Senator COOPER (Queensland) (Leader of the Opposition) . - The purpose of the bill is to repeal the Commonwealth Shipping Act 1923 and to provide for a new form of control and management of Cockatoo Island and Schnapper Island. The 1923 act placed the islands under the control of the Australian Commonwealth Shipping Board. The islands, which are situated in Port Jackson, New South Wales, have been used as shipbuilding yards and dockyards. The 1923 act also gave to the Australian Commonwealth Shipping Board full control of the Australian Commonwealth Line of Steamers. When the line was disposed of in 1927, except for a few vessels that were retained by the Commonwealth, the board remained in control of the islands. This bill will discontinue the board, and operations at the islands will be transferred to the control of a department. I understand that the financial transactions connected with the shipyard and docks will in future be dealt with by the Parliament in the normal manner. The Minister for Shipping and Fuel (Senator Ashley) has not stated which department will assume the management of the establishments. I assume that it will be the Department of Shipping and Fuel.

Senator Ashley - It will probably be the Department of Supply and Development.

Senator COOPER - I thank the Minister. I should also like to know whether operations at the two islands will be the subject of special annual reports to the Parliament, or whether they will be dealt with in the general summary of departmental activities that is presented annually in the budget papers. The Opposition has no wish to oppose the bill.