The PRESIDENT (Senator the Hon. John Hog g) took the chair at 12:30, read prayers and made an acknowledgement of country.
The Committee recommends that, consistent with the Corporations Act 2001, material personal interest disclosures should only be required to be made to those officers whose duties relate to the financial management of the organisation.
Limit the obligation to disclose material personal interests to officers whose duties include duties that relate to financial management of the organisation or branch.
Coalition Senators are not surprised that union and employer organisation bosses aren't emphatically in support of this legislation.
That said, it is very clear that this reform is in the national interest and in the interests of honest union members who want to ensure that their money is being spent properly.
The only people that have anything to fear from this legislation are dodgy union bosses who do the wrong thing.
We are not shutting any Medicare Local.
When ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance, you don’t really have to do anything. You just let them talk. And that’s what happened here.
That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Assistant Minister for Health (Senator Nash) to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today relating to health funding.
When it comes to improving Australia's health and hospital system, as Prime Minister if elected, the buck will stop with me.
Everyone loves a witch hunt as long as it's someone else's witch being hunted.
That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Assistant Minister for Social Services (Senator Fifield) to a question without notice asked by Senator Siewert today relating to income support.
That the Senate records its deep regret at the death on 14 April 2014 of Brian Harradine, former senator for Tasmania, places on record its appreciation of his long and meritorious public service and tenders its profound sympathy to his family in their bereavement.
Never have I had a desire to enter this place. But I am a trade unionist. I have been a full-time union official for over 17 years. That is my love; that was my life. I was committed to uplifting the poor, to championing the cause of the underprivileged …
Why, then, am I here? I am here because, after years of constant, unremitting, relentless pressure being directed at me by the extreme Left coalition forces—
It required a detour to be taken and it may be—I hope I am right—that I have found the highway upon which I can advance the objectives of the people that I represent; namely, the people of Tasmania.
I know my name will be mud, whichever way it goes, but it has been mud before today, and it will be mud again later on.
Brian Harradine, my father, was a humble man. Throughout his life he never sought the praise of others. In death, he most certainly had no desire to be eulogised. As a family we are honouring his wish that the focus of the Mass of Christian Burial to be not on his life and legacy but, in the ancient Christian tradition, on prayer for his soul as it passes into eternity.
… I am a trade unionist. I have been a full time union official for over 17 years. That is my love; that was my life.
Decisions we make now on this issue are not for the next three years; we are making decisions here that will affect generations.
I am particularly proud of the role I have played in promoting and defending the Senate not as a rubber stamp for the government of the day, but as a true house of review scrutinising and refining the laws under which we all live.
It's an indication that when you make a contribution to public life that's based on integrity, it crosses the political divide …
Brian worked tirelessly for the common good seeking to promote the conditions necessary for the advancement of individuals; he sought to protect the dignity of human life from conception to natural death. Brian Harradine recognised that politics ultimately should not be viewed in terms of parties but instead should recognise its role of service to the community. Brian provided a clear example of the role of someone in political service. His Catholic faith was the inspiration of what he did. It motivated and informed his actions. He did not seek to impose his beliefs but allowed his faith to provide the inspiration to his decisions and actions.
I have maintained that the true measure of our society and our civilisation is not how rich, powerful or technologically advanced we are. Simply, it is how we treat the weakest and most vulnerable among us. It underpins my unwavering defence of pro-life, pro-human values against the despondency of abortion and euthanasia.
Lower House MPs must be looking around the room, thinking this place will be cleaned out, half of 'the colleagues' gone from the next parliament, they themselves. I haven't even gotten to learn their names.'
TO THE HONOURABLE PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE SENATE IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED.
This Petition of citizens of Australia draws to the attention of the Senate:
We therefore ask that the Senate:
That Senator Heffernan be granted leave of absence for the period 13 May to 15 May 2014 for personal reasons.
That the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee be authorised to hold a private meeting otherwise than in accordance with standing order 33(1) during the sitting of the Senate on Wednesday, 14 May 2014 from 3:15 pm.
That the following general business orders of the day be considered on Thursday, 15 May 2014 under the temporary order relating to the consideration of private senators' bills:
No. 1 National Integrity Commission Bill 2013.
No. 25 Social Security Amendment (Caring for People on Newstart) Bill 2014.
That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 , and for related purposes.
That this bill may proceed without formalities and be now read a first time.
That this bill be now read a second time.
