Download PDF

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.

JOURNALS OF THE SENATE.

No. 155.

THURSDAY, 15th SEPTEMBER, 1966.

1. M eeting of Senate.—The Senate met at eleven a.m., pursuant to adjournment.—The Deputy-President (Senator T. C. Drake-Brockman) took the Chair.

2. PRAYERS-3. Question.—A Question on notice was answered.

4. P apers.—The following Paper was presented, by Command of His Excellency the Governor-General— Australian Research Grants Committee—Report on grants allocated in October, 1965 and April, 1966. The following Papers were presented, pursuant to Statute—

Housing Loans Insurance Act—Second Annual Report of the Housing Loans Insurance Corporation, together with financial statements and the Auditor-General’s Report thereon, for year 1965-66. Lands Acquisition Act—Land acquired for Air Navigation purposes—Tullamarine, Victoria. Public Service Act—Forty-second Annual Report of the Public Service Board, for year 1965-66.

Repatriation Act—Reports of the Nos. 3 and 4 War Pensions Entitlement Appeal Tribunals, for year 1965-66. Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Power Act—Interim Report of the Snowy Mountains Hydro­ electric Power Authority, for year 1965-66. Vinyl Resin Bounty Act—Returns for years 1964-65 and 1965-66. War Service Homes Act—Report of the Director of War Service Homes, together with financial

statements, for year 1965-66. Wool Industry Act—Interim Report of the Australian Wool Board, for year 1965-66.

5. P ublic W orks Committee—R eports.—Senator Dittmer brought up the following Reports from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works— proposed extensions to Repatriation General Hospital at Concord, New South Wales, proposed Additional Facilities at Repatriation General Hospital at Springbank, South Australia.

Proposed New Kitchen at Repatriation General Hospital at Heidelberg, Victoria. Senator Dittmer, by leave, made a statement in connexion with each Report.

6. Commonwealth A ssistance in T echnical T raining—M inisterial Statement.—T he Minister for Works (Senator Gorton), by leave, made a statement relating to amounts advanced to the States for the provision of buildings and equipment for use in technical training.

7. H ousing L oans Insurance Corporation—M inisterial Statement.—The Minister for Housing (Senator Dame Annabelle Rankin), by leave, made a statement relating to the number and value Of housing loans insured, or undertaken to be insuted, tiy the Corporation as at 13th September, 1966.

8. Precedence to G overnment Business.—Ordered—That Government Business take precedence of General Business after eight p.m. this sitting.

9. Repatriation Bill 1966.—The Minister for Repatriation (Senator McKellar), pursuant to notice, moved— That leave be given to introduce a Bill for an Act to amend the Repatriation Act 1920-1965. Question—put and passed. Bill presented, and on the motion of Senator McKellar read a first time. Suspension o f Standing Orders.—Senator McKellar, pursuant to contingent notice, moved—That so much

of the Standing Orders be suspended as would prevent the Bill being passed through its remaining stages without delay. Question—put and passed. Senator McKellar moved—That this Bill be now read a second time. On the motion of Senator Bishop the debate was adjourned.

Ordered—That the resumption of the dfebate be an Order of the Day for the next day of sitting.

10. P hosphate F ertilizers Bounty Bill 1966.^—Message from the House o f Representatives.—The following Message from the House of Representatives was received and read— Mr. D eputy-President, Message No. 316.

The House of Representatives transmits to the Senate a Bill intituled “A Bill for an Act to amend the ‘ Phosphate Fertilizers Bounty Act 1963 ’ in relation to the Period in respect o f which Bounty is payable under that Act and in relation to Decimal Currency ”, in which it desires the concurrence of the Senate. J . M cL eay,

House of Representatives, Speaker.

Canberra, 13th September, 1966. F.11350/66.

