13 May 1998 Ministerial Statement 1067

WEDNESDAY, 13 MAY 1998 prestigious Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra. We should take a moment to give thanks for her life, tenacity and spirit. It may be that we should also encourage other young Mr SPEAKER (Hon. N. J. Turner, Nicklin) women to take up the baton. read prayers and took the chair at 9.30 a.m. As I said, the condolences of the Opposition go to the family of Midshipman Megan Pelly. I leave members with a small quote PAPERS included in the funeral notice from the family. It The following papers were laid on the states— table— "You cannot say, you must not say Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for the That she is dead, she is just away. Arts (Mrs Sheldon)— Queensland Treasury Corporation—Half Think of her still as the same way, and say Yearly Report to 31 December 1997 She is not dead, she is just away." Queensland Theatre Company—Annual Motion agreed to. Report 1 January 1997 to 31 December 1997. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT MOTION OF CONDOLENCE Surgery on Time Death of Midshipman M. Pelly Hon. M. J. HORAN (Toowoomba South—Minister for Health) (9.34 a.m.), by leave: Hon. R. E. BORBIDGE (Surfers Recently the coalition State Government Paradise—Premier) (9.31 a.m.), by leave: This announced an immediate $15m funding increase afternoon the Queensland town of Dalby will to continue the State Government's successful mourn the loss of one of its daughters, strategy to reduce elective surgery waiting times Midshipman Megan Anne Pelly, who died in across Queensland. This new funding, now tragic circumstances aboard HMAS Westralia available to the State Government as a result of eight days ago. Midshipman Pelly's funeral notice Queensland's preparedness to sign the new in Monday's Courier-Mail bears the proud Australian Health Care Agreements with the declaration "Died in the line of duty". Her tragic Federal Government, will be distributed to 39 death, along with the deaths of three other crew Queensland public hospitals and will be used members aboard HMAS Westralia, was a stark exclusively to continue the ongoing reminder of the dangers faced by our servicemen improvements to reduce elective surgery waiting and women both in war and in peacetime. Our times. sympathies go to Megan's family and friends, who later today will farewell her for the final time. I It is expected that this $15m increase will move— fund about 15,000 extra surgical procedures, and the purchase of new surgery equipment. "That the House take note of my $9.6m of this funding package will be distributed statement." to the 10 major Queensland public hospitals, Mr BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—Leader which to date have spearheaded the success of of the Opposition) (9.32 a.m.): I second the the coalition's Surgery on Time strategy, and motion moved by the Premier. In doing so, I add include: Cairns Base Hospital, $1m; Gold Coast my support and the support of all members of the Hospital, $1m; Ipswich Hospital, $400,000; Opposition to this condolence motion. As we all Nambour Hospital, $1m; Princess Alexandra, know, Dalby is like so much of Queensland's $1m; Rockhampton, $100,000; Royal Brisbane regional and rural heart. It has retained the sense Hospital, $2m; Prince Charles, $1m; Toowoomba of belonging and community that is now lost in so Hospital, $1m; and Townsville Hospital, $1m. many other places in Australia. So it is that the Additionally, public hospitals in other key loss of a vibrant young woman on the threshold regional and rural centres have also benefited of a bright professional career will be a blow not from this new elective surgery package, including only to her family but also to Dalby and the heart hospitals at Bundaberg, Redcliffe, Caboolture, of that community. Logan, Mackay, Maryborough, Hervey Bay, the Midshipman Megan Pelly had already Mater, the QE II, Gladstone, Gympie, Bowen and displayed courage and determination in her Brisbane's bayside district. I table for the choice of career by opting to serve in the Navy, information of honourable members the full list of following her sister Kim's example of joining the district health services that will share in this new armed forces. She was a graduate of the package. 1068 Ministerial Statement 13 May 1998

On coming to office in early 1996 the blatantly lie about crime statistics and police coalition State Government immediately moved numbers. Evidence of that is all the silly to implement its Surgery on Time program in an pamphlets that they trot out around the State. effort to reduce the unacceptably high elective They also trot out police to population ratios and surgery waiting times which had occurred under tell anyone silly enough to listen that they are the the previous Labor State Government. worst in Australia. The members opposite can Significant improvements have been made, take sole credit for that. They left us with that particularly in reducing Category 1 elective legacy. We are repairing the damage. surgery waiting times. Category 1 is the most When it comes to policing, the coalition urgent surgery category, where surgery should leaves Labor for dead. In the last three years of be received within 30 days. Labor, when the Goss administration budgeted As at 1 May 1998, 98% of Category 1 $1.5 billion for policing, a miserly 29 extra police patients in Queensland's 10 major hospitals are hit the streets—in three years. How pathetic! The now receiving surgery on time within 30 days, coalition boosted strength by 160 in its first full while 78% of Category 2 patients—the semi- financial year and is ahead of target for another urgent list where surgery should be received 252 in 1997-98. within 90 days—are now getting their surgery on In the two years between February 1996 time. This result must be compared with elective and February this year, we boosted numbers in surgery waiting times under the previous Labor the Northern Region by 46. In three years, Labor State Government, when only 51% of Category 1 managed 24. Labor slashed numbers in the patients received their surgery on time, while Central Region by nine; we have increased them only 58% of Category 2 patients were treated on by 42. In the North Coast Region, Labor allowed time. Queensland now has the best Category 1 numbers to slump by seven; we have boosted surgery waiting times in Australia, compared with them by 59. In the Far North, Labor went up having the worst in the nation under Labor in three; the coalition went up 35. In Metro South, 1995. Also, Category 2 surgery waiting times are Labor went down 24; the coalition went up by 64. the lowest ever recorded in Queensland, with In Metro North, Labor went down 111; the ongoing improvements still expected. coalition went up by 45. In the South Eastern Region, Labor went down by 26; the coalition MINISTERIAL STATEMENT went up by 85. In the Southern Region, it took Labor three years to produce 32 extra officers. In Police Numbers just over two years we have put in 37. Hon. T. R. COOPER (Crows Nest— All regions received healthy allocations of Minister for Police and Corrective Services and first-year constables from the 24 April induction. Minister for Racing) (9.37 a.m.), by leave: There The members opposite should give credit where are now around 450 more police patrolling cities credit is due. They and those they purport to and towns across Queensland than when the represent are amongst the biggest beneficiaries coalition came to Government in February 1996. from our staffing plan. The member for Waterford, By the end of the year, the coalition will have whose electorate is in the Logan district, is now boosted the sworn strength of the Queensland 25 police better off than he was under his own Police Service to around 7,000, or about 640 Government. How is that? It speaks volumes for more than in 1996. his performance. The member for Currumbin Official QPS statistics make a mockery of watched as Labor slashed numbers on the Gold hollow Opposition claims that the coalition is not Coast by 50. We have boosted them by 67. The delivering on its police numbers commitment. member for Brisbane Central and the member for They have taken this track because they are Kedron, a former Police Minister, saw Labor slash acutely embarrassed by our record of delivering Metro North numbers by 111. We have increased new police. If they are embarrassed now, that is them by 45 in two years. They should get down nothing compared with how they will feel in a few on their knees and give thanks. months when scores more police hit the streets. Some other district comparisons are: Cairns, We are ahead of our schedule to provide Labor went down 18, the coalition has gone up 800 extra sworn officers and 400 civilian by eight; Oxley, Labor went down one, the positions by August 1999. We are on track not coalition went up 32; Wynnum, Labor went down just with police numbers but with our plan to eight, the coalition went up six; Mackay, Labor make the QPS the most efficient, effective and went down 13, the coalition has gone up 24; accountable Police Service in the country. Yet South Brisbane, Labor went down 62, the the member for Waterford and his Labor cohorts coalition has gone up 36; the Sunshine Coast, deliberately mislead people by claiming that the Labor went down 20, the coalition is up 17; Government is behind schedule. In fact, they Logan, Labor made no change at all, the coalition 13 May 1998 Ministerial Statement 1069 has gone up 25; Toowoomba, Labor went down dollar boost to numerous indigenous education by six, the coalition went up by 10; Maryborough, strategies in two record Budgets. Labor went up by four, the coalition went up by A vital element is my Ministerial Advisory 15; Gladstone, Labor went down six, the coalition Council on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander went up 16; in Mount Isa under Labor, they went Education, known as MACATSIE. I formed up by five, the coalition has put it up by 26; and in MACATSIE last year to gain expert advice from Redcliffe, Labor went down by nine, the coalition indigenous communities throughout the State went up by 25. Cop that! on how to enhance the education of their primary These figures demonstrate clearly—they and high school students. The council has are QPS statistics, and they are good already identified increased parent participation statistics—the dramatic improvements all the way as a key strategy for boosting the literacy and around. And I can tell honourable members that numeracy levels, and retention rates of there are plenty more police to come. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Members are now investigating ways of achieving this and other goals relating to behaviour MINISTERIAL STATEMENT management practices and early intervention for learning difficulties. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Career Aspirations Pathways Program The 10 recently appointed MACATSIE participation officers are distributing information Hon. R. J. QUINN (Merrimac—Minister and holding workshops in local communities for Education) (9.42 a.m.), by leave: Since across Queensland. They can encourage coming to office in February 1996, this families to become more involved in supporting Government has made a concerted effort to their children in the three Rs and in joining boost the education of our many Aboriginal and decision making and social activities at schools. Torres Strait Islander students throughout These initiatives are helping our thousands of Queensland. Most recently, I launched a program indigenous students throughout Queensland to last week aimed at encouraging indigenous improve their lives and prospects through the students to stay longer at school to both boost benefits of a better education. their literacy and numeracy levels and improve their career options. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Career Aspirations Pathways Program, or Trade Surge AICAPP, is an exciting and innovative scheme Hon. D. J. SLACK (Burnett—Minister for targeting our 4,200 indigenous students in Years Economic Development and Trade and Minister 7 and 8. It will provide incentives for these Assisting the Premier) (9.44 a.m.), by leave: With students to continue at school until completion economic events continuing to unfold in some of of Year 10, when their future options increase our trading partners to the north, now more than and become more flexible. The program will ever Queensland needs a strong, innovative and involve a stronger curriculum focus on career competitive export sector. The latest export pathways as well as combining life skills with figures bear out that that is exactly what literacy and numeracy to make the basics more Queensland has. These are challenging times for attractive and relevant. The goal is to enhance our exporters. They have risen to the occasion, opportunities for indigenous school leavers, supported in part by a lower Australian dollar whether they be apprenticeships, traineeships, which has assisted in some key export sectors immediate employment or further tertiary and and also by their ability to respond positively to TAFE study. changing economic circumstances. The Starting tomorrow, 29 student careers Queensland Government is providing practical expos will be held across the State, coordinated and effective leadership and support for by Education Queensland and the Tertiary exporters looking to do business in traditional Entrance Procedures Authority. Resources such markets and those looking to diversify. as a work skills booklet will be developed. Career The most recent Australian Bureau of guidance and information will be provided to Statistics figures for Queensland merchandise students, parents, schools, training providers exports show that, for the first nine months of this and employer groups with the aid of newsletters financial year, Queensland exports totalled nearly and the Murri Thusi Internet web site. The joint $12 billion. An analysis of these figures by my Education Queensland and Commonwealth department indicates that this represents an Department of Education program has initial increase on the corresponding period in 1996- funding of $500,000 over the next year. That 97 of 18.2%. I am cautiously optimistic that a complements this Government's multimillion- sustained strong Queensland export response 1070 Ministerial Statement 13 May 1998 will help to cushion the impact of the downturn in conducted by a previous exploration permit our key Asian markets. Exports for the March holder and the Department of Mines itself, and its quarter are also up by nearly 20% over the same mine development benefited from that quarter in 1997, and this is no flash in the export exploration. pan. Exports for the month of March—the most The meeting that I had with officers of my recent figures available—show a rise of 45% on department at my request was a proper and the same month last year. Also, during 1997-98, prudent one in which I sought advice in respect each monthly total has been higher than that of the matter. As a result of that meeting, I was recorded in the previous financial year. satisfied that the actions taken by officers of my Figures indicate that our exporters are department were appropriate and beyond diversifying and that the world is hungry for what reproach. we have to offer. While exports to some The departmental file note of this meeting, countries in Asia are understandably down, on tabled by the member for Sandgate, documents the whole exports to that region remain strong. the fact that I was satisfied that due process was Korea is up by 24%; Thailand, 34%; Japan, 28%; being followed. I was also satisfied that the United States, 22%; India, 9%; Taiwan, 36%; recommendations made to me in respect of the the United Kingdom, 28%; France, 19%; and granting of the exploration permit were based Italy, 65%. I am especially pleased with these upon careful and prudent consideration of the ABS figures because they show that in these facts. I therefore agreed to the grant of the uncertain times Queensland has also increased tenure. its share of all national exports while other States, notably Victoria, recorded a decline. I said a moment ago that the member for Sandgate had engaged in some selective Exports are crucial to our economic editing. His most disgraceful omission, however, prosperity. They generate $19 billion— was to not inform the House that a statement of approximately 20% of the State's income—and reasons under the Judicial Review Act was provide employment for many thousands of provided by the department to AQRM, clearly Queenslanders. While the impact of the Asian stating the reasons why the company was not economic downturn remains unclear, these latest successful in its bid. The member for Sandgate figures clearly indicate that to date Queensland's has sought to conceal this vital piece of merchandise exporters are performing well. information. I make no comment on the unsubstantiated MINISTERIAL STATEMENT allegations made with respect to Mr Ken Talbot except to say that he was a former chief Exploration Permit for AQRM executive officer of AQRM and played a large part Hon. T. J. G. GILMORE (Tablelands— in the successful establishment of the Jellinbah Minister for Mines and Energy) (9.48 a.m.), by East mine. I am advised also that former and leave: Yesterday accusations were made that current officers of AQRM are currently involved in reflected upon my stewardship of the portfolio of litigation with respect to matters involving the Mines and Energy. I reject them totally. Let me Jellinbah East mine. The involvement of the deal first with the statement of the member for member for Sandgate in this matter was Sandgate. Through selective and creative imprudent and an improper use of parliamentary quoting from documents obtained under privilege. freedom of information, he suggested that With respect to allegations regarding the somehow there was a lack of probity in the way in probity of the tendering process for Callide C, I which an exploration permit was granted by me want to say this: a contract for the power station on the recommendation of the Department of was awarded by CS Energy and Shell Coal Mines and Energy. following an open and competitive tender What was clearly a battle between a previous process oversighted by an independent probity officer and current officers of AQRM has been auditor. Seven international consortia tendered exploited by the member for Sandgate to for this contract. I am advised that an evaluation denigrate me and another person under the process, agreed to by CS Energy and Shell privilege of Parliament. AQRM was not before the tenders were opened, short-listed successful in its bid for an exploration permit this to five tenderers and subsequently selected because it was assessed on its proposed a preferred tenderer following detailed written exploration program and not on its role as a consultation with the parties. successful mine development. AQRM's record To the best of my knowledge, none of the as a coal explorer is not as good as its report as a unsuccessful tenderers has contacted the miner. Indeed, the exploration that was Callide project office or the independent probity conducted on its mining lease was actually auditor to register complaints. The appropriate 13 May 1998 Ministerial Statement 1071 process is for any party which feels aggrieved to Birdsville in the west to Yeppoon in the east and refer the matter to the probity auditor. This tender from Weipa in the north to Dirranbandi in the process has been undertaken on a fully south. A further six offices were confirmed by commercial basis and the Government has not Cabinet at Nanango this week and these will be been directly involved. On the information established at Babinda, Boonah, Stradbroke available, these allegations of impropriety are Island, Kilkivan, Eidsvold and Wandoan. The unfounded. QGAP model has been so successful under this In conclusion, I want to remind the House Government that it is being replicated in other and the people of Queensland that the Callide States. Since it came to office, the coalition announcement and the Tarong Wandoan Government has supported the QGAP program announcement of the previous day are absolute with a massive 71% increase in funding. proof that the Government reform process in the I have just returned from opening 10 QGAP electricity industry is working. We are well on the offices as far west as Birdsville and Bedourie. I way to fixing up the mess created by six years of can vouch that these one-stop offices are Labor inaction—six years in which just 37 important additions to the administrative megawatts of new generating capacity was infrastructure of towns where distance makes added to the State grid. access to Government services difficult. In Mr McGrady interjected. Dirranbandi, the QGAP office, in conjunction with the Electricity Credit Union, has restored financial Mr SPEAKER: Order! That remark is services lost to the town when the banks unparliamentary. The honourable member will retreated from rural Queensland. This model withdraw it. could be adopted for other centres neglected by Mr McGrady: I withdraw. the banks. QGAP allows the people of the bush Mr GILMORE: Compare that 37 to access Government services in Brisbane megawatts in six years with the two-year record of without leaving their home towns. this coalition Government—a Government that gets things done. A total of 3,000 megawatts of new electricity generating capacity is the record MINISTERIAL STATEMENT of this Government—through the reopening of Anzac Day Callide A and Collinsville, through new power Hon. S. SANTORO (Clayfield—Minister stations under construction at Townsville and for Training and Industrial Relations) (9.56 a.m.), Oakey and through the announcement of the by leave: Anzac Day is a time when as a nation we past few days involving Tarong, Wandoan and remember and acknowledge the men and Callide C. When the people of Queensland come women who have fought for their country in times to cast their votes at the coming election, the of war. Parades and ceremonies Statewide question they have to ask themselves is this: do allowed Queenslanders to acknowledge the they want a 37 megawatt Government or a 3,000 debt owed to those who risked their lives and megawatt Government. I rest my case. those who paid with their lives to preserve our freedom. With this in mind, I am very pleased to MINISTERIAL STATEMENT announce that the combined efforts of the Queensland Government and the board of Expansion of Queensland Government trustees has ensured the continued successful Agent Program Network operation of the Anzac Day Trust. Hon. D. E. McCAULEY (Callide— Minister for Local Government and Planning) The Anzac Day Trust was created in 1965 by (9.54 a.m.), by leave: I wish to advise the House a coalition Government and each year distributes of the expansion of the Queensland around $750,000 to groups such as the RSL, Government Agent Program, QGAP. QGAP is a Legacy and other ex-service organisations. The cost-effective way of providing a one-stop shop trust draws funds from— so that rural communities can deal effectively and a percentage of the total amount of fees confidently with Government departments at paid for general licences under the Liquor long distances. Act; The QGAP program under the coalition the total totalisator tax payable on bets made Government has developed into a through the TAB on Anzac Day; comprehensive network, providing Government the total bookmakers' turnover tax payable information and services to regional and remote on bets made at Anzac Day meetings; and Queensland. The QGAP network has now expanded to 44 sites across Queensland's rural a percentage of total bets made by and regional areas. This coverage extends from bookmakers at racing venues on Anzac Day. 1072 Ministerial Statement 13 May 1998

A further important source of funds for the trust is Rockhampton, Ipswich and Toowoomba—will be donations received from businesses that are offered the opportunity to have freehold allowed to trade on Anzac Day. ownership of their courses. Land held in trust This year a concerted effort was made to would revert to the Government and the promote the Anzac Day Trust and this included racetracks would be freeholded at no cost to the mail-outs, newspaper reports and magazine clubs. Race clubs would have greater control articles. I am hopeful that all businesses that were over revenue and costs. They would have more permitted to trade on Anzac Day will show direct responsibility for their decisions and an support for the Anzac Day Trust. While certain incentive to meet commercially focused businesses are allowed to trade on Anzac Day, objectives. others as regulated by the Trading (Allowable All of these racecourses have been held for Hours) Act are not. Inspectors from my racing purposes for many decades. The change department conducted investigations of title will substantially improve operating throughout the State, in Cairns, Townsville, efficiency within the Queensland racing Brisbane and the Gold Coast to ensure industry—QRI—and reflect their effective long- compliance with the Act. term position as key racing industry assets. A number of shops were found to be open Doomben, Deagon, Southport, Cannon Park in contravention of the Act and were advised of and more recently Eagle Farm racecourses have their responsibilities on Anzac Day. A significant all been freeholded, so it makes sense for other number of these businesses opted to close strategic racing venues to do likewise. Research following visits by the department's inspectors. which led to the recent amendment of the Eagle Whilst it is the responsibility of businesses to be Farm Racecourse Act and collateral aware of the law, it is clear that further promotion corporatisation of the QTC Ltd clearly of the trading restrictions on Anzac Day is highlighted the potential benefits of more necessary, and this will be done in future. closely aligning clubs' operational responsibilities with the management of their venue. It I take this opportunity to put on the public removes duplication of management and record my personal commitment and the legislative responsibilities reducing bureaucratic Government's commitment to the celebration of requirements which have been detrimental to the Anzac spirit and my appreciation for the encouraging progressive club management. efforts of the Anzac Day Trust in keeping the spirit alive, particularly in the new generations of I believe freehold ownership of racecourses Australians who are obviously keen to remember is a logical step in the TAB privatisation process. those who have made the supreme sacrifice. There are, however, industry safeguards in place Anzac Day is one of the great days in Australia's to prevent clubs from disposing of their assets. history and all efforts must be undertaken to There is legislative protection to prevent clubs preserve and foster the Anzac traditions. disposing of assets without benefit to the wider racing industry provided by the Racing and Betting Act 1980. This Act provides that a club MINISTERIAL STATEMENT cannot dispose of, or in any way relinquish Queensland Racing Industry Training possession of, an asset other than for the Centre promotion or advancement of racing in Queensland without written approval by the Hon. T. R. COOPER (Crows Nest— Racing Minister. Minister for Police and Corrective Services and Deagon—home of the Queensland Racing Minister for Racing) (9.58 a.m.), by leave: Cabinet Industry Training Centre—is now assured as a has paved the way for the Queensland Racing long-term asset for the racing industry and as an Industry Training Centre—QRITC—to remain an international and domestic training facility for the industry asset. The coalition Government has three codes. Under the new arrangement, the ensured the continuation of the centre's QPC will take over responsibility from the operation and the purchase of Corbould Park Government for the QRITC. The QPC will have racetrack with up to $5.5m in funding made full responsibility for the delivery of education available from TAB reserves. The Queensland and training within the QRI. The method of future Principal Club would buy Deagon from the delivery of training services will be an issue for Brisbane Turf Club and the Sunshine Coast Turf the QPC and the QRI to conclude. Deagon Club would be able to buy Corbould Park from currently has more than 80 international, 70 the Caloundra City Council. domestic, 17 harness and 16 greyhound It is intended that five other strategic race students training at the 37.95 hectare facility. It is clubs be given the opportunity to have freehold also home to about 44 horses in training and 16 ownership of racetracks. It is intended that five which are spelling. The facility has 14 permanent other strategic clubs—Townsville, Mackay, staff, seven part-time, and nine coaching and 13 May 1998 Notices of Motion 1073 teaching staff. However, while the purchase of Parliament and who says that they were not Deagon as an industry asset will be a major boost helped. That is a fact of life. In Mr Schwarten's towards bringing more professional training to case, there are many, many people who come to the QRI, the QPC remains committed to me and say that he did not help them. But I do delivering training on a regional basis. not carry on in the Parliament and start trying to Finally, this factor and the expected make cheap political capital out of this. This is not expansion of the QRI, upon privatisation, will the place to do that. If we come down to this sort therefore undoubtedly present opportunities for of unnecessary gutter politics, then it is a poor the development of other dedicated training show. Quite simply, it is a fact of life that we just complexes around the State. have to cop it sweet. We do not need to try to score political points unnecessarily. We have given every possible effort to PERSONAL EXPLANATION anybody who has ever come to see us about Mr Century Zinc Mine Canty. We have been successful most of the Mr ARDILL (Archerfield) (10.01 a.m.): I am time—not all of the time. It is pretty difficult to be personally aggrieved that the Premier has successful with that fellow. We will continue to reneged on an assurance given in this House—a help those people, and we will continue to take promise given to me in this House some months representations from people who are aggrieved ago—and has given a dishonest answer to a at Mr Schwarten. subsequent question on notice. Mr Schwarten: Name them. On 27 August last year, I asked for an Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for assurance that all of the silver box trees, which Rockhampton! I will do the naming in a minute, are used for didgeridoos, which exist at the and it will be him. Century Zinc mine would be harvested and not wasted. Amongst other things, the Premier assured me in these words, "I am happy to NOTICES OF MOTION provide the assurances sought by the Hospitals honourable member." Subsequent to that, the Mr BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—Leader ABC announced that these trees were being of the Opposition) (10.05 a.m.): I give notice that I stolen from reserves west of Cairns—because shall move— there is a shortage of that timber at present—for making didgeridoos for the tourist industry. So I "(1) That this Parliament regards it as put a question on notice. In his answer, the disgraceful and unacceptable that over Premier said that there is no such arrangement in 12,000 Queenslanders are waiting the Century Zinc agreement to allow for longer than is medically acceptable for harvesting timber. The Premier's assurance in surgery, and the House quite clearly indicated that there may (2) Calls on the Borbidge Government to not be, and that action would be taken by the get its priorities right and scrap the Premier. He has reneged on that promise, and I Hospital Capital Charge." believe that is deplorable. Trading Hours, Anzac Day PERSONAL EXPLANATION Mrs CUNNINGHAM (Gladstone) Mr B. Canty (10.06 a.m.): I give notice that I shall move— Hon. V. P. LESTER (Keppel) "That this House— (10.03 a.m.): I refer to last night's Adjournment • expresses its gratitude to all debate and comments by the member for servicemen and women in all arenas of Rockhampton in relation to Mr Brian Canty. I want conflict; to comment on something the member said in his speech. He said that someone, not named—and • values the opportunity on Anzac Day to that is understandable—came to me and was not both honour the memory of those who helped. We have had countless representations paid the ultimate price and express our from people who have been badly done by by Mr gratitude to returned servicemen and Canty, and we have spent hours and hours trying women; and to fix up these problems. In addition to that, in • calls on Government to review most instances we have been very, very business trading hours so that the successful. majority of businesses restrict trading We can all make comment about someone on Anzac Day to commence at 1pm as who has been to one of those four members of a mark of genuine respect." 1074 Private Members' Statements 13 May 1998

PRIVATE MEMBERS' STATEMENTS train project up and running and operating by Tourism; Unemployment later this month. The work being undertaken by a Queensland Rail gang on a bridge between Mr BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—Leader Gympie and Imbil is work of which they can be of the Opposition) (10.06 a.m.): Tourism in very proud. I am sure that the volunteers would Queensland has been particularly badly treated be very proud of what they have done. About in last night's Federal Budget. It is the second- 4,000 sleepers worth about $80,000 have been biggest industry in this State, and it has been replaced. All that work is part of the general hard hit by the Asian economic crisis. That is why I maintenance of that line, which will now be used have already announced that my Government will for heritage trains. General track maintenance is have a special rescue package of $10m to assist being carried out between Gympie and the industry. Melawondi. What have the Liberal and National Party In August, the railmotor and the Mary Valley colleagues of our Treasurer and Premier done? Heritage Rail project's restored steam engine Australian visas for visitors from some countries travelled along the track to Amamoor for the start will cost $50. How many thousands of tourists of the Gympie Country Music Muster. The engine from those countries will go elsewhere? There and carriages plus the railmotor and diesel has been an increase in the airport departure tax locomotives have been inspected and given from $27 to $30. That is like a trader who is losing certificates of rail worthiness. The Mary Valley customers trying to attract more customers by Heritage Rail group will assume total control of increasing his prices. There is no reduction in the that particular line. reef tax of $4 a tourist. There has been a cut in funding of $3m for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Time expired. Park Authority. There is no money for the Daintree Rescue Package. Tourism programs Treasurer's Performance which are due to expire at the end of this financial year are not being fully replaced. Despite boasts Hon. D. J. HAMILL (Ipswich) about tourism funding, there is a hidden tax slug (10.10 a.m.): Yesterday the Treasurer had to on tourism of $240m over the next four years. apologise to the House for misleading members Their investment in the industry is only one fifth with respect to personal income tax rates. She of the new taxes that they are ripping out of the clearly had no idea what ordinary Queenslanders industry. So tourist operators will be fighting to pay in income tax. This Treasurer's ignorance of stay above water with one hand tied behind their basic tax information was further demonstrated backs. This will add to unemployment. yesterday by her inability to answer a question about the rate of stamp duty payable on a first Queensland's 150,000 unemployed have home buyer's purchase of a principal place of been given no hope from this Federal Budget. residence valued at $130,000. The fact that a Up to 2,000 more defence and Public Service first home buyer is confronted with a bill from this jobs will be slashed in Queensland. Ten Treasurer of $800—that is 1% duty less the $500 thousand have been slashed in the past two rebate—not only demonstrates the Treasurer's years, and we now have another 2,000 that will lack of knowledge of her portfolio but it also be slashed. So the jobless queues will get represents yet another broken promise, because longer. That means that 12,000 fewer pay her contract with Queensland promised to packets will be spent in the State's small abolish stamp duty on such purchases of businesses each and every week. That will have $150,000 or less. Similarly, she promised no new a significant effect on regional Queensland, or increased taxes in her first Budget, yet her first especially Townsville, which has a large defence Budget contained no fewer than seven new or community. Townsville will be one of the big increased taxes. No wonder Queenslanders losers out of this Budget. According to the have no confidence in this Treasurer! Budget, the jobless rate will be no better for at least the next 12 months. There have been The Federal Budget delivered last night has substantial cuts to TAFE, universities and further demonstrated the incompetence of this student assistance. Premier and Treasurer. We were repeatedly told that the deal that was done with the Federal Time expired. Government over fuel tax would not be at the expense of Queensland taxpayers. What a cruel hoax! They did a deal that has cost Queensland Mary Valley Heritage Rail over $56m with respect to fuel tax in this year Mr STEPHAN (Gympie) (10.08 a.m.): I alone. The Feds saw them coming. Queensland take this opportunity to congratulate the Mary should be receiving 22.5% of the extra fuel Valley Heritage Rail committee on the work that excise—that is our share of national its members have been doing to get the steam consumption—but no, this Government charged 13 May 1998 Private Members' Statements 1075 in and did a deal that short-changed the coming of the business centre concept, the Queensland. That is another case of this days of bureaucratic red tape and poor customer Treasurer clearly being out of her depth. service are over. Members of the business Because of her incompetent agreement on fuel community entering those centres will find a level that short-changed Queensland, it is little wonder of service and breadth of assistance unlike she is having to rake in an extra $60m in gaming anything they have ever previously received from machine tax this year just to break even. a Government office. These centres cater for the To put it another way, Queenslanders have needs of the smallest one-person operation to endured a great gamble with this Treasurer and the largest firms. this Government. The result is that Queensland has been the loser. Queensland certainly Medicare Agreement deserves better than having a Treasurer who does not know her portfolio, who does not know Mrs EDMOND (Mount Coot-tha) her tax rates and who does not understand how (10.14 a.m.): The Medicare agreement signed off her policies hurt Queensland. by the Premier and the Health Minister is a sell- out of Queensland. Earlier this year, the Premier stomped out of the Premiers Conference saying Brisbane Business Centre that the Medicare agreement was a dud, yet a Mr CARROLL (Mansfield) (10.12 a.m.): couple of weeks later we saw the most craven The House will be pleased to learn that business backdown ever by an Australian State in the face operators in the central business district and of financial threats by the Federal Government. inner suburbs of Brisbane now have a single The Premier said that he had won $65m in extra point of access to Queensland Government funds for Queensland, yet the Federal Health business information and services. Earlier this Minister gave him up. He said that there was no month the Minister for Tourism, Small Business extra money for Queensland. He did not say it and Industry, Bruce Davidson, officially opened once; he said it five times. All Queensland the Brisbane Business Centre at 111 George received was a bit of flexibility in bringing the Street. This new centre represents a whole new money forward from one year to the next. If the approach to the provision of Government Premier or the Health Minister disagree with that services and assistance to business in Brisbane. assessment, then either the Federal Minister is It will cater for the needs of some 32,000 telling fibs or the Premier is. They cannot both be businesses based in the central business district right; one of them has to be lying. of Brisbane and the inner suburbs. The Brisbane The Queensland Government should have Business Centre is a direct result of the continued to stick up for Queensland. If that was commitment of the Minister for Tourism, Small an issue that a month ago was worth walking out Business and Industry to provide Queensland in a paddy over, it is an issue worth fighting for business with easy access to the many business and continuing to fight for. How could it simply services and programs provided by our give up on the 12,000 people who are waiting Government. too long on waiting lists? We have more people in Seven business centres have so far been Queensland waiting more than a year than New opened by the department throughout South Wales has with twice our population. Yet Queensland since February 1997. Eight more the Health Minister sits there and is proud of it. I centres will be opened in the coming months. am not proud of it. I am not proud of this Those centres represent a new era in the Government that walks away from arguing for a provision of Government services and assistance better deal for Queenslanders. Already the to business under the coalition Government as, Senate inquiry, where the Premier shirked his under Minister Davidson's stewardship, his duty and gave the funding up to the other department moves away from the traditional States, has found that Queensland has been Public Service attitude into the client service diddled. philosophy that has been lacking in the past. Queensland was diddled on the veterans' With the opening of the Brisbane Business affairs funding. On what else has it been diddled? Centre, business operators in and around the The Health Minister does not know, because he city now have access to qualified business is incompetent and not up to the job. He does advisory staff and information on the full range of not believe in getting in there and fighting for Government assistance programs all under the extra funds for Queensland's public hospitals. He one roof. is interested only in protecting his own political As the silent partner of Queensland hide by running around and having his photo business, the Minister's department provides an taken in as many places as possible with ditch extensive range of services designed to foster diggers that disappear the minute he has gone. business innovation and competitiveness. With How about Beaudesert! He said that the hospital 1076 Private Members' Statements 13 May 1998 at Beaudesert had started. The ditch digger encouragement. I call on all honourable members disappeared half an hour after the press to be aware of this important issue. I hope that I opportunity. I was there a couple of hours later: can count on their assistance and support in no ditch digger and no action, yet the Health accessing any Government funds that may be Minister put out a press release saying that it had available for the Coombabah Lake Wetlands started. restoration project. Time expired. Time expired.

Coombabah Lake Wetlands; Oyster Gold Coast Hospital Cove Mrs ROSE (Currumbin) (10.19 a.m.): The Mr BAUMANN (Albert) (10.16 a.m.): I whistle has been blown on the coalition inform the House of the urgent need to restore Government's funding of the Gold Coast the once magnificent environment of the Hospital. Dr David Lindsay, former Director of Coombabah Lake Wetlands, the Gold Coast's Medicine at the Gold Coast Hospital and Vice- largest and most significant wetland area. In the President of the AMA, has come out and blown past, that 1,000 hectare reserve was teeming the whistle. The Gold Coast Hospital is chronically with wildlife. It was a vast breeding ground for fish and disastrously underfunded, understaffed and and sea life and a rich habitat for migratory birds. It underservicing the local community. Gold was also a vital flood mitigation system for the Coasters are suffering. Under this Government, northern Gold Coast. However, in the 1970s it their public health system provides only half the was vandalised by Government authorities in number of beds stipulated in the World Health what was seen at the time as a major initiative in Organisation standard on beds per capita. The the need for mosquito control. It was the practice Gold Coast level of 1.7 beds per 1,000 people is of the day to try to stop mosquito breeding by only one third the Queensland average. digging dozens of ditches to drain the wetlands. This is a shocking indictment on the It did not work. We still have the mosquitos, but it administration of public health by the coalition destroyed the wetlands and created a new Government and a shocking example of its problem of smell, which was left when large areas neglect of the Gold Coast. As the shadow dried out leaving rotting vegetation and sea life. Minister has just pointed out, the Minister for In the meantime, there has been a furore Health cannot even negotiate a decent Medicare about Oyster Cove's bid to build a golf course on agreement with the Commonwealth Government a small nearby patch of freehold marshland. Local to shore up public hospitals. Instead, he has sold citizens are concerned about the environmental out Queensland to try to preserve his job. Even effects and flooding. The council has told the his coalition mate the Federal Health Minister developers that they cannot proceed. I am not admitted the truth: Queensland was not getting saying that the Oyster Cove land is not important, any more money, just an agreement to get the but it would be a far greater environment if we issue out of the papers. could save the neighbouring 1,000 hectares of Who suffers? Gold Coasters, with Coombabah Lake Wetlands. inadequate services and appalling waiting lists Small battles are being fought on the fringe, and waiting times! They suffer under a when we could be winning the real war. It seems Government that does not even understand the hypocritical to put such onerous environmental dimension of the problem and a Government that responsibilities on private land-holders when only a few months ago was threatening to take nothing is being done to save huge tracts of money away from the hospital because it was not public land that are a top environmental priority. performing enough operations. Today we have environmentally friendly ways of This Government's logic is straight out of tackling mosquitos, so I am calling on the Gold Alice in Wonderland. We have a Health Minister Coast City Council to take immediate action to who is giving a decent impersonation of the Mad plan for the restoration of the wetlands, to fill in Hatter: take money away from the hospital to the ditches and to allow tidal inundation and make it perform more efficiently. There is logic for rainfall to resume its natural process, bringing the you! He is taking money away from a hospital that wetlands back to life. I have the support of many the vice-president of the AMA says needs a locals and groups, such as the Commercial massive injection of funds to enable it to provide Fishermen's Organisation. I have spoken with adequate services. Gold Coasters are rightly officers from the Department of Primary furious about the neglect of our health care Industries and the Department of Environment. system. They are giving me great assistance. It is a big job and the council will need considerable 13 May 1998 Private Members' Statements 1077

Small Business Management Skills Moreton Institute of TAFE, Bayside Strategy Campus Mr HARPER (Mount Ommaney) Mr BRISKEY (Cleveland) (10.23 a.m.): I (10.21 a.m.): Members of this House will be rise to speak in response to a cover-up by the pleased to know that this Government is fulfilling Minister for Training and Industrial Relations in its promise to put the focus back on helping small the local Redlands media. The Minister business in this State. The small business sector responded to my letter to the editor in which I is vital to the Queensland economy, and that is referred to the cuts made by the coalition very much the case in the Mount Ommaney Government to funding and staff at the Bayside electorate. Small business enterprises generate campus of the Moreton Institute of TAFE. wealth and jobs, provide essential products and The audacity of the Minister's response as services, and dominate industries such as he attempted to cover up the $8m funding cut to tourism, building and construction, and the retail the Bayside TAFE campus was astounding. sector. Since the early 1980s, much of the Despite the hard facts in the Budget, the Minister economic and employment growth in the State denied the funding cuts and then, adding insult has been attributed to small business. I regard it to injury, claimed that the coalition Government as a key factor in the Mount Ommaney area. policy of competitive tendering, which replaced Consequently, nurturing a dynamic small business sector is a key aim of this Government. the promised funds, is of benefit to the people of my electorate. It is widely acknowledged that one of the factors negatively impacting on small business Bayside TAFE is an essential educational performance is the low level of management and facility in the Redlands area. It offers training in a business skills possessed by small business wide range of valuable educational and operators. The Small Business Management employment skills. This campus is badly in need Skills Strategy has been developed by the of expansion and an upgrade of both teaching Department of Tourism, Small Business and and general works areas to continue its high- Industry, under the direction of Minister Bruce quality service to our community. Several sites at Davidson, to help address this problem. The key the campus are below workplace health and goal of this strategy is to improve small business safety standards and the library has insufficient access to better quality management skills space and resources for the huge numbers of development services and to lift the take-up rate students using it. for those services. The $8m allocated in the technical and Since the strategy was endorsed by this further education area of the 1994-1995 Labor Government in December 1996, Minister Government Budget would have improved Davidson's department has introduced a number greatly the Bayside TAFE facilities, making them of initiatives to improve the access of small safer and more efficient. Despite the Minister's business to management training and, in turn, claims that I was wrong to imply that the bayside boost the performance of small business. It has campus had received an $8m funding cut, developed a range of management skills comparisons between this Government's Budget initiatives and workshops targeting small retailers and the Labor Government's Budget show across the State. It has prepared a business clearly that the money has disappeared. diagnostic to help small business operators, The Minister tries to justify the $8m funding particularly retailers, to determine the skills and cut by referring to the competitive tendering knowledge that they need to run their policy that has been embraced by the coalition businesses and to help them access suitable Government. In the Minister's own words, that services that will enable them to improve their policy means that TAFE institutes will compete management skills. As part of the strategy, the for the funds along with other training facilities. department has also developed industry That policy is ridiculous. Campuses such as the benchmarks for use in tailored small business Bayside campus cannot possibly compete with assistance workshops across the State. others for funding when they are forced to have In line with the strategy, the department has substandard facilities. It is a catch-22 situation: to been working closely with industry associations, get funding for good facilities one must first have private sector deliverers of management skills the good facilities! development services and other public sector The Government is forcing TAFE agencies to design the most responsive services institutions to vie for what should be their right. to small business operators. At the same time, Their staff deserve to have adequate and safe the department has been involved in and resources so that they can provide quality promoted—— education to those who seek it. They should not Time expired. have to compete to gain safe, proper facilities. 1078 Questions Without Notice 13 May 1998

That is economic rationalism taken to the PA Hospital fighting for their lives, one in a extreme. dangerous condition and one in a critical By cutting the promised $8m and replacing condition. One incident occurred at the Sir David it with short-sighted, unfair policies, the coalition Longland Correctional Centre on Sunday night Government has yet again failed to serve the and the other incident occurred at the Woodford people. prison on Monday afternoon. The incident at Woodford prison raises other issues of lack of security in Queensland's Nerimbera Quarry prisons. It was several hours before prison staff Hon. V. P. LESTER (Keppel) discovered that the overdose had occurred. (10.25 a.m.): I refer to suggestions that the Other prisoners had been attempting to assist sickness suffered by people in my electorate is this overdosed prisoner by rinsing his veins with being caused by dust from the Nerimbera quarry a saline solution and a syringe. That activity was near Rockhampton. I advise that on 22 missed by the prison officers. It took prison staff November last year I met with residents in that several hours to discover the incident, which area. Since then I have held two further occurred midafternoon. I understand that three meetings. or four prisoners were involved, and clearly one Earlier this year a Government monitor was had overdosed. That prisoner was not placed in the area to determine whether or not discovered by staff. In fact, no action was taken there was sufficient dust to cause any difficulties by prison staff to address a very serious for those people. That test showed that there overdose. As a result, that guy is now in a critical was not sufficient dust. However, we are placing condition and may lose his life. more monitors there from July through to I ask: how good is internal security if prison October with a view to trying to ascertain whether staff can be unaware of such an incident for there is a problem when there is more dust several hours? I also ask: how did the drugs get caused by prevailing winds. into the prison? This incident occurred in the In addition, the operators of the quarry are same prison where only last week staff lost the putting seven passive dust monitors in and keys and still cannot find them. around the area. We are also negotiating to place This Minister continues to carry on and an additional monitor at the Nerimbera State delude himself that all is well in Queensland's School. Dr Rosco Taylor is also looking into the prisons. He continues to indicate that he is not medical history of one or two people in the area prepared to guarantee that the who have become sick to ascertain whether or recommendations of the Mengler inquiry will be not dust blown by the prevailing winds could put in place. He ignores the Mengler inquiry. He have been the cause of their particular problems. refuses to make its recommendations public. Recently the quarry has come under the Now we are seeing prisoners lose their lives jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Act, because of the failure of this Minister's strategy which means that certain environmental practices and his failure to ensure that prison officers are have to be carried out. capable of accurately and competently Currently, all that can be done is being done overseeing the prisoners in their charge. to ensure that the people are looked after in Mr SPEAKER: Order! Time has expired. every possible way, that the quarry does the right thing and that every possible independent study of the issue is being undertaken. I will continue to QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE play a major role in that matter, as I have done all Political Advertising along. The people certainly appreciate the efforts that have been made. I am sure that, at the end of Mr BEATTIE (10.30 a.m.): I refer the the day, we will be able to look after the jobs of Treasurer to the Government's advertisements, the people at the Nerimbera quarry and at the which television stations have taken off air same time make sure that nobody gets sick. because they were political and misleading. I also refer to the $400,000 of taxpayers' money that the Treasurer wasted last year publishing a Drugs in Prisons glossy, self-promotional Government report card. Mr BARTON (Waterford) (10.27 a.m.): This I ask: has the Treasurer any plans to produce a week has seen two examples of the failure of this similar report card this year? If so, how will it be Minister's drugs in prisons strategy or, should I distributed and how much will it cost taxpayers? say, lack of strategy. There have been two Mrs SHELDON: As I thought the Leader serious drug overdoses in Queensland's prisons of the Opposition would know but obviously and two prisoners are in the security unit at the does not, all of those issues go via the Premier's 13 May 1998 Questions Without Notice 1079

Department. I suggest that he asks the question Mr BORBIDGE: Labor withdrew bipartisan of the Premier. support for truth in political advertising. Mr Beattie interjected. Political Advertising Mr BORBIDGE: No, my friend. I will deal Mr BEATTIE: In light of the Treasurer's first with the Opposition Leader. His former leader, the member for Logan, prior to the last refusal to answer my question and her contempt election gave a commitment to bipartisan for this Parliament, I ask a second question. I refer support. When the matter went to the Legal, to the Treasurer's previous answer and table a Constitutional and Administrative Review copy of her 1998 report card, entitled "Delivering Committee, however, we were split along party for Queensland's Future", which includes lines. Labor withdrew bipartisan support for truth rubbery figures and numerous falsehoods, in political advertising. including the claim on page 2 that Access Economics believes Queensland will achieve 6% Mr BEATTIE: I rise to a point of order. The growth when in fact Access Economics states in Premier is misleading the House. I have given its latest report that gross State product will be bipartisan support as the Leader of the 5.2%, sliding to 2.6% in 1999. I table that report. Opposition. The Premier has not delivered—— The "report card", which the Treasurer Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of signed, also includes the claim on page 6 that a order. tilt train service has replaced the existing Spirit of Mr BORBIDGE: Not in the Parliament and Capricorn service, when in fact no tilt trains are not in the committees. The Leader of the currently in service and will not be until later in the Opposition had his chance to give bipartisan year. The document also refers on page 20 to a political support to truth in political advertising, as package of reforms introduced to cover contract did his predecessor, who, unlike the current licensing dispute resolution provisions, when in Opposition Leader, is an honourable man. When fact no such legislation has ever been the relevant legislation was referred to the introduced. I ask: does this litany of lies not appropriate committee of this Parliament, the expose the reasons the Government has run committee split along party lines, with the Labor away from introducing legislation to enshrine Party members voting against truth in political truth in political advertising? advertising in this State. Mrs SHELDON: I am very pleased that the Mr BEATTIE: I rise to a point of order. The Leader of the Opposition has highlighted what is Premier well knows that it is a parliamentary an excellent document, which shows how much committee. What we do as an Opposition is a this Government has delivered to the people of political position. It is a parliamentary committee. Queensland. He would be understandably very The Premier has not respected parliamentary embarrassed when he looks at Labor's record, committees since he has been here. because Labor delivered nothing except an Mr BORBIDGE: The Opposition Leader underlying Budget deficit of $230m and a black has just confirmed my point of view. He said that it hole in Health of about $75m. That was Labor's is not bipartisan; it is political. legacy to this State. Mr Beanland: Another backflip. This document enshrines what this Government is delivering for the people of Mr BORBIDGE: Another backflip, as the Queensland: increased infrastructure right Attorney-General says. If the Labor members had across-the-board—in roads, in hospitals, in police supported the initiative of this Government when stations and in more schools; and record service it was before the relevant committee of this delivery as evidenced by more teachers, more House, it would be law by now. doctors, more nurses and record police The honourable member for Charters numbers. The public knows that. I am very Towers referred to the integrity of the election pleased that we have received this free process and to what I intend to do to maintain it. advertising of our excellent document from the The basis of our democratic system should be Leader of the Opposition. preselection and election procedures that are free from any suggestion of fraud or electoral corruption. The member for Thuringowa was Integrity of Election Process looking forward to continuing his retirement. Mr MITCHELL: I ask the Premier: can he Mr Woolmer: He still is today. assure the House that he will take whatever Mr BORBIDGE: I accept the interjection of action is necessary to ensure that the integrity of the member for Springwood: the member for the election process is maintained? Thuringowa still is looking forward to continuing Mrs Edmond interjected. his retirement. It is interesting to read what the 1080 Questions Without Notice 13 May 1998 member for Thuringowa said when the Labor Mr BORBIDGE: It must have been some Party started to run into a few problems just a little party—a corrupt political party with a corrupt while ago in Townsville. A relevant article states— preselection process. She went on to say— "Member for Thuringowa Ken " 'All I know is I was put down as living at McElligott says Labor had at least two years an address at which I never lived warning of the storm which has engulfed the ... party as a result of last week's preselection ballots for the seats of Thuringowa and 'Whoever is doing it is bound to be Townsville." found out and punished,' she said...... Ms O'Shea said she did not know who 'I have made up my mind that it's time to had re-enrolled her with the electoral get out,' he said. 'I have been around over commission at Eura Court. Previously, she 20 years now in local government and State had been enrolled at Ash Street, Kirwan. Parliament.' " The move effectively transferred her The reason the honourable member cannot get from the state seat of Mundingburra to the out of Parliament to continue his self-imposed state seat of Townsville, entitling her to vote retirement is that the Labor Leader in this place, in the ALP's bitter 1996 pre-selection the man who would seek the office of Premier, contest for Townsville. will not trust his own people in Townsville to run a ... preselection that is not rigged and corrupt. We now have a last-minute deal which sees the Another woman named, Peta McVean, sitting member seeking to continue, because the said she had rented accommodation at 6 Australian Federal Police have decided to lay Eura Court for the past four years and did charges of electoral fraud. not know Ms O'Shea ..." It is interesting that, when faced with the After all of those allegations were made we had situation of charges being laid against a an Australian Labor Party disputes tribunal candidate, the Leader of the Opposition says hearing. What was the result in respect of that? that it does not matter, that it is unimportant. He is Where was the Labor Party's commitment to reported in this morning's Courier-Mail as saying, openness and accountability and lack of "I don't think it will cost us at all" and that it does corruption in the political process? The Labor not really matter. Party found— "That in reference to allegations What does the member for Thuringowa say against Ms Ehrman regarding the collection in response to some 50-odd charges relating to of ballot papers of Mr Roland and Peter how the Labor Party conducts its business in Laverack, the Tribunal finds Ms Ehrman not Townsville? The honourable member for guilty of conduct severely harmful to the Thuringowa refers to it as a "relatively best interests of the Party, nor does the unimportant internal Labor Party ballot". The Tribunal find that Ms Ehrman breached the honourable member has always been one for understatement, but to describe 50 charges Party rules." relating to fraud over a preselection process to That highlights the standards of honourable determine a member of this Parliament and the members opposite. possible composition of the next Government of This is the same Leader of the Opposition Queensland as a "relatively unimportant internal who, for the past two years in this place, has Labor Party ballot" is an affront to the democratic chanted the mantra of corruption. He has claimed process. that we are all corrupt. He has raised This issue has been canvassed previously unsubstantiated allegations time after time. in this place. I refer to the Townsville Bulletin of When the honourable member for Mundingburra 12 March. It states— raised this issue in this place he was attacked and denigrated by the Deputy Leader of the "Three people implicated in allegations Opposition. That speaks for itself. They are not of an ALP vote-rigging scandal have spoken game to have a new preselection process in out to defend themselves. Townsville, because they know that the One of them, Cherise O'Shea, of preselection process is tainted. Kirwan, said yesterday she didn't even know An Opposition member interjected. she was a member of the party." Mr BORBIDGE: They were not given the A Government member: Must have chance. I wonder what those candidates who been some party. were defeated by Ms Ehrman think of their failure 13 May 1998 Questions Without Notice 1081 to be consulted in respect of this matter. There Political Advertising are a number of other important issues. The fact is that on an issue of electoral decency and Mr ELDER: I ask the Treasurer: why is she accountability, we have a political process being again wasting taxpayers' money on blatant presided over by the Labor Party that is corrupt. political self-promotion when the money would Who was the returning officer? have been better spent on providing teachers, police, nurses and prison staff? Will she rule out Mr Elder interjected. media reports that she intends to distribute her Mr BORBIDGE: Joan Budd! Who does 1998 report card through schools and use Joan Budd work for? The honourable member schoolchildren as political packhorses to take who interjects! them home? In regard to this matter, who knew what Mrs SHELDON: All I can say is that the when? What did the Leader of the Opposition Opposition is certainly bereft of questions today. and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition know Opposition members interjected. when the member for Thuringowa was saying that this stench has been going on for two years? Mr SPEAKER: Order! The House will There is a stench around the Labor Party in come to order. We have had 10 minutes of Townsville and that stench goes right to the door bedlam, out of which came the knowledge that of the office of the Leader of the Opposition and the ALP wanted Ken McElligott. the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. The true Honourable members interjected. test of accountability in this place is what leaders do. The Leader of the Opposition has totally Mr SPEAKER: Order! The House will abrogated his responsibilities in regard to this come to order. We will have some order while the matter. Deputy Premier responds. I would have thought that, for someone who Mrs SHELDON: Thank you, Mr Speaker. cries "corruption" at every possible opportunity— The fact of the matter is that the Opposition unsubstantiated against members on this side of cannot stand on any economic record of its own. the House—when the Australian Federal Police We can stand on ours and we are very proud to decide to lay charges relating to a Labor Party do so. preselection in a seat that could determine the composition of the next Government of Mr McGrady interjected. Queensland it would be regarded as a serious Mr SPEAKER: Order! I now warn the matter. But the Leader of the Opposition and the honourable member for Mount Isa under Deputy Leader of the Opposition say that it does Standing Order 123A for persistently not matter. I believe both those gentlemen have interjecting. an obligation to come clean and tell the people of Queensland what they knew about the problems Mrs SHELDON: Tomorrow's Budget will in Townsville and the political corruption that is deliver more of the same good economic now endemic in the Labor Party preselection management that we have had for the past two process. The fact is that at the end of the day years. There will be major infrastructure spending when the honourable member was forced to on hospitals, schools, roads and police stations. continue his retirement by standing again at the In a growing State money needs to be spent on next election the local people on the ground in providing infrastructure. We will also spend Townsville were denied the opportunity of a money on providing major services—more preselection, because the Leader of the teachers, doctors and nurses. The people of Opposition, honourable members opposite and Queensland will endorse exactly that. the powerbrokers in the Labor Party do not trust I refer the honourable member opposite to them. the very good graphs in that document which Mr ELDER: I move for an extension of show the great economic benefits to the people time, Mr Speaker. of Queensland from having the coalition Government in place. It shows our record growth Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the of 4.5%, which was measured independently honourable member for Capalaba. using private statistics. It shows our record job Mr Schwarten interjected. creation of 87,000 places since we came to Government. Members opposite cannot claim Mr SPEAKER: Order! I now warn the any record like that. Unemployment is down. member for Rockhampton under Standing Order Generally, this is a wonderful blueprint for the 123A for persistently interjecting. future of what is a great State. 1082 Questions Without Notice 13 May 1998

Federal Budget 1998-99 coverage in respect of the financial stewardship Mr CARROLL: I ask the Premier: can he of the Deputy Premier and Treasurer. We see in inform the House of the impact on Queensland the Courier-Mail this morning— of last night's Australian Government 1998 "Costello confirms Qld as top state. Budget? The Federal Budget confirms that Mr Hamill: It's obvious you can't trust the Queensland is in the strongest financial Treasurer to give this answer. position of all the states, despite pressures Mr BORBIDGE: I have all day. from population growth. Opposition members interjected. Treasurer Peter Costello's assessment Mr BORBIDGE: The zoo is clearly open is that the state is the only one whose for business today. I would have thought that financial assets exceed its liabilities. the Federal Budget and its implications for This in part reflects its policy of not Queensland would have been regarded as borrowing for recurrent expenditure, a serious issue by the Leader of the restricting infrastructure borrowings to Opposition, particularly when under this projects able to service the debt and fully Government we have been able to negotiate funding employer liabilities." some major breakthroughs in respect of Opposition members interjected. Commonwealth/State financial relations for this State. Mr BORBIDGE: I have no doubt that the honourable members who are interjecting have Mr Hamill interjected. already written their press releases in respect of Mr SPEAKER: Order! I warn also the our Budget to be delivered tomorrow—before it honourable member for Ipswich under Standing has been delivered. Order 123A for persistently interjecting. I remind I will say that the Federal Budget members that that is a first and final warning. documentation confirms that the Queensland Mr BORBIDGE: The honourable member, economy is the strongest in Australia and that the who wanted to close down one third of Queensland Government's financial position is Queensland Rail and participated in a the best in Australia. I refer honourable members Government that under the old Medicare opposite, the Jeremiahs of doom, to Budget agreement saw Queensland robbed of $72m Paper No. 3 and the Commonwealth's each and every year because of a deal done on assessment of our situation. How different it is the side with New South Wales and Victoria, has from when Labor left Government, when our very little credit in this place. In fact, I cannot work Treasurer in this Government inherited a $250m out why the trustees of the Rhodes scholarships cash deficit! How different it is from when my have not asked for a refund. Minister for Industrial Relations and Training The Budget handed down by the Federal inherited a $400m black hole in the Workers Government last night was quite an extraordinary Compensation Fund, despite the fact that the achievement. To turn around a $10 billion plus honourable member for Yeronga misled the Budget deficit created by "Black Hole" Beazley Estimates committee in regard to the extent of into a $2.7 billion surplus in a relatively short the problems being experienced by that fund! period is quite an extraordinary achievement by Mr FOLEY: I rise to a point of order. That is any standards. That is a $13 billion turnaround in untrue and offensive and I ask that it be three years, which is a great correction. withdrawn. Mr Palaszczuk: Not true. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The honourable Mr BORBIDGE: I am sorry to tell the member has found the remark offensive and has honourable member, but it is true. A $13 billion asked the Premier to withdraw it. turnaround! What did we see this morning? The Mr BORBIDGE: If the honourable man who created the Federal Budget deficit, member finds it offensive, I will withdraw, but he "Black Hole" Beazley, jumping up and down knew the parlous state of the Workers about the Treasurer and the Federal Government Compensation Fund when he provided that fixed it! A $13 billion turnaround! That in itself information to the Estimates committee that is very good news for Queensland and a great subsequently proved to be wrong. Then he background for the State Budget tomorrow, handed the hospital pass to the poor member because the coalition in this State believes that who sits next to him and she had to carry it the core prerequisite for a strong and vibrant through the election campaign. I say to the private economy is a sound public sector. honourable member for Yeronga in regard to his I also want to draw the House's attention to stewardship of the Workers Compensation Fund the Budget documents and, in particular, in this State: if he was a company director, under 13 May 1998 Questions Without Notice 1083 the Corporations Law of this country he would and the $120m overrun in the Department of have been facing charges. Health. That is the sort of record that he had. The Mr FOLEY: I rise to a point of order. That is economic management that Treasurer Sheldon untrue and offensive, and I ask the Premier to possesses has been able to rectify that so we withdraw it. now have independent analysis by the Federal Treasury that the public finances of the State of Mr SPEAKER: Order! The honourable Queensland are the best of all the States. member has asked the Premier to withdraw. Members opposite cannot cop it because Mr BORBIDGE: I withdraw. Let me just say they know the mess that they made. Yesterday in in respect of the member—the pious self- this place we heard the tactics that the now opinionated member for Yeronga—that his Deputy Leader of the Opposition used to get record speaks for itself. When we became the money. Yesterday we learnt of his admission to Government, there was a $400m black hole in the Cabinet Budget Review Committee that, after the Workers Compensation Fund, and most of six years in office, the then Minister for Health did that was his work. Then he gave the hospital pass not even have a strategy with regard to waiting to the honourable member sitting next to him. lists in Queensland. The Commonwealth Budget Who can forget Home Ownership Made is good news for Queensland. The Budget to be Easy under the previous Deputy Premier, Tom handed down by the Deputy Premier and Burns? A $1 billion mess! Who can forget the Treasurer will be better news for Queensland Health overruns presided over by the current when it is presented to this place tomorrow. Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? When we came to office, Teacher Numbers Minister Horan not only inherited Australia's longest waiting times for public hospital surgery, Mr BREDHAUER: I refer the Treasurer to which we have now turned into the lowest and pages 3 and 13 of her so-called annual report in the shortest, but what was the overrun in Health? which she claimed that she has employed 1,022 new teachers in 1997-98. As this is just blatantly Mr Horan: About $120m. wrong because the Education Minister admitted Mr BORBIDGE: $120m! Now the member earlier this week that only 815 extra teachers opposite is saying, "Trust me. Let me do to the have been employed in 1997-98, I ask: why is Budget of Queensland what I did to the budget she trying to cover up her Government's of Queensland Health." appalling failure to provide promised teachers to The Commonwealth Budget is good news Queensland schools? for this State. The fundamental difference Mrs SHELDON: I thank the honourable between coalition Governments at a Federal level member for his question, misguided as it is. What and Labor Governments at a State level is that I certainly know is that we have provided more coalition Governments have Budget surpluses teachers in the State of Queensland than those and Labor Governments have Budget deficits. In opposite ever did. We have concentrated on the international community it means that providing education for our children. We have Australia is back in the black and we can hold our increased teacher numbers. Furthermore, we are heads up high. connecting every school in the State with fibre It is particularly pleasing that Queensland optic cable for ConnectEd. We are teaching has received a satisfactory deal from a children how to use the Internet and the Commonwealth Budget that is particularly intricacies of IT. In addition to that, we have built a responsible, and it is also encouraging that, in its record number of new schools. One of the major independent analysis of the States, the Federal components of tomorrow's Budget will be Treasury has confirmed that the State of education and training. That is what those Queensland is in the strongest financial position opposite cannot wear. Every year there has been of all the States. A large part of that is due to an increase in teacher numbers. The fact that the efforts being taken by this Government in member opposite likes to misrepresent what is respect of fixing up—— happening in education in this State is an indictment of him; it is certainly not an indictment Mr Fouras: Keith De Lacy for seven years. of the coalition Government. Mr BORBIDGE: The member for Ashgrove talks about Mr De Lacy, the member for Cairns. He must not have been listening when I Criminal Law Legislation talked about the $400m problem with workers Mr RADKE: I ask the Attorney-General and compensation in the Government of which he Minister for Justice: is he aware of orchestrated was a member, the $1 billion problem with Home allegations that the coalition Government is soft Ownership Made Easy, the $250m cash deficit on crime? Have there been any impediments to 1084 Questions Without Notice 13 May 1998 the coalition Government putting in place its Mr Borbidge: He should hear what his program to combat crime? colleagues say about him. Mr BEANLAND: Yesterday in this place I Mr BEANLAND: Yes, he should hear noticed that the Labor Party, through the what his colleagues say about him, all right. He is honourable member for Yeronga, was so a fraud. Labor voted against the second and third embarrassed by its record on fighting crime that it readings of the Bill to amend the Criminal Code. tried to blacken the name of the member for The proof of that can be found in the Greenslopes and the good work that he is doing. parliamentary debates. I repeat that on 20 March In this place the Labor Party voted against the 1997 and 26 March 1997 Hansard records that coalition's amendments to the Criminal Code for Labor voted against the amendments to the the toughening of penalties in the fight against Criminal Code and that Labor also voted against crime. Labor voted against the amendments at the juvenile justice laws on 6 August 1996 and 7 the second reading of the amendment Bill on 20 August 1996. March 1997 and at the third reading of the Bill on We should look at some of the things Labor 26 March 1997. Those opposite are great voted against in relation to the juvenile justice backflippers and they have very short memories. laws. Labor voted against the introduction of life But the people of Queensland do not have short sentences for juveniles who commit heinous memories; they remember how those opposite violent crimes such as murder. Labor voted voted. against increasing community service orders for The Labor Party also voted against the juveniles. The Labor Party is not only soft on juvenile justice laws on 6 August 1996 and on 7 crime but it is soft on fighting the causes of crime. August 1996. Labor also voted against Mr LUCAS: I rise to a point of order. The amendments to the Criminal Code at the second Minister is misleading the House. The Opposition reading on 20 March 1997 and at the third is not soft on crime, the Government is soft on reading on 26 March 1997. Labor voted against crime. On 20 March 1997 the Government voted the amendments to the Penalties and against Opposition amendments to increase Sentences Act which would have abolished jail penalties— as a last resort for violent offenders. Labor voted against protection of the community as a primary Mr SPEAKER: Order! Let me make the consideration for the courts. Labor seems to point to honourable members that if they have believe it can mislead the people and the been personally offended or aggrieved they can Parliament and get away with it. take a point of order. However, I cannot rule if they are talking about the ways in which various Labor is soft on crime and the causes of people voted on a piece of legislation that went crime. In this place we see backflip after backflip through the House months ago. I do not see that by those opposite. It is a fraud for those opposite as a valid point of order. There are ample to go out into the community and pretend opportunities in this Parliament for members to otherwise. Labor voted against the doubling up prove the point in private members' statements, of sentences for home invasion and breaking in personal explanations and in matters of and entering under the Criminal Code. Labor did privilege. I do not wish to have any further not want to toughen the penalties on those frivolous points of order. offences. Labor did not want tougher penalties for sex offences against children and the new Mr BEANLAND: Clearly the budding offence of torture. We trebled the penalties. shadow Attorney-General is trying to score a couple of points. The Labor Party voted against Mr FOLEY: I rise to a point of order. The trebling sentences for child abuse and Minister is misleading the House. The paedophilia. That action was reinforced when Opposition's vote against the Criminal Law Labor voted against a Crime Commission in this Amendment Bill entailed a vote, in effect, in State. The Honourable the Minister for Police favour of Labor's tough 1995 criminal— and Corrective Services brought that legislation Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of before the House and those opposite voted order. against it. Labor voted against the fight against Mr BEANLAND: That is another sham. organised crime, drugs and paedophilia. The The honourable member has been caught out. record in the parliamentary debates speaks for He is a fraud. He has misled his colleagues. I itself. Labor is soft on crime and is soft on the understand that the Leader of the Opposition causes of crime. was caught out the other day because the member for Yeronga had not informed him of Tax Rates what he had done in the House some time ago. The member for Yeronga misled the Leader of Mr HAMILL: I refer the Treasurer to her the Opposition. apology to Parliament yesterday for not knowing 13 May 1998 Questions Without Notice 1085 the tax rates that apply to ordinary Australians and Mrs SHELDON: Anything that the to her inability yesterday to say how much State honourable member finds offensive I will Government stamp duty a first home buyer will withdraw. I understand that, on that issue, he pay on the purchase of a principal place of finally got rolled in Cabinet. residence valued at $130,000, and I ask: as she Mr HAMILL: I rise to a point of order. The will collect more than $200m this year through Treasurer continues to seek to mislead the the bank account debits tax, how much BAD tax House. She has a track record of misleading the will an average couple pay each time they House. Her comments are offensive, and I ask withdraw $143 from their cheque account to pay that they be withdrawn. for the weekly groceries? Mr SPEAKER: Order! I cannot rule on Mrs SHELDON: More inanity from the what happened in Cabinet. shadow Treasurer! Details of the very good incentives we are offering business will be found Mr HAMILL: I rise to a point of order. The in tomorrow's Budget. Treasurer's claims are false and misleading. They are personally offensive, and I ask that they be Mr Hamill: I rise to a point of order. Under withdrawn. Standing Order No. 70 an answer must be relevant. There was nothing in the question Mr SPEAKER: Order! The honourable about business. The question was about the member has found the comment offensive. The cost of living of ordinary Queensland families. Treasurer will withdraw. Mr SPEAKER: Order! I can recall the Mrs SHELDON: Certainly anything that member's answers when he was a Minister. the honourable member finds offensive I will withdraw. It is just a pity that he was going to close Mrs SHELDON: I must admit that I had all the railway workshops in Townsville as well. momentarily forgotten that this was the man who, as a Minister, was going to blow up a mountain on Mr HAMILL: I rise to a point of order. This which koalas resided so that he could put a road Treasurer cannot win a trick. Again, the statement through certain electorates. That was his is misleading. Again, she is misleading the approach as Minister for Transport: let's protect House. Again, that is offensive. In her own koalas by blowing up their habitat! He is a disaster interests, I ask her to withdraw. in waiting. I forgot the member's other major Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Honourable achievement, which was sacking 800 railway Deputy Premier—— workers. Mrs Edmond interjected. An honourable member interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Order! I now warn the Mrs SHELDON: 8,000? I was being very honourable member for Mount Coot-tha under good to the member. I did not think any Labor the provisions of Standing Order 123A for member would sack a railway worker. I had not persistent interjecting. The honourable member counted on the member's inability. for Ipswich has said that he finds that particular Mr HAMILL: I rise to a point of order. The remark offensive and asks that it be withdrawn. Treasurer's comments are not only wrong, they The Deputy Premier will withdraw. are offensive. There were no railway workers Mrs SHELDON: Anything that the sacked when I was Transport Minister. I ask her to honourable member finds offensive I withdraw. I withdraw those falsehoods and apologise again. leave to the House the member's record. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The honourable member has found some remarks offensive and Law and Order asks that they be withdrawn. Mr ELLIOTT: I ask the Minister for Police: Mrs SHELDON: Whatever the member could he please inform the House of the litany of finds offensive I will withdraw. Obviously he corrections, mishaps and disasters under Labor's cannot cop the truth. I also forgot that this was law and order Keystone Cops? the gentleman who closed down so much of Queensland Rail. Mr COOPER: I have great pleasure in telling the House about law and order again Mr HAMILL: I rise to a point of order. The today, as I was able to yesterday, thanks to the Treasurer continues to mislead the House. Her questions and the garbage debate that members claims are false, they are untrue and offensive. went through yesterday. It was an honour to get Again, she should apologise for misleading the that attention yesterday. It gave me the chance to House. I ask her to withdraw. demonstrate clearly the success of this coalition Mr SPEAKER: Order! The honourable with its law and order policies right across-the- member has asked for a withdrawal. board. Our record is second to none, compared 1086 Questions Without Notice 13 May 1998 with Labor's six years of dismal failure. That was a Woodford jail? Do members know what they did? great opportunity. A month before they moved the bulldozers in, Looking around the Chamber this morning, they spent $300,000 on the administration block it is interesting to note how much real interest is at the Woodford prison. They said, "We have to being shown in this Parliament amongst that lot keep this place going. We will do up the opposite. At least 12 or 14 Opposition members administration block but knock down the jail. are missing from the Chamber. I notice that the What does that matter?" That was another old fellow has just come back. But the rest of example of their total and complete them are not the slightest bit interested, and that incompetence. is because they have no faith at all in what their Another example I want to give occurred in leader is saying. September 1991, when two prisoners, one of This gives me an opportunity, as it did whom was serving 15 years for manslaughter, yesterday, to inform the House about the were playing tennis. The fellow who lost got really hundreds of extra police that we have put out on cranky, picked up his bat and ball and bolted. He the beat, the extra police powers that we have escaped. He jumped the fence and was off. And put in place, the Crime Commission, the extra the fellow who won said, "Hey! That's my prize. I support for prison officers and their training, the get first prize for escaping. I'm going to go, too." massive expansions in the prison system, the So the pair of them went. massive security upgrades, and so on. That has Then there was the issue about a video of given us a great opportunity to take 2,000 more the movie the Silence of the Lambs. Some criminals off the streets. Quite frankly, I could not members may have seen it. Prisoners got that believe my luck. first. The video was brand new. No-one else Last night, I dusted off some old files could get it, but the prisoners did. They got a because I thought that it might be of interest to private viewing of Silence of the Lambs. As members if I were to make a further comparison members would probably know, that film depicts between this Government and the Opposition. vicious scenes of prisoners attacking prison As to the member for Waterford, I said yesterday officers. Top stuff! That occurred when the that it is easy to pick out as much rubbish and member for Kedron was the Police Minister. The muck as one possibly can; do not be positive; be list goes on. as negative as possible. That is exactly what he Then we had a couple of prisoners who did. So I thought that I would dust off some files were happily growing marijuana in a Townsville just to even the score. jail. The former Government's motto was: "Keep Members have been talking about keys. I them high. Keep them happy." One headline at know that a mass escape at Rockhampton was the time read, "Drugs Grown On Jail Farm." They averted because they actually found a replica key said, "Give them more marijuana. Let them grow in one of the cell blocks. That key would have it. Let them smoke it. Not a worry!" It was not the opened up all the cells in that particular jail. But case that they were worried about drugs getting that would not have been a worry to members into jails. We are now doing everything we can to opposite. Then there was the loss of a master stop it. They actually encouraged them and gave key from the Brisbane watch-house. That key them irrigation equipment, a few seeds and would have opened several prisons around the plants and said, "Away you go. Do it yourself." State. That is how good that lot opposite were. Then we had the prisoner who escaped twice in They were not going to let out just a few 10 days from the Wacol prison—in one door, prisoners; that key would have opened the locks straight out the other; in for one day and out for and let them all out. But then again, they had that the next 10 days. That is just the tip of the revolving door, so they might as well have given iceberg. I also want to mention a couple more them the keys and be done with it. Then the examples of what the Keystone Cops did. master key of a watch-house was found at a Then they started doing some security police citizens youth club at Gladstone. That key, upgrades. But when they did those security which was found under the mats at that club, was upgrades of the perimeter fences they the master key for the watch-house at overlooked the fact that the roof overhung the Rockhampton. So they could have let that lot fence. So a couple of crims got up onto the roof, out, too. They had keys planted around the ran along the fence, jumped over and were off in place—"Go around and have a look to see how real Olympian style! many keys you can find." I want to finish on one point. We talk about I also want to expose a few other examples cowboys riding off into the sunset. At the old of the former Government's incompetence. Do prison farm at Wacol, one prisoner got on a horse members recall that, in August 1991, members of at sunrise to go and muster the cows and bring in that Government were going to close the the milkers. That prisoner kept on riding into the 13 May 1998 Questions Without Notice 1087 sunrise. He did not bring the cows back; he kept has had to put $35m each year. I presume on riding right across the flat. The thing is that another $35m will be needed again this year. We they captured that prisoner one day later, but the will have to wait and see about that. horse—they have not seen it since. The horse is still going. Nevertheless, under Labor, officers of various departments attended media training. I Mr Foley: That was during my time. presume that from time to time officers of my Mr COOPER: Yes, it was. I want to give department attend media training. I recommend credit where it is due, because all was not lost. some media training for the Leader of the The member for Yeronga was the acting Minister Opposition, because I hear that his appearance for prisons at the time. That incident occurred on on television is not going down that well at all. Even his Deputy Leader has indicated quite Christmas Day. So they called him out from his clearly around the State that, while Mr Beattie is Christmas dinner of turkey, gravy and peas—all the leader, the Labor Party will not win the those things. He combed the peas out of his hair, election. wiped the gravy off his face, got the turkey off his trousers and went out to inspect—what? Hoof It was this Government that toughened up prints! He went out to inspect hoof prints. He did the penalties in the Criminal Code. If the member not see the horse or anything. He said, "I think he for Yeronga wants to make a point about that, I went that-a-way!" That was his contribution to the point out that we certainly toughened them up former Government's farcical management of the for a range of crimes. We trebled the sentences prison system. for child abuse and paedophilia. Unlike Labor, we were not soft on those crimes. We cracked down hard and we do not apologise. Labor should Media Training, Justice Department apologise, but it should not require us to do so. Officers The new offence of torture carries a penalty of 14 years' imprisonment. Again, Labor was opposed Mr FOLEY: I refer the Attorney-General to that initiative. We remember that they opposed and Minister for Justice to the $4,160 of that penalty. We remember the issues that came taxpayers' money that his department paid for his to the fore that demonstrated the need for that Director-General Kevin Martin and three other type of penalty. departmental officers to attend a half-day media training course on 22 April last year. I table Of course, the Labor Party is very guilty. In relevant FOI documents, which show that it cost relation to training people for the media, it has a the department over $1,000 per hour for this long history of sending off its officers for training course to teach the four how to answer media and of spending far more on the media than this questions such as, "Why did the Government Government has ever spent on the media. The wait until it was forced by the Opposition to raise Premier has outlined some of those figures. I am the sentence relating to the bribery of Cabinet happy to do so at any time. Millions upon millions Ministers?" and, "Is fortune telling now illegal?" I of dollars more were spent on the media under ask: how does he justify that gross waste of Labor than has been spent under this taxpayers' money at a time when his Government Government. is allocating insufficient funds for legal aid, health and education services? Mr BEANLAND: I thank the member for Rights of Victims of Crime; Community Yeronga for that question. Obviously, he has Youth Conferencing been a little hurt this morning. I noticed the note Mr TANTI: I ask the Attorney-General and that he sent up to the Speaker a few moments Minister for Justice: what steps has the ago in order to get onto the question list. Coming Government taken to ensure that the rights of from a member of the previous Government that offenders do not supersede the rights of victims closed close on 30 courthouses around this of crime? In the juvenile justice sector, is there State, I think that is a bit rich. It has come to this any evidence as to the success of the Government to reopen courthouses in this State. Government's program of community youth Mr Borbidge: He is more interested in conferencing? Were those initiatives opposed at $4,000 than $400m. the time of their introduction? Mr BEANLAND: As the Premier reminds Mr BEANLAND: I thank the member for me, the member for Yeronga is far more Mundingburra for that question. He is another interested in the $4,000 than the $400m black person who is very concerned about fighting hole he left in the Workers Compensation Fund, crime in this State and about the issues, unlike into which the Treasurer in the last two Budgets the members opposite. We have taken a number 1088 Questions Without Notice 13 May 1998 of different actions in relation to this issue. Firstly, Public Works and Housing Department we abolished the criminals' rights to sue victims. Computer Tender That is something that the Labor Party opposed Mr MACKENROTH: I refer the Minister for rigorously in this House. I think that is something Public Works and Housing to the 13 February that all Queenslanders applaud. Secondly, memo he received from the Government's parents attending court with their children is computer agency, CITEC, advising him that it was another initiative put in place by this Government not involved in a joint tender for the supply and that the Labor Party opposed. Courts can require installation of personal computers and file servers parents to attend court with their children. That for his department, because CITEC was aware was a provision that did not exist previously and that the tender had been set up to be awarded to which the courts had asked for over many years. a specific company. I ask: on receiving this The former Government refused to put in place information from CITEC, what action did the the legislation to implement that. It is a farce when Minister take to ensure that the tender process people ring up to say how dreadful it is that for that contract was not being manipulated? Is he parents might find out that their children have aware of claims that a departmental employee been engaging in offending behaviour. Of who was involved in writing the tender course parents ought to know about the specifications is now working for the successful behaviour of their children. Again, that is an tenderer? initiative against which the Labor Party voted. Dr WATSON: I am not aware of the last Doubling community service orders for point that the member raised. I cannot recall that. I young offenders is another initiative against would have discussed anything like that with the which the Labor Party voted in this Parliament. director-general. I would have taken whatever Community youth conferencing for juveniles to advice was given. enable them to make apologies and restitution to their victims is another initiative against which the Maryborough College of TAFE Labor Party voted in this House. That initiative is Mrs GAMIN: The member for working very well. I should indicate very clearly to Maryborough has consistently sought to blame the Parliament that a recent survey carried out in the Minister for Training and Industrial Relations relation to that program, which has been and the coalition for matters pertaining to student operating now for a little over 12 months, numbers at the Maryborough College of TAFE. I revealed that, to date, some 76% of young ask: to what extent are his personal attacks in offenders believed that conferencing had relation to such matters justified? deterred them from reoffending. Some 82% or 83% of victims believed that a conference Mr SANTORO: In a memorandum of 21 helped the young person understand the impact July 1994 from the then Acting Executive of the offence. I think those are very significant Director of TAFE Queensland to then Minister figures. Through those programs, we are having Foley, I received much good and needed information in relation to the performance of the a real effect on the community. honourable member. That memorandum There is no point in the Opposition included a table showing that Maryborough indicating to the public that they are tough on the TAFE student enrolment figures had decreased causes of crime, that they are coming up with by 16.26% since 1989, that is, during the time of initiatives, because they voted against these the Labor Government of which the member for initiatives in the House. It is on the record of the Maryborough was a member. As Labor knows parliamentary debates that they did just that. No only too well from its time in Government, two amount of misleading of the Parliament will other salient factors have contributed to that achieve some other result. As I have indicated, decline. One was quoted in the memorandum to the Labor Party voted against the increase of the then Minister— sentences for serious violent offenders. Again "... effectively halving the population base that was an initiative of this Government. The from which the Maryborough college could trebling of sentences for child abuse and draw its local students." paedophilia was implemented by this The factor being referred to was the opening of Government and voted against by the Labor the college at Gympie. The second factor that Party. It is a little hollow for the Leader of the contributed to the decline of the student Opposition and his front bench to parade around numbers, which the then Government the State and try to pretend otherwise, because acknowledged, was the projected decline in the the parliamentary record shows otherwise. 15 to 19 age group within the Maryborough "Backflip Pete" says it all. He is trying yet again to college district. It needs to be borne in mind that do another backflip. that age cohort is the group most likely to be 13 May 1998 Water Resources Amendment Bill 1089 involved in prevocational or apprenticeship McIntyre and Associates, consulting engineers, training. During the time of the Labor presented the Mount Morgan Shire Council with Government, when the honourable member said the Mount Morgan water storage upgrade absolutely nothing, there was a report existing feasibility report. On page 27 of that report under within the department and provided to the "Preferred option", in relation to the limitations of Minister giving some very good reasons as to the additional supply, the consultants made it why that decline was taking place, a decline that quite clear. That is important because of a this Government is seeking to reverse by number of issues that are happening in the pumping in all the resources and projects that we community at the moment. That is why I want to are into the Maryborough area. raise them here today. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The time for The report stated that the raising of the questions has expired. height of the existing dam by 4.5 metres will enable the designed demand from the No. 7 dam of 1.6 megalitres a day to be supplied with 100% WATER RESOURCES AMENDMENT reliability of storage. It is noted that the town's BILL total demand is two megalitres per day. Dam No. 7 meets 1.6 megalitres of that two megalitres per Second Reading day of the town's design demand. The other 0.4 Resumed from 12 May (see p. 1050). megalitres per day is drawn from the nearby Mr PEARCE (Fitzroy) (11.29 a.m.): The Fletcher Creek. The report goes on to state— shadow Minister has indicated to the House "The 4.5 m raising of the wall will already that the Opposition does not intend to provide some added leeway so that if and oppose the Water Resources Amendment Bill. when future demand slightly exceeds the However, Mr Speaker, in common with the 1.6 ml/day then such demand could be shadow Minister, I crave your indulgence to supplied from the dam but with slightly widen the debate as I wish to speak about three reduced reliability of supply. In this situation, matters relating to water supply that are important water restrictions would need to be imposed to the people whom I represent. Those three during periods of extreme below average matters are the dam on the Dawson River, the rainfall." proposed weir on the Dawson River, which will Although I welcome the additional water benefit the Duaringa Shire, and the extension of storage capacity, which slightly improves the Mount Morgan's water supply facility. reliability of supply, the sight of more water Firstly, I refer to the Mount Morgan facility. should not create false hopes of industrial Originally, this storage facility was constructed to development or housing estates. The people of supply the town's goldmine. When the mine Mount Morgan must understand the capability of ceased its operations, the then Labor the existing water infrastructure, that is the Government facilitated the handing over of that pumping stations, the main pipelines, the water dam to the Mount Morgan people. The height of treatment plant, the storage capacity and the the dam is to be raised by 4.5 metres and reticulation system, which delivers water into construction is currently under way. The businesses, schools, hospitals, nursing homes extension of the No. 7 dam—or the big and households. The council has replaced a dam—wall will provide an additional 12 months' number of mains throughout the town but there water supply to Mount Morgan during an are still real problems with the age of the extended dry spell, similar to that which central reticulation system. That problem must be Queensland has been, and in some areas is still, recognised. I have it on good advice that the experiencing. With the smallest catchment pipeline between Fletcher Creek and the town is area—38.8 square kilometres—of any treated fast approaching its use-by date. urban water supply in Australia, there must be a I am saying to the people of Mount Morgan significant rain event in the dam's catchment area that, yes, the additional storage capacity of dam to fill the dam and there must be regular run-off to No. 7, or the big dam, is welcomed and maintain supply. appreciated. However, everyone, including the In welcoming the additional water storage, local council, must accept that the additional residents should be aware that, although there capacity will deliver only reliability of supply to the will be extra water to meet the needs of the town, people of Mount Morgan. Under extreme dry the infrastructure, that is the treatment plant and conditions—call it a drought—if the dam was full the reticulation system, is working close to at the commencement of the drought Mount capacity. Therefore, there is limited spare Morgan will have an extra 12 months of reliable capacity to cater for population increases or water supply. We can safely say that it would have industrial development. In December 1995, probably three years' supply without rain. 1090 Water Resources Amendment Bill 13 May 1998

There are people within that community, before the crisis arrives. A crisis is what is going to some with a close association with the local happen in this area in the future if we do not start council, who are banking on a financial windfall thinking ahead. through the development and sale of more than As the local member, I have considered the 100 blocks of land set aside for urban future of Gracemere and those families who live development. The Mayor of Mount Morgan Shire on rural blocks outside the urban area and in will talk up the benefits of the additional Mount smaller communities in that part of central Morgan capacity in the hope that the Queensland. In common with everyone else, community—the local ratepayers—will accept they have a right to a reliable supply of quality council development and sale of land. Although water. A strategically placed pipeline from the everyone would welcome and support—and I do Fitzroy River can and will deliver that reliability of personally—further development of Mount water supply for all of those people. As their Morgan, it must be done in a way that does not representative, I will continue to pursue this disadvantage the current ratepayers. Extra issue, because it is the answer to the future houses mean extra water, which will severely test problems in that area. An amount of $25m spent the capacity of the water supply infrastructure. In now would deliver certainty of water supply to the long term, that could mean restrictions on those communities that I have mentioned, water use by current ratepayers. thereby allowing for further development. It The people of Mount Morgan should in their would also cater for the additional and future own interests demand an independent study demands of an expanding Gracemere. into the Mount Morgan water supply and its ability I would like to move on to the Duaringa water to meet future needs before and after the supply. On behalf of the people of Duaringa, and development of urban blocks. In fact, after the in particular the people of the Duaringa Shire, I election I will be calling on the Minister of the day wish to raise the issue of a guaranteed water for an independent audit of Mount Morgan's supply for the people of Duaringa who currently water infrastructure and supply capability so that rely on water being pumped from waterholes in the community and local representatives have a the Dawson River. The Duaringa Shire Council, clear picture of the water capacity and the water residents of the town of Duaringa and local rural infrastructure for the town. There is too much producers have been waiting patiently for the confusion and there are too many arguments announcement on the Nathan dam. There has about the additional water supply and its been every indication from the Department of benefits. The best way to settle the argument is Natural Resources that a weir on the Dawson to have an audit on the water infrastructure and River would also be constructed at the same time the water capacity. Mount Morgan should be as the Nathan dam. The weir was given Category allowed to expand through the building of more 1 status in the catchment regional planning and homes, but the decision makers owe it to the assessment studies of the Water Infrastructure ratepayers to ensure the continuance of a Task Force report. As it is detailed in the report, reliable and clean water supply. I remind the the weir is expected to have a capacity of 5,600 people of Mount Morgan that, in time, decision megalitres. At the time of the study, the cost was makers move on; the town and the people estimated to be around about $4.3m. It was to remain and it is they who will suffer the have been located 6.6 kilometres upstream from consequences of poor decisions and the greed the Capricorn Highway. The concern I have is of others. Time will prove me right. The extension with the apparent shift of the department away to the dam wall is a bandaid solution to a long- from the rhetoric of officers who in the past have term problem. There is no doubt that, in time, indicated a strong commitment to a weir at this water will be piped from the Fitzroy River to location. I am looking for some positive response Mount Morgan. It is commonsense to do it now from the Minister here today because the while the cost is reasonable. council, Duaringa residents and rural producers The demand for a reliable water supply is would like some certainty and commitment. They growing in the Stanwell, Kabra and have asked me to raise this issue to determine Bouldercombe areas. That can be delivered only exactly where the new Minister stands. through a pipeline that will also deliver a reliable I know from talking to him personally that the water supply to Mount Morgan. Claims by the Minister has a strong commitment to providing Mayor of Mount Morgan that the people of Mount appropriate water infrastructure. I have told the Morgan will have to carry the full cost burden of council that I can rely on the Minister's word. I ask the pipeline are outrageous. Those costs should him to state in his reply to this debate exactly be shared by those who will benefit from it and what is planned for the weir of which I speak. Will the State and Federal Governments. In it go ahead or has it been scrapped? Is the considering the needs of the people, we have to Minister under pressure from powerbrokers have vision: think ahead, plan and develop within the National Party to relocate the weir 13 May 1998 Water Resources Amendment Bill 1091 downstream on the Dawson/Fitzroy River need to ensure that funds are available for the system? The Minister may not be aware that maintenance and refurbishment of water storage development in and around Duaringa has been facilities and the building of more storage facilities stifled because of the lack of a reliable water where they can be proven to be economically supply. I know that he would like to address that viable and environmentally sound. In the type of issue. interests of future generations and the Interest has been shown in the sustainability of water supply and the development of a meatworks in the area because environment, it is important that appropriate and of its location within the beef producing areas of credible impact assessments be carried out. the Duaringa Shire. A Korean company has had In November last year the then Minister, the in-depth discussions with the council about the member for Warrego, made a statement in this development of a noodle producing venture place in which he referred to impact assessment which would include urban and industrial studies on the water storage proposals for the development. I also understand that discussions Fitzroy River Basin, namely, the Dawson River are currently under way between the Department and Comet River. In that statement to the House of Education and a Korean university interest in the then Minister stated— connection with the establishment of a university "These studies, which were campus at Duaringa. undertaken by independent consultants, While this may seem like pie in the sky stuff, have recently been completed. The reports, we have to acknowledge that these proposals each including a draft environmental have been put forward. Discussions have taken management plan, have been presented to place and delegations have visited the area. The me. For each proposal, the consultants council knows that the biggest stumbling block to concluded that no impact was identified that potential development is water. It really has its was of such significance as to suggest that hands tied in offering anything significant to the proposals should not proceed." those who show an interest in the area. Given the Minister's announcement that the Rural producers who currently benefit from Comet River dam would not go ahead, it would the resource of the river are also concerned appear that the draft report of which the member about reliability of supply and the opportunity for for Warrego spoke got it wrong. While I have expansion of irrigation production. This is why I, neither read the reports nor seen the terms of as the local member, on behalf of the people of reference, that statement and the final outcome Duaringa Shire, would like to know what the undermine the credibility of the whole process. coalition Government's policy is with respect to There has always been a question about the the planning and construction of the weir as credibility of these claims. Despite the rhetoric, identified by that Water Infrastructure Task Force. there is recognition and acceptance that there It is very important. Without it, that part of central will be a significant environmental impact on the Queensland will just stagnate. As the Minister land to be irrigated, the ground water and knows—I have heard him say it before—we do downstream supply. not get expansion and jobs unless we have Regardless of which party is in power, water. Government has a responsibility to ensure that I will speak now about the Dawson River environmental impact is kept to the minimum. dam, the Nathan dam. As a member representing There is strong evidence already in this country a large rural and mining electorate, I know the to demonstrate the damage done by the importance of proper management of our natural damming of rivers and the irrigation of land that water resources. There has been some follows. The Murray/Darling Basin is one area that discussion in recent times about the new water comes to mind. Governments are spending storage on the Dawson River. It is acknowledged millions of dollars to clean up after the mistakes of by everybody that dams are important for the the past. We must ensure that we do not place industrial and agricultural development of a that same burden on future generations of this region. Water brings new mines, crops State and of this country. dependent on irrigation and, most importantly to A good friend whom I respect for his every one of us in this place, jobs. sincerity and his knowledge of water resources While supporting the need for new dams for argues that the Dawson River dam will not cause the region, as I have already stated I remain aware an environmental disaster. He claims that, of the consequences of poor management and because there are six weirs already along its misuse of water resources. We need to ensure length and the river has adapted, the dam will that the right policies are in place to encourage actually help the control of blue-green algae better use of water. The community must get because regular water releases and flows down maximum benefit from its water resources. We the river prevent the still water conditions 1092 Water Resources Amendment Bill 13 May 1998 necessary for algal blooms. I respect his opinions make significant impacts on water supplies and but would say that his assessment would depend the environment, leaving a mess for our younger on the level of commitment by the Department of people to clean up in the future. Natural Resources or the provider of the water to Time expired. ensuring that regular flows are factored into the storage capacity and the allocation, and to taking Mrs BIRD (Whitsunday) (11.50 a.m.): I wish into consideration the need to increase the to raise two issues concerning my electorate. levels of release in drier years. The Water is a very significant issue in respect of mismanagement or overallocation of the farming, horticulture and, of course, the resource will be the determining factor. expansion of the tourism industry. It is a shame that almost every dam in the Mirani, Mackay and I am always conscious of Government or Whitsunday areas cannot be used because of enterprises putting dollars ahead of blue-green algal blooms. Some dams have not commonsense. Failure by the Minister to wait for been able to be used for three years. Although the completion of the water allocation some dams have reopened in recent days, most management plan before approving the Comet have not been able to be used. River and Dawson River projects raises a number of concerns about the credibility of the process. Mr Schwarten interjected. The WAMP process determines the catchment Mrs BIRD: People cannot swim in the yield and how much water can be allocated below dams, because blue-green algae is poisonous a catchment, including environmental flows and can make people sick. All camping areas necessary to maintain a healthy river, and must have been closed for three years. Several be completed before the Minister gives approval proposals have been initiated for the area, I for a proposed dam to proceed. believe, for the sake of political expediency. The It would appear to me to be commonsense proposal that comes to mind most readily is the St to know exactly what demands would be applied Helens dam. The St Helens dam proposal was to the water in storage; to know what is needed rejected by the former Government, but it has to keep a healthy river, supply a power station once again come to the fore. In the valley at St and meet irrigation demands; to know how long Helens, high-quality persimmons are now being these demands can be sustained; and to know, if grown for export. those demands cannot be sustained for an Mr Schwarten interjected. acceptable period, what mechanisms or controls Mrs BIRD: The area is producing are put in place to make sure that the river is wonderful persimmons. Last year, 1,000 cartons maintained in a healthy state. were exported to Malaysia. This year they I believe that it is dangerous to potential expanded production and exported 6,000 water users and current users of the river system cartons to Malaysia. Horticulturalists regard the for the State Government to push through persimmons as being the highest quality they projects in a desperate bid to stay in Government have seen for many years in this country. without first considering the possible Mr Schwarten: It is the only place consequences, which could be left to future anywhere in the tropics besides Bangkok. generations to fix. Mrs BIRD: That is right. They cannot meet I am a realist. If there were an independent the export market demand and everybody is review of water management in this State, it expanding production. Attached to that industry would reveal that the department has in the past is another industry that is increasingly becoming been guilty of misleading conduct, monopoly of great interest, namely, the bed and breakfast pricing, price discrimination and misuse of market tourist market. In particular, the market consists of power. I would hope that all of those things have overseas tourists who want to learn about changed. Without the benefit of a water persimmon production and marketing. allocation management plan, rural producers and The supporters of the dam at St Helens local authorities have every reason to be anticipate that it will facilitate an expansion of the concerned about the future of the rivers on which they are so dependent. sugar industry. Members may be aware of recent comments by canegrowers that the mills Because there is an election looming, I think throughout north Queensland can no longer there may be changes. It does not matter who is cope with any further expansions of the sugar sitting on that side of the House, the Minister and industry. They have appealed for greater scrutiny the Government have a responsibility to not only of further expansions, because they simply could the people of this State but also future not cope with any more. Also, there has been a generations to make sure that everything is done decline in the sugar market and the sugar price. It out in the open and accountably and that water is anticipated that it will decline even further over management is carried out so that we do not the next few years. One has to conclude that the 13 May 1998 Water Resources Amendment Bill 1093 proposal to proceed with the St Helens dam was agreement, we will be able to look at taking the put forward for the sake of political expediency. next step. However, at this stage I am not Mr Schwarten: The other thing to interested in looking at the proposal. I support remember of course is that those persimmons the shadow Minister's decision that a Labor are being grown on marginal land. Government would not proceed with the proposal. Mrs BIRD: That is a good point. We are growing high-quality persimmons on ground that The other issue that I wish to address is the people intend to grow cane on. When I drove my extension of the Elliott Channel from the father around the area, he shook his head and Burdekin River to Bowen. Three and a half years said, "You will never grow a skerrick of cane on ago I was meeting continually with the this property without filling it with fertiliser." That Department of Primary Industries and Water fertiliser would then run off into the river. Resources over this issue. They told me that it would take two years to construct the Elliott I am extremely grateful to the shadow Channel expansion to Bowen so as to facilitate Minister, who visited the area recently and the expansion of the horticultural industry. I am listened to the concerns of local people, now advised that no work has been undertaken including canegrowers. Some canegrowers at since the new Government came in. I find the that meeting expressed great concern about the Government's handling of the situation absurd. It dam proceeding. On the day, the shadow is astonishing that the people of Bowen have not Minister said that under a Labor Government the received any support from this Government in St Helens dam would not proceed. I am grateful pushing the Elliott Channel ahead. to him for that commitment. The area is spectacular and a lot of people live there. The Under a Labor Government that expansion homes that people have built over the years on 5 would now be in place. We need the Elliott Channel expansion. In relation to a proposal to 10 acre properties will have to go and those before both the Burdekin Shire and the Bowen people will have to be relocated. Shire, both councils have pleaded for the Mr Schwarten: It's madness. Government to proceed with the Elliott Channel Mrs BIRD: It is insane. It is a crazy proposal. posthaste or to give a commitment to its We have to look at other options. The younger proceeding so that the proposed international farmers, particularly those at the St Helens airport can proceed. I notice the smile on the meeting, are now pleading for a different Minister's face. The international airport is a direction with respect to the supply of water. private development. I will support any They want on-farm supplies, greater refunds, tax international airport that is a private development. incentives and relief from the Federal The local authorities in my electorate would not Government. To me, that seems to be a sensible have to fund that development so I am way to go. Many farmers have grouped four or supporting it, regardless of who develops it. If five farms together and will have a shared on-farm another developer proposed the same water supply. That is an excellent way to go. The development, I would also support it. We need younger farmers have also become green that airport not only to get our fish and farmers. They see the opportunity to take their horticultural produce to the international market; environmental concerns a step further: prevent we need it also to send our persimmons the damming and utilise on-farm water. It is a overseas. much better idea and something that I will The Elliott Channel site has been supported support. One of their concerns is that if the sugar by both shires; they are both pushing for it. The price holds at this level they may be able to international airport will not proceed until we get maintain the purchase of water. However, given that commitment. The international airport can be the expectation that prices will decline, they face up and running in two years. My support for this the prospect that they will never be able to particular location of the airport is simply because purchase water and farm successfully. it is out of town; there is no residential area I note also that no studies have been done nearby; it is an excellent location for exporting into the St Helens proposal—not even the produce; it is not subjected to adverse weather compulsory studies under the COAG agreement. conditions; and it is also an area which is clearly I find that distressing. The stated reason for that close to the tourist market of Airlie Beach and situation is that such studies have to be done Cannonvale and is also close to the horticultural only in respect of significant waterways. If that is and fishing areas of Bowen. not a significant waterway, why is the I am not satisfied with building a dam for the Government bothering to dam it? It is certainly sake of building a dam. I believe that there is significant to the people who live along the certainly a feeling among some of my male riverbanks. Once a study is done under that colleagues on both sides of the House that, 1094 Water Resources Amendment Bill 13 May 1998 where there is a dam, there is progress. The figures. Already a couple of the larger industries indications in my region are that that is not so. In have changed their processes, resulting in a fact, some areas have been built because the decrease in water demand. The original dam was there and that in turn resulted in some agreements with the Gladstone Area Water productivity. However, once the blue-green Board were take or pay, which did not encourage algae has been generated, we have not been industry to look at a better use of water. There able to use some of that property for any was no acknowledgment of industries that productivity at all. perhaps use salt water for cooling towers and the I think that we should go forward with great like. Changing technology in new industries that caution on any sort of dam construction, and I may reduce water needs was not factored in, plead with the Government at this stage to at either. Other constraints in the area also were not least attempt to start the Elliott Channel so that put into the document. One such constraint is my people can benefit from some extra jobs in the fact that water will not be the major constraint the area and progress as they ought to. in industrial development in our region; it is more likely to be the ability of the airshed to accept Mrs CUNNINGHAM (Gladstone) emissions. That was not in the document. In one (12.01 p.m.): It has been stated by a number of of the public meetings, the water board just previous speakers that water is an invaluable bluntly stated that it was not interested in those commodity in our nation and in our State. Indeed, ancillary issues, that its job was to store and sell great effort is currently being expended to water. increase the water storage capacity in the State. One of those proposals is in my own electorate. Our region is very fortunate. We have two major river catchments: the Boyne River and the Some years ago the local Gladstone Area Calliope River. The Boyne has been impounded Water Board commenced a study into future now for many years. The effect of the water storage options available to it to meet impoundment on that river is visually evident in projected demands in the area, particularly in the the upper reaches just below the dam wall, and light of industrial development that was planned the effect is anecdotally known by those involved or projected. Initially, five locations were in the fishing industry and recreational fishing. considered. Three were promptly deleted as That becomes evident from talking to some of unsuitable on either environmental or the long-term residents. engineering grounds. The final two options were designated for closer investigation. The two The Calliope River plays a critical role in the options were the upgrade of the existing rock health of a number of areas in our community, wall dam, the Awoonga Dam on the Boyne River and I would like to come back to that a little bit and construction of a new dam, Castle Hope, on later on. Yesterday the member for Rockhampton the Calliope River. I must be up front and say in expressing concerns about a proposed dam—I here that I am totally opposed to the proposed think it was the Nathan dam in his area—said that damming of the Calliope River. no quantitative study had been done on the downstream impacts of the proposed dam. That About four years ago there was an initial is a problem because that occurs over and over briefing for people in the community regarding again. Along the same lines, a group in our the options being considered by the Gladstone community, the Calliope Shire Rate and Area Water Board. Even then it was clear that, Taxpayers Association, along with a number of irrespective of any study information, the water other people, was justifiably anxious about the board planned to recommend the damming of proposal to dam the Calliope—the Awoonga has the Calliope River. In a lot of the information—and already been constructed; we cannot turn the maybe this has been addressed very recently— clock back. the fact that the water needs were based on projected industry was not factored into the Mr Schwarten: You will never build study documentation that was initially released. another one like that without the community. Because of our infrastructure, there is a long- Mrs CUNNINGHAM: No, that is right. The term planning strategy for the region which sets Awoonga Dam has significant expansion ability. out the types of industry that could be included. In fact, for years it has been intended to have a Nobody would deny development for our area. In second and third lift on the Boyne River fact, I certainly support development for our area. dam—the Awoonga Dam. There have been projected industries, one The ratepayers organisation is a non-profit of which has already been allocated to group and cannot fund significant studies. It Townsville. The water demand was based on approached my office to find out what funding future augmentation for existing industries and might be available to engage a consultant to projected industries. However, changes in water complete an independent social impact use were not factored into the water demand assessment of both proposals. On behalf of not 13 May 1998 Water Resources Amendment Bill 1095 only the Calliope ratepayers and taxpayers wants the dam or the water board that is seeking association but many people in my community, I the dam, then the affected residents will doubt express my appreciation for the funding the findings of the study. assistance given by the Government to complete Mr Schwarten interjected. the study. Mrs CUNNINGHAM: That is right; it has to I have a copy of the study that was done. Dr be completely separate and the proponents— Salim Momtaz from the Rural Social & Economic those who are doing the study—must be able to Research Centre at Central Queensland give an unaffected report. I know that a lot of the University; Bruce Taylor, his research officer; and IASs which are completed by companies alone or Dr Stewart Lockie, an associate investigator, in association with Government departments are completed their report in February. It details the sanitised before they hit the ground. I have been extensive consultation that has occurred. In any told by people in Government departments that normal project, an environmental impact study is the drafts are "not available as yet" and that they done. The normal reply about the need for a are still in the department being "toned down". social impact assessment is that it is included in the EIS or the IAS. The fact is that those social I want to refer to some of the study impacts are usually contained in one or two recommendations. Dr Momtaz said— paragraphs—if it is that fortunate—and are lost in "In order to assess the real extent of a document which deals with airshed and the proposals on the local economy and watershed impacts, infrastructure requirements, employment characteristics, direct and job creation, transport requirements and a lot of indirect impacts on local jobs and income other very tangible issues. must be incorporated into the final benefit- This study addressed a number of key cost analysis of the proponent." factors, whilst recognising that the Awoonga Dam That is not done. Another recommendation has already been established. It looked at things reads as follows— such as access, loss of property through inundation because of the second and third lifts, "The proponent needs to engage in uncertainty in the community, local community individual 'on property' consultation with and economic issues, community social issues, potentially affected landholders in or recreation and tourism, and regional community adjacent to inundation areas." and economic issues. Mr Schwarten: Is that the Boyne they are For the proposed Calliope River dam, the talking about there? issues are slightly different as no impounding Mrs CUNNINGHAM: This is both. currently exists. Its social impacts included Another recommendation reads as follows— access and inundation, land infrastructure and inundation, uncertainty, local community and "The commercial fishing industry and economic issues, personal social issues, supporting industries represent a major community social issues, structure networks and organised stakeholder in the proposed cohesion, recreation and tourism, and regional developments and should be recognised community and economic issues. That took into and referred to as such." account not just how much land would be lost if That particularly applies to the Calliope River. the dam is built but also what productivity would Another recommendation reads— be lost because of the loss of that land and what "The proponent undertake a holistic businesses would be affected by that economic benefit-cost analysis of impacts such as the loss. In the area of fisheries, the report looked at loss of income to the commercial fishing not just the potential environmental impact on industry and associated service industries." the fisheries—and we have a significant crustacean nursery in the Calliope River—but A further recommendation reads— also things like what other areas would be "As a component of the proponent's affected if, say, the fishing industry decreased IAS, a register of suitable properties or land significantly. So those studies are critical. in the region available for relocation be This study is certainly the first of its type in compiled." our region. My point in speaking today is to If a person lost his farm—it might contain some recommend to the Minister that these studies not 700 hectares—and he was still a young person, be done as just a small addendum to an IAS, but he might want to continue on with rural that an independent—and it must be production. There have to be appropriate places independent—social impact assessment be to which that production can be transferred. It is a done. If it cannot be shown to be transparently very real impact but one which is very easily separate from the Government department that overlooked or ignored. 1096 Water Resources Amendment Bill 13 May 1998

The final recommendation reads as "An application under subsection (1) follows— must be accompanied by the prescribed fee "Strong consideration must be given to and must set forth details of the applicant's the implications of multiple regional proposal for the works including particulars development projects on the communities with respect to ..." of the region regarding the potential The remainder of the provision proceeds to list cumulative social impacts of the proposals the particulars required to be supplied by the and projects." applicant in respect of the applicant's proposal. That refers to the fact that the Water Board's Importantly, the reference to the "applicant's intention is to dam the Calliope and then lift the proposal for the works" refers to the applicant's Awoonga Dam so that the potential impacts of proposal for the works to be authorised by way of both will occur. My argument is to expand the a Part 7 special works agreement. The meaning Awoonga Dam. Development in the Boyne of the phrase "applicant's proposal for the works" region behind the dam has been impeded for is clear within the context within which it appears. years not only because it is a catchment and the The honourable shadow Minister, the integrity of the water has to be kept but also member for Rockhampton, expressed concern because it is going to be inundated at a future about water infrastructure around the State. We date. As a result, development did not occur. have had some interesting debates and tete-a- I cannot recommend more strongly the tetes in the press over the past couple of need for social impact assessment studies to be months. I welcome the opportunity to be able to undertaken on dam proposals. These projects outline the Government's stance and point out create jobs but they also consume jobs. I cannot where the Government is coming from with emphasise strongly enough the need for the regard to our water infrastructure program around study to be independent and to be transparent the State. so that it can be clearly shown that the Minister Obviously, we believe that water has not had a hand in the final recommendations infrastructure in this State has been neglected made in the social impact study. This aspect of for a number of years. That is why the former investigation into future development—and in Minister, when he was shadow Minister, this instance water storage—should be kept promised that upon ascension to Government outside the IAS process where it is very easily we would put in place a water infrastructure task subsumed by more tangible issues. force which would be charged with the Hon. L. J. SPRINGBORG (Warwick— responsibility of going around the State taking Minister for Natural Resources) (12.13 p.m.), in submissions from various communities, industry reply: I would like to thank honourable members leaders and councils on the projects and for their contributions to the debate both last preferred proposals in particular areas. I night and this morning. I thank the Opposition understand that the task force considered about and the member for Gladstone for their support 380 different proposals and had the job of of the Bill. I would like to respond to the member prioritising those into Category 1, Category 2 and for Rockhampton, who raised a specific issue Category 3. Another part of the inquiry with regard to some technical detail. After that I concerned flood monitoring, groundwater will go on to respond to some other points raised recharge and catchment studies. by the member. I agree with the honourable shadow The honourable member for Rockhampton Minister, the member for Rockhampton, that expressed the view that the amendment water infrastructure is going to be the emerging proposed to section 99(2) by clause 8(4) of the issue of the latter part of this decade and also, Bill did not allow for a situation in which an probably, for the early part of next century. It applicant's proposal relates to works that have behoves all members of this Parliament to be already been constructed. That is not the case. extremely responsible— Firstly, it is clear from the other amendments Mr Schwarten: Do you think they proposed to sections 97, 98 and 99 that the Bill understand it? provides that a Part 7 special works agreement Mr SPRINGBORG: I think they are will be able to be entered into for works that have starting to understand it, and I think it behoves all already been constructed. Moreover, the plain members of this Parliament to be responsible in meaning of the amendment proposed by clause the way in which they address debate on the 8(4) supports the view that an applicant may provision of water infrastructure. Many years ago, apply to enter a Part 7 special works agreement in when we set about an infrastructure program, we relation to works that are either proposed or would build the dam and that was it. We did not already fully or partially constructed. Section necessarily consider social impacts. We did not 99(2), when amended, will simply provide that— consider the environmental impacts. People 13 May 1998 Water Resources Amendment Bill 1097 received compensation, went away, got another But with regard to the modern way in which place and got on with their lives. They may have we are going about impact assessment, water been somewhat aggrieved by the fact that they allocation and management planning—or water had to move, but that was the end of it. Today management planning, depending on the people are becoming far more proactive. They circumstances—there is a considerable degree want to ask questions and they want to be of jealousy as well, and a degree of irony, when involved in the decision-making process. They one considers some of those situations with want to be involved in the impact assessment which they are faced. There might be a couple of process and all the community consultation reasons for that. One is that we probably lag a aspects. That is fine. However, it poses a great little further behind in the development timetable number of challenges in regard to the way in than they do in the southern States. But we are which we respond. now about to look at what has happened there. That is why we have caps in that particular area, We have to be very careful. If we make this a pending the outcome of our water allocation and political issue, in the future we will find it very management plans—or water management difficult to put in place the necessary water plans, depending on the subcatchment with infrastructure around this State. This is which one wants to deal. something that concerns me very much. I note that the shadow Minister was questioning some Mr Schwarten interjected. of my motives. I would probably question some of Mr SPRINGBORG: I recently his motives as well. I would say to the shadow acknowledged the member's support for the Minister that there is probably an opportunity for Murray/Darling Basin catchment study. We need him to be a little more generous when the to be a little bit careful. Government considers and makes a good There was one thing that perturbed me a decision in regard to a particular proposal. little. We announced the Nathan dam. We said I understand the dedication and adherence that it could go to the next stage because we to the Capricornia Declaration of the member for believe that, through our proper impact Rockhampton and the member for Fitzroy, but I assessment process, it is economically viable. It stacks up with regard to a whole range of water believe that we have, and will, adequately use scenarios, plus it is ecologically sustainable. address those issues. I suppose the issue is one That means that we believe that we can manage of levels and differences. We believe that our appropriately any environmental consequences. process will address those matters. The member So we decided that that would allow us to for Rockhampton believes that what is laid down proceed to the next stage. SUDAW is the in the Capricornia Declaration is necessary. Whilst preferred proponent. They will be out there I do not question the motives of those behind talking with bulk water users and other people the Capricornia Declaration, I think there is who might want to use the water for various probably some semblance of political consumptive uses—irrigation, industrial use or involvement in it. whatever the case may be. They have to refer to I would like to outline the process with the outcome of that WAMP before they make the regard to the consideration of new water decision to go to the next stage. infrastructure in this State. We are not running The important thing to remember is that one around the State with a "develop at any cost" does not have to have completed a WAMP mentality—far from it. We have indicated that we before making a decision to go to the next stage. are more than happy to construct dams or new The normal process is an impact assessment water storage projects as long as they stack up process. That takes into consideration the economically and do not have an unmanageable environmental issues and the ecological issues. impact on the environment. We have made that That is what we have done. SUDAW will come point very clear. That is my own personal back to the Government some time after July this objective, because I want to make sure that we year after having an opportunity to have a look at avoid the consequences of the lower end of the what has come out of that WAMP process. The Murray/Darling Basin. I sit on the Murray/Darling way that it is stacking up with the draft WAMP, the Basin Ministerial Council and I must admit that it is things that were initially—— with some degree of bemusement, sometimes, Mr Schwarten: Who determines the level that I listen to the comments from my colleagues of environmental flow? Will it be 10,000 megs or in the southern States about the sorts of issues 50,000 megs? they are facing and the diabolical situations that Mr SPRINGBORG: I refer to what I they are faced with. They are very quick to released in February this year. A lot of work has criticise Queensland as lagging behind in a lot of been done over the past 12 to 18 months by the areas. department as it has gone through the hydrology 1098 Water Resources Amendment Bill 13 May 1998 of that particular stream, whether it be the Comet, Mr Schwarten: Therefore, economically it the Isaacs, the Mackenzie or the Fitzroy River. doesn't stack up. If you ruin it economically, you One change to one bit of that data input has ruin it ecologically. resulted in 88,000 pages of output. That is how Mr SPRINGBORG: No, not necessarily. complex it is. We have two separate processes. They are the The whole water allocation and criteria. We have two ways of dealing with this. management planning process is a new process. Ecologically and economically, it must stack up. I suppose that a lot of people have grown Environmentally, it does not. All I am saying is: frustrated with the fact that it has taken somewhat give a little bit of credit where credit is due. longer than they would have liked. However, we Mr Schwarten interjected. are not going to rush that. At the recent Murray/Darling Basin Ministerial Council meeting, Mr SPRINGBORG: It does so. I invite the I said that we are not going to rush. What I have member to read those particular reports. He has seen down south with rushed situations leads been gazumped and walloped on this. It is about me to believe that we have made the right time that he was probably a little more generous decision here in Queensland. That will be in giving us a bit of credit for that. It is somewhat determined as a consequence of that. ironic that we make a decision for the right reasons, and then for political reasons some What is now showing up from the reference people want to say other things. group discussions with regard to the discussion Mr Schwarten: You made it for political paper which was released—and we will have the reasons. draft WAMP in the next couple of weeks or so—is that our initial conclusions, which were based on Mr SPRINGBORG: No, it was not for that previous research, show that it is very political reasons. The member was not party to manageable. We will be able to set the the discussions. He does not know. We can environmental flow to a situation where it is going prove that. All the information is there. He cannot to minimise the impact downstream. Members of reconcile himself with or extricate himself from this House and other members of the public will that position; that is his problem. So this is a face- have an opportunity to have input into that saving exercise on his part. It is time for the particular process. member to give a little credit where it is due. He has not been prepared to do that thus far. We In regard to the Comet Dam, every indicator believe that we are able to ameliorate the that I have seen over the past couple of possible downstream impacts of the Nathan dam, months—and this is why I have found the debate as I indicated, and that has continued to show over the last couple of weeks to be a bit through as we have developed the WAMP disturbing—has indicated that, from an process. economical point of view, we could make it stack up, but from an ecological point of view the data There is a whole range of other issues. This which had been collected, assessed, ties in with what the honourable member for consolidated and put out in February—and then Archerfield and the honourable member for there is the WAMP and the impact assessment Fitzroy mentioned, and that is a general concern processes with regard to the significant and about the way in which we go about managing severe impact on the Comet River and the upper water in the future. We do have proper Mackenzie—has been carried through. So that environmental management plans which ensure goes to show that the good preliminary work that that, along with the WAMP outcomes, we can we have been able to do has allowed us to actually manage the impact of these dams. We progress to the next stage. also have water management plans. In fact, we have land and water management plans. So no Mr Schwarten: Environmentally, it didn't longer is it a case of someone just getting their stack up, either. entitlement and then going away and doing what Mr SPRINGBORG: Economically, it does they want to do with it. Before someone gets that stack up insofar as our impact assessment particular entitlement and can use it, they must process—— be able to demonstrate that they will use it in a proper and efficient way; that they will take into Mr Beattie: Your department says it consideration environmental consequences. doesn't. That has not happened before. So that is going Mr SPRINGBORG: No, it does. The to be a part of any new entitlement in this State supplementary report, the whole process—it for many of our new storages: proper land and says that the conclusion is that, economically, it water management plans. returns a significant benefit to the State. It is very heartening to see and understand Ecologically, the impact is unmanageable. what is coming forward from industry groups, who 13 May 1998 Water Resources Amendment Bill 1099 are welcoming that. It is an expectation of the preferred proponents. Some of those issues are community, as it should be. It is also a realisation probably best raised with him. All I will say is that of industry. They are prepared to do that. We are the preferred proponent still has to come back to also working with various industry groups to us after June or July this year—whenever the overcome some of the issues that have arisen WAMP comes down—and say, "Okay, we have over the past few years with regard to irrigation, had a look at this. Obviously we can proceed with tail water trapping and reuse and those sorts of it", or, "We cannot proceed with it." We have matters. given them the go-ahead to go to the next stage With regard to the Fitzroy—even though we so that they can get out there and talk about their go through a very comprehensive process with potential—— our WAMPs, impact assessments and Mr Schwarten: What happens if they environmental management plans, I felt that it don't? Will the Government then build them? was necessary for us to do something which was Mr SPRINGBORG: We are not even a little bit different and a bit more world leading in countenancing that at this stage. They are the this State. That is why I announced the world's preferred proponent. We have indicated through first study into the impact of dams on a river our impact assessment process that we believe system; that is before, during and after. That is that the dam is economically viable and that the going to be external. It will be using consultants environmental consequences are manageable, and people from the Australian Institute—— so we do not believe that that will be an issue. If Mr Beattie interjected. that happens, we will approach that issue as we go down the track. Mr SPRINGBORG: No. With regard to anything that I have announced around the State I thank the honourable member for over the last couple of months, we have the Archerfield for his contribution. He mentioned a shadow Minister running around saying, "Stop, number of idealistic issues, such as the Bradfield freeze, inquire." So the member should talk scheme. I think such projects might have been about consultants and freezes in this State! possible 20 or 30 years ago, but today, with intercatchment transfers, environmental issues With regard to this particular process, and overall catchment concerns, such projects people do have concerns. From listening to the are much more difficult. I do not think we will ever earlier debate on this legislation, I am sure that see a Bradfield scheme. I understand that the the honourable member appreciates that people member was not necessarily pushing the are worried about transparency. They are worried scheme, but he was discussing it and the about the motivation of the Minister and the idealism behind it. department and all those sorts of things. Everything that we do is transparent. The With regard to cotton growing on the information is available. We know that that is a Cooper Creek, I acknowledge the member's community expectation. But with regard to the support for our stopping broadscale irrigation on Fitzroy study—— the Cooper. We have fulfilled that commitment. We have put in place a water management plan An Opposition member: Fair enough. which addresses not only that issue but also the Mr SPRINGBORG: That is fair enough; long-term water management of the Cooper. We no problems. I have said that we will use people have set a cap. The additional amount of water who are experts in their field—in marine science that can come out of that system is about 1.3% of and freshwater ecology—to assist us to make the overall flow that goes past Windorah. That is sure that the information that we have is right, to approximately 1.3% or 1.2% of the 3 million assist us in how we use our environmental flows, megalitres that run out of that system each year. and all those sorts of things. As we address Some people in various industry organisations these issues further down the track over the next believe that that cap is set far too low and that it 10, 15 or 20 years, there will be more scrutiny on could be somewhat higher. We have based that it. We need to use our outside knowledge as particular decision—— well, because more water will be needed. Even Mr Schwarten interjected. though there are ways of using our water more efficiently, and waste water reuse, we must make Mr SPRINGBORG: I will deal with the member's comments if I have time at the end of sure that we can even better manage the impacts my speech. We have based that decision on of any future infrastructure in this State. science. We have ensured that no opportunities With regard to the SUDAW arrangements, are available for major developments to take high obviously there is an issue there. My department flow. We have said that about 21,000 megalitres has been providing technical advice. The are available in high flow. In addition, 22,000 Honourable Minister for Economic Development megalitres are available in in-stream storage. We and Trade has been dealing face to face with the have divided that up into seven subcatchments. 1100 Water Resources Amendment Bill 13 May 1998

That will avoid the situation arising in which Brisbane, 160,000 megalitres of water flows into somebody down the bottom end gets all of that Moreton Bay. That is not the fault of any council; water. We have said that, on average—that is, in that is the just the way that the system has 70% of the years—all that is available in the developed. That is just the figure for Brisbane. Cooper is 1,600 megalitres. That is only a tiny We could also tap into and use the water supply percentage of what was being sought by from Pine Rivers, the Gold Coast and many other Currareva. That cap makes broadscale irrigation places. I understand that the cost of the upgrade absolutely impossible. of the infrastructure necessary to treat that waste We have addressed the water use issues. water to a stage at which it could go into Moreton We do not believe there will be any land use Bay is approximately $200m. At the end of the issues, because any licences that currently exist day, it may be better for us to assist councils, will not sustain broad acre irrigated agriculture. industry and venture capital financiers to take that We have a draft water management plan for that waste water west to the Lockyer Valley. region. We are inviting consultation. There might I have also gained information from a be some issues that arise out of that process $100,000 study into the feasibility of moving that before 30 June. People have an opportunity to water over the range to the Darling Downs, which have input. We will vary that plan if we receive is completely locked in in terms of new water better input. However, I believe most people sources. It is a highly productive area which does realise that the plan is based on extremely not have many options for improving the water important principles. We have capped it and supply. As much as I believe in the Clarence divided it up into subcatchments to overcome River project, I believe there will be some State the equity issues. There are some real Australian border issues and that will not go ahead. firsts in that region. Therefore, we need to consider transferring Mr Ardill: What about the effluent? waste water over the range, back through the Lockyer and back over the range. I think there is Mr SPRINGBORG: I acknowledge the enough water to do that. That will happen one member's support for effluent reuse. That is an day, but I believe we should do it now. I see the issue about which I am very keen. The biggest issues associated with that project being honourable member for Rockhampton the easement issues associated with getting the acknowledged the success of the Eli Creek water through Brisbane and the cost of pumping waste water reuse project at Hervey Bay. That further afield. People are willing to consider that has been extremely successful. Over 700 acres matter. or 300 hectares of cane have been irrigated, as have a couple of golf courses, a turf farm and Another issue is potable reuse of water. I perhaps some plantations. That is an extremely support it, but there is still a community aversion successful project. I have allocated some money to it. According to surveys, the majority of people to assist with a feasibility study for stormwater believe that it should happen but they do not use. If one visits Pialba, one will see that that want to be the one who turns on the tap and region currently has a 70-megalitre stormwater drinks it. That may have to happen one day. catchment facility. They want to be able to use Mr FitzGerald interjected. their existing infrastructure to run that out to Eli Mr SPRINGBORG: People do not Creek for treatment and to reuse it for additional consider that, because that is basically hidden. agriculture. That is a fantastic idea. I believe it will Potable reuse of water is an issue that we are work. going to have to face. It will be a difficult issue Mr Schwarten interjected. over the next few years. Until we reach that Mr SPRINGBORG: It is very good; it is stage, we need to consider using waste water to outstanding. The result has been a reduction in underwrite the reliability of our farming infrastructure maintenance and refurbishment communities around the State. I acknowledge costs. If the stormwater can be used during the the member's support for waste water reuse. It is night, when the system is off peak, that cuts an issue in which I have a great personal interest, down on the quantity of chemicals required to as has the Minister for Local Government and keep the pipes and the sewers clean because Planning. She is encouraging that through her fresh water will be flushing through as well. That subsidy scheme. She is providing additional cuts down smells and a range of other problems. I subsidies for people to go into the tertiary believe that that process has a great deal of treatment sector. potential. Mr Ardill: These will be difficult issues for The member will probably acknowledge that funding. we have recently announced consultants for a Mr SPRINGBORG: I believe that the $200,000 study to try to get waste water into member will acknowledge that the State has Lockyer Valley. Each year, at Luggage Point in become much more involved in that over the past 13 May 1998 Water Resources Amendment Bill 1101 few years. We have allocated $600m over 10 Mr Schwarten interjected. years to assist councils with the upgrading of Mr SPRINGBORG: Yes, there is no doubt their water and sewerage systems. An additional that we have an impact on that. That is for sure. amount is included for those who want to That is where our water allocation management embrace new technology. We have recognised planning process and our environmental plans that issue. will assist us in trying to overcome some of the The member also raised the matter of Lake impact of blue-green algae through the way that Eyre. Last year the Queensland, South we release our water. We understand that those Australian and Commonwealth Governments are issues. signed an agreement. We are now putting St Helens Creek dam is a Category 2 together some principles to take back to the Lake proposal. We have not ruled it in; we have not Eyre community so they can tell us what they ruled it out. At this stage, all we have done is believe are the best options for the management some preliminary work. of that region. It is a fragile area. We understand that and are moving on that issue. Mr Beattie: You're sitting on the fence. I am more than happy to talk with the Mr SPRINGBORG: No. I point out to the honourable member for Fitzroy in relation to the honourable member for Brisbane Central and Mount Morgan water supply issues and to listen Leader of the Opposition that, under the Water to his suggestions during the course of the day. Infrastructure Task Force, a lot of proposals come Neither I nor my department has walked away forward. We are seeking to consolidate and from the weir that he referred to. I have spoken prioritise them. This dam is a Category 2 dam. We with the council about it. It is committed to it. are doing some preliminary work on it. If that Obviously, we have to go through a proper preliminary work shows that the dam is okay, we impact assessment process before we can will advance to the next stage. We are expecting proceed. It has not been ruled out. It is a that to come forward at the end of next year. Category 1 project. As far as I am concerned, it is Mr Schwarten interjected. going on that way. Mr SPRINGBORG: The member is I believe that I have addressed the Nathan concerned about process and I am talking about dam issues. We can argue over some of the process. We have catchment studies in a lot of political issues, but I believe that our process is a areas. For example, there are 14 proposals for fairly good one. There is always room for the Burnett. We have to go through and work out improvement in everything. However, if one how many of those proposals are feasible. We considers the transparency in the process and then have to look at the technical and the way that we have involved the community engineering work. I am not ruling out anything over the past few years, one will realise that until we undertake a catchment study to find out people basically have had access to every piece how much water is in the system. Then we can of documentation. We have involved the rule those proposals in or out. We are doing community in the formulation of our WAMPs. I am preliminary studies. At the end of this year, the not sure what more we can do, other than making preliminary studies might indicate to us that there absolutely sure that everything is transparent. I is no point in even going ahead with the project. believe that we do that. As to maintenance and If the preliminary study says that we should, we refurbishment—we understand those issues. will go the next step and undertake an impact That is something that we do. Obviously there assessment study. The member should just give are some COAG tie-ups with regard to the costs us a go. We have not said that the proposal is in. for those that we have to recover from the people The member for Whitsunday referred to the who use that water. Elliott main channel. I suppose that every The honourable member for Whitsunday, Opposition in the world says that it is going to do Mrs Bird, raised a number of concerns about everything. I know and understand that, and the water infrastructure matters in her area. She contribution by the member for Whitsunday was raised the issue of blue-green algae. I wish I had no exception. We had a $2m study. An important the magical answer to the problem of blue-green function to note of the Water Infrastructure Task algae, but I do not. It was first noticed in this Force is that it narrows down the likelihood of country by our initial explorers. I recently saw these proposals—whether they are going to research from the CSIRO that indicates that the have an impact—and then goes forward. We are phosphate build-up in some of our rivers has not looking at a number of issues at the Burdekin and changed in 300 years, because a lot of it Bowen—Hells Gate dam, Urannah, Stage 2 of originates from high-phosphate concentrate soils the Burdekin Dam and, as I said, the Elliott main as a result of erosion. Those issues are ongoing channel. If the environmental impact studies of environmental issues. those proposals stand up, if they are 1102 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 13 May 1998 economically viable, then we will proceed. I would STATUTE LAW (MISCELLANEOUS not think that such a decision would be all that far PROVISIONS) BILL away. Second Reading I refer to the contribution made by the Resumed from 4 March (see p. 132). honourable member for Gladstone. I know and I acknowledge that she has concerns about the Mr BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—Leader Castlehope dam and Awoonga. I also of the Opposition) (12.46 p.m.): In his second- acknowledge that Awoonga and Castlehope are reading speech on the Statute Law the priorities of the Gladstone Area Water Board. I (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 1998, the Premier have had discussions with the members of that explained that the purpose of this Bill was to board and indicated that they need to make sure make a number of minor amendments to 23 that the community is aware, supportive and separate Acts. Those amendments would not by involved in the process before they even themselves justify separate amendment Bills. proceed with coming to me with a proposal for Although the Opposition accepts the general the Castlehope dam. At this stage, they have not principle that this Bill may be an efficient way to carried out an impact assessment study. They deal with the majority of the amendments to be must get out there in the community and raise considered, it has significant concerns about a this issue. small number of other amendments. That is why we must approach this Bill with some caution. The honourable member for Gladstone also This is particularly the case in relation to the talked about demand and efficiency. What she provisions that relate to the Transport (Gladstone said is true. If we utilise our water properly, we East End To Harbour Corridor) Act 1996 and its may be able to delay, or even cancel completely, capacity to acquire land for road purposes. The the requirement to build additional infrastructure primary concern is that elements of the Bill have in this State, whether that is dams, weirs or the capacity to legislate retrospectively. Of whatever. Waste water use might be a part of that course, the Opposition harbours broad strategy. I hope that the Gladstone Area Water philosophical concerns surrounding the Board is considering all of those issues. I know intended and unintended consequences of that there is a concern about the social impacts of retrospective legislation—any retrospective such developments. We are trying to address legislation. The retrospective elements of this Bill that issue through our impact assessment focus on the Transport (Gladstone East End To studies. Part of that is getting out there and Harbour Corridor) Act, and this may also be of talking with people in the community. Obviously, concern to the member for Gladstone. there will be issues raised. I am not saying that there is not room for refinement or additional The Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) involvement in those processes. That is what we Bill contains substantial amendments to the are doing today. We need to know the impact schedule of that Act. Although it would appear that such proposals will have on the community. I that these amendments do not impose undue acknowledge the member's concerns and we will obligations or infringe upon the rights and continue to work out a way. liberties of individuals, nonetheless it runs the risk posed by all retrospective legislation. The In summary, I acknowledge and thank all Government must provide unambiguous members for their contributions and their support assurances—and I seek these from the Premier for this Bill. It seeks to address an issue where in his reply—that there will be no undue the State believed that it had a certain amount of obligations or infringements before the Bill is power. We need to put that beyond doubt to passed. However, at this time assurances of this ensure that third parties are protected in terms of kind are impossible to make because of certain major developments. This Bill does that. provision of this Bill. Motion agreed to. Of course, one of the difficulties in accepting assurances from this Government is that, after two years we have had 100 broken Committee promises. The Government cannot deliver on Clauses 1 to 11, as read, agreed to. what it promised before and there is nothing to say that it will deliver on them now. In the Bill reported, without amendment. Opposition's view, the coalition is a do-nothing Government that is wasting opportunities to Third Reading make real progress. I suggest that until the legitimate concerns that have been raised in Bill, on motion of Mr Springborg, by leave, relation to this Bill are addressed, the Opposition read a third time. will have some concerns about it. 13 May 1998 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 1103

Instead of mishandling the small detail of this foisted onto school communities by the Bill, the Government should turn its attention to Borbidge/Sheldon Government because it is not the big picture. It is the big picture in Queensland willing to provide sufficient funds will go. I believe that needs our attention—its jobs, its health, its it is essential to provide an education system law and order and its education. I notice that this which will enable all students to reach their full legislation covers a range of Acts, such as the potential and participate fully in society. That is Beach Protection Act, the Education (General why Labor is deeply committed to properly Provisions) Act, the Education (Senior funding the public education system. Secondary Schools Studies) Act, the To ensure that each and every child is given Electricity—National Scheme (Queensland) Act, the best possible standard of education, Labor the Medical Act, the Public Service Act and a will abolish the two classes of schools number of rural provisions. It also covers the established by the Borbidge/Sheldon State Financial Institutions and Metway Merger Government, where some schools are classified Facilitation Act, transport legislation, the as leading schools and the others are also-rans. I Valuation of Land Act, the Workplace Health and acknowledge some of the recent changes made Safety Act and a range of other Acts. I intend to by the Minister. They were a step in the right deal briefly with each one of those Acts to which I direction, but we can do better. That is why, as far have referred, or as many as time will allow. as I am concerned, every State school will be In relation to the State Financial Institutions properly resourced to provide an excellent and Metway Merger Facilitation Act 1996, which standard of education to all students. relates to the Suncorp-Metway merger, on a We will introduce Queenslandwide number of occasions the Treasurer, Joan standards for access to computer based learning Sheldon, gave a commitment that there would be services and we will renew older schools through no job losses arising out of this merger. The the Building Better Schools Program to tackle Treasurer's assurances amounted to nothing. overdue maintenance and upgrading Out of that merger, Queenslanders will lose up to requirements. They are the sorts of strategies 1,600 jobs and there will be more than 100 that will give every child the best chance of branch closures, higher bank charges and at reaching his or her potential. They are important. least $90m lost in revenue to the annual Budget. Therefore, as part of this debate I ask: how can In the broader context of education, I was the Treasurer claim that there will be no cost to concerned to see substantial cuts to TAFE, Queenslanders? university and student assistance in last night's Federal Budget. That will force people to drop I was concerned to read the other day that out of education and on to the dole queues. I Suncorp-Metway is importing a slash and burn was also concerned to see that our specific expert from the United States to continue its purpose payments for health are up only 5.6% downsizing. Out of that another 1,000 jobs will whilst those for New South Wales are up by be lost. I am also concerned to see the sell-off of 10.5% and those for Victoria are up by 15.5%. QIDC offices, including its headquarters. Members will notice that the Medical Act 1939 is My concern is a broad one. It is not just for included in this Bill. regional and country Queensland; it is for the city It is important not only that health be funded as well. The other day while out at Ashgrove I properly but also that we make certain that drove past an office of Suncorp which I have professional services are available. I am used on many occasions. I noticed that it was concerned that there are a record 12,000 right next door to a Metway office. My concern is Queenslanders waiting longer for operations that, when the slash and burn expert takes over, than doctors recommend. My source for that one of those offices will close. I would have statement is the Queensland Health thought that many National Party members in this performance report of January 1998. The House would share my commitment to number of people waiting too long in decentralisation of financial services across the Queensland's 10 major hospitals has risen from State, including the services of Suncorp. I give 32% on the Health Minister's first waiting list of notice to the Treasurer that, on every occasion July 1996, a total waiting of 23,208, to 35% on that I have an opportunity to do so, I will be the Health Minister's waiting list of 1 February reminding her of the commitment she gave about 1998. That is a total waiting of 24,755. Again, my there being no job losses. source is the official Queensland Health monthly I turn to the issue of education, which is report. The other worrying aspect is that covered in two amendments. I make it very clear Treasurer Sheldon is planning to tax hospitals that a Labor Government will not be giving $23.4m from the money allocated for treating McDonald's a role in our classrooms. The patients in 1998-99. Again, my source for that is a commercial activities and sponsorships being parliamentary one. It is from the answer to 1104 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 13 May 1998 question on notice No. 119. In other words, the education teachers and 45 preschool teachers Government has failed on these issues. simply has been a failure. The coalition has not provided the numbers of teachers that it The Health Minister has signed a five-year indicated it would. We await tomorrow's Budget Medicare agreement with the Federal Liberal with eager anticipation. There are difficulties in Health Minister, Michael Wooldridge, for the that the Government has not provided what it same amount that was derided by the Premier as promised. an insult when he left the meeting of Premiers. We need to make certain that health is properly I table for the information of the House a list funded. I stress again that I am worried that our of the number of schools that were closed under specific purpose payments for health were previous National Party Governments between increased in last night's Federal Budget by only 1957 and 1989. 5.6%, while New South Wales's are up by 10.5% Mr FitzGerald: I had two kids left in one and Victoria's are up by 15.5%. I just do not think school they closed on me. Four minutes away that is good enough. That is why there are major from the next school and they closed it on me! concerns about the issue of health. Mr BEATTIE: I am delighted to have the The Government promised an additional 12 support of the Leader of the House for this intensive care beds in metropolitan hospitals. outrageous behaviour on the part of the National That has not happened. A report on intensive Party. I table this document for the information of care beds commissioned by the former Labor the House. Government has been ignored. At QE II Hospital Mr FitzGerald: Four at another school and five beds have been installed, but these are not you closed it. intensive care beds as promised. Two are only higher dependency beds while the other three Mr BEATTIE: Really? I also table cutbacks are coronary care beds. At the Princess by the National Party in a number of areas: for Alexandra Hospital the ICU beds have been example, Queensland Rail. A total of 43 stations closed and reopened as higher dependency were closed by the previous National Party beds. This Government promised to reopen the Government in its final 18 months of office—from maternity ward at QE II, and that has not June 1988 to December 1989. The previous National Party Government in its final 18 months happened. I have already dealt with the issue of closed all Cairns rail motor services to Mareeba, reducing waiting lists. That has not happened Ravenshoe and Tully, and reduced the either. More beds were promised for the Gold frequency of the Townsville-Charters Towers, Coast Hospital, and that has not happened. We Townsville-Bowen and Townsville-Toowoomba have major problems in the health area. That is services. This document lists the number of why, as far as I am concerned, this will be a stations closed under the Nationals, the number relevant issue. of Queensland Rail staff employed and the A special rehabilitation unit at Townsville number of country towns that lost their Hospital for spinal and brain injuries was courthouses—and the list goes on. It is a very promised. The Government action to date is informative document. simply none. The coalition also promised to Mr Borbidge: What year? provide Queenslanders with an improved health system, a system that concentrates on the health Mr BEATTIE: I urge the Premier to read and wellbeing of Queenslanders. AIDS patients this substantive document. It goes through the were discriminated against by the Health whole lot. It goes right back to 1957 and covers Minister's refusal to sign the national AIDS the Nationals' track record right through until— strategy, thus delaying $21m in public health Mr Borbidge: You were in nappies then. funding from Canberra. Sexual assault victims Mr BEATTIE: I can see that the Premier were discriminated against by cuts to sexual does not like me exposing the record of the assault centres. Aged people were discriminated National Party in Government. against by service cuts to home care, aged care, and home and community care. All those issues Mr Borbidge: I wasn't born then. worry me greatly. I signal that they are issues Mr BEATTIE: But you were in 1988 and Labor intends to pursue. 1989. The Premier was then a Minister. I think it is important that we do see the full track record. I I mention again that two particular sections table that for the information of the House. of this Bill relate to education. In the 1997-98 Budget the coalition promised an extra 1,022 Mr Borbidge: The historical record. teachers. It has failed to provide that. The Mr BEATTIE: It is more than just the provision of 134 primary school teachers, 58 historical record. As the Premier knows, history secondary school teachers, 177 special has a vital role to play. If we do not learn from the 13 May 1998 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 1105 past, then we will have no opportunities to I return to the relevant environment issues. improve in the future. It is important to say that the coalition did give a Mr T. B. Sullivan: The same old commitment that it would maintain funding to the Nationals. Environment Department. Let us look at the Government's action. Funding for the Mr BEATTIE: Yes. Environment Department is down $11m in real Ms Warwick: Boring! terms since the last Labor Government. There Mr Borbidge: He was up all night thinking was also a commitment to inject an additional $5m about interjections. into Queensland's national parks budget to provide more park rangers and better Mr BEATTIE: I thought it was a very management. Government action: none! profound interjection. It certainly got the member for Barron River out of her sleep chair at the back. It promised to assume responsibility for mosquito control on State controlled land to help Sitting suspended from 1 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. prevent outbreaks of the Ross River fever virus. Mr BEATTIE: For the information of the Government action: none! It promised to House, I table an annual report that I have establish a register of natural assets in north prepared on the performance of the Queensland. No register has been established. It Borbidge/Sheldon National/Liberal Party State promised a ban on the commercial capture and Government. It covers some of the matters I sale of black marlin, blue marlin, striped marlin, referred to prior to the luncheon recess and was wahoo and dolphin fish. Government action: prepared as a response to the glossy none! It promised to undertake an audit of propaganda document produced by the pollution and management systems in all north Government called Delivering for Queensland's Queensland waterways. Government action: Future. none! It promised the inclusion of forest areas not used for logging purposes in environmental I now wish to turn to the environment parks. Government action: none! because, as we know, this Bill covers environmental matters. I note the Treasurer has The Government promised to undertake an boasted that she will be pursuing record funding assessment of Queensland rivers as part of of $178m for the Environment Department, with coastal management legislation. Government a heavy emphasis on greenhouse measures. action: none! Finally, it promised the That announcement will be one of the greatest development of a $10.5m management plan for hoaxes ever perpetrated on the Environment Fraser Island. The answer is: no, the effective Department, the conservation movement and management of Fraser Island has been put at risk Queenslanders. Departmental officers, by opening an airstrip on Fraser Island itself. particularly rangers on the ground, are telling me When it comes to the environment the in droves that that figure has been arrived at by Government's performance can only be classified parking other departments' funding in the as a failure. I think Queenslanders will see that as Environment budget, carrying over millions of being increasingly relevant in terms of how they dollars in unspent capital expenditure, double- vote. dipping Commonwealth Government funding Moving back to the Bill, we notice that a and plundering recurrent funding to boost capital number of issues are raised in relation to works. electricity, in particular the National Scheme The rangers on the ground tell us that (Queensland) Act 1997. As we all know, vacancies that have not been filled will not be electricity has been the subject of significant filled, and that they will be lucky not to have to put debate in Queensland. That is why it is an off staff to free up funds for day-to-day work. With important issue not only in terms of this the capital works carryover of nearly $25m, $2m legislation but also in terms of the quality of life of of the Department of the Premier's greenhouse Queenslanders. The fact is that this Government funding in their budget, $2.5m worth of Byfield has failed to keep the lights on. Maintenance sandmining compensation still in their budget backlogs and job cuts in power stations have doing nothing and $2m left over from the Sugar created an energy crisis. It would be remembered Coast Rescue Package—not to mention the that this Government wasted $8m changing "over the tops" items—I place the Treasurer on SEQEB's name to Energex. The Government is notice now that if she pursues her claims of a more interested in staying in power than in $178m record Environment budget, she will do keeping the power on. so at her peril, because we have material that will I again refer to the amount of money pulled explode that myth and nonsense. We do not out of the electricity industry last year. In my view, believe that Queenslanders should be subjected the Treasurer stole $850m from the industry. It to that sort of nonsense. was a blatant case of wrong priorities. 1106 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 13 May 1998

Mr Borbidge interjected. consequences for the Government? Again, in relation to the issue of electricity, the Mr BEATTIE: Yes, but that was used to Government's performance can only be retire debt. This $850m was used to pork-barrel described as an "F"—a fail. That is why I electorates in an attempt to buy votes to keep scrutinised this legislation very carefully when I this rabble, as I describe them, in power instead saw that electricity was part of it. I and the of keeping the power on in Queensland. The Opposition are totally opposed—— experienced politician who is the Deputy Premier of Queensland, the Treasurer, the Leader of the Mr Borbidge interjected. Liberal Party, the member for Caloundra, knew Mr BEATTIE: I missed that. My apologies. full well that when she started her attack on the Mr Borbidge: I was wondering how you power workers—something she did when this were going to tie that in—the linkage there. whole incident blew up—she was trying to move blame away from the incompetence of the Mr BEATTIE: Here is the linkage. There is Government. She sought to blame the power always a link. workers for the blackout. She intended her Mr McGrady: It's an interconnection statements to blow up under Queensland's between the two sides. power workers. But unfortunately for her, she Mr BEATTIE: Yes, this is the has felt the full force of that explosion, and rightly interconnection between my contribution and so. It was the act of a desperate politician trying to the Bill. The interconnection is that I read very cling to power. She attacked the very workers carefully the provisions in relation to electricity, who turned the lights back on. In Parliament, because I am concerned that the instead of apologising, she exacerbated her Borbidge/Sheldon Government, in the unlikely disgraceful and un-Australian conduct. It was only event it is re-elected, will almost certainly privatise at the 11th hour, just a few minutes before the electricity industry. If that happens, large members were due to press her for an apology, chunks of the industry would be owned by that she realised she had no option. It was not an overseas corporations, which would suck the apology that was made because it was the profits out of Queensland. Hundreds more jobs decent thing to do. would be lost, maintenance would fall further Moving directly to the issue of behind, Queensland would be at risk of an electricity—my concern is that we have seen a lot Auckland-style blackout, and rural and provincial of politicking over this issue, which is Queensland would suffer through a direct loss of unfortunate. This Government stole that $850m. service. It was as a result of having to make economies in That is why I have been concerned at some the face of that $850m loss that the power of the comments that the Treasurer has made. generating corporations had to shed 640 jobs. It Treasurer Sheldon is on record as floating the was as a result of that massive loss of jobs that idea of privatising the industry. When she was the power stations fell 35 worker years behind in asked about that in Parliament, she evaded the maintenance. issue. She said— The decision to steal the $850m from the "I reiterate the words of the Premier power industry blew up in the Treasurer's face. that the policy of the current Government is The Treasurer knew that this had resulted in not to privatise any existing electricity enormous damage to the Government, to the assets." Nationals, the Liberals and her personally. That is The key word in that answer is "current". The why the Treasurer needed to try to blame "current" incompetent and bumbling someone else. That is why she attacked the Government does not have long to go. In effect, power workers themselves. There was no the Treasurer was saying that there would not be suggestion that the blame lay anywhere else an electricity privatisation in this term. There is no other than with the Government because of the commitment that there would not be an electricity cuts that I referred to before. The Premier and privatisation if the coalition were re-elected. others admitted why those blackouts occurred. We all know that Doug McTaggart, the Indeed, if there were any evidence of Under Treasurer and Under Secretary of the sabotage, the Treasurer would have tabled it in Treasurer's Department, is an economic Parliament, supplied details of it during question rationalist extraordinaire. He is quite a pleasant time or referred it to the police or the CJC. But man. I have met him on many social occasions; he that is not what happened. Is it not ironic that this is a very pleasant man. But, when it comes to accusation has blown up in her face in exactly the economic policy, he is an economic rationalist. I same way that her decision to steal $850m from see the Minister nod. The bottom line is that I do the industry has had such disastrous not think he would deny that. I do not think there 13 May 1998 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 1107 would be any argument about that. He would see age when business is constantly striving for that tag as a badge of honour. world's best practice, the Queensland Dr Watson: What you want is economic Government is going the other way. Instead of irrationalism. trying to improve on the standards that the Labor Government set in the greater Brisbane area of Mr BEATTIE: What I want is social seven and a half minutes, the Government is rationalism, jobs, growth and services across the content to let standards slip towards our national State. standard, which is two and a half minutes slower Mr Borbidge: You're an irrational socialist. at 10 minutes. You're not a social rationalist; you're an irrational The Borbidge Government has made cuts socialist. to the Ambulance Service. Management justifies Mr BEATTIE: I know that the Premier this on the basis that, if staff are out at one agrees with me when I talk about services around station, they can always call another ambulance this State. I know that the Liberals do not always from a nearby station. It argues that response share these views but, as the National Party times are still within the national standard of 10 Leader, he would agree with my philosophy minutes. Response times to emergency calls about providing services across the State, have increased by as much as two minutes. In the particularly to rural and provincial Queensland. greater Brisbane area the response times used That is what we believe in, and the National Party to average just over seven and a half minutes; used to believe in it. Presumably, one day it will now they are up to eight and a half minutes. In believe in it again. It is the Liberals who run this Queensland as a whole, the average response economic rationalist line. That is why, as I say, time has jumped from about 8.7 minutes to 9.5 effectively the Treasurer's message is that the minutes. How many lives could be lost due to a Government will not privatise the industry in the wait of an extra minute? next few weeks before the election. The We are talking about human lives being commitment goes no further than that. placed at risk. We are talking about people— Mr McGrady: They won't be able to do it Queenslanders, members of this House, their after the election. children who may suddenly become dangerously ill or fall from a bike, an elderly grandmother who Mr BEATTIE: They will not be able to do it may fall and break a hip, any of the people whom after the election because they will be in we love and cherish. All of us are more at risk if we Opposition. I seek a clear and unequivocal have an accident today than we were when the commitment from the Treasurer during this coalition Government came to power without any election campaign that she will not privatise the proper policies. All of our loved ones are more at electricity industry or parts of it in the unlikely risk today if they become suddenly and seriously event that she is returned as the Deputy Premier ill than they were on 19 February 1996 because of this State. She has two hurdles to overcome. of the coalition's handling of the Emergency Firstly, she has to be re-elected to Parliament, Services portfolio. and then, of course, she has to be re-elected to her position within the Liberal Party. Both events The Minister says, of course, that we have a are extremely unlikely, and I can understand why. wonderful system. The Minister confuses the issue with all sorts of statements and allegations. Ms Warwick: No problem. He cannot and should not dispute the facts when Mr BEATTIE: I would not interject if I were badly injured and desperately ill Queenslanders the member for Barron River. I hope she has are having to wait nearly an extra minute longer enjoyed her stay here. Those three years or less than they did previously. A person can lose an will have been a rewarding experience and, when awful lot of blood in a minute. If one has a blocked she leaves here, she will be able to share it with airway, that minute could be the difference others. between life and death. If a child has been pulled I will now move on to another part of the Bill from a pool, that minute could mean the which relates to ambulance services. I want to difference between a long and healthy, normal make a few general comments in relation to life and life as an incapacitated person. If ambulance services because the Bill deals with a someone has a heart attack, that extra minute without a heart beat could be the last minute of section of the Ambulance Service Act of 1991. that person's life. This Government is risking people's lives by lengthening the time that it takes for an That is why we are making such a fuss about ambulance to respond to emergency calls. The the issue of ambulance response times and that one aim of the Government with respect to the is why we want something done about it. The Ambulance Service should be to save lives. new Minister for Emergency Services, Dean Instead, the bottom line is saving dollars. In an Wells, will in fact be doing something about it 1108 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 13 May 1998 because I am determined that ambulance dispute. Job security is fundamentally important services will be a priority of my Government. for the recovery of the economy. If we do not When one looks at the issue of emergency have job security, people will not borrow, invest services and response times, one sees that the or spend money, and that stops the economic Government is again given an "F", or a fail. cycle going around. In relation to the Public Mr Wells: They're not even prepared to tell Service Act of 1996 as amended here, I us what the response times are now. They're recognise that the Queensland Public Service is covering up the current response times. the key instrument for delivering and implementing the policies of the elected Mr BEATTIE: It is such an atrocious track Government, those services on which the quality record that I am not surprised they would want to of life of the community depends, the advice on hide those statistics. which quality decision making in Government I just want to make it very clear that Labor is depends and the effective institutional committed to a system of emergency services in framework and healthy community environment Queensland that is of an international standard of in which a vital economy can flourish. excellence judged by the specific benchmark of To make sure that the Public Service is able success in preventing the loss of life. Its various to carry out its public duties efficiently and branches will be integrated so that they will be effectively we need to undertake a number of able to plan and work closely together in a major strategies, and I make a commitment to do that. emergency. It will be publicly owned and equally We need to restore a professional career Public accessible by all Queenslanders within the limits Service and we need to guarantee job security, of physical possibility. as I said, to public servants other than those on To safeguard the highest standards of short-term contracts such as those which expire service delivery, we need to undertake the on a change of Government. We need impartiality following strategies. This is what I urge the and we need to return it to the Public Service Government to do in its last few weeks and if it from the position of deputy director-general does not get a chance to do it we certainly will: down. We need to foster a climate in which focus on effective front-line service delivery, departmental advice is respected, merit is especially the objective of saving lives, and move rewarded, responsibilities of the ministerial office away from the current preoccupation with are codified and public servants can expect to gratuitous change in management for the sake of advance their career in a non-politicised change; reverse the trend of de-integration environment. We need to provide for a stable represented by recent emergency services working environment where a degree of self- legislation by acting to enhance coordination and management and autonomy within departments unity of direction between the various is accepted. We need to offer greater flexibility in emergency services; ensure all Queensland the career paths available to public servants and emergency services remain in public ownership ensure that officers are able to pursue career and reverse the trend to privatise the services or opportunities in the Public Service across all their operations; address inequalities of service departments. delivery by exploring means of removing financial We need to respect the tradition of a disincentives to the use of services such as the professional and impartial Public Service and ambulance; examine the long-term funding restore the powers of the Industrial Relations needs of the services and develop the strategy Commission to bring down pay rates awards. We to put these essential services on a more secure, need to support meaningful consultation with financial basis; and refocus the State's unions and reintroduce as a sign of good faith a Emergency Services capital works program to system where we can consult and negotiate with make sure that planned projects are completed in the union movement. Employees and employers full. That is one of 31 New Directions statements are part of the equation which brings about a that I have released on behalf of the future sensible and fair income in industrial relations. I Government to give Queenslanders some am talking generally now outside the public insight into what sort of Government we will be. sector, but we need to have that cooperation They are the sorts of priorities that we need to with trade unions in the public sector as well. pursue, and we will. We need to reassess the appropriateness In terms of some of the other issues which of a number of Government measures. I am are covered in this Bill—I notice that the Public concerned to see that this Government, which Service Act 1996 is covered, that there is an talked big about the Public Service, broke a appropriate amendment, and so on. I just want to number of commitments in relation to the Public indicate to the people of Queensland that Service. For example, the coalition promised the security of employment will be an issue in this Queensland Public Service would provide election campaign. That arose out of the MUA independent, impartial, expert advice free from 13 May 1998 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 1109 political pressure. Let us see what the Mr BEATTIE: We raise the issue of Steele Government did. We had the installation of Rudd, do we? I am quite happy for my policy in former National Party candidates with no relation to public servants and the public sector administrative background in Government to be out there in the community for detailed positions. One person became a Director- scrutiny. The Premier knows that over the last General. Former State Secretary Mike Evans two years and three months he has lost the boasted of cleaning out of the Public Service public sector. The Premier has made a whole lot people not politically—— of commitments—I have referred to some of them—and he has broken his promises. The Mr FitzGerald: Where are you getting this public sector is aware that it cannot trust this from? Government. The Premier can go back and try to Mr BEATTIE: This is the Public Service rake over the skeletons of the past, but the Act 1996. Mike Evans boasted about cleaning bottom line is that it comes down to the Premier out of the Public Service people not politically and his performance. The Premier can put out all sympathetic to the Borbidge/Sheldon coalition. the propaganda he wants—and I have seen the The Government promised there would be no propaganda circulated by this Government—but purge of the Public Service. There was a secret it is only propaganda and the public can read hit list of 200 senior public servants. The between the lines. They are not fooled by any of Government sacked 14 of the 20 directors- this. I have made very clear to the public sector general. The Government said there would be no my views regarding support for their job security review of the Public Service and that more and I will continue to do that. security would be offered. We ended up with a The Premier has distributed a number of draconian Public Service Bill introduced by the amendments which I have not had an opportunity Premier which reduces the security of public to consider. This morning I had an opportunity to servants and increases the power of the Premier discuss one of those amendments by phone and Cabinet to sack public servants. Massive with the Premier. That matter relates to police restructuring continues in such departments as powers and responsibilities. I understand that the Department of Emergency Services and the there is a suggestion emerging from the CJC and Department of Training and Industrial Relations other places that there should be particular without regard to the safeguards promised in the changes here. As the Premier has briefed me, Premier's statement. and as I understand those changes, I am quite When we look at the Government's happy to support the amendment. I do not have performance in relation to the public sector we any difficulties with that. I understand that there is see that it has gained an "F" for fail. We need an no opposition to this proposal from any of the law efficient and effective Public Service which enforcement areas. delivers on behalf of the people of Queensland. I want to deal with the issue of law and order. We need to give public servants job security. I Over the last few days we have seen the give them this commitment today: I will work with appalling performance of the Minister for Police them to make certain that we provide the sort of and Corrective Services in relation to Corrective services that advance the role of Government. I Services. I will not refer to Corrective Services will see that public servants are respected. because it is not covered by the Bill. Reluctant as Dr Watson: You've got to be joking. Your I am not to do so, I understand the Standing Government did more to destroy job security in Orders and I do not seek to breach them in my the Public Service than any other Government. contribution. The issue of law and order is a different Mr BEATTIE: Mr Speaker, see the scenario. This Government talks tough about Premier and company getting excited. We will crime and delivers little. When it comes to the deliver what we promise. The Premier knows—— issue of law and order the Government's track Mr Borbidge: "Dr Death". record is appalling. The statistics give a clear indication of what has happened. We have a rise Mr BEATTIE: I would never refer to the in crime in relation to personal injury and Premier as Dr Death. I am alarmed that the property. This Government talks tough on law Premier is referring to himself as Dr Death. I would and order but does not deliver. Violent crime is never be so uncharitable in this House, or up by 21% and property crime is up by 14%. How anywhere else, as to refer to the Premier as Dr could anyone feel safe in their homes? Death. If the Premier refers to himself in that way, let me be the last to correct him. The Police Minister came in here and attacked myself and the shadow Minister Tom Mr Borbidge: The reincarnation of "Dr Barton for raising a range of issues. I recall the Death". Minister campaigning around the State in 1995 in 1110 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 13 May 1998 relation to home invasions. Look at the track the number of police. There are still 10 police for record of home invasions over the last few every 10,000 Queenslanders, the same ratio as weeks! What a disgraceful performance! The when this Government came to office. There has Police Minister should resign if he wants to been no increase in real terms in police numbers. establish the standards he has been referring to This is similar to the Treasurer's promise of 1,022 recently. extra teachers in this financial year. The Mr Borbidge: Why did you vote against Education Minister has now admitted that the the Criminal Code? Government has provided only 815 teachers this year. The Government has not delivered on Mr BEATTIE: In relation to the Premier's police, it has not delivered on education, it has interjection, I ask him: why did you vote against not delivered on health, it has not delivered on an amendment that the Opposition put forward emergency services, it has not delivered in that said that anyone who assaulted a person relation to jobs, and it has not delivered in relation aged 60 years or over or who was disabled would to the Public Service. The Government has not go to jail for seven years? The Premier voted delivered anywhere. There is one thing that the against that. What a shame! The Premier voted Premier and I agree on, namely, the promise that against that assault measure because he is soft he made in his contract with Queensland in which on crime. The Opposition wanted severe he said, "If we fail, then throw us out." I am with penalties for the corruption of Ministers. The the Premier. That was a great commitment that he shadow Attorney-General moved the measure in gave. Under any circumstances he gets "fail" on relation to a penalty of seven years' every one of the criteria that I have been through. imprisonment. Who watered down our tough Mr FitzGerald: No wonder they call you Criminal Code? The Premier! "Fail" Beattie. When we were in office we introduced into Mr BEATTIE: The honourable member is this House a tough Criminal Code. Who delayed not interjecting from his correct seat. He should the implementation of this Criminal Code? Who behave himself. That means that, at the end of came into this House and moved a regulation, the day, this Government will get thrown out which we opposed, for the adjournment of that because it has not delivered. tough Criminal Code? The Premier! For 18 months the Premier delayed the introduction of Mr Woolmer: Pure fiction. tough laws under the Criminal Code. Mr BEATTIE: The member will not be Let us have it on the record that we had a here after the election, so he should not get too tough Criminal Code. Who delayed our Criminal excited. Code? The Premier delayed our Criminal Code. I come back to the environment, to which I Then he came in and tried to water it down. Do referred before. In 1995, this Government, which not talk to me about being tough on crime, Mr was then the Opposition, received preferences Premier. Every day we see it with the revolving from the Greens. In a number of key seats the doors in the prisons. We see increases in violent Greens gave this Government preferences and, crimes. Home invasions are of epidemic on the basis of those preferences, it won a proportions under this Government. That is the number of seats, including Barron River, legacy of this Government. This Government put Mulgrave and Greenslopes. I see the honourable home invasions on the agenda. The Police member for Greenslopes in the Chamber. A Minister says, "Home invasions are just another number of seats were won on the basis of form of burglary." He did not say that in 1995, did Greens preferences and a range of commitments he? Suddenly home invasions are not just home that were given to the environment movement by invasions; they are a form of burglary. The Police the then Opposition Environment spokesman. Minister has been exposed as a fraud. So what happened? As soon as this Government Mr Schwarten: His chickens have come was elected, the relevant shadow Minister ended home to roost. up with a different portfolio. He was moved out of Environment, and every commitment that this Mr BEATTIE: Yes, his chickens have Government made went with the Honourable come home to roost and he does not like it. If the Minister Doug Slack. As he disappeared from public voted for this Government on its Environment into other areas, so did all the performance in relation to home invasions, the commitments that this Government gave in Government would be thrashed. Not one of relation to the environment. When it comes to those opposite would remain in this House. This the environment, the Premier has the biggest Government has an appalling track record in "fail" of all, because he has not delivered. relation to home invasions. The Premier can bring down his Budget Let us talk about police numbers. The tomorrow, but all that Budget will be is a string of Government has broken its promise to increase election commitments. It is so close to the 13 May 1998 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 1111 election that whoever is the new Government will a McDonald's system of education, and that is not have to determine its position in relation to those good enough. I have covered the issue of commitments. They are nothing more than electricity. We have had blackouts. Look at this election commitments. For stability reasons, both Government's dreadful track record: $850m sides of politics would obviously implement the pulled out of the electricity industry. And in Budget. But the Premier knows that those Health we have the medical axe, with 12,000 commitments are nothing more than election people in this State waiting longer than is promises. Based on his track record, including at medically recommended for operations. least 100 broken election commitments, he will I was interested in the Premier's contribution not deliver them. Even if he is re-elected, he will yesterday. He was trying to be critical—or "half not deliver them. The difficulty we will have will be smart" is probably the better expression—when I delivering those commitments, because we will was talking about waiting lists. The Premier is be the Government. I have said to the business right. There will always be some people on community in this city, and I put it on record waiting lists. Mike Horan accepts that. The issue today, that there will be no freeze under my is: are they waiting longer than is medically Government. The commitments that this recommended? That is the relevant issue. There Government gives in the Budget we will deliver, are 12,000 Queenslanders who are currently even if they are pork-barrelling commitments, waiting longer than is medically recommended. because I want stability, I want growth and I want jobs, and so will my Government want them. As I said, when it comes to the Bills that are covered by this legislation, one can see all the Mr Borbidge interjected. way along the line that we have "fail", "fail", "fail" Mr BEATTIE: That is all right. We will win from this Government. I believe that, given the and we will deliver—unlike this Government, opportunity, Queenslanders will adopt a fresh which froze every major project in this State and approach. What we need is a Government that is took 12 months to get going again. a healing Government. We need a Government that will work together with people, will bring The Premier said in his contract with Queenslanders together to do something about Queensland that 150,000 unemployed was too job creation, and will not seek to exacerbate many. And how many do we have? We have disputes such as the MUA dispute or the Wik 150,000 people who are unemployed. The issue just for political purposes. Premier has made no impact. He has made no difference. Every time the unemployment figures Mr Borbidge: Capitulation. come out, our unemployment level is higher than Mr BEATTIE: No. We will be a the national average. Under our former Government of compassion. We will be a Government, for almost four years, if I recall Government that shows concern. I will not be correctly—and I think it was even a bit longer, but ringing the individual members of the railway I will be modest—for every one of our four years, board, as the Premier did, to get them to send a our level of unemployment was below the train through the MUA line just to provoke a national average. That was the legacy of the Goss political dispute. The Premier rang every member years. So if the Premier wants to challenge me in of that board, after they had made a decision not relation to unemployment, I look forward with to send the train through because they did not some enthusiasm to that debate, because he is want to be provocative, and said, "I want the train the one who is on record as saying, "150,000 sent through." He rang every one of those board unemployed is unacceptable. It is not good members because he wanted a dispute. He enough." He is right. But that is what we have wanted a brawl on the waterfront. As Premier, he today: 150,000 people who are unemployed. should have been playing a role to resolve the That is not good enough. The Premier said that issue, not create a dispute. He knows that he 150,000 unemployed was not good enough, rang every member of the board and told them and he was right. He has again broken his that he wanted the train to go through. He contract with the people of Queensland. personally rang the board members. When one looks at all the issues that I have Mr Borbidge interjected. canvassed just in this Bill alone, one ends up with Mr BEATTIE: He did ring them, and he "fail", "fail", "fail"; beach protection and the knows that he rang them. He wanted that train to environment, "fail"; and in education—this go through, because he wanted confrontation. Government is trying to commercialise education. We did everything we could to resolve it. We did We are going to have P & Cs running around not want a dispute down there—no worried about what they put on billboards. Queenslander did; no Australian did. We wanted Instead of blackboards we have schools worrying it resolved. But what did we have behind the about billboards. What sort of an education scenes? The Premier was looking for an excuse system is this Government running? It is running for an election. That is what it was about. He 1112 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 13 May 1998 wanted to have an election, and he said, "Send has the numbers to do that. However, I have a the train through." concern as to where that decision leads I understand that, during the waterfront Queensland in the long term. If the Government dispute, the police asked the Department of uses the money that it has obtained from the sale Emergency Services to make available a of that State asset to pump up this helicopter for use by the police in surveillance Budget—especially in recurrent expenditure— and other duties at the port. This Government then the Government leaves a black hole for the wanted to use a helicopter to spy on people next Government, an amount that is unfunded by down at the waterfront. What is the Government way of revenue. The member can look at me trying to do? It is supposed to be resolving this quizzically, but that is a fact of life. If I sell my issue, not—— house this year, go on an overseas trip and next year do not have a job, I will live in the street. That Mr FitzGerald: Gareth Evans, you reckon, is the reality. sending F111s over Tasmania. Dr Watson: You should have paid Mr BEATTIE: That is a good interjection attention to the debate. It is being used to pay off because, in a sense, there is a parallel. I am debt. prepared to accept that. If the member wants to be half critical about it, that is fine; but he did the Mr SCHWARTEN: I know exactly what it is very same thing, and I believe that is for. I do not swallow that. I have heard all that unacceptable behaviour. That is why we want a nonsense: we will have less to pay out by way of Government—and I believe that Queenslanders debt. I hear all those arguments, but I remain want a Government—that tries to resolve issues, unconvinced that the Government is simply not that tries to bring people together, that does not propping up the election Budget in order to buy send the trains through MUA disputes to votes and provide services that, down the track, provoke a dispute, to make it worse, to inflame it the Government will not have the recurrent and to get people arrested. We want a income to pay for. That is a very shoddy way to Government that does not use helicopters to spy manage finances. My greatest concern is that, if on people to try to use that as a means to inflame we win Government down the track, we will find issues. I do not believe that that is the way ahead. the cupboard bare. We will have to look at some I have signalled that the Opposition agrees way of raising revenue. If that is the with the amendment that the Premier indicated to Government's plan, it is a despicable one. I will me in relation to the police powers. In relation to wait until tomorrow to see what is in the Budget the other matters, I have sought a clear and reserve my judgment on how the undertaking from the Premier in relation to the Government is going to go about it. I can retrospective aspects of this legislation. I am very guarantee that a few announcements will be genuine about that. I would like a response from made tomorrow and a few more will be made him. around the State in the next couple of weeks. You can bet your bottom dollar on that. Mr FitzGerald interjected. There are a couple of announcements that I Mr BEATTIE: Everything I said is very would like to come out of tomorrow's Budget. genuine, as the member well knows. I am very Five thousand of my constituents in serious about this. I assume that the Premier will Rockhampton are in the dole queues. Everyone do that in his reply. wants to shy away from that fact. It is said that Mr Borbidge: I give you that assurance. unemployment figures are down around Mr BEATTIE: I note that the Premier has Australia. However, thanks to Howard, 10,000 given me that assurance. I know that he will do so public servants have lost their jobs. About 500 of again when he responds formally. those are in central Queensland and, more particularly, Rockhampton. Of course, those Mr SCHWARTEN (Rockhampton) people do not show up on the dole queue (3.09 p.m.): I will be as meticulous in my figures because they have yet to spend all their application of the Standing Orders and be as redundancy payment money. Honourable appropriately focused on the Bill as the previous members should mark my words: at the end of speaker was. The State Financial Institutions and the year, unemployment in Rockhampton will go Metway Merger Facilitation Act 1996 gives the up. We are not looking at circumstances bread and butter—or at least a bit of jam—to this improving in Rockhampton; we are looking at Government as it goes into the next election. circumstances worsening. That is fair enough. I accept that that is a Government asset. The Government took a Given that there was nothing in the Federal political decision to sell that. The Government Budget for Rockhampton, it behoves this rises or falls on that decision. I did not support it. Government—and I am delighted to see the That is life: we are on this side; the Government Premier in the Chamber—to put something into 13 May 1998 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 1113

Rockhampton. We have had nothing out of this develops a trust with those organisations, there Government since the coalition took office. is an appropriate way in which that can be Government members visited Rockhampton to handled. I look at those organisations as being a open a courthouse that Labor built and that was help, not a hindrance. I would have no hesitation budgeted and planned for under our in giving back that money. Government. Rockhampton has not received I noted the Minister's comments this one extra project. There are a few projects that morning. He said that he thought the greens and the Treasurer may turn her mind to: the I were pretty unfair in criticising the decision in multifunction centre that the council is working relation to the Comet. The former Minister knew on, the redevelopment of the river bank and the that it did not stack up. finishing off of Archer Park Railway Station. There are a number of projects in Rockhampton that Mr Hobbs: Environmentally. would provide employment on which the Mr SCHWARTEN: My argument on the Government could be focused. I look forward to environmental issue is this: if it does not stack up hearing some good news on that front tomorrow. environmentally, it does not stack up I turn now to the Gladstone Area Water economically, because in the long term, if the Board Act 1984. I listened carefully to what the environment is ruined, the economy is ruined. It member for Gladstone said this morning about is that simple. That is a pedantic argument that that water board. Distilling down her comments, I the former Minister and I could have until the think she does not disagree with me about the cows come home. This is not something that was problems that arise in the community when one a bolt from the blue. The current Minister did not tries to build impoundments. As I said yesterday, find that out just last week. There was an element there is a lack of confidence in politicians to do of political decision making in what he did. He the right thing in that regard. There is a lack of made the announcement last week for a political general faith in water bureaucrats to do anything reason more than any other reason. When one other than build dams or to get them right. What does that, one should expect a political the member for Gladstone said this morning is response. I believe it would have been smarter to true, that is, some outside benchmarking have knocked it on the head previously. All the process is necessary to ensure that the Minister obtained from last week's community is satisfied. That is what I have been announcement was bad publicity, because saying about the Nathan dam all along. If we are people saw through it as a political stunt. In that to make those sorts of decisions, we have to regard, one has to make those decisions using ensure that they are the right decisions and that political judgment. I believe the Minister's political they will not have an adverse effect on judgment was wrong, just as I believe his political tomorrow's Queenslanders or the State's judgment is wrong to continue to go down the economic growth. Our State economic growth is path of saying that this dam is a goer, without any linked very much to our capacity to provide and evidence of what will be the downstream effects. continue to provide sustainable water resources. The Finch Hatton Gorge, which I visited If the water supply is ruined, so is our economy. It recently, is a classic example of an area that one is as simple as that. We are playing for big stakes. can look at and say, "No, we are not going to I agree with the member for Gladstone—in fact, flood this; this is crazy." One does not need a big she agrees with me, because I was speaking study to understand that impounding water there about that subject yesterday—that those and covering that unique backdrop to Mackay is decisions need to be audited by outside simply not on, either politically, environmentally, agencies. We ought to be welcoming those who recreationally or economically. It is a great area for provide different points of view. the people of Mackay and for people to come to Last week the Minister for Natural see. If we are talking about increasing tourism, we Resources knocked the funding off the greens. I need to have something for people to look at. I thought that was a pretty weak, pathetic thing to have no hesitation in knocking that on the head. I do. In this game, one cops it on the chin. The give the Minister this guarantee: he will not be Minister knew damn well when he gave them the allowed to build a dam there. There is no money that, at some stage, they would be critical question about that; it simply will not happen. of him. I think it was pretty poor form of the The same applies to St Helens Creek. Blind Minister. He was critical of Labor in relation to Freddy can see that that is not a goer either. Sunfish. If one follows the logic, the next time I turn now to the Education (General such an organisation says something critical of Provisions) Act. I am pleased to see that my the Minister, he will also take away its money. opposite number, the Minister for Public Works, Even though we do not like what some of those is in the Chamber. As to the Leading Schools organisations have to say, in a democracy it is proposal that members opposite seem so gung healthy to have that contrary point of view. If one ho about—I wonder whether they have 1114 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 13 May 1998 considered the application that is occurring in the for jam—16,000 bucks. There is no question maintenance sector. The Government has about that at all. handed over to principals the money and I believe that we have to rein in this sort of responsibility for maintenance. I do not mean any thing, because if we do not the result will be a disrespect to principals. However, the majority of diminishing standard of public buildings in this principals do not know anything about State. I do not know what future generations will maintenance programs. Why would they? They be paying for the mistakes that have occurred. are qualified and competent school teachers and Already we have seen what happened in school managers. They do not necessarily know Queensland Health when it did its own anything about maintenance. maintenance and doctors and medical Recently, I heard about an issue that relates professionals were allowed to organise what to Q-Build, which I regard as a very professional happened. Thank God, that department has now organisation that provides a quality product. I am set a standard. However, it was diabolical what sure that the Minister for Public Works and occurred there. That is what is going to happen in Housing would agree with that. Without doubt, our schools. I know that that is not the fault of the the work done by Q-Build is of a high quality. Is Minister for Q-Build. However, the reality is that that right, Minister? Would the Minister support his Government is driving us down that path. I that? The work done by Q-Build, especially in the believe that if it is not reined in—— area of day labour, is of a high quality. Would the Dr Watson: No, devolution was done Minister agree with that? under you. Dr Watson interjected. Mr SCHWARTEN: No, not to that level. Mr SCHWARTEN: I would agree with that That is not true. It is part of the Leading Schools as well. However, under Leading Schools, more program. and more schools are moving away from using Q- Dr Watson: We have just put in a program Build. They are saying that Q-Build is too dear. I that we had been handed. will illustrate what I mean by explaining to members what happened at the Yeppoon State Mr SCHWARTEN: No, that is not true. High School. Just before Christmas, the principal Dr Watson: You would have got a letter there decided to let a contract to paint a double from us for your schools. Did you get a letter from teaching block. Q-Build quoted $26,000 for that me about your schools? job. The principal said, "That is too dear." He Mr SCHWARTEN: No, that is not true. It is went down the road and he got a contractor who part of the Government's Leading Schools said to him, "If you can do this amount of the program. work, then I will be able to do it for $16,000"—$10,000 less. The principal said, Dr Watson: Did you get a letter from me "You beauty." He rubbed his hands together and about your schools? said, "I am going to save 10 grand on this." The Mr SCHWARTEN: Yes, I did. principal used the kids in the school to clean Dr Watson: Yes, that's because it was down the walls. If it was one of my kids, I would handled through us, not through you. You were object to that. There is no way in the world that I the ones who did that. send my kids to school to clean down the walls of the school and prepare them to be painted. For a Mr SCHWARTEN: The previous start, I think that it is dangerous to have untrained Government did not do that at all. It was done last people working in such an area. The other issue year under the Minister's Government. At that is that there was enamel paint on the walls. Q- time, the Minister was not in charge of the Build had quoted to firstly put down a prep coat. portfolio. Anybody who knows anything about painting Dr Watson: Did you just get a letter from would know that acrylic paint cannot be used me about recent stuff? over enamel paint. Q-Build's quote was to Mr SCHWARTEN: Yes, but this is still prepare the surface properly and to apply three occurring. coats of acrylic on top of that. This bloke came along and whacked two coats of acrylic straight Dr Watson: That is because it is handled over the top. He got 16,000 bucks for doing that. through us. I guarantee that the taxpayers of this State will Mr SCHWARTEN: All of it? pay to fix that up in the next six to eight months. That painter will not be around to fix it. I think that, Dr Watson: Yes, it is. considering the standard of the work that our Q- Mr SCHWARTEN: I do not think that the Build people would have done, that job was Minister is correct. I will have a little bet with him worth the 26,000 bucks. That bloke got money on that. 13 May 1998 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 1115

Dr Watson: The letter you got from me. his electorate, all he did was push it into Mr SCHWARTEN: The letter I got from somebody else's backyard. Because the the Minister! I say to the Minister that Q-Build is Government did that, we had those recent not doing all the maintenance on schools in blackouts. That is the truth of the matter. We Queensland. have an overcommitted electricity supply in Queensland. As I said yesterday, if we in this Dr Watson: They are running it. They may State make the same mistake with water as we subcontract some of it out. have with power, there is no way in the world that Mr SCHWARTEN: That is a different the irrigators are going to do what the coalminers story. I will send the Minister the material that did, which was to alleviate the situation and turn came to me last week. off their draglines. That simply will not happen. Dr Watson: Whether Q-Build was running I heard some mirth opposite when the it or whether Education was running it, I tell you Opposition said that, when it reaches the stuff I sent you, you were running it. Government, it will not impose a capital works Mr SCHWARTEN: I have a case that freeze. I do not know why that was so because the Premier should know what a mistake that was shows that that is not true. to have done that in this State. I know why he did Dr Watson: Let me know. it. At the time, it was probably a good political Mr SCHWARTEN: I will indeed and we thought to roll all of that work into one Budget can discuss the matter later. The other point I and come out and say, "We have a capital works want to make relates to the Electricity—National budget of this, that and the other." The fact is Scheme (Queensland) Act 1997 which, of that, at the end of that financial year, the course, brings into focus Westlink versus Government ended up with $400m more of Eastlink. The Premier was out there beating the capital works than it anticipated. It simply could drum and stirring up people about Eastlink. He not get through that amount of work. If for no claimed all sorts of problems. Who could ever other reason, that is why Labor in Government forget it. It was just a gigantic election stunt by will not go down the same path. It will be a fact of him. Of course, it worked. It stirred up people. Of life—— course, the reality is that some time later the Mr Borbidge: I am just amazed that if you Premier had to revisit that issue and he came up won the election, you are going to implement our with Westlink. What I want to know is: were any of Budget. You are not going to be energetic the Government's Ministers or members enough to write your own Budget when there is advantaged financially by the change from supply until October. I am just amazed at how lazy Eastlink to Westlink? you are. Mr FitzGerald: I certainly wasn't. It went Mr SCHWARTEN: The Premier can carry through Lockyer, so I certainly was not on being amazed. advantaged. Mr Borbidge: If you are not going to Mr SCHWARTEN: I will leave that one change the Budget, keep the Government. with the Premier, because the rumour mill has it that that is the case—that compensation will be Mr SCHWARTEN: No, there are other paid to certain members. I do not expect the reasons why we should change the Government. Premier to have that information at his fingertips, The reality is that the Government is pinning all of but that is what I am told. It would be pleasing to its hopes on the Budget. The Government hear the Premier address that issue in terms of hopes that it is going to get it off the hook. the community concern. However, as was just outlined by the Opposition, there are 100 reasons and the Budget why we The fact of the matter is that Eastlink and should get rid of that lot opposite. The coalition Westlink had to go ahead. The reality is that the runs the Government like a feeble geriatric— Government turned it into a political stunt. shambling from crisis to crisis. There has not Mr FitzGerald: I did not. been a month go by that the coalition has not got itself into some sort of trouble. Ministers have Mr SCHWARTEN: The member's been running around with rhinos—— Government did. The member's Government pushed it as a political stunt. Mr FitzGerald: What section of the Bill are you on now? Mr FitzGerald: I looked after my constituents, but I didn't turn it into a political Mr SCHWARTEN: This is in the section stunt. called "response to the Premier". Mr SCHWARTEN: The fact of the matter Mr Borbidge: None of my Ministers have is that, if the member pushed the issue away from sold their own house. 1116 South Bank Corporation Amendment Bill 13 May 1998

Mr SCHWARTEN: Not yet, but with the developments in Brisbane. His was a very clowns that the Premier has around him, I would significant contribution. not rule it out. They are likely to sell their house South Bank is a world class and unique part and their mother's house. The fact of the matter of Brisbane. When I was first elected to this place is that there are a lot of other reasons apart from it was in my electorate. That area has gone the Budget why we should get rid of that lot through a series of developments, arguments opposite. I will leave it at that. and advancements since that time. I think all of Debate, on motion of Mr FitzGerald, the people of Brisbane, indeed all adjourned. Queenslanders, are justifiably proud of the South Bank parklands. My family and I regularly use South Bank. Heather, the children and I go SOUTH BANK CORPORATION there regularly for barbecues and the children AMENDMENT BILL swim at the beach and enjoy it. That does not Second Reading mean that it cannot be improved. Resumed from 17 March (see p. 356). Some time ago I received a briefing from the Mr CAMPBELL (Bundaberg) (3.29 p.m.): I Chairman of the South Bank Corporation, Steve take much pleasure in rising to speak in the Wilson. He set out the plans for South Bank. I debate on the South Bank Corporation understand that the Premier asked him to brief Amendment Bill. I believe that South Bank is a me. I appreciate that courtesy. We need to make major achievement and one of the major certain that we do what has to be done to contributors to Brisbane's great lifestyle. Many enhance South Bank for the future. people have forgotten what Expo was all about, Very few cities in the world get an but it holds great memories for a lot of others. I opportunity to redevelop a key part of their congratulate the previous National Party hearts. Often, the hearts of the great cities of the Government on initiating Expo and the former world are almost dead. We had a unique Labor Government for following through and opportunity at the conclusion of Expo 88 to keeping South Bank as a tremendous parkland rebuild or regenerate the heart of Brisbane. That for Queensland. It will be good to see further is what Expo 88 allowed us to do. The other day development of South Bank. there was a 10-year reunion of many of the There was great perspective in the people who had been to Expo 88. It was a real architecture and design of South Bank, but the experience for this city and for this State. That is ugliest building I have seen in Brisbane has to be why I have indicated the Opposition's support for what is now the Conservatorium of Music, the this Government's bid for Coomera 2002. I hope Griffith University building. People should take that Queensland is successful in that bid. the time to look at that building, especially from Anything which can be done to enhance the Parliamentary Annexe. It is a blob in the the attractiveness and viability of South Bank will middle of a great complex. How could we, as be supported by the Labor Party and by me. I ordinary, commonsense people, pay good welcome the additional 12,000 square metres of money for an architect to design such a building? parkland. Without parkland, South Bank would We should not always just follow what the be just another city centre attraction. The sense "experts" want. I believe that building has spoilt of openness makes South Bank what it is. If there the whole aspect of South Bank, including the is to be more development on the site—this Bill Performing Arts Complex. We have to ensure enables that—we must ensure that we retain that that that does not happen again. sense of space. The sense of space is the key. We have to ensure that South Bank is kept There has been criticism of the plan to build for all the people of Queensland, so that it can be a new bridge across the Brisbane River, linking and is used by ordinary people and does not Alice Street with South Bank. I would like the become a yuppie kind of place—a place just for Premier to tell Parliament how much consultation those with double incomes and no kids. South there was with South Bank residents and users Bank is a beautiful complex. Many families enjoy and any other interested parties before the South Bank. I hope that in the future we in the announcement was made, and the result of that Legislature can ensure that the South Bank consultation. parklands remain for use by all Queenslanders, I also note that clause 2(2) of the Bill especially Brisbane families and battlers. provides that clause 12 is taken to have Mr BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—Leader commenced on 11 December 1997, and it is of the Opposition) (3.32 p.m.): I congratulate the retrospective. I ask the Premier why it is member for Bundaberg on his fine contribution, retrospective. The Explanatory Notes make no demonstrating an understanding of the mention of the reason, so I would be grateful if importance of one of the major landscape the Premier could explain it. Is this yet another 13 May 1998 South Bank Corporation Amendment Bill 1117 attempt by the National Party to sneak some I return to the issue of the plan to build a secret deal through the House, or is it simply new bridge across the Brisbane River, linking another case of sloppiness in preparation on the Alice Street with South Bank. This bridge is a part of the Government or the Premier? matter of some concern to a number of people in The Premier's Department has told the the inner city, some of whom live in my electorate Scrutiny of Legislation Committee that the of Brisbane Central, because Alice Street is in my amendment is to bring the Act and the various electorate. This side of the river is in my electorate; the other side is in Anna Bligh's new plans into chronological order. Apparently electorate of South Brisbane. I have discussed the plan was lodged and approved on 11 this Bill with her. December last year. I would like the Premier to tell the House more about this in his speech in reply I am prepared to support the building of a to the debate. As the committee points out, new bridge across the Brisbane River. Therefore, retrospective provisions conflict with I am prepared to support the intent of what South fundamental legislative principles and should Bank wants. I put that clearly on record today. always be addressed in the Explanatory Notes. If I However, contingent upon how that should be were a betting man, I would say that this was just implemented, whether the honourable member one of those things that slipped by the Premier. for Surfers Paradise or I am the Premier, it is important that there be detailed consultation I see from the Premier's second-reading about how that bridge will look and where it will be speech that major works connected with this Bill located so that it fits in aesthetically with the city. I were scheduled to commence at the end of am enthusiastic to have a walkway/bikeway. We April—in other words, a fortnight ago. The are not talking about cars or any other vehicles. Premier said that the purpose of the Bill is to As I understand it, we are just talking about a empower the South Bank Corporation to carry walkway/bikeway bridge. It will be either a walkway out major works at the parklands. Either the truth or both. If that is so, I am enthusiastic about it, is that this multimillion-dollar scheme and the Bill because it will link the suburbs of South are being rushed through as a last-minute Brisbane, Highgate Hill, Dutton Park and so on to scheme designed to win votes in the State the QUT. It will be a vital link that will serve as an election, or the scheme was properly planned extra artery for the city. and the Borbidge/Sheldon Government has stuffed up the progress of the legislation. If the However, the important thing is that we get legislation was not to be retrospective and the the consultation right. We have to make certain planning was lodged and approved on 11 that it is aesthetic—that it fits in—and is designed December last year, the Bill should have come in a way that makes it an attractive part of the city. before this House last winter or spring. The fact We want people to walk across it. I can imagine is: no matter which answer is correct, the families walking across that bridge on weekends. Government is not up to the job. I can imagine people walking to and from work. I can imagine people cycling, if that is what is The Government said that it would hit the intended. Importantly, the design has to involve a ground running, but it just hit the ground. Now, in process of consultation. If we do not have that the Government's dying days, the Premier is level of consultation, a good idea could be proving once again that he is still not up to the opposed by some people simply because they job. As the Government reaches the end of its fear how that bridge may present in terms of a term, the Premier still has not got his act physical sight for the city. It has to be aesthetic, together. This is a $67m scheme, and the pleasing and it has to fit in. That is why I urge Premier has treated both it and the Parliament South Bank and the Premier to make certain that with contempt. those involved in this process consult with the This backs up what a spokesman for the community. Minister for Primary Industries told Business If we are elected as a Government, I put on Queensland. He was talking about legislation the record today that we will insist on that regarding the handing over of Queensland's consultation. There is no need for it to be seven bulk sugar terminals—something which anything other than a bipartisan approach. I do was supposed to happen by 31 March. The not believe it should become a political football. I spokesman explained that no-one had any hope that that can be achieved. As I said, I know problems with the proposals, just that there had there is some criticism of and opposition to it. been delays in getting the paperwork together However, today I join the Premier in supporting it. and that there was a huge backlog of matters for I would be keen to be briefed further with respect Cabinet to consider. What else is held up in the to the details on another occasion. logjam? Just how incompetent is this In conclusion, the Bill addresses a number Government? of issues, such as rationalising the land-holding 1118 South Bank Corporation Amendment Bill 13 May 1998 currently administered by the corporation and funding commitment of some $67m, of which QPAC—the Queensland Performing Arts $28m will be recouped through land sales. Centre—to ensure transparency in relation to the Those honourable members who have had legal and administrative responsibilities of those the opportunity to see the plans developed by entities. Again, there are some wonderful people the South Bank Corporation could only be in those organisations who need to be consulted enthusiastic. I know one honourable member so that there are no sensitivities. I assume there said that it should not be a yuppy precinct. It will are none. In respect of the land and the be a people precinct—a precinct for everyone. perpetual lease, the organisation needs that We will see further facilities, such as cinemas, power so as to conduct its business. I do not cafes, bars and restaurants. The new IMAX have any difficulty in that respect. However, I theatre, which will be a magnificent new family signal again that consultation is the key in terms attraction, will be completed by December of this of the use of the site. I indicate my support for the year. As to traffic-free and parkland areas, we will legislation. provide an additional 12,000 square metres of Hon. R. E. BORBIDGE (Surfers parkland and recreational areas for families, whilst Paradise—Premier) (3.42 p.m.), in reply: I thank also providing the corporation with further land to the honourable member for Bundaberg and the host free entertainment. Leader of the Opposition for their contribution to I believe this is a good plan. I place on record this debate. The honourable member for my appreciation to Steve Wilson, the board of the Bundaberg raised some concerns about the South Bank Corporation, Bill Grant and the team Conservatorium of Music. over there, who in my view have come up with Mr Palaszczuk: It's functional but ugly. something that is timely. Just as South Bank, Mr BORBIDGE: The honourable member when it was initially developed, was the right made the comment that it is functional but ugly. project for the time in respect of the old Expo The South Bank Corporation approved the plans site, this next stage of the South Bank for the conservatorium and then forwarded them development will be absolutely right, appropriate to the Minister in charge for final approval. The and I believe very well received. Minister in charge was my predecessor, the The Leader of the Opposition raised a honourable member for Logan. That occurred couple of matters to which I wish to respond. In under the previous Government. I know that that relation to the bridge, I can assure the Leader of building, which serves a very important purpose, the Opposition that there will be community has been the subject of some criticism in terms of consultation and a period for public comment its external design. I hope that we have all learnt once those plans are released. The Leader of something for the future in respect of processes. the Opposition obviously agrees with the I had the privilege of opening that building. It is an Government that linking the Gardens and QUT important asset to the city. I am hopeful that as we over the river to South Bank makes the concept move into the new era of South Bank and the whole—something I believe will be very popular. next stage of the redevelopment of South Bank Notwithstanding that, there is a degree of as we open up the street past Rydges, the controversy. Obviously, people will be seeking building will no longer cause the degree of certain assurances. Certainly, there will be a controversy that it has in recent times. period of public consultation. I am confident that I agree with honourable members that it is a we can work our way through that issue. place for the people. Honourable members who The Leader of the Opposition raised some were here in the late eighties would remember concerns in respect of clause 2. He made the the pain that we went through in Government in observation that clause 12 of the Bill takes effect respect of the acquisition of properties. It was not retrospectively from 11 December 1997. The the prettiest part of town. The people claimed it retrospective commencement of clause 12 is for Expo and they have claimed it ever since. It is necessary, as under section 15F of the South important that the development proposals Bank Act 1989 the Brisbane Convention and produce an urban renewal project equal to the Exhibition Centre was to be transferred from the best that can be found anywhere in the world. State into the name of the South Bank As I indicated when I introduced the Corporation by 11 December 1997. That did not legislation, the new master plan will create occur, and clause 12 of the Bill provides that the development sites totalling 52,000 square transfer must occur by 30 June 1999. metres, with a new underground car park, As to the reason that did not occur, the pedestrian and cyclist bridge arbour, which will be clause extends the date by which the transfer of a magnificent project, a new square, various new ownership of the convention centre from the buildings, landscaping and parklands State to the corporation is to occur. The delay in enhancement. The Government has made a the transfer has occurred because of previously 13 May 1998 South Bank Corporation Amendment Bill 1119 unresolved issues between the State and the (b) a lease to the Queensland Art Gallery builder of the centre and the desire on behalf of Board of Trustees for a term of 75 the corporation that those matters be resolved years; prior to the transfer taking effect. The (c) a lease to the Queensland Museum corporation, other than for its own ownership Board of Trustees for a term of 75 issue, controls and manages the centre. It was years; merely to resolve those outstanding matters. I thank the member for Bundaberg and the Leader (d) a lease to the Queensland Performing of the Opposition for their contribution to the Arts Trust for a term of 75 years; debate. (e) a lease to the Royal Queensland Motion agreed to. Theatre Company for a term of 30 years. "licence" means any of the following Committee licences mentioned in the Arts Legislation Hon. R. E. Borbidge (Surfers Paradise— Amendment Act 1997, section 79— Premier) in charge of the Bill. (a) the licence agreement expiring on 30 Clauses 1 to 6, as read, agreed to. June 1998 entered into between Clause 7— Berlasco Pty Ltd (ACN 010 041 040) and Queensland Performing Arts Mr BORBIDGE (3.49 p.m.): I move the Trust; following amendment— (b) a licence agreement entered into for a "At page 5, lines 8 to 21— term of 5 years between Advanced omit, insert— Food Systems International Ltd (ACN 'Car park land and reserve 004 292 951) and— '13B.(1) Reserve 3367 is revoked. (i) Library Board of Queensland; or '(2) However, a lease over a part of the (ii) Queensland Art Gallery Board of reserve or a licence to occupy a part of a Trustees; or building on the reserve in force immediately (iii) Queensland Museum Board of before the revocation of the reserve under Trustees. subsection (1) continues in force over the "the Arts Office" means the government part after the revocation in accordance with entity charged with advising the Minister its terms. with responsibility for the arts on matters '(3) The parts of Russell Street, Stanley relating to the arts. Street, and Grey Street, South Brisbane in 'Readjustment of boundaries lots 55 and 56 on plan SP 102555 set out in schedule 12 are permanently closed. '13C.(1) Indefeasible titles are created in the name of the corporation for lots 1, 932 and '(4) A deed of grant in the name of the 933 on RP 896477 set out in schedule 13 corporation may be issued by the Governor on the recording of the particulars of the lots in Council for lots 55 and 56 on plan SP in the freehold land register. 102555 and lot 388 on plan SL 12890. '(2) To remove any doubt, it is declared that '(5) On the recording of the particulars of lot subsection (1) has effect to transfer lots 1, 388 on RP 896477 in the freehold land 932 and 933 on RP 896477 to the register, it is declared that the lot is corporation.'." dedicated for public use (cultural purposes) This amendment includes the necessary and becomes a reserve. statutory steps to permit the administrative '(6) The Arts Office is appointed as trustee arrangements for the closure of those parts of of the reserve. the identified roads and land subdivision to '(7) In this section— properly occur. Specifically, this amendment effects several changes to land within the "lease" means any of the following leases corporation area, the majority of this land being mentioned in the Arts Legislation the dedicated reserve land. Prior to Expo 88, part Amendment Act 1997, section 75 originally of the reserve was held by the Queensland granted by the Queensland Cultural Performing Arts Complex. During Expo the land Centre— was transferred to the South Bank Corporation (a) a lease to the Library Board of with the understanding that, following Expo, the Queensland for a term of 75 years; land would revert back to QPAC. 1120 South Bank Corporation Amendment Bill 13 May 1998

This amendment allows for the transfer Lastly, I notice that a licence agreement is whilst also allowing for certain road closures to be entered into for a term of five years between effected. These road closures and the exchange Advanced Food Systems and the Library. I of titles will bring about subsequent boundary assume that is for the provision of food. Perhaps I alterations both to the reserve and to freehold could get some details in relation to that. Could land which is already held by the corporation. The the Premier just answer those questions for the boundary alterations tidy up all of the titles of the record? corporation area and reserve. Mr BORBIDGE: In respect of the matters Mr BEATTIE: There are just a few issues raised by the Leader of the Opposition, I am that I want to raise here. Unfortunately—and I am advised that no objections have been expressed not being critical—this Bill came on a bit sooner with regard to the road closures. With regard to than I had expected and I had not seen the the role of the Arts Office, that is of course a amendments until now. I am not sure when they subsidiary of Queensland Treasury. As to the were circulated. I have just had an opportunity to length of the leases, the leases are continuing have a quick look. I do not want to make a fuss on. In respect of the member's last question, the about that; I just wonder if the Premier could reply is: yes. clarify a few things for me. Amendment agreed to. I notice that, in relation to Part 3, we are Clause 7, as amended, agreed to. closing parts of Russell Street, Stanley Street Clause 8— and Grey Street at South Brisbane. I just wondered what level of community consultation Mr BORBIDGE (3.53 p.m.): I move the has been involved with that? Does the local following amendment— community support it? I assume that people are "At page 6, line 8, '13C.'— happy with it. I just want to know what level of omit, insert— involvement there has been. '13C;'." I notice that the Arts Office is appointed as trustee of the reserve. The Arts Office means the This amendment is moved simply to correct Government entity charged with advising the a typographical error in the Bill which was Minister with responsibility for the arts and identified by the Scrutiny of Legislation matters relating to the arts. Can I just clarify what it Committee. The amendment inserts a semicolon means by "the Arts Office"? Obviously it is going at the end of proposed new section 15(2)(c) to be a trustee in its own right. If it is a section of where, previously, the Bill provided a full stop. the department, I just want to be clear as to who This amendment allows the resuming words of in fact is trustee and what sort of direct authority section 15 to follow on from the clause inserted the Government itself or the Minister has. Again, I by clause 8 of the amendment Bill. just want that clarified. Mr BEATTIE: I am quite relaxed about that I notice that there are a number of leases to amendment and I want the Premier to be aware the Library board and the Art Gallery and that they that he has my full support! are for various years and so on. Again, I just Amendment agreed to. wonder what level of consultation there has been Clause 8, as amended, agreed to. with the various stakeholders in relation to the Clauses 9 to 15, as read, agreed to. length of the leases and whether the whole arts community is happy with those leases—whether Clause 16— it is supportive of them and whether that has Mr BORBIDGE (3.54 p.m.): I move the been a negotiated outcome. following amendment— Legislative Assembly 1121 13 May 1998

At page 13, line 1 to page 33, line 14— omit, insert— ‘SCHEDULE 12

section 13B 13 May 1998 1122 Legislative Assembly

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section 13C Legislative Assembly 1123 13 May 1998 13 May 1998 1124 Legislative Assembly Legislative Assembly 1125 13 May 1998 13 May 1998 1126 Legislative Assembly Legislative Assembly 1127 13 May 1998 13 May 1998 1128 Legislative Assembly

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section 15A Legislative Assembly 1129 13 May 1998

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section 15A 13 May 1998 1130 Legislative Assembly

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section 15A Legislative Assembly 1131 13 May 1998 13 May 1998 1132 Legislative Assembly Legislative Assembly 1133 13 May 1998 13 May 1998 1134 Legislative Assembly

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section 15A Legislative Assembly 1135 13 May 1998 13 May 1998 1136 Legislative Assembly Legislative Assembly 1137 13 May 1998 13 May 1998 1138 Legislative Assembly Legislative Assembly 1139 13 May 1998 13 May 1998 1140 Legislative Assembly Legislative Assembly 1141 13 May 1998

’. 1142 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 13 May 1998

This amendment is a technical amendment, global market forces. These price drops have allowing the correct survey plans to be inserted slashed the incomes of primary producers. This to give effect to the amendment Bill's intent. The affects everyone in rural and regional areas who change in plan types is from Crown plans to depend directly on the prosperity of the primary registered plans and includes additional survey industries. In the midst of the poverty and the information that is unique to this plan type. economic problems of the bush, I want to talk to Mr BEATTIE: I am not opposing the all honourable members here about why my amendment. I just wonder if I could use this party—the Labor Party—is best placed to look opportunity to seek a commitment from the after the people of Queensland outside the Premier that, regardless of who wins the next south-east corner. election, there will be ongoing consultation I want to inform the House of Labor's vision between not only the South Bank authority but for rural and regional Queensland and why it is the Government in terms of this development. I that Labor, and only Labor, can offer any real help give the Premier a similar undertaking in terms of to the men and women on the land. The the Opposition. I do believe it is important to get conservatives on the other side of the House will as much bipartisanship for the development of always tell rural people that they will stand up in South Bank as is possible. Brisbane for the interests of country people. To Mr BORBIDGE: That has been precisely put it bluntly, this is a myth. The National Party the policy of this Government. I know that the represents only a small fraction of rural and Leader of the Opposition has been kept fully regional Queensland. Sadly, the National Party informed and advised and has had full access to stands up for the big graziers, the squattocracy, the South Bank Corporation. I am pleased to the genteel classes and the big multi-national maintain that particular arrangement into the companies. The National Party does not care future. about the interests of the small farmer, the small business owners in the country towns, or the Amendment agreed to. bush workers; yet it is the ordinary rural folk who Clause 16, as amended, agreed to. are suffering most at the moment. The big Bill reported, with amendments. players can look after themselves, but the small farmers and the small business owners cannot. Those people are at the mercy of forces beyond Third Reading their control. Bill, on motion of Mr Borbidge, by leave, In this respect, ordinary people in the city read a third time. and the country face problems of the same nature. Of course there are obvious differences STATUTE LAW (MISCELLANEOUS in their situations, but they all feel the need for PROVISIONS) BILL help. Because the nature of the problem is the same, I believe that the solutions are also similar. Second Reading Labor's approach offers hope for all ordinary Resumed from p. 1116. Queenslanders no matter where they live. Mr PALASZCZUK (Inala) (3.57 p.m.): At the heart of our philosophy are two key There was a story in the newspaper recently issues, and they are security and opportunity. about low incomes in Queensland. It listed by Let me expand. In this increasingly globalised postcode the 10 areas with the highest incomes world our economy is subject more than ever to and the 10 areas with the lowest incomes. Of the fluctuations of world markets. This is these 10 areas with the lowest incomes, not one especially so in the area of primary produce, was in the greater Brisbane area. These areas where prices fluctuate and competition is were all in rural and regional Queensland. Even intense. The world market and the forces of my own electorate, Inala, which has more than its competition that drive it impose significant social fair share of hardship, did not make it onto that costs on countries like Australia where exports list. The important message from this article is that are so important to our prosperity. The rural a lot of hardship is occurring in country towns and sector is particularly exposed to those forces on the land. There is grinding poverty, a lack of and, as a result, bears many of the social costs. jobs, a lack of services, the working poor—in These costs include uncertainty. Members short, there are serious social and economic may not think so, but uncertainty is a very soul problems. destroying thing. If a worker is not sure that his I also have seen on the TV news that the job will be there next week, or if a farmer does not prices for many primary products are dropping know what price his crop will get at the market, dramatically. This is in part due to the Asian they are subject to uncertainty and this is very financial crisis, but it is also due to the play of the stressful for them and their families. People do 13 May 1998 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 1143 not know where they stand. I am sure many opportunity to succeed because they are born honourable members here today will know that into poor families and live in communities without feeling and will know how it eats away at one's adequate facilities. I am committed to helping confidence and peace of mind. those people. We know that globalisation brings many But people in rural communities also lack benefits for efficient producers, of whom opportunities. I began my remarks by noting that Australian farmers are some of the best. I am not the 10 poorest communities in Queensland are suggesting that we go back to fortress Australia. outside Brisbane. But people living in rural areas However, can we expect rural producers and rural also face the added problems of distance and communities to stand alone in the face of these isolation. They are away from the many services pressures? The conservatives on the other side of the capital city and the south-east corner. This of the House do. They do not want Government makes it all the more difficult for them. We in the to help people and protect them from the Labor Party believe that we should provide adverse swings in market forces. The opportunity to all Queenslanders, no matter conservatives want Government to pull away, to where they live. We believe strongly that withdraw, and to leave ordinary people without distance should not mean less chance to share in help. This is the Liberal ideology and they have all the benefits that our society has to offer. This sold it to the National Party. means education. It means health care. It means Labor offers a different way. Labor believes training. It means police protection. It means that, as we approach the end of the 20th century, sporting facilities. It means music. It means art. it is the role of Government to stand behind Just because a person lives away from the capital people and help them cope with the impacts of does not mean that that person should not have global market forces. Government has, indeed, a these things and should not have the positive role to play in providing security for rural opportunities that city dwellers take for granted. producers and for residents in regional centres. Rural people have just as much right to those Government can help those who get into trouble services as city people. and provide help for them to acquire the skills I know that those services are a bit more and expertise to enable them to find their own expensive to provide in rural areas. This means way out of the problem. Government can assist cross-subsidisation. It also means that people in rural communities to focus their energies and the city pay slightly more so that people in the harness the strength of their members. This is country can have services at a reasonable price. not a return to a welfare mentality. This is a hand- Let me be quite clear—this is a good and up, not a hand-out approach. desirable thing. It is totally consistent with Labor Labor believes that Government has a huge principles that there be some redistribution so role to play in reducing uncertainty for ordinary that all can share in the benefits our society has people in rural and regional Queensland. It can to offer. help people plan for the future and to make long- Unfortunately, the Government does not term decisions. Let me use as an example the believe in cross-subsidisation. When the Federal magnificent work done by the research and Government sells Telstra the people in the cities extension officers of the DPI. These men and may get cheaper phone calls—and no doubt calls women take the latest in agricultural scientific will be timed—but rural and regional research and make it available to farmers so that Queenslanders will pay much more for their the farmers can improve their businesses. phone calls. This is because cross-subsidisation Without this service, new ideas and technologies will not last. would not be made available to farmers, or at least would be so costly and time consuming to What will happen if Australia Post is acquire as to be out of the reach of most. eventually privatised? Will letters and parcels cost Unfortunately, the National Party wants to more in the country? The Nationals are doing eventually privatise most of the research work of nothing to stop moves in that direction. They the DPI. Labor will not do this, because Labor cannot even protect the people they say they believes strongly that research and development protect. is one way that Government can help provide A Labor Government will fight any moves to security for rural producers. pull services away from country people or to The second key value in Labor's approach is impose full cost recovery. We will do everything opportunity. We believe that every individual in our power to ensure that country people should have the opportunity to reach his or her receive all the opportunities that city people take full potential, irrespective of where they come for granted. After all, the tremendous from or how much wealth they have. In my own contribution of the primary sector to our State's electorate of Inala, many people do not have the wealth should guarantee this. 1144 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 13 May 1998

None of this has happened under the believe that the new Beattie Government will be National Party. Unfortunately, the National Party committed to sound financial management. In Government in Queensland has not delivered to Government, in partnerships with local the vast majority of Queenslanders. Sadly, the communities and with local government, we in Government's policies have reflected only the the Labor Party will make available up-to-date interests of powerful lobby groups representing economic and employment analyses to assist in the interests of the privileged few. We in the regional planning. Labor Party believe that Government should be In relation to education, we believe that Government of the many, not the few. There is participation rates in higher education in remote no conflict between the interests of ordinary areas are approximately half those in urban areas urban people and ordinary rural people. All and midway between these two extremes for people want is security and opportunity and, rural populations generally. In 1995, only 30% of rightly, they expect Governments to help them the agricultural labour force had post-school achieve a better life for themselves. qualifications, compared with 50% for the I also want to inform the House that a high Australian labour force generally. It is unlikely that proportion of Queenslanders live outside the rural people or rural areas will be able to compete metropolitan areas in the south-east corner of the for future career opportunities unless they State. Many of them live in provincial cities and participate in education and training to a similar rural and remote communities. At times, one extent to those in urban communities. could be forgiven for thinking that our rural communities are comprised solely of farmers and The reasons for the lower participation in graziers, such is the agricultural-centric nature of education and training in rural areas compared much rural policy. However, provincial and rural with urban areas are reasonably well understood. communities are extremely diverse. They differ in These, of course, include greater distance from size, they differ in the nature of their economies, educational facilities, fewer course opportunities and they differ in their employment opportunities due to lower demand, less adult and peer pressure to undertake education and training, and their access to community services. Clearly, and a perception that job opportunities are fewer the people employed in agriculture and their than in urban areas. The education sector families are important but so, too, are other continues to undergo considerable change. people living and working in our rural towns and Education service providers are variously cities. They, too, need to be recognised as an frustrated with either direction or the rate of important part of the fabric of rural life. change or both. And Governments seek to Employment is widely recognised as a key improve outcomes at lower cost. issue. It is important to people of all ages. It is important to people no matter where they Throughout all of this debate some simple live—whether it be in Boulia, Barcaldine or truths are often lost. Firstly, the benefits of Bundaberg. But just recognising employment as education and training are spread between the a key issue is no solution. We need fresh individual, the employer and the broad thinking and we need fresh approaches. community. This distribution of benefits should be one of the factors guiding the design of cost- Mr McGrady: And a new vision. sharing arrangements. Contrary to the dogma Mr PALASZCZUK: And, of course, we sweeping conservative circles, there is no logic need a new vision. Above all, we need a to full cost recovery of education and training sensitivity to people. That is something that is programs. Secondly, current and future lacking at present. employment and career pathways require a high Conservative Governments would have us level of participation in lifelong learning believe that magic solutions will flow from low experiences. In fact, we need to develop a greed inflation and depressed wages, but it has not for ongoing training. Thirdly, alternative happened, and it will not happen. It will not education policies are likely to impact differently happen for the aged or for our youth, for women on persons depending on, for instance, where or for men; and most of all, it will not happen for they live and on their socioeconomic people with lower access to opportunities, for circumstances. Unless these issues are people who live in rural and remote areas, for the addressed, rural education is likely to be further poor people, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait disadvantaged by the educational policies of our Islander people and for people who have not had conservative Governments. the right educational opportunities. Sure, I will not continue in that vein, because I employment growth is dependent upon really do need to talk about something that is of economic growth and a soundly managed greater concern to some of the Liberal members economy. That is what I believe we had under the sitting on the back benches. I refer, of course, to previous Goss Labor Government. Equally, I the problem that is confronting the pork industry 13 May 1998 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 1145 not only in Queensland but in Australia. One has It is always a pleasure for me to be involved only to look at what the Federal Government has with the schools in my electorate. Only today, the done in relation to the import of pork from Albany Creek State Primary School was in Canada. Honourable members probably do not Parliament. A couple of months ago, I went out know this, but the import of Canadian pork is at there and spoke to the students about the three times the level that was estimated 12 parliamentary system. It is pleasing that schools months ago. Now, what does that mean? It are increasingly providing citizenship education means that there is a glut of frozen pork in at an early age so that young people get some freezers throughout Queensland. Hence, with understanding of the way in which the such a glut, the local product is in oversupply and Parliaments are structured, how the different the prices that the pig producers are able to levels of government are structured, and how charge for their product drop considerably. those levels of government relate to one Therefore, we have the following situation. A pig another. producer who has a 50-sow piggery and whose The students in here today from Albany production costs are $2 per kilogram is now Creek primary school are probably as informed as selling his product to the market at $1.70 per any students in the State about the structure of kilogram. In other words, that person is losing this Parliament, the numbers in this Parliament, $500 per week. Members opposite cannot tell how the Parliament operates in relation to the me that a pork producer in Queensland can Government and the Opposition and the roles of sustain those sorts of losses for a long time. different parliamentary officials. Probably many of Mr Perrett: It is a pity that your them would know more than their parents know, Government signed that agreement. yet their parents vote. Of course, those young Mr PALASZCZUK: The member was the people, still in their primary school years, have relevant Minister for quite a while. He had the some way to go before they get to vote. When opportunity to rectify the problem, but he did not. they do, at least they will have some Pork producers in his own electorate are turning understanding of and have enjoyed the against him in droves. But they are not going experience of knowing how the Parliament towards the One Nation Party, as the honourable operates, how it is structured and what members member might believe; they are turning to the of Parliament do. One of the most disappointing Labor Party, because they are looking to an aspects of current political life is the cynicism with alternative party that will be able to deliver. which young people in particular view the political It is about time that this Federal Government process and politicians themselves. That recognised that there is a glut of imported frozen cynicism is partly earned by the behaviour of pork in Queensland today. Therefore, the politicians and the failure of Governments to Federal Government should impose a keep promises and is exacerbated by the moratorium on the import of pork to give our local representation of the political process and producers a chance until those two new political debate by the media, which focuses, as piggeries that are going to be established on the we all know, on the conflict element of the downs—Danpork and Darling Downs—are fully political process rather than recognising the functional, so that they will be able to compete on balance that exists between political debate over the export market, and our producers—400 of policy about which we disagree in this place and them—will not have to go out the door financially, the many other aspects over which there is close their operations and join the relatively little difference of opinion. It is very rare unemployment scrap heap, which is what this to hear reported in the media the times when Federal Government is trying to do with most Opposition members are moved to say that a Australians. particular Government initiative is welcome or positive. Certainly there is no impression in the Mr WELFORD (Everton) (4.18 p.m.): It is community that that happens. We all know that, my pleasure to participate in the debate on the from time to time, that does happen. Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill. The particular element of this Bill that I would like to Of course, the obvious role of Oppositions talk about relates to education. I take this is to keep Governments accountable. In doing opportunity to pay tribute to the schools in my that, it is natural that the role of the Opposition will electorate for the outstanding work that they do. focus on the Government's weaknesses and All the schools in my electorate are probably the mistakes. In this time of increasingly complex centrepiece of community involvement and government, those mistakes are also increasing, community activity in the electorate. The regardless of who is in Government at the time. electorate has a number of primary schools, that That does not mean that the process is not a is, State primary and secondary schools, as well proper process. When it is explained to voters, as a number of private schools, including Catholic they understand that process and recognise schools. that, without the adversarial nature of the 1146 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 13 May 1998 process, it would be much more difficult for them electorate did not have access to it and were to make choices about whom to vote for. If all we deprived of any of the money that was available. did was agree on everything and back slap each At the end of the day, the program amounts to other on every initiative, there would be no only identifying schools to receive more money reason to vote for one party over another. The and leaving out schools that will not get it. That is same party might as well be in office all the time. all that Leading Schools has been about. They The adversarial process plays an important role in are all eligible to apply, but they do not all get enabling our constituencies to make an appointed. In my electorate, all the schools are assessment of which party is likely to do a better equally entitled to access the resources that job of doing what the constituents regard to be Leading Schools is supposed to provide, but not the role of Government and which party is likely to all of them have received them. They have been give them what they want from a Government. locked out of the process. They have missed They can make not only better choices about out. They have come to me and expressed their who manages the political process or the concern about that. administration of Government but also an It is about time the Government recognised assessment about which party has the best that Leading Schools should not be used to policies and which party is likely to do the things discriminate against smaller schools or against that each individual voter regards as important. In schools that are not classified as leading schools. that sense, understanding those characteristics The only reason the Minister has finally about the political process gives the young acquiesced to open up the process is that he people in my electorate a much better capacity to suffered a barrage of criticism over the grow as citizens in their community and mismanagement of the exercise. It was a cynical participate in the discussions that occur in the political stunt that has backfired on the Minister. community, but which are very often not He knows it. He sits there blushing, and well may recognised by some of us in here. he do so. He knows that he has been Essentially, people are concerned about embarrassed by the woeful mismanagement of bread and butter issues. I have a great regard for that process. Schools in my electorate were left the capacity of the community to assess what is out. They are not happy about that. They will right and what is wrong, what constitutes good remember that at the next election. government and what does not. I have great faith Dr Watson: Karen Jones is going to get in democracy. I do not regard the community as you. simply a blind corporate body that responds only to a barrage of emotional rhetoric. By and large, Mr WELFORD: And the Minister's father the community does make a balanced might get her. I know where my support comes assessment about whether a Government is from. The Honourable Minister for Public Works performing well or not. The feedback I am might eat his words in a few weeks' time. receiving from the community is that the current Mr Palaszczuk: They are all going to eat Government is in a fair bit of trouble, at least in their words. south-east Queensland. There is a perception in the community that not only has the Government Mr WELFORD: They may well do so. made a number of mistakes but also it has made The students at the schools in my electorate them because of a large measure of are conscientious community citizens. They do a incompetence, because of an incapacity to great job. Recently I visited the All Saints school understand community needs and respond to in Albany Creek and launched a Schoolwatch them with some kind of discipline—for example, program. They now have an Adopt-a-Cop to work the rhino park, the way in which some issues in with their school. In fact, the Adopt-a-Cop in that relation to the environment are dealt with and the school is one of the parents at that school. That is confusion over Leading Schools. a marvellous, close relationship to have with the There is concern about some schools in my school. The All Saints school is to be electorate. For example, Albany Hills State congratulated on taking up that initiative. Over School was one of the very first schools involved recent months they have been suffering some in the process. Its senior officials attended the vandalism. After contacting me, we arranged for initial seminars that the Minister held to promote the Education Department to get the what is, in the end, nothing more than a slick Schoolwatch program operating at All Saints. marketing campaign for the name and a program Three of the high schools in my electorate that discriminates against many, many schools. are holding drama performances over the coming Many schools do not even have access to the months. Last week I attended a performance at program. The smaller schools do not have access Everton Park High School. There will be a to the program. A whole phalanx of schools were performance of Sherwoodstock by the Mount in the program when a number of schools in my Maria School and next Saturday there is a 13 May 1998 Environmental Protection Act 1147 performance of a musical called Men of Steel at and further Queensland Governments are the Albany Creek High School. When one sees required to make sure that the State schools, such performances, one recognises the which alone provide comprehensive education excellent work that is being undertaken in our to children throughout Queensland, are not schools. All the criticism, all the rubbish that goes unduly disadvantaged as a result of a mean and on about our schools not preparing people for nasty Federal Government that has no regard for post-school life comes to nought when one the social needs of ordinary Queenslanders. actually goes out to the schools and sees Debate, on motion of Mr FitzGerald, precisely what they are doing. These young adjourned. people are doing extraordinarily excellent work— things that back in our time we probably never Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr J. N. Goss): did. That just shows the talent, the ability, the Order! I wish to advise the House that I have capacity and the faculties that are being been informed by the Honourable Minister for encouraged in students who are being taught in Environment that the regulation contained in Mr our schools. After those students have Welford's Notice of Motion No. 1 has now been completed Year 10 or Year 11, they will be able to replaced. In view of this I intend to follow previous leave school and go out and contribute as rulings by Speakers that it is out of order to accomplished citizens in our community. discuss the disallowance of statutory instruments that are no longer in force. The schools in my electorate have been doing this work for a long time. They work not only with talented students but also with ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT students who have learning difficulties and students who have various types of disabilities. Disallowance of Statutory Instrument The quality of the teaching that they provide is Mr WELFORD (Everton) (4.34 p.m.): I second to none. The special needs assistance move— program at the Everton Park Primary School and "That the Environmental Protection the Albany Creek High School and the special Regulation 1998 (Subordinate Legislation education unit at the Everton Park High School 1998 No. 29) made under the all do excellent work and provide excellent Environmental Protection Act 1994 tabled support for those students who have varying on 3 March be disallowed." levels of learning disabilities. By virtue of being given the opportunity to enter normal schools, The Opposition is very disappointed that those children have been able to socialise with the Government is, once again, going weak on other people and develop into better citizens. environmental protection. There is no question that not only is this Government soft on crime but There will always be a requirement for also it is soft on environmental crime. special schools. To some extent, there is a fear Environmental crimes are being committed in that Governments of both political persuasions Queensland and this Government is failing to are overshooting the runway by restricting address them. Let there be no doubt that when it resources and access to special schools. comes to being soft on crime, there is one area in Children with severe difficulties will always need a which this Government will not lay a finger on place that will provide them with special, almost criminals, and they are those people who are one-on-one support. We need to be careful not damaging our environment and committing to excessively restrict resources to those environmental crimes. This regulation has yet schools. However, there is no question that the again weakened the surveillance of various opportunities given to many children with mild activities that have a significant impact on the disabilities or learning difficulties to access normal environment. schools and get support in those schools is an initiative that deserves the support of all The purpose of this regulation, which goes members of this Parliament. hand in hand with recent amendments to the Environmental Protection Act, is to water down Education is a vitally important issue in my the capacity of the department and, more electorate. The parents of children in my particularly, to water down the capacity of local electorate cherish their children's education governments to provide the necessary dearly and regard it as the first responsibility of Governments. In that regard, Governments have resources to monitor and enforce decent a responsibility to take a lead role. The Federal environmental standards. Government's cynical attempts to transfer funds The first step in this dual-step process that from public schools to private schools only the Government has undertaken under the encourages students to drift away from public pretence that it will make the environmental laws schools to private schools. That is to be more user friendly for business is simply to put condemned. It is a disgrace. This Government those businesses that are engaged in best 1148 Environmental Protection Act 13 May 1998 practice environmental management at a words, there are whole categories of disadvantage compared with the shonks and the environmentally relevant activities—that is, environmental vandals that are out there. Firstly, activities which were formerly acknowledged as the Minister allowed the downgrading of various being highly likely to cause environmental Level 1 activities to mere approvals. A whole harm—which are now no longer required to be range of industrial activities have an impact on the licensed at all. They will require only a one-off environment and produce waste and pollution. approval. Some are them are Level 1 activities, which are I do not mind a person getting some reward the most serious polluting or wasteful activities. for demonstrating a period of good practice—and Then there are Level 2 activities, which are the to the extent that there are any provisions in the less significant activities or activities that cause or licensing system to reward that good practice I will are likely to cause less environmental harm. In support them—I do not support the random that regard, the Minister has done two things to reallocation of whole categories of weaken the law. I believe that this Government environmentally relevant activities from Level 1, has done that without good reason, the basis for requiring a licence, to Level 2, requiring only a which I will explain in a moment. one-off approval, never to be looked at again. The first thing the Government did was to I will give the House some examples. Large allow some of the Level 1 activities to revert to volume paint manufacturers are currently rated as mere approval status after a certain period. That Level 1 and, although water based paints of itself is not necessarily a major problem so long represent less potential environmental harm, as some form of surveillance continues to be manufacturers of large volumes of water based maintained over activities. The grounds upon paints are now classified Level 2. Crude oil and which a Level 1 activity can revert to a mere one- petroleum product storage is a practice fraught off approval as distinct from a renewable licence with environmental risk. Up to half a million litres is that the business has to demonstrate a period of petroleum products or crude oil can now be of good practice. I have no objection to rewarding stored without a licence. A one-off approval is all good environmental practice. However, I believe that is required; there is no requirement for a that that ought to be rewarded by way of reduced period of demonstrated environmental expertise licence fees or by way of other financial or good practice. With just a one-off approval, up incentives, not by way of removing those to half a million litres of petroleum products and businesses entirely from the licensing system crude oil can be stored. and reducing them to getting more approvals. Sewage treatment plants are classified The problem with an approval system is that Level 1, but an amendment has changed the approvals do not have any mechanisms for categories of sewage treatment plant required to ongoing surveillance. Unless the person who is be licensed or approved at all. I will not go into licensed or the business that is licensed stuffs any further detail on that example. up, or unless that person or business suddenly commits some environmental crime, that person The particular concern I have about waste or business is unlikely to be monitored again. It is water treatment relates to municipal waste water only after the event, after an environmental treatment. These facilities routinely malfunction disaster occurs, that the department will at various places across the State. Many of them suddenly have to be drawn in and review the are located next to rivers or creeks. Within the last Level 1 approval that has been granted. That was month the Caboolture Council's water treatment the change that was made under legislation that plant was suspected of a malfunction that caused we debated previously. The Opposition objected a massive fish kill in the Caboolture River. Under to that, but it lost the vote on it. item 16 in the schedule, municipal water treatment plants have been downgraded from This regulation goes further and, in my view, Level 1, which they should be to ensure ongoing what it does is entirely unjustified. Whilst there monitoring, to Level 2, which allows for only a might be some measure of justification for the one-off approval. These plants are nearly always former proposal, which I have just outlined, some stuffing up and are something that State and of the measures in this regulation are entirely local governments should be constantly working unacceptable. I will refer to the schedule of the together to monitor. Downgrading them to a regulation to quote some of the activities which classification that allows for one-off approvals is this Minister has downgraded from Level 1 to simply unacceptable. These plants were Level 2. previously licensed under the old Clean Waters The effect of downgrading activities to Level Act. Here we are, in 1998, going backwards in 2 will be that licences will be no longer required, comparison with the licensing arrangements that whether or not a particular business has operated under old legislation. I do not think that demonstrated a period of good practice. In other is acceptable as we approach the 21st century. 13 May 1998 Environmental Protection Act 1149

Up to 5,000 tonnes of rock or other has the power to license those facilities to make material—sand or gravel—can be extracted from sure there is ongoing supervision of best a pit or quarry every year with only a one-off environmental practice. Under this regulation, approval. Yesterday I mentioned the operation that supervision simply cannot and will not occur. on the riverbed of the Brisbane River at Meat processing is one of the activities Toogoolawah. Originally there was no licence or fraught with probably the most environmental risk approval at all, but then the council allowed the anywhere in Queensland. Wherever meat extraction of up to 5,000 tonnes of material per processing occurs—manufacturing plants or annum. It has now been documented that that slaughterhouses—local communities are operation extracted 65,000 tonnes in the last constantly concerned about the waste waters financial year, and not a licence or an approval and how they are being managed. Yet the was to be seen. Enormous damage was done to Minister has removed any meat processing the riverbed of the upper reaches of the activities from the licensing system altogether if Brisbane River near Toogoolawah. there are more than 300 tonnes each year in the What about the disgraceful situation at meat rendering process. It is a Level 1 Beaudesert, in the area adjacent to the World environmentally relevant activity if there are more Heritage listed ranges? So-called surface rock than 1,000 tonnes but less than 3,000 tonnes. extraction, which resulted in massive landscape Previously, the licence was required for more devastation to the local area, was being approved than 10 tonnes. Now it has been increased to by the Beaudesert Shire Council on the basis of 1,000. I understand that this situation has come land improvement. That occurred with the full about as a result of personal negotiations knowledge and tacit support of the Government, between the Minister and Australian Meat which failed to do anything about it. It was only Holdings. community outcry that forced the Beaudesert These meat processing plants have Shire Council to look again at the situation. settlement ponds and tallow that has to be These are examples of the activities that disposed of. It is simply not good enough and require constant supervision. There are some the Opposition will oppose and move for the good operators, but they are being put at a disallowance of this regulation. distinct commercial disadvantage by the shonks Time expired. out there who are not abiding by the rules and Mr PALASZCZUK (Inala) (4.49 p.m.): I are not doing their jobs in a way that ensures that formally second the motion moved by the the environment is taken properly into account. I shadow Minister for the Environment, the gave the example of the extraction of 5,000 honourable member for Everton. I did intend to tonnes a year in the absence of a proper licence. speak on the motion, but given the lateness of Item 21 refers to mineral exploration and mining. the hour and as some other members intend to Exploring for or mining minerals under a mining speak, I will limit my contribution to that. authority has been downgraded from Level 1 to Level 2. It is just extraordinary! Mrs CUNNINGHAM (Gladstone) (4.50 p.m.): I wish to take a couple of minutes to The basis upon which the Minister allegedly acknowledge that much of what the previous makes these changes is a report of risk speaker said is true. People in our community assessment by a firm of environmental engineers expect responsible environmental activity and called Rust PPK. I am reliably informed that the protection. However, I am also cognisant of the Rust PPK risk assessments of the various fact that small businesses in the activities identify mineral exploration and mining Gladstone/Calliope area were absolutely as one of the highest risks of all environmentally devastated when they saw the practical impacts relevant activities. The Minister has not made this of the licensing and licensing fees that were to judgment on the basis of that risk assessment be imposed by the environmental protection report. These are random and arbitrary decisions regulation previously in place. Some small and result in an improper weakening of the business owners shook their head and said, "It's legislation in far too many respects. not even worth staying in business. I've got no Item 26 refers to metal forming—metal outputs and I've still got to pay this fee." A great workshops. This activity has been reduced from deal of relief was expressed when the review was Level 1 to Level 2. In some cases minimal undertaken and relief was given. supervision may be appropriate, but there are I am advised that there will be penalties for many metal workshops dealing with large people who breach their approvals—and volumes of material and consequently large perhaps the Minister could confirm this—in the volumes of waste which requires proper disposal. form of restrictions on activities. I wanted to put Proper environmental practice should require on the record not only the appreciation of small that the State department or the local authority business for the relief that this review brings; I 1150 Environmental Protection Act 13 May 1998 wish also to raise a concern expressed in local I draw the attention of the member for government circles that the inspection role that Everton to sections 78, 79 and 80 of the they will have to undertake could become regulation in question. Section 78 indicates that onerous and that sufficient support needs to be the following clauses apply to the given by State Government to local government environmentally relevant activities he wrongly to ensure that they can effectively perform that argued as being exempt from licensing inspection role. If they were underresourced, a requirements. Section 79 means that a person problem could emerge if they imposed charges carrying out a Level 1 environmentally relevant on business. That would be counterproductive activity, to which the member referred, and who to the intent of the regulation. I seek the holds a licence to carry out that activity under the Minister's comment about that. Some local Environmental Protection Act 1994, at midnight governments may feel stressed. Will they be able on 30 June this year is taken to have an approval to get assistance from the State? Other than that, for the activity. It is important to understand that I will be supporting the regulation. an approval is an environmental authority under the Environmental Protection Act 1994. More Hon. B. G. LITTLEPROUD (Western importantly, and as clearly stated, the approval is Downs—Minister for Environment) (4.52 p.m.): subject to the same conditions that the person Firstly, I thank the House for allowing the debate was subject to under the licence. I repeat that the on this motion of disallowance to be deferred. person will still have an environmental authority Today, the Premier requested that I attend the and will be subject to the same conditions. military funeral in Dalby for Megan Pelly, the young lass who lost her life in the naval disaster. In addition, the approval will last only until 30 That is the reason for this disallowance motion June 2001, at which time the person will have to coming on at such a late hour. obtain a new approval. Does the member not think that such a person will comply with those I will start by citing a comparison. The conditions if there is a chance that his or her member for Gladstone made a comment about application in 2001 will be rejected on the basis the impact of costs on business. I have been of poor environmental performance? The only informed today that the New South Wales Labor real difference to the operation and Government has recently reviewed its administration of these downgraded activities is environmental licensing fees. The Kurnell oil that the person who holds the approval no longer refinery in Sydney pays an annual licensing fee has to pay an annual licence fee. In other words, I of $1.5m. On a pro rata basis, a refinery in have sought to achieve the objective that the Brisbane that is one third of its size should pay a previous Government placed in the Act, that is, fee of about $500,000 a year. However, in "to protect Queensland's environment while Queensland the environmental licence fee is allowing for development that improves the total $20,000 a year. That shows the sorts of benefits quality of life, both now and in the future, in a way we are trying to give to industry. I am sure the that maintains the ecological processes on which environmental restrictions put on an oil refinery in life depends"—in other words, ecologically Brisbane are just as effective as those on an oil sustainable development, or ESD. refinery in New South Wales. When speaking about the standards that we want, we speak in To achieve sustainable development, one terms of national standards. It must worry the must remove as much red tape and regulatory dickens out of people in industry to think that burden as possible, without reducing the high today a spokesman for the Labor Party level of environmental protection already advocated a review of some of the things in achieved in Queensland. This is something that respect of which I have just provided relief. this Government has strived for since gaining the public's mandate to lead the State. The officers On 3 March this year, the member for of my department have worked constantly with Everton put questions on notice to me covering officers of other departments to reduce this much of the ground he reiterated today. The burden without sacrificing our environment. Of honourable member's memory may be fading, so particular note are the Integrated Development I will no doubt have to reiterate my response to Approval System, in conjunction with the his questions. Firstly, and in deference to his Department of Local Government and Planning, remarks, I did not exempt some 2,500 industries and the Red Tape Reduction Task Force from licensing requirements. The new established by the Minister for Tourism, Small Environmental Protection Regulation 1998 Business and Industry. simply downgraded a number of environmentally When this Government took office in 1996, relevant activities from Level 1 to Level 2. Each many businesses were complaining about red one still requires an environmental authority to tape and environmental taxes, which were legally operate in Queensland. Each one will still completely out of proportion to the nature of the be subject to conditions. activities being regulated. In response to 13 May 1998 Environmental Protection Act 1151 concerns raised, the Government established a Mr Welford: You ignored the report. ministerial advisory committee to report on the Mr LITTLEPROUD: I did not ignore the effectiveness, fairness and practicability of the report, nor did I change it. It was passed by the Environmental Protection (Interim) Regulation Environmental Protection Council of 1995—regulations brought in by the Goss Queensland. Government. The ministerial advisory committee included representation from industry, State and Risk assessment is used to facilitate local government and the community. informed decision making. As such, it is a tool that the majority of us use on a daily basis, It is a matter of history that the whether subconsciously evaluating the risks conservationists did not wish to participate with associated with crossing a busy road or explicitly the rest of the community in reviewing the impact managing the risk of theft through the purchase of regulation on businesses and local of home insurance. The use of risk assessment governments. One hundred and two and risk management is widespread and diverse. recommendations were made to the Minister for Currently, nearly all US regulatory agencies, with Environment for changes to the legislation and the exception only of the occupational health administrative procedures. The majority of the and safety administration, routinely use recommendations were in place within 12 regulatory cost-benefit analysis to help months, although a number were deferred to determine their policies. Indeed, the National allow further consultation and negotiation to take Environmental Policy Act of 1969 requires that place before adoption. regulatory cost-benefit analysis be employed to The 1998 regulation addresses the evaluate all proposed environmental related outstanding recommendations. These include— Federal projects. clarification of the devolved powers of local The European community subjects new government in relation to environmental chemicals to routine risk assessments under protection policies; directive 93/67/EEC promulgated in September 1993. The Canadian Environmental Protection jurisdiction to local governments to Act of 1988 employs a three-tiered process of administer activities that would have been health risk assessment and risk management. environmentally relevant activities, except The Asian Development Bank employs a risk activities that are being carried out within a matrix and assessment procedure to evaluate residential property; alternative development projects. introduction of standard pig units in In 1994 the uniform system for the regulation of intensive piggeries; evaluation of substances was launched as part of introduction of a new definition of the Netherlands' national environmental policy "chemical" which applies to chemical plan. It is a framework used by authorities to manufacturing and storage; and assess the relevant risk posed by specific substances, including agricultural pesticides. In introduction of design production New Zealand the hazardous substances and new thresholds for regulation of paint organisms reform seeks to evaluate the risk manufacture. posed by the introduction of genetically modified There is also a host of other industry specific organisms into the New Zealand environment. amendments, with which I will not prolong this In Australia, too, the application of risk speech other than to say that they are detailed assessment has a longstanding track record in a on pages 3 to 5 of the regulatory impact variety of guises. Environment Australia, the statement—a document that I assume all Commonwealth's environment agency, conducts members have read. a simplified form of risk assessment as part of its One of the major recommendations of the assessment of the environmental effects of ministerial advisory committee was that to be fair industrial, agricultural and veterinary chemicals. and equitable the degree of regulation should be The environmental impact assessment process based upon the environmental risk that an activity as it exists in Australia is itself a simplified form of poses. I repeat that it should be based on the risk assessment. environmental risk that an activity poses. In In New South Wales the risks posed by progressing this recommendation, the potentially hazardous industries are required to Department of Environment contracted a be assessed as part of an overall impact specialist consultant to undertake an in-depth assessment in accordance with the Department environmental risk assessment on each of the 85 of Planning's Hazardous Industry Advisory Paper categories of environmentally relevant activities No. 3. In 1987 the Western Australian prescribed in the Environmental Protection Environmental Protection Authority published (Interim) Regulation 1995. criteria to be used in the assessment of the risks 1152 Environmental Protection Act 13 May 1998 imposed on existing land users by new could show that the risk of material or serious hazardous industrial developments. As environmental harm from the activity was honourable members can see, there is a significantly smaller than the risk of most other substantial basis for risk assessment worldwide. activities of its type. The scheme has two One of the outcomes of the assessment components: one for small business where a undertaken on environmentally relevant activities business could show a reduced risk of here in Queensland was that the risk that some environmental harm and one for industry in environmentally relevant activities posed to the general where an operator could show their environment was substantially less than the risk activity posed an insignificant risk of equated with the degree of regulation to which environmental harm. The incentives granted they were subjected. These are the activities to ranged from a simple reduction in annual licence which the member for Everton refers. The fees to a reduction in reporting requirements. decision to downgrade these environmentally The second initiative was the 1997 relevant activities from Level 1 to Level 2 was not amendment to the Act to provide for Level 1 taken lightly, as he may believe. The decision approvals. This permitted a person carrying out was based on an environmental risk analysis an activity which is prescribed in the regulation as performed by experts in the field. I remind him a Level 1 environmentally relevant activity to once again that they are still required to hold an operate under an approval rather than under a environmental authority and will still be subject to licence. This amendment provided a much- relevant and necessary conditions. warranted extension to the Incentive Licensing Two of the recommendations relating to the Scheme. It provided that a person on the highest reduction of regulatory burden were— grade of licence under the scheme would have a reduction in both financial and administrative the introduction of conditional approvals for burden. I repeat: in both financial and any organisation which is an environmentally administrative burden. It is important to note that relevant activity where the risks of a person could apply for a Level 1 approval only environmental harm are low. Any when the person had held a full licence under organisation falling into this category will be the Act for at least two years, had not registered but will not be required to pay an contravened the conditions of that licence in the annual licence fee, provided its operation past two years and did not operate under an continues to be a low risk; and environmental management plan. Further, an the development and introduction of an administering authority could grant a Level 1 incentive-based licensing scheme. Every approval only where it is satisfied that the risk of organisation conducting an environmentally environmental harm from the activity was relevant activity, regardless of its size, will insignificant because— have the opportunity of significantly cleaner production techniques and waste reducing annual licence fees if it minimisation practices were used by the demonstrates sound environmental licensee; management and operational practices. the licensee had effective emergency In dealing with these two recommendations, contingency plans in place; this Government established two new initiatives the licensee's implementation of best to enhance the protection of the environment practice environmental management and to reduce the regulatory burden upon techniques resulted in levels of business in line with achieving ESD. The first was environmental protection over and above the Incentive Licensing Scheme released in July the levels required by the condition of the 1997. It was developed to reduce the regulatory licence; and burden on businesses which pose an insignificant risk to the environment and which the licensee was complying with their could show a good record of environmental general environmental duty under the Act. performance. It can be clearly seen that this Government The scheme has two components. The first has not only continued to consider component, Small Business (Insignificant Risk) environmental protection as paramount when Licences, applies to small businesses only, seeking to achieve the objective of the Act but providing for a set 50% reduction in licence fees also acted responsibly to reduce the regulatory for operators showing that they have reduced burden upon the industries that operate within environmental risks. The second component, the confines of the Environmental Protection Graded Licences, allows the operator of any ERA Act. to apply for a reduction in their licence fee on the One final issue relating to the regulation basis that the activity posed an insignificant risk of being discussed here today originates from the environmental harm. Alternatively, the applicant Scrutiny of Legislation Committee, which said— 13 May 1998 Mineral Resources Amendment Bill 1153

"The Committee takes the view that s. put into creating employment. I think that there is 14, as currently drafted, may not be clear a requirement for the councils themselves to enough to reflect the intended purpose." carry that out if I am prepared to do it. It is not a The committee requested my consideration of win/win situation. In order to bring relief to the introducing an appropriate amendment to the people out there who are generating regulation to clearly reflect the intent, which is employment and operating ERAs, something to minimise emissions of ozone-depleting has to be done by local government as well as me substances to the atmosphere. as the Minister. Section 14 is essentially the same as it was I reiterate that the Environmental Protection drafted in the Environmental Protection (Interim) Regulation 1998 is a well-researched regulation Regulation 1995. I believe that the provision that protects the environment but brings effectively shows this intention. For the purpose incentive and equity to those who need it and to of clarity, however, I have had officers of my those to whom it applies. department initiate the required clarification with Question—That Mr Welford's motion be the Office of the Queensland Parliamentary agreed to—put; and the House divided— Counsel. Any necessary amendments will be AYES, 42—Ardill, Barton, Beattie, Bird, Bligh, introduced at the earliest possible convenience. Braddy, Bredhauer, Briskey, D'Arcy, De Lacy, Dollin, I just want to add some comments in Edmond, Elder, Foley, Fouras, Gibbs, Goss W. K., response to an issue raised by the member for Hamill, Hayward, Hollis, Lavarch, Lucas, McElligott, Gladstone relating to local government. Members McGrady, Mackenroth, Milliner, Mulherin, Nunn, would know that two bodies are responsible— Nuttall, Palaszczuk, Pearce, Purcell, Robertson, local government and State Government—for Rose, Schwarten, Smith, Spence, Sullivan J. H., Welford, Wells. Tellers: Campbell, Roberts, implementing the Environmental Protection Act, and, yes, I am aware that some people in local NOES, 42—Baumann, Beanland, Borbidge, Connor, government circles have been worried about a Cooper, Cunningham, Davidson, Elliott, FitzGerald, Gamin, Gilmore, Goss J. N., Grice, Harper, Healy, loss in income. I would answer that concern in Hegarty, Hobbs, Horan, Johnson, Laming, Lester, two ways. Firstly, before I was the responsible Lingard, Littleproud, McCauley, Malone, Perrett, Minister and I was representing Western Downs Quinn, Radke, Rowell, Santoro, Simpson, Slack, as a backbencher, I was very much aware that the Springborg, Stephan, Stoneman, Tanti, Veivers, councils in Western Downs were trying to attract Warwick, Watson, Woolmer. Tellers: Carroll, Mitchell industry, as they still are. They were completely Pairs: Livingstone, Sheldon; Sullivan T. B., nonplussed by the attitude of the previous Wilson Government and they were saying that the The numbers being equal, Mr Speaker cast environmental licence fees that were imposed on his vote with the Noes. them were going to shut businesses down, as the member opposite alluded to. I think that most Resolved in the negative. of the councils would still harbour that view, that they want to try to promote industries in their own shires. That being the case, I support them. I MINERAL RESOURCES AMENDMENT think honourable members would find that many BILL councils would be prepared to try to minimise the Second Reading size of their licensing fees, as they were allowed Debate resumed from 21 April (see p. 731) to do under the other regulations. In fact, I believe that many of them are already setting Hon. T. McGRADY (Mount Isa) their fees at the minimum rate. (5.13 p.m.): The Opposition is prepared to support the Mineral Resources Amendment Bill. I I do appreciate that in some other instances—maybe in provincial cities—there will understand that the Minister will be moving an be a loss of income, as businesses may have amendment at the Committee stage. The Opposition will support that amendment. My already geared up towards a work force based understanding is that this amending Bill simply upon an anticipated revenue before this legitimises something which has been in regulation came into place. I do not think that all operation for some time. It gives an opportunity the industries out there are going to qualify to some landowners and mining companies to straight away, so the impact will not be immediate; have disputes settled. it will be a gradual thing. I would answer that concern in another way by saying that I, as the I have to say, though, that I am a little Minister for Environment, have forgone quite disappointed that the Minister proposed to move considerable amounts of income raised from two fairly substantial amendments today and did licence fees in an earnest attempt to be fair to not give the Opposition the courtesy of informing industry so that what relief they get they might us of the contents of those amendments. We 1154 Mineral Resources Amendment Bill 13 May 1998 were informed of the amendments at about half Leave granted. past 8 this morning. BRIEFING POINTS IN RELATION TO THE I understand that the first amendment MINERAL RESOURCES AMENDMENT BILL proposes that, if a mining company wishes to buy 1998. into another mining company where there could At Risk Agreement be a question mark over the issue of native title, The At Risk Agreement was made between the Government requires a written guarantee that representatives of the mining and rural industries the company will not sue the Government at a and endorsed by Cabinet on 5 April 1988. later stage if the mining operation does not The At Risk Agreement provides for land holders, continue. The Opposition supports that concept who are deemed to be suffering hardship in toto. However, I am concerned that at present because of the existence of a mineral resource there are many activities in Queensland which are and the announcement of the intention to mine, frozen. I will give the House an example of some but where development time frames are small businesspeople who are trying to gain unknown, to be offered an option to purchase at access to some quarrying material. The fair market value by the holder of the overlying Mineral Development Licence or Mining Lease. Department of Natural Resources has said, "We cannot give you a permit because of native title The last paragraph of the At Risk Agreement implications." states: "Provision is made for either party to refer the matter to the Land Court for I can see nothing wrong with the principle determination of: adopted under this Bill being applied in other whether hardship exists; and areas. If the Minister is prepared to approve of fair market value" another company buying into an operation, subject to a written document being signed However legal advice has been received that concerning native title, why cannot the Minister there is presently no statutory or legislative mechanism for referral of these matters to the for Natural Resources do exactly the same thing? Land Court. This Bill seeks to enable referral to Unless this freeze starts to thaw quickly we are the Land Court for such determinations. going to see shires in the west of this State with no materials at all for road making. Private Land holders cannot make any appeal as to what is fair market value and are being denied referral contractors will go out of business because a of their dispute. The legislation will provide for a cheap political game is being played. fair determination and fair market value. I ask the Minister to use his influence with Until now, no dispute has remained unresolved. some of his Cabinet colleagues and say to them, However a current hardship claim in progress "The Opposition is prepared to support my has highlighted the inadequacy of the Agreement amendment in the Parliament and I am sure they without the power to somehow refer matters of would do the same for you." I do not purport to dispute to the Land Court. speak for my colleague the member for Inala, but I We propose these amendments to the Mineral am sure that if the Minister for Natural Resources Resources Act to remove what is a very serious was prepared to do something along similar lines flaw in the At Risk Agreement. it would receive the support of the Opposition. The key issue driving this legislation is ensuring Mr Palaszczuk 100%. natural justice for all land holders. The Agreement was made in good faith some ten Mr McGRADY: 100%. This is a serious years ago and both the mining and rural situation. Very late notice was received of these industries agreed that unresolved disputes two amendments. I appreciate that one proposed should be determined by the Land Court. amendment has now been withdrawn. I received This situation could happen to any land holder briefing notes from the department. I have had anywhere in Queensland where a mineral deposit discussions with the Minister today, and what I is discovered and announced as intended to be want to do now is to table the briefing notes and mined, thus lowering the value of their land. have them incorporated in Hansard. I am doing If compensation is not being arranged through this because, under the Westminster system, the other processes of the Mineral Resources when the Minister delivers his second-reading Act, these land holders have only the At Risk speech future generations would accept the Agreement, by which the explorer is obliged to content of the speech as being the intent of the offer an option to purchase their land at fair Government. The Opposition questioned the market value. departmental officers and, in fairness to them, The mining and rural industries both want this they did the right thing and gave us a issue to be resolved. comprehensive briefing. For that I thank them. I New amendments to At Risk section of Bill want this briefing paper to be incorporated in Further legal advice regarding the At Risk Hansard so that the briefing can be referred to at Agreement indicates that the at risk agreement a later time. does not specifically empower the committee to 13 May 1998 Mineral Resources Amendment Bill 1155

make a decision. The At Risk Agreement only Native Title Deed, removing a possible avenue of specifies that the committee meets as required challenge to the Deed by companies. to monitor the scheme and mediate as required There are over 100 applications with Department to bring about mutually satisfactory solutions. of Mines and Energy seeking transfers, As such, the land court cannot perform a review assignments, sub-leases or mortgages over in this situation but it can determine whether mining and petroleum tenures. hardship exists using due processes outlined The State is not processing any dealings at within the rules of the Land Court. Therefore it is present. Business needs to continue. Otherwise proposed that subsection 2 in both clauses five companies who are in financial distress may not and seven be omitted. be able to sell to another company able to mine. In addition and for the same reasons, the phrase There may be cases, such as small gem or opal "in reaching its decision" in subsections miners holding a fairly valueless mining title, 194a(3)(a) and 278a(3)(a) and the words "in its where the miner has the technical skill to mine decision" in subsections 194a(3)(b) and but is of "unsound mind" or is unable to obtain 278a(3)(b) are proposed to be omitted and credit or loans. In these instances the State is replaced with references to "mediation" and "recommendations" of the At Risk Committee. prepared to assign the tenure without a Native Title Deed. Further transitional provisions are also proposed, in order to make absolutely certain APPENDIX I that this bill can be applied retrospectively. This 'AT RISK' AGREEMENT proposed new section 420 is to ensure that this (ENDORSED BY CABINET ON 5 APRIL 1988) amendment applies to: 1. Those mining leases and mineral GUIDELINES FOR LANDHOLDERS development licences which have a The State Government is working with the rural condition requiring the holder to comply and mining industries to reduce concerns by any with the At Risk Agreement and; landholders worried by potential mining 2. To those At Risk hardship cases that operations. have been or are being heard by the At Risk A major aim of the committee comprising these Committee. three interest groups is the monitoring of These are very minor changes proposed to guidelines endorsed by the Government. ensure the integrity of the Mineral Resources In certain circumstances, the holders of mining Amendment Bill 1998. titles may be required to give an option to purchase the properties of landholders defined as being "at risk" under guidelines endorsed by Amendments to give the Minister the power to the Queensland Government. require a Native Title Deed for certain dealings Regulation of the guidelines is the responsibility Mineral tenures issued in Queensland between 1 of a tripartite committee comprising a January 1994 (Native Title Act 1993) and 23 Department of Mines and Energy chairman, two December 1996 (Wik judgement) may encounter representatives of the mining industry and two Native Title problems and were intended to be representatives of the rural industries. validated by Commonwealth legislation. Companies or individuals holding these tenures The committee meets as required for the purpose of monitoring the scheme and where necessary want to continue the usual business of acts as a mediator to bring about mutually exploration and development on these tenures satisfactory resolution of hardship claims. by assigning or transferring interests in the tenures to other companies or individuals but Representatives of the rural and mining this would extend the potential exposure of the industries have agreed to abide by the State. The Minister has to approve these guidelines. dealings under the Mineral Resources Act 1989. If any party to the agreement believes the The Government has indicated its willingness to guidelines to be non-effective through non- process dealings in such tenures as long as the compliance, that party is encouraged in the first transferor and the transferee sign a Native Title instance to seek resolution through its Deed which will limit the rights of the parties to appropriate industry organisation. take action against the State, in the event of DEFINITIONS Native Title problems. A Native Title Deed has recently been negotiated The "at risk" landholder is defined as one whose property overlays a mineral deposit to enable a realignment of interests in the Central or ore body announced as intended to be Queensland Coal Associates holdings and it is mined, but where development is not expected that this Deed will be the proforma for proposed to proceed in the near future and subsequent dealings. where compensation for the acquisition of These amendments to the Mineral Resources the land is not being negotiated under the Act 1989 give the Minister the power to require terms of the Mineral Resources Act 1989- the parties to such transactions to sign such a 1990. 1156 Mineral Resources Amendment Bill 13 May 1998

