19 April 1989 COUNCIL 403
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Valuation ofLand (Amendment) Bill 19 April 1989 COUNCIL 403 Wednesday, 19 April 1989 The PRESIDENT (the Hon. A. J. Hunt) took the chair at 2.3 p.m. and read the prayer. VALUATION OF LAND (AMENDMENT) BILL This Bill was received from the Assembly and, on the motion of the Hon. M. A. LYSTER (Minister for Local Government), was read a first time. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION The Hon. M. A. BIRRELL (East Yarra Province)-Does the Minister for Local Government support local government being made subject to freedom of information legislation? The Hon. M. A. LYSTER (Minister for Local Government)-As Mr Birrell will appreciate, I am fairly new in this portfolio, and the question he asks is one to which I have not directed my attention. However, I shall give the matter some consideration and communicate WIth him in due course. VICTORIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION The Hon. R. M. HALLAM (Western Province)-I refer the Minister Assisting the Treasurer in Budget Expenditure to the Ryan report on the ill-fated Victorian Economic Development Corporation and to its specific finding that in some instances loans had been granted beyond 100 per cent of the security held. I also refer him to the Victorian Economic Development Corporation Act, which required the specific approval of the Minister, after consultation with the Treasurer, before accommodation could be granted beyond 90 per cent of the security held in any instance. I ask the Minister: was the Treasurer's formal approval gained in each instance that 90 per cent of the security was exceeded; and which companies were involved? The Hon. D. R. WHITE (Minister Assisting the Treasurer in Budget Expenditure) The matters raised by Mr Hallam relate to the Victorian Economic Development Corporation, which is the responsibility of the Treasurer. I did not hear all his introductory remarks, but I think he said they related to matters that were in the Fergus Ryan report and/or the Auditor-General's report. The Hon. R. M. Hallam-The Fergus Ryan report. The Hon. D. R. WHITE-I am happy to take the matters raised on notice and to discuss them with the Treasurer. I shall provide the honourable member with an answer in due course. HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION FOR WESTERN SUBURBS The Hon. UCIA KOKOCINSKI (Melbourne West Province)-The Minister responsible for Post-Secondary Education will be aware that there has been a great deal of agitation in the western suburbs about the need to increase the number of 404 COUNCIL 19 April 1989 Questions without Notice places for tertiary education. Will the Minister inform the House of progress made in strengthening and increasing the provision of higher education in Melbourne's western suburbs? The Hon. E. H. WALKER (Minister responsible for Post-Secondary Education)-I thank Ms Kokocinski for her question. Today the Federal Minister for Employment, Education and Training, John Dawkins, and I released the report of the Commonwealth-State working party on the matter raised by Ms Kokocinski. The report confirms the need for a new institution in the west to increase higher education participation and to build on the strengths of existing institutions. I understand the Commonwealth government is prepared to inject increased capital and recurrent funds to raise the participation rate in the western suburbs and it is hoped the State average will be reached by 1994. Our participation rate in hi~er education is already the highest of any State in Australia, partly due to initiatlves taken by the State government. The report proposes three alternative models for the new institution. The first option is a university of technology based on the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, the Footscray Institute of Technology and the Western Institute of Technology. So the first option is for a new university of technology. The second option is a new non-university level institution formed from a merger of the Footscray Institute of Technology and the Western Institute of Technolo$Y, with strong links to a major existing higher education institution such as the Universlty of Melbourne or the RMIT, which would sponsor its development ultimately to full university status. The third option is a major autonomous institution formed by merging the Footscray Institute of Technology and the Western Institute of Technology. My understanding is that the Commonwealth government has a preference for option one involving the RMIT. However, as the Minister responsible for this area I intend to conduct a series of consultations with all institutions referred to and with other interest groups. I shall be asking the Higher Education Consultative Committee, which was established last year, to advise me. In particular I welcome the input of members of Parliament representing the western suburbs. I shall then discuss the structural options in further detail with the Federal Minister. We have a proud record in this State-and I say that in a bipartisan sense. Victoria leads the nation in all levels of education and I am determined