Legislative Assembly 11 May 1993 2537 TUESDAY, 11 MAY 1993 Under the provisions of the motion for special adjournment agreed to by the House on 19 March 1993, the House met at 10 a.m. Mr SPEAKER (Hon. J. Fouras, Ashgrove) read prayers and took the chair. ASSENT TO BILLS Assent to the following Bills reported by Mr Speaker— Audit Legislation Amendment Bill; Local Government Legislation Amendment Bill; Water Resources Amendment Bill; Townsville City Council (Douglas Land Development) Bill; Transport Legislation Amendment Bill; Harbours Amendment Bill; Lotto Amendment Bill; Education (Consultation on Curriculum) Repeal Bill. ACTING CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES Nomination of Ms L. J. Power Mr SPEAKER: Order! Honourable members, I have to inform the House of the absence of the Chairman of Committees, Mr Heinrich Palaszczuk, who is on Commonwealth Parliamentary Association business in London. During his absence, I nominate Ms Laurel Jean Power to act as Chairman of Committees. PAPERS TABLED DURING RECESS Mr SPEAKER: I advise the House that papers were tabled during the recess in accordance with the list circulated to members in the Chamber. Mr Speaker— 30 April 1993— Parliamentary Committee of Public Accounts—Report on the review of the Auditor-General’s first and second reports on audits performed for the year ended 30 June 1992: Matters concerning the Department of Primary Industries and associated documents Ordered to be printed. Electoral and Administrative Review Commission—Report on Review of Government Media and Information Services Ordered to be printed. The Clerk of the Parliament— 2 April 1993— 2538 11 May 1993 Legislative Assembly Annual Report for the period 1 July 1991 to 31 July 1992— National Companies and Securities Commission—Fourteenth and Final Report and Financial Statements 30 April 1993— Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 1992— Ministerial Consultative Council on Curriculum. PETITIONS The Clerk announced the receipt of the following petitions— Child Molesters From Mr Bennett (2 157 signatories) praying that the parole period be removed when sentencing child molesters, that offenders are given and serve maximum sentences and that their names be released for publication. Similar petitions were received from Mr McGrady (3 316 signatories) and from Mr Laming (387 signatories). Queensland University of Technology Campus, Nambour From Mr Turner (451 signatories) praying that the new campus for the Queensland University of Technology be situated at Nambour and that funding be provided for the proposed university on that site. Moorooka Police Station From Mr Foley (992 signatories) praying that the Parliament of Queensland will ensure that the Moorooka Police Station is not downgraded from its current 24-hour status. Services on Doomben-Pinkenba Railway Line From Mr Santoro (404 signatories) praying that the Minister for Transport will not authorise cutbacks to rail services along the Doomben/Pinkenba line. Petitions received. STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS In accordance with the schedule circulated by the Clerk to members in the Chamber, the following documents were tabled— Agricultural Standards Act— Agricultural Standards Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 1993, No.78 Art Unions and Public Amusements Act— Art Unions and Public Amusements Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 1993, No. 75 Chemical Usage (Agricultural & Veterinary) Control Act— Chemical Usage Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 1993, No. 77 Foreign Ownership of Land Register Act— Foreign Ownership of Land Register Regulation 1993, No. 86 Harbours Act— Legislative Assembly 11 May 1993 2539 Harbours (Reclamation of Land) Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 1993, No. 67 Harbours (Hay Point) Amendment By-law (No. 2) 1993, No. 66 Justices Act— Justices (Places for Holding Magistrates Courts) Regulation 1993, No. 83 Land Act— Lands Legislation Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 1993, No. 84 Lands Legislation Amendment Act— Proclamation—certain provisions of the Act commence 26 March 1993, No. 88 Local Government Act— References, dated 29 March 1993, of reviewable local government matters to the Local Government Commissioner in relation to the common boundaries between the following Local Authorities— Albert and Beaudesert; Aurukun and Cook; Bundaberg, Woongarra, Gooburrum and Isis; Burdekin and Bowen; Burke and Mornington; Cairns and Mulgrave; Clifton, Cambooya, Gatton, Jondaryan and Pittsworth; Duaringa and Bauhinia; Emerald and Bauhinia; Esk and Kilcoy; Maryborough, Hervey Bay, Noosa and Widgee (Fraser Islander and Great Sandy Region); Gladstone and Calliope; Gold Coast, Albert and Beaudesert; Gympie and Widgee; Ipswich and Moreton; Mackay, Pioneer, Whitsunday, Mirani and Sarina; Maryborough and Hervey Bay; Maryborough, Woocoo and Biggenden; Mount Isa and Cloncurry; Noosa and Maroochy; Tambo and Murweh; Townsville, Thuringowa, Burdekin, Dalrymple and Hinchinbrook; Waggamba and Tara; Warwick, Glengallan, Rosenthal, Allora and Stanthorpe Meat Industry Act— Meat Industry Amendment Regulation (No. 2) 1993, No. 68 National Parks and Wildlife Act— National Park 13 