Senator O'BRIEN (6:00 PM) —I move:

It is interesting to note that we have now reached the point in the proceedings where we are discussing the second government document listed on the Notice Paper—that is, the corporate plan of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. I have spoken about the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and their corporate plan many times. It is interesting that they have tabled their corporate plan for consideration at this time. What is not before the Senate at the moment is the response by the Minister for Transport and Regional Services to the order of the Senate of yesterday for the production of documents relating to the Ansett catastrophe by 5 p.m. today, nor has there been an explanation for this.

Obviously, the minister and the government are quite happy to stand in contempt of the Senate on this matter. They obviously have no intention of explaining to the Senate why they have not met the timetable laid down by the Senate. I remind government senators and the minister that the wording of the return to order is on page 31 of today's Notice Paper. It required the production of documents by 5 p.m. today. I stress that the Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government had the opportunity to come in here this afternoon and explain why they were unable to meet that timetable or what timetable they were able to meet or give some other explanation for their non-compliance with the order of the Senate.

They have chosen not to do so. They have allowed the matter to run on. I guess they are expecting that somehow we might forget that this was due today and they would simply get away with not responding to it. I can assure them that that will not be the case. If they think that we are simply going to accept that they will continue to hide from the public the material which is essential for the public to understand just how culpable this government is in relation to the Ansett failure, then they are sorely mistaken. I remind the government that the Senate has authorised the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee to conduct an inquiry into this matter. If they believe that that will not be pursued, then they are also sorely mistaken.

CASA is one of the bodies that has to be satisfied that Ansett, if it is capable of getting back into the air, is capable of meeting the obligations laid down under the regulations and administered and monitored by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Other aircraft brought into Australia have to be operated in accordance with the provisions of any air operating certificate issued by CASA. The aircraft have to comply with certifications given in relation to aircraft operated in Australia. All of those questions are relevant to what the future of aviation will be in this country.

In terms of the return to order, it would have been of great interest to the Australian public had the Minister for Transport and Regional Services done as he was required by the Senate and produced any analysis and report prepared by the Department of Transport and Regional Services relating to the application by Air New Zealand to the Australian government for approval to take 100 per cent ownership of Ansett Airlines. It is interesting to note that today Minister Anderson could not get his lines right as to whether his government was favouring Qantas or Ansett or taking an even-handed approach to that matter. The fact of the matter is that the government have done nothing to allay the concerns of the public in relation to this matter and they stand condemned. I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.