/2c on the same basis for wheat for flour for human consumption. The general level of export prices this season has been, and is at present, below the former price.
  4. I am informed by the Wheat Board that the wheat that was sold to millers for processing into flour for industrial purposes was not rendered unfit for human consumption. However, the millers obtained undertakings from the starch manufacturers that the flour purchased by them would be used solely for the starch industry.

page 31

QUESTION

WHEAT

(Question No. 752)

Senator POYSER:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Primary Industry, upon notice:

  1. Is it a fact, as reported in the ‘Wimmera Mail Times’ of 9 October, that a Wimmera wheat grower has had 2770 bushels of wheat withdrawn from the Dooen (Victoria) Wheat Silo; if so, was this wheal withdrawn on his own application on the understanding that the wheal was to be used for stock feed on his own property.
  2. Was the wheat immediately sold on the black market and not used for the understood purpose; if so, is the person concerned a member of the Legislative Council in Victoria representing the Western Province.
Senator DRAKE-BROCKMAN:
CP

– The Minister for Primary Industry has furnished the following reply.

  1. and (2) The Australian Wheat Board has informed me that a Wimmera wheat grower, whom it understands to be a member ofthe Legislative Council of Victoria, withdrew 2,770 bushels of wheat from the Dooen (Victoria) silo. The Board has also advised that the wheat was withdrawn on the application of the grower on the understanding that it was to be used tor stock feed on his own property.

The information available to me does not enable me to say whether or not the wheat was used for the purpose for which itwas withdrawn,

page 31

QUESTION

AVIATION

(Question No. 768)

Senator DAVIDSON:

asked the Minister for Civil Aviation, upon notice:

  1. What is the approximate number of patrol aircraft, similar to that operated byradio station 5AD, Summer Air Patrol in Adelaide, operating throughout Australia?
  2. In what ways do such aircraft operate under the control of the Department.
  3. How far docs this control extend to other light aircraft engaged in public duty or business operations, especially as far as airworthiness and safety are concerned.
Senator COTTON:
LP

– The answer to the honourable senator’s question is as follows:

  1. Eleven aircraft are engagedseasonall) on beach patrol throughout Australia. Eighteen aircraft arc engaged intermittently on fire spoiling: or fire bombing. Five aircraft are engaged intermittently in road traffic advisory serviceactivity. These numbers may vary according to circumstances.
  2. When an operator is contracted to carry out the abovementioned tasks, the activitiesare classed as ‘aerial work’ in accordance withthe Air Navigation Regulations and thepilotis required to hold a commercial pilot licence. When the activity is conducted by a pilot holding an unrestricted private licence and no remuneration is received by the pilot or operator, the activity is classified under the Air Navigation Regulations as a private operation. Under the Air Navigation Regulations aircraft arc required to maintain a minimum height of 1500 feet over built-up areas and 500 feet over other areas. Some dispensations are granted in the former case to responsible and qualified pilots to facilitate their particular tasks. Aircraft operating simultaneously in the same general area are separated by 500 feet.
  3. All aircraft are subject to the provisions of the Air Navigation Regulations which cover a wide range of requirements relating to airworthiness, conditions of flight and other safety matters. The requirements vary according to the class of operation andthe airspace in which the aircraft operate. A great amount of detail is involved andI would be pleased to make available to you a copy of the Air Navigation Regulations if you require further information.

page 32

QUESTION

NUCLEAR POWER

(Question No. 784)

Senator KEEFFE:

– asked the Minister representing the Minister for National Development, upon notice:

In view of an official statement that waste front the proposed Jervis Bay Nuclear Power Station will be buried in a remote area of the Northern Territory and an unofficial rumour that it is to be buried in a remote area of North Queensland, will the Minister inform. the Senate where the nuclear waste is to be buried.

Senator COTTON:
LP

– The Minister for National Development has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

In the context of the honourable senator’s question, it would appear that he is referring to the highly toxic radioactive waste remaining after spent fuel is processed rather than the spent fuel itself. The latter presents only a minor problem of safe storage while awaiting reprocessing for the recovery of the remaining uranium and plutonium in the fuel.

It will be many years before we accumulate sufficient fuel to justify a fuel reprocessing plant. As a result no decision has been made on possible sites for storing the wastes arising from such a plant. Certainly no official statement has been made that this waste will be buried in the Northern Territory or North Queensland.

page 32

QUESTION

CIVIL AVIATION

(Question No. 797)

Senator Douglas McClelland:
NEW SOUTH WALES · ALP

asked the

Minister for Civil Aviation, upon notice:

  1. Does the Noise Exposure Forecast relating to Sydney (Kingsford-Smith) Airport assess the likely noise levels near the airport up to 1976 and does it suggest that by that year there may be a 70 per cent increase in aircraft movements over Sydney.
  2. In view of the Minister’s Press statement of 22nd October 1970 asserting that there is no dispute that Sydney will need a second airport, has the inter-departmental committee made a recommendation for the siting of a second airport for Sydney rather than the extension of parallel runways at Kingsford-Smith Airport.
  3. Willthe Minister ensure that Parliament is advised of the recommendations of this Committee before the Parliament adjourns forthe forthcoming Senate Elections.
Senator COTTON:
LP

– The answer to the honourable senator’s question is as follows:

  1. The 1976 Noise Exposure Forecast for Sydney (Kingsford-Smith) Airport is intended to provide those concerned with the airport and its environs with an indication of whether or not the community around the airport will or will not be subjected to additional noise exposure by 1976 and, if so, how much. The increase in air traffic used in the 1976 NEF for Sydney is 40 per cent and not 70 per cent as suggested.
  2. and (3) Regarding questions 2 and 3. in respect of the report of the Inter-departmental Committee looking into the future airport requirements of the Sydney area.I can only reiterate what I said in the Senate on 26th October 1970 and in a letter to the honourable senator on 26th November 1970. and that is that the report is still being studied in great detail andI am not in a position to make any further comment on it at this stage.

page 32

QUESTION

WAVE HILL: TRADING POST

(Question No. 801)

Senator KEEFFE:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for the Interior, upon notice:

Has the police officer at Wave Hill (Northern Territory) established a trading post; if so, does the establishment of a trading post under these circumstances have the approval of the Department.

Senator COTTON:
LP

– The Minister for the Interior has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

The answer to the first part ofthe question is No.’

page 32

QUESTION

CIVIL AVIATION

(Question No. 808)

Senator MURPHY:

asked the Minister for Civil Aviation, upon notice:

  1. What applications have been made for regular landing rights in Australia by overseas scheduled airlines in the last 2 years.
  2. What applications are pending.
  3. What is the status of each application.
Senator COTTON:
LP

– The answer to the honourable senator’s question is as follows:

  1. Normal international practice is for Governments to seek traffic rights for use by their airlinesand not for such applications to be lodged by airlines themselves; in 2 instances (Central Pacific Airlines of Nauru and Aeroviss Siesta Del Peru) in which airlines applied for traffic rights direct, the companies were so informed and the applications lapsed.

In the past 2 years applications have been received from Governments of the following countries for specific traffic rights in Australia for use by their respective international airlines: Netherlands, Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, Ireland, Nauru and Indonesia.

Airlines designated by Governments under bilateral air services agreements and arrangements require Australian operating approval before they continence services. In the past 2 years applications for operating approval have been received from Air Nauru, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, Fiji Airways, Garuda Indonesian Airways and Japan Air Lines. Operating approval was granted in each case. An application by Thai Airways International has very recently been received and is under consideration.

  1. The following applications for specific traffic rights are pending: Netherlands and Germany.
  2. In the following cases negotiations as required have been completed and rights granted: United States of America, France, Italy, Nauru and Indonesia.

Ireland’s application for rights is subject to further review.

page 33

QUESTION

KOOMILDA COLLEGE

(Question No.81 0)

Senator KEEFFE:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for the Interior, upon notice:

  1. Is the Minister aware that there have been complaints about lack of discipline for children attending Koomilda College at Darwin.
  2. Have the complaints any foundation: if so. is it possible to obtain employment in Darwin for the parents of some of the children attending the College so that parental discipline may be available.
Senator COTTON:
LP

– The Minister for the Interior has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. and (2) In keeping with its particular and special role in the education of Aboriginesthe standard of discipline at Koomilda College is high and there have been no complaints that would suggest otherwise.

Since the inception of the College it has been the practice to bring parents or close relatives to live in at the College for short periods if students find difficulty in adjusting to college life. Parents visiting Darwin are also encouraged to call at the school. As a general rule parents prefer to live in the settlement or mission rather than move their families to Darwin because a child is attending school there.

page 33

QUESTION

ABORIGINALS

(Question No.813)

Senator KEEFFE:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for the Interior, upon notice:

  1. Isthe Minister aware that two Aborigines recently received injuries as a result of an assault at Hookers Creek. (Northern Territory).
  2. Was a rifle discharged at any stage of the argument and who was responsible for the discharge of the firearm.
  3. Have the aborigines concerned been taken to Katherine or some other centre to be charged.
  4. Who was responsible for the injuries to the Aborigines: one of their own people, or was a policeman involved.
Senator COTTON:
LP

– The Minister for the Interior has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. and (4) There was an incident at Hooker Creek on the night of 19th October involving two Aborigines. Neither of the Aboriginal persons was assaulted nor received anyinjuries from this incident.
  2. The head teacher at the settlement fired a rifle in the air when his car was being removed without authority from his driveway by an Aboriginal. There was another incident at the same time when an Aborigine discharged several shots in the area of the Aboriginal camp. No person was wounded by these shots.
  3. The two Aborigines concerned were arrested by police and charged at Katherine with various offences for which they were subsequently convicted.

page 33

QUESTION

PAPUA AND NEW GUINEA

(Question No.814)

Senator KEEFFE:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for External Territories, upon notice:

  1. Is the Minister aware that the Madang Branch of the Pangu Patihas been told that the permission of the District Commissioner must be obtained before a meeting can be conducted.
  2. Does the Minister agree that such action is a serious breach of civil liberties and will he ensure that the practice ceases forthwith and that no restrictions are placed on Branches of the Pangu Pati. which is a highly respectable and legal organisation.
Senator WRIGHT:
LP

– The Minister for External Territories has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. The Madang Branch of the Pangu Pati has not been told by the District Commissioner or by any person in authority that the District Commissioner’s permission must be obtained before a meeting can be conducted.

The Minister is aware that there was an erroneous report that the District Commissioner had required permission. The facts are:

In October the District Commissioner was telephoned by a person who informed him that Mr Michael Somare. M.H.A., was coming to Madang and that he was arranging a Pangu Pati meeting at which Mr Somare would speak. The enquirer asked whether it would be in order to place notices of the meeting around the town on posts, trees etc. The District Commissioner said that only a few weeks earlier he had circularised all associations and clubs (viz Lions Club. Apex Club. Rotaty Club. Horticultural Society. Musical Society. CWA. Yacht Club, Gun Club. Small Bore and Rifle Club.

Soccer Club, Rugby League Club, Motor Cycle Club, Sports and Social Club) in Madang saying that, before notices were exhibited around the town, permission should be obtained and that notices should be removed when the event was over. The District Commissioner then said that he preferred notices not to be placed indiscriminately on trees and posts as there were public notice boards on which notices could be placed.He did not, however, forbid the posting of notices. The enquirer told the District Commissioner that he would have the notices put on the notice boards. At no time was the District Commissioner asked for permission to hold the meeting and at no time did he state that the holding of the meeting required his permission.

It is relevant that shortly before sending out the circular the District Commissioner had been asked by the President of the Madang Local Government Council to take action with respect to the indiscriminate notices. Public notices are controlled by the Police Offences Ordinance and the Building Board Regulations.

  1. Not applicable.

page 34

CROPS: FROST DAMAGE

SenatorDR A KE-BROC KM AN - On 26th October, Senator Drury asked the following question without notice:

Has the attention of the Minister representing the Minister for Primary Industry been drawn to the extensive damage caused by frost to cereal crops in the southern Murray-Mallee area in South Australia? Experts have estimated that the expected barley yield of 3.5 million bushels will be cut to 500,000 bushels, that approximately 10 per cent of the sultana and wine grape crops have been affected and that the wheat yield will be affected. Will the Minister ask the Government to extend to the growers affected by this disaster the same assistance that is extended to those entitled to drought relief.

The Minister for Primary Industry has supplied the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

The long standing policy of the Commonwealth in these matters is clear cut and is well recognised by the States. It is that the responsibility for any financial assistance as the result of damage to crops rests solely with the States. It is only when major disasters occur that the Commonwealth is prepared to consider the provision of assistance to a State for the purpose of relief measures.

page 34

QUESTION

ABORIGINALS

(Question No. 518)

Senator KEEFFE:

asked the Minister representing the Minister-in-Charge of Aboriginal Affairs, upon notice:

What sums of money, for administration purposes, have been allocated to tribal councils and other organisations working in the interest of Aborigines.

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– The Minister-in-Charge of Aboriginal Affairs has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

During the financial year 1969-70 the following payments towards the administrative cost of Aboriginal organisations were made. $4,000 Council of Aboriginal Women, South Australia $3,000 Aboriginal Advancement League, South Australia $500 Co-operative for Aborigines Ltd (Tranby) $14,000 Foundation for Aboriginal Affairs $6,000 Aboriginal and Islander Council, Queensland $2,000 New Era Aboriginal Fellowship, Western Australia $500 Walkabout Appeal, Sydney $2,500 Bega Valley Aboriginal Advancement Association $15,000 Aboriginal Advancement Council of Western Australia (Inc.) $15,000 OPAL, Queensland $3,192 Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders

As yet allocations for similar payments to be made in the 1970-71 financial year have not been made.

page 34

QUESTION

ABORIGINALS

(Question 520)

Senator KEEFFE:

asked the Minister representing the Minister-in-Charge of Aboriginal Affairs, upon notice:

Further to the assurance given me some weeks ago that the case of Mrs Thelma McAvoy, who is now banned from the Palm Island Aboriginal Settlement, because she appeared on an ABC television programme, would be investigated, was the investigation ever carried out and, if so, why have the results of such investigation not been conveyed to me.

