Senator ALLISON —My question is also to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care. Is the minister aware that diesel exhausts are carcinogenic, in fact 25 times more carcinogenic than cigarette smoke? Is the minister also aware that children going to school or living close to freeways cough and wheeze more and that their lung functions are more impaired than others? Is he also aware that one in five Australian children under 12 has asthma and that diesel emissions trigger asthma symptoms? Is the minister aware that the AMA says that fine particles in diesel exhausts are linked to increased risk of lung cancer and respiratory disorders? What is the minister doing to reduce the serious health risks associated with diesel, and does he agree that any increase in diesel would be unacceptable?

Senator HERRON (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs) —I thank the senator for the question. It is one of the objections that has been raised in relation to diesel fuels in the GST. As the senator stated, it has been known for a long time that fine particles when inhaled can lead to aggravation of respiratory symptoms in people with pre-existing respiratory illness and to hospital admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. That is correct. But other air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and ozone, also mainly due to motor vehicle pollution, can also cause increases in respiratory symptoms leading to hospital admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart disease, as reported recently in a study conducted in Sydney. So it is not good enough to start talking about diesel fuel emissions.

While diesel vehicles generate 70 to 80 per cent of all vehicle produced particulates in our cities, this figure needs to be seen in context. The State of the Environment report estimates the combined contribution to particulate levels from all motor vehicles at 31 to 46 per cent in summer but only nine to 10 per cent in winter. So it is all very well to make these breathtaking statements that it is all related to this. It is not true. Those proportions that I have mentioned vary from city to city and are due to multiple factors such as domestic wood fires, hazard reduction burning and bushfires. We have to take all that into account.

The government, through a coordinated approach between transport and environment agencies, has recently launched a major campaign to reduce the impact from all motor vehicles on public health and the environment, as it should. A key effort of the campaign is to set strict standards on diesel vehicle emissions and improve the quality of diesel fuel. Both measures are aimed directly at reducing particle exhaust emissions from diesels. It is expected that, even if the use of diesel powered vehicles were to increase, the level of air pollution in the future due to diesels should decrease as a result of increased controls on vehicle emissions and improvements in fuel quality. The proposed measures are intended to reduce the overall cost of transport services, which will provide a considerable advantage in terms of reducing the cost of healthy food for those individuals living in rural and remote communities.

Senator ALLISON —Madam President, I ask a supplementary question. Minister, are you seriously suggesting that diesel emissions can be compared with wood fires? Are you seriously suggesting to us that Australia has emission standards that will solve the problem when, in this country, we are four or five years behind Europe and the United States? Is the minister also aware that, on average, Australia's vehicles are 10 years old and that we have one of the oldest fleets in the OECD? Is the minister also aware that even the newest diesel engines emit 100 times more particulates than LPG engines do? Given the conclusive evidence that diesel makes you sick, can the minister assure the Australian people that the government will do nothing to encourage any increase in diesel use in this country?

Senator HERRON (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs) —Senator Allison should be talking about the biggest pollutant that exists in this community, and that is cigarette smoking. It is all very well talking about particulates matters in the community. As you know, Madam President, I supported the Democrats in that when I first came into the Senate. Cigarette smoking has a far greater deleterious effect on health than any diesel fume ever has or ever will have. I suggest that Senator Allison divert her attention to stopping people from smoking cigarettes—which would have a much greater effect on the health of this country than anything at all that is related to diesel.

One of the reasons that we have cars of such old age is the Labor Party's policy for 13 years. They produced the biggest recession we ever had in 60 years, and nobody could afford a decent car under the Labor Party. When tax reform comes in, vehicle costs will go down and people will be able to afford cars. (Time expired)

Senator Alston —Madam President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper .