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COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.
JOURNALS OF THE SENATE.
No. 127.
WEDNESDAY, 16th MARCH, 1966.
1. Meeting of Senate.—The Senate met at three p.m., pursuant to adjournment.—The President (Senator the Honorable Sir Alister McMullin) took the Chair.
2. PRAYERS.
3. Questions.—Questions on notice were answered.
4. Papers.—The following Papers were presented, by Command of His Excellency the Governor-General— Christmas Island—Report for year 1964-65. Cocos (Keeling) Islands—Report for year 1964-65. Commonwealth Telegraphs Agreement—Fourteenth General Report of the Commonwealth
Telecommunications Board and statement of accounts, for year ended 31st March, 1965. Tariff Board Reports— Motor vehicles and concessional admission of components.
Replacement motor vehicle engines and certain replacement parts. Yams of paper (Dumping and Subsidies Act). The following Papers were presented, pursuant to Statute— Christmas Island Act—Ordinances—1966—
No. 1—Interpretation. No. 2—Census. No. 3—District Court. No. 4—Criminal Procedure Code. No. 5—Police Force. Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act—Ordinances—1966—
No. 1—Interpretation. No. 2—Coinage Ordinance Repeal. No. 3—Medical Charges. Explosives Act—Explosives Regulations—Orders directing the berthing of vessels (4).
Lands Acquisition Act—Land acquired for— Bureau of Meteorology purposes—Wagga Wagga (Kooringal), New South Wales. Post Office purposes—Croydon, Victoria. Naum Act—Ordinance—1966—No. 3—Executive Council. Post and Telegraph Act—Regulations—Statutory Rules 1966, No. 68. Public Service Arbitration Act—Determinations by the Arbitrator—1966—
No. 16—Australian Broadcasting Commission Staff Association. No. 21—Federated Miscellaneous Workers’ Union of Australia. No. 22—Federated Public Service Assistants’ Association. No. 23—Amalgamated Postal Workers’ Union of Australia. No. 24—Amalgamated Engineering Union and others. No. 25—Association of Architects, Engineers, Surveyors and Draughtsmen of Australia. River Murray Waters Act—Annual Report and financial statements of the River Murray
Commission, together with the Auditor-General’s Report and statement of gaugings and diversions, for year 1964-65. Seat of Government (Administration) Act—Variation of the plan of lay-out of Canberra and its environs—Notice dated 15th February, 1966.
Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Power Act—Sixteenth Annual Report of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Authority, together with financial statements and the Auditor-General’s Report thereon, for year 1964-65.
Sulphate of Ammonia Bounty Act—Return for year 1964-65. Superannuation Act—Regulations—Statutory Rules 1966, No. 67. Tariff Board Acts—Reports of Special Advisory Authority— Polyethylene monofil and rope.
Woven fabrics of glass fibre. Weights and Measures (National Standards) Act—Regulations—Statutory Rules 1966, No. 66.
5. Commonwealth Parliamentary Association—Eleventh Conference—Report of Australian Delegation.—Senator Poke, by leave, laid upon the Table the following Paper— Commonwealth Parliamentary Association—Report of Australian Delegation to the Eleventh Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, held at Wellington, New Zealand, November-
December, 1965.
Senator Poke moved, by leave—That the Senate take note of the Report. On the motion of Senator Marriott the debate was adjourned. Ordered—That the resumption of the debate be an Order of the Day for the next day of sitting. F.l 191/66.
470 No. 127.—16/λ March, 1966.
6. R etirement of Sir R obert Menzies.—The Minister for Supply (Senator Henty) moved, by leave— That to mark the retirement from this Parliament of the former Member for Kooyong in the House of Representatives, the Right Honorable Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, K.T., C.H., Q.C., after a distinguished public career encompassing six years in the Parliament of the State of Victoria, and over thirty-one
years in membership of the House of Representatives, including sixteen consecutive years as Prime Minister, the Senate places on record its recognition of his long, able and devoted service to Australia, to the Commonwealth of Nations and to the Institution of Parliament, and extends to him and Dame Pattie Menzies its sincerest good wishes. And the motion having been seconded by the Leader of the Opposition (Senator McKenna) and supported
by the Minister for Repatriation (Senator McKellar) and Senator Gair— Question—put and passed.
