Legislative Assembly Hansard 1987
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Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly WEDNESDAY, 26 AUGUST 1987 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy 2036 26 August 1987 Ways and Means WEDNESDAY, 26 AUGUST 1987 Mr SPEAKER (Hon. K. R. Lingard, Fassifem) read prayers and took the chair at 2.30 p.m. PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table— Proclamation under the Family and Youth Services Act 1987 Orders in Council under— City of Brisbane Act 1924-1986 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982-1984 Grammar Schools Act 1975-1984 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982-1984 By-law under the Education Act 1964-1987 Statutes under the Griffith University Act 1971-1987 Ordinances under the City of Brisbane Act 1924-1986 Reports— Queensland Conservatorium of Music for the year ended 31 December 1986 Brisbane College of Advanced Education for the year ended 31 December 1986 Gold Coast College of Advanced Education for the year ended 31 December 1986 Queensland Agricultural College for the year ended 31 December 1986 Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education for the year ended 31 December 1986 Capricomia Institute of Advanced Education for the year ended 31 December 1986. SUPPLY Constitution of Committee Hon. L. W. POWELL (Isis—Leader of the House) (2.33 p.m.): I move— "That the House will, at its next sitting, resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole to consider the Supply to be granted to Her Majesty." Motion agreed to. WAYS AND MEANS Constitution of Committee Hon. L. W. POWELL (Isis—Leader of the House) (2.34 p.m.): I move— "That the House will, at its next sitting, resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole to consider of Ways and Means for raising the Supply to be granted to Her Majesty." Motion agreed to. Ministerial Statement 26 August 1987 2037 MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Cairncross Dock Yard Hon. M. J. TENNI (Barron River—Minister for Water Resources and Maritime Services) (2.35 p.m.), by leave: The Opposition spokesman on Maritime Services, Mr Bill D'Arcy, is a firm believer in that rather illogical nautical tradition—"never give up the sinking ship". Even when the water is lapping around his feet, he refuses to acknowledge the cold hard reality that the Caimcross Dock Yard is sinking further into debt. Mr Hinze: He is down at the dock now. Mr TENNI: Yes, that would be right. It is a good place for him. Yesterday in this House, Mr D'Arcy put together yet another fanciful story to explain why the tax-payers of this State should keep pouring money down the drain to support Caimcross Dock, which has lost $ 11.8m since December 1976. His reference to the fact that the dock had fallen victim to the so-called Bellevue syndrome was at least right in one respect. In common with the poor old Bellevue, Caimcross has suffered an extremely prolonged and destmctive process of white-anting at the hands of the painters and dockers. The long list of rorts, which I tabled in this House yesterday, would eat the profitability out of any enterprise. Is Mr D'Arcy's memory so bad that he forgets the fact that, as part of their industrial campaign for a shorter week and more pay, the painters and dockers left a BHP ship, the Iron Hunter, trapped in the dock for nearly three months in 1981? Whatever confidence and trast the ship-owners had in the repair unions at Caimcross at that time was certainly erased for ever by that particular incident. Is Mr D'Arcy's memory also so poor that he cannot recall the long and unsuccessful fight that the Port of Brisbane Authority has had in order to introduce even one sensible innovation—a mechanical sweeper to clean up the tonnes of refuse and dirt that gathers on the dock floor when ship hulls are cleaned? The painters and dockers still insist that the best method to use is the costly and traditional process of sweeping the dock floor with hand brooms. I can assure Mr D'Arcy that the State Govemment intends putting the broom through Caimcross, but not in the manner in which his union mates want this Govemment to do it. As late as yesterday I met with representatives of the Metal Trades Industry Association and gave them the firm assurance that I would welcome a private-enterprise submission to take over the ranning of the dock yard. If the Federal Government declines the right of first refusal, which is provided for in a joint State/Commonwealth agreement, this Govemment will, of course, also seek other expressions of interest. This makes absolute nonsense of Mr D'Arcy's claim that some secret deal has been strack to dispose of Caimcross. In regard to the equally absurd claim that the fleet