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– The Minister-in-Charge of Aboriginal Affairs has providedthe following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

I have sought advice from the Queensland authorities concerning Mrs McAvoy. Confirmation has been received from the Manager, Palm Island that Mrs McAvoy has not been refused permission to enter Palm Island at any time. In fact she. with her mother and children, visited Palm Island for the school vacation in May. The Palm Island Office at that time made all the necessary arrangements for the McAvoy family and also arranged suitable local accommodation.

Mrs McAvoy decided to leave Palm Island on a permanent basis some time ago, and therefore her applications to return are treated in the ordi nary course of administration with all other persons who desire to holiday on the Island.

page 35

QUESTION

ABORGINALS

(Question No. 578)

Senator KEEFFE:

asked the Minister representing the Minister-in-Charge of Aboriginal Affairs, upon notice:

Further to previous questions asked by me concerning Mrs Thelma McAvoy, who failed to obtain permission to visit relatives on Palm Island because she had appeared on a television programme, has Mrs McAvoy now been given permission to visit the Island; if so, why was permission withheld in the first instance, and does such a restriction of movement, on these or any other grounds, have the approval of the Minister.

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN: The Minister in Charge of Aboriginal Affairs has provided the following reply to the honourable senator’s question:

Please see my reply to Question 520.

page 35

QUESTION

VIETNAM

(Question No. 637)

Senator POYSER:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice:

What has been thetotal expenditure by Australia in Vietnam on (a) action by all arms of the Services, and (b) civil aid, since military intervention in that country.

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

– The Minister for Defence has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

From the time Australian troops were first posted to Veitnam up to 30th June 1970, an amount of $163.119m on action by all arms of the Services has been incurred by the Australian Forces. This amount represents the excess over normal costs in Australia of the Services. In this time period, an amount of $1 5.187m has been spent by the Australian Government on civil aid in Vietnam.

page 35

QUESTION

INSURANCE

(Question No. 754)

Senator WILKINSON:
WESTERN AUSTRALIA

asked the Minis ter representing the Treasurer, upon notice: (1)Is it a fact that the National Mutual Life Assurance Co. and some other assurance companiesare circularising policy holders who have been granted loans on their policies informing them that the interest rate will be increased to81/4 per cent.

  1. As the loan agreement does not permit such an increase, are policy holders being asked to enter into a new agreement in which variations of interest rate will be permitted, and, if they refuse, is an immediate repayment ofthe loan demanded; if so, is there any action that the Government can lake to protect the interest of such policy holders.

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSONThe Treasurer has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. I understand that at the time the honourable senator raised this matter, The National Mutual Life Association of Australasia Limited was circulating policy holders who had been granted loans on their policies informing them that it was proposed to increase the interest rate on all policy loans to81/4 per cent.
  2. I understand that the form of loan agreement used by the National Mutual Life Association of Australasia Limited prior to 1 October 1970 did not provide for variation in the interest rate but did not provide that the loan was repayable on demand. The Association wished to increase the interest rates on all policy loans to the rate charged on new loans and offered existing borrowers the alternative courses of agreeing to pay interest at the rate fixed from time to time by the Association for policy loans or of repaying their loans. This is a matter between the Association and the borrowers concerned. I also understand that the form of loan agreement used by the Association since 1 October 1970 follows the practice of most life companies in that it includes a condition permitting a variation in the rate of interest charged, subject to a suitable period of notice.

page 35

QUESTION

SHIPPING

(Question No. 762)

Senator BISHOP:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Trade and Industry, upon notice:

Does the recent statement by the Minister for Trade and Industry advising that the Australia to Europe Shippers’. Association has abandoned negotiations in respect of the 10 per cent increase in freight charges and that it remained for the various shipper groups representing the meat, dairying and canned fruit industries, to decide on the 10 per cent increase, mean that the Government does not intend to consider amendment to the Trade Practices Act or use its interests with the Australian Coastal Shipping Commission to resist such increases?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

– The Minister for Trade and Industry has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

The Government does not Interfere in. or arbitrate on, what are essentially commercial negotiations between the parties directly concerned with the commercial contracts involved - the shippers and shipowners.

The Trade Practices Act is designed to provide a framework within which these negotiations can take place between the Conference and the appropriately constituted Shipper Body- in this case the Australia to Europe Shippers Association or AES. and also to provide safeguards to ensure that the Conference provide an adequate, economic and efficient service.

In this trade, protracted negotiations took place. As a result, from a much higher overall starting point, the Conference, eventually came down to increases of 4 per cent for the predominant cargo, wool, and 10 per cent for other cargoes (excluding fresh fruit and closeweight cargoes which are covered by individual contracts). The recent increase in basic freight rates to U.K./Europe was the first since 1966. In that period there has been a weighted average increase of freights over all cargoes in the trade of only about 4) per cent. In the same period costs of all kinds outside the control of the Australian Government or of the shipping companies have risen markedly.

It has not been suggested to me by AESA that the negotiations were not conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Trade Practices Act. Nor has it been suggested to me from any source that the Conference service in question is not adequate, efficient or economic as required by the Act.

page 36

QUESTION

MAINLAND CHINA

(Question No. 765)

Senator KEEFFE:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Trade and Industry upon notice:

What are the current value and quantity figures for the following Australian exports to mainland China during the year ended 30 June 1970; (a) wheat, (b) other grains, (c) wool, (d) beef, (e) other rural products, (0 minerals, (g) machinery, (h) chemicals, (i) weapons, steel, ammunition and similar products?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

– The Minister for Trade and Industry has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

Exports of these items from Australia to mainland China during the year ended 30 June 1970, were as follows. Quantities and values given are preliminary figures only.

page 36

SUGAR

(Question No. 770)

Senator BYRNE:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Trade and Industry:

  1. What progress has been made in negotiations regarding the retention of the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement with the United Kingdom, in the light of recent discussions concerning Britain’s entry into the Common Market.
  2. What would be the repercussions to the Australian industry if the Agreement were not renewed.
  3. Is the Government considering an alternative market for Australian sugar in the event of the Agreement not being renewed.
Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

– The Minister for Trade and Industry has supplied the following answer:

  1. The British Government has notified the European Communities that it will be seeking special arrangements covering Commonwealth sugar exports. It is our understanding that this aspect of the negotiations has not yet been taken up in Brussels.
  2. The terms of the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement provide for the modification of the United Kingdom’s obligations under the Agreement after 1974 inthe event of British entry to the European Economic Community. The possible effect of any such action on the Australian sugar industry would depend on such factors as:

    1. the terms and conditions laid down for British entry:
    2. the extent to which any Australian sugar displaced from the British market could be accommodated in alternative market outlets and the realisations from such sales.
  3. The marketing of Australian sugar is under continuous review by the Government and the industry itself.

page 36

QUESTION

RURAL AID

(Question No. 782)

Senator WEBSTER:

asked the Minister representing the Prime Minister upon notice:

  1. Is it a fact that in Government policy speeches made prior to the last general election of the House of Representatives it was stated by leaders that it would be an objective of Government to financially assist rural municiplaities.
  2. Is any action being taken by the Federal Government to assist in this area.
  3. Does the present depressed economic situation in many rural areas suggest that it would be wise for the Commonwealth to act promptly to make financial aid available to such municipalities.
Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

The answer to the honourable senator’s question is as follows: fi) On 9th October 1969 the Minister foi Trade and Industry, in his election policy speech as leader of the Australian Country Party, said: it is now a policy objective of the Country Party that Commonwealth funds should be made available, through the State Governments, as a contribution to the costs in the smaller centres of population, of such amenities as swimming pools, child-care centres, civic centres and showgrounds, playing fields and the like.’ This has not yet been adopted as Government policy by the Government.

  1. and (3) As local authorities are constituted and function under State laws, it is relevant that real progress has been made in recent months towards substantially improving the financial position nf the States. In fact, it is estimated that the new financial assistance arrangements for the 5 years beginning 1970-71 will result in an increase of some $790m in the revenue funds available io the States compared with their position if the previous arrangements for revenue assistance had continued unaltered. At the discretion of the States, some of these increased funds may. of course, he directed towards local government authorities.

The problems facing the rural sector, with consequent effects on rural municipalities, are well recognised and the Government is helping to alleviate these problems through a range of policies. Some measure of the Government’s direct assistance to the rural sector can be gained from the fact that in the 1970-71 Budget, bounties and direct payments to rural industries are estimated to total $21 5m out of total payments to all industry of $272m. Substantial Government assistance has. moreover, been provided through such measures as taxation concessions and contributions to agricultural research, farm extention programme; and finds for market promotion. The Government has also acted to ensure the availability of favourable rural credit facilities.

page 37

QUESTION

TAXATION

(Question No. 789)

Senator GEORGES:

asked the Minister representing the Treasurer, upon notice:

  1. What has been the number of (a) petroleum and (b) mining companies whose shareholders have been entitled to the benefits provided in the Income Tax Assessment Act designed to induce investment in companies formed with the intention of undertaking petroleum and mining exploration and development for (i) 1969-70 and (ii) the period since provisions of this type first came into operation.
  2. How many of the companies in the above categories and during the said periods had their initial share issue oversubscribed.
  3. How many of the above companies had the opening stock market price exceed the share issue price and by what maximum and average percentage.
  4. If the information sought in (2) and (3) above is not available will the Treasurer please obtain it as part of a study to assess whether such tax deductions are necessary to induce the necessary investment.
Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

– The Treasurer has provided the following answer to the honourable senior’s question:

  1. Special taxation concessions have been available in respect of moneys paid on shares in petroleum exploration and mining companies since 1959 and in respect of general mining companies since 1962. The Commissioner of Taxation advises that the number of companies whose shareholders have been entitled to these taxation concessions Is as follows:

These figures do not include those companies whose shareholders have been entitled to a deduction in respect of one-third of the calls paid on shares in mining companies, as details are not available in these cases.

For the 1969/70 income year, information is not yet available, lt should be noted that, as from 1 July 1969. the concession in respect of moneys paid on shares does not. distinguish between petroleum mining and general mining companies; as a result, separate statistics for petroleum and general mining companies will not become available.

  1. and (3) This information is not available.
  2. The lengthy inquiries needed to obtain the information sought would, in my view, not be justified. The taxation concessions have undoubtedly encouraged investment in mining companies but there are a number of other factors which influence the market price nf particular shares and the success or otherwise of particular share issues.

page 37

QUESTION

TRADE

(Question No. 791)1

Senator GEORGES:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Trade and Industry upon notice:

  1. (a) With which countries in (i) Asia (ii) Africa and (iii) South America has Australia had an unfavourable balanceof trade for each of the last 5 years and (b) what was the amount of the balance in each case
  2. (a) With which countries in (i) Asia (ii) Africa and (iii) South America has Australia bad a favourable balance of trade, for each of the last 5 years and (b) what was the amount of the balance in each case.

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSONThe Minister for Trade and Industry has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

Attached are tables setting out Australia’s trade balance with (i) Asia (ii) Africa and (iii) South America. The tables were compiled from Overseas Trade Bulletins published by the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics.

page 40

QUESTION

USTASHI MOVEMENT

(Question No. 792)

Senator MULVIHILL:

asked the Minister representing the Attorney-General, upon notice:

In view of information given to Commonwealth authorities by Yugoslav Embassy officials indicating the source of certain Ustashi movements in Australia, what intensification of Victorian and Commonwealth Police activity can we expect to bring these terrorists to justice.

Senator WRIGHT:
LP

– The AttorneyGeneral has supplied the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

The Victorian and Commonwealth Police have made extensive enquiries into this matter. They have interviewed many people throughout Australia. All information, including that given by officials of the Yugoslav Embassy, has been followed up. The investigations are continuing.

page 40

MEAT EXPORTS

(Question No. 807)

SenatorWRIEDT asked the minister representing the Minister for Trade and Indutry, upon notice:

Is it a fact that the Soviet Union is about- to enter into major contracts to import beef; if so. what steps has the Australian Government taken to ensure a share of this market?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSONThe Minister for Trade and Industry has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

Prodintorg, the Soviet Union Meat Import Agency, has signed a further contract to purchase 50,000 tons of Australian beef and mutton for delivery between December 1970 and July 1971. The Australian Meat Board, which played a major role in securing the sale, acted as the contractor in the negotiations with Prodintorg. and will also charter the vessels necessary to carry the meat to Soviet ports.

This new contract to supply meat to the Soviet Union will bring the total quantity of Australian meat purchased by the Soviet Union since 1969 to some 86.000 tons valued at approximately $45m.

