Matter of Public Interest: SENATE 31 March 2004 Senator LUNDY (Australian Capital Territory) (1.00 p.m.) -I rise to speak on a matter of public interest today: the issue of EPO research. Until recently Australia was the world leader in anti-doping research. Senator Kemp -It still is! The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT (Senator Marshall)-Order! Minister, please do [...]
Monthly Archives: March 2004
Parliament House Art Collection under threat
The Howard Government has attacked the integrity and collection principles of the Parliament House Art Collection in a report prepared in response to complaints by Howard Government members. Not only do these proposed changes threaten the integrity of the Parliament House Art Collection which is currently valued at $85.6 million, but acceptance of the recommendations [...]
Government Rejects its own Cabinet “Fat Fund” Blueprint
The Howard Government’s latest plan to tackle Australia’s growing obesity crisis is so lacking in substance and credibility that even Government Cabinet members are calling for it to be scrapped. Their latest scheme, to provide a “Fat Grants Plan”, has been slammed by experts in the health industry as nothing more than a marginal electorate [...]
NCA slammed for pitiful consultation record
Once again it appears the National Capital Authority has taken their own planning rules with a pinch of salt and failed to adequately consult with residents directly affected by proposed changes to State Circle blocks. Today the Joint Standing Committee on National Capital and External Territories met to hear concerns from residents about Draft Amendment [...]
Howard Government Has Dropped the Ball on Drug Testing
Until recently the Australian Institute of Sport was leading the world in the development of tests that could be used to successfully expose blood doping cheats. In an inexplicable and totally unjustified move however, the Howard Government placed a ban on this world leading research being conducted, despite the fact that the test developed by [...]
The Future of Australian Broadcasting and Media Services
Australian Broadcast Summit Sydney Convention Centre 17 March 2004 The Federal Opposition’s perspective on the Future of Australian Broadcasting and Media Services Thank you for the opportunity to address the conference today. We stand now on the edge of a new era in broadcasting as technologies converge and digital becomes a mainstream technology rather than [...]
Egg on Humphries face as Howard follows Latham lead on NOIE
The Howard Government’s decision to scrap NOIE is another example of just how Labor is leading the policy debate. Labor announced the decision to scrap NOIE in January, saying there was a better way to manage these IT-related issues. Clearly the Howard Government agrees! No doubt Labor will be forced to wait until budget estimates [...]
Labor leadership on Resale Rights for Artists
Labor has once again shown leadership by honouring its commitment to introduce a Private Members Bill, by today giving notice that the Resale Royalty Bill 2004 will be introduced into the Senate tomorrow. If passed, a resale royalty scheme for visual artists will be established. The Bill is designed to implement a key recommendation of [...]
Save Screensound
The Howard Government has continued its war on Australian culture with an unprecedented attack on the Screensound Australia. Their proposals are outlined in a Directions paper (see below) and will result in the institution being torn apart and aspects relocated to both Sydney and Melbourne. Labor opposes this and has announced a policy to ensure [...]
Secret MRT closure surprises Minister and Humphries
Neither the Minister for Immigration or ACT Backbencher Senator Humphries has been able to provide answers to why the Canberra office of the Migration Review Tribunal will be closed on 30 June 2004. When asked to provide details under Labor questioning in Senate Question time yesterday, the Minister for Immigration was unable to respond, and [...]
