Legislative Assembly Hansard 1975
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Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly TUESDAY, 11 MARCH 1975 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Ministerial Statement [11 MARCH 1975] Ministerial Statement 153 TUESDAY, 11 MARCH 1975 I lay upon the table of the House a copy of the Queensland Government Gazette Extraordinary of 10 March 1975 containing the relevant notifications. Mr. SPEAKER (Hon. J. E. H. Houghton, Whereupon the honourable gentleman Redcliffe) read prayers and ,took the chair laid the Queensland Government Gazette at 11 a.m. Extraordinary upon the table. OFFICIALS IN PARLIAMENT ACT PAPERS AMENDMENT BILL The following papers were laid on the Assent reported by Mr. Speaker. table:- Orders in Council under the Water Act MINISTERIAL STATEMENT 1926-1973. CHANGES IN MINIS'IRY Regulations under Apprenticeship Act 1964-1974. Hon. J. BJELKE-PETERSEN (Barambah Traffic Act 1949-1974. -Premier) (11.2 a.m.): I desire to inform the House that, on 10 March 1975, His Motor Vehicle Driving Instruction School Act 1969. Excellency the Governor- Harbours Act 1955-1972. (a) accepted the resignations tendered by- Queensland Marine Act 1958-1972. Beach Protection Act 1968-1972. The Honourable Alien Maxwell Hodges, as Minister for Police and Minister for Works and Housing of Queensland; MINISTERIAL STATEMENT The Honourable Neville Thomas Eric MEDIBANK HEALTH SCHEME Hewitt, M.M., A.F.M., as Minister for Water Resources, Minister for Marine Ser Hon. L. R. EDWARDS (Ipswich-Minis vices, and Minister for Aboriginal and ter for Health) (11.8 a.m.) : I take this Islanders Advancement of Queensland; and opportunity to make this ministerial statement to inform honourable members and the The Honourable Thomas Guy Newbery, people of the State of Queensland of the as Minister for Tourism and Minister for Queensland Government's current position Education and Cultural Activities of regarding the Commonwealth Government Queensland, health insurance programme due to be intro as from 10 March 1975; duced throughout Australia on 1 July 1975 following the passing of the necessary legis (b) appointed- lation by the joint sittings of the Common Valmond James Bird, Esquire, wealth Parliament in 1974. Norman Edward Lee, Esquire, This national health scheme now known as Claude Alfred Wharton, Esquire, Medibank is a slightly modified version of the William Daniel Lickiss, Esquire, Hayden health scheme prepared mainly by to be Members of the Executive Council; economists, Drs. Deeble and Scotton. It (c) appointed- seems to me that there is still great con fusion over the scheme despite debates and The Honourable Alien Maxwell Hodges, discussions through the 1969, 1972, and 1974 to be Minister for Police of Queensland; Federal elections and two expensive adver The Honourable Neville Thomas Eric tising programmes by the Federal Govern Hewitt, M.M., A.F.M., to be Minister for ment. Water Resources of Queensland; Medibank deals mainly with two aspects The Honourable Thomas Guy Newbery, of health-care delivery. Firstly, there is the to be Minister for Tourism and Marine medical practitioner component allowing Services of Queensland; people to attend private practitioners. If The Honourable Valmond James Bird, the private doctor charges the set fee for to be Minister for Education and Cultural consultation or medical or other service, the Activities of Queensland; Commonwealth will refund to the patient 85 per cent of the fee paid. If the doctor The Honourable Norman Edward Lee, charges in excess of the common fee, then to be Minister for Works and Housing of the patient, as the position stands at present, Queensland; will be expected to pay the excess. The Honourable Claude Alfred Secondly, there is the hospital component Wharton, to be Minister for Aboriginal of Medibank. If a patient elects to enter a and Islanders Advancement of Queens public ward, no charge is made by the land; hospital for that accommodation or treat The Honourable William Daniel Lickiss, ment. If the patient desires intermediate to be Minister for Survey, Valuation, or private ward accommodation, a charge will Urban and Regional Affairs of Queensland. be made for that accommodation by the 7 154 Ministerial Statement (11 MARCH 1975] Questions Upon Notice hospital, and voluntary insurance will be with the Commonwealth for the purpose of available to cover these charges, if the patient entering a formal agreement in respect of wishes to insure himself. liurther funding of the State's hospital system. I am deeply concerned that, in the present I wish to assure all Queenslanders that, climate of conflict over the principles of whatever the outcome of the Medibank nego the scheme between private medical prac tiations, Queensland's unique free-hospital titioners, private insurance groups, medical system will continue and will expand to benefit organisations and the Department of provide the very best care possible for people Social Security, those who are going to who choose to