Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly WEDNESDAY, 28 NOVEMBER 1984 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Ministerial Statements 28 November 1984 3113 WEDNESDAY, 28 NOVEMBER 1984 Mr SPEAKER (Hon. J. H. Wamer, Toowoomba South) read prayers and took the chair at 11 a.m. PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table, and ordered to be printed— Reports— State Government Insurance Office (Queensland) for the year ended 30 June 1984 Transport Department for the year ended 30 June 1984 Metropolitan Transit Authority for the year ended 30 June 1984 Land Administration Commission including 20th report of the Rabbit Control Authority and 7th report on the operations under the Brisbane Forest Park Act 1977-1981 Council of the Griffith University for 1983 Caims Port Authority for the year ended 30 June 1984. The following papers were laid on the table— Orders in Council under— City of Brisbane Act 1924-1984 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982 City of Brisbane Town Planning Act 1964-1984 By-laws under the Railways Act 1914-1982 Statutes under the University of Queensland Act 1965-1983 Ordinances under the City of Brisbane Act 1924-1984. RAILWAY PROPOSAL Deviation and New Beenleigh Station Hon. D. F. LANE (Merthyr—Minister for Transport) laid on the table working plans, sections and books of reference for the deviation of the railway and a new station at Beenleigh, together with the report of the Commissioner for Railways thereon. The commissioner's report was ordered to be printed. MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS Federal Underwriting Scheme for Sugar Industry Hon. Sir JOH BJELKE-PETERSEN (Barambah—Premier and Treasurer) (11.4 a.m.), by leave: On my return from Melbourne on the evening of 22 November, I was absolutely flabbergasted and disgusted to leam that the meeting between Mr Hawke and the sugar-growers had been a futile and wasted effort. In the lead-up to the 5 March 1983 Federal election, all the Labor candidates promised an underwriting scheme for the sugar industry, which it did not get. What has been the result? There is no underwriting scheme as promised. I am told that Mr Hawke did his usual trick of buttering up the deputation. He proposed an intemational meeting on the sugar industry. One meeting recently finished in Geneva. The Government and growers were represented and, as we all know, it was very unsuccessful. The conference collapsed in June after more than a year of lead-up negotiations and long debate in Geneva. 64170—106 3114 28 November 1984 Ministerial Statements Mr Hawke proposed a Federal/State summit to review the industry. What hypocrisy! In September, Messrs McVeigh and Braithwaite proposed a bilateral approach to save the industry, but Mr Hawke did not take up the proposal. On 8 November, I called for a State/Federal conference, but Mr Kerin promptly knocked that on the head a few days later, as was widely reported in the press. Mr Hawke retumed to Brisbane just over a week later and did a political somersault, which meant nothing. He talked about two sugar summits. His proposals are nothing but political tricks to dupe sugar-growers. If they are not tricks, Mr Hawke would have taken up the earlier calls for a summit. What the people want is money, not conferences. They need something for the living, not for the dead. In the mid-1960s, the theiL Federal Govemment provided about $23m in sugar aid. It has been traditionally a Ccynmonwealth responsibility because the Commonwealth receives the majority of taxes from the industry. Today, such assistance would be equivalent to about $80m, and I ask for such assistance to be made available to growers immediately. What disturbs me most of all is the way in which thousands of cane-growers and their families have been sold down the drain by industry representatives. After all that the State Govemment has provided—$31m to alleviate growers' problems compared with $ 15.5m from the Federal Govemment—a Queensland Minister was not allowed to join in the deputation to help support the growers' case. I am led to believe that some comment was made from industry leaders that they did not want to make the meeting political. What a sham! Everything is political. More than I 000 cane-growers travelled a long way to flex their political muscle at a time when it was most opportune, but their efforts were neutralised by the actions of other people. No wonder the comments from grassroots cane-growers after the meeting indicated that they had been sold out. They were given nothing. I wonder what they will get for the $100,000 pre-election campaign that they have undertaken. Cane-growers will not be taken for a political ride such as this, and I am sure that this will become evident on Saturday when they make their judgment on the Labor Party. Rent Concessions for Pensioners Hon. C. A. WHARTON (Burnett—Minister for Works and Housing) (11.7 a.m.), by leave: Last night in this House, the honourable member for Archerfield (Mr Palaszczuk) made certain statements regarding the Housing Commission that require correction. The honourable member stated that the Housing Commission was a tax-gathering agent for the State Government and that recently announced rent rises for pensioners living in Housing Commission rental accommodation would exceed pension rises received by these pensioners. Far from being a tax-gathering agent, the Housing Commission has a policy on rental that not only provides subsidised rental to those in need but also ensures that most assistance, that is, the larger subsidy, goes to those most in need. For the benefit of the honourable member, I wiU repeat the facts that I publicised a week ago today through a media statement relating to the rise in pensioner rentals. In that release I stated that these rent rises, relating to age pensioners in Housing Commission premises, were moderate increases that would not eat up pension increases received since the last rent rise. Ministerial Statements 28 November 1984 3115 Rent reviews are carried out annually and, since the last review, pensioners living in these premises have received two pension increases—one in May and another in November. During that time, pensions for single age pensioners had risen by $6 a week. As a result of the latest review, rentals for single pensioners will be increased by $2 a week. Over the same period, pensions for pensioner couples have risen by $10.10 a week. The rent increase for pensioner couples will be $3 a week. As a result of the rent review for single age pensioners, rent will rise from $20 a week to $22 a week. Rent for pensioner couples will rise from the present level of $29 a week to $32 a week. The review takes into account two factors—operating cost increases and increases of income for these pensioners over the 12-month period. Let me make it clear to the honourable member that the rental accommodation that is provided is secure and comfortable accommodation and accommodation that is heavily subsidised. Alleged Offences by Police Officer Hon. W. H. GLASSON (Gregory—Minister for Lands, Forestry and Police) (11.10 a.m.), by leave: It has come to my attention that last night, on a television current affairs program, a journalist claimed that the former police officer allegedly involved in a child pornography ring was ready to "drop names". I make it quite clear that I would welcome the former officer doing so. If he is in a position to drop the names of anyone involved in this revolting trade, he is the very person to whom I wish to talk to assist in clearing up this matter one way or another. If he is not wiUing to provide such names to the police investigators, which he should have done before leaving the force, and if he, as claimed, does have such names, I urge him to deliver them to me personally, or through his solicitor or by any other acceptable method, and they will be investigated fully. I repeat that I am not saying that the former officer is guilty, as alleged, or not guilty. I urge the House to accept that, according to the Commissioner of Police, not one shred of evidence exists that would support the laying of criminal charges against the former officer. Yesterday, despite his continuing allegations, the member for Salisbury (Mr Goss) admitted that he held no such evidence. I am asking the House to ensure that British justice is provided to the former officer—the same justice as would be demanded by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Warburton), the member for Salisbury or any other member on either side of the Chamber—that is, that a person is innocent until proven guilty by facts. If that very buttress of our judicial system is lost sight of and is allowed to be eroded away, bit by bit, through such unfounded hounding under the privilege of this House, we as politicians will be, and will deserve to be, condemned by the community, the very well-being of which we are elected to protect. I shall quote a press report of what the Prime Minister said during the great debate held on Monday of this week— "Mr Hawke became angry when the Sydney Moming Herald's Peter Bowers asked why he had been carrying $1000 in U.S. currency when he was robbed at the Boulevarde Hotel on Febmary 1, 1982. The Prime Minister said he had reported the matter fully to police, which he would not have done if he had anything to hide.