29 Oct 2003 Legislative Assembly 4451

WEDNESDAY, 29 OCTOBER 2003

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

PRIVILEGE Government Advertising; Auditor-General Hon. P. D. BEATTIE ( Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.31 a.m.): I rise on a matter of privilege. I refer to an article which appeared in today's Courier-Mail headed 'Government ads under scrutiny as election looms'. I wrote to the Auditor-General on 21 October in these terms— ... I advise that my Government will be advertising information in relation to the TAB merger, a new hearing service for newborn babies, and seeking to attract investment in tourism in conjunction with the Rugby World Cup. There may be additional advertising, still according to these guidelines. There is no way that my Government is going to miss the opportunity to encourage international and interstate Rugby World Cup visitors to enjoy our tourist facilities or to invest in . I also wrote to the Auditor-General this morning about the article in today's Courier-Mail because I am concerned that the position taken here, on the advice of the Leader of the , could politicise the role of the Auditor-General. That is a very serious issue. I seek leave to have incorporated in Hansard the letter I have written to the Auditor-General of 21 October and the letter I have written to the Auditor-General today. I also seek leave to have incorporated in Hansard a statement I put out which draws to the attention of the Auditor-General a matter that is still unresolved—that is, in June 1999, based on the 1998 election, the Australian Broadcasting Authority found that the government advertising for the then Borbidge government, of which the Leader of the Opposition was a minister, engaged in political advertising. That is its determination and not ours. There is still an outstanding amount of $7 million. I seek to have that money reimbursed to the people of Queensland. Leave granted. 21 October 2003 Mr Len Scanlan Auditor-General of Queensland GPO Box 1139 BRISBANE 4001 Dear Mr Scanlan I refer to your letter of 17 October 2003, in relation to Government advertising. The which I lead does not engage in Government advertising for party political purposes. The Queensland Government's Advertising Code of Conduct sets out clearly the criteria which is followed by the Government. This is the first time Queensland has had such a code. You will note that the advertising guidelines clearly provide for the Government to continue to get on with the business of governing, serving the people, up to the calling of the election itself. You will note that the Guidelines state that: "It is not practical or desirable to effectively prohibit all advertising in the lead-up to an election. To assist in determining which advertising should cease, the following information is provided: (a) Normal advertising associated with departmental programs, initiatives or projects is still possible so that such activities are not curtailed (e.g. community consultation communications of project specific information). (b) Social education information (road safety campaigns, health campaigns, any emergency service information etc) is still allowed. (c) "Whole of Government" campaigns, which usually focus on particular initiatives of the Government, need to be carefully considered in the six month period. It should be noted that, in relation to "c", the code does provide for "urgent emerging issues" (e.g. new laws) to be addressed through advertising if required". The time limit on advertising is subject to the above. Accordingly, I advise that my Government will be advertising information in relation to the TAB merger, a new hearing service for newborn babies, and seeking to attract investment and tourism in conjunction with the Rugby World Cup. 4452 Legislative Assembly 29 Oct 2003

There may be additional advertising, still according to these guidelines. There is no way that my Government is going to miss the opportunity to encourage international and interstate Rugby World Cup visitors to enjoy our tourist facilities or to invest in Queensland. Your letter does not mention that I indicated that I was prepared from December 2003 (approximately six months from the last possible election date in May) to communicate with you in relation to any special additional Government projects if you thought that desirable. Should I take it from your letter that you do not wish to proceed with that opportunity? I do want to raise with you a serious concern I have, and that is I believe that if you accept the position put by the Leader of the Opposition, it could well lead to the perceived politicisation of the Office of the Auditor-General. The Auditor-General's reporting on any matter needs to stay strictly within the Act, otherwise it could be viewed as entering into the area of political debate which could seriously affect the perceived independence of the Auditor- General's position, and undermine public confidence in the Office. I urge you to give due consideration to that point in the interests of protecting the independence of your office. I would also be grateful if you would advise whether you, as Auditor-General, have ever examined the issue of Government advertising in the lead-up to a previous election, for example in 1998 when the was in Office. Indeed, any figures released for any period for example on a monthly basis should be fully compared with the same period of the Borbidge Government, of which Mr Springborg was Minister. This is the only fair and non-political way to examine such advertising expenditure. Len, I look forward to determining a fair, non-political way to proceed on this issue. Mr Springborg's proposal does not achieve that. I would be happy to discuss this matter further with you. Yours sincerely (sgd) HON MP PREMIER AND MINISTER FOR TRADE

29 October 2003 Mr Len Scanlan Auditor-General of Queensland GPO Box 1139 BRISBANE 4001 Dear Mr Scanlan I refer to the comments in this morning's Courier-Mail from both yourself and the Leader of the Opposition in relation to Government advertising. I would like to express my great concern and disappointment at these comments which could give the perception that the Office of the Auditor-General has been politicised. You will recall that I have recently written to you in relation to these matters seeking to avoid your Office being dragged into the pre-election political point scoring. Unfortunately, this has now occurred and on one reading of today's article some commentators may conclude your Office is aligned with that of the Opposition. That is damaging to both your Office and the sensible resolution of this issue. As you know, I also have responsibilities to report to the Parliament and therefore I would be grateful if you would advise the following: 1. Why these comments were made without any opportunity for the Government to fully put its case. 2. Whether you have agreed to prepare a report on the media advertising of the Borbidge Government prior to the 1998 election which was judged by an independent body to have been political advertising. Further, whether you intend to recommend that the National Party repay that money, which I estimated at the time to amount to about $7 million. Len, since your appointment by the Borbidge Government—without any consultation with the then Opposition—I have endeavoured to be supportive of both you and the Office of the Auditor-General. I have done that however, on the clear basis that the independence of your role must be protected and that role must also be non-political. I will be referring this issue to the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee, and I will also be referring this letter and my previous letter to the Reviewer of the Auditor-General's Office when that appointment is made. In my earlier letter, I specifically asked for us to discuss this matter further to avoid the political controversy which has now emerged. I am deeply disappointed that you did not avail yourself of that opportunity before this matter became a political issue. Yours sincerely (sgd) HON PETER BEATTIE MP PREMIER AND MINISTER FOR TRADE Att.

29 Oct 2003 Papers 4453

Queensland Government Premier of Queensland and Minister for Trade PREMIER WELCOMES SPRINGBORG PROMISE ON ADS—AND RETURN OF $7M TO TAXPAYERS Premier Peter Beattie has welcomed the announcement by Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg that when governments are guilty of political advertising, their party organisations should pay for the ads. "As Premier I have never used public money to pay for political advertisements," said Mr Beattie. "And even though the next State Election can be held as late as May next year, the Labor Party is already paying for radio advertisements about education. "But I should draw Mr Springborg's attention to a finding by the Australian Broadcasting Authority in June 1999 that five out of six Coalition Government television advertisements which were aired frequently between November 1997 and May 1998 constituted political matter. "The Authority said the advertisements should have been labelled as political advertisements instead of being paid for by taxpayers. "I estimated at the time that the cost was about $7 million. "A spokesperson for the Authority said at the time that the ads were commenting on the political process and were an attempt to influence the political process. "Mr Springborg's predecessors as National Party Leaders thumbed their noses at public opinion and refused to repay taxpayers. "I congratulate Mr Springborg for insisting that political parties should pay for any government advertising which is political. "The issue here is cut and dry because an independent organisation examined the ads and we have the umpire's decision which is beyond political bias. "Mr Springborg and Mr Quinn should arrange for a cheque to be made out by the National Party and Liberal Party to the State Government so that the $7 million can be devoted to nurses, police officers and teachers." September 23, 2003

PRIVILEGE Comments of Minister for Natural Resources and Minister for Mines Mr FLYNN (Lockyer—ONP) (9.33 a.m.): I rise on a matter of privilege. I refer to the Minister for Natural Resources' unparliamentary and racist remark in the House last night when he spoke in the middle of a sensitive debate of Scotland kicking English butt at the battle of Bannockburn. Mr Speaker, I advise that I will be writing to you to request that the matter be referred to the Members' Ethics and Parliamentary Privileges Committee. Mr SPEAKER: I will await your letter.

QUEENSLAND AUDIT OFFICE Annual Report Mr SPEAKER: Order! Honourable members, I have to report that today I received from the Auditor-General a report entitled Queensland Audit Office—Annual Report 2002-03. I table the said report.

PAPERS MINISTERIAL PAPERS TABLED BY THE CLERK The following ministerial papers were tabled by The Clerk— Minister for Families and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Minister for Disability Services and Minister for Seniors (Ms Spence)- ¥ Response from the Minister for Families and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Minister for Disability Services and Minister for Seniors (Ms Spence) to an E-petition sponsored by Ms Bligh from 710 petitioners regarding the Queensland Government's Indigenous Wages and Savings Reparations Process— Mr Neil Laurie Clerk of the Parliament Parliament House Alice and George Streets BRISBANE QLD 4000 Dear Mr Laurie I refer to an e-petition tabled in Parliament on 29 April 2003 concerning the Queensland Government's Indigenous Wages and Savings Reparations Process. 4454 Papers 29 Oct 2003

The Queensland Government has made an historic $55.4 million offer to Indigenous Queenslanders who had their wages and savings controlled under successive state governments from 1897 to 1972. We are the only jurisdiction in the country to offer reparations for the control of Indigenous peoples' wages and savings. Since coming to office in 1998, the Beattie Government has sought to resolve this long outstanding issue and deliver some overdue justice to the traditional owners of this land. In the period May to July 2002, the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services Secretariat (QAILSS) visited more than 100 locations providing information on the Government's offer to Indigenous people and gauging the level of in-principle support for the offer. It would never have been possible to consult with every affected individual and the Government has accepted the QAILSS report of a 96% acceptance rate from persons who have responded to the QAILSS survey of potential claimants. I recognise no amount of money could ever suitably compensate Indigenous people who have suffered, in many cases, decades of discriminatory and disabling government practices. While the Government is not accepting liability for those past practices, it abhors their occurrence and acknowledges that reparation is necessary, as is an apology, to encourage healing and reconciliation. We have also resolved to address the legacy of decades of disadvantage, with new legislation and funding to fight the unacceptable incidence of alcohol abuse and violence in Indigenous communities and new programs to improve educational and health outcomes and foster economic prosperity. I acknowledge the manner of control of Indigenous wages and savings did provide the opportunity for fraud and there are at least three cases on file where fraud was found or suspected, resulting in convictions and in one case, termination of employment. However, not every Indigenous Queenslander had their accounts defrauded. Nor is there any evidence to suggest that hundreds of millions of dollars was lost or stolen, as has been claimed. The Government acknowledges that an injustice was perpetrated and it was a wholesale injustice. Injustice, however, does not equal illegality and these matters have not been tested at law. What the Beattie Government has determined to do is make what we believe is a fair and reasonable offer of reparation, including: a written apology to each eligible individual; parliamentary acknowledgment; new government protocols for acknowledgment of traditional owners; and progression of the distribution of remaining monies in the Aborigines Welfare Fund, currently more than $8.9 million. It should also be noted the $55.4 million reparation does not include the $8.9 million in the Welfare Fund. Before an eligible Indigenous person signs an indemnity, they will be offered independent legal advice. This will help them make informed decisions on whether or not to accept the offer. I have also stated that the indemnity will be narrowed to control of wages and savings issues only. Those that reject our offer are free to pursue legal action if they choose. The Government is making this offer, not because of legal precedent, but from a sense of justice and a determination to remove the final impediment to the achievement of true reconciliation in Queensland. We do so in good faith. Yours sincerely (sgd) Judy Spence MP Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy ¥ Response from the Minister for Families and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Minister for Disability Services and Minister for Seniors (Ms Spence) to a paper petition presented by Mr Bredhauer from 568 petitioners regarding the Napranum Community Alcohol Management Plan— Mr Neil Laurie Clerk of the Parliament Parliament House Alice and George Streets BRISBANE QLD 4000 Dear Mr Laurie I refer to a petition tabled in Parliament on 30 April 2003 concerning the Napranum Community Alcohol Management Plan. One of the principal strategies of the Government's Meeting Challenges, Making Choices response to the Cape York Justice Study Report is for the implementation of liquor restrictions in nineteen identified Indigenous communities to minimise the harm caused by liquor abuse and misuse. During 2002-2003, the Government has developed a comprehensive alcohol management program. This program comprises three key elements—the establishment of statutory community justice groups, the development of alcohol management plans, and the declaration of alcohol restricted areas. Alcohol management plans are not legal documents and do not have the force of law. These plans indicate the actions, strategies and priorities that communities have identified that might help in reducing the negative effects of alcohol abuse. The plans are used to guide Indigenous community justice groups in making future recommendations about the management of alcohol consumption and supply in their communities. Such recommendations may deal with conditions placed on community canteen licences, canteen trading hours, types and strengths of liquor sold at community canteens and the amount of packaged alcohol that individuals may have in their possession in public places. 29 Oct 2003 Ministerial Statement 4455

Recommendations can also be made to the Minister administering the Liquor Act 1992 about the supply of alcohol from liquor outlets outside the Indigenous community area but which may affect the quality of life on Indigenous communities. However, I am advised that the Liquor Licensing Division, Department of Tourism, Racing and Fair Trading would not take any action on individual licences by imposing restrictions without full and open consultation with those who might be impacted by such action. Alcohol management plans may also identify community needs and guide community action in partnership with government in areas such as health, justice, family and child safety, and education. On 9 June 2003, following consideration of the recommendations of the Napranum Community Alcohol Management Plan, the state government enacted Liquor Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 2003. This regulation prohibits alcohol in the entire Napranum Aboriginal Council community area except for the Napranum Tavern and Peninsula Development Road. Trading hours for the Napranum Tavern are set at 3-7pm Monday to Thursday, 2-9pm Friday, and noon to 6pm Saturday. On 28 and 29 July 2003, meetings to address issues associated with the alcohol management plan were held between state government representatives and Weipa and Napranum stakeholders. Matters such as communication, signage, impacts on the Weipa community, outcomes to date, and assessment and review processes were canvassed. It was agreed that the Napranum Community Justice Group, together with Weipa stakeholders, would meet on a regular basis to discuss the range of outcomes arising out of the implementation of the alcohol management plan, and develop responses where appropriate. A recent example of local cooperation is that Comalco Aluminium Limited has provided funding to the Napranum Community Justice Group to assist in a review being undertaken of the Napranum Alcohol Management Plan. Yours sincerely (sgd) Judy Spence MP Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy MINISTERIAL PAPER The following Ministerial paper was tabled— Minister for Local Government and Planning (Mrs J Cunningham)— Local Government Grants Commission Report 2002-03

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Schoolies Week Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.36 a.m.): We are just over three weeks away from the Gold Coast schoolies festival and indeed schoolies generally. The crowds will be bigger than ever, but the 2003 Gold Coast schoolies will be better coordinated and planned, with the biggest range of activities and entertainment. Young people are being urged to 'celebrate, watch your mate'. Organisers want schoolies week, from 21 to 30 November, to be strictly for schoolies. The people that schoolies call 'toolies' should stay well away, and so should young teens. As any parent of teenagers will understand, you need a well-organised army with a diverse range of skills to keep up with 50,000 exuberant teenagers, who this year will be coming from all states. That is why we have been planning for months. The Gold Coast schoolies week board, chaired by the Minister for Tourism and Minister for Racing and Fair Trading, Merri Rose, with Gold Coast Mayor Gary Baildon as deputy chair, is driving a plan that the government approved in May. Twenty-five state government agencies have pulled their weight. They have agreed to deploy during schoolies week the following, and I want to thank them for it. There will be 285 police—almost triple last year's police presence. There will be 175 officers from the south-east region and 110 officers from throughout the Queensland Police Service, including the Public Safety Response Team. The police will be highly visible and focus on crime prevention. They will all have crowd control training. First and foremost, we want our kids to have a safe schoolies. An ambulance station will be posted on the Esplanade at Surfers Paradise. Last year a temporary station on Cavill Avenue was dismantled every night. This year it will remain in the better location around the clock. Gold Coast community organisations will run four recharge stations, where young people can chill out and rehydrate with water or a hot drink. is funding a coordinator for the recharge stations, because they will be vital to the wellbeing of the young revellers. 4456 Ministerial Statement 29 Oct 2003

Twelve liquor licensing staff, twice as many as last year, will be on patrol from late afternoon until 6 a.m. They will target underage drinkers, including bottle shop sales to minors, and promote responsible service. The policing of irresponsible drink promotions and binge drinking will be priorities. Licensing officers have already spoken to licensees and reminded them of their obligations under the Liquor Act and of the need to have appropriate security and staff to manage patrons. They have encouraged licensees to minimise sales of alcohol in glass containers. There will be more than twice as many private security staff as last year, with more than 30 working in a central schoolies area. Teams of volunteers will be absolutely pivotal to a successful schoolies. There will be well over 1,000 at the Gold Coast. They will include about 600 volunteers in hotel chaplaincy, 400 schoolies support team volunteers, 200 Scripture Union volunteers and 100 others linked to the events coordinator, Follow Me. For the first time they will have a code of conduct and have to complete a short training course. Most of them already have blue cards but the Commissioner for Children and Young People has received about 100 applications from aspiring schoolies volunteers in recent weeks. The commission is fast-tracking these applications so that all accredited volunteers will have blue cards. For the first time, training will also be provided to accommodation managers. A training program begins tonight and I would encourage all Gold Coast providers to take advantage of it. Transport out of Surfers after the activities has also been enhanced, with new north and south loop buses and a parent pick-up point will be set up at the Cyprus Avenue car park. Conveying the message about a safe schoolies week is part and parcel of ensuring that event succeeds. Communication tools include a web site and postcards with top tips for schoolies. Forty thousand postcards are being distributed along the eastern seaboard. These will be distributed to cinemas and other outlets in south-east Queensland and in New South Wales and Victoria. Material is also being targeted at parents who have a responsibility to prepare their teenagers for this event. As I have said before, this will be tough. Some 50,000 school leavers from three states converging on the Gold Coast all at once will have a phenomenal impact on the region. By working together—that is, the government, council, businesses, the community, parents and teenagers—we can make schoolies week 2003 memorable for its safety as much as its size. I want to be very clear about this: this year's schoolies will be tough. This year we have the three states converging and it will not be easy. I expect there will be from time to time pockets of difficulties, pockets of trouble. This is simply unavoidable with a crowd of this size. I do implore people to behave themselves but have fun. Yes, there will be problems but this is the best managed schoolies we have ever been able to put together. I want to table for the House some of the brochures accompanying our campaign.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Department of Families, Web Site Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.41 a.m.): Last year the Department of Families instigated an information gateway on its web site to provide statistics and general details of its activities. It is extensive and growing. It includes figures on adoptions, child protection notifications and domestic violence orders. The information is updated regularly as part of the government's commitment to openness and accountability in child welfare. Another set of figures is now available on the Internet. For the information of members, I seek leave to have the details incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. Information on child deaths was previously published on the site as part of a report of the Child Protection Think Tank, and these figures were reproduced in the Ombudsman's Baby Kate Report. The figures from July 2002 to June 2003 are now available under publications on the website— www.families.qld.gov.au. Technical issues are being sorted out so these figures can be transferred to the Information Gateway—where they are expected to be by the end of the week. In the year from July 2001 to June 2002, 27 children and young people up to the age of 17 were recorded as having died where either they or their family were known to the Department. In the following year there were 19 deaths—11 in the first half of the financial year, and 8 in the second half. Included on the website are the age ranges, cause of death, cultural identity, gender and action taken. 29 Oct 2003 Ministerial Statement 4457

I am advised by the Families Department that there is a chance the information could change if further information becomes available. The plan is to update the information every six months. I would note that this information is now publicly available because this government set up a Review and Evaluation Branch in July of last year, to have oversight, as well as provide advice on, child death reviews.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Child Health Initiatives, Queensland Health Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.42 a.m.): While we are talking about child health initiatives, I want to talk about some of the programs in Queensland Health. The community's responsibility for children's wellbeing is shared by a number of government agencies. One of the key agencies working to improve children's lives is Queensland Health. Programs like the Early Intervention for Safe and Healthy Families Initiative have the immediate aim of safeguarding children and are also long-term investments in the health of future generations. Under the Early Intervention for Safe and Healthy Families Initiative, nurses visit the homes of expectant mothers who are living with family violence or financial stress or are at risk of postnatal depression. The program has now helped 1,982 families and the successful outcomes include 90 per cent of six-month-old babies being fully immunised, 90 per cent of families having a family doctor and parents having a better understanding of prevention of sudden infant death syndrome. Another program, Future Families, is designed for families with infants and young children where parents have mental health disorders, abuse alcohol or other substances, have physical or intellectual impairments or are violent. It aims to ensure these families have access to services that suit them best. Future Families is on trial at the Royal Children's Hospital and health services district. The child health line is a statewide 24-hour telephone line for parents wanting practical advice on issues such as crying, sleeping patterns, feeding and behavioural issues. The Riverton Early Parenting Centre has 40 beds in a community style setting for residential stay and day stay, and I have talked to Wendy Edmond, the Minister for Health, about the success of this program. People staying at Riverton have the services of child and family health specialists. The centre also has an intensive live-in program for parents who have challenging toddlers, unsettled babies, babies who cry excessively and babies who have difficulty feeding. I will summarise some other important child health programs and seek leave to have more details of these programs incorporated in Hansard for the information of members. Leave granted. Triple P Positive Parenting Program focuses on parents with children aged 18 months to eight years—because the evidence is the program works best for this age group. Young Parents' Support Program is run by non-government agencies in Cairns, Logan-Beaudesert, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast. Expanded Child Health Centres. School-Based Youth Health Nurses, who work with students aged 12 to 17 years in 241 schools. The Child Advocacy Service Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) Teams—in which medical officers play crucial roles. The Triple P—Positive Parenting Program This is a multi-level parenting support program that aims to prevent severe behavioural, emotional and developmental problems in children by enhancing the knowledge, skills and confidence of parents. Once trained and accredited, child health staff work with parents individually and in groups to impart a range of parenting skills which help parents recognise and respond to common behavioural problems and assist in building positive relationships with their children. Triple P is offered through all Queensland Health child health centres in Queensland, and is presented in a range of formats including phone consultation and self-help programs. This has been very well received with more than 192,000 families accessing positive parenting programs through Queensland Health from December 1998 to March 2003. Young Parents Support Program. The Young Parents Support Program operates from non-government agencies in Cairns, Logan-Beaudesert, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast. This program offers support to young parents and young pregnant women and aims to improve the health and well-being of young pregnant women, young parents and their children by 4458 Ministerial Statement 29 Oct 2003 increasing their access to health and other services through employing youth workers in non-government agencies. Expanded Child Health Centres. The Expanded Child Health Centre Initiative provides funding for 10 Health Service Districts to enhance the range of, and increase access to health services for infants, children and their families through improved levels of service integration and clinical partnerships in obstetric and paediatric care. The initiative aims to provide additional postnatal support including expanded home visiting services for families with high needs and improve continuity of care across inpatient and community care settings. The initiative is funded from 2000 to 2004, in the amount of $1.5M annually. School Based Youth Health Nurses Program This program is a practical example of the Government's commitment to early intervention, to take the pressure off our health system in the longer term. Labor's School Nurse Program is helping young Queenslanders make a healthy transition to adulthood. The 120 specially trained nurses are the first point of contact for students on issues such as self-esteem and mental health, body image, nutrition, smoking prevention, alcohol and drug abuse, violence, bullying, and suicide prevention. They work with students and school communities to promote good health in 241 schools across Queensland from Thursday Island to Mt Isa to Longreach to the Gold Coast. These nurses are the first point of contact for students, parents, and teachers on a range of health issues, with services provided by the SBYHN being for psychosocial issues such as body image, bullying, abuse & neglect, depression, eating disorders, stress and suicide prevention. Child Advocacy Service The Child Advocacy Service was established in the Royal Children's Hospital and Health Service District in 1999. Its roles include reorientation of health services towards prevention of child abuse, research, policy development and health practitioner education throughout Queensland. The service is responsible for the Royal Children's Hospital and Health Service District Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect Team and manages all child protection services within the District. These services include a 24-hour on-call child protection paediatric/forensic medical investigation service and health assessments for children in care. Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) Teams Queensland Health has specific roles in the prevention, identification clinical assessment, treatment and management of harm and/or significant risk of harm including participation in SCAN Teams. Medical Officers from Queensland Health are core members of the more than 30 SCAN Teams across the State. The goal of the SCAN Team system is to coordinate the government and non-government response to allegations of suspected child abuse and neglect, with the best outcome for the child as the primary focus. Department of Families has responsibility or coordination of responses to child abuse and neglect (Child Protection Act 1999). Queensland Health has an active role in the SCAN Team system at both the clinical level and at the coordination level. Coordination of the SCAN Team System is provided by the Coordinating Committee on Child Abuse (CCOCA). CCOCA is led by Department of Families with Queensland Police Service, Queensland Health and Education Queensland as core members.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Emirates Airlines Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.44 a.m.): The introduction of daily flights between Brisbane and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates will be a boost to trade and tourism in the Smart State. The Tourism Minister, Merri Rose, and I were at Brisbane international airport on Monday morning to welcome the inaugural flight from Dubai to Brisbane via Singapore. The service will bring up to 2,660 extra passengers into Brisbane every week and open up improved travel options for Queenslanders travelling to the Middle East and Europe. The Dubai-Brisbane service will continue to Auckland daily, opening up more trans-Tasman travel options. This new service could not have come at a better time for our tourism industry, which is recovering from the impact of SARS and the war in Iraq. The service will also benefit the Gold Coast, which attracts visitors from the United Arab Emirates for the annual Magic Millions thoroughbred horse sales and races. The daily service will also strengthen the trade ties which are developing between Queensland and the Middle East. In February this year I led a trade mission to the Middle East, and the Queensland government is working on establishing an official presence in the region. I met with Emirates Airlines while in Dubai, where we discussed the airline's expansion plans to Queensland. I congratulate everybody who helped make the inaugural flight to Brisbane possible. 29 Oct 2003 Ministerial Statement 4459

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Export Awards Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.45 a.m.): Exporting is a tough game. That is why I am proud of the Queensland companies which are competing successfully at a global level. They are selling the Smart State to the world, they are value adding, creating jobs and strengthening our economy. As I have said previously, exports directly account for one in five jobs in Queensland and one in four jobs in the regions. In the 12 months to December 2004, Queensland exports of goods and services generated gross revenue of $28.2 billion. Last week I was privileged to announce the winners of the 2003 Premier of Queensland's Export Awards. These awards attracted a record 179 entries, up from 125 entries last year, and I was particularly pleased to see that 137 entries this year came from regional Queensland. I seek leave to have the remainder of my statement incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The supreme award for Exporter of the Year was won by Mt Gravatt engineering firm, Heat and Control. Heat and Control designs and builds industrial food processing and packing machinery which it exports to South East Asia, Saudi Arabia and Europe. It is a world leader in its field and recently invested in a $3 million extension of its Mt Gravatt headquarters in anticipation of future export growth. Heat and Control also won the Large Advanced Manufacturer category. This year, I wanted to acknowledge the contribution our academics are making to our growing export culture. Nobel Prize Laureate, Professor Peter Doherty, was presented with a Premier's Special Award in honour of his work which has raised the Smart State's profile on the world stage. Academics like Professor Doherty are involved in some of the world's most exciting research and development projects. As a result of their discoveries and innovations, Queensland is re-inventing its traditional industries and creating new industries in fields such as biotechnology, mineral processing and information and communications technology. Tourism is one of our traditional industries but its performance in export markets has been overlooked in the past. This year, we introduced a new award to recognise the contribution the tourism industry makes to our export revenue. The inaugural Tourism export award was won by Mooloolaba aquarium operator, Oceanis Australia. Oceanis Australia has built and owns aquariums in China, Australia and Korea worth $110 million. It has begun construction on the Bangkok Aquarium in Thailand and is doing consultancy work for projects in Dubai, Paris, Istanbul and Tehran. I wish to congratulate all this year's award winners and finalists. The award winners automatically qualify for the 2003 Australian Export Awards which will be announced in Sydney on 12 November. Mr Speaker, I seek leave to table the full list of the winners and finalists in the 2003 Premier of Queensland's Export Awards. EXPORTER OF THE YEAR Heat and Control Pty Ltd Emerging Exporter Winner: Moonrocks Australia Finalists: Botanical Food Company Sam's Seafood Holdings Limited Regional Exporter of the Year Winner: Murgon Leather Co Limited Agribusiness Winner: Packer Leather Finalists: Golden Circle Limited Moonrocks Australia Arts and Entertainment Winner: Cutting Edge Post Finalists: Warner Roadshow Studios Krome Studios Pty Ltd Education Winner: Griffith University Finalists: University of Southern Queensland University 4460 Ministerial Statement 29 Oct 2003

ICT Winner: Redmap Networks Pty Ltd Finalists: Opcom Pty Ltd Insight Informatics Pty Ltd Large Advanced Manufacturer Winner: Heat and Control Pty Ltd Finalists: Nu-Lec Industries Golden Circle Limited Minerals and Energy Winner: WMC Fertilizers Finalists: Curragh Coal Sales Co Pty Ltd Sun Metals Corporation Services Winner: UniQuest Pty Ltd Finalists: Cairns Slipways Mackay Marina Pty Ltd Small to Medium Manufacturer Winner: A.I. Scientific Finalists: Jaden/Kanga Group Pty Ltd OzKleen Asia Pacific Pty Ltd Tourism Winner: Oceanis Australia Pty Ltd Finalists: Billabong Sanctuary Hamilton Island Premier's Special Award Professor Peter Doherty AC

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT La Famiglia Fine Foods Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.46 a.m.): I want to congratulate another Queensland firm which is continuing its successful drive into export markets. La Famiglia Fine Foods at Hemmant already exports garlic bread to Singapore, Hong Kong, Fiji and New Zealand. The company has now added South Korea to that list, securing its first container shipment of La Famiglia garlic bread and herb bread to that country. Recently I had the pleasure of opening La Famiglia's new manufacturing plant in Hemmant, Brisbane. I seek leave to have the remainder of my ministerial statement incorporated in Hansard for the information of the House. Leave granted In only ten years, Managing Directors Michael and Cathy Clarke have taken La Famiglia from a small company employing nine people to an international operation employing 75 people and turning over $18 million a year. La Famiglia's willingness to use the latest technology to create new and exciting products for the table, combined with their push into export markets, has turned it into a Smart State success story. I wish La Famiglia every success in the future. Mr Reeves: The winner was from the Mansfield electorate. Mr BEATTIE: Absolutely.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Indigenous Arts Marketing and Export Agency Advisory Board Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.47 a.m.): I am pleased to inform the House that a long-time advocate and champion of Queensland's indigenous arts industry will lead a campaign to raise the international profile of Queensland indigenous artists. Cabinet has approved Debra Bennet-McLean as chair of Queensland's Indigenous Arts Marketing and Export Agency Advisory Board. I seek leave to have the full details incorporated in Hansard for the benefit of members. Leave granted Ms Bennett-McLean has worked for 23 years in community and cultural development, demonstrating strong personal and professional commitments to maintaining cultural integrity. 29 Oct 2003 Ministerial Statement 4461

She has held key positions within Indigenous organisations across the State. For the past seven years she has had the State-wide brief of Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development Officer with the Queensland Community Arts Network. Her Indigenous heritage spans the Kullali, Wakka Wakka and Gubbi Gubbi clans. Ms Bennet-McLean will work with a talented, diverse team of board members. They are Mr Tiga Bayles, Mr Vic McGrath, Dr Pamela Croft, Mr Francis Tapim, Ms Jenny Pilot, Mr Shaun Kalk Edwards, Mr Michael Snelling, Mr John Armstrong and Mr James Cowan. The board is appointed for two years from 31 October. The Queensland Indigenous Arts Marketing and Export Agency, which I launched in August, has been set the ambitious target of increasing Queensland's share of the estimated $150-$300 million Indigenous art market to 25 per cent within five years. Indigenous art highlights a unique aspect of Queensland, and is a vehicle for rebuilding traditional culture and addressing social problems. Importantly, it also creates jobs and economic opportunities.For example: The Lockhart River Art Gang has injected more than $3 million into its local community since 1998. A metal sculpting project in Aurukun, which began with Government assistance in January 2002 has seen an increase from one to 15 in the number of artists working on a daily basis. You'll recall the artists exhibited works at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at the Sunshine Coast, and at the Government's Indigenous art exhibition in Berlin in October 2002 last year. The project has resulted in works worth more than $100,000 being commissioned for exhibitions in London and Melbourne. The agency's work is complemented by the Virtual-Gatherings website, which showcases more than 300 visual artists, writers and performers The Advisory Board will have a critical role in ensuring cultural integrity and issues of authenticity are at the heart of the agency's work. I commend its membership to the House.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Free Trade Agreement, Australia and Thailand Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.47 a.m.): Queensland's rural producers and automotive parts makers are set to be winners from the new free trade agreement between Australia and Thailand. Thailand has traditionally been a difficult market for Queensland exporters to penetrate due to high tariffs across-the-board and very high tariff peaks of up to 60 per cent on some products. This has created a significant price disadvantage for many Queensland products and has hampered Queensland exports to this market. We will now see more than half of Thailand's 5,000 tariffs eliminated as soon as the agreement takes hold in 2005 and virtually all remaining tariffs eliminated by 2010. This is great news for Queensland. I seek leave to have more details incorporated into Hansard for the benefit of all members. Leave granted. In the 2001-02 financial year, Queensland's exports to Thailand were worth $274 million. Given that Queensland currently accounts for about a half of Australia's meat exports to Thailand there is a clear opportunity knowing that the current export level is less than $6 million (2000-01). Mr Speaker, Thailand also has over seven million cars and trucks on the road. It is the 'automotive hub' of Asia and is on track to produce over one million vehicles per annum by 2006. This offers considerable opportunities for suppliers of automotive aftermarket accessories, tooling and components. Since June 2003, the Government has been working with a group of approximately 20 Queensland firms interested in exporting to the automotive sector in Thailand. Firms such as EGR, Five Star Tooling, Endurequip, TJM Products, and Autostrata Accessories will gain from the substantial fall in tariffs on their products. The agreement will allow experienced Queensland exporters, such as EGR, to return to a market that had previously proved too difficult because of high tariff barriers. Once full details of Thailand's tariff changes under this agreement are available, the Government will work with Queensland businesses to identify additional market opportunities in Thailand. During this process, the Government will also monitor any issues identified for Queensland firms. Food will be another prospective sector. The Government has established a productive relationship with the CP Group, one of Thailand's largest conglomerates with an annual turnover of $US11b. The CP Group has interests in food processing, aquaculture, and fast food. 4462 Ministerial Statement 29 Oct 2003

These aside it is right that through the discussions Australia stood firm maintaining Australia's high quarantine standards. Other areas to directly benefit Queensland include: ¥ Upfront tariff cuts of more than 15% for wine; ¥ Immediate elimination of Thailand's very high tariffs in grains, bakery products and processed foods; ¥ Immediate tariff elimination for metals including lead, zinc, and aluminium; and ¥ Easier access to conduct business in Thailand with a relaxation of visa and work permits In return Thailand will receive enhanced access for its textile and clothing exports and preferential access to the Australian light trucks market. In August, Queensland hosted an official visit by The Official Visit to Queensland by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand and his daughter Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha. They visited the Great Barrier Reef. His Serene Highness Prince Bhisatej Rajani, a cousin of the King of Thailand—who is also involved in a number of agricultural projects—visited Queensland in September. Prince Bhisatej Rajani met with Minister Palaszczuk. Their visits, which also included a visit to the Great Barrier Reef, reinforced the fact that there are already very strong ties between Thailand and Queensland. As I also told the Crown Prince there is great potential for collaboration between Thailand and Queensland, particularly in the biosciences and education. Already more than 900 Thai students are studying in Queensland.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Gold Coast Indy Car Grand Prix Hon. T. M. MACKENROTH (Chatsworth—ALP) (Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Sport) (9.48 a.m.): Over the weekend the Gold Coast hosted a fantastic carnival of motor racing. As Sue Lappeman of the Gold Coast Bulletin describes it, 'schoolies week for oldies'. The Lexmark Indy 300 is one of Queensland's premier annual events but after Sunday I think we could rightly argue that it is one of the best motor sport events in the world. I know that is certainly the view of the new owners of championship auto racing teams. I had the pleasure of meeting two of the three new owners, Kevin Kalkhoven and Paul Gentilozzi, during the week and they both expressed their strong support for the event, describing it as the 'jewel in the crown' of the series. This year it was another wonderful four days of on-track and off-track entertainment. Congratulations must go to rookie Ryan Hunter-Reay for conquering the famous Surfers Paradise circuit and taking out the champ car race. In 13 years of Indy we have now had 13 different winners—a remarkable record. Placegetters Darren Manning and also deserve our plaudits for their wonderful efforts. To culminate a great day, from Canada wrapped up the Vanderbilt Cup, his first Championship. Congratulations also to Russell Ingall on winning the Gillette V8 Super Car challenge, runner-up Greg Murphy and third placegetter Mark Skaife. The Indy Carnival powered into a new era this year. Individual attendance figures were 53,287 on Thursday, 60,874 on Friday, 83,913 on Saturday and 108,110 on Sunday. We smashed the previous crowd record and passed the elusive 300,000 milestone over the four days—306,184 to be precise—and gave the new race series owners every reason to feel confident in the future of this spectacular event. Indy's phenomenal drawing power can be attributed to a range of factors, not least of which is the fantastic line-up of races dominated by the champ cars and the V8 Supercars. When you can secure the cream of motor racing the fans are sure to follow. I want to thank Championship Auto Racing Teams and AVESCO for their unwavering support for the event. Private sector investment is also needed and this is where highly valued sponsors such as Lexmark and Acer come in. This was the first Indy with Lexmark as naming rights sponsor and they could not have signed on at a better time with the event going from strength to strength. I would also like to pay tribute to the 1,500 volunteers who donated their time and effort once again to ensure that Indy ran like clockwork. Without them Indy simply would not have been possible. To all of them I give a heartfelt thank-you. Finally, it is worth remembering that the state government's continued support and investment is another key to the success we are currently enjoying. Without our support we would not have an event that pumps well over $50 million into the state economy each year. Without 29 Oct 2003 Ministerial Statement 4463 our support we would not have the Gold Coast beamed to hundreds of millions of people world wide, capturing international exposure money cannot buy. This government's support for Indy will not falter. That is why I signed a contract earlier this year which will see it staged on the Gold Coast until at least 2008. It is a wonderful event that delivers many, many benefits to our state and one the Beattie government is proud to support.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Cooler Schools Program Hon. A. M. BLIGH (South Brisbane—ALP) (Minister for Education) (9.52 a.m.): The latest round of the state government's popular Cooler Schools Program is well under way. All 99 state schools in the eligibility zone that applied for the program were approved. While two schools have subsequently withdrawn their applications, this leaves 97 state schools set to have cooler classrooms in the hottest months thanks to an additional $27 million investment from the state government. These state school projects will be completed in stages. Some 22 school projects in Cairns, Townsville and Mackay are currently in the construction phase. I am pleased to advised that they will be completed in time for the start of the school year next January. The remaining 75 state schools are currently in the planning and tendering phases and are also due for completion later next year. In September last year the state government allocated an additional $17 million to extend the Cooler Schools Program for state schools into the 2003-04 financial year. This was supplemented by a further commitment of $10 million in May this year. I am also pleased to advise the House that temperatures are set to drop at 37 non-state schools within the zone, with $1.626 million in state government funding for airconditioning as part of an additional $2.7 million in total to be provided to the independent and Catholic schools sector under this program this year. Non-state school students in the hottest parts of Queensland can look forward to a cool change next year. The airconditioners will provide students and staff with a cooler, more comfortable environment during Queensland's hottest months. The Cooler Schools subsidy scheme for the non-state schools is administered by the Independent Schools of Queensland Block Grant Authority and the Queensland Catholic Capital Assistance Authority. These authorities make recommendations about which non-state schools should receive funding, and how much, under the program. I am pleased to advise that I recently approved 52 non-state school projects which had been recommended by these grants authorities. All state schools located in the program's agreed zone are eligible for a maximum subsidy for airconditioning of $4 for every $1 raised by the school. To date, more than $162 million has been allocated and spent for state and non-state school airconditioning programs across the state. Some $129 million of that money has come from the Beattie Labor government. We are meeting our commitment to provide cool relief to schools in the hottest parts of Queensland.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Young Artists Mentoring Program Hon. M. J. FOLEY (Yeerongpilly—ALP) (Minister for Employment, Training and Youth and Minister for the Arts) (9.54 a.m.): For young people, finding a pathway to work in the arts industry can be a tricky business, hence the really useful Young Artists Mentoring Program. I can inform the House today that through Arts Queensland $125,000 will be provided for that program in 2004. A further $60,000 from the Breaking the Unemployment Cycle initiative through the Department of Employment and Training will mean that the number of young people able to take part in next year's program will increase from 10 to 15. This groundbreaking initiative supports young people aged 18 to 25 in making the transition from training and education to developing and establishing a professional career. For instance, 90 per cent of the 48 past participants are now involved in full-time employment or continuing education in the arts and cultural industries. Managed by Youth Arts Queensland, a community organisation, this program teams successful applicants with industry professionals in a formal mentoring relationship. Mentorees have gone on to gain full-time employment in the arts industry. Leticia Caceres is one of the many success stories of YAMP who, at the age of 25, is now 4464 Ministerial Statement 29 Oct 2003 associate director at the Queensland Theatre Company. It followed a nine-month mentorship through the Young Artists Mentoring Program with artistic director of the QTC, Michael Gow. Annette Turner is the director of the Logan Art Gallery. Employed in 2001 at the age of 26, Annette was the youngest director of a regional art gallery in Queensland. Annette was mentored by Glen Lampard in developing action plans for the Caloundra Regional Art Gallery. Pathways like this are what this government is committed to providing for young Queenslanders.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Breast Cancer Day Hon. W. M. EDMOND (Mount Coot-tha—ALP) (Minister for Health and Minister Assisting the Premier on Women's Policy) (9.56 a.m.): Today is Breast Cancer Day. At lunchtime I will be attending the 2003 Australia's Breast Cancer Day Luncheon hosted by Queensland Women in the Public Service and the Queensland Health BreastScreen Queensland program. The annual luncheon is supported by the Queensland Cancer Fund, and I am delighted to be giving the closing address. I will be sharing the podium with guest speaker Dr Gino Pecoraro, a gynaecologist who also writes for a number of women's magazines, including New Idea. Also, mother Helen Ross and her daughter Jenny Wilson will be sharing their experiences about the effect a diagnosis of breast cancer has had on their family. Helen Ross is a breast cancer survivor who now uses her experience to help other women diagnosed with breast cancer in her role as a breast cancer support volunteer with the Queensland Cancer Fund. I have spoken many times about the importance of regular breast screening for women aged 50 to 69, and I am very concerned that recent research from the BreastScreen Queensland program indicates that not all women are heeding the breast screening message. Many working women are disadvantaged when it comes to their health because of the multitude of demands on their time in coping with work, family and household responsibilities. It leaves very little time to address seemingly non-urgent tasks such as their own health. To help these busy women, BreastScreen Queensland services have offered increased after-hours services and Saturday appointments during October. People may wonder why I keep stressing the early detection message. Well, the statistics speak for themselves. In the year 2000, 412 Queensland women died from breast cancer and more than 2,100 were found to have the disease. As breast cancer is still the most common cancer diagnosed among Queensland women and the most common cause of cancer death among Queensland women, I urge all members to remind their loved ones to have a breast screen, particularly if they are between 50 and 69 years of age, because the single biggest risk factor is being a woman over 50.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Schoolies Week Hon. T. McGRADY (Mount Isa—ALP) (Minister for Police and Corrective Services and Minister Assisting the Premier on the Carpentaria Minerals Province) (9.58 a.m.): As the Premier has mentioned, schoolies week 2003 is anticipated to be the biggest ever, with an expected record number of school leavers flocking to the Gold Coast. Extensive planning has gone into this event to ensure that a safe and enjoyable time is had by all. In addition to the organisation of the schoolies events undertaken by the Schoolies Week Board, the Queensland Police Service has undertaken significant planning for the policing of this year's Gold Coast schoolies week. A police commander and project coordinator have both been appointed to undertake police planning. Both officers have previous experience in policing events in Surfers Paradise, including Schoolies. The central focus of policing operations is the maintenance of a high-profile police presence during the event to help ensure public safety. Police numbers will certainly be increased. Some 175 police from the south-eastern region will police the event. They will be supported by 110 extra police from various support areas throughout the Police Service, including the Public Safety Response Team. During the event resources are also being provided from Operations Support Command, State Crime Operations Command and some other regions. Rostering over this period will be carefully coordinated to ensure that normal policing activities will not be compromised. 29 Oct 2003 Ministerial Statement 4465

During CHOGM last year roughly half the police officers in the state were tasked to police the event, with rosters and leave arrangements organised to ensure that nowhere in the state suffered. Crime did not rise and community safety was not compromised during this event. I am not suggesting schoolies week is anywhere near that scale, but this indicates that for special events policing is organised so that nowhere else in the state suffers. Police have researched the problems, issues and trends associated with previous schoolies weeks in order to develop the best possible response. Extra training in crowd control and a public safety plan have been developed.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Public Transport Hon. S. D. BREDHAUER (Cook—ALP) (Minister for Transport and Minister for Main Roads) (10.01 a.m.): As south-east Queensland grows, one of our biggest challenges is to continue to get people out of their cars and on to public transport. The Beattie Government is rising to this task. The South East Busway has played a very significant role in contributing to increased public transport use, with patronage up by over 80 per cent in the first two years of operation. Mr Reeves: Got one here today. Mr BREDHAUER: The No. 1 ticket holder and fan of the busway, the member for Mansfield, caught the bus to parliament today. He has been a great advocate. In May this year we once again conducted an annual survey of people living near the South East Busway. Some 2,500 surveys were distributed. The results were a strong endorsement of the Beattie government's decision to deliver world-class transport infrastructure. Of the almost 1,500 surveys returned, one in two respondents said they had increased their level of bus travel in the past 12 months. Forty per cent of respondents said they now choose to use the busway for trips they would previously have made by private car or motorcycle. Two-thirds of those surveyed with access to a private or company car have reduced their reliance on that car, instead frequently opting to use the busway for local travel or travel to the city. More than two-thirds of respondents said their travel time was reduced by using the busway. In fact, faster and more convenient travel was one of the most significant advantages cited by respondents for their use of the busway. Overall, the busway received an average four out of five rating. Interestingly, those surveyed indicated a desire for a system that was better connected with other modes of travel and had better access to concessions, which is exactly what TransLink will deliver when it commences on 1 July 2004. As everyone in this House knows, TransLink will operate as a regional transit authority and ensure that the majority of services are cheaper, better connected, and concessions are common across the services of all 18 operators in south-east Queensland. Also commencing operation next year will be the $135 million Inner Northern Busway, designed to quickly and efficiently transfer people from the city to the Royal Brisbane Hospital. South-east Queenslanders are voting with their feet, proving that where public transport is high-quality, effective, efficient and fast people will catch it. The Beattie government will continue to work at providing infrastructure and services that are truly world class.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Bushfires Hon. D. M. WELLS (Murrumba—ALP) (Minister for Environment) (10.03 a.m.): This year we have a high fire danger season. Some of the recent rain has helped to ease weather conditions. The state government has initiated a number of proactive measures in preparation for the forthcoming fire season. Over winter approximately 800 kilometres of high priority firebreaks were upgraded on and adjacent to parks and forests. These comprise over 30 individual projects, spreading from Cape York to the near urban outskirts of Brisbane. Some 750,000 hectares of service lands are planned for controlled burns during 2003-04. We are on track and we are on schedule, and will remain so, weather conditions permitting. To date, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service staff have responded to some 63 wildfires on and adjoining its estate, affecting about 60,000 hectares of protected area and forest lands. 4466 Ministerial Statement 29 Oct 2003

The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service planned burns occurred primarily along the populated coastal strip and included Queensland border ranges, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast hinterlands, Brisbane Forest Park, the and Townsville areas, Cairns coastal hillsides and coastal islands. The Parks and Wildlife Service works closely with community members, traditional owners, owners of adjacent properties and with other management agencies such as the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service. The level of cooperation between my department and that of the Minister for Emergency Services is unprecedented. He and I worked out that by working together we would be able to proactively burn areas closer to human settlement than it would be safe for my rangers to do without assistance and consequently we have been able to remove some fire threats that would otherwise have existed over this forthcoming summer. As a result, joint exercises were recently carried out at Brisbane Forest Park, Samford and The Gap to enhance cooperative fire arrangements. Over 100 firefighters and support staff participated in the exercise. An independent review of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service operational fire management procedures by the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service has been completed and the recommendations are being implemented. Comprehensive fire strategies are also being prepared for areas where management issues have been identified, such as Bribie Island. Mrs Carryn Sullivan: Hear, hear! Mr WELLS: I thank the honourable member for Pumicestone, whose representations provided valuable information. This management plan has recently been released for public comment. The final strategy will be the basis for all fire management activities on 12,500 hectares of land on Bribie Island, including national park, proposed national park, pine plantation, council reserves and some freehold land. Bushfires are a natural part of the Australian landscape and nobody can completely prevent them, but we can take the necessary steps available to be well prepared. Over the winter season this government has done more proactive wildfire prevention work than ever before.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Crisis Accommodation Hon. R. E. SCHWARTEN (Rockhampton—ALP) (Minister for Public Works and Minister for Housing) (10.07 a.m.): In recent years homelessness has escalated as the property boom continues to squeeze the most marginal people in our community out of the private rental sector. This means that many people currently in crisis and transitional housing are no longer using this accommodation as a temporary solution but are forced to stay there because they cannot find somewhere affordable to rent, even with Commonwealth rent assistance. The end result is that this creates an even greater need for crisis accommodation in our community. The state government is responding to this growing demand for crisis housing in various ways. Even faced with the pressure of federal funding cuts, in this year's state budget a record $45 million has been allocated for crisis and transitional accommodation assistance. In addition to this, the Department of Housing, along with other government agencies and at a local level with councils and community housing organisations, has developed new and innovative ways to boost the supply of crisis housing. I am pleased to announce today that I have signed a new joint partnership agreement between the Department of Housing and the Brisbane City Council to deliver additional crisis accommodation. Through the agreement the state government will provide capital grants for the Brisbane City Council to upgrade surplus council-owned properties to be used for crisis and transitional accommodation. The Department of Housing will also share its expertise in sourcing community based housing organisations which have a demonstrated commitment to assisting people in housing crisis to manage the properties. Already the Brisbane City Council has made 14 properties available for the joint partnership in Nundah, Red Hill, Bracken Ridge, Bald Hills, Wakerley and Newstead. Today I have approved an initial $100,000 to commence the first upgrades. This funding is to be provided to respond to high priority demand. In Brisbane this is most likely to assist young people and people with disabilities. This partnership agreement with the Brisbane City Council is an excellent example of the smart solutions the state government is supporting to make a real difference to the lives of the most vulnerable people in our community. 29 Oct 2003 Ministerial Statement 4467

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Natural Disaster Relief, Gold Coast Hon. J. C. SPENCE (Mount Gravatt—ALP) (Minister for Families and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Minister for Disability Services and Minister for Seniors) (10.09 a.m.): I would like to commend all those services and organisations, including Q-Build, involved in helping Gold Coast residents whose homes were damaged by Sunday's severe hailstorm. The speedy and coordinated response will, I am sure, help in the recovery. That team effort is obvious at the storm damage help centre, which opened at the Tugun Community Centre at 9 a.m. yesterday. Eight Department of Families' officers have been working alongside staff from the community centre, Lifeline, Centrelink, the Gold Coast City Council and a representative from the insurance industry. Fifty people visited the centre yesterday; many were visibly upset. Being forced out of your home because it is uninhabitable is naturally distressing and some people are now staying with family and friends or have booked into a motel. Our officers will help them work through any accommodation needs with the Gold Coast District Combined Disaster Committee and the Local Counter-Disaster Committee. Almost all of the storm victims who were seen yesterday needed urgent financial assistance, which my department is providing under the joint Commonwealth and state natural disaster relief arrangements. My colleague the Minister for Emergency Services, Mike Reynolds, signed off on that yesterday. Individuals can access immediate payments of up to $150 and families up to $700. So far we have paid about $4,000 to help people buy necessities such as food, clothing and medication. We expect that figure to escalate as people become aware of the support we are offering. Further financial help is also available under certain circumstances. The Department of Families can help with the replacement of essential home contents and repairs to property when insurance does not cover the loss. Individuals could receive up to $1,400 for household contents and $8,800 for repairs, while couples or families who qualify can receive up to $4,300 for contents and $11,800 for repairs. Those payments are means tested based on income and assets. Each case will be considered on its merits. The centre will operate for as long as there is a demand for assistance. During working hours it is taking calls to the disaster recovery freecall number. Already there have been 25 calls. After hours the number will be diverted to Crisis Care. I understand about 15 people who telephoned the centre through the disaster recovery number have not been able to come in, so our officers are planning to visit them today. It is too early to provide an accurate figure on the number of people who need financial help or how much the storm will cost those people, although it is estimated private properties across south-east Queensland sustained more than $8 million worth of damage.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Schoolies Week Hon. M. ROSE (Currumbin—ALP) (Minister for Tourism and Racing and Minister for Fair Trading) (10.12 a.m.): Gold Coast schoolies week 2003 will be the best coordinated, the best resourced and will offer the biggest range of activities and entertainment ever. The primary focus of our coordination of the event is safety, and the Premier has already detailed our plans in that regard. Government agencies, the Gold Coast City Council and community organisations are putting the finishing touches to their operational plans, with rapid progress being achieved through the regular regional managers' forums. Events coordinator, Michael Cowdroy, recently outlined his plans to the Schoolies Board, and I will soon be able to announce details of the exciting program for the official schoolies period, 21 to 30 November. The schoolies site plan includes two stages on Surfers beach and a giant screen for films, the event headquarters, recharge stations, triage and communications areas. Next week I will be inspecting the main entertainment area to ensure there is adequate lighting. I will be taking recommendations to next week's Schoolies Board meeting. We are planning an official opening and closing. There will be plenty of activities, day and night—with more emphasis this year on day-time activities. We continue to work with stakeholders, seeking their input and keeping them informed about preparations and our plans for the period. Schoolies week 2003 will be better resourced than in previous years. Importantly, there will be more support networks for the schoolies. 4468 Ministerial Statement 29 Oct 2003

The Office of Fair Trading has also been working to smooth the way for a better relationship between schoolies and unit managers. Last year there were reports about unfair house rules being imposed on schoolies and Fair Trading received a number of complaints as a result. Fair Trading is conducting a series of information sessions for unit managers in the lead-up to schoolies week. The first is scheduled for tonight. A second will be held tomorrow and the final session on 12 November. The sessions were aimed at providing advice to unit managers on avoiding or resolving schoolies week accommodation issues. We want to ensure apartment managers and schoolies have a sound understanding of their rights and obligations to minimise conflict about accommodation during schoolies week. I urge all apartment managers to ensure they are aware of their obligations before schoolies week, particularly when it comes to having a complaints handling procedure in place. They have to treat tenants fairly, just as their tenants—the schoolies—have a responsibility to conduct themselves in a manner which does not cause distress or inconvenience to others. We know we face a huge challenge with an estimated 50,000 schoolies from Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria there at the same time, but we are doing everything possible to make it the best and safest schoolies yet.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Indigenous Land Use Agreement, Etheridge Shire Hon. S. ROBERTSON (Stretton—ALP) (Minister for Natural Resources and Minister for Mines) (10.15 a.m.): This is an historic day for Queensland's use of negotiated agreements to resolve native title issues associated with town expansion and land dealings in rural Queensland. I have just signed an indigenous land use agreement that provides for the surrender of native title over the township reserves of Georgetown, Einasleigh, Forsayth and Mount Surprise in the Etheridge shire of far-north Queensland. This agreement is the first of its kind in Australia addressing native title over a number of towns within a shire. Parties to this historic agreement are the Ewamian, Etheridge Shire Council and the state government. The ILUA will be lodged this week for registration with the national Native Title Tribunal. Part of the state's commitments under this agreement will be the creation of reserves for Aboriginal and cultural purposes in Mount Surprise, Einasleigh and Forsayth. It is significant to note that it was the Ewamian people who initiated these discussions in order to support the local development opportunities in the towns, to foster the working relationships with Etheridge Shire Council and the state, and to maximise opportunities for Ewamian people to access their traditional land. The Ewamian people, who live away from their traditional country, regularly travel to Etheridge shire and it has been long identified that having particular lands available would support this practice. The Ewamian people are to be commended for taking the initiative and making this significant step toward resolving native title issues over towns in Queensland. The benefit provided to Etheridge shire and the state is that native title will not be an issue for future development within the town reserves. There are a number of dealings that can now be progressed as a result of this agreement. Both the Ewamian people and the Etheridge Shire Council recognise the benefit of settling a number of negotiations into the one process, that is, to save having to address native title each time a particular dealing is proposed over a town reserve. The Ewamian people and Etheridge Shire Council are currently engaged in discussions regarding the balance of the shire, and I encourage those discussions. One of the main advantages of a negotiated outcome of this kind is that it is possible for all parties to identify their key objectives and to see them achieved. There is also considerable time and expense savings in comparison to achieving a resolution solely through the court-driven native title determination process. The agreement is an example of the flexible approach taken by the Beattie government to resolving native title issues and its responsiveness to the initiatives of indigenous parties and the needs of rural and remote area towns. The goodwill shown by all those involved in the negotiations was key to achieving these outcomes, and I take this opportunity to thank the efforts of the parties to this historic agreement: the Ewamian people, the Ewamian Aboriginal Corporation, the Etheridge Shire Council and the North Queensland Land Council. 29 Oct 2003 Notice of Motion 4469

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Security Improvement Program Hon. N. I. CUNNINGHAM (—ALP) (Minister for Local Government and Planning) (10.18 a.m.): Queensland residents are entitled to feel safe in their communities and, as part of the Beattie government's anticrime and counter-terrorism approach to community security, I recently announced a new round of funding offers from our Security Improvement Program. In this round I have offered subsidies worth $1.9 million to 30 local governments for 44 projects worth $3.8 million. This program specifically helps local governments to reduce or prevent crime through investment in enhanced security infrastructure and facilities in public places, such as better security lighting at council owned airports, in parks and around public toilets and surveillance cameras in CBDs. The Security Improvement Program subsidies to Queensland cities and towns complement the funding recently announced by the Premier to fight terrorism at the local government level and is making a real difference to the lives of residents in communities right around the state. Since 1998 the Beattie government has allocated over $10 million to councils statewide through the Security Improvement Program, which is administered by my department. Through this program, local governments can access a subsidy of up to 60 per cent of the cost of providing or planning for security infrastructure. In preparing their applications, local governments are encouraged to utilise two important strategies to address the objectives of the Security Improvement Program. The first is crime prevention through environmental design, sometimes called 'Safer by design', which focuses on changing the way we view both the existing environment and the way we plan the built environment. The second is safety audits which focus on making changes to the existing built environment. Under the Security Improvement Program, councils are provided with assistance to make their communities safe and secure environments in which to live. I encourage councils to take advantage of this program. The next round of funding applications will be invited in April 2004.

