6 Nov 2002 Legislative Assembly 4399

WEDNESDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 2002

Mr SPEAKER (Hon. R. K. Hollis, Redcliffe) read prayers and took the chair at 9.30 a.m.

PRIVILEGE Notice of Motion of Dissent from Mr Speaker's Ruling Hon. K. R. LINGARD (Beaudesert—NPA) (9.30 a.m.): Mr Speaker, I rise on a matter of privilege. Mr Speaker, following your statements and rulings on Thursday, 31 October, I give notice that I shall move— That Mr Speaker’s ruling on Thursday, 31 October, that there was no point of order in Dr Watson's statement that ‘there has been no change to the standing orders. No-one has moved that standing orders be suspended. At 10.30 a.m. question time begins’ be dissented from.

PRIVILEGE Aircraft Used in Fighting Bushfires, Answer to Question Hon. M. F. REYNOLDS (Townsville—ALP) (Minister for Emergency Services and Minister Assisting the Premier in North Queensland) (9.31 a.m.), by leave. I rise on a matter of privilege. During question time on 30 October, the member for Nanango asked me why South Australian aircraft were brought to Queensland to fight the recent fires in Toowoomba and Tara. At the time of that question I was not aware of the specific details, but I answered that I would investigate it and get back to the member about it. On 31 October, I made a ministerial statement to the House in which I stated that the aircraft used at Tara and Toowoomba were from Queensland based companies. During that ministerial statement I advised the House that no interstate aircraft were used in fighting these fires. This statement was based on advice from my department and from my ministerial office who also contacted the senior fire officers at both the Tara and Toowoomba fire and received the same information. Since then, further investigation has revealed that while the two companies were Queensland based operations, they do cross-hire some of the aircraft from interstate for their Queensland operations. All aircraft are registered federally by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and these aircraft can then operate anywhere within Australia. There is no state based registration system for aircraft. In that regard, some South Australian based aircraft remain in Queensland, subcontracted to Queensland operators, for up to six months each year. Whilst the fires were burning out of control and when these Queensland based companies responded that they could urgently provide the aircraft needed to fight the fires, they did not mention to the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service incident command team or the district disaster coordinator, nor were they asked, if the aircraft provided were Queensland aircraft. Now that I have been advised of this up-to-date information about the aircraft used to fight these fires, I would like to report these details to the parliament at this, the earliest opportunity that I have had. The senior firefighters, the district disaster coordinators, who are usually the senior local police officers, decide what equipment and personnel are needed at such emergencies and I believe that they are the very best people to do so.

ASSENT TO BILLS Mr SPEAKER: Order! I have to report that I have received from his Excellency the Governor— Mrs PRATT: The minister implied that I was not telling the truth at the time and I would like an apology. Mr SPEAKER: Order! Honourable members, I have to report that I have received from His Excellency the Governor a letter in respect to assent to certain bills, the contents of which will be incorporated in the records of parliament. 4400 Privilege 6 Nov 2002

Government House Queensland 4 November 2002 The Honourable R.K. Hollis, MP Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Parliament House George Street BRISBANE QLD 4000 Dear Mr Speaker I hereby acquaint the Legislative Assembly that the following Bills, having been passed by the Legislative Assembly and having been presented for the Royal Assent, were assented to in the name of Her Majesty The Queen on 1 November 2002: “A Bill for an Act to regulate the provision of child care, and for related purposes" "A Bill for an Act to provide for the registration of architects, and for other purposes" "A Bill for an Act to provide for the registration of professional engineers, and for other purposes" "A Bill for an Act to amend the Governors' Pensions Act 1977, Judges (Pensions and Long Leave) Act 1957, Parliamentary Contributory Superannuation Act 1970 and Public Officers Superannuation Benefits Recovery Act 1988” "A Bill for an Act to amend particular Acts administered by the Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Sport". The Bills are hereby transmitted to the Legislative Assembly, to be numbered and forwarded to the proper Officer for enrolment, in the manner required by law. Yours sincerely (sgd) Peter Arnison Governor Mrs PRATT: I rise to a point of order. The minister did imply that I was lying and I would like an apology. Mr SPEAKER: But I do not have the authority to— Mr REYNOLDS: I take offence at what the member for Nanango has indicated in this House today and I ask that it be withdrawn. Mr SPEAKER: You asked— Mrs PRATT: I rise to a point of order. Mr SPEAKER: That is out of order. You cannot ask for that. Are you rising on a point of privilege? Mrs PRATT: Yes, I am. Mr SPEAKER: Seek to raise a point of privilege.

PRIVILEGE Aircraft Used in Fighting Bushfires, Answer to Question Mrs PRATT (Nanango—Ind) (9.33 a.m.): In his ministerial statement, the minister stated— Let me complete my statement by saying that some of the members on the other side do not know the truth. That impinges on my reputation and I would like an apology. Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is nothing in that that is personally attacking the member. So unfortunately, it is not a matter of privilege. Mrs PRATT: I asked the question and it was directed at me. Mr SPEAKER: I have just made my ruling. I note the member for Nanango's matter of privilege raised in the House on 31 October 2002 in relation to a ministerial statement. Mr Johnson interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Gregory will cease calling across the chamber now. If you call again, I will warn you. I note the member for Nanango's matter of privilege raised in the House on 31 October 2002 in relation to a ministerial statement by the Minister for Emergency Services and Minister Assisting the Premier in north Queensland. Further, I note the minister's matter of privilege this morning clarifying his statement. Following this clarification, I therefore advise the House that there is no matter of privilege. 6 Nov 2002 Papers 4401

QUEENSLAND INFORMATION COMMISSIONER Annual Report Mr SPEAKER: Order! Honourable members, I have to report that I have received the annual report of the Queensland Information Commissioner for 2001-02. I table the said report.

PETITIONS Police Beat, Arndale Shopping Centre Ms Stone from 791 petitioners requesting the House to retain the Police Beat shopfront within Arndale Shopping Centre.

The following Honourable Member has sponsored an E-Petition that is now closed and presented— Fish Farms, Moreton Bay Marine Park Mr Briskey from 1,108 petitioners requesting the House to stop the development of the proposed sea cage fish farms in Moreton Bay Marine Park proceeding; establish a new policy that does not allow sea cage aquaculture in Moreton Bay Marine Park; and continue to promote councils, industries and individuals that improve the health of our bay and waterways.

PAPERS PAPERS TABLED DURING THE RECESS The Acting Clerk informed the House that the following papers, received during the recess, were tabled on the dates indicated— 1 November 2002— Queensland Investment Corporation—Annual Report 2001-02 Queensland Investment Corporation—Statement of Corporate Intent 2001-02 Ministerial Response from the Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Sport (Mr Mackenroth) to Report No. 77 of the Public Works Committee entitled The Redevelopment of the Tallebudgera Outdoor Recreation Centre Department of Public Works—Annual Report 2001-02 Board of Architects—Annual Report 2001-02 Board of Professional Engineers—Annual Report 2001-02 Queensland Health Department—Annual Report 2001-02 Gold Coast Hospital Foundation—Annual Report 2001-02 Health Rights Commission—Annual Report 2001-02 Ipswich Hospital Foundation—Annual Report 2001-02 Mental Health Court—Annual Report 28 February to 30 June 2002 Mental Health Review Tribunal—Annual Report 28 February to 30 June 2002 Princess Alexandra Hospital Foundation—Annual Report 2001-02 Queensland Nursing Council—Annual Report 2001-02 Sunshine Coast Health Services Foundation—Annual Report 2001-02 Toowoomba Hospital Foundation—Annual Report 2001-02 4 November 2002— Office of Health Practitioner Registration Boards—Annual Report 2001-02 Chiropractors and Osteopaths Board of Queensland—Annual Report 2001-02 Chiropractors Board of Queensland—Annual Report 2001-02 Dental Board of Queensland—Annual Report 2001-02 Dental Technicians and Dental Prosthetists Board of Queensland—Annual Report 2001-02 Medical Board of Queensland—Annual Report 2001-02 Medical Radiation Technologists Board of Queensland—Annual Report 2001-02 Occupational Therapists Board of Queensland—Annual Report 2001-02 Optometrists Board of Queensland—Annual Report 2001-02 Osteopaths Board of Queensland—Annual Report 2001-02 Pharmacists Board of Queensland—Annual Report 2001-02 Physiotherapists Board of Queensland—Annual Report 2001-02 Podiatrists Board of Queensland—Annual Report 2001-02 Psychologists Board of Queensland—Annual Report 2001-02 Speech Pathologists Board of Queensland—Annual Report 2001-02 5 November 2002— Letter, dated 4 November 2002, from the Premier and Minister for Trade (Mr Beattie) to the Acting Clerk of the Parliament referring to correspondence received by the Premier from the Commonwealth Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Treaties regarding proposed international treaty actions tabled in both Houses of the 4402 Papers 6 Nov 2002

Commonwealth Parliament on 15 October 2002 including National Interest Analyses for each of the proposed treaty actions listed in the letter Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations—Annual Report 2001-02 Cane Protection and Productivity Boards—Annual Reports 2001-02 Queensland Dairy Authority—Annual Report 2001-02 Queensland Fisheries Joint Authority—Annual Report 2000-01 Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority—Annual Report 2001-02 Safe Food Production Queensland—Annual Report 2001-02 Sugar Authority—Annual Report 2001-02 Sugar Industry Commissioner—Annual Report 2001-02 Dumaresq-Barwon Border Rivers Commission—Annual Report 2001-02 Report on the Operations of the Land Tribunal established under the Aboriginal Land Act 1991—Annual Report 2001-02 Report on the Operations of the Land Tribunal established under the Torres Strait Islander Land Act 1991—Annual Report 2001-02 Valuers Registration Board of Queensland—Annual Report 2001-02 STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS The following statutory instruments were tabled by the Acting Clerk— Health Legislation Amendment Act 2001— Proclamation commencing remaining provisions, No. 282 Transplantation and Anatomy Act 1979— Transplantation and Anatomy Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 2002, No. 283 Police Powers and Responsibilities and Another Act Amendment Act 2002— Proclamation commencing remaining provisions, No. 284 State Penalties Enforcement Act 1999, Tow Truck Act 1973, Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995— Transport Legislation Amendment Regulation (No. 5) 2002, No. 285 Electronic Transactions (Queensland) Act 2001— Proclamation commencing remaining provisions, No. 286 Electronic Transactions (Queensland) Act 2001— Electronic Transactions (Queensland) (Postponement) Repeal Regulation 2002, No. 287 Drug Rehabilitation (Court Diversion) Act 2000— Drug Rehabilitation (Court Diversion) Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 2002, No. 288 Local Government Act 1993— Local Government (Areas) Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 2002, No. 289 Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995— Workplace Health and Safety Amendment Regulation (No. 7) 2002, No. 290 Environmental Protection Act 1994— Environmental Protection Amendment Regulation (No. 2) 2002, No. 291 Apiaries Act 1982, Exotic Diseases in Animals Act 1981— Primary Industries Legislation Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 2002, No. 292 MINISTERIAL PAPERS The following ministerial papers were tabled— Premier and Minister for Trade (Mr Beattie)— Annual Reports for 2001-02— Department of the Premier and Cabinet Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel South Bank Corporation Queensland Commission for Children and Young People Fifth Annual Report of the Public Interest Monitor delivered pursuant to the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000 and the Crime and Misconduct Commission Act 2001 Parliamentary Contributory Superannuation Fund Queensland Competition Authority Queensland Ombudsman Crime and Misconduct Commission Office of the Public Service Commissioner Office of the Integrity Commissioner Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Sport (Mr Mackenroth)— Report entitled Performance Pay Ð Significant Statutory Bodies and Government Owned Corporations Report on Queensland Treasury Corporation Visit to world financial centres by the Hon Terry Mackenroth, Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Sport 6 Nov 2002 GOCs, Performance Bonuses; Overseas Visit 4403

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Annual Reports 2001-02 Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.37 a.m.): I am pleased to lay upon the table of the House the following annual reports for the year ending 30 June 2002: Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel, South Bank Corporation, Integrity Commissioner, Queensland Commission for Children and Young People, Public Interest Monitor, Parliamentary Contributory Superannuation Fund, Queensland Competition Authority, Queensland Ombudsman, Crime and Misconduct Commission, Office of the Public Service Commissioner. I seek to incorporate in Hansard some comments in relation to a couple of the reports for the information of members. Leave granted. In tabling these reports, I wish to draw to the attention of the House that the Crime and Misconduct Commission's Annual Report for 2001-2002 is its first such report following the merger of the former Criminal Justice Commission and the Queensland Crime Commission on 1 January 2002. The report describes the impact of the new Crime and Misconduct Act 2001 and the Commission's operational philosophies of cooperation, capacity building, devolution and public interest. The new focus of the CMC is on encouraging and supporting agencies to deal with the majority of official misconduct complaints, allowing the CMC to concentrate on the more serious and complex matters. As a result, 10% of matters were investigated by the CMC itself and about 70% of matters were referred to another agency—although there was a 25% increase in the number of reviews of other agencies' investigations conducted by the CMC. The total number of complaints received by the CMC was slightly lower than in the 2000-2001 financial year, and fewer investigations were finalised and charges recommended. It should be noted, when comparing the figures, that the previous financial year was the busiest ever for the former Criminal Justice Commission in terms of the number of complaints received. The CMC reports that the total number of crime operations increased from 39 in 2000-2001 to 43 in 2001-2002. Nearly $1m in criminal assets was seized and a total of 75 days of investigative hearings were held with 103 witnesses called to give evidence. Mr Speaker, I am also pleased to refer to the House the Office of the Public Service Commissioner's Annual Report for 2001-2002. The Public Service Commissioner plays a key and independent role in maintaining the integrity and quality of Queensland's Public Service. As detailed in her report, the Commissioner has consolidated the functions of the Office of Public Service Merit and Equity and set a new direction consistent with its role and legislated functions during the period. The report details many achievements for the public service, including the introduction of a policy for organisational restructuring of agencies in order to monitor the Government's commitment to protecting the employment security of staff. The Commissioner's Office also introduced an initiative which is making a significant contribution to the promotion and development of whole of government leadership capability through piloting the mobility of senior executives across the service. The report details the total amount paid in bonuses to Chief Executive Officers for performance in the 2000-2001 period. The publication of this information is part of a commitment I made to the Auditor-General in 2000 to make the quantum of annual bonus payments available, in response to his recommendations. As I stated earlier this year, future CEO contracts will not contain a provision for payment of such a bonus. The report also provides profile data on the Queensland Public Service and Sector workforce. The data depicts growth in the public service of 3.1% for the 2001-2002 period. The largest increases during 2001-2002 were in: Education—which employed additional teachers; Primary Industries—which put on staff to deal with eradicating Queensland's fire ant problem; and Health—with additional nurses employed across the state. Mr Speaker, I trust that the annual reports that I have tabled today will be of interest to a wide section of the community.

GOCs, PERFORMANCE BONUSES; OVERSEAS VISIT Hon. T. M. MACKENROTH (Chatsworth—ALP) (Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Sport) (9.38 a.m.): I lay upon the table of the House a report on the performance pay for significant statutory bodies and government owned corporations. I also lay upon the table of the House a report on my recent overseas trip. 4404 Ministerial Statement 6 Nov 2002

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Mr R. Hurley Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.38 a.m.): Members would be aware of my passion and my government's passion for promoting art as a way of building employment and economic opportunities for Queensland's indigenous people. Today, I rise in sorrow to pay tribute to a man who achieved more than any politician could ever hope to achieve in raising the profile of Queensland indigenous artists. Artist Ron Hurley died suddenly this week at the age of 56. However, his legacy will live on well into the future, and those of us who appreciate this legacy will be richer for it. Ron, a Goorang-Goorang man, chaired my government's reference panel for the indigenous export project and in this role he was invaluable. Last month he journeyed to Berlin, where he curated the indigenous art exhibition staged by the state government to introduce Germans to Queensland indigenous art. I opened this exhibition as part of my European visit. Ron did much more than curate the show. He stayed in Berlin after the exhibition to liaise with galleries and build new bridges into Europe for his fellow indigenous artists. His vitality and enthusiasm could only have impressed many of the people he met in Berlin. Just last Thursday at Parliament House, I met him and other members of the reference panel and trade team to thank them for their work and to discuss the future of this project. Ron was ebullient. He was full of energy. He talked about holding more exhibitions in Europe to consolidate the achievements of the inaugural show, and about other strategies for promoting Queensland indigenous art. It beggars belief that a few days later he would tread the path to an early grave—a path trodden by far too many of his people. Ron was a great painter, print-maker, ceramicist and sculptor whose work often railed against the obstacles in the way of his people's advancement. No brush stroke was wasted—each delivered a boldly political message. Much of his work told of dispossession and the challenges faced by urban Aboriginal people. He was also highly accomplished. He is represented in the National Gallery of Australia and the Queensland Art Gallery, and in recent years the government commissioned him to produce art for the Neville Bonner Building, the Roma Street Parkland and the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre. In July this year, Ron and his daughter Angelina took part in a cross-cultural exchange to Canada. Ron exhibited some of his finest works at the Great Northern Art Festival and was a proud ambassador for indigenous people. In 1992 he won an Australia Council residency in France, and he took part in group exhibitions in the USA, Germany, Denmark, Cuba, the UK and France. Ron was also a teacher who worked at the Queensland College of Art, Griffith University, QUT, TAFE colleges and the Australian Flying Art School. One of his last projects involved encouraging traditional sculptors from Aurukun to learn skills of cast metal sculpture. Ron was passionate about this project, which he believed was as significant as the introduction of canvas to Aboriginal artists in the central desert in the 1960s and 1970s. Nineteen pieces resulting from this project were exhibited in Berlin last month. There is no way of quantifying the benefits his work has generated for the remote community of Aurukun, just as there is no way of measuring his legacy. But Ron himself may have come close to summing up the enduring impact of his life's work with the following statement, quoted in the book Gatherings. He said— The wonderful thing about paintings is that they are records of the state of play, according to the time in which they were produced, and hopefully address the shortcomings, imbalances and deficiencies of that time ... They are records that will be here a long time after their creator has gone. On behalf of the government I express deep sympathy to Ron Hurley's wife, Colleen, and his children Angelina and Simon. Vale Ron Hurley.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Project Axis Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.43 a.m.): The sexual abuse of children, as we all know, is a shameful abomination. Trauma to a child often continues into adult life and can even impact on future generations. The cost to survivors is unquantifiable and the cost to society is profound. On Monday, on behalf of the government, the Attorney-General, Rod Welford, and I announced an array of legal reforms that reflect society's contempt for child rapists and paedophiles. 6 Nov 2002 Ministerial Statement 4405

The reforms include new powers for police to apprehend Internet paedophiles and new benchmarks for courts to punish paedophilia. For example, police will have new powers to conduct special operations targeting predators who try to lure, procure and abuse children via the Internet. Maximum penalties for indecent treatment will be the toughest in the nation—20 years for indecently treating a child under 12, and 14 years for indecently treating a child under 16, compared to the current maximums of 14 and 10. Sentencing judges will no longer view prison as a last resort for convicted paedophiles. The community corrections boards will be required to inform police about the parole of any convicted sex offender, and judges may require sex offenders to report in person to police after they are released from prison. The Attorney-General will this morning introduce the legislation containing these reforms, the Sexual Offences (Protection of Children) Bill 2002. These quite radical reforms will be followed by a second layer of initiatives next year. As well as the legislative reforms, we are acting across government to prevent and heal child sex abuse. These actions are detailed in a report that I table today on government implementation of the recommendations of the Project Axis report. I table that report for the information of the House and copies are now being distributed to all members. Project Axis was established jointly by the Queensland Crime Commission and the Queensland Police Service as a wide-ranging inquiry into child sex offending in Queensland. It was released in November 2000. The implementation report clearly demonstrates the government's commitment to protecting children from sexual abuse through a multilayered strategy building around prevention, awareness and effective responses. Our strategy means more and better prevention programs, ensuring that the community is well informed and able to respond, punishment that fits the crime, and treatment of offenders to prevent recidivism. In terms of prevention, we have allocated $6.7 million to the Department of Families, and the minister will have something further to say about this in a ministerial statement shortly. That $6.7 million is part of the Queensland Families: Future Directions paper to conduct a substantial program of prevention and early intervention trials that will transform the way the government and the non-government community sector achieve results for children and families. This is against a background of an additional $148 million over the next four years to strengthen the child protection system. We have introduced an innovative and effective employment screening program managed by the Commission for Children and Young People. People cannot work with children if they do not have a blue card. That is clearly the outcome. People will not get a blue card unless they undergo a criminal history check and are assessed as suitable by the commission. Figures show that since it began on 1 May 2001, the commission—and these are the latest figures—has issued about 55,000 suitability cards. Eleven applicants have been prohibited from working in child- related employment and 162 applicants have withdrawn their applications. It is working. Our children are safer than they ever have been before. Of these 162, 75 decided not to proceed when further information was sought by the commission in relation to their criminal histories. The Working with Children check is obviously effective. We will improve the screening by amending the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991, which the Attorney again will introduce into parliament this morning. The amendment will allow lawful discrimination in work that involves the care or instruction of children against someone who has been convicted of a child sex offence or someone who has been disqualified from working with children under any other law. I believe that Queenslanders believe that those people should be discriminated against. With respect to other issues, in six separate recommendations the Project Axis report found a need to ensure that non-government schools are better informed about child sexual abuse and have appropriate policies in place to respond to allegations of child sexual abuse. The government has rectified this problem through the enactment of the Education (Accreditation of Non-State Schools) Act 2001. The Education (Accreditation of Non-State Schools) Regulation 2001 developed under the act commenced on 1 January 2002. The regulation requires accredited schools or schools seeking accreditation to have written processes about appropriate conduct of staff and students that accords with legislation about the care and protection of children, about students' reporting of inappropriate conduct by a staff member and about how the reported information of the student must be dealt with. We have also extended the community visitor scheme operated by the Children's Commissioner to foster carers caring for six or more children. There are strategies in place for awareness, and in the 2002-03 budget the government invested $1 million to undertake a 4406 Ministerial Statement 6 Nov 2002 community awareness and education program to be conducted by the Department of Families targeting those who work with children. There is the Effective Responses strategy. The government has commissioned and received an independent report on the operation of SCAN teams, which coordinate agencies’ responses to disclosures of abuse, and on the coordinating committee of child abuse which oversees their operation. We have provided a further $5 million to the Department of Families to expand training to police and Family Services officers when interviewing and recording the evidence of children. To prevent reoffending, the Queensland corrective services system provides treatment programs for sex offenders in custody and when released into the community. In view of the time, I seek leave to incorporate the rest of my ministerial statement, but I urge members to read the response to that Axis report because we are tackling this issue head on. Leave granted. We have initiated two new treatment programs for sex offenders; a program for young sex offenders which is a joint initiative of the Department of Families and Griffith University, and a program for indigenous offenders, developed by Griffith University's Gummurri Centre. These and other custodial and non-custodial programmes are being reviewed and expanded. The response to Project Axis reflects the Government's view that our children are priceless, and any crimes against them are abhorrent. As with all scourges, prevention is the best form of cure for child abuse. But the reality is that child abuse does occur—and the government will continue to improve the way we help to heal the victims. I commend the response to the Project Axis report to the House. Second-round legislative reforms The planned second round of reforms is recognition that the criminal justice system—despite recent improvements—is not always sympathetic to children who appear as victims and witnesses. Unfortunately, the courtroom experience can potentially add to the trauma and distress already experienced by children in this situation. Our proposals—subject to refinement after consultation with key stakeholders—to address this problem include: Comprehensive legislative changes to the rules concerning the way children give evidence in Queensland courts; Development of a vulnerable witness policy to address recommendations made by the Queensland Law Reform Commission report on the Evidence of Children; and An invitation from the Attorney-General to the courts to develop Judicial Guidelines for the use of new technology (such as Closed Circuit Television and pre-recorded videotapes), and other special measures, when taking evidence of children. For children under 16 who are victims of sexual or violent crime, and ‘special witnesses’ aged 16 and 17, the changes to rules of evidence would mean: Pre-recording all evidence at a preliminary hearing unless the court orders otherwise; Mandatory use of CCTV or screens (where pre-recording has not occurred); Entitlement to have a support person in court, seated nearby and within sight; Mandatory exclusion of all but certain persons from the court when the child is giving evidence about a sexual offence; Restrictions on cross-examination of children in committal proceedings. The definition of special witness would be extended to all children under 16. All child witnesses under 16 (and ‘special witnesses’ aged 16 and 17) would be able to give evidence via an 'out of court' statement. Courts would be able decide how a child should give evidence in a preliminary hearing well before the trial. Counsel would be required to remove wigs and gowns in proceedings where a child is a witness. Judges would be required to remove wigs. Proposed changes affecting all witnesses in child sex abuse cases would include: Amendments to the joinder laws so that similar charges for sexual offences can be heard together and not treated differently to other types of offences. Changes to allow the jury to hear evidence of how, when and to whom a complainant first complained. Evidence about how a complainant first came to complain about a sexual offence will be admissible regardless of when it was made. Amendments to set out what must be disclosed to the defence by the prosecution and when. Early and full disclosure is fundamental to the efficient running of the criminal justice system and protects the interests of the accused by ensuring they have adequate opportunity to know the case against them. 6 Nov 2002 Ministerial Statement 4407

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Mining Industry Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.48 a.m.): I want to provide parliament with an update in relation to progress in the mining industry. To save time I seek to incorporate the statement in Hansard. Leave granted. Mr Speaker, the mining industry is of vital importance to Queensland. Last week, I was delighted to have the opportunity to address more than 400 delegates to the Mining 2002 Resources conference and to invite them to put Queensland at the top of their list when considering locations for potential investment. They only need to look at what's happening in our minerals' processing sector. In Townsville, nickel and cobalt are being produced from imported ores. Townsville is also the site of MIM's copper refinery and Sun Metals zinc refinery. Some of WMC's phosphate fertiliser project facilities are also based in Townsville. Alumina and aluminium are being produced in Gladstone. Gladstone's reputation as a processing centre has been further enhanced by Comalco's decision to build a $1.36 billion alumina refinery in the city. The support infrastructure such as the ports, road and rail links in these cities is world class. Construction is underway on the Australian Magnesium Corporation's $1.3 billion dollar magnesium metals plant at Stanwell, near Rockhampton. The AMC plant is due to begin production in 2004. We believe our production of magnesium and aluminium will give us the basis for a light metals alloy industry. These operations are geared to export markets and will generate great wealth for Queensland. Recently, AMC unveiled a block engine cast from a high-temperature magnesium alloy it has developed in conjunction with Australia's Co-operative Research Centre for Cast Metals Manufacturing. The engine weighs just 14 kilograms and was installed in a three-cylinder Volkswagen Lupo which has been on show at a leading engine development conference in Germany. This sort of research and innovation is what the Smart State is all about. AMC has also reached agreement with Wagon PLC, one of Europe's largest vehicle component manufacturers to develop large automotive structural components. So you can see the tremendous potential we have here to become a global leader in light metals' production. Both the AMC and Comalco projects are based in central Queensland where the world's largest alumina refinery is located, as well as the world's fourth largest aluminium smelter. To encourage more mineral processors to invest in these centres we are actively planning for the future in fields as diverse as education, electricity and energy supply, communications and transport, and making industrial land available. Queensland is making some great gains in the energy sector, thanks in part to the mining industry. Last week, I opened the Swanbank E power plant near Ipswich. It is fuelled by coal seam methane sourced from Santos' Scotia gas plant in Central Queensland; it is a first for Queensland. Plans are underway for the exploitation of coal seam methane in the Bowen Basin to supply Townsville's proposed gas-fired generator. The coal sector continues to be the mainstay of the mining industry. Construction is well-advanced on Pacific Coal's $400 million dollar Hail Creek mine inland from Mackay. Hail Creek is one of the largest coking coal deposits in the world with resources estimated at 1.2 billion tonnes, it's due to be fully operational next year. MIM is well advanced with its feasibility studies for its proposed $300 million Rolleston project. In April this year, Anglo Coal and Mitsui entered into a joint venture arrangement whereby Anglo acquired a majority interest in the Moura mine and Mitsui gained a share of Anglo's Theodore/Dawson/Taroom deposits and a 30 per cent interest in the German Creek mine. This arrangement is expected to result in production at the Moura mine being expanded from about five to seven million tonnes per annum. It is also expected to lead to the early development of a new mine at Theodore, south of Moura. Anglo is also developing the new Grasstree underground mine at the southern end of the German Creek deposits. This $200 million development will produce up to five million tonnes of coking coal per annum from 2005. Infrastructure is also being extended, with an $80 million dollar expansion underway at Gladstone's main coal terminal to increase its annual capacity from 30 to 40 million tonnes. There's also potential for more growth in the exploration sector. 4408 Ministerial Statement 6 Nov 2002

As I told the delegates to Mining 2002, while very substantial mineral deposits have been discovered and brought into production in regions such as the Carpentaria Minerals Province, the potential for further discoveries remains high. Systematic geological mapping and a mineral resource inventory have not been completed for all regions. In fact, nearly half of Queensland has not been explored in any methodical way using state-of- the-art technology. So the potential is here not just for mineral processing, but for the discovery and development of new mines. We can offer investors a stable, democratic and law-abiding society in which to base operations, and a highly skilled, multi-cultural and multi-lingual workforce that's on Asia's doorstep. Our competitive exchange rate is another advantage investors ought to consider. The advances we've made in the mining and energy sectors proves Queensland has moved beyond digging minerals out of the dirt and shipping them overseas. Value-adding is a key component of our mining industry. I hope more investors take notice of what's happening in Queensland and follow the lead of companies such as Comalco and AMC.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Accountability and Integrity in Government Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.49 a.m.): This morning I have tabled the annual reports in my portfolio, which cover a significant degree of accountability and, obviously, integrity in government. I want to tell the House that, in terms of the cost of accountability—there is a cost that I think the community is entitled to know—it adds up to an estimate of $83.34 million. This figure does not include freedom of information processing costs, which I have said previously are in the vicinity of $7.5 million. I wish to incorporate this ministerial statement in Hansard and I wish to table for the information of the House detailed costings which have been provided by my department in assessing that cost. I think the community has a right to know. We are a government totally committed to accountability and integrity. I table the document and I seek leave to incorporate it in Hansard to demonstrate the cost. Mr Speaker, we cannot put a price on open and accountable government. Proper accountability is essential to effective representative democracy—it is a prerequisite for a government that serves its people properly. In Queensland, the people are assured of integrity in government by an elaborate system of checks and balances, both within and independent of government agencies. Much of this system emerged from the reforms overseen by the Electoral and Administrative Review Commission, which rose from the wreckage left behind by the corrupt pre-Fitzgerald National Party. Entities including the Crime and Misconduct Commission, the Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee, the Queensland Police Service Ethical Standards Command, the Ombudsman, the Information Commissioner, the Queensland Integrity Commissioner and the Queensland Audit Office keep an eye on politicians and public servants. In addition, all departments have designated criminal justice liaison officers and internal auditors, and many departments have misconduct prevention units—any of whom may take carriage of complaints referred to the agencies by external bodies such as the CMC. Bureaucrats and politicians are subject to laws and policies including the Freedom of Information Act, the Financial Administration and Audit Act, the Financial Management Standard Act, the Judicial Review Act, the Public Service Ethics Act, the Public Service Act, the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act, the Queensland Government Owned Corporations Act, the State Purchasing Policy, and various codes of conduct. Virtually any form of misconduct that could be dreamed up by the most perverse of schemers would be captured in this system. And, once proven culpable, the perpetrator would be dealt with—admonished, disciplined, demoted, suspended, sacked, or referred to the criminal justice system. Ultimately, they may be tried by the independent judiciary. As I said at the outset, we cannot put a price on open and accountable Government. But let us look at some estimates of how much we invest in this system. The investment in independent agencies such as the CMC, Auditor-General, Ombudsman, Information Commissioner, Electoral Commission, Office of Public Service Merit and Equity, and the Office of the Queensland Integrity Commissioner will be an estimated $36.98 million this year. This information is readily available from Ministerial Portfolio Statements which are a part of the budget papers. I am advised $580,000 is invested in the important integrity functions of the Office of Public Service Merit and Equity, including managing the Office of the Queensland Integrity Commissioner. And the investment in internal integrity activities of government departments—excluding processing of freedom of information requests—will total about $46.36 million. The figure is based on information provided to the Department of the Premier and Cabinet by government departments about their internal audit budgets, their internal misconduct prevention units, and the Ministerial Portfolio Statements of the Queensland Police Service and the Office of Government Owned Corporations. It adds up to an estimate of $83.34 million. 6 Nov 2002 Ministerial Statement 4409

This figure does not include Freedom of Information processing costs—which I have previously said is in the vicinity of $7.5 million. It also excludes the costs of courts and tribunals, and of parliament—including parliamentary committees. On 31 October 2001, I gave an estimate to the House of the amount we put into accountability. The figure I gave of $62,137,098 was an estimate as at March 2000. I said that at the time. A different methodology was used to obtain this figure than to obtain the figure of $83.34 million. This new figure is more accurate because it sets out how much government departments are investing in integrity as well as the budget of our independent integrity agencies. This figure of $83.34 million—excluding FOI—is more representative of what we invest across government in integrity and accountability. It is a lot of money for a tight-fisted Government like this one. But even I will not quibble over the bill—because we cannot afford to cut corners when it comes to ensuring we have integrity in government.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT QSuper Fund Hon. T. M. MACKENROTH (Chatsworth—ALP) (Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Sport) (9.50 a.m.): The State Actuary has completed his valuation of the QSuper fund for the three years to 30 June 2001. The QSuper fund is a major superannuation fund operated for public servants, police, teachers, and other public sector employees and at 30 June 2001 provided coverage for over 375,000 members. This is the first full valuation of the QSuper fund since the introduction of the new superannuation arrangements in the year 2000 with the results indicating the continued financial strength of the fund. These new arrangements have brought about equity and greater choice in the superannuation available to all Queensland government employees. Over the three years to 30 June 2001, the QSuper fund had grown from $5.8 billion to $9.47 billion. In addition, the market value of the assets in the consolidated fund at that date, set aside by the government to meet its share of QSuper benefits, was approximately $10.98 billion. In total, therefore, as at 30 June last year, the government and fund trustees were investing over $20 billion on behalf of Queensland public sector employees. On this asset base, this is the second largest employer superannuation scheme in Australia and represents a very large financial institution. In undertaking his investigation, the actuary has given consideration to the investment climate and the long-term asset allocation of the fund's investments. The actuarial valuation, whilst completed as at 30 June 2001, took into account the investment return for the year to 30 June 2002 given the state of investment markets during that year. Even allowing for the return on investments to 30 June 2002, the report revealed that the state's superannuation arrangements are in a healthy financial position with a surplus of assets over accrued liabilities of $1.25 billion, being just over six per cent of liabilities. A similar percentage surplus was evident at the last valuation. The State Actuary is comfortable that the current level of contribution can continue and that the surplus should be maintained as a reserve. The results of the actuary's investigation confirm that the introduction of further superannuation options for employees has been a positive move forward in superannuation history for state public sector employees and that the initiative has not impacted adversely upon the future viability of the fund or the current level of benefits provided. The Queensland government is committed to the prudent management of the state's superannuation schemes and to providing its employees with viable and meaningful superannuation in which to fund their retirement savings. While QSuper, along with funds Australiawide, has been affected by the fluctuating investment climate, its performance is closely monitored by the board of trustees. In conclusion, I wish to express my thanks to the fund trustees and managers for their custodianship of the fund and the State Actuary for his most thorough report.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT I Love Where I Live Competition Hon. A. M. BLIGH (South Brisbane—ALP) (Minister for Education) (9.53 a.m.): Outback schools are at the heart of the community in many rural and remote towns. Outback students think nothing of travelling great distances to get to school each morning, distances that would sometimes astound city based students and adults. In this the Year of the Outback it is an opportunity to acknowledge the contribution of distance education to Queensland's future. 4410 Ministerial Statement 6 Nov 2002

Today, I am pleased to announce the winners of the I love where I live Year of the Outback competition. The competition was open to distance education students in years 8, 9 and 10. They were required to create a piece of artwork that depicts the advantages of living in rural and remote areas. Students of our seven schools of distance education contributed a poem, drawing or computer presentation depicting why they love where they live. It gives me great pleasure to announce the three winners here today. First prize is awarded to Quintin Wood, a year 10 student at Charters Towers School of Distance Education. Just to prove that the Smart State is all over Queensland, Quintin's multimedia entry included a painting titled Backyard at dawn and an accompanying PowerPoint presentation with an animated poem about his home called Nowhere. Here is a taste of his poem from the last paragraph— Of course though for all the great things, The best thing about where I live, Is my family is here, here in nowhere, Did I mention that's the name of our place? Quintin, who lives with his family in Ravenswood, 150 kilometres south-east of Charters Towers, is a very talented boy who is currently writing his third unpublished novel. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Hewlett Packard Australia, Quintin and his school of distance education will receive a Compaq Presario desktop computer. I understand Quintin does not currently own a computer so this prize will be very welcome. Second prize goes to Stacey Clarris, a year 10 student at Longreach School of Distance Education. Her illustrated poem My place expresses her love for her home on Cooinda Station, 50 kilometres north of Winton. She and her school will both receive funds of up to $200 for school resources. Third prize was awarded to Jacynta Jones, a year 10 student at Cairns School of Distance Education. Jacynta's poem My world, my valley, my home describes her life on her family's 80-acre property in the McIvor Valley, 70 kilometres north of Cooktown. Jacynta will receive a cheque for $100, while her school will benefit from school resources from AccessEd to the value of $100. Challenging circumstances often inspire creativity and innovation and this has been highlighted by the entries in this competition. The entries are currently on display in Education House until mid-November and Quintin Wood, the winner, will come to Brisbane to receive his prize on 14 November. This will be particularly exciting for this young boy, who has never been in a plane and has never been to Brisbane. I am sure honourable members will join me in congratulating the three winners, and to pay tribute to the outstanding work of Queensland's outback families and schools, especially our schools of distance education.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Medical Indemnity Insurance Hon. W. M. EDMOND (Mount Coot-tha—ALP) (Minister for Health and Minister Assisting the Premier on Women's Policy) (9.56 a.m.): I am pleased to advise the House that the government has extended its medical indemnity protection for doctors who work in the public health system. The state government has been working with other interested parties to resolve the uncertainties caused by the collapse of UMP. The state government will guarantee to reimburse reasonable legal costs if a doctor is charged with a criminal offence related to clinical practice and acquitted. As long as the doctor is not found guilty of a criminal charge and there is no wilful neglect proven, we will cover their reasonable costs. Civil indemnity is to remain available unless, and until, the doctor is convicted of a criminal charge or wilful neglect is proven. The state will also pay the reasonable legal costs of doctors employed by Queensland Health who are referred to the Medical Board or other investigative agencies when this referral was not made by Queensland Health but relates to their work with Queensland Health. This means that doctors working in our public health system can continue to carry out their work with peace of mind, so long as they act within the law. This policy will help to ensure that Queensland public patients receive uninterrupted medical services. I thank the vast majority of doctors who have maintained patient care while we have been working through this complex issue. This new policy will put to rest concerns by doctors that the previous test for indemnity—that doctors must act with diligence and conscientiousness—may be open to interpretation. This change gives water-tight protection to doctors practising in the public system. However, it should be noted that there has never, ever been a case of a doctor being refused indemnity on the existing test, when treating a public patient in a public hospital. 6 Nov 2002 Ministerial Statement 4411

Miss Simpson interjected. Mrs EDMOND: This decision, which I understand doctors have welcomed, is in addition to previous government actions to guarantee coverage to 55 private rural doctors doing procedural work in public hospitals. I hear that the member for Maroochydore does not support that. Miss SIMPSON: I rise to a point of order. The minister is telling an untruth. That is offensive and untrue. I ask that she withdraw it. She knows that we have been asking for her to act for many months— Mr SPEAKER: Order! We have had the point of order. Mrs EDMOND: Mr Speaker, the member over there is interjecting that I am wrong in doing this. She keeps saying that I am wrong after every statement I make. If she now agrees that this is a good move, I am happy to withdraw. Miss SIMPSON: The minister is misleading the House. Mrs EDMOND: I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Miss SIMPSON: It is offensive and untrue. We have been asking her for months to act on this issue. Mr SPEAKER: Order! This is not a debate. Mrs EDMOND: The member opposite is saying that I have got it wrong in respect of every statement I am making. I can only assume she does not agree with them. Mr SPEAKER: Order! Minister, you were asked to withdraw. Mrs EDMOND: I withdraw. This is in addition to previous government actions to guarantee coverage to 55 private rural doctors doing procedural work in public hospitals; Queensland Health doctors relieving in rural areas who treat private patients; and indemnifying the consent process for about 1,100 private specialists who subsequently refer their patients for treatment as public patients in public hospitals. Other government actions have included substantial tort law reforms, such as ending jury trials in personal injury cases, banning no win, no fee lawyer advertising, capping some damages awards and discouraging frivolous claims. The recent IPP review of public liability has put forward Queensland case management proposals as the model for all states. A bill due for introduction into parliament later this year will contain further tort reforms.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Local Street Speed Limit Hon. S. D. BREDHAUER (Cook—ALP) (Minister for Transport and Minister for Main Roads) (10.00 a.m.): Research has indicated that up to 30 per cent of fatal road crashes in residential areas occur on local streets. In March 1999, the 50 kilometres per hour local street speed limit was introduced in south-east Queensland to address this issue. The results have been very encouraging. Since the introduction of the lower local street speed limit in south-east Queensland there has been an 18 per cent reduction in fatal crashes on local streets compared to the previous five-year average. At least 26 fatalities have been avoided and an estimated $26 million in social and health costs saved. With these results in mind, the government recently approved the expansion of the 50 kilometres per hour local street speed limit into regional Queensland from 1 February 2003. Queensland Transport is now working with the Department of Main Roads and local governments to undertake the engineering works associated with the introduction of the 50 kilometres per hour speed limit. These works include the development of speed zonal plans by each local government and speed limit reviews by local governments and the Department of Main Roads. The speed zonal plans will identify which streets are appropriate for a 50 kilometres per hour speed limit. The speed limit reviews will ensure that all speed limits across Queensland are consistent and credible. The Department of Main Roads, together with local government, will be responsible for the purchase and installation of speed limit signs on 60 kilometres per hour and higher speed roads. The regulation needed to introduce the limit was approved by Executive Council last Thursday. This means that from 1 February next year, the default speed limit on all local roads is 50 kilometres per hour. If you are driving on a local street, the speed limit is 50 kilometres per hour unless signs specifically indicate otherwise. 4412 Ministerial Statement 6 Nov 2002