7. Australian R epresentation Abroad—M inisterial Statement.—The Minister for Works (Senator Gorton), by leave, made a statement informing the Senate that the Governments of Australia and Mexico had agreed to exchange Embassies, and of the preliminary arrangements which had been made.
8. Softwood Planting in Australia—Ministerial Statement—Paper.—The Minister for Customs and Excise (Senator Anderson), by leave, made a statement relating to the Government’s offer of long-term loans to the States to assist in the raising of the planting rate in Government softwood plantations. Senator Anderson then, by command of His Excellency the Governor-General, laid upon the table the following paper—
Commonwealth Assistance for Expansion of Softwood Planting in Australia—Ministerial Statement, 16th March, 1966— and moved, by leave—That the Senate take note of the Paper. On the motion of Senator O’Byrne the debate was adjourned. Ordered—That the resumption of the debate be an Order of the Day for the next day of sitting.
9. Immigration Policy—Ministerial Statement—Paper.—The Minister for Housing (Senator Dame Annabelle Rankin), by leave, made a statement relating to the review of the immigration policy affecting non-European people and to the decisions of the Government in this regard. Senator Dame Annabelle Rankin then, by Command of His Excellency the Governor-General, laid upon the Table
the following Paper— Immigration Policy affecting non-Europeans, Ministerial Statement, 16th March, 1966— and moved, by leave—That the Senate take note of the Paper. On the motion of Senator O’Byrne the debate was adjourned. Ordered—That the resumption of the debate be an Order of the Day for the next day of sitting.
10. H ousing F inance—Ministerial Statement.—The Minister for Housing (Senator Dame Annabelle Rankin), by leave, made a statement relating to additional finance being made available by the Commonwealth to the States for housing purposes. Senator Dame Annabelle Rankin moved, by leave—That the Senate take note of the Statement. On the motion of Senator O’Byrne the debate was adjourned. Ordered—That the resumption of the debate be an Order of the Day for the next day of sitting.
11. Leave of Absence.—The Minister for Customs and Excise (Senator Anderson) moved, by leave—That Senator Lillico be granted leave of absence for two months on account of absence overseas. Question—put and passed. Senator Anderson moved, by leave—That Senator Sherrington be granted leave of absence for two months
on account of ill-health. Question—put and passed. Senator McKenna moved, by leave—That Senator Ormonde be granted leave of absence for two months on account of absence overseas. Question—put and passed. Senator McKenna moved, by leave—That Senator Tangney be granted leave of absence for one month
on account of ill-health. Question—put and passed.
12. Loan (Airlines Equipment) Bill 1966.—Message from the House o f Representatives.—The following Message from the House of Representatives was received and read— Mr . President, Message No. 271.
The House of Representatives transmits to the Senate a Bill intituled “A Bill for an Act to approve the raising by way of Loan o f Moneys in the Currency o f the United States o f America to be lent to the Australian National Airlines Commission and to Qantas Empire Airways Limited, and for purposes connected therewith ”, in which it desires the concurrence of the Senate.
J. M cLeay,
House of Representatives, Speaker.
Canberra, 9th March, 1966. Suspension of Standing Orders.—The Minister for Customs and Excise (Senator Anderson), pursuant to contingent notice, moved—That so much of the Standing Orders be suspended as would prevent the Bill being passed through all its stages without delay.
Question—put and passed. On the motion of Senator Anderson the Bill was read a first time. Senator Anderson moved—That this Bill be now read a second time.
On the motion of Senator Murphy the debate was adjourned. Ordered—That the resumption of the debate be an Order of the Day for the next day of sitting.