The successful negotiation of this new contract follows on vigorous efforts made to improve commercial relations between the Soviet Union and Australia. The signing of the Australian/USSR. Trade Agreement and recent Ministerial visits with associated trade discussions have served to reinforce the efforts of commercial interests. Marketing Boards, our overseas representatives and the Department of Trade and Industry in promoting Australia as an attractive and reliable source of supply

page 40

QUESTION

VIETNAM

(Question No. 813)

Senator MILLINER:
QUEENSLAND

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, upon notice:

Has the Minister’s attention been drawn to recent reports in ‘The New York Times’ from the American Central Intelligence Agency indicating that the Saigon Government, Army, and police force are so riddled with espionage agents that the Administration’s Vietnamisation programme is in jeopardy and indeed will not suceed; if so, does the Australian Government regard the contents as sufficiently serious to make a statement on the issues involved so that the people of Australia can be made aware of the situation?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

– The Minister for Foreign Affairs has provided the following reply:

I refer Senator Milliner to my answer to Question No.783 (Hansard. page 1849).

page 40

ABORIGINALS

The Minister is no doubt aware of theisolated nature of Cape Barren Island in Bass Strait. It is often cut off from shipping inbad weather, and the aerodrome is in bad shape. Is the Minister aware that the indigenous community on the Island is most concerned about the closing of the hospital and the departure of its trained nursing sister? They are concerned also at the lack of someone on the island trained in first aid for amongst the Island people are aged and invalids as well as families with young children and babies. Will the Minister make representations to the Minister-in-Charge of Aboriginal Affairs to have an inquiry made into the closing down of the hospital and the lack of a trained nursing sister on the Island?

The Minister-in-Charge of Aboriginal Affairs has provided the following answer to the honourable Senator’s question:

The Tasmanian Department of Health Services has advised that the whole question of the continuation of a District Nursing Centreon the Island is at present under review and also alternative suggestions are being considered. The Sister who served on Cape Barren Island for some 15 years finally reached the stage where she was no longer able to continue. It is extremely difficult to obtain the services of a trained nursing sister for such a remote and lonely area as Cape Barren Island.

At the present time the District Medical Officer is visiting the Island on the second and fourth Thursday of every month. This service is supplemented by a Royal Flying Doctor Service medical chest which is administered by the Headmaster and his wife on a voluntary basis. The Royal

Flying Doctor Air Ambulance Service provides an emergency service and can reach the Island in approximately one hour, except at night, and exceptionally bad weather conditions. There is also a fast Police Launch based on Flinders Island which can make the night crossings with the Doctor in emergencies. Until a firm decision is reached regarding the future of the District Nursing Centre the medical care of the Islanders is adequate.

page 41

JAPAN

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSONOn 26th October Senator Murphy asked me to bring into the Senate whatever the Government has in the way of a full record of what has been stated on behalf of the Japanese Government in relation to ils new military role. 1 agreed to take the question on notice and have it examined. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has provided the following answer:

Statements of another Government are more appropriately placed in the Parliamentary Library than tabled in Parliament. The Japanese Defence While Paper is not yet available in an English translation. When it is, copies will go to the Parliamentary Library. At present, I have available only extracts from the Paper which have, for the most part, appeared in the Press.

page 41

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

On 15th October 1.970 Senator Laucke asked me a question without notice on the subject of the professional qualification requirement of the Industrial Research and Development Grants Act. 1 undertook to have the question referred to the Minister for Trade and Industry. The Minister for Trade and Industry has now supplied me with the following answer:

Under the Industrial Research and Development Grants Act the Government provides Australian manufacturing and mining companies with an incentive to spend more on research and development. Grant-, are paid in relation to an increase in a company’s own expenditure in circumstances where the Australian Industrial Research and Development Grants Board, which administers the scheme, is satisfied that the company has met all the Act’s requirements.

The main purpose of the Act i.s lo stimulate an increase in the overall level of industrial research and development performed by Australian industrial companies.

While acknowledging Am on occasions worthwhile research can be carried out by nonprofessional teams, the Government was conscious of the need to ensure that the funds available for grants were used in the mo-;t productive manner.

The Act therefore aimed, by a few simple rules, to ensure that the work assisted could be generally expected to be of a high standard. The Act requires that lo be eligible for assistance the industrial research and development must be undertaken on a full-time basis and by. or under the supervision of, a professionally qualified person.

The company referred to by the honourable senator did apply to the Board for a grant. On a preliminary examination of the company’s application it was found that the company did not meet the Act’s requirements relating to professional qualifications and was therefore ineligible for a grant. Consequently, there was no need for the application to be subjected to full investigation by the Board to determine whether or not the professional qualification requirement was the only ground on which the company was ineligible for a grant.

The operation of the Act is now under review to determine the. future form and extent of the Government’s assistance to industry in this field. All the points of concern about the provisions of the Act which have been drawn to the Government’s attention will be fully considered in this review.

page 41

REDUCTIONS IN COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE

Ministerial Statement

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:
Minister for Supply · New South Wales · LP

– by leave - Earlier this evening I indicated that the Prime Minister (Mr Gorton) would be making a statement in the other place. I now have a copy of the statement made by the Prime Minister, lt is very brief. When I use the first person personal pronoun it refers to the Prime Minister.

I recently spoke to the nation on the state of the economy and on the likely inflationary effects of the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission’s award of a 6 per cent increase in wages and salaries. I said then that in order to decide what action should be taken now, Cabinet had sought to discover the areas in which demand seemed to be growing most strongly. One of those areas is the public sector - spending by governments - and we believe one of the first lines of attack on rising costs and prices should be to restrict what is being spent in that area.

When our Budget was introduced last August it was estimated that total Commonwealth expenditure would be $7. 883m. I should say here, I think, that although called Commonwealth expenditure, this amount included $2, 708m for reimbursement grants and other payments to the States. Indeed, such payments made up more than one-third of the Commonwealth Budget. The total increase was 11.2 per cent more than the year before. But since that Budget was formulated the Government has been faced with significant additional expenditure. The national wage case decision and other wage determinations are estimated to add directly, in the rest of this financial year, S88m to the Commonwealth’s own wage and salary bill in 1970- 71. In addition, those wage determinations, because they nave led to an increase in average wages greater than what was expected, will require the Commonwealth to pay an additional $20m to the States under the formula between the Commonwealth and the States. In addition, we will need to pay some $58m to the States in this financial year to recompense them for the loss of the receipts duty tax on which they had budgeted. Mainly as a result of these outlays, payments to the States are now expected to exceed the Budget estimates by some $83m, and emergency payments associated with recent Moods will doubtless increase the outlays required.

Other additional demands on our resources since the Budget was brought down include the provision of $12m as a capital advance to the Australian Wool Commission, and we believe some $6m will be required this financial year for rural debt reconstruction and farm adjustment.

Senator Keeffe:

Mr Acting Deputy President, the Leader of the Government is reading a statement that was made by the Prime Minister in another place-

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

– For which I have been given leave.

Senator Keeffe:

– Normally copies are distributed.

The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT (Senator Laucke - Order! Leave has been granted.

Senator Keeffe:

– -Could not copies of the statement be distributed? Why cannot we read it?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

I do not have any copies.

Senator Keeffe:

– lt is the first time this has happened in the history of this chamber.

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSONAs soon as I get them I will make them available. I cannot do any better than that. We must also expect increases in costs of the material used by the Government. So all in all, it is estimated by the Treasury that the net increase in expenditure since the Budget was prepared will amount to approximately $242m, if departments were provided with the sums they have asked for. This is the background against which we have decided that we should make reductions in what would otherwise have been spent.

Having made a complete and detailed survey of Commonwealth expenditures, we propose to reduce the amounts which departments have sought by some $75m in the remaining months of this financial year. These reductions are’ made across the whole range of Commonwealth departments, but they do not involve any reductions in our payments to the States. Our object has been to effect reductions in the Commonwealth expenditures for its own purposes. We have not sought to achieve this at the expense of the States. A dissection of the reduction of $75m as between the main categories of Commonwealth expenditure is provided in a table which, with the concurrence of honourable members, I incorporate in Hansard.

Further details of the various reductions will be provided as necessary by individual Ministers. Thew reductions are spread right across the board, but it will be observed thai the areas where the more substantial savings have been made are defence, capital works and capital advances. and departmental running expenses. We were particularly anxious to effect economies in administrative expenditure, including the overtime and salary expenditures of Commonwealth departments. At the same time we have endeavoured to avoid reducing expenditures on essential development activities. In more general terms, we have sought to reduce the contribution of Commonwealth expenditures to total demand and to curb the Commonwealth’s demands on the labour market.

Thus the reductions in departmental expenditures will involve restraint on Public Service employment. The Public Service Board reported to me that a routine statistical projection made prior to my instructions indicated an increase in 1970-71, in full-time employment under the Public Service Act, of 4.6 per cent on the numbers employed as at 30th June 1970.In 1969- 70 the comparable increase was 4.8 per cent, whilst the increase in total civilian and defence forces employment in the community was 4 per cent. The Board advised me that my instructions for restraint on establishment increases could benefit the health and soundness of administration in the Commonwealth Service, and it suggested that a limitation should be placed on the increase in Service employment.

The Public Service Board has now reported to me that in its discussions with departments, it has stressed the Government’s policy of restraint but has not endeavoured to impose arbitrary cuts in employment. The Board’s recommendation, which has been accepted, was that departmental increases in employment, which will be kept to the minimum, should not exceed at 30th June 1971 an overall increase in the Service of 3.4 per cent as compared with numbers employed under the Public Service Act on 30th June 1970. This is a reduction of about 25 per cent on the projected increase in employment disclosed in the Board’s earlier survey. Put another way, the Board’s original projection was that the Service would grow by 10.534 in 1970-71. This growth has been cut by 2,735.

The Commonwealth has, I believe, moved quickly and firmly in the area available to it. It is necessary to do so. For, as we see it, the best interests of the community require that inflation shall be overcome, and one of the first steps to this end must be action to restrain our own expenditures.

Senator MURPHY:
New South WalesLeader of the Opposition

– I move:

I would like - perhaps we all would - to speak in extenso on this matter; but an urgency motion is to come up tonight. Therefore, with the thought that a motion of more substance than the one I now move might be substituted by me, with leave of the Senate, on a later occasion, I ask for leave to continue my remarks later.

Senator Sir Magnus Cormack:

– What is the motion - that the Senate take note of the statement?

Senator MURPHY:

– Yes.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.

page 43

SOCIAL SERVICE PAYMENTS

Formal Motion for Adjournment

The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT (Senator Laucke) -I inform the Senate that the President has received from Senator Gair the followingletter, dated 15th December 1970:

Dear Mr President,

In accordance with Standing Order 64 I intend to move on Tuesday the sixteenthday of February 1971 -

That the Senate atits rising adjourn until Wednesday the seventeenth day of February at 2.55 p.m. for the purpose of debating a Matter of Urgency, namely:

The need for the immediate introduction of the necessary legislation to provide for increases in the rales of Social Service Payments - Aged, Invalid and Widows’ Pensions - to a level compatible with the minimum needs of the recipients, the total inadequacy of the present level of payments having been further exposed and now to be exacerbated by the judgment in the National Wage Case.”

Isthe motion supported? (More than the number of senators required by the Standing Orders having risen in their places)

Senator GAIR:
Leader of the Australian Democratic Labor Party · Queensland

– I move:

I do so for the purpose of debating a matter of urgency, namely:

The need foi the immediate introduction of the necessary legislation to provide for increases in the rates of Social Service payments-Aged, Invalid and Widows’ Pensions - to a level compatible wilh the minimum needs of the recipients, the total inadequacy of the present level of payments having been further exposed and now to be exacerbated by the judgment in the National Wage Case.

This is the first opportunity the Democratic Labor Party has had to move an urgency motion without having to depend on the support of a senator or senators from outside the Party. That changed position is due, of course, to an increase in the number of DLP senators since the recent Senate election. The DLP is now able to comply with the Standing Orders concerning urgency motions.

The matter that has been proposed for discussion tonight’ is in connection with allowances paid to the pensioners of Australia. I am confident that no senator will dispute that the matter is one of urgency which merits immediate action by the Government This is not a new concern of mine or my Party’s, ft is not something that has suddenly occurred to us overnight. Anyone who cares to peruse or read the speeches I have made since my election to the Senate and those of my colleagues will observe the continuing interest and concern that we have had for pensioners and those unable 10 obtain a pension because of the iniquitous means test. I nave raised the subject during every Budget debate and I have participated in the debate on every social services Bill dealing with pensions. The DLP wants action on the pensions question. Because we believe that it is one of the most important domestic problems facing Australia, we expect early action by the Government.

We hope, during this debate, to place the spotlight on the inadequate pension rate, the anomalies in the system existing at present, the injustices in the means test and the failure of the Government in this sphere. When Mt Wentworth, the present Minister for Social Services, was appointed to that position we hoped that the pensioner would be given a better deal. That hope was based on the statements and speeches made by him when he was a private member. He frequently criticised the means test and the inadequacy of the pension rates. But his performance has not lived up to expectations. Either he has been muzzled by Cabinet or he has been disregarded by the Prime Minister (Mr Gorton) and the Treasurer (Mr Bury), because since his appointment no marked improvement has been effected in the pension rates or in the means test. lt is true that there have been minor variations of the rates here and there - $1 in 1968, SI in 1969 and 50c in 1970. 1 regard the miserable 50c that was provided for pensioners in the 1970 Budget as a deliberate and definite freeze of pensions, lt was clearly intended to be a freeze of pensions. There has been no evidence 10 the contrary up to now, notwithstanding the fact that the Government has become acquainted with the 1.9 per cent increase in the cost of living in the last quarter of 1970 and the fact that the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission declared an overall 6 per cent rise in wages and salaries, in addition to the indirect taxation imposed by the Government itself in the last Budget. All of that has had and will have the effect of eroding the purchasing power of the pittance paid to pensioners. Apart from the amounts 1 have mentioned, the Government has done nothing to lift the pensioner to a position where his pension rate is really adequate. Those amounts were intended only to offset increases in the cost of living. We want to see the position of the pensioner lifted so that he will not he asked to continue to live as a pauper, chasing the specials or going without the things which might make his life more livable.