Queensland Transport is preparing a comprehensive educational campaign comprising television, radio and print media, as well as brochures to be distributed to as many households as possible throughout regional Queensland. Information on the new local street speed limit will also be available through all Queensland Transport customer service centres and QGAP offices as well as police stations and local council offices. I am also pleased to advise the House that an interpreter service for Queensland drivers with a limited knowledge of the English language will be available through the translating and interpreting service. Local governments are being provided with a subsidy to assist with the costs associated with the implementation of this road safety initiative. This subsidy is based on population with less densely populated local governments receiving up to 100 per cent of the cost of implementing the new speed limit. No local government will receive less than 50 per cent of the costs of implementation. As was the case in south-east Queensland, there will be a three-month amnesty from prosecution for motorists who are detected breaching the new 50 kilometres per hour local street speed limit in regional areas of the state. The amnesty will not apply in south-east Queensland or to motorists who are detected driving dangerously or at excessive speeds on local streets in regional areas. Members of the Queensland Police Service will use the amnesty period to educate motorists detected speeding on local streets about the dangers of speeding generally. Initial grant payments have been made to local government and almost all regional local governments have submitted their speed zonal plans. Almost 50 per cent of local governments have completed their speed limit reviews and second grant payments to these local governments will commence shortly.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Solar Schools Pilot Program Hon. D. M. WELLS (Murrumba—ALP) (Minister for Environment) (10.04 a.m.): The Queensland solar schools pilot program is in the process of connecting 17 schools across Queensland with solar power. The latest installation was at Aspley Special School. After long advocacy for this program, the honourable member for Aspley was successful in seeing it installed. Others will be installed in central Queensland later this year. The honourable member for Keppel is actually on the telephone right now letting the schools in his electorate know that solar schools are going to be established in his area. The member for Fitzroy is sitting back in his chair because he has already done it. Mr Schwarten: They come a poor second because I have already had mine at Glenmore High School for two years. Mr WELLS: I note the comment of the honourable the Minister for Public Works because his territory has already profited from solar schools. More importantly, the school solar power systems will provide an educational opportunity for our students to experience Smart State technology first- hand. The systems will provide a focal point for developing a sustainable local community. In these solar schools the children can go into the classroom where there is a computer which is connected to the system that allows the electricity in and out of the grid and they can see the amount of electricity that flows in from the grid and they can see how much flows out of the school into the grid on those quiet sunny days when there is very little power being used in the school. In Queensland there has already been significant development of solar power systems. The remote area power scheme has led to the installation of more than 1,000 solar power systems in rural and remote areas since 1998. The rapid rise in the uptake of solar hot water systems throughout Queensland as a result of the government rebate scheme is a clear indication that attitudes are changing. Annually, there are more than 7,000 solar hot water systems installed. The solar schools program works by familiarising students and local school communities with solar power technologies. The Environmental Protection Agency, with assistance from Education Queensland, the Department of Public Works, Stanwell Corporation, Energex's earth's choice program and Ergon Energy's clean energy program, have all contributed towards putting this pilot program together. Other groups are now coming on board. The Catholic Education Commission is planning to install 14 solar schools. Anglican schools in Brisbane are installing systems, starting at Hillbrook. There is also a solar police station and a solar post office. After completion of the 17-school pilot program 6 Nov 2002 Ministerial Statement 4413 a wider initiative is planned to extend the program to other government buildings with support from industry. Let me be very frank with honourable members about solar power. Solar power is not yet, without government subsidy, more economic than the grid; however, it is already economic outside of the grid. When solar is built into a new home, even within the grid, as part of the set-up costs, it is much more economic. Economies of scale which will come if continued government support leads to the establishment of a solar manufacturing base in Queensland will, in the end, ensure that solar power is economically, as well as ecologically, preferable to traditional sources of electric power.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Q-Build Apprentice Intake 2003 Hon. R. E. SCHWARTEN (Rockhampton—ALP) (Minister for Public Works and Minister for Housing) (10.08 a.m.): As the school year draws to a close, many young Queenslanders will be considering their options for their future. I am pleased to advise that the government's minor works and maintenance organisation, Q-Build, will this week call for applications for the next year's trade apprentice intake. A total of 100 apprenticeships will be offered—a boost from last year's 90. Currently Q-Build employs almost 400 apprentices—the largest employer of apprentices in Australia. The 100 new apprentices will be engaged in a broad range of building trades. Importantly, many of them will be employed in regional and rural centres. Of the 100 new apprenticeship placements, 23 have been allocated for school-based apprentices. These apprentices spend three days at school, one day at TAFE and one day working with Q-Build. Most of their school holidays are also spent in paid work with Q-Build. This arrangement continues until the end of year 12 when they take up full-time employment with Q- Build. It is a chance for young people to earn while they learn—a Smart State approach. Q-Build has been working directly with schools right across the state to recruit these part-time apprentices. It is intended that 17 of the 23 school-based apprentices should be based in regional locations. Judging by previous years, competition for the 100 available apprenticeships will once again be tough. Last year, 2,200 applications were received—no doubt similar interest will be shown this year—concrete evidence of the good standing Q-Build has in the community, both as an employer and as a training organisation. Most Q-Build apprentices end up working in the private sector at the end of their tenure. The training provided through Q-Build is a direct investment in the future of our state's building industry and our skills base. The first round of advertisements for the Q-Build apprenticeships will be in this Saturday's Courier-Mail and other major regional dailies. Interested young Queenslanders have until 22 November to lodge their forms, which can be obtained from Q-Build offices as well as TAFE colleges or on the Q-Build Internet site. Successful applicants will start work in March 2003.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Project Axis Hon. J. C. SPENCE (Mount Gravatt—ALP) (Minister for Families and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Minister for Disability Services and Minister for Seniors) (10.10 a.m.): The work of the Department of Families can be confronting and stressful. For some, especially case officers, there are sometimes physical risks. Our job as a government is to ensure that we provide the training and support needed to respond to suspected and disclosed child abuse. Part of this support is outlined in the government's report on the implementation of the recommendations of the Project Axis report tabled by the Premier today. In this year's budget, I announced $1.5 million funding for the department to specifically address four of the report's recommendations, including the development of a training program and guidelines to assist those in government and non-government agencies to identify and respond to child sexual abuse; the development of child protection advisory material to assist sporting and recreation organisations to develop their own policies for addressing complaints against staff and volunteers; the provision of information to assist child-care centres and sport and recreation groups to ensure that complaints handling policies are in place and enforced and that allegations of child sexual abuse are brought to the attention of the appropriate authorities; and increased interviewing children and recording evidence training—that is, ICARE training—to 4414 Ministerial Statement 6 Nov 2002 ensure that Queensland police officers and Family Services officers are appropriately trained for the task of conducting initial interviews with child victims. Three project officers, including an indigenous staff member, have been employed to develop these responses and the Family Support Unit within the department's Child Protection Branch has already started consultations with external agencies including Education Queensland, Sport and Recreation Queensland, Disability Services Queensland and the Commissioner for Children and Young People as well as other key departmental stakeholders. Focus groups have been undertaken with relevant organisations working in the field of child protection and services for young people and will also be undertaken with representatives of the churches, indigenous workers, volunteer organisations and child care services. We will ensure that there is a consistent approach to the training and community awareness materials developed for government, non- government agencies and families and that the material is inclusive of all those communities. ICARE training was delivered in Brisbane in July this year and 20 Family Services officers and 20 police officers completed the training. A dedicated officer is coordinating new regionally based courses and improving access to training as well as developing training resources for a range of professionals who support those interviewing child victims. The Beattie government is increasing the investment in early intervention and prevention services from 13 per cent to 25 per cent of the annual budget of the Department of Families over the next five years. We are strengthening the state's child protection system with an unprecedented increase in funding that brings our annual investment to $160 million. It is money well spent, because it allows the government to provide more support and advocacy to victims of child sexual abuse.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Drought Industry Working Group Hon. H. PALASZCZUK (Inala—ALP) (Minister for Primary Industries and Rural Communities) (10.13 a.m.): Last week I met with farm organisations to discuss the current drought situation. The meeting of the Drought Industry Working Group, which was established by the government earlier this year, raised a number of issues. A key issue was the need for financial institutions to be flexible and sympathetic in their dealings with their farm borrowers. In July I convened a meeting with representatives from the major rural lenders and officers of the DPI. Since that time, a number of industries have also held similar meetings. The overwhelming view of the Drought Industry Working Group on Friday was for another meeting to be convened. I am particularly interested to use that meeting to seek loan restructuring options for farm borrowers similar to the interest-only option being provided by the government's Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority. The DPI, through its farm financial counselling service, assists farmers in their dealings with their banks. The rural sector has some $6.6 billion in borrowings and it is important that it has a good relationship with its lender. Another major issue raised was the poor seasonal outlook and the likelihood of additional applications for exceptional circumstances assistance. I told the meeting that the Queensland government will provide a grant of $2,500 to regions to help them prepare applications for assistance under the EC scheme. The Queensland government recognises the efforts industry organisations take in preparing EC applications and that is why we are providing the grant. The grant was a proposed reform discussed by the federal and state governments as a way of improving the EC scheme. Under the proposal, the state and federal governments would each provide a $2,500 grant to communities developing an EC application. I would now urge the federal government to follow the Queensland government's lead to also provide a grant. The grant is in addition— Opposition members interjected. Mr PALASZCZUK: Those opposite do not even know how the scheme operates; that is their problem. If they want a briefing, I will organise a briefing for them! The DPI will be allocating additional staff to work in this area, particularly as conditions worsen and further EC applications are required. An application for EC assistance for producers in the Peak Downs region of central Queensland has been lodged by the Queensland government and by AgForce. Based on the assessment of the north-west New South Wales application lodged in September, I expect a preliminary determination from the federal government on the central Queensland application within days. Once the federal government makes this determination, those farming families on approximately 220 properties in the region will be immediately eligible for welfare assistance measures. That is the challenge to the federal government. 6 Nov 2002 Private Members' Statements 4415

SITTING DAYS AND HOURS; ORDER OF BUSINESS Sessional Order Hon. A. M. BLIGH (South Brisbane—ALP) (Leader of the House) (10.17 a.m.), by leave, without notice: I move— That notwithstanding anything contained in the Standing and Sessional Orders, the House will meet for the dispatch of business this week in accordance with the program circulated in my name, viz— (1) Wednesday—normal business for a Tuesday (2) Thursday—normal business for a Wednesday, but after Private Members Motions, the House will break for dinner and resume at 8.30 pm. The House will then continue debate on General Business order of the Day No. 1 then Government Business followed by a 30 minute adjournment debate. (3) The House will also meet for the dispatch of business at 9.30 am on Friday, on which day the routine of business shall be as follows:Ð 9.30 am to 10.30 am— Prayers Messages from the Governor Matters of Privilege Speakers Statements Motions of Condolence Petitions Notification and tabling of papers by The Clerk Ministerial Papers Ministerial Notices of Motion Government Business Notices of Motion Ministerial Statements Any other Government Business Personal Explanations Reports Notices of Motion Private Members’ Bills Question Time 10.30 am to Adjournment of the House— Government Business followed by a 30 minute Adjournment Debate. Motion agreed to.

SCRUTINY OF LEGISLATION COMMITTEE Report Mr PITT (Mulgrave—ALP) (10.17 a.m.): I lay upon the table of the House the Scrutiny of Legislation Committee's Alert Digest No. 10 of 2002.

PRIVATE MEMBERS' STATEMENTS Ergon Energy, Purchasing Policy Mr HORAN (Toowoomba South—NPA) (Leader of the Opposition) (10.18 a.m.): Everyone knows about the Beattie Labor government's and the Premier's almost obsessive preoccupation with rhetoric, spin doctoring, public relations and propaganda. On the Premier's track record, we probably should not be surprised that he is not content to confine that propaganda to the confines of his own government. It is a demonstration of his almost manic obsession that he is intent on forcing it down the throats of the state's utilities and statutory authorities as well as every gullible Queenslander. So entrenched is the Beattie propaganda machine that the likes of Ergon Energy has had to modify its purchasing and tender contracts to satisfy the Premier's whim. It does not specify the obvious things like value for money or buying Queensland products first. No, if you are a sawmill operator who wants to sell power poles to Ergon you have to demonstrate how you are going to make safer and more supportive communities. If your business is office supplies and you want to sell Ergon a consignment of paper clips, in order to win the contract you have to fill out the section 'Better quality of life' and demonstrate how you will 'deliver education, health and family services that improve people's quality of life'. There are other sections like 'Valuing the environment' and the old favourite 'Skilling Queensland—the Smart State'. But the cracker is the section 'Strong government leadership' where you have to tell Ergon how you will help the government to 'lead by example through high standards of accountability, consultation and ethics' and 'manage Queensland's finances to 4416 Private Members' Statements 6 Nov 2002 maintain a state budget surplus, low debt status and AAA credit rating'. What a joke! I seek leave to have the tender document incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. ERGON ENERGY INVITATION TO TENDER FOR CONTRACT NO...... SCHEDULE SPP PRIORITIES OF THE QUEENSLAND STATE PURCHASING POLICY Ergon Energy is committed to the priorities of the Queensland State Purchasing Policy, to assist us we require your response to each of the seven points below with a view to how your business with Ergon Energy will advance these priorities. More job for Queenslanders ¥ Target a rate of five percent unemployment in five years ¥ Assist business and industry to create secure and sustainable jobs ¥ Develop a fair and efficient Industrial Relations system Comment:

Building Queensland’s Regions ¥ Increase Statewide development so that Queensland's regions prosper ¥ Build and encourage infrastructure to support Statewide development ¥ Expand export markets and encourage value adding industries Comment:

Skilling Queensland—the Smart State ¥ Improve workforce skills for current and future needs ¥ Raise general education levels, focusing on whole-of-life skills ¥ Encourage innovation and flexibility by industry and Government to strengthen Queensland's position in the information age Comment:

PRIORITIES OF THE QUEENSLAND STATE PURCHASING POLICY Safer and more supportive communities ¥ Address the social and economic causes of crime through targeted, coordinated and consultative initiatives ¥ Promote individual, family and community vitality that respects diversity ¥ Work with Aborigines and Torres Strait Islander people to find practical ways to progress reconciliation and improve well being and quality of life. Comment:

Better quality of life ¥ Deliver education, health and family services that improves people's quality of life ¥ Develop community facilities and provide community services that promote full and equitable participation by all Queenslanders Comment:

Valuing the environment ¥ Ensure the richness of our environment can be enjoyed by current and future generations ¥ Promote responsible and sustainable development of the State's natural and primary resources Comment:

Strong Government Leadership ¥ Lead by example through high standards of accountability, consultation and ethics ¥ Manage Queensland’s finances to maintain a State budget surplus, low debt status and AAA credit rating ¥ Encourage active and informed citizenship ¥ Deliver improved and integrated Government services Comment:

NAME OF TENDERER: SIGNATURE: FOR AND ON BEHALF OF TENDERER DATE: Schedule SPP (State Purchasing Policy) 6 Nov 2002 Private Members' Statements 4417

Mr HORAN: The Beattie government has dismally given up on both of these fronts, particularly the budget surplus, so now it is trawling Ergon's contractors for ideas. This tender document is a blatant attempt to force Beattie's Labor propaganda on everybody else—a clumsy attempt to trawl for ideas to make up for the void of ideas on its old, tired frontbench. The irony is that when a prospective tenderer rang Ergon to inquire what relevance this tender document had— Time expired.

Mature-age Job Seekers Ms STRUTHERS (Algester—ALP) (10.20 a.m.): Members of this House would know that I am a keen supporter of job seekers aged over 45 years. That is not because I am slowly creeping up to that age myself; it is because there are around 31,000 job seekers in Queensland over 45 desperately looking for work. It is encouraging to see that many of these people are actively looking for work and are seeking the support of state government programs. Like the youth cohort, many of these people are not learning or earning to their full capacity. The vast majority, in fact, are yearning for job security and for a secure future. I have prominent allies in my cause on this issue: Geoff Wilson, president of the Southside Chamber of Commerce; Ray Goodey, editor of the Southern Star and other Quest newspapers; the Minister, the Hon. Matt Foley; and staff of the Brisbane South regional office of the Department of Employment and Training. These movers and shakers are all supporting me in a Brisbane south side campaign to achieve 45 jobs for over 45s in 45 weeks. The campaign's aim is to actively link job seekers over 45 years of age with employers to get them jobs. A wage subsidy of $4,400 is payable to eligible employers under the state government's Experience Pays program. Mount Gravatt training centre is doing a lot of the leg work on the project. Ray Goodey had generously offered to feature good news stories on employers who have taken on a mature-age job seeker and feature job seekers in the south side Quest papers. Our government is determined to drive economic growth and jobs, and we are determined to give people who need a hand targeted labour market support. The 45 jobs for over 45s in 45 weeks campaign will promote the message that experience pays. Far from being past their use-by date, over 45s are ready, willing and able to unleash their skills and experience on willing workplaces.

Caloundra Hospital Mrs SHELDON (Caloundra—Lib) (10.22 a.m.): I would like to quote from a letter from the Australian Pensioners and Superannuants League to the central zone manager of Queensland Health. The letter states— It has been some months now since you attended our Caloundra Hospital Support Meeting. There were 350 people there, but no minister. It continues— Held on the March 5 2002 at the Caloundra Power Boat Club The Major Community Groups in the Caloundra District are extremely concerned that Caloundra City Hospital still has not the resources befitting the needs of the Residents of the City of Caloundra As has been previously stated by Queensland Health Representatives, Patients can access Medical Services, not available at Caloundra, at Nambour, Caboolture or Brisbane Hospital. This is an argument that may look good on paper as a Regional Administration Exercise but in reality is unpractical, to not only Pensioners, the Elderly, the Young and unemployed but in fact to the whole Community in general The facts are there is no reliable Public or Private Transport Infrastructure in the Caloundra District that would allow Patients and/or their Families to travel to these distant hospital destinations Even if there were, you would understand the pressure and trauma that this would place on ill people required to sit on a bus travelling to and from distant medical establishments for treatment Given the extremely high proportion of Senior Residents living in Caloundra, it is realistic for them to have a fully resourced local hospital We appreciate, as you stated at our March 5 Meeting, the Rehabilitation Unit would be in operation at Caloundra Hospital in September 2002. I note that it is, but unfortunately they are going to close the one in Nambour. The letter goes on— It is our understanding, that 'Dove House' was built to encompass the Palliative Care Ward 4418 Private Members' Statements 6 Nov 2002

If this is correct, can you please inform us as to where the Palliative Care Unit will operate from and when it will commence full service? Can you please confirm a reported cost cutting measure at Caloundra Hospital relating to closure of six Ward Beds? Reducing the number of Hospital Beds from thirty-seven to thirty-one with possibly more bed closures to follow. It is also a fact that Caloundra Hospital, other than emergencies, will not admit children for Medical Operations? Instead directing them to Nambour So concerned are the Major Caloundra Community Groups— Time expired.

Fibre Composites, University of Southern Queensland Mr SHINE (Toowoomba North—ALP) (10.24 a.m.): If Queensland is the Smart State, then I am sure members of the House will excuse my bias when I say that Toowoomba is a smart city. We are renowned as a job-creating, Smart State stimulating area. I look forward to the visit to Toowoomba shortly of the government caucus. The Beattie government, by investing in new and exciting industries around our city, is further boosting Toowoomba's image in this regard. I am sure that we are all aware that when it comes to Smart State or smart city technology, fibre composites are at the top of the list. I am proud to say that, while USQ has been researching fibre composites for the last five to seven years, it is this state government that saw the vision and had the confidence to invest in it to the tune of $10 million for the centre of excellence at USQ. Last week we heard members of the opposition declare that they were experts on fibre composites and the work being done at USQ. I am glad to hear that they are supporting the Smart State ideology and taking an interest in Smart State technology, but they failed to actually outline what they learned about fibre composites and USQ. Following on their lack of knowledge, may I enlighten the opposition about some of the latest projects at USQ's fibre composite design and development centre. One thing that has strengthened USQ's image as a leader in fibre composites is its construction of Australia's first fibre composite bridge. Minister Lucas came and inspected this bridge with me at its unveiling recently, and I know that he agrees it is an impressive piece of Smart State technology. The 10-metre road bridge not only outperforms its traditional concrete and steel counterparts in terms of its weight, strength, corrosion resistance, durability and ease of transportation; it is also environmentally friendly, as proven by USQ. As Minister Lucas fittingly pointed out at the launch, this is smart material that could be the smart solution for repairing and replacing 20,000 ageing road bridges around Australia. This one bridge has been the start of a major new export industry for the downs. It has attracted interest from all around the world. USQ's latest project will see the Brisbane City Council use fibre composite walers as produced by the Toowoomba university as beams in the New Farm river walkway. Time expired.

Medical Indemnity Insurance Miss SIMPSON (Maroochydore—NPA) (10.26 a.m.): If Health Minister Wendy Edmond moved any slower when faced with a health crisis, rigor mortis would set in. Finally she has acknowledged that there is a problem with the level of cover the government has been providing for doctors working in the public health system. Finally the government is realising that it has to acknowledge this and provide a better level of cover. We have been calling for this for months in this parliament. The doctors have been calling for this for months. I also raised the inadequacy of public indemnity cover for doctors in the public system during the estimates process. The visiting medical officer agreement expired nearly six months ago. During that time we have seen a situation whereby doctors who are genuinely despairing about the level of cover from Queensland Health have been withdrawing their services from the system. They knew that the word of the Health Minister, as opposed to a legally binding document, was not adequate cover. During that time we have seen scores of obstetricians, ENT specialists and orthopaedic surgeons in a range of specialties withdraw or resign from Queensland Health while this Health Minister has done nothing. In fact, she stood up in this place and denied that there was a problem. 6 Nov 2002 Questions Without Notice 4419

We acknowledge that today the Health Minister has finally said that the government is going to do something about it. She is belligerent, but I appeal to the Health Minister. Next time she faces a crisis like this, she should not wait for people to withdraw from the health system. She should not wait to see scores of surgeries cancelled, with people desperate for access to the health system, while she says there is no problem. When a health crisis such as the indemnity issue presents itself the minister should take action and stop denying there is a problem. Countless numbers of surgeries have been cancelled while doctors have removed themselves from the health system. The Health Minister has continued to— Time expired.

Spirit of Eagleby Festival Ms KEECH (Albert—ALP) (10.28 a.m.): Honourable members will be interested to know that Eagleby, near Beenleigh, is by area the largest of Queensland's community renewal areas. Whilst undoubtedly the biggest in size, I dare say that it is also the biggest in community spirit, if the recent Spirit of Eagleby festival is anything to go by. The festival was a tremendous success, attended by hundreds of local families. It was a great day that had it all—kids, entertainment, rides, displays and stalls, competitions and talent shows—not to mention flyovers from the RAAF Roulettes and Royal Queensland Aero Club. The day was an opportunity for locals to come together to enjoy each other's company. It was also a day for the community to recognise the tremendous benefits of the $4.3 million which Minister Schwarten has committed through community renewal. It would not have been possible without a large number of people. I would like to thank Anne Hodge, Dorothy Hilleary, Margaret Harvey, Ian Bray, Rebecca and Amanda Phillips, David Hilleary, Kevin McMillan and Lynn McNeilly, who worked so hard to make all the difference. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The time for private members' statements has expired. Ms KEECH: I ask for this to be incorporated in Hansard. Mr SPEAKER: I am sorry, we cannot do that.

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Deputy Premier and Treasurer Mr HORAN (10.30 a.m.): I direct a question to the Premier. For two consecutive years now his Treasurer has predicted surpluses but delivered deficits: first of $820 million and then $894 million. In addition, the Treasurer has gambled with departmental funds and lost $10 million that could have gone into programs. He has misinformed the House about the projected returns on the state's investments and now he has become so confused that he refuses to detail the returns at all. He has broken promises that the Premier made not to increase taxes, fees and charges above the level of the CPI. I ask: with this consistent record of failure, when is the Premier going to put Queensland ahead of Labor factional politics and replace this incompetent minister? Mr BEATTIE: I thank the honourable member for his question. This is the member who got the QSuper rates wrong, our drought response wrong, the Smart State report wrong, criminal history check issues wrong, our ethanol position wrong and the election date wrong. On this matter, the member is wrong again. Even this morning he came into this place and attacked a position in relation to a contractor who was approaching Ergon—a matter that has been in our state purchasing policy for not one year, not two years, not three years, but would members believe four years! What does it say? Basically, it says that these are the government priorities. What does that mean? It means that when Ergon issues a contract, it has to take into account what? Jobs in the regions! I would have thought that the member would have been in favour of jobs in the regions. It also says that we have to take into account— Opposition members interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Order! We will hear the answer. Mr BEATTIE: They do not like it. Opposition members interjected. Mr BEATTIE: I am happy to wait. It is the members' question time. Mr Horan interjected. 4420 Questions Without Notice 6 Nov 2002

Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition has asked his question. I am going to hear the answer. Mr BEATTIE: Not only that, we want them to take into account things like families, the environment and jobs in the regions. Let me make it really clear— Opposition members interjected. Mr BEATTIE: If the members opposite were not so rude, I would get to that. Opposition members interjected. Mr SPEAKER: I say to the opposition that I intend to hear the answer to the question. If they do not want to hear the answer, I will make sure they leave the chamber. Mr Seeney: We want to hear an answer to the question. Mr SPEAKER: I am warning the member for Callide now under standing order 123A. Mr BEATTIE: I would have thought that if the member was issuing a contract for poles or for any other matter, he would want the jobs to go to Queenslanders and, if possible, he would want the jobs to go to the regions. Let me make it clear: I stand by our commitment to jobs in the regions, I stand by our commitment to families and I stand by our commitment to the environment. I want to deal with these issues involving the Treasurer. This is one of the best Treasurers we have had in Queensland—the Deputy Premier—and I stand by him. Let me make the point— An opposition member interjected. Mr BEATTIE: They are at it again. The member thinks he is so clever that he could have predicted the drop on Wall Street. An opposition member interjected. Mr BEATTIE: That is what the member is saying. These issues relate to investment funds that came about as a result of drops on Wall Street and elsewhere because of the attacks on September 11 and other issues. No-one is that good. The Deputy Premier and Treasurer is not Nostradamus any more than I am, or any more than the fund managers in the world, all of whom predicted that there would have been an increase in the market prior to September 11. It is all very well to come into this place and try to misrepresent the facts. The facts are that it was world markets, over which we had no control.

Minister for Police and Corrective Services Mr HORAN: I direct a question to the Premier. Only last week his Minister for Police was caught out having named the victim of a vicious sexual assault in one of his press releases. He has also overseen the WORC release program that saw two corrupt police officers at home watching the footy after doing six weeks of their three-year jail terms. The minister has overseen dozens of escapes and abscondings from custody, he has derided the concerns of Gold Coast residents that police were not responding fast enough and that there were not enough of them, and he has claimed that the region was overstaffed. I ask: with this consistent record of failure, when is the Premier going to put Queensland ahead of Labor factional politics and replace this incompetent minister? Mr BEATTIE: I thank the member for the question. This comes from a member who came into this House and breached the Child Protection Act and named children. That is what the member did. He had to apologise to this House. Ms Spence: And we had to change standing orders. Mr BEATTIE: And we had to change standing orders. The Police Minister made an innocent mistake. He rang the person concerned and apologised personally to the person concerned. Why did the minister make the mistake? Because he doubled the reward to catch the perpetrators who had raped the individual. The poor individual concerned—unfortunate as this incident was—understood those circumstances. The Police Minister has admitted his mistake. He has apologised and I have apologised on behalf of the government. It came out of a good intention, that is, to catch the people who did it. The Leader of the Opposition came into this place and named children. What is the worst of those two offences? I know very clearly what the community would determine. The Leader of the Opposition cannot come into this place and play Pontius Pilate when he is improperly naming 6 Nov 2002 Questions Without Notice 4421 children. Under any circumstances the Leader of the Opposition cannot come into this place and make a judgment on others. As the Lord once said, 'Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.' I have to say that the Leader of the Opposition has a pile of rocks and he is in no position to throw one of them. I will now deal with the issue of the imprisonment of former police officers. I am aware, as is the Police Minister, of the intense media interest in the management of two former police officers who were transferred to the WORC program. I want to remind members of the recent bipartisan support for legislative amendments that allowed for more prisoners to participate in the WORC program. This program supports regional and rural Queensland by providing free prisoner labour to small communities for work such as flood relief and fencing right down to painting the fences of the elderly. The program is warmly embraced and supported by country communities. It is only appropriate that offenders are given the opportunity to make reparation to the community against which they have offended; in other words, do some work, put something back into the community. However, it appears that the department's policies and procedures in relation to the reintegration leave that goes with this program had not considered the timing of the commencement of this leave. I note the indignant cries from members opposite claiming that government policy should not have allowed these prisoners to access reintegration leave after serving such a short period of their sentence. It is worth pointing out that when Mr Horan and Mr Quinn were last ministers in a coalition government, the policy in question was the same. So the policy that provided for these circumstances was the same policy that was in operation when the Leader of the Opposition was a minister. We have had enough hypocrisy. We have had enough mistakes. The Leader of the Opposition has egg all over his face on a range of issues. It is about time that we had some decency and some honesty in this place.

Business Investment Mr TERRY SULLIVAN: Even in these tough times of drought, there are still strong economic figures on offer and business investment remains strong. I ask the Premier: does he have the latest figures on business investment, particularly in the private sector? Mr BEATTIE: I thank the honourable member for Stafford for his question, because this is where we get jobs and opportunities. Business investment is the engine for growth and prosperity in Queensland. Private business investment increased strongly in 2001-02. The 2002-03 budget forecast private investment growth of 17.25 per cent. This is backed up by Access Economics' forecast of growth in business investment of almost 16 per cent. As noted by Access Economics in its September quarter bulletin this year, the investment pipeline for Queensland looks particularly impressive, with commercial construction now starting to hit its straps. So things are strong here. The things that the government can influence—not the world markets over which we have no control or the drought over which we have no control—are responding because of our Smart State policies. Stage 1 of the Comalco alumina refinery will involve an investment of $1.36 billion and produce 1.5 million tonnes per annum of alumina. Work has been progressing on the site with an expected completion date of mid to late 2004. That is a direct result of policies out of the Department of State Department under Minister Tom Barton. Site participation of the $1.3 billion Australian Magnesium Corporation project began in September 2002. Overseas interest in this project is high. AMC has developed and patented magnesium alloy for use in the manufacture of a lightweight engine which is currently being showcased in Europe in a Volkswagon Lupo. Other projects such as the $3.5 billion Aldoga aluminium smelter, the $250 million Astral calcining plant and the $500 million LG Chemicals plant are progressing well. Boyne Smelters, SPP's Stuart oil shale plant and Queensland Alumina are also implementing their own major plans for expansion. As I have said before, the centre of aviation in Australia is heading north. Construction of the Qantas 767 maintenance project at Brisbane Airport has begun, and the state is moving to finalise arrangements for a Virgin Blue maintenance and training project at Brisbane airport—all of this on top of Cairns becoming the hub for Australian Airlines with the boost to domestic tourism that 350,000 extra visitors will deliver. Major construction projects such as the $180 million Gold Coast Convention Centre are well advanced. The Gold Coast Convention Centre will boost tourism in the region, with the convention centre capable of holding up to 2,000 delegates. The options for the redevelopment of the North Bank of the Brisbane River and the CBD represent an exciting opportunity to transform a neglected and underutilised stretch of the river. 4422 Questions Without Notice 6 Nov 2002

This redevelopment will be done without using taxpayers' money. It seems clear that Queensland is the place where business likes to invest and it delivers the strongest jobs growth in the nation. Our economic strategy is built upon strong fundamentals, comparatively low taxes, efficient and effective regulation, smart investment facilitation and an industry policy that encourages business to add value and be innovative. As well, investing in the skills and education of Queenslanders boosts productivity and delivers jobs. The strategy is clearly working. We are delivering for Queensland. Mr SPEAKER: Before calling the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, I welcome to the public gallery students and teachers from the Good News Lutheran School in the electorate of Mount Ommaney.

Health Minister Mr JOHNSON: I refer the Premier to his repeated comments that his Minister for Health is the best Health Minister Queensland has ever had, even better than he is. The list of the Minister for Health's failures is too long for me to include as part of my question, but some of her more notable failures include: her failure to address the medical indemnity crisis until an exodus of VMOs—either they left or threatened to leave the health system; and thanks to Fiona Simpson this did not happen—her failure to resolve the pay dispute with nurses in a timely manner resulting in bed closures and millions of dollars being paid out to agency nurses to cover the shortfall; the failure of Queensland Health to meet its own targets with emergency department waiting times; elective surgery waiting times blow-out, with patients being forced to wait more than a year for surgery; a radiation therapist shortage contributing to long cancer treatment waits of at least eight weeks in Townsville and six weeks in Brisbane; and excessive spinal unit waiting times because of a shortage of plastic surgeons and only one facility in the whole state. When will the Premier put Queensland ahead of Labor factional politics and replace this incompetent minister? Mr BEATTIE: I was wondering where this was all going, until I realised two things. It was well reported that the Queensland National and Liberal parties will reopen negotiations on a coalition agreement this week and that a wrangle over three-cornered contests is expected to top the agenda. But that was not all! Mr JOHNSON: On a point of order, what does this have to do with the question? Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. Mr BEATTIE: I want to know whether the member will be the Treasurer or whether Bob will be the Treasurer. That is what relevance it has. I was wondering why there were so many sensitivities over there until I read what Joan Sheldon had said. Joan said— To put my hand up again— and run again— I would need to see whether we have a clear and unified position— That is, 'whether we have a coalition or not'. Those opposite have some sensitivities. These are the pre-negotiation antics between the Nats and the Libs. Joan says to Bob, 'I'm going to nick off unless you can get into bed with Mike over there.' Vaughan is worried because he does not know if Joan gets into bed with Mike whether or not he will end up with Treasury. Talk about a saga! Guys, if you need a mediator I will come along and sit in on the negotiations. Mr JOHNSON: Mr Speaker, I draw your attention to section 69 of standing orders and ask that you apply them to the House. Mr SPEAKER: I know all about that. Mr BEATTIE: Mr Speaker, I am about to come to it. I am happy to stand by my Minister for Health, in the same way that I am proud to stand by the Deputy Premier and Treasurer. I am happy to stand by all my ministers. Mr Watson: What about the directors-general? Mr BEATTIE: Listen, you're about to leave. Do not get too excited. I want the member to leave here in a happy state. We do not want the member carried out of here with hypertension and blood pressure. The member has one of the nicest wives of any member in this place, except a few of us, and she is a lovely lady. I want her to have the member opposite for the rest of her life—poor woman. In terms of key health achievements, I am happy to stand by the Minister for Health. Since coming to office, the Beattie government has delivered record health budgets. We have delivered on our promise to make public elective surgery waiting list information available. 6 Nov 2002 Questions Without Notice 4423

We have cut waiting lists through the waiting list reduction program. The list of significant achievements goes on. The government has committed an additional $20 million from 1 July 2001 for two years so that people can have their operations sooner. Indeed, the government's target of treating an extra 3,500 elective surgery patients in 2001-02 has been exceeded, with an additional 4,381 elective surgery patients treated in 2001-02 compared with the same period in 2000-01. The Health portfolio is a tough one. As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition indicated, I had it for a while. I know how tough it is. This minister has been one of the best in the state. It is very difficult. It is tough. We are in a growth state. When in a growth state we need to manage it, and the minister manages it very well on behalf of the government.

Down Under Bottled Water Mr RODGERS: Premier, they say the state's water is truly worth bottling. There has been great success in the Smart State policy of using Queensland wines for government functions. Will the Premier confirm that in this the Year of the Outback that policy has now been extended to take in bottled water? If so, who will be the beneficiaries of this decision? Mr BEATTIE: I thank the member for his question because, like me, he knows that the management of water issues is one of the most important confronting this state. My government has demonstrated that it will do everything it can to increase employment opportunities in rural and remote Queensland. The $110 million Queensland Heritage Trails Network, as spelled out by the minister, is a prime example of the way in which jobs are being created in rural and remote communities. In the belief that action speaks louder than words, I have also promoted Queensland wines, urging the Prime Minister to include them on the wine list for his official residence. I have also ensured that they are served at official functions which I host. I am now pleased to take this policy a step further. Where bottled water is served at functions I am hosting, guests will receive Down Under, a pure Australian water from Blackall. The distributors of Down Under are planning to market this water as far afield as China, Japan, Canada and the USA. Mr Foley: Where we opened a wool scour under the Queensland Heritage Trails Network. Mr BEATTIE: I take that interjection—that is another example of our commitment to the bush. The distributors of Down Under are planning to market this water internationally. Success would mean the creation of jobs in Blackall, about 1,000 kilometres from Brisbane—I know that the member knows where it is, but I am making sure everybody does—with a population of under 2,000 and a generation of export income. One in four jobs in Queensland is export driven, a figure that rises to one in five in the regions. I would like to congratulate you, Mr Speaker, for playing a part in this initiative by arranging for Down Under bottled water to be stocked in Parliament House—well done! The company responsible for taking this water to the world started life in 1908 as the Blackall Ice Works Company, using the water for ice and soft drinks. The label on the bottle states— G'day. You are holding in your hand a product that is somewhere around two million years old. We draw it out of the Great Artesian Basin deep down under at a place called Blackall in outback Queensland. That's in Australia. Sorry, Joan, you are not 2,000 years old. I will deny that. If the member wants to go for one bid higher than 2,000, that is outrageous. I will aim to protect the member; she is not 2,000 years old. The label continues— Every drop is filtered through naturally occurring sandstone aquifers, so you could say it is pollution free. I urge all members to be supportive of it. While talking about water, I have indicated to the federal government that we are keen to work with it to develop long-term strategies. The federal cabinet was in town yesterday and had its water advisory group here. The Minister for Natural Resources has spelt out a number of strategies and we are keen to do what we can to work with it. While I am talking about events that are happening, I am happy to tell the House that, as another hallmark of my government determining to support women, today at 12.30 in the function rooms I will be launching a book written by AnneMarie White published by the Central Queensland University Press called Women who win. It deals with a number of very proud Queenslanders. It is so good that I will table a copy for members to read, if they are too lousy to buy it themselves. 4424 Questions Without Notice 6 Nov 2002

State Budget Deficit Mr QUINN: I refer the Treasurer to his admission last week that his government has plunged this state into a $900 million deficit and to his excuse that a sudden downturn in the Dow Jones index during the month of June was the cause of this unexpected deficit. Given that, as quoted in the Courier-Mail, the Dow Jones collapsed to an eight-month low a whole two weeks prior to the state budget and given that the Dow Jones had recorded two triple-digit losses in the week before the state budget, I ask: when did Treasury officials first alert him to the consequences of this collapse and why did he not refer to the potential impact when he handed down the state budget, or was he oblivious to world markets? Mr MACKENROTH: The budget projections were done at the end of May. The projections in relation to our investments are on all of the investments, not just the investments covered by the Dow Jones—all of the investments we have. I was interested to read in the Courier-Mail on Saturday comments by Access Economics and also the Leader of the Liberal Party, who put forward a proposal that we should separate our investments when we report to the parliament. I would be very happy to do that. If he went to the report that I tabled last Thursday, he would see that if I had done that we in fact would have had a $596 million surplus. The effect of the returns on our investments was $1.49 billion. In fact, the surplus that I referred to then offset some of that. If we had used what the member was arguing for in the newspaper on Saturday we would be standing here today talking about the $596 million surplus and the Leader of the Opposition would be saying what an irresponsible Treasurer I was for not spending all that money. He cannot have it both ways. Mr Horan interjected. Mr MACKENROTH: I was told that the member had a briefing last week and it took three hours to explain to him simply what an appropriation was. On 14 May last year Merrill Lynch did a worldwide survey of 300 fund managers. Some 84 per cent of those fund managers were optimistic for higher markets over the next 12 months. Some 25 per cent predicted that we would be in double-digit positive returns. The figure was slightly higher in terms of single-digit positive returns, at 59 per cent. So 84 per cent of fund managers, only 14 days before we made our predictions, were predicting higher markets in the next 12 months. They are the sorts of views that we need to look at when we are making our predictions. I do not believe that at the time our budget was done at the end of May anyone was predicting that there was going to be a five per cent drop during the month of June.

AusLink; Road Funding Mr REEVES: I refer the Minister for Transport and Minister for Main Roads to the fact that as Mount Gravatt-Capalaba Road in the electorate of Mansfield is part of the federal government's National Highway, the residents of Mansfield and I have been concerned about the Howard government's May budget and the imminent release of the Commonwealth's blueprint, AusLink, outlining its plan to back away from agreed funding arrangements to the states, and I ask: can the minister please advise the House of the impact of the federal government's action on Queensland roads? Mr BREDHAUER: When John Anderson launches the green paper on AusLink tomorrow, he will be heralding a major cost-shifting exercise from the Commonwealth government to the state governments, but in particular he will be announcing massive cutbacks in road funding for the state of Queensland. All members of this parliament, not just on this side but also on the other side, should be joining me in protesting to Canberra about its plans. Mr Speaker, you do not need to take my word for it. Have a look at today's Australian, which states— The federal Government will launch a campaign to shift Commonwealth responsibility for transport infrastructure on to the states, beginning with the winding back of federal funding for the National Highway. Further, it states— While the costings of the AusLink plan are yet to be finalised, government advisers admit cuts will be made elsewhere. Shifting a large part of the cost of the maintenance and upgrade of the National Highway is one option Mr Anderson is considering. For four and a half years John Anderson has been telling me that Queensland has the worst National Highway network in the country. Now that it is our turn to benefit from the funds for the National Highway, John Anderson is saying that the federal government will walk away from its responsibilities. 6 Nov 2002 Questions Without Notice 4425

We had a $57 million cut in funding to this state for national highways from the feds this year. What does that mean? It means the $3.5 million passing lane on the Bruce Highway between Ayr and Townsville will not proceed. It means the $4 million widening and rehabilitation between Kynuna and Cloncurry on the Landsborough Highway will not proceed. It means the $2.8 million rehabilitation and widening between Ipswich and Warwick on the Cunningham Highway will not proceed. It means the $2.6 million road surface rehabilitation and floodway upgrades between Miles and Mitchell on the Warrego Highway will not proceed. It means the $1.8 million road resurfacing on the Gore Highway between Millmerran and Goondiwindi will not proceed. And it means the $500,000 road resurfacing between Ingham and Innisfail on the Bruce Highway will not proceed. They are nearly all in National Party electorates. But it gets worse. Unless the federal government fixes the forward estimates, the $12.5 million overtaking lanes north and south of Gympie will not proceed on the Bruce Highway. Nor will the $46 million road rehabilitation on the Warrego, Gore, New England and Cunningham highways proceed. Nor will the $6.5 million road alignment between Mackay and Proserpine on the Bruce Highway proceed. Nor will the $14.1 million road rehabilitation on the Bruce Highway between Bowen and Cairns proceed. The $5.1 million project on the Landsborough Highway between Kynuna and Cloncurry will not proceed, either. The federal government is about ripping National Highway funds out of Queensland and every other state. As the Minister for Transport, at the Australian Transport Council meeting in Sydney on Friday I will not tolerate it. I call on the members opposite to join me in lobbying the Deputy Prime Minister. Mr SPEAKER: Order! Before calling the member for Keppel, I welcome to the gallery students and teachers from the Milton State School in the electorate of Mount Coot-tha.

Wageline Mr LESTER: My question is to the Minister for Industrial Relations. Minister, I seek leave to table leaked information from your department. Mr SPEAKER: Leave is granted. Mr LESTER: This reveals that you plan to develop a two-site centre for Wageline, one in Brisbane and the other either in Townsville or Cairns and discontinue the service from regional offices around the state. It has also come to my— Ms BLIGH: I rise to a point of order. The member sought leave to table certain material but the motion was not put and nor was leave granted. Mr LESTER: I asked for leave. Mr SPEAKER: But he was tabling, he was not incorporating. Ms BLIGH: No, he sought leave. The question has to be put. Mr SPEAKER: Is leave granted? No, leave is not granted. Mr LESTER: Minister, we have to divide on that. Mr SPEAKER: Division called. Ring the bells. Question—That the member for Keppel be granted leave to table certain documents—put; and the House divided— AYES, 22—Bell, Copeland, E. Cunningham, Flynn, Hobbs, Hopper, Horan, Johnson, Kingston, Lee Long, Lingard, Malone, Pratt, Quinn, Rowell, Seeney, Sheldon, Simpson, Watson, Wellington. Tellers: Lester, Springborg NOES, 62—Barry, Barton, Beattie, Bligh, Boyle, Bredhauer, Briskey, Choi, E. Clark, L. Clark, Croft, Cummins, J. Cunningham, Edmond, English, Fenlon, Foley, Fouras, Hayward, Jarratt, Keech, Lavarch, Lawlor, Lee, Livingstone, Lucas, Mackenroth, Male, McNamara, Mickel, Miller, Molloy, Mulherin, Nelson-Carr, Nolan, Nuttall, Palaszczuk, Pearce, Phillips, Pitt, Poole, Purcell, Reilly, Reynolds, N. Roberts, Robertson, Rodgers, Rose, Schwarten, D. Scott, Shine, Smith, Spence, Stone, Strong, Struthers, C. Sullivan, Welford, Wells, Wilson. Tellers: T. Sullivan, Reeves Resolved in the negative.

