David Norris (Independent)

I raised the question of China yesterday and I noted the comments of Senator Quinn. One hopes there will be open dialogue and the Olympic Games, which in some ways is a rather squalid event politically, will be used to highlight the situation in China. Far from what Senator Ó Murchú, with whom I rarely disagree, said, the situation in China is getting steadily worse. China has made an extraordinary jump from a bogus communism to a rampant and uncontrolled consumerist capitalism. I draw the House's attention to an issue in Tibet, which is the case of the Panchen Lama who was kidnapped at six years of age and who has not been seen since and the bogus Panchen Lama installed by the atheist Chinese government who is to be made one of its officials. Let us keep raising this issue.

On the question of autism, Deputy O'Rourke is a remarkable and courageous woman in the issues she raises. Importantly, one of the two professional authors of the report on autism openly disagreed with the Minister for Education and Science's interpretation of that report and that is a matter to be discussed.