Mr ADAMS —My question is directed to the Minister representing the Minister for Communications, the Information Economy and the Arts. Is the minister aware that the Hobart Telstra store that supplied the replacement PABX cards for the Queenstown Hospital is due to close in three months time? Is he aware that in future all parts will have to be sourced from Sunshine, Victoria? How does the minister expect the Queenstown Hospital to guarantee its ambulance service when essential replacement parts have to be shipped in from other states?

Mr McGAURAN (Arts and the Centenary of Federation) —The honourable member will know very well that it is the role of Telstra's board and management to determine the location, placing of staff, as well as equipment and the like. We expect at all times Telstra to be full and frank and open about their business decisions and to be sensitive to any employees who might be affected by change and the like. This has always been conveyed to Telstra and certainly will not change in the future. But what interests me most about the member's question is that there is an assumption that Telstra performed better in days gone past when in full government ownership, whereas we know it could have taken up to six weeks to have phones connected even if the lines were in place. The best way to bring about the resolution of the issues regarding Queenstown Hospital and elsewhere is to have full competition.

I notice with interest that Senator Brian Harradine has said that the major contributor to differences and the level of services between urban and rural is the lack of competition in rural areas. That is what the government's whole policy is aimed at—that is, opening it up to competition so that, whether it be a hospital or whether it be a private residence, there are greater levels of service. We can further facilitate and indeed enhance that by way of community service obligations, universal service obligations and other re quirements as we have with the first part privatisation of Telstra in legislative form.

Mr Adams —Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order on relevance. The minister is not dealing with the question.

Mr SPEAKER —The member for Lyons will resume his seat.

Mr Adams —We used to have a depot—

Mr SPEAKER —The member for Lyons will resume his seat.

Mr Price —Mr Speaker, with all due respect, the member for Lyons raised a point of order and it does not appear that you have made a ruling with respect to that point of order.

Mr SPEAKER —The member for Chifley is raising a point of order on a question which has already concluded.