VICTORIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) FIFTY -THIRD PARLIAMENT SECOND SESSION Legislative Council Volume 442 Autumn 1999 (From 13 April to 11 May 1999) Internet: http://www.parliament.vie.gov.au By Authority: Victorian Government Printer The Govemor His Excellency the Honourable Sir JAMES AUGUSTINE GOBBO, AC The Lieutenant-Governor Her Excellency Professor ADRIENNE E. CLARKE, AO The Ministry [AS FROM 6 JANUARY 1997] Premier, Minister for MulticulturaI Affairs and Minister for the Arts. .. The Hon. J. G. Kennett, MP Deputy Premier and Minister for Agriculture and Resources ................ The Hon. P. J. McNamara, MP Minister for Education . .. The Hon. P. A. Gude, MP Minister for Industry, Science and Technology... .. ... The Hon. M. A. Birrell, MLC Minister for Health and Minister for Aged Care. .. The Hon. R I. Knowles, MLC Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister for Corrections .......................... '" The Hon. W. D. McGrath, MP Minister for Finance and Minister for Gaming. .. The Hon. R M. Hallam, MLC Treasurer and Minister for Information Technology and Multimedia. .. The Hon. A. R. Stockdale, MP Minister for Small Business and Minister for Tourism ............... ,. .. .. ... .. The Hon. Louise Asher, MLC Minister for Transport ............................ , .... The Hon. R F. Cooper, MP Minister for Roads and Ports. .. The Hon. G. R. Craige, MLC Minister for Housing and Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs . .. The Hon. A. M. Henderson, MP Minister for Tertiary Education and Training and Minister assisting the Premier on MulticulturaI Affairs. .. The Hon. P. N. Honeywood, MP Minister for Planning and Local Government. .. The Hon. R R. C. Maclellan, MP Minister for Youth and Community Services. .. The Hon. D. V. Napthine, MP Minister for Sport and Minister for Rural Development. .. The Hon. T. C. Reynolds, MP Minister for Conservation and Land Management . .. The Hon. M. T. Tehan, MP Attorney-General, Minister for Fair Trading and Minister for Women's Affairs. .. The Hon. J. L. M. Wade, MP Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabinet. .. The Hon. Rosemary Varty, MLC Members of the Legislative Council FIFTY-THIRD PARLIAMENT - SECOND SESSION President: The Hon. B. A. CHAMBERLAIN Deputy President and Chairman of Committees: The Hon. P. R. HALL Temporary Chairmen of Committees: The Honourables G. B. Ashman, B. W. Bishop, Jean MeLean, D. A. Nardella, B. T. Pullen, E. G. Stoney and C. A. Strong Leader of the Government: The Hon. M A. BIRRELL Deputy Leader of the Government: The Hon. R. 1. KNOWLES Leader of the National Party: The Hon. W. R. BAXTER Deputy Leader of the National Party: The Hon. R. M. HALLAM Leader of the Opposition: The Hon. M. M. GOULD from 17 February 1999 Deputy Leader of the Opposition: The Hon. PAT POWER from 17 February 1999 Member District Party Member District Party Asher, Hon. Louise Monash LP Hartigan, Hon. William A. Neville Geelong LP Ashman, Hon. Gerald Barry Koonung LP Hogg, Hon. Caroline Jennifer Melbourne North ALP Atkinson, Hon. Bruce Nonnan Koonung LP Katsambanis, Hon. Peter Argyris Monash LP Baxter, Hon. William Robert North Eastern NP Knowles, Hon. Robert Ian Ballarat LP Best, Hon. Ronald Alexander North Western NP Lucas, Hon. Neil Bedford, PSM Eumemmerring LP Birrell, Hon. Mark Alexander EastYarra LP Luckins, Hon. Maree Therese Waverley LP Bishop, Hon. Barry Wilfred North Western NP McLean, Hon. Jean Melbourne West ALP Boardman, Hon. Blair Cameron Chelsea LP Nardel\a, Hon. Donato Antonio Melbourne North ALP Bowden, Hon. Ronald Henry South Eastern LP Nguyen, Hon. Sang Minh Melbourne West ALP Brideson, Hon. Andrew Ronald Waverley LP Powell, Hon. Elizabeth Jeanette North Eastern NP Chamberlain, Hon. Bruce Anthony Western LP Power, Hon. Pat JikaJika ALP Cover, Hon. Ian lames Geelong LP Pullen, Hon. Barry Thomas Melbourne ALP Craige, Hon. Geoffrey Ronald Central Highlands LP Ross, Hon. John WiIliam Gameliel Higinbotham LP Davis, Hon. David McLean EastYarra LP Smith, Hon. Kenneth Maurice South Eastern LP Davis, Hon. Phi lip Rivers Gippsland LP Smith, Hon. Wendy Irene Silvan LP de Fegely, Hon. Richard Strachan Ballarat LP Stoney, Hon. Eadley Graeme Central Highlands LP Eren, Hon. Tayfun Ergun Doutta Galla ALP Strong, Hon. Christopher Arthur Higinbotharn LP Forwood, Hon. Bill Ternplestowe LP Theophanous, Hon. Theo Charles Jikalika ALP Furletti, Hon. Carlo Angelo Templestowe LP Varty, Hon. Rosemary Silvan LP Gould, Hon. Monica Mary Doutta Galla ALP Walpole, Hon. Douglas Thompson Melbourne ALP Hall, Hon. Peter Ronald Gippsland NP Wells, Hon. Ronald James Herbert Eumemmerring LP Hallam, Hon. Roger Murray Western NP Wilding, Hon. Sue deCarteret Chelsea LP Heads of Parliamentary Departments Council- Clerk of the Parliaments and Clerk of the Legislative Council: Mr A. V. Bray Assembly - Clerk of the Legislative Assembly: Mr R. W. Purdey Hansard - Chief Reporter: Ms C. 1. Williams Library - Librarian: Mr B. 1. Davidson Parliamentary Services - Secretary: Ms C. M. Haydon ROYAL ASSENT Tuesday, 13 Aprill999 COUNCil.. Tuesday, 13 April 1999 PUBLIC SECTOR REFORM (FURTHER AMENDMENTS) BILL The PRESIDENT (Hon. B. A. Chamberlain) took the chair at 2.33 p.m. and read the prayer. Introduction andfirst reading Received from Assembly. ROYAL ASSENT Read first time on motion of Hon. M. A. BIRRELL Messages read advising royal assent to: (Minister for Industry, Science and Technology). 24 November 1998 E~ONMENTPROTECTION Appeals Costs Act (AMENDMENT) BILL Chattel Securities (Amendment) Act Electricity Industry Acts (Amendment) Act Introduction and first reading Gaming Acts (Further Amendment) Act Gas Industry Acts (Amendment) Act Received from Assembly. Land Titles Validation (Amendment) Act Legal Aid (Amendment) Act Read fint time on motion of Hon. M. A. BIRRELL Liquor Control Reform Act (Minister for Industry, Science and Technology). Local Government (Nillumbik Shire Council) Act Petroleum Act BARLEY MARKETING (AMENDMENT) Racing and Betting Acts (Amendment) Act BILL Rail Corporations (Further Amendment) Act Transport (Amendment) Act Introduction and first reading Victorian College of the Arts (Amendment) Act Received from Assembly. 1 December 1998 Read fint time on motion ofBon. G. R. CRAIGE Licensing and Tribunal (Amendment) Act (Minister for Roads and Ports). Melbourne City Link (Amendment) Act Melbourne Cricket Ground (Amendment) Act State Taxation (Further Amendment) Act SHADOW l\.fiNISTRY MAGISTRATES' COURT (AMENDMENT) Hon. M. M. GOULD (Doutta Galla) - I advise the BILL house that on 17 February this year I had the honour of being elected Leader of the Opposition in the Introduction and first reading Legislative Council and Mr Power was elected Deputy Leader of the Opposition. I have informed Mr President Received from Assembly. of the responsibilities and legislative requirements of members of the frontbench. Read first time on motion ofHon. LOUISE ASHER (Minister for Small Business). Mr President, on behalf of my colleagues, I assure you that we will give you all the respect you deserve and I STATUTE LAW REVISION (REPEALS) am certain that you, in ~ will give members of the opposition the respect they deserve. BILL Hon. M. A. BIRRELL (Minister for Industry, Introduction and first reading Science and Technology) - On behalf of the Received from Assembly. government I congratulate Miss Gould on her election as Leader of the Opposition and Mr Power as Deputy Read first time on motion of Hon. M. A. BIRRELL Leader of the Opposition in this place. Those roles are (Minister for Industry, Science and Technology). important and we wish Miss Gould and Mr Power all the best in undertaking their new duties. BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 2 COUNCIL Tuesday, 13 April 1999 BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE unemployed as a result of a change in the company's destiny will be able to get jobs. The community Information Technology Group business employment program run by my department is one opportunity for those people, and it will certainly The PRESIDENT - Order! Following a request be offered. That puts into context the way that help can from Parliament's Information Technology Group I be offered in unfortunate circumstances such as these. have approved the use oflaptop computers in the upper and lower galleries of the chamber by members of the It is also worth remembering - I am sure honourable ITG during the autumn sessional period It will allow members will have been briefed - that despite members of the group to test the performance and circumstances that all of us regard as being unfortunate reliability of the wireless LAN computer network in individual cases, Victoria's employment position is system when honourable members are using their extremely good. I am pleased to advise the house that laptops in the chamber. recent statistics for last year show that Victoria had the largest fall in trend unemployment of any state. That is extremely welcome, particularly when it is matched QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE with the fact that Victoria has the highest level of employment in its history. When one matches those Geelong Cement two figures together - soaring employment levels and the largest fall in unemployment of any state - one Hon. M. M. GOULD (Doutta Galla) - I refer the realises there is every reason to understand why Minister for Industry, Science and Technology to the Victoria's economic growth has been faster than any recent decision by Geelong Cement to move its other state and why the level of confidence is high. We operations from Geelong to Western Australia, with the expect that level of confidence to continue