The SPEAKER (Mr Harry Jenkins) took the chair at 09:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.
Australian Research Council Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2010
Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Dividend and Other Measures) Bill 2011
Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test and Other Provisions) Bill 2011
That this bill be now read a second time.
Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2010
That the amendments be agreed to.
Social Security Legislation Amendment (Job Seeker Compliance) Bill 2011
… assist employment providers by encouraging job seekers to properly engage with the system. That is the core of what we believe—that these amendments will be a tool that will help us to better engage job seekers.
The amendments outlined in the current bill are considered welcome improvements to the job seeker compliance framework and we believe should put a greater emphasis on engagement and participation.
The majority of CPSU members felt that the proposed changes would likely increase compliance by job seekers as payments would not be made until job seekers attended appointments. A majority of members also said that changes to notification for reconnection requirements would improve job seeker compliance.
That the House take note of the report.
That the order of the day be referred to the Main Committee for debate.
Corporations Amendment (Improving Accountability on Director and Executive Remuneration) Bill 2011
If the community came to regard executive pay as the product of poor corporate governance or weak regulation, this could undermine public confidence in the corporate sector itself, potentially detracting from the ability to raise equity capital and distorting the allocation in investment funds.
The best way to support business is often for the government to get out of the way.
This is inevitably going to distract directors from their most important roles, which are not the minutiae of supervising remuneration consultants, but much more important roles of making wise decisions about business direction, major investments and the like.
No one can say with any certainly. Various factors could have contributed: the resources boom and the booming sharemarket before the global financial crisis, the continued rise in executive and finance-sector salaries and maybe the succession of income-tax cuts that benefited people on high incomes.
It would be a mistake to conclude, however, that all families with income sufficient to put them in the top 20 per cent have benefited equally. It’s far more likely that the closer you are to the top of that 20 per cent the better you’ve done. It’s even possible that the share of people in the second-top 10 per cent has declined, as have the shares of the bottom 80 per cent of households.
The top 10th of a per cent accounts for 3 per cent, the top half a per cent for 6 per cent, the top 1 per cent for 9 per cent, the top 5 per cent for 21 per cent and the top 10 per cent for 31 per cent
The shares of these top earners were declining until the early 1980s, but have increased since then, with the share of the top 10 per cent growing from 25 per cent to 31 per cent. Why has this happened? I think it would have to do mainly with the explosion in executive salaries and the phenomenal expansion of the phenomenally paid financial services industry.
Each road death costs $1.7 million. Each injury in an incident costs $408 000. When the non-monetised social impact of road deaths, injuries and illness, family breakdown, pain and suffering is included in the measurement of what road deaths and injuries cost the community—
Because employment is too often conditional on strict compliance with an operator's direction and client deadlines, drivers are prone to drive while fatigued, to speed, to take drugs and to skimp on maintenance.
Midwife Professional Indemnity Legislation Amendment Bill 2011
That this bill be now read a third time.
Therapeutic Goods Legislation Amendment (Copyright) Bill 2011
Social Security Legislation Amendment (Job Seeker Compliance) Bill 2011
... where no reasonable excuse is determined, providers generally consider that the more immediate loss of payment will provide better reinforcement and a stronger and more direct deterrent for the reconnection failure.
In striking a balance between engagement and sanction, the government have got the balance wrong.
Going into the future, we will see, sadly, increased numbers of long-term unemployed if the Labor government have their system for employment services passed by this parliament …
The problem with weakening the compliance regime is that it will be much less effective in changing behaviour for the positive. It will become a toothless tiger.
The deficits and additional borrowings do not alter the sound profile of Australia's public finances which remain among the strongest of its peer group.
The Budget meets all the requirements of the government’s medium-term fiscal strategy … Our judgement is that this Budget largely delivers what is required from a short-term cyclical perspective. And it represents a step forward in setting up the economy for the longer haul.
… I'm curious as to why the government is proceeding with this …
Moody's notes that Australian government debt remains among the lowest of all AAA-rated governments.
Report relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and of private Members' business
1. The committee met in private session on Tuesday, 10 May 2011.
2. The committee determined the order of precedence and times to be allotted for consideration of committee and delegation business and private Members' business on Monday, 23 May 2011, as follows:
Items for House of Representatives Chamber (10.10 am to 12 noon)
COMMITTEE AND DELEGATION BUSINESS
Presentation and statements
1 Standing Committee on Education and Employment
School Libraries and Teacher Librarians in 21st Century Australia.
The Committee determined that statements on the report may be made—all statements to conclude by 10.20 am .
Speech time limits—
Ms Rishworth—5 minutes.
Next Member—5 minutes.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 5 mins]
2 Standing Committee on Education and Employment
Statement announcing the new inquiry into mental health and workforce participation.
The Committee determined that statements on the inquiry may be made—all statements to conclude by 10.30 am .
Speech time limits—
Ms Rishworth—5 minutes.
Next Member—5 minutes.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 5 mins]
3 Standing Committee on Economics
Review of the Reserve Bank of Australia Annual Report 2010 (Second Report).
The Committee determined that statements on the report may be made—all statements to conclude by 10.40 am .
Speech time limits—
Mr C. R. Thomson—5 minutes.
Next Member—5 minutes.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 5 mins]
4 Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services
Access for Small and Medium Business to Finance.
The Committee determined that statements on the report may be made—all statements to conclude by 10.50 am .
Speech time limits—
Mr Ripoll—5 minutes.
Next Member—5 minutes.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 5 mins]
5 Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services
ASIC oversight.
The Committee determined that statements on the report may be made—all statements to conclude by 11 am .
Speech time limits—
Mr Ripoll—5 minutes.
Next Member—5 minutes.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 5 mins]
6 Standing Committee on Regional Australia
Announcement in relation to the Murray-Darling Basin inquiry.
The Committee determined that statements on the inquiry may be made—all statements to conclude by 11.05 am .
Speech time limits—
Mr Windsor—5 minutes.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 1 x 5 mins]
7 AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TO BHUTAN AND MONGOLIA
Australian Parliamentary Delegation to Bhutan and Mongolia, 9-12 July 2010.
The Committee determined that statements on the report may be made—all statements to conclude by 11.10 am .
Speech time limits—
Ms Livermore—5 minutes.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 1 x 5 mins]
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS Orders of the Day
1 HOME INSULATION PROGRAM (COMMISSION OF INQUIRY) BILL 2011 (Mr Hunt): Second reading (from 21 March 2011).
Time allotted—remaining private Members' business time prior to 12 noon.
Speech time limits—
Mr Hunt—10 minutes.
Next 3 Members—10 minutes each.
Other Member—5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 10 mins + 2 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day .
Items for House of Representatives Chamber (8 to 9.30 pm)
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS Notices
1 MR S. P. JONES: To move:
That this House: (1) notes that as the world emerges from the Global Financial Crisis: (a) in Australia unemployment of 5 per cent is low by international standards; and (b) the Australian Government's Debt to GDP ratio is lower and its fiscal consolidation faster, than in most comparable countries; and (2) agrees that the Gillard Government's fiscal strategy to assist business and communities to recover from this crisis while managing inflation and removing the structural deficits from the Federal Budget is the right course of action for Australia's long term economic prosperity. (Notice given 1 March 2011.)
Time allotted—30 minutes.
Speech time limits—
Mr S. P. Jones—10 minutes.
Next Member—10 minutes.
Other Member—5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 10 mins + 2 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day .
2 MS J. BISHOP: To move:
That this House: (1) restates its support for the motion moved by the then Prime Minister and passed by this House on the sixtieth anniversary of the State of Israel, and in particular: (a) acknowledges the unique relationship which exists between Australia and Israel, a bond highlighted by the commitment of both societies to the rights and liberty of our citizens and to cultural diversity; (b) commends the State of Israel's commitment to democracy, the rule of law and pluralism; and (c) reiterates Australia's commitment to Israel's right to exist in peace and security, and our continued support for a peaceful two-state resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian issue; and (2) notes with concern the fraying of the traditionally bipartisan support amongst Australia's political parties for the State of Israel, and in particular the: (a) resolution by Greens councillors on Marrickville Council for a boycott of Israel, supported by Labor councillors; (b) policy adopted by the NSW Greens for an Israel boycott; (c) decision by the NSW Labor Party to preference the Greens candidate for Marrickville ahead of other candidates who did not support an Israel boycott; and (d) decision by Labor and Greens councillors on Moreland City Council, Melbourne, to allow the anti-semitic group Hizb ut-Tahrir to use Council premises in August 2010 despite Hizb ut-Tahrir publicly calling for the slaughter of Jewish people, and its enthusiasm for Osama bin Laden. (Notice given 10 May 2011.)
Time allotted—40 minutes.
Speech time limits—
Ms J. Bishop—10 minutes.
Next Member—10 minutes.
Other Member—5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 10 mins + 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day .