Then there was the introduction of the tapered means test in 1969. That was a move in the right direction, I will concede. But it introduced an element of unfair discrimination. It debarred a section of pensioners from receiving the fringe benefits normally given to all pensioners. They were not only debarred from Commonwealth fringe benefits, but the State and local government authorities also denied them fringe benefits because they were not entitled to a full pension. I have said before and I repeal now that the means test is iniquitous and imposes a penalty on thrift. It has become even more iniquitous in this era of growing inflation, because inflation severely affects people on fixed incomes who were thrifty enough in their working lives and were prepared to provide for their old age to some extent. They find now that their savings are eroded because of inflation. They find that the sum they thought sufficient to maintain them in a reasonable condition is being whittled away by increased costs of living and transport, and other increased charges with which they are faced. The amount they thought would be sufficient has proved to be insufficient. The purchasing power of their savings has been eroded, yet the means test is still applied.

Inflation and the means test have caused many people to wonder whether they would have been better off to spend and not to save during their years of employment, thereby making themselves eligible for a pension. All honourable senators are aware of people who had a small reserve which prevented them qualifying for a pension and decided to spend that reserve on tours. Those people are not anxious to travel but they can see that what they have must be expended before they can qualify for a pension. That situation is cultivated by the present system of social services. It is contrary to the best interests of individuals and Australia.

Pensioners today are. as badly off as they were under the last Australian Labor Party Government. That is an undeniable and indisputable fact. I invite honourable senators to compare present rates of pension and those paid by the last ALP Government with average weekly earnings, making allowance for the fringe benefits that pensioners enjoy today but did not receive from the last ALP Government. That comparison supports the statement I have made. In 1945 single age pensioners were paid 32s 6d a week. In today’s currency that is $3.25. In 1947 they were paid $3.75 and today they are paid $15.50. Obviously in the intervening period there has been a fall in the real value of money. One cannot buy today for 50c the same amount of goods or services that could be obtained in 1947 for 5s. Therefore these rates of payment must be compared with another figure to establish a true comparison. This result can be achieved by relating pension rates to what the Commonwealth Statistician calls the average weekly earnings per employed male unit in Australia.

Last year, following the pension increase of 50c in the Budget bringing the single age pension to $15.50 a week, that pension represented 19.1 per cent of average weekly earnings. In 1947 the single age pension represented 24.0 per cent. Clearly there has been a decrease in the pension as a proportion of average weekly earnings from 24 per cent to 19 per cent. But it would be grossly unfair to end the story at that point. In the years of the Liberal-Country Party Government since 1949 a number of significant fringe benefits have been made available to pensioners. The major fringe benefits I have in mind are the medical and pharmaceutical benefits.

It would be a task beyond my capacity to evaluate those fringe benefits monetarily, but I am quite certain in my mind that they would equal the 5 per cent difference established by the comparison I have made if not more. Therefore I believe that there is truth in my claim that pensioners today are as badly off as they were under the last ALP Government. Of course, I am conscious of the categories of pensioners. The first group of pensioners, and the ones about whom I am most concerned, are the aged people who, because of their advanced years and poor state of health, are unable to supplement their pensions. They rely wholly and solely on their pensions. Another group of pensioners consists of those who are willing to work if they can get jobs suitable to their capacities and abilities. Because of advanced years and failing health these people experience great difficulty in securing suitable employment. They are limited by their capacity to work. Was it ever intended that a woman of 60 years or more should be required to seek employment to enable her to supplement an inadequate pension?

Senator Buttfield:

– Some of us want to work.

Senator GAIR:

– I said ‘required to work’. You have a choice. I know of others who brag about their ability and desire to work but would not work in an iron lung. Last year, following the pension increase of 50c in the Budget - that great freeze of the pensions - a great public reaction occurred, not from pensioners alone but from almost every citizen of

Australia. They registered their protests in some form or other and are continuing to register their protests at the inhuman approach of the present Government to the widows and the aged and invalid in our community.

Ever since the formation of the Democratic Labor Party we have advocated and pressed for the introduction of a contributory national insurance scheme to cover the aged, to provide for the widow of the breadwinner and to provide for our people in times of sickness and hospitalisation. Our ultimate policy remains firm. But we are also realists. We recognise that the entire social welfare system cannot be changed overnight. Pending the introduction of any new scheme we have called for pension rates to be increased to a more realistic level, the extension of fringe benefits to all pensioners and the abolition of the means test for all pensioners particularly for those over 75 years of age. We contend that the Government should raise pensions immediately. If it was really just, it would make the payment at the increased rate retrospective, if not to the date of the last Budget in August of last year, when the pensioners should have received more than a miserable. 50c, at least to the beginning of the calendar year 1971, after which date the Government became aware of a marked increase of 1.9 per cent in the cost of living in the previous quarter. I believe that it was then that the Government, became aware of the inflationary trend.

Now it has been suggested, seriously, that pensions and allowances cannot be increased because that would add to the inflationary trend. The interpretation f put on that statement is that the Government is content to allow the pensioners to carry the burden of the inflationary evil which has come upon us and which has been contributed to by the Government itself. That statement could be interpreted to mean also that the Government is content to allow the pensioners to live in their stale of penury because the economy might be disturbed by a dispensation of justice to the aged, the invalid and the widowed. The Government should raise pensions immediately. lt must have other effective means of correcting this inflationary trend of which it has become aware in recent times only. If the Government claims that inflation prevents it from increasing pensions immediately, I repeal that it is singling out the pensioner for unfair treatment. Pensioners needed increased rates even before inflation became a real menace, or became apparent, at least to the Government.

The Government cannot escape some blame for the inflationary trend. The S280m tax rebate in 1970, which was much in excess of what had been promised, and the growth of bureaucracy have both contributed to inflation. Governments, federal and State, have given no lead in arresting the inflationary trend. In 1969 we had before this chamber the Judiciary Bill by which the salary of the Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia was increased from §24.000 - a real bread-line salary - to $30,000. That was an increase of $6,000. In 1965, 4 years earlier, his salary had been increased from $20,000 to $24,000. Yet in 1 969 he was given also a non-taxable allowance of $2,000. At that time the salary of a justice of the High Court was increased from $21,000 to $27,000 and. in addition, each justice was given a nontaxable allowance of $1,500. The salaries for judges of the Commonwealth Industrial Court, the Federal Court of Bankruptcy, the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory, and for presidential members of the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission were increased by $5,000 with a nontaxable allowance of SI. 000. The Chief Judge and President of the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission received an increase in salary of $5,000 with a nontaxable allowance of SI .500.

In 1970 the salary for the Commissioner of the Export Payments Insurance Corporation was increased to $16,931. for the Assistant Directors of the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation the salary was increased to $15,592 and for the Director of the Australian Stevedoring Industry Authority it was increased to $1.1,822. At that time. I said that these increases would trigger inflation. The consequence has been that all the high bracket public servants have helped themselves to big increases in salaries. The States, which are always crying for money from the Commonwealth, also have offended in this direction to a great extent. Victorian Parliamentarians recently gave themselves a salary increase of 20 per cent. 1 recommend that Queensland State Ministers should curtail their frequent pilgrimages abroad and that the Premier, Mr Bjelke-Petersen. might consider cancelling the order he has placed for an aircraft costing $170,000 and the appointment of a full time lady pilot. All these actions have done nothing to emphasise the need for economy in the inflationary era which has arisen.

If the Governments failed to give a lead, who could blame the trade union movement for going to the courts seeking an improvement in wages? But the point that I want to make tonight is that everybody appears to be able to improve his own salary and the trade unions are able to get recognition from the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission, but nobody seems to be concerned about the pensioners, the poorest section of our community, particularly those who rely wholly and solely on the pensions that they receive. Surely the Government will not wait until August and the next parliamentary session, to remedy this injustice. Surely the Government is not so inhuman that it will ask the pensioners to persevere and to continue to live on this inadequate allowance. Its value, of course, is being eroded because of the increased cost of living, higher transport charges and taxi fares - al! those things which are prohibitive to pensioners. In many centres where public transport is not available old sick people have to walk if they require to go to hospital. Yet we are told that any increase in pensions will only add to the inflationary evil.

In this country which we claim to be progressive, democratic and Christian, a country which is relatively affluent and rich, can any one of us go to bed at night and rest knowing the injustice that is being perpetuated against a section of our people, most of whom have contributed greatly to the development and progress of this country and have made possible the conditions which we enjoy today? I have outlined what I believe to be the facts about the position of pensioners in Australia. I have only half an hour at my disposal to make this speech. I did not very much appreciate the intrusion into the business of the Senate of a statement that could have been read tomorrow. The Leader of the Government (Senator Sir

Kenneth Anderson) knew very well that there was a limit to the time for debate on this question. If events follow the normal course, attempts will be made to adjourn the Senate in about half an hour but I intimate now that if 1 can gain the necessary support the Senate will not adjourn until this debate has been properly handled.

The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT (Senator Laucke) - Order! The honourable senator’s time has expired.

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:
Minister for Housing · Queensland · LP

(10.3) - I rise to speak to the motion brought before the Senate by Senator Gair and his supporters. All of us are concerned, of course, about people in need and all of us at all times wish to help them whenever we can. I believe this Government over the years has demonstrated its concern by the assistance it has given to these people. I think it appropriate for me at this point to remind honourable senators of what is available to pensioners today from Commonwealth sources and to mention the part played by Liberal and Country Party governments in developing the present comprehensive range of benefits and services. Year after year since Liberal and Country Party governments first took office they have reviewed social services. They have increased the basic rate of pension on no less than 15 occasions in the case of single pensioners and on 14 occasions in the case of married pensioners in order to bring their respective base rates to Si 5.50 and $27.50 a week. I say, very deliberately, that these governments have constantly reviewed these matters because Senator Gair implied that this Government has not concerned itself with the problems of pensioners.

Liberal and Country Party governments have recognised that, there are groups of pensioners with special needs requiring special consideration. I remind the Senate that this was the reason for the introduction in 1958 of supplementary assistance for single pensioners who were entirely dependent upon their pensions and were paying rent. The rate of supplementary assistance now is $2 a week and the conditions of eligibility have been considerably improved since 1958. Honourable senators will remember that I introduced into the

Senate legislation to give effect to the dwellings for single age pensioners scheme. That legislation was specifically brought in to assist single age and eligible pensioners who had no other income than their pension. It is good to know that this scheme is progressing and units are being provided for these people. Approval has been given for more units to be made available throughout Australia, in rural and in metropolitan areas. The fact that S25m is to be made available over 5 years - 1969 to 1974 - will assist in housing these people, lt was recognised that this was one of the areas in which there was a great deal of need. Single eligible people with no income other than their pension were paying rent far beyond what they could afford. This scheme was designed to assist one of these very special areas.

Another group of pensioners whose position has engaged the attention of the Government consists of those with children in their custody, care and control. When the Liberal and Country Party Government came into office in 1949 a pensioner with more than one child received no additional cash assistance for the second and subsequent children in his or her care. Let us contrast that situation with the situation today. Not only has the Government introduced an additional pension, which is now S3. 50 per week, for each child or student child after the first for all pensioners, but it has also legislated for a guardian’s allowance - called in this case a mother’s allowance, for widow pension - of up to S6 per week for single and widowed pensioners with the care of one or more children. At present S2.50 per week is paid for the first or only child of all pensioners.

The marked improvement in the position of the single or widowed pensioner with children can best be illustrated perhaps by reference to the case of a widow pensioner wilh. say. 3 children. The maximum cash assistance available to such a woman under the Social Services Act today by way of pension and supplementary payments is S33 per week excluding child endowment. When the Libera! and Country Party Government took office in 1949 a woman in similar circumstances would have been receiving a pension of ‘“54.75 a week. Surely al! these things show a tremendous improvement over that period of time.

Senator Cant:

– What is the difference now in the cost of living?

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– If the honourable senator listens to me he will receive all that information, lt will prove the point about which he is interested. Other special groups are recognised in provisions introduced by this Government. I refer to such matters as the extension of benefits in respect of student children up to 21 years of age who are in the care of age, invalid or widow pensioners. There is the provision for dual payment for up to 12 weeks to the survivor when one of a pensioner couple dies. I believe every honourable senator recognises that this is of great assistance in this very real area of need. Then there is the payment of the standard rate to certain married pensioners who have to live apart for health reasons. Wc know there are cases where a husband or a wife may bc in hospital or in a nursing home. This is a matter which was causing very real concern, lt was another area of great need which deserved some special consideration. This matter was looked at and assistance given.

Reference has been made tonight to the means test. I think this is something which should be looked at because under the means test pensioners are allowed a substantial amount of income and ‘or property before the base pension or the additional payments I have already mentioned are affected. I shall refer to the effect of (he Government’s liberalisations of the means test later on in my speech, lt is interesting to note - this is a point to which I think Senator Cant was referring earlier - the improvement which has been achieved in the real value of pensions since the Government came to office. When this Government came to office in 1949 the base pension was S4.25 a week. Had this pension been varied in accordance with movements in the consumer price index it would be §10.33 a week now instead of the $15.50 a week - single pension - or SI 3.75 a week - married person - now payable. Thus the real value of the single pension has increased bv some 50 per cent since 1949.