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AMENDMENT (ALPINE GRAZING) BILL 2014
The Greens have long opposed calls for the reintroduction of cattle into Victoria's Alpine National Park. The last attempt was in January 2011. In that trial, the Victorian Government allowed 400 cattle into the park across several sites. In that case, the Federal government intervened to put an end to the program.
We are now having the same debate again. The reintroduction of cattle to the park has been done once more under the guise of a trial into the fire reduction effects, but this time with Federal Government approval. This is disingenuous at best. There is no scientific uncertainty around the issue. There is no evidence to support this move as a fire abatement program. The scientific consensus is clear, that the damage the cattle are doing to a fragile ecosystem puts the lie to any discussion of the trial being for the benefit of the national park.
The real debate is about the extent to which we should protect our natural environment. The Greens give Australia's wonderful natural environment the benefit of the doubt. We ascribe a very high value to biodiversity, the preservation of wilderness, and preserving areas of natural beauty for all to enjoy. This is not an attitude shared by the current Victorian or Federal governments. Rather, they see Australia's environment as a resource to be exploited. Rather than ask, "Why should we risk damage to this unique part of Victoria?" they ask, "Why should this resource be locked away? How can we extract economic value from it?" To them, "biodiversity" is just a word, a piece of jargon used by environmentalists in their attempts to impede progress. It can all be lumped under the banner of "green tape" and dismissed.
This trial, and the damage it will cause to Alpine National Park, is an example of this philosophy. It is symbolic of this Government's attitude to the environment as a whole.
This Bill is required to prevent that damage and do what the Minister himself should have done—protect the national park. Unfortunately legal protection for national parks cannot be taken for granted. The EBPC Act is the best tool we have at present to bring about this protection.
I encourage Senators to turn their minds to what exactly the EPBC Act does. It does not protect the whole of the natural environment. It singles out matters of national environmental significance . That is, it identifies those parts of our common natural inheritance which are so precious, or so fragile, that the Federal Government must protect them. It chooses the best of the best. The species and ecological communities protected by this Bill are some of those very matters.
From among the best of the best, the EPBC says "only where there is a significant impact " on one of these matters will the Federal Government step in. This is an example of just such a significant impact.
Our national environmental laws are woefully weak, but here is an example of where they can and should swing into action.
This Bill amends the EPBC Act and deems a referral regarding alpine grazing to have been made by the Victorian government and rejected by the Minister. It is a last resort—a legislative backstop—but it is necessary if the Minister will not act of his own accord.
We still have time to limit the damage caused by this act of contempt for Victoria's environment.
I commend the Bill to the Senate.
Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion:
The Abbott Government's budget of broken promises.
Taxes will always be lower under a Coalition government.
The only party which is going to increase taxes after the election is the Labor Party.
The only party that will raise taxes after the election is the Labor Party.
A coalition government will keep the current income tax thresholds …
… no one's personal tax will go up …
What you'll get under us are tax cuts without new taxes.
I think if there was a permanent increase in taxation that would certainly be inconsistent with the sort of things that were said before the election.
We never said we were going to never change a tax or alter a tax.
… it is a surplus built on disciplined spending, …
They will put us on the path to surplus by 2015-16.
… a strategy that will see the budget return to surplus in three years time, …
We will be back in the black by 2012-13, on time, as promised.
This budget delivers a surplus this coming year, on time, as promised, and surpluses each year after that, …
This budget sets a sensible pathway to surplus, …
Our predecessors had Australia on a path of deficit and debt to the next century.
Make no mistake, this path would only make future choices harder, future possibilities bleaker and rob Australians of the future opportunities they deserve.
Our Government could not stand back and ignore the problem. Although we did not create it, we will take the responsibility to fix it.
The measures I announce tonight will reduce the underlying deficit by around $4 billion this year and $7.2 billion over two years. These measures will balance the budget over the term of this Parliament. These are the net effect on the budget bottom line after the introduction of new policy to meet the Coalition's election commitments. These measures represent a historic turnaround in Commonwealth finances.
Mr Speaker—
you don't turn around a nation's finances, a nation's future without making some hard decisions. But if we avoid the hard decisions now they are only going to get harder in the future.
The tightening measures have to be fairly shared. We cannot expect those who rely on pensions and allowances—low income earners—to bear the cost. So we are asking high income earners to make a contribution and business to make its contribution too.
The measures are balanced, strong and fair.
No cuts to education, no cuts to health, no change to pensions … no cuts to the ABC or SBS.
Documents Presented Out of Sitting
COMMITTEE REPORTS ( pursuant to Senate standing order 38 (7) ).
