Queensland

Parliamentary Debates [Hansard]

Legislative Assembly

TUESDAY, 15 OCTOBER 1963

Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy

654 Questions [ASSEMBLY] Questions

TUESDAY, 15 OCTOBER, 1963 Answer:- "Australia relies for its existence in the Mr. SPEAKER (Hon. D. E. Nicholson, world free sugar market on being economi­ Murrumba) read prayers and took the chair cally efficient. To this end, major economies in cost are derived by using at 11 a.m. megasse as fuel. Whilst present export prices are high, very recent history shows QUESTIONS a different position, and it would be unrealistic to assume the present high level NEW T.A.B. AGENCIES.-Mr. Dean, of prices will last indefinitely. I would pursuant to notice, asked The Treasurer,- add that every care is taken to reduce to ( 1) Did he see the newspaper statement an absolute minimum any nuisance arising made by the chairman of the Totalisator from the use of megasse as fuel during the Administration Board in The Courier-Mail crushing season." of October 7, that new Totalisator Administration Board Shops would always SEPTIC SYSTEMS AT MURARRIE AND be opening in Queensland? MAYFIELD STATE SCHOOLS.-Mr. Houston, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for (2) If so, will he give serious con­ Works,- sideration to curtailing this fast-developing monster which is causing hardship in many When will septic systems be installed homes and also having a detrimental effect at the Murarrie and Mayfield State on many local business concerns, because Schools? money so spent in these shops is directed into an unproductive channel? Answer:- "No indication can be given as to when Answer:- septic systems will be installed at the (1 and 2.) "I know of no such news­ Murarrie and Mayfield State Schools. paper statement by the chairman. What Funds are not available at present for appeared was a summary of the chair­ these installations. The Murarrie and man's 'Meet the Press' interview on the Mayfield State Schools will receive con­ previous evening. In that interview he sideration with other schools when further made it clear that Brisbane was almost funds for the installation of septic systems completely covered and he foresaw the become available." need for about two more metropolitan agencies in the near future. He went on to make it clear that expansion of TOWNSVILLE ADULT EDUCATION CENTRE.­ the State's population and the need to Mr. Tucker, pursuant to notice, asked The combat remaining areas of illegal opera­ Minister for Education,- tion would then be the main factors in (!) Has an appointment yet been made initiating consideration of new agencies. to the positiOn of Assistant District There is no evidence that the spreading of Organiser of Adult Education in Towns­ the T.A.B. is causing an increase in the ville? gambling habits of the State. On the con­ trary, there is considerable support for (2) Has the possibility of appointing a third organiser to the Townsville centre the view that the volume is now much been examined and, if not, is he prepared less than in the bad old days of wide­ to give it serious consideration? spread illegal operation. The insistence by the T.A.B. on no credit facility, and Answers:- its practice of withholding the payment of winnings until a following day have (1) "No. Action is being taken to proved a salutory correction of the bad advertise the position and an appointment old practices of betting until heavily in will be made in due course." debt and of dissipating earlier winnings (2) "The possibility of appointing an in subsequent plunges on the same day." additional District Organiser to the Towns­ ville Adult Education Centre and to one UsE OF MEGASSE AS FUEL.-Mr. Duggan, or more other Adult Education Centres, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for has been given full consideration. This Primary Industries,- year priority has been given to the establishment of a new centre at Mackay In view of the acute world sugar shortage and a District Organiser has recently been which has been accentuated by the hur­ appointed to this centre. Apart from this ricane disaster which wiped out a quarter appointment, no provision has been made of Cuba's crop, does he consider that the in the estimates for the appointment of time is opportune, while markets and additional officers. In view of the heavy prices are reasonably assured, to take steps commitments of my Department and the to minimise or eliminate the nuisance funds available, it is not proposed to make caused in all sugar mill areas by the any new appointments during this financial burning of megasse in furnaces? period." Questions [15 OCTOBER] Questions 655

DISTRIBUTION FROM BOOKMAKERS' TURN­ SALE OF FLUORIDE TABLETS WITHOUT OVER TAX SPECIAL FUND.-Mr. O'Donnell, PRESCRIPTION.-Mr. Hanlon, pursuant to pursuant to notice, asked The Treasurer,- notice, asked The Minister for Health,- With reference to the Bookmakers' (Off (1) Is he aware that it is possible to buy Course) Turnover Tax Special Fund,- without prescription over the counter in (1) When, if at any time, was a dis­ Brisbane fluoride tablets in a container on tribution made to clubs? which appears the caution, "Supply of this preparation except on prescription is illegal (2) If a distribution was made, how in Queensland"? much was received by the Rockhampton Jockey Club, the Emerald Club and the (2) Will he give an explanation of this Springsure Club? situation in view of the fact that his (3) How much tax was paid into the introductory remarks on the Fluorine Bill Special Fund by each of these centres? suggest it is in the interests of children's dental health for parents to give them such ( 4) If Rockhampton district, inclusive tablets in the suggested dosage, where of Yeppoon and Mount Morgan, paid in fluorine is not added to the water supply? nothing, why did the Rockhampton Jockey Club benefit? (3) If there is any danger in the use without prescription of these tablets, will Answers:- he ensure that the attention of chemists is drawn to the provisions of the law in (1) "A distribution was made of funds this State? available as at February 28, 1963." (2) "As a principal club, the Rock­ (4) Why is it necessary to secure these hampton Jockey Club received £118 8s. 4d. tablets only by prescription? as its entitlement under paragraph (a) of subsection ( 4) of Section 95c of the Acts. Answer:- I have no record of the distribution of ( 1 to 4) "It has been the policy of my the balance of available funds made by Department to place drugs on Schedule · 4 the distribution committee under para­ of the Poisons Regulations until they are graph (b) of the subsection." classified by the National Health and (3) "The information is not available." Medical Research Council. This restricts ( 4) "I refer the Honourable Member their supply to pharmaceutical chemists to subsection ( 4) of Section 95c of the by prescription only. At the meeting of Acts. But I remind the Honourable Gentle­ the National Health and Medical Research man that Rockhampton is one of the few Council held in May of this year it was places in Central Queensland which races recommended that fluoride tablets be placed every Saturday. If some Club were not in Schedule 2. Drugs in this Schedule prepared to do so, there would be no racing are of low toxicity and may be sold by a event on which off-course operators could pharmaceutical chemist or by the holder accept wagers." of a general poisons license obtainable by a person more than ten miles distant from the nearest chemist without restric­ HOUSING COMMISSION SHOPPING CENTRE, tion. No record of sale need be kept. WuLGURU.-Mr. Aikens, pursuant to notice, It would be necessary to swallow at least asked The Minister for Works,- twenty-one fluoride tablets before any toxic symptoms would even appear and when (1) Has the Housing Commission an it is realised that these tablets are one­ area reserved for a shopping centre at quarter of an inch in diameter, it will be Wulguru? If so, how many business appreciated that such a happening is premises have been erected on this area unlikely to occur. Amendments to the to date? various Poison Schedules are in the course (2) If any premises have been erected, of preparation and should be gazetted under what terms and conditions were the within the next month. As I have men­ occupants and/ or owners allowed to erect tioned previously, no other method of them? preventing dental decay has been shown (3) What terms and conditions will apply to be as effective or convenient as fluorida­ to anyone else who desires to erect tion of water. Reliable safeguards have business premises on the area? been devised against adding too much fluoride at the waterworks. Its presence Answers:- naturally in some water supplies in far ( 1 and 2) "Yes. An area of eight sites. larger amounts than the recommended No business premises have been erected." concentration, without harm to health, (3) "The sites are available on perpetual shows there is a wide margin of safety. lease tenure to firms, organisations, com­ Despite the closest watch there is no panies or persons for business purposes. evidence to support the view that fluorida­ Buildings are to be of brick or concrete tion carries any hazard to general health construction to plans approved by the in the concentration of one part per Commission and the Local Authority." million." 656 Inspection of Machinery, &c., Bill [ASSEMBLY] Supply

PAPERS DAYS ALLOTTED TO SUPPLY The following papers were laid on the Hon. G. F. R. NICKLIN (Landsborough­ table, and ordered to be printed:- Premier): I move- Reports- "That, during the remainder of this session, unless otherwise ordered, the Burdekin River Authority for the year House may, on the days allotted for Sup­ 1962-63. ply, continue to sit until 10 o'clock p.m. Commissioner for Transport for the year Each of the periods between 11 o'clock 1962-63. a.m. and 4 o'clock p.m. and between 4 o'clock p.m. and 10 o'clock p.m. shall Land Administration Commission, be accounted an allotted day under the including Reports of the Surveyor­ provisions of Standing Order No. 307. General, Superintendent of Stock Three allotted days shall be allowed for Routes, and Rural Fires Board for the discussion of the Estimates of a the year 1962-63. department. At the termination of the State Children Department for the year period so allowed the Chairman shall put 1962-63. every question necessary to decide the Vote under consideration and shall then proceed The following papers were laid on the to put the question for the balance of the table:- Estimates for that department; all such Orders in Council under- questions to be decided without amend­ ment or debate: Provided that, if the The Harbours Acts, 1955 to 1962. discussion of the Estimates of a depart­ The Stamp Acts, 1894 to 1962. ment be concluded before the expiry of the three days so allowed, the period The Forestry Act of 1959. remaining shall be allocated to the dis­ The Abattoirs Acts, 1930 to 1958. cussion of the Estimates next brought before the Committee. All provisions of Reports- Standing Order No. 307 shall, mutatis Queensland Coal Board for the year mutandis, continue to apply." 1962-63. Motion agreed to. Audit Inspector's Report on the Books and Accounts of the Queensland Coal SUPPLY Board for the year 1962-63. COMMITTEE-FINANCIAL STATEMENT­ RESUMPTION OF DEBATE INSPECTION OF SCAFFOLDING ACTS (The Chairman of Committees, Mr. Hooper, AMENDMENT BILL Greenslopes, in the chair.) Debate resumed from 10 October (see INITIATION p. 653) on Mr. Hiley's motion- "That there be granted to Her Majesty, Hon. A. T. DEWAR (Wavell-Minister for the service of the year 1963-1964, a for Labour and Industry): I move- sum not exceeding £1,679 to defray the "That .the H'?use will, at its next sitting, salary of Aide-de-Camp to His Excellency resolve Itself mto a Committee of the the Governor." Whole to consider of the desirableness of introducing a Bill to amend the Inspection Mr. LLOYD (Kedron) (11.21 a.m.): of Scaffolding Acts, 1915 to 1960 in Despite the fact that the Treasurer seems certain particulars." ' to have attempted to simplify the recording of the public accounts, after some hours of Motion agreed to. work in making comparisons I find that a lot of time is still required to fully com­ prehend the ramifications of the public INSPECTION OF MACHINERY ACTS accounts of Queensland. It is extremely AMENDMENT BILL difficult for anybody, including hon. members of this Committee, to dissect and INITIATION analyse the figures and make comparisons with previous years because of the actual Hon. A. T. DEWAR (Wavell-Minister manner of the presentation of the accounts. for Labour and Industry): I move- In the Commonwealth sphere in the presen­ tation of their accounts, they have a half­ "That .the H'?use will, at its next sitting, way house-if I could describe it as that­ resolve Itself mto a Committee of the where cross entries are made between the Whole to consider of the desirableness of accounts, so that they can be much more introducing a Bill to amend the Inspection easily followed than in Queensland. The of Machinery Acts, 1951 to 1960 in State Treasurer's separation of the accounts certain particulars." ' into Trust and Special Funds and Loan Account does simplify it in some small way Motion agreed to. but numerous amounts coming from the Supply [15. OCTOBER] Supply 657

Commonwealth Government are not readily works and services required by the people, disclosed and can not be easily checked such as hospitals, education, housing, and until the Auditor-General's report is pre­ other matters, In this State, over a period sented to us. For many years that report of five years the Treasurer found it neces­ has not been presented to the House until sary to increase revenue from State taxation very late in the session. Until it is available to from £10,000,000 to last year's figure of us it is very difficult to understand the £17,000,000-an increase of £7,000,000 in amounts received under the heading of a few years. That is certainly a tremendous Trust and Special Funds; it is very difficult growth in the revenue of the Government, to distinguish the money emanating from the but according to the Treasurer it was Commonwealth Government or Trust essential. We on this side of the Chamber and Special Funds coming from Consolidated consider that the financial policy of the Revenue. Perhaps in his future financial Federal Government should have been more presentations the Treasurer will be able to carefully scrutinised. simplify that information in some way. I should like to mention two cases in Now that the Treasurer's Financial State­ point. Queensland has lost considerably in ment has been presented it makes a rather the past six years because of a failure by intriguing study to go back over a period the Government to understand fully the of six years, particularly to the period impact of the new tax reimbursement and 1957-1961, when the Trea·surer announced aid to roads formulas created by the Com­ deficits amounting, for those four years, to monwealth Government in conference with £3,500,000. There was an increasing problem State Premiers and Treasurers. Firstly, under of unemployment and an increasing difficulty the previous formula the total allocation to the in providing the necessary works and services States of Commonwealth aid for roads was required by the people of Queensland. The £153,072,000, of which Queensland received Treasurer must have considered what ha·s £29,284,000, or 19·1 per cent. Under the happened as something like the relief of new formula, which was negotiated as the Mafeking. Mr. McMahon, the Federal result of pressure applied on the Common­ Minister for Labour and National Service, wealth by the Premiers of South Australia now states that this State's finances are in and Victoria, and which the Queensland a sound position. No doubt that statement Government allowed to sneak through under is based on the relief afforded over the its guard, for the present five-year period past few years to the extent of approximately it is estimated that Queensland will receive £7,500,000. There does seem to be con­ £45,831,000, or 18·2 per cent. of the total siderable improvement in that direction. of £251,923,000 to be distributed. That The expenditure this year will continue to applies to matching grants, as well as to increase and the pressures previously applying Commonwealth aid for roads. What I have because of unemployment do not seem to submitted gives a pretty fair overall picture be so great. of the actual percentage figures and shows that there is a reduction of almost 1 per cent. As we look back to 1961 and the days of in the Queensland allocation. This reduction the credit squeeze we can reflect on the of 1 per cent. amounts to almost £4,000,000 lessons to be learned from that period by in the five years. the amateur economist. If we refer back to 1951-1952, when we had some semblance I turn now to another matter arranged of a liquid market for Commonwealth loans by the State Premiers in March, 1959, when and when we had the previous peak of loan considerable concern was being expressed allocations for State works and services, and over the previous formula and the occasional then go through the following 10 years and grants coming through to the State Govern­ see the deterioration in the level of public ments. At that time the Premiers of the investments, we realise that the credit squeeze States decided on a new basis for allocating was created purely and simply by the failure tax-reimbursement grants to the vanious States, of the Menzies Government to understand including the special grants for claimant the necessity to place some curb on the States. Unfortunately, there again either levels of private investment. They were somebody was remiss or he failed to realise allowed to snowball in the Australian com­ the real significance of the new formula,. I munity to such a stage that the Commonwealth believe it was suggested by the Federal Government in its wisdom, or lack of wisdom, Treasurer, Mr. Holt, and Mr. McEwen. The decided that it was essential to halt inflation Prime Minister was not present at the confer­ and, as with the earlier "little horror" Budget, ence. The full allocation for the previous it became a matter of stop and go, and make year was taken as a base, not merely the full and break. This policy created conditions tax-reimbursement grants and grants of special of unemployment, and suffering and hardship assistance but also the grants made to the for many people, and caused a failure on claimant States. The approximate proportion the part of State Governments to provide the received by the States in the previous year services demanded by the people. One of was taken as the base for the new formula. the gravest features of that period was the If the figure had not included the grants made fact that, because of the financial policy of through the Commonwealth Grants Com­ the Federal Government, the State Govern­ mission by the Commonwealth to South Aus­ ments were forced to find ways and means tralia, Western Australia and Tasmania, the of raising additional money to finance the picture would have been entirely different. 658 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply

For the years 1956-1957, 1957-1958 and 1958- 1945 Commonwealth-States Housing Agree­ 1959 Queensland received 15 · 6 per cent. of ment came into being, and a certain amount the total of grants made to the States but in of success was achieved in overcoming the the reallocation its share was reduced to immediate housing problem. approximately 14 · 9 per cent., or a reduction As a follow-up to that period, there has of · 7 per cent. of the total allocation. been in the post-war era another problem Apparently there was a failure to realise that not yet faced by the Commonwealth the allocation of tax-reimbursement grants Government, and that is in the field of was entirely separate from t~e sum~ requ~red education. The marriage rate was high by the claimant States to bnng thetr servtces following the war years, and today the to the people up to the standard of those of children born during that period require the non-claimant States. The Commonwealth secondary education and in two or three Grants Commission is there purely and years will no doubt require tertiary educa­ simply as an authority to decide how much tion as well. There has not been sufficient Western Australia and Tasmania require to recognition by the Commonwealth Govern­ maintain a level of social services equivalent ment of this problem. to that of the other States, and those alloca­ tions should not be taken into consideration Heavy demands are being placed on the in determining the base for a formula. If we budgets of all Australian States. In Queens­ had been granted the same percentage as land alone expenditure on education during before it would have meant a difference to the last 10 years has risen from £8,000,000 us of' about £7,000,000 more from 1959- to £21,500,000 last year. Expenditure from 1960 to 1962-1963. loan funds has now increased to £5,400,000, and in the next couple of years there will Within 12 months of that conference in the be a need for new universities, which will South held in March, 1959, and the arrange­ impose an additional heavy burden on the ment' made in June, 1959, many of the State. The expenditure on construction of Premiers felt that they had been taken for a these facilities will be only of a temporary ride by the Commonwealth Government. No nature, and loan expenditure will not con­ doubt it was one of the reasons for the need, tinue for many years. As soon as the prob­ during the past two years, to give the States lem is overcome, capital expenditure will large non-repayable grants for the relief of tend to reduce. unemployment. At that time we had placed Just as it was found necessary for the our name on the list, along with Victoria, to Commonwealth Government to participate become a claimant State. at the time of the housing emergency, so, This was the procedure adopted by the too, we find a similar position with regard Commonwealth Government to overcome a to education. It is necessary for the problem it did not want to face. It in fact Commonwealth Government to intervene put up the proposition, and our Government and make direct grants for the purpose was remiss in failing to realise the full impact of education not only at university level of the new formula on Queensland's budget­ but for primary and secondary education as well. This is necessary to enable the States ing. Those are two matters in point and I to meet the needs of young people and to bdieve they are rather important to the finan­ provide industry with men and women cial affairs of the State and to the reason why educated to a uniform standard. There are we have not been able to provide adequate at present differing education systems in the services for the people. States, and if we are to have educated people meeting the requirements of industry to I believe there is another matter of very enable it to compete with the rest of the serious concern. In all matters of social world, we must have a system of education services of any great importance there flows that is standard throughout the country. from the Commonwealth Governme11t to the States some assistance by way of direct, The cost of expanding technical education will be great. The requirements of industry non-repayable grant. We find that in 1945 this are such that in many ways our apprentice­ procedure was adopted with hospitals, and all ship system has become outmoded. Heavy beds occupied were subsidise-d to a certain expenditure will be involved in the establish­ extent on a daily basis. It was then realised ment of technical colleges to train the youth that if this were not done many people would of the country to a standard enabling their not be able to afford hospital treatment. ready absorption into highly-scientific indus­ try. That cannot be done under our present Immediately after the last war, when so system and the current method of spending many men were being discharged from the money. The limitation placed upon State services and the marriage rate rose, it was budgets in this respect is causing us to Jag essential that special allocations of loan further and further behind the rest of the money be made to the States for the hous­ industrialised world. ing of these people. For six years during There is another point, too. In many parts the war little had been done in providing of Australia we have a system of education housing, and it then became necessary for based on a combination of church and State someone to accept the responsibility of build­ schools, and it seems inevitable that it is ing homes to meet this sudden demand. The there to stay and will never be altered. Supply [15 OCTOBER] Supply 659

Many things have been said about the system population to the State. After all, it is in the past, and gross political prejudice impossible to develop a State or a country ha& entered into the matter. The unless, running side by side with develop­ Commonwealth Government is the only ment, there is a growing population. I do not Government that can afford to assist think that many of the projects that have in the creation of a uniform system of been commenced in Queensland are dis­ education between the States, and, indeed, pensable, but under the method by which the within the States, and I believe that it must Commonwealth Government is assisting this intervene immediately if we are to give State they pose some problem for future all the children of Australia a similar standard budgeting in Queensland. Of the £8 · 3 of education. We cannot afford to have a million to be spent on beef roads, it will standard in State schools higher than that in be necessary for the Queensland Govern­ private schools; but because of the progress ment, whatever party is in power, to repay that is being made in the development of about £3 · 3 million over a period of 15 education, private schools may be turning years from 1967. There have been loan out students who are below average. In advances of £7 · 25 million for the brigalow­ the national interest, we must not allow such lands development scheme and it will be a position to arise. I know that this is a necessary to repay those advances over a vexed question, but it is very important period of 20 years commencing in 1968. to the people of Australia. It is absolutely The loan for the reconstruction of the Mt. impossible for State Governments to accept Isa railway line is repayable over a period responsibility for the tremendous expenditure of 20 years and, on the estimated cost, on that will be required to meet our future completion of the work an amount of £18·5 educational requirements, and, as I said, in million will be owing. In other words, a my opinion the Commonwealth Government total of £29,000,000 will be repayable over should intervene immediately. a very limited period, which will place a heavy burden on budgeting in this State I do not believe that we appreciate fully as compared with the position in other States the importance of the matter. We say that where conditions imposed on loan advances there is a gradual improvement. However, made available for many important projects it is limited by the expenditure of finance provide for repayment over the full period controlled by State Governments. In Queens­ of 53 years. In addition, I am not sure land we have seen the tremendous expendi­ whether the brigalow-lands development ture that has been rendered necessary by the scheme and the beef-cattle roads scheme are change-over from the Scholarship examina­ subject to sinking fund repayment. tion to automatic progression from the prim­ ary to the secondary level of education. Many Mr. Hiley: No sinking fund. new classrooms are required this year, and additional teachers have to be trained. With Mr. LLOYD: Those projects will have a its limited resources, the State Government considerable impact on the budgeting in cannot hope to deal with the problem Queensland during the next 15 to 20 years. auequately and educate children and train That impact will not be felt in other them to a stage where they can be absorbed States which, in addition to receiving direct into industries for the purpose of making grants, have only to repay their loan advances them competitive, both scientifically and over a period of 53 years. technologically, with those in other indus­ I have said that no doubt the Treasurer trialised countries. has been somewhat relieved in the past two We find that the Commonwealth Govern­ years in being able to budget for a surplus; ment is concentrating in Queensland upon no doubt he is relieved at present to know the development of industries producing that unemployment in Queensland is reduc­ goods for export. Quite a lot has been said ing. Of course, we realise that there is still about this, and the Treasurer has issued a a serious problem in absorbing into industry challenge to all members of the Committee juveniles available for employment. There to say something that will be of value to have been many recent complaints in Queens­ the future of Queensland. I agree that we land of a shortage of skilled labour. That must all share the responsibility for ensuring position is not confined to Queensland; the that the State does the job as quickly as shortage is Australia-wide. We are only possible, but I believe that the Common­ now confronting it because in past years wealth Government is concentrating unduly most of our skilled labour migrated from on industries designed to lift the level of the State because of the shortage of work exports. I do not say that that is not here. Skilled labour went to States that necessary; it is essential. But in Western were more highly industrialised. Australia, for example, they are concentrating However, this problem is still with us. on the cattle industry and other industries At the same time, an examination of the that will lift the level of exports, while at the accounts discloses that there was no necessity same time assisting the State Government in for the Premier to make the announcement the development of heavy industries designed he made to this House just prior to the to reduce the level of imports into Australia. finish of the last session of the last Parlia­ It is essential that Queensland should expand ment, namely, that it would be necessary to industrially and that a level of employment keep some money aside until the early part should be created which will bring additional of this year to encourage a more rapid 660 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply

growth of works and to relieve seasonal meant that expenditure for port development unemployment. The Premier made that has increased to £572,000. No doubt the statement, which no doubt reflected the Treasurer has made provision for increased policy of the Government, that it would be port development funds to enable him to necessary to set aside some money for have additional money available for dredging spending during the last six months of the the Brisbane River and other work. financial year. Undoubtedly it is a very essential work if It is now obvious from the state of we are to see the development of oil refineries accounts that, because of the additional here. finance that became available from the All these matters indicate to the Com­ February Loan Council meeting, at no time mittee that there was an over-abundance of was that necessary. Nor was it necessary money towards the end of the financial year. to have the very high level of unemploy­ Had it been diverted into employment-making ment that existed in March of this year, agencies at the time when unemployment when 20,000 people were out of work. They was at a serious level it might have alleviated could have been put into work almost the position to a great extent. At the immediately. A great deal of the unemploy­ end of the financial year he was putting ment that existed when the last financial money away for work this financial year and year commenced could have been overcome, meeting some tiresome old debts. I say but the Government planned to put this this deliberately. From memory the Treasurer money to work just prior to the election has set aside an amount of £80,000 for campaign so that unemployment could be further losses by the Commonwealth Savings reduced as far as possible immediately before Bank. We all realise the position with the that campaign commenced. Commonwealth Savings Bank. With the The position was that, with the money he relaxation of the credit squeeze it is quite had available to him, the Treasurer took the possible that this financial year there will opportunity of paying off accumulated be a profit from the operations of the Com­ deficits of £673,000. That payment was monwealth Savings Bank. Instead of sharing financed from three separate funds. The a loss we may be getting a profit. Surely first was the Harbour Dues Fund, from which to goodness much of the accumulated losses the contribution to accumulated deficit was paid off this year could be met from this £130,000. The Agricultural Bank also con­ year's profits. In any case the position clearly tributed £200,000, and the Queensland Hous!ng is that £1,500,000 was used for paying otr Commission £343,000. The accumulatiOn some rather tiresome losses over the years of the balances of these three funds shows and also the accumulated deficit. that the Harbour Dues Fund now has a I have a theory relating to the Mount balance of over £1,000,000, and has increased Isa Railway Project Fund. I have previously its credit balance by £260,000. The Agricul­ mentioned the heavy impact of this fund tural Bank reduced its balance by £20,000 on State budgeting. It seems that the and the Queensland Housing Commission by estimated cost now stands at £26,463,000 £120,000 in paying off the accumula~ed and that at the end of last year the deficit. In actual fact that was not a reductiOn Commonwealth Government had contributed in the balances of these three funds in an amount of £9,709,000 to an expenditure the aggregate but quite a substantial increase of some £18,000,000, whereas the State Loan overall. I realise that that balance would Fund had contributed £9,000,000. The not cover more than two or three days' £300,000 appropriated this year from Loan work, as the Treasurer said last year, but Fund to this account will raise Queensland's one has to take these balances for purposes Loan Fund commitment to £9,300,000, for of comparison. He still had some money which there should be an entitlement from left but there were still the tiresome old the Commonwealth Government of losses between 1958 and 1962 from the £18,600,000, which would take the cost of operations of the Commonwealth Savings the project above the Treasurer's estimate. Bank. It is shown that £317,651 was paid During the last financial year the Common­ off to cover losses for those years. wealth Government said that an amount of Then we come to the method of spending £8,000,000 was appropriated for direct loan the money that is made available to the application to this fund, but last year the State as non-repayable grants from the receipts from Commonwealth loans amounted Commonwealth Government. The Treasurer's to no more than £5,300,000, and this year method is to pay loans and subsidies to the Commonwealth Government has appro-· local authorities from Consolidated Revenue. priated £6,700,000. At the moment, it normally the function of the Loan Account. appears that we are spending more State There was still more than half a million money than Commonwealth money. In pounds running around loose. In respect of other words, in the past few years this port development the payment of £572,000 fund has made a heavy impact on State from the Loan Fund is shown. Whilst the budgeting, when the arrangement with the contribution was made from the Loan Fund Commonwealth Government was that for the Consolidated Revenue a,ccount increased every £1 spent by the State Government its expenditure on loans and subsidies, and £2 would be lent by the Commonwealth with the reduced expenditure from the Loan Government. To put it another way, if Account in that particular avenue it has £18,000,000 was spent on the Mt. Isa Supply (15 OCTOBER] Supply 661 railway reconstruction project we should have The figures from 1951-1952 are rather provided no more than £6,000,000 and the significant. I do not completely absolve our Commonwealth Government should have own Government in this matter although, provided £12,000,000. To the end of June, apparently, in 1951-1952, 1952-1953, _and 1963, the loan account had provided 1953-1954 considering the grants recetved £9,000,000 and the Commonwealth Govern­ from the' Commonwealth for universities, ment had provided a similar amount. I have Queensland's expenditure on universities raised this matter previously. It has always was comparable with that of the other States. puzzled me why it is really necessary for But for the whole period from 1951 to 1964 the State to spend this money when money Queensland received from the Commonwealth has been available from the Commonwealth Government in grants for universities a total Government. That money could have been of £10,232,000 out of a total allocation to used during the past two years to relieve the States of £86,277,000. In other words, serious unemployment in Queensland. I we received only about 12 per cent. of the wanted to put that point on record. There total and that includes also the higher figure was a very serious unemployment problem ot £2,450,000 estimated for. this financial and, as the Treasurer stated, it was necessary year. Indeed we have recetved from the for him to have a deficit Budget at the Commonwealth only 1,000,000 more than time. Now we can pay off accumulated South Australia. It may be pointed out that deficits, and some old losses, and we also we are receiving this money by way of have final commitments for this fund which matching grant but I do not fully accept that may or may not have been necessary. It argument. There is one matching grant and would seem completely unrealistic for the another grant based on capital expenditure State Government to contribute so much on buildings. Surely there can be no justifica­ during that period when the Commonwealth tion for South Austmlia, with a population Government agreed to lend £2 for every £1 500,000 fewer than Queensland, receiving spent by the State. roughly the same grant from the Common­ wealth as Queensland! The figures disclose In the last two or three years the Treasurer the very important fact that it has not has referred to difficulties facing the State been possible for the Government, or the Government with university education. He Government has refused, to carry out said that it was difficult for the State sufficient work on university buildings. The Government to make available sufficient grants to Queensland for capital expenditure finance for the university from State grants from 1957 to 1964, set out in a separate to enable it to receive from the Common­ table on page 48, totalled £3,193,000 com­ wealth Government the full extent of pared with 2,500,000 to South Australia, matching grants. These circumstances have £2,500,000 to Western Australia and even been met towards the end of each financial £2,105,000 to Tasmania, whereas New South year. Even though the warning has been Wales received £11,000,000 and Victoria given it has been found possible to provide almost £9,000,000. Those were the grants from State funds only the essential amount based on capital expenditure by the States. for the basic needs of the university. I criticised the Government two years ago for I appreciate the problems that have con­ spending insufficient loan funds on university fronted the Government on education. It education. My remarks were misinterpreted must spend as much as possible on high­ because it was claimed that much more had school and other secondary-school construc­ been spent up to the present time than up to tion. Secondary education requires the 1956-1957, and I agree. most urgent attention, an emergency having been created by the influx of children I repeat my statement that there is graduating from the primary schools to inadequate expenditure by the State Govern­ secondary schools. At the same time there ment, on a comparative basis, on university has been a form of negle-ct in that, l,IP till buildings and university education. I think last year or the year before, for three years that is readily disclosed on page 48 of there was a failure to carry out the essential the Commonwealth commitments for the work of building additions to primary-school States for 1963-1964. I intend to quote buildings and even of constructing university those figures to indicate to the Committee buildings. Those two have suffered most. that we are lagging-and we have lagged Expenditure on agricultural education in up to this year-far behind any of the other Queensland has not increased as much as States in providing the necessary funds for that on other forms of education. There university education and also for the building has been a tendency by the Government to of universities. over-emphasise the need for academic forms of education in most State schools. There The whole scheme of university education has not been the same increase in technical, was altered following the report of the university, and agricultural education, which Murray Commission and a subsequent report are three of the essential forms of education of the Universities Commission of Australia in this State. Something will have to be several years back, which recommended that done about that. the Commonwealth should make substantial This year the non-repayable grants from grants towards universities throughout the Commonwealth Government will be Australia. reduced to £2,500,000, and, to make up the 662 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply difference, it may be necessary for State That was a tremendous amount of money, and taxation to be again increased to some extent, it was necessary to expend it mainly because although the revenue now being received the Commonwealth Government refused to from liquor and racing taxation is con­ accept its responsibility. In 1961 it was siderable. In State taxation emphasis has forced to apply a credit squeeze, as it was been placed on taxing to the greatest possible called. The Government found belatedly extent the habits of the ordinary working that it had the power to curb the people. It may be said that racing taxes are activities of fringe banking institutions not imposed on the people who bet, but in and finance companies that were flood­ many ways they are paid by them. Taxes ing the investment market of Australia on liquor have increased from £800,000 in with debentures on which rate~ of 1956-1957 to £1,589,964 last financial year, interest up to 20 per cent. were offered. which is a considerable increase. Racing Although the effect of the credit squeeze was taxes have increased from £300,453 to bad in that it created unemployment, stifled £1,151,981, and no doubt there will be a industry, and caused a recession in the further increase this financial year. In fees development of Australia, it brought the for services a considerable increase is shown, availability of government finance back to from £1·8 million in 1956-1957 to £3·3 some sort of a stable level. In 1951-1952, million. Charges and taxation have at all which I have used as a peak year, times been imposed upon the people to give £225,000,000 was allocated for State loan greater chances of budgeting in the State. works and £86,000,000 was made available It has become obvious in the past few for semi-governmental and local-authority years that the treble form of government spending. That figure decreased during the that we have in this country-the Trinity of subsequent years when fringe banking and three forms--has failed to develop Australia finance company debenture offerings were and has had the effect of imposing a high being made at high rates of interest, and it burden of taxation upon the people. We became necessary for the Queensland find that at Commonwealth, State, and local­ Government and all other State Governments authority levels of government there is dupli­ to embark upon expenditure at a semi­ cation and overlapping of administration and governmental and local-authority level. From control. That has been directly responsible 1951-1952 to 1962-1963 the proportion of in many cases for this high level of taxation. these debenture borrowings increased from 20 per cent. to 35 per cent., and what the The Commonwealth Government imposes Treasurer has often described as the rather income taxation and indirect taxation such mischievous procedure of debenture raising of as sales tax and payroll tax. At another semi-governmental and local-authority level, the State Government, because of requirements has become necessary to over­ difficulty in getting the Commonwealth come the lag in government borrowings and Government to accept its responsibilities, is has become a Commonwealth-wide tendency. searching for ways and means of imposing However, in the last two years there has been taxes to obtain additional revenue. Then a greater liquidity of money, and unless Gov­ there are local authorities existing on rates ernments take advantage as quickly as pos­ imposed on the ordinary householders in the sible of loan offerings at home and from community. Although the rates are paid by overseas that will enable them to carry out the householders, people renting homes pay developmental works, we will soon be in a them in their rentals. There are the three position similar to that in which we have taxing authorities fighting each other in their been over the past 10 years. Where there endeavours to find different forms of taxation is a need for large power stations and water­ to balance their budgets or stop inflation. supply schemes, as loans become available The most dangerous form of taxation we should grasp them and make possible experienced in recent years has been that capital investment on a public finance basis directed to achieve deflation. Differing so that development can proceed as quickly methods have been adopted by various as possible. The Commonwealth Govern­ governments to take the cream off prosperity ment must not revert to its old habits and and deflate the economy to the extent that then have to apply another credit squeeze. prices and wages no longer chase each other. We must not allow the position to recur At the same time, this is using a rather where State Governments cannot carry out artificial method of deflating the economy by certain projects while other people in the increasing costs to stop spending. In other community use money as a commodity to words, the demand for goods is stopped by buy and sell on a large scale. Australia has the removal of surplus money from the to be developed quickly if it is to absorb community. the population that it needs. The same thing applies to income taxation. Much has been said in past months about During the past ten years the Commonwealth Government, whilst refusing to accept its North Australian development. It has been responsibility in placing some curb on pri­ used as a gimmick by many people; in fact, vate investment in Australia, found it neces­ the Premier has used it as a political gim­ sary to tax the people to the extent of mick. Immediately following the last war, £880,000,000 to subsidise, from its own an authority was set up by the Common­ sources of revenue, the loan requirements of wealth Government and the State Govern­ the States for works, services, and housing. ments of Queensland and Western Australia, Supply (15 OCTOBER) Supply 663 but what is really needed is an Australia­ done to encourage, foster and expand indus­ wide development commission that is not tied try in Queensland and I believe it would by the individual arguments and jealousies of have been much better to have established the Loan Council or the Premiers' Confer­ some form of industrial advisory board in ence, a commission that will recommend to addition to the appointment of a Director­ the Commonwealth Government the essential General of Industry. That board could com­ developmental schemes that require urgent prise representatives of unions, industries, attention. Only by this means will develop­ manufacturing concerns and others, who ment proceed as it should. For example, the would examine primary industries with a view Calcap power station in the Callide Valley to establishing secondary industries in their is a project that could, if expanded suffici­ immediate neighbourhood. By this method ently, create secondary industries in that primary industries could get together in con­ area and become a project of national ference and have their schemes examined with importance to be considered by a commis­ a view to establishing secondary industries at sion such as I have suggested. The commis­ the centres of primary production. When sion could then bind the Commonwealth those industries had been examined by the Government to the projects to which it board it could recommend to the Govern­ should make an immediate contribution. ment that the neces·sary finance be made available to establish secondary industries Why should we be in our present position to process the primary products. The scheme in the reconstruction of the Mt. Isa railway would be economic and would have a great line? We will have to bear virtually the full chance of success. It would apply to many cost of undertaking a nationally important centres of primary industry in Queensland project that will return to the Commonwealth where not sufficient finance is available to Government much more financial benefit establish the necessary processing industries. than the State Government will enjoy. We have to meet a cost of £20,000,000 at a high The western district is one of the finest rate of interest, repayable in 20 years. The citrus-growing areas in Australia if not in interest bill will amount to anything up to the world but, because of the cost of trans­ £1,500,00{) a year, which must come from port to the coast it has been impossible for Consolidated Revenue, thereby reducing our this industry, on its own resources, to expand, expenditure on some other works. As I say, and it has languished. Here is an excellent the scheme is of national importance, so opportunity to establish the means of pro­ why should we be put in that position cessing this citrus fruit in the centre of pro­ because of political jealousies between the duction, and economically transporting the States? Why should we be refused the processed goods away from that production entitlement of the paltry-and I use that centre. I believe that, not only with this word deliberately-sum required for this industry, but with many other primary indus­ national project? tries in Queensland, we could associate in the various areas primary industries produc­ The same remarks apply to the develop­ ing the goods and secondary industries pro­ ment of water schemes. At the present time cessing them and exporting the processed the State Government is forced to shelve the goods from those centres. responsibility for many of these schemes on to local authorities or semi-government That is the only way I can see to stop organisations. The Pine River Dam scheme, the continual migration of young people from for instance, is being undertaken by the country towns. The problem is not so Brisbane City Council from its loan alloca­ great in the major cities where industry can tions, in spite of the fact that that project absorb many of the young people leaving is essential in the provision of water in school. The problem is much more acute South-east Queensland. It is of sufficient in country towns where, after young people importance to justify the Government's graduate from high school they cannot find undertaking it. When it is finally completed employment. Consequently they migrate to and handed over it could then be the loan the major towns and cities to find jobs. liability of the Brisbane City Council. When I said there was not such a great problem in the major cities, I meant on a These are not isolated schemes. Much of comparative basis. We have a big problem the developmental work required will have to to find employment for them all in Brisbane; be done in the northern part of the Common­ the same applies to many large provincial wealth. A commission established on a cities. But the problem is even greater in Commonwealth basis, comprising representa­ country towns where there is a gradual tives of the States who should not be poli­ migration away of the young people, which ticians, would be able to examine, analyse is to the detriment of those towns. This and carefully consider where these schemes were most essential. drift to the cities can be overcome only by the creation of secondary industries in In the few minutes I have left I should those centres that presently are concentrating like to refer to the new department that the on basically primary-producing industries. It Government has created, namely, the Depart­ would also help to overcome Queensland's ment of Industrial Development. This, of need to import much of her processed goods course, was part of the Labour Party's policy from other States. in the last election campaign. We had said, as a political party, that insufficient was being (Time expired.) 664 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply

Mr. AIKENS (Townsville South) (12.22 quarters. I suggested to him .that, i?s~ead p.m.): My primary remarks today are directed of pulling down all the old hospital bml(.lmgs towards still further ameliorating the lot up on the rise, a portion of t~e111: should of that section of the people who are, I be left intact and used as a genatnc ward. think, correctly known as our senior citizens. The matter was put to the Townsville I have been very interested in them for Hospitals Board by the Minister and it was many years; I hope to remain interested in decided to leave the old buildings there, where them for the rest of my life. After all, it they are now used as a geriatric ward. may not be very long before I, myself, may Unfortunately, there is not sufficient accom­ be classed as a senior citizen. modation for all those who really need to When the Australian Labour Party was in go into the geriatric ward at Townsville. Government, the moment a person became There is a long waiting list of people who old and exhibited even slight signs of senility should be there but cannot get there simply or feebleness of mind he or she was grabbed because there is insufficient accommodation. like a wild beast put into a railway carriage I frequently visit that ward at Townsville with bars on the window, and shipped to and I should like hon. members to visualise Goodna where he or she was left the position. The wing of the old hospital to rot and subsequently die. The that was left standing is a two-storey structure moment they got there the pension was with brick walls, and brick subdividing walls, taken from them-not under any State but with wooden verandas and, of course, a law, but under the Commonwealth law. galvanised-iron roof. Only the top portion Some of those old persons were hundreds of is used as a geriatric ward. Next to the miles from their relatives and friends, con­ geriatric ward is the isolation ward for sequently their relatives and friends could children suffering from infectious diseases, not visit them as often as they would like. and next to that again, in the same building, Many of them were penniless and forlorn. coupled together by the verandas on each I used to go regularly to see them. It would side, is the V.D. ward. The geriatric ward almost have broken your heart to see them has a maximum capacity of 19 females sitting there just waiting for the end. They and 12 males, or 31 all told. I repeat did not have a penny to spend unless their that the accommodation is so limited that relatives gave them some money or the'Y had all who should be in that ward cannot saved some of their own. be accommodated. At the one time, in the During the regime of the A.L.P. Govern­ isolation ward there have been as many ment I continually made representations, in as 22 infants suffering from contagious and out of Parliament, in an effort to get infection. As I said, there is a common a better deal for these people who had veranda connecting them, and the only sacrificed quite a lot to make this State dividing line between the geriatric ward and what it was. The most amazing thing about the isolation ward is the internal brick wall. these old people at Goodna was that many Further on is the V.D. ward, in which of them in their younger days had been at times there have been as many as eight A.L.P. stalwarts; many of them had fought patients, six males and two females. We and struggled to make the A.L.P. the know, of course, that today V.D. is not political party it was at that time. But it the tremendous scourge that it was a few appeared that the A.L.P. had no time for years ago before the discovery and introduc­ any old person the moment he or she tion of antibiotics, and that even the most exhibited any signs of senility or feebleness virulent case of syphilis can be cured in of mind. It is to the eternal credit of this four, five or six days by mammoth injections Government that the moment it was able of penicillin. The V.D. patients have to to do it it took those pensioners out of remain there purely for check purposes for Goodna. They were transferred first of all four, five or six days. All these patients­ to hospital annexes at Oakey, Dalby, the geriatrics, the infectious-disease infants Toowoomba and various other places. As and the V.D. patients-are accommodated time went on and it could be done the in what is left of the top storey of that Government transferred them to annexes at wing of the old hospital. the various base hospitals throughout the State. Later, when the Government had Mr. Melloy: The whole block is in a time to study the problem, geriatric wards shocking condition. were set up at the various hospitals. Bear in mind that once a pensioner is taken out Mr. AIKENS: The block may be in a of Goodna and placed in a hospital annexe shocking condition structurally but I can say or geriatric ward his full pension is restored. that at least these geriatric patients are He immediately becomes a full citizen in in their own home town and can be visited regard to pension rights, and he is able to by their friends and relatives. They are live out the evening of his life in comfort receiving their age pensions and they are and decency and with the ability to buy from not, as they were under the Government his own pension some of the little necessarie~ to which the hon. member belonged, herded of life that mean so much to these old into Goodna and allowed to die like wild people. We did not have a geriatric ward beasts. I have no quarrel with the temporary at the Townsville General Hospital when the arrangements that have been made. I could Minister for Health came to Townsville a not possibly quarrel with them because I couple of ye•ars ago and opened the nurses' suggested this set-up to the Minister for Supply [15 OCTOBER] Supply 665

Health. I believe that everything possible just go out for a little bit of sun in the is being done for them. While it is true morning and a little bit of sun in the that the building itself is not in the best afternoon. possible condition, no quarrel can be had I appreciate that this Government has done with the manner in which the geriatric in the circumstances, as a temporary patients are being cared for. As a matter measure everything that could possibly be of fact, the standard of nursing and attention done fo; those old people in Townsville and at the Townsville General Hospital is I know that it plans to do more. My appeal commendably high, particularly in the to it today is to get on with the job as geriatrics' ward. The sister in charge is quickly as possible. No praise that I could Sister Hart. She has with her a staff of give would be too high, and I am sure no sisters, trainee nurses, wardsmaids and praise anyone else could give would be too wardsmen. If you were to go to the high, for the way in which the medical staff, geriatric ward in Townsville and hear the and particularly the nursing staff, look after praise that is lavished by the patients on those old people and, of course, by looking those sisters and nurses and those wardsmen after the old people they look after the little and wardsmaids you would know that at children who are in the next ward with any rate what the building lacks in structural infectious and transmissible diseases. I do permanence is made up for in the loving care not know whether those who have venereal and attention that is given to all the patients disease deserve to be looked after as well; by the staff. Their food is of excellent but, whether they deserve it or not, they are quality. The treatment is the very best looked after just as well as the geriatric that can be given to anybody. So there patients. So my appeal today to the Govern­ can be no quarrel with-as a matter of ment is to have the new geriatric ward at fact, there cannot even be the mildest Townsville built as soon as it can possibly criticism of-the way the patients are being be built because the need is urgent and I do treated in that ward or the way they are not want to see a continuance of the long being looked after. waiting list for entry into the geriatric ward Now, because of representations that have in Townsville. That can be obviated only by been made from more than one source, the construction of a new geriatric ward in including myself, the hospitals board is con­ the manner and in the circumstances that I sidering the establishment of a separate have outlined to the Committee. geriatric ward in the Dalrymple Road area, Mr. Hughes: Do you know the average across the railway line from Garbutt, some­ age of the inmates there at present? where near the site of the No. 4 Air Depot during the war. Unfortunately that ground is Mr. AIKENS: Those figures can easily owned by the Commonwealth Government be got. and it is very reluctant to let it go because it is on the approach to the Garbutt runway. I want now to make a few general remarks But I really think the job of getting a on some statements made in the Address-in­ separate geriatric ward away from the Reply speech of the hon. member for Towns­ general hospital should be expedited, and it ville North. I make these remarks not in is obvious that we must not allow its con­ any derogatory spirit at all, not in any spirit struction to be placed in the hands of archi­ of criticism, but merely as, should I say, tects who have no conception of the require­ some fatherly advice to the hon. member ments of a geriatric ward. For instance, we for Townsville North and to members of the do not want a typical hospital building of two Australian Labour Party, because it grieves or three storeys. What we need is a large, me to see a once great, powerful and commodious, airy building right on the influential party reduced to the pitiable ground floor, built on the ground. We want remnants of the A.L.P. that we see in this it to have plenty of ground space so that Assembly today. I really believe that they shady trees can be planted and lawns can have encompassed their own destruction. be planted and mown and so that patients The hon. member for Townsville North can be wheeled out into the sunshine-and said in his remarks that at the last election most of the female patients in the geriatric my vote dropped by 2,000. The first piece ward are in wheelchairs-so that they can of advice that I should like to give him is be wheeled straight out of the hospital onto that before making any statement in the the lawn under the shade of the trees, par­ Chamber, or anywhere else, he should check ticularly in the hot summer months, and so hrs facts. That statement was quite incorrect that they can be given the treatment to which because my vote was only 200, not 2,000, less they are fully entitled. than I received at the previous election, and They are getting all the treatment now. that was quite understandable. As a matter As a matter of fact, the hospitals board has of fact, we expected that it might drop a put a sort of gangway from the present little more. geriatric ward onto the hillside where a small It is quite true that my majority was area of ground has been cut out of the side reduced from 4,200 to 2,800, a drop of of Castle Hill, and every now and again a 1,400. That was quite expected because patient is pushed across this little gangplank three years ago my A.L.P. opponent was over to the space that has been cleared. But Billy Edmonds, who had just thrown away there are no shade trees there. The patients the Federal seat of Herbert to John Murray. 666 Supply [ASSEMBLY} Supply

To use the vernacular, he was "on the nose" It was also said that the A.L.P. in Towns­ with even his own supporters, and we did ville had Aikens by the throat. That is a not know how many A.L.P. men in 1960 statement of opinion, but anyone who lives voted for me simply because they would not in Townsville and knows the feelings of the vote for him. It is quite true that I have people there, as I do, realises that if anyone the strongest Labour seat in Queensland, in Townsville has anyone else by the throat, yet I sat at home and won it by 2,800 votes. it is the Communists who have the A.L.P. We were not going to take any part in the by the throat. That is why the A.L.P. put campaign, as I said in my speech in the up such a pitiable performance at the last Address-in-Reply debate, but we did make election. a very, very mild and belated effort. A I know that the hon. member for Towns­ barber's pole could have had the endorse­ ville North is quite young and eager in the ment of the Q.C.E. wrapped round it and game, but he will walk in where angels fear polled as many votes in Townsville South to tread, and he has become the laughing­ as were polled by Mr. Trower. I have stock of the people of Townsville as the nothing to say about him, but to assert result of a report of his speech in this that my performance in Townsville South House that appeared in "The Townsville was an indication that the A.L.P. is on the Daily Bulle•tin." In that speech he accused march is just plain bunkum. As I said the Premier of being un-Christian. He said before, out of 27,000 valid votes cast in that the Premier was un-Christian in claiming Townsville, the citadel of Labour, on 1 June that the A.L.P. and himself were associated last, the two A.L.P. candidates received a with Communists. You know my religious paltry 11,000. That means that 16,000 views, Mr. Gaven. I do not suppose that electors would not vote for the A.L.P. anyone would consider that I was a man candidate in either Townsville North or deeply steeped in any religion. But for Townsville South. goodness sake, for the sake of honesty and I mentioned the matter of a donation by decency, let us stop dragging Christ into the the road-transport hauliers to the A.L.P. mire and slime of party politics. I remember In reply, the hon. member for Townsville a11 hon. member who is no longer with us North said that that would be an insult referring in an oleaginious way to this State to good railway men who were connected as a Christian democracy and to this with the election campaign, and he mentioned Parliament as a Christian Parliament. If two of them, namely, Mr. E. P. O'Brien we have no better argument than to say that and Mr. Ted Stannett. a man is un-Christian, for goodness sake let us say nothing. Party politics are putrid I wish ·he had told the full story. Mr. E. P. enough now; let us not de'Scend to dragging O'Brien and Mr. Ted Stannett are members of the A.L.P. and they are both militant Christ's name into our arguments. trade unionists. I wish the hon. member I am no defender of the Premier or any­ had told us that in the closing stages of the body else, but the trouble with the A.L.P. campaign-! understand within the last 10 today-this is good advice to its members­ days-O'Brien and Stannett and many other is that it i•s following the Communist prominent militant trade unionists who were technique of propaganda. As we know, the members of the A.L.P. in Townsville were Communists believe in the method of the ordered to keep out of the A.L.P. campaign. stampede. They think that if you go round They were not allowed to speak from any and bang enough drums, blow enough platform or over the air, because the hon. trumpets, mount enough platforms, put member for Townsville North was afraid enough notices up on fences, and inundate that their participation in the closing stages the people with placards, dodgers, pamphlets, of the campaign would alienate the votes of and so forth, you will stampede them into the snobs living in North Ward in the Towns­ voting for you. The Communist technique ville North electorate. is to abuse anybody who does not vote for them. Let me tell the A.L.P. that the people Mr. TUCKER: I rise to a point of order. are not fools. They cannot be stampeded, The hon. member is completely wrong when and they bitterly resent anyone who regards he says I made that statement, and I ask that them as dills. Unfortunately, members of h·~ withdraw it. the A.L.P. today are adopting the propaganda The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN (Mr. attitude that the people of Queensland are Gaven): I ask the hon. member to accept fools and can be stampeded into voting for the assurance of the hon. member for them. I remember discussing this issue with Townsville North that that statement is not the late Ben Chifley at a Parliamentary true. luncheon. He said to me, "They tell me you have the political game all sewn up." Mr. AIKENS: I will because you so order I said, "I don't know about that, Ben." He me, Mr. Gaven, but I now have to accept said, "What do you think influences the his assurance that he did not say something people when they vote?" I said, "I really that appears in "Hansard". Did he not say that my remark regarding the donation of believe that the people have made up their money by the road hauliers to the A.L.P. minds three months before an election was an insult to men like O'Brien and whether or not they are going to vote for Stannett? I ask him to tell the full story. a candidate, and that they vote for or against Supply [15 OCTOBER] Supply 667

a candidate on his performance or the per­ I also said in my Address-in-Reply speech formance of his party over the last three that the Labour Party was on the way out years." He said, "Then you know as much in Townsville, and I will produce two photo­ about politics as you need to know, because graphs and two cuttings from ''The. Towru;;­ that is the basis of political propaganda." He ville Daily Bulletin" to prove my J>?lllt. TJ;t1s said, "You cannot stampede the electors into is a photograph from "The To'YfiSVIlle Daily voting for any political candidate or any Bulletin" of 7 May, 1963. It IS a very fine political party if they do not want to." photograph of the last Labour _Da~ proces­ sion in Townsville, and the caption Is: Mr. Smith: When did you say you started your campaign this time? "Heading the Labour Day procession yesterday were Mr. A. J. Trower ..." Mr. AIKENS: I started my campaign who was, incidentally, my A.L.P. opponent about 11 days before polling day, and it was in Townsville South- a very anaemic campaign. As a matter of " ... Mr. P. J. R. Tucker (M.L.A. for fact, I was almost ashamed of it. I did Townsville North), Senator N. E. McKenna put an extract from the Parliamentary history of this Assembly in "The Townsville Daily Bulletin" about six weeks before polling day, who is A.L.P. leader in the Senate- but that was merely for general information. " ... and Mr. J. P. Eustace (May Day President)." Mr. Tucker: You spent £600 with "The Incidentally Mr. Tucker and Mr. Trower ran Townsville Daily Bulletin". a copy of that photograph in their election propaganda advertising and said: Mr. AIKENS: I addressed eight street meetings at night, I spoke twice over radio "These men led the Labour Day pro­ station 4TO, and I had two or three-I am cession." not sure which-five-minute sessions over This is what "The Townsville Daily Bulle­ television. We did not have a booth at the tin" had to say about it- election and we did no campaigning other "While the crowd was estimated at than what I have mentioned. between 3,000 and 4,000 people, the esti­ mate of unionists taking part was about Mr. Windsor: Didn't you have a tennis 200." racquet and a couple of balls and say that that was the only racket with which you were As a matter of fact we counted them. There associated? were 184 trade unionists. In a city with a population of 53,000 and a tradition of Mr. AIKENS: That was an advertisement Labour trade-unionism going back to the that I ran three years ago. The hon. member days when the blacks were J:>ad, only 184 is three years too late. trade-unionists out of an estimated 15,000 marched in the A.L.P. procession last Labour Let me refer now to a matter raised by Day in Townsville. the hon. member for Baroona-a photograph of Parliament House with the hammer and Mr. CampbeU: Just before an election, sickle imposed on it. It is true that the too. great Il?ajority of people voted against the Mr. AIKENS: Yes, just before an election. Australian Labour Party at the last election because of the fear of Communist infiltration While every one of those 184 was not a i~to th~ A.L.P. It was not the photogranh Communist-! would not be silly enough to o, Parliament House with the hammer and say that-it is a fact that every prominent sickle imposed on it that influenced them. Communist in Townsville was one of them. They made up their minds a long while ago Do hon. members of the A.L.P. think that that the Communists had infiltrated the the 3,000 or 4,000 people who watched the A.L.P. I walk down the streets of Towns­ procession are blind, deaf and dumb? Do ville every day and I meet people from every they think they are dills? They stood ~m f?.e stratum of society. Ever since the Bundaberg side of Flinders Street and watched this piti­ A.L.P. convention I have heard workers able procession go _Past and th~y ~aw every prominent, top-rankmg CPerc Tucker for Townsville North I know what I am talking about. and A. Trower for Townsvi!Ie South " Mr. Houston: The Liberal Party may even It is authorised by Hughie Fay. put up a candidate next time. These people are acknowledged Com­ Mr. AIKENS: I am glad that interjection munists. They do not hide their light behind was made. I will tell the Committee what a bushel where their Communist affiliation is happened with regard to the Liberal Party. concerned; t:.'ley openly admit that they are I do not know whether the Liberal Party Communists and they are proud of the fact. will thank me for saying this. The Liberal There we see the most prominent Com­ Party has not run a candidate a~a~nst me munists in Townsville advocating a vote for i:1 an election since 1953 because It IS more Tucker in Townsviiie North and for Trower politically astute than the Aust;alian Labour in Townsville South. Yet the hon. member Party. I will tell the Committee how the for Townsville North claims that the Premier Liberal Party has set a very cl~ver .and was un-Christian in saying that he was asso­ carefully-laid trap at every election smce ciated with Communists. As far as I know, 1953, and the A.L.P. has stupidly and blindly the. hon. member for Townsville North, like walked into it-boots and all. Hon. members a good deal of us who live in Townsville, on that side have not enough brains to wake is a man of average respectability and reputa­ up to the fact that the Liberal Party has set bility. In my radio talks and television talks the trap for them. The Liberal ~arty kno~s about this claim that the Communists are that if it ran a candidate agamst me m tied up with the A.L.P., I referred to that Townsville South, or even in the old Mun­ old and true western saying that if you lie dingburra electorate, it could not po~sibly win down with dogs you cannot blame the people it. It would lose not only a candidate, but if they think you have fleas. The people probably the candidate's deposit_ as well. The of Townsville and the people of Queensland Liberal Party also knows that It would lose must have thought that at least some of the the votes of Aikens's supporters and Aikens's friends in all the neighbouring electorates. members of the Australian Labour Party Consequently it says, "Let us pull our can­ were Communists, or suspected them of being didate out. We won't run against Tom Communists. At least they said, "Members Aikens. The Labour Party will be silly of the Labour Party are lying down with enough to put a candidate in the field against dogs and we think they have fleas." him." The Liberal Party knows that the moment the A.L.P. puts a candidate in We have another western saying that the against me in Townsville South, in addition hon. member for Gregory would know: "If to not being able to win my seat the A.L.P. you fly around with crows you cannot expect loses the support of all Aikens's supporters people to think that you are a canary." and sympathisers as far north as Cardwell, as Those are the lines along which the electors far south as Bowen, and as far west as the of Queensland thought. I have shown the Northern Territory border. I know that the Committee a photograph and have read an Liberals are a little embarrassed at my saying extract from "The Townsville Daily this. Go into the Flinders electorate. I am Bulletin" to demonstrate what the A.L.P. in not in any way trying to belittle the wonder­ Townsville is like today. Bear in mind that ful work that has come about as if it had not been for the commercial aspect the result of the personal representa­ of the Labour Day procession last May, it tions of the hon. member for Flinders, but would have been a farce. Had it not been go to that electorate, where I was born and bred, and ask my friends and supporters for the motor-car people moving in with a along the Flinders what they think of the procession of motor vehicles, and the business A.L.P. in running a candidate against me. houses putting in commercial floats, and They will tell you, quite frankly, "If the what-have-you, it would have been a pitiable A.L.P. runs a candidate against good old farce as a Labour Day procession. Tom Aikens the A.L.P. must stink and we will not vote for it in this electorate." Go He is a photograph of what the Labour to Hinchinbrook and Bowen; ask the hon. Day procession in Townsville was like when member for Burdekin, although he does not the A.L.P. in Townsville was a party of need my assistance. Ask the hon. member power and influence, and when the people for Townsville North. In Townsville North had confidence in it. That was at the time they have only one little Tory pocket in Supply [15 OcTOBER] Supply 669

North Ward and a line ball in Belgian Mr. AIKENS: The hon. member lives in Gardens and Magnetic Island. If I were Bulimba, or he represents Bulimba. I do the A.L.P. candidate for Townsville North not know if he lives there. If he is like I should poll no fewer than 10,000 votes some of the other A.L.P. members he against any Liberal candidate. Everyone probably never goes near his electorate. knows that is true, yet the hon. member George Marriott lost his seat in 1950. It for Townsville North was scratching to poll was not until the scandal was exposed in 6,000 votes at the last election. He has this Chamber by the Treasurer, in perhaps all the poll in West End, all of Garbutt, one of the finest speeches he has ever made, all of Pimlico, all of Currajong and a lot and it was decided to hold an inquiry, of Aitkenvale, where I polled a majority of and the seat was declared vacant and a from 5,000 to 6,000 against the Liberals and by-election held, that I came down to help could poll that majority again, yet because him. The hon. member is well off the the A.L.P. ran a candidate against me in beam. George Marriott had already lost the Townsville South, hundreds, and maybe seat. Had I come down in 1950 it is some thousands, of A.L.P. supporters in probable that he would have retained it. Townsville North said, "If they attack old Tom in Townsville South, we will scrub However, I was talking about the foolish the A.L.P. in Townsville North." The hon. A.L.P. belief that they can fool the people member for Townsville North knows that and I was trying to tell them that they can· to be perfectly true, as does everyone with not. I am reminded that, during the election any brains, except the A.L.P. At every campaign, the hon. member for Townsville State election the Liberal Party sets this North and my A.L.P. opponent addressed crude and clumsy trap for the A.L.P. and several meetings of railwaymen on railway they fall into it, boots and all. They have premises and throughout the campaign they not the brains or the intelligence-they are made a very great point of the claim that too stupid and silly, politically speaking­ they were 100 per cent. behind the railway­ to see the trap laid for them. I do not men and consequently that, if they were know that the Liberals will lay it again elected, the interests of the railwaymen would now that I have spilt the beans but that be their first concern. I believe that they is what has happened. It is ' all true. fooled quite a lot of railwaymen by that Members of the A.L.P. can ask Dr. approach; but they cannot fool the railway­ Delamothe from Bowen what happens, and men any more, at least the hon. member for they can ask John Row from Hinchinbrook Townsvi!le North cannot, because quite and Percy Tucker from Townsville North. recently Western Transport opened a huge If the A.L.P. put a candidate in the field terminal building-in my electorate, too, by against me, believe me they would have the way-with the obvious intention of run­ to scratch dirt to win. ning the railways out of business and if pos­ sible putting them on the scrapheap and the Mr. Houston: You know, you are credited railwaymen on the breadline. with bringing about Murray's defeat by saying you were a friend of his. We all received an invitation to the open­ ing of that big terminal of Western Trans­ Mr. AIKENS: I will tell the hon. member port's. I did not go because I am 100 per what I could have done. I could have cent. behind the railwaymen all the time but gone o.nto the platform with John Murray the hon. member for Townsville North went, and Wiped the floor with Ernie Harding. and as a matter of fact he was there to such John Murray could tell the hon. member good purpose that Curly Anderson virtually that and so could Percy Tucker. It is just had to kick him out of the way so that he that our party does not become involved could get up onto the dais for the official in Federal election campaigns. The A.L.P. opening. That shows the insincerity that I can be very thankful we do not because think is characteristic of the A.L.P. today. if we did it would not do too well in the If you want to know just what someone North, believe me. As a matter of fact within the A.L.P.-and he is a very powerful I have been waiting for years for the A.L.P: person in the A.L.P. in Townsville-thinks of to wake up to itself as to why the Liberals the recent campaign of the A.L.P. in Towns­ do not run a candidate against me and ville and throughout the State, I suggest you now I have given the reason. ' go into the Parliamentary Library and read Mr. Houston: What happened to George the 19 August issue of "The Worker" news­ Marriott when you supported him in paper under the heading of "District Secre­ Bulimba? tary Costello Reports Union's Northern Workings for June." Mr. AIKENS: As a matter of fact, he Mr. Costello is, of course, the A.W.U. wrote to me and thanked me. district secretary in Townsville and as such Mr. Houston: He lost his seat. is a very powerful and influential man in the A.L.P. I am sorry that I cannot read the Mr. AIKENS: No, he did not. George whole of the two-column spread in which Marriott lost his seat in 1950. he blasts Mr. Tucker and Mr. Trower for the way in which they mishandled and muddled Mr. Houston: He lost his seat because you up the recent election campaign in Towns­ supnorted him. ville, but hon. members can go into the 23 670 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply library and read it for themselves. I will left good men like the ones that I have men­ read two paragraphs from it. Mr. Costello tioned high and dry. Having persuaded them says- to go with him. he ran for cover and deserted "At the beginning of the month, we had them. the State Elections, and most Northern If any more evidence is wanted of how District officials were tied up assisting one sincere the Leader of the Opposition was in way or another in the campaign within his promise to the people that if his party their v~rious areas, to try and have an were returned he would introduce three Austrahan Labour Party Government weeks' annual leave by legislation, one has returned to the Treasury benches in only to remember what he said here a few Queensland. However, the results of the weeks ago in the Address-in-Reply debate. elections were very disappointing but not He attacked vehemently the Industrial surprising." Conciliation and Arbitration Commission for "When I say, 'not surprising,' I mean introducing three weeks' annual leave with­ that, because of the way I feel the cam­ out considering the state of the economy and paign was conducted throughout the State, the effect it would have on the cost of living. and particularly in local areas." As a matter of fact, he damned and blasted the Industrial Commission for introducing it. Further down he goes on to say-and I think this is the most scathing condemnation of Mr. Houston: You know that that is not the A.L.P. in Townsville and in Queensland true. that has ever been written, and I repeat that it was written by Mr. Costello, the district Mr. AIKENS: That is what he did. There secretary of the A.W.U. in Townsville- is no need to argue about it. All the hon. "I am sure that if the campaign policy member for Bulimba has._ to do-and I so adopted in the State elections had been challenge him-is to publish in full in any used in the last Federal elections, we would union newspaper in Queensland wh_llt the not have h~d the success we did, particu­ Leader of the Opposition said in his speech larly here m the Herbert Electorate." in the Address-in-Reply debate about the introduction of three weeks' annual leave There perhaps is the most damning indict­ by the Industrial Commission. Let him pub­ ment of the A.L.P. election campaign, writ­ lish it in full without any backing and ten not by an enemy of the A.L.P. but by filling or any alteration. ~me of its staunchest adherents and supporters m the person of Mr. Costello. If they really want to know, I shall tell hon. members opposite why the Labour Party I remind the A.L.P. that in the last election lost the last election. Again I speak more campaign they had, of course, what they in sorrow than anger, and in a paternal sense. thought was a winner, or two winners. They In addition to the fact that they had Duggan had the unemployment position which the leading them, which is a handicap that they people. did not believe because: as I keep never will be able to carry, and the fact that repe.atmg, the people are not fools; they the people believe, with considerable justifica­ realrse that under Labour we had up to 6, tion, that the Communists have infiltrated 8 and 9 per cent. unemployed in Queensland the A.LP ., the campaign was kept going for whereas quite recently there was only 1 per too long. If they had any chance of winning cent. or 2-point-something per cent. unem­ at the outset, they talked themselves out of ployment. But their real winner, of course, it. If the campaign in other electorates of was the three weeks' annual leave that the Queensland was waged on the same basis as ~.L.P. was going to introduce by legislation that in Townsville, with the people subjected 1f t~e people could be inveigled into voting to an incessant barrage for eight or nine fo~ 1t at the last election. Imagine any party months, with placards and posters every­ gomg to the people of Queensland with their where, they talked themselves out of any !ntell,!ge?ce and retentive memorie's, and say­ chance that they might have had initially mg, With Jack Duggan as our parliamentary long before the campaign ended. leader, we are going to introduce three weeks' annual leave!" The people have not Quite frankly and truthfully, my A.L.P. forgotten, and are not likely to forget, that opponent, Mr. Trower, had more placards when the Leader of the Opposition was a posted up in Townsville South than he member of the Gair Cabinet he violently received votes on polling day. He placed opposed every effort made at Australian them as far back as last August. He had Labour Party parliamentary meetings to them placed on every second or third post introduce three weeks' annual leave. and on every street corner and vacant lot, but they did not carry his photograph. In He did even worse than that. Because January or February this year he replaced he is a presentable and personable fellow- them with another large placard, which 1 have nothing against him personally-and very fluent and persuasive, he talked men included his photograph. like Bunny Adair, Alex Skinner, and others I do not want to repeat all that I said in in Caucus who originally were in favour of the Address-in-Reply debate, but I do say three weeks' annual leave, into opposing it that nobody can blast the people for eight or when the vote came before Caucus, but when nine months and expect them to be interested the split in the A.L.P. came he hopped into in the campaign for all of that time. To the three weeks' annual leave corner and see that, one has only to l6ok at the history Supply [15 OCTOBER] Supply 671 of the major political convulsions that pave hon. member for Townsville North had occurred in this State over the years. In against him a Q.L.P. candidate such as that 1915 the Labour Party struck the Denham and a Liberal candidate equally gentle­ Government out of offic~ That campaign manly, and he just managed to sneak in. lasted one month, and in those days we had no radio, television, or aeroplanes. In 1929 My A.L.P. opponent, Trower, was only a the Moore Government swept the McCormack young fellow. I hardly know him, but what Labour Government out of office in a cam­ I do know of him is not to his detriment, paign lasting six weeks. There was no TV He appears to be an ordinary fellow, just in those days, and not many radios or aero­ like the rest of us. However, he has blotted planes. In 1932, when the Labour Party his copy-book in Townsville South for all swept the _Moore Government out of office, time. This is not altogether unexpected, the campaign lasted four or five weeks. If because one can always rely on the A.L.P., shrewd political campaigners such as the late during an election campaign, to sink to the Forgan Smith had fallen for the blarney of uttermost depths, or to sink to the occasion, the Trades Hall-the Communist technique I might say. Most of us rise to the occasion; that you have to blast the people for eight or the A.L.P. always sinks to the occasion. My nine months-and had earbashed them for opponent went round Townsville South dur­ that length of time, the A.L.P. would not ing the closing weeks of the campaign and have won the 1932 election. The people ascertained from the people living in one would have been sickened long before polling house that the people living in the house day. next door were devout Roman Catholics. He would then go to the door of that house, Certain things happened in Townsville that knock on it, and when the people came out the people there are not likely to forget, he would give them a little spiel-there is and the hon. member for Townsville North nothing wrong in that-and then say, know­ should consider himself lucky that his Q.L.P. ing that they were devout Roman Catholics, opponent, Dr. Dorney, is the very essence "I would like you to know that my brother of a gentleman. Had the A.L.P. done to is a priest in Cairns." Roman Catholic me what it did to Dr. Dorney on one occa­ priests in Townsville South came to me and sion, I would have blasted it right out of the said, "Is Trower's brother a Roman Catholic water. Dr. Dorney was to make an appear­ priest in Cairns?", and I said, "No, his ance on television station TNQ7, which is brother is an Anglican priest." He did not right at the top of Mt. Stuart. A gate at tell these people that his brother was an the bottom of the mountain was left open Anglican priest; he said merely that he v.:as for Dr. Dorney. A group of A.L.P. sup­ a priest; and many devout Roman Cathc;l!cs porters whose names are known to the police in Townsville South voted for Trower thmk­ drove out in a car, the number of which is ing he was a member of the_ir faith an~ a known to the police and to everyone else, member of their church. I did not mentwn and locked the gate. When Dr. Dorney came the matter at the time. I could have men­ along, he did not know what to do. If I tioned it from my public platform; I could had been there, I would have broken the have blasted him with it; but I wanted to gate open, but Dr. Dorney, being a gentle­ give him every opportunity in order to find man, climbed over the gate and walked the out what the basic A.L.P. vote was. We 7 miles from the bottom of the mountain, knew that the vote that Edmonds got was climbing over 3,000 feet in doing so, to the not the basic vote, and we wanted to know television station. He arrived an hour and what was the best vote that the A.L.P. could a-half or 2 hours late, and he was so get in Townsville South. H?wever, ev~ry exhausted and sweat-stained when he Roman Catholic, not only m TownsVllle appeared on television that he looked like South but in Townsville as a whole, knows a rag-picker-in fact, a number of people of that incident and I will guarantee that if thought he had been imbibing too freely­ Mr. Trower is foolish enough to run again but he made no reference to the fact that for political honours in Townsville he will the A.L.P. had locked the gate and forced not even get the votes of those Roman him to walk seven miles. He refused to Catholics who normally vote for the A.L.P. refer to it throughout the campaign. It is No Roman Catholic or for that matter no not an offence to lock a gate, I know; in member of any religious denomination, likes fact, on some occasions to do so might be to think his church is being used merely for doing somebody a service; but the police cheap political purposes. told Dr. Dorney the number of the car and the names of the A.L.P. men who were in While talking of things the A.L.P. do and it and who had locked the gate. He said, ot the way they fight-as I say, yo~ can "No. I don't fight that way. I am not going always rely on them to sink to the occasJOn­ to take them on nor take any action against I went over to the South Townsville School them. I am just going to let them go; I fete on a Saturday afternoon just prior to will fight the campaign fairly." Can you polling day. I was not invited but that imagine what would have happened to the does not stop me from going like anybody A.L.P. if it had done that to me? I would else. I like to go across and spend a few have appeared on the television screen with bob to help the school committee. When I blood streaming down my face-I would got there, the chairman of the sc~ool com­ have made sure of that-and the A.L.P. mittee, who is a very solid A.L.P.-Ite named candidate would not have got a vote. The Bill Wilson, said, "You are here, Tom? Now 672 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply you are here, you may as well be in the nominations, namely, Mr. Costello and Mr. official party." To do old Bill Wilson justice, Tucker, and the Townsville Trades and once he knew I was there he tre-ated me as Labour Council, which, of course, is con­ the member for the district. trolled by the Communists, organised night Later on, I found out who was in the and day for Mr. Tucker to beat Mr. Costello. official party. Believe it or not, the official He cannot deny that. party at the South Townsville School, which I told hon. members what happened in is in the middle of my electorate, comprised Townsville South and about our old friend the hon. member for Townsville North and William Wilson, whom I previously mentioned Mr. Trower, my A.L.P. opponent. On his way as the chairman of the South Townsville to the South Townsville School on that School committee. He is a Labour man of occasion, Mr. Trower got lost. He finished many years' standing, a man who has given up at the Victoria Park Hotel and had to ask years of his life and endeavour to the A.L.P. his way to the South Townsville School. I He nominated as an A.L.P. candidate for did not object to what had happened, and the Labour-in-Politics Convention in Bunda­ when I was asked to say a few words to berg to represent Townsville South. Those the gathering, I did. Then they called upon men who supported the hon. member for Mr. Tucker and then on Mr. Trower. That is Townsville North against Mr. Costello went the way the A.L.P. fights. It is quite different along to Mr. Wilson and said, "Pull out, from the way I fight. Bill, or we will 'do' you like a dinner." Mr. Wilson said, "Why should I pull out? I have Everyone knows the work I put into getting worked for the Labour Party all my life. I the Currajong School, which was taken out have given them the best years of my life. of my e·lectorate in the I 960 redistribution. I always do the right thing and when they Why can't I nominate as the delegate to the convention representing Townsville South?" especially asked me to go to their fete, They said, "You nominate and God help because the school is now in the electorate of the hon. member for Townsville North I you!" Bill nominated in good faith and the did not go; I considered it would be politically Trades Hall boys in Townsville dredged up a fellow named Bird. I have never seen unethical. I sent them a guinea. to spend on him and would not know him if I fell the chocolate wheel but I stayed away. That over him, although I think that I know is the sort of thing one would expect any everyone worth knowing in Townsville. Thev decent member of Parliament to do. But ran Bird against old Bill Wilson and the not the A.L.P. They did not mind invading my electorate, even when, as I say, Mr. same Communists and the same Trades Hall Trower got lost on his way there. mob who organised with the hon. member for Townsville North to beat Costello at the As I said earlier, the hon. member for same time organised for Bird to b~at Bill Townsville North objected to being branded Wilson. Poor old Bill Wilson was defeated by the Premier as an associate of Com­ b~ 128 votes to 18. The people know these munists. Incidentally, he made a rather thmgs. remarkable statement which appeared in 'The Townsville Daily Bulletin". He said. "I Mr. Tucker: He never even started. am not a Communist; I am a respectable Mr. AIKENS: Who did not start? citizen". I have no doubt that the hon. memb~r. for Townsville North is a. respect­ Mr. Tucker: Wilson. able citizen, but the Communists in Towns­ Mr. AIKENS: Bunkum! It was published ville are not happy at the implication that in the Press-"Bird 128, Wilson 18." It was no Communist can be a respectable citizen. never denied. If he did not even start why The people of Townsville know, too, that should Bill come and corilpfain to me at the the hon. member for Townsville North T ownsville Show just afterwards? reached a gentleman's agreement with Mr. Mr. Tucker: I don't believe he ever com­ Costello, whose name I mentioned previously plained to you. -he is the district secretary of the A.W.U. Mr. AIKENS: I should not be surprised if for ~hat. area-that he would run for A.L.P. the hon. member believed anything. When nommatwn for the seat of Townsville North all is said and done I am trying to help the and . M~. Costello would run for A.L.P. hon. member, if he would only realise that. nommat~on for the Labour-in-Politics I am not attacking him. He should not work Conventwn. When this gentleman's agree­ ment became known, the boys who run himself up into a state of frenzy. Does he the Trades and Labour Council m not recognise sound common-sense advice Townsville-- when he is getting it? He should be grateful to me. As a matter of fact, at the Caucus Mr. TUCKER: I rise to a point of order. meeting tomorrow afternoon he should move That statement is completely untrue and I a motion of thanks for the assistance I am ask for its withdrawal. trying to give the A.L.P. I hope his per­ formance at that Caucus meeting will not be Mr. AIKENS: Very well, I will withdraw as deplorable as what occurred at the Labour th.e· charge of the gentleman's agreement. I Party's Caucus meeting last Wednesrlay when wlll say that when nominations did come out it was decided that they would not fill in the for the Townsville North representative at the questionnaires dealing with the salaries and Bundaberg Convention, there were two allowances of members of Parliament, that Supply [15 OCTOBER] Supply 673

they would not give evidence before the com­ at the City Hall posed a problem for the mittee, but that they would take everything Labour Party, because it conflicted with the by way of salaries and allowances that other previous policy decision of that party and hon. members could get for them. the proposals were held up for several (Time expired.) months while the Labour Party wrestled with its socialistic conscience. However, Mr. CAMPBELL (Aspley) (2.37 p.m.): I the economic considerations were far too join with other hon. members on this side great to be dismissed and the Labour Party, in conveying my congratulations to the with great reluctance, intimated to the State Treasurer on the presentation of his Financial Government its concurrence in the proposal. Statement. With the utmost clarity the It is estimated that the Brisbane City Coun­ Treasurer has reviewed the State's economy. cil will benefit to the extent of some His Financial Statement reflects the prosperity £400,000 annually as a result of this change. that abounds in every section of the com­ At the same time, it will be able to spend munity. Naturally we do not take all the on other works and services funds that credit for this happy state of affairs, although otherwise would have been required for we can fairly claim that it is largely due to electricity generation. Of course, it should the policy this Government pursues. We are not be overlooked that this Government has indeed fortunate to have a man of the calibre now accepted the responsibility for rmsmg of Mr. Hiley as State Treasurer. In his the capital for electricity generation in the record term in that portfolio he has made a State. wonderful personal contribution to the State's Mr. Evans: We are giving an extra progress. I could cite numerous examples £1,000,000 a year. of that. I refer briefly to his administration of the Department of Harbours and Marine. Mr. CAMPBELL: Yes, an extra £1,000,000 Through his activities he has greatly increased capital to spend on other work. the efficiency of our pQrts, and harbour boards have benefited greatly from his wise Mr. Sherrington interjected. counsel. Mr. CAMPBELL: The hon. member made I refer also to the recent rationalisation his speech the other day. and reorganisation of the generation and Mr. Sherrington: We did not oppose it. supply of electricity in Brisbane. It is now some years since the Treasurer drew attention Mr. CAMPBELL: I will ignore that to the peculiar situation that had developed remark and pass on to another matter. over the years. At that time he pointed to I hope that, in due course, similar attention the. ec~noJ?ies that <:ould be effected by will be given to the question of transport. ratwnahsatwn and voiced the opinion that It is obvious that, sooner or later, the unless s?mething was don~ by 1966 the Bris­ various modes of public transport in Bris­ bane City Council would run short of the capital requ!red to continue the expansion of bane must be co-ordinated. This might the generatiOn necessary to cope with the best be done by the Transport Commission's city's progress. I well remember the criticism accepting the complete administration of that this proposal by the Treasurer evoked Brisbane's public transport needs. Water supply and sewerage could likewise be the from the L~b?ur PartY: particularly. At pro­ g_ress associatiOn meetmgs and similar func­ subject of a similar inquiry, for it would tions, the Treasurer's proposition was appear that, for water supply in particular, savagely attacked. It was roundly condemned the community interest could best be served bv spokesmen for the Labour Party and by a regional water authority. "hands off the people's assets" was the Mr. Newton: Who wrote this for you? popular cry. They could see no merit in it at all. Mr. CAMPBELL: I do not need any assis­ tance in making these observations. Hon. Mr. Evans: They attacked it in the House. members opposite should remember that the hon. member for Salisbury came into the Mr. CAMPBELL: Yes, they attacked it in Chamber with a brief from Alderman Clem the House. It was savagely attacked and Jones. the most inane arguments were advanced a.gainst it. However, the Treasurer's sugges­ Mr. SHERRINGTON: I rise to a point of tiOn was acted upon and the Minister for order. I had no brief from Alderman Clem Development, Mines, Main Roads and Elec­ Jones. I wish to make that quite clear. J tricity establis.hed a committee composed ask that the remark be withdrawn. of rep_re~entatives of the State Electricity Commtssion, the Sou~hern Electric Authority Mr. CAMPBELL: I will withdraw the and the Bnsbane City Council. After 12 remark, but I shall make further comments months' concentrated study this committee about it later. prod~ced an excellent report, which sub­ When the Brisbane City Council is relieved stantiated the Treasurer's forecast and made of these extraneous undertakings, it might i~ qu!te plain tha.t _rationalisation was impera­ be appropriate at that time to conduct tive If the electricity supply of Brisbane was research into the City of Brisbane Act to not tc: be placed in jeopardy. The acceptance se~ if the community might be better served of this report by the Jones administration by a subdivision of the city of Brisbane so 674 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply that real local government might prevail Government and the way it lived from day to rather than the present establishment, which day in these matters, making no provision has the effect of being a city State. for the future. Opposition members are always ready to I want also to make brief comment on the criticise the Government and imply that if department's policy in regard to high-school Labour were in power everything would be grounds and I only wish that funds would so much better. Well, Labour had many permit the same treatment being given to years in which to achieve this but it failed primary-school grounds. Approximately miserably. £5,000 has been spent on the grounds of the As Opposition members have so much to new Aspley High -School, transforming what say about education, what should be done was formerly scrubland into a beautiful play­ about it and what they would do about it if ground area. It will be a tremendous asset to they were in power, let us have a look at the surrounding district. This school is the record. For instance, I do not wish to already building up a fine tradition through detract in any way from your impartiality, the diligence of the principal and teaching Mr. Tooth, but you will know that those staff. who are engaged in the teaching service of I want to deal now with a few of the the Education Department can reflect on the points made by the hon. member for years when they were employed during the Salisbury in his speech on Thursday night. regime of the Labour Government and make It was a most curious speech, but one of comparisons with the conditions prevailing the type that we have come to expect from today. Any honest teacher will be quite him. The hon. member set out to speak willing to do that and must b~ very happy on matters pertaining to the Brisbane City with the consideration he is receiving under Council in the manner, as he put it, of a this Government's policy. person interested in the State and its capital It is quite obvious that it was Labour policy city. That is no reflection on him, as I to live from day to day and to take no heed think everybody in this Chamber is interested of education requirements of the future. At in the progress of Queensland. He purported least that is how it appeared in the electorate to speak as a disinterested person taking of Aspley, where no provision whatever was a detached view of the subject. made by the Labour Party for school-site Mr. SHERRINGTON: I rise to a point requirements. Although the area was of order. I made it quite clear that I was developing at the rate of 500 families a year speaking on that matter because I was the and that development had been going on chairman of the Public Works and Local for many years, because of the failure of the Government Committee of the Australian Labour Party to make any provision for Labour Party. school-site requirements the department has under this Government had to embark on Mr. CAMPBELL: I was quoting from his a crash programme of acquiring sites to actual words when I said that he claimed meet current and future demands. to be speaking as a person interested in Let me outline what has had to be done the State and its capital city. There was in the past five or six years. In the first nothing in his speech but an apology for place, it was necessary to acquire land for the actions of his political colleagues in the extension of the grounds of the Aspley the Brisbane City Council. He also said State School. These grounds were hopelessly that in his opinion the Government, the overcrowded. The ground was most unsuit­ newspapers, and the various organisations able for p~ayground area, and the Govern­ that have sprung up in the city fail to ment acqmred four acres of an adjoining realise how much damage their attempts to pn:perty to provide playgrounds for the destroy the Labour administration are doing children. Furthermore, it acquired 10 acres to future administrations. ot land in Maundrell Terrace Chermside Mr. Mann: You would like to see the for primary-school purposes, '15 acres i~ Labour council destroyed. Hamilton Road, Chermside, for high-school purposes, I 0 acres of land in Kitchen er Road Mr. CAMPBELL: That is not my desire Kedron, for primary-school purposes and 10 at all. All I say is that if that is a fair acres of land in Rode Road, West Chermside, statement, the same thing applies to criticism for . State. primary-school purposes. It of the State Government. This apparently acqmred etght acres of land in Rangeview will be Labour's theme at the next civic Street, . Aspley, for primary-school purposes, election. Apparently they will endeavour on whtch has been erected the Aspley East to cloak their misdeeds with this plea. State School, and a further three acres have One would imagine from the hon. member's been acquired for playground purposes. I remarks that members of the Australian have made no mention of the land on which Labour Party in the municipal field are a is situated the Aspley High School; but, as happy band of brothers. that land has been known as the "Govern­ ment paddock" for as long as I can remember Mr. Sherrington: That is not so. evidently it was acquired in the dim distant Mr. CAMPBELL: I am glad to hear the past. I have mentioned those sites to indicate hon. member for Salisbury acknowledge that the lack of preparedness of the previous that is not so. Supply [15 OCTOBER] Supply 675

Mr. Sherrington: I did not deal with Mr. CAMPBELL: I am not carrying a members of the Labour council. brief from anybody else, unlike the hon. member for Salisbury. Apparently the Jones Mr. CAMPBELL: The fact that it is administration works on the old theory of not so may lend colour to the hon. member's "Where there's a will, there's a way", and is attempts to whitewash his colleagues in the doing everything possible for the people of Brisbane City Council. Aspley. In .this regard, the Labour Party Not everything about the Jones adminis­ seems to have completely disregarded the tration at the City Hall has been disadvan­ city council's requirement for a return on tageous, and I suppose I should be the capital outlay for water extensions, because last one to criticise it. Let me say that it has taken water to places in Aspley-- the Aspley ward has had far more than its Mr. Sherrington: You still have the 10 fair share of city council works expenditure. per cent. as laid down in the ordinances. Indeed, the fear is that tenders will not be received for work in the Aspley area to Mr. CAMPBELL: I am pleased to hear complete what is planned before the next the chairman of the Parliamentary Labour civic election. I am not complaining; I am Party's Works Committee say that, because merely making observations. I understood that was the principle. In spite I cannot help contrasting the spate of ot this, water is being taken three-quarters activity taking place in the Aspley area in of a mile to people in Beckett Road, Aspley­ the last 12 months with the complete lack and they are very grateful for it-to serve of action in the neighbouring ward of 10 or 15 homes. Nudgee, where residents complain bitterly Mr. Sherrington: They can get it by con­ about the lack of consideration for their tributing towards the cost. needs. If there is a pothole in Aspley it is repaired immediately, whereas in Nudgee Mr. CAMPBELL: The hon. member's inter­ the people in some areas complain bitterly jection reminds me of the experience of about the condition of their streets. Of people in Albany Creek Road, which was the course, the fact that Aspley is a key ward first of four extensions in this area. In the in the next civic election is not without first extension people were required to con­ significance. As I said, I should be the tribute a proportion of the capital outlay, in last to complain, because Aspley is really the second they were required to contribute benefiting as a result. for a 4-inch main although a 6-inch main The hon. member went on to give credit was installed, in the third, which was an to the Jones administration for the success of extension of about one-third of a mile, no its loan-raising programme. I am not dis­ return was required and the connections paraging the results it has achieved, but the were made and in the fourth, which traverses hon. member for Salisbury knows that this about thre~-quarters of a mile right out into success is not peculiar to the Brisbane City the wilds of Aspley-- Council; it is the general experience in all Mr. Aikens: Where the blacks are bad. public loan raisings. It is the direct conse­ quence of the Federal Government's economic Mr. CAMPBELL: They were, too, when measures of 1961, which were aimed at I was a lad. In the fourth case, again no channelling investment in the direction of heed was paid to the requirement of a public loan raisings. Despite what was said return on capital. I am not complaining about the policy when it was implemented, it about that; on the contrary, I am very grate­ cannot be denied that it has been singularly ful for it. However, it is the case that whilst successful in restoring public support for in some parts perhaps it is not desirable public loan raisings. politically to give these amenities, in others it The hon. member went on to say that the is really necessary politically. Government had done much to hamstring The hon. member has also referred to the council in its water policy and so denied the council's proposal to levy an amount of the people of the outer suburbs of Bris­ £250 an allotment on subdividers to provide bane-- sewerage trunk mains and disposal plants. I Mr. Sherrington: You do not deny that the point out that that refers to trunk mains and Government has not co-operated with the dispo·sal plants and not to house connections. council on that? The subdividers complain about this levy for two reasons. The first is that they claim Mr. CAMPBELL: All I can say is that they can do the work more economically water reticulation in the Aspley ward pro­ than the council. I am not arguing that vides no problems. point; I am merely stating it. The £250 an allotment is in excess of the cost of these Mr. Shenington: Aspley is not the whole works. Secondly, they have no guarantee of Brisbane. that, having paid the £250 levy, the work will be put in hand. Mr. CAMPBELL: I can go only by my own experience. There is one aspect of the council's numer­ ous requisitions that seems to be overlooked. Mr. Newton: That is where you get your It seems to be generally believed that the sub­ brief. divider bears the cost of these numerous 676 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply

reqmsitlons but the plain fact is that he Mr. CAMPBELL: There is a gradual simply passes the cost on to the purchaser of increase in local-authority requisitions on a block of land. This increasing trend is pro­ property owners, which is having a very ducing a number of anomalies in land owner­ serious effect. I am not out of sympathy ship. Take the case of a block of land at, with local authorities; I am merely pointing say, Gordon Park, purchased 25 years ago. out the facts concerning these requisitions. When the person purchased that land at that Mr. Aikens: Don't you think it is time point of time he paid for the actual land and possibly the cost of putting an earth street in the Government took action to stop that sort front of it; he paid also for his water con­ of thing? nection. That is about all he would pay, Mr. CAMPBELL: The local authorities are apart from the cost of the house erected on public bodies and the people. have• the remedy the land. in their own hands on pollmg day. With the passing of the years, that street The hon. member for Salisbury went on has been paved and kerbing and channelling to say that the Government is procrastinating have been provided, and ultimately, as has in completing the draft legislation dealing recently happened in the area to which I with the Town Plan, and that it wants to referred, Gordon Park, sewerage has come. forget that the Town Planning Committee All that the householder has had to pay for is a Government committee. What utter in that regard has been the cost of household nonsense! Of course it is a Government connection; all other services were provided committee; the Government was required to out of council funds. Because of the pro­ legislate to give it authority. Apart from vision of these amenities valuations of the nominating two representatives on the com­ land have been increased accordingly. mittee, the Government's initial responsibility virtually went no further. It was an act Contrast this situation with the purchase of of good faith on the Government's part in a block of land in one of the newer suburbs, drafting the Act that it was rather loosely say, Chermside West. A person who buys a worde·d in order to give the committee as block of land in these new areas today pays much scope as possible for inquiry. This for the land; he pays for the water, the kerb­ Government want'S to see the Town Plan ing and channelling, and the bitumen streets; become a reality. It is not like previous he pays for the electricity mains supply to Governments, which did not have the courage the estate, for the water mains supply, and to face up to the problem of providing for the drainage. Now the council wants Brisbane with a proper town plan. The him to pay this £250 levy for the sewerage Government at no time expected that it would mains as well as the additional £10 levy for become the political issue that it has since park purposes. the change of administration at the City Hall. Mr. Mann: You are on the side of the I suppose that is only to be expected when subdivider. the Labour Party has a hand in these matters. Whilst, technically speaking, it is Mr. CAMPBELL: I assure the hon. mem­ a Government plan, the plan largely reflects ber for Brisbane that I am not. I am com­ the thinking of the City Hall. After all, ing to the point now. When I have made three of the five members who make up the it I think he will agree. All these costs add committee are the top men in the City Hall, to the cost of the land and are taken into and much of the detailed work that went into account when its valuation is determined. the preparation of the plan was done mainly They are all included in the sale price of the by council officials. The origin-and­ land. It is no wonder that the valuations destination survey which formed the basis of in these new suburbs have increased, and the the plan was conducted under the jurisdiction council must accept its share of responsibility of the Brisba;ne City Council. Incidentally, in the matter. that was done· by the C.M.O. So it is, in effect, a council plan and the Council will Mr. Sherrington: Do you say that he pays administer it when it rs ratified. It is typical for the electricity mains? of the political tactics of the Labour Party to duck its responsibilities in any matter Mr. CAMPBELL: That is right. that might involve criticism, and the Jones Mr. Sherrington: He does not. administration at the City Hall has tried to do a lot of ducking with the Town Plan. Mr. CAMPBELL: I beg to differ from the Although it is some 15 months since the hon. member. committee commenced its consideration of the objections, the Government has not yet Because of this, the purchaser of land received sufficient data upon which to base today is obliged to pay twice. He pays for legislation. all those amenities the cost of which is included in the price of his block of land The hon. member referred also to the and, because the costs are included in the proposal to levy £10 an allotment for park price of his land, they are also included in purposes. The objection to this proposal his valuation and he is rated on the amenities is that there is no guarantee that the person for which he has already paid. who pays this levy will receive any benefit from it, for who is to determine where the Mr. Sherrington interjected. intended parkland will be? The present Supply [15 OCTOBER] Supply 677

Jones administration has not a very good meeting on 23 August I was feeling rather record in regard to parks-at least not in the pleased with myself when I announced the area with which I am acquainted. The Treasurer's decision and said that all we Treasurer will recall that in about last April had to wait for was the concurrence of the I made representations to him because of council, when everything in the garden would the lamentable lack of playing areas in the be lovely. You could have knocked me down Stafford North and Chermside West areas. with a feather when, after I had said my little He will recall that I suggested that considera­ piece and was beginning to sit back with a tion might be given to making building blocks glow of pleasure, the alderman for the ward available to provide small playing areas for rose and said, in a rather hesitant way, "] children as there was no parkland in that have a bit of bad news. The council has area. I am very pleased to acknowledge the decided not to accept these blocks of land Treasurer's helpful assistance as a result because they are too small and are of my representation and I propose to quote improperly drained." from a letter date-d 29 May that I received from him. It states- Mr. Herbert: No consideration for the kiddies in the district. "Land owned by the Queensland Hous­ ing Commission which is now being made Mr. CAMPBELL: No consideration for available for home sites to the west and the kiddies in the district. The peculiar east of Appleby Road was subdivided with thing about it is that the council had already the approval of the Brisbane City Council approved these blocks of land as suitable by a private land developer for residential for houses, yet for park purposes they were use. However, as the Council did not too small-and we can set that aside for a require the subdivider to allocate any of moment-and were improperly drained. this land for park or recreation purposes and as the parks and proposed parks indi­ I was almost stumped for words when I cated on the proposed Town Plan are some received that information and I finally distance from the Commission areas, I am arranged for a consultation with the alder­ prepared to withhold building of houses on man and Mr. Ellis, the assistant manager of two allotments at the corner of Farrant parks in the Brisbane City Council. During and Giles Streets . . . and on two allot­ the next week we had a conference with ments at the corner of Maryland and Mr. Ellis on this problem and, on the ques­ Aldren Streets ..." tion of the lack of size of the area, he said that the council was troubled because these This shows the Treasurer's wisdom because playground areas were too close to adjoining in the future Appleby Road will become a houses. He intimated that if the Queensland very busy thoroughfare and he wanted a Housing Commission would make available playing area on either side of it. a couple more blocks of land the council The letter continues- might consider the proposition favourably. "The first two allotments abovementioned I had the temerity to suggest to the are to the west and the other two are to Treasurer that to comply with the council's the east of Appleby Road, as shown on wishes he consider allotting two more blocks the accompanying locality plans, and if for the playground areas on the eastern side each of these areas were developed as a of Appleby Road and one block on the children's playground it would obviate any western side. Alternatively it was sug­ need for children to cross Appleby Road gested that four blocks be made available on which is a main thoroughfare. the eastern side of Appleby Road. The Treasurer replied on 29 August and his first "The Housing Commission has advised observation-with which I agreed at the time the Brisbane City Council that the Com­ and still agree-was that the Housing Com­ mission is prepared to surrender the four mission had acted generously in offering to allotments abovementioned so that they make four allotments available for play­ may be set apart as Reserves for Recreation ground purposes. He added- and/or Park Purposes under the control of "I do not consider that any further the Council as Trustee. The Council has burden should be accepted by the Com­ been requested to advise whether it con­ mission in this regard." curs with this proposal and on receipt of a favourable reply the Commission will He went on to say: take the necessary action to have the four allotments placed under the control of the "As the four blocks on the corner of Council for Recreation and/or Park Aldren and Ansford Streets" (on the Purposes." eastern side of Appleby Road) "are pre­ ferred, I will arrange for the Commission Let me repeat that the offer made by the to indicate to the Brisbane City Council Treasurer and the Housing Commission was its preparedness to surrender the allot­ very generous. I suppose the four allotments ments to be set aside ..." that have been made available represent a value of from £3,500 to £4,000. I was as park reserves, etc. naturally delighted when the offer was made. Again I thought, "Now we will make some We have formed a progress association in progress." So at the September meeting of the area and have received considerable sup­ this newly-formed progress association I port from the residents of the district. At a again indicated the Treasurer's decision in 678 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply

this matter and sat down. Again the meet­ of the Interior that the land could be used ing was advised by the ward alderman that only for park and recreation purposes, forced the council was chary of accepting the alter­ the Lord Mayor to change his attitude and native offer, not on the score that the site was as the result the zoning of the land was too small, not on the score of poor drain­ changed back to park purposes and the Town age, but on the score of cost, and the alder­ Plan was altered accordingly. man had the temerity to say, "It is a pity I must say that since that date people the commission did not level the land before have found it very difficult to get any handing it over to the council." The mat­ information from the city council of its ter went to the Establishment and Co-ordina­ intentions. It is suggested that an Olympic tion Committee of the Council, which con­ swimming pool is to be built in the area, sidered it and referred it to the Finance Com­ but, as plans have been prepare~ for the mittee. That is where the matter now rests. building of one a couple of miles away I suppose the Finance Committee is deciding at Kalinga, this might well be a bit optimistic. whether the Brisbane City Council will be able to find the few hundred pounds entailed I could say much more about what was in levelling the ground. Perhaps because of said by the hon. member for Salisbury. If the council's expenditure on the Civic Square time permitted, I could deal with the dis­ it will find itself unable to provide these appointment felt by many people in Aspley amenities for the children of the people in at the town plan's dividing Aspley into a this area. residential and a non-residential area. The township of Aspley has developed over the I want to deal with another matter con­ past 15 years, and it was expected that this cerning the Lord Mayor's attitude to parks, progress would continue. The town plan and it affects the area of land in Chermside has decreed that there shall be no further known as the Hamilton Road Recreation and extension of the residential area in Aspley Playground Area. It is a block of land which beyond Gympie Road and Little Cabbage is a residue of the Chermside Army Camp. Tree Creek. It is difficult to understand this Over the years certain parts have been dis­ recommendation of the Town Planning Com­ posed of. More recently, in 1958, an area mittee because all the necessary facilities, of the land was disposed of to the Methodist such as water, transport, and abundant power, Church for an aged people's home. Another pass through the area. 350 blocks were set aside for War Service homes and the final residue of the old I understand that the committee considers Chermside Army Camp of 180 acres was to it desirable to use vacant blocks of land be sold by the Department of the Interior closer to the centre of the city before for building purposes. However, the Federal allowing this area to develop. Aspley has member for Petrie at the time, Hon. Alan become a very desirable place in which to Hulme, prevailed upon the Minister for the live, and there is a great demand for the Interior not to cut it up and sell it for build­ beautiful building sites on the northern side ing blocks, for which the Commonwealth of Gympie Road. I contrast them with Government would have got a handsome sum the building blocks in the Stafford North running into hundreds of thousands of mea, to which I referred earlier. The land pounds, but to hand the land over to the there is gravel-ridge country. When it has Brisbane City Council for park and recrea­ been cleared by bulldozer it is left like a tion purposes for the modest sum of approxi­ desert, and it takes years and years to mately £15,000. Again, this was a very gen­ develop a garden. On the other hand, one erous offer. can buy in Aspley a block of what was The organisations in the area requiring the formerly farm land and have a beautiful use of the land negotiated with the Groom garden in a year. Indeed, Aspley is fast administration of the time for an allocation becoming the garden suburb of Brisbane. to develop the land for their requirements. I think there is more in town planning than Negotiations proceeded satisfactorily, though merely considering mundane matters such as perhaps a little too slowly, and then, when the supply of water and electricity. I believe the town plan was released, it was discov­ that aesthetic values should be considered, ered, to the consternation of all these people, too, and I can see no reason why people that 20 acres of the best portion of the area in Aspley who own land suitable for use as set aside for park and recreation purposes building blocks should be denied the right was marked "For residential purposes." The to subdivide it. I find this prohibition par­ area so marked is very conveniently situated ticularly strange when in Bald Hills, a suburb for transport, and the Boy Scouts, youth a few miles farther out than Aspley, it is clubs, the progress association, and other possible to subdivide land, and when there local bodies had made plans to use this is a big project to subdivide a large area at land. Bracken Ridge, which is 1! miles farther A deputation waited on the Lord Mayor, from the G.P.O. than is Aspley. The pro­ Alderman Jones, but he remained adamant hibition has imposed quite a considerable that he was going to sell this 20 acres of strain on local organisations. For instance, park land to provide funds to develop the churches have embarked on expansion pro­ remainder of the area, and only strong grammes in the expectation that development pressure of public opinion, supported by the in the next five or ten years will proceed at advice received from the Federal Department the same rate as it has in the last few years. Supply [15 OCTOBER] Supply 679

They have expended considerable sums of I wish to mention some of these matte-rs money, and they could be in serious financial to demonstrate, to my way of thinking, the difficulty if the district does not progress as complete contradictions in the Government's they have anticipated. A number of shop­ approach to land matters. Nive Downs was keepers are in a similar position. I find it a fairly ]a.rge station in my electorate and, difficult to understand why the Town Plan­ before- its resumption, was managed by a ning Committee has made this decision in man named Ross McLaren. He was in the relation to Aspley and has not applied similar prime of life and no-one could say that he restrictions in other areas. was not completely experienced and a com­ I shall conclude by saying that I hope, petent man in industrial and pastoral affairs. and the people of Aspley hope, that when When that property was subdivide-d for the the Town Plan is amended in accordance with purposes of closer settlement Ross McLaren the objections that have been lodged with was an applicant for the ballot. There should the committee, the very desirable areas of have been no doubt at all about his financial land at Aspley that are so suitable for build­ backing because he was backed by Primary ing sites will be zoned as residential and not Producers Ltd., which everybody knows is non-urban. a very substantial company. It is a wool­ braking company and its financial standing Mr. DUFFICY (Warrego) (3.28 p.m.): could never be doubted. Ross McLaren's wish to take advantage of this debate to application, as I say, was backed by Primary direct attention to the land policy and some Producers Ltd., but he was rejected as an of the administrative actions of the Govern­ applicant for the Nive Downs ballot. A ment. man who is also a friend of mine with I believe that land legislation is particu­ little or no pastoral experience but who was larly important because by it, as distinct from conducting an electrical shop in Charleville other legislation, the Government of the day was admitted to the ballot and was successful: can bind subsequent Governments to a large I am not complaining at all about the fact extent. When Labour is returned to office, that he was admitted to the ballot. What which is inevitable in the near future, in the I am complaining about is that a man like first session of Parliament it can re-introduce Ross ¥cLaren, who was sufficiently com­ price control and rent control. It can also, petent m pastoral affairs to manage the whole by amending the Industrial Conciliation and of Nive Downs before it was subdivided Arbitration Act, give workers such as those was rejected from the ballot. I have neve; who are employed at Mt. Isa a measure of had a satisfactory explanation from the justice that was denied to them by the recent Government about that matter. amendment of the Act. That can be accom­ plished if the Labour Government of the day I turn now to the Mt. Morris block thinks it is desirable, as I think it will. But which was resumed from the Mt. Morri~ I doubt very much whether a Labour holding: In that case a man 65 years of Government can do anything to rectify the age, With very little experience in pastoral scandal of granting 51,000 acres to the King matters, was admitted to the ballot and was Ranch Development Company on special successful. He drew the Mt. Morris block Within a short time because of either lease ~ith freeholding rights. As I say, I hi~ doubt If we could do that, and I have no age or his inexperience, he forfeited the doubt at all that we would not be able to block. The point I wish to make is that do anything about the alienation of land he was admitted to the ballot, was successful now in process as a result of the actions of in the. balh?t, and that he was 65 years of this Government. It is true that land legisla­ age With little previous knowledge in this tion cannot be rectified even if it is com­ field, yet a man like Ross McLaren, who pletely contrary to the policy of the incoming man~g~~ the whole of the property before Government. This Government by its actions subdiVISion. who had ample backing from in land matters has, to a very large extent, a wool-braking firm, and whose finances could bound subsequent Governments. That is why not be in doubt, was rejected from the Nive I say that land legislation is so particularly Downs ballot. important. Mr. Davies: Any explanation? I regret that the Minister for Lands is not in the Chamber at the present time, Mr. DUFFICY: There is no explanation, because during the course of my remarks and I challenge truthful contradiction of my I may be compelled to say some- unkind statements. things about him and his introduction of the Land Bill during the last session of the Now we come to the Elmena block. The previous Parliament. I may also criticise screening committee that I spoke about when rather severely the land policy of this the Land Bill was before Parliament reduced Government, or perhaps it may be more the number of applicants for that block to correct to say its lack of policy. Despite four. It was a friend of mine who drew the fact that I have taken considerable the block. It may have been a coincidence interest in land matters over the years I but Tom Smith, who drew the block, was find it completely impossible to follow the the manager of Elmena. I am not suggest­ administrative actions of this Government ing there is anything wrong with that. I in relation to lands. am merely suggesting that it is completely 680 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply wrong that applicants should have been to develop. I suggest that there is nothing screened to the extent that only four finally in the clause to prevent the Minister from balloted for the block. issuing a special lease ..." In passing, let me say that I agree com­ This is the point I wish to emphasise, because pletely with what the hon. member for this 51,000 acres granted to King Ranch was Gregory said in his Address-in-Reply speech. granted under a special lease. He suggested that at the present time one needs oodles of money before being accepted I continue with the quotation- for a land ballot in Queensland. I would " . . . to a particular person or to a suggest that perhaps one needs not only company or anyone else. Having issued oodles of money but also a little influence. the special lease, he could then decide During Labour's regime if a block like whether part or the whole of it could be Elmena had been thrown open there would converted to freehold tenure and also have been anything up to 1,000 or 1,500 decide the purchase price.'' applicants, all of whom would have been accepted and would have participated in the I suggest that is exactly what has been done ballot. When Elmena was drawn there in connection with King Ranch. were only four applicants left in the ballot' I went on to say- after the screening had taken place. I just do not know the reasons. A complete "In spite of what the Minister might say inquiry should be held into the administra­ about his intention in regard to small tion of land matters by the present Govern­ parcels of land, I suggest that there is ment. nothing in the clause to prevent him from doing the things that I suggest or from I do not wish to try to improve on the converting an area in excess of 10,000 speech made by the hon. member for acres in the brigalow belt from special Mourilyan about the granting of 51,000 lease to freehold." acres to the King Ranch Development Com­ pany. He explained the type of country and And that is what is being done, too. the conditions under which the special lease I continued- was granted to the company. However, I want to go a step further than the hon. "! shall be interested to hear what he member for Mourilyan and say that I can see has to say.'' no provision in the Land Act under which The important thing is what the Minister had that lease could be legally granted. I make to say then, and I again quote from that statement definitely. I believe there is "H

Later, the former member for Port Curtis, a special lease. I want to know why that Mr. Burrows, said this- special provision was included. I think "I want to point out the danger of this it lends some weight to my argument that clause. It is not the present Minister if in the opinion of the Minister a portion whom I doubt, but, as I said, Ministers of the brigalow belt--" come and Ministers go. This gives the (I mentioned that because legislation in con­ Minister unlimited power so far as area nection with the brigalow land was to follow, is concerned." and I shall link it up later with what might The Minister, Mr. Fletcher interjected- happen in the brigalow belt.) "It does not. Read paragraph (a) of "-was extremely difficult to develop­ subclause (1)." and after all, it is in his opinion only­ I want hon. members to take particular note there is nothing in Clause 206 to prevent a of that. Then "Hansard" goes on- company from acquiring a special lease of, "Mr. BURROWS: That is, 'The specific say, 10,000 acres of brigalow land. In development of the land in order to render accordance with Clause 205, which we it fit for manufacturing industrial resi- have just discussed, the company could dential or business purposes.'? ' obtain a freehold tenure over that 10,000 acres. If there is any clause in the Bill Mr. Fletcher: That is right. to prevent that from taking place, I will be And he again emphasised that it did not interested to hear the Minister's explana­ apply to large areas of land at all; it applied tion. Failing a satisfactory explanation, I only to small areas, difficult areas around intend to divide the Committee on this cities. Nobody can say that 51 000 acres clause." is a small area. ' That is what I said when the Bill was being Let us continue and see what happened on discussed. I shall now quote the Minister's this Clause 205, and, if I am wrong, let reply. He said- someone on the Government side contradict me. Clause 205 was the one used to grant "I think I told the Committee during 51,000 acres to King Ranch. When we got the debate on the previous clause that there to Clause 206, I harked back to the previous was in this no reference to the brigalow clause, because I realised its importance and land." said- ' I said, "No, but there is no exclusion," and "When discussing the previous clause the the Minister replied, "Of course there is." He Minister said that it might apply to made it quite definite that that could not be swampy land or some very unimproved done under any circumstances. The report land, or something of that nature. . . I continues- shoul.d -'!OW like ~im to explain why Clause "Mr. Dufficy: Where is it?" 206 IS mcluded m the Bill. According to "Mr. FLETCHER: There is the pro­ the marginal note, it is a completely new vision that it has to be for manufacturing, clause. I direct the Minister's attention industrial, residential, or business pur­ particularly to the concluding portion but poses." I will read it all." ' That was the Minister's reply, and I think That is Clause 206, which I read on that it is very important to keep that in mind occasion. when we are discussing the special lease of Mr. Davies: You are dealing with the 51,000 acres to the King Ranch Develop­ King Ranch scandal? ment Company. The report continues- Mr. DUFFICY: Yes. Clause 206 reads- "Mr. Dufficy: What is 'business'?" "A company registered under 'The Companies Act of 1961', or body cor­ The Minister conveniently evaded answering porate constituted by, under or pursuant to that question. any Act or Commonwealth Act, with Let us now go a little further. I was power to take, acquire, purchase and hold concerned about this, and, in view of what land or any estate or interest in land or has happened, I think I was entitled to be a Local Authority shall be competent to concerned. Later, when we were discussing apply for, bid for, acquire and hold a Clause 207, which was two clauses later than special lease." 205, the one that I considered was very I point out that that clause was a new one important, I am reported as having said put in the consolidation of the Land Act and this- by virtue of Clauses 205 and 206 King Ranch " I referred to Clause 205 (3), which was able to get 51,000 acres on a special provides that the restrictions imposed by lease. Clause 180 do not apply to the conversion I point out further what I said in that of a special lease to freehold tenure, debate. Following the reading of that clause whereas a restriction does apply under I continued- Clause 207 (3) (b), which says that the "That is precisely what we were speak­ Minister may- ing about on the previous clause. It 'issue to the lessee a perpetual town appears that for some reason the Govern­ lease, or a perpetual suburban lease, ment included in the Bill a provision or a perpetual country lease of land whereby a company can acquire and hold at an annual rental . . .' " 682 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply

I then pointed out the restrictions that applied used in any way to deal with large areas under Clause 180- of land such as pastoral lands. The " 'The land shall be offered in lots, the impression that the Minister gave the maximum areas whereof respectively shall Committee on that occasion was that it was not exceed- purely to cater for difficult industrial sites 'town land, half an acre; suburban around Brisbane and provincial cities. land, twenty acres; country land, two Mr. Aikens: The Minister specifically thousand five hundred and sixty acres.' mentioned mangrove swamps along the coast. "However, in Clause 205 the restrictions Mr. DUFFICY: The Minister said exactly on the conversion of special lease to free­ what I have quoted and I do not think hold were specifically deleted by subclause he will deny that that is the impression (3).'' he gave the Committee. The report continues- In view of that fact-and I accept the "Mr. FLETCHER: We went into that. Minister's interpretation-! am stating now "Mr. Dufficy: No, we didn't; not to my definitely that the special lease granted to satisfaction. King Ranch Development Co. is in contra­ vention of the Land Act and is a fit subject "Mr. FLETCHER: I cannot help that. for a royal commission. Clause 205 is meant to cover difficult bits of swamp land, and so on, that we hoped We have had royal commissions on pastoral somebody would improve for manufactur­ matters before and I think the reasons for ing, industrial, residential, or business pur­ appointing them were no more serious than poses, and the area restrictions did not those I have indicated to this Committee apply because the important thing was to today. get something done with them." Let us now go a little further into this matter. I have here a copy of "The I do not want to weary the Committee by Australian Financial Review" of Tuesday. quoting from the report any further, and I 1 October, 1963. I am not going to weary am glad to see that the Minister for Lands the Committee by reading all that appears is now in the Chamber. Let me say that here, but let me read this. It says- I am not casting any reflections on the integrity of the Minister. When he gave the "The Queensland story. Private scheme interpretation to the Committee quite to open up brigalow scrub.'' definitely, after it had debated this matter Hon. members can read it; it is in the for a lengthy period, that Clause 205 of the Library. It mentions a letter that was written Bill that he was presenting was designed by another foreign company-and, after all, only to deal with certain difficult pieces of King Ranch is a foreign company. This land adjacent to Brisbane or provincial cities, refers to another foreign company, a French I believed that he was expressing his honest company, which is now in communication and sincere opinion. with the Premier of this State. A portion of their letter is quoted with regard to certain Mr. Aikens: And every member of Parlia­ suggestions, along the lines of the concession ment had that impression, too. granted to King Ranch, relating to the brigalow lands in this State. I am not Mr. DUFFICY: There is no doubt that suggesting that a concession will be gran~ed the Opposition believed in the integrity of to these people, but what I am suggestmg the Minister. I accepted his interpretation is that in view of what has happened with because I said this- the concession granted illegally-! repeat, "When discussing the previous clause "illegally"-to King Ranch, every other the Minister said that it might apply to company is entitled to apply for the same swampy land ... " concession. If there is any matter on which and so on- a Government should be consistent it is a "I think I agree with the interpretation limd matter. As I pointed out in my opening of that clause . " remarks, this Government, by its legislative and administrative policy, binds subsequent And I did agree. That was the impression Governments for definite periods, possibly that the Minister gave the Committee on even into perpetuity if it is a matter of that occasion and I would be the last freehold tenure. We must have consistency person to say that he would deliberately try in land matters, but consistency has been to mislead us. lacking with this Government. As I do But let me repeat again what I said not want to labour the point any further prior to the Minister's entering the Chamber. I conclude on this note: on the information I believe that there is no provision in the given to Parliament by the Minister for Land Act whereby this lease could be legally Public Lands and Irrigation, who was the granted to King Ranch Development Minister responsible for the introduction of Co. In support of that contention I the consolidated Land Bill, there is no legal have quoted at some length the advice the way that King Ranch Development Co. Minister gave the Committee when the Bill could have been granted a special was being introduced. That advice was that lease of 51,000 acres with freehold rights. Clause 205 of the Land Act could not be I say that very definitely. As I maintain Supply [15 OCTOBER] Supply 683 that what was done was illegal, I submit be found that the wealth from this com­ that it is a fit subject for a royal commission. modity will be equal in value to that derived I am not in any way suggesting that the from wool. The financial position of the Minister deliberately misled the Chamber State will improve and in the years that lie when the Bill was introduced. What I am ahead many benefits will accrue. saying is that it is quite possible that certain outside pressures were brought to bear in There are many aspects of the Budget to this matter, and they were successful in over­ which I should like to refer. Firstly, I riding the better judgment of the Minister. recently had an opportunity of proceeding I may not be wrong when I suggest that to the North, as far as Townsville, on an this action was taken against the Minister's investigation. It was illuminating, and a advice. I am suggesting that if the present source of jubilation, to see how the people Government is going to hand out the public of the North in particular are developing land of the State to foreign companies, as this great State. Those who are not develop­ has b~en done in the case of King Ranch, ing it are anxious to participate in develop­ at least let it have the intestinal fortitude ment similar to that in other parts of the to tell us in the Chamber what it is doing. State. These are the things that provide a great stimulus to us all, as Queenslanders, Mr. Ewan interjected. for we are living in one of the most exciting periods in the history of this State. Mr. DUFFICY: The hon. member can have a go afterwards. There are many alarming things, too, and Mr. Ewan: You are suggesting that the I should like to refer to one of particular first action was illegal, therefore you mean concern at the moment-juvenile delinquency. to say that in another case it would be Many of us have been shocked by the reports illegal. of teenage lawlessness, delinquency and vandalism in various parts of Queensland Mr. DUFFICY: I am not suggesting that come under our notice from time to anything of the sort. If the hon. member time. The time has arrived for us to evolve is silly enough to think that, that is his a plan and accept the challenge of youthful business. I believe that the only way in wrongdoing. This is a challenge that we which King Ranch could have obtained a must accept as citizens, and as the Govern­ special lease of 51,000 acres would have ment of the State. It is a challenge to the been for the Government to get authority Government and a challenge to parents. from this Parliament to grant it. I do Today we are rearing the finest crop of not believe that there is any authority under young people that the world has ever seen. the Act. I think the Minister for Lands Boys and girls are healthier, better informed, will agree with me that though he may be and more mature for their years than any the Minister responsible for land matters, youngsters previously born in this great after all he is bound by the legislation passed country. Most of them are law-abiding by this Parliament. The Minister for Justice youngsters, but there is grave teenage delin­ is not a law unto himself; he is bound quency which presents a problem and a by the Acts that govern his department and challenge to us all. I refer to the youngster govern the State generally. who has committed one or more criminal offences and has been classified as a juvenile Mr. Hanlon: Do you think the same delinquent. Before we can have a complet~lv pressure is being exerted on this Minister wholesome society this boy or girl must be as was complained about by the hon. member converted into a decent and law-respecting for Fassifern? person like the vast majority of his brothers Mr. DUFFICY: I do not want to go into and sisters. While juvenile law-breakers are that; the hon. member for Fassifern can only a small minority of the nation's youth, speak for himself. I assure the hon. mem­ they have been increasing steadily in number ber that he is a very competent advocate. in recent years but currently they are c~m­ However, I do know that such a proposal mitting crimes at a rate out of all proportron was placed before the hon. member for to their number. I think you will agree with Fassifern when he was Minister for Public me, Mr. Gaven, that unfortunately statistics Lands and Irrigation, and he rejected it. show that juvenile crime is on the increase The fact that he is not now the Minister in this part of the Commonwealth as in may be attributable to his rejection of the other parts. proposal. Some people think the newspapers exag­ Mr. HOUGHTON (Redcliffe) (4.11 p.m.): gerate juvenile crime or that it is confined Together with other hon. members on this mainly to the larger cities. This is not the side of the Chamber, I congratulate the case. Statistics reflect a disturbing situation Treasurer on the manner of his presentation because from coast to coast, in small com­ of the Budget and the Financial Statement. munities as well as in big cities, juvenile The information they contain has been set delinquency is on the rise and it calls for out with great clarity and it is history in the effective and immediate measures to remedy making. As has been stated by other hon. it. members, this is the first Budget to contain revenue from oil production. I believe, too, Mr. Davies: Do the statistics take into that history will repeat itself in that it will account the increase in population? 684 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply

Mr. HOUGHTON: We have one juvenile wrong. Many of those who show little on my right. concern adopt, when charged or challenged, Right now the percentage of teenagers in the catchcry "So what?". As citizens and our population is comparatively small. This, as members of Parliament, we must accept of course, can be attributed to the low birth­ that challenge. The same cynical attitude rate that was evident during the war years. is displayed by many juvenile delinquents and But with a new generation about to enter the those exposed to the influence of adults who teenage group, following World War II., the show little respect for anything, or who rationalise the blackest of crimes as due to problem could be gravely accentuated with psychological disturbances for which the that increase in the number of teenagers. wrongdoers are not really responsible. We can prevent teenagers of our day from Youngsters do not learn to recognise any becoming law-breakers. The problem is real difference between good and evil. They capable of solution if only we tackle it along see no reason why they should not do any­ the right lines. We must first of all explore thing that they feel like doing. the reasons behind the rise in juvenile Juvenile delinquency is always rooted in delinquency. While the great majority of adult delinquency, and only through a general boys and girls are fine specimens, an increas­ acceptance of higher moral values can we ing minority every year displays anti-social, solve the problem entirely. In my judgment. lawless and even vicious characteristics. the easiest way to bring it about is through A prevalent idea is that juvenile delinquents a return to ,religion. For several decades the come mainly from slum areas and poverty­ general trend has been away from the age­ stricken families. This is decidedly not true. old belief that man is God-centred and Families in modern, well-to-do circumstances responsible for his thoughts and behaviour produce delinquents just as those families to a higher power as well as to his fellow in the lower-income brackets do. Nor is it men. The resulting materialism has true that most young criminals are sick emphasised the values of expediency, shirking children. . As a rule they are healthy, bright responsibility, and selfishness. and physically strong, and just as capable Right now, I, with other hon. members, as those who do not commit such crimes. am happy to say and observe that there are many indications of a spiritual re-awakening Our studies of the backgrounds of thou­ in this country, including an increase in sands of juvenile delinquents indicate that, church membership and attendance. I feel rather than being the victims of economic sure that if we were all to join in this circumstances or illnesses, most of them are back-to-God movement and train our the products of disruptive influences that have children to respect the Ten Commandments attacked wide areas of our society during the and the moral laws laid down by all the last generation and especially since the end great religions, we would soon have of the war. delinquency under control. No child is inherently bad. He is made Another constructive step that we must what he is by his upbringing and his sur­ take is to tighten the ties that hold families roundings and it is thus apparent that some­ together and improve the living atmosphere thing has gone wrong with the environment in millions of homes. There is always a of a good many children or we should not cause and effect in relationships between be confronted with the problem of delinquents and the homes from which they delinquency. come, which are of paramount importance One thing that has gone wrong is that the iP. determining the cause. The majority of age of debunking has seriously undermined juvenile offenders come from homes in which the traditions, customs and standards of adult living conditions are unwholesome. Com­ conduct. For a generation the public has paratively few come from homes in which been exposed to attempts to destroy, deflate, conditions are fair, and almost none come or besmear formerly universally-accepted from good homes, but what makes a home concepts that concern us all. Pictures in good or bad is not always easy to determine. newspaper columns, the movies radio and Almost invariably parents are to blame for television programmes, comic 'books, and the development of young criminals. When even school and college textbooks have all a child goes wrong, we usually find that he been considered, and their targets have ~as be.en exposed to neglect, unhapniness. included everything from patriotism to con­ msecunty, parental conflict, drunkenness or ventional moral codes, and from national other bad influences in the home. ' heroes to our business institutions and our Ho~ can we become better parents? system of justice. Expenence and observations indicate that a person's financial circumstances, education, The minds of only a relatively small or I.Q. rating have little to do with his minority have been corrupted by such evil qualification for parenthood. We have found ideas, it is true, but we must face the fact that good parents are- that some have been, and when children 1. Parents who try to understand their grow up among adults who refuse to recog­ children and find time to cultivate their nise anything as fine, good, or worthy of friendship and love; respect, it is not surprising that a certain number fail to develop high moral standards. 2. Parents of integrity who face facts or even to distinguish between right and and live by the truth; Supply (15 OCTOBER] Supply 685