SITTING HOURS; ORDER OF BUSINESS Hon. A. M. BLIGH (South Brisbane—ALP) (Leader of the House) (10.20 a.m.), by leave, without notice: I move— That notwithstanding anything contained in the standing and sessional orders for this day's sitting the House can continue to meet past 7.30 p.m. Private members' motions will be debated between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. The House can then break for dinner and resume its sitting at 8.30 p.m. The order of business shall then be government business followed by a 30-minute adjournment debate. Motion agreed to.

NOTICE OF MOTION Health Committee Mr WELLINGTON (Nicklin—Ind) (10.20 a.m.): I move— 1. That this House resolves to recommend to the 51st Parliament that it establishes a new committee to be known as the health committee; 2. That the committee initially be a select committee with terms of reference to be responsible for monitoring, reviewing and reporting to the House on the operation of the state's health system including: (a) the operation of the state's hospitals, medical facilities and health programs; (b) the operation of departments and agencies, both state and local government, responsible for implementing health policies and funding health initiatives; (c) the impact of local, state and Commonwealth government policies and arrangements on the delivery of funding and the delivery of services at state and local levels; 3. That the committee membership consist of three government and three non-government members; 4. That the committee be an authorised committee within the meaning of the Act 2001 and be authorised to call for persons, documents and things; 5. That consideration be given to funding the committee by reducing the number of members on each statutory select committee from seven to six, the legislative amendments required, and an allocation of modest supplementary funding. 4470 Private Members' Statements 29 Oct 2003

NOTICE OF MOTION Sessional Orders, Whistleblowers Mr SPRINGBORG (Southern Downs—NPA) (Leader of the Opposition) (10.22 a.m.): I give notice that I will move— That this parliament amends the sessional orders to prohibit members of parliament from naming or otherwise identifying a person whose identity is protected pursuant to the Whistleblowers Protection Act 1994.

NOTICE OF MOTION Order of Business Hon. K. R. LINGARD (Beaudesert—NPA) (10.22 a.m.): I give notice that I shall move— That the Sessional Orders be amended to provide that the order of business for each sitting day up to the commencement of Question Time be as follows— 9.30 a.m.-10.10 a.m.— Prayers Messages from the Governor Matters of Privilege Speaker's Statements Motions of Condolence Petitions Notification and tabling of papers by the Clerk Ministerial Papers Ministerial Notices of Motion Government Business Notices of Motion Ministerial Statements Any other Government Business 10.10 a.m.-10.30 a.m.— Personal Explanations Reports Notice of Motion for debate from 6pm to 7pm on Wednesday Private Members' Bills Debating of Committee Reports on each Thursday Private Members' Statements, during which Members may speak on any subject 2 minutes 10.30 a.m.—11.30 a.m.— Question Time.

PRIVATE MEMBERS' STATEMENTS Ethanol Honourable members interjected. Mr SPRINGBORG (Southern Downs—NPA) (Leader of the Opposition) (10.23 a.m.): This is a very, very unusual occasion. Honourable members interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The House will come to order. Mr SPRINGBORG: Probably 20 seconds of my much anticipated two minutes has gone. Last week I was very concerned to learn that the federal Labor Party was planning, if it wins government, to axe the grants scheme that exists for encouraging the development of a domestic ethanol industry. I think that this is bad policy and a policy that would disadvantage Queensland the most. Today, my call is for the Premier to have a bipartisan approach to the development of the domestic ethanol industry. Previously he has put forward the point that he believes that we need to develop an ethanol industry in this state. But I would say that we need to nail the situation where his actions match his words on this matter. He has previously expressed the desire that we should go towards a mandate, even though the government has voted against that in this parliament. The Premier knows full well, as do members of the government, that a renewable fuels industry is vitally important to this state. We have to work together on this. Today, my call on the Premier is for him to contact Simon Crean and for him to say to Simon Crean that this proposal is not on. Further to that, I am offering the Premier an opportunity for me to go to Canberra with him 29 Oct 2003 Private Members' Statements 4471 and to talk to Simon Crean about this matter, because I believe that it is an issue that is vitally important. Government members interjected. Mr SPRINGBORG: The honourable members opposite can carry on all they want, but the ethanol industry is important. The coalition in this state is not going to stand by and allow the federal Labor Party, with a compliant state Labor government, to torpedo an industry that is vital for the future of this state, canegrowers and people who live in rural communities that need diversity. Also, renewable fuels and the enhancement of the environment are things that cannot be underestimated from the development of an ethanol industry— Time expired.

Metro Arts; Arts Business Incubator Program Ms LIDDY CLARK (Clayfield—ALP) (10.25 a.m.): A dynamic business initiative is happening down the street from this House. Metro Arts, which is located in Edward Street, is a creative enterprise hub supporting creative and professional practice for entrepreneurial artists and arts groups linking the community, business and government. Commencing in 2004, Metro Arts will be launching an exciting business model for emerging arts entrepreneurs—the Arts Business Incubator Program. Participants in the incubator will be given the opportunity to explore and develop viable models for sustaining their career objectives. The incubator will also provide a framework for brokering creativity to the community, the business sector and to government agencies. Driven by Metro Arts CEO Sue Benner and her extraordinary board, the incubator will offer participants in the program a range of services that include low-cost rental space and access to office resources as well as physical resources. Participants in the incubation program will be able to tap into an extensive range of coaching programs and mentoring opportunities. Some of the programs will be provided by agencies such as the Australian Institute of Management, Arts Training Queensland and the Department of Employment and Training. Other assistance and mentorships will be available through organisations that are already tenants at Metro Arts, including Arts/Law and the Queensland Writers Centre. It is most extraordinary that Metro Arts beat Griffith University to secure $500,000 in Commonwealth funding for three years. That puts the arts sector in a strong position to be recognised as a viable industry in supporting artists to achieve their creative business goals. Opposition members interjected. Ms LIDDY CLARK: If it works for the arts, it is fantastic. Ultimately, it will provide economic benefit to the state through its arts and cultural industry. I commend Sue, her staff and the board for pioneering one of the most interesting and significant developments in the new creative industries in this country. Anything to help the arts!

Low-Care Aged Facility, Gold Coast Mr BELL (Surfers Paradise—Ind) (10.27 a.m.): It is said that timing is everything in politics and it is well known that we are now at a time leading up to an election. About a year ago I presented to this House 27,000 signatures requesting the establishment of the state government run low-care aged facility on the Gold Coast. We have many fine private and church facilities with, of course, not enough beds for the burgeoning population. But for most of these, except for a very small percentage prescribed by government regulation, a large up-front payment of capital is required by those seeking beds. There are very few facilities for those who do not have the capital but who wish to access a low-care aged facility bed. I am no particular friend of the federal government. Indeed, the Santo Santoro faction of the Liberal Party is endeavouring to unseat me in the seat of Surfers Paradise. But in fairness to the local federal members, I must say that I have been given great encouragement. If the state government put in an application for a low-care aged facility on the Gold Coast, it would get a licence with ongoing per capita operating funding. There is a community expectation on this matter. The minister's response to the petition was that the government has no plans at this stage for such a facility on the Gold Coast. I am encouraged by the qualification 'at this stage'. Of course, since the minister's response there have been great changes to St Vincent's Hospital at Robina. I do not know how the beds are being 4472 Questions Without Notice 29 Oct 2003 fully utilised at the moment, but there may well be an opportunity to have an aged care facility included there. I believe that there is a community expectation—indeed, I know that there is a community expectation—in the lead-up to the next election that the government will find some money and will be prepared to make an application in its name for a government run low-care aged facility.

Doctors for the Bush Program Mrs CHRISTINE SCOTT (Charters Towers—ALP) (10.29 a.m.): Today, I would like to tell the parliament about a very special person from an extraordinary region in Queensland. I want to tell members about a success story of Queensland's innovative Doctors for the Bush program. There have been quite a number of success stories associated with this scheme, but this is one of those stories which is very close to my heart. Richmond is a small town in the west of my electorate. Like rural communities all over Australia, it has suffered from population drift over the years. As the population goes, so do the services, and many small communities are doing it tough. It is difficult to attract health professionals to the bush, which is why programs set up to help attract these people to our rural and remote areas are vital. South African born doctor Brian Connors arrived in Richmond several years ago under the Doctors for the Bush program, and the people of Richmond immediately took him to their hearts. This does not surprise me because I, too, have always found the Richmond area to be very friendly and supportive. Dr Connors is the director of medical services at the Richmond Hospital with the right of practice within the Richmond shire, but he has become so respected in the region that patients travel from far and wide to receive the benefits of his care. Dr Connors has become known in his community as a caring and diligent health professional who knows his stuff. He is the type of doctor we all look for when we are ill—a no-nonsense professional with first-class credentials who also shows compassion for his patients. Richmond is an example of what can be achieved in rural communities if you have a dedicated doctor and committed staff. Of course, there must be the facilities in place to allow the doctor and staff to work to their full potential. So it is great for the town of Richmond and the surrounding district that a new clinic is being built in the town by Queensland Health. This new clinic is still in the design stage and has the approximate budget of a quarter of a million dollars. Dr Connors has been included in discussions with Queensland Health on design progress. The provision of adequate health care and educational opportunities are two of the most crucial foundation stones upon which our society is built. This government can be justly proud of our record on both. I would like to call on the members of this House to join with me— Time expired. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The time for private members' statements has expired.

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Government Advertising; Auditor-General Mr SPRINGBORG (10.30 a.m.): My question is addressed to the Premier. Mr Mickel: Ask about Heiner. Mr SPRINGBORG: The Auditor-General— Mr Beattie: I am ready when you are, Lawrence. Mr SPRINGBORG: I will start again to give the Premier time to regain his composure. If the member for Logan settles down, we will be right. The Auditor-General has indicated his support for my proposal that the Premier provide the parliament with a month-by-month breakdown of the cost of government advertising in the lead- up to an election. Given that the next state election is only a matter of months away, will the Premier stop hiding the cost of his taxpayer funded advertising campaigns? Mr BEATTIE: I had a funny feeling that this question was going to come today, because yesterday the Leader of the Opposition leaked a letter he had received from the Auditor-General to the Courier-Mail. I do not know what comments the Auditor-General made at the time. Let me 29 Oct 2003 Questions Without Notice 4473 be very clear about this. My government is up front. Whenever people see advertisements they know exactly where we are. We have never hidden it. My only point— A government member interjected. Mr BEATTIE: That is right. We have not had Santo Santoro or any of my ministers in television ads. Let me make a very serious point, because I want to be understood in terms of what my government will do. I would be absolutely delighted if the Auditor-General wants to report to the parliament on a month-by-month basis—he should do it—in relation to advertising from my government, provided that what he does is compare our expenditure with the month-to-month expenditure of the Borbidge government, of which the Leader of the Opposition was a minister, in the lead-up to the 1998 election. I absolutely believe in accountability. As members can see from the letter I tabled in the House this morning— Opposition members interjected. Mr BEATTIE: I say to those opposite: it is your question time and I am happy to give you an answer. I have tabled my letter to the Auditor-General, which I wrote in response to the letter he wrote to me. I also tabled the letter that I wrote to him today. I would be absolutely delighted if the Auditor-General reported here, provided there is a period of comparison. An opposition member interjected. Mr BEATTIE: We have to be fair about this. Mr Springborg interjected. Mr BEATTIE: The Opposition Leader should not rattle on. I issue him with a challenge. Is he happy for the Auditor-General to report on a month-to-month basis on my government compared to the last government, of which he was a member? Is he agreed? He does not want to do it. Why does he not want to do it? The Australian Broadcasting Authority found that about $7 million worth of ads placed by the Borbidge government, of which Mr Springborg was a minister, were political. After an investigation, the Australian Broadcasting Authority found that five of six Queensland government advertisements broadcast between November 1997 and May 1998 constituted political matter and should have been tagged. The advertisements were broadcast on Queensland commercial television stations. They covered hospital waiting lists, education, police staffing and funding and the Pacific Highway. The Leader of the Opposition should pay the money back.

Auditor-General Mr SPRINGBORG: My second question is also addressed to the Premier. I refer to the Premier's letter to the Auditor-General tabled earlier in this House. Is this the kind of intimidation anyone who questions this government's conduct can expect from the Premier? Mr BEATTIE: If the Leader of the Opposition wants an answer I will give him one. I am accountable to this parliament. Mr Springborg: So is the Auditor-General. Mr BEATTIE: Does the member want an answer or does he just want to be rude? Mr Springborg: You have never given one yet, but anyway. Mr BEATTIE: The Opposition Leader reminds me of the character in Monty Python and the Holy Grail—the one who lost his arms and then his legs and at the end was going to try to bite somebody. Mr Matt Foley: 'Just a flesh wound.' Mr BEATTIE: 'Just a flesh wound.' I love these questions. The Opposition Leader has to do this every day. I love it! I am simply advising the parliament quite appropriately of a communication that I had with the Auditor-General. The Leader of the Opposition wants it both ways. He snuck around trying to intimidate the Auditor-General to pursue this matter. When he gets a reply from the Auditor- General what does he do? He sneaks it out to the Courier-Mail. When I replied I tabled the letter I had written to the Auditor-General. I am seriously concerned. I do not want to see the Leader of the Opposition politicise the office of the Auditor-General. That is what I am concerned about. 4474 Questions Without Notice 29 Oct 2003

Unless there is a comparison between the expenditure of my government and that of the Borbidge government, indeed this will be a political reporting and nothing else. It will be political. What the Leader of the Opposition wants to do is play politics, but when he gets caught out he does not like it. Mr Springborg interjected. Mr BEATTIE: The Leader of the Opposition should stop bellyaching for a minute and let me ask him a serious question. Mr Hobbs: We ask the questions; you give us the answers. Mr BEATTIE: I give the answer. That is right. We have to ask one simple question here. Why will he not support a month-to-month comparison between the Borbidge government and my government? What does the Leader of the Opposition have to hide? He has $7 million worth to hide. He was a minister in that government. I stand by my letters to the Auditor-General. I say very clearly and with some degree of sadness that I believe the Leader of the Opposition has deliberately set out to politicise the role of the Auditor-General. I think that is unfortunate. I offer a way ahead to depoliticise this. The way to depoliticise this is for the Auditor-General to come in here every month—I look forward to it—comparing the expenditure of my government and the expenditure of the Borbidge government, of which the current Leader of the Opposition was a minister. If he does not do that, then we have a political report. Mr Springborg interjected. Mr BEATTIE: What is wrong with it? I am saying, 'Come in here and do it.' I would be absolutely delighted. He should come in here and do it but be fair. Mr Springborg interjected. Mr BEATTIE: The poor old Opposition Leader—Mr 'I'll bite you if you don't get out of my road'—has run into a problem because he has been caught out. He should be fair. Mr SPEAKER: Order! Before calling the member for Southport, I welcome to the public gallery students and teachers from Birkdale State School in the electorate of Cleveland.

Health Services, Gold Coast Mr LAWLOR: My question is directed to the Premier. It seems that better health outcomes for the state just keep coming. Can the Premier please detail to the House how the Gold Coast has been a winner with these gains? Mr BEATTIE: I want to thank the member for Southport because he has been a strong advocate, as has my whole team on the Gold Coast, for the Gold Coast Hospital, as the Minister for Health, Wendy Edmond, knows. The state government will establish a major new cardiac service at the Gold Coast Hospital. The Health Minister and I—along with local members, including the member for Southport—visited the Gold Coast last week to deliver the welcome news about the $7 million cardiac catheter service for the public hospital system. Construction work will start in the new year, and the centre is due to be fully staffed and operating by September. The government will fund the Gold Coast Hospital to employ up to 16 additional staff for the new service, including four doctors, nine nurses and a radiographer. Queensland Health research shows that up to 1,200 patients a year will no longer have to go to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane for diagnosis of the extent of their heart condition. The process of cardiac catheterisation involves placing a long, thin tube into the heart to measure heart pressures, inject dye and take X-ray pictures. Information from this process allows doctors to plan appropriate treatment. Waiting times for diagnosis will be shorter. So it is a win-win situation for residents of the Gold Coast, as the member for Southport knows. The new service will come under the umbrella of the hospital's excellent coronary care unit. It will be located on level 1 of the tower block, close to the hospital's intensive care and recovery units. The government has allocated construction funding of $2.35 million and ongoing recurrent funding of $4.8 million. The funding will not come out of the Gold Coast Hospital's existing budget; it will be funded by the government, because we run such a strong economy here, the Treasurer has delivered a surplus and we are the engine room of Australia. So thanks to the Treasurer, we can fund this proposal out of general revenue. 29 Oct 2003 Questions Without Notice 4475

My government is once again proving its commitment to improving health services on the Gold Coast. We recognise the Gold Coast for what it is: a major Australian city which is growing rapidly and which needs services to match that growth. The Gold Coast is now a major health hub, with the state successfully lobbying for the establishment of medical schools and a dental school there. Under my government we have delivered for the Gold Coast. Under my government we have delivered. When the National and Liberal parties had all the seats on the Gold Coast prior to the election of Merri Rose, they did nothing for the Gold Coast. They had the Premier from the Gold Coast and all they did was use it as a helicopter landing site. They would not even travel by car because the road was so bad and we had to finish the M1, as the Minister for Transport, Steve Bredhauer, would know. We have delivered for the Gold Coast. I say to the people on the Gold Coast: you keep my team on the Gold Coast and you will keep getting services like this. If you go back to the National Party and the Liberal Party, they will continue to treat you just like a helicopter landing pad. That is all they will do.

Department of Families; Member for Toowoomba North Mr SEENEY: If the clown act is over, I have a question for the Minister for Families. I refer to this glossy publication that was widely distributed in Toowoomba, and I table a copy of it for the benefit of the House. The glossy publication is an invitation from the member for Toowoomba North, Mr Kerry Shine, inviting all and sundry to attend the launch of one of the minister's department's programs. Mr Shine has booked the Cathedral Centre and he says on the invitation that refreshments will be served—no doubt as an enticement for people to attend the launch of her department's program. At the bottom of the invitation there is the Queensland government crest and the Department of Families logo. There is also an RSVP to one of the minister's departmental officers and an RSVP telephone number which I have confirmed is one of her departmental officers. Can the minister tell the House: did her department pay for this promotion of Mr Shine in his marginal seat of Toowoomba North at the same time as children in the care of her department were suffering because of lack of resources? Is her department's priority saving members in marginal seats or protecting children in need? Ms SPENCE: I have not seen the invitation to which the member refers. Is this the launch of a community conferencing or a juvenile conferencing service? Mr Shine: As far as I am aware. Opposition members interjected. Ms SPENCE: Well, we have not seen it. Pass it over. It is very hard for me to comment when I do not know what it is. Pass it over; let us have a look. I was aware that Mr Shine did represent me recently at the expansion of youth justice conferencing services for Toowoomba and the south-west region. The member for Rockhampton recently opened a similar service in Rockhampton and another member of parliament—Mr Mulherin—also represented me in Mackay. Mr Seeney: What about the kids? You are protecting marginal seats. Ms SPENCE: People ought to get sensible about these things and stop playing politics. The reality is that I do not have the opportunity of opening all of these youth justice services throughout Queensland. This is a regional service and it is appropriate that a government member represent me to open these services. I am very proud of the fact that this government has made— Mr Seeney: That is not what it says. Ms SPENCE: It says, 'Expansion of Youth Justice Conferencing Services for Toowoomba and the South West Region.' It is very clear. What is sadly evident this morning is that members of the opposition—and I note that they never put their shadow minister up to ask me any questions about the Department of Families—fail to realise that the Department of Families is responsible for more than just child protection. We are also responsible for things like juvenile justice. Mr Seeney: You are responsible for getting Kerry re-elected. Ms SPENCE: The member for Callide asked a question. Why does he not wait for an answer? He does this every day. 4476 Questions Without Notice 29 Oct 2003

The Department of Families is doing great work in the area of juvenile justice, and community conferencing in particular. I have explained this to the parliament on a number of occasions. I would like to thank all of those honourable members who have represented me around the state in the expansion of our community conferencing facilities.

Health Services, Cairns and Far-North Queensland Ms BOYLE: My question is directed to the Premier. I hear what the Premier says about health improvements keeping on coming. The people of far-north Queensland would like to know what gains, what benefits, there are for us in Cairns and far-north Queensland. Mr BEATTIE: I thank the member for Cairns for her question because the state government will provide a $7 million one-stop shop community health service for Cairns city residents and workers. Last week, the Health Minister, Wendy Edmond, and I visited Cairns, where we announced our commitment to the centre and also inspected a new rehabilitation and stroke unit. We were joined by the member for Cairns, Desley Boyle, the member for Barron River, Lesley Clark, and the member for Mulgrave, Warren Pitt. Thanks to the sensible way that the Treasurer has run the state budget and the fact that we are in surplus, we can afford this $7 million one-stop shop community health service. The community health centre will bring together under one roof a range of services that are currently scattered across the city. It is likely to include community health, home and community care, youth health nursing, alcohol, tobacco and other drug services, integrated mental health services, child development services, breast screen and sexual health services, diabetes and oral health services. It will complement the excellent services at the redeveloped Cairns Base Hospital and the modern community health centres at Smithfield and Edmonton. The community will benefit from a better clinical environment and more efficient, centralised record keeping and appointment scheduling. For many people the biggest benefit will be the convenience of seeing a range of health specialists on the same day without needing to travel to separate locations which, as we know, benefits everybody. Queensland Health has begun detailed planning and is now securing a site for the centre. The planning and tender process should be completed in the second half of the next year. Construction is expected to start late next year or early 2005 and be completed by June 2005. The rehabilitation and stroke unit was a recommendation from last year's review of the Cairns Hospital. It is great to see patients of all ages who need rehabilitation after a stroke or injury being treated in a ward designed specifically for them. Mrs Edmond: An impressive young man we met there. Mr BEATTIE: Absolutely. I take the minister's interjection. While we were there there was a young man who had been involved in a motor vehicle accident on the road between Port Douglas and Cairns who was using these services and was well on the way to recovery. Mrs Edmond: He took his first steps while we were there. Mr BEATTIE: He took his first steps while we were there. I have to say that his courage and strength were very impressive. Previously, he would have had to go to Townsville or somewhere else. This is an example of the extra facilities that my government is building across the state. As I said previously, these patients could be spread throughout the hospital or, in the case of younger stroke patients, be transferred to Brisbane or Townsville. I announced that the new unit would be named the Guree-maying Rehabilitation and Stroke Unit. Guree-maying means 'getting better' in the language of the traditional owners of the area encompassing the Cairns Hospital, the Yirrganydji people. I have to say that the minister and I and local members arrived a little early. We were about an hour early. It may not have been that long, but we spent an hour inspecting the hospital in a very informal way and talking to people in the hospital. They are very impressive people who work in the Cairns Base Hospital. I am pleased to see the actual capital expenditure working in that rehabilitation unit, and I thank those staff for doing the excellent work they do. Mr SPEAKER: Before calling the member for Robina, I welcome to the public gallery a second group of students from Birkdale State School in the electorate of Cleveland. 29 Oct 2003 Questions Without Notice 4477

Government Advertising Mr QUINN: My question is directed to the Minister for State Development. I table for the information of members and taxpayers two documents directed to businesses in Toowoomba and the Gold Coast which are invitations to a special small business announcement. These invitations, one of which is a paid newspaper advertisement, were produced by the Department of State Development but the invitations are in the name of the member for Toowoomba North and the member for Broadwater. Minister, why are taxpayers' funds being used to finance the Labor Party's marginal seats campaign? Mr BARTON: I thought we had dispensed with this nonsense in the answer to the previous question to the Minister for Families. Very clearly, this government is so active that ministers cannot simply get to every single function that our government departments are holding to promote this state. We have a large number of announcements occurring soon. There have been ads. I am not familiar with those particular ads. I approved the activities that we are undertaking. If, as the member has said, they are about a small business function—yes, we have small business functions running up and down the length and breadth of Queensland over the next few weeks. Yes, there is some very good news promoting small business in this state that we will be only too happy to tell the member about after we make the major announcement. In terms of the time frames for me, and it is the same with many other ministers, what I do to make sure that we can have all of those functions happen in such a short space of time is get backbench members of the government or other ministers of the government to represent me to run those functions in that area. We have also just completed all of the Premier of Queensland's export awards. We had the major export awards here last week, but there were regional export awards right up and down the length and breadth of Queensland. I attended those that I could get to. Other ministers attended ones where they were able to stand in for me. Surprise, surprise! On a number of occasions when a minister was unable to attend or I could not get there myself, backbench members attended those awards. The member is being extremely selective when he says these are marginal seats because in a whole raft of the locations where backbench members have represented me in the past, and will represent me in the future, they are certainly not marginal seats. They are some of the safest seats that we hold. The members who represent me are some of the people with the greatest margins that anybody has in terms of safe seats in this parliament. But yes, there are a few of them where members in marginal seats are representing me because they are the locations in which these functions are being held. We will be perfectly happy to come in here and detail to the member every single location and every single backbencher who is going to be representing me. He will then see that it is a spread right across Queensland. This is about this government getting out and selling its work with business. It has done its work with business exports in the regions. Now we are about to do something on small business that will absolutely knock your socks off.

Namoi Cotton Mr SHINE: Might I say what a pleasure it is to represent ministers at those functions. I would encourage my Toowoomba colleagues especially to accept the invitations and learn something worth while. My question is directed to the Minister for State Development. The big cotton ginning and marketing company Namoi Cotton has just set up a new corporate office in Toowoomba. Mr Horan interjected. Mr SHINE: The member was there. Can the minister outline the government's role in attracting this New South Wales operation which provides a welcome fillip to the Toowoomba region? Mr BARTON: I am absolutely thrilled to get this question from the member for Toowoomba North because it was a real thrill for me to be in Toowoomba last week with him while I officially opened the new corporate offices of Namoi Cotton in Toowoomba. It is great news for Toowoomba. It is great news for the . It is great news for Queensland. Namoi Cotton has had a New South Wales base for more than 40 years. It has evolved into the greatest integrated ginning, marketing, warehousing and shipping organisation, selling cotton to many of the world's major markets. It is the biggest company that does this in Australia. I must say that it processes around 27 per cent of the national cotton crop and operates 14 cotton gins, 4478 Questions Without Notice 29 Oct 2003 three warehouses and four regional offices located throughout New South Wales and southern Queensland. This new office gives Namoi Cotton a very significant presence in Queensland. It is great news for Toowoomba. It involves the company providing job opportunities as well as new work for local suppliers. Already 15 people have been recruited locally to join 14 staff members relocated from New South Wales. The office will eventually house 40 people on site in Toowoomba. It includes all their key people on information technology, finance, corporate services and marketing staff, as well as the company's secretariat. In fact, everything is in the head office except the head office brass nameplate! My Department of State Development certainly played a role in attracting them here, as did the Toowoomba City Council. Around two years ago the department succeeded in attracting Namoi Cotton's information technology unit to Toowoomba. This latest expansion was helped—listen very carefully—by offering short-term payroll tax relief and assistance with relocation and training costs. While I am talking about that I want to add something. Yes, the member for Toowoomba North was there, but so were the member for Toowoomba South, my shadow minister, and the member for Cunningham. They were there also applauding the fact that we had attracted this business out of New South Wales—in no less than the Deputy Prime Minister's seat—to Toowoomba. They were applauding the jobs for Toowoomba. They were also applauding the fact that we had given appropriate business incentives and support to attract this business to Toowoomba. Then they want to get up in this place and criticise what we are doing to support business in this state. They criticise what we want to do to attract business from other states into Queensland. They also criticise the fact that we use good backbench members to get out there and do the job to support business in this state and other activities where ministers are too busy to attend because we have so much happening. That is something they did not know about when they were in government because they simply did not get out the way this government does.

Electorate Motor Vehicle Miss SIMPSON: My question is to the Minister for Fair Trading. Minister, is it a fact that your electorate staff do not have access to your electorate vehicle when representing you or conducting electorate business and, if not, how do they get around? Ms ROSE: I know the member is referring to the story in the Courier-Mail this morning and I would like, for the record, to state that all use of that vehicle, my electorate vehicle, accords with the guidelines contained in the ministerial handbook. I have not broken any rules. I do not receive an allowance for an electorate vehicle; instead, I have a full private use vehicle. All members of parliament have access to a car allowance. I have met with the Premier and discussed this issue. My son drove the vehicle to and from work on Sunday. He did not use the car for business purposes. To remove any doubt, he will not be driving the vehicle under those circumstances. The vehicle was damaged in the hail storm on Sunday. I reported the damage. A quote was obtained yesterday and the vehicle will be booked in for repairs and I will pay the $750 excess.

Indigenous Parenting Support Mr PITT: My question is to the Minister for Health and Minister Assisting the Premier on Women's Policy. The Premier spoke earlier about child health initiatives to support parenting. Can she advise the House if there are any specific initiatives to support indigenous parents? Mrs EDMOND: I thank the member for Mulgrave for his question. We all know that he has Yarrabah in his electorate and he has a long-standing interest in indigenous health. I am delighted to say that we have a number of specific indigenous initiatives. In relation to Triple P, the government funded the University of Queensland to develop a culturally appropriate Triple P video suitable for use with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents, grandparents and carers. The indigenous Triple P program aims to prevent severe behavioural, emotional and developmental problems in children by enhancing the knowledge, skills and confidence of parents. The trial is nearing completion, with an interim report showing that the culturally tailored version of group Triple P led to a decrease in child behaviour problems and a reduction in dysfunctional parenting, particularly hyperactivity. 29 Oct 2003 Questions Without Notice 4479

Engagement of families in the program has proved to break down some of the obstacles indigenous families face in accessing mainstream services. Also the Mount Isa health service district has employed a health worker who is providing home based services to indigenous families in the Mount Isa area. This service aims to provide culturally appropriate support to families with young children regarding child health issues and parenting, and to facilitate access to appropriate community services, for example general practitioners and parenting groups. Currently the work is focusing on improving breastfeeding rates, increasing the uptake of immunisation, and improving school attendance for primary school aged children. We have also provided funding to Yelangi Preschool to employ a social worker to provide support to parents regarding child health and parenting issues. The preschool is currently investigating culturally appropriate programs to address issues related to child abuse and family violence. The indigenous family care, or ICARE, project looked at the need for modification of the family care program for urban indigenous families and provided evidence that the ICARE program is effective in producing positive health outcomes and is highly acceptable to indigenous families. Specific changes to the standard family care program are required to achieve maximum success, including addition of early learning screening and modification of the immunisation schedule. Outcomes of the ICARE project are being used to inform child health practice and the development of culturally appropriate models of care for indigenous families with infants and young children. I am proud of the work that this government has done from day one in preventing child abuse, supporting families and providing support for those families—programs that were described by members opposite as wishy-washy social welfare programs that should not come out of the health budget. I am proud that as a government we have initiated those programs and cross-government support and that we are progressing in this area.

Government Functions Mr CHRIS FOLEY: My question is to the Premier. After listening to the vigorous debate regarding the allegations of political soft campaigning funded by the taxpayer, will he direct his ministers to make it a matter of practice to invite members of this House to any function or opening that is to be held in their electorates as a matter of bipartisan professional courtesy, and therefore place himself above any aspersions that his government is politicising these functions? Mr BEATTIE: I understand from the minister that in regard to the function in Toowoomba the Leader of the Opposition was, in fact, invited, as was the member for Toowoomba South. He was invited, too. Mr Horan interjected. Mr BEATTIE: He cannot really come in here— Mr Horan interjected. Mr BEATTIE: A few manners, please! He is rude. It is amazing. I cannot believe the lack of respect members of the opposition have for the parliament. It is extraordinary. Sadly, one of the great institutions is degraded every day by the opposition. As I indicated, the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Toowoomba South were invited to the function that was referred to earlier. The Leader of the Opposition does not have to go to every function. I understand the difficulty of achieving that when one is a leader and I understand that it is appropriate to apologise. However, let us not hide the fact that he was invited. That is the first point. Secondly, in relation to the question asked by the member for Maryborough, it depends entirely on the function. As a matter of practice, most ministers will try and involve members. It depends on the circumstances. If we have a particular event and we have party politics being played, which does happen—we do get that from time to time—it may well be unhelpful to the community if there is some silly political game being played by the local member. Mr Schwarten interjected. Mr BEATTIE: As the minister reminds me, we have community cabinets, to which all honourable members are invited. The member would be aware that, in relation to the regional forums, I have just signed a whole lot of letters inviting people to be involved in regional forums. We are, as a government, more involved in inviting people than any of our predecessors, and we will continue to do that. The member for Maryborough, I understand, was asked by Mike 4480 Questions Without Notice 29 Oct 2003

Reynolds to launch Ambulance Week in Maryborough a few weeks ago. We have a very non- partisan view. I thank the Minister for Emergency Services for doing that. So, as the member can see, we are very bipartisan about these things—getting him to open, as we did, the launch of Ambulance Week. Mr Mackenroth interjected. Mr BEATTIE: Yes. In the National Party days they used to say we could not even eat together. They used to say we could not even mix or sit at the same table; we could not break bread together. We are more Christian these days; we do not mind breaking bread with them. That is our philosophy. However, it would depend entirely on the event. I put on the parliamentary record our appreciation for the member launching Ambulance Week.

Coal Industry Mr PEARCE: My question is to the Minister for Natural Resources and Mines. Can the minister inform the House about the performance of the Queensland coal industry during the 2002-03 financial year? Mr ROBERTSON: I thank the honourable member for the question. I am delighted to report that during 2002-03 the Queensland coal industry continued to achieve record production and export levels, driven by growth in both international and domestic markets. This performance resulted in the industry maintaining its position as both the largest exporter of seaborne coal in the world and a major contributor to the state's economy. Total raw coal production in Queensland during 2002-03 was approximately 195 million tonnes, from which a record 153.6 million tonnes of saleable coal was produced. This represents an increase of about four per cent on the record production performance of 2001-02 and is 80 per cent more saleable coal than was produced a decade ago, in 1993-94. Exports of coal also increased by approximately five per cent to a record 129 million tonnes in 2002-03 and accounted for 84 per cent of total saleable production. Queensland's coal exports were valued at around $8 billion free on board in 2002-03, representing over 30 per cent by value of the state's total overseas exports of goods. Additionally, the value of domestic sales of coal in 2002-03 amounted to a further $0.5 billion. The coal industry also continued to be a key driver for regional economic development and job creation. At 30 June 2003, approximately 10,700 Queenslanders were directly employed in the state's coal industry, maintaining the high employment levels of the previous year of some 10,476 employees. The coal industry and its supporting service industries continue to provide jobs and bring prosperity to a large proportion of regional Queensland, making a vital contribution to our economy. The international demand for Queensland quality coal continues to rise. Queensland currently exports coal to 35 countries, including the largest purchasers of our coal—Japan with 40 per cent, Korea with 15 per cent and India with 10 per cent. The other major purchasers include Taiwan, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and Brazil. The Queensland coal industry is well positioned both in terms of coal resources and infrastructure capacity to meet increased world demand and maintain its share of the world market. Detailed analysis of the coal industry's performance and outlook are contained in the 14th edition of my department's publication Queensland coals—Chemical and physical properties, colliery and company information, which I table for the information of the House. The publication incorporates diverse information on the state's coal industry, including sections on the geology and distribution of resources, evaluation and utilisation of the various types of coal, and detailed operational and technical data for each operating mine and undeveloped deposit within the state. The publication is available from my department's sale centre or my department's web site.

Surf Lifesaving Mr FLYNN: My question is directed to the Premier. The surf lifesavers insurance issue remains in focus, placing considerable risk on our tourism industry. Will this government, in the short term, cover the balance of the premium not yet raised? Will this government also provide advice and other support to the association to ensure that this situation does not re-occur? 29 Oct 2003 Questions Without Notice 4481

Mr BEATTIE: I thank the honourable member for Lockyer for his question. Last night I had a business reception to encourage Queensland businesses to continue to invest. I reported to them about recent discussions with President Hu of China and a number of other matters, including the free trade agreement with the . The Insurance Council was represented there. Graham Jones and I had a discussion about two things. One was the insurance covering for surf lifesavers. The Deputy Premier also discussed this. I also had a discussion about what happened as a result of the weekend storms. I am aware that some discussions—and I do not want to go into what Graham said to me privately—between the insurance industry and the surf lifesaving organisation are occurring already at a national level at the moment. The point I have made is that the Attorney-General and the Treasurer have worked through a series of reforms—and those reforms have been brought into this parliament—to reduce the liability of insurance companies. That is why we believe that premiums should be reduced. I report to the House that Graham has indicated to me that there have been some fruitful discussions. I hope that reflects itself in premiums. I have not heard the final outcome from that. But he indicated, in a very positive way, that things seem to be progressing well. I want to acknowledge that. Mr Flynn: Will you cover it in the short term? Mr BEATTIE: We give surf lifesaving about $3 million. I understand that they have reached some accommodation. I do not have the details with me. I understand that they have reached some accommodation. Part of the difficulty is that surf lifesaving is insured on a national basis. We do give them a lot of money. We will continue to support them. While this question has been raised, I will talk about other matters. I am have advised by Graham Jones's office that the insurance industry has responded immediately to the needs of southern Queensland communities following the weekend's storms with additional staff called in to man their call centres. All insurance companies have increased their numbers of loss assessors in the area to accelerate the assessment of the damage. There are currently more than 60 assessors on the ground in the Gold Coast area to expedite residents' claims and recovery from their natural disaster. Insurance companies are doing everything to settle claims as soon as possible. They thank those residents affected by the storms for their patience throughout this process. As we know too well, the clean-up from any natural disaster can take time. The industry assures people that they are working together to restore the damage as soon as possible. It is important that all residents contact their insurer to discuss their claim prior to approving major repairs. Minister for Emergency Services Mike Reynolds has advised me that Graham Jones informed him that he was visiting the Gold Coast today. He mentioned the same to me. I will table for the benefit of the House the rest of the advice from Graham Jones in relation to these insurance claims because, while I have been critical of the industry from time to time, when they do the right thing I am happy to be supportive.

Affordable Housing Mrs CHRISTINE SCOTT: My question is directed to the Minister for Public Works and Minister for Housing, the Hon. Robert Schwarten. Charter Towers is currently experiencing a growing demand for affordable housing. Could the minister inform the House what the state government is doing to meet this need? Mr SCHWARTEN: I thank the honourable member for the question and for her contribution to the issue of housing in her electorate. I particularly thank the member for opening public housing in her electorate. I thank those people on this side of the parliament who have done this very important deed for me and for inviting members of their local community. If the Tories over there want to make something out of that, that is fine as far as I am concerned. I certainly make no apology in that regard. As my good friend the member for Mirani will be able to attest, I always make sure that the local member comes along. Mr Seeney was invited to Monto for such an event. I can understand why the opposition would not want to be involved in it. They have an abysmal record in terms of housing and they are somewhat embarrassed to come along to these things. When they left office they were spending about $330 million on housing, and we are now spending $528 million a year—an increase of about $200 million. They are embarrassed about it. I understand that. 4482 Questions Without Notice 29 Oct 2003

Some $10.5 million is the answer the honourable member craves in terms of what we have spent in Charters Towers. Some 36 units of public housing have been built there. A couple of units worth about $380,000 are under construction at the moment. That contrasts sharply with the efforts of those opposite when they not only held the seat but also were in government. Guess how many they built there in 1996. None! What about 1997? Did they do any better? No. They sat over there in a policy-free stupor on this issue. Ms Struthers: Remember when Joan gave $100 million back. Mr SCHWARTEN: Joan gave over $100 million back to her Tory mates in Canberra—and they have the hide to criticise us! Mr Hopper, who is absent today—and they had the hide to criticise Joanie—is in a policy-free stupor. He told the good people up there that he was going to be doing something about addressing the dramatic housing needs in Charters Towers. My response is: one should not swing by one's tongue waiting for him to do anything about it. It might be out in the bushes—it might be oozing and moving in the bushes. It is not reality. Do the members opposite look after the bush when it comes to housing? No, they do not. Does this side of politics? Yes, we do. The honourable member for Charters Towers and every other member here can be rightfully proud of our efforts to help people in terms of housing west of the great divide. We do not care where people live and how they vote; we treat people equally. I wish we could spend more. The reality is that, when the members opposite get off their hind legs and take on their mates down in Canberra and get some of that $300 million back, we will be in a position to do it. Mr SPEAKER: Order! Before calling the member for Nanango, I welcome to the public gallery student leaders and teachers from Morayfield State School, Caboolture East State School and Minimbar State School in the electorate of Pumicestone.

Ambulance Levy Mrs PRATT: My question is directed to the Treasurer. A pensioner couple pays the ambulance levy three times—once on their home, once on their hot water system which in years past was put on separately and once on the farm shed. They applied for an exemption on the farm shed, which the legislation stated they could get, and they also applied for an exemption on the hot water system. On both counts they were knocked back. Do these people have to go to the expense of getting their houses rewired to get a fair deal under what this couple calls this unfair ambulance levy? Mr MACKENROTH: If the member provides me with the details—which is what I asked of the honourable member yesterday—I will get an answer for her in relation to that particular case. It is just not possible for me to give the member an answer if I do not have the actual details. Quite often, what someone is told and the reality are two different things, such as the case yesterday with the person with the generator. Initially, the story came out that his power had been turned off because he had failed to pay the ambulance levy. The reality was that his power was turned off because he had not paid his power bill. I want to know the actual details. I ask the member to get the people's permission to give me their names. I will then talk to Energex or Ergon to check out whether, in fact, they have made the proper application and how it has been dealt with.

Energy Industry, Youth Employment Mrs CROFT: My question is to the Minister for Innovation and Information Economy. The Queensland government often talks about the vital role our youth play in shaping the Smart State and our industries. Can the minister tell the House how the state government has been fostering and developing the skills of employees in the state's energy industry? Mr LUCAS: I thank the honourable member for the question. She is extremely committed not only in her own electorate but also in the Gold Coast area generally to improving employment opportunities for all Queenslanders. One of the things that I am particularly proud of, by being part of this government, is the strong emphasis that we place on jobs, whether they be at a university level, at a TAFE level or at any other level. The ultimate dignity that we can give someone is the dignity of a job. That is an item of faith on this side of the House and it is an item of faith that other people might do well to adopt. 29 Oct 2003 Questions Without Notice 4483

In fact, this year the honourable member would be pleased to know that the 2003 Energex apprentice of the year is James Barnes, who I recently visited at Staplyton with the member for Albert, who is also a very great enthusiast for him and her area. James is one of 43 apprentices employed at Energex in its 2000 intake. He is in his final year of an electrical fitter mechanic apprenticeship based at the Energex south coast hub. An honourable member interjected. Mr LUCAS: Absolutely. There is a bright future for this impressive young man, whom I had a chance to talk to. It is important that government owned corporations such as Energex support the skills development of young Queenslanders. I am pleased to inform the House that since 1980 Energex has created 1,050-plus jobs for apprentices and that most of those apprentices were employed by Energex after completing their training. This year, Energex took on 41 apprentices—up from 25 last year. The good news for Queensland youth who are eager to work in the energy industry is that there is work not just in Energex; there is work in the regions. The member for Charters Towers and I have welcomed people to the regions—young people, young families. Recently, I was in far- north Queensland with the member for Barron River, calling on apprentices for the new apprentice intake for Ergon. One of the great things is that we offer more and more training with Ergon, for example, in those regional communities. Who knows those communities the best? The locals! They are the ones who want to stay there and they are the ones who want to be part of that industry. It is wonderful when I see the pride that indeed even the local newspapers take in those local apprentices. In September I announced 65 new apprentices for Ergon Energy's apprenticeship scheme for 2004 and 100 field staff jobs. That is in addition to Ergon's record capital expenditure of $480 million—up $100 million from last year. Powerlink has 13 apprentices working in three vocational areas and employs apprentices each year. The member for Lockyer, if he was here, would be delighted to know that Powerlink sponsors two electrical apprentices in businesses in the Lockyer Valley through the Greening the Lockyer project. It provides that opportunity through Downs Group Training at $200,000 a year. So Powerlink, as a corporate citizen, plays that role. Our energy GOCs are building support in regional Queensland, providing careers and communities, powerline and substation workers, designers and support staff. I do not believe that people should have just a university degree to get a job, and a decent job. I am about career paths for apprentices and for all the other people who work in our great electricity industry.

Mosquito Control Mr HOBBS: I refer the Minister for Health to a survey conducted by her department in May 2002 of Queensland local governments in relation to the management and control of mosquitoes and to the results which estimate that councils spend $3 million a year controlling mosquitoes on state owned Crown land. Recently, 720 people have been infected by the barmah forest virus—the highest number ever. There were also 2,342 cases of Ross River virus for the same period and 521 cases of dengue fever, compared to 82 in the previous year. Why does the minister continue to refuse to provide assistance to councils such as the Redland Shire Council to control mosquitoes when her department has conducted and completed a survey giving strong evidence that mosquito-borne viruses are spreading at an alarming rate? Mrs EDMOND: This is an important issue because we are seeing an increase in mosquito- borne viruses and other viruses. Of course, part of the reason for that is that we are seeing town planning and council planning that is encouraging and allowing people to build in areas that are very mosquito prone, such as next to swampy areas. I think that is one of the issues: councils have refused to actually take that into consideration. If we allow planning and zoning right up to tea-tree forests and swamplands we have to expect that, as part of the wonderful natural environment people are building next to, there will be mosquitoes and other airborne insects. For over 20 years this has been an issue for local government and state governments. Certainly, well before the Labor government came to power in 1990 it was an issue that was raised on a regular basis. I think that part of the problem is that we have not reached a solution. Queensland Health works with the Department of Environment and local government to provide expert information to the councils and to do the research on what works in an environmentally 4484 Sessional Orders; Whistleblowers 29 Oct 2003 sensitive way. Of course, one of the things that we could do in eradicating mosquitoes is also eradicate an awful lot of wildlife that also inhabits those bushland and swampy areas. So Queensland Health has played a key role in providing that expert advice to local governments. It will continue to do that. But we would also encourage local governments to consider their planning legislation and to consider what they are doing when they drain areas, or some areas of a swamp, and allow people to build on those areas next to mosquito habitats. I think that the Department of Environment would also continue to work with local governments and assist them with that information. Mr Hobbs interjected. Mrs EDMOND: The member opposite wants the typical solution. The opposition wants to not allow state governments to interfere in the planning, but they want state governments to wear the cost of those decisions.

Telstra Mr RODGERS: My question is directed to the Minister for Primary Industries and Rural Communities. I refer the minister to the current debate in the federal Senate about legislation to sell the rest of Telstra. I ask the minister: what credibility has the Queensland National Party in claiming that it will oppose the full privatisation of Telstra? Mr PALASZCZUK: I would like to thank the honourable member for the question. Of course, the National Party has no credibility at all, especially on Telstra. The Nationals might have a new name, but obviously they have no future. The situation with the debate that is currently under way in Canberra is this: we have a champion in Queensland on the Nationals' side of the House. A government member: Got rid of him. Mr PALASZCZUK: They got rid of him as a parliamentary secretary. I do not know what has happened to him, but unfortunately he is very misguided in his full support for the privatisation of Telstra. It is up to the Leader of the Opposition, at his council meeting this weekend, to bring him into line. As leader, he should put the pressure on him and tell him to get down to Canberra and vote against the full sale of Telstra. I will tell members why. The Nationals in Queensland oppose the full sale of Telstra, but their state representatives in Canberra are supporting the full sale of Telstra. Mr Horan interjected. Mr PALASZCZUK: Is the member for Toowoomba South agreeing with me? I have this problem. The National Party has been hiding behind the fact that there were enough Independents who would vote down that proposal. Mr Horan interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Toowoomba South! I have already warned you. You will cease interjecting. That is my final warning. Mr Johnson: Tell us about ECs, Henry. Mr PALASZCZUK: I gladly will, because the National Party falters there as well. There are some Independents in the federal parliament who are beginning to waver. The National Party's Ron Boswell was hoping that the full sale of Telstra would not go through because those four Independents would not vote for the full sale of Telstra, but now there are two wavering. The numbers are getting so close that it is up to the Leader of the Opposition. His policy states, 'We do not support the full sale of Telstra.' For goodness sake, he should make sure the state's representative in Canberra, Ron Boswell, changes his mind. It is up to the Opposition Leader. The decision is his. He should talk to Ron Boswell. He should get his national executive council this weekend to bring him into line and vote against the full privatisation of Telstra. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The time for questions has expired.

SESSIONAL ORDERS; WHISTLEBLOWERS Mr SPEAKER: Order! I refer to a notice of motion given by Mr Springborg earlier today. The proposed motion seeks to amend sessional orders. The proposed motion does not actually contain words to be omitted, inserted or otherwise amended in sessional orders. The proposed 29 Oct 2003 Public Health (Infection Control for Personal Appearance Services) Bill 4485 motion is not strictly speaking out of order. However, if the motion were to be adopted, it would not effect the purpose it purportedly seeks to achieve because there is no omission, insertion or other amendment to standing orders. I stress that I am not ruling the motion out of order but rather bringing the attention of the House to the fact that, if passed, it would not of itself effect an amendment to sessional orders. The member may wish to seek leave to withdraw the motion and replace it at a later time with a more effective motion.

PUBLIC HEALTH (INFECTION CONTROL FOR PERSONAL APPEARANCE SERVICES) BILL Second Reading Resumed from 28 October (see p. 4444). Hon. W. M. EDMOND (Mount Coot-tha—ALP) (Minister for Health and Minister Assisting the Premier on Women's Policy) (11.32 a.m.), continuing: I would like to thank members for their contributions to the debate last night and for their support for the bill. As a number of speakers indicated, the legislation is a result of an extensive legislative review and consultation process resulting in a bill which meets the key public health objective and also addresses a range of other issues raised by stakeholders. From the comments made by members last night we can see that there has been a change, particularly in the areas of tattooing, body piercing and ornamentation, not just over the length and breadth of Queensland but also from top to toe. Every point in between can now be tattooed, pierced or ornamented. Some comments were made about this during the debate. I think someone even said that the 'sensitive bits' of the body were now being pierced. Of course, part of the problem is that these are also the areas most prone to infection. That is why we have had to step up this legislation. The members for Maroochydore, Gladstone and Nanango identified issues raised by the Scrutiny of Legislation Committee's report on the bill. As members would be aware, the explanatory notes accompanying the bill provided a comprehensive analysis of the possible fundamental legislative principle issues in the bill. The infection control guidelines made under the bill will deal with technical issues such as specifications for cleaning of instruments and will draw upon recognised standards published by the Standards Association of Australia. Therefore, the guidelines could not be easily translated into a legislative format. However, the bill specifies that a guideline is of no effect unless the minister notifies of the making of the guideline by notice and the notice is subordinate legislation as defined by section 9 of the Statutory Instruments Act 1992. Clause 102 makes it an offence for a person to fail to provide a document to an authorised person unless the person has a reasonable excuse. Some concern was expressed about that. However, an authorised person's power to require a person to produce a document is limited to documents issued to a person under the bill or required to be kept under the bill. This would include, for example, a licence. Given the very limited extent of this provision and the importance of such documents in achieving the objectives of the legislation, it is reasonable to require a person to comply with the requirement. Clauses 141 and 142 seek to ensure that persons make reasonable efforts to ensure that their employees or agents comply with the legislation. They also require that executive officers of corporations who can influence the conduct of the corporation ensure that it complies with the legislation. This prevents executive officers who are responsible for a contravention of the legislation from being able to 'hide' behind the corporation or indeed hide behind their employees. As the offences provided for under the legislation deal with major public health issues, such as failure to minimise infection risks, the provisions are necessary to ensure effective accountability at a corporate level. In response to the member for Gladstone's question, I can confirm that these provisions would not apply in cases where an employer has been reasonably diligent in ensuring their employees comply with the legislation. The member for Gladstone sought information on the infection control qualification required under the bill. The proposed qualification will cover basic competencies in infection control. A new correspondence course for the qualification is being developed by Queensland Health. The course is expected to cost around $350 and take only a couple of months to complete. Existing providers may be able to obtain the qualification based on recognition of current competency without having to undertake the course. The commencement of the provisions of the bill requiring the qualification to be held will be delayed for an appropriate period to give existing providers sufficient time to obtain the qualification. 4486 Legal Profession Bill 29 Oct 2003

The member for Gladstone also raised concerns about the inconsistent enforcement of the previous legislation. While enforcement is ultimately a responsibility for local government, the bill sets out much more clearly the requirements for business owners and builds in rights for owners who may be treated unfairly. For example, a person can seek a review of a decision of an authorised person and has appeal rights. The specific situation identified by the member for Gladstone in relation to a hairdressing business will not arise under the new legislation as hairdressers will no longer be required to be licensed and meet prescriptive building requirements. The member for Nanango also questioned how fees would be structured under the bill. The level of licence fees and other fees payable under the new legislation will be set by each local government by way of a regulation or local law. However, the bill makes it clear that fees may not be set at a level that exceeds the cost to the local government of providing the service or taking the action for which the fee is charged. The bill also provides that a fee charged must not exceed a fee prescribed under a regulation. If necessary, this allows a regulation to set a maximum fee and provides a further safeguard against the possibility of excessive fees being charged by local governments. In conclusion, I would like to thank the member for Stafford for his kind words. As he indicated, this is likely to be the last bill I will introduce into this parliament. I am pleased that I have been able to achieve major reforms in the portfolio's legislation since becoming minister. I have introduced 29 bills, including 21 new pieces of legislation and eight amending bills. As a result, a full two-thirds of the portfolio's acts have been totally rewritten in my time as minister. I would like to thank members for their contributions to these bills over the years. I particularly commend my health legislative committee for its interest, involvement and support during this. I also thank Queensland Health staff for the way they continue to work in these areas. Last sitting week I paid tribute to the director-general as I believed that that piece of legislation would be the last while he was director-general. I was wrong; I admit it. This will definitely be the last, as he leaves on Friday. I am happy to again thank him for his sterling efforts as director-general. I have been very happy working with him, and I have to say that his knowledge of health systems is enormous. Mr Mickel: He was a great choice. Mrs EDMOND: He was certainly a great choice. I think he served both sides of government very well indeed and is beyond criticism. I wish him all the very best in his new career as Vice- Chancellor at Bond University. I am sure that the Gold Coast will make him extraordinarily welcome. I commend the bill to the House. Motion agreed to.

Committee Clauses 1 to 162, as read, agreed to. Schedules 1 and 2, as read, agreed to. Bill reported, without amendment.

Third Reading Bill, on motion of Mrs Edmond, by leave, read a third time.

LEGAL PROFESSION BILL Hon. R. J. WELFORD (Everton—ALP) (Attorney-General and Minister for Justice) (11.42 a.m.), by leave, without notice: I move— That leave be granted to bring in a bill for an act to provide for admission to, and the regulation of, the legal profession, and for other purposes. Motion agreed to. Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER read a message from Her Excellency the Governor recommending the necessary appropriation.

First Reading Bill and explanatory notes presented and bill, on motion of Mr Welford, read a first time. 29 Oct 2003 Legal Profession Bill 4487

Second Reading Hon. R. J. WELFORD (Everton—ALP) (Attorney-General and Minister for Justice) (11.43 a.m.): I move— That the bill be now read a second time. This is the first stage of the government's reforms of the Queensland legal profession. These reforms represent a sea change for legal consumers in Queensland. They will raise professional standards, give consumers of legal services better access to information about the profession and establish a complaints system that Queenslanders can trust. Public confidence in our legal profession is absolutely fundamental to the delivery of justice. Queenslanders need to be confident they will receive fair, honest and professional legal services. They need to have confidence that any complaint against a lawyer will be dealt with fairly and objectively. There are many first-rate law firms and lawyers in Queensland who share my view that public confidence in their profession is paramount—and who support the step we are taking. The system we are introducing will be tough but fair. The principal measures address public dissatisfaction with the current complaints and disciplinary processes for lawyers. Currently, the Queensland Law Society is responsible for investigating complaints against solicitors. The Legal Ombudsman monitors this process but does not have investigative powers. This system has been widely criticised for not being sufficiently independent of the profession. There is also no current statutory complaints process for barristers. An effective complaints and discipline regime is therefore vital in maintaining public confidence in the justice system. Greater independence, accountability and transparency will be brought to these processes through the appointment of a legal services commissioner. ¥ The commissioner will receive all complaints against lawyers and will be responsible for the investigation of complaints. ¥ The commissioner will decide whether or not disciplinary action is taken against a lawyer. ¥ Legal Services Commission staff will assist the commissioner in these matters. ¥ The commissioner will also be able to call on the investigative capacities of the Queensland Law Society or the Bar Association of Queensland. ¥ High standards of client service will be required of the commission in its dealings with the public. For the first time, barristers will be regulated under a new practising certificate regime administered by the Bar Association of Queensland and be subject to the statutory complaints and disciplinary regime established by this bill. The disciplinary regime will also be strengthened. The Solicitors Complaints Tribunal, comprising two solicitors and a lay member, currently hears professional conduct charges against solicitors. The tribunal is perceived by the public as not being sufficiently independent of the profession. Under the reforms more serious matters potentially involving suspension, striking off or serious fines will be heard by a legal practice tribunal, chaired by a Supreme Court judge assisted by a professional member and a lay member. There will be a public register of the findings of professional misconduct by the tribunal. The commissioner will bring action for less serious professional conduct breaches before the Legal Practice Committee, appointed by the Governor in Council. I think members will agree that this represents a considerable improvement on the current arrangements. The government is confident that these measures will provide a sound basis for restoring public faith in these processes. Our government is also committed to ensuring high standards of professional conduct for the profession at large. The professional conduct rules in relation to the professional and ethical standards and obligations of lawyers will be made as subordinate legislation. The Law Society will still be able to recommend rule changes and new rules to the Attorney-General. The professional bodies will be responsible for making recommendations on these rules and for consulting with the public on their recommendations. The Legal Practice Committee will also have an advisory role in these matters. National model laws for legal profession regulation are currently being developed for consideration by the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General. The bill implements the reforms from the current draft of the model in the areas of reservation of work, admission, practice, conduct rules, complaints and discipline, financial arrangements and incorporation of legal practices. In these areas, the model laws are relatively settled or are subject to local variations. 4488 Disaster Management Bill 29 Oct 2003

The remaining reforms in the areas of trust accounts, client agreements and costs reviews, fidelity cover, multidisciplinary practices and the admission of foreign lawyers are expected to be included in a bill in the first half of next year. Any further changes that are desirable or necessary for consistency with the final national model laws approach will be included in the further bill at that time. Under the new arrangements, solicitors and barristers will not be admitted separately as at present. The bill provides for the admission of legal practitioners. Academic qualifications and practical legal training qualifying applicants for admission in other jurisdictions that apply similar minimum criteria will be recognised, thus giving effect to a national practising certificate regime. The bill facilitates national practice. Interstate legal practitioners will be permitted to practise in Queensland without the need to apply for a local practising certificate and will be able to apply for a practising certificate based on their admission in another state or territory. In the context of national practice, there will be automatic recognition of disciplinary action in other jurisdictions. Lawyers struck from the roll in other states or territories will be automatically removed from the Queensland roll and will lose their local practising certificates. Statutory effect will be given to disciplinary action by disciplinary bodies in other jurisdictions relating to lawyers who are locally admitted or have local practising certificates. The bill preserves the inherent jurisdiction of the Supreme Court as supervisor of the profession and overseeing the profession as its apex. The admission rules will continue to be made as rules of court. The bill facilitates the incorporation of legal practices on a basis that is consistent with the proposals in the draft model laws. Each incorporated legal practice will be required to have a 'lawyer director' who will have specific responsibilities in relation to the provision of legal services by the incorporated practice. The lawyer director and employee lawyers will, nevertheless, retain their professional obligations and be subject to disciplinary supervision. The financial arrangements relating to interest on solicitors' trust accounts will be transferred from the Queensland Law Society to the Department of Justice and Attorney-General and made more accountable and transparent. The interest, effectively interest on public money—the money of clients of the legal profession—will be paid to the legal practitioner interest on trust accounts fund. That is a separate fund from departmental accounts. It will be allocated for statutory purposes specified in legislation, not as at present necessarily according to statutory percentages but as approved by the minister on the recommendation of the chief executive of the department. There are transitional arrangements under which unspent allocations in the grants funds and the Queensland Law Society contribution distribution account will also be transferred to the new fund. There has been significant public interest in these issues. In conclusion, I would like to pay tribute to all those who have contributed to the development of these reforms. I thank the Law Society for its cooperation and assistance in discussions over a lengthy period of time as the development of these reforms and their statutory provisions have been discussed and negotiated. I would also like to thank the many individuals and members of the profession who have taken the time to share their views and experiences with me over the recent years and make submissions as part of the public consultation on the various reviews culminating in these reforms. I commend the bill to the House. Debate, on motion of Mr Quinn, adjourned.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT BILL Hon. M. F. REYNOLDS (Townsville—ALP) (Minister for Emergency Services and Minister Assisting the Premier in North Queensland) (11.53 a.m.), by leave, without notice: I move— That leave be granted to bring in a bill for an act to provide for matters relating to disaster management in the State, and for other purposes. Motion agreed to.

First Reading Bill and explanatory notes presented and bill, on motion of Mr Reynolds, read a first time. 29 Oct 2003 Disaster Management Bill 4489

Second Reading Hon. M. F. REYNOLDS (Townsville—ALP) (Minister for Emergency Services and Minister Assisting the Premier in North Queensland) (11.54 a.m.): I move— That the bill be now read a second time. I rise to speak to the Disaster Management Bill. The Disaster Management Bill 2003 updates 28- year-old legislation to provide Queensland with the most modern disaster management legislation anywhere in Australia. This legislation will provide a clearer framework for the structures, functions and powers supporting the disaster management system in the state of Queensland. Improved disaster management legislation will help minimise the impact of natural disasters which are estimated to have cost Queensland $7.9 billion, in 1999 prices, between 1967 and 1999. The legislation provides the framework for the operation of Queensland's whole-of- government arrangements regarding disaster management which incorporates mitigation, prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. The legislation also specifically picks up the conclusions of the recent national Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Review of Natural Disaster Relief and Mitigation Arrangements, which was strongly advocated by the Local Government Association of Queensland and supported by Premier Peter Beattie. Consultation was carried out with the Local Government Association of Queensland and the issues raised by that organisation have been incorporated into the legislation. This legislation preserves and enhances the tried and tested features of Queensland's current disaster management system. In addition, the legislation recognises the true partnership arrangements between state and local governments and the involvement of a variety of agencies including Police, Health and Public Works, Primary Industries, Families and others. The legislation recognises the changed security environment and the requirement for contemporary arrangements to manage the consequences of any event including a terrorist attack. The legislation ensures further recognition for SES volunteers and, in particular, provides strong employment protection for our volunteers. I am very proud to say in the House today that the government has now overseen substantial reform of all legislation in the Emergency Services portfolio during this term of the Beattie government, including two entirely new pieces of legislation: the Dangerous Goods Safety Management Act and now the Disaster Management Bill. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the director-general and the staff who are with us today from the Counter Disaster and Rescue Service for the excellent job that they have done and the advice that they have been able to give to me as minister. We are seeing the outcome of that advice before us today. I would like to thank them very much for their effort and hard work. At the time parliament passed the State Counter-Disaster Organisation Act 1975 the main focus of disaster management was on ensuring that Queensland had a robust system for responding to and recovering from natural disasters, including a system for appointing and managing a volunteer disaster response service. Since that time the policies and practices underlying disaster management have shifted to encompass a more holistic approach which included disaster mitigation, prevention and preparedness. Similarly, approaches to volunteer management and the roles of emergency services volunteers have also changed in this time. While the Queensland disaster management system and the State Emergency Service do not need fundamental change, the legislation is 28 years old and its philosophy, based primarily on disaster response, now needs to be updated. Disaster management now encompasses disaster mitigation, prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. It is recognised that a contemporary disaster management system must be capable of responding to any natural disaster event and those events with non-natural or terrorist related causes. The name of the new bill reflects this comprehensive contemporary approach. This bill will replace the State Counter-Disaster Organisation Act 1975 and introduces best practice legislation for disaster management arrangements. The aim of the new bill is to maintain a comprehensive disaster management system, which prevents or mitigates and prepares people for the impact of potential disasters and effectively manages the consequences of any disaster event. The new bill will also mandate the preparation of disaster management plans at all levels of government in Queensland and provides formal recognition of the fundamental role that local government plays in the disaster management system. Disaster management is a partnership between the three tiers of government— Commonwealth, state and local. The strong relationship between the state, local governments and indigenous community councils is particularly important as each has a critical role to play in 4490 Disaster Management Bill 29 Oct 2003 disaster mitigation, prevention and preparedness as well as response and recovery from disasters. The Queensland Police Service provides significant support for the operation of the disaster management system. The new bill addresses changes necessary in the management of the volunteer State Emergency Service to ensure that local SES volunteers continue to play a vital role as the community based disaster response and rescue organisation. We have seen over the last three to four days in south-east Queensland what a superb job the SES does in south-east Queensland and right the way across Queensland. New mechanisms are also provided in the bill to deliver more effective disaster management and emergency services to rural and remote communities, particularly indigenous communities, through the establishment of volunteer emergency services units. These units will incorporate SES, Rural Fire Service and ambulance first responders functions performed by volunteers. The level of consultation involved in developing the Disaster Management Bill has been extensive and thorough. The outcomes of a review of the State Counter-Disaster Organisation Act 1975 were released widely in a discussion paper early this year and the feedback from stakeholders was incorporated into the drafting of this bill. A 'ground-truthing' session was held on 17 September 2003, which tested the provisions of the draft bill against a number of realistic scenarios. The session was attended by representatives of state government departments, the Local Government Association of Queensland, the Brisbane City Council, the Gold Coast City Council and the Volunteer Executive Committee of the SES. Additionally, there has been extensive consultation, throughout the policy development phase and the drafting of the bill, with all state government departments, and particularly those agencies represented on the Central Control Group, the executive of the state's peak counter disaster committee. Definition of Disaster The definition of 'disaster' in the bill incorporates the concept of a serious disruption to a community caused by the impact of an event that requires a significant coordinated response by the state and other entities to help the community to recover from the disruption. An event may be natural or caused by human acts or omissions. It could include a natural event such as a cyclone, flood or storm, an explosion or fire, chemical spill or gas leak. It could also be a failure of, or disruption to, an essential service or infrastructure or an attack against the state of Queensland. Disaster Management Groups The disaster management system is based on an integrated framework at state, district and local government levels. The new bill streamlines the existing arrangements at state level and replaces the two state-level committees, the State Counter Disaster Organisation and the Central Control Group, with a single peak disaster management policy and decision-making body to be called the State Disaster Management Group. At the district level, district disaster management groups will replace the existing disaster district control groups. At the local government level the existing local government counter disaster committees, which are not mentioned in the existing act, will be replaced by formally established local disaster management groups. The bill establishes explicit functions for each of these disaster management groups. The functions of the groups have been broadened to recognise and address the holistic approach to disaster management that is the key objective of the new bill. Their functions will include— ¥ disaster management policy making; ¥ disaster management planning; ¥ coordination across and between the levels and jurisdictions; ¥ identification of resources; ¥ operational decision making; and ¥ reporting on planning, effectiveness, operations and priorities. The bill provides for the appointment of executive officers of state, district and local groups and details their functions. The appointments and functions of the district disaster coordinator and deputy chair of the district groups are also established. The bill will entrench representation of 29 Oct 2003 Disaster Management Bill 4491 each local government and indigenous community council on the district disaster management group in their area. This ensures councils can participate in and contribute to disaster management at the district level through membership of the district group. Disaster Management Plans and Guidelines Since 1996 Queensland has prepared a whole-of-government State Counter Disaster Plan. The bill will mandate the preparation of a State Disaster Management Plan and requires that it be reviewed. Disaster management plans are required at each level of the system and in general each plan will include— ¥ disaster management policy framework; ¥ roles and responsibilities; ¥ coordination of disaster operations; ¥ likely disaster events; ¥ priorities for disaster management. The bill also provides for the development of disaster management planning guidelines to assist all levels of the disaster management system to develop their plans to a consistent standard. Declaration of a Disaster and Powers Available The bill provides for the declaration of a 'disaster situation' at the district level by a district disaster coordinator with the approval of the minister or at state level by the Minister for Emergency Services and the Premier. This replaces the former 'state of disaster' declaration which required the declaration to be made by the Governor in Council at state level. The mechanism at the district level remains unchanged from the current act. The process for authorising persons to exercise powers is detailed in the bill and the powers are listed explicitly. The powers are extensive to enable actions to be taken by police and other emergency responders to minimise the impact of, respond to, and recover from serious disruption to a community. The bill establishes safeguards for the use of those powers. Similarly, the bill also details the powers of the district disaster coordinator. The bill enables the chair of the State Disaster Management Group and a district disaster coordinator to give directions about the circumstances in which powers may be exercised under other acts, for the effective management of a disaster, where a disaster situation has been declared. Directions must only be given after consulting with the chief executive officer of the agency which administers the relevant legislation. This provision is intended to enable effective coordination of disaster response. It is not intended by this provision to direct how agencies exercise emergency powers in their own areas of expertise. This directions power may only be delegated by the chair of the state group to the Commissioner of Police, and to no other person. State Emergency Service The bill maintains the role and operations of the State Emergency Service. The functions of the SES as detailed in the bill are to perform— ¥ rescue or similar operations in an emergency situation; or ¥ search operations in an emergency or similar situation; or ¥ other operations in an emergency situation to help injured persons or protect persons or property from danger or potential danger associated with the emergency; or ¥ to perform other activities appropriate to helping communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from an event or a disaster. In deciding the functions of an SES unit, consideration must be given to the needs of their community, and training and resourcing levels of the unit. Emergency Service Units Currently, there are a significant number of collocated volunteer emergency service units in rural and remote locations throughout Queensland. The bill enables the creation of emergency service units with any of the functions that the chief executive of the Department of Emergency Services considers appropriate for the unit, including SES functions, firefighting, and fire prevention and first aid. The chief executive must have regard to the needs of the community in establishing an emergency service unit and determining its individual functions. The emergency service unit concept provides local governments with a more cost-effective option for the delivery of emergency service functions. The emergency service functions can be 4492 Disaster Management Bill 29 Oct 2003 delivered through one integrated emergency service unit headed by an emergency service unit coordinator. It is proposed that the functions of the emergency service unit would be aligned with existing SES search and rescue, Rural Fire Service, firefighting and fire prevention and Queensland Ambulance Service first responder activities. Recruitment of key officers would also be undertaken through established processes. The immediate benefits to local government would be their ability to access and utilise the resources of all emergency service divisions within DES and reduce the duplication of operating costs associated with independent, stand-alone emergency service units. This approach represents a major contribution by the Department of Emergency Services to the government's Meeting Challenges, Making Choices policy agenda for Cape York communities. Where an emergency service unit undertakes firefighting or fire prevention functions, the bill sets out special conditions for performing those functions and the appointment of a suitably qualified person as fire coordinator for the unit. The bill also sets out the general requirements for membership of the emergency service units. The chief executive of the Department of Emergency Services is empowered under the bill to make codes of practice for SES or emergency service units addressing operations, appropriate conduct and other matters as necessary. Protection Provided by the Act The protection of volunteer employment for SES or emergency service unit members while involved in performing an emergency or disaster response related function is provided for in the bill. I know that many members on the government side have expressed their concern to me that sometimes these people who do the excellent work that they do in the community do not have employment protection. I am very pleased to say that the bill includes an amendment to the Industrial Relations Act 1999 that extends this protection to emergency service volunteers, including those performing SES or emergency service unit functions, rural fire brigade functions, honorary ambulance functions or the functions of a hazmat adviser providing an advisory service at emergencies involving hazardous materials. The bill enables SES and Emergency Service members to be covered by workers compensation insurance while they are performing an activity in their capacity as SES or emergency services members that is related to the carrying out of disaster operations, an SES function or an emergency services unit function. Persons required by an authorised officer to give reasonable help during a disaster or rescue operation may also be covered by workers compensation insurance. The bill establishes protection from civil liability for actions undertaken in good faith and without reckless disregard for personal injury or property loss or damage which may be caused. This provision is in line with the protection for those providing first aid or assistance to persons in distress under the Civil Liability Act 2003. This provision is intended to protect the state and relevant individuals from claims arising from acts and omissions made under the bill in good faith. This would ensure that the state, local governments, volunteers and Emergency Service employees are not exposed to any greater liability than under the existing act. Authorised Rescue Officers Authorised rescue officers are granted particular powers in the bill to enter a place for the purpose of performing an emergency related function; to protect a person who is trapped, or endangered in some way; or to protect the officer or another person from danger, potential danger or assault. The bill places appropriate checks and balances on the exercise of these powers. The bill enables the chief executive to appoint as an authorised rescue officer an SES member or an emergency service unit member who is a member of an SES or emergency service unit that the chief executive considers has the necessary equipment to perform rescue or similar operations and has the necessary expertise or experience to be an authorised rescue officer. The bill provides that the chairperson of the state group or a district disaster coordinator can authorise a person to exercise rescue powers in relation to the emergency situation if it is necessary to ensure other operations in an emergency situation are effective. This enables the authorisation of persons with specialist skills to respond to a disaster or an emergency situation where a disaster situation is not declared. Compensation and Insurance The bill establishes provisions for payment of just and reasonable compensation for loss or damage due to actions undertaken during a disaster or rescue operation. The processes for 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4493 applying for and appealing a decision on compensation are set out in detail in the bill. The bill contains a provision to extend private insurance policies to cover damage caused by the exercise of declared disaster and rescue powers rather than simply covering damage caused by the disaster itself. This provision will serve to further limit the possibility of compensation claims against the state. The Insurance Council of Australia supports this policy. Offences The bill establishes a range of offences and appropriate penalties. For example, it is an offence to obstruct or to fail to comply with a direction of a declared disaster officer in the exercise of powers conferred under the bill. The bill establishes a range of offences for the misuse of the SES or Emergency Service names or the impersonation of SES or Emergency Service members. Rural Fire Advisory Council The bill contains a number of amendments to the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990. These amendments change the name of the Rural Fire Council to the Rural Fire Advisory Council. The name change better reflects the function and nature of the council as an advisory body. The amendment increases the size of the council from seven to a maximum of 12 members appointed by the Governor in Council by gazette notice following nomination of that person by the minister. The increase in the size of the council allows for the membership of the council to be representative of a broad range of industry and community stakeholders and ultimately for the council to be a source of advice that is reflective of wide community interests. Conclusion It is essential that Queensland maintain a comprehensive disaster management system that has the capacity to prevent or mitigate the impact of potential disasters and with a robust and effective system for disaster preparedness, response and recovery. Such a system is needed to effectively manage the consequences of any disaster event, whether it is due to severe natural, non-natural or terrorist related events. Queensland's disaster management system must be capable of dealing with the changing circumstances in which we live. This bill will ensure that the valuable work of many thousands of emergency volunteers is supported and that people living in isolated communities are protected by efficient and effective local emergency and disaster services. The Department of Emergency Services has worked with state and local government agencies and the community to deliver this new legislation. Given the collaborative whole-of-government approach of the bill, its focus on safety, and its provision of a clear framework for contemporary diaster management structures, functions and powers, the bill again demonstrates the Beattie government's commitment to safer and more supportive communities. I commend the bill to the House. Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Poole): Order! Before I call for the adjournment of the debate, I welcome to the public gallery the principal, teachers and year 12 students from the business and communications technology class of Woodridge State High School in the electorate of Woodridge. Debate, on motion of Mr Malone, adjourned.

APPROPRIATION BILL (No. 2) APPROPRIATION (PARLIAMENT) BILL (No. 2) Second Reading (Cognate Debate) Resumed from 14 October (see p. 4010) Mr QUINN (Robina—Lib) (12.14 p.m.): In rising to speak in the cognate debate on the appropriation bills I indicate at the outset that we will be supporting their passage through the House today. The government and Treasurer claim that they are prudent financial managers and that they have delivered for Queenslanders. Yet the Treasurer has delivered two budget deficits and one minuscule surplus. The $15 million surplus was achieved in the shadow of windfalls of over $600 million in state taxation revenue, over and above the government's budgeted figure in 2002-03, and over $590 million in current grants and subsidies, primarily GST and special purpose payments from the Commonwealth government for the 2002-03 financial year. The government is now claiming that they have been such good financial managers that they can afford a $1.4 billion Smart State Building Fund. However, this is not coming from existing budget. This is coming from additional borrowings. The Treasurer claims that these additional 4494 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003 borrowings can be afforded because of an accumulated reduction in planned borrowings of $1.8 billion in the general government sector over the past three years. Just because the government has been the benefactor of a huge $2.5 billion financial windfall from state taxation and GST and therefore did not borrow as much as initially planned, that does not mean the government is now in a position to race out and rack up $1.4 billion in debt. What the Treasurer is not telling Queensland is that the reduction in planned borrowings over the past three financial years comes on the back of windfalls of over $1 billion in taxation revenue, over and above the government's budgeted figure for the same time frame, and nearly $1.5 billion in current grants and subsidies, primarily GST and special purpose payments from the Commonwealth government. While the Treasurer is seeking praise for the reduction in planned borrowings in the general government sector, what he is not admitting is that the government has also received windfalls of over $1 billion in state taxation revenue and nearly $1.5 million in GST and other payments from the Commonwealth. What we have is not prudent financial management within the budget framework but rather some windfall revenue receipts which are being used to justify the additional borrowings the Treasurer plans in the run-up to an election campaign. The Treasurer is not telling Queenslanders that since he has become Treasurer the capital works budget, as a proportion of the total budgeted expenditure for the non-financial public sector, has fallen from 24.4 per cent in 2000-01 to 19.75 per cent in 2003-04. While the total budgeted expenditure for the non-financial public sector increased by over $5 billion in that time frame, the capital works budget has remained stagnant at just under $5.3 billion. No wonder there is now a need for additional capital works spending in this state. One only has to look at the figures to see what has been happening over that time frame. If one looks at the budget documents, one finds that for 2000-01 total budget expenses were just over 21 and half billion dollars and capital works expenditure was $5.2 billion. Four budgets later we have an increase of $5 billion in total expenses to over 26 and half billion dollars and the capital works budget is almost exactly the same at $5.2 billion. Whilst we have had a rise in total expenses, the capital works budget has remained flat in dollar terms and has in fact decreased in percentage terms. That is why the Treasurer is planning a massive capital works increase over the next financial year. This is a catch-up on poor financial management over the past three years. A government member interjected. Mr QUINN: Yes, that is right. The budget figures show it. When one talks to the major contractors around the state, they say that the capital works budget has not increased at all over the past three budgets. While I am pleased that the government has finally recognised and acknowledged what I have been saying for a number of years about the need for increased spending on capital expenditure, what I cannot accept is the government's plan—that is, borrowing money for social infrastructure. This is a critical point. Never before has a state government borrowed money for social infrastructure. They have never borrowed money to build hospitals. They have never borrowed money to build schools. Mr Mackenroth: Rubbish. Mr QUINN: I will explain it to the Treasurer. He should just settle down. I ask him to go back to 1990 when there was a change of government. At that time, the then Treasurer, Keith De Lacy, and all through the Goss period made the point that there would be no borrowing for social infrastructure. In his second reading speech for the Appropriation Bill in August 1990 he said— The Government is also committed to a Budget strategy that is both financially sound and responsible. There will be no borrowings to fund recurrent programs. Long-term liabilities such as superannuation, workers' compensation and motor vehicle third party insurance will be fully actuarially funded. There will be no borrowings to fund capital assets that do not generate a revenue stream to repay debt. In 1990 that was enshrined by the Goss Labor government. It carried that through six years of government. We carried it through three years of government; and David Hamill, when he was Treasurer after us, carried it. It was not until the Charter of Social and Fiscal Responsibility in October 2001 that the condition of not borrowing for social infrastructure was removed. So the charter now reads that, for capital funding, borrowings or other financial arrangements will be undertaken only for capital investments and where, and only where, these can be serviced within operating surpluses consistent with maintaining a triple A credit rating. The prohibition on borrowing for social infrastructure was removed in October 2001. Previous to that, every government had resisted borrowing for social infrastructure in this state. That is the reason why we 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4495 have been in such a strong financial position in this state over a long period. Governments had resisted going down that path. Hence we built up our strong financial position in this state. Now, this situation is about to be put to the sword. The government is moving away from that fundamental principle that has made this state financially strong over that period. As I said, any Treasurer worth his salt would know that social infrastructure should be funded from the existing budget and borrowing should be done only to fund capital projects that can service debt. A look at the level of borrowings within the public non-financial corporations sector—formerly known as the PTE sector—shows an increase of over $2 billion under this Treasurer. In 2000-01, the level of borrowing within the public non-financial corporations sector was nearly $11.4 billion. The figures released late last week by the government show that this figure has increased to $13.4 billion—an increase of over $2 billion in just three years. We should not be surprised that that has occurred. After all, this is the government that forced the GOCs to engage in various financial practices so that capital can be repatriated to Treasury in order to be spent in other areas. Everyone will recall when the government demanded that some of the GOCs increase their levels of debt and then demanded them to pay special dividends back to the government. Then we had the practice of revaluing assets such as power poles so that the power companies could increase their borrowing capacity and, in turn, pay larger dividends to the government. Of course, then in turn we had the increase in electricity prices to help the GOCs—the power companies—service their new debt level. What was also interesting about the Treasurer's statement yesterday was the pledge to fully fund specific agencies for staff salaries and any increases as a consequence of enterprise bargaining negotiations. This is a point that I raised during the estimates debate when I asked the Treasurer about that matter. He admitted then that the government was prepared to fund only some three per cent of salary increases within some of the agencies. Mr Mackenroth interjected. Mr QUINN: Yes, I will come to that. Even when I highlighted the fact that that would force agencies to cut services to Queenslanders to enable them to fund the difference between the three per cent increase and the actual salary increase, the Treasurer said that the agencies could make a request to the Cabinet Budget Review Committee for additional funding. So that is how tight the budget was at that time. If there had not been the windfall funding that the Treasurer received, critical agencies such as Families would have been forced to go to the Cabinet Budget Review Committee and plead their case. I suspect that if that windfall in recurrent funding had not come on board, those agencies may not have received their additional funds. It is ironic that the Treasurer has now admitted that the government's practice is not and never was acceptable and that he has flagged that the government will fund some government agencies about $85 million per annum to fully pay their staff salaries and increases. Queenslanders need to acknowledge that if the Commonwealth had not bailed out the Beattie government to the tune of $1.5 billion in GST and other payments, then the departments of Police, Health, Education, Families and Disability Services would have all been forced to cut back on service delivery so that they could fully pay their salaries for doctors, nurses, police and others within those departments. Why? Because, as I have mentioned before, the state's finances had not been managed in a prudent manner for that period. What concerns me about this government is that, without the windfalls of over $1 billion in taxation revenue, nearly $1.5 billion in recurrent grants and subsidies, the government was quite prepared to cut some $343 million over the next four years from the operating budgets of Health, Education, Police, Families and Disability Services. I think that would have been a disaster, given the current revelations particularly about the Families Department over the past couple of months. Whilst the Treasurer and the government like to tout their financial management credentials, as I have said, it has been anything but responsible, particularly in the area of now asking the people of Queensland to accept borrowings for the construction of social infrastructure over the next three years. As I have indicated, that is a dramatic move away from the fundamental financial principles that have made this state strong over a large number of years. When the government breaks that principle, when it starts borrowing to fund schools and hospitals, then it is wasting the financial legacy that other state governments have built up in this state over a long period. As I have said, the opposition will be supporting this bill. But the opposition has concerns about the way in which the government plans to spend money in the future, particularly in the area of capital works, and the way in which Queensland's financial affairs have been managed 4496 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003 over the past 12 months. Without those windfall gains, we would have seen another deficit budget coming in the last financial year. With those few words, as I said, the opposition will be supporting the bill. Mr PURCELL (Bulimba—ALP) (12.27 p.m.): I will be reasonably brief. These are two technical bills. They are to do with the appropriation of funds that the Treasurer needs for the years 2002-03 to distribute to those departments that need those funds. The main reason that I wanted to have an opportunity to speak to this bill was to congratulate the Treasurer on the magnificent way in which he has handled the Treasury since he has been in that position. I think that the appropriations have grown every year. Generally, the departments are receiving more money than they ever did before. For example, in the Department of Families, we have more than doubled the amount of funds that have been made available to that department. Over the years, it was starved of funds by all shades of governments. That money needed to be made available. The growth in the departments of Health and Education has been enormous. Those departments continue to grow. I would also like to congratulate the Treasurer on finding extra funds at this time of the year for public housing. I know that the Minister for Housing was making a bid for his share of those funds so that we can make sure that people who need public housing can get the appropriate housing and be looked after. I know that a large part of those funds—I think it is $1.4 million—will go to Education. My schools will be the recipient of some of those funds to upgrade some of the facilities that are getting a bit tired and that need to be upgraded because of the pressure on those schools with regard to numbers. I support the bill. Hon. V. P. LESTER (Keppel—NPA) (12.29 p.m.): Madam Deputy Speaker— Mr Mackenroth: The member is not in his correct seat. You have been here 29 years, Vince. You should know. Mr LESTER: For the information of the Deputy Premier, I was running around organising speakers. I would say that the swiftness of events led to this situation. Mr Mackenroth: If members are not here, you are not doing your job. Mr LESTER: That issue has been said of the Deputy Premier from time to time, too. I am quite delighted to speak in this cognate debate on Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) and Appropriation Bill (No. 2). To be quite honest, I am basically happy with what has been happening in the electorate of Keppel. As does every member of parliament, I try to do more. I know that from time to time the member for Rockhampton and I have the odd debate—not a personal debate but a debate nonetheless. I suppose it is reasonable to say that it keeps our respective party people happy when they see that we are both having a go. In recent years certain great things have happened in the electorate of Keppel. I give credit to the government for the fact that we now have a first-rate state emergency services complex. The old Telstra building has been rebuilt. The ambulance and the fire brigade are now housed there. With the cooperation of the Livingstone shire, state emergency services will be set up there also. Those services will be brought together near the main roundabout as you enter . This removes the ambulance and fire services from the main street. That location was absolutely and totally inappropriate for this day and age. It was okay in its time but not anymore. The electorate of Keppel has recently seen the construction of a new community health centre. The Minister for Environment visited the electorate last week. I thank him for that. We have found this building extremely useful in terms of coordinating health, family and other services. My only concern is that we could do with double the number of staff we have. To be quite frank, even if we did double the number of Health and Family Services staff, I would probably be calling for another doubling of the staff. The more people are supplied in these services, the greater the need seems to be. In recent times the government centre has been expanded. It is giving very good service in relation to transport and so on. Its construction is going back a bit, but the new police station at Emu Park has proved its worth in no uncertain terms. Then there is the Yeppoon Police Station. To be quite frank, that has outgrown its capacity to be an effective police station, in spite of how good the officer-in-charge is and how dedicated those wonderful people are. We now have some 16 uniformed officers, two administrators, three detectives and three water police officers. We are actually providing a 24- hour service. However, I think we would all agree that providing a 24-hour station with that level of staff is stretching things. Somebody going on leave creates a problem. It is a fact that trainee 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4497 officers are being sent to Yeppoon. Obviously that is of some help; however, the services of a senior officer are required to assist them. There are two things we need. We need additional officers based in Yeppoon and we need somewhere to put them. That time has come in Yeppoon; a new police station is needed. There is no question about it. I am somewhat disappointed to learn that a new police station is not on the current 10-year program. That does not concern me greatly, because most things I have achieved, with the help of others in the electorate of Keppel, have not been on a program at all. But you get into it, keep going, get the Deputy Premier or another minister to visit and eventually it happens. It is the old story of just keeping at things. If the ministers can see that there is a need and that you are fair dinkum, obviously in time these things happen. I do not believe that 10-year program for a police station, because in 10 years, with an almost doubling of the population on the Capricorn Coast, there is no way in the world the present situation will be tenable. I make it clear that we do need this new police station at Yeppoon. It is needed yesterday. Certainly I would like those people to take part. In my time I have seen the construction of the North Rockhampton Police Station. I do not take full credit for these things; they have come about as a result of all of us battling for that. I have certainly played my role. Other members in the area have played their role. The fire and ambulance services in North Rockhampton have contributed greatly to the North Rockhampton area. Rockhampton, whether we like it or not, tends to be split into two areas—north and south, bordered by the Fitzroy River. Of course, most of the development is actually happening to the north of Rockhampton. These facilities have been needed and are working at full throttle. The Lakes Creek Police Station seems to be temporarily unmanned at the moment. I do not know why this saga of the Lakes Creek Police Station goes on, because it is the one police station that does exactly as the old CJC used to advocate, that is, have personalised policing. That is exactly what the Lakes Creek Police Station does. Competent officers come there and get out and about—mixing with the people, going to the schools, going to soccer matches and whatever. They find out what is going on in the community and quite often can pre-empt crime. From time to time we do not seem to have anybody stationed at Lakes Creek. It happened right back when Robert Schwarten and I were campaigning against each other. A big issue at the time was that the station was not manned for some of that time. The situation is made right for a while and then the station goes back to being unmanned. I wish to goodness we could keep it functioning all of the time. I think we battle the police department in this regard because I think it would like to see policing centralised in the two Rockhampton police stations. That is not something I agree with. We will keep it going that way. I am pleased to learn, of course, that a new hospital will be provided in Yeppoon. We seem to have a bit of a biff occasionally about when it is going to be provided. It seems to get put back occasionally, but we are keeping at it. At least we have the announcement of it. Hopefully it will be ready to roll in 2005. With that will go the Gertrude Moore Nursing Home, which will double its capacity. That is urgently needed in the Yeppoon area because, unfortunately, the population is getting older and getting older at a great rate of knots because people are all of a sudden discovering that the Capricorn Coast is a pretty good place to live, and with that comes a lot of old people. There is nothing wrong with being old. It simply means those people have made a great contribution throughout their life. Growing old is something that we all share. It is a race we all run at the same pace; it just depends when you start. Mr Reeves interjected. Mr LESTER: Yes, and it starts from when you start. It is exactly what I said. Nevertheless, by the year 2020 the population of the Capricorn Coast will be in the order of 40,000 people. It is unbelievable to imagine that such progress would take place. The Emu Park-Rockhampton Road is of concern. Not long after I became the local member we were lucky enough to get the road widened all the way from Emu Park to Rockhampton, and that made a big difference. However, with the Barrier Reef development and other developments in the area there is an enormous amount of traffic on that road and passing lanes are needed. There is one at the current time but we need two or three more. I have been told by Main Roads that it will be some years before additional passing lanes will be contemplated. That road is extraordinarily well used at the moment and we need more passing lanes. I have had arguments from time to time over the Yeppoon-Rockhampton Road. It is my personal view that the section that has two lanes each way should be extended right through to 4498 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003

Yeppoon. There are another three passing lanes there, but we do need that extended right through because the volume of traffic is quite extraordinary. Main Roads tells me that the daily volume of traffic is about 7,000 to 8,000 cars, and it claims it needs 14,000 cars a day before it will consider double laning. I say to Main Roads, the government and the Treasurer that we should be looking forward. We have an area of immense development coming and we should anticipate some of this development rather than wait until it all happens. It seems to be a problem with government—whether it is state or federal government and irrespective of what party is in power—that we let things happen before we start to move. We are always catching each other up. Certainly Yeppoon Road needs an enormous amount of attention. We also need work to be done on the scenic highway linking Yeppoon and Emu Park. It is probably fair to say, as a result of the amount of traffic now, that parts of this road could be considered—and I do not like to use this word—dangerous under certain circumstances. The road is very narrow in parts, there are a lot of bends on the road, school buses use the road, and I sincerely hope there is not a school bus crash or anything else. Main Roads tell me that the major accidents ironically occur on the very best roads. It is a bit hard to argue with the figures. Unfortunately, that does happen. I know when we widened part of the Emu Park-Rockhampton Road within a few weeks five people were killed in one go in a head- on crash. No-one can quite understand how that happened. I do not want to apportion blame as to why it happened, but it is a fact of life that good roads do lead to some horribly disastrous accidents. Obviously it comes down to speed or somebody falling asleep or somebody not concentrating. Whether or not they get lulled by these new roads, I do not know; but at the end of the day we need to have new roads, that is for sure. We cannot continue to travel on old roads. Prior to my representing the state government at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference in Bangladesh, I spent a few days in India and I could not believe the state of some of their roads. Between Jaipur and Agra there is horrific traffic on the road, with one lane each way and a lot of the time no road at all—the bitumen has worn out. But somehow, despite dodging elephants and cows and everything else, there did not seem to be a great number of accidents, as one would have expected. Mr Quinn interjected. Mr LESTER: I do not think it has been; that is for sure. So those are a few of the issues that I would like to see us address. There are other issues that we should be looking at. I would like hospitals such as that which exists in Yeppoon a little more self-sufficient than they are at the current time. We have wonderful nursing staff there and an outstanding director of nursing who does a great job, but we are always fighting services being cut back, whether or not it is the dental service or other services. Currently the X-ray machine is not working. Quite frankly, that should not be occurring in this day and age. I would have to query why we cannot start to make these hospitals decent regional hospitals in their own right. I am forever having friendly scraps with the Health Department. When people have an accident, they are assessed in the Yeppoon Hospital and all of a sudden thrown in an ambulance and taken up to Rockhampton. To go back to my early days in Clermont when my children were growing up, one of my girls needed an appendix operation. It was all done at the Clermont Hospital. The local doctor got the anaesthetist up from Emerald, the appendix was removed and my daughter was out a few days later and back at school not long after that and is a very competent mother these days. Things did work in those days and the hospital was a focal point. Now it seems that people have to be flown to Brisbane, or if they live in the country or outlying areas they are taken to Rockhampton. One cannot say that we cannot get specialists to the Capricorn Coast, because the simple facts of life are that many Rockhampton residents are now choosing to live on the Capricorn Coast. I will not go into the people who do, but they do and they quite enjoy it. Mr Schwarten interjected. Mr LESTER: They do not live there all the time. If the member for Rockhampton did not give himself away, I would not have had to mention him. But it is quite in order for him to do that, I might add. There is nothing wrong with that. I had a house on the Capricorn Coast when I was still representing central Queensland. So it is only sound investment and I was in no way being critical. 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4499

It is said that we could not get specialists to live on the Capricorn Coast. That is a whole heap of codswallop. Quite frankly, a lot of our professors and outstanding people from the Central Queensland University, including the outstanding vice-chancellor, Glenice Hancock, live on the Capricorn Coast and commute up there every day. I would like to see a much greater effort made by health authorities in general, and that includes the federal government, to see if we can make these health services a little more responsible in regional areas such as the Capricorn Coast. If we could get visiting eye specialists or gynaecologists to the Capricorn Coast, I am sure there would be a living for them to be based there. Certain operations might still have to be performed in Rockhampton, but a specialist physician would be a great person to have on the Capricorn Coast. If we think about it, there is a lot going for the Capricorn Coast. Time expired. Mrs ATTWOOD (Mount Ommaney—ALP) (12.49 p.m.): I rise to support the Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) and the Appropriation Bill (No. 2). I congratulate the Treasurer on his sound economic management, which has led to this bill being debated here today. The Beattie government's Smart State policies are working. Queensland is fast becoming the preferred state in Australia for people to live and work. We can continue to deliver the goods on basic services in the areas of health, families, education, housing, transport, and law and order. In my own area, in the electorate of Mount Ommaney, you can clearly see the effect of sound monetary policies on the ground. Since I was elected in 1998 a number of commitments have been achieved, such as the first stage of the project that will transform the Oxley Creek Common into a major recreational attraction. That will be opened in the near future. Stage 1 of the Queensland government project will see accessibility through the land, and to Oxley Creek, improved with the inclusion of walking tracks, a pontoon for canoe enthusiasts, picnic spots, and parking for cars and buses. Other features of stage 1 include an environmental centre; new vehicle access from Sherwood Road; a picnic area; interpretative signage; formalisation of low-key rights of way to allow pedestrian access; and disability access to canoe launching facilities. Local community groups benefited from more than $33,000 in state government grants under the latest round of the Gambling Community Benefit Fund. Local grant recipients were the Kookaburra Kids Playgroup; Sherwood Kindergarten and Preschool; and the Yuingi Child Care Centre. Two of the 15 first year police officers allocated to the Metropolitan South Region will be initially assigned to the Mount Ommaney Police Station. I am sure that these officers will be an asset to our local station and will join the 46 additional police allocated to the district since 1998. The state government has allocated the biggest police budget on record, which will tip the $1 billion mark for the first time in 2003-04. The Sherwood Police Station is also on the road to construction and will be replaced at a cost of $430,000. I am sure the locals will benefit from resurfacing the road, which will decrease the amount of traffic noise and improve the quality of life for residents along the Centenary Highway. Some $2.3 million has been set aside in the last budget for completion of the Western Freeway bikeway between Centenary Bridge and the Fig Tree Pocket turnoff, and works will commence later this year. Last year, the successful $1.2 million upgrade of the access to was completed, and work on disabled access at the Corinda Railway Station is due to commence next year. People living in these suburbs will be pleased that improvements will enable better access for the elderly, parents with prams and the disabled. There are lots of other things happening in the Mount Ommaney electorate. I would like to congratulate the Treasurer for all the help that he has given to members over the last few years, ensuring that some of these services have been achieved. I also want to congratulate the Minister for Public Works and Minister for Housing for his cooperation as well in various areas. I commend the bill to the House. Mr FLYNN (Lockyer—ONP) (12.53 p.m.): Wherever I go in my electorate nearly everyone I meet wants to know: where is all the money going? I refer to all three levels of government collection, and if globalism continues there will no doubt be a fourth level. Everywhere we turn we have another tax or another levy. As members know, the Lockyer Valley itself, in the heart of the Lockyer electorate, is the food basket for south-east Queensland. It is also an increasingly important producer of export crops. And how do we treat this vital industry? In a conversation with one of my constituents this week we discussed the first real rain in a year falling on his paddocks. This farmer grows tomatoes and potatoes among other crops and 4500 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003 packs tonnes of produce every week for southern markets—income for Queensland. He has had a particularly bad year, along with others, with little water and the hot, dry weather. Nevertheless, it is not the weather he is cursing; it is the Queensland government and the federal government. He is having a go at all three levels of government. He has about a dozen farm vehicles, all of which have to use the public road to access various paddocks, and now he has to pay registration on all these vehicles. He has four workers' cottages, and he pays the $88 levy on all of these as well as his own home because they all have meters. Farmers who want to clear a patch of scrub to feed their cattle have to pay for someone to produce a property plan. Then they have to pay the Department of Natural Resources to scrutinise the plan. If they fall foul of the tree police, they face fines and court costs. They cannot put in dams because there is a moratorium on dam building. If they use a bore, there is now a $50 licence fee for each bore. So when their cattle start dropping condition, they are forced to take their herds out onto stock routes for a feed, and now the government charges them for that as well. Run late with your car rego and there is a levy to pay for that, too. Pay your rates and there is a green levy, plus GST. Yes, they always ask where the money is going—not just in the Lockyer but across the state and across the country. It is not just the footy stadium that costs money. Gatton has a first-class showground facility and an indoor sports centre, so I do not begrudge Brisbane its own comforts. But can government justify a $260 million splurge on the South Bank arts complex in Brisbane? Isn't one large gallery enough at this stage? Then there is the $90 million Magistrates Court for Brisbane, the $1.4 billion for the busway project, $2 billion earmarked for a road tunnel under the city, and a $69 million Treasury building. And so it goes on. It is been estimated that Brisbane commuters are subsidised to the tune of $400 million a year, yet most of our rural constituents depend upon their own vehicles to go to work or do the shopping. The rail motor service to Brisbane was scrapped years ago and replaced with a bus connection which entails more than a two hour stop-start trip into Brisbane. A return trip costs around $25. McCaffertys provides a coordinated bus to rail service as far as Rosewood. Residents I have spoken to speak highly of the drivers, who make the long trip as pleasurable as possible. Nevertheless, public transport is very sketchy in my electorate and most people must use cars. Even quite poor families have two cars because they have to. In the very first budget brought down by this government—and the previous government—the cost of registering motor vehicles was raised. Now they charge us extra if we are late paying. With all these extra taxes and levies we might have expected far better services, but frequently the opposite is true. We have more public servants than ever before, yet services are deteriorating or we are paying through the nose for them. That is why the first thing that people in my constituency say is: 'Where is the money going?' Both the state's doctors and their patients would probably say it cannot be going to our health service. A constituent who gashed his hand on his farm recently could not be stitched in Laidley because it was too deep. It was a wound to the sinews. The hospital could not provide the standard of care necessary, so he had to be taken to hospital in Ipswich for relatively minor surgery. Another patient who gashed a leg in a fall ended up in Toowoomba Base Hospital because of a lack of facilities in Gatton. However, we have seen some major improvements in the Lockyer. I think all my constituents would agree that money spent on our roads and schools particularly has been money well spent. I was pleased to be able to witness the commissioning of the duplicated Gatton bypass recently and I acknowledge the eventual cooperation of the state and federal governments in bringing to a head this urgently needed work. I was also relieved to hear recently that finally, after some posturing by a major player who is not present in this House, federal funding has been approved for the Plainland intersection crossing. Anyone who uses the Warrego Highway will know what a dangerous spot that is. Honourable members would be aware of my continued commitment to bringing a reliable water source to the area's farmers, so when the first storms for a year rolled through Gatton and Glenore Grove last week I shared the relief of the entire community. I now share their hopes that this is the start of a real wet season—something many younger residents of the Lockyer have never witnessed. If the good times have indeed returned, I will continue to make it my business to see that our valley never suffers a drought like this again by ensuring that farmers have access to reliable water supplies provided through innovative, major projects. 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4501

I will continue to press for future budgets to look to the future, to provide generational funding to ensure not only a productive but also a prosperous future for the Lockyer and, for that matter, for all Queenslanders. Sitting suspended from 12.59 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr McNamara): Order! Before calling the honourable member for Burnett, I recognise the presence in the gallery of students, staff and parents from Kolan South State School in the electorate of Burnett. Mr STRONG (Burnett—ALP) (2.31 p.m.): I rise in support of the Appropriation Bill (No. 2) and the Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2). During my contribution to this debate I want to concentrate on a particular piece of infrastructure to be built in the region, and that is the Burnett River dam. Substantial amounts of money have been apportioned to this dam over the last few years. Although construction is not expected to start for the next few months, it has had a direct impact on the livelihoods of my constituents in places like Childers, the Isis district and other areas of the Burnett. The first infrastructure in terms of this project was the widening of the S-bends at Sandy Creek on Biggenden Road. That road needed those improvements for quite some time as the road was only one lane wide and is a busy thoroughfare for school buses, cattle trucks, heavy transport as well as daily commuters from Dallarnil and Biggenden who work in Childers. The widening of that road amounted to over $1 million by the Isis Shire Council, and it did a terrific job. The road has been widened to a level of safety that meets the expectations of all residents. That is the first impact that this dam has had on the electorate. The other factor was the building of the access road to the dam a few months ago which also cost over $1 million. That was done by a few contractors, but that has had an impact in that it has drawn the bigger equipment and machinery into the district to that job and created a fair amount of work for many people. That in turn is having a direct impact on fuel supplies, transport and workers, of course. As well as projects having an impact in terms of actually building the infrastructure, other elements of the community such as tree croppers and the horticulture industry are feeling the effects in that, as soon as the funds were allocated for the construction of the dam, within weeks owners of farms started to develop and expand their current enterprises. A few farms in the region are expanding into avocadoes and mangoes despite the drought that the region has experienced over the last few years. Infrastructure such as the dam and the flow-on benefits means that farmers have the possibility to purchase extra water, and that means that they can plan for their farms for the next 20 or 30 years with some degree of confidence in that there will be a resource at a reasonable cost, especially in the tree cropping industries. They can therefore progress and expand their farms to a level of capacity which in turn makes their processing plants even more economical because of the economies of scale—that is, increased production means that things are cheaper. It gives those farmers another element of viability that was not necessarily considered when the dam was first mooted. There are other factors at play now. For example, the region is awaiting the announcement as to where the workers camp will be sited. Some 250 workers will need to be sited somewhere close to the building site. Childers is a prime example where a workers camp could be sited rather quickly and effectively with the council giving the Alliance Group the go-ahead, which is more or less the Walters construction company and a number of other organisation that pooled their resources together to win this tender. Mr Shine interjected. Mr STRONG: Yes, it is an outstanding company. It has a good record of employing trainees and apprentices, as well as a tremendous workplace health and safety record. The Isis Shire Council has done a large amount of work in preparing a proposal for that group to site its workers camp there for about 250 workers. Some 14 residences will be needed for the project manager and accompanying management staff, but 200-odd workers in a town like Childers will have a huge impact. So Isis has done well. It has decided to put resources into this. It is going to cost it a bob, but in the long term the benefits of having those workers based in Childers is beyond doubt. The town as a whole is waiting and willing, and all businesses are looking forward to it. The dam as a whole is expected to create 7,500 jobs throughout the region and has increased the expectation of the region. There is a certain amount of positivity throughout the region in not only the horticulture industry or the sugarcane industry, which is struggling with other 4502 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003 problems, but also the general economy of the area. There is a level of enthusiasm and, as I say, positivity that has not been seen for quite some time. If we can boil it down to what has made the difference to the economy, I would suggest that it is the commitment of the government to proceed with the dam and the expectations as to what that will bring to the community—that is, it will not only provide a more reliable source of water to farmers but it will also give other farmers the opportunity to purchase more and expand their current enterprises. As I say, there is a good feeling in the community. I commend the appropriation bills to the House and thank the minister for his work in this regard. Mr CHRIS FOLEY (Maryborough—Ind) (2.38 p.m.): Maryborough of course is no stranger to the fact that every electorate needs funding and needs significant infrastructure funding on an ongoing basis. One of the concerns for the electorate is the rolling stock contracts. What used to be Walkers and which is now known as EDI Rail has continued to see a downgrade of employment. Obviously we would like more rolling stock contracts to come the way of EDI Rail at a government level. If that can be done, that continues to provide employment, apprenticeships and overall economic stimulus to the town. In fact, I am having a meeting next week with Danny Broad, the general manager of EDI Rail, with the president of the Chamber of Commerce and others regarding the possible relocation to the region of at least some of the millennium train project, which is floundering in New South Wales because it lacks the experience perhaps in train building that some of our very skilled tradesmen in Maryborough can offer. Another issue related to the appropriation bills, as has been mentioned this morning, is public and community housing. We are facing a difficult situation in that 162 family units are waiting for public or community housing. Those are Housing Action Group figures. A lot of others are also waiting for Queensland government housing, for which there is a two-year waiting list. We need more funding in that area. Another concern in recent times has been that there are no public shower facilities for homeless people in Maryborough. I would like to see the government, in cooperation with the Maryborough City Council, put in place public shower facilities so that people living in cars, under houses, buildings and so on can be allowed the common dignity of a shower. Roads continue to be a problem and also require funding. This issue was raised at the by- election and it is ongoing. Another issue that needs addressing in the Maryborough electorate is bus services. I have been having some discussions with the manager of the Fraser Coast health service about the possibility of more bus services being provided between the two hospital campuses, and also for transport to TAFE and other areas around the city. As our population ages, more and more people are finding themselves unable to drive and in need of public transport. Another issue of pressing concern in our electorate is the silting up of the Burrum River, which is so bad at low tide that one could just about walk across to Woodgate. Some urgent realignment of the original boundaries is needed to restore the flow of the Burrum River. One of the consequent problems—and we see this not only on extremely windy days such as today—is erosion along foreshore communities, which is at crisis point, with major trees falling over. All of these initiatives require further funds, which will have to be addressed according to their priority. I commend the bills to the House. Hon. J. FOURAS (Ashgrove—ALP) (2.41 p.m.): In his speech, the opposition spokesperson on Treasury, the member for Robina, criticised the recently announced $1.4 billion infrastructure fund. In particular, he criticised the Treasurer's borrowing to build social infrastructure. He must have been speaking to the wrong bill, because this bill is about unforeseen expenditure in the last budget. The matter he raised would be more appropriately raised in future debates. However, he was also wrong on policy. Typically, we see how little the opposition has moved forward. Both the World Bank and the Productivity Commission are now talking about the need to build social capital, the subject of my speech today. I have often been accused in this House of getting warm and fuzzy, particularly when speaking about social issues. However, I have now been joined by bodies such as the World Bank and the Productivity Commission, which are now showing interest in researching the benefits of developing social capital—something that I presume has been met with raised eyebrows, and so it should. In July this year, the Productivity Commission released a research paper on social capital. The Productivity Commission concluded that people find living in a society with huge social capital more intrinsically satisfying. It found that the observance of social norms, taking part in social networks, and living in a society where social trust abounds are significant ends in contributing to 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4503 growth. In my view, the notion of social capital should be an end in itself and not just for economic growth. I find it surprising that the Productivity Commission should undertake this research, because it has historically argued for more microeconomic reform and, thereby, has largely destroyed social capital through its obsession to make the economy more efficient. Consequently, it is highly likely—and there is no doubt in my mind about this—that the reforms that have been pushed both by the World Bank, the IMF and the Productivity Commission have destroyed more wellbeing than they have created. I have always believed that there should be two goals to economic policy—equity and efficiency. Unfortunately, in the 1990s in particular we forgot about the goal of equity and we have not cared about the impact of economic policies on such intrinsic things as social capital. I hope the Productivity Commission's and the World Bank's interest in social capital, which to many members opposite would be seen as a new and trendy concept invented by sociologists, may be indicating a partial retreat from the economic fundamentalism of earlier times. I sincerely hope so. Social capital is the glue that holds society together. Social norms would ideally include tolerance, behaving honestly and helping those in need. Things such as shared values and rules for social conduct, trust and a sense of civic responsibility make society more than just a collection of individuals. We all remember that the heroine of members opposite, Margaret Thatcher, said that we are individuals who do not live in a society. That is why I was fascinated to read that report from the Productivity Commission. The presence of social capital generates a range of benefits. For example, when we have high levels of trust, we do not need to spend as much on security or insurance. A higher proportion of jobs are found through contracts, because when we have social networks they will be found through contracts rather than job ads or employment agencies. At the moment, all of the job finders in Australia are just parking the long-term unemployed and do not care about them at all. Those people are being left out in the wilderness. If we had this interconnectedness, I think the system would work better. In the workplace, mutual trust between employers and employees reduces the costs of supervision and allows more flexible work practices. And, of course, social capital hastens the spread of knowledge and innovation. What a wonderful concept that we on this side of the House, who are doing a lot to talk about a Smart State and smart economy, would have policies that aim to spread knowledge and innovation. Interestingly, the report's conclusion stated that building social capital—networks of trust that facilitate cooperation with or between groups—will lead to well connected individuals who are more likely to be hired, housed, healthy and happy. Is that not a wonderful concept, that we should want to live in a society that has trust, norms and networks that would lead to well connected individuals who are more likely to be hired, housed, healthy and happy? In conclusion, where do we see this in policies from this government? For example, we see this in policies from the Department of Employment and Training. We see it in the disability centre built in my electorate under the Community Jobs Plan by 13 long-term unemployed people. It is a place where people can mingle and it has been used by many groups. That is the sort of interconnection we are talking about. That also helps people to find a meaning in life. I attended a graduation ceremony at the Early Street Farm. The young people there took ownership in helping to build some parts of that farm. Those people not only learnt about horticulture but also made a commitment to the project. Last week I opened the Discovery Path at The Grange—a win-win situation in which long-term unemployed produced a facility for use and interaction by the community on weekends. That is an excellent example for building social capital. In conclusion, I think it is important for people on this side of the House to understand that social capital is intrinsic not only to who we are and how we live but also to building a healthier economy. Miss ELISA ROBERTS (Gympie—Ind) (2.50 p.m.): I am pleased to be able to take this opportunity to discuss the appropriation bills 2003 as I always relish the chance to speak about money, particularly in regards to my electorate. Mrs Carryn Sullivan: Particularly when it is someone else's. Miss ELISA ROBERTS: Even better! It is timely that this bill is being debated as I have been approached by members within my electorate about the establishment of a disability 4504 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003 village—much like a retirement village—for people with disabilities to reside in. I have a petition regarding such a proposal which I seek leave to table. Leave granted. Miss ELISA ROBERTS: The parents and carers who have planned this proposal are aware of the contentiousness surrounding people with disabilities living in close proximity. However, these people believe that in an accredited and safe environment with qualified care givers on site this type of living arrangement could be successful. The misconception that people with disabilities do not wish to live together or should not be placed together in a living environment really needs to be investigated, as many parents and those who do have a disability feel that living in close proximity to each other is a natural and commonsense approach. Examples of how well these people interact can be seen by how well people with a disability work together at places such as the Red Cross. It is not realistic to think that people with severe mental and physical disabilities will ever be completely or successfully integrated into mainstream society. As a result of the recent discussions and papers regarding disability services and how to best allocate funding and resources, a group of people in my electorate have come up with an alternative way for people with a disability to live and would greatly appreciate the opportunity to trial this concept. These people genuinely have the interests of their charges at heart and would greatly appreciate some funding in order to establish a new type of living centre. Some believe that a new approach needs to be taken in regards to the allocation of disability funding and these people believe that they may have come up with one example of a viable alternative that hopefully in the long run could save governments, carers and families money. I turn now to education. Of course, the need for airconditioning in the state schools within my electorate remains high on the agenda for me, parents, teachers and students. I hope that sooner rather than later adequate funding will be made available so that airconditioners can be installed into classrooms. Still on the topic of education, the Noosa District State High School is lobbying extensively in order to obtain the necessary funding to build and equip a training facility to meet the needs of students from Noosa and surrounding electorates such as Gympie. The requirement for such a facility stems from the fact that future employment opportunities for our youth will be found predominantly in areas such as catering, hospitality, retail and customer service. Therefore, it is imperative that schools are able to provide the necessary vocational training to make it easier for students to make the transition from school to the work force. I believe that the creation of this training centre will incite confidence within the business community by the fact that the future of the tourism industry is being taken seriously and the government is keen to ensure that smaller communities such as Cooroy and Gympie are given a chance to grow and enhance their employment and business opportunities. It is unfortunate that this particular school's home economics block was not replaced. Four years down the track there is still no capital works funding allocated to its replacement. The school is also in need of more permanent structures as the relocatable buildings that are currently in use are severely impacting on unplanned maintenance funds. I do hope that the Treasurer will take on board these needs in my electorate and will provide the funding necessary for these projects to see the light of day. There are numerous other projects in areas which require funding, but this short Gympie wish list means a great deal to local residents and I am sure they would all thank the Treasurer in anticipation of his generosity. Mr CUMMINS (Kawana—ALP) (2.54 p.m.): I rise to speak on the Appropriation Parliament Bill (No. 2) for 2003. It is no secret that we on this side of the House hold this Treasurer in extremely high regard, realising economic growth in Queensland is again forecast to exceed that of Australia in 2003. The Queensland economy is forecast to grow considerably faster than the national economy and this is despite an additional detraction from growth because of the deterioration in drought conditions across the state since previous budgets. The fiscal responsibility that this government has shown is, in my opinion, second to none. I would find it quite humorous if it were not so irrelevant and silly to hear the conservatives standing up, bagging our side of the House and complaining that the state is broke and similar, realising of course that they are fully supportive of a federal conservative government that will go down as the highest taxing government that Australia has seen. Under the Liberal-National federal government we see record foreign debt, record current account deficit, record trade deficit, record household debt, record credit card debt. Sadly, the record household debt and record credit card debt affects the majority of the Australians whom 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4505 we represent. It hurts Australians. While the federal government is happy to give very generous concessions to the top end of town, they sadly forget that they claim to represent the battlers. We hear their conservative friends on the radio prophesying to the western suburbs of Sydney, Melbourne and Queensland about what a great heart the Prime Minister and the Treasurer have. Sadly, in this House we hear similar rhetoric. It falls on pretty deaf ears in Queensland, because we have only three representatives from the Liberal Party in this House at present and hopefully fewer after the next election. The Sunshine Coast has fared well under the Beattie Labor government. We are working to secure the Sunshine Coast's future by honouring commitments and again proving that we deliver on previously made commitments. I am very proud of the many achievements that we have delivered to the region since the election in February 2001, including bolstering Tourism Sunshine Coast by encouraging extra flight links to southern areas and a new TAFE facility, which was opened earlier this year and cost approximately $15 million. As many in the House will understand, these TAFE facilities are a great benefit for people who are not going to go to university. They get their training and then pick up real jobs. Employers not only on the Sunshine Coast but right across Queensland are demanding that when people come to them they have the ability to make money and earn money for them from day one. On- the-job training, so to speak, is not what it was years ago. Our government is very committed to the TAFE industry. Sadly again, it is no secret that when the other side of politics were in government they tried to gut TAFE. They would privatise it if they could. Mr Shine interjected. Mr CUMMINS: I do not think he is even worth mentioning. We have seen extra Sunshine Coast teachers above the growth projections, more than $40 million for major Sunshine Coast health improvements, more than $13 million for Sunshine Coast public housing, over 50 extra police for the Sunshine Coast and more than $70 million for major road projects, which is greatly appreciated. Again, previously this was a very safe conservative area. Because it was so safe both at a state and federal level all they used to argue about was who would get preselection. If they had fought just as hard for their area we would have seen something delivered, but the Sunshine Coast did miss out. Not only are we behind the eight ball; we have one of the highest growth areas. I am very pleased that in coming months we will open approximately $22 million worth of Kawana Arterial road, which will dissect my electorate and take a significant amount of congestion off the roads. Along with that we have the Sunshine Motorway SM 2032 study. Again, not only did we have poor roads; we did not even have the planning instruments. The conservatives never fought to make sure that they planned so that when good roads are needed they are built. Since the lifting of the tolls on the Sunshine Motorway the Sunshine Coast has seen no major improvements under conservatives. We are very proud of what we have achieved on the Sunshine Coast. We do want to be part of a strong future for Queensland. The state has enjoyed strong growth and stability mainly because we have a government that I believe does deliver, and it has delivered for the Sunshine Coast. In closing, I commend the Treasurer. I think we have a very smart, fiscally driven Premier, Deputy Premier and entire cabinet. That can be seen by checking Hansard. Honourable members will see that very rarely does the conservative side question or debate. In years gone by we would have thought that that would have been what they based their whole arguments on. The Leader of the Opposition is in the House. I will not criticise him for his ad. I think it is marvellous that he is out jogging, getting fit. Sadly, he is lost in the wilderness with no-one to follow him. I commend the bill to the House. Mr SPRINGBORG (Southern Downs—NPA) (Leader of the Opposition) (3.00 p.m.): Another lightweight performance from the member for Kawana. The member for Kawana did not bother to tell this House—and the hallmark of this government is half-truths—the real situation with regard to the level of Commonwealth or public debt as presided over by the Commonwealth government. The member talked about the level of overall indebtedness of Australians, which is basically the private debt of Australians. But he did not say what the Commonwealth government had done in reducing the appalling legacy left by the Hawke and Keating years. When became the Prime Minister of Australia and Tim Fischer the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, they were faced with $90 billion worth of Commonwealth or public debt. A hallmark of Labor governments, regardless of wherever they are in power in Australia—whether it is at a national level, a state level or a territory level—is to clock up debt. They spend, spend, spend. 4506 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003

The Commonwealth government, through a whole range of measures and as a consequence of good financial management, has reduced that debt from $90 billion to $30 billion and it will reduce further that debt. That is because the Commonwealth government does not want future generations of Australians to have a public debt noose around their necks. The member for Kawana does not care about that. He believes that governments can keep clocking up that debt over and over again and that they can leave that legacy for future Australians. Maybe financial management is something that the member and this government need to learn. Under this government in Queensland we have seen a growth in the state budget from around $20 billion—when the government came into power in 1998—to some $26 billion, as I understand it, in the current financial year. Of course, much of that increase comes from the growth in the state and the need to service the people. But members should also keep in mind that this state government is raking in a whole lot more revenue in the form of fees, charges, levies and taxes that it applies to Queenslanders. It is also interesting to note that honourable members opposite do not like the GST—or say that they do not like the GST. They campaigned against the GST. They say that the GST is a dreadful thing. But guess who gets all of the GST that is currently collected in Australia? The state and territory governments! So I do not see them— Mr Horan: Who ran down and signed it. Mr SPRINGBORG: Who was the first one to run in and almost crash tackle Bob Carr to the ground to grab the pen from him to sign it? It was Premier Beattie! He was the first one there to sign the GST agreement. In actual fact, this year some $6.2 billion in GST revenue has come into the state of Queensland. That revenue is going to grow. In 2007-08, the state of Queensland will be about $800 million better off than it would have been if the old Commonwealth-state financial arrangement had stayed in place. The members opposite never say that. They never, ever, ever say that. They are happy to grab the cheque, they are happy to go out there and spend it, but they are not happy to give the credit for it. The state and territory governments of Australia wanted a growth source of revenue. The Commonwealth government gave them a growth source of revenue, the GST. A government member interjected. Mr SPRINGBORG: Members opposite can argue the rights and wrongs of it, but the government actually has a growth source of revenue—something that it has argued for and which it has never had previously. Are the members opposite saying that we should abolish it? No! Even the Labor Party at a Commonwealth level has done away with its intention to roll back the GST, which was so unsuccessfully taken to the last federal election by the then federal Leader of the Labor Party, Kim Beazley. So let us not have any of this nonsense about the Labor Party thinking that the GST is all bad. It is very happy to collect it. I think in the past financial year some $500 million more has been collected in stamp duty than what the government budgeted for. Of course, that is consequential on the burgeoning growth of the property market throughout Queensland. One would hope that that growth can continue into the future. So there are opportunities for the state government, because it has these sources of revenue that are increasing. We have heard a lot from the mutual admiration society, which makes up the back bench of the Labor Party, about how good this Treasurer is, what a wonderful Treasurer we have in Queensland. I will say this to members opposite: he is a very clever politician. There is no doubt about that. He is not called 'The Fox' for no reason. He is pretty wily. The Treasurer has talked about the fact that if the Labor Party is elected to another term of government, it is going to spend some $1.4 billion on additional capital works. We are not opposed to borrowing to invest in capital infrastructure that can make a return. There is not a problem with that—whether that be borrowing for rail, roads or ports. But this government has departed from the fiscal trilogy that has been adopted by governments in Queensland for a long, long time. It was adhered to by the Goss government with its Treasurer at the time, Keith De Lacy. It was reconfirmed by Treasurer Hamill. But now we are seeing a departure from that fiscal trilogy. I want to quote from Hansard of 14 September 1995, page 206. Treasurer De Lacy stated— Fundamental to the Goss Government's financial management philosophy is its commitment to the fiscal trilogy. A key element of this trilogy is the Goss Government's commitment to fund social infrastructure such as schools and hospitals from recurrent revenues and borrow only for economic assets which can generate an income stream sufficient to service the debt. 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4507

I will just repeat that. He stated— A key element of this trilogy is the Goss Government's commitment to fund social infrastructure such as schools and hospitals from recurrent revenues and borrow only for economic assets which can generate an income stream sufficient to service the debt. So members should be under no illusion. We are seeing from this Treasurer and from this government an alarming departure from that principle. That principle has stood this state in good stead in terms of fundamental fiscal and budgetary management over many decades. It was adopted by the Goss government and also adhered to in the first term of the Beattie government. Mr Mackenroth: No, no, no. Mr SPRINGBORG: What did Treasurer Hamill say? Mr Mackenroth: In the 1999-2000 budget, Treasurer Hamill made the change. Mr SPRINGBORG: As I understand it, we actually have a reference— Mr Quinn: He's changed his mind. Mr SPRINGBORG: He must have changed his mind, because on 7 December 1999, Mr Hamill stated— It is an oldie but a goodie, and one to which we adhere. I also thought the Opposition would have supported the principle that Governments do not go around borrowing willy-nilly for social infrastructure and that, within a Budget, Governments only borrow for capital infrastructure and only to the extent of, if borrowing outside the provision where there is an income stream directly able to service the borrowing. So that is what former Treasurer Hamill said on 7 December 1999. The government had been in power for about 18 months. So after that, we saw them change. They went away from that fiscal trilogy that underpins good, sound fiscal and budgetary management in this state—to borrow only for infrastructure that could service its own debt and make a return to the state—to enshrine the principle of borrowing for social infrastructure, which in itself does not make a financial return. We believe in the principle that recurrent revenue should be used only for servicing that particular social infrastructure. So that is a principle on which we differ with this government. There should be concern—even from the honourable member for Ashgrove—because this is a significant departure. If we are not careful, we will find ourselves on a roller-coaster which will become extremely difficult to get off. Let us not have any humbug about what wonderful financial management we have from this Treasurer and this state government when they have moved away from the fiscal trilogy which was adhered to by six years of Goss government and another 18 months of Beattie government until the end of 1999. Let us analyse how much of the $1.4 billion will go into social infrastructure, which will not create a return sufficient to be able to service the debt. The Treasurer says $400 million is going to rail. That should hopefully be able to service it at least in some way. There is another $250 million for transport. I think rail infrastructure has generally been considered a part of the hard infrastructure. Mr Mackenroth interjected. Mr SPRINGBORG: I was just trying to be generous. If the Treasurer wants to say that the whole lot cannot service itself, that is fine. I was trying to construct an argument that may be advantageous to the government's position. So $400 million for rail and $250 million for road infrastructure. One can argue that a lot of people use the roads, there is a lot of transport, there is wealth going backwards and forwards, but traditionally that was an area in which the Goss government would borrow and invest where some sort of wealth return could be created. That leaves, to my way of thinking, some $750-odd million of social infrastructure which will not make that particular return as has been quantified by the principles of previous Labor governments and previous governments in the state of Queensland. So it is an important departure. As much as the government proclaims that this $1.4 billion is marvellous, it is something new, it is something revolutionary, if we look at the proportion of the budget that goes into capital works, it was static to declining over the last few years, and roads have declined as a proportion of the capital works budget. When the Beattie government came to power in 1998, I think its first capital works budget was in the vicinity of $5 billion. The overall state budget at that stage was $20 billion. This year the budget in Queensland is $26 billion and the capital works budget is still in the vicinity of $5 billion—just a little bit over. So, as a proportion, there has been a significant decline in the money that has been spent on capital works. It is very difficult to argue that this is something which the government deserves to be patted on the back for, because it is only catch-up. It is only catch-up for what has happened in the last 4508 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003 term, let alone what will be necessary to meet the obligations of the state into the next term insofar as servicing the fundamental transport needs, rail needs, school needs, hospital needs, et cetera, of the people of Queensland. It is a case of smoke and mirrors. What we see puffed up in the smoke is not necessarily what we get. We have to dissect this to make comparisons with what has happened in the past. The Treasurer is now saying that he is delivering a $15 million budget surplus, and no doubt he is patting himself on the back for that. Let us set that against the backdrop of the raids on the GOCs by this government in the last 12 months to two years. Not only has the government taken the normal dividend which one would expect realistically it should take from the profits of those GOCs; it forced those GOCs, in the case of Ergon and Energex, to revalue themselves, to inflate themselves in order to borrow against that to pay a special dividend to the state. That is pretty shifty stuff. As the Auditor-General said in his audit report, it is unusual. He had not seen it done anywhere by any Australian government before in any jurisdiction that he could find. It may be, if somebody wanted to test it, illegal. I am not sure whether that would have been allowed under the Corporations Law, but certainly under Treasurer Mackenroth's law and under Premier Beattie's law you are able to do it in the state of Queensland. What has happened as a consequence of that is the government has been able to shift away from the state books a significant amount of debt and plonk that over with the GOCs to the extent that I understand about $600-odd million has been added. Mr Quinn: Two billion in the last three budgets. Mr SPRINGBORG: Two billion in the last three budgets; I think just over $600 million in the last budget or thereabouts. So it is significant. It shifted a significant amount of debt from the state books onto the books of these GOCs. Therefore, the government can technically say that its level of indebtedness is not as great. It also frees up other moneys for the government to do other things as well. I would call it shifty financial management. There is no doubt about it. What the government has done is shift the indebtedness from its books to those of GOCs. It shifted some $300 million or thereabouts to a couple of energy companies alone. If the government did not do that, we could clearly argue that in the last 12 to 18 months the budget bottom line would be nowhere near as healthy as it is today. It is smoke and mirrors. If people want to be overtly congratulatory of this Treasurer and this state government, they should look at some of those facts. Queensland has for a long time enjoyed a very strong and sound fiscal base. It has been something which has been adhered to by subsequent governments. It was put in place principally by the Bjelke-Petersen coalition government. We had a fully funded superannuation scheme. That is something that this government talks about. It claims those sorts of things. Mr Fouras interjected. Mr SPRINGBORG: I would say to the honourable member for Ashgrove, whose heart is always in the right place, that if one looks at the issue of service delivery, which I think is the test of government, it is not just about spending more money on resources but the way in which those resources are allocated. I refer him to the report done by the Hawke government in the early part of the 1990s which said that pound for pound, for dollars spent, Queensland was getting the best value in all the levels of service delivery—whether it be health, education or other areas of social delivery—of any state government. That was done by the Hawke government in the early part of the 1990s, and it was debated here at the time. That followed from the very sound financial and fiscal legacy left by successive coalition governments. If people were to subscribe to the honourable member's theory that a bucket of money would fix the problem, then a bucket of money would have fixed a whole range of problems because the Labor Party has been throwing buckets of money at issues for the last 12 years of incumbency—ever since the Labor Party came to power in 1989. Many of those areas have not been fixed by the bucket of money response. It is also how we administer departments, how effective and efficient the Public Service is, the sort of direction which is given by government ministers and the outcomes that come from that. I am not referring to cooked book outcomes but real outcomes that people who access services out there on the street can judge for themselves. I think that is the test. We are very concerned about the way in which the government is advancing fiscally in Queensland. It has managed to get itself out of jail by putting the jail around somebody else, that is, shifting its debt burden obligations and the red which has been the hallmark of the last two to 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4509 three Beattie government budgets over to someone else to assume. No doubt we will see that funny money approach next year. There is a whole range of things which we need to be concerned about and we will continue to be concerned about in relation to this government's financial management. Mrs CARRYN SULLIVAN (Pumicestone—ALP) (3.19 p.m.): I rise today to support the appropriation bills and to congratulate the Treasurer on his responsible financial management of the state which will allow for extra services to be provided to the people of Queensland. The Beattie government, through its community engagement, community cabinets and community forums—another Labor initiative—is listening to the people of Queensland and has provided many worthwhile services and facilities that are needed in the community. I would like to draw to the attention of the House and recognise a community group on Bribie Island in the electorate of Pumicestone. In March 1997 a public meeting was called to canvass support for a community based hospice to service the needs of the terminally ill living on Bribie Island and its surrounds. A steering committee was formed. Over the next few months a mission statement and key objectives were drafted and accepted. Study was undertaken by executive officers and key members of the community to ascertain the area of most need in the community. Following this, it was decided to implement a volunteer in-home respite service. To meet the educational needs of the volunteers, and in the interests of best practice, it was decided that all volunteers should take part in an educational program designed around the specific needs of clients with terminal illnesses and also the needs of their carers. Originally the committee was promised land on Bribie Island by the Church of Christ. However, as time went on the committee made a decision to purchase an existing property for use as a residential hospice, which was officially opened last month by the volunteers. Prior to purchasing this existing property, the volunteers had been providing an in-home respite service for the past six years. During that time they had made available approximately 1,000 hours of volunteer respite to the people of the local community. To provide this service the committee operates on a collaborative model of care, working in close liaison with those organisations in the community already providing nursing and other services to the terminally ill. I would like to express the community's gratitude to the following volunteers: Lorraine English, Joan Cornett, Rae Kratzmann, Lyn Stevens and Rosemary McIntosh, who were foundation members. Without their efforts the hospice would still be a dream. I would also like to thank Bribie Island's Quilters, Healthy Slimmers, Community Options as well as the RSL Women's Auxiliary, Toc H and the local Lions and Lioness clubs who helped raise the funds needed to make the hospice a reality. The hospice now caters for the needs of two clients a 24-hour basis. Care will continue to be provided by volunteers in a home environment. Along with other community representatives, I was invited to see first-hand the facility when it was officially opened earlier this year. I was impressed by the warm environment and by the fact that consideration was given to the needs of not only the clients but also the families of the clients. I commend the efforts of this community group and offer my full support to its effort to continue to provide this valuable service to the community. Ms LEE LONG (Tablelands—ONP) (3.21 p.m.): I rise to speak to the Appropriation Bill (No. 2) and Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2). There are two essential issues when it comes to appropriations—that is, how much money is involved and where it is going. I want to talk about both those issues. We are all aware of the great skills that the Treasurer has as a magician. All we have to do is listen to him and he is quick enough to tell us what a good conjuring job he is doing with our money, even though this state has had a deficit budget for the past three years. He tells us that this state has a closely accounted for, well-managed budget under his direction. All of a sudden this money magician has found an additional $1.4 billion. Where the money is going is a point of great interest to me as my electorate is far removed from this little dot sitting on the New South Wales border that enjoys so many benefits. The truth is that this government seems to do little as far as far-north Queensland goes. For example, it is failing the far north on roads. Not so long ago the new East Evelyn Road was opened amid much fanfare and touted as a major upgrading of the road link between the west, through the tablelands to the coast. But the upgrade missed at both ends. At one end, narrow and tight curves have left various curfews and so on in place as a result of the operation of very heavy 4510 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003 vehicles which the upgrade was supposed to assist. At the other end, a new intersection addressing the problem is still missing. The new road is already beginning to break up. Despite years of talk, we still do not have an upgraded Kuranda Range Road, nor do we have an upgraded Gillies Highway—the road that made the Emergency Services Minister ill recently—and local councils still have to fight for funding to allow their road networks to cope with the ever-increasing heavy transport servicing more and more intensive agriculture. There are also many kilometres of main roads on the tablelands which are narrow and are in need of widening and, importantly, adequate ongoing maintenance. Even our children are being let down by this government. At the Atherton High School they do not enjoy a performing arts facility on anything like the level other similar-sized schools already have, while Mareeba has yet to get a much-needed shaded area. It is the only secondary school north of Tully not to have one. In tropical Queensland this Smart State government will not even fund a proper, shaded area for 700 high school kids. Health appears again in the matter we are debating today. When it comes to revamping Atherton Hospital, the paltry $1million or so has to be stripped out of its future budgets. Here we have this government with an additional $1.4 billion to spend, yet it cannot find some one- millionth of it for a hospital revamp at Atherton. However, we do have a new combined ambulance station and clinic facility at Millaa Millaa, and work on Mount Garnet's ambulance station is under way. Planning is also in hand for a new facility at Atherton. We are thankful for these projects. The Minister for Housing was a recent visitor opening more public housing in Atherton. He is one of a number of ministers who have visited my electorate recently. Another was the Employment and Training Minister who opened a TAFE facility at the Atherton High School, a project which promises much for our youth. These projects are all welcome as they address the great gap in services which is facing my electorate and many others across the state. I take this opportunity to again point out the great community outrage at the community ambulance levy, which is almost universally despised as unfair, unjust and unreasonable. I also want to recognise the state's contribution by way of its share of funding for the several QHTN projects which are now open in my electorate. Whilst we have seen some flow of government funds into the electorate, it is important to recognise that there are still major areas in need of a significant injection of money. Many of the agricultural industries which underpin the local economy are facing dire straits and need government help to overcome the impact of uncontrollable external forces. As the outside world makes more and more inroads into the very structure of our society, it is to the government of the day that the people of Queensland look to protect their futures. It is to be hoped that this massive extra funding is directed in a way that does exactly that. Mr HORAN (Toowoomba South—NPA) (3.26 p.m.): These appropriation bills come after we have seen massive budget deficits in the previous two financial years. Another budget deficit is forecast for this year. In the mid-term announcement by the Treasurer there was a skinny prediction of a $15 million credit coming on the tail of the massive increase in stamp duty, which has been a real windfall to the government. It is like winning Lotto almost every day for this government with the way property prices have gone up and the resultant huge hike and increase in stamp duty returns to the government. It has saved their bacon somewhat this financial year. On top of that they have the ever-increasing GST returns, which are providing hundreds of millions of dollars extra to the government in this financial year and in forthcoming financial years over and above the old formula. The GST system is providing this government with very strong growth in funding in terms of the state government's finances. This debate today comes on the tail of the sudden appearance of $1.4 billion of infrastructure funding. For some time we on this side of the House have been saying that Queenslanders have been facing, under the Beattie Labor government, an infrastructure deficit. If one looks at the percentage of the annual state budget over a period of time that has been spent on infrastructure, it can be seen that it has been declining year after year. In the late eighties it was around about 42 to 43 per cent. It is now sitting around 20 per cent. That is at a time when the population of the state is increasing by about 85,000 people per year. Much of that is going into south-eastern Queensland. There is a desperate need for infrastructure that can provide for this population, particularly in the area of transport and roads, but there is also a desperate need for infrastructure in regional Queensland. There are many parts of regional Queensland, including the area that I represent of Toowoomba and the Darling Downs, that provides much of the wealth 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4511 to the economy of the state. I want to speak about some proposed capital works projects in the course of this debate, particularly the recycled water project which I have been pushing since 1996 and which this government, in one of the most stupid and foolish acts I have ever seen, has turned its back upon. Getting back to the fact that the government suddenly found $1.4 billion—it is going to have to find that by borrowing. It means the government will be borrowing for social infrastructure. One of the sound principles of government in Queensland has been to use the cash surpluses—the available cash funds that are held—to provide for social infrastructure and then to borrow for those sorts of projects that have a capacity within themselves to provide a repayment or a return to the government so that they can be properly funded. That is sound and sensible management. I do not think any of us here would expect in any shape or form that for new schools there should be any sort of funding system. That is what we should be paying out of the taxes that are collected by the government. In terms of ports, new tollways, roadways or dams, those sorts of projects have a capacity to make a certain amount of money which can contribute to their repayment and therefore make for sensible and sound borrowings. Earlier I spoke about the recycled water project, and that is an example of a project that can be funded in a number of ways. Just to reiterate, that project was to take 120,000 megalitres of waste water that simply discharged into the Brisbane River and Moreton Bay which grows blue- green algae because of the nitrogen and phosphorous in the water. So it causes an environmental problem at this end. That water could be sent through a pipe and pump—to keep it simple—to the Lockyer Valley and drop off some 40,000 megalitres and 80,000 megalitres up the range and over into the Darling Downs. That 120,000 megalitres would immediately deliver somewhere in the order of $450 million a year in terms of economic value to the Darling Downs and the Lockyer. That comes from a $150 million immediate increase in farm gate sales and a two-for-one basis—that is, $1 in sales generates $2 in economic growth. That is where the $450 million comes from. That is the result immediately, let alone the growth that would accrue from that. Members can imagine the jobs that would occur in light engineering, transport, export, IT, marketing futures and so forth from having that assured water supply to an area with the best soil, the best farmers and the best yielding crops in the world. All we are missing is a certain amount of water and water security. I ask members to bear in mind that Toowoomba's own water is lifted 400 metres from Crestbrook Dam. So it is being done now. Water is being lifted 400 metres on a vertical lift over a number of kilometres to our city. This project would be somewhere in the order of 500 metre lift, because it is proposed that this recycled water would go through the two tunnels that will be part of the second range crossing on the northern edge of Toowoomba. So it is quite feasible. If it is kept simple and innovative funding systems are put in place, this project can really happen. We have always said that the state government should give funding into this and there should be funding from the federal government. There are many big organisations and major vestment banks interested in providing a portion of the funding. The irrigators themselves are prepared to put in somewhere in the order of $80 million to $100 million of capital. On top of that, the irrigators are prepared to pay new levels of recurrent costs for the water to pay for the cost of delivery of the water and the cost of the repairs and maintenance so that there are no ongoing costs to the government. If notice is taken of the irrigators, many of whom are absolute experts in hydrology, and the system is kept simple in terms of innovative partnership arrangements with regard to funding and a certain proportion of funding and security of funding is provided by the state government, this great project could happen. This project would have similar benefits to south-east Queensland that the Snowy Mountains project had. It would provide a smorgasbord of jobs, not just jobs for people at the upper echelons in the professions but throughout the trades down to people who do the picking and packing, the driving of trucks and so forth. It would be a great project. Toowoomba, Darling Downs and the Lockyer deserve a project like this, because for decades now we have seen major funding of projects such as railway lines and ports in other parts of Queensland. Very little has gone into the Darling Downs. The area has the private power station in the Millmerran coalfield but not to the same extent as the massive developments of port areas like Gladstone and Townsville and tourism areas such as Cairns and elsewhere. It is about time something was done for this area, because it would mean that a big inland regional city like Toowoomba would be able to provide jobs for graduates from the university and the TAFE and to others who are looking for work. It would also provide 4512 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003 growth, but more importantly it would give Queensland export income—that is, outside money coming into Queensland that would provide the economic activity that provides government with the money to do more things for other parts of the state and at the same time we would be solving a major environmental dilemma—that is, Moreton Bay and the Brisbane River and at the other end taking pressure off the Condamine-Balonne system. Farmers would be able to add to their ring tank overland flow system and their bore system and their allocations from the Condamine River by adding to it a contract for airspace to take 500 megalitres of water each, and at least 300 farms have already said that they would do that. So they would be able to take that water and have that security. They are the sorts of exciting things that we should be doing with capital funding, and they are the sorts of exciting things that can be funded through innovative systems of funding where there is a true partnership arrangement. They are the sorts of things that will drive the state and give us real jobs for people so that there is not such a reliance upon training schemes and systems. Rather, this will provide real jobs and real work for people. This budget has suddenly got to the stage where it has made a skinny predicted $15 million credit for the year. Much of that is based upon special dividends that are being forced out of the government owned corporations. I really wonder—and I ask the minister to address this—whether it is legally right to be doing this. A director of a private company is not allowed to borrow to pay a dividend. That is, in effect, what this government is doing. It is forcing companies like Energex and Ergon to borrow to pay a special dividend to this government. Normally the dividend to this government would come from the surplus—that is, 95 per cent is forced out of their surplus at the moment to pay as a dividend to the government. This time the demand on them has been a special dividend to increase their borrowings, to increase their liability, to give this special dividend to the government. Someone in private enterprise on a board could not do that. They would not be allowed to go out and borrow so they could then go to the shareholders' meeting and say, 'Here's your share dividend,' which comes from money borrowed to pay for the dividend. That is the sort of sleight of hand that is going on under this government. We have seen what it did to the Cairns Port Authority. We have seen the pressure it put on one GOC after another to increase their liabilities and to transfer more and more funds across to the government so that the government can prop up the black hole in its budget. I would also be interested to hear from the minister the system of determining how this $1.4 billion is to be spent. We have seen an outline summary of $400 million for CityRail, $350 million for education, $250 million for health, $200 million for roads and $200 million for other projects. Are we in the opposition going to be able to put forward, other than here in the parliament, infrastructure and needs that should be considered by those departments for funding in particular projects? Mr Quinn interjected. Mr HORAN: Yes. As my colleague the member for Robina says, maybe it is only for marginal Labor electorates. If the government is fair dinkum, it will give some consideration to that. Even though Minister Barton has done one of the most stupid illogical things in turning his back on the recycled water project, that is one project that should be considered. Another project that should be considered is the second range crossing on the northern side of Toowoomba. The Warrego Highway through Toowoomba carries the heaviest freight load in Australia. It is the road where all the B-doubles go through to either Darwin or Melbourne. At the same time through our city— Mr Shine interjected. Mr HORAN: Keep quiet. We are the ones who have been working on this. They have to traverse 16 sets of traffic lights on one of our major roads, and it makes the crossing of the city for people very difficult. The federal government has already funded in the order of $30 million, which is being used to buy up the corridor and to complete the finalised detailed plans. But there have been proposals that this could be brought forward by using a public/private partnership arrangement or by having a shadow toll system, and the Toowoomba City Council has been involved in meetings with various organisations about it. The road is desperately needed, and the sooner it starts the better. It is a Commonwealth government responsibility, but if it was able to be brought forward and the Commonwealth government would agree that it would pay its portion on time as it said it would—and I think from memory it was the year 2007 that the major payments were to start on that road—this project could be brought forward using a shadow toll system. 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4513

The trucking organisations on the committee with the Toowoomba City Council indicated that, because it would save them a minimum of half an hour to cross through Toowoomba by going over a new crossing with a better gradient at around 80 kilometres an hour and with no traffic lights, they would be prepared to pay a toll. They indicated the amount of toll they would be prepared to pay if this project could be brought forward. Those are the sorts of innovative projects that we need in our city. There is a real window of opportunity in our city and our region of the Darling Downs for the recycled water project and the second range crossing. Putting those together would then enable the proposed Charlton-Wellcamp industrial estate to go ahead—the private estate proposed by Wagners at Wellcamp. That would make us the Singapore of inland Australia. All sorts of equipment would be loaded and off-loaded and sent down the four-lane highway all the way to south-east Queensland. That would provide a great incentive for the Australian inland railway also. In relation to capital funding for Health, we have a desperate need for additional major equipment at the Toowoomba Base Hospital, in particular an MRI. An MRI is desperately needed in our public hospital system so that patients going to our major public hospital—one of the big 10 of Queensland that serves all of south-western Queensland—could access this modern technology and specialist services at the public hospital. The Commonwealth government has announced that it will provide the licence and funding for radiation therapy in our city. It is a matter of whether that is at the public hospital or one of the two larger private hospitals or elsewhere within the city. It is important in the recurrent budget for Health, as its budget is developed for the next financial year and the one after, that there is a component to allow for the base hospital to bid or tender for this service. However, if it is not successful with the tender, it should be allowed to buy a large portion of time on this piece of equipment, and also the staff to service it, so that public hospital patients are able to have radiation therapy in Toowoomba. Currently, busloads of people are going down to Brisbane almost on a daily basis to receive radiation therapy. That is not right. It should be borne in mind that many of those people have travelled from western Queensland. It is important that a major regional health centre such as Toowoomba has not only a radiation therapy service that can service 200,000, 300,000 or more people but also that the public hospital has the provision in its current budget to be able to access that service if it is located elsewhere than on the campus of the Toowoomba Base Hospital. That and the MRI are important issues. We also desperately need funding for our dental health service. The public dental system in Toowoomba has a fantastic staff. They have had to put up with this situation for years. My electorate officer was contacted by a person informing us that he had rung up to make an appointment for his 77-year-old wife. He rang and rang from about 8 till 10. Finally, he got through to the main line at the Toowoomba Base Hospital, only to be told that he had to keep phoning because the clinic was very busy. When he eventually got through, he was told there were no appointments left for that day and he would have to start phoning again the next morning. The staff are frustrated. They are doing the best they can. However, they are understaffed and underresourced to meet the demand. This is a bandaid measure, not a true public dental health system that caters for the community's needs. This is a problem. When we were in government we put about $30 million into the public dental system in Australia to fix up the system in Queensland. Government members interjected. Mr HORAN: As usual, we hear members opposite bleat. They are getting all of the extra GST. What are they doing with all of the GST and stamp duty money they are winning? As I said, it is like lotto. It is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. They are not putting it into things like a public dental service at the Toowoomba Base Hospital. I will tell them where it has gone. It has gone into all of their fluffy little programs, strategies and inquiries. They never achieve a thing. They just talk and waste money. What is needed is tighter fiscal control. I have only three minutes remaining, yet there are still so many areas to cover. I wish to speak in particular about racing and how this government has turned its back on racing. Not one single dollar other than the $2 million they put into the integrity/safety of tracks will be put into racing. This government has turned its back, walked away, relying 100 per cent on the privately owned UNiTAB for funding for racing. Because that funding pool might not have been enough to provide for country racing, we saw 193 country race meetings closed down so that money could be shifted out to provide decent prize money at regional and city meets. We have announced a $20 million racing rescue package that would see country racing saved and prosper. It would see 4514 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003 harness racing prosper, instead of diminishing under the current system of the minister and the board, who do not look after the grassroots of harness racing—places such as Rocklea, Redcliffe and Toowoomba. One of the very worrying things about infrastructure is this government's abysmal failure when it comes to public-private partnerships. Much was said about that. We again got the documents. They were about two inches thick. What has happened? Maybe we will have a public-private partnership with the Southbank TAFE, but there is nothing real. Say that the annual capital works budget is around $5 billion. Add $1 billion from private enterprise. Suddenly, we have $6 billion in capital works being undertaken under a sound fiscal process. That would facilitate big projects. Mr Fouras interjected. Mr HORAN: It would not be used for schools. Public-private partnerships would be used for things such as major tunnels, bridges, dams, ports and projects such as that. Time expired. Mrs PRATT (Nanango—Ind) (3.46 p.m.): In rising to speak to the appropriation bills today, I have to say overall that I am relatively happy with what is going on in my electorate. People seem to be quite content. But in saying that, there are also a lot of things that we are not happy about, as government members have come to expect from me. Just like Oliver, I am going to ask for more and more, especially now the government has this windfall. It has money to burn, and I want some of it, if possible. Mr Horan: Going to Labor marginals. Mrs PRATT: Maybe it is going to the marginals. This government keeps saying it is fair, honest, open and accountable. This money should be distributed to all of the other electorates as well. The government should bear in mind that the demographics of some electorates are changing rapidly due to the number of people who are moving. My electorate of Nanango is increasing in its Labor vote. I would suggest that the government should consider that. Mr Mackenroth: I fund on the principle that every electorate has Labor voters. That is the way I do all of my funding. Mrs PRATT: That is true, but somehow it seems a little inequitable to most of us on this side of the House. Mr Quinn interjected. Mrs PRATT: There are a lot more in my electorate. If the member looks back at the last election results, that was the first time that the National Party was beaten by Labor. Government members can see how quickly the Labor vote is rising. Community housing is lacking throughout my electorate. Although we have a fair amount of public housing, there is a long waiting list. There is nothing to rent or buy. Even if something can be bought, due to the rapidly rising market a lot of lower income people cannot afford it. Therefore, I would ask that community housing be looked at in our area so as to accommodate those who have been pushed out of lower priced accommodation as their rents have risen. Turning to education, I have to thank the government. I recently attended the Kilcoy State High School's 40th birthday celebrations. They were ecstatic with their new administration block and the kitchen facilities for the kids. They were just so rapt with them. They really did get value for money. That is one thing people can say about country areas: when it comes to getting every cent's worth of value for the dollar, they can do it. I ask the ministers to consider that if they want value for money they should send it inland, because we know what it is like to budget and to do it pretty tough. Airconditioning of classrooms has been mentioned by other members in the House. We are not doing too badly in that area and I thank the government for that. Any extras will be gratefully received. One thing we do lack in my electorate is some form of industry, although we do have the Tarong Power Station. The Nanango electorate extends right down to Esk and Woodford. Those two areas really are lacking some form of industry. It is not that far out of Brisbane. In fact, it is almost on the front doorstep. People commute quite regularly from Blackbutt to Brisbane. It is really just a hop for them to travel from Woodford or Esk. I encourage the ministers to establish an industry there where there is still plenty of land and where it is cheap. If any industry is looking to relocate or set up, that would be an ideal spot. As I said, it is very close to Brisbane and any other facility they might be requiring. 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4515

With regard to industries, over the last five years I have often mentioned in this House the possibility of having a multipurpose cannery or an industrial zone near the Tarong Power Station. I still believe this is a fairly feasible idea. Quite a while ago I also mentioned the possibility of using the warm water from Tarong to create a fish farming industry. At the time a lot of people thought that that was perhaps a little bit of a crazy idea. Recently I read that people in Dalby have actually started to establish an inland fish farm. So it is not such a crazy idea. I think it is also one that could be promoted. Whoever would have thought of growing fish off the coast in bulk quantities in that way? But we can do it. We can do anything in Queensland, as we are often told. Mr Mackenroth: The Smart State. Mrs PRATT: That is what you keep telling us, Premier—sorry, that was a slip of the tongue. But if the Treasurer wants to invest money in my electorate, he should be Premier. It is as simple as that. I would even vote for that one, I think. You never know. All these things have to be looked at. The government has to have a really good look at inland Queensland, because it is a great place to establish industry. As I said, the land is cheap. Having been in business, I think it would be an absolute advantage. Another bit of a crisis we have at the moment is with police. I particularly refer to the Nanango township. I have had a few complaints over recent times. One very recent one is a bag snatching incident. The lady who had her bag snatched saw the perpetrator quite closely, as honourable members could imagine. There was also a witness to the event who knew the perpetrator personally. It was conveyed to the police and yet this bag snatcher still walks the street and nothing has been done. The question has to be asked: why? Hopefully we will find out. One of my favourite bugbears, as members will all know, is dental services in my area. Although the Minister for Health says that they are improving, it is extremely slow. With this windfall the government has at its beck and call at the moment, I ask very seriously that another position be created, albeit temporarily, just to bring waiting times for dental services in the area down to those of other areas. The inevitability of the aged care home closing is not that far away anymore. Future residents will be going to the Wondai Health Service. I have major concerns in that Kingaroy is a fast growing town and to have a public aged care facility removed still bothers me an awful lot. It also bothers me a lot more that there is no regular transport to Wondai for people who have to visit relatives who may be put in that particular home. It should not be too far out of the government's bounds to be able to afford it now that it has such a windfall. A little bit of sharing that way would help the older people of our community. Mental health is also still a major issue. Perhaps the Minister for Health could look at setting up a permanently located health service professional in Kingaroy. We have one really strong advocate in Betty Day. She said it has become her lifelong mission to have mental health in our area addressed because she knows what it is like to have a son with that condition and the trials it puts her and him through. I have to agree with the member for Toowoomba South with regard to the recycling of water. Queensland is a very dry state. We do not have that much water to waste. Although in my area recycling of water is not looked on favourably, at times it is necessary. There have been times in the past—and I dare say it will happen in the future—when councils have actually overlooked the use of grey water simply so that people do not become too heavily reliant on town supply. Recently we received a notice with our current rates account to say that the water is not potable. Those without tanks are carting water already and the summer season has not even started. Water recycling is a major issue. We do not want to be negligent with our water in any way, shape or form. If it is not addressed within the next few years we could be suffering a very severe crisis. I turn now to roads. At the moment I am quite happy with the roads in my electorate and the amount of work that is being done on them. I tried to travel down here quite early yesterday morning and was late—and I am not complaining, believe me—simply because of the number of roadworks between Kingaroy and Ipswich. It was quite a major event. I am really quite happy about that and I thank the government for that. However, a little while back I heard that one of the proposed overtaking lanes which was being built on the Blackbutt Range—the range itself, not at the top—was perhaps in danger of not being built. I ask the minister whether or not that is the case. Perhaps with this huge amount of funds that has been received that could be placed back on the agenda. I hope it is, because it is really necessary. There are a lot of accidents there. It is a major road for trucks. Not too long ago oranges were spread all over the place—I think it has happened twice in the last few months. 4516 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003

The railing that was renewed was all smashed up within a couple of weeks and had to be replaced again. It is of major importance that that overtaking lane is built. We still have concerns about crossings on our roads. I have often brought up the issue of Woodford with the minister. Residents of Blackbutt have actually asked for a crossing in the main street. I know that there is a practice at the moment of not placing road crossings on major thoroughfares. The people in Blackbutt, which is a very small town, look at Yarraman, which is also a small town just 15 minutes down the road, and see that it has a crossing through the centre of town. Mr Mackenroth: I know Blackbutt and I know Yarraman, and what one has got the other one has to have. Mrs PRATT: We cannot have any division between these two towns. But they cannot see any reason why they cannot have a crossing. As the Treasurer knows, Blackbutt has a very, very wide main street. It is becoming a town with many elderly people. It is very hard for those people to cross the street. So again I would ask that that matter be given serious consideration. Mr Mackenroth: I hope you're not advocating evening things up and taking the one away from Yarraman. Mrs PRATT: I would never dare ask the Treasurer to take anything out of the towns in my electorate. The people in those towns deserve everything that they have. They live there; they have done it tough over the years. Mr Wellington: Give him your flags. Mrs PRATT: Yes, the Treasurer could take the flags, because the flags fly all throughout my electorate. People are very proud of their flag and they are very patriotic. So they would not mind if the Treasurer had a flag to fly as well. Another road in my electorate is a link road between Blackbutt and Crows Nest. Although I acknowledge that this road is not a state controlled road, it is a local road that is classed as a road of significance for the councils in the area. Actually, three councils are supposed to contribute to the maintenance of this road, but they have a very small rate base and there is just no way that they would ever have the money to seal it. Therefore, TIDS funding would be very appropriate. Although in answer to a question on notice the minister stated that people could use an alternative access road that was further away, that road is actually an extra 50 kilometres away. So they are not very happy to even have to consider that. But for the road to be looked on favourably for a TIDS grant would be one of the things that I would be pushing. There is also another road—and I thank the minister for this—but I still have concerns about it. The Memerambi-Gordonbrook Road is a great road, except for one thing— An honourable member: It doesn't go anywhere. Mrs PRATT: No, it is a great road. It goes to heaven, right where I live. The construction of the road was farmed out to the Kingaroy Shire Council. I am told that it came in under budget. I query why it came in under budget, because it is not quite finished. I cannot really explain it, but the shoulders of the road are very steep. There are two bus stops there—one on each side of the road. I should say that there should be two bus stops. There should be areas where buses can pull over to let the kids off the bus. But the buses cannot pull off the road, because if they did they would tip over. So it is not very safe. So when the buses pull up to let the kids off, they actually stop on the road. There is a double white line on the road so any traffic coming behind the bus has to overtake on double white lines, which is very dangerous. So that is one thing that I would like the minister to really consider. The construction of the road came in under budget. I ask if the minister could ask why the road was not made as safe as it could possibly be. We still seem to have terribly long waiting lists for hospitals. That is not a problem that exists solely in my area; everywhere suffers from that. But in the past couple of weeks two people in my electorate have been required to accompany their husband or wife to a hospital in Brisbane. On both occasions, accommodation was needed for those people because they had to undertake a procedure. I believe that one procedure lasted about six weeks. Both of those people were on pensions and could not afford accommodation in Brisbane. When they asked for a transport subsidy and an accommodation subsidy, they were knocked back. As I said, there were two incidences of this occurring. I did not know of one until after it was all over and the family was very aggravated. But in the second case I was asked to talk to the minister about it, which I did. The matter has now been resolved. So I thank the minister for that. I wanted to say a very big thanks for that, because the couple involved on that occasion were quite distressed. The husband had 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4517 had a lung transplant and one thing that he did not need at that time was extra stress on himself and his wife. That was one matter that I really wanted to mention. As I said, overall I am happy with my electorate. It is going quite well. I commend the bills to the House. Mrs (Gladstone—Ind) (4.04 p.m.): I rise to speak to the appropriation bills that are before the House. At the moment my electorate, along with a number that have been cited in this chamber, has a high growth rate. This rate is going to increase, particularly with the positive developments that have occurred in relation to the Aldoga project. In some measure, the housing issues in my region may have been ameliorated through private enterprise investment in housing. We have quite a number of houses—we have 60 pantec buildings at the back at Calliope—but there has been another proposal for 1,200 houses to be developed in a staged development on the southern end of Boyne-Tannum. That over time will ameliorate the problems experienced with private rental. However, it will not address the issue of affordable housing for those people in the community who are on fixed incomes and whose increases in income do not match the level of increases in wages paid to construction workers. So affordable housing will continue to be an issue of concern in the electorate. A small committee has been formed to see if the area could get a men's shelter. The committee is called Gladstone Men's Shelter Incorporated. It is not a shelter per se in the long term, but a short-term opportunity to offer emergency accommodation to displaced men who cannot find accommodation. Some of them are in that position because of long-term constraints. Others find themselves in a difficult situation because they arrive in the town with no support expecting that there is going to be work available. So I commend the committee. Its chair is Judy Whicker, the fundraising chair is Greg Klease and there are a number of community representatives on that committee who are striving very hard to see the men's shelter progress. I thank the two representatives of the department of the Minister for Housing who met with us in Gladstone just recently. I believe that the meeting was extremely productive. With a growing population comes growing demands on infrastructure provision—not only built infrastructure and necessary working infrastructure but also recreational needs. We have been fortunate in the last little while to get some money invested through the government for the PCYC redevelopment, funds invested in the museum and funds invested in the library. I believe that during the debate on the last budget I thanked the government for those investments. They have certainly been welcomed. The projects are completed and they fill a need in the community that, because of its growth, would otherwise be difficult to meet. However, we have a very high level of sporting participation in the community, both youth and adult participation. One of the very, very popular recreations is fishing. There are quite a number of boat ramps, but there are a couple that are in high demand. In October 2001—and this was not the start of the issue, but part of the issue—I had been writing to a number of authorities and instrumentalities trying to work out exactly who had the responsibility for the facilities at the Calliope boat ramp. I was passed on to more departments and more local governments as well as government owned corporations. Mr Mackenroth: Boat ramps come under the Minister for Transport. Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM: Transport passed the buck. It was an incredible process. However, the buck stopped at the Gladstone Port Authority. They acknowledged that in 1987. Then in a subsequent document in 1988 they identified needs at the ramp such as widening, the provision of toilets, lighting and then bitumen sealing the car park. There has been one widening that I am aware of at the Calliope River boat ramp near the powerhouse. There are still no toilet facilities, the lighting has been improved and the car parking area is not bitumen sealed. Mr Mackenroth interjected. Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM: No, the port authority actually. Mr Mackenroth: It must be on port authority land. Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM: It is on port authority land. In May 2002 I wrote to the port authority seeking a CSO payment for the provision of a toilet block at the Calliope River boat ramp. Again, it was acknowledged in 1988 that the need was identified. The document states— Under the provisions of a long-standing policy on boating infrastructure, Queensland Transport does not fund land- based facilities such as parking areas and toilet facilities. The Gladstone Port Authority (GPA), as the local managing authority, is responsible for the provision, maintenance and upgrade of all land-based infrastructure ... 4518 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003

In May 2003 the Gladstone Port Authority wrote— In April, Mr Dean Wells, Minister for Environment, assisted by Mr Paul Neville, Member for Hinkler released the 'Gladstone Harbour Protection & Enhancement Strategy' ... I was actually at the launch. It continued— The purpose of the Strategy is summarised in the attached photocopies. ... In implementing the Strategy, a very high priority has been assigned to Item 3.4.4.1—Boat Ramp Demand Assessment Study, for which Queensland Transport is designated as the 'Responsible Group'. This is more or less an update of the Sinclair Knight & Partners 1988 work. They acknowledged that there had to be a review of that study. In June 2003 the principal adviser of infrastructure development at Queensland Transport said— Thank you for your letter dated 25 June 2003 addressed to the Regional Harbour Master at Gladstone ... He forwarded that letter to the infrastructure development people at QT. He continued— My comment on the implementation of the two sections referred to in your letter follows. And that is these two sections in the strategy. And further— The need for the strategy is acknowledged, however, there are no funds available in the 2003-2004 program. Subject to prioritisation of limited funds available, the project will be considered for future programs ... The demand is acknowledged. Current policy of only providing landings at major ramps (3 lanes or more) will be reviewed in 2003-04. Then in October this year the GPA stated— Thank you for your continued interest in pursuing the installation of toilet facilities at the Calliope River Boat Ramp. Although we haven't received a response from Mr Dwyer, we have received advice from the Principal Advisory (Infrastructure Development) ... And I have cited that. It continued— Mr Salisbury has advised that funding for the Boat Ramp Demand Assessment Study will be considered for future programs beyond 2003/04 financial year ... Then in October again this year a letter from Fred Salisbury to Noel Bowley stated— Thank you for your letter of 26 May ... QT recognises the importance of long-term plans for public boat launching facilities. However, other work priorities have not allowed commencement of this review. I am presently unable to give you a time frame when QT is likely to restart this work. These facilities on a very heavily used, heavy demand boat ramp, which I am sure if it was a private facility would fail as far as its health requirements are concerned, have been put on the never-never plan. We have been hearing from various quarters about this government's sound fiscal position. Frankly, there are so many stories saying it is unsound and sound that it is difficult to know which one is true. People who use that boating facility pay their dues as far as boat registrations and vehicle registrations are concerned. They are asking for toilet facilities and a drinkable water supply, predominantly. They are the priority needs, and I would put that need again before the government. Planning does not need to be put on the never-never. It has been shown that it is a priority and it needs to be done. One of the other very heavily used boat ramps is at Boyne Island, where there is an annual Hookup. I had the privilege of attending a function of Queensland Tourism today at the Botanical Gardens, where the Minister for Tourism spoke in relation to the importance of tourism to Queensland. The Boyne-Tannum Hookup is one of several fishing competitions that draws a significant crowd to my electorate from right across the state and even interstate. The committee that operates the Hookup does so on a voluntary basis. They are seeking a jetty for launching and boarding boats at Bray Park, which is where the Hookup is held. They expect the project would cost in the vicinity of $300,000 and they are seeking funding from the Department of Transport for this type of structure. The committee states— Our motives behind this project stem from watching boaties launch, and retrieve their boats during the Hookup and also throughout the year. At times we have seen some pretty dangerous things happen where people are holding onto their vessels in ankle or knee deep water often with other boats coming and going. Now whilst this doesn't concern those who don't have a boat there is another danger which has alluded everyone and that is the crocodile factor as well as stonefish, which have been frequently sited beside or near the boat ramp. So they are asking for a jetty to allow for greater safety for people using the boat ramp so that people do not have to risk life and limb while launching and retrieving their boats, they do not run 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4519 the risk of standing on one of the most poisonous fish known to man, and they can embark and disembark a vessel safely. I would put that need before the government as well. The issue of the State Development's involvement in the significant industry development in my region has been commented on by the Minister for State Development, the Premier and at times me. State Development primarily at the moment is involved in the buyback of houses at Targinnie. I have raised this matter in this chamber before but I raise it again. Labor, if it stays in power, or, if not, any subsequent government in my region will have a long-term commitment, arrangement and association with the community. The manner in which the buyback at Targinnie has been handled will do nothing to enable that cooperation to be in any way positive. The people at Targinnie feel that they have been abused by the process that has been put in place. They were originally advised in the buyback process that they would not be out of pocket. They have been out of pocket. They have to pay at least part of the payment for their own valuation because the valuer cannot hold the costs of the valuation until settlements are completed. Those settlements at times take too long. Many people are settling not because they are happy with the price the government has offered but because they feel they have no other option but to leave, usually because of health impacts from emissions from predominantly SPP. Others are leaving because the stress of the negotiations has been so great that their relationships with family and partners have been stressed beyond tolerance. I am calling on the government in handling these negotiations with the residents of Targinnie, in particular, to be aware of the fact that they are establishing with the district a long-term relationship. To date that relationship is poisoned because of the manner in which the negotiations have occurred. I mentioned in this chamber an old couple who live at the back of Targinnie who are affected by stage 2 SPP. They are looking now at clearing all the stock off their farm because the husband, who is in his eighties, cannot manage to turn the stock off for sale. His health has deteriorated to the point where his wife and family are concerned that he will not be able to maintain any sort of quality of life in the future. They desperately need assistance. SPP has been reticent to buy them out, relying on the fact that they must have a stage 2 approval. This family should not be held to ransom because the stage 2 approval has not yet materialised—nor at times has the process been appropriate to allow for stage 2 approvals. These families need a hand and they need it now. Much has happened in this chamber concerning the Department of Families. In my electorate we have FSOs and team managers who are excellent, caring people. They too, like everybody else, have been under the stress of too high a workload and too little resources. Because of the increase in the number of families moving to the Gladstone-Calliope area, many such families without family supports—that is, extended family such as grandparents or brothers or sisters with whom they can spend time and get relief—are turning more and more for assistance to family services. I know these officers are working above and beyond their job description. I am calling on the Minister for Families to invest money in the family service infrastructure. This is not only to allow the families in our region to get appropriate support, but also to ensure that the family service officers and team leaders and staff in family services do not themselves burn out because of the stress of attempting to do the job that they are required to do. The infrastructure in the electorate in relation to roads continues to be a challenge. Gladstone City Council has a number of roads that they believe require state and federal government assistance. They are local council responsibilities. However, their argument is that with the increase in population the demand on the road outstrips their planning processes and time lines and they are seeking state government assistance. In particular, the duplication of the Dawson Highway between Police Creek and Clinton needs to be brought forward. This road is a state government responsibility. Planning has been brought forward to allow for duplication, but construction of that road is essential to ensure safe access to a number of suburbs—Emmadale, Trees Estate and Clinton in particular. It is the only road access. It is a spine connection to those suburbs. With those suburbs growing exponentially, any emergency that cuts access to those suburbs, because of the Dawson Highway, means that families and individuals are put at risk. A new senior police officer has just been appointed in Rockhampton, which is in my electorate. It has been pleasing to talk with him not only about the levels of personnel for the various police stations in the electorate but also about the provision of at least one dog for a dog squad and a water police presence in one of the busiest ports in Queensland. Those talks to date have been very positive. I look forward to the establishment of that police presence to assist 4520 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003 police officers in doing their work. We do have very good police officers. They work hard to maintain a level of safety and security that the community expects, but at times they are challenged by the amount of work and the lack of police numbers. We have had some first year constables arrive. For that I am thankful. They have been very welcome and they are very good officers. However, we need to make sure that the police presence grows with the community. The area of health is an issue that I have raised on many occasions. The need for housing accommodation attached to hospital employees continues to be a challenge. At the moment the hospital is renting in the private market at least four accommodation units. Because of the increases in rental in the area, a significant amount of money is being spent from the hospital budget in rent, let alone any other costs. If money could be made available for the construction of those housing units and an amount of money put aside on a regular basis to repay those loans, the asset advantage to the state would be infinitely better than the current situation. Our dental situation is like that in many electorates in Queensland. There are long wait lists, there is difficulty in accessing dental services, particularly in emergencies, and there is difficulty for older people to get appropriate care and regular check-ups. There is a lack of resourcing and a lack of a reliable number of dentists available to do the work. The facility that they work out of is not good. I believe it is of a poor standard and requires refurbishment. I was told several years ago that it was to be refurbished. That has not occurred. The facilities available for the dentists would govern how long the dentists stayed in terms of their comfort and their ability to do their job. The Community Advisory Service was involved in a pilot project for a child youth worker. I raised in this House difficulties with the assessment process with that child youth worker because the original youth worker resigned and there was some time between the resignation and the new appointment. The director-general gave me an assurance that he would reassess that pilot project because they were refused future funding. The correspondence that I have received since then indicates to me that the director-general has not reviewed that assessment but merely used the original assessment to confirm the rejection of the pilot program. I place on record my disappointment with that process, the undertaking that was given to me and the subsequent actions of the director-general. I ask that the whole situation be reviewed because there is a high demand for a child youth worker. We had a good worker available there who contacted, and worked with, young people very successfully. I put those needs to the House. Mr HOBBS (Warrego—NPA) (4.24 p.m.): Today I am pleased to talk to this appropriation debate. There are number of issues that I want to cover. I notice that in a ministerial statement the minister talked about the figures for the financial year 2002-03. We now have an operating surplus of $15 million and a cash surplus of $645 million respectively for those years and an increase in the state net worth of $6.8 billion to $64.9 billion. I genuinely hope, in all sincerity, that is correct. One of the concerns we do have is the fact that we have heard this before and we have suddenly found those $10 million or $15 million surpluses to be quite large and substantial deficits. I hope that that is not the case. I am not surprised about the valuations. The valuations have gone up across the board everywhere. I have seen valuers travelling out my way. They are valuing everything they can possibly get hold of. I would not be surprised if they have valued the kangaroos and the rabbits and the foxes out there to try and boost the numbers. Values have gone up. That is good. The Treasurer has suddenly found himself in a vastly improved position this close to an election. I notice that about $1.7 billion is available. We have $1.4 billion available for a capital works building fund, which is wonderful. There is also $343 million available for recurrent expenditure to go to the various departments, which is of course desperately needed. There is no doubt about that. I was interested in one point here. I hope the minister will be able to answer this. It might be a fairly simple answer. I understand that in the appropriation bills the equity adjustments, which relate to almost $100 million out of $175 million that is being appropriated in these bills, are basically round robin events. While they may be able to be held back for budgeting purposes to balance the books a bit, they eventually end up back in Treasury. While we are talking about $1.5 billion, are we really talking about the total amount of money that will be able to be used for all the resources of the department or will that money find its way back into Treasury again? I offer some genuine advice to the Treasurer in relation to where funding is required in my electorate. I am sure he is getting plenty of advice from others as well. There are a number of issues that I want to canvass today. Probably one of the important ones is public liability. I do not believe it would cost a lot of money but I think there is a lot more work that can be done. For 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4521 instance, there are community care underwriting agencies that have been operating in six other states for about 10 months. They offer not-for-profit groups liability insurance. We cannot get it in Queensland. There have to be reasons for that. I believe there is much more that can be done. Whether we even have to set up some sort of a group or whether we offer this group an opportunity, we have to get our legislation in place first to make sure that it is compatible with their requirements. If that does not work we set up our own company or something. We have to do something. We cannot let public liability insurance run along the way it is now. It is just not satisfactory. Groups and whole social fabrics of communities are collapsing before our eyes because they cannot get public liability insurance. It is okay down here where you can go to the theatre or whatever the case may be, but a lot of other communities which are on the coast as well and in the cities are having great difficulty in being able to continue. The airconditioning of schools is absolutely essential. However, some of the schools in the area cannot get funding for airconditioning even though they are in a warmer region than those currently covered by the Cooler Schools program. That is unreasonable, very unfair and totally discriminatory. I see no reason why we cannot put funding into that particular program— Mrs Carryn Sullivan: How many schools did you aircondition? Mr HOBBS: Every school in the original Warrego electorate was airconditioned. Everything west of Mitchell was done. When the Goss government came in, it stopped the program. I am pleased the member asked the question. All I am asking now is that the government continues that. Quite a few of the smaller schools have raised money through their P&Cs. So they are playing their part, but they need some assistance and they really have not had a fair go. I appeal to the Treasurer to direct funding towards that. Our kids are our greatest asset, and I am sure that they will repay that funding time and time again in the future for our state. Health is a big issue which everybody has some concerns about, and the issues are fairly similar across the board. Health is one of those big black holes that we can pour money into, but it has to be managed well. There is a lot more that can be done to stretch the dollar further within the health system. However, there are a few simple issues that need to be resolved such as administrative type issues like the patient transit scheme, because various districts have different rules. In some hospitals the patient can go to a private doctor and get it signed off by an authorising officer at the local hospital; in other centres they have to get another medical opinion, for heaven's sake. In effect, there are two doctors looking at the one issue. It is a total waste of time and is frustrating the officials. Waiting lists are getting longer. My local area has had a brilliant health system in the past and has not had the problems experienced here, but it is building up now. Waiting lists are getting longer and it is difficult to attract professionals to the region. It is genuinely quite a serious issue. Specialists are being worked to the bone and cannot get the relief they need. In some of the larger centres it is very difficult indeed. Housing for allied health professionals is another requirement that needs improvement. We need to provide allied health services to the various communities. As society progresses, those demands keep increasing. Everyone expects to have a service of some sort— Mrs Edmond: Why did the opposition oppose us calling for more money for Queensland in the Health Care Agreement? Mr HOBBS: What the government put up was a crazy thing simply because the funding was already there. It has the money. It has had record money—nearly $300 million extra in GST funding. It has money coming in from stamp duty. It is unbelievable. The funding that the government has now is far in excess of what it has ever been, yet this government just cannot provide the funding. The federal government is providing more funding than it ever has. Quite frankly, I think the minister is doing her credibility no good at all by trying to argue a line like that. Nobody believes it, Minister. Nobody except those opposite believes it. The figures just do not stack up. While the Minister for Health is in the House I want to raise a particularly important issue, and that is that there is a proposal to centralise laundry services in the far south-west. I do not believe that that would be satisfactory at all. Obviously that will result in job losses from the various towns. I do not think that, say, places like Cunnamulla, Quilpie and Charleville—maybe even a larger area—could have one central laundry service. In instances of flooding, road closures and so forth, what on earth would those places do? If there is an accident such as a bus turnover or whatever, there would not be enough facilities. There is a proposal at the moment to close down the 4522 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003

Cunnamulla laundry service. I would suggest that that is not the way to go. Funding should be put into a new laundry service in Cunnamulla, and that would be a very satisfactory situation. Another issue that is very important is the RPT air and bus services that operate in the regions. We do get some assistance from the government for that, which is good. It is a wonderful service that is provided. However, unfortunately, like everything else, the costs are going up and there will be a need to increase that funding in the next round. We all want to get the best service for the best price. But the reality is that I consider that some of those services are starting to deteriorate, and we have to ensure that that does not occur. Road funding is another issue that is ongoing. I am convinced that the state government has in fact been cheating on road funding, and there is a need to upgrade that. The minister talks about putting funding into roads. Let us see how much money finally does get spent on roads. There is a lot of work to do in the south-east corner, because it is particularly important for a decent transit system, but we also need bitumen roads. That is one of the most important issues that I hear from those who live in my electorate. Local government is another area where funding is very important, and at this stage the state government has not committed to the capital works subsidy schemes that are the cornerstone of local government works done in every town. The Regional Centres Program or the Rural Living Infrastructure Program have not been done at all. We assume that the government is going to continue to provide that funding, but no-one has been told. Of course, councils have to have a five-year rolling program so they can plan ahead. How can they plan ahead when some of that funding runs out next year, the year after and the year after that? So they have not been able to do that effectively. The government is putting the councils under pressure when in fact they are supposed to provide long-term planning. As I mentioned this morning, mosquito control is a very important and genuine issue, and I am pleased with the minister's response insofar as I think she genuinely tried to explain the issue. However, I do not think we can blame the councils for doing improper developments. Many of those developments have been done for many years, and that is not the point. The community is demanding that we do something about mosquito control. It is the outbreak of serious disease that is in fact the issue, not whether councils have done appropriate or inappropriate development in the past. I do not think they have, quite frankly, and I think it is a bit unfair to blame them. But we have to resolve the issue. We just cannot go on ignoring it. The amount of money required for mosquito control on state owned land would be about $3 million, and that would have enormous benefits for those who have real problems now, particularly those on the coastal strips. Down the track we also have to look at midge control. In terms of vegetation management, if the Treasurer is thinking of sharing $150 million compensation with the federal government he ought to think again and put another three or four noughts onto that. If the government wants to try to do it the way it is doing it now and requiring compensation for what has been talked about, it is way down on the money that it will need. In many instances it will not need a lot of compensation if it does it properly. If it had of listened to us in the first place, we would have had a better system in place and it would not need as much compensation. But of course it wants to go about it with a big stick and it will cost it money, and big money in the end. Country racing is being ripped off by the government. The original TAB deal was lousy. We are all a bit bewildered by what is happening at the moment. At the time, the TAB deal did not allow any great growth in funding, except for the state government. A small amount of growth goes to the racing industry itself. However, in reality the government is receiving a bigger increase, percentage wise, from UNiTAB than what racing is getting. I think the government has gone completely overboard and is destroying the racing industry. This will just send them down to Victoria and New South Wales. The Western Downs Solutions Group is a very important group formed on the Western Downs to look at future development in that region, value adding and being less reliant on government. Some funding is required in that area. That funding would be money well spent. At least $3 million is available from the federal government. If we had matching finance from the state, that money would be returned 10 times over in relation to value adding and jobs created in that region. I urge the minister to look at that funding and to provide it through whichever source he likes. At present DPI is looking at it. I will certainly be talking again to the Minister for Primary Industries about that. 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4523

The exceptional circumstances funding and the DRAS, the Drought Relief Assistance Scheme, have not been well run, mainly because the state government has not agreed to new arrangements by the federal government. The federal government has introduced these new changes that everybody out there wanted. However, because the state dug in its heels the system is not working. It is putting up very little funding. I think it is putting up $7 million so far, which it would probably have spent on drought relief under DRAS, and I suspect the federal government has put up probably $120 million by now. The state government is nowhere near pulling its weight. The emergency services staff are doing a wonderful job. Their resources are limited. They are experiencing great problems in obtaining equipment. The new ambulance levy is a disaster. I do not know how the government did not pick that. Obviously, the government is getting more money now than it did in the past. It used to fund ambulance services by two-thirds and now it is funding them by a third. A new application and accreditation process for ambulance attendants was meant to be in place by May this year. That is not yet in place and the old system is no good. Therefore, anybody who wants to become an ambulance attendant cannot become one, because there is no process. That has been the situation for several months now. There will be a lag time whereby people, particularly in smaller areas that utilise volunteers in emergencies, will not be accredited, because the system has fallen down. Surely there could be some process whereby these people can become accredited. Family services is a disaster like it is everywhere else. Those officers are doing a wonderful job and are trying as hard as they can, but they do not have sufficient human resources to do the work they are supposed to do. They have enormous case loads, particularly in relation to child protection work. I do not know how they can continue. It is surprising that as many people are able to stay on and do the great work that they do under the pressure that they are under. They get abused and so on. I do not think there is enough support for them. In many cases, administrative assistance would be a help. However, just being able to have an extra pair of hands at times would certainly make a big difference. I have covered a number of issues today. I hope that the Treasurer can take some of them on board. They are raised because there is a genuine need. I hope the Treasurer can take note and provide some assistance. Mr MALONE (Mirani—NPA) (4.44 p.m.): I rise to contribute to the debate on Appropriation Bill (No. 2) and Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2). I wish to speak firstly about a few issues in my electorate and later about issues relating to my two shadow ministries. To all of us the most important thing in our community is safety and security. As my electorate is reasonably large and has a number of single-officer police stations I become concerned when those police officers leave the stations to take leave, undertake training or for any other reason. That happens on a regular basis, particularly when there is a raid or another activity that requires their presence in another area. Areas such as Nebo, Glendon, St Lawrence, Marlborough and those sorts of places are quite a distance away from any station with enough staff to cover those areas. As I said, when officers are away from their stations security becomes an issue. The Nebo township has grown considerably with the opening of the new mines at Hail Creek and Coppabella. The need for extra police is becoming evident. On weekends and at night-time during the week at least 200 to 300 people are living in the vicinity of Nebo, which was once a sleepy little town that had a maximum residential population of 150 people at the most. I believe a roving team of officers should be made available to fill in when police officers at single-officer stations have to go away from their station. Those police officers could come in and relieve on that basis. Currently, the officers from the larger centres have to cover those smaller centres and, quite often, that is not happening to the satisfaction of the people in the area. Also, I have written to the minister on numerous occasions about the police station at Sarina, which has done a good job for a long time. It is quite an old station, dating back to the sixties, and is very cramped. Given the number of police stationed there and the work being done out of the station, there is a real need for an upgrade and possibly even a movement towards, at a later stage, a 24-hour station at the highway at Sarina. I have some real concerns about workplace security, health and safety for the officers who work out of there. There is a cramped area in the foyer where people have to stand in line and wait for the issuing of licences and police interviews. That is not conducive to any sort of security. Indeed, confidentiality, particularly during interviews across a counter with a police officer, is non-existent. The No. 1 priority for me is to upgrade that 4524 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003 station. In conjunction with that, the station has a courthouse in the same building. Again, that is totally inadequate. I have written to the Minister for Justice a number of times in respect of that matter. Again, the conditions are totally inappropriate for a place of justice. For instance, there is nowhere for defendants to meet with their legal representatives. Departmental officers, domestic violence counsellors and other support people do not have anywhere to conduct confidential interviews with their clients. There is no security for the magistrates. Indeed, would members believe there are no toilets available? The toilets are attached to the police side of the building and have been locked off in recent times because of concerns about security for the police officers. The people who attend court have to mill around outside and almost have to bring their own chairs. In fact, they do have to bring their own chairs if they are of an age where they need to sit down after a couple of hours. The only area for them to do that is outside the court entrance, in the driveway under the trees. Of course, being Sarina it does actually rain there sometimes. Members will be pleased to know that we have had a little bit today. Under those circumstances people are totally disadvantaged. There is a total lack of security, as I said, for the magistrates and the departmental people. Workplace health and safety for the government employees under those circumstances must be addressed. There really needs to be a thorough look at that site to see how the police officers and the law officers in our state actually operate there. I would be keen to see that building either renovated or a whole new building built on the site. There is plenty of room to expand. There are a couple of houses that could be moved off site. There would be ample room to make that happen. There are no court recording facilities available at the courthouse. So in a lot of cases the court has to be adjourned to Mackay to finalise the court hearing or where the court has to run for any period of time, which in turn disadvantages the people before the court. In terms of education I believe we are going along quite well. There is certainly a need for upgrading and minor works throughout the electorate. There are some highlights I should raise as we go through and look at instances where some money could be spent to the betterment of the education system, particularly at Alligator Creek State School. It has a large catchment area and a growth area that brings children from the beach areas of Hay Point, Louisa Creek, Campwin Beach, Grasstree Beach and possibly even some from Sarina Beach. As I said, that is a growing area. The school is quite large now and is growing very quickly. There is a real need for a new administration block and library. The library really has to be seen to be believed. There is no facility at all for children to research books or take books down and actually look at them in the library. Indeed, only very small numbers of students can actually enter the library at any one time. As far as the administration block is concerned, it is non-existent. Teachers are crammed into a very small area that most of us would regard as a storage area rather than an administration block of a modern teaching school. There is also a need for the next stage of a new teaching block. Ken Stewart, the new principal there, is a good principal. He was recently put in the position of principal of the school after serving for a time as the acting principal. He is now the full-time principal of the school and does a great job. Of course, the P&C does a great job of supporting the school. Even though it is a great school, there is a real need for some upgrading to take place. One of the things I was fairly disappointed about in my region was a great program called the Secondary Schools Renewal Program. It did some great work for the Mackay State High School and the Mackay North State High School which were basically in the same sort of condition as two of the schools in my electorate, Mirani State High School and the Sarina State High School. Unfortunately, after work was done at the Mackay State High School and Mackay North State High School the funding suddenly ran out, as I suggested it might some time ago. There is a real need for upgrades at the Mirani State High School to the toilet and shower blocks. A lot of the children travel long distances and the shower blocks are quite Third World country as is the toilet block. We have raised this issue with regional management. Hopefully, something can be done about it. The situation there is not good enough and it needs to be looked at very quickly. As I said, any member of the parliament who visited those facilities would be quite disgusted. The school has a real need and has been pushing for some time to have an interactive learning centre and conference facility. It applied to the state government in 2002 for funding through the Education Queensland School Community Capital Innovators Scheme. That proposal comprised a 200- or 250-seat auditorium with video conferencing and other audiovisual capabilities, retractable seating to enable the auditorium to be used for other functions requiring open floor space, two meeting rooms and a kitchen and reception foyer. It was a great concept. 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4525

Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful in gaining that funding. That facility would have provided a focal point for the entire community. It would have been able to host meetings, conferences and workshops and be used for further education and for performances and private functions. A world- class facility right in the centre of the Pioneer Valley for students during school hours and for the local and wider community after hours would have been a tremendous asset in moving that community forward. For those who are not aware of where Mirani is I can say that it is about 40 kilometres west of Mackay, but it services a quite large area in the Pioneer Valley out as far as Nebo, which is around 100 kilometres west of Mackay. The area is growing quite substantially with tourism. Up the top end of the valley there is a beautiful place called Eungella on the edges of the national park. A government member: Hear, hear! Mr MALONE: I hear, 'Hear, hear!' from somebody on the other side of the House who has obviously visited that beautiful area. With the downturn in the dairy industry, tourism is their only real hope of gaining some sort of prosperity in the medium future. A facility such as this attached to the high school would have made a lot of sense. One of the innovative schemes I have seen recently in a high school, which was held at Mirani, was a Lighthouse Program. It was actually part of a literacy program. It entailed feeder schools of Marian State School and Mirani State School and the lower classes of the Mirani State High School. That Lighthouse Program, as I said, was a literacy program in which young male students were encouraged to join in with a small engines program where they were able to rebuild small motors. Part of the program was actually ordering the parts, costing out the work, writing a report and burning that onto CDs. In working with their hands they were able to upgrade their literacy accreditations. When speaking to most of the schools who had children attend those classes, it was reported that the program upgraded and enhanced the ability of not only those young male students but also the people with whom they came in contact. They were probably students who were headed for the scrap heap in terms of being able to enjoy their education at school and were probably instrumental in leading some others astray. Putting those boys into these sorts of programs enhanced not only themselves but those around them. Even though the funding for the program from the Commonwealth government was a quite meagre amount of $15,000, one of the issues was that as that school is so far away from a TAFE college it was difficult for those students to gain their accreditation. From a state point of view being able to transport those students to a TAFE college was a big issue. It probably needs the support of the state government in a like manner because it was of cost to the school. The Sarina State High School is being very innovative in terms of looking at establishing an agricultural unit. This school was established about 35 to 40 kilometres south of Mackay. It draws students from the shires of Sarina, Nebo, Broadsound and even Mackay. There are increasing numbers of students seeking vocational courses at certificate I and II levels. They are being provided at the school through a registered training organisation. The school community has been challenged by Education and Training Reforms for the Future—the recent legislation that we put through the parliament. Indeed, during the debate on that bill I raised the issue with the Training Minister that it is going to be fairly difficult for schools to have the infrastructure in place to train their students, particularly those schools that are some distance away from a public training organisation such as TAFE. That has certainly been the case and certainly will be the case. The community of Sarina has set up a community action group called SETAG, which stands for Sarina Education and Training Action Group. They have been meeting at the high school on a regular basis. That SETAG committee comprises members of the P&C, parents, Education Queensland, other government departments and Sarina Shire Council, with Mayor Morgan as the chair. They have been very active. That committee has included the local service clubs and the local industry. Of course, most members would realise that the ethanol plant and Plane Creek Mill CSR are part of that community. They are also involved in this organisation. I attended a number of the initial meetings and I continue to meet with them whenever possible. Their vision is to provide training and skilling opportunities for young people in Sarina. It is quite convenient that there is some land available very close to the school that is currently owned by CSR. They are willing to sell that land at a very reduced price for a facility such as I am talking about. We are hoping that the training of young students in these agricultural type projects will lead to further employment in the area. The SETAG organisation recognises that disadvantaged youth 4526 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003 who leave school and who are unemployed are a real concern to the community. I think that is well recognised perhaps right across Queensland. We believe that the community can significantly address these initiatives in innovative ways, as put forward by this agricultural project. Currently, the committee has prepared a submission that has been sent off to the government seeking funding of, I believe, up to $500,000 to set up that agricultural project at Sarina. We are hoping that that will get off the ground. In the few minutes left to me, I would like to talk about some of the infrastructure that is required. I think it is has been well recognised, particularly in the past few years, that water is the answer to any sort of outcome in terms of rural communities. Unfortunately, even the resources that we have available to us in the Mackay district and in my electorate are unable to meet the needs, particularly in these sorts of years. So there is a real need for the department to look at ways in which we can enhance the ability of farmers and graziers and other innovators to access water. Indeed, right now that is the limiting aspect in terms of providing agricultural output in my electorate. Currently, as all members would realise, the sugar industry is a big part of my electorate. We have some real problems in terms of where the industry is going in the short term. It is probably inappropriate to speak at great length about the sugar industry in this debate, but there is certainly a need for a vision of where the industry can be in the next couple of years or three years, because any further out from that, if we continue to move in the direction that we are moving now, there will hardly be an industry. That is for sure. But certainly in terms of the production of ethanol, perhaps even cogeneration—utilising the full biomass of the sugar plant and possibly even moving towards further research into bioplastics—that may give some hope for the future of the sugar industry. In terms of my shadow portfolio responsibilities, the community ambulance cover has been a nightmare for quite a number of businesspeople who are paying multiples of that levy. There does not seem to be any commonsense coming out of all of that. In terms of the multiple payments, it is a flawed scheme and it is impacting heavily on a lot of people right throughout the community. Indeed, as I move around Queensland I hear quite a bit of anger in terms of making this scheme work. We all agree— Time expired. Mr JOHNSON (Gregory—NPA) (5.05 p.m.): In speaking to the appropriation bills this afternoon, I want to canvass a number of issues that relate not only to my own electorate of Gregory but also to other parts of the state in relation to the portfolio areas for which I am responsible. I think the most important fact is that we have seen the amounts of money that have been generated by the taxpayers through the Australian government's new taxation regime and the amount of dollars that is forthcoming to the states by way of GST payments. I think it is fair to recognise that this state has certainly received its fair share. Since the GST was introduced, Queensland is better off than it would have been had this tax reform not been introduced. I think the important thing to remember—and I have to say it again—is that during 2002-03 Queensland's estimated revenue from the GST was $5,880,000. During 2003-04, the estimated revenue is $6,231 million. Again, these are significant sums. Some $400 million more has come to Queensland in recent times. I have heard various shadow ministers speak on this issue in this House. I know that the member for Toowoomba South has canvassed this issue and I know that the Health Minister was in the House this afternoon talking about the federal funding for hospitals across the Commonwealth and Queensland's share. But these are important— Mrs Edmond: It is a pity you guys didn't stand up for Queensland. Mr JOHNSON: We always stand up. The minister knows exactly what the sums were. Mrs Edmond: And you know exactly how we were diddled by the Commonwealth out of Queensland funds. Mr JOHNSON: Queensland is set to gain $8 billion over five years for public hospitals—$42 billion nationally. Mrs Edmond: $160 million we would have got under the current scheme. Mr JOHNSON: No, the minister has it wrong. This is $2.1 billion more than the minister would have received under the previous agreement. After allowing for inflation, it is an increase of 20 per cent over and above inflation. The minister knows those figures. Mrs Edmond: I know the figures inside out. 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4527

Mr JOHNSON: Yes, you know the figures all right, but you do not have a good record of telling the real facts. Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER (Ms Male): Order! I ask the member for Gregory to address his comments through the chair, and I ask the minister to stop interjecting. Mr JOHNSON: I will address my comments through the chair. I am quoting the real facts and the real truth and sometimes the truth hurts. The real issue is about making absolutely certain that those funds go to the appropriate places. I am not just talking about the major hospitals in Brisbane. I know that the Health portfolio is a significant portfolio and one that costs a lot of money to maintain and operate. We have had a lot of pressure applied to our health system over a period, especially with the medical indemnity insurance and the problems that the medical practitioners are confronted with. I believe that we cannot bury our heads in the sand and hope that the issues will go away. I know that the federal president of the AMA, Dr Bill Glasson, is working overtime with the federal authorities to get an outcome. I hope that the state authorities are doing a similar thing, instead of having our medical practitioners walking away. We can talk about health issues all day, but the point I make is that this is a very important issue. I know it is one that is of concern to the minister and of concern to the government—not only in this state but in all states. We have to work closer with the federal authorities to get an outcome. I know that in the western areas of the state we are virtually down to about three or four hospitals where mothers can give birth to their infants because of the situation with private medical indemnity insurance for medical practitioners. This is a sad situation and one that I hope we will see rectified in a very short while. Relative to health services—and I canvassed this issue the other day in the House—is the issue of medical services in my electorate, especially the gemfields. I like to give credit where credit is due. I attended a public meeting at the gemfields the other day, where a lot of people were concerned about the upgrading of services. Kerry Windsor, to her credit, the district manager of central highlands health, has worked overtime and around the clock to try to enhance those services. Finally, she has had a breakthrough. A doctor will be arriving at the gemfields next Saturday, 1 November. Mrs Edmond: Keep him there. Mr JOHNSON: We will keep him there all right. Mrs Edmond: Make him feel welcome and keep him there. Mr JOHNSON: Absolutely. I can assure the minister of that. I know Kerry Windsor has been concerned to get the doctor there and to have an orientation day on 1 November. That is going to be a real plus. I say to the people of the gemfields, as the minister just said: make this doctor feel welcome and give him the opportunity to be able to provide that quality service that we are trying to give to the people of the gemfields through enhanced medical services. Having a doctor has to be better than a nursing sister any time. At the same time, I believe patients need to have an understanding of the issue to see the work that has gone into this exercise so that we can see this operation proving its worth and being advantageous to those people in question. Another issue I want to touch on this afternoon is that of exceptional circumstances. While we talk about exceptional circumstances, there are many people in western Queensland and other parts of Queensland who have been subjected to very difficult situations because of the ongoing drought. Many people outside the chamber today would have seen winds blowing from the west and a dust haze. That is what western Queensland has been like for the last three and a half to four years—continually blowing dust because we have not had rain. If that is any measure at all today, it is bringing to the city what the people of rural and regional Queensland have been enduring for a long time. Droughts are not man made. A lot of people have been accused of overstocking properties and rendering their properties unviable, but what can people do when they do not get rain? I heard the member for Mirani talking a while ago about the dry spell in the sugar industry. If people go to north Queensland and see those sugar crops they might think they look all right, but I was up there the other day and I know myself that it is not all right and that these people are doing it tough too. The federal government and the state government have to work a little bit harder to make absolutely certain that we get exceptional circumstance funding put in place so that people can take advantage of it in the appropriate quarters. 4528 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003

I want to quote from a press release that the federal Minister for Agriculture put out today in relation to exceptional circumstances in central-western Victoria. It states— Central Victoria was EC— exceptional circumstance— declared on 9 May 2003 for farmers who can demonstrate two successive winter crop failures or who derive the majority of their income from livestock. When we talk about western Queensland, central Queensland and northern Queensland—even here in the south-east, where fruit crops have been destroyed by hail in the last 48 to 72 hours—these types of situations are applicable right across the state. As I just said, some of these people are coming into the fourth year of drought. But the compounding problem is that this drought is not only affecting the men and women on the land but also those rural businesspeople who hang off those rural producers. They are the ones who employ young people and who give kids in towns a job and a go—and a lot of times to their own detriment because they cannot afford to be employing them. This is a very critical situation. I note that the Treasurer is back in the chamber now. I have rammed this issue to the Minister for Primary Industries on many occasions—that is, I believe QRAA has to again revisit some of these applicants and make certain that those applications, if not submitted right, are resubmitted so they can get that interest subsidy of up to $100,000. That will mean, if it does rain this summer, they can keep the wolves from the door and keep themselves in an operation where they can take advantage, hopefully, of a season towards the end of 2004. A lot of people do not realise that for cattle producers if it rains this summer it will be about three years before they will see productivity. If this drought keeps going, we will see the ruination of many of these producers. As we are primarily a rural country, we rely on our primary industries, whether it is the mining industry or the agricultural industry. We have to be more sympathetic and more understanding, because this drought is on a parallel to no other. The job is becoming progressively worse day by day. As I say, we only have to look outside this chamber today to see exactly what western Queensland and a lot of other parts of Queensland have been enduring for a long time. The whole of Aramac shire was refused EC funding and it has been asked to resubmit its application. These situations are not good enough. Other properties in other shires in north-west Queensland are in the same situation. I call on both the federal Minister for Agriculture and the Queensland Minister for Primary Industries to join forces to make certain that these applications, when submitted, are properly formulated and worked through. I know Agforce is doing wonderful work in helping many of their people submit those applications, but at the same time it is paramount that they get it right the first time so they do not get the heartache through being refused the initial application. There are many other issues I would like to touch on in the few minutes I have available to me, and one is road infrastructure in my electorate. We have seen significant cutbacks in road infrastructure funding in the central west and the south-west of this state over the last two budgets. With this drought that I have just made mention of, it is absolutely paramount that we see those local authorities maintain and upgrade that road infrastructure, regardless of what part of the state it is. A lot of people would not realise that in north Queensland, for example, there are only about four or five months of the year that roads can be built in the Wet Tropics, because in the wet weather roads cannot be built. There is the cost of materials, haul and set-down periods because of wet weather. We have the complete reverse in the west where it is too dry. We do not have the rain; we do not have the water. We have the road based material but we do not have the dollars. We have to define some of these roads in question, prioritise those roads and make certain that we can keep them at a level of quality in the interim until we get major breakthroughs where we can find more money. I believe the government is not pursuing enough the issue of public-private partnerships. We are seeing a lot of volume roads in the south-east and some major cities in the north being done by public-private partnerships to allow some of the bigger part of the cake of Main Roads to be spent in some of the other areas of the state—rural and regional areas. There is one road that I do want to reflect on here this afternoon, and that is the Morven- Charleville road—a distance of about 85 to 90 kilometres. There is one section six kilometres from what is called 'suicide hill' back to Morven. There is money there for that project now and it has been carried out by the Booringa Shire Council at a cost of $895,000. They call that one particular hill that is six kilometres west of Morven 'suicide hill'. That piece of road in question should be 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4529 called the suicide highway. It is not wide enough for two vehicles to pass on most times. It is definitely not wide enough for two road trains to pass on, and people who do not know how to negotiate the passing of a road train are finding themselves in a suicide situation. Some of those edges are three-, four-, five-inch drops. They are absolutely horrific. I know that my colleague the member for Warrego has made representation in the past. I have made representation for funding for this road. The road pavement is there. The materials do not have to be hauled. It is right there on the side of the road. It is all good red mulga country where a beautiful road can be built. The water— Mr Mackenroth: When you were the Minister for Transport the member for Warrego made representations to you and you refused. Mr JOHNSON: I did not refuse. Mr Mackenroth: Well, you didn't do it. Mr JOHNSON: I did not refuse. I will take that interjection from the Treasurer. We spent money on other roads in that area. But this road has certainly deteriorated. It is a road that needs high priority treatment. Because of the dry conditions over the last three or four years the road has just fallen away to the side. The Treasurer knows that when red mulga country is dry it will fall away to nothing. There has to be a certain amount of subsoil to maintain the shoulders. That is exactly and precisely what is not happening there now. I know the Treasurer is here in the House, but I call on the government to work very closely with the Murweh Shire Council. I know the mayor, Councillor Wendy Choice Brooks, was on the radio the other day making mention of this road. It is a serious situation. I hope the money is forthcoming so that the Murweh Shire Council, in conjunction with the Booringa Shire Council, if that is the way it has to be, can upgrade that road. I would like to see that money made available to the Murweh Shire Council so that it can do the whole of the works and at last keep some dollars in the Charleville community. That is what it is all about. Those towns are doing it tough enough now. As I have said, the wool industry has been in demise over recent years. The kangaroo industry is one that is keeping some of those towns viable. At the same time, we have forces from overseas that are trying to create impediments for the kangaroo industry. I saw the Minister for State Development in the House this afternoon. It is very important that we keep these operations going. People talk about kangaroos being shot out. Kangaroos will not be shot out. Since European settlement and new management practices, pasture improvement and bore water, the kangaroo population has increased seven to tenfold. There is no way in the world that we are going to see the demise of that section of our fauna. The other thing that is very important is that kangaroo shooters are truly professional people. They go about their business in a very professional, very humane way. It is a very integral part and a very profitable part of the economies of a lot of our west Queensland towns. I stress that today. I urge the Minister for Primary Industries and the Premier and Minister for Trade to be observant of what is happening with the kangaroo industry, because it is a very vital industry to Queensland. It stretches from St George in the south, back through the west, to Hughenden in the north. There are a lot of people who earn an income from that industry. It is very important that we keep that industry viable. One other issue I want to touch on quickly—and I have spoken to my colleague the member for Warrego about this—is the air services to western Queensland. At this point in time, while these are subsidised fares, we see that QantasLink is now increasing the fares on a lot of western services. While these are regulated services I call on the government—and I know the Treasurer is here today—to observe exactly and precisely what is happening here. A lot of times when those planes do come back, if they do not have full seating capacity I am sure that a lot of those fares could be sold more cheaply. It is better to have somebody sitting in a plane for $200 rather than nobody sitting in a plane for $400. The important fact to remember is that it is best to have somebody use the service rather than not use the service because they cannot afford to use the service. A lot of people will baulk at paying $600 or $700 for a return trip to Charleville. If fares are going to go up, it is going to jeopardise the future viability of the services in question. In the time I have left I want to touch on the issue of education and hostel education in places like Longreach and Charleville in particular. I have touched on the issue of the Uniting Church-run operation in Charleville and the importance of being able to keep that operational. They are looking for more funding to enhance that operation so that the kiddies who come in 4530 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003 from the western areas can take advantage of it and give themselves an opportunity to go to high school where they can do grade 12 and go on and pursue a tertiary education or a career path in some other field. The important factor—and I put it on the record here today—is the good work that the Minister for Education has done in relation to those P-10 schools. I know she is looking at some of the P-12 schools, too. I know I am out of time, but I just want to say that this is a good product. It is one that is working well. I say to the minister today: keep it going, because it is advantaging a lot of kids who normally would not be able to take advantage of a good education. Mr MICKEL (Logan—ALP) (5.25 p.m.): This has been an excruciating debate for the opposition. They used to blame the Treasurer when there was a deficit. Now they are blaming him when there is a surplus. Not happy with that, they want to spend the surplus for him. My purpose this afternoon is not to add to the pain of the opposition. The bill before the House is one that is of interest to me because it provides funding for the next election and for the political parties eligible for public funding during the election. It is the public funding of the political process that I want to address today, because it is a sound principle. It is not sound if the political parties benefiting from funds lack transparency and accountability in their own financial operations and transactions. I believe the Labor Party meets these standards of accountability. As for One Nation, well, who would know. But the Liberal Party in this state continues to fall well short of these standards. I have raised previously the matter of $10,000 secretly paid to the member for Ryan, Michael Johnson, by his campaign Treasurer, Mr Russell Galt. This matter has been pursued by me, by the Courier Mail, by the Australian, by Steve Austin on 612 ABC, and by the new achiever in the media, crikey.com. After weeks of hiding and breaking promises to be interviewed, the federal member for Ryan finally made a statement in the House of Representatives on 13 October this year. He was subsequently interviewed by Steve Austin after a series of false starts on 15 October and commented further in the South West News last week. I remind the House that the secret payment of $10,000 to the member for Ryan was first raised by his campaign director, Karen Rasey, in January 2002. That means Mr Johnson has had 21 months to concoct his explanation. He appears to have three explanations which have one thing in common—they are all different. The member for Ryan told the House of Representatives that he had an 'understanding' with the Liberal Party that he would contribute $18,000 to the Ryan campaign but that he would take back any surplus in the campaign provided it was less than $18,000. What a unique and cosy arrangement! If only it were true. Then Mr Johnson told the South West News that it was the fault of the Old Guard. Once it was fashionable in the Labor Party to blame the Old Guard, but it is a bit rich to blame the Treasurer and the Old Guard for Johnson's problems over the mysterious $10,000. The third excuse advanced by Mr Galt was that the amount in question was only a loan by Mr Johnson to the campaign and that he was merely being repaid his loan. I can say with certainty that the explanation the member for Ryan gave parliament was false and almost certainly knowingly and deliberately false. This is a serious accusation to make. Let me therefore outline why I make the accusation with certainty. I have in my possession a series of minutes of the Ryan area and campaign meetings where the matter of the $10,000 paid to Mr Johnson was raised repeatedly. The Liberal Party State Director, Mr Brendan Cooper, the only person who could reasonably have reached the agreement with Mr Johnson to give him the campaign profits, attended some of these meetings. Not once—I repeat, not once—did he say that there was any agreement to repay the profits to Mr Johnson. Even Mr Johnson's friend Mr Galt, the campaign Treasurer, who also attended all the meetings, did not use that excuse. Indeed, the constant raising of the matter in these minutes by Ryan Liberal members caused him considerable discomfort. If the Johnson story was true, why did he not tell the meetings about it? That would have been the end of the matter. If it was true, why did Mr Johnson wait almost 21 months to reveal it? If it was true, why did not Johnson and Galt tell the special auditor into this matter, a Mr Robert Harper, a former member of this House, about it? The answer is simple. The excuse Mr Johnson gave federal parliament was false, and he almost certainly knew it was false. But the most damning evidence against the member for Ryan's explanation is that the $10,000 paid to him was repaid to the Ryan area Treasurer on 29 June last year, the day before the Ryan annual meeting where the matter was to be raised. It was 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4531 not repaid by Mr Johnson but almost certainly by the benefactor I referred to when the House last met. If the payment of $10,000 to the member for Ryan was legal, approved and transparent, as he claims, why was the money repaid into the campaign account after members questioned the transaction? I hope the Australian Electoral Commission will trace the money trail and insist on accountability and transparency by the Ryan Liberal Party and the federal member for Ryan. The various excuses and explanations he has given are transparently false and dishonest. The Liberal Party members in Ryan and the electors of Ryan not only deserve to know the truth; the member for Ryan deserves to be disciplined. I know I am getting somewhere because I am starting to get messages delivered second- and third-hand that I had better watch myself. On ABC Radio Michael Johnson said he wants me to step outside. Well, my concern for my safety was heightened when I read the latest expensively produced Michael Johnson Ryan newsletter—four pages and eight photos of Michael Johnson. Modesty is a great quality! But the main story was headed 'Michael Johnson joins the Defence Force'. I thought, 'This is it. Johnson's going to get into a Sherman tank, rumble up my street and flatten my house.' But then I noticed he had joined the Navy under the parliamentary observer scheme. One would think that the Navy had enough troubles with the Collins class submarine without taking him on board. But I am not taking any chances. I call upon all freedom loving members of this House to join my campaign to make the Logan River nuclear free so Johnson and the Navy cannot sail armed into my electorate. I am sure there are times when the member for Robina, a lonely figure sitting over there now, despairs at our campaign to rid the Liberal Party of corruption. I am sure that he feels after this expensive brochure about the end of branch stacking that our campaign together, which we have waged on our own, is going nowhere. But I want to assure the honourable gentleman that I have got good news for him, because every time I speak on the Liberal Party in Ryan I get new information from new sources. In fact, I have enough sources in the Liberal Party now to form my own FEC! Councillor Caltabiano is about to punish hardworking, decent Liberal Party members who expose the Ryan rorts and the branch stacking which the member for Ryan presides over and his cohorts depend on. No less than five Ryan members and other whistleblowers have been ordered to show cause why they should not be suspended or expelled from the Liberal Party. I am told their combined membership of the Liberal Party exceeds 150 years. One of them, a Mrs Margaret Krause, is to be kicked out for the sin—the great sin—of emailing my speeches on branch stacking and rorting in Ryan. She is being treated dreadfully and ungratefully. Someone with the good taste to distribute my speeches deserves an award, not expulsion. Another, a Mr Scott Malcolmson, whose name appears on the Liberal Party minutes, is facing expulsion because he faithfully kept accurate and concise minutes of Ryan meetings. He was, after all, the area secretary. Mrs Marion Feros is facing the same fate because she dared to run against Councillor Caltabiano for president, and I have here the sheet she distributed in support of her candidacy. Mrs Margaret Watts finds her 40-plus year membership of the Liberal Party in jeopardy because she blew the whistle on GST rorting in the federal seat of Groom. Another person facing expulsion is a Mr Will Keys. His sin seems to be that he dared to complain in writing—and quite fortuitously I have a copy of his letter—about the disgraceful conduct of Mr Michael Johnson, Councillor Caltabiano and Mr Galt at the annual general meeting of the Chapel Hill-Fig Tree Pocket branch of the Liberal Party in August. My ever-reliable and many Ryan sources have sent me copies of the letter—and I am happy to have it here for all honourable members who want to come and read it; I will even offer it to the honourable member for Robina—because it sets out in great detail how Mr Johnson, with the active connivance and protection of Councillor Caltabiano, shifted into the branch a number of party members who belong to other branches—notably, the infamous Centenary branch—without proper procedures being followed. The purpose of this stack against all the rules set out by the member for Robina was to use the transferred members to rort the election of delegates to the state convention where Caltabiano faced a challenge to his position as state president. The transferred members won all the delegate positions at the convention, leaving the long serving, hardworking members to stand for the mundane positions of branch Treasurer and branch secretary. Caltabiano made certain the illegally transferred members could vote—an extraordinary intervention given that he knew what was being done was illegal. This is the same person who told the Courier-Mail last Saturday that he had risen above factionalism. That is a bit 4532 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003 hard when he is not only wallowing in it; he is also dependent upon it for his survival. For exposing this branch stack in the seat of Moggill, Mr Keys is to be put on death row as well. However, let me restate my main point. The financial management of the Liberal Party in Ryan continues to lack transparency and accountability. The blame for that rests with the federal member for Ryan and the ruling faction in the Queensland branch of the Liberal Party. The excuse Mr Johnson gave for the secret payment of $10,000 to him from the Ryan campaign audit does not stand up even to the most casual scrutiny. I believe that Mr Johnson has misled the federal parliament and the people of Ryan, and I call on the federal parliament to launch an investigation by having him summoned before the Privileges Committee to answer the charge that he deliberately misled the House of Representatives. However, the Liberal Party can act, and it can act today, because the full truth of what I have said will be revealed when the Harper audit report is made public. I call on the Liberal Party to make it public, and I call on the state director of the Liberal Party to do so in the public interest before his resignation takes effect in the near future. But, in the interests of balance, I thought I should inform the House of the efforts of the coalition partner to bring transparency to the preselection process. My attention has been drawn to Gympie where a rank outsider, a Mr Christian Rowan, got up against a very fancied and popular local, a Mr Graham Engeman, after an impassioned plea from the member for Callide. I have an article here from the Courier-Mail of 1 February where the Mayor of Biggenden, Mrs Betty Johnson, announced that the shire had desperate trouble getting a doctor but Queensland Health had solved the problem and appointed Dr Christian Rowan. The town of Biggenden is in the Callide electorate. I understand that Biggenden council went to considerable expense to attract the doctor, so the member for Callide's passionate plea for Dr Rowan was a way of ridding the town of its long hard-fought for doctor. But in the media release which I have here from the National Party announcing the candidacy of Dr Rowan he is described, amongst other things, as an associate of a medical practice in Cooroy and a visiting medical officer at the Cooroy Hospital, but there is not one line about poor old Biggenden and the considerable expense the ratepayers had been put to in order to get a doctor. This was an obvious attempt at obfuscation by the National Party media machine. Having won the endorsement, Dr Rowan then announced to the Gympie Times that he was scaling back his medical work. This runs contrary to what he told the Courier-Mail on 13 November 1999, when he said that working in a one-doctor town he had seen how this loss of services had damaged the social fabric of the town. So we have a pattern emerging of saying one thing to one audience and another to a separate audience. However, this afternoon I want to highlight to the House Dr Rowan's other political versatility. He is a true coalitionist. He began life as a Young Liberal, became an ardent branch stacker in the federal seat of Ryan and tried to run for the seat of Fairfax but chickened out. He then moved his membership to the Dixon branch of the Liberal Party, where he stood for preselection against Peter Dutton and lost. As he told the Courier-Mail on 13 November 1999, 'I truly believe that the Liberal Party is the only one who can actively provide what is needed in rural and regional Queensland.' So in support of that long-held cherished belief he gave up on the Libs and has now bobbed up as the National Party candidate for Gympie. In the same article, Dr Rowan told the startled Courier-Mail journalist, 'There's no such thing as branch stacking within the Liberal Party and certainly not in Queensland.' However, on 10 February 2000 he wrote a letter to the branch members in the Fairfax electorate—and by fortuitous circumstances I have a copy of it—using a Toowong post office box, urging branch members to contact him at a Cooroy post office box to announce— A new and exciting year has dawned. At the beginning of January, I moved from Mungindi to live and work in the federal electorate of Fairfax. What had not dawned on the honest Liberal Party branch members living in the beachside seat of Fairfax was the new and exciting members he would be putting into the branches at the same time as he told the Courier-Mail there was no branch stacking in the Liberal Party. He told the Courier-Mail he joined the Fairfax branch because there was no Liberal Party branch in Mungindi on the New South Wales-Queensland border. Again, luck falls upon the brave. I have been given a list of 115 names that I am told is the list of people Dr Rowan branch stacked in Fairfax—and it was only a quick glance. Two members are Wickham Terrace doctors, one lives in Longreach, one in Beaudesert, one in Goondiwindi, four people gave no address, and the rest had two things in common: most lived in the federal 29 Oct 2003 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 4533 division of Ryan and none lived at the beach. Reports vary, but as many as 130 people were signed up using this device. I have now read with interest in the Gympie newspapers that he sees as one of the election issues funding to upgrade the Bruce Highway. And why wouldn't he? There will be a lot of wear and tear on the highway conveying all those rorted branch members up and down the coast to Gympie! So now the Liberal Party cancer of branch stacking in Ryan, so nobly fought by the member for Robina, has spread to its coalition partner, the Nationals. Ryan's problem is now Gympie's problem. The Leader of the Opposition was quick to call on the Premier for dismissals of people in the Labor Party caught for branch stacking. I call on the Leader of the Opposition now to show the same consistency, enthusiasm and dedication and launch an investigation into his candidate in Gympie and his extensive branch stacking activities in Ryan and in Fairfax. I commend these appropriation bills and only hope that now, with my plea for decency and transparency in the process, the Treasurer can have confidence in appropriating the money for the next election in the full confidence that the candidates have been chosen in a transparent and fair process. Interruption.

PRIVILEGE Government Advertising; Auditor-General Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (5.43 p.m.): I rise on a matter of privilege. Along with the Deputy Premier and Treasurer, Terry Mackenroth, and the Director-General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Leo Keliher, I had a very positive and constructive meeting this afternoon with the Auditor-General, Len Scanlan, and two of his senior officers on the issue of advertising by the Queensland government. I have made it clear to the Auditor-General that I fully support the importance and independence of his role and the key role he plays in ensuring that public funds are spent appropriately. I underlined my support for the independence of the Auditor-General. In terms of the provision of detailed spending on advertisements on a monthly basis, the Auditor-General made it clear that he believed this is a matter that should properly be addressed through the parliamentary process, hence his suggestion to the Leader of the Opposition that they should be pursued in the first instance with the Premier. In the first instance, matters such as this should be raised on the floor of the parliament. It is the Auditor-General's role to audit spending on advertising by the Queensland government, as laid down in the relevant guidelines and legislation. The Auditor-General has the crucial watchdog role of overseeing spending in this area and reporting to parliament. The Auditor-General acknowledges that he has always had unimpeded access to all the records he needs and has received the full support of the government and, indeed, my full support. There has never been an issue about gaining access to information by the Auditor-General and nor will there be while I am Premier. I have full confidence in the independence and integrity of the Auditor-General and he has, and enjoys, the full support of my government.

APPROPRIATION BILL (No. 2) APPROPRIATION (PARLIAMENT) BILL (No. 2) Second Reading (Cognate Debate) Resumed. Hon. T. M. MACKENROTH (Chatsworth—ALP) (Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Sport) (5.45 p.m.), in reply: I thank members for their support for the legislation. I think the main issue raised by the opposition was in relation to capital works. One of their propositions is that the government has underfunded capital works in recent years. The Queensland government strategy is for capital investment to be driven by service delivery needs. It is unrealistic to assume that the state's capital works program will exhibit a smooth historical expenditure pattern. Queensland has traditionally funded new infrastructure in the general government sector at levels well beyond that of other major states. At no point over the last decade has Queensland's general government infrastructure expenditure as a proportion of GSP dropped below that of the other major states. In 2003-04 Queensland's general government capital expenditure will again be higher than other states. 4534 Appropriation Bill (No. 2); Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) 29 Oct 2003

Those who prefer to go back to the mid-1980s and look at total state capital spending and claim that the government should still be spending at those levels tend to forget the factors that contributed to the abnormally high levels of expenditure in those years, such as the electrification of the railways, the commissioning of the Tarong and Callide B power stations and, as part of the 1980s resource boom, significant railway expansion, which was paid for by mining companies. The next proposition was that the government should be able to fund the $1.4 billion capital program without borrowing. The government's fiscal principles, as outlined in the Charter of Social and Fiscal Responsibility, explicitly endorse the use of debt where it is affordable. The use of debt to invest in capital recognises that much of the infrastructure will be used over a very long period and it is not reasonable to expect the current generation of taxpayers to pay for it all immediately. But if Queensland were to pay for all of its capital needs without the use of debt we would need to be budgeting for general government operating surpluses in the order of $500 million per annum. Governments that budget for large surpluses to fund infrastructure are generally doing so to repair their balance sheets. Queensland has the strongest balance sheet of any government in Australia and has no need to further build up financial assets, which would occur under such an approach. In any case, the debt that will be used to fund the program is roughly equivalent to what we plan to borrow for capital over the last several years but have not been required to do because our cash flow has been so strong. The government's Smart State Building Fund is a perfect example of the strategic yet prudent use of debt. The third proposition was that capital spending as a proportion of state government expenditure has declined over recent years. The fact that recurrent spending represents a larger portion of budget outlays now than in the past is not in dispute. Our government has funded service delivery enhancements in key areas such as Education and Health while continuing to undertake capital works that support the delivery of these services. This increase in recurrent expenditure was a conscious decision of Queensland governments to improve service delivery in Queensland to levels comparable to those in other states. We have employed more teachers, police, health workers and workers in the Department of Families. The government has no intention of following the poor policy prescription of winding back services in these areas simply in order to try to match levels of capital expenditure which had occurred at some reference point in the past either as a percentage of GSP or a proportion of total outlays. The fourth proposition was that the government should not have changed the Charter of Social and Fiscal Responsibility to allow borrowing for social infrastructure. The fiscal principle which allows borrowing for infrastructure is entirely appropriate. Queensland is a growing state with increasing demand for social infrastructure. If Queensland were to pay for all of its social capital needs without the use of debt, it would require a significant reduction in the level of services currently provided to the community or would involve taking far more resources out of the economy by way of taxation than the government needs. This would be an unnecessary imposition on the community given the strength of the state's balance sheet, which is underpinned by negative net debt in the general government sector. On the one hand we are being accused of underexpenditure, yet on the other Mr Quinn is suggesting that the state with the strongest balance sheet in Australia should not be borrowing to fund important infrastructure that the community needs. Capital is a long-term investment and the revision of the charter principle explicitly recognises that social infrastructure will be used over a very long period and it is not reasonable to expect the current generation of taxpayers to pay for this infrastructure immediately. Mr Quinn was also wrong about when we introduced the Charter of Social and Fiscal Responsibility, including the carefully considered prudent change to our borrowing rule to provide for debt for social and economic infrastructure provided the debt can be serviced within the operating surplus. It was in the 1999-2000 budget under Treasurer Hamill that we made this change. I might also note that in my presentations to investors in financial markets across the world it has universally been well received. The proposition that the opposition has handled things differently probably is true. Sure, we are going to borrow money for the Department of Health. If we go back prior to 1989, the opposition when it was in government did not borrow directly on government for the Department of Health. It had a whole series of health authorities around the state— Mrs Edmond: Boards. Mr MACKENROTH:—health boards, and the boards borrowed the money. Mrs Edmond: $700 million. 29 Oct 2003 Sessional Orders, Whistleblowers 4535

Mr MACKENROTH: There was $700 million of debt which we took over when Goss abolished the boards. But members opposite can stand up here and say, 'No we did not borrow the money. The hospital boards did it.' The debt was still there. Let us not be cute about it. The Borbidge government sold off Suncorp, one of the best assets the state had. It would not have been too long before it had nothing left if that was the way it wanted to fund its capital programs into the future. We need to be very careful about what we talk about in relation to how things have been done in the past and do not simply stand up here and say, 'We did not do that.' If members want to do that, they should say how they did do it. Motion agreed to.

Committee Appropriation Bill (No. 2) Clauses 1 and 2, as read, agreed to. Schedule, as read, agreed to.

Appropriation (Parliament) Bill (No. 2) Clauses 1 and 2, as read, agreed to. Bills reported, without amendment.

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

SESSIONAL ORDERS, WHISTLEBLOWERS Mr SPRINGBORG (Southern Downs—NPA) (Leader of the Opposition) (5.57 p.m.): I move— That this parliament amends the sessional orders to prohibit members of parliament from naming or otherwise identifying a person whose identity is protected pursuant to the Whistleblowers Protection Act 1994. By moving this motion we wish to establish a principal position which covers a loophole which has been identified recently with regards to the rules that operate this parliament. I note and acknowledge the comments of the Speaker earlier this morning when he made some comments about this motion which I have moved tonight. He said that, whilst it was not out of order, it did not contain the actual provisions which would become a part of the sessional orders. That was generally a deliberate act on the part of the opposition because we wished to establish the principal position. Then once the principal position had been established it was up to this parliament to then decide the most appropriate way to construct a set of sessional orders which reflected the intention of the motion. Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Fouras): Order! The chair has no problem with that. Mr SPRINGBORG: Thank you very much. I note that there has been a fair element of partisanship on this issue over the last two to three weeks. By and large, given the political adversarial nature of this place and also the way that issues are played out, that is the case, and justifiably so. However, we should not overlook the fact that there has been identified a deficiency whereby a minister or member of parliament can name a whistleblower—a person who has been given recognised status as a whistleblower. I acknowledge that some people in the community claim to be whistleblowers. They are people who come to our office and claim to have blown the whistle or are going to blow the whistle on some maladministration or corruption within a particular government department and they have described themselves as whistleblowers. So they are self-described whistleblowers. However, there are people who are recognised by proper process under the Whistleblowers Protection Act 1994 as whistleblowers. These are people who have been recognised and given that protection by the department, by the proper and due process. They are the people whom we are protecting here by this motion. It was quite clear that when the Minister for Families came into this place some two-odd weeks ago and stood up and named the person who had been given whistleblower protection—a person who had worked or associated with people in the disability services area—that was going to create a degree of consternation. That was not just a random act and maybe the minister did 4536 Sessional Orders, Whistleblowers 29 Oct 2003 not necessarily consider that she was breaching any Whistleblowers Protection Act and felt that she was doing the right thing. However, it has identified a loophole. I believe that at that stage the minister was not considered in what she said in this parliament and that the minister, at that stage, did breach the spirit of the Whistleblowers Protection Act. When the matter was referred by the whistleblower to the CMC for investigation and consideration, I said to the media that I felt that there was little that the CMC could do with regards to the matter because the CMC does not have authority. It does not have jurisdiction over matters that are said in this parliament, and quite rightly so. That goes back to the Bill of Rights of 1688, article 9, and it is something that we should seek to support and preserve at all costs. However, it is important to note that an element of responsibility is given to, recognised and should be followed by members of parliament and ministers when they stand up in this place and seek to divulge information that would otherwise be protected outside. Parliamentary privilege was established after a long-fought battle, basically between the monarchy and those people who wished to arrest a certain degree of power from them through the capacity to speak in parliament without fear and favour. I know that, as a student of parliamentary procedure and democracy, Mr Deputy Speaker Fouras certainly very much appreciates that. That does not necessarily mean that we can impugn people without some degree of consequence. The way that parliament has sought to overcome issues where conflict may arise between the right of a member to speak without fear or favour and the disclosure of a person's identify is by sessional or standing orders. We seek to uphold the sub judice convention. It seeks to direct what can be disclosed in this parliament regarding court cases and, in some cases, the identity of particular people. A couple of years ago an incident occurred in this parliament when the member for Toowoomba South provided some information to parliament. Although he did not name a person who was protected under the Child Protection Act, he did provide some documentation to the parliament. The parliament subsequently looked at that information. It was felt that, while the child had a particular protection, there was no standing order or direction of the parliament that covered that particular case. Therefore, the member had not breached anything. However, in order to ensure consistency, guidelines were developed for the parliament to consider when dealing with matters relating to children protected under the Child Protection Act or the Juvenile Justice Act, that is, they could not be named in the parliament nor information disclosed that would directly lead to the disclosure of their identity. In that case the parliament decided to come up with a set of guidelines so that the name of the person could be substituted by a code and that code would then be given to the Clerk, and that is how the information would then go to the minister. That was an appropriate way to react in order to address an issue. In raising the matter, the member concerned, Mr Horan, did not do anything wrong. He did not act inadvertently and he did not contravene any convention of this parliament. However, it was felt that we needed to ensure consistency between the way that the law operated outside and the way that the parliament should operate with regards to its procedures. We are seeking to have a sessional order developed whereby recognised whistleblowers have the same protection from naming and identification in parliament as they have outside the parliament. Otherwise, what is the point of having the Whistleblowers Protection Act? There is no point whatsoever! Other issues have arisen as a consequence, and this parliament should consider them as well. For example, generally covert operatives have their names protected on the outside, but there would be nothing to stop a member of parliament coming in here and potentially disclosing the identity of a covert operative or the name of somebody under the witness protection scheme. We have not developed particular guidelines or sessional orders that deal with those issues. The other day, in standing up and disclosing the name of a person who has been a recognised whistleblower, the minister exposed a loophole that exists in the way that this parliament can operate. The loophole is that a person can be protected from having their identity made public outside but not in this place. This is a genuine attempt to deal with that issue. This is a genuine attempt to establish a principle. We need a set of sessional orders that will ensure that properly recognised whistleblowers can be protected in this place. If this motion is passed, we are suggesting that an appropriate committee of this parliament be given the job of writing the guidelines. We have done that in other cases. We have recognised efficiencies in other cases and we should do so in the future. 29 Oct 2003 Sessional Orders, Whistleblowers 4537

The other important issue is that the motion seeks to preserve the principle of parliamentary privilege. It is up to the parliament to decide and govern itself. That is what we are talking about. We are not seeking to give this to an outside body. We want the parliament to be responsible for dealing with this itself, as it seeks to do with other matters. It governs itself. It takes actions that are necessary against other members as issues arise from time to time. It is a principle motion. It seeks to identify a deficiency that has arisen. We must do something about it. We have deliberately stepped away from enunciating what we would like to see, but nevertheless we believe the motion should be passed and then should be given due consideration. Time expired. Mr QUINN (Robina—Lib) (6.05 p.m.): I rise to second the motion moved by the Leader of the Opposition that the parliament amend sessional orders to prevent members of parliament from naming or otherwise identifying a person whose identity is protected pursuant to the Whistleblowers Protection Act 1994. As the Leader of the Opposition said, this is simply an issue of principle. If, in fact, the parliament agrees to support the motion, it would be up to the parliament itself to construct a set of sessional orders to give effect to the motion. Therefore, there is no need for the details of the motion or the change to the sessional orders or the standing orders to be embodied in the motion. I think most people would understand that there is an obvious loophole or deficiency here whereby, either deliberately or inadvertently, a person who is a genuine whistleblower could be named in the House. The Leader of the Opposition has mentioned the possibility of covert operatives or people in the witness protection scheme being similarly named. The opposition is seeking to put in place a protection that would give the same protection to those people in this place as they would normally expect in the public arena. I think that is a reasonable expectation. The fact that the CMC recognised in its decision its limitations to investigate this type of issue really puts the onus on this parliament to act to put in place a set of procedures that will give people who are genuine whistleblowers the protection that they deserve. It is quite obvious that we cannot legislate to prevent this from happening. It is not a function of a law that can place limitations on members of this House because we enjoy the privileges of the House. Therefore, it cannot be done by legislative means. It is up to this House itself to make a set of rules, regulations or amendments to the standing orders or sessional orders—whatever they might be—to put the onus on members of the House to be aware of the need to be considered in these sorts of circumstances. We cannot allow this to continue. We have had one example of it and that has been an embarrassment that we do not need to repeat any further down the line. If it occurs again, it could have serious repercussions. I would hate to think that we have missed an opportunity to remedy that tonight. This issue has been brought to our attention and it is incumbent on us now to understand that there are certain privileges that a member of parliament enjoys. However, those privileges have to be exercised with due consideration. Part of what we are asking for tonight is that the sessional orders be amended by the parliament itself to make those due considerations obvious to all members of the parliament. Particularly if one is in the executive or is a minister, one has access to or knowledge of these particular matters. If through an inadvertent action or, in some cases, it may be a deliberate action, a member may expose a person who is a genuine whistleblower, there should be curbs placed upon that person's privileges. I think those curbs in the circumstances would be expected but, more importantly, I think they give would-be whistleblowers or would-be covert operatives or would-be people in witness protection programs a measure of security in the future. We cannot ask people to put their faith in the law if there is a loophole or a deficiency which could at some stage expose them publicly. I think it is now time for the parliament to consider this matter seriously, and the way we are proposing to do that is by this motion tonight. I would hope that it has the support of the House. Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (6.10 p.m.): I move the following amendment— That all words after 'parliament' be omitted and the following words inserted: 'acknowledges the fundamental importance of parliamentary privilege to the workings of the parliament and the democratic freedoms it represents.' Privilege is a venerable pillar of our representative democracy. Its origins are enshrined in article 9 of the United Kingdom's 17th century Bill of Rights and reproduced in legislation enabling our Queensland parliament. Privilege allows parliamentarians to raise and debate matters without fear or interference or legal consequences. This often means the difference between the public 4538 Sessional Orders, Whistleblowers 29 Oct 2003 learning about matters that are clearly in the public interest or else those matters being kept secret. It allows, for example, members to alert the community about the activities of unscrupulous businesspeople preying on elderly people. Freedom of speech in parliament protects the independence of parliament and the separation of powers. Parliament can conduct its proceedings without interference from the executive or the courts. It enables fearless criticism and scrutiny of the executive, thereby enhancing accountability. A qualified privilege extends to media reporting of parliamentary proceedings, permitting public debate that might otherwise be muzzled. Privilege is not exclusively available to parliamentarians. Documents tabled in this place are protected by privilege, enabling the authors to report without fear of legal action. This includes reports by the Ombudsman, the Auditor- General, the Crime and Misconduct Commission, the public report on ministerial expenses, the Commission for Children and Young People, the Commission of Inquiry into Abuse of Children in Queensland Institutions—that is, the Forde report—and parliamentary committees. Were it not for parliamentary privilege, the report of the board of inquiry into the past handling of complaints of sexual abuse in the Anglican Church diocese of Brisbane might not have seen the light of day or at least not in the form in which it was published—that is, its full form. However, in practice members cannot make statements in parliament with complete impunity. We are all obliged to use privilege responsibly. We are all accountable to our electorates and answerable in the court of public opinion. It is our duty not to abuse privilege by making baseless attacks. Citizens who feel aggrieved by what is said in parliament do have recourse. Queensland was the first state parliament to introduce the citizen's right of reply, allowing responses by individuals to be incorporated in Hansard. This occurred in October 1995, when the member for Ashgrove was Speaker. Other Australian parliaments have followed suit and have introduced a mechanism for an individual's response to be incorporated into Hansard. Sadly, privilege is occasionally abused, but statements made by the Families Minister in the House on 15 October do not fall into this category of abuse. Not only did she not breach the Whistleblowers Protection Act 1994; she did not name any person in circumstances covered by any protection. She did not abuse the privilege of the House. I quote from a member of the Queensland parliament who said— It is extremely important that members of parliament continue to enjoy the right to be able to stand up here and without fear or favour represent their constituents and, importantly, expose matters of concern from time to time. The member went on to say— It is a right which members should always fight to preserve, and we should fight to preserve it in the traditional context. I agree. Those words were uttered by the Leader of the Opposition on 25 March 2003 during the debate on the Parliament of Queensland Amendment Bill. Lawrence, we are with you. Mr Lucas: What about the time you named the Premier's brother? Mr BEATTIE: Yes, exactly. What has happened here, and let us be clear about it, is that under persistent questioning from the opposition the minister gave an honest answer. The opposition then sought to continue its petty, vicious attack not just on the minister but also on the government and what we are trying to do to reform and help children. The minister did not breach the act, and that has been established by the independent umpire. The Leader of the Opposition consistently refuses to accept the decision of the independent umpire. The Leader of the Opposition, like a spoilt child, does not want to accept the umpire's decision. What the Leader of the Opposition should have done was accept the independent umpire's decision and move on. Yet what do we have? We have these gutter tactics. The Leader of the Opposition talks about trying to have high standards. I say to the Leader of the Opposition: he will not find high standards in the gutter. Hon. J. C. SPENCE (Mount Gravatt—ALP) (Minister for Families and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Minister for Disability Services and Minister for Seniors) (6.15 p.m.): I am pleased to second the amendment moved by the Premier. In the past two weeks we have seen the opposition trying to make a case that I named a whistleblower and it is trying it again tonight. It is nonsense, as I have outlined to the House on two separate occasions. I am not going to stand here and yet again explain the intent of whistleblower protection, how it can be obtained or the penalties for making a false or misleading statement. The opposition embarrassed itself today by moving this motion in the House. It has embarrassed itself yet again tonight by showing that it does not understand the whistleblower protection legislation and I have to assume that it is ignoring the facts. 29 Oct 2003 Sessional Orders, Whistleblowers 4539

The facts are that on 7 October 2003 the acting workplace health and safety representative from the Wacol area office sent an email to me, the subject being drug use/near death incident in DSQ. In this email he made an allegation that on Saturday, 4 October a client in the care of residential care officers from the Wacol area office opened a cupboard and drank down a full bottle of hospital grade disinfectant and that it is believed by other staff at this house that this staff member was in fact stoned after using drugs whilst on the shift where the client was injured. He went on to allege that an ambulance was not called for a period of two and a half hours after the incident. It is a serious allegation. This officer was not a primary witness to the alleged event. He does not state in his allegation who the witnesses were. This matter has been referred to the CMC by the Director-General of DSQ for investigation, as it should be. If the Leader of the Opposition believed his mantra of positive politics, that is where he would have sent it. Instead, we have the sight of him salivating over a possible headline. Was he worried about whether the allegation was correct? No. Was he interested in establishing the truth? No. Was he in the slightest bit concerned about the reputations and lives that he might smear in the process? No. Was he chasing a cheap headline? Of course he was! This allegation is under investigation and that investigation has not yet finished. I repeat again what I stated in the parliament on 15 October: no officer has sought or has been granted any whistleblower protection in relation to allegations that a DSQ client consumed disinfectant because an RCO was stoned on drugs. This officer made this particular allegation and released his own details into the public domain through numerous recipients of the email. But let me make these points: by throwing these untested allegations into the public arena, the reputation of every hardworking residential care officer has been smeared. Through unproven innuendo, every residential care officer has been labelled unprofessional, uncaring and accused of criminal behaviour. If anyone has evidence of inappropriate behaviour, of criminal behaviour, then they have a responsibility to take it to an appropriate body for investigation, and an appropriate body does not include the Leader of the Opposition. By raising these untested allegations in parliament, the opposition has denied every RCO the basic right to defend themselves and given credence to serious allegations that may or may not be true. The responsible course of action here would have been to ensure that they were sent to an appropriate investigation body. If they are proved to be unfounded, will the Opposition Leader apologise for the smearing of good, hardworking people? Mr Schwarten: Of course he won't! Ms SPENCE: I doubt that he would have the decency to do that. The opposition's attack is based on two false premises: firstly, that this person had whistleblower protection for these particular allegations or that whistleblower protection gives people the unfettered right to make continuous allegations against their work colleagues and that is absolute nonsense; secondly, that raising these allegations in parliament somehow replaces the process of investigation and the testing of allegations and that is also nonsense. The Leader of the Opposition must understand that cheap headlines have a human cost. Raising in the public arena unsubstantiated allegations against residential care officers about the treatment of clients only serves to cause unnecessary distress to families who rely on us to look after their loved ones. I have had the mothers and the fathers of these families ring my office because they do not know which house the member was talking about. They do not know. The member has made them all frightened. I am not going to walk away from having these allegations properly investigated and, if necessary—if they are substantiated—exposed in the public domain. But that should be done after they have been proven. Mr SEENEY (Callide—NPA) (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (6.20 p.m.): I rise to support the motion that was moved by the Leader of the Opposition that this parliament amend sessional orders to prohibit members of parliament from naming or otherwise identifying a person whose identity is protected pursuant to the Whistleblowers Protection Act 1994. That is the motion that is before the House. I would suggest that the two speakers we have heard from the government side of the debate tonight should read the motion and consider the proposal that is being put before the parliament tonight. The proposal that is being put before the parliament tonight is not whether or not the Minister for Families is guilty or otherwise, whether or not the Minister for Families did the right thing or the wrong thing. That is a subject for another debate at another time. The only relevance that that has to this debate is that that particular debate highlighted a possibility that the standing orders of 4540 Sessional Orders, Whistleblowers 29 Oct 2003 this place could be somehow deficient and that the standing orders of this place need to be strengthened. The standing orders of this place are the rules that we apply to ourselves—the rules that we as a parliament agree on at the beginning of every parliament to apply to members of this parliament. In that regard the government's amendment to the motion is quite absurd. Of course all members of this parliament are going to acknowledge the fundamental importance of parliamentary privilege to the workings of the parliament and the democratic freedoms it represents. Of course all members of this parliament are going to acknowledge that. The motion before the House does nothing to erode that. There has been no suggestion that that basic fundamental parliamentary privilege of this place be eroded. There is nothing in the motion that was moved by the Leader of the Opposition to suggest that. The motion suggests that the standing orders or the sessional orders, or the rules that we apply to ourselves, have been shown by an incident in this place in the last couple of weeks to be deficient. We need to amend them. We need to change them. Ms Spence: That's absolute rubbish. Mr SEENEY: It has nothing to do with whether or not the minister's particular incident was right or wrong or otherwise. What that particular incident did was highlight the fact that some member of this parliament in the future can stand up here and name a whistleblower in a way that would lead to that person suffering consequences that none of us would want. I am not suggesting, and the motion does not suggest, that that happened in the minister's particular case. I do not even want to get into that debate because it has very little to do— A government member interjected. Mr SEENEY: No, I will. We can get into that debate at another time, and that would be an interesting debate to have. To a great extent we have already had that debate. But this motion tonight— A government member interjected. Mr SEENEY: That is arguable, but this motion tonight is about fixing up the possibility to make sure that that particular circumstance does not happen in the future because I will not assume that it happened in the past. It is for us to decide as a parliament that it is inappropriate for any member of this parliament to use the protection of parliamentary privilege to name somebody who is protected by the Whistleblowers Protection Act in a way that would mean that they would suffer inadvertent consequences. The CMC quite rightly identified that the Whistleblowers Protection Act does not apply to members in this place. They quite rightly identified that. The question for us as a parliament now is: how do we respond to that? What do we think is a fair thing? Does the minister think that it is a fair thing for some other member of this House to be able to stand up here tomorrow morning and name a whistleblower? Do the minister believe that that is appropriate? Mr Lucas interjected. Mr SEENEY: Of course she does not; nor does the member for Lytton. I know him well enough to know that he does not think that that would be appropriate. There are members in this House who we all know are irresponsible enough to do that under particular circumstances. What we need— Ms Struthers: Name them! Mr SEENEY: I will not name them, but I will tell the member where they sit. What we need to do as a parliament is to make sure that we amend the sessional orders. Time expired. Hon. R. E. SCHWARTEN (Rockhampton—ALP) (Minister for Public Works and Minister for Housing) (6.26 p.m.): If hypocrisy was a gold medal event at the Olympics, then that lot over there would get more gold medals than the Olympic swimming team for Australia. The truth is that there are three serial offenders of misuse of privileges of this House. The previous speaker named the Premier's brother under the guise of saying he was just probing. He did not have the intestinal fortitude to go outside and say it because he knew that he was wrong. The previous speaker, the member for Southern Downs, brought up this issue and blamed this minister for revealing a so-called whistleblower. What did he do? He sent it to Pat Condren. Pat Condren was given his name, his address and his phone number and everything else. But 29 Oct 2003 Sessional Orders, Whistleblowers 4541 that is all right! The member had no facts before he jumped up in here and made the comments that he did that were not tested in any court and were not substantiated. The member used the privilege of this parliament to do it. He was not game to go outside and do it. And what about the member for Toowoomba South? Naming kids in here. Then he had to come in here and apologise to this House. Talk about misusing privilege in this parliament! Don't you dare lecture us in that regard. Can I just make this point? How do you know who the whistleblowers are? How do we know in this parliament? Let me tell you. Mr Springborg: How do you know who the kids are? Mr SCHWARTEN: That is easily identified, who children are. Let me tell the member: I do not know who the whistleblowers are, if there are any, in the Public Works Department or the Housing Department. Why do I not know? Because I should not know. It is not a matter for me to be made aware of. The member for Robina showed how stupid he was as a minister. If he actually knew who the whistleblowers were in the Education Department when he was a minister, I would want to know why he knew that. That is a misuse of his position. In other words, if we follow his logic, nobody in here would be able to mention anybody's name because it might just be a fact that they are a whistleblower. This nonsense that the member puts here tonight—the embarrassment that he is—makes no sense whatsoever. The Speaker drummed the member opposite about this this morning and said it was hopeless and embarrassing and that the member was wrong, but he still ploughed on with it. The hobbledehoy of the National Party over there, with this embarrassment that it has come up with tonight, does not in any shape or form meet what the member opposite aspired to let it do. The truth is: what do we have here? We have huge embarrassment. An old National mate of mine said to me, 'Look, I've voted for these blokes all my life and I'll still vote for them, but aren't they embarrassing! Aren't they embarrassing?' He said, 'It's an embarrassment to me. I have 40 years in the National Party, but I've got a bloke like him leading it.' That is what he said about the Leader of the Opposition. That is why I say it in here. He is embarrassing. He has embarrassed himself with his ignorance of the whistleblower legislation. He does not know the first thing about it. He does not have the foggiest clue about how to put a motion together in this parliament. He has no idea what whistleblower protection is. The member has the Courier-Mail's definition of it. Anybody who leaks to the Courier-Mail is a whistleblower obviously and cannot be named and cannot be talked about. The fact of the matter is that— Opposition member interjected. Mr SCHWARTEN: Do not interrupt me, you who abuse privilege in this parliament and you who have named. Stop squawking like a demented cockatoo! The truth is that members opposite have misused the privileges of this parliament. I challenge members opposite: the member is supposed to be a big hero. Go outside and name Peter Beattie's brother. Go outside! No, he is a coward and will not. The truth is that he uses what this place has been called—that is, a coward's castle—in the most obscene way to defame a very innocent person, but he is not game to go outside and do it. Yet he comes in here tonight and tells us that he knows all about it. He does not have the foggiest idea what he is talking about. The fact that he is yelling the way that he is just shows how stupid he really is. Let me just wind up by saying this: this is an attempt to square this minister up because she showed those opposite up in the last couple of weeks for the incompetent fools that they are. Mr Springborg interjected. Mr SCHWARTEN: In terms of the member's embarrassment at the CMC with that gibberish that he said passes for a policy when talking about beasts out there in the bushes, he would be certified if he showed that to a psychiatrist. He would be locked up. I used to think Joh had it all over the place, but if the member opposite is trying to emulate him he is doing a pretty good job in that regard, because he makes no sense. Those opposite have no policies. In terms of what he is trying to do with this whistleblower nonsense that he is going on with, he knows that he is wrong. He knows that this minister never, ever breached any act or intent of any act or the privileges of this parliament. Mr HORAN (Toowoomba South—NPA) (6.31 p.m.): We have just had five minutes of vitriol and venom tumbling out of the mouth of the minister. It is time we got a few things right. If anyone was wrong, it was that fellow, who just does not understand what this motion before the parliament is about. It was a chance for him to talk sensibly instead of his usual choko vine ramblings. I want to bring a bit of sense and order into this debate. What this is about— 4542 Sessional Orders, Whistleblowers 29 Oct 2003

Mr Schwarten interjected. Mr HORAN: You are the one who reckoned that the director— Mr Schwarten: Why don't you name a few kids? Mr HORAN: I will start with that matter, because you have brought it up before. Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Fouras): Order! The Minister for Public Works and Minister for Housing will stop interjecting. The member for Toowoomba South will address his comments through the chair. Let us have some order. It is getting a bit heated I think. Mr HORAN: When I was Opposition Leader, in addressing a matter I tabled a document which inadvertently named someone. I was appalled to know that I had done that, when the now Minister Spence came in here and pointed that out. I immediately spoke to the Speaker and the matter was rectified. The document was only tabled. No-one saw that particular document and I came into the parliament and apologised. I do want to stand by those conventions and standing orders because I believe that they are very important. I was upset to know that I had done it, but fortunately no-one saw it. It did not get any further. Through the good officers of the Speaker, we were able to rectify it. The matter went before the Privileges Committee and it put in place a system to ensure that if there was some necessity for a matter or material to be discussed with the minister that discussion could happen and not contravene the act and standing rules of this parliament. Let us put that one to bed, because the debate tonight is about providing the same sort of protection for whistleblowers. If we are serious and genuine in wanting to have an open and accountable system in terms of the reforms that came into this parliament in the early 1990s, then the protection of whistleblowers is important. If there is a genuine whistleblower who makes a particular complaint and if their name gets out through the system, whether it is incorrectly allowed out through the Public Service system or whether they are named in the parliament, then the whole importance of the whistleblower legislation and the protection of that person who has made a genuine complaint to keep the system honest and accountable is lost. That is the point of the motion tonight. If people can come into the parliament and name a whistleblower in the course of a debate—whether it was deliberate, inadvertent, in the heat of the moment or whatever—then that particular person would lose that protection and it could place them in personal danger. It would certainly deter people from being a whistleblower again. I recognise that the CMC has cleared Minister Spence and said that she did not break the rules. We have all said that tonight. The CMC said that, in terms of this matter of whistleblowers, parliamentary privilege overrode all other matters, and that was the key reason why Minister Spence was not in transgression for the particular comments she made in the parliament. The CMC said that it was a matter for the parliament, and that is why this motion is before the parliament tonight. We want to fix the issue. It is a serious matter because genuine whistleblowers should have protection and know that that protection continues all the way through the system—not just when they make the complaint to the supervisor or when they go to a higher person. When it comes to this House, the whistleblower should not be exposed in this House. The Premier has tried to put the spin on this debate tonight by saying that we are trying to have a go at Minister Spence when quite clearly we have all said that she was cleared. The CMC made a clear decision that parliamentary privilege overruled and that the parliament itself should deal with this issue. We are trying to ensure that the whistleblower system is fair to those people who are genuine whistleblowers. Sometimes the actions that a whistleblower takes could have the potential to seriously embarrass a minister whose department may not be looking after something properly and for which the minister has ultimate responsibility and should take ultimate responsibility. So that protection must be there. There is no way that any whistleblower would go to the trouble if they knew that at the end of the day their name could be thrown forth to everybody through the parliament of Queensland. Hon. A. M. BLIGH (South Brisbane—ALP) (Minister for Education) (6.36 p.m.): Once again this parliament is being treated to the spectacle of a desperate opposition coming in here with a trumped up proposal that does not have any basis or any real motive. Parliamentary privilege, as all speakers have acknowledged, is an important part of our democratic freedoms. The Premier's amendment makes it absolutely clear that it is important not only that we enjoy this right but that we should defend it when it is under attack. So entrenched are the traditions of parliamentary privilege that they are regarded almost as an ancient right. The motion that is before us tonight seeks to restrict that right. I think it is fair for us to ask: on what basis are we being asked to restrict it? What is the reason that we should restrict parliamentary privilege in this way? It has already 29 Oct 2003 Sessional Orders, Whistleblowers 4543 been well established and acknowledged by the people who moved the motion that there has been no breach of any act of the parliament, there has been no abuse of parliamentary privilege and nobody—not Minister Spence nor indeed any other member of the parliament—can be found who has named a whistleblower knowingly. There has been much reference made here to the sessional order that goes some way to protect the identity of children at risk. I would remind the parliament that that sessional order was put in place in 2001 after a protocol had been developed by me two years earlier when there were repeated breaches of the legislation, and the legislation was breached over and over and over again by many members of the former One Nation Party. Despite the fact that a protocol was put in place, the then Leader of the Opposition went on to breach it again and Minister Spence then brought in the sessional order that we now see today. When one sees constant breaches of parliamentary privilege, maybe it is incumbent on the parliament to think about how we should restrict the privilege in certain circumstances. But tonight we do not have any evidence of that—not one single example of this privilege of the parliament being breached in any way, shape or form. The privilege of the parliament is not an unconstrained right. It cannot be exercised with complete impunity. The traditions and the conventions of privilege are based on the obligation of members to act responsibly and to regulate themselves. If they fail to do so, then that is a matter for the House. It is a matter for the consideration of the Privileges Committee. Has the issue that has been the subject of debate in the last two weeks in the public arena been sent by the opposition to the privileges committee? Has it been referred to the Speaker for his consideration? No, because they know that it is baseless, that it would waste the time of the privileges committee and that the Speaker is unlikely to even consider sending it there because the minister, if questioned, has nothing to answer for. As I said, there has been no breach of privilege. This motion, I have to say, is ill-considered, poorly drafted and, as the Speaker noted in the House this morning, will have no effect. This is a very complicated area of parliamentary practice. I would suggest that any attempt to restrict privilege through a restriction on this right would be very difficult and complex to draft. It is little wonder that the opposition has not put the work in to do it. In fact, in a brief analysis today I could find no other jurisdiction in Australia, or indeed Norfolk Island, that has any similar restriction. It is without precedent. As has been drawn to the attention of honourable members, it is nothing more and nothing less than a very, very grubby piece of cheap politics. As the member for Rockhampton mentioned, it is not just cheap; it is bargain basement. It is the bottom of the barrel. The Leader of the Opposition has an obligation in this parliament to provide leadership. In this case, the obligation of leadership required him to defend the privilege of this House. Members of the public do not necessarily understand the complexities of parliamentary practice and its traditions. When the pack started running, baying for blood and started with their ill-informed and misunderstood views about both the Whistleblowers Act and the parliamentary privilege being exercised here, did the Leader of the Opposition in any way attempt to explain the act? Did he ever come out and defend parliamentary privilege? No, he ran with the pack, just like he does in his ads. He put on his running shoes and ran with the pack. That is not leadership. It is nothing more than spineless and sloppy work. The member for Southern Downs has come in here with no constructive suggestions, rationale, hard work, effort and, worst of all, no guts. Hon. V. P. LESTER (Keppel—NPA) (6.42 p.m.): It disturbs me to find that the Leader of the Opposition is being attacked simply because he is endeavouring to protect a right of people who have seen things that should not be going on to not have their names mentioned in this House. I understand that we have certain privileges in this House, but what we are trying to do tonight is actually ensure that those privileges do not get out of hand. Some scathing things have happened in the parliament over the years through the irresponsible use of privilege. Surely a whistleblower has the right to be protected in this House. What that person is exposing could mean an enormous amount as far as getting on top of possible corruption and other issues not being dealt with quickly. Our leader is being attacked for simply trying to stand up for a right. In the past, when people have said things that have upset ministers they have been castigated in this House. That happened in relation to Health Minister Edmond not too long ago when a nurse made certain allegations. We certainly saw the other side of Wendy Edmond on that occasion. That person was blasted in this House for just doing what she thought and believed was right in standing up for the issues of those particular nurses. 4544 Sessional Orders, Whistleblowers 29 Oct 2003

It is all very well for government ministers to say how creepy and crawly we are—in their words—for raising these issues; when the issue is on the other foot, some of those ministers do not hesitate to do over these people who thought they had a privilege and who were doing the right thing in exposing issues. Already we have seen evidence that whistleblowers, particularly in the Public Service, once found out and once the minister knows who they are, never get promoted again. They are seen as traitors and scum. Clearly, when the boot is on the other foot, government members do not like it. We are trying to add to sessional orders 12 and 14, which already make provision for ensuring that children are protected from identification under the Child Protection Act 1999 and the Juvenile Justice Act 1992 so that members of parliament are prevented from naming them when speaking in the House. That should be the case. Such children should not be named in this House. We all seem to agree that that is a pretty good thing. All we are trying to do is protect the person who has the guts to say that something is wrong. After all, it goes further with respect to the protection of children, because a breach of these sessional orders can lead to a member being referred to the Members' Ethics and Parliamentary Privileges Committee, which has the capacity to recommend punishment of the honourable member. The opposition wants to help whistleblowers who are doing the right thing. It takes a lot of courage to be a whistleblower. It is not a very easy thing to do. When they are found out, they are often in deep trouble. We are trying to ensure that they can blow the whistle without being the recipient of the venom that comes from some ministers when eventually they are found out. It is wrong that they should be named in the House. Under the Whistleblowers Protection Act a comprehensive regime is put in place to protect the identification of whistleblowers. If they can be named in the House, that does not work. Hon. M. J. FOLEY (Yeerongpilly—ALP) (Minister for Employment, Training and Youth and Minister for the Arts) (6.46 p.m.): In a free society, the privilege of free speech in parliament is a mighty bulwark against injustice and corruption. Wrongdoing needs secret recesses in which to flourish. The best disinfectant remains sunlight. For that reason, I will be supporting the amendment moved by the Premier. The Opposition Leader's motion is embarrassing. It discloses on the part of the Opposition Leader a lack of knowledge of the standing orders of the parliament and it also discloses a lack of understanding of the nature and effect of whistleblower protection legislation. The Leader of the Opposition comes to this House to wag his finger at the parliament to tell us to lift our game and amend the sessional orders. Yet he does so without even the mere courtesy to the House of putting his motion in a proper form. As the Speaker indicated in his ruling this morning, if the motion were to be adopted it would not effect the purpose it purportedly seeks to achieve. The Speaker went on to invite the honourable member to seek leave to withdraw the motion and replace it at a later time. If the Opposition Leader showed a scintilla of respect for the proper procedures and dignity of this parliament he would do just that, but he has not done so. So let us examine then the extent to which this motion, if agreed to, could, notwithstanding its procedural shortcomings, address the problem. The problem is one of reconciling the privilege of free speech with the limitations that must properly exist on speeches, material tabled, Internet broadcast and Hansard reports of parliament in a wide range of areas—areas such as the protection of children, the protection of the identity of victims and persons accused of sexual offences, the identity of juveniles before the Children's Court, provisions relating to contempt of court, provisions relating to sedition, provisions relating to defamation, which remains a criminal offence in Queensland, and provisions relating to the identity of jurors and details of jury deliberations. There is a wide range of matters which the law forbids from being published in the world at large and the privilege of free speech needs to be reconciled with all of those. There is no evidence before this parliament of an alleged breach of the Whistleblowers Protection Act. I note that the opposition has resiled from its previous attack on the Minister for Families because it simply had not read the Whistleblowers Protection Act and did not know what its provisions were. Let me introduce it to those provisions. Over 13 years ago I had the honour of tabling in this parliament a report from a committee which I chaired titled Whistleblowers Protection—Interim Measures by the Parliamentary Committee for Electoral and Administrative Review, which led to the initial legislation. It has nothing to do with the sort of matters about which the Leader of the Opposition is speaking. 29 Oct 2003 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 4545

Similarly, back in October 1991 EARC presented its report, which subsequently led to the Whistleblowers Protection Act of 1994. The scheme of whistleblower protection legislation is, sadly, misunderstood by the Opposition Leader. It is not a licence to defame at large. It is not a shield to prevent accountability for unreasonable or malicious accusations against innocent individuals. It is a means of protecting the public interest by protecting persons who make reasonable complaints, even if the complaint proves ultimately to be false, provided those complaints are made to responsible authorities charged with the investigation of alleged wrongdoing in public administration. EARC did not recommend an open-ended, 'anything goes' model of whistleblower protection. The Queensland parliament did not adopt such a model. Take, for example, the rules of football. The rules of football protect a referee who blows the whistle on suspected foul play, but the referees themselves are bound to follow the rules and are not allowed to blow the whistle whenever it takes their fancy. What we have here is an embarrassing motion from the Leader of the Opposition both in procedural terms and because of its gross lack of respect for knowledge of the whistleblowers protection legislation. Question—That the amendment be agreed to—put; and the House divided— AYES, 51—Barton, Beattie, Bligh, Boyle, Briskey, Choi, E. Clark, L. Clark, Cummins, J. Cunningham, Edmond, Fenlon, M. Foley, Hayward, Jarratt, Lavarch, Lawlor, Lee, Livingstone, Lucas, Mackenroth, McGrady, McNamara, Mickel, Miller, Mulherin, Nelson-Carr, Nuttall, Palaszczuk, Pearce, Phillips, Pitt, Reeves, Reynolds, N. Roberts, Robertson, Rodgers, Rose, C. Scott, Shine, Smith, Spence, Stone, Strong, Struthers, C. Sullivan, Welford, Wells, Wilson. Tellers: T. Sullivan, Purcell, NOES, 18—Bell, Copeland, E. Cunningham, Flynn, C. Foley, Hobbs, Horan, Johnson, Lee Long, Malone, Pratt, Quinn, E. Roberts, Seeney, Sheldon, Springborg. Tellers: Lester, Watson Resolved in the affirmative. Motion, as amended, agreed to. Sitting suspended from 7.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.

PRIMARY INDUSTRIES AND OTHER LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL Second Reading Resumed from 16 October (see p. 4306) Mr HOBBS (Warrego—NPA) (8.30 p.m.): I am pleased tonight to speak to the Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2003 and, on behalf of the shadow minister for primary industries, to move an amendment. There are a number of issues covered by the legislation. Overall, it is good legislation. We believe that there will be some positive outcomes from it. It crosses a number of issues that needed to be fixed and I commend the department for doing that. There are a few issues that I want to raise. The first part of the bill that I will speak to relates to fisheries. Broadly speaking, the bill aims to streamline some of the fisheries planning and development processes. I would not say that that is overdue, but certainly it is welcome. The four main areas that currently require approvals for the Fisheries Act are aquaculture, works within declared fishing habitat areas, the construction of waterway barrier works, which is dams and barrages, including the associated construction of fishways or fish ladders, and permits to remove, destroy or damage marine plants. The bill removes the development related approval processes from the Fisheries Act and replaces them with provisions requiring all of those approvals to be processed according to the Integrated Planning Act requirements. This should streamline the process to make it easier for those people who want to develop and improve their fishing operations. That will tend to reduce some of the red tape involved and, hopefully, will be of benefit across-the-board. It also provides for appeals against development related decisions to be made through the Planning and Environment Court. In some ways, that will be fine. Frankly, I think that, in a lot of ways, the Planning and Environment Court has a long way to go in relation to understanding a lot of rural orientated issues. While in this case it is the appropriate court, there is still a way to go before it is really able to get its mind around some of the matters that were traditionally dealt with by the Land Court. The Planning and Environment Court tends to be doing a few of those things these days. 4546 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 29 Oct 2003

While development approvals will be dealt with under the Integrated Planning Act, the resource allocation process will remain under the Fisheries Act. Resource allocation deals with the allocation of state owned resources and access to designated reserves or unallocated state land. The bill provides for self-assessment codes for low impact forms of development. This means that smaller developments, including the maintenance of existing developments, will no longer require assessment and approval by the Queensland Fisheries Service. Self-assessment is one of the things that we have been doing for quite some time. Obviously, it does mean a bit less red tape. Provided the people involved are responsible—and we hope they are—and they play the game, it will certainly be of great benefit to all within that industry. The bill also provides the framework to implement amendments agreed to by both the Queensland and the federal governments to address discrepancies between Queensland and Commonwealth law in relation to land-based aquaculture development. This effectively means that the federal government approval process can be avoided as it is being incorporated as part of the state process. This is always a very difficult area and we have numerous examples of state and federal legislation clashing. Even if the legislation does not clash, it is the general principle, the philosophies, the governments or just the politics that do. It becomes a total nightmare in many instances. Let us hope that this will have some long-term benefit for us as well. The amendments to this bill will also provide the means for allowing the waiving of fees to surrender provisions when transferring or amending fishing licences as a result of unforeseen circumstances such as divorce, bankruptcy or a death in the family. That will be a benefit and, hopefully, will reduce some of the red tape involved in that process. The opposition certainly supports the amendments to fisheries processes. The amendments in relation to aquaculture are particularly important as, in a sense, these changes create almost a one-stop shop for aquaculture approvals. In his address the shadow minister covered in detail a lot of the issues relating to aquaculture, and I will not go over those issues again. Those amendments should certainly improve that process. Aquaculture has enormous potential for future employment and economic growth in Queensland. We have come a long way from years ago when one could say that the bones of failed aquaculture enterprises where spread up and down the coast. The technology and understanding of aquaculture is very specialised. A lot of overseas expertise was brought in to that field and they did a great job. The Taiwanese and the Japanese did particularly well. They really have a lot of knowledge of this industry. We are improving dramatically. We have come a long way in the last 10 years, and certainly in the last five years there has been a huge influx of expertise into Queensland. A number of years ago in Tasmania I looked at aquaculture involving Atlantic salmon. They were very advanced in those days. In coastal Queensland there is certainly a lot to learn, particularly about general management, the environment, water quality and general promotion. The value of Australia's aquaculture production in 2001-02 was about $733 million, accounting for 30 per cent of the total gross value of Australia's fisheries production in that period. It is a substantial industry and we are going to make sure it is right, but we do not want to stifle it. We want to ensure that it has the ability to move ahead with some confidence. We do not want people to come over here and start a business, only to find that they are really bogged down in red tape with departmental people giving them a hard time. Aquaculture has recently become Queensland's fastest growing primary industry sector, with growth in value averaging 10 per cent per annum in the last decade. During 2001-02, production was 4,603 tonnes, valued at $71.65 million. The proposed changes will help this industry to flourish by streamlining myriad approval processes that aquaculture proponents must contend with. Exotic diseases are also covered in the legislation. The bill contains amendments that address issues identified during the foot-and-mouth disease simulation exercise conducted in September 2002. That is particularly important. I had one of these undertaken on my own property a number of years ago, and there was a lot of work involved in that. It showed even in those days—and this was probably 15 years ago or even longer—the distance that stock travelled from a sale. They went from Blackall, for instance, to Victoria within a couple of days. There is an enormous distance over which stock can move quickly, and if an outbreak occurs there has to be a very concerted effort and a lot of work put in to managing animal resources, particularly wild animals and wild pigs, and also to be able to track down where all the stock has gone from the saleyards. 29 Oct 2003 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 4547

The act will be amended to remove unnecessary licensing requirements relating to a restricted area declared for an exotic disease. It was considered too restrictive. Now movements that pose a low risk of spreading the disease will be exempt from requiring a licence. The act will also be amended to provide top-up compensation calculated at a time when the property is eligible to restock, rather than the date when the quarantine ends. That is particularly important because we must have that flexibility to be able to move when the time is right. In many instances, the red tape and the bureaucracy that stands in front of you can be absolutely enormous. We might find that blockages are still there, but let us hope that this legislation will help. An important part of this bill concerns the dairy industry. Undoubtedly, the changes that will be made to the Food Production (Safety) Act 2000 are the most controversial elements of this bill. A number of operators have developed schemes to sell raw milk for human consumption but to package the product as a bath milk or body butter and the like. These products are being labelled 'not for human consumption' but in reality are being consumed. This bill is aimed at preventing these schemes by strengthening the laws surrounding the sale of unpasteurised dairy milk. The bill paves the way for the Queensland government to introduce regulations under the Food Production (Safety) Act 2000 to prevent the sale of bath milk and other such products. The bill also cracks down on the 'share a cow' scheme, where consumers could enter into a lease agreement with a farmer to legally consume the milk unpasteurised. The government's decision to introduce these amendments has drawn a considerable amount of criticism in some sections of the community. The main criticism is that the government is not allowing consumers to choose whether or not to drink raw milk. Raw milk proponents have argued that unpasteurised milk products could carry warning labels similar to those on cigarettes packets. They also claim that, if high standards were set for how raw milk was handled, produced and packaged, consumers should be free to choose whether or not to drink raw milk. It will be interesting to hear the minister's comments and views on warning labels in relation to this particular issue. Mr Palaszczuk interjected. Mr HOBBS: I guess that is more the point of the minister's view. I think that the QDO is coming from a certain position and we understand where it is— Mr Palaszczuk: Don't you listen to the industry? Mr HOBBS: Yes, we do. Absolutely. Industry is very important. Mr Palaszczuk: You have the letter from QDO, you have the letter from ADA. Why don't you listen to what the industry says? Mr HOBBS: Yes, we do, and it is very important to look at that. At the end of the day, we have to balance it across-the-board to see whether they are right. Mr Palaszczuk: They are not right. Mr HOBBS: What I am saying to the minister is that there may be some options we need to explore, and tonight I am hoping to talk them through with him. Being the conciliatory person that he is, I am sure that he will see reason. Mr Cummins: The farmer's friend. Mr HOBBS: The farmer's friend; that is quite right. Mr Palaszczuk: Would you drink unpasteurised milk? Mr HOBBS: I was reared on unpasteurised milk. Mr Cummins: And look what that has done! Mr HOBBS: That is very unkind. I would have no problem in drinking unpasteurised milk because we all drank it. Most kids who grew up on farms and properties all drank unpasteurised milk. While I acknowledge the arguments of raw milk proponents, I also recognise that governments have the responsibility to protect the public health and safety of the community as a whole. It is Food Standards Australia New Zealand, a binational independent statutory authority, that develops the standard that applies to all food produced or imported for sale in Australia and New Zealand, and I support that process. We need to have that. Under the joint Australia New Zealand food standards code, milk is required to be processed. FSANZ states that the requirement for pasteurised milk is a public health measure. Pasteurisation destroys harmful 4548 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 29 Oct 2003 bacteria which may be present in raw or unpasteurised milk. The pasteurisation of milk goes back some 80 years. This is the issue, Minister. I do not think we have progressed beyond that stage. It is a widespread practice throughout the developed world because, as I said, it destroys a lot of this bacteria. Obviously no government wants outbreaks of food-borne illnesses which would place extra stress on already overworked health systems. A number of concerned Queenslanders have written to me arguing that raw milk is healthy and they have quoted from various scientific studies to support their arguments. They have also argued that there is a number of countries and several US states that allow raw milk sales, albeit generally under restricted conditions. In deciding whether or not milk should be pasteurised, we rely on Food Standards Australia New Zealand for its position as articulated in the food standards code, which is that milk should be pasteurised. State governments have a say through the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council, which includes health ministers from the Commonwealth, states, territories and New Zealand. The relevant food safety state legislation is subsequently based on the Australia New Zealand foods standards code. As such, no Australian state permits the general sale of unpasteurised cow's milk for drinking purposes or other unpasteurised dairy products. FSANZ is constantly assessing information on food safety issues and monitoring developments, as part of its role is to protect the health and safety of people in Australia and New Zealand by maintaining a safe food supply. Individuals have the right to apply to have the food standards code amended, and I understand a number of raw milk supporters in Queensland have written to it requesting that the code be changed. I welcome that move. I believe that is the correct avenue to pursue changes to food safety, as it is the food safety code that forms the basis for food safety legislation. Mr Terry Sullivan: And that was agreed across the states, wasn't it? Mr HOBBS: Yes. The issue has enraged a significant portion of the community, particularly on the Sunshine Coast. A number of Queenslanders have voiced objections, with Maleny resident Liisa Archer starting an electronic petition opposing the legislation. The petition with 439 signatures was tabled. Basically, proponents argue raw milk is available in some states in the US and the UK and in parts of Europe so why should it not be available in Australia. In California, Connecticut and New Mexico raw milk can be sold in stores, and in many US states raw milk can be bought from farms. In Europe a lot of cheese is made using raw milk. FSANZ is considering an application to allow some imported parmesan cheese that is made using raw milk. I am not a great fan of parmesan cheese. I guess any self-respecting E. coli would not live in it. It could also be argued that standards at farms surrounding how milk is handled and distributed have improved significantly since pasteurisation was first introduced. I want to move an amendment to this bill that will allow primary producers to sell unpasteurised milk provided they comply with scientific standards for the removal set by Food Standards Australia New Zealand. If, for instance, we have a situation whereby unpasteurised milk goes through the strictest standards that they possibly can, and supported by the safe foods arrangement, I do not see why we cannot have that for sale in Queensland. People smoke cigarettes and there are signs on the front of the packet stating what the consequences are. This is purely a matter of choice. I see no reason at all why we cannot have that. I would like to quote from a letter which has been written to me. It says— I write concerning the issue of the sale of raw fresh milk. My personal experience of nearly 40 years of health problems leads me to some research into processed foods including dairy products. My move from pasteurised/homogenised to raw milk has helped greatly in the healing of nearly 40 years of respiratory problems, which includes six months in hospital. Perhaps of greater concern is the possibility of legislation denying many citizens the right to include this healthy product in their lifestyle. When cigarettes, alcohol and other processed products are deemed suitable for consumption, it seems inappropriate that raw fresh milk should be banned from sale. My request is that the parliament legally enables any citizen the choice to purchase raw fresh milk. The point is that it is a choice. It is a choice to purchase raw fresh milk. People do not have to drink it. It is like television—people do not have to watch television. There are people who want the choice. What is wrong with offering them the choice? If the minister does not want to drink the milk he does not have to, but if he does want to drink it he can. I do not see a problem provided we do have those safety mechanisms put in place so that the treatment of this unpasteurised milk is done at the highest standard possible. Generally speaking, homogenised milk is not going 29 Oct 2003 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 4549 to be done away with as the main milk that is used, but I do not see why we cannot have some flexibility. I believe that the raw milk proponents have lodged an injunction against cabinet in relation to this bill. I also do not accept the argument that Queensland is just ensuring that it complies with the FSANZ code. I point out that the state can do what it wants, which is true. The state can do it. The minister can do it. It does not mean that the minister cannot do it. If we wish to have, and we want to have, that choice for people to be able to make their own decisions, surely in this day and age we can allow that to happen. Mr MULHERIN (Mackay—ALP) (8.51 p.m.): It is amazing that we have forgotten about the contributions that Louis Pasteur has made to saving lives through his scientific research in this debate. I would like to talk in general to the bill. It contains a number of amendments to a number of pieces of animal and plant related legislation including the Animal and Plant Health Legislation Amendment Act 2002, the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001, the Exotic Diseases in Animals Act 1981, the Plant Protection Act 1989 and the Stock Act 1915. While these amendments are essential for the proper functionings of these acts, in the main they are non-controversial and administrative in nature. However, I would like to highlight the actions this government is taking in the highly sensitive area of disease preparedness with regard to exotic animal diseases. The Exotic Diseases in Animals Act 1981— Mr PALASZCZUK: Mr Speaker, I rise to a point of order. I would like to point out to the House that there is no official opposition in the House. Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr McNamara): Thank you, Minister. There is no point of order. The member for Mackay has the call. Mr MULHERIN: As I was saying, the Exotic Diseases in Animals Act 1981 is to be amended as a consequence of the major foot-and-mouth disease simulation exercise known as Exercise Minotaur held in September 2002. This was a major national exercise. It involved a wide range of state and Commonwealth agencies as well as the industry representative bodies, which evidenced the degree of concern to ensure that effective action will be taken should a serious disease outbreak occur. It is considered imperative that impacts such as those arising from the recent devastating British outbreak are mitigated as much as possible. Exercise Minotaur put the provisions of the EDA Act under close scrutiny and a number of amendments were identified as necessary to correct deficiencies identified during that exercise. The amendments fall into two areas. One relates to the movement control in areas declared to be restricted. The other relates to compensation for death or destruction of animals from an exotic disease outbreak. Firstly, the current requirements that all movements in relation to a declared restricted area be licensed is considered too restrictive on the public and excessively resource intensive to enforce. An amendment to this section is required to permit the chief inspector to allow movement into, within and from restricted areas as long as the chief inspector is satisfied that the specified movements do not pose a significant risk of spreading the exotic disease. This will be specified by public notice to specify the requirements for the movement of persons, animals, carcasses, animal products, animal pathogens, biological preparation, fittings, fodder, property, vehicles, vessels or things into, within and from restricted areas. Enabling the chief inspector to determine those movements that require a licence is not expected to increase the risk of disease spread because movements that are exempt from licensing will be those that have been assessed as posing a low risk of spreading the exotic disease. This amendment will lead to potential lower costs to the state by enabling emergency response resources to be better targeted to higher risks. Examples of the type of movements which could be authorised to avoid a licence requirement could include schoolchildren having to exit or enter a restricted area to attend school or tourists who may have to traverse a road in a restricted area without stopping. The amendments will allow the adoption of a risk management approach to specify which movements of persons, animals, animal products, carcasses, animal pathogens, biological preparations, vehicles, vessels, fittings, fodder or things need to be licensed. 4550 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 29 Oct 2003

