Senator KNOWLES —I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move:

That the Senate—

(a)   notes the findings of the Western Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in its 1996-97 federal budget submission that the Commonwealth Government has inherited a fiscal situation which is in urgent need of redress and that the net debt and unfunded liabilities of this country now stand at around $175 billion, or about $10 000 for every man, woman and child in Australia;

(b)   agrees with the chamber that the sale of assets and the use of revenue from privatisation should be used to retire debt and reduce liability rather than to fund recurrent spending; and

(c)   notes the views of the chamber that it is questionable for a government to be involved in many of the activities undertaken by its business enterprises and that there is a strong case against taxpayers bearing the risks associated with the commercial activities of corporatised government business enterprises.