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591

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.

JOURNALS OF THE SENATE.

No. 161.

THURSDAY, 29th 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. Questions.—Questions on notice were answered.

4. P aper.—The following Paper was presented, pursuant to Statute— National Library Act—Sixth Annual Report of the Council of the National Library of Australia, together with financial statements and the Auditor-General’s Report thereon, for year 1965-66.

5. R egulations and Ordinances Committee—T wenty-second R eport.—Senator Wood brought up the Twenty-second Report from the Standing Committee on Regulations and Ordinances together with Minutes of Evidence. Ordered—That the Report be printed.

6. P ublic Service Bell 1966.—The Minister for Works (Senator Gorton), pursuant to notice, moved—That leave be given to introduce a Bill for an Act to amend the Public Service Act 1922-1964. Question—put and passed. Bill presented, and on the motion of Senator Gorton read a first time.

Suspension o f Standing Orders.—Senator Gorton, 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 Gorton moved—That this Bill be now read a second time. On the motion of Senator Willesee the debate was adjourned.

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

7. P recedence to G overnment Business.—Ordered—That Government Business take precedence of General Business after eight p.m. this sitting.

8. 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.—And on the amendment moved thereto by Senator Tangney, viz.—At end of motion add “ but the Senate is of the opinion that the Government should be con­ demned 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 j^and (5) it has failed to make benefits retrospectivejo the 1st July, 1966 ”. Debate resumed. Question—That the words proposed to be added be added—put. The Senate divided-

Ayes, 23. Noes, 23. " '

Senator— Senator— Senator— Senator—

Benn. Mulvihill. Anderson. Mattner.

Bishop. Murphy. Cormack. Prowse.

Cant. Ormonde. Cotton. Rankin, Dame

Cavanagh. Poke. Davidson. Annabelle.

Cohen. Ridley. Drake-Brockman. Sim.

Devitt. Tangney. Hannaford. Webster.

Drury. Toohey. Heatley. Wedgwood.

Fitzgerald. Turnbull. Henty. Withers.

Gair. Willesee. Laught. Wood.

Keeffe. Lawrie. Wright.

Kennelly. Lillico.

McClelland. Teller: McKeUar. Teller:

McManus. Senator O’Byrne. Marriott. Senator Scott.

F.11350/66.

592 No. 161.—29th September, 1966.

The Ayes and the Noes being equal, amendment negatived accordingly. Question—That this Bill be now read a second time—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 amendment.

The Deputy-President resumed the Chair; and the Temporary Chairman of Committees (Senator Wedgwood) reported accordingly. On the motion of the Minister for Housing (Senator Dame Annabelle Rankin) the Report from the Committee was adopted, and the Bill read a third time.

^9. Seamen’s W ar P ensions and A llowances Bill 1966.—Order of the Day read for the adjourned debate yg 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.

Bill, by leave, taken as a whole, and agreed to. Bill to be reported without amendment.

The Deputy-President resumed the Chair; and the Temporary Chairman of Committees (Senator Wedgwood) 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.

10. P articulars of P roposed E xpenditure 1966-67—Papers.—The Senate, according to Order, resolved itself into Committee for the further consideration of proposed expenditure for the year 1966-67.

In the Committee.

Consideration resumed of Division 260—Department of Housing, $4,457,000 and Division 917— Department of Housing, $58,250,000, and of the amendment moved by Senator Poke to the Question— That the Committee take note of the proposed expenditure, viz.—At end of Question add “ but is of the opinion that the expenditure should be reduced by $1 as a protest against the Government’s action in excluding Credit Unions from the provisions of the Home Savings Grant Act 1964-1965 ”. Question—That the words proposed to be added be added—put. The Committee divided—

Ayes, 23. Noes, 23.

Senator— Senator— Senator— Senator—

Berm. MulvihilL Anderson. Manner.

Bishop. Murphy. Branson. Prowse.

C ant Ormonde. Cormack. Rankin, Dame

Cavanagh. Poke. Cotton. Annabelle.

Cohen. Ridley. Davidson. Sim.

Devitt. Tangney. Drake-Brockman. Webster.

Drury. Toohey. Heatley. Wedgwood.

Fitzgerald. Turnbull. Henty. Withers.

Gair. Willesee. Laught Wood.

Keeffe. Lawrie. Wright.

Kennelly. Lillico.

McClelland. Teller: McKellar. Teller:

McManus. Senator O’Byme. Marriott. Senator Scott.