"Hardship" is incurred when, because of the Mr McGRADY: The fact is that this could existence of the mineral deposit or ore happen. The concern that Opposition members body (as described above) under the and I have is that if this decision is exempt from landholder's property, he is unable to sell judicial review, deals could be done. So if mining his property on the open market at fair market value and the lease or licence company A was prepared to fling something to a holder is unwilling to purchase the property political party in exchange for not having to because a project starting date is not produce the guarantee, nobody could seek the known or mining development is scheduled reasons why these conditions were imposed. for the distant future. The Minister has informed me today that he "Mining titles" are deemed to cover a Mining does not propose to go ahead with that particular Lease or Mineral Development Licence amendment. I believe that shows the wisdom of where the announcement of the discovery his advisers. Once we stressed the importance of a viable mineral deposit or ore body and and the dangers involved, the Minister saw the of the intention to mine has been made by the holder. error of his ways and, I understand, is not prepared to proceed with that particular A "property" is deemed to be a single unit amendment. So I understand that all decisions and may include a number of separate titles if the aggregate of those titles is necessary will now be subject to judicial review. Is that to ensure the viability of the operation. correct? It does not include an aggregate of titles which Mr Gilmore: Yes. themselves could separately be considered Mr McGRADY: I do not want to take up any viable operations. further time. All I would say is that the Opposition OFFER TO PURCHASE accepts the need for the practice which has been Holders of mining titles, as defined, whose titles in existence for 10 years. I understand that there include deposits clearly and publicly designated have been only two appeals. The Opposition for future mining, are obliged to offer relief of the welcomes and supports this amendment. hardship by giving an option to purchase, at fair market value, the properties which wholly or The Opposition will also be supporting the partially overlay the deposit or ore body amendment which the Minister will move at the announced as intended to be mined. Committee stage. I think it is a sensible, constructive amendment. However, I stress again The liability of the mining company for the offer of relief is limited to the duration of that company's that, in my opinion, there is a need to stop this interest in the mining tenure or authority over freeze which is still in existence in other areas of that land. this State. I refer particularly to land that is Landholders who claim hardship must administered by the Department of Natural demonstrate an inability to sell on fair market Resources. Small businesses are crying out for value terms as a result of the existence of the this freeze to start thawing. I believe that what the mining title. Minister and his department have done is a good This recourse for relief is restricted to example of what his colleague the Minister for landholders who acquired their property before Natural Resources can do. If that happens, he will the announcement of: have the support of the Opposition. the discovery of viable ore bodies; and I understand that the committee of which my the intention to mine. colleague, Mr Sullivan, the member for Provision is made for either party to refer the Caboolture, is a member has a concern. Perhaps matter to the Land Court for determination of: the Minister can answer this in his reply. If I understand it correctly, the committee is saying whether hardship exists; and that the 100 applications which are presently fair market value. awaiting the Minister's approval—is that right? Mr McGRADY: I have another concern. If I Mr Gilmore: 170. own a large mining company, and somebody else wants to buy into it, I need ministerial approval. Mr McGRADY: The Minister says it is 170. The Minister then makes the decision as to The figure is in excess of 100 applications. That whether or not that guarantee to which I was committee is saying that if this legislation goes referring before needs to be produced. Joe Blow through today, an extra condition will be imposed could own a different mining company, he could on those people. I ask the Minister: will that have be doing a deal with some other outlet, and the any impact on the price being paid by those Minister could see fit not to require such a people who are moving into that company? I will guarantee; is that right? be quite honest. I do not see a problem. My job is not to stand here and look after the interests of Mr GILMORE: I would be surprised if that multinational companies, as opposed to the arose in those circumstances. interests of the taxpayers of Queensland. 13 May 1998 Mineral Resources Amendment Bill 1157

However, in fairness to my colleague, I did assure significantly affected. They have wanted to sell, him that I would raise this matter, and I await the but their property values have been diminished reply from the Minister. simply because of the industry development, the With those few remarks, I reiterate that the resource sterilisation and a few other factors. Opposition is prepared to support the printed One in particular has been through the at-risk amendment and the one which the Minister has process. The at-risk committee has actually made foreshadowed. None of my colleagues on this a recommendation on that property, and there side of the House will be addressing the was nowhere to go. I am aware of their frustration Chamber on this issue—they have complete and and, through discussions with the Minister, I utter confidence in their shadow Minister. know of his frustration. On their behalf, and on behalf of many people, I want to pass on my Mrs CUNNINGHAM (Gladstone) appreciation to the Minister and the House for (5.27 p.m.): I wish to make some comments that I the speedy attention that this Bill has received know my electorate would want me to make this afternoon. The Minister can be 100% sure of about this Bill. The situation that these my support for it. amendments cover—excluding a couple of the amendments that will be circulated, and to which Because of the time factor, I will not go into the previous speaker referred—and the benefits many more issues. There are a couple of other that the amendments will create apply across the issues that I would have liked to comment on. State, but they apply particularly in my electorate. This legislation will take care of the at-risk From my discussions with affected landowners, I situations in my electorate. As I said to the know the impact, the pain, the frustration and the Ministers when they visited people in my heart-wrenching feeling that they had about the electorate a couple of weeks ago, there must be dead-end alley that the at-risk agreements had a whole-of-Government approach to other come to. Government decisions that are made that involve forward planning for people whose properties are In the past, Governments made decisions, affected, whether it be in relation to dams, and those decisions were fairly promptly industrial land or something else. Where a lot of enacted. So people whose land was going to be forward planning is involved, there needs to be a resumed for roads, railways or whatever were whole-of-Government approach to how the advised of the Government's intention— Government resolves the static situation in which irrespective of who the Government was—and those landowners are placed. They have an the action was taken. More and more, and asset. Anecdotally they are told that they can do particularly in my electorate, where land is whatever they like with the land. They are told designated for heavy development, a lot of that they can develop it, grow their cattle and forward planning is occurring. Governments are grow their crops. They are also told that they can making decisions, but those decisions are long- buy and sell. However, the reality is that nobody range planning decisions. And those decisions wants to buy it, because it is blighted. There is a have been made by both sides of politics. They disincentive to putting a great deal of effort into are not wrong; they represent wise planning. developing the land, because at the end of the However, this has placed landowners in no- day it is not realisable. man's-land. I do not understand a couple of the For example, the oil shale resource has Minister's amendments. I have just received a been declared a resource of significance. briefing on the ones relating to Wik. I am Irrespective of whether or not the current encouraged by the fact that the shadow Minister exploration company, SPP Suncorp, continues, for Mines and Energy has indicated his support. I that land is intended to be sterilised because of am accepting the credibility of the shadow the value of that resource. That leaves the Minister and his comments. people under whose property the oil shale is with an asset that they can neither develop nor realise Mr McGrady: They were good comments, a full return on, because people do not want to weren't they? buy it. Why buy a farm that cannot be developed? Mrs CUNNINGHAM: They were excellent Constraints will be placed over the land use. comments. Whether they are objective constraints or implied On the basis of his support and the constraints is immaterial. The person who owns information that he has been able to pass on, I will that property cannot operate that farm in the be supporting the amendments. I genuinely want same way as a person who has a comparable to pass on the appreciation of people in my property outside the affected area can operate electorate. The relief that the Minister has given his or her property. them is inestimable. Adjoining the SPP property are a number of Hon. T. J. G. GILMORE (Tablelands— property owners whose land has been Minister for Mines and Energy) (5.32 p.m.), in 1158 Mineral Resources Amendment Bill 13 May 1998 reply: I thank the member for Mount Isa and the only in the case of small opal leases or leases of member for Gladstone for their contributions to that sort, where the leases were deemed to be this debate. The member for Mount Isa raised a valueless for one reason or another. It would couple of questions that I would like to address most certainly not apply to a lease of any size or very briefly. He raised his concerns about small value, because, by applying it to that, we would businesses that are involved in the quarrying leave the Government exposed. industry and other industries and their dealings Mr McGrady: I accept that. with the Department of Natural Resources. The indemnities on assignment that we are dealing Mr GILMORE: I wanted to explain that. with today are just that: they are indemnities on In terms of the proposal to exclude these assignment; they are not on new lease amendments from judicial review, the member for applications or new lease grants. There is still that Mount Isa was briefed on this matter this morning. concern about the native title implications for new He raised his very serious concerns about this leases where land is deemed to be subject to matter. I accepted and, indeed, shared those native title or likely to be subject to native title. concerns. Since then, we have withdrawn that Those concerns still apply. I understand the particular amendment. I thank the member for honourable member for Mount Isa's concerns Mount Isa for that. and the principle that he has raised as a means of As to the committee's concerns about extra getting over that. Indeed, that has been costs or reduction in the value of mining canvassed widely. It has been asked: why can we operations, and so on, as an imposition of this not have companies indemnify the Government extra condition and because of the so we can issue the leases and go on with life? I retrospectivity, it is my understanding that there wish it were so simple. However, I agree that the is unlikely to be, as the member personally principle that the member has raised is a valid one acknowledged, any change in that value. It is and an important one. All we needed was clause simply one of those processes that we must go 1 of the Wik 10-point plan, which would have through. The member for Gladstone raised some provided validation of all those leases. The ones valid concerns about the impact on land-holders in the interregnum between 1994 and 1996 are of land that is sterilised, as is the case with the the problem leases that we are dealing with land subject to—— today. Mr McGrady: Sterilisation. The member for Mount Isa raised the issue of the shortage of time associated with this Mr GILMORE: Yes, the sterilisation at legislation. I apologise to the House for that. It is Gladstone. What is the resource? one of those things that happens from time to Mr McGrady: Oil shale. time. It was an emergent matter. The Mr GILMORE: Yes, it was in relation to the amendments that I foreshadow moving at the oil shale resource at Gladstone. I moved through Committee stage came as a last gasp. It was the Cabinet process to ensure that that land was deemed that, since the MRA was open to not sterilised in terms of the mining activity by amendment, we would move to make a further construction of major industrial development on amendment. As was pointed out by the member that site. That would, in my view, have been a for Mount Isa, this is an unusual set of very unfortunate outcome of Government circumstances and one that he understands but consideration. However, one cannot make a with which he is not necessarily pleased. I agree decision of that kind without a downstream wholeheartedly. It was never my intention to impact on land-holders. There was always going bring into this House amendments to the to be—and there has always been—a weakness legislation that were not referred to in the in this at-risk policy. That weakness was that, second-reading speech. That came as an where there was concern or an inability to come emergent issue. I thank the member for Mount to a conclusion in terms of the value of a Isa for his acceptance of our explanation of the property, the Minister of the day had no statutory need for this amendment. It is for that reason that power to refer at-risk areas to the Land Court for I was more than happy for him to table his briefing determination. It was a matter of concern to land- notes, so that, for the record of the Parliament, it holders and a matter of grave concern to the is clearly stated what it was all about and why we mining industry. Here we have a win/win did that. That also demonstrates the validity of situation, where both sides of the argument have the briefings that are provided to the Opposition agreed to have an arbiter that they can go to and, in this place. It is important that everybody importantly, appeal from. In going through this understands exactly what we are talking about. process we tried all sorts of mechanisms, The member for Mount Isa also raised the including arbitration and expert determination. matter of exemptions to this particular rule. I have From those, there is no appeal. We had to go this sought advice on that question. It would apply way. I believe that it is the appropriate way to go. I 13 May 1998 Mineral Resources Amendment Bill 1159 thank both sides of the House for their concern the grain growers and others—the National and support for this legislation. I look forward to Farmers Federation. The committee is set up moving some amendments at the Committee from those organisations. It meets only when stage. something is considered to be at risk. Motion agreed to. Mr McGRADY: The point I am making is that if there was some dispute among the landowners as to who should be on this Committee committee, who actually determines who would Hon. T. J. G. Gilmore (Tablelands—Minister be on it? As I said, I accept the fact that the for Mines and Energy) in charge of the Bill. Queensland Mining Council would represent the Clauses 1 to 4, as read, agreed to. miners. However, if there was a dispute, who would determine who the other three members Clause 5— would be? Mr GILMORE (5.40 p.m.): I move the Mr GILMORE: Frankly, I do not have an following amendments— answer to that. I understand that it is not specified "At page 5, lines 8 to 14— in the legislation. However, I imagine that the omit, insert— land-holder affected would be able to make that choice. ' '(2) In a proceeding under subsection (1)(a), the Land Court must consider— Amendments agreed to. (a) all relevant matters put before the Clause 5, as amended, agreed to. committee in any mediation under the Clause 6, as read, agreed to. agreement; and Clause 7— (b) the final recommendation made by the Mr GILMORE (5.43 p.m.): I move the committee in the mediation.'. following amendments— At page 5, lines 22 to 24— "At page 6, lines 13 to 19—— omit, insert— omit, insert— '(b) for a matter that arose after the ' '(2) In a proceeding under subsection commencement of this section—within (1)(a), the Land Court must consider— 1 year after the committee gives notice of its final recommendation about (a) all relevant matters put before the whether hardship, as defined under committee in any mediation under the the agreement, exists.'." agreement; and Mr McGRADY: I ask for a little bit of latitude (b) the final recommendation made by the from the Chair. I know that this is not connected committee in the mediation.'. with the issue that we are discussing, but this At page 6, lines 27 to 29— morning in the briefing I asked this question omit, insert— about the committee and I would like the Minister to confirm it. There will be representatives from '(b) for a matter that arose after the the Queensland Mining Council. There will be, commencement of this section—within say, two representatives from the landowners 1 year after the committee gives notice and the committee will be chaired by an officer of of its final recommendation about the Department of Mines and Energy. I accept whether hardship, as defined under the fact that the Queensland Mining Council will the agreement, exists.'." represent the mining industry, but how is it going Mr ELLIOTT: I would like to ask the to be determined who actually represents the Minister a question, because there seems to be landowners? There is the Cattlemen's Union, the some confusion within our ranks as to exactly Grain Growers Association, the Farmers what this clause means. Federation, the chicken producers and the pork Mr McGrady: From the ranks of the producers. coalition? Mr GILMORE: I understand that the Mr ELLIOTT: No, from the Scrutiny of establishment of the at-risk committee was Legislation Committee. I wish to ask a question in included in the legislation of 1989-90 and it has relation to those people who now have been functional ever since. As I understand it, applications on the Minister's desk. If some of the Queensland Mining Council represents the those people had negotiations with other parties miners. There is an agreement between the and believed that, if something went wrong, they mining companies to accept that. As for the land- would be able to sue the Government in respect holders, there are the cotton growers, the UGA, of a native title matter and after this legislation is 1160 Mineral Resources Amendment Bill 13 May 1998 passed that position is changed, should we ' '(3) This section is taken to have advise those people so as to ensure that those commenced on 1 January 1994. people do not think that that is still the case or ' '(4) In this section— should people resubmit their applications to the Minister under the new conditions? I just "claim" includes any action, proceeding and wondered whether the Minister knows how many demand. applications are involved. "holder" of a tenure that is a mining lease Mr McGrady: This has been raised before. includes an applicant for the mining lease. I raised this before. "parties", for a tenure, means the Mr ELLIOTT: I thought that I understood it following— fully. I had another discussion and then I felt that (a) the holder of the tenure; maybe I did not understand it. I would just like the (b) for an approval to assign the tenure— Minister to clarify his understanding of it. the proposed assignee; Mr GILMORE: Indeed, this matter is (c) for an approval to mortgage the relevant to a further clause that has not yet been tenure—the proposed mortgagee; moved. Nonetheless, I will respond to the member's question. It is my understanding that (d) for an approval to sublease the there is no impediment whatsoever. We are tenure—the proposed sublessee; simply saying that those mining leases that were (e) if the tenure is subject to a mortgage— applied for between 1994 to 1996 require an the mortgagee. indemnity for the Government before we grant "relevant matter" means— assignment of those leases from one party to (a) the existence of native title; or another. It has been a highly complex business and this was the outcome that was finally agreed (b) a claim or decision that native title to to by the industry. There does not seem to be any land covered by the tenure exists; any impediment to the value of the property or or costs associated with it. (c) a claim or decision that the grant of the Amendments agreed to. tenure, or an approval under section 96, 151, 198 or 300, is invalid because Clause 7, as amended, agreed to. of— Insertion of new clause— (i) the existence of native title; or Mr GILMORE (5.46 p.m.): I move the (ii) a claim or decision that native title to following amendment— any land subject to the tenure exists; or "At page 7, after line 2— (iii) the Native Title Act 1993 (Cwlth); or insert— (iv) any other law relating to native title; or 'Insertion of new s 401A (d) any action taken under the tenure by '7A. After section 401— the holder of the tenure, or any person insert— acting for or with the authority of the holder, is unlawful or unauthorised ' 'Protection against liability as condition of because of— approval (i) the existence of native title; or ' '401A.(1) This section applies if the holder of a tenure, granted after 1 January 1994, (ii) a claim or decision that native title to applies for an approval under section 96, any land subject to the tenure exists; or 151, 198 or 300.1 (iii) the Native Title Act 1993 (Cwlth); or ' '(2) As a condition of the grant of the (iv) any other law relating to native title. approval, the Minister or mining registrar may "tenure" means— require any or all of the parties for the (a) a mining claim, exploration permit, tenure— mineral development licence or mining (a) to waive any right to make a claim lease; or against the State because of a relevant (b) an interest in a mining claim, matter; or exploration permit, mineral (b) to agree to keep the State, Minister or development licence or mining mining registrar harmless against loss lease.'. '. arising out of a claim made by anyone 1 Section 96 (Assignment etc. of mining because of a relevant matter. claim) 13 May 1998 Gas Pipelines Access (Queensland) Bill 1161

Section 151 (Assignment of pipelines access legislation, along with a exploration permit) continuation of the attachment to the Gas Section 198 (Assignment etc. of Pipelines Access (Queensland) Bill 1998. mineral development licence) The first document is being tabled to Section 300 (Assignment etc. of address the concerns of the Scrutiny of mining lease or application therefor)" Legislation Committee about the absence of Explanatory Notes to the South Australian gas Amendment agreed to. pipelines access legislation. The second New Clause 7A, as read, agreed to. document corrects an oversight which resulted in Clause 8— this attachment to the national third-party access code being excluded from the attachment to the Mr GILMORE (5.47 p.m.): I move the Gas Pipelines Access (Queensland) Bill. These following amendment— missing pages do not affect the meaning of the "At page 7, after line 15— proposed Bill as they will not form part of the Act. insert— Members should also note that the word "attachment" on the cover page of this document ' 'Application of Mineral Resources should be struck out and replaced with the word Amendment Act 1998 "schedule". ' '420.(1) This section applies to following if they were subject to a condition requiring Hon. T. McGRADY (Mount Isa) the holder to comply with the At Risk (5.52 p.m.): The Opposition will support this Bill. agreement— If I were to be nasty, I would say that almost every Bill that the Minister brings forward contains some (a) a mining lease granted under the error or has some problem, but I will not. repealed Mining Act 1968; Mr Veivers: You've got to be nice. (b) a mineral development licence or mining lease granted before the Mr McGRADY: I am nice. I am always nice. commencement of the Mineral Mr Tanti: Not to me, you're not. Resources Amendment Act 1998. Mr McGRADY: The member for ' '(2) To remove doubt, sections 194A and Mundingburra has just made a statement that I am 278A, inserted by the Mineral Resources never nice to him. When he starts displaying Amendment Act 1998, apply to the lease or some intelligence in this place, I will be nice to licence.'. '." him. Since he has been in this place, he has been an absolute fool. Clerical Error Mrs Edmond: He was a fool even before he got here. The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN (Mr Stephan): Please note that there is a clerical error Mr McGRADY: I will take that interjection. in the amendment to this clause. The first line will The Opposition is prepared to support this Bill. I read that this section applies to the following if place on record the Opposition's appreciation to they were subject to conditions. Bryan Coulter and his staff from the department Amendment agreed to. for the way in which they have been prepared at a moment's notice to brief us. It is important for Clause 8, as amended, agreed to. complex legislation such as this that the Bill reported, with amendments. Opposition is given the opportunity to ask the relevant questions. Third Reading There are people in Queensland who would be concerned about some elements of this Bill, on motion of Mr Gilmore, by leave, read legislation because to some extent we are a third time. abdicating our legislative authority to another Parliament. I suppose that is the way things are GAS PIPELINES ACCESS moving. We as a State Parliament do not really (QUEENSLAND) BILL have much influence any more in this sort of legislation. This process was started by the Second Reading former Goss Government and there is no way I will Resumed from 21 April (see p. 733). come in here now and try to undo the work which Hon. T. J. G. GILMORE (Tablelands— was started four years ago. Minister for Mines and Energy) (5.50 p.m.): I lay The gas industry will certainly be a very on the table of the House a copy of the exciting one. As the Parliament would know, the Explanatory Notes for the South Australian gas Leader of the Opposition and I have been to 1162 Hospitals 13 May 1998

Papua New Guinea. Almost on a weekly basis we Third Reading have been having discussions with people from Bill, on motion of Mr Gilmore, by leave, read the gas industry. I think Queensland will soon be a third time. seen as the State which offers the greatest potential to the gas industry. With those few remarks I indicate that the Opposition supports HOSPITALS the Bill. Mr BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—Leader Hon. T. J. G. GILMORE (Tablelands— of the Opposition) (5.59 p.m.) I move— Minister for Mines and Energy) (5.55 p.m.), in reply: I thank the member for Mount Isa for his "(1) That this Parliament regards it as cooperation in relation to this piece of legislation. disgraceful and unacceptable that over 12,000 Queenslanders are waiting I bring to the attention of honourable members longer than is medically acceptable for that the additional pages tabled earlier—that is, surgery, and the document entitled "Continuation of Schedule A"—will be added to the Bill during the (2) Calls on the Borbidge Government to normal Bill-to-Act process. get its priorities right and scrap the Motion agreed to. Hospital Capital Charge." More Queenslanders than ever before are waiting longer than medically acceptable times for Committee operations. A record 12,000 of them are waiting Hon. T. J. G. Gilmore (Tablelands—Minister longer than the medically acceptable time for for Mines and Energy) in charge of the Bill. their operation. That is due to the incompetence Clauses 1 to 9, as read, agreed to. of this Minister and this Government. We know that, because we have seen the Health Minister's Clause 10— own official figures. The Health Minister has been Mr GILMORE (5.56 p.m.): I move— operating on the truth; the Minister has been "At page 18, after line 16— doctoring the figures. Queenslanders across the State need to know that. insert— '(5A) A copy of a regulation made under part For instance, one of his own documents 3 of the South Australian Act must be tabled states that the number of Category 2 patients at in the Legislative Assembly by the Minister the Princess Alexandra Hospital decreased by 200 during January this year. The report stated within 14 sitting days after it is made.'." that one of the reasons for that decrease was the Amendment agreed to. "recategorisation" of a number of Category 2 Clause 10, as amended, agreed to. orthopaedic patients to Category 3. They have Clauses 11 to 51, as read, agreed to. been operating on the list. I indicate to the Government and the Minister that we will be Clause 52— saying to the people of Queensland in this Mr GILMORE (5.57 p.m.): I move— election that this is the most deceitful "At page 35, after line 6— Government imaginable when it comes to health and waiting lists. insert— In other words, under this Minister the 'Division 7—General'." patients were not operated on, the lists were Amendment agreed to. operated on. What a cynical exercise! Is it any Clause 52, as amended, agreed to. wonder that there is such disregard for politicians and Governments? We have a National Party Clauses 53 to 57, as read, agreed to. Minister; perhaps we should not be surprised at Clause 58— all about this. The public has a right to know the Mr GILMORE (5.58 p.m.): I move— facts about waiting lists. All the public has had "At page 38, line 16, 'is'— from the Minister are some shonky percentages. He will never release the real figures. We have to omit, insert— get them from leaked documents. 'are'." I am the only Health Minister in the history of Amendment agreed to. this State who has ever released the full waiting Clause 58, as amended, agreed to. list figures—not shonky percentages, which this Minister tries to use as a shield. I released the Clauses 59 to 77, as read, agreed to. figures—the numbers. I know that the National Preamble, as read, agreed to. Party has some difficulty with numeracy and Bill reported, with amendments. literacy, but even they must understand the real 13 May 1998 Hospitals 1163 numbers as opposed to percentages. I stress 1, 2 and 3 operations, and how many of them had again that all we have had from this Minister are been waiting for longer than the medically some shonky percentages. If he is as good as he recommended times. says he is, where are the real numbers? The only In each case, Minister Horan failed to supply numbers we get are the ones that we get from the figures. If the figures told such a good story, leaked documents. As we know, three-fifths of the Minister would be telling the world. I released nothing is still nothing. the figures for those categories. Why will the Mrs Edmond interjected. Minister not do so? It is a very simple question: Mr BEATTIE: As the shadow Minister why will he not do so? He will not do it. He was knows, we get plenty of leaks, because the asked to do that in a question on notice, but he department and the hospitals regard him as will not do it because he is playing around with something of a lesser achiever. shonky figures. On the other hand, three-fifths, or 60%, of We now have evidence that the total 10,000 is 6,000. Under the National Party Health number of people waiting for operations in all Minister's mismanagement, the number of hospitals—not just the 10 major hospitals—is Queenslanders waiting for an operation has more than 12,000. The Minister refused to tell grown. Under the National Party Health Minister's reporters how many people are waiting in each mismanagement, the number of Queenslanders category in their local hospitals and how many waiting longer than medically acceptable times for have been waiting too long. Why are the people an operation has also grown. in Cairns, Townsville, Bundaberg, Maryborough, When I compiled Queensland's first waiting Hervey Bay, Rockhampton, Mackay, Brisbane, list, in Queensland there were 22,505 people the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and waiting to have surgery in all categories for non- Nambour not entitled to know? This Minister will emergency surgery at our 10 major hospitals. I not tell them. released those figures for all the world to see. At the same time, the Minister has been When the Minister drew up his first list, dated 1 fibbing that waiting lists and times have been cut. July 1996, just four months later the list had On 9 October 1996 in Parliament the Minister swollen to 23,208 people. Thirty-two per cent of promised— them had been waiting longer than medically "For the first time ever, a State acceptable times. By February this Government in Australia has the year—1998—the number of people waiting had management ability and the courage to put risen to 24,755. And the number of people in place a system and to produce figures, to waiting too long had also risen to 35%. More than audit the figures every single month, to 97% of all patients on waiting lists are on have a clinical consultative committee Category 2 and Category 3 lists—something this consisting of representatives of surgical Minister wants to hide. associations and nursing sign off those Let us look at Category 2 and those waiting figures every month and to produce the longer than the medically acceptable 90 figures in Parliament." days—between 91 days and a year. In 1996 the All I can say is that some people were silly figure was 1,574. In February this year the figure enough to believe the Minister. They were had risen to 2,399. But there are others who are forgetting that he is a National Party Minister. waiting even longer than a year for a Category 2 operation. In 1996 there were 359. By February On 15 March 1997, the Courier-Mail this year there were 375. That was the total for reported that Mr Horan had said that the critical Category 2 patients waiting longer than medically factor was how long patients had to wait rather acceptable times. than how many were on the list. But this critical factor was so bad that the Minister had to hide his People waiting for a Category 3 operation failure in the 76-page annual report last year. His are supposed to have their operations within a Surgery on Time program merited only half a year. In 1996, 4,861 people were waiting longer page in the entire publication. than a year. By February this year that queue had lengthened by nearly 1,000. Some 5,797 One of the reasons why Minister Horan may Queenslanders had been waiting for longer than find it difficult to reveal his lists in Townsville is a year for their Category 3 operation. The total that on 17 April 1996 he told the Townsville number of patients waiting longer than Bulletin that under Labor more than 1,500 acceptable times in all three categories had risen people had been waiting for operations. He from 7,344 to 8,577. No wonder the Minister has accused Labor of a cover-up and he said that the refused to answer parliamentary questions on previous Labor Government should hang its notice which asked how many people in each of head in shame. But by September 1996 the the 10 major hospitals were waiting for Category number had risen to 1,954. And by February this 1164 Hospitals 13 May 1998 year the queue had grown to more than It is, as the motion says, a complete 2,000—to 2,166. On the Minister's own criteria disgrace. Queensland has twice as many people he should hang his head in shame. Let us see waiting more than a year for surgery than New him release the true figures for Townsville. South Wales has even though New South Wales The Minister boasts that he slashed the has almost twice Queensland's population. I will Category 1 lists. Fewer than 500 of the 22,505 give the Minister the figures if he likes: in patients were on Category 1 lists. All he had to do February 4,770 people in New South Wales were was concentrate on Category 1 lists and ignore waiting more than a year compared with 8,216 in the plight of the majority of people who were on Queensland waiting for more than a year. Category 3 lists. That is exactly what he did. That Take, for example, the Greenbank man who is why the overall number of people waiting, and has been diagnosed as requiring a knee waiting too long, has gone up. reconstruction. He has been listed at Brisbane's The Sunshine Coast Daily of 1 November PA Hospital with Dr Morris and has been advised 1996 reported that nurses were saying that that he has to wait 15 months for surgery. He just patients on the Category 2 and Category 3 lists rang in today. Just today he is being told, "It will were being put on even longer lists so that the be at least 15 months and we cannot guarantee hospital could meet the 30-day limit for Category it." What chance does he have of getting the 1. Dr Graeme Heap confirmed this in the operation in a medically accepted time at the PA? Sunshine Coast Daily of 20 February 1997. But What about the paraplegics, again at the PA, by 22 May 1997 the number of Queenslanders who have to wait for over six months to have their waiting for Category 2 operations had risen from open pressure sores repaired? They are put at 4,539 in July 1996 to 8,077, of whom 44% had risk of catching a serious infection or even been waiting longer than the recommended 90 osteomyelitis. They are treated like second-class days. By November 1997, the figure was 8,428, citizens and told, "Ring us in six months and in of whom 41% had waited too long. The number the meantime stay off the pressure sore." What if of Category 2 patients waiting too long had risen the sore is on their butt and it is the only place under Minister Horan from 1,933 in July 1996 to that they can sit? Do they have to lie on their 3,428—nearly double. By 21 November 1997, tummies for six months? And the Minister does Minister Horan was telling the Courier-Mail that it not even care. He stands up there and says that was unlikely that he would be able to meet his he is proud of this state of affairs; he is proud of target for Category 2 patients. The State Social what he has done to waiting lists. I cannot ever Development Strategy now sets a target remember that happening when I worked in whereby no more than 40% of Category 2 Health. In fact, pressure sores were treated as an patients should wait for more than 90 days. emergency, as a Category 1. We advertised a waiting list hotline to deal In February the PA Hospital had over 600 with complaints from Queenslanders who people waiting on Category 2 for longer than is believed they had waited too long for an medically acceptable, and that is after the operation. The Opposition then raised those Government had recategorised everyone it cases with Health Department district managers. possibly could. In Category 3, 1,132 people were We were inundated with calls from people. Those waiting longer than a year. So what chance does managers received instructions from a deputy our poor paraplegic friend, the chap needing the director-general of the department that the knee reconstruction or anyone else have of Minister directed that he be advised of those getting any surgery? The hospital is already instances on a daily basis. It appears that each $2.869m over budget and is falling short of its patient who has gone through that process has targets on operations. Currently it is 257 been operated on almost immediately. This operations under target. If they increase the would amount to ministerial interference in operations they go over budget even more. medical decisions to try to hide what is going on. People requiring surgery have no chance. In the Time expired. case of the knee reconstruction, the man's only alternative is to fork out $2,500 for an operation. Mrs EDMOND (Mount Coot-tha) (6.09 p.m.): I second the motion. This The Minister ordered his department to take Government has over 12,000 people waiting down details of any names raised by Labor longer than is medically acceptable for their members. Let them take these cases down and surgery. These are not my figures, they are see that they are handled in the way in which he Queensland Health figures—the ones that the tries to handle other people, or is it just an Minister hides, the ones the Minister refuses to intimidation technique so that people are release. These are not the percentages that he frightened—as he has the whole health system has fiddled with and has sanitised before he frightened of speaking out. It is intimidation by sneaks them out into the media. him—a rule by fear rather than by authority or 13 May 1998 Hospitals 1165 working together. I say to the Minister: get this • about 6,000 more elective surgery case fixed on your political say-so, too. procedures expected this financial But we know that this case and others like it year, compared with last year; will never be fixed under this Government • significant increases in funded doctor, because tomorrow it brings in the capital charges nurse, allied health and other health tax imposed by this Minister. The Treasurer worker positions across Queensland, fessed up in her answer last year at the Estimates as new services have been opened; and in this House. I do not know why the Liberals and over there are sitting so quietly. They know her • enhancements in specialised medical, good qualities—"We love it when she gets on allied health and rural and remote TV". Why are they sitting there so quietly. But health services over the past two years; she was honest; she let out that $144m would be dragged back out of the hospitals by the capital and also notes— charges tax—the Horan hospital rebuilding • the total reorganisation of the tax—over the next three years. That is $144m Queensland Health Capital Works out of the recurrent budget that is needed to Branch; and treat patients, to actually get some surgery done, • the fully funded and Cabinet approved to look after the sick and to pay doctors and $2.4 billion 10 year Hospital and Health nurses. That also impacts on the waiting list Services Department Plan, and the policy. commencement and/or completion of This is the only new initiative to come out of some 125 projects as part of this Queensland Health—the only genuine one that program.'." the Minister can own. Every other new initiative The Labor Party and failed Health Ministers has been a Labor new initiative—the hospital Peter Beattie and Jim Elder left Queensland with rebuilding program, the waiting list policy where the longest elective surgery waiting lists in the Minister changed the cover and pretended it Australia. Both Mr Beattie and Mr Elder should was his, and the 10-year mental health strategy apologise to the people of Queensland for where he changed the word "strategy" to "plan" vandalising the public health system in 1995. All or vice versa and called it his. There has not been honourable members will recall that in 1995 a single new idea except the Horan health tax, Mr Elder could not get out of Health quick which is going to cost Queensland patients even enough after a mere five months in the portfolio. more in the years to come. The House has heard this week what Mr Elder If this Minister was honest he would have had to say when he fronted the Cabinet Budget told us—he would have used those glamorous Review Committee in 1995. His speaking notes ads on TV to explain to people—the effect of the state— capital charge and how it would impact on "I can tell you that very few people I talk Queensland health care just as his department to think we are even holding our own on warned him last year that it would, that they could waiting lists. The perception out there is that not have a capital charge and still manage to treat we are going backwards." patients. His notes go on to state— Time expired. "There is no doubt that health will Miss SIMPSON (Maroochydore) remain in the public eye. We cannot afford (6.14 p.m.): I move the following amendment— to do everything but we need to have a strategy for waiting lists." "All words after 'That this House'— There we have it. While the waiting lists in omit, insert— Queensland blew out to become the worst in 'Notes the significant improvements made Australia under Labor, it did not even have a to Queensland's public health system over strategy. Mr Elder was the great economic vandal the past two years, including— presiding over the longest waiting lists in • major improvements to reduce elective Australia and racking up a hospitals budget debt surgery waiting lists, which have seen blow-out of $24m in only five months and he Category 1 patient long-wait times then squealed like a pig for Mr Goss to get him reduced from 49% in November 1995 out of Health. The independent waiting list to now just 2%; figures from the Australian Medical Workforce Advisory Committee—the latest on record • Category 2 patient long–wait times nationally and gathered in 1995 during the reign reduced from 42.6% in November of the then Beattie and Elder Labor 1995 to now 22%; Government—revealed that Queensland had the 1166 Hospitals 13 May 1998 worst record of any Australian State in waiting had been severely mismanaged by the previous times for both specialist appointments and for Government and that unfunded promises had elective surgery treatment. The worst results been cruelly made to many Queenslanders— were recorded in orthopaedics, urology and tragic promises that the Labor Party knew it could ophthalmology. never fulfil. The State Labor Opposition now has the The key findings of this independent unbelievable gall and hypocrisy to try to gain assessment into Labor's Health capital works political mileage from the mess it has hidden from record were indeed frightening and included: the Queenslanders. The figures show that in 1995 former Labor State Government had managed to under Beattie and Elder, Queenslanders waited blow out its Health capital works program by a on average 78 weeks for a urology elective massive $1.2 billion, a scandalous 70% overrun procedure; 46 weeks for an orthopaedic elective on its original $1.7 billion works budget; a surgery procedure; 44 weeks for an significant number of additional projects had ophthalmology elective surgery procedure, been added to the program for which no Cabinet which was 24 weeks longer than any other approval or endorsement and Treasury approval Australian State; 28 weeks to see a urologist, had been given; and Labor's 10-year hospitals which was 15 weeks longer than any other State; capital works program did not allow for realistic 21 weeks to see an ophthalmologist; and 13 cost escalations or changes in the scope of the weeks to see an orthopaedic surgeon. works. For six years the Labor Party had no strategy This independent assessment uncovered for waiting lists, and failed Health Minister Peter Labor's complete mismanagement of the Health Beattie, the now Leader of the Opposition, capital works program—a budget blow-out of washed his hands of doing anything. After his unbelievable proportions, cruel unfunded 100 days of self-promotion, Mr Beattie said this promises and a complete disregard for proper about waiting lists— public sector financial and accounting standards. Labor's mismanagement of the capital works "Well frankly, there have always been program was scandalous and if such waiting lists for non-urgent and elective mismanagement had occurred in the private surgery, and there always will be waiting sector the directors and those others lists." responsible would face the courts and, most The coalition State Government has made likely, jail. major improvements to reduce elective surgery The main culprits, the main economic waiting times since the introduction of our vandals in destroying the Health capital works successful Surgery on Time program. Under program, were none other than the former failed Surgery on Time, Category 1 long wait patients Labor Health Ministers—the "Dodgy Brothers"— have been reduced from 49% under Labor to the current dud duo of the Opposition Leader, less than 2% under the coalition. This means that Mr Beattie, and his deputy, the member for 98% of all Category 1 patients now get their Capalaba. The two undisputed champions of the surgery within 30 days compared with only 51% budget blow-out are two people who should of Category 1 patients—the most urgent never be let near a cheque book again. The category of required surgery—who got their people of Queensland will not let them near a surgery on time under Labor. cheque book again. In 1995 under Labor, Queensland had the Mr Elder: Do you want a bet? worst Category 1 times in Australia. Under the coalition, Queensland now has the best Mr GRICE: Yes, I will bet. The coalition and Category 1 waiting times. Category 2 long wait the Health Minister were then faced with the task patients have also been reduced from 52% of once again cleaning up the Labor mess, a under Labor to now just 22%. huge job which required the complete reorganisation of the Queensland Health capital Time expired. works unit, negotiation with Queensland Mr GRICE (Broadwater) (6.20 p.m.): I Treasury to fund Labor's unfunded promises, second the amendment proposed by the and the re-prioritising of each of the 125 projects member for Maroochydore. On coming to within the program. The coalition's reorganisation Government in early 1996, the Minister for Health of the Queensland Health capital works branch arranged for an independent assessment to be has included improving the unit's professional undertaken of the previous State Labor planning, capacities, approval processes, cash Government's discredited $1.72 billion hospitals flow management and project oversight to rebuilding program. This independent completion within budget. These are all assessment was sought after serious concerns fundamental management practices that were by the coalition that Labor's capital works program disgracefully mismanaged under Labor. In 13 May 1998 Hospitals 1167 essence, the coalition has returned acceptable. Those are not my figures; they are professionalism to the Government's Health the Health Minister's figures out of his own capital works program. performance report. If those opposite want to run At this point I would like to point out the in this election on their record, let us run on their interest and sincerity of the Labor Opposition. health record, because it is pathetic. Labor is represented by five members in the The Minister said that he got a great deal House. This is another hour of debate that the when he signed the Medicare agreement with Government gives to the Opposition to try to add the Federal Government. In yesterday's Federal to the governance of Queensland. Labor is Budget Queensland received an increase of represented by five members in the House, 5.6%, New South Wales received 10.4% and including those who have been forced to speak Victoria received 14.5%. If we take out inflation on this motion. That is Labor's attitude to and population growth—that is, about 3.6% Government. I notice the half-back now slips in combined—the deal the Health Minister on the side. We also have a retired member up achieved for Queensland resulted in a whopping the back. great 2% in growth funds. Not more than a month What is even more disturbing is that if Labor ago the Premier said that there was a need for was not halted and thrown out of office in early 7% growth within the system. Some deal! The 1996, many regional Queensland towns would Government has gone backwards. We have not have received a new hospital. Queensland been saying that for some time. cities and towns such as Caboolture, Redcliffe, If those opposite want to know how the Maryborough, Bundaberg and Mackay would health system is going in their electorates, I have never have received a redeveloped hospital here the files of only a portion of those people because the money was just not there. Who who rang the Labor Party's hotline and who have would have missed out? Would Redcliffe have not had operations. These people are waiting missed out because Labor had blown the longer than is medically acceptable. The fact is budget? Would Caboolture have missed out that the Government did a shabby deal with because Labor had blown the budget? Would Medicare and is trying to catch up. This week the Bundaberg have missed out because Labor had Minister has announced extra waiting list money. blown the budget? This is the question because This money is not coming from the Federal the money was just not there and it was left to the Government. If members recall the conversation coalition to ensure that each of these projects between the Minister and his Federal was funded and that the promises that had been counterpart, the Federal Minister said that he had made to each of these communities were kept. I no more money. This Government walked out of am delighted to say that this coalition State the meeting some months before, but when the Government is now redeveloping over 125 deal was signed the Federal Minister said there Queensland public hospitals and community was no more money on the table. The Federal health centres in almost every district of this vast Minister said that the envelope remained the State. No-one has missed out. The coalition same—no more money. governs for all Queenslanders, no matter where Whatever money the Minister is now giving they live, and has ensured that each the hospitals to try and catch up on elective Queenslander will have the very best in health surgery waiting lists has obviously come from the facilities, including new hospitals and community health centres in every corner of Queensland. State coffers. Nambour is a good example in this instance. Nambour Hospital is $1m over budget. Time expired. The other day the Minister said, "We are going to Hon. J. P. ELDER (Capalaba—Deputy give you another $1m and you can get on with Leader of the Opposition) (6.25 p.m.): I have this elective surgery." That $1m only meets the news for the member for Maroochydore and the budget deficit. It is not going to allow them to do member for Broadwater. All of those hospitals are any more operations. It simply gets the hospital over budget right now and are unable to meet back to square one. There are no new their elective surgery lists. All those hospitals are operations. The hospital may be just back on cutting back on elective surgery. budget, but that does not help the situation. In I have some further information for the January this year the hospital had performed 482 member for Maroochydore. At this moment there fewer operations. are over 25,000 Queenslanders on hospital Whether one goes to Cairns, Townsville, waiting lists in this State. There are more people Mackay, Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, on hospital waiting lists in this State at the Maryborough, Brisbane or the Gold Coast one present time than there were when we were in finds that all hospitals are over budget. The Government. What is worse, 12,000 of those Government has given them a little extra money people are waiting longer than is medically over the last few days. This money was said to 1168 Hospitals 13 May 1998 come from that great deal with the Federal this financial year which is about to be completed, Government but that is now seen to be a farce. we have spent about $500m, and that will That extra money does not allow the hospitals to continue. We have a 10-year project that will cost balance their budgets. This is an instance of at least $1.5 billion. appalling management by this Government. Wherever one goes throughout Those opposite have the gall to criticise the Queensland one can see redevelopment of our Leader of the Opposition and myself. hospitals. This Government is caring about The Minister has been an absolute failure in Queenslanders and showing with bricks and Health since day one. He laughs. I challenge the mortar and with operating equipment and staff Minister to do this. Here is a simple way to put at that it is looking after Queenslanders and their rest the arguments advanced by the Leader of hospitals. As I said, the public of Queensland will the Opposition and myself. Table the actual not be fooled again this year by another grubby statistics in this House of people who are on tactic of the Labor Party, which is trying to weasel hospital waiting lists. Let us not talk about its way back into power by telling lies about Category 1, Category 2, Category 3 or the Health. One would think that it would have learnt Minister's new Category 4. The people on last time. Category 4 are the people who have to wait to This motion mentions hospital waiting lists. get an appointment with a specialist before they can be admitted to a hospital. These are the One has only to look at the wording of the people who ring and are told, "You have to wait. proposed amendment to see that waiting times When we can get you an appointment we will for surgery have dropped dramatically in give you a call." What is the new Category 3? Queensland. But members opposite do not want to face up to that. No, they do not like the good Time expired. news—good news for all Queenslanders. They Mr HARPER (Mount Ommaney) do not like that on the Opposition benches, (6.30 p.m.): When I saw this motion for debate because it is bad news for them. So they try to tonight I thought to myself, "Well, here they go cover up and mislead the public. again: the Opposition—the Labor Party—telling Let us consider the health capital charge their lies about health." It reminded me, as it does and put on the record exactly what is happening. many other people throughout Queensland, of Let us hear the truth about it, because we are the Labor lies during the 1995 election campaign certainly not hearing it from members opposite. In and the infamous hospital postcards. Labor the 1996 Budget deliberations, a new capital members tried to scare the Queensland public. funding framework was approved for They did not care that they were worrying Queensland Health. The purpose of the new people. All they wanted to do was look after arrangements was to provide Health with access themselves and keep themselves in power. So to additional capital funding in order to maximise they were happy to try to scare—with lies—the the efficiencies achievable from that capital Queensland public with those hospital investment. Health has approved base funding postcards. of $150m per annum—and that is indexed— I well remember that, after the election, which is free of any capital charge. That takes it defeated candidates, including the one I beat, up to its $1.5 billion capital works program over were ducking for cover. They claimed that they 10 years. As I said, that is indexed and free of any did not have anything to do with it; that they did capital charge. Of course, my friends opposite not want to have it; that they did not endorse it; would try to mislead the public into thinking that and that they had spoken against it. They all ran there was not a capital charge system under for cover after the event. But the Queensland Labor. public knew that they were well and truly involved But to make sure that extra money flows in it. The postcards were distributed all over efficiently into rebuilding our hospitals, in Queensland. The public of Queensland still addition, where the Health Department can remember that, and they will go on remembering identify savings by reinvestment, the department the lies told by those postcards that were can approach Treasury to access additional funds distributed during the ALP's election campaign on top of that. Funds are forwarded on the basis and which claimed that we would try to sell that efficiency savings are sufficient over time to hospitals. meet the cost of capital. Health is planning on What has happened since then? The very accessing around $1 billion in funding in that direct opposite! We have not sold the hospitals. manner over a number of years—around about We have got on with fixing up the mess that they five years—and certainly a lot of it in the first two were left in by the Labor Party after seven years, or three years. The rebuilding of hospitals is and we are redeveloping them. We are spending occurring wherever one goes throughout hundreds of millions of dollars on them. In fact, in Queensland. 13 May 1998 Hospitals 1169