Wageline Mr LESTER: Minister, I table leaked information from your department which reflects that you can develop a two site centre for Wageline—one at Brisbane and the other either at Townsville or Cairns—and discontinue the service from regional offices around the state. It has also come to my attention that 11 out of 12 of your permanent officers at the Brisbane Wageline office are on 4426 Questions Without Notice 6 Nov 2002 secondment, leaving practically only contract and casual workers. This perhaps explains why we have 42 per cent of the people— Mr SPEAKER: Order! Is this a question? Mr LESTER: Yes. A staff member has complained to the opposition that the wrong information is frequently given out over Wageline because of poor training and a high turnover rate. Mr SPEAKER: Order! This is not a debate, honourable member for Keppel; this is a question. Will you please get to the question. Mr LESTER: I have a beauty; I am just about to come to it. In view of the information I have just provided, can the minister give undertakings to the parliament that, firstly, Wageline will continue to run out of regional offices and, secondly, that mechanisms will be put in place to ensure that correct information is always given out over Wageline in the future? Mr NUTTALL: We have finally got to the question. In relation to the issue that has been raised by the honourable member, yes, there is a report and I presume that is the report to which he is referring. The report was requested by my department into the operations of Wageline. The reason we called for that report is that we want to make sure that Wageline is delivering the services that it was meant to deliver. There has been an ever-increasing demand on the services of Wageline. It would be remiss of us if we did not continue to review the operations of Wageline. The report makes certain recommendations but no-one, namely my department, the government or myself, has made any determination in relation to the findings contained within the report. May I say that we compare quite favourably with other states' industrial relations advisory services. There has been some criticism in the media about the services of Wageline. In Queensland, the waiting time for calls to be answered is 57 seconds, which is ahead of most other state jurisdictions. We have implemented a number of— Mr Lester: It says 40 per cent of callers are not getting through. Mr SPEAKER: Order! Member for Keppel, you have asked your question. Mr NUTTALL: The department has implemented a number of efficiencies for Wageline, including a web site, to better manage uniform information through the unit. We have improved services across the 19 centres. Seventy-eight per cent of all callers are getting through with their first attempt, with the majority of the remaining 22 per cent getting through on a subsequent attempt. Fifty-eight per cent of all callers experience no delay and are getting direct access to a client service officer. Only 8 per cent of callers are abandoning while waiting for an operator. In relation to the issue concerning correction information, may I say that between web site and phone calls Wageline answers over 2.5 million inquiries a year. It would be silly to say that we do not make mistakes. I am not going to stand here as minister and say that we do not make mistakes; of course we make mistakes. But I think 2.5 million inquiries a year is a substantial number of inquiries. As I said, it is important that we keep abreast of things in order to ensure that we deliver the best service we possibly can.

Scientists, Safety While Monitoring Water Quality Mrs CARRYN SULLIVAN: I ask the Minister for Natural Resources and Minister for Mines: can the minister advise whether his department is taking any measures to protect Queensland government scientists involved in water monitoring projects from being eaten on the job? Mr ROBERTSON: I thank the honourable member for the question. Scientist monitoring of water quality in our rivers and streams is an important part of the Beattie government's water planning process. The nature of the work means that government scientists are often standing in waist-high water for lengthy periods to collect and sample water, bugs and fish in creeks and rivers. This means that they face various hazards while working in remote and isolated river systems where conditions are unpredictable and creatures may lurk in the deep. For example, NRM scientists are currently working on monitoring and testing the quality of water of many areas from Mackay to Cooktown and have recently started work in the Fitzroy catchment around Rockhampton. Rivers in these catchments as well as others throughout northern Queensland are known to contain both freshwater and saltwater crocodiles. This fact prompted my Department of Natural Resources and Mines to provide its water monitoring scientists with crocodile awareness training to ensure that they do not get eaten on the job. 6 Nov 2002 Questions Without Notice 4427

NRM scientists recently received training in the behaviour of freshwater and estuarine crocodiles at Australia Zoo, the home of crocodile hunter Steve Irwin. Staff at Australia Zoo showed the group through the zoo's crocodile enclosures and instructed them on how to recognise crocodile nesting sites, slide marks, body imprints and food. They were given a detailed account of crocodile behaviour and were advised on the current best practices when working in areas known to be inhabited by crocodiles. The Australia Zoo visit provided valuable awareness training and direct input into the field protocol for sampling in areas inhabited by crocodiles which is currently being developed by the department. Fortunately, none of our field staff have yet encountered a crocodile, although they have been seen at some very close quarters. The water monitoring being done by our scientists is crucial to the government's water planning process, and by crikey we will do whatever necessary to protect them from being eaten on the job!

Schoolies Festival, Code of Conduct Mr BELL: I refer the Minister for Families to the ongoing concerns expressed in correspondence to various ministers by Surfers Paradise Community Association Inc. regarding misconduct and antisocial behaviour by young people during the schoolies festival at the Gold Coast, and I ask: is the minister aware of the association's proposal for a legally recognised code of conduct to enable accommodation providers, police and others in authority better to control the bad elements of the schoolies festival? Is the minister prepared to support the adoption of such a code of conduct? Ms SPENCE: I thank the member for Surfers Paradise for the question. Many members of this government have a keen interest in the activities and the success of schoolies week this year. Mr Reeves: So do you! Ms SPENCE: My own son will be there on Saturday week. I know that the Premier's daughter and the member for Chermside's son will be as well, along with Mr Briskey's son. They will all be there! Honourable members interjected. Ms SPENCE: Yes, maybe we should all move down there and watch over them. They will obviously be enjoying the attractions of the Gold Coast along with 100,000 other young people from all over Australia and overseas. I firstly want to acknowledge the hard work that has been done in previous years by the Gold Coast City Council and community organisations such as the Surfers Paradise Community Association as well as the Queensland Police Service, the Premier's Department, the Families Department, the Health Department and other state government agencies which ensure that schoolies week on the Gold Coast is as safe and well supervised as possible. I am told that last year was one of the best and quietest schoolies weeks that the Gold Coast has seen for some time. I also acknowledge the contribution of the member for Surfers Paradise on the Schoolies Week Reference Committee, because it is an issue that he has taken a lot of interest in over the years and has had a lot of involvement with. During schoolies week over 600 volunteers participate in putting on and managing activities for our young people. In previous years the Department of Families has given the Gold Coast City Council $25,000 to recruit and train those volunteers. I am pleased to announce to the member for Surfers Paradise that I approved of that allocation on the weekend and the Gold Coast City Council should be getting news of that approval in the next few days. We are keen to associate ourselves with schoolies week. I have just been informed that the member for Broadwater is a volunteer at schoolies week. Congratulations to the member for Broadwater. I have not been informed about the code of conduct proposal being put up by the Surfers Paradise Community Association. It would not be the core responsibility of the Department of Families to organise a code of conduct for accommodation providers and police, but I am sure that we as a government would like to look at that kind of proposal. We probably do not have time to put that in place this year given that schoolies week is in about 10 days time, but it is certainly something that we will look at for the future when we receive that formal proposal from that association.

Building Industry Contractors, Licence Renewals Mr McNAMARA: I ask the Minister for Public Works and Minister for Housing: in light of the recent crackdown on licensing in the building and construction industry, what measures has he taken to make it easier for contractors to comply with the regulations? 4428 Questions Without Notice 6 Nov 2002

Mr SCHWARTEN: I thank the honourable member for his question. He advised me the other day that building approvals were up in his area. Therefore, the matter of licensing, especially the crackdown on illegal subcontractors, is a matter of some interest to him and I thank him for his support at the local level. Until recently, the previous system meant that contractors—there are 51,000 of them in Queensland—had to sit down and fill in a form for licence renewal much like members on this side of the parliament have to when they want leave from this House. I know from first-hand experience, and I am sure that many members of parliament know, that there is no joy in that—that is, people sitting down and poring over forms. It is one of the most consistent complaints that I receive. They have to fill in the form, send it away with the money and then sit there as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs waiting for it to come back. Sometimes it does indeed come back because they had sent the wrong form in. The whole thing was very frustrating for many people. I would have to say that the whole process was as unpopular as hot beer at a brickies break-up. The fact is that we have done something about it. Honourable members would be aware of what we have done in terms of the insurance scheme in that contractors can use their credit card and BSA number to get immediate cover over the phone, and I had experience of that recently myself and within a week had the insurance certificate in my own hands. So, too, will licensees be able to renew their licence in a smart way in the Smart State by simply picking up the phone. That will take an enormous burden off contractors. We want them out there swinging hammers, not swinging pencils. By doing this, they are able to overcome all of those problems of filling in the wrong form or not having their personal details correct. They will actually talk to a person—not to some machine—and will be able to get faxed back to them within half an hour their renewed licence. It really, in my view, is cutting-edge stuff and commonsense. It does not matter whether they are in the Torres Strait or on the Gold Coast or whether they are a brickie or a chippie or whatever they happen to be, they can get a licence over the phone by giving their credit card details or a direct debit from their bank account. Finally, there will be no change to the accountancy procedures over $250,000. Those people will be able to do it by phone, but of course they will also need to get the necessary accounting clearances as well.

Dr C. Wong Miss SIMPSON: My question is to the Minister for Health. I table documents which indicate that Queensland Health and the Medical Board knew that Dr Christina Hoi Yan Wong was a regulated mental health patient when she was practising yet did not act to suspend her until 2 October 2001, a day after she botched an operation. At the time of the operation she was taking six different drugs, including Prozac and Congentin, which causes blurred vision. The minister is quick to wash her hands of her responsibility to ensure patient safety. As the person responsible for monitoring health in this state, I ask: can the minister please tell the parliament whether she cares that this matter was overlooked, or is she happy to have regulated mental health patients practising as doctors in Queensland? Will the minister give us an undertaking that she will do all she can to ensure that patient safety will not be compromised again due to an obvious breakdown in the system? Mrs EDMOND: The member keeps talking about regulated patients. I think she means involuntary patients. We do not use the term 'regulated patients', so I am not quite sure what she is referring to. I can only assume that she means involuntary patients. 'Involuntary patients' refers to those mental health patients whom the law gives us the ability to treat, perhaps against their will. It does not mean that they abrogate every choice they have. Some involuntary patients live in the community, and the fact that they are having treatment and are being maintained on treatment is monitored by blood tests, regular checks and so on. They make decisions. They go to work. They do all of those things. The issue of safety in the medical profession is one we take very, very seriously. That is why we have the Medical Board and medical tribunals: to take into account any breaches. Ms Wong was put under a supervised program as part of her rehabilitation. As far as I know, her psychiatrist had indicated that she was fit and urged that she be allowed to work, as part of the rehabilitation program, in a supervised practice. Ms Wong did not comply with the supervision requirements put on her, and she was suspended immediately upon the board confirming that this had happened. She has since been deregistered for five years. I think that shows that the Medical Board takes this very seriously, as does this government. 6 Nov 2002 Questions Without Notice 4429

Business Skills Development Mr POOLE: My question is directed to the Minister for State Development. As the minister for both large and small business, can he outline any initiatives his department undertakes to inspire business acumen in young people? Mr BARTON: I thank the member for the question. The member is well known for his support of the young people in his electorate. I have had a number of discussions with him about support for young people at Helensvale State High School in his electorate. I am very proud to announce that 40 Queensland schools have shared in more than $125,000 in grant funding as part of the Department of State Development's effort to promote entrepreneurial spirit within our schools as part of its 2002 model project grant scheme. This scheme provides seed funding for select school based innovative enterprise education activities or projects. Of course, it encourages an entrepreneurial spirit and assists in the growth of business acumen amongst young people. I must say that the scheme has the very strong support of my ministerial colleague the Hon. Anna Bligh, the Minister for Education, and her Department of Education. The program is very timely and appropriate because it has just been announced, sadly, that Australia has been ranked as the lowest of 29 developed countries in terms of the way it values the social legitimacy of entrepreneurship, meaning that the majority of the population of Australia simply does not see it as a priority. Through this program we are aiming to give students—our future business leaders and our future businesspeople—the opportunity to capitalise on the many business opportunities available to them when they leave school by getting some real experience in terms of developing those skills while they are at school. The project for 2002 follows on the highly successful programs of 2000 and 2001, which saw 72 schools over those two years participate, and participate very thoroughly. I stress that a very good cross-section of schools right across the state are involved—public and private schools, schools from the regions, schools from remote areas and schools from the metropolitan area. Applications this year include projects as diverse as barramundi farming in far-north Queensland, native tree propagation in the South Burnett and on the Granite Belt, and a seahorse ranch on the Gold Coast. Students will have 12 months to finalise their programs. After that the proposals will be placed on the Internet so that other people can draw on the experience the students have gained. Since this program started in 2000 over $400,000 has been provided by the Department of State Development to schools right across the state. This scheme complements the other activities undertaken by the Department of State Development as part of its Youth Enterprise program. It is very important that we get those skills out there amongst young people, because they certainly will be the businesspeople and the business leaders of the future.

Water Infrastructure Funding; Sale of Telstra Mr FLYNN: I refer the Premier to the ongoing battle between the federal and state governments on the issue of water funding. We see on a number of occasions both governments contributing varying sums of money without accepting a more significant responsibility for future meaningful investment, each in their turn apparently passing the buck. The farmers of this country cannot wait for governments to score points. They are leaving the land now. What is the government's position with regard to Treasurer Costello's position on the use of funds from the proposed sale of Telstra to retire debt as against the growing call to fund a water infrastructure package? This country's economy is still driven by the rural sector, and I ask: when are the two tiers of government intending to make a generational investment to address water issues, perhaps at the expense of other programs, and stop playing political ping-pong, using farmers as the ball? Mr BEATTIE: This is one of the most serious issues confronting Australia as a nation. Australia has to make some very tough decisions. I spoke to the ministers for Primary Industries and Natural Resources about this matter earlier. In relation to the El Nino effect, which impacts on Australia, the indications are that next year the drought will be as bad as it is this year and there is no relief in sight. That means that next year a number of our rural communities may be threatened in terms of access to basic drinking water. Do I have that right? Mr Palaszczuk: Yes. 4430 Matters of Public Interest 6 Nov 2002

An opposition member interjected. Mr BEATTIE: I know all of that. Can we have a sensible discussion without being silly about this? I want to say something serious about this issue. I do not want cheap, silly points scored on it. Who knows what will actually happen, but if the advice we are getting becomes a reality—cabinet will be briefed on the issue shortly—then the concerns the government has demonstrated for some time about water are very clearly justified. We in Australia waste a lot of water. Some of our water practices in this state need to change. I am talking about practices in the capital city as well as in our provincial cities. That is one of the reasons we have been looking at introducing water meters in a number of areas. I know that there is resistance to that in some areas of the bush, but everybody has to play their part to sensibly use water. I am not just talking about the bush; I am talking about the provincial cities and I am talking about Brisbane. This has to apply nationally. We will need to look at water charging. It is required under national competition policy anyway, but we have to get better outcomes in terms of use of water. We have to recycle it and reuse it. We are still looking at our consultant's report in relation to the grey water proposal for the Lockyer and the Darling Downs, which I have talked about with the member. We are working with the Commonwealth on this. We do not support the sale of Telstra—I have made it very clear that as a party we do not—but the basic thrust of what the member is saying is right. We need to invest significant amounts of money in pipelines, such as for the grey water proposal, but Queensland cannot do it alone. We need a major, innovative federal government strategy. All I have ever said about this is that this issue should be addressed on the same scale as the Snowy River scheme. We should have something similar to the Snowy River scheme in the sense of our commitment and strategy to providing, through pipelines, reusable water and effective strategies. We are building the Paradise Dam—all of that is being done—but we have to protect the long-term— Mr Horan interjected. Mr BEATTIE: Here he goes. This is why we cannot get any sense. These guys are only interested in politics, not a solution. That is why they are irrelevant to the water debate. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The time for questions has expired.

MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST Deputy Premier and Treasurer Mr HORAN (Toowoomba South—NPA) (Leader of the Opposition) (11.30 a.m.): This morning, there are plenty of hard-luck stories among punters who did not pick yesterday's Melbourne Cup winner. But in this parliament today sits one of Queensland's biggest gamblers and one of Queensland's biggest losers: the current Treasurer in the Beattie Labor government. However, unlike a lot of those unsuccessful punters yesterday, the Treasurer's sorry record has nothing at all to do with bad luck and everything to do with bad management. The reality is that the member for Chatsworth, the current Treasurer, will go down in the history books as one of Queensland's worst ever. This Treasurer has not had to rely on a form guide, the barrier draw, the colour of a jockey's silks, the throw of the dice, lucky numbers or superstitions to manage the state budget. Instead, he has had access to all the expertise of the Treasury Department, the Queensland Investment Corporation and some of the state's brightest and best corporate advisers. He has been able to rely on the sound economic environment and growth in the Australian economy that the federal coalition government has created. He has been able to reap the benefits of a booming real estate market and a strong export performance—a real estate market that has delivered around $400 million extra in stamp duty on contracts. While the past year was marked by a significant upheaval in the financial markets, those factors have not singled out Queensland for special attention. They have presented enormous challenges to financial managers, but everyone has been in the same boat. The Treasurer has had to make decisions based on the same international and domestic economic factors as his counterparts in the other states. He has been operating within the same fiscal parameters as every other state Treasurer. But the reality is that where others have managed, the Queensland Treasurer has mismanaged. While everyone else has prudently taken into account the volatility of 6 Nov 2002 Matters of Public Interest 4431 markets, this Treasurer continues to gamble. He has got it horribly wrong now—not once, not twice, but time and time again. The Treasurer's role is one of the most important in the government, second only to the Premier. His responsibility is to prudently manage the state's finances and maintain its economic viability. Like any financial manager, this duty involves budgeting expenditure for the year ahead and ensuring that the government sticks to its budget. That task relies in large part on two things: accurate forecasting to reflect the true financial position of the state, and fiscal discipline. This Treasurer has failed the test on both fronts. In 2000-01, the Treasurer predicted a $28 million operating surplus, but actually delivered an $858 million deficit. Then in 2001-02, the Treasurer predicted a $24 million surplus before delivering an estimated actual deficit of $486 million in June. But if that was not bad enough, in this House last week the Treasurer further consolidated his woeful record. We learned, surprise, surprise, that the operating deficit was nowhere near the estimated actual $486 million loss that he had forecast but, in fact, was a massive $894 million deficit. The Treasurer was out by more than $400 million. The Treasurer's own figures that he provided as estimated actuals for the 2001-02 financial year bore no resemblance to the reality. The actual result was nearly twice as bad as he had forecast just four months earlier. In fact, in his ministerial statement last week, the Treasurer put it down to a turnaround in the earnings on the state's superannuation investments within the space of one month between May and June. What he did not say was that all year long he had been leading Queenslanders up the garden path about those investment returns. All year long he knew that he was never going to get near the 7.8 per cent rate of return on the state's investments that he forecast at the beginning of the last financial year and upon which he based the entire state budget. All year long he has been deceiving Queenslanders, hiding the truth until last week when it was impossible to bury it any longer. In July 2001, one month after the Treasurer forecast the 7.8 per cent rate of return, the actual return came in at a negative 1.74 per cent. In August, it came in at a negative 1.82 per cent. Both of those negative results were recorded before September 11. In September, the result was a negative 3.4 per cent. In October, there was a glimmer of hope for 'Terry the Tipster' when the rate of return bounced up to plus 3.2 per cent and again in November and December when rates of return of 2.8 per cent and 2.1 per cent respectively were recorded. But even though the results were positive, the Treasurer was still way off his 7.8 per cent forecast. In January this year, things went bad again and the rate of return dropped to a negative 0.4 per cent. In February, it was a negative 0.7 per cent before recovering briefly to 2.5 per cent in March. But in April, returns were back down to a negative 2.56 per cent and in May, negative 0.7 per cent. Finally, last week we were told that the rate of return for the year to June was a negative five per cent. We would have thought that, throughout the course of the year, with never even a hint that the rate of return was getting anywhere near the 7.8 per cent forecast, the Treasurer would have come clean and admitted that things were far, far worse than first thought. But did he? Sure, he revised his figures, but he had to be dragged to the podium to do so on every occasion. Like a forlorn, down-and-out gambler on a hopeless losing streak, the Treasurer kept clinging to the hope that the next throw of the dice would pull him out of trouble. On 20 February, the Treasurer said that he expected returns on investment would reach an estimated low of five per cent—this after eight months of mostly negative actual results. Then in March the Treasurer downgraded that figure to 2.4 per cent. On budget day, the Treasurer cut that figure to zero per cent and last week he realised that the actual was a negative five per cent—almost a 13 per cent reversal on his budget day forecast. No wonder the Treasurer refuses to give the opposition that same information that we got the previous year on the state's overall rate of returns on a month-by- month and year-to-date basis. It is no wonder, but it is no excuse that the Treasurer is trying to hide behind a web of financial detail to downplay the importance of those overall results. All year, the Treasurer was disguising the true condition of the state's accounts. That is the same sort of activity that the likes of WorldCom have got up to. In fact, it is no small irony that yesterday on the Internet appeared a news story titled 'WorldCom fraud snowballs', which stated— WorldCom Inc. took extraordinary and illegal steps to paint a rosy picture of its deteriorating finances. That is what the Queensland Treasurer has been up to. The scale of the Treasurer's inaccuracy makes an absolute mockery of the term 'estimated actual'. Truer terms for this Treasurer would be 'guesstimate' or 'gamble'. Others saw it coming, so why didn't the Treasurer? Access Economics 4432 Matters of Public Interest 6 Nov 2002 for one saw this huge deficit coming before the state budget was handed down—an assessment that the Treasurer ridiculed at the time. Now it is the Treasurer who is looking ridiculous. Just like the Premier's record of 25 consecutive months of worst unemployment figures in the mainland, our own Queensland Treasurer is also one of the worst in his class. We just have to look at how this Treasurer's record compares to that of his Labor counterpart in New South Wales. The New South Wales Treasurer, Michael Egan, forecast an operating surplus of $1,238 million for 2001-02. The actual result was a $1,545 million operating surplus. In 2001-02, Mr Egan forecast a $1,200 million operating surplus. The actual result was a $1,505 million operating surplus. While the New South Wales Treasurer has been exceeding the mark, unfortunately for Queensland our Treasurer just misses the mark. If the Treasurer's performance is not bad enough, I have discovered another of his gambles that has gone wrong in the Treasurer's Appropriation Statement, which was tabled on 11 October. It is no surprise that there has been no announcement or admission about this, but that document reveals another blunder from a Treasurer who is fast developing a track record of blunders. Page 12 of the statement discusses the operation of the Treasurer's suspense financial institution account. The statement goes on to explain that the account is part of the government's so-called managing for outcomes framework, an incentive regime that was introduced to encourage departments to improve their financial practices. Under this arrangement, the cash balances for each department are taken and invested for a certain term, the idea being that the Treasurer must then transfer those balances back to the department plus an agreed amount of earnings for them. The problem is that, this year, the statement reveals that the Treasurer was unable to pay the departments the amount agreed upon, because a loss was made in those earnings. To honour his commitment, the Treasurer had to raid nearly $10.3 million from consolidated revenue to make up for his losses. 'Terry the Tipster's' gamble went wrong. What could have happened with all of that money—that $10.3 million? Helicopters to fight fires? More schools? More hospital beds? More police? Maybe even some water storage facilities? No, this second-rate Treasurer is gambling away the historically strong position that has been built up in this state through years of prudent financial management. Queenslanders will now have to settle for more cutbacks in the Beattie government's already second-rate service delivery on top of the 2,000 jobs that have already been cut. This Treasurer has not learned from his mistakes. This Treasurer has delivered Queensland unprecedented multimillion dollar deficits and has again forecast an operating surplus for 2002- 03—this time, $23 million. If his numbers do not come up again, it will be not only the Treasurer's face that is red with embarrassment; this state's books will be red as well.

Liberal Party Branch Stacking Mr MICKEL (Logan—ALP) (11.40 a.m.): Last week I may have inadvertently misled the House in relation to the Senate preselection in respect of the Liberal Party's Banyo branch. I regret that I now find that I appear to have seriously understated the actual rorting that occurred. To avoid appearing before the ethics committee, I wish to correct the record and in the public interest detail the rorting of which I have supporting material. Last week I mentioned that a dead branch, the Banyo branch, was resurrected to give it a vote in the 10 person Lilley contingent to vote in the Senate preselection. I am now advised that another dead branch, the Kedron-Wavell branch, was resurrected and given a vote in the preselection as well. It was Lazarus with a double bypass. This gave Lilley 11 branches. Given that only 10 branches could get a vote, why were two branches brought back from the dead? The answer has more curves than Elle Macpherson and the results are not nearly as attractive. The objective was to give Santoro two more votes but at the same time deny a legitimate branch, the Nundah branch, a vote. Obviously, the Nundah branch would not have voted for Santoro. In order to deny the Nundah branch a vote, there had to be more than 10 branches in the FEC, so two dead branches received the kiss of life to vote and thereby knocked out a live branch. To prove my statements, I have in my possession several letters from the chairman of the Nundah branch to the Liberal Party state director outlining this scandal and appealing for some decency to invalidate it. The chairman of the Nundah branch should be conversant with the law; his letterhead declares that he is a solicitor. One letter, dated 15 October 2002, to the Liberal Party state director states that the party development officer in Lilley advised a meeting of the Lilley FEC that there were now 11 branches in the division with the reformation of the Kedron- Wavell branch and the Banyo branch. The party development officer advised that the reform 6 Nov 2002 Matters of Public Interest 4433 branches had held AGMs on 2 October. Mr Brittain stated that he believed both branches were dead and could not hold AGMs. Not unreasonably, he pointed out that when the Liberal Party state convention was held in September both branches were dead. To confirm this, I have in my possession a faxed note from a Mr Scott Taylor, a former member of the dead Banyo branch, sent in June-July advising that the Banyo branch was 'no longer'. It is like the dead parrot scene from the Monty Python sketch—'The branch is not dead, no, it is just resting.' In June-July it was dead. At the September convention it was dead. But on 2 October it was alive, along with the Kedron-Wavell branch. On 27 September both dead branches were alive enough to vote in the Senate preselection, but the lively Nundah branch was dead when it came to its voting rights. If people are not confused, they do not understand what is going on. In the face of such overwhelming evidence of vote rigging, what did the state director, the accountable officer under both the federal and state Electoral Acts, say in response? I have here a copy of the reply where Mr Brendan Cooper said that the state management committee rejected the Nundah branch's objection because the management committee did not close the branches in question. The branches were dead. They had not met for months. Bank accounts have been closed, funds transferred, members had joined other branches but, according to the state director, they were not closed. Last week I advised the House that the activities were carried out by the pro-Santoro group. In this I regret to say I was also wrong. I was told that the group was involved, but pivotal to this whole rort was the party development officer. According to Mr Robert Brittain—and all members will not be surprised with this—the party development officer was none other than Santo Santoro. No wonder the speeches backing his endorsement on both sides of the House last week were short and circumspect. It is understandable why decent Liberal Party branch members in Lilley have had a gutful of the Liberals and attend fundraisers for Liddy Clark. The reforms voted on at the Liberal Party state convention in September to give electoral decency to voting procedures within the Liberal Party were killed off at their first outing. When I was younger, the Liberals behaved as if they were born to rule. Today, they behave as if they were born to rort. It is time the Australian Electoral Commissioner and the State Electoral Commissioner examined the corrupt internal party processes of the Liberal Party and brought this lawless party to brook in the courts.

South East Busway Mr REEVES (Mansfield—ALP) (11.44 a.m.): As the No. 1 ticket holder of the South East Busway, it is important for me to update the House on a recently completed busway customer satisfaction survey. As all members no doubt are aware, the South East Busway has redefined travel in the south-east by being able to deliver services from as far as Eight Mile Plains—soon to become Springwood—to Brisbane city in 18 minutes. The survey results were very positive indeed. A total of 2,500 questionnaires were distributed, with a solid 54 per cent response rate. Anyone involved in surveys knows that this is a very high response rate. Patronage has increased by a substantial 45 per cent since the commencement of the busway. There is no doubt that the busway has captured the interest and attention of public transport users. More importantly, it has turned people from being primarily car travellers into committed public transport users. Almost half of those surveyed reported that they had increased their bus usage since the opening of the busway. I am a prime example of that. Today I had great pleasure in catching the bus from the Garden City to the Myer Centre en route to work this morning. Prior to the busway's completion, 31 per cent of those surveyed reported that they used their car for the same trip. Effectively, this initiative is environmentally sound as the busway has prompted car users to leave their cars at home and take the environmentally efficient road to their destinations. A disturbing fact, however, was that 64 per cent felt that they have not reduced their reliance on a motor vehicle. I will comment on this later. Most people cited that they enjoyed the faster and more direct travel to their usual destinations and greater convenience in travel; 75 per cent of respondents said that travel times were significantly faster. I believe the busway is one of the most practical and efficient bus routes in Australia, if not the world. Nevertheless, the results of this survey show that with further refinement this journey could be the best public approved transportation system in Australia. Respondents indicated that the busway could be enhanced by the installation of toll-free phones to TransInfo and touch screen timetable information. I feel that access to timetable information on busway platforms would be of great benefit as it would allow patrons to plan journeys with greater ease and efficiency. 4434 Matters of Public Interest 6 Nov 2002

As I alluded to earlier, nearly two-thirds of respondents felt that their reliance on their vehicles had not diminished. I feel that this dependency could be reduced by increasing parking facilities at busway platforms and by providing increased numbers of off-peak and weekend services. Fifty- five percent of respondents said more frequent services would be an advantage and 27 per cent of respondents thought increased parking would be a desirable addition to the busway. The city of Brisbane utilises many different forms of public transport—buses, ferries and trains. Survey respondents felt that a more integrated ticketing system allowing easy transfer between the various modes would be an advantage. One respondent mentioned that the use of a smartcard system in other countries helped to streamline transfers between services. The minister has recently made very promising announcements about integrated ticketing. One of the concerns expressed earlier was that those surveyed said that their reliance on use of the car had not decreased. I believe that one of the reasons for this is the lack of feeder buses to the South East Busway. Brisbane Transport needs to put an emphasis on this. In my electorate alone many residents who live in the suburbs of Mansfield and Wishart really do not get the full value of the busway. They can access express buses; however, they do not get onto the busway until Holland Park. If feeder buses or reverse directions were used in the morning and afternoon peaks, considerable time savings could be made. These buses would pick the bus travellers up and either access the busway at Garden City or drop people off to transfer onto the express services. With Christmas approaching I believe it is important that we trial on Friday and Saturday evenings 24-hour buses to the city and return. I believe this will alleviate problems which often occur at this time with the lack of taxis in the city. I encourage Queensland Transport and the BCC to develop a strategy to put this in place for at the very least the festive season. One concern the survey highlighted was the need for more park and ride facilities. While I believe better feeder systems will ensure the need for parking to be decreased, it is obvious that some people really desire this type of facility. From 13 January next year the problem at Garden City will escalate as the car park most commuters use will be closed due to expansion of Garden City Shopping Centre. Once the effective feeder system is in place and if people still continue to require park and ride facilities, perhaps a user-pays system could be in place. If we look at, say, $10 to use park and ride plus a return journey from the city, it would still be more attractive than paying for parking in the city. Multi-level facilities at Garden City, Springwood, Eight Mile Plains, Klumpp Road and ANZ Stadium are options which require investigation. The busway's popularity with the citizens of Mansfield is evidence that affordable, efficient and reliable public transportation is an integral component of any transport system. I am confident that the Beattie Labor government will continue to make the busway the public transportation benchmark for Australia.

Drought, Nanango Electorate Mrs PRATT (Nanango—Ind) (11.50 a.m.): I rise to speak on the enormous impact of the drought in the Nanango electorate and in the northern shires of the electorate in particular. It is distressing when such large corporations as the Peanut Company of Australia, Bean Growers Australia, the Burnett district council of the Queensland Dairy Farmers and many individual primary producers can produce figures that accurately reflect the impact the drought is having on the regions. For instance, one of the South Burnett's biggest industries, the peanut industry, is showing that yields from peanut crops have dropped by 30 per cent over the past five years. This large economic loss is compounded by forecasts by the Bureau of Meteorology that it is more than probable the dry conditions will continue over the coming summer months. Industry experts are predicting a 50 per cent reduction in income for peanut farmers in 2002. With the ongoing drought, peanut farmers are unlikely to receive any revenue until April 2003. To make matters worse for the Burnett peanut industry, the lower quality of peanuts being grown in such dry conditions has also meant a reduction in average returns per tonne, with Rainfed FS peanuts dropping from $654 per tonne in 2001 to $580 on today's market. The Peanut Company of Australia is also arguing that because of the above loss of income, added to the fact that there will be virtually no winter crops harvested in the region, production could be as low as five per cent to 10 per cent of an average year. Another major Burnett crop, navy beans, is in no better a situation. Latest production figures, provided by Bean Growers Australia, back up the loss of income through the region's loss of production. It has quoted production for cleaned weight yields in 1995-96, the highest crop yield in the past decade, at 3,129 tonnes of navy beans compared to 136 tonnes in 2001 and so far 76 tonnes for 2002. 6 Nov 2002 Matters of Public Interest 4435

Bean Growers put this huge drop of crop yields down to the lack of stored water, and the yield decline in crops has seriously impacted on the economics of the region. The Burnett district council of the Queensland Dairy Organisation, already decimated by the deregulation of its industry, is now through the drought conditions finding most of its members were unable to grow enough forage for their cattle and there is no fodder available for storage. According to the district council, only 220 millimetres of rain was received in the first seven months of 2002, compared to an average rainfall of more than 750 millimetres. Checking on historical records of seasonal rainfall in the area confirms this huge loss. For instance, it was in July 1996 when the last major rainfalls were recorded in Taabinga. Rains are patchy and high winds following the rains negate any benefits from the fall. The decline in rainfall has been predictable, and the drop in agricultural and primary production has impacted on many people's pockets. The lack of water storage is a major concern and is something that only proactive government policy can fix. Paradise Dam's predicted benefits are still a long way in the future, as not a shovel of dust has been lifted. The major concern with this project is that it may never eventuate, whereas projects such as North Bank, which is being considered at the moment, with its very limited and even negative benefits, may go ahead. I ask: when will the first sod be broken? How can primary producers survive when they are forced to pay for cattle feeds such as grain, hay and silage when the prices for maize, for example, has jumped from $170 per tonne to $250 per tonne? Even peanut hay rose from $40 to $65 per round bale and cottonseed from $200 to $340 per tonne. How can these desperate primary producers afford to keep going? It must be remembered that one fall of rain does not break a drought, and cash flow for most primary producers is reduced currently to subsistence levels. District reports, especially on the South Burnett region and published by the Australian grain grower magazine, record the huge downturn in crop yields due to the dry conditions and lack of water. The cost to the community is even more devastating. One report states— Patchy rains in late May through early June across the South Burnett allowed some winter crop planting. This was on quite marginal moisture following a very dry autumn. Only about 30 to 40 percent of the expected area was planted ... Most of the growers who took the punt and planted wished they had not. After planting on no subsoil moisture no more rain was received until 19 August. Nil rain was recorded for July. Crops did not develop secondary roots and just faded back into the red soil. Even after the August rain most crops will not recover and will be ploughed in or sprayed out. If farmers have no cash income, that it is very quickly reflected in the rural urban communities through loss of jobs and a further decline in family relations. The government program Drought Assist has, I am sure, been established with the best intentions. Its mental health, rural health and women's health lines, domestic violence and family support services, and personal and family counselling and support services and DPI workshops will be of benefit to many. In reality, the need to establish Drought Assist at all is a declaration by the government of the impacts on rural communities and primary producers. Would it not be more advantageous and economically sound to provide more long-term water storage facilities to help drought-proof areas, rather than paying for the cost of counselling? There is a responsibility by the government to the people who live in rural and regional areas and who contribute so much to the economic wealth of the state. Surely more can be offered to them than the minimal support they receive under the state's Drought Assist financial assistance. Time expired.

Faculty for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE Dr LESLEY CLARK (Barron River—ALP) (11.55 a.m.): Cairns pop duo Shakaya is Australia's latest indigenous singing and song-writing sensation, with its debut album entering the charts at No. 5. While Shakaya is becoming a household name following its success in the 2002 ARIA music awards, what is much less well known is that Simone Stacey and Naomi Wenitong are graduates of the music course within the Faculty for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies at the Tropical North Queensland TAFE in Cairns, which last month celebrated its 20th anniversary with a commemorative art exhibition opened by Arts Minister Matt Foley, a public open day, an elders morning tea celebration, a future education and training forum, family day and gala dinner. 4436 Matters of Public Interest 6 Nov 2002

Back in 1982, the first dedicated indigenous course began with just 20 students enrolled in an adult Access course focused on literacy and numeracy skills. It was a challenging time. Most of the students came from the remote Aboriginal communities on Cape York and the Torres Strait. With limited formal education, they had no dedicated accommodation, TAFE resources were minimal and it was a venture many expected to fail. I should know because I was the student counsellor and one of the four teachers of that first Access course. I have retained personal friendships with many staff and students and provided continued support to the faculty over the years in my role as an MP, so I had a wonderful night at the anniversary gala dinner reminiscing about the struggles and victories of the last 20 years. I attended with my husband, Ross, who was the Head of the School of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies when it was created in 1987, following the development of the community teachers course and visual arts course. The next few years saw a proliferation of new courses, including: caring for country, community management, early childhood, justice studies, health workers, sport and recreation, legal studies, language workers and the award-winning Remote Area Teacher Education Program offered in collaboration with James Cook University and Education Queensland. In all cases, these courses were also offered off campus, taking the training to the students in their communities by using flexible delivery methods. The next major milestone occurred in 1995 with the creation of the Faculty for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies under Director Wendy Ludwig, with courses at TAFE campuses at Thursday Island, Innisfail and Mossman. The continuing growth and success of the arts courses resulted in the opening of the Arts and Cultural Centre and the development of the music course in 1997. The extensive indigenous curriculum development work over many years has been supported through the Curriculum Consortium, later to become the Indigenous Studies Production Development Unit, which was recognised at the Queensland Training Awards in 1999. While Shakaya might be in the news today, they are by no means the only graduates who have been recognised for their talents, ability or contribution to their community. One of my students and dear friend is Gladys Tybingoompa, the recently retired manager of Koolkan, the Aurukun Campus of Western Cape College and respected Wik elder made famous for her traditional dance outside the High Court following the Wik decision. Another friend from the class of '82 is David Hudson, Australia's most recorded indigenous artist and co-founder of the Tjapukai Dance Theatre. David's skills as a didgeridoo player have brought him international acclaim as an entertainer. Early graduates from the community teachers course include Pastor James Rice, one of two remaining Murray Island men who fought for justice with Eddie Mabo and Father Napoleon Warria, Pastor of the Church of Torres Strait. There is no doubt that it is in the field of visual art that graduates have made their greatest mark, with Brian Robinson, Zane Saunders, Alick Tipoti, and Leanne Reid the most acclaimed, with works hanging in the National Gallery and National Museum. I would like to recognise the contribution of their lecturer, Anna Eglitis, who has been the driving force behind the arts program of the faculty since its inception. The success of the graduates would not have been possible without the combined inspiration, dedication and commitment of teachers, administrators and, most importantly, the indigenous elders. They are too many to name individually, but I commend them all for their role in helping so many indigenous people from far-north Queensland to fulfil their potential and realise their dreams. Sadly missing from the anniversary celebrations were two men whose contribution will never be forgotten—Rod Delaforce, Deputy Principal of the Cairns TAFE in 1983, who established the first Access course, and Mick Miller, who developed the health workers course as part of his significant national contribution to indigenous education and training. But the night of celebration belonged to Dulcie Watling, or Aunty Dulcie as she is now fondly known. She was a trainee counsellor newly arrived from Western Australia when she began working alongside me in that first Access course. Our friendship grew as we learned from each other, sharing the crises and joys that come from breaking new ground. But while I left the college in 1985, Dulcie went on to become the longest serving indigenous staff member of the faculty and is currently the much- loved student support officer in the health worker education program. Twenty years later we are still firm friends and I still seek her advice and enjoy her stories. I thank you, Dulcie, on behalf of past and present students for your love, wisdom, strength and commitment to indigenous education and training, which still remains the key to a better future and equal participation in Australian society for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 6 Nov 2002 Matters of Public Interest 4437

Wageline Hon. V. P. LESTER (Keppel—NPA) (12.00 p.m.): The decision to isolate industrial relations as one portfolio was indeed a good one but it appears that the department is being mismanaged under Minister Gordon Nuttall. The most notable disaster is its hotline service, Wageline. The opposition has been told that staff morale is incredibly low due to lack of job security and insufficient training. The advisory services review reveals that a two-site centre would reduce existing costs from $1.4 million to $1 million. It is understood by staff that it will be adopted and Wageline will cease to operate from about a dozen regional offices throughout the state. Wageline will then operate out of Brisbane and either Townsville or Cairns. If the consultant is saying that $382,000 will be saved, the savings must come from somewhere and job cuts is the obvious answer. Today I defied the minister to deny this but, instead, he admitted that it was being considered. The opposition has been told that there are serious issues existing within this department; so much so that it is leaking like a sieve. I understand that recently the minister, in all his infinite wisdom, agreed to amalgamate the state Wageline with the federal Wageline so that officers of both organisations are required to know about thousands of state and federal awards and agreements in the industrial relations area—not to mention the fact that industrial relations is always changing and officers must keep up. As far as training is concerned, we are being told that the training program provides that new staff sit with people who are also relatively new. It becomes a vicious cycle because really nobody has been trained properly in the first place. Consequently, many just do not know the correct information to give out on Wageline and, as a result, members of the public are suffering. One would think that the minister would take a keen interest in the training of officers within his department. Other problems exist with the relocation of the information unit to the city. This unit supplies Wageline officers with decisions, opinions and updated information. An officer has told me that every time staff ring the information unit, they are told that the information officers are either at a meeting or that they cannot get what the staff need because they work only part-time. Staff have to wait until the officer returns to work in order to make a decision. Another matter affecting staff morale is three-month contracts which apply to officers who have been working for five or six years. These people are not able to get bank loans. This system allows the minister to get rid of public servants without too much attention being drawn to that action. Staff are obviously disgruntled and sick of being blamed for Wageline's flaws. The Courier- Mail article exposing the hotline's many problems is just the tip of the iceberg. In parliament today the minister did not appear to care very much about wrong information being given out about Wageline. He said that we all make mistakes but, let us face it, I am sure that the recipients of false information do not appreciate such flippancy. If the minister knows that mistakes are being made, surely he will do something about it and not simply blame the problem on the large number of phone calls. If there are more phone calls than the officers can handle, why would the minister not employ more officers after they have been properly trained? Minister Nuttall is refusing to address the crisis within his own department. Wageline has been plagued by controversy since its inception and the ongoing failures come back to haunt the minister. The Minister for Industrial Relations is the ultimate campaigner for jobs for the boys. Minister Nuttall has recently been forced to deny the appointment of Jack Camp as the new Electrical Safety Commissioner. That was just another job for mates of the Labor fraternity. The opposition has been told that nepotism is rife throughout the department. Some 48 per cent of the people ringing Wageline find that their calls are disappearing. That information is contained within the report.

