VICTORIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) FIFTY-FIRST PARLIAMENT AUTUMN SESSION 1991 Legislative Council VOL. 403 [From 14 May 1991 to 6 June 1991J MELBOURNE: L V. NORTH. GOVERNMENT PRINTER The Governor His Excellency the Reverend OR JOHN DA VIS McCAUGHEY, AC The Lieutenant-Governor The Honourable SIR JOHN McINTOSH YOUNG, AC, KCMG The Ministry [AS FROM 18 JANUARY 1991] Premier The Hon.]. E. Kirner, AM, MP Oepu ty Premier, Attorney-General, The Hon. J. H. Kennan, QC, MP Minister for the Arts, and Minister for Major Projects Minister for Manufacturing and The Hon. O. R White, MLC Industry Development Minister for Ethnic, Municipal and The Hon. C.]. Hogg, MLC Community Affairs Minister for Agriculture The Hon. I. M. J. Baker, MP Minister for Tourism, and Minister for The Hon. S. M. Crabb, fvfP Conservation and Environment Minister for Health The Hon. M. A. Lyster, MLC Minister for Planning and Housing The Hon. A. McCutcheon, MP Minister for Consumer Affairs, and The Hon. B. W. Mier, MLC Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Minister for Labour The Hon. N. A. Pope, MP Minister for Education and Training The Hon. B. T. Pullen, MLC Treasurer The Hon. T. W. Roper, MP Minister for Small Business The Hon. B. J. Rowe, MP Minister for Police and Emergency The Hon. M. J. Sandon, MP Services, and Minister for Corrections Minister for Community Services The Hon. K. P. Setches, MP Minister for Finance The Hon. A. J. Sheehan, MP Minister for Transport The Hon. P. C. Spyker, MP Minister for Sport and Recreation The Hon. N. B. Trezise, fvfP Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabinet The Hon. R A. Jolly, MP The Governor His Excellency the Reverend DR JOHN DA VIS McCAUGHEY, AC The Lieutenant-Governor The Honourable SIR JOHN McINTOSH YOUNG, AC, KCMG The Ministry [AS FROM 16 APRIL 1991] Premier The Hon. J. E. Kirner, AM, MP Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, The Hon. J. H. Kennan, (2(:, MP Minister for the Arts, and Minister for Major Projects Minister for Manufacturing and The Hon. D. R. White, MLC Industry Development Minister for Ethnic, Municipal and The Hon. C. J. Hogg, MLC Community Affairs Minister for Agriculture The Hon. I. M. J. Baker, MP Minister for Tourism, and Minister for The Hon. S. M. Crabb, MP Conservation and Environment Minister for Small Business The Hon. J. D. Harrowfield Minister for Police and Emergency The Hon. M. J. Sandon, MP Minister for Health The Hon. M. A. Lyster, MLC Minister for Planning and Housing The Hon. A. McCutcheon, MP Minister for Consumer Affairs, and The Hon. B. W. Mier, MLC Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Minister for Labour The Hon. N. A. Pope, MP Minister for Education and Training The Hon. B. T. Pullen, MLC Treasurer The Hon. T. W. Roper, MP Services, and Minister for Corrections Minister for Community Services The Hon. K. P. Setches, MP Minister for Finance The Hon. A. J. Sheehan, MP Minister for Transport The Hon. P. C. Spyker, MP Minister for Sport and Recreation The Hon. N. B. Trezise, MP Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabinet The Hon. R. A. Jolly, MP FIFTY-FIRST PARLIAMENT-FIRST SESSION Members of the Legislative Council Member Province Party Member Province Party Ashman, Hon.Gerald Barry Boronia LP Landeryou, Hon. William Doutta Galla ALP Baxter, Hon. William Robert North Eastern NP Albert Best, Hon. Ronald Alexander North Western NP Lawson. Hon. Robert ljiginbotham LP Birrell, Hon. Mark Alexander East Yarra LP Long, Hon. Richard John LP Olamberlain, HCXl. Bruce Western LP ~ter, Hon. Maureen Anne gr~d ALP Anth:J. clean, Hen Jean Boronia ALP Conn , Hen Geoifrey Higinbotham LP Macey, Hon. Reg Mooash LP Philli Mackenzie, Hon. Roderick Gee10ng Ind. Cox, Aon. Geor~e Henry NW\awadin~ LP Alexander CoXSed~, Hon. oan Melbourne est ALP Mier, Hon. Brian William Waverlev ALP Craige, on. Geoffrey Central LP Miles, Hon. John Could Templestowe LP Ronald Highlands Pullen, Hon. Barrv Thomas Melooume ALP Crawford. Hon. George Jika Jib ALP S~, ~on. GiOValuu Melbourne North ALP Robert tOlUO Davidson, Hon. Burwvn Eric Chelsea ALP Skeggs, Hon. Bruce Albert Templestowe LP de Fe~y, Hon. Richai-d Ballarat LP Edward Strac n Smith, Hon. Kenneth South Eastern LP Evans, Hon. David Mylor North Eastern NP Maurice Guest, Hon. lames Vincent Manash LP Suney,Hon.~ddon,QC East Yarra LP Chester Tehan, Hon. Marie Therese Central LP Hall, Hon. Peter Ronald Gippsland NP Hig!l!ands Hallam, Hon. R~er Murray Western NP Th~hanous, Hon. Thee Jw Jib ALP Henshaw, Hon. avid Gee10ng ALP eN es Emest,MBE Van Buren, Hon. Charles Eumemmerring ALP Hogg, Hon. Caroline Jennifer Melbourne North ALP Fred.rick Hunt, Hon. Alm John South Eastern LP Vartv,Hon.