Mr WILLIAMS (Attorney-General) (11:21 AM) —in reply—I would like to thank the opposition for their bipartisan support for the National Firearms Program Implementation Bill 1998 and I anticipate, as the member for Kalgoorlie (Mr Campbell) does, that the bill will pass with that support. This bill actually provides for the Commonwealth to provide funds for the territories of Norfolk Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island to implement the territories' surrender and buyback schemes in relation to firearms. It completes the buyback legislation across the whole of the Australian territories and it gives to the external territories the benefit of the buyback that has occurred throughout the rest of Australia in the months up to the middle of 1997.

The member for Kalgoorlie has made a number of comments critical of the agreement reached on 10 May 1996 at the meeting of the Australasian Police Ministers Council on the uniform firearms laws and their effect. I do not propose to comment in detail on those. However, I can tell the member for Kalgoorlie that, if he has empirical evidence that there has been an increase in violence subsequently; if he has empirical evidence that there has been an importation of new guns at an increased rate since the uniform firearms laws; and if he has information relating to any particular community storing firearms illegally, I would like to see that.

In relation to his suggestion that farmers have the capacity to make firearms that would not fit within the uniform firearms laws, that is undoubtedly true. If they do, in fact, exercise that capacity, as the member for Kalgoorlie would know, that would be illegal. The suggestion that the defence of the home with a firearm is an inalienable right is, in my view, unsustainable. I do not propose to say any more than that.

He mentioned suicide in the rural sector. This is a matter of great concern to the government. It is a matter of great concern, I am sure, to all members of the House of Representatives, particularly those from rural and regional areas. There is a deal of research being done on that subject in a number of different places. One I am pleased to have been associated with in a former existence is the TVW Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, and I know that the Minister for Family Services (Mr Warwick Smith) has in his department a considerable focus on that subject. Firearms are not the only method by which people commit suicide, but they are a significant method, and the available research has demonstrated it has an impact on the number of suicides.

The suggestion that bipartisan support of a measure destroys democracy is interesting, but I think we have democracy in action with the member for Kalgoorlie indicating his opposing views. It seems to me that democracy is alive and well even if it has, for him, the unfortunate consequence of bipartisan support depriving his vote of a vital effect. There has been very little said about the actual bill itself and its relationship to the external territories. I do not need to add to what I said in the second reading speech, and I commend the bill to the committee.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill read a second time.

Message from the Governor-General recommending appropriation announced.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Forrest) —If no member wishes to consider the bill in detail, I will put the report question forthwith. The question is that this bill be reported to the House without amendment.

Question resolved in the affirmative.