Senator STEPHENS (Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector and Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Prime Minister for Social Inclusion) (12:42 PM) —Thank you, Senator Ludlam. The government certainly values the role and function of the Supervising Scientist in relation to uranium mining in the Northern Territory. I am not speaking for the minister when I say this, but I am sure that, as those new proposals are proven up more substantially, the Supervising Scientist’s oversight and administration role in those uranium mines will be a factor the minister takes into account in terms of his advice and his consideration. I have advice that the expansion of the Supervising Scientist’s role in administrative arrangements is under consideration, but the minister has yet to determine the extent to which that will occur.