Derek McDowell (Labour)

I join other Senators in welcoming the thrust of the Bill. It is designed to do two separate but complementary things. The first is to inform policyholders or potential claimants that they may have a life assurance policy that has not been claimed and the second is to set up a mechanism for the transfer and disbursement of funds. In terms of the latter, the balance is about right, although I do have a few comments to make about it. I am not altogether sure, however, that we have made anything remotely like sufficient provision for telling people in the first instance that there is a policy in existence under which they may be entitled to make a claim.