Legislative Assembly Hansard 1972
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Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly TUESDAY, 24 OCTOBER 1972 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Questions Upon Notice [24 OCTOBER 1972] Questions Upon Notice 1231 TUESDAY, 24 OCTOBER 1972 public, but I can assure him the certificate discloses that the death was due to natural causes." Mr. SPEAKER (Hon. W. H. Lonergan, Flinders) read prayers and took the chair at 11 a.m. NET PREMIUM RECEIPTS, S.G.l.O. Dr. Crawford, pursuant to notice, asked PAPERS The Treasurer,- The following paper were laid on the table, (1) As the 1971 State Government and ordered to be printed:- Insurance Office report, certified by the Auditor-General, shows net premiums of Repcrt of the State Fire Services Council $15,816,000 and stamp duty of $429,013 for the year 1971-72. and as the provision by Jaw of three per The following papers were laid on the cent. duty would be $474,480, what is the table:- significance of the difference of $45,467'? Regulations under the Public Service Act 1922-1968. (2) As this sum is three per cent. of $1,515,000, is the original sum of $15,816,000 a net premium as stated? QUESTIONS UPON NOTICE (3) Do these amounts represent PROPOSED SCHOOL, MUNDINGBURRA reimbursement of the S.G.I.O. by Govern Mr. Ahern for Mr. Aikens, pursuant to ment departments and is this in accord notice, asked The Minister for Education,- with section 10 of the State Government Insurance Office Act? Has any firm decision yet been reached as to the date of commencement of con ( 4) When premium amounts are so struction of the proposed school on the confused, how can a claims ratio, which land acquired for this purpose some years should be based on premium rates, be ago in Bmt and Thompson Streets, calculated? Mundir1gburra? If so, what will be the type of school and what are the other rele (5) How is Government action in this vant particulars? matter related to the legal obligation? Answ:r:- Answers:- "My Department has a school site at In answering this Question, there are two the corner of Burt and Thompson Streets, general observations which I should make. Mundingburra, and this appears to be the In the first place the report of the State site to which the Honourable Member is Government Insurance Office is not referring. The latest report received from certified by the Auditor-General as stated the Regional Director indicates that a new by the Honourable Member in his Ques school -on this site will not be required tion. Page 15 of the report shows exactly for 1973. The matter, however, is being which of the accounts in the report are kept under review. The Honourable Mem certified by the Auditor-General. As to the ber may be assured that, when a school is second point, section 10 of the Workers' built on the site, it will be of modern Compensation Act (and not the State design." Government Insurance Act as stated by the Honourable Member) gives Crown em ployees the benefits of the Act in all cases DEATH OF MR. ToM GEIA, PALM ISLAND where the Act \1 ould apply if the employer, Dr. Crawford, pursuant to notice, asked which in this case is the Crown, were a The Minister for Justice,- private person. Since 1916 the Crown, in discharge of its obligation to its employees ( 1) As earlier this year a post-mortem under section 10, has arranged with the examination was carried out by the relevant office for all claims by its employees to be authorities, and no doubt under the processed by the office. The cxpendi:ure auspices of the coroner in Townsville, on incurred by the office i:1 this behalf is Mr. Tom Geia of Palm Island, were any recoup-:d by the Crown together with doubts as to the cause of death expressed administrative costs. The payments made by the authorities investigating this death by the office on such claims have always or by th~ medical personnel involved? been shown in the final accounts as "claims" (2) What were the findings of the post and payments made to the office by the mortem? Crown have always been shown in the final accounts as "premiums". In light of the Answers: foregoing observations, the Answer to the Honourable Member's Question is as (!) "No." follows:- (2) "As the Honourable Member is (1 to 3) "I would refer the Hon:-mrable aware, the contents of post-mortem certifi Member to the profit and loss statement cates are not available to the general of the Workers' Compensation Fund on 1232 Questions Upon Notice [24 OCTOBER 1972] Questions Upon Notice page 13 of the report. The stamp duty is ( 2) Has he seen Press reports regarding payable on premiums, less the Government the cause of the flooding? contribution already referred to and the ( 3) Will he arrange for officers of his amount of bonus distribution. The amount Department to inspect the area as soon as of the Government contribution in 1970-71 possible with a view to finding the cause was $1,120,142. The amount of bonus of the sudden flooding? distribution was $6,727,745 as shown in the Auditor-General's report. The small difference between the amount of stamp Answer:- duty apparently payable and the amount (! to 3) "I am aware of the flooding paid as shown in the profit and loss state which occurred as a result of torrential rain ment is because of the inclusion of re on Wednesday, October 18, 1972, when the insurance premiums and certain provisions main Brisbane-Ipswich railway line was in the premium figure." washed out near East Ipswich. The matter ( 4) "Premium amounts are not con is the subject of an engineering investiga fused. The Government's contributions are tion and I shall supply the Honourable separately recorded in the accounting sys Member with further information." tem and are excluded when premium rates are being determined." (5) "See my opening observations." TIMBER PRODUCTION Mr. Marginson for Mr. Sherrington, pur suant to notice, asked The Minister for RAIL-MOTOR SERVICE, MARYBOROUGH Lands,- URANGAN (1) What are the total areas of (a) M:r. Alison, pursuant to notice, asked The hardwood, (b) pine and (c) rain forest Minister for Transport,- outside national park areas which are ( 1) What loss per week would be available for commercial exploitation? incurred by the Railway Department by (2) What are the annual production the restoration of the rail-motor service totals of (a) hardwood and (b) softwood between Maryborough and Urangan for and what are the amounts of exports and two week-days per week, with passenger imports of each variety? and freight traffic being the same as at the time the service was cancelled? Answers:- (2) Are any other country branch lines (!) "These areas include freehold land, in Queensland not making a profit and, if Crown tenures, State Forests and Timber so, is it his intention to curtail these Reserves. The information sought is not services? available from any source known to the (3) Are any suburban lines not running Department of Forestry." at a profit and, if so, is it his intention to ( 2) "The best estimates that can be curtail these services? made of the total annual production of (a) hard woods and (b) softwoods from Answers:~ Queensland forests are:-(a) Hardwoods, (1) "Assuming the same passenger and 317 million super. feet (Hoppus); and (b) freight patronage as was previously Softwoods (including Cypress Pine), 13 7 afforded this rail motor service, the loss to million super. feet (Hoppus). Annual operate two return rail motor services exports are esiimated at (a) Hardwoods, per week would be $66." 20 million super. feet (Hoppus); and (b) (2) "There is a continuous review of Softwoods, 28 million super. feet non-profitable lines of railway." (Hoppus). Annual imports are-( a) Hardwoods, 90 million super. feet (3) "The suburban lines provide a ser (Hoppus); and (b) Softwoods, 19 million vice to citizens who, in the main, have no super. feet (Hoppus). In addition there are alternative means of mass transport avail important imports of wood-based products able to them. There is no intention to close for which no figures are available. These any line where no alternative means of refer chiefly to pulp and paper." transport is available but the question of curtailing services is constantly receiving attention." PROTECTION OF WEDGE-TAILED EAGLE Marginson for Mr. Sherrington, pur FLOODING OF RAILWAY LINE, EAST Mr. IPSWICH suant to notice, asked The Minister for Primary Industries,- Dll'. Edwards, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Transport,- Following the removal of the wedge tailed eagle from the pest fauna list and (!) Is he aware of flooding problems its becoming classified as a protected which occurred adjacent to the Brisbane species in other Australian States some Ipswich railway line in James and Spring eighteen months ago and because of the Streets, East Ipswich, this week? failure of this State to take similar action Question:r Upon Notice [24 OCTOBER 1972] Questions Upon Notice 1233 because of conflicting opinions between (5) "The company appears to be com the Primary Industries and Lands Ministers plying with its obligations under the Com at that time, have further investigations panies Act." been carried out and is this species to be protected in Queensland? BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL DISPLAY OF Answer:- MAIN ROADS WoRK "No further investigations have been Mr. Chinch en, pursuant to notice, asked carried out by my Department. I would The Minister for Mines,- point out that the wedge-tailed eagle is not in any way endangered in Queens ( 1) Has he seen the Brisbane City land, or for that matter in Western Aus Hall foyer display, depicting in photo tralla, South Australia and the Northern graphs and models the magnificent works Territory where it is also not protected.