Legislative Assembly Hansard 1975

Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly THURSDAY, 23 OCTOBER 1975 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Ministerial Statement [23 OcTOBER 1975] Health Act Amendment Bill 1415 THURSDAY, 23 OCTOBER 1975 extra money promised may. not b~ forth coming. They were fulfillmg th~Ir dut.y, Mr. SPEAKER (Hon. J. E. H. Houghton, and I have no intention of supplymg their Redcliffe) read prayers and took the chair names for Mr. Hayden to vent his spleen at 11 a.m. upon them. When this information was transmitted to me, I contacted the State PAPERS Treasurer Sir Gordon Chalk, and he agreed The following papers were laid on the that Que~nsland would pay the increase in table, and ordered to be printed:- allowance irrespective of the Commonwealth attitude I understand that the Canberra Reports- socialists have now bowed to the Opposition Films Board of Review, for the year demand and put the legislation through for 1974-75. the increase in pensions. Manager, Golden Casket Art Union, for the year 1974-75. This desperate stalling by the s?cialists in Canberra is now being supported m Queens Minister for Education and Cultural land by advertisements authorised by the Activities, for the year 1974. Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Tom Burns. The following papers were laid on the This shocking attempt to frighten the old table:- and the sick deserves the complete con Orders in Council under- demnation of this House. Mr. Burns knows, The Supreme Court Act of 1921. or should know that the money for pensions is not affected ' by the current situation in Justices Act 1886-1975. Canberra. If his bosses in Canberra con Liquor Act 1912-1973. tinue to flout the Constitution by refusing Collections Act 1966-1973. to go to the people, there could ultim~tely Judges' Salaries and Pensions Act 1967- be a situation where the public servants Issu 1973. ing the pensions may not be paid. That Real Property Act 1861-1974. responsibility would have to rest With the Labor Party. All we ask is the opportunity Regulations under to boot them out at an election when every Group Titles Act 1973. citizen will have his say. Building Units Titles Act 1965-1972. Local Government Act 1936-1975. As a further example of Mr. Hayden's Jack of responsibility as a Federal Minister, Rules and Regulations under the Cemetery I table a copy of a letter and envelope handed Act 1865. to me by one of his constituents. ~his ~etter Reports- is blatant political propaganda. It IS pnnted Timber Research and Development on Commonwealth paper and is in a Com Advisory Council of South and Cen monwealth envelope, with postage paid from tral Queensland, for the year 1974-75. Canberra. It would interest the taxpaye_rs of Queensland to know that they are financmg a Timber Research and Development Advisory Council of North Queens mammoth postal campaign by the ~ederal land, for the year 1974-75. Treasurer in an effort to bolster up his own flagging political stocks in his electorate. Again, because his vindictive nature is very MINISTERIAL STATEMENT well known, I have blacked out the names and addresses on the envelope. PA,YMENT OF PENSION INCREASES Hon. J. D. HERBERT (Sherwood-Mini ster for Community and Welfare Services QUESTION TIME and Minister for Sport) (11.5 a.m.): This morning's "Courier-Mail" carries a report Mr. SPEAKER: Honourable members, from Canberra in which the Federal as questions and answers finish ~t midday, Treasurer, Mr. Hayden, calls for my dis it is my intention to proceed _with for?Ial missal from Cabinet, claiming that I have Government business before takmg questwns misled State Parliament. and answers until such time as the Estimates are concluded. I reject this claim categorically. With typical Hayden duplicity, Mr. Hayden has twisted mv words to this House. He claimed that I had stated that the Federal Govern HEALTH ACT AMENDMENT BILL ment had ordered the State Welfare Depart INITIATION ment not to pay pension increases. Reference to Hansard makes it quite plain that the Hon. L. R. EDWARDS (Ipswich-Minister word I used was "advised", and this is for Health): I move- precisely what happened. "That the House will, at its present After the Federal socialists refused the sittino resolve itself into a Committee Opposition request to pass the pension of th~ Whole to consider introducing a increases through the House, the Federal Bill to amend the Health Act 1937-1974 in public servants in Brisbane-alive to their certain particulars." responsibility-advised my officers that the Motion agreed to. 1416 Questions Upon Notice [23 OCTOBER 1975] Questions Upon Notice QUESTIONS UPON NOTICE experiences an unanticipated demand, repeat 1. INQUIRY INTO BREAD INDUSTRY deliveries are required. When the shop lVk