Mr CHARLES(1.56 p.m.) —I understand that I am to close off this debate on address-in-reply to His Excellency the Governor-General's speech on the occasion of the opening of the 38th Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. In the two or three minutes that are available to me there are just a few remarks that I would like to make.

First of all, I would like to say that all those new members in this parliament who took the opportunity in this address-in-reply debate to make their maiden speeches deserve the highest commendation. We heard some really excellent people, and I think the calibre of people who have come in to join us in this House of Representatives is surely excellent. Speeches by new Liberal members, by National Party members, by ALP members and by Independents were all good and all worthy and all contributed to the national debate.

It is important that we keep our minds focused on the fact that this is a chamber of volatility, it is a chamber of many ideas, it is a chamber of conflicting ideologies and of philosophies and of practicalities. Nonetheless, we are all here for the single purpose of doing the very best that we can for our constituents and for the nation overall.

The Governor-General's speech on this occasion took the opportunity to outline the major parts of the program that will be implemented by the new Howard government during these coming sessions of the 38th Parliament. I might say that amongst those the new workplace reform bill will have to be listed as one of the highest priorities of this government. I have noted that the Senate, unfortunately, has taken the opportunity to send that legislation not to a legislative subcommittee but to a procedural committee and that it has a very long hearing time. I question, quite frankly, whether we will get anything out of that inquiry other than good politics, or perhaps it will be bad politics. That is a very important piece of legislation that this government is determined to institute, and along with it the sale of Telstra bill and the just introduced bill which will bring to fruition the environment heritage act and give us the opportunity for once and for all attacking in a major manner the environmental problems that we have in our nation.

My time has drawn to an end. I thank you for this opportunity and I do note that this government is determined to implement its program and to turn this nation around to give all Australians an opportunity to work at jobs that they so richly deserve, an opportunity for a good education and an opportunity for a high standard of living. I commend the address-in-reply to the government.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Mr SPEAKER —I have ascertained that His Excellency the Governor-General will be pleased to receive the address-in-reply, at Government House, at 5.20 p.m. on Monday, 24 June 1996. I should be glad if the mover and seconder of the motion, together with other honourable members, would accompany me to present the address at that time.