3 MS RISHWORTH: To move:
That this House: (1) recognises the devastating impact of early onset dementia on the lives of sufferers and their families; (2) notes that: (a) individuals who suffer from early onset dementia often face unique challenges including obtaining an accurate and early diagnosis and finding appropriate accommodation and care facilities; and (b) early onset dementia sufferers are generally still physically active, engaged in paid employment and many still have significant family responsibilities at the time of their diagnosis; (3) acknowledges that these characteristics often mean that sufferers of early onset dementia require support services tailored to their unique circumstances including: (a) accommodation with appropriate support and activities specifically for their age; (b) support for family members to understand and cope with the impact of the disease especially for young dependent children; and (c) support for the individual and their families in managing their reduced capacity to work and inability to fulfil family responsibilities, such as parenting, as a result of the disease; and (4) calls on all levels of government to work together to appropriately support those suffering from early onset dementia and their families. (Notice given 1 March 2011.
Time allotted—remaining private Members' business time prior to 9.30 pm.
Speech time limits—
Ms Rishworth—5 minutes.
Other Member—5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day .
Items for Main Committee (approx 11 am to approx 1.30 pm)
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS Notices
1 MR OAKESHOTT: To move:
That this House: (1) notes that 28 May 2011 marks the fiftieth anniversary of Amnesty International, a global movement of over three million supporters dedicated to defending and protecting human rights; (2) recognises the important role Amnesty International continues to play in promoting and protecting human rights and shining a light on human rights abuses around the world; (3) acknowledges the many achievements of Amnesty International, including its: (a) integral role in the development, promotion and ultimate adoption of the United Nations Convention Against Torture in 1975, it being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 and the Sydney Peace Prize in 2006; and (b) successful campaigning for the release of thousands of political prisoners around the world; and (4) notes that from 1961 till the end of 2010 the organisation: (a) conducted at least 3341 missions to research human rights abuses around the world; and (b) produced and published an estimated 17 093 reports and public documents including the annual human rights report which is now produced in 25 languages; and (c) issued over 31 000 urgent actions for individuals at risk. (Notice given 10 May 2011.)
Time allotted—20 minutes.
Speech time limits—
Mr Oakeshott—5 minutes.
Other Member—5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day .
2 MS VAMVAKINOU: To move:
That this House: (1) acknowledges the Federal Government's National Consumer Credit Action Plan, particularly phase one of the plan which came into effect on 1 January 2011 and provides for licensing of all credit providers, new responsible lending requirements and access to external dispute resolution for all consumers of consumer credit; (2) notes that phase two of the National Consumer Credit Action Plan will be considered by the Government in 2011, which will include consideration of new rules to apply to small amount short term loans (often known as payday loans); (3) calls on all Members of this House to consider and consult with relevant community organisations on the impact of small amount short term loans on vulnerable constituents, particularly the impact of very expensive interest, fees and charges which can be detrimental to household budgets and reduce the ability for people to manage their day-to-day finances; and (4) calls on the Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation to improve the operation of the consumer credit market in Australia by ensuring that small amount short term loans are not damaging to families and households, by replacing the myriad of existing state-based interest rate limits with a single, national limit on the fees and interest that can be charged by short term lenders. (Notice given 21 March 2011.)
Time allotted—30 minutes.
Speech time limits—
Ms Vamvakinou—10 minutes.
Next Member—10 minutes.
Other Member—5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 10 mins + 2 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day .
3 MR HOCKEY: To move:
That this House: (1) notes the Government's decision to delay the Tax Summit from June to October 2011; (2) considers that any genuine Tax Summit will properly review and report on Labor's proposals to introduce a national mining tax and a carbon tax; and (3) decides that no legislation to impose a national mining tax or a carbon tax be considered by the House until after the October Tax Summit has reported. (Notice given 21 March 2011.)
Time allotted—50 minutes.
Speech time limits—
Mr Hockey—10 minutes.
Next 3 Members—10 minutes each.
Other Member—5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 10 mins + 2 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day .
4 MS HALL: To move:
That this House: (1) notes that cardiovascular disease: (a) is a heart, stroke and blood vessel disease; (b) kills one Australian nearly every 11 minutes; (c) affects more that 3.4 million Australians; (d) prevents 1.4 million people from living a full life because of disability caused by the disease; (e) affects one in five Australians, and two out of three families; and (f) claimed the lives of almost 48 000 Australians (34 per cent of all deaths) in 2008—deaths that are largely preventable; (2) notes that cardiovascular risk factors include: (a) tobacco smoking; (b) insufficient physical activity; (c) poor nutrition; (d) alcohol consumption; (e) high blood pressure; (f) high blood cholesterol; (g) being overweight; (h) having diabetes; and (i) kidney (renal) failure; (3) notes the importance of knowing the warning signs of heart attack: (a) discomfort or pain in the centre of the chest; (b) discomfort in the arms, neck, shoulders, jaw and back; and (c) shortness of breath, nausea, cold sweat, dizziness or light headedness; (4) notes that recognition of heart attack and early response increases cardiovascular awareness, saving lives and preventing related disability; and (5) acknowledges that promotion of healthy eating and increased exercise will lead to healthier lifestyles and a reduction in cardiovascular disease. (Notice given 18 October 2010.)
Time allotted—30 minutes.
Speech time limits—
Ms Hall—10 minutes.
Next Member—10 minutes.
Other Member—5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 10 mins + 2 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day .
5 MR BROADBENT: To move:
That this House acknowledges the: (1) one-hundredth anniversary of International Women's Day on 8 March 2011 and celebrates the achievements of women throughout the world; and (2) need to continue to fight against the barrier that stops women achieving equal rights and equal opportunities throughout the world. (Notice given 1 March 2011.
Time allotted—remaining private Members' business time prior to 1.30 pm
Speech time limits—
Mr Broadbent—5 minutes.
Other Member—5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day .
Items for Main Committee (approx 6.30 to 9 pm)
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS Notices
6 MR K. J. ANDREWS: To move:
That this House: (1) notes that: (a) 24 May 2011 marks the centenary of the launch of an international competition to design an Australian national capital; and (b) the winning design for Canberra: (i) by the American architect, Walter Burley Griffin, was announced in May 1912; and (ii) was a collaboration between Griffin and his wife, Marian Mahony Griffin; and (2) calls on the National Capital Authority to work with the Parliament to arrange an appropriate celebration of the centenary of the choice of the Griffin design for our nation's capital. (Notice given 10 May 2011.)
Time allotted—20 minutes.
Speech time limits—
Mr K. J. Andrews—5 minutes.
Other Member—5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day .
7 MS PARKE: To move:
That this House: (1) notes that: (a) by resolution 57/129 of 11 December 2002, the General Assembly designated 29 May as the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers to: (i) pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations; (ii) recognise their high level of professionalism, dedication and courage; and (iii) honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace; (b) on 29 May 2011 Australia joins with other nations to commemorate United Nations workers who provide life-saving assistance to millions of people around the world; who work in conflict zones and areas of natural hazards; and who place their own lives at risk in the line of duty; (c) Australia has been a strong supporter of United Nations peacekeeping operations since the first mission in 1947, and is one of the top 20 contributors to the United Nations peacekeeping budget; (d) the United Nations' total peacekeeping budget is US$7.8 billion, or half of one per cent of global military spending, indicating that building and keeping the peace is overwhelmingly cheaper than the pursuit of war; (e) there are over 122 000 military and civilian men and women working in 15 different United Nations missions around the world, who are not there for personal gain, rather, they are engaged in maintaining peace and security and in building the political, social and economic infrastructure required to ensure conflict zones can make the transition to peace on a sustainable and lasting basis; (f) in the last decade, more than 1100 United Nations peacekeepers have died while striving to help those most in need in some of the world's most hostile environments, with recent examples being in April 2011, when: (i) 28 United Nations staff and 5 non-government organisations workers were killed in a plane crash in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and (ii) 7 international United Nations staff were killed in an attack on a United Nations compound in Mazar-e-Sharif in northern Afghanistan, which was the third direct attack against United Nations personnel in Afghanistan in the past 18 months; and (g) United Nations and other humanitarian workers are increasingly being targeted for political and ideological reasons; and (2) commends the vital work carried out by United Nations peacekeepers and other humanitarian workers and calls upon all United Nations member states to ensure the safety and security of United Nations peacekeepers and other humanitarian workers, and to appropriately punish perpetrators of violence against such workers. (Notice given 10 May 2011.)
Time allotted—30 minutes.
Speech time limits—
Ms Parke—10 minutes.
Next Member—10 minutes.
Other Member—5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 10 mins + 2 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day .
8 MR PYNE: To move:
That this House: (1) acknowledges the effectiveness of programs initiated by the former Coalition Government such as 'Primary Connections' and 'Science By Doing', that support professional development for teachers to effectively engage primary and secondary school students on science curriculum; (2) recognises the need for Australian Government support of teachers, allowing them to access the support and training they need to teach the new national curriculum in science; (3) notes the: (a) Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development evidence which indicates that science literacy in students is declining in Australia compared with other countries; and (b) concern of the Australian Primary Schools Principals Association, that the Australian Government has not provided a funding commitment to the Australian Academy of Science beyond this financial year to continue the 'Primary Connections' and 'Science By Doing' programs; and (4) calls on the Australian Government to make clear its funding commitment in relation to these programs which are vital to support teachers. (Notice given 24 March 2011.)
Time allotted—30 minutes.
Speech time limits—
Mr Pyne—10 minutes.
Next Member—10 minutes.
Other Member—5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 10 mins + 2 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day .
9 MR ZAPPIA: To move:
That this House: (1) notes that: (a) Australian road laws and vehicle compliance standards vary between each of the States and Territories of Australia; and (b) those variations are causing confusion and uncertainty to Australian motorists; (2) calls on the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport to urge the States and Territories to adopt, through COAG, uniform road laws and motor vehicle registration compliance standards. (Notice given 24 February 2011.)
Time allotted—30 minutes.
Speech time limits—
Mr Zappia—10 minutes.
Next Member—10 minutes.
Other Member—5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 10 mins + 2 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day .
10 MR ROBERT: To move:
That this House: (1) notes that: (a) military service is unique and comes with inherent risks not applicable to other public service jobs; (b) Australia's service personnel, past and present, after giving so much to their nation, deserve to live out their lives in the knowledge that they have financial security; and (c) approximately 56 000 retired military personnel who are members of the Defence Force Retirement and Deaths Benefits (DFRDB) scheme and the Defence Forces Retirement Benefits (DFRB) scheme have their military pensions indexed only to movements in the Consumer Price Index (CPI); and (2) calls on all Members to support the: (a) concept of the unique nature of military service; and (b) Coalition's policy to index the military pensions to members of the DFRDB and DFRB schemes who are aged 55 and over, to the higher movements in the CPI, Male Total Average Weekly Earnings or the Pensioner Beneficiary Living Cost Index. (Notice given 2 March 2011.
Time allotted—remaining private Members' business time prior to 9 pm
Speech time limits—
Mr Robert—10 minutes.
Next Member—10 minutes.
Other Member—5 minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 2 x 10 mins + 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this should continue on a future day .
3. The committee determined that the following referrals of bills to committees be made—
Standing Committee on Economics:
• Competition and Consumer Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2011
• National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Home Loans and Credit Cards) Bill 2011
Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs:
• Family Law Legislation Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2011; and
Joint Committee on the National Broadband Network:
• Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Fibre Deployment) Bill 2011.
That the House take note of the following documents:
Education and Employment—House of Representatives Standing Committee—Advisory report on the Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Student Services and Amenities) Bill 2010—Government response.
Migration Act 1958 —Section 486O—Assessment of detention arrangements—2011 Personal identifiers 620/11, 621/11, 623/11 to 627/11, 629/11 and 630/11—
Commonwealth and Immigration Ombudsman's reports.
Government response to Ombudsman's reports.
That standing order 31 (automatic adjournment of the House) be suspended for the sitting on Thursday, 12 May 2011 and at that sitting, after the Leader of the Opposition completes his reply to the Budget speech, the House automatically stand adjourned until 10 a.m. on Monday 23 May 2011 unless the Speaker or, in the event of the Speaker being unavailable, the Deputy Speaker, fixes an alternative day or hour of meeting.
The government's failure to deal with cost of living pressures on Australia's families in the budget.
The overriding theme is that if you don’t have a job, or if you earn a comfortable income, there are no more easy Government handouts.
Compared with the rest of the world we are an economic miracle. Economic growth will be reasonable (after the hiccup of the natural disasters), inflation on target, unemployment falling and—
Government debt tiny compared with the rest of the world.
Overall, it is a smart Budget, right for the times and challenges ahead.
… Moody's notes that Australia's government debt remains amongst the lowest of all AAA-rated governments.
The bias towards reduced spending over new taxes to offset revenue shortfalls is commendable.
We believe this budget is very solid on the fundamentals. It makes a solid investment in skills … I think it will take pressure off interest rates in the longer term.
Australia's government will end 23 years of spending growth to ease inflation from the biggest mining investment boom in the nation's history.
The Gillard government is prepared to increase its investment in this road by $1 billion as a part of the 2011-12 budget.
Of the contribution, $700 million has been previously provisioned for in the budget.
This extra funding will complete necessary detailed planning for the remaining sections of the highway.
At this stage the best support the Government can give is to get the budget back to surplus as soon as possible and take some of the upward pressure off interest rates.
If you want to take pressure off families, if you want to take upward pressure off interest rates, you have to get back to surplus as quickly as possible.
Any decent CFO would be embarrassed by this budget. There has been an $8 billion blow-out in this year's deficit since the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Review last November, a $10 billion blow-out in next year's deficit. The return to surplus the year after, requiring a $26 billion turnaround in the bottom line in 12 months, simply ignores what is happening and plugging in the same economic parameters for 2012-13 as before.
Their—
understandable concern about handing a political weapon to their opponents—
was more than offset by the ridicule that this apparent attempt to deny reality invited.
Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Enrolment and Prisoner Voting) Bill 2010
(1) That the following matter be referred to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters for inquiry and report by 30 September 2011:
Options to improve the system for the funding of political parties and election campaigns, with particular reference to:
(a) issues raised in the Government's Electoral Reform Green Paper - Donations, Funding and Expenditure, released in December 2008;
(b) the role of third parties in the electoral process;
(c) the transparency and accountability of the funding regime;
(d) limiting the escalating cost of elections;
(e) any relevant measures at the state and territory level and implications for the Commonwealth; and
(f) the international practices for the funding of political parties and election campaigns, including in Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the United States of America.
(2) That, for the purposes of this inquiry only, paragraph (3) of the resolution of appointment be amended to read:
That the committee consist of 12 members, 3 Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips, 4 Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips and 1 non-aligned Member, 2 Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, 1 Senator to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and 1 Senator to be nominated by any minority group or groups or independent Senator or independent Senators
That the message be considered immediately.
That this House concurs with the resolution transmitted from the Senate with the following amendment:
After Paragraph (2), insert:
(3) For the purposes of this inquiry only, the resolution of appointment be amended by inserting the following paragraph:
(3A) That participating members may be appointed to the committee. Participating members may participate in hearings of evidence and deliberations of the committee, and have all the rights of a member of the committee, but may not vote on any questions before the committee.
Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Provisional Voting) Bill 2011
That the amendments be agreed to.
Aviation Transport Security Amendment (Air Cargo) Bill 2011
That this bill be now read a third time.
Customs Amendment (Export Controls and Other Measures) Bill 2011
Family Assistance and Other Legislation Amendment (Child Care and Other Measures) Bill 2011
That this bill be now read a third time.
Trans-Tasman Proceedings Amendment and Other Measures Bill 2011
That this bill be now read a third time.
Social Security Legislation Amendment (Job Seeker Compliance) Bill 2011
As soon as Centrelink is advised that a job seeker has missed an appointment with their employment services provider, or if the provider believes that the job seeker has become disengaged from an activity they are supposed to be participating in, Centrelink will suspend the job seeker’s payment.
The benefits of employment stretch far beyond the receipt of a pay packet. Employment participation brings not only economic security, but also dignity, purpose, and direction. A central element of fostering employment participation is encouraging job seekers to communicate and interact with employment service providers through attendance at appointments. The bill seeks to encourage job seekers to do this.
(1) Schedule 1, item 15, page 7 (table item 1), omit "special".
(2) Schedule 1, item 15, page 7 (table item 2), omit "special".
(3) Schedule 1, item 15, page 8 (table item 3), omit "special".
That this bill be now read a third time.
Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2011 Measures No. 1) Bill 2011
That the Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2011 Measures No. 1) Bill 2011 be referred to the Main Committee for further consideration.
Migration Amendment (Complementary Protection) Bill 2011
We assess the potential for there to be a blow-out or even a statutory or judicial interpretation to vastly widen the criteria as 'nil'.
Labor would seek to widen the criteria by which people can apply for protection before Parliament breaks for summer.
We'll be proceeding with that bill. ... I see it as an important measure. Out of the immigration legislation that is outstanding, I see that as the most important.
... hunting flocks of wildfowl with a shotgun is unavoidably cruel and rare species are killed. Studies show that for every duck retrieved, a wounded bird flies off, often suffering a lingering death.
The level of mortality and wounding of these native birds for the amusement of a handful of shooters cannot be justified in a modern society. Young, inexperienced ducks will bear the brunt of the onslaught, which could be disastrous for the overall waterfowl population for years to come ... Our wildlife should not be sacrificed for political purposes. Victoria's Recreational Duck Shooting Season should be abandoned once and for all.
... the Commonwealth is a signatory to the international RAMSAR Treaty giving it direct responsibility for significant areas of Australia’s wetlands known as RAMSAR Sites, being ‘Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat’.
Given community concern over the ethics of duck shooting, combined with declining bird numbers, diminishing wetlands from drought and climate change, as well as inconsistent policies of the States/Territory governments on duck shooting, there is an urgent need for the Federal government to develop a national approach to the issue.
I believe society has transcended hunting as a sport and the great majority support measures of conservation and animal protection over cruel sport. While many rural Australians like myself allocate resources to improving biodiversity for wildlife on our properties, it is disappointing to see outdated political decisions working in antithesis to these efforts.
… the patient's activity level is reduced by approximately 50% or more … ME/CFS is "actually more debilitating than most other medical problems in the world" …
The DEPUTY SPEAKER (Hon. Peter Slipper) took the chair at 09:31.
Neil Mitchell: This must have given you an almighty fright, did it?
Geza Horvath: Yeah, I thought it's an earthquake because it happened at one o'clock in the morning. We were in bed.
Neil Mitchell: Did it come down on you?
Geza Horvath: Not exactly on us. It's about a metre from us. It came down on the wardrobe, top of the wardrobe, and it probably slipped over to the bed or hung down right on the end of the bed.
