5 Sep 2002 Legislative Assembly 3391

THURSDAY, 5 SEPTEMBER 2002

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

PRIVILEGE National Party Support for Townsville Parliamentary Sitting Mr MICKEL (Logan—ALP) (9.31 a.m.): I rise on a matter of privilege. Last night in this House, the Leader of the Opposition in a point of order claimed that the National Party 'has supported this parliament'. I refer to the Channel 10 news of Friday, 30 August 2002 where the Leader of the Opposition said of the Townsville sitting— It could have been far better spent in providing something of substance. Mr Speaker, for your further consideration, I table other evidence of the honourable gentleman's lack of support. I ask that you consider referring this mendacity to the privileges committee. Mr Seeney interjected. Mr Johnson interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Gregory and the member for Callide! The House will come to order!

SCHOOLS ATTENDING PARLIAMENT Mr SPEAKER: As raised with honourable members on Tuesday, I will acknowledge the schools attending the special sitting at the beginning of each day. I therefore warmly welcome students, parents and teachers from Hermit Park State School—and I mention that the Hon. Mike Reynolds was a pupil at that school for eight years and also his children were pupils there—Townsville State High School, Garbutt State School, Townsville Grammar School and James Cook University in the electorate of Townsville; the Cathedral School, Annandale Christian College, Annandale State School, Heatley Secondary School, Pimlico State High School and Currajong State School in the electorate of Mundingburra; St Peter's School (Halifax), Rollingstone State School, Hinchinbrook Christian College and Mission Beach State School in the electorate of Hinchinbrook; Edge Hill State School in the electorate of Barron River; Home Hill State High School, Airville State School, Wulguru State School, Maidavale State School and Claire State School in the electorate of Burdekin; St Anthony's School and Kirwan State High School in the electorate of Thuringowa; St Mary's School (Bowen) in the electorate of Whitsunday; and a very important one, Yam Island State School in the electorate of Cook. Welcome to you all. Honourable members: Hear, hear!

PAPER MINISTERIAL RESPONSE TO A PETITION The Clerk tabled the following response to a petition— Response from the Minister for Health and Minister Assisting the Premier on Women's Policy (Mrs Edmond) to a petition presented by Ms Barry from 135 petitioners, regarding medical indemnity—

Mr R Doyle The Clerk of the Parliament Parliament House Alice and George Streets BRISBANE Q 4000 Dear Mr Doyle Thank you for your letter dated 1 August 2002, enclosing a petition regarding the medical indemnity. The tort law reform issues raised in your petition are strictly speaking a matter for the Attorney General and Minister for Justice being legislation that would be administered by the Attorney's portfolio. However, as the subject matter has a direct impact upon the medical profession in Queensland it is appropriate that I clarify a number of issues in relation to steps that have already been taken. 3392 Ministerial Statement 5 Sep 2002

The State Government has implemented comprehensive new laws that deal specifically with the concerns about insurance raised by doctors and others in our community. The laws were fast-tracked through Parliament, in order to take effect before 1 July. These laws were drafted in consultation with groups including the Heads of Treasury from each State and the Australian Medical Association Queensland (AMAQ). The Premier, Attorney General and I have met with representatives of the AMAQ, relevant medical associations (including the Queensland Divisions of General Practice Association) and other stakeholders to seek their views and to ensure that the issues raised by them and their members are being made known to the relevant parties. The impact of these laws includes limiting compensation pay-outs by the courts, abolishing jury hearings for personal injuries cases, eliminating awards of legal costs for smaller claims, and banning lawyers 'no win-no fee' advertising which attracted many frivolous claims. The laws also make mediation and settlement conferences compulsory. These actions will reduce the number of claims going to court, and also prevent huge court settlements in Queensland. Separate to the new laws, the State Government also fully covers all doctors treating public patients in public hospitals. The Government has recently added further protection for doctors, guaranteeing additional indemnities for visiting medical officers for their consent process and for private rural doctors doing certain specialist work. While the State Government is working to give future certainty to doctors, addressing the situation surrounding the financial collapse of United Medical Protection (UMP) is a Federal Government responsibility. The Federal Government gave a guarantee it would cover doctors insured through UMP until 31 December 2002, which means there is no immediate 'crisis', and gives them time to work out a solution with UMP liquidators. While doctors, like many sections of our society, have genuine concerns about insurance, the State Government is urging them to continue providing an uninterrupted service to patients. We have asked the Federal Government to support our changes to the law by giving the pricing watchdog, the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC), sufficient powers to act against any insurer that raises premiums by unfair and unjustified amounts. We are also working with the Federal Government and other State and Territory Governments on the complex issues involved in the legal rights of children which allows children to reach adulthood before the Statute of Limitations of three years applies. These are complex issues that need to be considered carefully and implemented consistently at a national level as they directly impact on individuals legal rights. There are a number of other issues still to be considered prior to further legislative change later this year, including consideration of caps and thresholds for general damages. Of course, doctors are not the only ones worried about insurance. Not-for-profit community based groups have been particularly impacted by increases in public liability insurance premiums. To help these groups, the State Government is establishing a group insurance scheme open to all not-for-profit groups. This will be in place by September 2002. Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention and I trust this information is of assistance. Yours sincerely (sgd) Wendy Edmond MP Minister for Health and Minister Assisting the Premier on Women's Policy 3 SEP 2002

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT School Students' Breakfast; Premier's Schedule; September 11 Anniversary Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.36 a.m.), by leave: Along with a number of members representing all sides of this House, including the Independents, this morning I had the pleasure of meeting bright young people at Pimlico TAFE where they gathered for a school students' breakfast hosted by the Commission for Children and Young People. I want to put on record my appreciation to the Children's Commissioner, Robin Sullivan, for organising that function. I seek to incorporate in Hansard a short statement setting out the details, which I think should be on the record of this parliament. Leave granted. This morning, I had the pleasure of attending the "Kids Speak Out" breakfast hosted by the Commission for Children and Young People at Pimlico TAFE. The breakfast was attended by over 100 north Queensland school students and over 30 members of this Parliament. The breakfast provided an opportunity for Members of the House to listen to the concerns and suggestions of our young people on a range of issues, including education, employment, the law, the environment and sporting and recreational facilities. I wish to extend my thanks to the students who assisted in the organisation of the breakfast, in particular: 5 Sep 2002 Ministerial Statement 3393

the Pimlico TAFE students for preparing the hearty buffet. I'm sure all Members who attended would like to start every sitting day with such a fine feast; Townsville Grammar School and Pimlico State High School for the music; and all the north Queensland students who raised their issues and suggestions with us. I suggest to all my colleagues in the House today, that we provide opportunities for our younger constituents to take part in the democratic process by sharing their views and wishes with us. As elected Members, we have a particular responsibility to be aware of the issues facing young people today. I'm sure the Members present at the Commission's breakfast will note the issues raised, and will take every opportunity to ensure the views of young people are reflected in the work in their electorates. In addition to the breakfast, the Commission for Children and Young People has been engaging with young people from across north Queensland during each day of the Parliamentary sittings by balloting students on issues of importance to them. The results of the ballot will be provided to Members when the results have been analysed. Mr BEATTIE: As part of my normal process while parliament has been sitting in Townsville, I will spell out the program for today involving myself as Premier. At 11.45 the Governor will hold an executive council meeting. The Minister for Emergency Services and I will be with the Governor for this historic meeting of the executive council. At 12.15 I will join the Families Minister, Judy Spence, to launch Foster Care Week. At 1.15 I will present awards to young poster designers, debaters and teacher volunteers. At 3 o'clock I will open the Townsville premises of Foodbank. At 4.30 I will join the Deputy Premier and Treasurer, Terry Mackenroth, in meeting directors of Townsville Enterprise, along with the Minister for State Development. At 5.30 there will be another delegation in relation to a future plant in Townsville. Let me move on and talk about a matter of international importance. Next Wednesday will be a year since the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. The attacks on Washington and New York rocked the world, stunning us all into silence and generating an overwhelming response of human compassion and sympathy. The footage of the World Trade Centre being hit, the towers collapsing and the fear and distress of the survivors are images never to be forgotten by any of us. No matter how many times we saw those images, it was difficult to come to terms with the atrocity and the number of innocent people who perished that day. Earlier this year I visited ground zero, and on behalf of all Queenslanders—particularly our services, including police, fire and ambulance—I paid my respects to the victims of the tragedy. The visit was one of the most moving experiences of my life—standing at that site and looking at the huge hole where the World Trade Centre once stood. I was humbled by the incredible stories of bravery by American firefighters, emergency service crews and police officers. September 11 has, however, taught us all some valuable lessons about who we are and where we live. It makes us proud to be Queenslanders and Australians because of our democracy and the safeness of this nation. We as Queenslanders enjoy an enviable lifestyle. We live in a safe and secure country. We enjoy a free democratic society where people have the right to state their views and become involved in the democratic process. We have the ability here to disagree with one another but respect the other's right to have a different view. This week's parliamentary sitting in Townsville is testament to Queensland's basic public right to access democracy. The attacks are also a reminder of the fragility of our existence. A year on, we should continue to strive to create a world where we defuse the hate that fuels these tragedies. If we do not, we lose the freedoms and peace that we aspire to and desire so greatly. Australia is a multicultural society; a melting pot of different races, creeds and religions. It is this cultural diversity that enriches our society and makes Australia such a wonderful place in which to live, a tolerant place to live. After last year's tragedy, Australians rallied together and turned to each other for support, regardless of race or religion. The attack highlighted that a tolerance of different backgrounds and faiths is essential if Australia is to move forward from this tragedy and social harmony is to be maintained. Today I announce that the government has decided that, on Wednesday, as a mark of respect, flags in Queensland will be flown at half-mast. As well, I am urging all Queenslanders to turn on their car headlights at 8.47 a.m., particularly those who are using government vehicles, but I encourage all Queenslanders to do so. Australian schoolteacher Paul Gyulavary lost his twin brother in the tragedy and has suggested that motorists should turn on their lights at 8.47 a.m. on September 11, and I endorse his request to all Queenslanders. It was at 8.47 a.m. in New York that the first hijacked plane hit the World Trade Centre. I ask drivers of state government vehicles and all other drivers to join in in this tribute. 3394 Ministerial Statement 5 Sep 2002

As well, I will take part in a wreath laying service during a service at St Stephen's Cathedral in Brisbane on Wednesday. I encourage church leaders around the state to hold similar services. Indeed, I encourage multifaith gatherings where possible. I urge all Queenslanders—particularly members of this House—to take a few minutes on Wednesday to ponder last year's tragedy, to reflect on our good fortune in this country and to consider ways in which we can make our society even better and more inclusive. At 11 a.m. on that morning I also ask Queenslanders wherever they are to pause for a minute's silence to reflect on the need for peace and to reflect on how lucky we are to be Australians. On behalf of this parliament and all Queenslanders, I again extend condolences to the families of the victims of the September 11 attack.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Mapping the future: A discussion paper for Queensland women and girls Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.42 a.m.), by leave: This parliament has more women in it than any other parliament in Australia. Indeed, as I understand it, there are only two parliaments in the world that have a greater percentage of women: one is in Denmark and the other one is in Sweden. So we compare very favourably. Indeed, since the last election that has lifted the tone of the place. Our world is changing, and perhaps more rapidly than ever. Global economies, shifting family structures, population growth, changing demographics, technological advances and new forms of work present both challenges and opportunities. The government wants all Queenslanders to be able to take advantage of the changes. That means that we share the will for women and girls to emerge from this social, economic and technological revolution as equal partners. At this point in history, gender equality is not negotiable and it is not open to compromise. Today, I table a copy of a document that is the first cut of a vision for the future of women and girls in this state and, indeed, in Australia. It is called Mapping the future: A discussion paper for Queensland women and girls and it calls for input from the community. Mr Speaker, with your permission, I have asked for copies of that to be distributed to all members and I urge all members to respond to this document, and I table this copy. We know how important are the gains that have been made in advancing women. The annual action plans of this government have outlined our initiatives aimed at improving life for women and girls. I pay tribute to the Health Minister, Wendy Edmond, and her parliamentary secretary who assist me on women's policy and who have an energetic commitment to these issues. There are a number of meetings being held across the state. I seek leave to incorporate the rest of my ministerial statement, including details about the forums where this document will be discussed. Leave granted. And of course many improvements have been achieved outside government—by community activists who have set the pace for government reforms (and I acknowledge North Queensland has a fine tradition of feminist activism). But more work remains, and Mapping the future asks Queenslanders to give their views on what needs to be done. This is not just for women—partners, sons, fathers, family members and colleagues have a big stake in the future of more than half our population. In developing the paper, the Office for Women drew on national and international research, previous consultations, and discussions with the community and other government agencies. The paper includes positive projects, case studies and profiles of prominent women and women's organisations. I urge widespread community discussion of Mapping the Future up until 18 October, when submissions close. Formal discussions will begin next Wednesday and Thursday when Wendy Edmond hosts Queensland Women's Round Table. I will be meeting participants at an afternoon reception on Wednesday September 11. Seventeen community forums will be held across Queensland. In: Brisbane City, at Women's Infolink (56 Mary St) on Monday 30 September between 5pm and 7pm. The 16 other community forums will take place between noon and 2pm: Friday 20 September—Carseldine Palms Conference & Training Centre Monday 23 September—Acacia Ridge Function & Conference Centre Monday 30 September—Brothers Sports Club, Bundaberg Friday 20 September—Cairns City Library Tuesday 1 October—RSL Club, Charleville 5 Sep 2002 Ministerial Statement 3395

Monday 7 October—Sharks Football Club, Gold Coast Wednesday 2 October—Ipswich Civic Centre Friday 27 September—Kingston Butter Factory Community Arts Centre Monday 30 September—Albert Park Motor Inn, Longreach Wednesday 25 September—Windmill Motel & Reception Centre , Mackay Monday 23 September—Mercure Hotel Verona, Mt Isa Thursday 26 September—Rockhampton Leagues Club Friday 4 October—Maranoa Club, Roma Thursday 10 October—Rural Futures Network Centre, Sunshine Coast Friday 4 October—Burke & Wills Hotel, Toowoomba Tuesday 15 October—Qld Country Women's Association Function Hall, Townsville I also encourage community groups to discuss this throughout their networks Members of my Labor Women's Advisory Group will champion consultation across the State. The Office for Women will analyse feedback and use this in the development of an agenda for women and girls. Copies of the discussion paper are available by contacting the Office for Women on 3224 4062, or at www.qldwoman.qld.gov.au. I seek leave to table Mapping the future a discussion paper for Queensland women and Girls.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Regional Parliament Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.44 a.m.), by leave: The first regional sitting of state parliament has been a success beyond all expectations. Last night, more than 1,000 people were on hand to witness this parliament—the most significant number in the history of the parliament. In all, by today's conclusion, that number will total an estimated 8,000 people. In three days, that is one-fifth of all of last year's 40,000 visitors—the total for Brisbane. This goes to indicate how popular this parliament has been. I want to thank the people of north Queensland for coming along in such numbers. They have come from Rocky in the south to Saibai Island in the north, and from Mount Isa in the west. As I understand it, the students of one of the schools in the electorate of Mount Isa travelled something like 12 hours— Mr McGrady: Twenty hours. Mr BEATTIE: Twenty hours to be here. That is fantastic. They ought to be congratulated. I especially thank Mr Speaker and his staff. I want to thank Robert Doyle and Neil Laurie and all the parliamentary staff. In particular— An opposition member interjected. Mr BEATTIE: The member should behave himself. In particular, I want to thank the CWA women. That is why I wanted the member's silence, because the CWA women have done a magnificent job and I want to thank them very much. I want to thank the staff of the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre; the Queensland police officers; security staff; St John's Ambulance staff; staff from the Department of the Premier and Cabinet; the Townsville City Council; 4TO for the free barbecue—which, I have to say I enjoyed even if some members of this House did not; our indigenous welcoming group; all 86 schools, their teachers and students and the volunteers who have supported the school visits; the media; and, of course, the people of north Queensland for taking the opportunity to witness democracy in action. I give special thanks also to the technical staff who keep it all together and, in particular, I want to thank all the volunteers who contributed a magnificent effort for nothing. They are wonderful. I thank the members for the way in which they have enhanced this gathering as well. This gathering has been witnessed by representatives of a number of parliaments—in Tasmania, Victoria and the Northern Territory. I understand that this model is being considered in other parts of Australia. I hope that they take up our example. Such has been the success of this historic sitting of parliament that I am today calling on regional communities in the state—and indeed the local members from those cities, their mayors and their councils—to rally their cities and put forward proposals for the next regional sitting of the Queensland parliament. In short, if we are again given the privilege to form a government, we will have another regional parliament. That is in the hands of the people, but we will. Today I am asking for expressions of interest from communities across the whole of Queensland and I will consider every one of those options. Mr SPEAKER: Redcliffe as well? 3396 Ministerial Statement 5 Sep 2002

Mr BEATTIE: Mr Speaker, with due respect to you, of course I would have to consider Redcliffe. But we are happy to consider Cairns— Mr Schwarten: Rockhampton? Mr BEATTIE: Rockhampton, Mount Isa, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast— Honourable members interjected. Mr BEATTIE: Here we go. I see the bids are already coming. I am being overwhelmed here. There is so much enthusiasm and support. We can see that this is going to be a tough choice if we get re-elected. I am sure that the regional cities would love to have the economic, social and moral boost that Townsville has had this week. So I call on those cities to put their proposals to me as to why they should be considered. Townsville has set a magnificent benchmark that will be hard to better, but I am confident that there would be several keen to have a go. We said at the start that our aim was to take parliament to the people. The people have taken to the parliament, and I think that is fantastic. It is right that this should have been done. It should have been done a long time ago. We have proven that the people want to keep in touch and to meet their parliamentarians face to face. We have also proven to the Brisbane-centric critics that their criticisms were bordering on the ridiculous. They will now know that there is a large newsworthy chunk of Queensland north of Noosa—as much as we love Noosa, I should say. It just shows how out of touch some people have been. If there is one of those additional uncosted benefits, it is that this historic sitting of parliament has further united the state. In my view, as a former North Queenslander, it puts to rest any calls for a breakaway north Queensland. We have moved a long way this week to further cementing the view that all Queenslanders know that they are fair dinkum and that we go out of our way to meet with them and listen to their concerns. Can I simply say: thankyou Townsville, thankyou north Queensland. You have been magnificent.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Townsville Power Station Hon. T. M. MACKENROTH (Chatsworth—ALP) (Deputy Premier and Treasurer and Minister for Sport) (9.49 a.m.), by leave: The $500 million Townsville power station represents a significant development for the future growth of north Queensland as an industrial and economic hub of Australia and the south-east Asia Pacific region. The Beattie government is very excited about this project because it simply has so much going for it. Let me start with jobs. This power station and gas pipeline project is expected to create 8,000 full-time equivalent jobs over the first decade, boosting employment in north Queensland by 5.43 per cent. Economic growth in the region is expected to increase by more than five per cent during the same period as a direct result of the project. Economic and employment growth will be spread across the community, with direct employment generated by the construction and operation of the power station, gas field and gas pipeline. This will be supplemented by flow-on effects to other industries in the region, such as trade, financial and business services through to dwelling ownership and private motor vehicle ownership. As the preferred developer, Enertrade will source coal seam methane gas from the Bowen Basin, with a new pipeline to fuel the power station. The project will inject new confidence and encourage future investment in other coal seam methane gas projects. Overall the project involves: conversion of an existing peaking power plant in Townsville into a 220 megawatt combined-cycle baseload power station; development of a new coal seam methane—CSM—production field near Moranbah in central Queensland; and construction of a 391 kilometre gas pipeline from Moranbah to Townsville. I am very pleased to see this project taking shape. It is one of the key objectives of the Beattie government's cleaner energy policy along with its associated gas pipeline infrastructure. The power station is of enormous strategic significance and will have a wider benefit for all Queenslanders because it represents a significant stimulus for the development of new gas supply sources, contributing to gas market competition. The power station will generate more than 20 per cent of electricity consumed in north Queensland and 4.3 per cent of the electricity consumed in the state in its first year of operation. A baseload power station in Townsville will reduce the amount of electricity lost in transmission and will reduce the need for future investment in transmission line infrastructure in north 5 Sep 2002 Ministerial Statement 3397

Queensland. Also, the power station will meet approximately one-third of the requirement of our landmark 13 per cent gas scheme, which requires that 13 per cent of all electricity sold in Queensland from 2005 must be produced from gas-fired generation. The power station will be located adjacent to the QNI nickel refinery at Yabulu and has the potential capability to assist the refinery with gas supply, power and steam for its existing operation and proposed expansion. The possibility of converting the Mount Stuart peaking power plant to gas also exists and Enertrade is already assessing the market for other gas loads, including reticulated gas to residential areas. On the subject of the merits of gas-fired power over coal-fired power, a front-page article in the Townsville Bulletin last Wednesday gave rise to a discussion about the electricity supply for Townsville's future industrial requirements. I note particularly the comments of Graham Jackson of Townsville Enterprise that there may be a need for additional baseload generation in north Queensland. Meanwhile, others such as Aivar Blums of the Gladstone Economic and Industry Development Board, and Mike Brunker, the mayor of Bowen, have supported the development of new coal-fired power generation in the Bowen Basin, with additional electricity transmission to Townsville. The Beattie government recognises that local gas-fired generation will only meet part of north Queensland's future power requirements and that there will always be a need for additional supply. There has been a bit of confusion about the price at which power can be supplied, with some claiming that a new coal-fired generation would be able to supply local industrial customers more cheaply. I would like to clarify a few facts about this issue. Under the national electricity market arrangements, if a customer receives electricity from the national pool via the transmission grid, that customer pays the pool price, regardless of whether the electricity is generated from coal, gas or any other source. Also, while customers can establish their own 'specific purpose' transmission infrastructure for one-off grid supply, they do not have the comfort of back-up supply via the grid. This is often essential for significant industrial customers which require reliable electricity supply. Past commercial analysis has suggested that it is less expensive for industrial customers in north Queensland to take their power supply from the grid than to establish new coal-fired generation with their own dedicated transmission assets. The Beattie government will continue to assist major power customers with their assessment of their energy needs. The project is progressing well and is on schedule. Gas reserves development for the project is also on track, with an independent assessment of the reserves to be carried out before the end of this year. The first gas to the power station is timetabled for late 2004, with commercial operation starting in January 2005. Enertrade is working with government agencies to manage the environmental planning and approvals process and consulting the community about the project. The 391 kilometre gas pipeline project has been granted significant project status by the coordinator- general, confirming the government's belief in the benefits of the project to north Queensland and the state. The support of local communities for this exciting project has been welcomed. The Townsville power station and gas delivery project is important to north Queensland, and the government will continue to actively monitor progress to help ensure the successful delivery of the project. The Beattie government looks forward to the commissioning of the gas pipeline and power station in 2005.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Distance Education Hon. A. M. BLIGH (South Brisbane—ALP) (Minister for Education) (9.57 a.m.), by leave: The state government is committed to delivering quality education to all Queensland students, regardless of where they live, including those who live in rural and remote areas undertaking their schooling by distance at home. Education Queensland caters for 3,795 students from families through the schools of distance education. To date, many of our schools of distance education have engaged in the innovative use of ICT through the initiative of their local communities. Indeed, the Charters Towers School of Distance Education, which caters for 295 students from as far away from Charters Towers as 570 kilometres, has created online resources for students as a part of its involvement in the trial of the world-leading new basics program. 3398 Ministerial Statement 5 Sep 2002

As I talk to parents, I find that there is a real readiness and acceptance of the need to move to get the most benefit from the new technologies that are now available to us. Therefore, it is with pleasure that I announce this morning that, from the beginning of the next school year, our government will enable primary distance education students from across the state to begin experiencing the benefits of the digital revolution. This is a Queensland first. From term 1 of 2003, primary distance education students will be able to electronically prepare and return their assignments to their teachers via email. Digitisation for secondary distance education students will progress through the year. Existing paper based primary and secondary distance education materials will also be available in digital format. In excess of $1 million will be committed to beginning this venture, with work starting immediately. These are the first steps in our government's initiative to make distance learning digital. The advantages of providing access to digitised learning materials are many. It allows opportunities for more individualised instruction at a place, time and pace suited to students' needs. It increases the curriculum choices that too often have been limited for distance students and it enhances the range of curriculum delivery and assessment methods available to teachers and students. Print based systems create a time lag for distance education materials development. That means that distance education teachers and students are always playing catch-up. They are always a step behind the latest. That is not good enough and it is about to change.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Stroke Prevention Hon. W. M. EDMOND (Mount Coot-tha—ALP) (Minister for Health and Minister Assisting the Premier on Women's Policy) (10.01 a.m.), by leave: Queensland is slowly winning the war against one of our biggest killers—strokes. That is good news for all Queenslanders, but there is still a long way to go because, like heart disease, strokes are largely a preventable illness. Queensland Health's latest statistics show that for the 10-year period 1991 to 2000 mortality rates from stroke declined by 3.4 per cent per year in males and 3.1 per cent per year in females in Queensland. Behind heart disease, strokes are the No. 2 killer in Queensland, with about 900 men and 1,300 women dying each year in this state. Mortality rates from stroke are about 12 per cent higher than the state average in economically disadvantaged areas and 10 per cent lower than the state average in affluent areas. In northern Queensland about 115 men and 145 women die from strokes each year and, like the Queensland average, the mortality rates from stroke in this part of the state have steadily declined by 3.2 per cent for both men and women over the past decade. These types of statistics are very sobering. While the improvement is welcomed, it should be pointed out that the mortality rates from stroke in Queensland are higher than those in France, the United States, Canada and Hong Kong. Clearly, we can do better. During the upcoming National Stroke Week, I will be releasing a statewide strategy to reduce Queensland deaths from strokes. Experts have attributed the declines in mortality rates from stroke to preventive measures, including better control of hypertension, quitting smoking, improving nutrition, increased levels of physical activity and better treatment for stroke victims. In the budget there was an increase of $1 million in recurrent funding to boost the public health and community nutrition work force. The work force will focus on issues concerning food supply, promoting healthy eating and increasing the consumption of vegetables and fruit. As I said before, strokes are preventable, but governments can only do so much in getting this message out. Eventually it comes down to us as individuals and whether we do the right thing. People who are prime candidates for strokes should understand that they can do something about it. Queensland Health has produced an information circular regarding strokes, titled Patterns of mortality from stroke in Queensland, which we are releasing today and which I table for the information of the House.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT ICT Industry, North Queensland Hon. T. A. BARTON (Waterford—ALP) (Minister for State Development) (10.04 a.m.), by leave: North Queensland, and in particular Townsville, is fast becoming regarded as a growing hub for the information and communication industry in this state. A recent survey of information and communication technology companies in north Queensland has identified significant potential for future growth as part of a regional industry development plan conducted by my State 5 Sep 2002 Ministerial Statement 3399

Development Centre in Townsville. That survey indicated that ICT could become a leading industry in north Queensland. Why? Because there are some 110 companies employing over 800 people and with an industry turnover of $90 million all based around Townsville and surrounding areas. There is huge potential for export destinations, including Singapore, Europe, South America and Malaysia. ICT capability in north Queensland includes education, research, software development, databases, e-commerce, multimedia, network administration, training and web development. The ICT plan identifies a number of industry issues for action by the Townsville State Development Centre, including marketing regional capability in ICT, industry networking and export. This has significant flow-on benefits for the entire economy, as the development of the ICT industry in north Queensland will enhance the ability of other sectors to be internationally competitive. Already in Townsville we have seen the revamped Telstra call centre, which was opened in July this year. The call centre expects to generate about $4 million for the regional economy, with Townsville supplying 400 staff as the primary centre for rural customers across Australia. Furthermore, Telstra chose Townsville as a major service centre for faults, installations of national mobile phone services and Telstra Big Pond Internet support. The State Development Centre in Townsville liaised closely with Telstra to develop the ICT industry plan and is working with Telstra on a range of regional initiatives. The State Development Centre in Townsville will also continue to produce the free guide to north Queensland ICT services book, which now lists the capabilities of over 50 local companies. The ICT industry presents significant opportunity for the north, and my department is assisting with the development of this important and growing sector.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Railway Services, North Queensland Hon. S. D. BREDHAUER (Cook—ALP) (Minister for Transport and Minister for Main Roads) (10.06 a.m.), by leave: The new Townsville Railway Station is an exciting project, delivering on the Beattie government's 1998 election commitment. The Beattie government approved $12 million towards the station project, with a further $11.8 million allocated towards the cost of track realignment and signalling works. In May, two major contracts were awarded, including a $10.6 million contract with Total Construction Services Pty Ltd for construction of the bridge across Ross Creek and the station building. The second contract of $2.3 million was awarded to Citiworks, a business unit of Townsville City Council, for bulk earthworks, construction of the station car park and landscaping. Both contracts went to local firms. The expected completion date is mid-2003, which will approximately coincide with the introduction of the government's new $138 million Brisbane to Cairns tilt train service. Relocating the station will now free up large parcels of valuable land for residential and commercial development. The old train station will remain, to house the QR Travel Centre and administration offices. The new and old stations will be linked by a ceremonial line for special occasions. The Brisbane to Cairns tilt train service is scheduled to commence in mid-2003. The government has agreed that there will be three tilt train services per week between Brisbane and Cairns. In July this year, I released a draft timetable and the proposed fare structure for the Cairns tilt train. The exhibit showed the proposed timetable with a trip time from Cairns to Brisbane of 26.5 hours. Mr Lester interjected. Mr BREDHAUER: I thought the honourable member for Keppel might have appreciated the benefits that the tilt trains between Brisbane and Rockhampton have brought. While the tilt train has a maximum speed of 160 kilometres per hour on the track south of Townsville, the track north of Townsville currently limits the train's maximum speed to 100 kilometres per hour. However, the $369 million Rockhampton to Cairns track upgrade, due to be completed by May 2004, will also have significant benefits for the tilt train and, I am advised, will have the potential to reduce the journey closer to 24 hours. A trial will be conducted in late October 2002 to assess the impact of the track upgrade and accelerations on the safety of staff and passengers. The proposed timetable has the tilt train service travelling in daylight hours between Mackay and Cairns in both directions. Daylight running will mean far more convenient arrival and departure times compared with the current rail timetables and will allow for better connections to major tourism locations such as Townsville, Airlie Beach, the Whitsundays and the northern beaches of Cairns and Port Douglas. 3400 Ministerial Statement 5 Sep 2002

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Reef Protection Task Force, Great Barrier Reef Hon. D. M. WELLS (Murrumba—ALP) (Minister for Environment) (10.09 a.m.), by leave: The Great Barrier Reef is perhaps the greatest natural wonder of the world. It is a World Heritage area with more than 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands. It stretches for more than 4,000 kilometres and contains some of the most spectacular and diverse ecosystems in the world. It supports major tourism, fishing and research industries with an estimated value greater than $2 billion per year. This government is committed to its protection. We have established a reef task force. The task force compromises representatives of the seafood industry, Agforce, Canegrowers, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature and the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators, to name just a few. The role of the Reef Protection Task Force is to advise the Queensland government on its development of a reef protection plan. One major commitment has been to the fight to control the crown-of-thorns starfish. To date, Queensland has allocated $1 million to the control program administered by the Premier. The government has now received the second crown-of-thorns progress report for the period from 1 April 2002 to 20 June 2002 from the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators, which is undertaking the control program. During the last reporting period, crown-of-thorns starfish controlled dives occurred on 18 reefs. I am advised that more than 4,000 crown-of-thorns were removed from John Brewer Reef alone in just six days. Bait Reef in the Whitsundays was revisited when starfish numbers increased beyond the capacity of local marine tourism operators to control the starfish. The government is also addressing water quality issues impacting on the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage area. The Premier and the Prime Minister recently signed an agreement to work together on a Great Barrier Reef water quality protection plan. The EPA—the Environmental Protection Agency—and other Queensland and Commonwealth agencies are working with key stakeholders, including regional natural resource management bodies, to develop this plan to address land based sources of pollution. A draft plan will be released for full public consultation later this year. Day-to-day management and protection of the Great Barrier Reef is primarily delivered by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, a branch of my department, supported by Coastwatch, the Queensland Water Police and other agencies. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service works to protect marine wildlife through ongoing monitoring of stranded, sick and injured marine wildlife including dugong, dolphins and whales. Monitoring is focused on hot spots such as near our larger ports, enabling the enforcement of measures to minimise harm to marine animals. Our reef is spectacular, and through these and other measures this government will work to protect the reef, not just for our generation but for all generations and for the ages and generations to come.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Indigenous Healing Centres 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) (10.13 a.m.), by leave: In response to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Task Force report on violence, the Beattie government made a commitment to establish services to respond to the high incidence of domestic and family violence in indigenous communities. I am pleased to announce today more than $1.3 million funding over the next three years for two indigenous healing services to provide support to indigenous families and individuals and work with communities to enhance their capacity to reduce violence. The Cunnamulla Aboriginal Corporation for Health will establish the Far-west Multipurpose Healing Service in the areas of Cunnamulla, St George and Charleville, and Jobs Queensland Ltd will establish the Central Queensland Consortium Against Domestic Violence Healing Service in the areas of Mount Morgan, Woorabinda and Rockhampton. The services will be operating by the end of this year and will be community driven and multipurpose to address the broad range of issues that impact on families and individuals. They will work in communities to prevent violence, deal with trauma and support families to recover from and escape violence. They will work to achieve local solutions to specific community problems and help people and communities heal from the multiple wounds that violence and abuse inflict. There will be a focus on helping repair the breakdown in traditional values that have contributed to the unacceptable incidence of violence in indigenous communities. 5 Sep 2002 Ministerial Statement 3401

The work of these healing services will be supported, of course, by legislative reforms and new initiatives that have followed from the Cape York Justice Study and the Beattie government's response, Meeting Challenges, Making Choices. Services will pass on traditional knowledge, educate children about the perils of violence and alcohol and substance abuse and help children reconnect with culture. Staff from the Department of Families will work with indigenous organisations in the Torres Strait area and on Cape York to develop proposals for two more healing services in those areas. They will also work with deed of grant in trust communities that have the potential to establish and maintain a healing service to help them develop funding proposals for consideration next year. The Beattie government is determined to empower indigenous communities to solve the endemic abuse and violence that compounds their disadvantage. These new healing centres will help people help themselves and offer support for those most in need.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Irukandji Syndrome; Marine Stingers Hon. M. ROSE (Currumbin—ALP) (Minister for Tourism and Racing and Minister for Fair Trading) (10.15 a.m.), by leave: The Queensland government is working to ensure that visitors to Queensland waters are as safe as possible this summer. Tourism Queensland is coordinating a whole-of-government response to address the issue of irukandji jellyfish stings. The last stinger season was much more severe than in previous years and the deaths of two tourists which may have resulted from irukandji syndrome were tragic. A task force chaired by Tourism Queensland is currently developing prevention, response and research initiatives. The task force and its two working groups include government agencies, Surf Life Saving Queensland, the Cooperative Research Centre for the Reef and medical and scientific experts in this field. By October, when the marine stinger season traditionally commences, a strategy will be in place to address short-term prevention, community, visitor and industry education and a medical response. First-aid guidelines for marine stings have been coordinated with Surf Life Saving Queensland, the Queensland Ambulance Service and Queensland Health. Coordination protocols for contact, transport and treatment of marine stinger victims have been developed between Surf Life Saving Queensland, the Queensland Ambulance Service and Queensland Health hospitals. There has also been the development of a selection of community, industry and visitor education materials, including a multilingual brochure, fact sheets, posters, a web site and information/education workshops. Cairns Base Hospital emergency physicians in collaboration with James Cook University scientists are conducting research into irukandji syndrome, and have been doing so for the past five years. The work is aimed at establishing how to minimise the risk of exposure, how to identify those at risk from the severe forms of the syndrome and how to best treat those affected. The Cooperative Research Centre for the Reef is coordinating funding for irukandji research and the Queensland government, through the Department of Health and also the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, together with regional tourism organisations, has contributed funding towards the community education and awareness strategy. All of these initiatives are aimed at ensuring the continuing safety of people enjoying Queensland's fantastic beaches and marine activities.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Mount Isa Minerals Project Hon. S. ROBERTSON (Stretton—ALP) (Minister for Natural Resources and Minister for Mines) (10.18 a.m.), by leave: My department is set to release new mineral occurrence maps for the Mount Isa-Cloncurry area as part of an ongoing commitment to assist and accelerate exploration programs in our world-class Carpentaria Minerals Province, which I am sure the people of north Queensland are interested in even if the opposition is not. The geological survey of Queensland has finished compiling information on about 3,500 current and abandoned mines and mineral prospects in the area. The mapping covers an area of some 190,000 square kilometres—extending west to the Queensland-Northern Territory border, north to Westmoreland, east to Julia Creek and south to Boulia. 3402 Overseas Visit 5 Sep 2002

This new information will be invaluable to mineral exploration companies as it provides accurate locations of known mineralisation as well as historical mineral production and geological characteristics of the mineral deposits. The newly mapped information will be available on the department's online interactive resource and tenure maps, while the mineral occurrence data will be published on CD. Several individual maps, sheets and reports on exploration activity and mineralisation have also been produced. The Mount Isa minerals project is part of a program that commenced in 1987 to locate and describe all known mineral deposits in Queensland. Since the Mount Isa project started, nine reports have been released summarising exploration activities and mineral deposits in the region. Data has now been compiled for all of north and north-west Queensland and the eastern coastal belt from the Warwick-Texas area north to Mackay. Queensland's mineral and processed mineral exports were worth $11.4 billion in 2000-01, or 53.3 per cent of our overseas exports. We want to encourage further exploration to sustain the state's growth. The compilation of this data in a single digital database makes it easier for interstate and overseas companies to access important exploration data for Queensland. The Mount Isa minerals project reinforces the Beattie government's support for exploration in Queensland as this data will be of long-term benefit for exploration in this state.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, Education Programs; Townsville Crocodiles Hon. M. F. REYNOLDS (Townsville—ALP) (Minister for Emergency Services and Minister Assisting the Premier in North Queensland) (10.20 a.m.), by leave: In north Queensland over the last few years about 4,300 students have had visits from firefighters. Many more have been visited through the School of Distance Education and in indigenous communities as well. That is a great result that shows how many hours are put into fire education programs in north Queensland. In the past financial year 32,143 pre-schoolers received visits by their local fire crews throughout the state. A further 51,125 year 1 students received the fire education program which highlights what to do if their house is on fire, the emergency 000 number and the benefits of smoke alarms and home evacuation planning. In the last financial year firefighters also reached a record 25,169 year 12 students with the progressive Road Awareness and Accident Prevention program, which delivers simple and commonsense safety messages for young drivers. I am sure all Queenslanders would agree that not only are these numbers significant; they also show that firefighters do much more than respond to emergencies. It is of great benefit for all of us in the House today to know that where we are meeting is commonly known as the Swamp. I have some great news today. The Townsville Crocodiles have been on a European tour and last night they beat KK Istra of Croatia 78 to 61—a great result.

COMMUNITY SERVICES LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES LIQUOR LICENCES BILL Remaining Stages; Cognate Debate Hon. A. M. BLIGH (South Brisbane—ALP) (Leader of the House) (10.22 a.m.): I move— That so much of the Standing and Sessional Orders be suspended to enable the Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill and the Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill to be treated as cognate Bills for their remaining stages— (a) one question being put in regard to the second readings; (b) the consideration of the Bills together in Committee of the Whole House; (c) one question being put for the Committee's report stage; and (d) one question being put for the third readings and titles. Motion agreed to.

OVERSEAS VISIT Report Mr MICKEL (Logan—ALP) (10.23 a.m.): I lay upon the table of the House a report of a trade visit to Hong Kong undertaken by the member for Caloundra and myself. 5 Sep 2002 Voluntary Assumption of Risk Bill 3403

VOLUNTARY ASSUMPTION OF RISK BILL Mr SPRINGBORG (Southern Downs—NPA) (10.23 a.m.), by leave, without notice: I move— That leave be granted to bring in a bill for an act about the voluntary assumption of risks created by an activity. Motion agreed to.

First Reading Bill and explanatory notes presented and bill, on motion of Mr Springborg, read a first time.

Second Reading Mr SPRINGBORG (Southern Downs—NPA) (10.24 a.m.): I move— That the bill be now read a second time. This bill seeks to address a major inconsistency in current law regarding a person's right to voluntarily waive any right they may have to sue for loss or damage suffered as a result of their engaging in dangerous or risky activities—for example sporting or recreational activities which have as part of them some inherent risk. We have all been touched by the extent of the insurance and public liability crisis which has hit all of our communities over the last couple of years. The Beattie government has moved to address a number of the problems which the insurance crisis has brought with it. However, to date these moves have fallen short on a number of fronts and voluntary assumption of risk is one of those areas. Most people hold the strong view that, if a person engages in a dangerous or risky activity on an informed and voluntary basis and they are prepared to waive their right to take subsequent legal action if they are injured, they should be able to do so. It follows that our legal system in Queensland should therefore recognise such a waiver. In fact, the majority in the community holds the strong view that people who engage in risky or dangerous activities should not be able to turn around and sue if they are injured. Similarly, many people also hold the view that if these people sign a waiver of their right to sue it should have absolute legal standing in our courts. Currently these waivers are, at best, only considered as an indication of intent by the courts and would probably only be useful to mitigate the extent of damages awarded. In the current litigious environment, this is not sufficient comfort for many providers to continue to provide a range of recreational and sporting activities which may have as part of them an inherent element of risk. This bill in, effect, establishes a statutory framework for a person, or the parent or guardian— Mr Lucas interjected. Mr SPRINGBORG: I ask the honourable minister to listen and to read. I am coming to that. It might be something he finds constructive. This bill in effect establishes a statutory framework for a person, or the parent or guardian of a child, who engages in a risky or dangerous activity to waive their right to sue if injured. This waiver would have effect only if signed by a person after they were made fully aware of the inherent risks associated with that sport or the activity by the provider of that activity. This bill in no way removes the obligation on an operator to ensure that all reasonable safety precautions are taken. The operator is protected from liability only if they have taken all reasonable steps to reduce risk to patrons and have informed them of potential risks. The activity provider also continues to be obliged to meet their responsibilities under other acts of parliament, such as the Workplace Health and Safety Act. Further, such a waiver does not remove a person's right to take legal action if the equipment which is used in the activity is faulty and causes injury. In such a case, it could be envisaged that the injured person may take action against the designer or manufacturer of that equipment. It is important, however, to note that this is only in relation to faulty manufacture and design of such equipment, not the risks which are associated with undertaking the activity using that equipment. This bill should be passed by the parliament because it will enable the continuation of sporting or recreational activities currently at risk of closure as a consequence of spiralling insurance premiums or not being able to get insurance cover at all. These sporting activities 3404 Questions Without Notice 5 Sep 2002 include horse, bicycle and contact sporting activities, which many of us have taken for granted to date. Further, this bill should also have the effect of reducing insurance premiums for the operators of such activities. I commend the bill to the House. Debate, on motion of Mr Welford, adjourned.

PRIVATE MEMBERS' STATEMENTS Queensland Business Review Survey Mr HORAN (Toowoomba South—NPA) (Leader of the Opposition) (10.28 a.m.): Another day, another indictment of the performance of the Beattie Labor government and the team of duds called the ministry. I table the latest results of a survey of the business community conducted by the Queensland Business Review on the performance of this government. What a revelation it is. It states— Business has slammed the performance of the Beattie Government in a new poll ... The majority of respondents to the survey (40.5 per cent), published in the September issue of the Queensland Business Review magazine, rated the Government's performance as 'poor' or 'very poor' across a range of areas. Who topped the list? Who was the worst? It was the Industrial Relations Minister, Mr Nuttall. Seventy per cent think his performance is poor or very poor. Forty per cent think the performance of the Minister for State Development, Mr Barton, is poor or very poor. These are two of the most important ministries in terms of making things happen in this state! Individual ministers also came in for stinging criticism, with a majority of respondents saying that their performance is poor or very poor. Does this come as any surprise? Hardly! This ministry has always been regarded as a pack of duds. Along with the Premier, they have delivered us the worst unemployment rate on mainland Australia for the last 23 months. They have just delivered us a budget with massive operating deficits—for the second year in a row. They are grabbing another $45 million in land tax as they take away the 15 per cent rebate. They are grabbing another $95 million in payroll tax as they extend the payroll tax net to include the grossing up of superannuation. I will leave the last word to the findings of the survey. It states— Employer groups said the survey results backed up anecdotal feedback from members of serious concerns about the Government's performance. Time expired. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The time for private members' statements has expired.

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Stamp Duty on Insurance Premiums Mr HORAN (10.32 a.m.): I refer the honourable the Treasurer to Townsville businessman Barry Toohey's very public plea to his government to scrap its greedy application of stamp duty on top of the GST paid on insurance premiums, echoing what so many people feel so angry about. I also remind the Treasurer of the opposition's repeated calls for his government to reduce the stamp duty burden on Queensland businesses to offset the significant windfall it has received as a result of escalating property prices. On behalf of the more than 100,000 small businesses in Queensland, I ask the Treasurer: why will the government not do the right thing and stop charging stamp duty on GST—a dishonest tax on a tax? Why will he not give Queensland businesses a fair go? Mr MACKENROTH: In recent history, the National Party was in government from 1957 to 1989. It was then in government from 1996 to 1998. If the National Party thought that stamp duty was a dishonest tax, as the Leader of the Opposition just claimed, it had the opportunity then to abolish it. It did not do so. Stamp duty is applied to the full cost of an insurance policy. It always has been, and that is the way it will continue.

Law and Order, Cairns and Townsville Mr HORAN: I refer the honourable the Minister for Police to a recent incident in Cairns in which an 18-year-old woman visiting the post office to collect the mail for her employer was assaulted by a drunk while his drunken mate blocked the exit. It was only the arrival of another man to pick up his mail that saved her. On being contacted about the incident, the Labor member for Cairns, Ms Boyle, said that she was sorry to hear about the 'unpleasantness' this 5 Sep 2002 Questions Without Notice 3405 woman went through. In reality, it was nothing short of sexual assault in broad daylight in the middle of Cairns. I ask: when will the minister allow the police to deal firmly and fairly with the ongoing problem of public drunkenness, assault, brawling and other antisocial behaviour in the parks and public places of Cairns and Townsville? On behalf of the residents of these cities and the police, will the minister introduce a zero tolerance policy for this unlawful behaviour? Mr McGRADY: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. Accompanied by the commissioner and a number of other police officers, I am a regular visitor to Cairns. In recent times, we have had applications for move-on powers from the Cairns City Council. I went to Cairns to examine exactly what the mayor and his council required. The application which they originally made covered almost the whole of Cairns. Move-on powers were never, ever, ever intended for such large areas. Move-on powers were established to allow the police to move on people from a gazetted area—from No. 27 to No. 99 of a certain street or a certain park. I had discussions with the council, and I suggested to it that it play the game and come back with a realistic approach. In fairness to the council, it did that. It requested move-on powers for approximately four areas. One of them included the local park, Munroe Martin Park. At that point in time, the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner intervened. I received certain advice from the Queensland Police Service which I accepted in total. We recently declared three areas in Cairns as move-on areas. Munroe Martin Park has not been declared as such an area. However, the local police, through the superintendent, have been requested by the commissioner to pay special attention to that area. Let me say this: I deplore public drunkenness. I deplore people taking advantage of public places to drink and make a nuisance of themselves. But I also believe that parks are there for the people. There is nothing wrong with a mother and a father and the kids sitting in the park, provided there is no alcohol involved. But the problem we have today is that some people believe that parks are for the people, provided they have a certain colour on their face. Mr Horan: Rubbish! Mr McGRADY: Never mind 'rubbish'. I have made it perfectly clear— Mr Horan interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition will cease interjecting. Mr Horan interjected. Mr McGRADY: Do something with this man! Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition! Mr McGRADY: I reiterate my remarks: I do not condone public drunkenness anywhere. I do not condone public drunkenness in parks or anywhere else. But I have to say this: the Queensland Police Service is doing a fine job in trying to remove these drunks, whether they be in parks or on the streets. Actions such as those we have just witnessed from the Leader of the Opposition do nothing at all for his position. Mr Horan: You're playing the race card. Mr McGRADY: I am not playing the race card at all.

Sporting Clubs, Contributions by Sporting Personalities Ms PHILLIPS: I direct a question to the Premier and Minister for Trade. Many sporting stars go out of their way to be terrific models and mentors for our children. I ask the Premier: is he aware of any new examples of winning off-field contributions to the community by sporting personalities and their clubs? Mr BEATTIE: I thank the member for Thuringowa for her excellent question. The answer is yes, but before I respond further, I advise the House that last night's public gallery attendance was a record for any Australian parliament. I am told by the Speaker that the House of Representatives' capacity is 800, including the press gallery. So last night an Australian record was set here. I simply say well done to Townsville and north Queensland and I say well done to the member for Thuringowa, because many of her constituents were here. It is another great initiative by the Queensland government. As a matter of fact, I have just learned of an important contribution by a sports club that happens to be right here in north Queensland. The Cowboys have just signed up as the first north Queensland business partner to the government's new foster carer card. The timing is excellent, 3406 Questions Without Notice 5 Sep 2002 because today the Minister for Families, Judy Spence, and I will launch Foster Care Week 2002 at a special ceremony in Queen's Gardens. The Cowboys will offer all holders of a foster carer card one free child price ticket for the purchase of an adult price ticket for Cowboys home games. That is a fantastic story. The government thanks the North Queensland Cowboys for responding to our call for business partners. I notice that the Deputy Premier has one of their ties on today. How appropriate! I want to thank the Cowboys for putting smiles on the faces of young fans and their carers. The great news is that the offer kicks off on Saturday—so it is happening immediately—when the Cowboys will play Parramatta here at Dairy Farmers Stadium. Mr Purcell: Go the Cowboys! Mr BEATTIE: 'Go the Cowboys!' is all I can say. It is the lucky last home match. The Leader of the Opposition used to play for Parramatta. Up here, I have to tell the Leader of the Opposition that it will not do him any good. We will go for the Cowboys; he can go for Parramatta. Mr Horan interjected. Mr BEATTIE: That is all right. The Leader of the Opposition did come from Queensland. Mr Mackenroth interjected. Mr BEATTIE: He was born in Brisbane. I will not hear another word against the fact that the Leader of the Opposition was born in Brisbane. We north Queenslanders understand what it means. It is the lucky last home match of the season and, who knows, the Cowboys may end up— Opposition members interjected. Mr BEATTIE: The members opposite should leave north Queensland alone. They are up here whingeing about it all the time. They did not want to come up here; we made them come up here. They should enjoy themselves while they are here and stop whingeing. They whinge; we work. That is the usual story. The Cowboys' initiative shows great community and corporate spirit. It will mean a lot to many foster families and youngsters, especially if the team wins on Saturday. The foster carer card is an innovation that was launched last month by the Minister for Families to help reduce the administrative burden on our carers. It gives them access to government concessions and business discounts. Foster Care Week is a time for the community to pay tribute to the work of foster carers and the vital role that they play in building the future of Queensland. I seek leave to incorporate in Hansard the rest of my comments, because they acknowledge wonderful carers, which every member in this parliament should support. Leave granted. I take this opportunity to personally thank them. There are more than 1,500 foster carers in Queensland. They give support and affection to about 80% of the 3,460 children in protective care. We have the greatest use of family-based care in the nation and we cannot place a high enough value on our carers and the incredible work they do. That is why foster carers will receive a recurrent funding increase of more than $7 million a year over four years, and those looking after children and young people aged 11 or over will receive a six per cent increase in their foster care allowances. The Government will also conduct a trial of short-term respite services for foster carers who need a break. We're also streamlining payment systems and administration to ease the burden on carers, particularly with urgent placements. Foster carers looking after children and young people aged 11 or over will receive a six per cent increase in their foster care allowances. The proportion of carers looking after children with high needs who can access additional financial support will double, to 20 per cent. These improvements in benefits are entirely deserved by foster carers, and I pay tribute to them today.

Government Grants, Recipients Mr JOHNSON: My question is directed to the Minister for State Development. I understand that the minister is quite chuffed at his opportunity—and I believe that these are his words—to be a 'star' during question time these past few days by putting his foot in his mouth over the Beattie government's lack of openness and accountability in handing out $64 million in grants. I know 5 Sep 2002 Questions Without Notice 3407 that the minister has secret dreams of outdoing the Premier and taking over centre stage as Queensland's foremost media tart. So I am going to ask the minister a question that will give him the opportunity to truly distinguish himself from his Labor colleagues. Will the minister— Mr Beattie interjected. Mr JOHNSON: The Premier should just hang on. Will the minister provide the House with the complete details of the five donors to the Labor Party who received government grants? Mr BARTON: I must admit that I am really pleased that I have at least got some questions from the opposition, which is a bit of a change. That is why I am pretty chuffed. The lists are, in fact, public documents that are available through the Electoral Commission. We did this—and it is written up in the Courier-Mail today, and I think some of the members opposite would be quite disturbed that it did not have the impact that they were hoping it would—because, quite frankly, it demonstrates very clearly that, of the 200-odd companies that have donated to the Labor Party in that period, we have identified that they have received very minor business grants in the main from this government. But some of those same companies have, in fact, donated to the National Party and also to the Liberal Party. Very clearly, I think that we are seeing the nonsense that has continued to be run— Mr Horan: Forty-one per cent think you are a dud. Mr BARTON: If the Leader of the Opposition would just shut up for a minute he might actually get an answer. He is a rude person. We have this same nonsense being run that, in fact, this is some sort of slush fund for the Labor Party. This government is getting on with the job of providing appropriate business incentives to Queensland companies. On Tuesday night I detailed that and I said it again several times yesterday. Under one program alone, the Queensland Investment Development Scheme, there were 997 Queensland companies assisted. I provided specific detail of some of those grants in here yesterday for this immediate region in north Queensland, and I put out press releases every time I approve those grants. That is public material about the exact amounts and the numbers of jobs that were expected to be created or the amount of export development that was expected to be created. This opposition is upset that this government is getting on with the job of working with business, creating economic development, creating business opportunities, creating export opportunities and, most importantly, creating jobs for Queenslanders by the tens of thousands. Those members opposite know full well that it has nothing to do with fundraising for the Labor Party. We have had 997 companies assisted under one program alone and only five of them have been identified as making donations to the Labor Party—and some of those same companies have also donated to the National Party and the Liberal Party.

Member for Robina; Liberal Party Conference Mr TERRY SULLIVAN: I refer the Premier to the courageous stand of the Liberal Leader, Bob Quinn, who is determined to clean up corrupt branch stacking activities within the Liberal Party. I also refer the Premier to a report this morning that says that the member for Robina will stand down if this weekend's party conference elects people such as Michael Caltabiano of the dominant Santoro-Carroll faction. I ask: is the Premier aware that there is a plan for the member for Robina to be replaced by Jan Grew, councillor for division 11, Gold Coast City Council? Does the Premier have any concerns that today may be the last sitting day for the member for Robina as the Liberal Leader? Mr BEATTIE: I thank the honourable member for his question. The answer is: I do. Before I respond further, let me say that the Leader of the Opposition made some reference to the approval rating of two of my key ministers. If I recall correctly, in the last poll that I saw on the Leader of the Opposition, his approval rating was eight per cent, which means that 92 per cent of people do not like him. I have to say that I think that is a little bit— Mr Mackenroth: Maybe 92 per cent don't know who he is. Mr BEATTIE: Maybe 92 per cent do not know who he is. If I were the Leader of the Opposition, I would not come in here and throw stones. I think that is what is called getting hit out of the ground—92 per cent. An opposition member interjected. Mr BEATTIE: No, I am not. I come back to the issue of the Liberal Leader. As members know, I have enormous regard for Bob Quinn. I think that he is leading the Liberal Party down a 3408 Questions Without Notice 5 Sep 2002 very courageous path. On Monday, it is Bob's 55th birthday. The last thing we want is for Bob to be writing his resignation on his birthday. So I want to say to him today that the government is right behind him for this weekend. We wish Bob well in that Liberal conference when he goes into battle with Michael Caltabiano. But there is a real classic. The CD-Rom that Michael Caltabiano has sent to all Liberal delegates is a real doozey. Members must get hold of it and have a look. That is why when I read this, Bob, we have to be with you. I have pulled out a few of the print-outs of a few frames of the CD-Rom. One of the frames is accompanied by dramatic music; it is from Holst, one of his suites—absolutely dramatic. It is all about jollity. I do not know if the member knows anything about Holst. Jupiter is about jollity and it was supposed to be about humour. When we read the CD-Rom we fell about laughing; it is about humour all right. The Minister for the Arts would appreciate this, but he should have had Mars, the god of war, in it as opposed to jollity because that is what is going on in the Liberal Party. A government member interjected. Mr BEATTIE: It is a bit abstract for those opposite but I will read it to them. Mrs Sheldon interjected. Mr BEATTIE: It is about Jupiter, but Jupiter is about jollity. It was about heaven. The next playing was heaven; that is what Holst was all about. We will talk about classics later, but the member is right—that is how it applied. Let me come back to one of these print-outs. One of the print-outs says, with this dramatic music in the background, 'Someone who thinks differently'. Well, he does. Caltabiano thinks differently to the leader about reform, which meetings he attends, where he goes and how he behaves. I table some of these print-outs. Mr Johnson interjected. Mr BEATTIE: Yes, it has. Let me state the relevance for north Queensland. When the carve- up for the seats was done, who got what seats in Townsville, Bob? Anyway, good luck on the weekend.

Gold Coast City Council Town Plan Mr BELL: My question is directed to the Minister for Local Government and Planning. Much as I would like to ask the Premier about the next session of parliament on the Gold Coast and the new convention centre, my question really is to the Minister for Local Government and Planning. How close to becoming law is the new Gold Coast City Council town plan? Mrs NITA CUNNINGHAM: The Gold Coast IPA compliant plan is reaching its final stages. It has been subject to a number of changes and delays, but that can be expected with a planning scheme for such a huge area, and an area that is subject to so much growth and development. But my department has been working closely with the Gold Coast City Council. I believe public display of this plan ended in May, and lodgement of the scheme for the second state interest review is expected later this month. That plan is well under way and I would expect to sign off on it before Christmas. I shall touch on another issue of grave concern to local governments in Queensland—grants. In the last few days we have heard a lot from the opposition about grants, but they do not mention the $20 million of Roads to Recovery grants that the Commonwealth government has taken from Queensland councils this year. The opposition has failed to show any interest at all in the Commonwealth financial assistance grants, clearly the most serious issue facing our councils following federal minister Wilson Tuckey's threat some weeks ago to freeze the $274 million of those grants. These impact severely on council budgets, but there is not a word from the opposition. After more than two months of negotiating and three requests for meetings with Mr Tuckey, he now has agreed to make the first two quarterly payments of these grants along the lines that we requested. However, he wants the next two payments for this year to be based on our new methodology that is not yet finished. This means two things to our councils. The commission would not have time to consult properly with councils before implementing this new methodology, and councils' grants could differ considerably halfway through their financial year. This has brought enormous concern to all councils which have already brought down their budgets, and there is grave concern, insecurity and anger in our councils. 5 Sep 2002 Questions Without Notice 3409

Mr Tuckey continues to say—and the opposition is bleating the same thing this morning—that Queensland is acting beyond the law or Queensland is not complying with national principles. The agreement we are working under was signed by the Commonwealth and Queensland governments in 1995 and was to stay in place until the Commonwealth did its next review. That review is not completed. Mr Hobbs interjected. Mrs NITA CUNNINGHAM: I am sorry, but is not. I have told Mr Tuckey that, if he persists in wanting to distribute these funds against the wishes of the Queensland Grants Commission and against the wishes of the Queensland government, the LGAQ and Queensland's councils, he will have to distribute them himself because I will not be a party to it. It is time that Mr Tuckey gave me the assurance I have been asking for, namely that no council's grant be decreased in this financial year. It is time for him to stop playing political games and it is time that the opposition in this House stood up for our councils.

Queensland Heritage Trails Network Mr MULHERIN: Will the Minister for the Arts give details of the excellent Queensland Heritage Trails Network project entitled Overlanders' Way and how it will benefit the people of the north west of Queensland? Mr FOLEY: The Overlanders' Way project is great for north-west Queensland's cultural heritage and it is great for jobs in tourism. A $3 million partnership involving the Queensland Heritage Trails Network, the Department of Main Roads and Tourism Queensland has resulted in the Drive Tourism program. The Overlanders' Way is one of four themed drive tourism routes across Queensland and the first to have its infrastructure in place. It runs from Townsville west to Camooweal on the border and finishes at Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory. It covers a distance of some 1,500 kilometres. The Overlanders' Way passes through Charters Towers, Hughenden, Richmond, Julia Creek, Cloncurry and Mount Isa. I thank the member for Mount Isa for his strong support for the project. It pays tribute to the pioneer families who settled and developed these lands in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The story of the highway is inextricably linked to the landscape itself. Sites along the route reflect the relationship with the land of indigenous people. As well, fossil sites provide a window into the past when the landscape was dominated by dinosaurs and the great inland sea. The legendary overlanders included the famous Matt Buchanan, who drove mobs of cattle from the Barkly Tablelands and western Queensland to the ports of Townsville and Brisbane, a return journey that meant spending as long as three years in the saddle. On the Overlanders' Way, modern travellers will be able to experience and learn about the heritage of the north and the west through a number of Queensland Heritage Trails Network projects. These include the North Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Centre in Townsville, the World Project in Charters Towers, Kronosaurus Korner in Richmond and the Outback @ Isa Explorers' Park in Mount Isa. The other Drive Tourism routes follow the Matilda Highway from Barringun on the New South Wales border to Normanton in the Gulf of Carpentaria, the Warrego Highway from Ipswich to Charleville, and the Savannah Way from Cairns to Broome. This heritage trails project is all about driving cultural tourism jobs. It is about ensuring that we reach out to the drive market coming out of Sydney and Melbourne and that we invest in opportunities throughout regional and rural Queensland to celebrate our cultural heritage, but also to put in place the necessary infrastructure to provide jobs in cultural tourism. Right throughout Queensland we see some spectacular examples. A couple of weeks ago, I travelled to Lark Quarry outside Winton for the world's only dinosaur trackway. That sort of exhibition, together with others, is really making a great contribution to Queensland's cultural heritage.

Single-Desk Seller, Sugar Industry Mr ROWELL: My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries. I am pleased that he has come back into the chamber. Five weeks ago I asked him whether he had any intention of changing his support for the sugar industry's single-desk seller. In his reply, he supported the single-desk seller for export sales but deceitfully failed to mention the domestic single-desk seller. Mr Beattie: What about John Howard? 3410 Questions Without Notice 5 Sep 2002

Mr ROWELL: The Premier is rude. As a stakeholder in this government's interdepartmental sugar industry working party, I ask the minister: can he confirm to the sugar industry and the parliament that his government has put an option to the federal government to abolish the single- desk seller for domestic sugar? Does he support the abolition of the single-desk seller for domestic sugar markets in Queensland—yes or no? Mr PALASZCZUK: I thank the honourable member for the question because it gives me an opportunity to put on record the government's thinking and position in relation to a raft of measures being proposed by the federal government to the state government in relation to reforms within the sugar industry. To see these one has only to have a close look at the transcript of the John Miller interview with the Prime Minister in Brisbane yesterday about what the Prime Minister was seeking from the Queensland government. He was seeking very large reforms. Mr Horan interjected. Mr Beattie: Don't be rude. Mr Horan interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition will cease interjecting. Mr Seeney interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Callide will cease interjecting. Mr PALASZCZUK: Let me put it this way: the Prime Minister has made threats. Opposition members interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Order! We will have a bit of decorum in question time. Honourable members, including the Leader of the Opposition, will cease their constant interjections. Mr PALASZCZUK: Let me put in this way: if the federal government is going to predicate the assistance to our canegrowers on reforms to the Queensland act—reforms to the single desk—what are we as a government going to do? Are we going to stand back and say, 'No, we don't want the assistance for the canegrowers because we don't agree with what you want to do'? Is that what they want us to do? Of course they do not want us to do that! At the end of the day, the solution to the crisis within the sugar industry in Queensland is based on the state government and the federal government working hand in hand together to arrive at a solution—something that members opposite never understand. All they want to do is spoil, spoil, spoil. Mr Johnson interjected. Mr PALASZCZUK: Yes, they do. It is a bit like De-Anne Kelly this morning supporting an excise duty on ethanol. Mr ROWELL: I rise to a point of order. I asked the minister whether he supported the single- desk seller for domestic sugar and he has not responded. Mr SPEAKER: Order! That is not a point of order. The member for Hinchinbrook will resume his seat. Opposition members interjected. Mr PALASZCZUK: Mr Speaker, I have been asked a question and I will answer the question the way I see best fit. Mr SPEAKER: Order! I have already warned members of the opposition. Mr PALASZCZUK: I will reiterate one more time that if we want a solution for the sugar industry in Queensland we have to work very closely with the federal government. If the federal government imposes those things on us, as the Prime Minister tried to do yesterday and as the Prime Minister is still intending, what are we going to do?

Police Flying Squad Mr FENLON: I refer the Minister for Police and Corrective Services to the fact that one of the Beattie government's election commitments was the establishment of a flying squad to attend major incidents or 'upsurges' in crime at short notice, and I ask: has this squad met with any success in the Townsville region? Mr McGRADY: I thank the member for Greenslopes for the question, which is a good one. Last night we discussed some of the initiatives of the current government in relation to policing 5 Sep 2002 Questions Without Notice 3411 and we had the opportunity to talk about many of these initiatives, some of which included the tactical crime squads being set up up and down Queensland. Another initiative is the flying squad, about which the member asked this morning. The flying squad is a group of police officers based in the capital. At a minute's notice, they can be on a plane and moved to a place where there is a problem. Coming back to Townsville, the flying squad conducted an operation here in June. It was a joint operation between the flying squad and the Townsville CIB. That operation targeted repeat offenders for drug and property offences. As a result of this four-day operation, 55 people in Townsville were arrested on 82 charges, including stealing, the production and possession of drugs, break and enters and, of course, brawling. The flying squad also assisted in an audit of local pawnbrokers as a secondary objective. This operation, incidentally, was called Operation Jurassic. During the audit, 37 breaches of the Second-hand Dealers and Collectors Act 1984 were detected and $14,700 worth of stolen property was also recovered as a result of this operation. That is just a very small snapshot of the work being conducted by this new flying squad right across Queensland. It is ready for deployment, as I said a moment ago, at short notice to assist with serious investigations or to tackle surges in break and enters or other crimes. Again, I repeat that this is one of the new initiatives of the Beattie government. The flying squad currently has seven officers, and our government will expand this number by 13 officers in the next two years. During its first four months of operation this squad was deployed on 18 occasions. It assisted in seizing more than $390,000 worth of stolen property and laid charges against 112 offenders for 253 offences. Once again, this is the Beattie Labor government at work proving that we are a great and compassionate government.

Fire Service, Response Times Mr QUINN: Mr Speaker— Mr Beattie interjected. Mr QUINN: Stop helping me, Premier. In directing a question to the Minister for Emergency Services I table a list of broken promises by this Labor government—promises made to the people of north Queensland that have never been delivered. One of those broken promises was a commitment to the people of the north that they would have a world-class fire service. In 1999, about 93 per cent of fire calls in north Queensland were responded to within the recommended 14-minute time frame. Will the minister now explain to the people of north Queensland why, in the latest figures presented to state parliament, the number of calls being responded to within the 14- minute time frame has fallen to just 88 per cent—the worst response times in the whole of Queensland? Mr REYNOLDS: I thank the member for Robina for his question. The last time the member, as the Leader the Liberal Party, tried to pull this trick on north Queensland he was exposed by the Townsville Bulletin and other media. In terms of responses, anyone who lives in the regions, and particularly around Townsville and north Queensland, knows that that is dependent on the bushfire season and the fires that occur around this city. That is the case all across north Queensland. The member for Robina is blithely unaware of what happens in the regions around Townsville, Cairns, Mackay, Mount Isa and elsewhere. As Minister for Emergency Services, I am very proud of the extra $68 million that has gone into the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service since the election of the Beattie government in June 1998. What we have seen from the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service is a group of firefighters right across this state who have the determination, professionalism and fortitude to work with our communities in fighting fires. We in north Queensland know that over hot summer seasons, as we have had over the past couple of years—and as we may well have this year—we need to have the full force of our urban permanent fire officers and firefighters, our auxiliary firefighters and our many rural fire brigade units right across north Queensland. Rather than damning the efforts of our firefighters in this historic parliament in Townsville, I thought the Liberal Party would at least be sticking up for those people who put their lives on the line, and sticking up for the families who every day see their loved ones go out and fight fires and often do not know whether they will be coming back. I ask the Leader of the Liberal Party and other members opposite to get behind the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service and the great work it is doing. I appreciate them and, as the Minister for Emergency Services, I will continue to place great priority on their work. 3412 Questions Without Notice 5 Sep 2002

We have 44,000 rural volunteer firefighters. Those rural firefighters do a great job across the length and breadth of Queensland. Everyone would agree with that—other than members of the Liberal Party who seem to be too busy with squabbling before their conference this weekend to look after the needs of north Queenslanders.

Mobile Phone Coverage, Regional Queensland Mrs CHRISTINE SCOTT: I refer the Minister for Innovation and Information Economy to the fact that recently the Commonwealth government announced improvements to mobile phone coverage on Queensland's rural and regional highways. Can the minister advise the House how this announcement will improve mobile phone coverage in the bush? Mr LUCAS: I thank the honourable member for her question, because I know that she is extremely committed to the issue of mobile telephone coverage in the bush. In recent times we have seen the Costello travelling road show—that is, the road show for Peter Costello through country Queensland trying to make himself the future leader of this country. It is also part of the campaign that has continued to drive down the National Party primary vote in the bush that we have seen over the last 20 years, because time and time again members on that side of the House have rolled over to the Liberal Party. One only has to look at a map of Queensland showing mobile phone coverage to see how many of our rural highways are not properly covered. These are electorates and parts of Queensland that those opposite purport to represent. It is fine for people in the south-east of Queensland because they can get on the phone any time. It is fine for— An opposition member interjected. Mr LUCAS: Labor did not sell Telstra and get $30 billion and then spend only $200 million in Queensland, because $200 million is what we got—that is, 0.06 per cent of the asset that the people in the public gallery own. The federal government got $30 billion and spent $200 million in Queensland. Let us look at the Flinders Highway, because many people here would travel between Townsville and Mount Isa. I have a map here to show honourable members, and the local member is helping me hold it up. Just look at the gaps in coverage. When travelling on that highway there is no mobile phone coverage for four and a half hours! It is all very fine for people in the south-east of Queensland— A government member interjected. Mr LUCAS: That is right. The map shows the area that the Liberal Party cares about. It is all shaded blue for mobile phone coverage in the south-east corner, but further north there is nothing. The fact is that it is about time that the federal government did something about the sale of Telstra. What has been done at the state level? The Deputy Leader of the National Party and member for Gregory—a great Queensland bush seat—said on Channel 7 news on 15 August— Telstra is not for sale and is not going to be endorsed by the Queensland National Party unless the federal government can prove to us that we are going to have a better service than we've got now. So mobile telephone coverage might be up and down the length of Queensland on the coast, but over the breadth of Queensland there is not much mobile telephone coverage. That is the case, and those opposite have left the door open for the federal government. What happened last time it wanted to sell half of Telstra? It held an inquiry. There was the Bezley inquiry and it got $30 billion. How much did it spend in Queensland? Only $200 million! And it wants another inquiry! It has half built the house and it wants more money. It is coming back for more and those opposite are just going to roll over and do it. Opposition members interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Order! Mr Johnson interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Order! Member for Gregory! Order! Mr Johnson interjected. Mr SPEAKER: The member for Gregory will cease interjecting. That is my final warning. Mr LUCAS: They certainly do not want to put any telephone towers up. Some 243,000 people use that highway to Mount Isa each year, and they are people who use it for small business and families— 5 Sep 2002 Questions Without Notice 3413

Mr Hobbs: You haven't been on it. Mr LUCAS: I certainly have. It is families who use it for safety. It is used by tourists, who are the lifeblood of the economy. Those opposite have sold them out and rolled over to the Liberal Party, and that is why their vote will go down even further. But we will stand up for the bush even if those opposite will not.

Abuse of Child in Foster Care Mr COPELAND: I refer the Minister for Families to the recent scathing comments of Townsville District Court Judge Clive Wall in relation to her department's refusal to pay for psychological and psychiatric reports in relation to a young woman who was molested by her foster father over a 13-year period. He has now been convicted of these offences. Judge Wall said that as the department had placed this young girl in the foster home it had overall responsibility for matters that happened to her before she turned 17 years of age. This young woman's foster father first sexually abused her when she was only three and a half years old. Judge Wall has said that the minister's department should 'accept some responsibility for the abuse to which this young woman was subjected'. I ask: why has the minister's department, in Judge Wall's words, washed its hands of this problem and refused to fund psychological and psychiatric reports for this young woman? Ms SPENCE: These are legal matters that are still before the courts, so I am unable to comment on them. Mr Copeland interjected. Ms SPENCE: I understand that one particular case has been finished, but the woman whom we are talking about has also been charged with other offences before the court. I am happy to have a private word with the member, but I am not prepared to talk about that in the public domain.

Homelessness Mr McNAMARA: My question is to the Minister for Public Works and Minister for Housing. I note that the minister, along with the Minister for Families, accepted an invitation from a local councillor to visit sites where homeless people gather in Townsville. I ask: what is he doing to address homelessness in Townsville? What effect will the policy direction being taken by the Howard government have on homelessness? Mr SCHWARTEN: I thank the honourable member for his question. I notice the giggles coming from the opposition, because when we talk about homelessness they think it is a laughing matter, just like their friends in the southern capital—particularly the member for Callide, who is sitting there with that idiotic leer on his face that he normally has that passes for some form of intelligence. The reality is that we have spent $36 million in Townsville trying to tackle homelessness. Just this morning the Minister for Families and I opened yet another service here in Townsville in which the state Housing Department contributed $350,000 of capital and the Families Department is spending money providing supported accommodation. That particular piece of accommodation has provided a roof over the heads of 2,000 homeless people here in Townsville since it opened in December last year. Last night one of the local councillors took the minister and me on a tour of places where homeless people gather in Townsville, and I have to say that I have witnessed that elsewhere in the state and indeed in the country. The grim news is that, as we on this side of the parliament know and the opposition finds funny, this situation will get worse if the coalition gets its way in determining that money will only be handed out to individuals and not provided for capital. That means that rent assistance will be provided to people but no capital funding will be provided to build them a home. As I have said time and time again, it does not matter how much money the federal government puts into people's hands if they cannot find a house, because that money is worthless to them and they will finish up in the street. My prediction is that it will get worse in Townsville if the Commonwealth government goes down this path. We will see more homeless people on the streets here in Townsville because we simply will not have the $350,000 to provide four by two-bedroom units that will house 2,000 people in crisis accommodation for the period set aside—in this case, 13 weeks. These are people who come into town from various centres for 3414 Questions Without Notice 5 Sep 2002 health assistance or whatever reason, and they will finish up in the street unless there is somewhere to accommodate them. Rent assistance will not help those people. I say to the federal tory member here in Townsville that he should be out there looking at those situations like I was last night and going to his federal colleagues in Canberra—Mr Costello and co.—to point out to them that their rent assistance model will fail the people of Townsville, fail the people of north Queensland and fail the people of Australia. There will be more and more homelessness as a result of that move. I say to the people in Townsville: it is time you contacted your federal member and registered your complaint in that regard.

Southern Moreton Bay Islands Mr FLYNN: My question is directed to the Premier. In light of repeated calls for help in the face of ongoing financial tragedies resulting from inappropriate land development on the southern Moreton Bay islands—I suggest that this issue will not improve with the passage of time—and the fact that repeated appeals to the government over the years have fallen on deaf ears and still do, will the Premier visit these islands, just a few kilometres from his own office, and will he examine the issue and meet with the landowners and dispossessed? Will he then consider calling for a commission of inquiry to resolve the matter? Mr BEATTIE: I thank the honourable member for the question. In fact, if I recall correctly the honourable member wrote to me recently in relation to this issue. I recall recently signing a letter to him on this issue. If it was not to the member, I apologise. I certainly wrote to someone who raised this issue with me only recently. I am happy to provide a similar letter to the member with more detail than I will give him now. If he wants to write to me about it, I will provide him with that detail. Let me come to what I think is an adequate and appropriate response. If I recall correctly, some time ago the cabinet held a community meeting in the Redlands shire. While we were there we met with the late mayor of Redlands. We met with a delegation of other people who were concerned. A number of the landowners—some of them live in the area and some do not—took the opportunity of the community cabinet meeting to come and talk to us. As a result of that we established a planning process with the local council. The local council is now working this issue through. I respect the member's position in this, but I know that a number of people have sought to drag the state government into an issue for which local government has responsibility. The Deputy Premier, who has been involved in planning and local government for some time, was involved in those discussions and has given the council significant advice about how to deal with these matters. The member knows the long history of this matter, and I will not go through it for the benefit of the House because I think most people would be aware of it. Those who do not can read past Hansard or talk to the member and me about it. My recollection is that we have worked through a plan and the council is now implementing it. Frankly, at the end of the day there will be some landowners who are not happy, but we cannot resolve issues on behalf of every council in every part of this state. A government member: It all happened under Joh. Mr BEATTIE: That is right. It did all happen under previous National Party governments, as the member knows. What we sought to do was resolve it with the council. The bottom line is that we believe very strongly in the role of local government. It is the important third tier of government. Mr Flynn: The fact that it happened under a previous government does not abrogate you from responsibility. Mr BEATTIE: I accept that. We did not simply play Pontius Pilate and wash our hands of this because it resulted from previous National Party government incompetence. We did not do that. We in fact sat down and talked with the council and a number of activists involved. As I said, quite a few do not live in the local area but do own land there. They came in delegations— Mr Mackenroth: We have increased the subsidy rate for the council. Mr BEATTIE: We increased the subsidy rate to the council. We have worked through a number of these issues as best we can. We ended up with a mess which we have tried to fix, but the responsibility now rests clearly and fairly with the Redlands Shire Council. 5 Sep 2002 Questions Without Notice 3415

Salinity Mr RODGERS: My question is directed to the Minister for Natural Resources and Minister for Mines. Salinity has become a problem throughout Queensland. Can the minister tell the House what the government is doing to address that problem in north Queensland? Mr ROBERTSON: I thank the honourable member for the question. Mr Malone interjected. Mr ROBERTSON: What an interjection from the member for Mirani. Salinity is an issue that affects all Queenslanders, including those right here in north Queensland. Salinity is one of the most insidious environmental threats to our landscape. The Queensland government is taking action to eliminate its potentially damaging impacts. We were the first state to sign up to the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality so we could take the lead nationally to limit salinity damage to our land, ecosystems and economy. The national action plan is based on community-driven action to produce sustainable natural resource outcomes. It is about community ownership of a plan which will protect our land against the potential devastation of salinity. The plan sets targets and standards for natural resource management and provides communities with technical and scientific support and skills training, information and market incentives to develop and implement integrated catchment plans. Natural resource groups have already been formed in the four priority areas of Queensland—the Fitzroy and Burdekin rivers; the Lockyer area, the Burnett and Mary rivers; the Balonne, Condamine and Maranoa rivers; and the border rivers catchment. These groups are made up of land-holders, industry, conservation and local government representatives and will be developing regional solutions to salinity and water quality issues. They play an important role in ensuring that solutions and strategies are developed by the local community for the local community. With this program we have a framework to manage salinity before it becomes a significant problem here in Queensland. On 3 July the Commonwealth Minister for Environment and Heritage, Dr David Kemp, and I jointly committed $15 million to kick-start the beginning of the national action plan campaign in Queensland. This money will kick-start the first two major projects here in Queensland. The biggest project involves $11.5 million for mapping areas at high risk of developing salinity, while $3.5 million will go to regional bodies to develop plans to combat the threat over the next five years. Yesterday I was pleased to sign an agreement with the newly formed Burdekin Dry Tropics Board. Along with the federal Minister for Forestry and Conservation, Senator Ian Macdonald, I presented the board with a cheque for $690,000. That is $690,000 to the Burdekin Dry Tropics Board to launch the fight against salinity in north Queensland. The Burdekin Dry Tropics Board is the first group in Queensland to receive this funding. This funding is targeted to the development of an investment proposal, community and landcare workshops, the Burdekin catchment condition study and a regional natural resource management plan for the Burdekin dry tropics region.

