Mr HORNE (6:25 PM) —I am sorry that the member for Kennedy has left because it was very refreshing to hear his comments. It is also interesting that democracy is not dead while the Hon. Joe Hockey is around. It just gives a good appearance under this government of being dead. I am not sure what the government is afraid of. I know what they will be afraid of come election time, when the dairy industry no longer exists in many parts of Australia where it is currently doing quite well, thank you. What I would like the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry also to consider is that the changes that this is going to bring to the dairy industry have already cost many dairy farmers a lot of money. Dairy farmers who want to stay in the industry have already expended considerable money—

Mr Ronaldson —On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker: the honourable member for Paterson should be aware that when we are in the consideration in detail stage like this he should speak to the amendments before the House. He has been going now for a couple of minutes and has not as yet referred to the amendments.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Hollis)—I agree with the Chief Government Whip, but I would say in fairness that the amendments have been fairly widely canvassed.

Mr HORNE —I notice that part of one of the amendments relates to partnership entitlements. Most dairy farms are held in partnership because they are family owned. Many of those people have expended considerable money to upgrade their dairy, to get bigger or to get out. Many of them will find, because of the rigorous control and the changes that have come about in local government and state planning acts since the time that dairy was established, that they will not be allowed to proceed to a bigger and modern dairy farm on the same site. Will the government be prepared to compensate those people who want to stay with the industry but cannot for reasons that are not their own? That is something that is going to affect many dairy farmers in coastal New South Wales where they will require extra land and effluent control and where they will be required to house their animals under cover because the local government and state planning act will not allow it? What will the federal government be prepared to offer those farmers? I can assure you it will be a problem to a number of dairy farmers who want to stay in the industry. I would have thought that this government was about people staying in the industry. Yet this legislation certainly is not about that. Thank you for your indulgence, Mr Deputy Speaker.

Amendments agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.