21 Apr 1998 Questions on Notice 639 QUESTIONS ON NOTICE (4) Education Queensland is monitoring the situation. 1425. Building Better Schools Program, It has not recommended a school. A decision will be Ashgrove Electorate made once a recommendation is received. Amended answer by Minister for Education. See also (5) The situation is being monitored. I do not expect a p. 5177, 31 December 1997 recommendation from Education Queensland for a school unless there is some material change to the Mr FOURAS asked the Minister for Education existing situation. (25/11/97)— With reference to the Building Better Schools Program which was instigated in 1995— 2. Premier's Office, Staff Designations and Salaries How much has been expended under this excellent program at State primary schools in the Ashgrove Mr BEATTIE asked the Premier (3/3/98)— Electorate namely (a) Ashgrove State School, (b) What is the name, designation and salary range of Payne Road State School, (c) Oakleigh State School, each of the staff members currently included in the (d) Hilder Road State School and (e) Newmarket State staffing complement of the Premier's Office, including School? any departmental liaison, administrative or media Mr QUINN (5/3/98): Education Queensland officer attached to the Premier's Office. has expended $1,554,343 on the Building Better Mr Borbidge (2/4/98): Staff of the Office of the Schools program at Ashgrove, Payne Road, Oakleigh, Premier are listed in the phone listing for the Hilder Road and Newmarket State Schools. Department of the Premier and Cabinet. There are no Departmental liaison, administrative or 1. Kajabbi, Construction of School media officer attached to the Office of the Premier. Mr McGRADY asked the Minister for The Office is staffed with fewer personnel than was Education (3/3/98)— the case under the former Labor Premier, but in similar designations. With reference to the people of the township of Kajabbi who are attempting to secure the establishment of a school for their children and as 3. Public Housing there are currently 18 children in Kajabbi of which 12 are of school age and as the establishment of the Mr NUTTALL asked the Minister for Public school has received not only my support but also the Works and Housing (3/3/98)— support of the Mayor of the Cloncurry Shire Council— With reference to his department's policy not to (1) Will a school be built in Kajabbi? construct public housing dwellings where the land component is in excess of $100,000— (2) Is a major factor against the establishment of a school that the mining operation of Mt Cuthbert (1) When was this policy introduced? relies on a fly-in fly-out workforce. (2) Will this restrict the areas throughout the State, (3) Is he aware that only one family in the township and in particular in the Brisbane metropolitan has a child with direct association with the mine? area, where public housing can be constructed, therefore impacting with a higher density of (4) What other factors are holding back a decision public housing in certain suburbs and not in more to provide a school for Kajabbi? "affluent" areas? (5) When can the people of Kajabbi expect a final (3) Will he explain why it would not be in the decision from him on this matter? interests of fairness or equity to tenants and Mr Quinn (15/4/98): other applicants to build public housing in areas (1) Consideration of the need to provide schools in where the land component is in excess of particular areas is undertaken by Education $100,000, particularly when the land is already in Queensland which then makes a recommendation to the ownership of the Department of Housing? me. Dr Watson (2/4/98): (1) (2) & (3) The Education Queensland, in considering the need for department has no formal policy in place which puts a schools, operates within the context of state strategic dollar limit on the purchase of land. As the premise is planning and applies appropriate service standards. false, the remaining questions are not relevant. This government has established a framework for strategic planning which is now being incorporated in 4. Home Help Services the service standards used by Education Queensland. Mr HAMILL asked the Minister for Health The case for a school at Kajabbi will be analysed by (3/3/98)— Education Queensland in this context. Any With reference to the provision of home help recommendation to me will then be made from that services— perspective, and take account of the availability of (1) What is the budget for home help for each of funds and priorities for their use. Queensland Health's districts? (2) No. (2) How many people receive home help in each of (3) Yes. Queensland Health's districts? 