Under the Gorton Government increases in the age pension have also more than kept pace with increases in prices. When the Gorton Government took office in January 196S the single age pension was §13 a week and the married age pension was SI 1.75 a week. The consumer price index for the December quarter of 1967 - the quarter immediately preceding the date the Gorton Government took office - was 103.0. The index for the December quarter of 1970 - the latest available - was 114. To maintain the real value of the January 1968 pension the weekly rates of the single pension would be $14.39 and for a married person it would be $13. Having regard to the increases which have been provided in subsequent budgets, weekly increases of $2.50 and $2 have been made in the standard and married rates respectively, bringing their present levels to $15.50 and $13.75 a week respectively. Thus the increases have significantly exceeded the amounts required to maintain the real value of the January 1968 pension.

Senator Gair:

– The Ministers colleagues are not very interested in the plight of the pensioners.

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– I would reply to Senator Gair by saying that this Government’s interest in all fields of social services is shown by the record of what it has done for the people. The Government’s performances in the field of social services should be judged not upon who is or is not in the chamber at present but upon the record of its achievements. 1 wish to continue discussing the new benefits which have been introduced and the widening of eligibility for some of the existing benefits. This Government introduced in 1956 the payment of an additional pension for children after the first and subsequently provision was made for extending the payment in respect of student children. The supplementary assistance allowance was introduced in 195S, the mother’s allowance was introduced in 1963 and the guardian’s allowance was introduced in 1965. These allowances have been paid to single and widow pensioners with children. In 1965 there was a further extension of the eligibility for the wife’s allowance to include cases where the pensioner husband is not an invalid but where there is a child. This allowance was payable previously only where the pensioner husband was an invalid. I think that in itself shows a realisation of an area of need in which this Government has assisted. Honourable senators are no doubt well aware of the sheltered employment allowance. This allowance was introduced in 1967 to assist invalid pensioners employed in sheltered workshops and it has been of very great assistance to these people.

Senator Gair:

– The Minister is saying that the pensioners should be satisfied with what they are getting.

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– I am not saying that at all. What I am saying is-

Senator Murphy:

– The Minister is saying that she is satisfied; that is what she is saying.

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– I am not saying that I am satisfied and I am not saying that the Government is satisfied; 1 am showing that the Government has a continuing and constant concern for those who are pension recipients. 1 am saying that the Government has not only been concerned but has also put its concern into action in the Form of assistance in the areas of need I have mentioned and it will always be concerned about these matters.

Senator Hendrickson:

– A little help is worth a bushel of pity.

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– I did not hear the honourable senator’s interjection.

Senator Poyser:

– Read it in Hansard tomorrow.

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– That is a good idea. 1 will do that. 1 think it also necessary to look at the need which exists in the field of housing. The Government has been of great assistance in providing dwellings for aged persons. In this respect I think that recognition should be given to the church and charitable bodies which have given care and attention to providing housing assistance for aged persons. Honourable senators are no doubt aware that the aged persons homes scheme has been in operation for some years now. The subsidy was originally on the basis of $1 for $1. but it was increased to $2 for Si because the Government recognised that there was a great need in this area. This, of course, has meant that all over Australia - as far away as Alice Springs or as close as one’s nearest suburb - there are now homes for aged persons under the aged persons homes scheme. This is talcing away from these people the fear of being alone and uncared for - -the fear of insecurity. Assistance is now being given in this very important area, f am sure all honourable senators will agree with me when I say that this is a very important area. This Government is providing more and more assistance in this field and more and more homes are being built to meet this need.

Senator Hendrickson:

– Where are they?

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– Which ones is the honourable senator talking about?

Senator Hendrickson:

– The homes for aged people.

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– Homes are being built all over Australia for aged persons including those who are in receipt of social service benefits.

Senator Hendrickson:

– I will give the Minister tomorrow the names of 50 people who are in need of a home.

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– I. am talking about the areas in which these homes have been built. Some of them have been built in the honourable senator’s own State of Victoria. I think I have already given in this chamber a list of the places in which the building of these homes has been approved under the dwellings for aged pensioners scheme and in which 578 units will be available. Let me go on to speak a little more about other forms of assistance. The hearing aid service is one. These fringe benefits all add up and are of tremendous importance. If honourable senators opposite are concerned about, pensioners and about what is being done for them they should be interested in fringe benefits. Fringe benefits are important to pensioners. Another fringe benefit is the training scheme for widow pensioners. I believe that this has given to many widowed people not only great pleasure in being able to be trained to do something that they wish to do but confidence in themselves., a feeling that they can be secure again and take a new interest in life. The personal care subsidy for aged persons is much more than just the actual care; I believe that it is the person who gives the care who contributes greatly to the assistance. Is there anybody in this chamber who does not agree with me when I say that the Meals on Wheels subsidy is another fringe benefit which is of great assistance? A nutritious, hot, good meal is being taken to the homes of pensioners under the Meals on Wheels scheme. All these benefits also have been introduced by this Government to assist pensioners.

Senator Gair rather belittled the Minister for Social Services (Mr Wentworth). He said that great things had been expected of him but nothing had been done. That was a most unfair statement. Many of the benefits to which I referred have been introduced since the present minister has been in office. I shall remind honourable senators of other fringe benefits that have been introduced. I refer to the pensioner medical service and to the nursing home benefits. These are of tremendous importance. I think it is almost impossible to assess in money terms how beneficial these are. As I proceed I shall give honourable senators an idea of what the benefits would average a week.

Senator Hendrickson:

– If they starve lo death they cannot make use of the benefits.

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– I think that comment detracts from what has been done. I am showing how the Government is endeavouring to assist these people and how it is introducing more and more benefits which cover a wide range. Not only has the actual pension rate been increased but also other benefits such as the nursing home benefits and the telephone, radio and television concessions have been made available. The Government has provided assistance in housing, which I have mentioned. Travel concessions are also available.

Honourable senators will recall that last year, when dealing with the Social Services Bill, 1 tabled details of the fringe benefits available to pensioners from both Commonwealth and State Government sources. I think it is important that honourable senators should acquaint themselves of the benefits which pensioners may receive. I pointed out then - and I refer to it again - that the value of these benefits to eligible pensioners averaged about $5 a week. It is worth emphasising, to remind honourable senators, that the figure was an average one and that it can be misleading. The value of fringe benefits in individual cases can be considerably more than the average figure. I am sure all honourable senators will appreciate this point. If a pensioner requires constant medical attention, which is provided under the pensioner medical service, this is a benefit which is of tremendous assistance to the pensioner. Senator Gairs motion makes no mention of the amount of increase that he sees necessary to meet, as the motion puts it, the minimum needs of the recipients. It is easy to make sweeping statements about what should be done to benefit the community, or sections of it, in one way or another. It is also easy to overlook the matter of responsibility for finding the funds to give effect to these proposals.

Last year, in connection with the Senate election, I read with interest what Senator Gair was reported as saying. I have only the Press reports on this. He was reported as saying that the pension rate should be increased immediately to half the minimum wage. Presumably that is still his view: I do not know. That is the point he made then. The existing minimum wage under Commonwealth awards is $46.40. Therefore his proposal would involve increasing nil pensions to $23.20 a week. Assuming the proposal relates to basic pension rates only - that is, disregarding additional pensions and allowances where there are children, about which I have informed the Senate already, as honourable senators will recall - the cost in respect of the number of age. invalid and widow pensions current at the beginning of this year is estimated to be $443m a year. It should bp noted, too - and I think it is important that we should note these figures because we have a responsibility to do so - that an increase in pension on the scale mentioned would enable a number of persons at present ineligible because of means to qualify for a pension, but the number and cost involved cannot be assessed accurately.

Typically, no mention appears to have been made of the source of the funds from which the heavily increased charge for pensions would have to be found. All of us would like lo be able to spend more on social welfare and on the other activities of government. As we all recognise, our desires for increased expenditure must be limited by the funds available. I think that those of us who appreciate these points recognise that this Government has a very fine record in the field of social services, it has a record of a continuing review of all areas of social services, lt has done a very fine service in the areas of special need. This Government will continue to study these matters. It will continue to be concerned with the needs of the people and with the areas of special need.

Senator Milliner:

– By increasing the pension by 50c a week?

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– I do not know whether the honourable senator has been present all the time that [ have been speaking.

Senator Milliner:

– Yes, I have been present.

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– I am sorry that I did not notice him if he has been present. Whether he has or has not. I have told the Senate about the fringe benefits which are available. They arc benefits additional to the pension rates. These additional benefits are tremendously important. They are not be be disregarded. One has to take into account what is being done, what is being given and the assistance that is being made available.

Senator Cavanagh:

– Those benefits are of value only to those who receive them.

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN I think it would be interesting if some of the people who interject worked out how much these benefits mean to people. They mean a great deal.

Senator Cavanagh:

– They do not mean a thing to the person who does not qualify

Senator Murphy:

– I think the Minister said that they are worth about S4 a week.

Senator Buttfield:

– The Minister is talking about pensioners. Pensioners qualify.

Senator Dame ANNABELLE RANKIN:

– 1 do not know what the tribal warfare is about so I cannot come in on the side of the right or on the side of the left. I shall continue. Tomorrow I shall read in Hansard what was said. Senator Gair, in the course of his speech, claimed that the pension should be a specific proportion of the average weekly earnings or that it should be adjusted in accordance with movements in average weekly earnings. In reply to my friend Senator Gair. I say that no Commonwealth Government has ever accepted the proposition that the pension should be related to either criteria. The pension rate has always been determined in the light of the various commitments of the government and in the light of the revenues at its disposal. The record of this LiberalCountry Party Government since 1949 has illustrated and has proved that pensioners and their needs have always been given a high priority when available funds have been allocated among the various government responsibilities.I believe that that situation will continue. The Government’s policy is to use available funds to the greatest advantage of the community as a whole. As honourable senators know, there are many competing commitments. These cannot be met in full without straining the economy unduly. The Government has examined with care the position of pensioners. At all times it. will continue to examine their position. It will continue to assess their position as and when it can. Honourable senators can be assured that pension increases have been granted at the maximum that could be prudently made.

Debate interrupted.

page 52

ADJOURNMENT

The PRESIDENT:

– Order! In conformity with the sessional order relating to the adjournment of the Senate I formally put the question:

That the Senate do now adjourn.

Question resolved in the negative.

page 52

SOCIAL SERVICE PAYMENTS

Formal Motion for Adjournment

Debate resumed.

Senator MURPHY:
New South WalesLeader of the Opposition

– We in the Australian Labor Party support this motion. The motion is one to debate as a matter of urgency the proposition that there is a need for the immediate introduction of the necessary legislation to provide for increases in the rates of social service payments - aged, invalid and widows’ pensions - to a level compatible with the minimum needs of the recipients. There is a reference to the total inadequacy of those being further exposed by the national wage case. We support the motion not on the basis that the national wage case gave any sum that was too great because that was merely some adjustment for the falling value of money. We do so on the basis that this is calling for a discussion in order to push for the immediate introduction of legislation to upgrade the social service pensions in this country. The judgment of this country is that the pensioners are not getting a fair go. That is the judgment not only of the Opposition Parties here but also of the churches andthe other agencies to which the Minister for Housing (Senator Dame Annabelle Rankin) referred as themselves having to undertake the care of some of these persons who are depending on social services.

It does not matter What the Minister says about the fringe benefit.It is the basic pension which is inadequate. We know that pensions were increased only by some 3 per cent during a period when there was a 5 per cent inflation. We know that there is a heavy inflation continuing and that it has been produced in part by the actions of the Government. The Government introduced indirect taxation. It increased sales tax. It was not merely an increase in the amount of sales tax because the amount was being increased already by the inflation which was continuing. It actually increased the rate of sales tax by some 10 per cent from 25 per cent to 271/2 per cent over a whole range of commodities. The Government also increased the excise on another range of commodities which would inevitably affect the costs of goods and services throughout the community. On top of that by its directions to the Reserve Bank of Australia and through it to the other banks it pushed up the interest rates to a record high and it has maintained them at that level. Now what else could one have but inflation?

The Government has been producing this inflation itself. Partly the inflation may be a response to world wide trends because inflation is going on in the United States of America, Great Britain, Germany, all over Europe and almost everywhere in the world. Some of the economists say that inflation is desirable. That is why it is extraordinary to hear some of the statements which we heard made tonight by the Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Sir Kenneth Anderson) when towards the end of his statement he said:

The Commonwealth has, I believe, moved quickly and firmly in the area available lo it. lt is necessary to do so.

It is extraordinary, is it not, to hear these remarks from the very Government which was potent in producing the inflation by its own measures. The statement goes on:

For. as we see it, the best interests, of the community require am inflation shall be overcome.

Senator Branson:

– Finish the quote, senator.

Senator MURPHY:

– lt continues:

  1. . and one of the first steps lo this end must be action to restrain our own expenditures.

Mr President, we know that inflation is not going to be overcome. If one were to over come inflation entirely this would be as destructive as over inflation because the world is moving at a rate of inflation. If this is the basis upon which the Government is going to proceed heaven help the community. We see that there is a cut back in various areas but no endeavour is made to do anything to relieve the position of the pensioners. The pensioners are nol responsible for the inflation. It is not the pensioners who introduced indirect taxes. It is not the pensioners who increased interest rates to the highest level. It is not the pensioners who are neglecting to see to it that Arm action is taken against the restrictive practices which are admitted on all hands to be a powerful inflationary factor in the community. Who are the guilty people? The guilty people are members of the Liberal Party and Australian Country Party. There has been a combination of inaction by the Federal Attorney General (Mr Hughes) who has at last said that he will quicken up his review of the Trade Practices Act and the LiberalCountry Parly Governments in the States which have resolutely refused lo introduce legislation as the Federal members of the Liberal Party have asked them to do.

