The SPEAKER ( Hon. Tony Smith ) took the chair at 10:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.
Telecommunications Amendment (Guaranteeing Mobile Phone Service in Bushfire Zones) Bill 2017
That this bill be now read a second time.
Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment (Continuing the Energy Transition) Bill 2017
That this bill be now read a second time.
Commission of Inquiry (Coal Seam Gas) Bill 2017
That this bill be now read a second time.
That this House:
(1) acknowledges that the Northern Adelaide Irrigation Scheme (NAIS) has the potential to create 3,700 jobs for northern Adelaide and add more than $500 million a year to the State's economy; and
(2) calls on the Government to immediately commit to provide the $45.6 million in funding required by the South Australian Government for the NAIS to proceed.
That this House:
(1)acknowledges that Australia has a significant role in assisting countries to reduce poverty and achieve inclusive prosperity through its international aid;
(2)recognises that:
(a)every year Australian aid improves the lives of millions of people around the globe;
(b)Australia is playing a leading role in international initiatives such as the Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance; and
(c)Australia has played an important role in having the G20 Health Ministers commit to action on drug-resistant tuberculosis and the World Health Assembly endorsing action to accelerate access to vaccines;
(3)notes that:
(a)while the global community is making progress towards ending poverty, hunger and the worst epidemics, the world is facing multiple challenges of war, poverty, hunger, displaced people and climate change;
(b)in the Asia-Pacific region, 330 million people live in extreme poverty, 1.5 billion people lack access to safe sanitation, and one in 7 people suffer from malnutrition; and
(c)Australia is one of 194 countries which have endorsed the Agenda for Sustainable Development, which sets out 17 goals to eliminate poverty, improve health and achieve inclusive economic and social development; and
(4)calls on the Government to:
(a)set clear long term goals for the Australian aid program, consistent with our interests in supporting sustainable economic development, health security and poverty reduction for countries throughout our region in the forthcoming Foreign Policy White Paper, which has received more than 9,000 public submissions on a range of issues, including our aid commitments;
(b)commit to consideration of increasing Australian aid in real terms in the next four years, to support achieving these goals;
(c)build understanding within the Australian community of the work that has been achieved through Australian aid, to lift our national pride in our contribution to the world; and
(d)expand opportunities for everyday Australians to contribute in practical ways to regional development, through short work parties to exchange agricultural and practical skills in developing countries.
The acceptance by a Member of either House of a bribe to influence him in his conduct as a Member, or of any fee, compensation or reward in connection with the promotion of or opposition to any bill, resolution, matter or thing submitted or intended to be submitted to either House, or to a committee is a contempt.
No Members of the House shall, in consideration of any remuneration, fee, payment, reward or benefit in kind, direct or indirect, …advocate or initiate any cause or matter on behalf of any outside body or individual; or urge any Member of either House of Parliament, including Ministers, to do so, by means of any speech, Question, Motion, introduction of a bill, or amendment to a Motion or Bill.
… intended or likely to amount, to an improper interference with the free exercise by a House or committee of its authority or functions …
That the following matter be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests:
Whether the former Member for Dunkley, Mr Bruce Billson, by accepting an appointment as, and acting as, a paid director of the Franchise Council of Australia whilst still a Member of the House gives rise either to any issues that may constitute a contempt of the House or to any issues concerning the appropriate conduct of a Member having regard to their responsibilities to their constituents and to the public interest.
