Senate
16 August 1977

30th Parliament · 2nd Session

  1. Senate
  2. 30th Parliament
  3. 1977

The PRESIDENT (Senator the Hon. Condor Laucke) took the chair at 2.30 p.m., and read prayers.

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LEADER OF THE GOVERNMENT IN THE SENATE

The PRESIDENT:

– Before I call the Right Honourable the Leader of the Government in the Senate, I extend to him the congratulations of the Senate on the high honour conferred on him by Her Majesty the Queen in appointing him to serve as a Privy Councillor.

Senator Withers:

- Mr President, I thank you and the Senate for your courtesy and kindness.

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APPOINTMENT OF GOVERNOR-GENERAL

Senator WITHERS:
Western AustraliaLeader of the Government in the Senate · LP

- Mr President, I inform the Senate that Her Majesty the Queen has graciously approved the appointment of Sir Zelman Cowen, C.M.G., Q.C., as Governor-General to succeed Sir John Kerr. Sir Zelman will take up his appointment when Sir John relinquishes office in December.

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MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMENTS

Senator WITHERS:
Western AustraliaLeader of the Government in the Senate · LP

- Mr President, I inform the Senate that a new Department of the Special Trade Negotiator was created on 17 July 1977 and that the Hon. John Howard has been appointed Minister for Special Trade Negotiations. Mr Howard will continue as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister. The Hon. Wal Fife has been appointed Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs. The Minister for Special Trade Negotiations will be represented in the Senate by the Minister for Industry and Commerce, Senator the Hon. Robert Cotton, and the Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs will continue to be represented by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Senator the Hon. Peter Durack.

I also inform the Senate that the AttorneyGeneral, the Hon. R. J. Ellicott, Q.C., left Australia on 14 August to attend the Commonwealth Law Ministers Conference in Winnipeg and to have discussions in Washington and London. He is expected to return on 4 September. During his absence the Minister for Veterans ‘ Affairs will act as Attorney-General.

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DEATH OF PRESIDENT MAKARIOS

Senator WITHERS:
Western AustraliaLeader of the Government in the Senate · LP

- Mr

President, it is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death on 3 August 1977 of His Beatitude Archbishop Makarios III, President of the Republic of Cyprus. I seek leave to move a motion of condolence.

The PRESIDENT:

-Is leave granted? There being no objection, leave is granted.

Senator WITHERS:

-I move:

That the Senate records its sincere regret at the death of His Beatitude Archbishop Makarios III, President of the Republic of Cyprus, and expresses its profound sympathy to the people of Cyprus.

President Makarios was the inspiration of the modern State of Cyprus and represented it in the world community with wisdom and distinction. He was ordained deacon and priest in 1938. He graduated from the School of Theology of Athens University and he continued his theological studies at Boston University on a World Council of Churches scholarship. On his return to Cyprus in 1948 he was consecrated bishop and began intensive religious, social and national work in his see. At this time he began his vigorous campaign for nationhood for Cyprus. In 19S0, he was elected both as archbishop and ethnarch-national leader of the Greek people of Cyprus. It is a tribute to his qualities that he was elected as both the spiritual and political leader of his country.

In 19S2 he began his campaign at the United Nations General Assembly for international recognition of Cyprus. During the following years of the decade he fought courageously to achieve his goal, enduring even exile from his country. Following the London Agreement in 1959 that Cyprus would become an independent republic, he returned to Cyprus and was elected its first President.

President Makarios played a unique and distinguished role in his country’s national and international affairs. He visited many countries in his quest for a solution to the problems of Cyprus. He tirelessly represented his country at many international conferences as well as at the United Nations and at meetings of Commonwealth Heads of Government.

His remarkable personal qualities earned him an eminent place amongst world statesmen. His counsels will be particularly missed at Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings in which he had actively participated for many years. During the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in London the Prime Minister (Mr Malcolm Fraser) discussed with him his forthcoming State visit to Australia in November this year. This visit would have been a fitting symbol of the development of longstanding and excellent relations between our two countries. The Australian Government greatly looked forward to it. I am sure that not only those Australians whose country of origin is Cyprus but all Australians will share the Government’s regret that it cannot take place.

The Government therefore wishes to record its deep sympathy in the Parliament to the people of Cyprus. They have lost a statesmen of great eminence who had long personified his people’s quest for identity and independence. I am sure all honourable senators hope that the search for a peaceful and lasting solution to problems in Cyprus, to which the late President had devoted so much of his life, will be pursued with determination despite his untimely death.

Senator WRIEDT:
Leader of the Opposition · Tasmania

-I support the motion of condolence moved by the Leader of the Government (Senator Withers) in respect of the late Archbishop Makarios. The name of Makarios has been written indelibly into the history of the Mediterranean area. Like many world figures in public life, he earned the most loyal friends and the most bitter enemies. Although a man of the church he could be extremely hard in pursuit of his objectives but never losing his humanity to his own people. His turbulent career involved the great powers, and despite exile for some years he eventually returned to Cyprus and was elected President of the newly independent republic. It is to be hoped that his passing does not reactivate the tragedy of Cyprus in the 1950s and the 1960s and that the stability he brought to that country will be maintained in the years ahead.

Senator GEORGES:
Queensland

-I would like to support the condolence motion. It is my belief that Archbishop Makarios would have wished that any tribute to him would be a tribute to the Cypriot people. I take it that the Senate views this condolence motion in that way. Archbishop Makarios was a leader, as he has been described by both the Leader of the Government (Senator Withers) and the Leader of the Opposition (Senator Wriedt), well respected and of good repute. He led the people of Cyprus in times of great trouble. At his death the people of Cyprus were still in trouble. Cyprus is an example of a small nation seeking to be independent, seeking to be free, without the interference of foreign nations. It was the interference of foreign nations that Archbishop Makarios resisted for so long.

It is my belief that what he stood for will be remembered. I think that the solving of the problems of Cyprus will be facilitated by the memory which will rest with the Cypriot people and the Turkish people. The solution to their problems will be assisted by his memory. I believe that in a short period reason will prevail across the boundaries of race and religion and that independence, full freedom and peace will come back to the Cypriot people.

The PRESIDENT:

– Order! I invite honourable senators to stand in silence to signify their assent to the motion.

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

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DEATHS OF FORMER MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

Senator WITHERS:
Western AustraliaMinister for Administrative Services and Leader of the Government · LP

- Mr President, it is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the deaths, on 7 July 1 977 of former Senator Hattil Spencer Foll, on 22 July 1 977 of former Senator Theophilus Martin Nicholls, and on 20 July 1977 of a former member of the House of Representatives, Sir Grenfell Price, C.M.G. I seek leave to move a motion.

The PRESIDENT:

-Is leave granted? There being no objection, leave is granted.

Senator WITHERS:

-I move:

I am sure all honourable senators were saddened to hear of the recent deaths of former Senators Foll and Nicholls and a former member of the House of Representatives, Sir Grenfell Price. Former Senator Foll was successively elected as a senator for Queensland from 1917 until his retirement in 1 947. While in the Senate he served Australia in a variety of ways. He was an active member of numerous parliamentary committees, being Chairman of the Joint Committee on Public Accounts during 1 926. He was Government Whip during the periods 1926 to 1929 and 1932 to 1937, and Opposition Whip in the intervening period.

He served as Minister for Repatriation and War Service Homes from 1937 to 1938, Minister for Repatriation and Health from 1938 to 1939, Minister for the Interior from 1939 to 1941, and Minister for Information from 1940 to 1941. Former Senator Foll was also a member of both the War and Economic Cabinets. It is 60 years since former Senator Foll first served in the Senate, and over 30 years since he last served, but as a result of the dedication and zeal with which he performed his duties, he will not be forgotten.

Former Senator Nicholls was elected to the Senate for South Australia in 1 943, and again at the elections of 1949, 1951, 1955 and 1961. He served as Chairman of Committees from 1946 until 19 March, 1951. Former Senator Nicholls also served as a member of the Committee of Disputed Returns and Qualifications from 1 947 to 1949 and again from 1956 to 1961. He was a Temporary Chairman of Committees from 195 1 to 1961. Former Senator Nicholls also served on the Senate Standing Orders Committee and the Joint Committee on the Australian Capital Territory.

Sir Grenfell Price will be remembered as a great Australian geographer, historian and educationist. Born in Adelaide, he had a distinguished academic career both before and after serving the Parliament as the member for Boothby from 1941 to 1943. His contribution to Australia included an 1 1 year term as Chairman of the Council of the National Library and a period as Chairman of the Australian UNESCO Committee for Libraries and Related Subjects.

On behalf of the Government senators I extend our deepest sympathy to the families of former Senator Foll, former Senator Nicholls, and Sir Grenfell Price.

Senator WRIEDT:
Leader of the Opposition · Tasmania

– The Opposition wishes to be associated with the condolence motion moved by the Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Withers). The late Senator Foll, who was elected to the Senate in 1917, was a member of this Parliament for 30 years. I presume that only a few of the present members of this Senate knew him personally. Senator O ‘Byrne may be the only senator who knew him personally. Former Senator Foll ‘s long and distinguished career, his involvement in a range of committees and also the capacity which he displayed as a Cabinet Minister immediately before and during the war is testimony to the contribution that he made to this Parliament. I am unable to speak of him personally. Nevertheless, on behalf of the

Opposition I extend our deepest sympathy to his family and relatives.

The late Theo Nicholls was known to many of us. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party in this Senate. He was elected to the Senate in 1943 and served here until 1968. Like the late Senator Foll, his career also embraced many of the activities of this Parliament including, at one stage, Chairman of Committees. Although I knew him only briefly- I am sure some of my longer serving colleagues can relate some personal ancedotes about him- I remember him as a very cheerful, almost philosophical person, who could always see the humourous side of events in this Parliament. As I am sure all of us would agree, that is a very necessary attribute in this place. He always occupied the same chair in the Senate club room next to the window because, I understand, he believed there was so much hot air inside that it was necessary to get some cool air from the outside. His passing is a loss to us and is a loss of a personal friend to many of us on both sides of the chamber. To his family and relatives I extend the deepest sympathy of Opposition senators.

I also associate the Opposition with the remarks of the Leader of the Government in respect of Sir Archibald Grenfell Price, whose career is well known to most of us. He was a great contributor not only to the Parliament but also to Australia as a whole. We wish to associate ourselves with the remarks made by Senator Withers.

Senator WEBSTER:
Minister for Science · Victoria · NCP/NP

– I associate members of the National Country Party of Australia with this motion of condolence in respect of three former members of the National Parliament. Senator Nicholls and Senator Foll both gave long and valued service to their respective States and to the nation in a wide range of parliamentary duties. I join my party with the high tributes which have been paid to the three former parliamentarians and I extend our sincere sympathy to their relatives and friends.

Senator CAVANAGH:
South Australia

-I join in the message of condolence in respect of Senator Nicholls. Although I knew Grenfell Price in his latter years as an educationist in South Australia, I am not sufficiently familiar with his career to make a contribution in relation to his activities when he was a member of Parliament. In relation to Theo Nicholls, back in the Depression days I, as a young member of the Australian Labor Party, was introduced to two brothers who came into the Labor Party in South

Australia from the country areas. They were both unemployed. They were the two Nicholls brothers. One of them was the father of Martin Nicholls, who became the member for Bonython, and the other entered the Senate. Theo Nicholls at that time was trying to earn a few bob to supplement the hand-out he was getting from the State Government and to make a living travelling about on a push-bike exchanging reading books at three pence a time. He lived in Henley Beach Road, Mile End, and was a married man with a young daughter.

He became secretary of three small organisations on a part time basis because at that time small trade unions could not afford full time officials. He organised the three trade unions and later, with his elevation to the position of trade union secretary, became secretary of the South Australian Trades and Labour Council. From the Labour Council, which at that time did not have a full time secretary, he was appointed as a commissioner on the South Australian Industrial Commission which assessed the basic wage in that State. During his time as secretary of the Trades and Labour Council he displayed the unique qualifications that everyone noted in his time in this place. He. had what many have described as a photographic memory. Without a minute secretary he would attend meetings of the Council and on the next day he would write up the minutes without a note having been taken, and he was accurate. The minutes were never challenged. He would come back from meetings of the Congress of the Australian Council of Trade Unions and, very proud of his capability of remembering, would recite word perfect everything that had occurred, including every resolution that was carried at the ACTU meeting. He would tell you what time the meeting started and what time it adjourned for lunch. No detail was left out.

He became a senator for the State of South Australia in 1943 under the preferential system whereby a party either had three members elected or none. There was no question of two members from one party and three from another party being elected in those days. Despite the risk that he took on every occasion he remained a senator until his retirement. During that period he held the position of Chairman of Committees. In the 1961 election, when I was elected to the Senate, Theo Nicholls was the leader of the Labor team. I believe that it was the only time when the third Labor man was elected in South Australia without the elimination of any Labor candidate on the ballot paper. Until that time it was the highest vote that had been received by the Labor Party. I think that he as leader of the team must take some of the credit for that achievement. He was well respected in the State of South Australia. When I was elected as an impoverished senator he came to me and said: ‘It will be a month before you get any money from that hard crowd over there. Do you want any cash to carry you on until you get a pay?’ That was his attitude. It was a friendship of which I am proud. When I came to the Senate in 1 962 he greeted me by taking me down to the bar and buying me a drink.

Theo Nicholls displayed his ability to memorise by some of the speeches he made in this chamber with never a note. He did not always accept praise for this but could repeat a speech he made in some other place and at some other time. During his last speech in this place as an old man he spoke for half an hour without a note on Vietnam and the Labor Party’s attitude to it. On that occasion he quoted word perfect and without a note a speech prepared by a journalist. He was very proud of his fantastic ability, an ability which no one could ever understand. After his retirement I used to visit him and on the occasions when he went out with some old colleagues to the city we would adjourn to a club or hotel. He remained in good health and looked after himself despite the loss of his wife some 2 or 3 years ago. His married daughter lived next door and assisted in caring for Theo until about 2 months before he died when he took ill. He was unconscious for the last four days. He was given a private funeral. I wish to express my appreciation of the friendship and comradeship of Theo Nicholls during his industrial and political life and to offer my sympathy to his daughter on her bereavement.

Senator O’BYRNE:
Tasmania

-I wish to associate myself with the motion of condolence to the relatives and friends of the late Senators Foll and Nicholls and the late Sir Archibald Grenfell Price. When I first came to the Parliament Senator Foll had already retired. He was a member of this place for a long period but at the time of his retirement there was a big political electoral swing resulting in the return of 33 Government senators and three Opposition senators. Senator Foll was defeated at that particular election. His name was still mentioned and he had created a very sound reputation for his contribution to the parliamentary life of this country. I did not have the pleasure of meeting Sir Archibald Grenfell Price but his reputation will live long after him.

I did want to make special reference to and associate myself with the motion of condolence on the death of former Senator Theo Nicholls.

When I first came to the Parliament, Mr President, he was Chairman of Committees under Senator Gordon Brown, the President of the Senate at that time. While occupying the positions of Chairman of Committees and Deputy President, Senator Nicholls always displayed a tremendous knowledge of the Standing Orders; he was reputed to be able to recite them verbatim. During his time in the chair he showed himself to be a most understanding and impartial presiding officer.

Senator Cavanagh has referred to the late Senator Nicholls ‘s prodigious memory. There is no doubt about it; it had to be experienced to be believed. It was evident in his social life. He was a very good mixer and had a tremendous sense of humour. He was able to draw on a vast reservoir of legend and anecdote. Most of it was factual but he also had the ability to elaborate a little to make a good story. He was always entertaining.

In relation to his ability to memorise a speech, I recall that on one occasion the late Senator Critchley, a colleague of his from South Australia, asked Senator Nicholls to take part in a debate because of some timing problem. As happened sometimes in the past- it does not happen much now- they wanted to fill in a certain amount of time. Senator Nicholls had to refer to another senator’s speech on the subject. He had about a quarter of an hour to memorise his speech which lasted about 35 minutes. I sat in this back seat and Senator Nicholls was speaking from his seat near me. I sat with the Hansard copy of the original speech and checked it. It was absolutely word perfect down to the full stops and the pauses between sentences, indicating that he had this great gift.

He was a very good family man and a good friend to all those who came into contact with him. When he left the Senate, it was poorer for his leaving. Now with his eventual passing at a great age the nation, too, is poorer for losing a very colourful and memorable citizen. I wish to convey to his relatives my personal sympathy. I am very pleased that his time in the Parliament and his contribution to the life of this nation are on record.

Senator KEEFFE:
Queensland

-I wish to make a very brief comment on the loss of former Senator Theo Nicholls. He was one of the first people from another State who contacted me when I first arrived here in 1965. He made a very big impact. That was the first time I had met him. One of the things he said at that time was: ‘If you lose the ability to laugh while you are in the Parliament you might as well give it away now.’ That was the way Theo looked at life generally. His ability to memorise long tracts, which was mentioned by my 2 colleagues, was quite outstanding. He could also remember poems of probably 150 verses. I think that he compiled some of them because there were no existing pieces of poetry that were long enough for Theo to apply his fantastic memory to.

In relation to the other anecdotes told by my colleagues, I am told-and this is on good authority- that on one occasion when he was called upon at short notice to make a speech, he actually took it from a Hansard from the other House. He thought the speech had some validity and was of fair quality so he memorised it. The person who had made the speech had introduced the subject in the lower House. The person was in the gallery because he wanted to find out how the debate was going. He listened to Theo speaking for some five or 10 minutes. He thought the speech was very familiar and that he had heard it somewhere before. At the end of some threequarters of an hour when the speech had been completed without the alteration of a full stop of a comma, he realised it was his own speech that Theo had been using in this place. He came around to compliment Theo on the quality of his speech, but Theo was not admitting that he had nicked the speech from the Hansard of the other place.

I believe that it is people of this character who contribute in a great way to the democracy that should live on in both Houses of Parliament. Theo Nicholls mixed well with people of all parties. He appeared not to have any enemies. He had a very acid tongue which he could use when he wanted to do so. Right from an early stage we formed a friendship. Each year we exchanged birthday cards. His birthday and mine were close together. We also exchanged messages at Christmas. I will miss that. I had a birthday card for Theo ready for posting this year. I cannot now send it, of course. I join with my collegues in supporting the motion generally and in particular I express sympathy to the surviving family of the late Theo Nicholls.

Senator DAVIDSON:
South Australia

-1 want to refer briefly to the late Sir Archibald Grenfell Price. I make particular reference to the segment in the speech of the Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Withers) referring to Sir Archibald ‘s Chairmanship of the Council of the National Library in Canberra. Because I am privileged to be the Deputy Chairman of the Council now I am following to some extent in Sir Archibald’s footsteps. The work which Sir Archibald Grenfell Price did for the National Library and the National Library Council is bearing fruit today not only in the work of the National Library but also in the National Library’s influence in this sphere throughout Australia. I refer also to his work with the Commonwealth Literary Fund. Many Australian writers and authors have every reason to be grateful to him for his understanding of their claims and for his assistance to them. I recall appreciatively my own personal representations to him on behalf of writers and authors who have benefited from his consideration of their representations and who subsequently have gone on to make their own mark as writers and authors in the Australian context. Sir Archibald Grenfell Price was a great man of letters, a great geographer, a great writer and a great educationalist. Australian cultural life has benefited considerably from his long years of contribution to it. As a South Australian senator with some association with the work which he undertook, I am pleased to have this opportunity of paying tribute to him.

Senator BISHOP:
South Australia

-I want briefly to support the condolence motion and in particular to refer to former Senator Theo Nicholls. Senator Cavanagh and I were elected to the Parliament in 1961. I followed former Senator Nicholls as No. 2 candidate for the Australian Labor Party. Senator Cavanagh was No. 3. Before that time I was associated with Theo Nicholls in Trades and Labour Council activities in South Australia. Senator Cavanagh referred to these activities. It has been said before that the Parliament reflects society outside the Parliament. I think Theo Nicholls contributed quite an amount to the Labor movement, first in the three unions which he represented and later as the Secretary of the Trades and Labour Council. At a very active time during the war years he assumed more important duties on bodies which were set up. As Senator 0 ‘Byrne stated, he was quite an interesting and broad character. He had a lot of experience in society and in travelling generally. He was something of an entertainer. Many of the social gatherings in this Parliament have been lightened, as we all know, by his stories which are now on record for those who would like to read them. I certainly am saddened to know that he has passed away. He was a great friend and colleague in the Labor movement in South Australia. He represented an important segment of society. He made a great contribution. Although he suffered two heart attacks while he was a senator everybody knows that he was active almost to the end of his life. He had a very active and useful life. I certainly join with the other honourable senators who have expressed sorrow about his death. I would like also to express my sympathy to his family.

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

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PETITIONS

Aid to South African Refugees

Senator DONALD CAMERON:
SOUTH AUSTRALIA

– I present the following petition from 215 citizens of Australia:

To the Honourable the President and Members of the Senate in Parliament assembled. The humble petition of the undersigned concerned citizens of Australia respectfully showeth that:

1 ) On 16 June 1976, when the students of Soweto township in South Africa demonstrated peacefully, many hundreds were shot down.

Since that date the people of Soweto and of South Africa in general have continued to protest at the denial of human rights and at the terrible conditions to which they are subjected by the white minority government.

In consequence of the savage repression suffered by the African, coloured and other oppressed people in South Africa, thousands have been forced to flee across the borders into such neighbouring States as Botswana and Mozambique.

We, your petitioners humbly pray that the Government take immediate steps to provide humanitarian aid to the refugees from South Africa, in particular by providing funds for:

The supply of clothing, medical supplies, etc.

Scholarships and transport costs to enable student refugees to continue their education in Australia.

And your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray.

Petition received and read.

Education

Senator GIETZELT:
NEW SOUTH WALES

– I present the following petition from 22 citizens of Australia:

To the Honourable President and Members of the Senate in Parliament assembled. The petition of the undersigned students, parents, teachers and citizens of Australia respectfully showeth:

That the decision of the Government to withdraw all forms of financial assistance to students of non-State tertiary institutions in the main, business colleges, is in total conflict with stated Government education policy.

The decision will result in a shortage of places for training secretarial and clerical students and an inordinate demand upon the State Government technical education systems.

At a time of severe economic disruption, this action must lead to an unnecessary worsening of the current employment situation for school leavers.

Your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray that the Commonwealth Government will act immediately to reverse its decision.

And your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray.

Petition received and read.

The Clerk:

– Petitions have been lodged for presentation as follows:

Pensions

To the Honourable the President and Members of the Senate in Parliament assembled the petition of the undersigned citizens of Australia respectfully showeth:

That the delays between the announcements of each quarterly movement in the Consumer Price Index and their application as a percentage increase in age and invalid pensions is excessive, unnecessary, discriminatory and a cause of economic distress.

That proposals to amend the Consumer Price Index by eliminating particular items from the index could adversely affect the value of future increases in aged and invalid pensions and thus be a cause of additional economic hardship to pensioners.

The foregoing facts impel your petitioners to ask the Australian Government as a matter of urgency to:

  1. Require each quarterly percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index to be applied to age and invalid and similar pensions as from the pension pay day nearest following the date of announcement of the CPI movement.
  2. Give an open assurance to all aged and invalid pensioners that any revision of the items comprising the consumer price index will in no way result in reductions in the value of any future entitlements to pensioners.

And your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray. by Senator Guilfoyle.

Petition received.

Nursing Homes Subsidies

To the Honourable the President and Members of the Senate assembled, the petition of the undersigned citizens of Australia respectfully showeth:

That many pensioners who are holders of the Pensioners Health Benefit Card, have suffered undue hardship as inmates of Private Nursing Homes, because the Federal Government subsidy was insufficient to meet the charges as laid down.

Many pensioners whose spouse was an inmate of the Private Nursing Homes suffered poverty in an endeavour to sustain their partner while in the nursing home.

Only in rare cases was the statutory minimum patient contribution as laid down adhered to.

That the telephone was a matter of life and death to many pensioners, but because of the cost of installation of the telephone many are unable to afford the installation.

That those pensioners who have only their pension and very little else to live on and are forced to pay high rents, are in many cases living in extreme poverty.

The foregoing facts impel your petitioners to ask the Australian Government as a matter of urgency to-

  1. Make sure that subsidies paid to Private Nursing Homes are such that each pensioner holding a Pensioners Health Benefit Card will pay the Private Nursing Home no more than the statutory minimum patient contribution, which will allow six dollars per week to be retained by the pensioner patient for their personal use.
  2. That a pensioner holding a Pensioner Health Benefit Card shall have a telephone installed free of charge, or at a very nominal charge.
  3. That those pensioners who have only their pension and very little else to live on, shall receive a subsidy to assist them. The subsidy to be governed by a Means Test.

And your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray. by Senator Cotton, Senator Baume and Senator Douglas McClelland.

Petitions received.

Education

To the Honourable President and Members of the Senate in Parliament assembled. The petition of the undersigned students, parents, teachers and citizens of Australia respectfully showeth:

That the decision of the Government to withdraw all forms of financial assistance to students of non-State tertiary institutions in the main, business colleges, is in total conflict with stated Government education policy.

The decision will result in a shortage of places for training secretarial and clerical students and an inordinate demand upon the State Government technical education systems.

At a time of severe economic disruption, this action must lead to an unnecessary worsening of the current employment situation for school leavers.

Your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray that the Commonwealth Government will act immediately to reverse its decision.

And your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray. by Senator Baume and Senator Douglas McClelland (two petitions each), Senator Scott, Senator Wriedt, Senator Primmer, Senator Donald Cameron and Senator Missen.

Petitions received.

Aid to South African Refugees

To the Honourable the President and Members of the Senate in Parliament assembled. The humble petition of the undersigned concerned citizens of Australia respectfully showeth that:

  1. On 16 June 1976, when students of Soweto township in South Africa demonstrated peacefully, many hundreds were shot down.
  2. Since that date the people of Soweto and of South Africa in general have continued to protest at the denial of human rights and at the terrible conditions to which they are subjected by the white minority government.
  3. In consequence of the savage repression suffered by the African, Coloured and other oppressed people in South Africa, thousands have been forced to flee across the borders into such neighbouring states as Botswana and Mozambique.

We, your petitioners humbly pray that the Government take immediate steps to provide humanitarian aid to the refugees from South Africa, in particular by providing funds for the supply of clothing, medical supplies, etc. scholarships and transport costs to enable student refugees to continue their education in Australia.

And your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray. by Senator Messner and Senator Cavanagh.

Petitions received.

Aboriginal Land Rights

To the Honourable the President and Members of the Senate in Parliament assembled. The Petition of the undersigned respectfully showeth that as citizens of the Northern Territory we express grave concern:

  1. a ) Over the prospect of large areas of the Northern Territory and its coastal waters being forever alienated from the National Estate;
  2. Over the extravagant and in some cases tenuous claims which are reported to have been put forward in certain cases on behalf of persons of Aboriginal descent;
  3. Over the development of the theory of secondary succession in the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 which theory when extended allows Aboriginals to claim land with which they have no valid connection;
  4. Over land claims on areas in existing and proposed National Parks; and
  5. Over the fact that there is no cut off date by which land claims must be made.

Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that the Senate in Parliament assembled, should ensure that suitable amendments to the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 be speedily enacted so as to dispose of our concern.

And your Petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray. by Senator Kilgariff.

Petition received.

Abortion

To the Honourable the President and Members of the Senate in Parliament assembled. The Petition of the undersigned respectfully showeth:

Concern over the abortion clinics already set up in the A.C.T. despite the Abortion Bill being defeated on 10 May 1973.

Concern that Medibank funds are being used to subsidise deliberately procured abortions, which we regard as acts of murder.

Your Petitioners most humbly pray that the Senate, in Parliament assembled, should:

Not allow the continuance or development of any abortion clinics within the A.C.T.

Not allow Medibank funds to be used to subsidise deliberately procured abortions.

And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. by Senator Kilgariff.

Petition received.

Tertiary Education Assistance Scheme

To the Honourable the President and Members of the Senate in Parliament assembled. The petition of the undersigned citizens of Australia respectfully showeth that all people have the right to education, irrespective of class, age, sex, sexuality and ethnic background, and that it is the responsibility of Government to ensure that sufficient funds are allocated to protect that right. Your petitioners believe that:

  1. . Education is a right and not a privilege to be paid for.
  2. A loans scheme would discriminate against the most needy students.
  3. If all students were eligible for the Tertiary Education Assistance Scheme and received an adequate TEAS allowance there would be no need for student loans.
  4. Students should not be forced to incur debts in order to receive an education.

Your petitioners therefore pray that the needs based grants scheme should in no way be jeopardised by any other program of student assistance, including partial, supplementary or comprehensive loans schemes.

And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, by Senator Ryan.

Petition received.

Pensions

To the Honourable the President and Members of the Senate in Parliament assembled. The humble petition of the undersigned citizens of Australia respectfully showeth:

That those who have retired and those who are about to retire, are being severely and adversely affected by inflation and Australian economic circumstances.

The continuance of the Means Test on pensions causes undue hardship to them.

We call on the Government to immediately Abolish the Means Test on all Aged Pensions.

To ensure a pension for all on retirement, and a guarantee that all Australian citizens will retire with dignity.

Acknowledge that a pension is a:

Right And Not a Charity’

And your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray. by Senator Thomas.

Petition received.

page 9

QUESTION

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

page 9

QUESTION

ECONOMY

Senator WRIEDT:

-I ask the Minister representing the Treasurer whether he recalls the Treasurer in his Budget Speech of1 976 saying:

When this Government was elected on December 13 last Australia was in bad shape, inflation was out of hand, economic activity was falling again and unemployment had risen to record levels. Recovery is now getting under way.

Will the Minister agree that the economy is still in bad shape, inflation is no better, economic activity is at a standstill and unemployment is worse than it was 12 months ago? If the dismal performance of the Government over the past 12 months is an example of its understanding of economic recovery, can the Minister assure us that the similar assurances we will no doubt hear in the Budget Speech tonight will prove to be more accurate than the Treasurer’s statement 12 months ago?

Senator COTTON:
Minister for Industry and Commerce · NEW SOUTH WALES · LP

-I cannot agree with the honourable senator. I suggest that he wait until tonight.

page 9

QUESTION

MAKINE RESEARCH

Senator YOUNG:
SOUTH AUSTRALIA

– I direct my question to the Minister for Science. Following reports that Australia intends to declare a 200-mile fishing zone around Australian coastal territories, is it not a fact that there will be a great need for research into marine biology in these extended waters which could give a reliable assessment of the fishing potential and result in further encouragement for the establishment of an Australian fishing fleet? Will the Minister have discussions with the Minister for Primary Industry in relation to an expansion of marine research into these external waters, including the waters adjacent to the Antarctic? As the lease of ships servicing the Australian base in the Antarctic will expire in a few years, will the Minister consider the purchase of a ship which could service the Antarctic base and also be used for marine research, particularly during those periods of the year when it is not required for the Antarctic service run?

Senator WEBSTER:
NCP/NP

-The question is quite comprehensive, but the core of it is whether I will discuss with the Minister for Primary Industry aspects of fishing resources in the Antarctic. This is a matter which is under review by the Government. Certainly I will take the honourable senator’s comments on board. It is a fact that the two vessels servicing the Australian Antarctic base at present have a limited life. An interdepartmental committee has been examining the prospects of an improved transport service to Antarctica. This has resulted in recommendations being put forward that a ship providing transport to the Antarctic could also be used for oceanographic and marine science investigation.

Senator Wriedt:

-That is contrary to the 1959 agreement.

Senator WEBSTER:

– There will be a great opportunity for Senator Wriedt to expand on his knowledge of this matter. We may hear from him later. Nevertheless, I confirm that an interdepartmental committee has been looking at this matter. Interest has been shown also in the possibility of utilising a ship, at considerable cost, in conjunction with other nations which have an interest down there. So I assure the honourable senator who asked the question that the matters he raised are under consideration by the Government.

page 9

QUESTION

ROYAL COMMISSION INTO DRUG TRAFFICKING

Senator Douglas McClelland:
NEW SOUTH WALES · ALP

– Is the Minister representing the Prime Minister aware that the New South Wales Government has convened a royal commission to inquire into drug trafficking? Is he aware that counsel assisting the commission has told the royal commission that discussions are taking place between the New South Wales and Federal governments on the supply by the Federal Government of information on drug trafficking? Is the Minister also aware that the Royal Commissioner, His Honour Mr Justice Woodward, has said that it would be very strange if the Federal Government refused to assist the commission? As the Minister responsible for the Commonwealth Police Force, will the Minister ensure that every co-operation is extended by the Commonwealth Police at least to the New South Wales royal commission?

Senator WITHERS:
LP

-In regard to the latter question, of course the Commonwealth Police Force will always assist wherever it can in the detention of law breakers and the enforcement of laws. As to the wider question, as I think the honourable senator would know, the Prime Minister on his own initiative has contacted all State Premiers seeking their assistance in the establishment of a Commonwealth-State inquiry into the whole of the drug problem. As I think all honourable senators would know, the drug problem in Australia has international ramifications and it has interstate as well as intrastate ramifications.

As I understand the position, the AttorneyGeneral, Mr Ellicott, has already had preliminary discussions with the six State AttorneysGeneral. Terms of reference are about to be settled between the seven governments of Australia which will be interested in this inquiry. Therefore I can assure the honourable senator that the Commonwealth Government and all its agencies and departments are most anxious to get on with the job of identifying and hopefully solving the problems of drug trafficking and abuse in Australia.

page 10

QUESTION

STUDENT TRAVEL CONCESSIONS

Senator SIR MAGNUS CORMACK:
VICTORIA

-My question is directed- appropriately, I think- to the Minister for Education who is the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Federal Affairs and who also represents the Minister for Transport. Will the Minister investigate and following his investigation inform the Senate of the number of men and women who are not attending universities or colleges of advanced education and who have been issued with student travel concessions on Qantas Airways Ltd by the Australian Union of Students travel service? Will the Minister undertake to investigate the men and women engaged upon ministerial and departmental staffs who hold student concessional tickets on Qantas issued by the AUS Travel Service Pty Ltd?

