Legislative Assembly Hansard 1989

Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly WEDNESDAY, 7 JUNE 1989 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy 5200 7 June 1989 Ministerial Statement WEDNESDAY, 7 JUNE 1989 Mr SPEAKER (Hon. L. W. Powell, Isis) read prayers and took the chair at 2.30 p.m. PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table— Orders in Council under— Gas Act 1965-1988 Mines Regulation Act 1964-1983 Petroleum Act 1923-1988 Explosives Act 1952-1981 Regulations under Real Property Act 1861-1988 Interim Report of the National Companies and Securities Commission to the Ministerial Council for Companies and Securities Report on the operations of the Valuers Registration Board for the year ended 31 December 1988. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Movement for Democracy in China Hon. M. J. AHERN (Landsborough—Premier and Treasurer and Minister for State Development and the Arts) (2.33 p.m.), by leave: Honourable members would have been shocked and appalled by the barbaric attacks on unarmed civilians by the army in China. There has been worldwide condemnation of the Chinese Government for the use of armed force against its own people. On Monday 1 met a protest delegation of 100 Chinese people in Brisbane and told them that Australian people were strongly supportive of and sympathetic to the movement for democracy in China and were shocked by the brute force being used to stamp out those democratic aspirations. I have passed on their protest letter to the Federal Government for transmission to China. Honourable members will recall that last month I led a joint Government and business delegation to Shanghai in China where the Mayor, Mr Zhu Rongji, and I signed a joint Queensland/Shanghai sister city-State agreement. My ministerial colleague Rob Borbidge subsequently visited Beijing and other centres. All members of our party saw first-hand the mass popular support that the democracy movement enjoyed. 1 note that since the carnage in Beijing the Shanghai agreement has been criticised and there are calls for it to be cancelled. I remind the House that the agreement was with Shanghai, a provincial Government, and not with the central Government in Beijing. My Government believes that such contact with the West, as represented by the agreement, should not be cut off. The Chinese people are fighting and dying for democratic reforms which we take for granted. The Shanghai people are looking strongly to the West. Severing links which give them access not only to our technological know- how, but also to our political and cultural values is not the way to go. Nevertheless, the scheduled visits to China by my ministerial colleagues Mr Lester and Mr Harper have been cancelled. The Queensland Government looks forward to the day when some sanity returns to the Beijing Government and when that contact can be resumed. Questions Upon Notice 7 June 1989 5201 TELEVISING AND PHOTOGRAPHING OF PROCEEDINGS Mr SPEAKER: Order! Honourable members are aware of the significance of the day. Some time during question-time television cameras will be brought in to record live footage of the Parliament. There will be no sound or artificial lighting. Also, people will be taking still photographs from the press gallery, but there will be no flashlights. PRIVILEGE Denigration of Office of Speaker by Sir Robert Sparkes Mr PREST (Port Curtis) (2.34 p.m.): I rise on a matter of privilege. I wish to draw to the attention of the House an article in the Courier-Mail on 8 May 1989 which stated that Sir Robert Sparkes, National Party president, said— "It is incredible that any member of Parliament, let alone the bloody Speaker should think you can get away with blackmail." I am disgusted that the words "bloody Speaker" were used and that Sir Robert has so little respect for the office of Speaker. I believe that the office of Speaker is unquestionable and that the parliamentary system, especiaUy the office of Speaker of Parliament, should not be denigrated because of internal brawling in the National Party. 1 move— "That this matter be referred to the Committee of Privileges for consideration." Question put; and the House divided— AYES, 40 NOES, 44 Ardill Milliner Ahern Lingard Beanland Palaszczuk Alison Littleproud Beard Santoro Austin McCauley Braddy Schuntner Berghofer McKechnie Burns Scott Booth McPhie Campbell Shaw Burreket Menzel Casey Sherlock Chapman Muntz Comben Smith Clauson Neal D'Arcy Smyth Cooper Nelson De Lacy Underwood Elliott Newton Eaton Vaughan Fraser Perrett Gibbs, R. J. Warburton Gamin Randell Goss Warner Gately Row Gygar Wells Gibbs, I. J. Sherrin Hamill White Gilmore Simpson Hayward Glasson Slack Innes Gunn Stoneman Knox Henderson Tenni Lee Hinton Veivers Lickiss Hobbs McEUigott Tellers: Hynd Tellers: Mackenroth Davis Katter FitzGerald McLean Prest Lester Stephan PAIR: Yewdale Borbidge Resolved in the negative. QUESTIONS UPON NOTICE 1. Housing Commission Accommodation in Brisbane Mr ARDILL asked the Deputy Premier and Minister for Public Works, Housing and Main Roads— "In view of the extensive waiting list for rental housing in the southern suburbs of Brisbane City, particularly for family dwellings and pensioner units, which indicate waiting times of over three years, will he give a high priority to 5202 7 June 1989 Questions Without Notice developing land and constmcting family dwellings and pensioner units for rental within the Brisbane City boundary?" Mr GUNN: The waiting-times for public rental housing in Queensland are, on average, the lowest for any State in Australia. Waiting-times vary from suburb to suburb. They depend on demand for, and supply of the types of accommodation offered by the Housing Commission. The waiting-times in the southern Brisbane city suburbs are comparable with those in many other areas. At present there are 16 000 applicants listed for public rental housing in Queensland, as against 86 000 in New South Wales. The Housing Commission prepares its constmction and purchase program for new public rental housing based on this waiting-list. In 1988- 89, an additional 472 rental dwellings were provided on the south side within Brisbane city. A similar number may be provided in 1989-90, depending on offers received from builders under the commission's house/land package. In addition, priority is being given to developing land in the area for future public housing programs. 2. Home and Community Care Program Mr ARDILL asked the Minister for Health— "(1) WiU he explain why a number of aged, ill, and disabled people on the southside of Brisbane have, in 1989, been refused a continuation of community home help despite disabilities such as osteo complaints, cancer and blindness? (2) Has the Government instmcted officers of the Health Department to reduce the numbers that have previously been serviced? (3) Why have certificates by private doctors been ignored or over-mled by the Annerley office?" Mr I. J. GIBBS: (1) Home help is provided to eligible aged persons with a disability and the younger disabled persons. Those in receipt of full age, invalid or widow's pension plus full rental assistance pursuant to the Social Service Act are exempted from the payment of a fee for service. Other persons are subject to a means test to determine eligibility for subsidised home help ranging from free to $3 per hour with a maximum payment of $17.30 per week. However, such a fee may be waived or reduced in certain circumstances. (2) I emphasise that Queensland's elderly and fraU residents in need will not be denied Government-funded home help services, despite an ever-increasing demand on financial resources. My department's Division of Community Medicine has recenUy contacted all community centres reaffirming that home help services were to be maintained at current levels. (3) Medical certificates have always been fully considered by the medical officer in charge of the community home care services for the Brisbane south-side region as one of the factors taken into consideration before home help is provided. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Premier's Criticism of Inspector Huey Mr GOSS: In asking a question of the Premier and Treasurer, I refer to the recently released State Cabinet minutes showing the current Premier as one of the strongest critics of Police Inspector Huey behind the closed doors of the Cabinet room. I now ask: can he inform the House of the circumstances surrounding his attack on Huey? Did his character assassination of Huey coincide with that officer's investigation into cattle-duffing in north Queensland and his attempts to reopen the Mareeba dmgs investigation? Questions Without Notice 7 June 1989 5203 Mr AHERN: The answer to the honourable member's question is "No". The whole issue is currently before the Parliamentary Judges Commission of Inquiry. It should be left before the judges commission. Mr GOSS: I rise to a point of order. The issue is not before the commission. As the Premier well knows, the question of his involvement has been mled out by the commission chairman. The question should be answered. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition may ask questions and they may be answered. He will ask his second question. World Expo Fun Park Mr GOSS: I will see if the Premier also mns away from my second question without notice. I refer him to the possible or apparent conflict between statements attributed to him and those of Sir Llew Edwards over the purchase of the World Expo Fun Park. I ask: will he now provide the House with full details of the purchase, and in two particular respects? Firstly, what was the full purchase price, how much will the two or more instalments be and when will they be paid? Secondly, what is the tme figure for rent payable by the fun park back to the Government? Is it $1 per annum, as suggested by the Premier, or another figure not nominated by Sir Llew Edwards after he rejected that figure as mbbish and claimed that the tme figure was included in the overall price? In short, what is the tme figure for rent? Mr AHERN: I seek leave to lay on the table of the House a copy of a press statement that I made at the time which communicates the facts in relation to the matter, from which I do not resile.

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