Legislative Assembly Hansard 1989
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 1989 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy 1426 17 October 1989 Petitions TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 1989 Mr SPEAKER (Hon. K. R. Lingard, Fassifem) read prayers and took the chair at 10 a.m. ASSENT TO BILLS Assent to the following BiUs reported by Mr Speaker— Appropriation BiU (No. 2); Wheat Marketing (Facilitation) BiU; Bond University Act Amendment BiU; Education (Board of Advanced Education Dissolution) Bill; Ipswdch Trades HaU (VaUdation) Bill; Police Act Amendment BiU; Constitution (CanceUation of Referendum) BiU; Constitution Act Amendment BiU; Cotton Industry Deregulation Bill; Elections Act Amendment BiU; Sugar MUUng Rationalization (Far Northem Region) Act Amendment BiU; Partnership (Limited Liability) Act Amendment BiU; University of Central Queensland BiU; Land Act Amendment BUI; University of Southem Queensland BiU. ASSENT TO BILL Appropriation Bill (No. 2) Mr SPEAKER: I have to report that on Friday, 6 October 1989, the Deputy Speaker, Mr Row, presented to His Excellency the Govemor Appropriation BiU 1989-1990 (No. 2) for the royal assent and that His Excellency was pleased, in Mr Row's presence, to subscribe his assent thereto in the name and on behalf of Her Majesty. PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATIONS Report Mr SPEAKER: I have to inform the House that I have received from the ParUa mentary Commissioner for Administrative Investigations his report for 1988-89. Ordered to be printed. PETITIONS The Deputy Clerk announced the receipt of the following petitions— Road Safety Training for Child Cyclists; Wearing of Safety Helmets by All CycUsts From Mr Wells (43 signatories) praying that the ParUament of (Queensland will immediately introduce compulsory road safety training programs for child cycUsts and compulsory wearing of safety helmets for aU cyclists. Papers 17 October 1989 1427 Tabling of Ministerial Expenses From Mr Wells (26 signatories) praying that the Parliament of Queensland wiU take immediate steps to table records of ministerial expenses over the last 10 years. National Park, Fraser Island From Mr Wells (228 signatories) praying that the Parliament of Queensland wdU take action to declare all forestry and vacant Crown land on Fraser Island a national park. Daylight-saving Zone, Mount Isa From Mr Beard (140 signatories) praying that the Parliament of Queensland wdU take action to establish two time zones, one to include Mount Isa in which dayUght- saving time will not apply. Second TraflBc Bridge Over Burnett River From Mr Campbell (760 signatories) praying that the Pariiament of Queensland will take action to provide immediate funding for a second Bumett River traffic bridge. All-tide Boat Ramp at Dunrock, Sandy Creek From Mr Casey (370 signatories) praying that the Parliament of Queensland wdll ensure that favourable consideration is given to and funding provided for an aU-weather and aU-tide boat ramp at Dunrock, Sandy Creek. Petitions received. PARLIAMENTARY SERVICE COMMISSION Report Hon. N. J. HARPER (Aubum—Leader of the House) (10.06 a.m.): I lay upon the table of the House the first report of the Parliamentary Service Commission to 30 June 1989, and I move that the report be printed. Whereupon the document was laid on the table, and ordered to be printed. PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table, and ordered to be printed— Reports— Bundaberg Port Authority for the year ended 30 June 1989 Gold Coast Waterways Authority for the year ended 30 June 1989 Queensland Performing Arts Tmst for the year ended 30 June 1989 Board of Tmstees of Newstead House for the year ended 30 June 1989. The following papers were laid on the table— Orders in Council under— Financial Administration and Audit Act 1977-1988 Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982-1989 Health Act 1937-1989 Water Act 1926-1987 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982-1988 Water Act 1926-1987 Harbours Act 1955-1989 1428 17 October 1989 Ministerial Statement Companies (Administration) Act 1981-1984 Distiict Courts Act 1967-1988 Justices Act 1886-1989 Roman Catholic Church Lands Act 1985-1986 Supreme Court Act 1921 Regulations under— Health Act 1937-1989 Hospitals Act 1936-1988 Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages Act 1962-1989 By-laws under— Harbours Act 1955-1989 Harbours Act 1955-1989 and Mackay Airport Act 1989 Reports— Royal Brisbane Hospital Foundation for the year ended 30 June 1989 Royal Women's Hospital Research and Development Foundation for the year ended 30 June 1989 Tmstees of the Financial Benefit Tmst Fund for the year ended 30 June 1989 Perpetual Tmstee Australian Limited for the year ended 30 June 1989. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Electricity-supply Industry Hon. R. C. KATTER (Flinders—Minister for Mines and Energy and Minister for Northem and Regional Development) (10.09 a.m.), by leave: At the National Press Club luncheon, in answer to a question on what he would do about Queensland's draconian electricity industry legislation, the Leader of the Opposition Mr De Lacy: Oh, sit dovm, you mug. Mr KATTER: The dingo trap was set, the Leader of the Opposition put his foot straight in it and Opposition members regret that he did it. The Leader of the Opposition said that he would implement the Hanger report recommendations. The implications of that answer are that the tmth wdll be taken—the teeth wdll be taken out of that BiU. Opposition members interjected. Mr KATTER: The word "tmth" is quite acceptable and, in fact, is quite accurate. As a result there would be a party of ETU heavies, wdth Vaughan and Warburton as prominent front-benchers and Goss beholden to that faction. To understand what that wiU mean, one must understand that, in the four years prior to the 1985 SEQEB dispute and the consequent enforcement of the State Govemment legislation, 52 856 man-days were lost but, since then, not one man-day has been lost. I leave to the imagination of every member of this House how many man-days would be lost if that legislation were removed. At present approximately 20 per cent more electricity is generated and reticulated by 30 per cent fewer workers. The number of workers in the QEC has faUen from 5 245 to 2 995 and the number of employees of electricity boards has decreased from 7 948 to 5 673. In other words, Queensland is producing 20 per cent more electricity wdth 30 per cent fewer workers. The megawatt hours sold per employee are over 2 000 in Queensland but less than 1 500 in New South Wales and less than 1 400 in Victoria. Plant availabiUty in Queensland is 84 per cent. On occasions, a generating unit cannot be fixed because of maintenance Ministerial Statement 17 October 1989 1429 bans, scaffolding bans or some other stupidity, which is why Queensland can gain access to 84 per cent of its plant, whereas New South Wales has access to only 61 per cent and Victoria has access to only 68 per cent. As to the cost of generation, which is the most important point—industry foUows cheap electricity, and he who has the cheapest electricity wdU get aU of the industry and all of the growth. In this State the cost of generation is 1.67c per kilowatt hour, whereas in New South Wales the figure is 2.09c per kilowatt hour and in Victoria it is 2.24c per kilowatt hour. Mr Vaughan: You don't know what you're talking about, you fool. Mr KATTER: The honourable member can interject, because he wdU be responsible for pushing Queensland back into the Stone Age. He wdll drag this State dovm. Under the direction of the Opposition Leader, this State would retum to the Dark Ages. Queensland, which has the lowest electricity charges in Australia, would retum to the 1984 situation in which there were padded employment levels, a plethora of maintenance bans and a work-force that worked how and when it pleased. Queensland languished under the highest electricity charges in Australia. Labor leadership federaUy has presided over a similar industrial dispute, which is not much less serious than the Queensland power dispute. Let me compare the performance of the two Govemments. The airline pilots dispute, which is now in its ninth week, has cost Australian tax-payers $100m, which was pledged to Mr Murdoch, Sir Peter Abeles—in other words, Ansett Airlines—and AustraUan Airlines. The sum of $30m has been pledged as a special tourism grant, which is poor compensation for the $3,000m that has already been lost to the Australian economy. During the electricity dispute, Queensland tax-payers were charged nothing and the industry was fully operational wdthin 11 days. Workers' compensation costs in Victoria and New South Wales are three times higher than they are in Queensland—or 50 per cent higher, depending on which figures one wdshes to consult. Electricity costs in those States are 25 per cent higher than they are in Queensland. Under Labor this State would suffer as AustraUa is now suffering because this nation's "greatest negotiator" is responsible for the most costly industrial dispute in Australia's history. The "world's greatest Treasurer" has produced the highest interest rates in the developed world, the highest interest rates in AustraUa's history and the worst current account deficit—$2.58 biUion in one month—in Australia's history. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Goss, has said that, in terms of taxation, Queensland has to get in step wdth the other States. He has now also put his foot in the dingo trap with respect to industrial disputation. Under Labor, clearly the lights would slowly go out and once again the darkness would descend on this State.