LEADERSHIP OF PARLIAMENTARY LmERAL PARTY

Tuesday, 23 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1515

Tuesday, 23 April 1991

The SPEAKER (Hon. Ken Coghill) took the chair at 2.5 p.m. and read the prayer.

LEADERSHIP OF PARLIAMENTARY LIBERAL PARTY Mr KENNETf (Leader of the Opposition) - I inform the House that earlier today I was elected Leader of the Parliamentary liberal Party and the honourable member for Hawthorn was elected Deputy Leader.

PHOTOGRAPHING OF PROCEEDINGS The SPEAKER - Order! I advise the House that I have approved requests from the Age, the Australian and the Herald-Sun to take still photographs of question time. No additional lighting or flashlights will be used.

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

MEAT INDUSTRY Mr KENNETf (Leader of the Opposition) - I refer to the special relationship between the Premier and Mr Wally Curran and I ask -- Honourable members interjecting. Mr KENNETf - What steps has the Premier taken to stop the actions of Mr Curran's union in Seymour and Wodonga which are currently destroying meat industry jobs and stopping exports from Victoria? Ms KIRNER (premier) - I take this opportunity of congratulating the new Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition on their wins in the party room and I also pass on to the honourable members for Cippsland West and Brighton my personal respects for their contributions in this House and the way in which particularly the honourable member for Cippsland West paid personal respect to me and did not engage in tactics that were inappropriate. I am pleased - perhaps I should say I am disappointed - to note that, although there has been a change in leadership, I heard from listening to both the Leader of the Opposition today and his wife in a former broadcast that they did not even agree on QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

1516 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 23 April 1991

whether he knew about the challenge beforehand. It was quite clear the Leader of the Opposition said today he had one telephone call about the matter last night.

Mr UEBERMAN (Benambra) - On a point of order, as the member for Benambra where a meatworks is situated in Wodonga I am concerned because workers are being sacked--

Honourable members interjecting.

Mr LIEBERMAN - The question asked by the Leader of the Opposition was direct and important. The Premier is debating the matter and she is not answering whether the safety, employment and economy of this State is at risk.

The SPEAKER - Order! On the point of order, I was prepared to tolerate some departure from the normal form of answer under the circumstances and to that extent I do not uphold the point of order, but I ask the Premier to come back to the point of the question and to confine her remarks to those points.

Ms KIRNER (premier) - It is difficult to understand why a new Leader of the Opposition would persist with the same line of questioning as the former Leader of the Opposition. The only thing I can suggest is that he has not settled down and therefore he is still using the same backroom boys to write the questions.

Many times in this House I have addressed the question of the meat industry. The only long-term resolution -fortunately it is not far away, I believe -to the issues facing both employers and unions in the meat industry is the Harrison inquiry. We expect that the report of that inquiry will be handed down in May of this year and that it will pave the way for appropriate investment and cooperation between the meat unions and the employers.

I was interested to see in the newspapers this morning the chief executive of Wodonga Meats Pty Ltd quoted as having said that he had respect for the union and for the needs of his company and that he wished that the two parties could get together and resolve the issues. That is my view and it is Commissioner Harrison's view on the wider issue of the industry as a whole. It is within the power of the two groups to achieve that and they should get on with it.

Mr McNAMARA (Leader of the National Party) - Does the Premier support picketing and other industrial action by Mr Curran's meatworkers union, which is designed to prevent the use of contract labour in the Victorian meat industry?

Ms KIRNER (Premier) - As I said, the backroom boys who have been writing the questions for the past three months are still writing them.

Honourable members interjecting.

The SPEAKER - Order! The Leader of the National Party has asked his question. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Tuesday, 23 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1517

Ms KIRNER - The National Party has not changed; I hope the Leader of the Opposition will not follow those tactics because if we had two cowboys running this State - Cisco and Pancho - it would be an absolute disaster for Victoria. The SPEAKER - Order! If the Premier is referring to other honourable members she should use their correct titles. Ms KIRNER - It is certainly an issue for the opposition that it is incapable of taking a positive line directed towards the future of Victoria, either in this House or outside. I was slightly heartened by listening to part of the Leader of the Opposition's press conference in which he said that he was on about bringing the community together and about cooperation to take the community forward. In fact, I thought he had been reading my language. But when you come into the House what do you see? Nothing has changed: the same line of questioning, the same building up of division in the community, the same unwillingness to look to the umpire - Harrison - and at possibilities for cooperation. The faces may have changed but there is no change in policies; there are still the one-liners about division and with no sense of the future, only a sense of disputation. If that is the line the new Leader of the Opposition wishes to take the community will give him the same treatment that it gave the previous Leader. MAJOR INVESTMENTS PROJECTS FOR VICTORIA Mrs GARBUTf (Greensborough) - In light of the recent announcement regarding major new investment projects in Victoria, can the Premier advise the House of the government's efforts to secure further major investments in the State? The SPEAKER - Order! The question is very broad and I wonder whether the honourable member could make it more specific. Honourable members interjecting. The SPEAKER - Order! The honourable member for Evelyn. . Mrs GARBUIT - Will the Premier advise the House of specific projects that will advantage Victoria? Honourable members interjecting. The SPEAKER - Order! It will assist the conduct of question time if honourable members on both sides of the Chamber remain silent. I particularly ask the honourable members for Richmond and Doncaster to remain silent. Ms KIRNER (Premier) - An essential task of the government is to attract and create new jobs and new private sector investment in Victoria. I was very pleased last week that Aerospace Technologies of Australia - ASTA - which has a development at Avalon, has signed another important contract for aerospace development. Hawker De Havilland Victoria Ltd will supply the Boeing company with an estimated $455 million of composite tail control surfaces equipment for the new Boeing 777 aircraft. This important QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

1518 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 23 April 1991

investment hardly received a blip in terms of coverage in the media, yet it is the biggest single order ever placed by an overseas company with the Australian aerospace industry, which will take Victoria forward. It is not the sort of industry that we have seen on the opposition benches, because the honourable members on that side of the Chamber are interested solely in the generation of more power - not the power that gets Victoria going, but the power of power politics. I cannot believe that we have today a new Leader of the Opposition who claims he did not know what was going on. If he does not know what is going on in his own party -- The SPEAKER - Order! I ask the Premier to return to the question. Mr DELZOPPO (Narracan) - On a point of order, Mr Speaker, I direct your attention to the Standing Order dealing with relevance and to the fact that what the Premier is saying is not relevant to the question. I ask you, Mr Speaker, to bring her back to order. The SPEAKER - Order! I have already done that. Ms KIRNER (Premier) - The second area of major potential for industry in Victoria is industry associated with the environment. I am pleased to indicate that early next month I will be able to make an announcement on the detail of a major de-inking plant for Victoria. This is a substantial multimillion dollar private sector investment for Victoria in recycling, not the kind of recycling seen on the other side, but recycling that adds real value to the economy of Victoria. There are two important issues in the de-inking plant. One is the issue of recycling newspapers so that we do not have to reduce the number of trees in Victoria, and the second issue is the potential for co-generation of power. Both of those issues are far . reaching for investment in Victoria. As well as that Victoria's ability to win the AMECON contract means that throughout Victoria there are a number of subcontracts which are ensuring' that jobs are being generated. I am delighted to inform the House that Ericsson Defence Systems has signed a $40 million contract with Bofors Electronics Pacific to provide ten radar systems for the frigate contract. That is just one of the investment projects that is following on from the good work in winning the AMECON contract for Victoria. If the opposition is serious in terms of saying to Australia and the world that Victoria wants investment, these are the issues that ought to be addressed. I challenge the new Leader of the Opposition to take a bipartisan attitude to getting investment back into Victoria, rather than repeating the divisive comments of the now deposed Deputy Leader of the Opposition, who spent the whole weekend saying that Victoria's credit might dry up. The SPEAKER - Order! I am having difficulty relating the Premier's remarks to the question that was asked. I ask her to return to the question and to round off her remarks. Ms KIRNER - I am pleased to round off my remarks by announcing yet another major energy project for Victoria. The State Electricity Commission of Victoria and QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Tuesday, 23 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1519

LURGI (Australia) Pty Ltd have signed the heads of agreement for a major engineering company to go ahead with a dry brown coal project in the Latrobe Valley.

These are the things a government that is determined to deliver can do and which the new Leader of the Opposition, if he is interested in Victorians, might be inclined to support. WODONGA MEATWORKS Mr GUDE (Hawthorn) - I refer the Premier to the disgraceful situation at Wodonga Meatworks where new and existing employees are denied access to work because Federal meat inspectors are afraid to cross picket lines. Given the Premier's commitment to manufacturing industry in Victoria, what action has the government taken with its Federal counterparts to enable inspectors to cross the picket line and for work to commence?

Ms K1RNER (premier) - As recent events at the Herald-Sun and other disputations have shown, it is clear that there are appropriate ways of handling picketing in Victoria. I should have thought that someone who was the shadow Minister for Labour and who pretends to know something about industrial relations would know that there are very clear rules on picketing, which were designed when the government had to deal with the picketing by the BLF at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. They are carefully imposed rules and are carried out by the police in agreement with the Trades Hall Council.

During the recent disputation at the Herald-Sun, when it was requested that the picketing proposals and principles be followed, the government made sure they were followed. The police do a very good job in this matter.

If there is a problem at the Wodonga Meatworks they only have to contact the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the police will ensure that picketing principles are properly carried out.

I am amazed that the shadow Minister for Labour does not know what the principles are, hqw they should be carried out and how, if there is a breach, it can be overcome. One should have thought someone who pretends to be the new Deputy Leader of the Opposition would get his facts right. RECYCLING PLAN Mr GAVIN (Coburg) - Has the Minister for Conservation and Environment received requests from the packaging industry, local councils and environmentalists to extend the period for comment on the government's recycling plan before legislation is introduced?

Mr CRABB (Minister for Conservation and EnVironment) - Most honourable members would be aware of the government's Recycle 2000 strategy, a draft of which was circulated to all honourable members after almost five years work by a tripartite committee. The formal period for comment on that draft strategy ended last week and it was my intention to introduce legislation this session. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

1520 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 23 April 1991

However, there has been a quite remarkable degree of interest in the subject and almost all of the comments we have received recently have been requests for more time for consultation. It is a bit like Alan Brown; he would have liked more consultation before the liberal Party recycled the Leader of the Opposition. Honourable members interjecting. Mr CRABB - You changed a Brown for a clown; it wasn't me! There has been enormous support from the community for recycling. Companies and different organisations are turning all sorts of containers into all sorts of other things. In fact, television programs are even being recycled. 1 thought the success of Mr Ed, the talking horse, might have given the liberal Party some inspiration for today's recycling effort! DrWells - You will be recycled! Mr CRABB - The opposition gives the government considerable assistance because it will be able to use the same advertisements for the next election campaign as it used for the last election campaign. The one with the big mouth is ready-made to be used this time! Given the interest in recycling, the government has decided to circulate a draft Bill in the next few weeks and introduce it during the next sessional period thereby giving all persons interested, including members of the opposition, an opportunity for adequate appraisal of the recycling plan and further consultation. WODONGA MEATWORKS Mr LIEBERMAN (Benambra) - Will the Premier use her special relationship with Mr Wally Curran to ensure there is no repetition of union bullies physically assaulting meatworkers in Wodonga who wish to continue to work? Ms KIRNER (premier) - There is absolutely no excuse for physical attacks on either side of a picket line. If there are problems, they will be fixed. CLOSURE OF POINT COOK AND LAVERTON AIR BASES MrW. D. McGRATH (Lowan) -Given the Premier's claim of a special relationship with her Federal colleagues in the Labor Party, what representations has the Premier made to counter the Federal government's plans to close the Point Cook and Laverton Royal Australian Air Force bases, which will add greatly to the level of unemployment in Victoria? Ms KIRNER (premier) -I find it amazing that the term "special relationship" has been used in nearly every question asked today. 1 know there is probably something Freudian in it; members of the opposition are upset about all the broken special relationships in the party room and that someone knew while someone else did not. However, it is something for public wonderment that special relationships have been the focus of every question when the opposition has just blown up all its relationships. Have a look at them! QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Tuesday, 23 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1521

The SPEAKER - Order! The Premier should relate her remarks to the question. Ms KIRNER - I can understand you, Mr Speaker, not wishing to look at members of the opposition, so I shall answer the question. The issue of the Laverton and Point Cook air bases is of serious concern to the government, particularly my colleagues from the western suburbs. I have received a letter from my good friend and colleague the Mayor of the City of Werribee, Pat Goodwin, and I intend to meet with the council and offer to lead a deputation to Canberra to address the issue. There is room for reconstruction and reorganisation of the defence industry. Victoria has been the winner in the reorganisation of the naval dockyards. They have been turned into a profitable agency through a decision of the Commonwealth government to move the dockyards from naval administration to the private sector. The unions have also cooperated by reducing the number of unions involved at the dockyards from twelve to four. The honourable member for Lowan is trying to make this a political issue. He would probably have some difficulty working out where Werribee is! Honourable members interjecting. Ms KIRNER - I hear that the honourable member does know where Werribee is and he does not confuse the western suburbs with the Western District and the Wimmera area, which is good.

It is not appropriate to respond with a knee-jerk reaction to reorganisation of the defence industry. We need to work with the Federal government to ensure the maximum opportunity possible for the people of Werribee to redevelop those areas. Clearly we would prefer to keep the RAAF Base at Laverton, not only because there are approximately 2000 people associated with it, but because the wealth it generates in the western suburbs in retail and other areas is very significant. I intend to ensure that the State government responds to the Commonwealth government not with a knee-jerk reaction but with full backing for Werribee, and with a set of proposals that will involve not only the future of the air base but also potential new proposals for the development of that air base, including the RAAF air museum at Point Cook. LAW REFORM UNIFORMITY Mr MATHEWS (Oakleigh) - I ask the Attorney-General: what progress has been made in his talks with his counterparts in New South Wales and Queensland, with a view to obtaining uniformity of laws between the eastern States?

Mr KENNAN (Attorney-General) - I thank the honourable member for his question and for his ongoing interest in uniform law reform. A meeting took place in Melbourne on Friday between the Attorneys-General in New South Wales and Queensland and myself, wh;r'\ canvassed an histOrically wide range of uniform law reform issues. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

1522 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 23 April 1991

Firstly and most importantly we have now reached final agreement on the issue of defamation. It is the first time this has happened between the three States in this country, and it is long overdue. Politicians, especially, will be aware of the problems that arise when something is said in one State, the same thing is repeated in another State, and then the comments are the subject of defamation proceedings in one State but not in the other.

This is because something that might be said about a politician, for instance, might be true, in which case it is a good defence in Victoria, but in Queensland and New South Wales you must show public benefit or public interest.

For example, if it were said in relation to a particular member of a particular party that only a month ago he swore eternal allegiance to his Leader and that he was absolutely loyal and that he looked forward, indeed, to the time when that Leader would become Premier and he would willingly serve under him, and it transpired that within a month or so he replaced that same Leader, it might lead to a comment that reflected on the veracity of the statement of the politician a month or so ago.

In Victoria all that would have to be shown would be that the statement was true but in New South Wales and Queensland - and I note the interest of the honourable member for Gippsland West in this issue - it would need to be shown that not only was it true but also it required public interest or public benefit in saying it. We might have very different views as to whether that represented a public interest point or a public benefit point.

Take the case of the comment in the Guardian Weekly this week when the commentator described the British Prime Minister as a "cushion" Prime Minister -cushion, in the sense that he bore the imprint of the last person who had sat on him.

In reference to Victorian politics one could say, for argument's sake, that the honourable member for Brighton bears a certain "Hawthorn" or "Gippsland West" imprint on him and other politicians like the honourable member for Doncaster bears a sort of "K" for "Kroger" imprint on him.

Whether these are "cushion" politicians or not depends, of course, on the truth of the remark, and in Victoria that would be the end of the matter. Once it was established to the jury's satisfaction that the person was a "cushion" politician - that the inference was true - and that they bore nothing but the imprint of the last person who had sat on them, then that would be the end of it.

I am not sure whether we could have class actions of this sort; I am not sure whether a whole party could sue because they had a "machine" imprint on them,let alone a "knitting machine" or a "Merino gold" imprint on them!

The SPEAKER -Order!

Mr KENNAN - I am sorry, Mr Speaker. I do apologise to the Chair because it is the presence of the "Peacock" imprint around this House in the last 24 hours that I have found distracting. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Tuesday, 23 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1523

What we are doing in relation to that, to make it quite clear to any media outlets who want to run these sorts of stories, is that there will be a uniform defence in relation to these issues between Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. What will have to be shown is truth, and the only exception to that will be in relation to certain matters of privacy. Substantially, what has happened is for the first time Queensland and New South Wales have joined with us to have truth alone as a defence. We are also taking this sweeping reform further so that there will be court recommended retractions because, as honourable members know, often an early retraction is more important than damages in defamation cases, although honourable members sometimes do succeed in defamation cases and even recover damages. We are all agreed, whether we shake our heads or not, that the early retraction of the material and an apology can often be more effective. We also agreed that the limitation period should be reduced to six months with up to three years if the circumstances warrant, and an extension of the defence of qualified privilege to the media, provided they can show they acted reasonably in all the circumstances, and some caveats are put on that. The meeting continued and discussed probably the widest range of law reform issues ever discussed between Attorneys-General with the widest range of agreement. Without taking up the time of the House in relation to all of them I will mention some of them very briefly relating to the abolition of the year and a day rule in homicide, costs in criminal cases, spent convictions, limited liability partnerships, and agreement to look at uniformity in contract law, the law of evidence and, most importantly, criminal law. This heralds a new era in national law reform in this country. It is a great reflection in respect of this government that, unlike the opposition - which simply seeks to block, block, block and defer, defer and defer in relation to reform proposals - we are getting on with the business with our interstate counterparts, some of whom are of the opposition's political colour, to push this reform forward which is not only to the benefit of the people of this State, but to the benefit of the people up and down the eastern seaboard; We are confident that many of these reforms will also be joined in by other States so they will ultimately be realised in terms of national reforms. CLOSURE OF POINT COOK AND LAVERTON AIR BASES Mr DICKINSON (South Barwon) - Has the Premier investigated the multiplier effect on Werribee and Geelong if the Federal government goes ahead with its program to reduce service personnel in Victoria? If so, how many people servicing Point Cook in these cities will subsequently lose their jobs? Ms KIRNER (Premier) - I know the opposition is continuing to stick to its old tactics of having the questions written by the backroom boys and asking the question, whether it has been ar wered or not. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

1524 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 23 April 1991

Honourable members interjecting. Ms KIRNER - "Not again" the opposition interjects. It is the absolute truth. I answered that question in the answer to my last question.

Mr DICKINSON (South Barwon) - On a point of order, Mr Speaker, the question related to Point Cook, not Laverton.

The SPEAKER -Order! There is no point of order.

Ms KIRNER (Premier) - Perhaps the honourable member does not understand what the multiplier effect means. Certainly today the Leader of the Opposition understands what the multiplier effect means and he should be able to explain it to the honourable member who asked the question.

It simply means: would the loss of the Laverton and Point Cook air bases have a larger effect than the loss of the workers who are in those bases? I have already said that of course it would. It would impact on retail, buildings, schools and all those things.

I do not have to investigate it; I live in that area; it is an area which I have served for ten years and most honourable members in the opposition do not even know where it is. In fact, at election time they have to get people from Toorak and Glenferrie and those places to come out to hand out how-to-vote cards. At the last election I was stopped in the main street of Williamstown and asked how to get to the polling booth. I said, ''What do you want to get to the polling booth for?" They said they wanted to hand out Liberal how-to-vote cards. I was generous enough to show them where to go. They now seem to be interested in finding their way to the western suburbs. We who live in the western suburbs can cope with that.

If we talk about the multiplier effect of major changes in employment in the Geelong and Werribee areas, let us look at the fight the government put up on behalf of the car industry in Geelong. We took up that fight in cooperation with the Mayor of Geelong, with the unions and with the industries. There is no doubt that in part that fight was won because of the way we led it, and the way in which we ran it. I will be very interested to know where the honourable member who asked the question was when we were leading the fight.

Mr Kennan - Where were you?

Ms KIRNER - I do not know where he was, but he was not on the deputation. He may have been finding his way to the western suburbs to hand out how-to-vote cards!

The SPEAKER - Order! I understand the analogy the Premier is trying to make but I would appreciate it if she returned to the question.

Ms KIRNER - It would be fairly difficult for the honourable member to ask a question sensibly about manufacturing industry because quite obviously the opposition has no policy on manufacturing industry. I look forward, as does the rest of Victoria, to the time it does. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Tuesday, 23 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1525

SPEED CAMERAS Mr CUNNINGHAM (Derrimut) - Will the Minister for Police and Emergency Services indicate to the House the progress of the traffic camera program in saving lives on Victorian roads?

Mr SANDON (Minister for Police and Emergency Services) - I thank the honourable member for his interest in reducing the road toll. When we started the traffic camera program we did so with the aim of changing driver behaviour; our goal was to get people to slow down. Many people said that that would not be able to be done.

Last month the number of speeding motorists detected by the cameras was 10 per cent; the figure was about 23 per cent when the program started. That gives an indication of the dramatic success of the program and all honourable members will be very supportive because of what that actually means. In terms of people slowing down, it means fewer collisions; and when they do occur, less dramatic collisions.

The overall program of the Traffic Camera Office and speed cameras has meant Victoria has the lowest road toll for 35 years. Indeed, the figures indicate there has been a 30 per cent reduction in fatalities and a 20 per cent reduction in collisions. We have saved more than 200 lives and there has been a 20 per cent reduction in injuries. That has meant 800 fewer hospital admissions, meaning that about 8000 bed days have been made available for other urgent health services.

If that is not enough, the savings in accident compensation claims now amount to more than $100 million. That is an outstanding achievement and one would have thought there would have been bipartisan support on this subject.

However, last September the Leader of the National Party criticised the program by suggesting that its funds would be coming from the police budget. That is totally incorrect. The cameras were financed by the Transport Accident Commission and, as for the Traffic Camera Office and training, funds came from the budget of the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services. Last week the Leader of the National Party also criticised the operations of this vital program. It was interesting that the day on which the criticism occurred was the day on which the Auditor-General applauded the program. He made strong comments in his report about the value of the program and what it meant in terms of saving lives.

Last week the Leader of the National Party was condemned for his comments by police and emergency workers. Obviously last week the Leader of the National Party had other things on his mind, like how to finish off the Liberal Leader! He was more interested in directing traffic in the Liberal Party than he was in understanding the mechanics of the transport issues associated with the traffic camera program.

In conclusion, I indicate there is blood over the road and Pat McNamara is the culpable driver! Honourv' .e members interjecting. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

1526 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 23 April 1991

The SPEAKER - Order! The Minister should refer to honourable members by their correct titles. MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT BUDGET Mr COOPER (Mornington) - I refer the Minister for Transport to the Public Transport Corporation's multimillion dollar budget shortfall this year. Will the Minister assure the House that this shortfall will not be met by taking funds from the Roads Corporation? Mr SPYKER (Minister for Transport) - The honourable member for Mornington is obviously trying to recycle the question he asked last week. I hope the transport policy of the opposition, which he said on radio last week was a time bomb that AIan Brown was sitting on -- Mr COOPER (Mornington) - On a point of order, Mr Speaker, I referred to the shortfall in the Public Transport Corporation's budget, which the Minister has acknowledged will occur this year, and I asked the Minister whether that shortfall will be met by taking funds from the Roads Corporation or will he deny that that will occur. The question is quite specific and most important. The Minister is wandering and attempting to evade the question. I ask you to bring him to order and to address the question. The SPEAKER - Order! At this stage of the Minister's reply it is impossible to determine the manner in which he intends to answer the question. I do not uphold the point of order at this stage, but I advise the Minister that he may not debate the question and that he must confine his remarks to matters relevant to the question. Mr SPYKER (Minister for Transport) - I believe the question is relevant. The honourable member for Mornington would be well aware, from the answer I gave to a question asked last week, that we are in difficult economic times at the moment and revenue has been affected, particularly in relation to freight. I indicated also that the shipment of grain has been delayed because of the situation in the Middle East. As I announced in the House last week, I am pleased to indicate that in respect of expenditure the budget is very much on target and under control. Mr Speaker, you would be pleased to hear that. In relation to the reduction of the work force by 1500, that also is on target. These are very important policy issues. At the same time as bringing the budget on line, we are attempting to improve services. I am pleased that now we can clean our trains every night. The SPEAKER - Order! I ask the Minister to come back to the point of the question. Mr SPYKER - I believe this is integrally tied up with outlining what the Ministry is doing to meet the budget. Members of the community have indicated clearly that for them to patronise the service - which affects revenue - it is of utmost importance to have a clean and efficient service. Mr COOPER (Mornington) - On a further point of order, Mr Speaker, I direct to your attention again the question, which was: would the Minister. assure the House that the QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Tuesday, 23 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1527

multimillion dollar budget shortfall will not be met by taking funds from the Roads Corporation? The Minister could simply say yes or no; he has not even got to the subject. I ask you to direct his attention again to the question, and to ask him to answer it and stop avoiding it.

The SPEAKER - Order! A Minister has the right to answer a question in the manner he sees fit, subject to his reply being relevant to the matter raised in the question. At this stage the Minister has not indicated to the Chair's satisfaction the relevance of the comments he is making to the question asked. I ask the Minister to relate his remarks to the question. To that extent I uphold the point of order.

Mr SPYKER (Minister for Transport) - Mr Speaker, I was attempting to outline to the House a number of strategies that have been put in place. The honourable member for Mornington asked about the budget shortfall, which, as I have said, is a very important question.

I am attempting to outline to the House the strategies in place to ensure that the transport budget is on target. I pointed out that our expenditure has been reined in, that our reduction of the work force - which is to be reduced by 1500 - is on target. I also pointed out in regard to revenue, which is a fairly important part of the budget, that it is important to maximise our revenue opportunities and that the recession has a significant impact on our ability to gain revenue.

Mr Cooper interjected.

Mr SPYKER - I cannot help it if the honourable member for Mornington cannot understand the facts about transport. I understand that he has given the new Leader of the Opposition the time bomb relating to the opposition's transport policy. He said, "I have given it to Alan, Alan is sitting on it, and it may be released in May". Obviously he has now given the time bomb to the new Leader of the Opposition, and I do not know what the opposition will do about --

Mr Cooper interjected.

The SPEAKER - Order! The honourable member for Mornington is out of order with his interjections. I advise the Minister that he should ignore interjections.

Mr SPYKER - In conclusion, I advise the honourable member that we have a budget expenditure of $1.1 billion, and not $1.4 billion or $2.3 billion - apparently the honourable member wakes up in the morning and picks out a different figure whenever it suits him.

Mr Cooper interjected.

Mr SPYKER - If our revenue situation continues in the way that it has I am hopeful of meeting our budget target.

Mr Coor r - In other words, the answer is yes! PETmON

1528 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 23 April 1991

PETITION The Clerk - I have received the following petition for presentation to Parliament: Funding for disabled children To the Honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly in Parliament assembled: The humble petition of the undersigned citizens of the State of Victoria object strongly to the lack of adequate funding to enable the successful integration of disabled children into our mainstream schools and kindergartens. Your petitioners therefore pray that while the number of integration children is increasing each year, there also needs to be a corresponding increase in funds. This will ensure that what has been a successful program will continue to be so. These children have the right to reach their full potential, but like all children they must be given the opportunity to do so. And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. By Mr Wallace (2740 signatures) Laid on table.

PAPERS Laid on table by Clerk: National Crime Authority - Report for the year 1989-90; together with comments made by the Inter-Governmental Committee. Statutory Rules under the following Acts: Credit (Administration) Act 1984 - SR No. 71. Public Service Act 1974 - Public Service Determination Nos 9 to 12. Tobacco Act 1987 - SR No. 73. Transport Accident Act 1986 - SR No. 74...... Proclamations fixing operative dates in respect of the following Acts, pursuant to Order of the House dated 25 October 1988: Caravan Parks and Movable Dwellings (Amendment) Act 1989 - Section 15; 19 April 1991 (Gazette No. G14, 17 April 1991). Lotteries Gaming and Betting (Amendment) Act 1991-16 April 1991 (Gazette No. S19, 16 April 1991).

APPROPRIATION MESSAGES Messages read recommending appropriations for: Commissioner for the Environment Bill Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill Pollution of Waters by Oil and Noxious Substances (Amendment) Bill Rental Bond Board Bill Wattle Park (Land) Bill CASINO CONTROL BILL

Tuesday, 23 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1529

CASINO CONTROL BILL Introduction and first reading Mr KENNAN (Minister for Major Projects) introduced a Bill to provide for the establishment of a system for the licensing, supervision and control of casinos and for other purposes.

Read first time.

PUBLIC ACCOUNT (AMENDMENT) BILL Introduction and first reading Mr ROPER (Treasurer) introduced a Bill to amend the Public Account Act 1958 and for other purposes.

Read first time.

ELECTION DONATIONS DISCLOSURE AND PUBLIC FUNDING BILL Withdrawn on motion of Mr ROPER (Treasurer).

ELECTION DONATIONS DISCLOSURE BILL Introduction and first reading Mr A. J. SHEEHAN (Minister for Finance) introduced a Bill to require the disclosure of election donations and electoral expenditure, to amend The Constitution Act Amendment Act 1958 and for other purposes.

Read first time.

SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL Second reading Debate resumed from 11 April; motion of Mr ROPER (Treasurer). Mr STOCKDALE (Brighton) - This Bill would provide Supply for a period of approximately four months. It covers the whole of the continuation of government administration during the proposed Supply period and, accordingly, raises the whole of the government's record and its fitness to govern in this State. The most important point on which this Bill has to be assessed by the House is that Victoria stands in perhaps the most parlous situation since the great depression of the SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

1530 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 23 April 1991

1930s. Victoria has been brought to its knees by nine years of Labor government. A continuation of the policies that have been in force in this State for the past nine years will deliver the coup de grace and put an end to our State. We stand on the edge of bankruptcy with the community having no confidence in the capacity of the government to solve the problems the government has created. There is deep alann in our community, indeed even fear. People are fearful of losing their jobs, as so many Victorians have done over the past twelve months. Victorians are concerned about the financial stability of their economic system. The State has suffered the ignominy of a downgrading of its credit rating. Indeed, two international credit rating agencies are assessing Victoria's credit rating at this moment. Nothing could be more relevant to the fundamental direction of economic and financial policy in this State than issues raised by the Bill. We must start by critically examining where we are now and what the position of the State of Victoria is. Mr Speaker, I seek leave to have incorporated in Hansard a document entitled "Victoria in Recession", which canvasses the major economic indicators and illustrates the parlous state of the Victorian economy. Leave granted; document as follows:

VICfORIA IN RECESSION

RFSTOF INDICATOR VICfORIA AUSTRALIA ,% Change) (% Change)

New residential approvals (value) (Feb 90 - Feb 91) -22.7 -9.2 New dwelling units approved (Feb 90 - Feb 91) - 21.1 -8.4 Building approvals (value) (Feb 90 - Feb 91) -4.6 -3.0 Housing finance for owner occupation * Oan 90 - Jan 91) -10.8 + 3.0 New housing commencements (Dec qu.89 - Dec qu.90) - 23.1 + 0.7 Retail turnover in real tenns (Dec 89 - Dec 90)* - 6.8 -1.6 New vehicle registrations (Feb 90 - Feb 91) - 25.7 -15.8 Private new capital expenditure, seasonally adjusted (Sept qu.89 - Sept qu.90) -10.9 -0.7 Exports by value (Dec 89 - Dec 90)* - 4.2 + 7.7 Industrial disputes - working days lost (Dec 89 - Dec 90) + 88.5 + 19.6 Bankruptcies (Dec qu.89 - Dec qu.90) + 65.1 + 53.4 Employment (seasonally adjusted) SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

Tuesday, 23 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1531

REST OF INDICATOR VICTORIA AUSTRALIA (% Change) (% Change)

(Mar 90 - Mar 91) -4.3 + 0.7 Unemployment (seasonally adjusted) (Mar 90 - Mar 91) + 94.3 + 40.3 Persons receiving unemployment benefits Oan 90 - Jan 91) + 91.2 + 33.2 Job Vacancies (Feb 90 - Feb 91) -74.3 -44.9 State and Local Government charges (Dee 89 - Dec 90)* + 7.7 + 5.9

Sources: ABS Bulletins 6202.0, 6321.0, 8501.0, 5433.0, 5432.0, 9303.0, 9303.2, 6203.0, 5646.0, 5626.0, 1303.2,5609.0,8731.0,8731.2 & 8741.2 * "Rest of Australia" data is for Australia including Victoria where Victorian data cannot be disaggregated Mr STOCKDALE - The document portrays a very sad position for the Victorian economy. It represents, as the sources show, the official data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). It compares Victoria with the rest of Australia and, in a small number of cases as indicated, with Australia as a whole. The House will be aware that in some instances, particularly with the most recent data to be used, the presentation of data by the ABS does not allow the disaggregation of the Victorian community from Australia as a whole, but in most cases the document compares Victoria with the rest of Australia. It is a picture that ought to be of great disquiet and concern to the House because in every respect Victoria is shown to be substantially deeper in recession than the rest of Australia. So serious is the position that it is worth canvassing the details. The table deals with most of the indicators of economic activity in the State. It deals also with industrial disputes, bankruptcies and local government charges. It shows the Victorian building industry is massively depressed when compared with the rest of Australia. New residential approvals during the past twelve months are down 22.7 per cent compared with a reduction of 9.2 per cent for the rest of Australia. The same pattern is manifest in relation to new dwelling unit approvals, building approvals, housing finance for owner occupation and new housing commencements. In every one of those categories the rate of decline is indicative of a severe recession. Victoria stands badly when compared with the rest of Australia. It is apparent we are deeper in recession and indeed an examination of the statistics, particularly over the past twelve months, shows that Victoria is plunging faster into recession than the rest of Australia. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

1532 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 23 April 1991

Retail turnover in real terms has declined 1.6 per cent over the rest of Australia, but in Victoria it has declined by 6.8 per cent. That is one of the indicators it is impossible to desegregate at this point. It is apparent if we were able to take the Victorian figures out that figure would bear out the recent statements made by the Federal Treasurer to the effect that the major national recession is substantially the result of a downturn in Victoria.

Victoria's decline is massively greater than the rest of Australia in terms of retail turnover. That indicator is clearly palpable to any person who walks down the street and talks to any Victorian. There is a crisis of confidence in Victoria not only in an objective sense but also because of the parlous state of the economy and the dramatic decline over the past twelve months. People are pessimistic about whether the State can deal with its problems. Ordinary Victorians take the fatalistic view that nothing can be done until the government changes.

There is a recognition that a paralysis has struck the government. It is out of ideas and it lacks the political will to deal with its problems. It suffers from a power of veto at the hands of the socialist left and the right working together in Parliament, but unable to reach agreement on fundamental policy issues or to develop a fundamental policy on how to deal with its problems because of the input of such people as John Halfpenny and Wally Curran and the other troglodytes of the union movement.

During the past year new vehicle registrations have declined by 15.8 per cent over the rest of Australia but they have declined by 25.7 per cent in Victoria. Private new capital expenditure about which the government trumpeted so much only a few months ago is shown during the latest period to have declined by 0.7 per cent for the rest of Australia but by a massive 10.9 per cent in Victoria.

It is clear when one talks to potential investors that they are afraid to invest in Victoria because they are uncertain about its economic future and they see no indication of a recognition of the problems let alone a change of gear or a shift of policy to cope with the major structural problems in the State Budget because of the failure of the Labor government. The union movement gives no indication that it is prepared to face up to the need for change. Victoria is declining steadily but the government has no answers that will instil any confidence in the Victorian community.

Exports are a factor to which the government has attached much store in recent years. The national statistics provide some encouragement, but it is impossible to disaggregate Victoria's contribution. Australia's export figure is artificially deflated as a national indicator by the rapid decline in Victoria. Yet in the past twelve months for which figures are available, Australia as a whole recorded' an increase of 7.7 per cent in export output by value. What is the position in Victoria - one of the two great contributors to manufacturing industry in this country - where one would normally look for manufacturing output to increase as a result of the policy that the Federal and State Labor governments say they are pursuing? Victoria has the alarming result of a 4.2 per cent decline in exports by value. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

Tuesday, 23 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1533

The credibility of Labor in government has been built around the wages accord. Victoria has paid a very high price for the wages accord. It has paid the price of falling real living standards. The Prime Minister has boasted over many years that the major achievement of the accord is that it has delivered a sustained reduction in real wages. If one analyses that outside the realm of the highfalutin language of the economists, one finds that what he is saying is that for eight years a Federal Labor government has set about deliberately depressing the living standards of ordinary Australians. Indeed, the Prime Minister claims as a major achievement with the Australian Council of Trade Unions a sustained reduction of the living standards of Australians. Is that what we have come to: that all governments have to offer the people of Australia is the hope, and the figures show it is a pious hope, that a sustained fall in the living standards of our people will produce economic wealth in the long run? There is no answer in depressing the living standards of Australians as the key to making our industries more competitive. We have to make fundamental changes in policy to face an increasingly competitive world in which we must now compete, and we must be prepared to make industry more competitive, not by depressing the living standards of Australians but by recognising the need to free up resources, to enhance competition at home, and to ensure industries such as electricity and ports actually add to the efficacy of Australia's export efforts rather than being a bottleneck.

What has happened in terms of the industrial record delivered by the accord? What has been the record of the accord as it comes under stress following that sustained period of depression of living standards? In Australia as a whole, in the latest years for which figures are available, working days lost for industrial disputes have increased 19.6 per cent? What is the proud record of Victoria? What is the proud record of the Victorian union movement? What is the consequence of the outcome of the special relationship between a socialist left Premier and John Halfpenny and the rest of the militant union movement? The result is that compared with the 19.6 per cent for Australia, the number of working days in Victoria lost because of industrial disputes has increased by 88.5 per cent! The government used to complain that at least it was delivering industrial peace, but now Victoria is faced with nearly a 100 per cent increase in the space of a year in the number of working days lost through industrial action.

Today, yet again, Victoria's export efforts in the meat trade are in issue because the Premier's close friend, Wally Curran, is picketing meatworks in Wodonga, and his cronies in the picket lines are beating up the people who want to continue working. People were attacked in a bus that was taking them to work by people who wanted to stop them working and to prevent exports leaving the country.

The union movement has brought its muscle to bear on the meat industry and on meat inspectors, who have to inspect the meat even after it is killed, by stopping them going into the plants and facilitating the export efforts of the meat companies. Wally Curran and his mates - and we must include among his mates his close friend, the Premier, who forwarded Mc Curran a copy of a government submission to the meat inquiry and who made fourteen correctionS out of nineteen that Mc Curran wanted to the submission - SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

1534 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 23 April 1991

are to blame for the erosion of jobs in the meat industry. Jobs are being exported out of the State as the result of the power the industrial relations systems, the accord and political patronage have given to Wally Curran and his cronies. What has been the result of those policies in terms of the viability of businesses? In the rest of Australia the rate of bankruptcies has increased by 53.4 per cent while in Victoria it has increased by 65.1 per cent. Those figures are in black and white; they are there in their pristine, detached, statistical form, but what do they mean? They mean tens of thousands of businesses are finding it extremely difficult to survive in our State and have closed in the past year; they Dlean that tens of thousands of Victorians will lose their jobs; they mean families are without breadwinners and are threatened with not being able to feed their children or pay the rent; they mean that thousands of families are living on unemployment benefits at a time when we should be emerging from a period of sustained growth with a strong economy able to support thriving businesses and provide new jobs for people. There are hidden victims of bankruptcies. Figures show that unemployment has increased by approximately double the rate of growth of unemployment benefit recipients. There are literally tens of thousands - perhaps in the past twelve months it is as many as 100 ()()() - families without breadwinners who are suffering the indignity of unemployment. Their confidence in the future is being even further eroded by unemployment. Thousands more people are nervous and frightened about where the economy is going under the failed State and Federal Labor governments. That is also reflected in the figures for employment and unemployment. Over the past twelve months employment in Australia has increased by 0.7 per cent, but in Victoria it has actually decreased by 4.3 per cent. Unemployment in Australia has increased by 40.3 per cent while Victoria has the staggering result of an increase of 94.3 per cent in just one year. There are almost twice as many Victorians out of work and looking for jobs today as there were twelve months ago. Similarly, the number of people receiving unemployment benefits has increased by 33.2 per cent in Australia compared with 91.2 per cent for Victoria. Job vacancies have declined and more unemployed people are looking for fewer vacancies. There is a decrease in job vacancies in Australia of 44.9 per cent and a staggering decrease of 74.3 per cent in Victoria. One figure has been much misused by the Treasurer and his predecessor: I refer to the State and local government charges component of the consumer price index. During the past twelve months in Australia there has been a growth of 5.9 per cent, but in Victoria there has been an increase of 7.7 per cent. Perhaps that explains why the Treasurer has not been using that indicator in recent times. Why is the Treasurer no longer standing on the other side of the table telling the House about the taxes and charges record of the Victorian Labor government? Could the answer be that Victoria is falling behind the .rest of Australia and that the rate of increases in taxes and charges in Victoria is outstripping that for the rest of Australia? Can it be that that is the result of this Premier's first task, which has been to repudiate the former Premier's pledge that was solemnly given to the SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

Tuesday, 23 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1535

people at the last election and which has resulted in savage increases in taxes and charges that this Treasurer imposed in the last Victorian Budget? What does it foretell for the future? What would it foretell for the next Budget were it not for the fact that the opposition has set an end to the rape and pillage of the finances of the Victorian people, an end to this government passing on the cost of its incompetence to the people of Victoria in higher taxes and charges? What do we know about the Budget represented by this Supply Bill? We know that it is to be framed in the context and against the background of perhaps the most severe recession in this country since the 1930s. We know that it is to be framed against a background in which Australia has plunged into recession but Victoria has plunged faster, harder and deeper and where the forecast of every economic commentator is that there will be precious little in the way of recovery this year and we are looking - once a recovery starts - at a very slow and difficult drive out of the recession. What are the requirements to set us on the track for recovery? I will come back to this later, but two things are clear. One is that there will be no recovery in confidence, and there will be no optimism, investment or security in this State until there is a change of government. This government has been rejected by the people of Victoria; the polls show it; the figures show it; the statistics show it; the anecdotal evidence of one's daily contact with frightened Victorians shows that they have rejected this Premier and Treasurer. The Treasurer is an object of scorn around the community. He faces perhaps the greatest financial crisis in government finances in the history of our country, a crisis rivalled only by the Great Depression, and perhaps even then this State did not stand so isolated and so relatively badly placed with the rest of the country as to face up to the difficulties this Treasurer faces in dealing with the international finance community, with our own business sector, with potential investors and with the people of Victoria who will have to vote on the record of this failed government. The background to the next Victorian Budget and to the Supply Bill is an unparalleled period of crisis in State public finances. What is the indication of the position we face? I seek leave to incorporate in Hansard a summary of the latest transactions of the Consolidated Fund covering the eight months to February 1991 and comparing it with a previous period. Leave granted; statement as follows:

STATEMENT OF TRANSACfIONS OF THE CONSOLIDATED FUND FEBRUARY 1991 (NIEMEYER STATEMEN1) (EIGHT MONTHS TO FEBRUARY ($M))

8 Months to 8 Months to Item Feb 1990 FEB 1991 % CHANGE

Taxation receipts 3067.6 3267.3 + 6.5 - payroll tax 1161.3 1290.6 + 11.1 SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

1536 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 23 April 1991

- tobacco tax 113.7 143.0 + 25.8

8 Months to 8 Months to Item Feb 1990 FEB 1991 % CHANGE

-land tax 91.2 152.8 + 67.5 - petrol (incl. royalties) tax 258.9 360.1 + 39.1 -liquor tax 77.0 99.0 + 26.8 -FIO 120.8 171.0 +41.6 Recurrent expenditure: 7483.9 8102.9 + 8.3 - debt charges 1097.5 1266.2 + 15.4 - pensions 361.3 431.3 + 19.4 - hospitals 1366.8 1490.1 + 9.0 - other health 275.7 299.3 + 8.5 - transport 638.5 762.0 + 19.3

Note: (1) Increase in payroll, petrol (including royalties), land, FID, tobacco, liquor and new BADT taxes equals $402.5 million. (2) Stated shortfall as at 28 February, 1991 is $1041.5 million. Mr STOCKDALE - This statement shows the comparison of the eight months to February 1991 with the eight months to February 1990. It puts the lie to the propaganda peddled by the Treasurer and the Premier on the day of the release of this document last week. The claim by the government at that time was that the government was the victim of forces beyond its control. It said it was the victim of a national recession which it claims is beyond its control and was beyond its control and has nothing to do with it, as the former Treasurer used to say. He said that the government was the victim of declining revenue, nothing about expenditure. On a radio interview the Treasurer went so far as to say that the expenditure side of the Budget was under control and he looked to coming in ahead of where we look now with a deficit of something in the order of $200 million. What did the Niemeyer statement show when the Treasurer finally got around to releasing another one last week? First of all it showed in his own colourful language a shortfall as at 28 February 1991 of $1041.5 million - a deficit of more than $1 billion after eight months of the operation of his Budget. The Treasurer claimed that the increased deficit was the result of a decline in revenue. No doubt can exist that there has been a decline in some revenues; stamp duty receipts are down in absolute terms. It is not true to claim that total receipts or taxation receipts are down to the extent necessary to explain the deficit. Indeed, taxation receipts at the end of the first eight months were actually up $200 million on the same period for the previous year. In the eight months to February 1990, the Treasurer collected $3067.6 million in State taxation; in the eight months to February 1991, he collected $3267.3 million. That has to be assessed against the background of an SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

Tuesday, 23 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1537

inflation rate projected to be this year between 6 per cent and 6.5 per cent. The increase in taxation revenue over the first eight months is 6.5 per cent, so in real terms the government has maintained the level of taxation on the Victorian community. In the remaining four months of this year compared with the previous eight months the Treasurer is quite rightly projecting a further increase in the overall rate of taxation. It will not be manna from heaven; it will not be as a result of economic recovery; it will be the result of the rapacious taxation increases imposed by this Treasurer in the last Budget. Many of the taxes will take effect from this calendar year and therefore will impact disproportionately on the Budget.

The Treasurer is right. It is not good for the Victorian economy; it does not mean a reduced deficit at the end of the year by a change in policy or by tackling the underlying problems of the State. It means a slightly reduced deficit that the Treasurer will achieve by slugging the taxpayer even harder in this calendar year than in the past calendar year. The Treasurer is telling the people of Victoria: uYou, the long-suffering taxpayers, are going to fill the gap in my Budget. I have no difficulty in tackling the expenditure side; everything is fine on the expenditure side; but I am going to pass the Labor government's deficit on to the people ())f Victoria in higher taxes".

The increases are reflected in receipts during this opening period. Payroll tax is up 11.1 per cent, approaching double the inflation rate for the year. It can be confidently predicted that by the end of the year payroll tax is highly likely to be double the rate of inflation. Tobacco tax is up 25.8 per cent for the eight months; petrol taxes, including royalties, are up 39.1 per cent; liquor taxes - again increased by the government in the last Budget - are up 26.8 per cent; and financial institutions duty is up 41.6 per cent.

In addition, the government has introduced the bank account debits tax. While it is revenue-neutral to the taxpayer, it represents an increase in taxation receipts by the government.

The combined effect of the tax increases, in the areas where the government deliberately increased taxes particularly in the second half of this Budget year, is that over the eight months those taxes have added $402.5 million to the impost on the Victorian community in terms of State taxation. The government has sought to fill the gap in the Budget caused by its incoinpetence on the expenditure side from the pockets of Victorian taxpayers. If the government had not savagely increased taxes in the last Budget, the deficit as at the end of the eight months would be in the vicinity of $441 million dollars. I repeat, the Treasurer would have produced a $440 million deficit had he not increased taxes by $400 million over those eight months.

The increase in Budget expenditure also blows out of the water the claims made by the Treasurer and the Premier when the statement was released. In particular, the Treasurer told Parliament, the media and the public that everything was hunky-dory on the expenditure side of the Budget. But the fact is that, against an inflation rate of 6 per cent to 6.5 per cent, total recurrent expenditure is up by 8.3 per cent for the eight months. Yet

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again this year's Budget figures show that we are headed for a further increase in outlays in real terms. It remains to be seen whether the pattern will subsist for the entire twelve months, but there is certainly no indication in the figures that the Treasurer has done anything to restrain his socialist left, high-spending colleagues in their high-spending Ministries. Debt charges are a direct responsibility of the Treasurer. Certainly there has been some change in the pattern of payments because the government has been rolling interest forward into July from the previous June, but what benefits the Treasurer gained last year from deferred interest will catch him up in July of this year - and no doubt he will do the same again in June. Although the overall pattern is therefore distorted, the Niemeyer statement shows that in the financial year to date debt charges are 15.4 per cent above their level for the same period last year. Pension costs are up 19.4 per cent; hospital costs are up 9 per cent; other health costs are up 8.5 per cent; and, most alarming of all, transport costs have gone through the roof and are 19.3 per cent above the level they were this time last year. So in all of the key areas of State government responsibility, with the single exception of education, there has been a massive blow-out in expenditure. The increases are double and treble the projected inflation rate in the key cost centres of State government responsibility because transport costs, debt charges and pensions have all increased by between 15 and 20 per cent. Is that evidence of a government that has recognised the error of its ways because it has seen the seriousness of the situation Victoria faces? Is that evidence of a government that has heeded the calls from the media, the business community and the wider community for expenditure restraint? Can it be said to be evidence of a government that has honoured the rhetoric contained in the last five Budgets delivered by successive failed and discredited Treasurers? The answer to all those questions is an unequivocal no. The figures are a damning indictment of a government which has no intention of tackling Budget expenditure and is allowing the standing of Victoria in the international community to be eroded by political paralysis and incompetence. The Treasurer will have his chance to tell the House what action he has in mind to take to drive costs down. The Treasurer must say what he intends to do to tackle the need for expenditure restraint. Will we go into the next Budget with transport costs 20 per cent higher than they were in the previous Budget year? Will we go into the next Budget with the ratchet effect of pension costs and debt charges increasing at rates of 15 per cent and 19 per cent respectively? I can find no evidence that this incompetent and discredited Treasurer has even the first inkling of what is necessary to satisfy the demands of the international financial community and, so, the Victorian public that he tackle the hard issues. The only evidence available is that the socialist left has sold out the people of Victoria and that the Premier, and I regret to say the Treasurer, who is not a factional ally, have allowed the SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

Tuesday, 23 April 1991 ASSEMBLY lS39

government to sell out the interests of the people of Victoria to the left wing of the union movement. To buy his preselection the Treasurer has had to go soft on the critical issues facing our community. Mr Roper - At least I did better than you did this morning. Mr STOCKDALE - I wasn't even contesting. I didn't have to stitch together a grubby deal just to stay in the place. We will set about restoring the fortunes of the people of Victoria and restoring basic integrity and honesty to Victorian State finances as soon as this discredited government is prepared to face an election. Mr Gavin interjected. Mr STOCKDALE - I have no trouble expressing loyalty to the Leaders of this party, which has delivered good government decade after decade, in the face of the disaster this discredited rag-tag mob have brought upon a State that I am proud to claim my home. People are fleeing this State. Net migration is an indication of workers and families leaving and there is a flight of capital from this State as businesses put their invesbnent in other States such as New South Wales which has tangible evidence of a government prepared to make the hard decisions and to do what is necessary to restore economic and financial health. The lasting shame to this government will be that to the very death day, the very election day it is consigned to the rubbish bin of history, it adhered to the policies that have wrought financial disaster on this State and have led to our credit rating been downgraded once and which we hope will not lead to our credit rating being downgraded again. This document is a damning indictment of the Treasurer personally, of the Premier personally and the whole of this government. It shows they have no inkling of their responsibility to the people of Victoria. It shows they have not taken notice of the lessOn of the history of the past nine years. It shows even that they are too dumb or too paralysed to learn the lessons they would learn from a walk down the street or a look at the Bulletin polls: these people are being rejected by the people of Victoria because they are finan<;ially and politically paralysed; they are incapable of and unwilling to deal with the problems that face our State and they will be rejected at the next election, whenever it occurs, because of that failure. Labor is incapable of overcoming the State's problems. The government is internally riven, with Ministers disloyal to the Premier and Ministers publicly speaking out against the Premier. We have a factional-based government which is internally divided with even the factions dividing. Mr Gavin inteijected. Mr STOCKDALE - They were not sufficiently divided for my liking. The factions were divided against themselves and the Premier's own faction, the people who cobbled SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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together a deal based on the socialist left faction, are now internally divided with the rump split away and joined with the far right to preserve factional deals and preselections.

Can they deliver policy change? Are they united in their perspective on privatisation? Are they united in their perspective on industrial relations change and the need to cut government spending? Are they united in their desire to introduce greater efficiency in the management of government? Are they prepared to tackle over-manning in the public sector in this State - together? No way, because the left will not buy it and the hard left has extracted a price which has euchred the Treasurer's faction. In order to retain his preselection, Labor unity has given up any say in the policies that are to be pursued and the Treasurer has had to sell out the people of Victoria. He is the man who went overseas to try to sell Loy Yang B. He went overseas to explore the scope for privatisation.

An Honourable Member - Who did he take with him?

Mr STOCKDALE - I do not want to go into the detail of who went with him, as was asked by interjection; I want to sheet home his lack of financial accountability to the people of Victoria and his abandonment of the interests of the people of Victoria and I, for one, am not greatly concerned with who he took with him. I am concerned about what he did when he got back. He went overseas to do the right thing and look at the prospects of getting private capital into one of the major enterprises of this State, into producing a resource this State desperately needs and may not have through the policies of the government, to avoid a 20 or 30 per cent increase in electricity tariffs.

When he went overseas to do those things he was putting the interests of the people first, albeit reluctantly and albeit driven by financial crisis, but he was at least facing up to what this State needs. He was at least doing something about reducing the drain on the capacity of the government to raise capital. He was at least trying to find people who would put capital into major economic development in this State and who would then get that capital to work effectively, to impose a discipline on public enterprise, to weaken the monopoly power of the unions in major developments and to engender competition in the energy industry, on which much of the former economic strength of our State has been based. He was doing all of those things, but what did he do when he got back?

He was under threat in his preselection so he abandoned the people of Victoria. He said, "Your interests are of less concern to me than holding onto power and maintaining my seat in the Legislative Assembly". What did the Premier do? She never had her heart in it anyway; she had to sell the State Bank because her government had so wrecked and ruined it that no-one in Victoria could afford to cover its losses, but she did not have her heart in the sorts of things the Treasurer was exploring. She was driven by crisis alone and had no perception of the value to the State of introducing competition. It was easier for her to sell out the people of Victoria, and easier for her to put her career on the line to save the Treasurer and to join in stitching together a grubby deal at the expense of the people of Victoria. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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The people of Victoria are not stupid. The people of Victoria see through those grubby deals which W A Inc. and the Royal Commission are showing to be so much a part of the deeply ingrained culture of the Labor Party that the Labor Party does not understand what is wrong with the Parkers and the Burkes, and members of the Labor Party in Victoria do not understand either. ''What is government for, if you can't help a few mates? What is government for if you can't stitch together a deal, if you can't have a secret meeting?" And if it happens to yield a quarter of a million dollars in campaign funds, so much the better, even if you were going to do it anyway, as the Prime Minister claims! Let's get together and do a deal that will help our mates, the Laurie ConnelIs and others of this world who rode along as the new business constituency of modem Labor governments but learnt a hard lesson, that the deals done then were grubby little deals done at the expense of Western Australia, at the expense of the people of South Australia and, most of all in magnitude and dishonesty, at the expense of the people of Victoria, backed up by illegal acts, backed up by unconstitutional acts, backed up by actions taken without authority of Parliament and backed up with building time bombs into the future finances of the State of Victoria, destroying the financial viability of the incoming government, laying burdens and obstacles and savage imposts on future generations of Victorians. These are the things those people will be remembered for. They will not be remembered for long and they will certainly not be remembered for anything else, but they will be remembered for the decade of strong, vibrant socialist government of this State. The Treasurer and his mob have educated whole generations of voters not to make the mistakes that were made in 1972 and 1982 - never again take the risk and commit the suicidal step of voting Labor! Never again put our future prosperity into the hands of people who have been proven incompetent in the time they have been entrusted with the sacred task of governing our State! What are the indicators of the failure of this government and its political paralysis? First of all w.e have debt reduction. We have been talking about debt reduction and the debt reduction strategy since 1984. The Liberal Party had a published debt reduction strategy which has since been adopted and further elaborated by the National Party in coalition. The coalition has a clear-cut debt reduction strategy, and we have had it in considerable detail sioce 1987. The Treasurer keeps using the words -- Mr Gavin interjected. The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr Evans) - Order! The honourable member for Coburg will get the call when his time is due. Mr STOCKDALE - We hear a lot of rhetoric from the Treasurer and the Premier about Labor's debt reduction strategy. What is Labor's debt reduction strategy? Where is it spelt out? It is not anywhere in the Budget Papers; there is no statement of principles upon which the government intends to operate. There is no indication; it is one of those SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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blind, "trust me" commitments. It is hollow rhetoric built around selling State Bank Victoria. The Labor Party's debt reduction strategy is to lose $2.9 billion and then sell the State Bank for, even on a generous reckoning, $2 billion. The Labor government has no debt reduction strategy and its ,only response to the debt crisis in Victoria is to go on borrowing as much as it can; "to fail to tackle the revenue side of the Budget; to build a huge deficit; and to sell off everything it can get its hands on. The government's debt reduction strategy is to sell anything that is not nailed down and to prise out the nails from anything that is nailed down. Its debt reduction strategy is that this year the Budget Papers will tell us what the debt reduction strategy is. If the honourable member for Coburg is not aware of it we will have someone read it for him. We know he suffers from the slight problem of not understanding the Budget Papers but we will make someone available to explain them to him. The government's debt reduction strategy is that this year it will sell $2600 million worth of government businesses and $710 million of other assets. Those figures are almost incomprehensible to people, for example, those in the public gallery of this House, and in the wider public: they could scarcely be expected to understand that in one year the government will sell $3310 million of assets. If a Tattslotto Super Draw were held every weekday for a whole year we would have to win every day to come even two-thirds of the way to matching that figure. Imagine that: if we won a Tattslotto Super Draw every day for every weekday of this year we would still raise only two-thirds of the amount the government is proposing to sell this year in assets. A figure of $3310 million worth of the people's assets will be sold and gone forever. What do we get for it? You would think that after selling $3.3 billion worth of assets we would at least get a substantial reduction in debt! You would expect the Treasurer and the Premier to go out on to the front steps of Parliament House and proclaim to everyone, "We have actually reduced debt for the first time in nine years; we will sell $3.3 billion worth of the people's assets to do it but we have brought the debt down". But what do the Budget Papers tell us: the Treasurer says that this year the State debt will go up $574 million - not down, but up! We sell $3.3 billion worth of assets and the debt goes up more than half a billion dollars. Is that a debt reduction strategy? It is a long time since I was in primary school, but when I was in primary school if you added to something it was an addition and not a reduction. Mr Gavin interjecte4. Mr STOCKDALE - We know the honourable member for Coburg has never been in any primary school; he illustrates that every time he opens his mouth and we can hear the wind whistling through his ears. The government has a debt increase strategy. God knows what would have happened if the government had not sold $3.3 billion worth of the people's assets - would the debt SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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have gone up $4 billion in one year? Is that a debt reduction strategy? That is not a debt reduction strategy; it is hollow rhetoric and lies, and it is dishonest. The government is conning the people of Victoria, or should I say "trying to con the people of Victoria", because every piece of evidence available shows that the people of Victoria are not falling for it. Secondly, what about the example of division: Lay Yang B? We have the State Electricity Commission of Victoria telling the people of Victoria that if it does not sell Lay Yang B it may not be able to finish constructing it. The government does not have the resources to fulfil even the contracts that are in place. Do not take my word for it; these are not my words. The Treasurer told the Labor caucus, ''We have to sell Lay Yang B". He went overseas to try to sell it. He told his colleagues, "It has to be sold, we have no choice". "We have to" are the famous words which indicate how the Labor Party deals with privatisation. The left-wing unions and the caucus did not accept his word. The honourable member for Springvale did not accept his word, and who knows what the honourable moron for Coburg-- The ACflNG SPEAKER (Mr Evans) - Order! The honourable member for Brighton will withdraw that comment and address the honourable member for Coburg properly.