3. Parents who live within their means much stricter conditions on the release of and give their children examples of thrift, juvenile offenders because, time after time, security, and stability; those freed under slack supervision or in 4. Parents who are industrious and teach custody of their parents promptly return to their children that most of life's good their criminal ways. Juvenile criminals who things come only from hard work; are just as vicious and dangerous as older law-breakers are permitted to remain at 5. Parents who have worth-while goals liberty simply because they are minors. This in life and seek to have their children join not only permits them to continue to commit them in their attainment; crimes, but also breeds contempt for the 6. Parents who have common sense, a law by other juveniles with whom they capacity for friendship, and a sense of associate. humour; Another practical step in helping to con­ 7. Parents who live in harmony with trol delinquency would be the finger-printing each other and do not quarrel in the of juveniles. I believe that the finger-print­ presence of their children; ing of all juveniles arrested for serious 8. Parents who have ideals and a com­ crimes, just as we finger-print adult criminals, pelling urge to serve rather than be served; would be a deterrent. In many States the finger-printing of juveniles is prohibited by 9. Parents who are unswervingly loyal law and in others it is frowned upon by to their children but who can express juvenile authorities. That is because profes­ righteous indignation and chastise them sional apologists have maintained that a when it is necessary. (The old proverb youngster's future could be jeopardised if his "Spare the rod and spoil the child" is as finger-prints are recorded on police files. true today as it ever was); and That strikes me as an unsound argument 10. Parents whose decisions are con­ because, if an errant child becomes a decent trolled not by what their children desire citizen, the chances of his youthful mis­ but by what they need. behaviour being held against him in adult life are virtually nil whether he is finger­ In reviewing thousands of cases, we have printed or not, and the protection of the found that men and women who possess these public demands that young offenders be made 10 qualifications almost never have delinquent easily identifiable to law-enforcement authori­ children, and one of the most effective ties, if only for the deterrent effect it might measures that could be taken to check have upon them. juvenile crime would be for thousands of fathers and mothers to pattern themselves Our present law-enforcement organisation more nearly on these standards of parent­ of co-operating local, State and Federal hood. agencies, is competent to handle the problem provided that police officers are not required The first requirement on the list is especi­ to keep hands off juvenile cases except when ally important because what every child arrests are called for. For too long the idea needs most is attention. Some busy men who has prevailed that young law-breakers would are carrying heavy responsibilities tell one be tainted by any contact with the police. wistfully that they do not have enough time In fact, a cult has developed which holds to spend with their children or to take them that only psychiatrists and social workers into their confidence. If parents have the are capable of doing anything to prevent or confidence of their children they can often control delinquency. prevent them from becoming law-breakers. I have a high respect for the value of The two essential remedies for juvenile the work done by psychiatrists and social crime that I have suggested-acceptance by workers in rehabilitating young offenders­ adults of higher moral values and finer we need more of these experts-but in every standards of parenthood-are of such a community police officers are still the front­ broad and general nature that we cannot line fighters against crime of all kinds. They expect to solve the entire problem quickly or know the extent of local delinquency and at one stroke. But, while working towards its trends, and also its focal points. They these great objectives, there are several other are usually acquainted with the ringleaders steps we can take to reduce delinquency at of juvenile gangs and with the conditions once. contributing to delinquency. By simply One of these is to stop molly-coddling making it e~sier for the nation's police to juvenile criminals. It is against the instincts suppress juvenile crime, and to prevent it, of the average Australian to get tough with we could take an important step towards children; but the time has come when we solving the problem. must impose sterner penalties and restrictions Another needed measure is that of making on young law-breakers for the protection of parents everywhere financially liable for the law-abiding. I do not mean that I would property damage caused by their children, favour imprisoning every boy and girl found as they are now on occasions but not on guilty of a minor offence. I agree with those every occasion. This could be especially judges who hesitate to send juveniles to penal helpful against the wave of vandalism that institutions or reform schools, which neither has been sweeping many places throughout reform nor rehabilitate youngsters; but it is Queensland. Pressure also could be brought imperative for those same judges to impose to bear upon the parents to become better 686 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply parents, by giving more publicity to the mis­ The money we spend in supporting such fine deeds of specific children. As a rule, the crime-prevention agencies is trifling compared police, the courts, and the Press co-operate with what we spend on the control of crime. in shielding the identity of juvenile offend­ Several of the steps I have suggested for ers. This is right and proper in the case fighting juvenile delinquency require com­ of first offenders or those guilty of trifling munity action. Such reforms can be brought misdemeanours, but when a delinquent about by an aroused public opinion. If more repeatedly breaks the law or commits a law-abiding citizens in every community will vicious crime, his identity should be demand greater efficiency in controlling revealed to the public. If the names of juvenile crime, and more parents will display more delinquents appeared in the Pre-ss, their a greater appreciation of their responsibili­ parents would often be shamed into making ties, we can greatly reduce such crime. them mend their ways quicker than the pro­ There is something that we not only can cess of law seems to do at present. do but must do. The time has passed when Some parents have no sense of shame, it we can afford to coddle youthful criminals is true, and when that is the case we should or regard the menace which they represent take stronger measures in order to make them as a temporary post-war phenomenon. I can realise and fulfil their responsibilities. More sum it up in three ways. First of all we court verdicts like that, and more State laws need the provision of harsher penalties to to make such verdicts possible, are badly eliminate the scourge that has sprung up. needed. If a few more delinquent parents Secondly, the police must be allowed to per­ went to gaol or paid for the destructive acts form their duties unfettered and free from of their children, there would be far fewer all influences. Unfortunately there seems to child delinquents in our prisons and reform be an apathetic approach by some members schools. of the Police Force. The Police Force does an excellent job in my area, even though we Still another step we can take to keep have received a great deal of adverse pub­ boys and girls from becoming criminals is to licity about vandalism. No other city in the provide them with more wholesome outlets Commonwealth would be as well controlled for their youthful energies and high spirits. and regulated by a mere handful of police­ Ordinarily one cannot suppress youth in the men as is Redcliffe. There is a group of community. One must realise that it was people who come down from the city-the the youth of this nation that saved us from lnala Rockers or Shockers, whatever you call the ravages of war on two occasions and I them, and others from the Sandgate area. feel we should be very grateful to them. I They are bright youngsters, and they know am sure I have the support of every mem­ where the weakness lies-in an inadequate ber of this Committee in expressing gratitude Police Force. To protect the 33,500 law­ to the youth of the nation, which has helped abiding citizens in the area, apart from those protect us during two world wars. who visit Redcliffe, we have only 14 police­ men. I have the highest regard for our In previous generations youngsters had police officers, but we are trying to get more work to do to keep them busy. In gallons out of pint pots. The Redcliffe police most families the girls had to help their are as efficient as those in any other part of mothers cook, clean, wash, iron and sew; the State, but there are not enough of them the boys were required by their parents to to carry out the necessary duties. Yesterday, chop firewood, care for domestic animals, I noticed that they have over 5,000 files to cultivate gardens, and perform many other attend to, without criminal reports and so daily chores. In our modern mechanised era on. That gives some idea of the vastness of the children have been relieved of most of the book-work that must be performed by these chores. Some of them have been get­ the police in that area. The volume of traffic ting into trouble simply because they have has increased considerably and that alone had too much idle time on their hands. warrants the establishment of a traffic depart­ Consequently, if communities throughout the ment in the area. nation provided more wholesome recreational activities for their young people juvenile Finally, I advance my suggestion for delinquency could be curtailed. solvino the problem of juvenile delinquency. I consider that the introduction of compulsory More support should be given to those military training would do it. All hon. civic leaders who in their activities serve the members must agree with me that com­ requirements of young people. More assis­ pulsory military training provides discipline. tance should be given through various chan­ The Leader of the Opposition, as an nels. The churches provide constructive e:-:-serviceman, knows only too well that no recreational programmes for youths, and in organisation can survive without discipline. that way they are playing their part. As a Even though he may not support compul­ member of some of these organisations, I sory military training, he must know in his commend the various boys' clubs, the mind and in his heart, that discipline is neces­ Y.M.C.A., the Police Boys' Club, the Boy sary,' and I am sure he agrees with me that Scouts, the Girl Guides, and other bodies for compulsory military training would provide the part they are playing in the relief of this a cure because he realises that, even in his scourge. These and kindred organisations own home, there must be discipline. The deserve much stronger financial backing. sooner we get back to compulsory training, Supply [15 OCTOBER] Supply 687

and the sooner we instil di·scipline in the pressing problem, which certainly warrants minds of these healthy young children, clmer consideration and a lot more study through compulsory training, the quicker will than has been given to it. we provide a curb for the delinquency we I think I have some right to speak on the are experiencing. matter because for some time I have been State president of the Queensland branch of This problem is not associated only with the Father und Son Welfare Movement of boys. Some girls, too-admittedly they are Australia. This is an interdenominational in the minority-need someone to guide them organisation specialising in sex instruction on the right road so that they may become for adolescents. But before going into the future mothers, and useful citizens of details of the organisation I should like to the community. When I enter some of the ql'ote a small section from the editorial of public conveniences I am ashamed and the 12 October issue, just to hand, of the horrified by the writings on the walls. They Medical Journal of Australia. This editorial are bad enough in the men's section, but gives us a considerable amount of food for sometimes in the ladies' conveniences they thought. It says- are a darn sight worse. I am bewildered, amazed and dumbfounded about the thoughts "This month the Federal Marriage Act and teachings of some of these people who becomes law. Like the uniform Divorce write on the walls. It is bad enough for Act that WQS introduced earlier, its main boys to do it, but it is alarming when females aim is to stabilize marriage. The Divorce are associated with it. It gives cause for Act contained clauses that attempted recon­ the greatest concern, and for the taking of ciliation and encouraged the efforts of remedial action by us all. marriage guidance counsellors. Even those who doubted the wisdom of some changes A great deal of publicity has been given agreed that uniformity of grounds for to the city of Redcliffe for not doing anything divorce and attempts to preserve marriage to assist juvenile delinquents. Unfortunately were welcome. The new Marriage Act the delinquents come from distant parts. If is approved by clergy, marriage guidance they lived in Redcliffe they could participate counsellors and social workers as a measure in all types of sport. The citizens of Redcliffe that will prevent hasty marriages and have acquitted themselves very well in the restrain girls under 16 and boys under 18 field of sport. We have international rep­ years from entering into a marriage that resentatives in hockey, boxing and football, must almost inevitably fail. Welcome as and we take great pride in that fact. In this law is, it can only restrain the Redcliffe, every sport is available. There immature in years and give others a little are marvellous swimming facilities. Every longer to think. There are many other known avenue is available on the playing important factors that affect the stability of field for a person who wants to let his marriage. Can any of these be influenced hair down, or to get rid of his surplus by laws? The N.S.W. Education Depart­ energy. Furthermore, Sunday entertainment ment is conducting an inquiry into sexual is available. There is no need for these behaviour of teenage school children in people to be delinquents; they can join any schools, and, though the Minister says that of these organisations that provide an outlet these things have always happened parents for their surplus energy, and at the same time are becoming increasingly aware that there encourage them to become good citizens. All has been a wide-spread deterioration in these facilities are available to these boys morals. In both South Australia and and girls who will become the men and N .S.W. education authorities are asking women and the parents of tomorrow. if more sex education is the answer; and if We must face up to our responsibilitie·s. so, how it can best be effected. The com­ I feel sure that if we give them the lead, munity is looking to schools to do a task perhaps the Government might give con­ that parents are failing to do, and many sideration to subsidising youth organisations are asking anxiously if the extension of throughout the State. I know the Treasurer co-education is a good thing at a time never has enough money to meet all the when teenagers are more difficult to con­ State's needs but the Commonwealth can trol than in the past, and the shortage of find ways and means for defence. and to teachers is serious." make a man a soldier, so it should heln to The editorial continues much longer in a muke him a good citizen by subsidising youth similar vein but the point is held in that clubs, which do an excellent job for the section, and particularly the reference to welfare of the community. If you have good co-educational schools. citizens. you have good cities, towns anr1 In Queensland now, every child has a right everything else, because that is the basis of to secondary education. Children who come every-day living. from Roman Catholic families have a choice of educational systems; the rest of the com­ Mr. HERBERT (Sherwood) (4.46 p.m.): I mlmity have no choice at all. The Roman want to use the time available to me in this Catholic church provides excellent segregated debate to discuss sex education. Probably schools at the adolescent level but the owing to our inborn prejudices, this is a remainder of the community have to accept matter that is often extremely difficult to education at a co-educational high school. discuss in polite society. I feel that it is a In the metropolitan area this has most point. 688 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply

am not going to enter into a discussion We believe that the best way to provide sex on whether co-educational schools are better education is not through ordinary lectures in than segregated schools. There are educa­ school. If an adolescent is provided with the tionists who will argue either way and you biological details, he is also probably pro­ can work up an argument and still come to vided with the urge to experiment, and I do no conclusion at the end of an hour's debate; not think that that is particularly desirable. but there is no doubt that there is a division The best system, of course, would be for in the community. There are people in every child to be told by his parents the facts the community who would prefer to see their in the right way, but the plain situation is children go to segregated schools, and those that the ordinary parent does not himself people have very little opportunity. There know the facts, let alone be in a position are G.P.S. schools in the metropolitan area to pass them on to his children. for boys and for girls, but they are now so The system adopted by our organisation, heavily booked that it is impossible for from which we get the name "Father and families with children now at 7th Grade Son Movement", is to conduct segregated standard to enrol them at segregated schools audiences of fathers with their sons and for next year. mothers with their daughters. They are given The only alternative is co-educational high preliminary lectures and shown films. When schools, and I think that the time has come the ice has been broken, the children are in for the Department of Education to consider a position to ask further questions later in very carefully the provision at certain points their homes. It is particularly interesting to in Brisbane of boys' high schools and girls' note that the parents often ask more ques­ high schools for children of parents who tions than the children. It is, of course, the believe in that type of education for their old story; an insufficiently-educated parent children. That could be done quite easily would pass insufficient knowledge to his at a minimum of expense by taking over children unless there were an organisation some of the primary schools in the inner city such as this one to step in and fill the gap. area that are at present under-used. With To gain audiences, there are two avenues. the extension of industrial activity, there are One is by means of the churches or com­ schools in inner areas with surplus rooms, munity groups, and the other is through and I think they could be used for this school committees. We have had some experiment to find out how many parents remarkable results from our work with high­ would be prepared to take advantage of it. school committees. I should like to read a I think that we might get a surprise at the very short quotation from the annual report response. on the movement's operations last year. It was given by Lt. Col. George Gar!ick, who Whether or not that attitude is right or was the head of the Salvation Army in wrong is another matter, but there is no Queensland. Since his retirement from that doubt that there are many parents who would position, he has done a remarkable job as like this choice of schools. field officer for the Father and Son Welfare Mr. Davies: That is the position at Mary­ Movement. He said- borough. It is the only one in Queensland. "The past year has seen a definite increase in the Movement's work. Quite a number Mr. HERBERT: The hon. member for of spoken and written words of apprecia­ Maryborough has far more practical experi­ tion have be•en received for the illustrated ence in this through his own electorate than lectures and the manner of their presenta­ I have. He says that children in Mary­ tion. It is quite common for parents to ring borough are segregated at high-school level, up after a series of lectures in a certain but there is no similar opportunity for Bris­ district, expressing regret that they did bane people who feel that their children are not know about the lectures, and asking in need of segregated education, unless they when and where the next series will take had the foresight to enrol them at a very place. early age at one of the few G.P.S. schools. I do not wish to discuss the pros and cons "The following details give some idea of the matter, but I put up the proposal as of the year's progress in these presenta­ there are parents who would like it. tions of film and lecture programmes for (1) Parents and Adults, (2) Parents and I wish to devote the rest of my time to a their boys or girls, also (3) for Teenage discussion of the Father and Son Welfare young people of both sexes. During the Movement. I should like to thank the past year-51 centres in Brisbane and other Government for the subsidy of £1,000 a districts have been visited; 207 audiences year now being paid to the movement for have been addressed, with an aggregate its work. Many people are still unaware of attendance of 17,355; centres visited have the details of it, what it does, and how it included Toowoomba, Ipswich, Boonah. operates. It is controlled by a council com­ Gympie, Caboolture, and northern centres posed of representatives of most of the major as far as Mackay and Bowen. churches, doctors, psychologists, social workers, and other people in the community "The support of Church and Education who have an interest in the problem. leaders has been most gratifying. Supply (15 OCTOBER] Supply 689

"In addition to lectures, some 31 Church is desperately looking for people who can do Services have been conducted, with esti­ the work. The ordinary citizen will not listen mated attendances of over 1,600. Religious to sex instruction unless it is given by a Instruction has been given in State Schools doctor or a minister of religion. We cannot to over 1,100 pupils. Women's meetings, afford to pay a doctor the sort of money Rotary, Men's Societies and Youth Fellow­ that would be necessary for this sort of ships have been addressed. work. We had a voluntary system before we put on a field officer but it was not "There is an e·ver-growing urgency for particularly successful because the medicos this work to widen in scope. As the concerned had other demands upon their Movement's wise, realistic approach in time. But now Colonel Garlick manages lectures to all ages is realised, both parents to fit in very well because of his clerical and the young people themselves appeal background. to us for instruction. The need for increased financial support is clamant if But we still have some difficulty. People this vital Christian teaching about life· is do not read very far into the material and to be extended throughout the State." do not realise that the title refers to the Salvation Army. I think difficulty often As I say, that report was on last year's arises because people are frightened they activities. Since then we have broken will get a lecture from an ex-Indian Army all attendance records, and the hon. member officer, and wonder just what is in store for for Maryborough will recall that recently, them. We have Colonel Garlick with us at in a three-day series of lectures in that city, the moment and when he decides to give up we established an attendance record for a I do not know where we will get our next country town when we drew audiences of lecturer. That is a problem for the future, well over 1,000. The hon. member took the and it is one that faces the other States. chair at one of the meetings, the mayor took the chair at another meeting, and there was In New South Wales the Movement is in a separate women's meeting. Our field officer a much stronger position than here because is now in North Queensland visiting centres it also handles marriage guidance and draws as far north as Cairns. This service has a Federal subsidy for that work. The been made possible by money made avail­ handling of the Father and Son Welfare able by the State to promote the work of Movement, sex instruction, with marriage the Movement. guidance, is under the one roof in New In the segregated audiences we have South Wales. Here they are two distinct fathers and sons separated into two organisations, although Mr. Fischer of the divisions according to age, and similar lectures Marriage Guidance Council is also a coun­ for mothers and daughters. Two other cillor of our organisation and we work very separate programmes are offered if sufficient closely together because there are certain people are interested in them. One is a aspects of the work of each organisation pare·nt's meeting. Very often it is held that cut across each other. first so that the parents will realise just I urge every member of this Committee, what is in store for their children. Many if the Father and Son Welfare Movement is parents will not allow their children to moving into his area, to take part in the attend lectures unless they know what is in meetings it holds. It is a great help to the store for them when they take the organiser if he can have his series intro­ youngsters with them. Very often in country duced by the local member of Parliament, towns there is a final teenagers' night without because many people would be convinced the attendance of parents. We believe that if the local member was satisfied with that the attendance of parents is vital because it, it would be a good thing to attend. That it is not possible to give children the whole has happened in very many cases in the story in one night and when the ice is metropolitan area; we have had many mem­ broken they can ask questions to improve bers attend. In country areas we have also their knowledge as they develop. For parents had considerable support. who are not too sure of the facts themselves and for parents who want to give their Mr. Knox has been of invaluable help to children the correct instruction, we have a the organisation and is at present vice­ series of guide books graduated according chairman. We are a little worried about the to age. They cost only a couple of shillings fact that we have a couple of members of and many of them are sold to parents who Parliament in executive positions on the require them. In many cases parents do not organisation, but it is extremely difficult to attend lectures and use the books alone. get people outside to accept responsibility That happens frequently in families in which in this field. their is either no father or no mother. If a friend or relation is not willing to take· For many years we were extremely for­ the children to one of the lectures, all the tunate. Rev. Professor Peter, a well­ remaining parent can do is utilise the guide known Presbyterian theologian, was the books. We find that this is an answer that original president in Queensland, and very many people have been looking for. he held the position for many years. It is not everyone who can do this work, Unfortunately for me, I was vice­ and this is where we have extreme difficulty. president when he accepted the post of In other States at the moment the Movement Director of Religious Programmes for the Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply

A.B.C. in Sydney, and I was landed with has been allocated. There is a tremendous the position of president without looking demand for this instruction. Quite frankly, for it. the letters we have received from grateful Since then I have become greatly inter­ parents over the last 12 months have amazed ested in the extension of the work, which me. I did not realise how much this work would not have been possible without was needed. I came into it after the Com­ Government subsidy. We charge an admis­ mittee on Youth Problems in 1958. I was sion fee for the programmes to try to cover prompted to take an interest in this work as much of our expenses as possible, but by what I learned of the Father and Son you cannot cover the expense of a field Welfare Movement at that time. It was officer with a car and all the other facilities not until I got on the inside of the movement necessary with 2s. at the door. How­ that I realised just how widespread sex ever, whether or not the money is at the ignorance is in the community. I feel that door, our object is not to get the money this organisation gives the answer. I would from people coming to us, but to offer them vehtmently oppose the introduction into assistance. Very often people with several the schools of a system of sex education children, particularly if they are attending as part of the normal teaching. It is not high school, have to watch every penny and normal teaching. If it cannot be done by they are not able to support us financially. parents it has to be done by specialists in the presence of parents. That is what this Apart from the Government subsidy, we organisation sets out to do. have a system of membership of the move­ ment for interested people. It costs two In that regard I have a few comments to guineas a year or ten guineas for life mem­ make about our educational system, particu­ bership. of the organisation. That brings in larly the new one. An examination of the a certam amount of money from interested new system reveals that biological studies individuals. In addition, the Father's Day stop at the sexual reproduction of the frog. Council, which conducts the Father of the They do not go any further than the frog Year dinner, this year very generously made because I think the authorities are afraid a donation of 50 guineas. Originally all its to tell students about human bodies. Actually proceeds went to Legacy but it has offered they deal with every detail of the human us a share this year. That will be an body other than the reproductive svstem. important supplementary income that will Possibly this concentrates the curiosity of help us in the work we have to do. students on the one section that is deleted from the new programme for secondary At the moment we have room in Queens­ schools. land for additional field officers if we can afford to pay them or if we can find men The fact that this movement is supported who are capable of doing the work. The by church and educational authorities should number of clerics who are prepared to handle be sufficient recognition of its worth. I this specialised work is extremely limited invite. a1_1y hon. member, or anyone else, and it will probably happen that, when we who 1s mterested in this subject to discuss the matter further with me as I think it hav~ the money, we will have difficulty in findmg the staff to take it on. Most of it is is the answer to many of the problems we night work with a certain amount of office face today. work duri_ng the day. Men taking it on have to be dedicated to it, a quality which is rare .M1·. NEWTON (Belmont) (5.10 p.m.): in this age. My purpose in having these R1ght from the first page of his Financial remarks recorded in "Hansard" is that we Statement the Treasurer deals with the still find many people who are not aware of State's finances. It is interesting to note that what this movement does, or how it does it. on this occasion he has adopted an entirely Although the Department of Education has new way of presenting his Financial State­ circularised all the schools so that it is known ment in advancing reasons for the State's pre­ that the movement has complete Government sent financial position. On the first page the backing, we still find head teachers who are Treasurer makes an appeal on behalf of the suspicious. Very occasionally they will not Government. There is no question about co-operate even though they are satisfied that it, the Government has dedica-ted itself. We the movement has complete departmental hope that this dedication will overcome the authority to use school property and facilities. problems that have been confronting the State during the past three years. As the \'\'hen we are running a session in an area ~umber of children leaving school this year every child is given a letter to his parents a IS greater than that of last year, it is to be week or a fortnight beforehand so that hoped that some of the projects contained they w!Il have details of the project and in the. Financial Statement will be put into what will be done when the meeting is held operatwn so that we may have a rosier pic­ at the school. We have been astounded to ture for the children this year than we had find in some areas that so many people have in 1962-1963, when there were many unem­ attended that we have been unable to accom­ ployed people in the State. As the Opposi­ modate them. It is usual to find more fathers tion, we will be very pleased if the Govern­ and sons attending than mothers and ment immediately introduces some of these daughters. Very often we have been unable schemes to relieve the problem. A number to cope with their numbers in the room that of the matters mentioned in the Treasurer's Supply (15 OCTOBER] Supply 691 summary are developmental works to be it immediately so it is to be hoped that it carried out by a continuation of the Loan has some other source in mind for the money allocation by the Government for 1963-1964. to carry out developmental works. It is true that other schemes that are included The Treasurer indicates in the Financial could overcome the problems as the seasonal Statement that it is the intention of the work falls off in particular industries. If Government to increase the exemption from these projects are put into operation we succession duty but I suggest the matter war­ should have some security for the people of rants further consideration. On today's costs Queensland generally. the average block of land, dwelling and It is interesting to note that again we have necessary furniture can run into £4,000 or been blessed with favourable seasons and £5,000. The way it reads to me, there may people on the land have not had to contend be some intention to increase the figure with the problems of drought that have further and, if that is done, it may meet the occurred in past years. More and more situation; but what concerns me is the posi­ people on the land are using the assistance tion of the public servant in Queensland who offered under the Farm Water Supplies has paid into a superannuation fund. Today ;'\ssistan_ce Fund. I have spoken to people we find many people retiring after 20, 30 m farmmg areas about this scheme and they or 3 5 years of service to the State and after say that it assists them. However, they paying into superannuation funds ever since say there is one thing wrong with it, in that their introduction. I had a particular case they are asked to start repaying the loans drawn to my attention illustrating what could im_mediately without a breathing space to happen under the old system and it may have gam some benefit from the scheme. One some bearing on the present system. People knows from hire-purchase dealings that harsh are good enough to pay into superannuation and hard as those companies may be, they funds to provide protection for themselves in allow a month or six weeks to elapse before their retirement, or for their widows, and repayments commence. The Government they die shortly after retirement. In other should give some consideration to this sug­ cases people pay for years and die shortly gestion for the benefit of the man on the afte-r retirement-not only the person who has land. paid into the superannuation fund but his widow also. A man could have £2,500 in a When one looks at the great work carried superannuation fund. Add to that his own out by workers in building the Moogerah estimate of the value of the estate, making a Dam and the Leslie Dam, one appreciates total of about £6,600. Succession duty, the very important part played by such dams charged at 5! per cent. on £4,200, would be in overcoming the problems created by about £228. Another £9 would be payable drought. These dams contain huge volumes for probate duty. It goes to show what of water, and when the gates are opened a amounts can be paid out when persons have great deal of it courses down the streams contributed considerable amounts to assist to provide adequate water supplies for the themselves and their wives on retirement. A farms along them. study of the tables shows that in 1957-1958 succession duties amounted to £3,138,006, This Government believes in conciliation which amount increased to £4,861,423 in and arbitration and has accepted the 10 per 1962-1963, representing an increase of cent. marginal increase granted by the Indus­ £1,750,000. trial Conciliation and Arbitration Commission and the principle of three weeks' annual Whilst I know that the Treasurer is leave. In past Financial Statements pre­ endeavouring to tackle the problem on an sented by the Treasurer we have found that overall basis as it affects everybody generally, usually, while the Government may have I ask him to give some consideration to accepted such matters, it has used them to the particular problems of those who have cover up a financial deficit. On this occasion been paying into superannuation funds. After we notice that the Government has accepted they have made their services available to the marginal increases and the three weeks' the State over a number of years, this has annual leave, and has gone even further in a very serious effect on contributors or the summary by making provision for their widows. I am aware that the Treasurer increased salaries and wages fori its intends to cover certain aspects of this matter employees. While it has accepted these as outlined in the Financial Statement, and things, let me point out that sometimes I feel that thought should be given to this workers in the physical field miss out when aspect when the whole question is being agreements are reached with Governments considered. What he has in mind in relation for increased wages and amenities for other to the superannuation fund, I do not know, classes of workers. but this is something that will have to be looked at by the Government in the near It is interesting to note in the Financial future. It seems that certain approaches have Statement an indication from the Treasurer been made in some quarters on this subject, that the benefits to be derived from the find­ and I bring the matter before the Treasurer ing of oil in Queensland will not be felt until to see if something can be done. close to the last few months of this financial Mr. Walsh: Do you think that that should year. Whatever the Government has in mind be done before the big landholders are this source of revenue will not be available t~ relieved of land tax? 692 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply

Mr. NEWTON: Yes. I think that this is Another problem was mentioned during the something that should be considered Address-in-Reply debate; it was also referred immediately. The information available to to by the hon. member for Gregory in this me shows that it is having a serious effect debate, and I believe that it is very in cases brought to my notice. important. I noticed that in the Financial On the subject of housing, I feel that Statement the Treasurer indicated what he the contributions of the hon. members for ir;tended doing to improve sub-standard Warrego and Gregory deserve some accommodation in country areas. As I have consideration, particularly their references to said on many occasions in this Chamber, I the providing of homes for our aged citizens. do not believe that we have overcome the It is true that every time this subject is problem of sub-standard accommodation in introduced it is said, "The Commonwealth the Brisbane metropolitan area, particularly Government is subsidising church organisa­ in the outer suburbs. I have here an article tions in making homes available for these that appeared in a recent edition of "Sunday people." Truth". It relates to a particular place in my electorate of which I spoke in this Mr. Walsh: State Labour Governments Chamber and drew to the attention of the were doing that long before the Common­ Minister for Justice when legislation to lift wealth Government did it. rent control was under consideration. Nothing was done about it at the time­ Mr. NEWTON: I am fully aware of incidentally, it is the worst example of sub­ that. It is true, however, that there are, standard accommodation I have ever seen­ people who are never happy in an institution and the rent was raised from £5 to £7 1Os. of any kind, whether it be charitable, a week. I know that there are a number Government-run, or otherwise. Since being of instances in the metropolitan area, because elected to this Parliament, I have found that I have been approached by many people who this matter is being raised constantly with have been told by building inspectors of the me. It is true that the Queensland Housing Brisbane City Council that they have to Commission did have a scheme for the do something about the dwelling on their provision of one-bedroom maisonettes, which piece of land. Of course, they do not expect provided our senior citizens with yards and merely to race in and get a Housing Com­ all that they required. Unfortunately, mission house. They endeavour first to changes are made under the Commonwealth­ raise finance to enable them to build a house State Housing Agreement each time it comes on the land. In some cases, because of their up for renewal, and eventually this work age, it is not possible for them to get a was abolished. loan to replace a sub-standard dwelling, and Mr. Hiley: It has not been. the Government then has to provide a Housing Commission house if it can. I Mr. NEWTON: The Treasurer says that it believe that we should give further con­ has not been. Probably they are being sideration to this matter. built at Inala. I do not know. As the Treasurer no longer controls Mr. Hiley: We are building one-bedroom housing, I should like to say how much flats, and plenty of them. I have appreciated the time, assistance and co-operation that he has given me on the Mr. NEWTON: It is true that one-bed­ matters that I have raised with him. My room flats are being provided. I know that last interview with him lasted about an hour, the Treasurer has only recently vacated the and the reply that I received from him. Housing portfolio, but I raise it because he which dealt with many problems, has assisted will be fully aware of what I am going to me greatly as the representative of the say. Members of the Opposition do not Belmont electorate. It has made it easy know what role the Treasurer will play in for me to explain to people living in Housing the field of housing in future. It is possible Commission areas in my electorate the actual that when housing or housing loan con­ position as laid down by the Minister. ferences are convened both the Minister for I do not intend to deal with a great Works and Housing and the Treasurer will number of matters because I shall have an attend them. opportunity to do so when we are discussing As I said, it is true that flats are being the Estimates; but before I leave the subject provided. But where both the husband and of housing I want to clear up a point con­ wife are pensioners, they find difficulty in nected with a question that I asked the other making ends meet, firstly because of the rent day. It dealt with the engagement of more that they have to pay-in some cases it drainers by the Housing Commission to carry is in the £4 or £5 a week bracket­ out work connected with bailer sumps and and secondly because of the cost of gas and absorption trenches. It is true that the electric light. I know that our hands are Treasurer replied but he got away from the tied because we have not the rental rebate subject and on to the subject of earth drains system that applied under the 1946-1956 in the Broadwater Estate project. It is also agreement, and I agree that it is better true that these matters are not alwavs to have these people occupying one­ raised with the Treasurer or the Commis­ bedroom units than two or three-bedroom sioner. Immediately problems dealing with units. which could be better occupied by bailer sumps and absorption trenches are people with children. brought to my notice they are taken up with Supply [15 OCTOBER] Supply 693 officers of the department. However, there Although that is contained in the Treasurer's would not be any record of such approaches report on behalf of the Government, that is as it is usually done by means of a phone not the position at all. Prior to Christmas call. in most cases when the Department of Educa­ The type of soil in the project and the tion was asked about the provision of addi­ number of houses involved cause this prob­ tional classrooms, health services rooms, lem to arise continually. I say honestly and storerooms or other additions necessary at sincerely that if it was not for the assistance primary schools, the reply from the depart­ presently given us by the Brisbane City ment was that they were sorry that what Council, which is giving us the go-ahead to was asked for could not be provided in hook directly into storm water drains, this 1963-1964 but would be considered again in would be a very serious problem. the 1964-1965 financial year. We could get further and further behind in the provision of The reason I raise the matter is that, par­ additional classrooms required at primary ticularly in the Carina and Mt. Gravatt pro­ jects, the problem is caused by the nature schools. I fully realise the need for more of the soil. We know quite well that one secondary schools and we must not forget does not have to go far down before striking the contribution of the hon. member for rock or clay. Thus an absorption trench is Bulimba, who drew attention to the import­ useless and will not do what is required of ance of the further development of technical it with the waste water from the houses. I education to keep pace with the new syllabus want to make it quite clear that that was in secondary schools. my reason for raising the matter. The Treasurer makes an appeal on the first page of his Financial Statement but it must The other point that I thought should be be remembered that with the changing of the given some consideration-and I hope it will syllabus parents will be making their con­ be-is that from time to time I have raised tribution under the new scheme. With the the matter of providing houses for workers new system, as a family man, I will have two close to their places of employment. I am children attending high school next year. very concerned about the industrial area Although they will be attending a State high around Hemmant. It may be in the electorate school I will have to meet heavy costs for of the hon. member for Wynnum, whose uniforms, textbooks, and fares to and from electorate adjoins mine, but I have been school. In many instances parents will need endeavouring for some time to get further to provide bicycles for their children. In State rental homes in that area, particularly that regard we appreciate the check that is for people working at the abattoir, the made by police officers on bicycles ridden powerhouses, the bacon factories, and in by students so that they can bring any defects other industrial development that has taken to the notice of parents. To send a child place in the area. even to a State secondary school costs me I have raised this matter on a number of about £100 a year. With the 7th and 8th occasions because these people are not work­ grades proceeding to high school next year, ing from 8 in the morning till 5 in the this is a matter that must be given some evening. In the main they are shift workers, consideration. I realise that it has been taken and as such they must live close to reliable into consideration to a certain extent because transport. In the Wynnum-Manly area there I received from the Minister for Education is reliable transport in the form of the train a circular in which he pointed out that addi­ and bus services which allow these people to tional scholarships would be granted. Again, get to their places of employment for the of course, that benefits only the person on or various shifts. near the basic wage. I should say that any I should like now to deal with the provision book giving census figures would show that for education in the Financial Statement. 65 per cent. or 70 per cent. of the people The problem the Government faces in pro­ would be on an income of about £16 a week. viding the secondary schools that are required There are some in the £20 a week bracket as a result of the change in syllabus that is but they are only the top-grade tradesmen. to come into force with the start of the 1964 We must take into consideration the school year is quite clear to each and every burden that parents will have to bear with one of us; but I am wondering whether we the changed system next year. I fully are safe in concentrating on one particular appreciate the difficulties that will have to aspect of our education system, in view of the be faced by many families in all electorates. number of children who are today either It is about time that we had a five-year plan starting school or passing from primary to for the changing of syllabuses in our educa­ secondary schools. As far as the Belmont tion system, whether in the primary, secon­ electorate is concerned, I know this is a step dary or technical field. Since 1956 there have in the wrong direction. In his Financial been several syllabus changes in the various Statement the Treasurer says- fields. In many homes that I visit in my "The concentration by the Department electorate I have seen heaps and heaps of on the provision of Secondary accommoda­ books that have become obsolete and useless tion will not, however, be at the expense each year instead of being handed down of Primary education as additional class­ from one child to another. That imposes a rooms will be made available in those areas terrific burden on the parents. The sylla­ which are developing rapidly." buses should be so regulated that books 694 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply

~ay be passed from one child to another Only recently some relatives of mine m a family. While it may not be possible came up from Sydney and they explained to hand down all the books in to me the system of schooling down there. secondary, commercial, academic and indus­ It is entirely different from ours. As we trial education, it should be possible to have been a nation for so long, it is difficult hand down certain books. This would partly to understand why some move has not been relieve the terrific expense incurred by made by State Governments towards a parents because of changing syllabuses. uniform educational standard throughout the Commonwealth. If there were, we should Mr. Harrison: They may be handed down haw no worry with children travelling from if they are the right books. one State to another. It goes even further. Mr. NEWTON: I have already said that The same should hold for technical educa­ they may be handed down if they are the tion. We strike trouble in the craft unions, right books, but, because of the continual when we get onto diploma sections, with changes being made many books cannot be certificates issued in the southern States handed down because new ones are taking just as Queenslanders going south have with their places. their certificates issued here. Some certifi­ I have stated time and time again, and I cates issued in other States are considered do so now, that an approach should be to be of a higher standard than ours. That made to the Commonwealth Government by is wrong; we should have a uniform standard the various States on the subject of educa­ throughout the nation. tion. Only recently I received a letter from It is interesting to note that further the Parents and Citizens' Association inform­ hospitals are to be built throughout the ing me that they were convening a combined State. Again I am concerned at a number of meeting of State school organisations to add matters affecting the health and welfare of the support to the Queensland Council of State people and organisations that are doing some­ Schools Organisation in its endeavour to thing to help. In this regard, firstly I thought gain Federal financial aid for primary, more provision might have been made in the secondary and technical education in this Budget for the ambulance by increasing the State. They pointed out that they believe Government subsidy by at least 5s. Last year these meetings ought to be held because the we conducted, with Government support, a Commonwealth Government should face up door-knock appeal for the ambulance. I to its responsibility for education. took part in it. I was not always able to While one hon. member opposite has said get new subscribers though in most cases that we are possibly asking the Federal I was able to get small donations. I point Government for too much financial aid on out, however, that the subscriber to the certain aspects-and I probably could aaree Wynnum Ambulance Centre-and I am with him on some things. I believe that on one-has to pay £2 a year. The door-knock the subject of education, the Commonwealth appeal had television support and the sub­ Government has a responsibility to the States scription advertised for the metropolitan and should convene a meeting of the State area was possibly one the centre can just Ministers for Education to look into the manage to operate on. But it is different in matter and see if it can agree to make Wynnum. One would think the position grants available, such as for housing and must be serious when the Government feels other purposes, to assist to combat this prob­ it necessary to do something about a week­ le~. It is not only a problem of today; it end drive. Will assume major importance in the years to come. One has only to study the Queens­ Mr. Hughes: The Government didn't feel land Year Book to realise the number of that at all. We on the committee felt it. chil~ren in the various age groups who are commg forward, and to learn just how much Mr. NEWTON: If the hon. member on the must be done in the field of education if we committee felt that way, he made sure that are to meet the requirements of today and he got in touch with every member of this the future. Assembly to see what he could do for the drive. Let us put it quite clear that way. Mr. Campbell: Do you suggest that the Commonwealth should take over the respon­ However, many of the difficulties could be sibility? overcome if we had more hospitals near the outer areas of Brisbane. I have spoken Mr. NEWTON: No, I do not suggest that before of the importance of a hospital for at all, but I do suggest that we might work Wynnum and surrounding districts. To date out a scheme similar to the other Common­ We have not managed to get one. Such a wealth-State agreements under which the hospital would mean a considerable saving Commonwealth provides a certain sum of to the Wynnum Ambulance Centre. Under money direct for a particular department. the present system-and I know this to be The State body deals initially with the a fact because I have a letter that was finance made available possibly with a view received by us within the last few days­ to arriving at what the hon. member has an endeavour is being made to have people suggested. I have made that statement here returned home as quickly as possible after previously. That is my view. I believe that undergoing a major operation or receiving the present system is wrong. other treatment in the hospital instead of Supply [15 OcTOBER] Supply 695

having them stay in hospital for further treat­ to hospital and would at the same time ment. This places a great burden on the provide on the south side of the city facilities ambulance brigades in these centres, because equal to those available on the north side. they are transporting people backward and The Children's Hospital now caters for the forward each day for treatment. I know for whole of the metropolitan area. a fact that in the Wynnum area alone two ambulance vehicles leave each morning with I am sure that if the Australian Labour people sitting up but who are unable to Partv had remained in office plans for these travel by bus. They are transported by things would have been well under way. We realise the importance of providing free ambulance for treatment at the Princess hospital services throughout the State, and Alexandra Hospital or the Brisbane General we would have taken all of these things into Hospital. The same thing applies each after­ noon. consideration. I also feel that the provision of a maternity hospital in the same area Recently I had some experience with the should have been considered. This would Princess Alexandra Hospital because my lad provide for people on the south side the was unfortunate enough to get involved in hospital facilities now available on the north an accident. Whilst there I saw these side and would overcome many of the ambulances arrive in the morning. After difficulties at present facing people in the X-rays had been taken, or dressings or what­ metropolitan area. ever was required attended to, the patients were moved to a certain section marked If a maternity hospital and a children's "Ambulance Transport Patients Here". There hospital were established there, there would they lay on stretchers or sat in wheel-chairs be no problem of direct transport from out­ waiting for ambulance transport back to lying areas. If the Government cannot pro­ their areas. vide an immediate extension of outpatients' clinics in outer areas, the provision of these If this new scheme of turning patients out facilities would overcome most of the prob­ quicker is to be introduced, I feel that the lems now confronting people in the various Government has some responsibility in the electorates on the southern side of the river. matter. This applies not only to adults: according to the letter that I have, it applies In discussing the extension of our system also to children. A greater burden will be of free hospitals in Queensland, it is interest­ placed on ambulance brigades in all centres ing to note that many building-trade workers of the State, and I feel that some considera­ at the South Brisbane Auxiliary Hospital tion should have been given to this matter are faced with dismissal. In fact, a number in the Budget. of painters were dismissed from the pro­ Another thing that I think would greatly ject on Friday last. This is of great con­ assist hospital services is the extension of cern to members of the Opposition because, clinics to the outer parts of the metropolitan apart from the provision of maternity and area. We understand that something is on children's hospitals at South Brisbane, wards the way for the electorate of the hon. member are also required to enable aged people to for Salisbury-- receive treatment for various complaints, and a reply given by the Minister for Health Mr. Sbierrington: Because of good to a question asked in the Chamber indi­ representation. cated that two such wards are to be built at the Princess Alexandra Hospital. We Mr. NEWTON: Because of good rep­ resentation, as the hon. member says. We are alarmed when dismissals take place because we wonder whether these plans will hope that that comes to fruition, because anyone knowing the distance from Inala to be carried out. the General Hospital or the Princess Mr. Sherrington: It could be a move to Alexandra Hospital will realise that it will get rid of day labour. overcome many of the problems of people living in that area. I raised this matter with Mr. NEWTON: I say again that I hope the Minister for Health during the last it is not. Day-labour employees have played term of Parliament, and he said that this a very important part in the construction area would receive con~ideration along with of hospitals, particularly in the metropolitan others on the outer penmeter of the metro­ area, and have done a splendid job. Places politan area. Although that was the such as Beaudesert and Wynnum come under Minister's reply, no progress has been made. the jurisdiction of the South Brisbane Hos­ Again I draw the attention of the Govern­ pitals Board, and day-labour employees are m~P;t _to the importance of establishing not worried about having to travel to those chmcs m outer areas, particularly Mt. Gravatt places because they know that they are doing and Carina, to serve quite a number of a service to the community by providing electorates adjacent to those districts. hospital facilities. They have proved over I have also been wondering for some time a period of years that they can carry out why the Government has not done something the projects at a price that enables an amount to increase facilities at the Princess Alexandra over and above the estimated cost to be Hospital for the treatment of children bv returned to a pool. Thi·s is very important establishing a children's hospital in the same where contracts for hospitals, Housing Com­ grounds. I feel that thi·s would greatly mission houses or public works are being reduce the problem of transporting children undertaken by day labour, because any funds 696 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply returned to the pool can be used to provide patrol cars were stationed at adjoining other amenities for the people of Queens­ stations, or in the police districts covering the land. areas concerned; but under the system at The Financial Statement also mentions that present operating, with these mobile patrols a number of new police stations are to be trying to keep order in the community, par­ Duilt by the Government in various parts of ticularly amongst young people, and to pre­ the State. After listening to the speech of vent damage to property, they are too sparse the hon. member for Redcliffe, I believe that to provide efficient cover for the areas. The new police stations are needed in the metro­ Belmont electorate contains a number of politan area, and a new police station in the main highways out of the city with minor Belmont electorate, for which I have made highways linking them and it is often found representations, is long overdue. However that when an accident occurs on these high­ the Minister in charge of police has indi~ ways and the police station is telephoned, it cated, after consulting with the Commis­ is not always easy to get a patrol car to the sioner of Police, that it is not warranted at spot immediately. I feel that if a police this stage. As I pointed out, during the station was established in the Belmont area term of the last Parliament, between 1960 and a man was on duty all the time, when and 1963, I raised with the Minister in these accidents occurred there would at least charge of police the question of having be someone there to contact the patrol car created a new police district in the Belmont and inform its occupants that an accident electorate. At present there is no police had occurred. The mobile patrol could then station in the electorate. In my representa­ make whatever investigations were necessary. tions I pointed out that I comidered the Recently the people of the Belmont district distances to the police stations at Camp Hill, witnessed the laying of the Moonie pipeline Holland Park, Morningside, Wynnum, and through that area. Their thoughts were Cleveland to be far too great to provide that had the pipeline been a water line the service necessary to ensure the safety it would have made them very happy. of the community, and to deal with the many Following my representations during the last problems that occur in my electorate. session of Parliament it is true that we have During the term of the last Parliament a been provided with a very up-to-date primary sub-inspector in the South Coast police dis­ school in the Belmont district, but even with trict carried out an investigation of this the catchment area provided by the big matter and my views were sought. At that building we still have to purchase water for time consideration was being given to the c?ildren attending the school, which is only creation of a new police district with a erght miles from the G.P.O. I raise this police station situated in Creek Road, Carina. matter again tonight. Negotiations have Had that plan. been carried out, I feel it been going on between the Department of would have grven us the required service Education and the Brisbane City Council. between the Camp Hill police district and It would appear that no large sum of money the Cleveland police district and would have is involved. When Cabinet met in Mary­ catered for the area where there is, so to borough the Treasurer spoke about the return speak, a missing link. to the Government in oil royalties. If it cannot be done earlier, I hope that some I have again raised this matter with the of the money returned to the Government Minister in charge of police during the term in oil royalties can be used to provide watel' of the present Parliament, and I have to this school. It is a growing school in received a final decision to the effect that the metropolitan area and it is not only the position has been exhaustively examined for drinking purposes that water is important. and that the Commissioner felt that it was It is hoped that in the near future we will not necessary to create a new police district get new toilet blocks, and if the town water or to provide a police station in the Belmont supply has been connected a septic system electorate. He thought that the position can be installed. In this way the children could be quite adequately met by making sure will have an added safeguard in the event that the adjacent stations were appropriately of a hepatitis outbreak in the metropolitan staffed. area in the summer months. All I am The policy of the Government seems to asking is that they be given the same be that there is need for a new police station amenities as are available at other primary in the Upper Mount Gravatt portion of the schools in the metropolitan area. Belmont and Mount Gravatt electorates, but I feel that a similar position exists in the Hon. G. W. W. CHALK (Lockyer­ area between the Camp Hill police station Minister for Transport) (7.23 p.m.): It had and the Cleveland police station. A new not been my intention earlier in the debate police station is required in this area. to enter into deliberations on the Budget. As most hon. members are aware, the The Government's present policy is to Railway Estimates will be introduced maintain mobile patrols in these particular following the present debate and we will areas but in an area such as the Belmont elec­ occupy probably three days in discussing torate, which contains built-up areas and the ramifications of the Railway Department. areas that are not built-up and where patrol However, statements have been made by hon. cars have to travel from one area to another members opposite which, I believe, call for the position would be satisfactory if enough a reply at this time. Because of that, rather Supply (15 OCTOBER] Supply 697 than take up time allocated to debating the would do so if they are genuine in their Estimates of the Railway Department and present outcry. Let us see exactly how it the Department of Transport, which are came about and how Labour implemented it. very vital and important departments to the Actually, the history dates back to 1946 Government, I choose now to enter into when the late Mr. McCracken, the then discussion on three or four matters that Public Service Commissioner dealt with the have been raised earlier in this debate. question of the candidature of officers of I propose to deal first with that portion the Public Service for municipal elections. of the debate introduced by the hon. member He stated in a memorandum to the Director­ for Ipswich East, who expressed surprise at General of Education- what he termed "the undemocratic action "That, since 1939, permission to accept of the Government in depriving Crown nomination had not been recommended by employees of the right to serve on local­ me but in some instances ..." government bodies." In fact the hon. and this is in 1946- member went on to say- ". . . departmental approval, without "This action stamps the Government re-ference to this department, had been for what it is, namely, a very undemocratic given to officers to accept such administration." nominations." He then continued- Mr. Lloyd: What has that to do with it? "In spite of the protestations of its members that they believe in democracy Mr. CHALK: I know the hon. member and that they are scrupulously fair, is it is terribly impetuous, but I ask him to listen. the first step towards eliminating the adult That statement by Mr. McCracken was franchise in local-authority elections and submitted to the Labour Party Cabinet, and towards re-introducing the property its decision in 1946 was to the effect that franchise that prevaile-d before the Labour the Public Service Commissioner's wishes Party became the Government in this were to be complied with. Between 1946 and State?" 19 57, when this Government came to office, This subject has also been the basis for a there are records of at least 20 high-rankin'! newspaper attack on the Government. I public servants, capable men who could admit quite candidly that, in the last week or administer the affairs of local authorities, so. I have received numerous protests from being given written refusals by the Labour certain unions because of this decision. Government. Mr. Davies: Has the Minister read "The Mr. Houston: Name them! Maryborough Chronicle"? Mr. CHALK: I can name them. These refusals involved labour agents, school Mr. CHALK: If the hon. member will teachers, land rangers, clerks, Agricultural listen he will hear. Bank inspectors and Main Roads officers, and Let us analyse this decision: firstly, it is involved-and let us publish this-the fol­ true that the greatest number of Crown lowing municipalities and shire councils-- employees involved are railwaymen. It is The CHAIRMAN: Order! I remind the therefore reasonable, I suppose, to expect hon. member for Hawthorne that cross-firing that the principal attack upon the Govern­ in the Chamber is not permitted and I ask ment for this alleged undemocratic action him to refrain from it. I also warn the should be aimed at my department and I do Deputy Leader of the Opposition that his not shirk from the responsibility of replying. interjections are becoming too persistent and However, let me make it clear to this will not be tolerated. Chamber, and to the people of Queensland, that this decision was a Cabinet decision-a Mr. Lloyd: What do you mean by that? Cabinet decision to enforce the regulations laid down within the Public Service and the The CHAIRMAN: Order! I repeat my Railway Department-by a Labour Govern­ warning to the Deputy Leader of the ment. And let me make it clear that it applies Opposition. to all Crown employees whether they be Mr. CHALK: I proceed to point out to members of the Public Service or the Railway Department. the Committee that the 20 refusals, which are recorded in the files of the various Mr. Lloyd: Do not mislead the public. departments of the State, included men who wanted to be on the following municipalities Mr. CHALK: Let us examine how and or local authorities: Southport, Mundubbera, when it was introduced. Let us see how Cairns, Hinchinbrook, Springsure, Quilpie, Labour brought it in and how it administered Townsville, Aramac, Toowoomba, Johnstone, it. Perhaps then the Deputy Leader of the Cleveland, Banana, Bundaberg, Stanthorpe, Opposition, who so positively interjects, the Etheridge and Cook. Those men were hon. member for Ipswich East, other refused by a Labour Government the right Opposition members and the unions, who are to take their places in local authorities of hailing this as so much regrettable inter­ the State, and yet we have howls from the ference with the freedom of the individual, other side that we are implementing an might hang their heads in shame. They undemocratic policy. 698 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply

Let us go a little further. There were, as On 26 October, 1939, Rule 31 of the book always with Labour policy, one or two of rules, by-law 308 of the Railway By-laws, intrigues within the decision itself because a was amended to provide- mere handful of members of the Public "Every employee heretofore or hereafter Service (four, in fact) were able, either for elected to, or holding the position or office political favours or otherwise, to get permis­ of mayor of a city, mayor of a town, or sion from the Labour Party-from the chairman of a shire council, shall forth­ Cabinet in three instances and from the with upon his election thereafter to any the. Treasurer in one; I mean Mr. Lar­ such position or office apply for and obtain combe when he was Treasurer. Those leave of absence without pay from the four men were able to circumvent this Commissioner for the full term of his decision of the Labour Party, but what of occupancy of such position." the other rank and file? Did they get an opportunity? The first of the four men so In other words, if an employee became the privileged was Mr. C. E. J. Richards of the mayor of a city, he was given some pro­ Toowoomba Mental Hospital. He received tection. If he applied to the Commissioner Cabinet permission to be on the Toowoomba and was granted full leave, he could carry City Council. Mr. B. Creedy, who was an out his duties as mayor for the time in which officer of the State Government Insurance he was in office, and then return to the Office, Cairns, also got special Cabinet per­ department. mission. Mr. J. A. Sherriff, an inspector of the State Government Insurance Office at the Mr. Baxter: What was the date of that? time in Townsville, got permission from the Treasurer of the day, at that time Mr. Lar­ Mr. CHALK: That was 1939. The set of combe, to accept such a position. The last circumstances as written down by the Public was Mr. J. J. O'Brien, Secretary of the Service Commissioner and endorsed by the Hospitals Board, Warwick. He also got the Labour Cabinet continued onwards and rubber stamp of the Cabinet in 1952. until 1949 the position apparently remained the same within the Railway Depart­ Mr. Davies: How many railwaymen? ment. Then there was some altera­ tion. That alteration was first brought about Mr. CHALK: If the hon. member for on 14th October, 1949, when the then Minis­ Maryborough will be patient he will hear all ter granted approval for leave of absence to about railwaymen, too. attend harbour board meetings to a driver On 20 May, 1950, still under a Labour named Weldon, of Bowen. That was the first Government-this party that protests so much recorded breqk-through in 12 years in the at the present moment about this alleged Railway Department. On 24 October, 1951, undemocratic action-a deputation from the departmental approval was given for leave Queensland Teachers' Union waited on the without pay to attend harbour board meet­ then Minister for Public Instruction, the late ings for a wagon builder named Malone, Mr. Devries. They asked for the abolition also at Bowen. That position continued, of the Public Service regulation restricting but in 1952 the present Leader of the officers nominating for municipal elections. Opposition, who was then Minister for Trans­ port, decided to go the whole hog and This deputation waited on Mr. Devries deleted what was then sub-paragraph (b) of and he also took the matter to Cabinet. On 17 October, 1950, with Cabinet confirma­ Railway Regulation or Rule 31. He took that out and cast the onus of making future tion, Mr. Devries advised the union that their decisions onto the Commissioner for Rail­ request was not approved. Again there was ways, but at the same time applied the rule confirmation of this alleged undemo­ of Cabinet and took away, if so desired, what cratic action. Who gave birth to might be termed the rights of the Commis­ this alleged ugly duckling of which we sioner. hear so much from the Labour Party at the moment? Who mothered it from 1946 As I see it, the whole situation is that to 1957, from what might be described as certain members of Parliament and union birth to teenage? It was none other than officers are raising this issue in an endeavour the party sitting in Opposition at present to condemn the Government for a certain and who are so loudly condemning it. line of action that it has taken at the request If hon. members opposite had continued of many members of the Public Service and to be the Government of the day, they many members of the Railway Department. would have brought their child to full man­ On the one hand, we have men who hood. are engaged for 40 hours a week on a Let us now go back and deal with the fixed-time basis-9-to-5 men, or whatever one position in the Railway Department. As might like to call them. They are in the far back as 1939 the then Minister for Trans­ Public Service; they are in the Railway port, Mr. Larcombe, advised Labour stalwart Department. As the rule has been applied Mr. T. L. Williams that Station Master W. by the Government between 1957 and the Andrews at Rosedale must comply with the present day, we have taken what might be decision of Cabinet if he continued as chair­ called a reasonable, lenient approach and man for the balance of the term of his many railway employees have, because of council. that action, been elected to local authorities. Supply [15 OCTOBER] Supply 699

·what is happening today, however, and what the right to take part in local government is causing consternation among Crown if he so desires, provided it is so arranged employees, is that some are getting the plums that his activities in that direction are out­ and others are getting the crows. side his normal working time. Mr. Houston: Which union complained? Let us make it quite clear to the public generally that we will encourage men to do Mr. CHALK: I will present my case in that, but we are not going to have a set my own way. I did not say that a union had of circumstances under which men are work­ complained. I said that members of the in<> side by side, one rostered off to suit Public Service and members of the Railway his requirements and getting in addition three, Department had complained. The situation four, or five guineas a week, while the other is this: if we apply what has been more or man loses his whole day's pay. All that less the rule since the Government came into the Governme·nt has done is to make this power, we will give a clerk or some other fact quite clear. 9-to-5 employee of that type time off with­ Mr. Lloyd: Why did you re-word the out pay. Admittedly, as a member of a regulation to give it rigid application whca local authority he will receive three or four they would not be able to do it? guineas a day, a fee to which he is justly entitled, and nobody decries that. But what Mr. CHALK: The actual wording of the is the position of roster employees in the regulation was to make it applicable so that same department? We have evidence show­ thc:re would not be any misunderstanding of ing that time and again they have requested the Government's desires. So far as that is their roster clerk to so arrange their roster concerned, I can cite one or two cases that that they can get their 40 hours a week in occurred in Labour's time. There was the and have their time off at a time that will case of a staff clerk in Townsville who was enable them to attend local-authority meet­ told by the Labour Government administrator ings and so get an extra three or four guineas that he had to make up his mind; he either a day, plus inspection and milage fees, a right had to be a member of the railwav staff or that is denied to other Crown employees work­ follow his calling as an alderman. Admittedly ing a 40-hour week. Do not hon. members he chose to be an alderman. The hon. think that brings the "crabs" within the member for Townsville South is not here department-! will use the slang term-- tonight. One could not embarrass him, but Mr. Davies: In what centres has this I know that both he and a man named happened? Illich joined the Townsville City Council and they so arranged their rosters­ Mr. CHALK: The point of the matter the hon. member for Townsville South does is that we have clerks working in certain not deny it-so that they got all th:::· short offices who are engaged in local government running out of Townsville while other and who are denied payment for their day employees had the Charters Towers and off to attend meetings while the same clerks Hughenden runs. are being asked by employees on roster to Mr. Houston: Would you disagree with arrange the roster so that they can attend th~t being in operation today? meetings during their time off. But it goes even deeper than that. Mr. CHALK: I am disagreeing with the Mr. Lloyd: Don't they work only so many re-rostering of an employee so that he can hours a week? They work to the roster. t~ke the benefit of it, and that is exactly what we have set out to prevent. Mr. CHALK: They work to the roster, and Having said that, I hope I have cleared we are not denying that. But are you the air in the eyes of the public, if not going to upset the working position of two in the eyes of hon. members opposite, and men so that one gets the benefit of it and that I have shown the reason for the pre,ent one does not? position. We are only following a policv Let us analyse the position a little further. that was laid down, but it is being rigidly It goes deepe-r than that. There is also applied so that we can ensure that all men the position of the roster man who is rostered arc treated fairly. for local-authority work, having his roster so arranged that he works within close Mr. Marsden: What about the Ipswich proximity to his depot; on the other hand workshops? There is no rostering there. the man who is not on the council has to Mr. CHALK: That is quite true. but accept the long-distance working roster and previously if a member of the local authority therefore finds himself away from home on many evenings so that the other man can was on the Ipswich workshops staff, he attend local-authority meetings. could get the time off and it was deducted from his pay. He in turn drew his allowance That is one of the reasons why this matter from the Ipswich City Council. On the has been brought forward and why there is other hand a man who was an engine-driver unrest amongst many men within the depart­ in Ipswich could so arrange his roster with ment. The Government has therefore the approval of the roster clerk or someone approached the matter on the basis that we else so that he got his 40 hours a week and do not deny any railway or Crown employee was still able to attend local authority 700 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply activities and draw his extra £3, and some­ the recommendations and summary of the times £6, a week in expenses. In his inter­ consultants. No doubt the writer of that jection the hon. member for Ipswich West article had every opportunity to make a is bringing in one of the very things that review of that report. Consequently there have been the reasons for this decision. Some can be nothing mysterious about it. How­ of the protests have come from within the ever, I believe that the Leader of the Ipswich workshops. Opposition was desirous of capitalising on Mr. Lloyd: There is not one engine-driver the following statement published by the on the Ipswich City Council. "Review" under the heading "Dilemma over transport aims"- Mr. CHALK: I did not say there was. "Ford Bacon and Davis, U.S. consulting Opposition Members interjected. engineers, claim that the Government is competing with itself by providing two Mr. CHALK: However, have a look at means of general transport-the Govern­ those who have now nominated for the ment-operated railways and the main council. roads system . . . " Opposition Members interjected. It then draws attention to a statement made The CHAIRMAN: Order! I remind hon. by me in this Chamber when I said- members on my left that they have an "The programmes of the railways and opportunity to speak in this debate. The the road authorities are not antagonistic Deputy Leader of the Opposition has already in that they dovetail into an overall policy spoken. I ask them to refrain from these defined by the Government." persistent interjections. I stand by that contention. I believe that Mr. Davies: A Forestry worker living in this Government is going places with its rail­ Maryborough serves on the Burrum Shire ways and roads-policy. I ask hon. members Council. They meet in the day-time once a to remember that Ford, Bacon and Davis month. Will he not be able to nominate? were asked to give the Government an Mr. CHALK: He can nominate but he unbiased, straightforward report on what will not be able to take his part in council would cure the ills of the Railway Depart­ affairs in his employer's time. It applies to ment. We did not ask for anything that all sections of the community and to all would be in any way tempered to fit in with employees of the Crown. any other activities in this State. We asked foi what might be termed a bottle of medi­ Another matter that I wish to refer to is cine to cure the railways, and I believe we a statement by the Leader of the Opposition have got it. Whatever the "Financial about what appeared in "The Australian Review" might say, let me say that if a Financial Review" and what he termed the patient takes a full bottle of medicine when "contradictory statements by Government it is given to him he usually dies, but if members". He linked the Premier, the h~ takes it in sips he is cured. That is Minister for Education and myself. He exactly what this Government is doing in referred to statements made by me on my relation to this report. It is administering return from Malaya. He spoke about what the medicine so that there is co-ordination the "Review" had to say on the findings in between road and rail. I believe that there the Ford, Bacon and Davis Report, and on is clear evidence that by this policy we will what I said publicly concerning Government place Queensland in the forefront of the policy on road and rail transport. I make States in the Commonwealth. it clear that I make no apology for the utterances I have made about public trans­ Let us go a little further and see what port. I am thrilled to think that "The Aus­ the Leader of the Opposition had to say tralian Financial Review" in its SO-page about my visit to Malaya. He accused me supplement, half of which admittedly was oi making contradictory statements. If he had advertising, found room for nine pages deal­ accused me of making a controversial state­ ing with the Queensland Railways. The ment I should have accepted it because, on "Review" reporter did, however, I believe, my return to Australia, I made a statement endeavour to make some capital out of the that was not pleasing to some manufacturers. fact that I refused to present him with a However, there was nothing contradictory copy of the Ford, Bacon and Davis Report. about it. I said-and I repeat it-that He then went on to state in his article that Queensland manufacturers cannot become by some mysterious means he obtained­ complacent if they are to obtain business in legitimately, he pointed out-a copy of the Malaya, or Malaysia as we now know it. summary of recommendations and con­ Business cannot be obtained for this State clusions. He then went on to publish what by remote control from here. I said that he described as the report, and dealt manufacturers must be up in the area and, with major achievements. All hon. members in many cases, they must have subsidiary know that this report was tabled in the companies there. There is an ever-increasing House in full. Three copies were placed on demand for almost all kinds of commodities the table for the inspection of all members amongst the 10,000,000 people in Malaysia, of Parliament. Each member of Parliament but there is also an ever-increasing number at that particular time received a copy of of salesmen from the various countries of the Supply [15 OCTOBER] Supply 701

