Legislative Assembly Hansard 1984
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Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly THURSDAY, 5 APRIL 1984 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy 2488 5 April 1984 Papers THURSDAY, 5 APRIL 1984 Mr SPEAKER (Hon. J. H. Warner, Toowoomba South) read prayers and took the chair at 11 a.m. PAPERS The foUowing papers were laid on the table— Proclamation under the Forestry Act 1959-1982 Order in CouncU under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1975-1982. Personal Explanations 5 AprU 1984 2489 MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Twin Rivers Tavern Hon. I. J. GIBBS (Albert—Minister for Mines and Energy) (11.2 a.m.), by leave: I wish to make a ministerial statement regarding accusations made against me by the member for Sandgate (Mr Warburton) in this House yesterday. It is Interesting to find that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has now been promoted to bucketman of his party. Unfortunately for him and the party, he has neither the wit nor the ability to deliver the muck as his predecessor did. Yesterday it was my turn, and that of a friend of mine, Mr Paul Flann, to be the target of false accusations by the Labor Party. No-one regrets more than I the fact that Mr and Mrs Schultz, who launched the Twin Rivers Tavern at Eagleby, landed In severe financial difficulties that forced the closure of the tavern. But to hear the Deputy Leader of the Opposition's accusations in this House yesterday, one would think that that was the first time such a thing had happened in Queensland. Every day there are bankruptcies; every day there are occasions when people with the best will and intentions in the world find that their businesses collapse around them. But the accusation by the member for Sandgate that people who land in that position are frauds deserves the condemnation of this House. There are times when the public, quite rightly, forms a poor opinion of the muck raking that goes on in this House. Yesterday we saw an example of It; on Tuesday we had another example, when the member for Mackay completely fabricated a story about the Premier obtaining a condonminlum on Hamilton Island. How long will It take Opposition members to realise that. In becoming muck-peddlars, they not only become covered in muck themselves, but lessen people's respect for this House and what it means? I notice that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, when interviewed on television last night, was very careful not to mention names or make the same accusations that he made in the House yesterday. What is really galling Is that, although I have the opportunity to defend myself by answering these untruths, other members of the public do not have the same avenues of reply. Had the Deputy Leader of the Opposition made a few phone calls before he made the allegations, he would have discovered that much of what he was about to say was in fact untrue. Rather than do that and ^)oll his story for want of a few facts, he caused even greater suffering to people who have already suffered enough. PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS Mr WRIGHT (Rockhampton—Leader of the Opposition) (11.5 a.m.), by leave: In the ParUament yesterday the Minister for Industry, SmaU Business and Technology (Mr Ahern), in his response to a question I asked, impUed that I was misrepresenting the facts relating to criticism of him published in last Sunday's "Sunday MaU". In "The Sunday MaU" there was criticism of him by mining and manufacturing groups. They said that his department's announcement of $20,()00m worth of projects was "a deUberate attempt to create Inferences which verge on dishonesty" To clarify this matter and to substantiate the claims that I was making yesterday, I refer to the speech delivered on Monday of this week by the chairman of MIM Holdings Ltd, Mr Bruce Watson, to the Institution of Engineers conference. He said— "It concerns me that the boom mentaUty which has been responsible for many of our current economic poUcies Is apparently aUve and well in this State." Mr Watson says that Mr Ahern's department report gives— " a false Impression that once high levels of resource investment in this State are to continue well Into the future. That Is simply not so." To further substantiate my claims—Mr Watson went on to say that he regrets that the level of Government charges is proving to be an increasing deterrent for projects whose economics are finely balanced. 