The provision about the operation of entry and exit points and checkpoints is also being amended to ensure that persons passing through the point stop and either present for an inspection any licence for a restricted movement or satisfy the authorised person staffing the point that the person has or is exempted from requiring a licence for the particular movement. This will remove unnecessary restriction on the public and will enable the department to redirect resources that would otherwise be used to issue licences to higher priority activities, such as trace forward, trace back and surveillance. Secondly, a technical amendment is required regarding compensation. Currently compensation is paid under the Exotic Diseases in Animals Act 1981 for death of stock from an exotic disease and for the destruction of stock or property to control an exotic disease. The compensation is based on an initial payment at market value immediately before the death of an animal or destruction of an animal or property, followed by a top-up compensation paid on the basis of market value when the property is released from quarantine. Legal advice was obtained during the foot-and-mouth disease simulation Exercise Minotaur that a declaration of a restricted area around an infected premise may automatically revoke the quarantine on the infected premises. If the quarantine on infected premises were revoked before the exotic disease was effectively controlled or eradicated, the effect would be that market value would remain low with the result that little or no top-up compensation would be payable. The amendments will link top-up compensation to the same animal at the same age and condition as when it died or was destroyed, based on its market value when a quarantine or infected premises or a restricted area is revoked. This is intended to ensure that fairer values would be realised, creating greater confidence in the system and better cooperation from producers and the public overall. This amendment addresses Queensland's obligations to the national commitment of all states and territories to rectify deficiencies in animal emergency response legislation that were identified during the national foot-and-mouth disease simulation Exercise Minotaur. It shows that the Queensland government is serious about the issue and its intention to treat those who would be afflicted by such a disease outbreak in a fair and even-handed manner. I urge all members to support the bill. Mrs LAVARCH (Kurwongbah—ALP) (8.59 p.m.): I rise to support the Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill. This bill proposes amendments to eight acts within the Primary Industries portfolio responsibility. The majority of these amendments are minor amendments. However, the bill does propose major amendments in relation to the Fisheries Act, the Food Production (Safety) Act and the Exotic Diseases in Animals Act. Tonight I want to note the important reforms in terms of the fisheries legislation, particularly as they relate to aquaculture developments. Before I do that, I want to look at fisheries management generally in Queensland. The Beattie government has implemented the most comprehensive reform of fisheries management in this state's history. Importantly, each plank of these reforms has involved wide-ranging stakeholder and community consultation. These reforms will ensure that our fisheries are sustainable and that our ability to produce quality seafood and our reputation as an anglers' paradise are preserved. I am proud that I have been able to play a role in these reforms firstly as a member of the Beattie Labor government but more specifically as chair of the Fishing Industry Development Council. I thank the minister for giving me the honour of chairing the FIDC. I was not quite sure what I was in for when he asked me to chair the council, but I can say that it has certainly enriched my life. The Fishing Industry Development Council was established by the Minister for Primary Industries in 2001, honouring a commitment made at the election in February of that year. The formulation of the FIDC followed the establishment of the Queensland Fisheries Service in 2000. The FIDC has membership compromising representatives from commercial fisheries, recreational fisheries, indigenous fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, the conservation sector as well as a representative from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. The council has a mandate to promote the sustainable use and development of Queensland's fisheries at the highest policy level. It tends to focus on strategic issues which generally affect more than one industry sector rather than on day-to-day operational matters, which are best handled by individual members. In the three years that I have had the honour of chairing the FIDC, the council has initiated and advised the minister on a number of significant fisheries issues, including priorities for the allocation of Commonwealth funding for fisheries research, the alignment of services and priorities 29 Oct 2003 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 4551 for the Queensland Fisheries Service and significant changes to fisheries legislation, such as the amendments that are before the House tonight. In its primary role of strategic policy development, the FIDC has contributed significantly to the development and completion of the fishery resource allocation policy and has overseen a major review of services and priorities for the Queensland Fisheries Service. The FIDC has also been given the task of overseeing the implementation of national competition policy changes to fisheries legislation. The council has also focused on development opportunities for various fishing industries, including tourism promotion of family based fishing in many of Queensland's stocked impoundments. Unfortunately, this year saw the sad passing of one of our council members, Ron Collins. Ron was a boating industry representative and passionate recreational fisher who broadcast the 4BC fishing show every weekend and produced the Bush and Beat publication. Ron contributed greatly at the council meetings and in the council's deliberations, and he is sorely missed by all on the council. Recently the council has resolved to create an aquaculture subcommittee compromising key industry stakeholders. The creation of this subcommittee is a recognition of the high level of cooperation that exists between the different members of the FIDC and their willingness to work together to ensure a viable future for all forms of fishing. In fact, at our last meeting in September we visited aquaculture farms in the Gympie and Tiaro regions. These visits were very informative and eye opening. Interestingly, the inland prawn project at Bauple in the Tiaro shire is run by Wayne and Donna Hellmuth, who were previously commercial trawl operators. They operate the first inland prawn farm in Queensland, and this is widely regarded as a first in Australia. The objective of this project is to ascertain the viability of using salinity affected farmland for the production of prawns while delivering positive environmental and economic outcomes. They are undertaking a joint initiative with the DPI with the support of the Tiaro Shire Council. Indeed, the Tiaro Shire Council is promoting itself as the inland aquaculture capital of Queensland. The Fisheries Act amendments before the House are yet another example of the innovative reforms progressed by the government and the Minister for Primary Industries. In particular, I draw members' attention to the provisions in the bill integrating fisheries development approvals into the integrated development assessment system within the Integrated Planning Act. IDAS is the prescribed process for assessing and approving development. It integrates development approvals across state and local government into a single process. The overall effect of the integration is that developments undergo a single coordinated assessment process. This in fact creates a win-win situation in that it maintains the state's role in aspects of development assessment that are critical to maintenance of important fisheries habitat and protection of natural ecosystems whilst streamlining development assessment and providing economic benefits and business certainty. A further initiative advanced in the bill is the accreditation of Queensland law by the Commonwealth Minister for Environment that will streamline development approvals for land based aquaculture adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage area. Under the bill, the relevant sections of the Integrated Planning Act will be proposed for accreditation, taking into account its combined effect with the fisheries and environment protection acts through the integration of development approvals for aquaculture into the integrated development assessment system. The proposed assessment processes under IPA provide equivalency both in process and outcome to the provisions under the Great Barrier Reef aquaculture regulations with respect to consistency of the assessment and approval approach, public notification requirements and the actual exercising of appeal rights where they have been established. The measures in the bill have been developed to ensure that Queensland law is equivalent to the Great Barrier Reef aquaculture regulations, a prerequisite for accreditation. This innovative approach streamlines assessment across state and Commonwealth governments. Seen in combination, this bill establishes a single accredited environmental assessment process for fisheries development across the three tiers of government. Conservation groups, recreational and commercial fishing sectors and the aquaculture industry, who are all represented on the Fishing Industry Development Council, have endorsed the proposal as maintaining the requisite degree of protection of the Great Barrier Reef. This is another major reform in fisheries management in Queensland, and I commend the bill to the House. Mr FLYNN (Lockyer—ONP) (9.07 p.m.): In rising to speak about concerns I have with some aspects of this bill, specifically the government's attempts to close the last chance for Australian consumers to legally buy unpasteurised milk, I should make it clear that I am not a total captive to the very zealous and active raw milk lobby. I am fully aware that there are some identified distinct 4552 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 29 Oct 2003 dangers in raw milk. I am not convinced that however wholesome and nutritious it is there are no possible drawbacks for some consumers. However, there are some reported cases of pasteurised milk having presented its own health problems and its own health risks. The dangers may affect only the vulnerable few, but they are there nonetheless. Isn't this the classic case of weighing the consumers' freedom of choice against consumers' risks? There are many in Queensland who drank raw milk for many years with no ill effects, as there are many who boast that they have drunk 10 pots a beer a day or smoked two packets of cigarettes a day with no ill effects. But this is not really what we are discussing here tonight. We are simply discussing the rights of people to buy milk straight from the cow. It is as simple as that. We are also discussing the possible fate of some dairy farmers. Today we are considering snuffing out the enterprise for those who, when told that their industry was to be deregulated, took what was to them a natural course and branched out into niche products such as raw milk knowing that they would never get a good deal from the dairy combines. They soon found that deregulation is good for the big guys but not for the little producers, and that if they do not toe the line they get more regulation, not less. Many are suspicious that the big processors are trying to squeeze them out of business by promoting and supporting this legislation. I can understand their suspicion. How many of our constituents have had their wages cut over the past two years—cut in half in some cases? They have been brutally treated by the deregulation process, which has left them at the mercy of the giant combines and, more importantly, the likes of the Woolworths and Coles duopoly that exists outside the capital. Similar to other honourable members, I have received a great deal of material supporting the case for raw milk, as was demonstrated by the previous speaker. It is indeed quite convincing, but then so is the evidence by many other experts in the field—people with no axe to grind—that some people are vulnerable to diseases borne in unpasteurised dairy products. The relative merits of raw versus pasteurised milk have been extensively canvassed in many quarters. I do not intend to launch into a bout of epidemiology here. Suffice it to say that I am convinced there are two sides to the argument, and I accept that many experts in the field who are convinced of the risk are not all wrong. But when are we going to stop treating all consumers as idiots, as babies who cannot read labels? Farmers producing fresh, clean raw milk already have to disguise their product as bath milk, when a simple remedy would be proper labelling of their product that made it quite clear that some groups of people might be at risk. It is conjecture that many people might be at risk specifically because we are becoming overprotective of consumers; that we are denying people the chance to build up natural resistance to food-borne illnesses. There is also the fear that cattle treated with antibiotics are producing milk that lowers our resistance to disease. I admit that this is a subject that I am not qualified to pursue in detail, and I suggest that few honourable members are qualified to dissect the various claims and counterclaims about the benefits or otherwise of raw milk. I am simply presenting a case for freedom of choice—for the freedom of people some of us might regard as raw milk cranks to consume what many believe is beneficial to them. The case for pasteurisation was based on three planks: unhealthy cattle, dirty dairies and poor handling. If any of those three sins is still present in Queensland, I would be very surprised given the considerable expense dairy farmers face in having their farms monitored. Mercifully, we have come a long way since the days when drinking unpasteurised milk was positively dangerous, when farmyards were filthy, when there was no respect for basic hygiene and when unscrupulous vendors adulterated milk with filthy water. The fact is that the dairy farmer himself is heavily regulated. Pasteurisation of the milk is a sensible option for most consumers who think, rightly or wrongly, that they are at risk from drinking raw milk. But it should still be an option to drink raw milk. It may surprise honourable members that many other countries do allow, as has been previously demonstrated, the sale of such milk. For instance, in England it is easily recognisable by the green top on the milk bottles. Mr Palaszczuk interjected. Mr FLYNN: It is a minority drink there, but it is legal. I am told that Her Majesty the Queen and some members of the royal family drink it. I note that amuses the minister. I am told that the Queensland Premier drank it as a youngster. Look at him now, fit young fellow that he is. In Britain the Blair government recently threw out another attempt to ban raw milk sales in England after protests from farmers and consumers. The Welsh Assembly has pulled back from an outright ban on raw milk sales and instead has insisted on a stronger warning of the potential 29 Oct 2003 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 4553 risks to health associated with raw milk. The rejection came after consultation showed that the very small minority of consumers who currently drink unpasteurised milk and cream believe very strongly in their right to do so. This was a view shared by many people, and still is, who do not actually consume raw milk themselves but believed that those consumers who did should retain their right to choose. The council considered that more stringent labelling struck the most appropriate balance by helping the consumer to make an informed choice about consuming raw milk and/or cream. Scotland differs from England and Wales in that the retail sale of unpasteurised milk there is prohibited. The only incident associated with unpasteurised milk in recent years was the case of a child who died in 1996 from Vero cytotoxin producing an E.coli 0157 infection. I am not quite sure what that means in scientific terms, but it was linked to the consumption of unpasteurised goats milk sold at the farm gate. In Finland, retail sale of unpasteurised milk is prohibited, but it can be bought directly from a farm. Outbreaks of infection with S. Infantis and S. Poona in western Finland affected fewer than 10 people each in 1996 and 1997 respectively and were probably related to drinking unpasteurised milk. And in 1996 a child who drank unpasteurised milk became ill with a disease that I cannot pronounce but which produced an E.coli infection. But these are in the minority and there have been instances, too, of pasteurised milk causing infection as well. The pathogen was cultured from cattle, but not from the milk itself. Italy prohibits the sale of unpasteurised milk and no outbreak of any infectious disease associated with unpasteurised milk has been reported recently. Ireland banned the sale of such milk in 1997. In the Netherlands the sale of unpasteurised milk is discouraged but not prohibited and no outbreaks have occurred in recent years. In all these countries raw milk is a niche market. It is small, but it satisfies a small group of farmers and consumers. Food safety laws are strict in this country, and a close eye can be kept to ensure that consumers are not unwittingly exposed to what risks there may be in raw milk. Perhaps we could get off the back of people who would wish to consume this relatively benign product. Why will the government not ask cabinet to just agree to the supervision of raw milk food safety? Mr Palaszczuk: Do you know what Len Harris says about this? Mr FLYNN: If the government really feels it has a duty to warn about the risk of eating this fresh food in its natural state because adult Queenslanders are not able to make decisions about the food they eat, then let it label it 'not recommended', not ban it. This parliament should opt only for freedom of choice. We should do with cow's milk what the state of Queensland currently does with goat's milk and allow the supply of the raw product under controlled conditions to Queenslanders who want to have it. I am no expert on scientific aspects of this subject and do not pretend to be, but then neither are most other honourable members. In answer to the minister's interjection about Senator Harris, there is not a policy issue on this; we respond to what our electorates and the people of Queensland want. I respond on behalf of people who have written to me, in conjunction with scientific advice. I do not know that tuberculosis many decades ago was one of the main reasons for the advent of pasteurisation, but tuberculosis is nowadays a thing of the past. As I understand it, any such risk can be avoided by good hygiene in dairies. In modern times, we must expect a backlash against foods chemically modified by the application of heat—in this case, pasteurised—in the same fast-growing proportion of the community which objects to genetically modified foods. It may be nice and neat to standardise requirements for all milk. In the Soviet Union it may have seemed normal. However, in a democracy needless suppression of people's rights to choose is obnoxious. If people want to drink a particular kind of milk, we should let them. We are allowing people to smoke cigarettes. We know that smoking could cause serious disease, yet simply through economics, because governments of whatever political colour need the income, we allow people to smoke. We allow them to do a lot of things that are considered in most cases not to be good for their health. But because the government reaps an income from it, they allow it to occur. How much income does the government stand to lose from the ban of unpasteurised milk? Not a lot, I would suggest. In many cases, and in this one in particular, I would think it is a dollar based decision. Mr SHINE (Toowoomba North—ALP) (9.19 p.m.): It is a pleasure to rise to talk to the Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill. In doing so I want to relate to the House the events of last week when I had the opportunity to represent the Minister for Primary Industries at the Toowoomba State High School. Honourable members might recall that this morning I mentioned at question time that I had the honour last week of representing a number of ministers 4554 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 29 Oct 2003 at functions in Toowoomba. This is yet another occasion when I represented the minister. Morning tea was served and invitations were sent. Mr Malone interjected. Mr SHINE: I do not know. I hope I did. It was a very auspicious occasion. If the member listens he will learn that it was a very important occasion. I would like this occasion to be widely known and I would like all future occasions that I represent ministers to be widely known. I think it is to the benefit of people in my electorate. I commend the practice. This event is staged by the Department of Primary Industries and others and the Toowoomba State High School. The teacher in charge of this concept, which I will tell honourable members about in a minute, is Mr Peter Erbacher, who does a great job. I represented Mr Palaszczuk, the Minister for Primary Industries, at the presentation of certificates to students— Mr Cummins: They will bring that up tomorrow at question time. Mr SHINE: No doubt they will and good luck to them. I might also add that I represented the Minister for Housing last week as well. Invitations were sent out about that. I am quite busy. As I was saying, I had the honour of representing the Minister for Primary Industries at the ceremony completing the 2003 Work Shadow a Scientist program at the Toowoomba State High School at Mount Lofty. It was an honour to represent him. The program was carried out under the banner of Forging Partnerships with the Community. As I said, the Department of Primary Industries was involved as well as the Department of Natural Resources and Mines and staff and students from the Toowoomba State High School. They all worked together to make this, the third year of the mentoring program, a great success. The objectives of the 2003 Work Shadow a Scientist project were to increase the students' exposure to scientists in the workplace and also enable DPI staff to interact with the next generation of scientists. Formal evaluations of the project have been undertaken and the results indicate that the objectives have been met. As well as allowing students to work with mentors within the Department of Primary Industries, the scheme has expanded and students are now involved with others at the Department of Natural Resources and Mines, the University of Southern Queensland, Sullivan Nicolaides and Toowoomba Metal Technologies, all of which are great contributors to industry and commerce in Toowoomba, particularly Toowoomba Metal Technologies under the leadership of Mr Doug Harland. Staff at the DPI and other workplaces have committed time and resources to this program and the outcomes have been extremely positive. Young people like these students have more career options than any other generation. While this is an exciting prospect, it also provides challenges for both high school students and their parents in making the best choice. This is one of the reasons the DPI is supportive of this program. Students who believe that science may be a career for them get an opportunity to road-test it by working on a project. Best of all, they have a mentor with whom they can discuss their aspirations and they can draw on his or her own career experiences for guidance. Another reason we support the program is that Queensland will continue to need world-class people of the calibre of those in the DPI and the other organisations that are involved in this scheme. We know that if committed, enthusiastic and bright young people decide to make science a career, the future of this Smart State and the nation will be in good hands. I seek leave to have a list of the students who partook in that Work Shadow a Scientist program and the departments that they work for incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. "WORKSHADOW A SCIENTIST" MENTORING PROGRAM 2003 Student Name Department Address Mentor Sara Abawi Chem/Phy (USQ) USQ Dr Parisi West Street TMBA Tahnee Elliott Soil Laboratory DPI Natural Resources & Mines Philippa Tolmie, PO Box 318 TMBA Jo Owens Graeme Wockner Nick Hopper Eastern Farming systems DPI, PO Box 102 TMBA Lawrence Price Wen Hou Laboratory/Chemistry DPI Leslie Research Centre Peter Williamson PO Box 2282 TMBA Nick Jacobsen Leslie Research Centre LRC, PO Box 2282 TMBA Jack Christopher Melinda Janke Entomology DPI, PO Box 102 TMBA Sue McLean 29 Oct 2003 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 4555

Jonathan Lithgow Chemical Engineering (USQ) USQ, West Street TMBA A/Prof Mark Porter Jodie Lonergan LRC DNA Research Lab Leslie Research Centre Mandy Christopher PO Box 2282 TMBA Caroline McDougall LRC DNA Research Lab Leslie Research Centre Wendy Lawson PO Box 2282 TMBA Denis 0' Sullivan Toowoomba Metal Engineering (TMT) Ross Howard Technologies 259 Ruthven Street TMBA Jack Passier Engineering (USQ) USQ, West Street TMBA Prof John Billingsley Josh Peake Engineering (USQ) USQ, West Street TMBA Dr David Buttsworth Trent Perring Electronics Laboratory DPI DPI, PO Box 102 TMBA Les Zeller Kerry Sorenson Pathology (Sull & Nic) Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology Greg McKee St Andrews Hospital 280 North Street TMBA Nick Stuckey Soil Laboratory DPI Natural Resources & Mines Dan Rattray PO Box 318 TMBA Tjalumi Thompson Biomedical Research (USQ) USQ, West Street TMBA Dr Andrew Hoey John Welke Mech Engineering (TMT) Toowoomba Metal Technologies Ross Howard 259 Ruthven Street TMBA Brendan Wheeler Land Protection DPI Natural Resources & Mines Rachele Osmond PO Box 318 TMBA Sheree Wheeler—Co-ordinator Natural Resources & Mines PO Box 318 TMBA Annette Maroski—Co-ordinator DPI PO Box 102 TMBA Christine King—Evaluator DPI PO Box 102 TMBA Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM (Gladstone—Ind) (9.24 p.m.): I rise to speak to this legislation, the majority of which I support. This legislation amends a number of areas, but there is one area that I would specifically like to address. That is the area of raw milk and its availability to the community generally. I have in my file quite a number of letters written by people who are concerned about the implications of this legislation. Whilst I will not read all of the matters into Hansard, there are a number of issues that I wish to raise and I will put them on the record. Mansell James from Eumundi said— I write concerning the issue of the sale of raw fresh milk. My personal experience of nearly 40 years of health problems leads me to some research into processed foods including dairy products. My move from pasteurised/homogenised to raw milk has helped greatly in the healing of nearly 40 years of respiratory problems, which include six months in hospital. Damon Russell from Nundah, very much an urban suburb, said— I have recently become aware of parliamentary moves to ban the sale of unpasteurised (unboiled) dairy products, specifically by Mr Henry Palaszczuk MLA. Presently, you probably know that unpasteurised dairy cannot be sold for human consumption, and has had to be sold as "pet milk" and "bath milk" (I think it is ridiculous to have to sell it this way). Now I understand that there is a Bill to ban the sale of unpasteurised dairy completely. The belief that unboiled (unpasteurised) dairy is not safe is both outdated and no longer scientifically sound. This dogma certainly was valid before the days of refrigeration and hygienic milking practices, but those days are as you know a long time passed. ... The fact that Mr Palaszczuk is so vigorously trying to ban this natural product by law—I believe is suspicious. For him to suggest that raw dairy is somehow unhealthy, is misinformed, ignorant, and wrong. Obviously he is either unaware or actively arrogant of the fact. Perhaps he could prioritise banning cigarette smoking or alcohol consumption which do harm thousands of people every year. Conversely, I'm not aware of any adverse effects of raw dairy. So I wonder where he is coming from with this. Let me put on the record that I have always found Minister Palaszczuk to be a very reasonable person to deal with. There is, however, a divergence of opinion on raw milk and its availability as far as this legislation is concerned. I wish to continue to put on the record the concerns of those who wish to keep raw milk available. Within my own electorate Mr Birchley wrote a letter to the paper that said— Tobacco products, with brand names barely visible among a carpet of large-print health warnings of the dangers of smoking, are legally available in Queensland. Alcohol, widely recognised as a significant contributing factor to the tragedies of ill-health, domestic violence and road deaths, enjoys open slather. In fact, the state economy benefits mightily from taxation on both these products, which being addictive, are bought by those who cannot do without them, at exorbitant prices, often at the expense of goods most of us would consider more necessary. 4556 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 29 Oct 2003

Raw milk, however, has attracted the full force of the law, presumably in the interests of our health. Premier Beattie assures us Queensland is the Smart State. It would be reasonable to conclude that a Smart State would elect smart politicians. If that is so, then we ought to be grateful to those law-makers who fight so hard to protect us against raw milk. Imagine if it were allowed to fall into the hands of terrorists. I know that some members find it amusing, but my children grew up on raw milk—and I acknowledge that it was raw milk sourced from our own property—and they never suffered any adverse effects from that. Many of the people who have written, and written genuinely, believe that they benefit from access to unaffected raw milk. In purchasing the product in the way that they do, they recognise that there are elements of risk to the process that they have adopted, but they believe that there are genuine health benefits, and I support them in that belief. Natalie English has said— I am concerned that the 'Primary industries and other legislation amendment bill 2003' will prevent people seeking improved health from obtaining unprocessed milk. Unprocessed milk from accredited dairies has been proven to be a far superior product to the pasteurised variety. The natural enzymes in the milk make the milk more digestible and increase the uptake of the calcium. Philip Higson has said— I can't and won't speak for anyone else, but for me the imperative is to do something about our horrendous health problem and this requires removing the cause, not using up billions of dollars in bandaiding the results, while at the same time making billionaires out of people whose only skill is societal manipulation. Arguably the best first move on credible evidence from all around the world is to restore quality 'Real Milk' products to every one's diet. All the answers are out there; the art is to find them. Whilst Mr Higson has said that everybody should have access to raw milk, I am not advocating that; I am advocating choice. The majority of Queenslanders select a variety of milk products that are available on the market. Some choose milk that has all the fat removed; some have heightened calcium. There is a plethora of milk products available. I am advocating allowing those people who want unprocessed raw milk available to them to have that choice and that freedom. Trevor Savage says— We are aware of that some Labor party Members are being 'reminded' to toe the party line and vote for the government Bill to outlaw fresh milk. We feel it is obvious that if the government feels it could and worse, should allow the bureaucrats of food to eliminate, rather than regulate fresh food, then we no longer have a democracy or fundamental freedoms at all. I foreshadow the recognition of the amendment that the member for Warrego will move to allow raw milk to be available under controlled standards. I believe that that is a very balanced process to proceed with. In light of the fact that that amendment will probably be lost, I believe also that people should be able to purchase raw milk where they know the product that they are purchasing, they are aware of the risks and they are aware of their responsibility as far as refrigeration and treatment is concerned—that is, the handling of the milk—and they buy that milk with their eyes wide open. Judy Williams said— I write to you with my concerns with the proposed amendments by Hon H Palaszczuk on raw milk and raw milk products e.g butter and cream. ... The physical damage that milk suffers through pumping, travelling in 30,000 litre tankers, pasteurising, homogenising, ultra heat treating, fortifying, and modifying, virtually treats a fragile food as if it were an industrial chemical. No credence is given to the presence of a myriad of essential nutrients yet undiscovered by science. ... If ever there existed a need to pasteurise milk as a short term measure to prevent people contracting disease, then that need does not exist now. At best pasteurising was an oxymoron, for while it may have offered some control of brucellosis, the human body was denied a rich source of essential nutrients, resulting in a damaged immune system, which made it highly vulnerable to a raft of other diseases. ... For me personally I have had a chronic illness for 21 years with ensuing disabling digestive dysfunction and pain. Since using raw milk products this year, I have gained substantial benefit and a major reduction in pain levels—a real plus for the quality of my life and saving money for PBS. I am just one of thousands who want access to raw milk and raw milk products. I am appalled at the lack of consultation with the community about this topic. I believe that government members are there as agents of the people but I see no way of being able to voice my opinion in this matter. I wonder how one person ... can dictate what I put into my mouth!!! Isn't this bureaucracy gone mad? 29 Oct 2003 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 4557

And from Ron and Dorothy Judd— Did you know that: While pasteurisation cuts down the bacterial count temporarily, the count soon exceeds the figure prior to pasteurisation because bacteria multiply more rapidly in pasteurised milk than in raw milk. ... Pasteurisation destroys almost all the good health giving nutrients in milk. Loss of vitamin A & E almost 66%. Loss of vitamin B & C anything from 38% to 80%. Vitamin C usually exceeds 50%. Loss of many of the enzymes that are essential for the chemical processes that are going on in our bodies ... all the time. Aaron Cassy Sorrenson said— Raw butter, milk and cream have successfully treated the following health problems— I acknowledge that these treatments will not be successful in everybody, but for those people who have found it successful, access to raw milk is vitally important— Oedema; obesity; allergies; high blood pressure; psoriasis; diabetes; disease of the prostate gland; urinary tract infection; heart and kidney disease; hardening of the arteries; neurasthenia; arthritis; gastric and duodenal ulcers; muscle cramps during pregnancy. Finally, Peter Morley wrote in the Courier-Mail on 3 September— A Maleny woman with a pasteurised milk intolerance has launched a personal campaign to stop the State Government closing loopholes which allow the raw product to be sold. ... Ms Archer, 62, said she would become a virtual vegetarian if she could not buy unpasteurised milk currently available in Sunshine Coast and Brisbane health food stores. 'I am unable able to digest pasteurised milk because of an intolerance and if I cannot purchase it I will become a virtual vegetarian because meat is no good for me either,' she said. I believe that the minister has the very best for the community at heart. I accept that his motives are whole. Mr Mickel: So pasteurised milk was wrong for all these years? Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM: Nobody has said, in spite of the interjection, that pasteurisation is wrong but, like all things, one size does fit all. For those people who feel that unpasteurised product best suits them, they should be able to access it. The vast majority of people accept the product that is sold in the shops. If there is governmental concern about the quality of unpasteurised milk, set a standard and adhere to that standard as far as E. coli and other contaminants are concerned. The honourable member should not sit there and interject inanely about issues with which he may have little experience. There are people in Queensland who have tolerance to only unpasteurised goats milk. They had been able to access unpasteurised goats milk for a number of years until that option was closed. If they live in country Queensland, often they are able to have an animal from which they can get product. If you live in suburban Brisbane, you cannot have a goat or a cow because of appropriate local government planning standards. If you live in a regional town, you cannot have an animal because of appropriate town planning standards. Up until this legislation was tabled, those people desperate for those nutrient sources were able to access product because of the way that the processes were in place. I reiterate: I do not believe that the minister is doing this because he has a lower regard for people's best interests. However, many people have contacted me and other members of this chamber concerned that an option that they believe is intrinsically important to their best interests is being closed off. They do not want unhealthy product. They do not want unhealthy food. They are very careful in the way that they procure that product. They are very careful in the way that they handle it. I know that it has been stated that one of the reasons for this legislation was that a certain raw milk product was found to have faeces and other contaminants in it. I reiterate that if that is the case, then set an appropriate standard and have unprocessed milk available to those people without contaminants registering. It is fine for members who live in the City of Brisbane who do not have health problems to say, 'Then let them buy homogenised or pasteurised milk.' It may not suit them. We have been a nation of freedoms. People who want to access unpasteurised and unhomogenised milk are a minority. This government has been strong on representing the concerns and the issues of the minority. In fact, it has represented those concerns over the majority. The people who want access to this milk are asking for the same treatment. They want to access safe, holistic, unprocessed, unpasteurised, unhomogenised milk, and I support their call. 4558 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 29 Oct 2003

If the minister genuinely wishes to see safety as the paramount issue, then he should support the member for Warrego's amendment, set a standard for appropriate access to unprocessed milk and allow these people access to a product that they believe genuinely helps them as far as their health and their quality of life are concerned. That aspect of the bill—that is, the banning of all access to unpasteurised, unhomogenised milk—I do not support, and on that basis I will not be supporting the bill. However, I will be supporting the member for Warrego's amendment. I recognise that the government has the numbers. However, I do believe that people who want to access products that are out of the mainstream have a right to access those products wherever they can be maintained on a safe basis, and I believe they have a right for the call that they have made with regard to unprocessed milk. Hon. K. W. HAYWARD (Kallangur—ALP) (9.41 p.m.): I rise in this parliament tonight to support the Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill. Since the Integrated Planning Act 1997 commenced on 30 March 1998, several pieces of Queensland legislation have been consequentially amended to achieve consistency with the requirements of the integrated development assessment scheme, or IDAS as it is commonly known. It has been done because IDAS is the preferred process for integrating development approvals administered by the state and by local governments. Legislation consequentially amended to date includes a number of varying acts—the Environmental Protection Act 1994, the Building Act 1975, the Transport Infrastructure Act 1994, the Water Resources Act 1989 and the Water Act 2000. The proposed amendments will remove the development related approvals processes from the Fisheries Act and will replace them with provisions requiring all such approvals to be processed in accordance with the requirements of the integrated development assessment scheme. The integration of development approvals into the preferred development assessment process under the Integrated Planning Act fulfils the government's election commitment to streamline the development approvals process. The integration does not change current powers and does not diminish the ability to achieve the intent of the legislation. In addition, the Integrated Planning Act also provides an appeal process through the Planning and Environment Court for development related decisions and enforcement processes for development related offences. The amendments will also achieve consistency with the Integrated Planning Act in these areas. This integration of fisheries development approvals will result in aquaculture approvals being given under the integrated development assessment scheme. This has also provided the opportunity to negotiate accreditation of Queensland law under the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park aquaculture regulation 2000. This involves the integration of land based aquaculture development approvals issued by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority into Queensland law. These changes implement the negotiated outcomes between the state and Commonwealth governments and I think importantly stakeholders. The proposed amendments will result in the public notification of certain land based aquaculture development proposals adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef and the potential for third party appeal rights for Fisheries Act and Environmental Protection Act 1994 decisions. As a result of accreditation, no further approval from the authority for land based aquaculture will be needed. Accreditation will benefit government and non-government stakeholders by removing unnecessary duplication in Commonwealth-state assessment requirements while providing a rigorous level of assessment and community involvement that is appropriate to development of this type. These amendments, while providing the legal framework to eliminate duplications between the two governments, will also remove the current impediments that are inhibiting significant potential for growth in the aquaculture sector. This is particularly significant as the current requirement for two separate approvals from the state and the Commonwealth has been a major constraint on aquaculture industry development adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef. I support the bill before the House. Mr CHRIS FOLEY (Maryborough—Ind) (9.45 p.m.): I, like many other members of this House, have had significant amounts of correspondence from constituents and other Queenslanders on the issue of raw milk. I am not a drinker of raw milk, but I am very concerned that we do not live in a police state where people— A government member interjected. Mrs Pratt: That is unparliamentary. Why doesn't he withdraw? Mr CHRIS FOLEY: Yes, I think that was unparliamentary as well. 29 Oct 2003 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 4559

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr McNamara): Order! I am sorry; I did not actually hear it. Mr CHRIS FOLEY: I think the member for Logan— Mrs Pratt: The member next to him. Mr CHRIS FOLEY: The member next to him was casting personal aspersions regarding my diet. Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I did not hear the member for Logan say anything. He is usually very hard to miss. Mr CHRIS FOLEY: I ask that that comment be withdrawn. Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I did not hear the member for Logan say a word. Mr CHRIS FOLEY: I think it may have been the member for Southport, not Logan. I apologise to the member for Logan. Mr MICKEL: I rise to a point of order. I have been maligned by the member for Maryborough. I seek protection from you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for this maligning of my character. Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. Mr LAWLOR: I am happy to withdraw. Mr CHRIS FOLEY: Clearly, lots of other nasties are freely available for purchase in Queensland other than raw milk. My wife is a pathology scientist who has worked for Sullivan Nicolaides for 20 years, and one thing that I have learnt about science is that you can make scientific research say whatever you wish it to prove. I am not here tonight to discuss the pros and cons of raw milk products as against pasteurised milk products, but they do have a bearing on the consideration of the above amendment bill. The member for Gladstone talked about the present loophole practice of labelling raw milk products such as bath milk, body butter and face cream marked 'not intended for human consumption' and the fact that that gives the well-informed consumer the right to exercise their rightful freedom of choice, keeping them healthy and out of the overburdened health system. Raw butter, milk and cream have successfully treated the following health problems: oedema, obesity, allergies, high blood pressure, psoriasis, diabetes, disease of the prostrate gland, urinary tract infection, heart and kidney disease, hardening of the arteries, neurasthenia, arthritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, and muscle cramps during pregnancy. The well-documented problems associated with pasteurised milk which have been known for a long time—and these are on the other side—are that pasteurisation destroys the germicidal properties of milk and bacteria also multiplies more rapidly in pasteurised milk than in raw milk. Pasteurisation also destroys the many enzymes that promote digestion and assimilation of the abundant nutrients in raw milk. A number of studies have pointed to widespread systems of calcium deficiency among people in the USA, yet Americans are amongst the highest consumers of milk and milk products in the world. Up to 66 per cent of vitamins A and E are destroyed by pasteurisation. Some 38 to 80 per cent of vitamins B and C are also destroyed. The destruction of vitamin C usually exceeds 50 per cent. Most minerals cannot be absorbed because of the destruction of enzymes. Some 38 or more food factors are changed or destroyed, including proteins and hormones. Fats are also altered by pasteurisation as well as the whole protein complex, which is rendered less available for tissue repair and rebuilding. Pasteurised milk products cause atheroma and can raise blood cholesterol, where raw milk usually does not. Suffice it to say that there is scientific evidence on both sides of the plate regarding this issue. Again I say that I am not particularly an advocate either way, nor am I a scientific expert on these matters. However, I believe that freedom of choice is essential in this particular area. Things like the physical damage that milk suffers through pumping, travelling in 30,000 litre tankers, pasteurising, homogenising, ultra heat treating, fortifying and modifying virtually treats a fragile food as if it were an industrial chemical. No credence is given to the presence of a myriad of essential nutrients that are as yet undiscovered by science. I ask the minister why it is that McDonald's and other food chains can sell such life quenching foods legally but people are unable to obtain such life enriching foods as raw milk—if they really believe that is true, and I do not want to debate the science either way? One constituent who wrote to me asked whether that meant she had to take up bootlegging vitamin rich and healing foods on dark roads and behind closed doors. 4560 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 29 Oct 2003

My concern is purely the freedom of choice. I am not against setting standards for the quality control of raw milk. I want to make that clear for the record. But I think it is a touch ironic that the Labor Party prides itself on civil liberties to the point that it insists that people have the right to burn the flag but not to buy raw milk. I call on the minister to allow people, especially those who have compelling health reasons, to buy raw milk. If people have the right to skydive, race motor cars and engage in other dangerous activities, surely they should have the right to choose what milk they drink. Mrs CHRISTINE SCOTT (Charters Towers—ALP) (9.52 p.m.): It is a pleasure to support the Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2003 in the House tonight. I am sure that it will be a great relief to everybody that I am not going to discuss raw milk. However, I should say at the outset that some of the arguments that we have heard in the last little while have been illuminating. Since I was brought up on a station property and have drunk raw milk most of my life, I do have an appreciation of both sides of the argument. However, I am not going to go there. I will confine my remarks tonight to the issues surrounding the amendment on the effect of notification. In particular, I want to focus on clause 9, which amends this section to clarify issues in relation to the licensing of movements required for particular restrictions. The heading 'Effect of Notification' has been replaced with 'Licence required for restricted movements'. Subsection 11(1) provides that a person, other than an inspector, must not make, cause or allow a restricted movement for a restricted area unless the person holds a licence in the approved form from an inspector for the movement and complies with any conditions stated on the licence. The maximum penalty of 2,000 penalty units or two years imprisonment for this section remains unchanged. The amended section will mean a reduced number of licences being issued, which will result in the department providing an improved emergency response in these situations. Enabling the minister to determine those movements that require a licence—restricted movements—is not expected to increase the risk of the spread of disease, because movements that do not require a licence, that is, movements other than restricted movements, will be those that have been assessed as posing a low risk of spreading the exotic disease. This amendment will lead to potentially lower costs to the state by directing emergency response resources to only high-risk movements. Resources that would otherwise be directed towards issuing licences may be directed to other higher priority activities such as conducting surveillance and tracing forward and tracing back for exotic disease. I welcome this amendment because I have long been concerned by the potential threat from wild pigs, deer and feral goats in the event of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth or other disease of concern to the state. I congratulate the minister and his staff on the work that has gone into preparing this bill and I commend the bill to the House. Mrs PRATT (Nanango—Ind) (9.54 p.m.): I rise tonight to speak to the Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2003. At the outset I would like to say that the majority of the bill I do support, but on the issue of raw milk—here we go again, Henry—I have to oppose this section of the bill. I am someone who grew up on raw milk and, yes, I might look like it. I am healthy, I am happy, and I am a contented person. I grew up on a dairy. Everyone around our area was a dairyman. We started off with raw milk being sold throughout towns. Eventually it progressed to pasteurisation. So I have followed the path. I recognise the fact that pasteurisation is a good thing. There was no-one in the valley where I lived who did not get measles, who did not get any other childhood diseases, who did not get a lot of things, but they did not get them from raw milk. They were all healthy in that regard. The truth is that the majority of people today would not want to buy raw milk—they would not go out of their way to search it out—but a lot of people do. Most people have the choice of whether they want fat-free, skim, long-life—you name it. There are a multitude of flavours. People can buy it anywhere they like, but they cannot and will not, under this legislation, have the choice of buying raw milk. I notice that the QDO was brought into this. The point is that if it is looked at realistically, the QDO has a vested interest. I am not knocking the dairy industry or the processing industry. In fact, I fought very hard for the Calverts at Nanango to be able to establish a processing industry there which is called Sameway Milk. They do a great job, and I respect their right to do it. It was a hard fight for them, because other dairy bodies were actually trying to shut them down. They had the 29 Oct 2003 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 4561 right to be in that industry just the same as anybody else, just as anybody has a right to drink raw milk. I noticed that there were comments such as, 'What about Louis Pasteur?' Well, thank God we had him, because his work has been an amazing step in history, and a fundamental and necessary one for the times in which he lived. It is still necessary now, but I doubt very much that he, knowing the current circumstances—the procedures, the checks and the balances—that are used for our safe food today, would advocate further diminishing of free choice. There was a lot of mention of the food standards of Australia and New Zealand. They were responsible for cadmium in peanuts being raised to a level that was far above what was considered safe. The reason for that was simply so that they could import foreign peanuts into Australia. I do not believe that decision was in the best interests of the consumer, and I do not believe that this is in the best interests of all consumers either. People are individuals. Some are extremely sensitive to certain substances and some will react very badly. It will put them into hospital. I know people who are, believe it or not, allergic to sunlight. As most members would know, there is a condition called lupus, and people with that condition cannot go out into the sun. But that does not mean that every single person in Queensland should be required to walk around with an umbrella because the sun is bad for you. It is just not logical. My son is allergic to bees, but that does not mean that I advocate that we get rid of all bees. This is downright ridiculous legislation in this respect. People are individuals. We let them smoke. We let them make that decision. We let them drink. We even give them syringes so that they can inject themselves if they are addicted to drugs. This is absolute hypocrisy, and I cannot believe it. I cannot remember the prohibition of alcohol, but I remember its effects. It was prolific afterwards. People were getting it anywhere and everywhere they possibly could. Quite frankly, I would not be surprised if there was bootlegging when it comes to raw milk. I do not believe that we can police this. I do not believe that we can stop people getting raw milk from somewhere at some time. If people are desperate to be healthy, they will go to any extreme. They do not care if they break the law, because all they want for their children and themselves is good health. Nobody has the right to take away their opportunity to obtain good health. How does the minister intend to enforce this, even if it is only so people can get around it? I would like to know, because I like raw milk. I love it. Mr Palaszczuk interjected. Mrs PRATT: Which is? Mr Palaszczuk interjected. Mrs PRATT: That is true. The government can do that. It can do anything it likes in this House. It can take away as many rights from people as it likes. The federal and state governments can do whatever they like. They can take away every right that we have if they so choose, because they have the numbers. However, it does not mean that it is right. It does not mean that it is right to restrict a person's freedom of choice, and we will have to disagree on that. Raw milk is sold in many countries and is labelled accordingly. Other countries have not had to go to the extent of calling it Cleopatra's Bath Milk or other extremes so that people can consume raw milk. It is identified by different coloured caps—that is, skim milk has a pink cap, raw milk has a green cap or whole milk has a blue cap. There is nothing wrong with that. People live with it. Many members have mentioned Cleopatra's Bath Milk and Mr Mahaffey's problem, and I agree: if there are issues with a lack of quality, cleanliness or poor standards, he needs to be clamped down on, as does everybody else. My family had a dairy when I was a child. The dairy inspector came around at regular intervals. He tested the milk. He checked out the machinery and the herds. He did everything. My father was a herd recorder. He went out and checked all of these things too. If there was anything wrong, those producers were stopped from selling their milk straight away. Processes can be followed. If someone wants to sell raw milk, let them be licensed to sell it. Make them be controlled. Make them meet a standard of quality and get proper accreditation. Do not force people to do things behind the law. There are arguments on both sides. Some people will argue that every single person should have pasteurised milk while other people will say that it is not good and not healthy. Both sides can be argued. What amazes me is that many people on the government side of the House have approached members of the opposition to stand up and argue the case for raw milk. Mr Palaszczuk: Name them! 4562 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 29 Oct 2003

Mrs PRATT: No, I will not name them because that is the very reason they asked us. Mr Palaszczuk interjected. Mrs PRATT: Do not call me a liar, Henry. I find that unparliamentary and ask that that be withdrawn, because it is the truth, Henry, and other members on this side of the House will bear witness to it. But, no, we are not going to play your silly little game of divulging things. That is not the way to go about it. I face some stupid attitudes in this House sometimes which just amaze me. Minister, I would break this law. I would break this law. Mr Palaszczuk: Well, you've done it before. Mrs PRATT: I have done it before and I would break this particular law because I think it is stupid. Members of the House have read letters that people have sent in opposed to this legislation. There were heaps of them. I did not get one letter—not one—supporting this idea. I received an awful lot saying how unfair and ridiculous this was and asking how anyone could legislate what they put in their mouths. Those opposite can argue that they are wrong, but I believe they have the right of choice. Those opposite can say, 'We believe this is no good for your health.' They can say that it is going to kill them, just like cigarettes. People must be able to choose. Again, the hypocrisy just astounds me. Mr Palaszczuk interjected. Mrs PRATT: When the first person dies because they are allergic to smoking, what will happen? When the first child dies because their parents smoked and they were allergic to it, what will happen? We do not know how people die. They die from many things, because many people are allergic to many things. My son could easily die from bee stings but, as I said, I am not going to spray every single bee in the country just to protect him. It is very simple. We cannot put people in a box. We must give them a choice. What will happen if in the future people are forced to consume pasteurised milk and they are allergic to it and as a result die? Are those opposite going to say, 'Oh, damn, we got that wrong'? No, of course they are not. It could happen. They should not shake their heads and say that it could not happen, because people do get extremely sick. I have seen babies get sick on raw milk and also seen them get sick on pasteurised milk. It is just a silly argument. The pasteurisation of milk is good, but it does destroy the quality of the milk. Most members have said that over and over again, and I am not going to repeat it. We tamper with a lot of foods. There are many kids who react badly. There are many allergies nowadays that were almost nonexistent when we were children, but now every second person is allergic to something. The truth is that I would have supported this bill. I felt that the majority of the bill was good. However, the milk issue is a major component. I believe that this section was snuck into the legislation so that it would be passed. If it could stand on its own merit, it could have been put up as a proposal by itself. Rather, it was lumped in with the many positive aspects of this legislation so that it would be passed. That is why I will not support this bill. Ms MALE (Glass House—ALP) (10.07 p.m.): I rise to speak to the Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2003 which makes amendments to a number of acts in the Primary Industries portfolio, and I will speak to them in turn. At the outset I have to say that the Department of Primary Industries has a proud tradition of working with rural communities and industries to ensure prosperous and safe industries can further develop. In terms of the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001, this legislation amends section 166 of the act to ensure that it links with the previous section to provide consistency in relation to reasonable excuses for not complying with an information requirement when requested by an inspector. In essence, this means that a person of whom an information requirement has been made must comply unless that person has a reasonable excuse—for example, the information is not relevant to a suspected contravention of the act or is not relevant to the compliance or non- compliance with an animal welfare direction. In relation to the Chicken Meat Industry Committee Act 1976, this legislation will allow the Chicken Meat Industry Committee to charge a fee for services provided by the committee. This will align with the ideal of full cost recovery of its services. It is important to note that the charges must be to cover the reasonable cost of providing the service. In relation to the Exotic Diseases in Animals Act 1981, in September 2002 Exercise Minotaur was conducted, which was a simulation exercise to cover the event of a major foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Queensland. A number of deficiencies in the act were identified, and it is necessary for us to make these changes to ensure the safety of our agricultural industries. A new 29 Oct 2003 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 4563 section 10A provides that after the notification of a restricted area the minister may by notice declare that the movement of any of the following into, within or out of the restricted area is restricted: all persons; all animals; carcasses or animal products; animal pathogens or biological preparations; all fittings or fodder; all vehicles and vessels; any other property or thing that is likely to or capable of spreading an exotic disease. This may sound a bit extreme, and I am sure that the minister would use these powers carefully, but it is important that in the outbreak of a major agricultural disease all necessary steps are taken to contain the disease so that it can be firstly contained and then eliminated. During Exercise Minotaur it was decided that the current licensing requirements for all movements in relation to a restricted area were excessively resource intensive to administer and enforce. It is to be amended to permit the chief inspector by public notice to specify the requirements for the movement of persons, animals and animal products, vehicles and the like into, within and from restricted areas as long as the chief inspector is satisfied that the specified movement does not pose a significant risk of spreading the exotic disease. Also, the section dealing with top-up compensation will be amended to provide that the critical date on which eligibility for additional compensation is determined is the date on which the property is eligible for restocking, as advised by the chief inspector to the property owner, rather than the date on which the quarantine ends. In relation to the Fisheries Act 1994, there are numerous amendments to this act, which my colleagues will detail quite closely, and I am supportive of these changes. I now wish to speak on the government's initiatives in the food safety area through the amendments to the Food Production (Safety) Act 2000. These amendments are focused on two particular areas, namely, corporate governance and the supply of unpasteurised bovine, or cows, milk. Corporate governance arrangements for Safe Food Queensland are to be strengthened, following comments from the Queensland Audit Office regarding the need for its structure to better reflect the standards required for Queensland statutory bodies. While the organisation was modelled on the structure of that then applicable to the counterpart New South Wales organisation, with the chief executive officer reporting to the minister, QAO is of the view, and the government has agreed, that an expertise based board should deliver a better standard of corporate governance. As an interim measure, an interim corporate governance committee was established, chaired by a former senior Treasury officer and including a person with legal expertise as well as the chairperson of Safe Food. This committee has functioned successfully and it is now proposed to provide permanently enhanced corporate governance arrangements for Safe Food Queensland by the formal establishment of a decision making board of directors. The board will include three external appointees with appropriate qualifications, one of whom will be elected as chair, and the directors-general of both DPI and Queensland Health, or their respective senior-level nominees. These amendments will result in a more effective organisation which will be better equipped to discharge its critical statutory responsibilities regarding the development and administration of food safety schemes and ensure food safety for the community overall. The second and more widely debated issue relates principally to the supply of unpasteurised cows milk. At the outset, can I remind the House that these amendments do not make the supply of unpasteurised milk illegal. Supply of unpasteurised milk is currently illegal. The national Food Standards Code, which has been adopted by all Australian states, clearly provides that milk and liquid milk products sold or prepared for sale have to be pasteurised. This applies unless a state law specifically provides otherwise. No Australian state permits the general sale of unpasteurised cows milk for drinking purposes or other unpasteurised dairy products. In Queensland, limited exemptions exist only for personal consumption from owned animals—proposed to be restricted by these amendments to consumption on the property on which the animal is located—and for controlled production of unpasteurised goats milk. This exemption is currently subject to review. The need for the amendments arises from the labelling of certain products in ways to create uncertainty as to whether they are caught by the Food Production (Safety) Act 2000—Cleopatra's Bath Milk and 'body butter'—and arrangements to exploit the exemption for personal consumption from owned animals, the 'share a cow' type schemes. The amendments are intended to clarify this situation. These issues have been in progress for some time, from the initial release in 2001 of unpasteurised 'pets milk'—labelled not for human consumption but sold from refrigerated milk 4564 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 29 Oct 2003 cabinets next to all of the other milk. When pets milk was required by law to be pasteurised, discussions were held between the unpasteurised milk advocates and government officials. Raw milk advocates were advised that amendments should be sought to the Food Standards Code. This option is available to all and is currently being pursued by cheese importers with regard to cheeses manufactured from unpasteurised milk. Officials from Safe Food Queensland have offered to assist with such an approach. Few have pursued this option, instead requesting a reversal of the original laws or a change of labelling and starting a political, public and legal campaign of considerable diversity. On that point, a number of local residents have contacted me, and I wish to have their concerns detailed in the House today. I have received letters from just over 40 people detailing their concerns—some very detailed and others just wanting the right to exercise free choice. I would like to read the following letter into the record from a resident— Dear Ms Male, I am writing to ask you to represent my concern to the State Parliament that I and many others who wish to exercise our democratic freedom to choose to consume raw, unprocessed milk products are being prevented from doing so by the current laws. I understand that there is a small health risk from consuming unpasteurised milk products but I believe that the alternatives are actually worse for my health. I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and am therefore unable to consume processed milk that has residues of disinfectants, sanitizers and sterilising agents. There is also some clinical evidence to suggest that raw milk products can actually alleviate the symptoms of CFS ... I would like to have the opportunity to continue to test this possibility for myself. I understand that the current laws allow me to consume raw milk if I milk my own cow myself. This does not help me as I do not have the energy to look after or milk my own cow! Furthermore, I and many other people do not have the space to keep their own cow. Clearly, these laws are impractical, discriminatory and undemocratic. Therefore, I would ask you, as our representative, to present our views to the state parliament and introduce legislation to amend or repeal the current laws to allow us to exercise our democratic freedom to make an informed choice. After all, it has been proven that smoking damages your health, and yet the government does not prevent its citizens from being able to (whilst having access to information from appropriate education campaigns about this choice) purchase and consume cigarettes. Thank you for your attention and action on this matter. Other issues raised include the belief that raw milk is more easily digested by those who have a dairy intolerance, and that pasteurisation destroys essential nutrients and vitamins. Literature I have read suggests that, while there is a small loss of some of these, on the whole the milk retains its healthful properties. Residents also spoke of antibiotics and growth hormones being given to dairy herds and this being passed through the milk. My information explains that there are maximum residue limits that can be present in milk and that tests for antibiotics are regularly done by factories. Any milk that is outside the limits is then discarded. It is not in the interests of dairy farmers to allow this to happen, as their good milk is thrown away with the other milk, and so they monitor these cows very closely. Growth hormones are not routinely used in Queensland herds, and there are strict treatment guidelines that must be followed to prevent adverse effects on milk. Claims have been made that pasteurised milk causes heart disease and breast cancer, but there is no scientific evidence that I have seen that backs these claims at all. Some people have mentioned that cigarettes are legal yet are dangerous to people's health. This is a federal health issue, rather than a safe food issue, and as such cannot really be included in the debate on raw milk. Personally, I wish that cigarettes and other tobacco products were illegal, and I would encourage people to lobby the federal government on this issue. One of the issues that constituents raised was that farmers tended to drink raw milk produced from their own cows and show no ill effects. That may be true. I certainly had raw milk as a child from a house cow and know many people who did. Drinking raw milk from our own cows that we have milked, being careful with the hygiene standards and storing it appropriately, is a different proposition from drinking raw milk from cows on someone else's farm where we have no knowledge or control of any part of the process—from milking to storage to transport to shop storage. This is where the problem lies. The amendment today still provides for the option for people to drink raw milk from their own cow on the property where the cow is kept. So farmers and other people who wish to can continue to do so. The share cow scheme whereby people could purchase a cow or share of a cow and have the milk taken from the property is no longer allowable. However, people can still purchase a cow or share of a cow. The only proviso is that the milk cannot be taken from the property where the cow is kept. The milk also cannot be sold or bartered in any form. I think this is 29 Oct 2003 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 4565 an option whereby people can still have access to raw milk on site, and the issues of transport and storage do not come into play. This still provides a legal choice for people. There was a rumour that a person would actually have to milk the cow they own themselves, but this is not true. Anybody, either paid or unpaid, can milk the cow. However, again, the only proviso is that the milk has to remain on site. A number of residents of Crystal Waters at Conondale have contacted me to raise their concerns about access to raw milk at Crystal Waters. After discussions with Safe Food Queensland, we are advised that Crystal Waters is a community that is actually within one property description. We believe that this gives them the opportunity of being able to drink raw milk anywhere on the entire community site. The restriction that applies to this community would be the same for other farmers, and that is that the milk cannot be sold or bartered. Handling and hygiene practices on site again become a critical issue, and Safe Food Queensland has indicated that it would be willing to have discussions with the community about how a risk management strategy could be put in place at Crystal Waters so that residents could have access to the raw milk that is produced on site. This may include a communication strategy that provides education on the health issues surrounding the consumption of raw milk; accrediting the dairy herd so that hygiene and health issues can be addressed; organising a testing regime for the raw milk; and possibly looking at the legal implications in terms of liability issues. I would be asking the residents of Crystal Waters to make contact with Safe Food Queensland to discuss the matters that I have raised here today. The legal campaign I mentioned earlier in my speech is in relation to the Supreme Court of Queensland, which in March 2002 dismissed an application from Mr Trevor John Mahaffey for judicial review of alleged decisions and/or conduct of the Queensland Dairy Authority in relation to pets milk. In September 2003 the Supreme Court of Queensland dismissed with costs an application from Mr Ian Bruce Bell and Mr Mahaffey for judicial review challenging the right of cabinet to introduce the laws the parliament is currently considering. Media reports indicate that further appeal against this decision is contemplated. At the same time efforts have been made to convince the media and members in this place of the virtues of raw milk, much of which seems to have its origins in a worldwide campaign for real milk. In addition, there have been threats to refer the matter to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on religious grounds and entreaties to government members to consider instituting action against the government under the Criminal Code if a member considers they are forced to vote against their will on party lines. While all this has been going on there was little movement from raw milk advocates to use the opportunity provided by the food safety system in this country—the system supported by all Australian states—to present to Food Standards Australia New Zealand an application to vary the national food standards to allow the sale and supply of unpasteurised milk. This is, of course, just what the prospective cheese importers are doing. This is also occurring for all sorts of food issues on a continuing basis. It is FSANZ's job and it approaches it carefully, mindful of the possible public health consequences of its decisions. Accordingly, it seeks the highest standards of scientific justification to back its actions. I have noted a reluctance to follow the laws of the land and follow the process for legitimising the supply of raw cows milk. Certainly there is no shortage of evidence of concern and warnings from public health organisations and officials of the potential dangers. I would urge supporters of raw milk to consider all of the evidence. I would suggest the web sites of public health organisations in the UK, the USA, Ohio, Wisconsin, FSANZ and Safe Food Queensland, to name but a few. They should look at medical journals—the American Journal of Public Health of 21 November 1997, for example. There is a strong recurring message: raw milk causes public health problems on a recurring basis. There is an extensive list of pathogens which can be communicated without pasteurisation. When health officials say problems can be most acute for the young, elderly, sick or immuno- compromised, that is because I believe that is what their evidence shows. This evidence goes beyond the claims that governments are simply protecting vested processing interests. Let us look at the worldwide picture. In the United Kingdom, since 1997 the sale of raw milk has been prohibited in Ireland where it is regarded as an unnecessary and unacceptable risk to public health. In Scotland, there has been a prohibition on the sale of unpasteurised milk for human consumption since 1983. In England and Wales some unpasteurised milk is still sold. However, between 1992 and 1996, 10 outbreaks of disease associated with raw milk reportedly 4566 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 29 Oct 2003 affected 218 people. In both England and Wales during 1997 and 2001 there were attempts to prohibit retail sales. However, both attempts met with stiff opposition with the result that tighter quality controls were introduced, including the introduction of warning labels on the product. In England the current position is that raw milk may be sold from the farm or on milk runs operated by the farmer. In Wales it was decided that a voluntary regime of product warning labelling by producers would be introduced before there was any attempt to prescribe such labelling by way of regulation. The sale of unpasteurised milk in America is a state based issue with laws across the states differing. In California, for example, retail sales through stores is lawful, but in Wisconsin and in 21 other states there is an absolute ban on sales, even from the farm. France allows the retail sale of unpasteurised milk whilst Finland and Netherlands prohibit such sale. In April to May 1995, 20 diagnosed cases of listeriosis were reported in France. Eleven of those who contracted the disease were pregnant women, two of whom suffered spontaneous abortions, four of whom suffered premature deaths and two of whom suffered stillbirths. It was the first reported outbreak in France that was caused by cheese made from unpasteurised milk. The sale of unpasteurised milk for human consumption is prohibited in many countries, and where it is permitted it is tightly controlled or regulated to maximise quality at the point of sale to consumers. Jurisdictions that have implemented bans have done so on the basis that the right of individual choice is outweighed by the public health issue of food poisoning that may occur from the presence of bacteria in the untreated milk. The Australian experience is not much different. There were five confirmed outbreaks of gastroenteritis from consumption of raw milk between 1999 and 2001. South Australia banned the sale of raw milk following a Campylobacter outbreak affecting 21 people after the consumption of raw milk. In Queensland a public health warning regarding the dangers of consuming raw milk was issued in August 2001 following the hospitalisation of five children at Nambour. They had all consumed 'pets milk'. I am aware that some raw milk supporters believe these findings are incorrect and that problems are attributable to other causes. Nevertheless, it is the responsibility of FSANZ to investigate such claims and make judgments and recommendations on a scientifically defensible basis. I understand that an application for a variation to the Food Standards Code in relation to legalising the sale of unpasteurised milk has been lodged by Mrs Liisa Archer from Maleny. I am also aware of several dairy farmers from the Gympie area who are working with Safe Food Queensland to develop a protocol of on-farm practices and processing, including testing regimes, to support their application to FSANZ to have the food standards changed. If a safe way of dealing with raw milk can be developed, then it will be applicable Australia-wide. This government is committed to supporting FSANZ outcomes. This is the intention of uniform food standards and the way all Australian states seek to address such issues. Supporters of the cause should be engaged and encouraged to provide their energy and expertise into deriving science based public health outcomes. In the meantime this government has a responsibility to uphold the FSANZ standards which are designed to protect the health of the wider public. Further issues which I believe need to be taken into account if raw milk sales are legalised in the future include who is liable if a food-borne sickness outbreak occurs. Is it the farmer, the transporter, the shopkeeper, the consumer or the parents if the milk has been given to a minor? Who has the responsibility of providing balanced literature which enables potential consumers to make an informed decision regarding the consumption of raw milk? Labelling, use of disclaimers for legal protection, cost of testing protocols and the like are all issues that would need to be worked through. The issue of granting an exemption by FSANZ will necessarily require detailed investigation and scientific testing, discussion regarding adequate production standards and health and hygiene matters, not to mention analysis of the legal implications for everyone involved in the chain of supply and the government which has the overall responsibility of ensuring that food products are safe for the general populace to consume. I have spent a large part of my speech this evening on dealing with the issues of unpasteurised milk. This is an issue which has raised a great deal of concern in my community and I believe I have represented their issues here faithfully tonight. I would like to put on the public record that I will be supporting the government's legislation. I commend the bill to the House. Ms LEE LONG (Tablelands—ONP) (10.26 p.m.): This Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2003 amends 10 acts—a significant sweep of legislation in anybody's 29 Oct 2003 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 4567 language. It proves the arrogance on the part of the Beattie government to put through so many important amendments in one bill. Mr Palaszczuk: Not true. Ms LEE LONG: Yes, it is true, Henry. They include—and I am going to spell them out—the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001, the Chicken Meat Industry Committee Act 1976, the Exotic Diseases in Animals Act 1981, the Fisheries Act 1994, the Food Production (Safety) Act 2000, the Grain Industry (Restructuring) Act 1991, the Plant Protection Act 1989, the Stock Act 1915, the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000 and the Integrated Planning Act 1997. What a list! I will begin with the Chicken Meat Industry Committee Act 1997 and in particular the amendment which will permit the committee to charge for services it now provides as a government service already funded by Queensland taxpayers. So often over the term of recent governments we have seen a new tax called 'user pays' being introduced. This, as I have said, is another one of those user pays taxes which are becoming more and more commonplace in this state. The services for which the Chicken Meat Industry Committee will now be able to charge a fee will include the registration of changes to contracts, transfers of existing contracts to other growers, the transfer of an existing quota to another contract and a change in partnership. As a new tax, it will be an additional cost to the industry at a time when all private enterprise is doing it tough. Mr Palaszczuk: The industry asked for it. Ms LEE LONG: Nevertheless, it is still a new tax. Mr Palaszczuk: No, it is not. Ms LEE LONG: Of course it has to be a new tax and a new charge. I turn now to the Fisheries Act 1994. I would like to tell the House how much anger there is in the community in north and far-north Queensland about the new fishing zones that are being imposed jointly by the state and federal governments. I am just letting the minister know how much anger there is out there in case he does not know. Fishing is another industry collapsing around our ears as more average, ordinary, hardworking Queenslanders are forced from their livelihoods by their very own governments—not by another country invading us, but by the very people they voted in to look after their best interests. It is just unbelievable to see what is happening. It is unfortunate that many of those who live in this little dot on the New South Wales border are not yet really aware of the destruction that is going on outside their little patch down here. This amendment proposes that under section 76P, inserted by clause 32, no entitlement to compensation can be made to fisheries development approval holders whose approvals are amended by the chief executive under section 76N. Section 76N provides that the chief executive may amend the conditions of a fisheries development approval if the chief executive considers the amendment is necessary or desirable for the best management, use, development or protection of fisheries resources or fish habitats. As this can be done at the whim of the chief executive and could seriously impact on the livelihoods of many, I ask whether this is justifiable in the circumstances. I would like to comment on the series of penalties in relation to fisheries which are classed as assessable development under the Integrated Planning Act 1997. Maximum penalties for starting development without a development permit, depending on the type, include 3,000 penalty units or $224,000, 1,665 penalty units or $124,875, and 2,000 penalty units or $150,000. There is also a brand new offence created by this bill in consequence of the new resources allocation authority requirements, which prohibits a person from carrying out a development unless the person also holds a resource allocation authority for the development. It also carries a maximum penalty of 3,000 penalty units or $225,000. The magnitude of these penalties is enough to break most small private enterprises or small businesses. It is the old story of 'get big or get out'. The question that has to be asked by the fishing industry is: how big do you have to get? Is it as big as a Packer or a Murdoch or a Holmes a Court? It certainly appears so. Once again in these amendments we see provisions that reverse the onus of proof, something that is becoming entrenched in Beattie government legislation. Again, the Scrutiny of Legislation Committee has made comment on section 219A, which appears in many bills examined by the committee and which effectively reverses the onus of proof. 4568 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 29 Oct 2003

