Hansard 5 October 1993

Legislative Assembly 4603 5 October 1993 TUESDAY, 5 OCTOBER 1993 PETITIONS The Clerk announced the receipt of the following petitions— Mr SPEAKER (Hon. J. Fouras, Ashgrove) read prayers and took the chair at 10 a.m. Railway Services From Dr Watson (22 signatories) praying OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH OF NEW that the Parliament of Queensland will enact PARLIAMENT legislation which secures the services provided Mr SPEAKER: Order! I ask honourable by 29 railway branch lines which are to be members to resume their seats so that the closed. official photograph of the Forty-seventh Parliament can be taken. Dam, Wide Bay Creek ASSENT TO BILLS From Mr Perrett (715 signatories) praying Assent to the following Bills reported by that the proposed dam on Wide Bay Creek be Mr Speaker— not built. Integrated Resort Development Amendment Bill; Bridge, Jimboomba Creek Willows Sports Complex Bill; From Mr Lingard (3 511 signatories) Workers’ Compensation Amendment Bill; praying for the Department of Transport to Queensland Tourist and Travel Corporation provide immediate finance for the construction Amendment Bill; of a new bridge across Jimboomba Creek at Wet Tropics World Heritage Protection and Jimboomba. Management Bill. Petitions received. PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATIONS STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS Report In accordance with the schedule Mr SPEAKER: Honourable members, I circulated by the Clerk to members in the have to report that I have received the Chamber, the following documents were nineteenth report of the Parliamentary tabled— Commissioner for Administrative Investigations, Queensland for the period Breakwater Island Casino Agreement Act— 1 July 1992 to 30 June 1993. Breakwater Island Casino Agreement Ordered to be printed. Variation Regulation 1993, No. 347 New South Wales–Queensland Border Rivers Amendment Act— PAPERS TABLED DURING RECESS Proclamation-the provisions of the Act not Mr SPEAKER: Honourable members, I in force commence 17 September 1993, have to advise the House that papers were No. 348 tabled during the recess in accordance with Primary Producers’ Organisation and Marketing the details provided on the Daily Program Act— circulated to members in the Chamber. Primary Producers’ Organisation and The Clerk of the Parliament— Marketing (Egg Marketing Boards Extension) Regulation (No. 3) 1993, 28 September 1993 No. 349 Queensland Industry Development Corporation Annual Report for 1992–93 Recording Of Evidence Act— 4 October 1993 Recording of Evidence Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 1993, No. 351 Parliamentary Service Commission Annual Sawmills Licensing Act— Report for 1992–93 Ordered to be printed. Sawmill Licensing Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 1993, No. 350. 5 October 1993 4604 Legislative Assembly PAPERS I take the opportunity to acknowledge The following papers were laid on the publicly that 1993 marks Mr Stephan’s tenth table— year of continuous service as a member of the Committee of Subordinate Legislation. (a) Deputy Premier, Minister for Administrative Services and Minister for I take the opportunity also to express the Rural Communities (Mr Burns)— committee’s appreciation for the work carried Administrative Services out by the secretary, Madeline Cook. I would Department—Annual Report for like also to recognise the contributions made 1992-93 by our legal adviser, Dr Don Gifford; part-time assistant, Helen Grant; Monica Hayes, who (b) The Treasurer (Mr De Lacy)— provides secretarial support to the committee; Queensland Investment and Rex Klein and the committee secretariat. Corporation— Annual Report for 1992-93 I move that the report be printed. Queensland Office of Financial Ordered to be printed. Supervision—Annual Report for 1992-93 QUESTIONS UPON NOTICE (c) Minister for Housing, Local Government and Planning (Mr Mackenroth)— 1. School Dental Service Reports of the Local Government Mr HORAN asked the Minister for Commissioner in relation to Reviews Health— of Internal (Electoral) Boundaries— City Councils—Hervey Bay, “With reference to the Government’s Logan allocation in this year’s budget to extend Shire Council—Banana. the school dental service to years 8, 9 and 10 and the current policy of the Australian Dental Association that all LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY dentists use handpieces suitable for heat (PARLIAMENTARY SERVICE COMMISSION) sterilisation, that all handpieces be Tabling of Documents sterilised by Autoclave before use with each patient and that these procedures Hon. T. M. MACKENROTH be in place by the end of 1993— (Chatsworth—Leader of the House) (10.04 a.m.): I lay upon the table of the House Will he guarantee that these the Statement of Recurrent Expenditure of the infection control arrangements will be in Office of Speaker for the period 1 July 1992 to place at every school dental service by 30 June 1993 and the Estimates of the that date?” Legislative Assembly, the Parliamentary Mr HAYWARD: I seek leave to table the Service Commission and the Parliamentary answer and have it incorporated in Hansard. Service for 