Country Racing Mr HOBBS: My question is directed to the Minister for Tourism and Racing. I refer to the minister's various claims in support of country racing and to her statement in parliament in April last year in which she said— Country racing in particular is something that I want to see continue. I also refer to the worst kept secret in the Queensland racing industry that at least 24, and up to 48, country race clubs are set to be closed by the Queensland Thoroughbred Racing Board, the new governance body that the minister personally put in place—the one for which her close involvement in the selection process is now the subject of a Crime and Misconduct Commission investigation. How can the minister possibly claim no responsibility for the demise of country racing when she as minister is presiding over the closure of so many country race clubs? Ms ROSE: I thank the member for the question. He is quite right: I have always been a strong advocate for country racing in Queensland. Unfortunately, though, the reality—it is quite well known not only in the racing industry in Queensland but also right across the country and internationally—is that there are many challenges facing the racing industry. 3416 Privilege 5 Sep 2002

Unfortunately, people who used to go to the races and bet at the races do not do so any more. There is a lot of competition for the betting or wagering dollar. Only 10 or 15 years ago, a lot of people who liked to have a bit of a bet or wager used to go to the races. It is great entertainment. It is a great day out. Unfortunately now, though, with so many clubs—there are poker machines, lotteries and caskets—there is a lot of competition for the wagering and gambling dollar. I have always been a very strong supporter of country racing. I grew up with country racing. My mother has been involved in the Kilcoy Race Club for over 30 years. Mr Horan: Your mum votes National. Ms ROSE: No, she doesn't. Mr Beattie: Not while you are leader. Ms ROSE: Exactly. I grew up with country racing. I also know the challenges that are facing those small clubs. Not enough praise is given to the hundreds of volunteers who make up country race clubs right across the state. They are supported by the volunteers—by families such as my own—who are members of the committee, who stand on the gates every single race day and who do the many jobs that need to be done around country race tracks. The Queensland Thoroughbred Racing Board is the authority that makes the decisions on the day-to-day matters concerning racing. We have for the first time a Queensland Regional Racing Council so that country clubs have some direct say in country racing in this state. There is no doubt about it: there are so many challenges facing the racing industry. I think some tough decisions will have to be made by the Queensland Thoroughbred Racing Board. There has to be a more global approach taken to the racing industry if we are to grow the industry in Queensland and if there is to be a future for the racing industry. Time expired.

Work and Family Responsibilities Mr LAWLOR: I refer the Minister for Industrial Relations to media reports today of an AMP Newspoll survey showing that 90 per cent of Australian workers crave quality time with their families. I ask: what is the Queensland government's new Work and Family Unit doing to help workers address the growing imbalance between work and family responsibilities? Mr NUTTALL: I thank the honourable member for Southport for his question. The task of balancing work and family is indeed a difficult one, and one which the government has committed itself to trying to deal with. Queensland employers, workers and their families are being asked to contribute to a document that will form a blueprint for helping Queensland workers balance their work, family and community commitments in the future. I table that document for all honourable members. The draft paper that my department has issued relates to examining the problems we face in terms of balancing work and family. The issues include new technology, family and carer commitments, child care, single-parent workers, fertility rates and gender equity, as well as state and federal legislation. We need input from the public on these issues. We are asking all people to contribute to this paper. Ten trials will be conducted throughout Queensland in the next two years in a number of industries to examine ways of better balancing work and family commitments. This is a commitment that we gave at the last state election. I am particularly pleased as the minister to be able to work hard to try to fulfil that commitment. Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Fouras): The time for questions has now expired.

PRIVILEGE Public Drunkenness in Cairns Ms BOYLE (Cairns—ALP) (11.32 a.m.): I rise on a matter of privilege suddenly arising. The Leader of the Opposition asked a question of the Minister for Police this morning in which he quoted my reply to an email from a constituent about an incident related to public drunkenness which occurred in Cairns last week. It is easy to distort meaning by quoting only in part and by not informing of the context in which the statement was made. Mr Deputy Speaker, I table, with your leave, an email communication to me from Mr Edward Ketterer, who is the employer of the young woman referred to in the Leader of the Opposition's question, and also my email reply to Mr Ketterer. 5 Sep 2002 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 3417

The implication the member made is that I am minimising the problem of public drunkenness in Cairns; that I am not fully and actively seeking solutions to the problem of public drunkenness in the city of Cairns. This is not true. I am working continually on the various elements of a solution—not only a short-term solution but also a longer-term solution—to a problem which has existed, according to Cairns Post reports, for the last 100 years from time to time on the streets of Cairns. Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The member is not entitled to a debate. Ms BOYLE: I support the Minister for Police in the move-on powers, and I am supporting the Ministers for Health, Housing, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Families in the various initiatives that we are taking in Cairns to solve this problem. These, of course, are matters that will be further debated later this afternoon in the Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill.

GAMBLING LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL Second Reading Resumed from 4 September (see p. 3360). Mr HORAN (Toowoomba South—NPA) (Leader of the Opposition) (11.34 a.m.), continuing: When we adjourned the debate yesterday I was making a point about the cut to staffing levels and the number of shifts for gaming inspectors in Queensland casinos. I reiterate the concern that we hold that this level of inspection is being reduced. There is no way that the government's proposed reduction in staffing levels on night shifts from two to one inspectors and the reduction of two staff in each of Queensland's four casinos will not compromise their level of security and oversight. It will compromise and decrease that level of security simply because there will not be the numbers and there will not be full 24-hour coverage. This is one area in which the government should not be making job cuts. There is no greater target for organised crime than casinos, and these cuts send the message to organised criminals that casinos have a reduced level of oversight and inspection. The Treasurer will recall that I questioned him in the parliament about the proposed change to the certified agreement, which was against government policy for a start and which provides for a permanent regulatory presence. The Treasurer stated that the shift and staffing reductions would have no effect whatsoever. But these claims are at odds with the transcript of evidence of the director of compliance in the Office of Gaming Regulation to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission admitting that the proposed changes gave rise to the possibility that there would be no inspectors at casinos at some times. When one considers how much money the government makes from casinos, one really has to wonder how bad the Treasurer's budget is when he has to cut gaming inspectors' shifts and rosters. We have already seen this government push out 200 teachers. We have seen this government push out 2,000 public servants because it is broke and has massive budget deficits. We have seen the reduction in service and people waiting longer in queues. Mr Reeves: You said this yesterday. Mr HORAN: The member does not like this. He should try to get a permit from DNR and have to wait two years and see how he feels about it. I wonder how he feels about 2,000 public servants being pushed out, which equates to 80,000 hours of work a week gone, all because of the pathetic way in which the finances are being managed. Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition was given some leniency yesterday in his introductory comments on this bill. He spoke about the same matters at that time. I would like him to address his remarks to the legislation and not the finances of the government. Mr HORAN: I was responding to an interjection from the member for Mansfield. All honourable members will recall the government's introduction of the pub tax. While the pub tax applies to category 1 hotels, it was a deliberate discriminatory revenue grab from the gaming industry as a whole, which already provides significant revenue to a financially destitute government. As I mentioned previously, the 2002-03 total government receipts from gambling taxes and levies is forecast to increase well in excess of inflation to a rate of 6.3 per cent. Last year, the government received around $565 million in revenue from gambling taxes and levies and in the coming financial year revenue is expected to rise to approximately $600 million. This is $600 million which this government will be desperate to get its hands on. Given that the state is 3418 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 5 Sep 2002 already suffering with a budget in the red, without the gambling industry's significant contribution to the Treasury coffers we could go down the pathway to higher budget deficits. All honourable members will remember that the Treasurer's 2002-03 budget delivered nothing but red, red and more red. There is another issue that I want to raise. It touches again on the budget issue. The Charter of Social and Fiscal Responsibility was supposed to guarantee certain standards. Despite the increased level of gambling revenue, that Charter of Social and Fiscal Responsibility has been broken, particularly due to the fact that the government ran the state into a budget deficit. Mr Deputy Speaker, I had a lot more to say on the budget. You have given me a direction and I will comply with it. I will move on to— Mr Mackenroth: Talk about the bill. Mr HORAN: I have been talking about the bill. It is an important point that the seven acts covered by the bill are all part of the government's revenue raising and the management and operation of gambling within the state. Mr Welford interjected. Mr HORAN: I have gone through all of those things. But at the end of the day, despite the increases in gambling fees and charges, the government is running the budget into massive deficit. I want to raise a local issue that relates to gambling. I think it also relates to a number of community organisations throughout Queensland that depend heavily on bingo for their income and for raising funds to run their charitable and sporting operations. A bingo organisation in Townsville, which operates under the name of Bingo City, is operated by Red Cross, the Townsville Rotary Club and the Townsville District Rugby Union. Since an amendment to legislation was passed by the parliament to prevent smoking in bingo halls, this establishment has suffered a 25 per cent drop in its attendance and, in particular, in its resulting— Mr Mackenroth interjected. Mr HORAN: I think it is important to realise that there was bipartisan support given to that amendment when it was passed by the parliament because we were considering the health effects of those people in playing bingo in a healthier environment. The issue is—and I think that we should considering it seriously—that smoking is banned in bingo halls but it is not banned in places where poker machines are located. I say in all fairness that we gave bipartisan support to the amendment, but we do not want to see organisations such as the one that I mentioned suffering because of legislation—not so much the legislation, because it promotes good health and provides a healthier environment—or because there is not a level playing field in comparison to those other operations that offer poker machines. Those organisations that I mentioned are losing clientele from bingo to poker machines. Those people who want to smoke move from playing bingo to poker machines. That means that the good services of Red Cross, the Townsville Rotary Club and the sporting facilities and coaching that are provided to juniors by the Townsville District Rugby Union are all compromised. In fact, they believe that during this financial year they will no longer make a profit. So this issue is of great concern to them. I have gone through the amendments contained in this bill. The National Party has recognised that they are necessary and that they will achieve greater consistency in the administration of all gaming acts which, in the long term, will be better for the industry to manage administratively. I have sounded a warning about the reduction in the number of inspectors in casinos. I have also sounded a warning that the government cannot simply rely upon an ever-growing and substantial increase in gambling returns to prop up its mismanaged budget. When a budget runs in deficit from year to year, the government cannot simply rely upon a gambling industry, with its inherent social problems—and we all recognise that—to prop up its budget and to continually cream off more and more from that aspect of our communities. So the National Party will be supporting this bill. We hope that the changes that occur as a result of these amendments also bring about a more efficient operation of the seven separate acts that provide the umbrella to the operation of gaming and wagering in Queensland. Ms STRUTHERS (Algester—ALP) (11.43 a.m.): I think it is very apt that we are debating gambling legislation in Townsville. In many respects, it was quite a gamble to come to Townsville. The gamble has paid off. Certainly, from speaking to government members, I can say that we have been delighted to see the achievements of the people of Townsville. We have been 5 Sep 2002 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 3419 delighted to have their hospitality and to hear from them about their concerns. It is a shame that members of the National Party were dragged here. I hope that they are now seeing the wrong way in which they were perceiving this sitting of parliament. It has certainly been of enormous benefit and I thank the people of Townsville for all of their assistance in this visit. Gambling has grown enormously over the past decade or so in Queensland. I know that at times all of us like to have a bit of a bet. I am going to give members the opportunity to have a bit of a bet now. What do members think is the average amount people in Queensland spend on gambling each year? Where are the members going to put their money? On A, $440 per head per year? On B, $680 per head per year? Or C, $910 per head per year? Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I back C. Ms STRUTHERS: Mr Deputy Speaker is correct. It is a fairly staggering figure. That is why it is so important that we have legislation such as this bill that is being debated today. We have to have a very strong regulatory framework in this state to make sure that we balance the economic benefits, the pleasures and the social benefits that come from gambling—all of those good things—whilst minimising the damaging and very sad effects of gambling for those people who have trouble disciplining themselves in relation to gambling. I certainly support the Treasurer in the work that he has done to bring this bill before the parliament. He has done some good work in terms of responsible gaming practices. Recently he launched a new framework, and this is something that is very important. We have to make sure that clubs, hotels and other gaming venues such as casinos are all responsible in their gaming practices. This bill is very important, because it provides, among other things, consistency in the licensing of individuals who operate gaming venues, it provides consistency in the penalties applicable across all seven gaming acts, and it improves the capacity to investigate the business and executive associates of licence holders. Those are very important initiatives and I am glad that we have bipartisan support for them. I mentioned the rapid growth of gaming. I want to go through another couple of figures for members in order to portray the scope and the size of the industry across Queensland. It is said that problem gamblers lose a total of $3.5 billion annually, or on average $12,000 each. That is across Australia. But if we think about Queensland we realise that it is thousands of people across this state who are spending money that they probably cannot afford to spend. I know from my area on the south side of Brisbane that a lot of the poorer families are the ones who are digging into their pockets. That is sad. They are often lonely and go to the clubs because there has been a significant growth in their entertainment value. People who are isolated at home enjoy that. A lot of women who previously were not really welcome in pubs, hotels and clubs are now feeling welcome. They are overcoming their isolation and going out to a club. But sadly, they are the ones who can least afford to do that. We need to direct our attention to those people. We need to make sure that we continue with the responsible gaming practices that this government, and the previous Labor government under Wayne Goss, has instigated. We need to hold firm to those practices. We need to have a win not only for the industry and the operators of gaming venues but also for the whole community. On winning, I must say that the odds are pretty bad. I think that I would rather put a bet on the TAB. On winning a trifecta in, say, a 13-horse race, people have a one in 1,716 chance of winning. Mr Mickel: You've got a chance. Ms STRUTHERS: People certainly have a chance. I ask members to think about gaming machines. I do not know if members and people in the public gallery are familiar with the machine Black Rhinos. I have played Black Rhinos. One of my favourites is a milkshake machine, but I have played Black Rhinos. For people to have a 50 per cent chance of winning the big prize on the gaming machine Black Rhinos whilst betting one line per button press, it will take 6.7 million button presses, 1.08 years or 391 days of continuous, 24-hour a day play, and it will cost $330,000. The odds are not too good. But I am not a wowser in relation to gaming. I think that it does provide a lot of benefits. Mr Mackenroth: But you still put money in it. Ms STRUTHERS: I can be a little foolish at times. It is certainly something that we need to think about. We need to be very vigilant in maintaining a responsible gaming framework around this state. 3420 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 5 Sep 2002

I must say that I find it obscene the way some in the club and hotel industry have been sending their managers and executives to international conferences and to Las Vegas to learn tips about how to keep people gambling longer. To me, such actions as dimming the lighting and providing finger food so that people do not have to get up and move is bordering upon the obscene. Some of my suggestions may sound a little corny, but I think that the idea of breaks so that people can have a little thinking time is important in any responsible gaming framework. I even suggest that we have these messages popping up on the machines so that they black out and the message comes up, 'You have been giving me a good work-out. How about taking a break?, or, 'Take a break. Free coffee available,' or something like that. Research has shown that if people take a break and think about it for a moment they can rethink whether they want to invest more into that machine. It has been a big problem. I have seen many families in my local area enduring significant problems, and I am sure that is the same for people in north Queensland. Let us keep the fun in it. Let us try to minimise the side effects. Let us have a win- win for everybody. I certainly support the Treasurer and this legislation. Dr WATSON (Moggill—Lib) (11.51 a.m.): It is a pleasure to rise and speak on the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 2002. I must admit that I do not actually share the member for Algester's personal enthusiasm for gaming at the gaming machines. I thought that I was a fairly good person to do the white paper for the coalition government on gaming machines because, first, I had relatively few gaming machines in my electorate in either hotels or clubs and, second, I made it a practice of understanding the odds and not doing it. A government member interjected. Dr WATSON: I did have a quick flutter on keno the other night. A government member interjected. Dr WATSON: That way I've still got my money. The changes proposed in this bill can be categorised in two major areas. One, as previous members have said, regards consistency across all seven of the gaming acts, particularly in clarifying the role of the executive director of the Queensland Office of Gaming Regulation in relation to employee licences in casinos; and the other concerns granting licences under the Gaming Machine Act 1991. In addition, there are some consistency amendments and some minor amendments to a whole range of other bills, including to the Interactive Gaming (Player Protection) Act 1998 where a new section 56(4)(d) will be inserted. Basically, it will allow a chief executive to investigate business or executive associates of a licensee after the application has been made. Similar kinds of amendments are made to the Keno Act 1996 and to the Lotteries Act 1997 wherein an amendment to section 79(5) will expand the definition of a small business, which I think is an extremely good measure. It is appropriate that we define that in terms of hours worked in a week rather than simply the number of employees. Of course, a clause will amend the Wagering Act 1998 in a similar way to the Interactive Gaming Act, the Keno Act and the Lotteries Act. I support each and every one of these changes. It is important that, as in the past, those kinds of consistency changes have bipartisan support. When the Casino Control Act 1982 was introduced, the then coalition government actually established the framework on which gaming in Queensland was built. That was further enhanced by the Gaming Machine Act 1991 under the Goss Labor government. It was important that when the second piece of gaming legislation was introduced, which was important to this state, it adopted the same kind of framework as that in the Casino Control Act. When we were in government we expanded quite considerably the number of acts that covered gaming in Queensland. We certainly revised the Gaming Machine Act in 1996-97. As I said earlier, that related to the white paper I wrote on behalf of the then government and proceeded to take across the length and breadth of Queensland. We did a fair bit of work on the Keno Act and also the Interactive Gaming (Player Protection) Act. I can recall in 1997 attending a ministerial council meeting to talk about interactive gaming, because that was the next major issue we had to deal with. At that time I had just become Minister for Public Works and Housing but was following on the work I did as parliamentary secretary in Treasury. At that ministerial council meeting, Victoria was going to write the template legislation for interactive gaming. I made the point at that ministerial council that Queensland was going to go it alone in the sense that we would write our own legislation. We would take account of the general principles being agreed to amongst the states but in writing that legislation we wanted to be consistent with the already established framework for gaming in Queensland. We went ahead and did that and it so happened that not only did we do it so it was consistent with the other gaming acts in Queensland but also we did it more quickly than Victoria. Victoria was supposed to be writing the template legislation, but ours was introduced and passed, and it 5 Sep 2002 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 3421 turned out that the Queensland legislation then became the basis for the legislation of a lot of other states and territories. I am sure that the ACT, the Northern Territory and Tasmania virtually adopted that act consistently. We in opposition and in government have supported, as has the Labor Party, consistency between the acts. This bill, as I said earlier, basically tries to enhance that consistency in relation to a number of issues. I did have some concerns when I first read the bill. When I read the bill which is amending another act and without access to the sections of the original legislation, a couple of issues came to my mind. I spoke to the Treasurer, who was good enough to allow me a good briefing from QOGR on it. I thank the Treasurer and I thank the officers, whom I know quite well in that area. First, I was concerned that the granting of employee licences would be given to the chief executive of the Office of Gaming Regulation. I must admit that I thought that opened up the possibility of the decision being subject to judicial review, something for which the current act does not really provide. When looking at the Casino Control Act, it is pretty important to understand that there are some instances in the granting of licences whereby the minister, in this case the Treasurer, has to make the decision. The decision is a sensitive decision. It is one in which information comes to the Treasurer, the minister at the time, from all kinds of sources, including law enforcement agencies across the country. Sometimes the decisions have to be negative such that licences are not granted. We would not want some of that information simply to be opened up to judicial review. I did have some concerns along those lines, but the officers in gaming regulation have indicated to me that they do not believe it is weakening the position at all. I am satisfied that the possibility of judicial review in terms of this bill will be only of a limited type which does not affect the integrity of the process. Most importantly, it cannot be used in a way in the future which weakens the probity issues so important to gaming. What we do not want to see is the probity being in any way compromised simply because we have changed the process. We are confident that probity is strong within the Queensland act and strong within all of the other gaming acts in Queensland. We do not want to see an outside body compromising that probity. The second concern I had related to the transfer of licences under the Gaming Machine Act. When I looked at it, I thought there was a weakening of the processes for transferring licences from one licensee to another. Without the original legislation, that concerned me. Applications for gaming machines are being considered at the moment. Similarly to other members, I did not want any process to take place that would weaken the ability of individuals or communities to object to that process if they thought it was detrimental to the community. Following a briefing, I am satisfied that these amendments are only about transferring licences in one place. I was concerned about future licence transfers from, say, Charleville or Roma to somewhere like Kenmore and that that would involve a less rigorous process than it has in the past. I am satisfied that this is about changing licences only at a particular location when one licensee sells a hotel to somebody else and the licence passes to a new owner. However, that raises a couple of other issues that I would ask the Treasurer to consider. On 17 May last year I asked a question of the Treasurer when he announced that no more applications from hotels for gaming machines would be accepted. In particular, I asked what transfer conditions were being put in place to allow the transfer of existing machines among hotels. In his answer at that time, on 31 May last year, he stated that discussions would be held with the industry over the coming months to develop a framework for the reallocation of machines that may become surplus to requirements of sites. I have not heard anything about that since then. Mr Mackenroth interjected. Dr WATSON: There was a meeting last week? Mr Mackenroth: It is a negotiating process. Dr WATSON: It is a fairly long process. The Treasurer said it would go for a couple months, but it has taken 15 months and I have not seen anything indicating that any significant progress has been made. Mr Mackenroth: It is still being worked through. Dr WATSON: I will be interested to see that. As the Treasurer knows, at the time I contributed to the white paper I had some fairly strong views on whether or not it was wise to put a total ceiling on the number of machines. In terms of the white paper, I agreed that there ought 3422 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 5 Sep 2002 to be limits on the number of machines at particular sites. We were going to change that for both hotels and clubs. We were going to increase the limit for hotels from 20 to 45 and for clubs from 250 to 300. I was concerned about introducing a total ceiling on the number of machines in existence. I was concerned, after having been to Victoria and learning of its experience, that if a total cap were imposed unwarranted capital gains would be created for those with existing machines. I was concerned that we would find exactly the same situation that we see with taxi licences. Placing a limit on the number of taxi licences created a value on the licences themselves. As conditions change, governments cannot undo such values without spending a fair bit of taxpayers' money. I had concerns also about the equality of the transfer process. I believed it would be very difficult to achieve a proper licence transfer process that took account of individual circumstances—idiosyncratic circumstances—and that it would be difficult to write that in either regulations or legislation. I believed a far better way was to impose a limit on the number of machines at a site but to allow the market to work out how many machines there ought to be in total. A second issue of concern was raised also by the Courier-Mail on 21 August of this year, when James McCullough questioned the $20 cap. I notice also that under clause 20 of the bill the amendment makes a logical and valid change concerning problem gambling in terms of who can be excluded from a casino and the circumstances in which that can occur. That is to take account of the fact that we have had some very unfortunate circumstances involving children being left in cars and so on. That is a legitimate concern in relation to problem gambling. I am less convinced about the effect on problem gambling of the reduction in the amount accepted by note acceptors from $100 to $20. John Limbrick from the Greenbank RSL Club is quoted in the Courier-Mail article. Mr Mickel: Hear, hear! Dr WATSON: I recognise that that club is in the electorate of the member for Logan. I have been to that RSL club. I think John Limbrick is a very good CEO. Mr Lucas interjected. Dr WATSON: No. Mr Lucas: You went down there and used their facilities, but you didn't put any money into their machines? Dr WATSON: I went there to talk to John about some issues quite some time ago, not recently. In the Courier-Mail he is quoted as saying— I think it would be interesting now if the Government went back and investigated how many problem gamblers it would have helped as a result of changing the ceiling to $20. The argument at the time was that we were going to help problem gamblers by reducing the maximum amount a note acceptor could accept from $100 to $20. But that ran into a problem. I have asked the Treasurer questions about this in the past. He has said there was an inconsistency between clubs, hotels and casinos and that that is why he changed it. However, there was also a feeling that cutting it from $100 to $20 had a significant negative impact on hotels and clubs but did not combat problem gambling. It may have impacted on the high rollers who like to come in— Mr Reeves: How do you know that? Dr WATSON: That is the argument the government has put forward. I am asking the Treasurer what evidence he has. Government members are the ones who have changed it. They are the ones who ought to bring in the evidence to suggest that it actually had an impact. I suggest they do not have any evidence that it has affected problem gamblers. I believe that if we want to attack the issue of problem gamblers we have to identify who the problem gamblers are and then provide a support structure in order to get them off gambling and solve their problem. We cannot introduce a general blanket reduction in the maximum value of notes accepted. We have to adopt an intensive program to identify who has a gambling problem and then provide the appropriate infrastructure. Mr Reeves interjected. Dr WATSON: The member for Mansfield said that they are not like alcoholics. If he talks to the gaming industry people, he will find that people with a gambling problem are very much like that. We need to get them off gambling and then we need to provide the appropriate support structure to keep them off it. That is important. Someone with a gambling problem needs to be 5 Sep 2002 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 3423 persuaded not to gamble, but they also need the support structure to keep them off it and give them alternatives to gambling. Mr Reeves: It is hard to identify. Dr WATSON: It is difficult to identify, but that is the challenge. We do not solve the problem through the publicity stunt of getting rid of $100 note acceptors. We have to do the hard work to find out who the problem gamblers are and then support them. That is the process that ought to be put in place. That is probably an expensive process, but in my opinion that is the proper social solution to helping problem gamblers in our society. It is a pleasure to support the bill. There are a lot of very good aspects to it, but I think a couple of issues need to be addressed for the longer term. Mr WELLINGTON (Nicklin—Ind) (12.09 p.m.): I rise to participate in debate on the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 2002. In speaking to this bill, I say at the outset that I am genuinely concerned with the level of gambling occurring in our community. The continual promotion in the media of the great opportunities that can happen if one gets involved in the gambling industry are also of serious concern to me. It is time that we as a community seriously looked at the message we are sending to the children in this great state of Queensland about having a flutter or gambling being fun and a great form of entertainment. It is very timely that when debating this bill there are record numbers of students in the public gallery from throughout northern Queensland to watch parliament and to get an idea of what parliament does. I hope that perhaps at a later date we as a whole community debate and consider the message we are sending to Queensland children about it being okay and fun to get involved in gambling and the entertainment associated with it. I have great concerns about the information revealed by the member for Algester earlier in the debate about the record levels of gambling in Queensland. I understand that Queensland is one of the highest in the world for its level of gambling in our community. Is this a good thing? What do we do about it as a government, or do we simply say, 'It's there. Let's just keep going'? I certainly have real reservations and concerns. Notwithstanding that, I acknowledge that since 1916 gambling funds have been used for community purposes. I understand that for a long time the Queensland Patriotic League managed the proceeds from lottery activities to benefit repatriating soldiers. Today many deserving community groups obtain grant money from the state government Gambling Community Benefit Fund, and this bill is set to provide more consistent regulations across the state's various gambling acts and also clarifies and strengthens provisions to ensure greater accountability for state gambling operations. I congratulate the Treasurer for his attempt to come up with some solutions to serious gambling problems in our community. In particular, I refer to the appalling case where some parents have neglected their family and parental responsibilities because of their addiction to gambling. I acknowledge that it is not simply a matter of attempting to identify and protect addicted gamblers and their families but a matter of caring for our broader community. I have also spoken with constituents who have serious concerns about our gambling industry. Some have reservations about applying for funds which have been sourced from an industry which they personally oppose, and I refer to Alcoholics Anonymous and the great work it does in our community. However, unfortunately it is unable to apply for grant money through the state government's Gambling Community Benefit Fund. An amendment to part 2 of this bill amending the Casino Control Act attempts to protect addicted gamblers by allowing a casino operator to exclude a person from the casino where the welfare of another person is affected by that person's presence in the casino. I understand that this amendment will give a casino operator the power to exclude a patron from the casino if that person leaves a child in a car in the casino's vicinity, such as the casino car park or outside the casino. I understand that the Productivity Commissioner's report indicates that there is no simple solution to the problem the gambling industry has in managing problem gamblers. The problem is as a result of a combination of environmental, social and psychological factors and not simply the result of specific personality traits. In researching this bill, I was pleased to note that the Gambling Advisory Committee's research was taken on board regarding emerging social concerns and related economic issues associated with responsible gambling. It is vital that the government be constantly in touch with the community's concerns and changing trends associated with this industry. The types of issues that the committee is monitoring and developing a response to and which we should all be aware of in our electorates throughout Queensland include a range of community level concerns—for example, access to bingo games and venues for juveniles, a legislative framework for the 3424 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 5 Sep 2002 application of exclusions, the location of ATMs and EFTPOS machines at gambling venues, the cashing of cheques by gambling service providers, appropriate and inappropriate inducements to patrons by gambling service providers, and the content of advertising and promotions. I support the imposition of additional controls on gaming machine manufacturers and restricted component manufacturers. I agree with the Treasurer that this bill goes a long way to improve the consistency and clarity of gambling regulations in Queensland. It is vital that we maintain a high standard of probity, integrity and community benefit in this industry. In supporting this bill, I simply reiterate the genuine concern that I and, I believe, many Queenslanders have with the level of gambling in our community and the effect that it has on our families. I commend the bill to the House. Mr HOBBS (Warrego—NPA) (12.15 p.m.): It is my pleasure to rise today to speak to the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 2002. The opposition supports this legislation. Members of the public need to be aware that the majority of legislation that passes through this parliament is in fact agreed to by both the opposition and the government. Often the public is misled by the media when it sees conflict between governments—whether federal or state—and between the Leader of the Opposition and the Premier of the day. Obviously, the media has to report the news of the day, but the reality is that by far the majority of legislation that passes through the parliament has bipartisan support. However, in many instances we find ourselves in situations where we need to discuss and work our way through the various pieces of legislation and any amendments. Sometimes one side may want to do something a bit different from the other but the general thrust of the particular legislation is agreed to. Gambling is certainly a most important part of our society. It is here to stay whether we like it or not, but we have to manage it in the best way we can for the benefit of the community. In financial terms, gambling is worth something like $600 million a year in Queensland, including about $600,000 in licensing fees from the major casinos. All governments need to carefully manage gambling because of the social and financial effects and the unfortunate criminal activity that also occurs around gambling. There are a lot of issues on the social side of it. We have to monitor and address its social impacts, and in his second reading speech the minister gave an example of people who are so obsessed with gambling that they leave their children in cars and do not look after them properly. Obviously there has to be a process put in place to manage that, because we have to look after the people in our communities as well. The financial side of it is very important of course. Some governments may believe that they can have a gambling-led financial recovery. Much benefit also goes to sporting groups and community organisations, and that is certainly well received in the community. We have to ensure that that continues. Something like one per cent—I am not sure of the figure—from the casinos' gross funding goes towards that. Every member here and those in our communities know that money comes from the Gambling Community Benefit Fund towards many groups, clubs, CWAs and so forth which has enabled them to undertake renovations and works. That is the positive side of it. In relation to the criminal activity surrounding gambling, unfortunately there is always a dark side to most things. It is very important to monitor the issue of money laundering. Therefore, it is important to have the appropriate people in the casinos all the time to ensure that those activities are reduced as much as possible. The legislation provides greater consistency in administration and strengthens a number of existing provisions in the act. However, there are some issues that the minister could perhaps explain more fully when he sums up the debate. Clause 23 relates to the transitional provisions for the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill. The explanatory notes state— It inserts a new section 131 to provide finality for unclaimed winnings from keno games which were conducted as casino games prior to the start of state-wide keno which has been conducted under the Keno Act 1996 from 23 June 1997. In this regard, the amendment defines unredeemed keno dollars to be those that are not redeemed for cash within a year after the commencement of the amendment Act and applies to keno dollars that would have been useable under this Act ... I agree that there has to be something final done about the money acquired under the old act, but what happens to the money? Where does it go? I understand that the money is now paid to the chief executive officer, whereas I thought before it was going into the fund if it was not used. Perhaps the minister could explain just where that money does go. Mr Mackenroth: It is $2,600. Mr HOBBS: Is that all it is? Mr Mackenroth: You could lose that at the casino in one night. 5 Sep 2002 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 3425

Mr HOBBS: Not quite. I refer to the decision making powers of the Queensland Gaming Commission. The decision making powers are transferred from the Queensland Gaming Commission to the chief executive officer. Are we shifting from collective decision making by a group back to individual decision making? I do not doubt there has to be somebody in charge— Mr Mackenroth: What we are doing here is bringing consistency across all the acts. There are some in one area and some in another area. We are making all the acts consistent. Mr HOBBS: But basically the Queensland Gaming Commission will still have a fair say in the operations. Mr Mackenroth: Appeals go to them. So the chief executive officer makes a decision. If you are unhappy with it, you then appeal to the Gaming Commission. Mr HOBBS: I can see that what the minister is doing is improving consistency, with which we agree. I point out that sometimes in that process we tend to step back from a decision being made collectively by a group, and then all power goes to the chief executive officer. Be that as it may, I think that is probably quite reasonable. The amendments to the Wagering Act affect the racing industry, with which I am heavily involved. The explanatory notes state— ... a permit holder is not required to pay wagering tax, if the total amount invested in the holder's totalisators for the month is less than the amount prescribed under a regulation. For instance, if a figure under $2,000 is received then wagering tax is not paid because the cost to collect it is too great. By the same token, if the figure is over $8,000 per year there has to be an accountability process. I think that is quite reasonable. I believe this probably would not have come about had there been better support for the thoroughbred and other racing industries in Queensland. Some TAB outlets and some regional race clubs are going back, mainly because of the direction in which we are heading. That is not part of this bill, but I think that is one of the reasons. I believe that had some real money been put back into the racing industry we would see an increase in the turnover at a lot of TAB outlets, particularly in the smaller country race clubs. As the minister said this morning, country racing will be virtually wound back. I support what the minister is doing with this legislation. The opposition will support it. We look forward to seeing the changes take place for the betterment of gambling here in Queensland. Mr REEVES (Mansfield—ALP) (12.24 p.m.): It is a pleasure to speak in support of the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill. Gaming machines account for 44 per cent of household disposable income spent on the gambling industry in Queensland. It is certainly the most popular form of gambling. It is interesting to reflect on the growth that has occurred. Gaming machines were not introduced into Queensland until 1992. Based on interstate comparisons, we would expect the level of expenditure on gaming machines in Queensland to increase in the future. Currently, Queensland generates 11 per cent of the national total expenditure on gaming machines. New South Wales generates over 50 per cent and Victoria generates 28 per cent. At this stage Queensland is a relatively small player when compared to New South Wales and Victoria. The introduction of gaming machines has created a circumstance whereby gambling has moved from a recreational activity to a major industry. Gaming machines stand out because of their availability and accessibility and the relative lack of skill or knowledge required by the operator to use them. Therefore, gaming machines have introduced a whole new group of people to gambling. Because of their availability and accessibility, existing gamblers have taken to gaming machines as well. My contention is that the relative expenditure on gaming machines will increase in the future. As the member for Warrego has said, there are some very positive results of gaming. One in particular is the Gambling Community Benefit Fund. Since 1998 in the electorate of Mansfield and surrounding electorates, including Chatsworth and Springwood, $5 million has gone to community groups, sporting organisations and schools. That is $5 million that would not have come from any other source. That has helped provide shade cloths, improve dressing rooms and carry out a range of activities. This $5 million is a very positive outcome for my community. It is also important to understand that the vast majority of people who use gaming machines do so as a form of entertainment. There is a small number of problem gamblers, but the vast majority use gaming machines as a form of entertainment. I know that my family does. They go out to a club, have a meal and play the pokies. So there is also a social aspect to gaming. 3426 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 5 Sep 2002

I congratulate the government on introducing a responsible gambling strategy in February 2002. That strategy sets out priorities to deal with problem gambling. Also, a responsible gambling code of practice has been devised and adopted by gambling service providers. The code recognises the importance of promoting responsible gambling practices as well as the creation of gambling environments that minimise harm to both individuals and the community. As the minister said, this legislation has come about in order to achieve greater consistency in the administration of all gaming acts and to clarify and strengthen some of the existing provisions of those acts. Importantly, the Gaming Machine Act will now require all internal control documentation in respect of gaming machine manufacturers and restricted component manufacturers to be submitted to the Queensland Office of Gaming Regulation. The bill will tighten provisions relating to installing gaming machines, requiring licences to install machines to be renewed within 12 months of the grant of a licence. That stops clubs or hotels just holding on to their licences for the future. If they do not use it, they lose it. A number of necessary amendments to the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill are proposed to achieve uniformity. The principal change proposed will clarify provisions related to appeals made to the minister under the Gaming Machine Act 1991. It also places tougher controls on gaming machine manufacturers. It will enable a consistent framework for licensing of individuals and enhance the ability to investigate business and executive associates of licence holders. The proposed increased consistency of penalties applicable across all seven gaming acts will ensure the ongoing integrity of those conducting gambling operations. The government has a commitment to ensure gambling is conducted in a responsible manner. An example of that is past legislation regarding the use of $100 and $50 notes. Unlike the member for Moggill, I think it does work. There have been reduced returns from some clubs and hotels. That is the whole idea of introducing a measure such as that. That proves that it is working. It is difficult to identify who is a problem gambler. It is reasonably easy to identify if someone has an alcohol problem, but it is much more difficult to identify a problem gambler. Under the amendments, a casino operator will be given the power to prohibit a person from a casino where the well-being of others is at risk. This power will extend to the point where, if a patron leaves a child in a car in the vicinity of the casino, he or she will be barred from entry to the casino. The bill also deals with advertising by casinos and there is a new section to deal with unclaimed keno winnings, dating back to when keno was conducted under the Casino Control Act. I assume that the member for Moggill collected his winnings the other night! Under the proposed amendments, players will have more time to claim their prize money. It is appropriate to be debating this bill next door to the casino. I referred earlier to excluding people from the casino. That reminded me of a visit to Townsville some 16 years ago, in 1986, when I was coaching the Brisbane Brothers junior football team against the North Queensland Brothers junior team. I have to inform honourable members that I and a number of officials were refused entry to the casino. Some may be shocked by that admission; others might not be. My fellow official was wearing dress shorts with long socks. Being my first football tour away, I went all out—brand-spanking new dress shirt, brand-new long pants and never-before-worn joggers. My colleague's shorts and my joggers were not up to the very strict dress standards at the time. I believe the realisation by the operators that they are in north Queensland and that the dress standards should match the climate and culture of the region has seen them change those standards. I must say that I had the last laugh, as I went back to the casino on the Sunday night and had a win. Mind you, my performance at trying to spin the two-up coins nearly saw me excluded again! However, that experience did not spoil my view of Townsville. I have been back a number of times. Many have spoken of their cred when it comes to Townsville. I think I can claim something that not too many other members can. I spent a couple of days in Townsville on my honeymoon last year. Mr Pearce: And how is the good wife, anyway? Mr REEVES: The good wife is very good. We are 11 days from having our first baby. Luckily, she has not had a scare this week so far—touch wood! Mr Lucas interjected. Mr REEVES: That is it! Although this week I have not been able to catch the world-famous South East Busway—mind you, the lifts at the hotel are very quick, but not quite as quick as the busway—I truly wish to thank the people of north Queensland for their hospitality and their willingness to share this great part of Queensland with us for this historic sitting. I believe the 5 Sep 2002 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 3427 schoolchildren have made this historic sitting what it is—an excellent demonstration of democracy at work. I commend the bill to the House. Mr JOHNSON (Gregory—NPA) (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (12.32 p.m.): I rise to address the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 2002. As the Leader of the Opposition has indicated, the opposition will be supporting this legislation. It addresses a number of important areas of consistency and increases the probity associated with the holding of gambling licences. The increase in consistency will also assist those individuals and organisations who are required to comply with this legislation. One of the areas of consistency is that the bill amends both the Casino Control Act and the Gaming Machine Act to provide that the chief executive of the Office of Gaming Regulation will make all individual licensing decisions and the Queensland Gaming Commission will be able to act as an appeal body for persons aggrieved by such a decision. The bill also amends the Casino Control Act to allow a casino operator to exclude a person from a casino in the interests of protecting the welfare of another person. This is a commonsense and long overdue amendment which I commend to the House. What is not abundantly clear from the minister's second reading speech is whether the provisions in part 2 of the bill extend to protecting the welfare of family members in a situation where their welfare has been adversely impacted by a family member gambling the family income. This is an area of concern to all members of this parliament and all members of all communities. We have seen such examples on too many occasions. It is so easy to feed those two-bob pieces through poker machines or other gambling venues such as the TAB. We are well aware that, in our society today, gambling is a sickness for some people, just as alcoholism is. Those two issues are the scourge of modern-day society. It is the responsibility of all of us to put guidelines in place that protect the innocent members of families. This is an all-too-common occurrence. I ask the minister to specifically address it in his reply. I would be particularly interested in knowing how one family member can make the necessary arrangements to have another family member banned in such circumstances. If such provision is to be made, I would be interested in knowing, in the interests of equity, how the banning of a problem gambler can be arranged with other licensed gambling facilities that do not have the advantage of the security provisions required in the casino environment. Part 4 of this bill amends the Gaming Machine Act to clarify the appeal matters which can be determined by the minister. Additional requirements will now be imposed on gaming machine manufacturers and the manufacturers of associated restricted components. I note that the legislation will also provide some flexibility in relation to the requirements that apply to the installation of the approved number of machines. As the legislation currently stands, a licensee has six months to install the full number of machines approved, otherwise the number will be reduced to the number actually installed in the six months. This amending legislation permits a licensee to submit exceptional circumstances for consideration rather than having the provisions automatically apply. I believe this is an integral provision of this legislation. Although it is probably more applicable to the bigger towns and cities around the state, in some of the smaller communities which boast poker machines we have to be very careful that we do not have an oversupply. Again, it is a tax on the family and the community rather than the individual. As members are aware, a whole range of circumstances could impact upon a facility's ability to install the approved number within the time frame. I think particularly of the many social and sporting clubs which rely upon volunteer and community boards. I am sure that those of us who have dealt with these structures will appreciate the need for the flexibility being afforded by the bill. Part 8 of the bill amends the Wagering Act to remove the requirement for a wagering tax to be paid where the total meeting hold is less than $2,000. I heard my colleague the member for Warrego address this point with the minister. Conversely, the bill requires a control system for any permit holder who has an annual investment in excess of $8,000. While the minister claims that the removal of the tax on small holdings will assist small and remote clubs, the reality is that it costs the government more to collect these taxes than it collects. I would like the minister to indicate what he expects the cost of a suitable control system to be for those clubs which collect more than $8,000 annually. If the minister is of the view that an annual hold of more than $8,000 exempts many clubs, I believe that he is mistaken. I invite him to indicate how many clubs have an annual hold of less than $8,000. As my colleague the member for Warrego indicated on Tuesday, racing in regional and remote Queensland is in a serious position. I seek the minister's assurance that the imposition of 3428 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 5 Sep 2002 this control system is not yet another attack on these clubs, which are such an important piece of the social fabric of rural and regional Queensland. This very weekend, I will be attending the Birdsville Races in the far south west of the state, which are one of the great racing success stories of country racing, as are many other racing meetings around the state. As the member for Warrego rightly said, these race meetings are often the one time of the year that many country people and their friends from afar descend on these places to enjoy the hospitality and the country environment. The opposition is very sensitive to the role of casinos in the Queensland economy. There is no doubt that we have some of the best casinos in the world. Gambling is part of the Australian way of life. We only have to be around on Melbourne Cup day to appreciate that. It is not surprising that the government has seen gambling as an optional taxation base. One thing that I will say is that, although the Goss government stepped up gaming in Queensland, it put us on a even keel with New South Wales, because for too long too many of our dollars that could have stayed in this state were going across the border. At the same time, as the member for Warrego said earlier, gambling has been around for a long while and we will never eliminate it, but we must control it properly. In addition to the contribution that gambling taxation makes to the government's revenue base, gambling dollars also provide a significant contribution to the welfare of our communities. I do not think that there is any community in this whole state that has not benefited through the Gambling Community Benefit Fund. I put on record that the contributions to that fund have certainly benefited many communities right throughout this state and will continue to benefit those communities. That is why it is so important that we manage gaming in this state in a very professional and very responsible manner. We see our aged people, our children and many disadvantaged people benefit from this fund. Although the government is collecting that revenue through taxation, it is certainly a very worthwhile return to the community. In fact, the Gambling Community Benefit Fund has contributed more that $382,000 to the Townsville-Thuringowa region in the past two months or so and about $4.74 million since 1994. I am sure that there are plenty of memorials around Townsville and Thuringowa that symbolise that contribution. However, I am concerned that we should not become over-reliant on the gambling dollar—not just because of the social consequences of a poorly administered system but also because of the vagaries of the gambling dollar. As we have seen in the past, any interruption in overseas tourism can also impact upon casino revenue. Today in the chamber—and previously on numerous occasions—we heard the Premier speak about the events of September 11 last year, which have left an indelible mark on our minds. Please God we will never witness that again. When these terrible things happen, they certainly impact upon the economy of our country. We are a country that is far away from the rest of the world and we rely on international tourism as much as we rely on domestic tourism. Given the parlous state of the Queensland economy under the Beattie Labor government, we should be particularly sensitive about relying upon income streams that are susceptible to sudden variations. As the Leader of the Opposition has indicated, the National Party is supportive of responsible gambling and, accordingly, supports a strong control mechanism. Therefore, it was surprising to note the Beattie government's move to cut staffing levels and the number of shifts for gaming inspectors in Queensland's casinos. The opposition is concerned that this reduction in supervision could expose casinos to organised crime, money laundering, prostitution and loan sharks—as has happened in other situations. We are concerned that the amendments to the certified agreement for gaming inspectors will fundamentally undermine the security of Queensland casinos and make them a target for organised crime. The government is proposing a reduction in staffing levels on night shift from two to one inspector and a reduction of two staff in each of Queensland's four casinos. The director of compliance in the Office of Gaming Regulation admitted to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission that the proposed changes gave rise to the possibility that there would be no inspectors at casinos at some times. That is a very alarming disclosure. When the Leader of the Opposition challenged the Treasurer about these concerns, the Treasurer tabled the briefing notes which he claimed proved that there would be no change to the permanent presence policy. The briefing note actually said— There is the possibility that a casino inspectorate could be unstaffed for a short period on an ad hoc basis. 5 Sep 2002 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 3429

I find that totally unacceptable and not responsible. The briefing note also said that there will be no impact on the rostering of police in southern casinos. That just shows how convenient it is for the government to forget north Queensland when it suits them. What about the casino next door? Over the past two or three days we have stayed in the hotel of that casino. What about the one up the road? They do not count as far as the Treasurer is concerned. I also cannot resist the opportunity during the debate on this legislation to thank the people of north Queensland for their contribution to the reconstruction of Lang Park. Maybe one day we will find out how many dollars did go into it. When we talk about Lang Park, we talk about great Rugby League teams that have played there in the past. I have to put it on the record today that I am a great supporter of the Canterbury Bulldogs. I can assure members that they will be back in 2003 and we will see them playing at Lang Park and beating many other teams around this state and this nation. Mr Mackenroth: You would like them to beat the Cowboys. Mr JOHNSON: I am a firm supporter. I have to put it on the record here today that I like the Cowboys, too. I like all the rest. But I have to say here today that, when we talk about football teams and the corruption that has affected one of the greatest clubs in the world, we must endeavour to keep this sort of thing out of casinos. I say here today: up the 'Dogs for 2003. Ms LEE LONG (Tablelands—ONP) (12.46 p.m.): I rise to support the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 2002. It is interesting to note the history of organised gambling, excluding racing, in Queensland. It began in 1916 with a lottery, the proceeds of which went to a soldiers' repatriation fund—an honourable purpose. Today, I am well aware of the many groups in my electorate that make application to the Gambling Community Benefit Fund for assistance. This original lottery was taken over by the Queensland government in 1920 and become known as the Golden Casket. From the 1980s, the Golden Casket's popularity declined as other forms of gambling, such as Gold Lotto, the Pools, Instant Scratch-Its and the TAB came on line. Casinos and poker machines were legalised and gambling moved from a recreational activity to a major industry. Human nature being what it is, there have been, and still are, casualties along the way. Problems created from gambling addiction impact on individuals, families and communities alike. Gambling, just like smoking, drinking and drugs, can become addictive—a habit hard to break. In 1999, the level of disposable household income spent on gambling was estimated to be in excess of three per cent. Gaming machines accounted for 44 per cent of all gambling turnover; casinos, 26 per cent; racing, 12 per cent; Lotto, 10 per cent; instant lotteries, five per cent; and keno, three per cent. Amendments to the Casino Control Act 1982 and the Gaming Machine Act 1991 included a number of changes to the licensing and appeals process. The Casino Control Act has significantly increased penalties. For example, the penalty for operating as a key employee without being in possession of a casino key employee licence and failing to apply for such licence within seven days of receipt of a notice from the chief executive could attract a maximum fine of $15,000—up from $7,500—or one year's imprisonment. Casino operators guilty of failing to keep books, records and documents for a period of five years could face fines of $15,000—up from $3,000. Similar penalties apply if the casino operator fails to have books of accounts audited within four months from the end of the financial year. Inspectors are authorised to require any person found committing, attempting or reasonably suspected of committing an offence to provide their name and address. A failure to do so could attract a maximum penalty of $3,000. The new section 92(3) of the Casino Control Act will give authority to a casino manager to bar a person suspected of harming someone in their care because of their habit. This could mean someone at home, in a car, or any place. The question arises whether, or how often, a casino manager would know about this unless perhaps it was a regular customer. I am sure that we have all heard of the case of the woman who left her child in a hot car whilst satisfying her gambling habit. There would be many, both men and woman, who are so addicted that they would satisfy their habit rather than feed the family. Amendments to the Wagering Act 1998 provide for the making of regulations prescribing a minimum monthly amount invested with totalisators of race clubs to pay wagering tax. This is designed to ease the burden on small race clubs. Many country clubs are finding the going tough, as we have heard this morning, and would appreciate any help, no matter how small. I have a number of race clubs in my electorate, the larger ones being in Atherton and Mareeba, 3430 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 5 Sep 2002 and Mount Garnet and Chillagoe race one weekend a year. Unfortunately, the Almaden annual race meeting ceased a few years ago as it could not keep up with the ever-increasing government standards. The Mount Garnet races are a very popular annual event, with the town's population swelling from hundreds to thousands over the May long weekend. It is a chance for many people to do the camping experience, be it the flash way of camping for many of them. I attended the Atherton annuals recently and shared a good afternoon of racing with an enthusiastic crowd of people who enjoy the horses and the sport. The next event on my racing calendar will be the Cairns amateur races which, in case members have not heard, is Queensland's equivalent of the Melbourne Cup. It has become a huge event with all the trappings of what they in Melbourne have but with the terrific north Queensland weather. This event will be staged next week, so if any members can extend their stay in the north it would be well worth their while attending. There are 154 thoroughbred racing clubs in Queensland, with a membership of about 27,500. The industry was estimated to be worth some $1.5 billion over the five years from 2000 to 2005. As a whole, it provides approximately 7,000 jobs in this state, so it is a very important industry. In 1997-98 it was estimated that problem gamblers lost on average $12,200 per year, compared with about $650 for other gamblers. Electronic gambling machines were found to be associated with nine per cent of problem gamblers, and racing 5.2 per cent. However, the majority of people are responsible, but human nature dictates that a small percentage always falls through the cracks. These are the ones we have to look out for and help. They are not bad people; they have just acquired a bad habit. Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM (Gladstone—Ind) (12.53 p.m.): In rising to speak to this bill, I put on the record some information that others have also touched on. I obtained this information from an article in the Australian. The article talks about the fact that gambling losses have skyrocketed in the past 25 years—and I acknowledge that that is pre-poker machines in Queensland anyway—from $95 per adult in 1975-76 to $998 in 2000-01. Whilst wages have increased over that period, I am sure that, as a percentage of the total wage, the percentage being lost to gambling also increased exponentially. Poker machines in Australia represent one in five of the world's gaming machines. Gaming machines have swallowed up the bulk of those increased losses. The latest figures for gambling losses available as at August this year indicated that gambling losses were highest per person in the Northern Territory, outstripping New South Wales and Victoria for the first time. Western Australia, on the other hand, does not have poker machines in its clubs and pubs and had the lowest level of gambling losses per adult in the 2000- 01 year. It has been talked about before, but I acknowledge that for many people a visit to a casino or a club in their local area is entertainment. They might have a meal and spend a short amount of time on the poker machines. However, there is an element of people who find it very compulsive and very difficult to remove themselves from poker machines. Australia's love of gambling—and this is information from James McCullough—on sport and keno helped offset a slump in poker machine revenue for Jupiters Limited when it posted a flat net profit of $78.1 million for the year to 30 June 2002. Jupiters posted a record bottom line after-tax result of $78.1 million, compared with $77.1 million last year. Total revenue increased marginally from $771 million to $793 million. That is the amount in one year that is put through its system—a staggering amount of money. A representative of Jupiters said that the Queensland government's decision to restrict the type of notes being fed into poker machines to just $20 notes as opposed to $50 and $100 notes impacted significantly on the bottom line of poker machine revenue. I remember that legislation being passed through the House some time ago. In terms of the amount of money that people have actually put through poker machines, this initiative has had a beneficial effect. A government member interjected. Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM: That is right. They have to get up to change the money. An incident in Townsville in January this year has, in part, prompted this legislation. Whilst the incident was not a good one, the fact that it has prompted a review in the legislation is beneficial. At the time, a lady gambling in the casino was removed by the security staff when a child was discovered in her car. She was barred from the casino. She appealed that barring, and the appeal stood. Therefore, it was put to the test that casinos had no power to exclude people who had a demonstrated problem with gambling to the extent that it affected members of their family. Therefore, this bill introduces a power for casinos to bar or require the withdrawal of somebody whose actions within the casino have a flow-on effect to members of their family. From my 5 Sep 2002 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 3431 research, it is unclear what sort of circumstances would need to apply, but where children are left in a car and where it can also be shown that the person's activities in the casino do not benefit a family in a number of areas, whether it be economic or social, this power should stand. A number of members talked about the community benefit fund. I acknowledge the benefits of that fund, but it always must be borne in mind that that money is available because such extensive amounts are lost in the casino on an annual basis. It really is a redistribution of the money lost by members of our community in casinos. As pointed out by other businesspeople in local areas, the amount of disposable income has not increased. What has changed is how that money is disposed of. Other businesses have suffered as a result of this redirection of disposable income. In my electorate there are a number of clubs and hotels with gaming machines and keno. However, I put on the record my support for a proposal that has been on the table for a long time, namely, the relocation of our turf club. For many people, that is still their primary means of entertainment. It is a very important source of employment for our community. Off-site employment must also be considered, because it is substantial. There has been a proposal on the books for some time to relocate the turf club to one of the ash ponds near the powerhouse and to upgrade the facilities. That proposal still stands. There will be a meeting today with the Queensland Thoroughbred Racing Board. I put on the record my sincere support for those in the community who have been working hard for many years to see this club relocated. I wish them every success in their meeting with the board. As I said, for a lot of people it is an area of sporting interest. I wish them success— A government member interjected. Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM: Yes, they are. When they are relocated they will be able to construct the new turf club. I wish them every success and I look forward to when their new facility is opened to an enlivened racing industry in my community. Sitting suspended from 12.58 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. Mr COPELAND (Cunningham—NPA) (2.30 p.m.): I rise today to support the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 2002. The objective of the bill is to achieve greater consistency across all seven of the gaming acts and to strengthen a number of existing provisions. Provisions are inserted to ensure that casino operators must continue to operate with the strictest integrity. Amendments to the Casino Control Act 1982 provide for the refusal of entry to and banning of a patron if a dependant is endangered by a patron's presence in the casino. The example that the minister gave in his second reading speech of a child left to wait in a car outside a casino is one with which I am certain all members are familiar following a spate of shocking stories in the media. Although it is a tragic state of affairs to believe that such an amendment would be necessary, I believe that the events of recent years have proven its worth. The Gaming Machine Act 1991 has been amended to provide for courses of action by the minister following an appeal of a Queensland Gaming Commission decision. Following an appeal to the Queensland Gaming Commission, the minister has three courses of action open to him or her. The minister may confirm the decision and end the appeal; the minister may set aside the decision and substitute another; or the minister may set aside the decision and return the matter to the commission. If the commission is in a position to reconsider the appeal, any further decision will then be final. Amendments to section 30 contain provisions stating that the minister must consider information or material as the minister considers relevant. This provision and the requirement that the minister must be satisfied that the integrity of gaming is upheld will contribute to ensuring that the public interest is not jeopardised or affected by the interests of the minister. Amendments to the Wagering Act are designed to relieve financial pressure on smaller regional clubs and operators. Regional clubs and smaller operators have struggled with the administration costs of collecting wagering tax, which often far exceed the proceeds. The purpose of this change is to recognise the circumstances of these smaller operators who do not find it to be a commercially viable interest to enter into a formal agreement with the TAB. To this end, amendments to the Wagering Act will effectively remove the requirement for wagering tax to be paid should wagering receipts be less than $2,000. Amendments to the Casino Control Act and the Gaming Machine Act will assist in consolidating the decision-making process for the licensing of individuals. At present, the licensing of individuals is carried out by the Queensland Gaming Commission and the licensing of casino related employees is carried out by the minister. Amendments to the two aforementioned acts will 3432 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 5 Sep 2002 provide for the chief executive to make all individual licensing decisions, thus providing greater consistency and clarity to the licensing process. I would like to briefly refer to one of the side effects of the proliferation of gambling venues in our communities that is of widespread concern to many young people in particular. Gambling not only affects the social fabric of our communities and families but it is also slowly eroding the very heart of our cultural fabric through the takeover of the very popular live music pub scene. In recent years, the live music scene across Australia has found itself battling against many challenges that were not prevalent a decade ago. Such factors as stricter health and safety requirements, noise restrictions and the wave of residential living moving in on traditional live music areas have taken their toll on the live music scene. However, one of the central factors striking at the heart of the live music pub scene is the sprawl of poker machines throughout pubs across the country. The live music landscape in Queensland is no exception. Brisbane boasts a vibrant live music scene and gains its strength from its heart and soul—the Valley. This scene is a strong and cohesive force which has successfully banded together to defend live music in the city. However, the steady takeover of pokies is an affliction that it simply cannot stop and which possibly poses the greatest threat. It is something that is happening right across the state. Pub owners are able to make a more secure and reliable income through pokies. Slowly, more and more are taking this option rather than relying on the less lucrative live music scene. In doing this, they are depriving up-and-coming musicians from getting a step-up in the music scene and an opportunity to perform live. These publicans cannot be blamed for their actions because, just like the musicians, they too need to make a living and obviously will take the road that leads to a more secure future. However, the sprawl of pokies throughout pubs is claiming rooms that used to host live bands and is turning them into brightly lit gaming rooms and pokie parlours, all at the expense of our live music scene and young and upcoming artists. Many of Australia's top acts could not have hoped to be what they are today if it had not been for the live music pub scene—a scene which has contracted significantly in the past decade. The lead singer of The Whitlams, Tim Freedman, is outspoken in his condemnation of the effect that poker machines are having on the live music scene. If the growth of pokies through our pubs continues, there will be fewer opportunities for bands like The Whitlams to get a start. This was a point emphasised by Freedman on an interview on ABC Radio. He stated— I'm really glad that I'm not in a band starting off at the moment, because the pubs where I started don't exist any more, and so I wouldn't have got out of the rehearsal room if poker machines had been around 10 years ago—as simple as that. Proponents of pokies argue that gaming machines are subsidising venues so that they are able to support local bands. However, this argument does not wash with many in the industry, because they claim that this is doing nothing for original and upcoming artists. There is a difference between presenting live cover bands and presenting original music. Pokies do provide an enjoyable experience for many people—people who gamble responsibly and enjoy that experience. But there can be, and are, unwanted side effects of which we all should be aware. I commend the bill to the House. Mr ENGLISH (Redlands—ALP) (2.36 p.m.): It is important to acknowledge that all parties bringing legislation before the House do so with the best of intentions. The legislation they bring before the House is the best that can be framed at that time. However, no legislation is perfect. That is why we see numerous amendment bills come before this House as weaknesses, faults and flaws are identified in existing legislation. A weakness has been identified in the Casino Control Act 1990. Members of the opposition often bleat and bellow about the alleged arrogance of the Beattie Labor government. How can this government be accused of being arrogant when it is continually being confronted with problems in existing legislation and responding to them by amending the relevant acts to improve the lives of Queenslanders? These are hardly the actions of an arrogant government. While in Townsville, I took the opportunity to speak to Dave Steinhardt, the general manager of Jupiters Casino. Dave relayed a story to me. In January this year, a gentleman and his wife came to Jupiters Casino to gamble. Effective patrolling by security managed to identify a child unattended in a car in the car park. Because of the security provisions under the Casino Control Act, they were able to review the security tape, identify the people who owned the vehicle, track them down on the gaming floor and have a conversation with them. Management requested that those people leave the casino to look after the interests of the child. 5 Sep 2002 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 3433

Mr Terry Sullivan: Hear, hear—the system worked. Mr ENGLISH: The member for Stafford is correct. The couple left and took the child home. No-one knows what happened from that point on. However, later that day, the couple came back and proceeded to keep gambling until about 2 o'clock in the morning. I will not stand in this chamber and say that that child was left unattended at home; I do not know that for a fact. However, I have strong suspicions that that was the case. The following day, when this matter was brought to the attention of Dave Steinhardt, he took the action he felt appropriate and issued a banning order under section 92 of the Casino Control Act against that person. Section 92 of the current Casino Control Act allows people to be banned from a casino for a number of actions. The relevant provisions are that a person has acted in a way affecting or potentially affecting the safety or wellbeing of a person or other persons in a casino. It turns out that the child in the car was not within the precincts of the casino so he could not rely on that subsection of section 92 to issue a banning order. Using a bit of creative thinking—the member for Callide has had problems with my using this terminology in previous parliaments; I hope he does not take issue with my use of the word 'creative' today—he viewed the actions of that person as coming under subsection 3B(1), and that is that the person has acted in a way that may affect the proper conduct or integrity of gaming or, basically, might bring that industry into disrepute. However, following legal advice, that position was found to be legally untenable and the banning order was lifted. As a result of that incident, representations were made to the Deputy Premier and the Treasurer highlighting the inadequacy of the existing legislation. In relation to irresponsible parents and caregivers who leave their children in cars to meet their gambling addiction, the current legislation did not allow the casino to help that person and protect the interests of the child. This Beattie Labor government has acted, and has acted relatively quickly, to close that loophole. We are amending the legislation to include a new subsection under section 92 such that people will be able to be banned where the safety of a dependant or someone in the care of the person is at risk because of the person's presence in a casino. So it now does not matter whether a child is in a car park, on a park bench a kilometre down the street or sitting at home alone; if the casino becomes aware that the person's gambling addiction is causing difficulties or leaving someone at risk no matter where they are, the casino can ban that person. This is a good thing for the welfare of our children, and I commend the bill to the House. Mr RODGERS (Burdekin—ALP) (2.43 p.m.): Today I rise to speak on the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 2002. This bill is largely a matter of housekeeping to ensure that gambling legislation is kept up to date and is working in the interests of all Queensland. Gambling legislation requires ongoing monitoring so that the government is able to determine how the industry changes and that our laws reflect those changes. Gambling is hardly the most edifying of activities, but we cannot change the fact that we are all tempted by the lure of a quick buck. Sadly, I am one of those who will not be basing my future on the roll of a dice. Unfortunately, social ills arise from gambling. Much has been done by governments past and present to address these problems. However, I am pleased to see that the proposed amendments address the needs for accountability in this industry, not just on the part of the industry but by patrons as well. How many times have we read or seen news stories about irresponsible parents leaving their children locked in cars while they spend endless hours gambling and perhaps drinking? While these parents are enjoying the airconditioned comfort of these establishments, more often than not their children are left suffering and sweltering inside hot cars. While these cruelly treated children suffer agonising boredom and distress, their irresponsible parents might be enjoying a cold drink inside. However, because of their gambling bug they fail to recognise the needs of their children. While there are already laws to cover this type of inhumane offence—and we often see irresponsible parents being convicted successfully—I am gratified that this amendment will be a meaningful preventive measure. This amendment will prevent parents from making bad choices in relation to their children or people in their care and will protect their dependants. It will also protect any gambling establishment from having to accommodate irresponsible parents. This amendment will ensure that gambling is conducted responsibly. Of course, the aim of the entire amendment bill is to ensure that gambling in Queensland is conducted responsibly. I am sure keno players will be delighted to learn that they will have an extra year in which to pick up their unclaimed winnings. Some people playing keno are not aware of their winnings and, after a few drinks, forget to pick them up. 3434 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 5 Sep 2002

I am pleased that a tweaking of the wagering legislation will give some small country race clubs some relief. I support the scrapping of the wagering tax for small clubs. This bill demonstrates the Labor government's determination to keep an eye on the gambling industry, to ensure that gambling in this state is conducted responsibly and honestly and that the community benefits are maximised. I commend the bill to the House. Ms NELSON-CARR (Mundingburra—ALP) (2.46 p.m.): I rise to support this legislation. I believe the initiatives in it reflect the government's response to the public's growing concern over the growth of gambling in the community and in particular the issue of the growth in gaming machine numbers. This legislation is all about better balance and better coordination so that a lot of the social costs in our community because of gambling can be better dealt with. I have had dealings with people with gambling problems. I believe that increasing the number of machines will result in more gambling. Whilst I acknowledge that gambling will always take place, we need to put measures in place to protect those who fall into the gambling net. Minimising social problems and providing support for individuals encountering problems with controlling their gambling needs to be at the forefront of any legislation that we consider. Whilst I have had to deal with problems arising from people's out-of-control gambling— Mr Reynolds interjected. Ms NELSON-CARR: Should I take the member for Townsville's interjection? Mr Reynolds: I know that you have no problems with gambling whatsoever. Ms NELSON-CARR: That is right. I thank the member for Townsville. Whilst many problems are associated with gambling, I think it is timely, too, to make a comment about the clubs in our communities that do enormous and powerful good and provide a very important service to communities through the provision of facilities for leisure and entertainment. These can have very positive economic spin-offs and benefits. Recently, I presented some awards to the Brothers Leagues Club, which is part of Clubs Queensland. It was raising money for the Starlight Foundation. A government member: Hear, hear! A great organisation. Ms NELSON-CARR: That is right. It looks after young people who are very ill and who may not have long to live. That foundation provides support and good wishes for children suffering ill health. The Jubilee Bowls Club, which is in my electorate— Ms Stone: A great bowls club. Ms NELSON-CARR: That is right; it is. It held a bowls tournament the other day, and I am a member of that club. The money raised on that charity day went to the Red Cross. A government member: A very worthy cause. Ms NELSON-CARR: It is a very worthy cause. A balance needs to be struck—that is, the legislation should protect the social costs of those who suffer from the disease of gambling and also explore what can be done for our communities to assist them to better the lives of those who live there. This legislation is great legislation. I commend the bill to the House. Ms PHILLIPS (Thuringowa—ALP) (2.49 p.m.): I rise in support of the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 2002. This bill articulates the government's strong commitment to addressing the social and economic issues that have arisen from the recent rapid growth in gambling in Queensland while preserving the many benefits that the industry continues to provide. It is about providing two fundamental principles—that is, greater balance and better coordination. In future, the social costs generated by gambling will be weighed against the benefits, and proactive measures will be implemented to minimise social problems and provide support for those individuals who encounter problems with regard to the control of their gambling. The Beattie government acknowledges that there are adequate existing gambling opportunities within Queensland to meet the needs of most participants. Consequently, the current rapid growth of gambling in Queensland will be slowed through a strategy of non-proliferation. This does not mean that this government is a spoilsport. It means that it is responsible and takes social issues into consideration when addressing such issues. Like many other Queenslanders, I enjoy a flutter on the pokies or at the races. I come from a family of people for whom a bit of gambling was a great social outlet. In the 1930s my mother used to run for her brothers to the local SP bookies—long before there were TABs in our communities. A government member: Was that legal? Mr Terry Sullivan: It might have been marginally legal. 5 Sep 2002 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 3435

Ms PHILLIPS: It probably was marginally legal in the country area in which she lived, yes. I enjoy visiting the clubs in my area. The Brothers Club in Thuringowa is very popular and a strong supporter of local sporting bodies and the community. The Thuringowa RSL is a new club struggling to establish itself for the numerous veterans who live in the area. The Thuringowa Bowls Club is also very popular, and on Monday we held a great bowls competition there between the parliamentary bowls team and its members and raised $900 towards the Red Cross Accommodation Centre here in Townsville. I therefore have already experienced the very positive attributes that the clubs in my community can bring, and I commend this bill to the House. Mr TERRY SULLIVAN (Stafford—ALP) (2.52 p.m.): Some people spend part of their family budget on lawn bowls, tennis, motor sports, patchwork quilting, photography, bridge or a hundred other leisure activities. Other people choose gambling as a form of recreation. For these people, poker machines, greyhounds or thoroughbreds are their interest and a means of relaxation. For a very few people, gambling is an obsession, an addiction and an illness. Problem gamblers have characteristics and consequences in their lives similar to alcoholics, some smokers and drug addicts. For these people, gambling takes over their whole life and leads to major difficulties with finances and relationships within the compulsive gambler's family. While I have limited knowledge and expertise in addressing gambling addiction, I can assure those friends who have come to me for assistance or advice that I will do whatever I can to help them or their family member. One key aspect in dealing with problem gambling is the manner in which clubs and other gambling venues promote and monitor their gaming activities. I wish to congratulate the Kedron-Wavell Services Club within the electorate of Stafford on being awarded the Clubs Queensland Special Achievement Award for Responsible Gambling for 2002. Since the early 1990s when the first coin was dropped into a legal Queensland poker machine at Kedron-Wavell by the then Treasurer Keith De Lacy, the Kedron-Wavell Services Club has always taken a responsible and community-minded approach to gambling. I want to outline for the benefit of the parliament some of the steps taken by the Kedron-Wavell Services Club in its caring and responsible approach to gambling. Firstly, Kedron-Wavell was an active participant in the formulation of the responsible gambling policy developed through the office of gaming. Clubs Queensland has endorsed this policy and has promoted the policy throughout the clubs industry. Kedron-Wavell, not surprisingly, was among the first clubs to adopt this policy. The club has employees designated to act in a customer liaison role to handle issues or complaints surrounding responsible service of gambling. The general manager, Wade Coleborn, attended a responsible services of gambling course through Clubs Training Queensland. This course was presented through the Clubs Managers Association delivered by Club Training Queensland over a period of two eight-hour sessions. This course incorporated analysis and reporting on gaming machine data. Selected employees of Kedron-Wavell Services Club are attaining accreditation through the Clubs Queensland Certificate IV, hospitality supervisor, course. The course offers modules in relation to responsible gambling practice, and most of the employees participating in the course are developing their skills and knowledge in gaming units. Kedron-Wavell Services Club is committed to the ongoing training of all staff who are employed in the gaming area. The club has developed a relationship with Break Even. Like Gamblers Anonymous, Break Even deals with those who have an addiction to gambling. Mr Reynolds: They do a great job in Townsville. Mr TERRY SULLIVAN: Yes, it does do a great job in Townsville. In fact, I am sure it does a great job across the state. Brochures are available in the gaming area for any member or guest, and later I will seek leave to table a copy of that. At any stage if there is an incident where the club feels Break Even should be notified of a possible problem gambler, after consultation with the patron the club has no hesitation in reporting this matter direct to Break Even for its follow through. Signage is placed in the gaming areas which addresses problem gaming, and rules ancillary to gaming developed by the Queensland Office of Gaming Regulation are displayed. Those rules are available for every gambler who comes into the club to see. I seek leave to table those documents. Leave granted. Mr TERRY SULLIVAN: Kedron-Wavell Services Club takes the initiative of counselling parents of problem gamblers. As well, if stress has been caused to the family of the alleged problem gambler, the club reimburses the moneys lost on the site. The liaison officer of the club communicates with these families and counsels any family member who needs someone to listen to them, and I believe that that is a tremendously responsible step that the club has taken. 3436 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 5 Sep 2002

The club strives to ensure that gambling facilities and gaming promotions are not marketed in a way that may solicit problem gamblers. The focus of the advertising within the club and the marketing strategies primarily relates to the many other marketable areas of the club, including the constant variety of world-class entertainment, member benefits, dining facilities, functions and an atmosphere where the community spirit and families can meet. Extensive radio and print advertising campaigns have rarely, if ever, promoted gaming facilities. Any advertising of gaming is done in-house within the club. The club endeavours to ensure any major 'big winner' promotions, which may include gaming participation as a requirement for entry, are structured in a format that does not emphasise gambling as the primary vehicle to win a major prize. Joining the club and renewing membership were a main focus of this campaign. I understand that since Break Even has had some difficulties, Kedron-Wavell has moved to link its members to Gamblers Anonymous. Kedron-Wavell Services Club has been approached by a patron's parents, who have voiced their concerns with their daughter's alleged gambling addiction. Internal investigations were carried out by the club. The reported information to hand found there to be a factual situation which showed that reciprocal membership was being used by this person to further her addiction. A personal visitation by the club's liaison officer took place and a reassurance that the club takes gambling problems seriously is reiterated to the family and to the other club. The Queensland Office of Gaming Regulation is notified of the actions taken by the club—that is, suspension of the patron concerned—and follow-up is maintained with the family of the alleged problem gambler. A patron playing the machines who has a cash jackpot must physically go to the payout window and collect the winnings. This prevents the person from simply putting the jackpot back through the machine in large amounts and therefore dissipating the money quickly. The club also has a responsible policy with regard to cheques. Any cheques to be cashed need prior management approval. The club has come to an arrangement with a number of the elderly people in the area who have only a chequing system and who cash pension or other cheques. These are people who deal with their money in a responsible manner. The club does not cash a casual cheque, as it may be for a person who does not have the financial ability to maintain their habit. All the staff at Kedron-Wavell are informed of the procedures to adopt if a patron is reported as being a problem gambler. I congratulate Kedron-Wavell Services Club because its patron care in responsible gambling is part of its broad safety policy. It has a very strong focus on community involvement, social interaction and entertainment, particularly entertainment within a family environment. It provides a safe environment for members, visitors, guests and staff. It has an active patron care program for alcohol consumption and for responsible gambling. I once again congratulate Kedron-Wavell Services Club for winning the Clubs Special Achievement Award for Responsible Gambling for the year 2002 and I encourage other clubs to implement such a policy. Hon. T. M. MACKENROTH (Chatsworth—ALP) (Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Sport) (3.01 p.m.), in reply: I thank all honourable members who participated in this debate for their support for the legislation. I will address a couple of the issues that have been raised. The Leader of the Opposition once again raised the issue of inspectors and the reduction in the number of inspectors in casinos from two to one. I inform the honourable member that the regulation of casinos is achieved through a multifaceted licensing and compliance process, only one aspect of which is the role played by inspectors. The mechanisms used to ensure the ongoing probity and integrity of casino gaming include: licensing of all those involved in the management and operation of casinos requiring an assessment of their probity and the management and financial expertise of those responsible for the running of the casino; a quarterly review of the financial position of the casino and its accounts; approval, review and audit of internal control systems for the casino; two levels of audit—an on-site audit by inspectors and an independent audit from the Queensland Office of Gaming Regulation head office; approval of systems and equipment used for casino gaming and subsequent periodic audits; investigation of complaints; target surveillance by inspectors; approval of the organisational structure of casinos to ensure independent functions within the casino to ensure the proper function of casinos—for example the separation of surveillance and security functions; and the enforcement of legislation, including the issuing of penalty infringement notices. Further, casino owners and operators frequently operate in multiple international jurisdictions. Queensland regulators share information with those jurisdictions in relation to the ongoing suitability of those persons to continue to be associated with casino gaming. 5 Sep 2002 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 3437

The member raised the issue as it was before the Industrial Relations Commissioner. The Industrial Commissioner delivered his decision in this matter on 28 August 2002. In essence, the commissioner agreed that it is a basic right of the employer to organise a business in the way it considers the most efficient manner. In his decision the commissioner said— In the view of the Commission, the QOGR satisfactorily addressed the issues of inspectors' safety, career structure and the viability of the proposed working arrangements in terms of the QOGR fulfilling its responsibilities to the government, the casinos and the patrons. Further the commissioner said— After considering the proposed staffing structure and reallocation of resources, including the proposed 10 new Assistant Regional Managers, the Commission is also satisfied that in addition to career structures the application satisfactorily addresses the issue of community benefit and service delivery, efficiency and effectiveness as required by clause 4(2) of the Core Agreement 2000. The member for Moggill raised the issue of note acceptors on gaming machines. The preliminary results of research into the impact of limiting note acceptors to a maximum denomination of $20 show that it has assisted problem gamblers. In particular, they show that over 30 per cent of people identified through the Queensland Housing Survey as problem gamblers or high-risk gamblers have reduced their levels of gambling as a result of the note acceptor limits. The research is yet to be finalised. The member also raised the issue of the reallocation scheme for gaming machines in hotels. The government undertook statewide consultation with publicans in October and November 2001. Then a discussion paper was released to the public in December 2001. Further statewide consultation occurred with publicans in February 2002. We have held ongoing discussions with the Queensland Hotels Association. At present a policy paper is almost complete and I have formed a committee comprised of three people—one a hotel owner, one a hotel licensee and the other a person from a solicitor's office who actually works putting together hotel licences—to work through some of the issues relating to hotel licences and how those people will be treated in the reallocation scheme. The actual policy is almost complete; however, I will not rush. I want to make sure that the policy is correct. The member for Gregory told us all that he is a Canterbury supporter. It absolutely shocked me that the deputy leader of a Queensland political party would stand up in parliament and tell us that he supports a Sydney football team! Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Fouras): Order! I suggest that the Treasurer should not be so provocative this late in the afternoon. Mr Johnson: Especially against me. Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Absolutely. I am trying to protect the member for Gregory. Mr MACKENROTH: Whilst people know that I am a very keen and avid Broncos supporter, my second team is the Cowboys, whose tie I have on today. Mr Horan: Your old team, Easts, is third. Mr MACKENROTH: No, no. That is a different competition. East Carina comes No. 1. One of the East Carina players, Dion Cope, played here for the Cowboys back in about 1996. Some of our boys do go on. Mr Reynolds: We accept the southern players up here. Mr MACKENROTH: Well, you'd need to. The member asked for that. The member for Gregory raised the issue of exclusion for problem gamblers. Section 261 of the Gaming Machine Act requires a gaming machine licensee in a club or hotel to prohibit a person from playing gaming machines if they believe that the peace and happiness of a person's family are endangered due to excessive playing of gaming machines by the person. Similar provisions exist in the keno, wagering and interactive legislation. The Responsible Gambling Advisory Committee is reviewing the operations of the provisions to ensure that they are as effective as possible for assisting people who experience problems with their gambling and their families. I thank all members for their contributions and their support for this legislation. Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! I have been advised that Owen Jefferis, father of the member for Broadwater, has driven all the way from Cloncurry to see his first session of parliament. It is the first time he has seen his daughter, P-K, since she has been elected to the parliament. Motion agreed to. 3438 Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 5 Sep 2002

Committee Hon. T. M. MACKENROTH (Chatsworth—ALP) (Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Sport) in charge of the bill. Clauses 1 to 12, as read, agreed to. Clause 12— Mr HORAN (3.10 p.m.): Clause 12 relates to changes to penalties. A large number of clauses throughout this bill relate to changes in penalties. This clause is probably typical and it relates to the Casino Control Act. Mainly, that act contained penalties of 40 units. In most cases, those penalties have been increased to 200 penalty units. That is a very big increase. I understand from the departmental briefing that the increases were to bring consistency to the acts in terms of all the offences and penalties contained in them. I just wonder why they are increased to 200. Was any consideration given to bringing the penalties down? Was it necessary for the penalties to go up rather than down? Finally, what education programs would be put in place to advise industry stakeholders of these significant penalty increases? Mr MACKENROTH: The basis of this whole legislation is to bring consistency across gaming legislation. Where the parliament has considered that an offence had a penalty under one act of 200 penalty units, it was considered that it would be more appropriate that we should make them all at that level rather than bring them down. Of course, the penalty is a maximum penalty and it would be up to the court to decide what the penalty is. The court can decide that there is no penalty or up to the maximum 200. In relation to informing people, the appropriate action would be taken through the Queensland Office of Gaming Regulation to advise the appropriate bodies involved with gambling of the respective changes within this bill. I am certain that they will all be aware of those and comply with them. Clause 12, as read, agreed to. Clauses 13 to 32, as read, agreed to. Clause 33— Mr HORAN (3.13 p.m.): This clause inserts a new section 29A, which provides that the minister may give a direction staying the operation of a decision or a determination of the Queensland Gaming Commission or chief executive which is the subject of an appeal to the minister, with one exception. This new section provides that the minister, before granting a stay under that section, must have regard to whether the integrity of gaming and the conduct of gaming will be jeopardised or whether the public interest will be adversely affected if the stay is granted. I ask the minister if he can elaborate on what would be considered in the public interest with regard to gaming in these particular cases? How would the integrity of gaming be compromised? What would constitute the conduct of gaming being put in jeopardy? I also ask what ways, or what people in the department, would the minister be using to assess the integrity in the conduct of gaming? Mr MACKENROTH: The provision that we have inserted arose when the Office of Gaming Regulation had put in place a penalty on a hotel. It suspended the licence of a hotel for four weeks. That person appealed to me as the minister—as they have the right under the act to appeal—and they have 28 days before I can even consider the appeal. Of course, the period under which the appeal needed to have been lodged meant that the penalty could have already been served. So this is enabling a stay of execution if a person nominates that they wish to appeal the decision of the director. I then have the discretion to stay the decision whilst that person lodges the appeal. I then cannot consider the appeal for 28 days. So I have to wait for the full appeal period, because the person has the right to provide further information. That is the reason that this provision has been inserted. Clause 33, as read, agreed to. Clauses 34 to 65, as read, agreed to. Clause 66— Mr HORAN (3.16 p.m.): As do a number of other clauses throughout the bill, clause 66 deals with transferring the decision-making authority from the Queensland Gaming Commission to the chief executive. Is this simply for consistency to change to the existing arrangements in the other 5 Sep 2002 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 3439 acts, or does it have a particular advantage? Is it better to have the decision-making authority resting with the chief executive as compared to the Queensland Gaming Commission? Does it in any way undermine the status of the Queensland Gaming Commission? Mr MACKENROTH: No, it does not undermine the status of the commission. The way that the legislation will now be set up is better. We are bringing all the acts into line. Similar decisions are made already by the chief executive officer of the Office of Gaming Regulation. This will enable an individual who is aggrieved by a decision the right of appeal to the Gaming Commission. That would be a right that they did not have before. So under this legislation the transfer from the commission to the chief executive officer allows them a right of appeal that they did not have. Clause 66, as read, agreed to. Clauses 67 to 112, as read, agreed to. Schedules 1 and 2, as read, agreed to. Bill reported, without amendment.

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

COMMUNITY SERVICES LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES LIQUOR LICENCES BILL Second Reading (Cognate Debate) Resumed (see p. 3402). Mr JOHNSON (Gregory—NPA) (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (3.20 p.m.): The opposition supports the government's introduction of the Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 2002 and the Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2002, but not without certain reservations. There is no doubt on either side of the House or by elected representatives of indigenous communities that urgent action is required to address the evils of alcohol abuse in Queensland's indigenous communities, particularly in Cape York. I have given the minister and the Premier my assurance that the opposition will provide bipartisan support in any action that will positively attack these problems. As well intentioned as these bills are, they will not achieve their stipulated aims without the achievement of real cooperation and partnership with the communities themselves, particularly representative bodies like the Aboriginal Coordinating Council. When I say 'real partnership', I mean real partnership—not empty words and rhetoric. This partnership must be inclusive and be maintained on a regular basis with a consistent approach. In the short time that I have filled this very responsible role in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policy, I have spoken often with the minister, the Hon. Judy Spence, and the Premier. The issues that surround the Aboriginal communities in Cape York and the gulf regions in western Queensland are not just isolated to those regions. Last year, I visited Western Australia and saw the same problems in the Kimberley region, western regions of the Territory and all over the Territory in places like Doctor River and isolated communities. My point is that most times this problem has been created by white man and that it is now up to us to work closely with these people to make sure that we get an outcome that will give these people and all people who live in this state a quality of life so that we can work in harmony together. Again, it is well known that there is a considerable level of animosity between the minister and the ACC, culminating most recently in the ACC lodging a vote of no confidence in the minister's ability to handle Queensland's Aboriginal affairs. I am of the view that— Mr Bredhauer interjected. Mr JOHNSON: Just let me get to it; I will come to that directly. Mr Bredhauer interjected. Mr JOHNSON: I take that point. I take on board the comments of the Minister for Transport and Minister for Main Roads and the member for Cook, whose electorate envelops many of these communities that we are addressing in the body of this legislation. I am of the view that that is not an acceptable level of relations between the minister and the ACC and that it is a state of affairs which needs to be urgently addressed and turned around. As the Minister for Transport rightly just 3440 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 5 Sep 2002 said, it does not matter who has been the minister in recent years because nobody can get it right. This is the opportunity and the time now for us to try and get it right. Mr Bredhauer interjected. Mr JOHNSON: What the minister said is that the ACC is against the minister, but this is exactly what I am coming to. My point in relation to the Aboriginal Coordinating Council is that maybe we can look at both sides and think, 'Did they have it right or did we have it right, or who has had it right in the past?' This is about forgetting about the past and debating this piece of legislation so that we can go forward and address these problems together. I plead with the minister and the government to embrace the issues and the problems to try to work out a resolution that will give these people the quality of life they deserve. I really believe that this legislation is a step in the right direction, a direction that a lot of people have been waiting for for a long time. A lot of money has been thrown at Aboriginal and Islander policy over a number of years and a lot of that money has been squandered or not directed in the right way. It has gone into alcohol and into many other areas that have contributed to abuse. Generally, the outcome has been to the demise of Aboriginal people right across the length and breadth of this state. I do not say that lightly. The important factor to remember is that many of these people are innocent, the victims of circumstances outside of their control. I am of the view that the deterioration in the quality of relations between the minister and the ACC cannot be allowed to continue because, quite frankly, the welfare of indigenous Queenslanders is too important to let this state of affairs continue. I plead with the ACC today to work very strongly and to be very up-front with the minister in making absolutely certain that the needs and concerns of their people are addressed in the right way so that we can go forward together. I know that the minister has been under pressure and I know that past ministers have been under pressure, but we will not resolve the problem by having public slanging matches, whether it be with the ACC and the minister, with the opposition, with ATSIC, or with any negative persons who want to put petrol on the fire. There has been too much of that in the past. Let us leave the past behind. I have publicly offered in good faith to act as a mediator in the dispute between the government and the indigenous Queenslanders over lost wages. I have already given the minister and the Premier support on this issue and in relation to the continuing fight against alcohol abuse in indigenous communities. In respect of the wage issue and the $55 million, I have spoken twice to the Premier. This is a very generous offer in terms of trying to correct some of the wrongs of the past. I plead with those people in those indigenous communities who believe they are the recipients of this money to make their representation to the proper authorities in a responsible and fair way, because there are people who can take advantage of this. As I said, I have assured the minister and the Premier of bipartisan support in tackling this problem. I just hope that the issue can be resolved. I return to the problem of alcohol abuse in these communities. Real and sustainable progress on these issues cannot be made with the government in one silo and Queensland's indigenous leaders in another. As I told the minister and the Premier, it is imperative that the ACC be included as part of this process. If a more inclusive approach were taken in implementing this legislation, less energy would be wasted in public slanging matches between the government and the ACC. Those comments could be more positively directed towards the real problems. I referred to throwing good money away. There have been problems in that respect for a number of years. We talk about money that has been poured into Aboriginal and Islander communities. We see the virtual disregard for property. There is no doubt in the world that this stems from alcohol abuse. The member for Mount Isa has a great number of these indigenous communities in his electorate. Recently, I had the honour and joy to visit Mount Isa to attend the world-famous Mount Isa Rodeo in this the Year of the Outback. Mr McGrady interjected. Mr JOHNSON: It was the best-run country event I have ever been to in my life; it was just fantastic. My point is that I saw police working overtime in Mount Isa in terms of addressing a problem with drunken indigenous people. This is an issue that we are trying to address in this legislation. This is a situation that the people of Mount Isa and of these communities do not want. That is precisely what we are about today—trying to commence a recipe that will correct or help correct this problem. Perhaps we will not get it right straightaway, but I believe this will go a long way towards making sure that we are going in the right direction. 5 Sep 2002 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 3441

The objects of the Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 2002, as indicated by the explanatory notes, are to prevent harm in indigenous community areas caused by alcohol abuse and misuse and associated violence by establishing community liquor licensing boards in community areas to manage alcohol canteens in a way that prevents harm caused by alcohol abuse and misuse and associated violence; to provide for the declaration, in consultation with community justice groups, of restricted areas for the purpose of minimising harm caused by alcohol abuse and misuse and associated violence; and to minimise alcohol related disturbances in a locality by (a) prescribing limits on the quantity of liquor that a person can have in their possession and (b) placing conditions on licensed premises within the area. The bill allows the government to create a community liquor licence board or CLLB by regulation. This bill enables the government to transfer a canteen licence to the CLLB by regulation. Under the bill, the CLLBs are required to manage canteens in a way that prevents harm from alcohol abuse and associated violence. The bill provides that the CLLBs must implement recommendations made by the community justice groups about responsible practices in operation of the canteens—for example, trading hours, take-aways, et cetera. If the CLLBs disagree, the matter is referred to the Liquor Licensing Division, better known as the LLD. The point I make—and there has been comment by the leaders of communities and the Aboriginal people themselves in these communities about this—is that they are losing control of what is rightfully theirs and that they will lose that money out of their communities. What will happen as a result of this legislation—by it being implemented and by it being implemented properly—is that these people will not lose anything; they will gain. This is the fact that has not been driven home. They are going to gain because they will be taught how to manage alcohol, how to become a community again, how to become productive in that community, and how to become somebody who has a purpose in life rather than somebody whose life has been denigrated and pushed aside because of alcohol abuse and the ailments that are associated with it. We see the problems in Aboriginal communities. I know that we have these problems in our own communities but the situation is as blatantly obvious in Aboriginal communities. When we see young girls pregnant, when we see women being bashed and abused in their own homes or in their own communities, we cannot tolerate it. This is not the behaviour of Aboriginal people. They never, ever acted like this before, and it is not customary for them to act this way. The bill also amends the Liquor Act 1992 to enable the LLD to declare by regulation restricted areas around indigenous communities to (a) impose strict control on the supply of alcohol by licensed premises and (b) set restrictions by regulation on carrying alcohol on roads and public places within the restricted area. The bill requires the LLD to consult with the CJG before imposing these restrictions. I think the important factor here is that these people will still be able to have input and will still be able to play a managerial role in making absolutely certain that this piece of legislation works. The bill strengthens the ability of the LLD to impose strict conditions on licensed premises and to minimise public disturbances and other harm arising from alcohol abuse. In relation to enforcement powers, the bill empowers community police to use the Liquor Act powers to enforce dry place declarations, restricted area alcohol limits and sly grog offences within the community area. The bill provides new powers to stop and search vehicles, to enforce dry places, and to cover restricted area limits and sly grog offences. The one real concern, and I think that everybody would be unanimous in their support of this, is addressing the issue of sly grog. Sly grog has been a real heart wrencher and gut wrencher for Aboriginal communities. I hope the law goes all the way in throwing the book at these people, because most times sly groggers are the main offenders in creating an environment that is totally unacceptable. This bill provides for the seizure and forfeiture of property used in committing liquor offences. That is one of the issues I hope the minister will refer to in her reply—exactly how far-reaching that part of the legislation will be as regards the seizure of property. If somebody from, say, Townsville or Cairns or a north Queensland community—or any other community in Queensland for that matter—breaks the law, I just hope that they will be subjected to the full brunt of the law so that we can create an environment where we can be absolutely certain that the law will be upheld. I turn now to the Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2002. The objectives of this bill are to provide a framework for the establishment of community justice groups and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community areas and to provide legislative powers to community justice groups to declare dry places within their community areas as a mechanism for local decision making to control the possession and consumption of alcohol. I think this is the real thrust of these two pieces of legislation. The real thrust of this legislation is to provide legislative 3442 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 5 Sep 2002 powers for community justice groups to declare dry places. We have to put this in place. When we go into Cape York and see places like Seisia that are dry communities and view their success, we have to look very closely at how alcohol will be let into these communities, how it is allowed to be consumed and how it will be managed. I think this is a very important and integral part of this legislation. Another very important and integral part of this legislation is the consolidation of the existing legislative provisions for the Aurukun Alcohol Law Council under the Local Government (Aboriginal Lands) Act 1978 into the new community justice group framework provided under the amendments to the Community Service (Aborigines) Act 2002 and the provision of a clearly defined process for Aboriginal and Islander councils to make by-laws, including the capacity to quickly adopt model by-laws and to make subordinate by-laws based on a modified version of the local law process under the Local Government Act 1993. Again, there will be input from the councils to make absolutely certain that they are working with government and working with government policy to adopt a set of laws that will work. In time I believe that the minister will bring forward amendments to this legislation because it will not be absolutely right the first time. However, I think this is a very good part of the legislation that assist in getting it right the first time. The bill is part of the government's response to the Cape York Justice Study report, which was submitted to the government by Tony Fitzgerald, QC in November 2001. The bill is part of a package of reforms to address the prevalence of alcohol abuse and violence in indigenous communities in Cape York and other parts of Queensland. It complements the Indigenous Liquor Licences Bill 2002. I have spoken to many Aboriginal leaders, members of the Aboriginal Coordinating Council, members of ATSIC and individuals. I represent an electorate that has many Aboriginal people. However, I have to assure members that in the electorate of Gregory we do not have a lot of the problems that other electorates such as Mount Isa and Cook unfortunately experience. My point today is that understanding the problem is the first step towards solving it. If we do not understand the problem, we cannot start to fix it. A lot of the indigenous leaders to whom I have spoken are genuinely committed to fixing the problem. Boni Robinson, who chaired the women's task force, produced a fantastic report. It would have been very difficult for those women to compile that report. They left nothing unanswered. They addressed the issue from the perspective of both the perpetrators and the victims of crime. We have to look at the reasons this is happening. If these people are prepared to be honest and open about this, we will certainly be on track towards getting an outcome. I say to Boni Robinson and the people like her: congratulations on having the guts, tenacity and grit to be up front and to do something about it so that, as the Premier has said, we do not have any more lost generations. There are certainly lost generations out there now. Together we can correct that. A lot of these people are genuine. As the minister knows, a lot of people have been critical of her. As I said before, we should forget about the criticism; it is time we got on with fixing the problem. In relation to this bill's creation of community justice groups, I note that many communities already have CJGs funded by the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy, better known as DATSIP. Before a CJG can use its new powers to declare places dry, the bill contemplates that it must be established by regulation. Again, this regulation is where the people themselves are involved. The regulation must set out the following details—the name of the CJG and who can be a member of the CJG. People with a criminal record are banned. I think this is a step in the right direction; we need people with an unblemished past. The regulation must set out which community groups or clans are represented—there is a requirement that all main indigenous social groups, such as traditional owners, historical people and large families, must be represented—how the members are chosen and how meetings will be run. As I have said to the minister on numerous occasions, some of these communities are not run by the right people. I will state that on the record today. We have to put better management in place. We have to train these people to manage their affairs better and to be more responsible in the management of their communities. As the minister and I have said on numerous occasions, money is too hard to come by and we cannot keep throwing good money after bad. It is about being accountable and being open to the process, and the process has to be transparent for all. I note that DATSIP officers are meant to provide assistance with procedural issues. I hope this statutory requirement translates into practical achievements. Once a CJG is established, it will have the power to declare dry places in the community, make official binding recommendations to the community liquor licensing board about how the canteen should be run, recommend to 5 Sep 2002 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 3443 government limits on alcohol that can be brought into the community, and carry out justice strategies, including power under the community by-laws. I believe this is a very responsible initiative and one that is now set in the body of this legislation. Today, I appeal again to the ACC and to all other groups within these communities to make certain that this works. A dry place is a place where a person cannot drink, carry alcohol or be drunk. The CJG can declare any place in the community to be dry except private places, which can be declared dry only at the occupier's request. The CJG has to give notice of a declaration and call for submissions and objections before it can declare a place dry. The bill also contemplates that state and community police will be able to enforce the dry place declarations. That is a very important part of this legislation. I turn now to the concerns of the ACC and ATIAB. Earlier I mentioned that the minister and the ACC have not enjoyed the most productive relations over time. Unfortunately, the same can also be said of the government's peak advisory body, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Board, which was not even informed of the government's decision to commission Justice Fitzgerald to conduct the Cape York Justice Study. These sorts of lapses in protocol and courtesy serve only to inflame emotions and tensions between the government and indigenous groups who rightfully wish to be involved in any process designed to improve the lot of their people. Today I stress to the minister that some urgent changes need to be made in how the government conducts these processes. I know it is a time-consuming process to visit all of these communities. I believe that if we are to have proper consultation we have to take the time and make the effort to cover all communities. We cannot go to one and not the other; these communities are identifying different issues. A lot of the problems created in the past possibly can be alleviated or resolved if we have better consultation. Making this process work properly in future will require full and detailed consultation. Today I have also put on the record my offer to mediate in a closer, more productive working relationship between the minister and the ACC. The opposition wants to make certain that this legislation works and that we get advantageous outcomes for the implementation of this government's policy, and that will in time, I hope, provide a better quality of life for these communities. We want to make certain that if amendments are made further down the track they will conform to the objectives of this legislation and will have a common purpose. I wish to add that it is also the opposition's desire to be party to all processes in advancing these bills as part of an overall reconciliation process which would see the plight of indigenous Queenslanders no longer the subject of party political games. As I said earlier in my address, it is time to get on with it. In this spirit of inclusiveness, I have also undertaken to the ACC that I would table its concerns in relation to the bills currently before the House. Accordingly, I seek leave to table the following documents. Leave granted. Mr JOHNSON: The documentation that I tabled is a letter to me dated 26 July 2002 from Mr Thomas Hudson, Chairman of the Aboriginal Coordinating Council; a letter to the minister dated 21 August 2002 from Mr Phillip Deemal, Chairperson of the Hope Vale Aboriginal Council; and a letter to me dated 22 August 2002 from Mr Lloyd Fourmile, executive member of the eastern region of the Aboriginal Coordinating Council. From reading these documents, one thing that is immediately noticeable is the passion these various members of the Aboriginal Coordinating Council have for tackling the evils of alcohol in Queensland's indigenous communities. Obviously, there are differences of opinion between the government and the ACC as to how best to tackle these problems, but I repeat that these issues cannot be addressed constructively without all parties being allowed to contribute meaningfully to the process. One of the issues raised by Mr Hudson in his letter is the period of time given to the ACC to provide feedback on these bills to the minister. Mr Hudson states that he received correspondence from the minister on 17 July with a request for a response to be returned by 26 July. I have to join in the ACC's criticism of this procedural aspect of the preparation of these bills. Nine days is nowhere near enough time to allow the ACC to properly respond with its concerns. I hope that in the future we can amend these time frames so that we can have longer consultation periods. I turn now to issues which have been omitted from the bills' coverage. The opposition considers these bills to be a good first step in the fight to curb alcohol abuse in Cape York, but that is all these bills are—a first step. The government and the opposition, in conjunction with the communities themselves, must ensure that this is not the last. For far too long our indigenous 3444 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 5 Sep 2002 people have been set up to fail through the neglect of governments on both sides of politics, a process that simply cannot be allowed to continue. That is why there must be continuity with these bills as part of an overall plan for these communities. This has been the subject of recommendations not just from the Cape York Justice Study report but also from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Task Force report. Accordingly, when one considers the notion of an overall plan, what particularly concerns me is that these bills do not cover the serious issues of drug and substance abuse. In the Townsville Bulletin on Wednesday, Townsville solicitor Mr John Ide was very critical of what he considered to be the government's action of burying its head in the sand over the paint-sniffing crisis devastating the lives of dozens of Townsville's young people. The tragedy is that the problem of substance abuse is not limited to Townsville. As I witnessed last year in the Territory and WA, it is rife in those two areas of Australia as well. A member of the ACC has informed me and my office that it is experiencing these problems across Cape York. Whilst this bill might not cover everything, I do believe that we can address these issues as time progresses. Similarly, the Aboriginal Coordinating Council has also raised with me its concern about drug abuse in its communities. I raise these issues today because alcohol is not the only problem faced by the people in these communities. We cannot afford to focus on one problem to the exclusion of others. When the government released its response—Meeting Challenges, Making Choices—to the Cape York Justice Study report, it also listed a framework for the future which included children, youth and families; crime and justice; economic development; education and training; land and sustainable natural resource management; and health. I want to quote what Robin Sullivan, the Children's Commissioner for Queensland, said at the breakfast that many of us attended this morning. She had had input from young people who said that we always seem to say that young people are our future, but as the young people have said to the United Nations they are not only our future but also our present. We must reflect on those words that Robin Sullivan said this morning because they certainly are our future, whether they are indigenous or non-indigenous children. In terms of those issues listed in the government's response—that is, crime and justice, economic development, education and training, land and sustainable natural resource management and health—it is very difficult to prioritise them, but I would think that health should be at the forefront. We need to make absolutely certain that we get that part of it right and the education part of it right and then economic development, training, and land and sustainable natural resource management will look after itself, because those communities want to be self- sufficient. All the different aspects of this framework are important, but I specifically mention health, which my colleague the member for Maroochydore and shadow minister for health will speak on in more detail later when she makes her contribution to this debate. Meeting Challenges, Making Choices states— The Queensland government recognises the need to do much more and to work more closely with the community to develop— and this is the important part— innovative new ways to help meet the health needs of the people of Cape York and beyond. No truer words could be said. From the briefing provided to my office from DATSIP staff and the minister's office—and I thank them for that—it is my understanding that there has been a cabinet decision endorsing the relocation of the Cape York Partnership Unit within DATSIP as well as DATSIP's status as lead agency for the implementation of the Cape York Justice Study report's recommendations. Together with further comments I wished to make in relation to the issue concerning liquor licensing enforcement, my staff advised the minister's office and DATSIP during the briefing on these bills that I was desirous of DATSIP establishing a quarterly reporting framework on the Cape York Partnerships Plan as I am firmly of the view that the only way to tackle these problems is through reference to measurement of performance indicators at regular intervals. I also take this opportunity to assure the minister that I do not make this suggestion as an attempt to introduce a measure to embarrass her or her department but to ensure that all Queensland can have an accurate picture of the plight of these communities and the success and failure of government in seeking to address them. I say to the minister that I fully expect there to be some quarters where the performance measures will show negative or poor results. 5 Sep 2002 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 3445

Far from being an object of ridicule, I am of the view that this is the kind of data that can only help the government to devise more effective strategies to find the required solutions. I am also unaware of whether the minister knows of my requests in relation to quarterly reporting, so I will detail them here today. I would be grateful if the minister would consider them as part of ensuring a more open and inclusive process of implementation of the government's response to the Cape York Justice Study, which the opposition wants to succeed. My requests relate to the Cape York Partnerships Unit's work plan and quarterly reporting to the parliament in relation to the government's progress on the implementation of the recommendations of the Cape York Justice Study report. The other issue I want to focus on relates to liquor licensing enforcement. From the briefing provided to my office on these bills, I understand that the development of alcohol management plans for Cape York has been coordinated by the Cape York Partnerships Unit. It is also my understanding that it is envisaged that these plans will be finalised by October this year. While I look forward to the finalisation of these plans, I am concerned that only two staff from the Liquor Licensing Division will be seconded to this project. Members on both sides of the House have used strong rhetoric this year in describing the terrible ills alcohol has brought to our indigenous communities. Words like 'genocide' and 'lost generation' have been used to describe the disastrous consequences alcohol has brought to these communities. As politicians, sometimes we have an amazing talent for stating the obvious. Sadly, this dubious talent will not bring about the necessary changes which are so urgently required. The bills provide for liquor licensing enforcement powers to be shared between police and community justice groups. I appeal to those community justice groups to work very closely with the communities and the police to ensure that we get the desired outcome we are trying to achieve through the body of this legislation. Given the extent of the problem and the existing policing needs within these communities, I am concerned that there will be insufficient resources dedicated to the enforcement of these bills and existing laws under the Liquor Act. I stress to the minister today that it is absolutely paramount that adequate staffing and resources are put in place to address liquor licensing in the communities in question and to ensure that inspections are carried out to make certain that we have got it right. I note that during the estimates committee debate this year the minister, in answer to a question from my colleague the member for Cunningham, stated that she thought it was too early to know what level of resources would be required to ensure proper enforcement of liquor licensing laws in Cape York. Given the horrendous cost to these communities of alcohol abuse, particularly to the women and children, I urge the minister to reassess her position on this point and lobby in the cabinet room for additional resources to boost the level of liquor licensing enforcement in the Cape York region. As I said a moment ago, it is so important that there are sufficient staff to carry out that very important and integral role. I also bring to the attention of the House and the minister my concerns in relation to the level of expertise within the Liquor Licensing Division in the management of alcohol problems in indigenous communities. I appreciate that the administration of the Liquor Licensing Division is not part of the minister's portfolio responsibilities but, consistent with DATSIP's lead agency status on the government's response to the Cape York Justice Study report, I am bringing this concern to her attention so that she can raise it with her colleague the Minister for Tourism and Racing and Minister for Fair Trading. This concern was raised with me in a memorandum dated 2 August 2002, received by my parliamentary office on 21 August 2002 from an anonymous source. I table that document. The memorandum raises serious concern in relation to the level of expertise of non- indigenous supervisors, particularly their lack of understanding of both liquor and non-liquor issues in indigenous communities. The main criticism set out in this memorandum is that supervisors have no understanding of indigenous culture, have no understanding of indigenous communities and how they operate and have never been to an indigenous community. This is the type of criticism we have to address. We need full and proper consultation and appropriate supervisors in place to ensure we get it right. These are issues which will significantly undermine the success of the bills currently before the House. I would be grateful if the minister would pursue these issues on my behalf. In conclusion, I reiterate that the opposition supports these bills as a necessary first step in the process of tackling alcohol abuse in indigenous communities in the Cape York region. I urge the minister to consider my request in relation to quarterly reporting and the release of the Cape York Partnerships Unit's work plan. I reassure the minister again that the opposition will grant 3446 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 5 Sep 2002 bipartisan support to ridding these communities of the blight of alcohol abuse. I look forward to continuing to work with the minister in bringing about these changes. I again appeal to the Aboriginal Coordinating Council to show the same commitment, desire and dedication to reaching the same outcome the government and the opposition desire. Only together can we achieve this ultimate goal. With the desire, this legislation will have purpose and will deliver an outcome. We will then see young indigenous people become purposeful in their own communities and become constructive community members in other parts of the state. I commend this bill to the House. Mr PITT (Mulgrave—ALP) (4.03 p.m.): I rise today to support the Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2002 and Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 2002. I congratulate the minister, Judy Spence, on her dedication to making a difference. Her determination to tackle long-established and difficult problems is to be commended. I am also pleased to see that the bills have bipartisan support. Some of the comments made by the shadow spokesperson, the member for Gregory, are refreshingly frank, and I thank him for that support. I thank him for his support of the bills. I have a particular interest in these bills as I also have the privilege of representing the Yarrabah community in this place. No doubt the new legislation will directly affect people from that community. I have seen the Yarrabah community make great progress in recent years. Yarrabah in many ways has an excellent track record in coming to grips with alcohol related problems. However, there is still a lot more that can be done. When I see the dysfunction alcohol creates in many communities I am particularly saddened. Although the link between alcohol consumption and violent behaviour and resulting injury is a complex one, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that payday binge drinking is a fact of life. Conversely, statistics indicate that a lessening of violence in communities coincides with those days when community canteens are not operating. Higher death rates and overall poor health levels are partly due to alcohol abuse. The establishment of canteens in communities in the 1970s and 1980s saw a corresponding rise in mortality rates and a drop in health standards. Poor nutrition is one unfortunate by-product of the diversion of moderate household budgets to the purchase of alcohol. Children are quite often the victims of violence, abuse and neglect as a result of antisocial behaviour brought on by overconsumption of alcohol. As children comprise 47 per cent of the population in many Aboriginal communities, their health, their security and their emotional welfare require the allocation of considerable resources. I refer to comments made by Tony Fitzgerald in a radio interview. He said— Alcohol abuse and violent misconduct have become socially normalised in these communities, instead of being regarded as aberrant behaviour, they're regarded as usual behaviour. One of the consequences of that is that the role models available to children—and I don't mean that there aren't good people there, or that there aren't good role models—but common role models are people who have problems with alcohol and who are all too readily, all too often involved in violence. In purely economic terms, alcohol abuse plays havoc with family incomes, and work force participation levels on many communities are already at a low level. People in such circumstances are particularly vulnerable to alcohol abuse. Many of the strategies formulated by the Cape York Justice Study to tackle problems brought about by alcohol abuse are in fact universal. They are used in the broader community. However, in indigenous communities they will have even greater applicability if we are to rein in a problem which I believe is of epidemic proportions. I will outline some of these measures. First is the control of the supply and availability of alcohol. This is particularly relevant as it applies to sly grogging. Secondly, demand needs also to be controlled. This can best be done through education, various support programs, targeted advertising and, above all, a change of community culture. Communities must become intolerant of excessive alcohol consumption. Thirdly, harm reduction measures involving responsible serving practices and such facilities as safe houses for women and children are integral steps in embedding long-term solutions. Fourthly, there must be support for detoxification programs and supervised residential accommodation to allow those addicted to alcohol to manage their addiction and rehabilitate their lives. The role of community justice groups is important and, in this case, with this legislation going through, vital. They will be called upon to take a leadership role in their communities as never before. The community justice groups will acquire powers that will enable them to declare dry places within communities. Dry areas are places where a person cannot consume alcohol, cannot 5 Sep 2002 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 3447 carry alcohol or cannot be when they are drunk. Private houses of course are exempted, unless a request is made by the owner. The ability to police these areas has been expanded, with both state police and community police vested with powers of enforcement. However, these dry places are not the subject of arbitrary decisions on the part of community justice groups. The community justice group is obligated to undertake a formal process of notification, consultation and, of course, consideration of objections. Sufficient flexibility has been built into the declaration of dry places to meet the emergent needs of a community. While some places will remain permanently dry—and they should—others may be declared so for a lengthy trial period and in some cases for a particular event. The community justice group has a more specific role in regard to its powers to recommend to canteen boards how a particular canteen will operate. These recommendations are binding. They will influence such things as the availability of takeaways, the hours of operation and the types of alcohol that may purchased. Furthermore, some control is exercised over the quantity of alcohol that may be brought into a community. In many communities, more serious problems arise through sly grogging than through the consumption of alcohol from community canteens themselves. With such powers, it is paramount that community justice groups be established on sound foundations, be adequately trained in the complexities of their role and, above all, be responsible in imposing any restriction on citizens that effectively limit their individual rights. A regulation to establish these community justice groups and to set out the parameters of their powers and operations will be developed. I turn now to the creation of community canteen boards that will, in effect, hold the licences for those canteens. They will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the facilities and will implement certain policies of the community justice group as they relate to the supply and consumption of alcohol. I note that the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy will work with the boards to assist them in developing appropriate administrative and financial skills. Some members of Aboriginal community councils will not be eligible to serve on community canteen boards. This restriction, along with the transference of control of canteens from elected councils to management boards, is not an attack on the role of councils. Councils will still receive the profit of the enterprise but they will not run them. Running canteens is not—and I repeat not—the core business of local government. I would like to refer to Tony Fitzgerald again. He reinforces that by saying— ... to my mind it's just totally unsatisfactory to expect the leadership at the one time to help the people forward, and at the other time to try to sell them alcohol to make profits to do the routine work in the community. This separation of roles removes any suggestion that the decisions of councils regarding canteens may be governed by an economic bottom line. Profits from canteen operations must be used for the services that benefit the community as a whole. I note that the legislation provides for a quarterly transfer of 75 per cent of the profits to the council. In this way, it will assist in the maintenance of a satisfactory cash flow for councils whose budgets, in many cases, depend in large part on profits from canteens. I now return to sly grogging, the act of illegally selling alcohol at exorbitant prices to vulnerable people. This practice must be stopped if Queensland's indigenous communities are to survive, let alone prosper. This vicious cycle of dependence and poverty affects whole families and whole communities. This practice of unscrupulous sly groggers exploiting people must be stopped. Mr Johnson interjected. Mr PITT: I agree with the member for Gregory. It is exploitation of the worst sort. I reiterate the words of Minister Spence when she said— Sly groggers make enormous profits by exploiting individuals and families—and the exorbitant prices people pay for sly grog locks them into a cycle of poverty that compounds their alcohol dependency. These bills give us greater ability to fight sly grogging, because they are about partnership and greater enforcement. The communities have been asking us for a long time to work with them to tackle sly grog. This was a strong theme of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Task Force on Violence report. These bills respond to those calls. Law enforcers such as our police and Liquor Licensing Division will be guided and supported by each community as to the restrictions and limits to be set. Conversely, communities will have 3448 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 5 Sep 2002 their decisions supported by law enforcers and government and should experience positive change in return for their courage. Police have been saying that it is very difficult to catch people selling sly grog, and that is true. Under the new bills, police will have to prove only that people are carrying more than the allowable limit of alcohol. It will be much easier to enforce. We have also given police new powers to stop vehicles, including cars, boats and aircraft, to ensure that people are not carrying illegal amounts of alcohol. I am pleased to see this legislation coming to grips with the level of exploitation engaged in by some taxi drivers. Besides charging for the transport of alcohol to communities, many also add a mark-up for purchasing the alcohol on behalf of their client. In addition, the dubious practice of holding the credit cards of individuals and accessing cash on their behalf, with the potential for financial manipulation, is ever present. These bills propose putting a stop to these practices, and I must say it is not before time. We are all working together to achieve the same goal, which is quite plainly a brighter future for indigenous Queenslanders. Sly grog becomes the common enemy. If we take responsibility for ending the trade and making it abundantly clear that it will not be tolerated, we stand a much greater chance of winning the fight. At the end of the day, we can do more together than we can do separately. I am also aware that any controls on alcohol consumption and availability in Yarrabah can lead to alcohol being obtained from surrounding areas such as Gordonvale and Edmonton. In response to these bills, my understanding is that the Liquor Act will also be amended to enable the imposition of strict conditions on hotels and roadhouses near indigenous communities. The chief executive will be able to impose conditions on licences and permits at the time of grant or at a later time to minimise harm or to respond to any alcohol related disturbances or public disorder. In addition, the chief executive will be given extended powers regarding the variations of licences to allow all licences in a restricted area to be varied in the same way for harm minimisation purposes. The variation may be in relation to matters such as hours of operation, the type, amount and availability of the liquor sold—for example, no cask wine—and responsible practices in relation to service, for example, prohibiting takeaway sales of alcohol to taxi drivers and forbidding a licensee from holding a person's bank account details. Variations in that circumstance will not give rise to compensation, and nor should they. I have had discussions with many constituents regarding the potential impact on citizens not residing in Yarrabah. My concerns regarding safeguarding the rights of individuals living in nearby towns have been made known to the minister, who assures me that these issues are under active consideration. As to the rights of indigenous citizens on our communities, I refer again to Tony Fitzgerald, who states— There is a right in indigenous individuals, the same as there is in every other Australian over the age of 18 as I understand it is in this state, to drink alcohol. And no-one suggests otherwise. There is also a right to be safe. There's no right to drink alcohol to excess and to hurt other people and, in particular, to hurt women and children. I can inform all my constituents that I will be working closely with government ministers to ensure that any restrictions imposed at Yarrabah and in areas surrounding Yarrabah are properly considered. I believe that these bills provide the basis for communities and the government to work together to address indigenous disadvantage. I urge all members to support these bills. They may not provide the total answer, but they are the most constructive contribution to date. I commend the bills to the House. Miss ELISA ROBERTS (Gympie—Ind) (4.18 p.m.): In rising to speak in support of the Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill, I wish to state that any attempt at reducing the amount of alcohol related abuse and violence within indigenous communities must be supported. Unfortunately, up to this point nothing has been able to substantially lessen the extent of alcohol related problems within these communities. This bill attempts to provide an answer to the problem of alcohol as a major contributing factor to the high mortality rates and criminal behaviour that is evident in a number of indigenous communities and aims to address these issues in a way where previous attempts have failed. An important step in this process is to provide community members with a sense of autonomy so that they may deal with local issues and problems in a way more suitable to their culture, identity and system of beliefs. Previous attempts to stem the tide of the effects of alcohol, I believe, were genuine in their intent but did not complement indigenous law. A number of indigenous groups have lobbied extensively so that they may have more input into the laws which 5 Sep 2002 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 3449 are aimed specifically at indigenous issues and people. It is hoped that the adoption of this bill will mean that local elders and prominent members of indigenous communities will successfully be able to tackle the alcohol abuse problem in conjunction with government representatives. The increased recognition and authority given to the community justice groups will enable them to implement rules and regulations regarding dry areas in each community, influence the way in which licensed premises are run and control the distribution of alcohol within the community and the amount which is actually brought into the community. The ability of community justice groups to apply their own rules and regulations, such as whether or not a place should be declared dry, is one step towards controlling the consumption of alcohol within the community. Whilst indigenous custom and ways of addressing certain issues may be different from what we may be accustomed to, we all need to appreciate that it is only really people of indigenous heritage who can truly understand what motivates and influences other indigenous people. No matter how well intentioned white laws may be, indigenous communities have to be given the opportunity to work according to their own particular moral code. I am sure that everyone would agree that something has to be done to ensure that indigenous communities can reverse the current trend of self-destruction to enable them to flourish and grow stronger in the future. In achieving this, indigenous communities will be able to stand proud in the knowledge that they have finally proven that their way of doing things is best and perhaps the only way for them. This will be a lesson we may all have to learn. I sincerely hope that the outcome of the implementation of this bill will mean an end to the tortured self-abuse of these communities because, if it does not, the reality of the future of our indigenous communities will be very bleak indeed. Hon. K. W. HAYWARD (Kallangur—ALP) (4.22 p.m.): It is a pleasure to rise in support of the Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2002 and the Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 2002. The purpose of these two bills is to tackle alcohol abuse and the subsequent violence in Aboriginal communities. Previous speakers have taken some time to detail some of those issues to the parliament this afternoon. We need to try to understand the background to these issues. If we want to understand what we are doing now, we need to look back in history. Through that background, it is important to look at the original community services legislation which commenced on 31 May 1984 for the purpose of providing 'support, administrative services and assistance for Aboriginal communities resident in Queensland'. These two acts, which apply separately for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, required that each trust area in the state be governed by an Aboriginal or Islander council which would discharge the functions of local government in the respective area. The trust areas were former Aboriginal and Islander reserves. At present, there are 14 Aboriginal and 17 Islander councils right throughout the state of Queensland. Councils were given a deed of grant in trust, or a DOGIT as it is commonly known. These councils operate within DOGIT areas. The main purpose of the act was to establish for the major Aboriginal and Islander reserves a system of local government. It was argued that it was a system of local government similar to mainstream local authorities—local authorities such as the Townsville City Council, the Cairns City Council or, further south, the Caloundra City Council. It is basically mainstream local authorities. By this action it was argued that it would give expression to self-management for Aboriginal and Islander people. These councils are much more than mainstream local councils, because these councils have a rental housing management role. They construct houses and other buildings. They administer community police and engage in various business enterprises. For example, from my recollection, the Woorabinda council has a significant grazing enterprise. The council at Lockhart River has a significant grazing enterprise. Yarrabah, from my recollection, has a garage enterprise. A number of other councils engage in farming and have artefacts enterprises as well. One reason these two bills are before the House this afternoon is that one such enterprise of these councils is beer canteens. The profits from these beer canteens—not every council has them but most do—may be substantial. On the strength of their being substantial, they are used for many and varied council activities because the councils by their very nature provide most of the services and resources to their respective communities. It is important to understand, as I said, that the original legislation talked about mainstreaming with other councils in Queensland, but these councils do much more than that. They are involved in the social aspects of an individual's life. For instance, many councils administer the Commonwealth's Community Development Employment Project Scheme, the CDEPS. Therefore, they are often the major employers of staff in respect of those DOGITs. 3450 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 5 Sep 2002

I bring this information to parliament as I hope to debunk the myth that Aboriginal and Islander councils are somehow similar in their operation to other mainstream councils throughout Queensland. The simple fact is that they are not. Worse still, the areas represented by individual councils were the result of the protectionist and segregationist policies towards Aborigines of respective Queensland governments of the time. In terms of this legislation we need to be guided by history, because people were forcibly removed to some centres with no account for any tribal connection, any clan connection or language groups. Even if people were local and living in the local vicinity, by their own volition they would never live in close proximity to other tribal groups or clan groups within a particular area. The government policies pursued at the time were often designed to force differing or antagonistic people together people who had historical differences, people who were antagonistic towards other particular clans or tribal groups. History showed that, as part of government policies of the time, groups were put together. We all should understand that these communities are artificial creations that do not recognise or have any Aboriginal concept of community. They were simply put together and later became DOGIT areas for the purpose of being used as an administrative label. Justice Fitzgerald recommended that councils not run licensed premises because this conflicts with their responsibilities relating to the welfare of the community. The current arrangements, he said, place an intolerable burden on councils and council officials. He was absolutely correct in this view as it refers to council-run beer canteens. There is just an essential conflict for councils. In fact, the councils have to use the beer canteens to raise funds for purposes for which the council has accepted a role within that local community. Similar to many members, I have been to many Aboriginal communities and seen what can and does happen with respect to the running of beer canteens. Lots of things happen, particularly in remote communities, that are often difficult to talk about. There is enormous pressure on those administering these beer canteens, not from the local council but from various brewing interests. For instance, I was visiting the northern peninsula area when a particular brewery promoting its brand flew in a number of Rugby League footballers connected with the then Australian but now National Rugby League. These players came in ostensibly representing that brand and that would have had a big influence in encouraging people in that community to drink that product. For instance, at the Pormpuraaw community in the western cape the canteen administrator, and probably some of the elected councillors, were invited by a brewery to attend the Australian Rules grand final in Melbourne. Honourable members should think about the powerful impact that would have on someone living in Pormpuraaw or another community in some isolated part of Queensland. If someone comes into a community and says, 'Jack, Billy, Frank and Joe, we'll fly you to Melbourne, entertain you in the corporate box at the Melbourne Cricket Ground', just imagine the pressure on administrators and councillors to push that beer or alcohol product within their local community. It would be enormous. I think most honourable members would find that pressure overwhelming. When people start accepting business-class airfares from north Queensland to Melbourne and entertainment at the Melbourne Cricket Ground during the Aussie Rules grand final, that could have a significant influence on the consumption patterns of alcohol within their communities. Justice Fitzgerald said that the current arrangements place an intolerable burden on councillors and officials. I am trying to paint a picture of the terrible burden placed on them. Having visited many councils, I think my view goes further than Justice Fitzgerald's. I simply cannot accept that councils, as they are presently constituted, are bodies that can effectively represent and manage the financial affairs of their communities. I have a simple view about that. As I said, I have had an opportunity to visit many of these communities, be it in a private capacity previously as a minister or as a member of the Public Accounts Committee. As a member of the Public Accounts Committee, it seems to me that Aboriginal councils and individual councillors struggle to comply with the mainstream model. That model is not realistic in terms of what happens in those communities. We cannot compare a mainstream council such as the Townsville City Council with, for argument's sake, the Lockhart River council. We never could and never will be able to do that. But the legislation does compare them and promote a mainstream model. In their current format, councils do not work. They are ineffective mainly because they are not actually Aboriginal or Islander organisations. I do not think they represent the various forms of social and political organisation that exist in an Aboriginal community. Time will not permit a discussion of exactly what a restructured council, if we proceeded that far, would look like. That would have to be determined by a particular area's community. Therefore, I think differences 5 Sep 2002 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 3451 would emerge between communities as to how they were governed. That is an issue for another time. However, it is important to at least put the issue on the table and make the point that a suitable council at Lockhart River, for instance, may or may not be a suitable council for the Yarrabah community or communities in the northern peninsula area. In essence, the principle of 'one type fits all' which now exists and is imposed simply does not apply and is relevant only because that is the requirement of the current legislation. Councillors have told me that they have had enough of the pressure and will not stand again. That is common. They have complained of continual harassment by residents over access to resources. Councillors do not turn up to meetings. They tell outsiders what they think they want to hear. If we talk to residents within many of these communities, they say there is a feeling that the council only looks after itself. That is similar to what people often say about state politicians: 'They are always looking after themselves.' That is what happens in respect of Aboriginal councils. They often say, 'The council only looks after itself', or, more importantly, 'They only look after particular groups of people or clan groups within a particular council area.' As I have said before, many of these people were pushed together. Often they were antagonistic towards each other but were forced together. In our electoral system, when someone obtains 51 per cent of the vote they are elected and have 100 per cent control. But it does not work like that within an Aboriginal community. Just because someone gains 51 per cent of the vote because they had one clan member more than somebody else is irrelevant. Powers are not surrendered to a councillor from another tribe, clan or family group. I support the legislation. I listened to what earlier speakers said. I believe we have to move forward within the existing framework. I accept that. My concern with the proposed legislation is how we prevent the members of the new community liquor licensing boards suffering the same sense of alienation experienced by many elected councillors. How do we deal with the alienation of the new members of the community liquor licensing boards? To ensure that money flows through to councils from these boards for council activities— An incident having occurred in the gallery— Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr McNamara): Order! Mr HAYWARD: Will not the pressure to make a particular area dry become intolerable? Imagine the pressure put on councillors on one of these boards if they have to declare a particular area dry. It will not be easy. I do not know whether that contribution was in relation to this debate— A government member interjected. Mr Lawlor: Something you said. Mr HAYWARD: Apparently it was not. The sort of pressure that I talked about that exists now in councils could result in initially committed, dedicated and responsible people who want to do the right thing disengaging from the process and becoming demoralised. Again, the problem is—and it was mentioned by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition—that many councils rely on the profit from grog to deliver other services to the community. That is one of the business enterprises they engage in. Profits from grog deliver other services to the community. Honourable members should put themselves in this position. Imagine the pressure on a community liquor licensing board. If they reduce the grog profits, they therefore reduce the other council services provided. Honourable members should think of the enormous pressure that puts on particular individuals. The solution is obvious to everybody: councils should not have to be reliant on grog money in order to carry out their functions. But the fact is that they are. They need that money to carry out some of the functions they take on that other mainstream councils do not take on. In simple terms, if councils are to remain part of a mainstream model, I think the government has a duty to ensure their financial viability without relying on grog money. That is the big challenge. If we take away the access to the profits from grog money, we take away the ability of councils to provide some of those services. The problems then become worse for the existing council. Only when this essential problem of financial viability is addressed can councils administer these communities and get on with the real task of dealing with people's problems. As I said right from the start, people have said they are in a mainstream model, but these Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander councils are not in any mainstream model. There is no way in the world we can say 3452 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 5 Sep 2002 they are in a mainstream model. They are doing all sorts of things that are not carried out by mainstream councils in other parts of Queensland. But in order to be able to do those extra things they need to be able to derive funds. One of the sources of those funds is the beer canteens. We need to address this problem. I congratulate the minister on introducing these two pieces of legislation. I hope they go some way towards reducing the scourge of alcoholism and the subsequent violence in Aboriginal communities. I reject the assertion made by some organisations that this legislation is paternalistic and contrary to self-management. I simply do not accept that. Alcohol abuse and related violence threaten the existence of a group of people within our society. It is so endemic that it threatens the continued existence of Aboriginal society. Indigenous communities need to confront the problem. There is no doubt about that. This legislation provides an opportunity to deal with the problem of alcohol abuse in partnership with the government. Miss SIMPSON (Maroochydore—NPA) (4.42 p.m.): It is with pleasure that I rise to support this legislation in this cognate debate. Following in the steps of the Deputy Opposition Leader, I reiterate that the opposition is supporting this legislation. There has been a very good and wide- ranging debate with contributions from members across the chamber who have genuine concerns about the extent of violence linked with alcohol abuse and other substance abuse in indigenous communities. We acknowledge that alcohol abuse and other substance abuse is something that touches society, whether it is white or black. However, the issues in certain communities where there is a need to empower those communities and involve them in the processes of stepping forward require new and different solutions. This plan has many merits to it, but the success ultimately will not be in the publication of a plan or the legislation but in its implementation. This has been the crux of many failures before—that is, there have been plans, good intentions and reviews as to how best to deal with these difficult and complex issues without adequate action. The opposition, in giving support to these bills, has clearly stated that it wants to see accountability in how the implementation is carried forward and appropriate resourcing to ensure that this plan and legislation are successful. My portfolios cover the liquor licensing area as well as health, and I want to touch on some of the issues to do with liquor licensing enforcement. That goes hand in hand with education and working with the communities to make this legislation effective. In last year's estimates debate I was most concerned when I read the Ministerial Portfolio Statement for Tourism, Racing and Fair Trading—in particular the liquor licensing section. With regard to the number of indigenous communities which are being assisted to develop alcohol management plans, the department had a target for developing those plans in 10 communities in 2000-01 but it in fact only achieved an outcome of seven. For the following year it revisited the target to establish nine alcohol management plans in those communities. Turning back to last year's MPS, it is important to look at the footnotes. I raised this issue with the minister responsible for liquor licensing at the time. The reason given for its failure to meet its target in establishing alcohol management plans was: 'Due to delays in the appointment of licensing officers to work in indigenous communities, the target was not able to be achieved'. This year's MPS for the same portfolio states— Following Government endorsement of the Cape York Justice Study recommendations, the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy will assume a co-ordinating role in the establishment of further community reference groups to develop relevant Alcohol Management Plans. But the Output Statement states that the department had achieved the target of nine even though it was a lower target than the previous year and in this financial year it would have a target of having helped establish 12 of those communities. I ask for some explanation from the government with regard to the communities that have actually been listed as having received that assistance, because last year's portfolio statement lists Hope Vale but excludes Hope Vale from this year's portfolio statement. In effect, there has been a net gain of two communities which have been assisted to establish alcohol management plans, but one community is no longer listed there. I want to know what the status of that community's progress is with that plan. Essentially, we recognise that these are complex issues and that it is not easy to develop plans and then implement them in the communities. This brings me back to the issue of resourcing. As has already been touched on in the debate by my colleague the member for Gregory, there is a need for more officers to help implement and work with communities with these management plans. We have been told that there are only two liquor licensing officers who are actually dedicated to this process to work with communities in the establishment of alcohol management plans. If that is the case, even double that number would be insufficient to 5 Sep 2002 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 3453 effectively support the implementation and development of those plans. This is an area which has to be resource intensive in order to make it work. But why have we seen failures in the past? In the last 12 months we have talked about the failure to meet very critical targets. The reason is that there is a lack of resourcing, a lack of putting people in the field. I bring that issue to the floor of the parliament because if these things are to succeed it will take a lot more than statements. For it to work it will take putting those people in place to drive the process and coordinate the range of services. Those services are wider than liquor licensing, but that is a fairly important area, particularly given that these are models involving more people in the enforcement and development of plans. They are going to need assistance to be able to implement those laws and not find themselves falling foul of those laws themselves as they seek to do the best thing by their communities. How many officers will the government commit in future to liquor licensing? It has to be a lot more than what we have already seen in this area, and that goes across into other portfolios. I turn now to the health arena. I acknowledge that in Meeting Challenges, Making Choices, the Queensland government's response to the Cape York Justice Study from April 2002, some principles and commitments were given as far as what the Queensland Health Department would be undertaking. There were statements such as that health workers would be given support in an effort to prevent and reduce the incidence of alcohol abuse and violence through awareness raising and educational programs, a commitment to a new rehabilitation service hub for residents of the northern peninsula and a comprehensive rehabilitation study. In the Health estimates this year the Health Minister outlined that there would be recurrent funding of $800,000 for an integrated indigenous alcohol and drug service, and I welcome that. That is a start. We know that, once again, this is going to be an expensive process. Ultimately, $800,000 sounds like a lot of money but the process will be a lot more expensive than that. However, I ask the government: in implementing drug and alcohol rehabilitation services to people in these remote communities in culturally appropriate ways, what accountability will the government have as to when those services will be in place and the training of workers? We have seen delays in implementation and delays in the alcohol management plans. We have seen the wheels fall off through a lack of driving to ensure that the process is carried out. Unfortunately, very few targets and performance indicators are printed and published in the Health portfolio, which has one of the biggest outlays of taxpayers' money. When talking about Aboriginal health and the issues within this legislation, we must ask government to be accountable for how it is implementing its promises. To date, we have seen very little outline of the targets and time frames for rolling out those services. That is something that we would expect any government to do. As I said, there is bipartisan support for the plan but we need to know that the plan is accountable to this parliament and, most importantly, accountable to the people that it states it is going to help. In the government's response to the Cape York Justice Study it also said that there would be a focus on environmental health and that this would be based on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Environmental Health Strategy 2001 to 2006 developed by Queensland Health. Once again, I would ask the government to provide an outline of where it is at in that process, how much money it has quarantined for that process this year, what its action plan is in rolling that out over the course of that strategy and how effective it has been to date. The stated aim of this strategy was to deal with issues such as water quality, waste disposal, dust, sewage treatment, roaming animals and other things which pose a risk to the health of the community. I know that we have been talking about alcohol abuse and these issues, but it has been acknowledged here that there are complex issues in lifting health standards and lifting the hope of the people and empowering the people in these communities. There is also a statement that there will be community action plans. Once again, where are these community action plans at? This is in the document, but there has been little published to date as to the implementation of this community action plan with regard to health as part of the government's response to this study. I ask the government to be accountable to this parliament. My colleague the member for Gregory asked for quarterly reports in this regard, and that is not unreasonable because we are talking about accountability for government. We are not talking about punishing the people of the communities. We are talking about accountability for government, because that is where the greatest failure in the past has been—that is, government and the bureaucracy of government being able to effectively coordinate and get outside the silos of its thinking between the various portfolios and between the different levels of government to 3454 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 5 Sep 2002 work together to achieve outcomes but to do it in a way which is not paternalistic and insensitive to the needs of the people in these communities. An aspect of the alcohol action plans in relation to which there has been criticism is the need for more focus upon other substance abuse issues. While I acknowledge that the Health estimates mention rehabilitation in relation to other drugs, in terms of management plans and legislation giving power to communities to implement them I believe we need to look at the broader issues. Abuse of alcohol is certainly the biggest problem, but there are other substances, either taken on their own or in combination, that are ripping the hearts out of young and old people alike. Paint sniffing has been mentioned by my colleagues as a devastating issue. Our effectiveness in working with communities to address these issues has to be taken into account. In conclusion, I ask for some answers in regard to the failure to meet previous targets in this regard. I reiterate: we are supportive of this legislation, the process and the way forward. We acknowledge that the important aspects are implementation, effectively targeted resources and consultation with communities. The biggest issue is often making sure that departments work with themselves, that government gets out of its silo thinking and is willing to listen to the issues at the grassroots level and, as has been mentioned, to tailor those solutions at the local level. The success will be in the implementation. We will be looking for the government to bring reports to this parliament on a regular basis—to publish its own targets and indicators for success so that we will know where we are in this process. That is important so that the parliament in 10 years' time does not come back again and acknowledge through another review, another painful process, the sum total of people's misery through the effect of violence as a result of substance abuse and alcohol. Mr CHOI (Capalaba—ALP) (4.56 p.m.): I rise this afternoon to support the Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill and the Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 2002. I start by congratulating Minister Spence and her team for the courageous work they have put in to get these two bills to the House. I also extend my gratitude to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition for his honest and frank approach to these bills. His speech today was probably one of the better speeches I have heard from that side of the House for the whole week. I can also say that I wholeheartedly agree with the comments of the honourable member for Gregory, except for his attack on Minister Spence. I think the honourable member understands that the ACC has always attacked the minister of the day. It does not matter which government is in power at the time; it has been doing so since the day God was young. I acknowledge its right to do so. In fact, it is part of democracy for people to be able to bring concerns to the parliament and to the relevant minister of the day. Indigenous family violence is a serious and complex problem that has devastating consequences, particularly for women and children. Family violence is a problem that is crippling indigenous communities, and the link with alcohol misuse cannot be avoided. A recent report from the ABS revealed that indigenous Australians were more likely to be victims of violence as a result of high levels of alcohol consumption in their communities. According to the report, violence in indigenous communities is a contributing factor to the reduced mental and emotional wellbeing of indigenous people. It is my firm belief that health is not just the physical wellbeing of an individual but also the social, emotional and cultural wellbeing of the whole community in which each individual is able to achieve their full potential as a human being, thereby bringing about the total wellbeing of the community they live in. Alcohol misuse is a major public health problem for indigenous Australians. In a national survey of indigenous Australians aged 13 years and above, 59 per cent identified alcohol as one of the main health problems faced by the communities. The average lifespan of Australians is 76.6 years for males and 82 years for females. Indigenous Australians have a lifespan of only 56.2 years for males and 62 years for females. That is 20 years less than most of us in this building right now. Can members imagine taking 20 years off their life? A lot of us would not even be in this room today. Twenty years is equal to 7,300 days. That is 7,300 days one cannot spend with one's loved one. That is 175,000 hours one is unable to share with one's family. In principle, mainstream substance misuse services are available to indigenous Australians, but in practice these are often unaffordable, inaccessible, inappropriate and sometimes even unacceptable. There have been attempts by mainstream service providers to address these problems. However, in response to this problem and as an expression of self-determination, I am pleased to be told that indigenous Australians themselves have also developed a broad range of intervention initiatives in terms of supply reduction and demand reduction strategies. 5 Sep 2002 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 3455

The indigenous community has taken responsibility for organising and maintaining their own violence prevention programs and social and legal support services and gives communities a greater input in deciding how alcohol is regulated and distributed within individual communities. For example, the Apunipima Cape York Health Council runs several programs that are designed specifically for the needs of indigenous people. A spokesperson for the council said, 'No-one else can resolve this issue but the indigenous communities themselves.' Chairman of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, Mr Gatjil Djerrkura, said— ATSIC has recognised the severity of the problem and we are keen to work in partnership with governments and communities to see change. Although I am pleased to see self-determination from the indigenous communities, I think government can certainly assist with an appropriate legislative framework. Besides, we are clearly running out of time. We no longer have any choice, nor the luxury of time, but to act swiftly and decisively. We are seeing generations of indigenous Australians wasting their lives with alcohol abuse, and this has to stop. Once again I thank the minister and her staff for introducing these bills—taking the bull by the horns before it overruns us in the battle for the wellbeing of indigenous communities. I would like to highlight the link between the legislation being debated and two of the government's guiding tools with regard to indigenous issues—the 10-year Partnership and the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Justice Agreement. The 10-year Partnership outlines eight priority issues that communities and government will work together on to effect positive change. Justice, of course, is one of the priority areas. The justice agreement was the first agreement signed under the 10-year Partnership framework. It was signed in December 2000 by representatives from government and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Board and calls for a 50 per cent reduction in incarceration rates for indigenous Queenslanders. This agreement set a firm foundation for the sort of legislative change we are debating today. Both the 10-year Partnership and the justice agreement outline strategies which aim to reduce crime. Managing alcohol is one key strategy, because we know that many of the serious crimes being committed in indigenous communities are fuelled by excessive alcohol consumption. I know that some communities have already made great progress with their own local alcohol management plans. I remind the House of the four guiding principles outlined in the justice agreement. First is underlying issues—things such as poor health, lack of employment or educational opportunities and racism. In this situation many people are driven to drink, so alcohol misuse becomes just another layer on top of those underlying issues. The changes in legislation before us recognise that there are underlying issues specific to indigenous communities and that solutions need to come from communities themselves to be effective. The second principle is lack of support. The justice agreement suggests that individuals often fail to receive the support they need. These bills attempt to address that by ensuring that a community's decision about alcohol limits, dry areas, et cetera, are enforced in legislation, and the government is offering its full support. The third principle is cultural differences. The report says that the criminal justice system is not fully in tune with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture or the circumstances that surround their lives. This legislation gives greater power to community justice groups, a crucial link between indigenous traditional law and customs and Queensland's criminal justice system. The fourth principle is community capacity. To quote the justice agreement, 'communities are not sufficiently empowered, organised or resourced to take greater responsibility for their own justice issues'. Again, this legislation is the basis from which extra funding, training and resourcing will be provided. Individuals and communities can only thrive when given the freedom to make their own decisions and try new ways of doing things. In the bills we are debating the Beattie government is giving communities the power to find their own solutions. The government is also prepared to provide the necessary legislation for this to happen. Clearly, the objective of these bills is to prevent harm in indigenous communities caused by alcohol abuse and misuse. These bills are part of the government's response to the Cape York Justice Study report, which was submitted to the government by Justice Tony Fitzgerald in November 2001. It is part of a package of reforms to address the problem of alcohol abuse and violence in indigenous communities in Cape York and other parts of Queensland. 3456 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 5 Sep 2002

Cape York provides a very sad snapshot of the problems facing Aboriginal communities in Queensland. There is overwhelming evidence that harmful levels of alcohol consumption by Aboriginal people in Cape York—and, for that matter, other parts of Australia—are continuing to contribute to violence, crime, injury and ill health in this population. All previous attempts have failed to some extent to resolve the worsening problem. Drastic action has to be taken. As I said before, we no longer have any choice, nor do we have the luxury of time. I have always been a strong advocate for equity and justice. Certain sections of the community have criticised this government in relation to equal rights of access to alcohol, whether they live in my electorate of Capalaba or Cape York, and whether they are white or black. On the surface, it is a reasonable argument. To those who demand their right to consume alcohol, I say: what about the rights of women to live without fear of abuse, rape or bashing by their friends, relatives or husbands? What about the rights of children to grow up without daily violence, intimidation and mistreatment, particularly at the hand of their protectors? What about the rights of infants whose first breath of life was followed by the agonising pain of alcohol withdrawal? The right to drink does not even register on my priority list when the lives of young men, women and babies are being wasted away, whatever their colour and wherever they live. I commend wholeheartedly these bills to the House. Mr WELLINGTON (Nicklin—Ind) (5.07 p.m.): I rise to participate in the debate on the Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill and the Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill. Responding to the problems of managing alcohol and violence in some Aboriginal communities was never going to be a simple job. I congratulate the minister on her initiative in introducing these bills to the parliament. The simple fact is that I do not believe that the current Queensland laws are working effectively. In speaking to these bills, I reflect on a visit that my wife and I undertook with the member for Mount Isa and his wife when we visited a number of Aboriginal communities in the Mount Isa electorate. I certainly thank the member for Mount Isa, Tony McGrady, and his lovely wife for their hospitality and friendship. This visit certainly brought home to me the need to make some radical changes to the way some of our Aboriginal communities have been operating. I still recall vividly standing under a tree and listening to some Aboriginal women of all ages sharing with us the disillusionment and the disappointment that they had with some of the male leaders of their communities. Quite simply, the leaders whom the women referred to were not doing the right thing by their communities and change had to occur. But the state government cannot do that by itself. The local communities have to be strong and say, 'Enough is enough. We want to change.' I acknowledge the shadow minister, the member for Gregory, and his contribution to the debate this evening wherein he spoke about the need for a genuine partnership involving everyone. We certainly need that genuine partnership, because without that goodwill from both sides and from everyone involved, the best intentions will never achieve the good results that we all would like to see happen. I note that the minister has advised that 12 of the 19 mainland indigenous communities have licensed premises. I ask the minister: does this legislation pave the way for the other seven to follow suit? I understand that currently these licences are held by the community councils. I agree with Justice Fitzgerald that the community councils should not run the licensed premises. The concept of community liquor licensing boards appointed by the minister and comprising community members and government representatives will certainly relieve some of the burden that is currently placed on the community council and should create a greater degree of accountability. I say: let us give the new plan a try, because I do not know of any better alternative. The fact that Justice Fitzgerald saw this area as being in need of immediate government intervention is reason enough to consider any initiative that is going to ease the current situation and improve the quality of life in our indigenous communities. Of course, there will be those who scream about discrimination and the loss of their democratic rights. I see this concept as democracy working as it should. These bills allow for the community to work together to address the need of the community as well as support the need of the individual. Hopefully, these bills will reduce the opportunity for individual members to be exploited by the sly grog runners and those who profit from human misery. By protecting the individuals, they will in turn aid the families who are currently missing out on life's essentials as the family income is wasted away on exorbitantly priced alcohol. The penalties for breach of supply limits may be considered high, but so is the current cost to these indigenous communities and to Queensland as a whole. Justice Fitzgerald has said that offences relating to the illegal supply of alcohol must be vigorously investigated, punished and 5 Sep 2002 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 3457 prosecuted. I call upon this government to ensure that sufficient resources are made available to guarantee that that will be the case. I also call upon our justice system to ensure that these heavy penalties are enforced to the full letter of the law so that the best result can be achieved. I congratulate the indigenous communities who have already shown their support for these bills and call upon the whole state to get behind these changes. It is not only our indigenous communities that are affected by the negative side of alcohol. Far too often we hear of drunken teenage parties spilling out onto the streets in public places. Only last week on the Sunshine Coast there were reports of a private party going horribly wrong and up to 300 young people drunk and misbehaving in a public park. I must ask: where were the parents of these children? What is our community doing to alleviate this problem? In that case, our police were outnumbered to such a degree that they were left with little choice but to target the ringleaders and hope that the crowd would disperse. What a shame we did not have the resources to arrest the lot of these young people and insist that their parents be forced to front the local police station to collect their children. At least then they would have had to know where their children were and what they were doing. Who knows, it might even have been enough to prevent the children from doing it again. Maybe it is time that our non-indigenous communities took similar steps to those that we are discussing here today to protect young Queenslanders so that everyone has the right to enjoy life to the fullest. One of the comments made after last weekend's appalling drunken display was that our young people are very aware of their rights but tend not to know and not to respect their responsibilities. We as a community should make sure that we know where our responsibilities lie and support initiatives such as those that we are debating in these bills today. My support for these two bills revolves around the reality that the current system of self-determination in some of our state Aboriginal communities is not working as well as it should. I commend the bills to the House. Mrs ATTWOOD (Mount Ommaney—ALP) (5.13 p.m.): Much has been said about the establishment of community justice groups in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. I would like to add to this debate the concerns of some of my constituents in the electorate of Mount Ommaney. These bills are one component of addressing the incidence of violence and alcohol abuse in indigenous communities. Central to the operation of the bills is the notion of respect for Aboriginal elders, even though many of these traditional elders have spent significant amounts of time in white communities as part of the stolen generation. The stolen generation is the story of children, who are now adults, taken from their parents and their families. It is also the story of the loss of a complex judicial system developed by and for Aboriginal communities. Communities administered justice according to their local laws, customs and practices long before Australia was discovered by western society. The loss of the rich heritage that was destroyed through the well-meaning but ill-conceived assimilation programs enacted by earlier politicians should be addressed as much as possible. Last week, the Minister for Justice, the Hon. Rod Welford, visited my electorate for a justice of the peace seminar. One of the officers conducting the seminar will shortly take up a position in an Aboriginal community and he spoke passionately about the justice system delivering equitable services to all of Queensland. This is what these bills are all about. Early, good-intentioned colonists thought that they were providing these people with a superior culture that overshadowed a culture that Aboriginals had formed over thousands of years. Local strategies to combat endemic alcohol abuse and violence need to be founded on laws acceptable to the communities to provide a statutory basis for the community justice groups. Five or six generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were affected by their removal from their families and their social, religious and political systems. It is not divisive to have one set of laws for Aboriginal families and one set of laws for everyone else if this best suits the social system and is within the range of acceptable community standards. We also have a great deal of evidence about the loss of language and culture. I believe that indigenous language, culture and history centres are best suited to bringing Aboriginal people home in a cultural and linguistic sense. What were the effects of our European policy on Aboriginal children, their families and communities? Self-esteem that can never be regained; self-disgust and a quest to erase the notion of custodianship of the land; emotional pain that will not go away—a pain that drugs and alcohol can only dull; and enormous anger that is demonstrated through violence and self-abuse, exacerbated by sly groggers and the ready availability of liquor. I would like to focus on one aspect of the bills, and that is alcohol management plans. 3458 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 5 Sep 2002

The concept of community-driven alcohol management plans is central to the approach to community based alcohol management embodied in the legislation before us. The community justice groups empowered by the Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill will be assisted to develop alcohol management plans. These management plans will essentially map out how the community's canteen should be run and what alcohol controls should be fully in place in the community. This does not mean that communities that do not have canteens will not be required to prepare alcohol management plans—quite the contrary. All deed of grant in trust communities on the mainland plus Aurukun and Mornington Island communities will be required to prepare alcohol management plans. These plans, prepared in consultation with the community, will be reflected in the binding advice and decisions made by community justice groups in relation to alcohol in the community. This bill gives community justice groups the legislative power to declare dry places within their community areas, advise community liquor licensing boards about the operation of canteens and advise government about limits on alcohol that can be brought into the community. Together, these powers place in community hands a holistic approach to the issues they face in relation to alcohol and violence. At the same time, the community based nature of alcohol management plans will enable them to be dynamic and responsive. Every member of the community has a potential contribution to make in terms of possible solutions to the problems affecting their specific community. The concept of alcohol management plans provides direction to the communities in looking at ways to address the detrimental presence of alcohol in the lives of people and their communities. Community justice groups will work to involve councils, other community bodies and organisations and individuals in making a contribution to decision making processes. Community justice groups will also be able to work consultatively to finetune strategies as community needs change over time. Most importantly, the introduction of community based planning is an expression of respect and an acknowledgment of the strong leadership that exists within these communities. It signals the government's belief in the strength of indigenous community structures and the leadership which, with the right support, can deliver solutions for communities. I believe that it is important that this House supports these bills to ensure we do not lose another generation to alcohol. The effects of alcohol leading to the committing of offences ends in the incarceration of our young indigenous people. Forty-three of the 99 Aboriginal people whose deaths in custody were investigated by the royal commission had been separated from their families. How many more of those people are now in prison, on medication, without education or employment and unable to find a way out of that cycle of despair? Indigenous children are six times more likely than other children to be removed for welfare reasons and 21 times more likely to be removed to juvenile justice centres. Why not enable justice to be carried out in communities? We know that supporting indigenous families and communities to find their own solutions to their children's problems works better than removal to outside regular justice programs and detention centres. We know that strengthening indigenous families and communities is far better than punishing their children. I congratulate the minister, the Hon. Judy Spence, for her efforts to improve the system. Through this bill we can give back to indigenous families and communities the capacity and the power to do what is surely their right—to bring up their own children in a safe and nurturing environment. I thank the Deputy Leader of the Opposition for his support of this bill. We need to acknowledge the reality of community justice systems and ensure that resources are there to assist those who need them. Peter Beattie and this government have officially acknowledged the responsibility of their predecessors, are funding these proposals through the local justice initiative program and have extended apologies for deeds of the past. The John Howard federal government has not acknowledged the excesses of our history and as the leader of the nation he must express an Australian sorrow for past injustices. I commend the bills to the House. Mr HORAN (Toowoomba South—NPA) (Leader of the Opposition) (5.23 p.m.): This is a very important debate because it addresses an issue that we all hoped we could come to grips with in terms of working in partnership with the indigenous people to bring about a peaceful and enjoyable life, particularly on the communities, so that alcohol is consumed in a way that provides for happiness and enjoyment in a social way without any domestic violence or other abuse. I want to say how lucky we in the National Party are to have as our shadow minister the member for Gregory, who has spent a lot of his life with indigenous people in western Queensland and other parts of the state and who has some close indigenous friends. The member brings a true and genuine understanding to this debate and to the portfolio. From the outset the National Party, through the member for Gregory, has given bipartisan support to these moves. We have given a 5 Sep 2002 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 3459 commitment to the Premier that we will provide support. We want to see it work. We want to see it done in a very cooperative way and in partnership. We certainly want these reforms to bring about the improvement that we all seek and hope for. Throughout my speech I want to explain what I have seen in my limited experience in the cape and the remote communities. We should recognise that at times we all have opinions and think we know about things but, until we go to the cape, visit the communities and come to understand the vastness and remoteness of the area, we do not realise that the communities are based upon their particular traditions and the traumas of their past life. It is very hard to get a true understanding of what is the true social situation, what are the aspirations of the people and what we can do that really will work and be of use to the people in those communities. The aim of the bill is to prevent harm in the indigenous community areas caused by alcohol abuse and misuse and associated violence by establishing community liquor licence boards, by providing for the declaration in consultation with the community justice groups of restricted areas for the purposes of minimising harm by prescribing limits on the quantity of liquor that a person can have in their possession and by placing conditions on licensed premises. The objectives of the bill are: to provide a framework for the establishment under legislation of community justice groups in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community areas; to provide legislative powers for community justice groups to declare dry places within their community areas, as a mechanism for local decision making to control the possession and consumption of alcohol; to consolidate the existing legislative provisions for the Aurukun Alcohol Law Council and the Local Government (Aboriginal Lands) Act 1978 into the new community justice group framework provided under the amendments to the Community Services (Aborigines) Act 2002; and to provide for a clearly defined process for Aboriginal and Islander councils to make by-laws, including the capacity to quickly adopt model by-laws and to make subordinate by-laws, based on the modified version of the local law process under the Local Government Act 1993. When I was Health Minister in the mid-nineties and had my first opportunity to visit the cape and the cape communities, I guess like many other politicians I went in thinking I might be the one to find all the answers and provide all the solutions. I certainly hoped that that was what I could do. But very quickly upon arrival at our first stop at Kowanyama I came to realise that I knew very little about the area. I knew very little about the people in that area, because it was my first visit. I was absolutely amazed at the friendliness and happiness of the children and the schoolchildren we met. Throughout my visit to the cape I met some outstanding people. I came to understand the respect with which elders are held in the community. Within the communities, those people were doing wonderful things. In one community I met a young fellow who was taking young Aboriginal teenagers from his community to a camp where they were working on their culture and traditions and getting the elders to teach them all about that history. I met an old fellow at Aurukun who spoke to me about the dry part of Aurukun, about the people in his area who did not drink and about how they worked so hard to lessen the effects of alcohol. I saw the seedy side of sly grogging. I had the chance to find out about how many flights per day came into certain communities, about the cost of a carton and about how the profit was broken down in relation to those cartons. I saw the great piles of cans that were swept up at the corner of a football field. I saw some of the violence. I witnessed the incredible violence in one area. At one hospital the staff spoke to me about one poor old Aboriginal lady who had had her jaw broken so many times. All of those things showed me the other side of what was the abuse emanating from alcohol. I saw some of those wonderful women who were the leaders in those communities, people who desired so strongly that the young children enjoy the happiness and traditions and be able to grow and learn with a feeling of security. That really changed my mind and made me wonder very hard once I flew out—as so many politicians do—what we could do and how we could work in partnership. It was not simply a matter of imposing our ideas on alcohol consumption and so forth; it was a matter of trying to work with those communities as they embraced our society and as we tried to embrace their traditions and heritage. We all have our ideas about this. Those ideas should be based on a real understanding of the needs, aspirations and hopes of Aboriginal people. This has to be addressed in partnership. I commend the way our shadow minister has handled this issue by providing bipartisan support, working with Aboriginal people and continuing to promote the need for partnership and consultation so that we can get it right and permit social enjoyment but also provide a feeling of security and comfort, particularly for families, women and young children of these communities, so they can grow up, be happy and reach their potential in their family and community environment. 3460 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 5 Sep 2002

These bills are the government's response to the Cape York Justice Study, which was submitted to the government by former Justice Tony Fitzgerald in November 2001. The bills are complementary. They seek to address the prevalence of alcohol abuse and violence in the indigenous communities in Cape York and also other parts of the community. In the Cape York study report, Justice Fitzgerald recommended that indigenous community councils should not be associated with the operation of canteens, as in his view this conflicted with the councils' responsibilities for the welfare of the community. In all of the 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities on the mainland with a canteen licence, the licence is held by the council. There is a nexus between the canteen and its proceeds, which are being used for facilities and activities and are part of the economy of these communities. The Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill seeks to break the nexus between the councils and the management of canteens by transferring canteen licences to newly established community liquor licence boards. The boards will be comprised principally of community members and will be required to manage the canteen in a way that prevents harm in community areas caused by alcohol abuse, misuse and associated violence. The bill makes a range of amendments to the Liquor Act 1992 to provide the mechanisms to implement the necessary controls on alcohol in indigenous communities. The key mechanisms in the bill are the declarations of limits on carrying and possessing alcohol in restricted areas and the ability to impose new licence conditions on licensed premises in and adjacent to indigenous communities. The advice of community justice groups will be central in determining the particular controls that will be put in place. It is anticipated that alcohol management plans developed by community justice groups in conjunction with members of their communities will be the primary source of guidance in implementing the alcohol controls. Community justice groups have existed in a number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Queensland since 1993. The groups are funded under the government's local justice initiatives program. They provide a means for members of indigenous communities to plan and implement effective strategies to address local crime and justice issues. They generally consist of elders or persons with traditional authority or respect in the community. The Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill will provide a statutory basis for community justice groups, along with specific legislative powers to assist the groups to implement strategies to address alcohol abuse and violence. The empowerment of community justice groups in this way implements Fitzgerald's recommendation that the government empower and work with local communities to take action to address alcohol abuse. The Aurukun Alcohol Law Council was established in 1995 under part 6 of the Local Government Act 1978 and has power to declare dry places and control places under that legislation. The original legislation for the Aurukun Alcohol Law Council will be repealed and the law council will be re-established as the community justice group under the new provisions in the Community Services (Aborigines) Act 1984. This will give the Aurukun community justice group the same legislative basis as the community justice groups in Aboriginal council areas. It is considered by the government that this consolidation is necessary to bring the Aurukun situation into line with the new model for community decision making around alcohol control set out in the Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 2002. For many years, alcohol and substance abuse has eroded the authority of elders in Aboriginal communities. It is time to rebuild from the ground up, but the builders must be the elders and their communities working together for their collective betterment. It must not be thrust upon them by government, particularly an arrogant government out of Brisbane. Communities must determine the best way to tackle these problems. The government's role must be one of support of grassroots solutions. Boni Robertson and her task force were the first to publicly decry the effects of alcohol abuse. It is a shame the government chose to take no action until Justice Fitzgerald inquired into justice issues on the cape and reiterated the issues previously identified by Boni Robertson. The Fitzgerald report followed the report by Boni Robertson and publicly condemned the evils of alcohol abuse in Aboriginal communities. I note that the bill takes the control of alcohol canteens away from community councils as if the licence is the problem. It does not matter who holds the licence if sly groggers are allowed to fly in undetected with their huge supplies of alcohol and are allowed to fly out with no risk whatsoever of being restricted, detained or arrested. Sly groggers make enormous profits by exploiting individuals and families, and the exorbitant amounts people pay for sly grog lock them into a cycle of poverty that compounds their alcohol dependency. 5 Sep 2002 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 3461

I note also that police will have the power to stop and inspect any vehicles, boats or aircraft that visit communities to see whether they are carrying alcohol that is banned—wine and spirits—or whether they have quantities to sell on the sly grog market. In theory, that appears to have merit. However, how many police will be stationed in the cape communities or surrounding areas to undertake this level of surveillance and intervention, particularly when we consider how remote and vast this area is? The parliament must be very much aware of the fact that this government is very good at creating the illusion of doing something. I hope these bills will have a practical application, that these laws will be introduced and implemented in complete consultation with the communities, and that the elders and their communities will have ownership of these laws. Palm Island is a leader in self-help. The local council extended the ban on wine and spirits coming onto the island by introducing the restriction as a by-law. Chairwoman Danyele Foster said there had been a dramatic drop in violence and crime, a drop in medical call-outs, and much less use of the women's shelter. Is that not a wonderful result? The Palm Island community justice group reported that the halt to wine and spirit sales resulted in a boost to food purchases and a generally happier demeanour in the residents. Nothing lasting will be achieved unless Aboriginal people themselves are able to take control of the initiative. As I mentioned earlier, the government needs to lend support to Aboriginal communities as they work through these changes and adopt ownership of the laws. On my visit to the cape, people from some of the out-stations met with me and expressed how their health had improved dramatically because the out-stations were dry areas. When I was the shadow minister for police and corrective services, I visited the jail at Lotus Glen. Again, it was remarked to me how healthy the indigenous inmates were because of the good quality of the food, the lack of alcohol and plenty of exercise. They were able to get themselves into wonderful physical shape. I saw how they had been provided with an opportunity to reach their potential, to learn a trade or an occupation and hopefully go back to their community and see the benefit of a diet that was free from alcohol. That enabled them to be strong and active young men. During this period, the government should give thought to resolving the causes of alcoholism in the first place—unemployment, lack of economic opportunities, disfranchisement, loneliness—and to assist with the development of good role models. Perhaps we could enlist some Aboriginal sporting stars to help in the development of sporting pursuits. When in Kowanyama I thought how easy it would be to irrigate from the beautiful lagoon there and grow food in the soil beside it. People in Kowanyama were asking me how they could get subsidies to bring in food. Straightaway I said, 'Why don't you use your own natural resources?' However, I discovered that there were many problems and difficulties; it was not easy. We farmers think it is easy to put in an irrigation system. But to Aboriginal people, who have not traditionally been agriculturally oriented, it is vastly different and not as easy as we find it. That type of training could open up wonderful opportunities for these people if we work in partnership and consultation with them. If the government does not give thought to these economic and social issues and apply solutions so that communities witness positive results, these bills could effectively introduce another problem, and that is one of binge drinking. If you are an Aboriginal man your statistical chances of living a long, healthy and fulfilling life are not that great. Aboriginal men die youngest. Their life expectancy of 56 years is six years lower than that of Aboriginal women and about 20 years lower than that of the average non-Aboriginal male. They are 15 times more likely to be in prison than other men. In fact, Aboriginal men comprise 20 per cent of the national prison population, up from 14 per cent a decade ago. There is an epidemic of alcohol and drug abuse amongst men in Aboriginal communities. When it comes to diabetes, death from injury and accident, unemployment and educational attainment, Aboriginal men fare far worse than other men. The same applies also to Aboriginal women. These statistics cannot be ignored by the government if we are to begin tackling the dire threat to the very survival of many of Australia's indigenous communities. There will be many different comments by speakers from both sides of the parliament to these bills, but it is our genuine and fervent hope that these bills can abolish what we all know is the real problem in the communities, and that is alcohol abuse leading to violence. I spoke this morning in question time about Cairns and Townsville and zero tolerance. I now want to talk about the other side of the coin, and that is the provision of adequate rehabilitation. People sitting in the parks and involved in alcohol abuse and drunkenness and violence also need somewhere to go. In many cases, they are homeless. They have come from remote areas 3462 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 5 Sep 2002 and are unable to find their way back. As I said about zero tolerance, on the other side of the coin it is just as essential to have proper and adequate rehabilitation facilities. I urge the government to address that very important issue. Ms STONE (Springwood—ALP) (5.43 p.m.): I rise today in support of the Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2002 and the Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 2002. It has been well documented in the Cape York Justice Study, in the report done by Boni Robertson on violence against women in indigenous communities, in the media and in speeches by members of parliament that the indigenous people of Cape York have pronounced health problems and suffer from domestic violence and alcohol abuse. The mortality rate is two to three times higher than that of the overall Queensland population. Alcohol and violence are certainly major factors of this statistic. The Cape York Justice Study indicated that alcohol abuse is the most pressing concern for indigenous people and, if addressed, would certainly assist in decreasing violence and improve the quality of life for community members. I believe that it certainly will improve their quality of life, especially for the Cape York women and children. Indigenous women contribute a lot as leaders in their communities, especially in the Cape York communities. These bills will give them the opportunity to keep contributing to the community with greater assistance to ensure the quality of life they want for their men and their children. However, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have significantly lower levels of health, education, employment and life expectancy than non-indigenous women. It is important that a whole-of- government approach be taken to tackle these problems, and these bills are a great leap forward in ensuring our indigenous women and girls have the opportunity to have a valued role in the economic, social and cultural aspects of their communities. The Cape York Justice Study stated that alcohol abuse is a major factor of domestic violence. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in rural and remote communities are 45 times more likely to be a victim of domestic violence than non-indigenous women. This has to change. We can no longer let women and children in our indigenous communities suffer this pain. No longer can the culture and the hope of these communities be allowed to die with despair. In the past, all of us have failed these communities. These bills are the beginning of a rebuilding of the lives of many great Australians. Alcohol is also a major factor in the health issues of our indigenous people. Good health and freedom from violence is a basic need for all Australians, and these bills will begin to achieve this. So what do these bills do? Firstly, they provide for the transferring of liquor licences from councils to community based canteen management boards. Management of the canteens will continue to be based in the community and the input of the community justice group will ensure that they are run properly and the views of the community will be reflected, as boards will comprise mainly community members. Management plans in relation to opening times, types of alcohol sold and restrictions on takeaway liquor will be implemented by the board and therefore the community. The bills will provide for the declaration of restricted areas for the purpose of minimising harm caused by alcohol and minimising alcohol related disturbances. I am pleased to see the strengthening and expanding of the community justice groups and for the first time legislative backing and protection. CJGs provide a means for members of indigenous communities to plan and implement effective strategies to address local law and order issues. They are made up of elders or persons with traditional authority and command the respect of the community. The CJGs have a range of functions that will now be recognised by law, and this includes the power to declare dry places. I am very well aware of the criticism from some quarters of these bills, but it should be noted that the majority of people in indigenous communities have been asking for these kinds of initiatives for years. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Task Force on Violence report, tabled in this House in December 1999, stated— ... throughout the consultations, informants consistently raised both the human and social costs of alcohol. Indigenous women want better for their men and they want better for their children, and they want our help. These bills do exactly that. I am proud to be a member of a government that has the courage to take this decisive action to address this issue. I am very well aware that some people have said that there has not been enough consultation on these bills. These are the same people who, when it suits them, criticise governments for too much consultation. They are the same people who say that indigenous communities have been consulted to death. These bills are a result of the findings of Justice Fitzgerald, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's 5 Sep 2002 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 3463

Task Force on Violence and numerous representations made to the government on the effects of alcohol in indigenous communities. After the Cape York Justice Study report was delivered, Minister Spence and members of the Cape York Justice Study team continued to consult with communities. Almost 700 people from indigenous communities across the state were consulted in the process. Meeting Challenges, Making Choices, the Beattie government's response to the justice study report, was tabled in this House by the Premier on 10 April 2002. These bills reflect what was outlined in Meeting Challenges, Making Choices. All the consultation, the reports and the research have been done and, quite frankly, it is now time for action. These amendments to legislation are a powerful first step in that action. These amendments to the legislation provide the communities with what they have been asking for—greater power and support to determine their own way forward, and this means finding local solutions to local problems. I have been to Cherbourg on a number of occasions, and it is a great example local solutions to local problems. The women's shelter there is certainly a fine example of this. I congratulate the women at the women's shelter for the work that they do for their community. I also have to say that the men's alcohol and rehab centre is certainly going a long way to addressing the local issues for its community. It is making decisions on local issues and it is making its community better. This is exactly the impetus for the proposed changes. Minister Spence has shown courage, leadership and compassion in bringing these bills to the House. She has been to these communities, she has listened and she has acted, and I congratulate the minister. I am proud to be a part of a government that has the courage to take these actions and to address alcohol issues in indigenous communities. I believe this is the way forward, and the minister has my full support. I commend the bills to the House. Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM (Gladstone—Ind) (5.50 p.m.): In an article entitled 'Turning a positive corner', Tony Koch wrote— Two years ago, I phoned a doctor working on a remote Cape York Aboriginal community. The doctor answered: 'I can't speak right now. I have four fetal-alcohol babies in my surgery at this minute and I'm trying to arrange for an aeroplane to take them to Cairns. 'These babies, born to alcoholic mothers, like those born to drug-addicted mothers are addicted at birth and have to go through a withdrawal process to survive. It is a pathetic situation. On a neighbouring community ... locals were devastated because in a two-month period there had been five murders—all alcohol-related. Another article states— An Aboriginal child born in a Cape York indigenous community can expect to die 20 years earlier than any other Queensland boy or girl. The mother of that child is also much more likely to be bashed or raped than women living elsewhere in the state. Should the rights of Cape York women and children to a life free from violence and sexual assault continue to be ignored in order to protect the unfettered right to drink alcohol? I believe that every member in this chamber and every member of the public would reply with an emphatic no. In any society, these types of circumstances would be regarded as intolerable. Something would have to be done. Implementing legislation to address these conditions, irrespective of the location of those communities, may include impinging on the rights of individuals but would be accepted and expected given the circumstances. The Cape York Justice Study noted that while a smaller proportion of indigenous people consume alcohol than the overall population—that is, 62 per cent compared with 72 per cent—those who do drink do so to a harmful or hazardous extent, thus around half of the adult indigenous population are drinking in ways that jeopardise their health. It has been estimated that the per capita consumption level in Cape York communities in 1996-97—that is, between 35 and 43 litres of absolute alcohol per annum—was around four times the national average, which is 9.03 litres. While the focus of the study was Cape York, the issues range beyond this area. In our own communities—not just in the isolated communities that this bill addresses—we see the devastation that alcohol creates. We see the hurt to families, the damage to individuals and the damage, at times, that those individuals do to people whom they love. I once went to a hospital to visit my brother and saw a young man of about 22 sitting beside the hospital bed of a friend. He was devastated. The young fellow in the hospital bed was his peer and he was quite heavily bandaged with a broken jaw, which was wired shut. The young man sitting by the bed had his head leaning on his arms and he sat there for hours. As it transpired, the two had been drinking the night before. The man beside the bed had consumed an excessive amount of alcohol. They had argued over some small issue and he had decked his 3464 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 5 Sep 2002 mate. He had really created a significant amount of damage. That was a most unfortunate and sad situation. There are women and children in Aboriginal communities who face constant fear of abuse as a result of alcoholism. The justice study set out a catalogue of harms identified for these communities. Most of the incidents of violence and injury were related to alcohol consumption, because it appeared that the highest rate of injuries was around payday but there was a marked decline on Sundays when the canteen was closed. Poor health and high death rates were attributed to excessive alcohol consumption. As I said earlier, there was foetal alcohol syndrome in infants due to maternal alcohol consumption. There was violence, abuse and neglect of children, which can predispose children to fears for their safety and to health and behavioural problems later on in life. Many had psychiatric problems caused by alcohol abuse, and the socioeconomic levels of individuals in those areas were affected, again often because of alcohol consumption. Noel Pearson has said— It is a long-repeated observation that the social breakdown in Aboriginal communities is related to the breakdown or diminution of traditional authority structures among Aboriginal people. If not only traditional authority, then the removal of what anthropologist Peter Sutton calls the disciplinarian regimes that prevailed when the missions and the state government held authority over our people, which provided a kind of social order. My own view of the history of Hope Vale was that social order was provided by a combination of traditional indigenous, Christian religious and mission/state institutional authority—it wasn't just a matter of mission/state institutional authority alone. There has been, and will be, criticism of the legislation before this chamber, namely that it appears to be a return to the colonialist-type arrangement. I do not agree. This legislation will limit the amount of alcohol that is available. It gives increased powers to police to stop and search people and seize articles, particularly alcohol, that would create harm in these communities. It allows for Aboriginal councils to create new by-laws, again in an attempt to improve the quality of life of people living in indigenous communities. I know a family who ran an Aboriginal mission a lot of years ago. They were not perfect, because they were humans, but they did have a heart for the wellbeing of the people who lived on that community and they banned alcohol altogether. That community was not without its problems, but it did not have the level of physical abuse that now is present in that same community because of unfettered access to alcohol. In the light of what various authoritative studies have shown over the last few years—there have been a number of them—and the legislation that the minister has brought into being, I think the criticism that it is a return to colonialist-type rule is excessive. There are some constraints put on people in the communities, but they are there to ensure that those people have a future and that their wives and their children have a future. The Courier-Mail editorial of 11 April stated— The Government has moved to break the self-defeating arrangement whereby elected councils charged with properly administering communities also have a monetary interest in selling as much alcohol as they can in those communities. The Cape York Justice Study concluded— The dependence of councils on profits from canteens as the largest source of untied funds needs to be reduced or eliminated, to remove a critical area of pressure from drinkers and other interest groups ... An obvious way in which the conflict between the various current roles of councils in the sale and control of alcohol ... could be minimised, would be to separate the responsibility for developing and implementing the local policies and by-laws which control the supply and consumption of alcohol, from that for its actual sale. I have a question for the minister. It relates to a point made by Palm Island community members. They said that their council had instituted alcohol restrictions. I cannot comment on the extent of them because I have not been to Palm Island. However, in light of the comments by the Cape York Justice Study—it demonstrated the dependence of councils on profits from the canteens—and the Courier-Mail comment regarding councils' monetary interest in selling alcohol, the deputy chairman of Palm Island, Alfred Lacey, questioned whether there was any intention on the part of government to supplement the community for income lost from alcohol sales. I note from material I read before the introduction of this bill that when there were some three-month trials of the restriction or closure of canteens on Aboriginal communities not only did violence diminish but also the purchase of food and good dietary items increased. There will be a period in which these councils will feel a strain because they have been getting a certain amount of income generated by the sale of alcohol—indeed, as has been demonstrated, the excessive sale of alcohol—and that will not be made up by monetary return from the sale of other products. 5 Sep 2002 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 3465

The communities will find a new equilibrium. I wonder whether the minister has given any consideration to some sort of a sliding scale of financial assistance to tide councils over that period between when the income they were receiving from the canteens suddenly dries up and when they can actually catch up with their grocery and other sales. A Courier-Mail article by Margaret Wenham states— In a submission to the Government, obtained by The Courier-Mail, the Hopevale Aboriginal Council said 'any infringement on civil rights' would be acted on 'in the appropriate forum'. That refers to this legislation. It continues— Noting the Hopevale community did not operate a beer canteen, the submission said any measure to reduce the supply of alcohol to Cape York would 'infringe on civil rights of both indigenous and non-indigenous people living and visiting in (Hopevale)'. Further it states— 'Attempted amendments of any such legislation shall be racial and discriminatory and shall not gain approval ... It will most certainly be challenged in court,' the council said. After all the fights Aboriginal communities have had—about Aboriginal rights, about their recognition as individuals, about the right to vote and so on—I understand their frustration. But my hope is that councils such as the Hope Vale Aboriginal Council and others who may be aggrieved at the imposition of this legislation on what they see as their individual rights will give sufficient time to this legislation to see whether their communities actually benefit. I believe they will see that, but my hope is that they will not immediately challenge this legislation or even perhaps overturn it. I do not know whether their challenge would be successful, Mr Bredhauer: What about the rights of the women and children? Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM: That is right. I ask whether the councils would be prepared to give the legislation sufficient time to see whether it does improve the safety of their wives and children and whether it will bring a better life prospect, not only for the wives and the children but also for themselves. It is documented quite clearly that the drinkers themselves—men and women—suffer significant health impacts as a result of alcohol consumption. It is never an easy thing to take away or diminish the rights of individuals, especially those rights that the individuals feel have been hard won. I do commend the minister for the legislation. She has received a degree of criticism from people who feel that they will be impinged on by this legislation. I believe it will result in a marked improvement in conditions for Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal men and women in Cape York and those identified communities. I wish the minister success with the legislation, and I wish those families who are currently suffering because of alcohol abuse a happier, safer and more prosperous future. Mrs CARRYN SULLIVAN (Pumicestone—ALP) (6.04 p.m.): Because of the complementary nature of these two bills, the Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill and the Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill were introduced together by Minister Spence in the parliament in August of this year. They are a direct response to the interrelated and very serious problems associated with alcohol, crime and violence in some of the Aboriginal communities. Last year this government commissioned Justice Tony Fitzgerald to examine the effects of alcohol on the Cape York communities. His report, the Cape York Justice Study, was presented to parliament in July of this year and focused particularly on the social problems that alcohol creates and solutions to combat them. Prior to the report being tabled, there was widespread consultation with members of the Cape York communities over a three-month period. The report also focused on the following reforms. Firstly, it focused on transferring the liquor licences of canteens from councils to community based canteen management boards, comprising mainly of well-known and respected local community members. These will provide controls on the quantity of alcohol brought into the communities and the imposition of conditions on licensed premises in surrounding areas. Controlling demand will be supported by educational programs and the development of a community culture on intolerance to excessive alcohol consumption. Secondly, it provides for a declaration of restricted areas for the purpose of minimising harm caused by alcohol related disturbances. An area or part of an area may be declared a restricted area if required where people may have in their possession no more than a prescribed amount of alcohol for that area. Thirdly, community justice groups comprising of elders and traditional members of indigenous communities will now have the legislative backing and protection to declare dry places within their communities for the first time to control the possession and consumption of alcohol. Lastly, the 3466 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 5 Sep 2002 report has recommended to impose strict conditions on hotels and roadhouses near indigenous communities. Alcohol is a problem everywhere. It is the single biggest killer in this Western World. It is a legal drug, yet it fills our hospital beds. It destroys lives and tears families apart. Yet for years and years we have simply tolerated its effects. However, I am pleased that this government has done more than simply just talk about it and shake their heads. This action today will help those indigenous communities who genuinely want to address the issues relating to alcoholism. Some years ago, I taught at a primary school on Thursday Island. In fact, it was my first teaching experience. I would describe myself in those days as a young, single, white, inexperienced female teacher in a very isolated community where the only entertainment was drinking, fighting, and fishing—and in that order. There were four pubs within that very small area and about 95 per cent of the adults who lived there—both indigenous and non-indigenous—had a personalised stubby cooler in each of those pubs. Because there was little to do, drinking was very widespread. Unfortunately, I knew a lot of people who had a drinking problem. I know what it is like living in an isolated community where there are very few job opportunities—in fact, very few opportunities of any description. I am unaware of any statistics from that period that I was on Thursday Island—and no, not because I cannot remember—but I believe that the amount of alcohol consumed per capita would have been extreme. An honourable member: You've got a good memory. Mrs CARRYN SULLIVAN: I have a good memory indeed. It was totally and completely accepted as part of that lifestyle. It was only later after I left that I realised just what a problem alcohol really was. I now run a drug prevention program throughout the local primary schools in the electorate of Pumicestone, which I represent, which teaches children the dangers of alcohol, nicotine and prescription drugs. I firmly believe that these measures that this government, in partnership with indigenous groups, are putting into place will go a long way towards providing safer and healthier communities for indigenous people. I applaud all of those who prepared these comprehensive pieces of legislation and I commend them to this House. Mr MULHERIN (Mackay—ALP) (6.09 p.m.): The Indigenous Community Liquor Licences Bill 2002 aims to address alcohol abuse and violence in indigenous communities, which has escalated to unacceptable levels, causing wide-ranging social problems for all community members. The bill will work in conjunction with the Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2002 in a legislative package under the government's Meeting Challenges, Making Choices initiative. The bill is part of the government's response to Justice Tony Fitzgerald's Cape York Justice Study report. The report recommended that the indigenous community councils should not be associated with the operations of the canteens. The bill enables the government to create new community liquor licence boards to be appointed by the Minister for Families, the Hon. Judy Spence, comprising community members and a government representative. The bill gives the government the means to transfer the general liquor licence from the councils to the board. Of the 19 mainland Aboriginal and Torres Islander communities, 12 have a canteen licence and all 12 licences are held by the council. In his report, Justice Tony Fitzgerald concluded that the present arrangements placed an intolerable burden on councils and council officials who are subject to financial as well as social pressures not to discourage the excessive consumption of alcohol. Under this bill, the council will continue to receive the profits from canteens, but this money can be spent only on programs and services for the benefit of the community. The new community liquor licensing boards will manage canteens while implementing recommendations from the community justice group so that licensed premises are operated in a way that prevents harm in the community from alcohol abuse and misuse. As the Minister for Families, the Hon. Judy Spence, pointed out in her second reading speech, criticism of this approach has been paternalistic and contrary to self-management. It overlooks the fact that the management of licensed premises and approaches to responsible practices relating to the sale of alcohol will come from community based groups. The community justice groups will be comprised of elders and respected persons who have traditional authority. The central focus of the Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill is to empower community justice groups to take on a greater role in confronting the problems of alcohol abuse and misuse. This bill removes the dilemma faced by councils who are charged with the responsibility to protect the welfare of the community while accounting financially for local services. 5 Sep 2002 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 3467

The contradiction between governments and self-determination for indigenous Australians is an important aspect of addressing the problem of alcohol abuse in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The government has been forced to act to try to instigate change in the way in which alcohol is used in indigenous communities, yet ultimately, as with nearly all social problems, change must be triggered from within those communities and promoted by those communities. Despite ground gained in reconciliation, it is clear that in all aspects of relations between indigenous and white Australia, our early colonial history is a factor. In his report, Justice Fitzgerald makes reference to the historical feature of the supply of alcohol in Australia, pointing out that the criminalisation of indigenous alcohol consumption underlies a pattern of drinking at harmful and hazardous levels. The provision of alcohol to Aborigines was prohibited and intoxication was an offence for Aborigines. Indigenous people were forced to drink in secluded places, often buying large quantities that were consumed quickly to avoid being caught. The destructive pattern of alcohol use has also been identified in native American populations who were forced, through prohibition until 1953, to drink quickly and in secret. Anthropology studies show that the indigenous people of Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States had very little or no use of alcoholic beverages prior to contact, invasion and settlement by outsiders. Despite the relative wealth of those four countries, all of those people now experience social and economic marginalisation originating in their alienation from their land and economic resource base. Accounts of indigenous social problems throughout the world have a tendency to locate these problems at some level in the colonial experience. But anthropologists give more credence to the social and cultural constructions of interpersonal violence and the meaning of intoxication. The prohibition of alcohol in Australia was enacted under the 1897 Aboriginal Protection Act. New Zealand, Canada and the USA all brought in restrictions on access to alcohol for their indigenous communities in the interests of protecting them. The adverse effects of restriction include feelings of inferiority and lack of citizenship and discrimination. Another outcome of prohibition is the practice of sly grog being brought into indigenous communities where demand for alcohol is used to exploit indigenous communities for large profits. The Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill will amend the Liquor Act 1992 to allow a restricted area to be declared under a regulation to help control the amount of alcohol being brought into indigenous communities. The limits on the amount of alcohol that can be carried into those areas can then be set in consultation with the community justice group. Severe punishment will be incurred by those who are caught carrying more than the prescribed quantities. Strong enforcement powers accompany these changes with police, liquor licensing investigators and indigenous community police given powers to enforce the liquor laws. Police will have the power to seize property used in breaching liquor laws, including vehicles such as boats and aircraft used to bring alcohol into the community. The bill also allows the chief executive of the liquor licensing branch to impose conditions on licensed premises. For example, the liquor licensing division will be able to stop practices such as the sale of wine in large casks, the sale of takeaways to taxi drivers and the licensees holding the key cards of community members. Importantly, these powers are not specific to indigenous communities and can be used to impose conditions on any licensed premises to address alcohol abuse. In the introduction of the Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill, the minister explained that in Meeting Challenges, Making Choices, the government announced a range of initiatives but indicated that those programs depend on the curtailing of the current cycle of alcohol abuse. I mention this because largely that bill and the Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill deal with the control of alcohol rather than treatment. It must be recognised that a larger proportion of Aboriginal than non-Aboriginal people abstain from alcohol. In indigenous Australians, drinking is generally typified by episodic binges with heavy consumption. Anthropologist Maggie Brady states in her paper— It is this style of drinking, rather than the overall number of drinkers, that is associated with trauma, violence and accidents. Brady states further that it is not generally socially sanctioned in indigenous communities to interfere with another's right to drink and that those who seek to abstain are often derided for trying to be different or 'like white fellows'. It has been argued that, under these circumstances, 3468 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 5 Sep 2002 treatment programs that target individuals, such as those based on Alcoholic Anonymous models, are inadequate. Anthropologist David McKnight observed over a 30-year period the effects of alcohol on the Mornington Island community of the north Queensland coast. He described the failure of alcohol rehabilitation centres, saying that Mornington Islanders who returned from such programs received little support from their communities and that— ...drinkers practically cheered when someone falls off the wagon or when someone drinks for the first time. In Canada and America, several alcohol and other drug programs combined treatment models with traditional cultural practices to attempt to prevent alcohol problems. To address alcohol abuse in American Indian communities, many western approaches have been modified to incorporate traditional customs and belief in conjunction with initiatives for programs to be tribally based and controlled. The sale of alcohol to Indian people was prohibited from 1832 to 1953 when the legislation was repealed and tribes were given the option of retaining prohibition or allowing the sale of alcohol on reservations, with the result that two-thirds of reservations were technically dry as of 1998. In Canada, the National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program is funded by the federal government and aims to reduce the incidence and effects of alcohol use in indigenous communities. This is done through community based prevention and treatment programs and residential treatment centres, which all combine western and indigenous treatment models. The success of these programs which, on the whole, promote total abstinence is hard to gauge. In New Zealand, Maoris are actively involved in government strategies. New Zealand's national Alcohol Advisory Council contains a Maori unit which was integral in the development of a program called Manaaki Tangata, which promotes moderation and responsible alcohol use. Another program called Too Bad, which uses mentors from gangs who had transformed their lives, endeavours to get across the message of how harmful excessive drinking and drink-driving can be. One highly successful program in Australia was the government-run Living with Alcohol program, which commenced in 1991 in the Northern Territory. Essentially, the program promotes responsible alcohol use without discouraging abstinence or self-imposed prohibition. An evaluation of this program in 1999 showed a demonstrated reduction in alcohol related harm and road crash injuries, with consequential savings of $124.3 million to the territory. In both New Zealand and Australia, indigenous communities have initiated programs where wardens help reduce harm caused by excessive drinking. In Australia, night patrols became common practice in the late 1980s, starting in the Northern Territory. Usually conducted by older women, the patrols deal with, or remove, intoxicated people through negotiation or call the police if necessary. In New Zealand, Maori communities initiated wardens who liaise with police and try to monitor and prevent illegal and irresponsible drinking. Other methods of harm minimisation include sobering up shelters and the intervention of doctors. There is no one solution to alcohol abuse in indigenous communities. A wide range of programs and initiatives have been implemented to help solve or control alcohol misuse, with varying degrees of success. What is clear is that the current conditions experienced in Queensland indigenous communities need to be addressed and government has an important role to play in enabling communities to take positive steps to control how alcohol affects their lives. The Indigenous Community Liquor Licences Bill in conjunction with the Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill are key elements in a comprehensive approach to improving the drastic situation that faces Queensland's indigenous communities. I believe that the bill strikes the right balance between providing for self-determination and necessary intervention. I commend the minister for the hard work that she and her department have done. The minister has copped a lot of criticism. I believe it is unnecessary and I think she has done an excellent job. It will take some time to turn this around, but this legislation will go some way towards addressing the issues. Mr CUMMINS: (Kawana—ALP) (6.24 p.m.): I support these most important bills before us tonight, namely the Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2002 and the Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 2002. For many years Queensland governments have sought solutions to the issues of alcohol and violence in indigenous communities. The Beattie government, in partnership with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, is committed to the development and implementation of policies and programs that have at their core the basis for building the capacity of communities to find solutions to problems. We need a positive partnership to address the issues. The Beattie government's support must also be ensured. Capacity building is the most reliable and effective means by which communities can 5 Sep 2002 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 3469 develop and secure sustainable futures. This liquor licensing and community services legislation sets down in law the tools for communities to build their capacity and shape their own futures. With this legislation the Beattie government has empowered communities to work effectively in partnership with government to address the problems of alcohol abuse and violence. This legislation provides for a new community based approach to alcohol management and the development of alcohol management plans developed by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The legislation empowers community justice groups to take the lead role in community based mechanisms to redress alcohol abuse and violence. It recognises that a community based approach to alcohol management will work most effectively with a whole-of- community input and support. Within communities, everyone has a potential contribution to make towards the development of management plans and approaches that reflect their own specific needs and circumstances. This new legislation enshrines in the very laws of this state the right of indigenous communities to be supported in the development of appropriate, effective, community based solutions to the issues of alcohol and violence. We realise that there is a need for sustainable economic development and job creation that will provide the economic independence and self-determination that communities aspire to. The Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 2002 comprises the integral part of the legislative package that will carry out the government's reform agenda to address alcohol abuse and violence in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. There are currently licensed premises in 12 of the 19 mainland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. All of these licences are held within community councils. In his report, Justice Fitzgerald recommended that councils should not run licensed premises because this conflicts with their responsibilities relating to the welfare of the community. Justice Fitzgerald also said that the current arrangements place an intolerable burden on councils and council officials. The bill enables the government to create new community liquor licence boards under a regulation. These boards will be comprised of a small number of community members and a government representative. They will be accountable as statutory bodies. This bill enables the government to transfer the general liquor licence from the council to the board if this is considered necessary to prevent harm caused by alcohol abuse in the community. Recently I attended a leadership forum with Paul Paulson, an Australian Aborigine and descendant from the Mununjali people from the Yugembeh Language Group in south-east Queensland. Paul is employed as the indigenous education officer of the Anglican Schools Office in Queensland. I thank him for passing on some of his thoughts, issues and beliefs that I will now touch on. In traditional society, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people had no kings or queens. They had elders. Elders passed on their traditional laws and rules which were handed down to them by their spiritual beings. As we know, Australia enjoys a colourful and proud empirical history of an emerging nation built on immigration, diversity and a fair go for everybody. It is thought the indigenous people of this country have occupied this country possibly for 60,000 years. The free flowing, conservative, nomadic style of the existence enjoyed by our nation's first people was a successful one. Each group knew of their tribal boundaries. It could be argued that there were no major wars or possibly no famine. Prior to European settlement, historians estimate that the large Aboriginal population was dispersed among the 700 recorded Aboriginal and Torres Strait tribal and language groups. Each language group had its own distinct language and customs. Each group identified its own subculture by its own art, song, dance, ceremonies and leisure times. Whilst every language group was uniquely diverse in various aspects of culture, they were all spiritually connected by the universal power of The Dreaming. Realising that we now live in the 21st century—a new millennium—we all face new challenges. The challenges today are certainly more diverse and dangerous than 20 years ago—even two years ago. Our western society today has been forced to redefine the word 'terrorism'. It is now, more than ever, a threat to the very fabric of our westernised democratic existence. In difficult times our community looks to effective leaders. Leadership and success can signify different things to different people. Anyone's first success is to try. Exercising your right to dream and to realise and fulfil those dreams is a measure of leadership and success. We should all acknowledge that a famous peace advocate once announced 'I have a dream.' I believe that we must acknowledge that indigenous people in this country are still traumatised by our history. It is a legacy with which individuals and communities live and it is shaping the lives of subsequent generations. While indigenous people in this country are often considered to be disadvantaged 3470 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 5 Sep 2002 through education, housing, health and social justice, they can and should and will remain a vibrant and essential part of the Australian identity and future decision making in forging our national citizenship. To ensure reconciliation remains part of our national agenda, all Queenslanders should learn about Aboriginal culture and engage in a multicultural Australia. In my opinion, 'multicultural Australia' means recognising that everyone belongs to a cultural group, accepting and appreciating cultural diversity as a positive feature of our society, multiculturalism is for everyone, recognising that similarities across cultures are much greater than differences, cultural pluralism is a positive aspect for our country, affirming and enhancing self-esteem through pride in heritage, promoting cross-cultural understanding, citizenship and racial harmony. I believe indigenous people do not want our sympathy. They seek equality not because they are black but because they are people who share this land and its future with us. They ask for respect because their dignity has not and will not waiver. They seek recognition because their culture is thousands of years old; they do not want it to die and neither should we. Members should remember that racism is borne of ignorance and ignorance stems from lack of understanding and knowledge. The indigenous people of Australia have long struggled to regain pride and identity through the past two centuries. Australia's reconciliation process is a perfect catalyst for everyone to learn a little more about our nation's first people and understand the importance of preserving culture and tradition in a society where there is a place in the sun for everyone—black, white or whatever. A great leader once said, 'Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage.' The ability to inspire others and to adduce out the best qualities in others is a gift. Great leaders avoid paternalism and encourage self-esteem, which generates and releases capabilities and skills. It involves commitment, usually emotional commitment, whether it is anger or passion. Both are regularly displayed in this House, the Queensland parliament. Importantly, trust is an integral part of any leadership. Trust can be gained by possessing a willingness to listen and recognise that no-one has a monopoly on the truth. Honourable members should remember that differences can be presented as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. For all men created alike in the image of God are inseparably bound together—this is at the very heart of our Christian gospel. In life, ethical and moral dilemmas will confront us in our pursuit of our dreams. We will always know that being bound by Christian ethical and moral values and abiding by and being true to these principles that leadership and conscience will reap the greatest reward for all Queenslanders. We must acknowledge that wives, mothers, fathers, husbands, children and elders are calling on us to assist them and help them in their battle. No-one should be foolish enough to ever suggest that alcohol abuse is limited to any one group in particular; it can affect us all. Minister—and I believe this relates to all of our cabinet—Sunshine Coast residents have applauded you on the position we take on this issue. I must also acknowledge the Minister for Transport and Minister for Main Roads, the member for Cook, in addressing alcohol issues in Queensland Aboriginal communities. I believe the outcomes will be something of which all Labor members will be proud—and, indeed, of which all Queenslanders should acknowledge and be proud. Again, these are great reforms by this Beattie Labor government for deserving Queenslanders. In conclusion, I will mention a very close family friend, Harry Allie, who received a BEM—British Empire Medal—a few years ago. Harry is an Aboriginal from Charters Towers who worked in the RAAF with my father for over two decades serving our country in its defence force. As a young man in the 1950s he worked for the then PMG on Magnetic Island installing telecommunication or phone lines. Harry is one of the thousands of indigenous Australians who are a credit to our Australian society, and I pray that this legislation will greatly assist and benefit our indigenous communities. I commend the bill to the House. Ms MOLLOY: (Noosa—ALP) (6.33 p.m.): This evening I rise in the House to speak to the Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 2002 and the Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2002. One may ask: what would an urban dweller from a town in the south know about indigenous communities, let alone the issues confronting them? I suggest the degradation wrought on these communities is meticulously well documented, possibly not unlike the degradation experienced by white Europeans during early industrialisation. Today there is hope. There exists a will of the indigenous communities, their leaders and a strong political will from this Labor government to take action that will make a difference. 5 Sep 2002 Community Services Legn Amt Bill; Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 3471