We have allowed the restrictive practices to go on in the community without any real check until 1 think even the Government is becoming frightened of what is happening in the field of restrictive prac tices. Those who indulge in those practices are able to go on unchecked. But somebody has to bear the brunt and that is thu people on the fixed incomes, the pen’sioners, superannuitants and others. This Government will not do anything to help them notwithstanding that they have done nothing to cause the inflation and they can do nothing to avoid the effects of it except look to the Government, the Government on behalf of which the Minister who has apparently now left the Chamber keeps on saying - we have heard it ever since she has been the Minister - how concerned she is as the pensioners go down the drain <is do the other people whom the Government is supposed to look after. The honourable senator says the Government is actively concerned until it is like a record. One gets sick of hearing how concerned the Government is about these people. But we do not want concern to be expressed in this Chamber. What we want is some action. The obvious action lo deal with this problem is to introduce legislation to upgrade the basic pensions and at the same time to introduce into that legislation selfacting machinery to see that this plight of the pensioners does not recur, ls that too much to suggest? lt is the policy of the Australian Labor Party that social security payments will be tied to a proportion of the average weekly earnings so that persons receiving benefits will receive automatic increases as either productivity increases or as other factors increase general prosperity or as inflation occurs.

Senator Prowse:

– When did that become the policy?

Senator MURPHY:

– That wa< formulated in that way in 1969 but it has been roughly the policy for a considerable time before that. The Australian Labor Party is not the only one which has this view. Even the Republican President in the United States shares the same view. In one of his statements in 1969 he .said: 1 have requested an across-the-board increase of 10 per cent in Social Security benefits to compensate elderly Americans for the losses they are suffering because of an inflation they could do nothing cither to prevent or avoid. In addition. I have proposed a new reform, an escalator in Social Security lo insure thai benefits will rise correspondingly whenever the cost of living goes up. When this reform is enacted, never again will those Americans least able lo alford it be made to bear the brunt ot intiation. These necessary steps can and should be taken by Congress before the end of this year.

Senator Prowse:

– There is a vast difference between that statement and the one you made. One relates to the average cost of living and the other to the average wage level.

Senator MURPHY:

– Of course there may be a difference in detail, but there is a great difference, a gulf, between the views which have been expressed by my Party and others tonight and the Government’s philosophy. The difference is that we consider that the pensioner should not have to bear the brunt of inflation. The Minister has made it clear that the Government has examined the position. She says: ‘We have carefully examined the position of the pensioners.’ She makes clear by her silence that nothing is going to be done to alleviate that position.

Senator Dame Annabelle Rankin:

– We have carefully examined it and we will give more and more assistance as and when practicable.

Senator MURPHY:

– The Minister says that they will give more and more and will be actively concerned. She will express even more and more of her active concern, but nothing will be done for them.

Senator Buttfield:

– Who bears the brunt of inflation?

Senator MURPHY:

– It would not be a bacl idea if some of those who are producing the inflation, such as those who are engaging in restrictive trade practices, were made to bear the brunt of it. It would not be a bad idea if the Government went across to Norfolk Island and started to deal with some of the tax lurks that are operating to a shocking extent in this community and to deal with some of the other ways in which people gain revenue. It would not be a bad idea if we got out of the Vietnam war, which is costing hundreds of millions of dollars and which is one of the most powerful factors in producing inflation in this community. It would not be a bad idea if the tremendous mineral resources of this country were utilised for the benefit of the people, as has been done in other countries such as Italy and Libya where they are making a great deal out of those resources, instead of their being handed over for a pittance, as ours were by this Government, in the legis lation which was raced through just before the Senate election before last.

There are many ways in which the Government could see to it that, with the immense resources of this country, which is one of the richest countries per head of population in the world, a fair go was given to the pensioners and those people who are not able to look after themselves. The Australian Labor Party will support the proposal because it is important that the question be looked at. There is no need to specify the exact increase, because the motion would not be capable of amendment. No amendment to it is proposed. We think that the matter ought to be discussed and that there ought to be immediate legislation. I do not propose to allow the honourable senators who brought forward this motion to escape without some criticism, because although they have rightly criticised the Government for adding to the inflation and leaving the pensioners to bear the brunt of it, who was it that voted with the Government to allow the indirect taxation which they mentioned to go through? It was the Democratic Labor Party. Who was it that voted with the Government to allow the imposts on posts and telegraphs? Who was it that allowed the Appropriation Bill to pass through this chamber in the last sittings of this Parliament? It was the Democratic Labor Party. Who was it that allowed the Judiciary Bill to pass through this chamber when the Australian Labor Party voted against it? The Democratic Labor Party did not vote against it. The DLP should not criticise measures for which it voted, ft not only voted for the measures but also supported the Government at the election by means of its preferences.

I hope that what we are seeing now is a change of heart, that it is going to take a different attitude towards the Government of this country. What we need is what is set out in this motion. We need that immediate legislation. Tt ought to be introduced. Other corrective action should be taken also in the interests of the people of this country to overcome the unwise, inadequate and panic measures for which this Government has been responsible and for which it indicates it will be responsible in the future. 1 hope that joint action will be taken in this chamber to prevent the Government from indulging in measures which are against the interests of the pensioners and against the interests of the people. Therefore, on behalf of the Opposition, I indicate that we will support this motion and assist in bringing it to a vote instead of allowing it to lapse.

Senator BUTTFIELD:
South Australia

– 1 rise tonight not to support this motion but to express a few views which I think have been expressed before but which obviously need to be repeated in answer to this motion. I was amazed to hear the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (Senator Murphy) say that he supports the Australian Democratic Labor Party because he agrees that the matter should be debated urgently. I see no reason for not agreeing if a subject of urgency needs to be debated. But that is not the basts of the motion. The motion is in the terms that we need the immediate introduction of necessary legislation to alter the pension rates. I do not agree with this. 1 deplore the fact that the pensioner, the person who is perhaps i little less well off than some others in the community, is being used for political purposes.

In his opening remarks tonight Senator Gair himself said that this was the first time that the DLP had been able to move a motion of this type without having to seek support. In other words, the purpose of his moving this motion is to show the new found strength of the DLP. He is exploiting the pensioner in order to show the public that the DLP can now move a motion without seeking the support of somebody else. This is the wrong motive for debating in this chamber the needs of any one particular section of the community. Senator Gair gave us many reasons why the pensioner should nol be exploited - I think they were his words - because of inflation. But. after all, is not the pensioner the person who will suffer quicker than anyone else if inflation does escalate? The Government’s responsibility, and prime responsibility, is to consider all sections of the community, and this means the whole of Australia. The pensioner is a part of that whole. If we cannot control inflation at this present time the pensioner, along with all other people in the community, will stiffer. For this reason we are all sympathetic to the pensioner’s plight; but we must control inflation first. I would be the first to support any move to increase pensions in the next Budget, if inflation is controlled by then. But I repeat that we must see that inflation is the first thing that we do control.

Senator Gair:

– You did not think of them when you increased the judges’ salaries.

Senator BUTTFIELD:

– Intiation was not imminent at the time the judges’ salaries were raised. Although this is not a factor in assessing judges’ salaries here, in other countries corruption and bribery have entered into the law. I hope and pray that by giving judges the best of salaries we will continue to eliminate any bribery and corruption. 1 am not suggesting that it might creep in. I said that we must pay people properly for the jobs they do so that they are not tempted by such things. I am fully in support of good wages and salaries for the workers. I think that the Arbitration Commission has made a great mistake, in raising wages lo the extent to which it has done, but I do nol entirely blame it for this. Probably employers have contributed to this inflationary trend by offering incentive wages for skill. It is unfortunate we have not sufficient skilled people but they are all contributing to the inflationary trends.

Today I went to the religious ceremony to mark the opening of this Parliament and it interested me very much that one of the lessons was based around the story of the Good Samaritan and of Christ’s message to the people to look after their neighbour and to love their neighbour as themselves. The servant was placed in the same light in the Good Samaritan story. In his sermon the preacher asked: ‘Who is my neighbour?’ Today we should be thinking about that serman and asking ourselves: Who is our neighbour? Who are we concerned with in this Parliament? As the preacher said, our neighbour is everyone in need and there are many people in Australia in need. 1 would venture to say that most people in Australia have some need which they require the Government to consider.

Senator Georges:

– Some need an extra car.

Senator BUTTFIELD:

– That is not what I call need. There are people with health needs and the Government is concerned with them. There are people in the rural industries who have needs and the Government is considering them. There are people in the industrial field, the educational field and the housing industry who have needs. Then there are the needs in regards roads, railways, shipping and air services. The Government has to consider all of them. There are people with physical and mental handicaps who have needs and they are being considered. Child endowment is another need. There are people who have a need in the field of drug abuse and the Government is paying attention to that aspect by making grants for education. There are needs of people overseas which are perhaps even greater than our pensioners’ needs and we are contributing towards meeting their needs by our overseas aid. There are many people in need in Australia and the Government is paying attention to all those needs.

Senator Cavanagh:

– Are there any pensioners? You have nol mentioned them yet. They are our neighbours, are they not?

Senator BUTTFIELD:

– I said these were in addition to pensioners. Of course the pensioner is a neighbour and one who needs attention. As to the rise in pensions and the provision of fringe benefits over the years 1 do not need to repeat what the Minister and many of us have said on many occasions in this Senate. However, it suits certain people to forget those benefits to the pensioner in order to arouse the emotions of the people, ft is very easy to say that the poor pensioner is not getting a fair deal. I ask: Who pays for the extra things which Senator Gair is asking the Government to do? Who will pay for the abolition of the means test? Who will pay for many of the things he has asked for? The main payers will be the family man who has great needs himself and the young person who will probably pay into the taxation pool for 50 years before he qualifies for any of these benefits. He may never qualify at all. It is the young person who is about to establish himself who is trying to set up a home to get married or to rear children, who should be given the best of opportunities. Senator Gair would call on him to pay. I am sorry for the young person, the married man and the family man. They need attention also. I am not unsympathetic with the pensioners but let us keep these problems in balance. Let us consider ail people in need in Australia and stop seeking political credit by picking on those subjects which we know can arouse the emotions of the people. We heard an honourable senator, I think Senator Murphy, speak about the judgment of the people or the judgment of the churches on the Government. After all, ii is the responsibility of the churches to pay attention to those who are in particular need. The churches can well pass judgment because theirs is not a balanced responsibility; it is a particular responsibility. 1 am saying that we in this Parliament have to maintain a balanced responsibility in order to see that everybody gets a fair go

Senator Mulvihill:

– Would it be a detached view?

Senator BUTTFIELD:

– No. we certainly have not a detached view. We have a very involved view. It embraces all the people who need attention. It would be irresponsible for any government simply to pay attention to one section and to prejudice all the other sections by allowing the inflationary trend to be aggravated. To me it is completely ridiculous to hear Senator Gair and others ask for a pension equal to half the minimum wage. After all, a married pensioner couple do not have the responsibility to build a home, of beginning to educate their children or building up their requirements. This is the basis on which the minimum wace is fixed - the requirements of a man, his wile and his growing family. In most cases the pensioner - the invalid pensioner could be the exception - and certainly the age pensioner does nol have those responsibilities and therefore does not need half of the minimum wage to maintain himself.

I shall make only one further point. 1 am amazed at the campaign for a little Budget, lt is most .selfish to suggest that the pension rate should be raised, and that in order to find the money to pay for the increase the tax benefit granted to the lower and middle income earner should be revoked. After all, during the years that this Government has been in office the pension rate has been raised, I think, on 1 4 occasions, but the rate of taxation for the lower and middle income taxpayer has not been reduced once. Now it is his turn, and it is completely unreasonable to say that the pension rate should be raised at the expense of the lower and middle income earner. I hope that this suggestion is not repeated because, as 1 have said, this is an area of need and we, as a Government, have to watch for these areas of need. 1 think it is most unreasonable to ask that the pension rate should be increased at the present time when we are devoting our attention to checking inflation and thereby eventually benefiting every section of the community.

Senator WILLESEE:
Western Australia (10.58

– It is very obvious from the closing remarks of Senator Buttfield that 2 questions have been introduced into the debate. The first is the question of intiation upon which the Government has been focusing attention in a very nebulous way, judging by the sketchy statement which was made tonight. The second is the question of pensions and the position of people on fixed incomes. As Senator Murphy has pointed out. we have experienced a steadily increasing inflationary trend throughout the world during the whole of our lifetime and probably during the lifetime of our fathers and mothers. Possibly the only exception was during the depression years. If one were to draw a graph of inflation over the last 50 to 100 years one would see the line steadily rising. On very few occasions would the line on the graph be steady or fall to any extent before rising again.

We have built into the economy in the Western world, in particular, a system whereby people can look after themselves by way of profits or through the arbitration court. In Australia the trade union movement has been able to look after its members, to some degree, by appearing before the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission and making a very careful analysis of the economy and of price rises against demands. The people who have suffered are those who are not able to go before a controlled Arbitration Commission or to enter the uncontrolled business area to make profits. These people mainly are superannuitants and pensioners. This Government has been falling further and further behind in giving assistance to these 2 classes of people. Senator Buttfield referred to people on superannuation. People work for 50 years of their lives and pay into superannuation funds or, in the case of pensioners, pay taxation over a period of 50 years in order to receive something in return, not for 50 years but for a comparatively small number of years. The number of years may be none; it may rise to 15 or 16. 1 do not know what the average would be. It would probably be about 8 or 9.

