Legislative Assembly Hansard 1982
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Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly TUESDAY, 17 AUGUST 1982 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Papers 17 August 1982 153 TUESDAY, 17 AUGUST 1982 Mr SPEAKER (Hon. S. J. Muller, Fassifern) read prayers and took the chair at 11 a.m. APPROPRIATION BILL (No. 1) Assent reported by Mr Speaker. PAPERS The foUowing papers were laid on the table, and ordered to be printed:— Reports— Director-General, Department of Mines, for the year 1981 Rural Reconstmction Board for the year ended 30 June 1981 Queensland Meat Industry Organization and Marketing Authority for the year ended 30 June 1981 The following papers were laid on the table:— Proclamations under— Essential Services Act 1979 Consumer Affairs Act and Another Act Amendment Act 1982 Industry and Commerce Training Act 1979-1982 Workers' Compensation Act Amendment Act 1982 Queensland Marine Act 1958-1979 City of Brisbane Market Act Amendment Act 1982 Diseases in Plants Act 1929-1972 Margarine Act Amendment Act 1982 Sugar Acquisition Act of 1915 Orders in Council under— State Development and Public Works Organization Act 1971-1981 State Development and Public Works Organization Act 1971-1981 and the Local Bodies' Loans Guarantee Act 1923-1979 Supreme Court Act 1921-1979 Factories and Shops Act 1960-1982 Industry and Commerce Training Act 1979-1982 Workers' Compensation Act 1916-1982 Harbours Act 1955-1982 Explosives Act 1952-1981 Mines Regulation Act 1964-1979 Gas Act 1965-1981 Electricity Act 1976-1980 Agricultural Bank (Loans) Act 1959-1981 Agricultural Bank (Loans) Act 1959-1981 and the Local Bodies' Loans Guarantee Act 1923-1979 City of Brisbane Market Act 1960-1978 and the Local Bodies' Loans Guarantee Act 1923-1979 Farm Water Supplies Assistance Act 1958-1979 Fish Supply Management Act 1972-1976 and the Local Bodies' Loans Guarantee Act 1923-1979 Emit Marketing Organisation Act 1923-1980 Milk Supply Act 1977-1981 Primary Producers' Co-operative Associations Act 1923-1981 Primary Producers' Organisation and Marketing Act 1926-1981 19777—7 iff 17, August 1982 ^^P«» Primary Producers' Organisation rand Marketing Act 1926-1981 and the Local Bodies' Loans Guarantee Act 1923-1979 Regulation of Sugar Cane Prices Act 1962-1981 Soil Conservation Act 1965-1980 , Stock Act 1915-1981 Sugar Experiment Stations Act 1900-1981 Wheat Marketing Act 1979-1980 Wheat Pool Act 1920-1979 and the Local Bodies' Loans Guarantee Act 1923-1979 Noise Abatement Act 1978-1982 Clean Air Act 1963-1981 City of Brisbane Act 1924-1980 Metropolitan Transit Authority Act 1976-1979 and the Local Bodies' Loans Gu^snteeAct 1923-1979 Regulations under— Public Service Act 1922-1978 PubUc Accountants Registration Act 1946-1975 Racing and Betting Act 1980-1982 Racing Venues Development Act 1982 Co-operative and Other Societies Act 1967-1978 Building Societies Act 1886-1976 Construction Safety Act 1971-1975 Consumer Affairs Act 1970-1982 Factories and Shops Act 1960-1982 Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1961-1982 Industry and Commerce Training Act 1979-1982 Inspection of Machinery Act 1951-1979 Motor Vehicles Safety Act 1980 Weights and Measures Act 1951-1978 Workers' Compensation Act 1916-1982 Explosives Act 1952-1981 Coal and Oil Shale Mine Workers (Pensions) Act 1941-1981 Mining Act 1968-1982 Electricity Act 1976-1980 Co-ordination of Rural Advances and Agricultural Bank Act 1938-1980 and the Agricultural Bank (Loans) Act 1959-1981 Brands Act 1915-1979 City of Brisbane Market Act 1960-1982 Dairy Produce Act 1978-1979 Diseases in Plants Act 1929-1972 Emit Marketing Organisation Act 1923-1980 Meat Industry Act 1965-1981 Poultry Industry Act 1946-1979 Primary Producers' Organisation and Marketing Act 1926-1981 Stock Act 1915-1981 Fire Brigades Act 1964-1982 Fire Safety Act 1974-1982 Clean Air Act 1963-1981 Building Act 1975-1981 Local Government (Queen Street Mall) Act 1981 By-laws under the Railways Act 1914-1978 Rules of Court under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1961-1982 r Uniform Practice Manual—Fixed Assets and Depreciation Accounting Procedures- 1982 under the Electricity Act 1976-1980 Ministerial Statements 17 August 1982 155 Resolutions of the 113th Meeting of the Australian Agricultural Council held in Adelaide, South Australia, on 8 February 1982 Resolutions of the 11th Meeting of the Australian Fisheries Council held in Adelaide, South Australia, on 25 September 1981 Report of the Grain Research Foundation for the year ended 30 June 1981 MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS Keith Clarke Insurances Hon. L. R. EDWARDS (Ipswich—Deputy Premier and Treasurer) (11.12 a.m.): There has been considerable media exposure recently of the activities of the insurance muUi-agency operated by Gurhiri Pty Ltd, trading as Keith Qarke Insurances. On 10 August 1982, the Supweme Court appointed Messrs E. Harris and W. Wild of Messrs Coopers and Lybrand, chartered accountants, as provisional liquidators of the company. The provisional liquidators have had discussions with representatives of the major insurance companies involved where the overall situation was reviewed. In addition, the provisional liquidators have conducted a preliminary investigation into the company's affairs. This examination revealed:— the company has extremely limited assets, the records are in a confused state, and the Fraud Squad has demanded and is now in possession of the books and records of the company. I am informed that the provisional liquidators do not anticipate being in a position to offer assistance to individual policy-holders. I can therefore only urge poUcy-holders and persons who have had dealings with Keith Clarke Insurances to obtain their own legal advice and contact the relevant insurance companies direct. In order to avoid any confusion that is apparent from Press reports, I point out that Keith Clarke Insurances was not an insurance broker. Insurance brokers are subject to State legislation and are required to maintain professional liabUity insurance. Keith Clarke Insurances is a multi-agent and as such is appointed by insurance companies who in turn are subject to Commonwealth legislation. Thus, agents such as Keith Qarke Insurances are the responsibUity of insurers authorised by the Commonwealth Insurance Act of 1973, under the control of the Commonwealth Treasurer. Bayside Bus Services Hon. D. F. LANE (Merthyr—Minister for Transport) (11.14 a.m.): Bus services operated by Bayside Bus Services in the Wynnum/Manly area have suffered from declining patronage, which can be attributed in the main to the completion of the cross-river raU link and general improvements in rail services to the area. As a consequence the financial poshion of the service has deteriorated seriously, particularly in recent months, to the point where expenditure is considerably in excess of revenue, despite Government subsidy payments of $450,068.40 in the 1981-82 ^nancial year. In view of this position the Commissioner for Transport and chairman of the Metro politan Transit Authority, at my request, have arranged for the appointment of a suitable small team of their officers to work with the company in an endeavour to restore viability to the overall operations. Initial action has been taken to delete or modify some very lowly patronised services and a fare increase of 10 per cent has been applied to services in the Redlands area. The overall operations of the company are the subject of ongoing detailed review and further service charges will be necessary in me short term. Areas likely to be affected are off-peak, late night and week-end services in both the Wynnum and Redlands areas. The position is being closely monitored and every effort is being made to maintain a financially viable bus service for the benefit of residents in the Wynnum and Redlands areas. 156 17 August 1982 Petitions PERSONAL STATEMENT Mr JENNINGS (Southport) (11.16 a.m.), by leave: I regret that it is necessary for me to make this statement to the Queensland Pariiament regarding conditions and the feeding of patients at the Gold Coast Nursing Home, 40 WUliam Street, or 78 Stevens Street, Southport. On Monday, 19 July, I received verbal and written complaints from a number of people that there were alarming and major deficiencies in regard to the management and quality and quantity of food being served to the 90 old patients at the Gold Coast Nursing Home. I checked with the senior official of the Health Department in charge of nursing homes and he confirmed that there were a number of serious problems and requested that I submit my complaints in writing to the Minister. He said, "There is no way we are going to put up with what is happening there." Mr Moore: Why don't you say this in the Address-in-Reply debate? This isn't a personal explanation. Mr JENNINGS: There happen to be a number of elderly people down there who are half starved, if the honourable member cares to listen. He also said that since the new management took over under an arrangement there has been an approval for an extension of approximately another 50 beds. The official informed me that the Health Department had sent two dietitians, two nurses, one medico and one Health Department official to inspect and report on the premises. They visited the home in pairs and issued a set of instmctions to the management. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The honourable member's comments do not comply with the requirements of a personal statement. If the honourable member can convince members that he has been personally maligned I will permit him to continue, otherwise I cannot do so. Mr JENNINGS: It has nothing to do with my being maligned; it is about elderly people not being properly fed. PETITIONS The Clerk announced the receipt of the following petitions— Funding for State Schools; Class Sizes From Mr Kruger (346 signatories) praying that the Pariiament of Queensland will restore the education share of the Budget, employ sufficient teachers so that the class sizes do not exceed the select committee recommendations and provide sufficient funds for necessary school building and maintenance.