Senator CARRICK:
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Federal Affairs · NEW SOUTH WALES · LP

– I will see what can be done on both these questions. I will see whether the matter can be investigated and the information obtained.

page 10

QUESTION

ABORIGINAL HEALTH

Senator O’BYRNE:

– My question is directed, more in sorrow than in anger, to the Minister representing the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. I have read a report of the Aboriginal Medical Service survey which speaks of ‘an appalling starvation belt’ amongst Aboriginals in Sydney, matched only by the most deprived communities of famine stricken Ethiopia or Biafra. The report alleges that more than 25 per cent of Sydney’s Aboriginal children are suffering from serious malnutrition and that most of them have suffered permanent brain damage because of undernourishment. I ask the Minister whether it is a fact that the Aboriginal Medical Service has received no government funds since May of this year, although I understand that a grant equivalent to $20 a head has recently been announced by the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Mr Viner. Why have these funds been cut off since May? The second part of my question relates to the statement by Mr Peter Johnson, the honourable member for Brisbane, when he said that Aboriginals are overfed and overprotected. Does not the Minister think that this extraordinary outburst of racism is deserving of censure by her Cabinet colleagues and by all Australian people?

Senator GUILFOYLE:
Minister for Social Security · VICTORIA · LP

– I take it that the honourable senator was referring to the Aboriginal Medical Service in Redfern when he referred to Aboriginal children. On that basis I want to advise that during the Supply period from July to September, $120,000 was provided to the Medical Service on 27 July. This grant was made in the same way that funds for the Supply period are always made at this time of the year, pending the release of finance for the whole financial year to be provided in the new Budget. In view of this normal practice of releasing funds during the Supply period- the honourable senator will be well aware of that practice- it is regrettable that the Service resorted to a publicity campaign against the Department. I understand that $65,000 was granted for operational expenses and $55,000 for renovation work which was being carried out on the premises. Unauthorised expenditure of $55,000 by the Service had been the cause of some problems. Operating expenses will be more than were provided for last year. There was never any suggestion in the mind of the Government that the amount of operating funds would be reduced. Further grants to the Service will be made after the Budget is brought down and following a study of the Service’s own application for finance for the year 1977-78, which was received by the Department on 7 July.

I share the honourable senator’s concern about the malnutrition of Aboriginal children not only in metropolitan areas but also in the more remote communities. In relation to the comments of a member of Federal Parliament with regard to Aboriginals being overfed and overprotected, I think they must have been made in a very selective context. We all would agree that there is great malnutrition and deprivation amongst Aboriginal communities throughout this country.

Senator Georges:

– It would be difficult to find a situation in which Aborigines are overfed and overprotected.

Senator GUILFOYLE:

– I could not make a comment of that kind from my own experience. I believe that when the Budget is released this evening Senator 0 ‘Byrne will have the assurance that funding for the Aboriginal Medical Service will be maintained thoughout this year, despite the campaign which suggested that the contrary would happen. That was not in the mind of the Government.

page 11

QUESTION

CEDAR BAY DRUG RAID

Senator SHEIL:
QUEENSLAND

– I direct a question to the Minister representing the Attorney-General. In view of all the allegations made in this place by Australian Labor Party senators concerning the behaviour of Queensland policemen in the Cedar Bay incident, will the Minister now announce the outcome of the trials of Officers Brand, Pocock, Crow and Gray, to complete the Senate record in this affair?

Senator DURACK:
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs · WESTERN AUSTRALIA · LP

– These matters, of course, come within Queensland State law. However, it is a matter of public record. The officers named by Senator Sheil either have not been committed for trial or have been acquitted by the Queensland courts.

page 11

QUESTION

WHYALLA AND NEWCASTLE SHIPYARDS

Senator BISHOP:

– My question is directed to the Minister representing the Prime Minister. It refers to a newspaper report of a letter apparently emanating from the Prime Minister and directed to the Premier of South Australia about the Whyalla shipyard. It refers also to the recommendations contained in a report of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence. The Senate will be aware that the report has been presented to the Senate. Honourable senators from both sides of the chamber recently requested the Prime Minister to support the notion that a specialist group should be set up to examine the Committee’s recommendations. I ask: Can the Minister advise whether the letter from the Prime Minister to the South Australian Premier represents a rejection of those proposals- not only the idea of a package deal but also the request from honourable senators from both sides of the chamber that consideration should be given to setting up a specialist committee to consider a proposed package deal to retain the Whyalla and Newcastle shipyards?

Senator WITHERS:
LP

-The brief I have from the Prime Minister does not cover all the matters raised by Senator Bishop so I will take note of the question and seek an answer. I will see whether I can provide an answer before the week is out.

page 11

QUESTION

EMPLOYMENT OF MUSICIANS

Senator DAVIDSON:

-My question to the Minister representing the Minister for Post and Telecommunications relates to the report on the employment of musicians by the Australian Broadcasting Commission, which report I put down in the Senate in June this year on behalf of the Senate Standing Committee on Education and the Arts. I ask: Is the Minister aware that the recommendations relating to the employment of musicians are already being implemented by the Public Service Board, the ABC and the Musicians Union of Australia? Is the Minister also aware that in some States additional orchestras are being formed to meet growing and local needs? As some of the Committee’s recommendations are already being set in motion and as other conditions foreshadowed by the Senate Committee’s report are already developing, will the Government look seriously at implementing recommendation 16 of our report which calls urgently for an independent committee of inquiry to examine and report on orchestral resources in Australia?

Senator CARRICK:
LP

-Senator Davidson has asked in effect 3 questions. The first one is whether I am aware that the recommendations relating to the employment of musicians are already being implemented. To that question I must say no, 1 am not aware of this. The honourable senator has asked whether I am aware that in some States additional orchestras are being formed. I am not aware of that. As to the third question regarding recommendation 16, I will bring that to the attention of the Minister in another place and request him to give attention to it.

page 12

QUESTION

PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TO THE MIDDLE EAST

Senator WHEELDON:
WESTERN AUSTRALIA

-I direct my question to the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Is lt a fact that members of the recent parliamentary delegation to the Middle East were each issued with 2 passports, one for use in Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon and the other for use in Israel? Is it a fact that separate passports were issued because of pressure that it was felt would be applied by the relevant Arab countries if it were known that members of the Australian delegation were travelling to Israel? If this is the case does it not indicate a servile piece of conduct by the Australian Government towards foreign powers? In future will the Government take steps to ensure that Australia’s national sovereignty and dignity are maintained in such circumstances?

Senator WITHERS:
LP

-I have no direct knowledge of the matters raised by the honourable senator. I will seek the information for him. There is often a distinction to be drawn between national sovereignty and common sense in allowing people to travel between various countries.

page 12

QUESTION

CRICKET: MR KERRY PACKER

Senator MISSEN:
VICTORIA

-My question, which is addressed to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, refers to the current actions of the media entrepreneur, Mr Kerry Packer, in his attempts to destroy or seriously weaken international test cricket, In Mr Packer’s efforts to create a cricket circus in competition with next season’s test cricket in Australia, will he be requiring the co-operation in any way of the Federal Government or any of its agents or instrumentalities? Can the Minister assure the Senate that the Government will not be cooperating either directly or indirectly with Mr Packer in facilitating his circus performances or in the damaging of international test cricket?

Senator WITHERS:
LP

-I think it is a matter of personal opinion whether what Mr Packer is doing is a good thing or a bad thing. I suppose it is a matter of personal opinion whether Mr Packer’s current activities can harm Australia’s international test prospects. I do not know whether Mr Packer has made any request to the Government. He has certainly made none to my Department, but I will have inquiries made as to whether any requests have been received from Mr Packer and the nature of the response to such requests.

page 12

QUESTION

TIMORESE IMMIGRANTS

Senator ROBERTSON:
NORTHERN TERRITORY

– I direct a question to the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs. Earlier this year the Minister advised that a party from the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs would visit East Timor to investigate the circumstances of Timorese people who had made application to come to Australia. Will the Minister now indicate the composition of this Committee and the date on which the visit will be made? The Minister will be aware that many Timorese people in Australia are extremely anxious to arrange for their relatives to come to Australia as soon as possible.

Senator GUILFOYLE:
LP

– I will seek information regarding the visit to East Timor from the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs. I have no information with regard to the composition of the Committee but I will ensure that an early answer is obtained.

page 12

QUESTION

REPORT ON KING ISLAND

Senator ARCHER:
TASMANIA

-I ask a question of the Minister representing the Minister for Primary Industry. The report of the Bureau of Agricultural Economics on the viability of the rural economy on King Island reached the Federal and Tasmanian governments some weeks ago. Can the Minister advise whether there has been discussion between the State and Federal ministers concerning joint action for stabilising the island situation? When will a formal joint statement be made so that the people involved may commence the necessary action as soon as possible?

Senator COTTON:
LP

-It is my understanding that this study took place at the request of the Tasmanian Government. I understand also that it tended to concentrate upon the dairy industry on the island and is a very useful and helpful report. Following a request by the Tasmanian Government discussions are at present taking place between the Tasmanian Government and the Commonwealth Department of Primary Industry on the general aspects but with particular reference to the dairy industry. That is as much information as I have at the moment but if anything more can be obtained I will ensure that the honourable senator receives it.

page 13

QUESTION

PENSIONER TRAVEL CONCESSION CARDS

Senator BROWN:
VICTORIA · ALP

– My question is directed to the Minister for Social Security. This morning I was approached in Kings Hall by some constituents from Victoria who are age pensioners in receipt of pensioner health benefit cards and concession cards for travel. Whilst I acknowledge that the concession card relates to travel on trams, trains and buses within Victoria, I was informed that until today it had been accepted for the purposes of public transport in Canberra. I ask: What instructions have been issued and by whom to deprive age pensioners of this former concession in Canberra?

Senator GUILFOYLE:
LP

– With regard to travel concession cards held by pensioners, concessions are provided by State governments for travel within the States. With regard to travel in territories this would be a matter for local authorities. I am unaware of any change that may have been made in the Australian Capital Territory. If there has been a change it has not emanated from my Department but must be a decision of the Territory transport authority. I will have the matter investigated and see whether I can provide some information for the representatives of the Victorian pensioners.

page 13

QUESTION

ALLEGED BRIBES TO MEDICAL OFFICERS

Senator TOWNLEY:
TASMANIA

-My question is directed to the Minister for Social Security. I ask: Has the Minister been made aware of attempts by certain individuals to bribe some medical officers who examine people for invalid pensions? By way of explanation I add briefly that evidently some relatively young people have advised doctors that if they are granted a pension they will then leave the country and have the pension sent to them out of the country. Will the Minister in due course table a list of the number of invalid pensions granted by different officers over the past 36 months which are now being paid overseas? Will the Minister have the Commonwealth Police investigate the allegation that I have made in my question? Will the Government examine the common sense or otherwise of sending pensions that are paid for by the taxpayers of Australia to people who live overseas where the spending of the pension money cannot possibly benefit this country?

Senator GUILFOYLE:
LP

– I will have investigated any claims of bribes being made to medical officers relating to applications for invalid pensions. It will be understood that decisions by medical officers are the basis on which invalid pensions are granted. I would require more specific information than has been given in the question that was directed to me today to enable an investigation to be made into this matter. I shall be happy to give information with regard to the number of invalid pensions which are now paid to people who are resident overseas. It should be understood that there is a portability of pension entitlement for people who are eligible for pensions in this country which enables them to take their pensions with them when they leave to live overseas. The matter of portability has had some consideration. It should also be understood that we are in the process of looking at reciprocal arrangements with several countries with regard to the exchange of entitlements for pensions and benefits and we are awaiting the outcome of some discussions that are being held. The portability arrangements have been in existence for a number of years and apply across the range of pensions. It might be appropriate if I were to give a breakdown of the invalid pensions and benefits during the Senate Estimates committee hearings so that the number paid to people living overseas would be on record for all to read.

page 13

QUESTION

KAKADU NATIONAL PARK

Senator MULVIHILL:
NEW SOUTH WALES

– I direct a question to the Minister representing the Minister for Environment, Housing and Community Development. At what stage are discussions between the Minister for the Northern Territory, Mr Adermann, and the Minister for Environment, Housing and Community Development, Mr Newman, as to the ultimate boundaries of the Kakadu National Park, bearing in mind utterances by senior Ministers to the effect that uranium extraction is due to start?

Senator CARRICK:
LP

-Senator Mulvihill will know that the study of Kakadu as a national park is bound up with the overall study of the Ranger uranium impact inquiry. He will also know that the overall study of the two reports of Mr Justice Fox and his Committee has been and remains a continuing study of the Federal Cabinet. Within that study the very great significance of Kakadu and all the areas around it, including the wet lands and the bird sanctuary at Wolwonga will be considered in the overall decision making of the Government.

page 13

QUESTION

AUS STUDENT TRAVEL SERVICE PTY LTD

Senator JESSOP:
SOUTH AUSTRALIA

– I direct a question to the Minister for Education and refer to the recent collapse of AUS Student Travel Service Pty Ltd.

As this has caused serious financial hardship for many students who availed themselves of this facility, will the Minister say what steps can be taken to protect their interests?

Senator CARRICK:
LP

– The question gives me the opportunity to announce to the Senate that this morning the Prime Minister was in contact with the Premier of Victoria, Mr Hamer. AUS Travel Service Pty Ltd is incorporated under Victorian company law. The Prime Minister and the Premier have agreed that it is desirable that there be a joint inquiry into the nature of the reasons for the collapse of AUS Travel Service and related matters, including whether there ought to be protection of the students in their dealings with the Service. A senior counsel will be appointed. The Acting Attorney-General is in contact with his opposite number in Victoria and terms of reference will be announced shortly. Both the Commonwealth and the State Government are very concerned that there should have been a collapse of an undertaking which had multi-millions of dollars of funds involved and which concerned the welfare of many thousands of students. It is desirable that an inquiry should elicit the facts.

page 14

QUESTION

AUS STUDENT TRAVEL SERVICE PTY LTD

Senator GEORGES:

-My question, which is also directed to the Minister for Education, follows from the previous question and the answer that has just been given. Will the Minister take into consideration, when announcing such an inquiry, the possibility that AUS Student Travel Service Pty Ltd, given the co-operation of both the Government and the airlines, particularly Qantas Airways Ltd, could trade themselves out of this difficulty? Will he take into consideration the fact that his answer in the terms used to the question just asked could worsen the situation rather than assist it? Will he take into consideration the fact that there may have been some errors in audit and accountancy which may have led to some commercial judgments being made which were incorrect? Will he take into account that it is possible to correct such errors of judgment and such decisions? Will he take carefully into consideration the possibility not only that the students affected can be assisted but also that the agency itself can be assisted? Will he recognise also the tremendous assistance which this agency has given to students in travelling backwards and forwards overseas?

Senator CARRICK:
LP

-Whether or not AUS Student Travel Service Pty Ltd has any future in terms of financial viability is a matter now before the court. Neither I nor the Government wants to comment upon that. As I understand it, this is a matter of the voluntary application of the agency signalling that it has failed in its liquidity and cannot carry on. Having said that, the inquiry, as I understand it, will look into all the circumstances, including the kinds of circumstances that brought about the collapse. Naturally it will look at the question of future viability assuming that the present application has any validity in that regard. The terms, as I understand them, will be wide enough to look at all the valid causes and in particular at the lessons which one could learn for the future in protecting students concerned against any recurrences of such a nature.

page 14

QUESTION

ABORIGINAL LOANS COMMISSION

Senator CHANEY:
WESTERN AUSTRALIA

– My question is addressed to the Minister representing the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. I refer to the Aboriginal Loans Commission which has the power to make loans to Aborigines for the purpose, among other purposes, of enabling them to purchase homes. Are such loans being made by the Commission in the Northern Territory and elsewhere in Australia? If so, is the program proving successful as a means of encouraging self-help and independence?

Senator GUILFOYLE:
LP

– I understand that since 1974 the Aboriginal Loans Commission has been assisting with finance for home ownership and business enterprises for Aboriginals. I understand that for housing loans the Commission has implemented a network of agents around Australia including building societies and banks. These agents provide information on Commission policies and receive and assess loan applications. They disperse the loan moneys and provide monitoring of existing loans. The housing loans commenced in May 1975. Since then approximately 886 loans valued at more than $23m have been approved. Some 33 loans to the value of $1.3m have been provided through a particular society in the Northern Territory. The scheme demonstrates the keenness of Aboriginals to acquire homes through borrowing.

Senator Cavanagh:

– Labor did some good.

Senator GUILFOYLE:

– It did quite a lot of good. I congratulate Senator Cavanagh, if he was the responsible Minister, or certainly the Government of which he was a member, for establishing the scheme. I am pleased to see that it has provided an opportunity to Aboriginals to acquire their own homes, to take part in business enterprises and to use the loans that can come through the agents of the Commission to undertake the things which are important to them. To answer Senator Chaney, I think the scheme has been a most successful venture. I should like to see it continue into the future.

page 15

QUESTION

TRAVEL AGENTS: UNIFORM LEGISLATION

Senator McAULIFFE:
QUEENSLAND

– My question, which is addressed to the Minister for Industry and Commerce, follows upon the questions asked by Senator Jessop and Senator Georges. Is the Minister aware that after long negotiations with State Tourist Ministers and the tourist industry a Bill for uniform legislation to register and control travel agents was introduced in the other place by the Honourable Frank Stewart, the then Minister for Tourism and Recreation? Was the Bill passed in the other place without amendment? Was it introduced into the Senate in October 1975, and did it lapse on the dissolution of the Parliament on 11 November 1975? In the light of the collapse of two major travel agencies in recent days, with resultant financial loss to consumers, why was this important consumer protection legislation not re-introduced by the present Government?

Senator COTTON:
LP

-The honourable senator asked a series of questions to which the answer, as far as I can gather, having listened carefully, would be: That is correct. Then he asked why the legislation was not brought back in. The reason is that I have been studying it with State departments and State Ministers and with the industry. It was hoped that there would be some capacity for self-regulation in the industry and in the airlines. If we in Australia need a piece of legislation for every human act we have a pretty funny sort of society. When the situation is one in which the airlines are basically selling airline tickets- they run the airlines, the Australian Union of Students does not run the airlines, to the best of my knowledge- and the travel agencies are getting money from people who wish to travel, it would seem to me to be possible for a well run group of industry people to be sure that they got the money from the people and that they got the money for the airline tickets. I tried to see whether the industry could regulate itself. It has become quite clear in the last three months, after talking to industry, to travel agents and to State departments, that it cannot do so. Therefore the legislation will be coming in.

page 15

QUESTION

IMPORTED ARTISTIC PHOTOGRAPHS

Senator WALTERS:
TASMANIA

-My question is directed to the Minister representing the Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs. Why are imported artistic photographs liable for customs duties and sales tax while etchings, to give an example of a comparable art form, are exempt ?

Senator DURACK:
LP

-I will refer that question to the Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs whom I represent.

page 15

QUESTION

JUDICIAL COMMITTEE OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL: PETITION

Senator HARRADINE:
TASMANIA

– My question is directed to the Minister representing the Prime Minister. As the question relates to fundamental rights of the States, I ask the Senate to bear with me because of the length of the question. Is the Minister aware that on 17 October 1975 Mr Justice Murphy, in his written reasons for the decision in the case the Commonwealth v. the State of Queensland, referred to and quoted from a dispatch sent by the Governor-General to the Governor of Queensland concerning a petition to Her Majesty the Queen which had requested a reference to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council? Is the Minister aware that an identical dispatch was sent by the Governor-General to the Governor of Tasmania on 30 January 1974? Is the Minister aware that five days earlier the Clerk of the Privy Council informed the Solicitors-General of Queensland and Tasmania by cable that he was instructed to advise that Her Majesty had accepted the advice of her Ministers in the United Kingdom that the petition relating to off-shore mining rights should not be referred to the Judicial Committee? Does the Minister agree that there is an inconsistency between the dispatches sent by the Governor-General to the Governors of Queensland and Tasmania and the advice conveyed by the Clerk of the Privy Council to the Solicitors-General of those States? Will the Minister disclose the precise terms of a message from Her Majesty the Queen to the Governor-General in January 1974 which indicated the decision not to refer to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council the petition by the Government of Tasmania concerning questions relating to the seabed adjacent to the coast of that State? What was the substance of that message? If the Minister cannot do that, did that message expressly refer to any of the submissions made to Her Majesty by her Australian Ministers. If so, which were the submissions? Does the Minister agree that it is in the public interest that all communications relevant to Her Majesty’s consideration of the petition be tabled in order that their constitutional implications might be properly evaluated?

Senator WITHERS:
LP

-About the only question the honourable senator has not asked me is what will win the Melbourne Cup. Perhaps the question ought to have been directed to Senator Wriedt, who was Leader of the Government during that period. There is a fairly long-standing convention that governments do not pry into the papers of their predecessors and ought not to have access to the papers of their predecessors without the consent of their predecessors. Therefore I ask the honourable senator to place his question on notice so that the matter can be given proper study.

page 16

QUESTION

AUS STUDENT TRAVEL SERVICE PTY LTD

Senator TEHAN:
VICTORIA · NCP

-My question arises out of the question asked earlier today by Senator Jessop. Will the Minister for Education ensure that the inquiry into AUS Student Travel Service Pty Ltd will be broad enough to allow investigation of all financial activities- travel, commercial and otherwise- of the Australian Union of Students so that audited financial statements may be available to members of the student body generally so they will be aware of how their contributions to AUS are spent?

Senator CARRICK:
LP

– While not pre-empting the terms of reference, which are still to be decided between the Commonwealth and State concerned, I would envisage and hope that the terms of reference would be wide in their implications so as to elicit all the circumstances concerned. I would imagine that the financial link between AUS itself and AUS Travel Services must of necessity be studied.

Senator Georges:

- Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I think this matter has gone too far. On the Minister’s own admission, this matter is before a court. I take it that it is before a court. It is a matter for inquiry. It is a matter for decision which will very much affect the outcome. For that reason I think it is wrong of the Minister to accept questions on this subject and answer them in the way that he is answering them. I think he is prejudicing the inquiry in the manner in which he is answering the question. As it is a matter of legal inquiry, I raise the point of order.

The PRESIDENT:

– I am listening closely. I ask the Minister to continue.

Senator CARRICK:

-I draw attention to the fact that Senator Georges asked a similar range of questions and felt that he was not infringing the law of sub judice in any way in doing so. I have been extremely careful to make no judgments, no comments, no innuendos, no reflections at all. All I have said is that the Commonwealth Government and the State Government will set up a joint inquiry and that the terms of reference of that inquiry will be sufficiently wide to embrace how the circumstances occurred and what relationship there is between AUS Travel Service and AUS itself. In nothing that I say is there any breaching of the rule of sub judice at all.

page 16

QUESTION

BIRCH INQUIRY

Senator KEEFFE:

– My question is directed to the Minister for Science. I preface it by reminding the Minister of the internal inquiry into the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation headed by Professor Birch. Has the inquiry finished and a report been made to the Minister or the Government? If so, when did the inquiry finish and when was the report made to the Government, what were the results of the inquiry and when will the Government table the results of the inquiry? If the inquiry is not complete, when is it likely to be completed, and when will Professor Birch report to the Government and the Parliament? Finally, can the Minister give an assurance to the Parliament that the report will not be classified and treated as a secret document?

Senator WEBSTER:
NCP/NP

-Professor Birch, who is inquiring into the CSIRO, is to report to the Prime Minister. All the questions raised by Senator Keeffe are those which should properly be answered by the Prime Minister. I will refer the questions to the Prime Minister and bring an answer to the Senate.

page 16

QUESTION

TRANSLATORS AND INTERPRETERS

Senator THOMAS:
WESTERN AUSTRALIA · LP

– I direct my question to the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs. Is the Government considering the establishment of an accreditation body for translators and interpreters? If so, can the Minister give some indication of when such a body will be established?

Senator GUILFOYLE:
LP

-The Government has decided to establish a national accreditation authority on interpreting and translating. The question of membership of the authority is at present before the Government and it is hoped that membership of this body will be announced very shortly.

page 16

QUESTION

INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Senator SIBRAA:
NEW SOUTH WALES

– My question is directed to the Minister representing the Minister for Health. In the wake of the outbreak of salmonella poisoning in infants, will the Minister give a firm undertaking that the Government will take those steps necessary to establish a national reference system on infectious diseases along the lines of the United Kingdom public health laboratory service or the United States centre for disease control? Will the Government commit itself to constructing a national reference laboratory on infectious diseases to carry out research work? Will it provide finance for such an institution?

Senator GUILFOYLE:
LP

– The Senate would be aware of the Government’s concern with the recent salmonella infection. I have no knowledge as to whether the Minister or the Government will determine to set up a national reference laboratory as suggested in the question, but I will refer it to the Minister for Health for his further information on the matter.

page 17

QUESTION

AUS STUDENT TRAVEL SERVICE PTY LTD

Senator MESSNER:
SOUTH AUSTRALIA

-My question, which is directed to the Minister for Industry and Commerce, follows other questions about the AUS Student Travel Service Pty Ltd. Is the Minister aware that during recent Australian Union of Students election campaigns all students were assured by the AUS executive that the financial position of the AUS travel company was satisfactory? If so, does this suggest that the AUS executive had possibly delayed making an announcement about the financial position of the travel company -

Senator Georges:

– I rise to a point of order because I believe- the Minister made the admission in answer to my question-that the matter is before the courts. By inference, what is happening here is prejudicial to the inquiry. There is an innuendo that the directors of AUS failed to report or delayed reporting. I submit that this question ought to be ruled out of order in the circumstances until we have further information, until a debate takes place and until the inquiry is finished.

The PRESIDENT:

- Senator Messner, carry on for the time being. I will take note of what Senator Georges has said.

Senator MESSNER:

– I continue with the question. Does the assurance of the AUS executive suggest that the executive had possibly delayed making an announcement about the financial position of the travel company until the AUS elections had been finalised? Because of these events, will the Minister consider the extension of concession fares for bona fide tertiary students through Qantas Airways Ltd to be made available through other well recognised travel agents.

Senator COTTON:
LP

-I have tried to follow this matter with some care as it is obviously getting a little tangled and as some excitement is being caused. I think that Senator Georges is rather old to be a student. Certain things need to be said again. Senator Carrick was quite explicit about the course that the Government proposes to take. These bookings are made through a travel agency with airlines, and one would expect the airlines to be capable of supervising the collection of their own cash. Of course, that will need to be examined in detail by those people who look into these things. As to the financial standing of the Australian Union of Students and its election campaigns, I know nothing about that. If I can find anything that throws more light on the matter I shall certainly volunteer to bring it before the Senate.

page 17

QUESTION

IMPORT QUOTAS

Senator GIETZELT:

-My question is directed to the Minister representing the Minister for Overseas Trade and the Minister for Special Trade Negotiations. I ask: Does the Government take seriously the threats by the Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, that the peace and security of South East Asia will be threatened unless Australia reviews its quota policies on imported goods from Singapore and the other countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations?

Senator COTTON:
LP

-I do not really take them all that seriously, nor have I done so from the time they were first uttered and when various people decided to pick them up as events upon which to speculate and make noises. There is rather a lot to learn about this matter. The Prime Minister recently visited Kuala Lumpur. I should have thought that the discussions were carefully carried out, were conclusive and were useful. Tomorrow I may be able to make a more specific and definite statement about the general status of the Australian clothing, textile and footwear industry and refer to the matters raised by the honourable senator. Information came to my office before question time today about strong action taken in the European Economic Community, particularly by France, in relation to the clothing and textile imports from the Association of South East Asian Nations area. This matter has been heavily flogged around. The figures concerning the access that Australia has been given can be repeated. I did not take seriously some of the speculative comment which was said to come from Mr Lee Kuan Yew and which was greatly cooked up by members of various Press galleries around the world. I did not take those reports as seriously as some people apparently did.

page 18

QUESTION

TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOWER ON BLACK MOUNTAIN

Senator KNIGHT:
ACT

-Can the Minister representing the Minister for the Capital Territory indicate when the telecommunications tower on Black Mountain will be completed? Can he outline what action will be taken to improve access for tourists and for those who will work in the area? In particular, will extensive road works be required, and will parking facilities be adequate for the anticipated flow of tourists and for those working in the telecommunications tower?

Senator WEBSTER:
NCP/NP

-My understanding is that the opening date for the Black Mountain tower has not been determined. I believe that delays continue in the work to complete the tower and that it is unlikely to be opened before early April 1978. The Department of Construction has prepared designs, on behalf of the telecommunication commissions, to the standards detailed in the report to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Public Works. This Committee investigated the tower proposal in 1972. Provision was made for approximately 1 50 cars and four tourist coaches. In addition 24 spaces are to be allocated for service vehicles for the tower. There will be no alterations to the road to the summit apart from some guard rails and signs for the guidance and safety of tourists.

On present predictions, the capacity of the summit will be exceeded on about 20 days in any year. These predictions were prepared from observations of tourists at Parliament House and the Australian War Memorial. On these days, special control will be necessary to limit the duration of the stay of the people on the mountain. To increase the amount of parking does not offer a solution to the additional traffic and visitors. Some visitors may upset the ecological balance of the mountain. Increased road works also would have that effect. Alternatives, including possible arrangements for transfer of tourists by coach, are being considered but a decision is impossible until experience is available and visitor demand is measured. I am assured that both the flow of visitor traffic and the effect on the mountain ecology will be monitored when the tower is opened to the public.

page 18

QUESTION

NAMOI WOMEN’S SHELTER

Senator DONALD CAMERON:

– I preface my question, which is directed to the Minister for Social Security, by referring to a letter that I wrote to the Minister on 3 August regarding Federal funding for the Namoi Women’s Shelter in Adelaide. In the letter I referred to correspondence from the Office of Child Care stating that approval had been given for Federal funding to enable the centre to employ a supervisor and to purchase equipment. A further letter dated 27 June from the Childhood Services Council stated that a mistake had been made and that the Minister had not approved of the funding. I ask: Will the Minister now rectify the confusion by approving the promised Federal funding to enable the Shelter to pay the salary of the qualified child care welfare worker engaged because financial support had been previously promised?

Senator GUILFOYLE:
LP

– I shall have the matter examined to see whether the facts stated by Senator Donald Cameron are correct. If consideration should be given to this matter in the context of new programs for this year, I undertake to expedite that consideration.

page 18

QUESTION

AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION OF TRAVEL AGENTS: MEETING IN TASMANIA

Senator RAE:
TASMANIA

– Has the attention of the Minister for Industry and Commerce been directed towards or attracted to the reports in the Press following the Australian Federation of Travel Agents convention in Hobart in late July? Those Press reports praised the Tasmanian hospitality received by the delegates and claimed that the Hobart convention was the greatest ever held. I ask: Does the Minister agree that such a response gives clear support for Tasmania ‘s claim to be an ideal venue for conventions with the hospitality of its people, its excellent facilities and its interest and variety in scenery and history and other things which are well known to members of Parliament but which are perhaps not so well known overseas? Will the Minister endeavour, through the Australian Tourist Commission, to have some steps taken to give greater promotion to Tasmania as a convention centre for international organisations?

Senator COTTON:
LP

-I am glad that the honourable senator asked that question and told us about these Press reports because what he said is true. The travel agents were most enthusiastic. The only person who was furious was me. I was supposed to attend the convention but Cabinet met and I could not attend the convention. It is important that the particular quality of Tasmania should be introduced further into the Australian domestic travel scene and also into the overseas travel scene. I have already taken steps to ask the Australian Tourist Commission to do that. I did it when I was in New York at my daughter’s wedding. I think that this matter is important. What Senator Rae said is true. Honourable senators probably will realise that when an inquiry was being conducted into TasmaniaSenator Rae is concerned about Tasmania but obviously honourable senators opposite are not so concerned- Sir Bede Callaghan was asked particularly to direct his attention to the tourist potential of Tasmania. He has done that.

Senator Button:

– How many guests were there at your daughter’s wedding?

Senator COTTON:

-There were 28 guests.

page 19

QUESTION

NORTHERN TERRITORY CATTLE INDUSTRY

Senator DEVITT:
TASMANIA

-I wish to refer to the other end of the continent in my question which is directed to the Minister representing the Minister for Primary Industry. The Minister will recall a series of questions that I directed through him to the Minister for Primary Industry concerning a possible threat to the beef export market arising from the serious condition of the cattle industry in the Northern Territory where management had deteriorated and brucellosis control had become increasingly difficult. In order to clear up a point which was not answered by the Minister in a recent letter to me, following the questions that I asked in this place, I ask: Is it not a fact that unless the country is free of brucellosis by 1 978 beef exports could stop?

Senator COTTON:
LP

-This is a serious matter. It was raised at the Senate Estimates Committee hearings at which the honourable senator and myself were present. I knew that the Minister for Primary Industry had replied to a series of questions asked by Senator Devitt. I am aware that a problem concerning time exists in relation to brucellosis eradication. I am not aware of any more details. I take this matter seriously and I shall make further inquiries to clear up this matter.

page 19

QUESTION

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT: NEW ZEALANDERS

Senator CAVANAGH:

– I ask a question of the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs. As it is essential for the Department of Social Security to obtain information from the Department of Immigration and

Ethnic Affairs in Canberra in most cases of New Zealanders in Australia applying for unemployment relief, can the Minister speed up the processing of such information to the Adelaide office of the Department of Social Security and shorten the period which at present is 12 to 13 weeks? During this period the applicant for assistance has no money or food.

Senator GUILFOYLE:
LP

– I undertake to investigate any delays which are occurring when New Zealanders who are in Australia claim unemployment benefits. It would be understood by the honourable senator that it is those New Zealanders who signify their intention to remain in Australia who are eligible for unemployment benefits. I expect that some delays occur in ascertaining eligibility.

Senator Cavanagh:

-Thirteen weeks is too long.

Senator GUILFOYLE:

– I shall certainly examine the matter that has been raised to see whether there is any way in which all State offices are able to determine eligibility without undue delay.

page 19

PETITIONS

Senator ARCHER:

– I direct a question to you, Mr President. Will you consider the wording required for the presentation of petitions to the Senate in the light of present circumstances to see whether some alterations and simplifications may be appropriate, without removing the underlying expression of appeal ‘And I, your petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever pray’?

The PRESIDENT:

– I shall look at the matter to which the honourable senator has referred but I will reserve any comment until I have considered it.

page 19

QUESTION

CATTLE PRODUCING INDUSTRY

Senator PRIMMER:
VICTORIA

– My question is directed to the Minister representing the Minister for Primary Industry. Has the Minister seen the statement by Mr Barry Cassell, the national director of the militant Cattlemen’s Union, calling for positive policy initiatives rather than union or British bashing by the Minister for Primary Industry, Mr Sinclair? Can the Minister assure the Senate that Mr Sinclair will be made aware of Mr Cassell ‘s statement in view of the fact that the statement represents the outlook of all rational thinking meat producers?

