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475

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.

JOURNALS OF THE SENATE.

No. 129.

TUESDAY, 22nd 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. Distinguished Visitors.—The President drew attention to the presence in the gallery of Mr. H. Chan, the first elected President of the Legislative Council of the Northern Territory, and Mr. P. Murray, Chairman of Committees, and extended to them a cordial welcome.

4. Questions.—Questions on notice were answered.

5. Papers.—The following Paper was presented, by Command of His Excellency the Governor-General— Norfolk Island—Report for year 1964-65. The following Papers were presented, pursuant to Statute— Public Service Act—Appointments—Department—

Health—C. H. Campbell. Prime Minister’s—J. P. Burnett, J. E. Digby. Public Service Arbitration Act—Determinations by the Arbitrator—1966— No. 20—Amalgamated Engineering Union and others.

No. 26—Administrative and Clerical Officers’ Association, Commonwealth Public Service and others. No. 27—Commonwealth Public Service Artisans’ Association. No. 29—Federated Ship Painters and Dockers’ Union of Australia. No. 30—Amalgamated Postal Workers’ Union of Australia. No. 31—Federated Furnishing Trade Society of Australasia. No. 32—Australian Broadcasting Commission Staff Association.

6. Public Works Committee—Report.—Senator Prowse brought up the following Report from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works— Proposed erection of a Migrant Hostel at Randwick, New South Wales. Senator Prowse, by leave, made a statement in connexion with the Report.

7. Governor-General’s Message—Assent to Bills.—The following Message from His Excellency the Governor-General was presented by the President— Casey, Governor-General. Message No. 58.

Proposed Laws intituled— “ Customs Tariff Validation Act 1966 ” “ Loan (Airlines Equipment) Act 1966 ” as finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth, having been presented to the Governor-General for the Royal Assent, His Excellency has, in the name of Her Majesty, assented to the said Laws.

Government House, Canberra, 21st March, 1966.

8. Holt 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— And on the Amendment moved thereto by Senator Kennedy, 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; (b) 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 resumed. Ordered—That the debate be adjourned till a later hour of the day, and that Senator Turnbull have leave to continue his speech on the resumption of the debate. F .l 191/66.

476 No. 129— 22nd March, 1966.

9. F oreign A ffairs—M inisterial Statement, M arch, 1966—P aper.—The Minister for Works (Senator Gorton), by leave, made a statement relating to Australia’s foreign policy in Asia, particularly, and in Africa. Senator Gorton then, by Command of His Excellency the Governor-General, laid upon the Table the following Paper—

Foreign Affairs—Ministerial Statement, 22nd March, 1966— and moved, by leave—That the Senate take note of the Paper. On the motion of Senator McKenna the debate was adjourned. Ordered—That the resumption of the debate be an Order of the Day for the next day of sitting.

10. A ustralian Capital T erritory Representation Bill 1966.—Order of the Day read for the adjourned debate on the Question—That this Bill be now read a second time. Debate resumed. 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.

Clause 1 agreed to. Clause 2 debated and agreed to. Clause 3 agreed to. Title debated and agreed to. Bill to be reported without amendment.

The President resumed the Chair; and the Chairman of Committees (Senator Drake-Brockman) reported accordingly. On the motion of the Minister for Repatriation (Senator McKellar) the Report from the Committee was adopted, and the Bill read a third time.

11. H olt M inistry—P olicy Statement—P aper.—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— And on the Amendment moved thereto by Senator Kennedy (see page 475). Debate resumed. Senator Laught addressing the Chair—

And it being 10.30 p.m.—

12. A djournment.—The President, under Sessional Order, put the Question—That the Senate do now adjourn. Debate ensued. Question—resolved in the affirmative. The Senate adjourned at seventeen minutes to eleven p.m. till to-morrow at three p.m.

13. A ttendance.—Present, all the Members except Senators Lillico (on leave), McClelland, Ormonde (on leave) and Tangney (on leave). J. R. ODGERS, Clerk o f the Senate.

By Authority: A. J. Arthur, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra