Legislative Assembly 5753 16 November 1993 TUESDAY, 16 NOVEMBER 1993 National Road Transport Commission— Annual Report for 1992-93 (b) Minister for Justice and Attorney-General and Minister for the Arts (Mr Wells)— Mr SPEAKER (Hon. J. Fouras, Ashgrove) Annual Reports for 1992-93— read prayers and took the chair at 10 a.m. Library Board of Queensland Board of Trustees of the PETITION Queensland Museum Queensland Law Reform Commission— The Clerk announced the receipt of the Report No. 45—The Assessment of following petition— Damages in Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation. Crown Land, Bongaree From Mr J. H. Sullivan (48 signatories) MINISTERIAL STATEMENT praying that the Parliament of Queensland will National Road Transport Commission ensure that Crown land adjacent to the recreation reserve in First Avenue, Bongaree Hon. D. J. HAMILL (Ipswich—Minister for is made available for community use together Transport and Minister Assisting the Premier with all necessary approvals for development on Economic and Trade Development) (10.02 in accordance with adopted plans. a.m.), by leave: Today, I tabled the annual report for the National Road Transport Petition received. Commission 1992-93. Broadly, the National Road Transport Commission was a body STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS established to eliminate the myriad existing road laws across States, Territories and the In accordance with the schedule Commonwealth and foster improved transport circulated by the Clerk to members in the efficiency, road safety and a reduction in costs Chamber, the following documents were through the development of nationally uniform tabled— and consistent road transport law and Auctioneers and Agents Act— regulations. Auctioneers and Agents Amendment The achievement of national uniformity Regulation (No. 1) 1993, No 408 for road transport is essential and to date a Children’s Services Act— number of major reforms have been Children’s Services Amendment undertaken by the NRTC and Ministerial Regulation (No. 1) 1993, No 404 Council to rid the road transport industry of Fauna Conservation Act— unrealistic restrictions and regulations. Through Queensland's active participation in Fauna Conservation (Open Season— the NRTC, this Government is promoting the Macropods) Amendment Regulation development of the Queensland road (No. 1) 1993, No. 407 transport industry. Queensland Transport has Government Owned Corporations Act— made a significant contribution to defining the Government Owned Corporations work program and direction of the NRTC, Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 1993, ensuring that our industry receives real No. 403 benefits in efficiency and safety. As the National Parks and Wildlife Act— annual report demonstrates, 1992-93 was National Park 340 Counties of Canning another year in which significant progress was and Marsh (Extension) Order 1993, made in regard to the objectives of the NRTC. No. 406 Agreements reached have included— National Park 602 County of Carlisle uniform heavy vehicle charges for (Extension) Order 1993, No. 405. vehicles over 4.5 tonnes which will apply from 1 July 1995; PAPERS a package of revised dimension standards for heavy vehicles; The following papers were laid on the table— a streamlined process for developing new (a) Minister for Transport and Minister or amended design rules is now in place Assisting the Premier on Economic and and investigations during the year Trade Development (Mr Hamill)— covered seat belts in buses, braking 16 November 1993 5754 Legislative Assembly requirements, emissions and mechanical mind, it should be remembered that a connections between vehicles; condition of teacher employment is that any a working paper on heavy vehicle safety permanent teacher may be required to serve issues was prepared and responses anywhere in the State. We run a Statewide sought to develop research priorities and education system. All schools, including tasks; and country and remote schools, provide a variety of experiences in terms of communities, the Australian Code for Transport of professional responsibilities, cultural and Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail was linguistic characteristics. The new transfer prepared with the input of representatives policy, therefore, aims— of every jurisdiction and industry, based on international and overseas best first and foremost, to meet the staffing practice. needs of schools across the State; The NRTC is currently working towards secondly, to ensure that a teacher who completing legislation associated with the has served in remote locations is able to heavy vehicles operations module. This be transferred to a more favourable includes regulations for mass and loading, the location; and operation of oversize/overmass vehicles, driver thirdly, to enhance teacher professional working hours and roadworthiness standards. development through experience in a The NRTC must continue to make range of educational environments. recommendations which are based on well- founded research and which take account of We acknowledge that there has to be a the costs and benefits of specific