1. Environment and Communications Legislation Committee—Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Submarine Cable Protection) Bill 2013 [Provisions]—Report, additional information and submissions. [ Received 28 March 2014 ]
2. Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee—Effect on Australian pineapple growers of importing fresh pineapples from Malaysia—Effect on Australian ginger growers of importing fresh ginger from Fiji—Proposed importation of potatoes from New Zealand—Final report, Hansard record of proceedings, documents presented to the committee, additional information and submissions. [ Received 31 March 2014 ]
3. Abbott Government’s Commission of Audit—Senate Select Committee—Second interim report, dated April 2014. [ Received 24 April 2014 ]
4. Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee—Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Bill 2014 [Provisions]—Report and submissions. [ Received 8 May 2014 ]
5. Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters—Conduct of the 2013 Federal Election: Senate voting practices—Interim report. [ Received 9 May 2014 ]
GOVERNMENT RESPONSES TO PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE REPORTS ( pursuant to Senate standing order 166 )
1. Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee—Report—Report of the DLA Piper Review and the government’s response. [ Received 5 May 2014 ]
GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS ( pursuant to Senate standing order 166 )
1. Foreign Investment Review Board—Report for 2012-13. [ Received 10 April 2014 ]
2. Australia and the International Financial Institutions—Reports for 2012-13. [ Received 23 April 2014 ]
3. Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse—Royal Commission—Report of Case Study No. 1—The response of institutions to the conduct of Steven Larkins, dated March 2014. [ Received 24 April 2014 ]
4. National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) Act 2010—Collection of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme under co-payment prescription data—Report for 2012-13. [ Received 29 April 2014 ]
5. Gene Technology Regulator—Quarterly report for the period 1 October to 31 December 2014. [ Received 30 April 2014 ]
6. Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000—Report for 2013 on the operation of the Act. [ Received 30 April 2014 ]
7. Clean Energy Act 2011—Final report—Reducing Australia’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Targets and Progress Review, dated February 2014. [ Received 9 May 2014 ]
REPORTS OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL ( pursuant to Senate standing order 166 )
1. Report no. 24 of 2013-14—Performance audit—Emergency Defence Assistance to the Civil Community: Department of Defence. [ Received 16 April 2014 ]
2. Report no. 25 of 2013-14—Performance audit—Management of the Building Better Regional Cities program: Department of Social Services; Department of the Environment. [ Received 17 April 2014 ]
3. Report no. 26 of 2013-14—Performance audit—Medicare compliance audits: Department of Human Services. [ Received 23 April 2014 ]
4. Report no. 27 of 2013-14—Performance audit—Integrity of Medicare customer data: Department of Human Services. [ Received 24 April 2014 ]
5. Report no. 28 of 2013-14—Performance audit—Review of child support objections: Department of Human Services; Department of Social Services. [ Received 30 April 2014 ]
6. Report no. 29 of 2013-14—Performance audit—Regulation of Commonwealth radiation and nuclear activities: Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency. [ Received 7 May 2014 ]
7. Report no. 30 of 2013-14—Performance audit—Administering the Code of Good Manufacturing Practice for Prescription Medicines: Department of Health. [ Received 7 May 2014 ]
8. Report no. 31 of 2013-14—Performance audit—The Australian Electoral Commission’s storage and transport of completed ballot papers at the September 2013 Federal General Election: Australian Electoral Commission. [ Received 8 May 2014 ]
RETURN TO ORDER ( pursuant to Senate standing order 166 )
1. Environment—Maules Creek Coal Project—Order for Production of Documents—Letter to the President of the Senate from the Minister for Finance (Senator Cormann) responding to the order of the Senate of 18 March 2014, dated 15 April 2014 and attachments. [ Received 15 April 2014 ]
2. Environment—Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority—Dredging at Abbot Point—Order for Production of Documents—Letter to the President of the Senate from the Minister for Finance (Senator Cormann) responding to the order of the Senate of 18 March 2014, dated 2 May 2014 and attachments. [ Received 5 May 2014 ]
STATEMENTS OF COMPLIANCE WITH SENATE ORDERS ( pursuant to Senate standing order 166 )
Indexed lists of departmental and agency files (continuing order of the Senate of 30 May 1996, as amended on 3 December 1998):
Australian Taxation Office. [ Received 8 April 2014 ]
Treasury portfolio. [ Received 16 April 2014 ]
SENATE FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND TRADE REFERENCES COMMITTEE REPORT OF THE DLA PIPER REVIEW AND THE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE
Introduction
The Australian Government is committed to supporting reforms to the management of allegations of abuse in Defence and implementation of Defence's cultural change program. The Australian Government acknowledges the contribution of the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee's report on the `DLA Piper Review and the government's response' to providing parliamentary oversight of this work.
