Senator BROWN(11.01 a.m.) —There are just the two Greens in here supporting the phase-out of this huge payout to the mining corporations. Our impulse to do that cannot be isolated to the impact on the mining industry. We are in a period of economic rationalism where government services are being cut across the board; yet the mining industry is not only being sheltered from that but also looking forward to this $800 million rebate becoming a billion dollars by the year 2000.

I am sorry the Australian Democrats are not supporting the Greens on this. Let me give you an example as to why I think the hard decision here ought to be taken to ameliorate much harder decisions that the government has made. If we look at tertiary education, we see that the cut there is $650 million to tertiary institutions across this country. The impact on students right across the country, particularly poorer students, is huge. The difficulties for tertiary institutions are enormous.

We in this country ought to be guaranteeing a tertiary education to everybody who aspires to it. Instead of that, it is becoming harder and harder for people to get a tertiary education as a prerequisite for a job. Labor, the Liberals and the Democrats are supporting $800 million going to the mining corporations. We cannot find $650 million for the universities, but we can find $800 million for the mining corporations. That, to me, is a shocking inversion of priorities. It is an indictment of the idea that we should be becoming the clever country. We have become much more interested in the shovel mentality than we have in the brains trust mentality that we should be moving to.

Where are the equivalent subsidies for the sunrise industries in this country? They are just not there, certainly not in this order. At the same time as we are looking at cementing this huge rebate to the mining industry—this gift—the government is cutting out the Energy Research and Development Corporation altogether, the small brains trust there is for alternative energy in a world which is looking to alternative energy options, renewable energy resources, as the huge economic and environmental impact of the global warming phenomenon comes down upon us. We have just seen the figures which show that this last year has been one of the four warmest years for the planet since records began in the 1860s.

It is a total perversion of priorities by the Democrats, the Liberals, the National Party and the Labor Party, which wants to give the miners even more. I feel very strongly about this matter. Clearly we have put our case. I support Senator Margetts's move on this strongly. It would cause some difficulties for the mining industry, but how do we compare that with the difficulties being caused to those people who are interested in this country having a fair, equitable and accessible education system for the brains trust which are central to this country's wellbeing as we move into the next millennium?

   Question put:

   That the amendments (Senator Margetts's ) be agreed to.