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Thursday, 27 October 1949

The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN - Order ! The honorable gentleman is defying the ruling of the Chair. If he continues to do so, I shall ask him to resume his seat.

Mr HARRISON - If we can obtain now sufficient petrol to enable us to meet our requirements, sub-clause (2.) is unnecessary. I am endeavouring to show that we can get the petrol that we require. The Government has stated that the reason why it is not prepared to issue import licences in respect of these large quantities of French petrol is that the petrol has a dollar content. I have pointed out that sterling crudes have no dollar content, and that large quantities of those crudes are available. It cannot be proved that France is not using sterling crudes. I do not believe that the Government would have issued a licence for the importation of some French petrol unless it had been of the opinion that the French are in fact using sterling crudes.

The present shortage of petrol is so acute that transport is not available to take milk to processing works or cattle to meat works.

The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN.Order ! ' If the honorable gentleman persists in making a second-reading speech on this clause, I shall ask him to resume his seat.

Mr HARRISON - I am endeavouring to point out that we can import sufficiently large quantities of petrol to enable petrol rationing to be lifted long before August, 1950, and, therefore, that sub-clause (2.) is unnecessary. In my opinion, it is high time that the Government faced realities. Instead of trying to cover up the failure of its emissaries to supply it with accurate information regarding petrol supplies-

The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN.Order! I warn the honorable gentleman for the last time that if he persists in making a second-reading speech on this clause I shall ask him to resume his seat.

Mr HARRISON - I am not making a second-reading speech.

The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN.The Chair has ruled that the honorable gentleman is doing so.

Mr HARRISON - Clause 14 deals with the duration of petrol rationing. If there were not a shortage of petrol, there would he no necessity for the clause. I shall not develop that matter further. I believe that the information that the Government has secured and which is contained in a confidential document should be made available to the committee.

The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN.Order ! The question of secret or confidential documents is not relevant to this clause.

Mr HARRISON - I submit that that is not so. This bill is based on confidential information that the Government possesses. If it were not for that information

The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN.Order! There is no reference in the clause to confidential information.

Mr HARRISON - I am endeavouring to explain that point. If it were not for the information that the Government has obtained from overseas, and the agreement to which the United Kingdom, Australia, and other members of the British Commonwealth are parties, this bill would not have been introduced.

The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN - I advise the honorable member to leave the matter there.

Mr HARRISON - Unless we have that information we cannot discuss this bill in a proper manner nor can we satisfactorily discuss the proposed duration of petrol rationing.

The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN.The Chair will not argue with the honorable gentleman. If he persists in trying to make a seconds-reading speech he will be asked to resume his seat.

Mr HARRISON - The last words that I uttered were the " duration of petrol rationing", which is the subjectmatter of the clause under consideration. I ask the Chair to contain itself, and endeavour to follow my argument.

Mr Clark - Order!

Mr HARRISON - Interjections are disorderly, even when they are made by the honorable member for Darling (Mr. Clark), who is Mr. Deputy Speaker, and is now sitting on the front bench. He could not resist calling me to order. Is not that a reflection on the Chair? T think that you, Mr. Temporary Chairman, are capable of controlling the proceedings of the committee without the assistance of Mr. Deputy Speaker. The Government has used every possible means to prevent the Opposition parties from obtaining the information upon which this bill is based. Therefore members of the Opposition and the general public are prevented from understanding the position.

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