On 26 November 2012, the response to the report of the DLA Piper Review into allegations of sexual and other abuse in Defence was announced. The response included a general apology to members of the Australian Defence Force and Defence employees who have suffered abuse in the course of their employment, the establishment of an independent Defence Abuse Response Taskforce to assess individual complaints and identify any wider systemic issues, and access to reparation.
Apologies delivered by the Chief of the Defence Force, General David Hurley AC, DSC and in the Parliament on 26 November 2012 offered a significant step in the healing process for those affected by past abuse in Defence.
A Defence Abuse Response Reparation Scheme, with payments up to $50,000 for those who plausibly suffered abuse in Defence, was established to provide financial recognition that abuse is unacceptable and wrong and should never have occurred. Professional counselling and referral to other health services will further support victims of abuse on the road to recovery.
The work of the independent Defence Abuse Response Taskforce will include referral of appropriate matters to law enforcement authorities for criminal investigation while others, with the consent of the complainant, may be provided to Defence for investigation into possible administrative or disciplinary action. Complainants may also have the opportunity to participate in a restorative engagement conference, allowing their personal account of abuse to be heard, responded to and acknowledged by Defence.
March 2014 marks the second anniversary since the release of Pathway to Change: Evolving Defence Culture. This important document outlined Defence's strategy for achieving enduring cultural change. It sets out the requirement that Defence personnel demonstrate exemplary behaviour commensurate with the nation's expectations, in and out of uniform, on and off duty, and how the Defence leadership will require these standards are met.
Implementation of Pathway to Change by Defence and the work of the Taskforce are essential to ensuring Defence continues to serve Australia's national interests in a way that is consistent with modern community standards.
The Australian Government recognises concrete measures recently taken by Defence to improve support to victims of sexual abuse and move towards cultural change. This includes the launch of the Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Office on 22 July 2013, marking an important shift toward a victim-focused approach for responding to incidences of sexual misconduct and providing education about the prevention of sexual misconduct and assault in Defence.
The Australian Government and the Defence leadership remain absolutely committed to fully implementing the range of cultural reforms essential to managing and preventing occurrences of inappropriate conduct. Together, we will build a culture that gives confidence to the Australian people and creates a workforce genuinely reflective of the community it serves—just, inclusive and fair-minded.
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT RESPONSE
SENATE FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND TRADE REFERENCE COMMITTEE `REPORT OF THE DLA PIPER REVIEW AND THE GOVERNMENT ' S RESPONSE '
That committee documents be printed in accordance with the usual practice.
That consideration of those documents be listed on the Notice Paper as separate orders of the day.
Minister for the Environment (Mr Hunt) to a resolution of the Senate of 10 December 2013 concerning the Wet Tropics Management Authority
Minister for Health (Mr Dutton) to a resolution of the Senate of 4 March 2014 concerning the National Perinatal Depression Initiative
Minister for the Environment (Mr Hunt) to a resolution of the Senate of 4 March 2014 concerning Abbot Point
Assistant Secretary, External Budget Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Mr Griffiths) to a resolution of the Senate of 18 March 2014 concerning development assistance to Pacific nations
Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ms Bishop) to a resolution of the Senate of 19 March 2014 concerning South Sudan
Minister for Health (Mr Dutton) to a resolution of the Senate of 20 March 2014 concerning emotional resilience and wellbeing
Premier of Queensland (Mr Newman) to a resolution of the Senate of 20 March 2014 concerning National Close the Gap Day
Minister for Education (Mr Pyne) to a resolution of the Senate of 26 March 2014 concerning teacher quality
Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ms Bishop) to a resolution of the Senate of 26 March 2014 concerning Sri Lanka
Minister for Industry (Mr Macfarlane) to a resolution of the Senate of 27 March 2014 concerning science and technology
That the Senate take note of the document.
That the Senate take note of the document.
That the Senate take note of the document.
Whilst the prevention of mental illness is a crucial part of our mission, we must also help young people flourish, equipping them with the knowledge, skills and resources to thrive in a changing world.
That the Senate take note of the document.
Budget statement and documents 2014-15
Budget speech 2014-15—Statement by the Treasurer (Mr Hockey), dated 13 May 2014.