Competition and Consumer Amendment (Misuse of Market Power) Bill 2017
Education and Training Legislation Repeal Bill 2017
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Amendment Bill 2017
Petroleum and Other Fuels Reporting Bill 2017
Petroleum and Other Fuels Reporting (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2017
Public Governance and Resources Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2017
Statute Update (Winter 2017) Bill 2017
Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Measures No. 4) Bill 2017
Liquid Fuel Emergency Amendment Bill 2017
That all the words after ''That'' be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:
''whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House notes:
(1) the Government's lack of national energy policy, which is causing an investment strike in new electricity generation; and
(2) the Government's failure to ensure an adequate and affordable gas supply for Australian industry while Australia becomes the world's largest LNG exporter''
There is uncertainty about the policy environment and that is delaying investment. That is not in dispute. The investment uncertainty is not just in electricity generation; it's affecting investment decisions in other parts of the economy, because businesses aren't sure about the future price of electricity, so it's another reason to wait. We talked right at the beginning, in response to the chair's question, about why business investment isn't picking up. Some businesses say, 'Well, we're not sure what the future price of electricity is, so we'll just wait to see if that works itself out.' The higher prices of electricity are also affecting household budgets, particularly for lower income households, who spend a disproportionately high share of their income on electricity. It's crimping their budgets and having an effect on consumption …
So it would help if the Australian parliament sorted out this issue of a clean energy target and providing some policy certainty …
… I couldn't disagree with the proposition that providing some certainty about the future structure of the electricity generation industry would be useful for the country, for investment, on prices and on household budgets. Yes.
Gas is now being sold in Australia at an international price. That's the reality of a world market.
So a more appropriate price would, of course, be what's known technically as the netback price: that is, the price that exists in Asia minus the costs of getting it there.
That is a much more appropriate benchmark.
… in connecting our market up to the world that's what we were expecting and that's what was the promise, but we have not got there at the moment because of this export industry.
It will ensure that the price of gas in Australia is at levels comparable to that in the international market, because it is a global commodity.
… the point is, Steve, there is a global market for gas. We all get that.
… the supply crunch and its impact on gas prices is even worse than anyone had expected.
Yeah, but you say, though that is you saw it coming a couple of years ago.
You're in Government about four years ago and you got plenty of advice then that the surge in exports would lead to these sorts of problems.
No, we didn't get that advice. We were given assurances by the industry that the establishment of export operations at Gladstone would not impact …
… they would be using new gas for exports and not impacting the existing gas supply to manufacturers and households …
… may initially supply domestic gas markets, but it is not diverting gas from local markets to export markets. … Therefore the project has no direct implications for domestic gas prices. The gas to supply the LNG facility will come from newly developed CSG fields.
As she came up she excited the greatest possible interest. As might be expected, she was not regarded as a handsome ship by any means. She appeared, as in great measure she is, a huge, long, square box, cut down straight at both ends, and surmounted by stunted masts, the tops of her turrets and her funnel.
… were a container ship to run aground at the entry to the port, off-loading the ship and its removal would take up to 14 weeks. The port retains up to 12 days of fuel stocks. The report revealed that, while the port remained blocked, only 10 per cent of Adelaide's fuel demand would reach Adelaide City after the first two weeks of supply ran out. Therefore, the state would have to survive on 10 per cent of its demand for up to 10 weeks. Air Vice Marshal Blackburn (Retired) explained the consequences:
If you lose 90 per cent of your fuel to a capital city for eight to 10 weeks, I have got to tell you that that is absolute chaos. It is not war. That is because there are single points of failure through our supply system.
We should view the Permian Basin as a permanent resource—
The Permian is best viewed as a near infinite resource—we will never produce the last drop of economic oil from the Basin.
… the Government’s lack of national energy policy … is causing an investment strike in new electricity generation …
That the resumption of debate on the Prime Minister's motion of condolence in connection with the death of the Honourable Douglas Nixon Everingham be referred to the Federation Chamber.
… the Deputy Prime Minister is qualified to sit in this House, and the High Court will so hold.
That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Watson from moving the following motion forthwith—
That the House calls on the Prime Minister to immediately stand aside the Deputy Prime Minister from Cabinet until his constitutional qualifications have been determined by the High Court.
That the Member be no longer heard.
The House divided. [14:57]
(The Speaker—Hon. Tony Smith)
That the Member be no longer heard.
The House divided. [15:02]
(The Speaker—Hon. Tony Smith)
The House divided. [15:04]
(The Speaker—Hon. Tony Smith)
Everyone knew there would be an impact on prices.
That the House take note of the report.
That the order of the day be referred to the Federation Chamber for debate.
That this bill be now read a third time.
Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Legislation Amendment (Defence Force) Bill 2016
The role of the ADF [Australian Defence Force] is to protect Australia and its interests. To meet this role, the ADF is required to maintain an operationally capable force, which displays a high level of fitness, commitment, efficiency and discipline among its members. To achieve this, certain inherent requirements apply to those personnel serving in the ADF. These requirements will, to varying degrees, impact on the lifestyle of each ADF member. Such conditions are ... specific to military life and would not normally apply to the majority of those in civilian employment.
Such conditions are generally specific to military life and would not normally apply to the majority of those in civilian employment.
The role of the ADF [Australian Defence Force] is to protect Australia and its interests. To meet this role, the ADF is required to maintain an operationally capable force, which displays a high level of fitness, commitment, efficiency and discipline among its members. To achieve this, certain inherent requirements apply to those personnel serving in the ADF. These requirements will, to varying degrees, impact on the lifestyle of each ADF member. Such conditions are generally specific to military life and would not normally apply to the majority of those in civilian employment.
Compensation for members of the Australian Defence Force who suffer injury or disease has been the subject of numerous changes since that time.
To achieve this, certain inherent requirements apply to those personnel serving in the ADF. These requirements will, to varying degrees, impact on the lifestyle of each ADF member. Such conditions are generally specific to military life and would not normally apply to the majority of those in civilian employment.
I was thirteen when my father, Andrew, a dedicated ADF member passed away suddenly, my sister Kate, was only a month past the age of twelve. That day, my mother lost a husband, and both of her kids lost a figure of guidance, support, and most of all, unconditional love. It was as if a once blue sky became black, dark and full of those storm clouds that unnerve you even before the lightning comes crashing down. Although the path of loss is something all of us will have to tread, it's always difficult. For myself, I felt as though nobody I had closest to me would understand how I feel, I felt isolated, unable to turn anywhere. My school friends hadn't had this happen to them, my teachers could say all the pleasantries they liked, to me, it wouldn't help … I would have been about 16 to 17 when my sister and I first properly immersed ourselves in the Legacy community, throwing away youthful bravado and pride to finally see why this organisation thought us to be worthy of their support.
I'm not someone who likes to admit they are wrong, to those who know me the best, I'm way too stubborn to willingly do it, but with Legacy, I'll happily swallow that pride I keep and happily accept that I was foolish.
You see, Legacy, once upon a time to me, was just the occasional Christmas voucher …
With each unfolding story we see veterans and their families clearly exposing the fragility and inner conflicts we all harbour at times throughout our lives. The emotional and psychological challenges are often faced alone and in silence, because of the prejudice and stigma associated with mental health, along with the fear of being judged as weak or crazy.
Equally unfairly, the partner and children have for a long period of time silently borne the burden of society for the veteran. Much of their pain and suffering has been locked away deep within their hearts and minds, shared only in secret or not at all.
(1) Clause 2, page 2 (table item 2), omit the table item, substitute:
(2) Clause 2, page 2 (table item 4), omit the table item.
(3) Schedule 1, item 1, page 4 (line 14), omit "Note 1", substitute "Note".
(4) Schedule 1, item 1, page 4 (lines 18 to 21), omit note 2.
(5) Schedule 1, Part 3, page 20 (line 1) to page 22 (line 6), omit the Part.
That this bill be now read a third time.
That order of the day No. 3, government business, be postponed until the next sitting.
Competition and Consumer Amendment (Abolition of Limited Merits Review) Bill 2017
That all the words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:
"whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House notes:
(1) the Government's lack of national energy policy, which is causing an investment strike in new electricity generation; and
(2) the Government’s failure to ensure a national energy policy to support the creation of new electricity generation and deliver affordable, reliable and clean energy for Australian households and businesses."
This petition of concerned people of the electorate of Goldstein, draws to the attention of the House the severe and urgent threat that climate change poses to the health, well-being and security of all people around the world, particularly our poorest and most vulnerable neighbours.
We remind the House that Australia's greenhouse emissions are the highest per person among wealthy nations while our emissions reduction targets are among the weakest.
We therefore ask the House to do all in its power to protect communities in Australia and our region from the harmful impacts of climate change - such as more severe heat, extreme and unpredictable weather and rising seas - by:
Build a multidimensional contact network linking home and abroad—the motherland, embassies and consulates, overseas student groups, and a broad number of students.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Mr Buchholz ) took the chair at 10:30.
When people complained about the NBN, I used to think privately "Surely it can't be that bad." I hereby apologise to those people.
This facility at Berrimah will help replace some of the work we're currently doing in Geelong …
So we're moving jobs and work from Melbourne to Darwin, that's a good outcome for the North.
That this House:
(1) acknowledges the significant contribution of the previous Labor Government's Living Longer Living Better reforms that were designed to deliver:
(a) more support and care at home;
(b) additional home and residential care places;
(c) a focus on greater consumer choice and control; and
(d) greater recognition of diversity and support to carers;
(2) notes:
(a) the growing number of:
(i) older Australians who would like to remain living in their own home for as long as possible; and
(ii) carers who work hard to ensure their loved one is able to remain at home for as long as possible;
(b) that older Australians need adequate, flexible and responsive care options to ensure that they remain safe and healthy; and
(c) that many older Australians are experiencing long delays in accessing the necessary care they need, and are having to make do with lower levels of care than they were assessed for; and
(3) calls on the Government to:
(a) ensure that older Australians receive home care assistance when they need it and at a level they need in order to allow them to remain living in their own home safely and independently for as long as possible; and
(b) release the number of people waiting for each level of the package.
I am proud & honoured to help others … I am proud of the level & quality of care we provide to the community. Skilled & committed workers are needed in this industry, it's not work if you love what you do.
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) Cystic Fibrosis is a condition that causes impairment of the lungs, airways and digestive system and leaves sufferers with an average life expectancy of 37 years;
(b) over 3,000 Australians live with Cystic Fibrosis and every four days an Australian child is born with the condition;
(c) over one million Australians are carriers of the gene that causes Cystic Fibrosis;
(d) there is currently an application before the Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule Advisory Committee (PBSAC) for the drug known as Orkambi which is used to treat the most common mutation of Cystic Fibrosis; and
(e) if approved, Orkambi will be available to over 1,000 Australians aged 12 and over who are currently suffering from this life shortening condition; and
(2) calls on the Government to:
(a) continue to support research into Cystic Fibrosis and its possible cure; and
(b) expedite the PBSAC review of the application to have Orkambi listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme so that over 1,000 Australians can have access to a potentially lifesaving drug.
… we've been able to deliver the right outcome with Kalydeco, and I am very hopeful that given time, … that we can make real progress on Orkambi.
It's almost unimaginable that children and adults with a debilitating disease like cystic fibrosis can be denied a drug that could quite literally help save their lives because of cost … it is difficult to understand any sense behind this quarrel over dollars.
That this House:
(1) notes that between 1975 and 1986, over 12,000 Cambodians were settled in Australia under the Special Humanitarian Program after being forced to flee their homeland by the Khmer Rouge;
(2) acknowledges the contribution that Cambodian-Australians have made to our nation since that time and the role they have played in the success story of Australian multiculturalism, including the large Cambodian communities in Fairfield, Liverpool and Cabramatta;
(3) notes that the Cambodian community in Australia faces challenges that require attention, including a higher than average unemployment rate and a higher proportion of lower wage employment than the national average;
(4) notes the struggle that many in Cambodia still face from their Government, including the right to peaceful assembly and opposition to Government policies; and
(5) reaffirms Australia's commitment to the United Nations Human Rights Council's statement of 14 September 2016 that we are 'deeply concerned about escalating threats to legitimate activities by Opposition parties and Human Rights NGOs' in Cambodia'.
… between 1975 and 1986, over 12,000 Cambodians were settled in Australia under the Special Humanitarian Program after being forced to flee their homeland by the Khmer Rouge;
The government's charges lack credibility, given its long record of misusing its legal system to silence or intimidate critics and political opponents.
Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Take Home Pay) Bill 2017
That this House notes that:
(1)Australia has over 500 national parks that protect our unique and precious environment;
(2)Sydney's Royal National Park (RNP) was established in 1879 and is Australia's oldest national park and the world's second oldest national park;
(3)the 16,000 hectare RNP has unique cultural, heritage and environmental values;
(4)the RNP:
(a)is the traditional country of the Dharawal people;
(b)has one of the richest concentrations of plant species in temperate Australia with more than 1,000 species; and
(c)is rich in wildlife such as birds, reptiles and butterflies and exemplifies the biodiverse Hawkesbury Sandstone environment;
(5)the RNP's importance to the nation was recognised with a National Heritage listing in 2006;
(6)the values of the RNP deserve World Heritage protection;
(7)federal Labor will consult Traditional Owners and the local community on nominating the RNP for the World Heritage List; and
(8)with the consent of the Traditional Owners, Labor will prioritise a World Heritage nomination.
Royal National Park is one of the most remarkable places in Australia and we are currently finalising our assessment of the potential World Heritage values of the Park.
Once finalised, we will work closely with Minister Hunt's—
department to ensure any documents comply with the World Heritage Committee's operational guidelines and the broader World Heritage Convention.
Most of the land that was to become part of Stage One of Kakadu National Park was granted to the Kakadu Aboriginal Land Trust under the Land Rights Act in August 1978 and, in November 1978, the Land Trust and the Director signed a lease agreement for the land to be managed as a national park.
Feedback from members indicates that unreliable telecommunications that are dysfunctional for lengthy periods of time is putting their business at risk and in some cases has caused them to go out of business entirely.
That this House:
(1) notes that National Police Remembrance Day is observed on 29 September;
(2) acknowledges the significant role police officers across Australia play in our local communities and the great deal of risk and sacrifice that comes with their duty;
(3) honours the lives and memories of those police officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the course of their duty and tragically this year we specifically honour Senior Constable Brett Forte of the Queensland Police Service, who was shot and killed in the Lockyer Valley on 29 May;
(4) pays tribute to the families and friends of police officers who have been killed in the line of duty throughout our nation's history;
(5) commends the good work of Police Legacy, who look after the loved ones of police officers that have fallen; and
(6) reaffirms its support for the nation's police officers and honours their courage, commitment and dedication to ensuring the peace and safety of our communities.
Initially founded to support bereaved families following the loss of their loved one, our support now extends to include police officers and their families experiencing challenging times in their lives. Our police family has grown to include not only families suffering from loss and grief, but those experiencing misfortune that require extra support.
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) the Superannuation Guarantee system—in conjunction with voluntary superannuation contributions and a means-tested, government funded age pension—forms an integral part of Australia's retirement income policy;
(b) recent analysis by Industry Super Australia indicates employers failed to pay an aggregate amount of $5.6 billion in Superannuation Guarantee contributions in 2013-14;
(c) this amount represents 2.76 million affected employees, with an average amount of more than $2,000 lost per person in a single year;
(d) within the electoral division of Indi there were 16,068 affected employees, with an average amount of $2,001 lost per person in a single year;
(e) evidence received by the Senate Economics References Committee inquiry into the Superannuation Guarantee indicates a failure to adequately detect and address that Superannuation Guarantee non-compliance causes long term financial detriment to millions of Australian employees, significant competitive disadvantage to compliant employers, and an unnecessary impost to Government finances through additional reliance on the age pension; and
(f) in its report, the Committee:
(i) concluded the current approach of the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) in identifying and addressing Superannuation Guarantee non-compliance is inadequate and recommends that the ATO takes a more proactive stance;
(ii) argued that there is a compelling need for the determination of a reliable Superannuation Guarantee gap figure annually in order to track rates of Superannuation Guarantee non-payment, analyse which policies are effective, and ultimately minimise the problem;
(iii) recommended the current Superannuation Guarantee Charge framework, with its reliance on employer self-reporting, should be reviewed in order to ensure that penalties are strong enough deterrents; and
(iv) considered it is crucial to move Superannuation Guarantee compliance from the 'paper age' to the 'digital age', enabling a greater focus on proactive methods, and in turn increasing the effectiveness of efforts to detect and remedy Superannuation Guarantee non-compliance; and
(2) calls on the Government to accept and act upon all 32 recommendations made in the Committee's report to address the significant problem of Superannuation Guarantee non-compliance.