that, in expanding the provision of higher education, the western suburbs-previously neglected-will not be disadvantaged. ROYAL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL The Hon. R. I. KNOWLES (Ballarat Province)-I refer the Minister for Health to the fact that the Royal Children's Hospital may be forced to close vitally needed hospital beds this month if the government does not provide $450 000 to meet the funding shortfall. Will the Minister for Health agree to provide the funds to the hospital to ensure that the beds are not closed? The Hon. C. J. HOGG (Minister for Health)-The Royal Children's Hospital and the director of the relevant region of Health Department Victoria have for some time been involved in discussions about the budget of the hospital. As I understand it the information the hospital has provided is being looked at, checked and analysed by regional staff. Questions without Notice 19 April 1989 COUNCIL 405 The Hon. R. I. Knowles-But will it get the money? The Hon. C. J. HOGG-In answer to Mr Knowles's interjection, the question is whether there is agreement on the interpretation ofthe informatIon. Health Department Victoria is working hard to ensure that no beds are closed at the hospital. I am waiting for a recommendation from the region, which I shall consider urgently as soon as it comes to hand. FUSION POWER The Hon. D. M. EV ANS (North Eastern Province)-I refer the Minister for Industry, Technology and Resources to the recent announcement of a most interesting discovery with relation to fusion power by Dr Fleischman of Southampton University and Or Pons of Utah University. By the use of certain processes involving a palladium rod, a platinum rod and deuterium, or heavy water, it appears that, experimentally at least, cold fusion power has been produced. It is a significant development, and I ask the Minister whether the Victorian government is aware of it and whether it is taking steps to find out more about it because of its significance to power generation in this State. The Hon. D. R. WHITE (Minister for Industry, Technology and Resources)-The State Electricity Commission will take that into consideration in its demand management study, and it will get advice to that effect. In so far as any technological breakthroughs in respect of nuclear issues are concerned, Mr Evans should be aware of the Nuclear Activities (Prohibition) Act. Until such time as safeguards are provided for the waste material that arises from nuclear activity, the government will not contemplate the use of nuclear power. STATE-LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL RELATIONS The Hon. G. R. eRA WFORD (Jika Jika Province)-Will the Minister for Local Government inform the House whether the government has made any decisions regarding the recommendations of the working party on State-local government financial relations? The Hon. M. A. LYSTER (Minister for Local Government)-A significant report was produced by the working party under the chairmanship of the honourable member for Monbulk in the other place, Mr Pope, the present Minister for Labour. The State government has agreed to the acceptance and implementation of the majority of the recommendations of the working party. Despite some comments made during the passage of the Local Government Bill, it is interesting to reflect on the greatly improving relationship between local government and this State government as local government comes to see that the State government has the greatest respect for it throughout the State. The first recommendation that will be implemented in keeping with that philosophy of the government is the first meeting of the State-Local Government Consultative Council, which will meet on 27 April. The council will be chaired by the Premier; the Treasurer is a member of the council, as I am, together with other senior Ministers and two representatives of the Municipal Association ofVictoria and one representative of the Metropolitan Municipal Association. In the preparation of items for the council meeting, I have been involved with both the Municipal Association of Victoria and the Metropolitan Municipal Association. I 406 COUNCIL 19 April 1989 Questions without Notice am particularly impressed by the seriousness with which everyone is approaching the council. It will obviously be a significant watershed in the relationships between this State government and local government throughout the State. I believe it will be extremely productive in the years to come. It is, of course, yet again a first for Australia and very important for this government in continuing to work on its productive relationship with local government. BRAILLE AND TALKING BOOK LIBRARY The Hon. HADOON STOREY (East Yarra Province )-Is the Minister for the Arts aware that the Braille and Talking Book Library at South Yarra is experiencing funding difficulties and that, without assistance, there is grave danger that it will cease to operate and thus disadvantage its more than 4000 members? Will the Minister investigate and consider increasing the subsidy from the Ministry for the Arts to enable the library to keep providing this valuable service? The Hon.