Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
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VICTORIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) FIFTY-SECOND PARLIAMENT SPRING SESSION 1993 Legislative Council VOL. 414 [From 19 October 1993 to 16 November 1993] MELBOURNE: L. V. NOImI, GOVERNMENT PRINTER The Govemor His Excellency the Honourable RICHARD E. McGARVIE The Lieutenant-Govemor His Excellency the Honourable SIR JOHN McINTOSH YOUNG, AC, KCMG The Ministry [AS FROM 9 NOVEMBER 1992] Premier, and Minister for Ethnic Affairs. ... The Hon. J. G. Kennett, MP Deputy Premier, Minister for Police and ... The Hon. P. J. McNamara, MP Emergency Services, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Tourism Minister for Industry and Employment . The Hon. P. A. Gude, MP Minister for Roads and Ports . The Hon. W. R. Baxter, MLC Minister for Conservation and Environment, The Hon. M. A. Birrell, MLC and Minister for Major Projects Minister for Public Transport. The Hon. A. J. Brown, MP Minister for Natural Resources. The Hon. C. G. Coleman, MP Minister for Regional Development, . The Hon. R. M. Hallam, MLC Minister for Local Government Minister for Education. The Hon. D. K. Hayward, MP Minister for Small Business, and Minister . The Hon. V. P. Heffernan, OAM, MP responsible for Youth Affairs Minister for Community Services, and. The Hon. Michael John, MP Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs Minister for Housing, and Minister for. The Hon. R. I. Knowles, MLC Aged Care Minister for Agriculture.................. The Hon. W. D. McGrath, MP Minister for Planning. The Hon. R. R. C. Mac1ellan, MP Minister for Industry Services. The Hon. Roger Pescott, MP Minister for Energy and Minerals, and. The Hon. S. J. Plowman, MP Minister Assisting the Treasurer on State Owned Enterprises Minister for Sport, Recreation and Racing. The Hon. T. C. Reynolds, MP Minister for Finance. ... ............. .. The Hon. I. W. Smith, MP Treasurer . The Hon. A. R. Stockdale, MP Minister for Tertiary Education and . The Hon. Haddon Storey, QC, MLC Training, Minister for the Arts, and Minister for Gaming Minister for Health. The Hon. M. T. Tehan, MP Attorney-General, Minister for Fair. The Hon. J. L. M. Wade, MP Trading, and Minister responsible for Women's Affairs Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabinet..... The Hon. Rosemary Varty, MLC FIF1Y-SECOND PARLIAMENT-FIRST SESSION Members of the Legislative Council Member Province Party Member Province Party Asher. Hon. Louise Monash LP Henshaw, Hon. David Geelong ALP Ashman, Hon. Gerald Barry Boronia LP &nest, MBE Atkinson, Hon. Bruce Koonung LP Hogs. Hon. Caroline Jennifer Melbourne North ALP Nonnan Ives, Hon. Robert Stuart Eumemmerring ALP Baxter. Hon. William Robert North Eastern NP Knowles, Hon. Robert lan Ballarat LP Best, Hon. Ronald Alexander North Western NP Kokodnsld, Hon. Licia Melbourne West ALP BirreU, Hon. Mark Alexander East Yarra LP McLean, Hon. Jean Melbourne West ALP Bishop, Hon. Barry Wtlfred North Western NP Mier, Hon. Brian William Waverley ALP Bowden, Hon. Ronald Henry South Eastern LP Nardella, Hon. Donato Melbourne North ALP Brideson, Hon. Andrew Waverley LP Antonio Chamberlain, Hon. Bruce Western LP Power. Hon. Pat Jib Jib ALP Anthony Pullen, Hon. Barry Thomas Melbourne ALP Connard, Hon. Geoffrey Higinbothom LP Skeggs, Hon. Bruce Albert Templestowe LP Phillip Edward Cox. Hon. George Henry Nunawading LP Smith, Hon. Kenneth South Eastern LP Craige, Hon. Geoffrey Ronald Central Highlands LP Maurice Davidson, Hon. Burwyn Eric Chelsea ALP Stoney, Hon. Eadley Graeme Central Highlands LP Davis, Hon. Philip Rivers Gippsland LP Storey, Hon. Haddon, QC East Yarra LP de Fegely, Hon. Richard Ballarat LP Strong, Hon. Christopher Higinbotham LP Strachan Arthur Evans, Hon. David Mylor North Eastern NP Theophanous, Hon. Theo JibJika ALP Forwood, Hon. Bill Templestowe LP Charles -Gould, Hon. Monica Mary Doutta Galla ALP Varty, Hon. Rosemary Silvan LP Guest, Hon. James Vincent Monash LP Walpole, Hon. Douglas Melbourne ALP Chester Thompson Hall. Hon. Peter Ronald Gippsland NP Wells, Hon. Ronald James Eumemmerring LP Hallam, Hon. Roger Murray Western NP Herbert Hartigan, Hon. William Geelong LP White, Hon. David Ronald Doutta Galla ALP Anthony Neville Wilding, Hon. Sue Chelsea LP de Carteret -Elected 18.9.93 FIFTY-SECOND PARLIAMENT-FIRST SESSION Praident: The Hon. B. A. CHAMBERLAIN Chairman of Committees: The Hon. D. M. EVANS Temporary Chairmen of Committees: The Honourables G. B. Ashrnan, G. H. Cox. J. V. C. Guest, P. R. Hall, D. E. Henshaw, R S. Ives, and ticia Kokocinslci Leader of the Government: The Hon. M. A. BIRRELL Deputy Leader of the Government: The Hon. HADDON STOREY, QC Leader of the National Party: The Hon. W. R. BAXTER Deputy Leader of the National Party: The Hon. R. M. HALLAM Leader of the Opposition: The Hon. D. R. WHITE Deputy Leader of the Opposition: The Hon. C. J. HOGG Heads of Parliamentary Departments Council-Clerk of the Parliaments and Clerk of the Legislative Council: Mr A. V. Bray Assembly-Clerk of the Legislative Assembly: Mr J. G. Little, JP Hansard-Chief Reporter: Mr Eric Woodward Library-Librarian: Mr B. J. Davidson House-Secretary: Mr W. F. McKelvie CITY OF MELBOURNE BILL Tuesday, 19 October 1993 COUNCIL 513 National Tennis Centre or the Melbourne Cricket merger of councils in the Geelong area - and it is Ground; they failed to make the city attractive for hoped that will be done expeditiously and allow residential living, and they have created such a ongoing leadership to be reconstituted in the City of soulless central business district that only 6 per cent Geelong as soon as possible - but I make it clear of Melburnians regularly visit the city. Under the that in 1981 when administrators were appointed a changes planned by the coalition government the false expectation was created that they would Melbourne City Council would revert to a closed provide leadership. The response of the whole of the club with social trappings controlled by the business city was that it would not take notice of the failures and bankrupts of the 1980s whose vision for administrators no matter how good they were Melbourne would be less important than a mate's because they would be gone within 12 months or building permit. The coalition government has two years and they would not provide leadership to proposed no vision for Melbourne city, nor has a the City of Melbourne. visionary leader been identified or come forward. The last time administrators were appointed it was a What will happen with the central business district failure, and the coalition government needs to learn is that the remaining residential areas, the rest of from that lesson and realise there is no need for Victoria, the State government, the Federal administrators at this time. government and the investment community that may be contemplating new investment in In response to Mr Atkinson I make the following Melbourne will treat the commissioners, whoever points. The appointment of administrators will they may be, as not setting down the map for the produce an interregnum during which there will be future. If one were about to make an investment no continuity or effective leadership of the city. decision one would go to the administrators with Everyone knows that administrators, whoever they one's plan for the City of Melbourne. It might have may be, are simply proViding a temporary been stamped by the Minister for Local Government arrangement, whether it is for 6 months or 12 and by the State government and it might even have months, so there will be no ongoing or longstanding some form of endorsement from the Federal leadership of the city. government, but the investor would say that that was all very fine but the administrators would not Notwithstanding what Mr Atkinson said, I believe be around in years to come and the investor would the existing council could continue with the want to talk to people who would be there for the exception of the councillors who represent North next 10 or 20 years to make sure his investment was Carlton, Flemington and KenSington, and that at the safe. He would see the administrators as only there first opportunity a spill should occur and a new for the interregnum, to clean up the show, present a election be called in 1994 based on the proposed new new image and pave the way for a newly elected boundaries. That would mean that for a few months council. parts of the city such as the Southbank area would not be represented, but I advise Mr Atkinson that The people elected at the next election would be the commissioners would not be represented at people to shape the character of Melbourne, democratically elected councils in any event. If an whatever character it has. Whatever leadership there election were held in 1994 it would be possible for is to be will be decided by that council, not by the the council that emerges to have leadership at the administrators who are there for the interregnum. earliest possible time. The council will simply be put on hold, and nobody contemplating a serious investment decision would That leadership should determine the city strategies. treat that group of people as having to do with Wha tever city strategies were determined by business on an ongoing basis. However hard the administrators would be reviewed by the new administrators try and whatever powers they take councillors, so if Mr Atkinson were elected to the over it will not be possible for the State government City of Melbourne the first thing he would do would to fill that gap. The lesson of 1981 is not to appoint be to review the proposals the commissioners put to an administrator unless the circumstances are him. As a newly elected councillor he would not similar to what happened in Camberwell or in accept what the administrators were putting to him. Strathfieldsaye and there are difficulties in It is one thing to have an administrator appointed to continuing with the existing council.