Dr STONE (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage) (4:58 PM) —I think we are straying way off our current debate.

Dr STONE —I do not think so. I think what you are getting close to is a concern for the employees of Telstra, many of whom have memberships which are very near to your heart. In terms of the suggestion that Telstra froze their drive to provide the very best possible services to rural and metropolitan Australians, let me assure you that we are very grateful in rural and regional Australia for the efforts that Telstra has been making in recent times. I refer to its local call zone inquiry, which is soon to be released, and I am looking forward very much to it changing a 1960s pricing policy which did in the past discriminate against rural users. We are very much looking forward to its announcement of the exchanges that are going to be upgraded in the near future—a multimillion dollar exercise. Telstra is taking its commitments, its obligations and its charter very seriously indeed, and I think it is appalling to suggest that it is in any shape or form on a `go slow' in driving forward to offer Australians a list of very excellent telecommunications services. I am sure that would be Telstra's response if your proposition was put to it.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Jenkins)—Order! The question is that Senate amendments Nos. 3 to 16 be agreed to. Before calling the honourable member for Perth, the chair is probably in need of some advice about the intent of this policy as well. Having looked at the amendments I see they are fairly specific, but I took it from the comments of the honourable member for Perth that he was relating his comments in his last five minutes to those amendments. I caution him in that way without making any determination either way.