Senator ALSTON (Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) (12:11 PM) —We oppose the amendments on the grounds, firstly, that the terms of item 10 are sufficiently broad to encompass contractual or any other form of agreement to pay a bargaining fee and, secondly, that the further prohibitions sought by the amendment are already catered for by provisions in the bill. I direct the Senate's attention explicitly to items 6, 9 and 10— which cover the field sufficiently for Senator Murray's purpose—and the provisions of the Workplace Relations Act, sections 298K, 298L and 298P3, which already prohibit the conduct complained of. For those reasons we do not see the need to go to the point that Senator Murray is going to. But we understand that he is in heated agreement with the general approach, and we welcome that.

Question agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

Bill reported with amendments; report adopted.