No. 127.— 16th March, 1966. 471
13. Customs Tariff Validation Bill 1966.—Message from the House o f Representatives.—The following Message from the House of Representatives was received and read— Mr. President, Message No. 270.
The House of Representatives transmits to thetSenate a Bill intituled “A Bill for an Act to provide for the Validation o f Collections o f Duties o f Customs under Proposed Customs Tariff Alterations ”, in which it desires the concurrence of the Senate. J. McLeay,
House of Representatives, Speaker.
Canberra, 9th March, 1966. Suspension o f Standing Orders.—The Minister for Customs and Excise (Senator Anderson), pursuant to contingent notice, moved—That so much of the Standing Orders be suspended as would prevent the Bill being passed through all its stages without delay.
Question—put and passed. On the motion of Senator Anderson the Bill was read a first time. Senator Anderson moved—That this Bill be now read a second time. Debate ensued. Question—put and passed. Bill read a second time. The Senate, according, to Order, resolved itself into Committee for the consideration of the Bill.
In the Committee.
Bill, by leave, taken as a whole, and agreed to. Bill to be reported without requests.
The Acting Deputy-President (Senator Laught) resumed the Chair; and the Temporary Chairman of Committees (Senator Wedgwood) reported accordingly. On the motion of Senator Anderson the Report from the Committee was adopted, and the Bill read a third time.
14. Australian Capital Territory Representation Bill 1966.—Message from the House o f Representatives.—The following Message from the House of Representatives was received and read— Mr. P resident, Message No. Î 2.
The House of Representatives transmits to the Senate a Bill intituled “A Bill for an Act to repeal section 6 o f the ‘ Australian Capital Territory Representation Act 1948-1959 ’ ”, in which it desires the concurrence of the Senate. J. McLeay,
House of Representatives, Speaker.
Canberra, 10th March, 1966. Suspension o f Standing Orders.—The Minister for Repatriation (Senator McKellar), pursuant to contingent notice, moved—That so much of the Standing Orders be suspended as would prevent the Bill being passed through all its stages without delay. Question—put and passed. On the motion of Senator McKellar the Bill was read a first time. Senator McKellar moved—That this Bill be now read a second time. On the motion of Senator O’Byme the debate was adjourned. Ordered—That the resumption of the debate be an Order of the Day for the next day of sitting.
15. H olt Ministry—Policy Statement—Paper.—Order of the Day read for the adjourned debate on the motion by the Minister for Supply (Senator Henty), viz.—That the Senate take note of the Paper. Senator Kennelly moved an amendment, viz.—Leave out all words after “ That ”, insert— “ the Senate records—
(1) its most emphatic opposition to the despatch of conscripted youths for service in Vietnam and the increased military commitment in that country, and (2) its disapproval of and grave concern at the Government’s failure— (a) to maintain the purchasing power of the Australian community;
Φ) to retain an adequate and proper Australian share in the ownership and develop ment of our national resources, particularly in Northern Australia; (c) to alleviate the effects of the drought and take steps to rehabilitate rural industries and conserve water resources; (d) to make adequate provision for housing and associated community facilities; and (e) to submit to referendum the two Bills to alter the Constitution in respect of
Aborigines and the Parliament which were passed last year and, in connexion with the latter Bill, to disclose the related distribution proposals Debate ensued. Senator O’Byrne addressing the Chair—
And it being 11 p.m.—
16. Adjournment.—The President, under Sessional Order, put the Question—That the Senate do now adjourn. Question—resolved in the affirmative. The Senate adjourned at eleven p.m. till to-morrow at eleven a.m.
17. Attendance—Present, all the Members except Senators Lillico (on leave), Ormonde (on leave), Sherrington (on leave), Tangney (on leave) and Toohey. J. R. ODGERS, Clerk o f the Senate.
By Authority: A. J. Arthur, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra