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Legislative Assembly Hansard 1985

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Legislative Assembly Hansard 1985 Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly TUESDAY, 5 NOVEMBER 1985 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy 2196 5 November 1985 Reply to Motion of Condolence TUESDAY, 5 NOVEMBER 1985 Mr SPEAKER (Hon. J. H. Waraer, Toowoomba South) read prayers and took the chair at 11 a.m. ASSENT TO BILLS Assent to the following Bills reported by Mr Speaker— Australia Acts (Request) Bill; Rural Lands Protection Bill; Small Claims Tribunals and Dividing Fences Acts Amendment Bill; Private Employment Agencies Act Amendment BUl; Gas Act Amendment Bill; Electricity Supply Industry Employees' Superannuation Restoration Bill; Penalty Units Bill; Police Act Amendment Bill (No. 2); Police (Photographs) Act Amendment Bill. PAPER PRINTED DURING RECESS Mr SPEAKER: I have to report that the following paper was ordered to be printed and circulated during the recess— Report of the Auditor-General on the books and accounts of the Brisbane City CouncU 1984-85. REPORT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATIONS Mr SPEAKER announced the receipt from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administrative Investigations of his 1984-85 report. Ordered to be printed. REPLY TO MOTION OF CONDOLENCE Death of Mr E. J. Beardmore, MBE Mr SPEAKER: I have to inform the House that I have received the following letter- 'Rosehill' Station St. George, Q. 4487 20 October, 1985. The Speaker of the Parliament, Hon. J. H. Warner, M.L.A., Parliament House, George Street, BRISBANE, 4000 Dear Mr. Speaker, Would you please convey to the Members of the Parliament our deep appreciation for the Motion of Condolence passed by the Legislative Assembly, Papers 5 November 1985 2197 on the death of our father, Edwin James Beardmore M.B.E. We do especially thank the various Members who spoke on the Motion. My sisters, myself and my family, thank you most sincerely for forwarding the specially prepared Extract of Speeches from 'Hansard' and for your expression of sympathy. Yours sincerely, John E. Beardmore". PETITIONS The Clerk announced the receipt of the following petitions— Ambulance Service From Mr Veivers (2 966 signatories) praying that the Parliament of Queensland will upgrade the Queensland Ambulance Service with special life-saving equipment and training for officers. [A similar petition was received from Mr Bailey (1 919 signatories).] Elecfricity Subsidy for Pensioners From Mr Bums (48 signatories) praying that the Parliament of Queensland will provide for a substantial subsidy on electricity costs for pensioners. Petitions received. OVERTIME PAID IN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS Return to Order The foUoAving paper was laid on the table— Retura to an Order made by the House on 27 August last, on the motion of Mr Kaus, showing the amount of overtime paid in each Goverament department (all fiinds) in 1984-85. USE OF OFFICIAL AIRCRAFT Return to Order The foUowing paper was laid on the table— Retura to an Order made by the House on 27 August, on the motion of Mr Simpson, in relation to the operation of aircraft owned by the Goverament of Queensland, regarding travel by Ministers of the Crown during the year 1 July 1984 to 30 June 1985, showing— (1) Total flying time; (2) Total number of passengers carried; (3) Names of Ministers who travelled on any of the aircraft. PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table, and ordered to be printed— Reports— State Fire Services for the year ended 30 June 1985 Rural Fires Board of Queensland for the year ended 30 June 1985 Parole Board for the year ended 30 June 1985 2198 5 November 1985 Papers Royal Queensland Theatre Company for the year ended 30 June 1985 Department of Transport for the year ended 30 June 1985 Metropolitan Transit Authority for the year ended 30 June 1985 Beach Protection Authority of Queensland for the year ended 30 June 1985 Financial Statements of the Public Tmstee of Queensland for the year ended 30 June 1985. The following papers were laid on the table— Proclamations under— Queensland Museum (Assimilation of Coomera Technology Centre) Act 1985 Queensland Museum Act 1970-1985 Forestry Act 1959-1984 Deer Farming Act 1985 Sugar Acquisition Act 1915-1984 Orders in Council under— The Supreme Court Act of 1921 National Parks and Wildlife Act 1975-1984 Forestry Act 1959-1984 Health Act 1937-1984 Fisheries Act 1976-1984 Meat Industry Act 1965-1984 Factories and Shops Act 1960-1983 Irrigation Act 1922-1983 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Artangements Act 1922-1984 River Improvement Tmst Act 1940-1983 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Artangements Act 1922-1984 Water Act 1926-1983 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982-1984 Water Act 1926-1983 Harbours Act 1955-1982 Harbours Act 1955-1982 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Artangements Act 1982-1984 Beach Protection Act 1968-1984 Explosives Act 1952-1981 Mines Regulation Act 1964-1983 Electricity Act 1976-1984 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Artangements Act 1982-1984 Regulations under— Fire Brigades Act 1964-1985 Deer Farming Act 1985 Fisheries Act 1976-1984 Stock Act 1915-1984 Factories and Shops Act 1960-1983 Industry and Commerce Training Act 1979-1983 Mines Regulations Act 1964-1983 Mining Act 1968-1983 Ministerial Statement 5 November 1985 2199 By-laws under— Fire Brigades Act 1964-1985 Harbours Act 1955-1982 Rules under Coal Mining Act 1925-1981 Reports— Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations for the year ended 30 June 1985 Butter Marketing Board for the year ended 30 June 1985 Cheese Marketing Board for the year ended 30 June 1985 Navy Bean Marketing Board for the year ended 30 June 1985 Peanut Marketing Board and the Queensland Peanut Growers' Co-operative Association Limited for 1985 Sunny Queen Eggs for the year ended 28 June 1985 Statement of Account of the Coal Mine Workers' Pension Fund for the year ended 30 June 1985. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Deregulation of Sugar Industry Hon. N. J. TURNER (Warrego—Minister for Primary Industries) (11.13 a.m.), by leave: I draw the attention of the House to a number of statements made recently by the Federal Minister for Primary Industry, Mr John Kerin, claiming that he and I reached agreement on a deregulation package for the sugar industry at a meeting in Sydney on 25 September. Mr Kerin has implied that I subsequently reneged on that agreement. To set the record straight, I point out that the basis of negotiations with Mr Kerin at the meeting on 25 September was a draft position paper prepared from the industry's response to the 100-day sugar inquiry report. Mr Kerin was well aware that the results of that meeting were to be conveyed to State Cabinet for approval. Cabinet, in fact, rejected it, and I called further meetings with industry leaders to determine their stance in the negotiations with the Federal Govemment. As a result of those meetings, I was unanimously requested by all industry representatives to seek from Mr Kerin details of the extent of deregulation that the Federal Goverament required as a prerequisite to assistance, and the benefits which would accme to the industry from such deregulation. That information has been received and is now being studied by the industry organisations in preparation for a meeting with Mr Kerin on 13 November. So that the position in relation to the 25 September meeting between me and Mr Kerin can be understood and appreciated by all honourable members. I will read a letter that I wrote to Mr Kerin on 21 October. It reads— "Dear Mr Kerin, I refer to your letter received by my office by facsimile on 30 September concerning support for the sugar industry. I regret the delay in replying to your letter but I have been hoping that the situation would develop to a stage where I could report progress to you. I think I should clarify to you the genesis of the Draft Position Paper which I presented to you as a basis for discussion on 25 September. I had received from each of the industry organisations their responses to the Report of the Sugar Industry Working Party. Because the Queensland Cane Growers' Council had been much more conservative in its response than the other Organisations, I asked Mr Soper 2200 5 November 1985 Personal Explanation to obtain from you a reaction to the Queensland Cane Growers' Council's stand. Mr Soper reported back that you were not satisfied with the Cane Growers' response and suggested to me a compromise approach which he thought may satisfy you and yet protect the principal Cane Growers' conceras. Armed with this compromise suggested by Mr Soper but which had not been submitted to his Council, I had my officers prepare a draft Position Paper which would cover the industry's response and Mr Soper's tentative modification of the Cane Growers' position. It was this draft Position Paper, which had not any official Queensland Goverament status, which I presented at our meeting as a basis for discussion and based upon this as a working premise, a tentative programme of implementation was developed at our meeting. This was subject to approval by the Queensland Cabinet of the draft Position Paper and then subsequently of the programme of implementation which was built upon it. As you are weU aware, the draft Position Paper was rejected by the Queensland Goverament and I was asked to seek the industry view on a suitable Position Paper on de-regulation which could be acceptable to the four industry organisations. This Position Paper was prepared by the four Secretaries subsequent to a meeting I held with the industry leaders on 1 October. I was sent a copy of the Position Paper and it substantially meets the objectives which you enunciated earlier and which would have been achieved by the programme of implementation developed at our meeting of 25 September.
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