Senator COTTON:
LP

-I have not seen Mr Cassell ‘s statement. Mr Sinclair may have seen the statement. I am sure that Mr Sinclair will see the statement. I really do not know much about what Mr Barry Cassell says, but I am concerned about the future of the industry and any proposal that has value in helping the industry will have consideration by me and the Government.

page 20

QUESTION

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SECURITY: TRANSFER OF DIRECTOR-GENERAL

Senator McLAREN:
SOUTH AUSTRALIA

– I direct a question to the Minister for Social Security. Is it a fact that the head of the Department of Social Security is being transferred to a position in the Department of the Capital Territory because of disagreements with you and the Cabinet?

Senator GUILFOYLE:
LP

– The matter raised in the terms in which it has been raised is not fact.

page 20

ASSENT TO BILLS

Assent to the following Bills reported:

Supply Bill (No. 1) 1977-78.

Supply Bill (No. 2) 1977-78.

Dairy Industry Stabilization Bill 1977.

Dairy Industry Stabilization Levy Bill 1977.

Dairy Produce Amendment Bill 1977.

Dairy Industry Assistance Bill 1 977.

Dairy Industry Assistance Levy Bill 1977.

Income Tax (Rates) Amendment Bill 1977.

Wool Industry Amendment Bill 1977.

Wool Tax Amendment Bill (No. 1) 1977.

Wool Tax Amendment Bill (No. 2) 1977.

Wool Tax Amendment Bill(No.3) 1977.

Wool Tax Amendment Bill (No. 4) 1977.

Wool Tax Amendment Bill (No. 5) 1977.

Income Tax (Companies and Superannuation Funds) Amendment Bill 1977.

Australian National Railways Amendment Bill 1 977.

Housing Loans Insurance Amendment Bill 1 977.

Loan ( War Service Land Settlement) Bill 1977.

Roads Acts Amendment Bill 1977.

Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation Bill 1977.

Live-stock Export Charge Bill 1977.

Live-stock Export Charge Collection Bill 1 977.

Live-stock Slaughter Levy Amendment Bill 1977.

Live-stock Slaughter Levy Collection Amendment Bill 1977.

Meat Research Amendment Bill 1977.

Customs Tariff Amendment Bill 1977.

Customs TariffValidation Bill (No. 2) 1977.

Health Insurance Amendment Bill 1977.

Stevedoring Industry (Temporary Provisions) Amendment Bill 1977.

Stevedoring Industry Charge Amendment Bill 1977.

States Grants ( Roads Interim Assistance) Bill 1977.

Defence Service Homes Amendment Bill 1977.

Commonwealth Legal Aid Commission Bill 1977.

Trade Practices Amendment Bill 1977.

Income Tax Assessment Amendment Bill 1977.

Administrative Appeals Tribunal Amendment Bill 1977.

Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Bill 1977.

States Grants (Advanced Education Assistance) Amendment Bill 1977.

States Grants (Schools Assistance) Amendment Bill 1 977.

States Grants (Technical and Further Education Assistance) Amendment Bill 1977.

States Grants (Universities Assistance) Amendment Bill 1977.

Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill 1 977.

National Labour Consultative Council Bill 1977.

Phosphate Fertilizers Bounty Amendment Bill 1977.

Repatriation Acts Amendment Bill 1977.

Constitution Alteration (Senate Casual Vacancies) Bill 1977.

Constitution Alteration ( Retirement of Judges) Bill 1 977.

Constitution Alteration (Referendums) Bill 1977.

page 20

REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL: NORTHERN TERRITORY LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY REVIEW 1977

Senator WITHERS:
Western AustraliaMinister for Administrative Services · LP

– Pursuant to section 7 of the Remuneration Tribunals Act 1973 I present the Remuneration Tribunal Northern Territory Legislative Assembly Review 1977, of 6 June 1977, which includes Determination No. 1977/5.

page 20

REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL 1977 REVIEW

Senator WITHERS:
Western AustraliaMinister for Administrative Services · LP

– Pursuant to sections 6 and 7 of the Remuneration Tribunals Act 1973 I present the Remuneration Tribunal 1977 Review, of 20 June 1977, which includes two reports (Nos 1977/1 and 1977/2) and five determinations (Nos 1977/6 to 1977/10).

REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL DETERMINATION Nos 1977/4 AND 1977/11

Senator WITHERS (Western AustraliaMinister for Administrative Services)- Pursuant to section 7 of the Remuneration Tribunals Act I present Remuneration Tribunal Determination No. 1977/4, which predates the 1977 review, and Remuneration Tribunal Determination No. 1977/11, which postdates the 1977 review. These determinations are in respect of the holders of certain public offices.

page 20

COMMONWEALTH POLICE REPORTS

Senator WITHERS:
Western AustraliaMinister for Administrative Services · LP

– Pursuant to section 1 1 of the Commonwealth Police Act 1957 I present the annual reports of the Commonwealth Police Commissioner for the years ended June 1976 and June 1977.

page 21

COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS REPORT

Senator WITHERS:
Western AustraliaMinister for Administrative Services · LP

– For the information of honourable senators I present the report on the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands for the year ended 3 1 December 1976.

Senator Douglas McClelland:
NEW SOUTH WALES · ALP

– by leave- I move:

I seek leave to continue my remarks at a later date.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.

page 21

AUSTRALIAN EGG BOARD REPORT

Senator COTTON:
New South WalesMinister for Industry and Commerce · LP

– Pursuant to section 23 of the Egg Export Control Act 1947 I present the annual report of the Australian Egg Board for the year ended June 1 976.

Senator McLAREN:
South Australia

-by leave- I move:

I seek leave to continue my remarks at a later date.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.

page 21

AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURAL COUNCIL

Senator COTTON:
New South WalesMinister for Industry and Commerce · LP

– For the information of honourable senators I present the resolutions of the 100th meeting of the Australian Agricultural Council held in Launceston, Tasmania, February 1977.

Senator McLAREN:
South Australia

-by leave- I move:

I seek leave to continue my remarks at a later date.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.

page 21

SUPPLEMENTARY AGREEMENT ON LAND ACQUISITION FOR NATURE CONSERVATION

Senator CARRICK:
New South WalesMinister for Education · LP

– Pursuant to section 1 1 of the States Grants (Nature Conservation) Act 1974 I present a supplementary agreement in relation to the provision of financial assistance to New South Wales for land acquisition for nature conservation purposes (Violet Hill) 1976-77.

Senator MULVIHILL:
New South Wales

– by leave- I move:

I seek leave to continue my remarks at a later date.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.

page 21

INDUSTRIES ASSISTANCE COMMISSION REPORTS

Senator CARRICK:
New South WalesMinister for Education · LP

– On behalf of my colleague the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, for the information of honourable senators I present the reports of the Industries Assistance Commission on the following subjects:

Pharmaceutical and veterinary products;

Pumps and compressors;

Batteries Part B: Primary batteries; Tyres;

Measuring, checking, precision instruments and apparatus, etc;

Electrical control apparatus and insulating fittings;

Financing promotion of rural products;

Financing rural research;

Malleable cast iron fittings (developing country preferences); and

Motor vehicles- extension of import restrictions.

Senator McLAREN:
South Australia

-by leave- I move:

I seek leave to continue my remarks at a later date.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.

page 21

SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND COMMERCE

Senator SHEIL:
Queensland

– I present the report and the transcript of evidence from the Senate Standing Committee on Trade and Commerce on its inquiry into the tax on the wine and the grape industries.

Ordered that the report be printed.

I seek leave to move a motion that the Senate take note of the report.

The PRESIDENT:

-Is leave granted? There being no objection, leave is granted.

Senator SHEIL:

-I move:

It gives me great pleasure to present this report on the tax on the wine and the grape industries. The Senate referred this matter to the Committee on 3 June 1976 and the Committee has been devoting most of its energies to this inquiry since that time. We approached all the major organisations in the industries, as well as widely advertising the inquiry in all the relevant areas. Consequently, the Committee is confident that it received a broad range of views on the subject. Almost 70 written submissions were made to the Committee and 20 public hearings were held, including several in the wine making and grape growing areas of the country. I would like to place on record now the Committee’s gratitude for the extensive co-operation and assistance which it received during the inquiry. On commencing our investigations it soon became obvious to the Committee that the industries have been going through a most difficult period. In particular, wine makers have been experiencing severe liquidity problems and grape growers are facing the prospect of not being able to sell all their produce.

There are several reasons for these problems. The high inflation and rapid increase in wages, materials and overheads in recent years have affected these industries as they have all others. Moreover, winemakers have had to make additional tax payments since the repeal of section 3 1a of the Income Tax Assessment Act in 1973. Of course, prior to 1973, section 31a helped winemakers partly finance their stock holdings and provided an excellent hedge against inflation. Sales of wine, in total, have been growing significantly for some time and while the growth rate has slowed, it is still about 5 per cent per annum. But the pattern of wine sales has recently changed dramatically. Red wine has declined in popularity- by about 15 per cent in the last two years- while white wines sales have soared by over 60 per cent in that time. This rapid change in consumer tastes presents the industries with severe adjustment problems, bearing in mind the long lead times involved in planting grapes and maturing wine.

Red wine stocks, built up on the basis of sales trends a few years ago, are now too large. Moreover, grape growers are producing appreciable quantities of grapes, which, although suitable for requirements when planted, are no longer desirable for winemaking. A switch in consumer tastes away from brandy in favour of Scotch whisky, prompted by the removal of brandy’s excise differential, has created difficulties for Australian brandy makers, and also for winemakers and grape growers, because brandy has been used in the past as a means of storing the produce of high production years.

In addition to these problems, which have been basically beyond the control of the industries, it must be said that some of their difficulties have been created, or compounded, by the industries themselves. There has perhaps been over investment in some varieties of grapes, and in vineyards generally, based on expectations of consumption growth which were unfounded. Also, the industries have structual problems, such as grape growers who work properties of an uneconomic size, and a lack of co-ordinated planning between growers and winemakers. Furthermore, industry organisations are fragmented, and currently inhibit the development of a united, systematic approach to the industries’ problems. The report which I now present recommends several proposals to help solve these problems and I would like to outline the more important of these.

In the view of the Committee, perhaps the most important need which the industries have is for a stable climate in the immediate future, to compensate for the period of upheaval which they have just undergone and to allow necessary reconstruction and rationalisation of the industries to proceed apace. In order to help achieve this stability the Committee has recommended that the Government give a firm undertaking that no excise or sales tax be imposed on the wine industry before the end of the transition period for the payment of the deferrred tax resulting from the repeal of section 3 1 a. This period is currently scheduled to end in 1981-82. In order to bring to an end the fragmentation of industry organisations, the Committee has recommended that the Australian Wine Board, the Australian Wine and Brandy Producers Association and the Federal Grapegrowers’ Council of Australia should combine to form a new organisation, which we have titled the Australian Wine and Grape Corporation. This body would be elected by industry members, funded by a levy on grape growers and winemakers and be independent of government.

One of its most pressing functions would be to develop closer and more businesslike relations between grape growers and winemakers. It would seek to achieve such essential tasks as the rationalisation of new and replacement vine plantings and the determination of minimum prices for grapes which take more account of the economically viable grower and maker and which do not attempt to defy long term market forces. A major problem area within the industries is the South Australian Riverland. The Industries Assistance Commission has already reported on the urgent need for reconstruction of the Riverland and the ways in which this could be done. The Committee in this Report recommends that the proposals of the Industries Assistance Commission be implemented immediately; that no new water rights be issued in the Riverland until reconstruction is complete and that any conflict of interest between State and Federal government over the area be minimised.

The Committee has also recommended several proposals which we believe will assist the

Australian brandy industry. These include an increase in the margin between the duty on imported brandy and the excise on Australian brandy which would match the protection enjoyed by Australian whisky; the tightening up of labelling requirements so as to ensure that only spirit completely distilled from fresh grape wine could be described as brandy and a change in the certifying authority for French bulk brandy imports. Perhaps the most significant instigating factor in commencing the inquiry was the disquiet within the industries over the repeal of section 3 1a. The Committee has carefully considered whether this provision should be reenacted and a large part of our report canvasses the whole question of a special tax valuation for wine and brandy stocks. The conclusion which the Committee has reached is that no special stock valuation provision for these products is justified and that the present arrangements for the payment of the deferred tax are equitable.

The main reason the Committee drew this conclusion was our belief that the main need of the industries is a period of stability, and that the re-enactment of section 31a or a similar provision would act as an undesirable stimulus, which would lessen the chances of necessary rationalisation and reconstruction being undertaken. Moreover, it would be a stimulus in the form of an interest free loan through the taxation system, which the Committee regards as being inequitable on principle. In our view, the industry will be better able to survive in the long term without a concessional stock valuation. The Committee has also concluded that no changes should be made to the Division 7 provisions of the Income Tax Assessment Act, or to the provisions on co-operatives, and that the trading stock valuation adjustment scheme should be applied to the stock values under the section 31b transitional provisions.

Needless to say, I have only briefly covered the major aspects of the report in my few remarks today. The report contains further recommendations and a much more detailed discussion of the issues which concern the industries than I have attempted. I would like to conclude by thanking my fellow members of the Committee for their efforts and contributions during the course of the inquiry. I would also like to thank members of the secretariat, some of whom I see here today, for their kindness, consideration and attention to detail during our public and private meetings and with regard to our travel arrangements. I commend the report to the Senate.

Senator GEORGES:
Queensland

-I enter the debate in order to allow for some future discussion of this report. In doing so I make a criticism. It may have been my error in not understanding properly what was said but I was under the impression that this report was to be presented tomorrow and not today. For that reason no arrangements were made on this side of the House to engage in debate on what is a very important report from one of our committees. There is no doubt that the Committee has investigated an important and developing industry which is coming under considerable pressure from other sources and perhaps not receiving fair consideration in the market place. For that reason I seek leave to continue my remarks in order to allow other senators to enter into the debate at a later stage.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.

page 23

FIRE AT NAVAL STATION, NOWRA

Ministerial Statement

Senator WITHERS:
Western AustraliaMinister for Administrative Services · LP

– For the information of honourable senators I present the conclusions of the Board of Inquiry into the fire at the Naval Station, Nowra, New South Wales, on 4 December 1 976. 1 seek leave to make a brief statement.

The PRESIDENT:

-Is leave granted? There being no objection, leave is granted.

Senator WITHERS:

– Honourable senators will recall that on 4 December 1 976 a fire at the Naval Air Station, Nowra burnt down a hangar, and destroyed or damaged 10 Grumman S2E Tracker aircraft and associated equipment. The board of inquiry was convened by the Flag Officer Commanding East Australia Area under the authority of the Naval Defence Act and was directed to examine the security arrangements and fire prevention measures which existed before the fire, how the fire was fought, action taken to minimise loss after the fire started, and to make recommendations to prevent a recurrence. It was advised that its report should state whether the fire and subsequent damage and destruction were attributable to acts or omissions on the part of any person or persons.

The board’s inquiry was conducted concurrently with an extensive investigation undertaken by the New South Wales Police Force, assisted by Naval Police and the Commonwealth Police Force. The police investigations continued altogether for over 12 weeks. Approximately 2000 people were interviewed. The board of inquiry enjoyed exceptionally close co-operation and integration of effort with the police. The board of inquiry was assisted by a specialist in fire services and security from the Royal Australian Air Force and by experts drawn from a broad spectrum of specialised agencies of Commonwealth, State and local governments. I take this opportunity to record the appreciation of the Government for the valuable assistance provided by all authorities and persons to the board of inquiry.

The board of inquiry established that the fire in H hangar was caused by deliberate action. Aviation gasoline was drained to the hangar floor from the tanks of at least two aircraft, the sprinkler system shut-off valve was closed and the gasoline was lit. The person solely responsible for these actions was Able Seaman Graham John Trent. The conclusions I have tabled are taken verbatim from the board of inquiry report, except for names of individuals which have been removed in accordance with the practice that documents tabled in the House should not contain the names of individuals who are the subject of criticism.

The major conclusions of the board of inquiry were that: the material aspects of security of aircraft within the hangar and of the hangar itself were less than adequate; various procedures relating to security of aircraft and hangars at the Naval Air Station were unsatisfactory; certain persons did not carry out their security duties in accordance with orders; various proposals to enhance the security of the Naval Air Station had not been put into effect; the standards of construction of H hangar were below those considered appropriate today for the safe stowage of aircraft; the response to the alarm was good, the fire could not have been extinguished sooner or more closely confined, the actions taken to fight the fire were sound, and many men showed great courage and determination in fighting the fire and removing aircraft to safety.

As honourable senators will see from the paper I have tabled, the board also drew conclusions on other matters of lesser importance dealing with inadequacies or deficiencies in the administration of security and fire protection at the Station.

In April this year Able Seaman Trent was tried by court martial on 13 charges of wilfully damaging a hangar and wilfully destroying or damaging a number of aircraft. The court martial found that Trent did the acts charged but was insane at the time when the acts were done so as not to be responsible according to law for his actions. The court martial ordered that Trent be kept in custody until the pleasure of the Governor-General is known.

Ten officers have been dealt with for their failure to ensure adequate security of the Air Station and its valuable assets, and for not exercising proper supervision of duty security personnel on the night of the fire. The officers have been censured or admonished, including two severely censured at the highest level. Short of trial and conviction by court martial a censure is the most severe action that may be taken against an officer in peacetime. Consideration was given to the trial by court martial of some of the officers concerned for negligence. Before an officer can be convicted by court martial in relation to negligence, it must be established beyond reasonable doubt that his conduct amounts to neglect in the manner charged. If so, it must further be established that the neglect is blameworthy or culpable in the circumstances. After receiving legal advice it was decided not to proceed by court martial. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that a number of officers had fallen short of the standards expected of them to such a degree that censure or admonition was warranted. In addition, charges were laid against 10 sailors in summary proceedings. The offences alleged involved breaches of discipline committed whilst on duty. One sailor was found not guilty. In the other nine cases convictions resulted and fines were imposed.

Immediate steps were taken to improve the security protection of naval aircraft and the base complex. The following specific actions have been taken:

  1. Security of aircraft has been considerably improved by employing sentries in hangars, by more effective mobile patrols equipped with two-way radios, by more frequent random checks by senior station officers and duty officers, and by the introduction of guard dog teams. The number of guard dog teams will be increased shortly.
  2. The security of the hangars has been upgraded to the extent practicable at this stage; doors can no longer be opened by outside devices, all padlocks have been checked in good order and the barring of external windows will be completed this month.
  3. c) The organisation for the control of keys to secure areas is now fully in accordance with Station Orders and Naval Regulations.
  4. The procedures for access to the Naval Air Station have been reviewed. Entry to secure areas within the establishment is being carefully controlled.
  5. Fire prevention and firefighting measures have been improved by a number of steps including the dispersal of aircraft, the locking of sprinkler control rooms, the improved readiness of firefighting equipment and agents, clarification of orders on the carriage of cigarette lighters and matches, and the removal of flammable liquids and combustible material from hangars on completion of work each day. Action also has been taken to improve the training and exercising of personnel in the fighting of all types of fires that might be encountered on the Station, and to improve procedures to contact duty personnel and the local fire brigade.

Some $43,000 have been expended or committed on works to improve security since the fire. In addition, items have been included in the works program for this financial year to provide for improved security to a number of areas in the Station, principally, to extend the facilities for the introduction of two new fire tenders, to improve the perimeter road, to provide a flammable stowage for one hangar, and to improve security and fire protection in a number of other buildings. These items are being progressed as rapidly as practicable.

Consideration is being given to a number of further measures including provision of additional security fencing, illumination and security alarms for other sensitive areas, illumination of the aircraft hardstanding adjacent to the hangars, and renewal of fighting in some hangars using flame-proof fitments. Action is proceeding for the early installation of intruder alarm systems to the appropriate hangars at the Air Station. A full periodic inspection of the Naval Air Station has recently been completed. Considerable improvement in the Station’s security awareness has been reported.

There can be no doubt that the fire at the Naval Air Station, Nowra, was a severe blow to our defence capabilities at the time. The Government was able quickly to replace the aircraft. I wish to acknowledge that this action would not have been possible without the prompt and most generous assistance of the United States Government and the United States Navy. In all, the estimated value of the hangar, aircraft and equipment lost amounted to nearly $9m. The cost to replace the aircraft and equipment, which has already been announced, is estimated at nearly $7m.

It is pertinent to remind honourable senators that the Naval Air Station at Nowra is an extensive and complex facility. Its primary functions are: to provide a base for the operational squadrons for HMAS Melbourne when disembarked, for training squadrons and for Fleet requirements; to provide organisational and intermediate level maintenance and support for naval aircraft; to provide operational training for air crew and to provide ground training for maintenance personnel.

In addition to normal naval operational and training flying, the Naval Air Station meets demands for search and rescue and aid to the civil community. The Commanding Officer of the Naval Air Station is also responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Jervis Bay airfield and the missile range. In all, he commands nearly 2000 people and at the time of the fire there were 6 1 aircraft at his Station.

The Naval Air Station and the Jervis Bay target services group have consistently maintained high standards in meeting their flying, maintenance and training commitments. It could be argued that fault lay in the system where physical improvements to security that had been requested were not provided. This view is not shared entirely by the Minister as it was within local authority to make alternative arrangements pending the introduction of improvements. In any case, it will always remain extemely difficult to prevent the irrational action of a person from within one ‘s own organisation.

These points do not excuse the unsatisfactory state of security which existed at the Naval Air Station at the time of the fire. The Minister has asked me to say that he does not condone or under-estimate the faults and inadequacies that this inquiry has exposed. In the face of the fire itself, the performance of that Station’s personnel stands very much to their credit. To enter the hangar and to approach the fiercely burning heat of the fire demanded great courage, a courage shown by many that night. A number of young and inexperienced sailors fought the fire to the point of collapse and after revival continued to volunteer themselves for further duty. Others, well aware of the dangers of the operation, hazarded their lives to remove aircraft from the hangar even to the point of re-entering the burning building after being ordered to leave as the roof might further collapse. They should be commended, and I believe that honourable senators would join me in this. As a result of their actions, 16 personnel are being considered for appropriate awards.

The most significant lesson from this unfortunate affair is that the security of valuable defence assets rests primarily in the hands of the users. Commanding officers must guard their assets as thoroughly as they have been trained to use them. But it is the personal and continual watchfulness of every officer and man that is our foremost defence for the security of our assets. The chiefs of the three Services share these views in this regard whole-heartedly, and immediately following the fire they took steps to improve security awareness and training on the part of all members of the Defence Force. While the conclusions indicated that there was much that could be done to improve security by way of modern protection devices, firefighting equipment and provision of security personnel, all these must be weighed against competing demands for limited defence resources of money and manpower. It is a delicate matter of judgment to determine just what proportion of our resources should be devoted to what might be regarded as an insurance premium.

The fire at the Naval Air Station, Nowra, has caused the Minister deep concern. That such valuable equipment should have been destroyed in such a manner is deplorable. That security procedures were not properly observed, and in some respects were inadequate, cannot and will not be excused. The Minister acknowledges to the Parliament the clear and ultimate responsibility he holds in this most unhappy sequence of events. The Nowra fire experience has not been dealt with in isolation. Misfortune can be a harsh tutor. The report of the Board has been closely studied. Where appropriate the lessons of the Nowra fire will be sternly followed. I move:

Senator Douglas McClelland:
NEW SOUTH WALES · ALP

– I speak in response to the motion of the Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Withers) that the Senate take note of the paper which he has presented on behalf of the Minister for Defence (Mr Killen). The report presented to the Senate on behalf of the Minister for Defence relates to the conclusions of the Board of Inquiry into the fire at the Naval Air Station at Nowra on 4 December 1976. I am given to understand that the Minister for Defence is making a somewhat similar statement in his own name in another place. My colleague the honourable member for Oxley, the Honourable Bill Hayden, as the Labor Party spokesman on defence will be responding in the House of Representatives to what the Minister says there. In that respect I adopt the remarks being made in another place by my colleague, Mr Hayden.

I point out to the Senate and to the Leader of the Government in the Senate that, from the facts surrounding this report, some responsibility rests with an organisation for which the Leader of the Government in the Senate is ministerially responsible. I refer to the Commonwealth Fire Board. In the Senate on 6 December of last year, two days after the fire took place, I drew to the Minister’s attention the fact that it is a responsibility of the Fire Board to ascertain whether, on Australian Government owned property or occupied property, personnel and property are protected by effective and efficient means against the occurrence and results of fires. I also pointed out to the Minister that it is the responsibility of the Fire Board to advise on fire protection matters, to carry out inspections and to act as a source of advice in preventing outbreaks of fire.

In pointing out those things to the Minister, two days after the fire, I went on to ask him whether the advice of the Fire Board had ever been sought by the Royal Australian Navy concerning its base at Nowra. I also sought information as to whether the Fire Board had ever carried out any inspections of the aircraft base at Nowra. I asked whether the Fire Board would be submitting any evidence to the formal inquiry which was being carried out, the report of which the Minister has now tabled in the Senate. Next day the Minister responded to me and mentioned that a search of the records of the Fire Board had not revealed any request from the Royal Australian Navy for advice relating to the naval base at Nowra. The base at Nowra is an important defence establishment. The Minister said in his statement:

It is pertinent to remind honourable senators that the Naval Air Station at Nowra is an extensive and complex facility. Its primary functions are: to provide a base for the operational squadrons for HMAS Melbourne when disembarked, for training squadrons and for Fleet requirements; to provide organisational and intermediate level maintenance and support for naval aircraft; to provide operational training for air crew and to provide ground training for maintenance personnel.

In addition to normal naval operational and training flying, the Naval Air Station meets demands for search and rescue, and aid to the civil community.

The Minister went on to point out that the Commanding Officer of the station commands in toto nearly 2000 people, that 6 1 aircraft were at the Nowra station at the time of the fire, that the damage done to the hangar and the aircraft and equipment in it at the time of the fire amounted to $9m and that the replacement cost of the aircraft and equipment is estimated to be nearly $7m. In a defence establishment of this size and importance it is amazing that the advice of the Fire Board, which is charged with the responsibility of giving advice on how to protect these establishments, has never been sought by the Department of Defence on what action should be taken in the event of a calamity of this nature. I believe that the Parliament should take cognisance of that fact.

As I have said, the Minister told me on 7 December that a search of the records of the Fire Board had not revealed any request from the Royal Australian Navy for advice relating to the Royal Australian Naval Base at Nowra. The Minister went on to say that the Board had not carried out any inspections at the Nowra base but had advised the Department of Defence of its willingness to assist the Naval Board of Inquiry which had been established to look into the recent fire. In other words, not only had there been no request by the Department of Defence to the Fire Board to carry out an inspection but also in all the many years of operation of the Fire Board no inspection of that valuable Commonwealth establishment had been made by the Fire Board. I understand that the Board labours under great difficulties in regard to time and lack of staff. I think I read recently that the number of people engaged on inspections totals four. Frankly, I say that that is not good enough.

In taking note of what the Minister has said on behalf of the Minister for Defence I suggest to him that he and his Department should be presenting this report to the Fire Board and ensuring on behalf of the Australian taxpayers that more and better use is made in future of the knowledge that lies within the purview of the Fire Board regarding the protection of Commonwealth property. I seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.

page 27

MESSAGE OF GOODWILL FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE OF MEXICO

The PRESIDENT:

– I am pleased to inform the Senate that I have the honour to convey to senators a message of greetings and good wishes from the Honourable President of the Senate of

Mexico, Licenciado Joaquin Gamboa Pascoe. On a recent visit to Mexico I was received most warmly by the President of the Senate of that friendly and important country and was presented by him to a group of senators representing several major regions of Mexico- the South, the South East, the North and the Federal District itself. The President expressed appreciation for the co-operation existing between the legislatures of Mexico and Australia in the InterParliamentary Union, and told me he had spent a most happy and interesting time in Australia when he visited us in April this year for the Spring meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. The President said, on behalf of the Senate of Mexico, that, despite the great distance which separates our two countries, advances in communications and technology have brought us closer together. He stressed that Mexico and Australia have much in common. We have an important and growing range of mutual interests which should be strengthened and developed. We are both countries enjoying democratic systems and freely elected government, both strong believers in and upholders of human rights, of traditions of freedom and of the maintenance of free institutions. The President said he hoped to see closer co-operation between the parliaments of our two countries, which would assist the development of mutual interests and of shared objectives.

page 27

IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND AUSTRALIA’S POPULATION

Paper and Ministerial Statement

Debate resumed from 1 7 March, on motion by Senator Guilfoyle:

That the Senate take note of the paper.

Senator MULVIHILL:
4.52 · New South Wales

-I think it is fitting that we should commence this session with a perusal of this very important Green Paper entitled ‘Immigration Policies and Australia’s Population’, because I think that immigration spells job opportunity. The fact that Australia, like a lot of countries, is facing extreme bouts of economic storm makes it essential that a document such as this be adequately analysed. Like Senator Davidson, a former Chairman of the Immigration Advisory Council, I know a number of people who participated in its formulation. I hasten to add that in regard to this document, as with any other document, no two people draw the same conclusions. Later in my speech I will refer to certain renovations regarding assessing future intake compared with the present system which the Government is following.

I deal firstly with the document itself. I think the nub of the recommendations is contained at page 6 where 3 options in relation to Australia’s intake are outlined. In general terms, the middle course of a net intake of about 50 000 seems to be the reasonable one. I say that with some caution because people have criticised Australia’s intake. It does not matter whether it was my party or the present Government, we have agreed that our concept of migration is permanent residence. When I look at some of the snooty attitudes of one or two of the relatively rich western European countries that utilise guest workers I believe that system is wide open to exploitation. I suppose that the nearest one could get to guest workers in Australia is in some selected areas where there has been and is gross exploitation of some illegal immigrants by some unscrupulous employers. Sometimes some of the immigrants are relatives of the employers.

I think there is a much more serious factor that has to be assessed in relation to the three options contained in this Green Paper. I am probably giving far more credit or boost than is deserved, but I refer to a rather obscure Melbourne paper called News Weekly. I refer to the edition of 10 August. It referred to the recent conference that our Prime Minister (Mr Malcolm Fraser) attended with representatives of the Association of South East Asian Nations dealing with trade expansion. I suppose, for want of a better term, the countries could be called the developed and the undeveloped countries. The article was significant to me because when the Prime Minister was attending that conference three of my socialist comrades and I were in Japan. As everybody knows, the Japanese Press has a highly developed system which prints English editions. It was very easy to get the various viewpoints that were expounded. When I read this infamous News Weekly statement, which virtually advocated the abdication of the Australian clothing, textile and rubber industries, I wondered how we could guarantee as far as possible full employment if we had that stupid attitude. That article put the general idea that to maintain stable governments in Asia we must considerably dilute our existing tariff policy.

If we take the middle option of an intake of 50 000 people- you and I know this- the facts of life are that even people who are sponsored by their relatives are sponsored on the basis that there are job opportunities. I know that there could be a number of people over 55 years, the parents, who will not work. It does not matter whether it is a government of my party’s complexion or of the complexion of the party that is in power now, we all know that it is very hard to prophesy our intake or our needs. The fact is that each year there are more industrial techniques.

I make this comment as I proceed: The Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (Mr MacKellar) probably knows of this dismemberment between the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs and the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations and of a case ibr more emphasis on the secondary needs of migrants. I believe that at times there might not be an efficient, effective liaison between the 2 departments. I am not altogether happy with the situation. Every month each senator gets a report from the Minister that gives job criteria and itemises the various State needs. Sometimes there is a grey area. The need might be for a Spanish stonemason in my State, where there is a desire for Spanish architecture, or it might be the Portuguese community justifying a couple of additional bakers. People go into a sort of a flap for a time. The term ‘baker’ or the term ‘stonemason’ might not be in the list of approved nominations, but the employer can prove that if he gets one stonemason in this area he will probably need about six assistants. The Minister and I had a long fight about a couple of these cases. I know my colleagues had similar cases. I feel that the speed with which we can make decisions is not sufficient. I am not suggesting that any government should renege on the ultimate intake number. It often means that when the person gets here the job opportunity has diminished. This is the difficulty we get. This is the reason why I am striking a note of caution about the broad 50 000 intake.

I notice that a particular chapter in this Green Paper is related to that very vexed question of definition of refugees. I think the definition refers to people who are subject to political duress. In recent years there have been secondary effects. There has been the position in regard to Portuguese nationalists from Timor. There has been an exodus of Portuguese nationalists from certain African countries such as Mozambique and others. With the transference from fascism to democracy, I do not envy the leaders in Portugal. I know that the Government and people like Senator Robertson have endeavoured to assist Timorese refugees. The great difficulty is that Australia, Canada and, to a lesser degree, the United States are the main countries which accept political refugees. As a matter of fact, I can recite the names of about eight nations which have played a noble role.

I do not know how closely honourable senators have studied recent foreign affairs papers.

Look at South America. I will not argue about what has happened in Chile or the Argentine, but according to International Labour Organisation reports and the Department of Foreign Affairs other South American countries are living on a powder keg. To document that assertion, I seek leave to incorporate in Hansard a two-page document from the Department of Foreign Affairs signed by Mr Parkinson. It deals with problems arising in Peru. We do not take a lot of people from Peru, but I mention it in developing this recurring theme about an endless stream of political migrants.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT-Is leave granted to incorporate the document in Hansard? There being no objection, leave is granted.

The document read as follows-

DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Canberra, A.C.T. 2600 2 August, 1977

262/9/1

Dear Senator Mulvihill,

I refer to your telephone conversation of 28 July with Mr F. C. Ness, Head of the Canada, Caribbean and Latin America Section of this Department. You asked us for some information about the trade union situation in Peru, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile. I understand that you have access to the reports of the ILO so I am not reproducing here the information they contain. The most recent reports relevant to your enquiry are GB 203/12/23 Colombia, Nicaragua, Argentina, GB 203/12/24 Bolivia, GB 203/12/25 Uruguay, GB 203/12/26 Chile.

To the report in the Sydney Morning Herald of 27 July, concerning industrial unrest in Peru, we can add that following the strike in the State-owned mining corporation, CENTOMIN, the miners’ trade union leader, Victor Cuadros Paredes, was deported to France. Meanwhile, the Federation of Bank Employees, an affiliate of the General Confederation of Peruvian Workers, had demanded the release of some hundreds of labour leaders arrested following the general strike of 1 9 July and called for the re-establishment of full union rights and the repeal of a government decree which authorises firms to dismiss striking workers.

Concerning the trade union situation in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, the following summary taken from the International Commission of Jurists Review, No. 17, December 1976, may be of interest.

In Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, either during or after the coup d’etat, each of the governments dissolved the trade union confederations, and in many cases individual unions were also banned and their activities made illegal. A large number of union premises have been occupied by the police and armed forces, illegally closed and their goods and property seized. Many workers have been dismissed from their jobs, arrested and sentenced by military courts for engaging in union activities and exercising rights conferred upon them by the Constitution, the law and the Conventions of the International Labour Office. Those who, in the opinion of the security forces, are a potential threat to the system have been subjected to continuous harassment and persecution both in their public and private lives.

Those trade unions which are permitted are severely restricted in their activities. The exercise of the normal trade union rights, including the right to meet and discuss their affairs freely and the right to strike or take other industrial action, have been largely prohibited, suspended or restricted.

These restrictions on the right of association extend generally in all spheres. Even professional associations, welfare organisations and almost all forms of social activity are subject to the supervision and control of the security authorities. ‘

Yours sincerely, N. F. PARKINSON

Senator J. A. Mulvihill, Australian Parliament Offices, Chifley Square, Sydney. N.S.W.2000.

Senator MULVIHILL:

– We are in a dilemma over the question of political refugees. Various governments have endeavoured to meet what they have regarded as humanitarian commitments to such diverse countries as Timor, South Vietnam, Chile and Cyprus. Now other countries are in a state of turmoil. Peru is one of them. Ecuador has its problems too, as has Uruguay. The Green Paper on immigration raises the question whether we should maintain a target of 5000 political refugees outside the normal categories of people entering Australia mainly as permanent migrants. This is something to which we have to give a lot of consideration. I know that the Minister would say to me that there have been top level consultations with the World Council of Churches, the Catholic Church and various other subsidiary groups such as the Quakers to try to get a more effective policy.

With the best intentions in the world, Australians and even members of the ethnic communities sponsor migrants, but the difficulty is that within 18 months or two years the linchpin of a family might find himself in a totally different situation. Originally he may have been working a lot of overtime or employed in a high grade of work, but technical change is inescapable in industry. With such change some of these people might find their income diminished. Often a case has to be made to the Department of Social Security, as the Minister for Social Security (Senator Guilfoyle) would appreciate, to bend things. It is not an enviable job to decide where the cut-off should be. It is difficult to set the arbitrary figures that the armchair critics suggest government should set. We may have to reconsider the method of assessing cases of hardship. I give an example. With all due respect to the people who prepared the Green Paper- I think this view is shared by other honourable senators- I know more about what is happening among low wage earners in the big city of Wollongong. I attend Macedonian functions and see the battlers. I go to the Portuguese community and I find out how a Portuguese woman domestic working in a motel tries to make ends meet. She could have a sick husband. The Macedonian people may have a language difficulty. They are in the lowest grade of work and cannot advance to higher grades, despite the best intentions of the Federated Iron Workers Association of Australia, until the language barriers are overcome. This is the reason I believe we should refine the whole apparatus of consultation.

I am happy with the timing of this debate. Because of the unfortunate illness of my colleague, the shadow Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, Ted Innes, I had the job of submitting an immigration paper to the Australian Labor Party National Conference in Perth. The paper was adopted by the conference. The Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs will probably study all our comments. I seek leave to incorporate in Hansard the preamble to the ALP platform called ‘Henceforth Population’. Broadly, for the edification of the Minister, our policy puts more emphasis on a population council. It visualises a greater infusion of members of the ethnic communities and trade unions into what I call a monitoring service of our migrant intake. I seek permission to have the preamble incorporated in Hansard to substantiate what I am advancing.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT-Is leave granted? There being no objection, leave is granted.

The document read as follows-

page 30

PROPOSED PLATFORM

Population- Preamble

Labor aims to ensure economic and social justice for all members of community, whatever their origins, to eliminate inequalities of opportunity between social groups and to protect and enhance the social and physical environment.

Short-term expediency will not be allowed to imperil the quality of future generations. Policies should aim at manipulating the economy for the population- not population for the economy.

Within this context Labor recognises the valuable contribution of migrants to Australia’s economic growth, prosperity and culture. Labor supports an immigration policy administered with sympathy, understanding and tolerance. The policy should ensure a smooth and harmonious transfer of migrants into the Australian community.

Community Relations- the relationships of particular ethnic groups to each other, and with the total communityshould be a priority issue administered within the framework of the portfolio of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs. A community Relations policy should be administered with a minimum of legalism.

Policy

  1. I ) Understanding of population dynamics is essential for sound plans of every aspect of the economy. People are the primary concern, and needs and desires should be paramount.

    1. The rate of growth of Australia’s population is largely determined by the age structure and social values of the community. Labor recognises that government is not able to greatly influence natural increase.
    2. Immigration is the second major component of population growth- it is here that Labor considers the rate of growth should be regulated to allow the maximum welfare of the present community and those who make their homes here.
    3. There is clearly an urgent need for a comprehensive and balanced inquiry into Australia’s population and resources.
    4. Government must ensure that its economic and social policies are sufficiently flexible to allow for unavoidable fluctuations in the rate of population growth.
    5. Labor rejects the proposition that immigration can be used to solve economic difficulties or that it should provide an underpinning of unskilled labour to be hired or fired at the whim of industry.
    6. In accordance with these principles, a moderate level of immigration is proposed in which special consideration will be given to: parents and dependents of former settlers; persons with special skills and employment prospects; political refugees.
    7. There will be no discrimination on grounds of race, nationality politics, sex or creed.
    8. Existing and prospective shortages of skills will be overcome by wider opportunities for training and improved forward planning to assess future needs. Training will be offered to unskilled adults, including former settlers, bearing in mind that the unskilled are likely to face increasing difficulties in securing employment.
    9. 10) The distribution of population in Australia is as important as its total size and rate of growth. Major country towns and the smaller capital cities can cope with growth better than can the large cities of Sydney and Melbourne. This is so both in respect of economic costs and social wellbeing. Immigrants have tended to locate in the inner city areas of our largest cities, where amenities are already overstretched.
    10. Support will be given to regional growth centres, so as to widen employment and residential choice, and to reduce the pressures in the existing major urban conglomerations, irrespective of immigration target or the size of migrant intake. Labor continues to regard development of regional growth centres as a desirable goal, in itself.
    11. The Party will immediately set up a National Population Committee to monitor and consider policy changes on population and other relevant matters. In Government the Party will establish a National Population Council.

The Committee will be representative of all Party policy committees and committees will be established at community, regional and State levels to communicate with the electorate and formulate proposals for submission to the National Population Committee.

The National Population Council would be under the control of the Prime Minister’s Department, so that decisions of all Ministries which have a bearing on population policy can be kept under review.

  1. Community Relations would be added as a portfolio responsibility of the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs.
  2. 14) (a) A right of appeal against deportation orders before an independent Tribunal, with judicial status will be established.

The Tribunal would hear appeals against deportation orders in the following cases:

  1. in the case of a person ordinarily resident in Australia convicted of an offence specified by legislation as a deportable offence, where the circumstances of the offence do not justify exportation (and there would be no threat to Australia’s internal security resulting from the applicant remaining in Australia).

  2. in the case of persons illegally present in Australia or present after the expiry of temporary visas- where the position of the applicant has so materially altered that deportation would not be justified.

    1. No deportation order shall take effect for a specified period.
    2. After a deportation order has been made, a person ordered to be deported may apply to the Tribunal within the specified period for stay of deportation, pending an appeal, provided that the applicant establishes a prima facie case.
    3. The Tribunal shall have power to vary or rescind any deportation order.

I come back to the qualification I apply to the United States. It has two quotas- one for each hemisphere. Australia applies a general criterion to people entering the country. Canada has a points system that has been revised. The United States appears to have two broad quotas. If we applied the quota system to the whole category of migrants, sometimes you might look over your shoulder and pick up some genuine political refugee who has been passed over because you have done something in his country and you say: Look, chum, we have taken X thousand people from your country. There is another pan of the world where there are problems’. I say that because I speak on behalf of the Hon. Bernard French of the Rubber Workers Union and Mr John Garland, the General Secretary of the Amalgamated Metal Workers and Shipwrights Union, who have complained to me that there is a feeling among some Latin American citizens here that now that problems have arisen in Latin America the Government will say: ‘We have problems in Thailand and South Vietnam’. Asians wishing to come here ask whether we are trying to balance one culture against another and Latin American intakes will diminish. I have never become caught up in the undue sentimentality about South Vietnam. I refer to the Pacific Defence Reporter and an article by Denis Warner, who frankly could have been called a supporter of the former South Vietnam Government. On page 2 1 of the article he talks about the elite, some high government officials, who sent their sons and nephews to colleges and universities in Europe and the United States instead of expecting them to serve in the ARVN. In other words, they shirked their military obligations when Australian and United States troops were serving in Vietnam. It is not my job to open up old sores about whether Australians should have been there or should not have been there.

Far too often when I pick up the newspaper I have to sympathise with the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs. I did receive one news release stating that two more officers had been sent to Thailand to look at the possibility of taking more South Vietnamese. I say respectfully that if it is good enough at times to have a look at some Eastern European people to see whether they are identified with extreme political groups- I will not mention them specifically because I could include a lot of people- it is good enough to have a look at some of these Vietnamese who perhaps did not fight in the war in their country but who may have been in charge of houses of ill fame or who may have made a lot of money on the black market. I think it is fair to ask some of those people to put something back rather than to skedaddle again.

It is not a generalisation. I am simply saying that we should apply certain investigating methods to people who wish to become migrants and claim refugee status. I say this with some feeling because I am always concerned with people from the little countries who do not have many people to battle for them. I am dealing with a case at the moment of a citizen from Afghanistan. He was told that he could not stay here because he was not a political refugee. I think that that happened because somebody read that he entered this country on a tourist visa. I have submitted this matter to the Minister, Mr MacKellar. I believe that in cases like this everybody should be vetted. Today I received an answer from Senator Withers to my question on notice No. 1081 in which I was arguing for a filtering system to examine the cases of people who have been denied citizenship or who face deportation. I know that at the moment the Government is in a peculiar situation. In his answer- I do not know when it was preparedSenator Withers said:

I have already announced that I will be making a statement to the Parliament about the Government’s decisions on Mr Justice Hope’s recommendations concerning the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.

But he does not say when. At the same time I notice that Mr MacKellar has given one case of a New Zealander to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to look at and I think that the Ombudsman is dealing with the case of a prominent member of the Italian community in Melbourne. I simply say that these matters should be consolidated. I said so at the national conference of my party. I make no reflection on any Minister for Immigration. I know that it is a portfolio in which he is dealing with people. I have been to my ministerial colleagues after midnight and none of us has been as calm as we are now. I imagine that for every case presented to the Minister by a member of Parliament another one goes across the desk and nobody says anything. As a result people are often unwittingly not treated fairly. I do not wish to be misunderstood. I have never said that in no case should a person be denied citizenship. If a person comes here on a tourist visa and is peddling narcotics or engaging in some other such activity he should be dealt with. I am not arguing against that. I am just saying that we are reaching the stage where members of Parliament are becoming very dizzy when they find the Administrative Appeals Tribunal dealing with a naughty New Zealander and the Ombudsman dealing with an Italian who is regarded as being a little bit left wing. I would like things to be more definite.

As a matter of fact I am dealing with the case at the moment of some people who are in a political limbo. They are British migrants. I hope that the National Country Party will not take objection. They are people who have probably engaged in militant activity in Britain. They have been waiting 12 months to find out whether they can assume Australian citizenship. Speaking as a third generation Australian I know that some people over there felt that it was infra dig when it was suggested that they should take out Australian citizenship. Now they are accepting it and we are impeding some of them. It is good to have this general melting pot. Now we are putting barriers in their way.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT (Senator DrakeBrockman) Is leave granted? There being no objection, leave is granted.

The letter read as follows-

Ref. 77/34177 5 August 1977

Dear Senator Mulvihill,

You wrote to me on 15 July, 1977, on behalf of Mr A. Ayache of 3/165 Old Canterbury Road, Dulwich Hill, concerning the non-acceptance of his nomination for the admission to Australia from Lebanon of his sister-in-law, Mrs Ayache Wafica, and her six children.

I note that Mr Ayache is now proposing that his sisterinlaw be allowed to come to Australia with only three of her six children and that the others remain in Lebanon.

I have considered Mr Ayache ‘s request taking into account the other information contained in your letter, but have decided against varying the decision conveyed in my letter of 13 July, 1977.

Yours sincerely, M.J. R. MacKELLAR

Senator J. A. Mulvihill, Commonwealth Parliament Offices, Chifley Square, Sydney, N.S.W. 2000

I refer now to the Asian countries. In many cases we have allowed Asian graduates from our universities with particular skills to remain here. I suppose that if we did not do so a number of Asian leaders would be very vocal about our selective migrant intake. We will find some governments, in the light of the conference that took place in Malaysia, being ultra critical about our tariff policy. I admit that in the last few years the State governments have belatedly improved migrant facilities but today many boys of seventeen who came here when they were 10 or 11 years of age, whose families came to Australia at a crucial stage in their education, are facing a maths barrier as regards apprenticeships. At that time our education system was not good enough. It is true that in the main most States are improving their facilities. Take the case of a Greek woman who feels she is near her time of delivery and she is taken to the Crown Street Hospital. They say: ‘Look, dear, come back in three or four hours time’. That does not happen quite so much now because at least there are a lot more nurses coming from non-Anglo-Saxon countries who can give a bit of assistance. I think that it is a terrible state of affairs that such things have occurred. I know of one woman in my street who carried a stillborn baby inside her for 7 days because of her inability to communicate while her husband was working up at Port Hedland. These experiences leave scars on people. I know that the States have belatedly taken up the challenge. It took a long while for all State governments, irrespective of their political complexion, to do some of these things.

The present immigration policy should be one of steady as it goes. There are secondary problems involved. One could say to me that there has to be rationalisation of work. Let us take the Chrysler Australia Ltd situation. It would not matter what system operated there. Even the Vehicle Builders Union officials said that some workers had to go. If one has to face an audience of mixed nationality and propose that the last on must be the first to go, one is going to find some irritation. That is nothing new. I had to deal with it in the last year in which I was in industry before I entered the political field. It was a difficult problem. The last people on the job were English people and the ones who just saved their skins were from Deutschland. I am sure all honourable senators can imagine the comments made by people as they went out of the gate. They were given work later on but it is not very pleasant being a union delegate or, for that matter, a manager when one has to make those decisions.

We all wonder what is the solution to this problem. The Department of Employment and Industrial Relations has argued that most people from 25 to 50 years of age will have at least two completely different jobs in their lifetimes. That is a great problem. Are we going to compound that problem with an unlimited migrant intake? I do not think anybody advocates that. I have not been an advocate of zero population growth. Some of the people who advocate zero population growth are in secluded jobs at universities. If one suggested to them that they should go and join the union whose members are employed by the Metropolitan Water, Sewerage and Drainage Board they would collapse on the spot. The Minister knows that I am always adroit at dealing with a situation in which a union member who is employed by the Water and Sewerage Board may have come to Australia illegally. Often I have been able to argue that such a person is making a great contribution to the Australian work force, in essence a priority of work values. However, I shall get away from the Machiavellian type operations at which Senator Georges is horrified. The fact of the matter is that Switzerland was going to hoist out all their Algerian people. Then some of the smart Swiss businessmen wondered who was going to do the work. It should not be a question of using these people as industrial cannon fodder. The sons and daughters of the people who carry out menial tasks will be given opportunities in the higher realms of employment besides maximum wages for their arduous work. I repeat that we have a problem of blending migrants into our community. It is very easy to make outbursts about racism. The current issue of Time magazine refers to Sweden. An honourable senator oppositehe is not in the chamber now- asked what was wrong with Sweden. From my experience, the Swedish people are reasonable. When we reach a stage where there is unemployment and job competition people tend to look over their shoulders to see who can beat them for the job.

I believe that we need a much more effective monitoring system of the intake of migrants, coupled with a more effective link between employment relations and actual job placement. I think that is essential. With the introduction of new techniques and new industries, far more substantial incentive payments may have to be made. My colleagues from Western Australia are far more knowledgeable than I am about some of the industrial problems that have confronted people in remote areas in Western Australia. The fact of the matter is that the capitalist system has bred its own problems. It does not matter what State we are in we will still see television advertisements about having a good life and about how everybody should be able to have, for example, Palm Beach establishments. No doubt there are equivalent places in the other States. When a worker in an industry looks at wage relativity, he wonders whether he will be able to purchase such an establishment. Of course, he is in a lot of trouble if he resists any deflationary measures.

With all due respect to the authors of this publication, I suggest that we have to devise a more effective way of anticipating problems by joint consultation with trade unions and ethnic groups. I should like to give an example of what I am talking about when I refer to small sections of the community. Last Saturday night I was informed about a case of a Greek couple in their forties who operate a small and successful service station at King Street in Newtown. They have worked very hard for 15 years. Both of them have elderly parents in Greece whom they are anxious to visit. They would like their nephew to come to Australia to be part of their business. I know that it will be difficult. I might win this case but I might not. This is a problem with this type of small business. I know of two other cases involving the Greek community where someone pinch hit for businessmen while they went away. When they came back the businesses were in a shambles. I realise that in this sort of a situation the relative concerned has to be taken on trust when he comes into the business. Perhaps there is an argument and then there is another person for whom work has to be found. He becomes another statistic on the unemployment records.

My thesis may have been boring to some honourable senators. I said earlier that immigration is people. I believe that the Australian Population and Immigration Council should have a broader base on which to operate. The Macedonian community suggested that the Broken Hill Pty Co. Ltd was harsh when dealing with some of its workers at Wollongong. That has happened on occasions. I know of a case in which 2 Macedonians were involved in a nasty accident. When they reported back to work after three or four weeks the foreman said that they would have to work at the place where the accident occurred. I contrast that with a statement made by Mr Burgess, one of the big leaguers of BHP, who asked what was wrong with the unions. No one is perfect. BHP is not perfect. If we get a broader organisation we would be able to assess migrant problems much more easily.

I should now like to refer to refugees. I should Like to see more effective monitoring of the Latin American situation. The Opposition spokesman on immigration and ethnic affairs, Mr Innes, the President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Mr Bob Hawke, and the two union officials I have mentioned have tried to collate facts. I do not run away from this problem. I have an obligation and so does Senator Georges to our brother trade unionists in those countries. There is no doubt about that. I know that I have to present the facts to the Minister for Social Security and to the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs if I want to win a case. With all due respect to the genuine compassion that these two Ministers have shown to refugees from Asian countries, I ask them to consider also the constant turmoil which is part of Latin America. If the Government indicated that it is willing to take in 5000 refugees from Latin America, I would consider that to be a reasonable intake.

Another point with which I should like to deal is social security payments. I think that we have to convince the ethnic groups that they are entitled to some social security payments. They should be made aware of their rights in this regard. I am not referring to the people who live in the big cities. I am referring to those who perhaps go a little further out to obtain employment and who sometimes do not know their rights. This is a very important document. It cannot stand alone. Our economic policy and our trade policy with Asia also have to be examined. I think that it will involve co-operation to the zenith. It does not mean co-operation only with the major groups. At the moment the Italians, Greeks and Yugoslavs form the major ethnic groups. There are articulate people. If Senator Georges has a grievance concerning a person who belongs to one of these ethnic groups he hammers other people. Some of the smaller ethnic groups do not have strong advocates. If we are to expand our immigration policy we should come a little lower down the line and consider Portuguese and Latin American migrants. A program on ethnic radio indicated that the Argentinians were dominating the situation. I think that the smaller groups have to be given an opportunity. In fact, I am almost advocating proportional representation on this body. I have put my point of view to the Senate. I think my message was loud and clear.

Senator MESSNER:
South Australia

– I should like to congratulate the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (Mr MacKellar) for bringing down the Green Paper on Immigration Policies and Australia’s Population. It certainly sets out clearly the main considerations that the Government and the community ought to be taking into account in instigating migration programs and carrying on the migration program that we already have. I think it is a most valuable document and it certainly will contribute to decision-making on the part of the Government. I think that it is important that this document should be brought to the attention of the community as widely as possible by members of Parliament and by others who are interested in the community to ensure that there is proper discussion on the many profound issues which the document raises.

A particular concern that I have- this is the reason that I rose tonight- relates to chapter 7 of the document which is headed ‘Society and the Migrant’. In particular, I am concerned about the process by which harmony is established between the various groups in our society, including those which emanate from overseas. I suppose that two main strands of thought run through people’s minds in this regard. The first is possibly the concept which we might term as separatism’- that is the method by which ethnic groups in the community tend to grow up somewhat in isolation from the rest of the community. The second is an approach which is more closely identified with the direction of the community as a whole. It seems to me that one of the clearest difficulties we have in this somewhat philosophical area is deciding how and in what way the communities will determine their own relationship to each other. I am thinking of the process by which the German community which arrived in South Australia during the early 1840s and settled in the Barossa Valley maintained its separate identity in a cultural sense right through until very recently in this present century. In fact it has maintained a cultural identity and at the same time it has taken a full part in the total activities of the State of South Australia. It seems to me that that method of harmonising groups within the community has achieved a good deal in the interests of the whole community. We have seen a cultural identity maintained and a spread from that cultural identity through to the rest of the community in such a way as to enrich the whole of the community. I must add of course that my background happens to be German, along with the President of the Senate, but of course that is of no real importance in this debate.

In regard to the process by which I think difficulties are overcome in achieving this degree of harmony between ethnic groups in the community, one has to have a good deal of regard to the real and deep problems that exist for people arriving in a new country. We know of course of the significant language difficulties and we know the difficulty that people have in gaining a full education from a language which they do not know or a language which they know imperfectly. There are the problems which Senator Mulvihill and others have raised in the Senate from time to time in regard to the degree in which health care is effectively transmitted from various sources to the new settler in this country, the way in which he uses the legal services which are available to him and the way in which he can best express himself in the courts to obtain justice for himself and his family. These things do present tremendous challenges to us and I am particularly pleased to see that they have been raised in the Green Paper.

In the matter of education, which I believe is at the core of this difficulty in ensuring harmonious relationships between the various ethnic groups, we have first thought whether we ought to have a system of education in this country which provides a full bilingual education system whereby each person is educated, perhaps firstly in his mother tongue and secondly in English. Then there is the other thought that the emphasis ought to be on a remedial approach to the language difficulties of a new settler by which he may adopt a better appreciation of English by being taught some rudiments of his own language of which he may have only an imperfect knowledge. Taking those two questions into account and having viewed with some interest the developments of education in the migrant area in South Australia I take the point that I believe it is of the greatest importance to the development of harmonious relationships in the community as a whole that we develop an effective remedial approach to language education so as to ensure that people can learn as rapidly as possible the English language to enable them to take their full part in the community. That is not to deny the right of any individual, be he a new settler or an Australian, naturalised or otherwise, to be trained in languages other than English, and indeed I believe that the education system ought to provide that alternative. I believe that it should not be established in such a way as to take away the basic aim of the education system, that is, to achieve a proficiency in the English language.

There are of course many different ways of looking at the whole question of the way in which migrants are brought into this country. We have noted the success of the last 30 years whereby immigration has greatly assisted the economic development of Australia and also its cultural development. I believe it is important to maintain that multi-cultural approach which in turn contributes to the whole life of the Australian people. It is doubtful whether systems of immigration such as the guest worker concept, which is used in countries like Germany, contribute very greatly and successfully to the development of their particular culture. In fact I believe the concept is that the guest worker would never be naturalised in the country that he adopts and he could come and go virtually as he pleased. I think the main thrust of our policy- or it ought to be- is to ensure that the people who come to these shores do in fact become Australians and do seek to contribute to its culture by becoming full members of the community. Just looking at the concept of guest workers as it applies overseas, I think it is important to recognise that there is probably a degree of what we might call cultural duress on those who are working in other countries while maintaining their links directly with their home country, virtually remitting all their funds to their home country and, indeed, keeping very strong ties with their home country. It is important to recognise the strength of those ties, but in the Australian context it is important, I think, to ensure that people are prepared to take a very profound interest in the Australian way of life and to assist in its development.

I tum to one or two points which I think may have been misconceptions in the minds of some people and which perhaps have grown up over the years about the ways in which migrants have or have not contributed or may or may not contribute to the community as a whole. I believe there has been some criticism recently of the fact that a degree of money has left this country because migrants have tended to remit money to their home country. In fact I noted from a Press statement from the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs on 6 August that last year migrants transferred $358m into Australia, which more than offsets the amount of $3 13m which was sent back overseas. So in fact there is no drain on Australia’s resources in that sense emanating from migration. Another one that has been thrown around from time to time- I think Senator Mulvihill was hinting at this today- is the question of whether migration does in fact contribute to unemployment and whether there are difficulties arising within the community because of the many unemployed migrants. I note also from a news release from the Minister dated 6 August 1977 that in fact the percentage of unemployed persons of migrant origin is very similar to the percentage of unemployed in the Australian labour force as a whole. In fact the differences are marginal and tend to be in favour of overseas-born people.

Senator Cavanagh:

– Do you know anything about the British disease?

Senator MESSNER:

– I have not had it lately. I wish to make one other point about this matter. It has been bruited around that migrants, generally speaking, are finding it extremely difficult to obtain work upon arrival in Australia because of the current economic climate. I think it has been said that migrants are tending to remain out of work for periods of up to 12 months. I believe this was in an article that appeared in the Melbourne Age of 5 August. Again, according to the statement by the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs on this matter, statistics in fact relate to people who at some time during the preceding 12 months experienced unemployment for as short a period as one week. I believe it is natural that people arriving in this country will find it difficult to find a job in the immediate sense in terms of one week or two weeks but it seems from the statistics that are available that there has been a fall in the period of time that migrants have spent looking for work after their arrival in this country and that, in fact, this trend is continuing despite the present difficult times.

One other matter that concerns me in relation to ethnic communities is the current activity in some communities by certain politically oriented bodies. I quote as an example the activities of the Federation of Italian Labourers, Emigrants and Families, which has been attracting a deal of public attention. I think Senator Mulvihill referred to it earlier in respect to Mr Salemi. This organisation is doing a great deal of damage within some areas of the Italian communityin South Australia. It appears to be connected directly with the Italian Communist Party and I understand that it has connections with the Australian Communist Party.

Senator Cavanagh:

– That is denied and disputed by anyone associated with it.

Senator MESSNER:

– I can produce some evidence relating to the first point.

Senator Cavanagh:

– You would be battling.

Senator Lajovic:

- Mr Salemi admits that he is a member of the Communist Party.

Senator MESSNER:

-Quite apart from that aspect, there is a degree of stirring occurring in Adelaide in such areas as ethnic radio. It has been noticed that FILEF has been attempting to obtain representation on ethnic radio committees and in other areas in order to influence viewpoints being broadcast. These areas are entirely separate from those areas such as the general welfare of members of the Italian migrant community, which which FILEF is supposed to be dealing. The South Australian Government contributed $8,500 recently to FILEF for the purposes of its welfare activities.

Senator Grimes:

– So did the Federal Government.

Senator MESSNER:

– I think that followed on from 1975 when Mr Hayden made a contribution of $10,000. In respect to the operations of ethnic radio, particularly in South Australia, I mention quickly that it is a shame that the recent closing down of radio station 3ZZ completely confused the position with regard to the establishment of the new Ethnic Radio Commission. I am particularly pleased to see that occur- I am referring to the establishment of the new Radio Commission- and hope to take part in weeks to come in discussions with the Government as to how this Commission may be set up. I believe we ought to have a great deal of regard to local communities and their activities, to their wishes as to how these programs ought to be established and the way in which these advisory committees in the various States ought to be established so as to ensure that we have a thoroughly, truly representative community viewpoint being expressed over ethnic radio on behalf of the ethnic communities. That is as true of South Australia as it is of the already established radio stations in the other States. There certainly is a problem in this regard in respect of the smaller cities merely because they have not at this stage become so highly developed as those stations which are already active in Sydney and Melbourne. Radio stations 2EA and 3EA have been operating for some time. Consequently the closure of station 3ZZ, which was an access station as distinct from an ethnic station, really has confused the general impression of the Government’s policy in respect of ethnic radio. Through the establishment of the new Ethnic Radio Commission it is the Government’s intention to proceed with the continued development of ethnic radio, something which I support.

Finally, with regard to refugees, I think that Senator Mulvihill mentioned that the Government ought to be contributing to a greater degree in this area. I refer to a news release by the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr Peacock) in this regard which indicates that the Government announced recently a contribution of $lm to a special appeal by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to assist refugees in Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. No doubt this contribution will be gratefully received. It is hoped that it will contribute even more to the welfare of these people. I must take up the point that Senator Mulvihill made in regard to children and orphans in the northern part of Thailand who are ready for adoption by Australian families. Some extra attention by the Government is needed to ensure that these matters are properly carried through. It is with a great deal of pleasure that I support the Green Paper. I look forward to broader community discussions on it and hope that I will be able to contribute something to those discussions.

Debate (on motion by Senator Guilfoyle) adjourned.

Sitting suspended from 5.48 to 8 p.m.

page 37

QUESTION

BUDGET 1977-78

Senator COTTON:
New South WalesMinister for Industry and Commerce · LP

– For the information of honourable senators I lay upon the table the following papers:

Australia’s Official Development Assistance to Developing Countries 1977-78

Civil Works Program 1977-78

Estimates of Receipts and Summary of Estimated Expenditure for the year ending 30 June 1 978

Government Securities on Issue at 30 June 1977

Income Tax Statistics

National Accounting Estimates of Receipts and Outlays of Commonwealth Government Authorities

National Income and Expenditure 1976-77

Particulars of Certain Proposed Expenditure in respect of the year ending 30 June 1978

Particulars of Proposed Expenditure for the Service of the year ending 30 June 1978

Payments to or for the States and Local Government Authorities 1977-78

I seek leave to move a motion.

The PRESIDENT:

-Is leave granted? There being no objection, leave is granted.

Senator COTTON:
LP

-I move:

Tonight the Treasurer is delivering in another place his Budget Speech for 1977-78.

It is my privilege to outline to the Senate the Budget proposals of the Government.

At the outset tonight I re-affirm the Government’s basic objectives.

Our first goal is to maintain the underlying trend to lower inflation.

Our second goal, which is dependent upon the achievement of the first, is to promote moderate and non-inflationary growth in order to create jobs and reduce unemployment.

This Budget will move Australia further towards achieving those goals and, in so doing, it will build on the foundations laid by last year’s Budget.

Over the next twelve months the depths of Labor’s recession, and all of the community hardship that went with it, will be put further behind us.

This Budget is designed to give a lead to the community by addressing itself directly and realistically to our remaining problems.

One way in which it does so, in a decisive and unprecedented manner, is by lifting the yoke of taxation that has sapped the spirit and initiative of the community over recent years.

Unlike our predecessors we believe that taxes have taken too much from the community and that people now want greater charge of their own affairs.

The new tax system which is announced in this Budget has been made possible because of the efficiency and economy that we have brought to management of Government expenditures.

The way is now open to get Australia on the move.

This Budget charts a course towards lower taxation, towards conservation of the nation’s great energy resources and towards care for those most in need within the community.

It maintains the thrust towards economic stability without sacrificing any of the major social reforms of our first Budget such as the family allowance system.

Australia’s destiny is a shared responsibility, not something that lies in the hands of governments alone.

Responsibility also lies with business leaders: it is the private sector that employs most of our workers, makes most of the investment decisions and develops the technologies that can underpin increasing living standards.

Union leadership bears an equal responsibility: it is the trade union leaders who have to consider the unemployment consequences of their demands for higher pay for those presently in jobs.

All sections of the community must work together to harness our abundant natural and human resources, if we are to restore vigour and purpose to our national development.

This Budget sets the nation first; it recognises that there must be a fair sharing of the burdens and responsibilities, and a fair sharing of the rewards.

page 38

THE RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT

I turn now to the record of achievement last year.

The Government’s first Budget was a key element in putting the overall economic strategy in place and, therefore, in the improved economic performance of 1 976-77.

We budgeted for outlays to grow in 1 976-77 at half the rate of 1975-76, and for a Budget deficit nearly one billion dollars lower despite the costs of full personal tax indexation from 1 July 1976 and significant business tax incentives.

An increase of 10-12 per cent in the broadly defined volume of money, M3, was then foreseen as appropriate over 1976-77.

A year later, the Government takes some satisfaction from the record.

Budget outlays, projected to rise by 1 1.3 per cent, were held to only 10.4 per cent, and for the second successive year outlays were contained within the original Budget estimate.

The deficit, originally put at $2,608m, emerged because of some shortfall in receipts as $2,740m, but nevertheless very much in line with the original estimate.

M3 increased by 10.6 percent- well within the range projected.

The anti-inflationary role of external policy was, in the event, less than had been hoped.

The burden of Labor’s policy failures on the export and import-competing sectors made devaluation inevitable.

But, because of determined action by the Government, overall policy was not blown off course and the basic strategy was maintained.

Naturally, the economy is still adjusting to devaluation.

Indeed, understanding of that adjustment process is essential to any appraisal of where the economy now is and where it is heading.

The wages area also failed to contribute as much to recovery as it should have done.

This outcome, beyond the Government’s control, had serious consequences for the speed of recovery and the creation of new jobs.

The economy has still not fully attained the pre-conditions for sustained growth.

Solid progress has been made, but furthering it still hinges crucially on the prospects for inflation and income shares.

On that, the Treasurer said last year:

Provided there is significantly less than full flow-on of price increases to wages, an improvement of several percentage points in price performance, and a possibly somewhat greater deceleration in money wages, can be had in 1976-77 as a whole. ‘

Prices, and to some extent incomes, did largely develop in that way.

Excluding health and medical services- prices of which have been sharply influenced by changes in health insurance arrangements having nothing to do with inflation as such- the Consumer Price Index rose by 10.2 per cent over the course of 1976-77 compared with 15.4 per cent in 1975-76.

More broadly-based price indicators rose in 1976-77 by some 4 to 6 percentage points less than in 1975-76.

Productivity increased by 3.6 per cent in 1976-77; the profit share rose to 14.4 per cent from 13.5 per cent in 1975-76.

Company profits increased by 23.5 per cent.

Although the pattern within-year was not as foreseen, activity for the year as a whole was much as foreshadowed.

Real gross non-farm product rose for the year as a whole, with growth concentrated in the private sector.

Consumers spent more, and saved less, out of disposable incomes.

Business investment, although patchy, strengthened in total; plant and equipment spending, in particular, rose by 6 per cent in real terms.

Dwelling investment rose strongly for the year as a whole despite some slackness- now being taken up- in the later months.

Exports were also significantly higher for the year as a whole.

As presently recorded, economic growth was concentrated in the first half of the financial year.