The Ayes and Noes being equal, amendment negatived accordingly. Question—That the Committee take note of the proposed expenditure—put and passed. Ordered—That the Temporary Chairman (Senator Wedgwood) report progress arid ask leave to sit again.

The Deputy-President resumed the Chair; and Senator Wedgwood reported that the Committee had considered the proposed expenditure for the year 1966-67 and had made progress, and asked leave to sit again. Ordered—That the Committee have leave to sit again at a later hour of the day.

11. R epatriation Bill 1966 [No. 2],—Message from the House o f Representatives.—The following Message from the House of Representatives was received and read— Mr. D eputy P resident, Message No. 319.

The House of Representatives transmits to the Senate a Bill intituled “A Bill for an Act relating to Repatriation Benefits for Members o f the Defence Force ” , in which it desires the concurrence of the Senate. Philip E. L ucock,

House of Representatives, Acting Speaker.

Canberra, 29th September, 1966.

No. 161.—29th September, 1966. 593

Point o f Order.—The Leader of the Opposition (Senator Willesee) raised a Point of Order as to whether, the Senate having already passed a Bill the same in substance, it was in order for the Senate to proceed with this Bill in view of Standing Order 133, which provides that no Question shall be proposed which is the same in substance as one upon which a decision has already been given during the same session. Discussion on Point of Order ensued.

Ruling o f Deputy-President.—The Deputy-President stated that he had examined the Bill in the light of the application of Standing Order 133. He had noted certain differences between the Senate Bill and the Bill received from the House of Representatives. In any event it had been ruled by former President Givens that, while the rule against reviving the same Question in the same session generally held good, it is not strictly applied in regard to Bills.

The Deputy-President agreed with that ruling and expressed the view that, to rule otherwise, would negate the deadlock provisions in section 57 of the Constitution which can only be brought into operation in respect of Bills originating in the House of Representatives. For those reasons, the Deputy-President ruled that the Bill was properly before the Senate and in order. Suspension o f Standing Orders.—The Minister for Repatriation (Senator McKellar), pursuant to con­

tingent 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. Debate ensued.

And it being 1 0 .3 0 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 this Bill be now read a second time—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.

Clauses 1 to 8, by leave, taken together, and agreed to. Senator Bishop moved a request, viz.—That the House of Representatives be requested to make the following amendment, viz.—Page 5, after clause 8, insert the following new clause— “ 8a. After section 123 of the Principal Act the following section is inserted:— Medical

‘ 12 3 a . The Commission may, subject to such conditions as it from time to time treatment— determines, provide medical and hospital treatment for a member of the Forces as defined ^FoTces^ in section twenty-three of this Act and for a person to whom section one hundred and m-i-is war twenty of this Act applies.’.”. AfricanWar.

Debate ensued. Question—put. The Committee divided— Ayes, 23. Noes, 23.

Senator— Senator— Senator— Senator—

Benn. Mulvihill. Anderson. Mattner.

Bishop. Murphy. Branson. Prowse.

Cant. Ormonde. Cormack. Rankin, Dame

Cavaoagh. Poke. Cotton. Annabelle.

Cohen. Ridley. Davidson. Sim.

Devitt. Tangney. Drake-Brockman. Webster.

Drury. Toohey. Heatley. Wedgwood.

Fitzgerald. Turnbull. Henty. Withers.

Gair. Willesee. Laught. Wood.

Keeffe. Lawrie. Wright.

Kennelly. Lillico.

TeUer: McClelland. Teller: McKellar.

McManus. Senator O’Byrac. Marriott. Senator Scott.

The Ayes and Noes being equal, request for amendment negatived accordingly. Remainder of Bill, by leave, taken as a whole, and agreed to. Bill to be reported without amendment.

The Deputy-President resumed the Chair; and the Temporary Chairman of Committees (Senator Wedgwood) reported accordingly. On the motion of Senator McKellar the Report from the Committee was adopted, and the Bill read a third time.

12. P apers.—The following Papers were presented, by Command of His Excellency the Governor-General— Tariff Board Reports— Clothes pegs. Coffee. The following Paper was presented, pursuant to Statute—

Public Service Act—Appointment—Department of Territories—N. B. Byrnes.

594 No. 161.—29 th September, 1966.

13. N ext M eeting of the Senate.—The Minister for Supply (Senator Henty) moved—That the Senate, at its rising, adjourn till Tuesday, 11th October, 1966, at three p.m. Question—put and passed.

14. A djournment.—The Senate adjourned at seventeen minutes to twelve o’clock midnight till Tuesday 11th October, 1966, at three p.m.

15. 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.

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