2490 5 April 1984 Personal Explanations Representatives of the manufacturing and mining industries regard the Government's claims as "a deliberate attempt to create inferences which verge on dishonesty"; yet the Minister says, "I stand by the claims that have been made." In doing so, he attempts to create the Impression that the Opposition is engaging in some kind of subversive activity by raising the criticism of the Grovernment by senior representatives of the private sector. Mr AHERN: I rise to a point of order and ask for your mling, Mr Speaker, as to whether the Standing Order aUowing a member to make a personal explanation can be availed of to debate a policy matter, which is what the honourable member is doing. Ms SPEAKER: Order! The personal explanation is In order. Mr WRIGHT: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I make the point that yesterday the Minister made claims from which it could be Inferred that the statements I was making were untrue. Because that is a reflection on me, I believe that I have the right, by using the speech of Mr Watson, to substantiate the claims that I have made. The Government's claims In this matter are typical of the campaign of lies and deceit which it continues to pursue. I make a further point about one of the other offenders, the Deputy Premier and Minister Assisting the Treasurer (Mr Gunn), who yesterday twice implied that I was supplying to the Parliament Inaccurate or misleading information about taxes. In the space of thirty seconds In this House yesterday, the Minister seriously misled the Parliament on two Important matters. He was teUIng blatant untruths. The first untruth was—and It is on the record In "Hansard"— "They (people from other States) are coming here at the rate of 1 000 a week". The Minister ought to know that the latest figures show that, for the September quarter last year, migration to Queensland from other States was 2 408. That 2408 Is for three months—hardly 1 000 people a week! The second untruth was— "Queensland Is the lowest-taxed State". Again, this is simply not true. Queensland is the third-lowest taxed State In AustraUa. Tasmania and South Australia have significantly lower levels of State taxation than Queensland, and I table the figures to substantiate that statement. Whereupon the honourable member laid the figures on the table. Mr BJELKE-PETERSEN: I rise to a point of order. This Is not a personal explanation. Mr Wright: You don't like the truth. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the OpposUion has made his pomt. Mr CASEY (Mackay) (11.9 a.m.), by leave: Yesterday in this Pariiament the Premier used the guise of a personal explanation to make a scurrilous accusation against me, the content of which (mainly because of the uproar which existed in the Chamber at the time) I only became aware of through this morning's media. Let me assure this House that his allegations are completely untrue and are clouded by the deep personal hatred that he has displayed towards me since I first entered this Chamber. If I had ever, as alleged by him, "thieved Government moneys", he faUed In his duty as leader of the Government to prosecute me; hence he is equally guilty of his own charges. People who live in glass houses sHould never throw stones. Mr BJELKE-PETERSEN: I rise to a point of order. I am not the one who says that he has stolen the money. The Auditor-General said he owes money. If the honourable member wants me to, I will get that information from the Auditor-General. He has never paid it back, and he knows it. Mr CASEY: In his own case, the Premier has contlnuaUy used his high office to satisfy his own personal greed and never has his Government taken a decision which was contrary to the financial fortunes of himself and his family. Throughout all of this, he has Questions Upon Notice 5 AprU 1984 2491 endeavoured to hide his greed under the mantle of ChristianUy. He always reminds me of the soldier at the foot of Christ's cross, who maintained he was only doing his duty, yet he organised the casting of lots for Christ's robes. Mr BJELKE-PETERSEN: I rise to a point of order. The honourable member is now showing his true colours and the type of man that he Is. OpposUion Members: What Is your point of order? Mr BJELKE-PETERSEN: Once again he is using a personal explanation to attack somebody. Mr CASEY: If that soldier's name had been Bjelke-Petersen, I would bet that the dice would have been deliberately loaded In his favour. QUESTIONS UPON NOTICE Questions submitted on notice by members were answered as follows— 1. Wage-fixation Principles Mr Neal asked the Minister for Employment and Industrial Affairs— With reference to the fact that the Full Bench of the Arbitration Commission handed down its decision on 4 April in the national wage case, that it is understood there wiU be a hearing in the week commencing 9 AprU in Brisbane of the related State wage case and with reference to one of the most important principles, in both the national guide-lines and the guide-lines of the State Industrial Commission, namely, the principle that unions give an undertaking not to pursue any extra claims that are Inconsistent with those principles— (1) What, if any, Queensland unions have failed to give that undertaking? (2) What, If any, unions have breached their undertakings and the wage fixation- principles? (3) Will any action be taken against these unions? Answer— (1 to 3) In response to the wage-indexation system introduced by the State Indus trial Commission in October 1983, every Queensland union was required to give an undertaking to the effect that, for a period of two years from 6 October 1983, it would not pursue any extra claims, award or over-award, except where consistent with those principles.