Neil Mitchell: Well, you're very lucky.
Geza Horvath: We were very lucky because it could have come down, the whole lot, because the weight of the concrete, this is the slab, the concrete (inaudible) into the timber and then plaster closed up on the front, so it's really heavy. When we cleaned it up, it was four wheelbarrows topped up of rubbish.
Neil Mitchell: And you're quite sure this was caused by the insulation work?
Geza Horvath: Definitely, because the timber with the (inaudible) timber where it's squeezed into the plaster into it. It's broken.
Neil Mitchell: And you still haven't had a government inspector out to look at it?
Geza Horvath: No. I couldn't cope with it because I'm on chemo, and the second chemo now, and I couldn't cope with it. But I was expecting, I got a call from Sydney about the first time I reported it, and these people they rang me up and they asked me if I have any spotlights, and I tell them I haven't got. But the crack was already there, and what he was saying is, "Look," he said, "you'll be alright", and boom, he dropped the phone.
Family Assistance and Other Legislation Amendment (Child Care and Other Measures) Bill 2011
Trans-Tasman Proceedings Amendment and Other Measures Bill 2011
Aviation Transport Security Amendment (Air Cargo) Bill 2011
… dissimilar conditions to equivalent transactions with other trading parties, thereby placing them at a competitive disadvantage.
Customs Amendment (Export Controls and Other Measures) Bill 2011
(a) allow Customs to give directions relating to goods in the export environment;
(b) allow Customs to seek additional information in relation to goods being exported;
(c) ensure continued Customs control of goods at a prescribed place for export;
(d) ensure depot operators do not breach licence conditions when complying with a direction of the Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure and Transport;
(e) allow Customs to impose new conditions on depot and warehouse licences at any time;
(f) address breaches of the conditions of a depot or warehouse licence;
(g) strengthen the powers of officers to give directions to depot licence holders;
(h) allow the Chief Executive Officer of Customs (the CEO) to suspend or cancel depot licences;
(i) set out the timeframes within which the CEO must decide whether or not to grant a warehouse licence;
(j) allow the CEO to vary the place covered by a warehouse licence;
(k) refund the warehouse licence fee on cancellation of a warehouse licence;
(l) remove references to redundant provisions, and
(m) remove the requirement to make a report of cargo in certain circumstances concerning lost or wrecked ships or aircraft.
I'd seen plenty of tent fights when I was younger, but the great George Bracken was the first boxer I saw in the ring—
His great fighting style and speed really made me take an even bigger interest in boxing than before.
Champions are born not made and [Rose] had enormous natural ability. Some people work hard in training and are very dedicated but to be a champion in any sport a person must be born with a natural gift and Lionel was fortunate enough to have that.
When this Australian entered the ring to face Harada he was a prohibitive underdog. Very few gave him a legitimate chance.
Rose started the fight by holding back, a stance which caught Harada off-guard. I expected Rose to come in and attack first but he didn't. So I started to take the initiative myself. That is where I made a mistake," Harada told The Age. After the third round, despite injuring his hand, Rose told Rennie, "Don't worry about me; this bloke can't punch," noted The Age. That seemed true throughout much of the fight as Harada unleashed a volley of punches that Rose either ducked or absorbed without much notice. Meanwhile, Rose landed several stunning blows to the champ. "By the end of the flight the desperate champion was chasing Rose round the ring," wrote The Age. After 15 rounds, Rose became the new World Bantamweight Title. The disappointed Japanese crowd was stunned, but gave Rose a respectful ovation as he struggled to hold aloft the massive title trophy. Rennie proudly told The Age, '[Rose] was a boy doing a man's work, and he did it well. He was in a strange country, among a strange crowd, and he did not let this worry him.'
I was punching a heavy bag in a gym in L.A., and I hear a voice sing out, "Hey, Lionel! What's doin'?" "And it was Elvis himself," Rose recalled to The Age. "I was in awe of him, but he said he was in awe of me." Music had been a part of Rose's life for even longer than boxing. He had learned to play guitar as a child and was never without one. "You're never lonesome with your guitar," Rose told The Age.
Lionel was simply brilliant, arguably the most gifted fighter this country ever produced.
Lionel would often jab with triple left hooks and thrown at incredible hand speed.
Rose's win against Rocky Gattellari, himself a former WBC flyweight world title contender, at the old Sydney Stadium, remains one of the best pound-per-pound bouts in the annals of the sport in this country.
Lionel was to win with a knockout in the 13th round with a straight right hand and it was the very first boxing match televised interstate by the Seven Network.
Every family, group, tribe, race and nation needs heroes. Heroes give us someone to look up to. Heroes inspire us and provide a model and standard for people to aspire to. They represent what is best in us, the qualities of courage, determination, perseverance and humility and, yes, talent and intelligence. The first qualities listed are a necessity but the latter two are not. The most ordinary person is capable of being a hero.
Lionel Rose, Australian boxer. Lionel Rose was born in the early 1940s. He was one of Australia's most successful boxers. Lionel grew up in an Aboriginal settlement called Jackson's Track in Victoria. When Lionel was growing up he studied his father, who was also a boxer. Lionel saw boxing as an escape from the poor living in the country. He ended up winning his first Australian amateur flyweight title when he was just 15. One of Lionel's greatest achievements was winning a world title. Although he was not the first Aboriginal to win a world title he was the first boxer to do so. Rose won the bantamweight title in 1968 against Harada from Japan. He was also only the second Australian to win a world title while still in his teens. After Lionel missed out on the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, Rose turned professional. He was trained by a Melbourne trainer named Jack Rennie. Rose entered in a fight against Rocky Gattellari at Sydney stadium. Everybody was behind Rocky Gattellari but when Lionel Rose knocked him out in round 13 the fans had a new hero. When Lionel went to Japan to fight Harada, Harada already had five successful title defences to his credit. Harada was given advice that if he hit an Aboriginal in the legs he would fall immediately. He ignored the advice and hit him in the head, but this had no effect. In the ninth round Harada dropped to his knees from a short left punch to his chin. He then opened himself to more and more punishment and Lionel went on to win that fight. Lionel Rose became a symbolic figure in the interracial politics of the times. He won his world title just a few months after the referendum which gave the Australian government new powers to advance Aboriginal rights.
Lionel was 16 when he made his professional boxing debut, and at 18 he won the Australian bantamweight title. At 19, we know that he went on to win the fight against Fighting Harada. He gained a considerable amount of weight and moved up several classes to the lightweight, but he was unable to emulate his success as a bantamweight and retired in 1976.
Lionel Rose grew up in hardship, learning to box from his father, Roy, a useful fighter on the tent-show circuit. Lionel Rose began his professional boxing career on September 1964, outpointing Mario Magriss over eight rounds. The fight was in Warragul, but the majority of Rose's fights were held in Melbourne. He lived in Melbourne with Jack and Shirley Rennie, training every day in their backyard gym.
His defeat of Harada made Rose an instant national hero in Australia, and an icon among Aboriginal people. He responded well to the public reception at Melbourne Town Hall, which was witnessed by a crowd of more than 2,000. The parade had more than 250,000 and at a point later when he was interviewed he acknowledged the impact of that crowd on him and the success that he had achieved.
Lionel Rose of course was Australian of the Year in 1968, the first Aboriginal person to be awarded the honour. In 1996, Rose presented young burns-attack victim Tjandamurra O'Shane with his world-title belt, helping to speed the youngster's recovery. Tjandamurra had been the victim of a racially charged attack in Cairns the previous year. In 2007 Lionel Rose suffered a stroke that left him with speech and movement difficulties.
Lionel grew up in an Aboriginal settlement called Jackson's Track near the Gippsland town of Drouin in the 1940s. Born into a large family with tight budgets Lionel was forced to bring in money to support his eight younger brothers and sisters.
He instantly looked to his father, a professional boxer in the travelling tent-show circuit. Tragically Lionel's father and greatest boxing mentor died when he was 14 before he could see his son fight professionally.
I went from nothing to something, you know what I mean … in an instant ... I got the shock of my life
“He saw one amateur fight and I won that." Lionel says. "Of course he was over the moon about that. He used to talk all the time about the boxing he showed me the real fundamentals of it. So by the time I got to the gym I trained under another fella named Frank Oakes; actually ended up marrying his daughter too.”
Lionel's path to glory was not as straight forward. A young country boy taken swiftly to the bright lights of Melbourne. From small-time bouts to a chance at the big time.
“I went from nothing to something, you know what I mean…in an instant. When we got back to Melbourne so many people lined the streets to welcome you home at the town hall. And that’s a memory that will never disappear from my mind. I got the shock of my life anyway. Especially because there were only 10 to see us off when we went over there to fight for the title.”
“I wanted to go home after a fortnight, I couldn’t hack the noise it was all that." Lionel says. "You know the city and the country it’s all differences you know. I was 16 or 17 and I couldn’t be doing the things that other 16 year olds do today."
I ended up cutting the song at Armstrong Studios in South Melbourne and blow me down it became number one within a fortnight. And it stayed at number one for 32 weeks.
"I had to be up at 6 o’clock running, I had to go to work during the day and then come home and train and then into bed again, I did that for six years… But it made a name for me and I’ve met some terrific people in my travels.”