Border Stories Exhibition Mr BRISKEY (Cleveland—ALP) (12.05 p.m.): Last week I had the pleasure of attending Border Stories, a public exhibition which sought to make the community more aware of the plight of refugees. The exhibition, which ran until 3 November, was put together by Medecins Sans Frontiers—Doctors Without Borders. As members will be aware, Doctors Without Borders is an international agency which delivers emergency aid to victims of armed conflict, epidemics and natural and man-made disasters and to others who lack health care due to social or geographical isolation. 4438 Matters of Public Interest 6 Nov 2002

It was founded in 1971 by a small group of French doctors who believed that all people have the right to medical care regardless of race, religion, creed or political affiliation and that the needs of these people supersede respect for national borders. It was the first non-governmental organisation to provide emergency medical assistance and publicly bear witness to the plight of the populations they serve. Doctors Without Borders field teams are confronted with the problems facing refugees and displaced persons every day of the year. The Border Stories exhibition used a number of items, each being a personal possession of a refugee, to tell the story of the problems they face. From the story about Jacob, a 25 year old Sudanese refugee in Kenya who first fled war in Sudan when he was 11, to Abdul, a 59 year old internally displaced Afghan who had to leave his village due to drought, Border Stories delivered the human face of an issue which is debated by many but understood by few in the community. In 1987, Jacob's village in the south of Sudan was attacked by government forces. Jacob could not find his family and for two months he walked with other refugees towards Ethiopia. They were continually attacked and many died from a shortage of food. When Jacob reached the refugee camp at the border he stayed with a group of orphans until war broke out in Ethiopia and he had to go back to Sudan. After four months without much food and still fearing attacks, Jacob arrived in Kenya in 1992. Three years later, Kenya was the victim of attacks and Jacob was again forced to flee for protection to Dadeeb, where he now lives. Throughout his ordeal Jacob continued to carry with him a Bible which had been given to him at his first refugee camp in Ethiopia. He still carries it with him today. It is hard for any of us to imagine what Jacob experienced as an 11 year old, fleeing his home for protection and never seeing his family. Among the 35 million men, women and children who currently have refugee status, however, Jacob's story is a common one. Refugees by definition have undergone extreme hardship, have lost the protection of their own country and cannot return for fear of persecution. After experiencing myriad dangers and traumas they have had to make the decision to leave their homes. They have often endured risky flights to safety, and some have also spent time in a refugee camp. Indeed, the path on which refugees have travelled to arrive in countries such as Australia has been anything but safe. Refugees bring with them enormous hopes, aspirations, ambitions, skills and knowledge. It is up to us to provide the opportunities to refugees to use their skills and talents. It is important that we give refugees opportunities to participate in the work force, to enhance their resettlement and to assist them to participate in society in a positive way. Refugees are very motivated people. They want to work and build a better life for themselves and their children. We owe it to them to provide support and access programs to facilitate this participation process. As a group, refugees are remarkable people who, through their circumstances, have had to use enormous perseverance and ingenuity. They have survived experiences that would shock many of us and have proved their determination, resilience and resourcefulness time and again. The Queensland government acknowledges that refugees are important to society and communities in Queensland. Their contribution to society is valuable, and policies and practices which do not recognise and do not support the potential contribution of refugees to Australian society are damaging to the principles of multiculturalism and do not promote an inclusive, harmonious society. The Queensland government has demonstrated its commitment to refugees through developing such mechanisms as a position on the temporary protection visa which enables all TPV refugees to have access to all Queensland government services, the same as permanent protection visa holders. The TPV position ensures that all refugees have an equal start to successfully settle in Queensland. I know a number of members took the opportunity to see the Border Stories exhibition. For those who did not have the opportunity, I urge them to take the time to familiarise themselves with the work of Doctors Without Borders by visiting the website at www.doctorswithoutborders.org.

Racing Industry Dr WATSON (Moggill—Lib) (12.10 p.m.): Last Wednesday in debate on the Racing Bill the members for Southport and Mansfield both made statements deploring the alleged failure of the coalition government to give the Queensland racing industry access to gaming machine revenue. These statements were either deliberately disingenuous or made from ignorance. They in fact 6 Nov 2002 Matters of Public Interest 4439 blindly repeated bleatings from sections of the racing industry to cover up the failure of the industry at the time to make any submission or representations to the review of Queensland gaming machine regulatory arrangements—the 1996 white paper which I authored. Let me put the following facts on the table. Firstly, the Queensland racing industry received no access to gaming machine revenue when gaming machines were introduced by the Goss Labor government in 1992. They were never part of the process, nor did the racing industry receive anything from the amendments made by Labor in 1993 and in 1995. Secondly, at no time during the consultation undertaken for preparing the November 1996 white paper did the racing industry make representations to me nor, I understand, to the then Treasurer regarding access to gaming machine revenue. Consequently, there is no reference to such a proposal in the white paper. The issue was simply never raised at that time. Thirdly, at no time after the public release of the white paper and the considerable public debate on its contents did the racing industry or any part of it make representations to me regarding access to gaming machine revenue. In fact, in the week following the release of the white paper I conducted three public meetings in Brisbane which received widespread media coverage. In fact, one meeting with the hoteliers occurred just down the road at 111 George Street. At the time I think there were about 400 or so of them. It was a very lively meeting which received widespread coverage in the media. I also conducted other meetings in Rockhampton, Townsville and Cairns. I am not aware of any racing club attending any one of those public meetings. Fourthly, at no time during the debate on the amendment bills which had to come before this House did the Labor shadow Treasurer or the Labor shadow racing minister offer any amendment to the bill to the effect that the racing industry should be given access to gaming machine revenue. Fifthly, when Labor privatised the Queensland TAB it failed to provide the racing industry with any access to gaming machine revenue. Members should remember that it was Labor that privatised the TAB and it had the opportunity. It was only during the TAB privatisation process that the racing industry belatedly tried to gain access to gaming machine revenue. Labor had the opportunity but did nothing about it. Finally, when the current Labor Treasurer put an extra gaming machine levy on hotels to fund the Lang Park redevelopment, he failed to take any similar action for the racing industry. The opportunity was there, but Labor again failed to act. The hypocrisy of the Labor members is breathtaking. The members for Southport and Mansfield should stop bleating like fleeced racing lambs and instead go out into the hotel and club industries and inform the QHA and Clubs Queensland of their desire for Queensland to adopt the Victorian model. The members should be honest and tell hotels and clubs that they want them to be subservient to TAB Corporation and Tattersalls just like the clubs and hotels in Victoria and see if the clubs and hotels want that kind of model. These members should go and campaign for their belief that the hard-earned profits of hotels and clubs should be further taxed and the extra tax taken given to the racing industry. I will go out there with them and adopt maybe a slightly different viewpoint if that is their real position. As the member of Caloundra rightly stated, the Queensland racing industry missed the start when it rejected the coalition proposal to privatise the Queensland TAB and instead bet on a Labor deal. The racing industry backed a Labor dud and, true to form, it was dudded.

St Vincent's Community Services Ms NELSON-CARR (Mundingburra—ALP) (12.15 p.m.): I rise to speak on behalf of St Vincent's Community Services, a leading provider of health and human services in Queensland. The organisation commenced operations on 1 July 1996 with a total of 46 services and 698 employees statewide. Today St Vincent's Community Services operates in excess of 110 services and employs approximately 1,500 staff statewide. St Vincent's Community Services delivers a diverse range of services daily including accommodation, care and support to over 4,800 Queenslanders. Its major services are in the areas of residential aged care, community programs, community nursing, homeless hostels, disability services, drug and alcohol services and rural services. The board of St Vincent's Community Services has been proactive in its expansion of services in north Queensland, particularly in the Townsville region. Recently I was fortunate enough to visit five of the St Vincent's Community Services facilities in Townsville with the member for Townsville and Minister for Emergency Services, Mike Reynolds. We were met by Brian Lenz, the chief executive state officer, and Russell Young, the operations manager. We met at the Palmer Street facility in south Townsville, which is ably managed by Kevin Hoole. While I have always held St Vincent's Community Services in very high regard, the 4440 Matters of Public Interest 6 Nov 2002 work it does and its commitment to social justice is highly recognised and appreciated. There is a lot to be said for on-site visits, because only this way can a true understanding of the services be gained. We were impressed with the loyalty, cooperation and teamwork shown by staff at all levels. The mission of the society to act in a spirit of Christian charity is very evident throughout the Townsville organisations. Many clients of St Vincent's Community Services have often reached a level of despair and hopelessness with nowhere else to go. It is clear that St Vincent's Community Services treats all its clients with dignity and respect, providing help and assistance wherever possible. In Townsville alone there is a range and diversity of service types offering clients a very advantageous seamless service. In April 2002 the organisation acquired a number of nursing beds and community services. Villa Vincent Nursing Home in my electorate has 161 beds. The St Vincent's Day Respite Centre and other community programs were previously operated by the Sisters of Mercy. These new services are in addition to the South Townsville Homeless Men's Hostel, Maria House, which is the homeless women's shelter, community programs and home nursing service that have been operating in Townsville for many years. The organisation is establishing a regional office in Townsville to cover the areas from Mackay north to Cairns and west to Mount Isa and the Atherton Tablelands. The service in this region employs over 450 staff and provides accommodation, assistance and support to over 1,500 clients and residents on a daily basis. The board has committed in excess of $15 million to Townsville over a two-year period. These funds are self-generated and have been targeted to the acquisition of new services, the establishment of a new administration centre and the proposed redevelopment of Villa Vincent Nursing Home. Over the past few years the South Townsville Homeless Men's Hostel and Maria House have been operating at a considerable loss to the organisation. Both services operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week and are the only facilities of their kind in the Townsville district. The south Townsville hostel is heavily dependent upon voluntary and in-kind assistance, particularly in relation to kitchen, dining and cleaning duties. On average, 135 hours of voluntary assistance is provided to the hostel each week. The hostel is subsidised triennially by the Department of Families. Maria House, also run by Kevin Hoole, accommodates and supports up to 18 homeless women and accompanying children each night. During 2001-02 this service provided case management support to 189 clients. Currently this organisation is applying for direct recurrent funding for operating expenses and I wish it well. Villa Vincent Nursing Home at Mundingburra presently accommodates 72 high-care, 15 special care (dementia) and 74 low-care residents. When the proposed redevelopment is completed the facility will have the capacity to accommodate up to 200 residents. The St Vincent's Day Respite Centre at Gulliver operates Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Friday evenings from 7 to 9 o'clock. The centre provides centre based respite care, transport for clients, meals, allied health services, innovative and varied diversional therapy programs, dementia specific and challenging behaviour programs. This is another example of the St Vincent's community service offering a range of community services by directing clients to community aged care packages, to alcohol rehab services, to community nursing for clinical care, to HACC services and so on, while also operating one of the day respite centres. I commend St Vincent's Community Care for the work that it continues to do. The centre cares for in excess of 100 clients at any given time, with varying age groups and care needs. All services are individually tailored to meet the needs of individual clients. I commend the organisation to the House. Time expired.

Patriotism Mr FLYNN (Lockyer—ONP) (12.20 p.m.): Australia is presently under physical attack by groups at places beyond our shores. These attacks grow ever nearer. What is more disturbing is the realisation of subtle attacks from within. In times of trouble, it is important for any community to pull together in mutual support and intent of purpose. In this case, the intent is not only to preserve our own lives but also to preserve our very way of life, including democratic government with all of its inherent faults. Recently I spoke in the House of the difference between patriotism and nationalism and about how we can use our respect for our national flag in a bipartisan way, to symbolise our love for our country without necessarily referring to war. However, combining both patriotism and 6 Nov 2002 Matters of Public Interest 4441 nationalism, we can use the flag in these times of unrest to provide a rallying point for Australians, regardless of their political background. We have of recent days seen examples of the utmost disrespect for our flag in the form of burning ceremonies. To those who participated I say: if you hate this country that much, then leave. Live somewhere else, because we don't want you. Everyone has the right to say— Ms Nolan interjected. Mr FLYNN: Shut up! Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER (Ms Jarratt): Order! That is unparliamentary language. Mr FLYNN: I withdraw the comment. Everyone has the right to say that they do not want this particular flag, whichever design they want. They should not show disrespect for what the flag represents. By doing so they show disrespect to the country and its people. For me, the issue is simple. Flags do not represent governments; they represent nations and all that entails. We have elections to rid ourselves of governments and should show no tolerance of the subcultures that clearly represent a generation not just of newcomers but also, of most concern, of Australians without a background of education in responsible citizenship. These actions, contributing as they do to national disunity, must be controlled in a proactive manner, and more attention must be paid to the enormous gap in our education. In many European countries, in particular Germany, before being granted citizenship people must be able to read and write the language. They must answer questions on the country's history, political make-up and background and show an understanding of the primary culture. Those must be minimum standards for our immigrants. Also, our present citizens must have their blinkers removed and be forced to face the reality of national identity and pride.

Australia Post Ms BARRY (Aspley—ALP) (12.23 p.m.): The saying 'never give up and never give in' was in my view tailor made for the efforts and feelings of the people of Strathpine who are seeking to save their post office from closure. Honourable members will recall that I spoke in the House last May 2001 about the proposed closure of the Gympie Road federal government owned Australia Post office. It was victim to the mantra of the record-profit-making Australia Post: profits before people. The post office, located on Gympie Road, was deemed to be inefficient by Australia Post. Inefficient for who? Certainly not for the many older citizens of Strathpine who access the post office by foot, not for the many community groups who use the post office for the convenience of their volunteers, not for the disabled citizens who use the post office for ease of access and not for the businesses that use the post office to avoid the hassle of having to enter the major car park of the nearby shopping mall. Inefficient for who, I ask? For the accountants of Australia Post, who callously declare that once a post office is closed the inconvenience to customers is minimised by them simply making a trek several kilometres down the road to the nearest post office. This post office's continued operation has had a chequered history. Although it has been kept open by the determination of its citizens, Australia Post and the federal government are not off the hook. Honourable members will recall that the residents of Strathpine celebrated a victory soon after I spoke in parliament last year, when Australia Post declared that the post office would remain open. Why? Well, it seemed that in the lead-up to the federal election the federal minister responsible for Australia Post, Senator Alston, had received a call from the would-be candidate and now federal member for Dickson, Peter Dutton. Victory was declared in the face of a federal election campaign and the post office remained open for further consultation. I reminded Australia Post in the House that the residents of Strathpine and I would be watching them, and watch them we have. Australia Post has attempted several times since the federal election to close the post office. That is despite many alternatives being proposed to Australia Post by local residents, including the possibility of a licensed post office. Local property manager Ray King advised me that Australia Post had rejected an offer of more than a quarter of a million dollars for a licence in Strathpine. Why? Because Australia Post says that there are too many post offices in Strathpine. If there are too many post offices, why did Australia Post expand the large post office in the local area and make it even bigger, in only the last two years? Because it was always the intention of Australia Post to close the Gympie Road post office. 4442 Sexual Offences (Protection of Children) Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002

It would appear that the previous reprieves offered to Strathpine residents to keep their post office open were nothing more than a cynical exploitation of the election environment by the federal minister responsible for Australia Post, Senator Alston. The minister has kept the residents of Strathpine dangling on a string. The only thing that makes him keep the post office open is the committed residents in Strathpine rising in protest, making his local federal MP uncomfortable. In the latest attack on and proposed closure of our post office, resident Maud Stretton rang Senator Alston's office and asked why the post office was being closed, only to be told that the senator had no control over the Queensland branch of Australia Post. Maybe Senator Alston or his office have forgotten that he is the responsible minister for Australia Post and that if a federal government owned post office can be kept open during an election campaign then it can be kept open for good when it is to the benefit of the people of Strathpine. The people of Aspley electorate lost a branch of the National Bank in the lead-up to the federal election last year. We were reassured by the bank—there was silence from the local federal member for Petrie—that the bank's services would be undertaken by guess who? Australia Post. The customers of that bank, who were basically 600 residents from retirement villages, were the victims of corporate greed. The thought that our vital services should be considered safe in the hands of Australia Post is a joke. Australia Post clearly offers no guaranteed services to its customers, and the federal government and the minister clearly cannot remember that they have a responsibility to the citizens who use federal government post offices. I jog Senator Alston's memory and ask him to remind Australia Post that it has a job; that is, to help people post letters, not just to help itself to increased profits. The people of Strathpine are watching Australia Post, the federal government and its local federal member. Leave our post office alone. Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The time for matters of public interest has expired.

SEXUAL OFFENCES (PROTECTION OF CHILDREN) AMENDMENT BILL Hon. R. J. WELFORD (Everton—ALP) (Attorney-General and Minister for Justice) (12.28 p.m.), by leave, without notice: I move— That leave be granted to bring in a bill for an act to amend the criminal law, and for other purposes. Motion agreed to.

First Reading Bill and explanatory notes presented and bill, on motion of Mr Welford, read a first time.

Second Reading Hon. R. J. WELFORD (Everton—ALP) (Attorney-General and Minister for Justice) (12.29 p.m.): I move— That the bill be now read a second time. The sexual abuse of children is the most abhorrent of crimes. It can inflict as much harm as an offence of violence and carries a high cost for the victim, their families and the entire community. Today, with the Sexual Offences (Protection of Children) Amendment Bill 2002, I am introducing the first of two major packages of reform representing a paradigm shift in the way our criminal justice system deals with child sexual abuse at all levels. As well as introducing this bill, I am also releasing a consultation draft of the Evidence (Protection of Children) Amendment Bill 2002, the second stage of our reforms. I table that bill for the information of members of the House. This outlines the most significant improvements in our state's history regarding the way in which children are treated in the court system. It is being released as a consultation draft to ensure all stakeholders, including the judiciary, the legal profession and advocates for child welfare, are informed and involved in the process of change. The Sexual Offences (Protection of Children) Amendment Bill 2002, which I am introducing today— ¥ changes the sentencing guidelines applied by the courts for child sex offenders; ¥ increases penalties and introduces two new offences into the Criminal Code; and ¥ enhances the powers of courts and corrections boards to require ongoing reporting by offenders. 6 Nov 2002 Sexual Offences (Protection of Children) Amendment Bill 4443

I will now outline the bill in more detail. The Internet provides an attractive communication and valuable learning tool. However, it also creates opportunities for sexual predators to seek out and win the confidence of vulnerable, trusting children. We are targeting these paedophiles by creating a new offence as section 218A of the Criminal Code. It will be an offence for an adult to use electronic communication with the intent to procure a child under 16 to engage in a sexual act and to use electronic communication with the intent to provide indecent matter to a child under 16. Section 218A specifically provides that it is irrelevant for the offence that the child is a fictitious person represented by an adult. This new offence will clear the way for police to work proactively to stop these paedophiles before a child is damaged. From now on, paedophiles need to be aware the child they are trying to lure over the Internet could be an undercover police officer. This bill also increases the penalty for indecent treatment of a child. When the child is under 12 years the penalty is now 20 years. When the child is under 16 years the penalty is now 14 years. The trauma associated with child sex offences is comparable, and in some cases more severe, then the trauma associated with offences of violence. The level of sentencing imposed should reflect the seriousness of offending against children. This amendment represents this parliament's clear direction to the courts that sex crimes violating the innocence of children demand heavier punishment than has been the case. We are giving strong reinforcement to this increase in penalty by changing the sentencing guidelines in section 9 of the Penalties and Sentences Act 1992. Section 9 of that act sets out general principles the court must apply in sentencing offenders. Those include— ¥ that imprisonment is a sentence of last resort; and ¥ that a sentence that allows an offender to stay in the community is preferable. These principles will no longer apply when the offender has committed an offence of a sexual nature against a child under the age of 16 years. The primary considerations for judges sentencing child sex offenders have also been redrafted to emphasise the effect of the offence on the child, the need to protect the child and other children from the offender and the need to deter similar behaviour by other offenders. The Sexual Offences (Protection of Children) Amendment Bill 2002 will also amend the Corrective Services Act 2000 and the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1945 to increase the ability of the Queensland Police Service to monitor the movements of child sex offenders. The amendments to the Corrective Services Act 2000 will require a corrections board, when making post-prison based community release orders for child sex offenders, to inform the Commissioner of Police of the release order and the prisoner's name and address. Additionally, the corrections board must include in the release order a condition that the offender must report personally to a nominated police station at intervals nominated by the corrections board. These mandatory conditions will apply to release to work orders, home detention orders and parole orders. Under section 19 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1945 judges have an existing power to order child sex offenders to report their address, and any change of address, to police within 48 hours of their release from custody or change of address. To make an order, the court must be satisfied a substantial risk exists that an offender will reoffend. This bill will change that test to give the judge the discretion to make an order if a real risk exists, whether or not it is substantial. In addition, judges will now have the power to order an offender to personally report to a police station at nominated intervals after their release. This will permit the police to be fully aware of the location of child sex offenders. This bill also creates a new offence of maintaining a sexual relationship with a child. The existing section will be replaced by a redrafted section that restores the original intention of the provision, that is, to focus on the unlawful relationship or course of conduct, rather than on the separate sexual acts comprising the relationship. This will bring the offence into line with other offences involving courses of conduct such as drug trafficking, stalking and torture. It also addresses recent concerns expressed by the Court of Appeal in the case of R v. S (1999) to the effect that amendments were required to ensure that the offence served the purpose for which it was originally introduced. The offence as redrafted removes the requirement to prove three particular acts of a sexual nature. Instead the offence is established by proof of the relationship. For a person to be convicted of the offence, the jury must be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the evidence establishes that an unlawful sexual relationship existed, but they do not have to agree 4444 Discrimination Law Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002 unanimously on particular acts comprising it. The offence retains the existing requirement for the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions or the Attorney-General before it can be charged. This bill marks the beginning of a significant improvement in the treatment of child victims of sexual or physical abuse by the criminal justice system. I commend the bill to the House. Debate, on motion of Mr Springborg, adjourned.

DISCRIMINATION LAW AMENDMENT BILL Hon. R. J. WELFORD (Everton—ALP) (Attorney-General and Minister for Justice) (12.36 p.m.), by leave, without notice: I move— That leave be granted to bring in a bill for an act to amend the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991, and for other purposes. Motion agreed to.

First Reading Bill and explanatory notes presented and bill, on motion of Mr Welford, read a first time.

Second Reading Hon. R. J. WELFORD (Everton—ALP) (Attorney-General and Minister for Justice) (12.37 p.m.): I move— That the bill be now read a second time. Queensland has always prided itself on its cultural and social diversity. International visitors acknowledge Queenslanders are the friendliest people in the world. As a result, we have a thriving tourism industry that attracts a wide variety of people from different cultures and social groupings. Respecting our neighbours and tolerating peoples' differences has contributed to a better quality of life for all of us. To maintain the lifestyle we value so highly, we must ensure our laws keep pace with changing attitudes. While the Anti-Discrimination Act was groundbreaking legislation when introduced by the Goss government in 1991, it is time to modernise some of its provisions. The Discrimination Law Amendment Bill, being introduced now, implements a range of reforms to ensure our state remains a fair and tolerant place to live. It protects the fundamental human rights of all Queenslanders, no matter who they are. Some of the key reforms of the bill include— ¥ prohibiting discrimination on the basis of family responsibilities under the Anti-Discrimination Act; ¥ prohibiting discrimination against women who are breastfeeding; ¥ introducing sexuality vilification laws; and ¥ inserting a new uniform definition of 'spouse' in all Queensland legislation which incorporates de facto partners, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation. I will now explain some of those changes in detail. The first part of this bill updates Queensland laws to ensure all de facto partners have similar legal rights and obligations as married spouses. Over the past decade, the Queensland parliament has recognised de facto relationships in over 20 acts. Nine of these acts currently recognise de factos in same-sex relationships. This reform is about updating the remainder of Queensland's laws to ensure that they recognise de facto relationships. The bill achieves this by inserting a new uniform definition of 'spouse' which includes a de facto partner, regardless of sexual orientation, into the Acts Interpretation Act 1954. This uniform definition will now apply generally to all existing and future legislation across Queensland where the term 'spouse' is used, unless expressly stated otherwise. Existing definitions of 'spouse' and 'de facto' in legislation will be repealed, except for a handful of acts which will retain the married spouse definition. These outstanding acts retain their definition for extraordinary technical reasons or because they are being considered as part of other legislative reviews in the near future. Over 60 acts will be affected by this amendment. Some legislation in Queensland confers a large financial benefit on the death of a partner. In this type of legislation, a cohabitation period for de factos is desirable to emphasise the importance of a genuine and enduring relationship to any entitlement to such benefits. The WorkCover Queensland Act 1996, the Supreme Court Act 1995 (which deal with dependency claims on death of person) and the state superannuation schemes will generally require a 6 Nov 2002 Discrimination Law Amendment Bill 4445 cohabitation period for de factos of two years. In individual cases, there will be some discretion under these schemes to accept a lesser period where the circumstances of the relationship evidence a clear intention by the couple that their relationship is to be a long-term, committed relationship. A two-year cohabitation period already exists in other acts which confer financial benefits on one or both of the partners in a de facto relationship; for example, the Property Law Act 1974, the Duties Act 2001 and the First Home Owner Grant Act 2000. The Succession Act will have its current five-year cohabitation period for de factos reduced to two years to ensure consistency. The Land Tax Act will also include a two-year cohabitation period for de factos to ensure consistency with the Duties Act and the First Home Owner Grant Act. New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia have already enacted similar laws. Tasmania, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory have recently announced similar reforms. As I mentioned, since the introduction of the Anti-Discrimination Act more than 10 years ago, there has been significant social change in our state. In many areas, the protection provided by the act no longer meets community expectations about the type of society in which we want to live and the reasonable level of respect which responsible adults should accord to their neighbours. This bill will make much needed reforms to ensure the act can continue to fulfil its functions of protecting the human rights of all Queenslanders, securing and enhancing Queensland's reputation as a tolerant and fair community. One of the key new reforms is prohibiting discrimination on the basis of a person's family responsibilities. The attribute of 'family responsibilities' will apply when a person has a responsibility to care for or support members of their immediate family beyond those covered by the existing attributes of 'parental status' and 'pregnancy'. For example, it will now be unlawful for an employer to treat someone less favourably because of their 'family responsibilities' to care for their aged parents. The bill will also extend the attribute of breastfeeding to all areas in the act, including the workplace. Currently, breastfeeding mothers are only protected in the course of the provision of goods and services. Our government recognises that new mums who need to breastfeed their children deserve the protection of our laws so that they can appropriately do so, whenever and wherever they need to. Significantly, the reforms will also include new vilification laws prohibiting threats of violence on the grounds of one's perceived sexual orientation. These laws will mirror the racial and religious vilification laws introduced by our government last year. No-one should have to tolerate abuse of any form because of who they are. The sexuality of a person cannot justify their being victimised by any form of harassment, assault or other hate crime of violence. Our government believes that these laws are vital to ensuring that verbal violence does not escalate into physical violence against someone because of their sexuality, as evidenced by a number of horrific crimes recently brought before our courts. The bill prohibits discrimination on the basis of a number of new attributes, namely, 'family responsibilities', 'sexuality' and 'gender identity'. While these will not greatly widen the scope of the act, they will fill important gaps in the existing framework of protection. The ground of 'sexuality' will cover 'heterosexuality, homosexuality and bisexuality'. In particular, it will provide much clearer protection for the gay and lesbian community, which has previously had to rely on the attribute of 'lawful sexual activity' to make a complaint or seek a mediated resolution of an ill-founded conflict or unfair treatment. This has been unsatisfactory because it has been interpreted to mean that a person has to demonstrate actual activity to gain protection such that, for example, it would be lawful to discriminate against a celibate homosexual. The attribute of 'lawful sexual activity' will remain but will be defined to mean a person's status as a lawfully employed sex worker. The new attribute of 'gender identity' will, for the first time, protect transgender people. All other states prohibit discrimination against transgenders. The anti-vilification provisions will also extend to 'gender identity'. The bill also amends the Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages Act to enable transgenders over 18 who have undergone reassignment surgery to have their gender altered on their birth certificate. All other states allow transgender people to rectify their birth certificates in a similar way. The existing attribute of 'religion' will also be clarified to ensure that people who choose no religious belief at all, for example humanists, cannot be discriminated against solely on this ground. No-one should suffer discrimination solely on the ground of the source or system of their spiritual beliefs. This bill also introduces a number of procedural reforms designed to increase the efficiency of the Anti-Discrimination Commission and the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal. Early intervention, fair mediation, education and just settlement of disputes are the hallmarks of our government's approach to protecting the human rights of all Queenslanders. We should treat every member of our community as if they were our neighbour and friend. These reforms are not 4446 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002 about endorsing, condoning or encouraging any particular lifestyle. On the contrary, they are about respecting the human dignity of every individual and rejecting the fundamental unfairness of actions which deal out ill-treatment and offensive harm in denial of the inherent social diversity of any vibrant, contemporary and just society. I commend the bill to the House. Debate, on motion of Mr Springborg, adjourned.

EMERGENCY SERVICES LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL Second Reading Resumed from 31 October (see p. 4392). Ms MOLLOY (Noosa—ALP) (12.45 p.m.): I rise in support of the Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2002. The bill is part of a continuing commitment by this Labor government to ensure the safety of all Queenslanders. I congratulate Minister Reynolds and his terrific staff on bringing this bill before the House. The bill makes amendments to a range of sections aimed at improving administration of the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990, the Ambulance Service Act 1991 and the State Counter-Disaster Organisation Act 1975. Improving administration of local ambulance committees under the Ambulance Act bears out the ability of emergency services to diminish the impact of future disasters under the State Counter-Disaster Act and will better the community representation on the Emergency Services Advisory Council under the Fire Act, which brings up to speed the operations of the QFRS. We all realise the pivotal role ambulance committees play both as lobby groups, support bases and in offering community ownership. The changes to the act were a direct result of the consultation with the Ambulance Commissioner's local ambulance committees reference group, comprising 14 representatives from across the state. The consultations undertaken developed a new constitution. Ultimately, this will enhance the work done by those committees. I know that the ambulance committee of Tewantin has worked hard to help the Tewantin community regain a new ambulance station. I attended the opening of this new station with Minister Mike Reynolds, Councillor Frank Pardon, Councillor June Colley and friends of mine from the area, friends who are ambulance officers—Bill Fahey and Dave Sternberg—and other wonderful officers too numerous to mention here but who included fire officers, community members such as Bernie Paul and local police officers. All are touched by the same qualities that drive them to serve their communities. Emergency services may be called upon to deal with any number of shocking disasters involving hazardous chemicals. Demand on the service is already highly technical in terms of the nature of situations the officers encounter. They deal with situations which require high levels of expertise, which brings me back to the bill. We all are aware of the need today of our emergency services to respond competently and decisively to emergencies that arise out of hazardous materials emergencies. Therefore, to this end, the department has spent a considerable amount of time over the past 12 months drawing up a framework that supports the Queensland disaster management system in preparing for, responding to and basically managing a hazardous chemical emergency should that occur. Look at the call-outs today. At any given time of the day in the state of Queensland, emergency service officers are called out to manage hazardous chemical emergencies. They take their lives into the areas of high risk and follow through to protect the lives of their communities. Further amendments to this bill will allow for a smoother running of fire and rescue services. Collectively, these amendments will provide for higher efficiencies and service delivery and I commend the bill to the House. Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER (Ms Jarratt): Order! Before calling the Leader of the Opposition, I welcome to the public gallery school leavers and the principal from Beerwah State High School in the electorate of Glass House. Mr HORAN (Toowoomba South—NPA) (Leader of the Opposition) (12.48 p.m.): The objectives of the Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill are to make a number of miscellaneous amendments to improve the administration of the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990, the Ambulance Service Act 1991 and the State Counter-Disaster Organisation Act 1975, to increase community representation on the Emergency Services Advisory Council, to update the statutory job description of the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service to better reflect the current operational realities of that service, to improve the administration of local ambulance committees under the Ambulance Service Act, and also to put beyond doubt the ability of the exercise of emergency powers to minimise the impact of impending disasters under the State Counter- Disaster Organisation Act 1975. 6 Nov 2002 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 4447

The Emergency Services Advisory Council has been reporting to the minister since 1998 on issues relating to the extent to which the delivery of fire, ambulance, and other disaster management and emergency services meets community needs. The membership of the council comprises community representatives with a variety of emergency services expertise and/or experience. The fire act currently limits membership to 14. It is proposed to increase the membership to 16 to allow Torres Strait Islander and additional regional community representation. The fire act and the ambulance act provide for the Governor in Council to appoint a person to act as commissioner when the position is vacant. This requirement is not necessary following the abolition of the statutory authority status of the services. It is also proposed to remove the requirement and allow the minister to make the casual vacancy appointments without limiting the Governor in Council's existing powers. The fire act establishes the functions of the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service to include the protection of persons, property and the environment from fire and chemical incidents. The definition of 'chemical incident' is narrow and does not reflect the scope of incidents attended by the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service. Many of us know the extent to which they attend not only fires and chemical incidents; up to 60 per cent of the work of the Fire and Rescue Service involves responding to motor vehicle accidents and other incidents where their services are needed to assist the Ambulance Service in extracting people from accident scenes or providing a safe environment around an accident. It is proposed that the definition of 'chemical incident' be repealed and replaced by a broader concept of hazardous materials emergency. The term 'environment' is not defined in the fire act. Crown Law advice has stated that it is highly likely that the statutory definition of 'environment' in the Environmental Protection Act 1994 would be used to explain the term in the fire act. To clarify the ambit of environmental responsibilities under the fire act, it is proposed that the term 'environment' be defined in similar terms to the EPA. In 1997 the local ambulance committee commenced a review of existing constitutions and the development of a new model draft constitution. The minister approved the new model constitution of local ambulance committees in March of this year. All 175 committees currently operate under constitutions that have previously been the subject of ministerial approval. The bill proposed to revoke existing constitutions and replace them with the approved new constitution. The review also identified a range of changes to the ambulance act that would facilitate the more efficient administration of local ambulance committees. The proposed amendments increase the maximum limit on local ambulance committees from nine to 15, allow committee members to be drawn from the general public and clarify the ability of the minister to dismiss local ambulance committees. I wish to highlight how important local ambulance committees are in bringing forward local advice. Over the years their role has changed. We all had our arguments about the changes to the way the Ambulance Service was operating. That change occurred about 10 years ago now. Committees were often involved in fundraising and had responsibility for putting funds aside. They are still able to do some of that, but generally speaking their role has changed dramatically. It is still very important to have the local knowledge backup and support of the Ambulance Service from local ambulance committees. The State Counter-Disaster Organisation Act established the framework for disaster management in Queensland. Crown Law advice has raised concern that there was uncertainty as to the actions authorised to be taken to minimise or prepare for disasters which are anticipated but which have not yet occurred. The proposed amendment puts beyond doubt the existence of emergency powers to deal with the anticipated affects of impending disasters. I wish to speak to some extent about the recent fires, the warnings about the fires and the need for aerial support. I wish to thank the people involved in fighting the fires not only in Toowoomba but also in the Lockyer Valley, Tara and Stanthorpe. Queensland firefighters have been warning of a potentially devastating bushfire season for several months after many areas of our state received less than a quarter of their usual rainfall in the first nine months of the year. During September, 90 per cent of Queensland recorded less than 10 millimetres of rain. Maps released by the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service earlier this month show that 57 per cent of the state was considered a high fire risk, a further 22 per cent is under moderate danger from fires, while 21 per cent has a low risk—I am really referring to October—largely because there is little or no vegetation after the prolonged drought. 4448 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002

Firefighters have predicted that the bushfire danger was greatest on the Gold Coast, the region west of Brisbane and on Cape York Peninsula. In Brisbane, areas within a few kilometres of the CBD with extensive green corridors are also at risk, along with suburban areas backing onto reserves and houses near large parks. A number of hazard reduction burns have been completed around the state, but satellite imagery continues to show a large build-up of forest fuel. I have spoken in the parliament before about the need for a statewide hazard reduction system. The recent fires in Toowoomba in the area below the range have highlighted the need for that to be well organised in advance in conjunction with the fire services—the Rural Fire Service, the urban fire service, the Department of Forestry, the various local governments, in our case the Toowoomba City Council, the Gatton council and perhaps the Crows Nest council. There is a need, particularly in some of these difficult and inaccessible areas, to have a burning program that takes place around August, where areas can be burnt in a slow controlled cool fire. They could perhaps be lit late in the day so that they go out at night and leave a zig-zag or chequerboard pattern of breaks. Depending upon what the experts say, whether they burn every year or every second year, there should be a cris-cross pattern or defensive mechanism that can slow down a fire even in the worst of conditions. Areas of the state are being locked up under the RFA. Areas of natural forest will no longer be subject to forest management, such as the natural and gradual felling of large trees, and track and other maintenance by forestry officers. That reduction in maintenance combined with the fact that there is less grazing being allowed in forestry reserves has led to a gradual build-up of fuel, particularly in the south-east of the state where some of these practices and natural systems previously provided protection. There needs to be a highly organised and coordinated plan to ensure that prior to the bushfire season, in late winter, there is a controlled, cooperative and well organised burning system, when the absolute minimum damage can be done to flora and fauna because of the weather conditions at that time of the year. The conditions across the state were the most dangerous since the hot, windy summer of 1994, when 11 homes in south-east Queensland were burnt to the ground. On 9 October 2002, the federal government offered to provide up to $5 million to cover half the cost of leasing three of the giant Elvis helicopters in Australia during the fire season. The helitankers should have been in Australia by mid to late October. Federal Regional Services Minister Wilson Tuckey challenged state and federal governments and bushfire authorities to broaden their approach to fighting fires. Minister Tuckey said that the states and their fire authorities were opposed to fixed-wing aircraft which have the ability to scoop large amounts of water to fight fires. The Queensland government, through the minister, poured cold water on the idea of basing one of the US-built Elvis firefighting helicopters in the state. Our shadow minister for emergency services and member for Mirani, Mr Ted Malone, called for an Erickson Air-Crane water tanker to be based in the state. It made a lot of sense. He called for it well before these major fires occurred. Later in my speech I will speak highly about the use of fixed-wing aircraft and the potential for other helicopter-type firefighting appliances, which can all be used to assist firefighters on the ground, particularly when they get huge difficult-to-contain fires in heatwave conditions, like we had recently, back up hot north-westerly winds. Despite the calls by our shadow minister, the member for Mirani, the Emergency Services Minister said that Queensland's geography did not lend itself to aerial fire control and that the $1.7 million would be better spent on ground-based response and existing aerial support, if required. When we look at the geography of the Blue Mountains and some of those other areas of New South Wales where the helitanker was used successfully, and the geography of some of these recent fires, we see very little difference; it is almost exactly the same. Sitting suspended from 1.00 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. Mr HORAN: Before lunch I was speaking about the availability of the helitanker. I want to mention the great value of the fixed-wing planes during this battle. I understand the Bell 214B is available in the Cooroy area. The combination of the Elvis helitanker, the helicopters that were available in Cooroy, the fixed-wing planes that were brought from St George and the fixed-wing planes that are available on the Darling Downs, the Lockyer Valley and other areas where cropdusters are operating provided a great armoury to assist the firefighters on the ground. I was able to observe first-hand how these forces operated against the fire. I particularly saw them operating late on Saturday afternoon and early on Sunday morning. There is no doubt that the weather conditions played a great part in turning the battle against the fire, but the use of these 6 Nov 2002 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 4449 planes was of enormous assistance. In the early morning hours before the heat of the day arrives these aircraft can be of great assistance, particularly in relation to backburning. There is no doubt that the fires we faced in the five days from Wednesday to Sunday were extremely dangerous. Looking out from the command post at the Blue Mountain Hotel the whole area took on the aspect of a burning moonscape in the night. It involved a huge battle for so many firefighters. The fire had to be fought in many difficult and almost inaccessible areas. These areas contained a large number of lifestyle-type residences, houses and farmlets. These buildings were dotted around the lower edges of the range. However, we also had houses in Toowoomba which were perched on the edge of the range. I want to spend a few moments in this contribution extending my sincere thanks and appreciation, together with those of the people of my electorate, to the people who fought the fire. I particularly want to thank the firefighters from the Fire and Rescue Service and the Rural Fire Service who fought so long and so hard during that time. A number of changes of shifts occurred and many firefighters fought very long hours in extremely difficult conditions. The temperature was sitting around 38 degrees and the wind was coming from the north. We could not have had worse conditions. These people fought the fire brilliantly and professionally. The fire had to be fought on a very large number of fronts—on top of the range, below the range and in various parts of the Lockyer Valley. At the same time, the firefighters were receiving call-outs to other areas of the Lockyer Valley and the district around Tara. It was a magnificent effort. We will always owe a debt of gratitude to their very courageous efforts. The fire was creeping up the range to the Prince Henry Heights area, around Mount Lofty and in the area of the Blue Mountain Hotel and Mount Kynoch. It was very hard to stop a fire that was roaring up the mountainside. We were facing a very difficult situation on the Monday when we had an easterly breeze of some 40 to 60 knots. This breeze could have assisted the fire in jumping the Warrego Highway and thus endangering other parts of Toowoomba. That morning, the coordinating committee made the decision to have other areas ready for evacuation, if necessary. I want to thank the members of the Queensland Police Service who did a great job. It is not fair to single out certain people, but I want to thank Inspector Gary Wells who chaired all the disaster coordination committee meetings. He worked extremely long hours. He was well supported by all of his fellow officers. I want to especially mention the police who manned the command post at, firstly, the Blue Mountain Hotel and later on at Mount Kynoch. These people did a fantastic job in evacuating people from various areas. The members of the State Emergency Service did a marvellous job. They came from many different units and assisted with traffic and evacuation. They were always willing to do whatever was asked of them. The Queensland Ambulance Service was well represented. They backed up the firefighters at the end of Bridge Street and in many other areas. They were present in case they were needed. I owe a great debt of gratitude to the Mayor of Toowoomba, Di Thorley, and Councillor Joe Ramier. These two people seemed to be everywhere. I also thank the CEO and staff of the Toowoomba City Council. We had council staff members driving tankers and various other pieces of machinery and equipment. The rangers were also involved in fighting different fires and helping with backburning. The clerical and administration staff of the council helped in looking after the people who had been evacuated. We must thank the people who worked in the command centres at the Blue Mountain Hotel and at Mount Kynoch. The pilots deserve our praise for the professionalism and skill they displayed in diving down into the valleys and dropping their loads of water. They would just pull back the joystick and head back for more water. I would also like to thank the people at the Blue Mountain Hotel who made their facilities available on the Wednesday night. I thank the Harlaxton neighbourhood centre, the Salvation Army, Lifeline under Derek Tuffield who did a tremendous job of organisation at Toowoomba Grammar School, and officials at other halls in the area, such as Perseverance and Withcott, who did such a wonderful job. I want to thank the many other volunteers who cooked meals, helped in evacuations and helped the police and the SES in so many ways. I thank the media who provided such very good coverage and kept people informed as to what was happening. The normal ABC sporting session was interrupted about every 10 minutes during the afternoon with timely and accurate bulletins. A few people did not like being evacuated. I was an observer at some of the meetings where such decisions were made and 4450 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002 human life was always put first. People were evacuated on the basis that, if possible, they could later return. There were many unsung heroes. There are a couple of things that I want to mention. This was a massive exercise and there are some things that could be improved. The different brigades of the Rural Fire Service are on different communication channels. They can talk amongst themselves in their own units but they have problems in talking to a brigade from another district. The rural fire services and the urban fire services are on different communication channels. One is on UHF and the other is on VHF. Some members of the rural fire services believe that first officers need to take decisions and relay them to command. The use of local knowledge is invaluable particularly when it comes to backburning. Without the weather change the situation could have been desperate. I say to the minister that we need a coordinated plan of backburning and prevention in the months of July and August. We need an aerial system that can support firefighters. Firefighters can handle most situations, but fires in this situation constitute a great danger to life and property. A great vote of thanks is owed to everyone involved. I am happy to speak to the minister about areas where people have told me that slight improvements could be made. Ms BOYLE (Cairns—ALP) (2.38 p.m.): I am pleased to rise to support the Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill before the House. I am pleased to inform honourable members that Cairns and far-north Queensland are indeed well looked after by emergency services. At a time when the Cairns area faces excessively dry conditions, we recognise just how important the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service is. It has been providing a valiant service in preventing the spread of fires and the resultant cause of serious damage. In the last couple of days serious fires have threatened housing estates to the north and west of Cairns. Fire officers who have attended hour upon hour through the day and night have, at least to this point, contained those fires successfully. These fires are not the only ones where disaster was avoided in the last couple of months. There is no doubt that this is thanks to our fire officers, their tremendous expertise and commitment to the job as well as the modern equipment they use. Several weeks ago I was pleased to represent the Minister for Emergency Services at the Cairns Fire Station to hand over three new appliances—one for the Cairns city area, one for the area south of Cairns based in the electorate of Mulgrave and one north of Cairns in the Smithfield area in the electorate of Barron River. They are indeed splendid machines, each of them worth approximately $450,000. They are the latest and the best. Having such equipment makes the job easier for fire officers. I also want to recognise the other work that fire officers do which they are not often praised for, such as fire prevention. When there was a move in this direction four years ago, some fire officers resisted spending their spare time—the time when not engaged in direct firefighting duties—on education and building inspections. However, many buildings in Cairns were found to be non-complaint. Given the high proportion of buildings devoted to tourism related activities, honourable members would understand that this is essential to ensure that not only local residents are in safe and properly designed buildings with appropriate exits but also tourists and visitors to the city are similarly housed. I also recognise the pressure of the work that they have been under in dealing with false alarms and outdated fire systems in unit buildings in city areas and in working with bodies corporate in order to modernise their systems and prevent those problems. Unfortunately, however, heading off fires and preventing the disasters that might have occurred does not make the front page of the Cairns Post or lead stories on the news saying that houses were not burnt down or lives were not lost thanks to the fire officers in Cairns and the far north, yet they should get such coverage because their service to us is excellent. Similarly, that is also the situation with ambulance officers. Unfortunately, there has been an excess of road accidents in recent times resulting in serious injuries and more deaths than we would hope to have in such a short period. It is often forgotten in the broadcasting of such news that ambulance officers are involved. They are sometimes part of horrific scenes and give their expertise to save lives wherever possible and minimise the pain and harm that can come to people. They, too, are not always recognised when successful. Some five or six years ago there were times when local people would complain that ambulances had not attended quickly enough and that their response times were not good enough. There has not been such a complaint to my office regarding the response time by the Queensland Ambulance Service in the Cairns area for years. I pay tribute to the efficiency of the service as well as its effectiveness and importance. 6 Nov 2002 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 4451

