Senator ABETZ(3.23 p.m.) —It really is amazing, isn't it, that, in this place, we on this side get accused one question time of looking after the mining industry too much and then a few question times later we get accused of not looking after them. The Labor Party cannot have it both ways. They have to make up their minds whether our policies are assisting the mining industry or whether they are not assisting the mining industry. You cannot come in here one day saying that we are doing too much for them and then the next day saying that we are not doing enough for them.

Senator Murphy —Why not?

Senator ABETZ —Senator Murphy says, `Why not?' That is indicative of the Labor Party's policy paralysis and the dilemma that they have. They do not know which way to turn and, in their embarrassment, they make silly interjections, like Senator Murphy has just done and which has assisted me in this contribution.

The big ticket issues for the mining industry are quite clear; for example, industrial rela tions reform. Where was the Labor Party on IR reform? Against it every single inch of the way. What is the next big ticket item? Lower interest rates. What do the opposition say about lower interest rates? They bemoan the fact that we have succeeded in producing an environment which is now producing lower interest rates. Indeed, we are now having economic growth at the rate of 3.8 per cent. What does the shadow Treasurer say? The economy is as flat as the Nullarbor Plain. What a great economist Mr Gareth Evans, former Senator Evans, is when he makes statements like that in the context of 3.8 per cent growth.

What is another big ticket item for the mining industry? Waterfront reform. I think it was Senator Bob Collins who said, `If I don't reform the waterfront within a certain time, I will resign.' We have been waiting for his resignation ever since, because nothing has happened. Nothing happened in relation to the waterfront during the Labor Party reign. They knew something had to be done about it, but they did not have the political will to do something about it. We have and we will deal with it. The mining industry and the workers within the industry will benefit as a result.

What is another big ticket item issue for the mining industry? Rail reform. Over 13 years of Labor government, the rail system in this country went in a downward spiral. We have arrested that downward spiral and we have now committed ourselves to a fundamental reform of the rail industry and the rail infrastructure within this country—another big ticket item on which we are delivering for the benefit of the mining industry and those regional communities in Australia that rely on the mining industry, which is really the bread and butter for the outlying regions of Australia.

We have also committed ourselves to cutting red tape for a lot of the small businesses that in fact get their livelihood from the mining industry. So the small businesses will benefit and be able to provide their services to the mining industry at a cheaper rate; therefore make it more profitable and allow for greater productivity and greater employ ment opportunities. But, once again, Labor during 13 years refused to deal with the red tape problem for small business.

What is another big ticket item for the mining industry? The Native Title Act. We all know about the problems that have been occasioned by the Native Title Act not only for the mining industry but also for the indigenous communities of this country who have been denied the possibility of latching onto the profitability of the mining industry and thus providing some economic support and economic independence for those communities. We have committed ourselves to making amendments to the Native Title Act to make it more workable for the mutual benefit of our indigenous communities, the mining industry and the wellbeing of all of Australia. Where is the Labor Party on that? Once again, they stand in opposition.

I have been able to detail half a dozen areas where we have been of real benefit to those people within the mining industry who derive their employment and their livelihood from it. We are criticised for a small reduction in the R&D tax benefits. Why have we had to implement that? Solely because of the $10 billion black hole that you people on that side left us to deal with. We would have preferred not to have to do it, but the reality is that you left us with a mess. We are dealing with it like we have dealt with all the other areas of government reform that I have mentioned.