Senator TAMBLING (6.41 p.m.) —I move:

  That the Senate take note of the document.

I represent Christmas Island in the Senate and have had the opportunity in the last year to visit Christmas Island on two occasions. The community on Christmas Island is undergoing a number of very important changes that have arisen from various initiatives taken by the Government and from legislation that has been passed through this Parliament.

  I am sure a number of honourable senators will recall that the Territories Law Reform Act was enacted in 1992 and consequent to that the administration of both the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island has undergone major and important changes. Many of those have been difficult changes for the residents of the two separate communities. Christmas Island, which this particular report addresses, has seen a number of changes to its municipal administration. The new shire council was, in effect, constituted by the territories law reform legislation. It is now operating and assumes responsibility for the Christmas Island Services Corporation which provides many of those municipal functions.

  It is important to recognise that two significant events are taking place on Christmas Island. The first is the development by Indonesian investors of a casino on the island. A casino with a capital investment of approximately $60 million is currently under construction. In the latter part of this year I will be watching very carefully the Government's estimates of the income that it will derive from the various royalties and agreements resulting from the operation of that new casino.

  I am certainly aware that the shire council believes the funding arrangements made for municipal services on that island should be reviewed. In fact, it is asking for a percentage of the earnings that will be derived from the casino operations to fund many of its operations. That figure is of course very different from the figures set forth in this particular report of the Christmas Island Services Corporation for the year ended 30 June 1992.

  The second issue that is impacting on the island community is the major rebuilding program of the Commonwealth Government. From memory, the figure committed by the Government in the first five-year phase of that rebuilding program is well in excess of $40 million. Naturally, the construction and commercial activity that is taking place is very important.

  The community of Christmas Island is, of course, very small. There are approximately 1,300 residents on the island, many of whom take up their residency as former citizens of Malaysia, principally, who were attracted to the island by employment with the phosphate mine on the island itself. Of course, there are now many other employers on the island—principally in the government arena of the National Parks and Wildlife Service which very properly carries out a national park function on the island. There is a very viable small business and commercial sector that is operating and has been stimulated by the development activities of both the casino and the Government's rebuilding program. Of course, a number of other people have also been attracted to the island.

  This is an important report because it, in effect, flags out the old government era of administration in which the principal economic activity of the island was provided by government in one form or another and essentially underpinned the phosphate mining. So it is important that we note this report as the final one of the old regime and look carefully at subsequent developments on Christmas Island.