This is also an opportunity for me to recognise the tremendous activity of our local ambulance committee. It is active not only in the Cairns area but also in participating in statewide conferences and initiatives. It takes on particular community projects and fundraises as well. I pay tribute to its many years of hard work. It is risky to single out one particular person in connection with that praise, but today I wish to do so. I refer to a lady who has long been a member—if not right from the beginning—of the local ambulance committee, Councillor Fran Lindsay. She is a councillor with the Cairns City Council and before that she was a councillor with the Mulgrave shire. She is a devoted member of her community. Unlike others in whatever level of government, she has not become complacent or arrogant as the years have passed and neither has she become used to doing only the nice things. In fact, she is well known in her division for doing the hard slog and the hard work in seeking out the problems, making the changes and working on the committees—not just by turning up to an AGM but by being there month in and month out. I pay recognition to the tremendous service she has given to Cairns, particularly on the local ambulance committee. I cannot complete my remarks today, however, without recognising the excellent people in the State Emergency Services in Cairns and the far north. I am pleased in one way that they have not had much business in the last couple of months. Honourable members would be aware that usually at this time of year the tropical monsoon season has started in the far north and the SES would be readying itself for flooding and cyclones. At the moment neither of these are on the horizon. The difficulty, however, is that it is consequent on these events and the high profile that the SES gets in all subsequent news reports that there is adequate recruitment. We need to remind particularly young people or new people to the community that the SES is indeed a fine and important way of contributing as a volunteer to the safety of their community. I hope therefore that, despite the lack of action for the SES right now, we can nonetheless recruit well in Cairns, because it is only a matter of time before its endeavours and services will be needed. Finally, I give recognition to the tremendous efforts that the Minister for Emergency Services has made since coming to the portfolio in looking after emergency services in Cairns and far-north Queensland. Some members would be aware that, from time to time, there is a bit of argy-bargy between Cairns and Townsville, though most of that is superficial and for show. While the minister also happens to be the member for Townsville, I am able to say on the record that Cairns and far- north Queensland have indeed been very well looked after. I absolutely support the amendments contained in the bill before the House. Mr WELLINGTON (Nicklin—Ind) (2.47 p.m.): I rise to participate in debate on the Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2002. I note that the object of this bill as indicated by the minister's explanatory notes is to make a range of miscellaneous amendments to improve the administration of the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990, the Ambulance Service Act 1991 and the State Counter-Disaster Organisation Act 1975. In this regard, I take members to clause 7(6) of the bill which amends the current law to give the minister clear power to be able to remove a member from a local area ambulance committee if the minister believes it is in the public interest. I note that the explanatory notes state that this amendment is to make clear the authority of the minister to remove any local area ambulance committee member from office where it is in the public interest to do so. I take this opportunity to place on the public record my concern and opposition to the expansion of the minister's powers of removal of community members from their local area ambulance committees. While I am certain that the current minister will not misuse this power, I certainly do have concerns with the opportunity for this extended ministerial power to be abused by a future minister. I note that this bill does not set out any guidelines or procedures that the minister must follow before exercising this power and that there is no requirement for the minister to even have to consult with the committee if he or she is inclined to want to exercise this power. In this regard and as a result of discussions I have had with the minister over this matter, I understand that he has now circulated an amendment which will require that the minister must consult with the committee before exercising the proposed power. I also ask the minister to give some indication as to the types of activities he envisages will fall within the ambit of this bill and will trigger the application of this section. I imagine that a member's conviction of a criminal offence would render the person liable to be removed under the power, but what if a member chooses to speak out publicly against the government of the day on some matter which impacts on the local ambulance service? This certainly is an issue on which we need clarification from the minister. I hope in his reply to the second reading debate the minister will address these issues. 4452 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002

I note that a number of members have spoken during this debate about matters impacting on their local rural and urban fire brigades. I also have a number of rural fire brigades and urban brigades within my electorate. They certainly do a great job. One brigade which is going through a revival at the moment is the Kenilworth rural fire brigade. In this regard, for the benefit of brigade members and their supporters, I say: I will be meeting with the minister tomorrow to discuss their issues further. I also take this opportunity to indicate my support for the many men and women who volunteer their time and commitment to the task of saving life and property. I look forward to the minister's reply to my questions about the application of clause 7(6). Mrs SHELDON (Caloundra—Lib) (2.50 p.m.): I rise to speak to the Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2002. This bill seeks to make miscellaneous amendments. They improve the administration of the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990, the Ambulance Service Act 1991 and the State Counter-Disaster Organisation Act 1975. It also updates the statutory job description of the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service to better reflect current operational realities and puts beyond doubt the ability to exercise emergency powers to minimise the impact of impending disasters under the State Counter-Disaster Organisation Act 1975. Importantly also, the bill increases community representation on the Emergency Services Advisory Council. I think that is a very good step. We need good community representation. It also improves the administration of the local ambulance committees under the Ambulance Service Act 1991. Today I will speak about local ambulance committees. I am very fortunate—so are the people of Caloundra—to have an excellent committee in the electorate of Caloundra. I will give just a little background to the local ambulance committees. In 1997 the local ambulance committee commenced a review of the existing constitutions and looked at the development of a new model draft constitution. The minister approved a new model constitution of local ambulance committees in March 2002. All 175 committees currently operate under constitutions that have previously been the subject of ministerial approval. The bill proposes to revoke existing constitutions and replace them with the approved new constitution. The review also identified a range of changes to the ambulance act that would facilitate the more efficient administration of the local ambulance committees, and the proposed amendments increase the maximum membership limit for local ambulance committees from nine to 15. It also allows committee members to be drawn from the general public and clarifies the ability of the minister to dismiss local ambulance committees. The minister, I am sure, would administer any dismissal judiciously because these committees are representative of the community in which they operate. Certainly the members on my own committee are people of standing and long service to our area. The Caloundra local ambulance committee has been in existence for a long time. Before that the local board operated. Many of the people on the committee have been involved over a long period of time, none more so than Mr Iva Rooke, who is the president. He has contributed for many years in a volunteer capacity to the community of Caloundra, which has been growing in population and size over a long period. Iva still carries on with the work and the enthusiasm for that committee he has always had. I think that is to his great credit. Other committee members are Mr D. Packer, the deputy president, and Mr Ken O'Connell, the secretary. Ken is also a great community worker. He has been involved with metropolitan Caloundra surf-lifesaving and regional surf-lifesaving on the Sunshine Coast for many years. Mr Des Dwyer is also a member of the committee. Des is a former mayor of Caloundra, a job he did with great ability. He was recognised lately by the metropolitan Caloundra surf-lifesaving club with a life membership in recognition of the great work he has done there over the years. As patron of Met Caloundra, I was delighted to support the club in its awarding of such recognition to Des and sponsor that position. Mr Don McLachlan is also on the committee. Don was the head master of Caloundra Primary School for a record period of time and put Caloundra Primary School on the map when it came to that school being acknowledged at for its academic performance and for the sense of responsibility it taught its students. The school still has an excellent reputation. Don made sure that the students wore uniforms, which were always immaculate. The children were extraordinarily well behaved, able young children. I think that sort of work should be acknowledged, because often these people are the unsung heroes in our community. Some other important people are Mr N. Williamson, the treasurer, and Mr B. Wood, the OIC. Also Roy Harvey, a former Labor mayor, is on the council. Roy has been suffering from very poor 6 Nov 2002 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 4453 health for some time. He is a neighbour of mine as well. I wish him and his wife Pearl well in the future and hope he can fight his illness bravely, as he is at the moment. There is also Dr David Raine, who is a noted general practitioner. Indeed, he is a practitioner to our family. As well as being a local GP, his work in the community is well acknowledged. These people are all sound, solid members of the Caloundra community. They do a really good job. The budget for the local ambulance committee shows that in the last year it raised something like $30,000 from donations, bequests, benefit committee net proceeds, fundraising projects and some interest on money that it had in the bank. For a small committee like that to raise $30,000 in a climate in which it is very difficult to raise money I think commands our full support. Mr Malone: LACs do a good job. Mrs SHELDON: They do indeed do a good job. From looking at the local Sugar Times I can see that the member for Mirani has been doing a good job to get that sort of good coverage in his own local paper. The committee has spent $11,670 on QAS enhancement projects. There was a cost in relation to LAC fundraising projects of $6,000, but that came out of the $30,000. So the $11,670 was in direct contribution, if you like, to the community and of benefit to our local ambulance community. Some people did very well in the awards this year. They were presented with their various awards during Ambulance Week. I further offer my congratulations to the regional winners for 2002. The regional ambulance officer of the year—and the state ambulance officer of the year—was Dan Statham. Dan is currently stationed in Caloundra. He was nominated in recognition of his commitment as a paramedic and longstanding extra work that he does outside of work hours in promoting the service and its officers. He was an original member of the clinical quality improvement implementation committee and subsequently became the chair of the North Coast Region Moderation Panel. Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Mickel) Order! I would like to acknowledge the presence in the public gallery of teachers and year 7 students from the Biloela State School in the electorate of Callide. Mrs SHELDON: It is always good to see students in our gallery. In this capacity, Dan encouraged staff to embrace the program in the early stages of its implementation. That was important. As an intensive care paramedic, Dan is a mentor to student paramedics. He has also long been associated with the Australian College of Ambulance Professionals and has played an important role in all of its activities. Last year, he organised the north coast critical care conference at the Sunshine Coast University. We had participants from numerous health agencies right across our state. I believe—and so does the community and obviously so does the Emergency Services Department and Dan's fellow peers—that Dan embodies the values of the QAS. So the awards that Dan achieved were very justly deserved. Dan was presented with his awards this year by the minister. I think that that is to his credit. The regional student of the year, Mark Crossman, is also stationed at the Caloundra station. So this year we had a double. Mark is a second-year student who has achieved excellent grades in all subject areas and who has worked extensively with the regional staff development unit in the development of student workshops. His commitment, his professional skills and his cooperative nature have won him the respect of his students and paramedic colleagues. The LAC achiever of the year was Christine Alexander from the Maroochydore station, which is another very good station on the Sunshine Coast. In this day and age we find it very difficult to get volunteers to join community groups such as the Caloundra LAC, which, as I have said, has been going for many years and which still has that commitment from respected and busy people of Caloundra. That LAC should be supported. Years ago that committee used to hold an ambulance fair at Caloundra. I am sure that some of the members would have gone to the fair as children. It had a little train and a good chocolate wheel. The volunteers used to sell tickets for chooks down the road. It is good that that committee no longer has to do those sorts of things. They had many fundraising activities. That committee plays a very important role and it is important that that role continues. Before I conclude, I would like confirmation from the minister on one matter. With the changes that are occurring for subscribers, it is important that subscribers are fully covered if they are going to seek ambulance cover through private health care. I have just paid my ambulance 4454 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002 subscription for this year. Under an ambulance subscription, people receive wide coverage. This year for my own interest—because I have always subscribed directly to the ambulance for cover as a family—I asked the private provider that I am with, and I fall within in a very high bracket, what was actually covered in terms of ambulance services. Indeed, I found that a lot is not covered. The advice that I received was to stay subscribing to the Ambulance Service. I think that these points need to be highlighted. If an ambulance takes a person to the nearest hospital in an emergency situation and that person cannot be treated at that hospital and has to be transported to Brisbane or to somewhere else, then that further trip in the ambulance is not covered by the private provider. That is often the most expensive trip. It also has to be classified as an emergency for the ambulance to come and treat people at their own home. For people who are not doctors and who are in a situation that looks to them as though it is a genuine emergency in their own house, if they call the ambulance and then find that they are not covered for that, that is a very big expense for them to have to meet. I think that all of these points have to be raised fully. If we are going to go down the track of subscriptions via private health providers and not via the old system, then I think that it is incumbent that the minister sees that the private health funds offer exactly what people are covered for under the normal subscription to the ambulance. Otherwise, a lot of people are not going to be covered when indeed they thought that they were. The Ambulance Service is one of our excellent emergency services. It deserves full credit for the work that it does. As an ordinary participant in the community, I feel a lot safer knowing that we have an Ambulance Service, the same as we have our Fire Service and the Police Service. Quite often these services are not given the level of recognition that they should be given. Ms LIDDY CLARK (Clayfield—ALP) (3.04 p.m.): It is a pleasure to rise to speak to the Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2002. I do so as the amendments have a direct bearing on emergency services in the electorate of Clayfield—as they do, in fact, have on the whole of Queensland. As members are aware, the LACs operate under constitutions that have been the subject of ministerial approval. This bill proposes to revoke existing constitutions and replace them with a new approved constitution. As every member who has spoken in this debate has said, the LACs do an extraordinary job in each community. Those committees are made up of committed members of the community who raise extraordinary amounts of money to make life and work a little less angst ridden for our ambulance officers. I congratulate the President of the Nundah, Northgate and Spring Hill LAC, Mrs Norah Bennett—who is a resident of Nundah and one of those incredible seniors in our community who never ceases to amaze me—on her tenacity and also that of the secretary, Dea Watson, who just goes up and down all the streets going into all the shops getting raffle prizes and then setting up outside the local supermarket and selling the raffle tickets. They are extraordinary people because of the work that they do not only for the LAC but also for all the other organisations that they work for as volunteers. I congratulate Norah, Dea and the rest of the committee on their tireless and uncompromising work to raise money for the LAC. One of the annual fundraising gigs in my LAC's area is the now famous dance extravaganza and auction. It is something that I have been involved in for the past four years. It is quite an extraordinary night. Everyone gets up and does the Pride of Erin and the gipsy tap. Then we have an auction. It is a great night out and a lot of money is raised. Of course, all the ambulance officers come, too. They have to have their dance card. An honourable member: Sounds great to see. Ms LIDDY CLARK: It is great to see. They all join in. My dance card gets full. I really like that. An honourable member: But are they in uniform? Ms LIDDY CLARK: No, they are out of uniform, unless they are dropping in on their way to work. I also acknowledge the work and commitment of the Nundah-Northgate Ambulance Service Station, which is run by the officer in charge, John Down. He and his wife make a very handsome couple on the dance floor. His children also come and have a dance as well. We all love it. I would like to acknowledge John and his fantastic team. My office and I have a close working relationship with them. My only regret is that the station moved their operations from Nundah to Northgate, which is just outside my electorate. But I really cannot begrudge the shift, because they have moved into a purpose-built station. It is my delight and privilege to share that precinct with the member for Nudgee, Neil Roberts—although I have not seen him on the dance floor yet. 6 Nov 2002 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 4455

Speaking of purpose-built, I also have the Hendra Police Station and Fire and Rescue Station in adjoining precincts in my electorate. I would like to acknowledge the Hendra police for the work that they do within my electorate and for the wider community under the direction of acting Senior Sergeant, Gary Keating; Divisional Inspector, John Flanagan; Officer in Charge, Senior Sergeant Chris Rutherford; the Neighbourhood Offices, Vicky Kennedy-Grills; and, of course, my school's Adopt a Cop. What a fantastic initiative that is. I have a monthly meeting with John and his team, which is extremely beneficial not only for me and my office but also, and most importantly, the community. I really thank John and his team for their commitment. Finally, I want to mention the firies and the great job that they do. I feel like I have a little bit of inside knowledge of the Fire Service, having spent a great deal of time with many of them when I was shooting the Brisbane-made Network 7 series called Fire. Although the firies affectionately called me the 'walloper', as I was playing Detective Sergeant Jean Diamond in charge of arson, we got on famously. But I realise that that series— Mr Pitt: Like a house on fire. Ms LIDDY CLARK: Like a house on fire—boom, boom. I realise that, although a series like that is make-believe, the facts of the series are unfortunately a reality. Fire and its destructive path are not laughing matters. Specifically, I congratulate area director Gary Little and his team at the Hendra Fire and Rescue Station for their ongoing work and commitment to the community. They do an extraordinary job for which I acknowledge them. Emergency services in any area in any community is so important, especially during the fire season. They put their lives on the line. They are committed, dedicated people. Gender equity is certainly on the agenda there and we now are getting a few female firies, too, which I support of course. I acknowledge all the emergency services in my electorate and in the wider community on the work that they do. I also take this opportunity to acknowledge the minister and his team for their work on this very important amendment bill. I commend the bill to the House. Mr PITT (Mulgrave—ALP) (3.11 p.m.): I rise today to support the Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2002. In doing so, I pay tribute to all emergency services workers throughout Queensland who do such a wonderful job. At the outset, I thank the minister for his involvement in providing a 24-hour fire station in the southern suburbs of Cairns at Edmonton. The Cairns South Fire Station had some difficulties in terms of being manned operationally for 24 hours a day; however, with good will between the service, the unions and the minister's office we were able to cobble together an agreement to ensure that the people I represent received the fire service delivery they deserved. Today, I shall refer to those sections of the bill designed to strengthen the operation of local ambulance committees. In 1991 I had the privilege of being on the select committee of inquiry that changed the whole nature of the delivery of ambulance services in Queensland from a system where we had about 94 different QATBs or boards throughout the state to where we have a statewide service. Some of those boards did a fantastic job. Unfortunately, the ability to deliver to the community varied. A lot of the boards were quite wealthy. A lot of the boards were very proactive in their communities and delivered not only services but equipment and so on of a high standard to the men and women who worked in them. However, there were some areas where that was not possible due to the socioeconomic status of such an area. It might have been that the necessary funds could not quite be raised. Those areas quite often suffered. When the act was introduced in 1991 it was good to see that we produced an ambulance service that now employs world's best practice. It has probably the highest quality of service delivery anywhere in Australia. Ten years on, the ambulance service is in really good shape. I do not think anyone would doubt that. The equipment is spot on. The training is something to behold. The number of officers who now have gained tertiary qualifications and higher levels of skills through the various courses open to them means that when someone does need the services of an ambulance officer there is a professional in the full sense of the word to cater for them. There was some concern at the time, though, that in changing from the old board system to putting in place LACs there would be some drop-off in community support. The community would say, 'Okay, we no longer have any ownership of our ambulance service; therefore, they will not get the same amount of support in the community as they had previously.' That has not been the case. Our ambos are still highly regarded. Their work is valued and the community still takes possession of the ambulance service in the local area. The LACs do a magnificent job not only in raising funds but in advising the service as to local needs and assisting in profile raising generally. 4456 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002

The service is in good hands. I remember the first commissioner, Dr Gerry FitzGerald, who still holds that position. He has done a magnificent job steering a disparate service through a 10- year period to where it is now a world-class organisation. Over a period of time, Gerry has had the support not only of good administration but, irrespective of their political background, the various ministers whose portfolios encompassed ambulance services. Each and every one of them built upon the work done previously. It does not matter who looks after the ambulance service, because they get imbued with the whole concept of community respect for that service. I refer to a couple of the LACs in my area. The ambulance structure in Innisfail in the southern part of my electorate is undergoing change. There will be a co-location between the ambulance service and Queensland Health at the $14.2 million redevelopment of the Innisfail District Hospital. The ambulance service will be providing some extra $600,000 to assist in that move. The initiative announced by the minister has been well received. The community believes that this is the proper thing to do and that there will be mutual benefits for the service. Not only will the officers move into new premises but they also will be located next to an organisation with which they have some synergy. I have no doubt, given the professionalism of the ambulance officers, that they and the people in the emergency section will work very closely together and that both will benefit from such association. The small sugar town of Babinda to the north has had probably one of the strongest LACs around the place. There they have worked very hard in support of their local station. Even though there has been a downturn in the sugar industry, these people have still raised funds and conducted many charity events to ensure that their local station has whatever equipment is needed. In terms of Gordonvale, my home town, I cannot speak too highly of its ambulance staff. All five staff members are qualified paramedics. For a small town, that is excellent. It is a very effective LAC, with Steve Day at the helm. Steve is ably supported by a number of people, most notably Beryl Wilson, a woman recognised during Ambulance Week for her services to the Queensland Ambulance Service as an LAC member. It was only a few months ago that the minister asked me to open a training facility in Gordonvale. It might be only a small town but its LAC has a very dedicated group of people who want to make sure that their community gets the best possible training service. The facility also doubles up for training of staff as well. The opening of the Cliff Trembath Memorial Training Room was an important occasion. Cliff Trembath worked with the QATB and then transferred to the LAC. In his professional role as a motor mechanic he did a heck of a lot of work for the local service and on many occasions that work was well and truly above the receipts that he obtained regarding financial remuneration. The community is very proud of that facility and I know that when the minister's predecessor allocated it some $50,000 I was very grateful. One can imagine how the community felt when the minister upped the ante and doubled that amount. Once again, I thank the minister for that. The Edmonton LAC is in the fast-growing southern suburbs of Cairns. People who work in that LAC and have done so for a number of years, such as Fran Lindsay, Earle Wickham and Stan Jensen, have made a remarkable contribution to the ambulance service. Stan is a former officer, but the other two in their new roles as LAC members have put in countless hours of work to ensure that that station is as responsive to the local community as it can be. It is a 24-hour station. Along with the Gordonvale LAC, the Edmonton LAC hosted the 2002 regional LAC conference in Edmonton. It was an outstanding success. People from all over far-north Queensland attended that conference. I had the privilege of sitting in on a number of the sessions throughout the day and of course of enjoying the hospitality and friendship of LAC members that night at a function at Sugarworld. Both LACs did such a good job in hosting that conference that I understand that they will become an integral part of the planning for the 2003 state LAC conference in Cairns. I am sure that with those people involved it will be a huge success. Yarrabah is an Aboriginal community in my electorate. It does not have an LAC as such. The council acts as the LAC for Yarrabah. In the early 1990s I was involved in convincing the Yarrabah community that it needed to develop a subscriber system to take advantage of having its own fully dedicated ambulance service. The council has been very proactive in respect of tapping into the CDEP funding that some of the workers receive. With their approval, the community of Yarrabah came up with the necessary money to cover the subscriptions of all people in the community. There is also an opportunity for co-locating the ambulance service. I have spoken at length with Minister Edmond regarding the need to put in a new Queensland Health facility in Yarrabah. I have also suggested to her, and I will be taking up the matter with the Minister for Emergency 6 Nov 2002 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 4457

Services, the possibility of co-locating the ambulance in a new structure which, on my understanding, would be funded largely by the federal government. Any level of government that can get another level of government to pay the bills is on the right track. The Ambulance Service at Yarrabah has a very important role to play in the community, which is fairly isolated from Cairns. Given the difficulty that people have with illnesses such as diabetes and cardiac arrest, that ambulance service is often required to transport people to Cairns. Of significance also is the fact that the QAS in far-north Queensland has taken seriously its commitment to bring indigenous people into the system as fully fledged members of the service. I am very proud to say that a number of the leading lights in the indigenous side of the QAS in far-north Queensland have come from the community of Yarrabah. Of credit to the people in the community and also the service is the way in which they have combined those two important roles. We all accept that the local ambulance committees provide a critical link, as the minister said in his second reading speech, between the community and the service. It is a genuine partnership between the local community and a statewide service that probably does not exist in many other statewide services, be it Transport, Health or whatever else. The linkage between the LACs and the Ambulance Service is unique. The old bonding that occurred between the QATBs and their communities has been transferred into a modern era. Across the state, LACs contribute about $1.48 million a year towards providing extra equipment and support for their local ambulance stations. This is a magnificent contribution. In the old days the ambulance officers themselves had to raise money, as the previous speaker mentioned, for their pay packets and the community supported them in doing that. That money is now being directed to essential services and equipment. The local communities have embraced the concept of LACs and have been prepared to open their hearts and empty their pockets in raising funds for those organisations. There are 14 community representatives on the Ambulance Commissioner's Local Ambulance Committee Reference Group across the state. I wish to recognise a little lady who, in boxing terms, fights well and truly above her weight—Lisette Brake from the South Johnstone LAC. South Johnstone is a huge community; it has one ambulance officer, a very small LAC and a population measured in the dozens and not the hundreds. Lisette Brake is a driving force in that community. She does not restrict her contribution to the Queensland Ambulance Service to just being the spokesperson for South Johnstone; she is always on the go making sure that regional Queenslanders have a voice at the top level. Every one of us in the far north probably owes a debt of gratitude to Lisette Brake. The local ambulance committees were constituted under a document produced some 10 years ago. Times have changed. There is no doubt that that document needed upgrading. The constitution is being modernised and brought into the present-day context. One of the things that it will allow for is an increase in the number of members on an LAC from nine to 15. So the maximum number will be increased. Importantly, it will also give the minister the power he needs to intervene if an LAC goes off track. I have spoken very highly about the LACs. I think 99.9 per cent of LACs do a wonderful job. But we have to remember that they are only human beings and every now and again a group of human beings can get a bee in its bonnet and go off track. There needs to be some method by which the community they serve can be protected against any behaviour that is not in the best interests of the community. Giving that power to the minister is a positive step, because sometimes timely intervention can save not only the service but also the community represented by the LAC some heartache and emotional pain arising from lengthy and drawn-out disputes with the community. I am very pleased to speak to this amendment bill and congratulate the minister on the way in which he is handling his portfolio. I commend the bill to the House. Mr JOHNSON (Gregory—NPA) (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (3.24 p.m.): It gives me great pleasure to speak in support of the Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2002, which amends the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990, the Ambulance Service Act 1991 and the State Counter-Disaster Organisation Act 1975. Many of the amendments are machinery-type amendments that, for example, under the fire and ambulance acts, permit the minister to make appointments of an acting commissioner. This bill also amends the operational arrangements in relation to the Emergency Services Advisory Council by increasing the membership of the council from 14 to 16. Although the opposition supports the increase in the membership of the council, I ask the minister to ensure that appointments are made to this council to give effect to the reason 4458 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002 included in the explanatory notes, and that is to ensure that the additional membership allows more adequate community representation. In the minister's second reading speech, I noted that the minister proposes to use this increased membership to offer positions to representatives of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and I welcome this increase. We have seen bipartisan support given to some of the legislation from the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy. I support the minister's inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and I welcome this increase. If we are to take these people with us and embrace their ideals, it is paramount that they be included in any legislation we make, particularly legislation affecting their communities. This bill also substantially extends the statutory responsibilities of the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service beyond responding to fire and chemical incidents to also include incidents involving hazardous materials resulting from the physical and biological properties of substances. I believe also that this is an appropriate extension particularly in the light of recent terrorist threats in relation to biological and other materials. I note also comments from the recent national seminar in relation to terrorist threats that there was no coordinated strategy to a nuclear threat. I also ask the minister in his summary to clarify that this extension of responsibility includes a response to a nuclear incident, which would obviously be coordinated at a national level. I fully appreciate the position that the Premier and his cabinet, including the Minister for Emergency Services, are in. A lot of these issues are highly classified. However, at the same time there are protocols, which this side of the House respects and understands. Although we have these protocols in place, it is paramount that both the federal government and state governments have close liaison in relation to what might and might not happen. We have seen what happened in Bali and in other parts of the world. It would seem that none of us is free from this. We must have in place strategies that will enable the minister to have his hands free in the event of such a disaster. I note also that clauses 18 to 20 replace references to the existing Australian Dangerous Goods Code. In his second reading speech, the minister advised that the new definitions are based on the recently enacted Dangerous Goods and Safety Management Act 2001. I would like the minister to give an assurance that there will be consistency between the Queensland provisions and any national definitions, in the interests of national uniformity. This bill also introduces a new model constitution for the local ambulance committees. The amendments are designed to facilitate more efficient administration. Again, the bill proposes an increase in the number of members on the committees whilst at the same time loosening up the criteria concerning community representation so that membership can be drawn from individual subscribers from the public generally. I know just how important local ambulance committees are. Whilst the previous system of membership, involving members being drawn from community representative groups, may have been restrictive, I have concerns that the proposed amendment will give rise to opportunities for playing politics. I do not believe there is any room in emergency services for playing politics with appointments. Although I am sure that the minister is genuine in his proposal to open up representation, I give notice that the opposition will be watching these appointments closely to ensure that they are not politicised. I would like to refer to a couple of issues in relation to the ambulance service in my own electorate. The minister might comment in his reply in relation to the Queensland Ambulance Service at Barcaldine. We want to know where we are going. Everybody wants this to be under the one blanket. I know that the developments are well and truly on track but I hope the minister might be able to give us some important news in relation to that. A few months ago representations were made to me and to the government for the placement of an ambulance at Birdsville in the Diamantina shire in the south-west of my electorate. The chairman of the local ambulance committee, Mrs Beverley Morton, was very active in trying to get this to become a reality. Through representations to the QAS in Mount Isa and to the minister we were able to secure an ambulance service for Birdsville. I am happy to say that the Premier was on hand in Birdsville on the Saturday of the Year of the Outback races in Birdsville and was able to hand over the keys of the ambulance to the local committee. On behalf of the people of Birdsville and the wider district, I thank the minister and the government for making this a reality. This is something that is very important for that part of Queensland. As honourable members could appreciate, a lot of tourists cover a lot of very difficult roads to reach Birdsville. We never know what will happen and when we will need the services of an ambulance, be it at Birdsville or any other part of the state. I want to record my sincere appreciation to the government for making that service a reality. 6 Nov 2002 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 4459

In conclusion, I take this opportunity to thank those members of the community who serve on these councils. I would also like to record my appreciation to the volunteer firefighters whose dedication to their task has been so valuable in the past couple of weeks I regret to say that we will probably need them even more in the weeks to come. While we are talking about fire services, I would like to record the great work of people like Norm Pearce, the Queensland Fire and Rescue officer in charge at Longreach, and Larry Lewis, who is the officer in charge of Rural Fire Services at Barcaldine. These men work in unison. A working relationship such as this carries the people along with it. I know that some time ago the service at Muttaburra had to be wound back from a QAS office to a Queensland Fire and Rescue office. Muttaburra is now in the electorate of my colleague the member for Charters Towers, Christine Scott. It is thanks to people such as Norm Pearce and Larry Lewis that this eventuated as smoothly as possible. They have a great knowledge and understanding of country people and were able to assure the citizens of Muttaburra and district that they were not going to miss out but, instead, were going to be more advantaged. I say to the minister today that he has people of this calibre right across the state. It is personnel such as these men and all the volunteers that we have in the west that make these fire services what they are today. As I said before, we do not know when we will again call on those volunteers. Unfortunately, many people think that fire will never strike them. We need only look around some of the homes in Brisbane and see the gutters full of leaves and the grass and rubbish growing around houses. The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service and the Rural Fire Service cannot be the be-all and the end-all all the time. People must be responsible for their own property and get rid of that fuel. We must not subject the lives of our firefighters to fires and serious accidents because of stupidity or laziness on the part of property owners who are not making certain that their property is cleared of this type of fuel. I have heard the minister and other members of this House say time and time again what wonderful fire officers and ambulance officers we have in this state. I think we are blessed in having men and women of this calibre who are prepared to put their lives on the line at a minute's notice. I would like to record my sincere thanks and gratitude to those men and women. I salute them for the great work that they do. In doing so, I support the amendment to this legislation. Mr STRONG (Burnett—ALP) (3.36 p.m.): I rise in support of the Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill and I commend the minister for acting to streamline the emergency services. Making their job easier is something that should be done at all costs. Places in my electorate such as Agnes Water, Kinkuna and Buxton are lovely places in which to live but they are remote in that they have one-road entrances. They are isolated in that they are perhaps 40 minutes to an hour's drive from anywhere. In times of bushfires the community has to band together. They have to fight whatever comes at them, be it a cyclone or a bushfire. It is their choice to live in a place of such isolation. They are very nice places. I am sure the member for Gregory will back me up on this. The Town of 1770 is one place where I am sure we would all like to live. These communities have to band together because they have nowhere else to go. They have to rely on each other. At Agnes Water we had a situation where we did not have a doctor for some six to seven months. Because of that, and because we had an hour and a half drive to a base hospital at Bundaberg or Gladstone, an extra burden was put on the local ambulance officers. They had to attend to the dog bites, the colds and the flus and take care of the few odd stitches that were necessary. They had no alternative and did an outstanding job. No complaints were made by the staff even though their workload increased. They did a magnificent job. In the last couple of years we had a fire at Agnes Water that raged for over five weeks. This resulted in a massive drain on the resources and services of the SES and the fire service. Kinkuna also has an isolation problem. Kinkuna and Buxton have similar problems in that they have a small population and are both isolated from the major towns. If the main road becomes blocked they receive no help from outside. The Energex helicopters can fly in, of course, but they receive limited ground support. These are waterside communities which have lovely beachfronts. They are surrounded by forests. The threat of bushfires is serious because fires can burn for weeks on end. This causes a tremendous strain on the community. The Rural Fire Service in the area is comprised of volunteers. They receive some assistance from such people as Phil Williams and Mick George of the Bundaberg office of the Rural Fire Service. These two men are always out in the field. 4460 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002

A situation has arisen in Miriam Vale and Childers with the amount of traffic travelling on the Bruce Highway. Taking into account that Gladstone is the engine room for heavy industry, more traffic uses the Bruce Highway to carry diverse and varied hazardous goods. There is the cyanide factory at Gladstone, the smelter, concrete companies and power stations. As a result, many more dangerous goods are being carried along the Bruce Highway than there were 20 years ago. That in itself creates many different scenarios in the event of a truck rollover. Even though steps are being taken to avoid that, trucks do have accidents. When hazardous materials are involved, that creates another set of problems. In my electorate there have been anthrax scares, acid spills and the tragedy of the Caroline Stuttle murder where SES personnel were brought in to help carry out searches of forest and mangroves. The electorate has not had much experience of such events, especially the anthrax scare of last year and the acid spills. These are different situations that SES personnel have to come to grips with. However, they do an outstanding job in any situation that arises. I commend the minister for his actions in streamlining any administrative burden. Anything we can do to help these people through their working lives is an added bonus for the community. Mr ENGLISH (Redlands—ALP) (3.41 p.m.): It gives me great pleasure to rise to speak to the Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2002. In brief summary, part 3 of the bill seeks to amend the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990. It brings the Fire and Rescue Service Act up to date with modern times by acknowledging that the old term 'chemical incident' no longer sufficiently covers the possible problems that the Fire and Rescue Service faces. As a result, it amends the wording to include 'hazardous materials emergency'. Many years ago most hazardous materials were chemical in nature, but with increasing technology the potential hazards are much broader. The amendments included in this bill fall into line with those increasing options. Part 4 of the bill seeks to amend the State Counter-Disaster Organisation Act 1975. These amendments are important and I commend the minister for including them. They refer to the declaration of state of disaster and broaden the current definition of 'effect of the disaster' to 'effects of disaster, or minimise the potential effects of the impending disaster'. The technical and legal interpretation of the previous wording mean that emergency services had to wait for a disaster to occur before they could take action. This amendment allows the emergency services to take action to prevent an impending disaster. It gives them the power to declare a state of disaster before something has occurred in order to prevent it. In line with modern law enforcement where there is a traditional reactive role, there is a move towards more proactive strategies. This amendment will complement that and encourage emergency services to be somewhat proactive to minimise harm rather than waiting for things to happen. Part 2 of the bill relates to changes in the way that LACs are structured and run. There is a new constitution for the LACs which aims to increase efficiencies and also increase the range of possible representation on these local ambulance committees. A number of members have spoken about the importance of the LACs in contributing to the emergency services in their area, and I can assure the House that the seat of Redlands is no different. I am very proud of the community feeling that exists within my electorate. The Redlands has an identifiable community characteristic and community feel to it, and that is evident by the great work done by a range of community volunteers toward supporting emergency services in my electorate. I want to speak briefly about the Redlands South and East Logan Local Ambulance Committee. This is made up of a dedicated group of people and includes Gerald Moore as chairman, Doug Bool as deputy chairman, Shirley Hamilton as secretary, and a very hardworking treasurer in Margaret Small. From time to time, I have worked with other members of the LAC, including Jan Crusifulli, who is a legend in the southern end of the Redland shire. On occasions I have attended the Redland Bay Hotel to assist the LAC to sell tickets in meat raffles and the odd bottle of rum with a $50 note attached to it, and yesterday was no different. I dropped into the Redland Bay Hotel. I would encourage all members to visit the Redland Bay Hotel. It is perched on a beautiful block of land overlooking Moreton Bay where historically the boats used to land. It is an historic location and the perfect place to come on a Sunday afternoon for a beer and a feed. It serves very good meals and I can highly recommend it— Mr Reeves: Can you catch the bus there? Mr ENGLISH: Yes, the member can catch the bus there, which is an important feature for the member for Mansfield, particularly with the way he drives! The Redland Bay Hotel is very much a community-minded pub which gives a lot back to the community. It allows a range of community groups to sell raffle tickets in its bars to raise funds. Of 6 Nov 2002 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 4461 course, the Redlands South and East Logan LAC is just one of those groups. Yesterday when I dropped into the public bar to have a beer and—I am ashamed to say—lose some money on the Melbourne Cup, I ran into some members from the LAC selling raffle tickets for meat trays and great seafood trays to raise money for the local ambulance committee. It successfully sold eight raffles on the day and made quite a sum of money. I congratulate it for its efforts and certainly congratulate the Redland Bay Hotel on allowing its facilities to be used. There are also LACs on both Russell Island and Macleay Island. The hardworking members of the Russell Island LAC include Phoebe Du Pont, Betty Roebuck and Carol Evans. Russell Island is quite an isolated community and the hard work of that LAC was recently recognised when it raised funds in association with the Russell Island Lions Club and contributed money towards the purchase of a defibrillator. The Macleay Island emergency services facility under the leadership of both Barry Statham and Ron Whelan and a range of other volunteers is something that I have spoken about often in this House. The emergency services on Macleay Island are quite isolated and have to fend for themselves quite often. The amount of work and effort that goes into the emergency services by the volunteers to help design, modify and rig up a range of equipment to help improve service delivery is something to be seen and admired. Another issue I want to comment on briefly is that in last year's budget money was allocated to purchase land for the fire brigade in the southern end of my electorate. Due to a range of reasons, that was not able to be spent. I have made the minister aware of the huge growth in the area. The minister assures me that the department is monitoring growth in that area, because in the next few years there will be a need for a fire station in that area. Currently, there are good response times from the crews operating out of the Cleveland Fire Station. They do a great job, but it is important to monitor growth in the area. The five bay islands I have the honour of representing—Coochiemudlo Island, Russell Island, Lamb Island, Karragarra Island and Macleay Island—have very active rural fire brigades. In the light of the high fire threat we are facing in the up-coming summer months, I am pleased that the minister recently announced a state planning policy in relation to disaster planning. This is an important document for the bay islands because they contain a lot of unattended land with potential fuel growth. Across the state at times we have seen councils not really considering emergency services, disasters and fires in their planning processes. The state planning policy will give councils guidelines in relation to these issues when they plan. In recent months there have been a number of fires on some of the bay islands, and the volunteer firefighters, in conjunction with professional elements from the mainland on occasion, have fought these fires and have saved a lot of life and property. I think it is incumbent upon councils to take these issues into account in their planning, more so than they have in the past. I commend the minister for this bill. I commend the minister for a lot of the other work he is doing to improve emergency services response in both the Ambulance Service and the fire service. I commend the bill to the House. Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM (Gladstone—Ind) (3.51 p.m.): I rise to speak to the Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill. I put on record my appreciation for all of the workers in my electorate, both paid and voluntary, who contribute to emergency situations. I will be listing some of those in some detail later. I also commend and recognise the families of these emergency services workers. In single officer stations—police and QAS—the partners of the employed person, whether that is a police officer or an ambulance officer, are co-workers in almost every situation. They will answer phones, both during and after office hours, they take messages, particularly if the officers are already called out to an incident, and they step into the breach. I would like to commend those partners. I think they do a brilliant job. They are not remunerated. For rural and remote communities, in many instances the community would be without a contact for the emergency service—police or ambulance—if those partners did not step into that role. As far as the rural firefighting sector and state emergency services are concerned, the partners do a lot of secretarial type work—answering phones, taking messages—for their partners who are in these roles. Again, I commend them. I commend the partners of all emergency services officers, whether they are in the city or in the country, because in many instances they support their partners after quite a traumatic incident. We know of firefighters, ambulance officers and SES officers who turn out to accidents, other emergencies and searches and rescues. Particularly when the incident is particularly gruesome, where the result is not a happy one, those emergency services workers go home and often debrief by talking to their partners. They do a lot of unloading in that instance. The partners 4462 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002 in great measure share the work done and the responsibility borne by these emergency services in our community. I recognise the role families play in supporting emergency services workers. There are a number of ambulance sites in my electorate. There are stations in Gladstone and Boyne Island and single officer stations in Mount Larcom and Calliope. I know that there has been concern about the manning levels at the Gladstone station, particularly in light of the increased population. I raise again with the minister the need for an increase in staffing in Gladstone to accommodate that growth. That growth is happening. In some instances it is happening more quickly than was anticipated. The current Comalco site had projected a population increase of 1,800. That has been revised up to 2,300 over the same period. Many of those workers bring families with them, so the attendant increase in population is significant. Emergency services have to proactively grow, not reactively grow, because of the nature of the services they provide. I commend John Moynahan at Mount Larcom. I thank the minister for the new station that has been provided there. It is certainly long overdue and very welcome in the community. John has to turn out to a lot of highway incidents. As I said, he works in a single officer station. I commend him for the work that he does. Calliope is an unusual station in that it is a single officer station but it has a hinterland as well as an urban focus. Mr Johnson: Where is Calliope? Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM: Calliope is just off the coast—about 25 kilometres. It is a wonderful place. It is a little dry at the moment. Jim Brodie has been the officer there for many, many years. Jim is an ambulance officer of the older mould, if you like, in that he is very community minded. Not a day goes by when Jim does not extend himself beyond the call of duty. He does a lot of training in first-aid and he also extends a very genuine hand of friendship to many people in the community. He attends incidents at the aged care facility, at Crossroads. I know that his compassion is valued there greatly. Jim attended my dad when he was transported to hospital on the day he died. I know that mum valued the manner Jim displayed that day. The way that he managed not only his patient but also the family was typical of him. He is a real treasure. Mr Johnson: People of compassion. Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM: That is right; people of compassion. The Boyne station has been in need of replacement for a long time. There have been programs on the drawing board for many years. It still has not come to fruition, and I am looking forward to the time the new station is built. That is a community that is growing exponentially. Boyne Smelter has expansion plans. It has already completed expansions. The community there is growing not only because of industry in the region but also because Boyne Island and Tannum Sands are most pleasant places to live. That new station is long overdue. I look forward to the time its construction is completed. The ambulance services in my area and across the state do a wonderful job in education—conducting first-aid courses, going into schools and discussing with students issues of first-aid and safety. I commend them for the work that they do outside of the core ambulance service provision. I share the concern of other members in this chamber in regard to the clarified power, as the explanatory notes put it, of the minister to remove LAC members. I note the amendment that has been circulated that includes a requirement for the minister to consult with the LAC prior to that removal, but I look forward to the minister's further clarification that any removal will be for designated reasons and very justifiable and defendable reasons. In the recent past there has been a lot of concern expressed by people in the community, not the Ambulance Service necessarily but other groups that do a huge amount of work to support the community, whether it be in disability services or in other support type services, that their funding has been put at risk because they have dared to speak out against the government of the day. Indeed, I believe an article in the paper recently referred to that very thing—that some community groups had been in receipt of funding on the condition that they did not criticise the government of the day. LACs are one of those groups who have hands-on experience and knowledge of the day-to- day operations of the ambulance. There are issues that arise at various times that should be criticised or should be highlighted. The LAC, like the P&Cs at schools, is the avenue through which those concerns can be raised. Some LACs are much more vocal than others. Indeed, on some LACs there are one or two very vocal people. I value them, because they give me an 6 Nov 2002 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 4463 opportunity to get up-to-date and informed information. I seek clarification from the minister that there is no risk that an LAC member who speaks negatively of the service or expresses concern about the policy position of the government of the day will be at risk of being removed purely because of that criticism. Concern continues to be expressed about any proposal to privatise subscriptions for the QAS. I have not found anyone in my community who can see any positive reason for privatising subscriptions. Indeed, all of the issues and repercussions that have been raised with me have been detrimental not only to the consumer but also to the QAS and the system of service provision. I reiterate that we have dedicated officers in the Ambulance Service. They are wonderful, caring, compassionate people. But with the growth in my region, the staffing numbers need to be revised and increased. The only other concern in relation to the Ambulance Service is one that I raised with the minister and to which he responded—and I thank him for that. That was information that was given to a member of the community that first-aid facilities would not be available at the ambulance station in Gladstone and instead people would have to go to the hospital. This was for cut fingers, et cetera. The minister has clarified and advised me by letter that that is not the case and that first-aid services will remain an important part of the ambulance centre. In my area there are no doctors who bulk-bill; people rely on the hospital in emergency situations. At times, there is a huge wait at the hospital for even simple procedures such as receiving a stitch or two. For people to be able to go to the first-aid centre at the QAS to have injuries attended to is a great time saver and a great asset to the community. The flying doctor is also an emergency service provider, as is the aerial ambulance, which my community values. In relation to our aerial medical services, I would like to mention a family in Raglan. George Creed—who is actually the Mayor of Calliope shire, but he does not do this in that capacity—his wife, Leonie, their family and their committee organises a fly-in at the old station at Raglan. They do a mighty job. They have had an unfortunate couple of incidents. One year it got rained out—and please if only we had that problem again. They put in a mammoth effort to organise what is a very memorable weekend. There are aircraft flying in from across Queensland as well as interstate. They have that flying group from the Air Force—I have forgotten their name—that do aerial formation flying— Mr Cummins: The Roulettes. Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM: That is it. I thank the member for Kawana very much. They have a weekend where people sleep over, they have a huge bonfire and a rodeo and they raise thousands for our aerial ambulance/flying doctor services. I commend them. They put in months and months of work. This event is held on their own property. They do all the work—they provide the watering facilities, they sell food and they provide the ablutions facilities that are necessary for a huge number of people. George and Leonie, their family and their committee are certainly to be commended. My area has access to emergency helicopter services. I would also like to mention Cyril Golding, who is an earthmoving contractor. He is in semi-retirement—I do not think he will ever retire—and he is certainly a patriarch of many services and voluntary groups in the Gladstone region. Cyril contributed significantly to the helipad that has been constructed just outside the ambulance entry area of the Gladstone Hospital. Linda Lavarch came up and opened it on behalf of the minister. It was some time ago now, but at the time it was said that the helipad is one of the best in Queensland because of its close access to the hospital. A lot of that work—the provision of the soil to build up the site for the helipad—was donated by Cyril Golding. I commend him for that community service. I have a number of SES groups in my area, so I am not going to name individuals. Those SES groups in my electorate, as they do in other electorates, provide an incredibly important service. They are not highly recognised and they are not certainly commended greatly, because the work that they do is often done very quietly behind the scenes. They turn out not only to major fires but also to road accidents where they undertake traffic support and a lot of other things. They turn out specifically to search and rescues. I know that the various groups have responded to many calls. Some have had a very happy ending; others have had a more tragic result. Those groups turn out whenever they are required in the worst of circumstances—storms, cyclones—where quite significant damage and high risk is involved. They are available, ready and willing to help as soon as people call them. Their families are at home waiting for them to return from these turnouts, knowing that often they are in an environment of high risk. I commend those people. 4464 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002

