Senator COOK(1.20 p.m.) —The minister, in reply to my remark, said that the industry offered up this amendment. I, in speaking to this amendment, said that the APPEA and AMEC had both declined to sign the document because they did not recognise that this was a fair claim. Would the government now acknowledge that my statement with respect to the APPEA and AMEC is true, and that when they say that the industry offered it up, that may well be a comment on what the Minerals Council gave a nod to, but not what other industry organisations and associations supported? Further, would it also acknowledge that this is clear when one looks at the correspondence between those organisations and the government?

Also, can the government now confirm what is notorious—what has appeared in most newspapers that cover this industry sector—that the Minister for Finance, John Fahey, is circulating within government a discussion paper to impose a cap on diesel fuel rebate claims? Finally, will the government explain why they have drawn the line at 3.5 tonne vehicles and not at six-tonne vehicles or two-tonne vehicles? What particular mystic is there that caused them to choose the line to be drawn at 3.5 tonnes?