In view of what has been said tonight and the clamour that has arisen because of the offending of the national conscience since last August, it does not seem to be loo much to say that dignity ought to be given for that short period of people’s lives. In the field of superannuation, there has not been a review in the case of Commonwealth employees for a period of nearly 4 years. The Government will not do something which could easily be done; that is, write an automatic adjustment provision into the relevant Act or, as is being done by some of the private companies, write in a fixed amount of increase over the years. The Government is not doing that for that section of fixed income earners, lt is also refusing to do something similar for the people who are affected far more seriously by this problem, namely, the pensioners who receive so much less. The Government’s approach is inherent in the way this debate has gone on tonight. The approach is that a pension is something that a government in its great generosity hands out to people. The fact is that a pension is a prepaid right. People have prepaid their pensions in the form of their taxation payments over 50 years of work. A pension is not some sort of generous handout; it is a right that has already been earned over 50 or more years of work.

What is civilisation? What are the things on which one judges how great a country is? I suggest that when one travels overseas and examines the situation in other countries, if one finds that they have a high infant mortality rate, a high disease rate, the hospitals and doctors are not somewhere near the optimum standard in looking after people or the poverty rate is very high, one regards them as uncivilised countries, lt is not on Rembrandts and that type of thing that one judges civilisation. One judges it on the way people treat their brothers, about whom Senate: Buttfield learnt at church today and from whom somehow or other she excludes the pen- stone* s. This is how we will be judged. If wc arc to judge ourselves, surely we ought to be looking at who are the poor people in the community. Senator Buttfield ranged very widely. She said that there were many needy people in the community, such as transport people. That is drawing a very long bow. The poor of Australia are in a very neat compartment. They are the aged, the invalid, the widowed, the sick and the members of very large families. That just abou: covers the people about whom we are talking - the needy people. When we talk of needy people we should think in terms of the things that affect the every day way of living and the things on which civilisation is judged.

I come now to the challenge of inflation - a point about which we are talking and on which Senator Buttfield closed her speech. She referred to the problem of galloping inflation, whereas I referred previously to steady inflation. In the last 8 or 9 months the rate of inflation has jumped from about 3 per cent to about 8 per cent. That is what the panic is ail about at the moment. It is nor sufficient to do what this Government is doing; that is, to move into the government sector only and say: ‘We do not intend to increase pensions’. I thought the closing remarks of the Minister for Housing (Senator Dame Annabelle Rankin), who represents the Minister for Social Services (Mr Wentworth), were very ominous. They ought to be noted by everybody listening to this debate tonight. I made a note of them. Her words were that 50c - the amount of pension increase that was given in the Budget - was the maximum amount that could prudently be given. So much for the hope of a little budget or for pension increases before the Budget which will be introduced probably next August.

By attacking only the Government sector not only win pensions be affected but those people working in the Public Service will be told: “You will not receive promotions. Recruitment will be stopped. You will not get overtime. There will be no staff replacements and travelling must be curtailed’. It the Government were administering the Public Service correctly and efficiently it would not be necessary to say this, because the Government should not employ more people than are necessary, overtime should not be worked unnecessarily and people should not be travelling the countryside unreasonably. Ultimately the Public Service must recruit staff, so this proposal is merely postponing that day. The Government says that overtime is nol to be worked before 30th June, but the work must be done at some stage. The Government is discriminating between the private and public sectors and those who work in the Public Service and are beholden to the Commonwealth Government will become the second eleven in the working community and pensioners will drag behind them.

If the Government curtails expenditure in the Government sector we will reach the situation that Professor Galbraith referred to when he said that there could be private affluence and public squalor, because the public side of our community will run down. We have heard much in this chamber of Mr Justice Nimmo. His committee investigated medical costs. He estimated that in Australia there are one million people below the poverty line. During the last Budget debate many honourable senators suggested that more than one million people would be driven below the poverty line as a result of Budget proposals. It is now obvious that more than one million Australians are in that situation today.

Earlier this evening Senator Gair pointed out that much was expected of Mr Wentworth when he became Minister for Social Serices but that it is now a different Mr Wentworth from the Mr Wentworth who spoke as a backbench member, lt has been pointed out during this debate that the spin to this vicious financial wheel was given in the last Budget. When the Government increased petrol prices it did not merely put up the price to the person who owns a car. The increased cost applied to everything that was carried in a petrol driven vehicle. Even pensioners have to pay this added cost on the articles they have had to purchase. When the Government increased telephone charges pensioners were affected because they had to pay more for telephone calls. Indirect taxation applies to pensioners the same as it does to low wage earners.

Senator Buttfield has referred to the middle income earner but as was pointed out when the Government provided a 10 per ecn: rebate in taxation it did not assist the low and middle income earners to the extern that it assisted upper middle and high income earners. This rebate was granted because of a rash election promise which the Government wanted to honour quickly It did not give the Taxation Office time to work out a proper curve and the 10 per cent flat rate of rebate was introduced. This is why the rebate granted totalled more than what the Government had promised prior to the election.

Mention has been made of the 6 per cent increase which was granted in the national wage case. During its 20 years in office the Government has adopted a laissez faire approach to things. It has allowed a situation to develop where people believe that the moment there is a wage increase then ipso facto there will be a price increase. Never at any stage has this Government encouraged by way of legislation, influence or otherwise a method of overcoming this ipso facto approach. This is a technological age. Manufacturers should not say. ‘The wage increase 1 have to pay has increased my costs by $X. I will divide that sum by the quantity of goods I sell and add a little more along the line.’ lt was obvious following the last Budget that immediately the Government gave the green light by raising prices through increases in indirect taxation, the sellers of goods went in for their cut as well. Prices were increased not only because of indirect taxation increases but because a little bit was added by the sellers. lt has become increasingly obvious that the community was shocked by the last Budget, as taxpayers were not really to receive a handout and pensioners were to receive an increase of only a miserable 50 cents a week. 1 have been interested to hear figures cited here tonight. I have some sets o! figures of my own and it has been interesting to see how they differ from those cited by other speakers. The fact is that the pensioner is worse off today when his pension is compared to the average weekly wage. A study of the cost of living index shows that pensioners have been made remarkably worse off by the 50c a week increase granted in the last Budget. If the words of the Minister for Social Services (Mr Wentworth) are to be taken as seriously as I took them to be, and the maximum pension that can prudently be paid is being paid, it is a living disgrace to this Govern ment. That situation is exacerbated by claims by Government supporters that we are in a situation where it has become necessary to grapple with inflation. That is even more disgraceful.

There is no doubt that the terms of the motion emphasise what was said al the time of the last Budget nol only by the Australian Labor Party but by the people of Australia. The national conscience has been offended. There is no justification lor denying justice to these people who have already paid for their right to an adequate pension, lt is noi charity, as seems to be implied. These people paid during a lifetime of work for their right to a pension. Surely to goodness any government that wants to be judged by world standards ought to be ensuring that our pensioners can live out the remaining period of their lives and die with some dignity.

Senator DAVIDSON:
South Australia

– The motion moved by Senator Gair refers to the need for the immediate introduction of the necessary legislation to provide for increases in the rates of social service payments, bringing pensions to a level compatible with the minimum needs of the recipients. I fear that Senator Gair in moving his motion made a speech which hardly did him credit, particularly in airing the idea that the Government was using the pensioners to carry out the burden of inflation. As he proceeded along that line I heard from him no constructive plan to meet, in Ins words, ‘the minimum needs of the recipients’.

I join with Senator Buttfield in noting that within a few weeks of the Australian Democratic Labor Party’s achieving its new situation it has brought forward this motion, lt was widely publicised and a great deal of political capital was made out of it. I ask: Who now is using the pensioner for political interests? The matter of pensions has always been contentious. In a large and complex social service programme it is natural that one or more sections of the community will invariably want more services, more concessions, more favours or more money »han are provided for by current legislation. Every time legislation relating to social services is introduced some people will claim to be in an anomolous situation and to have been unfairly treated.

An enormous section of the community today receiver social service benefits. Other sections of the community are crying out for additional benefits. Reference has been made tonight in this debate to our young people, newly married people and people in the middle income group. Who has a word to say for the farming community in its dire need today? This is a section of the community that requires benefits. There is a very large number of people in Australia today at one level or another, under one circumstance or another, who require or who are asking for benefits, favours or money of some kind. The social services programme carries on its widespread and diverse activity, some of it in direct benefits, some of it in fringe benefits and some in the value received by members or relatives of pensioners’ families. The Government’s programme has both in its basic situation and its background situation extended and increased with each extending budget the variety of social services and the value of amenities that have been made available to more and more people by way of m greater range of benefits. I mention this because this resolution has produced some speeches in which some cruel statements have been made, one of which I referred to earlier in my remarks. We have seen the development of an attack which consists only of criticism with little or no appreciation of the work that is being done now, with little or no reference to the work that has been done already and certainly with no constructive plans whatever as to how the increased benefits which have been referred to in the resolution can be either financed, organised, or even serviced.

To suggest that the Government is unsympathetic, of course, is quite wrong. To suggest that the Prime Minister (Mr Gorton) has no sense of concern is quite wrong. Of course every action which he and the Government takes may not satisfy everyone. The pension situation does not satisfy everyone, lt certainly does not satisfy rae. lt is recognised that while the resolution that is before us refers to age, invalid and widow pensions it also refers to them as social service benefits’. Therefore, the pension situation becomes part of the total social service activity of the government in office at the time. Therefore, pensions are related to the amount that a government can pay and the amount that the people want the government to pay. They are related to the amount that the people are prepared to pay to the government in the form of taxation so that revenue can be accumulated for the purpose of paying out additional social service benefits.

The items which are included in the Commonwealth expenditure on social services in addition to age and invalid pensions run to great length Some of them include child endowment, the Commonwealth rehabilitation service, funeral benefits, maternity allowance, unemployment benefits, sickness and special benefits, widows pensions, sheltered employment allowances, deserted wives benefit, personal care, delivered meals and others. All of these items are forms of care and of practical concern for the pockets of needy people within our community today. These activities are not the only ones which the Minister for Social Services has to care for and for which the Government has to pay out considerable sums of money. If we look at the section dealing with the Department of Social Services in the Commonwealth Directory we find that in addition to the items I have mentioned we should also take into account the enormous pattern of the administration of the Aged Persons Homes Act, the Commonwealth Employees’ Compensation Act, the Sheltered Employment (Assistance) Act and a lot of other items which I shall not go into at the moment, except to say that they are well over 30 in number.

The Department of Social Services is not the only department concerned with various forms of care and assistance. Other departments come to mind, particularly those related to the territories which make long term loans at very low rates of interest so that aged people- -1 have a specific instance in mind - can be cared for. In this way such people not only receive benefits but they are also cared for and know the benefit of total security. I would like to look at one or two ways in which the Commonwealth has been extending over a period of time the amounts of money and the percentages which are devoted particularly, especially and exclusively to the pension situation. Consider the Budget year 1967-68 when the amount spent by the Commonwealth on age and invalid pensions was more than $500m. This represented an increase of 6.7 per cent over the expenditure of $48 lm in the previous financial year. Let us take one more year. 1968-69. In this year expenditure on age and invalid pensions was S558m, which was an increase of 8.7 per cent over the expenditure in the previous year. For 1969-70, which is the last completed financial year, the expenditure on age and invalid pensions was $641 m, which was a considerable increase of 14.5 per cent over the expenditure on the same items in the previous year.

In deciding what it will spend each year a government has to make decisions between competing claims. This has been made abundantly clear tonight and has been referred to in speeches from the Opposition. This becomes particularly true when it comes to the allocation of the amounts available for social services between the various items of expenditure that come under that heading. When the figures which L stated earlier if expenditure on age and invalid pensions are compared with the total Commonwealth expenditure on social services it will be found that the commitment for age and invalid pensions has continued to rise steadily year by year as a percentage of the total expenditure. One or two points should be noted rather carefully. In 1967-68, 64.8 per cent of the Commonwealth expenditure on social services was spent on age and invalid pensions. In 1969-70 the expenditure was 65.6 per cent. In the Estimates for the current financial year, 1970-71, age and invalid pensions represent 68.3 per cent of the total Commonwealth expenditure on social services. From these figures it will be seen that there is a constant and developing increase in expenditure devoted to social services and that an increasing percentage of this expenditure is for age and invalid pensions alone.

None of us is satisfied with the programme as it is. We are pleased with the developments and the Government has taken every opportunity to extend its services and to increase fringe benefits. I have heard no argument tonight as to whether fringe benefits should be abolished altogether so that the total pension figure can be raised, or that the amount used for the purchase of transportation facilities, for rent or some other purpose should be taken into the total figure. I do not think any one of us would object to the fringe benefits, but it is not a bad idea from time to tinto to take into account what fringe benefits mean. T do not intend to press the point that fringe benefits are worth $X in addition to the pension, but the fringe benefits of transport, radio and television licences, medical services and all the other tilings represent elements of security with.n the community. But in addition, allied with the Government’s programme of subsidising various institutions, they provide the opportunity for the community to accept its responsibility and help io care for people who are in need.