640 Questions on Notice 21 Apr 1998 (3) What was the budget for home help in 1996-97 period, to achieve best practice performance and how many Queenslanders received services standards. under the scheme? Consistent with the Government's intention of Mr Horan (1/4/98): restricting further outsourcing, the Guidelines require (1) The total home help funding under the Coalition two stringent tests be met before an existing Government is now $124 million, compared with $101 Government service is considered for outsourcing. million under the previous Goss Labor Government, The first is aimed at ensuring that any outsourcing an increase of almost 25% in just two years under the which is approved will provide a reasonable return for Coalition Government. Government (set at a minimum of $200,000 per annum in net avoidable costs); and the second considers the (2) Currently, home help services are provided to cost performance of the in-house workforce (which 94,000 Queenslanders, a significant increase on the must exceed the cost of an alternative service 73,400 people who received assistance in 1995 under provider, including all workforce transition costs such the previous State and Federal Labor governments as Voluntary Early Retirement payments, by more (3) Refer to (1) and (2). than 10%). Rather than giving a "green" light to further outsourcing, the Guidelines actually place significant 5. Public Service, Employment Security barriers to further outsourcing of Government Mr FOURAS asked the Premier (3/3/98)— services. These require Cabinet approval, and will not be approved unless there are real and demonstrable With reference to the policy of "Employment Security returns to the Queensland community. for the Queensland Public Service" championed by the Premier in September 1997, and also to the draft (2) The Employment Security Policy has proven to be Organisational Change Guidelines prepared by the very effective. Since its introduction, no Office of the Public Service on 10 October 1997— redundancies have been approved by the Public Service Commissioner, and public servants are (1) Will he confirm that the work being undertaken assured of maximum employment security. by the Office of the Public Service, driven by Chief Executives of a number of departments, Full consultation has occurred across the public and in particular the head of Treasury, Dr service and within Cabinet. McTaggart, is a retreat from the commitments given by the Premier in September 1997; in 6. Rockhampton Airport particular, does the document, on page 3, give the "green" light to significant outsourcing Mr PEARCE asked the Minister for Natural providing there are savings of more than 10 per Resources (3/3/98)— cent; if so, what impact will this have on With reference to the proposed extensions to the employment security for Queensland's Public Rockhampton Airport runway and the Water Servants? Resources Commission's 'Rockhampton Flood (2) Is it a fact that the turmoil facing the Management Study—November 1992' which Government on Public Service security is a recommended that "no new development of a direct result of the fact that the Premier residential, commercial or industrial nature be deliberately and surreptitiously took a permitted in designated floodways", and given that the submission to Cabinet on Public Service extended runway will be across designated employment which does not have support floodways, with possible impacts on flood levels, across Government, that he did it in the absence velocity and direction— of the Treasurer and the Treasury is now (1) What safeguards will he insist on to ensure that dictating Government policy on the Public the health and safety of residents in the flood Service? impact zone is protected? Mr Borbidge (2/4/98): (2) Will he ensure that residents in the flood impact (1) The final version of the Organisational Change zone are compensated where it is proven that Guidelines referred to by the Member for Ashgrove the constructed extended runway was the were approved by the Government on 15 December probable cause of changes in flood movement 1997. These were prepared by the Office of the Public and levels, therefore causing damage to Service following extensive consultation within the property? public service and with the unions, and apply to all Mr Springborg (30/3/98): Government Departments, including the teaching, (1) At the outset it should be noted that the Fitzroy health, police, fire and ambulance services. Shire Council is the responsible approval authority for One of the principles of the Employment Security Rockhampton City Council's proposals for the Policy was that further outsourcing of government Rockhampton Airport extensions. Those extensions services would be limited to those situations where are located within the boundaries of the Fitzroy Shire the public service workforce could not attain an and Rockhampton City Council is seeking approval acceptable level of service delivery and value for from the Fitzroy Shire under the Local Government money. (Planning and Environment) Act 1990.