Our full-time firefighters do a wonderful job. Their work has changed over the years. They now turn out to road accidents. They are the first line of response and work consistently. My electorate has a mix of industries. Some of those industries manufacture particularly dangerous products. Our Fire and Rescue Service turns out to any risk situation. Firefighters continue to be concerned about crew numbers. They prefer and believe that the safest turnout ratio is one to three. The government is happy to accept one to two. I have had this discussion with the minister previously, but I want to put on the record that wherever it is at all possible, we should be ensuring that these emergency service crews turn out at the best and safest levels. According to the firies and their union, that is one to three. The firies also provide a lot of training. I think that over the past few years their role as trainers has expanded. They go to schools and do fire and rescue demonstrations. I have been to one at the Chanel school where they have showed young people who were about to get their licences how to undertake a rescue from crushed vehicles with the jaws of life. They put one of the students into restraining gear that is used when there is a risk of spinal damage. That demonstration gave kids an insight into the results of an accident that could occur out of a split- second decision or a split second of inattention. I commend the Fire and Rescue Service—all of the workers—for the great job that they do. Recently, we had a 000 day at Boyne Island where all of the emergency services got together. They had fire demonstrations, the ambos were there, as were representatives of all emergency services, and it was a great success. I am looking forward to that day becoming an annual event. I also commend the rural firefighters. Some concerns were expressed to me about the lack of training dollars for this year—the money went into the new uniforms. I am unclear about the extent of that allocation of money, but certainly training for rural firefighters is important. It creates a bond between the volunteers and it ensures that they understand the dynamics of what they are doing, particularly where they are getting new volunteers into the rural firefighting sector. A vast area in my electorate is covered by the rural firefighters—not the full-time firies—and they do a brilliant job. Many of the rural fire groups use their own equipment. Farmers will use their graders, their tractors or their water tankers. They provide that equipment free of charge to ensure the safety not only of lives but also of property in the electorate. I commend them for the brilliant job that they do. I also mention the counter-disaster groups. Calliope Shire Council, Gladstone City Council, police and other services combined to develop a counter-disaster plan. We have been fortunate in that we have never had to use the counter-disaster plan in its entirety. There have been instances where there have been significant storms and where the counter-disaster plan has commenced operation. But that preparedness is essential. That cohesion as far as response is concerned is vital to ensure the safety of our community. I commend them not only for the paid work they do but for the volunteer work. Our communities would not be safe without these paid and volunteer people. Each and every one of them has various reasons for joining the service. Several years ago we lost a firefighter, firefighter Harris. His family is still suffering the repercussions of that loss. We cannot underestimate the danger that these service providers face on a day-to-day basis. We cannot underestimate the impact on their families in terms of having to say goodbye to loved ones day after day, not knowing what they will face. I certainly commend each and every one of them for their dedication to our community. I trust that this bill will make their service easier, better and more cohesive. I certainly believe that they deserve every ounce of support, encouragement and financial support that we can give them. They are a wonderful group of people. Mr CUMMINS (Kawana—ALP) (4.11 p.m.): Naturally, I, too, support this Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill. I must mention the gratitude Sunshine Coast residents and the community have for emergency services workers, whether they be paid or volunteer workers. They do a great job that we do acknowledge. Substantial improvements to all state emergency services have been achieved under the Beattie Labor government. I believe that we as the elected government must continue to be proactive in improving emergency services right across this great state of Queensland. We are a government that consults. The main part of any government's consultation is to listen, analyse the issue and act where necessary and, obviously where possible, within relevant budgetary constraints. It is extremely easy for promises to be made by those not in government, but my community and probably the vast majority of Queenslanders realise that this empty rhetoric is normally unfunded and that these empty political promises are an easy and glib attempt to make media headlines to get on the evening news. Queenslanders 6 Nov 2002 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 4465 are smart enough to see through small-minded political point scoring. We should be proud not only of this minister but previous Labor emergency services ministers who still remain in cabinet now presiding over other portfolios. The Beattie government does not come out shooting from the hip when issues arise. We are determined to have well-planned, thought out and clearly documented strategies that are adopted and set in place to properly address the needs of our residents. Emergency services on the Sunshine Coast have come along way under the Beattie government. I will continue to ensure that concerned employees, volunteers and constituents' problems are properly identified. The minister, upon taking over this very important portfolio, was quick to answer my request to visit the Sunshine Coast, and I sincerely thank him for that. During that visit in April last year we officiated at a brick laying ceremony of the Queensland Ambulance Service, Sunshine Coast Communications Centre, at the Maroochydore emergency services complex where the minister and I learnt that our previous lives were definitely not as brick layers. We also visited the old tollway building on the Sunshine Coast Motorway, now the state emergency services base, and presented a $20,000 cheque to the state emergency services controller. We then popped over to the Kawana QAS station at Buddina and also visited the auxiliary Queensland fire and rescue station, also a fire communications centre, on the Nicklin Way at Warana. We also ventured to the Caloundra station and also visited the QFRA station in the industrial estate and the QAS at the regional office right next door. As a son of a defence force fireman who proudly served for over two-and-a-half decades, I have always had a very good insight into the life of an emergency services worker, albeit in the Royal Australian Air Force. I am aware of the shift work, the hours, the injuries and the possible dangers that they face. I am proud to say that I also established good, long-term friendships with numerous hard working and dedicated emergency services workers. In fact, both the best man and groomsman at my wedding work on the Gold Coast as paramedics on the RACQ Careflight helicopter. Peter Caffrey and Stephen Robinson are two hardworking, dedicated and proud career-orientated paramedics who are a great credit to the system they have progressed through. The system is what we know as the QAS. They are but two of tens of thousands of emergency service workers across the state dedicated to serving not only their fellow Queenslanders but visitors that we host to this great state. Local ambulance committees are very important to the very fabric of an efficient ambulance service. The Buderim local ambulance committee is very well appreciated in our community on the Sunshine Coast. I must make mention of the president, Beres Howard OAM. Beres recently received this well deserved award. The vice-president is Ian Moffett. The honorary secretary is Grace McLuskie-Higgs and the honorary treasurer is Hugh Johnson. They have raised concerns with me over a period of time which I have taken up with the minister, including the administration of the subscription scheme by private health funds. They also suggested a possible pensioner rate instead of free ambulance subscription. I do not necessarily agree with it, but I have taken on board their concerns. They have also raised issues about whether or not Energex bills have a levy on them. I have received them in a democratic way and passed them on to the minister. I will also formally address them. The new Buderim Ambulance Station that the minister recently opened is part of a major initiative to enhance ambulance resources on the Sunshine Coast. It is keeping pace with the ambulance service demands of this rapidly growing and dynamic community. Until recently, the condition and location of a number of ambulance stations on the Sunshine Coast was inconsistent with providing high quality ambulance services and short response times. As a result of this initiative, ambulance stations at Maroochydore, Nambour and Buderim have been upgraded and relocated to stations with quick access to the major arterial roads such as the Bruce Highway and the Sunshine Motorway. The new Buderim Ambulance Station is located on the western side of Buderim and provides coverage to growing communities such as Chancellor Park as well as easy access to the entire Buderim area, Bruce Highway and the Sunshine Motorway. As an elected representative, I once again sincerely thank all the Sunshine Coast LACs on behalf of our community. Not only are they very active with fundraising and assistance offered, but the Buderim ambulance personnel are committed to raising issues of concern with me. The Kawana LAC is an active and positive group that ensures that vitally needed extras are sourced through fundraising initiatives that they continue to pursue. They support and have supported the Kawana ambulance for many years. Kawana residents are indeed grateful to those involved. They do a superb job. I sincerely thank them for their well-appreciated community service, and 4466 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002 they include: William Lind-Hansen, president; vice-president, Jean LeBrocq; secretary, Margo Lind-Hansen; treasurer, Lisa Manly; Else Rasmussen, Joan Chaplain and Joanne Berkline. I do realise that the office bearer elections are not due until August next year and that they have two- year terms. The current ambulance station at Kawana was built in 1982 on land partially donated by the Kawana Waters estate. The station was upgraded in 1999 to provide improved facilities for additional staff. In the longer term, the QAS will continue to monitor trends and patterns in growth around the area and service demands to assess the ongoing suitability of the current service delivery model for the Kawana area. Since coming to power in 1998, the Beattie government has provided significant additional funding to improve emergency services to the communities on the Sunshine Coast. Funding has provided staffing increases for three officers at Beerwah, four at Kawana and two at Cooroy Ambulance Stations, which have been upgraded to operate with a dedicated two-officer crew 24 hours each day, as opposed to the previous single-officer day station response. In addition to these upgrades, the Beattie government has created a new station at Tewantin at a cost of $558,000 to service the ongoing growth within that community. The Sunshine Coast communications centre has been upgraded and fitted out with a state-of-the-art computer-aided dispatch—CAD—system, including automatic vehicle location, or AV, which provides comprehensive geographical and incident information, such as the type and location of the emergency and the nearest available ambulance resources. There are also four additional patient transport crews, bringing the total to seven, to provide a separate non-urgent clinic transport system to better service the Sunshine Coast and surrounding communities. This also has the added benefit of allowing emergency crews to be freed up to provide emergency care, improving response times and saving lives. Since July 1998, 56 operational ambulances out of 108—52 per cent—have been replaced with new vehicles, and this has resulted in a more modern fleet for the Sunshine Coast. The new vehicles have been primarily the new F series Mercedes Sprinter and specialised patient transport vehicles. Under the Beattie Labor government, the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service has received funding amounting to $95,000, which has been provided for the purchase of land at Mooloolah. A new fire station will also be built at Mooloolah to replace the existing outdated building. The north coast region emergency call-taking communications centre is located at the Kawana Fire Station on the Nicklin Way and was upgraded at a cost of approximately $144,800. The Maroochydore Fire Station was relocated at a cost of just under $2 million to a position that provides greatly improved service delivery throughout the Sunshine Coast. The Maroochydore Fire Station is strategically placed and provides a range of enhanced services to growth areas throughout the central Sunshine Coast. Likewise, the Caloundra Fire Station was relocated at a cost of just under $1.2 million to a position that provides improved service delivery and capability. Both of these stations service, indeed overlap, my electorate. The Sunshine Coast is a high-growth area. Both Caloundra and Maroochydore are strategically located to enhance service delivery in the community. The fire service is currently preparing service delivery plans in anticipation of fire services required to meet population growth forecasts. A mobile training unit with the capacity to provide training in the use of breathing apparatus equipment and practical gas fire training has been provided to the Kawana and Sunshine Coast area. A module of this mobile training unit features a 3D cinema that presents fire safety messages to the community and is a highly regarded initiative. I commend the minister for this. I have sat through the Blazer the bear show with my wife and three-and-a-half-year-old son, Daniel, who is a fireman and fire vehicle nut. They are very good educational tools addressing 'look, listen and roll' and all of the other things we should learn in terms of fire safety around the home. The cost of the unit exceeded $350,000. A mechanical workshop and associated facilities have also been provided at the Caloundra Fire Station, costing over $80,000. There have been 12 rural firefighting appliances allocated to rural fire brigades in the Sunshine Coast area, at a cost totalling approximately $600,000. Pumper tankers have been allocated to Nambour, Caloundra, Mooloolah, Beerwah, Coolum, Buderim, Cooroy, Pomona and Maleny urban fire stations at a total cost of approximately $2.25 million. The Kawana fire appliance was also upgraded recently at a cost of approximately $300,000. Additionally, three new state-of-the-art SCANIA fire appliances have been allocated to Noosa, Maroochydore and up north to Bundaberg, at a cost of $1.65 million. 6 Nov 2002 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 4467

In the area of counter-disaster services, the state Department of Emergency Services provides funding for disaster mitigation, chemical hazards and emergency management, aviation services, volunteer marine rescue services and the State Emergency Service. Since the Beattie Labor government has come into power, we have committed funds for counter-disaster and rescue services on the Sunshine Coast in excess of $874,000. Again, I thank the minister and his cabinet colleagues for allocating those funds to the Sunshine Coast. The Department of Emergency Services administers the Natural Disaster Risk Management Study program, which assists local governments in identifying risks and potential mitigation measures to reduce the impact of natural disasters. In the Sunshine Coast area a total $746,000 has been committed towards these study programs. The department has also committed funds for grants and subsidies for SES units in the Sunshine Coast area in excess of $127,000. A base grant of $3,000 is provided to all local governments annually to assist in defraying administration and operational costs associated with operating the SES units. In the Sunshine coast area, since 1998 annual grants have totalled $55,000. The Department of Emergency Services also provides a study program which local governments can access for accommodation, motor vehicles and office equipment for the State Emergency Service. Again, funds committed to the Sunshine Coast area since 1998 are in excess of $72,000. In addition to the payment of these grants and subsidies, SES units and groups throughout Queensland also receive support by way of the provision of major rescue equipment and personal protective equipment, including overalls, wet weather gear, boots, hats, flood boats, road accident and vertical rescue equipment. The department, through the Volunteer Marine Rescue Program, provides recurrent funding to the Australian Volunteer Coastguard Association, the Surf Life Saving Association and the Royal Life Saving Society of Queensland. The financial grants to the AVCGA flotillas are managed by the AVCGA State Council in accordance with a service agreement and include an operational grant to the maximum of $20,000 based on the previous year's audited financial report submitted by the flotilla, and a vehicle replacement grant of up to a maximum of $100,000. In addition, each flotilla receives financial support to maintain its vessels in commercial survey. The actual benefit will vary from year to year according to the actual need. The Department of Emergency Services also provides $30,000 annually to assist the association with the provision of common law liability insurance and the department provides other forms of support to the association and will continue to provide this support. This is highly appreciated on the Sunshine Coast, given the number of people who enjoy boating and other pastimes. The department is providing financial assistance to Surf Life Saving Queensland's State Centre of over $1.6 million in this financial year and over $20,000 directly to each of the 57 accredited surf clubs and six branches in the state, in accordance with the DES-Surf Life Saving Queensland Service Agreement. The funding for the state centre includes over a quarter of a million as an ongoing entitlement towards WorkCover premiums. Funds are to be directed to the following services—beach patrol, surveillance and rescue services, public awareness and education, training of personnel, equipment and administrative support. I must mention all of these figures, because the Sunshine Coast is highly reliant on tourism. Not only the locals but also the visitors to the area are highly reliant on emergency services and the funding that we provide to these volunteer organisations. It is highly appreciated. The department also provides financial assistance of approximately $24,000 to the Royal Life Saving Society club at Bulcock Beach, Caloundra, for the provision of beach safety services in accordance again with the Department of Emergency Services and Royal Life Saving Queensland Service Agreement. Mr Reeves: They need it there with that tide going out. Mr CUMMINS: They certainly do. As the member rightly interjects, the Pumicestone Passage is tidal. I class myself as a reasonable swimmer, but I would not want to get caught in it. Over the years, porpoises and so on used to be seen there. It is a very scenic area and one that needs to be patrolled. The department also provides payment for WorkCover insurance premiums for the active lifesavers of the club. The national medal was first instituted in 1975 for persons performing 15 years of diligent service. After that, a clasp is available for 10 years' further service. Recently the minister was on the Sunshine Coast to present Noel Burgess, Darryn Camm, Mark Campbell, Dale Diefenbach, Jeffrey Keating, Bryan O'Neill, Mark Revell, Gregory Scarlett, Ross Anderson and Philip Butler with their medals. We also received a Scania Type 4 appliance for Maroochydore and the Isuzu pumper tanker for Kawana. Neil Gallant, the area director for Maroochydore, along with Reg 4468 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002

Christiansen, the assistant commissioner for the QFRS of the North Coast Region were also on hand. I thank the minister for the good work that both he and his department are doing. I commend the bill to the House. Mrs PRATT (Nanango—Ind) (4.31 p.m.): I rise to speak to the Emergency Service Legislation Amendment Bill 2002. The minister will be more than aware by now that Emergency Services, which embraces the ambulance, fire services and police and the protection of our volunteers are issues in which I am particularly interested. Although at times I have acknowledged the minister's efforts regarding the safety of our volunteers and all involved in emergency services and the supply of necessary infrastructure and equipment, it is an area which I believe—and the minister will agree with me—will always need attention. In a motion I moved a couple of weeks ago I touched on many issues surrounding the whole issue of emergency services such as the ever increasing danger to our firefighters because of the failure by departments to clear debris and overhanging branches from forests and reserves under their control to provide maximum protection for firefighting personnel, volunteers and civilians. Also at the time I asked that the government review the scope of material available for firefighting. It would appear that the government has done so with the use of fixed wing aircraft. I have received correspondence from aircraft operators who had made a wonderful community-minded gesture to government during the last financial year, and I would like to read from that letter. It states— As background, during the bad sunshine coast and Gatton fires of a couple of years ago the local Downs Aerial Operators got together and agreed to be available to assist on a community help basis in the event of a local emergency. James Tait (from Keyland Aviation) acted as spokesman for us and wrote and received the following correspondence. Our aircraft are the same capacity as most of the aircraft brought in from St George and the Southern States and we have all the licences and expertise required. Except for one southern aircraft specifically set up for firefighting (this equipment computer controlled to give a set application rate or multiple on/off application and costing about $100 000 just for the equipment). We could have done exactly the same job. Not only that but we had numerous aircraft instantly available. We could have been there on Thursday helping, not Saturday p.m. and Sunday a.m. when things got out of control. If the government wanted to obtain services and pay for them, why not get the locals who employ and support the local area all the time? We are suffering from the drought also and are trying to remain in business to help the farmers when things come good. As a further example of the insult to us I have included a letter from the University of Queensland. For two years we have provided an aircraft and pilot for absolutely no charge for the university to run its Aerial Application course for the forestry industry. This course is to educate forestry officers on the uses and technology of aircraft for use in forestry applications including fire control. What a way to thank us! To address the issue that the aircraft used were 'local'. The company 'Crop Care' at Cecil Plains is owned by another company called Aerotech Australia. It is based in Tintinara South Australia and operates a small satellite base at Cecil Plains. They usually only bring aircraft to the Downs on an on demand basis. Jones Air at St George has no aircraft based on the Downs and never has had. They are not local and if they had had work elsewhere they would not have come. The same can be said of Aerotech and any other Southern Aircraft. Rebel Air is from Trangie NSW and has never operated on the Downs. I personally rang the Police at Tara and Toowoomba offering our services. They both advised the control center and rang back and said we weren't required. The authorities were aware of the local operators because I was rung by a government department at about 9 p.m. Saturday night asking us if we could supply Avgas and AvTur in drums to the planes fighting the fires. I have contacted all the local operators and all are disgusted with what happened and we feel that houses and property would have been saved if the locals had been given a go especially in the early stages of the fire given the times it took to bring in outside operators. For those who missed the point, what we have here was a group of operators who were prepared to give their time and aircraft free if the government had paid for just the fuel. Their time and the wear and tear on their aircraft is no little donation to the community. Five operators, namely Keyland Aviation, Dalby, Gwydir Air, Millmerran, Darling Downs Air Spray, Kupunn via Dalby, Ag-Av, Dalby and Rural Aviation, Jondaryan—all community-minded operators—offered their services. We are talking about the availability of 25 aircraft for Queensland Emergency Services to access at a very minimal cost of the fuel. Between them they have 16 aircraft with a capacity of 2,000 litres plus and nine aircraft with 700 litre capacity. Details of these operators and their aircraft were sent to the Queensland Fire and Rescue Authority Service and they received a letter in reply, both of which I will table. During the time when the offer was made, and up to 2001, Darling Downs Air Spray was contributing free of conditions to a training course for the forestry industry. Many rural firefighters 6 Nov 2002 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 4469 are very intense about nothing except doing an excellent job. I have a lot of interaction with the brigades in my electorate. I hear a lot about their concerns regarding the need for extra equipment when it arises and the internal conflicts between members of the committees involved. I currently have an issue which is ongoing and I would like to read a response from the department into the record. It states— I am regretful that you have drawn my district staff into what appears to be an internal squabble within the brigade and then seen fit to complain about their efforts to sort out the mess. I am assuming that this type of situation is possibly the reason for the inclusion in the bill of the section that states 'The Minister may dismiss a person from any office of the committee if the Minister is satisfied it would be in the public interest to do so.' I have some trouble with this particular clause in that I can see a perversion of justice being introduced when often the reason for a conflict and the request that a person be dismissed may be a verbal interpretation of a situation based purely on the opinions of clashing members. These conflicts can be, and often are, resolved by the membership and I would hate to see someone dismissed because of a bias when people are perceived by the department as making a complaint about a member of the department. In the 6 p.m. debate I also questioned the impact on surrounding property owners with regard to the failure of government to be a good neighbour and keep the property under their control in control. I have here a letter from a gentleman by the name of Graham Fredericksen of Kilcoy. It is due to this failure by the government that he has sent to the Minister for the Environment a bill for $6,720. His letter states— Please find enclosed an invoice to your department for damages and labour incurred from a bushfire that came from a section of National Park-controlled land and destroyed part of my banana plantation over the period Monday 21 to Thursday 24 October. The fire started on a part of Reserve SF792 immediately north-east of our freehold Portion 439 in the Jimna-Conondale ranges of Kilcoy Shire on or about Friday 18 October. I lost a considerable amount of potential income from the fire as well as time spent fighting it, and also had to seek help from an outside volunteer bush fire brigade on two days to save what I could of my life's work. No effort was made by National Parks whatsoever to help me or even warn me that the fire was coming, despite the fact that your officers knew of the fire well before I did, and despite the fact that I had recently had a lengthy discussion with National Park senior range David Pengally about not wanting any fires in the vicinity of my plantation. Only a few weeks before, I had met Mr Pengally and two of his colleagues on the road in the National Park directly above my plantation where another fire had been burning. I was watching this fire to make sure it didn't cross the road to where it could threaten me when they came driving along—'monitoring' the situation, they told me. I then explained my concern about fires in the area: I had burned fire breaks around three sides of my plantation last winter but had not burned the side facing National Park because it was too dry and the National Park land hadn't had any fuel-reduction burn-offs for a long time—making it too dangerous for me to risk burning out National Park. ... The Government has seen fit to shift control of this land to your Department from its previous managers ... State Forestry—who conducted regular fuel-reduction burn-offs in the cooler months—and it is up to YOU to manage the land properly, and that should include a 'good neighbour' policy. You may want your land to be a pristine wilderness national park, but all LAND still HAS to be MANAGED, whether it is a banana farm, a suburban block or a national park: noxious weeds, feral animals, and property-threatening occurrences like fires HAVE to be MANAGED and CONTROLLED. If you have any queries about the above, I can be contacted on ... at nights. Also, the operations log book of the Villeneuve Bushfire Brigade chief can be made available to you to check out his report of the situation. Or you can speak to Kilcoy Shire Chairman Terry Dredge and Councillor Ken Kropp who inspected the source area of the fire first-hand during the middle of the fires. I sincerely hope the matter of my compensation can be dealt with swiftly and amicably. The amount of compensation requested is very reasonable and failure to pay will result in legal action against your Department as the fire was clearly a National Park responsibility. These are the kinds of issues that I have brought up many times, that is, the damage inflicted to the neighbouring properties of these areas. It is something that the minister would be very much aware of because it is his officers who are asked to combat these fires. With the constant letting go of or not replacing transferring or retiring staff, the claim that Forestry and National Parks are adequately staffed is questioned very strongly. This government, which by its lack of action reveals a certain ignorance about fires, will be forced to learn a lot about the fundamentals this summer. Forestry state grazing permits allowed the grazing of cattle amongst trees and much of, but not all, the annual shedding of bark and rubbish discarded by our flora was kept to a minimum. These permits are no longer renewed under the regional forest agreement and the rubbish builds up. In some cases, this rubbish build-up has become an almost impenetrable wall. It is human lives that we are talking about when they go into face fires. It is people's homes and property and 4470 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002 it should be the priority of all governments to ensure that everything is done to protect them, and I believe that the minister is endeavouring to do just that. In the Weekend Australian on 13 December last year leading CSIRO researcher Phil Cheney warned—I have mentioned this before, but I believe it is well worth repeating—'that more prescribed burning off is the only way to guarantee a reduction in fire risk, but urban sensibilities and ignorance often thwart such programs'. He said that the fuel on the ground is the only thing that we can manage. Mr Cheney said— If you want to reduce the intensity of the fire, you have to reduce the amount of fuel producing the heat. For all the concerns I have brought forward and many other speakers have spoken about today, it must be recognised that whether it be fire services, ambulance services or emergency services, whether paid or volunteer, the personnel put 110 per cent effort in at all times. It is only during a disaster that the true calibre of people comes to the fore and all petty problems get put to one side. I commend all the services in the Nanango electorate for what they do, especially their continual push to achieve maximum resources for the district's benefit. It must be recognised that there is a definite limit to available funds and that all that is asked for cannot be given, but each and every one of these groups must be given an A for effort in trying to obtain the maximum. The aerial ambulance and the flying doctor are regular service providers in our area, as is the emergency rescue helicopter. There are many people who are extremely grateful for the existence of these services. A recent air show had to be halted while the more important service of the air ambulance was required by a distressed constituent. The professionalism of the service had many believing that it was in fact part of the air show and they applauded as the aeroplane took off. The SES personnel provide services in all manner of ways. As in the air show, they do various tasks from traffic control to raising funds. It does not matter what the task; they will always be available to provide manpower. This Saturday the local Blackbutt SES will hold an awareness day, and I do not think we would find a more active branch anywhere than the Blackbutt SES. It is holding this awareness day for the general public. All in all, I do not believe that there is a single person in Queensland who has not been a part of or a beneficiary of the emergency services in this state. I commend everyone who has contributed. Mrs CHRISTINE SCOTT (Charters Towers—ALP) (4.44 p.m.): It is a pleasure to rise to participate in this debate on the Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill which will streamline the operation of the state's 175 local ambulance committees. These changes arise from an extensive review process amongst local ambulance committee members which started in 1997. The changes also have the support of the Ambulance Commissioner's Local Ambulance Committee Reference Group, which comprises 14 LAC representatives, of whom I am one. I take this opportunity to commend Commissioner Dr Gerry FitzGerald for his valuable work with the Ambulance Service and understand Dr FitzGerald is moving on to greater things in the Health Department. I congratulate him and look forward to his continuing good work for the government of Queensland within Queensland Health. The Beattie government greatly values and appreciates the local ambulance committee network and will continue to encourage it and support it. I am involved in the LAC community, having been a member of my own local ambulance committee for a number of years. I am not a hardworking member of that committee because I find it very difficult to get to meetings, but today I take this opportunity to recognise the people on that committee and to speak briefly about them. Our president, Warren Mitchell, and his wife, June, have been members for very many years. They go back to QATB days and have worked unceasingly for the ambulance committee in Charters Towers. Our secretary is John Stibbs, who is a tower of strength to us all, and our treasurer is Bruce Drury. I remember being told once when I was treasurer of a committee that I was only there to tell them what money they did not have. Well, Bruce is there to tell us what money we do not have. Lyn Wills is another member. Lyn replaced her late husband on the committee and continues his good work. Another committee member is Tim Archer, who tells us all that he is there to disprove the theory that the baddies wear the black hats. Our local ambulance committees provide a critical link between the community and ambulance service operations. They provide community feedback and support local stations. In the past two years local ambulance committees have provided approximately $1.48 million to the Queensland Ambulance Service to support the delivery of ambulance services. All 175 committees currently operate under constitutions that have previously been the subject of ministerial approval. This bill establishes a mechanism to replace existing constitutions with the new model constitution and also makes administrative changes which will result in a more efficient administration of local ambulance committees. 6 Nov 2002 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 4471

Local ambulance committees would never work without the support of the staff members at the local stations. We are fortunate indeed to have as our OIC Clark Magele, who is a gentleman and a diplomat. He also represents our QAS on the local health committee. I know that relationships between the ambulance and the local hospital have been greatly enhanced by Clark's presence on that committee. I am deeply envious of Clarke in that his wife looks as if she is one of their older children. We cannot believe this lady is actually old enough to have all those good looking children. We also have Brendan Hall, a former OIC, who always introduces himself as Ben Hall. I do not know quite what to think about that since Ben Hall was a well-known bushranger, but anything Ben does is fine with me. Scott Fry is always available to help on any occasion. Recently we needed a couple of hundred ambulance pamphlets to put in show bags to encourage people to subscribe to their local ambulance, and Scott made sure they arrived on time. Jim Bliss has been a member of the QAS in Charters Towers for many years who spent some time in Clermont and then came back to us. He and his wife, Fay, have a grandchild these days who they are busily spoiling. Doug Snell is from the QATB days. I hope Doug is glad he no longer has to sell raffle tickets up the street to make his wages because he is the corporate memory of our station. David Lowe is another member of the staff. He is a man of some literary ambition. Our community has been both refreshed and challenged by David's unique point of view in our local press of recent times. I thank David for his support. I wish him good luck with his literary aspirations and look forward to many more of his humorous letters to the editor. Three of our other hardworking staff members are Shane Mahoney, Alivin Webster and John Suringa. The amendments to this bill will also increase the maximum membership limit for LACs from nine to 15, with an increase beyond 15 allowed if the minister considers it necessary to ensure adequate community representation. The amendments will also allow committee members to be drawn from subscription scheme subscribers in the general public, rather than exclusively from community organisations. The bill also puts beyond doubt the ability of the minister to dismiss a committee member where it is in the public interest to do so. There is no doubt this bill will improve the administration of the local ambulance committees. Speaking as a long-term member of both my local ambulance committee and the commissioner's reference group, I believe this has been long overdue and will mean a more streamlined and effective structure to work within. I congratulate all LAC and emergency services workers over the length and breadth of Queensland on the good work they do in helping to keep us all safe and commend this bill to the House. Mr TERRY SULLIVAN (Stafford—ALP) (4.51 p.m.): I rise to support the Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill. In doing so, I thank the local QAS and QFRS officers at Chermside, who serve the community extremely well. I had first-hand experience of this service when in January last year we had a fire at our home. The fire service was there within a few minutes and very little damage was done to the house. I was a member of the Goss government in the early 1990s when changes were made to what were a large number of local ambulance boards. They were formed into the statewide service. There was some anxiety at the time, but I think people would have to see that the result has been to the benefit of Queenslanders. The training, the organisation and the administration of a statewide service such as we have today are certainly an improvement on what we had. There has been some loss of identity at the local level, but I think that loss of identity is far outweighed by the better service that is provided. The fire station and the ambulance station that were in the old Chermside area were relocated and are now side by side on Hamilton Road, on the western extremity of the Prince Charles Hospital grounds. They are modern buildings. They will serve us well and truly into the future. While there was some anxiety at the time, again the local people have come to accept that what we have as a result of those changes is a better service. This bill will see some changes as well. I hope that the people of Queensland again will see that this is part of the life of any government agency, whether it be Health, Emergency Services or Primary Industries. We have to assess what we are doing and move into the future. It is most likely that in the coming years there will be other moves to reassess the services and make changes. We should accept that as part of the normal ongoing life of these emergency services. 4472 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002

I thank the ambulance LAC, chair Daryl Gould and his committee, for the work they do. As with a number of other groups, I was a member of that committee on its establishment but when it was up and running and was able to stand on its own feet I could step back to let the community take over and run the committee. There are a couple of things to note in relation to any LAC or any community group, such as Charlie's Angels at Prince Charles Hospital, a P&C or a P&F association. Most of the people who join in support of those groups do so for the fundraising, to get an extra bit of equipment or service for their particular area of interest. I support that work. I stress that the LACs, according to the documentation about local ambulance committees put out by the Ambulance Service itself, are a liaison between the community and the Queensland Ambulance Service. The documentation talks about promoting community participation in and awareness of the Ambulance Service. It suggests that the LAC provides advice to the commissioner in respect of ambulance services in their community and then raises funds and manages the funds for specific purchases to assist that local committee. It is in that area of providing feedback that I want to encourage all LACs to be more active. I do not believe that LACs should be in the business of providing the basic funding for either wages or basic equipment, and they are not. The budget provided through the state government and through the minister's department provides more than the basics. While it is good to see that some of the extras are being purchased through the LACs, I think they could expand that role to look at the quality of service, at the way that the service is managed and at the accident prevention programs that are part and parcel of the Queensland Ambulance Service's charter. I support the legislation before the House. Mr PURCELL (Bulimba—ALP) (4.56 p.m.): It gives me pleasure to rise to speak on the Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2002. The main policy objective of the bill is to make a range of amendments to improve the administration of the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990, the Ambulance Service Act 1991 and the State Counter-Disaster Organisation Act 1975. Any changes that improve the administration of these essential services are welcome. Our government made a commitment to deliver world-class emergency services to the entire Queensland community. I was around in the days the Ambulance Service was taken from being a community service. I can only speak about the Texas ambulance service. It was the only place in Queensland I had much to do with before the change. There was one officer in Texas. He had a car about which the best thing I can say is that it went. Mr Bredhauer: He probably had to spin the chocolate wheel to— Mr PURCELL: The only reason he continued to operate was the football club. We used to help him raise funds and run the chocolate wheel. We had to buy tickets off him when we were in the pub to get him to go away because he was annoying us. But he was a great officer. Mr Bredhauer: He ran the merry-go-round down at the park. Mr PURCELL: That is right. He had to run the merry-go-round down at the park. He used to come up to all of our games. He never missed a home game. Back in those days I used to pop my shoulder out on a regular basis. He knew how to get it back in pretty quick smart. It was fairly handy having him at the game so I did not have to go to the hospital and wait for the doctor to come. He could put fingers back in pretty quick smart also, as long as you were looking the other way. He was a very good officer. I can assure the House—I say this sincerely—that he did not get paid what he was entitled to. He lived on the smell of an oily rag. He was on duty 24/7. I do not think he drank at all. He spent a lot of times in pubs, because he was chasing us around pubs to get money off us to buy raffle tickets and so forth, but I do not think I ever saw him have a drink. I can remember that one day we were spraying for earth mites on our lucerne paddock. We were marking out where the plane was to come. I put in a steel post with a flag on it and then moved away, but the bloke at the other end—he belonged to the pilot's outfit, by the way; how silly is he?—would stand there. So the pilot would fly in and over my flag and he would dip around the river bank with trees, winds and so forth. He came in and got down as low as he could to do the spraying and he hit this bloke in the back of the head with a wheel. So he called the ambulance and got him over. The guy was all right. They got him into town and that afternoon I saw him in the pub. He was propped up there on the stool, full of ink. So he was doing all right. He quite enjoyed the experience. He had half a day off and the boss kept shouting him beers, because he had hit him with the wheel of the plane. I suppose he did not want the bloke suing him. The point that I want to make is that, even though it was a local ambulance service, the ambulance officer was there very quickly. He was a great bloke. 6 Nov 2002 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 4473

As I said—and the member who spoke previously agreed with me—I can remember when the ambulance system changed. We would all have to agree that it is better for the service to be a state service. I know that from time to time we are a bit strapped for funds because of the way we collect our funds. I have to say that we have to get a better way of funding our emergency services. I have taken it up in some quarters. We need to make sure that our emergency services have enough funds to provide an ongoing service that is second to none in Queensland. I can remember—and I do not have to go back too many years—what the service was like. It was abysmal. We did not look after the people who worked for us and the equipment that they worked with was fairly rudimentary. While I am talking about the Ambulance Service, I want to talk about the local ambulance committee in my electorate, the Balmoral and District Local Ambulance Committee. They are a great mob of people. They work in the community tirelessly. They have built up a rapport with the community. People recognise them when they are out fundraising. Brian Daley is the president of the Balmoral and District Ambulance Committee; his wife, Barbara, is the secretary; and Jan Piaseki is the treasurer. I was the treasurer for many years but I used to miss too many meetings so they sacked me. Now I am just a committee member. Vincie Ford, who is from over Carina way, Denise O'Shea and Ernie Adsett are also on the committee. A lot of people would know Ernie Adsett as he is the president of the local RSL branch. He has been around and for many, many years. The party awarded him his life membership just last week. The Premier and Deputy Premier congratulated him, presented his award to him and spent some time with him. They are the type of people whom we have on this committee. I can assure members that they give very good feedback to the Ambulance Service there. I suppose everybody thinks that they have the pick of the crop, but there are some great ambulance officers out my way. They are very efficient and courteous and, because of where that ambulance station is located, I hardly ever see an ambulance sitting in the station. There are four cars there and they work their butts off. They are out all the time. Kathy Parcell, who used to be a theatre nurse but who is now working for the ambulance at Balmoral, certainly has added value to the station. I used to work with her husband. She is very, very good and does a marvellous job for us, as do all the other officers at Balmoral. We are looking to make that service more efficient, if that is possible. The service has conducted an area of risk mapping and we are looking to move the service to a more central location. At the moment we are going through the consultation process with the community. I am sure that that move will go ahead eventually. It has taken over two years to go through this process. I know that sometimes we think that it is a slow and tortuous process, but we have to go through those processes to find the best location. The other thing that I would like to mention about the district ambulance in my electorate is that over $100,000 has been raised for the service in about 10 years. I think that we have been very fortunate to be able to do that. Our ambulances have equipment that is a little bit more than standard equipment. Some years ago when we had some money Commissioner Gerry FitzGerald did a deal with us with our Packer whackers as we call them. We have had them for three or four years now. We have the pulse oximeter that is placed on a person's finger to give a read-out when that person gets to the hospital. The ambulance officer's job is to get that person to hospital alive and in the best condition and give a report to the doctors and nurses in the emergency section of the hospital so that they can work on that person. Mr Reynolds: I think you mean those pulse oximeters. An honourable member: Good to see you're across it. Mr PURCELL: I am right across it. We paid for them, but I do not know how to say them. I do not think that the minister was in charge at the time, but we outfitted two ambulances for paramedics. We paid for the cost of that. We had to upgrade the cars because of the medicines and the gear that has to be put in them so that the paramedics can operate out of them. They operate out of a central location on the south side—not in Balmoral, because we share that service with other areas. Out my way we say, 'If you are going to have a heart attack, have it in the Bulimba electorate, because you are going to get the best treatment that anybody can give you and you will be very well looked after by our ambulance men and women.' I would like to say a few things about the emergency services at Wynnum Road, Norman Park. I have not had a lot contact with them of late, but I have been to see them from time to time. I know that they train very hard. They train just down by the Norman Park Bowls Club two nights a week. In today's society we have to take our hats off to anybody who gives up their time and trains two nights a week to go out and volunteer to help people when the cyclones and 4474 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002 storms hit—put on tarpaulins and rescue people, look for people and pull people out of trouble. These days, as we know, it is very hard to get young people in our society to volunteer. But I can tell members that there are certainly a lot of young people in the SES. The minister ought to be very proud of them. They get out and they train for all sorts of emergencies. They have outfitted themselves and paid for that. They also have raised the funds to get one of the best SES emergency service trucks that we would ever see. I think that the service has modelled its trucks for the future on the one that this service has. I know that it was used for a bus smash on the freeway that occurred some years ago on the north side. The SES got there very quickly. Any bit of gear that anybody wanted—an axe, a sledgehammer, a crowbar, or a pinch-bar—they had it. They could put their hand on it straightaway and get straight down to the business of getting people out of the bus. I would like to thank those people for the work that they do on a volunteer basis. I cannot finish without talking about the fire service in my area, which over many, many years has been a very, very efficient service. I have to say that, to my knowledge in my area alone—and members know that we do not hear everything that happens on our patch—at least two people owe their lives to the fire blokes who reached the fire so quickly. One person was in a flat. I can tell members that, if they had a look at the flat, they would wonder how the bloke survived. It was just absolutely black. The fire blokes got him out. He was a bit crook, because he was fairly badly burned. But he was taken to hospital and he survived that fire. I know that the other person was rescued from a house. I do not hear all the stories, but the fire crews saved that man's life. Those blokes work very hard and train very hard. I must say that the new training centre at the port is very handy for our station. I would say that our blokes would avail themselves of that training on a regular basis. We can train people as much as we like for live situations in regard to fires. People need to be in those live situations to know how they will react and how hard it is. Members should put on the safety gear that these people wear and then walk around one summer's day. Then, put a hose in the hand, put on the rest of the paraphernalia and go into a house full of smoke. It is not an easy job. Those blokes certainly do their job very well. On behalf of the committee, I thank them. I have probably not touched on too much of the bill, but I know that the amendments will help the Fire and Rescue Service, the Ambulance Service and the state counter-disaster organisations. I am sure that those men and women who work in those organisations will appreciate the upgrade. I implore them to continue the good work they are doing now. I support the bill. Hon. M. F. REYNOLDS (Townsville—ALP) (Minister for Emergency Services and Minister Assisting the Premier in North Queensland) (5.10 p.m.), in reply: First, I thank all members on both sides of the House for their contributions and support for this very important piece of legislation. It was great today to see that 30 to 40 members spoke in regard to the amendments of a key piece of legislation. That is a fantastic endorsement of the work of the emergency services volunteers and our permanent staff right across Queensland. I thank all my colleagues on both sides of the chamber for their endorsement of the work of our Emergency Services Department employees, our volunteers and our full-time workers. The Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2002 continues the Beattie government's commitment to the delivery of world-class emergency services to the Queensland community. This government is committed to effectively and robustly supporting and recognising the invaluable contribution made by our ambulance, fire and counter-disaster and rescue personnel and the more than 85,000 emergency services volunteers across the state. The record budget for emergency services handed down in June is indeed very tangible proof of this commitment. I recognise the member for Nicklin's contribution in terms of the amendments. The member raised concerns about the exercise of the ministerial power to remove a member of a local ambulance committee. The power to remove an executive member has always existed. The amendment to the bill clarifies that the removal power is also available to dismiss any LAC member. The member for Nicklin was concerned about ensuring that a LAC was consulted before the power was exercised to remove a committee member. I know that other members across the House today and in our last sitting also expressed some concern in that regard. This power is used only in very exceptional cases and very much as a last resort when all other avenues for negotiation and consultation and bringing together people have been exhausted. It has been necessary to exercise this power only once in the history of LACs. Remember, LACs have existed since 1991 and there are 176 of them. The most recent LAC was formed in Birdsville in May this year. 6 Nov 2002 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 4475

