Legislative Assembly Hansard 1957
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Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly WEDNESDAY, 28 AUGUST 1957 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Administrat01·'s Opening Speech. [28 AUGUST.] Administrat01·'s Opening Speech. 9 ''My Ministers and I express to His Excellency our appreciation of the magnifi cent work which he has done for this State during the past 11 years, and in doing so, we are not unmindful of the prominent and important part which Lady Lavarack has taken in the public life of our community. We hope that His Excellency will soon be restored to health and we wish both him and Lady Lavaraek many years to enjoy their retirement. ''In the early part of this year there was an unusually dry period, but, although this affected crops and pastures, the general prosperity of the community continues to be buoyant. ''The new Government is fully cognisant of the fact that available capital resources from the usual channels are wholly inadquate for the proper development of the State, and that WEDNESDAY, 28 AUGUST, 1957. the future advancement of the State to a place of high prominence in the Australian economy hinges on the ability of the Govern ment to attract to Queensland the huge Mr. SPEAKER (Hon. A. R. Fletcher, capital investment necessary to fully exploit Cunningham) took the chair at 11.57 a.m. and develop the unparalleled natural resources of our State. PRESENTATION OF MR. SPEAKER. "With this object in mind, they propose Mr. SPEAKER: I have to report that a full-scale drive throughout the Common yesterday I presented myself to His Excel wealth and abroad to publicise Queensland lency the Administrator at Govemment to potential investors. The success of such House, as the member chosen to fill the high a move-dedicated, as it is, to development and honourable office of Speaker of this is regarded with the utmost confidence, and House, and that His Excellency was pleased is expected to usher in the greatest era of to congratulate me upon my election. p1·osperity ever known in this State. ''My Advisers welcome the early display ADMINISTRATOR'S OPENING SPEECH. of initiativE' and co-operation by industrial, commercial, and development interests which At noon His Excellency the Administrator are organising an overseas trip by a delega came in state to Parliament House. was tion of Queensland businessmen early in 1958 announced by the Sergeant-at-Arms, received for the purpose of attracting new capital to by Mr. Speaker (Hon. A. R. Fletcher) at the Bar, and accompanied to the dais. the State. ''My Advisers also propose to give every Hon. members being seated, His Excel· lency read the following Opening Speech:-- encouragement to the decentralisation of existing and prospective industries so that ''GENTLEMEN OF THE LEGISLATIVE all parts of the State can share in the AssEMBLY- resultant expansion and prosperity. " You have been called together in this, the ''The first steps in this direction have first session of the Thirty-fifth Parliament already been taken by my Advisers in the of Queensland, to give your attention to, allocation of a senior portfolio-the Minister and make decisions upon, matters pertaining for Development-embracing the major to the welfare of the people of this State. aspects of State development. "The proposed visit to Australia during ' 'In addition, the Minister for Labour and the coming year of Her Majesty Queen Industry has already visited other States Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, has been seeking investment from outside Queensland. acclaimed throughout the length and breadth of Queensland, and all Queenslanders look ''In accordance with their election forward to the opportunity of demonstrating promises, my Advisers propose to take as anew their loyality and affection for the soon as practicable legislative action to Royal Family. entrench in the Constitution of this State ''The Governor, His Excellency Lieutenant certain provisions designed to protect and General Sir John Lavarack, became ill on preserve the political institutions of the 24 January, and he is still unable, on State, the basic political rights of the people, account of his indisposition, to perform the the freedom of the individual and the pro duties of his office. He is due to retire at tection of his property, and to maintain an. the end of next month. independent judiciary. 10 Administrator's Opening Speech. [ASSEMBLY.] Administratm·'s Opening Speech. ''Advances in the mining industry are "During the year ended 30 June, 1957, still a feature of the development of the 63 blocks of good quality grazing and mixed natural resources of this State, and the farming lands with an area of 648,695 acres recent discovery in the Cape York Peninsula were made available for new settlement. of what is estimated to oo one of the largest known deposits of high grade bauxite augurs '' Resumptions from four pastoral hold well for the future settlement of that ings for closer settlement, totalling 277,040 sparsely populated area. acres, were determined by the Land Court in pursuance of Section 146 of the Land ''Bulk loading of sugar has commenced Acts. at Mackay. The saving in cost of produc ''In the sphere of land administration, tion which will result from this and from my Advisers propose to effect many needed proposed similar installations at Lucinda reforms, the foundation of which will be Point, Bundaberg and TownsYille will do closer settlement, based on adequate living much to meet the ever rising costs in an areas. industry which is so impoTtant in our economy. ''Legislation will be introduced as soon as possible to do away with the present ''Receipts of the Consolidated Revenue restrictive policy whereby existing and pros Fund for the year ended 30 June, 1957, pective settlers and holders of town and were £85,158,100. Expenditme totalled suburban allotments from the Government £85,142,870, the resultant surplus being are debarred from securing land on free £15,230. When the Budget was brought holding tenures of any kind. down it was anticipated that there would be a surplus of £15,153. ''Purchases of suitable freehold or lease hold property made for the purpose of closer ''The stated Consolidated Revenue surplus settlement or soldier settlement will hence of £15,230 should, however, be considered in forth be made on just acquisition terms. the light of the fact that, in the same year, it was necessary to withdraw over £1 million ''My Advisers also propose an immediate from what amounted to the reserve funds of resumption of soldier settlement and, for the State. this purpose, will enter into prompt negotia tions \vith the Commonwealth Government ''The entire monies available to the State for inclusion in the Commonwealth scheme for loan expenditure were fully utilised. as an Agent State. Expenditure from Loan Fund amounted to £22,976,064, an increase of £1,320,925 over '' -:vry Advisers ha Ye surveyed housing last year's expenditure and £976,064 over needs ancl, on the most recent advices avail the approved programme of £22 million. The able, the housing shortage in this State can .increase was largely due to favourable be stated as Metropolitan, 4,738, and weather conditions allowing uninterrupted Country, 1,807, a total of 6,545 homes. progress on construction woTks thToughout the State. ''In the year just completed, dwellings constructed through the Queensland Housing ''Main items of expenditure \YeTe- Commission totalled 1,912, made up of ' 'Railways, £5,353,960; Public Build Metropolitan, 1,255, and Country, 657. ings, Schools, etc., £3,004,741; Construc tion Works under the control of the ''My Advisers are not content to regard Co-ordinator-General, £2,451,892; Irriga the Commission as the sole, or even the tion and Water Supply, £2,337,587; and dominating, factor in meeting the housing advances to Local Bodies and Hospitals needs of the people. Every avenue of home Boards, £4,816,136. construction and finance will be explored in order to contribute to a greater total per "A record volume of \YOol (798,906 bales) formance. Building societies, insurance com was sold during the 1956-57 season; it panies, and other sources of finance will be returned £83t million, the second highest encouraged to share in this task alongside figure on Tecord. The outturn of beef cattle all the available resources of the State was high, but export sales were made at a Housing Commission. lower price level than in the previous year. ''Whilst my Advisers recognise an endur ·'Raw sugar production from the 1956 ing need for rental homes, they place greater crop was 1,171,500 tons, 36,000 tons higher emphasis on home ownership as a cardinal than from the 1955 crop, and realised freature of the social structure they seek to £54t million. encourage. Accordingly, home ownership ''A record planting of tobacco (7,265 will feature prominently in Commission acres) was made in 1956 and a record yield activity, and dominantly in the supplemental of about 41!: million lb. was obtained. sources to which I have previously referred. Still further, Commission tenants will be "Provision of funds for building a cool encouraged either to purchase the houses storage research station at Hamilton opens which they are occupying or, by purchasing the way for wider investigations of problems a new home, built to their selected design, of fruit and vegetable storage, transport free their existing houses for occupation by and processing. the waiting applicants. Administrator's Opening Speech. [28 AuGUST.] Administrator's Opening Speech. 11 "It is unfortunate that a not inconsider ''Industrial developments associated with able portion of the Commission funds will be th§.. mining industry in the Northern part of diverted from new construction to the the State again dominated development of corrective treatment and repair of the houses the State as a whole.