“That was in Los Angeles, we went out to MGM studios with Elvis Presley for about three hours. I was in awe of him anyway. We were the first allowed on his set in 10 years.”
But singing was to be Lionel's triumph too. Who would have thought the poor boy from Jackson’s track could progress from the musical domain of his lounge room to the heights of the Australian musical charts with the song 'Pick me up on your way down'.
“I did a show on Channel Seven called Sunny Side Up and sung a song called Pick me up on your way down." Lionel says. "Anyhow, Johnny Young came around to the gym and look he said ‘I’ve got a song here, I’d like to record if you want to do it?’ I said ‘Nah I’m not into that I only sing in the bathroom or in the lounge room with the brothers and sisters’."
"But he persevered and I ended up cutting the song at Armstrong Studios in South Melbourne and blow me down it became number one within a fortnight. And it stayed at number one for 32 weeks that song."
But now, 25 years after he stepped out of the ring for the last time he has finally got his wish and returned to his roots in Gippsland.
“Well I’m doing good at the moment, thank you very much. It’s all clear ahead so I’m just enjoying life at the moment.”
“My mum only lives 5 mile away in Drouin so I’m back with my family, and I really am enjoying life immensely at the moment. I’ve got a hell of a lot of friends here, so there’s no shortage of that you know.”
“I’ve got fond memories of growing up here. They were probably the best times in my life. But life wasn’t too hard, we lived in a community, there were uncles and aunties living next door and down the road a bit so it was a family thing.”
“If you go down the track a bit and you look back, you realise that the days at Jacksons track were black tea and damper days but the fond memories I have of it are incredible.”
Lionel Rose never lost his connections to his community nor his family. He cherished the times when he was boxing at the height of his career and many of the memories he shared with those of us who he knew. But equally he was as content back within his community, because the memories of where you grow up, your totems and the significance of the land around you, becomes important.
Lionel, you gave all Australians a hero to be proud of. In keeping with the lyrics of your song, thank you for being you. Rest in peace in the presence of the Almighty.
I think Lionel Rose showed indigenous Australians that they could achieve anything if they worked hard, but he was an inspiration for all Australians.
It seems incredible that on the same day Lionel Rose leaves us Daniel Geale becomes a world champion.
Daniel is very proud of his indigenous background and the way was opened for Daniel by Lionel Rose and Tony Mundine. They were great role models. I think Lionel Rose showed Indigenous Australians that they could achieve anything if they worked hard, but he was an inspiration to all Australians.
That further proceedings be conducted in the House.
I have taken some details from the Sydney Morning Herald article by Gerry Carman, which gives us an insight into the man who was referred to as 'the last of the last':
As a centenarian, he retained a sense of humour, insisting a laugh was good for the senses and the soul. Asked the secret of his longevity, he responded: ''Don't die.''
He was also the oldest man living in Australia when he died.
Towards the end, a degenerative eye disorder, exacerbated by a fall, meant Choules relied on touch. But overall, he appeared to be in remarkably good health.
His daughter, Anne Pow, attributed his long life to his overall fitness, healthy lifestyle and a happy, contented disposition that allowed him to eat and sleep well to the end.
He didn't own a car until he was 50 and rode a bicycle everywhere. And, his wife, Ethel, a children's nurse, ensured the family always had a healthy, balanced diet long before modern health fads took hold.
Claude Stanley Choules, who held dual British and Australian nationality, was born on March 3, 1901, at Wyre Piddle, Pershore, in Worcestershire, one of five children of Madelin and Henry, a haberdasher and gambler. His mother abandoned the family when he was a young child - for many years he thought she had died - and his older brothers were sent to different family homes while his father raised him and his sisters, Phyllis and Gwen. This would later shape his make-up as a considerate, conscientious and attentive father, polite to all.
Choules dropped out of school at 14 and fibbed about his age to join the navy in 1915. The previous year he had tried to join the army as a bugle boy when he learnt that his brothers, Douglas and Leslie, were serving in the British Army. Both had fought at Gallipoli before going on to fight on the Western Front in France, where Douglas was gassed and died a year later and Leslie won the Military Medal for bravery.
After initial training on HMS Impregnable, at one time a 140-gun square-rigged wooden battleship, Choules served in the North Sea on HMS Revenge, flagship of the Royal Navy's first battle squadron.
He witnessed two historic events at the end of the Great War: the surrender of the Imperial German Navy at the Firth of Forth off Scotland's east coast, on November 21, 1918, 10 days after the armistice; and he was present at Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands on June 21, 1919, when German admiral Ludwig von Reuter ordered his interned fleet to be scuttled. Preventive action limited the scuttling to 52 of the 74 ships.
Between 1920 and 1923, Choules served in the Mediterranean before being seconded with 11 other Royal Navy personnel to come to Australia in 1926 on loan to the RAN as an instructor at Flinders Naval Depot on the Mornington Peninsula.
On the way to Australia, on the passenger ship SS Diogenes, Choules met Ethel Wildgoose, a Scot on her way to Melbourne, and they married not long after.
Choules asked for a permanent transfer to the RAN. He returned to Britain for courses to qualify as a chief torpedo and anti-submarine instructor and he was also on duty for the construction of the RAN's heavy cruisers, Australia and Canberra. He was part of the commissioning crew of HMAS Canberra, in which he served until 1931.
Choules took his discharge from the RAN that year but remained in the reserve; he rejoined the RAN the following year as a torpedo and anti-submarine instructor, with the rank of chief petty officer. During World War II, he served as the RAN's senior demolition expert in Western Australia. Early in the war, he disposed of the first German mine to wash up on Australia's shores, near Esperance in Western Australia. During the dark days of 1942, he set explosives to blow up oil tanks and placed depth charges in ships unable to leave Fremantle Harbour in anticipation of a Japanese landing.
Had the Japanese invaded, he would also have had to ride a bicycle about 500 kilometres south to Albany to blow up harbour facilities there.
He remained in the RAN after the war and transferred to the Naval Dockyard Police, which enabled him to stay in the service until 1956, five years longer than regulations allowed for RAN ratings, who had to retire at 50.
But Choules was not done with the sea. He bought a crayfish boat and spent 10 years fishing with Ethel. He also shot rabbits and culled kangaroos - until he saw the film Bambi .
Despite his military record, Choules became a pacifist. He was known to have disagreed with the celebration of Australia's most important war memorial holiday, Anzac Day, and refused to march in annual commemoration parades.
An excellent ballroom dancer, he had pumps made for his whirls across the dance floor doing the foxtrot, which he taught his daughters and grandchildren. He also loved to play the mouth organ; not surprisingly, his favourite tunes were seas shanties, including What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor ?
Ethel Choules died in 2006, aged 98, and Claude spent his last years at the Gracewood Hostel at Salter Point in Perth.
His death follows that of American Frank Buckles, who died in February, also aged 110, and who, until then, had been the oldest surviving veteran of World War I. He'd been an ambulance driver near the Western Front. … Claude Choules is survived by his children, Daphne, Anne and Adrian, 13 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
As young Australians it became incredibly emotional for us to experience first hand the physical and spiritual presence they left behind … those graves are ultimately a profound and visual statement depicting the sacrifice that each and every one of them gave for us.'
Philip Ball and all the thousands of other Australians, I say to you: You did not die in vain. We made this pilgrimage to honour your sacrifice. We will never forget.
I am pleased to say that we have, particularly in the Federal coalition and in the New South Wales parliamentary National Country Party, of which I was a member, a very happy and very close association with anti-socialist policies which are so important to us.
… elected to carry on in the service of his electorate. I salute his service to this Parliament and to the widest range of community groups he represents. Nothing was too small or too large for Bruce to undertake. He finetuned my process of representation when I was a very young and new member of the New South Wales Parliament.
In a sense he showed me the 'two-minute Tim' trick: the ability to be available in front of a post office or a council chamber and do a fair dinkum tour of one's electorate, being readily available to everybody.
Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 2) Bill 2011
International Tax Agreements Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2011
I believe income taxes are responsible for the transformation of the federal government from one of limited powers into a vast leviathan whose tentacles reach into almost every aspect of American life.
How is the Government going to build on official development assistance policies covered by the current Water and Sanitation Initiative after its funding expires in June 2011, specifically: (a) what amount of funding will be allocated to water, sanitation and hygiene in the aid program in (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13, and (iii) 2013-14; (b) how will water, sanitation and hygiene be integrated into the Government's priority programs of health and education; and (c) how many of the schools constructed with Australian official development assistance include the required number of child-friendly toilets for girls and boys, and safe drinking water supplies.
(a) Future allocations of Australian Official Development Assistance, including for water, sanitation and hygiene, will be considered in the context of the 2011-12 Budget.
(b) Australia's approach to development assistance in education emphasises that school infrastructure should meet basic standards, including separate sanitation facilities for girls and boys. This is integrated into the design process for AusAID programs. The inclusion of appropriate sanitation facilities in schools will contribute to achieving education targets and should decrease the incidence of diarrhoeal disease, which prevents children from attending school. Appropriate facilities also assist greater enrolment of girls in education. Water and sanitation programs are part of a broader approach to improve children's health, which also includes supporting vaccine initiatives and access to basic health care.
