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589

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.

JOURNALS OF THE SENATE.

No. 160.

WEDNESDAY, 28th SEPTEMBER, 1966.

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

2. PRAYERS.

3. Q uestions.—Questions on notire were answered.

4. M otion for Adjournment, to D ebate M atter of U rgency.—Senator Keeffe, in order to debate a matter of urgency, viz.—“ The urgent need for the Government to be directed to retain the services of the Snowy Mountains Authority for the purpose of planning, carrying out exploratory work and ultimately the construction of major water conservation schemes throughout the Commonwealth including Northern Australia” , moved—That the Senate, at its rising, adjourn till tomorrow at ten a.m. Debate ensued. And the debate having reached the limit of three hours allowed by Standing Order 64, the Business of the

Day was called on.

5. Papers.—The following Papers were presented, pursuant to Statute— Australian National University Act—Statute—No. 77—Faculties (School of General Studies) Amendment No. 6. Customs Tariffs—Orders—

Declared Preference Countries No. 2. Less Developed Country No. 2.

6. G overnor-G eneral’s M essage—A ssent to Bills.—The following Message from His Excellency the Governor-General was presented by the Deputy-President— C asey, Governor-General. Message No. 75.

Proposed Laws intituled— “ Trade Practices Act 1966 ” “ Phosphate Fertilisers Bounty 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, 27th September, 1966.

7. Social Services Bill 1966 [No. 2].—Order of the Day read for the adjourned debate on the Question— That this Bill be now read a second time. Senator Tangney moved an amendment, viz.—At end of motion add “ but the Senate is of the opinion that the Government should be condemned because—

(1) the proposed increase in pension rates still leaves the pensioner’s standard of living below what is a reasonable Australian minimum; (2) the Government is perpetuating the sub-standard rate for married pensioners despite the glaring anomalies and injustices in this course; (3) there is still no change in the income means test which has now remained unchanged during

twelve years of inflation and rising prices; (4) the Government has once again failed to put any value back into child endowment payments and has repudiated its pledges by allowing many other social services to lose their value; and (5) it has failed to make benefits retrospective to the 1st July, 1966 ” . Debate ensued.

Senator Poke addressing the Chair—

And it being 11 p.m.—

8. Adjournment.—The Deputy-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.

9. A ttendance.—Present, all the Members except Senators Bull (on leave), Sir Walter Cooper, Lacey (on leave), McKenna, Sir Alister McMullin (on leave), Morris (on leave) and Sandford (on leave).

J. R. ODGERS, Clerk o f the Senate.

F.11350/66.

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