Budget papers—
No. 1—Budget strategy and outlook 2014-15
No. 2—Budget measures 2014-15.
No. 3—Federal financial relations 2014-15.
No. 4—Agency resourcing 2014-15.
That the Senate take note of the Budget statement and documents.
Debate (on motion by Senator Cormann) adjourned.
That the documents be referred to legislation committees for the consideration of the estimates.
Budget Related Documents—13 May 2014
2014-15 Portfolio Budget Statements (PBS)
2013-14 Portfolio Supplementary Additional Statements (PAES)
I'm finally getting a chance at the education I've always wanted. Before that, it was too hard. It's made a big impact on my life, in lots of ways. Everything is starting to fall into place now. I'm really glad Centrelink referred me to Youth Connections. I've been able to think about what I'm good at and what I really want to do. I'm going to do my training in aged care and all my family are really proud of me.
Over the next three years, should we win the election an incoming coalition government will do exactly what we have said we would do. We will be a no surprises, no excuses government.
Simple things can easily be missed if you don't provide me, as a medical practitioner, with a good story, even if you don't have an intellectual disability.
So the story, your discourse, your personal narrative, about your experience of life and your health is crucial to me arriving at a diagnosis and therefore making any reasonable judgement about what I should do.
The research is clear that people with intellectual disability have been receiving inadequate health care. A seminal population study clearly demonstrated that they experience high levels of unmet health need, with 42% of health conditions persistently undiagnosed and half of the conditions that are diagnosed inadequately managed. Their life expectancy is much lower than the general population—about 20 years lower for people with severe disabilities.
I have been with my now ex for almost 12 years. I have suffered at his hands, beatings, floggings, verbal abuse, emotional abuse.
I remember meeting him at 17. At first our relationship was great. Looking back, I realise the little things he did slowly made me lose confidence and gain fear for upsetting him.
He grew up thinking violent attacks on your partner were normal; I did not. By the time I wanted to get out of the relationship I was heavily pregnant and my family didn't know how to support me. I was so scared, I stayed. Being pregnant certainly didn't stop the violence. I can remember at eight months being whipped with a metal dog chain; survival and protecting my stomach were my only concerns. The lows were followed by the sorries and affection, the promises that never seemed to be fulfilled,
I loved the nice caring person he could be but feared the person he could become, drugs and alcohol making him a much more violent and aggressive person.
I cannot live my life waiting for the day he decides to kill me. My kids need me.
It was not long before he started telling me that I was overweight and had me scared to eat. I was only a size 8 and weighed 53 kilograms. Eventually he hit me, not once but a few times. He would hold my head up against the tiles in the shower and make me swallow water until I was choking. I left him; he was not happy. He threatened that he would make my life a misery if I did not go back to him, so I moved back in.
He asked me to come into the bedroom. He began to use my head and my body as a punching bag, throwing my head up against the heavy brick walls. I was screaming and begging for help but his mate stayed in the lounge room and ignored my pleas for help. Eventually, two off-duty policemen that lived upstairs came to my rescue. He ran off and they took me to hospital. I had a face like the elephant man and my nose was broken.
His mate was horrified when he saw me but he had sat by while it happened. This is where the problem lies: the acceptability of this type of behaviour amongst men. I moved out, he found me and threatened to kill me. I kept moving and, thankfully, he gave up. Twenty-five years later, I still cringe when I walk down the main street in case I see him.
I was as scared as anything and my teeth played God Save the King . We had not long to wait. The anti-aircraft guns became louder and nearer until they had the barrage right above London. Hundreds of searchlights groped trying to pick up the Germans. When one would nail them several others would be on him quick and you could see a speck away up in the air. Above the terrible din and the whirring noise of whistles, the falling bombs could be heard and then it would become the explosion. Well, this kept up for about an hour or more. When the guns eased up a bit they sounded the all clear and my pulse gradually came down from 250.
Last night there were almost 30 Allied aeroplanes over our lines at once, including the little party of night bombers on their way across the Rhine. We camped on the fringe of a nice thick wood which the sun does not penetrate. A nice comfortable dugout but just now there is a summer shower on. All around us are some of our big guns going day and night. They make an awful row. At all times the buzz of the plane is in the air. The Germans drop shells in the vicinity intermittently during the day and a few bombs at night. High up can be heard the 15 inch shells on their 16 mile or so journey into deserted Amiens.
Had painful news tonight as a mate was killed yesterday. Every day the sordid list comes through of the number of killed and wounded. It is just like an invoice or a letter that would go through your hands at the office. Isn't this business rotten? Often I think of the painful telegram at the other end to someone.
By joves, I saw a nice sight in the sky the other evening. Over 60 of our planes all visible all at once.
Am in a bonzer dugout just now deep down in the bowels of the earth. It is just about bombproof, I think, and that's saying a lot. Quieter in the air lately as the weather has been too crook for flying. We get a thunderstorm nearly every day and plenty of rain and mud. The day before yesterday I saw one of our airmen bring down two German balloons in flames. I see some of our own treated the same too every now and then.
Strike, we have been kept well on the move lately. Don't know when I have slept in the same hole two nights running. We are in a crowd of hurrying Germans across the Somme. He is not lingering much as we are making it too warm for him on the flanks. It is very sickening, though. A few days ago and just as we got into the front line it was early hours of the morning. A few of us were going through the trench that the Germans were shelling. We had that 'hurry on' that is noticeable where the shells are and I am bothered if I do not stand on a stone or something and twist my ankle. Crawled along and stuck it out for about an hour but then had to go to the aid post and stop behind. It is not very bad but I won't be able to carry on for a couple of days yet.
We have had some severe storms and a couple of mornings ago in the early hours it was a trifle over the odds. Some lovely thunder and then came the gale that wrecked our happy home and we got washed out.
Events are moving all right. You people probably know these things more fully and earlier than we do. What we do know and know very thoroughly is what is going on along the ridges and in the trenches in our own vicinity. The other night I know the Germans punctuated a Hail Mary from me with bombs—while I huddled close—very close—into a hole half full of cold water.
Perhaps the nicest thing back here is that there are no air raids. And there are apple trees all around us, and of course they get plenty of attention. The Froggies don't seem to take much care of the gardens and leave the trees and ground to go wild as they please. All the same, they seem to bear fruit very well.
Mrs Froggy in the farmhouse is a dear old soul except when the boys pinch her apples—which is all the time.
We get milk and butter off her too, and it was tres bon having dinkum milk on porridge or Anzac pudding. Butter, too, and toast—yes, truly. We get the milk for about 5 pence a pint and the butter about 5 or 6 shillings a pound.
The war is over!
Have only one object in view now, and that is to get home and I'd like to hop on an aeroplane this minute labelled 72 Jetty Road.
Suppose it will be a few months yet, though, and we don't know anything definite yet except this—we're off this week to the Rhine garrison in Germany somewhere in the vicinity of Koblenz and will go through Belgium—and I suppose there'll be a bit of marching too.
As things warmed up—and at Bellincourt they did warm up too—I was able to shake off the horrible feeling of death. But I did get a piece of shell or a bullet—don't know which—through my water bottle that day.
I find London has altered very little as yet, except as regards the street lighting. The streets are now fairly bright at night and there is no more restriction on the windows being blacked out.
Everyone you meet is glad the war is finished—but they still retain vivid memories of air raids. No wonder the women folk here went mad on Armistice Day.
First and foremost imported produce being traded within Australia should meet the same or more stringent regulations and standards as domestic produce.
By converting the existing broad gauge tracks to standard gauge, the Murray Basin Rail Project will deliver modern rail infrastructure and transform Victoria's freight network to meet the increasing demand for freight services.
Mr Ryan’s announcement presages a new era of fast, reliable rail freight in the state’s north-west, and a major boost to the region’s economy—where rail has gone, history shows economic development invariably follows.
It is also a major achievement and timely development for the Member for Mildura, Peter Crisp, who has been lobbying State Government to repair and standardise the Melbourne-Mildura line since he was first elected in 2006.
If our country is to prosper for decades and indeed in the centuries ahead, we are going to need a strong and dynamic agriculture sector. I think that farming is going to be a very, very significant part of our economic future.
At some point we may not be exporting as much iron ore but we want to be exporting plenty of foodstuffs to the growing middle class of Asia. We have got a tremendous opportunity but we have got to keep the farming sector strong to make that happen.
It is not realistic to expect Australia to be the food bowl of Asia, but it can become the 'delicatessen of Asia', by producing high-value products that trade on our natural advantages and meet the needs of consumers, but at competitive prices.
I doubt there would be a soul here who would not believe the public of New South Wales owes him a great debt. Because, the Labor Party certainly does.
When you look at a mountain full of forests do you see furniture and plywood or do you see a national park? Is a river the vein of our natural resources or is it nothing more than a producer of megawatts?