Debate resumed from 17 February, on motion by Mr Slipper:

upon which Mr McMullan moved by way of amendment:

That all words after “That” be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

“whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House condemns the government for its budget waste and mismanagement, and wrong priorities which have resulted in:

(1) a costly Medicare `safety net' which does not protect families from increasing health costs and declining levels of bulk billing;

(2) inadequate funding and higher fees for students seeking access to higher education;

(3) a growing number of families who are financially squeezed and trying to balance work and family; and

(4) 500,000 Australians waiting up to five years to get their teeth fixed”.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Wilkie)—Before the debate is resumed on the Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2003-2004, I remind the House that it has been agreed that a general debate be allowed covering the Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2003-2004 and the Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2003-2004. The original question was that the bill be now read a second time. To this the honourable member for Fraser has moved as an amendment that all words after `That' be omitted with a view to substituting other words. The question now is that the words proposed to be omitted stand part of the question.