Wright, pursuant to notice, asked the keeper finds a surplus of supplies on his Minister for Industrial Development, Labour hands because of lack of customer Relations and Consumer Affairs- demand, he has to bear the loss. Consequently he is cautious in his order ( 1) Has he seen the report in "The ing and this in turn creates a problem for Courier-Mail" of 8 August, wherein a the housewife who finds there is no bread Gold Coast Bakery executive urged a State available and loses goodwill for the shop inquiry into the bread industry? keeper. It is highly significant that in (2) Are the small to medium-sized pro South Austmlia, where rigid price control ducers trading unprofitably and is the exists, the recommended retail shop price local baker becoming a thing of the past? of a 900 g loaf of unwrapped standard (3) As the Government said in the last bread in Adelaide is 4c more than in Bris election campaign that it would help the bane and a sliced and wrapped loaf is 2c small businessman, what proposals has he more. The same disparity of 2c is com made to help the local bakers in their mon virtually to all lines of bread. fight against the large-group manufac Fourthly, it is apparent that the lack of turers of bread? profitability of small bakers in this State is the direct result of the introduction of ( 4) In view of the announcement that the Prices Justification Tribunal. As I said, bread is to rise again for the third time there is no price control operating in this this year, will he delay this increase until State and bakers in normal times are able the recommendations of the Consumer to cover their costs as well as realising a Affairs Council, arising from its previous necessary profit margin. Since the intro investigation into the bread industry, are duction of the Prices Justification Tribunal, implemented, especially as they pertain the conglomerates have been obliged to to the shocking waste of bread and over seek approval for an increase in their production? prices. Because of product diversification, the big companies are better situated to Answer:- last out the time Jag between application (1 to 4) Problems confronting the bread to pass on increased costs and decision. industry-or any industry affected by The small man has fewer lines and can escalating costs flowing, in the main, from not offset this time lag. However, whilst national economic mismanagement-are, he is not subject to such controls and in of course, of deep concern to a Govern order to remain competitive, he must ment dedicated to the encouragement of match his prices with those of the con free enterprise. The honourable member glomemtes. Finally, for the honourable refers to a report on the bread industry by member to claim we are responsive to the the Consumer Affairs Council in 1973 and, lobby of the multi-nationals, is pure through some devious reasoning, appears political claptrap. to think this document could be the panacea for all the industry's ills. I wish 2. MrLLAQUIN SUGAR CoMPANY LTD. it were all so simple. The report was PROFIT STATEMENTS prepared purely for the Government's infor mation. It is normal practice to call for Mr. Wrigb,t, pursuant to notice, asked the a cross-section of opinion which may be Minister for Justice and Attorney-General- useful within the context of a Govern ( 1) What were the findings of the Com ment's wider consideration of the problem missioner for Corporate Affairs when the as a whole. There is of course no obliga Brisbane Stock Exchange referred the tion to publish the contents of reports such matter of the variance in Millaquin Sugar as these. So I propose to answer the Company Ltd. profit statements to the honourable member's question by outlin commissioner in September 1974? ing customer habits, production costs, cus tomer supply, national conglomerates, (2) Have any steps been taken to ensure small manufacturers and price control. that investors are adequately protected Firstly, ·there are many varieties of from conflicting statements of this nature bread on the market and it is obvious that in the future? a preponderance of people are preparea to pay a commensurate cost for the Answers:- wrapped and sliced types. Secondly, costs (1) The matters referred by the Bris of production continue to rise in ~all aspects bane Stock Exchange to the Office of the from the producer of wheat to the deliverv Commissioner for Corporate Affairs in man. Thirdly, there is the problem o'f September 1974 concerning profit state over or under-supply to customer outlets ments by the Millaquin Sugar Co. Ltd. and ,that of returns. It is academic non were investigated by inspectors from that sense to suggest it is possible to equate office and included direct inquiry and demand with supply.

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