Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly TUESDAY, 17 SEPTEMBER 1974 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Papers [17 SEPTEMBER 1974] Question Upon Notice 813 TUESDAY, 17 SEPTEMBER 1974 (A) Proposal by the Governor in Council to revoke the setting apart and declar­ ation as a State Forest of all that piece or part of State Forest 302, parishes of Athlone, Ballon, Bembil, Mr. SPEAKER (Hon. W. H. Lonergan, Brownlie, Buchan, Burraburri, Cooaga, Flinders) read prayers and took the chair at Coondarra, Delger, Goldsmith, Hooks­ 11 a.m. wood, MacDonald, Malcolm, Nudley, Pelham, Quandong, Warranna and Wongongera, described as Area "A" in DISTINGUISHED VISITOR the parish of Warranna, as shown on MR. VAOVASAMANAIA R. P. PHILLIPS, M.L.A. plan FTY.651 made and prepared by the Surveyor-General and deposited (WESTERN SAMOA) in the office of the Conservator of Mr. SPEAKER: Honourable members: I Forests and containing an area of have much pleasure in extending a welcome 187 hectares-under the Forestry Act to Mr. Vaovasamanaia R. P. Phillips, member 1959-1974. of the Legislative Assembly of Western Samoa (B) A brief explanation of the proposal. and an Australasian Regional Representative of the General Council of the Commonwealth QUESTION UPON NOTICE Parliamentary Association. lWASAKI PROJECT, YEPPOON AREA Honourable Members: Hear, hear! Mr. Tucker, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Lands,- :\! INISTERIAL EXPENSES ( 1) Concerning the proposed Iwasaki project near Yeppoon, as he has indicated RETURN TO ORDER that Iwasaki Sangyo Pty. Ltd. is not qualified to hold tenures on leasehold lands The following paper was laid on the in Grazing Farm No. 8815 and Perpetual table:- Lease Selection No. 8666, was the company Return to an Order made by the House on notified of this at the time the plans were l August last, on the motion of Mr. submitted and, if not, why were Govern­ Miller, of expenses of Ministers for the ment departments involved in unnecessary period 1 July 1973 to 30 June 1974, preparation and expense on a plan which inclusive, showing each separately and could not be implemented? in detail. (2) Why has the Co-ordinator-General's Department called for submissions and planned a public enquiry on a plan which PAPERS cannot become operational under present The following paper was laid on the land tenure? table and ordered to be printed:- (3) As a significant area of the leases should be maintained as a buffer zone to Report of the Agent-General for Queens­ protect the Corio Bay Habitat Reserve, land for the year 1973-74. has the company been given any indication The following papers were laid on the that a developmental lease could be table:- declared on any of the land? Orders in Council under­ ( 4) As the vacant Crown land on Sandy District Courts Act 1967-1972. Point is a narrow and fragile strip of coastal dunes lying in front of an estuary The Magistrates Courts Acts 1921 to declared a marine habitat reserve, will he 1964. consider declaring this land as a reserve The Supreme Court Act of 1921. protected from development? Collections Act 1966-1973. (5) Is it intended to maintain Public Water Act 1926-1973. Landing Reserve 11 on Fishing Creek and Harbours Act 1955-1972. the present surveyed public access road, Queensland Marine Act 1958-1972. for use by the general public? Forestry Act 1959-1974. Answers:- City of Brisbane Act 1924-1973. (1 and 2) "Although in terms of the Regulations under- Land Act a company or corporation, as such, cannot hold a Grazing Selection or Public Service Act 1922-1973. a Perpetual Lease Selection, it does not Queensland Marine Act 1958-1972. necessarily follow that the scheme advanced Rules and Regulations under the Cemetery by Iwasaki Sangyo Co. (Aust.) Pty. Ltd. Act 1865. could not be implemented. The company was made aware of the provisions of the Report of the Queensland Coal Board of Land Act in early discussions. The special its financial accounts for the year inter-Departmental Committee convened by 1973-1974. the Co-ordinator-General at the direction 27 814 Questions Without Notice [17 SEPTEMBER 1974) Questions Without Notice of Cabinet, has already heard public sub­ THREATENED BLACK BAN ON YABULU NICKEL missions and its examination in effect is TREATMENT PLANT of the whole conceptual scheme advanced by the company. I understand that the Dr. SCOTT-YOUNG: I ask the Premier: Committee is endeavouring to make a Is he aware of a threat by the Townsville report to Cabinet within the next \5ix to Trades and Labor Council to impose a black eight weeks. The scheme area covers a ban on the Y ahulu nickel treatment plant if