That this House:
(1)notes that:
(a)the use of sexual violence in armed conflict is a war crime; and
(b)the use of sexual violence as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population is a crime against humanity;
(2)acknowledges that Islamic State:
(a)is perpetrating war crimes and crimes against humanity against minority Muslim groups, Christians, Yazidis and other religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria;
(b)has perpetrated acts of sexual violence amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity; and
(c)has dedicated infrastructure for the kidnap, trafficking and sale of sex slaves; and
(3)calls on the Australian Government to:
(a)investigate, prosecute and hold to account Australians who have committed crimes, according to domestic or international law, as members of lslamic State or other recognised international terrorist groups; and
(b)support international efforts to gather evidence, investigate and prosecute those responsible for international crimes perpetrated by Islamic State or other recognised international terrorist groups.
The systematic rape of women and girls from the Yazidi religious minority has become deeply enmeshed in the organization and the radical theology of the Islamic State … since the group announced it was reviving slavery as an institution.
… … …
The trade in Yazidi women and girls has created a persistent infrastructure, with a network of warehouses where the victims are held, viewing rooms where they are inspected and marketed, and a dedicated fleet of buses used to transport them.
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) the Government established a panel to review the Small Amount Credit Contract (SACC) laws on 7 August 2015, which provided its final report to the Government on 3 March 2016;
(b) the Government released its response to the SACC review on 28 November 2016, in which it agreed with the vast majority of the recommendations in part or in full;
(c) the Minister for Revenue and Financial Services said at the time that 'the implementation of these recommendations will ensure that vulnerable consumers are afforded appropriate levels of consumer protection while continuing to access SACCs and leases';
(d) the Minister claimed in an interview on Lateline on 28 February 2017 that Treasury was drafting legislation to implement the review's recommendations; and
(e) in response to questioning in Senate Additional Estimates by Senator Gallagher on 1 March 2017, Treasury's head of the Financial System Division confirmed that drafting had not commenced for a bill to enact the SACC review recommendations accepted by the Government;
(2) acknowledges that consumer credit contracts and consumer leases have been shown to cause unnecessary hardship to vulnerable consumers, and that the Parliament should act to protect vulnerable consumers;
(3) recognises that the delay in introducing legislation for consideration by the Parliament, to implement the SACC review recommendations, results in an unnecessary continuation of hardship to vulnerable consumers and their families;
(4) congratulates the consumer advocate groups who attended Parliament House on 27 March 2017 to raise the profile of this important issue; and
(5) calls on the Government to immediately prepare legislation for consideration by the Parliament, to implement the SACC review recommendations.
The recommendations seek to strike an appropriate balance between enabling consumers to access emergency finance when required, optimising their opportunity to improve their financial situation over time, and the viability of an efficient industry.
Implementation of these recommendations will ensure that vulnerable consumers are afforded appropriate levels of consumer protection while continuing to access SACCs and leases.
In respect of the 2017-18 budget document titled 'Stronger Growth to Create More and Better Paying Jobs' in which it states that $3.1 billion will be spent on South Australian infrastructure, what (a) projects will this funding be used for, and (b) is the funding allocation for each project.
The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development has provided the following information:
South Australia
National Partnership Agreement on Land Transport Infrastructure Projects
"Why has Australia chosen to boycott negotiations for a United Nations treaty that prohibits nuclear weapons?"
Australia shares with the international community the goal of a peaceful and secure world free of nuclear weapons. We believe this goal must be pursued in an effective, determined and pragmatic way. Eliminating nuclear weapons is not a quick or an easy task. It will take sustained, practical steps which Australia has long supported.
The Australian Government declined to participate in negotiations for a Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons ('ban treaty') after assessing that such a treaty would not be in Australia's national interests.
The Australian Government has a consistent, considered position on the ban treaty, the text of which was adopted on 7 July 2017. In the view of the Government, the ban treaty will be ineffective in eliminating nuclear weapons. Proceeding with ban treaty negotiations without the participation of states possessing nuclear weapons, or without due regard for the international security environment, has not helped create the conditions for further major reductions in nuclear arsenals. The ban treaty risks undermining the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and other treaties by creating ambiguity and confusion through parallel obligations, and by deepening divisions between nuclear and non-nuclear weapon states. It contains non-proliferation safeguards that are weaker than those already existing under the NPT. The Government's assessment is that the ban treaty is not an effective measure with which to achieve nuclear disarmament.
On 7 July 2017, the US, UK and France jointly stated that they did not intend to sign, ratify or ever become party to this ban treaty. They underlined that this ban treaty does not address the security concerns that continue to make nuclear deterrence necessary and that it cannot result in the elimination of a single nuclear weapon.
Seventy-one countries did not vote in favour of the ban treaty in New York on 7 July 2017. At the UN General Assembly last year, Australia was one of over 80 countries which did not vote in favour of the plenary resolution, which mandated these negotiations.
The NPT is the cornerstone of global nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and of global peace and security. The NPT already has a consensus-based roadmap for the elimination of nuclear weapons, as expressed in the 2010 NPT Action Plan. Australia's priority is to strengthen the NPT and to implement the Action Plan, as the agreed and most realistic means of achieving progress on nuclear disarmament.
Australia continues to play a lead role in the Non Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative, a group of 12 countries: Australia; Canada; Chile; Germany; Japan; Mexico; the Netherlands; Nigeria; the Philippines; Poland; Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. Through this cross‑regional group and other dedicated efforts, Australia continues to take forward the NPT Action Plan.
Consistent with the NPT Action Plan, the Australian Government promotes and is actively progressing other initiatives to advance nuclear disarmament. For example, we have long promoted the global norm against nuclear testing established under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
To advocate universalisation and entry-into-force of the CTBT, I (Ms Bishop) co-chaired a 'Friends of the CTBT' event involving the UN Secretary-General and some 80 countries, with 40 represented at Ministerial level, in New York in September 2016
Australia will continue to push hard for the practical steps and the political will needed to bring about a world without nuclear weapons.
When will the management arrangements for Australia's National Network of Commonwealth Marine Reserves be completed and operational.
To provide certainty for all Australians who rely on and enjoy our marine parks, we are seeking to finalise management arrangements as soon as possible.
The draft management plans were released on 21 July 2017, asking the public to have their say. To make sure everyone has an opportunity to consider the plans, the consultation period will run for 60 days (double the statutory requirement of 30 days). Feedback and submissions can be provided until midnight on 20 September 2017.
The Director will consider feedback, before providing final plans to the Minister for the Environment and Energy for approval. The plans will enter into effect for 10 years from a date specified by the Minister for the Environment and Energy, after they have been tabled in both houses of Parliament.
The Government committed an additional $56.1 million over four years to manage Australian Marine Parks. This will resource the Director of National Parks to establish and manage parks, enable industry assistance for any commercial fishers directly affected, and increase engagement of marine users in the management of marine parks.
(1) Will the Minister be implementing the recommendation of the Productivity Commission report Telecommunications Universal Service Obligation (28 April 2017) to wind back Telstra's obligation to provide payphones; if so, how will this ensure that unemployed Australians and regions with little or no mobile phone coverage will not be worse off.
(2) Is the proposed funding program for some form of community telecommunications (which could involve payphones, mobile charging stations, and public WiFi) to replace the payphones Universal Service Obligation, being designed; if so, (a) who by, (b) what is the outline of the program design, (c) when will it be delivered, and (d) who will be delivering it.
"The Government is now carefully considering the Productivity Commission's recommendations relating to the telecommunications Universal Service Obligation (USO), including its recommendations on the payphones USO. Senator the Hon Mitch Fifield, Minister for Communications and the Arts, has established a taskforce within the Department of Communications and the Arts to develop the Government's response.
In considering changes, if any, to the payphone USO regulatory environment and contractual arrangements, the Government will be particularly mindful of the needs of regional and remote communities including unemployed Australians and other vulnerable groups that have limited access to other telecommunication services."