Hansard 20 March 1990

Legislative Assembly 354 20 March 1990 NOTE: There could be differences between this document and the official printed Hansard, Vol. 314 TUESDAY, 20 MARCH 1990 Mr SPEAKER (Hon. J. Fouras, Ashgrove) read prayers and took the chair at 10 a.m. PAPERS PRINTED DURING RECESS Mr SPEAKER: I have to report that the following papers were ordered to be printed and circulated in accordance with section 29A of the Acts Interpretation Act 1954-1989— Annual Report of the Queensland Art Gallery 1988-89 Annual Report of the Board of Architects—Queensland 1988-89 Auditor-General's Report on Audits completed as at 27 October 1989 Auditor-General's Report on the Books and Accounts of the Brisbane City Council and Associated Bodies 1988-89 Annual Report of the Rockhampton Port Authority 1988-89 Annual Report of the Mackay Port Authority 1988-89. OVERTIME PAID IN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS Return to Order The following paper was laid on the table— Return to an Order made by the House, showing the amount of overtime paid in each Government department (all funds) in 1988-89. FEES PAID BY CROWN TO BARRISTERS AND SOLICITORS Return to Order The following paper was laid on the table— Return to an Order made by the House, showing all payments by the Government to barristers and solicitors for the year ended 30 June 1989, stating the names of the recipients and the amounts received separately. PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table— Orders in Council under-- Harbours Act 1955-1989 Canals Act 1958-1989 Law Courts and State Buildings Protective Security Act 1983-1989 Brisbane and Area Water Board Act 1979-1989 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982-1989 City of Brisbane (Flood Mitigation Works Approval) Act 1952-1988 City of Brisbane Market Act 1960-1985 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982-1989 Forestry Act 1959-1987 Primary Producers’ Organisation and Marketing Act 1926-1989 Legislative Assembly 355 20 March 1990 River Improvement Trust Act 1940-1985 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982-1989 Water Act 1926-1987 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982-1989 Auctioneers and Agents Act 1971-1988 Regulations under-- Fisheries Act 1976-1989 Childrens’s Services Act 1965-1989 The Criminal Code Reports-- Mortgage Secondary Market Board for the year ended 30 June 1989 Accounting Standards Review Board for the year ended 30 June 1989 Companies and Securities Law Review Committee for the year ended 30 June 1989 Report and Financial Statements of the National Companies and Securities Commission for the year ended 30 June 1989 Proclamations under the Forestry Act 1959-1987. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Death of Mr R. C. Katter, Snr Hon. W. K. GOSS (Logan—Premier, Minister for Economic and Trade Development and Minister for the Arts) (10.05 a.m.), by leave: I rise to acknowledge the service given to this State by Mr Bob Katter, Snr. He served for a long time as a member of the Federal Parliament. He was the member for the seat of Kennedy from 1966 to 1990. Mr Katter grew up in Cloncurry. He was educated at the Mount Carmel College in Charters Towers. He was an infantry captain during World War II. He was also a former member of the Australian Labor Party and, for a time, worked as a union delegate on Brisbane wharves. He was a Cloncurry shire councillor and a Cloncurry Shire Council chairman for two separate periods. Mr Katter won the seat of Kennedy in 1966. As honourable members would know, Kennedy is a vast electorate covering some 770 000 square kilometres. Mr Katter was re-elected nine times and was truly a veteran of the Federal Parliament. In 1972, he was Minister for the Army. He was a vocal, hard-working and active member of the Federal Parliament and a vocal and active representative of his constituents. He served on numerous parliamentary committees. On behalf of the Government and the Queensland Parliament, I record our regret at his passing and extend the condolences and sympathy of the Government to his family and, in particular, to his son, Bob, who is a member of this Parliament. In conclusion, so that the Leader of the Opposition might have equal time to respond, under Standing Order 108A I move— "That the House take note of the statement." Mr COOPER (Roma—Leader of the Opposition) (10.07 a.m.): I acknowledge the gesture by the Premier. While it is not customary for condolence motions of a Federal nature to be moved in this House, I welcome the opportunity to pay tribute to a man who was certainly a great Queenslander and to acknowledge the life and work of Robert Cummin Katter. As the Premier said, Bob Katter, Snr, served as a member from 1966 to 1990. In 1966, Kennedy was a very safe Labor seat. Bob Katter, Snr, was a very good mixer. He mixed well with all people right across the Legislative Assembly 356 20 March 1990 spectrum and, as such, he merited the support of the people. No electorate could have wished for a more determined and dedicated fighter. Although he became Minister for the Army, his great cause was road safety. He served on the National Road Safety Committee. He was also interested in local government. Bob Katter, Snr, had a very colourful sense of humour. He was a colourful man who represented a colourful and remote electorate. He was born and raised in the Mount Isa area. He lived, worked and even spent his holidays in Mount Isa. He represented a historic part of Queensland, including Winton, Cloncurry and Longreach, and many other places which a large number of people have never seen. He played a major role in the history of Queensland. He was a very personable man. As I said, he was very humorous. One joke about him concerns a day when he was travelling between Charters Towers and Mount Isa. All members know that, because there are many pigs and kangaroos in that area, most cars are fitted with roo bars. As many of us in this place know, politicians are not necessarily held in high regard; some people regard them as being one rung above child-molesters. Bob was travelling along at a fair pace and the female driver of a car approaching him wound the window down, put her head out and yelled, "Pig." He wound his window down and said, "Bitch." It was just then that he hit the pig. Anyone who had the pleasure of knowing this great Queenslander knew that he studied law at the University of Queensland. He gave distinguished military service. He enlisted in 1936 and rose to the rank of captain in 1942, when he was invalided out of the army. He became Minister for the Army. So he served his State and nation well. He was distinguished in local government circles. He was a member of the Cloncurry Shire Council from 1946 to 1967 and, during part of that period, he served as deputy chairman and chairman. He was an executive member of the Local Government Association of Queensland. He was expert in local government problems confronting western and northern Queensland. He was an executive member of the Western Queensland Local Government Association. He promoted local government when he was in Canberra and he was chairman of the Local Government Association Canberra Committee. He set an example in the way he served the National Party. He was the supreme constituency nurse for what was a very rugged and very remote region. He served his constituency well. His personal following was enormous. He is survived by his wife and five children, including the honourable member for Flinders, Bob Katter, Jnr, who is with his family at this time. Bob Katter, Snr, was one of those rare individuals who become a legend in their life-time. On behalf of us all, I say to his widow and family that we will miss him, and we thank him for the memory, his public service and the time he gave us. Mr INNES (Sherwood—Leader of the Liberal Party) (10.12 a.m.), by leave: I associate the Liberal Party with the statements of condolence extended to the Katter family. Bob Katter, Snr, was liked by everybody. He was a hale and bluff person who was always a pleasure to see. I do not think that that characteristic was confined to members of any particular party. He had that hale-fellow, straightforward appearance of a man from the bush. He made his mark not only in the west but across the whole of Queensland and the whole of Australia. Many of us will recall the consistency with which he was able to give publicity to problems of road safety, which was a matter of particular relevance to somebody who had to travel as many miles as he did in the sorts of conditions that exist west of the Great Divide. We express our gratitude to him for a life of service to the community. We express our gratitude to him for his likeable personality. Our condolences go out to the members of his two families who must mourn his passing greatly. We pay a tribute to the service he gave to the State when he was a member of the Federal Parliament. Legislative Assembly 357 20 March 1990 Motion agreed to, honourable members standing in silence. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Housing Initiatives under Goss Government Hon. T. J. BURNS (Lytton—Deputy Premier, Minister for Housing and Local Government) (10.13 a.m.), by leave: Because it is important that the House should be kept up to date with new initiatives in housing under the Goss Government, and as this is the eve of the debate on the Commonwealth and State Housing Agreement Bill and the signing of the new Commonwealth and State Housing Agreement, I have sought leave to make this statement.

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