Mr STOCKDALE - I withdraw it and accept it is grossly improper to reflect on morons in that way. The ACflNG SPEAKER - Order! The honourable member for Brighton should withdraw without comment. Mr STOCKDALE - I withdraw. This is an example of how cross-factional bickering has sacrificed the interests of the people of Victoria. Last week we read in the caucus briefing paper that there is an alternative. The people of Victoria will have to pay 20 or 30 per cent more for electricity in order to build the power station for the Treasurer to live up to l:ris preselection deal. If he does not sell Lay Yang B people will pay 20 to 30 per cent more for electricity. That will not be the Treasurer's problem. He will not be here. This government will be consign~d to the rubbish bin of history. This is a problem it has consigned to the incoming coalition government. The coalition does not resent private enterprise or believe th:! proven falsity of the socialist ethic that Labor does it better. The coalition will not quarrel with the State Electricity Commission of Victoria, which wants competition brought into the electricity industry. The coalition will not fight with the Victorian Solar Energy Commission, which says it should be privatised and corporatised.

The government is out of line with all the people of the civilised world, the Industry Commission, and the reality of what is happening in the countries with which Victoria competes in export markets and which are sending their imports to compete on our markets. The government is destroying one of Victoria's major assets, the abundant supply of low-cost electricity. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Loy Yang B will be the epitaph of the Treasurer. He saw what had to be done but could not deliver because the factions and left wing militants in the union movement would not let him embrace the latter part of the twentieth century. Thirdly, we have the sorry saga of the entry into Cabinet of one Wally Curran and the Victorian government's submission to the meat inquiry rewritten by Wally Curran. Mrs Hirsh interjected. The ACIlNG SPEAKER - Order! The honourable member for Wantima is grossly out of order. Mr STOCKDALE - We can understand her ignorance. She was not there and is likely never to be there. The fact is that when the Victorian government submission went to Cabinet it was not the submission of the then Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the former Minister of that department. It was not the submission of the present Minister. It was not the submission of the elected members of the Parliament. It was the submission of Wally Curran. Who can forget the photographs of John Halfpenny and his mates sitting around the Cabinet table with Wally Curran's figure there in spirit when the Cabinet voted on that submission of nineteen changes that Wally Curran wanted, thirteen of which were delivered? What we have here is the faceless men back again - faceless men like Wally Curran, although it is not fair to call him faceless. His is a face that is pretty well recognised as belonging to one of the puppet masters. What about the rest of them? The community knows and reviles the Halfpennys, the Gallaghers and the Currans. What about the ISydney and send them by road to Victoria than to try to SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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get them across the Melbourne waterfront. The mates of the government have destroyed the competitiveness of the waterfront industry. Indeed, the lack of competitiveness of coastal shipping is maintained by a monopoly power of seagoing unions reinforced by the power that this mob - the government - has given the unions on the waterfront and in the transport industry. The power of veto and the proactive power of Wally Curran and others is very clearly demonstrated in that sorry saga, and rightly condemned in the media. It demonstrates why the government is incapable of responding to the issues Victoria faces. Fourthly, one has to give the government marks for perseverance in the matter of transport. The government has had a number of goes. We borrowed $100 million to induce 1500 transport workers to quit the transport industry in the public transport sector. We borrowed the money and paid it out to the people and then the government rehired many of them. We ended up with a thousand more people than we started with. What have we got? A big job reduction program in public transport. The result is that Victoria has $100 million of debt that it is paying interest on and will be paying interest on for ever and we have a thousand more people than we started with. Great management; just what the State needs. That helped restore confidence in the international finance community. It is an example of the get-up-and-go government that has the answer to the State's problems. It is a damning indictment of the government and shows political paralysis. Why did it happen? It happened because Joe Sibberas writes the management manifesto in public transport. He has brought down two transport Ministers. He chairs the committee that makes all these decisions. We have got Joe Sibberas and a lot of faceless men telling Spyker, Roper, Kennan -- The ACTING SPEAKER - Order! The honourable member for Brighton should refer to Ministers by their proper titles. Mr STOCKDALE - He told the three failed transport Ministers what they were and were not to do, so we end up with Victorian public transport dramatically overmanned. It is losing $2000 million a year and providing declining standards of service to the people. The government says it is tackling that issue. I predict now that the next time we manage to get some accurate figures out of the government they will show another failure. How else would we have a 19.3 per cent blow-out in transport costs compared with last year? How could we possibly have transport expenditure increasing at nearly 20 per cent per annum if the government had the overmanning problem under control? This is a labour-intensive industry. If the government had manning under control and was tackling overmanning effectively the first place it would show is in the level of expenditure. Even with the up-front costs of reducing labour an improvement would be seen in the performance of the transport authority. The figures in the government's own Niemeyer statement are a damning indictment of the government's failure. The Treasurer and the Premier toed the ALP and union line. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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They toed the Joe Sibberas line, and the Treasurer stands condemned not just because he is the Treasurer responsible for implementing the Budget but because he sent in the hatchet team. He took control.

We remember the great publicity at the time - 11All is saved! The Treasurer has taken charge in transport". He actually called the public servants administering the system incompetent and said he would have -to step in as Treasurer to get things under control and bring the department into budget, but we have seen an increase in outlays compared with last year of nearly 20 per cent. The fifth point concerns public spending. Since 1984 the Liberal Party has put expenditure restraint on its agenda. We started the campaign in 1984 to get public recognition and government recognition that it was necessary to reduce expenditure in this State. The government actually adopted the rhetoric. The Budget speeches of successive Treasurers since 1985 have promised expenditure reduction but they were lies because in every one of those years, if one actually looks at what has been delivered at the end of the year, one finds that there has been a real increase in spending in real terms. But the Treasurer has surpassed even his predecessor's and his own previous efforts. This year we have a monumental blow-out - a deficit of more than $1000 million after eight months of operation of the Budget, and as I have already said the government's own Niemeyer statement shows that the government has not even begun to grapple with the need to reduce expenditure and not even faced up to what the Treasurer claims is a reduction in revenue. Revenue maintained in real terms is his idea of a reduction. That bodes ill for the people of Victoria as to what he plans for the next Budget. Will we actually see a real increase to cope with the fact that he cannot control his mates in Cabinet and deliver what the Budget promises? Will we see savage tax increases promised again? The only hope for the people of Victoria is that the coalition has made it clear that that will not happen. The sixth point is on privatisation generally. This State needs privatisation not just to meet the capital needs of capital-starved government businesses, but it needs privatisation to get the discipline of competition into major economic activity in this State. Over the past fifteen years figures published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that private trading enterprises in this country have returned 15 per cent on capital. They take capital, and because they are subject to the discipline of competition they actually produce a reasonable, even generous return of 15 per cent. What have public trading enterprises delivered in that time, bearing in mind that the figures are unrepresentative because they do not cover the most recent years where public enterprise returns have really plunged in this country? They show a return on capital of 2 per cent. Fifteen per cent from private sector competitive free enterprise and 2 per cent from socialism that our friend from Coburg is so ready to promote. The record is there. We need competitive private enterprise in this State, not just because it gives greater dignity to people, not just because it gives greater individual liberty but because it works better. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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That is why the Eastern European countries have abandoned socialism and communism - becaUse it does not work. It had to be kept in place with a regime of terror and secret police, and when you got to the head of the queues there was no bread there to feed your family. People in Europe have gone after freedom and efficacy. They have abandoned communism and socialism because they did not work. At the most pragmatic, practical and hard-nosed level they did not put bread on the shelves, and it is about time that this mob realised that we need competition. We have privatisation of a kind, with the selling of the State Bank, but it was sold to another government bank because the factions could tolerate that, because we could not afford to pay for it and because the Commonwealth Bank was prepared to stitch a deal together to buy it and because Mr Keating could drive it through Federal Parliament. However, we cannot get that sort of activity into competitive private enterprise because the mindless troglodytes of the Labor Party have said no, they will not allow it. Mr Gavin intetjected. The SPEAKER -: Order! The intetjections by the honourable member for Coburg are quite disorderly. I suggest he wait his turn. Mr STOCKDALE - Opposition members have the courage of their convictions. We have made clear the areas in which we consider competition should be introduced and they involve a wide range of services which have been consumed by the government: the printing office, the computer bureau, courier services, telecommunications, cleaning and catering. All of those services have been consumed by the government, and if we needed any more compelling evidence, we have the Auditor-General's report which indicated . that for the work force of the Department of Planning and Housing we employed painters and other tradesmen for the whole of last year, and for 17 per cent of the time they were paid and did no work. When will the government accept that it does not work for government to be in business? When will it contract out those remaining vestiges of construction and maintenance and not leave the struggling taxpayers of Victoria paying people to sit on their bottoms doing nothing for 17 per cent of the time? We have the obscenity of government employed painters, for nearly half of the time, sitting on their butts doing nothing instead of being out painting over the graffiti on railway stations so that the honourable member for Coburg and his mates can renew their artistic work. Why are they not out there doing something productive? Because the government is incapable of efficiently conducting business? They are just the first set of examples. There is a whole host of businesses which we will effectively sell when we are in government, not as part of a recession fire sale but as part of a coordinated strategy to engender competition and to reduce the debt in areas such as the former Victorian Government Printing Office - now the Law Printer - the State Insurance Office, and the activities of the electricity generating industry. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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We will introduce competition throughout the private sector. We will support the sale of Lay Yang B and introduce competition in other ways. We will split up the economic activities in the ports and engender private sector competition there and break the union bottleneck that is so destroying our capacity to be a competitive and reliable supplier to world markets. We will privatise workers compensation and reintroduce effective private sector competition and private sector competitive enterprise into third-party insurance. All of those areas are on the record. They are in our policy document. We will introduce competition into the Grain Elevators Board. We will ensure that the community captures the benefit in two ways: firstly, by reducing the debt from proceeds of sales. Unlike this government which sold off $3.3 billion worth of assets and ended up with a $574 million debt increase, we will actually reduce debt. Reducing debt makes sense; you can then reduce taxes because your interest bill will not be driving up taxes from 15 cent in every dollar of taxation when we were last in government to 23 cents in every dollar of State taxation this year. Even though the government has more than doubled the burden of taxation on the State the slice taken by interest has increased from 15 cents to 23 cents in the dollar. I thank the honourable member for Coburg for his interjections; they have drawn my attention to a number of points that clearly demonstrate the incompetence of the government and the absolute necessity of the policies the coalition has articulated and will introduce when in government. The seventh point concerns the sordid episode of the division in the Labor Party, the preselections -- Mr Raper - ObViously written last night. Mr STOCKDALE -It concerns the preselection battles, and the Ministers expressing reservations about the Premier's capacity to lead the government to the next election; also, a Minister being sacked or having resigned - whichever way you want to put it - for disloyalty. The eighth point concerns the monument approach. Do we have any evidence anywhere that the government has any plan to introduce an improvement in the management of the Victorian public sector? The Auditor-General has delivered a SOO-page indictment of the government's managerial incompetence but what is the response? The Premier stands up and says, "We have a socialist left bully boy who will get stuck into them". I will be fascinated to see what actually happens, not to read the glossy report or hear the rhetoric in Parliament but to see what will actually happen? Will the government do anything about getting competition into government enterprise? Will it do anything about capturing the benefits of private enterprise in the services government consumes? Will it even effectively manage what it does? No way! Everyone sees that in the Ministerial statements introduced in the House during this sessional period there is no solution to the State's problems, and nothing to indicate the government is tackling the blow-out of expenditure. There is nothing to bring us into the 21st century, lean and fit to compete in the competitive world. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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All that Victorians see are monuments - a casino, the Docklands and a whole series of glossy showcases in themselves, in the long tenn, beneficial to the State if they are effectively managed but, in the short term, offering nothing but political diversions. The Premier has hitched her star to dreams because reality is too tough for her; because reality is a nightmare for her; because access to the senior public servants of Victoria has driven reality upon her but the factions have locked her off from the solutions because the socialists - the Currans, the Halfpennys, her mates in the union movement - will not allow her to face reality. The pledge has locked her out of privatisation. Victorians have seen preselection deals stitched together on the faith of a pledge to resist the onslaught of the 21st century, to retreat into the nineteenth century, and fail to keep up with the developed economies of countries around the world that are becoming leaner and fitter through privatisation, through corporatisation, through contracting out, and through getting private enterprise to provide the solutions. What are the solutions of the government? It has a crisis in the water supply business in Victoria. The government actually has to back away from the bills it has sent out. Dr Napthine - They've gone to water. Mr STOCKDALE - Yes, gone to water in the face of the fanning communities over the water charges. The government has sold out. The Minister for Agriculture interjects and I had forgotten to mention his attack on the former Minister for Water Supply because of water charges to farmers. He sought to put himself in as Premier of the bush - perhaps a dangerous claim - by playing up to the farmers because he thought -- Honourable members interjecting. Mr Roper - Six deputy leaders in the opposition. The ACfING SPEAKER (Mr Evans) - Order! The House will come lo order. Mr STOCKDALE - Although he made comment on the water issue he is hardly an authority. I do not know that it mixes too well with laphroaig whisky and I doubt, given his complexion, that he has bothered to distil too much to mix with it. Mr Baker - Don't be a grub, it has cost you one job. Mr STOCKDALE - However, he did attack his colleague, the former Minister for Water Supply, by indicating he thought the water charges being proposed were ridiculous and contesting the basis on which they were arrived at. What was the government's response? The response was as dishonest as it is against the interests of the people of Victoria. Water authorities around Victoria have loans outstanding -many of them have long-tenn loans, and many of them have loans to pay for the infrastructure developed more than 20, 30 or even 40 years ago. Many of the loans were at 6 per cent or at very low interest rates compared with modem day standards. What has the government done? During the past month, in a series of letters to water authorities, the government has said it is calling up those loans and it will require the SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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water authorities to refinance them on the open market. The water authorities will have to repay the 4 per cent money to the Treasurer and borrow at 12, 13 or 14 per cent on the commercial market. Their costs will increase and their ability to continue delivering water to important commercial enterprises and to private Victorian households will be undermined. What has that been done for? Will the government repay the 4 per cent money? Obviously that will not happen because the government will call up the 4 per cent money; it will keep that and payoff its 15, 16 or 17 per cent loans so that it will capture the benefit for its own Budget sector and avoid the need to cut expenditure at the expense of passing the burden of refinancing those loans on to water consumers. It is another example of the government's rape and pillage, and the scorched earth policies that it is continuing with and applying as a burden upon Victorians because of the incompetence it has demonstrated over the past eight years. Victoria has been brought to its knees by nine years of Labor failure. That is why the government is being rejected by Victorians. But there is an alternative. A strong vibrant coalition government will be firmly united behind a set of policies that will overcome the crisis the government has created over time; the policies will put us in a position to be a proudly competitive economy in the 21st century. I briefly touch upon those policies. Firstly, the coalition will,redirect resources to service delivery. Quite deliberately this is a policy designed to improve accountability, to impose competitive discipline and make government more efficient; equally, to eliminate the huge growth in bureaucracy that has taken place in central government administration. Sterile bureaucracy, far from delivering services, is actually an obstacle in the way of those delivering services in schools, public transport, hospitals and other facilities that the State provides for Victorians. New programs will be funded from redeployed resources and, subject to Cabinet-agreed exceptions, all the public sector will be subjected to expenditure restraints. Genuine productivity gains will be achieved; that will produce sustainable production in outlays. There will be no more of the real increase in government spending every year. Secondly, the coalition will stop the losses. We will take the government out of the sort of adventurous posturing that has marked the. Labor years. There will be no more Victorian Economic Development Corporations and no more Victorian Investment Corporations; there will be no more Tricontinental Corporation Ltd adventures and no more handing out of money to the new constituency of the Labor Party in business. There will be no more handing out of money to the chosen few, to the mates, to the glad-handing self-promoters who had hundreds of millions of dollars borrowed at the expense of Victorian taxpayers. Thirdly, over time we will eliminate overntanning in the public sector. We will recognise the rights of public employees, but we will provide a more enriching and rewarding SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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work environment by creating a truly competitive and commercial environment where people can work to targets and produce results that are in the interests of Victorians. They will not be the butts of jokes as is the case at the moment. Fourthly, we will implement a debt reduction strategy. Numerous points in that strategy can be put under five headings. Firstly, there will be a genuine re-prioritising of government capital expenditure to ensure that we get out of the monuments business and get into providing lasting benefit -- Mr Gavin interjected. Mr STOCKDALE - The interjection from the honourable member for Coburg just shows what the empty vessel's comprehension is. I talk about monuments and he interjects about hospitals and schools - he considers hospitals and schools to be monuments. They are certainly monuments to the incompetence of the Labor government. In my electorate schools are literally falling around the ears of the students because the government has consistently reduced in real terms the money available to the schools at the coalface, at the level of the schools' interaction with the community. We have maintenance funds reduced in real terms and, consequently, not even routine maintenance has been maintained on important public facilities. We will effectively re-prioritise to redirect funds to things which are of genuine benefit to Victorian communities and not monuments to the vanity of Labor Premiers. Secondly, we will make sure that the capital that is commanded by the public sector is used effectively. We will make sure that the remaining day labour force is disbanded; that what is retained by government is used effectively, and that construction and maintenance activities are contracted out. A succession of reports have shown gains in productivity of between 30 and 40 per cent from contracting out. Thirdly, we will establish a central debt reduction agency which will oversight the general debt reduction strategy, implement the strategy, administer the borrowing program of the government, and manage debt exposures. We will also ensure that cash management is improved by adopting the suggestions that successive Auditors-General have advanced and using the expertise of the private sector to deliver more effective management of government cash flows. Fourthly, we will use private sector capital in the delivery of public infrastructure where there is a public benefit in doing so. That is a strategy which has been pioneered by the opposition and pushed forward in New South Wales by the Greiner government, and which has been belatedly adopted, at the level of rhetoric alone, by the present Victorian government. Fifthly, we will ensure that the proceeds of privatisation are used to replace borrOWings and to actually repatriate debt. The various detailed features of the opposition's debt management strategy can be grouped under those five generic headings. They represent the most comprehensive debt management strategy ever spelled out by any opposition or government in this country. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Nothing even vaguely approaching that strategy has been mapped out by the present I government.

Fifthly, the opposition will systematically pursue the contracting out of functions. We I will secure productivity and efficiency gains through things such as contracting out , school cleaning, catering services and other services to government; by contracting out construction and maintenance, government bus operations and, indeed, other parts of public transport provision; and by contracting out the catering, cleaning and other "hotel" functions of hospitals. We will investigate in every department and every agency what other activities can be contracted out. Again, a series of reports by the Auditor-General and other authorities have shown massive productivity gains from contracting out. I see the Minister for Agriculture nodding in agreement with the statement that there are substantial gains to be made there, as recognised and documented by the Business Council of Australia, among others. Mr Baker -I'm just nodding as an indication that I'm listening to you. Mr STOCKDALE -I'm paying you the courtesy of giving credit where it is due. The Minister for Agriculture would certainly recognise the value of contracting out because, at the level of rhetoric, when he was in the position of being one of the architects of WorkCare, he emphasised the value of having various activities contracted out to the private sector, and I acknowledge his role in building in the opportunity to have investment managed by contractors and to have claims management administered by contractors. It is not their fault that the system is in the shambles that it is. Sixthly, we propose the privatisation of business activities of government subject to these criteria: we would privatise where there is public benefit; we will privatise in ways which maximise competition; we will ensure employees are given preferential access to shareholdings or interests in the activities concerned; we will protect the rights of existing employees; we will ensure that we stop up the gaps in existing national trade practices and fair trading legislation to ensure that competition is maintained to counter monopoly tendencies and market dominating behaviour; and we will ensure that government monopolies are exposed to competition and remove the legislative barriers. Seventhly, we will not only corporatise a wide range of government agencies in commercial and quasi-commercial areas but, by defining performance indicators, we will subject other activities to competitive disciplines; require goals to be specified; give people the resources and the authority to meet those goals, and hold them accountable for meeting them. The principles of corporatisation that the opposition will pursue have been spelt out, among other things, in my contribution to the Budget debate in September last year. I do not propose to go over them again, but they are designed to enhance the performance of the public sector. Eighthly - and ultimately what it is all about - if Victoria is to have truly competitive industries and if family living standards are to rise, government has to be subjected to the SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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stimulus for improved efficiencies that has impacted on the Australian private sector, particularly over the past two decades. We cannot be competitive when we have a workers compensation system that costs 5 per cent of payroll in this State. We cannot be competitive when in every aspect of the State taxation base we are uncompetitive because our industries pay higher unit rates of taxation than their competitors in other States and countries. We cannot be competitive when we have a ramshackle centralised wage fixing system which has even delivered turmoil to the community now, when the reward for effort, commitment and productivity gains and changes in work practices are separated from the people who have to deliver those things through the centralised system. We want to see compulsory unionism broken down, to cut out the chocks of conservative forces in the trade union movement and the troglodytes on the extreme left. We want to see more competition in our industries and we want to see enterprise bargaining to put back together effort and reward so we can say to Australians, uIf you work to improve the performance of your business, to win new markets, to hold the markets you have, to become competitive and increase our export capabilities, and maintain the domestic market to protect us against imports, you will gain", so that there is motivation to make us truly competitive. We have announced an education policy that ensures equal opportunity for every individual and recognises not only the true worth of every person in our society but also delivers a dramatic increase in the skills base of our work force. 1bat is a fundamental requirement if we are to regain competitiveness; if we are not to continue to slide down the scale of world living standards and become Paul Keating's banana republic; if we are not only to preserve the markets that we have and protect them from the emerging markets in the Asia Pacific and other regions and the emerging economies and new markets for value added goods; if we are to stop sending out of this country raw wool and unprocessed minerals, and if we are to add value to them in Australia. As the industries in those emerging economies become more sophisticated and as their work force standards of living develop, the market patterns change, and new markets for processed food and other goods open up in Australia. These are the things that this government has abandoned us to. We had just been through a period of strong and sustained growth, but the opportunities of those years have been squandered during a decade of failure of Labor at the national level and particularly at the Victorian level. An alternative is available. Clear policies have been spelt out. A clear mandate is being sought from the people of Victoria. There is every indication that the people will give the new government a stronger mandate than ever before. Mr Gavin - Strong leadership! Mr STOCKDALE - They will give that mandate not only because they are disenchanted with Labor and because they recognise the strength and viability of the SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

1554 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 23 April~991

alternative coalition government but because, unlike the owners of the prattling voices coming from the government backbench, they recognise the seriousness of the situation we face as a nation and a State. The people recognise the need for fundamental poliqy change. The positive policies of the coalition I have spelt out today will work because Victorians not only support them but also demand that they be implemented. The people of Victoria are demanding that we face up to the crisis the government has wrought, that we recognise the need to be internationally competitive, and that we give them a message different from the message given by the Prime Minister of Australia.

The Prime Minister stands condemned because in the final analysis he says, "People of Australia, join with the Labor Party and drive down our living standards". That message has been rejected by the Australian Council of Trade Unions. It has been rejected by the people of Australia. It is a message that was never viable as a means of rebuilding a strong and vibrant Australia with a commitment to excellence.

The coalition has an unqualified commitment to excellence. It will deliver the policy changes the people want. The end result, after a period of rebuilding from Labor's disastrous experience, will be to deliver to the people a nation and a State of which we can be proud to be part anywhere in the world. I long for the day when a strong, vibrant coalition government, through many terms, has not only returned strength to the Australian community but has also rebuilt a State we will be proud to proclaim anywhere in the world - a State that is recognised as having a strong economy and will make one boast, "I am proud to be a Victorian".

Mr GAVIN (Coburg) - Honourable members have just heard a 9O-minute speech on the old policies of the old Brown leadership. It has been a repetition of what we have been hearing for far too long. The speech was not well delivered, perhaps because the honourable member for Brighton is not certain whether he is the shadow Treasurer. He has lost his position as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party and, therefore, is in a state of turmoil. He was obviously not aware of the new policies that will be implemented by the new Leader of the Opposition, so he had to rehash his former speeches that took up to 3 hours to deliver -fortunately today's speech took only 90 minutes. The honourable member is awaiting the decision of his new Leader as to whether he will be on the front bench and, if he is, what portfolio he will have. I am sure he will be invoking the help of Mr Kroger to assist him in staying on the front bench.

Despite his poor contribution today, I do not think the honourable member has much to worry about. There is not much talent on the opposition backbench so he is likely to stay on the front bench. Whether he stays as shadow Treasurer is another matter.

The scuttlebutt is that the honourable member for Portland is out and the honourable member for Ballarat North is in. The new Leader is considering what he will do with the honourable member for Forest Hill. If they are the only changes, the honourable member for Brighton will stay on the front bench. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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As I said I am not sure whether the honourable member is thle shadow Treasurer, but he spent a lot of time complaining about the government selling; assets. That was strange because last year in his speech on the Budget he went throug~ a long list of authorities and agencies - what he called candidates - to be considere(d for privatisation. Today he added a few more to that list of authorities which, if he remaiins on any future Liberal government front bench, will be privatised. The honourable nnember gave the impression that in the first three months of a coalition government it willi sell, sell, sell and not care much about the delivery of services. A coalition government will flog off everything that can be mogged off because it wants to assist private industry and contractors. If the coalition gets; into office it will be important to have public disclosure of election donations legijslation because private contractors will reap the benefits by getting all the work at dneap prices. A Liberal government will get its hands on public assets and provide jobs for the benefit of contractors and not for the public good. A future Liberal govrernment would flog off everything to its mates. If that occurs it will be important to lnave public disclosure of political donations legislation in Victoria to protect the publi(c interest. On that theme I relate my comments to the portfolios of the t\\.finisters for consumer affairs and labour because I am concerned that insufficient mumbers of inspectors are available to check on retail companies wilfully breaking the Haw on Sundays. The government should take more action to stop people who are persistently and wilfully breaking retail trading laws. I ask the Ministers for labour amd consumer affairs to urgently take up this issue. In 1985, when debate on this subject was last before the Victorian public, it was a major issue. At that time the current Leader of the National Party cllaimed the Victorian Liberal Party had been offered $500 ()()() to deregulate shop trading hlOurs. I refer to an article in the Age of 12 January 1985 that is relevant to today's develop,ments. The article by David Broadbent states:

A National Party claim that big firms offered the Victorian Liber~al party $500 000 to deregulate trading hours has created new tensions between the potential cmalition partners. The claim has prompted the Liberal leader, Mr Kennett, to demamd an apology from the National Party and has underlined the fundamental differences lbetween the parties on the trading hours issue. Differences between the parties were exacerbated yesterday when the National Party leader, Mr Ross-Edwards, said the Liberals would have to change some pollides before a coalition could be formed. The National Party member for Benalla, Mr Pat McNamara, was; reported last week in the Benalla Ensign as saying that Benalla's existence could be threatened by extended trading hours. Mr McNamara was reported as telling lunchtime shoppers at Be?nalla that the Liberal Party had been offered $500 000 by big firms to deregulate trading hours. The Ensign quoted Mr McNamara as saying: "If that offer is still about, then I believe Liberals are selling out the interests of small business and the consumer.'" Yesterday Mr Kennett said the charge was absolutely baseless amd irresponsible. He said Mr McNamara should produce some evidence for the claim or immtediately make a public apology to the Liberal Party. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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The current Leaders of the National and Liberal parties had a difference of opinion on whether $500 000 was offered to the Liberal Party to deregulate trading hours. Clearly one of them was misleading the public. The question to be answered is which one. One of them is not suitable to be leader of a political party. The Leader of the Liberal Party said the claim was irresponsible and alleged that the honourable member for Benalla was not fit to be a member of Parliament. The story developed a bit further -- Mr Evans - You're supposed to be talking about Supply! Mr GAVIN - I am talking about the need for the Ministers for consumer affairs and labour to provide more inspectors to investigate retailers breaking the law. You weren't here when I commenced my speech. The DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Noms) - Order! I ask the honourable member for Coburg to address the Chair. Mr GAVIN - An article by Penny Debelle in the Herald of 12 January 1985 under the heading "Lib anger on shop claim" states: Outspoken National Party member, Pat McNamara, has put his role in any future coalition State goverrunent on the line over his claim of a $500 000 offer by major retailers to the Liberal Party to extend shop trading hours. The opposition Leader, Mr Kennett, today angrily called on Mr McNamara to produce evidence or apologise over the claim reportedly made at a lunchtime gathering in Mr McNamara's electorate of Benalla. "If Mr McNamara wants to be considered part of any team - coalition or any other - he must immediately put up or apologise," Mr Kennett said. Mr Baker - A division! Mr GAVIN - There is certainly a division between the two Leaders. Mr EV ANS (Gippsland East) - On a point of order, I direct your attention, Mr Deputy Speaker, to clause 2, which provides that the Bill comes into operation on 1 July 1991. In view of the fact that it does not come into operation until then it appears irrelevant for the honourable member for Coburg to be rehashing events of years ago. Surely he should be relating his comments to matters that are relevant from 1 July 1991. Mr GAVIN (Coburg) - On the point of order, the honourable member for Brighton spoke for some time on what has happened during the past nine years and so surely I can make reference to a dispute between major political Leaders and explain why I want the government to take more action on shop trading hours. The DEPUTY SPEAKER - Order! I do not uphold the point of order. I believe what the honourable member for Coburg was saying was relevant. Mr GAVIN (Coburg) - The article continues: If he can put up any evidence, obviously I will be more than surprised because we know of no offer involving any amount. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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If he cannot produce evidence, he must apologise most profusely - He was referring to the Leader of the National Party -

There is no other course for him if he wants to retain any sort of credibility as a member of Parliament. Mr McNamara - What seat are you standing for? Mr GAVIN - I am pleased the Leader of the National Party is present. I was directing his attention to a particular occasion when he said the Leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party was misleading the public. The article explains why the two Leaders did not get on well and why the Leader of the National Party claimed there were 500 000 reasons for the liberal Party changing its mind over shop trading hours and why it supports shop trading on Sunday. It would be in the public interest for both Leaders to admit who was telling the truth. Given that the Leader of the Parliamentary liberal Party said the Leader of the National Party should apologise and that he was not fit to be a member of Parliament, the Leader of the National Party should respond. It was claimed that he was sent on holidays. The media could not follow up the issue because the Leader of the National Party was on holiday and was unable to be contacted. I am willing to be convinced if the Leader of the National Party can produce some evidence that the Leader of the Parliamentary liberal Party was not telling the truth. The Leaders should explain about the incident and whether they are prepared to support the public disclosure of donations for political campaigns. I have asked the Minister for Consumer Affairs and the Minister for Labour whether they will provide more resources to tackle shop trading on Sundays, which is breaking the law. It must stop. The Leaders of the opposition parties should explain their behaviour over the $500 000 which was supposedly donated to the liberal Party. I now turn to public transport. Improvements are needed in the outer suburban areas. Honourable members may not be aware that the State and Federal governments have been discussing whether we should have sprinters operating on the non-electrified lines in the outer suburbs. In recent years these vehicles have proved their usefulness. They were first used in England. There are now many classes of sprinters available in Western Europe. They cost 50 per cent less to operate than locomotive-hauled trainsj they have a driver's compartment at each end and they are self-shunting. Their maintenance costs are reduced because they require less maintenance and components are easily replaced. They can operate as a single or multiple unit, with up to eight carsj they are driver only operated; and they are faster than other vehicles on non-electrified lines - they travel from 120 to 160 kilometres an hour depending upon their class. They are relatively lightweight and therefore cause much less wear and tear - with corresponding savings - on tracks. They are provided with a public address system and cab-to-cab communications. They are also provided with track-to-station radio. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Sprinters should be introduced in Victoria, especially in the outer suburbs such as Melton and Sunbury so that those who want to live in the fresh air can travel quickly into the city. They would afford a little disruption to the timetable because they travel much faster than any other vehicle available. Given that peak period V/Line facilities are stretched to the maximum because all carriages are required, new vehicles are needed. I suggest sprinters would provide a fast service to such places as Melton and Sunbury. I hope the Federal and State governments make a decision about this matter shortly. Another public transport matter is the Bulla bypass road. Currently most honourable members would be aware -- Mr McNamara - Is that in Coburg? Mr GAVIN - It is very close to Coburg. Bulla needs a bypass road because currently the Bulla-Sunbury road is regarded by Bulla residents as a death trap. Over the past five years three deaths and 28 accidents leading to people requiring hospitalisation have occurred. Residents believe many more accidents have occurred. I wrote to the Minister for Transport about this issue and he has already indicated that he is willing to reduce the speed limits along this section of road through the Bulla township to 60 kilometres an hour. He is prepared to provide additional warning and speed limit signs and to also improve the road skid surface resistance. I put it to the Minister that in the long term a bypass road must be built so that the residents of Bulla will be able to do right hand turns in their main street. I hope the Minister will continue his talks with his Federal counterpart to see whether the Federal government will provide the funding to build this necessary road. I shall be campaigning for this improvement in the months ahead. Recently the Minister opened up a new stretch of highway on the other side of the Bulla and Sunbury area which extends the Calder Highway between Keilor and Diggers Rest. A $14 million extension has made the route safer and has reduced travel time making a much smoother traffic flow in peak periods and allowing access to many local attractions including the Organ Pipes National Park and the Calder Park raceway. The Minister for Transport also announced a further extension of the Calder Highway that would bypass Diggers Rest and extend just beyond Sunbury. The 6.5-kilometre bypass will be a four-lane highway separated by a landscaped median strip which will prOVide better traffic flow for motorists and will be of assistance to people living in the Melton and Sunbury areas. The project has been developed in consultation with the shires of Melton and Bulla and will play an important part in eliminating the notorious accident black spot on that stretch of highway. It is hoped the project will be completed by late 1994 and, as with the extension of the highway that was opened last month, will be completed well ahead of schedule. Last month the Minister for Health announced that the Greenvale Centre will be preserved for all time, an announcement that was overdue. The Minister also indicated SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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that during the next decade twelve new 30-bed community nursing homes will be constructed which will benefit the suburbs of Broadmeadows, Keilor, Coburg, Melton, Sunbury and surrounding districts. The government's decision to preserve Greenvale reassures the employees of that establishment, and the Shire of Bulla. Similarly, the announcement of the provision of new community nursing home beds allays the fears of elderly people in the area and indicates that the government is planning for the future. The government has issued a draft business plan asking for community consultation on improvements to the plan. Another recent government announcement that deserves plaudits is that a family resource room for the Goonawarra Community House will be funded under the Urban Land Authority's urban infrastructure program. The family resource room project has received $50 000 in funding, and the room will be a link between an existing maternal and child health centre and a proposed child-care centre in Goonawarra. The family resource room will provide extra services for children, such as play groups, parenting courses and a mothers' support program. The two new services will provide a coordinated children's service building in Goonawarra, a worthwhile community project that has been well received. The government has also announced that government agencies, regional bodies and municipalities can apply for further funding for urban infrastructure in June. Although the honourable member for Brighton, who mayor may not be the shadow Treasurer, made a 9O-minute address rehashing old policies that mayor may not be the policies of the new Kennett leadership, it was a poor address. The government is taking action during this Supply period that will be of considerable benefit to Victorians, and I call upon the Kennett leadership clique to announce its new policies, because it is obvious that the Liberal Party did not like the policies of the Brown leadership clique. I ask the new leadership of the liberal Party to indicate to the public what it has told its caucus colleagues will be the new policies of the Liberal Party. They must have different policies, otherwise the liberal Party would not have dumped its former Leader, the honourable member for Wonthaggi.

The speech by the honourable member for Brighton was not one of his best because it was not one of his better days. The honourable member woke up this morning expecting to remain the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, but now he is not sure what his future holds. I hope the leadership of the liberal Party takes advantage of this debate to tell the public what it will promise the people of Victoria whenever the election will be.

Mr McNAMARA (Leader of the National Party) - The Supply Bill is a disaster. It authorises Supply for the four months after the end of the financial year on the basis of an unchanged policy and therefore only compounds the financial mess that Victoria is in. The first Kirner Supply Bill has proved to be nothing more than a tissue of lies and misconceptions. Up until February 1991 the deficit of the Consolidated Fund was $1041.5 million. It was never intended that the Budget would balance. It was a glorified public relations exercise, and the government has done everything to keep it on track and to defer liabilities for future years. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Payments for schools, buses, libraries and so on have been d~ferred until the end of the financial year. Revenue has been brought forward and the sale and lease-back of rolling stock have continued. If it were not for the $100 million received from selling the trains, trams and buses in the first months of this financial year, the deficit would have been $1141 million. Despite the funny-money deals the government is still unable to make things add up, so it is again cooking the books.

The Labor government lied to the people before the 1988 election when Victorians were told that everything was fine, that there were no problems with the State economy and that the government knew where it was going. Yet within a matter of months after that election the economy began to unravel with losses firstly by the Victorian Economic Development Corporation, its winding up, and the passing of its responsibilities to the Rural Finance Commission.

If Victorians thought that was the end of the financial fiasco, they were wrong, because not long after that State Bank Victoria collapsed and was sold. Virtually every Victorian school child, not just now, but for decades, has developed saving habits through the State Bank. Now, of course, Victoria no longer has a bank but in its place it has more than $1 billion in debts from Tricontinental. The Premier is carrying on the same discredited policies of the former Premier, the honourable member for Bundoora.

The Supply Bill indicates the financial collapse of the economy in the section where it authorises the Treasurer to make interest payments. The payments authorised for the Supply period are 65 per cent of the total payments for the year. If the Bill really represented the unchanged policies of the Kirner government that figure would be only 35 per cent. Even allowing for the one-off change from the special appropriation to the annual appropriation in respect of the financial agreement and housing agreement debt, the figure for interest payments is still approximately 50 per cent of the total interest figure. That is because the government has stopped paying interest on the massive State debt and is refinancing the debt as it falls due by pushing the payments past the end of the financial year.

One of the discoveries of the committee that inquired into the illegal $35 million interest swap through Merrill Lynch International (Australia) Ltd was that no interest payments were made last financial year after 28 March. I have no doubt that that is happening again, and the proof lies in front of the House in the form of this Bill. It is a fraud! The frightening aspect of the measure is that not only has the Labor government so bankrupted the State that it cannot meet its interest payments but also it is not servicing any of the debt-like arrangements.

For many years the National Party has been concerned about the massive unfunded liabilities built up through superannuation schemes. It has now been discovered that $1.1 billion is owed to the State Superannuation Fund because the government does not have the cash to payout lump sums. In addition, it has forced the Emergency Services Superannuation Scheme to borrow more than $200 million because the government has not met its commitment. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Many other funny-money arrangements, which is another term for debt, have been cooked up by the shysters in the government to evade the requirements. of the Australian Loan Council. The most notorious of those arrangements is the sale and lease - back of railway rolling stock. Some 70 per cent of Victoria's rolling stock is now owned by Germany and Japan. I am not talking about new stock; in most cases it is old rolling stock, and the shadow Minister for Transport, the honourable member for Mornington, will deal with that matter in more detail. The mechanics of the financial deals and the sale and lease-back arrangements were constructed to push liabilities as far as possible into the future. It is clerur that the government will use every measure possible to ensure that it does not pick up the liabilities and that they are set in place as bombshells for the future coalition government. In the case of deals negotiated in 1989-90 there is a deferred rent compo)nent equating 48 per cent of initial cost. Some $300 million will have to be found by the c(oalition government in 1997. The Auditor-General has rightly found that the decals were undertaken only to finance the Consolidated Fund deficit and are just amother form of borrowing. The Federal Treasurer, Mr Keating, would like that matter brought to a head because it obviously cuts across the guidelines set by the Federal Labor governmemt. No wonder the Prime Minister has said that the best thing that could happen so far as me is concerned would be the removal of this inept government led by Premier Kimer. She has not turned around the fortunes of Victoria; she has led it deeper into the mire. Mr W. D. McGrath - What about the Minister for Transport? He is :hopeless. Mr McNAMARA - I was just speaking about transport matters. Thle lease-back arrangements will remain as a legacy to the maladministration of the Mfinister for Transport and the debt with which he is saddling Victorians. He may blUry his head in the racing form guide and pick a few tips, but that will do him no good .. He must start to answer the real questions the opposition is asking regarding what he w'ill do about the huge debt he is creating. He is pretending not to hear me, but he must r1espond to that question. The list of deferred liabilities goes on and on. In 1992 it is likely the coallition government will have to find more than $700 million to buy back the units of the Vicctorian Equity Trust. The 1980s was the decade of the so-called entrepreneurs, and the~ Labor government was of the same ilk. That decade was all about debt financiing and bizarre equity raisings designed to maintain control without ownership. Such alction brought about the downfall of Adelaide Steamship Co. Ltd, AIan Bond and Lamrie Connell, and it is precisely what is bringing about the downfall of the government. Regulatory authorities are now moving towards more and more disclo$ure. They forced the consolidation of accounts of the Adsteam group so they would be a(ccountable to shareholders and the banks, and the annual reports have been upgradeed under the new Corporations Act. The provisions controlling the cross- shareholdings amd reverse takeovers have also been tightened. At least the private sector has leam\t the lessons of the SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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19805, but that is certainly not the case with the Victorian government. The cover-up in this State continues, and the butchered corpse of the doctrine of disclosure lies on the floor of Parliament. The government is not prepared to disclose to the public precisely what is Victoria's financial situation. If there is a hallmark of the government it is the way in which it has failed to disclose the truth and detail to all Victorians the real financial situation of the State. The cover-up goes back not just for the past six months but for the nine years during which the Labor Party has been in government. In my capacity as the shadow Minister for Tourism I have followed the investigation of the funding arrangements for the World Congress Centre. The Treasurer negotiated a classic funny-money deal with overseas finance houses and guaranteed the stream of revenue into the next century. He committed hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of the taxpayers of Victoria and did not bother to tell them. In fact, he has gone out of his way to ensure that Victorians do not find out the truth about the congress centre and the fact that the management company was set up as a limited liability company so that annual reports would not have to be filed with the Australian Securities Commission. Parliament is not getting the true picture. Transcripts of evidence of hearings of the Estimates Subcommittee of the Economic and Budget Review Committee show Ministers evading the questions. The cover-up is on a massive scale, and at a hearing of the Estimates subcommittee, it was put to the Treasurer that the total cost of the congress centre was close to $400 million. The Treasurer did not accept that figure, but he has still not told the subcommittee or Parliament what he believes the real figure to be. Similar responses have been made to documents issued by the shadow Treasurer detailing the extent of losses and liabilities and the increase in the debt over the past nine years. The Treasurer attacks those figures but he has never informed anyone of what he believes is the real figure. I return to my condemnation of the practice of the 1980s of privatising ownership but maintaining control. There is no better example of that than the World Congress Centre. The government does not own a majority share in the management vehicle, but it exercises de facto control through the use of friendly shareholders. That approach is to evade Loan Council arrangements. How much longer can that be allowed to go on? It continues even today. The crucial issue of the Loy Yang B power station is to be handled by selling the power station to the private sector with the government maintaining control. That is exactly the sort of shoddy deal that gave the entrepreneurs of the 1980s their bad reputations and Victoria a bad reputation and a low credit 'rating. This government has not even stopped at outright illegalities when deferring liabilities to evade the scrutiny of Parliament. It was the work done by the Auditor-General that picked up the $35 million interest swap deal. That was investigated by an all-party Parliamentary committee, which found that deal to be illegal. The deal was done because the government did not have the money to pay its bills or to service its mammoth debt. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. I) BILL

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The Auditor-General has made it clear that he will have to take some recourse if the Parliament does not legitimise what was an illegal borrowing outside of the Budget without the authorisation of the Parliament - that funny-money deal through Merrill Lynch where the government had to get a quick fix in August-September last year and borrow $100 million in two amounts of $65 million and $35'million. He has put the $65 million to one side at this stage but he has queried the $35 million.

The only recourse he can take is to seize the superannuation entitlements of the Treasurer and the public servants involved in the deal-I am not sure whether one of the officers present is in that category; for his sake I hope he is not - and put a lien on the wages of the Treasurer and the officers involved. It is important that this matter is resolved and that the government adopt a more up-front position, rather than the present situation where it is looking at ways to avoid liability. The matter should be debated by the Parliament and Parliament should decide whether or not to authorise that matter.

There are dozens of examples of funny-money deals and deferrals of liabilities, and I have already placed most of them on the record. The most eagerly awaited book after the election of a coalition government will be the report of the committee that will conduct the full audit of all State finances; only then will people discover exactly what the true debt position of Victoria is. That will be a matter of priority for the coalition government's Treasurer and Minister for Finance. When in government the coalition will map out a system of recovery for this State and only after it has obtained the full details will it be able to start that recovery process.

The first task of a coalition government will be to identify and deal with the state of Victoria's finances. The coalition has been working hard on its policies and it looks forward to implementing them in government.

In the area of police and emergency services its policies will once again make Victoria a safe place to live. I am concerned about the increase in the number of violent assaults, particularly against women. There needs to be a greater police presence to help protect the community. At the moment police numbers are in the vicinity of 9600 to 9900, depending on how one counts those figures. In its first term of government the coalition is committed to increasing police numbers.

The present restrictions on the powers of police also need to be addressed. It seems nonsense that police have more power in dealing with a motorist on the road than they do when dealing with a criminal leaving the scene of a crime. Police on traffic duty can pull up a motorist and demand his or her name and address but a person leaving the scene of a crime on foot can refuse to give his or her name and address to the police if requested.

There needs to be a more practical method for police to deal with taking fingerprints, and they need to have power to take photographs of suspects and to require people to take part in line-ups. Those are the tools of trade that the police want clarified. In the past people have assumed that the police had those powers but, as a result of various SUPPLY (1991-92, No. I) BILL

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interpretations by the courts, questions have been raised about those powers so that Parliament has a responsibility to clarify those matters. A coalition government will examine the question of encouraging university graduates to join the Police Force in areas of specialist skills. The issue of part-time policing needs to be addressed again. Many police have been well-trained but have for various reasons left the Police Force - perhaps in the case of female members they have left for reasons of maternity leave - who would like to return and carry on their policing roles, perhaps on a part-time basis. That is something a coalition government will look at.

The matter of police equipment also needs to be addressed. The measures introduced regarding firearms policy need to be closely looked at. The reforms that have been introduced in New South Wales should be scrutinised to determine whether they are appropriate for Victoria.

The provision of fire services needs to be on a more professional basis and we need to encourage the great work of the volunteers, particularly in the Country Fire Authority, and the reforms that are currently going on in the Metropolitan Fire Brigade. I am heartened by the degree of cooperation that seems to be occurring between the chief fire-fighting services; it is something the coalition government will be encouraging.

The 1980s have certainly not been kind to rural Victoria or to the Australian economy as a whole. Under Labor governments, both Federal and State, Australia's trading position has worsened markedly because of the so-called deregulation policy followed by the Australian Labor Party.

It is time to examine the rationale of a fair trade policy as distinct from the so-called free trade philosophy that has brought us to economic chaos.

We need to consider some of the problems that continually undermine economic growth in this country. One that has been singled out is high interest rates. The value of the Australian dollar also needs to be addressed.

It must be recognised that Australia's currency has been manipulated on the international scene. The size of Australia's economy would not rate in the top ten in the world, but there is evidence that so far as trading in our currency is concerned ours is in the top five currencies traded. Many people in the currency market use the Australian currency as one to deal in and that has kept our dollar at a high level. It needs to be brought in at a more appropriate rate.

People have to understand that the rural community, particularly in Victoria, is suffering a double burden. It is suffering the downtuin in major commodity prices such as wheat and wool prices, and it is also suffering the incompetence of this government and the effect that that has had in compounding the economic downturn. It has made the alternatives for employment in many country towns evaporate. Many farmers or their wives would like part-time work to assist in ensuring that they get through the tough times, but work is not available. SUPPLY (1991";92, No. 1) BILL

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We need to look at the effect on our general direction in tariff policies as a nation, a matter that has real concern for me. A major manufacturer in my electorate has made it clear that, if the Button philosophy is pursued, he will have to look seriously at moving his whole operation offshore. He currently employs approximately 165 people in the plant and, when discussing with me the proposal to scrap the tariffs, he told me, ''We have had offers to move to Thailand where we can get a factory site, a work force that will work 77 hours a week and we would have to pay them 45 cents an hour". The manufacturer to whom I spoke said, "The other alternative is Indonesia, where we can move to Jakarta. The work force will work for 66 hours a week, and the payment is $1 an hour." Australians must decide as a nation whether we want to bring the country back to the level of enjoyment of life that is achieved by the work forces in South-East Asia. The Federal government should make such an announcement. If the government wants to ensure the maintenance of the lifestyle Australians have now, a different approach must be taken. It is all very well to say that free trade across the world is needed; all honourable members would support that ideal; everyone would like to see tariff barriers around the world dropped. As a result Australia would be more than competitive with other nations. Certainly in agricultural industries the level of productivity of Australia's farmers is as good as or better than that anywhere else in the world. If we expose all our industry to exporters in South-East Asia, Australia can forget 95 per cent of its employment. As the State with the largest manufacturing base, Victoria will be the first to feel the pinch. The Minister for Transport, who is at the table, is nodding in agreement. I am sure many manufacturers in his electorate are in the same crisis situation. Australia must take a different approach and encourage improvement in productivity through genuine tax incentives. In Japan, the Scandinavian countries and Germany - where the work force is paid a wage equal to that paid to Australians - exports of manufactured products have been established. One can buy a Volvo or a Mercedes Benz or a range of Japanese manufactured products and they all compete on a world basis. Why can they compete? The answer is: because their technology is the best in the world. Recently I was talking to a chap in the cloth manufacturing business - not the newly elected Leader of the Opposition, but a person who is a major supplier, if not one of the largest suppliers, to retailers in the nation - who told a friend in the manufacturing industry, "Get offshore if you want to compete because you won't compete in Australia, particularly once all the tariff barriers are removed". The chap took offence. He said, "I have a plant with 200 personnel and I saw a similar plant of similar size in Taiwan, where they have 12 people". That is, 12 people were doing the work of 200 people. The cost of wages is not the only problem. The lack of new technology in many of Australia's secondary industries is a major problem. In the rural industry investment allowances of 120 per cent on new purchases encourage farmers to go out of their way to buy new tractors and other equipment and keep up with the latest technological advance. We are not encouraging people in secondary industry to do the same thing. The Swedes, the Gennans and the Japanese are pursuing that course and there is no reason why SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Australians should not be advancing on a wide range of new technologies, through robotics and other advances. The Minister for Agriculture has just entered the Chamber. I am sure he would like to see a manufactured product rather than greasy wool leaving Australia's shores. If governments were prepared to say to people in industry, "Get the latest technology', the situation would improve. At present some blast furnaces still operating at BHP's foundries are of pre-second world war vintage or even older. Furnaces as old as that do not exist in Germany - partly, of course, because they were destroyed through the bombing of the country, but also because they have upgraded their technology when something new could be adopted. Obviously a significant incentive is given to foreign manufacturers to adopt the latest technology. I urge the Ministers of the government to try to get that message through to Senator John Button and others. It is all very well to say that manufacturing industry has our support, but we must provide incentives so that Australian industry becomes more productive. That is the challenge for the nation. More hard times are ahead but we should seek to ensure that Australia comes out of the recession a stronger nation for it. I refer to a couple of other matters. I express grave concern about the provision of health services in this nation. In Victoria the waiting lists of those seeking hospital services are of massive length. No real commitment has been made to turn the situation around, although it is devastating for people waiting for elective surgery. At the Federal level people have been actively discouraged from taking out private health insurance. The discouragement has a retrograde effect because at least when more people had private health insurance greater numbers of those seeking elective surgery could have their operations done. One of the most disappointing legacies of this government is in the field of the provision of education. The government has indicated that it will accept mediocrity in setting the tasks for Victoria. A higher goal must be set, not just for Victorian students but also for those working in the education system. The policies enunciated by the honourable member for Prahran, the shadow Miruster for education, are exciting. They will give authority back to principals; they will allow principals to hire and fire staff; and they will enable people to be brought into the system on the basis of performance. These measures can only be helpful. Vast resources are directed to education in this State. On a per capita basis, Victoria spends more than any other State on education. However, we are not achieving the best possible result just by pouring money into the system. A former chief adviser to be government on trade investment said a couple of months ago that Victoria's edumtion was the most inefficient in the country and that savings of up to $300 million couH be achieved in that area. The issue was picked up in the editorials of the weekend newspapers. As custodians of the State's finances, honourable members have a responsibility to ensure that the best value is returned for the dollar in all areas of government responsibility, including education. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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My colleague the honourable member for Mornington will deal in some detail with matters relating to transport. The huge levels of losses under the current administration are of grave concern to the opposition. When members of the government were in opposition they criticised the then Liberal government's transport policies. At that time some $300 million was lost on public transport. Now, with'the figure approaching some $2000 million, hardly a whimper is heard from members of the government. I refer to another challenge, relating to my area of responsibility - the tourism industry. It is worth reminding honourable members that tourism is one of the largest industries in Australia and provides a significant opportunity for employment as it is labour intensive. Investment in tourism in Victoria must be encouraged. It will stimulate economic growth not only in the tourism industry but also, through the establishment of new projects, will give a fillip to other industries, including the building industry. A higher level of input from those involved in the industry must be encouraged, to ensure that it develops a proper course of promotion - that is, the one the industry wants - and that, as a result, it becomes productive. That would be better than the Minister for Tourism having the bright idea under the shower of trying to soften the blow of losing the State Bank by creating a nice, warm-feeling Melbourne Now campaign, spending $3 million or $4 million of taxpayers' money on nothing more than a public relations campaign to hide government failures. Such political intrusions into the way we market our State must cease. People from the industry who know what is needed must be involved in the presentation and marketing of Victoria. I am gravely concerned about the lack of direction shown in the Bill. It offers no hope of change, and for that and other reasons the Bill stands condemned. Mrs HIRSH (Wantirna) - In supporting the Supply (1991-92, No. 1) Bill I shall talk about the government's continuing achievements in the provision of decent and affordable public housing - a record that is second to none. Over the years the number of public housing units has increased from 2000 per annum in 1981-82 to more than 3500 in 1990-91, a significant achievement in an economic climate that has favoured deregulation and the private sector. Importantly, in the past nine years the Labor government has recognised the needs and concerns of women when making decisions about public housing. In the 1930s the then Housing Commission was concerned primarily with bricks and mortar, its performance being judged almost solely on the number of houses provided. All honourable members will be aware that in the 1930s the then State Bank of Victoria encouraged the provision of affordable housing for workers, but they may not be aware that in the 1930s there was a woman member of the then Housing Commission whose job it was to examine the social implications of the commission's decisions. After her retirement no women were involved in the design of public housing and other policy decisions until the Labor government was elected in 1982. I remember well the fiasco of the building of high-rise flats in the 1950s and 196Os, a decision supposedly made in good faith to provide decent housing for people living in SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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the slums of the inner suburbs. I have seen much of the public housing propaganda of the time, some of which featured the then Premier, Sir Henry Bolte. Once women started talking about what they wanted in public housing, the disadvantages of living in high-rise units became obvious; nor, it was discovered, did women enjoy living in what I term the ghetto developments established in the late 1950s and early 1960s in places such as Broadmeadows and Doveton. Until 1982 liberal governments had a policy of not providing any public housing in the outer eastern suburbs. A person who needed public housing was forced to live in the inner or western suburbs on one of the large ghetto estates that I have mentioned. Since coming to office in 1982 the Labor government has had a policy of buying houses scattered throughout neighbourhoods in various suburbs for rent by people who need them. The government's public housing policy has given women what they say they want: affordable housing and security of tenure. One of the excellent programs implemented by the government in mid-1988 was the establishment of an advisory committee on women and housing, which meant that for the first time in Victoria the public housing needs of women were formally recognised. The then Minister appointed a community-based committee to advise him on women's housing needs, concerns and ideas. It was the first time that governments had specifically asked women about their concerns in this area. I recommend to honourable members a report called Speaking ofHousing, which contains the thoughts of 1000 women on public housing and which was compiled after wide-ranging consultation. The government is committed to a thorough examination of the recommendations of the report; the Minister, in particular, has seen the report and has responded positively to it. I do not know what the opposition would do if it were given and required to act on such information. In the early 1980s women who were poor and faced with difficult circumstances had absolutely nowhere to go. A woman who was subject to violence in the home found that there was nothing she could do. Based on the opposition's record when in government I am horrified to think what would happen to Victorian women facing hard tiines and in need of public housing because they are not well off, are young and no longer living at home or may not have the parental home to fall back on. One of the most significant achievements of this government has been to describe violence in the home as a crime. Our Police Force now recognises that and appreciates that a woman who is treated violently at home is the subject of criminal activity and that the intervention of police officers is therefore appropriate. That was not the case before the Labor government came to office, and it is to this government's credit that that change has occurred. . A woman who has been subjected to violence at home and who is forced to leave can take advantage of the refuge program funded by the government, an important interim measure. From time to time women constituents and women from other areas who are afraid of returning home because of the violence they face contact my office asking where SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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they can go. The refuge program provides a safe place where they can go on an interim basis and establish a safe future for themselves and their children. In the longer term another wonderful and innovative program of the government is the provision of priority home finance. In the past when a woman finally escaped from domestic violence at home she lost the marital home and her children were uprooted from their neighbourhood and their schools at a time when they needed whatever stability they could get. It is very hard for a woman and her children to move to another area because at such a time of upheaval a woman needs her own network of friends and neighbours to support her and the whole family needs to retain some sort of dignity and safety in their lives.

Therefore the priority home finance scheme is one of the best innovations of the government. If a woman who needs to leave the marital home because of marriage breakdown, violence or any other form of persecution against her, has been a home owner in partnership with a spouse or partner she can apply to the Ministry and fairly quickly gain affordable home finance. If she thinks it is in the best interests of herself and her family to stay in the marital home she may buy the partner out or she may buy another house in the same area.

Often she has some equity and she possibly does not need as large a house as she previously lived in. In fact I have a constituent who has signed the papers today to sell the marital home. She will be buying a smaller three-bedroom home not far away. Her children will be able to stay at the same school and she will be able to stay in the same job and keep in touch with her family. I should not want to see such a program as this go down the drain, which I imagine is likely to happen if the opposition did at any time gain government, because it would be a tragedy for Victorian women.

A range of other programs with which the government has been involved would possibly also disappear. For instance, the opposition's education program is quite horrifying and it is quite important for the government to continue to implement the positive programs and policies that are in place. One aspect of the opposition's education policy is discipline. It is one of the areas of education about which I know a great deal because many years ago I was involved in creating school discipline policies. I was involved in the abolition of corporal punishment which, however one might like to disguise it, is violence.

If parents want to smack their children that is their own business although there is a fine line between a parent smacking a child and the sort of violence that parents under stress can inflict. What we might call a hiding might deteriorate into a dangerous and violent episode. I have seen the results of that on many occasions and it is of concern to me. For anyone but a parent to physically assault a child is just not on. It is wrong and should never happen.

The opposition's education policy does not mention the standards it would set to allow teachers to teach and students to learn nor does it mention how it will implement school

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codes of conduct and so on. The government's 1989 discipline procedures provide guidance for schools on detention, suspension and other sanctions that can be applied. The bad behaviour of children in school is invariably based on a child's low self-esteem and the inability to learn the material provided. That is for a range of reasons. Maybe the material is too hard but with class sizes as they are teachers usually can and certainly should be able to address the individual's education needs at whatever level is being worked. However, when a child cannot learn despite the fact that the material is in order, it is often to do with some sort of emotional state, usually anxiety, sometimes anger that prevents learning. In order to facilitate a child's learning, fear is certainly no way to go; fear of punishment will not help a child to learn. The proper way is to gain the trust and confidence of the child at an individual level - and that is hard work - and free up that child emotionally so he or she can then learn. The child's problem is usually based on the home and the family. Apart from a child with brain damage or other sensory disability that interferes with learning - and that child requires special assistance - any other child is capable of achieving any level of excellence that he or she desires. In my view there is no limit to the ability of children to learn whatever they want. They need teachers who are understanding and they need to feel they are valued. That is a primary need at home and it is up to schools wherever possible to maintain a close relationship and liaison with home. A sentence in the opposition's policy concerns me:

Students leave school without gaining the basic necessary numeracy and literacy skills, let alone any appreciation of our cultural heritage. I find that an extraordinary statement. The Australian Council for Educational Research testing has shown standards of numeracy and literacy skills have not declined. I am aware of the studies because in my previous profession I was involved in Ferntree Gully with numeracy and literacy testing over a number of years and found there was little difference over time. In fact there was a srrlall increase in numeracy and literacy skills among primary school children. When children leave school without basic skills it is usually because they have missed crucial teaching and it is absolutely essential that support services be provided to enable these children to make up any educational deficits in knowledge they may have. Any child or adult can learn to read and write effectively. The VCE is an excellent innovation. I was a member of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Board for the first three years of its operation and I took much pleasure in being on that board and great pride in assisting in devising one of the best senior school programs in the country. The old HSC, with its emphasis on a 3-hour exam at the end of the year, was a most discriminatory means of assessing students. Depending on learning style some students can do exams and some cannot, and depending on learning style some students benefit from an academic education and some do not. All young people should be involved in both academic and technical components of learning. All students should use all the SUPPLY (1991-92, No~ 1) BaL

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different learning modalities - all the different sorts of learning - to gain access to knowledge. That is what the VCE does. At about Form 3 level children used to be divided up into groups. The bright ones, so to speak, went to high schools. It was often said, usually of a young man, "He's not too bright but he's good with his hands" and he was then shoved off to a technical school, which limited his potential. There is a need for specialisation and young people usually show a propensity towards different areas of work once they leave school, but to force children of 12, 13 or 14 years of age to specialise by streaming them off into so-called technical or academic areas is wrong. It may have been all right to do so in the seventeenth century when people matured a little earlier, but in the twentieth century people's brains tend not to mature until the age of 17 years so early specialisation limits their future potential. I congratulate the government on its provision of top-class educational facilities. I refer in particular to schools in my area. I believe the honourable member for Forest Hill has turned up from time to time at the Wantirna Primary School, an old rural school that has been rebuilt using a top design. Compared with the way children were educated years ago and the facilities in which they were educated, the buildings provided by ~ government are first class. Knox Gardens Primary School is another example, and the $500 000 upgrading of the Knox secondary school is another. I look forward to the Minister for Education and Training approving the upgrading of the Wantima South Primary School sooner rather than later. It is another small rural school which has grown like Topsy and in which students are currently housed at below average standard. I look forward to approval for the rebuilding of stages 2, 3, 4 and 5 shortly. I also refer briefly to the important issue of transport in the electorate I represent. The road duplication that has taken place, which had not commenced when I was first elected in 1985, has gone ahead in leaps and bounds. Almost all the major roads are duplicated now. I have noticed that the duplication of the final section of Mountain Highway from Fiveways down to Burwood Highway has finally commenced. That pleases me and I know people in that part of Wantirna will also be pleased. I also look forward to the provision of pedestrian traffic lights at the Wantima Primary School, on a dangerous section of road, which will be upgraded to the standard of other. roads in the Wantima electorate. I also expect the Wellington Road duplication road to go ahead shortly. I look forward to the provision of the light rail extension from Middleborough Road to Knox City in the near future. I sincerely hope the Minister will consider that issue shortly. Elderly people in particular have told me loudly and clearly that they are looking forward to being able to catch a tram into the city and back. They do not mind if it takes a long time because they do not travel in peak hours, but at the moment they are unable to travel into the city, or unable to go anywhere. I congratulate the government for the fact that the trains are running on time and are clean. It is a pleasure now to hop on one of our suburban trains, which seem to be SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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running fairly well. I travel into town regularly by train and find their cleanliness makes them a pleasure to ride in. You feel much safer without any graffiti on the walls and so on. I congratulate the government on the provision of the ambulance warning lights that have been provided in my electorate. They were turned on yesterday. Their installation means that an ambulance from the efficient Ferntree Gully ambulance service can move out on to the road without the danger of hitting oncoming traffic, because red lights flash as they are entering the road. I fear all of those things would be destroyed if the opposition were trying to run this State, given what I heard opposition members saying.

The Winton wetlands is another wonderful innovation of the government. In conjunction with the Dandenong Valley Authority the government has reclaimed a piece of bushland in the Wantima area. There has been an increase in bird life since that area was fenced off. The diversion of Dandenong Creek back into its old path has created opportunities for pleasurable school excursions and weekend picnics for families in the urban area. People do not have to travel miles to find a piece of the countryside, to observe the bird life and enjoy a pleasant environment.

The last issue I shall mention is women and health. I have mentioned before the emphasis the government has placed on the housing needs of women. The same applies to the provision of health services for women. A number of innovations are in the pipeline, in addition to the services already provided for women. In our area we need extra midwifery services, paediatric beds and intensive care cots for infants, because it is a young area.

I look forward to the early provision of these things, which will greatly benefit the women of the outer east and the Wantima electorate, and the women of Victoria overall.

Mr COOPER (Mornington) - I join the debate on the Supply Bill more with a sense of disappointment than anything else. The Bill is very difficult to support because it shows that in Victoria we have a government which has learnt nothing during its years in office and which is going from bad to worse.

The honourable member for Wantirna referred to what she called the government's positive policies. What she likes to refer to as positive policies are an indictment of the government. Each of the sixteen key indicators shows that the government has plunged Victoria into a recession of monumental proportions.

The indicators, which show that the situation in Victoria is far worse than in any other State, are: the value of new residential approvals; the number of new dwelling units approved in the past twelve months; the value of building approvals; housing finance for owner occupation; new housing commencements; retail turnover in real terms; new vehicle registrations; private new capital expenditure, seasonally adjusted; exports by value; working days lost through industrial disputes; bankruptcies; employment, seasonally adjusted; unemployment, seasonally adjusted; persons receiving unemployment benefits; job vacancies; and State and local government charges. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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In Victoria we have a recession bordering on depression created by the government. An entire community is down on its knees looking for light at the end of the tunnel, knowing full well the government will not deliver that light. People are looking for confidence so that they can get on with their lives and invest in their businesses, knowing that while this government is in power that confidence, that light at the end of the tunnel and that belief in themselves and the economy will not be there. The Victorian community is desperately seeking a change of government: it wants a government that will produce the kinds of policies and ideas that will reconstruct the State. At present Victoria is very much in need of reconstruction. I was interested to hear the Leader of the National Party refer to the sale and lease-back of rolling stock. The government's actions in this regard are an absolute disgrace. The government should be condemned on this issue alone. Victoria's rolling stock is 75 per cent foreign owned and much of that rolling stock has not even been paid for through the original loans. One of the worst aspects of the sale and lease-back deals entered into by this bankrupt government is that, despite the denials of the Treasurer, they are finance leases. As such they avoid the guidelines of the Australian Loan Council and place the fiscal relationship between this government and the Federal government in grave jeopardy. The incoming coalition government will inherit that situation. It is something we do not look forward to: having to deal with the disgraceful performance of the government in selling and leasing back a monumental amount of our rolling stock in order to bolster recurrent expenditure. In the main the deals have not been done to raise money for capital expenditure but to bolster recurrent expenditure. That is one of the great sins of any financial manager and the government stands condemned because of it. I wish to draw attention to the situation of public transport. There is no doubt that, despite the remarks of the honourable member for Wantirna, and her belief that the system-is so wonderful and clean these days, the opposite is the reality. The honourable member for Wantirna said that as far as she is concerned it is a pleasure to ride around in a clean train that runs on time. I do not know in what State she has been getting on to a train, but it was not Victoria. All the statistical evidence and the evidence on the ground from the travelling public shows that her description of Victoria's public transport system is totally incorrect. In Victoria we have a catastrophe in public transport, a situation where costs are rocketing and revenue and patronage have plunged and are continuing to go down. That is the sad part about it: they are continuing to go down and the government and the Minister for Transport have failed to address the issues that can reverse the trend. AIl we hear from the Minister for Transport are bleatings about the fact that he is doing what he believes is his best. As the results show, it is clearly not good enough. I was interested to read an editorial opinion, published in the Age on Saturday, 20 April, concerning an Industry Commission report into rail transport in Australia. It begins: SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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All Australians are taken for a ride by the nation's railway systems, even if they never or hardly ever set foot on a train. The cost? The Industry Commission estimates it at more than $4 billion a year. This staggering sum represents, not the cost of running the railways, but the deficits that taxpayers have to meet after the users have paid their fares and charges.

Later the editorial reads:

... the commission recommends that governments let the railways act more commercially. This means allowing transport authorities to control their revenue, charges and spending; decide where and when to provide services and which mode of transport to use; compete with greater efficiency where rail has a natural advantage; and leave uncompetitive areas to more cost-effective forms of transport. It also implies that railways should be explicitly reimbursed where they are expected to meet particular community service or welfare obligations instead of being subsidised across the board, and that road transport should pay its proper share of road costs. Some of the implications are politically hair-raising, and Victoria's Transport Minister, Mr Spyker, has predictably reacted with startled hostility. The editorial concludes:

The answer to the Spykers of this world is that there are more important priorities than squandering public money on a railway system that badly needs a 30 per cent boost in its productivity of labour, capital and materials.

That editorial surely hits home and should have hit home with the government - of all governments in Australia this government should be paying attention to that editorial and should have paid more particular attention to the report of the Industry Commission.

As the Age says in its editorial: all we got in Victoria was a predictable reaction that it is all too difficult. Recently we have had the appalling spectacle of the Minister for Transport stating that the enormous losses of public transport in Victoria - finally he was admitting to $1.2 billion of losses in the last financial year - are the price you have to pay for having the best public transport system in Australia.

I can just imagine the laughing that went on in trams, trains and buses around metropolitan Melbourne when passengers read that in the newspaper; it must have been the biggest joke of the day as far as commuters were concerned, to read that the Minister for Transport was describing the system in Victoria, particularly in Melbourne, as the best transport system in Australia. It clearly is not, but every time the Minister is cornered in regard to the transport losses, his only reaction is to say, "If we are going to deal with the losses, the only thing we can do is cut services". That is the Minister's answer to the losses. He is saying to the people, "If you want to have a public transport system, you are going to have to wear losses to the order of $2 billion a year".

The figures show that when all the losses, including payments to the Consolidated Fund and equity capital, are taken into account, the losses in the last financial year were to the order of $2 billion, which is $3500 a minute. The Minister is saying that if we want to deal with that we will have to cut services. Never haJ the Minister been prepared to address or face up to the real issues of why the losses are occurring. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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What are the real issues? They were identified in the report on rail transport by the Industries Commission. Many of the issues it has addressed in rail transport can be applied to the trams and buses as well as to trains. When one looks at that record and says, "These issues have to be addressed", one is dealing with massive overmanning, feather-bedding, rorts and restrictive work practices that are weighing down the system to the extent that it cannot even draw a breath of fresh air to make the extensions and service improvements that will benefit the people who ride on trams and buses and in trains. I am constantly amazed when I listen to people like the Minister for Transport and the public transport unions talking about the system as if it is one that is there for them. Nobody ever seems to address the issue of what the public transport system is there for. I should have thought at least the customer might have come into the thinking process. It appears that everything else must go by the board, including customer services, if it means addressing the real issues which I referred to a moment ago. Bodies like the Industries Commission should create an awareness in the minds of people like the present Minister for Transport and leaders of the public transport unions. It appears that has not happened. As the Age said so correctly, we have had the predictable reaction from the Minister for Transport: "Throw it away! Take it out of your mind and say you do not want to have anything to do with it because it will mean you have to face reality". The Minister is not prepared to face reality. Let us consider some of the things the Industries Commission report into rail transport came up with. It is no good anybody saying the report is out of date. It was handed down on 17 April this year so it is very much an up-to-date report. It was a study on railway system productivity and investigated railway system compound growth rates between 1980-81 and 1988-89. Of all the railway systems in Australia, the Public Transport Corporation came out the worst. Worse than that, it was the only railway system in Australia that came out showing a negative factor. Productivity rates in the railway systems between the years 1980-81 and 1988-89 showed that the Public Transport Corporation in Victoria had the lowest labour productivity and capital productivity and the worst real rates of return of any railway system in Australia. Is this the picture of a system that is under the control of the government? Is this the picture of a system that is leading Australia in management practices? No, it is quite the reverse. This is a picture that has been painted by the Industries Commission which confirms all the other data that is in the hands of the government, and much of which is in the hands of the opposition. It shows this is a system that is out of control and that has been allowed to run down. Previous speakers on the government side have paid a lot of attention to this issue. The honourable member for Coburg and the honourable member for Wantirna mentioned, as they obviously believe they need to, their delight at some of the things done by the government in the area of public transport. The people of Victoria should remember that SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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in September 1988, just prior to the last State election, the Labor Party made a lot of very specific promises in regard to public transport. I did an analysis of those specific promises and I am sorry to inform the House that of the promises that were made 44 have not been kept. They have been avoided by the government. I do not have time to mention all 44 of the promises but I want to address one or two because it is important that Victorians are made aware of the failure of the government in this area. The first one I want to refer to is the government's commitment in September 1988 that in the next four years the vision it had would provide an even more attractive and responsive public transport system to serve the people of Victoria. The government was promising a more attractive public transport system. The reality is that Met patronage has declined from between 15 to 18 per cent and has continued to decline in this financial year. In the next seven to ten days there will be some information which will show that patronage has not recovered from the very low levels of last year as claimed by the Minister. In fact, it is down, and therefore the government is not only breaking its promises from the last election but feeding false information to the community in an attempt to delude people into thinking things are better than they really are. I certainly do not believe that people who use public transport are being deluded by the false propaganda being circulated by this Minister and the government. It was confirmed that while the promise was made in September 1988, in June last year the new head of the Public Transport Corporation, Mr Stoney, said the Public Transport Corporation will complete the year with:

our worst ever financial result, our services reduced and unreliable and public support and patronage at their lowest levels since the since the 1970s. That was said in June last year. The situation has not improved since then. The words of Mr Stoney can be said today as truthfully as they were said then. In June they will be repeated because nothing has improved. That is one of the major broken promises of the government. It has failed to deliver, despite the fact it has had numerous opportunities and four Ministers to try to deliver on the promise. The second broken promise is one that will probably get a pretty decent horse laugh from public transport commuters and that was a promise that commuters will catch their trains at clean, safe, comfortable and better lit stations, many of which will be monitored by video surveillance cameras to detect vandals. Anyone who cares to ride around on the system and look not only at the trains but also at the stations will see that that promise simply has not been kept. There have been recent attempts by the government to try to deal with graffiti and vandalism but those attempts have not been satisfactory or successful and as for the question of stations being clean, safe, comfortable and better lit, if any of them are in this category, they are part of a tiny minority. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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The issue of public safety was recently examined in this House and during that debate I referred to a matter which I raise again, which illustrates what the government has done for public safety. This event occurred not all that long ago at Victoria Park Station when at about 3.30 one week day afternoon on a manned station with closed circuit television a woman was taken by a male, dragged from one platform across the railway lines to another and was raped. Nobody in this House would be proud of that event; what happened to the promise by the government back in 1988 that people would be safer in the system? It was not kept. Another broken promise related to sprinter trains, as mentioned by the honourable member for Coburg. He raised the matter in the adjournment debate last week and he raised it again in this debate because he hopes the government will introduce the sprinter trains. The promise back in September 1983 by the government was that lightly passengered country lines would be served by a new breed of rail motors or lightweight vehicles - the sprinter trains. It now appears the sprinter trains will emerge only if the Federal government funds them. The government is now in a begging mode. You cannot get anything unless the Feds kick in the dough. If the Federal government fails to provide the funds, we do not get the trains or anything else. This State has a ·government of beggars! On 9 August 1989 a news release by the government stated that in the 1989-90 Budget there would be an allowance for: ... contracts to be signed for the acquisition of vehicles to solve overcrowding on Geelong, Melton, Sunbury, Ballarat and Bendigo, Bacchus Marsh, Wallen, Seymour and Stoney Point Lines- and that operation of these vehicles would commence in October 1990. The press release was put out by the Deputy Premier, who was then Minister for Transport. On that date he said that the government would meet that pte-1988 election commitment, and that contracts would be signed and that operations would commence on all those lines in October 1990. We know from the honourable member for Coburg that that has not happened. The sprinter trains never made an appearance and the contracts were not signed. The trains are no closer today than they were in September 1988, and according to the Minister in his response in the adjournment debate the other night they will appear only if the Federal government kicks in some money to fund them. So that is another broken promise, as was the fixed rail electrification from St Albans to Sydenham, from Broadmeadows to Coolaroo, from Frankston to Baxter, from Epping to South Morang; as was the promise to increase the capacity of the Ringwood line which was announced by the same Minister, now the Deputy Premier, on 9 August 1989. In that news release the then Minister for Transport said we would be getting-double decker trains running out on the Ringwood line. They have never appeared despite the fact that on 7 November 1989 the then Minister said that tenders had been called for. What has happened? Where have they gone? Have they just disappeared into thin air? It appears so. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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The government is big with the promises around election time but after an election the promises are never heard of again; they just disappear into the wind, and it is done in portfolio after portfolio. Public transport is one area in which the government cannot get away with broken promises because the record is well documented. Finally I will deal with the question of restrictive work practices. They abound in the railway system. They weigh the system down and the government simply will not deal with them. As soon as the Minister for Transport has to consider coming face to face with the leaders of the public transport unions in this State to talk to them about issues such as overmanning, featherbedding, rorts and restrictive work practices, he folds up his tent and walks away. He is not prepared to confront them despite the overwhelming evidence suggesting that he should be doing just that. It is worth putting on record the sorts of rorts that are continuing in the public transport system, which the government is not prepared to tackle. In the railway workshops if you have to drill matching holes in pieces of timber and steel you have to get two tradesmen in - one who is qualified to drill the hole in the piece of timber and the other who is qualified to drill the hole in the piece of steel. One man cannot drill the two matching holes. The Minister has mentioned putting video-cassettes on trains and stations; if you are going to take video-cassettes from trains or stations equipped with closed circuit televisions you have to get a car builder in to unscrew the seat housing the video-recorder and then you need a communications technician to actually remove the cassette from the recorder. One man cannot do it; you need two men doing the one job. That is extraordinary and very costly. Down at the Geelong grain loop they close down the terminal during smokos and meal breaks, reducing the turnaround time for trains in the grain loop, and leading to delays if queues begin to form. These breaks account for three and a half hours out of every 24 hours. Under their award, bus drivers are entitled to thirteen programmed leisure days (PLO) off per year as a result of working a 4O-hour week instead of a 38-hour week. The 40-hour week referred to is not actually a 40-hour week; it is less 45 minutes each day for signing on and signing off restrictions which means that the 40-hour week is reduced by three and three quarter hours. In other words, they work 36 and a quarter working hours, not 40 hours. This means that the result of the award condition for 13 programmed leisure days each year, each of 8 hours duration, is that they receive 104 paid leisure hours to recompense them for 94 hours of extra work which has not been performed. This system is out of control and the Minister is not prepared to address the issues that have put it out of control, and the sufferers are the taxpayers of the State and the people in the community who use the public transport system. It is not the best system in Australia; it is the worst system in Australia. All the evidence shows it to be so, and the great shame is that the government will not address the issues that have made the system SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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the worst in Australia. The Minister for Transport stands condemned for his failure to protect the taxpayers and the travelling public in this State. Sitting suspended 6.30 p.m. until 8.2 p.m. Mr HAMILTON (Morwell) - The debate on Supply is obviously wide ranging, and the many topics already covered today have included assessments of government policies in delivering a range of government services. I shall address my remarks to the Bill as it relates to the Latrobe Valley, the area I represent. I shall refer to education, transport, health and health services, and police and emergency services, and it certainly would not be appropriate for me to leave out the State Electricity Commission (SEC) and its proposals for the ownership of a public utility. The government's education policies during the past two years have seen important changes. From the time I began school in 1941 attending State schools through to 1952 and subsequently teaching in the government system, the fundamental structure of education did not change. It is only with the introduction of the Victorian certificate of education (VCE) that a major change has taken place in the school system. It says a lot for the introduction of that system that it has been grasped by the teaching profession in both government and private schools because teachers - the educational professionals - have seen the advantages of the VCE in changing the emphasis from teaching to learning. The educational process introduced by the VCE places great emphasis on the learning process of the student. That is most appropriate in today's society where education should teach children how to learn. During the course of an adult's working life a person is likely to change jobs or careers at least three times, which is different from what happened in the past. The VCE is an important example of the education budget being used to introduce major changes in the education system. Along with the introduction of the VCE, there has been a change in the structure of schools. They are now based on districts and each group of schools is able to offer students the most comprehensive educational opportunities possible. In the Latrobe Valley a pilot scheme was undertaken with the Morwell cluster of schools. Kumai Secondary College was established through four schools amalgamating to create three junior campuses and one campus for students in years 11 and 12. That caused some problems for teachers, students and parents. However, by and large, teachers have grasped the opportunity provided to them and Kumai college has become one of the leading education institutions in the country. I make a practice of talking to students who attend the years 7 to 10 campus and the years 11 and 12 campus, and their response is heartening. They see the new structure benefiting their education opportunities. Secondary schools in Traralgon are also being reorganised. Traralgon High School, a large country school of 1100 students, will amalgamate with the former Traralgon Technical School, which is now known as Traralgon Heights Secondary College. Over the past couple of years those two school communities have been involved in discussions and have decided that they will amalgamate to make the Traralgon Secondary College SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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comprising a large campus for students in years 11 and 12 as well as two campuses for students in years 9 and 10. The proposal should be strongly supported, given that it is in line with government policy. However, more importantly, the proposal is supported by the staff, councils and students of the two schools involved. The major problem is that a new senior campus needs to be constructed for the Traralgon area. It is the fastest growing area in the Latrobe Valley and the town has seen an accelerated growth pattern during the period of the Labor government. The capacity of the current school campuses is almost at breaking point and, given that one of them is in urgent need of substantial cyclic maintenance, it would be most appropriate for a new senior campus to be given high priority when the capital works budget for education is being considered. Services offered by VJUne in country areas have improved enormously. When I first moved to the Latrobe Valley the train service was irregular and slow and did not provide a satisfactory service for commuters between the Latrobe Valley and Melbourne. Over the past few years there has been a substantial increase in the frequency and standard of the rail service; certainly that applies to the travel time between, for example, Morwell and Melbourne. It is quicker for me to catch a train at Morwell and travel to Flinders Street Station, and then to walk to Parliament House than it is to drive from Morwell to Parliament House. That service is greatly appreciated by the entire Latrobe Valley community. During Senior Citizens Week, only a week or so ago, senior citizens flocked on to the trains. Many spent their time in Melbourne visiting relatives or shopping, or simply seeing the sights. They certainly appreciated the opportunity of using what is now an excellent rail service. Unfortunately the general public transport system within the Latrobe Valley towns has not kept pace with improvements that have occurred on the VJUne services. The bus services have had a number of reorganisations and now are far from satisfactory in attracting the public to make use of them. Recently I observed in 30 minutes about 100 cars travelling to one of the State Electricity Commission workplaces. About 80 of the 100 were driver-only vehicles. The cult that exists in the Latrobe Valley - as, I suspect, it does in Melbourne - is to use private cars and in most cases only the drivers travel in their vehicles. More use should be made of the more energy-efficient and economic public transport system but that will not occur until the system is improved within the Latrobe Valley. People must become used to the public transport system satisfying their needs, and providing them with easier and more attractive services than the use of their private cars. We still have a long way to go to improve the intra-town bus services in the Latrobe Valley. In terms of the Bill now- being debated, a number of anomalies must be drawn to the attention of the House on behalf of my community. In particular I concentrate on the school bus services, and particularly those taking students to and from school. Historically the school bus service has grown like topsy. Additions and adjustments have been made since 1948 when the services were first introduced to satisfy the needs of the SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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community; when small country schools closed the services were provided for travel to what were then consolidated schools.

The town of Churchill was established in 1965. The town has grown, as has its school population. Now the town has an excellent year 7 to year 10 campus coping with the first years of post-primary school but year 11 and year 12 students must travel to Morwell for their continuing education. Students in Churchill are not able to have what is a free bus

- I think 11contract bus" is the correct term - but as from next Monday will be forced to take the town bus service at a cost of $1.15 a day.

Given that many students from the town and from surrounding areas travel on a free bus, the inequity should not exist. The year 11 and year 12 students have no alternative. Many come from disadvantaged homes and the extra $1.15 a day is unreasonable. This anomaly must be seriously considered in the allocations to the education portfolio because, although the Ministry of Transport operates the buses, the Ministry of Education and Training pays for that service.

That problem is further compounded because some parents choose to send their students to the Catholic regional college in Traralgon. The many Morwell parents who decide their children should have that Catholic education consequently incur the extra bus fare. Those who have made that choice consider they are being penalised because of the substantial increases in fares. That is another area of concern for Latrobe Valley residents and students. It is particularly important these days that students are encouraged to continue with their education for as long as possible; the fewer impediments placed in their way, the better.

As to the health portfolio, the Latrobe Valley is served by two hospitals - one at Moe and one at Traralgon - that are almost equal in size. Both hospitals have suffered budget overruns. They have been unable to keep within the budgets set by Health Department Victoria. That has caused inconvenience, certainly for many elderly people who have been awaiting surgery. They may have been booked to have operations but the shortage of funds has caused postponements because of the unavailable beds. I feel sorry for those who have virtually psyched themselves prior to having their operations, only to have them deferred.

At present Health Department Victoria is examining the amalgamations of those hospitals, and the proposal that they come under the control of one board. Given the past history and debate conducted in a very healthy and sound manner on the issue, by agreement the local politicians representing all parties in this Parliament have said they were not qualified to make judgments in the health field. Certainly we would not be able to make a judgment on whether an amalgamated hospital or two separate hospitals could deliver the best services. The final result of the study should be left in the hands of the health professionals, including medical, nursing and ancillary staff as well as those from the department. Those discussions have almost been completed and an announcement should be made in the next few days. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Certainly our hospitals have become more efficient because they have used their funds to have a large number of patients pass through their doors. However, demands are still being made for services within the Latrobe Valley but are not being met. The government must address that problem and ensure an even more efficient use of hospitals in the area. Recently I was disturbed to learn that what had been a successful health promotion program funded by the Health Depa.rtrOent Victoria central office in Melbourne was likely to be abolished. A person had been employed over the past approximate six years whose job it ·was to coordinate health promotion programs in the Latrobe Valley and to make efforts in an area where generally the community has failed to place sufficient emphasis; namely, the promotion of health preventative measures. Insufficient funds have been allocated to that area while too much money has been expended on the curing of illnesses once they occur.

It is important for the government to concentrate on that area and to use the educational programs and systems of funding available through the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation to promote better health; in that way, in the long run, there will be not only a large number of economic benefits but also many social benefits for our community .. I refer now to police and emergency services in the Latrobe Valley. The officers of all the services involved perform an outstanding role, as was evidenced by their response to the recent explosion in Church Street, Morwell. In that case, personnel from the police, Country Fire Authority and the State Emergency Service combined to respond immediately to the disaster and they provided the appropriate follow-up. Over a period of time in the Latrobe Valley we have had a number of calls for more police; there have been some problems within the community because of the government's policy not to become involved in the day-to-day running of the Police Force. Some two years ago a move was made by the Churchill community to have a new police station built. The then Minister assured us that the proposal had his support and that it would be put high on the priority list. Eventually it went through the police department's capital works program but it did not reach the cut-off point and, as a result, we are still waiting for the new police station. The officers at the Churchill police station are working under fairly scandalous conditions, which, I assure the House, certainly would not be accepted by many other unionists in the Latrobe Valley.

We need to ex~e these priority cases and make sure that sufficient funds are provided in the capital works budget to ensure that we can provide the services being demanded by our communities and the people who work in the Public Service within our communities. Some interesting debates have occurred in the community about how a government should go about funding capital works. That has been a fairly hot issue in regard to the SEC in the Latrobe Valley. It is an issue which Parliament and the government should address. . . SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) Bll..L

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For a considerable number of years I have been somewhat bemused by way that office accommodation is provided. When government organisations are established in regional centres - and I would imagine the same would apply when organisations are established in Melbourne - the private sector builds the accommodation and the government signs a lease; over a period, the government obtains the benefit of the use of the building and the developer receives the lease money as well as having the capital asset at the end of the lease period. Indeed, that is possibly not a bad way to go in government spending.

We have used this method to provide accommodation for only a few government departments or agencies, such as the Latrobe Regional Commission and the psychiatric services regional office - where the government has leased buildings that were purpose-built for use by those organisations - but it has been quite satisfactory. The government ought to address this issue and perhaps consider applying the same sort of philosophy in the provision of school and hospital buildings.

The Hazelwood North school council has formally written to the Minister for Education and Training suggesting that this idea could be pursued to provide its school with a much-needed new facility on a new block of land that has been bought by the Ministry of Education and Training.

The Moe City Council and developers in Moe put a proposal to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services for a police station to be built by a private developer and leased back to the police department as an obvious way of supplying much-needed accommodation for the police. That is an area that the government needs to address. Certainly it would create some activity in the construction industry; it would mean a saving to the government's hard-pressed capital works budget, and it would provide much-needed public facilities.

An argument has been extended by people within the SEC that we should privatise the Loy Yang B power station. As everyone will be aware, that proposal has created a great deal of public debate. Public debate is very good provided it is constructive and sensible and the arguments can be developed.

However, the unfortunate aspect of the debate on privatising Loy Yang B that concerns me greatly is that it has been presented as an either/ or option: either we privatise Loy Yang B or we do not build it. Indeed, I know from my experience and training as a professional that there is never a dichotomy of solutions to every problem; there is always a set of solutions. Before we come to some conclusion, as the SEC management has done, we ought to explore a range of possible solutions and, on balance and with complete objectivity, arrive at what will be the best solution in the long run.

It is most unfortunate when a debate is hijacked and one side seems to be making all the decisions. It is important that the committee which is examining the alternatives to the privatisation of Loy Yang B is able to continue its work. It is not an easy job to examine the finances and options available for an organisation as large and as complex as the SEC, SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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and it is very important that we have at least an opportunity to outline the options so that the community can understand all sides of the debate. It is very distressing to find an organisation saying to a work force, "If you don't do it our way, you're all out of a job". That is completely irresponsible. In fact, it is ridiculous. Loy Yang B power station will be built, there is no doubt about that. It has to be built to supply the electricity needs of this state. The argument is not about whether it will be built, but about who will own it when it is built and who will get the benefit of the profits that the power station will provide. It seems to me to be a very important principle that if we have a revenue-earning capacity, that revenue ought to be provided for the benefit of all the people of the State and not just for the benefit of the fortunate shareholders in the company which happens to own the organisation. I believe that is a perfectly reasonable position. Indeed, I make no apology for making that the starting point of my contribution on the privatisation of the Loy Yang B power station. The whole issue of the SEC's position has been at the centre of thinking in the Latrobe Valley and the wider area since the restructure of the SEC's work force commenced some eighteen months ago. That started just after the collapse of the National Safety Council of Australia when approximately 250 jobs disappeared in our community. They were well-paid jobs held by experts, probably the best professionals in their field in Australia if not the world. That collapse had a large impact on the people who lost their jobs and a wider impact throughout the community because of the economic flow-on that occurred when those salaries did not come in. Also during the past twelve months the Brown Coal Liquefaction Victoria oil from coal plant was completed successfully. The completion of that project cost the Latrobe Valley 250 permanent jobs as well as the associated construction jobs when it was being built. After a reconstruction of its work force some 300 permanent jobs were lost at the Australian Paper Manufacturers mill. All of those losses have been exacerbated by the 2400 job losses at State Electricity Commission of Victoria, so in the past twelve months the loss of those jobs has been a tremendous economic blow to the regional community and added to a recession creates a serious economic problem in the Latrobe Valley that will not be addressed easily. However, we must put our minds to it, not in a destructive but in a constructive manner with the community, local government, State government and, indeed, the Federal government involved in addressing the problem which is not atypical of most regional centres throughout Victoria. In the interests of humanity and the social well-being of our community it must be addressed seriously. It must be done constructively because criticism and fighting will not help communities that are desperately in need of rebuilding. Dr NAPTHINE (Portland) - I listened with interest to the honourable member for Morwell and especially to the end of his speech where he spoke about the problems of SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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unemployment in the Latrobe Valley. It is clear the problems of unemployment are being experienced throughout the State but the honourable member for Morwell failed to address the major cause of the unemployment.

The Victorian government and its Federal counterpart stand condemned for the economic mismanagement of this State and this country to the point where all families in this country are being affected by economic problems. One has only to look at the history of unemployment in the Latrobe Valley, throughout Melbourne, western Victoria and the whole of the State and the devastating effect on people who have been employed for 20 or 30 years being given redundancy packages. That is happening in this State this very day because of the policies of the government combined with the policies of its Federal counterpart.

Of serious concern to me and to all honourable members is apprentices who are being put off with nothing being done to ensure their continuing training. When recovery does occur in this country we will need qualified and trained people to help that recovery. I call on the government in the time it has left in office to address that issue and to provide opportunities for apprentices who have lost their jobs to continue their training at T AFE courses in a full-time training mode so that they can be properly trained and equipped to help us on the way to recovery in the months and years to come.

In the Latrobe Valley, in my electorate and throughout Victoria shops and businesses are closing on a daily basis. Hospital and public housing waiting lists are at record levels. Retail sales figures are the lowest in Australia and the growth in unemployment is the highest in Australia. That is being exacerbated further by the crisis in agriculture with the collapse in the wheat and wool industries and entire agricultural communities and thousands of farmers facing negative income for the next one or two years.

This country depends on agriculture for its economic well-being and it is a sad situation facing Victoria that we have this economic crisis. It is no good saying it is a recession because in Victoria it is a depression. The recession in Australia is being engineered by the Federal Labor government. Mr Keating said it is the recession we must have. We have a Keating-engineered high Australian dollar, relatively high interest rates compared with our overseas trading partners, high inflation rates and Federal government policies from which the whole of Australia is suffering, but in addition Victoria has the misery inflicted by nine years of Labor government which has added to the recession in Australia and turned it into a depression in Victoria.

Successive Premiers and Treasurers have so mismanaged the economy in Victoria that they have turned what should have been a recession into a deep depression and Victoria will have trouble getting out of it. It will take some hard medicine and some hard decisions. Unfortunately this government has failed to make those hard decisions. Even last Budget when the government knew Victoria was facing this depression it failed to take the action necessary to hy to turn Victoria around and to offer some light at the end of the tunnel. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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The government has a history of economic vandalism and waste including the Victorian Economic Development Corporation, the State Bank, Tricontinental Corporation Ltd, the increase in State debt and the failure to tackle the unions that are causing overmanning and featherbedding in the health system, community services and in the public transport system. These are the areas that have caused and added to the economic problems in Victoria and have not been addressed by the government. The consequence of that goes back to our electorates. Recently in the electorate of Portland - and it is typical of what is going on in electorates across this State - the closure of a factory is reported in this morning's Herald-Sun: CSR Wood Panel general manager, Mr Colin Forster, said the Portland factory fell victim to a downturn in the furniture industry, upon which it depends. He said the recession in Victoria was severe and had contributed to the plant's closure which will take effect in the next couple of weeks. CSR's particle board factories at Gympie in Queensland, Mount Gambier in South Australia, and Oberon and Tumut in New South Wales would continue to operate. That plant closure in Portland announced yesterday will mean 120 people will lose their jobs. That will mean 120 families will be affected and the multiplier effects will be felt through the community of Portland. The opportunities for those people to get other employment in Portland or indeed in Victoria are extremely slim when we are looking at 10 per cent unemployment. One must consider why that is happening in Victoria when the firm is keeping five plants open in the rest of Australia. One of the main reasons given to me by CSR management is that its analysis shows that the recession - I would say depression - in Victoria, will be deeper and longer than the recession throughout the rest of Australia. It is clearly the fault of this government. The government has caused the loss of those jobs at the Portland plant. That is the bottom line and is only a microcosm of what is happening right across the State. It does not matter what electorate you look at, and it is happening because of the government. Probably the worst indictment of it all is that the government is doing nothing about it. There will be no economic turnaround in Victoria while the government remains in office because it fails to admit that there is a depression in Victoria and it fails to admit its involvement in it. It is like being an alcoholic - until you admit that you have a problem you cannot do anything about it. The government is like an economic alcoholic - it has not yet admitted that it is economically incompetent and that it ought to do something fundamental about the economy. The Supply Bill and the general management of the Victorian economy suggest the government is going along the same old track. It is doing nothing to turn around the economy. The Budget is out of control. Recent figures show Victoria is facing a $1 billion deficit in the Budget this year, which can be funded only by increased borrowings. No real cuts in government expenditure are being made. The government has not tackled that issue, nor has it tackled the overmanning of public transport or the work practices of the Hospital Employees SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Federation, No. 1 branch, or the old No. 2 branch, now the Health and Community Services lJnion, which are costing the State enormous amounts of money. The honourable member for Morwell typified the situation where you have unions that control the government and the socialist left refusing to make decisions, or not letting the government make decisions that involve private capital in facilities and services for the people of Victoria. On top of that, the government is trying to balance its books, which it is not achievihg, by casino/ gambling-led recoveries, pie-in-the-sky monuments - stuff that will not deliver - and by taxation increases - the old standby for Labor governments.

Those taxation increases will not help turn around the economy. The increases in payroll tax, fuel tax, the financial institutions duty and other taxes are crippling the private sector, rather than helping it. I can illustrate that point from the portfolio I deal with. I refer to a document called An Outline of the Objectives, Functions and Structure of the Division for the Racing and Gaming Division of the Department of Sport and Recreation, which states:

The scope of the racing and gaming industries is reflected in total gambling turnover of $3.065 billion in 1986-87 which contributed $350 million to State revenue, or 10.3 per cent of total State taxation receipts.

So 10.3 per cent of State taxation receipts came from gambling revenue. That document is a year or so old. The government has updated it, and given me an addendum to the updated version, which states:

The scope of the racing and gaming industries is reflected in total gambling turnover of $3.850 billion in 1989-90 which contributed $476 million to State receipts. The contribution to State receipts from racing has increased in the past three years from $350 million to $476 million. But what happened to the percentage of total taxation receipts? Has that percentage increased by the same amount? No. The 1989-90 amount is only 9.9 per cent of total taxation receipts.

When you do the sums you find that in those three years total taxation receipts in Victoria have increased by 42 per cent. That is a disgrace, and it shows that the government is not really trying to help the private sector and the economy. It is actually trying to cripple them with further taxes and charges.

That is in contrast to the policies outlined on behalf of the coalition by our lead speaker, the honourable member for Brighton. He clearly showed how the coalition will tackle the major debt problems in Victoria. Unless we tackle that debt problem we cannot deliver goods and services to the community as people expect. We will tackle the debt problem with a program of asset sales, real cuts in government spending and privatisation and contracting out, as outlined by the honourable member for Brighton. We have a positive, concrete approach that will turn the economy around. It will not be easy, and there is no quick-fix solution, but a positive program will be consistently implemented by the coalition to turn this economy around. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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The government is paralysed. It will not make decisions that are necessary in these economic areas. It will not make the hard decisions, and while it is in government the economy of Victoria will continue to suffer. The National Tennis Centre Trust highlights the failure of the government to make decisions. The Auditor-General, in his recent April 1991 report, referred to the paralysis in decision making. Page 396 of the report states:

The Report on Ministerial Portfolios, May 1990 - That was last year's report -

included a review of the trust's operating results in 1988-89, its first full year of operations, and referred to cash flow difficulties experienced by the trust. The report also included a summation of the trust's quite complex financing arrangements which, in substance, involve a loan of $110 million and the likely payment of interest of $104.5 million in 9 years. That report highlighted a major problem with the financing of the National Tennis Centre. It also states:

At 30 June 1990, the accumulated operating deficits of the trust totalled $26 million. We have an enormous problem with the National Tennis Centre Trust. Its operating deficit actually increased. In 1988-89 it had $11.4 million worth of operating deficit and in 1989-90 the operating deficit was $12.2 million. With an injection of a government grant of $2 million of taxpayers' money, the deficit was reduced to $10.2 million. The government claims the deficit has gone down, which is absolute rubbish. It is a major problem. The Auditor-General further says, at page 398:

Without substantial contributions from the government, the trust will continue to incur operating deficits of the above magnitude, and its capacity to meet substantial future debt obligations remains in doubt. It is clear that a major problem faces the National Tennis Centre Trust. Mr Maclellan - Like Victoria! Or NAYfHlNE - Yes, like Victoria, and that problem needs to be addressed. The Auditor-General says it should be addressed now. In fact in his report last year he said it needed to be addressed then, last year. What has the government done? Nothing! It is paralysed. Mr Norris - What would you do with the tennis centre? Or NAYfHlNE - Deal with the situation. We cannot allow debts to increase. The government was advised by the Auditor-General to do something about the matter but it has done nothing. The government does not learn. One has only to look at what is happening with the Melbourne Cricket Club (Mcq Southern Stand to realise that the government does not learn from its mistakes. I shall quote an article by David Wilson that appeared in the Sunday Sun of 16 December 1990: SUPPLY (1991-92, No. I) BILL

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The State government's guarantee on the Southern Stand was given in similar circumstances to its guarantee on the National Tennis Centre. The guarantee would be called upon in the event of default. An article in the Herald-Sun of Saturday, 2 February 1991, entitled ''The Money Pit" referred to Dr Ull, the secretary of the MCC, and states: Dr un said the State government's involvement was essential to get such a large loan. "Basically you have a private club borrowing $145 million with an income stream of $10 million in total," he said. "It has no assets - the ground is Crown land - therefore you need a government guarantee. It is the only way we can get a loan. We have a situation where the government has guaranteed a loan of between $145 million and $150 million to an organisation which, like the National Tennis Centre Trust, does not have an income stream that would support the loan. That is totally and utterly inappropriate. The government has not learnt from the National Tennis Centre experience. One of the big factors in financing this was to be the sale of 74 corporate boxes on three-year contracts for $85 000 a year. How will those boxes be sold or leased in the current economic climate? An article in today's Herald-Sun, under the headline "Shortfall in AFL coffers", states: The AFL has been left with a $150 000 shortfall after failing to hire out three of its Waverley superboxes. We have the situation where the MCG Southern Stand, being financed under a $145 million to $150 million government-guaranteed loan, in the future will face the same problems that were faced by the National Tennis Centre. The government will inflict the same problems of mismanagement and style experienced with the National Tennis Centre on the building of the Southern Stand at the MCG. Will the government ever learn? It is quite clear the only way it will learn is by being taken to the cleaners, as it will be at the next election. The Auditor-General also highlighted problems facing the Tabaret: a $19.1 million overrun in establishment costs and a shortfall in actual revenue as against expected revenue - revenue of about $25 million was expected in the first three months and actual revenue was $18.4 million. In recent weeks the Tabaret has improved. I was down there the other night and I enjoyed it. I think that the Tabaret has turned around. I make no bones about it, there is an opportunity for the Tabaret to become a positive for Victoria. However it will not do that while the government continues to rip off from gamblers 12 per cent of the pool. That is the highest percentage taken anywhere in the world for this type of gambling. Mr Norris - What should it be? Or NAPTHlNE -It should be less than that: either 4 per cent of turnover, or some other ratio of winnings rather than taking a percentage of turnover. It is clear that with SUPPLY (1991-92, No. I) BILL

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the government taking 12 per cent and the TAB, trying to get a return on its investment of $33 million, probably having to take 5 or 6 per cent, the punters will be left with about 80 or 81 per cent - in the long run that will not work.

Unless those percentages are changed promptly the Tabaret will be a failure. It is up to the government to make those changes or it will kill the Tabaret. I quite openly say the Tabaret has a chance of turning itself around so long as the government gets off its backside and gives the gamblers a fair go.

In his report the Auditor-General also highlights the failure of the government to allow him, on behalf of the people and Parliament of Victoria, to conduct an audit and report on the financial activities of Melbourne Olympic Candidature 1996 Ltd. In March of this year, in a Ministerial statement on the issue, the Minister for Sport and Recreation presented half of one side of the ledger for this organisation. He outlined what the government had put in - the Auditor-General has some argument about whether the Minister fully outlined what the government had put in - but did not outline what had been put in by the public and by private organisations, and did not provide any accounting for how the money was spent. That is a travesty and is typical of what happens under this government.

The Minister said the Ministerial statement solved all the problems about the Melbourne Olympic Games bid. The Auditor-General quite rightly suggests that we need a full and proper audit to ensure that government money and the public's money was spent properly and appropriately in the bid for the 1996 Olympic Games.

As I did at the time of the debate on the Ministerial statement, I call on the government to be fair, honest and open with the people of Victoria and to allow the Auditor-General to examine the books of Melbourne Olympic Candidature 1996 Ltd. It is clear the government is trying to keep the Auditor-General away from those books because it has something to hide.

The government has wasted and continues to waste money while not taking advantage of opportunities presented to it. All the people who were employed on the Olympic committee are now employed with the special events committee and yet, in relation to perhaps the major international sporting event in Victoria - perhaps apart from the AFL grand final - the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix --

Mr Noms - What about the Melbourne Cup?

Dr NAPrHINE - I take up the interjection, the Melbourne Cup is certainly a major event. When held at Phillip Island the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix was a major event conducted at an excellent circuit and well run. Through its incompetence and mismanagement the government let the event go to an inferior course at Eastern Creek near Sydney in New South Wales, where the event was not as well managed or organised.

Mr Noms - It was a fiasco. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Or NAPTHINE - I take up the interjection, it was a fiasco, and it was a fiasco that the government allowed this major event, which attracted $40 million to $50 million in tourism and attracted attention to the State, to go to New South Wales.

Mr Norris - It was a fiasco at Eastern Creek!

Dr NAPTHINE - It was a fiasco that the government allowed that to happen. We have a government that wastes money, squanders opportunities and refuses to subject itself and its agents to proper accounting, while at the same time it is cutting back on essential services.

Portland and District Hospital has suffered a cutback in expenditure of 2.1 per cent in dollar terms, which adds up to about 10 to 12 per cent in real terms. The hospital has had to close wards and cut back services and still cannot meet its budget. Yet the Minister for Health refuses to negotiate or discuss the situation with the hospital.

One of the reasons the hospital has this huge problem in meeting its budget is because 82 per cent of people going through the hospital are now public patients. The government and its Federal counterpart have forced people out of private health insurance and into the public system. While there is a waiting list of 26 000 to 28 000, private beds are empty and hospitals like the Portland and District Hospital have visiting medical officers' fees that are driving it to the wall. Yet the government refuses to do anything about it.

A world standard ophthalmic surgeon is based at the Hamilton Base Hospital. It is good to have world standard medical experts in country Victoria and the surgeon services a huge area around Hamilton. Unfortunately patients with eye problems do not recognise State borders and the surgeon attracts patients to his practice from South Australia.

Does the government provide the Hamilton Base Hospital with additional funds in recognition of people coming from outside its normal catchment area for eye surgery? No, the government refuses to recognise that situation. The Hamilton Base Hospital has been told it has a limit of 540 eye surgery patients a year, half of whom must be private patients paying their own way. The surgeon must balance private and public patients and the people who miss out - who always miss out under this government - are the people the government pretends to care about: the elderly, the disadvantaged and the disabled. Those people miss out because people who should be on private health insurance have opted out as a result of the polices of this government and its Federal counterpart. The elderly, the disabled and those unfortunate people in our community who are not as well off financially as the rest of us are bearing the brunt of the burden either through hospital waiting lists or public housing waiting lists, yet the government pretends to care about these people. In actual fact it does not because it has failed to provide the essential services they need.

It is clear that the only way back for Victoria on the road to economic recovery is to actually provide some incentive for the community and stimulate the private sector and actually help small businesses, which are the life blood of the Victorian economy. We need to get off the back of the private sector by reducing red tape and taxation. We need SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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to help agricultural industries back to productivity and growth. The government has failed to understand this fact and is doing nothing about it. . The road to recovery is a long way off and it is a hard task to get Victoria back to economic health. It is beyond the capabilities of this discredited government because it has shown itself as being completely unable to address the issues, and as I said before they are the economic alcoholics of our society unable to recognise the problem and deal with it. The government must be thrown out and it will be thrown out at the next election so that a coalition with positive policies and a positive approach in dealing with the economics of the State can be allowed to breathe life back into the economy of Victoria and provide employment opportunities for our young and provide the services that are required by all Victorians including the disadvantaged, the elderly and the disabled. Mr NORRIS (Dandenong) - I listened with great interest to the contribution made by the honourable member for Portland. He is a young and very vigorous member of the opposition and I am sure many honourable members on both sides of the House were pleased when he was elevated to the front bench of the opposition. In the short time he has been in that position he has been a vigorous and in many ways constructive member of the opposition team. It is outrageous - if the reports are true - that because of his elevation and the elevation to the front bench of some of the other younger members of the opposition, some of the older troglodytes in the opposition parties who were put on the back bench got their noses out of joint, possibly precipitating today's coup that saw the end of the former Leader of the Opposition. Nevertheless, I advise the honourable member for Portland to stick to his guns and not to let those little ripples upset him. Having said that, I will take him to task on some of the comments he made in his contribution. As he said, jobs are the main issue for him and with the unfortunate winding down of the firm in Portland and many people thrown onto the job market I understand his concern but I remind him that when I was preselected in 1980 jobs were also the issue in this State and the unemployment rate then in Victoria was higher than it is now. I understand that ten years is possibly a long time to him at his age but at my age ten years goes very quickly. I remind him that when I came into Parliament unemployment in this State was higher than it is now and the honourable member I defeated was very active in the electorate, in desperation I suppose, to try to do something about youth unemployment. That is how big an issue it was then. In fact, believe it or not, it was a slightly bigger issue than it is now. The honourable member says the government refuses to bite the bullet and that it does not have the guts to cut government spending. Unfortunately, like most members of the opposition he concluded his remarks by demanding more government spending and this is one of the great dilemmas both in opposition and in government. You have to cut government spending, but when you do you have done the wrong thing. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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He mentioned hospital waiting lists and people waiting for eye surgery and so on. That concerns us all. We all have hospital waiting lists in our areas but you cannot have it both ways. I am interested to know which areas of government spendirig the opposition will cut. The honourable member for Portland mentioned the contribution of the honourable member for Brighton and he said the honourable member for Brighton outlined the opposition's financial strategy. I listened closely but I did not grasp exactly what the opposition's strategy was. I know he talked about cutting government spending, but again he did not tell us in what specific areas he would cut it. Perhaps a lot more specifics will come out of the opposition's policies in the future but up until now it has just been wish lists and vague policies. I am dying to see the nitty-gritty and nuts and bolts of what they intend to do. So far I have heard old fashioned conservative rhetoric about"cut government spending and let private enterprise take things over". That is all terribly vague. The honourable member made great play about the National Tennis Centre. I said to him by means of interjection - and I realise it was disorderly of me, Mr Speaker - ''What would you do about the tennis centre?" and he was not able to answer me. The honourable member for Berwick now says, by interjection, "Sell it". I do not know whether that will be part of his sport and recreation policy and whether the opposition intends to withdraw its support for the construction of the Southern Stand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground; if it is, that is fair enough, but it should be spelt out. It is easy to whinge and whine about the tennis centre but what will the opposition do about it? The National Tennis Centre is one of the greatest attributes this State has had in sport and recreation, possibly since the MCG was built. As the Minister for Sport and Recreation says, by interjection, $200 million was spent on the Victorian Arts Centre complex and we have paid that off for the Liberal Party. The Australian Open brings $30 million in one hit to the State in tourism and that is just one event.

On the National Tennis Centre trust there are some fine conservative voices. One could ask Lindsay Thompson or the honourable member for Shepparton who is also on the trust what they think about it. They are two of the greatest defenders of the tennis centre. If they heard the honourable member for Berwick say, "Sell it" they would be absolutely aghast. It is all very well to be critical but it is a great asset and if the policy is to sell it I challenge the opposition to make that fact public. Still on the issue of sport I suppose I should mention the loss of the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. That was sad, but we lost it for the highest of principles. We lost it because of the issue of smoking. The sponsors would not accept the fact that we would not allow advertising of tobacco. The event has now gone to Eastern Creek in New South Wales. I was up there on the weekend that it was run and there is no doubt that Bob Barnard has taken Mr Greiner for as big a ride as he tried to take us. Greiner is rueing the day, and even members of the opposition in New South Wales are rueing the day, that they agreed to it. Two days before it opened Bob Barnard asked Greiner for another $6 million-- SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BaL

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The SPEAKER - Order! The honourable member should refer to the New South Wales Premier by his correct title. Mr NORRIS - Two days before the event opened he demanded from the Premier of New South Wales, Mr Greiner, another $6 million because he had liquidity problems. The attendance at the Eastern Creek grand prix was well below expectations. I think on the final day the numbers in attendance were half what they expected. In other words, it has been a disaster and has cost the New South Wales taxpayer dearly. Mr Trezise - They will be back here! Mr NORRIS - I agree with the Minister; they will be asking to be back here. It was a sad day when Victoria lost the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, but it was lost for ethical reasons. The Victorian government maintained a principle stand of no advertising of tobacco, and the organisers of the grand prix would not cop it. Bob Barnard has taken the Premier of New South Wales for a ride and there has been adverse publicity in the Sydney media about Bob Barnard's operation. The honourable member for Brighton made an excellent and brave speech today. He must have been cut to the quick after what happened to him this morning, but he maintained his dignity. We will learn during the next week whether he will still be shadow Treasurer. Nevertheless, he has worked extremely hard in that position and, as the former Leader of the Opposition, the honourable member for Wonthaggi, said on television tonight, he was stabbed in the back. I dip my lid to the honourable member for Brighton, because he put on a brave face during his speech, which was full of sound and fury, but signifying nothing. Having been stabbed in the back, he may have let out of a lot of wind. The honourable member for Brighton had incorporated in Hansard a list of what he referred to as small business failures, supposedly indicating the dreadful record of the government. Approximately three weeks ago the Small Business Development Corporation said that the majority of small business bankruptcies were the fault of small business itself. I know the opposition says it is the government's fault that the shops making wicker baskets or the shops selling nuts and bolts have gone to the wall, but the corporation pointed out that the vast majority of small business bankruptcies were the fault of small business. The honourable member for Berwick is nodding his head because he knows that in the main street of Berwick shops opened selling bric-a-brac that should never have opened. If the honourable member for Berwick were asked to invest his money in those businesses he would run a mile. George Bernard Shaw, said that Britain was a nation of shopkeepers, and that adage could be applied to Australia, because everyone wants to open a shop or a small business. Many people are doing that because they have received financial packages due to early retirement and invested their lump sums in small businesses. I remind honourable members that the Small Business Development Corporation said that the vast majority of business failures and bankruptcies were caused by four factors: SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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firstly, no business plan - they think, "I'll open my doors and people will flock into my business" - which is extremely important; secondly, inadequate liquidity; thirdly, no reserves, and fourthly, no proper bookkeeping or accountancy procedures. No-one can deny, of course, that the recession has caused many business failures, but the majority of them are due to the ineptness of small business proprietors, who often believe that all they have to do to make a success of their business is to open their doors! The business people opposite know there is far more to it than that. Mr Maclellan - I can't wait to send your greens to Peter Boyle. Mr NORRIS - Feel free to do so. If Mr Boyle is offended by them I will have achieved something. I caution honourable members opposite who may be courting Mr Boyle's favours to be careful, because they may have a devil on their back. No government will ever please Mr Boyle or the small business people whom he represents. No matter what a government does it will be wrong. Mr Boyle will be demanding that government spending be reduced and that government assistance be granted to small business operators. In 1988 when it was suggested that the Liberal Party form a coalition with the National Party the new Leader of the Opposition refused because he said he would win in his own right. He targeted thirteen Labor Party seats that he was certain he would win. It is ironic that if the Liberal Party had formed a coalition with the National Party at that election the opposition may have become the government and been faced with the Tricontinental and Pyramid Building Society disasters. I have no doubt if that had occurred the community would be calling for the return of the Australian Labor Party, as is now occurring in New Zealand. Approximately six months ago the New Zealand Labour government was defeated decisively by the Bolger National Party but the polls now indicate that the conservatives trail the Labour Party by 7 per cent! A week is a long time in politics! One of the platforms of the present Leader of the Opposition is the extension of shop trading hours. All honourable members will recall that he had this incredible theory that if you abolished trading hours it would create 28 000 additional jobs. We all know there is only a certain amount of disposable family income and that will be spent whether shops are open five, six or seven days a week. I have no doubt that the honourable members for Berwick, Portland and Mornington have had shop traders telling them to stop their competitors from trading on Sundays. No-one wants to trade on Sundays because people want to be with their families. I tell the traders who come to me to go and speak to the opposition, particularly the new Leader of the Opposition, who is the propagandist for seven-day-a-week trading. Many of Mr Boyle's members are ruing the day that they supported trading on Sundays because they are taking less money by opening seven days a week than they did when they opened five days a week. The winners in the trading battle are the five large retail operators, because the strip shopping centres are dying on their feet. It is a tragedy and I blame the present Leader of the Opposition for it. As I said, he was the propagandist for trading seven days a week SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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with his theory that it would create an additional 28 ()()() jobs. Everyone knows that the household budget is limited and that families will spend only so much irrespective of whether shops are open five days a week or seven days a week. It is a world trend. All the shops in Puckle Street have closing down signs on their doors because of the policies of the opposition. The opposition decided that open slather was the way to go, and shopkeepers are going to the wall. The big business people and the establishment who backed the Leader of the Opposition and put him into power are profiting while the poor, pathetic small business people are going bankrupt. Mr COOPER (Mornington) - On a point of order, Mr Speaker, the honourable member for Dandenong has inadvertently misled the House. There is seven days a week trading-- The SPEAKER - Order! There is no point of order. Mr NORRIS (Dandenong) - I shall get off that point because it is obviously hurting members of the opposition. They do not like the truth, so I shall speak about something dear to my heart - I refer to the arts.

It is encouraging that one of the great achievements of the government is the renaissance that has occurred in the arts in this State. Mr Maclellan - Especially the State Film Theatre! Mr NORRIS - I shall refer to that later. Victorians should be proud of the arts in this State. The Victorian Arts Centre is a creation of Sir Henry Bolte and it was followed up magnificently by Sir Rupert Hamer. I always acknowledge that fact, and it is one of the great attractions of the city. Everyone who comes to Melbourne to see the centre goes away singing its praises.

The Victorian Arts Centre is a magnificent structure; it is not madly attractive to look at from the outside but it is magnificent on the inside and works extremely well. The outside of the Sydney Opera House is wonderful, but it is a disaster on the inside. It cannot even stage a full-blown opera. The New South Wales government, under the leadership of Nick Greiner, is now searching for a venue in which to stage full-blown operatic productions. The government is considering converting the Capitol Cinema, which is in the wrong part of Sydney, for that purpose. I always tell visitors to Melbourne to look through the Entertainment Guide, which appears in Friday's edition of the Age, to see what is on offer in the city. There is not a city in the world with Melbourne's population with as many theatrical attractions, concerts, musical feasts and so on.

When I was overseas approximately eighteen months ago I was particularly interested in the artistic scenes in the cities I visited, specifically those cities approximately the size of Melbourne, such as Toronto in Canada, Detroit or Milwaukee in the United States of America, and Birnlingham in the United Kingdom. Not one of those cities could hold a candle to Melbourne's arts scene. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Melbourne has at least eight to ten live professional productions at anyone time during the year; one would be lucky to find one live show in Toronto. When I was there one live show was in production, but that was the only one for approximately two months. The great city of Manchester, one of the powerhouses of the arts in the United Kingdom, had only one live theatre open, and it was a repertory theatre. liverpool, another great powerhouse of the arts, was hosting a rock concert and that was it. Melbourne is second to none on the world scene. It has the Victoria State Opera, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the Playhouse theatre at the Victorian Arts Centre, the Anthill Theatre, right down to the La Mama Theatre and the other small intimate theatres of Carlton. Melbourne has a wonderful array of theatres of which it can be proud.

I pay tribute to the Melbourne International Festival. John Truscott is no longer the director of the festival, but he did a magnificent job in turning the Spoleto Festival into what it always should have been - the Melbourne International Festival. I am sorry his services have been lost, but the festival will go from strength to strength.

The Comedy Festival has recently concluded. On Saturday evening I attended a performance of Egg and Spoon Man at the La Mama Theatre in Carlton. My daughter happened to be playing a major role. Before and after the performance I wandered around Carlton and saw the Comedy Club, restaurants and many small theatres. As I was wandering around, I wondered where else in the world one could find that sort of set-up. Or Wells - They are going broke because of the recession. Mr NORRIS - They are going through difficult times, but the restaurants and theatres were absolutely packed to the doors. After the play finished I went to Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, for supper. That has wonderful restaurants and it was fantastic. Mr Mac1ellan - How are the arts in Dandenong? Mr NORRIS - The Dandenong Festival of Art for Youth, the largest festival of its kind, is due to open in two weeks, and I hope the honourable member for Berwick will be there. When I was in Los Angeles I went to an area known as Melrose Avenue. That is the place one hears about; it has restaurants, cafes and theatres and is the chic area. I am not knocking Melrose Avenue, but if I compared that with Chapel Street in Prahran, Lygon Street in Carlton, or Brunswick Street in Fitzroy, I would be doing the Melbourne venues an utter disservice. Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles is not a patch on at least three areas in Melbourne.

Melbourne often hides its light under a bushel. This is a first-class international arts city and I congratulate the Ministers who have been responsible for the arts portfolio since the Labor Party came to power. The honourable member for Oakleigh did a magnificent job, and the current Minister is doing the same. Without a single shadow of doubt Victoria has regained its position as the pre-eminent artistic centre of Australia. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Earlier the honourable member for Berwick made an interjection about the State Film Centre. It is not playing to big audiences, but it is serving a valuable purpose because it is an outlet for young film makers. One cannot expect a return from all artistic venues, but I hope the honourable member for Berwick is not carping about Film Victoria. It is one of the great providers for artistic endeavours. Members of the opposition may have read in . today's newspapers that the two Australian entries chosen for the international film festival at Cannes were both made in Victoria and assisted in their funding by Film Victoria and the Australian Film Commission. Film Victoria is doing a first-class jqb, and I congratulate the chairperson, John Howie, and his team. I am sure they will continue with their successful ventures. Mr Evans - Why subsidise films? Mr NORRIS - I sincerely hope the arts fraternity hears that sort of interjection. Unfortunately, I have not got the time to go into it. I will tell the honourable member at another time when I give a speech on the arts why we should subsidise films and bitterly oppose the introduction of pay television. I am pleased that the Federal government has quickly put an end to any current display about the introduction of pay television in this country because it would help to destroy the Australian television and film prodUCing industry. Pay television may sound· attractive to a lot of people but in the United Kingdom it has been a disaster and in Canada it destroyed the television and film industry in one hit. In a debate on the arts I should like to explain in detail to honourable members why Australians should be pleased that the Federal Cabinet recently put an end to any speculation that Australia is on the brink of introducing pay television. It would be a disaster. I am happy to support the Supply Bill before the House and I congratulate the Treasurer on the excellent work he is doing in very difficult economic times. I repeat, not just difficult economic times in this State or in this country but difficult economic times throughout the Western World. Anybody who has watched the current American television news programs will have seen that America is having exactly the same problems - as is the United Kingdom under its Prime Minister, Mr Major - that Victoria is having. Victoria is a viable State and will come through these difficult times. With the Treasurer at the helm I have confidence that the future of this State is very strong. .

Dr WELLS (Dromana) - This is the seventh annual Supply debate in which I have participated, and this evening I am amazed to say that I find Victoria in the state it is in and the government still in office. It is almost like a surrealistic experience to find that that is the case. It is a great tribute to the democratic process that the government is still in office. Only in a democratic country could it survive in this way. It is the case that the government has killed the economy beyond imagination. It is beyond comprehension and fiction that we should be in the situation we find ourselves in. If someone were to write a novel and put in it all the things that have happened over the past six years in terms of the economic management of this State, people would not SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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believe it; they would say it was an extremist novel and not to be taken seriously, a yam for entertainment. In our experience fact is stranger than fiction and we are amazed at what has happened. The enormity of the mismanagement is so great that it has become almost too great to comprehend. When talking to many people in the community I see their eyes glaze over when they hear some of the figures that accurately describe the economic situation in Victoria.

Even among members of Parliament it is not easy to attempt to comprehend the loss of billions of dollars, to see a major State bank wiped off in just one stroke of the pen. It is clear that the performance of this government in economic terms - and that spills over into social management - is the worst in the written record of the British Commonwealth. It has the worst performance in the history of the British Commonwealth in terms of managing a modern, democratic society.

The Federal Treasurer, Mr Keating, summed it up when he said that the major national recession Australia is currently experiencing is substantially caused by the economic performance in Victoria. There are two charges I lay at the feet of the government. The first and lesser is one of gross incompetence. The second is of dishonesty. Both charges are very serious. If the government were to resign the opposition would defeat it at the next election.

In terms of the latter claim of dishonesty the Auditor-General's report - and the Auditor-General is supported by the government, the Premier has repeatedly said so - has shown year by year factual documented case histories of economic dishonesty; not just sharp practice but established and proven practice where one could reasonably interpret the facts to indicate an intention to deceive.

In terms of incompetence, every year I have been in this House the government has failed to match reality against its rhetoric because every year the Budget has been seriously different and always worse than that which the government presented at the start of the financial year. If ever there was a case for the voluntary resignation of a democratically elected government in terms of the Westminster responsibility and democratic decency, integrity and probity, this is the case in 1991 in the State of Victoria.

The intellectual case for blocking Supply by an opposition is absolutely overwhelming in economic terms and in terms of services to the people that are reduced every year. In terms of the plundering of the State's assets and the mounting of the long-term irremovable debts this is the case. Worse still, in terms of social happiness of the people of Victoria this is the case because it does spill over. I know from my work in my electorate and from moving around Victoria that people are being pinched tighter and tighter by increased taxes and the failure of services and, worse still, the loss of jobs and of lifetime assets built up which may have been put into a business which in normal times and under normal economic management and with • reasonable efficiency would have succeeded. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Finally, in terms of the effect on the present generation of honesty in government, this government has failed. What an appalling, disgraceful illustration it has set for this generation's youth. What are the youth to say about members of Parliament when they see what has happened under this government? Yet Supply is not being blocked in Victoria, largely because the government and its fellow travellers and supporters have created in Victoria an hysterical impression and atmosphere that to block Supply is unconstitutional or immoral, or both.

Democracy is a system consisting of checks and balances; they are all necessary and legitimate and have been established over a long period through costing processes. The exclusion of any instruments in this system of checks and balances weakens democracy and the social fabric of this State. Victoria is paying a fearful price because it cannot get rid of this government.

Almost every day people in the street say to me, "Why can't we get rid of them now?" I have a hard time explaining that under a democratic system of checks and balances it is a validly elected government although it hoodwinked the people in what it said when it rushed the last election. Nevertheless, it is a validly elected government which cannot easily be removed. Indeed there is only one time in the year when that can happen - at the introduction of the annual Budget. At this time in Victoria that process has been distorted and perverted by the government through its suggestion that it is either immoral or unconstitutional even to consider doing that. The coalition has indicated clearly that it will not block S~pply at this time. The opposition parties are not considering doing that.

However, I repeat that if ever there were a time and occasion when that should be considered, this is the time. I support the decision of the coalition parties not to block Supply but it is causing great anguish to Victorians.

I mention this consideration tonight because I make clear what I consider to be the immorality of the government. It was elected by a hair's breadth at the last election by hoodwinking the people; it has since forfeited its moral right to lead Victoria. Its incompetence is a legend, and its dishonesty is documented by the highest independent economic analyst in Victoria, the Auditor-General, who stands above and beyond party politics in this place.

It is greatly to be regretted that by fact or de facto means the government cannot be removed at this time and the option of blocking Supply cannot be used at this time.

The Cain and Kirner administrations have clearly failed in what both Premiers have said were Westminster responsibilities which they accepted as their guidelines. They have failed as directors of the biggest business in Victoria; it is a business that every year handles and is responsible for more than $100 billion of business. In other private enterprise businesses in Victoria directors of such a company certainly would be examined by the Corporate Affairs Commission, or its now national successor. It is possible they would be charged and gaoled. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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The magnitude of the problem is such that that statement is not unreasonable but this obnoxious government simply then does not quite print money but does the next best thing. The government increases taxes and sells off assets; it rearranges various financial instruments to assist it. It delays the payment of interest and increases interest charges upon local government while reducing its own by any stratagem it can find. It continues to find money to keep going, and it continues to waste money. It continues to mount fearful debts in the long term for our children and our grandchildren.

It is unbelievable that the government continues to be able to put off the day of reckoning. I know from many people in the community that the analysis I have just offered is the one they offer. They say, ''Why are the directors of this company not directed; why are they not gaoled?" Of course they would be gaoled only for dishonesty and that would have to be proven. Certainly its incompetence is so great that it would be very interesting to examine the honesty of its actions. Perhaps the flagship monument of the fate of the government, and something that the people of Victoria can very easily understand, is the loss of the State's very old State Bank Victoria, a bank which for more than 100 years functioned efficiently and well. The govertunent has lost it in only a few years. Not only did the government lose $2.9 billion, and receive $2 billion for it when it was sold under great pressure, but also it has left Victoria with a debt in round figures of $1 billion more to be met for the loss of that bank. Was there a Royal Commission into the loss of the State Bank? Certainly there was not. The loss of the bank alone, putting aside the losses of its fully-owned subsidiary, Tricontinental Corporation Ltd, amounted to more than $500 million so far as we have been told. Victorians have been given no explanation for that loss. That amounts to almost one primary school for every of the 210 local government areas in Victoria; that is the magnitude of the loss put in a way that Victorians can easily comprehend. We have no explanation of what happened. Federal Treasurer Keating virtually rushed in an unseemly fashion to buy the bank and bury its records in a Federal vault, presumably in Canberra. We will never know what happened. That stands as the single biggest and most easily understood monument of the indescribable economic and social failures of the government.

So much more could be said about these matters but I remind the House that tonight it heard a speech from the shadow Treasurer, the honourable member for Brighton, based upon figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Those statistics were quite unlike what the honourable member for Dandenong suggested to the House in the speech preceding my comments. The statistics used by the honourable member for Brighton were not based on loose or debatable figures but on figures from the highest independent economic Federal analyst in Australia, the ABS. I have never heard those figures seriously challenged by other authorities. They are accepted as being as neutral,

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as accurate and as fair as is possible in a complex democracy to produce and, in absolute terms of such a quality, they are routinely accepted. Those figures show the monumental failure of the government. Allow me to sketch in the macro failure of the government as deduced from those figures. For the first eight months of this financial year the operating deficit in round figures was $1 billion. Taxes have risen in every year at a greater rate than inflation - so far this year they have risen by a rate 50 per cent greater than the inflation rate. Assets are sold in increasing amounts every year. Victoria's international credit rating has been reduced and is probably about to be reduced again. Every year the people have suffered from decreased services. The government has claimed a special relationship in the industrial sector through the union movement but increased strikes have led to an 89 per cent increase during the past year. Jobs have been lost each year. The meat industry has cut jobs from 7000 to 2000. New private capital investment is down by fifteen times the quantum of reduction in the rest of Australia - that is, by 11 per cent. Unemployment is up by 95 per cent - yet that figure is on behalf of a government that trumpets justice and fairness for the people. There is no justice or fairness when people do not have jobs. As for taxes: the rate applicable to tobacco has risen by 26 per cent; the petrol tax is up by 39 per cent; and the impost on liquor has risen by 27 per cent. The financial institutions duty has increased by 42 per cent. In the past three years taxes have increased by 42 per cent. Recurrent expenditure is 30 per cent greater than the inflation figure and in the past eight months amounts to an increase of 2 per cent in real terms. Or Napthine - A disgrace. Or WELLS - It is a disgrace. That 2 per cent will be found to apply in round terms to each year the government has been in office. It has increased in real terms of expenditure by 2 per cent a year. Debt charges have risen by 15 per cent. The next increase is noteworthy: transport was losing $2 billion a year and we have seen a 20 per cent increase during the past year. I remind honourable members that that applies essentially to those living in the metropolitan capital city, Melbourne. My electorate of Dromana on the southern Momington Peninsula did not share in that; we paid our taxes towards it but we have one bus running up and down the highway and nothing else. I shall return to that in a short while. As I said, transport is up by 20 per cent. Total asset sales amounted to $3.3 billion. Over 25 per cent of the total debt accumulated in 150 years that this government inherited when it came to office - 25 per cent in one year! Yet the debt for this year, having sold $3.3 billion worth of assets, will still be up over $600 million - an enormous amount of money. Let me demonstrate what I referred to earlier, what one might call a sharp practice, a funny-money deal, dishonesty, rape or pillaging. One of the devices the government has polished up to an art form is shown by its calling up the money in water authorities that SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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have long-term loans at 4 per cent. It is forcing local government to refinance those loans at 12 to 14 per cent while the government takes over the 4 per cent facility. That means that every one of us - including those in my electorate thfit has the lowest average income in Victoria, with many people living on the breadline or poverty line - will pay extra rates for their water because the government has called in a few million dollars to help it out of its extremity. The behaviour of the government on the macro-economic level is unique in the British system of Parliaments.

Naturally people outside attempt to convert these millions of dollars referred to to something they can understand in their everyday lives.

I turn to those in my electorate of Dromana and first look at what the government has done in terms of transport. Six years ago we had one bus service that ran up and down the road by the sea, for some 50 kilometres. That is all we had then, a relatively inadequate service. The bus becomes crowded and my schoolchildren and the older people in my electorate sometimes have to stand up for long distances. That is all we had six years ago and that is all we have today; there has been no change to what we have there. .

Something that is more easily understood in respect of the failure of this government in terms of transport services in my electorate is that in nine years in government it has failed to finish one road. The extension of the Southern Peninsula Freeway still sits in the dust causing the government to spend more money because the government cannot finish the road. It has been nine years and we are still talking about a stretch of some 10 kilometres of road that the government cannot do anything about. Yet this government talks about equality, fairness and sensitivity in the management of the people of the State of Victoria. What a scandal, what nonsense, what an outright lie!

I can go better than that. The hamlet of Flinders - at the bottom of the southern PeninsuJa - is a place where people pay their taxes. The citizens are entitled to their share of what is done with the taxes but they have never had any public transport. I have talked for six years in this House about this matter. Every Minister for Transport one after the other has written to me with lame duck excuses, usually saying, 'We are having an inql1:iry". My people say, "Yes, another inquiry". Yet nothing happens and it still has not happened; Flinders has no public transport. One in three of the people in my electorate is a senior Australian. They are retired people and they need public transport to get around but it is not there.

Let me turn to unemployment. I refer firstly to younger people who work or want to work. The Western Port region, a large part of which is in my electorate, has the highest rate of youth unemployment in Victoria. Indeed, in my electorate there is no work for young people. Let us think about training so that they can get a job. Let us talk about educational and training facilities in my electorate. I can sum it up in three words: we have none. We have no vocational training in the Shire of Flinders. Where is the nearest place that they can get training? The answer is Frankston, some 30, 40 or 50 kilometres SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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away. Perhaps they could even take a train there to get their training but they cannot do that because the TAPE college at Frankston is full to overflowing. There are no businesses in my electorate where young people can undertake an apprenticeship training course. What do they do? They leave home and go somewhere across Melbourne to try to get training or a job. All of this because of the failure of this noxious government opposite. It has forced all our youngsters back into the schools this year in floods and droves and, of course, the institutions cannot contain and educate them so they are forced onto the dole if they can get it. What a future for young people in a State where a government makes great noises about equality of opportunity and outcome!

Let us look at business enterprises in my electorate. The government has a grand scheme under which it classified areas of Victoria. My electorate of Dromana was to be devoted to tourism, entertainment and recreation. In six years, despite the fact that we have paid our taxes, it has done nothing.

The government has done nothing for the coastline or for transport. It has chopped out public services, not only for my schoolchildren and retired folk but also services that might have been used by tourists who wanted to come down to the beaches and go for a swim. The government has chopped out all the services. I invite the Treasurer to prove I am wrong on this.

The government has done nothing of any significance for tourism, small business or any other sort of business in my electorate in six years. Indeed the net employment in my electorate among the major employers has decreased over the past six years.

I turn briefly to community services. The sign of a caring democratic government is what it does for its very young, its very old and its disadvantaged. That government opposite closed my early childhood development program, the only protective system I had for children at risk or in need. This government has chopped my home and community care (HAeC) facility, with all sorts of lame duck excuses. I could go on and on.

Let me turn to the hospital and health services area. The previous road ambulance only cost the government $30 000 a year; the replacement is costing over $1 million and not doing the job. Our road ambulances are not able to do the job.

The hospital itself is the greatest scandal of all in the area of health care. My hospital has 38 beds and we have had to fight to keep them open. Now 15 beds have been closed. The money allocated has been used in the first eight months of the year and so patients have to go north. The hospital at Frankston is full and people have to go to Melbourne in the hope that they might find what they need. This year 15 of the 38 beds will be closed because there is no money to keep the hospital going.

What has the government promised? An increase in beds by the year 2001! Is that two governments away from now? That is no promise, no commitment from this government, not really a single dollar's commitment from those opposite! SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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I turn then to education, something the government really had a better start with when it came to office; the system worked fairly well. The government has just rearranged the Victorian certificate of education (VCE), but not put up the dollars to back it and there are enormous problems among staff and students to keep that system going. Maintenance on schools in my electorate is collapsing around our ankles. The money is just not there to keep the fabric of schools together, just as it is not there to keep the fabric of our road system together. We are now having to break up the asphalt on the roads and return the roads to gravel; and the fabric is not there to keep the bridges going - they are falling apart, too. The fabric of society in all areas is being eroded by the government opposite, which is wasting its money on other things. As Robert Menzies said when he retired, good government is about making sure you keep the fabric of your society turning over; you keep your services and your facilities going. In terms of education, I remind the House that the government opposite has put the most enormous pressure on inadequate public libraries. It has chopped the money it contributes. It broke its promises on funding for books in libraries, and now the children are flooding into our libraries from the schools because of the change in the VCE. In financial terms - and that is all I have talked about tonight - the education system is also in great difficulty. I shall sum up with four major points. Business activity in Victoria is down; strikes are up. Services are down in Victoria; and taxes are up. That is a formula for catastrophe in this State. Coupled with the dishonesty of this government in terms of encouraging - or discouraging - our youth, that is a formula for social destruction and for collapse in this State. It certainly will be a formula for the collapse and rejection of the government opposite at the first available opportunity and, as the honourable member for Brighton said, dispatcJ:ted to the dustbin of history. Mr J. F. McGRATH (Warrnambool) - In joining the Supply debate, it is interesting for me to reflect on the times that have brought us to this day in 1991 when we debate the Supply Bill, which has indeed created much controversy over the months. When one considers ·the financial history of this government one can understand why this Supply Bill, and any other that might follow for that matter, comes under close scrutiny and why it is the subject of much media attention and speculation. The government would have to admit that its own financial performance has attracted that speculation because it is fairly clear that Victorians are generally concerned about the direction in which we are heading and about the tremendous amount of debt that has been accumulated in the life of this government. It is interesting to reflect that when the Cain Labor government came to power in 1982 there was a debt of something like $9 billion; of course, we know that today the amount is probably six or seven times that amount, or even greater. Therefore, the Victorian SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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community, and particularly the Warmambool electorate, is expressing concern to me­ and other members of Parliament, I am sure - on a regular basis. In fact, I suppose the issues of Supply and financial management have probably been the most popular subjects for discussion around dinner tables, social functions and the like, not to mention political meetings, over a long period. I am sure that as we go through the Supply documents we will be able to see the areas that have been neglected. We are living in a time when taxes are escalating and the costs of interest payments on outstanding loans are escalating; yet there is a dramatic decline in services to the rank-and-file Victorian. I refer now to the major concerns I have about the allocations to the Department of Agriculture. The financial constraints placed on that department have affected its delivery of services. There are areas in that department that, over time, have proved to be very valuable resources for agriculture in this State. Agricultural or primary industries in Victoria, particularly the dairy industry, which is strongly represented in my electorate, have shown themselves to be leaders not only in Australia but in the world, partially as a result of the extension services and advice provided by the Department of Agriculture. Of course, if one examines the history of allocations under the Labor government, one discovers that each year the agriculture department has received, at best, a recurrent budget or Supply allocation equal to that of the previous year; when one takes into account the rate of inflation, that means that the allocation has been lower than the previous year. However, in the majority of financial years, as the honourable member for Portland can testify, the allocation for agriculture has taken a downturn. That demonstrates what seems to be a very short-sighted view of an investor. An investor should consider the whole cake - that is, 100 per cent of productivity - and should recognise that agriculture provides 40 per cent of export income or more, and yet the support for the services and the mechanisms that have helped to bring in that 40 per cent of the cake which is so vital to the State is continually depreciated by this government. I have always been amazed that the government has such a short-sighted view of agriculture given the importance that it plays in Victoria's economy. It is of major concern at a time when we are having great difficulty in competing on the world markets. Given that Australia represents only 2 per cent of the world's primary industry market, it is important to recognise that we ought to provide the resources to ensure that we retain that 40 per cent within our export production and that we supplement that with increased production from secondary industry and other associated exports. However, the government has failed to recognise that. In fact agriculture has been very much the whipping boy of this government since it has come to power. It is of major concern for those of us who represent rural electorates to see the continual decline and clampdown on the necessary services. I was interested to hear the remarks of the last speaker from the government side, the honourable member for Dandenong, who always likes to talk about the arts because of SUPPLY (1991-92, No. I) BILL

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his great attachment to and activity in the arts. I understand the passion with which he deals with the arts, but I could not help picking up on a couple of things he said. For example, he asked: why should we not underwrite Film Victoria and the like? I ask the honourable member: if that is his attitude, why should we not underwrite some of the very important industries which are now stagnant as a result of the Prime Minister's March statement but which are providing positive and tangible employment opportunities? We have to be consistent if we are going to call for that sort of protection. The honourable member for Dandenong went on to talk about Actors Equity of Australia. I always think it is a bit of a nonsense to talk about Actors Equity. The honourable member outlined how great Actors Equity is, yet it is a closed shop. Actors Equity itself boasts that it does not have any members who are not Australians. I wonder how it fits in with the government's immigration policy when Actors Equity deliberately excludes and discriminates against people from overseas who may wish to come to this country and to share their talents with us and let us and their fellow colleagues learn from them. Another point I make when talking about the impact of the arts in Victoria is that over the past twenty years there has been a change of attitude among country people towards the visual arts, the performing arts and the whole range of arts. There has been a significant cultural change in country Victoria which I am pleased about. If Actors Equity succeeds in having award payments made to members of travelling performing arts groups, because of budgetary restraints they may not be able to perform in some of the magnificent arts venues throughout country Victoria.

The honourable member for Dandenong talks about the arts as if they concern only the City of Melbourne. Members who represent rural areas continually have to tell the government that there is more to Victoria than its capital city. People who live in the country make a significant contribution to the State's economy and should be able to participate in some of the niceties of life, as the honourable member for Dandenong calls them, tather than being excluded from enjoying them because of left-wing deals done about the award payments artists receive. Program No. 165 refers to an allocation for policy and human rights in the Attorney-General's Department. The department faces an enormous challenge if it is to ensure human rights and social justice for all Victorians. I again raise the situation facing the constituent of mine who recently had to endure two murder trials. His life has been turned upside down and he has been brought to the brink of bankruptcy, yet the State has provided nothing to support him while he tries to put his life back into order. I understand the difficulties involved, but there is something wrong with a legal system that makes no provision to look after a man who has had his life so disrupted. I am sure that constituent of mine, Len Squires, would question the Attorney-General's Department's commitment to human rights and social justice. It is all very well to use such fine words; but they are of little comfort to a man of 62 years of age who has had a $2 million caveat placed on his property by the Legal Aid Commission. He has twice SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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been acquitted, and his life is in tatters. The government must find ways of putting such high-sounding words into practice. One could raise many issues under the conservation and environment portfolio, the most controversial of which is the charge for water services recently imposed by the Rural Water Commission with the support of the Minister. In my electorate water charges have increased by 1250 per cent; so much for water charges being increased in line with rises in the consumer price index. The increases are outrageous and will have a drastic effect on the rural community, which has demonstrated over the years its ability to contribute significantly to the State's domestic and export production. I am interested in fisheries management because our fisheries are an important State resource. The government has failed to protect that resource because it has not used the money raised from the fishing fraternity through licences and registrations to ensure, through proper surveillance, that the industry conducts itself responsibly. The penalties for poaching abalone, which is a very valuable resource, illustrate my argument. It is well known that poachers are taking legal size as well as undersized abalone and are being fined only $200 for doing so despite the abalone they poach being worth up to $6000. Abalone poachers in South Australia, which is only 200 kilometres to the west of where I live, are treated very differently. Recently three abalone divers in Mount Gambier were fined just on $100 000, an example of the attitude the Department of Conservation and Environment must adopt if we are to protect our valuable fisheries. When we talk about conservation and environment we should be conscious of the department's failure to respond to the State's needs. Program No. 247 in the consumer affairs allocation relates to Aboriginal affairs. I could talk for an hour or more on the way taxpayers' money that is channelled into Aboriginal affairs is being abused, and successive Ministers have failed to be accountable for expenditure in this area. Dr N apthine interjected. Mr J. F. McGRATH - As the honourable member for Portland says, there can be no greater condemnation of the department than what happened at Lake Condah. No-one has been called to account for the vast sums of money that were wasted. All honourable members will agree that there are some valuable programs in this area that should be encouraged to continue, but there must be an end to the lack of accountability and the handout mentality that has been adopted over time. Such attitudes are not doing anyone any good; certainly they are not doing Victorian taxpayers any good and they are harming the Aboriginal community. Recently $140 000 was spent in Warrnambool for the purchase of a house for a sobering-up centre. The house was purchased without any consultation with either local residents or the local community and is in one of the most inappropriate places for its purpose one could find. Because it is in such an isolated place the facility will not be a success. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Time and again money is being given to members of the Aboriginal community without their being required, as part of their development, to be accountable for it and to show that they are able to balance the books. The money they are given should be seen as deserved, not as being as of right. The tragedy is that one section of the Aboriginal community is living in poverty while the other section is doing very well. One could talk for ever about education and training. Non-government schools have been a target of the Labor government for a long time. We know that the current Premier has a dislike of non-government schools, which she has demonstrated over many years. The decision to withhold recurrent funding for the schools until later in the year is yet another indication that this government, if allowed, would attempt to starve non-government schools of funds. The reality is the government did not anticipate the tremendous response and opposition it would get from the non-government education sector and it had to review the decision. The problem was it did not have any money to provide the recurrent expenditure so it told each school to go out and borrow the money commercially and the government would underwrite the interest. That is another indication of this left hand to right hand philosophy in the money management of this government. Local government is another area of major concern. Programs have been introduced into local government over the years in areas that by and large should be the responsibility of State and Federal governments. In the 1972 era when Whitlam came to power he ran around with fistfuls of money offering it to municipalities. Nothing is more attractive to local government bodies than fistfuls of money and they were happy to take up the initiatives offered to them and the fistfuls of money that went with them. The only problem was that the local government bodies did not look beyond 1972, 1973 or 1974 because when they took that money they were locked in to the responsibility for the development of those programs. They were then seen as the bodies responsible for the delivery of the programs. The government then gradually withdrew from the programs and local government had to supplement all of these services with rates or other revenue. It was cleverly done and before local government knew what had happened it had picked up the responsibility for important and significant services that should have been provided by State and Federal governments. Today local government is under tremendous pressure in the delivery of those services that are now expected from it. For example, people regard the construction and maintenance of roads as strictly the responsibility of local government. Local government has the difficulty of trying to educate the community that it is only one of three players in the road funding scenario and over the past four or five years, because of the disgraceful performance of the Hawke government since it indexed fuel in August 1983 and achieved a great rip-off in fuel tax, local government has had to continually increase its contribution until it is somewhere near 40 per cent. Local government is certainly picking up its responsibility to road funding. However, there is a plethora of classifications to road funding. Although the government has had SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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one or two committees that has considered the reclassification in a uniform way, nothing has been done and there is tremendous confusion in local, State and Federal authorities about who is responsible for what. I do not believe the State and Federal governments have the goodwill to solve that; all they do is talk about the committees they have formed whereas they have never implemented the recommendations. One can only draw the conclusion that there is no goodwill there. Why should there be any goodwill? In clouding the argument about who is responsible for road funding, each blames the other. Successive Ministers for transport, at both Federal and State level, blame each other about a shortage of road funding and while that is going on local government has had to gradually increase its contribution. If we were keeping pace with road construction and maintenance, that would be fine, but we have a rapidly deteriorating road network. In rural municipalities several roads are being returned to gravel. Surely that is a backward step. Our road network was built in the 1950s and was done as well as it could have been done but it certainly was not built for the tremendous increase in the size and volume of traffic we have today. Our road funding dollar is depreciating and it is little wonder rural roads are returning to gravel. Many of our 10 000 bridges in the State are ready to be declared unsafe because they are of the old timber variety and they cannot last forever. Leaving aside Telecom, Australia Post and others, our road network is one of the most important issues in this nation because it allows our goods and tourists access to the nation. We have a responsibility to maintain our road network at a satisfactory level. I have not dwelt on the road safety aspect but the importance of good road surfaces cannot be over-emphasised. Another issue is planning and housing and the provision of home ownership. As a result of State and Federal government policies and directions in the past few years the availability of home finance has suffered a tremendous decline. Young married people aspiring for home ownership have been thwarted by high interest rates. Owning a home is still regarded as the great Australian dream albeit now it is a dream more than a reality. lbat reminds me of a poster I saw recently that said the light at the end of the tunnel will be turned off until further notice due to financial circumstances. That could be applied to Victoria because financial circumstances have led us to a sorry state. In many areas of the Supply Bill the government has failed to address issues that were part of the government and the Cabinet's responsibility when undertaking the Ministerial oath: to serve all of Victoria. The government has failed abysmally to serve all of Victoria. It is seen to unashamedly prop up programs that are of a political sensitive nature. One can understand that from time to time but when it happens continually to the direct detriment of the whole of Victoria it is time to stand up and take notice. The Victorian community has now said, "Enough is enough. We don't want any more of this mismanagement and misdirection of services. We, as taxpayers, no matter where we live, expect better". It is important that the government start listening to the community. It is clear to me that the community is saying the government has proved beyond reasonable doubt that it does not have the ability or expertise to manage the finances of SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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this State. The community is saying the opposition has a responsibility to call the government to order at every opportunity it gets: firstly, to ensure that the government improves its performance - although I doubt very much that it can - and, secondly, to ensure that the government goes to the polls at the earliest opportunity to give Victorians the chance to vote, with knowledge of all the facts. Honourable members will recall that in October 1988 the people of Victoria did not have the facts. They were deceived by the government. They were led to the polls in a climate of distraction and today are paying the penalty. Although the coalition may pass the Supply Bill, it will be done with a great deal of reluctance on my part because I serve the Victorian people who have suffered at the hands of this centralist, socialist government. Mr RICHARDSON (Forest Hill) - I am pleased to participate in the Supply debate in this important autumn sessional period where we see a government disintegrating around us. Mr Roper interjected. Mr RICHARDSON - There has been a continuing procession of disgraced Ministers who, with their backbench and committee colleagues, together with the Trades Hall Council and the unions, which dominate the Labor government in this State, have steadily brought Victoria to its knees. Mr Gavin interjected. Mr RICHARD SON - But to the great credit of the opposition and of the media, to some extent, we find that the pressure is mounting, and it has been mounting over the years as disaster has piled upon disaster. There was considerable resistance by each disgraced Minister to resigning from office. It took a long time to shift them because the Labor Party has a different view of propriety than the view held by the rest of the community. That is what I find so despicable about a government which for nearly ten years has been responsible for disastrous misrule and financial irresponsibility in this State. The fact is that the former Premier, the former Treasurer, the former Minister for Agriculture, the former Minister for Housing and Construction, and a number of others

Mr Mac1ellan - The Minister for Industry, Technology and Resources was another! Mr RICHARD SON - Yes, they have all left the Ministry in disgrace. Each one of them has left behind a bigger disaster than what was inherited. Sitting at the table now is the current Treasurer of Victoria, who is presiding over the financial demise of the State. The Treasurer was making inane interjections a moment ago so I will direct some attention to him. Mr Gavin interjected. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Mr RICHARDSON - Even more childish interjections are being made by the honourable member for Coburg but honourable members have come to expect that from him. The Treasurer has not had an illustrious record in government. When he came to office in 1982 as Minister of Health he is on the public record as saying that he had inherited the best health system in Australia. When he left the health portfolio it was among the worst. He then moved on to transport and left t}:lat a smouldering ruin behind him. He was then transferred to planning. Mr Gavin interjected. Mr RICHARD SON - listen Axlemouth, if you want to make some comment, get up in your seat and do it properly and then we will handle it. Mr Roper interjected. Mr RICHARDSON - The Treasurer is now having his two bob's worth. As 1 said, the Treasurer left transport a smouldering ruin and went to planning. He had a bit of a go at consumer affairs, as I recall, and was a failure there. The government was really having some trouble finding a spot for a Minister who has made incompetence an art form. What did the government finally do? It put this man in charge of the Treasury of Victoria. Putting the current Treasurer in charge of the Treasury is a bit like putting Ned Kelly in charge of the gold escort. The Treasurer inherited a financial disaster and has steadily worked on it to make it an even bigger disaster. Victoria now has a State debt of between $30 billion and $40 billion. It takes talent of the kind that has been displayed by the Treasurer and his Ministerial colleagues to be able to convert a State debt of $11 billion, which took 150 years to accumulate, into a debt of between $30 billion and $40 billion in less than ten years. That took real talent. It should be put on the record that the government has displayed more talent for financial mismanagement and disaster creation than any other government in history. This Treasurer has made incompetence an art form. The distressing point about it all is that when the Labor Party loses the next election, as it will, its members will walk away from the smouldering ruin they have left behind without an ounce of regret, without an ounce of contrition. The Treasurer will walk away, with a smile upon his face, saying, ''Well, we pulled that off for ten years, weren't we clever? We got away with it for ten years!". Members of the Labor Party will not recognise the fact that they destroyed Victoria's economy and that it will take many years to recover from the degradation they have brought upon the State. Unfortunately that will not bother the Treasurer or his colleague the honourable member for Coburg - he is incapable of recognising it anyway. They will walk away without any feeling of guilt, without an ounce of regret, and that is why 1 have such contempt for the Labor Party and for every member of it. They are all part of it. It is no good a backbench member such as the foolish member for Coburg or the foolish member for Wantirna saying, "1 was not involved, I was not a Minister. It was nothing to do with me. It was not my faction that was involved in that". SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Mrs HIRSH (Wantima) - On a point of order, Mr Speaker, I take personal offence at being addressed as "foolish" by the honourable member and I ask him to withdraw. The SPEAKER - Order! The honourable member for Wantima has taken offence and I ask the honourable member for Forest Hill to withdraw. Mr RICHARDSON (Forest Hill) - Mr Speaker, I withdraw the observation. It is no good government backbench members pretending that it has nothing to do with them because they were not in the Ministry or that it was not their faction responsible for this disaster or that disaster. Every one of them was part of it. Unfortunately not one of the current Parliamentary ALP members, or any of those who have been members over the past ten years will feel one ounce of guilt, not one ounce of contrition. They will think, "How smart we were". That is why the government is so disgraceful and contemptible. Its irresponsibility is nowhere more evident than in the two portfolios for which I have responsibility in the opposition. It has been particularly felt by those in the community who are the most defenceless, those who are least able to care for themselves - those people who are the responsibility of Community Services Victoria and the Department of Planning and Housing. Let me turn to Community Services Victoria first. Under this government community services has become an enormous system machine. More and more money has been poured into community services yet more and more of those funds have been absorbed by the system itself, which acts like a sponge to soak up public funds. More of those funds are being soaked up by the system sponge than are going to the people whom they are meant to assist. There have been ideologically driven schemes rather than people-driven schemes. The perfect example is in the area of intellectual disability where the State plan was introduced with much trumpeting and fanfare. It has been a total disaster. The State plan was to move intellectually disabled people out of institutions into the community in properly serviced and supported community residential units. That has "not happened. People have certainly been moved out of the institutions, and having been moved out they have been left to fend for themselves. Some community residential units have been established but they have not been staffed with the support staff that was promised. Those who care so unselfishly for people in their care are under stress. They are all overworked and the promises that were made to intellectually disabled people and the families of those people who have been deinstitutionalised have simply not been kept. Back in the institutions, the government, which has mismanaged the State's finances to such an extent that reductions in funding were inevitable, has even adopted the barbaric practice of saving money by reducing the rations of food that are issued to residents. There have been some protestations from the Minister and some civil servants saying, "No, no, that is not true, we wouldn't do it", yet the fact is it has happened and the government has been forced to admit that it happened. It has admitted that it happened at the Kew Cottages. The regional director of the area went on television and admitted that they had reduced the rations to residents at Kew Cottages. lbis is Dickensian stuff - this is not Oliver Twist asking for more, this is brutality - denying food to people who SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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are intellectually disabled and who are the responsibility of the government. It has been well documented that people did lose weight. The dietitian at Kew Cottages was carefully monitoring the weight loss of the residents. Then came the scandalous reduction of rations at the Baltara Reception Centre. This was denied by the government in the House but I have to inform the House that my revelations of those reductions in rations at Baltara Reception Centre were accurate. The information came to me from several sources within the department - indeed, from within Baltara itself - and also made reference to reductions in rations at the Winlaton Youth Training Centre. Those allegations were independently checked and found to be true. That is moving towards the Oliver-Twist-asks-for-more model because Baltara is a reception centre for little kids. The children who are sent to Baltara are less than ten years of age. Uttle kids of ten years of age and younger were being denied food because the government has mismanaged its financial affairs to the extent that it is taking the food from the mouths of the children for whom it has responsibility.

Let us look at the youth training centre situation overall. It has been estimated in an internal report from Community Services Victoria in conjunction with Health Department Victoria that health services in the youth training centres are worse than those that prevail at Pentridge Prison. That is a horrible indictment of this government. It is bad enough that youth. training centres are becoming training grounds for Pentridge because, unfortunately, the statistics reveal that the majority of people who have been convicted and sent to the prison system have a history involving youth training centres. But why should the people who are in youth training centres receive a health service that is inferior to that received by the hardened crims at Pentridge? Those are the sorts of standards that have been set by this government. I refer to homeless kids - the street kids of Melbourne. Most of them are wards of the State. The Minister for Community Services is the legal guardian of most of the kids who are cared for nightly by people such as Father Bob Maguire of the Open Family Foundation, the Salvation Army and a multitude of other non-government organisations. Open Family Foundation receives not one cent of financial support from the government, yet the government spends millions upon millions of dollars featherbedding the unions that staff institutions. The government has made agreements with the unions in government institutions that contain work practices so outrageous that we are supporting about twice as many staff in those institutions as would be necessary if proper work practices were in place and the unions had not been featherbedding through sweetheart deals done with the government.

The financial disasters in this State have led to the government taking drastic action. It has had to reduce spending. How has it reduced spending? It has not reduced spending in the propping up of the system. One cannot interfere with that. The system has to be maintained, sweetheart deals have to be maintained and all of the agreements that have been made with unions and ~e outrageous work practices have to be maintained. Where SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

Tuesday, 23 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1615

will the cuts come? They will come in the delivery of actual services to people who need them. They will come in the provision of officers who actually work out in the field. The turnover rate of officers of Community Services Victoria who are actually out in the field dealing with problems is horrific. The burnout rate is at about two years. It is not surprising because when a young graduate arrives at Community Services Victoria and is given a job, the first case could well be for the young person, without experience and/ or support to be sent out to a house in the suburbs where the father is beating up the mother, is sexually molesting the children and is terrorising the neighbourhood. This young person is expected to knock on the door and say, IIHello, I am from the government and I am going to take your children away". Not surprisingly the young person has a shotgun shoved up his or her nostril and equally not surprisingly the young person does not stay with the department for long. It is a stressful occupation. The job is distasteful and often dangerous. It is not surprising the turnover rate is high. These people are not being supported. Cutbacks are made in service areas but not in feather bedding areas. The real delivery of services takes a back seat while the system is being maintained.

Similarly the resources of the Ministry for Planning and Housing are not devoted to assisting people. There are 38 000 families - not individuals - on the public housing waiting list, which has been steadily growing since the Labor Party came to office in 1982. There is $13 million of rental arrears. It is difficult to balance the needs of 38 000 needy families requiring accommodation and the government's action in maintaining people who do not pay their rent in public housing.

The rental arrears figure has been steadily growing. A couple of years ago it was $18 million. That figure was reduced by a concerted effort to $12 million but the graph is steadily climbing once again. The figure has increased to $13 million because the people who are not paying their rents are not abiding by the agreements under which they obtained subsidised housing and therefore they are denying housing to the 38 000 families on the waiting list.

One reason why the Ministry for Planning and Housing is unable to provide adequate housing is because it wastes millions of dollars. There is no better example of this absurd wastage than the $1 million that was spent on the refurbishment of a block of flats. However, once the refurbishment had been completed the flats were demolished leaving $1 million lying in the rubble.

A number of housing schemes have been devised to enable people to buy their own homes. The most recent is the home opportunity loan scheme or Homestart. This scheme is the one in which the former Minister for HOUSing and Construction, now the Minister for Finance, distinguished himself by appearing in a series of expensive television commercials proclaiming the virtues of the scheme and urging people to telephone the Ministry so that they could find out about this wonderful new housing scheme, which would enable them to buy homes of their own with $2000 deposit and with payments of no more than 27 per cent of the family incomes. ADJOURNMENT

1616 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 23 April 1991

Of course people rang the housing Ministry and I was one of them. Along with thousands of other Victorians I rang the Ministry and asked for details of this wonderful scheme. I was told that the commercial was misleading because the money was not available but that my name would be put on a waiting list and that it would probably be eighteen months before I and thousands of other people would be able to qualify for consideration for the scheme.

The reality is that the people who have loans under the scheme are now paying a higher rate of interest than they would be paying had they borrowed the money through the normal financial channels. Their loans are at almost 15 per cent whereas currently the commercial lending rate is much lower. Furthermore, unless these people stay in their houses for approximately 30 years and their income continues to increase so that they are able to meet the steadily increasing repayment rates their homes will not only never be theirs but also were they to sell their houses they will find they owe more on them than they have equity in them. But this is the case also for people in a shared home opportunity scheme. We found extraordinary revelations of construction group workers who for several months did no work at all, but remained on full pay in the Ministry of Housing and Construction. The Auditor-General found there was a phantom car fleet of 200 cars, which compounded the inefficiency and incompetence. This is the sorry record of the government's performance. It has destroyed the financial base of Victoria. It has not only been irresponsible but it has also acted in a way which appears almost deliberate because it has taken pride in the way it has gone about the mismanagement of the State. It will be condemned for the way it has mismanaged Victoria and the way it has destroyed Victoria financially.

The enormous difficulty for the incoming government is that it will have to manage the affairs of the State in such a way that debt can be recovered so that the inefficiencies can be eliminated. Unfortunately that means there is bound to be some discomfort. In fact the community will have to pay the bill left behind by the Labor government. The Labor government reminds me of a customer who goes to a restaurant for a sumptuous meal, but leaves without paying the bill. Unfortunately the taxpayers of Victoria must pay that bill.

Debate adjourned on motion of Mr MAUGHAN (Rodney).

Debate adjourned until next day.

ADJOURNMENT The SPEAKER - Order! The time appointed by Sessional Orders for me to interrupt the business of the House has now arrived. The question is:

That the House do now adjourn. ADJOURNMENT

Tuesday, 23 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1617

Meat industry dispute Mr LIEBERMAN (Benambra) - I raise a matter for the attention of the Premier, who is unfortunately not in the House but may come in while I am speaking. If she does not come in, I ask the Minister at the table, the Treasurer, to raise this matter with her urgently.

The matter I raise concerns the industrial strife at Wodonga Meats Pty Ltd. As you know, Mr Speaker, that abattoirs employs 3OO-odd people. It is an export abattoirs and produces substantial export income. For the past eighteen months or so there has been continual industrial strife, with most of the 3OO-odd employees losing BO-odd days of work in the past year.

In the last week or so there has been a heightening of industrial disputation with almost daily picketing of the works. Last week there were allegations of assaults on people who chose to work by people allegedly involved in the picket. It was alleged that a vehicle carrying people from the picket line followed a bus dropping off workers in Albury and apparently a brawl broke out in the vicinity of the Albury police station. Charges have been laid and I will not say more about the incident.

Today, by telephone, I have had reports from my electorate that following the report to work today by lOO-odd people who went through the picket line there were allegations of assault. One person who chose to work and take up the contract he had been offered alleged he was assaulted and injured, fortunately not seriously. In a telephone conversation he told me he felt he could not report tomorrow and that he was in danger. He said he did not know what to do: he was desperate to work in order to support his family - he could not afford to be out of work - but was in a dilemma.

I received another report from a family that alleged it had received threatening telephone calls at home from anonymous people because the breadwinner in the family had chosen to sign the contract and go to work when the union had asked its members not to work. The family members were terrified and concerned about what they should do.

Notwithstanding the loo-odd people who chose to go to work and attended at the abattoirs I am told, believe it or not, that tragically they were unable to work. Wodonga Meats Pty Ltd is an export meatworks and was not able to operate today because Commonwealth meat inspectors refused to cross the picket line. Another day's production has been lost and the whole thing is deteriorating into an inexcusable mess, particularly in view of the widespread unemployment in Victoria.

The level of unemployment in Victoria is about 10 per cent. I think in the past two months in Wodonga unemployment. has risen from 7 per cent to 10 per cent, with widespread retrenchments in a number of industries.

I ask the Premier to do something; without doubt she has a special relationship with Mr Curran, the secretary of the union. I particularly request that the Premier put in place some measure to protect people who wish to work. ADJOURNMENT

1618 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 23 April 1991

In my view the right to work is precious, particularly in this time of recession. If people wish to protest and do not want to work, let them do that, but they have no right to stop others. Under no circumstances, in my electorate or anywhere else, do they have the right to intimidate others, assault them or make threatening calls, causing concern to families that are just trying to work to support themselves. I am trying tonight to pass on that concern on their behalf. I ask the Premier to do something and to act on this matter. Financial counsellors for rural Victoria Mr W. D. McGRATH (Lowan) - The matter I raise for the attention of the Minister for Agriculture relates to the announcement last week of the possible appointment of a further six financial counsellors for rural Victoria. Honourable members would be aware that five counsellors have been operating in Victoria for some time and that the number was increased recently to six. Each counsellor costs between $60 000 and $70 000 a year to employ and 50 per cent of the funding is provided by the Federal government. The State government has contributed about $2000 to each of the existing counsellors with the regional areas required to raise the additional money from the regional resources. The financial counsellor working in the Wimmera had 40 clients on his books last year; twelve months later he has 130 clients. Honourable members can see the enormity and importance of the work required by these people. As I said it has been announced that a further six counsellors will be appointed. The Federal government will provide around 50 per cent of the cost of those appointments. I ask the Minister for Agriculture to spell out how the other 50 per cent will be raised. I understand there is some capacity at the local level to contribute to some of the funding, although that is difficult in some of the regional areas. What will the government's contribution be to ensure these rural financial counsellors move into the field quickly and can put into effect their role, which is vitally necessary in providing a link between the financial institutions and the various farming communities that are in financial trouble, and to provide counselling services both financially and on a personal basis? At this stage the involvement or financial support that will come from the State government to assist has not been spelt out. I should like the Minister to spell it out to the House tonight. Repairs to fence in Oak Park Mr THOMSON (pascoe Vale) - The matter I raise for the attention of the Attorney-General relates to the Estate Agents Board, a particular problem involving the real estate agency L.R. Reed & Co. and the protracted delay by the company in attending to a very reasonable request from one of my constituents, Mr Pat Nathan of Oak Park. The matter involving Mr Nathan first came to my notice in March 1989 when Mr Connell of Forbes Grove in Oak Park contacted me with regard to the damage being done to his back fence. The fence separates his property from a block of units managed by L.R. Reed & Co. From time to time tenants, while parking their cars against the fence, would bring ADJOURNMENT

Tuesday, 23 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1619

the cars into contact with the fence. Over several years this has caused the fence to be pushed forward and to deteriorate to the stage where repairs were essential. Mr Connell took up the matter with L.R. Reed but was unable to arrange for the company to do the necessary repairs. I wrote to the general manager, Mr Ian Taylor, in April that year, but, despite assurances that the fence would be repaired, it was not until I raised the matter in Parliament on 5 September 1989 and the Attorney-General instructed the Estate Agents Board to investigate, that repairs were finally commenced in October.

The difficulty for Mr Nathan, who lives next door to Mr Connell, is that while the units back onto his property as well as Mr Connell's, the repairs undertaken by L.R. Reed & Co. only involved Mr Connell's property. Mr Nathan brought this omission to my notice in late February last year. I wrote to Mr Taylor about Mr Natluin's fence on 6 March last year. He replied on 9 April and informed me that one of his directors had contracted glandular fever and that had caused a delay in the company's reply. He went on to say that his company was aware of the problems that I had raised, and that remedial action would be delayed until the company's contractors finalised their recommendations.

Agents from L.R.Reed and Co inspected the properties involved in May of last year, but I can only conclude that they suffered mental amnesia after that time because by January of this year nothing had been done.

I wrote to Mr Taylor again on 17 January and was advised on 23 January that one of the landlord's company directors was overseas and nothing could be done until his return. I was assured, however, that this matter would be finalised within a short space of time.

By late February no progress had been made, and I instructed my electorate office to contact Mr Taylor, who advised my office that he expected a carpenter to be lined up within a day or so.

No carpenter has so far appeared and I can only conclude that the management of L.R.Reed and Co have deliberately avoided their responsibilities in relation to this matter. It has been more than two years since the damage done to the fence was first raised and more than a year since Mr Nathan's specific problems were brought to the company's notice.

Mr Taylor has not denied that his company is obliged to repair the fence, and I cannot beleve that fortune has smiled so unfavourably on him to prevent the work being done.

It is extremely poor service from a company which regularly advertises itself in the area's newspapers, and when I last raised the matter of the apparent disinterest of L.R.Reed it see:ned regrettable that such a matter could not be dealt with in a more professional and businesslike manner; but given that I have had to raise it a second time it seems that it is not so much regrettable as disgraceful, and I request the Attorney-General to investigate the matter and put before the Estate Agents Board the need to examine thoroughly the rea50ns behind the protracted delay in having Mr Nathan's fence repaired. ADJOURNMENT

1620 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 23 April 1991

Transport facilities in Dromana electorate Dr WELLS (Dromana) - I refer my comments, through the Attorney-General, to the Minister for Transport and I call for administrative action in terms of a formal investigation of transport facilities in the electorate of Dromana. I do this because consistently over the past six years the government has failed to provide any significant or practical response to the transport issues I have raised in a number of my speeches in the House and in other speeches and when I have made direct communication with the Minister. I will quote three illustrations in this regard. Six years ago when I first came to Parliament a freeway in the electorate of Dromana was uncompleted. Today it is still uncompleted. It is in unsealed form and is degenerating each month and will eventually cost more money when the road is finally sealed. The government has made great to do about transport facilities and tourism in the electorate I represent, where tourism and recreation are the nominated economic activities; but roads are necessary for people to get there and the government refuses to complete that road. It offers every excuse under the sun. I have received letter after letter from Ministers, including the Minister for Transport, and each one says the government will hold yet another inquiry, but nothing happens. The second case I raise concerns the hamlet of Flinders. This township consists of Victorian taxpayers and retired folk who are normal citizens living in a democracy yet they have no public transport whatsoever; none at all. I consider that to be quite undemocratic. I have raised the matter here and with the Ministers in various ways but we still have no transport and no indication of any likelihood of transport in the future. That is just not good enough. It is time something more was done to force action in this regard. The third matter I raise concerns the only public bus service running through the Shire of Flinders along Point Nepean Road, by the sea. It runs about 40 or 50 kilometres in total length and it is an infrequent service and runs up and down the highway. There is no supporting bus service provided for the people in that area and they have to walk long distances to reach the service. The Shire of Flinders has, for the past ten years, operated a community bus service subsidised by ratepayers which provides an elementary support service for people, but the cost of that service has increased significantly, because the government does not provide the shire with the normal subsidy that is provided to other bus services in the region that operate along Nepean Highway. For every dollar it costs to operate the service the shire pays $7!

The government is failing in its responsibility to assist the people in my electorate. One person in every three is retired, and these people are forced to walk some kilometres to reach the Nepean Highway bus service because of the increased costs of $5 for the second section and $7 for the third section. ADJOURNMENT

Tuesday, 23 Apri11991 ASSEMBLY 1621

They are but three illustrations of the transport problems in my electorate. I also refer to the road facilities in the shire, which are not being serviced adequately because the government is not providing the necessary funds. I am left with no alternative in my attempt to get a fairer allocation of the taxpayer's dollar but to call on the government to institu te a full inquiry into the transport facilities in the electorate of Momington.

Bank charges Mr SEITZ (Keilor) - I raise the issue of bank charges for the attention of the Minister for Consumer Affairs and I ask the Attorney-General to pass on my comments to the Minister. Increased banking charges are an important issue if one puts the citizens of Victoria first. The deregulation of the banking system has not provided the improved service to bank customers that it was anticipated would occur.

The clamouring for deregulation of the banking system was based on the notion that banks would provide a friendlier, better service and that more competition would exist within the banking system. The Federal Attomey-General's Department in a submission to the Federal Parliamentary banking inquiry indicated that since deregulation of that industry banks have provided fewer services to their customers.

I ask the Minister for Consumer Affairs to examine the issue, particularly the hidden charges that banks have imposed on their customers. Many people are not aware that charges are imposed for the electronic transfer of money into accounts and that other charges have increased substantially. Even the banking industry has admitted there is a problem because it has, of its own volition, appointed an ombudsman.

In raising this issue I am not attacking the employees of banks because in most cases banks are understaffed and the staff are undertrained and work under extreme difficulties. They have to put up with people who abuse them because they have waited for half an hour in a queue. I do not blame the employees for losing their cool when they are subjected to that sort of criticism. The directors of banks who are locked in their boardrooms are to blame because they set the policies.

The ANZ Bank has confirmed my views because in a letter to me dated 11 April 1991 it included a leaflet which attempts to explain the mess that has occurred since deregulation. It lists some supposed facts and myths about the banking industry, one of which is that careless lending by banks is a major cause of the recession. All honourable members know that aggressive lending by financial institutions enabled investors in property to borrow far more than they required, thus increasing the value of property. In some cases banks increase the value of a property because people can borrow up to 80 per ~ent of the value of the property. I ask the Minister to consider the matter, particularly the leaflet that has been sent out. The leaflet presents myths as facts and is misleading. The community must be educated not to believe everything contained in leaflets produced by banks. A consumer credit program should be established, especially for pensioners. ADJOURNMENT

1622 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 23 April 1991

Ambulance Victoria Mr LEIGH (Malvern) - I direct to the attention of the Attorney-General a serious matter concerning the coroner. Yesterday I made publicly available a diary of an ambulance officer detailing incidents he had come across while working for the ambulance service and listening to its radio. The diary begins on 24 September 1990 and extends to 20 February 1991. I raise the issue tonight because, on behalf of the citizens of Victoria, I demand a coronial inquiry into the matter. Someone should at least examine the incidents the ambulance driver has outlined to me. I shall quote some extracts from the diary: Friday, 19.10.90 -11.50 Mica 1 from city to Coolaroo to a non-breathing male. No ambulances in the area. Patient died. Tuesday, 27.11.90 -20.41 (Mica request time) Control room were unable to page Mica 3 because of paging fault. They were required at a cardiac arrest. Did not arrive till 21.D4 and patient was dead. 14.1.91 -13.00 The Altona emergency car got a cardiac arrest at Altona pier. There were two students on car. Once again they could not defibrillate the patient, who died. Nearest Mica unit was over 15 minutes away. (Reason: student ambulance officers not allowed to use advanced life support gear.) Those instances are from the experiences of one ambulance driver in four months. I make no claim about them other than that I have identified the ambulance officer involved. He provided me with the diary and it was examined and transcribed in detail. It is said if one has the choice of suffering a heart attack or being involved in a fire, one should choose the fire because the ambulance will probably not arrive in time. It is not the fault of the staff, but the diary presents the possibility that a number of people are dying because the system is not coping. Members of the government may think it is garbage, but I have the testimony of an ambulance officer who claims three patients died because the service was not able to reach them in time. I am also aware of a fourth patient who died last week when an ambulance was 20 minutes late arriving. To this date I still have not had a response to the queries I raised about that instance. I asked for the tape recording of the telephone call regarding the emergency to be considered because I objected to someone in the system saying to a member of the public that ''We all have to die some time, mate". Clearly there is a major problem with the ambulance facility in this State. We know that from what has been happening over the past couple of days. I hope the Attorney-General takes what I say seriously, and I am happy to give him the information that this officer has provided me. I believe him to be an ambulance officer who came to me for the right reasons - to see a member of Parliament because he is concerned about the system. If people have died I want somebody to take action and I want somebody charged. When one considers that people pay a fee for the ambulance service every citizen has a right to ADJOURNMENT

Tuesday, 23 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1623

receive the best service possible, particularly when they are in life threatening situations. From an examination of my evidence it seems that people are not getting that and it is a pity that so far the Minister for Health has not taken this seriously. I request the Attorney-General, who I know on many occasions is responsible, to act as quickly and prudently as possible to examine this system and solve the problem. Friends Provident Life Assurance Co. Ltd Mr JASPER (Murray Valley) - I raise a matter for the attention of the Attorney-General relating to some constituents of mine who entered into a savings plan with a company and found to their detriment that they have not been saving much money at all; in fact, they have been going backwards. They invested $200 a month in a scheme with Friends Provident Life Assurance Co. Ltd. They are a working family without a huge income but just enough to be able to look at investing $200 a month with this company on the basis that it would be collecting money for the family which it would be able to utilise in later years for family needs. Mr Kennan -- Yes, you wrote to me about it. I read the letter. Mr JASPER - The difficulty these people have raised with me is that they believed they would be able to secure their money after three years with interest accruing and they would receive repayment of the money if they wished to collect it after ten years with a possibility that the money would be tax free. They have found that the charges involved are higher than the amount they are saving. At the end of the first year they had a balance of $1262.45; they paid in approximately $1600 and the balance was $2528.79, on which they had had a 9 per cent dividend of $191.62. The expenses and charges imposed by this organisation amounted to $773.40 so the closing balance as at 31 December 1990 was $3209.46. Mr Kennan - They were going backwards! Mr JASPER - That is what was happening. The family now finds it cannot take out the money invested. They have been instructed to keep paying into the organisation to be able to receive funds at the end of the term and they are desperate. The family have told me they are devastated to think that they have invested in this particular company, this supposedly friendly Friends Provident Life Assurance Co. Ltd which is based in Sydney and Melbourne and has agents, and now find they are losing money and have to keep up with the investment to be able to receive any money from it. I seek assistance from the Attorney-General in clarifying the position to see if this company can be investigated and that the people who are investing receive a just return for the investment they are providing. Responses Mr KENNAN (Attorney-General) - That information should be forthcoming. I think the honourable member for Murray Valley wrote to me in recent days and I share his ADJOURNMENT

1624 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 23 April 1991

concern about the matter. Certainly I will be happy to examine it and provide whatever assistance I can, as I always do to the honourable member for Murray Valley and indeed to all his constituents, municipalities and other interested groups in his electorate. The honourable member for Malvern has very helpfully provided me with a copy of the diary of the ambulance officer he referred to. I think his request is that I forward this material to the coroner for his consideration. I will be happy to do that. The honourable member for Keilor raised a matter for the attention of the Minister for Consumer Affairs and I will refer it to him. The honourable member for Dromana referred to transport in Dromana. I shall refer that to the Minister for Transport. The honourable member for Pascoe Vale raised a matter for reference to the Estate Agents Board and I am happy to refer that matter. The honourable member for Lowan raised a matter for the Minister for Agriculture and that is a matter I will take up with him. The honourable member for Benambra raised a matter on the meat industry at Wodonga for the attention of the Premier. I shall direct that to her attention. Mr BAKER (Minister for Agriculture) - The State of Victoria should be very proud of its role in the rural counselling schemes, a matter raised by the Deputy Leader of the National Party. This government designed and started the schemes. Subsequently they have been taken up quite prominently elsewhere to the point that the recent Kerin statement suggests significant funding up to 30, if I remember correctly, or perhaps 60 nationally. The original principles of the scheme were that they should have a major self-help component in them. There were good reasons for that: it avoids excessive movements to welfare technocratic bureaucracies developing and leaves the rural communities in control of them. There is a real danger -- Mr W. D. McGrath intetjected. Mr BAKER - Quite seriously, there is a level that, as you increase the level of funding from government and reliance on the government, they will lose that value. However, it is fair to say that our funding has been modest in the early stages of the scheme and, given the increased demand due to the rural downturn, most of those five originals we had are oversubscribed and getting to the point where there are an extra 25 to 50 people waiting to get on, if I remember correctly, or perhaps 50 is the appropriate size. My colleague in the other place Caroline Hogg, the Minister for Ethnic, Municipal and Community Affairs, recently has recognised this by providing additional funds for five others needed in critical areas. One has already been taken up and I suspect another is well under way in the Hamilton area, if I remember correctly. In recognition of the fact that rural communities are now ADJOURNMENT

Tuesday, 23 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1625

having difficulty raising the start-up component she has agreed, as have the Treasurer and the government, that in those cases the State government will meet 25 per cent of the total cost. I make the final qualification that, given the recent Kerin statement and given that we are not quite sure of the specific details at this point, it may well be that we need to amend it in the light of that. We do strongly support these schemes. We originated them in Victoria; they are doing a good job and they will be supported. Question agreed to.

House adjourned 11.34 p.m.

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1627

Wednesday, 24 Apri11991

The SPEAKER (Hon. Ken Coghill) took the chair at 10.33 a.m. and read the prayer.

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

CONFIDENCE IN GOVERNMENT Mr GUDE (Hawthorn) - Will the Premier finally acknowledge the fact that the vast majority of Victorians have lost confidence in her government?

The SPEAKER - Order! The question does seem to invite an expression of opinion rather than information on government administration. I invite the honourable member to rephrase his question.

Mr GUDE - I direct my question to the Premier and I ask: is it a fact that the vast majority of Victorians have lost confidence in the Premier's government and what action will the Premier take to correct that situation? Honourable members interjecting. The SPEAKER - Order! All honourable members are entitled to hear the question without interruption. I suspect it was difficult. Did the Premier hear the question?

Ms KIRNER (Premier) - I find it interesting that after - just look at the pose of the Leader of the Opposition, just like his pose on the 7.30 Report last night. When he has a question he does not want to hear the answer to he tips his head back and is disinterested in what is happening in Parliament.

Just 24 hours after the Leader of the Opposition offered community cohesion and community cooperation and said he would be on about engendering community confidence, this morning on a radio program - and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition today - he is on about undermining community confidence. There has been absolutely no change in this opposition's approach to this State: obstruct, obstruct, obstruct; undermine, undermine, undermine; negative, negative, negative. What Victoria is looking for is stability and clear policies for recovery. Today I offered the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity of discussing policies that not simply our government wants --

Mr Honeywood interjected. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

1628 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

Ms KIRNER - As the honourable member for Warrandyte says, it suits me to challenge the Leader of the Opposition to talk about the positives. He can get away with a week saying he has not read any of the opposition's policies, that he needs a week to settle down, that it has all been a surprise, but in addressing the positive issues last week as a backbencher he made a good start: he supported the Docklands Authority Bill.

Mr DELZOPPO (Narracan) - On a point of order, Mr Speaker, the House has been tolerant with the Premier in her reply. I put it to you the answer she is giving is irrelevant and she is also debating the question and I ask you to bring her back to order.

Mr ROPER (Treasurer) - On the point of order, Mr Speaker, as you ruled on the first occasion the new Deputy Leader of the Opposition attempted to ask this, it was a broad ranging question. When he rephrased it he specifically asked the Premier what she was doing to ensure the continued confidence of the Victorian people. That could not have been a broader question. It might have been ruled out at the time as being too broad a question to ask but certainly the Premier is now appropriately answering such a broad question which obviously the backroom people have drafted and the Deputy Leader has first got it wrong.

The SPEAKER - Order! A question such as this by its very nature invites a broad ranging response. The Premier appears to be providing information relevant to the question asked. I do not uphold the point of order.

Ms KIRNER (Premier) - The issues that we seek bipartisan support on in order to achieve community confidence and restoration of the community view of the role of politicians are these: firstly, employment. In order to do that we have to reduce public sector waste and make sure that the money that is saved is invested in public sector jobs. Secondly, we have to get private sector investment. If we do not get private sector investment we will know who to blame because the Leader of the Opposition is clearly not prepared, as his predecessor was not prepared, to do anything to create a Victoria in which the private sector can invest.

There are major issues in which he could cooperate. He could follow on from the cooperation he gave with the Docklands Authority Bill with cooperation on the casino. He could move from casino cooperation to cooperation on the introduction of electronic gaming machines. He could move from that cooperation to support for the major private sector investment projects that we have on the list, that is, port reform, investment in a national rail freight corporation, investment in a national electricity grid, investment in the development of the Amcor Ltd proposal at the pulp and paper mill in Maryvale, further development of Alcoa and the downstream processing of aluminium.

The Leader of the Opposition said he is interested in value adding. The greatest value he could add to the community debate at this moment is to put his money where his words were yesterday, and those words were community cooperation and community cohesion. I, and I am sure the rest of the community, were disappointed this morning to hear him run a division line, an obstruction line and a refusal-to-be-bipartisan line. If that QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1629

cooperation is to last only 24 hours it is not much of the rehabilitation we have been promised. MEAT INDUSTRY Mr McNAMARA (Leader of the National Party) - I refer to the Premier's close relationship with Wally Curran and her habit of addressing striking picketers, going back to the Hoechst dispute. I ask: when does she intend to address picketers at the McPhee meatworks in Wodonga?

Ms KIRNER (Premier) - I am also aware of the close relationship between the Leader of the National Party and the previous Leader of the Liberal Party, and I am sorry it is finished. ADULT, COMMUNITY AND FURTHER EDUCATION Mrs BARKER (Bentleigh) - Will the Premier advise the House of the steps the government intends to take to strengthen the delivery of programs in adult, community and further education?

Ms KIRNER (Premier) - I thank the honourable member for the question and for the commitment of the people on my side of the House to creating further opportunities for education for all Victorians. We have already demonstrated a considerable commitment to the development of community and further education in this State. In the area of community providers we have increased the spending from $2 million when we came into power to $10 million now and there are now 500 community provider outlets in this State. That sounds like a statistic, but it is really an opportunity for the women and people who need second chances in this State to be empowered and to make their own decisions. That development, that increase in money, is in addition to a significant increase in expenditure for technical and further education colleges and for the Council of Adult Education. We have also established regional councils of further education to enable participation in decisions by people who are affected by them.

I am aware that the Leader of the National Party is not the slightest bit interested in this issue: the National Party has never been interested in expanding education for women in our society. That does not mean that the community is not interested and I am delighted to hear that in his policy the Leader of the Opposition puts education first. That is very pleasing because the policy released by the former Leader of the Opposition did not include community education.

All community education providers will be pleased to know that the government has determined to introduce a new adult and community further education Bill. At last that sector of education will formally take its place in the sun with all other sectors of education. It has taken 25 years to achieve that result, and it has been achieved only through an enormous struggle by numbers of women in this society.

The Bill will, firstly, provide for an integrated approach to community education so that T AFE, community providers and the longstanding Council of Adult Education will have QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

1630 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

an agreed way of operating. Secondly, the Bill will specify the responsibilities of the State Training Board vis-a-vis community providers. Thirdly, - Mr Steggall interjected. Ms KIRNER - The honourable member for Swan Hill should not blot his copybook because he does have some interest in education in Swan Hill. The SPEAKER - Order! I ask the Premier to ignore interjections. Ms KIRNER - I wanted him to get a boost because he did not get a vote yesterday and is a bit upset about it. The government will also be streamlining the administration of community and further education to maximise support for community providers and will be providing for shared decision making so that all can feel they have a share in these new directions. As is always the case with legislation of this importance the government is not about to introduce it as though it is just a piece of paper that does not require a commitment: we have had a discussion paper out in the community since November and there have been many consultations throughout the State. There will be further consultations after we have introduced the draft Bill. I look forward, with the interest of the Leader of the Opposition in education, to bipartisan support for this important Bill, which will further empower women in our community and people without opportunities to make decisions about their own futures. STATEMENT OF DEPUTY PREMIER Mr KENNETf (Leader of the Opposition) - Does the Premier stand by the comments made by the Deputy Premier when upening the mercantile agents conference in Melbourne recently, when he said that where confidence is lost the damage created is enormous? Ms KIRNER (Premier) - As I came out of radio station 3AW this morning - that was after the Leader of the Opposition refused to debate any issues with me in his newfound spirit of cooperation and competence - I met Kevin Sheedy, the Bombers' coach. An Honourable Member - Name dropping! Ms KIRNER - And what a name to drop! The attitude of Kevin Sheedy as Bombers' coach might well be picked up by the Leader of the Opposition. That attitude is that if you say you want to talk up the confidence of the community one day, you do not talk it down the next. I cannot believe that yesterday this guy said that he was on about talking up the confidence of the community and a fresh start, and today the two questions from the opposition have been about undermining confidence in Victoria. Mr KENNETf (Leader of the Opposition) - On a point of order, Mr Speaker, my question was quite specific and it referred to comments made by the Deputy Premier of QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1631

this State when opening the mercantile agents conference in Melbourne recently, on which occasion he said that where confidence is lost the damage created is enormous. I ask the Premier: does she stand by the Deputy Premier's own comments? The SPEAKER - Order! I do not uphold the point of order. Ms KIRNER (premier) - I heard the question. The public of Victoria would have heard the question, and the public of Victoria will now know that there is no difference in the attitude of confidence between this Leader of the Opposition and the previous one. Mr KENNETf (Leader of the Opposition) - On a point of order, Mr Speaker, the Premier is now debating the issue. The question was specific: does the Premier -- Honourable members interjecting. The SPEAKER - Order! The Leader of the Opposition is entitled to raise a point of order, and for that point of order to be heard without interruption. I ask honourable members, particularly those on my right, to extend that courtesy to him. Mr KENNElT - My point of order is that the Premier is debating the issue. The question is specific: does she or does she not stand by the comments of her own Deputy Premier? The SPEAKER - Order! The Premier may answer the question in the manner in which she sees fit but it must be relevant and she may not debate the question. In recommencing her answer it did appear as though she may be commencing to debate the question. To do so would be out of order. I ask the Premier to answer the question in accordance with the forms of the House. Ms KIRNER (premier) - Thank you, Mr Speaker. The question was about confidence. Everyone in this House recognises that the confidence in Victoria needs to be rebuilt, but the difference between the government and -- Honourable members interjecting. The SPEAKER -Order! It is becoming difficult to hear the Premier's reply. I ask honourable members on both sides to remain silent. Ms KIRNER - The difference between the government and the opposition is that we

Mr KENNElT (Leader of the Opposition) - On a further point of order, Mr Speaker, the Premier is now clearly debating the question. The question was quite specific in that it asked the Premier whether she stood by comments of the Deputy Premier. If she is not prepared to answer the question, I suggest she resume her seat. Honourable members interjecting. The SPEAKER - Order! The Minister for Agriculture is well aware that he is out of order, and I ask him to respect the forms of the House and the Standing Orders. The QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

1632 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

Minister for Transport is likewise aware of the Standing Orders, and I ask him to abide by them. As to the point of order, it appeared that the Premier may have been commencing to debate the question. I ask her to come back to the question and confine her remarks to the point of the question. Ms KIRNER (premier) - The question is whether loss of confidence harms the State. Mr E. R. Smith - It is about Kennan! Ms KIRNER - The question is whether loss of confidence harms the State. Honourable members interjecting. The SPEAKER - Order! Question time will be facilitated if honourable members do not interject and if the Premier ignores interjections. Ms KIRNER - The question is whether loss of confidence harms the State. That is a stated view of mine, of the Deputy Premier and of every other person in the community. We know that is the case. However, the difference between the opposition and the government, as demonstrated by the Deputy Premier, is what is done about it. One rebuilds confidence by clearly stating the areas of lack of confidence and then doing something about them. Ministers of the government are doing that. The Leader of the Opposition likes to talk about confidence outside this House, but in this place he will be revealed as undermining it. The Deputy Premier and I have a view about how to restore confidence. The continuing view of the Leader of the Opposition is how to continue to undermine it, and the government rejects that view. LIBRARY SERVICES FOR VCE STUDENTS Mr ERNST (Bellarine) - Will the Minister for the Arts advise the House of the initiatives the government is taking to assist public libraries throughout Victoria in the provision of services for the community and Victorian certificate of education students? Mr KENNAN (Minister for the Arts) - I thank the honourable member for his question and for his ongoing interest in the arts, libraries and cultural matters generally. Honourable members interjecting. The SPEAKER - Order! It is becoming extremely difficult for those many honourable members interested in the question and the answer to hear. I ask all honourable members to remain silent; I particularly ask the honourable member for Syndal to remain silent. Mr KENNAN - One of the aspects about the Victorian certificate of education (VCE) is that, in contradistinction to the old system where students tended to be spoon fed until the end of secondary school and then were sent to higher education where they were very much on their own and expected to do more of their own research, the new system encourages students from a much earlier stage to do their own research and to rely on their own initiative. I should have thought that would be supported by the liberal Party. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1633

The government recognises that there are a number of issues involved with libraries, and it is already apparent that the VCE is successful in encouraging students to do more of their own research. That has placed some strain on the resources of libraries and today I shall announce, with the Minister for Education and Training, a six-month VCE libraries project team to assist VCE students and libraries to develop better coordination in that regard. The team will be made up of some six teachers who will act as liaison officers. The teachers will liaise with the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Board (yCAB), the State Library, regional libraries and the Ministry for the Arts. Two of the positions will be located at the State Library and the other four will be administered by the Ministry for the Arts and will be in regional areas at Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Gippsland as well as looking after the major metropolitan libraries. The Ministry for the Arts and VCAB will also conduct a series of joint seminars on the Victorian certificate of education for teachers and librarians throughout the State and two brochures will be printed outlining the issues. Also VCAB has undertaken to consult with library and museum groups on the VCE common assessment tasks which may involve students seeking assistance from libraries, and information will be provided to the libraries about the nature and timing of the common assessment tasks as well as the number of students expected to be taking them. In this way we expect to see a much better coordination between the demands placed in the schools on the students to carry out research in libraries and the capacity of the libraries to handle them. The whole issue of the better use of libraries and the infrastructure of libraries is currently under review. In the last generation there has been an enormous growth of libraries in Victoria when one considers school libraries, libraries in institutes of higher education, private libraries available to corporations and of course municipal libraries because in Victoria the government funds municipal libraries almost $2 to $1 compared with the funding from the State government to libraries in New South Wales. We will continue to work on policies that encourage regiona1isation and better inter-library use so that the whole community can obtain better access to this very important cultural infrastructure. STATEMENT OF DEPUTY PREMIER Mr KENNETI (Leader of the Opposition) - I address a further question to the Premier. Given that today the Premier has three times refused to deny or distance herself from the comments of the Deputy Premier, that where confidence is lost the damage created is enormous -- An Honourable Member - Ask the question.

Mr KENNETI - Will the Premier and her government, in the interests of Victoria and its community, resign?

78312/91-53 QUESTIONS WImOUT NOTICE

1634 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

Mr KENNAN (Attorney-General) - On a point of order, Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition has persisted in taking out of context a remark I made -- Honourable members interjecting. Mr KENNAN - Wait for it! The SPEAKER - Order! If the Deputy Premier has a point of order he is entitled to raise it. However, the honourable member for Evelyn is well aware of the provisions of Standing Orders and if necessary I will deal with him. The Deputy Premier is not entitled to use a point of order as an attempted personal explanation. Mr KENNAN - My point of order is that the question is misleading because as the Leader of the Opposition well knows -- Honourable members interjecting. The SPEAKER - Order! If a few honourable members are not prepared to enable the Deputy Premier to raise his point of order without interruption I will have to deal with each of them. Mr KENNAN - As the Leader of the Opposition knows, the comment was about corporate regulation and the loss of confidence it has caused in the marketplace where there is a lack of corporate cooperation. He well knows it was an attack on the opposition

Honourable members interjecting. The SPEAKER - Order! The comments of the Deputy Premier do not appear to constitute a point of order. There is no point of order. Ms KIRNER (Premier) - In reply -- Mr Stockdale - Take the knife from your back first! Honourable members interjecting. Ms KIRNER - I don't believe it! Honourable members interjecting. The SPEAKER - Order! Ms KIRNER - Mr Speaker, I apologise for not being able to take up the request of the honourable member for Brighton; I would have to get it out of his back! Honourable members now know what the tactics of the Leader of the Opposition have been over the past 24 hours. Unfortunately for the Victorian community, part of his tactics-- Honourable members interjecting. The SPEAKER - Order! The honourable member for Malvern is out of order. Question time will be assisted if honourable members remain silent. I ask the Minister for Small Business in particular to remain silent. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1635

Ms KlRNER - Honourable members now know what the tactics of the Leader of the Opposition have been over the past 24 hours. Yesterday his tactic was to sound as though he was serious about a fresh start for the opposition. Mr Micallef -Nonsense! Ms KlRNER - It sounded as though he was serious about trying to assist this community on some of the important issues, to get together and move forward. Even the fact of his question today is now under consideration. The issue that was being talked about - which he now wants to play up - is whether the community can have confidence in the corporations in Victoria and Australia if the corporations do not abide by the rules and the fact that this group obstructed this government in trying to tighten up the rules. They have now been embarrassed -- Mr Kennett interjected. Mr Kennan - You know that is what was said! Ms KlRNER - They now know they have not only been caught out -­ Honourable members interjecting. The SPEAKER - Order! Mr RICHARDSON (Forest Hill) - Mr Speaker, I direct your attention to Standing Order No. 99, which states, very simply, that: No Member shall digress from the subject-matter of any question under discussion. The Premier was asked a very direct and simple question. I should have thought it was obvious that the Premier is digressing steadfastly and widely from the question asked by the Leader of the Opposition. Honourable members interjecting. The 'SPEAKER - Order! The honourable member for Forest Hill is entitled to put his point of order without the assistance of either the Minister for Police and Emergency Senices or the honourable member for Mornington. I ask all honourable members, including the honourable member for Springvale, to remain silent. Mr RICHARDSON - The Premier is very clearly transgressing Standing Order No. 99. I ask that you bring her back to order and insist that she answers the question. Mr KENNAN (Attorney-General) - On the point of order, Mr Speaker, the opposition does not want to listen because the answer will show up the Leader of the Opposition for misleading the House, because the question he asked -- The SPEAKER - Order! The Attorney-General is out of order in ascribing motives to the "Leader of the Opposition.

Mr KENNAN - The question the Leader of the Opposition asked was about a comnent that I made about loss of confidence causing damage -- QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

1636 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

Honourable members interjecting. The SPEAKER - Order! Just as the honourable member for Forest Hill was entitled to be heard in silence, so is the Deputy Premier. I ask honourable members on both sides, particularly on my left, to remain silent.

Mr KENNAN - In her answer to the question the Premier was pointing out to the House that the comment was made about the loss of confidence in the corporate structure of this country caused by the failure to properly regulate corporations, together with the fact that when we introduced legislation -- Honourable members interjecting. The SPEAKER - Order! I again remind the House that the Deputy Premier is entitled to be heard without interruption. Currently he is addressing the subject matter of the point of order, and he is entitled to express his views about its validity or otherwise.

Mr KENNAN - Whether members of the opposition like it or not the question directed to the Premier was specifically about comments that I had made. In answering the question the Premier is entitled to point out that those comments were an attack on the opposition for its failure to -- Honourable members interjecting. Mr KENNAN - The question asked of the Premier was about comments that I had made. She is pointing out that those comments were about the failure of the opposition to support our efforts to put in place a scheme of national companies regulation to restore public confidence in the corporate structure of this country. The Leader of the Opposition knows very well that that is the casei he does not deny it. The SPEAKER - Order! The Deputy Premier must confine himself to the point of order and may not make a general address on the subject matter of the question.

Mr KENNAN - When the Leader of the Opposition asks the Premier a question about comments that were made and in reply she explains to the House the context of those comments and then goes on to point out matters that are embarrassing to the opposition there is no point of order in members of the opposition seeking to say that what she is saying is irrelevant. The SPEAKER - Order! The Leader of the OppOSition prefaced his remarks by referring to an earlier answer by the Premier in which she had been asked about remarks made by the Deputy Premier. In those circumstances there is no point of order. Ms KIRNER (Premier) - The issue that has been present throughout discussion on this matter today is about how we increase the confidence of the Victorian community in our future. The Leader of the Opposition has been back in power - in what is his third attempt - for only 24 hours. Mr E. R. Smith - And he's thrashing you! PAPER

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1637

Ms KIRNER - I know you guys have all got a rush of blood to wherever, but really theissue-- Honourable members interjecting. Ms KIRNER - They are very sensitive about that remark! The debate, which is a proper debate, has been about -- Mr E. R. Smith interjected. The SPEAKER - Order! The honourable member for Glen Waverley is out of order. Ms KIRNER - The debate is about how confidence can be built up in the community. The Leader of the Opposition comes in here and has three goes at undermining it. He then has the arrogance to say, "Will you call an election?" The Victorian community wants solutions. Honourable members interjecting. Ms KIRNER - It does not want the arrogance of someone who this morning and yesterday confessed that he had not even read his own party's policies. He thought -- Honourable members interjecting. The SPEAKER - Order! There is far too much interjection from both sides of the House. I also ask the Premier to confine herself to the subject of the question and not to attempt to debate the matter. Ms KIRNER - The Leader of the Opposition thought that the Industrial Relations Bill, now before the Upper House, had been passed, and he had to be corrected by the interviewer. Mr Kennan - Ranald knew and you didn't!

Ms ~RNER - It clearly demonstrates that in comparing the commitment of the Leader of the Opposition to the Victorian community and his commitment to himself, his commitment to himself has triumphed after only 24 hours.

PAPER Laid on table by Clerk: Exhibition Trustees -Report for the six months ended 31 December 1990.

PUBLIC BODIES REVIEW COMMIITEE Mr ROPER (Treasurer) - By leave, I move: That Mr Harrowfield be discharged from attendance upon the Public Bodies Review Committee. Motion agreed to. AGRICULTURAL AND VETERINARY CHEMICALS BILL

1638 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

AGRICULTURAL AND VETERINARY CHEMICALS BILL Introduction and first reading

Mr BAKER (Minister for Agriculture) introduced a Bill to re-enact with amendments provisions relating to the manufacture, sale, use and application of agricultural and veterinary chemicals; to repeal the Agricultural Chemicals Act 1958, the Animal Preparations Act 1987, the Fertilizers Act 1974 and the Aerial Spraying Control Act 1966; to amend the Sale of Land Act 1962 and the Stock Diseases Act 1968; and for other purposes.

Read first time.

BROILER CHICKEN INDUSTRY (AMENDMENT) BILL

Introduction and first reading

Mr BAKER (Minister for Agriculture) introduced a Bill to amend the Broiler Chicken Industry Act 1978 and for other purposes.

Read first time.

CRIMES LEGISLATION (MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS) BILL (No. 2)

Introduction and first reading

Mr KENNAN (Attorney-General) introduced a Bill to amend the Crimes Act 1958, the Crimes (Blood Samples) Act 1989 and the Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1982 and for other purposes.

Read first time.

ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS TRIBUNAL (PLANNING) BILL (No.2)

Introduction and first reading

Mr KENNAN (Attorney-General) introduced a Bill to amend the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1984 and the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and for other purposes.

Read first time. DISABILITY SERVICES BILL

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1639

DISABILITY SERVICES BILL Introduction and first reading Mrs SETCHES (Minister for Community Services) introduced a Bill about the provision of services for persons with disabilities and other matters related to persons with disabilities. Read first time.

ADOPTION (AMENDMENT) BILL (No. 2) Introduction and first reading Mrs SETCHES (Minister for Community Services) introduced a Bill to amend the Adoption Act 1984 and for other purposes. Read first time.

WATER (WAIVERS) BILL Introduction and first reading Mr CRABB (Minister for Conservation and Environment) introduced a Bill to amend the Water Act 1989 and the Water (Consequential Amendments) Act 1989 and for other purposes. Read first time.

VICTORIAN COLLEGE OF THE ARTS (AMENDMENT) BILL Introduction and first reading Mr A. J. SHEEHAN (Minister for Finance) introduced a Bill to amend the Victorian College of the Arts Act 1981 and for other purposes.

Read first fime.

SUBDIVISION (MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS) BILL Introduction and first reading Mr McCurCHEON (Minister for Planning and Housing) introduced a Bill to amend the Subdivision Act 1988, the Transfer of Land Act 1958, the Sale of Land Act 1962, the Planning and Environment Act 1987, the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works Act 1958, the Water Act 1989, and various other Acts and for other purposes. Read first time. mSTORIC BUILDINGS (FURTHER AMENDMENT) BILL

1640 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

HISTORIC BUILDINGS (FURTHER AMENDMENT) BILL Introduction and first reading Mr McCUTCHEON (Minister for Planning and Housing) introduced a Bill to further amend the Historic Buildings Act 1981 and for other purposes. Read first time.

ABORIGINAL LANDS BILL Introduction and first reading Mr SANDON (Minister for Police and Emergency Services) introduced a Bill to revoke the reselVations and Crown grants of certain lands and to authorise the grant of those lands to particular Aboriginal organisations and for other purposes. Mr SANDON (Minister for Police and Emergency Services) - I move: That this Bill be now read a first time. Mr PLOWMAN (Evelyn) - Will the Minister give an indication as to which Crown lands he is referring to and the particular Aboriginal organisations to whom these lands are going to be made available? Mr SANDON (Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (By leave) - In answer to the honourable member's question, it relates to land in the Richmond area. I am happy to supply the honourable member with a briefing note later this day. Motion agreed to. Read first time.

RACING (MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS) BILL Introduction and first reading Mr TREZISE (Minister for Sport and Recreation) introduced a Bill to amend the Racing Act 1958 and the Lotteries Gaming and Betting Act 1966 and for other purposes.

Read first time.

MARTIAL ARTS CONTROL (FURTHER AMENDMENT) BILL . Introduction and first reading Mr TREZISE (Minister for Sport and Recreation) introduced a Bill to amend the Martial Arts Control Act 1986 and for other purposes. Read first time. BORROWING AND INVESTMENT POWERS (FURTHER AMENDMENT) BILL

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1641

BORROWING AND INVESTMENT POWERS (FURTHER AMENDMENT) BILL Introduction and first reading Mr ROPER (Treasurer) introduced a Bill to amend the Borrowing and Investment Powers Act 1987 and for other putposes. Read first time.

SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL Second reading Debate resumed from 23 April; motion of Mr ROPER (Treasurer). Mr MAUGHAN (Rodney) - I want to express my views about the appalling monumental incompetence of the government in its handling of the economy since it has been established in office and, in particular, during the past two years. A litany of economic vandalism, developed by the government into an art form, has occurred during this period. It has been one disaster after another. Prior to the 1988 State election, when the looming disaster of the Victorian Economic Development Corporation (VEDC) was being talked about, the government deferred addressing the problem until after the election. Looking back one can see that the loss incurred in the VEDC debacle was small change compared with the disasters that have occurred since. At that stage the VEDC had accumulated losses of $110 million, which is chickenfeed compared to the thousands of millions of dollars that have since been lost. Mr F. P. Sheehan interjected. Mr MAUGHAN - I agree with that, and that is largely because of the good management of the Rural Finance Corporation of Victoria. I commend the Treasurer for having the good sense to appoint Mr Stuart McDonald to the corporation because he brings to that organisation a depth of experience. It is one of the few bright spots in the government's economic mismanagement; it has done something worthwhile with the corporation. The deficit of the public transport system has blown out to $1.2 billion on current estimates, and it has accumulated deficits of approximately $5000 million. Public sector superannuation has unfunded liabilities of approximately $16 000 million and they are still growing. There is no evidence that the government is doing anything about reining in this massive expenditure blow-out. I shall not go through the litany of disasters except to mention the collapse of the Pyramid Building Society, which has cost the State dearly. Motorists, particularly those in country areas, resent having to bail out Pyramid depositors. Mr Perton - They are bailing out the former Treasurer. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

1642 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

Mr MAUGHAN - Yes, that is correct, but it is unfair to put that burden on motorists. People in country Victoria, because of the extra kilometres they travel, have no option but to pay a much higher proportion of the bail-out of Pyramid than do motorists in the metropolitan area. The scale of the Tricontinental disaster has not been seen in this State before and has led to the downfall and ultimate sale of State Bank Victoria, an institution which served the State with distinction for 150 years and was regarded as the epitome of a safe State bank and yet, over a weekend, it was flogged off because of the mismanagement of the government. The total losses incurred through economic mismanagement, unfunded liabilities, the sale of assets and lease-back of trams, trains and buses is horrendous. Approximately 65 to 70 per cent of the trams, trains and buses are now owned by Japanese, German and European financiers. The light rail system is 100 per cent owned by foreign interests. The suburban train network is 84 per cent owned by foreign interests. The suburban bus network is 66 per cent owned by foreign interests and suburban trams are 32 per cent owned by foreign interests. Mr Hamilton - Are you going to buy them back? Mr MAUGHAN - I am appalled that stock that was accumulated over a long period and paid for by the taxpayers of the State is being sold off. These assets have been sold to bail out the government from its financial mismanagement. Assets are being flogged off and then leased back and, of course, many of those assets will have to be purchased in four or five years. I would not be so concerned if there were lease-back arrangements for new trams, trains and buses, but that is not the case. The government is flogging off the trains, trams and buses that have been built up over a period of years. Now they are owned by financiers in other countries and Victoria will have a residual debt that will be paid off in the future. I acknowledge that a future government will have to buy back those assets, but the only reason they were sold was to bail out the government because of its financial incompetence in bankrupting the State.

The net effect is that Victoria's debt has increased to approximately $40 000 million. The Auditor-General referred to debts of $32 000 million approximately six months ago and those debts are increasing. Some estimates put the debts as high as $40 000 million. When the Labor government came to office Victoria had borrowings or debts of approximately $11 ()()() million. It took 150 years for the State's debts to reach that level, but in eight years of Labor government the debts have trebled. What have we got for it? I do not see important capital assets. On the contrary, Victoria has been selling off assets as fast as it can. The government is selling buildings and rolling stock to get money to bail itself out.

The net result of the financial disaster is that Victoria is now paying out approximately 22 to 23 per cent of its revenue in interest! That means there is less money available for schools, roads, housing, the police and all the things we need money for. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1643

I object strongly to the devious, secretive and deceptive way the government has gone about so many of its activities. Instead of being honest and up-front about its mistakes and telling Parliament and the people of Victoria what has gone on, the government has gone to inordinate lengths to conceal some of its funny-money deals. But for the excellent work of the Economic and Budget Review Committee, many of the shonky deals would not have been exposed.

I object strongly to the fact that the government has not been open about its disasters and has not told the people of Victoria what has occurred. The opposition and the Economic and Budget Review Committee have had to expose many of the deals that have embarrassed the government.

Victorians are living way beyond their means. The government has not only squandered our heritage but has mortgaged our future. It is cashing in the capital accumulated over generations by our forefathers and mortgaging our future. We are living way beyond our means and I do not see any successful attempt by this government to bring that to an end and initiate more responsible economic management. The Auditor-General in his latest report has documented a series of examples where the mismanagement of this government has cost the State dearly.

There are aggregate losses of $762 000 incurred by the State Film Centre. Honourable members heard the honourable member for Dandenong yesterday extol the virtues of the arts, and I support much of what he said. I acknowledge that the arts are an important part of economic activity in this State but I note that we have been quite happy to put $750 ()()() of government money into the arts, yet the government talks about the user-pays principle.

When it comes to primary production and a range of other areas the government talks about user pays. It should be consistent and talk about user pays in all government activities. It would be much easier for the people I represent to have a system of user pays in the area of water pricing. The government should be consistent on these issues about user pays in areas such as the arts, transport and many other areas. Some $762 000 of government money goes to the State Film Centre which services only a very small number of people.

Another example of what I am talking about is in the field of conservation and environment. There was a $31 million loss on the operation of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works waste treatment plant at Tullamarine. Why do not the users pay in that area?

Mr Hamilton - Who uses it?

Mr MAUGHAN - A good question, who uses it? We should identify who uses it and make them pay in exactly the same way as is proposed to be done in the water industry. If it is good enough for the goose, it is good enough for the gander. The government should be consistent on these matters. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

1644 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

There were losses of $7.2 million in government printing. For ten years Health Department Victoria has been unable to disburse money from the Mental Health Foundation Trust Fund which has a balance of $2 million. That is sheer mismanagement of those particular resources. The lack of accountability for private practice arrangements of full-time medical practitioners has led to instances of fraud and the inability of hospitals to determine whether they are receiving their full entitlements. All that is needed there is good management iI1 order to recover much of that money. The next point concerns nursing homes valued at $9.5 million. Many nursing homes have been built and financed by the government but are unoccupied although construction has been completed and facilities stored for many months. I am aware of a nursing home that has been completed for more than eighteen months and is still unoccupied. Government money has been spent on it and it is sitting there and not being utilised. Again, that is sheer mismanagement of resources. To the end of February the public transport system accumulated losses of $32 million and is looking at a deficit for the total year of $1.2 billion. Yesterday the honourable member for Warmambool raised the issue of Aboriginal affairs. Exactly the same sort of thing has been happening in my electorate in Echuca. I support assistance to the Aboriginal community; it does need continual support, but it needs to be well managed. In this case hundreds of thousands of dollars of government money have been wasted because the means have not been put into place to adequately monitor the expenditure of the money. Worse than that, it has not been to the benefit of the Aboriginal community. It greatly concerns me that the government has spent huge amounts of money at both State and Federal levels. I do not object to that provided the Aboriginal community gains the long-term benefits. I object to pouring these significant amounts of money into the community without putting in place adequate monitoring mechanisms to ensure that the money is used to achieve its objective and assist the Aboriginal community. Fortunately, in the case of Echuca that matter is now under control and in the long-term -- Mr Hamilton - That project has been an outstanding success and you should be proud of it! Mr MAUGHAN - It has been an outstanding success and I am proud of what has been achieved in Echuca regarding Aboriginal affairs. It had gone off the rails and a huge amount of money was wasted. If action had not been taken in recent months to rein that in and appoint an administrator on behalf of the Aboriginal people, not only would huge amounts of government money have been wasted but, more importantly, the Aboriginal people would not have received the benefit that they should have from that amount of government expenditure. There have been successes but there have also been wasted opportunities. Mr Speaker, I become concerned when there are these massive losses in such a range of areas, yet the government is doing very little to support and encourage the most productive sector of the economy, the agricultural industries. Those industries are suffering from a dramatic SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BD..L

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1645

downturn in prices for wool, wheat, dairy products, and from very high interest rates and a high dollar. Those factors are making it extremely difficult for farmers to survive. I become upset when I see farmers in such dire circumstances yet the government is looking at dramatically increasing water charges beyond what the farming community can reasonably be expected to bear. It is worth repeating that the agricultural industries are the basis of economic activity in this State because they are sustainable; they go on producing year after year. They have a multiplier effect where for every person employed in agriculture four or five people are employed in other parts of the economy in areas such as transport, processing and marketing. The government should be doing everything it can to keep our primary industries productive.

At the moment Victoria's agricultural industries comprise about 20 per cent of the economy and are generating about 40 per cent of its export income. More importantly, the farming industries over a long period - not 1, 2 or 5 years but over 10 or 20 years - have shown productivity increases two and a half times that of the rest of the community. They receive no reward for that.

It should be acknowledged that our farming industries are very efficient on a world scale but are suffering under costs imposed on them by the Commonwealth and State governments. One might ask: what can the State government do?

Mr Hamilton - The European Community does not help.

Mr MAUGHAN - No, it does not help and that is another matter we have no control over.

I take up the point raised by the honourable member for Morwell, that the European Community is one of our major problems. The government can do something about areas under its control such as transport and by making the ports more efficient and making water charges more reasonable than they are. .

I acknowledge that the EC and the United States of America do have a profound effect on marketing of primary products as do the very high interest rates and the very high dollar. Those factors are beyond the control of this House, but the Commonwealth has a responsibility there. The government can deal with things like transport where it has a very inefficient system compared to its competitors. For instance, it costs some $40 a tonne to transport a tonne of wheat from one side of the country to the other. To shift a tonne of wheat the same distance in the United States of America costs $10; that is one quarter of the cost of shifting a tonne of wheat in Australia.

Mr Hamilton - Why's that?

Mr MAUGHAN - Because the United States is far more efficient in operating its transport system. That country does not have the inequities and inefficiencies of our industrial relations practices, such as the 17.5 per cent annual leave loading and a whole range of industrial practices and featherbedding, which are costing this nation a fortune. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

1646 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

The problem is even more evident in our port areas. I do not need to remind honourable members about the inefficiencies of the ports. This government has done absolutely nothing to sort out those difficulties. We acknowledge the problems in our ports, and one could give numerous examples of the inefficiencies that exist.

For example, Toyota Motor Corporation Australia Ltd can ship a motor car from Tokyo to New Zealand for $400 less than it costs to ship the same motor car from Melbourne to New Zealand. There is something wrong with the system if it costs $400 more to ship a motor car from Melbourne to New Zealand than it costs to ship it halfway around the world.

One could give numerous other examples. We could compare the efficiencies of our ports with those of Singapore. We have similar mechanical equipment. There is nothing wrong with the equipment we have at our ports. It is mainly the industrial relations practices that have plagued this country for generations.

Until we acknowledge that we are living way beyond our means and that we have to adjust and modernise our industrial relations practices, our primary producers will continue to suffer. Therefore, I appeal to the government to do what it can about the issues over which it does have control - transport, the ports, and water pricing - to keep our very productive farming sector viable and to keep farmers on their farms, so that when we come out of the recession we are in at present we will have productive, efficient and viable agricultural industries that can prOVide the powerhouse for our economy as they have done for generations. I believe we write off farming industries at our peril.

The Auditor-General's recent report has documented examples of the inefficiencies and waste of this government. It is deplorable that in instance after instance we have lost tens of millions of dollars, and thousands of millions of dollars in some cases, to the extent that the figures become mind-boggling. We really have to return to basics and get this State running again.

In dealing with a couple of issues relating to agriculture, I raise yet another matter that we can do something about - the problems in the meat industry. A dispute is continuing at Wodonga right now. The answers to questions without notice in this House over the past couple of days have demonstrated that this government is doing absolutely nothing about resolving that dispute; it continues to say, "Let's wait until the Harrison inquiry produces its report".

Mr Hamilton - That seems only fair.

Mr MAUGHAN - Perhaps it does seem fair, except that we have been waiting a long time to do something about it. I hope, at the end of the day, that the Harrison report really does have the answers to the problems in the meat industry because we cannot afford--

Mr Hamilton - It's long-term answers that we need. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. I) BILL

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1647

Mr MAUGHAN - We cannot afford to go on in this way for much longer. Since Wally Curran and the Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union (AMIEU) have been running the meat industry in this State, not only have we lost about 20 of our export abattoirs - we had 27 and we now have about 10 - but also the number of jobs in export works has dropped, from 7000 to some 2000. If this dispute continues much longer many of those jobs also will go interstate, and Victoria, which was once the predominant State in meat processing - but which is now about No. 3 on the list - will have no meat industry of any consequence at all. It is absolutely appalling that cattle that are bought in this State by Victorian processors have to be shipped to Queensland to be killed and processed. From an economic point of view that is absolutely crazy, given that it costs approximately $30 a head and, even more importantly, when one considers the animal welfare aspect of doing that.

Mr Hamilton - It's good for the transport drivers.

Mr MAUGHAN - I suppose it is a good job for the transport drivers and it will keep them in business, and no doubt it will also increase revenue from fuel tax - not to mention that it will mean more wear and tear on our roads - but that is hardly justification for transporting our cattle outside the State to be killed and processed.

The problems in the meat industry are of major concern because over the past twelve months we have lost more than $100 million in export sales through the continual disruption to the meat industry in Victoria.

I return to the animal welfare aspect of moving cattle interstate. To transport cattle from Victoria to Queensland to be killed is unacceptable. We are forced into doing it because of the economic consequences, but we cannot continue to transport cattle that huge distance to be slaughtered when we have works in Victoria that are willing and able to do the job, if only the meatworkers would man them.

It is not as though we are arguing over low wages or poor conditions. In many cases the arguments are about mickey mouse issues; they are about union power, demarcation disputes and industrial relations arguments rather than wages and working conditions.

I know of a case where a carload of meatworkers who travel from the Goulburn Valley to Melbourne on a daily basis are each taking home $300 clear a day. They have jobs in Melbourne and the meatworks that they work at are prepared to pay that sort of money for them to drive to Melbourne, do their work there and drive back home again.

Good workers are earning very good money, and in my view all meatworkers are receiving adequate levels of pay. It is not a pleasant job, but it has to be done; provided that they do a reasonable week's work, meatworkers are well rewarded for their effort. Therefore the disputation is not about wages and conditions; the agenda is quite different.

Mr Hamilton - There are always two sides to every dispute. You can't have a dispute if you don't have two sides! SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

1648 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 Apri11991

Mr MAUGHAN - I suppose that is technically correct, but it seems there are many mickey mouse issues in the meat industry about which the AMIEU is able to create disputes. The same happens with unions in the tomato processing industry. That has caused constituents in my electorate grave concern because of the difficulty in the Heinz plant, for example. Mr Hamilton - There are certainly two sides to that one. Mr MAUGHAN - Yes, I agree that there are a couple of sides to that one but, nonetheless, the problem we have in this State is our industrial relations practices which are causing inordinate difficulties, particularly for primary producers. In general terms we have squandered our resources, we have sold our heritage and we have mortgaged our future. I shall draw an analogy with the situation of farming industries, with which I am familiar - and the analogy fits. It is a little like buying groceries on Bankcard, increasing one's overdraft by 400 per cent - because that is effectively what we have done in this State - and each year selling off another paddock of the farm in order to balance the budget. That is what this government and this Treasurer are doing: they are selling off what we have accumulated over the past 150 years, building up our debts and increasing our liabilities for the future simply to enable us to maintain a standard of living which we no longer deserve. What has been documented during this debate is a litany of appalling, monumental incompetence. We have a State on its knees; it is crying out for good management. The government is clearly incapable of dealing with the economic situation facing this State. It is going down and down, and we urgently need -- Mr Hamilton - Tell us how you're going to fix it. Mr MAUGHAN - If I had more time, I would tell the honourable member how the coalition would fix it. Mr Hamilton - I should've asked earlier. Mr MAUGHAN - Yes, perhaps the honourable member should have asked earlier. The coalition does have policies to deal with the problems of this State. The policies have to do with providing incentives and reward for effort, dealing with our industrial relations policies, and fixing up our ports and our transport system. Mr Hamilton -So you're not about union bashing? Mr MAUGHAN - No, I am not prone to union bashing. What we need is a cooperative approach. We are all dependent on one another: unions, employers and the government. I am not a union basher but I believe the unions must be far more realistic in today's environment. The government is clearly incapable of managing the economy. We need a change of government and I call on the government to resign and give the opposition the SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

Wednesday, 24iApril 1991 ASSEMBLY 1649

opportunity of straightening out the mess that has been caused in this State by the monumental incompetence of the government in the past eight years. Mr SHELL (Geelong) - I am pleased to join in debate on the Bill. It is interesting to note that the honourable member for Rodney spent 28 minutes of his contribution without saying a word about what the coalition would do if it obtained government. It is all very well to get up and harp on so-called deficiencies within the government but it has not been able to provide a realistic alternative to the government of the day and the community has no confidence in the opposition and has rejected it on many occasions. In 1982 the government of the day was thrown out of office. Mr Perton - And you have lied and cheated your way back. Mr SHELL - That interjection is interesting. For 27 years the liberal Party governed this State. In fact since Victoria was established in 1851 conservative forces had been in control from then until 1982 except for a period of about nine years - and what a mess they made. Mr Perton - What was the mess? Was it hospital waiting lists or public transport losses? Tell us about it. Mr SHELL - In 1982 this State was in a mess, especially Geelong where unemployment was around the 14 per cent mark. The liberal Party provided no vision for the future and the community had no confidence in it. Much the same is happening today. This week the Liberal Party in opposition showed a lack of confidence in its leadership. It has changed the two senior leadership positions. It has dumped the honourable members for Gippsland West and Brighton. That was done because the community at large displayed and demonstrated on many occasions a lack of confidence in the coalition forces to form a government. The community does not see the coalition as an alternative government because it has no policies. One might have expected with a new Leader of the Opposition there would have been a change in attitude in the performance of the opposition in this House. Yesterday opposition members were very docile. That is not surprising because most of them did not know what was going on in their own party and they were shocked with the change in leadership. Contrary to his previous performance when he was Leader of the Opposition, the honourable member for Burwood was extremely polite and docile. We thought, hello, he has changed his attitude to the way the Westminster system works and is prepared to work within it. However in question time today we heard the usual rabble from the opposition benches making constant interjections and constant noise; even the Leader of the Opposition treated question time as a farce. Not one question from the opposition was asked to elicit information, which is what the Westminster system of question time is all about. All the opposition's questions were asked for political points scoring. The honourable member for Rodney said that in today's economic climate the 17.5 per cent loading on recreation leave is not appropriate, is an expense on the community and SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BD..L

1650 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

industry and is not right. The honourable member does not understand the purpose of the 17.5 per cent loading. Mr Maughan - I did not say it should never have been there.

Mr SHELL - The honourable member said that it should not be there now.

Mr Maughan - Yes.

Mr SHELL - The 17.5 per cent loading was introduced under the Whitlam government between 1972 and 1975. It was to enable workers on the base salary to enjoy a holiday away from home. Those workers had no opportunity of going away because they would lose overtime entitlements and penalty rates worked outside normal hours. That would have meant an enormous drop in salary and the 17.5 per cent loading was an effort to make up that drop in salary and enable those workers to have holidays. In my view the only thing wrong with the 17.5 per cent loading is that it applies to all employees, whether they are factory workers or have managerial status. Obviously people in managerial jobs or on salaries fractionally below that earn adequate salaries. When they go on holidays they do not incur any loss because the entitlements are built into their salary package. I agree with the honourable member for Rodney that the loading should not apply across the board but for a worker on a base salary who works, say, in the tomato factory close to where the honourable member for Rodney resides, the loading is essential because otherwise that worker would suffer a lower standard of living. It is the ordinary workers in our community who make the profits for the big companies and they are entitled to have annual leave without suffering any economic disadvantage. The community can afford that. I applaud what the honourable member for Rodney said about industrial relations. He said he is not a union basher, but, by jingo, when you take notice of what he says you realise he blames the ·unions for everything. The government has spent quite a deal of money on industrial relations and consultation. How much consultation has the honourable member for Rodney engaged in in setting the coalition's policy on industrial relations? Has he consulted with unions on how the coalition wants disputes to be solved? It does not matter which industry you work in, there are always disputes. When I worked in a post office the Australian Postal Clerks and Telegraphists Union and later the Australian Postmasters Association set procedures for dealing with disputes. Seldom did we have to resort to industrial action because we had a responsible employer, the management of Australia Post, and responsible unions, and we worked through disputes. Consultation in industrial relations will never work unless you have parties on both sides that are receptive to change. It is no good blaming economic woes on the industrial relations system because if everyone, unions and employers, has the right attitude towards solving disputes we do not need industrial action. The setting up of the unfair SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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dismissal system should eliminate disputes that arise because someone considers he or she has been unfairly dismissed. The current industrial relations system is better than what the coalition is putting forward, which is a policy of nailing unionists by the processes of the law. In 1982 there was a lack of confidence in the then liberal government, and a change in government occurred. During the ensuing years, especially in its first term, the government gave a kick-start to the economy; it spent money. Mr Perton - The VEDC! Mr SHELL - Yes, and that was important in Geelong. The honourable member for Doncaster does not know about Geelong and he does not like Geelong. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition is quoted in today's Geelong Advertiser -- Mr Hamilton - Who is the Deputy Leader today? Mr SHELL - Today it is the honourable member for Hawthorn. This is what the coalition forces have to say about Geelong. The opening paragraph of the article, under the subheading of "Geelong will be a special case: Gude" states: Geelong should - and would - be treated as a special case in the coalition government's bid to restore Victoria's "wrecked" economy, the new Deputy Liberal Leader, Mr Phi! Gude, said yesterday. No government could ignore the plight of a city which had suffered from both Federal tariff cuts and the Pyramid collapse, he said. It is interesting that he referred to tariff cuts. The Federal opposition has said that the Industry Commission's report did not go far enough and that there would be further cuts. The caption under the photograph of the honourable member for Hawthorn says, "Phil Gude retains a fondness for Geelong". I am pleased to hear that because it was the Geelong electorate that first elected him to Parliament, and then dumped him. As a matter of fact the honourable member for South Barwon beat him at preselection. The Honourable Dick Hamer, previously the Premier of this State, described the honourable member for Hawthorn when he was the honourable member for Geelong East as a rising satellite, or something to that effect, yet the honourable member for South Barwon outshone him. Mr Perton - He must be a good man then! Mr SHELL - Why has the opposition not recognised that? It has left the honourable member for South Barwon on the backbench. The Cain government initially gave a kick-start to the economy so that the private sector would be able to get on with the job. It restored schools that were left in a run-down condition. It built the north wing of the Geelong Hospital, which the opposition had promised to do in three previous elections but never delivered. All it could provide was a hole in the ground. When the present government went on to build that wing, we found the hole was not big enough. It was only half a hole! SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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The Police Force was demoralised because of lack of equipment, poor salaries and conditions and superannuation problems that the Uberal government had not been prepared to address. Our government has dealt with those problems and has provided facilities that the police needed, especially the Geelong law courts and police complex, which cost about $30 million. 1hat complex has now been built on the corner of Railway Place and Mercer Street, which has met longstanding requirements of both the police and the law fraternity in Geelong. If the honourable member for Doncaster had ever been to the law courts in Geelong he would appreciate the decrepit conditions that existed when we took office. Mr Perton intetjected. Mr SHELL - You have to admit that the project is both ahead of time and ahead of budget. Mr Perton - But are we getting to court quicker? Mr SHELL - We are. I keep statistics on the matters that people come to see me about. In the first year that we took office, 20 per cent of the people who came to see me raised housing or housing-related matters because the public housing stock in Geelong was depleted. Mr Hclmilton - Who was the Minister of Housing in those days? Mr SHELL - Under the Uberal government it was the current Leader of the Opposition. 1hat government had a policy of selling off all the stock it could get its hands on. If that government had not sold off the public housing stock, there would be no shortage of public housing today. There would be housing for all those who want rental accommodation. Last year the number of people who came to see me about housing-related matters dropped to 8 per cent from 20 per cent in 1982-83. Mr Perton - That is because 92 per cent came to see you about Pyramid. Mr SHELL - I excluded Pyramid from those statistics because it was an abnormal situation that did not relate to the normal management plan. Opposition members lose sight of the ideals of the private sector when they come in here. They forget about good management techniques and carry on with a lot of rubbish. Mr Maclellan intetjected. Mr SHELL - Basically, as a lawyer you don't know anything about it anyway! The reasons why the number of inquiries about public housing in Geelong has dropped are, firstly, that we provided more housing, and secondly, the Barwon Regional Housing Council cooperated with the housing Ministry staff. Further, the financial advisory service has assisted tenants who have had problems paying their rent. The Victorian government's record in housing is surpassed by no other State in Australia. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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The honourable member for Warrnambool is constantly bleating that not enough money is spent on housing in his area, but more money has been spent by this government on housing in his area than was spent by the previous liberal government. In the past twelve months Geelong has been affected by two major events: the first was the collapse of the Farrow group; the second was the restructuring of the Ford Motor Co. of Australia Ltd and the retrenchment of about 870 employees. Mr W.D. McGrath interjected. The DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Norris) - Order! The Deputy Leader of the National Party. Mr SHELL - A few things need to be said about the collapse of the Farrow Corporation. Before the Treasurer of the day and the then Attorney-General made their statement they sought the advice of the Geelong accounting firm of Day, Neilson, Jenkins and Johns, which advised that the Farrow group of building societies had a clean bill of health. The February statement was based on that advice. Mr Perton - People relied on those Ministers. Mr SHELL - The Ministers relied on the statement of a Geelong firm that until then had been held in high esteem - there is no question about that. The subsequent guarantee, which has provided the money that backed up that statement for the depositors, has satisfied the people in Geelong to the extent that they have not lost their capital; they are concerned that they have lost the interest but their capital was their main concern. Many hardships have resulted from the collapse of the Farrow group. I do not intend to go into that matter today because I have mentioned it in an earlier contribution. Mr Perton - You were going to cross the floor and you wimped out! Mr SHELL - That was only if the opposition was going to provide something different from what the government did, but you didn't provide it and you didn't care! Mr Cooper interjected. Mr SHELL - That was the basis on which the statement was made. I don't run away from that; don't you run away from it either. I turn to the restructuring of Ford Motor Co. of Australia Ltd. In 1982-83 International Harvester Australia Ltd in Geelong collapsed - a decision made in Detroit. It had nothing to do with the Liberal government except that they did nothing to stop it; economic forces were responsible for that collapse, which resulted in between 2000 and 3000 people being displaced. Geelong had the ability to recover from that catastrophe. One does not read much about that collapse now except in relation to people who are just now receiving their last entitlements through the liquidation process. The mistake made by the workers at the International Harvester company was to trust their employer. The employer said, "You will get your entitlements", but they did not. The collapse occurred in 1982-83 and it is now 1991, nine years down the track, and the last group are just now receiving their pay-outs. That is the private sector for you! SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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I will say in respect of the Ford Motor Co. of Australia Ltd that all of the 870 or so people who have been retrenched have received their entitlements in accordance with the award. Ford must restructure, but the company has a great future in Geelong because the Norlane plant is a component manufacturer and Ford has the will and ability to produce components that can be exported overseas. That is one part of the future of Geelong: the Ford plant will continue manufacturing in Geelong, and Ford will update its facilities and enter the export market. Geelong workers are not frightened of competition: they will compete with any workers anywhere in the world. Mr W. D. McGrath - If they get subsidised $25 000 for every job. Mr SHELL - That is management's problem, not the workers' problem. The future of Geelong is sound. Geelong has a good infrastructure; it is basically dependent on manufacturing industry and always has been, but that will change. Geelong will become the service industry centre for Victoria. The city has a tremendous education infrastructure, with private and State government schools and an excellent technical and further education college in the Gordon Institute of Technology, and it is on that basis that we will build. Mr W. D. McGrath - Why do you want to build? Mr SHELL - Because we will train young people and people who have been displaced from the work force. That will be a plus for Geelong because when the economy improves we will not have to do what you lot had to do: import skilled labour. We will not have to do that because we will have skilled labour in Geelong. Referring to infrastructure, Geelong has two major facilities that will expand in the future. Geelong has experienced change in the past and has always come out of it well. The two major facilities I refer to are the Avalon airfield facility and the port of Geelong facility. Everyone knows that the aircraft manufacturing and maintenance company at Avalon has just won a major contract for $400 million to service international aircraft. Also, the next international airport in Victoria will be at Avalon. There is no other site in Victoria that has the advantages of being within 40 minutes of Melbourne, along the excellent freeway that runs between Melbourne and Geelong, and of being situated adjacent to a railway line, from which a spur line can be run. The port of Geelong has a very good track record and has over the years built up financial reserves. The port of Melbourne will gradually wind down its activities and Point Ullias, adjacent to Avalon airfield, will be the major port in Victoria. The combination of Point Ullias and the A valon airfield facility provides opportunities for workers in the service industries in Geelong - for the tourist industry, through people coming into Avalon by air, who will then travel to either Melbourne or Geelong, and from there down the west coast, and for the hospitality industry. Geelong has a great future ahead of it. It has the infrastructure necessary to survive the economic crisis Victoria is experiencing. DISTINGUISHED VISITORS

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Dr Naptbine - Caused by this government. Mr SHELL - The honourable member for Portland says it is caused by this government. He ought to get out into the private sector and understand the principles of the private sector instead of coming in here and making stupid claims like that. The government has the responsibility of setting up the economic framework so that the private sector can prosper, and if the private sector prospers, the rest of the community prospers.

The government must provide the economic framework so that not only Geelong will prosper, but Victoria as a whole will prosper. The Supply Bill is part of the way of setting up the economic framework for those things to occur. Debate interrupted.

DISTINGUISHED VISITORS The SPEAKER - Order! Before calling the next speaker it gives me great pleasure to welcome a distinguished delegation from Victoria's sister Province in China, Jiangsu Province. The delegation is led by the Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial People's Congress, Mr U Zhi Zhong. It also includes the Deputy Secretary-General of the Standing Committee, Mr Qian Wenjian; the Deputy Director of the Jiangsu Economic Planning Commission, Mr Guan Baoxuan; the Division Chief of the General Office of the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government, Mr tiu Wenquan; the Deputy Director of the General Office of the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government, Mr Pan Chun1in; the Deputy Chief of the Friendship City Division, Foreign Affairs Office, Mr Zhang Wenming; and an interpreter from the Jiangsu Foreign Affairs Office, Mr Zhou Wei. We are very proud and privileged to have these gentleman as visitors to Victoria and to the gallery of our Chamber. On behalf of all honourable members I welcome them.

SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL Second reading Debate resumed.

Mr MACLELLAN (Berwick) - Mr Speaker, I join with you, on behalf of the opposition, in expressing a sincere welcome to our distinguished visitors. I hope the good relationships between Victoria and our sister province in China continues for many years to come. The relationship was initiated by the Hamer government some years ago, and we are honoured to have representatives of the province here today as visitors to this Parliament. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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The visitors, of course, would be familiar with Parliamentary debate but perhaps in a different traditional style from ours. Here we are debating the question as to whether the government should or should not be given Supply in the sense of being given additional taxpayers' money to continue to administer the State. The honourable member for Geelong who has just spoken suggested that it was the government's role to establish the economic framework, and the private sector's role to prosper within that framework. Of course, OUl visitors may find a familiar echo in that sort of thinking, and how appropriate it would be, but unfortunately we have to say that our government has failed to provide the appropriate economic framework for business, and particularly for private businesses to thrive. I turn to some remarks made yesterday by the honourable member for Dandenong which are recorded in the Daily Hansard, and I shall paraphrase them. He said that no-one can deny, of course, that the recession has caused many business failures, but the majority of them are due to the ineptitude of the small business proprietors who often believe all they have to do to make a success of their business is to open their doors. The government has made an attack on the private sector, and a continuing one. In no sense does the government accept responsibility, and this is clear from the remarks of the honourable member for Geelong - it was perhaps everybody else's fault, but not the government's. The current Premier likes to pretend that this is a new government and that presumably a new Premier means a new government, but this government arrived on the scene when it dishonoured the family pledge, and I remind the House that the family pledge was made by the honourable member for Bundoora, Mr John Cain, the former Premier, and that pledge was an election pledge. The government stated that it was not a promise to be dishonoured as shallow governments might dishonour election promises, it was a pledge. Of course, it was then totally dishonoured by the government. Can one rely upon the government's word on anything? The breaking of the pledge was followed by the unveiling of the government's inept management of the State leading to the loss of the State Bank. The Tricontinental Corporation Ltd is now the subject of a Royal Commission and the VEDC brought down the former Deputy Premier, now the honourable member for Footscray, who is still with us in Parliament. The Victorian Investment Corporation was to invest in the sunrise industries, which were to save us, but they proved to be a disaster, and millions of dollars have been lost by the government; yet, through the Bill, the government asks for another helping of money out of the Consolidated Fund. In other words, the government is asking us to authorise it to take more of the taxpayers' money for it to spend. There are curious aspects to the approach of the government speakers in this debate. For instance, in referring to shop trading hours yesterday the honourable member for Dandenong said the winners in the battle are the five large retail operators because the strip shopping centres are dying on their feet. They are, I should add, dying on their feet under a Labor government. Under the Kimer Labor government the honourable member SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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for Dandenong stood up yesterday and said that strip shopping centres are dying on their feet, but what is the government doing about it? What does the honourable member for Dandenong believe to be the cause of the strip shopping centres dying on their feet? He says it is a tragedy and, "I blame the present Leader of the Opposition for it." That is where there is a most curious factor at work within the government. The government says that after nine years of Labor government the strip shopping centres are dying on their feet because of the Leader of the Opposition. This suggests that somehow the government is becoming disconnected from reality. It has lost touch with the fact that government members are the ones bringing legislation into the House; they are the ones that are meant to propose remedies and solutions to problems.

As the honourable member for Geelong said, it is the government's responsibility to set the economic framework and to allow private sector businesses to build, thrive and trade successfully within that environment. But government members say they do not believe that. They certainly do not act upon it because they clearly believe the problems are someone else's fault.

The honourable member for Doveton, the former Treasurer, believes it is the fault of the directors of the State Bank or of Tricontinental. The honourable member for Footscray, the former Deputy Premier, thinks it is the fault of the directors of the Victorian Economic Development Corporation. The Minister for Manufacturing and Industry Development in another place undoubtedly thinks it is the responsibility of the people chosen to be in charge of the Victorian Investment Corporation. I do not know who they will blame in respect of the National Safety Council but I guess it could be someone who is presently facing charges or somebody who will be investigated by a Royal Commission; but certainly it will never be them.

This is the Pontius Pilate government. It puts on "Don't be a Wally with water" advertisements for the Board of Works, but its members wash their hands of every responsibility. They are not the ones to bear the responsibility for problems; it is always someone else's fault. It is supposedly the international recession affecting Geelong or Victoria and the international crisis is causing problems for the farming industry. However, this government, through its incompetence and its failure to take hard decisions in the past nine years, has made every difficulty worse. In other words, it has intensified the problems to the point where Victoria is now in a state not merely of recession but of depression.

What are the symbols of the recession and depression in this State? The closing down sale is the banner headline of this government. Victoria should have a flag with "Closing down" written on it. There are empty shops everywhere. The Pyramid Building Society office in Exhibition Street - one block from Parliament - is still empty and does not have a new tenant. It has been up for lease since the closure of the Pyramid Building Society and is still empty. What has this incompetent government done to focus industry on this State? It has left that office open, as it has done with dozens of others. Those empty Pyramid offices are symbols of the incompetence of the government. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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If one visits Banana Alley, on which the government lavished hundreds of thousands of taxpayers' dollars, one will find empty vaults and not a tenant in sight. There has not been a tenant in the vaults for so long that the area has become a public disgrace. The government has the temerity to talk about private enterprise. Yesterday I had lunch with the proprietors and developers of the Melbourne Central project. What are they doing about the government's recession? They are not saying small businessmen are wrong and have led to the failures; they are opening 200 specialty shops in their development and they are doing it with Japanese investment money. In other words, if the government recognised Victoria's strength and created an atmosphere of confidence, the situation could be improved. Confidence will be restored only when this stupid and inept government is swept out by an election and replaced by a government representative of the people and the future of Victoria. The government represents the scandals, incompetence, mismanagement and inabilities of the past as well as the past remedy of leaving it to the trade union movement. If the trade union movement will not allow it, it cannot be done, according to the government, and that is what is wrong with it. It has been stymied by its important backers and friends. It cannot make the changes that must be made if the State is to get out of the current recession and depression and start into the future. That fact is illustrated by the speech made last night by the honourable member for Dandenong. During his speech the honourable member said that members of the opposition know there is far more to being in business than just opening one's doors for business. I made a disorderly interjection about the honourable member telling the President of the Small Business Association of Victoria of his views; Peter Boyle would be interested in the attitude of the government, as outlined by the honourable member for Dandenong. The government believes that if a business goes bankrupt it is the fault of the business and the government takes no responsibility for the recession it has engineered. According to the Federal government, this is the recession we supposedly had to have, and it was implemented and manipulated by the high interest rates imposed on the community by the Federal Treasurer, Mr Keating. The State government is washing its hands of the recession and saying it is not involved. When did the Premier stand up to the Federal government and say its strategy was wrong and inappropriate for Victoria? Despite the Treasurer's best endeavours, careful analyses appearing in many newspaper articles show that Victoria's economy ranks sixth among State economies in Australia. Victoria is where the incompetence is worse; this is where the unemployment is becoming worse. Victoria is getting the pay-offs for the government's incompetence and tens of thousands of jobs are being lost, regardless of whether they are in the government or the private sector. Lay-offs are happening every day of the week and the shorter working week is being applied to more and more people. Hidden beyond the statistics is a recession on which attention has not yet been focused. I refer to the recession of the three or four-day working week. Families are expected to survive with a 20 per cent cut in their incomes because the wage earners are working only four days a week and, therefore, are being paid for only four days. It is better to be SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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paid for four days than to be laid off, which is the case for many factory workers in Geelong, Melbourne, country areas and provincial cities. Silvertails in the white-collar merchant banking industries are not being laid off. The people being affected are not those due for a crash because of ostentatious spending. Working families of the State are being affected. The honourable member for Geelong had the nerve to say that when we come out of the recession we will have the work skills for the recovery. Has he examined the apprenticeship figures? He could not have.

Dr Napthine - There is a 22 per cent drop.

Mr MACLELLAN - There has been a 22 per cent drop in the number of apprenticeships, but the honourable member for Geelong says the work force will have the skills for the recovery. From where will the young and bored and those who cannot get jobs or training under this government get the work skills for the recovery?

Everything to which I have referred so far means fewer dollars in the cash registers of small business. Small business in this State pays the price for every incompetence of the government. If the government does not pay interest to depositors in the failed Pyramid Building Society, there will be less money to be spent in the shops and businesses of this State. If people work four-day weeks, which represents a 20 per cent cut in the household income, there is less money for the supermarket, the milk bar, the small business sector and those providing goods and services to the community.

The government rejoices in the fact that it has engineered the worst depression since the 1930s, and it is reaching that level. Members of the government warp and distort the unemployment figure to their hearts' content to try to prevent it topping the almost 10.2 per cent figure it reached in 1982. However, they know in their heart of hearts that the figure is already worse than that because they are not including the lay-offs and the unemployment represented by people working three or four-day weeks.

I do not know how the families in my electorate survive. Many of them survive because wives have gone out to work. However, many wives went back to work a long time ago to try to pay the 17.5 per cent mortgage rate which this government and its Federal colleagues engineered. The crisis for those families is trying to get new shoes for the kids to wear to school! The government talks about having the responsibility of establishing the economic settings and after that it is the private sector that has to work within them. Victoria has record bankruptcies and record insolvencies.

Then we have the honourable member for Dandenong - who, I may add, is retiring at the next election - having the temerity to stand up and say, 11 All the bankruptcies and insolvencies are the fault of the people in the business community, and their incompetence". What a studied insult to the people who will lead us out of the recession!

No-one else will lead us from the recession. We will not be led from the recession by an army of bureaucrats appointed by the government. The best we can hope for the army of bureaucrats established by the government is that they all fall over a cliff together and SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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keep out of the way, or go somewhere and get out of the way! They are not helpful to the recovery. Mr Kennedy interjected. Mr MACLELLAN - Nor is the honourable member for Bendigo West who is interjecting. He loves public servants, he wants more of them. Mr Kennedy interjected. Mr MACLELLAN - I want the business sector to lead the recovery because I have never known of a memo-led recovery anywhere in the world; I have never heard of a file-led recovery anywhere in the world. I have never known of anyone being able to be fed-- Mr Kennedy interjected. The ACI1NG SPEAKER - Order! The honourable member for Bendigo West is out of order. Mr MACLELLAN - If the honourable member believed in State farms and was suggesting their productivity may increase so they could produce more food, he may be on the right track. What active aspect of the government is the honourable member talking about? Is he talking about cheaper electricity? No, because the government opposes the privatisation of a generator - or he does if he has taken the pledge, or if the Minister for Agriculture has taken the pledge - and I will bet he has or he would not be the candidate for Sunshine, or at least he may have taken half the pledge; perhaps he signed it in invisible ink! The Treasurer was within one Achille Lauro vote of that. We know where his heart is. The SEC will keep the power station no matter what, if he is to keep his preselection and the government is to stay intact. This government is incapable of making the decisions that must be made. Small business and small employers will lead the recovery; they are the ones who will work us out of the troubles the government has created. I can only hope that under this government, in its remaining few months - if that - it will see the light increasingly and not make further attacks on small business, and not say the bankruptcies and insolvencies are the result of the incompetence of small business but that it will begin to realise that so much of the recession has been engineered by its Federal colleagues, by manipulation of interest rates and by its simple incompetence in managing the affairs of the State. Thousands of millions of dollars have been lost through State Bank Victoria and Tricontinental Corporation Ltd. At least $100 million would be an appropriate figure to put on the Tricontinental, Victorian Econonuc Development Corporation, Victorian Investment Corporation and National Safety Council of Australia scandals over which the government presided. Then, today at question time the Deputy Premier says it is a matter of confidence. He said, "If you do not have confidence we will not have a recovery", but he was not talking about overall confidence but about confidence in the corporate sector. The Deputy SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Premier, as he tried to make a personal explanation during his point of order, was squawking, but why was he so embarrassed and what is his problem? He would not want to say it but the State Bank and Tricontinental lent the money to the corporate cowboys who lost it all! Under the government and its policies hundreds - or is it thousands - of millions of dollars was handed out to the people he now says cannot be trusted. Even the honourable member for Geelong says the same thing - you cannot trust your employer! Those comments come from a government, whose first act was to break the family pledge. It talked its way into government with the family pledge and dishonoured public life in Victoria with a breach of the public pledge. It was not a pledge like a promise to be broken - it was a pledge. The honourable member for Bundoora staked his reputation and the reputation of every government member on it. The working families in my electorate will never forgive or forget what the government has done. Dr Napthine - Nor should they. Mr MACLELLAN - They will never forgive or forget what it has done. I imagine that if the polls are in any way to be relied upon - and I think they are because they have been building consistently - thousands of Victorians will vote for the coalition. For the first time in their lives they will vote liberal. They may never have voted liberal before but they will vote liberal this time to throw this mob out for a generation. Mr Reynolds - The sooner the better! Mr MACLELLAN - It is my belief those people will never vote Labor again during their lives because never again will they trust a Labor government because it has dishonoured its pledge, and because it was incompetent in its management of the affairs of the State. It was untruthful in its disclosure and deceitful about public issues. It used every device possible to cover up and it is still spending more than its income, yet it comes to the House asking for further Supply. In other words, it comes here asking for more of the taxpayers' money to enable it to stay juggling public affairs for a few more months. Why do I say"a few more months" - because as of October this year things change. The government's three-year term will be over. Then the time will have arrived when an election is an option. That is a daily option for the Premier. She can go to the big white house on the hill near the Shrine of Remembrance and talk to the His Excellency the Reverend Dr Davis McCaughey, and say, "Davis, I think I should go". Undoubtedly he will say, "I have been waiting for you, I was wondering when you would come". Mr Reynolds - He is not on his own. Mr MACLELLAN - When she says she is going she will be accompanied by thousands of Victorians. We would sing an anthem on the way if we thought she would get out in October next and have an election. So far as the coalition is concerned, she can SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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have an election tomorrow if a few of them have the temerity to walk out and let us have a vote of confidence while they are outside. We will toss them out and have an election. We can do it! It is not impossible but it needs the cooperation of three or four government members. Why not have three or four by-elections? Why not ask the honourable member for Footscray? He intends to throw in the towel at the next election. Why could he not go a little earlier with a resignation and be warmed by his lump sum? Why not the honourable member for Bundoora? He also is to throw in the towel. He could take a larger lump sum, apparently, and be warmed even more. What about the honourable member for Oakleigh? So far as I know he is no longer a candidate. What about the former Minister for Agriculture - the gentleman who said he did not do it and then said he did? The honourable member for Essendon may like to oblige us. Why not have that situation? For heaven's sake, Victorians are crying out to get rid of this government so that small business can get on with business without government interference and without a government that spends too much, borrows too much, taxes too much and cannot be trusted. That is the situation the government is in: it borrows too much -$42 million at the latest estimate; it spends too much - and with a Budget deficit raging along at $1000 million, just for this year! Taxes and charges have gone.through the roof so that Victoria is the highest taxed State in Australia - and it will continue to be under this government because there is no relief in sight. Currently 23 cents of every dollar of State income is devoted to paying the interest to service the debt accumulated by this government!

In the current circumstances nobody could have confidence in starting a new venture in Victoria unless it was with international money. I can understand that with the Melbourne Central project the Japanese investors consider 3 per cent return on their money to be a good rate of return. Japan has no inflation so 3 per cent would be considered an excellent rate of return. However, I ask: how can a young Australian entrepreneur wishing to establish a business go ahead when the bank manager says, "I want a mortgage over your house", and people like the honourable member for Dandenong indicate that it is the businessman's fault if things go wrong in his enterprise and that it is not the fault of the government that did not pay its bills? This government issued cheques that bounced. Government cheques bounced! Mr J. F. McGrath - In both February and March. Mr MACLELLAN - Yes, in both February and March of this year. Probably for the first time in 100 years the Victorian Treasurer presided over a Treasury that was trying to organise the finances of this State while government cheques bounced. In other words, people in the business community, including small businessmen, received government cheques. First of all they were taken up with the drawer and a month later the cheques were bounced by the bank because of insufficient funds. That is the government's position: insufficient funds. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Sitting suspended 1.2 p.m. until 2.4 p.m. Mr KENNEDY (Bendigo West) - Firstly, I comment on the speech of the previous speaker, the honourable member for Berwick. During the half hour while he spoke, although he was vocal in condemning the government in respect of small business in Victoria, he gave no indication whatever of what would be the alternative Liberal Party policy to assist small business. The situation is remarkable inasmuch as the honourable member has a specific role, as shadow Minister for Small Business. I should have thought that, as the person whose tasks include the devising of an alternative coalition policy, he would have been a bit more forthcoming and presented a constructive and positive alternative policy. To that extent, his speech was disappointing: he was unable to present a policy and unable to indicate when one would be made public. Regrettably the same kind of attitude is demonstrated towards a number of activities in the area I represent. For a long time now I have been waiting for the coalition to produce a regional development policy. It has not done so as yet although honourable members have heard constant rubbishing of the government's efforts to develop regional and country Victoria. The opposition has provided no alternative policy. In the course of the debate I shall spend some time talking about the League of Rights and its activities in my area in particular and country Victoria generally. People in Victoria, particularly in country areas, need to be warned about the real agenda of this organisation, how it operates, and its philosophy and doctrines. Scope exists for community leaders to be quite outspoken about the organisation. In particular I note that for some time the League of Rights has been making a concerted bid to penetrate Christian churches. It is important that religious people are aware of precisely what this organisation is doing. I have been pleased to read the comments made by other politicians, including some on the conservative side of politics. In the Sunday Age of 30 December last year, the National Party representative in the Federal seat of Gippsland, Mr Peter McGauran, is quoted as saying:

My major objection is they are subverting the political system, deliberately working to wreck it. Mr McGauran indicates that the League of Rights has been endeavouring to manipulate country people in his area by playing on their problems and attempting to marshal them in behind the League of Rights. I was pleased recently to hear the honourable member for Bendigo East, Mr Michael John, saying during a discussion about the League of Rights on Community Radio 3CCC: ... in my view, the sorts of policies they adopt are not policies in favour of permitting freedom but of restricting it and I think in the past certain policies of the League of Rights have been the sort you would have expected pursued by Nazis and extreme right-wing groups in Nazi Germany. I commend both those members of Parliament for demonstrating their willingness to speak out on the subject. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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My concern about the matter was raised particularly by the publication of an excellent article in the Age of 23 March 1991, headed "Seeds of Unrest", describing the activities of the League of Rights and various extremist right-wing organisations whose members are trying to exploit the problems of people in regional and country Victoria in order to gain a platform on which they can be heard and, wherever possible, list more supporters for their organisation. I note the general comments made in the article. I was particularly interested in the references to the situation in the area I represent. I quote extensively from the article as it is important: Before the Federal election last year, Jeremy Lee, the former Deputy Director of the League of Rights and a member of the Logos Foundation, a fundamentalist Christian group, was lion tour" in Victoria, warning of a sinister plot by international financiers and Fabian socialists to bring about a world government. The only way to fight this new order, he said, was through citizens' referendum. Mr Lee is again on the campaign trail through country NSW and Victoria and last Monday addressed a group in Bendigo on the dangers of the new international economic order and the threat to Australia's sovereignty. Mr Lee's Bendigo visit was arranged by the Free Australia group, a splinter group from the Save Australia rally, which recently organised a truck drivers' protest in Melbourne against rising registration fees and fuel costs. The Free Australia group is connected to a fundamentalist church in Bendigo, the Ascension Centre. The league-inspired Rural Action Group (also known as Christian Rural Action) is the church's political arm. Those comments are of concern to me because it is important that the people of Victoria and the people of my area, in particular, are aware of the activities of the League of Rights. When statements such as those are printed in a reputable newspaper like the Melbourne Age it is incumbent upon the people who hold responsible positions in the organisation to respond. Representatives of the Ascension Life Centre have not responded to the comments in the newspaper, but I hope they will find it appropriate to do so. For some time the League of Rights has been engaged in a campaign to penetrate Christian churches and turn them into propaganda arms of the league. The motives behind such actions should be unmasked so that dedicated, devoted Christians can practise their beliefs without being seen by the public as supporting doctrines fundamentally at odds with the teachings of Christ and Christianity. Those comments sparked my interest and made me aware of the importance of speaking up on the matter not only in Bendigo but also in this House. The doctrines of the League of Rights are obnoxious and objectionable in the extreme, because it is a racist, anti-Semitic and anti-democratic organisation. Among the worst elements of its dogmas is a set of conspiracy theories, the most recent of which is that there is an alleged plot to create a new international economic order, behind which are allegedly international banks, world government, Jews, socialists and a newly created monster called Fabian socialism. On a recent 3CCC radio program I listened to a representative of the B'nai B'rith Anti-defamation Commission talk about the activities of the League of Rights. He said SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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that proponents of League of Rights propaganda can usually be picked by their use of code words such as "Jews", "international banks", "socialists" and "new international order". The League of Rights is a clandestine organisation that seeks to propagate its doctrines not under its own banner but under the banner of bogus front groups that give the league an aura of respectability and make it and the vile propaganda it peddles more attractive to unsuspecting and generally decent people. An organisation called Save Victoria popped up in Bendigo in 1984, and at its head was a man called Jeremy Lee, whose name is well known to anyone who is aware of the activities of the league. His name was not known to many Bendigo people when his visit was first announced, because League of Rights speakers who travel throughout the country never reveal the name of the organisation that they speak on behalf of. In recent months many such organisations have been formed in Bendigo as fronts for the League of Rights. They include Christian Rural Action, members of which appeared in Bendigo in 1990 to distribute propaganda during a farmers' rally. That organisation spawned another known as the Bendigo Rural Action Group, which set itself up to marshal forces to travel from Bendigo to Melbourne for the recent rally in Melbourne organised by Danny Johnson. That in turn spawned an organisation called the Free Australia Committee, which was established on 10 January this year to organise a truckers' rally in Melbourne. Those organisations seem to have a common membership. The Free Australia Committee gave itself away because it organised a visit to Bendigo by Jeremy Lee without saying who he was. But the cat was soon out of the bag because it became clear that the committee supported the League of Rights and that its purpose was to promote the doctrines of the league.

At present the committee is attempting to meddle in local government in Bendigo, trying to create division and disharmony. It has been put back into its box particularly by the Mayor of Eaglehawk, Cr Carney, as well as other local government leaders, who have refused to attend the meeting the committee had planned.

On Friday 12 April radio 3CCC broadcast a debate on the League of Rights, and a number of other people and I spoke on the subject. I was particularly disappointed that Mr Ron Best, a member for North Western Province in the Upper House, did not take part in the discussion. I had hoped he would have spoken in the debate if for no other reason than to allow the public to hear where the local National Party member stands on the issue.

The Deputy Leader of the Federal National Party, the member for Murray, Bruce Lloyd, spoke during the debate, and all credit to him for doing so. From what I have heard he is a man of principle and reputation who has been the subject of vicious attacks by the League of Rights and its front organisations. Although I was a little concerned that he was cautious and his comments were guarded, I understand the difficulties he has had with the League of Rights. I pay tribute to him for the strong positions he has taken on a

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number of matters in his electorate that have resulted in vicious attacks on him by the league. Two Bendigo people, who have been constant writers to local newspapers and who are or have been members of some of the league's front organisations, spoke during the debate and made it clear that they share the philosophies and attitudes of the League of Rights. I was very concerned to see that the National Party's publicised list of candidates for preselection for the Lower House seat of Bendigo West includes the names of two people who have held or hold executive positions with the so-called Freedom Australia Committee, which has been revealed as being closely aligned with the League of Rights. Recently the committee organised a dinner in Bendigo attended by Mr Jeremy Lee, a former national assistant director of the league.

It is sad to see people of that background being involved with the National Party, but it is even sadder that such representatives of the League of Rights are putting themselves forward for preselection in the hope of being elected to the Parliament of Victoria. I hope the people in the National Party who make the decisions on preselections are well aware of the backgrounds of the candidates.

Over a number of years there has been a good deal of activity by the Australian League of Rights in the Bendigo area. I do not suggest the league is attracting massive numbers of people, but it has been active. I refer the House to 1984 which, in my recollection, was when Jeremy Lee first visited Bendigo. He may have been in Bendigo before - he certainly has been there more often since - but in 1984 he visited Bendigo in connection with an organisation calling itself Save Victoria, which was an anti-Aborigine organisation established as a front to peddle the League of Rights philosophies on Aboriginal land rights. The publicity in Bendigo did not identify him as a spokesman for the League of Rights. It took some probing by the Bendigo people to ascertain that he was a spokesman for the league. Earlier this year when he spoke at a dinner his identity was not revealed.

In the Bendigo Advertiser of 6 July 1984 there was a revelation about an association between the League of Rights and the Ascension Life Centre. The report indicated that the Ascension Life Centre had a secret political lobby group which had as its function the vision of "taking the City of Bendigo for the Lord". The article reveals that the organisation was to operate in a secret way to get people nominated or elected to councils, boards, committees and so on. It indicates that during the period reported a leaked document suggested that political activity included an association with Eric Butler of the League of Rights.

That is unfortunate indeed. The membership of the organisation was listed at that time and gave some addresses and telephone numbers in Bendigo. One of the people listed in the Bendigo Advertiser was Brent Melville, who was the director of the lobby group. He is reported as having said in his report on this political lobby group that a certain local councillor had been involved in the group's activities. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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It may be that some members of the group, or one or two of them, are involved with some of the organisations that have popped up in Bendigo in recent months. It may be that Mr Melville, who is a journalist and is well known to people who follow the news in Bendigo, is playing a similar role with organisations such as the Free Australia Committee, Chri~tian Rural Action, Be~digo Rural Action and so on. A spokesman for the Ascension Life Centre said he thought the report might have given the impression that the organisations had some association with the League of Rights and he challenged the comment about the League of Rights. Later he said that he was resurrecting this lobby group and, surprisingly, the day after the League of Rights came out and publicly applauded the resurrection of the lobby group known as the Ascension Life Centre.

On 11 July 1984 the Bendigo Advertiser reported on the League of Rights meeting and said Mr Butler had congratulated the organisation on its bid to re-establish a disbanded lobby group. In the article he goes on to peddle the usual lines of the League of Rights by suggesting that the League of Rights is a genuine Christian organisation which recognises and appreciates the virtues of churches organising politically in the way that has been reported in the Bendigo Advertiser about the Ascension Life Centre. The local press also reported that Mr Butler gave a heavy payout to the Anglican Bishop of Bendigo, Oliver Heywood, who had been quite outspoken on the League of Rights. The bishop had taken a strong and forthright line in speaking out against the league. He suggested the League of Rights was stirring up racial prejudice against Australian Aborigines. Mr Butler took strong exception to those comments.

I move now to other activities of the League of Rights in the Bendigo area. In 1987 a Joh for Canberra organisation was established. That famous campaign was heavily backed by the League of Rights and supported in Bendigo by Mr Harold Hall. When it was finally recognised that the idea of Joh taking over Federal government was nothing more than a vain dream, the Joh for Canberra campaign put its resources behind the National Party campaign for Mr Best to win the Federal seat of Bendigo.

Mr Reynolds - Why don't you just issue some pres~ releases?

Mr KENNEDY - This is important information. You should do your community a favour an,d highlight some of these issues.

Mr Reynolds - Go outside and say it!

Mr KENNEDY - Isn't this interesting? I am only reading a few press articles. Members of the opposition, who have just arrived in the Chamber, are getting upset about certain comments. Earlier I referred to the good things that had been said by the honourable member's colleague, the honourable member for Bendigo East. If the honourable member for Gisbome wants to discredit me because I am speaking out, perhaps he also wants to discredit his colleague for making such statements. Perhaps he wants to discredit the Federal National Party member, Peter McGauran, for saying the same things. I recognise that there are some people in the National and Liberal parties who do speak out on the League of Rights. There are others who are too blooming lazy or SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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unprincipled to do so. Perhaps the honourable member for Gisborne falls into that category. Honourable members interjecting. Mr KENNEDY - Another League of Rights activity in Bendigo involved a so-called British historian, Dr David Irving, whose claim to fame was his view that there was no real evidence that Hitler knew what was going on in the extermination camps like Auschwitz. Mr Reynolds interjected. Mr KENNEDY - The honourable member for Gisborne should not attack me. I do not regard this as being a party political issue. Mr EV ANS (Gippsland East) - On a point of order, Mr Acting Speaker, the honourable member for Bendigo West has been speaking for 24 minutes, entirely on the League of Rights. I do not see the League of Rights mentioned in the Supply Bill. I suggest he should be called upon to relate his remarks to the Supply debate. The ACl'lNG SPEAKER (Mr McDonald) - Order! The debate is far reaching. I take the honourable member's point that the honourable member for Bendigo West has ranged widely in his contribution. I ask the honourable member to return to the Supply Bill. Mr KENNEDY (Bendigo West) -If the honourable member for Gippsland East were a member of a government there would probably be specific grants directed towards the League of Rights. Mr EVANS (Gippsland East) - On a point of order, Mr Acting Speaker, I seek a withdrawal of that comment. It is a reflection upon my integrity. Mr Kennedy - Can I debate that point? The ACfING SPEAKER - Order! The honourable member for Gippsland East has sought a withdrawal, and I ask the honourable member for Bendigo West to withdraw. Mr KENNEDY (Bendigo West) - I withdraw. The ACfING SPEAKER - Order! I ask the honourable member to address the Chair. Mr KENNEDY - The point I am making, Mr Acting Speaker, is that today the debate is about the basic democratic processes of government. Governments are elected by the people of Victoria. The Bill relates to the funds allocated to carry on government and certain processes have been established. What I am dealing with is the basic question of Supply. I am referring to people who are opposed to the basic democracy of government and who have been active in demanding that the opposition take a role in denying that function of government. Suddenly in 1987 a British history expert, Dr David Irving, who reportedly was associated with the League of Rights, said, "There is no evidence that Hitler knew what SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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was going on in the extermination camps such as Auschwitz". In the same year the "Christian Political Party" was set up which was also connected with the League of Rights. In 1988 when the referendum was held by the Federal government on the recognition of local government again the League of Rights was active. A speaker was brought in by the name of Dr David Mitchell. Mr REYNOLDS (Gisborne) - On a point of order, you, Mr Acting Speaker, just ruled on a matter a few minutes ago directing that the honourable member for Bendigo West should address his remarks to the Bill. The honourable member has returned to exactly the same subject of the League of Rights. He has not varied the subject. I ask you to direct him to follow your ruling. The ACTING SPEAKER - Order! I did not direct the honourable member for Bendigo West not to digress from the Bill because the debate is wide ranging but I did ask him to come back to the Bill. Mr KENNEDY (Bendigo West) - Earlier today we listened to the honourable member for Berwick range all over the place about small business. I am talking about one of the most fundamental things that Parliament does which is to protect the liberty of individual citizens. Honourable members opposite should be commenting on that. I was pointing out that a gentleman was brought out to Australia and he was associated with the League of Rights and with the JlChristian Political Party". Later on a JlChrlstian Rural Action" group was established. Of course there was also the organisation called the Free Australia Committee, which is also associated with the League of Rights. The fundamental role of Parliament is to protect the liberty of individual citizens to ensure no activity occurs that will challenge that liberty. I am disappointed that a member of the National Party and a member of the Liberal Party raised specious points of order to disrupt the comments that I have been making on this matter. Mr COOPER (Mornington) - On a point of order, the honourable member for Bendigo West has just reflected on the Chair by describing a point of order that was upheld by you, Mr Acting Speaker, as specious. That is a reflection on the Chair and I ask you, Mr Acting Speaker to ask the honourable member for Bendigo West to withdraw. The ACTING SPEAKER - Order! I did not find any remark made by the honourable member for Bendigo West to be offensive to the Chair and I do not uphold the point of order. Mr KENNEDY (Bendigo West) - Thank you, Mr Acting Speaker for the way you have chaired the debate and given me the opportunity to comment in the light of some of the things that have been said by honourable members opposite. Mr EV ANS (Gippsland East) - I listened to the honourable member for Bendigo West with great patience. It is strange that he should be so obsessed by the activities of the League of Rights when in one breath he proclaims his concern for individuals and in the SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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next he appears to want to ban certain sections of the community expressing their opinions at all. That is probably in line with the activities of the political organisation to which he belongs. If the honourable member wants to talk about public awareness so considered judgments can be made I ask the public of Victoria to reflect on what it was told just before the 1988 State elections. In no uncertain terms it was told that the finances of this State were in order and there was nothing to worry about as everything in the garden was lovely. Apparently at that stage the financial problems of the Victorian Economic Development Corporation were well known to the government but the honourable member for Bendigo West was not keen to ensure that the people of Victoria knew the facts before they made their decisions at the election. If he had been honest about what was happening within the government he would have told the people of Bendigo West the truth. I am sure if he had done so he would not be sitting in that seat today. To talk about people being aware of true situations, I refer to the television program on the ABC which I have seen on a couple of occasions entitled The party is over. This program deals with the Communist Party of Australia. The tenor of the program was about the party being active 20 or 30 years ago but having then faded into oblivion. Mr Perton - They have all joined the Labor Party. Mr EV ANS - Precisely. They became aware that the word "communist" was a problem so they changed their name to the socialist left. They are running Victoria, if not Australia. One should consider the financial state of Australia and whether that is accidental or bad luck. The acknowledged program of the Communist Party over many years was to first destroy the financial system of the country you wish to run, and surely that has been achieved excellently. One would have to be totally naive to think otherwise. The honourable member for Bendigo West having had his say has now departed and we will be unlikely to see him for the rest of the day. Australians expect the ABC to be objective and to report fairly on the events of the day giving a fair assessment of what is happening in the community. Those of us in country areas are conscious over many years of the extreme bias displayed by the ABC. This is not directly related only to the affairs of the day because I have had personal experience going back almost ten years of a distortion of affairs rural, in particular, by the ABC. The sort of affairs to which I refer are generally known as conservation issues. From time to time programs are presented in a pseudo-scientific format, but which are extremely biased so far as I am concerned and are motivated by political objectives. As politicians my colleagues and I in the National Party have sought a fair assessment based on the knowledge of a given situation so that the community can make a valid judgment on what is happening. Currently a case in point is the native vegetation controls which have been debated in this House and which, of course, are an ongoing matter in another place over the disallowance of the regulations. The community has had SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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it rammed down its throat time and again that the salvation of the planet depends on Victorian farmers being prevented from clearing native vegetation. As I indicated in an earlier debate, nobody seems to ask the question: what relevance does it have to the dangers of the so-called greenhouse effect? I suggest that if you want to get some indication of the amount of carbon dioxide that is being discharged into the atmosphere by a modem society such as we have in Victoria, you should look at the massive holes that have been gouged out of the countryside in Gippsland where the brown coal has been extracted. The principal purpose of extracting the coal is to dig up trees nature destroyed and buried millions of years ago; they are burned, and the carbon is put into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide. I wonder how many thousands of square miles of forest would be needed to be woodchipped and poured into those holes to fill them up to try to counterbalance the massive use of fossil fuels in modem society. All the native vegetation on private land would not even begin to look like a pimple on the behind of the huge open cut if it were chopped up, carted back and dumped on the open cut. The argument polarises opinions. It is being argued that because the National Party and the opposition generally seek an alternative way of preserving native vegetation they believe the only justification for preserving native vegetation is its own intrinsic value. Talking about its contribution to the greenhouse effect is a lot of rubbish. It is rubbish to talk about its effect on salinity because exotic plants can just as readily do the same job - they might do it better - and it is a lot of rubbish to say clearing native vegetation is a direct cause of land degradation. The very best and most picturesque farm in Victoria was cleared of native vegetation at some f1ll\e in the past. It is absurd to argue or infer that the clearing of native vegetation will inevitably lead to land degradation. The approach of the National Party to the question of conservation of native vegetation is illustrated in an article in the magazine Conseroator, which is the magazine of the Victorian Conservation Trust volunteers. I am happy to note that this particular organisation receives support from the government because this is a true conservation organisation. These people get out and do something instead of sitting on their butts in air-conditioned offices in the city and writing vast quantities of reports and submissions, all of which seem to be designed to require somebody else to pay the costs. These people give up their own leisure time and pay their own expenses to go out in the countryside and assist public authorities and even individual farmers to do something about planting trees and, more importantly, the very expensive work of protecting the trees and ensuring that they do survive and grow. There is a very big gap between the business of planting the tree and ensuring it grows to maturity. This particular article refers to local groups purchasing a brolga habitat. It says:

Recent decades have seen extensive clearances of native vegetation throughout the Western District and remnant stands are now rare. Near Orford, west of Warrnarnbool, Mr William Pallister has with great pride retained 54 hectares of intact bushland and 70 hectares of wetlands SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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and rough grazing land. The area is one of the known breeding grounds of the brolga which is now a very rare bird in Victoria. The land also boasts koalas, wedge-tailed eagles and valuable habitat for many other native birds and animals. Mr Pallister has always wanted to see the area preserved but the government was unable to fund the acquisition of the property. It was finally acquired in.October 1989 by the Victorian Conservation Trust with the assistance of a local fund-raising committee chaired by Mr Peter Carrucan. an $80 000 contribution from the R.E. Ross Trust and $35 000 from the Department of Conservation and Environment. A management committee has been formed with the representatives from local conservation groups and already the conservation values of the land have been enhanced by appropriate fenCing and plantings. That is the way to go about encouraging the retention of greater areas of native vegetation in Victoria. The approach the government is adopting at the present time is the bludgeon and jack boots approach rather than the encouragement which is the form that should be used in the case of private land. There are people in my electorate who are very sorely affected financially by the imposition of these native vegetation controls. Their investment is tied up in a bush block which they plan to clear. They have bought equipment to do it with and in some cases they have built shedding, equipment, stockyards and the like on the basis that they are going to finish up with a certain area of farmland cleared for the production of beef they propose to enter into, and all of a sudden they find, because they have cleared half up to date, they will not be allowed to continue with the clearing. Of course, that puts their whole enterprise out of kilter. They could never justify the expense that is involved in the building of shedding and the construction of a house. They could well have built a house which would be out of proportion with the final evaluation of the property if they are not allowed to continue with the program on which they embarked, in many cases, many years ago. I am of the opinion that if the government believes it is in the interests of the community to retain particular areas of native vegetation, it is incumbent upon the government to enter into some arrangement with that particular owner to ensure it is retained. Maybe it involves paying an annual amount of money or a lump sum of money to that particular person in order to retain an area of native forest. I do not see any complication with that at all. The only complication is that the government is so strapped for money it cannot afford to do anything like 'that at the present time. That being so, it is certainly not fair that the financial burden should be transferred from the community to individuals who, in most cases, are in the process of developing their farms and are least able to do anything about it.

This problem affects my electorate more particularly than most because, as I understand it, about 85 per cent of my electorate is still under native vegetation. The Shire of Orbost is 93 per cent native vegetation. Much of the private land in the Shire of Orbost is close to 50 per cent native vegetation so these restrictions hit my electorate more severely than any other; I am quite sure of that. That is one reason why I am concerned with the approach of the government, in particular to the electorate I represent. This is not the only area where the people of East Gippsland are being adversely affected. Recently severe restrictions have been placed on the timber industry, an important industry within SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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the electorate. A large proportion of the people of East Gippsland are directly involved or have a direct interest in the timber industry. Some years ago the government decided the industry in East Gippsland would be curtailed and restrictions were placed on the amount of timber available to it to maintain a sustainable yield so the industry could continue in perpetuity. That was, of course, until the Commonwealth government intervened early last year and threw the State's well argued and expensive plans for the timber industry into chaos by announcing National Estate areas.

When it became apparent the industry would be restricted the State government established the East Gippsland Regional Economic and Employment Development Committee - the EGREED Committee, chaired by Brenda Murray of Orbost. It was given the task of examining alternative action that the government could take to offset the disabilities of the Federal government's decision to curtail the industry. That committee recommended some measures that could be taken, some of which have been implemented, but the real issues have not been addressed. It is obvious that the townships that have been affected most by the cutback in the timber industry are those small townships which rely almost entirely on the operation of local timber mills. Bendoc and Bonang are very dependent on the timber industry, and those townships no longer have schools. Approximately 30 Victorian children travel over the border to New South Wales to go to school. The government should have ensured that those children were educated in Victoria rather than attending schools over the border. Indeed, the people from those two communities go to New South Wales for their health services, for shopping and a variety of other services. They receive their radio and television broadcasts from New South Wales and not Victoria. They have good cause to wonder whether they are citizens of Victoria, but they are and they are being seriously neglected. The small township of Cann River is reliant on the timber industry. At a recent meeting of the Orbost Shire Council, the health surveyor of that council, Mr A. C. Morris, reported on the parlous state of housing in Cann River. That report was published in the Snowy River Mail of 17 April. The government often refers to its social justice strategy, which has different meanings to different people, but there is little social justice for the community of Cann River. Mr Morris was reported as saying:

A few years ago there was much ado regarding the deprived western suburbs of Melbourne. Having worked in this so-called deprived area, one can only comment that far east Gippsland is the deprived east of Victoria. In human terms we are denuded and disadvantaged and will soon be destitute. That is an interesting comment from someone who has worked in both areas. The report further states:

Cann River has a population of 318 (1989 census) and 123 dwellings (1986 records), two caravan parks, three motels, one hotel and the normal ancillary services associated with a township of this size ... SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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84 per cent of this shire's population have incomes below the State male average. The health surveyor then referred to the difficulties facing the shire: A serious shortage of housing and a lack of diversity of housing types in Cann River have been identified in the Shire of Orbost planning scheme (1989). Currently available lots in the town are either flood-prone or poorly drained areas, or subject to access and slope constraints. Negotiations are under way at present to address the situation by transferring an area of Crown land to parUy residential use. . 1hat is the plea I make to the government. The Shire of Orbost will seek a deputation to the appropriate Minister to ask for a relatively small area of public land to be made available for housing, particularly low rental units for elderly people. One of the failures of government policy over many years, perhaps over 30 years, is that government housing authorities have consistently ignored the needs of small communities in rural Victoria. The determination of where houses are to be constructed is based on the number of applications from a particular area. If houses are not being constructed in townships such as Cann River, Mallacoota, Lindenow or elsewhere in East Gippsland there are no applications. It is a catch 22 situation. If no houses are available no-one applies and there is no waiting list so the government authorities believe there is no demand for housing in those areas. 1hat is the real problem in rural Victoria since the concept of decentralisation was thrown overboard some years ago. It is time the government examined what is fair and reasonable. The people of Cann River have as much entitlement to decent housing as do the people of Footscray. It is appropriate for the government to make land available in Cann River because it is almost completely locked in by flood-prone lands on the river flats which are used for agriculture, or alternatively it is surrounded by Crown land and forest. Communities wishing to have Crown land made available for private use run a gauntlet. Despite the fact that the Land Conservation Council made recommendations that land be released for agriculture or other private use purposes, governments are slow to take up those recommendations, in complete contrast to recommendations that tie up vast areas of land. A case in point concerns one individual who is a resident of Cann River but for 30 or 40 years his family have had a holiday home at Tamboon, an inlet south of Cann River and a place that has been popular with local residents for a number of years. The majority of it is surrounded by the Croajingolong National Park, and the government puts all sorts of restrictions on the use of land within that area. In this particular instance there is a subdivision which can only be reached by boat, there is no land access, and a number of people have holiday homes there. Many years ago they purchased a freehold title, all except one, and there is one single house lot in the middle of the subdivision of about a dozen houses where the parents of the current owner failed to take the steps to have the title freeholded. Now the Department of Conservation and Environment is saying that the owner has to remove his house. 1hat is going to present difficulties because there are no roads on the place and when the house was constructed it was necessary to build a temporary wooden SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1675

railway access from the lake shore to the block to have materials carried to the site. The only possible way the house and its components can be dismantled is to rebuild that particular structure. To do that the gentleman concerned would have to get permission to knock down a lot of native vegetation on the unmade roads which divide up this subdivision. He is in a difficult situation. I do not know whether his only recourse is to abandon it. In that case I suppose the government would pull the house down - although I do not know how it would do it without destroying native vegetation. The house has been in place for more than 30 years so the government is not going to gain much by demanding that this person pull down his holiday home. Mr Coleman interjected. Mr EV ANS - We know how they did that, but the fire stick has lots of uses, there is no doubt about that. I make a plea to the government to be reasonable about its approach to people in many of these remote areas. There is virtually a systematic campaign by the government to deprive country people of all the advantages they have through living in the country. The government needs to be realistic in its approach to these issues if it is to have any credibility among rural people. Mr SEITZ (Keilor) - I support the Supply Bill. I have great pride in the achievements that previous Supply Bills and Budgets brought in by Labor Treasurers have brought to my electorate of Keilor. Mr Perton interjected. The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr Emst) - Order! The honourable member for Doncaster knows that interjections are disorderly and out of place. Mr SEITZ - Keilor has benefited from a Labor government. When I was elected I had a big job to do because after 27 years of conservative government my electorate was neglected. Keilor had gone through a series of local government counci~lors including Labor, independent and Liberal councillors over those 27 years when a conservative government was in power. . When I was elected in 1982 to represent Keilor there was no water or sewerage in many areas and one could forget about main roads, postal deliveries, banks and all the essential services that a modem community would expect to enjoy, particularly when it is so close to the heart of Melbourne. In many ways it is the gateway to the City of Melbourne. That area was totally neglected by the conservative government. I am very proud to say that this Supply Bill further adds to the money and to the commitment for the Keilor electorate and the western region in general. Today the Minister for Planning and Housing has made an announcement on the western regional area improvement program which was introduced by a former planning Minister, Mr Evan Walker, in another place. The community now has funds to be able to improve its living standards and the environment in which it lives and to articulate and bring to the attention of government departments the needs of the area, which were completely forgotten for 27 years before the Labor government came to office. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Today it was very heartening to be with the shire presidents and mayors of the western region and to realise it was a Labor government that instigated this program and is continuing to develop programs to meet the needs of the community. It could be supporting the refurbishment of an historic building, developing a car park that needs refurbishment or planting some trees and beautifying the area. It could be a town square to be established, as was the case in St Albans centre when in 1982 the town square was a dream of a lot of people and that are~ was going to be turned into a car park. The government found the money to purchase the area and produce an improvement program to develop it. Honourable members would be aware that this government has a strong belief and commitment to tripartite government -local government, State government, Federal government. In many cases it is left to local government to carry out works as funds are made available by the State government so that it does not appear that the State government has come the heavy hand. It lets local government make decisions through its elected councillors and allows its city engineers and town planners to handle the job to be carried out with the money it has. I am proud to say that such is not the case in Keilor because Keilor has got money sitting in trust accounts that has been provided by this government and the work has not been carried out. It is most astonishing to be able to say that when the government hears the opposition claiming that the government has not got money. The government has put in funds for infrastructure in the City of Keilor for works to be carried out. I am amazed that they have not been able to complete some of the works. There is a play group that started up in.a portable building from the Urban Land Authority (ULA). Some three years ago $380 000 was given to build a community facility. The council still has not been able to complete it so the councillors come and say it is not enough money. Therefore, once again I lobbied the Ministers and we managed to get a top-up of $900 000. However, it seems like some Keilor councillors are too preoccupied with becoming members of State Parliament rather than worrying about their local residents. One councillor in particular, the deputy mayor - which is rather ironic - has been saying that the current member of Parliament representing Keilor does not care. Mr PERTON (Doncaster) - On a point of order, Mr Acting Speaker, although the Supply Bill allows for a wide-ranging debate, and I am sure you would rule that the honourable member's reference to the Keilor City Council would be in order, I fail to understand how the candidature of a councillor against him in the next State election can have any bearing at all on the Supply Bill. The ACfING SPEAKER - Order! The debate on the Supply Bill is wide-ranging and local government and its responsibilities are part of it. I am sure the honourable member for Keilor was alluding to those matters. Therefore, there is no point of order. Mr SEITZ (Keilor) - The point I was making is that the deputy mayor would be better off ensuring that he and the officers at the council see to it that the funds that the government has provided through my effort of lobbying are used to carry out the works and establish the infrastructure necessary in the City of Keilor. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1677

The government has provided funding for various projects. I instance the remodelling of the Old Calder Highway, which was funded to the tune of $45 000, to eliminate black spot areas and therefore reduce accidents. Also, funding of more than $100 000 has been provided for a roundabout at the Old Calder Highway-Arabin Street intersection. Funding has been provided for other works in Keilor and St Albans, such as the installation of traffic lights at the Arthur Street-Taylors Road intersection and the provision of roundabouts at two points of intersection with Arthur Street, which have been funded to the tune of $50 000 each. In addition, some $500 ()()() is being provided for the construction of a roundabout to solve some of the traffic problems at the Kings Road-Taylors Road intersection. I can definitely say that these people in the Keilor council, particularly the deputy mayor, who is in such a responsible position, should concentrate on those sorts of areas. The Mayor of Sunshine has recognised that the local member, the honourable member for Keilor, has done extremely well in representing the needs of his area and has been very successful in lobbying the government to look after the City of Keilor. An article in the local newspaper reported the comments of the Mayor of Sunshine, Councillor Reilly, in the following terms:

er Reilly described Mr Seitz as a first-class community politician who was prepared to go in to bat for local residents. Therefore, there are people in adjoining municipalities who recognise that the Labor government has made a commitment to the west, has developed the area and will continue to do so. In this Supply Bill the government has made provision for the building of the Taylors Lakes Secondary College to cater for the educational needs of the area. There is also an allocation for the continuation of construction work on the Monmia Primary School in Keilor Downs - of course, the school community might come up with a different name to reflect its geographic location. There are two schools under construction at present. The construction of the senior and junior campuses of Kings Park Secondary College is being planned, and some $9 million has been committed to that project. The school council planning committee is working towards the establishment of the area, and that will be located in the St Albans-Broadmeadows area. Again, that community was crying out for services, such as a community centre, infant welfare centre and so on. It needs a general community centre that provides services particularly for women who are housebound because of the lack of transport in that area. I have received a commitment from the Minister for Transport to consider extending public transport into the area. The government has allocated some $350 ()()() to fund the location of the community centre in portable buildings; that is so that we can establish the centre in a hurry, because if we waited for council engineers and architects to do the work necessary to establish a SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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permanent building, as occurred in Keilor Downs, by the time the construction stage was reached the money available would not be sufficient. I hope the deputy mayor of Keilor will make sure that this centr~ is established because it is partly in her ward, as she has claimed previously. In addition to the provision of primary and secondary education services and facilities, the government has also enabled the construction of kind~rgartens and infant welfare centres in my electorate. Not only has the government assisted in building and funding these facilities but it has also paid for the employment of kindergarten directors and assistants. When I was a member of a kindergarten committee we had to raise money to pay the kindergarten assistant. The government has also allocated $2000 a year to kindergarten committees to enable them to manage their affairs. Therefore, it is now easier for them to run their kindergartens and they no longer have to hold cake stalls and conduct other fundraising activities to cover their running costs, such as paying for the electricity bill and other odds and ends that are required for the smooth running of a kindergarten. It is very encouraging to see that the funding of these sorts of facilities will continue through the Supply Bill and later through the Budget when it is presented by the Treasurer. My electorate of Keilor is now basically confined to the City of Keilor itself - that is why I have been restricting my comments to that area; if I were to refer to the surrounding areas including Broadmeadows, Bulla and Melton, which were part of the seat of Keilor before the boundary changes, I could quote even larger figures to demonstrate the government's commitment to the area. The Auditor-General criticised the government for closing the Melton liquid waste treatment plant and suggested that the amount of $30 million spent on its establishment. was not used very wisely. The government showed its commitment to the people in that area. It said it would build the plant, allow it to operate on a temporary basis and then close it down, no matter what the cost. We honoured our commitment to the people in that area. I wonder whether honourable members opposite would honour that sort of commitment if they were in government, particularly when there is a downturn in the economy and people say, "You can't close it down. You have to keep the plant going instead of writing it off as a loss". It is those things that are important to the people in my electorate. In addition to providing for the educational needs, the government has also funded child-care centres, responsibility for which is shared between the Federal, State and local governments. The government has contributed its share and child-care centres have flourished and developed in Keilor. Before my election to Parliament in 1982 the City of Keilor did not have a child-care centre that could be claimed to belong to Keilor. There were a number of cooperative child-care centres that had been established by community groups. Again, in conjunction with the Federal and local governments, the State Labor government has developed and built child-care centres in Taylors Lakes, Keilor Downs, Westmeadows, Airport West and SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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other areas where the communities need them. Those projects are continuing and they will continue to serve our communities. In order to continue this sort of work there is a need for the Supply Bill to be passed smoothly through this place and the other place; and the Budget must be passed in a similar way. Of course, the Budget also has a bearing on the works that need to be done in my electorate, one of which is the fire reinstatement project at the Keilor Village Primary School.

The Minister has made a commitment to me in writing to ensure that it will go ahead in the next Budget. Unfortunately, I was not aware that the bureaucracy was actually planning for other fire reinstatement work because the community was reasonably happy with the facility there. However, now that the process has taken place the community approached me and I found there were no funds in this Budget to go ahead with the project. Because I was not made aware of it beforehand, I had to do some work quickly and have now succeeded in ensuring that there is a commitment of that fire reinstatement work to be carried out at a cost of some $1.75 million.

Again, this project proves the government's commitment to the people in the area, where the need exists. Despite the doom and gloom of the opposition and its statements that the government does not have funds to carry out the construction work, this government is meeting the essential needs of the community. Those issues are important for the growth corridor in West Keilor and the government is providing the infrastructure and services needed.

The next area is tertiary education. The Western Institute has developed to university status. That would never have happened had it not been for a Labor government. Supply is important because it will allow that project to continue. The planners, architects and builders will be able to go ahead after the Budget has been passed in August and develop that tertiary institution. More importantly, students finishing their first or second year this year will know the building will be completed in time for them to continue their studies next year. These are important issues for the youth in my electorate.

I turn now to people who are semi-retired or retired and are taking life a little easier and looking for recreational activities. I do not like calling them senior citizens or pensioners because those names are so removed from what they are. One day a person can be a schoolteacher but the day after he or she retires that person is a pensioner or a senior citizen. People have to make an emotional adjustment when they suddenly lose the title they have had all their lives.

Those names are commonly used by the media and other commentators and it seems to be that in Australia once one is more than 40 or 50 years of age one is on the scrap heap and is called either a pensioner or a senior citizen. Maybe we should consider the recent election of the Mayor of Tokyo at 82 years of age and learn something from it. Older people have a lot to contribute to a young society. We should use the resources and experience that those people have. The government is planning to add multiple choice SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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activities that are vitally important to older people to allow them to slide into that era of their lives gracefully and maintain their self-esteem and respect. Through the home and community care program the government is encouraging people to stay in their own homes as long as possible and maintain their living' standards with the services provided by local government. It is far better for those people to be able to do that than having to go into nursing homes, special accommodation homes or villages for the frail and aged. The services provided by local government are most important and many of those have been funded by the State government. In developing areas office space and car parking spaces are provided for people delivering those services. If the conservatives got into office I wonder what would happen. All the accommodation rented by people who provide the services would not be needed because I am sure they are the services that would be the first to be cut back. That would be a tragedy. Small business wants stable government. It wants to know the Budget will go through in August so that it can plan ahead for its investment in our community. For instance, people building houses need to know they will be able to sell them rather than being left with paying high interest rates on their investments. The recession is slowly moving. Houses are starting to sell in my electorate. Young married people are trying to buy houses and they need the commitment that Supply will not be interrupted. The same commitment should be made by the opposition to the Budget because it is vitally important that the government is able to bring works and services to growth areas of Melbourne. We need a bipartisan commitment to Supply so that confidence can be restored to the community. I am proud that the government is prOViding extra money to the economy of Keilor to help its development. The millions of dollars that are being spent create work. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services has promised $7 million towards a police station to be built in St Albans. The previous conservative government made a mistake and built the police station that was to be at St Albans in St Arnaud. I am given an assurance that the Minister will provide the funds for the police station at St Albans and that will create jobs in the area and add to the infrastructure of the City of Keilor. Perhaps the Deputy Mayor of Keilor, instead of belittling me, should concentrate on creating employment in the area so that the community will have facilities to use today, not in ten years'time. Road works are needed to alleviate black spots. Funds have been made available to carry out those works and they should be done to prevent accidents happening. Those funds have been complemented by Federal government funds for the western ring road. When I was first elected I moved to have the first leg of that road constructed in Broadmeadows to relieve the congestion in Pascoe Vale Road, despite opposition from a few misguided people led by conservative councillors. The next stage is from Sharps Road to Tullamarine and eventually that road will connect up from the West Gate Bridge through the western suburbs to the Hume Highway and eventually to Greensborough. That project creates much work and shows the confidence of the Federal and State SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1681

governments. It will result in long-term investments for the quarry operators, concrete plant operators, the people who drive the concrete delivery trucks, fuel suppliers, cement suppliers and the steelworks that is dose by. It would be a tragedy if the opposition were to block Supply, and even worse if it blocked the passage of the Budget, because people are building up momentum in planning works for the future. We need to maintain the confidence of people, particularly young people. We must maintain the faith of youth. We have succeeded in retraining many young people and many secondary school students now go on to further education where there are further prospects and rewards for their years of study. They will then secure jobs and take their rightful places in society, which is the heritage that we should leave for them. That is what we are here for. We are here to develop this State for people now and also for future generations who will replace us. Some of them will be future leaders in Victoria, Australia and the world. We have provided world leaders in the past and I am sure we have people in our community with the IQ levels that would enable them to take their place in the world, and this process will be helped by passing the Supply Bill, thereby providing money for educational institutions. The government is providing youth training and accommodation facilities for students. Those issues are vitally important. The last point I shall comment on is the environment. I raised with the Minister for Conservation and Environment some time back the disposal of fluorescent lights. Council landfill tips are being provided and recycling projects are being developed. The government has undertaken reforestation and has committed money to employ scientists to plan how the timber industry in East Gippsland should be operated. The urban environment is also of considerable importance. 1bis government has committed itself to developing solutions to pollution problems. That important development needs to be funded. Those important projects should not be jeopardised. The rehabilitation of the Maribymong River, Taylors Creek and Jacksons Creek will all receive funding, as announced by the Minister today. Various committees are working in those areas to replant native trees and vegetation to attract native flora back to the area. There is to be an official opening of the Organ Pipes National Park visitors information centre so that we can further spread education about the environment. Debate adjourned on motion of Mr PERTON (Doncaster). Debate adjourned until next day. ROAD SAFETY (DRIVERS) BILL

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ROAD SAFETY (DRIVERS) BILL Second reading Debate resumed from 10 April; motion of Mr SPYKER (Minister for Transport).

Mr COOPER (Momington) - The Road Safety (Drivers) Bill deals with alcohol-related driving offences and a number of other road safety matters. It has been dealt with by the other place and presented to this House in an amended form from that originally presented to the other place. The community of Victoria continues to be shocked at the ongoing road toll and, even though the death toll is far less than it was a decade or two ago, it is still unacceptable to the community and Parliament that about 700 of our fellow citizens die each year on Victorian roads. Worse than that, thousands more are injured as a result of road accidents. A comparison of road trauma between the calendar years 1980 and 1990 is quite revealing. In 1980,667 people were killed on Victoria's roads and, in 1990,548 people were killed on our roads, which is a decline of 16.6 per cent. In 1980 the number of people injured as a result of road trauma was 19971 but in 1990 that figure had risen to a staggering 28 347, an increase of 41.9 per cent. The key statistic is the number of registered vehicles on our roads. In 1980 there were 1960 000 registered vehicles on Victoria's roads and in 1990 that figure had increased by 35.2 per cent to 2 650 000. Although the road deaths declined by just over 16 per cent, injuries increased by 42 per cent and vehicle numbers increased by 35 per cent. I obtained those figures from Victoria Police statistics that were published in February this year. It is important for the House to reflect on the fact that, with an increase in vehicle numbers, the number of deaths would have increased as well, but that has not happened. The appalling statistic is the numbers of injured, because that increase far exceeded the increase in the number of registered vehicles. I think it is reasonable to describe that dramatic shift from deaths to injuries as bad social news. It is also bad economic news for the State because the cost of each road injury is known to be extremely high, and that cost is borne by the entire community. It should be remembered that there has been a continual and significant upward trend in the road accident injury rate over the past four years or so, as evidenced in police statistics. That issue needs to be addressed by the law makers and law enforcers of this State. We need to take the appropriate steps to counter the carnage occurring on our roads, and that is obviously one of the primary reasons why the government has introduced this Bill.

