Hansard 1 June 1995

Legislative Assembly 12181 1 June 1995 THURSDAY, 1 JUNE 1995 There is another aspect to the matters raised by the Leader of the Opposition. One department has advised the Clerk of the Parliament that in future all requests for information from officers in the Parliamentary Mr SPEAKER (Hon. J. Fouras, Ashgrove) Library need to be directed through the read prayers and took the chair at 10 a.m. Cabinet legislation and liaison officer. The response to this correspondence has pointed out that while initial requests will be directed PRIVILEGE through the liaison officer, in many cases where detailed information or clarification of Independence of Parliamentary material is necessary or some time constraints Library exist, it may be more appropriate for direct Mr SPEAKER: Order! Yesterday the contact to be arranged between library staff Leader of the Opposition raised, as a matter and departmental officers. I understand from of privilege, the directive that all requests for the department that they have no problems information made by the Parliamentary Library with this arrangement. on behalf of members need to be directed I want to emphasise that these through the relevant Cabinet legislation and arrangements have no impact on the liaison officer. This was raised in relation to the independence of the Parliamentary Library or obtaining of information for use in the the services provided to members of Estimates committee process. My Parliament; rather, they relate to the manner understanding is that this issue actually arose in which a particular department chooses to because of a misconception by a ministerial provide an interface with this Parliament. It is a liaison officer that all requests from members matter of departmental administration which is needed to be directed through the relevant not controlled, nor should it be controlled, by Estimates committee chairperson. The Deputy this House. On this basis, I rule there is no Premier acknowledged the misunderstanding matter of privilege involved. at yesterday's Estimates committee hearing. The procedures agreed to last year are PETITIONS that all requests for research information for The Clerk announced the receipt of the members relating to the Estimates committees following petitions— and which require departmental contact are channelled through the library to the relevant research staff attached to each Estimates Preschools committee. These officers then contact the From Mr Healy (437 signatories) praying relevant Cabinet legislation and liaison officer that the State preschool system be allowed to and request the information. No details about continue and that any review will take into who the information is required for is provided account all parents' considerations, not only to the liaison officers. The research staff work those eligible for child care for relief subsidy. on a confidential basis and no details about the information sought is provided to another Subcontractors and Suppliers officer or other member of a committee. From Mr Laming (1 signatory) praying As honourable members will appreciate, that action be taken to (a) establish trust the Estimates process generates substantial accounts for all progress payments to be documentation, and because it is conducted administered by builders and owners jointly, in an extremely short time span, this single the subcontractors and suppliers being paid point of contact assists rather than hinders the out of said account before the balance is paid process and ensures that information is to the builder; and (b) if disputes arise, the provided quickly. The reason that the research project be stopped and all concerned attend officers connected with the Estimates an Arbitration Court to resolve the dispute. committees handle all requests for departmental information is to avoid the duplication of effort between the Parliamentary Byfield National Park Library and the committee secretariats and From Mr Lester (27 signatories) praying because the secretariats may already have that sandmining in Byfield National Park Stage the information on hand. I would emphasise 3 be disallowed and that Byfield National Park that this does not, in any way, restrict the flow be declared in its entirety. of information. Petitions received. 1 June 1995 12182 Legislative Assembly MINISTERIAL STATEMENT in developing this agreement on behalf of the National Rail Link other States. Hon. W. K. GOSS (Logan—Premier Secondly, the National Competition Policy and Minister for Economic and Trade Agreement, known as Hilmer, was agreed to in Development) (10.06 a.m.), by leave: Canberra at a Council of Australian Queensland and national rail history will be Governments meeting in April this year and made today when a freight train leaves the involves a $600m revenue agreement with the Acacia Ridge rail yards for a journey all the States and Territories. Queensland also way to Perth. This is the first time in the played a leading role in negotiating this nation's history that such a journey has been significant national agreement. possible. It follows the completion of the last Thirdly, another achievement is the link between Melbourne and Adelaide of establishment of the National Grid Australia's first standard gauge line linking all Management Council, which creates a States. With the completion of this missing link national framework within which the linking up at a cost of $184m, a truly national rail network of the States' previously isolated electricity now joins Brisbane to Perth and Alice Springs grids has become possible; and fourthly, the via Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide—a total national Asian Languages Strategy, which was distance of 6,700 kilometres. pioneered in Queensland between 1989 and For Queensland freight the link will 1992 and was adopted nationally in 1994 at eliminate the need to change trains or to the Hobart meeting of the Council of transfer between road and rail at the Acacia Australian Governments. This national Ridge terminal. This will reduce turnaround program involves the Commonwealth, States time from two to three days down to just four and Territories in the introduction of to six hours. The completion of this historic link comprehensive Asian language education in also marks a milestone in Queensland's the primary and secondary schools of economic development. It brings us one step Australia. closer to becoming the export-import gateway The Queensland Government has taken to Asia, with the Port of Brisbane the closest a leading role in each of these national major Australian container port to the Asia- achievements and demonstrates our Pacific region. By October this year the commitment to working with the other standard gauge link to the port at Fisherman Governments of Australia to achieve Islands will be completed at a cost of $85m. significant reforms in the interests of This project, financed on a share basis of Queensland and of the nation. $30.2m through the Federal Government's One Nation project, $35m through Queensland Rail and $19m from the Port of INTRASTATE VISIT Brisbane Corporation, will greatly improve Report Queensland's capacity to do business. Mr BEATTIE (Brisbane Central) The completion of the standardised rail (10.10 a.m.): I table for the information of the link, which I will have the privilege of House a report of a parliamentary visit to inaugurating early this afternoon, has come Townsville and north Queensland between 14 about with the formation of the National Rail May 1995 and 18 May 95. Corporation Limited. This body was set up as a company following an agreement signed by the Heads of Government of the SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS Commonwealth, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia in July Mr SPEAKER: Order! Before the 1991. It is one of the major products of the commencement of question time, I would like spirit of cooperation that has been achieved to place on record that last night Queensland by all the Australian Governments and in completed a successful trifecta: the Sheffield which Queensland has played a leading role. Shield, the Rugby Union victory and the State of Origin. I believe that that should be on the There are other achievements of national record. It is a wonderful trifecta. significance flowing from this process and in which this State can take pride: firstly, the Australian National Training Authority was QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE agreed to in 1993. It is headquartered in Princess Alexandra Hospital; Dr B. Brisbane and is the national mechanism which Senewiratne coordinates spending by the Commonwealth, State and Territories on vocational education Mr BORBIDGE (10.11 a.m.): I refer the and training. Queensland took a leading role Premier to statements by patients of the PA Legislative Assembly 12183 1 June 1995 Hospital in support of Dr Brian Senewiratne's Alexandra for the money that you have sent evidence that the hospital is in crisis, including our way, especially to the Emergency evidence from a man who was given a blood- Department." covered towel and found cockroaches crawling Mr Hobbs interjected. over his face and body in his hospital bed, and from a woman who checked herself out of the Mr SPEAKER: Order! I warn the crowded and understaffed accident and member for Warrego under Standing Order emergency ward to be told by staff at another 123A. hospital that she had life-threatening clots on Mr W. K. GOSS: The Leader of the her lungs. I ask: when will the Premier accept Opposition cannot have it both ways. He that Dr Senewiratne is right and that he is cannot say that the doctor is credible one day wrong? What action does he intend to take in and not the next. The point is that there are regard to this latest evidence that he has problems in that hospital. totally mismanaged an extra billion dollars in Mr BORBIDGE: I rise to a point of spending in the public health system? order. At no time have I questioned the Mr W.

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