The Howard Government is about to sign a treaty of military cooperation with the Republic of Turkey.
I have written to Dr Brendan Nelson, Minister for Defence, seeking assurances that this proposed treaty will rule out the possibility of Australian Defence Force personnel becoming involved in the oppression of the Kurdish population in Eastern Turkey. Turkish military forces have been used in that part of Turkey to suppress Kurdish aspirations for independence.   

I am attending a public meeting in Penola tonight on the proposed pulp mill as I believe a Parliamentary Committee should be established to look into this development, especially as it’s being fast-tracked by the State Government.
The pulp mill is another example of the Rann Government’s keenness to fast-track developments and deny residents a say through their local planning laws.
We have also had ‘major project’ status granted to the old LeCornu’s site at North Adelaide and a shopping centre complex for Victor Harbor.

There is a whiff of something unpleasant about these latter two developments as the developer is a major donor to the Labor Party.
A Parliamentary Committee needs to be set up to take a closer look at the Penola Pulp Mill approval.

The $4,000 Baby Bonus should be paid in vouchers rather than as a lump sum payment to new mothers. 
At the moment it’s obvious that the money is not always spent on the baby. A voucher system for stores that sell baby products or services would ensure that the one-off payment achieves its aim of helping families cope financially with a new baby. I don’t think paying the bonus in instalments is a solution as families often face expenses of at least $2,000 for goods, services and medical expenses associated with the birth.  

I support the preselection of Nicole Cornes as the Labor candidate for the seat of Boothby at the next Federal election. 
I believe that Nicole Cornes is a candidate many Boothby voters would like to support because she does not come with political baggage.