As a result of the member for Nicklin's concerns, I will move an amendment in committee that will introduce an obligation to consult a committee prior to the exercise of any power to dismiss any committee member. This obligation is readily agreed to as it very much formalises the process which would normally be followed. As minister, I value very much the contribution of those 176 local ambulance committees. We have heard right across the chamber the valuable role that they have in each electorate; indeed, that very important work will continue. We always will endeavour to resolve any issues with the LACs in an amicable manner. The types of circumstances where this provision may be used—and I know that some members asked for this—would include where the activity of a member or a committee completely undermined the committee's ability to carry out its statutory functions. A minister may also consider using the power where a member continued to participate in committee business when there was a conflict of interest, when a member was involved in a serious criminal activity or when there was serious misconduct which showed a lack of fitness to continue as a committee member. That is something that any minister of the day would exercise only in a cautionary way, naturally in regard to the very important work we have with every LAC in every area of Queensland. I refer to some of the issues raised by a number of members. First, I refer to the issues raised by the shadow minister, the member for Mirani. The member indicated that he would like a copy of the new LAC constitution, and that will be provided. My staff have noted that. Once again, that LAC constitution has been produced thoroughly with the consultation of our LAC advisory committee. Indeed, I will get a copy of the new LAC constitution to the member. In regard to the member's remarks about the consultation with ESAC—and I know that the member went back to decisions by cabinet and the government of the day—I have an excellent relation with the Emergency Services Advisory Council. I am in the midst of reconstituting that council. I value the very important work that it has done. Where such issues are before cabinet, it does make that consultation a little difficult. Any government would recognise that. I have worked with ESAC and other key bodies like the LACs once cabinet has made a decision. Over and above that, ESAC meets on a regular basis through the year. I attend its meetings as well. In fact, I have organised a program such that when important regional events are being undertaken by me those ESAC members are invited along as well. They can become part of the consultation; indeed, that has been part of the program since I have been minister. I know that in terms of some aspects of the amendments before us the member for Mirani mentioned concerns from local councils in that they feel they would have added responsibility. I once again give a commitment to consulting very closely with the LGAQ in any areas where councils do feel that an extra commitment is being added to their role. In terms of some of the work that we do, particularly those under the statutes—and I here refer to the SES and also the rural fire service—these committees in any local community are ones that work very closely with both local and state governments. Indeed, there is a shared obligation by local government and the state government. From time to time there might be some argy-bargy in terms of how much each level of government should be contributing, but I have a very good relationship with the LGAQ. In areas where I believe there is a concern, I meet with its chair, Councillor Noel Playford, or its executive director, Greg Hallam, to work through those issues. I know that the member also raised the issue, once again, of the need for more hazard reduction burning. I have said in this House on many occasions that hazard reduction burning in Queensland is done probably in a much greater way than in any other state of Australia. We have that balance between burning off and the environment. I and other ministers in the cabinet receive delegations from people who want more hazard reduction burning and from people who want less of it. I think the balance we have struck is a pretty good one. As I have indicated before, we are working across government departments via an interdepartmental committee. I am keen to work with the Queensland Fire Council, which was set up by me as minister, and also the interdepartmental committee to make sure that that level of hazard reduction burning and the methodology adopted is continually examined so that improvements can be made where necessary. During this debate a number of members have discussed the use of helicopters and fixed- wing aircraft in firefighting. I wish to spend some time on this issue. In response to opposition or Independent members who raised this issue during the debate, I say that the use of aircraft in support of ground based firefighting operations is not new technology. Sometimes we hear 4476 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002 comments being made to the effect that this is new technology. The aircraft used at Toowoomba did not put out the fire but may have assisted the firefighters in some areas. That is conceded by anyone who has been involved. The use of aircraft for firefighting is not a total solution. Airborne firefighting is a high-cost, low resource intensive strategy that is not supported by significant operational research. There are currently no definitive operational studies available to objectively establish the cost-effectiveness of this technology. The only comprehensive operational study carried out in Australia was Project Aquarius, which was conducted by the National Bushfire Research Unit, and that did not support the widespread—I emphasise again 'widespread'—use of water bombing. Water bombing by both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft does and must have its place. That is part of our current strategy. The Toowoomba operation will provide the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service with another opportunity to review the effectiveness of this technology. In our post mortem of the fires we will be looking at that. Both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft are available in Queensland with sufficient capacity and capability to be considered for deployment in support of firefighters. I believe caution needs to be exercised in the deployment of this technology as there is the potential for inflated public perceptions of its effectiveness to be generated. This perception has already occurred in other states and is almost impossible to reverse. We need to look at the budget implications of the diversion of funding support away from more effective, time tested and proven ground based strategies. The cost-effectiveness of this kind of technology under Queensland conditions is unproven but is an area that we will work more towards. A high-priority research project for the proposed Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre is an operational study into the use of aircraft in firefighting. The fact that this is supported by the other states indicates the lack of definitive research into this area across Australia. Although aircraft can be a useful tool in enhancing the effectiveness of tried and proven ground based strategies, they should not be viewed as anything more than that. It is a fact that small and low intensity fires can be extinguished by water bombing. However, they can be just as effectively extinguished by lower cost ground based techniques in the majority of cases. The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service is currently engaged in developing a joint approach to the hire and deployment of aircraft, both fixed- and rotary-wing, that is, helicopters, in collaboration with the Department of Primary Industries. The outcome will be to access all appropriate aircraft to support firefighting operations under a single standing offer arrangement. The current dry conditions and the occurrence of several significant fires with the attendant publicity have provided an ideal opportunity for industry based lobbying to promote the use of agricultural-type aircraft or air tractors for firefighting. The downturn in the agricultural economy has also provided added stimulus for this lobbying group. The optimum approach for Queensland is the continued development of our aerial firefighting capacity based on objective assessments of operational and cost-effectiveness. Currently, there is a lack of sufficient resources, both publicly and privately owned, to service the needs of Queensland with regard to aerial firefighting. But Queensland will continue to participate in and contribute to the development of the National Aerial Firefighting Strategy, which will facilitate the availability and deployment of additional resources under very extraordinary circumstances. This may even include the 'Elvis' being made available from another state if there were extraordinary circumstances. We must be looking at our national firefighting strategy in that way. The role of aircraft in firefighting will be constantly reviewed in the light of operational experience and research. A focus on the use of aircraft should not be allowed to overshadow or diminish the focus on our integrated strategy with a heavy emphasis on prevention and mitigation combined with ground based suppression, which has served Queensland so well over many years. In terms of the comment of the member for Mirani about the QFRS's 14-minute response times, it is very important for to us understand that that 14-minute measure is predicated on the very large number of responses right across Queensland. It includes false alarms and other minor incidents that the QFRS would be attending to. It does take into account the very long distances that the QFRS may need to travel as well. As I have said in the past, in the Brisbane south region the response time is about six minutes. We need to be aware of the extraneous criteria that sometimes bring that 14-minute response time about. I have had discussions with the United Firefighters Union. We are looking constantly at these matters. In terms of QAS response times, I assure the House again today that we are doing all we possibly can to look at the criteria that have bounced out our response times particularly in a couple of regions in the state. I have mentioned before that some of those are extraneous as 6 Nov 2002 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 4477 well. The member for Gladstone mentioned this today. Ambulance response times are blown out by the fact that we do not have any bulkbilling or much of an after-hours doctors service and, if we do, it costs $70 and over. We will look at all of the management needs in the service. A report is currently being finalised. With the additional staff going into the south-east region we will see some impact. Those are the things that we are looking at. In terms of WorkCover and the stress issues that have been raised by the member for Mirani, can I say, as he is aware, that a Management of Stress Issues Working Group has been formed. After a discussion with the member for Mirani, last week I asked the DG of the department about the progress of that working party. I asked also about the anticipated outcomes. I am very keen to track that down, run it to ground and see where it is at. I have had correspondence from Dr Willy Clark as well, which has gone to the member also. I want to make sure that these issues are run to ground. Our ambos deserve to have those processes managed in the best possible way. We are reviewing those in the best possible manner. In terms of the QAS subscription scheme, as I have mentioned in the House, this was flagged in the budget last year. A number of areas are still under consideration. In the not-too- distant future I would be hoping to make a statement in regard to where we are going in that respect. All of the members who have contributed to the debate on this bill tonight and last week have shown their great confidence in the work of our Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, our Queensland Ambulance Service and our counter-disaster and rescue services, including the SES, our honorary ambos, the Coastguard and VMR people, our lifesavers and everyone else who contributes to this great department I have the privilege of being the minister for. Both the members for Toowoomba North and South commented today in respect of the situation in Toowoomba. Both of them recognised the excellent work done on the ground there, and so they should. Mr Shine: Hear, hear! Mr REYNOLDS: I take the interjection from the member for Toowoomba North. The people up there did a magnificent job. To some extent—and I do not want to make too big a deal of this—it is disappointing that some people have nitpicked rather than looking at what can be done in light of the post mortem. I am very disappointed that the member for Lockyer has taken a stance that is encouraging people to stay in their house rather than taking the warnings of police and the QFRS. Today I again say that that stance by the member for Lockyer is a very irresponsible one. The member for Toowoomba North raised in this debate the possibility of a first responder group at Highfields. I would like to look at that with the member for Toowoomba North. We have some great examples of that. I launched the first one at Kenilworth and 100 people attended the launch. It is something that I would like to look at, possibly as a service to be provided before further urban expansion leads to a QAS station being built in the area. That is something that we will be looking at over the next few years. It is something that I will be working on in partnership with the member for Toowoomba North. I would like to comment on the contribution made by the member for Kurwongbah, particularly in regard to the safe house and safe community concept that was launched by myself and the Minister for Education a couple of months ago. I believe that the work we are doing in Kurwongbah with the safe house and the safe community is ground-breaking stuff. It is something that we can mirror in a range of other communities. It is really about law enforcement, the role of the police and the role of the courts. We are using our Queensland Rail people to bring those school students into the area. It is first-class work. I would like to comment on the remarks made by the member for Toowoomba South, the Leader of the Opposition. In regard to hazard reduction, the strategy that the member outlined today is a strategy that we are undertaking in many parts of Queensland. The member for Redlands, the member for Logan and the members on the Sunshine Coast would be aware that local government has a key role to play in working with the different departments of government in putting together fire hazard reduction strategy plans. We have given a commitment to the Mayor of Toowoomba, Councillor Di Thorley, that we will work with her in this regard. As we look at the post-mortem we have determined that we will be looking at what we can learn. I say to the member for Toowoomba South that at this stage I want to articulate our strategy in regard to aerial firefighting. As I have indicated, there may be extraordinary times when we may call on an Elvis from another state, but to have an Elvis based in Queensland is a waste in terms 4478 Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002 of the resources that we could have on the ground. The fixed wing aircraft and the helicopters that we have used in this past number of weeks have done a very good job. I think I have covered the comments that were made by the member for Caloundra and the member for Gregory in relation to the QAS subscription scheme. I want to confirm with the member for Gregory that the power that the Minister will have to remove a member of an LAC will be used only with a great degree of caution. Indeed, I would also indicate to the member for Gregory that membership of the ESAC has been increased from 14 to 16 to allow for an Aboriginal representative and a Torres Strait Islander representative. This is something that the government recognises in regard to our Cape York plan. We need to have people fully in partnership with us in that regard. The member for Gregory made some comments about the need for national uniformity in regard to dangerous goods management. May I say that the bill demands that we have national uniformity. It was 10 years in the gestation period. When we passed the bill in the House it was really directed at bringing in national uniformity and that is the way we will be going in the future. I know that the member for Redlands has a great capacity to work with the bay islanders. During the community cabinet meeting I met with a number of those people. We are looking at more honorary ambulance officers in the Cleveland and North Stradbroke Island areas. Today, what the member for Redlands said about our state planning policy is spot on. If our state planning policy for natural disasters, development assessment and mitigation had been in place many years ago, we would not be facing some of the problems we have now. I want to make a few comments in relation to the contribution made by the member for Gladstone. She recognises the family, as I do, on every occasion. The partners and the families are the back-ups of our emergency services workers. I have dealt with the question of an LAC member possibly being removed. I have also clarified the latest in regard to QAS subscriptions. In terms of our one plus three crewing, may I say to the member for Gladstone that this is an area on which we continue to work with the UFU. We have almost 100 per cent agreement in regard to one plus three crewing. We continue to consult with the United Firefighters Union on this matter. I refer to the contribution made by the member for Kawana. The Sunshine Coast is a growing region and we need emergency services to keep up with that growth. I give the member a commitment today that that will be the case. I have listened with a great deal of interest to the comments made by the member for Nanango. She has tabled letters from air operators. She has referred to the use of cropdusters and other aerial services. I know that the member for Nanango has a very keen interest in air services and cropdusters and it has been interesting to see her take part in the debate in such a dedicated way. I say to the member for Nanango that I am keen to receive individual communications on any particular aspect that concerns her. I think I have shown her that we get back to her fairly quickly in that regard. May I say in conclusion that this bill makes a range of miscellaneous amendments that will improve the administration of the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990, the Ambulance Service Act 1991 and the State Counter-Disaster Organisation Act 1975. The bill improves the administration of local ambulance committees under the Ambulance Act. It puts beyond doubt the ability to exercise emergency powers to minimise the impact of impending disasters under the State Counter-Disaster Organisation Act. It also improves community representation on the Emergency Services Advisory Council under the Fire Act. The bill updates the functions of the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service to better reflect current operational realities. It also streamlines the administrative process for the appointment of acting commissioners under the fire and ambulance acts. I would like to expand on some of these points if I may. The Emergency Services Advisory Council has been reporting to the Minister since 1998 on issues relating to the extent to which the delivery of fire, ambulance and other disaster management and emergency services meets community needs. They do an excellent job. I look forward after the passing of this bill to reconstituting ESAC from a base of 14 members to 16 members. I hope to be able to announce that in the not- too-distant future. I want to make sure that ESAC represents the needs of all Queenslanders, including those in rural and remote communities, indigenous communities and regional Queensland. We must ensure that there is a gender balance as well. I intend to use the additional places on the council to appoint another regional community representative and a Torres Strait Islander community representative. 6 Nov 2002 Transport Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 4479

The Beattie government is committed to broadening community representation on the council, and the additional appointments will ensure a broader range of advice is available to me in discharging my responsibilities in this critical portfolio. May I say that the review has also identified a range of areas that have been picked up by all the speakers during the debate on this bill. We know that the Emergency Service Legislation Amendment Bill 2002 is one that finetunes the various acts which come under the Department of Emergency Services. These changes are necessary to ensure that the Department of Emergency Services continues to operate to its full potential in providing essential ambulance, fire and counter-disaster rescue services to all Queenslanders. I thank the 30 to 40 members of the parliament who have spoken to this amendment bill for their great endorsement of the work that the Department of Emergency Services does. I know that the staff of my department will take that as a great pat on the back and so will the volunteers. I thank them very much for their contributions. Motion agreed to.

Committee Hon. M. F. REYNOLDS (Townsville—ALP) (Minister for Emergency Services and Minister Assisting the Premier in North Queensland) in charge of the bill. Clauses 1 to 6, as read, agreed to. Clause 7— Mr REYNOLDS (5.41 p.m.): I move amendment No. 1— 1. Clause 7— At page 6, after line 16— insert— ‘(7) Section 29(9), after ‘to do so’— insert— ‘and has consulted the committee about the removal’.’. This amendment has been prepared in consultation with the member for Nicklin, and I thank the member for Nicklin for the cordial and productive discussions that we were able to have with regard to this. As I indicated when I summed up the debate, this amendment has come about because of the member for Nicklin's concern that we have in black and white that the committee should be consulted about the removal of any particular member or of the committee itself. I made a number of comments on that today, but I was very happy to have this put into the bill to show that there is no doubt whatsoever that, before any minister of any government can go about any procedure, the LAC must be consulted and consulted in a very factual way with regard to the problem or concern. Earlier tonight I read into Hansard a number of areas where this may apply. I once again say that this has occurred once. Any minister who would be exercising their discretion to move down this track would need to do it with a great deal of caution and only after a great amount of consultation with the LAC as well. Amendment agreed to. Clause 7, as amended, agreed to. Clauses 8 to 23, as read, agreed to. Schedule, as read, agreed to. Bill reported, with an amendment.

Third Reading Bill, on motion of Mr Reynolds, by leave, read a third time.

TRANSPORT LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL (No. 2) Hon. S. D. BREDHAUER (Cook—ALP) (Minister for Transport and Minister for Main Roads) (5.44 p.m.), by leave, without notice: I move— That leave be granted to bring in a bill for an act to amend legislation administered by the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Main Roads. Motion agreed to. 4480 Transport Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 6 Nov 2002

First Reading Bill and explanatory notes presented and bill, on motion of Mr Bredhauer, read a first time.

Second Reading Hon. S. D. BREDHAUER (Cook—ALP) (Minister for Transport and Minister for Main Roads) (5.45 p.m.): I move— That the bill be now read a second time. This bill amends legislation administered by my departments of Transport and Main Roads. The acts to be amended are— Century Zinc Project Act 1997; Tow Truck Act 1973; Transport Infrastructure Act 1994; and Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995. The continued use of transport legislation amendment bills allows the various amendments to my portfolio's legislation to be consolidated into one bill. This is the second transport legislation amendment bill this year, following the first in May. The Century Zinc Project Act 1997 is amended by omitting an expired regulation-making power. Additionally, the property descriptions contained in this act are to be revised as more detailed surveying work has now been completed. The Tow Truck Act 1973 is amended to omit references to the expired Transport Infrastructure (Roads) Act 1991 and insert a reference to a regulation under the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995. A reference to the Motor Vehicles Safety Act 1980 is also omitted and replaced by the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995. The Transport Infrastructure (Roads) Act 1991 was repealed in 1999. The relevant provisions are now contained in the Transport Operations (Road Use Management—Vehicle Registration) Regulation 1999 made under the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995. In the interests of time, I seek leave to have the balance of my second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. This means that since 1 October 1999, when this regulation commenced, a tow truck must be registered under section 10 of that regulation rather than the now repealed Act. This amendment has no impact on tow truck operators and is only an updating of the Tow Truck Act 1973. The Tow Truck Act 1973 presently provides that a holder of a tow truck licence must not operate any tow truck unless it has been inspected and holds a current certificate of inspection on each tow truck operated under the licence as required by the Motor Vehicles Safety Act 1980. That Act has now been repealed and the relevant provisions now appear under the Transport Operations (Road Use Management-Vehicle Standards and Safety) Regulation 1999. That regulation also commenced on 1 October 1999. Since that date, tow trucks have required a current certificate of inspection, as was required by the previous Act. Accordingly, this amendment will also have no effect on tow truck licence holders. The Transport Infrastructure Act 1994 is also to be amended. The amendments to this Act are concerned with rail and port infrastructure. Queensland Transport leases rail corridor land from the State under a perpetual lease and sub leases the land to rail managers, including Queensland Rail. Queensland Transport also leases non-rail corridor land that is considered to be of strategic importance to the state as part of a transport corridor. The Act is to be amended to clarify that the chief executive of Queensland Transport is taken to be the owner of rail corridor and non-rail corridor land where the owner's consent is required under the Integrated Planning Act 1997. This amendment overcomes the current situation where the Land Act 1994 requires that the Department of Natural Resources and Mines represents the state as the owner of unallocated land. Mr Speaker, with respect to port-related amendments, it is proposed to clarify the powers of the Cairns Port Authority under the Transport Infrastructure Act 1994, to enable delivery of all aspects of the Cairns Cityport development presently being undertaken by that authority. The project will be managed through a series of development leases. Once each precinct project is successfully completed, the lease then allows for the freehold title to pass from the port authority to the developer. The Transport Infrastructure Act 1994 will also be amended to insert a new section dealing with port marine operational areas. Port marine operational areas will include shipping channels, swing basins, berthing pockets and dredge spoil grounds. The amendments will ensure that port authorities retain planning powers over these strategic port assets. The Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 provides a legislative framework for the management of road-based transport in Queensland. Primary objectives of the Act are to promote efficient road use taking into account road safety and environmental impacts. Due to changes in the road network, operating conditions and improvements to technology, an existing policy or permit arrangement may no longer address safety or infrastructure concerns. An amendment is required to authorise the amendment or cancellation of that policy or permit. 6 Nov 2002 Transport Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 4481

Queensland Transport inspectors as departmental representatives undertake a difficult job and are often subject to abusive or insulting language which is inappropriate. The existing offence in section 54 of the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 states that a person must not obstruct an authorised officer or accredited person. The proposed amendment seeks to expand the definition of "obstruct" to include abuse and insults. Importantly, the offence of obstructing an authorised officer or accredited person will only occur after the officer has issued the person with a warning to stop their conduct. Should the offensive behaviour continue, rather than issue an infringement notice immediately, the authorised or accredited person will issue a breach report that will be adjudicated by an independent area of Queensland Transport. This pragmatic approach ensures that potentially sensitive situations are not further aggravated and also allows for a fuller examination of events in a less heated environment. A further feature of this Bill is the enhancement of 'chain of responsibility' provisions applying to offences involving the heavy vehicle industry. Mr Speaker, 'chain of responsibility' is strongly supported by drivers and the industry as a key initiative targeting those who put drivers' lives and other lives at risk, and gain an unfair competitive advantage by breaking the law. In the heavy vehicle industry, drivers may be requested or instructed to perform their duties illegally, for example, by committing speed or vehicle mass offences. The proposed extended liability amendments to the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 will enable Queensland Transport officers to obtain information from drivers about possible breaches of legislation while at the same time protecting them from self-incrimination, in appropriate circumstances, for instance, where the information provided was not false or misleading. The information obtained could then be used to activate extended liability provisions or enforce other offences on employers, consignors and or loaders who have "influenced" the breaches of fatigue management or dangerous good legislation. These important amendments recognise the role that persons other than a driver may play in the way that heavy vehicles are used on the road. They also protect employees that provide information on illegal activities. The government sees these key reforms as being central to enhancing road safety outcomes and the safety of the workplace environment. Mr Speaker, the Bill also clarifies sanctions for unlicensed driving and absolute disqualification. Currently a person charged with an offence of unlicensed driving is dealt with by a court and faces a term of disqualification, unless that person has held a valid drivers licence that has expired by less than one year. For those charged with driving on a recently expired licence, it is proposed to extend the existing infringement notice method, with no disqualification, in circumstances where: The person has never held a driver licence authorising the person to drive the vehicle; The person holds a driver licence but is not authorised to drive that particular class of vehicle; The person's driver licence had expired for any length of time or been surrendered; or The person's driver licence has been cancelled because of the person's medical unfitness to drive safely. The infringement notice will only apply to first offences of this nature. This will allow the person to apply for and obtain a driver licence and reduce the numbers of unlicensed drivers on our roads. The introduction of a graduated penalty scheme for first time offenders found driving unlicensed should reduce the number of court hearings and serve as an immediate reminder to drivers of the significance of their offences. For example, a $115 fine would apply to those driving on a licence that has been expired for less than 12 months, and a $335 fine would apply to someone who has never held a licence. The Bill also includes further amendments to unlicensed driving provisions that build upon reforms endorsed by Parliament in May this year. Under the proposed new provisions, the court will be able to exercise some discretion in applying disqualification periods of between 1 and 6 months where disqualification by a court has not occurred. This is particularly relevant in cases where an automatic 6 month suspension may not be warranted due to a suspension occurring through the State Penalties Enforcement Register (SPER) for non-payment of fines. Importantly, the automatic 6 months suspension will remain in place for those who are caught driving while already disqualified due to demerit point offences. On the matter of absolute disqualification, it is proposed to amend section 78 of the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 to enable a driver to apply to remove an administratively imposed absolute disqualification. Amendments are also proposed with respect to the definition of "convicting", self-nomination for speed camera offences and the use of camera-detected images as evidence in of a wider range of offences. In relation to self- nomination, the amendments will enable drivers who are not the registered operator of a vehicle to nominate themselves as the offender for camera-detected offences. With respect to the broader use of camera-detected images, the amendments will enable information obtained by cameras used for camera-detected offences to be used in prosecuting other offences involving vehicles, for example dangerous driving under the Criminal Code. Mr Speaker, the final area of amendment to the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 concerns procedures for challenging the condition or operation of a detection instrument. Currently, a driver who wishes to challenge the accuracy of an instrument must give written notice of that challenge to the prosecution. It is proposed that instead of using an approved form, the driver will simply have to give written notice of the challenge to the prosecution within 14 days of the hearing date. Finally for this Bill, the Hay Point Harbour (Ratification of Agreements) Act 1987 is to be repealed as the agreements authorised to be made pursuant to this Act have been terminated by agreement by all parties. The Act has fulfilled its purpose and may now be repealed. Mr Speaker, in summary, this Bill amends legislation administered by my portfolio to the benefit of all Queenslanders. I commend the Bill to the House. Debate, on motion of Mr Springborg, adjourned. 4482 Fair Trading and Another Act Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002

FAIR TRADING AND ANOTHER ACT AMENDMENT BILL Second Reading Resumed from 22 October (see p. 3898). Mr SPRINGBORG (Southern Downs—NPA) (5.48 p.m.): The National Party opposition will be supporting the Fair Trading and Another Act Amendment Bill before the parliament today. This bill basically contains machinery provisions and provisions which update a couple of statutes in Queensland. As I understand it from the minister's second reading speech and the explanatory notes, what has led to this bill before the parliament today is the requirement on the part of the state government to ensure compliance with ongoing principles of national competition policy and also other matters which have been identified by the Red Tape Reduction Task Force and the government's and opposition's commitment to ensure that there is a minimum of red tape for businesses to operate in Queensland. I have previously spoken in this place about the need to ensure our compliance with principles surrounding the national competition policy reforms in Australia. It is very interesting to note that much of the legislation which comes through the parliament now in this portfolio area and others seems to have some form of undercurrent of compliance with national competition policy, and I dare say that that will probably go on for a while yet. Red tape reduction is something all governments are very keen to promote. They want to ensure there is a minimum of administrative hurdles for small and large businesses seeking to comply with legitimate regulatory expectations of government. I think it is important to note that sometimes as we seek to reduce red tape and implement reforms we have the opposite effect. The principle is espoused by the minister and the parliament, but once it is administered by those who are responsible for it sometimes things tend to not change all that much and sometimes become more difficult for people. That is not to say that that is the intention of this bill. All I am saying is that that is something I have noticed in the time I have been in this place. If members go out and talk to small businesspeople in particular as they struggle to bear the onerous burden of compliance with state and Commonwealth regulations, licensing fees, taxation and so on, they find that people note the issue. They say that it does impact on their quality of life and that of their families. It behoves this parliament in general to practically do what we can to reduce the red tape burden on small business. I turn to the amendment to the Business Names Act. The minister has indicated that there will be an increase in the penalty for failure to register a business name from $300 to $3,000. That is probably fair enough, based on what the minister has said with regard to the importance of ensuring that a businessman or businesswoman properly registers their business and the need to ensure compliance. In her reply to the second reading debate the minister might be able to outline the experience of the department with regard to non-compliance of people with businesses in registering their business name. Can the minister provide any quantifiable information to the parliament? I would also like to know the sum total of money raised by this particular penalty during the last year and the motivation in increasing the penalty to $3,000. I note that the minister says it is very important to ensure that businesses do comply, but I would like to be totally assured that this is not a backdoor revenue raising measure. I think it is important for the minister to provide the information I seek. Another important enhancement is the responsibility on a person registering a business name to provide both the prescribed fee and proof of identity. I think that is extremely important in order to ensure bogus businesses are not being established and to ensure the bona fides of an applicant are established up front. I refer to the amendments to the Fair Trading Act. On their face these seem to be sensible reforms. I have previously complimented the minister in this place on legislation which seeks to extend the protections made available to consumers in a whole range of areas, whether it be payday lending, disclosure, written-off vehicle registers and so on. I think it is very important to look at extending the door-to-door selling provisions that apply under the Fair Trading Act. I note from the bill before the House that these provisions will now apply to those providing emergency repair services. There will also be an increase in the ceiling from $50 to $75—the threshold above which a contractor will have the door-to-door selling provisions applied to them. As I move around my electorate people complain to me about the operations of door-to-door sellers. We actually have a sign on our electorate office door which reads 'no hawkers', or 'no 6 Nov 2002 Fair Trading and Another Act Amendment Bill 4483 door-to-door sellers'. It is completely amazing how many of these people seem to have problems being able to read, because it does not seem to make any difference whatsoever. Mr Shine: They don't know what a hawker is. Mr SPRINGBORG: To be fair, I probably embellished that. I call them hawkers. I think the sign says 'no door-to-door sellers'. However, it does not seem to make any difference. It seems to be a challenge. They come in and we say, 'Not interested, thanks.' They say, 'We've got a lovely packet of jelly babies here that your kids won't be able to do without,' or 'We've got some new wonderful whiz-bang innovation that you really must have to make sure your life can continue into the 21st century.' They do not seem to take no for an answer. I concede that door-to-door selling is an important way for some people to ply their trade and for some people to make a living. That is fair enough. All I say is that those people should have respect for those who do not want to engage door-to-door sellers. Sometimes they do not seem to be as considerate of the people who do not want to engage door-to-door sellers. This applies to not only businesses; it is also applicable to people in the community at large. It seems to affect women in particular—young mothers who are feeding the kids at 6 o'clock at night and dealing with everything that goes on in families at that time, as I know from my own home. Fortunately, being in the country we do not get many knocks on the door, but people in the city certainly do. If they miss people with a knock on the door, they certainly do not miss them with a ring on the telephone at around that time. My wife seems very adept at dispatching them. I am a bit more of a sucker. It is just the wrong time for many people. Mr Shine: What is the right time? Mr SPRINGBORG: There probably is not a right time. Between 6 o'clock and 7 o'clock at night, when you are trying to feed, bathe and clothe children and get them to bed, certainly is not the right time. We certainly do need to make sure that there are protections for consumers. The minister has raised the ceiling from $50 to $75. That is probably sensible. I refer to the provisions that will relate to people providing services for emergency repairs. People requiring an emergency repair cannot afford a 10-day cooling off period. Also exempt will be payment of consideration during the cooling-off period, no attendance at consumer homes during specific hours and so on. I think the amendments proposed by the minister in this bill are sensible and considered. The opposition does not have any real reason to oppose the bill. We believe these are sensible consumer reforms that meet our obligations under national competition policy. We would be most interested to seek assurances from the minister with regard to the maximum penalty for failure to comply in registering a business name under the Business Names Act 1962. We support the bill before the parliament. Ms STONE (Springwood—ALP) (5.58 p.m.): I rise to speak on the Fair Trading and Another Act Amendment Bill. This bill implements two legislative changes of six recommendations made by the Red Tape Reduction Task Force and also responds to the required review and reform of all legislation containing restrictions on competition that was required by 30 June 2002. Significant consultation has taken place as part of the national competition policy review process. This included the REIQ, the National Council of Women in Queensland, the Australian Direct Marketing Association, the Direct Selling Association of Australia, Legal Aid Queensland, Optus, A Better Chance Pty Limited, the Office of Fair Trading's Product Safety Branch and many government stakeholders. An area that seems to pick up its share of shonks is emergency repairs as a result of major incidents such as natural disasters. This bill will see contracts relating to emergency repairs as a result of major incidents subject to some of the door-to-door provisions. These contracts were exempted to ensure emergency repairs were not delayed at a time when they were most needed. However, it is important that in extreme circumstances, such as natural disasters, consumers be provided with protection. Having one's home damaged or some other property damaged can be a very stressful and highly emotional time for a person. During this time, one may not be thinking as clearly as one would in a non-stressful situation. Therefore, one can easily make a poor choice when choosing a repairer. I am pleased to see that emergency repairers will be bound by door-to-door provisions of the legislation in regard to contracts, identification and sales behaviour. Contracts will have to be provided in writing and in the prescribed form. As I said, this is usually a stressful time for a person. I believe that having a written contract will give better 4484 Fair Trading and Another Act Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002 clarification of the product and the service to the consumer and perhaps allow a little bit more time for consumers to start thinking clearly. Often we hear stories, particularly from seniors in the community, who have paid someone to repair their property. Then they have more stress when that person takes off with the money or performs a service that is not what the consumer expected or required. Providing ID and a written contract will certainly go a long way towards curbing this disgraceful activity. We have all heard stories about the standover tactics that are used on consumers when they are most vulnerable. The bill requires that emergency repairers not engage in harassing or coercive behaviour towards the consumer. Although I have spent time speaking about the protection provided to consumers, I must say that many operators do the right thing. They have pride in their work, they have good business ethics and they do not want shonks in their industry. Many businesses want to give clients good service and a good product. It is through those good business practices that they are able to grow locally, domestically and internationally. Education is another area that is taking on international development. I must congratulate the Office of Fair Trading on the information that they provide for our young consumers. John Paul College, a private school in my electorate, has opened its first overseas branch in Bangkok. The curriculum and facilities, including the playground equipment, were imported from Australia. In its first year in Thailand, the school will offer education for children aged 18 months to six years, expanding classes for children aged up to 12 years in its second year. The school community is keen to branch out into other countries and Vietnam will be considered. I will be meeting with Mr Russell Welch from the college to discuss this possibility and while in Hanoi next week I will be doing some investigatory work for the school with regard to this matter when I meet the representatives of the Quang Ninh Province government. One of my duties will be attending the official opening of the Queensland library in Hanoi for the 85th anniversary of the Trung Vuong School. We have built a good relationship with Vietnam in terms of education and I look forward to building on that relationship, as do the schools in my area. This bill gives consumers protection. It does not impede on the businesses of emergency repairers. When both of these factors exist, the world is wide open for businesses to grow and develop. I congratulate Minister Rose on this bill. I commend the bill to the House. Mrs CARRYN SULLIVAN (Pumicestone—ALP) (6.02 p.m.): This bill, which contains certain amendments, including amendments to the Fair Trading Act 1989 which is managed by Minister Rose's Office of Fair Trading, will implement a number of national competition policy reforms. The bill also implements recommendations made by the Red Tape Reduction Task Force committee review of the business names registration process under the Business Names Act 1962. The objectives of the bill will provide even further protection for businesses and consumers alike. This bill has had widespread consultation with community, industry groups and associations and a number of state government departments and is supported by those stakeholders. The Fair Trading Act 1989 contains certain provisions with regard to door-to-door selling where the contract is for goods and services costing $50 or more. This figure will be increased to $75, which will better reflect the price of goods being offered door-to-door while ensuring that grassroots services such as lawn mowing and external house cleaning will not be affected by the door-to-door provisions. The Fair Trading Act 1989 will also be amended to apply a number of door-to-door provisions to emergency repair contracts. Traders will now have to supply identification and cannot harass people or use coercive behaviour. Mr Matt Miller, the Commissioner for Fair Trading, has accepted an invitation to Beachmere in the Pumicestone electorate next week to discuss new scams and shonky salesmen tactics, especially those used by door-to-door salesmen. The electorate office has received several complaints from residents about a person giving quotes for roof repairs and/or cleaning. He wanted a small deposit and then wanted to come back in a day or two with his equipment to do the job. Fortunately, none of the callers gave him any money, but when he was asked for a business card or other identification, he either could not or would not give it. With Christmas fast approaching, people need to be vigilant with regard to scams. Mr Miller will give Beachmere residents a good insight into what to look out for and appropriate questions to ask when someone comes calling to sell anything. To those members who have not invited Mr Matt Miller to their electorate, I would certainly thoroughly recommend it. His information is up to date, it is extremely interesting and people who have been to his seminars have given very 6 Nov 2002 Fair Trading and Another Act Amendment Bill 4485 positive feedback. When Matt visited Bribie Island last year, 65 people attended and listened for over an hour while he provided information and told stories about— Mr Shine interjected. Mrs CARRYN SULLIVAN: Not about me, no. He told stories about how people were conned out of their money so easily. Many people also shared their stories with Matt. This bill will also amend the Business Names Act 1962 to increase the penalty for not registering a business name and to require proof of identification of the business proprietor. The penalty will be raised from $300 to $3,000, which better reflects the severity of non-compliance with the act. To register a business now will require proof of identification. This bill simplifies the regulation of the state's businesses while continuing to actively safeguard and enhance the interests and rights of the consumers. Any legislation that will achieve that certainly deserves support. I support the bill. I commend the bill to the House. Mr WELLINGTON (Nicklin—Ind) (6.05 p.m.): I rise to participate in the debate on the Fair Trading and Another Act Amendment Bill 2002. In particular, I refer to the minister's attempts to simplify the amount of red tape that people have to deal with when dealing with the business names registration process. In this regard, I commend the minister for her initiative in this bill, as one complaint that I receive regularly in my office involves members of the public dealing with a range of bureaucrats in both state and local government departments. Often we hear ministers refer to a whole-of-government response or a one-stop shop for people dealing with government requirements. Accordingly, I urge the minister to continue with her endeavours of reducing red tape in government bureaucracies. I also commend the minister for her initiatives in relation to the door-to-door selling requirements. I commend the minister on the bill. Mrs DESLEY SCOTT (Woodridge—ALP) (6.06 p.m.): This legislation has a number of components, such as certain national competition policy reforms, changes to the requirements for the registration of business names and amendments to protect consumers requiring emergency repairs following natural disasters. All of those provisions will add to existing laws to protect people from unscrupulous operators who are always awaiting an opportunity to swoop when people are at their most vulnerable. This is particularly so for the elderly and those with mental or physical disabilities who live in our community. There have been notable instances of roof repairers, painters and the like who target people living alone. They present on their doorstep offering to do maintenance work for a special price if they consent on the spot while they are in the area. Of course, the price is more often highly inflated rather than discounted. The amendment to the Business Names Act 1962 raises the penalty for failing to register a business name from $300 to $3,000. Proof of identity and the required fee must accompany the application. All subsequent new proprietors will similarly be required to supply proof of identity. This register of businesses will give further protection to householders and, hopefully, discourage a lot of the shonky operators out there. Clauses 8 and 9 of part 3 of this bill make provision for a number of protective measures following natural disasters when emergency repairs are required. Written contracts will be required with proof of identity and measures to outlaw pressure tactics are contained in the door-to-door provisions of the legislation. Other measures, such as the cooling-off period and specific hours to attend a home, will not be required. In recent years I have had far fewer reports of unscrupulous operators, or fly-by-nighters, doing repairs on homes that are totally inadequate and charging outlandish prices. I believe that a lot of the credit must go to our wonderful Logan and Beenleigh district Home Assist-Home Secure program, under which people do many repairs for aged and disability pensioners. I suspect that if the repairs are outside the guidelines of this organisation, nonetheless they would give very good advice to their clients so that they avoid the unskilled tradesperson and excessive charges. I recently had the pleasure of visiting our Home Assist Secure and speaking with project manager Lesley Wilcox. Its budget has been given an additional boost this year due to the very heavy demand on its services. Administration officer Elaine Dudley is kept busy answering calls and keeping records. Patrick Crilly, chief field officer, and his two assistant field officers, Ray Ireland and Paul Nielsen, are three very talented, innovative tradesmen who are multiskilled and are able to make the difficult look simple. They carry out minor modifications to homes, clean gutters and attend to taps and toilet leaks—amongst other jobs. This organisation and others such as Boystown LinkUp are helping many in our community remain in their homes and live 4486 Fair Trading and Another Act Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002 independently. This bill before the House today will ensure even more protection for the vulnerable. When it comes to seeking reliable, affordable services, we all are vulnerable and need both protection and information. I commend the minister and her Office of Fair Trading for their community information booklets and the level of information and protection they give to all facets of consumerism. We all are recipients of their services. I applaud these additional measures and commend the bill to the House. Mr McNAMARA (Hervey Bay—ALP) (6.11 p.m.): I rise to briefly speak to the Fair Trading and Another Act Amendment Bill 2002. It is a very important bill. The bill continues the very substantial amount of reform occurring in tourism, racing and fair trading during this term of the Beattie government. Importantly, the bill carries on national competition reforms and red tape reduction reforms which will be very welcome in the business community. As a former practising lawyer, I can assure the House that anything that reduces red tape and compliance issues for business is welcome, particularly when it at the same time concentrates on consumer protection and makes sure that we have a responsive system of consumer protection which recognises changing trends, schemes and forces in the market place. The move to take the door-to-door selling contract price up to $75 is sensible. It moves with inflation; it moves with the times. It recognises that there are certain contracts which should not be caught up in these provisions, such as mowing and house cleaning, but it moves that threshold up a level so that many of the items sold door-to-door are picked up and properly brought within the requirements of the legislation. Door-to-door selling remains an ongoing issue of concern. I am delighted that the minister is continuing to pay close attention to this area. It is something that plagues many communities. Getting the right balance between the rights of door-to-door traders to sell their goods and the rights of consumers to be offered not only fair deals and deals that have some backup but also not to be harassed in their homes is difficult. This legislation sensibly ensures that those contracts which are not under the Domestic Contracts Building Act 2000 will be made subject to requirements to provide prescribed contracts for emergency service repairs. It is a growing area of door-to-door sales. It is a growing issue always in Queensland where we have so many people moving to the coast and where storms and storm damage are a regular part of our life. It is important that the Fair Trading Act is amended in this way. I also briefly touch on the issue of the Business Names Act. I certainly welcome the penalty for failing to register a business name and also to require proof of identity for the registration of that business name. Again, I have some personal experience of the difficulties which people can get into when they have a dispute with a contractor who has a business name which is not registered. It remains, again, an all too common practice in the community with people moving around, changing business names, moving businesses, causing confusion with identities, picking up other people's business and goodwill and trading unfairly on that and making it difficult for people to identify who they are contracting with. It is an important part of our consumer protection legislation. The previous penalty of $300 was manifestly inadequate. The proposed new penalty of up to $3,000 is sensible. It will provide options for the courts to look at that penalty range and determine the appropriate penalty but is one that certainly now can reflect the gravity of the situation. It is possible for people to very deliberately misrepresent themselves. In my time I have certainly come across some particularly unscrupulous traders who have changed business names like some people change their shirt. The legislation is very strong. The department is doing an excellent job. Hervey Bay is delighted with the Office of Fair Trading. The move of the department's office to Hervey Bay has been fantastic. Peter Nell and his team are very proactive. They are out and are taking the office to the community. I recently held a seniors morning tea and have no hesitation in saying that the speakers from the Office of Fair Trading were among the most avidly listened to of the whole morning. Elderly residents at the morning tea were very keen to hear about the consumer protection available and what the law can do for them. After they finished speaking, the queue went around the corner. It is important stuff; it is real stuff. It goes to the heart of people living in communities and feeling safe and protected. I congratulate the minister on the bill. I commend the bill to the House. Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM (Gladstone—Ind) (6.16 p.m.): In rising to speak to this legislation I commend the fair trading office in Rockhampton in particular. My office is regularly in contact with that office's Glen Devers or his staff. He has provided us with a very efficient service. He responds quickly, in an informed manner and represents the minister's office well. I put on the record our appreciation of Glen and his staff for the work that they do. We live in a time when there are 6 Nov 2002 Fair Trading and Another Act Amendment Bill 4487 many and varied ways to purchase goods. We see an increase in the number of people who purchase via the Internet, by post, in the shops and of course by door-to-door. In all those areas there are unscrupulous people prepared to trap and disadvantage the unwary. Fair trading legislation is essential to protect those people who need and deserve protection. There has been huge growth in the burgeoning scams in relation to this. I commend the minister on the little book of scams that the department has put out. We hand them out as often as we can. I have a husband who is one of the most gullible people when it comes to those phone-up groups who say, 'Have we got a deal for you!' I say to my husband that if it is such a good deal, smell a rat— Ms Rose interjected. Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM: It isn't; I know. He is incredible. I feel that he needs protection; I need someone standing guard on him all the time. Those unscrupulous operators take advantage of elderly people in particular. We have been through the process where telephone companies were ringing up elderly people at dinner time at night when a lot them are not at their most alert. They are preoccupied with getting a meal or with getting ready to go to bed. These operators ring up, offer them things, speak quickly and ask for information without clarifying the import of that information, particularly now that there are voice signatures for authorisation. Older people do not understand that, if they give another person a Medicare number or a piece of personal information, the caller can use that as authorisation to sign them up to something. It is not that the older generation or these older people are dull; it is a whole new concept. Mr Springborg interjected. Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM: Yes. They grew up at a time when the only way they could enter into a contract was to sign a piece of paper. There was not voice authorisation. I know that a lot of older people at home were caught out in terms of the transfer of their Telstra account. They would suddenly get phone bills—fortunately a lot of the companies have been going belly up—from a new phone company and wonder where on earth the change occurred. We had quite a blitz of that for some time. The same applies to door-to-door salespeople. A lot of them are genuine people who are doing the job perhaps because they cannot get other work or are studying and door-to-door work suits their program. Many of them are very genuine. However, there are always those who target certain suburbs or age groups in the hope that they might be able to sell some articles without a person realising the extent of the debt, the interest rate or the length of the term. In these instances the protections put into place under the Fair Trading Act are invaluable. I just wanted to put on the record my appreciation of the minister, whom I have always found very responsive in these areas of protection. Her office in Rockhampton does a brilliant job. I commend the minister on the implementation of these new protections, which ensure that to the best of the government's ability consumers have avenues of appeal and avenues to remove themselves from contracts that have been inadvertently or unwisely entered into where it can be shown that reasonable information was not given by a seller or door-to-door salesperson. I look forward to the implementation of the act. I thank the minister again for the work her department does. I support the bill. Mr SHINE (Toowoomba North—ALP) (6.21 p.m.): It is a pleasure to speak to the Fair Trading and Another Act Amendment Bill. The objectives of the bill are to implement certain national competition policy reforms and to implement recommendations made by a Red Tape Reduction Task Force committee review of the business name registration process under the Business Names Act 1962. I am also pleased to see that the Fair Trading Act 1989 has been amended significantly such that door-to-door contracts for emergency repairs will be subject to the door-to- door provisions of the act, with the exception of the requirements for a 10-day cooling off period, the payment of consideration during the cooling-off period and the 'no-attendance at consumer's home except during specified hours' provision. The aim of the legislation so far as it refers to the reduction of red tape is commendable. One of the constant reminders from small business to members of parliament is the claim made by business that there is a heavy imposition on them through compliance with government regulations. In particular, the federal government requirements with respect to the GST and BAS have had a huge impact on business. Last Saturday night in Toowoomba I attended a business awards night representing the Minister for State Development, and that was a theme that was repeated on one or two occasions. In that regard, I note that the Minister for Fair Trading has been conscious of those sorts of calls from business. Earlier this year, I had the privilege of representing her at the launch of a Good Business Guide in Toowoomba, which I understand was 4488 Fair Trading and Another Act Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002 launched by her also in Brisbane and elsewhere in the state. I wish to speak briefly about this because I believe that, were businesses to follow the suggestions in that guide, a lot of the problems that small business gets itself into could be avoided. I often meet with constituents who have just started out in a new business enterprise. I know from these meetings that every business starts out with high hopes for success and entrepreneurs spend vast amounts of time, energy and creativity to make that success a reality. Unfortunately, for most start-up businesses that hoped-for success does not materialise or at least to the extent hoped for. Research suggests that internationally about 60 per cent of all businesses fail within the first two years and, for certain industries, such as the restaurant industry, the failure rate is even higher. I am not sure what the Queensland figures are, but we do know that approximately 20 per cent of all people who register a business name in Queensland do not renew their name after the first year. Therefore, one could reasonably surmise that many of these people have gone out of business or shut up shop. Although the probability of business failure diminishes as time goes on, most businesses are never safe. Competition and changing market conditions ensure that the struggle for success never ends—let alone natural disasters or international disasters such as September 11. Queensland is the Smart State. This government, particularly under this minister, is committed to ensuring that business has the information that it needs to be a smart business. That is what the Good Business Guide that I referred to earlier is all about. The guide is designed to assist businesses to understand the laws they must comply with in Queensland and provide quality and ongoing service to their customers. For the first half of the last financial year, that is, the period July to December 2001, the Queensland Office of Fair Trading received almost 6,000 written complaints from consumers. Almost half of these complaints related to businesses deliberately flouting trading laws. Others claimed to be unaware of or uninformed about their responsibilities as traders. With this small business guide it will be much easier for business and there will be no excuses for failing to comply. Consumers are the lifeblood of any business and successful businesses provide excellent consumer service. While most businesses aim for a high level of customer satisfaction, this does not just happen. To help businesses increase customer satisfaction, the guide includes some handy customer service tips and checklists to assist businesses to improve their bottom line. Also included in the guide is advice and information on advertising, the selling of goods and services and business-wise information. The Office of Fair Trading has worked hard to ensure that this document meets the needs of business, and it consulted widely with a range of businesses, business associations and government departments and authorities, including the Retailers Association of Queensland, the Retail Traders and Shopkeepers Association of Queensland, Commerce Queensland, the Swimming Pools and Spas Association, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, the Furnishing Industry Association of Australia, the Franchise Council of Australia, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the Department of Justice and the Department of State Development. The real and genuine commitment by the Office of Fair Trading to working more closely with industry augurs well for the future of small business in Queensland. Mr Deputy Speaker, you may be aware that the government has five key priorities, and the guide that I have referred to contributes to three of them, those being more jobs for Queenslanders; skills and innovation—the Smart State; safer and more supportive communities; and building Queensland's regions. This government, and in particular the Office of Fair Trading, is committed to building safer and more supportive communities and a better quality of life for all Queenslanders. The Office of Fair Trading works towards these priorities for a strong focus on improving marketplace integrity and building consumer and business confidence. The Good Business Guide is, as I said, designed to be of assistance to business, not just to increase the productivity of business but also to assist in its survival. The government recognises that trying to create more jobs is dependent upon employers, namely businesses, being in existence; hence the importance that the government places on this. I congratulate the minister and her Office of Fair Trading on their consistent efforts and the goals they have been kicking this year in this area. I encourage her in that regard. Mrs MILLER (Bundamba—ALP) (6.30 p.m.): It is with great pleasure that I rise on behalf of the people of Bundamba in support of the Fair Trading and Another Act Amendment Bill 2002. The bill enhances the interests of consumers and safeguards their interests whilst simplifying the regulation of businesses in this state. 6 Nov 2002 Fair Trading and Another Act Amendment Bill 4489