There is too much of this business of putting the whole pattern of caring for aged and invalid pensioners onto the Government. Nobody has answered the question as to who will pay for (he increases that are suggested. The greater the increases, the greater the cost, but who is going to pay for it? Somebody has to lind the money, f suggest that the Government’s programme of increasing the pension year by year, together with its programme of increasing services in the last 20 years, from pharmaceutical benefits some time ago to the latest subsidy for meals on wheels, has enabled people in receipt of a pension to have a better standard of living, to have a sense of being cared for and a sense of belonging. As the Government deals with these things it has to take into account its humanitarian project on the one hand and its securing of a rapid economic growth and moderation of inflation on the other. No speaker who has supported this motion has taken into account a matter which is a real problem not only in Australia but RiSC throughout the world. That is the phenomenon of a large aged population, which I would describe as one of. the most dramatic and influential developments of this 20th century. Never before in history have there been so many older people as there are at this time. At the turn of the century, throughout the world people over 65 years of age represented about 4 per cent of the total population. Today people over 65 years of age represent in excess of 10 per cent of the total world population Society, therefore, is confronted with ;t new situation with which it is beginning so grapple only now. Money is not always the only and the total answer. There are influences, there are community associations and there are community services, some of which I have mentioned.

Of course there are needy people. Pockets of need exist. There are pensioners who are in real need. Everyone of us has a desire to see that their need is met. The Government through its extending programme over the years has done its best and has done a great deal to meet this need, f think that we all can be assured and satisfied that it will do more. The Prime Minister has said: ‘I have not given up the battle to conquer and to do away with need’. In the area of need in Australia there is the pensioner community. The discussion of this matter of public importance does not do anything to assist in meeting the need. Indeed, it is introduced to put pensions into an area of discussion that does not do the Party that proposed this matter for discussion any great credit. 1 hope that the Senate will reject the question when it is put.

Senator LITTLE:
Victoria

– I am amused at the sensitivity of Senator Davidson who suggested that somebody in this debate actually said something that was cruel about himself and about his Party. Of course, the honourable senator waited to make those remarks until after he had suggested that the Australian Democratic Labor Party had raised this matter of public importance for discussion in the Senate only because it wished to gain political popularity and some political kudos out of the question itself. Senator Buttfield already had made the same statement. I think that evil is he who evil thinks. If people wish to think that that was the motive of the Australian Democratic Labor Party, what wc would want to do is not to disillusion them but to remind them that the letter to the President proposing that this matter should be discussed in the Senate today - that letter was sent to the President on 15th December last year - came several days after a judgment which increased wages throughout our community by 6 per cent had been handed down in the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission.

If one was charitable and not cruel in one’s approach to other politicians, one might say that the Australian Democratic Labor Party had been inspired by ils economic knowledge that this 6 per cent increase in wages must deprive further the most poverty stricken section of our community and increase the hardships that people iti this section were suffering already. Therefore, it was a matter of urgency that this Senate should express its opinion on this matter at the very first opportunity that it had. I do not expect Senator Davidson who is so sensitive about cruelty to himself to be as sensitive about the situation of other people and to place an economic construction on the actions of the Democratic Labor Party because the honourable senator does not understand economics. He has proved that, if I now can resort to being a little cruel, by the balderdash that he has spoken in debating this matter of public importance.

The honourable senator gave us figures as to the increased amounts that the Government has spent on pensions from year to year. He made no mention of the increased numbers of pensioners. The number of persons eligible to receive the pension increases year by year. Because the Government was increasing the proportion of its Budget that was going to pensions, the honourable senator said that, automatically, pensioners were getting a better deal. But without an analysis of the numbers of pensioners what good are those figures and what contribution did that argument make to this debate at all?

The Minister for Housing (Senator Dame Annabelle Rankin), who is the Minister in charge of the debate now before the Senate, tried to convince us that pensioners were all right by the quotation of a number of figures, particularly with relation to fringe benefits. For her information - if she does not know this - let us take one of the items that she mentioned, namely, the provision for home nursing care. The 6 per cent wage increase alone has led to some of those providing this service in the last month increasing their fees by $20 a fortnight for people who are bedridden. Is that increased charge being met by the Government’s home nursing care scheme? ls this a fringe benefit that has accrued to these people? lt is a special payment for a very special need. The Government does nol pay for the cost of that special need at all. It pays only a proportion of it. That proportion becomes smaller as prices continue to rise. We do not want the Liberal and Country Parties to judge us on this question: we will allow the community to judge us. The people seem to do so very intelligently as election after election takes place.

In defence of my Party I want to reply to the suggestion by the Leader of the Opposition (Senator Murphy) that we had a tremendous opportunity to do something about this during the 1970-71 Budget debate. I will read from that debate the amendment moved by Senator Murphy. He suggested that if we had supported his contention we would have done something to alleviate the position of the pensioners. I am reading that part of the debate in which he moved an amendment catling for the addition to the motion of the words and the Senate condemns this deceptive and negative Budget because it fails to meet the real needs of the Australian people, especially with respect to (a) standards of social service and war pensioners, (b) assistance to schools, hospitals and urban authorities’ etc., etc. That was merely a pious expression of opinion.

Let us compare that with the constructive attitude of the Democratic Labor Party. Senator Cavanagh is trying to assist me but I must be going very badly indeed if i have to go almost to Yuendumu to get assistance in a speech on this question of economics. The constructive attitude of the Democratic Labor Party towards pensions over the years in this chamber answers the criticisms aimed against this Party. We have moved for the entire pension area to be taken out of the political arena and placed in the hands of an independent tribunal which would assess what actually can be afforded by this affluent community to those people who have created such a community. If only one of the other parties had supported that proposition we would not have had to say cruel things to one another tonight and suggest that the whole question of pensioners was being debated only for the purpose of some party gaining some political advantage from the question. I do not believe that this is a matter of politics at all. It is a matter of need.

These people are not able to keep pace with inflation as it takes place. They are falling further and further behind because of the inevitable results of the recent wage increase decision.

I read with interest that when the present Budget was discussed Senator Greenwood produced certain figures once again, lt seems to me that he would have required a computer to assist him. He showed that in the 12 months since the previous increase costs actually had gone up only by 49c and the pensioners were going to get 50c. He at least ought to vote with us tonight because on his computations as a result of the 6 per cent increase in the national wage level, now in the process of taking place, the lc profit that the pensioners were making at the end of last year - according to his figures - obviously has gone. together with a lot more cents besides. If for no other reason that his own computations he should support us tonight. Let us realise that pensions are a part of the general economy. For the Minister to say tonight that we should look at what the Government has done for the pensioner with children is in itself an admission of the inflation that has taken place. The Government recognised that by not allowing general child endowment payments to keep pace with the general inflation under its management it had to make special concessions to the children of invalid pensioners. These are special rates aimed at replacing what those people have lost because the Government did not increase endowment to keep the benefits commensurate with those that applied before the inflation it deliberately allowed to take place.

My main purpose in rising to speak to this motion was to defend my parly. We were attacked because we brought this motion before the Senate. 1 think that this matter has been well debated. The parties have had almost equality of representation in the debate, with the Government having 3 speakers to reply to 2 speakers from each of the other parties. I believe that at this hour of the night the most sensible thing is for us to get a decision on this motion, and I move:

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Original question put.

The Senate divided. (The President - Senator Sir Alister McMullin.)

AYES: 28

NOES: 24

Majority . . . . 4

AYES

NOES

Question so resolved in the affirmative.

page 64

ADJOURNMENT

Floods in New South Wales

Motion (by Senator Sir Kenneth Anderson) proposed:

That the Senatedo now adjourn.

Senator FITZGERALD:
New South Wales

– I rise without apology to honourable senators to draw the attention of the Senate to the plight of people who live in the flooded areas of north-western New South Wales.

Senator Branson:

– There is not to be an election up there, is there?

Senator FITZGERALD:

– I visited this area last week. With apologies to Sir Thomas Bracken 1 wish to say: ‘I would to God that men could see more clearly or speak less harshly where they cannot see’. I think this applies very vividly to some of those people who tonight would like to interject and create an atmosphere; who cry and squeal about being kept up at this late hour. There are people in these flooded areas who are not sleeping tonight.

I visited the Narrabri area and was able to bring a realistic picture to the attention of the Prime Minister (Mr Gorton) who,I am aware, controls the purse strings of this nation. As a result, I forwarded to him the following telegram on 8th February 1971, which was last Monday:

Tremendousflood devastation in north-west New South Wales towns of Wee Waa and Narrabri alone estimate their losses by Mayor Alderman Heath and other reliable authorities in excess of $40m. No doubt your parliamentary colleagues and members for the district have advised you of the position. I personally feel that a further announcement by you as PrimeMinister should be made giving greater financial assistance to all who have suffered in this disastrous flood. Only for the magnificent voluntary work performed in the area losses would have been much greater.

The telegram was forwarded by me from 9 Bridge Street, Narrabri. I sent a copy of the telegram to the Premier of New South Wales together with a letter to the effect that the telegram had been forwarded to the Prime Minister and I fell that it was important that the Premier know its contents. I want to say in passing that prior to ray sending that telegram the Prime Minister had made a statement to the effect that the Commonwealth had already agreed to provide $50,000 to the New South Wales Government on a $ l-for-$l basis to relieve the personal hardship and distress of the New South Wales flood victims. A Press statement about the Prime Minister’s offer was issued on 8th February - the day my telegram was forwarded to him. On 9th February the Prime Minister made a further statement, which is too lengthy for me to read. However, in it he advised the Premier of New South Wales that certain things would be done. In winding up his statement he said:

Preliminary estimates suggested that an amount in excess of$10m could be involved. This would, of course, be additional to the substantial expenditure on restoring flood damage that would be financed through private insurance.

I felt that it may have been argued that the figure which had been mentioned to me was excessive, so I checked it last night with the Mayor of Narrabri, who advised me that the Minister for Agriculture and the honourable member for Barwon, whose electorate includes the towns of Narrabri and Wee Waa, had asked him where he got the figure of S40m. The Mayor went on to say bow he had assessed this amount. The Minister for Agriculture said: 1 do not think you are far off the mark.’ That is the situation that exists at the moment.

I have raised this matter at this late hour because I know of the callous and indifferent atittude shown to people in need in these flood areas. The saying ‘To hell with von, Jack. I am all right’ is applicable not only in this Parliament but also in areas not far distant from Narrabri itself. I know of a young man employed by an insurance company in Tamworth who was sacked because he was held up one night and decided to slay and help his parents. He returned to work after some time had elapsed and when he gave his reason for being held up he was told that he knew the Hoods were coming and that if he thought his family was more in need of assistance than his employer then he had better leave. This is the situation that exists at the moment and I am bringing this matter up because I believe it is very important.

I ask that urgent assistance be given to thos.: who are in need of unemployment relief and. of course, I am asking for the most sympathetic attitude to be taken in this field by departmental officers. Jobs are not available in the area. The cotton has been completely destroyed and the men who were working in that field are in need of assistance. I repeat that while the hour is late there are many men, women and children who are not sleeping soundly tonight in these flood towns. Over the last fortnight the floods have swept through these townships in many areas of the north west of New South Wales, and after the people have cleaned up their homes the floods have returned. In the Sydney ‘Sun’ tonight there is an article headed ‘Towns Still Fighting Floods’. The article states:

Major flooding is continuing today in the north-western areas of New South Wales. The towns of Walgett, Wee Waa. Pilliga, Burren Junction and Collarenebri are isolated and some telephone lines are cut

This is the situation at the moment and 1 appeal most sincerely to the Government to give immediate and substantial help. As regards the future let us have our engineers - the men who constructed our dams in the Snowy Mountains scheme - investigate this problem and try to advise us of a solution. There must be a solution to this problem. Too frequently do these flood tragedies take place, costing far too much in human lives and in the destruction of property. We must do everything possible now and pledge ourselves to make certain that these floods will not occur again. I ask the Government to do everything possible to help these people who are desperately in need.

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:
Minister for Supply · New South Wales · LP

(11.48) - It is true, as Senator Fitzgerald has said, that there have been major disasters in parts of New South Wales due to recent floods and despite what he may have said in passing - I know it was not really-germane to what he wanted to say - there has been very real understanding and assistance given by the Commonwealth in helping in this matter in conjunction with the New South Wales Government. As has been said, the Prime Minister issued a Press statement on 8th or 9th February in relation to the type of assistance that has been extended to New South Wales in connection with this disaster. There are 3 ways in which the Commonwealth has assisted or offered assistance with regard to these floods. Firstly, 1 am pleased to say that the defence forces have made a considerable contribution towards rescue and other emergency operations. Secondly, we have agreed to join with the State on a ‘si for SI basis in providing funds for the relief of personal hardship and distress in the affected areas. Thirdly, we have agreed to meet all expenditure for 1970-71 on natural disaster relief measures in New South Wales in excess of S5m. This last arrangement will have the effect that the substantial part of the expenditure on the restoration of public assets damaged by these floods, and of the expenditure on carry on loans to farmers in appropriate cases, will be met by the Commonwealth.

Senator Douglas McClelland:
NEW SOUTH WALES · ALP

– ls there an unlimited ceiling on that amount?

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON:

– 1 am merely giving to the Senate the information that has been given to me. I shall repeat it. We have agreed to meet all expenditure for 1970-71 on natural disaster relief measures in New South Wales in excess of$5m. That is the wording of my brief. Its terms are categorical. Senator Fitzgerald has stated the problem.I know that he has a personal concern in the sense that he has been into the area on 2 occasions. We are aware of the magnitude of the floods in this area. The Commonwealth has shown its awareness and its responsibility by providing to the States the assistance I have outlined. Nevertheless, I will accept the statement made by Senator Fitzgerald and will have it referred to the appropriate department.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Senate adjourned at 11.52 p.m.

Cite as: Australia, Senate, Debates, 16 February 1971, viewed 22 October 2017, <http://historichansard.net/senate/1971/19710216_senate_27_s47/>.