Tuesday, 10 August 2021 ______
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10 Aug 2021 Estimates—Transport and Main Roads 1 TUESDAY, 10 AUGUST 2021 _______________ ESTIMATES—TRANSPORT AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE—TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS EST IMATES—TR AN SP ORT AND M AIN R O ADS Estimate Committee Members Mr SR King (Chair) Mr LL Millar Mr CE Boyce Ms JC Pugh Ms JR Howard Mr TJ Watts _______________ Members in Attendance Mr DF Crisafulli Mr SJ Minnikin (virtual) Ms FS Simpson Mr MC Berkman Mr RI Katter (virtual) Dr A MacMahon Mr PT Weir _______________ In Attendance Hon. MC Bailey, Minister for Transport and Main Roads Ms T Van Alphen, Chief of Staff Mr F Gibson, Policy Advisor Department of Transport and Main Roads Mr N Scales, Director-General Cross River Rail Delivery Authority Mr G Newton, Chief Executive Officer Gladstone Ports Corporation Limited Mr P Heagney Acting Chief Executive Officer Queensland Rail Limited Mr N Easy, Chief Executive Officer _______________ The committee met at 9.00 am. CHAIR: I declare this estimates hearing of the Transport and Resources Committee open. I would like to begin today by acknowledging that we are meeting on custodial land of the oldest living civilisation in the world. I pay my respects to the Jagera and Turrbal people and their elders past and present. 2 Estimates—Transport and Main Roads 10 Aug 2021 I am Shane King, the member for Kurwongbah and chair of the committee. Mr Lachlan Millar MP, member for Gregory, is the deputy chair. The other members of the committee are: Mr Colin Boyce MP, member for Callide; Ms Jess Pugh MP, member for Mount Ommaney; Mr Trevor Watts MP, member for Toowoomba North; and Ms Jennifer Howard MP, member for Ipswich, who is replacing the member for Mundingburra for today’s proceedings. The committee has granted leave for a number of non-committee members to attend and ask questions at the hearing today. Other members may seek leave over the course of the proceedings. The following non-committee members have sought and been granted leave to participate in the hearing in accordance with standing orders: the member for Broadwater, who is with us at the moment; the member for Toowoomba South; the member for Kawana; the member for Maroochydore; the member for Chatsworth, who has joined us on video; the member for Condamine; the member for Everton; the member for Buderim; the member for Scenic Rim; the member for Mirani; the member for Maiwar; the member for South Brisbane; and the member for Traeger. These members may appear either in person or via videoconference. Today the committee will consider the Appropriation Bill 2021— Mr WATTS: Point of order, Chair: can I seek clarification on whether Les Walker, the member for Mundingburra, is still a member of this committee or not? The parliamentary website still lists him as a member. I have copies of that here. I seek clarification on whether he is still in fact a member of this committee? CHAIR: Yes, he is, because the membership has not been changed by the House. The House has not sat to make any changes. As I have said to you— Mr WATTS: Given that he is still a member of this committee— CHAIR: I am speaking. Mr WATTS: Point of order, Chair: given that he is still a member of this committee, can you confirm that he is still getting the privileges and the pay that come with being a member of this committee and that he has not in fact resigned from his post? CHAIR: No, I cannot confirm that at this stage, but I will get that information— Mr WATTS: But he is a member of the committee and he is still getting paid for being a member of this committee although he is not here today. Mr BAILEY: Point of order, Chair— CHAIR: I am going to pull this up. We are here to discuss estimates. Mr WATTS: It does not seem like much of a punishment for poor behaviour. He should resign from his position. Mr BAILEY: Point of order, Chair: the honourable member for Toowoomba North continually interrupts the chair against standing orders. CHAIR: I understand that, Minister. Thank you. In dealing with this, I am going to continue and rule your point of order out. This could be discussed at a later stage. Mr WATTS: Chair, the Premier announced that he would no longer be a member of the committee. I have copies of a press release here that says that. Mr BAILEY: Point of order, Chair— Mr WATTS: Either he is getting paid for being a member of this committee— Mr BAILEY: Point of order, Chair: this is a stunt—a total stunt. Mr