2 March 2006

3169  MR DANBY: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—

(1) Has he seen reports that the military regime in Burma has kidnapped a pro-democracy activist, Chit Thein Tun, from Manipur, India, and has also imprisoned his wife and his four-year-old daughter.

(2) Has he protested to the Burmese regime against this blatant violation of international law and demanded the immediate release of Chit Thein Tun and his family; if not, why not.

(3) Is he aware that the International Committee of the Red Cross has suspended its visits to prison inmates in Burma as a result of unacceptable conditions imposed by the Burmese regime.

(4) What information does he have about the number of political prisoners currently being held in Burma, the conditions in which they are being held, and the efforts being made to improve their conditions and secure their release.

(5) What representations has the Government made over political prisoners in Burma.

3170  MR DANBY: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—

(1) Is he aware of the public protest by a group of former senior Chinese Communist officials against the closu re by the Chinese government of the popular newspaper supplement Freezing Point and the dismissal of the editors of several other newspapers and can he say what have been the consequences of this act of protest.

(2) Is he able to provide the names and former positions of those who signed the protest and is he aware of any official or unofficial acts of retribution against any of the signatories.

(3) What is the Government’s response to the statement made by the former officials that “At the turning point in our history from a totalitarian to a constitutional system, depriving the public freedom of speech will bring disaster for our social and pol itical transition and give rise to group confrontation and social unrest.”

(4) Has he raised the issue of press censorship, including the censorship of the internet, with the Chinese government; if so, (a) when, (b) with which officials, and (c) what was the response.

(5) When is the next meeting of the Australia-China Human Rights Dialogue and will he be raising the issue of press censorship, and specifically the closure of Freezing Point , the dismissal of editors and the censorship of the internet, with the Chinese Government at that meeting.

3171  MR MURPHY: To ask the Minister for Transport and Regional Services—

(1) Has he read the article in the Weekend Australian on 11 February 2006 titled ‘Developers take off’ concerning the overdevelopment of designated airports, including Sydney Airport, which reported that he intends to amend the Airports Act to put beyond dispute that airports are free to develop all manner of non-aviation facilities on their 99 year leaseholds.

(2) Has he read the report in the Sydney Morning Herald on 4 February 2006 titled ‘The sky’s the limit’ which reported that in the near future, amongst other developments, Sydney Airport may have cinemas, hotels, offices, and a waterfront leisure centre.

(3) Has he read the article in the Sydney Morning Herald on 4 February 2006 titled ‘Airport retail plan turns deaf ear to noise limits’ in which it was reported that “a noise map in the Sydney Airport master plan showed the site earmarked for the 60,000 square metre shopping centre was not suitable for a commercial building” and that by 2023 the site would be exposed to noise levels between 35 and 40 ANEF which is considered too high for that purpose.

(4) Can he say what types of developments are permissible at airports and does the Airports Act regulate the types of development permissible at airports.

(5) Has he consulted with the Minister for the Environment and Heritage on amending the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to regulate development on airport land, including Sydney Airport, particularly with respect to changes to noise levels resulting from changes to the number of aircraft movements and type of aircraft; if so, what are the details.

(6) Will he amend the Airports Act to make developments at designated airports, including Sydney Airport, subject to state and territory planning laws, environmental and local government laws; if so, how; if not, why not.

(7) Will he act to make the owners of Sydney Airport accountable to the people of Sydney and NSW.

(8) Will he explain why the Government does not oblige airport lessees to observe the letter and spirit of state and territory laws, in this case the Sydney Airport Corporation and NSW state and local government planning and environmental requirements including noise and development laws, and will he also provide details on the social and economic objectives advanced by exempting airport lessees from state and local planning and environmental laws.

3172  MR MURPHY: To ask the Minister representing the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts—

(1) Can the Minister confirm media reports that Telstra is proposing to slash 5000 payphones as part of its cost-cutting measures; if not, why not.

(2) Has the Minister read the report of the review commissioned by the Government titled ‘Payphone Policy Review’, published in March 2004, which observed that there is a clear social requirement for payphones for people needing to make emergency calls, people without access to a phone at home, young people and low income earners; if not, why not.

(3) Is the Minister aware of the report’s observations that Telstra’s requirement to provide reasonable access to payphones is not clear and precise, and that Telstra has considerable latitude in meeting its obligations; if not, why not.

(4) Can the Minister ensure that payphones in the electorate of Lowe have not been, and will not be, targeted by Telstra’s planned cuts to services; if not, why not.

(5) Which laws ensure that Telstra provides and retains payphones in a manner that meets the social needs of groups which have a high level of reliance on payphones.

(6) Will the Minister exercise powers under the Telstra Corporation Act 1991 to “give Telstra such written directions in relation to the exercise of the powers of Telstra as appear to the Minister to be necessary in the public interest”, and request that current payphone levels be maintained; if not, why not.

(7) Will the Minister introduce amendments to the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standard) Act 1999 to ensure that Telstra's universal service obligations contain enforceable mandatory targets which are not subject to wide discretion or interpretation; if not, why not.

3173  MR GEORGANAS: To ask the Minister representing the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts—

(1) Will the Minister release KPMG’s Funding Adequacy and Efficiency Review on the ABC to the public; if not intend, why not.

(2) What sum was paid for the review and was it paid by the ABC.

(3) Will the review be us ed to inform funding decisions for the ABC in this year’s budget.

3174  MR GEORGANAS: To ask the Minister for Health and Ageing—

(1) Will he release the interdepartmental committee’s report on the investigation of the sustainability of the PBS.

(2) Has h e established how many pharmacies will close across Australia if the report’s recommendations are implemented.

(3) When did the investigation into the sustainability of the PBS commence.

(4) Which organisations were (a) consulted and (b) invited to make submissions as a part of the Committee’s investigation.

3175  MR GARRETT: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—

(1) Why was funding for the 2005 Jakarta International Film Festival on 9 December 2005 withdrawn on 8 December 2005, a day before the festi val opened, after it had been promised five months earlier.

(2) Did he, his department, or any member of his staff, communicate with the Cultural Counsellor of the Australian Embassy in Jakarta in respect of the program of the Jakarta International Film Festival during or after his visit to Jakarta on 6 December 2005.

(3) Who made the decision to withdraw funding at the last minute and was the decision approved by the (a) Secretary of the his department and (b) Australian Ambassador to Indonesia.

(4) Is he aware that the Cultural Counsellor wrote to the Director of the Jakarta International Film Festival providing reasons for the withdrawal of funding and that the reason given was that the films proposed to be shown, The President v David Hicks , Dhayikarr v The King , We have Decided Not to Die and Garuda’s Deadly Upgrade did not meet the guidelines or objective of the Australia-Indonesia Institute.

(5) Is he aware that the screening of two of the films, We Have Decided not to Die and Garuda’s Deadly Upgrade , was not being supported by the Australia-Indonesia Institute grant and that all four films had been approved for screening in Indonesia.

(6) Is he aware that 45 per cent of the withdrawn grant was intended to support master class workshops for Indonesian film makers and that Australian filmmakers had already travelled to Indonesia to participate in these workshops.

(7) Did that portion of the grant intended to support the master class workshops meet the guidelines and objectives of the Australia-Indonesia Institute; if so, (a) why was it withdrawn and (b) will he review the decision to withdraw the grant.

(8) Was the Board of the Australia-Indonesia Institute consulted prior to the decision to withdraw the funding; if not, has it been formally informed of the decision subsequently and, if it has, will he provide a copy.

(9) Will he consider grants to support the Jakarta International Film Festival in the future.

(10) Has he replied to the correspondence from Erros Djarot, Chairman of the Indonesian Political party PNBK stating that the publicity about the withdrawal of funding was very damaging to Australian and Indonesian relations; if so, will he table the correspondence.