Among the reasons for that pattern, which are fully discussed in Statement No. 2 attached to the Treasurer’s Budget Speech, was the effect of devaluation- actual and anticipated-on the timing of expenditures.

The key point now is that the factors depressing demand and production early in 1977 were temporary ones.

The forward momentum of private activity is now beginning to re-assert itself.

Inflation over the year as a whole fell much as expected a year ago.

Wage costs also grew less fast in 1976-77 than in 1975-76, but the slow-down was less than had been hoped.

That is closely linked with the major disappointment of 1976-77- the continuation of high unemployment.

This is a matter of grave concern to the Government.

Unemployment is a human problem- it is not just a question of statistics.

It is precisely because of the social and family tragedies that go with unemployment that we have pressed, to the fullest extent, for wage and salary restraint in hearings of the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission.

The grave imbalance between real wages and productivity resulting from the 1974 wage explosion still remains Australia’s major economic problem.

That problem can only be solved by winding down real wages relative to productivity; while it persists, it makes all talk of quickly reducing unemployment merely hollow rhetoric.

Statement No. 2 presents some material on the extent of this imbalance.

In the most recent National Wage Case hearing the Commonwealth has presented related evidence.

The Commission must be prepared to face, with a greater degree of reality, the employment consequences of its decisions.

The basic point is this; if unemployment in Australia is to be tackled effectively, the real wage distortion in our economy will have to be corrected.

High labour costs have been deterring employers from taking on new workers.

All too often, the sums favour the alternativesreplacing men by machines or switching to foreign suppliers.

Partly for the former reason there was an appreciable lift in measured productivity in 1976-77.

A 3Vi per cent increase in product saw only a slight employment increase; and, with a growing labour force, unemployment therefore increased.

There can be no doubt that, had the wage determination processes permitted real wages to decline in 1976-77, recovery would have been stronger and unemployment less.

Instead, so far from having declined, as has been repeatedly asserted by our political opponents, real wages were actually higher at June 1977 than a year earlier.

Those fortunate enough still to have jobs had their real incomes improved, but at the cost of throwing others out of work.

Those trade union leaders and others clamouring for ‘full indexation’ might reflect on that result of their actions.

So might our arbitral tribunals.

page 40

THE BUDGET AND ECONOMIC STRATEGY FOR 1977-78

This Budget is dominated by two fundamentals.

First, despite the achievements to date, we still have some way to go in restoring the preconditions for lasting economic growth. 1 977-78 must see a further advance.

Secondly, our policy strategy established last year and since maintained has been the right one.

That strategy must be held in place.

Our Budget decisions will give effect to the objective, stated last January, of further reducing the deficit.

This will permit an expansion in the broadly defined money supply to take place in 1977-78 at a rate a notch or so lower than in the previous year.

Our Budget decisions will also give effect to our other budgetary objective stated last January-to keep Budget outlays in 1977-78 to within zero real growth.

We have been mindful, however, of the shortterm dislocations that might have followed any appreciable reduction of real outlays at this time.

It is a measure of the painstaking preparation undertaken this year that we have been able to shape the Budget firmly within the parameters of our economic strategy, while accommodating the cost of both last year’s and this year’s major tax reductions.

Fiscal and monetary policies must be fully supported by the other arms of policy.

Wage restraint is crucial.

Externally, Australia’s now clearly strengthening trade account provides an encouraging basis for the current role of external policy.

There is a mutual dependence between the domestic and external arms of policy which should be explicity noted.

In shaping its fiscal and monetary stance for 1977-78 the Government has had this well in mind.

Fiscal and monetary laxness such as the benches opposite have urged upon us would undermine our international competitiveness.

This Budget rejects that pitfall.

It will thereby contribute to a more positive outlook for the major development projects now under way and in the offing and their associated investment inflows.

In short, it will help to ensure that the favourable effects of last year’s devaluation, now increasingly appearing, will be preserved and not just frittered away.

Against that background let me say something about the role of the private sector in our economy.

It is now up to the private sector to respond to the brighter outlook which is in prospect.

As we have emphasised, a re-vitalised private sector is essential to increased productivity and more jobs.

Governments can only do so much; this Government has consistently pursued the course of making way for expansion of the private sector.

It is now up to the private sector to play its pan in furthering the progress we have made towards establishing, and building upon, the preconditions for economic recovery.

page 41

OUTLAYS

I turn now to outlays.

In 1977-78 total expenditures are estimated at $26,656m, an increase of 10.5 per cent or virtually the same increase as in 1976-77.

I mention some of the larger provisions in the Budget; details of these and other provisions are set out in Statement No. 3 attached to the Treasurer’s Budget Speech and other accompanying Budget documents and in Ministerial statements.

page 41

SOCIAL SECURITY AND WELFARE

Outlays for social security and welfare purposes are estimated to total about $7250m in 1977-78, an increase of about 13 per cent on last year.

These outlays now account for 27 cents in every $1 spent from the Budget, or 56 cents in every $ 1 raised in personal income tax.

Pensions

Social services pensions and benefits are adjusted six-monthly in line with movements in the Consumer Price Index.

Accordingly, the standard or single rate of social service pensions and benefits will be increased by $2.20 to $49.30 a week from the first payday in November.

The combined married rate will rise by $3.70 to $82.20 per week.

There will be a further increase from the first payday in May 1978 in line with the movement in the Consumer Price Index in the second half of 1977.

These increases are estimated to cost $ 1 82m in 1 977-78 and $490m in a full year.

Repatriation Benefits

Repatriation disability and service pensions also will be increased in November 1977 and May 1978 in line with increases in the Consumer Price Index.

These increases are estimated to cost $25. 3m in 1977-78 and $6 1.5m in a full year.

The Government has decided to discontinue the Sustenance Allowance and replace it by a Loss of Earnings Allowance, and to modify existing arrangements concerning pensions related to pulmonary tuberculosis.

Assistance to Handicapped People

Special assistance for handicapped people in 1977-78 is estimated at $93m, an increase of 33 per cent on last year.

This is one of the fastest growing programs in the Budget; it demonstrates that, the need for expenditure restraint notwithstanding, this Government is concerned to assist the underprivileged members of our community.

At present an allowance of $ 1 5 a week is payable for a severely handicapped child.

We are extending eligibility for similar grants of up to $ 1 5 a week to parents or guardians on low incomes who are experiencing financial hardship in caring for a substantially handicapped child.

Aged Persons’ Accommodation

An amount of $50m is provided for expenditure on aged persons’ homes and hostels in 1 977-78, $7.6m more than last year.

Children’s Services

This year we are providing $73m for children’s services, an increase of $6m on last year.

Unemployment Benefits

The estimates include $787m for unemployment and sickness benefit payments this year.

It is the Government’s aim to see that these funds go to the genuinely unemployed.

It has become evident that the present arrangement of paying two weeks ‘ unemployment benefit in advance is resulting in persons who have secured employment being paid unemployment benefits as well, producing a very substantial overpayment in aggregate.

After considering the recommendations in the Myers Report, the Government has decided that in future unemployment benefits will be paid fortnightly in arrears.

As already announced, an overall review of the operations of the Department of Social Security is being carried out with a view to implementing improvements in the Department’s present systems and procedures.

The Department’s programs now involve expenditures of the order of $6 billion annually and significant savings are expected to result from the review in 1 977-78.

Assistance to Aboriginals

Although Aboriginals have access to normal Commonwealth financed services and benefits the Government strongly supports special programs of assistance for Aboriginals.

In the Budget we are providing $110m for expenditure on non-administrative activities of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs.

Overall expenditure on programs of direct assistance to Aboriginals in 1977-78 is estimated to be about $176m, compared with $161m in 1976- 77.

page 42

EDUCATION

The Budget provides for Commonwealth expenditure of $2,371m on education in 1977- 78, $211m or 10 per cent more than last year.

Late last year substantial general increases were announced in student allowances and benefits; these increases were effective from the beginning of 1977.

Some living and boarding allowances will be further increased from the beginning of 1978.

page 42

HEALTH

At $2,8 14m, expenditure on health care in 1977-78 will again pre-empt a large slice of Budget outlays.

Payments of Medibank benefits in 1977-78 are estimated at $ 1,494m.

The estimate of $942m in payments to the States under the hospital cost-sharing agreements during 1977-78 reflects an expectation of firm cost containment in public hospitals.

Under the Community Health Program the Commonwealth is providing substantial financial assistance for some 700 community health projects.

In 1976-77 $70m was provided under this Program; this year, based on the Commonwealth contributing 50 per cent of capital costs and 75 per cent of recurrent costs, expenditure is estimated to exceed $79m.

The Commonwealth will be suggesting to the States that, within this increased allocation, a higher priority be given to the funding of women’s refuges.

As recently announced, new nursing home arrangements will take effect from 1 October.

Rates of benefit payable by the Commonwealth and the Hospital Funds will be set at higher rates in each State from that date.

The effect will be that the benefits, when combined with the statutory patient contribution, will cover fees payable in respect of 70 per cent of patients in non-government National Health Act nursing homes compared with 30 per cent at present.

page 42

DEFENCE

The Government is determined to improve Australia ‘s defence capability.

Total outlays for defence activities in 1977-78 are estimated at $2,343m, and imply an increase of about 1 per cent in real terms.

In a Budget in which total outlays are estimated to decrease slightly in real terms, this increase is evidence of the continuing high priority which this Government attaches to defence.

In particular, further progress is to be made towards achieving the important objectives for capital equipment and facilities outlined in the Defence White Paper presented to Parliament by the Minister for Defence last year.

page 42

OVERSEAS AID

Expenditure on Australia’s overseas aid programs is estimated to increase by 12 per cent, from$380min 1976-77 to $426m in 1977-78.

page 42

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Welfare Housing

In 1977-78 $390m will be made available to the States for welfare housing, $15m more than last year.

I shall refer later to the associated question of finance for private housing.

Some $22m will be provided for the Defence Service Homes Scheme; repayments of earlier loans and proceeds from property sales are estimated at $72.6m, making a total of about $94.6m available for the Scheme in 1 977-78.

In 1977-78 an application fee of $75 for an initial Defence Service Home loan will be introduced; an application fee of $50 will be charged for an additional loan.

Housing Allowance Voucher Experiment

Last year, the Treasurer announced our decision in principle to undertake a housing allowance voucher experiment.

Field activity to implement the experiment is expected to get under way at the first siteMelbournelate in 1977-78.

About $ lm is provided for this purpose.

Growth Centres and Decentralisation

The Budget provides $15m for decentralisation purposes, including growth centres, in 1977-78, comprising $5m for Albury-Wodonga, $3m for the Bathurst-Orange and Macarthur growth centres, and approximately $6m for a new program of support for general decentralisation initiatives.

page 43

TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION

Postal and Telecommunications Services The Australian Telecommunications Commission’s capital program, although larger than in 1976-77, will be funded mainly from the Commission’s own internal resources and from local borrowings; drawings from the Budget are estimated at $65m in 1977-78 compared with $2 15m in 1976-77.

It is expected that the Commissions will be able to hold basic postage and telephone charges in 1977-78, for the second year running.

Nor is the Government proposing, as is sometimes suggested, to re-introduce broadcasting and TV receiver licences.

Some more minor licence fees are, however, to be increased: radio-communications licences will be increased, for some classes of users, from $20 a year to $25 a year, effective from 1 October 1977, and the fees payable by some licensees of commercial radio and television stations are also to be increased.

Transport

As already announced, $475m will be provided to the States for road works in 1 977-78.

Other large expenditures in the transport area include: $55m to meet expected operating losses of the Australian National Railways Commission; a further $33m towards financing the Commission’s capital program, including continued construction of the standard gauge railway between Tarcoola and Alice Springs; $51m in assistance to the States for urban public transport projects, including $5m for new projects- the first since 1974; $8m for land transport planning and research; and $23m for Tasmanian Freight Equalization.

Light dues levied on shipping to recover the cost of providing coastal navigation aids are to be increased from 35 cents per net registered ton per quarter to 4 1 cents from 1 October 1977.

The Government has decided not to increase the level of air navigation charges this year.

page 43

ASSISTANCE TO RURAL INDUSTRY

In recognition of the depressed outlook for the farm sector the Budget continues to provide for a wide range of rural industry support activities.

Details are set out in Statements attached to the Treasurer’s Budget Speech.

Here I mention some of the larger provisions: $53m to facilitate rural industries’ adjustment to changing circumstances; $3 1 . 4m for wool research and promotion; $ 15.1m for the continuation of the Brucellosis and Tuberculosis Eradication Campaign; $40m for continuation of the superphosphate subsidy; and $12m for continuation of the nitrogenous fertilizer subsidy at its present level, the proposed review of that level from 1 January 1978 being postponed.

Rural Bank

We have now approved in principle the establishment of a national rural bank, preferably taking the form of a refinance institution.

We see the new bank complementing existing credit facilities and we intend to hold discussions in the near future with major lending institutions concerning appropriate structural and funding arrangements.

We shall press forward with these discussions without delay.

page 43

SUPPORT FOR EXPORTS AND RESEARCH

Export Development Grants

The Government is concerned to assist all ex porters, particularly through further reductions in the rate of inflation, thereby improving the international competitiveness of Australian goods and services.

As well, direct assistance of $30m- an increase of $5.9m- is included in the Budget for export market development grants to encourage firms to seek and develop overseas markets.

The whole question of financial incentives to exporters has been referred to the Industries Assistance Commission for examination; meanwhile the Government is not proceeding with the legislation foreshadowed in 1976 to reduce benefits and payments under the Scheme.

Industrial Research and Development Grants

The Budget provides $14m for payments of industrial research and development grants in 1977-78.

Coal Research

To finance increased coal research the Government will levy 5 cents a tonne on coal produced in Australia in the next three years; the levy will have effect from midnight tonight and is estimated to provide $3.4m this year.

page 44

TRAINING PROGRAMS

The Government acknowledges the seriousness of the present unemployment, especially among young people.

As well as the personal pressures on those unable to find work, there is also a tragic waste of the nation’s resources.

For these reasons the Government attaches special importance to its labour market training programs.

In addition to the general training assistance available the Government is making increased provision this year for programs aimed at enhancing employment prospects for young people.

These include the recently introduced Community Youth Support Scheme, the Education Program for Unemployed Youth and the Special Youth Employment Training Program, all of which are now proving their worth.

The Government is broadening this assistance by extending the Special Youth Employment Training Program to young people under 25 years, to take effect immediately.

All told, the Budget provides $ 102.7m for employment training programs this year, an increase of 33 per cent over last year.

Even that very large increase will be surpassed if it is necessary to do so: we will not allow the budgetary situation to inhibit our training programs or our capacity to offer training to people who meet the necessary labour market criteria.

We intend also to approach the States to seek an early Commonwealth-State conference on the need to upgrade work skills in the community and to consider the adequacy and utilisation of existing resources for training.

page 44

IMMIGRATION PROGRAM

The Government has decided not to set a specific immigration program for 1977-78 but to determine in-take on the basis of numbers of eligible applicants.

Assisted passages will be available for some 16 000 people, about the same number as in 1976- 77.

page 44

CULTURE AND RECREATION

An amount of $ 137.3 million is to be appropriated for the Australian Broadcasting Commission in 1977-78.

As already announced, the Government has decided to establish an independent authority to provide ethnic broadcasting services and, at a l ater date, possibly other specialised services.

The proposed appropriation for the provision of the ethnic broadcasting service in 1977-78 is $1.9m.

Spending on Australia Council programs is estimated at $24.4m in 1977-78, an increase of 10 per cent over spending on comparable programs last year.

Following a review of Commonwealth involvement in sport, we are providing $1m in 1977- 78 for expenditure on national sports development and assistance; we are also establishing a Sports Advisory Council.

page 44

LEGAL AID

An amount of $ 19.6m is included in the Budget to maintain legal aid services in 1977-78 at their present levels; an additional $3.8m is being provided for Aboriginal Legal Aid Services.

page 44

PAYMENTS TO STATES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES

Despite the need this year for overall budgetary restraint, the Commonwealth has maintained its policy of relative generosity to State and local governments.

In line with the offer made by the Prime Minister at the Premiers’ Conference in July, provision has been made for the States to receive $4,336.1m under the tax sharing arrangements in respect of 1977-78.

I note that this is over $90m more than the estimate of what the States would have been entitled to under the tax sharing legislation.

The generosity of that increase should certainly enable the State governments to frame constructive Budgets which avoid putting up with indirect taxes and charges.

As part of this offer State tax sharing entitlements in future years are to be determined as a proportion of the preceding year’s personal income tax collections, excluding special surcharges or rebates.

The precise percentage to be applied in later years has still to be settled but with this change much firmer estimates of tax sharing entitlements for the year ahead will be known when Commonwealth and States’ Budgets are being prepared.

The Commonwealth’s offer represents a net increase of $62 lm, or 16.8 per cent, in States’ tax sharing payments in 1 977-78.

With Loan Council programs and the special grant to Queensland recommended by the Grants Commission, total general purpose payments to the States are estimated to increase by $685.1 million, or 14.0 per cent, in 1977-78.

Local government authorities’ share of personal income tax collections will be $ 165.3m in 1 977-78, 1 8. 1 per cent more than last year.

Total general purpose and specific purpose payments by the Commonwealth to States and local authorities this year will amount to about $10 billion net.

page 45

GENERAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES

The Commonwealth is continuing to exercise firm restraint in general government expenditures.

Staff Ceilings

Since 30 June, 1975 the number of public servants in employment areas covered by staff ceilings has fallen by about 12 500.

The staff ceilings now set for 30 June 1978 imply a further reduction of over 3000- or about 1 percent-during 1977-78.

Civil Works

A total of $375 million is provided in the Budget for expenditure on new and existing civil works projects in 1977-78- leaving aside Darwin, where the rebuilding program is nearing completion, expenditure is estimated to increase by $14 million.

The Darwin Reconstruction Commission is to be wound up on 3 1 December and the Department of Construction will take over responsibility for outstanding works.

The National Capital Development Commission will have a cash allocation of about $ 1 97 million for civil works expenditures in Canberra this year, $6m less than last year.

Territories

With the move towards self-government in the Northern Territory, a global allocation of $50m has been included in the Budget for expenditure on those functions transferred on 1 January 1977 to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly.

Provision is made in the Budget estimates for increased revenue from Northern Territory charges; the details are to be determined in consultation with the incoming Legislative Assembly.

Provision is also made in the estimates for increases in rates and charges in the Australian Capital Territory.

page 45

MAINTENANCE OF EXPENDITURE RESTRAINT

In each of the past two years we have succeeded in keeping actual outlays below the original Budget estimates.

We aim to repeat that performance again in 1977-78.

In so doing we shall again demonstrate that we meant what we said about restoring fiscal responsibility and restraining the previous runaway growth in government spending.

page 45

RECEIPTS

I come now to receipts.

Our revenue measures embody two principal considerations.

First, we see an over-riding need to reduce the burden of income tax so as to restore incentive for personal effort.

Secondly, we have focused upon the pressing need to conserve and develop our crude oil and other energy resources.

Again, as in 1976-77, there are no proposals in this Budget to increase duties on beer, or on spirits, or on cigarettes and tobacco.

Personal Income Tax

As I said at the outset, this Government is unremitting in its determination to rein back the growth in the public sector for a number of reasons, not the least of which is its fundamental belief that Australians should be able to determine to a greater extent how they spend their incomes.

The more successful governments are in the exercise of economy in their expenditures, the more scope they have for reducing the burden of taxation on their citizens.

Our success since taking office in reducing the rate of growth in expenditure by the Government has made it possible for us to reduce the excessive level of personal taxation.

Our first step towards reform of the personal income tax system was to introduce last year full automatic indexation to prevent effective rates of personal income tax from increasing purely because of inflation.

We thus accomplished, in our first year of office, a reform that was initially set down for introduction over a three year period.

As a result of tax indexation the Government has forgone revenues in 1977-78 of about $965m on top of the $990m forgone last year.

But the inescapable fact is that, irrespective of the positive benefits of tax indexation, present rates of personal income tax are too high.

The present tax scale is not only inequitable, it is having devastating effects on incentive and on the will to work.

Given our conviction that decisive measures are required, we now intend to give effect to our own tax philosophy and, once and for all, to repudiate the high tax policies pursued by our political opponents.

Accordingly, we are introducing a much improved and simplified tax system that will provide very substantial benefits to taxpayers at all income levels.

The new measures represent the most revolutionary change yet made to Australia’s system of income tax.

The essence of the new system lies in the establishment of one tax rate as the basic rate of taxation for the vast majority of taxpayers.

The essential points of the new tax system are:

The so-called ‘general concessional rebate’which gave the misleading impression that taxpayers were receiving a benefit which did not in reality exist- will have no further relevance in the new system.

The tax threshold will be raised to $3,751 (from the rebate equivalent of $3,154) and no individual with an income below that level will pay tax.

Dependant rebates are, however, being retained, so that the effective tax threshold for a taxpayer with a dependant spouse will be $5,485.

A standard flat rate of tax of 32 per cent will be established on all taxable incomes over $3,750; this rate becomes the basic tax rate of the system.

A surcharge of 14 per cent will be imposed on that part of taxable income between $16,000 and $32,000.

A surcharge of 28 per cent will be imposed on that part of taxable income over $32,000.

Instead of the present seven-step scale this will establish a three-step scale incorporating effective marginal rates of 32, 46 and 60 per cent.

Let me briefly summarize some of the main benefits of this new and vastly simplified tax system.

The most important benefit is that there are tax reductions at all levels of taxable income.

Furthermore, the biggest proportional gainers are those on lower incomes at the bottom of the tax scale.

In fact, the incomes of about 225 000 taxpayers, including many pensioners with small private incomes, will be made non-taxable.

Some 90 per cent of taxpayers will pay tax at no more than the standard marginal rate of 32 percent.

As a result, the new system goes a long way to restoring the monetary incentive for individuals to work and to work harder, to take on added responsibility, to work overtime, and so on.

I now give some examples of how this system will affect selected income groups: a taxpayer on a taxable income of $4,000 per annum or $77 per week with no dependant spouse will have his tax liability reduced by $2.86 per week, nearly two-thirds of his present tax liability; a taxpayer on $ 1 0,000 per annum or $ 1 92 per week, about average earnings, will save $2.83 per week, and his marginal rate of tax will be reduced from 35 cents to 32 cents in the dollar; a taxpayer on $ 1 5,000 per annum or $288 per week will save $ 10.46 per week and his marginal rate will drop sharply from 45 cents to 32 cents in the dollar.

These reductions will be in addition to those already effected from 1 July last through the tax indexation mechanism.

The new system will apply from 1 February 1978 for both pay-as-you-earn and, notionally, for assessment purposes.

As from 1 February next, therefore, the total savings in tax from the new scale and the tax indexation mechanism combined will amount, in the three examples I have just quoted, to $4.46 per week, $5.38 per week and $15.38 per week, respectively.

These examples- which could of course be multiplied- indicate the substantial benefits flowing to all taxpayers from our program of tax reform and tax reduction to date.

I now briefly touch on some further aspects of the new system.

The general rebate of $676 previously allowable to all taxpayers regardless of their expenditures on concessional items would have meant in 1977-78, effectively, a rebate of 40 per cent for any such expenditures over $ 1 ,690.

With a 32 per cent standard rate being introduced, it had been decided that eligible expenditure above the ceiling will attract a rebate at that rate; the resultant revenue saving will be applied to reduce the ceiling from $1,690 to $1,590, thus making such rebates available to more taxpayers.

Several consequential amendments in respect of such matters as trust income and the threshold of the health insurance levy will be necessary; details are given in Statement No. 4 attached to the Treasurer’s Budget Speech.

PAYE deductions from salaries and wages will be reduced as from 1 February 1 978, based on the new scale.

The rate scale and other features applicable for the final assessment of tax liabilities on 1977-78 incomes will in practice be a composite, equivalent to seven-twelfths of the present system and five-twelfths of the new one.

Again, details are spelled out in Statement No. 4.

As basic provisional tax for 1977-78 is assessed on 1976-77 income, 1976-77 rates of tax will be applied in calculation thereof.

The subtantial benefit of the new scales will add, from early 1978, to the benefits flowing from the latest round of indexation on 1 July 1977.

These new benefits will begin flowing to taxpayers five months before the next indexation adjustment.

Full automatic indexation to prevent effective rates of personal income tax from increasing purely because of inflation will be maintained in repect of the new system in future years.

However, transitional arrangements will apply with respect to the indexation adjustment due on 1 July 1978.

Dependant rebates, which will have operated unchanged throughout the year, will be indexed at that time by the full factor given by the annual indexation rules.

The new rate scale, which will have been operating only during the second half of the financial year, will be indexed at that time by half the factor given by the annual indexation rules.

The cost of the measure on this basis is estimated at $406m in 1977-78 and $973m in 1978-79.

Incentives for the Arts

Continuing its active support for the arts and as a way of eliciting greater co-operation from the private sector, the Government will liberalise the conditions under which income tax deductions are allowable for gifts of works of art and comparable property to public art galleries, museums and libraries.

Details are contained in Statement No. 4.

The cost to revenue is estimated to approach $ 1 m in 1 977-78 and $2.5m in a full year.

Company Tax

As I mentioned earlier, there is a clear need this year to finance the essential personal tax reform that has just been announced.

That has meant, for one thing, the most rigid control of the Commonwealth’s own expenditures.

Beyond that, however, we have also had to look elsewhere for increased sources of revenue.

Since coming to office the Government has eased the burden of tax on business income in several ways, notably by the investment allowance and the trading stock valuation adjustment.

These measures will produce a very substantial saving in the tax payable by corporate business in 1977-78, of the order of $600m at current tax rates.

As I said early on in this statement there is a need for fair sharing of the burdens.

Against the background of the very substantial concessions given to companies last year, and of the recent and prospective increases in corporate profitability, it has been decided to increase the rates of company tax to apply in respect of 1976- 77 income.

The increase will be 3V4 per cent bringing the general rate to 46 per cent.

The same VA per cent increase in rate will also apply to 1977-78 income of superannuation funds which do not observe the 30/20 rule, bringing their rate to 46 per cent.

This rate increase is estimated to yield $203m in 1 977-78 and $224m in a full year.

Even so, company tax in total is estimated to increase by only $174m, or 6 per cent, in 1977- 78, compared with $302m, or 12 per cent, in 1976-77.

Small Business Taxation

The Government attaches particular importance to the fundamental role of small business in our free enterprise system.

Because of the benefits this year flowing from last year’s alterations to Division 7 tax, introduction of an investment allowance and a trading stock valuation adjustment, the effective rate of tax for the majority of small firms has been reduced by between 8 and 10 percentage points.

This year’s changes to personal income tax will be of particular benefit to the owneroperators of small companies and unincorporated enterprises, whose incomes are more subject to fluctuations than those of the majority of taxpayers.

There are of course many matters which affect small businesses but which are within the province of State governments- pay-roll tax, workers’ compensation and the like.

As I have said, the small business sector will be greatly assisted by the Budget- the Commonwealth hopes that State governments will have similar regard to the special needs of this sector.

Film Royalties Paid Abroad

Most film royalties paid from Australia are at present taxed, on an arbitrary basis, as if the foreign recipient’s profit rate were 10 per cent.

The Government considers that this produces an unreasonably low effective rate of tax.

Accordingly, the rate of tax to apply in respect of film royalties paid out of Australia after tonight will be 10 per cent of the gross royalties, which represents our standard tax treaty rate.

Gold-Mining Taxation

In April 1977 the Industries Assistance Commission submitted a report on the production of gold.

The Government- has considered the report but has decided, because of continuing difficulties faced by the industry, to maintain the present basis of taxation and not to eliminate the concessions involved at this time.

Tax Avoidance

The Government is well aware of the activities in recent years of tax planners who, increasingly, are promoting tax avoidance schemes and arrangements throughout the business and professional community.

We propose to crack down hard on such practices.

Many of the arrangements that taxpayers are being induced to enter into are highly artificial and contrived, but they are causing substantial amounts of revenue to be either lost altogether or deferred for considerable periods of time.

The Government takes a serious view of these developments and proposes, in these Budget sittings, to bring forward amendments to combat these abuses of the provisions of the taxation laws.

Coal Export Duty

The Government will make a further reduction this year in the coal export levy.

The higher rate of duty will be reduced by $1.00 to $3.50 per tonne and the lower rate by 50c to $1.00 per tonne.

Should State governments seek to take advantage of this to increase their own royalties the Government will have to review its position.

I re-affirm the Government’s intention to remove the remaining duty next year in accordance with its previous undertaking.

The present reduction, which will apply immediately, will cost an estimated $24m in 1977-78 and $27m in a full year.

page 48

CRUDE OIL POLICY

The world price of crude oil has risen dramatically in recent years but only very minor adjustments have been made to the price of crude from Australian wells.

Australian crude is now very substantially underpriced.

Without significant new discoveries in the next few years, indigenous crude oil would fall from meeting about 70 per cent of total Australian demand to about 30 per cent by 1985.

We cannot afford a pricing policy that flies in the face of all energy conservation principles by condoning excessive consumption of our scarce presently known supplies of crude.

We are moving to produce an appropriate energy pricing structure.

The National Energy Advisory Committee has the whole question of national energy policy under urgent study and is reporting progressively to the Government on it.

We also need a pricing policy that encourages new exploration and ensures full economic recovery of known deposits.

In partial recognition of these truths, the previous Government announced, and we have maintained, a policy applying import parity prices to oil discovered after 14 September 1975.

But the previous Government did nothing to conserve the usage from existing fields, to increase the extent of recovery from them, or to develop new fields based on discoveries already made.

An estimated 400 million barrels of oil could be recovered in Australia at import parity prices that would not be recovered at existing prices.

This would add about 20 per cent, or about two years’ present requirements, to the reserves which would be economically recoverable at present prices.

Following a Government reference in May 1976, the Industries Assistance Commission has made recommendations directed to an orderly transition towards import parity prices for all local oil.

The Government endorses this objective and has adopted an approach based essentially on the Commission’s recommendations.

An annually increasing proportion, or six million barrels per annum, whichever is the greater, of crude oil from each field or new development within fields discovered before 14 September 1975, will be sold at import parity prices, with the remainder sold at the present fixed prices for each field.

For the first year, commencing tonight, the proportion of oil per field to be sold at import parity prices will be 10 per cent of production.

In the three subsequent years, the corresponding proportions will be 20, 35 and 50 per cent.

Beyond this, it is the Government’s intention to move to full import parity as soon as possible thereafter; accordingly it will, prior to the end of the period, review the matter.

The Government believes that not all the additional profits resulting from these decisions should remain with the producers, and that the community should obtain a return from the exploitation of these resources which adequately reflects their value.

The fact that the recently increased value of crude oil stems essentially from action by a cartel of foreign oil producers makes the community interest in that enhanced value all the more obvious.

In view of this, the Government has decided to increase the production levy on crude oil from $2 to $3 per barrel.

The Government is, meanwhile, examining whether the levy should be replaced by a resources tax.

The levy will not apply to condensate marketed separately from a crude oil stream; such condensate may now be sold at commercially negotiated prices.

Nor will the levy apply to liquefied petroleum gas from fields not yet in production.

This will assist the marketing of L.P.G. and condensate from fields already discovered but not yet developed in the North West Shelf and the Cooper Basin.

Condensate sold comingled in a crude oil stream will continue to be treated as crude oil for pricing and levy purposes.

The levy on liquefied petroleum gas from currently producing fields will remain at $2 per barrel.

Duty on Petroleum Products

In association with its review of energy pricing and conservation policies, the Government has also reviewed the duty on petroleum products and has decided to increase it by one-quarter cent per litre.

These decisions taken together will result in additional revenues totalling $180m this financial year, and $2 12m in a full year.

The pricing and duty decisions combined are estimated to result in an ultimate increase in retail petrol prices of about 2Vi cents per litre, or about 1 1 cents per gallon, in 1 977-78; because of the lags involved, these final price effects are likely to come through rather gradually.

Petrol will remain appreciably cheaper in Australia than in most other comparable countries.

The Government regrets the need for any action that adds to consumer prices.

However, it also realises that the steadily diminishing proportion of our crude oil needs which will be supplied from domestic wells means that increased petrol prices are inevitable in any case; the sooner they are effected, the sooner will excessive use be curtailed, presently uneconomic fields be developed and exploration for new fields stepped up.

A further statement on the new oil pricing and levy arrangements will be made by the Minister for National Resources.

page 50

BUDGET OVERVIEW

Total outlays in 1977-78 are estimated to increase by 10.5 per cent to $26,656m.

Total receipts are estimated to increase by 14.3 per cent to $24,439m

The overall deficit is therefore estimated at $22 1 7m, a reduction of $523m on 1 976-77.

After allowance for overseas transactions, the domestic deficit is estimated at $ 1347m in 1 977-78, almost $650m less than in 1 976-77.

page 50

THE ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

The outcome I have just referred to is consistent with our fiscal stance since taking office.

In 1977-78 fiscal policy will again reinforce the other arms of policy.

In particular, the further reduction in the Budget deficit will lighten the burden on monetary policy.

We are thus a step closer to our objectives of sustainably lowering interest rates and beginning to ease the restrictions on bank lending during the course of 1977-78.

As that can be responsibly achieved, there will be obvious benefits for the economy.

I can mention tonight one step in that direction.

The Government has been concerned, in reviewing the overall housing scene, to ensure that availability of finance is not a barrier to steady and sustainable growth in home building activity, including additions and renovations.

If borrowers are credit worthy, we would not want them to be denied housing finance because of official restraints.

Accordingly, the Government has advised the Reserve Bank that it wants to see banks and other financial institutions encouraged to increase their lending for private home building, particularly in those States and areas where the capacity of the building industry is underutilised.

It is of course being left to individual lenders to determine their levels of lending, taking into account their particular balance sheet positions and their assessments of the housing situation in their areas of operations.

Despite the many hazards in such projections, the present outlook indicates future growth in the broadly defined measure of the volume of money, M3, in the range of 8- 10 per cent over the course of 1977-78.

That range may change as circumstances unfold.

It may also be necessary, as in 1976-77, to adjust policy in response to changing circumstances.

With those qualifications, I indicate the Government’s present expectation that it will be appropriate for monetary growth in 1977-78 to be somewhat less than in 1 976-77.

This would maintain the Government’s policy of providing adequate funds for sustainable recovery in private sector activity and employment, while continuing to bear down steadily on inflation and inflationary expectations.

The Government believes that these broad monetary expectations will provide the community with a continuing degree of certainty as to the outlook.

Overall, these fiscal and monetary policy settings provide ground for cautious optimism about the unfolding of economic conditions through 1977-78.

Again, however, I stress that restoring the Australian economy from its previously shattered state is no simple task.

The course of inflation during the first half of 1977-78 will be influenced by several transitory factors.

These will include the continuing lagged effects of last year’s devaluation, some ‘catch-up’ effects from the recent prices ‘pause’ and the direct and indirect effects of the pricing-cum-duty decisions on petroleum products have just been announced.

But, more importantly, the basic thrust of policy is such as to further reduce the underlying rate of inflation.

Fundamentally, of course, inflation- and unemployment- in 1977-78 will be heavily influenced by the extent of wage indexation applying.

If we assume, for example, that future National Wage Case decisions embody a broadly similar degree of partial indexation as in 1976-77, by mid- 1978 a wide range of price indicators would be registering quarterly rates of increase of the order of 2-2½ per cent.

Unless the degree of wage indexation is reduced, it will mean wage rate increases of around 10 per cent for 1977-78 as a whole.

Such an outcome would contribute little to reducing the real wage/productivity distortion.

If the Commission does make a contribution to this problem by lower awards, the outlook for jobs- and unemployment- will be strengthened.

We shall, of course, continue to urge the bench to do so- stressing in that regard the relevance of the tax relief we are providing.

As noted earlier, the underlying forward momentum of demand and activity has begun to reassert itself in recent months.

That process will gather pace over the course of 1977-78.

Product growth will induce some short-term gains in measured productivity and some further improvement in profitability and profit levels.

Growth of final domestic demand will again be concentrated in the private sector, with the cuts in personal income tax and some further decline in the personal saving ratio underpinning moderate growth in consumption while the business fixed investment growth already in train strengthens and broadens.

As the trade account continues to switch around, it will contribute significantly to the growth of domestic product over the course of the year.

It will also contribute to an improving balance of payments position, although the usual seasonal influences will work in the other direction for the next few months.

With policy bearing down on inflation and business investment picking up, strengthening private capital inflows and the recently announced resumption of long-term official borrowing overseas should reinforce the capital account also as the year progresses.

Gross non-farm product should increase by over 4 per cent between the June quarters of 1977 and 1978.

This compares with a corresponding increase of 1 per cent between the June quarter 1976 and the June quarter 1 977.

Due to the within-year patterns- particularly the strong first half and weak second half of 1 976- 77- growth of that order in non-farm product over the course of 1977-78 would entail growth for 1977-78 as a whole of about 2 per cent.

Although seasonal conditions are largely unpredictable, at this stage they seem unlikely to support more than a marginal increase in the volume of farm production; if so, real farm incomes would be likely to fall somewhat.

Such an overall picture for activity would be consistent with strengthening, though still modest, employment growth during the course of 1977- 78.

This should broadly take up the growth in the work-force but perhaps not much more than that.

Such an outcome would reflect, of course, the continuing serious real wage distortion and the characteristics of the wage determination process.

Our policies will continue to erode that distortion and open the way to increased job opportunities and lower unemployment.

That desirable outcome would be attainable more quickly were there to be greater moderation on the part of those demanding wage increases and on the part of those awarding them.

page 51

CONCLUSION

This Budget has been carefully designed.

It will be maintaining maximum pressure on inflation in the first half of the financial year.

In the second half of the financial year, as the results of these policies bear their fruits, the Budget will add a stimulus to activity through the large increase in disposable incomes flowing from tax reductions associated with changes to the personal income tax system.

The Government, therefore, looks to a further slowdown in inflation in the second half of 1977-78, accompanied by a continuing pick-up in activity.

In short, this Budget assures further solid progress towards the Government’s economic and social objectives.

The new reform of the personal income tax is of particular benefit, both economic and social.

Economically, the Budget builds upon the foundations of the past eighteen months. 1976-77 was not an easy year, and 1977-78- in the very nature of the problems we confront- will not see any dramatic breakthrough to rapid economic recovery.

But the Budget provides solid grounds for looking to further gains in reducing the underlying rate of inflation and inflationary expectations in the year ahead.

That will, in turn, be reflected in rising levels of activity and growing job opportunities extending through into 1978-79 and beyond.

Debate (on motion by Senator Wriedt) adjourned.

Senate adjourned at 9.9 p.m.

page 53

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

The following answers to questions were circulated:

Commonwealth Employment Service Agencies (Question No. 55)

Senator Colston:
QUEENSLAND

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, upon notice, on 8 March 1977:

What are the full details of the way gradings are determined for Commonwealth Employment Service agencies (vide answers (4) and (5) to Question No 1476).

Senator Durack:
LP

– The Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

Agents of the Commonwealth Employment Service have recently been given detailed information by my Department as to the manner in which their gradings are determined. In addition I have written personally to Senator Colston and provided him with the same information that has been made available to CES Agents.

Television Translator Station, Herberton (Question No. 72)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Post and Telecommunications, upon notice, on 8 March 1977:

What action has the Minister taken to investigate the possibility of locating a televion translator station at Herberton in Queensland.

Senator Carrick:
LP

– The Minister for Post and Telecommunications has supplied the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

National and commercial translators for Herberton were approved in August 1974 as part of a series of nine translator installations designed to supplement the coverage of the Cairns television stations located on Mount Bellenden-Ker. Within existing financial and resources availability, it has only been possible to establish the national stations in stages with the North Cairns and Mossman translators being the first to be completed in late 1976.

While there have been difficulties in securing a suitable site, it is planned to complete the Herberton national translator in the second half of 1978. This target is dependent on funds being made available for the project.

Public Service: Reductions in Overseas Allowances (Question No. 145)

Senator Knight:

asked the Minister representing the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Public Service Matters, upon notice, on 8 March 1977:

  1. Have any reductions been made since 13 December 1975 in allowances paid to Commonwealth public servants or other Commonwealth employees engaged on long term overseas postings with the Commonwealth; if so, at what Australian overseas posts have such reductions been made.
  2. What was the extent of the reductions in each case.
Senator Durack:
LP

– The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Public Service Matters has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. and (2) The Public Service Board has provided the following list of the reductions made since 13 December 1975.

    1. Local and child allowances at a number of posts have been varied on a number of occasions in response to movements in currency exchange rates.
    2. Local allowances have also been reduced at 23 posts, following Public Service Board inspection. The extent of these reductions for each post is illustrated by the details given for a married Foreign Affairs Officer Class 1 ($ 1 1962-12944) in the following table.
  1. In February 1976 total expenditure on vouched Representation Allowance was reduced by 25 per cent and there was a consequential reduction in unvouched Representation Supplement. The extent of the reduction in unvouched Representation Supplement is illustrated by the fact that for a married Foreign Affairs Officer Class 1 at the various posts, the reduction averaged 35 percent.

Darwin Radio Inspector’s Office (Question No. 287)

Senator Robertson:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Post and Telecommunications, upon notice, on 10 March 1 977:

  1. What action is being taken to bring the manning strength of the Darwin District Radio Inspector’s Office into line with other Australian offices.
  2. Has the Radio Inspector no staff and did he claim that the public is being inconvenienced as a result.
Senator Carrick:
LP

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

  1. Whenever practicable officers have been temporarily transferred from the Adelaide office of my Department to fill vacancies as they have occurred. The position of Technical Officer Grade 2 is currently unoccupied but has recently been advertised in the Australian Government Gazette. An appointment will be made to the position as soon as practicable.
  2. No.

Import Quotas on Curtains (Question No. 306)

Senator Missen:

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce, upon notice, on 15 March 1977:

  1. Have import quotas on fully made up curtains been lifted, whilst quotas are retained on imports of raw materials for curtain manufacture in Australia.
  2. Does the Minister agree that, since Australian curtain manufacturers are still limited in their imports of such raw materials, they will be seriously disadvantaged when competing against imports.
Senator Cotton:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) In accordance with recommendations of the Textiles Authority in its report of 18 June 1976, imports of made up curtains are no longer subject to tariff quota arrangements. Imports of knitted and crocheted net fabrics which are used in the production of curtains also are not now subject to these arrangements in accordance with recommendations made by the Authority in the same report. In accordance with recommendations of the Industries Assistance Commission in its interim report of 30 November 1976, on certain manmade fibres, yarns and fabrics the Government decided that tariff quotas would continue to apply to imports of a range of textile items, including woven and knitted man-made fibre fabrics of the kind used in the production of curtains, for the twelve months commencing 1 March 1977. Subsequently the Government decided that the validity period of tariff quotas allocated for the quota year commencing 1 March 1977 would be extended for a further period of six months. An interim report of the Industries Assistance Commission concerning the supplementary levels of quota to apply during the additional six months period is currently under consideration.
  2. The Government recently decided to ask the Industries Assistance Commission for an interim report on whether short term additional assistance should be accorded certain wool textile and other products. The reference to the Commission on this matter was subsequently amended to include all types of curtains and knitted and crocheted net fabrics. The interim report by the IAC on these matters has also been received and is currently under consideration.

Broadcasting: Election Speeches and Political Advertisements (Question No. 316)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Post and Telecommunications, upon notice, on 16 March 1977:

With respect to the Minister’s reply to Question No. 198 on the broadcasting of election speeches and political advertisements (vide House of Representatives Hansard, 2 June 1976, page 2882), can the Minister provide similar details for the past two State elections in Queensland.

Senator Carrick:
LP

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

As previously stated in my interim answer details of political advertising and expenditure incurred by political parties in respect to the State election in Queensland on 27 May 1972 are not available because they were not supplied in the form used for answer to question No. 198 until 1974.

The following tables ‘A’, ‘B ‘C and ‘D’ provide answers sought by the honourable senator in relation to the State election in Queensland on 7 December 1974 and are based on information supplied to the former Australian Broadcasting Control Board by the licensees of commercial broadcasting and television stations and by the Australian Broadcasting Commission. The tables do not include political advertising by 4LM Mount Isa as this information is not available.

Table ‘A’

Broadcasting: Election Speeches and Political Advertisements (Question No. 317)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Post and Telecommunications, upon notice, on 16 March 1977:

With respect to the Minister’s reply to Question No. 451 on political broadcasting (vide Senate Hansard, 18 August 1976, page 162), can the Minister provide similar details for the past two State elections in Queensland.

Senator Carrick:
LP

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

As previously stated in my interim answer details of political advertising and expenditure incurred by political parties in respect to the State election in Queensland on 27 May 1972 are not available because they were not supplied in the form used for answer to question No. 45 1 until 1 974.

The following tables ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C provide answers sought by the honourable senator in relation to the State election in Queensland on 7 December 1974 and are based on information supplied to the former Australian Broadcasting Control Board by the licensees of commercial broadcasting and television stations and by the Australian Broadcasting Commission. Tables ‘A’ and ‘B’ do not include political advertising by 4LM Mount Isa as this information is not available.

Education: Aboriginal Communities in Central Australia (Question No. 364)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister for Education, upon notice, on 22 March 1977:

Do many Aboriginal communities in central Australia not support the present Government policy with regard to education, as was suggested by John Edwards in the article entitled ‘Aborigines now have Land Rights- but no Schools ‘in the National Times dated 7 March 1977; if so, (a) what are the details, and (b) what action, if any, is the Minister taking to investigate the claims made in the newspaper article concerned.

Senator Carrick:
LP

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

The Government has recently established a National Aboriginal Education Committee, comprised entirely of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders, to provide it with informed advice on the educational needs of the Aboriginal people including the outstations.

The Commonwealth Government has direct responsibility for education in the outstations only in the Northern Territory. The approach for a number of years has been to consult very closely with Aboriginal outstation groups about their educational requirements and how these should be met.

I am aware that in the majority of cases the outstations prefer schooling to be provided by Aboriginal teaching assistants, supported by visiting teachers from the settlement schools. The Government has taken action to overcome these problems by increasing the training of Aboriginal teachers and teaching assistants and by increasing the number of non-Aboriginal teachers qualified to assume the role of ‘visiting teacher’ to remote schools.

The Government makes every effort to provide education for Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, however remote. Difficulties and delays are sometimes encountered in the recruitment of teachers, with the necessary skills and empathy, to move to the remote areas.

I understand that the State Government in Western Australia is also actively concerned with these matters particularly in the area mentioned in Mr Edwards’ article. I am advised that two mobile visiting teachers are provided to service the settlements in this district in a similar way to the Northern Territory. The Western Australian Education Department has established a curriculum development program for outstation situations and elements of this program are currently being mailed at Blackstone.

Commonwealth Assistance for Projects in Each Federal Electorate (Question No. 527)

Senator Wriedt:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs, upon notice, on 2 1 April 1 977:

  1. 1 ) What projects funded by the Commonwealth, either directly or through State government, local government or voluntary bodies, administered by the Minister’s Department or any statutory authorities under his control, are being carried out in each Federal electorate.
  2. Will a brass plaque be erected in respect of each project; if so, what will be the cost of the plaque.
Senator Durack:
LP

– The following information is provided in answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. and (2) I refer the honourable senator to the Prime Minister’s answer to question No. 513 (Hansard, 26 May 1977, page 1519).

Television: Teletext System (Question No. 546)

Senator Button:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Post and Telecommunications, upon notice, on 2 1 April 1 977:

  1. 1 ) Has the Minister received any and what applications from licensees of television stations to make transmissions by means of the system known as Teletext.
  2. Has the Minister received advice from the AttorneyGeneral as to whether a television transmission licence entitles the licensee to operate the teletext system.
  3. If the Minister has received advice from the AttorneyGeneral, what is the substance of such advice.
Senator Carrick:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) Applications directed to the Australian Broadcasting Control Board or my Depanment have been received from the licensees of nine television stations, as follows:

ATN Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd

TCN Television Corporation Ltd

TEN United Telecasters Sydney Ltd

ATV Austarama Television Pty Ltd

GTV General Television Corporation Pty Ltd

HSV Herald-Sun TV Pty Ltd

BCV Victorian Broadcasting Network Ltd

TVQ Universal Telecasters Q ‘Id Ltd

TVT Tasmanian Television Ltd

  1. and (3) The Australian Broadcasting Control Board, prior to its disbandment, received advice from the AttorneyGeneral ‘s Depanment that Teletext transmissions would be television transmissions within the meaning of the Broadcasting and Television Act and that, provided they are intended for reception by the general public, they would be covered by the terms of existing licences. The Australian Broadcasting Control Board informed me accordingly.

Ethanol: Use as Motor Fuel (Question No. 615)

Senator Keeffe:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for National Resources, upon notice, on 21 April 1977:

  1. Is the Minister aware of a recent decision by the Brazilian Government to undertake a program to replace 20 per cent of petrol and diesel oil requirements for vehicle transportation with ethanol (ethyl alcohol).
  2. 2 ) What is the expected cost of ethanol per litre.
  3. How does this compare with the current price of petrol.
  4. Would such a substitution program require any changes in the design of conventional internal combustion engines.
  5. If Australia were to adopt a similar program, what would be the annual savings of oil and petroleum in terms of (a) volume and (b) approximate value.
  6. What are the other advantages of using ethanol as a motor fuel in preference to petroleum.
  7. Will the Government undertake to study the Brazilian program and report to Parliament on the results of that study.
  8. Will the Government undertake to study the viability, both economic and strategic, of implementing such a program, in Australia.
Senator Withers:
LP

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

  1. Yes.
  2. and (3) It is not possible to provide meaningful data on the expected cost of ethanol which will be produced by the Brazilian Government.
  3. Yes. lt is expected that design changes would be required in the carburettor system and the cooling system of conventional cars.
  4. 5 ) The extent of any possible saving or loss of petroleum which might result from the substitution of ethanol for motor spirit, would depend on the type of fuel used in the production of ethanol. Ethanol is currently more expensive than motor spirit in Australia and even the current high cost of crude oil does not make the production of ethanol as a motor spirit substitute an economic proposition.
  5. There appear to be no advantages to the ordinary motorist in the use of ethanol as a motor fuel in preference to petroleum.
  6. and (8) The Department of National Resources keeps under review worldwide developments in respect of alternative transport fuels. The possible use of ethanol will also be examined by the National Energy Advisory Committee in its deliberations on energy matters.

Citizen Band Radio (Question No. 632)

Senator Kilgariff:
NORTHERN TERRITORY

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Post and Telecommunications, upon notice, on 2 1 April 1977:

  1. 1 ) What is the present situation concerning the report entitled ‘The Introduction of a Citizen’s Band radio service to Australia ‘ which was tabled and public comment invited.
  2. Has the Government formulated a policy; if so, and when is it anticipated that legislation will be introduced to legislate Citizen’s Band radio.
Senator Carrick:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) Following consideration of the public response to this report the Government has agreed to the introduction of a Citizen’s Band radio service in Australia.
  2. No immediate legislation is required to implement this decision of the Government.

Microwave Link: Tennant Creek to Alice Springs (Question No. 636)

Senator Kilgariff:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Post and Telecommunications, upon notice, on 26 April 1977:

Further to Question No. 406 asked by Senator Kilgariff on 29 March regarding the extension of the microwave length from Tennant Creek to Alice Springs, will this facility be available to small settlements between the two points, e.g., Wauchope, Barrow Creek, Ti-Tree, Aileron, etc., and will larger settlements such as the Aboriginal settlement of Warrabri have not only subscriber trunk dialling services, but also television.

Senator Carrick:
LP

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

It is not intended that the wayside stations will be connected to the microwave system as their connection to the trunk network will be retained via the existing open wire circuits. At present, there are no plans to convert these very small non-continuous manual exchanges to automatic services with STD facilities.

Intermediate repeaters on this system are solar powered and because of their limited power, provision of additional facilities is restricted in comparison with systems elsewhere, e.g. Mount Isa-Tennant Creek-Darwin, which are operated from other power systems of substantially greater output capacity.

With regard to television, the availability of the television program at intermediate points between Alice Springs and

Tennant Creek will also be restricted, particularly in the light of the power supply limitations mentioned above. In view of this, the costs involved in converting the system to make television available to the intermediate points are likely to be so high as to prohibit provision of the facility to the small number of potential viewers.

Sugar Cane Fibre (Question No. 666)

Senator Keeffe:

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce, upon notice, on 26 April 1 977:

  1. 1 ) What, if any, research and development projects are being carried out under the responsibility of the Minister’s Department which relate to the use of sugar cane fibres as (a) a building material, (b) an energy source, (c) an animal feedstock, and (d) a clothing/textile source.
  2. If no current research is being carried out in Australia in any of these fields, will the Minister undertake to study the feasibility of such projects.
  3. Is any such research being carried out in any other country.
Senator Cotton:
LP

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

  1. None.
  2. and (3) See my answer to Question No. 665 in my capacity as Minister representing the Minister for Primary Industry.

Electricity Costs in Queensland (Question No. 692)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Prime Minister, upon notice, on 27 April 1977:

With respect to the Prime Minister’s reply to Question No. 23 (Senate Hansard, 29 March 1977, page 607),

what are the general details of the Commonwealth’s proposals for increasing efficiency and reducing costs within the Queensland electricity system,

what reasons did the Queensland Government provide for rejecting the Commonwealth’s proposals, and

does the Commonwealth intend making further proposals on this matter to the Queensland Government; if not, why not.

Senator Withers:
LP

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

  1. and (b) I refer the honourable senator to the answer to Question No. 23 (Senate Hansard, 29 March 1977, page 607).
  2. No. The public electricity supply industry in Queensland is primarily the responsibility of the State Government.

Commonwealth Funds for Road Works (Question No. 699)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Treasurer, upon notice, on 28 April 1 977:

With respect to the reply to Senate Question No. 270 concerning funds provided by the Commonwealth to the Queensland Government for road works provided by the

Minister for Transport, will the Treasurer provide replies to Parts (4) and (5) of the original questions.

Senator Cotton:
LP

-The Treasurer has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

The figures that are available for collections in each State of excise on petroleum products do not necessarily reflect actual tax payments in that State. The reason for this is that the figures relate to oil company marketing areas which can overlap State borders- the Queensland marketing area, for example, includes parts of northern New South Wales. For 1975- 76 gross excise collected on ‘other gasoline’ (motor spirit) and diesel fuel in Queensland (as defined) totalled $92.6m. No comparable estimates are yet available for 1976- 77 and 1977-78.

Pritchard Steam Engine (QuestionNo.757)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Productivity, upon notice, on 3 May 1977:

  1. 1 ) Did the Pritchard Steam Power Company seek Federal Government funding assistance some two years ago, as was claimed in the television program on the energy crisis on Four Comers on 22 April 1977; if so (a) what were the details of the Company’ s submission (b) when was the submission received, and (c) what response has the company received to its submission?
Senator Durack:
LP

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

  1. 1) (a) (b) and (c) Pritchard Steam Power Pty Ltd made an application to the Commonwealth Government in early 1 975 for assistance against a program of development as laid down by them. As a result of that application the Commonwealth Government agreed to manufacture, at no charge to the company, three ‘quick change’ power units to detailed manufacturing drawings supplied by the company. The company encountered some difficulty in meeting its own agreed program of work, thus delaying the manufacture of the engines at the Bendigo Ordnance Factory, and setting back the overall development program of the Pritchard steam engine. Nevertheless, manufacture of the engines is nownearing completion. A subsequent request for financial support to enable the engines to be tested has resulted in a decision by the Commonwealth Government (announced on 1 July last) to collaborate with the Victorian Government to provide aid for the project, subject to certain conditions about the work yet to be negotiated.

Commonwealth Employment Service: Redcliffe Office (Question No. 768)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, upon notice, on 3 May 1 977:

Has the Minister investigated allegations relating to the leaking of information from the Redcliffe Office of the Commonwealth Employment Service contained in Senator Colston’s speech on the adjournment of the Senate on 31 March 1977(Hansard, page 760); if so, (a) what was the result of the investigations, and ( b) what action has the Minister taken as a result of the investigations.

Senator Durack:
LP

– The Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. and (2) My Department has undertaken detailed investigations into this matter. It has not found any evidence to support the allegations that the Redcliffe Office of the CES released details about some CES registrants to the Redcliffe Herald.

Music Recording Industry (Question No. 801)

Senator Button:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs, upon notice, on 5 May 1977:

Is the Industries Assistance Commission currently conducting an inquiry into the recording industry; if so-

1 ) Has the Minister written to the Industries Assistance Commission giving any instructions as to the priority to be given to the inquiry into the Recording Industry.

If such instructions were given, was it following consultation by the Minister or a member of his staff with any, and if so, which foreign-owned record manufacturing companies.

Which, if any, companies has the Minister informed of his direction or request to the Industries Assistance Commission.

Senator Durack:
LP

– The following information is provided in answer to the honourable senator’s question:

The Industries Assistance Commission is currently conducting an inquiry into the music recording industry, and-

Yes.

No.

The Australian Record Industry Association was advised on 14 April 1977. No companies have been directly advised by the Minister.

Road Accident Deaths (Question No. 850)

Senator Keeffe:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Transport, upon notice, on 5 May 1977:

  1. 1 ) How many people have been killed in road accidents in each State and Territory for each of the past 10 years ending 3 1 December 1976.
  2. Of those persons killed, how many were males and how many were females.
  3. How many persons have died on the roads in each State and Territory so far this year.
  4. What was the age distribution of those persons killed in each State and Territory for each of the past 10 years ending 31 December 1976.
Senator Carrick:
LP

-The Minister for Transport has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question: (1)(Tablel)

  1. (Table 2)
  2. (Table 3)
  3. (Tables 4-11)

The statistics in the tabulations were compiled from a number of different publications of the Australian Bureau of

Statistics. It was not always possible to take into account subsequent revisions and hence totals may vary slightly between breakdowns.

Road Accident Injuries (Question No. 851)

Senator Keeffe:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Transport, upon notice, on 5 May 1977:

  1. 1 ) How many people have been injured in road accidents in each State and Territory for each of the past 10 years ending 31 December 1976.
  2. Of those persons injured, how many were males and how many were females.
  3. How many persons have been injured in road accidents in each State and Territory so far this year.
  4. What was the age distribution of those persons injured in road accidents in each State and Territory for each of the past 10 years ending 31 December 1976.
Senator Carrick:
LP

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

  1. 1) (Table 1)
  2. (Table 2)
  3. Statistics for injuries in road traffic accidents in each State and Territory to date for 1 977 are not yet available.
  4. (Tables 3-10)

The statistics in the tabulations were compiled from a number of different publications of the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It was not always possible to take into account subsequent revisions and hence totals may vary slightly between breakdowns.

Does not include fatal injuries

Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs: Statutory Authorities (Question No. 885)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs, upon notice, on 25 May 1977:

Are there any statutory authorities responsible to the Minister; if so, (a) what are they; (b) who are the bankers for each authority and (c) which, if any, of the authorities may be termed ‘statutory authorities of a business nature’.

Senator Durack:
LP

– The following information is provided in answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. Statutory authorities whose legislation comes under the control of the Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs are:

Industries Assistance Commission

Temporary Assistance Authority

Prices Justification Tribunal

Trade Practices Commission

Companies Auditors Board;

  1. and (c) None of the authorities has bankers as they are not statutory authorities of a business nature.

Minister for Construction: Statutory Authorities (Question No. 890)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Construction, upon notice, on 25 May 1977:

Are there any statutory authorities responsible to the Minister; if so, (a) what are they, (b) who are the bankers for each authority and (c) which, if any, of the authorities may be termed statutory authorities of a business nature.

Senator Webster:
NCP/NP

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

There is one statutory authority responsible to the Minister for Construction.

a ) The Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation

Commonwealth Trading Bank, Cooma, N.S.W.

The Corporation is a ‘statutory authority of a business nature’.

Iwasaki Sangyo (Australia) Pty Ltd: Investment Proposal (Question No. 939)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Treasurer, upon notice, on 25 May 1977:

  1. 1 ) Has the Foreign Investment Review Board approved the foreign investment proposal by Iwasaki Sangyo (Australia) Pty Ltd referred to in Question No. 277 (Senate Hansard, 21 April 1977, page 939); if so, when was the proposal approved.
  2. Has the Foreign Investment Review Board approved any foreign investment proposals relating to the apparent recent purchase by Iwasaki Sangyo (Australia) Pty Ltd, reputedly for approximately $250,000, of 1676 acres of land at Yeppoon from Tropico Syndicate, in which the land developer John D. Booker is a partner; if so, what are the details.
Senator Cotton:
LP

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

As I indicated in my reply to question No. 277 1 am not in a position to provide information on individual proposals which may be under consideration by the Foreign Investment Review Board because all such matters are treated on a strictly confidential basis.

Department of Industry and Commerce: Staff (Question No. 955)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce, upon notice, on 24 May 1977:

How many (a) permanent employees, (b) temporary employees and (c) other employees were there in the Minister’s Department for each month since and including November 1975.

Senator Cotton:
LP

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

I refer the honourable senator to the answer to question No. 949.

Department of Transport: Staff (Question No. 957)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Transport, upon notice, on 25 May 1977:

How many (a) permanent employees, (b) temporary employees and (c) other employees were there in the Minister’s department for each month since and including November 1975.

Senator Carrick:
LP

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

See answer to question No. 949.

Department of Business and Consumer Affairs: Staff (Question No. 963)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs, upon notice, on 25 May 1977:

How many (a) permanent employees, (b) temporary employees and (c) other employees were there in the Minister’s department for each month since and including November 1975.

Senator Durack:
LP

– The following information is provided in answer to the honourable senator’s question:

I refer the honourable senator to the answer to question No. 949.

Air Traffic Controllers Dispute (Question No. 982)

Senator Douglas McClelland:
NEW SOUTH WALES · ALP

asked the Minister representing the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Public Service Matters, upon notice, on 24 May 1 977:

  1. 1 ) How many advertisements concerning the Public Service Board’s involvement in the air traffic controllers industrial dispute did the Board place in newspapers.
  2. In which newspapers were the advertisements placed and on what dates.
  3. Who prepared these advertisements.
  4. Who authorised these advertisements.
  5. ) What was the total cost of these advertisements.
Senator Durack:
LP

– The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Public Service Matters has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. 1 ) Eleven.
  2. Thursday 12 May 1977-Melbourne Age, Melbourne Sun News-Pictorial, Sydney Morning Herald, Daily Telegraph, Australian, Canberra Times. Friday 13 May 1977 - Brisbane Courier-Mail, Adelaide Advertiser, Northern Territory News, West Australian, Hoban Mercury.
  3. The Public Service Board.
  4. The Public Service Board authorised this expenditure because of the serious national and international effects of the air traffic controllers dispute and the stage it had reached. The Board considered it essential that air traffic controllers and the public should be comprehensively and accurately informed of a number of significant aspects, viz.: the history of the dispute which clearly showed, contrary to other views publicly expressed, that the whole matter had been under active and continuous examination the Board’s reasons for rejection of the claims by the Civil Air Operation Officers ‘ Association the need for a hearing and decision by a Full Bench of the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission as the means of achieving a speedy resolution of the issue the Board ‘s agreement to a proposal made by the Public Service Arbitrator which would have provided a means of facilitating a Full Bench hearing the Board ‘s firm opinion that in this, as in all other disputes, due process must be observed, and the view that the Air Traffic Controllers must return to work prior to any consideration of the matter by the Commission.
  5. $24,023.

Engagement of Consultants (Question No. 990)

Senator Douglas McClelland:
NEW SOUTH WALES · ALP

asked the Minister representing the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Public Service Matters, upon notice, on 24 May:

  1. 1 ) Has the Public Service Board requested details of the consultancy needs of all departments for the 1977-78 financial year; if so, what details have been supplied by departments.
  2. Do all requests by departments for consultants have to be approved by the Public Service Board in the first instance and then the Treasurer.
Senator Durack:
LP

– The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Public Service Matters has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. 1 ) The Public Service Board requested estimates of departments’ consultancy needs for 1977-78 to assist the Board in its examination of departments’ staff estimates. The information requested consisted of the reasons why the consultancy was needed, the proposed duration, and the estimated cost.
  2. Each specific departmental request to employ a consultant, as distinct from overall estimates of consultancy needs, has to be submitted for prior Public Service Board approval at the time the department wishes to employ the consultant. The Treasurer’s formal approval has not been required since 7 March 1 977 but the Board’s approval to the consultancy is, of course, conditional on funds being available in the department’s appropriations.

Western Australian Symphony Orchestra (Question No. 1001)

Senator Chaney:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Post and Telecommunications, upon notice, on 24 May 1977:

  1. 1 ) What is the current annual cost of the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra.
  2. What part of that cost is represented by (a) rent and (b) salaries.
  3. What pan of the total costs are met by (a) the Australian Broadcasting Commission, (b) the State Government and (c) local authorities.
  4. Which local authorities in Western Australia contribute to the Orchestra.
Senator Carrick:
LP

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

  1. Net$8 19,809.
  2. (a) $37,036 (for the hire of concert venues only), (b) $765,179.
  3. (a) $744,432, (b) $65,000, (c) $10,377.
  4. Contributions to the maintenance of the orchestra were made by 49 cities, towns, shires and other local authorities, partly in cash, as indicated under (3) (c), partly in kind, e.g. by subsidised rental of halls, local transport, etc.

Ministerial Staffs: Personal Stationery (Question No. 1009)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister for Administrative Services, upon notice, on 26 May 1977:

  1. 1 ) Has Mr A. M. Somlyay, Senior Private Secretary to the Minister for the Northern Territory, had personal stationery (letterheads, ‘With Compliments’ slips, identification cards, or any other personal stationery), with the Australian CoatofArms, prepared at Government expense; if so (a) what are the details, (b) who approved the printing of the stationery concerned and (c) what was the total cost involved.
  2. ) Have ministerial staff” other than Mr Somlyay had personal stationery printed; of so, in each case (a) what are the details, (b) who approved the printing of the stationery and (c) what was the total cost involved.
Senator Withers:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) Yes. In May 1 977, 300 business cards were printed for Mr Somlyay to an order issued by the Department of the Northern Territory in Brisbane. The total cost was $ 1 1.40.
  2. A search of Government Printing Office records for 1976 has disclosed only one other instance. In March 1976 two quantities of 2000 compliment slips were ordered by the Department of Post and Telecommunications for Messrs C. Louttit and D. Large, members of the staff of the Minister for that Department. Cost was $60.97. Extension of the search to cover a longer period is not considered to be justified.

Other items of stationery for ministerial staff may have been ordered by departments direct from commercial printers. My Department would have no record of any such purchases.

It is for each Minister to determine what personal stationery will be provided their staff at Government expense.

Aboriginal Infant Mortality (Question No. 1058)

Senator Baume:
NEW SOUTH WALES

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Health, upon notice on 3 1 May 1977:

Have desirable downward trends in Aboriginal infant mortality in the Northern Territory and other pans of Australia been associated with any alteration in the mortality of Aboriginal children, (a) aged between 1 and S years and (b) aged greater than 5 years.

Senator Guilfoyle:
LP

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

The following table (only figures available) illustrates a downward trend in Aboriginal child mortality for the Northern Territory since 1973 when such data were first published.

Child Mortality Rates (per 1000 estimated population in age groups) (By way of comparison, the corresponding Australian national figures in 1974, the latest year for which figures are available, were 3.8 (0-4 years) and 0.3 (5- 14 years).

The figures still remain higher than the national average and the downward trend may be a reflection of improvements in curative medicine and some aspects of preventative medicine, both of which will require association with improved environmental and social conditions before any significant decline towards the national average can be expected.

Comparable statistical information for other pans of Australia is not available since Aboriginal vital events are not distinguished by race on registration notification forms.

Textiles, Clothing and Footwear Industries (Question No. 1059)

Senator Baume:

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce, upon notice, on 31 May 1977.

Has the Minister’s attention been drawn to a report from the Textile Council of Australia entitled ‘State of Industry Report-April 1977’; if so, are the major findings outlined in Section 1 of that report basically correct?

Senator Cotton:
LP

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

On 29 April 1977, it was announced that the Government had reviewed the range and effectiveness of assistance measures being accorded the textiles, apparel and footwear industries. This review had been conducted against the background of a continued contraction over preceding months in employment levels in these industries. In view ofthe market situation prevailing at that time and the prospective market situation for the products of these industries, it was considered that import quota levels applying to many of these products appeared to be too high.

Accordingly the Government decided to extend the validity period of relevant quota allocations for an additional period of six months and to seek advice from the IAC on the supplementary levels of quota to apply during the additional six months period. I understand the report to which the honourable senator refers was submitted in evidence to the Industries Assistance Commission during its subsequent review of the tariff quota levels for textiles, clothing and footwear items. An Interim Report by the I.A.C. on these matters has been received and is currently under consideration.

Commercial Radio and Television Stations: Advertising Revenue (Question No. 1068)

Senator Walsh:
WESTERN AUSTRALIA

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Post and Telecommunications, upon notice, on 3 1 May 1977:

  1. 1 ) What is the total advertising revenue received by commercial radio and television stations in the most recent available year.
  2. What percentage of Gross Domestic Product does that equal in the same year.
Senator Carrick:
LP

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

  1. 1 have been advised by the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal that the total advertising revenue received by commercial radio and television stations in the year 1975-76 was $270,294,391.
  2. 0.38 percent.

Radio Australia (Question No. 1070)

Senator Kilgariff:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Post and Telecommunications, on 1 June 1977:

  1. With reference to the question asked by Senator Kilgariff on 19 August 1976, relating to the future of Radio Australia situated at Cox Peninsula which was practically destroyed by Cyclone Tracy and the answer that a detailed report on Radio Australia would be available later in the month, since it is now some 8 months since this advice, is the report now available.
  2. What is the future of Radio Australia at Cox Peninsula.
Senator Carrick:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) and (2) The honourable senator will by now be aware of my statement to the press of 25 May 1977, in which I stated that consideration had been given to both a report of a departmental committee and the report of the independent inquiry into Radio Australia known as the Waller report. Following that report, the Government has approved proposals for the upgrading of the transmitting facilities of Radio Australia.

In doing so, the Government had endorsed the continuing need for the independent Australian external broadcasting station. The immediate plans provide for limited improvements to the Radio Australia station at Shepparton in Victoria. The Government also authorised the preparation by my Department, of a detailed program for further improvements to the Shepparton station and the investigation of the facility of establishing a permanent station in Western Australia. At the same time, however, Departmental officers would examine whether restored transmission facilities required to be established in Northern Australia should again be located at Cox Peninsula near Darwin. This examination will be undertaken over the next few weeks after which I expect to receive detailed construction plans for approval.

Television Services (Question No. 1071)

Senator Jessop:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Post and Telecommunications, upon notice, on 2 June 1977:

  1. 1 ) Did the Minister state that the Government will spend proportionally more on telecommunications in rural areas and that .–……. funds’ could accelerate the program to bring television to isolated areas; if so, can the Minister elaborate further on that statement.
  2. Will a high priority be given to providing television services to Streaky Bay and other areas on the Eyre Peninsula.
  3. Does the term ‘private funds’, in relation to the provision of such television services in isolated areas, include the authorising of loans to local government authorities.
Senator Carrick:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) As we have reached the stage of television development where approximately 95 per cent of the Australian people are within reach of a television signal, further extensions of television services will be largely concerned with the provision of services to the isolated or remote rural areas. The cost of bringing services to some of these areas will, of course, be outside the funding levels included within government policy, and I have previously indicated that should ‘private funds’ be available to assist in the provision of services to such areas, the necessary projects would receive every consideration in the planning process for inclusion in the Works Program.
  2. The matter of providing services to Streaky Bay and other areas of the Eyre Peninsula has been under close examination. Engineering field studies have been conducted and these are still being assessed. Under these circumstances I am unable to advise the priority which will be given to the necessary projects for various areas within the Eyre Peninsula.
  3. No.

Packer Cricket Team (Question No. 1077)

Senator Button:

asked the Minister representing the Prime Minister, upon notice, on 1 June 1977:

With reference to a report in the Melbourne Age dated 10 May 1977, in relation to various approaches made by Mr Kerry Packer to the Australian Cricket Board and to the Prime Minister concerning an Australian cricket team, did Mr Packer so approach the Prime Minister concerning this matter; if so, what action did the Prime Minister take following that approach.

Senator Withers:
LP

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

At the time the Melbourne Age report was published, I had not been approached by Mr Packer on this matter. This was indicated by my colleague, the Leader of the Government in the Senate, in answer to a question without notice on 26 May 1977 (Hansard, pages 1420-1).

During my recent overseas visit, the opportunity arose for me to have discussions with Mr Packer and Mr Packer is aware of the Government’s policy towards multi-racial sport.

Pritchard Steam Car (Question No. 1078)

Senator Button:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Productivity, upon notice, on 2 June 1977:

  1. 1 ) What assistance, other than the use of the Government Ordnance Factory at Bendigo, has the Government given towards the development of the Pritchard Steam Car?
  2. Will the Government give financial assistance towards the final developmental stages of this important project?
  3. In the interests of employment, and the encouragement of Australian design and engineering skills, will the Government take steps to ensure that if this project is successful the production of the car will remain exclusively in Austraiian control?
Senator Durack:
LP

– The Minister for Productivity has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s questions:

  1. and (2) Other than the manufacture, at Bendigo Ordnance Factory at no charge to the company, of three quickchange steam power units designed by the company for installation in its specially designed car, no assistance has yet been provided by the Government to Pritchard Steam Power Pty Ltd towards the development of a steam car. The first of these power units is expected to be completed in July 1977; the remaining two will follow shortly afterwards.

In addition, on 1 July I announced that the Government had decided to join with the Victorian Government to provide up to $ 1 50,000 on a 2 for 1 basis, to the company to enable these engines to be tested in the laboratory and in the car. Progression of this grant is subject to negotiation of an agreement to the mutual satisfaction of the three parties, and to satisfactory progress being made against an agreed program of work.

  1. The Government has taken no decision regarding production of a car using the Pritchard Steam Engine; its main concern has been to enable the engines now being manufactured to be tested.

Education: Arguments Supporting Government’s Performance (Question No. 1079)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister for Education, upon notice, on 2 June 1977:

With respect to the Minister’s reply to Senate Question No. 763, what was the full text of the document concerned, as requested in pan (d) of the original question.

Senator Carrick:
LP

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

I have provided a copy of the document to the honourable senator.

Australian Security Intelligence Organization (Question No. 1081)

Senator Mulvihill:

asked the Minister representing the Prime Minister, upon notice, on 2 June 1977:

  1. 1 ) With reference to a letter in the Sydney Morning Herald of 31 May 1977, headed ‘Suppressing the Hope reports’, concerning the delay in releasing the First and Second Reports of the Royal Commission into the Intelligence and Security Services of the Australian Government and the false evaluation of citizenship applications’ by Australian Security Intelligence Organization operatives, and in the light of certain happenings during the past 48 hours, does the Prime Minister agree that the Parliament is entitled to receive positive evidence that the organisation does not employ persons having a ‘Walter Mitty complex.
  2. Does the Prime Minister agree that the Senate Select Committee on Croatian Terrorism should be reconstituted to hear evidence from the Director-General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization on the evaluation of citizenship applications by Organization operatives.
  3. What criteria are applied to ensure that of applicants for operative positions in the Australian Security Intelligence Organization only those persons who are of a stable character are subsequently employed.
Senator Withers:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) and (3)1 have already announced that I will be making a statement to Parliament about the Government’s decisions on Mr Justice Hope’s recommendations concerning the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (Hansard, 24 May 1977, pages 1695-6).
  2. I do not consider it proper for me to express a view on whether the Senate constitutes or reconstitutes any Select Committee of the Senate as that is a matter for determination by the Senate.

Coal

Senator Withers:
LP

- Senator Bonner asked the Minister representing the Minister for National Resources the following question, without notice, on 28 April 1977:

Is the Minister representing the Minister for National Resources aware that the South African Owned Energy Organisation, SASOL, has sold a unique method for upgrading low grade coal to a Japanese consortium of manufacturers? The technique is known as the solvent refined coal technique and has the capacity to improve the quality of low grade coking coal used in the metallurgical industries. Does the Minister foresee that additional development and export of low grade coal from Australia could result from this discovery?

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

I am aware that an agreement has been reached between the South African Coal Oil and Gas Corporation (SASOL) and a Japanese consortium (KOMINIC) comprising Kobe Steel Ltd, Mitsubishi Chemical Industries Ltd and NisshoIwai Co. Ltd to investigate the application of SASOL ‘s technology for the production in Australia of solvent refined coal from Victorian brown coal. KOMINIC development proposals have been presented to the Victorian Government and provide for a commercial operation commencing in 1983 to produce 1.2 million tonnes per annum of solvent refined coal. It is envisaged that solvent refined coal will be a valuable additive to coal blends used to produce metallurgical coke.

If a plant based on this process is established in Australia, it will involve the development and exploitation of low grade coals and there would be significant market opportunities for the solvent refined coal which is produced.

Production of Oil from Coal

Senator Withers:
LP

-Senator Bonner asked the Minister representing the Minister for National Resources, without notice on 4 May 1977:

I draw the Minister’s attention to a recent report that an American chemical engineer Professor Richard Wainerdi, is now locating and collating volumes of documents on Germany’s wartime methods of producing oil from coal. These documents fell into the hands of the United States at the end of World War II. These facts will be fed into the United States federally operated computer at Oakridge Energy Centre and the resultant information is to be made available to all interested parties. In view of the world wide energy crisis, does the Minister intend to take advantage of this service and circulate the information to our Australian scientists who are currently working on similar schemes to convert coal into oil economically.

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

I am aware of the work being undertaken by Professor Richard Wainerdi of Texas in collating information on Germany’s wartime techniques of producing oil from coal. Professor Wainerdi has some 300 000 documents to study, and it will be some time before all the information is processed and stored in the computer at the Oak Ridge Energy Centre in the United States of America. My Department of National Resources has written to the Technical Information Centre at Oak Ridge seeking advice on the procedures for obtaining access to this information.

Televising of FA Cup

Senator Carrick:
LP

- Senator Cameron asked the Minister representing the Minister for Post and Telecommunications the following question, without notice, on 30 May 1977:

My question refers to the successful direct televising of the British FA Cup soccer final. In view of the fact that the Greek and Italian communities now form a large and integral part of the Australian community, will the Minister ask the Minister for Post and Telecommunications to consult with the Australian Broadcasting Commission with a view to having the top soccer finals in Greece and Italy also televised direct to Australia?

The Minister for Post and Telecommunications has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

The proposal to televise Greek and Italian soccer finals has been passed on to the Australian Broadcasting Commission, which will bear it in mind. A decision by the ABC will depend on various factors, including the availability of funds to cover the transmission costs involved; the availability of television rights at a reasonable cost; and the availability of commentaries in the English language.

Television in Country Areas

Senator Carrick:
LP

- Senator Thomas asked the Minister representing the Minister for Post and Telecommunications the following question, without notice, on 1 June 1977:

What restrictions does the Postal and Telecommunications Department place on local groups in the country who wish to build equipment to improve their television reception?

The Minister for Post and Telecommunications has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

The Postal and Telecommunications Department does not place any restrictions on local groups attempting to improve their television reception provided the equipment does not involve the use of a transmitting facility for which there should be an application for the grant of a licence and an operating frequency under the conditions of the Broadcasting and Television Act or the Wireless Telegraphy Act, as appropriate to the particular circumstances. Similarly, should local groups consider using Community Television Aerial Systems which employ cables and which cross property boundaries, a permit under the terms of the Broadcasting and Television Act is required. In each case applications should be addressed to the Secretary of the Postal and Telecommunications Department who would provide advice and assistance as to compliance with the necessary procedures.

Public Service-Flexible Working Hours

Senator Durack:
LP

-On 2 June 1977(Hansard, page 1847) Senator Sheil asked the Minister representing the Prime Minister a question, without notice, concerning flexible working hours in the Commonwealth Public Service. The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Public Service Matters has provided the following information for answer to the honourable senator’s question:

The Public Service Board has advised that an evaluation of flexible working hours experiments within the Australian Public Service was completed in September 1976 and produced the following general findings: in general, trials of flexible working hours had been successful and the benefits to both staff and management outweighed the disadvantages; efficiency had not been reduced by the introduction of flexible working hours; flexible working hours offered scope for a better match of working time to workload and for service to the public over a longer span of hours; and staff morale and job satisfaction had increased.

A majority of departments expressed the view that the benefits of flexible working hours outweighed the disadvantages. The trials appeared to be having no significant overall effect on total hours worked, quality of service or productivity, and in some instances, cost savings were reported through, for example, greater use of capital equipment, decreases in non-certificate sick leave and a decline in overtime hours worked.

Despite these generally favourable conclusions, changes in patterns of working times have been shown to result in some problems, particularly for supervisors, and comments from a number of departments emphasised that operation of flexible hours schemes requires careful and continuing attention by management to ensure that proper controls are maintained. It is of course management’ s responsibility to ensure that schemes are appropriately related to departmental operational needs and that standards of service are maintained. The Public Service Board will continue to oversight the operation of flexible working hours to ensure that those requirements are met and to minimise difficulties which may arise.

I would repeat the suggestion made by the Minister representing the Prime Minister when he responded to the honourable senator on 2 June, that if he has any specific examples of departments or places where delays have been caused because a system of flexible working hours is in operation he should provide details so that a full investigation can be made.

England-Australia Test Cricket Matches

Senator Carrick:
LP

- Senator Tehan asked the Minister representing the Minister for Post and Telecommunications the following question, without notice, on 2 June 1977:

The Minister representing the Minister for Post and Telecommunications will be aware of the efforts by the Australian Broadcasting Commission Staffs Association to ban live telecasts of the England-Australia test cricket matches. A newspaper report states that a request for support from other unions has evidently fallen on deaf ears. Can the Minister say whether any action can be taken to ensure that this ban is not applied so as to deprive Australians of the opportunity of viewing these important sporting events?

The Minister for Post and Telecommunications has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

I am advised that at a meeting on 15 June 1977 the Federal Council of the ABC Staff Association voted against imposing any bans on ABC telecasts of the Jubilee Test Cricket Series. These matches have already been seen on ABC stations in Western Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and the Australian Capital Territory, and in country areas throughout Australia.

Citizen Band Radio

Senator Carrick:
LP

- Senator Messner asked the Minister representing the Minister for Post and Telecommunications the following question, without notice, on 3 June 1 977:

In the light of yesterday’s announcement on the licensing or the legalisation of citizen band radio, will the Government give consideration to the return of confiscated radio sets to private owners.

The Minister for Post and Telecommunications has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

Consideration has already been given to this question. A decision in each case will hinge on whether prosecution action is to be undertaken against the particular person concerned. It is presently intended that any such legal action which has already been initiated in respect of offences which occurred prior to the announcement, which was made on 2 June 1977, will be allowed to proceed in the normal way. Seized equipment is usually presented as evidence in such cases and its forfeiture to the Crown follows as an inevitable consequence where the charge is proven. Conversely radio sets will be returned to owners in any cases where the charges are not proven or where it is decided that the prosecution should not proceed.

Public Service Employment (Question No. 949)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Public Service Matters, upon notice, on 24 May 1977:

How many (a) permanent employees, (b) temporary employees and (c) other employees were there in the Prime

Minister’s Department for each month since and including November 1975.

Senator Durack:
LP

– The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Public Service Matters has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

Information which is centrally recorded and maintained in relation to permanent, temporary and other staff employed by departments under the Public Service Act is set out in the following tables:

Australian Inland Medical Service (Question No. 28)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Health, upon notice, on 9 March 1977:

  1. 1 ) What funds has the Commonwealth Government provided, if any, to the Australian Inland Medical Service since 1970.
  2. Has the Federal Government declined any submissions seeking funding assistance for the Service since 1 1 November 1975.
Senator Guilfoyle:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) My Depanment has provided no funds to the Australian Inland Medical Service since 1 970.
  2. A recent submission was received by my colleague, the Treasurer, from the Australian Inland Medical Service for financial assistance and referred to me. As the Commonwealth accepts that a State is generally responsible for health services within its boundaries, the Queensland health authorities have been consulted on this matter. I understand that a request for financial assistance for the AIMS was also made recently direct to the Queensland Minister for Health, and that the AIMS has been informed by that State Government that assistance is not possible at this point of time. I also understand that the State Government is looking at the overall relationships that exist between organisations providing health services in remote areas of Queensland. I consider this is the right course of action and I would see the State being the level of government with the main interest in the Australian Inland Medical Service operations and viability.

The Commonwealth Government of course has a continuing interest in the provision of health services to outlying areas. The Hospitals and Health Services Commission established a Working Party to examine rural health care and the report was presented to me by the Commission in June 1 976. I subsequently tabled the report titled ‘Rural Health in Australia’ in Parliament on 24 August 1976. This report is still receiving consideration by the Government.

Uranium: Exports from Mary Kathleen (Question No. 246)

Senator Georges:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for National Resources, upon notice, on 10 March 1977:

  1. How much uranium has been exported from Mary Kathleen since the Government decision to proceed with uranium contracts was made.
  2. In fulfilling the contracts has any uranium ore been exported from other sources.
  3. Were other forms of transport excluding railways used; if so, what form of transport and on what dates.
  4. What ports were used for the export destination and upon what dates were the ships loaded.
  5. What was the destination of the uranium, and in each case what was the amount sent.
  6. If stockpiling arrangements and mining at Mary Kathleen do not meet the full requirements of the existing contracts, what alternative sources, other than those subject to the Fox Inquiry, are being considered to fulfil the contracts.
Senator Withers:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) Approximately 565 short tons of uranium oxide were exported from Mary Kathleen up to 3 1 May 1 977.
  2. No uranium was exported from other Australian sources.
  3. Road transport was used to move the uranium from Mary Kathleen to Mount Isa on 17 December 1976, 28 February to 8 March 1977, 6 April and 29 April 1 977.
  4. Uranium was loaded on ships at Brisbane on 12 January, 23 to 24 March and 8 May 1977, and at Townsville on 9 April 1977.
  5. Two shipments of 101 and 98 short tons of uranium oxide exported to Canada were destined for final use by a Japanese electric power utility. Two shipments of 52 and 10 short tons of uranium oxide were exported to the United Kingdom for final use by a West German electric power utility. The remainder went to the United Kingdom to replace uranium oxide borrowed from the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority by Mary Kathleen Uranium Ltd.
  6. This matter is not presently being considered.

Family Court: Australian Legal Aid Office (Question No. 263)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Attorney-General, upon notice, on 15 March 1977:

  1. What plans does the Commonwealth Government currently have for the future administration of (a) the Family Court and (b) the Australian Legal Aid Office.
  2. Is the Attorney-General aware that the Queensland Justice Minister, Mr Lickiss, has publicly indicated that he favours a State takeover of the administration of the Family Court and the Australian Legal Aid Office: if so, (a) has the Queensland Government made a formal submission to the Commonwealth relating to either, or both, of these matters and, (b) have any other States indicated their views on either, or both, of these matters; if so, what are the details.
Senator Durack:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) (a) No firm plans for changes in the existing administration of the Family Court have yet been adopted, but questions relating to the administration of all Federal Courts are under active consideration.

    1. As will be apparent from my second reading speech on the Commonwealth Legal Aid Commission Bill 1977, the Government’s program is to rationalise legal aid services in Australia by the establishment of independent Legal Aid Commissions in each State and Territory in conjunction with a Commonwealth monitoring and advisory Commission. The Australian Legal Aid Office will be absorbed into the State and Territory Commissions when they are established.

  2. Yes.

    1. No.
    2. As to State Family Courts: Except for Western Australia, No. As to the Australian Legal Aid Office: The States of South Australia and Western Australia have passed legislation to establish Legal Aid Commissions that will incorporate existing legal aid schemes, including the Australian Legal Aid Office but not the Aboriginal Legal Services. Discussions have taken place or are being arranged with other States concerning the establishment of Legal Aid Commissions.

Education: Northern Territory Matriculation Results (Question No. 284)

Senator Robertson:

asked the Minister for Education, upon notice, on 15 March 1976:

  1. 1 ) Was there a 7 1 per cent failure rate for matriculation classes in Darwin secondary schools at the 1976 examinations.
  2. What steps are being taken to ascertain the reason for this excessively high failure rate and to ensure that matriculation students in 1 977 will not face the same bleak prospect.
Senator Carrick:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) Of the 225 candidates who presented themselves for the full matriculation examination in the Northern Territory, 71 fulfilled the requirements for tertiary entrance. This represents a failure rate of approximately 68 per cent.
  2. My Department has recently completed a detailed analysis of the 1976 matriculation results, examining and comparing factors such as students’ age, the stability of enrolments in individual schools, and the students’ performance in the Australian scholastic aptitude test. The most significant findings of the analysis were, firstly, that there was a significant drop in the average age of the 1 976 students compared to those of 1975. This point is to be examined further. Secondly, it was found that there had been a marked instability of enrolments in 1976, when only 33 per cent of matriculation candidates did not change schools during the year, compared to 5 1 per cent who were in this category in 1975. Other factors considered to be significant- although these are not quantifiable- were related to the effects of Cyclone Tracy. For example, the rebuilding of Darwin (as far as housing is concerned) did not get fully under way until 1 976, which meant that many students in that year suffered a double disruption in their home conditions- both in living in temporary accommodation (as in 1975) and in having parents involved in rebuilding homes. It will be appreciated that home study under those conditions would be extremely difficult.

In any case, senior officers of my Department had also met with secondary school principals very early in the school year to review the examination results. As a consequence, it was agreed that a number of specific actions should be taken in an effort to improve results in the future, as follows:

  1. Northern Territory matriculation candidates sit for the South Australian matriculation examination. It was agreed there should be additional contacts with the South Australian Public Examinations Board and the chief examiners in the various subjects to ensure that parents and teachers are kept aware of matriculation requirements and course changes.
  2. Northern Territory teachers who have in the past held membership of the Public Examination Board are for the first time to attend the May meeting of their respective syllabus committee in Adelaide. At that time these teachers will also visit selected schools to observe matriculation classes in action and to discuss standards and other associated matters. On their return to the Territory these teachers will be asked to disseminate the information they had obtained to other teachers.
  3. The South Australian Public Examination Board is to be approached on the possibility of having a number of selected Northern Territory teachers serve on marking panels in a number of subjects.
  4. There is to be greater emphasis on the careful selection of teachers for Year 12 students, and greater contact with experienced teachers in South Australia at that level as a way of ensuring that Northern Territory teachers have the opportunity of being fully familiar with the techniques and approaches employed there.
  5. Parents are being asked to encourage their children to set aside an average of three hours additional study time each day over and above the normal school program.
  6. Principals reported strong parental pressure to place Year 12 students into external examination courses. However an increasing number of South Australian students at Year 12 level have elected to follow a school-designed curriculum which does not qualify students for tertiary studies. Should a demand become evident in the Northern Territory, schools will provide similar alternative courses.

Having now completed its analysis of the 1976 results, my Department will now consider what additional action should be taken.

Medical Deputising Services (Question No. 331)

Senator Baume:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Health, upon notice, on 16 March 1977:

  1. Do any medical deputising services operate in the Northern Territory or the Australian Capital Territory; if so, under what conditions of licensing or control and under what conditions of supervision do they operate.
  2. What guidelines exist and what consultation has been carried out with the providers and the consumers of health care regarding the future development of medical deputising services in the Territories.
Senator Guilfoyle:
LP

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

  1. There are no medical deputising services operating in the Northern Territory. A medical deputising service does operate in the Australian Capital Territory and is used by some private medical practitioners. Other than the requirement that the provisions of the Medical Practitioners Registration Ordinance must be complied with there are no special licensing or control provisions for medical deputising services in the Australian Capital Territory.
  2. In the Northern Territory there are no guidelines for the operation of deputising services and to date there have been no discussions regarding the future development of medical deputising services and at this stage there would appear to be no immediate need for such discussions.

I am aware that the Federal Council of the Australian Medical Association recently approved a policy on the vexed issue of after hours services. The Association’s policy provides for controls and standards which ought to be maintained if deputising services are used by doctors for after hours services to patients.

I have asked my Department and the Capital Territory Health Commission to examine the new policy with a view to the application of proper standards and controls of after hours medical services in the Territories.

Drugs (Question No. 333)

Senator Baume:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Health, upon notice, on 16 March 1977:

What percentage of applications to market new drugs in each of the past five years have been (a) approved, (b) rejected, (c) considered and deferred for extra specific information, and (d) not yet considered to the point of any decision.

Senator Guilfoyle:
LP

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

As the honourable senator would be aware applications are not necessarily finalised in the same year in which they are received. Thus there can be no correlation between the number of approvals, rejections and deferrals arrived at in any one year and the number of applications received in the same year. However, the following information can be provided. 604 applications have been received during the period 1 July 1 972 to 25 February 1 977 and of these:

39 per cent have been approved

7 per cent have been rejected

7 per cent have been considered and deferred

47 per cent have not yet been considered to the point of any decision.

The applications received during this period include those for the reformulations of existing products, extensions of indications and changes in source of supply.

Pharmaceutical Benefits List (Question No. 360)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Health, upon notice, on 22 March 1977:

Will the Minister provide a detailed list of (a) all preparations which have been removed from the Pharmaceutical Benefits List since 11 November 1975; and (b) all preparations which have been restricted in their availability on the Pharmaceutical Benefits List since 1 1 November 1975.

Senator Guilfoyle:
LP

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

  1. Preparations which have been removed from the Pharmaceutical Benefits List since 11 November 1975.

Pill

  1. DRUGS AVAILABLE FOR EXTEMPORANEOUS PREPARATIONS

M item deleted at the request of the manufacturer.

  1. Preparations which have been restricted in their availability on the Pharmaceutical Benefits List since 11 November 1975.

These preparations have been grouped into four categories:

  1. 1 ) Preparations that were unrestricted as at 11 November 1975.

  2. Preparations that have been further restricted:

    1. Cows ‘Milk Substitutes;
    1. Laxatives; (Hi) Calcium;
    2. Influenza Vaccine.
  3. Preparations for which maximum quantities and/or number of repeats have been restricted.
  4. Drugs available for extemporaneous preparations.
  5. ITEMS THAT WERE UNRESTRICTED AS AT 11 NOVEMBER 1975
  1. ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN FURTHER RESTRICTED
  1. ITEMS FOR WHICH MAXIMUM QUANTITIES AND/OR NUMBER OF REPEATS HAVE BEEN RESTRICTED
  1. DRUGS AVAILABLE FOR EXTEMPORANEOUS PREPARATIONS

Australian Government Publishing Service, Sydney (Question No. 421)

Senator Sibraa:

asked the Minister for Administrative Services, upon notice, on 30 March 1977:

  1. 1 ) Is the Government considering transferring the Australian Government Publishing Service, located in Pitt Street, Sydney, to another location, at considerable cost; if so, is the Minister aware that the staff of this centre view such a move with considerable disquiet.
  2. Will the Minister give consideration to discussing with the staff affected by any proposed move, the future location of the centre.
Senator Withers:
LP

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

  1. No.
  2. See above.

Retrenchments in Commonwealth Employment (Question No. 422)

Senator Douglas McClelland:
NEW SOUTH WALES · ALP

asked the Minister representing the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Public Service Matters, upon notice, on 29 March 1 977:

What is the total number of retrenchments and positions made redundant in each of the Commonwealth Public Service departments and statutory bodies, from 1 July 1976 to the present day, in the First, Second, Third and Fourth Divisions.

Senator Durack:
LP

– The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Public Service Matters has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

Restructuring of the Public Service to reflect the programs and priorities of the present Government has been a continuing process. This has involved a complete review of some departments and of areas of others, the transfer of some functions between departments, and the creation of new departments. Departments also may withdraw vacant positions to a central reserve for later re-use within overall staff ceiling restraints. Thus at any time departments may have varying numbers of vacant positions ‘in reserve’.

For these reasons, it is not possible to provide figures for individual departments on a comparable, and therefore meaningful, basis from available material.

However from 1.7.76 to 31.5.77 there has been a total net abolition of 1 896 positions made up as follows:

As a result of this process a number of redundant staff have been identified. These have been placed, or are being placed, in alternative employment, except for some locallyengaged overseas staff where, following the closing of some posts and a review of staffing at others, it was not practicable to offer alternative employment.

The information sought in respect of positions made redundant in statutory bodies is not centrally recorded.

Arrangements have been made for the Public Service Board to adopt a positive role in co-ordinating the placement of non-Public Service Act staff who become redundant. To date, those authorities which have surplus staff have for the most part been able to redeploy them within other areas of their own organisation. The Board is, however, assisting with the redeployment of 74 staff of the Darwin Reconstruction Commission and a total of 7 surplus staff from other authorities.

Solar Energy (Question No. 447)

Senator Keeffe:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for National Resources, upon notice, on 20 April 1977:

  1. 1 ) Has the Minister’s attention been drawn to Press statements of 26 March 1 977 regarding the possible solar energy breakthrough at the Australian National University.
  2. ) fs the Minister aware that this promising research project is only funded until the end of this year.
  3. Does the Minister agree that the solar technology discussed in the Press reviews of 26 March 1977 represents a potentially exciting breakthrough; if so, is the Minister aware that the funding of the order of $400,000 per year for a period of five years is required to keep this project in operation.
  4. fs the Minister aware that the process mooted not only produces heat which can be used for electrical generation but also hydrogen gas, a potential transport fuel.
  5. 5 ) Will the Minister undertake to urgently consider the merits of the project and immediately make funds available.
  6. Will the Minister also frequently review the merits of funding all worthwhile alternative energy research projects.
Senator Withers:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) Yes.
  2. f am aware that reports in the Press state this to be the case.
  3. In recent months, considerable publicity has been given to this and several other projects concerning solar energy research in Australia. It is relevant to note, in this connection, that the Senate Standing Committee on National Resources, in its Report on Solar Energy, found that the evidence received by the Committee suggests that solar energy will not make any significant contribution to Australia’s energy needs before the end of the century. The Committee indicated, inter alia, that research and development funding for solar energy projects should be considered on a competitive basis with research funding required for other energy resources.
  4. I am aware of the aims of the research group.
  5. and (6) The funding of all forms of energy research and development in Australia is a subject to which the National Energy Advisory Committee is addressing itself, and I expect it to report back to me on this matter later in the year.

Medibank Levy: Australian Inland Medical Service (Question No. 495)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Health, upon notice, on 20 April 1977:

Has the Federal Government given consideration to suggestions that part of the Medibank levy re-imbursements to the State of Queensland be allocated to the Australian Inland Medical Service to overcome operating losses by the Service; if so, (a) is the suggestion a practical proposition, and (b) what decision has the Government taken on this matter.

Senator Guilfoyle:
LP

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

I am not aware of any suggestions having been made that part of the Medibank levy reimbursements to the State of Queensland be allocated to the Australian Inland Medical Service’. Medibank levy proceeds are paid into Consolidated Revenue and reimbursements of levy as such are not made to States. Payments from Consolidated Revenue are made to States under the hospital cost sharing agreements for services given at recognised (public) hospitals. Therefore, should a suggestion be received as outlined by the honourable senator it would be an impractical proposition.

Family Law Court (Question No. 509)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Attorney-General, upon notice, on 21 April 1977:

  1. 1 ) What is the backlog of cases before the Family Law Court in each State.
  2. What is the estimated maximum time that a person who has an application before the court be required to wait before that case is heard.
Senator Durack:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) I am informed that applications filed but not finally disposed of in the registries of the Family Court of Australia as at 13 May are as follows:

I am informed that in the Family Court of Western Australia, a State court, on 29 April 1 977, there was a total of 3763 applications for dissolution and for other relief under the Family Law Act awaiting determination.

  1. The time involved will depend on the Registry in which the proceedings are instituted, on whether the proceedings are for dissolution of marriage or for other relief and on whether the proceedings are defended. The estimated intervals between the filing and hearing of applications in each of those circumstances are as follows:

Commonwealth Projects in Each Federal Electorate (Question No. 515)

Senator Wriedt:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for National Resources, upon notice, on 20 April:

  1. 1 ) What projects funded by the Commonwealth, either directly or through State government, local government or voluntary bodies, administered by the Minister’s Department or any statutory authorities under his control, are being carried out in each Federal electorate.
  2. Will a brass plaque be erected in respect of each project. If so, what will be the cost of the plaque.
Senator Withers:
LP

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

  1. and (2) See the answer to Senate question No. 513 (Hansard, 26 May, page 1519).

Commonwealth Projects in Each Federal Electorate (Question No. 516)

Senator Wriedt:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Overseas Trade, upon notice, on 21 April 1977:

  1. 1 ) What projects funded by the Commonwealth, either directly or through State government, local government or voluntary bodies, administered by the Minister’s Department or any statutory authorities under his control, are being carried out in each Federal electorate.
  2. Will a brass plaque be erected in respect of each project. If so, what will be the cost of the plaque.
Senator Cotton:
LP

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

I refer the honourable senator to the reply given by the Prime Minister in answer to Question No. 513 (Senate Hansard, page 1519 on 26 May 1977).

Commonwealth Projects in Each Federal Electorate (Question No. 522)

Senator Wriedt:

asked the Minister for Education, upon notice, on 20 April 1 977:

  1. 1 ) What projects funded by the Commonwealth, either directly or through State government, local government or voluntary bodies, administered by the Minister’s Department or any statutory authorities under his control, are being carried out in each Federal electorate.
  2. Will a brass plaque be erected in respect of each project. If so, what will be the cost of the plaque.
Senator Carrick:
LP

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

I refer the honourable senator to the reply provided by the Prime Minister to Question No. 513 (Hansard 26 May 1977, page 1519).

Commonwealth Projects in Each Federal Electorate (Question No. 528)

Senator Wriedt:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Health, upon notice, on 20 April 1977:

  1. 1 ) What projects funded by the Commonwealth, either directly or through State government, local government or voluntary bodies, administered by the Minister’s Department or any statutory authorities under his control, are being carried out in each Federal electorate.
  2. Will a brass plaque be erected in respect of each project. If so, what will be the cost of the plaque.
Senator Guilfoyle:
LP

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

I refer the honourable senator to the answer provided by the Prime Minister to his Question No. 5 1 3 (Senate Hansard, 26 May 1977, page 1519).

Coking Coal Exports - (Question No. 557)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for National Resources, upon notice, on 2 1 April 1977:

  1. 1 ) ls there likely to be no increase in coking coal exports to Japan until, at least, 1 98S.
  2. What quantity and value of coking coal has Australia exported to Japan in each of the last ten years.
  3. What percentage of the annual Australian exports of coking coal to Japan for each of the last ten years has come from Queensland.
Senator Withers:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) No. Australia can expect significant increases in coking coal exports to Japan in this period.
  2. Available figures for quantity and value of coal exported by Australia to Japan are given in the publication Overseas Trade, Part 1 : Export and Imports of the Australian Bureau of Statistics, copies of which are available in the Parliamentary Library. The statistics do not distinguish between coking and non-coking coal, but currently more than 93 per cent of Australian coal exported to Japan in used by the steel and related industries.
  3. Available data on exports of coal to Japan identified by source, are contained in the annual reports of the Joint Coal Board, copies of which are available in the Parliamentary Library.

Public Service: Aboriginal Employment (Question No. 563)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Public Service Matters, upon notice, on 20 April 1977:

  1. 1 ) How many surveys of the number of Aboriginals employed in the Public Service have been completed since that detailed in the Minister’s reply to question No. 143 (Senate Hansard, 20 May 1976, page 1832).
  2. For each of the surveys detailed in part ( 1 ), how many Aboriginals were shown as employed in each Commonwealth department.
  3. Are statistics on Aboriginal employment available for each State Public Service in Australia. If so, how many Aboriginals were shown as employed in each State department for each survey since and including that for 1 October I97S.
Senator Durack:
LP

– The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Public Service Matters has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. 1 ) One annual survey of the number of Aboriginals employed in the Public Service has been completed since that conducted on 1 October 1975 and referred to in the reply to Question No. 143. The survey was carried out on 1 October 1976. A Bulletin incorporating detailed results of this survey and stating the methodology used was published by the Office of the Public Service Board on 3 1 May 1 977. A copy of the Bulletin has been placed in the Parliamentary Library.
  2. The numbers of Aboriginals employed in Commonwealth departments, as shown by the survey, are as follows:

(The survey did not cover staff of the parliamentary departments).

  1. The Commonwealth does not have the information requested.

Commonwealth Arbitration Inspectors (Question No. 584)

Senator Harradine:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, upon notice, on 20 April 1977:

What are the names, places of employment, dates of appointment, and occupations prior to appointment, of inspectors as provided by section 125 of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act.

Senator Durack:
LP

– The Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

The names of persons appointed as Commonwealth Arbitration Inspectors pursuant to section 125 of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1904 as at 12.5.1977, their places of employment on that date, the dates of appointment and their occupations prior to their appointment as Inspectors are shown in the first, second, third and fourth columns respectively of the attached schedule.

Canberra School of Music (Question No. 587)

Senator Ryan:
ACT

asked the Minister for Education, upon notice, on 2 1 April 1 977:

  1. 1 ) Who is responsible for decisions relating to the use and administration of the Canberra School of Music.
  2. Which departments are the employers of (a) teaching staff, and (b) non-teaching staff at the Canberra School of Music.
  3. Have any staff ceilings been imposed on the School of Music.
  4. Is it a fact that insufficient staff has prevented the School of Music facilities from being available for hire by outside groups.
  5. Who are the current members of the Council of the School of Music.
  6. Who appoints the Council.
  7. What are the powers of the Council of the School of Music and in which ordinance are they defined.
  8. Since its opening how many times has the auditorium of the School of Music been used by (a) the School, and (b) outside groups.
  9. Who establishes the fees and conditions for hire of the facilities of the School of Music by outside groups.
  10. 1 0 ) To whom are hiring fees for the School facilities paid.
  11. What was the total capital cost for the building of the School of Music.
  12. What is the current annual recurrent allocation for the School of Music.
  13. How many full-time degree or diploma students are currently enrolled in the School of Music.
  14. How many part time students are enrolled in the School of Music.
Senator Carrick:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) My Department, acting on recommendations of the School ‘s Council and its Director.
  2. (a) and (b)- the Department of Education.
  3. 3 ) Yes. The School is included in my Department ‘s staff ceiling.
  4. I accepted the Council’s recommendation that the School’s facilities should be available to those groups or organisations whose aims are consistent with those of the School, and to a limited extent to other groups. I understand that the Council’s recommendations to me were influenced by the staffing position at the School.
  5. Current members of the Council of the School of Music:

Mr A. L. Moore (Chairman); Parliamentary Librarian.

Mr P. Mosedale, Head of the School of Liberal studies, Canberra College of Advanced Education.

Mr E. T. Colhoun, Manager, Australian Broadcasting Commission, Canberra Office.

Mr R. Hohnen, formerly Secretary of the Australian National University; Chairman, Asia-Pacific Region of the World Organisation of Scouting.

Bishop N. Chynoweth, Auxiliary Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn.

Mr K. Tribe, Chairman, Music Board of the Australia Council.

Mr J. Crocker, member of Council elected by all staff.

Mr L. Fischer, member of Council elected by professional staff.

Mr T. Stirzaker, member of student body.

Mr J. Morey, Department of Education.

Mr E. Llewellyn, Director, Canberra School of Music.

  1. Of the 1 1 Council members, 8 are appointed by the Minister, 2 are elected by the staff of the School, 1 is elected by the student body, and one is the Director of the School.
  2. The Council is established by ministerial decision to advise both the Minister and the Department on matters relating to the administration and development of the School. Its terms of reference are being defined in consultation between the Department and the Council.

  3. 8 ) The School ‘s auditorium is an integral pan of its teaching facilities and is in regular use for teaching purposes. In addition, between September 1 976 and April 1 977, the auditorium has been used;

    1. by the School, on 47 occasions for recitals and on 20 occasions for examination purposes, and
    2. by outside groups on 31 occasions and for about 20 ABC recording sessions.
  4. My Department with my approval acting on the recommendation of the School ‘s Council.
  5. Hiring fees are paid into consolidated revenue.
  6. $4.8m
  7. The School’s recurrent allocation for 1976-77 is $767,000.
  8. There are 45 full time students enrolled in the School ‘s degree course. The School does not offer a diploma course.

Community Youth Support Scheme (Question No. 593)

Senator Ryan:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, upon notice, on 2 1 April 1977:

How many young people in relation to the Community Youth Support scheme have been employed for up to six dollars per week as of (a) 31 December 1976; (b) 31 January 1977; (c) 28 February 1977; and (d) 31 March 1977.

Senator Durack:
LP

– The Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

An amount of up to $6 per week is paid to young unemployed persons who participate in approved CYSS programs as a reimbursement for incidental expenses such as fares incurred in attending the program. This is additional to payment of unemployment benefit in the case of participants eligible for and in receipt of that benefit.

The only persons in paid employment under the scheme are project officers and some administrative staff who are employed by community organisations to develop and supervise support programs for young unemployed persons. The wages of persons employed on a CYSS program are based on existing award rates.

The number of young unemployed people who have claimed and been reimbursed such expenses under the scheme, as notified by sponsoring organisations, is 2680. A break-down of this figure is as follows:

Regional Development Employment Schemes (Question No. 682)

Senator Primmer:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, upon notice, on 26 April 1977:

  1. 1 ) How much Federal funds were spent on regional development employment schemes in the years 1 972-73 to 1 976-77 in each of the Shires of Kowree, Arapiles, Wimmera, Stawell, Ararat, Mortlake, Warrnambool, Minhamite, Portland, Glenelg, Wannon, Dundas, Mt Rouse, Belfast, the Town of Portland, the Boroughs of Port Fairy and Koroit, and the Cities of Hamilton, Warrnambool, Horsham and Ararat.
  2. How many unemployed people are there in each of the same local government areas listed as above, relative to six and twelve months ago.
  3. What are the age, sex, skill and education breakdown of the unemployed people in the same local government areas.
  4. Will the Minister list the specific causes of the high levels of unemployment within the region covered by the Local Government authorities listed.
Senator Durack:
LP

– The Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

  1. 1 ) The total Federal funds expended during the currency of the Regional Employment Development scheme in the local government areas requested were as follows:
  1. and (3) Details of the ages, skills and education levels of the persons registered as unemployed are not available. Numbers by sex on a Local Government Area basis are currently extracted three times per year at end-April, end-July and end-October. Staffing constraints prevent a more frequent extration on this basis. However, figures for end-May 1976 are available.

Details of the numbers of persons registered as unemployed, by sex in most cases, at end-May 1976, end-October 1976 and end-April 1977 for each of the Local Government Areas requested are as follows:

  1. Insufficient local employment opportunities applicable to the skills and experience of the registrants.

Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Classifications (Question No. 731)

Senator Grimes:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 28 April 1977:

How many persons have had their Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Authority invalidity classification changed from Class B to Class C in the years 1974-75, 1975-76 and 1976-77.

Senator Withers:
LP

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

I am advised by the Chairman of the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Authority that reclassification of persons in receipt of Class B invalidity benefit to Class C under the Defence Forces Retirement Benefits Act 1 948 and the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Act 1 973 during the years mentioned are as follows:

Family Law Regulations: Translations of Documents (Question No. 734)

Senator Button:

asked the Minister representing the Attorney-General, upon notice, on 28 April 1977:

  1. With reference to regulation 19 of the Regulations made under the Family Law Act 1975 and the document referred to in those regulations known as ‘Advice to Effect of Proceedings’, what representations has the AttorneyGeneral received regarding the need to have this document translated into various foreign languages for service on respondents overseas.
  2. Over what period of time has the Attorney-General been receiving requests for the translation of this document.
  3. Was there an announcement made in the Family Court last year stating translations of this document would be made available in a variety of languages.
  4. Is it the Attorney-General ‘s intention to amend regulation 1 9 to restrict its application to respondents in Australia.
  5. If the answer to (4) is in the affirmative, when is such amendment to be introduced and when is it to take effect.
Senator Durack:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) Senator Missen has made representations to me on two occasions on behalf of Mr K. C. Haines, solicitor, Melbourne, who has also himself made separate representations to me relating to the need for foreign translations of the documents prepared under regulation 1 9 of the Family Law Regulations on the effects of proceedings and the availability of counselling and welfare help.
  2. Between 18 August 1976 and 18 April 1977.
  3. An anouncement was made in error in each registry of the Family Court of Australia last year that translations of the document referred to in (2) had been received. In fact, the translations received were of an explanatory pamphlet entitled ‘Family Law in Australia’. Copies of translations of the document referred to in (2) into both Greek and Italian are now available in Family Court registries, and translations into several other languages are expected to be available very shortly.
  4. Yes.
  5. The necessary amendment to the Family Law Regulations is likely to be among a number of amendments to the regulations which are expected to be made and to take effect shortly.

University Fees (Question No. 80S)

Senator Wriedt:

asked the Minister for Education, upon notice, on 5 May 1 977:

Will the Government re-introduce university fees for the calendar year 1978.

Senator Carrick:
LP

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

No.

Pornographic Material (Question No. 846)

Senator Ryan:

asked the Minister representing the Attorney-General, upon notice, on 24 May 1977:

In view of the announced intention of all State governments to introduce legislative measures to stop the production, distribution and sale of pornographic material involving children, will the Minister initiate the drafting of an ordinance to outlaw child pornography in the Australian Capital Territory.

Senator Durack:
LP

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

At a meeting of Federal and State Ministers responsible for censorship, held in Sydney on 14 April 1977, it was agreed to take such steps as were necessary to prohibit the sale of pornographic material involving children either by using existing legislation or, where necessary, introducing new laws.

The relevant legislation in the Australian Capital Territory is the Objectionable Publications Ordinance. Production, distribution or sale within the Australian Capital Territory of pornographic material involving children is an offence under that Ordinance. However I am reviewing generally this and other legislation within my responsibility relating to censorship.

Coal Liquefaction Plant (Question No. 849)

Senator Keeffe:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for National Resources, upon notice, on 24 May 1 977:

  1. Did an industrial delegation from the Federal Republic of Germany visit Australia between June and July 1976, to discuss the possibility of a joint Australia-Federal Republic of Germany study of the economic feasibility of establishing a large scale coal liquefaction plant in Australia. If so, what was the outcome of the discussions.
  2. What son of technological aid, if any, is the Federal Republic of Germany offering Australia to help construct a coal liquefaction plant and what type of aid is Australia required to provide in return.
  3. If a coal liquefaction plant is to be constructed, what is its proposed size, the cost of construction, the production rate and where is it likely to be constructed and when.
  4. When are the results of discussions on this matter held in May 1977 between representatives of both countries to be made available.
Senator Withers:
LP

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

  1. In July 1976, a delegation of West German industrialists visited Australia in connection with a proposed study of the feasibility of establishing a coal-based motor spirit plant in Australia based on West German technology. The delegation had discussions with the Federal Government, the Governments of New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria and with private companies in those States.
  2. The question of technological aid to help construct a coal liquefaction plant has not been discussed. However, the Federal Republic of Germany has indicated its willingness to make a substantial financial contribution to the proposed feasibility study.
  3. The proposal, as revised and presented in May 1977, envisages a plant to produce 2.9 million tonnes per annum of synthetic fuels comprising 10 per cent LPG, 45 per cent gasoline and 45 per cent distillate from 8.6 million tonnes of black coal or 9.0 million tonnes of dry brown coal. It is estimated that the plant (including mine(s) development) would cost about AS 1 ,300m. The location and timing of construction would be determined by the results of the feasibility study.
  4. The revised proposal requires further examination and consultation with the appropriate State governments before a conclusion can be reached.

Ministers’ Electorate Staff: Travel Entitlements (Question No. 869)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister for Administrative Services, upon notice, on 25 May 1977:

In relation to parts 5 and 6 of the answer to House of Representatives question No. 373 ( House of Representatives Hansard 5 May 1977, pages 1679-1680), will the Minister justify why Ministers’ electorate secretaries and electorate assistants have travel entitlements superior to those of similar staff of other senators or members.

Senator Withers:
LP

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

It is not practicable to isolate completely the work of Ministers’ electorate staff from that of staff provided to assist them in the discharge of their portfolio responsibilities. Hence it has been found necessary to provide for Ministers more flexible rules in respect of their electorate staff.

Medibank Private: Selection of Banker (Question No. 870)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Health, upon notice, on 24 May 1977:

  1. 1 ) In relation to the answer to House of Representatives question No. 42 (House of Representatives Hansard, 5 May 1977, page 1674), what were the circumstances which led to the decision of Medibank Private to select the Bank of New South Wales as its bankers.
  2. 2 ) Are there any other statutory authorities responsible to the Minister. If so, (a) what are they, (b) who are the bankers for each authority and (c) which, if any, of the authorities may be termed ‘statutory authorities of a business nature’.
Senator Guilfoyle:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) In expanding the answer which I provided in Parliament on 5 May 1 977 1 can say only that the Health Insurance Commission compared rates submitted by the major banks and held discussions with the Commonwealth Bank, Bank of New South Wales, A.N.Z. Bank and the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney. The Commission satisfied itself as to the ability of each bank to meet the requirements of Medibank (Private)- The Bank of New South Wales was selected because it quoted the lowest rates.

  2. (a) Capital Territory Health Commission; Hospitals and Health Services Commission; Commonwealth Serum Laboratories Commission.

    1. Each of the above authorities maintains accounts with the Commonwealth Trading Bank of Australia. Only the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories Commission maintains, an additional account with the Reserve Bank of Australia, this being a statutory requirement in accordance with section 35 of the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories Act 1 96 1 .
    2. Commonwealth Serum Laboratories Commission.

Statutory Authorities Responsible to the Prime Minister: Banking Arrangements (Question No. 871)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Prime Minister, upon notice, on 24 May 1977:

Are there any statutory authorities responsible to the Prime Minister; if so, (a) what are they, (b) who are the bankers for each authority and (c) which, if any, of the authorities may be termed ‘statutory authorities of a business nature’.

Senator Withers:
LP

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

  1. and (b) The information sought, as at 31 May 1977, is-
  1. None, on the basis that ‘statutory authorities of a business nature’ are those which earn or aim to earn revenue sufficient to cover a substantial proportion of their costs.

Statutory Authorities Responsible to Minister for Industry and Commerce: Banking Arrangements (Question No. 877)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce, upon notice, on 24 May 1977:

Are there any statutory authorities responsible to the Minister. If so,

what are they,

b ) who are the bankers for each authority and

which, if any, of the authorities may be termed ‘statutory authorities of a business nature ‘.

Senator Cotton:
LP

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

  1. The Australian Tourist Commission.
  2. The Commission is required to maintain a bank account with a bank or banks approved by the Treasurer. Within Australia the Commission maintains an account with the Commonwealth Trading Bank.
  3. The Australian Tourist Commission is not regarded as a statutory authority of a business nature.

Statutory Authorities Responsible to Minister for Social Security: Banking Arrangements (Question No. 883)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister for Social Security, upon notice, on 25 May 1977:

Are there any statutory authorities responsible to the Minister; if so, (a) what are they, (b) who are bankers for each authority and (c) which, if any, of the authorities may be termed ‘statutory authorities of a business nature’.

Senator Guilfoyle:
LP

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

There are no statutory authorities as such within the area of my responsibility.

Petrol Subsidy in Queensland (Question No. 913)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Prime Minister, upon notice, on 24 May 1977:

Has the Queensland Government made formal submission to the Federal Government concerning restoration of the petrol subsidy in northern and western Queensland; if so (a) what are the details, (b) what response has the Federal Government made to the submission and (c) what funds, if any, have so far been provided for the project.

Senator Withers:
LP

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

Details of correspondence between a Premier and the Prime Minister are normally regarded as confidential and therefore I do not intend to release the text of the letters.

Department of Social Security: Staffing Requirements (Question No. 923)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Public Service Matters, upon notice, on 24 May 1977:

What are the details of the current study of staffing requirements of the Depanment of Social Security by the Public Service Board, referred to in an article in the Sydney Morning Herald, dated 13 May 1977.

Senator Durack:
LP

– The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Public Service Matters has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

I have been advised that the study referred to in the Sydney Morning Herald was preliminary in nature and related to the short term staffing needs of the Department.

Studies and reviews of this kind are regarded by the Board as internal working documents and are therefore considered to be inappropriate for release outside the Board ‘s Office.

As the honourable senator will be aware from an answer to a question without notice asked of the Minister for Social Security on 31 May (Senate Hansard, page 1673), the short term examination of the Department’s staffing needs has been completed and approval was given in May to the employment of an additional 373 staff to cope with immediate operational problems.

The Public Service Board, in conjunction with the Department of Social Security, has now commenced a continuing and long term review of the staffing needs in the Department, under which staffing is to be reviewed at three monthly intervals.

Export Incentive Scheme (Question No. 929)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Overseas Trade, upon notice, on 25 May 1977:

Has the Government taken action to investigate the advantages of introducing an export incentive scheme; if so, (a) what are the details and (b) what decision has been reached.

Senator Cotton:
LP

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

Export incentives are currently available to exporters under the Export Market Development Grants scheme which was introduced with effect from 1 July 1974 to run for five years. Under this scheme exporters and potential exporters may receive grants in respect of eligible expenditure incurred in seeking out and developing overseas markets for goods, services, industrial property rights and know-how which are substantially of Australian origin.

The Government is currently reviewing the whole question of export incentives and has referred the matter to the Industries Assistance Commission for inquiry and report by 30 September 1977.

This inquiry will examine the operations of the Export Market Development Grants scheme, including its effects on exports, employment and production, whether the scheme should be continued or modified and whether any other financial incentives should be provided for exporters.

Tracking Station, Gove (Question No. 931)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 25 May 1977:

What is being done to salvage the sophisticated equipment left on the site of the tracking station near Gove Peninsula which was operational when Woomera was fully operational.

Senator Withers:
LP

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

The tracking station at Gove was a supporting facility for the operations of the former European Launcher Development Organisation (ELDO) of which Australia was a member. It was closed down when ELDO activities in Australia were terminated and its facilities and equipment were disposed of in December 1970. Some items were returned to

Europe, some were purchased by the Commonwealth (e.g. site buildings by the then Depanment of Territories, tracking aerials by the then PMG and the Weapons Research Establishment (WRE) and the remainder was sold by public auction.

Equipment currently at Gove comprises only two tracking aerial pedestals and dishes which were sold to a purchaser who removed certain components and materials and abandoned the remainder on site. WRE is now arranging to remove those items which may be of use as spare pans for similar hardware originally purchased from ELDO.

Australian Broadcasting Commission: Staff Ceilings (Question No. 948)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Prime Minister, upon notice, on 24 May 1977:

Does the Prime Minister want to reduce the staff ceiling of the Australian Broadcasting Commission by approximately SOO next year, as was claimed in an article in the Sydney Morning Herald dated 10 May 1977; if not, what staff ceiling limits are likely to apply to the Australian Broadcasting Commission next year.

Senator Withers:
LP

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

Provisional 1977-78 staff ceilings have been determined for Commonwealth Departments and for Statutory Authorities, including the ABC, which are subject to ceiling control. Final ceilings, however, have not yet been determined. These are subject to Budget decisions. As a matter of principle and as stated in the answer to question No. 2 18 on 18 August 1976 (House of Representatives Hansard, pages 33 1-336), it is not the practice to publish the individual staff ceilings set for each department and authority.

The reasons for this practice were outlined in the answer given on 26 April 1977 (Hansard, page 979) to a question without notice by Senator Douglas McClelland. The Government can see no reason to depart from this established practice.

Department of National Resources: Staff Statistics (Question No. 950)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for National Resources, upon notice, on 24 May 1977:

How many (a) permanent employees, (b) temporary employees and (c) other employees were there in the Minister’s Depanment for each month since and including November 1575.

Senator Withers:
LP

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

I refer the honourable senator to the answer to question No. 949.

Department of Administrative Services: Staff Statistics (Question No. 954)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister for Administrative Services, upon notice, on 25 May 1977:

How many (a) permanent employees, (b) temporary employees and (c) other employees were there in the Minister’s Department for each month since and including November 1975.

Senator Withers:
LP

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

I refer the honourable senator to the answer to question No. 949.

Department of Education: Staff Statistics (Question No. 958)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister for Education, upon notice, on 24 May 1977:

How many (a) permanent employees, (b) temporary employees were there in the Minister’s depanment for each month since and including November 1 975.

Senator Carrick:
LP

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

I refer the honourable senator to the answer to question No. 949.

Department of Defence: Staff Statistics (Question No. 960)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice on 25 May 1977:

How many (a) permanent employees, (b) temporary employees and (c) other employees were there in the Minister’s depanment for each month since and including November 1975.

Senator Withers:
LP

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

I refer the Honourable Senator to the answer to question No. 949.

Department of Social Security: Staff Statistics (Question No. 961)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister for Social Security, upon notice, on 25 May 1 977:

How many (a) permanent employees, (b) temporary employees and (c) other employees were there in the Minister’s department for each month since and including November 1975.

Senator Guilfoyle:
LP

– The answer to the honourable senator’s question is as follows: f refer the honourable senator to the answer to question No. 949.

Attorney-General’s Department: Staff Statistics (Question No. 962)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Attorney-General, upon notice, on 25 May 1977:

How many (a) permanent employees, (b) temporary employees and (c) other employees were there in the AttorneyGeneral’s Department for each month since and including November 1975.

Senator Durack:
LP

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

I refer the honourable senator to the answer to question No. 949.

Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs: Staff Statistics (Question No. 965)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, upon notice, on 25 May 1977:

How many (a) permanent employees, (b) temporary employees and (c) other employees were there in the Minister’s department for each month since and including November 1975.

Senator Guilfoyle:
LP

– The Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

Department of Construction: Staff Statistics (Question No. 968)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Construction, upon notice, on 24 May 1977:

How many (a) permanent employees, (b) temporary employees and (c) other employees were there in the Minister’s department for each month since and including November 1975.

Senator Webster:
NCP/NP

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

I refer the honourable senator to the answer to Question No. 949.

Department of Science: Staff Statistics (Question No. 970)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister for Science, upon notice, on 25 May 1977:

How many (a) permanent employees, (b) temporary employees and (c); other employees were there in the Minister’s department for each month since and including November 1975.

Senator Webster:
NCP/NP

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

I refer the honourable senator to the answer to Question No. 949.

Australian Government Publishing Service (Question No. 983)

Senator Douglas McClelland:
NEW SOUTH WALES · ALP

asked the Minister for Administrative Services, upon notice, on 25 May 1977:

What publications have been published by the Australian Government Publishing Service and have not been tabled in Parliament since 1 January 1976.

Senator Withers:
LP

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

Documents published by the Australian Government Publishing Service are shown in its Weekly List of Government Publications. Publications tabled in the Parliament and ordered to be printed in the Parliamentary Paper Series are shown separately in each list.

Reference copies of the AGPS Weekly Lists covering the period 1 January 1 976 have been provided to the Parliamentary Library and are available for perusal.

The Parliamentary Library also has copies of the index to the Parliamentary Paper Series.

Department of Administrative Services: Abolition of Positions (Question No. 984)

Senator Douglas McClelland:
NEW SOUTH WALES · ALP

asked the Minister for Administrative Services, upon notice, on 25 May 1977:

  1. 1 ) What offices of the Depanment of Administrative Services have been abolished since 1 January 1976?
  2. How many Public Services positions have been abolished since 1 January 1976?
  3. Have any of these positions been re-classified, or restructured, or the duties involved in these positions accounted for elsewhere. If so, what positions have been involved in the Second, Third and Fourth Division levels of the Commonwealth Public Service?
Senator Withers:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) and (2 ) Since 1 January 1 976 a total of 553 offices of the Depanment of Administrative Services have been

abolished, comprising 34 Second Division, 178 Third Division and 341 Fourth Division positions.

  1. Yes, for example most Second Division positions were re-created. I do not propose to have the answer to the balance of the question researched because of the amount of work involved.

Australian War Memorial: Art Conservator (Question No. 991)

Senator Douglas McClelland:
NEW SOUTH WALES · ALP

asked the Minister for Administrative Services, upon notice, on 25 May 1977:

  1. Did the Australian War Memorial lose its only an conservator on 20 May 1977.
  2. If the answer to (a) is in the affirmative, what effect will this have on the functioning of the War Memorial as one of Australia ‘s most important museums.
  3. What steps are being taken by the Public Service Board and the War Memorial to look at the salary and conditions of art conservators and art curators and the staff ceiling of the War Memorial so as to ensure that adequate staff replacements are speedily acquired.
  4. How does the present salary scale available to art conservators in the War Memorial compare to salaries offered for conservators in private galleries.
Senator Withers:
LP

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

  1. Yes.
  2. b ) There will be a considerable delay with, and lack of direction to, art conservation work until the position of art conservator has been filled.
  3. A proposal covering the salary and conditions of conservators in art, paper, textiles, metals, etc., has been prepared jointly by the Australian War Memorial, Australian Archives and the National Library and will be presented to the Public Service Board shortly.

A category review of curator positions in the Australian War Memorial is at present being undertaken by the Public Service Board. As an interim measure and with the approval of the Public Service Board, several temporary positions of curator in the Australian War Memorial have been advertised at a salary of up to $16,000 p.a. Salary paid to successful applicants will be negotiated on the basis of their qualifications and previous experience.

Action is in hand to recruit staff to fill vacant positions.

  1. d ) Both the Australian War Memorial and the Public Service Board have undertaken salary surveys of conservators and curators within State museums (including an galleries) and these will be evaluated in the salary reviews referred to above. It is not feasible to make comparisons with salaries offered to conservators in private galleries as generally their conservation work is done on a fee for service basis.

Public Service Employment (Question No. 997)

Senator Douglas McClelland:
NEW SOUTH WALES · ALP

asked the Minister representing the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Public Service Matters, upon notice, on 24 May 1977:

  1. 1 ) What is the total number of employees in Government departments and authorities employed under the Public Service Act, in each of the four divisions at the most recent date for which figures are available.
  2. From these numbers, how many in each of the four divisions are (a) women, (b) Aborigines, (c) migrants, and (d) physically or mentally handicapped persons.
  3. How do these figures compare with figures for the same groups in the same divisions for the previous four years.
Senator Durack:
LP

– The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Public Service Matters has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question

  1. 1 ) to (3) I am advised by the Public Service Board that details of Public Service Act staff are contained in its Statistical Yearbook for 1 976 and that the total figures by division and sex specifically requested may be found at page 129 of that publication.

Details of the employment of Aboriginals in the Australian Public Service have been contained in a series of annual Statistical Bulletins issued by the Public Service Board. The figures by division specifically requested are shown at page 6 of the latest Bulletin, which reports the results of a survey of Aboriginal employment as at 1 October 1976.

Copies of both of these publications and of the Annual Reports of the Public Service Board have been placed in the Parliamentary Library.

Comprehensive statistics relating specifically to the employment of migrants and handicapped persons in the Public Service have not been collected by the Public Service Board and are consequently not available. The Public Service Board is currently considering methods by which information of this sort might be obtained on a regular basis.

Unemployment: Capalaba, Birkdale and Thornside Areas (Question No. 1007)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, upon notice, on 25 May 1977:

Do the areas of Capalaba, Birkdale and Thornside in Queensland have an unemployment rate in excess of (a) the Queensland average and (b) the Australian average. If so, will the Minister give consideration to establishing an office of the Commonwealth Employment Service in that area.

Senator Durack:
LP

– The Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

To calculate unemployment rates an essential prerequisite is information on the level of unemployment in the area.

The statistics of persons registered unemployed with the Commonwealth Employment Service (CES) are collected monthly by employment office area and, 3 times a year, on a local government area basis. The 3 areas referred to in the question do not coincide with either CES or local government boundaries.

That aside, the level of unemployment is, of course, not the only factor considered in deciding whether to open a new CES office.

There are no plans to open a separate office of the CES in the area in question in the near future.

Replacement of Mirage Aircraft (Question No. 1010)

Senator Colston:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 26 May 1977:

Has the Department of Defence decided to defer an evaluation program for the replacement of the Mirage aircraft for the RAAF. If so, ( a) what are the details, ( b ) did the Department ask twelve companies to provide details of alternative aircraft by 1 February 1977. If so, why was it necessary to defer further consideration of replacement aircraft, (c) on whose authority was the deferral decided and (d) has Australia’s reputation abroad been seriously damaged as a result of the decision, as was suggested in the newsletter Inside Canberra, dated 20 March 1977.

Senator Withers:
LP

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

Following the announcements in the White Paper on Australian Defence in November 1976 (Chapter 4, paras 88 and 91, page 24) Requests for Proposals were forwarded to eleven manufacturers in the United States of America and Europe inviting proposals for the provision of a new tactical fighter aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force. The Requests for Proposals sought a wide range of detailed information about the aircraft proposed.

Responses were initially required by 17 January 1977 but the closing date was later deferred at the request of a number of manufacturers to 1 February 1977.

The detailed investigations mentioned in the Defence White Paper are proceeding but they have been affected by a number of factors including the late submission of proposals by the United States companies, due to a U.S. legislative requirement that such proposals be submitted through the U.S. Department of Defense, and the lack of detailed information provided by some of the prospective suppliers.

As this is a most important decision for the Government very careful consideration and planning is required. Until all of the information necessary for such consideration is available and has been examined by the Government, no decision on generic type or further evaluation can be made. This need for careful consideration and planning was reflected in the Request for Proposal, where it was clearly stated that there was no approved timing for the project, and that it would be developed through a flexible strategy. The companies were given broad guidance of project development and planning but it was pointed out that this guidance was subject to constant review in the light of new developments, including company responses-it was emphasised that the milestones could change.

The Government will proceed with project development with all the responsible expedition and care that this extremely difficult decision demands. To proceed with undue haste in the face of real uncertainties would be foolish and, although there may be some annoyance over the delay, a demonstration of prudent and analytical management is not likely to provoke public criticism.

Australian Defence Force: Deployment Overseas (Question No. 1028)

Senator Knight:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 27 May 1977:

With reference to the Defence Report 1976 in which it is stated that the ‘main areas’ in which Australian Defence Force elements have been deployed overseas during the year are Malaysia, Singapore and Papua New Guinea (a) what units and numbers were involved in each of these 3 cases and for what period and (b) in which other areas overseas were elements of the Australian Defence Force deployed during 1976.

Senator Withers:
LP

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

  1. Australian Defence Force elements served in or visited the following ‘other areas’ during the period 1 July 1975 to 30 June 1976: Canada, Eastern Samoa, Egypt, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Japan, Maldives, New Caledonia, New Hebrides, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, the United States and Western Samoa.

Australian Capital Territory: International Publicity (Question No. 1029)

Senator Knight:

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce, upon notice, on 26 May 1977:

  1. 1 ) With reference to the answer provided by the Minister for the Capital Territory to question on notice No. 1211, can the Minister indicate the extent to which the Australian Capital Territory and the national capital is publicised and promoted internationally as a tourist centre by the Australian Tourist Commission.
  2. How is such publicity organised, promoted and administered by the Commission.
  3. What form does such material and promotion take.
Senator Cotton:
LP

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

  1. 1 ) The Australian Tourist Commission recognises Canberra as one of Australia’s chief attractions for overseas visitors. It is featured, therefore, as a matter of course in its publicity and promotions in the markets in which the Commission operates- and which supply 80 per cent of Australia ‘s overseas visitors.
  2. The Commission’s marketing strategy varies according to conditions in each of its markets, but basically it works with all facets of the travel industry by educating them on Australia’s travel attractions, and by using advertising, publicity and promotions to reach potential travellers. Because of Canberra’s prominence in the Australian travel scene, it is always included in these approaches.
  3. In terms of material, the Commission uses films, audiovisual presentations, photographs, posters, display material, travel manuals and guides and a range of promotional and informational literature. It also distributes specialised literature supplied by the Australian Capital Territory Tourist Bureau.

Promotions take many forms, depending on the circumstances in the market. A recent example was the Australian travel trade mission to North America, on which there was a representative of the Canberra travel trade.

Promotions are continuous, either educational to the travel trade or motivational to potential travellers. These days they are usually aimed at selling particular tours or a range of tours.

The Commission’s destinational and convention films, which feature Canberra, are distributed to selected travel audiences throughout the markets. In the United States alone, more than 200 000 potential travellers see these films each year.

The Commission’s travel counsellors are familiar with Canberra’s importance in the national life and with its attractions for overseas visitors. Many of the 100 000 inquiries they answer each year are concerned with visits to the Capital.

Overseas travel writers, travel agents and tour wholesalers are regularly brought to Canberra by the Commission to see its attractions first hand.

Questions on Notice (Question No. 1033)

Senator Lewis:
VICTORIA

asked the Minister for Administrative Services, upon notice, on 26 May 1977:

  1. 1 ) How many questions on notice have been asked by Senator Colston during the Thirtieth Parliament to date.
  2. ) What has been the estimated cost of providing the said answers.
Senator Withers:
LP

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

  1. 1) As at 26 May 1977 Senator Colston had asked 1181 questions on notice during the Thirtieth Parliament.
  2. The cost of providing these answers has obviously been very considerable but it is not practicable retrospectively to provide a meaningful estimate. However, as I foreshadowed in the Senate on 2 June in response to a question by Senator Sir Magnus Cormack, my Depanment will during the coming session be preparing for my information estimates of the cost of answering questions on notice.

Cite as: Australia, Senate, Debates, 16 August 1977, viewed 22 October 2017, <http://historichansard.net/senate/1977/19770816_senate_30_s74/>.

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