Hansard 10 Mar 1999
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10 Mar 1999 Legislative Assembly 397 WEDNESDAY, 10 MARCH 1999 largest export earner, one of our major employers, and a major contributor to State revenue. But sometimes all this is taken for granted. We notice the boom-time headlines Mr SPEAKER (Hon. R. K. Hollis, Redcliffe) in the media but we rarely see the downside of read prayers and took the chair at 9.30 a.m. the industry and its impact on ordinary Queenslanders and their families. ADDRESS IN REPLY Recent events at the Gordonstone mine have served to highlight the issues confronting Presentation all of those involved in the coal mining Mr SPEAKER: Order! Honourable industry. I do not intend to debate the rights members, I have to inform the House that His and wrongs of either side of the Gordonstone Excellency the Governor will be pleased to dispute. Today, I intend to focus on those receive the Address in Reply at Government people who are being affected by changes in House on Friday, 26 March 1999, at the coal industry in the Central Highlands 3 o'clock p.m. and I invite all honourable region. members to accompany me on the occasion of the presentation. Today, I am announcing an initiative that is aimed squarely at the miners and their families who have lost their jobs through a MEMBERS SURVEY range of reasons, none of which are their fault. Mr SPEAKER: Order! I draw honourable Today, I am announcing the establishment of members' attention to the members survey the Central Highlands Community Employment Trust. The trust will have three aims. The first which will be distributed today. I ask all members to please complete the survey by aim is to create job opportunities through the due date as it is part of the Legislative encouraging business development. The Assembly's performance reporting process. second is to initiate programs to provide young people from the Central Highlands with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to OVERSEAS VISIT enhance their chances of getting real, long- Report term jobs. The third is to reduce unemployment in the community, particularly Hon. D. J. HAMILL (Ipswich—ALP) targeting displaced Gordonstone employees (Treasurer) (9.31 a.m.): I lay upon the table of and the long-term unemployed. the House a report on my participation in the Queensland Treasury Corporation's annual The trust will be established with a investor relations program to Singapore, Hong $200,000 contribution from the Department of Kong and Tokyo, including itineraries, details Employment, Training and Industrial Relations. of meetings and associated material. I have had initial discussions with a number of other groups and I hope that this working capital will rise to $1m with contributions from PAPER industry, particularly local coal mining MINISTERIAL PAPER companies, unions, the Commonwealth The following paper was tabled— Government and local interests. The trust will be sponsored and managed by the existing Minister for Environment and Heritage and Central Highlands Development Corporation. Minister for Natural Resources (Mr Welford)— That means that there is an established Second Interim Report of the Panel infrastructure and network to achieve our aims. Assessment Study under the Mount Isa Mines Ltd Agreement Amendment Act The trust will have an advisory committee 1997 for the period 13 August 1998 to 12 which will meet regularly to recommend overall February 1999. strategic direction and support for the program. This committee will be made up of representatives from the Central Highlands MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Development Corporation—including the Central Highlands Community Employment Mayor of Emerald, Councillor Paul Bell, with Trust whom I have discussed this proposal on a Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central— number of occasions, including again this ALP) (Premier) (9.32 a.m.), by leave: The coal morning—each of the major financial mining industry has given much to contributors, the union movement and other Queensland and Queenslanders. It is our community groups. 398 Ministerial Statement 10 Mar 1999 There is a wide range of initiatives that Mr Hamill: And taste. this committee will put into action. These Mr BEATTIE: I didn't say "taste"; I said include a six-point plan that will kickstart this "culture". Some have naturally asked whether I initiative. Firstly, the trust will help to provide a have picked up the sartorial standards of my community employment development officer friend the member for Bulimba, who, as we all to identify and develop jobs in the region. This know, is a dedicated follower of fashion. At was among the major recommendations of a every opportunity he demonstrates the QR tie recent report by the Emerald task force. The in this Chamber. He is a man of considerable second point of the strategy involves the talent. committee coordinating a security for youth program which will give young people in the I must confess that none of this is the region some vocationally relevant assistance case. There is another very good reason for to improve their job options. my bow tie. I am wearing it as a reminder that The third point of the strategy will see an Friday is Bow Tie Day for the Queensland adult apprenticeship/traineeship scheme Muscular Dystrophy Association—a fine developed to help adults get jobs in new charitable organisation. To support this year's industries. All honourable members would appeal, the State Government will contribute know of at least one person in their electorates $20,000 to the Queensland Muscular who has lost his job and, sadly, does not have Dystrophy Association. I urge all the skill to find a new job. This is the case for Queenslanders to support this worthy cause to some people in the Central Highlands mining assist in research to fight this debilitating area and this initiative will help them get disease and to help those who suffer from it. meaningful long-term jobs. Mr SPEAKER: I must say that I am The fourth initiative involves using the disappointed that Premier Beattie did not wear State Government's Breaking the a tartan bow tie. Unemployment Cycle programs. The trust committee will help the local community identify opportunities to access these MINISTERIAL STATEMENT programs, including public infrastructure and Institute for Molecular Bioscience community works of a labour-intensive nature. The fifth initiative will see the committee Hon. J. P. ELDER (Capalaba—ALP) developing a skills maintenance program to (Deputy Premier and Minister for State ensure that those unemployed miners who Development and Minister for Trade) want to stay in the local community can (9.39 a.m.), by leave: The Queensland maintain their skills. The final initiative in this Government is always looking for opportunities initial program will be a skills enhancement to enhance the State as it works towards its program to help unemployed miners develop unemployment target. Both the Premier and I new skills as, say, small business operators. are looking past the raw number of jobs; we are also looking at the quality of jobs and the This is not an exhaustive list—simply a quality of industries for the 21st century. starting point for those people who have contributed so much to Queensland and who Recently, the State Government reached now need a helping hand from their fellow an agreement with the University of Queenslanders. I table a copy of the relevant Queensland over the support for Australia's details of the trust and other material for the largest biological research facility, which is information of the House. being built at the St Lucia campus. Under the agreement, the Government will provide $15m towards the $100m institute for molecular MINISTERIAL STATEMENT bioscience and, in return, the Government will Bow Tie Day, Muscular Dystrophy receive offsetting benefits such as a financial Association return on the proceeds of any new technology which is commercialised as a result of the work Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central— that is done at the institute. ALP) (Premier) (9.38 a.m.), by leave: This morning, a number of my colleagues have As I said, the institute will be the largest commented on my natty necktie. biological research facility in Australia. It will be Mr Hamill: It's very fetching. the home of 700 world-class scientists and support staff by the time it is fully operational in Mr BEATTIE: Yes, it is very fetching. I the year 2002. That does not include the 400 take the Treasurer's interjection; he is a man of jobs that will be created during the construction culture, as we all know. phase. 10 Mar 1999 Ministerial Statement 399 Biotechnology is one of the fastest- listening to the concerns and issues in their growing enabling industries in the world and regions, would have felt the positive energy the industry has been identified by the that flowed from members of the community Government as having tremendous growth on these days. Cynics walked through the door potential for Queensland well into the next and left five hours later feeling pleasantly century. The institute will play a strategic role in surprised, thoughtful and, yes, enthusiastic addressing the priorities for the Government in that this just might work. What was particularly creating jobs, building on the strengths of the telling was that 95% of the people stayed all regions, enhancing our environment and day to complete the process. providing a better quality of life for While some media reported it as a magic Queenslanders. The institute will sharpen and formula, I believe it is a program initiated by a augment the critical mass in biotechnological Government which is determined to listen to skills development in this State over the past communities and work with them to build decade.