proposals. balance between the needs of the education This will ensure that, with Queensland's system and the needs of individual teachers continuing contribution, reforms remain worth while respecting the rights of individual while and bring improvements to road safety teachers. It is for this reason that the and transport efficiency and reduce the costs department has developed a comprehensive of administration. and fair appeal process based on the Public Sector Management Standard for Grievance. It is worth detailing the grounds on which a MINISTERIAL STATEMENT teacher can object to a transfer to highlight Teacher Transfer System the fairness and reasonableness of the new policy. Objections to transfers will be based on Hon. P. COMBEN (Kedron—Minister for grounds of reasonableness. Grounds for Education) (10.05 a.m.), by leave: Later this consideration of the cancellation of transfers week, teachers in State schools will be include— advised of the outcome of the department’s proposed teacher transfers. Queensland has medical circumstances and disabilities; a long and proud history of the provision of a hostile environment arising from factors high quality of public education, regardless of such as potential religious, racial or location or student circumstance. To achieve sexual persecution; and this, for many years the department has had a system of transferring teachers throughout the personal or social circumstances such State. In the past, the distribution of transfers as— and the location to which a teacher was non-custodial parental access to transferred were basically subjective decisions dependent minors where access is made by regional staffing officers. Individual proven to be used on a regular teachers were not aware of their standing for a basis; transfer relative to other teachers and no clear process or policy existed to enable them to dependent aged relatives who rely ascertain their right to a particular location on the teachers for substantial compared to other teachers. I believe the new practical support and for whom other policy that I have introduced is unambiguous, sources of help are not available. and is the fairest and most open transfer Grounds for consideration of the policy in operation in Australia. deferment of transfers include— The basic principle of the new transfer firstly, a current study program unable to policy is to achieve effective educational be completed externally; access to curriculum by staffing schools with teachers to maximise students’ access to a secondly, educational needs of school- range of skills and experience relevant to their aged children, P-12, which cannot be met particular student population. With this in at new location; Legislative Assembly 5755 16 November 1993 thirdly, current financial commitments changed since then. We expect to see the where the transfer would result in extreme final form of the legislation tonight or financial hardship; tomorrow, depending on when it is introduced, fourthly, temporary medical and we will make a decision then. The starting circumstances, including pregnancy; point for this Government is that it will be seeking to be part of a national legislative fifthly, personal crises other than that response to the High Court decision, and it will caused by the current transfer proposal; be seeking to do so in cooperation with the and Federal Government and the majority of the sixthly, current involvement in significant other States. It is clear that Western Australia cultural, sporting or community affairs at will not be a part of that process at this stage, the State or national level, which is but it appears likely on the basis of previous supported by documentation, and also Federal Government decisions—— adoption arrangements. Mr Borbidge: Nor should it. The new policy has been developed after detailed consultation across the State and is Mr W. K. GOSS: It should, if it wants an appropriate balance between meeting the certainty in respect of validation of title. educational needs of students throughout all Mr Borbidge: Pity you didn’t show a bit of the State’s schools and the individual needs leadership like Richard Court. of teachers. Claims or concerns that teachers in the more remote schools will be forced to Mr W. K. GOSS: Show a bit of leadership stay in these locations longer than the two like Richard Court? The Leader of the years they expected are baseless. I am Opposition has been prattling on about caving advised that there are only four teachers who in to Canberra. What did he do yesterday? He have completed their two years in “two-year went down to ask Johnny Howard for the schools” who have not received a transfer Liberals’ hand in a merger. Talk about caving during the current transfer process. These in to Canberra! What did Johnny Howard do? teachers are secondary teachers whose He gave him the rough end of the pineapple. subject areas are in oversupply in all regions. What is the party called now—the “sliced The department is currently endeavouring to Pineapple Party” or the “crushed Pineapple place these teachers in their preferred Party”? What a joke! The Leader of the geographic areas.