~ NW\awading LP Ives, Hon. Robert Stuart Ewnemmerring ALP WalXer, Hon. Evan erbert Melbourne ALP Kennedy, Hon. Cyril James Waverley ALP White, Hon. David Ronald Doutta Galla ALP Knowles, Hon. Robert lan Ballarat LP Wright, Hon. Kenneth lrving North Western NP Kokocinski. Hon.l.icia Melbourne West ALP MaCkenzie FIfTY-FIRST PARLIAMENT-FIRST SESSION President: THE HON. A. J. HUNT Chairman of Committees: mE HON. K. 1. M. WRIGHT Temporary Chairmen of Committees: The Honourables Joan Coxsedge, D. M. Evans, J. V. C. Guest, D. E. Henshaw, W. A. Landeryo~ Robert Lawson, R. J. Long, G. A. Sgro, and E. H. Walker. Leader of the Government: TIiE HON. D. R. WHITE Deputy Leader of the Government: TIiE HON. C. J. HOGG Leader of the Opposition: THE HON. M. A. BIRRELL Deputy Leader of the Opposition: THE HON. HADDON S1OREY, QC Leader of the National Party: TIiE HON. W. R. BAXTER Deputy Leader of the National Party: THE HON. R M. HALLAM Heads of Parliamentary Departments Assembly-Clerk of the Parliaments and Oerk of the Legislative Assembly: Mr R. K Boyes Council-Clerk of the Legislative Council: Mr A. V. Bray Hansard-Chief Reporter: Mr L. C. Johns Library-Librarian: Mr B. J. Davidson House-Acting Secretary: Mr W. F. McI<e1vie ADJOURNMENT Tuesday, 14 May 1991 COUNCIL 1601 School bus system Hon. B. A. CHAMBERLAIN (Western) - I raise matters for the attention of the Minister for Education and Training arising from the operation of the school bus system which is paid for by his Ministry and then operated on its behalf by the Ministry of Transport. Recently there have been moves in the Hamilton area to reorganise a number of bus routes, and those moves are ostensibly aimed at making savings on the operation of those services. Officers of the department, or V/Line, which is handling these matters, have given assurances that no family will be disadvantaged by these changes. However, a particular change which affects what is called Cavendish B bus run will, in fact, have very significant and adverse financial impacts on individual families. For instance, in the case of one family, where the bus currently goes past the front door, it will be faced with a 3D-kilometre round trip a day, and the estimated cost for that family is more than $3000 a year. Therefore, my first question is whether the Minister will confirm the assurances being given that no families will be disadvantaged by such a move. The second and associated issue relates to the requirement, because of this rationalisation of putting more students on buses, of children sitting three to a seat but, more importantly, the requirement that children be forced to stand on the bus; up to ten children can stand on the bus for a trip of up to 12 kilometres. The concern about that relates to the children's safety and the dangers to which those standing children are exposed. In the report of a working party that reported to the Minister for Transport on its review of bus safety in September last year, the working party pOinted out at page 20: Standing passengers in a bus face a higher risk of severe injury in a crash, or from sudden braking than do seated passengers; and the risk increases rapidly with speed - speed of the bus and speed of other traffic. The working party agreed that safety would be improved if numbers of standing passengers were reduced, particularly in high speed buses, but highest priority should be given to those standees facing greatest risk, and the total implications of such a reduction should be understood. The concern of the parents is that each night on television they see advertisements sponsored by the government urging people to buckle up in the back seat - I think the normal advertisement shows a kombi type of van. People are being urged to buckle up, and yet children travelling on school bus services can be expected to stand and travel for up to 12 kilometres so standing. I therefore ask the Minister, firstly, for the assurance that no families will be disadvantaged by the change, and secondly, for an assurance that this report on safety on school buses will be followed and that the recommendations of the working party will receive close attention. ADJOURNMENT 1602 COUNCIL Tuesday, 14 May 1991 SEC property, Mentone Hon. ROBERT LAWSON (Higinbotham) - I address my remarks to the Minister for Manufacturing and Industry Development, who is responsible for the State Electricity Commission. I direct his attention to a block of land at the corner of Bourke and Patty streets, Mentone, which, I point out, is in the electorate of the Minister for Transport, Mr Spyker - so, if he were here, he would support what I have to say. Hon. M. A. Lyster interjected. Hon. ROBERT LAWSON - And it is in the province of the Minister for Health; it is just down the street.