Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—Senator Coonan, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, will be absent from question time today until Thursday inclusive. Senator Coonan is on an official visit to Israel, leading an Australian trade mission to Telecom Israel 2006, as well as attending a series of meetings with the Israeli Prime Minister, industry and regulators. During her absence Senator Kemp has agreed to take questions on behalf of the Communications, Information Technology and the Arts portfolio and questions on behalf of the Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer. Senator Vanstone has agreed to take questions on behalf of the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women’s Issues, and I will take questions relating to the Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio.

In addition, Senator Ian Campbell, the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, will be absent from question time from today to Wednesday inclusive due to family reasons. During Senator Campbell’s absence Senator Abetz has agreed to take questions on the portfolios of Environment and Heritage, Defence, Veterans’ Affairs, Transport and Regional Services and Local Government, Territories and Roads, for which we thank Senator Abetz very much.