County of Uanda (Declaration) Order 1993, No. 71 Primary Producers’ Co-operative Associations Act— Primary Producers’ Co-operative Associations (Exemption) Regulation 1993, No. 79 Primary Producers’ Organisation and Marketing Act— Primary Producers’ Organisation and Marketing (Egg Marketing Boards Extension) Regulation 1993, No. 76 Property Law Act— Lands Legislation Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 1993, No. 84 Real Property Act— Real Property Regulation 1993, No. 87 River Improvement Trust Act— River Improvement Trust (Bremer River Improvement Trust) Order 1993, No. 69 River Improvement Trust (Pioneer River) Order 1993, No. 81 River Improvement Trust (Proserpine River) Order 1993, No. 80 State Development and Public Works Organization Act— State Development and Public Works Organisation (Bikeways Project Board) Order 1993, No. 72 2540 11 May 1993 Legislative Assembly Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (No. 2)— Proclamation—certain amendments to the Harbours Act 1955 commence 19 March 1993, No. 70 Supreme Court Act— Supreme Court Rules Amendment Order (No. 2) 1993, No. 82 University of Southern Queensland Act— Proclamation—certain members of the University of Southern Queensland Council assume office on 19 March 1993 Valuation of Land Act— Valuation of Land Regulation 1993, No. 85 Workplace Health and Safety Act— Workplace Health and Safety Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 1993, No. 73 Workplace Health and Safety (Plant) Code of Practice Approval Notice 1993, No. 74. PAPER The following paper was laid upon the table of the House— Minister for Health (Mr Hayward)— Towards a Queensland Women's Health Policy—Social Justice for Women. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Former Deputy Police Commissioner Blizzard Hon. P. J. BRADDY (Rockhampton—Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (10.05 a.m.), by leave: I wish to inform the House of the circumstances relating to the Supreme Court action in regard to David Blizzard, the Commissioner of Police and me. I inform the House that Mr Justice Thomas, in the Supreme Court, has dismissed an application by Mr Blizzard relating to termination of his employment and has affirmed the legality of the dismissal which occurred. I further wish to talk about a call by Mr Blizzard in relation to more circumstances to be discussed regarding his termination of employment, and the support that has been given to him by the Opposition spokesman in this place, the honourable member for Crows Nest. I refer—— Mr FitzGerald: You are not debating, are you? Mr BRADDY: Certainly not. I refer particularly to four paragraphs of Mr Cooper’s media release. It is important that I respond to those paragraphs in this House. Mr Cooper said—— Mr FitzGerald interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Lockyer will cease interjecting. Mr BRADDY: The media release by Mr Cooper stated— “I have always defended the right of the Police Commissioner, Mr O’Sullivan, to select his own senior command structure. I do not retreat from that one millimetre. Mr Blizzard’s claim this evening remains a real cause for concern.” The media release further stated— “I don’t have any doubts at all, and never have, about the absolute honesty”—— Legislative Assembly 11 May 1993 2541 Mr SANTORO: I rise to a point of order. The Minister is indulging in the practice of making a point for and a point against. This is not a ministerial statement. Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. The member for Clayfield will resume his seat. Mr BRADDY: I repeat— “I don’t have any doubts at all, and never have, about the absolute honesty and integrity of Commissioner O’Sullivan, but Mr Blizzard’s claims still need investigation.” Mr FITZGERALD: I rise to a point of order. Mr Speaker, I draw your attention to the Standing Order which states that ministerial statements are not an occasion for debating an issue. This is clearly a debate. Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. I call the Honourable the Minister. Mr BRADDY: Mr Cooper stated— “If the Government refuse to release Mr Blizzard from his secrecy”— I cannot read this—— An Opposition member: You can’t read. Mr BRADDY: It is such a poorly written release. Mr Cooper stated— “. his secrecy obligations, it would be seen as a deliberate cover-up, and the painfully won good name and reputation of the Queensland Police Service would suffer a terrible blow.” I wish to inform the House that two matters are pertinent. One is that the secrecy provisions do not apply in any way to Mr Blizzard—— Mr Cooper: Give him the guarantees here and now. Mr BRADDY: That is why I am on my feet. The honourable member should wait. Those secrecy provisions, that is, the confidential information in clause 14 of Mr Blizzard’s contract, do not in any way apply to the debate about the termination of his contract. Of course, Mr Cooper seeks to have it both ways. On the one hand, he states that Mr O’Sullivan is a man of absolute honesty and integrity. However, we all know that, on the other hand, Mr O’Sullivan terminated Mr Blizzard’s contract of employment. Anyone other than Mr Cooper would understand that if there was a conspiracy, Mr O’Sullivan had to be a part of it.