The major aim of the Bill is the strengthening of the laws on drink-driving offences. It is worthwhile for the House to have some regard for the incidence of alcohol-related road accidents. This is brought home when you look at the first two months of this year, 1991. I obtained some information from the Victoria Police which is quite horrifying: of the 18 vehicle drivers killed in Victoria in the first two months of this year, 6 had consumed alcohol before the accident in which they met their deaths occurred -that is thirty-three ROAD SAFETY (DRIVERS) BILL

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1683

and one-third per cent; and of the 3 motorcyclists killed in Victoria in the first two months of this year, 2 had been drinking before the accident. Those figures show that while over a long period we have embarked on road education programs in an attempt to tell people, in the terminology of the recent advertisements, that if they drink and drive they are bloody idiots, there are people out there who are quite obviously determined to be bloody idiots: who continue to break the law; who continue to put themselves, and even worse put others, at risk as they drive around, influenced in one way or another by having consumed alcohol before getting behind the wheels of their cars or behind the handlebars of their motorcycles. The opposition strongly supports any legislation that will assist our law enforcers to handle the issue of drink-driving more effectively. To the extent that the Bill does that it is supported by the opposition. Law enforcement on the roads is one of the most vexed questions to come before law-makers and law enforcers. There will always be arguments about what is the right thing to do. I think it is accepted by most people that when a law is seen by a majority of motorists to be unfair or grossly unreasonable it will simply not be obeyed. The usual reaction in Victoria has been to make law enforcement even more draconian rather than taking the other course: to examine whether the laws are fair and reasonable. In part the Bill deals with the question of speeding offences. I wish to ensure that the House gives consideration to the matter of speed limits: the fixing of them, their fairness and their policing by devices such as speed cameras, which are addressed in the Bill. I shall read parts of an article by Samuel C. Tignor and Davey Warren, who are employees of the Traffic Safety Research Division of the Federal Highway Administration in McLean, Virginia in the United States of America, and entitled "Driver Speed Behaviour on U.S. Streets and Highways". The article begins:

During the past five years, the Federal Highway Administration has sponsored a number of studies to establish a better understanding of travel speeds and speed limits on various types of roads. The study of the speed zoning problem was prompted in part by concern about widespread violations and the seemingly arbitrary level of many posted speeds. Speed limits are intended to inform drivers of the maximum reasonable and safe travel speed. However, there is little agreement on what constitutes a safe speed ... Properly established speed limits foster voluntary compliance and separate the occasional high-risk driver from the vast majority of drivers. On the other hand, speed limits which are set artificially low tend to be ignored and misallocate resources, apprehending and prosecuting motorists driving at safe speeds. Over time this could lead to a loss of respect for all speed limits and create the impression that traffic law enforcement and the judicial system are unfair. The same public when emotionally aroused demand and often get reduced speed limits by believing the lower limit will slow down traffic and reduce accidents. Even though a great deal has been written and said about speed limits, there is almost no scientific research on the precise effects on the number of accidents of altering speed limits. Most traffic officials agree we should be working to improve our knowledge of the effects of speed limits and to develop criteria that are objective and scientifically sound. ROAD SAFETY (DRIVERS) BILL

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The article concludes by saying: ... the findings to date suggest that, on the average, current speed limits are set too low to be accepted as reasonable by the vast majority of drivers. Only about 1 in 10 speed zones has better than 50 per cent compliance. The posted speeds make technical violators out of motorists driving at reasonable and safe speeds. For the traffic law system to minimise accident risk, then speed limits need to be properly set to define maximum safe speed. Our studies show that most speed zones are posted 8 to 12 mph below the prevailing travel speed and 15 mph or more below the maximum safe speed. Increasing speed limits to more realistic levels will not result in higher speeds but would increase voluntary compliance and target enforcement at the occasional violator and high-risk driver. I suggest that article would ring a bell with a great many people who drive on the roads of Victoria and elsewhere in Australia. There is no doubt that there is a widespread belief among motorists that many of the speed limits are set arbitrarily and are artificially low. Motorists, therefore, simply do not obey those speed limits. Around metropolitan Melbourne one can see many examples of that every minute of every hour each day. Examples are the divided sections of Springvale Road, which is most of Springvale Road; some sections of the Nepean Highway; and, probably more visible than most, the freeway to Ballarat and the Hume Freeway, where a 100 kilometres an hour speed limit applies when freeways in the rest of Australia have speed limits of 110 kilometres an hour. On those roads it is rare to see motorists travelling at the speed limit. On some of those roads, where motorists see the speed limit as being set too low, if you drive at the speed limit you are likely to be run over by trucks coming up from behind - they see you as a danger travelling at the speed limit rather than the people who are exceeding the speed limit by a minimal amount of perhaps 10 kilometres an hour. That article demonstrates how an unreasonable speed limit can be counterproductive and extremely expensive to police from an economic point of view. I wonder whether in Victoria any work at all has been done on the question of speed limits and on the matters referred to by the authors of that considered and very fair article. While the article applies to what has happened in the USA, and particularly in Virginia, the points made by the authors can be quite easily applied to Victoria and other Australian States. The same criticisms concerning what motorists determine to be unreasonable or unfair can be directed toward the use of speed cameras. In many instances speed cameras are used in locations where they detect offences against speed limits which are seen by motorists as unreasonably low. When the Bill to legalise the use of speed cameras was introduced into Parliament I recall the liberal Party asked for a briefing by appropriate senior officers of the Victoria Police on what the police proposed to do with speed cameras. I recall being among a number of members of the liberal Party talking to and asking questions of the Victoria Police officers, and receiving a number of assurances with regard to what they intended to do with speed cameras, and I well recall the officer ROAD SAFETY (DRIVERS) BILL

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in charge of the road traffic section of the Victoria Police at that time, who was at the rank of assistant commissioner, saying that the Victoria Police had no intention of using speed cameras as revenue collectors and no intention of using them in the areas of metropolitan Melbourne or on major freeways where it could be seen to be unreasonable or unfair. He said they would use them only in black spot areas where they would detect speeders who could be risking their own lives and the lives of other people. Questions were put to that particular assistant commissioner at the time about whether they would be used on the divided section of Springvale Road and the answer was, "That is one location where we would not be using speed cameras". Another question was, "Would you be setting up speed cameras on the Nepean Highway between the Mile Bridge at Frankston and Seaford, along the foreshore where there is a 60 kilometre per hour limit but where motorists drive clearly in excess of that limit and do so safely?" This is particularly the case on the upward trip to Melbourne because there are no roads entering from the left and very few roads entering from the right on that short section. Again the assurance was given that this would be a section of one of the metropolitan roads where speed cameras would not be set up because this could be viewed only as revenue-raising rather than doing anything to deter dangerous driving. Those assurances given to me and my party colleagues by those officers of police back when the Bill came before Parliament some years ago have not been kept, and speed cameras have certainly been used on many occasions at those two locations, and are still being used there. It may be good for revenue-raising but I suggest it is very bad for law enforcement and for the reputation of the Victoria Police. In general terms it is totally counterproductive to what Parliamentarians want to see happen. We want to see the reduction in road trauma which results in either death or significant injury. I suppose many honourable members receive, as I do, letters from people who are outraged by what they believe is unfair treatment in being bagged by speed cameras. They see it at locations where some of these cameras are set up as nothing more than revenue-raisers, and that is a great pity because speed cameras have their part to play in doing something about reducing road trauma; but if they are seen only as revenue-raisers, they will lose their effectiveness. Even worse will be the reputation of the law enforcers in this State because they are seen as the people being unfair to motorists, and that problem needs to be addressed. I do not want to be misrepresented in this matter and be seen to be attacking the police or attacking the use of speed cameras as a proper tool for lowering road trauma. I am saying that there has been a misuse in many ways of that proper tool and I want to see it being brought back to effective use so that the reputation both of the device itself and the people using it is not put into question. I am not alone in holding these views. Many people in the community could raise a vicious attack against both the speed camera and the police, and I do not support them in raising that level of attack, but I know that many people in the community have strong views on the matter and have views similar to mine. ROAD SAFETY (DRIVERS) BILL

1686 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

On 26 November 1990 I was interested to read a press release from the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria which was headed, ''The rort of motorists must stop, says RACV." The press release stated: Rorting of Victorian motorists for State government political purposes had to be stopped, the Chief Executive of the RACY, Mr Keith Blyth, said today. liThe government has got itself into financial quicksand and it has called upon every motorist to bail it out." Further on he states:

Use of speed cameras was, in part, a guise to increase State revenue by more than $4 million a year. Again further on he states: Mr Blyth said that the government had set the wheels in motion, through legislation, to continually drain money from motorists ... lilt is nothing more than a complete rort of the system which must be stopped. Certainly there is clear concern in the community over this matter, and it is something that the government needs to address. It has the support of the community and of the opposition in its efforts to reduce road trauma; we are unequivocal about that, but some real concerns need to be addressed and I hope what I have said today will highlight those matters. I do not believe it comes down to a question of a political football to be kicked around in this place. We should all come together in our endeavours to do whatever we can to ensure that more Victorians stay alive each year, and by "all" I include the government, the opposition, the community and law enforcers. We must ensure that Victorians stay healthy and are not victims left at the side of the road or carted off to hospital in a state which leaves them either as paraplegics or quadriplegics - an agony to themselves, a burden to their families and certainly an enormous economic burden to the community. It all comes under the heading of road trauma. The Bill directs itself towards steps to reduce that road trauma. The opposition certainly does not oppose the Bill, but the matters I have highlighted should be considered in an ongoing manner by the government. Mr HONEYWOOD (Warrandyte) - In speaking briefly on the Bill I refer specifically to clause 15 on camera device evidence. I support entirely the speech just given by the honourable member for Momington because he highlighted the inconsistencies of the government policies between pure revenue-raising activities and the need for road safety. We need look no further than across the border to what the New South Wales government is doing to see the distinction that can be drawn between genuine road safety initiatives and simple revenue-raising. In New South Wales speed detection cameras were recently introduced, but it was done on a genuine basis to ensure better ROAD SAFETY (DRIVERS) BILL

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road safety measures. The government did this, first of all, by setting an exemption for the first 16 kilometres travelled over the speed limit. If one is caught doing 75 kilometres an hour in a 60 zone in New South Wales one will not be fined. One may be warned, but one is not fined the $85 that goes into consolidated revenue in Victoria. If one travels at 77 kilometres an hour in a 60 zone in New South Wales, one is fined. That serves as a positive warning to motorists in that State that they have done the wrong thing by travelling above the speed limit. It is not a cynical money-gathering exercise. Many constituents in the electorate I represent have had to pay fines of $85 for travelling only 5 or 6 kilometres above the speed limit. There are many hills and dales in the outer eastern suburbs and camera detection devices are deliberately positioned at the base of hills. Drivers coming down hills build up speed and are then caught, not because they are driving unsafely but because they have gathered momentum. That type of placement of road cameras is not commendable because it is not genuinely designed to increase road safety. It is a plot by the government to ensure it gets some dollars, and I cannot support it on that basis.

The government has made commitments to provide money for road funding. During the last State election campaign it made commitments regarding the ring-road, the outer Eastern Freeway extension and the Ringwood bypass, but the funding has not been delivered. Money earmarked for road funding has been used to reduce the State's shocking railway deficit and was also used by the government during the Greensborough by-election campaign. People living in the outer eastern suburbs must use residential streets to get to work on time because they do not have the option of driving on highways. In their hurry to get to work they sometimes speed, and who can blame them? Sometimes they may travel at 67 kilometres an hour in a 60 zone, particularly when going down hills, and then they cop the $85 fine. I am aware that cameras are being deliberately positioned in areas known to have a high volume of traffic. The dollars derived from the people in my electorate are not used for road safety purposes; they are used to fill government coffers. I cannot support the use of speed cameras for that reason alone. A first offender should receive a warning. In Canberra first offenders are invited to watch films on road safety. Such films include footage of accidents. Some television advertisements have been successful in acting as deterrents by showing examples of road accident victims experiencing trauma and highlighting the real outcomes of road accidents. If films like that and others showing safe driving practices were shown, it would be a better deterrent than consistently sending out fine notifications. The warning system has worked in Canberra and I suggest that the Minister for Transport consider it as an option for Victoria. Whether the Minister likes it or not, apart from its shocking economic record, the government will be judged as a cynical revenue raiser. One of my constituents was fined four times in one day. She was dropping off her children at school and was fined on the ROAD SAFETY (DRIVERS) BILL

1688 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

way there and on the way back. When she picked them up in the afternoon she was fined both ways once again. Four times $85 is a pretty expensive school delivery service. Given that the government does not provide proper bus services for children, it is shocking that people are forced to pay ridiculous fines not for road safety purposes but for revenue-raising purposes. I commend the initiatives taken in Canberra and New South Wales. They have been constructive in improving road safety and motorists do not view the initiatives as cynical. This government has an atrocious record in providing safe roads. How many road accidents occur on freeways or highways? Most accidents occur at traffic lights, intersections or on arterial roads; breakfast radio announcers often refer to accidents along the south eastern car park, officially known as the South Eastern Arterial. The government went to the polls on a program of building highways and freeways, but it has used the money for road programs on other things. The funding has been thrown into the cesspool and has never been seen or heard of again. The drivers of the State deserve better than simply being used to prop up consolidated revenue through speed camera detection devices designed to raise money rather than increase road safety. Mr SPYKER (Minister for Transport) - I thank the honourable members for Mornington and Warrandyte for their contributions. Amendments will be moved during the Committee stage to take account of a recent court case. Appropriate speed limits are an important issue, and the Social Development Committee is currently considering that matter. It is essential that the speed limits are credible and it is also essential that speed cameras have credibility. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services does not direct the Police Force where to place speed cameras, but appropriate speeds must be set for various locations. If honourable members have material they wish the Social Development Committee to consider, they should give it to me and I shall forward it to the committee. This issue is important because it involves saving lives. Motion agreed to. Read second time. Committed. Committee Clausel Mr SPYKER (Minister for Transport) - I move: 1. Clause 1, page 2, line 7, after "laws" insert "; and (i) to make sure that certificate evidence as to the proper operation of a breath analysing instrument is admissible in evidence". The amendment is to overcome the effect of a County Court decision of 7 April 1991 in Cunni v. Matthews. On that date His Honour ruled that police certificates issued since March 1987 were invalid. If the decision stands the correct procedure has not been used in obtaining breath samples. ROAD SAFETY (DRIVERS) BILL

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I have been advised that yesterday a magistrate actually dismissed a case where the alcohol reading was .2. That is the reason for the urgency of the amendment.

Amendment agreed to; amended clause agreed to.

Clause 2

Mr SPYKER (Minister for Transport) - I move:

2. Clause 2, line 9, omit "section 20 (3)" and insert "sections 20 (3) and 22". 3. Clause 2, after line 12 insert - "(3) Section 22 must be taken to have come into operation on 23 December 1986."

Amendments agreed to; amended clause agreed to; clauses 3 to 14 agreed to.

Clause 15

Mr HONEYWOOD (Warrandyte) - I ask the Minister to indicate whether he has received representations from metropolitan and rural councils on the issue of councils raising revenue by having the autonomy to locate camera devices within municipal boundaries, and whether he has addressed the issue. I know a number of honourable members have been requested to take up this matter with the Minister and I ask him to provide evidence of any provisions he will make on this subject.

Also, many motorists are now resorting to blacking out or greying out their registration plates to avoid detection by the camera device. Does the Minister consider this to be a measure that will defeat the purpose of the harsh penalties provided in Victoria for detection by the camera device and does he intend to take action against people guilty of this practice?

Mr SPYKER (Minister for Transport) - Local government has made representations to me to allow it to use speed cameras. The matter is under discussion by a group representing the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services and the Ministry for Transport.

My personal view is that local government should not have that power. It should be able to use speed cameras for controlling traffic in its municipalities because a number have very busy roads. Cameras can be used for assistance in traffic flow or to report infringements to VIC ROADS. That would be appropriate but I do not think the community will tolerate 210 municipalities being in the action.

People use a variety of methods to cover their vehicle registration plates - particularly the rear plate. That matter is being investigated at the moment. Also, apparently perspex covers hide the numbers and the use of that cover is also being investigated. ROAD SAFETY (DRIVERS) BILL

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Clause agreed to; clauses 16 to 21 agreed to.

New clause AA Mr SPYKER (Minister for Transport) - I move: 4. Insert the following new clause to follow clause 21 -

I AA. Certificate evidence (1) After section 55(4) of the Principal Act insert- "(4A) A certificate is in the prescribed form for the purposes of sub-section (4)(a) or (d) if- (a) it is in or to the like effect of the form set out in Schedule 6; or (b) it complies with regulation 314 of the Road Safety (Procedures) Regulations 1988." (2) In section 58(2) of the Principal Act, after "contained in it," insert "and of the fact that the breath analysing instrument was on the relevant occasion properly operated,". (3) After Schedule 5 to the Principal Act insert- "SCHEDULE 6 Section 55(4A) Certificate of Authorized Operator of Breath Analysing Instrument I, ...... (Full name of operator) of ...... (Police S~tion or Branch) Constable of Police, certify that: - 1. I am a person authorized by the Chief Commissioner of Police under Section 55 of the Road Safety Act 1986 to operate a breath analysing instrument. 2. That on the...... day of ...... 19 ...... at ...... *a.m./*p.m. at ...... I did analyse a sample of the breath of - (place analysis conducted)

(Full name of subject) of

(Address of subject) by means of a breath analysing instrument. 3. The breath analysing instrument I used in this analysis was - (a) a Breathalyzer as described in section 3 of the Road Safety Act 1986 which had written, inscribed or impressed on some portion of it or on a plate attached to it the expression "Breathalyzer" and the numerals 2824789 in that sequence; (b) an instrument in relation to which all regulations made under the said Act with respect to breath analysing instruments were complied with; (c) in proper working order and properly operated by me in accordance with the regulations; (d) an approved one. ROAD SAFETY (DRIVERS) BILL

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4. The said instrument indicated that the quantity of alcohol present in the blood of the person providing the sample of breath for analysis at the time and place referred to was ...... grams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood which, expressed as a percentage is ...... per centum; and 5. 1bat as soon as practicable after the sample was analysed, namely at ...... *a.m./*p.m. on the said day I delivered this certificate to the person providing the sample of breath for analysis in accordance with the provisions of section 55(4)(a). 6. I advised the person whose breath had been analysed that he or she may request that a second sample of his or breath be analysed. DATED this ...... day of ...... 19 ...... * Strike out inapplicable

(Signature of Authorized Operator) Rank ...... No...... ". (4) The amendments made to the Principal Act by this section do not affect the rights of the parties - (a) in the proceeding known as Cwmi v. Matthews (Appeal No. 90721) in the County Court; or (b) in any proceeding determined in the Magistrates' Court on or before 24 Apri11991.

Mr COOPER (Mornington) - New clause AA introduces a correction resulting from an appeal heard by his Honour Mr Justice Shillito in Curmi v. MIltthews. In that situation a driver had been convicted of driving with a blood alcohol concentration in excess of the prescribed limit. His appeal was upheld because some words were regarded by His Honour as being not sufficiently direct regarding the operation of the breathalyser device.

The opposition certainly accepts the reasoning behind His Honour's decision and supports the introduction of the amendment to ensure a loophole - and that is the only way it can be described - is not allowed to continue. Therefore it will prevent people who drive with blood alcohol readings in excess of the legal limit from being able to get away with it, as has apparently occurred in this case.

It is important that in the attached schedule to the new clause the victory achieved in the Curmi v Matthews appeal No. 90721 in the County Court has been preserved. In other words, while it is retrospective the appellant has had his day in court. He has won and now is allowed to savour his victory. The only thing he should not be allowed to savour is more than the allowed alcohol because if he does he will find the amendment has closed that loophole.

New clause agreed to.

Reported to House with amendments.

Passed remaining stages. CASINO CONTROL BILL

1692 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

CASINO CONTROL BILL Second reading Mr KENNAN (Minister for Major Projects) - I move: That this Bill be now read a second time. Melbourne is a city in which all Victorians can take pride. It is a world-class city and the time has come when it should have a world-class casino. It is big enough and dynamic enough to also support an unobtrusive club casino. ! The Bill will enable the establishment of the casinos and is the result of the recommendations of the Connor report. The government has worked closely with the New South Wales government, which also is preparing casinos legislation based on the Connor report. The Bill mirrors closely the current New South Wales draft Bill, and indeed the two Bills are almost identical in format and wording. This consistency of approach will be of benefit to prospective tenderers for casino licences and will offer to both States the same high level of stringent control and regulation of casino operations; In order to exclude criminal activity and influence from the casinos, legislation designed to provide strict control over all aspects of the operation of casinos is required. The government believes the Bill will achieve that objective, based on the Connor report and the experience of interstate and overseas legislation. OVERVIEW OF mE BILL I The Bill separates the control and regulation of casinos between two different sets of people. An independent Victorian casino control authority is to be established as the body overseeing the control function. It will be headed by a chairperson who has been a lawyer or magistrate for at least ten years and will include four other members. The authority will have power to grant, suspend or cancel casino licences and to oversee the operation of casinos.; The regulatory function will be performed by an Office of Casino Surveillance under the Director of Casino Surveillance. This office will be, as Connor recommended, separate from the authority, but required to respond to and generally assist the authority. The office is to be responsible for supervising directly the day-to-day operation of casinos and the conduct of gaming within them. The Connor report states that: ... an honest and highly competent regulatory team is indispensable to the proper running of a casino. The office will therefore be staffed by persons skilled in casino regulation including administration, auditing and surveillance. A specially trained unit of the Victoria Police will be seconded to the office, which will be created under the Public Service Act. The Bill establishes a system of control of casinos and provides for regulation of administrative and accounting procedures, security, and surveillance systems as well as the creation of various offences and strict licensing of key participants including most casino staff. CASINO CONTROL BILL

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MAJOR PEATURES OF THE BILL

It is intended that the government should be able to limit the number of casinos permitted to be established, to identify acceptable locations, and to indicate the type of development it considers appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for the Minister to give directions along these lines, setting a general policy framework within which the casino control authority can consider applications for licences to operate casinos.

The authority is required to undertake a thorough investigation of an applicant for a casino licence and each associate of the applicant who could exercise significant influence in the operation of the casino business. Before granting a licence, the authority must take into account, among other things, whether:

the persons involved are of good repute; the applicant has or can obtain adequate financial resources to ensure the casino's viability; and each director and officer associated with the ownership or administration or management of the business is a suitable person to act in that capacity.

In addition to the issue of a licence by the authority, the State will enter into a management agreement covering matters such as taxation arrangements, design of the development of the casino, and infrastructure provision arrangements with the developer. It is intended that this agreement will be submitted to Parliament for ratification.

Once a casino licence is granted, the casino control authority is required to investigate the casino at least once every three years. In its investigation the authority is to consider whether the casino operator is a suitable person to continue to hold the licence and whether it is in the public interest that the licence remains in force.

At other times, the authority may initiate an investigation into any matter related to the casino. The Bill gives the authority extensive power to require information to be provided by the operator or any associate of the operator. The authority may also give a direction to the operator in relation to the conduct, supervision or control of casino operations.

Provision is included in the Bill to require certain contracts entered into by the operator to be approved by the authority. This is intended to prevent criminal elements from obtaining a financial interest in the casino by the back door.

The authority will be quasi-judicial in character, will be able to take disciplinary action against casino operators and will have the power to suspend or cancel a licence. This power to cancel or suspend a licence is an extremely important and far-reaching power which could deprive an operator of many millions of dollars. If the operator operates also in other jurisdictions, it is almost certain that a cancellation or suspension would have repercussions in those jurisdictions. Consequently, this would remain as the ultimate sanction. In view of the severity of this sanction, the Connor report recommended, and the Bill includes, power for the authority to impose substantial fines. CASINO CONTROL BILL

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In view of the sensitive nature of information obtained from local, interstate and overseas law enforcement agencies which may be put before the authority, the Bill contains various provisions to ensure confidentiality. These include a prohibition on divulging information acquired in the course of performing duties under the Act and exemption from the Freedom of Information Act. The Bill, on the same basis, provides that decisions of the authority are not subject to appeal except on specified grounds such as breach of natural justice.

Certain casino employees, including those working in a managerial capacity or involved in the conduct of gaming, counting or movement of money or chips and repair of gaming equipment, will be required to be licensed. The Director of Casino Surveillance will investigate each applicant and, if appropriate, grant a licence for twelve months. Prior to renewal of a licence a further investigation will be undertaken. Disciplinary action may be taken against the licensee and will be determined by the authority. The licence may be varied, suspended or cancelled, or the authority may issue a letter of censure.

In relation to gaming within the casino, the layout, games and rules for games which can be played in casinos must be approved by the authority. The director will be responsible for investigating and approving gaming equipment for use in casinos while hours of operation will be set by the authority.

Provision is included in the Bill for the appointment of a Director of Casino Surveillance whose functions include supervising operations in casinos, investigating complaints and assisting in the detection of offences. The director will have a group of inspectors, many of whom will be seconded from the police and who will be responsible to her or him for day-to-day surveillance within the casinos.

As is pointed out in the Connor report, there are two difficulties in dealing initially with taxation rates in the Bill. First, rates for taxes, fees and levies for each casino would need to be fixed now to include them in the legislation. This could result in the rates being fixed too high or too low. Second, it will deprive the government from negotiating rates - for example, in the Docklands project area a lower rate may be a desirable trade-off for an obligation by the licensee to contribute to the upgrading of the area.

The report therefore recommends that the Queensland model be adopted to fix the rates by regulations. After the casinos have been operating for a year or two, the tax rates would be fixed annually by the Parliament. The Bill has followed this recommendation of Connor's and in order to ensure legislation is brought before Parliament to set the rate of tax, the Bill limits the casino tax to the first three years after commencement. It is intended, however, that the rates will be included in the management agreement to be entered into before a licence is granted and that this agreement be submitted to Parliament for ratification.

Provision is also included for a community benefit levy whereby the licensee will contribute a portion of the casino's revenue to the Hospitals and Charities Fund. There are similar schemes in Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. CASINO CONTROL BILL

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1695

The Bill further provides that a person not be appointed as a member of the authority or a director if the person has been employed by or significantly associated with a casino operator within the preceding four years. Any such person is also prohibited from being employed by a casino operator and, except with the approv.al of the authority, must not have a business or financial association with an operator. In addition, a person may not be appointed as an inspector if employed or significantly associated with an operator for the preceding four years unless the director otherwise approves. These and other measures contained in the Bill are aimed at ensuring that the highest standards are maintained in the operation of casinos in this State. In view of the potential for criminal involvement, strict vetting of applicants for licences and others associated with casino operations is necessary. Similarly, effective means of dealing with breaches of the Act or a licence are essential and the Bill is therefore aimed at providing the authority with sufficient powers to adequately deal with any breach. The government believes that this legislation recognises what people want - new entertainment opportunities which are tightly controlled and benefit the whole community. I commend the Bill to the House. Debate adjourned on motion of Mr HONEYWOOD (Warrandyte). Mr KENNAN (Minister for Major Projects) - I move: That the debate be adjourned for two weeks. Mr W. D. McGRATH (Lowan) - I request that the Minister allow additional time if it is necessary. I note that the heading of the Bill is: ... to provide for the establishment of a system for the licensing, supervision and control of casinos and for other purposes. The Bill is not concerned with just one casino. Consideration must be given to the provisions of the Bill by people in all parts of Victoria as this is a significant piece of legislation. For the first time it is anticipated that a casino will be established in Victoria. The various interest groups must be provided with the opportunity of putting forward their ideas and their suggestions either in support of or opposition to the Bill. I ask the Minister to consider adjourning the debate for more than two weeks if either the Uberal Party or the National Party seeks an extension of time. Mr HONEYWOOD (Warrandyte) - On behaH of the opposition I also ask the Minister for Major Projects to extend the period of the adjournment because the Casino Control Bill will have an impact not only on the central business district of Melbourne but also on rural Victoria, so discussion on the Bill will involve wide-ranging consultation with all interested parties. Or NAPTHINE (Portland) - I join with my colleagues the Deputy Leader of the National Party and the honourable member for Warrandyte in asking the Minister for Major Projects for an extension of time beyond two weeks. This is a significant Bill that PUBLIC ACCOUNT (AMENDMEN1) BILL

1696 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

has major social implications for all Victorians. As the honourable member for Warrandyte says, the Bill will apply to both country and metropolitan areas; and as the Deputy Leader of the National Party made clear the Bill refers to casinos, which widens the scope of the matters to be discussed. In my capacity as the shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation my consideration of the Bill will entail a great deal of consultation with all three codes of the racing industry in both metropolitan and country areas, because all of them have an interest in the development of gambling in Victoria. It would be inappropriate for the government to rush through a Bill that proposes such major changes. I ask the Minister to be reasonable and to give the opposition more time if it requests him to do so. Mr KENNAN (Minister for Major Projects) (By leave) - The government is happy to consider an adjournment of more than two weeks. I point out to members of the opposition that the Connor report has been available for a couple of months, and when they have had time to examine the Bill they will find its provisions are modelled on the recommendations of the report. Subject to the usual provisions the government would not want an extension of time to delay or jeopardise the passage of the Bill through both Houses before the end of the session, but we undertake to allow more time if that is requested in a fortnight's time. Motion agreed to and debate adjourned until Wednesday, 8 May.

PUBLIC ACCOUNT (AMENDMENT) BILL Second reading Mr ROPER (Treasurer) - I move:

1hat this Bill be now read a second time. The purpose of this Bill is to make three amendments to the Public Account Act 1958. The amendments implement recommendations for legislative change made by the Economic and Budget Review Committee in its thirtieth report to Parliament. The report details the committee's findings after inquiring into the issues and implications arising from an interest rate swap contract which was entered into by the Crown in the 1989-90 financial year. Under the contract, the Crown contracted to make a series of defined payments over a six-year period plus a series of other payments based on the movement in the consumer price index. In return the counterparty contracted to make a series of payments based on the bank bill rate over a six-year period, plus an upfront payment of $35 million. In accordance with independent accounting advice the $35 million up-front payment was credited to the expenditure account for financing charges and not the Consolidated Fund. PUBLIC ACCOUNT (AMENDMENT) BILL

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1697

The payment was effectively netted off against other expenditure on financing charges which were incurred in the 1989-90 financial year. It was the Auditor-General's view that this amount should have been paid into the Consolidated Fund and should not have been netted off. Legal advice obtained by Treasury immediately following the concerns expressed by the Auditor-General confinned that the transaction was not a borrowing but indicated that netting off was not possible. The matter was then referred to the Economic and Budget Review Committee. The legal advice obtained by Treasury was given to the Auditor-General who did not acquit the expenditure. The government has for a number of years used currency and interest rate swaps as one of its tools of debt management. Swaps have been used, for instance, to eliminate exposure to foreign currency fluctuations and to protect against unforeseen increases in short term interest rates. The swap transaction in question resulted from the $576 million of debt assumed from State Bank Victoria by the capital works authority as part of the government's support arrangements for the bank. The debts assumed by the capital works authority had a floating interest rate and it was deemed prudent to swap approximately half of this debt into interest payments linked to inflation. This was on the basis that the government's revenues tend to be linked to inflation. The swap was entered into directly by the Treasurer, not VicFin, as it was the Consolidated Fund's debt that was being hedged and part of the payments to be received under the swap were in the form of an up-front payment. The netting off of the up-front payment under the swap contract also drew the committee's attention to the long-standing practice of netting off receipts within other expenditure accounts in the Consolidated Fund. The committee found that, on the basis of legal advice provided by Treasury, the payment should not have been netted off and that the receipt should have been paid into the Consolidated Fund. The committee recommended four legislative amendments, all of which are dealt with in the Bill now before the House. The first legislative recommendation made by the committee was that the expenditure of the $35 million on financing charges be validated by legislation. This Bill validates the expenditure. The second and third recommendations were that the Public Account Act be amended to specify the powers of the Treasurer to undertake swap transactions and to provide for special appropriations to meet gross payments under such transactions. The Bill confirms the State's power to enter into swap contracts and contains a special appropriation to meet gross payments under these contracts. The Bill is drafted so as to confinn the power of the State to enter into swap contracts, to avoid any suggestion that

78312/91-55 PUBLIC ACCOUNT (AMENDMENT) BILL

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the State would not have had power to enter into a swap contract or any other financial arrangement were it not for this Bill or some other piece of legislation.

The fourth recommendation proposed by the committee was that Victoria adopts the Commonwealth's use of annotated appropriations. The Bill amends the Public Account Act to establish a special appropriation for the introduction of annotated appropriations in the 1991 Appropriation Bill.

Although the amendment is included in the Public Account Act, and not the Audit Act as is the case with the Commonwealth, it is modelled on section 35 of the Commonwealth Audit Act.

Annotated appropriations are designed to allow government to implement a process by which departments can be encouraged to maximise the revenue potential of their resources. It is a process which, while allowing for a more flexible use of agency resources, maintains Parliamentary and government scrutiny of the activities to which they refer.

It is anticipated, as is the case with the Commonwealth, that the control of the use of annotated appropriations will be through the annual Appropriation Act where the sources of funds to which the annotated appropriations can apply are laid down, and through resource agreements between the Minister for Finance and the Minister of the relevant department. The necessary controls and safeguards will be developed in conjunction with the preparation of the 1991-92 Budget.

The committee also made a number of recommendations in its report for non-legislative action. The government's response on these recommendations is as follows:

The committee found that it was not lawful for a Parliamentary appropriation to be exceeded at any time during the financial year. I have discussed the matter of intra-year adjustments to appropriations with the Auditor-General who is of the view that the prime focus should be on the annual appropriation amount since this is the amount authorised for payment by the Parliament in annual appropriation legislation. Accordingly, I will ask my officers to work with the Auditor-General in respect of an appropriate amendment to the Public Account Act to ensure that, while appropriations are constrained on an annual basis consistent with the annual appropriation authorised by the Parliament, due consideration is paid to operational aspects of budget management on a day-to-day basis. Pending legislative amendment, the government has advised all Budget sector agencies that appropriations cannot be exceeded at any time during the financial year. The government accepts the recommendation that transfers of appropriations under section 25 of the Audit Act 1958 be reported in the Treasurer's finance statement.

It should be noted, however, that the Audit Act already requires the Auditor-General to summarise in his report in the Treasurer's finance statement approvals given under section 25 of the Audit Act. A summary statement, therefore, already appears in the Auditor-General's report which accompanies the presentation of the Treasurer's finance statement. The committee was concerned that it may be lawful for the government to borrow and not credit the proceeds to the Consolidated Fund. I have asked officers of my department to report to me on this matter and I propose to subsequently report to the committee. ADJOURNMENT

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1699

The government notes the committee's concern that certain swaps can result in a deferral of interest obligations. The government is developing reporting mechanisms to Parliament for the disclosure of interest rate swaps and similar transactions. The government also proposes to consider the development of appropriate safeguards for swap contracts as recommended by the committee. I commend the Bill to the House. Debate adjourned on motion of Mr RICHARDSON (Forest Hill).

Debate adjourned unHl Wednesday, 8 May.

ADJOURNMENT Mr ROPER (Treasurer) - I move: That the House, at its rising, adjourn until Tuesday, 7 May. Motion agreed to.

SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL Mr ROPER (Treasurer) - By leave, I move: That the Order of the House making the resumption of debate on the second reading of the Supply (1991-92, No. 1) Bill an Order of the Day for tomorrow be read and rescinded and that it be made an Order of the Day for this day. Motion agreed to. Second reading Debate resumed from earlier this day; motion of Mr ROPER (Treasurer). Mr HONEYWOOD (Warrandyte) - In contributing to the Supply debate I shall raise the major subject matter of infrastructure. "Infrastructure" is a word that was added to the vocabulary of this Parliament only recently. It is a word that carries a lot of weight, particularly in suburban Melbourne and environs. It is a word the government has used deliberately for newspaper headlines but it has not backed up its rhetoric with action, whether it be the provision of sewerage pipes, community centres, road works or any services required by growing areas that so attract first-home buyers and particularly young people. The government's record on supplying services to the people of Victoria is held in very low esteem. I well recall in my maiden speech to this House two and a half years ago raising the issue of the needs of developing suburbs. I noted that a former Labor Leader and Prime Minister, Cough Whitlam, had put the issue of sewerage pipes and other infrastructure requirements on the national agenda for what I believe was the first time in Australia's history. Cough Whitlam paved the way for suburbia's needs to be given due SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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recognition and regard. Since then the Labor Party has failed to come to grips with what it regards as a social justice issue or an issue that is important to working class and middle class families. Some time after my maiden speech was delivered a by-election was held in the Thomastown electorate. In his maiden speech the honourable member for Thomastown referred to infrastructure. That issue was being talked up at the time by the former Secretary of the Victorian ALP when the Labor Party recognised that a significant reason for its abysmal showing in last year's Federal election was that families out in suburbia were hurting. Families who had been enticed to move to the outer periphery of Melbourne discovered that the promises made to them by the government through its flashy ads on television, such as the Home Start program, have not been backed up.

It is one thing to purchase a block of land in suburbia for $35 000 instead of $70 000, which may be required in areas closer to the city, but it is another to discover that the basic services required to enjoy one's lifestyle and to partake in the basic rights Australians have come to believe in have not been provided.

I am indebted to the honourable member for Forest Hill who, in one of his former shadow portfolios, accompanied me to some of these areas, particularly in outer eastern Melbourne, and gave me a first-hand look at the dreadful lack of services provided to new estates. The government publicised these new estates through glitzy advertisements and propaganda designed to make it appear that it was looking after young families and would provide them with a better quality of life in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Unfortunately the government has let down these people. It has not provided them with basic safety requirements.

I am sure the honourable member for Forest Hill will recall our visiting an Urban Land Authority (ULA) estate at Croydon where many drainage pipes of 10 feet in diameter were left uncovered for some time. The land was adjacent to a new housing estate with a number of young families. At that time young children, who were involved in the teenage mutant ninja turtles craze, were virtually being invited into these uncovered pipes to carry on their adventures. That was a totally unsafe practice.

One can understand why the government has a poor record in even providing basic safety requirements for these young families. It has been unable to back up its rhetoric with action. I refer the House to the Sunday Age of 21 July, which, under the heading "Victoria is broke. Just how broke is it and where does the buck stop?" has the figures of John Cain, Rob Jolly, Joan Kirner and Tom Roper lampooned on $50 notes. The article says that Victoria is indeed in a grave debt situation. It is in such a state that Moody's Investors Service and other credit rating agencies will shortly rank us as the second worst debt servicing State in the Commonwealth. What a record for the government to stand on. No wonder it cannot provide services to suburban areas such as those represented by the honourable member for Wantima and me. The government has sold the farm. As Frank Galbally once said on the steps of Parliament, they have sold the birthrights of Victorians. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Young families are left deserted in the outer suburban areas. They have no place to hold meetings and no ability to form community groups. No shelter has been provided for them, despite the promises made by the government that it cares about infrastructure.

Mrs Hirsh interjected.

Mr HONEYWOOD - It is an extraordinary speech in extraordinary times. The government has talked up infrastructure and the only infrastructure it has provided involved a shonky deal with the ULA under the former Minister for Housing and Construction, now the Minister for Finance, to force upon the ULA a requirement that its profits from sales would be provided for basic infrastructure. It is another typical example of the government not doing its homework.

The government even went so far as to advertise in local newspapers the fact that applications could be made to the ULA by community groups such as those in the City of Doncaster and Templestowe for $20 000 grants for community infrastructure. It was soon discovered that there were no ULA estates in the City of Doncaster and Templestowe. Therefore, if a genuine community group did want to apply for those funds, no grant would be available. That was only a minor discrepancy. Did the government inform the public of this position? No. It was left to the opposition to highlight the fact that what the government was doing was illegal. The government could not access ULA funds under the State's Constitution and give them to any community group.

The only initiative of the government in terms of genuinely backing its rhetoric with action by providing sewerage pipes or community meeting centres in new suburbs was illegal. It was null and void, cancelled and not permissible! The government had to back-flip saying, ''We will provide infrastructure only so long as it is adjacent to Urban Land Authority estates". That honed the specifics down; it narrowed the focus of where the government will provide dollars for genuine community needs in growing suburbs.

In the nine years the government has been in power community infrastructure has been a byword of shame. The government has paid millions of dollars of government revenue to ensure the State has the highest recruitment rate of public servants of any State of Australia. In good years under the former Premier, the honourable member for Bundoora, Victoria had a rate of recruitment of public servants three times the national average - including Commonwealth public servants.

Money has been wasted by the Labor Party. If I were a Labor Party branch member I would feel let down by my party.

Dr Napthine - None of them are left.

Mr HONEYWOOD - Of course there are no Labor Party branch members left. They have given up in despair because of the likes of the Prime Minister, Mr Hawke, and the Federal Treasurer, Mr Keating. The Labor Party has not delivered the goods. It has talked about social justice and infrastructure but when it has come to providing the goods it has a poor track record. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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If I were a Labor Party branch member I would feel incredibly let down because of the lack of delivery of services. Community health centres have not been built and so at the end of the government's days it will not be able to turn around and say, 11 All right we have wasted the taxpayers' money on different things, but at least we have left a few monuments to our years in government which will be used by the community in years to come".

The government has not provided new railway stations or the double decker trains it promised. It has not provided for those things that are important to the suburbs of Melbourne. It promised it would enter into an agreement with the New South Wales government on the XPT train proposal but we find it has not backed that up.

There is the controversial matter of road funding which will provide road safety. I noted in the Road Safety Act there is a continuing leakage of dollars from the Roads Corporation budget, which is actually designed to build important roads.

The people who live in Melbourne suburbs will feel let down by the State government and they will vote with their feet at the next election. The government has nothing to show for the millions of dollars of State debt. The $27 billion debt will have no bricks and mortar to show to future generations who must pay the incredibly high interest bills because of the borrowings of this government.

When one looks at electorates such as mine one finds that even the basic provision of bus services to transport students to and from their schools is not satisfactory. Over the past two and a half years, despite persistent representations by me on behalf of the school communities, children are still walking over 2 and 3 kilometres to school because the government maintains it has not the funds to provide a proper bus service for students. Parkwood High School made representations to me. On 29 May 1990 it wrote to Mr Geoff Lockwood, the Doncaster depot manager of the Metropolitan Transit Authority:

Dear Mr Lockwood, re: Establishment of a school bus route between Croydon Hills and Parkwood Secondary College. A large number of students attending Parkwood Secondary College live in the Croydon Hills area. Many of these rely on public transport to travel between home and school. At present there is no direct public transport link between the Croydon Hills area and this school. These students who use the 366 MET bus are required to walk a distance of over 1 kilometre between the school and Wonga Road, the nearest bus stop for this service. Others use the Wonga Park bus provided by Invicta resulting in severe overcrowding on that bus.

On that one bus route alone students are required to walk these distances and to stand up in the bus hanging on for grim death in the hope that they will arrive at school and return home safely and because the government has wasted millions of dollars on the financial scandals of Tricontinental Corporation Ltd, WorkCare and State Bank Victoria, it cannot provide a basic service.

A private school, Luther College, made representation on 15 February 1991. It says: SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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For some time now Luther College has enjoyed your support and I am writing to you in the hope that you may be able to help with a long-term problem that we have had in regard to one of the bus services to the school. The service in question is a MET service which is provided on contract by the Invicta Bus Company and provides a direct bus service from Ringwood station to Luther College in the morning and the reverse service in the afternoon '" The problem relates to the afternoon service. In the morning a large articulated bus is provided and our students fill this bus. In the afternoon an old, small bus is provided and our students overfill it! This results in one of two outcomes. Either 1. the bus driver bends the rules and allows everyone on board -a process that requires students packing in like sardines - yesterday I saw a bus licensed to carry 72 passengers pull out with 116 students on board, or 2. the bus driver refuses to take more than the legal limit, which results in a large number of students being stranded. I have made representations to the Minister for Transport on this one issue alone on a number of occasions and after waiting for more than two months for a reply I was told the government did not have the money to provide a basic safety requirement for children of this State. Both the private and government schools in my electorate are affected and I am sure that is the case in many other electorates.

The government has lost so much of its birthright, as Frank Galbally said. Not transporting its students from point A to point B to attend their normal school day is a shocking record indeed!

Then we find there is no school for other students because in the same area for some years the government has held a caveat on a parcel of land to build a secondary college in Endeavour Hills. The primary school in that new suburb has had its school population exceed the targeted school population. In fact, in some cases it had over 100 more students than the limit. Can the government go so far as to purchase the land that has a caveat on it for a secondary school? No; the land is owned by A.V. Jennings Home Improvements, which is a major developer and which is in the process of putting forward a subdivision plan because it believes the government does not want to pursue the building of a secondary school in this rapidly growing suburb. Despite an target figures being provided by the Ministry of Education and Training's regional office in Ringwood, the targets are being well and truly exceeded and the students who will be going on to secondary school in the near future will not have a local secondary school to go to. The local council, Croydon City Council, made representations to the government as well as to me and even suggested a willingness to part with up to $750 000 of ratepayers' money to provide sporting facilities at a community meeting hall on a joint partnership basis with the Ministry to allow students and the community to share a facility.

This strapped-for-cash government will not even purchase the land to be set aside for the building of a much needed high school. Its own regional officers have called for it but they have wiped the slate clean when it comes to providing education in that suburb. The SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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students will be forced to hop on overcrowded buses so they can get to other existing schools and there will be no community focus. Those young people who live in the suburb will attend a high school in another suburb and will not have the focal point of the community or a meeting hall to hold meetings and enjoy sporting facilities. No other reservation of land has been set aside by the government for sporting use in that suburb; therefore, young people in the area will have a very poor lifestyle choice and amenities which will not be to their liking or benefit in growing into well-balanced adults.

This is where the government should hang its head in shame. It has flown in the face of all its social justice principles and rhetoric about providing infrastructure. Already suburbs such as Croydon Hills are being left with nothing. They pay their rates and taxes but what do they get in return? They use residential streets to get to the city because there is no highway; they send their children to schools on overcrowded buses, wondering whether they will have to walk because the limit on the bus has been exceeded; and there is no place for them to meet, no local gathering point.

When we look back even 30 years ago, liberal Party and Country Party governments provided these services and more to young people and the growing population. This Labor government, which is good on the rhetoric of providing for the working class, fails to deliver. In terms of these basic service provision areas it should hang its head in shame.

Putting aside the matter of students, if their parents want to travel to work by the billion-dollar-a-year-deficit public transport system provided by the government they have a railway station from where they can depart to travel to work. Where do they park their cars? In many cases there are no buses to take them from their homes to the railway station. They have to drive to a car park at the railway station. However, because the government has wasted taxpayers' dollars on public servants' wages rather than putting in infrastructure improvements, these residents cannot find a car park at the station.

They have two choices. They can park in a residential area in which they are bound to be fined by local parking attendants or they can park miles down the major roads. Because of the government's disregard for commuters, last year in my electorate a woman who was unable to find a car park at the Croydon railway station, had to park many hundreds of yards down the road in an area that was not properly lit. She was bashed and an attempted rape occurred because at the end of her working day as she had not had access to the railway station car park she had to walk in the dark many hundreds of yards to get to her car.

The government has done nothing to provide extra railway station car spaces. Bashings and rapes of women may be a trivial issue to the government. Because it will not put the dollars into providing an extra twenty car spaces or even 100 spaces or provide a multi-tiered car park, as I suggested, for some of the congested stations, crimes are going on. Attempted rapes have been perpetrated upon female workers trying to get to work and home to their families because they cannot park in safety. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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This is a shameful example of where the government has let the people down. At the Bonbeach railway station last year a young female worker was supposedly murdered, probably never to be seen or heard of again, because of the problem of parking at the station and the lack of security. Car parking spaces must be provided, given the growing areas and the burgeoning population. If they do not have a public road network to use they have no option but to travel on public transport but they are let down by an unsafe public transport system, which is unclean at that. The thrust of my speech on the Supply (1991-92, No.l) Bill today has been to highlight the fact that the government should hang its head in shame because, despite the rhetoric of providing infrastructure, the record shows it has not put the dollars in or provided anything by way of minimum requirements and basic services to the growing suburbs. Instead it has wasted taxpayers' dollars which should have gone into providing bricks and mortar to the suburbs of Melbourne.

The government has frivolously thrown away money by hiring more public servants, giving more Labor Party hacks high paying jobs and losing money down the drain on financial disasters such as State Bank Victoria, Tricontinental and the Victorian Economic Development Corporation. If I were a Labor Party branch member looking back on the nine years of Labor government I would say it has done nothing to advance the social justice and infrastructure principles which are supposedly part of its platform.

Mrs BARKER (Bentleigh) - I am pleased to contribute to the debate today because it gives me the opportunity of outlining some of the projects in my electorate that are progressing well. At the end of last year I indicated the progress of the nursing home project which commenced after my election to Parliament and which will be built in the Bentleigh-Moorabbin area. I am pleased to report that the nursing home project is progressing well. The design is innovative and is a new concept. The p~oject is now ready for the tender stage. The community I represent has once again got behind this project and auxiliary services have been formed to support the nursing home. The community hopes to raise $300 ()()() to ensure that all fittings and support facilities for the nursing home are in place when it is open. On its record the community in the Bentleigh-Moorabbin area will work hard and achieve that target. The nursing home has been given the Aboriginal name of Warrawee, which means a place to stop and rest awhile on the journey. When the home is completed and staffed it will be of great benefit to the community. I place on record my thanks to the Moorabbin Community Extended Care Society for its hard work as a committee of management; the Moorabbin Oty Council for its active financial support, and the Minister for Health and her officers in the South Eastern Region of Health Department Victoria for their ongoing commitment to the nursing home. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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I am also pleased that the Moorabbin Industry Training Centre at the Moorabbin College of TAPE, a project that I have taken a keen and active interest in since 1988, is now under way. It is an exciting and new concept developed by the college council during the past few years, and the project will be of great benefit to the area. The training centre will greatly benefit local industry. Although it is in its early stage of development I am sure it will progress well.

The centre will be constructed on the'site of the TAPE college in South Road and will provide a major focus for education and training in the south-eastern suburbs. It will also provide an opportunity for cooperation between the college and industry and enable an effective use of the expertise and resources in both sectors.

The Commonwealth and State governments are committed to its establishment and the State government has made an initial grant of $200 ()()() for the 1990-91 financial year to ensure the project design is finalised. The signing of the 1991 Commonwealth-State T AFE Resource Agreement by both governments will formalise the commitment to the project.

Mr Perton interjected.

Mrs BARKER - The honourable member for Doncaster should visit the Moorabbin College of TAPE and see for himself the wonderful new buildings constructed by Commonwealth and State government grants during the past eight years.

Although the State Training Board and the Federal Department of Employment, Education and Training have been helpful in establishing the project, the long hours put in by the members of the college council and its director, Colin Griss, should be acknowledged. I place on record my thanks for the work of those people and for their vision and commitment to developing a concept which will provide the most up-to-date facilities in the south-eastern area of Melbourne and make an important contribution to the training needs of the Victorian manufacturing industry.

The Moorabbin College of TAPE is a great college and it is pleasing for me to be associated with it. The people managing the college are forward thinkers and planners, not just in regard to the development of the industry training centre, but in many other areas.

I refer to the college's commitment to providing for the needs of women and, in particular, providing for child-care places. The college established a child-care centre approximately ten years ago and it operated in a converted house adjacent to the college. It was established to provide seventeen full-time places for children up to age five years. The centre, known as Tiny Tafes, was officially opened some years ago by Mrs Nancye Cain. Up until the late 1980s the centre was able to meet the level of demand for places for child-care, not just from staff, but students as well. From 1988 onwards the level of demand increased rapidly. Applications for places increased 30 per cent and this increased need came primarily from disadvantaged groups, particularly non-English-speaking persons and women returning to study. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Once again the Moorabbin College of TAPE recognised the clear need in the area to expand chiId-care places. The college submitted an application to expand the child-care centre from 17 to 35 full-time places. This was approved and, with the government's allocation of $200 ()()() for the centre and $60 ()()() allocated by the TAPE college, the Tiny Tafes Child-Care Centre will now offer a further eighteen places. The expanded child-care centre reflects the TAFE college's commitment to disadvantaged groups and its high profile as a competent and caring provider of education and training. I am pleased that the Premier will visit my electorate next week to officially open the expanded child-care centre. At the same time she will officiate at a function to recognise twenty scholarships which have been awarded to women who will study full-time associate diploma and advanced certificate courses in electronics and engineering. The T AFE college has been monitoring the participation by women in the electrical, electronic and engineering courses and it became obvious that despite considerable goodwill, participation by women was low. As a consequence the college council developed a program which includes the provision of scholarships for women studying associate diploma and advanced certificate courses in electronics and engineering; awareness-raising days for women which explain careers in electrical studies, electronics and engineering; and a preparatory course for women interested in pursuing careers in trade and technology. I was pleased to speak at one of the awareness-raising days last year and the Choice and Opportunity program initiated by the government was well received by the women on that day. The winners of the scholarship range from mature age women, many of whom have relevant industrial experience, to school le avers with maths and science passes at years 11 and 12. A number of the scholarship winners are also rearing children. It is pleasing to see these women re-entering alternative courses of study. The outcomes of the T AFE college's program to increase the representation of women in electronics and engineering indicates that there are many very capable women interested in pursuing careers in these areas. The college has developed the appropriate support structures to ensure that these women can successfully complete their courses. As I indicated previously, the college has actively pursued forward planning. Its encouragement and support of women who wish to pursue careers in alternative areas will see the potential of many women fully developed, and I again congratulate the college for its work. The importance of providing training and opportunities to train is a clear commitment of the college, as it is of the government. I refer now to the recent initiative announced by the Premier, the Victoria First initiative. This $60 million job training package is designed to preserve the skills base of the State's work force and is particularly important during this difficult economic period not just in Victoria, but throughout Australia. The package will create training opportunities for 14 000 people and generate more than 4500 jobs. I am particularly interested in the Local SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Authority Traineeships Scheme which will provide $2 million to create 400 to 500 traineeships with local authorities in Victoria. In the Victoria First package all councils have the opportunity and are eligible to apply and I hope the City of Moorabbin will look at the scheme. If it does so I shall be pleased to offer my assistance.

As well as other specific benefits that were outlined in the Victoria First package such as the housing initiatives and the WorkCare and payroll tax cuts, the most important area­ particularly in my electorate - of this package is the emphasis placed on developing skills in the work force. The areas of skills and training must be concentrated on and the government is doing so.

Mr Perton - What about jobs for the 10 per cent unemployed?

Mrs BARKER - There are excellent training opportunities offered at Moorabbin TAPE and throughout the Victoria First initiative, but there are other opportunities in my electorate for women to consider further study, return to study, development of their skills or simply companionship and support in their local areas. This is offered through the Neighbourhood House scheme.

I will briefly outline the growth in the Neighbourhood House area, which has been a clear example of the government's commitment to providing opportunities for women in Victoria. As honourable members know, neighbourhood houses are mainly used by women. Many women who have a responsibility to look after children find these houses an important community resource that provides access to training and education.

It is interesting to note the statistics. The number of government-funded houses in Victoria in 1981 was approximately 20 with a total budget of $200 000. This number increased to 170 in 1986 with a total budget of $1 million. There are now 191 houses in the Neighbourhood House program that receive a total of $3.8 million annually through Community Services Victoria. Neighbourhood houses and other community learning centres also receive substantial funding through the Division of Further Education in the Ministry of Education and Training.

In 1989-90 grants to the community provided for educational programs totalled $9.13 million and this sum will increase in 1990-91 to an estimated $9.8 million. This morning honourable members heard the Premier outline a further commitment to further education in this State by the introduction of proposed legislation.

There is a very thriving and busy community house in my electorate called the Godfrey Street community house. It offers plenty of choice and opportunity for women in the Bentleigh area. In the coming term some of the courses that will be offered at that community house include French for beginners, normal cooking days, calligraphy, hairdressing and hair cutting, and yoga. I think the honourable member for Doncaster should consider doing yoga; it would greatly benefit his blood pressure. Other courses include an introduction to psychology, introduction to English, basic maths, spell right and basic book-keeping. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Further assistance offered to people in the local area at Godfrey Street community house is child

It should also be noted that recently under the Office of Preschool and Child

Godfrey Street community house has recently introduced a computer with a facility known as Job and Course Explorer, commonly known as lAC. This will offer further opportunity to people in the local area information courses and programs that allow them to make choices about what they want to do, whether they wish to return to study or just have some companionship and support.

It is my hope that in the future we can base the domestic violence workers for the Southern Region in the community house because it is an appropriate setting for those people working with victims of domestic violence who are mainly women and children. The domestic violence workers in the Southern Region for some time have been looking for a more suitable place to work from. They currently operate from a shopfront which is in a reasonable location but it is not the most appropriate setting for the work they do. It was thought that the East Bentleigh Community Health Centre would be a suitable venue, and it would be, but it is currently working at capacity because of the requirement for this type of health service and because of the great popularity of community health in my local area.

As well as the many facilities offered at the East Bentleigh Community Health Centre we are in the process of appointing two further employees to work with two other sectors of the community in the Southern Region. Those two areas are the ethnic community and the area of youth health. The ethnic worker has been funded by the Commonwealth government via the auspices of the East Bentleigh Community Health Centre and it will provide an opportunity to ensure that those people in the Southern Region - and there are a large number of them from a non-English speaking background - have a knowledge of the services that are available to them and also have access to those services. In many instances those people from non-English speaking backgrounds keep to themselves and are not aware of the great services that are offered.

Youth health is of particular interest to me and I was very pleased to see that joint Commonwealth-State funding was allocated recently to enable a worker to be placed at the East Bentleigh Community Health Centre. Again, the type of work is clear: it will deal SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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with young people and their health needs. It will operate on an outreach basis, which is more suitable to young people. The East Bent1eigh Community Health Centre is also looking at establishing an outreach or pilot program in Moorabbin. It is an extremely popular community health centre but, because it has such a large catchment area, perhaps some of the people are not getting there. I wish that pilot program success. The community health centre people recently did a doorknock of the area where they are looking at establishing themselves and they have already had offers of assistance from local churches and groups as to the use of their halls. As I said, I wish them well in their expansion and I am sure they will gain the support of the whole community. I understand they have had some discussions with the Federal member for Hotham, Mr Simon Crean, who I am sure will also offer them total support. There are many ongoing and new projects in my electorate and region, and they are continuing to progress. Many advances have been made in the provision of services and programs through the actions of the government which have clearly been shown to the people I represent. In the past few years the electorate has seen the establishment of the Moorleigh units, which are part of the deinstitutionalisation program and include people from the Willsmere hospital. They are nice units offered to local people aged 65 years and over who are slightly confused. There is provision for some who are not from the local area, and I would welcome anyone who wishes to come and examine the units; they are very nice. Another indication of the clear commitment by this government is the development of the Clayton and Moorabbin campuses of the Monash Medical Centre. The Moorabbin campus is in my electorate and at Clayton the second stage of construction will be completed by the end of this year. At Clayton a very effective health service is provided for the south-eastern region. The Moorabbin campus last year saw the completion of the birthing centre. That is an initiative for ongoing work put in place by the government to present alternatives to women who are giving birth. The birthing centre and the completion of the western block of the Monash Medical Centre are outstanding achievements. Although there are and always will be some problems in regard to schools, I am pleased that the Moorabbin City Secondary College, which was upgraded at a cost of some $2 million and is in the final stages of completion, is nearing the finishing stages of the landscaping and the garden area; an amount of some $50 000 has been allocated for that completion work. I will be pleased to take the Minister for Education and Training to the college in June when we will not only be inspecting new buildings but will also be provided lunch by the year 12 students, who operate a very successful restaurant once a month. Mr Perton interjected. SUPPLY (1991-92, No. 1) BILL

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Mrs BARKER - The honourable member can visit any time. We could go to the Moorabbin College of TAFE, the Moorleigh units and the East Bentleigh Community Health Centre, and I could take him to lunch at the Moorabbin City Secondary College. The invitation is there.

The other area that I have been working on with the support of the Minister for Labour relates to the Moorabbin industrial area. Much work has been done, particularly in the past couple of years, with visits by the Dangerous Goods Branch and the Hazardous Chemicals Task Force. I know that work will continue and eventually there will be a very safe industrial area for the local residents; this matter is always of concern to them.

In the area of transport, the station clean-up has begun, and I look forward to doing the station audits with the local community and the Public Transport Corporation shortly. The timetabling has been fairly good lately and there certainly are sufficient bus services in Centre Road, Bentleigh.

The other area that is progressing well in my electorate is the older persons units, a Department of Planning and Housing project. They will be completed shortly and will alleviate the problems that some older people have in finding units in the local area. They can often be placed in other areas but they prefer to stay in the area where they have lived for so long.

Another government initiative which has been of tremendous benefit to the people of my electorate, and which has kept my office extremely busy over the past few months, is the availability of the Seniors Card. People have been flocking to my office to have their signatures witnessed so they may take advantage of the benefits that the Seniors Card offers.

Dr Napthine - Don't people in your area have their Seniors Cards y.et?

Mrs BARKER - There are very few people whose signatures I have witnessed who have not yet obtained their Seniors Cards. Most of them already have their cards. I do not seem to have any problem in that area. I expect that is a result of the work of the efficient local member and her efficient staff, who have ensured that these things are done fairly quickly.

There has always been a need to continue the work. I am pleased to be doing the work for the people that I represent and I am pleased that I am part of a government which backs me in providing the services, programs and actions required. Many projects in which I have been involved are progressing well. I thank the House for the opportunity of contributing to the Supply debate.

Debate adjourned on motion of Mr PERTON (Doncaster).

Debate adjourned until next day. ADJOURNMENT

1712 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

ADJOURNMENT Mr ROPER (freasurer) - I move:

That the House do now adjourn. Emu fanning Dr NAPrHINE (portland) - I raise a matter for the attention of the Minister for Conservation and Environment and, in his absence I raise it with the Treasurer, who is at the table. I seek action to review the attitude to emu farming in Victoria. Emu farming offers an opportunity for some farmers and business people to develop profitable enterprises in Victoria. We know that the State is facing harsh economic times and people in rural Victoria particularly are seeking every opportunity to diversify their incomes and find opportunities for development of new industries. There is certainly an opportunity for the development of the emu farming industry in Victoria. I ask that the Minister for Conservation and Environment and his department review the opportunities for emu farming and the hindrances to the development of this industry in Victoria. In South Africa there has been a profitable ostrich farming industry for many years; 400 farms are involved, producing an income of some $25 million a year from the sale of ostrich feathers, leather and meat. In Western Australia eighteen farms are involved in commercial emu farming. The Western Australian agriculture department has produced a considerable amount of material on the emu farining opportunities. That department has recognised the local and export market opportunities for emu leather, oil and meat, as well as feathers, carved eggs and even polished claws. The agriculture department in Western Australia estimates that an emu farmer could make $1500 a year on each breeding pair, and this is income that would be most welcome in many areas of Victoria. There are certainly opportunities for the development of this new industry. However, under the Wildlife Act, emu farming is not permitted in Victoria. I understand the reasons for concern about farming one of our native birds and the need to protect our native wildlife from exploitation. I am sure Western Australia addressed the same issue, and that is why I seek a review of the situation. I believe we can develop a system in which we can allow emu farming without exposing our native emus to exploitation. It is not even permitted for Victorians to import emus from Western Australia for farming in this State. These emus have been bred and raised in captivity for farming purposes. Victoria would not need to be involved in catching and trapping wildlife because the birds that have been raised in captivity for farming purposes could be imported from Western Australia and could be appropriately identified with microchips. You, Mr Speaker, would be aware of this process through your profession. Farmers in Victoria could take advantage of this new market opportunity and I ask the Minister for Conservation and Environment to consider this matter. ADJOURNMENT

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1713

Given the ongoing success of ostrich farming in South Africa and the early success of emu farming in Western Australia, I ask the Treasurer, who is at the table, to take up this matter with the Minister for Conservation and Environment and also the Minister for Agriculture so that this opportunity can be provided to Victorian farmers. Wantima South Primary School Mrs HIRSH (Wantirna) - I raise a matter of extreme importance with the Premier, as the representative for the Minister for Education and Training in another place. On previous occasions I have mentioned the Wantirna South Primary School which is desperately in need of rejuvenation. I have spoken about the needs of the school and the Minister has responded positively to my previous representations. He is also aware of the good work of the parents and staff. Further to the enthusiastic work the parents have done, they have presented me with a comprehensive petition signed by more than 250 local people who support the rebuilding of the school. The petition suggests that the Wantirna South Action Group expresses great dissatisfaction with the current building, the portable classrooms, portable toilets, lack of covered walkways and lack of a multi-purpose room. The action group would like funds to be made available this financial year to complete the school's redevelopment and hopes its submission will be given top priority in any future work program. The enthusiasm of the parents for this school is to be highly recommended. They work hard and continuously in directing the state of the school to the attention of the Minister, me, as their local representative in Parliament, and to the public at large. A number of letters to the newspaper have recently been written. I am totally behind the work of the parents and staff in the redevelopment of the school because undoubtedly it is necessary. On a hot day the portable classrooms are inadequate and on a cold day the children and teachers are uncomfortable because these old portables are not adequately ventilated or heated.

The redevelopment of the Wantirna Primary School, which is virtually complete, has been excellent and the parents, teachers and students of Wantirna South are looking forward to the time - which I hope will be in the near future - when their school is rebuilt. It has been started and the work so far has been good. I commend the parents and the Wantirna South Action Group for their work in collecting the signatures to the petition which shows the interest of the people in the local area in their school. I hope the Minister will give attention to this matter and will note the enthusiasm evidenced by this petition. Snow clearing in alpine resorts Mr WEIDEMAN (Franks ton South) - I raise a matter for the Minister for Tourism and, in his absence, the Minister at the table, the Minister for Agriculture. The ski season in Victoria will be in full force in June and July. VIC ROADS recently wrote to the Alpine Resorts Commission suggesting that it will not be possible for VIe ROADS crews to maintain around the clock snow clearing to keep resort roads open, especially on the ADJOURNMENT

1714 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

Harrietville approach to Mount Hotham. From the start of the 1991 snow clearing season, a smaller work force will be deployed on the mountains and the hours of snow clearing services will be reduced of necessity. I point out to the Minister that the ski industry in Victoria is worth $1 billion or 25 per cent of the total tourism industry in this State. Last year $1 million was spent on keeping open the roads to Mount Hotham. Even so in recent years on an average of twelve days in a twelve-week season the access was closed. I understand that with the development at Blue Cow the New South Wales authorities have built a railway tube at a cost of $150 million to provide services for skiers and to bring them into the 21st century. That ski tube also provides access to Perisher Valley and Thredbo. In this State tourist operators make up packages that are sold here and overseas. In Victoria 25 per cent of the skiers at Mount Hotham and Falls Creek come from South Australia and New South Wales and recently some have been coming from Queensland. In packages that tourist operators present to the public they must be able to provide access to ski resorts at all times. It is not much point people booking holidays at ski resorts and then finding they cannot have access to the resorts. Operators need 24 hours a day, 7 days a week access to sell packages interstate and overseas. I ask the Minister to give a clear undertaking to the House that he will ensure VIC ROADS operates snow clearing operations at our major resorts to ensure 24 hours a day, 7 days a week access. There are something like one million visitor days at our three major resorts, Mount Hotham, Falls Creek and Bulla. Obviously Bulla and Mount Hotham have the majority of those visitors. Access to Mount Hotham is a problem because Razor Back is subject to violent changes in weather which can preclude people having access to that mountain. I recently had the opportunity of travelling through the Kiewa West River valley in which there is a 31 kilometre road to Brandy Flats. Access is prOVided to a goldmine that operates in the area. From there we had to walk some 10 or 11 kilometres to Dinner Plain, in which the government invested more than $100 million. It is a wonderful place and it could be developed into one of the best resorts in this country. The state of the roads affects tourism in not only the ski resorts but also Bright, Mount Beauty and Mansfield. A new all-weather road is needed for access to those areas. This is an important industry in this State and the lack of all-weather roads to the resorts could cost the State millions of dollars in tourism. It would be a shame to lose that because of a 50 per cent reduction in snow clearing this year. Government paper and stationery products Mr HAMILTON (Morwell) - I raise a matter for the attention of the Minister for Finance, who is responsible for government purchases. I refer to the policy of the government in purchasing paper and stationery products. This has recently become a matter of importance to the workers in the industry because it is the second largest industry in the Latrobe Valley. The Australian Paper Manufacturers paper mill produces locally produced papers through its Maryvale mill in the Latrobe Valley. Because of a ADJOURNMENT

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1715

lack of orders during the economic downturn it has had to close its doors for one week, meaning money is not coming in to pay the wages of workers, resulting in a loss of wages to the local economy. It is a serious matter. It also concerns State government policies, and I am therefore asking the Minister to review the policy of the State government to ensure that we purchase locally produced paper products. Doing so can be justified even though the products may be slightly dearer than some imports. We in this country, and especially in this State, should recognise that we have the strictest environmental emission controls on our pulp mills in the world, which is something of which we can be justly proud. As well as that, our pulp mills are supplied from forests that are subject to strict forest management plans. The controlled harvesting of the forests and planting programs mean we will eventually have a sustainable pulp and paper industry in this State, and the government can be justifiably proud of that fact. It therefore seems unfortunate that overseas countries that do not have anything like the same environmental controls and forest management controls export their paper to Australia and are helped by our buying those imports. It seems appropriate for what is a relatively small item in the government's overall expenditure to support the Australian industry. It is also worth noting that the pulp and paper industry and the associated forest industries have strict and well developed occupational health and safety principles in the workplace. Those regulations are of credit to the industry as well as the government, which has been fostering their development. In terms of morality it seems appropriate that State government departments ought to be insisting that we support the local manufacturer. It is an outstanding, value-adding manufacturing industry that is performing well, and it needs to be supported. I was disappointed to hear that the Federal government has recently changed its policy so that it does not necessarily support the local industry. The Federal government should be under as big an obligation as we are to support the local industry. I ask the Minister to ensure that the current policy is reviewed in the interests of supporting our manufacturing industry and developing a regional commodity, particularly in the Latrobe Valley, and that we institute and develop a good, government-sponsored support scheme for buying locally manufactured paper products. Prostitution Regulation Act Mr TANNER (Caulfield) - I raise a matter for the attention of the Premier, but as I note she is not in attendance I direct it to the attention of the two Ministers who are present for this important debate. It concerns the Prostitution Regulation Act 1986 and the fact that the government has not proclaimed large sections of that legislation. The government, and the Premier herself, must take responsibility for the non-proclamation of major parts of that Act. I call upon the Premier and her government to take administrative action to proclaim the Act, which was passed by Parliament. Parliament is being held in gross contempt by the government. Parliament is meant to be ADJOURNMENT

1716 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

the sovereign authority for the people and the creator of the laws of this State but the government, with pure contempt for the people and Constitution of this State, has refused to proclaim large sections of the Act and to meet the will of the Parliament. The Prostitution Regulation Act 1986 comprises 82 clauses and at this moment in 1991 the government has still not proclaimed sections 12,13, 15, 16, 17, 18,19,20,21,22-- Mr Baker interjected. Mr TANNER - I assure the Minister that I will go on counting them, because it is a disgrace. The unproclaimed sections include sections 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36. I will continue reading those section numbers into the record because members of the government ought to be ashamed of the way in which they are holding this Parliament and the community in contempt. I continue: sections 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 53 -- An Honourable Member - What are they about? Mr TANNER - I will detail three sections in particular over the non-proclamation of which the honourable member ought to hang his head in shame. I continue: sections 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66 -- Mr Norris - What about 69? Mr TANNER - With section 68 (1), paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (g) and (h) have not been proclaimed. Section 69 has not been proclaimed, nor has section 71. Section 73(1) and 2(a), part of section 73(3), and section 77 (b) have not been proclaimed. Honourable members on the government side of the House may treat with great mirth the fact that the will of Parliament has been held in contempt, but I should like to refer to the practical effect it has had. Recently an application for the establishment of a brothel in CauHield was made. I am pleased to say that the CauHield City Council rejected that application but the applicant, with considerable arrogance, has stated that he will appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and get his way over the will of the people of CauHield. If the government had had the decency to proclaim the sections of the Act, it would have enabled the people of Caulfield to express an opinion and prevent the tribunal from possibly giving effect to that applicant's appeal. It is a disgraceful situation that important legislation, containing the will of Parliament, has not been proclaimed. I have given an example of where the will of the people of Caulfield could be overridden by this government through its contempt of Parliament. I call upon the Premier, who has shown contempt for Parliament again by not being in attendance for this debate, and also other Ministers of this government who have not bothered to attend the debate, to take action. I appreciate that two Ministers have bothered to put in an appearance, but what a miserable appearance it is. I will be interested to hear how miserable their contribution will be in reply to my request not to hold Parliament and the people of CauHield in contempt and to proclaim all sections of the Prostitution Regulation Act. ADJOURNMENT

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1717

Rural finance companies Mr F. P. SHEEHAN (Ballarat South) - I direct the attention of the Minister for Agriculture to an investigation of a matter that was drawn to my attention recently. It concerns the rural area, particularly farming communities and small businesses. As most people acknowledge, the rural economic downturn has had a tremendously adverse effect on rural communities. From reports I have heard it appears that some unscrupulous people are trying to make money out of the misfortunes of the farming and small business communities in rural areas. They are trying to make money under what appears to be false pretences.

The debt problem among farmers and others in rural areas has presented major difficulties in recent times. It appears that finance companies, if we could call them that, are prepared to try to make a quick buck out of the misfortunes of people in rural Victoria.

Or Napthine - Disgraceful!

Mr F. P. SHEEHAN -It is and it is something that I know will be of interest to the Minister. It appears that finance brokers are luring people into low interest loans and charging massive up-front fees. This is at a time when farmers are having real difficulties paying off loans.

I have heard up-front fees of $500 to $20 ()()() being charged to desperate people who want to payoff their loans to banks and the like. The low interest rates of 10 per cent to 12.45 per cent are attractive but when one examines the contracts it appears that the up-front fees are where the money is being made. We have had an experience of this method in recent times by a well-known organisation.

The loans are loaded with additional charges and up-front fees. These vultures, as I call them, are apparently registered interstate to avoid the credit laws of New South Wales and Victoria. I understand our credit laws are more stringent than those in other States and that is why these companies are registered elsewhere.

The loans put people into more disastrous situations than they are currently in. Unfortunately the people promoting the contracts mislead the farmers and small business community. In one case $30 ()()() was paid for up-front fees and in other reports a number of people have paid $5000 to form syndicates to get cheaper money from overseas. This was directed to my attention by a person in my own electorate.

Mr J. F. McGrath - Is it the Bank of Brunei?

Mr F. P. SHEEHAN - As I said it is registered interstate. We do not have that information. Establishment fees of 4 per cent are required and the power of attorney of the borrowers is sought. How far does one have to go? There is an additional 7 per cent loading on these accounts. Surely life is difficult enough for our farming community and rural businesses without parasites such as these taking advantage of them. ADJOURNMENT

1718 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 24 April 1991

I believe rural Victoria ought to be informed about these people and the contracts they are promoting. They should be investigated and I hope the Minister will warn the community. The government ought to take up the cudgel to stamp out this activity. Responses Mr BAKER (Minister for Agriculture) - The honourable member for Portland quite usefully to his credit referred to emu farming and ways that can be established. He made some good points about the opportunities for a good profit margin, particularly with emu leather. It is about time we followed the lead·taken by New South Wales and took up this opportunity. There are investors who are prepared to get into this area.

The honourable member for Wantirna raised a matter for the Minister for Education and Training about a school in her electorate. I shall refer the matter to the Minister.

The honourable member for Frankston South again usefully raised a tourism question and I shall refer it to the Minister for Tourism for his attention.

The honourable member for Morwell raised a matter for the Minister for Finance suggesting that government purchases of paper products should favour local products. I believe all honourable members would agree.

The honourable member for Caulfield entertained the House with his run through of the numbers in the prostitution Act, a large proportion of which have not been promulgated. I shall direct that to the attention of the relevant Minister.

My colleague the honourable member for Ballarat South raised a particularly vile and vicious - dare I say - sleaze bag form of loan shark that preys upon people in normal circumstances and which is especially active at times of desperation and hardship.

It has come to my attention that people of this kind are active in the farming community where banks have been tough; Farmers have been offered loans at interest rates of 10 per cent. In Victoria 50 000 farming families are looking down the barrel and may have to leave their land. Some of them have been on the land for three and four generations, and that is tragic in an area that never before has been a bad risk. It is the worse rural downturn in 25 years.

In that atmosphere a couple of companies have come to my attention and I intend to name them. It is not something that I would normally do but I believe all honourable members would accept that this is one occasion when the advantage of privilege should be used. The companies are registered in Queensland. They are Goldclass Pty Ltd and Aibrahem Graham and Lakis. As the honourable member for Ballarat South said, the laws are not as tight in Queensland as are ours.

I have documents in my possession in which these companies offer refinancing packages worth between $100 ()()() and $1 million at rates purported to be between 10 and 12.45 per cent. They attempt to make their contracts enforceable not only in the State of registration - which is Queensland - but also in every other country, colony and republic in the ADJOURNMENT

Wednesday, 24 April 1991 ASSEMBLY 1719

world. The scheme appears to be operating predominantly in northern Victoria, in areas such as Cobram and also in Deniliquin in southern New South Wales. According to financial counsellors working in these districts, most of the schemes can be traced back to one interstate finance house which has been using a number of different fronts such as through accountants and solicitors. I shall not name them at this time but I use this opportunity of warning them that I will if this practice continues. The issue involves the finance houses luring members of the rural community into these deals by giving them the impression they can be refinanced at rates far cheaper than those offered by established financiers. It is false advertising. When all additional charges are added these rates can be as high as 20 per cent in many cases. The up-front charges are significant. As the honourable member for Ballarat South said they reach the level of $30 ()()() and then the loans do not materialise. The money disappears. I use this occasion to warn members of the farming community, even though many of them are desperate for finance and have been knocked back by their banks, not to go down this particular route because these people are shysters, crooks and vultures of the worst kind. Finally, I intend to bring this matter to the attention of the Attorney-General as there is a suspicion in my mind, and it has not yet been properly established that charging up-front fees of that kind in Victoria is illegal. Motion agreed to.

House adjourned 6.10 p.nt. until Tuesday, 7 May. QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

1720 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 26 March 1991

QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

The following answers to questions on notice were circulated -

GOVERNMENT MEDIA UNIT

(Question No. 619)

Mr GUDE (Hawthorn) asked the Attorney-General, for the then Minister for Education: What staff have journalists' qualifications and are employed either full or part time within - (a) the Ministry; (b) the department; or (c) any of its agencies, indicating in each case: (i) their name; (ii) when were they employed; (ill) the last media outlet they worked for; (iv) their rate of pay; and (v) whether or not they ever worked within the Government Media Unit? Mr KENNAN (Attorney-General) - The answer supplied on behalf of the then Minister for Education is:

The Ministry of Education and its agencies employ tens of thousands of people. An audit of the qualifications of all staff to identify those with a qualification in journalism would be an extensive undertaking, requiring a great deal of staff time. The resources are not available for this task.

SPONSORSHIP FUNDS - MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT

(Question No. 687)

Mr GUDE (Hawthorn) asked the Minister of Transport: In respect of each department, authority or agency under his administration, what funds have been given to sporting bodies, organisations or clubs in the form of sponsorship, indicating in each case - (a) the name of the sporting group and the government agency; (b) the amount of sponsorship; (c) the period of sponsorship; (d) the basic terms upon which the sponsorship was given; (e) the activity being promoted by the sponsorship; (f) whether the sporting group is privately owned or has limited membership; and (g) whether the sponsorship funds directly benefit - (i) less than 20 active participants; (ii) more than 20 but less than 50 participants; (ill) more than 50 but less than 100 active participants; and (iv) more than 100 active participants? Mr SPYKER (Minister for Transport) - The answer is: The following transport agencies contributed sponsorships to sporting groups during 1989-90: QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

Tuesday, 26 March 1991 ASSEMBLY 1721

Name of Group Sponsorship Period Terms of $ Sponsorship

Port of Portland Authority The Ocean Racing 1500 2-day Promotion and Club of Vic. Inc. Event Trophies * The Ocean Racing Club of Victoria Inc. is a limited membership sporting group, but the yacht race is open to yachts on the register of a yacht club recognised by the Australian Yachting Federation.

Transport Accident Commission Essendon Football (See note) 1989-90 (See note) Club Footscray Football (See note) 1989-90 (See note) Club Richmond Football (See note) 1989-90 (See note) Club Note: Legal contracts restrict the commission from disclosure of specific details concerning agreement amounts, periods or any other details. The total amount paid to the above bodies in 1989-90 was approximately $305 000. The commission entered into the agreements as a medium to promote its community based messages, "If you drink, then drive, you're a bloody idiot" and "Don't fool yourself, speed kills".

Public Transport Corporation Hawthorn Football 30000.00 1990 Corporate Club Season Advertising Eastside Melb. 20000.00 1990 Corporate Basketball Club Season Advertising PTC Cricket Club 11035.48 1989-90 Assist with travel/ equip. Essendon Tramway 1000.00 1989-90 Assist with Soccer Club travel and equipment Victorian Tramway 7500.00 1989-90 Assist with Golf Association travel and equipment

Activity Promoted Ownership Number Directly Benefited

Port of Portland Authority Yacht Racing *See below Over 100 active participants QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

1722 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 26 March 1991

Activity Promoted Ownership Number Directly Benefited

Transport Accident Commission Football Public Over 100 active participants Football Public Over 100 active participants Football Public Over 100 active participants Public Transport Corporation Football Public Over 100 active participants Basketball Public Over 100 active participants Cricket, Employee Employee's Over 100 active Goodwill and Club participants Fellowship Soccer, Employee Employee's Over 20 but less Goodwill and aub than SO Fellowship participants Golf, Employee Employee's Over 100 active Goodwill and aub participants Fellowship

STATE SUPERANNUATION BOARD

(Question No. 789) Mr DICKINSON (South Barwon) asked the Treasurer: 1. Whether the State Superannuation Board Annual Report for 1989-90 will be tabled in 1990; if so, on what date? 2. Whether the takeover of State Bank Victoria by the Commonwealth Bank will have any effect on the State Superannuation Fund, indicating to what extent, if any, officers of the State Bank will be affected? Mr ROPER (freasurer) - The answer is: 1. The State Superannuation Board of Victoria sought an extension for its annual report which was approved. The report has now been tabled. 2. No State Bank Victoria officers are members of the State Superannuation Fund. The State Bank has for many years operated a separate superannuation fund for its staff.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES - MINISTRY FOR CORRECTIONS

(Question No. 808 Mr DICKINSON (South Barwon) asked the Minister for Corrections: QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

Tuesday, 26 March 1991 ASSEMBLY 1723

1. Whether the Minister will advise of any employment position that will be available within his/her department in 1991 for - (a) schoolleavers with their VCE certificates; and (b) tertiary graduates? 2. Whether staff recruitments within the department have been increased or reduced, indicating by what amount in respect of the electoral province of Geelong and the electoral district of South Barwon? 3. What new employment initiatives by the department will locally benefit Geelong school leavers and tertiary graduates in 1991 and beyond? Mr SANDON (Minister for Corrections) - The answer is:

1. Applicants for a position in the Public Service are assessed according to selection criteria for the vacant position. These selection criteria may specify mandatory or desirable educational qualifications. It is the general practice to advertise vacancies internally first, and then if no Public Service applicant meets the selection criteria, to advertise externally. This means that persons who are not Public Service officers may not have the opportunity to apply for some vacancies that arise. Graduates who are not Public Service officers and schoolleavers must compete against other external applicants. It is not possible to predict the number of positions that will be available within the Office of Corrections in 1991. The number of vacancies will depend on the number of new positions, the number of positions declared surplus, and the number of promotions, transfers and resignations among Public Service officers working in the department. 2. The level of staff recruitment in the electoral province of Geelong and the electoral district of South Barwon also depends upon a number of factors. These factors include the number of new positions created, the number of positions declared surplus and the number of promotions, transfer and resignations among Geelong-based staff. The numbers of staff employed in the Geelong area have remained unchanged over the past few months. 3. There are no new employment initiatives within the Office of Corrections in the Geelong area for the foreseeable future.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES -MINISTRY FOR EDUCATION

(Question No. 812) Mr DICKINSON (South Barwon) asked the Attorney-General, for the then Minister for Education:

1. Whether the Minister will advise of any employment positions that will be available within the Ministry of Education in 1991 for - (a) schoolleavers with their VCE certificates; and (b) tertiary graduates? 2. Whether staff recruitments within the Ministry have been increased or reduced, indicating by what amount in respect of the electoral province of Geelong and the electoral district of South Barwon? 3. What new employment initiatives by the Ministry will locally benefit Geelong school leavers and tertiary graduates in 1991 and beyond? Ms KIRNER (premier) - The answer supplied on behalf of the then Minister for Education is: QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

1724 ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 26 March 1991

1. Applicants for positions within the Ministry for Education and Training are assessed according to the selection criteria for the vacant position. These selection criteria may include educational qualifications. Recent graduates and schoolleavers must compete against other applicants. No positions are set aside for schoolleavers or recent graduates. 2. The provision of information on staff recruitment levels within the Geelong-South Barwon area would require a search of personnel files. Resources are not available to extract this information. 3. No new or special employment initiatives have been established specifically for the Geelong-South Barwon area. It is not possible to predict how many poSitions which may become vacant will be filled by Geelong schoolleavers and graduates.

BUILDING PROJECT - MINISTRY FOR CORRECTIONS

(Question No. 842) Mr DICKINSON (South Barwon) asked the Minister for Corrections: Whether he will provide a list of government building projects under his administration since 1982, giving details of - (a) the names of architects engaged for each project; (b) the names of building contractors engaged for each project; and (c) the cost of each project, specifying fees paid to the architects and builders in each case? Mr SANDON (Minister for Corrections) - The answer is: The following is a list of building projects undertaken by the Office of Corrections for which it had project management responsibility for the period 1985-91. Information from 1982-85 cannot be prOVided as the time and resources to prOVide this information cannot be justified.

Barwon Prison - visits centre (1990) Architect Home Planning & Drafting, Building Designers Contractor Works constructed by prison artisan labour under the direction of prison maintenance personnel and the Building Development Unit Cost $50 ()()() (actual cost) Fees $515.00

Dhurringile Prison - visits centre (1991) Architect Building Development Unit, Office of Corrections Contractor Works constructed by prison artisan labour under the direction of local supervisors and the Building Development Unit Cost $95 ()()() (actual cost) Fee Not applicable.

Pentridge Prison - prisoners chapel (1987) Architect Building Development Unit, Office of Corrections Contractor Works constructed by prison artisan labour under the direction of prison supervisors and the Building Development Unit Cost $4S ()()() (actual cost) Fees Not applicable. QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

Tuesday, 26 March 1991 ASSEMBLY 1725

Pentridge Prison - welfare house (1989) Architect Building Development Unit, Office of Corrections Contractor Works constructed by prison artisan labour under the direction of prison supervisors and the Building Development Unit Cost $38 000 (actual cost) Fees Not applicable Metropolitan Prison - administration extensions (1990) Architect Building Development Unit, Office of Corrections Contractor Works constructed by prison artisan labour under the direction of prison supervisors and the Building Development Unit. Cost $27500 (actual cost) Fees Not applicable Metropolitan Prison - new tailors shop (1986) Architect M.C. Wilson, FIuer Contractor Ceman Pty Ltd Cost Project $123 000 Fees $186 000. Paid in relation to overall project including redevelopment of "D" and "F" Division yards valued at $1.4 million Won Wron Prison - staff amenities extensions Architect By prison Contractor Works constructed by prison artisan labour under the direction of prison supervisors Cost $80000 (actual cost) The following is a list of building projects undertaken by Victorian Prison Industries Commission for which it had project management responsibility during the period 1985-91. Pentridge Prison - industries complex (1986-88) Architect VicPIC Contractor Works constructed over two to three years by prison artisan labour under the direction of Prison Industries Commission supervisors Cost $40000 (actual cost) Fees Not applicable Beechworth Prison - industries complex Architect Pockett Siem & Partners P IL Contractor Yuncken Building Contractors P IL Cost $1 741 603 Fees Consultant $82 346 Contractor - Fees contained within building works, not available. Ararat - industries complex Architect Pockett Siem & Partners P IL Contractor S JWeir P IL Cost $2437969 Fees Consultant $276 023 Contractor - Fees contained within building works, not available. QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

1726 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 27 March 1991

QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

WORKCARE

(Question No. 158) Mr AUSTIN (Ripon) asked the Minister for Community Services, for the then Minister for Ethnic Affairs:

In respect of each department, agency or authority within her administration since the commencement of the WorkCare program, how many ex-government workers, who were entitled to superannuation, are currently on WorkCare, indicating - (a) how many have been completely paid out of superannuation; and (b) have any agreements been drawn up in relation to these matters; if so - (i) what formulae have been used; (ii) what are the terms of these agreements; and (iii) on whose authority were they negotiated? Mrs SETCHES (Minister for Community Services) - The answer supplied on behalf of the then Minister for Ethnic Affairs is:

The honourable member is directed to the answer prOVided to question on notice No. 204 in the Legislative Council. The answer referred to is as follows: (i) Nil (ii) NI A MULTILINGUAL INFORMATION SERVICES

(Question No. 169) Mr RICHARDSON (Forest Hill) asked the Minister for Community Services, for the then Minister for Ethnic Affairs:

1. What action, if any, the government has taken to establish a pool of qualified translators and interpreters to be on call as a community service, indicating - (a) the number of appointments made; and (b) the languages spoken by the appointees? 2. How many interpreters and translators have been appointed to each government department, semi-government body, hospital, court or State instrumentality, respectively, indicating, in the case of each appointee - (a) the date of appointment; (b) the location; (c) whether permanent, temporary, full-time or part-time (if part-time the number of hours worked per week); and (d) the languages spoken? 3. How many ethnic information offices have been established throughout the State, indicating, in the case of each office - (a) the location; and (b) the number of staff and the functions performed? 4. What action, if any, the government has taken to ensure that qualified translators are available at all interviews by investigation officers of State departments? QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

Wednesday, 27 March 1991 ASSEMBLY 1727

Mrs SETCHES (Minister for Community Services) - The answer supplied on behalf of the then Minister for Ethnic Affairs is: The honourable member is directed to the answer provided to .question on notice No. 214 in the Legislative Council. The answer referred to is as follows: (a) Contract Interpreters (i) The recruitment program for qualified interpreters and translators is on-going. (ii) Current pool of contract interpreters is 810 of which 400 are considered to be fully active. (ill) Over the last 12 months a total of 102 additional contract interpreters have been recruited in the following languages: Vietnamese 15 Finnish 1 Japanese 3 Hungarian 1 Samoan 2 Korean 2 Spanish 10 German 1 French 2 Hmong 2 Albanian 2 Serbian 1 Farsi 1 Croatian 1 Hindi 2 Cantonese 4 Urdu 2 Maori 1 Cambodian 5 Tagalog 2 Italian 9 Punjabi 1 Greek 7 Persian 1 Mandarin 9 Toechew 1 Arabic 10 Malay 1 Turkish 12 Romanian 1 Loatian 3 Macedonian 2 Russian 2 Total number of languages: 33 Total number of contract interpreters: 102 Contract Translators The total number of contract translators currently active is 129 in 39 languages. They are accredited at various NAATI levels. Arabic 5 Macedonian 5 Armenian 2 Malay 1 Bulgarian 2 Maltese 2 Cambodian 4 Persian/Farsi 3 Chinese 7 Polish 6 Croatian 3 Portugese 4 Dutch 2 Pushtu 1 Finnish 1 Romanian 4 French 4 Russian 3 German 3 Serbian 4 Greek 11 Singhala 1 QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

1728 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 27 March 1991

Hebrew 2 Spanish 7 Hindi 3 Tagalog 2 Hungarian 3 Thai 2 Indonesian 2 Tongan 1 Italian 7 Turkish 8 Japanese 1 Ukranian 2 Korean 2 Vietnamese 6 Laotian 1 Yiddish 1 Latvian 1 (b) The following statistics apply to practitioners employed by VEAC Language Services only. VEAC In-House Interpreters

PIT Perm. Hours Date of Language FIT Temp. per week Appointment

Spanish PIT T 38 20.2.84 Turkish FIT P 38 19.9.75 Greek FIT T 38 16.1.89 Vietnamese FIT T 38 1.4.90 Vietnamese FIT P 38 23.1.89 Turkish PIT T 15 1.10.90 Arabic PIT T 19 22.4.90 Contese FIT T 38 9.4.90 VEAC In-House Translators - Equivalent to 14.6 full timers Arabic PIT T 23 16.6.89 PIT T 15 18.8.89 Chinese FIT P 38 9.12.85 PIT T 23 20.12.88 Croatian FIT P 38 5.2.85 Greek FIT P 38 12.12.88 FIT T 38 1.1.89 Italian FIT P 38 28.2.84 PIT T 23 5.2.90 PIT T 15 3.1.89 Macedonian FIT P 38 2.12.85 Polish FIT P 38 24.4.90 Serbian PIT P 30 2.4.86 Spanish FIT T 38 8.8.89 Turkish FIT P 38 10.10.88 PIT T 23 2.10.89 Vietnamese FIT P 38 13.11.89 FIT T 38 9.10.89 QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

Wednesday, 27 March 1991 ASSEMBLY 1729

Government departments - other major State language service providers are the Ministry of Education and Health Department Victoria. Semi-government bodies - it is not known which bodies have appointed interpreters/translators. Hospitals - hospitals known to have either in-house or on-call practitioners include: Alfred, Austin, Dandenong, Eye and Ear, Mercy Maternity, Preston and Northcote Community, Peter McCallum, Prince Henry's Monash Medical Centre, Royal Children's, Royal Melbourne, Royal Women's, St. Vincents and Western General. Courts - The VEAC provides the courts with on-call interpreters through the Legal Interpreting Service. State instrumentalities - it is not known which State instrumentalities have appointed interpreters / translators. (c) A number of organisations offering information to ethnic communities exist in Victoria including Migrant Resource Centres, ethnic communities' councils, ethno-specific organisations, citizens advice bureaux, local government offices and private sector organisations such as banks. The generality of the question precludes a more specific answer. (d) On-call interpreters from the Legal Interpreting Service are available at interviews by investigation officers of State government departments at their request.

GRANTS TO ETHNIC ORGANISATIONS

(Question No. 310) Mr PERRIN (Bulleen) asked the Minister for Community Services, for the then Minister for Ethnic Affairs:

In relation to each of the financial years 1984-85 to 1988-89, respectively, what grants were made by the Ethnic Affairs Commission to organisations where a member of the commission held an executive position in that organisation, indicating - (a) the organisation receiving the grant; (b) the grant received; and (c) the name of the Ethnic Affairs Commissioner involved? Mrs SETCHES (Minister for Community Services) - The answer supplied on behalf of the then Minister for Ethnic Affairs is:

The honourable member is directed to the answer provided to question on notice No. 207 in the Legislative Council. The answer referred to is as follows: Office bearers of organisations seeking funding under the grants program are listed in applications for grants. No register is kept of executive membership of ethnic organisations seeking funding. In excess of 3000 applications have been received since 1984-85. These applications are accessible under freedom of information processes.

78312/91-56 QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

1730 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 27 March 1991

ETHNIC AFFAIRS COMMISSION

(Question No. 417) Mr PERRIN (Bulleen) asked the Minister for Community Services, for the then Minister for Ethnic Affairs:

Whether any commissioner of the Victorian Ethnic Affairs Commission is also a member of the Australian Labor Party; if so, what is the name of each? Mrs SETCHES (Minister for Community Services) - The answer supplied on behalf of the then Minister for Ethnic Affairs is:

The honourable member is directed to the answer provided to question on notice No. 299 in the Legislative Council. The answer referred to is as follows: Members of the Ethnic Affairs Commission are not required to disclose membership of political organisations.

ALLOCATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES TO STAFF OF MINISTRY FOR EDUCATION

(Question No. 450) Mr DICKINSON (South Barwon) asked the Premier, for the then Minister for Education: In respect of each department, agency or authority within his administration, how many officers/ employees are allocated motor vehicles, indicating -{a) those with or without official government number plates; (b) the position or job classifications held by these officers/ employees, including the respective salary levels; (c) the makes and models of these motor vehicles; and (d) whether these officers/employees pay fringe benefits tax with respect to their private use of the motor vehicles and, in that event, the average amount of fringe benefits tax paid? Ms KIRNER (Premier) - The answer supplied on behalf of the then Minister for Education: (a) As at 1 October 1990 there were 48 Senior Executive Service officers eligible under government policy to be allocated motor vehicles which have green (private) number plates. Also the Chairman, Teaching Service Appeals Board and the Director, Institute of Educational Administration was each allocated a green plate (private) vehicle. One officer was allocated a vehicle with official government (red) plates which is used for travel purposes associated with his position and he has no private use of privileges. (b) The salary levels of the officers are: Chief Administrator xl $114285 Associate Administrative Unit, Chief Administrator x4 $80 457-$106 522 SES-6 xl $81475 SES-S x8 $75091 SES-4 x6 $70050 QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

Wednesday, 27 March 1991 ASSEMBLY 1731

SES-3 x27 $65344 ~ Victorian Post Secondary Education Commission xl $114285 Chairman, Teaching Service Appeals Board xl $70018 Director, Institute of Educational Administration xl $65 243 Senior Education Officer xl $32 570-$42 822 (c) The makes and models of the allocated vehicles are as follows: (i) With official government (red) plates: Holden Commodore (ii) With private (green) plates: Ford Fairlane Ford Fairmont Nissan Skyline Nissan Pintara Mitsubishi Magna Holden Commodore Holden Berlina Holden Camira Toyota Camry Toyota Corolla (d) There is no liability under taxation legislation on a government employee to pay fringe benefits tax. Green plate vehicles are allocated to Senior Executive Service officers (S£5-3 and above) as part of their remuneration packages or less than SES-3 on the recommendation of the responsible Minister to the Remuneration Review Committee. These officers make a contribution towards private use of the vehicles.

ALLOCATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES TO STAFF OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS

(Question No. 452) Mr DICKINSON (South Barwon) asked the then Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs:

In respect of each department, agency or authority within his administration, how many officers/ employees are allocated motor vehicles, indicating - (a) those with or without official government number plates; (b) the position or job classifications held by the officers/employees, including the respective salary levels; (c) the makes and models of these motor vehicles; and (d) whether these officers/employees pay fringe benefits tax with respect to their private use of the motor vehicles and, in that event, the average amount of fringe benefits tax paid? Mr BAKER (Minister for Agriculture) - The answer supplied on behalf of the then Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs is:

The following is a summary of vehicle allocation at the time the member asked the question: QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

1732 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 27 March 1991

DEPAR1MENT OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS The Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs had a total of 24 officers with vehicles allocated. Five officers had the use of a private plate vehicle under the Senior Executive Service car scheme: Classification Salary Ix sES7 $106522 Ix sES6 $75555 Ix sES5 $69661 Ix sES4 $64 908 Ix sES3 $60555 Vehicle types assigned Ix Magna SE Ix Ford Fairmont Ix Holden Berlina Ix Ford Falcon GL Ix Ford Fairlane

Nineteen DARA officers as listed below, were provided with government vehicles (government number plates) that were considered necessary for the performance of their duties. These vehicles bore government number plates. As particular vehicles were not allocated to individual officers, it is not possible to prOVide make or model details.

Classification Salary Range 2x TO-2 $29555 - $31 043 1x SCI-V-3 $44 612 -$46 496 Ix SCI-V-4 $47892 - $49867 2x MRD-l $20 026 - $21 107 Ix SCI-V-2 $40079 - $43 062 Ix T0-2 $29555 -$31043 Ix ADM-6 $38 697 - $40 676 Ix CO-6 $31 701 - $33 238 Ix SCI-2 $33 705 - $36 686 6x sES-2 $56513 1x MSO-1 $29399 - $30 607 1x sEN-1 $63208

VICI'ORIAN DRIED FRUITS BOARD A vehicle is assigned for approved restricted use by an officer of the board, ADM 5 level (salary range $33 995 - $35 513). The type of vehicle varied and can therefore not be specified.

VICI'ORIAN EGG MARKETING BOARD The Victorian Egg Marketing Board had 28 vehicles, none with government number plates. Allocations were as follows: Classification Salary range QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

Wednesday, 27 March 1991 ASSEMBLY 1733

General Manager Deputy General Manager Commercial Manager Finance Manager Corporate Secretary 3x ADM-7 $43 000 - $48 000 3x ADM-6 $37000 - $42 000 6x ADM-5 $32000 - $36 000 7x ADM-4 $26 000 - $30 890 4x Merchandiser $23500 - $26 200 Vehicle types assigned lx Ford Fairlane lx Ford Fairmont 3x Mitsubishi Magna lx Toyota Camry l8x Ford Falcon GL 4x Holden Commodore

TOBACCO LEAF MARKETING BOARD Both the general manager and the sales manager were allocated. vehicles, neither having government number plates. The vehicle types were a Ford Fairmont and Nissan Pintara.

AUSTRALIAN BARLEY BOARD In the Victorian operation of the board, the State manager, executive assistant and two country inspectors were assigned. vehicles, none of which had government number plates. The vehicle types assigned were: Mitsubishi Magna, Holden Commodore and two Ford vans.

VICTORIAN DAIRY INDUSTRY AUTHORITY The VOIA had 45 vehicles allocated. to staff. All but one of the vehicles had government number plates. Classification lx Secretary lx Sales Manager 7x Sales Representative 5x Quality Assurance Manager 5x Senior Dairy Quality Officers 26x Dairy Quality Officers Vehicle types assigned. 3x Mitsubishi Magna 4x Ford Falcon 5x Nissan Pintara lx Toyota Camry 32x Holden Camira QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

1734 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 27 March 1991

NOTE: There was no liability under taxation legislation on a government employee to pay fringe benefits tax. Green plate vehicles were allocated to Senior Executive Service officers. There officers made a contribution towards private use of the vehicle.

MAINTENANCE OF WESTGATE BRIDGE

(Question No. 602) Mr GUDE (Hawthorn) asked the Minister for Transport:

In respect of each financial year from 1982 - 83 to 1989 - 90 inclusive, what amount was allocated and expended, respectively, for maintenance of the WestGate Bridge indicating the number of maintenance staff employed? Mr SPYKER (Minister for Transport) - The answer is:

Financial year Allocation Expenditure Staff (OOO's) (OOO's) 1982-83 681 681 29 1983-84 847 847 29 1984-85 881 881 29 1985-86 820 820 22 1986-87 1598 1721 22 1987-88 1344 1368 22 1988-89 2290 1882 22 1989-90 850 963 22 NOTE: Figure are expressed in dollars of the day, that is, they have not been converted into constant 1989-90 dollars. On a bridge structure of this type, maintenance costs could be expected to vary significantly. These costs are usually cyclic with costs in certain periods being higher due to the requirement for periodical maintenance. Between 1986-87 and 1988-89 major works were undertaken in addition to the normal maintenance activities. These included the removal of the toll plaza and rebuilding of new gantries.

ETHNIC AFFAIRS COMMISSION

(Question No. 610) Mr PERRIN (Bulleen) asked the Minister for Community Services, for the then Minister for Ethnic Affairs:

Whether any files are missing from the offices of the Ethnic Affairs Commission; if so - (a) what is the title of each file missing from the registry of the commission; (b) what are the contents of each file and what action is being taken to recover the missing files; and (c) who is suspected of having these missing files? Mrs SETCHES (Minister for Community Services) - The answer supplied on behalf of the then Minister for Ethnic Affairs is: QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

Wednesday, 27 March 1991 ASSEMBLY 1735

The honourable member is directed to the answer provided to question on notice No. 488 in the Legislative Council. The answer referred to is as folluws: There are no missing files at the offices of the Ethnic Affairs Commission.

(Question No. 611) Mr PERRIN (Bulleen) asked the Minister for Community Services, for the then Minister for Ethnic Affairs:

Whether files of the Ethnic Affairs Commission are available to parties who are not authorised officers of the commission: if so - (a) are the files available outside the commission's normal working hours; and ,(b) which outside parties have been given access to commission files, indicating the reason put forward for requiring access to the files in each case? Mrs SETCHES (Minister for Community Services) - The answer supplied on behalf of the then Minister for Ethnic Affairs is:

The honourable member is directed to the answer provided to question on notice No. 489 in the Legislative Council. The answer referred to is as folluws: Files of the Ethnic Affairs Commission are available only to authorised officers of the commission, including staff members, officers of the Minister's office and commissioners.

(Question No. 612) Mr PERRIN (Bulleen) asked the Minister for Community Services, for the then Minister for Ethnic Affairs:

1. Which officers and commissioners of the Ethnic Affairs Commission have disclosed their membership of the Australian Labor Party on their declaration of pecuniary interests? 2. Whether she will ascertain and inform the House whether any other officers or commissioners should have disclosed membership of the Australian Labor Party on their declaration of pecuniary interests? 3. Whether she will take any action against any officer or commissioner who has not made a complete disclosure on their declaration of pecuniary interests? Mrs SETCHES (Minister for Community Services) - The answer supplied on behalf of the then Minister for Ethnic Affairs is:

The honourable member is directed to the answer provided to question on notice No. 490 in the Legislative Council: The answer referred to is as folluws: Information divulged by commissioners and staff members on pecuniary interests forms are regarded as private and confidential.

(Question No. 613) Mr PERRIN (Bulleen) asked the Minister for Community Services, for the then Minister for Ethnic Affairs: QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

1736 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 27 March 1991

1. Whether any commissioners of the Ethnic Affairs Commission have voted to give grants to organisations in which they have a pecuniary interest; if so - (a) which commissioners; and (b) which organisations received the grants, indicating the amount of each grant? 2. Whether she will take any action to discipline a commissioner who has breached his/her declaration of pecuniary interests; if so, what action? Mrs SETCHES (Minister for Community Services) - The answer supplied on behalf of the then by the Minister for Ethnic Affairs is: The honourable member is directed to the answer provided to question on notice No. 491 in the Legislative Council. 1'1Ie answer referred to is as follows: No commissioners have voted to give a grant to an organisation in which they had or may have had a pecuniary interest.

GOVERNMENT MEDIA UNIT

(Question No. 617) Mr GUDE (Hawthorn) asked the Minister for Community Services, for the then Minister for Ethnic Affairs: What staff have journalists' qualifications and are employed either full or part time within - (a) the Ministry; (b) the deparbnent; or (c) any of its agencies, indicating in each case - (i) their name; (ii) when were they employed; (ill) the last media outlet they worked for; (iv) their rate of paYi and (v) whether or not they ever worked within the Government Media Unit? Mrs SETCHES (MinIster for Community Services) - The answer supplied on behalf of the then Minister for Ethnic Affairs is: The honourable member is directed to the answer provided to question on notice No. 519 in the Legislative Council. 1'1Ie answer referred to is as follows: There are no staff members of the Ethnic Affairs Commission who have journalists' qualifications employed full time or part time.

CANTEEN SERVICE - MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

(Question No. 697) Mr GUDE (Hawthorn) asked the Premier, for the then Minister for Education: 1. Whether a canteen service operates within his Ministry or any of its agencies; if so, in respect of each canteen - (a) is the canteen subsidised and how much was the subsidy in 1989-90, indicating the percentage of all costs met by subsidy; (b) are all employees entitled to attend the canteen; (c) are non-d.eparbnental people able to gain access to the facility, and in the event that they are what is the condition of entry; (d) is the canteen operated by government staff or an outside contractor; (e) what other subsidised benefits are available to staff employed by the deparbnent or any of its agencies; (f) is any special equipment available to employees either free, at cost or subsidised, please give details? QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

Wednesday, 27 March 1991 ASSEMBLY 1737

2. Whether an employees' social club exists? 3. Whether an employees' credit cooperative exists? 4. Whether an employees' buying cooperative exists; if so, are other than departmental staff able to access the scheme? Ms KIRNER (premier) - The answer supplied on behalf of the then Minister for Education is:

1. (a) The Ministry of Education provides an area of approximately 70 square metres in the Rialto South Tower for canteen operations. This area is supervised by the employees of the social club: Club Education. Initially, the Ministry provided the basic furniture and equipment for the canteen to operate. Apart from the above the Ministry does not subsidise the running of the canteen. There are no other staff canteens in the Ministry. (b) All Ministry employees are entitled to attend. (c) Non-departmental people are able to gain access to the facility. (d) The running of the canteen is the responsibility of Club Education. (e) The Ministry does not subsidise any benefits to its employees. Club Education is responsible for subsidising any social activities to its members. (f) The Ministry does not provide any special equipment to its employees. 2. An employees' social club exists: Club Education. 3. An employees' credit cooperative does not exist. 4. An employees' buying cooperative does not exist.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES - MINISTRY FOR THE ARTS

(Question No. 792) Mr DICKINSON (South Barwon) asked the Minister for the Arts:

1. Whether the Minister will advise of any employment positions that will be available within the Ministry for the Arts in 1991 for - (a) school leavers with their VCE certificates; and (b) tertiary graduates? 2. Whether staff recruitments within the Ministry have been increased or reduced, indicating by what amount in respect of the electoral province of Geelong and the electoral district of South Barwon? 3. What new employment initiatives by the Ministry will locally benefit Geelong school leavers and tertiary graduates in 1991 and beyond? Mr KENNAN (Minister for the Arts) - The answer is:

1. Employment opportunities within the Ministry for 1991 are likely to be confined to the filling of positions which become vacant during the year and which cannot be filled by redeployment. Applicants for such positions are assessed according to selection criteria for the vacant position. These selection criteria may specify mandatory or desirable educational qualifications. It is the general practice to advertise vacancies intemally first, and if no Public Service applicant meet the selection criteria, to advertise externally. Where vacancies are advertised to the general public, graduates and school leavers must compete against other applicants. QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

1738 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 27 March 1991

2. The only agency within the Arts portfolio in Geelong is the Geelong Performing Arts Centre. The centre employs a core of eleven full-time staff and usually about twenty casual and part-time staff. The number of positions at the centre varies depending on the levels of activity and any consequent need for additional casual staff. 3. The Geelong Performing Arts Centre is not in a position to offer any special employment initiatives to Geelong's schoolleavers or tertiary graduates at this time.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES - MINISTRY OF FINANCE

(Question No. 802)

Mr DICKINSON (South Barwon) asked the then Minister for Property and Services:

1. Whether he will advise of any employment positions that will be available within the Ministry of Finance in 1991 for - (a) schoolleavers with their VCE certificates; and (b) tertiary graduates? 2. Whether staff recruitments within the Ministry have been increased or reduced, indicating by what amount in respect of the electoral province of Geelong and the electoral district of South Barwon? 3. What new employment initiatives by the Ministry will locally benefit Geelong school leavers and tertiary graduates in 1991 and beyond?

Mr A. J. SHEEHAN (Minister for Finance) - The answer supplied on behaH of the then Minister for Property and Services is:

It is not possible to predict the number of positions that will be available within the Ministry of Finance in 1991. The number of vacancies will depend on the number of new positions, the number of positions declared surplus, and the number of promotions, transfers and resignations amongst Public Service officers working in the Ministry. Applicants for a position in the Public Service are assessed according to selection criteria for the vacant position. These selection criteria may specify mandatory or desirable educational qualifications. It is the general practice to advertise vacancies internally first, and then if no Public Service applicant meets the selection criteria, to advertise externally. This means that persons who are not Public Service officers may not have the opportunity to apply for some vacancies that arise. Graduates who are not Public Service officers and schoolleavers must compete against other external applicants.

My Ministry has only a small number of officers located in Geelong. Staff recruitment in the Geelong-Barwon area would depend on a number of factors such as the number of new positions created, the number declared surplus, and the number of promotions, transfers or registrations among Geelong-based staff. Any new positions are not set aside exclusively for schoolleavers. Applicants are assessed according to a number of criteria which may include educational qualifications. It is not possible to predict how many new positions will be filled by Geelong schoolleavers and graduates. QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

Wednesday, 27 March 1991 ASSEMBLY 1739

BUILDING PROJECTS - HEALTH DEPARTMENT VICTORIA

(Question No. 855) Mr DICKINSON (South Barwon) asked the Minister for Labour, for the then Minister for Health: Whether the Minister will provide a list of government building projects under her administration undertaken since 1982, giving details of - (a) the names of architects engaged for each project; (b) the names of building contractors engaged for each project; and (c) the cost of each project, specifying fees paid to the architects and builders in each case? Mr POPE (Minister for Labour) - The answer supplied on behalf of the then Minister for Health is:

(a) & (b) The level of resources and cost of identifying the names of ardiitects and contractors on individual projects and the fees paid since 1982 cannot be justified. However consideration will be given to any request made by the honourable member about a specific consultancy or project. (c) The attachment identifies government building projects undertaken since 1986 with their total cost. Only projects which have been completed and which fall within the follOWing parameters have been identified.

Sub-program Total project cost

Acute care hospitals $200 000 or more Geriatric Hospitals and nursing homes $200 000 or more Community health and home services $200 000 or more Psychiatric services .$200 000 or more Alcohol and drug services $100 000 or more Public health protection and promotion $100 000 or more Patient transport and blood transfusion services $100 000 or more Agency services $100 000 or more Annual provision items covering such things as feasibility / design consultancies and medical and non-medical equipment items have not been included.

Agency Project Total Cost $'000

1989-90 Box Hill Hospital Lecture Theatre 500 Hoppers Crossing Drainage 215 Nhill Hospital Replace Roof and Spouting287 Dandenong Hospital Upgrade Casualty 3720 Goulburn Valley Base Paediatric Development 4637 Rupanyup Hospital Extensions & Renovations - Role conversion 675 Grace McKellar Replace PABX 143 QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

1740 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 27 March 1991

Mount Royal Upgrade Lift 130

Agency Project Total Cost $'000

Edenhope N/Home Upgrade Accommodation -Stage 2 235 Mildura Hospital Day Hospital Stage 1 835 After Care Nursing Home Beds 2000 Daylesford Hospital Convert 15 Beds 780 Percy Cleland New Nursing Home 1312 Rosebud New Nursing Home 1659 East Preston CHC Rectify Structural Problems 135 Northcote CHC New Building 1594 Brunswick CHC New Building 1410 Women's Health Centre Fitout Accommodation 150 GisborneCHC New Building 960 Victoria Lodge Property Purchase 782

1988-89 Ararat Hospital Boiler Replacement 527 East Gippsland Hospital Replace Lift 231 Western Hospital Replace PABX 357 MtAlexanderHospital Patient Lift Replacement 302 St Amaud Hospital Boiler Replacement 329 St Vincent's Hospital Daly Wing Lifts 643 AMEH (Essendon) Recommissioning 5214 Ballarat Base Hospital Fire Protection Works 601 Ballarat Base Hospital Refurbish N / Home Lift 413 Frankston Hospital Relocate SEC Substation 250 Stawell Hospital Redevelop Wards 1804 Wodonga Hospital Maternity Unit 1225 Royal Women's Hospital Nurses Home Brickwork 243 Warmambool Hospital Upgrade Ward 250 Ballarat Base Hospital CCU/ Accident & Emergency Renov 958 Fairfield Hospital Renovate Main Kitchen 920 Fairfield Hospital TB Unit Relocation 486 Mt Alexander Hospital Oper Theatres and CSSD 1200 West Gippsland Hospital Upgrading of Ward Toilets 275 Bendigo Base Hospital Demolish Link Building 501 Box Hill Hospital Radiotherapy/Day Surgery 3980 Uttle Company of Mary Nurses' Home Relocation 900 Portland Hospital Lift & Electrical Upgrade 440 RVEE Hospital New Day Surgery/Casualty 1898 Williamstown Hospital Interim Casualty Upgrade 255 QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

Wednesday, 27 March 1991 ASSEMBLY 1741

Greenvale Centre Replace 3 Lifts 679

Agency Project Total Cost $'000

Kingston Centre Cook/ Chill Facility 3000 Queen Elizabeth GC Paramedical Facility 1690 ChelseaCHC New Building 264 FitzroyCHC Acquire & Fitout Premises 1882 MinyipCHC Role Conversion 650 Women's Info Centre Fitout Accommodation 150 StawellCHC Alterations & Additions 300 StKilda CHC Property Purchase 1436 Collingwood CHC Refurbish Existing Building 250 East Bentleigh CHC Hydrotherapy Pool 791 WestCASA Ppty Purchase/ Establishment 251 Bentleigh Supported Accommodation 600 Box Hill CMHC New Facility 477 Camberwell Inner City Hostel 322 Canterbury Psychiatric Day Care Centre 826 Eastern Suburbs 30 Bed Psychogeriatric Unit 8291 Greenvale Centre 30 Bed Psychogeriatric Unit 3065 Hawthorn CMHC New Facility 463 Hawthorn Residential Units 408 Maribyrnong MC 30 Bed Psychogeriatric Unit 3523 Mount Royal 30 Bed Psychogeriatric Unit 2770 Seaford Supported Accommodation 637 Waverley CMHC New Facility 200 Willsmere Princess Street Facility 171 Aradale New Boiler House 1754 Lakeside Refurbish Wards Stage 1 3705 Beechworth Water Filtration 200 Ellery Clinic Relocation/Fitout 210 Heatherton Redevelopment 2736 . Larundel Modify Boiler 108 Mitcham Clinic Building Adaption 219 Mont Park Admission Unit F5 and F6 1813 Sandringham Fitout CMH Clinic 286 SE Child/Family Fitout New Accommodation 643 Heatherton Psychogeriatric Unit 571 Plenty Psychogeriatric Unit 1278 Bundoora Psychogeriatric Unit 378 Melton Cemetery Land Purchase 634 Lilydale Cemetery Cemetery Development 864 QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

1742 ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 27 March 1991

Warragul Cemetery Cemetery Development 130

Agency Project Total Cost $'000

1987-88 Walter & Eliza Hall Construction 39870 Broadmeadows CHC New Building 2139 CoburgCHC New Building 880 Deer Park CHC Renovations 196 East Bentleigh CHC New Centre 1086 Gay Men's CHC Ppty Purchase/Renovation658 StawellCHC Alterations & Additions 330 BRAD Geelong Detoxification Unit 144 Packen/Windana Purchase/Fitout 135 Royal Park Psychogeriatric Unit 3286 Lakeside External Maintenance 493 Plenty OfT Area Toilet Upgrade 362 AMEH - Melbourne Commissioning Costs 420 AMEH - Melbourne Fire Precaution Works 3392 Austin Hospital Level 9 Fitout 4708 Bacchus Marsh Hospital Power/light Reticulation 219 Ballarat Base Hospital Fire Protection Works 607 Frankston Hospital Re-roof Wards 146 Maribymong MC OpTheatre Upgrade & CT Scanner 8719 Queen Victoria Hospital Relocation Commissioning 3970 Robinvale Hospital Restruct Operating Theatre578 RVEE Stage 7 Fitout 5171 Royal Women's Hospital Stores/Workshop Block 3091 West Gippsland Hospital Remodel Kitchen 2174 William Angliss Theatres/ Casualty Upgrade 4200 Caritas Christi Ancillary Services Bldg 200 Frankston Hospital Replace PABX 250 Geelong Hospital Install New PABX 312 Maribymong MC Security Equipment 201 Wimmera Base Hospital Boiler Replacement 221 AMEH - Melbourne Medical Research Building 10900 Mercy Maternity Neonatal Nurseries 840 Ballarat Base Hospital Stage 2 Midwifery Upgrade 350 Box Hill Hospital Substation Services Building 977 Fairfield Hospital Clinical Pathology 3131 Fairfield Hospital Renovate Main Kitchen 929 Traralgon Hospital CT Scanner/Pathology 1201 Caulfield Hospital Renovate Wards 5 and 7 1903 QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

Wednesday, 27 March 1991 ASSEMBLY 1743

Queen Elizabeth GC Kitchen Stage 2 4427

Agency Project Total Cost $'000

Queen Elizabeth GC Ward Renovation N3 425 AOfC Property Purchase 3362 Benalla Ambulance Station Extensions 161