of vessels using the Brisbane River will be left without repair facilities, quite clearly if there is sufficient work for a slipway to operate commercially, I have no doubt that Peters Ship Repairs or any other qualified repairer will seek to serve this market. The honourable member has made much of the report by consulting engineers, Macdonald Wagner, who were asked to report on the cost and work needed to make the dock caisson stmcturally sound for the next 10 years. Last month an inspection by that company indicated that some $30,000 to $40,000 could be spent at that time to rectify a particular fault in the caisson that had deteriorated faster than others. However, the company indicated that there was no guarantee that that expenditure would provide any further life for the caisson until the next inspection 2038 26 August 1987 Ministerial Statement in the next month or two. The $2m bill to give the caisson a 10-year life-span can simply not be justified in the light of the dock's heavy losses. It is my firm intention that, when expressions of interest are called, copies of the Macdonald Wagner report will be given to all genuinely interested parties. No ships have been legitimately tumed away from the dock, as was claimed by the honourable member. However, in faimess to ship-owners, once the decision was taken to close the dock, quotations submitted for new work were recalled and the owners were fully advised. The only firm booking in 1987-88 is still the Port of Brisbane Authority's own dredge, the Sir Thomas Hiley. Mr D'Arcy's reference to the many successful docks operating in Australia is as empty as the Caimcross order book. The New South Wales Labor Govemment poured millions of dollars in loans into the main competitor for Cairncross, the Newcastle State Dock Yard. No-one knows if those loans will ever be repaid, and the Labor Govemment has now been forced to look to private enterprise in fact to ran that dock yard. The Queensland Govemment has no intention of following that shining example of "good management" by pouring tax-payers' money down the drain to keep a loss- making venture afloat. The honourable member should be the last person to suggest that the decision to close Cairncross has not been carefully and fairly considered by the Port of Brisbane Authority. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Imposition of Bag Limits on Amateur Fishermen Hon. N. J. HARPER (Aubum—Minister for Primary Industries) (2.40 p.m.), by leave: I am aware of agitation by amateur fishermen suggesting that I am about to impose bag limits of 10 fish per person and three fish per species. Mr Burns: You will be in a lot of trouble if you do, I'll give you the dram. Mr HARPER: I am aware that the honourable member has been circulating petitions seeking to have the Govemment not carry out this exercise. I am trying to assure the House that there has not been, nor is there, any intention to do so. So the honourable member can save his time. Mr Burns interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Minister is making a statement. Mr Burns: You have never taken any notice of the QCFO in your life. Mr HARPER: I suggest that the honourable member would more profitably devote his time to fishing rather than agitating the fishermen. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Minister will continue. Mr HARPER: I take this opportunity to allay concem being incited in amateur fishermen. I have taken a number of measures to preserve Queensland's fisheries, and I do not intend to impose any additional restrictions on amateur fishermen at this time. The terms of the Fishing Industry Organization and Marketing Act 1982-1984 and the Fisheries Act 1976-1984 provide for the control and protection of the fish resources of Queensland. Authority does exist for the determination of protected species and for control of the taking of specified fish, either by size and/or number of such fish. Currently, bag limits operate in Queensland on barramundi (5), Australian bass (2) and spanner crabs (20). No female sand or mud crabs or egg-bearing spanner crabs are permitted to Questions Upon Notice 26 August 1987 2039 be taken. (Capacity exists in the legislation to prescribe bag Umits for any species of crab, black marUn or any species of fresh-water fish. On 9 July a bag limit for recreational fishermen of five barramundi was introduced into the Gulf of Carpentaria. This was identical to that which has appUed on the east coast of Queensland since June 1985. This bag limit was introduced because increased pressure had been placed on the barramundi fishery through illegal netting and activities in the river systems on the gulf and east coast and difficulties were occurring in enforcing a bag limit for only part of the State.