Some years ago I worked in Darwin Hospital and travelled through the Kimberleys meeting with members of indigenous communities up there. My sister Bridget taught in an indigenous community school in Alice Springs and now teaches at Darwin High School. We have talked at length about the troubled children for whom some a cuddle was unknown, food and clothing were scant in their tiny lives, and violence was their familiar home environment. My deceased brother, Michael, lived in an indigenous community in Alice Springs. His partner broke his arm. He had to leave Alice Springs because of the tribal brawling. He then moved to Darwin and married a Torres Strait Islander. He died at the age of 50. He lived the life that many indigenous people live. I know he had a troubled soul and chose a destructive lifestyle, but let us not forget that alcoholism is a disease. I wonder often whether, if we stripped away the trappings of our material world and lumped all of the white alcoholics in one suburb, how we would deal with that. That is food for thought. The Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill will amend the Community Services (Aborigines) Act 1984 Queensland and the Community Services (Torres Strait) Act 1984 to recognise existing CJGs and enable the establishment of others and confer power on them to make dry place declarations. Let us not think this is patronising, either, which could be suggested. I grew up in a dry area. I grew up in Bob Menzies' electorate of Kooyong, and it was a very dry argument there. Recently, on 23 August, I had the great pleasure of visiting Leon Towsk, who celebrated his 100th birthday. Leon used to live in the same dry area that I grew up in and we enjoyed our time together remembering the good old days in Balwyn. There was wisdom in that decision. It was a decision made by the community who decided that a local pub in the suburbs was nothing more than a nuisance. How often do members hear of complaints from the public about unruly behaviour of pub and club patrons as they fall out the door at night? I turn to point 4.2, which deals with controlling possession and consumption of alcohol at dry places. The Cape York Justice Study noted that the act attempted to link the operations of Aboriginal custom and tradition with those of the mainstream legal systems and regarded the meeting and consultation process for declaring a dry area or control area as one that acknowledges the political life of indigenous people. The justice study states that the act allows more appropriate dealing with the illicit alcohol trade into the community, since access roads, the barge landing and the airport have been declared control areas, with limits placed on alcohol carried by any particular vehicle. It stated further that this potentially allows for more effective policing of the types and quantities of alcohol brought in. The act allows individuals to have a degree of control over what happens in their own houses or out-stations or on their own traditional lands while preserving the rights of drinkers to have access to alcohol. What a way to go—more control over what happens in their own homes. Minister Spence and her staff work tirelessly to help these indigenous communities take control. There are many aspects of this bill that tell me that this government is sincere in its attempt to provide support to the people who need it most. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. That is why we are able to come back to the table to sort out what needs to be done. But, please, let us not be naive enough to think that Minister Spence has a wand and will make these communities heal overnight. The healing will take time. But as we say in our house, sometimes you just have to bite the bullet. In this case, it could also be seen as tough love. I congratulate the minister who at times must be overwhelmed by the responsibility of her ministry and community expectations. She is working with the indigenous communities to help them help themselves. I commend the bill to the House. Ms NOLAN: (Ipswich—ALP) (6.38 p.m.): I, too, rise to speak in support of the two bills that have been brought to the House by the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy, Judy Spence. In doing so, I wish to express some reservation about speaking about these issues as if I am an expert. I have some knowledge of these areas and they are something we talk a lot about in my family. However, none of us here has lived these experiences. It is a great shame that there are no Aboriginal members of the Queensland parliament and that in its history there has only ever been one. I very much commend the minister, Judy Spence, for the legislation she has brought to the House today. Judy is not one to seek self-promotion, but this is genuine progressive legislation. It is very good legislation. This legislation has come about through a long process of community debate and government policy. Previous governments have, as we know, created communities with few services and little support. We have initially prohibited Aboriginal people from drinking alcohol and created situations where people have been forced to drink on the fringes of town and to drink 3472 Ministerial Statement 5 Sep 2002 quickly in order to escape the police enforcing those prohibitions, and later we forced alcohol on those remote Aboriginal communities as a means of allowing them to make their own money. The legislation that we have introduced today has been a direct response to a report presented in 1999 by Boni Robertson and the women's task force and, later, Tony Fitzgerald's report on alcoholism in Aboriginal communities. The essence of this legislation is to address alcoholism in Aboriginal communities and to give those communities a chance for genuine development. The crux of it is that it removes council control of licences and places them with community liquor licensing boards. It also empowers community justice groups, which already exist on most communities, to make recommendations to the licensing board about matters such as dry areas and drinking conditions, such as what hours the canteen should be open and what types of drinks they should serve. This legislation is better than what Tony Fitzgerald recommended because it does not take the licences away from community control. Tony Fitzgerald recommended that the licence should be taken out of the hands of the community councils and placed into the hands of government—that is, completely outside the community. The legislation that the minister has put forward keeps control in the community, but it keeps it with the good people in the community—the people who are willing to make the tough decisions. It empowers good people in communities, largely the women in communities, to take a leadership role. I spent some time visiting communities in India some years ago. We found that, in the communities which needed to rapidly change from Third World conditions, when control was given to the women—usually the strong women in the community—they took that responsibility very seriously and took on board responsibility for children and their own men. Community development happens very effectively when the strong women of a community are empowered, and that is what this bill is largely about. In talking to the bill, I want to focus mainly on the community development aspects. However, I want to make a couple of points about alcoholism. The reason why I want to focus on the community development aspects of the bill is that it bothers me enormously that we talk about Aboriginal communities only as places where people drink and not as places where people live, and many people live quite happily. There are, however, a couple of points about drinking that I want to make. The first is that we, as a predominantly white community, should treat Aboriginal alcoholics like real alcoholics. We should not assume that their drinking is purely circumstantial—that is, they sit around and drink but could just as easily be doing something else. We need to treat Aboriginal alcoholics like real alcoholics who drink because they are getting away from the difficult circumstances of their lives. Many people start drinking because they are shy or because they find white people and white communities intimidating. Sometimes they feel too ashamed to speak up. For some Aboriginal people alcohol gives them Dutch courage to put themselves forward in our society. There are many reasons why people start drinking, but for alcoholics it is about escaping the trauma, the dispossession and the terrible difficulty of their lives. Debate, on motion of Ms Nolan, adjourned.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Regional Parliament Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (6.44 p.m.), by leave: We collectively have made history, and that is why this sitting has been so important not just to the people of north Queensland but to this parliament as an institution. Let me share a little bit of history with members. In the early 1880s the then Premier Thomas McIlwraith was the first Premier to visit Townsville. It could be imagined that he arrived by ship coming into Ross Creek in dramatically different circumstances than we see here today. The sad element was that that visit of 1882, being that it is believed to be the first official visit of a sitting Premier, was some 23 years after the state was declared. That was too long for the Premier of this state to have undertaken such a visit. It is also a wrong that it has taken more than 140 years of this parliament—142 years to be precise—in such a decentralised state as ours for the parliament to leave Brisbane. Well, we have done it. We have righted a wrong. Every member of this parliament can be very proud of what we have done as a parliament. By this three-day sitting we have formally paid due respect to north Queensland and rightly acknowledged its importance in the state. Townsville has stood tall and shown it is a magnificent, proud and confident city capable of hosting such an 5 Sep 2002 Ministerial Statement 3473 event. I want to say thank you to Townsville and thank you to north Queensland. The problem, of course, is that it has set the standard for others to follow, and that is the difficulty for all of us. There has been some shallow criticism of parliament being held here. It has been described by some as a waste and extravagant. Well, the critics have been run over by the numbers. When I talk about the numbers, I mean the people. More than 8,000 people have been here. Last night we set an Australian record with 1,000 people in the gallery. That is significant and we have made history. We said on 10 October last year when we announced that we would take the parliament to the people that we believed that it would be popular. What has happened is that the people have taken to this parliament. That is what has happened. This regional sitting has been a success beyond all expectations—certainly beyond mine—so much so that we are going to do it again. Tonight, I pledge that we will do it again next term—that is, of course, given that we are allowed the privilege of forming government again. In three days this sitting has had one-fifth of all of last year's 40,000 visitor total for the Brisbane parliament. So there were 40,000 people in Brisbane in a year and 8,000 people in a week in Townsville. Not bad! As I said, thank you north Queensland. Thank you. You have turned out in numbers far beyond what any of us could have imagined. While here, we have been joined by protesters, spectators, schoolchildren, university students, religious and community groups, business leaders, trade unions and the list goes on. We have worked together, dined together, prayed together, walked together and enjoyed too much north Queensland hospitality together. Joining us have been groups from Rockhampton in the south to Saibai Island in the north and Mount Isa in the west. It is not members enjoying themselves; this sitting has meant that many thousands of people, especially schoolchildren, have witnessed what was not previously available to them. I know I have referred to this, but when I was a kid in Atherton parliament was a long way away. This parliament has brought us much closer together. We have met with all sorts of people, but most of all we have shared in an impressive, high- quality standard-setting event befitting the dignity of this parliament. It is also an event that I am sure our predecessors over the parliament's 142 years would be proud of. I am sure they would believe that the institution that they served has moved to a new and an exciting phase. What we have started here is that we have opened Pandora's box. It can no loner be shut. Parliament will now regularly, regardless of who is in government, go to the people across this state because the people want it that way. The likes of Andrew Dawson, Artie Fadden, Fred Patterson and Perc Tucker and even John Macrossan, who so badly wanted to secede, would indeed be pleased with what we have done here. This sitting has been made possible by so many people, and all involved deserve every praise. I want to thank all ministers and members for the spirit in which they have embraced the occasion. I also want to thank the opposition as well and all parties and Independents represented here. I especially want to thank the Speaker and his staff. Mr Speaker, thank you for your cooperation in the way that you have handled this. You have done an excellent job and so have your staff. I want to thank Robert Doyle, Neil Laurie and all the parliamentary staff. I want to thank the CWA ladies. Honourable members: Hear, hear! Mr BEATTIE: I thanked them this morning and the CWA ladies missed my appreciation. There they are in the gallery. Honourable members interjected. Mr BEATTIE: We often refer to an incident in the gallery; I think this is an incident in the parliament. As I said to the CWA ladies, you are magnificent. I bow to you. You have been magnificent. Thank you very much. Opposition members interjected. Mr BEATTIE: Please, please, please; settle down. Don't get excited! You're about to go home tomorrow. Some of you will need some of those ambulances services. Where is Mike Reynolds? We will need some of those ambulance services. We are going to have a few cardiac arrests over there. If they had a heart, there would be a lot of trouble. I also want to thank the staff of the Townsville Entertainment Centre, who have been magnificent. I want to thank the Queensland police. I want to thank the security staff, the St John's Ambulance, staff from the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, the Townsville City Council, 4TO for the free barbecue—and I thought they did a great job—our indigenous 3474 Ministerial Statement 5 Sep 2002 welcoming group, all 86 schools—their teachers, students and the volunteers who have supported the school visits—the media, and of course, the people of north Queensland for taking the chance to witness democracy in action. A special thanks to the technical support staff for keeping it altogether. This three-day parliament has also been witnessed by representatives from the parliaments, as I said this morning, of Tasmania, Victoria and the Northern Territory. Such has been this historic parliament's success that I earlier today called on regional communities, their local members, mayors and councils to rally their cities and put forward proposals for the next regional sitting. Already the Gold Coast and Bundaberg have made formal approaches to me, and I understand that the members for Rockhampton, Mackay and Toowoomba North are already in the media suggesting that their communities would be worthy of consideration— Mr SPEAKER: And Redcliffe. Mr BEATTIE: And Redcliffe, Mr Speaker. Honourable members interjected. Mr BEATTIE: We have got them coming from everywhere, Mr Speaker. I am overwhelmed. Mr Mackenroth: I think we should have a bidding system. Mr BEATTIE: The Treasurer is now suggesting that we should have a bidding system and there should be a prize—a bit like the Olympic Games, Mr Speaker. I am sure that all of our regional cities would love to have the economic, social and moral boost that Townsville has had this week. Townsville has set a magnificent benchmark that will be hard to better, and I am confident that several will be keen to try. We said at the start that our aim was to take parliament to the people. As I said, the people have taken to the parliament. This truly has been the people's parliament, which is the way it should be. It is right that this should be done, and it should have been done long ago. We have proven that the people want us to keep in touch and want to meet their parliamentarians face to face. I mentioned before one of the additional uncosted benefits, and that is that this historic parliament has further united the state and puts to rest any calls for a breakaway north Queensland. We have also moved a long way this week to further cementing the view that all Queenslanders know this parliament is fair dinkum and we will go out of our way to meet with them and listen to their concerns. Again, I want to thank the people of north Queensland for what they have done. Finally, as I said before, I thank all members of parliament. Often the community does not fully appreciate the hurly-burly that goes on. From time to time on television when people see question time they do not quite understand. They think it is a very adversarial and negative process, but it is not that. Question time is, in fact, the opposition's opportunity to put the government of the day on the mat. If that is not robust, then the process does not work. I have pursued a strategy of lifting the dignity of parliament, ensuring that we have the best possible behaviour and standards. One thing is clear. When it comes to question time, it needs to be robust. It needs to be an opportunity for the opposition to put the government to the torch. That is the way it should be. The more that people come into this parliament and from the gallery see the parliament in action, the better they will understand the process. We can argue about how well those opposite do it, but that is another issue. Those opposite have a right to do it and they should do it in a robust way, provided they do it with some degree of dignity and decorum. They are the sorts of things we expect. I indicated earlier that we are moving to broadcast parliament. We have a number of initiatives in that regard. Because it is getting late, I will not give details of the broadcasting of parliament, but I will seek to incorporate some comments in Hansard. This is one of the other ways we will go to the people. It is important to do that so that the people have access to the parliament wherever they live. I seek leave to incorporate that statement in Hansard. Leave granted. This Government is committed to making the Queensland Parliament more accessible to the people of this state. The very fact that we are sitting here in Townsville today indicates my commitment to bringing the Parliament closer to the people. However, my government wants Queenslanders to have the opportunity to have access to the work of their parliamentarians every day that Parliament is in session. One of the smart ways to do this is to maximise the potential offered by information technology. 5 Sep 2002 Ministerial Statement 3475

My Government has already made significant progress in this area, with an online petitioning system known as 'e- petitions' operating as we speak. Queenslanders can now start, locate, join and follow e-petitions from their home or office via Queensland Parliament's web site. Queenslanders also have the opportunity to mobilise support for their concerns on a much broader scale in an online environment than would be possible by slogging the streets to find interested signatories. As you are aware Mr Speaker, this Government has two other key 'e-democracy' commitments, namely: to trial community consultation online; and to broadcast parliamentary proceedings on the Internet. Today, I am delighted to report on progress with implementation of the broadcast of parliamentary proceedings on the Internet. Later this year the House will consider a motion for the Queensland Parliament to trial the publication and broadcast over the Internet of the audio of its proceedings. I expect that upon securing the House's support for this motion, the 12 month trial of the broadcast service would be able to commence later this year or early next year. The Queensland Parliament will join a number of other legislatures around the world and in Australia that broadcast proceedings over the Internet. No longer will Queenslanders necessarily have to physically sit in Parliament to gain firsthand information about proceedings as they happen. Instead, Queenslanders will be able to listen to a live transmission of proceedings by logging onto the Queensland Parliament's web site. I would note that the broadcast service will commence with an audio transmission only in the first instance. The current camera system in Parliament House would need to be replaced to support Internet broadcasting. As you would appreciate, undertaking significant installation works in a heritage-listed building such as Parliament House, is a matter that needs to be given careful consideration. The audio transmission will however be accompanied by text captioning, which will identify the Member of Parliament speaking and the subject of debate. I would also emphasise that we are trialing the Internet broadcast service at this point. The Internet broadcast will be subject to ongoing evaluation, which will inform decisions about continuation of this service after the trial period. We will of course keep exploring the option of implementing a video transmission as part of this evaluation process. The decision to invest in a video transmission will however be based on an assessment of public demand and community views—which I think is a smart way to proceed. I said just recently in the Parliament that I believe the Internet broadcast service of parliamentary proceedings—along with the online petitioning system that is now available—will constitute some of this Government's most significant achievements in relation to enhancing community and government engagement. I encourage Members to make these facilities known to their constituents and I encourage Queenslanders to make the most of these new opportunities to get closer to the work of their Parliament and parliamentarians. Mr BEATTIE: I suggested this regional sitting some time ago. It was an election commitment. I have to admit that along the way I had some trepidation and concerns. I was a little worried about how this would go. This was a very courageous thing for a government to do and to recommend to the parliament. People know that when one talks about courageous things often one runs into difficulties. So I did have a few butterflies, but they have all flown—and we will be back. To allow the Leader of the Opposition to also address the parliament, I move— That my statement be noted. Mr HORAN (Toowoomba South—NPA) (Leader of the Opposition) (6.55 p.m.): I thank the Premier for the opportunity to speak on behalf of my National Party colleagues as well as on behalf of the members of the Liberal Party, One Nation and the Independents who sit on the crossbenches with us and who have sat here throughout this most historic first sitting of parliament held outside of Brisbane—the first time in 142 years the parliament has moved outside of the capital city. At the outset I give credit to the Premier for honouring his election pledge. As he knows, we critically examined that pledge when he first made it, as is the role of the opposition. When it came to the legislation being considered by parliament, the National Party gave bipartisan support. We said from the outset that we were determined to make this work and to make this parliamentary sitting something that gave great satisfaction and something of lasting value to the people of north Queensland and to the cities of Townsville and Thuringowa. I think this parliamentary sitting in Townsville has really opened everybody's eyes to this city. Many of us come through here at times with shadow cabinet meetings or in our roles as members of parliament. We come in, spend a day or two and have to move on to other duties. But we have lived here for four or five days. We have seen how this city has become such a mature, 3476 Ministerial Statement 5 Sep 2002 cosmopolitan tropical city. We have seen the variation in this city—from the waterfront to the western area around the university and the Ross River. We have seen the mix of industry, military establishments, tourism, the surrounding agriculture, the service industries—education and health—and the Public Service facilities located in this city. We have seen just outside this centre a large number of ships coming and going each day. That really opened our eyes to what a busy port it is. This city also has a couple of major national sporting sides that are part of the events based tourism that has become a part of this city. On top of that, of course, are the people. Our eyes have been opened to the friendliness of the north and to the way the people of the north and Townsville love this place with a passion. I was talking to one of the ladies from the CWA when I went for my daily cup of tea and lamington—I got a lovely yellow Flo pumpkin scone today—and she was telling me how much she loved the place. That is just typical of how people feel about this city. I think the people of Townsville were very proud to be hosts to the parliament of their state for these few days. We set out to make this parliament work because we felt that, in addition to all the social activities and the events that have occurred—all the hoopla around the coming of the parliament to Townsville and the history of the occasion—it was important that this was the parliament. It was important that this was a parliamentary sitting that involved question time, statements, announcements and a thorough examination of bills. Never should this parliament have been any less an event than it is in its normal home. I know that we are all a bit biased, but we should all give ourselves a little pat on the back. I think all 89 of us worked to that end. I thank my colleagues. We brought up the issues of the north. I will not go through them, because I do not want to make this part of my speech political, but we concentrated on a number of issues. We introduced two private members' bills. We participated in debate. People in the gallery were probably surprised to see bipartisan support for the three bills that were passed this week, but that is very often the norm in the parliament. The bills that are not supported are robustly debated. Question time is hard and tough. As the Premier said, it is a very robust time, when we actually have to put the ministers on the hotplate and turn the temperature up a bit to see whether they can handle the job and whether they know what they are doing. But that is the pressure cooker of the parliament. That is why the parliament works. That is why we do not have civil wars and fights in the streets. We can change government from one party to another by a ballot that is carried out peacefully. We in this state are very lucky to have a parliament that really works, despite the robustness of debate, despite the angst and anger we display at times and despite the heated debate. The one thing that I think has come out of parliament moving to the regions is the realisation that parliaments are about people. In recent times people have felt disconnected. Sometimes they are part of great big electorates. Sometimes things just move with new regulations and legislation. I think people feel disconnected and want to feel close to the parliament and know what happens. Another great thing about this sitting of parliament is that thousands of schoolchildren have had the opportunity to come here. The Premier mentioned that he did not have the chance to see parliament as a kid. I grew up in Brisbane but never went near the parliament. When I came to parliament as a member in 1991 it was the first time I had ever been there. I had never known anything about the parliament. I did not know about the bells or the vote. And this week we have seen large numbers of children come here. They had the chance to see parliament work—to look inside it, see the layout and so forth. Mr Speaker, I join with the Premier in thanking you and your staff. I thank all of the parliamentary staff. It has been a huge effort for all of them and they have really thrown themselves into it. I thank both councils, Townsville and Thuringowa, for their hospitality. I thank the police, who have made an enormous effort here. I join with the Premier in thanking the CWA ladies. I will go a little further. I did ask them what donation they were looking for and they did say that they owe $176,000 on the Denham Street facility. I reckon all those scones were worth it! I also thank the computer boffins, Tim and David. We had a fair bit of trouble in managing the computers where we were located. They were not the best, and they gave us enormous help. I thank my own staff. I thank all the members here, who have joined in this parliament. Despite what we go through at times, I think it has made us better friends. The 12 of us are a very close- knit group. We were all saying just last night how much we have enjoyed being together. 5 Sep 2002 Adjournment 3477

I thank the people of Townsville and Thuringowa and of north Queensland. It has been wonderful for us to be here. I hope that we leave north Queensland and Townsville with a lasting legacy. I hope that the parliamentary process and how we work for our people in Queensland is far better as a result of our having this first, historic parliamentary sitting at Townsville in north Queensland. Mr SPEAKER: Honourable members, this sitting of parliament in north Queensland has been an outstanding success. This is the first genuine regional sitting of an Australian legislature—truly an example of bringing our parliament to the people. Whilst I am sure that all honourable members here will have their own personal highlights of this experience, my personal experience has been of speaking with a wide array of students from throughout the north, the far north and western Queensland. This opportunity for those students, giving them an appreciation for our democratic processes, has been really invaluable. The smooth running of this place has, of course, been an enormous task. This week has been testimony to the planning and foresight, the knowledge and the cooperative spirit of those involved in the arrangements. The planning involved has necessitated staff from throughout the parliament working closer together, learning more about each other and their work for the parliament than ever before. In that context I wish to express my personal appreciation for the corps of the Parliamentary Service and Premier's Department planning team who have been involved for over a year in planning for this sitting: Neil Laurie, Ian Thompson, Michael Hickey and John McDonough; Heather Luke from the Premier's Department; my own executive officer, Stirling Hinchliffe, and Richard Cleal from the Premier's office. There are also a number of parliamentary officers and government officials who contributed greatly to the success of the superb commemorative booklet and display, the much-praised school visits and other community engagement activities. And, of course, members know that I have had a few bowling experiences over the past few days, which have been wonderful as well. Whilst there is no substitute for planning, I must acknowledge the excellent work of everyone who has supported the operation of this sitting over the last three days: members from all sides of the chamber, the whips, their staff, the attendants, the Hansard reporters, the Table Office staff, the Library staff, the Education Office staff, IT and technical support, volunteers from James Cook University, our Property Services team, Inspector Ron Walmsley and the police and other security staff. Thanks to you all, and well done. Other people who have been here are just as important. Electorate officers from Mundingburra, Thuringowa and Townsville have been working here behind the scenes and they worked hard before the parliamentary sitting. They were invaluable in their assistance, as were staff from Minister Reynolds's office. It was a huge effort to make sure that this came together at the right time and perfectly. At this time I make a special acknowledgment of the Clerk, Robert Doyle, for his role at the table over the last three days. In conclusion, I sincerely thank the people of Townsville and north Queensland for making this historic event such an overwhelming success.

SPECIAL ADJOURNMENT Hon. A. M. BLIGH (South Brisbane—ALP) (Minister for Education) (7.05 p.m.): I move— That the House at its rising do adjourn until 9.30 a.m. on Tuesday, 17 September 2002 at Parliament House in Brisbane. Motion agreed to.

ADJOURNMENT Hon. A. M. BLIGH (South Brisbane—ALP) (Minister for Education) (7.05 p.m.): I move— That the House do now adjourn.

Country Women's Association; Emu Park Golf Club Hon. V. P. LESTER (Keppel—NPA) (7.06 p.m.): I, too, would like to acknowledge my support of those wonderful people from the CWA. What everybody perhaps does not know is that these are the good people who agitated many years ago for women police officers. And a big battle they had. But they were successful. They fought and they fought, as members could imagine in 3478 Adjournment 5 Sep 2002 those early days, and when we see these lovely female police officers doing such a good job, it should be noted that it is the CWA who got them there. I congratulate them on that. Also, the CWA were very instrumental in having female justices of the peace recognised. That is the sort of the thing that the CWA has done. Again, I congratulate them on that and for the wonderful work that they have done. God bless them all. I refer to another matter. Recently, the Emu Park Golf Club contacted my office concerning an account from the Department of Natural Resources for rent. I am advised that their rent for the financial year 2001-02 was $1,350. Then with no prior warning—no consultation, no advance notice—for the financial year 2002-03, the rent skyrocketed up to $2,475—an 80 per cent increase. Really, this is wrong. This excellent club, which has done so much good work, received this huge bill and it is all because their assessments were rated slightly differently owing to the fact that they had put some poker machines into the club. The government must enforce a procedure where it provides advice well in advance to associations of any changes in rent calculations or when it intends to vary the conditions of the lease. The government should also take into account the type of association and the community service that it provides before making arbitrary decisions to impose a higher tax regime. Important community based organisations—social, sporting, functional, recreation—cannot afford these increases without consultation. They need time to prepare. The government should wake up to itself and recognise the role that places such as the Emu Park Golf Club plays in the community and reward them for their effort, not tax them out of existence. The government must come back to reality and recognise that the Emu Park Golf Club—and others for that matter, such as many other sporting organisations—operates only within very limited means. Responsible management, having regard to financial constraints, means that the club's budget is finely balanced. Indeed, last-minute tax notices from the government can only have a severe and devastating impact on this club. Time expired.

Sugar Industry Mr RODGERS (Burdekin—ALP) (7.09 p.m.): The sugar industry is going through a hard time. I am not a cane farmer, but I have worked in the sugar industry for most of my working life. For many years in the Burdekin I have depended on the sugar industry for my livelihood and for my family. I can assure this House that I am fully aware of the significance of the sugar industry to Queensland's economy. I know first-hand that sugar is the lifeblood of my community as well as other Queensland communities. I cannot stand by and see the sugar industry take a caning without at least addressing the matter this week. I take no pleasure in seeing the sugar industry in its present predicament. In fact, I am fed up with seeing my community being affected by the rise and fall of world prices and also seeing the growers, who have a responsibility as the foundation of the sugar industry, take far too long to learn the lessons of the past. Whether we like it or not, our world is becoming rapidly globalised and communities such as those in my electorate need to fight and fight more for their share of the market. Maybe this means industry diversification, but we must remember that in a globalised economic environment it is profoundly important for the industry to speak with one voice. It is much more obvious now that we need cooperation and unity. Governments cannot find solutions to problems when so many people have different ideas on what the solutions might be. On the one hand, I hear from growers about the need for diversification and value adding. On the other hand, I hear from them that they want protection in the form of subsidies and tariffs. Yet others want parity pricing addressed. All of these prospective solutions have their pros and cons. We hear the proposal for sugar levies to fund rescue packages. There was a lot of talk about the mandatory incorporation of ethanol in fuel. I am very much attracted to the proposal for a petrol blend of ethanol. But after reading the Courier-Mail on Wednesday, my worst fears are likely to come to pass. The Prime Minister, Mr Howard, with the support of the Hildebrand report plus Peter Costello, who is hovering over the sugar industry like a vulture ready to pounce, is threatening to abolish ethanol's tax-free status in the event that it is mandated. I can understand Treasurer Costello's concerns. He has problems juggling the figures to accommodate his government's foolhardy and overblown expenditure for its unsustainable border protection policies. 5 Sep 2002 Adjournment 3479

It is sound policy to introduce the use of clean, green ethanol alternatives as a responsible and sustainable environmental measure. Why threaten its viability? Cane farmers must see now that only unity and cooperation will save their livelihoods as well as their communities. The inaction of the federal government and its bloody-mindedness reminds us that we must act with unity and resolve. I urge the federal government to sit down and talk with the Queensland government and the stakeholders who were here this week representing the farmers outside. Unless we all work together to thrash out realistic achievements, solutions will not be found. Time expired.

State Government Interstate Certification Assurance Fees Mr WELLINGTON (Nicklin—Ind) (7.12 p.m.): I rise to share with members a real concern that I and many of my constituents have with the state government interstate certification assurance fees that are now being paid by fruit growers. I have been approached by numerous fruit growers from the Sunshine Coast who are saying to me that this additional state government charge will be the last straw that puts them out of business. Fruit growers are price takers and not price makers. For the benefit of members, I will now read extracts of a letter that I have received from Don and Wendy Reynolds, who are fruit growers and residents of the Sunshine Coast. It states— We are fruit growers in your electorate and request your representation on our behalf to have this charge waived because as you may realize we cannot pass this cost onto our buyers as the market establishes our prices (we are price takers and not price makers). Our produce is in the hands of two major organizations who between them account for approximately 85 per cent of the fresh fruit and vegetables sold in Australia. Our prices have not increased in line with import increases and in real terms the industry is going backwards. The industry is responsible for $1.2 billion in the State's economy and 25,000 people mainly in country areas where employment opportunities are few and far between. Surely for the sake of our health and the nation and employment in rural areas, Government should be bending over backwards to keep the farming sector viable instead of hammering yet another nail into the coffin of a suffering industry. We have had a lifetime in commerce and industry before realizing a lifelong dream to cultivate the land and watch our produce grow and from this side of the fence, I find it difficult to understand how farmers can exist on the pittance received for the quality produce delivered by them. Our recent consignment to market cost 34.3 per cent of the sale price to pack— and I stress, 34.3 per cent of the sale price to pack— cost of fancy packaging which gets dumped, freight, State levy, Federal levy, commission, promotion administration and insurance levies. The new State Government charge will further erode our returns. We seek your assistance in this matter and perhaps your added assistance to address the plight of the producer of the nations fresh food. I acknowledge the importance of ensuring that our produce is safe from exotic diseases, but I wonder if the government has seriously considered the impact that this additional tax will have on the viability of many family farming businesses in this state. In light of the submission that I have received, I use this opportunity to urge the Minister for Primary Industries to immediately review this fee and discuss the matter further with fruit and vegetable growers. Next week on 11 September at 3 p.m. I will be meeting with many of the fruit growers and vegetable growers on the Sunshine Coast to discuss with them issues of concern that they have with the state government's support and assistance to the challenges that they face. Growers do not want handouts; they are looking for encouragement and support from the government. I use this opportunity to invite the minister or some of his staff to attend. Time expired.

Goldbridge Mr LAWLOR (Southport—ALP) (7.15 p.m.): It gives me great pleasure to speak in this adjournment debate and to participate in the first sittings of the Queensland parliament outside Brisbane. It is really a trip back home for me, because I was actually born in Ayr not far from here and travelled to Southport when only a few months old with my parents. Several weeks ago, I had the privilege of announcing capital funding of $121,000 for the Goldbridge Organisation, which runs an alcohol and drug recovery project. This funding was made possible by the Minister for Health, Wendy Edmond, and the Minister for Public Works and Minister for Housing, Rob Schwarten, who provided $91,000 and $30,000 respectively from their departments. This funding will be used to purchase the premises that Goldbridge currently rents 3480 Adjournment 5 Sep 2002 from the Gold Coast City Council and would not be possible without the cooperation of both these ministers and the persistent lobbying of both ministers by all Gold Coast members. Goldbridge was established in 1987 as a nonprofit organisation for the residential treatment of individuals with chronic alcohol and other drug dependencies. The current premises are ideal due to the accessibility of services in central Southport and their proximity to the Gold Coast Hospital. The local community also accepts the location of and the services provided by this centre. The purchase of the property and future improvements will ensure that Gold Coast residents have a selection of treatment services to address alcohol and drug dependence. The Queensland government, and Queensland Health in particular, values the important role that non-government agencies play in turning around the lives of thousands of people through alcohol and drug treatment. This success is large due to the dedication and hard work of the workers in the field in communities such as the Gold Coast. Goldbridge is a good example of this dedication. Under the leadership of Charlie Blatch, his dedicated staff have rehabilitated the lives of many hundreds of people—people whose lives would otherwise have been destroyed by dependence on alcohol and drugs. On another matter, I congratulate the president of the Gold Coast show society, Gary Baildon, his hardworking committee and the show manager, Doug Reiser, on a very successful 96th Gold Coast show, which I had the pleasure of officially opening last Friday. I have been attending the show since I was five or six when it was located at Southport, so I have probably attended about half of them. Mr Lingard: With your parents? Mr LAWLOR: Still with my parents! It shifted to its present Parklands site in 1989. It has grown each year. It is now the second largest regional show in Queensland. Added attractions this year included a food and wine village, a local produce market, a regional wine show, an Australian rodeo and Australiana area and an aerobatic display. It is a new and reinvigorated show and I commend the hard workers who made it possible.

Health Funding Miss SIMPSON (Maroochydore—NPA) (7.20 p.m.): The Health Minister, Wendy Edmond, has ignored the cries of another widow whose late husband was let down by an overstressed public health system under the minister's management. Louis Van Loon had cancer and was forced to spend his final months in intense pain because of staff shortages at Redcliffe Hospital. His wife, Kate, has written to Mrs Edmond in disgust, only to get a pro-forma letter which fails to provide any real sympathy or explanation as to why her late husband was not provided the necessary care and attention during his dying days. Four times he went to Redcliffe Hospital with the hope of being treated, four times he was sent home with more tablets, according to his wife, and meanwhile was forced to endure constant pain because his blood pressure tablets were overriding his pain-killers. He was told the specialist he had to see was on holidays. This was unacceptable. There should have been another specialist. At least he should have been referred to another hospital for treatment. He died on 29 May 2002. There is a growing list of similar stories of people having difficulty being admitted to hospital or being discharged too early. There are other examples also from Redcliffe Hospital, where bed shortages have seen our sick, elderly people sent home. In one case, according to details provided by Aged Care Queensland, an elderly person was shifted from Redcliffe Hospital to the local aged care facility. Upon arrival, that resident, in fact, was semicomatose and unable to communicate. This is inappropriate. This is an example of the stress the hospital system is under. But the people who are suffering are often elderly and are finding that they are put into situations with inadequate care. The government can find $64 million for its giant corporate friends but will not release the list of who they are. The government can find $280 million for Lang Park and $29 million for a foot bridge, yet we have examples of the elderly who have been discharged too early. This is a serious issue. Honourable members interjected. Miss SIMPSON: Obviously it is not serious to the members interjecting from behind me. But the Health Minister does not recognise this fact. We have this information from hostels and aged care facilities who have had this problem of residents being discharged too early. An honourable member: They should go and say some prayers. 5 Sep 2002 Adjournment 3481

Miss SIMPSON: I think we want the Health Minister and the government to get their priorities right, to put money into the area and to help the staff help the patients get the treatment they need. I am disgusted that members opposite have no compassion for the sick and elderly who have found themselves in the situation of being discharged too early and those who have been dying— Time expired.

Mrs A. Clacy Ms PHILLIPS (Thuringowa—ALP) (7.22 p.m.): There have been many people in the Labor Party who have become household names due to their strength of character and larger than life personalities. We recall them vividly and eulogise them publicly. While this is fitting, there are others out there who in their own quiet way have given support and also deserve recognition. One such member was Annette Clacy. Annette was only 59 when recently she passed away, but for many years she was a backbone supporter of Labor in Townsville and Thuringowa. She did not run for office nor manage campaigns, but she made it possible for others to do these things. Annette was the wife of James Clacy, who in his 24-year association with the party had held almost every position from branch secretary to president of the MEC. He has campaigned long and hard for Labor and even stood for local government election, but he says none of this would have been possible without the help of Annette. Annette Jenkins was born here in the West End and attended Townsville State High School. Her first job was with Stan Short in his local business. She married Jim 40 years ago this week and began life as an Air Force wife. Jim left the force as the couple settled back here in Townsville and in 1978 helped form the Ross River branch of the ALP. While raising Ben, Marissa and Lee and creating a home literally from the ground up, Annette found the time to take on the kind of party chores that make most of us groan. She photocopied, stuffed envelopes, delivered leaflets, organised tea and bickies for meetings and did it all with a smile. Everyone admired Annette's love of her husband and loyalty to the Party, and her passing touched us all. I make this statement as a tribute to Annette and all the quiet supporters of Labor in Queensland.

Mrs D. Fox Ms NELSON-CARR (Mundingburra—ALP) (7.24 p.m.): By now it is common knowledge, it is obvious—Townsville is the greatest place on earth! And our sporting sensations are second to none. Today it gives me enormous pleasure to congratulate someone with extraordinary talent in a sport with little kudos, relatively speaking that is—archery. While most Australians watched the Manchester Commonwealth Games, just a few hundred kilometres north our own Dorelle Fox waited in Edinburgh for the arrival of her missing luggage and sporting equipment—lost three days earlier. Dorelle—self-funded I might add—was in Scotland to compete in the 2002 World Field Archery Championships. She was beset with challenges including delays in her nomination, which had been confirmed only two months prior rather than the necessary two years. Her archery club's premises had been sold to the Department of Defence, leaving Dorelle to train in her backyard in the dark, with a maximum distance of 18 metres. Special equipment which had been ordered to assist in her preparation had not arrived, either. Impossible odds, one may say, but not for Dorelle, because despite all the forces working against her this amazing woman broke not one but three world records—and when I say 'broke' I mean smashed all three by hundreds of points. This feat was accomplished by the most senior female archer in Australia—a 58-year-old grandmother and a world champion to boot. I am sure all will agree that there is definitely something special about Townsville, and Dorelle is just one of the many amazing people who live here.

Caltex Garage, Benaraby Mrs LIZ CUNNINGHAM (Gladstone—Ind) (7.25 p.m.): I lend my support—and I know the support of everybody—to thanking all the parliamentary staff and the ladies from the CWA, and their gentlemen. Behind every woman in the CWA there is a good man. I thank the police, local residents and organisations for what has been a mammoth effort. 3482 Adjournment 5 Sep 2002

On Wednesday, I lodged a petition of 6,000 signatures from residents in my electorate. I also have here letters from community groups in my electorate and I seek leave to table them in relation to the same matter. Leave granted. Ms CUNNINGHAM: Some years ago, meetings commenced in regard to noise concerns at the Caltex garage at Benaraby. The complainant is one resident, namely the caravan park beside the garage. Its operations were commenced by two brothers. As time has passed, it has gone into separate ownership and grown. Those letters of support that I have tabled are from people who work or have worked at the garage and from the Benaraby school principal. Also, one of the letters from the Boyne-Tannum hook-up demonstrates the number of people and number of organisations who have been assisted by the work of the proprietor, Darryl Braithwaite. Darryl is one of those unique guys. He is very gregarious and outgoing. Through the efforts of Darryl and the generosity of his work, he has supported the Boyne-Tannum hook-up. That hook-up has donated $46,000 to organisations as diverse as the Bindaree Lodge, meals on wheels, aqua therapy, Capricorn Rescue Helicopter, volunteer marine rescue, the Boyne school, Tannum school, Benaraby school, Tannum surf club, Gladstone sports fishing association, the SES and the bushfire brigades. Until 22 September, the garage has been open 24 hours days to assist travellers. In those letters that were tabled there was a letter from a lady who travelled up the highway and whose car broke down. She felt that the safety afforded to her at the garage while she waited for assistance from the RACQ gave her a high level of security. There is concern about the proposal to shut the 10 to 7 shift and I know that there are EPA concerns in regard to noise. I am tabling these letters and seeking some review by the minister. I have spoken with the staff in his office—and they have been very cooperative and very understanding—but I put before the parliament the concerns of these residents in the light of the proposed closure of the garage's night shift. There certainly is a large call for it to remain open.

Whitsunday Fauna Rescue Ms JARRATT (Whitsunday—ALP) (7.27 p.m.): Members of this House from time to time take the opportunity to recognise the valuable work undertaken by volunteers in our communities. We know that there are many wonderful people in every part of this state who give of their time to make this a better world in which to live. The volunteers from Fauna Rescue in the Whitsundays are just such people. Fauna Rescue of Queensland is an incorporated body that is devoted to caring for Queensland's wildlife. The 80-odd members of this group from the Whitsundays are dedicated to the care of sick, injured or orphaned birds and animals, with the ultimate aim of their release back to the wild. These are an amazing bunch of people who can often be recognised by the oversized shoulder bags they take everywhere with them. Closer inspection will usually reveal that the bag is not for shopping but contains a small hairless animal that needs to be fed every few hours. The animals are certainly cute and there must be a great deal of satisfaction in saving the life of these little critters, but all I can think of is the sleep deprivation brought on by the relentless feeding schedule that takes priority over life both day and night. It is not unusual for one person to be caring for up to 14 animals simultaneously as one of their members, Judith, is at present. This is an enormous commitment. It has been said that joey raisers have the tendencies to be obsessional insomniacs, slightly masochistic, and have great emotional resilience. I am not sure if this is true, but they are certainly dedicated people who deserve the gratitude of the whole community. The group not only handfeeds orphaned animals but also care for older sick and injured animals. To do this they have to provide suitable pens and enclosures to keep predators like cats away. In fact, cats represent one of the major threats to our wildlife and not only because they are ferocious predators but because they spread disease. Cats are carriers of toxoplasmosis, a disease deadly to many native animals. Animals contract the disease through contact with infected faeces and, unless treated very quickly, will usually die a horrible death. Toxoplasmosis poses a particularly serious threat to the Proserpine rock wallaby, an endangered species that is known to exist only in small pockets of vine scrub in the Whitsunday region. It would be a huge tragedy if these precious macropods faced extinction through a preventable cause. Like members of Fauna Rescue, I appeal to all cat owners to ensure that their animals are not free to hunt our native animals and to spread disease that becomes a silent killer. The 5 Sep 2002 Adjournment 3483

Whitsunday Fauna Rescue group is fortunate to have a close working relationship with local Queensland Parks and Wildlife officers, who assist them in all facets of their work with animals. Being an animal carer is a tough but rewarding job and I want to congratulate every member of the Fauna Rescue of Queensland Association on their dedication and commitment to our native wildlife. Our community salutes them. Mr Speaker, may I take the opportunity to say what a privilege it is to be one of the last speakers from the government on this historic occasion of the first sitting of the parliament outside of our capital city.

National Party Northern Development Policy Mr ROWELL (Hinchinbrook—NPA) (7.30 p.m.): In government, the National Party will have a fully fledged department of northern development in Townsville. It will have its own budget and it will have a place on the Cabinet Budget Review Committee. It will interface with every other department where specific issues arise that affect north Queensland. There will not be the raw deals like this Beattie government's budget dealt out to north Queensland with the loss of 21 per cent from the 2001-02 budget of $309 million to $224 million for the 2002-03 budget. Far-north Queensland went down 11 per cent, from $471 million to $416 million from the 2001-2 budget to this year's 2002-03 budget. The fact is that under the Labor Party, if it gets away with one vote, one value, there will be a loss of representation in north Queensland. Two seats out of north Queensland will be given to the south-east corner of the state. In every portfolio there are recognisable differences with what will happen as far as the National Party is concerned. In relation to Health, in government the National Party coalition started the planning for the new Townsville Hospital and delivered the budget allocation of $180 million for its construction. There was a clear commitment to a facility for tropical health in Queensland. In relation to Education, in government the coalition provided $63 million for the Cool Schools program. We recognised the inadequacies of school designs for north Queensland, and that increased covered areas are needed in place of the designated southern designs. In relation to Tourism—another very important industry—the unique range of climatic conditions from the outback to the wet tropics and the Great Barrier Reef has not been recognised. It has the potential for a very diverse experience for the tourist trade. Enterprises are not encouraged to provide sound, substantial and sustainable facilities. The cruise ship terminal in Townsville needs to be brought forward. In relation to agriculture, there is a high dependence on this industry in tropical north Queensland. The sugar industry is getting a raw deal at present under this government. In relation to horticulture, the industry is in turmoil. Marketing is failing in that industry at present. In relation to the livestock industry, drought prevails and the Queensland government does not reward and does not support a better EC program. In relation to energy, there is a need for a substantial base load power station, producing competitive priced energy— Time expired.

Regional Parliament Mr TERRY SULLIVAN (Stafford—ALP) (7.33 p.m.): When the north Queensland sitting of parliament was first proposed, the big question was: will the parliament work outside George Street? The resounding answer is: yes, it did work and it has worked for both the parliament and for the people of north Queensland. A very few south-east corner based people were critical and small minded in their outlook on this historic event. The relocation of the Legislative Council furniture was the correct decision on at least two levels. Firstly, to hire reasonable quality furniture for the week would have cost as much as the cost of trucking it here using parliamentary staff as drivers. Secondly, this furniture added an authenticity and atmosphere that ensured that parliamentarians felt that they were in a real working parliament and not in an artificial setting. The petty criticism about bringing the silver jugs has been well rebutted by the Speaker. Firstly, not only was the space available in the truck to carry them; more importantly, they are as much a part of the day-to-day workings of this parliament as is the mace or the Speaker's chair. In speaking about the north Queensland sitting, southern commentators used terms such as 'gimmick', 'sideshow' and 'travelling circus'. These people are ignorant of the work and involvement of both the parliamentarians and the people of north Queensland. The hypocrisy of these people is evident. These very commentators have been involved in similar events when their own media outlets left the Brisbane CBD and broadcast from an outside location, usually for 3484 Adjournment 5 Sep 2002 a public celebration. People who come from states like South Australia and Western Australia, where 70 per cent of the population live in a small area around the capital city, need to realise that Queensland is the most decentralised state in Australia. We are the only state where 50 per cent of the population live outside the metropolitan area. Queenslanders are fortunate that the Labor Party has a philosophy that strives for a fair go for all its citizens. Tens of thousands of Queenslanders know that it was Peter Beattie and the Labor government that brought the cabinet—all 19 ministers—to regional cities and towns. It is ironic that the Labor Party, which has its base—the unions—located in Brisbane, is the very political party that provides equality of access for residents of regional Queensland. It is about time certain radio, television and print journalists realised that the south-east corner is not the centre of the universe and is not the centre of this great state. Many people have made this parliament work. Mr Speaker, we should congratulate you and the people from your office, members of the Parliamentary Service, including the Table Office staff, Property Services, Hansard, IT support, Library, Attendants and the Education officers. The Premier and his staff have done a marvellous job to help bring this together, as has the Leader of the House and the local MPs, whose staff helped to provide a secretarial help desk. The many volunteers who came also provided great support for visitors. Most of all, we thank the people of north Queensland. They came here in their thousands and their presence told the story. They watched, they listened, they held protests, they had meetings and they participated in the many public events held in this area of our state. I congratulate all who helped make this possible—the parliamentarians and the people of north Queensland. Motion agreed to. The House adjourned at 7.36 p.m.

G. A. NICHOLSON, ACTING GOVERNMENT PRINTER, QUEENSLAND—2002