world combing the area. Further, a demo­ are associated with the engineering side, the cratic Government is at present in power administration and the actual men in the there and it believes in private enterprise and field. But when someone comes into the is doing all within its power-just as this Chamber and is prepared, for some political Government is doing all within its kudos or otherwise, to condemn a project power in Queensland-to establish pr~­ like this, I really and sincerely wonder what vate industry in Malaysia. It IS his interest is in this State House. offering exceptional opportunties to manu­ fac!urers to come to that land, to bring Mr. TUCKER: I rise to a point of order. their know-how, their technical men their The Minister says I condemned the project. ma~hine~y and. their raw products. They are I ask him to have a look at the report of askmg, lf possible, for the manufacturing to my speech to see that I did not condemn it. be carried out in that land. They are offering I condemned the method by which the money term~ in the finding of finance; they are was raised as opposed to that in other States. offenn~ land, water and electricity; they are advancmg all of these inducements to people Mr. CHALK: I am prepared to accept the to go there and manufacture. Our manu­ hon. member's explanation because I believe fa_cturers cannot, therefore, hope that there that was the basis on which he raised the will be a continuance of the markets that matter. What I am saying is that the argu­ they have today because this offer which is ment on finance is over. Whether we like open to ~ustralians or Queenslanders to go it or not, we on this side of the Chamber and estal_Jhs~ themselves there, is open also to have from time to time said we were not Japan; It IS open to the millionaires of as pleased as we might be. We were at Hongkong; it is open to the other countries least thankful that we were able to get the of the world; and in fact they are going there. money and carry on with the pr?ject. I !h~t is why I have said-and I repeat-that believe that we should do everythmg pos­ It IS necessary that we look at this area sible to see that the project continues, and first~y, as a means of export, to get into the that this time next year it will be almost ~erntory but then to go in and help establish finished. It will be a means not only of mdustry under our own name, establish our­ developing North Queensland but also of selves there, seJ?d our technicians and supply providing considerable national wealth to the our raw matenals. If we do that, we will Commonwealth, which is exactly what we go a long way towards assisting this State need. to develop. If we do not, very shortly those I wish also to refer briefly to the remarks markets that were available will be lost. of the hon. member for Townsville North I think I should also make very brief regarding the Cairns workshops. I do not reference to one or two matters raised by deny that the Government has . been faced the hon. member for Townsville North. He with a responsibility in relation to the spent most of his time endeavouring to con­ activities of railwaymen at Cairns. We demn the basis on which finance was have done our utmost to ensure that during obtained for the Mt. Isa Railway Project. this transitional period the least number of It has been my responsibility to administer people will be affected. It is ~rue that the affairs of this project and I can assure dieselisation is here, and I believe that the Committee that, during the period that every honest railwayman accepts the fact !he project has been in hand, we have poured that it is his security for the future. mto North Queensland the sum of Because it is here, it is necessary to make £17,728,000 actual money paid and we have changes in many workshops. This transitional commitments already for about another period has to be gone throu15h. We c~uld £5,000,000, making £22,589,000 in all. That purchase more diesel-electnc locomotives money is being spent in North Queensland tomorrow and put them into operation to for the betterment of the people generally. help the economy of the country, but what Mr. Bennett: Not nearly enough! of the men employed on steam locomotion? What the Government has done, and will Mr. CHALK: I agree with the hon. mem­ continue to do, is ensure that there is a ber and I hope that this Government's policy reasonably steady change from one method of developing the North will continue at the of locomotive power to the other. If that present speed because it is considerably is done, we will inconvenience the smallest greater than when Labour was in power possible number of our employees. and that is the vital point. The hon. mem: I repeat that we have to regard Cairns ber for Townsville North comes into the as a depot for medium and light repairs. Chamber and decries all this. We have had Steam locomotives will move from the far our arguments, both within the Chamber northern portion of the State. There will be and outside, as to the basis on which this dieselisation and rail-motor operations at money was obtained. That argument is Cairns. In Townsville steam operations will known history. But do not let us bring be carried on for a long time yet and the into the Chamber knockers from the North workshops there will continue to function who want to do all they possibly can to under the present system. We must, however, decry this project. The work is being carried look ahead, just as we have had to look out at a much cheaper figure than the ahead in Cairns. We feel that the Cairns original estimate, and all credit to those who workshops will continue as a medium and 24 702 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply light repair depot for wagons. It will be a truckload lots was also set by previous servicing and running centre for the main­ administrators at 154s. 6d. a ton. In April tenance of rail motors and will provide a 1962 the present Government, to help service centre for diesel-electric locomotives Napiers survive, reduced the freight rate to and "Sunlander" air-conditioned trains. It llOs. a ton, and also, as I have said, reduced will be what might be regarded as a small the return freight. They were previously repair centre for general mechanical equip­ paying 154s. 6d. a ton between Dalby and ment. That is all that we can do at Cairns, Brisbane; we reduced that rate to 77s. 6d. and we therefore had to make offers of a ton. transfers to Townsville to a number of That is clear evidence of what the Govern­ employees. ment is doing to assist industry to decen­ I agree, and have so told the Commissioner tralise. It is clear evidence that we are for Railways, that the time factor in these well aware of the circumstances and are transfers was not sufficient for married men, prepared to do our utmost. But we cannot and that has been adjusted for the future. give a greater freight concession to an Make no mistake about it, as time goes on industry in Dalby than we give to an industry we will also have problems at Townsville in Brisbane on the actual operations between and it may be necessary to move some me~ Brisbane, we will say, and Rockhampton or from the North to the South. What the Cairns. A concessional freight rate has been Government is endeavouring to do, however, applied by this Government between Brisbane is ensure that this transition comes upon us and Cairns, and Brisbane and Mackay, or steadily and does not cause considerable whatever the case might be, but records show di5ruption. that such a rate was refused to Napier Bros. by the previous Government. Therefore, we I want to deal finally with the remarks of have given them concessional rates far in the hon. member for Aubigny and the Leader excess of anything that was ever offered by of the Opposition concerning the activities the Australian Labour Party when it was in of Napier Bros. at Dalby. I assure hon. power, both between here and Dalby and for members that the Government will do all the return journey, and we have also given ~ithin its P

In other words, they are giVIng us more Transport--charges that were deliberately business and because of that they are asking made in the absence of the Leader of the for more concessions. That is quite under­ Opposition. standable because where volume increases I shall deal with the allegations made costs can be cut down, and I tell the initially in the Minister's speech and Chamber tonight that I am going to examine concerning which, as I have said earlier, this proposal. his conscience has severely troubled him. Mr. Houston: When did you get that letter? His hatred of railwaymen and workers is growing in cancerous proportions in his soul Mr. CHALK: The date on it is 2 and heart. Although he does everything September, 1963. I am going to have deliberately to thwart any action of the a look at it because we as a Government ordinary man in the community, particularly will do all within our power to help the railway worker, he endeavours to placate decentralise industry, and, in this particular the public conscience by bringing before case, to help this industry to survive. this Committee spurious arguments that perhaps, to some little extent, are plausible, I have occupied my time dealing with but which are in fact untrue in substance. matters which possibly would otherwise have been dealt with on the Railway Estimates Let me assure you, Mr. Hooper, that and I hope I have placed before the we intend to place on record the correct Chamber, and the people of this State, the and exact wording of the respective Weekly views of the Government on the matters I Notices made pursuant to By-law 619 so have raised. that the public can read it. We wiii then be satisfied that members of the public have In conclusion, I compliment the Treasurer the correct impression, not a misdirected on the part he is playing in the administra­ version given to them by the Minister in tion of the affairs of this State. This Bud!!et an endeavour to mislead and deceive them. is one that has been worked out principJly Weekly Notice 52 of 1952, made pursuant by the Treasurer with his senior officers, and to By-law 619, reads as follows­ they have done a mighty task. They have "Employees nominated for or elected presented to the people of this State a to offices with Local Authorities. programme for the future and, as one who believes in Queensland and that Queensland "A. No employee shall, without the will go forward, I am sure that the Budget permission of the Commissioner, engage that has been presented to this Chamber will in any employment outside the duties of ensure the furtherance of this State and the his employment by the Commissioner. betterment of its people. "B. An employee shall not accept nomination for election as Mayor or Mr. BENNETT (South Brisbane) (8.19 Chairman of a Local Authority or as p.m): It has been rather amazing for me Lord Mayor or Alderman of the City to listen to one of the alleged senior Ministers of Brisbane unless he shall first have of the Cabinet speaking in such an excitable ascertained from the Commissioner that, fashion a~out. matters that would normally in the event of his being elected to such be dealt With m the normal routine of events office, sufficient leave (without pay) will but which have been precipitated into the be granted to him to enable him to discussion this evening, no doubt by his own discharge the duties thereof. troubled conscience. "C. An employee shall not accept The hon. member for Aubigny, who is nomination for election as an Alderman the Leader of the Q.L.P. and its sole member (other than Alderman of the City of in this Chamber, has been attacked and I Brisbane, for which provision is made shall leave his defence to himself. The under subclause (b) hereof) or Town or Leader of the Opposition too has been Shire Councillor unless his Head of Branch, attacked in his absence. I think the Minister with the approval of the Commissioner, deliberately chose this time when he knew has first notified him that he is satisfied that the Leader of the Opposition would that the carrying out of the duties of be absent with the Premier at a very such office will not interfere with such important function. I am amazed that a employee's Departmental duties. responsible Minister would attack the "D. An employee elected as Mayor or Leader of the Opposition and the Leader Chairman of a Local Authority or a Lord of the major party in this House in such Mayor or Alderman of the City of a fashion on statements made previously by Brisbane and who has complied with the him. I refer in particular to Napier Bros. requirements of subclause (b) hereof may No doubt the decisions by the Leader of be allowed leave of absence without pay the Opposition as the then Minister for during the whole period he continues to Railways were made taking into consideration occupy such office, but notwithstanding the fact that at that time there was serious the provisions of any other by-law, such inflation throughout Australia. I have no leave of absence without pay, in excess doubt that the Leader of the Opposition, of a period of three months, shall not, in his own good time and in a suitable and for any purpose whatsoever, be counted effective fashion, will deal with the scurrilous as service with the Commissioner for and empty charges of the Minister for Railways. 704 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply

"E. An employee elected as Alderman of public representation. I think it is the (otJ:ler than as Alderman of the City of most signatory and retrograde step to be Bnsbane) or Town or Shire Councillor taken by any Government in any part of and who has complied with the require­ the democratic world. I do not believe ments of Sub-Clause (b) hereof may be that any fair-minded Government would allowed time off without pay to attend even conceive such a plan, let alone put it the Council meeting, provided that no into operation. extra cost would be incurred by the Department on account of the granting Mr. Sullivan interjected. of such leave." Mr. BENNETT: I do not mind inter­ That is the end of that Weekly Notice. jections. I like to answer sensible inter­ Mr. Davi:es: That is under a Labour jections but I will deal adequately with Government. inane interjections. However, the Minister for Transport will not answer even a sensible Mr. BENNETT: That is under a Labour and decent ques.tion. He roars like a bull Government and clearly and obviously is throughout the whole of his speech, and then, discretionary in its application. having spoken for an hour, he sits down and wants to interject while someone else Now we have the typical Tory legislation, is speaking. I wish he would act like a partisan and paltry in its outlook. It is gentleman. The hon. gentleman will not headed, "Instruction to Railway Employees". answer any questions so I propose to deal It is Weekly Notice No. 40 dated 3 October, with him in the same fashion as he deals 1963. I ask hon. members to bear in mind with other hon. members. t~at it cam_e out on the eve of the impending city council and local-authority elections to Mr. Dewar: You were not in the Chamber be held throughout Queensland. when the Minister explained that the policy Government Members interjected. was initiated by the Labour Government. Mr. BENNETT: If hon. members opposite Mr. BENNETT: The Minister for Labour would talk one at a time instead of all and Industry has interjected. I did not pro­ together like a lot of galahs I would be pose to deal with him this evening but seeing ll;ble to listen to one of them, but I cannot that he has poked his nose into this argument, listen to them when they all speak at the after coming away from dealing with one time as three of them are now doing. the feminine ties which occupies so much of his time, I must say that I The instruction says- have been most alarmed to find that "A. (i) That in future an employee of he shares with the Minister for Transport his the Commissioner for Railways will not utter contempt and hatred of railway workers. be granted leave of absence or time off That was manifest from his remarks at to attend to the duties of any office which Ipswich this week about Ipswich develop­ he might hold as a member of the Council ment. In effect, he said that the Liberal of a Local Authority. Party had no regard for the Ipswich district "(ii) That in respect of an employee and that he had no intention, as Minister whose duties are subject to roster, the roster for Labour and Industry, of endeavouring shall be prepared without regard to the fact to direct industry to that area, obviously that such employee holds office as a because the district had returned to this member of the Council of a Local Parliament, to the Federal Parliament, and Authority and a roster shall not be to the local authority, A.L.P. representatives. modified in any manner so as to facilitate So these two Ministers are doing their best to or enable the attendance of that employee kill industrial areas of that nature. at a meeting of the Council of a Local Let me say that the weekly notice issued Authority of which he is a member. under the Labour Government was one that "B. That with respect to an employee pwvided for the exercise of a discretion. It presently holding office as a member of is perfectly obvious that, in order to have the Council of a Local Authority, the suitable and proper control of railway and foregoing determination shall apply as other governmental and Public Service instru­ from the expiration of his present term mentalities and departments, it is necessary, of office." of course, for the head of the department to exercise some proper control. I believe that Underneath that we find this- legislation as provided by the A.L.P. Govern­ "The foregoing information is hereby ment in years gone by made provision for brought to the notice of all employees that control, which was exercised only in so that an employee contemplating certain emergent circumstances. In other candidature at any future Local Authority words, you cannot run a country by hard­ elections may be fully aware thereof." and-fast and strict legislation. This Govern­ It is amazing and outstanding to think that ment has found that out on many previous in modern times any Government claiming occasions. The Minister has found it out some semblance of democratic principles himself with his own legislation, which he should seek to disentitle one large section claimed to be good and right and proper­ of the community from any opportunity the State Transport Facilities Act-and Supply [15 OCTOBER] Supply 705 lawyers in this State have shot peas through the South Coast and can spare the time to several holes in it and will continue to do drive to Ipswich, or wherever it may be, so. once a month to represent a shire in the In order to have correct legislation with local-authority field. effective control, you must make provision The Government was going to do wonders for discretionary powers. At the same time, with its Bill of Rights. Under this ruling, you must have a lever to bring that control the only class with any rights will be what into use when necessary. So we had the is commonly referred to as the idle rich. rule, under an A.L.P. Government, of ever­ I do not refer to them with complete cising control over employees of this type; derision, but it is harking back to the days at the same time we allowed for a discretion that one can read of in any political science to be exercised in an elastic fashion so that, textbook when only the idle rich had the whenever possible, no Crown employee, no opportunity to gain public representation. railway employee, or member of the Public Whilst I am prepared to concede that there Service, was disentitled to engage in public are amongst them a number who have intel­ representation unless it was impracticable or ligence and ability, it is normally the hard­ almost impossible for him to do so or in working man, who is fully occupied, who the adverse interests of the particular organi­ knows the difficulty of earning a living, who sation in which he was working. There are, has a family of his own and knows life's ot course, certain emergent circumstances problems, who is the most suitable for public that can readily be brought to mind that representation, and that is the category being would disentitle a public servant or a school excluded from it by this ruling. teacher, or a railway worker for that matter, I know that it will exclude several railway to representation on a local authority or workers at Ipswich. Whilst the ruling was other public body. I could name several. directed at all Labour-controlled councils in One is the one-teacher school. It would be Queensland, it was directed in particular idle to suggest that the head teacher, or the against the Ipswich City Council. We have only teacher at a one-teacher school, should evidence of the antagonism and animosity be entitled to take a day off and leave the degenerating to pure hatred engendered in children to their own resources while he goes the minds of the Minister for Transport and away to represent the area on a local the Minister for Labour and Industry because authority or on some other public instru­ the Ipswich district has the impertinence to mentality. It would be stupid to make pro­ return A.L.P. representatives in every field. vision for that. Therefore you could not They are endeavouring to eliminate them. have a strict, hard-and-fast, mandatory type of legislation or weekly notice saying that all It is significant that we have here the employees must be entitled to public repre­ Mayor of Redcliffe and the Mayor of Rock­ sentation. You must reserve some discre­ hampton, who are very anxious about their tionary power to restrain those who would future tenures of office in the local-authority want to go away and leave their own respon­ field. They know the feelings of their sibilities to the detriment of the community. localities, and they Jmow that A.L.P. candi­ So Labour wisely and properly made that dates in them are strong, capable men of d1scretionary power available. ability, with the necessary qualifications to control civic affairs in their areas. These But that is not so any longer. Pursuant hon. members are applying pressure to the to By-law 619 and By-law 254, the legislation Government to stop A.L.P. representatives now says that the employee will not be seeking the endorsement of the public. granted leave. That is mandatory on the Commissioner. His discretion has been cut Mr. Houghton interjected. away entirely. No longer will the employee be granted leave. Furthermore, it says that Mr. BENNETT: That shows how little when it becomes necessary to rearrange a the hon. member for Redcliffe knows about roster under any conditions, that employee his own area. He thinks that because there seeking to have the roster rearrar.ged has is no railway line at Redcliffe, there are no no chance of getting the leave and the railway workers living there. I can tell him Commissioner has no discretion to allow him that there are at least 50 railwaymen that I to be given that leave in the interests of know personally living at Redcliffe. He has public representation. probably never heard of them. That shows the extent of his thinking and the lack of It is certainly a shocking ruling, and it logic in his mental make-up. He thinks that alarms me to think that we have a Govern­ because there is no railway, there must be ment prepared to make it. They speak so no railway workers. How stupid can one glibly against totalitarianism, socialistic be! legislation, and socialism generally, yet they There are then the various committees to are prepared to socialise public representa­ be considered. There are the various appren­ tion to such an extent that the ordinary man ticeship boards and the Electrical Workers' has no chance of gaining public office in a Board. They are all public offices in which local authority. They have socialised it so normally people in this category of public that the only people who can attain office servants are entitled to serve. They will now are men on the land, the landed gentry, and be denied that opportunity. Who would be the fellows who live most of the time on better qualified to sit on apprenticeship and 706 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply trade boards than workers who have them­ the community as members of a local selves served their apprenticeship and worked authority. But because the preponderance under the control of those boards for many of them happen to be of ALP. thinking. years? this Government is prepared to stifle their ambition, to kill their public spiritedness, Mr. Davies: They get allowances too, do to thwart their ideas of public development they not? anJ local authority service, and service to Mr. BENNEIT: They get allowances. the public in other fashions, because they do not happen to support the Government's Mr. Houghton: They do not get as much thinking. Thirteen of the 22 who have as a barrister gets. nominated in Ipswich come under the ban to be placed on them by this proposal. In Mr. BENNEIT: They at least earn it other words, 13 of the present 22 nominees honestly, unlike some other people. The Mayor of Redcliffe had certain land re-zoned will now be disqualified. for commercial and business purposes and A claim has been made, too, that these then acted as commission agent in the deal. people cause a certain amount of jealousy He was getting his salary as an alderman amongst their fellow workers because of the and his fee as a commission agent too. expenses or emoluments they receive. Every Barristers get their fees for honest work, local-authority man in Queensland will not by working rackets. In many cases real­ laugh the Minister to scorn on that claim, estate agents get into local authorities so and that includes even his own Tory sup­ they can earn a quick quid. porters who are public representatives. Why, this Minister and other Government mem­ The Minister said that between 1946 and bers are at present claiming that they cannot 1957 there were 20 refusals by A.L.P. live adequately on the salaries they are Governments. Although most of the things receiving as public men! that the Minister told us were completely erroneous, I must assume that the figure of Mr. Chalk: We are not all barristers. We 20 is correct because we have no means of have not all been in court all day. checking his statements. He did not men­ tion one name, nor did he mention one Mr. BENNEIT: I am here in this request that had been refused. If the Chamber much longer than the Minister for figure is correct, that is 20 refusals by Labour Transport is. He spends most of his time Governments in 11 years, or fewer than two acting like a playboy, running around to a year. One could well understand that social functions instead of getting down to there might be many legitimate grounds for work for the railwaymen and refraining refusal, such as a man being at a one­ from closing down branch lines. He is so teacher school or a health service being much of a social climber that he enjoys the jeopardised, and so on. ceremonial incense instead of the practical application. I repeat my allegation, which I am sure that the Queensland Teachers' seems to be such a sore point with the Union will deeply regret the Government's Government, that by appointing a salaries decision. I say quite frankly and without tribunal hon. members opposite are claiming equivocation that I definitely do not believe that their salaries are insufficient to meet the the Minister's statement that he is being demands of public representation. I am not inundated by protests from public servants making any comment about that, but at the and others, and I challenge him to produce same time this deceitful Minister says that the names, occupations and addresses of those Crown employees and railway those who have protested. If he is bona employees who are serving the public by fide, I suggest that he should be prepared way of council or local-authority representa­ to do that. I know that he will not. To tion are arousing bitterness and jealousy use the vernacular, I think they are all among their fellow employees because of furphies, brought out of a hat like a the expenses or emoluments they are receiv­ magician's rabbits, in order to bolster up ing. They are receiving a mere pittance, his illogical arguments. and any local-authority man knows that Certain comments have been made about they are out of pocket because of the ser­ the forthcoming local-authority elections. It vices they render. They are making not only is well known that many railway workers, a public and personal sacrifice but also a particularly in Ipswich, have sought endorse­ financial sacrifice in the service they give to ment for plebiscites, and it is strangely the community, and I am shocked that the significant that the decision was made before Minister should come into this Chamber and the completion of the plebiscites and at a time deride their efforts by claiming they are when the ward system is being introduced in doing it purely for personal gain, that they Ipswich. The Government anticipated that serve on local authorities for the profit they it would be horribly embarrassed by the make. We know that with the few miserly results of the election in Ipswich under the shillings they get they are out of pocket ward system, knowing that the A.L.P. would because of their efforts. They do not arouse win every ward, because amongst the railway­ the jealousy of their fellow workers at all. men, school teachers and other public ser­ As a matter of fact, most of their fellow vants there are men of ability and integrity, workers-! should say the vast majority of self-sacrificing people who desire to serve their fellow workers-would say they are not Supply (15 OCTOBER] Supply 707

prepared to make the sacrifice these men are the big nark in Cabinet-the Minister for making. They admire them for their services Transport. He is the nark to the ordinary and they respect them for the money and worker. time they put into their public representation, Mr. Sullivan: Get on with your speech and and they would not be prepared to squeal or tell us something. Get off his back. clamour for their return to their work. They know that their fellow employees are spend­ Mr. BENNEIT: The hon. member is ing in the public interest the pocket money another one who always wants to attack the that is spent otherwise by those who do not railway worker. I have sat here on many serve as representatives of the public. In occasions and listened to him. I have heard other words this Minister has made a vicious, him advocate the abolition of the railways unwarranted attack on the ordinary wage­ even in his own district. He said they should earner-the man on the basic wage who is be completely eliminated. prepared to spend from his wages a certain amount in order that he will have the satis­ Mr. Sullivan: That must have been a very faction and the pride of serving his local rare occasion. You are not here very often. authority. He does not serve to make a Mr. BENNEIT: I admit that I normally profit out of the small amount that he is walk out when the hon. member is speaking paid in attendance money. because he gives everyone a headache. But The decisions made in those 20 cases, of I have noticed on the other hand that he course, were individual decisions dealing with sticks around when I am making my speech. each application. We have not been informed Dealing with the change in rosters, I of the circumstances or the name of any one believe that in any big community and in individual, but I have no doubt that there any organisation that has a large work force was justification for their refusal because of the re-arranging of rosters is in keeping with the particular and peculiar circumstances of custom and practice. It certainly encourages the time. I have no doubt that every Public mateship, and the man who has to seek a Service Commissioner, Commissioner for change in the roster for his own benefit has Railways and other officer called upon to a sense of gratitude for many mates-perhaps exercise his discretion in these circumstances for people whom he did not know to be would do so readily in favour of the applicant mates until he made the request. However, if it were at all possible for him to do so. this is to come to an end and it will prevent No doubt it will pay the respective Commis­ people from exercising their feeling of mate­ sioners now to say, "This is the end of your ship and camaraderie in the organisation in public life. You must go back to your job. which they are serving. It binds them closer You are not allowed to be like any other together and gives them a pride in the organ­ section of the community and give vent to isation in which they are serving and gives your self-expression and ability by public them a feeling of loyalty one to the other service." It reminds me of Tom Hood's and to the job they are doing. I believe "Song of the Shirt." This is the attitude that to cut out this opportunity of doing the Minister adopts to the ordinary man, good and of being able to be charitable, one particularly the railway worker, whom he to the other, is depriving them of some of hates. By every decision he makes this is the finer things in their lives and in their what he says to them in effect- work, things they have enjoyed for over a "Work-work-work! quarter of a century. "From weary chime to chime; I believe that if the Minister received any protests-and I do not believe he did because "Till the heart is sick and the brain he did not give any particulars-he should benumbed have dealt with them in the manner they "As well as the weary hand." deserve and said, "If you are going to be a squealer and cannot fall in with your mates He does not want them to have any interest and cannot show some decency, for which in life other than to sit over their machines the law makes provision, and if you cannot or to do their ordinary day's toil. He does live in the community and be one of the not want them to have even one-tenth of the community, you had better get out." That opportunity he has for self-expression, for is what he should have said to that type of getting some feeling of confidence and some man. The hon. member for Maryborough self-satisfaction out of the knowledge that has drawn my attention to-- they are serving their fellow man well. He also says that it is wrong that rosters should Mr. Smith: Junior counsel. be re-arranged. From my knowledge of men Mr. BENNEIT: Whether one is junior in all walks of life you do get the nark here and there. counsel or senior, so long as one is sincere and believes one has a certain amount of Government Members: We have them here. satisfaction. A Government Member interjected. Mr. BENNEIT: The hon. member for Sherwood runs around and makes a nark of Mr. BENNEIT: If the hon. member himself with the staff at Parliament House. applied for a position around the courts his We have narks everywhere but fortunately job would be cleaning the toilets for the they are in the extreme minority. We have prisoners. 708 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply

The hon. member for Maryborough has In the brief time at my disposal I wish drawn my attention to the case of Mr. to make some short reference to the George Hooper, who lives in Maryborough, impending decision to hold an early Fede.ral in the suburb of Tinana. He works in the election. The decision has been germinatmg Huon Forestry Section and I am reliably for some time and, when the "Telegraph" informed by the hon. member that he is a last night reported the latest unemployment very valued employee and overseer. He was figures, it was abundantly clear to everyb?dY elected to the Burrum Shire Council, which that the decision would be made tomght meets once a month in the day-time. That because they were trying to put up a smoke­ necessitates his absenting himself from work screen on employment to deceive the people. once a month during the day-time, and of Let us be quite clear. If the true figures for course under the discretionary Labour ruling Queensland were published, in spite of the he would get permission. Although he is a fact that this is perhaps the best time of respected and able employee and is well the year for employment-from the climatic regarded on the Burrum Shire Council, he and seasonal point of view and from the will have to make the sacrifice I mentioned point of view of juniors and seniors being earlier. He takes pride and joy in his work absorbed in their public examinations-the and the people in the area appreciate his real figure would be 5 per cent. unemployed efforts. However, he made a grave mistake in Queensland. And while our figures have -and this is one of the reasons for this been reduced by a paltry 600-odd, the figures decision-so far as this Government is con­ elsewhere have been reduced by some 5,000 cerned, and stood against Jack Pizzey as the or 6,000. Labour candidate. Having stood against It was obvious to anyone that there would Jack Pizzey he considerably endangered his be a Federal election when the wool levy tenure of office. It was decided that he was discussed by the Country Party, who did should come into this category and no longer not want a Federal election, but have been be given an opportunity to serve. By virtue commandeered into conducting one by the of this decision he will have to resign. He force of the Liberal Party throughout is experienced and qualified in this type of Australia and in the various State Parlia­ work but his services have been stultified by ments. Although the Country Party in this this Government, because that will be one of Assembly pretends to be the major party, the the effects of this property-franchise repre­ Liberal Party is the little tail that is wag!S!ng sentation introduced by this decision. As has the dog. The wool price and the condition been said, this is a negation of our funda­ of the wool industry were so unsatisfactory mental concepts and democratic principles. that Sir William Gunn stamped around the Over the years, from time to time we have countryside, "copping" rotten eggs, flour amended the legislation to take sole franchise bombs, water bombs and sugar and so forth from the landed or property interests. We which spoilt his good suits, in an endeavour were not taking it away from them entirely to raise some enthusiasm and financial sup­ but giving it to all sections of the community. port from the wool barons of Australia. This legislation will mean that, while every­ Because of the parlous condition of the wool body will be entitled to a vote at a local­ industry the Country Party did not want an authority election, only the landed gentry in election and, because of the dissension in the the main will be able to serve on country wool industry through the submissions made councils. So it is well to be understood that by Sir William Gunn they decided that no in places like Ipswich and even in Redcliffe Federal election would be necessary. So (where they are seriously, in the local­ what did the Liberal Party do in their elec­ authority world, dissatisfied with their repre­ toral skullduggery and their political hyproc­ sentative) and certainly in Rockhampton, the risy? In order to win over the Country people who are now being given the oppor­ Party and persuade them to their way of tunity in the franchise to exercise their vote thinking on a general election, they decided will not want to do so because in effect their that the taxpayers would offer a subsidy of vote has been taken away from them. They 50 per cent. to the wool industry. vote either for the Country Party No. 1 Mr. Ewan: So they should. candidate or for the Country Party No. 2 candidate. If they do not like either of Mr. BENNETT: The hon. member for those two, they have the further choice of Roma says, "So they should." I am not the Liberal Party candidate; but in many going to enter into an argument on that, instances they have no chance of voting for but it is rather significant that what might their own A.L.P. representative. So it can be regarded as the section of the community well be claimed that they have been dis­ in most comfortable financial circumstances franchised from local-authority representation. is being subsidised by the ordinary taxpayer. Furthermore, they are reduced to the The railway workers who will be thrown indignity that the State Electoral Act will out of the Ipswich City Council, the public servants who will be thrown out of the Red­ apply to them so that they will have to cast cliffe City Council, and the ordinary public a vote or be subject to a penalty even though servants who will not have a chance of serv­ they are dissatisfied with all the Country ing on the Rockhampton City Council, are Party or Liberal Party representatives who being asked, as taxpayers, to subsidise the come before them. wool industry by this 50 per cent. Supply [15 OCTOBER] Supply 709