(c) While AusAID does not collect statistics on the number of schools with child-friendly toilets and safe drinking water supplies constructed using Australian Official Development Assistance, toilets and water supplies are typically included in the construction projects. For example, in Kiribati, AusAID supported the construction of a specially designed toilet block which has made it safer for technical and vocational education and training students and teachers to attend school, including students with disabilities. Also in Kiribati, AusAID has commenced an education program which includes rehabilitating government schools to meet the National Infrastructure Standards and is working jointly with United Nations agencies to improve water and sanitation facilities on schools on the Outer Islands. In Nauru, all six infant and primary schools have been fully refurbished with improved water and sanitation facilities. In Laos Australia contributed to the construction of 125 primary schools with toilets and water supplies between 2007 and 2010. Additionally, Australia funded the construction of 258 latrines and 300 water supplies for primary schools in Laos through the Access to Basic Education program between 2006 and 2011. In Indonesia schools built with Australian support include separate toilet facilities for girls and boys. Since 2008 all schools built in Indonesia with Australian support have ramps and accessible toilets for children with disabilities, making more than 1,000 schools more accessible. The Government of Indonesia now requires all new schools to have disabled access, including toilets, as a result of Australia including disability access in Australia Indonesia Basic Education Program schools.
(1) Is the Minister aware that entire rural communities like Hideaway and Dingo Beach in the Whitsundays and Guthalungra (just north-west of Bowen) are going to be left without easy access to digital television when the switchover happens in 2011.
(2) What action is the Minister taking to remedy this inequity, specifically, would the Government consider funding the upgrade (to digital) of local blackspot transmitters in these areas (currently managed by local councils) so that residents can receive digital television at no extra cost to residents in city areas.
(3) If no action will be taken to remedy this inequity, how does the Minister justify the fact that residents in these regional communities will have to pay extra for both set-top boxes and satellite transmitters in order to receive digital television, when everyone else will receive it for just the price of a set-top box.
(1) No communities will be left without easy access to digital television when digital switchover happens in regional Queensland in late 2011. Residents in areas without access to a broadcaster operated transmitter, such as Dingo Beach, Hideaway Bay and Guthalungra, will be able to receive the full range of 16 digital television services and a local news service by way of the new government-funded direct to home Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) service.
(2) The government is not generally funding the upgrade of self help towers. The government is providing funding for the delivery of digital television to people throughout Australia without access to broadcaster-operated transmitters through the VAST service.
There is no local black spot transmitter designed to serve the area in which Guthalungra lies however viewers here will be able to receive digital television via VAST.
Hideaway Bay and Dingo Beach both rely for their analog television on a terrestrial retransmission of the remote broadcasters' Aurora satellite service. This means they currently only receive four television channels: ABC Queensland, SBS Queensland and the remote area commercial channels of Southern Cross Seven and Imparja Nine, with none of the local regional news services broadcast by the commercial broadcasters in the Queensland Central Coast and Whitsundays licence area. Under VAST, they will have access to their local news on WIN, SCM and 7 and receive the full range of 16 digital channels. This is the equivalent level of content as Australia's metropolitan centres and most regional areas.
In addition to the significant improvement in their television content, VAST will also alleviate the financial burden on local communities such as Hideaway Bay and Dingo Beach in running and maintaining a local terrestrial self-help transmitter.
Broadcasters are converting some self help facilities to digital. The choice of facilities to be converted is a matter for broadcasters. Communities will retain the option of converting their self-help facilities to digital themselves because they are not being converted by the broadcasters, rather than accessing the VAST service, but must make their own arrangements to assess and implement this option.
(3) Residents in communities that currently receive their television services through self help facilities that are not being converted to digital by broadcasters, such as Dingo Beach and Hideaway Bay, will be eligible to receive assistance to convert to the VAST service under the government's Satellite Subsidy Scheme.
Under the Satellite Subsidy Scheme, eligible households will pay a predetermined co-payment—which is expected to be between $200 and $350—directly to the installer. The co-payment will be fixed as part of the contract between the Government and the service providers, and households will be clearly advised of this co-payment in advance of the installations taking place. Contracts have not yet been entered into for installations in regional Queensland, so final co-payment amounts have not yet been determined.
After this initial outlay, Dingo Beach and Hideaway Bay residents will face few if any further costs to receive the VAST service, and the Whitsunday Shire Council, which operates the Dingo Beach retransmission facility, will no longer have to bear the capital and ongoing costs associated with the retransmission of all commercial and national channels.
Guthalungra is an area which has always had poor terrestrial television coverage because broadcasters have not established a local transmitter to serve the area. Some people in the area may already be receiving their television services through the existing Aurora direct to home satellite service. These people may convert to VAST now for the cost of the VAST set top box. Other viewers in the area will have to purchase a satellite dish and a VAST set top box to receive the VAST service. This is no different from the situation for viewers in metropolitan areas who have to go to the VAST service because they are unable to receive a terrestrial signal.
(1) How many (a) mobile phones, (b) blackberries and (c) I-Pads are currently allocated to the (i) Minister, and (ii) the Minister's ministerial staff.
(2) In respect of mobile phone usage between (a) 3 December 2007 and 24 November 2010, and (b) 24 June 2010 and 24 November 2010, what was the total cost for (a) the Minister, and (b) the Minister's ministerial staff.
(3) For each month since December 2007, what was the cost of mobile phone usage for each mobile phone account allocated to the (a) Minister, and (b) Minister's ministerial staff.
(1) (a) and (b) The following table sets out how many mobile phones and blackberries were allocated to the Minister and the Minister's ministerial staff as at 25 November 2010:
(c) One I-Pad had been allocated as of 25 November 2010.
(2)
Minister for Foreign Affairs
(a) Between 3 December 2007 and 24 November 2010, the total cost of mobile phone usage was:
(b) Between 24 June 2010 and 24 November 2010, the total cost of mobile phone usage was:
Minister for Trade
(a) Between 3 December 2007 and 24 November 2010, the total cost of mobile phone usage was:
(b) Between 24 June 2010 and 24 November 2010, the total cost of mobile phone usage was:
(3) The attached tables provide the costs, for each month since December 2007, of mobile phone usage for each mobile phone account allocated to (a) the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Trade, and (b) ministerial staff of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Trade.
A copy of the attachment can be obtained from the House of Representatives Tables Office
(1) How many
(a) mobile phones,
(b) Blackberries and
(c) iPads are currently allocated to the
(i) Minister, and
(ii) the Minister's ministerial staff.
(2) In respect of mobile phone usage between
(a) 3 December 2007 and 24 November 2010, and
(b) 24 June 2010 and 24 November 2010, what was the total cost for
(a) the Minister, and
(b) the Minister's ministerial staff.
(3) For each month since December 2007, what was the cost of mobile phone usage for each mobile phone account allocated to the
(a) Minister, and
(b) Minister's ministerial staff.
(1) (i) The following is currently allocated by the Department to the Minister:
(a) mobile phones: 0
(b) Blackberries: 1
(c) iPads: 1
(ii) The following is currently allocated to the Minister's staff:
(a) mobile phones: 0
(b) Blackberries: 5
(c) iPads: 0
(2) (i) In respect of mobile phone usage, the total cost for the Minister between
(a) December 2007 and November 2010, inclusive, was $3,994.07
(b) July 2010 and November 2010, inclusive, was $ 156.03
(ii) In respect of mobile phone usage, the total cost for the Minister's staff between
(a) December 2007 and November 2010, inclusive, was $41,004.59
(b) July 2010 and November 2010, inclusive, was $ 5,010.79.
Note: Total costs are based on usage for the full month in each case.
(3) For each month since December 2007, the cost of mobile phone usage for each mobile phone account allocated to the:
Minister:
* The account for the Minister's phone was not transferred from the Department of Health and Ageing to the Department of Veterans' Affairs until January 2011.
Minister's staff:
Similar to the residents in the Mildura/Sunraysia region in Victoria, will residents in remote areas of Mid-North Coast NSW be able to access digital television via Viewer Access Satellite Television while they await the digital switchover due to commence in two years; if not, why not.
In June 2010, the Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Television) Act 2010 (the Digital Television Act) amended the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (the BSA) to facilitate the delivery of commercial digital television services by satellite to viewers in areas of inadequate digital terrestrial reception. The services licensed under section 38C of the BSA are collectively known as the Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) service.
To preserve the integrity of existing commercial television licence areas, access to the VAST satellite service is subject to conditional access arrangements.
The Digital Television Act introduced policy objectives for a conditional access scheme for the VAST service. The policy objectives identify several categories of access to the VAST service as follows:
Viewers in Category A can access the VAST service from its commencement. Viewers in Category B or Category C cannot be granted access to the VAST service until six months before switchover in their area.
The purpose of these timeframes is to allow commercial terrestrial broadcasters time to rollout their planned digital terrestrial infrastructure before switchover. The commercial broadcasters have agreed to upgrade a number of analog self-help retransmission sites to digital and to rollout a number of gap-fillers to improve the coverage of digital television. The commercial broadcasters will upgrade the self-help retransmission sites at Long Flat and Telegraph Point on the mid-North NSW Coast and rollout a gap-filler at Bonny Hills. The final list of sites to be converted by the broadcasters is subject to negotiation between the licensee of the site and the broadcasters, and will depend on detailed assessments of the commercial or technical viability of the sites. If, six months before switchover in a licence area, a viewer is still unable to receive adequate digital terrestrial reception, they will be eligible to apply to access the VAST service.
This means that viewers on the mid-North Coast that reside in the Remote and Central Eastern Australia licence area are able to immediately apply to the scheme administrator to access the VAST service. Viewers on the mid-North Coast that reside in the Northern New South Wales licence area will be eligible to apply for VAST service six months before switchover in their licence area which is in the second half of 2012. Viewers are able to check their eligibility for the VAST service, by visiting the mySwitch website at:
www.digitalready.gov.au/MySwitch.aspx.
As the Mildura/Sunraysia licence area switched to digital-only television signals on 30 June 2010, residents in the Mildura/Sunraysia licence area who are unable to receive adequate reception of terrestrial digital commercial television services are eligible to apply to access the VAST service now. Similarly, viewers who cannot receive adequate digital terrestrial reception in the regional South Australia licence areas and the regional Victoria licence areas, which are due to switchover on 5 May 2011, are also eligible to apply to access the VAST service.
(1) Without identifying any individual medical practices or any individual medical practitioner, how many Medicare provider numbers have been issued in total to the (a) eight GP Super Clinics which are operational, (b) remaining 28 GP Super Clinics from 2007-08 election commitments which are not yet operational, and (c) 28 GP Super Clinics which are 2010-11 commitments.
(2) How many of the provider numbers in part (1) have been issued to medical practitioners who are recognised as general practitioners by Medicare Australia.
(3) How many services have been billed to Medicare against the provider numbers in (a) part (1), and (b) part (2).
(1) The GP Super Clinics Program does not collect this information. The Australian Government does not own or operate GP Super Clinics and recruitment and engagement of service providers is the responsibility of the owner/operator of each clinic. Provider number registration is therefore a matter for the owner/operator and the individual health professionals.
(2) Refer to (1) above.
(3) Refer to (1) above. Under the GP Super Clinics Program, self reported data is collected on patient presentations to GPs and allied health professionals. This data is not collected on the basis of Medicare/non-Medicare services. This reflects more completely the multidisciplinary nature of the services being provided in GP Super Clinics, some of which are not Medicare eligible services.
(1) Without identifying any individual medical practices or any individual medical practitioner, how many Medicare provider numbers have been issued in total to the (a) eight GP Super Clinics which are operational, (b) remaining 28 GP Super Clinics from 2007-08 election commitments which are not yet operational, and (c) 28 GP Super Clinics which are 2010-11 commitments.
(2) How many of the provider numbers in part (1) have been issued to medical practitioners who are recognised as general practitioners by Medicare Australia.
(3) How many services have been billed to Medicare against the provider numbers in (a) part (1), and (b) part (2).
(1) The GP Super Clinics Program does not collect this information. The Australian Government does not own or operate GP Super Clinics and recruitment and engagement of service providers is the responsibility of the owner/operator of each clinic. Provider number registration is therefore a matter for the owner/operator and the individual health professionals.
(2) Refer to (1) above.
(3) Refer to (1) above. Under the GP Super Clinics Program, self reported data is collected on patient presentations to GPs and allied health professionals. This data is not collected on the basis of Medicare/non-Medicare services. This reflects more completely the multidisciplinary nature of the services being provided in GP Super Clinics, some of which are not Medicare eligible services.
For each of the eight GP Super Clinics that are operational, on what days of the week and over what span of hours is a general practitioner available to see patients.
There are currently ten GP Super Clinics that are operational. The following table identifies GP availability in relation to these GP Super Clinic opening hours.
In respect of trade missions and consulates in the United States of America (USA) during 2010-11: (a) how many staff in his department are located in (i) the USA, and (ii) Australia, but supporting his department's operations in the USA; (b) what staffing costs are associated with part (a)(i) and (ii); (c) how many staff from Australian Government departments other than his are supporting his department's operations in the USA; (d) how many consultants are engaged by his department in the USA, and at what cost; and (e) what is the total budgeted expenditure for his department's operations in the USA, and what sum has been spent to date.
(a) (i) 45 Australian-based DFAT employees and 112 locally-engaged employees (as at 31 January 2011).
(ii) There are 10 departmental officers currently working in the United States Branch of Americas and Africa Division (AAD) (as at 31 January 2011).
(b) (i) From 1 July 2010 to 31 January 2011 DFAT incurred $7,026,957 in salaries and entitlements expenses for Australian-based staff in the USA.
(ii) From 1 July 2010 to 31 January 2011 DFAT incurred $741,170 in salaries and entitlements expenses for staff in Australia supporting DFAT's operations in the USA.
(c) There are 212 Australian Government employees from departments and agencies other than DFAT deployed in support of the work of Australian embassies, trade missions and consulates in the USA.
(d) Details of all contracts entered into by the department (including consultants) are compiled biannually in the Senate Order on Government Agency Contracts (the "Murray Report"). Details of the "Murray Report" for calendar year 2010 can be found at http://www.dfat.gov.au/dept/contracts/ and a report covering the 2010-11 financial year will be compiled after 30 June 2011.
(e) From 1 July 2010 to 31 January 2011 DFAT incurred $16,662,671 in operating expenses for operations in the USA and is planning further expenditure of $10,567,496 from 1 February 2011 to 30 June 2011 (post operating costs only, excludes A-based salaries and entitlements).
In respect of the Advisory Group on Reform of Australian Government Administration's report Ahead of the Game: Blueprint for the reform of Australian Government administration (March 2010, page 44), has the Policy Implementation Network been formed; if so, has it met to consider lessons learned from the Home Insulation Program, the Green Loans Program and the Building the Education Revolution program; if so, what was the outcome.
Planning for the formation of the APS Implementation Network is underway and is being progressed in conjunction with a broader capability development agenda. It is expected that the first meeting of the Network will be held in May 2011.
(a) Refer to Attachment A. Noting that the locations for the GP Super Clinics were determined against five different criteria:
Poor access to health services;
Poor health infrastructure;
Where a GP Super Clinic could help take pressure off emergency departments;
High levels of chronic disease and/or populations with high needs, such as large numbers of children or the elderly; and
Areas currently experiencing, or anticipated to experience, rapid population growth.
(b) This information is confidential under the secrecy provisions (Section 130) of the Health Insurance Act 1973 as it would provide activity and billing information for individual medical practices.
(c) Refer to (b) above.
Attachment A
For each of the 64 locations of the GP Super Clinics, (a) what sum has been spent on (i) funding for capital works, (ii) recurrent funding, and (iii) relocation incentives, and (b) what proportion (as a percentage) of the total amount of funding available has been paid to the funding recipients.
Noting—Of the 64 GP Super Clinics, expenditure to date relates to the original 36 GP Super Clinics. The processes in place for the additional 28 GP Super Clinics were identified by the Minister in her media release of 28 October 2010. These processes are proceeding.
The following figures reflect recurrent funding and relocation incentives at an aggregated level only as there are commercial-in-confidence and privacy protection considerations in releasing these figures on an individual clinic level.
(a) and (b) As at the end of February 2011, a total of $127,316,804.55 (GST exclusive) GP Super Clinics grant funding had been provided (representing 70.1% of total funding available for the first tranche of 36 GP Super Clinics), including:
(i) a total of $126,689,204.55 in funding for capital works;
(ii) a total of $625,000 for recurrent funding; and
(iii) a total of $2,600 for relocation incentives.
Of the $280.2 M allocated to the 2007-08 GP Super Clinics Program, what sum has already been paid to the funding recipients.
The $280.2 M allocated to the GP Super Clinic Program assumed an amount for Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) flow ons. Therefore of the total, $181.7 M was specified for grant funding. Of this, approximately $127 M has been paid to funding recipients to date against milestones outlined in the relevant Funding Agreements.
In total and at each location of the nine operational GP Super Clinics, how many (a) services have been delivered, (b) GP services have been delivered, (c) allied care services have been delivered, and what type of allied health care, and (d) specialist medical services have been delivered.
There are currently 10 operational GP Super Clinics. The Department of Health and Ageing provides self reported numbers of service presentations at an aggregated level only. Self reported services numbers for individual clinics are not made publicly available as:
(i) there are commercial-in-confidence and privacy protection considerations around releasing data at the individual clinic level; and
(ii) service numbers are not comparable (depending on when the Clinics commenced services, the size of the community, the number of service providers engaged etc) and could be open to misinterpretation.
(a) As at the end of January 2011, the GP Super Clinics reported over 280,000 presentations at these clinics. This includes those clinics which have offered early services prior to officially opening.
(b) Of the services at (a) above, over 196,000 were GP services.
(c) Of the services at (a) above, approximately 84,000 were allied health services. The self reported data is aggregated at an overall allied health level and does not specify the types of allied health care.
(d) The GP Super Clinics program is aimed at supporting integrated, multidisciplinary, patient centred, primary health care services. Medical specialist services are not classified as primary care and are therefore not specifically captured.
In respect of the Government's commitment to primary care infrastructure upgrades—
(1) What total sum of funding is currently available.
(2) What total sum of funding has been allocated to (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14, and (e) financial years beyond 2013-14.
(3) In respect of the Australian Standard Geographical Classification—Remoteness Areas (RA), will there be a limit by (a) number, (b) dollar value, or (c) share of available funding, to the projects funded under this program in: (i) non-capital city RA1, (ii) capital city RA1, (iii) RA2, (iv) RA3, (v) RA4, and (vi) RA5.