The Government requires the Health "The Gold Coast Hospital deserves a Department to prepare business cases for large portion of Federal Budget money for proposed hospital redevelopments where funds public hospitals, says the AMA. subject to the capital charge are to be accessed. The AMA last night called on the The purpose of the business cases is to analyse Queensland Government, which will receive the capacity of the redeveloped hospitals to $30 million in hospital funding, to double generate the efficiencies to service the capital funding to the Gold Coast Hospital." charge and meet projected population growth demand for services. The business cases are I ask the Minister to listen to this— essentially driven by achieving best practice "AMA Gold Coast vice-president David benchmarks in the redeveloped capital Lindsay described underfunding for the infrastructure. The analysis of the business cases Gold Coast as a disgrace." for the hospital redevelopments indicates that, I do not hear the member for Burleigh saying that overall, the savings will cover the cost of capital it is a disgrace. I do not hear the members for charges. This funding mechanism provides the Southport or Nerang acknowledging the capacity and opportunity for Health's capital disgraceful underfunding of the Gold Coast infrastructure to be further supplemented and Hospital. I listened to the member for Broadwater upgraded in a cost-efficient manner. defending the Minister's record. I listened to the Time expired. member for Mount Ommaney accusing us of Mrs ROSE (Currumbin) (6.34 p.m.): making misleading statements and telling lies. Is Queensland's health system is in disarray. In this he going to accuse the AMA of misleading the debate tonight members are confronting the public as well? stark reality of the public health system in Government members are all silent while Queensland. It is a reality and, on a daily basis, it Gold Coasters suffer. Or else they, along with the is letting down the people of this State. It is a Minister for Health, are bleating about adequate reality that is consigning them to years—not funding and declining waiting lists. That is not the days, not weeks, not months, but years—of reality. It is not the reality for the never-ending debilitating pain, years of frustration, years of stream of people who are phoning my office and misery and lost hope and years of anger. the hotline number with complaints about How have we arrived at a situation, which inadequate resources and appalling delays. They has been pointed out by the Deputy Leader of continually ask me, "What has this Government the Opposition, in which a record 12,000 been doing for the last two years?" What has it Queenslanders are waiting longer than is been doing while a record 12,000 people are medically acceptable for surgery? Over 1,400 being left to rot on waiting lists? What has it been Gold Coasters are waiting too long. How has doing while people have not been able to get Queensland's health system sunk to this pitiful onto a waiting list? Patients have been told, "The level? These figures are appalling. Let members waiting lists are closed. Please phone again after opposite consider these numbers and hang their the year 2000." I will tell members what this heads in shame. Let the Minister for Health Government has been doing. It has been consider these numbers while he runs around shuffling people between waiting lists and trying the State trying to tell people that we have a to hide the true state of the health system. It has world-class health system. World class? On the been threatening to take money away from the Gold Coast, we do not even make it to the World Gold Coast Hospital because it is not meeting Health Organisation's standards on beds per surgery targets. In logic straight out of Alice in capita. On that measure we have only one half Wonderland, the Health Minister proposed the health and medical resources that the World removing money from a hospital which the vice- Health Organisation recommends. One half! On president of the AMA says is in desperate need that measure the Gold Coast has only one third of doubling of funds. the Queensland average for health resources. But in some of the worst treatment of the A Government member interjected. public health system by the National and Liberal Government, it is ripping hundreds of millions of Mrs ROSE: The Robina Hospital is a dollars out of hospitals through its capital charge private hospital. Is that what this Government on public hospital rebuilding programs. It is a thinks of the Gold Coast and Gold Coast tax—a tax on public hospitals to fund vital residents? Do the National and Liberal members rebuilding programs, and a tax that is costing representing the Gold Coast think that we hospitals vital resources that they need to deserve one third the level of resources that the provide a decent level of care to Queenslanders. rest of the State receives? The AMA vice- By the Treasurer's own admission, the coalition president on the Gold Coast says that it is a will rip more than $140m out of public hospital disgrace. Today's Gold Coast Bulletin stated— recurrent funding over the next three years. 1170 Hospitals 13 May 1998

With breathtaking hypocrisy, this Many of the services to be provided by the Government is trying to parade itself as the new hospital will be raised to full tertiary level for benefactor of public health while it is callously the first time, providing all north Queenslanders gutting $140m from the system. How many with access to a range of specialist medical doctors, how many nurses, how many operating services previously available only in Brisbane and theatres, how many extra beds—beds so the southern capital cities. The hospital will have desperately needed on the Gold Coast—would about 420 beds and the capacity to meet the that $140m fund? All this Government has tried needs of the rapidly growing north Queensland to do since it fell into office two years ago is con population. It is expected to treat about 37,000 the Queensland public. The next big con is the in-patients and 380,000 outpatients soon after State Budget. its completion in 2002. That is a patient activity Time expired. level about one third greater than the combined workload of the Townsville Hospital and the Mr TANTI (Mundingburra) (6.39 p.m.): The Kirwan Hospital for Women in the 1995-96 Minister came to Townsville and announced the financial year. new hospital. At two functions I saw doctors and hospital staff give the Minister a standing ovation. The hospital will have tremendous economic relevance for Townsville. I mentioned a I turn now to an announcement that the few of the relevant factors recently in the House. Minister allowed me to make last Saturday. The Coopers and Lybrand Redevelopment Mr Perrett interjected. Options Economic Impact Study found that the Mr TANTI: No, I did not see her. I hospital will provide a net economic value of announced a $1.38m grant for the hospital. The $69.2m compared with a net economic value of Minister allowed me to announce that grant to $43.7m for the North Ward redevelopment option. It will create about 1,800 new jobs, both help cut long waits for surgery. Now 98% of skilled and unskilled, during the 4.5-year Category 1 and 78% of Category 2 operations redevelopment construction period, with about are being performed on time, compared with—— 20% of those jobs expected to be filled by Mr ELDER: I rise to a point of order. Mr unemployed persons. Salaries for on-site Speaker, I draw to your attention the state of the construction workers during the construction House. phase are estimated at about $26m, with a flow- Quorum formed. on effect to stimulate additional expenditure throughout the north Queensland economy of a Mr TANTI: It will be the Opposition that will further $3.7m. miss out on their time. As I was saying, that compares with Labor's 51% of Category 1 and If I were to stand here and list all of the things 58% of Category 2 under the previous that Mike Horan has done for us in Townsville, I Government. Townsville General Hospital was would start working back from 2 April 1998 when one of the 10 major hospitals to share in two- $125,000 was provided to purchase seven new thirds of that package. The Minister gave a further renal dialysis machines. On 1 April, Magnetic $180,000 to Kirwan Women's Hospital, and Island received its own public doctor. On 20 another $200,000 for general regional items March, bulk earthworks started at the new $170m required in the hospital. hospital. $873,000 in early works contracts was announced. On 20 March, $120,000 was I return to the announcement of the new announced for the prevention of youth suicide hospital that was made when Mike Horan and on Palm Island. Joan Sheldon came to Townsville. On that day the Minister announced that the hospital would Time expired. be redeveloped at a massive cost of $170m on a Mr McELLIGOTT (Thuringowa) greenfield site at Douglas. That was an historic (6.44 p.m.): It is interesting to follow the member day for Townsville and north Queensland. It was a for Mundingburra. The story that he has told this pleasure to be there. The hospital will be evening certainly differs from that which is going operational by early 2002 and will be one of the around the staff of the Townsville General most sophisticated tertiary health facilities Hospital. Certainly the people of Townsville, anywhere in Australia. That shows once again Thuringowa and, indeed, north Queensland that this coalition State Government has welcome the decision of the current Government delivered. The people of Townsville are very to fund a new hospital on a greenfield site. The proud of Mr Horan. The hospital is a very clear Labor Party has given bipartisan support to that demonstration of the State Government's strong commitment on the condition that all of the and continued commitment to the people of existing facilities and services are included in the Townsville and north Queensland. new hospital. That is simply not the case. 13 May 1998 Hospitals 1171

I am assured that the allocation that this out on the veranda right next to the toilets? Government has made of $170m is at least $80m People who were seriously ill in hospital were short of what is required. I am further advised that occupying beds on the veranda of the Royal Treasury has told the planners that they will not Brisbane Hospital adjacent to the toilets that get another cent beyond the $170m already served the ward on that particular level. That was allocated. That simply means that oncology, a thorough disgrace. I have to give successive cardiology and all of those other specialist Health Ministers in the Labor Government the services that mean so much to north credit for opening up the system. At least we now Queenslanders will not be available in the new have figures to debate. I am not going to enter project. It also raises the issue of what will happen the debate tonight about waiting lists, except to to the Kirwan Hospital for Women. Will the say what an improvement it is that waiting lists are gynaecology and obstetrics facilities be included now being kept. at Douglas? I think not, given the Treasury's Previous speakers have called upon this objection to committing any further funds to the Minister to publish those waiting lists. Why project. Certainly the earthworks have started on should they not be published? Why should the Douglas site. Obviously that had to occur people in Townsville not know the real facts before the coming State election. However, all about waiting? Why should the people of the staff, including the planners and the senior Townsville not know that the capital charge that specialists, who have a very real interest in this Minister has applied is preventing people ensuring that north Queenslanders have the from accessing the most basic equipment? very best of services, are querying the fact that Recently I met with parents of kids who had had the funds will not be available to provide all of the heart operations. They cannot get access to services that north Queenslanders expect. monitors, which cost some $400 each, because I was interested to hear tonight and in recent the budget is overspent and resources are not times the debate in relation to Queensland available to buy those monitors that are so critical waiting lists. I cannot help thinking back to the to the ongoing care of those little kids who have days when the Goss Labor Government had major heart operations and who depend on assumed office in this State and I became the the service to ensure a reasonable quality of life Health Minister. We did not have waiting lists in for the future. It is not good enough. The whole those days. The previous National/Liberal system needs to be reviewed. I look forward to coalition would not allow them to be kept. The the change of Government so that we can previous Liberal/National coalition would not achieve those much-needed results. allow Queensland's public and private hospitals Hon. M. J. HORAN (Toowoomba to be subject to the national accreditation South—Minister for Health) (6.49 p.m.): Back in scheme. So poor were the standards of services 1995-96, one of the reasons why the Goss Labor and facilities in Queensland hospitals that they Government was thrown out of office when it had were not prepared to allow inspection by national a 19-seat majority and a Premier supposedly with surveyors. They were not allowed to publish the a 70% popularity rating was its abject and total lists of people waiting for elective surgery failure over six long hard years in the health because those lists would have been a major system. It was an absolute and total failure. The embarrassment. people saw that and threw Labor out of office. Do honourable members recall the old days The former Labor Government was so cocky: it of the hospital boards? If one had a mate on the had a 19-seat majority and it thought that it would hospital board, one could have surgery. If one be all right. However, the former Labor did not have a mate on the hospital board, one Government was thrown out because the people had to wait for an indefinite period. Of course, the in the hospitals and the workplaces knew that it hospital boards comprised mainly National Party was a total failure. members and supporters. Therefore, around the That mob opposite are totally devastated by State, decisions about who was operated on the success of the coalition Government. It hurts were based on political patronage. It was not until them every time we stand up and say that, under Labor assumed Government in this State that we the previous Health Minister, Mr Beattie, opened up the system. We did start to compile 49%—nearly half—of Queenslanders waiting for waiting lists. We did allow our hospitals to be urgent surgery had to wait for more than 30 days. subject to national accreditation so that the It hurts that mob opposite to have to admit that standards in Queensland hospitals could be that waiting time is now down to almost zero. compared with those in other States. Worse than that, the coalition Government has How those standards showed up the reduced the percentage of people waiting for deficiencies in the Queensland hospital system! Category 2 surgery from 42% long waits under Do honourable members recall the conditions at the former Labor Government down to 22%. This the old Royal Brisbane Hospital, with the beds Government is on its way to achieving a 1172 Hospitals 13 May 1998 percentage of less than 5%. That hurts that mob that they wish and they will see the cranes: at opposite. They cannot understand why, in six Proserpine Hospital, which is 80% finished, and long years, they could not even have a plan. at projects at Mackay, Cairns, Rockhampton, At a Cabinet Budget Committee meeting, Gladstone, Maryborough, Hervey Bay and the member for Capalaba said to his Premier, Nambour. In fact, they would also see those "Wayne, we do not have a plan." Six years! The cranes at all the hospitals on the Sunshine Coast first Labor Government Health Minister was the and in Brisbane. first of four Labor Health Ministers who did not The way in which the previous Labor have a plan. The second Labor Health Minister is Government wrecked this system in sitting behind him. The third Labor Health Queensland, which was once such a great Minister did not have a plan, and the fourth Labor system, is an absolute disgrace. However, it is Health Minister did not have a plan. Within two important to note that confidence is returning. I months of taking office, this Government had a can tell members one thing that is going to plan. Within four months the plan was funded, it happen if Labor returns to Government: it has an was in operation and we were reducing the election promise, which at the moment it is number of people waiting for Category 1 surgery. keeping under wraps, to have four big super Five months after that, long waits Category 1 regions. So all the bureaucracy will come back. surgery was down to less than 5%. No wonder Once again, millions of dollars will be wasted. It the four failed Health Ministers are sitting will close down any capital works programs it can opposite in abject shame. because it does not believe that this Government should be spending $2.4 billion. It is an absolute A real mark of a successful Government is its disgrace. ability to make a promise, deliver on that promise, fund it and actually make things happen. This Mr BEATTIE: I rise to a point of order. The Government has the runs on the board in the Minister is misleading the House. That is not true percentage of long waits. It has reduced that and I am not prepared to let it stand on the figure from the worst in Australia for Category 1 record. It is untrue. surgery to the best and it is on the way to Mr HORAN: I withdraw whatever the achieving the same target for Category 2 surgery. Leader of the Opposition likes. That is the legacy However, the mess did not finish there. This that Labor left us and that is the legacy that it coalition Government came to Government and promises to give us again. However, found that all of these promises had been made, Queenslanders are too smart. They threw out particularly by Mr Beattie, who wandered up and Labor when it had a 19-seat majority. down the State promising money before the Queenslanders recognised how hopeless Labor Mundingburra by-election. Because of the was and how it was an absolute failure. They now promises that the former Government had made, recognise the achievements of this Government. the hospital rebuilding program was We have planning, we have professional people underfunded by $1.2 billion. Immediately, this in charge and projects are fully funded. It is all Government set about working out what was happening. That is great news. required and how it would get it. It received the Time expired. money for that through Treasury. We now have Question—That the words proposed to fiscal responsibility and we now have the cash to be omitted stand part of the question—put; and build each and every project in its entirety. the House divided— Because we got that money, these AYES, 38—Ardill, Barton, Beattie, Bird, Bligh, hospitals are being built and, more importantly, Braddy, Bredhauer, Briskey, D'Arcy, De Lacy, Dollin, because they are being built in their entirety, or Elder, Foley, Fouras, Gibbs, Hayward, Hollis, Lavarch, for that matter, being built at all, they are able to Lucas, McElligott, McGrady, Mackenroth, Milliner, make actual savings and cost efficiencies Mulherin, Nunn, Nuttall, Palaszczuk, Pearce, Purcell, through their functional design. If Labor was still Robertson, Rose, Schwarten, Smith, Spence, in Government we would not have half the Welford, Wells. Tellers: Roberts, Sullivan T. B. hospitals that we have planned—125 projects NOES, 38—Baumann, Beanland, Connor, that are finished or currently under way. They are Cunningham, Davidson, Elliott, FitzGerald, Gamin, big projects, such as the half a billion dollar Gilmore, Goss J. N., Grice, Harper, Healy, Hobbs, Horan, Johnson, Laming, Lester, Lingard, Littleproud, project at the Royal Brisbane Hospital, which is Malone, Perrett, Quinn, Radke, Rowell, Santoro, going to take four or five years. The whole side of Simpson, Slack, Springborg, Stephan, Tanti, Veivers, the hill has to be quarried out. Members should Warwick, Watson, Wilson, Woolmer. Tellers: Carroll, look at the development taking place at the PA Mitchell Hospital, which is the ninth-largest building in Pairs: Livingstone, Sheldon; Hamill, Borbidge; Australia, or the cranes along the skyline. Edmond, Hegarty; Goss W. K., Stoneman; Sullivan J., Members could go to any town in Queensland Cooper; Campbell, McCauley 13 May 1998 Adjournment 1173

The numbers being equal, Mr Speaker cast divers from Brisbane. Also, the Army from his vote with the Noes. Townsville has played a huge role in frantically Resolved in the negative. searching. Mr SPEAKER: Order! Any further Special praise must go to the very tired divisions on this motion will be of two minutes' workers in the SES and the Army who day after duration. day have searched mud, mangroves, grazing properties, tidal creeks, the coastline and railway Question—That words proposed to be tracks. Despite the pressures building up, they inserted be so inserted—put; and the House are committed to continuing the search for "as divided— long as it takes". Their only complaint is that a AYES, 38—Baumann, Beanland, Connor, second set of overalls would have been handy. Cunningham, Davidson, Elliott, FitzGerald, Gamin, The SES is working side by side with uniformed Gilmore, Goss J. N., Grice, Harper, Healy, Hobbs, police and the community, and they deserve our Horan, Johnson, Laming, Lester, Lingard, Littleproud, highest commendation. In recent days the Malone, Perrett, Quinn, Radke, Rowell, Santoro, search has centred around Mullers Lagoon. Simpson, Slack, Springborg, Stephan, Tanti, Veivers, Warwick, Watson, Wilson, Woolmer. Tellers: Carroll, Betty Douglas, writing for the Bowen Mitchell Independent, states— NOES, 38—Ardill, Barton, Beattie, Bird, Bligh, "Efforts to lower the level of the Braddy, Bredhauer, Briskey, D'Arcy, De Lacy, Dollin, popular lagoon, by distributing the water Elder, Foley, Fouras, Gibbs, Hayward, Hollis, Lavarch, over the lawns and garden beds during the Lucas, McElligott, McGrady, Mackenroth, Milliner, weekend, proved fruitless. Mulherin, Nunn, Nuttall, Palaszczuk, Pearce, Purcell, Robertson, Rose, Schwarten, Smith, Spence, What water has been taken out has Welford, Wells. Tellers: Roberts, Sullivan T. B. seeped back. Pairs: Livingstone, Sheldon; Hamill, Borbidge; Head of the investigation team in Edmond, Hegarty; Goss W. K., Stoneman; Sullivan J., Bowen, Homicide Squad Detective Cooper; Campbell, McCauley Sergeant Owen Elloy, said the lagoon and The numbers being equal, Mr Speaker cast its surrounds were on the same level which his vote with the Ayes. virtually it made it impossible... Resolved in the affirmative. Townsville Water Police were brought back to continue with their search in the Motion, as amended, agreed to. same method as they had used last week. On Friday last week, two officers had ADJOURNMENT walked the edge of the lagoon in water Mr FITZGERALD (Lockyer—Leader of ranging in depth from waist high to neck Government Business) (7.06 p.m.): I move— high. "That the House do now adjourn." The officers, accompanied by State Emergency Service officer Rob Anderson, waded through the water, shoulder to Miss R. Antonio shoulder. Mrs BIRD (Whitsunday) (7.06 p.m.): This When something was felt on the evening I call on the State Government to bottom, an officer would reach down, immediately institute a reward for information on sometimes putting his head under water, to the whereabouts of Rachel Antonio, 16 years, of identify the object. Bowen. In recent years Bowen has had more One shouldered the overhanging than its fair share of tragedies, depressions and grasses back to ensure nothing was hidden letdowns. Throughout those tragedies the below. town's resilience and determination has always shone through, but never as strongly as it has in ... the time since the disappearance of Rachel on The search revealed nothing of Anzac Day. significance." For the record, Rachel disappeared after her However, this evening that hardworking squad mother dropped her off at the Summer Garden detective sergeant, Owen Elloy, told me on the cinema. She did not return home that evening phone that they have covered every inch of the and a search was commenced by local SES and area of the 20-kilometre circumference. Hope is police. Police also conducted doorknocks in the slowly fading. Knowing how hard they worked, I streets near the beach. The local homicide squad find it very frustrating. They seem to know the has been joined by Brisbane homicide squad, area they have to search, but they cannot find water police from Townsville and Brisbane, and anything. 1174 Adjournment 13 May 1998

This evening I appeal to the Government to The construction tender for the $520,000 immediately set up a system of rewards for Sarina Hospital redevelopment was also recently information leading to the whereabouts of awarded, with Abigroup Contractors Pty Ltd the Rachel. Someone somewhere must have seen successful firm. The Sarina redevelopment is something. People just do not disappear into the now under way and is due for completion by July night. Ian and Cheryl Antonio, who to this point this year. The redevelopment includes relocation have remained extremely positive, deserve to of the emergency room; upgrade of ward areas; know where their daughter is. upgrade of airconditioning and external We have lost one of our children. We want appearance; new front and ambulance entry; a her back, and I appeal to the Government for patient ward deck; relocation of the mortuary; and assistance in getting her back. We must get her extra space for medical records. The back home. redevelopments of both the Sarina and Mackay Base Hospitals, along with the $7.5m Proserpine Hospital, will provide quality health facilities and Hospitals services for each of those communities. Mr MALONE (7.10 p.m.): Tonight I rise to Further health developments continue in inform the House of recent health improvements Bowen, with the construction of the $405,000 in the Mackay, Bowen, Sarina and Whitsunday Bowen Community Health Centre. Importantly, districts. This speech is timely, considering the the construction contract has been awarded to a debate we have just had. Last week the Minister local company, J. D. Lowcock and Co. Pty Ltd, for Health, the Honourable Mike Horan, visited with an expected completion by the end of July these areas. During the visit the Minister this year. The community health centre will offer announced several minor works and equipment child health services, community health services, packages, construction contracts and extra home and aged care services, home care elective surgery funding. assessments, social work services, and allied The minor works packages include $12,935 health and indigenous health services. The new for the Proserpine/Whitsunday Health Service; facility will also include six open office areas, a $38,907 for the Bowen Hospital; $22,728 for the reception/waiting area, a store room, a staff Collinsville Hospital; $350,404 for the Mackay training room, toilets with disabled access, a Hospital; $59,929 for Mackay Community Health; consultation room and a veranda. The Bowen and $13,973 for the Sarina Hospital. These community will benefit from the construction of packages will ensure that residents have further the community health centre. Jobs will be access to first-class facilities and equipment, and created, economic activity will increase and highlights the State Government's commitment health services will be improved. to providing quality health services. Bowen has also received funding for Progress on the Mackay Base Hospital elective surgery, along with Mackay, as part of a redevelopment is well under way, with the recent $15m elective surgery funding package provided $891,000 construction contract for the new to Queensland as part of the new $5.5 billion pathology unit awarded to TF Woollam and Sons. Australian health care agreement. The Bowen This announcement comes only weeks after the Hospital has received a $50,000 funding boost. start of construction on the $540,000 Mackay The Mackay Base Hospital has received Hospital mental health facility refurbishment. $250,000. The State coalition Government has Time expired. provided $5.9m more for the Mackay Base Hospital redevelopment than was provided under the former Labor Government, with the Proposed Police Beat, Slade Point redevelopment now budgeted at $25.9m. That Mr MULHERIN (Mackay) (7.14 p.m.): I wish will include the relocation of the children's unit and the women's unit; enhancement of medical to draw the attention of the House to some of the imaging services; construction of a purpose-built problems being experienced by residents of allied health facility; establishment of an Slade Point, which is part of the Mackay ambulatory care zone; establishment of renal electorate. I recently received a number of unit, intensive care and coronary care unit on the complaints from residents about loutish ground floor; relocation of the birthing centre; an behaviour and vandalism that has been occurring expanded theatre suite; construction of an aerial at Slade Point for some considerable time. link between the refurbished theatre suite and a Last week I visited the Slade Point Primary new day-only procedures area; and the School and was told by the principal, Mrs Jay development of a district rehabilitation service Mills, that the school had been vandalised over based at Sarina. I am particularly pleased about the May Day long weekend. That is not the first that announcement. time the school has been vandalised. In fact, it 13 May 1998 Adjournment 1175 has been vandalised 18 times this year. In this policing. Any major incidents would still be attack, louts had defecated on one of the handled by the Mackay police district buildings and had painted obscene graffiti on headquarters. However, the establishment of a other buildings. That is disgusting behaviour and police beat would ensure that police patrols were should not be tolerated. increased, allowing residents to feel more secure and hopefully facilitate the capture of the vandals Slade Point is a great community and and louts who are currently roaming at will in the residents should not be subjected to this kind of area. behaviour. However, these louts do not restrict their activities to the school. They have Yesterday, I spoke to Mr Allan Porter of the vandalised private dwellings and the Girl Guide Allan Porter group of companies, which owns the hut on numerous occasions. They have broken Seagull Shopping Centre in Slade Point, about into churches and stolen property. Some the problems in the area. As a property owner, Mr residents have told me that they are unable to Porter is concerned about the effect that these obtain insurance on their properties because of louts have on his small business tenants. In the the number of times they have been vandalised. I interim, Mr Porter has volunteered to give the have been informed that some residents have Queensland Police Service a vacant shop rent been intimidated by these louts for reporting free in his shopping centre for police to establish them to the police. I have much sympathy for a temporary shopfront from which they could those residents of Slade Point. These louts operate patrols. Last night I contacted need to be caught and dealt with to the full Superintendent Retrot and advised him of the extent of the law. When determining their offer. He was delighted by Mr Porter's generous sentence, the law should also take into account offer and advised that he would seek to obtain how these louts have intimidated residents. approval from his commanding officer. We will just have to wait and see what the police can do in I have spoken to Superintendent Retrot of relation to this offer. Mackay police about the problems in Slade Point, and he has agreed to increase patrols in the area A future Labor Government will allocate an to the extent that his staffing constraints will additional $10m towards police beats and allow. I am not saying that the police have been shopfronts. Labor will implement an anti-crime strategy that is tough on crime and targets the idle. They have an action plan in place that causes of crime. This strategy moves beyond includes increased patrols and manning special political point scoring and short-term thinking to operations to counter this loutish behaviour. tackle the longer term issues—the sources of Following complaints I made last year, the police crime. Crime must be tackled early, not when it is initiated one such operation—Operation Alloy—in the Slade Point area and other hot too late. We know that in reducing alcohol and spots in Mackay, which resulted in 21 people drug abuse, child abuse, family breakdowns—— being arrested on 149 charges ranging from Time expired. assault to breaking and entering, unlawful use and stealing. Australia's Image If we compare reported crime in the Slade Mrs CUNNINGHAM (Gladstone) Point area for the first quarters of 1996, 1997 and (7.19 p.m.): Each year at the Catholic high school 1998, we see a 20% increase. In 1996, there in Gladstone, Chanel College, a teacher there, Mr were 80 reported crimes, with a clean-up rate of Jeff Reeves, has his students undertake a 45%. In 1997, there were 85 reported crimes, project in which they identify a situation in the with a clean-up rate of 35%. In 1998, there were community and then develop a rationale for and a 95 reported crimes, with a clean-up rate of 34%. response to that situation. The students involved The police are doing the best they can with the in the most recent submission were Elizabeth resources they have, but there is more to be Cotterell, Kirsten Law, Brook Horne and Mikarla done. Thurecht. The rationale for their assignment I believe that Slade Point, because of its was— geographical location and its relative isolation "Australia is without a doubt a lucky from the rest of the Mackay City area, would be an country, rich in diversity and multiculturalism. ideal location for a police beat. The establishment However, it has been brought to our of a police beat would involve the Queensland attention that Australia's image, both Police Service providing a home and patrol car for overseas and within Australia, is not an officer in Slade Point. This officer would work reaching its full potential and thus needs from home, therefore maintaining a constant improvement. We feel that the problem police presence in the area while working with does not lie with Australia's products or with the community on proactive and reactive Australians themselves, but rather with the 1176 Adjournment 13 May 1998

inaccurate images of Australia which are for social justice for all Australians but in particular displayed through a variety of mediums." for Aboriginal people. Alf did much to encourage The students then dealt with some of the Aboriginal people to take a greater pride in their problems that were highlighted. They said that it cultures and traditions. He was a quiet achiever, a was not only media images that portrayed man who strived to make life better for all of us. inaccurate stereotypes and images of Australians He was a driving force in establishing the but also things such as the dramas that are Kalkadoon Tribal Council Keeping Place, which is exported overseas. For instance, Heartbreak a must for all visitors to Mount Isa. High is watched by 4 million people in the UK. Alf Barton was a long-time employee of They surmised that our Australian products suffer Telecom until his retirement some years ago. At because of that overseas perception of Australia. every Australia Day ceremony Alf, his wife and They acknowledge that Australia is a nation with son would participate in the formalities of the day. limitless potential and they proposed a solution. It He made it his personal endeavour to bring about was to create an entity called True Australia. True reconciliation between Aboriginal people and the Australia would begin in 1999 to capitalise on the rest of the community. I have lost a good friend Sydney Olympics. Through education, and my community has lost a decent, honest and promotion and intensive marketing strategies hardworking citizen. I urge his wife, Delma, and they would highlight the strengths of Australia, his family to continue Alf's work in their quest for Australian products and the Australian social justice for all Australians. On behalf of my community. community, I extend my condolences to the These young adults said that, in order to family and I thank God for the life of Alf Barton. ensure that Australia's enormous potential is recognised, they feel it is necessary, firstly, to Ethnic and Multicultural Affairs improve Australians' perception of their own nation and, secondly, to improve the image of Mr HARPER (Mount Ommaney) Australia projected overseas. Then they talked (7.23 p.m.): I rise tonight to speak on something about some of our strengths—the fact that we that I hold very dear to me. Members in this are a multicultural nation and the fact that the House have often heard me speak about the great Aussie battler image is positive as it shows different make-up of people within the Mount the tolerance of Australians and their ability to Ommaney electorate, how I feel that that makes it laugh at one another. They go on to give a richer and better electorate to represent and examples of ways in which they would be able to certainly a better place to live and how all of those enhance the Australian image overseas. people contribute to our community and make it a What impressed me most about this stronger and richer community. document is that it was compiled by young Year The Premier of this Government well and 11 and 12 high school students. They were not truly supports the Government taking a stance in down in the dumps. They could see a problem this area, and that has been demonstrated by and they addressed that problem proactively and some of his actions, which I will refer to shortly. Of positively, not by criticising what they saw but by course, he often asks me to represent him at acknowledging what they saw and working different ethnic functions and meetings. I have towards improving that image. I think some of us pleasure in doing this because it gives me and in this House could learn a great lesson from what often my wife, Rhonda, the chance to meet with these students have done. They saw the and be involved with various groups. problem. They did not criticise one another; they Tonight, I would like to put on record some set about fixing up and remedying the problem. I of the achievements of this Government in encourage anyone who wants to read the relation to ethnic and multicultural affairs. The list document to do so. It will certainly be available. is very long. I will read into Hansard some of the Those students got a very high commendation items, but perhaps I will not get to the end. This for that proposal from their teacher. Government approved and provided funding for Time expired. the undertaking of the independent Review of Ethnic Affairs in Queensland. We accepted most of the recommendations of that review and Mr A. Barton established two high-level working groups to Hon. T. McGRADY (Mount Isa) oversee the implementations of this decision. (7.22 p.m.): At 6.30 on Monday evening, the One working group focused on matters north-west of Queensland lost one of its great pertaining to the restructure of the former Bureau sons, Mr Alf Barton. Alf, an elder of the of Ethnic Affairs and the other is still working on Kalkadoon people, passed away after a long assessing proposals for the future of illness. During his lifetime he was a great fighter Yungaburra. 13 May 1998 Adjournment 1177

The Government developed and approved Government to the implementation of the the Queensland Ethnic and Multicultural Affairs QEAMAP. We also made significant Policy as a new framework for guiding the contributions to the development of and formally Government management of issues pertaining to noted the national Charter of Public Service in a ethnic and multicultural affairs. The QEAMAP is in Culturally Diverse Society. The principles of the two parts. The first part is a public statement of charter have been integrated into that same plan. commitment by the Government to the We established a ministerial advisory committee continuing development of Queensland as a on equity matters in education and funding for cohesive and inclusive multicultural society. The the English as a Second Language Program in second part is a practical framework for assisting schools from $618,000 to $1.2m. We worked the Government to implement that commitment collaboratively with the Commonwealth to through its services and programs. The policy establish the Queensland Migrant Services focuses on achieving outcomes in three major Planning Committee and in the development of areas. These are the fair and equitable delivery of the National Integrated Settlement Scheme. services, the promotion of cohesive community We also worked collaboratively with the relations, and the productive use of language Commonwealth to develop draft guiding and cultural skills in the social and economic principles in funding and service arrangements, development of the State. which will serve to integrate the Charter of Public Further, the Government restructured the Service in a Culturally Diverse Society. We former Bureau of Ethnic Affairs into the Office of developed the Cultural Diversity in the Arts Policy Ethnic and Multicultural Affairs within the and the Access and Equity Policy for the Department of the Premier and Cabinet to vocational education and training system. We ensure the provision of timely advice to the recognised the contribution of members of Premier on ethnic and multicultural affairs and to ethnic communities to the development of ethnic coordinate whole-of-Government planning on and multicultural affairs by presenting some 21 matters pertaining to ethnic and multicultural awards for multicultural services, and we initiated affairs. The Premier wanted to ensure that every a requirement that the Office of Ethnic and department and every Ministry was involved in Multicultural Affairs be consulted by any making sure that things were pointed in the right Queensland Government agency wishing to direction. That is why he took this under his wing make a significant appointment to boards and and continues to take a great interest in it. committees so that suitable candidates from the Further, this Government established an register of multicultural advisers might be interdepartmental committee on ethnic and included. multicultural affairs, which will be chaired by the Time expired. director-general of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet and which will work to Motion agreed to. ensure a consistent approach across The House adjourned at 7.28 p.m.