Alex White (Labour)

I concur with Senators Fitzgerald and Quinn on the Intoxicating Liquor Bill and I will support the proposed amendment to the Order of Business. Yesterday, I asked the Leader to stand up for the integrity of the House in respect of the manner in which this Bill is being forced through but he either decided not to defend us or he failed in his attempt. I ask him not to respond by saying, as he did in the past, that we can sit late tonight, tomorrow or next week because that does not address the problem. Senators need a judicious gap between different Stages of the Bill so that the issues can be carefully scrutinised and considered. It would be somewhat disingenuous of the Leader to propose a late sitting tonight because that will not address the issue raised by Senator Fitzgerald.

I also concur with the Senator in regard to her remarks about the extraordinary spectacle of the Government's response to the current economic difficulties and its proposals for cuts in spending. Quite simply, it was all over the shop. We were told that the 3% cut on pay would not affect health and education but the Minister for Education and Science subsequently appeared on television to say he would impose cuts in education. Did he do that off his own bat? We were told that health would not be affected but now we know it is the sector which will receive the biggest cuts. It makes a mockery of the Houses and the wider community to say the polar opposite of what was said hours earlier. The Government is clearly all over the shop and does not know what it is doing. It would seem Ministers are waiting for hourly briefings by Department of Finance officials before informing the rest of us. I would have thought they should be in the driving seat on these matters.

In respect of tax, I draw Senators' attention to yesterday's interesting and helpful submission by the ICTU on tax reform. I am aware that a Commission on Taxation has been established, but can the Leader confirm whether it will be possible for this House to address the issue in the autumn? We have heard the mantra of low taxation and that we have a low tax economy, even though only our income taxes are low. We seem to debate a range of issues, such as health, education and child care, almost in the abstract and without considering whether our tax base is robust enough to fund the public services we need.

We will adjourn for the summer today unless the Leader advises differently. Throughout the year, he has informed, educated and, from time to time, entertained us. I ask him to confirm that he will not take us down the road of our Romanian counterparts who recently passed a Bill, which thankfully has been shot down by the courts, requiring or instructing the radio and television stations to give equal air time to good and bad news stories. Apparently, this was motivated by a desire to improve the mental and emotional condition of the nation. I ask the Leader to confirm that he does not intend to bring forth such a proposal. I do not believe he will do so.