1993-94. Leave granted. As the Honourable Member has noted, this COMMITTEE OF SUBORDINATE Labor Government will extend the School LEGISLATION Dental Service to students in years 8, 9 and 10 commencing this financial year. The extension Report will begin with year 8 and will be progressively Mr J. H. SULLIVAN (Caboolture) (10.05 implemented through years 9 and 10 in coming a.m.): I lay on the table of the House the years. annual report of the Committee of Authoritative advice on infection control in Subordinate Legislation. I would like to thank dentistry can be found in the National Health members of the committee, Deputy Chairman, and Medical Research Council’s approved Len Stephan, the member for Gympie; Mr Guidelines for the prevention of transmission of Denver Beanland, the member for viral infection in dentistry(1992). Indooroopilly; Mr Gordon Nuttall, the member These guidelines recommend the use of a for Sandgate; Mr Peter Pyke, the member for sterile handpiece for each patient and Mount Ommaney; Mr Stephen Robertson, the autoclaving as the preferred method of member for Sunnybank; and Miss Fiona sterilisation. Simpson, the member for Maroochydore, for The NH&MRC guidelines provide the basis for their valuable contribution to the work of the the policy that has subsequently been committee. developed by the Australian Dental Association. The ADA’s policy on this matter states: Legislative Assembly 4605 5 October 1993 “The Association, recognising that to reputation as a high performance funds achieve autoclaving of handpieces may manager. require a considerable outlay for new In its fifth year of operation, the return of 11.4% equipment, recommends that universal is a satisfying result given that it compares with sterilisation of handpieces by autoclaving an asset weighted average return of 10.9% as be introduced in practice over the next 18 measured by the In Tech Survey of Pooled months, to be implemented by the end of Superannuation Funds. 1993.” QIC has been able to successfully combine the Members will note that this is a desire to maximise client returns with the need recommendation from the ADA to its members. for a disciplined and conservative approach to In my meetings with the ADA the Association investment management. has been pleased to point out that dentists The returns for the five largest pooled were moving quickly to implement the superannuation funds in the In Tech survey is recommended policy. The Association is listed as follows: justifiably proud of its record of effectiveness in the area of professional self regulation. FUND RETURN SIZE OF FUND The performance standards of the School MLC Growth 12.7% $893 million Dental Service are also of a comparable level to MLC Balanced 12.2% $2.7 billion those in private dentistry. BT Australia 10.8% $3.8 billion WESTPAC 10.3% $893 million Heat sterilisation of instruments using the steam AMP Market Linked 9.1% $931 million autoclave has been accepted practice in AMP Balanced 7.6% $2.6 billion school dental clinics since 1975. Older However, it must also be remembered that the equipment that could not withstand the rigours real proof of a funds managers performance is of repeated autoclaving is being replaced. in consistency over time. It is therefore even I am advised that this replacement program will more pleasing to note that over a three year meet the ADA’s recommended deadline. period, QIC’s average annual net return of Finally I should point out that, despite the 12.1% easily exceeds the pooled sensationalist, media driven approach to health superannuation funds average of 10.3%. policy sometimes adopted by Members QIC is in the business of managing investments opposite, the public is entitled to be confident on behalf of a number of public sector in the standards of infection control adopted superannuation funds. by the dental profession. Therefore the members of Queenslands public I will quote again the words of the Australian sector superannuation funds and the Dental Association. The Federal President of Government as the employer reap the benefits the Association, Dr Fred Widdop recently said: from QIC's performance. “..the facts are: There is no confirmed For those Government employees who instance of a patient catching a disease participate in accumulation schemes, these from a dentist’s handpiece, anywhere in benefits are realised immediately through the world (and certainly not in Australia).” above average returns credited to members Australian dentists are out there doing a good accounts. job and the School Dental Service can hold its For defined benefits funds (which means the own with the best of them. benefits are calculated according to salary, contribution rate and length of scheme membership) members can rest assured that 2. Queensland Investment Corporation the solid performance of QIC enhances Mr BARTON asked the Treasurer— considerably the financial strength of their fund. “As the Queensland Investment Corporation has announced a return on The Government also gains through the investment performance enhancing the viability investment for the year 1992–93 of of its superannuation schemes.

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