variety of land tenure including freehold an effluent pipeline is laid to Halifax Bay? and reserved and vacant land. The fact Is he also aware that the Townsville Trades that some of the lands involved cannot and Labor Council is claiming that the presently be held by a company is con­ Greenvale nickel project gained exemption sidered at this stage to be incidental only from the provisions of the Clean Waters to the whole proposal." Act? Further, is he aware that a campaign of sabotage is being carried out at Yabulu ( 3 and 4) "I am not clear as to what to back up the demands of the militant the Honourable the Leader of the Opposi­ element at the project and in the Trades tion means in his reference to the declara­ and Labor Council? tion of a development lease on any of the land but nothing has been indicated Mr. BJELKE-PETERSEN: Yes, I have to the company as to any possible require­ seen reports that the Trades and Labor ments or result in respect of its proposal. Council, with whom the Leader of the I feel sure the investigating Committee Opposition is in close assoc1atwn, has threatened to impose a black ban on the wil! have full regard to any effect the Yabulu nickel treatment plant if a pipeline Scheme might have on Corio Bay and is laid to Halifax Bay. Sandy Point, and the need for any pro­ tection of those areas." Let me say at the outset that there is a deliberate campaign of sabotage under way (5) "The conceptual plan would indi­ at the plant to try to enforce the demands of cate that Landing Reserve R.l1 will be the militant element on the project. These retained but the maintenance of public are the people Mr. Egerton was talking about access to Corio Bay would be an important when he referred to union anarchy. They consideration in any scheme which might follow the principles of Mr. Jack Mundey, eventuate." the Communist Party leader, in trying to seize so-called worker control of the Yabulu plant, not in any campaign to improve wages QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE or conditions, but purely for political pur­ poses. ALLOCATION OF PETROL TAX UNDER PROPOSED COMMONWEALTH ROADS ACT What we are seeing is a power struggle within the Townsville Trades and Labor Mr. NEWBERY: I ask the Minister for Council. This militant element has claimed Mines and Main Roads: Is he aware that that the Yabulu plant was exempted from the under the proposed Commonwealth Roads provisions of the Clean Waters Act. This is Act the allocation paid to the States which not true. The Greenvale Agreement Act con­ at one time under the old Act was ~pproxi­ tained no such exemption and the companies mately 70 per cent of the petrol tax, will be in the project, as we know, were required reduced to less than 50 per cent? to have carried out an environmental impact study. That study was made by a firm Further, will he advise the House what approved by the Water Qualhy Control effect financially this reduction will have on Council, namely, Water and Trade Wastes the States and how he anticipates the Federal Pty. Ltd. After considering its repon, the Government will dispense with the balance \Vater Quality Control Council issued a of the fuel tax it retains? licence for the pipeline. In addition, the Mr. CAMM: It is true that under the Queensland Government made a grant of proposed Commonwealth Act the allocation $60,000 to the James Cook University in of the petrol tax will be reduced to less than Townsville for a study of the effects of metal 50 per cent of the amount collected by the wastes in tropical waters. Commonwealth. Following the imposition of This is a very serious matter. I appreciate an extra 5c a gallon, the amount collected that the honourable member representing the IS, of course, far in excess of what was area has seen fit to have these matters previously collected and the 50 per cent will brought to the surface so that everybody in constitute a larger sum than we have Townsville will know what is happening there. previ~msly received; but if one applies an mflatwnary trend of at least 15 per cent a In an effort to back up the demands by year over the three-year period, one can see the militant elements, there has been a that the amount that will be received will deliberate campaign of sabotage at Yabulu. be less in value than the allocations in the Sea-water has been put into machinery previous three years. Consequently, the new sumps, sand has been put into bearings, lift formula will have a very adverse effect on wiring has been torn out and cut and lubrica­ the financing of the Queensland roads pro­ tion lines have been punctured in hundreds gramme during the next three years.