Under the law, a person generally cannot be found guilty of an offence unless he or she has the necessary intent, and the question has to be asked whether there is sufficient regard to the rights and liberties of individuals in this case. Additionally, if the holder of an authority is convicted by a court of a serious fisheries offence, the holder may additionally, or instead of, incur the prescribed fine, suspension or cancellation of the person's authority and any quota relating to the authority. The term is defined as 'a fisheries offence prescribed under a regulation or management plan to be a serious fisheries offence'. This is extremely serious, as it could not only mean a monetary penalty but also the suspension or cancellation of the holder's authority and quota. Given the significance of this, I ask why the relevant offences are to be prescribed in a regulation or management plan rather than being stipulated in the bill itself. I turn now to the Exotic Diseases in Animals Act 1981. Here, in part, the requirements relate to changes in the provision of compensation in situations which will hopefully never arise in this state, such as foot-and-mouth or mad cow disease outbreaks. I am pleased to see that the amendments to section 30(3) are aimed at improving the payment procedure for compensation. I do not think anyone would argue against the need to act quickly and decisively in the control of an exotic disease outbreak. I am also sure that no-one would argue against the farmer or property owner so affected getting compensated as quickly as possible to allow them to get their lives and their businesses back on track. I now turn to the amendments for the Food Production (Safety) Act 2000, which puts further restrictions on individuals who possess or produce primary produce. An example is given in the explanatory notes of an individual who raises a chicken, slaughters and consumes it on the property where it was reared and does not supply the chicken carcass or use it as food for paying guests. In that case, it would not attract the operation of the Food Production (Safety) Act. I note that exemptions apply if the primary produce is harvested in the wild or is primary produce that has been prescribed under a regulation by Safe Food. This amendment expands the meaning of the term 'primary produce' and will include a substance labelled 'not for human consumption', such as raw or unpasteurised milk sold as bath milk, body butter or face cream, which can only be sold if listed in the FPS regulations. This, I believe, is lacking in one vital ingredient, which is simple, old-fashioned commonsense. Under this bill, the sale of certain milk products, even when clearly marked 'not for human consumption', is going to be banned because someone somewhere might ignore those warnings and consume it. The warnings on cigarette packets about the potential harm smoking may cause certainly do not dissuade many people from lighting up, yet it is still legal. Motor cars emit carcinogenic exhaust fumes, yet they are still able to be sold. The dangers of alcohol consumption are well known, yet we permit its sale. Indeed, we permit its sale specifically for consumption. Cigarettes are considered by many to be dangerous. Indeed, the act of consuming tobacco products puts side-stream smoke into the environment and nonsmokers can end up inhaling anyway, yet we permit their continued sale. However, heaven forbid that good old- fashioned, honest-to-God milk is sold in any way that might see it consumed. Time and again in the past year or two we have heard in this place about the problems caused by the growing expectation, it seems, that no-one should be held accountable for the choices they make. That shows up in the liability crisis in the insurance industry. It shows up in workplace health and safety regulations and so on. Now here we are considering a bill aimed at shutting down a legitimate activity on the basis that people might ignore warnings not to consume the product. How ridiculous. If they choose to ignore the warning, then any problems are theirs and theirs alone. If I were to get into a motor car and drive it other than in an approved manner, that is, if I were to exceed the speed limit, that is my choice and any result of that excess speed is my responsibility. But under the logic behind this bill— Mr McGrady: As long as you do not kill anyone in the process. Ms LEE LONG: That would not happen, would it. Under the logic behind this bill, instead we should be banning the sale of cars altogether. As I have said, that is simply ridiculous. In this case, what is the dangerous product which is going to be controlled? Milk! It is hardly a product to strike fear in anybody, but that is what we are talking about. In this age of nature- based products, of clean and green, of the appeal of organic farming and so on, the Beattie government is cracking down on good old-fashioned milk, that is, the natural product, free of artificial processes and treatments that have robbed modern milk of even the most basic appeal of cream. I and, I would suggest, almost everyone in this place today drank the real thing when 29 Oct 2003 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 4569 growing up. We ate food made from it, enjoyed cheese produced with it and so on. Yet now it seems the very thought of the exact same product being even potentially sold in a way that might result in it being consumed is considered worthy of legislation. Constituents who have written to me—and there have been many—claim that unprocessed milk from accredited dairies contains natural enzymes that make it more digestible and increase the uptake of calcium. It is also claimed to be less likely to contribute to incidences of breast cancer. Some claim it to be one of the most nutritious foods there is in the food chain in Queensland and enforcing its replacement with a nutritionally damaged food in the form of cooked milk is not in the best interests of Queenslanders. In the past we have had the freedom of choice of the milk we drank. Now that freedom of choice is being taken away and we call this democracy. The question has also been raised with me why so much effort is being put into controlling the sale of milk when raw eggs and raw fruit and vegetables are able to be sold for human consumption. Are they going to be the next items on the Beattie government's hit list? An honourable member: They are, eggs are. Ms LEE LONG: Wait until we tell everybody that eggs are next. Did all members hear that? Eggs are next! Only a party dominated by cut-lunch cowboys could come up with this sort of legislation. I agree with the comments of the member for Gladstone on this part of the bill about setting standards if you must, but do not take away the right of the people of Queensland to choose. I say, 'Shame on you, Henry!' and I will oppose this part of the bill. Mr RODGERS (Burdekin—ALP) (10.38 p.m.): I rise to support the bill. The bill contains a range of amendments to various acts. I also commend the Minister for Primary Industries on the bill. The last five years have seen, arguably, some of the most comprehensive legislative programs for primary industries in the state's history. Any fair judge would acknowledge that the only periods of government in Queensland that would rival the last five years in terms of reform would be those of Ryan, Theodore, Forgan-Smith and Goss, all of which were Labor governments. Too often the conservatives came to office in Queensland and their commodity bias and unwillingness to make changes for the greater good have stifled the implementation of much- needed reforms. The Borbidge government left a range of important issues in the back paddock for this government to clear. The Minister for Primary Industries can be congratulated not only for clearing the back paddock but also for introducing many critical reforms, particularly in the area of biosecurity, fisheries management and animal welfare. In my contribution to the Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2003, I would like to focus on the proposed amendments relating to biosecurity. The bill proposes a series of amendments to the Exotic Diseases in Animals Act 1981. The need for these reforms was identified in the national foot and mouth disease simulation, Exercise Minotaur, in September last year. Essentially, the proposed reforms focus on movement restrictions following the outbreak of disease and compensation agreements that flow on. In terms of movement restrictions, the current provisions are regarded as unnecessarily restrictive and resource intensive. The purpose of the amendment is to allow the minister to adopt a risk management approach that specifies the movements of persons, animals, animal products, carcasses et cetera. The benefit of this is that it will remove restrictions that are regarded as restrictive and allow the DPI to direct resources to those higher priority activities. In terms of compensation, the proposed amendment is important and, again, it was identified during Exercise Minotaur. Under the legislation as it currently stands, compensation is payable for the death of stock from an exotic disease and for destruction of stock on a property to control an exotic disease. Compensation is based on an initial payment at market value immediately before the death of the animal or the destruction of an animal or property followed by top-up compensation paid on the basis of market value when the property is released from quarantine. During Exercise Minotaur a situation was identified when quarantine on infected premises was revoked before the exotic disease was effectively controlled or eradicated. The effect of market value for the purposes of the top-up compensation is likely to result in little or no top-up compensation being payable. The amendment will link top-up compensation to the same animal 4570 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 29 Oct 2003 at the same age and condition as when it died or was destroyed based on its market value when the quarantine on infected premises or a restricted area is revoked. Again, I commend the minister for these sensible amendments. An outbreak of a disease such as FMD would have a devastating impact on our state. I acknowledge a recent DPI-Monash University study has estimated a moderate FMD outbreak would lock out Australia from FMD free markets for six years at a cost of $9.5 billion to the Queensland economy. The DPI's funding was reinforced by a Productivity Commission report that found a major outbreak could cost Australia over $9 billion in lost export earnings over an eight-year period. Such an outbreak could reduce Australia's gross domestic product by between $8 billion and $13 billion. These amendments will help authorities deal effectively with an outbreak if that unfortunate event were to occur and ensure that compensation arrangements for industry were adequate. I urge all members to support these amendments and ensure our primary industries have the best possible protection, just as we made historic changes last year regarding swill feeding and other biosecurity measures. I support the bill. Hon. H. PALASZCZUK (Inala—ALP) (Minister for Primary Industries and Rural Communities) (10.43 p.m.), in reply: At the outset, I thank all honourable members for their contributions. As minister, I really have been proud of the legislative program that we have been able to implement over the past five years. It really has been one of the most comprehensive and ambitious programs for primary industries in the history of Queensland and especially our Queensland parliament. The Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2003 is an omnibus bill with amendments to a range of pieces of legislation. The honourable member for Tablelands, unfortunately, has the misapprehension that we are rushing through a raft of very important amendments, but this is common practice. In primary industries we do this year after year after year, and the reason why we are allowed to bring this forward is that the majority of amendments are minor amendments with only a few major amendments. That is the reason why we are able to introduce it. Otherwise, we would not be able to introduce such a huge raft of amendments. I also want to recognise the opposition's support for the bill as was indicated by the honourable member for Hinchinbrook. The key amendments in this legislation deal with aquaculture approval processes, biosecurity and food safety—three things. I acknowledge the very strong support for the proposals in this bill in relation to aquaculture. That has come from most people who have spoken on the legislation. I believe these are positive reforms for our burgeoning aquaculture industry, and I believe the reforms are a very good balance between the industry's development and the environment. This is reflected in our efforts to remedy the current requirement for two separate approvals from the state and the Commonwealth which has been a major constraint on the aquaculture industry development adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef. As the honourable member for Warrego rightly said, we are looking at a one-stop shop there. This bill provides the legal framework to eliminate duplications between the two governments, thereby removing the current impediments that are inhibiting significant potential for growth in the aquaculture sector. Again, I acknowledge the opposition's support for our efforts in this bill to support the development of a sustainable aquaculture industry, and I particularly acknowledge the member for Warrego's tribute to the development of aquaculture in Queensland over the past five years, which of course has been the time that I have been the Minister for Primary Industries. Thank you. In terms of another key set of amendments to the Exotic Diseases in Animals Act 1981, these amendments come out of the experiences of the national foot and mouth disease simulation, Exercise Minotaur, which was held in September last year. These amendments will ensure authorities can respond effectively in the case of an outbreak. The effect of this amendment will be to exempt movements that pose a low risk of spreading the exotic disease from requiring a licence and apply licences to those movements that pose a risk of spreading the exotic disease. The act is also to be amended to require persons to stop and obtain permission from an authorised person to pass through entry or exit places and checkpoints established for a restricted area, and this has come as a direct result of Exercise Minotaur. The act will also be amended to provide top-up compensation calculated at a time when the property is eligible to restock. This entitlement will occur when the premises are released from quarantine or when a restricted area is revoked. This amendment clarifies the existing situation in the act. 29 Oct 2003 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 4571

I am very surprised that the majority of speakers opposite spoke very passionately about the public sale of unpasteurised milk and whether it should or should not be permitted. Let me say this: it is not permitted in Queensland now. It is not legal to sell unpasteurised milk anywhere in Australia. The national food standards code specifically requires all milk to be pasteurised. No state government allows the supply of unpasteurised bovine milk or milk products. The Food (Production) Safety Act 2000, which was unanimously passed by this parliament, has prevented the public sale of unpasteurised milk. The act passed all stages of the parliament with no opposition. The honourable members for Warrego, Gladstone and Nanango all served in that parliament. That parliament supported the ban on unpasteurised milk then, but now members who continue to serve in this parliament say people need freedom of choice. They all stood shoulder to shoulder with me in the year 2000 and the rest of the government in putting the food standards in law in the year 2000. No member—not one single member—voted against the food standards then. If those food standards were good enough for members of that parliament, why are they not good enough for members in this parliament today? Those members critical of the amendment tonight, who sat in the parliament and supported that act, as far as I am concerned are hypocrites. The opposition here tonight is about political opportunism. What is around the corner? An election is around the corner. That is why I believe members opposite are hypocritical. Members opposite are not about food safety. They were behind us in the year 2000. The members opposite voted for it in the year 2000 and now, because there is an election looming, they have all decided to vote against it. This amendment closes the loophole to ensure the law that we all passed here together in 2000 is effective, as we all intended it to be. The question honourable members here tonight must consider is whether they want Queenslanders to have the same food safety standards as every other person in Australia. Honourable members need to decide whether Queenslanders should have inferior food standards to all other Australians. There are people who have consumed raw milk in this country; that is a fact. There is information from Queensland Health that there have been several outbreaks of food-borne illnesses associated with the consumption of raw cow's milk since 1997. In Queensland in 2001 there were eight cases of cryptosporidium poisoning on the Sunshine Coast linked with the consumption of unpasteurised milk. The member for Gladstone said she agreed with the motives of this legislation. She says a standard should be set. Well, there is a standard. It is called the national standard. We have urged people who do not agree with the national standard to apply to FSANZ to have it changed. Pasteurisation, on the other hand, ensures a safe milk supply for everyone. If a person inadvertently consumes unpasteurised milk, say a child—taking up the member for Lockyer's point that babies cannot read labels—and that child becomes seriously ill and hospitalised, what would the position of honourable members opposite be? The National Party spokesperson for Primary Industries, who is not here tonight because he has another engagement, conceded a number of things about unpasteurised milk. He said in his speech— For health reasons there is a strong determination that the best option available is to pasteurise milk. Pasteurisation destroys harmful bacteria such as salmonella, Campylobacter and pathogens such as Escherichia coli, which may be present in raw, unpasteurised milk. These bacteria are responsible for a large proportion of food-borne illnesses in Australia and New Zealand. However, whilst I acknowledge the arguments of raw milk components, I also recognise that the government has a responsibility to protect the public health and safety of the community as a whole. It is a Food Standards Australia New Zealand, FSANZ—a bi-national, independent statutory authority—that develops the standards that apply to all food products produced or imported for sale in Australia and New Zealand. That is the point that I am getting at. Anybody who wants to sell food products has to comply with a standard. There is probably a great deal of validity in what they say, but the other side of the argument is that all dairy farmers, if they want to produce milk for sale, have to ensure that that milk is pasteurised. Let me refer to what the honourable member for Warrego moved tonight. It is important to note that there were no other members of the National Party or the Liberal Party in this chamber when the honourable member moved it. I call this a two bob amendment. It is an amendment that can support raw milk advocates, yet they can hope it will not upset the dairy industry. Members opposite want to show the people who support raw milk that they have moved this amendment and they hope that it will not upset the dairy industry. Well, have I got news for them! It is also a two bob amendment because it is not worth two bob. 4572 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 29 Oct 2003

The amendments ask for the primary producer to be exempt if the producer complies with the scientific standards for the removal set by Food Standards Australia New Zealand, or FSANZ. There are no scientific FSANZ standards for the removal of unpasteurised milk from a farm. There are absolutely none. The opposition member's amendment is worth less than two bob. It is unworkable. It is meaningless and it is technically flawed. The member for Hinchinbrook correctly stated our obligation to implement the national food standards. He was sensible. He knows what he is talking about. An intergovernmental agreement signed by COAG in November 2000 confirmed that states' laws should be consistent with national standards developed by FSANZ. I can assure you, Madam Deputy Speaker, that Queensland is totally committed to upholding this agreement on food safety and is working with other jurisdictions to ensure national consistency for primary produce standards. The member for Lockyer referred to the milk processors and implied that they were driving these amendments to close the loopholes for unpasteurised milk. He implied that the dairy farmers were not being heard. Let me read to members a letter from Mr Wes Judd, the president of the Queensland Dairyfarmers Organisation. I will also table that letter and seek that that letter be incorporated in Hansard. Madam Deputy Speaker, I will read the letter first so you know what I am talking about. Then you can make up your mind as to whether I will be allowed to incorporate it in Hansard. I think that is the way to go. It is dated October 27, 2003. It is not too long ago, is it? I do not have to incorporate it, do I? I will read it. Do not bother incorporating it, thank you. It states— Re: Pasteurisation. Dear Minister Mr Hobbs: This is a two bob insertion. Mr PALASZCZUK: Not bad, Howard. It says— We write to present our support on behalf of industry of the proposed changes to the Queensland legislation that will prohibit the sale of raw milk for human consumption. Dairy farmers across Queensland are continually meeting strict food safety requirements to ensure that the consuming public can freely access high quality, safe and nutritional dairy products. The industry in Queensland and Nationally has discussed pasteurisation on many occasions and has agreed it is an essential and accepted means of ensuring safety of dairy products as established in the FSANZ standards. It is very important to note that these standards are based on science and thus should never become a political issue. We therefore support the action of the Queensland government and Safe Food Queensland to rectify the legislation. Yours sincerely, Wesley J. Judd, President Queensland Dairyfarmers' Organisation Ltd. I table the letter. Ms Lee Long: There are plenty of other letters that deal with that. Mr PALASZCZUK: This is the Dairy Organisation of Queensland. Mr Hobbs interjected. Mr PALASZCZUK: Is the member criticising Wes Judd? My word, you are. He is criticising Wes Judd. Mr Hobbs: They have a pecuniary interest in that. Mr PALASZCZUK: Does the member know what their pecuniary interest is? To ensure that their industry does not go down the chute in case there is an outbreak of disease through the sale of unpasteurised milk. That is what it is all about. The member is criticising Wes Judd. He is criticising the Queensland Dairy Organisation. Where is this great association between dairy farmers and the National Party? Out the door! Out the door! Mr Hobbs: It is very strong. Mr PALASZCZUK: Out the door! I hope no honourable member is going to claim Mr Judd is ignorant, irresponsible, careless or reckless in his consideration of this matter. The National Party and other members should consider what dairy farmers are saying. It is not the honourable members' livelihoods and their reputation that would be severely damaged by a widespread outbreak of disease linked with the consumption of milk. During the debate some members opposite have compared the situation of 29 Oct 2003 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 4573 unpasteurised milk and alcohol consumption. Obviously there is a valid link—that is, the consumption of both are regulated. That is the link. They are both regulated. For alcohol consumption there are regulations about its consumption, such as those people consuming alcohol and being in charge of a motor vehicle or alcohol not being served to patrons who are clearly intoxicated. Some honourable members have spoken about what happens overseas. I find it amazing that those members who have the Queensland flag on their tables and who talk about Australia for Australians would want us to slavishly copy what they claim the Americans and British do. Let me assure honourable members opposite that we are not the 51st state of the United States. We have an Australian food standard. We have decided what the food standards should be for our citizens. The International Dairy Foods Association, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Food and Drug Administration do not recommend that anyone consume unpasteurised milk. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention credits raw milk for the majority of US campylobacter outbreaks. About 10,000 become infected with the bacteria annually. Let me make it clear what pasteurisation does and why it is important. Pasteurisation is currently the only practical commercial measure which, if properly applied to all milk, will destroy any harmful micro-organisms in the product. In conclusion, let me go through a table of outbreaks linked to the consumption of unpasteurised milk. In Queensland there were eight cases of cryptosporidium infection in 2001 amongst children on the Sunshine Coast. Three cases required hospitalisation. The outbreak was linked to the consumption of commercially obtained unpasteurised cows milk. Cryptosporidium was detected in milk samples. In the rest of Australia there were seven outbreaks. In 1997 there was one outbreak resulting in 27 cases. In 1999 there was one outbreak resulting in 12 cases. In 2000 there were two outbreaks resulting in a total of 33 cases. In 2001 there were two outbreaks resulting in eight cases and three hospitalisations on the Sunshine Coast. That is Queensland. What about overseas? Those opposite all love the Americans. They love the British. Let us talk about what happens over there. There have been numerous reports in the literature of outbreaks of salmonella and more commonly the other infections associated with the consumption of unpasteurised milk. There have also been outbreaks caused by listeria and E. coli O157. Consumption of raw milk is a well-known risk factor for developing gastrointestinal infections caused by bacterial infections such as salmonella and so on and parasitic pathogens. In the UK in 1983-84 there were 27 outbreaks of disease associated with the consumption of raw milk. From 1992 to 1994 there were three outbreaks linked with the consumption of raw milk —that is, 72, 22 and 23 cases reported respectively. In 1996 there was an E. coli O157 outbreak. Nine cases resulted from drinking raw cows milk. In the USA from 1981 to 1990 there were 20 outbreaks associated with drinking raw milk. The attack rate was 45 per cent. Some 458 of the 1,013 persons who drank that milk were infected. In 1983 there were six cases. In 1992-93 there were 16 cases. In 1997 there were 54 cases. In 2001 there were three cases. In 2003 there were 13 cases. The figures speak for themselves. I can sympathise with those people out there in the community who are arguing for this. I can certainly sympathise, but the facts speak for themselves. The facts speak for themselves. The member for Gladstone, the member for Nanango and the member for Warrego all voted for this legislation in the year 2000. Now because there is an election around the corner, they have decided to change their minds. I rest my case. Question—That the bill be now read a second time—put; and the House divided— AYES, 64—Barry, Barton, Bligh, Boyle, Briskey, E. Clark, L. Clark, Copeland, Cummins, J. Cunningham, Edmond, English, Fenlon, M. Foley, Fouras, Hayward, Hobbs, Horan, Jarratt, Johnson, Keech, Lavarch, Lawlor, Lee, Lester, Livingstone, Lucas, Mackenroth, Malone, McGrady, McNamara, Mickel, Miller, Mulherin, Nelson-Carr, Nuttall, Palaszczuk, Pearce, Phillips, Pitt, Purcell, Quinn, Reynolds, E. Roberts, N. Roberts, Rodgers, Rose, Schwarten, C. Scott, D. Scott, Seeney, Shine, Smith, Spence, Springborg, Stone, Strong, Struthers, C. Sullivan, Welford, Wells, Wilson. Tellers: T. Sullivan, Reeves NOES, 5—E. Cunningham, Flynn, Pratt, Tellers: C. Foley, Lee Long Resolved in the affirmative.

Committee Hon. H. PALASZCZUK (Inala—ALP) (Minister for Primary Industries and Rural Communities) in charge of the bill. Clauses 1 to 40, as read, agreed to. 4574 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 29 Oct 2003

Clause 41— Mr PALASZCZUK (11.12 p.m.): I move the following amendment— 1 Clause 41— At page 40, line 19— omit, insert— 'insert—'. The government moves an amendment to clause 41 of the bill. I now table, for the benefit of the House, the explanatory notes for the amendments to be moved by me in committee. The original clause provided for subsection 196(2) of the Fisheries Act to be omitted altogether. However, unfortunately, this was a drafting error. It was intended that the clause insert an additional paragraph into that subsection but that the other existing paragraphs be retained. The new paragraph ensures that appeals about decisions regarding fisheries development must be appealed to the Planning and Environment Court while other fisheries matters will continue to be reviewed by the Fisheries Tribunal. This was a drafting error. Amendment agreed to. Clause 41, as amended, agreed to. Clauses 42 to 46, as read, agreed to. Clause 47— Mr HOBBS (11.14 p.m.): I move amendment No. 1— 1 Clause 47— At page 53, line 17— omit, insert— 'subsection; or (c) the primary producer complies with the scientific standards for the removal set by Food Standards Australia New Zealand.'. This amendment provides some recognition of a person's democratic right to have access to unpasteurised milk. It also seeks to have recognised that the condition in which this milk is made available must comply with the very strict standards and scientific requirements set by Food Standards Australia New Zealand. The state government can make a decision alone on this issue. There is not a legal requirement that all states have to have a mandatory decision across- the-board. It is not necessary that we have standards across the states; exemptions can be made. The minister was not correct when he said that we have to be uniform. We do not have to be uniform. There is no legal requirement. Unpasteurised milk will never take over from pasteurised milk. That is the way it is. However, this gives a choice to the community. The strictest standards are to be set by the same regulator as that for pasteurisation. The scientific standards that would be required for unpasteurised milk would be set, as I just said, by the same people, so there is no reason why it cannot be done. Unpasteurised milk cannot be sold unless it meets the strictest health standards. Pasteurisation was brought in many years ago, when dairying did not have the same technology, machinery, transport and refrigeration that we have today. So there is no reason that we cannot at least look at the possibility of giving people a choice. Proponents argue that pasteurisation destroys healthy enzymes in raw milk, and that people with lactose intolerance could drink raw but not pasteurised milk. Again, that should be their choice. But it would be sold only on the basis of the strictest scientific data and standards set by the same group that set the standards for pasteurisation. Nobody would want to see harm coming to anyone. Nobody wants anybody to become ill because of problems with pasteurised or unpasteurised milk. Most honourable members would have at some stage experienced pasteurised milk that had gone off. We all would have bought milk in plastic bottles. Even pasteurised milk goes off. Mr Malone: Goes off faster than a Labor Party candidate at a by-election. Mr HOBBS: That is right; it does go off faster than a Labor Party candidate at a by-election. That is very clever. The minister mentioned that in 2000 we supported the legislation. Every day of this week in this House we have been changing legislation brought in in the year 2000. We are always changing legislation. Everything we do in this House involves making changes to meet the needs 29 Oct 2003 Primary Industries and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 4575 of society. In a lot of ways, what happened in 2000 is old hat. We do not want to see anything that does the wrong thing by our industries. However, by the same token, we have to be flexible and there is no reason that we cannot be flexible. The minister's comments were very unkind in terms of members on this side of the House supporting that bill. Of course we did. That is what we thought was right at the time. There is no reason that we cannot change or slightly adjust that view now. I am talking about slightly adjusting it. Nothing will take over from pasteurisation. He and I both know that. All we are saying is that people need the choice. They can have the choice. This can be done, under the very strictest of conditions. Ms LEE LONG: I would like to ask the minister if there are any imported products made from unpasteurised or raw milk allowed into this state. Are there any imports? Does he know? Mr Palaszczuk: Is this question time? Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM: I rise to support the amendment. The minister earlier said that in 2000 we passed general legislation in relation to food standards. The vast majority of people are happy with those food standards and happily acquiesce to a general standard of food safety and food processing. The small number of members who opposed the second reading speech and the larger number who, I assume, will support this amendment are representing a small, discrete group of people who wish to have access to a product that they believe gives them a better health result. It has been sold in various ways. It has been sold as pet milk and bath milk. According to the correspondence that we have received, a small number of people in the community have a better health outcome by accessing unpasteurised milk. Not all of those people have purchased milk inappropriately or under the guise of an alternative product. Some of those people have, as the minister's second reading speech indicated, purchased the milk by buying shares in a cow and they have accessed that milk up until this point quite legally. They do so because they believe it has a better result for them. They have allergies, other health challenges or they just believe generally that an unpasteurised and unaffected product is better for them. This amendment says that that availability will continue on the basis that Food Standards Australia New Zealand sets standards of purity. That is, the concerns have been expressed that unpasteurised, non-homogenised milk may have faecal contamination or other types of contamination that can be controlled. If standards are set by Food Standards Australia New Zealand, those contaminants can be quarantined, regulated and carefully monitored. People can then receive a product that is uncontaminated but is also unprocessed. I support the amendment because I believe it is a fair and reasonable expectation for that percentage of the community who wish to access unprocessed milk and one that can be accommodated within the constraints of food safety standards. Mr Johnson interjected. Mr PALASZCZUK: The member should have a talk to his mates in Canberra and watch this space tomorrow. I am being provoked into another argument for another day and I will win that argument tomorrow, too. The member should just wait and see. It is his mates in Canberra who are causing the problem. Mr Johnson: Tell us about the ECs while you are on your feet, Henry. Mr PALASZCZUK: Who runs the ECs? The federal government. Mr Johnson interjected. Mr PALASZCZUK: The member has a council meeting on this weekend. He should see his mates. The CHAIRMAN: The member for Gregory! I think we should return to the bill. There will be no more interjections. The minister will return to the bill. Mr PALASZCZUK: Mr Chairman, I will not be provoked. I believe that I have really put the government's position perfectly clearly on the table of this House this evening. That is, we have decided as a government that the risks that are associated with the consumption of raw bovine milk cannot be ignored. The risks to the community are multiplied when these products are freely available for commercial supply. The honourable member for Tablelands raised the issue about imported products. Yes, Parmesan cheese is imported. It is a hard cheese, but it undergoes a heat treatment. Yes, there is an application from France for the export of soft cheeses. That application is before FSANZ 4576 Adjournment 29 Oct 2003 currently. Knowing our food standards here, I would not hold my breath if I were the people in France trying to export that cheese into Australia. I say to the honourable member for Gladstone that believe I have made my position and the position of the government perfectly clear. I do not believe we need to prosecute this argument any further. She has her point of view. The government has its point of view. We firmly believe in food safety standards. We do not want to compromise our food safety standards, whether it be in dairy, meat, eggs, seafood or any other product. We do not want to compromise food safety in any way at all. Question—That the amendment be agreed to—put; and the Committee divided— AYES, 16—Copeland, E. Cunningham, Flynn, C. Foley, Hobbs, Horan, Johnson, Lee Long, Malone, Pratt, Quinn, E. Roberts, Seeney, Springborg. Tellers: Hopper, Lester NOES, 54—Barry, Barton, Bligh, Boyle, Briskey, E. Clark, L. Clark, Cummins, J. Cunningham, Edmond, English, Fenlon, M. Foley, Hayward, Jarratt, Keech, Lavarch, Lawlor, Lee, Livingstone, Lucas, Mackenroth, Male, McGrady, McNamara, Mickel, Miller, Mulherin, Nelson-Carr, Nuttall, Palaszczuk, Pearce, Phillips, Pitt, Purcell, Reynolds, N. Roberts, Rodgers, Rose, Schwarten, C. Scott, D. Scott, Shine, Smith, Spence, Stone, Strong, Struthers, C. Sullivan, Welford, Wells, Wilson. Tellers: T. Sullivan, Reeves Resolved in the negative. Clause 47, as read, agreed to. Clauses 48 to 78, as read, agreed to. Clause 79— Mr PALASZCZUK (11.33 p.m.): The government moves the following amendment— 2 Clause 79— At page 71, lines 25 and 26— omit, insert— '(A) for a hatchery for the production of larvae; or'. This amendment to clause 79 of the bill inserts new section 5.8A.2 into the Integrated Planning Act. The section inserted by the original clause provided that proposed aquaculture hatcheries must have a minimum surface area of one hectare before the section would apply. This amendment ensures that the wording of the section accurately reflects the agreement between the state and the Commonwealth governments about assessment and appeal processes for certain aquaculture developments adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. As that agreement did not include a minimum surface area for hatcheries before the new IPA processes would apply, the amendment removes that requirement. The objective is to provide the equivalent under IPA to current Commonwealth requirements for aquaculture development. This is necessary to obtain Commonwealth accreditation of Queensland law and, ultimately, the rationalisation of the dual state and Commonwealth processes into a single process under the IPA. Amendment agreed to. Clause 79, as amended, agreed to. Clauses 80 to 88, as read, agreed to. Schedule, as read, agreed to. Bill reported, with amendments.

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

ADJOURNMENT Hon. H. PALASZCZUK (Inala—ALP) (Minister for Primary Industries and Rural Communities) (11.36 p.m.): I move— That the House do now adjourn. 29 Oct 2003 Adjournment 4577

East End Mine Action Group Incorporated Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM: (11.36 p.m.): The East End Mine Action Group Incorporated is a community based group that was successful in gaining $100,000 in funding from the federal government under the Regional Solutions Program administered by the federal Department of Transport and Regional Services. They expressed their gratitude and thanks to the federal government for its support and the opportunity to have community issues examined. I will be tabling a copy of their study, which is about the environment, the people and their aspirations in the Mount Larcom area. The project struck a responsive chord and EEMAG expressed their humble thanks to the consultants who worked for less than their normal fees. EEMAG or its members did not seek or receive any reimbursement whatsoever from the study funding and for the input that they had in relation to physically preparing documentation. I seek leave to table a copy of the report, the Spate report, the attachments and the appendices. Leave granted. Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM: In reality, the study started when public comment was initially invited on limestone mining in the Mount Larcom area in 1975. Over a long period, concerns have been expressed by residents in that area about the impact of limestone mining, particularly the dewatering of rural properties in the area of the mine. However, that expanded and broadened to include the impact of community being lost to the Mount Larcom region and options available to Mount Larcom as a township and to the broad community in the Mount Larcom area as far as development is concerned. This study was intended to look at options available for community development, impacts of mining and other activities within the broad Mount Larcom community and the impacts of industrialisation, town planning and other constraints. It has been carried out by a number of very well-qualified people. It has had a very broad community consultation and, I believe, the findings are objective, sustainable and well documented. There are a number of recommendations contained within the report and it is my intention tomorrow to provide a number of parliamentary leaders with a full copy of the documentation. A CD, whilst not incorporated with the documents tabled tonight, will be made available once it is finalised. Much of the work has been done, as previously stated, at less than full cost. That indicates the dedication of those consultants, who are prepared to support the community in the area to see the advancement of that community not only in the short term but also in the long term. EEMAG are a dedicated group of individuals and families who want to see Mount Larcom survive. I commend the report to the parliament.

Morningside Wildcats Mr PURCELL (Bulimba—ALP) (11.39 p.m.): On Saturday, 16 August 2003, the Morningside Wildcats AFL Queensland Rugby League team played a nail-biting thriller premiership against the reigning premiers, Surfers Paradise. The Wildcats beat the Surfers Paradise Demonettes by a point in a gutsy display under appalling weather conditions. Both teams played like their lives depended on it, with the final score 2-7 (10) to 3-0 (18). The Morningside Wildcats played the game with determination and style, all under the captaincy of Shelley Gale. Incidentally, Shelly was awarded the honour of the highest goal kicker in Queensland women's league. This award was shared with Surfers Paradise player Jackie Petterd. Well done, Shelly! Defending premiers, Surfers Paradise, kicked three straight goals but were outplayed in the last quarter by the Wildcats, who gave it their all. The Wildcats had five shots at goal in the last quarter, kicking four behinds and a goal. Goal kickers were Peta Ferguson and Juanita Mottram, who led the team to victory in the dying minutes of the game by kicking that winning goal. All 24 players from the Morningside Wildcats have very different backgrounds and come from all different walks of life. But put the team together and they all share the same commitment and passion for the game. What is even more amazing about their premiership win in their maiden year is that many of these women had never played the game before. With expert coaching from Michael Duke and assistance from Gary Smart, Donny Blackford and team manager Fred Carling, they were taught the ground rules but the rest was up to them, and didn't they show us how it was done. They all played with the same amount of determination and force, making it particularly hard to pick a player of the match. However, after kicking the winning goal, it was hard to go past Juanita 4578 Adjournment 29 Oct 2003

Mottram as the pick. Do not let the size of this young lady fool you. Pocket size she may be, but on the field she was dynamite. Juanita is one of the team's first players whose talent has been recognised by being selected to play for Queensland in the Darwin state carnival. She has also been named 'all Australian'. This means if there were an international competition she would play in the Australian team. Well done, Juanita! For the record, the Morningside Wildcats team are Penny Chapple; Vice Captain, Sarah Nichols; Sonia Haegens; Joanna Ayers; Julie Novak; Fiona Ayers; Kate Misson; Tanya Hoswell; Bianca Misson; Natalie Wilson; Shelley Gale, as Captain; Peta Ferguson; Ainslie Troy; Janelle Kington; Cathy Hoyland; Jax Watson; Tanya Mulder; Juanita Mottram, as Vice Captain; Kristen Collie; Shannan Brindell; Natalie Redpath; Jonette Hemi; Naomi Bell and Peta Jackson. What stands out most about this team, apart from their sheer guts and lack of fear, is that they all simply love the game and it shows. They all have good reason to feel proud of their efforts. Well done and congratulations to the Morningside Wildcats. We look forward to their involvement in the 2004 competition. Time expired.

Local Government Capital Works Projects Mr HOBBS (Warrego—NPA) (11.43 p.m.): I want to talk tonight about the needs of local government and particularly how disappointed I am that the state government has not put forward funding proposals for local government at this stage, particularly in relation to the capital works subsidy scheme, which is the backbone—the whole cornerstone—of local government. The coalition government put together a proposal a number of years ago for a large capital works scheme and what they call a SCAT scheme, a smaller communities assistance scheme, used particularly in relation to sewerage and water development in councils. This package, of about $600 million altogether, will run out fairly soon. We have committed, with local government, that we will continue that program for a further period of time, but unfortunately we have heard nothing at this stage from the state government. It is particularly important that local government gets some acknowledgment from the state government as to whether it is prepared to continue that funding. We have also put together another funding package in relation to green space—a $40 million package that will allow the coming together of green space, particularly in south-east Queensland. As we know, there will be a huge population here in the next 10 to 20 years, and we need to be able to consolidate those green space areas. There is a commitment to provide assistance for stamp duty exemptions for the purchasing of land by local government. We think that will be a very valuable tool for local government to be able to use green space areas and earmark them for the future so that they will become the lungs of Queensland. There are other programs in relation to mosquito control. We are prepared to put in funding for mosquito control on Crown land, which is essential. We have seen numerous increases in viruses that are now coming about simply because there are so many mosquitos in developed areas. There is a desperate need to provide resources to reduce the sickness found in those particular areas. We have made an annual $5 million commitment for the next three years for local government beach erosion projects. That is particularly important because a lot of our beaches are eroding. In many instances, bags can be filled up with sand, which can be reasonably cheap. If we want to move them later on, all we have to do is slash the bags and move them around. It is a very worthwhile project. Time expired

Springwood Volunteers Ms STONE (Springwood—ALP) (11.46 p.m.): Recently I held morning teas to recognise the work volunteers do in the Springwood community. Over 230 people and over 60 organisations have been recognised and thanked for their commitment and dedication to assisting the community. The first morning tea was in recognition of volunteers in our schools. Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Education and member for Bundamba, Mrs Jo-Ann Miller, assisted me in presenting thankyou certificates to those who gave up their time to ensure that students' education is even more enhanced and that they have the finest education possible. They also 29 Oct 2003 Adjournment 4579 give a lot of time and energy working on many projects enhancing the school environment, resulting in a well-presented facility. I do not have to tell members of this House of the fine work P&C and P&F associations do for our schools. I am pleased that I was able to thank them personally on behalf of the Labor government for performing this community work. This was also a fantastic opportunity for parents, teachers and principals to socialise and network with other schools, to exchange ideas, and to give myself and the member for Bundamba feedback on the future of education and their thoughts on the government's education and training reforms. As a result of this morning tea a group of volunteers from schools in the electorate are now going to meet and exchange ideas on fundraising, grant submissions and opportunities available for them to get the best results possible for their school. I have arranged this meeting to take place next week at Logan Diggers Club. Mr Jo Kelly will speak at the meeting on scholarships, grants, and liquor education talks that the Logan Diggers offers to the community. I am sure this day will involve a lot of information sharing and new ideas, and will result in even more good work being done by our school volunteers. The second morning tea was to celebrate the work done by all volunteers in the electorate. The parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Families, ATSI, Disability Services and Seniors, the member for Nudgee, Mr Neil Roberts, spoke about the government's volunteering policy and also assisted me to present thankyou certificates to the organisations represented at the function. The morning tea was very informative. Guest speakers included Di Morgan, from Volunteering Queensland, who informed us about this organisation, and also announced that a new office in Logan will soon be established. Staff from the office of the Gambling Community Benefit Fund gave very valuable information on applying for grants through the GCBF, and I am sure this information will increase the number of applicants in the Springwood area applying and will lead to more projects benefiting our community. Mr Alan Clark, from Treasury, gave an informative presentation on public liability and issues facing the insurance industry. It is without doubt that this segment received the most questions from volunteers. The audience heard of legislative changes state governments have made to assist in making insurance accessible to our community. However, the premiums just keep rising. The one message to the meeting that was loud and clear was that the community wants the federal government to act and give the ACCC the powers required to go in and investigate the insurance industry and then do something about it. While the state governments have changed legislation, the question from the community is: what are our insurance companies doing? What are they doing to ensure our lifestyles do not suffer because the events and community organisations we know today will no longer be around because of this problem? I would like to take this opportunity to thank my staff—Clare Gillic, Jenny Atkinson and Kim McLoughlin—for all the work they did to ensure the two events were wonderful for the volunteers. I am not sure how many certificates they have printed, laminated and framed. I know it is in the hundreds and they have done a wonderful job. Most people who volunteer do it because they want to. Time expired.

Christian Brothers Schools Mr HORAN (Toowoomba South—NPA) (11.49 p.m.): In the last few days I have had the privilege of attending a number of speech nights in Toowoomba. There are two in particular, speech nights at St Mary's College and at St Joseph's College, that I want to speak about. It was very significant in that at St Mary's College they announced that this will be the last year in which the Christian Brothers will be represented in Toowoomba. Some 105 years ago the Christian Brothers came to Toowoomba on invitation and set up St Mary's College. Later on they set up St Joseph's College. They also set up Christian Brothers colleges at Dalby and Warwick. The principal of St Mary's College, Mr John Coman, and the principal of St Joseph's College spoke about the contribution of the Christian Brothers to Toowoomba and the downs over that period of time. In particular, it was good to see that Brother Kevin and Brother John were able to be at those speech nights. They will be leaving Toowoomba to work in Brisbane and there will no longer be the presence of the Christian Brothers in our city. What they have done over the years has been marvellous. Later I will be seeking leave to table the speech by Mr John Coman, the 4580 Adjournment 29 Oct 2003 principal of St Mary's College. It was a wonderful speech, one of the best that I have heard for many years. In that speech he talked about Edmund Rice, the founder of Christian Brothers. He talked about how his wife died and he then established the Christian Brothers and the Presentation Brothers. For many years since that time the Christian Brothers have provided education to young men from working class families whose families probably could not afford the education. Many of us here have been privileged to have that education. I had nine years of education in the Christian Brothers. They were some of the most wonderful years of my life. The thing that I enjoyed about this particular speech was the way in which Mr John Coman talked about the ethos and traditions of the Christian Brothers and the followers of the Christian Brothers, and the significant fact that the Christian Brothers are no longer going to be in Toowoomba after 105 years. That ethos and tradition continues, particularly in the way that St Mary's College and St Joseph's College are providing a wonderful education for a large number of young Sudanese men who have come from Sudan and from very difficult circumstances. In his speech Mr John Coman spoke about Sudan—how it is the largest country in Africa, and that through all the civil war and troubles some 1.9 million people have been killed and 4 million people have been displaced. He spoke about the lost boys march, where some 33,000 boys marched into Ethiopia. They were pushed out of there and went to Kenya. Most of them have been at the camp of Kakuma, where there are now 79,000 refugees. Almost all these boys at St Mary's—some 32 of them—have come from Kakuma, where they had over ten years of their early young life. They have been able to be supported at St Mary's through new arrival grants, through the Arthur Earle Youth Foundation and through the ESL program. It is wonderful to see the followers of Edmund Rice—those people who are now responsible for the management and operation of St Mary's and St Joseph's Christian Brothers colleges—continuing that tradition and providing these young Sudanese men with a wonderful opportunity and education. I seek leave to table this wonderful speech by the principal of St Mary's. It would be worth while many people having a read of this speech. Leave granted.

The Bob Katz Mr McNAMARA (Hervey Bay—ALP) (11.53 p.m.): I wish to inform the House of the tremendous achievement of four blokes in my electorate in breaking into the national music market. Gary Koehler, Robbie Mackay, Adrian Burkett and Gary Witt go by the name of The Bob Katz. They have just released their first CD, The Man in the Picture. They sent a copy of their CD to ABC radio presenter Spencer Howson hoping it would be considered for play in a segment for independent local bands. To their delight the first song on the album, the title track, The Man in the Picture—Hero was played two weeks later. Then a second song, The Winner, was played a week later. The Bob Katz organised a CD launch at the Hervey Bay Golf Club for last Sunday. In an example of the exquisite timing which has become their hallmark, their title track was played that morning on Ian McNamara's national radio show. The band had now gone national. The Bob Katz immense popularity was demonstrated when over 250 people turned up for the CD launch. I was delighted to be invited to do the official launch of the CD. I was also greatly honoured when they decided to risk their musical reputation by inviting me to play with them on one of their songs I am Doing All Right. If they can survive having me play with them and still get applause, then I predict that this band can do anything. They have demonstrated, as has Kerrie McInerney before them, that Hervey Bay is a vibrant, creative town where people can work, play, create and innovate. It is vitally important that sea change cities like Hervey Bay have a vibrant social life, including a live music scene, so that it remains an attractive place to live and work for young people and young families. For cities to be successful they need a balance of populations and age groupings and plenty of great creative people. The number of live music venues or the number of musicians is an example of the measures which show whether a city has that balance. I wish to congratulate The Bob Katz on their success. I am sure that more is to come. I would also like to thank the band for its efforts in making Hervey Bay a better place in which to live. They add value to our community far beyond their entertainment value. They provide a wonderful economic asset in showing young people and young families why Hervey Bay has it all. 29 Oct 2003 Adjournment 4581

I will be very proud in the years to come to be able to say that I once played with The Bob Katz. I do warn them that I have it on film in case they seek to deny it in years to come.

Tobacco Industry Ms LEE LONG (Tablelands—ONP) (11.56 p.m.): Today 115 families in my electorate face a very bleak Christmas as the very last tobacco sales take place in Mareeba in October and early November. They are families who have farmed tobacco, a crop demonised by many and targeted by unjustifiable government regulations to the point of destruction. I will not take sides in the health debate. Suffice to say that if honest concerns about the nation's health were the real reason behind the destruction of Queensland's tobacco industry, why have cigarettes not been banned all together? The result is that while Australians are free to light up if they wish, they can no longer choose a product containing Queensland tobacco. Of course the federal government continues to collect tobacco excise. Indeed, it appears that is all that matters to it. This is the real impact globalisation has on our Queensland industries. Our tobacco farming families have had their future torn away, their lives as tobacco farmers ended, yet cigarettes are still on sale containing overseas grown tobacco which we pay for as part of our ever-increasing foreign exchange burden. There are serious issues about the labour and environmental conditions under which that same imported tobacco is produced. I am afraid the same fate may await our sugar industry, banana growers, trawlers, graziers, small miners and all our other primary industries as this state government backs the never-ending federal push towards globalisation. At least the tobacco growers know who triggered their demise. It was the ALP's own Hawke/Keating governments which legislated in 1995 that there was no longer any need for Australian tobacco to be included in all tobacco products sold here. All they and the rest of our converged politicians who make up the major parties do with the so-called globalisation is sell out Australia and Queensland in particular.

Brigidine College Mr LEE (Indooroopilly—ALP) (11.58 p.m.): I want to address the House tonight about a wonderful event that I attended in my electorate recently. It was Brigidine College's creative arts dimensions showcase evening on 17 October. This night was a wonderful presentation of the college's artistic talent with excellent artworks of all types. There were paintings, sculptures, installations, and there were musical and dramatic presentations. It was an honour to officially open proceedings. I would like to commend the entire art committee of Brigidine on a great evening, especially art captain Alexandra Clark. I would also like to thank the special guest artist on the evening, Mrs Rhonda Ferling, who also happens to work in the college's art department. I would also like to commend art coordinator, Miss Amanda McKenzie, for all of her hard work. There were some very special awards made on the night for student excellence. I would like to congratulate those students who received these awards, in particular Amanda Henshall, who received the student excellence award for outstanding work. She was also the recipient on the night of the people's choice award. Leesa Penfold was recognised for junior art, Alexandra Clark and Natalie Thomas for senior art, Rachel Dash for junior drama, Gabrielle Burke for senior drama, Michilu Lawson for junior music and Natalie Connor for senior music. One of the greatest gifts that a school can give to its students is a love of art, and I think that artistic expression is one of the great civilising forces within our society. Brigidine College in Indooroopilly has a great art program that provides students with the opportunity to experience many different art mediums, and I commend those senior students who take the opportunity to avail themselves of all that is available at Brigidine. I also make special note of those who have been recognised by the college for contributing to more than one arts area at Brigidine. In particular, I refer to year 12 students Marianna Taylor, Hannah Sweeney, Natalie Connor, Jessica Cameron, Rebekah Esdaile, Claire O'Neill, Gabrielle Burke and Claire Poppi and year 11 students Aimee Donlan, Gemma O'Brien and Emily Dorey who contributed to more than one arts area within the college. Brigidine's arts evening was exceptionally well attended by parents and college supporters. I believe that this obvious parent support for participation in art is an absolutely wonderful sign, and I look forward to attending next year's art showcase evening. 4582 Adjournment 29 Oct 2003

Quilpie Hospital Mr JOHNSON (Gregory—NPA) (12.00 a.m.): Tonight I bring to the attention of the House a very serious issue that is confronting the people of Quilpie and the Quilpie Hospital in general. My colleague the member for Warrego brought to the attention of this House last week and again this afternoon the issue of laundry services at the Cunnamulla Hospital that may be removed and done in a centralised location in Charleville. The Quilpie Hospital was also told that its sterilisation unit's equipment could be transported to a centralised unit at Charleville because it is not up to scratch. Unfortunately, it seems to me that the people in these outer lying places—whether it be Quilpie, Cunnamulla or anywhere else in western Queensland—find out second-hand what is happening. One has to wonder whether the people in the government departments are becoming faceless and do not want to face up to their responsibilities to tell those living in the region that the situation is not satisfactory and the department will not provide the funding to fix the problem. Quilpie is a place that can be isolated by flood, and unfortunately in the last few years it has been isolated by drought. With regard to the Quilpie Hospital's laundry services, it is absolutely paramount that that service be retained at the Quilpie Hospital. Again, this comes back to providing services in those communities and keeping jobs in those towns. The people who work at the Quilpie Hospital and other places in such towns are local people who dedicate their lives to living and serving those communities from childhood through to retirement. I urge the minister to take control of this situation and assure the people of Quilpie and the Quilpie Hospital that that laundry service will be retained at the hospital, that the sterilisation unit at the hospital will be upgraded so that material can be sterilised there and that the laundry will be done there, and that those jobs can be retained in that hospital and the people of Quilpie will not be subjected to the centralisation of those services, whether it be at Charleville or somewhere else. I urge the government to recognise that, while we are always fighting to retain services in some of these western areas, enough is enough. I ask the Minister for Health to take control of this situation to ensure that those two essential services—that is, sterilisation and laundry services—are retained at the Quilpie Hospital and that the jobs that go with those services are also retained.

Orchestras, Cairns Region Dr LESLEY CLARK (Barron River—ALP) (12.03 a.m.): Tomorrow I will again join staff, students and parents at the Cairns State High School presentation evening where we will be entertained by its award winning orchestra. The latest achievement of the school's 70-strong orchestra was at the Australian Academy Festival of Music where it was named most outstanding orchestra. It also won prizes for best strings, best brass and best woodwind. Having personally watched these outstanding musicians twice win the schools Fanfare Festival competition, its latest success came as no surprise. Long time conductor Bob Favell is truly inspirational, getting the very best from his students year after year. The ability and commitment of Cairns High's music coordinator Lizanne Smith is also an integral part of the orchestra's success, and I congratulate them all. She said following their win— Being isolated you're never sure what other schools are doing, particularly in Brisbane. However, there is absolutely no doubt that our musicians are amongst the best in the state, and per head of population I am sure that there is more musical talent in far-north Queensland than in any other region in Queensland. I also want to acknowledge two other successful Cairns youth orchestras. I am one of the patrons of the Cairns Youth Orchestra, now in its 33rd year, which tours annually and plays regularly at local events. Musical director Marg Duffy is also secretary of the organisation and, together with her Treasurer husband Kevin and president Lee Howarth, manages the development of its three separate orchestras. Over the last 33 years Marg and Kevin have nurtured the talents of thousands of young people, and our community is indebted to them for their dedication to our youth and music. A more recent orchestra on the scene is the Cairns String Orchestra formed in 1996 and coordinated by director Stella Massey and supported by a committee headed by president Paul Campbell. This orchestra provides invaluable support for primary and secondary school string players throughout the Cairns region to develop their skills and talents. The 30-member orchestra has recently returned from a 10-day tour of Japan at the invitation of the Australia Japan Friendship Society where it visited schools and on occasion played with Japanese students. It was a great experience for students, fostering greater cultural understanding through the universal 29 Oct 2003 Adjournment 4583 language of music as acknowledged by Catherine Wilson, one of the young players, who, writing about the tour, said— Through music we could achieve a common goal, to entertain and be united. The depth of musical talent in Cairns has been fostered by Queensland's school instrumental music program which is acknowledged to be the best in Australia. Most of the schools in my electorate have school orchestras. While they have yet to match Cairns State High, they perform at a very high standard. Smithfield High, Edge Hill, Caravonica and Redlynch state school orchestras spring to mind, having regularly heard them play at school and community functions. I conclude by congratulating all of the students in our youth orchestras and thank their teachers, conductors and the parents who support them, thereby enriching our lives and our communities through their music. Motion agreed to. The House adjourned at 12.06 a.m. (Thursday).