572 No. 155.— 15th September, 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. 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. Budget Papers 1966-67.—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 Papers—And on the amendment moved thereto by Senator Willesee, viz.—Leave out all words after “ That ”, insert “ the Senate condemns the Budget because—

(1) it fails to recognize the injustices wrought upon wage earners because real wages have fallen as prices have risen faster than wages; (2) it makes inadequate adjustments to Social Service payments; (3) it fails to recognize the serious crisis in education; (4) it does not acknowledge the lack of confidence on the part of the business community in the

future growth of the economy; (5) it does not recognize the need of further basic development, public and private, in addition to the need for adequate defence, and that balanced development can only take place by active encouragement to Australian industry and co-operation with the States; and (6) it does nothing to relieve our dependence on a high rate of foreign investment to finance the

deficit in our balance of payments ” . Debate resumed. Ordered, on the motion of Senator Withers—That the document, relating to speeches of the Prime Minister, quoted from by Senator Keeffe during his speech, be laid upon the Table. Senator Keeffe accordingly having laid upon the Table the document quoted from, viz.—“ Talking

Pointers Issued by the Australian Labor Party, Queensland Branch—No. 4—The Words of Harold Holt Debate continued.

And it being 10.30 p.m.—

Adjournment Negatived.—The Deputy-President, under Sessional Order, put the Question—That the Senate do now adjourn— Which Question was negatived.

Debate continued. Question—That the words proposed to be left out be left out—put. The Senate divided— Ayes, 15.

Senator— Bishop. Cant. Cavanagh.

Devitt. Dittmer. Drury. Fitzgerald. Keeffe. McClelland.

Senator— Mulvihill. Murphy. Ormonde. Poke. Willesee.

Teller:

Senator O’Byrae.

Noes, 20.

Senator— Anderson. Branson. Breen.

Davidson. Drake-Brockman. Gair. Gorton. Hannaford. Heatley. Henty.

Lawrie.

Senator— McKellar. McManus. Sim. Webster.

Wedgwood. Withers. Wood. Wright.

Teller:

Senator Scott.

Amendment negatived accordingly. Senator McManus moved an amendment, viz.—At end of motion add “ but condemns the Budget because it fails to— (0) recognize the injustice of wage earners caused by the real wages having fallen behind the cost

of living;

(A) adequately raise social services, which should be taken out of the field of politics and determined by a tribunal of experts; (c) provide that pensions increase as the cost of living rises; (d) make progressive steps towards elimination of the means test injustice suffered by Australians,

by providing for those receiving superannuation and small fixed incomes; ultimately a comprehensive national insurance plan is the answer; (e) make a worthwhile contribution to solving the crisis in education by providing a $100 million special grant for the training of teachers in both State and independent schools, and for

buildings, equipment and research, pending provision for a per capita payment for children attending independent primary and secondary schools; ( /) stimulate national development, particularly by a vigorous decentralization programme with special attention to the north; (g) encourage the birth rate by a programme of increased family allowances, child endowment and

maternity allowances; (A) eliminate the housing lag, with special assistance to co-operative housing societies; (1) make a worthwhile contribution to foreign aid to counter allegations that pur overseas interests are purely military; and O') adequately provide for Australia’s defence ”, Debate ensued,

No. 155.— 15/A September, 1966. 573

Question—That the words proposed to be added be added—put. The Senate divided— Ayes, 2. Noes, 33.

Senator— Gair.

Teller:

Senator McManus.

Senator— Anderson. Bishop. Branson. Breen.

Cant. Cavanagh. Davidson. Devitt.

Dittmer. Drake-Brockman. Drury. Fitzgerald. Gorton. Hannaford.

Heatley. Henty. Keeffe. Law rie.

Senator— McClelland. McKellar. Mulvihill. Murphy.

O’Byme. Ormonde. Poke. Sim. Webster.

Wedgwood. Willesee. Withers. Wood. Wright.

Teller:

Senator Scott.

Amendment negatived accordingly. Question—That the Senate take note of the Papers—put and passed.

12. Adjournment.—The Minister for Supply (Senator Henty) moved—That the Senate do now adjourn. Debate ensued. Question—put and passed. The Senate adjourned at thirteen minutes to twelve o’clock midnight till Tuesday next at three p.m.

13. A ttendance.—Present, all the Members except Senators Bull (on leave), Cohen, Sir Walter Cooper, Kennelly, Lacey (on leave), Lillico, Sir Alister McMullin, Sandford (on leave), Tangney, Toohey and Wheeldon. J. R. ODGERS,

Clerk o f the Senate.

By Authority: A· f - Arthur, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra