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Thursday, 31 May 1979

Senator GEORGES (Queensland) - Firstly, I think it is necessary for me to answer the Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Carrick). He said that I was aware that the Leader of the House in the other place, Mr Sinclair, had come across. I was aware of the need to postpone the Senate's program until such time as the Minister for National Development, Mr Newman, had made an explanation, which is what it turned out to be. But what cannot be taken from us is the feeling- perhaps I could use the word 'suspicion'- that Mr Newman was required, in fact forced, to alter his position on this matter in order to protect the Minister for Science and the Environment, Senator Webster. If there is suspicion, let us bring the matter out into the open.

Senator Puplick - That is not a personal explanation.

The PRESIDENT - No. He is speaking to the motion.

Senator GEORGES - No. I am speaking to the motion at the moment. I have the call from the Chair. 1 am just explaining that I was not told by the Leader of the Government in the Senate that Mr Sinclair had come across. I have it from another source that Mr Sinclair did come across. What happens in situations such as this is that rumours begin to move about the place.

Senator Lewis - Of course. You are making them. You are extending them.

Senator GEORGES - Perhaps I am extending them. We need to find out the truth of the matter. Let us debate the issue to see whether the Opposition was potting, as Senator Button suggested earlier, and instead of hitting Senator Webster we now seem to have hit Mr Newman. Mr Newman now seems to have been required to make an explanation which denies the policy of his Department. The policy of his Department is consistent with the answers that he gave in the House of Representatives. He said that the reason for the non-declaration of the zone was the permits involved in the area. 1 have raised question after question in this place asking why it is that the Department of National Development, Mr Newman's Department, through its membership of the Great Barrier Reef Conservative Committee, has been pressing for drilling in that region of the Great Barrier Reef. Representatives of Mr Newman's Department have been pressing for that time and time again. The policy of Newman's Department is that drilling should take place. The policy of his Department is that the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park should not be declared until such time as the matter of the permits is resolved. It is not a constitutional matter, as Senator Webster said time and time again. However, as far as Mr Newman is concerned that is not the case. He gave an answer according to the policy of his Department. He was clear and straightforward in his reply. We in this place have had evasion from Senator Webster and from the Prime Minister (Mr Malcolm Fraser).

What happened today was that, in defence of Senator Webster, who was caught out in a conflict with the responsible Minister, pressure was brought to bear on Mr Newman for him to accept full responsibility. That is what Mr Newman's explanation means. He accepted full responsibility in order to allow Senator Webster to escape the charges that we were laying against him, namely, that he was misleading the House and that he had been misleading the House consistently on the matter. In this situation Mr Newman is the fall guy. I suggest that the reason it was Mr Sinclair who came across to see the Leader of the Government in the Senate was that Mr Sinclair came to protect his fellow member of the National Country Party. That is the situation, no more, no less. The National Country Party brought pressure to bear to protect Senator Webster in this place. There is no doubt that Senator Webster has been on the run. He has been discredited. Even today he was discredited.

Mr Newmanwas forced to accept responsibility, just as Senator Withers was.

What is revealed by this whole matter is a conflict between Mr Newman's Department and the Department of Science and the Environment. On a factual basis I find it more acceptable to accept the reality of Mr Newman's position. What we have been complaining about is that Mr Newman's Department is committed to oil drilling on the Great Barrier Reef. Senator Webster is committed to making apologies. But Senator Webster has been caught out in a conflict. He has been caught out in misleading this House. This whole exercise this afternoon has been to protect Senator Webster. Clearly, Mr Newman is the fall guy in this situation. As Senator Cavanagh said, it remains to be seen what will develop over the next two or three days. One thing is certain: Senator Webster is in a powerful position because he is protected by the National Country Party minority in the Government. It has called the tune before and it is calling it again. Senator Webster will escape the penalty that he ought to accept.

Senator Sim - Do you believe Senator Cavanagh or not?

Senator Maunsell - He has been peddling those rumours.

Senator GEORGES - I made my own assessment from the incidents which have occurred. The Leader of the Government in the Senate has acknowledged that it was Sinclair who acted as the message boy and came across to tell us that we could not proceed as planned because Mr Newman had not made a statement- Mr Sinclair knew exactly what the statement contained. He knew that Mr Newman was going to make a statement, accepting full responsibility in the matter, in order to allow Senator Webster to escape. That has been the whole exercise in the other place and this place. Although I do not agree with Mr Newman's policies, in the circumstances I feel sorry for him. All this has a sort of Withers aspect. I hope that it is not Mr Newman who suffers. The person who ought to suffer is Senator Webster.

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