I am pleased that the penalty for failing to register a business name has been increased tenfold. The maximum penalty will be increased from $300 to $3,000. May I say well done, Minister. A $300 penalty is simply ludicrous and I am sure that many businesses could not be bothered to register their name as the penalty was far too low. Increasing the penalty signals to the business community that our government is serious about business names. The amendments also require proof of identification before registering a business name for an individual. This means there will be better security, the process will be more rigorous and the register will be more accurate. These are well thought out amendments. They will help get the shonks out of businesses whilst protecting the interests of consumers. Last night I had the pleasure of being a guest at Griffith University, Mount Gravatt campus, where there were many bachelor of technology student graduates. Many of those students will register their business names as a result of their inventions which were on display last night. One of the businesses concerned is a laptop computer seat. I would like to tell honourable members a little bit about this seat. It fits in the passenger seat of a car. There are little areas for the laptop computer, for notepaper and for pencils. I am sure it will be a very good invention and will be registered for use by businesses in Queensland. There was also a mobile conference set-up at the university. This is meant to go into the back of a station wagon. It is like a piece of furniture but it is a mobile conference facility. There was also an invention for a shower which is intended to save water. We all know of the importance of saving water in Queensland during this time of terrible drought. We also had a clean guttering invention on display. I am sure that will be well received in Queensland. In my electorate we have a very good bachelor of technology graduate named Chris Haines, who lives at Redbank Plains. He graduated a couple of years ago as a bachelor of technology. He is a great inventor. As part of his time doing practical teaching at the Redbank Plains State High School he got all the kids to invent a car. The kids designed cars and then built them. I am happy to say that the Redbank Plains State High School students donated them to the Goodna Neighbourhood House, and at Christmas that year the Goodna Neighbourhood House gave them to needy families in our community. I understand that all of the graduates from the bachelor of technology degree from Griffith University have jobs in our schools. Some have been offered jobs by Education Queensland, some have been offered jobs in the Catholic sector and some have gone to the independent sector. We congratulate them on their achievements. Their inventions have been absolutely fantastic. I thank Minister Rose for this wonderful amendment. I also thank her staff and the department. I commend the bill to the House. Mr REEVES (Mansfield—ALP) (6.34 p.m.): It is great to be talking on the Fair Trading and Another Act Amendment Bill. This is another great amendment which has been introduced by the consumer's friend, Minister Merri Rose. She is well regarded as the consumer's friend in the electorate. This is just another example. A government member interjected. Mr REEVES: Even people on the bus talk about the consumer's friend, Merri Rose, because they know that she always puts up good consumer legislation. They know that her department does excellent work not only in relation to legislation but in the types of products that it produces. For example, we have The little black book of scams. We also have the legislation on door-to- door traders. People at local neighbourhood watches were very pleased with the 'no door-to-door traders' stickers. We also have the PSSSD—I will not pronounce it here because it might not come over very well now that we have the Internet broadcast—but it is good for school leavers. We also have the Good shopper's guide. They are excellent productions which consumers can easily understand. I had something which I should have brought in but, unfortunately, I had to attend a function earlier this evening. In January of this year I was in Melbourne with the member for Cairns and we visited the Victorian Department of Consumer Affairs. That department does wonderful work but it is not as good as that done by our Office of Fair Trading. The Victorian department had a very good Christmas card which I must show to the minister. The card, which was presented to shoppers, had Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer on the front and warned people of overspending on their credit cards over Christmas. They were warned that the bill still comes in. This might be another publication that our Office of Fair Trading could produce. The card was making consumers aware of the perils of putting all their purchases on their credit cards. 4490 Fair Trading and Another Act Amendment Bill 6 Nov 2002

I commend the minister on the amendment to the Business Names Act 1962, which will improve the registration of business names by increasing the penalties for failure to register a business name. The business names register is used by traders and consumers to check if the businesses or persons with whom they are trading are registered. It is an essential element of the Business Names Act 1962 and provides protection to consumers and other businesses by allowing them to find out the legal identity of those persons behind the business name. The amendment increases the penalty from $300 to $3,000 for failure to register a business name. It provides protection if a non-registered business uses a competitor's name. This advantage will be felt by businesses and consumers alike. Some people might say that $3,000 is a lot of money. However, let us take the example of a motorist having his car serviced by XYZ Repair Service. It is a faulty service so the first person the consumer approaches is the person who did the work. The phone might be disconnected. The next step would be to contact the Office of Fair Trading to look at the business names register and find out the name of the person responsible. If the business name is not registered the consumers are unprotected. Unregistered businesses should be fined as heavily as $3,000 because $300 is a paltry penalty. A fine of $3,000 might throw the stick at them and they might say to themselves, 'Hang on, I don't want to lose $3,000. I will register my business.' The legislation also contains changes in relation to the registration of a business. An applicant has to produce identification. In days gone past people could put down any name for a business because there were no checks and balances. These days, if we go to a bank to open an account or if we go to the TAB to open an account, we have to gain 100 points of identification. Some people might say that this is the Australia card by stealth, but it is not; it is making sure that consumers are protected from unscrupulous people. There will be some people who will try to get around this and who think that they will never get caught, but the Office of Fair Trading has been and will continue to be vigilant in cracking down on such people. There will be encouragement for businesses to get on board. There will also be—and the minister might want to explain this when she sums up the debate—some type of reminder to encourage businesses to renew their business name. A few members who have spoken on this bill have raised this issue, but there needs to be a marketing campaign which reminds businesses that they have three months to register or Fair Trading will come down on them. Rather than a $3,000 fine hanging over their heads, many businesses will pay the registration. Businesses can register their business for three years at a time. I think it costs about $180—I am sure the minister will know—for three years. Ms Boyle: It is $196 for three years. Mr REEVES: So it is $196. I just mentioned the member for Cairns and she just happened to come into the chamber. She must have heard her name being called. Mr Mulherin: A very good member. Mr REEVES: Extremely good. We had a good time looking at the Consumer Affairs Department in Victoria. So it is either $196 for three years, or a $3,000 fine. We need to emphasise that in the next three to six months to ensure that people register their business name. It is vitally important that if there is a problem consumers can find out who owns the business, and if action is needed, action can be taken. I commend the minister for amending the Fair Trading Act to require people providing emergency repairs to be subject to certain of the door-to-door provisions of the act. As I said, the amendments require contractors carrying out emergency repairs as a result of natural disasters to be subject to some of the door-to-door requirements of the Fair Trading Act. These contracts were originally exempted from those requirements to ensure that emergency repairs were not delayed at a time when most needed, but consumers in such situations missed out on the protection provided by the door-to-door provisions. Emergency repair contracts which meet the general requirements of door-to-door contracts should be subject to certain door-to-door provisions, especially the provisions requiring dealers to give consumer contracts, produce identification and not engage in harassment and coercion. Such provisions are not onerous for dealers, will not delay emergency repairs and will provide consumer benefits consistent with the objectives of the Fair Trading Act. As an example, let us look at the fires that recently occurred in Toowoomba. If services were needed rapidly, the 10-day cooling-off period would not apply. At the same time, however, consumers will be protected because suppliers cannot engage in harassment and coercion and have to produce the appropriate identification and the like. Brisbane is forever getting summer 6 Nov 2002 Fair Trading and Another Act Amendment Bill 4491 storms. If a person's roof was dramatically damaged, emergency repairs could happen the next day. If it happened in the street, for example, the proactive companies would have their representatives knocking on the door asking whether they could help. As long as they are not harassing, they can provide those services. At the same time, it is important that we remember that often during times of disasters there are unscrupulous operators who try to make money out of hardship. They try to coerce people who are vulnerable at a time when a major disaster has just occurred to their house. All members have heard the stories of the little old lady who receives a knock on the door from a salesperson who wants to inspect the roof and comes back and says, 'There's $5,000 or $6,000 worth of damage to your roof.' It is important for consumers to ensure that they are wary as to who they deal with. They should ask the right questions and get some advice from friends or family. My electorate is a multicultural society. I have just attended a function here at Parliament House for the Indian community, and a large section of the Indian community from my electorate attended. There is an amazing number of different cultures within my electorate and some of them are better at understanding certain issues. However, the state government has services in place which help people break down the language barrier so they can understand. It is important that we ensure that unscrupulous operators are acted upon. This amendment to the legislation will not stop those unscrupulous operators, but I am confident in the abilities of the officers within Fair Trading that if unscrupulous operators are reported action will be taken against them. I commend the minister for the amendment to the Fair Trading Act increasing, from $50 to $75 and above, the value of a contract for services supplied door-to-door which attract the relevant provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1989. The amount more accurately reflects the type of transaction which requires the protections of those provisions whilst not requiring people providing more basic services such as lawn mowing and house cleaning to comply with the administrative burden of the provision. I commend the minister for ensuring that Queensland householders are protected without disadvantaging the Queensland small business sector and applaud the minister for her efforts to implement the recommendations of the national competition policy reviews of legislation within her portfolio. At first I was concerned about these changes, but I have been assured that this has been reflected throughout the country. I was concerned that $75 was a bit high, but I was assured that house cleaning, lawn mowing and gardening services range in cost from $50 to $75. Changing the amount to $75 ensures that consumers and businesses can work together. It does not allow door-to-door salesmen such as pay television operators to sign someone up for $52.50 for a monthly service, because that is a contract. They are still governed by the door-to-door provisions. It is timely to remind consumers that it is important to learn the door-to-door provisions. In relation to telemarketing, I heard Commissioner Miller on the Susan Mitchell radio program yesterday. Commissioner Miller reminded listeners that it is important that, when a telemarketer phones, the householder does not say, 'Come round and see me at my place at a certain time,' because that is inviting them in to sell a service. As a result, the consumer is not covered under the door-to-door provisions and the telemarketer can sign them up for a contract because the householder invited that person in by effectively making an appointment. It is very important that consumers are aware of that. When I attend Neighbourhood Watch and various other meetings and talk to people, the one thing they want to complain about is the phone calls they get between 5.30 and 7 o'clock on weeknights when they are cooking dinner for their kids. Regardless of whether it is the father cooking or the mother cooking— Ms Molloy: What about fathers? Mr REEVES: It could be the father cooking. Megan is very lucky that it is not me who is doing the cooking. That is why they invented takeaway. It is important that people are wary of door-to-door salespeople. If the salespeople get people at that vulnerable time, when they are thinking about the food on the stove, and they say, 'Come over at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning,' then they have invited the salesperson in, so they are not covered by the door-to-door sales provisions. Telemarketing is something I have been concerned about for a long time. I think it is about time the federal government considered telemarketing. Telemarketing is a communications issue, so it has to be dealt with at the federal level. It should be covered by the same provisions as door- to-door sales. There should be the same 10-day cooling-off period. The threshold figure of $75 should apply. The same times in which door-to-door selling is allowed should apply to telemarketing. 4492 Adjournment 6 Nov 2002

There is a number that people can ring to be taken off mailing lists, but unfortunately that only applies to the reasonable operators who are in the relevant association. I call on the federal Communications Minister to look at legislation that replicates the door-to-door sales legislation in relation to telemarketing. I receive numerous complaints from consumers in relation to telemarketing. It always seems to occur at the most inappropriate time. I ask that the federal Communications Minister or the relevant federal minister look into the matter. I mention schoolies week. I know that Fair Trading does what it can with its schoolies kit, but it is very important for schoolies to ensure that once they book into their motels they get someone from the motel or hotel to go up to the room with them and take half an hour to inspect. They should even take a camera and take some photos to see if there is a burn on the carpet, a tear in the curtain or a broken window so that a week later the owners cannot say, 'You guys did that and you have to pay.' I have implored all the year 12 students I have spoken to in the last few weeks to do that. I think it is very important that that message gets out. Nine times out of 10 the students become responsible for any damage. I thank the minister and her department for this legislation. She has proven once again that she is the consumer's friend. I commend the bill to the House. Time expired. Debate, on motion of Ms Boyle, adjourned.

ADJOURNMENT Hon. M. ROSE (Currumbin—ALP) (Minister for Tourism and Racing and Minister for Fair Trading) (6.54 p.m.): I move— That the House do now adjourn.

Irrigation Mr ROWELL (Hinchinbrook—NPA) (6.54 p.m.): I rise to speak on the effect the drought conditions are having on primary producers who need to irrigate their crops in order to ensure the basic survival of their farming enterprises. I recently forwarded a letter to the Primary Industries Minister, the Hon. Henry Palaszczuk, highlighting the problems many farmers are experiencing in varying their pump hours to accommodate requirements of the Department of Natural Resources in maintaining environmental stream flows. I have witnessed recently, even in the Hinchinbrook and Cardwell shires, where the lack of rainfall is not normally an issue, that to maintain environmental stream flows property owners who utilise electric pumps and have by-rate metering are having to pump throughout the day. Day usage can cost up to three to four times the cost of night usage, with multiple time tariffs. A particular case at Meunga Creek north of Cardwell has seen a property owner irrigate his crop during the daylight hours to maintain the required environmental stream flow. This has disadvantaged the grower as the cost of electricity usage during the period of higher tariff rate needs to be met. The farmer's irrigation costs have at least tripled. Of course this case is not an isolated occurrence. If drought conditions continue and limits are placed on stream flows, an increase will occur in the number of rural operators being requested to pay increased charges for irrigation when electricity is used to power their pumps. In recognition that there are prospects of rearranging the manner in which tariffs are allocated, it must be noted that there will still be an increase in the cost, regardless of any rearrangement made, simply due to the fact that the power used to generate an electric pump comes at a substantial cost. In recent weeks I have spoken with the Department of Natural Resources about the need to maintain environmental stream flows. I have also spoken to Ergon Energy regarding tariffs and their costs. I call on the ministers for Primary Industries and Energy to find a solution to the extra costs that are now being met by farmers needing to irrigate. These costs simply cannot be endured for extended periods of time, given that many farmers are barely making ends meet without the added burden of increased costs associated with irrigating, particularly where they are receiving no added returns for the sale of their produce. I have spoken to farmers on the Tablelands and I have been informed of a number of streams that have restrictions. Of course, in those streams they are suffering the same cost burden as those farms in the Meunga Creek area and the Hinchinbrook and Cardwell shires. Time expired. 6 Nov 2002 Adjournment 4493

Rental Accommodation Mrs REILLY (Mudgeeraba—ALP) (6.57 p.m.): I wish to bring to the attention of the House the very dire situation in relation to public housing and housing availability in general on the Gold Coast. Hardly a week goes by that my office does not receive a call from a constituent desperately seeking affordable housing, not only in the Mudgeeraba electorate but also anywhere on the Gold Coast. In fact, it is the single most common issue brought to my attention. Affordable housing on the Gold Coast is disappearing, and reasonable rentals are as rare as the proverbial hen's teeth. The smaller hotels providing cheap, short-term accommodation are closing as they are being swallowed up by big tourism-driven hotel chains, caravan parks are closing or being revamped for budget tourists, and decent boarding houses and other options, particularly for low-income families, are almost non-existent. As a result, many thousands of people are facing homelessness, and with demand for affordable housing on the Gold Coast growing daily the situation is only going to get worse. I lay the blame for this crisis solely at the feet of the federal government, which has chosen to pursue the policy of forcing low-income earners into the private rental market rather than putting money into building public housing. The federal government's rental subsidy scheme sounds fine in principle: 'Rent housing and apply for a subsidy to pay the rent'—if there is anything to rent and if you can actually find a rental! Even if people can afford to rent, like the dual-income family that came to see me last week, if they have three teenage children they can forget it because their application is sure to be knocked back in favour of another, lower risk applicant. The family that came to see me, both working professional people who owned their own home and have sold it, need to rent for only six months while they build their new home. But somehow the unit complexes they were applying to, having answered an ad in the paper for a vacancy, kept telling them that actually they had no vacancy once they found out they had three teenage children. That family is now pursuing that matter through the Anti-Discrimination Board. There is no chance of finding a four-bedroom house for that family, because they just simply are not there. In fact, most of the real estate agents in my area do not even deal with rentals anymore. I return to the rental subsidy scheme. When people cannot find a rental house for under $160 a week and they have two autistic children with special dietary needs and medical expenses, the subsidy just does not cut it. That is another scenario of a constituent in my electorate. Currently, there are 4,600 people on the waiting list for public housing on the Gold Coast. The priority waiting list itself is 18 months long. It has its own priorities for people with chronic or mental illness who are at immediate risk of homelessness. What is the federal government doing? It is putting to the states an agreement which will cut more than $174 million from Queensland's public housing budget. So I am calling on my local federal members—the members for Moncrieff and McPherson, Steven Ciobo and Margaret May—to stand up and fight for the poor, the destitute, the low income earners, the battlers and, heaven forbid, the homeless and plead with Amanda Vanstone and John Howard to meet their obligations to the people of the Gold Coast and other areas of Queensland and put appropriate and real funding into public housing.

Sugar Industry Mr WELLINGTON (Nicklin—Ind) (7.00 p.m.): I rise to inform all members that the sugar industry rally held last Friday in Nambour saw many people turn up to show their support. One of the reasons why many people came to the rally was to show their concerns about the potential loss of the mill's good agricultural land to residential subdivision. In this regard, I was very pleased to be able to report to the meeting that Bundaberg Sugar has given me a written undertaking not to sell any of their four properties prior to 1 March 2003. The properties in question are all identified by local council and the state government as good agricultural land and are located at Peregian Beach, Coolum Beach, Nambour and Sippy Downs. In exchange for the undertaking received from Bundaberg Sugar, I have undertaken to not introduce my private member's bill regarding land use on these four properties. At the moment, there appears to be a difference of opinion as to what is the most appropriate use for these significant parcels of land. 4494 Adjournment 6 Nov 2002

In the coming weeks, I hope agreement can be reached involving the local council, the state government and Bundaberg Sugar in relation to the most appropriate future use for these parcels of land. If agreement cannot be reached, I have no doubt that in due course this matter may end up in court, at an unnecessary expense to ratepayers, taxpayers and the owners. I now table a copy of two letters dated 31 October 2002 from Bundaberg Sugar setting out further details of the agreement we have reached. Before sitting down, I wish to share with members extracts of a poem written by a local Lyle Smith called Save Our Sugar Mill. There's a rumour going round the town, And I can't believe it's true, They say our Sugar Mill's worn out, That the good old days are through. How can a wealthy company, From miles across the sea, Dictate to us our future, Will we take this slap? Not me! Although I am a little man, And my finances are slim, I'd like to see us fight like men, Though things are looking grim. If Winston Churchill turned his back, And for his safety fled, When Nazi bombs came hurling down, Who knows, we'd all be dead. But he stood his ground And beat the foe, Though the price to pay was great, While the people rallied round, cried out, "They'll not control our fate!" So let's sit around the table, And get a plan afloat, We could call the corporate bankers, Then they'd have us by the throat. If we want to save our Sugar Mill, We'll just have to form a guard, And to raise the money that we need, Won't come easy—we'll work hard. We don't care about the Sugar Mill, For the money that it makes, We just know for many decades, It's kept food upon our plates. And of all the young apprentice lads, Who served their time and trade, From the workers with their special skills, The old Sugar Mill was made. Don't we owe the old girl something? She's the backbone of our town, If she goes, we'll not just miss her, We'll regret we've let her down. Some may complain of the smoke she gives, But I just love the smell, The molasses and the bagasse heaps, And the cane fire soot as well. Yes let's sell our Nambour sugar, And be proud of our name, Let's start a dozen factories, And don't hang our heads in shame. We'll have one for making lollies, Maybe two distilling rum, And perhaps a biscuit factory Using recipes from Mum. There could be still more factories, Catering for the building trade, Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Fouras): Order! The member's time has expired. Mr WELLINGTON: I seek leave to incorporate the remainder of the poem in Hansard. Leave granted. 6 Nov 2002 Adjournment 4495

With fibre board, and blocks and bricks, From this precious fibre made. Is there another factory, Operating in our State, With a century of tradition, That's helped to make it great? Call it heritage, nostalgia, Or name just what you will, The last thing Nambour people need, Is a suburb called Mill Hill. And if time proves it is God's will, Our Sugar Mill remain, There'll be room and more for Ethanol, We'll still need every stick of cane. I can't see a dinkum Aussie firm, Grabbing foreign tracts of land, And turfing thousands out of work, Their Directors would be banned. You may say this fellow's dreaming, And have rocks within his head, But while God is still upon his throne, Our old Sugar Mill's not dead. By Lyle Smith, Maroochydore, Qld

Walla Weir; E. H. Churchward Weir Mr STRONG (Burnett—ALP) (7.04 p.m.): Yesterday, I had the pleasure of playing a small role in SunWater's naming ceremony of the Walla Weir and also with that was a declaration of a significant site for the Taribelang people of the Walla crossing. Of course, the Minister for Local Government and member for Bundaberg was there and Steve Robertson, the Minister for Natural Resources, was there also and played a role. Many people were there. They were bussed out from Bundaberg. I would say about 50 people watched the ceremony. They included people who go back a long way in the sugar industry in the area. There were people such as John Francis, Reno Bongioletti and Mr Townsend, the former chairman of the Gooburrum shire. These people have been involved in the sugar industry as well as the water infrastructure groups that have developed over the years. They all played a role in some way, shape or form—whether it was years ago or recently—to achieve what we saw yesterday. Jason Browne is the tribal elder, but he is more inclined to call himself a family elder of the Taribelang people. He gave a small talk on what Walla means to these people. Apparently Walla means a crossing of the river. They used that site where the weir is located for when they were walking, when they made trips to the Bunya Mountains for a festival or when they made other trips to Mon Repos for the turtle festival that they held some time ago. It is quite a special spot for them. So young Jason was very emotive about the naming of the Walla Weir after that area. Mr Churchward is an icon in the sugar industry. He is a man of vision and he has had a long history in the sugar industry. He is chairman of his local canegrowers. He has been involved in anything to do with the sugar industry and he has led the industry. He is an inspiration to all of us newer members of parliament, especially me, because he keeps himself terrifically informed about the issues relating to the sugar industry. I could not think of anyone more appropriate than he is to have a weir named after him. The Walla Weir is one of our greatest producing infrastructures in the Burnett. It was a terrific day.

Not-for-profit Insurance Scheme Mr HOBBS (Warrego—NPA) (7.07 p.m.): Tonight I want to speak about the government's not-for-profit insurance scheme. I have some severe concerns about this scheme, as I am sure have many other members of parliament. Indeed, the Treasurer himself even said that he believes that Suncorp, which is the company that operates the not-for-profit scheme for the government, is too expensive. 4496 Adjournment 6 Nov 2002

The interesting point to make is that the New South Wales government has put in place legislation that appears to have been able to alleviate some of those problems that we are experiencing in Queensland. In fact, there are many clubs, organisations and groups in New South Wales that are being offered insurance, whereas in Queensland similar organisations cannot even get insurance. It is quite clear that there is more to be done in this state. We need to look very closely at just what has happened in New South Wales. In fact, I think we ought to look at what has happened throughout the world and try to make that quantum leap to resolve this issue once and for all. A number of groups will have to fold if we do not put in place some process to assist them. The Hungerford sports and gymkhana committee was quoted $18,000 for one day's cover under the government's not-for-profit scheme. In 2001 they paid only $1,800. The Dulacca Hall committee, which last year was insured with Suncorp and paid a premium of $396, has this year been quoted a premium of $919 by Suncorp through its not-for-profit scheme. Previously, the Bollon Children's Hostel paid $5,000 for its public liability insurance. Recently, it was quoted a premium of $5,800 for cover under the not-for-profit scheme. However, another company said that it would provide cover for $3,500—which is a quite substantial saving of $2,300. I think that is one good example of where people have to make sure that they shop around for the best price. We were led to believe that this government scheme would be the best one. What about the Mungallala annual Christmas tree event that has taken place for 80 years? The insurance was $500 a year, but now it is $1,370. Even Santa is being knocked out of the ring. We have to do a lot more to try to keep those sorts of groups going. The Christmas tree event is one of the major events of the year for that community. It looks as though that community will not be able to conduct that event this year. It is interesting that the New South Wales government's changes have definitely allowed such groups to get insurance.

School Awards Nights, Glass House Electorate Ms MALE (Glass House—ALP) (7.10 p.m.): I rise this evening to tell the House and the wider community about the three excellent high schools in the electorate of Glass House. Over the past couple of weeks I have attended the awards nights of these schools and am sure members will not be surprised by the high standard of achievement these schools attain. Beerwah State High School has a large student body that is keenly involved in its school. The awards nights showcased the many students proud of their school, and the parents and wider community had a chance to express their pride in the young people. I also take this opportunity to congratulate Tyler Mackness on winning the integration award this year. Indeed, today the principal, Boyd Jorgensen, the 2003 school captains, Lisa Smith and Paul Rawlins, and student council president, Claire Jorgensen, joined me for lunch at Parliament House. These young people are a joy to talk to and I felt very rewarded to be able to answer their keen questions and talk about their plans for Beerwah State High School for 2003. The school is in safe hands with these confident and well-spoken young people. The Maleny State High School awards night was a friendly and relaxed affair very capably run by the senior students. I would like to reassure the principal, Paul Tarbuck, that although there were some minor technical hitches, I thoroughly enjoyed the chance to congratulate and celebrate with students who are talented and intelligent and enjoying school life. I extend my best wishes to the seniors of 2002 and wish incoming school captains, Gabrielle Swadling and Sam Armstrong, and the student council president, Troy Staines, all the best for a successful 2003. I hope that they will accept my invitation to lunch here at Parliament House early next year so that I can hear about their aspirations, plans and concerns for the year ahead. Also, I was very excited to attend Tullawong State High School and I thank the principal, Alistair Morrice, for the invitation. I was surprised by the diversity of the curriculum on offer and by the way so many students have a well-rounded approach to school life. I saw over and again students who excel at academia also receiving awards for sports, culture and citizenship. I am very proud of all these young people and wish incoming school captains, Hollie Hodgkinson and Nathan Stoneham, and vice captains, Abby Mannetje and Robert Krupinski, all the best for next year. Both Abby and Hollie were so excited about their new positions and I am sure they will work very hard with Nathan and Robert to represent the school once again. Tullawong has chosen its senior schooling positions well and, along with house captains, Josh Fordham, Chelsea Harwood, Stuart Clifford, Kimberley Buckingham, Zac Buckley, Haley Kinman, Sean Ventrice and Rebecca McCaffrey, I am sure that Tullawong will continue to be a school of excellence. 6 Nov 2002 Adjournment 4497

I am also looking forward to graduations at Landsborough, Maleny, Beerwah and Conondale state schools over the coming few weeks. The teachers and principals are certainly a driving force and create excellent educational opportunities in our Smart State schools. It has been a fantastic year in 2002 and I am sure that that will be repeated again in 2003 by the schools throughout my electorate. I thank them for all the hard work they do and congratulate all the students on a wonderful achievement this year.

Fruit and Vegetable Industry, Government Charges Ms LEE LONG (Tablelands—ONP) (7.13 p.m.): I want to address the ever increasing costs and constraints being placed on our rural industries and want to use an example from the fruit and vegetable industry to highlight this. This government is imposing greatly increased fees on this sector for the provision of something called plant health certification services. It is touted not as an increase to farmers but as a winding back of subsidies. As there is no accompanying winding back of state taxes, I think one would continue to refer to it as an increase in fees. It is clearly aimed not at making the government provide its services more comprehensively or have them better resourced or more readily accessible; it is aimed at making it more financially attractive for a commercial operator to take over. Phrases such as 'third party accreditation' are used but really what is meant is commercial operation. The logic that this move will free up resources at DPI for high priority activities suggests to me nothing more than that DPI is grossly underfunded; otherwise it would be performing these tasks already. If it is the case that DPI can perform high priority activities only by getting rid of other activities, one can only conclude that industry across this state is considered only a low priority by this government and as a result the budget allocation for DPI is too small for the job. Among the ironies of this situation is the DPI argument that one of the important government services which could use these resources is the negotiation of new market access protocols. One wonders what those protocols will be when it is plant health certification services which the department is gearing up to dump. Another irony is the position of DPI on the level of fees. A letter from the minister's office to a grower organisation describes the new charges as being set at a level to encourage third party providers. This same letter immediately goes on to say that such providers should be able to provide more flexible delivery to growers at more competitive prices. I am glad the Minister for Primary Industries is in that portfolio, because I would have grave concerns about someone who thinks higher prices are more competitive being in charge of, say, Treasury. I also note the inclusion of travel costs, especially for interstate certificate assurance audits, a reasonable enough thing one would imagine. While it is to be capped at two hours, it is nonetheless set at $140 per hour. Even simple inspections have a travel fee of more than $80 an hour. These are tremendous rates. No wonder the department thinks commercial operators may be interested. And while it may be appealing to them, it is a devastating impost on growers needing to access the inspection services. There are growers who have grave doubts about the basic claim that this move will provide a better service. They speak from experience. It is to be hoped that these ever increasing Beattie government fees and charges are not the straw that breaks the camels’ and farmers’ backs.

Air Force Cadets, 108 Squadron Mrs CHRISTINE SCOTT (Charters Towers—ALP) (7.16 p.m.): Tonight I wish to draw to the attention of this House a group of people from my community of whom I am very proud. They are the Air Force Cadets of 108 Squadron, their instructors and families. 108 Squadron was formed in Charters Towers in June 1996 and is one of nine in north Queensland. Together they make up one wing which has its headquarters in Townsville. Our local council provided land at the airport and the squadron established three buildings at the site, including an orderly room, training room and lecture building. This has meant much hard work and fundraising and working bees for all concerned. Under the expert tutelage of their dedicated band of instructors, Bill Schulter, Bill Norton, Wayne Dixon, Danielle Webster and Peter Row, around 35 cadets attend parade every Friday night where they learn drill and subjects including aviation, aircraft recognition, knowledge of the history and customs of the RAAF, survival and field craft. The Australian Air Force Cadets is a subcomponent of the Australian Services Cadet Scheme which aims, predominantly by volunteer effort, to better equip young people for community life by fostering initiative, leadership, discipline and loyalty. Four times a year the Charters Towers group goes out bush on a bivouac, cooking their own food and setting up a camp site et cetera. These are the activities many adults did with their parents when they were 4498 Adjournment 6 Nov 2002 children, but for a variety of reasons many teenagers these days do not get the opportunity to experience this—unless, of course, they are members of the cadets, the scouts or similar groups. Quite a few of the cadets are from the three boarding schools in Charters Towers and come from a number of different parts of north Queensland, including Karumba, Normanton, Julia Creek and Cloncurry as well as Charters Towers city and surrounds. The highlight of the ATC's year is the annual passing out parade and dinner. I will be joining with many proud parents and friends on the night to celebrate the end of another successful year for them. Last year's Mr Vise, Sergeant Clark, kept us all entertained. I know he has a great future ahead of him and will always be able to fall back on his skills as a comedian if all else fails. An emphasis is placed on creating a friendly environment with plenty of camaraderie, and our cadets also proudly participate in Anzac Day, Vietnam Day and Remembrance Day. As well as those dedicated instructors and their families, the squadron continues to owe a great deal to the support committee, which raises funds to meet running expenses such as telephone, Internet and electricity. Long-term members of the committee, Bob and Stephanie Townsend, finished their involvement this year after six years of hard work. People like Bob and Stephanie are the backbone of the committee. They will be sorely missed and difficult to replace. However, the people of this community are always willing to help others and I am sure someone will come forward to fill the void left by the Townsends. I do not believe that we can place too high a value on the work that groups such as 108 Squadron do for the betterment of our young people by arming them with the skills, confidence and maturity to go out and take their place in an ever changing and challenging world. I call on the members of this House to recognise the efforts of this fine group of young Queenslanders as well as those of their dedicated instructors, families and the support group.

Kangaroo Meat Industry Mr JOHNSON (Gregory—NPA) (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (7.19 p.m.): The most highly regarded and respected agricultural representative group in Australia, AgForce, under the stewardship of General President Larry Acton, does not make statements without substantiating the foundation of its argument. AgForce's macropod spokesman, Brian Rutledge, from Quilpie, is no exception to his organisation's rule. Vegetarian groups such as the British based VIVA have done enormous damage to the Australian kangaroo product industry through blatantly misinforming the international community with a total fabrication of what really happens by letting its campaigns of deceit destroy overseas markets, as is the case in England. Many rural towns in Queensland further supplement their community's population from the kangaroo industry, as they derive a living from this very important, integral, professionally run and disciplined industry. Kangaroo meat is an extremely healthy and lean meat and used to be stocked by one of England's major supermarket chains, but the supermarket had to withdraw the product not for any food safety reasons or because of poor sales but because daily protests by VIVA were upsetting customers. VIVA has now initiated a campaign to get one of the biggest sportswear manufacturers in the world to stop using kangaroo leather in some of its footwear products. The groups says that kangaroos in Australia are nearing extinction, which is absolute garbage. Mr Rutledge said that there were more than 38 million kangaroos in Queensland compared to 8 million sheep. The quota to harvest kangaroos in Queensland this year is 3.8 million, but only 40 per cent, or 1.5 million of the quota, will be met because the industry is just not viable if there are no markets. Mr Rutledge goes on to say that there are more kangaroos around now than in his grandfather's day. This is because better water supplies have been put in place by modern civilisation. The government must get behind this industry. If the industry is not viable, the quota will never be met and kangaroo numbers will sour. This will in turn cripple the livestock industry, annihilate the environment and further cripple rural towns and economies. I call on the Minister for Primary Industries, Henry Palaszczuk, and the federal Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile, to tell these overseas protesters the real truth and get behind this industry, which is important to local economies in western Queensland and all over Australia and is a national export earner. This is an industry that is supplementing the incomes of many western communities that have lost incomes through the downturn in the shearing and the wool industry. I call on the government and all honourable members to get behind this industry and prove its worth on the international stage. 6 Nov 2002 Adjournment 4499

Community Fundraising, Paradise Point Bowls Club, Paradise Point Shopping Village Mrs CROFT (Broadwater—ALP) (7.22 p.m.): Tonight I rise to speak on the wonderful community spirit that exists in my electorate of Broadwater. Over the past weeks in particular I have been moved by the actions of community organisations, individuals and businesses. Their enthusiasm and commitment to collectively helping others in our community is to be commended, and I take this opportunity tonight to mention two functions where this generosity has been evident. Last week I was happy to attend an afternoon tea at the Paradise Point Bowls Club, when the club presented a $2,000 cheque to the Gold Coast Hospital for the children's ward. The members of the bowls club raised the money for the cheque from its wrong bias collections—an initiative established this year and that will continue each year with the money going to a charity of the club's choice. While I appreciate that the members feel frustrated and disappointed when their bowl heads off in the wrong direction—and after my effort following the presentation I now know that bowls is a game that is not as easy as it looks—I am sure that Paradise Point Bowls Club members are comforted a little in the knowledge that their wrong bias fines are going towards a good cause, and this year the chosen charity is one that will hopefully put a smile on the faces of the children at the Gold Coast Hospital. I commend all of the members of the bowls club for their initiative and I look forward to visiting the bowls club again soon. Yesterday the Paradise Point Shopping Village was abuzz with the excitement of the Melbourne Cup but also with the good-feeling vibes generated when we do something good. The Melbourne Cup in Paradise Point luncheon attracted over 150 residents and business staff, who attended knowing that tickets sales were going towards a local organisation called the Paradise Point VIPs. The Paradise Point VIPs is a group organised to assist people who are vision impaired and which gets them out of their homes. They also do walks along the Paradise Point Esplanade. The money raised from the Melbourne Cup luncheon went not only to Paradise Point VIPs but also to Guide Dogs Australia. The event was entirely put together by a busy band of volunteers who lobbied local businesses and community representatives to donate something towards the day, from prizes through to the marquee itself and the televisions provided. I acknowledge the effort put in by Baze Road Cafe, which put on a splendid lunch, and also Baze Road Emporium, which provided the fashion parade for the day. The Melbourne Cup would not be the same without a fashion parade. The day was a fantastic example of community spirit. I thank all of the volunteers and businesses who worked very hard to put this event together. It raised awareness of the Paradise Point VIPs and what communities can achieve when they work together. I encourage businesses and residents to keep up the community spirit and continue to support our community organisations and groups. Motion agreed to. The House adjourned at 7.25 p.m.