(1) The Primary Care Infrastructure Grants initiative comprises $117 million in total for 2010-2011 and 2011-2012.
(2) The sum of funds allocated to primary care infrastructure grants is approximately $64.5 million for 2010-2011 grant round and approximately $52.5 million for 2011-2012 grant round.
(3) Under the agreement between the Australian Labor Party and the Independent Members, Mr Tony Windsor and Mr Rob Oakeshott, $41 million of the $117 million available for Primary Care Infrastructure grants was allocated for regional Australia. This $41 million is being provided through grant rounds in 2010-11 and 2011-12.
Under the 2010-11 grant round, approximately $31.4 million has been allocated to shortlisted applicants. The remainder of the commitment, approximately $9.6 million, is anticipated to be provided through the 2011-12 grant round.
In respect of the Building Better Regional Cities Program:
(1) What total sum of funding is currently available.
(2) What total sum of funding has been allocated to (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14, and (e) financial years beyond 2013-14.
(3) In respect of the Australian Standard Geographical Classification—Remoteness Areas (RA), will there be a limit by (a) number, (b) dollar value, or (c) share of available funding, to the projects funded under this program in: (i) non-capital city RA1, (ii) capital city RA1, (iii) RA2, (iv) RA3, (v) RA4, and (vi) RA5.
The total amount of funding available is $100 million in administered funds and $3.05 million in departmental funds.
The total sum of funding available per financial year is as follows:
No. It is not envisaged that remote area categories will be used to allocate funding under this program.
(1) What is the Government doing about the major shortcomings in the current mental health system in Mackay, reported in the ABC's program Four Corners on 9 August 2010.
(2) Given the above issues, and Mackay's proactive Division of General Practice particularly in relation to mental health, why was Mackay not chosen to be part of the recent Mental Health Forum.
(3) Why has there been no increase in the Medicare incentive payments under the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program (MHNIP) since its inception by the previous Government almost five years ago.
(4) Why are nurses working under the MHNIP still paid the same money as almost five years ago when in that time, there has been a number of increases in wages to almost every other sector of the community.
(5) Why is mental health nursing no longer a recognised speciality area under the national registration scheme.
(1) Mental health is an important component of the Government's second term agenda. At the COAG meeting of 13 February 2011, COAG agreed to consider mental health at its next meeting. Work on future mental health reform options for discussion by COAG is currently underway. To assist in informing Commonwealth consideration of reform options, the Government is undertaking a broad stakeholder engagement strategy (including consulting with the National Advisory Council on Mental Health, establishing a Mental Health Expert Working Group, national forums with mental health consumers and carers, and receiving written comment and feedback). This will assist in informing the development of a cohesive strategy for mental health reform to provide a more effective and sustainable system over the long term for all Australians affected by mental illness.
Under the Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) initiative the Department of Health and Ageing engages Divisions of General Practice to allow GPs to refer patients who have been diagnosed as having a common mental disorder such as depression or anxiety, of mild to moderate severity, to an allied health professional to provide short term focused psychological strategies services. Under its current funding agreement, Mackay Division of General Practice will receive $418,632.63 (GST Inc) to provide ATAPS services for 2010-11.
New arrangements under a second tier of funding have been introduced to allow ATAPS to be more flexible and target particular situations and needs, including the need for psychological services associated with disasters. On 2 March 2011 Mackay Division of General Practice submitted a proposal for additional funding to assist people affected by the 2010 Queensland floods and cyclone Yasi. This proposal is currently being considered by the Department.
In the 2010-11 Budget the Government committed $58.5 million to provide funding for flexible care packages of clinical and care coordination services to better support up to 25,000 people with severe mental illness in the community. An additional $60 million was committed under the Mental Health: Taking Action to Tackle Suicide election commitment package for non-clinical support services such as structured social activities, personal helpers and respite services for carers to enhance the flexible care packages and to enable wrap around care to be tailored to the needs of the individual.
The Government has also begun to roll out eight highly-targeted programs ($113.2 million) as part of the $274 million (over four years) Mental Health: Taking Action to Tackle Suicide election commitment package. This package includes $115 million to boost frontline services and provide more services to those at greatest risk of suicide, including psychology and psychiatry services and including the non-clinical support to assist people with severe mental illness and carers with day-to-day needs. The Mackay Division of General Practice is expected to receive additional funding under this new measure in 2011-12.
(2) I have held 14 face to face forums around the country with mental health consumers and carers to hear their views on options for progressing mental health reform into the future. The Mental Health Council of Australia (MHCA) coordinated the arrangements for the forums including invitations. A list of the dates and locations of the forums is below:
I also heard views from young people during an online forum hosted by the Inspire Foundation on 8 December 2010.
There was a high level of interest in attending these forums, and to ensure those who could not attend had an avenue to express their views, members of the public and interested organisations were also invited to provide submissions about future mental health reform options. The closing date for submissions was 15 February 2011.
(3) The Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program provides incentive payments to eligible organisations, including Divisions of General Practice and private psychiatry practices, that engage mental health nurses to provide coordinated clinical care to patients with severe and persistent mental illness.
The Program is structured as an incentive based program to encourage eligible organisations to engage the services of mental health nurses and is not intended to provide a full wage subsidy.
The Program continues to grow under the current level of incentive payments.
(4) Under the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program, incentive payments are made to the eligible organisation. Wages are negotiated between the organisation and the mental health nurse.
(5) Decisions relating to the recognition of nurse specialty areas are taken by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, which is the organisation vested with standard setting for the regulation of nursing and midwifery under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme.
In respect of Bankruptcy Number 5091/1998 of Queensland, why did the Official Receiver of the Insolvency Trustee Service of Australia sign the applicant's debtor's petition when on page
(a) 9 of that petition, it showed a District Court judgement and costs order of 1 September 1998 against the applicant, and
(b) 19 of that petition,
(ii) the applicant was asked to provide all summonses and writs to the trustee and therefore should have shown the Official Receiver that there was one summons to appear in Townsville Court on 9 October 1998, and a writ for possession of the applicant's assets,
(iii) it showed the applicant's assets had been transferred to the applicant's own trustee company for $1 406 000 on 25 September 1998, and
(iv) it showed that the applicant had gained a cash surplus of $360 000 as a result of a transfer of assets which was allegedly invested in a superannuation fund on 25 September 1998.
I am advised by the Insolvency and Trustee Service Australia (ITSA) that a debtor's petition signed by the bankrupt (Bankruptcy Number 5091/1998) and dated 7 October 1998 was presented under subsection 55(1) of the Bankruptcy Act 1966 ('the Act') to ITSA on 9 October 1998 and accepted by the Official Receiver's delegate at 9.48am on that date. The petition was endorsed accordingly as required by subsection 55(4A) of the Act.
The petition was not rejected under subsection 55(3) of the Act, which sets out when the Official Receiver may reject a petition, as it complied with the approved form, was accompanied by a Statement of Affairs which the Official Receiver's delegate did not consider to be inadequate. I am advised there were no grounds on which it could be legally rejected by the Official Receiver.
In respect of Bankruptcy Number 5091/1998 of Queensland,
(a) did the Insolvency Trustee Service of Australia (ITSA) consider it an offence that the applicant's cash surplus of $360 000 (that had been gained as a result of a transfer of assets and allegedly invested in a superannuation fund on 25 September 1998) was, as subsequently shown in a creditors report, to have been transferred from a trust fund to Vanuatu on 30 September 1998,
(b) when ITSA received advice from the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP) that offences had been committed by the applicant, did it refer the matter to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) as it had indicated to creditors it would,
(c) why did the matter not continue to prosecution,
(d) what written advice on this matter was given by the CDPP and the AFP,
(e) why did ITSA's trustee not comply with the findings and directions of the Federal Court on 20 August 1999 in respect of dealing with assets, and instead,
(i) not recover any assets, and
(ii) allow the applicant to carry on his business activity by receiving payments and transferring, registering and selling assets, and
(f) will ITSA's final creditors report be made available to creditors; if not, why not.
(1) What measures is the government taking to help the North Queensland fishing industry recover from the effects of Cyclone Yasi, where the catch per unit (of fishing) effort levels in affected waters have been significantly lowered.
(2) Why is the fishing industry not included in the national disaster relief arrangements.
The Australian Government is supporting the Queensland Government in providing a range of assistance to all eligible businesses and primary producers that have been affected by Tropical Cyclone Yasi under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements.
Assistance includes concessional loans of up to $250,000 to support businesses that have suffered direct damage from the cyclone. Enhanced concessional loans of $650,000 with grants of up to $50,000 are available for businesses that have suffered extreme damage. Businesses may also be eligible for clean-up and recovery grants of up to $25,000.
The Australian Government is also providing wage assistance for up to 13 weeks for businesses in the areas most heavily affected by Tropical Cyclone Yasi and who are unable to pay full wages for their employees during the recovery period. This assistance complements the Disaster Income Recovery Scheme, which provides income support to small business owners and employees whose income has been reduced as a result of the cyclone.
Fishing businesses are not specifically excluded from the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements. They are able to access the same types of assistance with the same eligibility criteria as other businesses in disaster affected areas.