There is one other reason why the Federal Country Party are so weak-kneed that they Government, in its skullduggery and political are not prepared even to clamour for a com­ chicanery, has decided to precipitate a mission of inquiry into the dairying indus­ Federal election. It has decided that the try." I was told at Warwick that the dairy­ Tory Government in England has no chance. ing industry is suffering a severe setback. It It is infamous, decadent, and immoral. is staggering and startling to find that the I do not know which is worse, the Queens­ annual butter consumption per head of popu­ land Government or the British Government, lation has fallen from 32·9 lb. in pre-war but certainly the British Government has no years to 26·2 lb. today. chance of survival. The Federal Govern­ Mr. Sullivan: How much margarine do ment knows that this is going to be a great you eat? blow for the Tory supporters throughout this country, so they are rushing headlong into Mr. BENNETI: Margarine and other a Federal election in order to avoid the pend­ synthetic products are being pushed by ing defeat of the British Government and, in business interests in the Tory world. Members turn, their own defeat next year. However, of the Liberal Party are prepared to assist they will still be defeated in spite of their in the production and disposal of margarine manoeuvrings. at the expense of butter and cheese produced by the dairy farmers. At the last meeting Let it be borne in mind that constitu­ of the Queensland Dairymen's Organisation tionally when a party has the numbers in it was announced that its membership had politics it can do anything. To be quite decreased by 30 per cent. and production frank about it, I must concede as a lawyer had decreased by 10 per cent. in the last that it is numbers that count and a Govern­ eight years. During the same period ment with the numbers can do what it likes. Australian production increased by 16 per It can ride roughshod over constitutional cent., so there was a total deficit of 26 per principles, and even rules and regulations, cent. in Queensland. The industry is in a and that is what this Government and the very doubtful position because of the prob­ Tory Government at Canberra do. able loss of markets in the United Kingdom, According to the fundamental decent con­ and the Government is doing nothing to cepts of political science, there must be a promote sales in new markets. When hon. real issue before an early Federal election members on this side of the Chamber is precipitated. There is now no real issue advocate that we should dispose of these products in certain countries we are called at all on which to fight a Federal election a lot of Communists. except the Government's fear that its slender majority of one will be whipped away at I had prepared many notes for this debate, any time and its knowledge that an early but I wish to refer particularly to a election will give an opportunity to have a unanimous decision of the Full Court of Queensland, one of whose members was a chop at Queensland's only Senator who will former Government member of this be contesting the election for the A.L.P., Assembly. namely, Senator George Whiteside. Mr. Ewan: What is wrong with that? There we see at Federal level the same type of political thinking as operates here. Mr. BENNETI: There is nothing wrong This Government is doing its best to get rid with it. The decision was a very wise and of A.L.P. representatives in local authorities, sound one. I wish to make it clear that the and Sir Robert Menzies is doing his best to court was not persuaded by any submissions get rid of Senator George Whiteside. He is, of mine. I had nothing to do with it on however, making a great mistake and he is this occasion, although I usually persuade the in for a great shock. court satisfactorily and suitably. As I said the decision was unanimous, and Mr. Justic~ The Warwick by-election is pending and Hart, of recent fame in this Chamber, shared I, with many other A.L.P. supporters, have in the decision and found that the top spent a certain amount of time there. People glamour detective of Queensland was guilty in that area are concerned about the ailing of perpetrating a fraud on one of the dairying industry. They believe that some courts of Queensland. That was the decision rejuvenated system of research and organisa­ of the Queensland Full Court, the highest tion is needed in the Department of Primary court in this State, and His Honour Mr. Industries. They believe that their needs are Justice Hart found that the fraud was being sadly neglected at present and that the deliberate. That is perhaps one of the most Government is pursuing more assiduously, if serious offences that anybody in Queensland it can pursue anything assiduously, the cculd commit, and it is even more serious interests of the sugar industry, because they when it is committed by an allegedly trusted say that "Big Ernie" Evans can stand over police officer. the Government whenever he likes. The Even the Minister for Transport has had expression used in the country is that "Big to accept, with much bitterness and chagrin, Ernie" Evans told them they must have a the decisions of the Full Court, which usually sugar commission to investigate the circum­ are against him. But, lo and behold, the stances of the sugar industry. They said, Commissioner of Police does not accept the "Our own western representatives in the unanimous decision of the Full Court and 710 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply

say that he will act appropriately because on the front page of the "Telegraph" and committing a fraud on the court is a serious he is not, and will not be, charged with offence under a certain section of the anything. Criminal Code. He does not accept the The Minister is doing nothing about it. decision with equanimity, but tells the public, The previous Minister in charge of police the Government and members of Cabinet was never game to discuss police affairs. that he is not accepting it and will have I cannot say too much about this particular the decision of the Full Court investigated aspect because the Minister claimed on one departmentally. What a shocking impertin­ occasion that a certain matter was sub judice. ence from any public servant, or any other It is, of course, still sub judice and if the person in the community! He said that he Commissioner has his way it will be sub is not prepared to accept the unanimous judice until he retires. decision of the Full Court, that he will have the matter departmentally investigated. (Time expired.) There have been many occasions in the Mr. RAMSDEN (Merthyr) (9.19 p.m.): past when this Commissioner has suspended First of all I should like to apologise for policemen and dismissed them from office. speaking at this hour. I did not expect it On some occasions, no doubt, his actions have would take the hon. member who has just been justified; on many other occasions they resumed his seat from half past 4, when have been vitriolic and vindictive. On this the court rose, until after the tea adjournment occ<1sion, when there has been a decision of to get here to speak. When he did speak the Full Court, the Commissioner is not we were entertained by what might be called prepared to accept it; he does not even sus­ the most psycho-neurotic speech I have heard pend the police officer concerned. He is for a long time. The main trouble with him still acting as a police officer, and no doubt was that he had nothing to say and, unfor­ preparing evidence to put before the court. tunately, he kept on saying it for the whole Of course, no court will ever again accept his hour. The main burden of his complaint was evidence. What is more, this particular with the Minister for Transport and on the officer glamorises himself by dragging some question of a Federal election. While he poor individual, draped only in a little towel, castigates the Federal Government for want­ almost stark naked, from a building. He is ing to bring on a Federal election 12 months not arrested-he still has not been charged­ e:1rlier than is necessary, on the grounds yet this officer assaults him by dragging him that it is a waste of public money, I remind from private premises-- him that within three months of the last Federal election the Leader of the Labour Mr. Smith interjected. Opposition, Mr. Calwell, was crying out blue murder, saying, "The position is not clear Mr. BENNETT: No action has been taken enough. Let us have another election." and I know none will be taken. He drags If the truth be known the real reason for him out from private premises and either the scream at the moment is that there are arranges, or had pre-arranged, for a week­ so many Federal Labour Party boys who are end newspaper to make an incursion into this experiencing their very first Parliament, and individual's privacy and dignity by having they now see that their time for superannua­ a photograph taken; or alternatively, the tion purposes might be cut short by an early other serious claim is that the Police Depart­ election. ment itself took that photograph, which may have been necessary for police purposes but Mr. Davies: Are you going to put any which is pornographic when published. The ads. in the paper with a hammer and sickle other claim is that Detective Glen Hallahan over Parliament House? arranged for the police photographer to go Mr. RAMSDEN: We have not decided from the police photographic records and to that yet, but it was quite a good advertise­ select the photograph he wanted and publish ment last time. it in "Sunday Truth". I now want to address myself to the sub­ Mr. Smith: He should have been sus­ ject of tourist activities. I notice in the pended, should he not? contingencies subdivision of the Estimates dealing with the Division of Tourist Activi­ Mr. BENNETT: That is the extraordinary ties, that for publicity and special tour conduct that is being tolerated by the Com­ organisation the record amount of £56,050 missioner. I know that he not only tolerates has been allocated. The amount has been such conduct but also encourages it because increased year by year since this Govern­ of his social activities at the Majestic Hotel, ment took office in 1957, when the amount allocated was £7,500. In 1953-1954 the where he is wined and dined by those who expenditure on tourist publicity in Queens­ wam advance police information so that land was £122,811. In 1956-1957 it jumped they can influence public opinion and the to £154,251. In the last financial year, 1962- ccurt's decision long before a case ever gets 1963, the expenditure was £302,813, almost into court. This particular case will never a 100 per cent. increase since we became go to court because the police are not pre­ the Government. It is rather important to pared to prefer any charges. They plaster note that, because tourism has taken its that man's photograph, almost in the nude, place in Queensland as the seventh industry, Supply (15 OCTOBER] Supply 711

and year by year it is growing in importance. Self/Member of family The Tourist Bureau, under the very capable Travel agent direction and leadership of the Director­ Carrier General, Mr. Wilson, is facing up to the Employer /Employee ever-increasing demand for better facilities Other, write in ...... and better services. Most of the descriptive "4. What was the purpose of this trip? pamphlets have been rewritten and reprinted, and produced in a more convenient pocket Holiday /Pleasure tour size. Visit to friends/relatives Attend to business Tourism will grow quite naturally, even Attend meeting, conference if we did little or nothing about it. Visitors Official/Professional duties would come here in any case, but whether Study they would come back again or urge their In transit/ change plane friends and relatives to come here would be Other, write in ...... problematical. The Tourist Bureau, follow­ ing the Government's policy, has paid special "5. With whom are you travelling? attention to group tourist activities. I Alone instance the recent visits of groups from the With family Frankston Teachers' College of Victoria, the With friends/relatives Burwood Teachers' College of New South As member of delegation Wales, and the Scotch College of Adelaide. In organised group tour I have had the privilege of attending many Other, write in ...... " functions as vice-chairman of the Parlia­ I know some hon. members opposite mentary Tourist Committee. Without excep­ would not like to say whom they were tion, on every occasion our hospitality, travelling with. They would object to friendliness and basic understanding of our answering that question. visitors has been such that it has sent them The questionnaire continues- back to their own States or countries anxious to return here themselves and to tell others "6. Which of these activities did you what we, in Queensland, have to offer. I enjoy? believe that we can go much further if we Sightseeing set to and find out what type of tourists we Visit to historical places are attracting and what they are actually Festivals, Pageantry looking for in Queensland. Recently a friend Native dances, art of mine returned from a tour of the U.S.A., Photography Canada, the Philippines and Japan. Know­ Social life ing my interest in tourism, she brought back Sports with her this interesting questionnaire which Night life every visitor to the Philippines is asked to Other, write in ...... fill in so that he or she can assist the Board "7. What cities or towns did you visit? of Travel and Tourist Industry. I should like to place on record the ques­ tions that are asked because I believe they could be of interest to our own bureau. It "8. Can you state three things which will be noted that this inquiry is strictly you like most? confidential; it can be anonymous, if neces­ sary. It will be used only for statistical pur­ poses and will be not used or released in any way that would permit the tourist to be "9. Can you indicate your income from identified. It consists of 18 main queries, all sources? some of which have subsidiary queries. For Under $5,000 instance, it asks first of all- $5,000 to $7,499 "1. How many times have you been to $7,500 to $9,999 the Philippines before this trip?" $10,000 to $14,999 It continues-- $15,000 to $19,999 Over $20,000 "2. Which of the following gave you information about the Philippines that "10. Can you tell us your occupation? helped you plan this trip? (Please write in ink) Travel folders "11. How long did you stay in the Brochures Philippines? Guide books ...... days Magazines and newspapers ...... a few hours (Check if less than 24 hours) Air or shipping line Travel agent "12. Where did you stay? Other, write in ...... " Hotel Apartment/Rented home "3. Who made arrangements for this With friends/relatives trip? Other, write in ...... 712 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply

"13. How much altogether did you Services Inc., operators of Hemphill World spend? (Include expense of family or Cruises. His travel service operates from immediate party; exclude fares to and from Los Angeles, California. I had a very the Philippines.) informative hour-long conversation with this $ ...... gentleman and his wife about what the "14. How many persons does this tourist is looking for and what we must expenditure cover? provide if we are to continue to attract overseas tourists to Queensland. Mr. Hemphill was on his way to Mount Isa and "15. Can you give approximate figures Alice Springs, not just to have a look for as your expenditure on himself, but because he said the things that Accommodation $ ...... Americans wanted to see were the real Aus­ Meals and drinks $ . . . tralia-the interior, the kangaroos, the koalas, Shopping $ ...... the platypus and other things they could not Fares within Phi!. $ . see in the States. Because of his interest Other $ ...... in the North and the West, I brought the hon. "16. Do you consider the Philippines member for Flinders in to meet him, and more or less expensive than expected? the hon. member was able to tell him many More expensive things he wanted to know prior to going Less expensive north and west for the first time. As expected There are two things I remember Mr. Other, write in . Hemphill emphasising that we must do if we "17. Have you any comments about this wanted to attract the American tourist. In trip? ...... the first place, he said, it was useless adver­ "18. May we know your tising our beaches in the United States. "They are not going to come half way across Nationality Country of the world to lie on sand or swim in water, residence ... which they can do at home. They are going If you have no objections, may we to come across the Pacific," he said, "to see have your name ...... your indigenous flora and fauna. They will THANK YOU FOR YOUR come to see your kangaroos, your koalas, CO-OPERATION." your Barrier Reef and your hinterland but they won't come out to rough it! In other Mr. Hughes: Don't you think that is an words, they will not come unless they have impertinence and an invasion of rights? a comfortable, clean, modern room to stay in, where there is a good bed, air-conditioning, Mr. RAMSDEN: Not at all. I have and a good table, not of luxury foods but of already said it is a voluntary form and can good, solid Australian food." be anonymous. He told us that the American tourist was At the beginning, I said this questionnaire quite prepared to rough it during the day­ is sent out and may be used anonymously, time as he moved from place to place. He and I have also stated that it is used only did not mind being taken in a jeep as he for statistical purposes. I am informed that moved from place to place, or going on it helps the Philippines tourist industry con­ horseback, if necessary; but when he came siderably. By the questions asked it gives the back to his hotel or motel at night he wanted Philippines authorities a real insight into to be assured of the maximum comfort he exactly what a visitor is looking for when he visits that country. could obtain. I suggest that the Queensland Government And so, advised this leading world-travel Tourist Bureau might give very serious con­ agent, it is no good waiting for the tourist sideration to the printing of a similar con­ to come before we build our modern hotels fidential questionnaire adapted to Queensland and motels for, if we do that and the tourist conditions. It could be distributed to inter­ comes and is not comfortably bedded down state travel agents, tourist bureaus in other and accommodated, he will enjoy what he States, and our overseas agents. When the sees; he will enjoy his tripping about; but information has been collated we can make he will not enjoy his nights and his rest, and a real, and more or less scientific, approach he will never come back. Indeed, what is to providing what the tourist to Queensland worse, he will not advise anyone else to come wants. Such a questionnaire would, in a very here either. short time, provide us with the answers to The hotel or motel must make a gamble our accommodation problems, the sort of and be prepared to open up and have a activities, tours and interest our visitors couple of lean years while providing first­ require and then, by applying our energies class accommodation so that, when the over­ as a State to meeting these requirements, we seas tourist does come to that town or city, would give an added impetus to the great not only will he enjoy his tourist activities tourist industry. in the day-time but he will also feel at home Recently the Minister for Labour and at night. Then probably as well as wanting Industry introduced me to one of the leading to come back himself he will certainly United States travel agents, a Mr. R. W. become an unpaid travel agent selling our Hemphill, president of Hemphill Travel Queensland tourist commodity for us. Supply [15 OCTOBER] Supply 713

If the bureau can issue a questionnaire "(7) That the Select Committee have designed to survey the Queensland tourist power to send for persons, papers and field, I feel sure the information derived records, to sit during any adjournment of from it will enable the hotel or the motel the House, and to move from place to or the residential to build according to the place. standard required and, furthermore, to build where people from overseas, Americans and "(8) That the Committee report to the others, want to go and want to stay. I very House not later than the 31st day of seriously commend the questionnaire idea to October, 1961. the Director-General of the Tourist Bureau "(9) That the foregoing provlSions of in spite of the ribaldry with which it was received in this Chamber. this resolution, so far as they are incon­ sistent with the Standing Orders, have Now I turn my attention to another sub­ effect notwithstanding anything contained ject, which, although not a pressing one at in the Standing Orders." the moment, will become so, I believe, in On the motion of Mr. Calwell (Leader of the the next few years, possibly within the life­ Opposition) the following amendment was time of this Parliament. Hon. members will made, after debate:- recall that on 18 April, 1961, the Hon. G. Freeth. Minister for the Interior in the "Paragraph (8), at the end of the para­ Federal Government, moved a motion for graph add the following words:-', and the appointment of a Select Committee to that any member of the Committee have inquire into, and report on, the voting rights power to add a protest or dissent to the of aboriginals. The motion moved was- report'." "(1) That a Select Committee be The motion, as amended, was agreed to. appointed to inquire into and report on- The Select Committee that was subse­ (a) whether the entitlement to enrol­ quently appointed consisted of Mr. H. G. ment and the right to vote presently con­ Pearce (Chairman), Mr. C. E. Bames, Mr. ferred by the Commonwealth Electoral P. G. Browne, Mr. P. Howson, all appointed Act, 1918-1953 on persons referred to by the Prime Minister, and Mr. K. E. in section 39 of that Act should be Beasley, Mr. A. S. Luchetti, and Mr. J. N. extended with or without qualifications, Nelson, appointed by the Leader of the restrictions or conditions to-- Opposition, Mr. Calwell. (i) all aboriginal natives of Aus­ The Committee travelled some 22,000 tralia, or miles to obtain evidence from aboriginal (ii) aboriginal natives of Australia people, welfare officers, clergy, school included in particular classes, and, if teachers, pastoralists, policemen, and others so, what classes; who had interested themselves in aboriginal and, if so- afl."airs. Evidence, either oral or in writing, was taken from 327 witnesses, of whom 142 (b) The modifications, if any, that were descended from the original inhabitants should be made to the provisions of that Act relating to enrolment or voting to of Australia. provide for enrolment and voting by The Committee met in the Australian aboriginal natives or any particular Capital Territory, the Northern Territory, and classes of aboriginal natives. all the mainland States of the Commonwealth. As a result of its investigations it made the "(2) That the Select Committee consist following recommendations:- of seven members, four to be appointed by the Prime Minister and three to be "(!) That, because the aboriginal people appointed by the Leader of the Opposition. in New South Wales and Victoria have long been integrated into the Australian "(3) That every appointment of a mem­ community, early administrative action be ber of the Committee be forthwith noti­ taken so that the compulsory provisions of fied in writing to the Speaker. the Commonwealth Electoral Act relating "(4) That the Chairman be one of the to enrolment and voting be applied to them. members appointed by the Prime Minister. "(2) That wherever it is relevant for the "(5) That the Chairman of the Com­ Commonwealth Electoral Office to act mittee may from time to time appoint upon the definition of an Australian another member of the Committee to be aboriginal, that definition should be that Deputy Chairman, and that the member which is the practice in the Northern so appointed act as Chairman of the Com­ Territory, namely, a person entirely of mittee at any time when the Chairman aboriginal descent. is not present at a meeting of the Committee. "(3) That early action be taken by the Commonwealth Electoral Office to inform "(6) That the Chairman or the Deputy aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Chairman, when acting as Chairman, shall servicemen and ex-servicemen, and people have a deliberative vote and, in the event entitled to the franchise under the terms of an equality of voting, a casting vote. of the Attorney-General's memorandum to 'f14 Supply [ASSEMBLY] Supply

the Commonwealth Electoral Officer of mention that evidence and submissions were 25th January, 1929, of their entitlement to heard and received from a range of witnesses be enrolled and to vote." extending from either Communism or the ultra-left to Anglican priests and public The next recommendation is to be found at servants. Amongst some of the experienced paragraph 77 of the report, and it concerns and expert witnesses were people such as the right of aboriginals to vote at Common­ Mr. Con O'Leary, at that time Director of wealth elections. It reads- Native Affairs; Mr. Radford, Principal "Your Committee recommends that the Electoral Officer; Reverend J. R. Sweet, Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918-1961 Secretary of the Aboriginal and Foreign be amended to provide- Missions of the Presbyterian Church; Mr. (!) That the right to vote at Common­ George Sturges, Superintendent of Cher­ wealth elections be accorded to all bourg; and Mr. Roy Bartlam, Superintendent aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander of Palm Island, both of whom I know subjects of the Queen, of voting age, personally and for whose experience, know­ permanently residing within the limits ledge and integrity I have the highest regard; of the Commonwealth. Sub-Inspector J. B. Chambers, at that time Protector of Aboriginals in the Townsville (2) That, for the time being, the District; Mr. Keith Spence, Manager of enrolment of aborigines and Torres Strait the Aboriginal Hostel at Aitkenvale; Vener­ Islanders be voluntary, but when able Archdeacon C. G. Brown, Superinten­ enrolled, compulsory voting be enforced." dent of St. Paul's Mission to the South Sea The final recommendations are in paragraphs Islanders, Moa Island, and Archdeacon of 82 to 85. They read- Carpentaria; Right Reverend S. J. Matthews, Lord Bishop of Carpentaria; as well as "82. Your Committee recommends that such well-known native people as Mrs. Sylvia the matter of enrolment should not be Cairns, Reverend Boggo Pilot, and the late left to welfare officers, private persons, Mr. J effrey Doolah. organisations, or political parties and recommends that the administrative pro­ It is interesting to note that of all the cedures of the Commonwealth Electoral States Queensland has the third highest Office be altered to provide for specially number of full-blood aboriginals. qualified electoral officers to receive per­ sonal applications for enrolment at places Mr. Evans: And they are not recognised accessible to aborigines. for tax-reimbursement purposes. "83. It is recommended that the volun­ Mr. RAMSDEN: That is correct. West­ tary expression of a wish to enrol by an ern Australia has the most, with 43 · 6 per aboriginal to such officers, should be cent., Northern Territory is next with 29 · 8 sufficient for them to help in the completion per cent., and Queensland, as I say, is in of an enrolment card. third place, with 19 · 5 per cent. of the total "84. It is recommended by your Com­ aboriginal population of the Commonwealth, mittee that a penal provision be inserted which means that we had in Queensland­ in the amending Act in respect of the use ! am pleased that the Minister for Mines of duress or undue influence on aborigines and Main Roads interjected-at 30 June, in the exercise of their franchise. 1961, the date of the last census, something of the order of 10,325 full-blood aboriginals. "85. It is recommended that the pro­ When we add to these some 7,944 half­ cedures of voting and the structure of the bloods and a further 8,009 Torres Strait Parliament be explained to aborigines on Islanders, we see that the Commonwealth government settlements and on missions Select Committee on Voting Rights for and other convenient locations. In this Native People refers to the voting rights connexion well prepared visual aids and of some 26,278 people in Queensland, plus publications would be helpful." a further 1,120 full-bloods and 20,050 half­ On 15 and 16 June, 1961, this Select Com­ bloods exempted under the Act from the mittee of the Federal House met in Brisbane. control of the State Department concerned­ It sat at the Cherbourg Aboriginal Settle­ in other words, a total coloured population, ment on 17 June, at Palm Island on 19 June, exempted and unexempted, of 47,448. Not Townsville on 20 June, Cairns and the all of these, of course, would be of voting Mona Mona Mission on 21 June, Thursday age. According to the 1962 Queensland Island on 22 June, and finally Weipa and Year Book, the latest issued, the total number Townsville again on 23 June. of full-bloods has been slowly decreasing. I shall not mention any other places where For instance, full-bloods have declined from the Select Committee met in other States 14,000 in 1921 to 9,100 in 1947, excluding of the Commonwealth because my interest Torres Strait Islanders. On the other hand, in this subject relates entirely to the half-bloods have been steadily increasing in aboriginal question in Queensland, and it is number. For example, in the same period the evidence given in Queensland at the they increased from 3,090 in 1921 to 7,211 places I have mentioned that relates to the in 1947, again excluding Torres Strait problem here. However, I do want to Islanders. Supply [15 OCTOBER} Supply 715

Following the conclusion of the delibera­ in this regard, the State, whether it likes it tions of the Select Committee to which or not will have to legislate along similar I have referred, amendments were made in lines t~ give our native people the franchise. 1962 to the Commonwealth Electoral Act, It would be quite irrational if the native which now provides for all aboriginals, people could cast a vote for the National including Torres Strait Islanders, to vote in Parliament, with its many and dangerous Federal elections. The Federal Act, follow­ international responsibilities, and yet w~re ing these amendments, now provides for denied the right to vote for a State Parlia­ voluntary enrolment for our native people, ment which cannot possibly do too much of but when they do choose to enrol, then, a dangerous nature because the Common­ as with the white population, voting is we·alth holds the purse strings. I am not compulsory. So far, of course, no similar the only one who thinks Queensland will provision has been made in our Queensland now be forced to take cognisance of the legislation. It is because I believe that, franchise bestowed on aboriginals and Torres within a short period of time, this State Strait Islanders. will have to take cognisance of the Federal Act and the rights and privileges that it On page 65 of Part II of the report of confers on our coloured people that I am the Select Committee on Voting Rights of speaking on this subject tonight. Aboriginals, Minutes of Evidence, Mr. Beasley, another member, in paragraph 730, In 1961-1962, through the Department of is quoted as asking a reputable public servant Health and Home Affairs, Queensland who gave evidence this question- expended £803,529 on her coloured people; in 1962-1963 that amount had increased to "If the Commonwealth is to proceed £805,136, and a study of the Education to legislate to provide full voting rights Department's Estimates for this year shows for all people of the aboriginal race, or an estimated expenditure of £860,317 on the other people partly of aboriginal race at native population of Queensland. Incident­ present excluded, do you think any State ally, I commend the Government for trans­ Government could retain restrictions, or ferring the Native Affairs Division from do you think that the State restrictions Health to Education, for if these people are would be untenable?" to ever take their full and proper place in the national life of Queensland and Australia, The answer was- they will only do it following higher and "You have heard the Mission restrictions better education than we have been prepared criticised here. You know the Mission to give them in the past. procedure and you would know that voting rights would cut across that existing pro­ I said that sooner or later-perhaps sooner cedure. It is a matter of State law whether than we think-the State may have to bring those existing restrictions are all necessary its electoral legislation in regard to the native or not. It is a matter for me and for people into line with that of the Common­ you at State level, but very definitely to wealth. Mr. Luchetti, a member of the impose a Federal law on top of existing Commonwealth Select Committee, when State restrictions would cause conflict." questioning a superintendent of one of our settlements in Queensland. asked in para­ Then, in paragraph 731, question 7, this graph 1280 on page 88 of the Minutes of question was asked- Evidence in Part II of the Report- "But it would be a Federal law relating "Would it not be an interesting situation, only to the Federal electorate?" if, following our report, the Commonwealth The answer was- granted the vote to the people here (i.e. on the settlement), but the State retained "Yes, but take people going into settle- its present opposition so that they would ments, for instance. Immediately all not be eligible to vote in the State that gets thrown into the discard." elections?" The next question in paragraph 732 asks- The superintendent replied, "It would be most "You think, in other words, that the interesting!" The interesting situation spoken position of the States would become of has not yet arisen, because since the untenable if they had to follow the Com­ amending legislation no Commonwealth monwealth?" election has been held. But the Federal election on 30 November next will be The answer is, "That is right." the first to take place in which those of age The policy of Governments in Queensland, of these 47,500 people who desire to do so, irrespective of their political flavour, has been will be casting their first vote and experienc­ clear and purposeful. Their aim has been, ing a taste of electoral responsibility. and still is, the ultimate assimilation of all Then, after that taste and that experience, native peoples, full or mixed bloods, into the interesting situation spoken of will arise the community life of the State. But nothing if no provision is made for them to vote in that policy can be said to be an impetuous in State elections. I believe that now that forcing of people to change their environ­ the Commonwealth has legislated as it hns ment while they are unwilling to accept the 716 Supply [ASSEMBLY) Questions respo!lsibility of full citizenship. I appreciate that 1.n some quarters, particularly amongst left-wmg groups who are attempting to stir up trouble with and among our native people, Queensland is said to have a restrictive and harsh policy for aboriginals. I do not believe that to be so. In fact, one aboriginal on a settlement gave evidence to the Select Com­ mittee that the Queensland Government was too soft and spoonfed the native people too much. On the last occasion that I was in Western Australia, which has the largest native popu­ lation of all the States, I asked the Hon. Roy Abby, M.L.C., to take me to see the way the natives in that State were living. He took me out to Beverley, where he lived, and there, on the outskirts of the township, were three or four galvanised-iron huts. In these fairly primitive huts resided a number of aboriginal families. I said to Mr. Abby, "Do all of your aboriginals live in conditions like these, or have you got settlements?" He said, "No, we have no settlements. Some are in worse ones." In other words, Western Australia had no settlements like Palm Island or Cherbourg, and I mentally thought how much more protected and better cared for were our natives in Queensland than those I saw on the outskirts of Beverley. Prior to the war I lived in a mid-western village near Dubbo, in New South Wales. Every week I used to drive into Dubbo, and as I crossed the Macquarie River I was ashamed to see the squalor and misery in which the natives lived under odd sheets of rusted iron and bags. One could see the same thing on the Murray, at Mildura in Victoria. When people from Victoria or the other southern States tell me, as they some­ times do, "You people in Queensland deserve to be castigated because of your harsh restrictions on the natives", I compare what I saw at Beverley, Dubbo and Mildura with the comfortable living quarters, the health organisation and the social security that I saw our natives enjoying at Cherbourg and Palm Island. I know in my heart that although in Queensland we may be some­ what restricting the freedom of unexempted natives, at least we are not giving them the unrestricted freedom to earn money by the sweat of their limbs only to be robbed of their earnings by their unscrupulous fellows, whether white or native; the unrestricted freedom to roam from town to town in search of work, having nowhere to sleep, with empty, gnawing bellies; on the contrary, we are restricting their freedom to ensure that whilst they themselves want our protec­ tion we will give it to them and protect them not only from parasites who would prey on them, but even from themselves. (Leave to continue speech tomorrow granted.) Progress reported. The House adjourned at 9.56 p.m.