utilise the public hospital suffer throughout the coming months of scheme. increased conflict will be the people, who will be innocent victims of the chaos and disagreements. QUESTIONS UPON NOTICE I take this opportunity to call upon Mr. ELECTRICITY GENERATION Hayden, the Department of Social Security, the medical profession and any other people Mr. Burns, pursuant to notice, asked The involved to be flexible in their attitudes, Minister for Mines,- responsible in their actions and tolerant in (1) In view of the statement by Mr. their reactions so that the patients of Queens Murray of the State Electricity Commis land and throughout this nation will not be sion, as reported in The Courier-Mail of pawns in this politically controversial pro December 16, 1974, that Queensland's gramme, which has caused so much division power-generating plant would be inadequate throughout the nation. to meet the demand in five years' time I now come to the section of the Medibank and the statement by the Deputy Chairman scheme that is the only area under considera of the Southern Electric Authority of tion by the Queensland Government. At Queensland on November 19, 1974, that present the Commonwealth subsidises public they could not move any further until beds at the rate of $2 per day per occupied the Government gave approval of a site bed and $5 per day for beds occupied by and, unless a decision was made in the pensioners. These are paid without conditions. immediate future, it would be inevitable that the continuity of supply of electricity Under the new scheme the Commonwealth would be endangered, and that at the has made certain proposals to the States to best the delay would result in increased fund 50 per cent of net operating costs of costs of electricity by reason of the need public hospital operations. Active discussions to retain in service obsolete power stations have been undertaken between the Common which should be scrapped and at the worst, wealth and State Government officers, and rationing would have to be imposed until Cabinet has been kept informd of all discus the new power station was brought into sions. It is well known that the Queensland operation, what action has he taken to Government already provides free public expedite the decision on the Tarong power ward accommodation at no charge to the station, the storage scheme at Rocksberg patient and without a means test and there and the scheme proposed for Wivenhoe on fore this State is already fulfilling a basic the Brisbane River? requirement of the Medibank proposal. (2) Can he guarantee that no price It has been stated publicly on many occa increase or rationing of electricity will sions that Queensland could receive substan occur because of the shortcomings tial additional funds from the Commonwealth mentioned? under any Medibank agreement, but this how ever will need to be carefully examined to Answers:- ascertain the impact that the injection of ( 1) "Now that Comalco has indicated additional Commonwealth moneys specifically its intention to build an aluminium smelter into the hospital system of this State would at Gladstone by exerciSing its power have on the State's over-all entitlements under option, I have asked The State Electricity the Commonwealth-State Financial Agree Commission which is the body in Queens ment grants due to be renegotiated soon. As land responsible for advising the Govern well, the effect of additional hospital subsidies ment on electricity supply matters, to from the Commonwealth Grants Commission review its proposals for future power would need very close scrutiny. stations. The Commission has advised It can be stated quite clearly that the that because of the time required to build Queensland Government's position regarding an entirely new plant, such a plant could those proposals still requires a great deal of not be in service if required for operation examination. I wish to state quite clearly that in 1980. Alternative developments were no form of agreement has yet been received therefore being investigated and a report from the Commonwealth. and recommendations will be made when those investigations are completed. The As soon as conferences have concluded and possible projects referred to by the Hon financial positions are clarified, and draft ourable Member at Tarong, Rocksberg agreements are examined, a full report will and Wivenhoe are also being re-examined be made to Cabinet for consideratiolil as to in the light of more recent knowledge of whether or not Queensland further negotiates load trends and cost changes. I have Questions Upon Notice [11 MARCH 1975] Questions Upon Notice 155 asked for a report at the earliest date Member is aware there is also a responsi possible, but it must be realised that bility on owners of property to safeguard decisions on projects requiring hundreds their own property. The offences relating of millions of dollars of capital expendi to damage to the vehicles were committed ture involve some complex problems of at a time when the school was open.