WATTS:—and not here or he is not getting paid. CHAIR: Member, enough! Mr BAILEY: This is a ridiculous stunt. CHAIR: Enough! Do not start with this. You have made your point. Your point has been taken. I have said that we can deal with this later. You have no further point of order. Minister, your point of order was along those lines? Mr BAILEY: It was. CHAIR: Thank you. I will continue now. Mr MILLAR: Point of order, Chair: when you say you are going to clarify, will it be clarified this morning? Will it be clarified today? When are you going to clarify this? 10 Aug 2021 Estimates—Transport and Main Roads 3 CHAIR: At the moment I am chairing this meeting and have little time to clarify it, but I am sure that it will be clarified during the course of the day. Mr MILLAR: Okay. CHAIR: We will get that information as we can. I am not promising you anything. I am saying that I will do my best to clarify that during the day. I will continue— Mr WATTS: Point of order, Chair: the composition of this committee is fundamentally important. There has been an announcement by the Premier that the member for Mundingburra is no longer a member of this committee, yet he is still listed as a member of this committee. For these proceedings to proceed, we need to understand— CHAIR: Member for Toowoomba North— Mr WATTS:—who is a committee member and who is not a committee member. CHAIR: I will pull you up there, Member for Toowoomba North. Stop talking over me. Were you listening to me when I said we have a member replacing the member for Mundingburra for today’s proceedings? Let’s continue with today’s proceedings. This is a not a good way to start them, by the way. We will clarify it, as I have said. Mr WATTS: Having a member paid for being here who is not here is not a good way to start. CHAIR: Member, stop talking over me. If you wish to waste time today on this when we are here to question the Appropriation Bill, I think that is a very poor representation from you. Mr WATTS: The composition of this committee is not a waste of time. CHAIR: I am going to continue. Your point of order is ruled out. I will ask for no further conversation on that. Today the committee will consider the Appropriation Bill 2021 and the budget estimates for the committee’s areas of responsibility. I remind everyone present that any person may be excluded from the proceedings at my discretion as chair or by order of the committee. The committee has authorised its hearing to be broadcast live, televised and photographed. Copies of the committee’s conditions for broadcasters of proceedings are available from the secretariat. Certain staff who are assisting witnesses here today have been permitted to use their mobile phones for this purpose. I do ask all present, however, to ensure that phones and other electronic devices are switched to silent mode. In line with the COVID-Safe Estimates Hearings guideline issued by the Chief Health Officer, I remind everyone to maintain social distancing while in this chamber. Face masks are to be worn at all times and removed only to speak during the proceedings. The COVID-Safe Estimates Hearings guideline is available from the secretariat. As a result of current public health orders, some members and witnesses will be participating via videoconference today. This ‘hybrid model’ is a first for estimates hearings in Queensland. We are the pioneers. This year the House has determined the program for the committee’s estimates hearing. The committee will examine the portfolio areas in the following order: transport and main roads from 9 am to 11 am and 11.15 am to 1 pm; energy, renewables and hydrogen from 2 pm to 3.30 pm; public works and procurement from 3.45 pm to 5.15 pm; and resources from 5.30 pm to 7 pm and 7.15 pm to 8.15 pm. I would like to thank the Clerk’s office, the secretariat and all staff for the preparation work you have done so that we can continue to have estimates hearings in these trying times. It is much appreciated by the committee. I am sure I speak on behalf of the whole committee. The committee will now examine the proposed expenditure contained in the Appropriation Bill 2021 for the portfolio of the Minister for Transport and Main Roads until 1 pm. The committee will suspend proceedings for a break from 11 am to 11.15 am. I remind those present today that the committee’s proceedings are proceedings of the Queensland parliament and subject to the standing rules and orders of the Legislative Assembly. It is important that questions and answers remain relevant and succinct.