Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly THURSDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER 1971 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Matters of Public Interest [2 SEPTEMBER 1971] Q1iestions Upon Notice 337 THURSDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER 1971 Mr. SPEAKER (Hon. D. E. Nicholson, Murrumba) read prayers and took the chair at 11 a.m. PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table:- Order in Council under the Medical Act 1939-1969 Regulations under- Ambulance Services Act 1967-1970. The Hospitals Acts, 1936 to 1967. QUESTIONS UPON NOTICE MEAT EXPORTS AND IMPORTS Mr. Houston, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Primary Industries,- What quantities of (a) beef, (b) veal, (c) mutton, (d) lamb and (e) pigmeats, were (i) exported from and (ii) imported into Queensland during 1970-71? Answer:- "Information from the Commonwealth Statistician indicates the following quanti­ ties exported overseas from Queensland during 1970-71 :-Beef-fresh, chilled and frozen, 354,708,831 lb.; Veal-fresh, chilled and frozen, 6,633,080 lb.; Mutton -fresh, chilled and frozen, 19,434,521 338 Questions Upon Notice (2 SEPTEMBER 1971] Questions Upon Notice lb.; Lamb-fresh, chilled and frozen. King George Square, urging that a hoard­ 589,997 lb.; Pigrneats-fresh, chilled and ing, extending the length of the project, frozen, 822,036 lb. These figures are be erected to ensure the continued safety subject to revision. Imports from overseas of the public using the Square as the sources are negligible. Information on project progresses and will the Brisbane interstate imports and exports is not yet City Council, which has been notified on available." numerous occasions of this situation, not permit the erection of such a hoarding? SHORT-WEIGIIT BREAD (2) What is the actual situation and Mr. Houston, pursuant to notice, asked whose responsibility is it to give permis­ The Minister for Labour and Tourism,- sion for the erection of such a hoarding? (1) To what brands of bread do the figures of 2,225 loaves short weight from 13,678 checked refer, as included in Table Answer:- 9 of the Report of the Chief Inspector of ( 1 and 2) "I am informed this is so. Weights and Measures? Concrete Constructions (Queensland) Pty. (2) Were any prosecutions launched Ltd. in a letter dated July 8, 1971, and, if so, against which firms? addressed to the Chief Inspector of Mach­ inery and Scaffolding, Weights and Meas­ Answer:- ures, and Chief Safety Engineer, expressed concern with the continued safety of the ( 1 and 2) "Not all of the 2,225 loaves public using the Square as this project of bread found short in weight during progresses. They further stated that the 1970-71 necessitated prosecutory action Brisbane City Council has been notified on against the bakers concerned. In respect numerous occasions of this situation but of bread found short in weight during unfortunately it will not permit the erection 1970-71 successful prosecutions were of a hoarding. The chief inspector informs launched against:-Border Bakery, Goondi­ me that in addition to earnest requests windi (2 complaints); Carters Bakery, from th~ company, he has been attempting Goondiwindi (1 complaint); K. R. Norman, also to have a certain area of this Square Bowen (1 complaint); Oswald Baking Coy. protected by hoardings so that there will Pty. Ltd., Kate Street, Carina ( 1 com­ be no danger of injury to those persons plaint); and Tip Top Bakeries Pty. Ltd., using the Square. The same situation has Annerley Road, South Brisbane ( 1 corn­ arisen in Anzac Square where the new plaint). It is intended that three complaints Commonwealth Building is being erected will be laid against another company at the corner of Ann and Creek Streets. in respect of short-weight bread checked Here again, the co-operation of the Bris­ during 1970-71. Not all short-weighings bane City Council has not been forth­ found, subsequently became the subject coming. The cont;·ol of these Squares is of prosecutory action because:-( a) A loaf vested in the Brisbane City Council. In found underweight by an inspector is the absence of the Lord Mayor, Alderman often. following subsequent analysis, found Clem Jones, who apparently has refused to have not less than the required dry permission to the contractors to erect solids content. This situation can arise such safety hoardings, I call upon the Acting in a well-baked loaf and would not Lord Mayor to co-operate with my Depart­ necessarily be evident on visual inspections ment lest some nerson or persons be by an inspector. (b) l n any inspection killed or seriously ':njured. Otherwise the of loaves of bread in a bakery an inspector Government wili be forced to consider is required to weigh not less than 20 what appropriate action should be taken loaves of any one type and denomination for the protection of the public in view of and prosecuto1y action is taken only if the fact that both the constructing company the average weight of all loaves of the and officers elf my Department are fearful same type and denomination weighed, is, of the present situation." on analysis, found to have less than the required dry-solids content. In many bakery inspections, it is found that under­ weight loaves are more than compensated AGENT-GENERAL SERVICES for by overweight loaves thereby revealing Mr. Bousen, pursuant to notice, asked The satisfactory average weights." Premier,- ( 1) How many Agents-General are PROTECTIVE HOARDING FOR RESERVE engaged by the Queensland Government, BANK PROJECT, KING GEORGE when were the offices opened, what are SQUARE their locations and what have been the Mr. Lee, pursuant to notice, asked The staffing complements since 1967? Minister for Labour and Tourism,- (2) What are the duties of Agents­ (1) Have representations been received General and their staffs? from Concrete Constructions (Queens­ land) Pty. Ltd., contractors for the erec­ (3) What are the titles of similar _per­ tion of the Reserve Bank of Australia in sonnel in non-Commonwealth countnes? Questions Upon Notice [2 SEPTEMBER 1971] Questions Upon Notice 339 ( 4) How many offices has the Queens­ Answer:- land Government in non-Commonwealth countries, when were they opened, what "In June 1971, the Townsville City are their locations and what have been their Council approached the Irrigation and staffing complements since 1967? Water Supply Commission requesting that Townsville's future water supply require­ ( 5) What are the duties of these officers and their staffs? ments be considered in any appraisal of the Burdekin River development and the council would like to commence negotia­ Answers:- tions with a view to reaching a formal ( 1) "As every schoolboy knows, Queens­ agreement with the Government giving the land has but one Agent-General and one city rights to divert supplies from the Agent-General's Office. This is situated in Burdekin River or its tributaries. In this London which, for the information of request the council indicated-(a) The the Honourable Member is in the United total quantity of water it wanted reserved Kingdom. The office has been there, with was 824,000 acre feet per annum based one short break of three years, since 1864. on a possible population in excess of The staffing details since 1967 are available, 1 million in the vicinity of Townsville. of course, in the departmental estimates (b) That this quantity could be required in for each of the years involved and I refer 100 year~. (c) The council did not suggest the Honourable Member to them." any particular storage site, but requested (2) "Broadly, to represent and act for that these supplies be made available from the Queensland Government in the United the Burdekin River. The Irrigation Com­ Kingdom and, where necessary, elsewhere mission replied to the council as follows:­ in Europe. I recommend to the Honour­ ( 1) When Stage 2 of the Ross River Dam able Member a pemsal of the annual is completed, the annual supply available reports of the Agent-General which are will be some 38,800 acre feet which tabled in this House each year." together with the Mount Spec Scheme could provide a total of some 58,000 acre (3 to 5) "See Answer to (1) ." feet per annum, equivalent to 58 per cent. of the 1969-70 use for the City of Bris­ bane for a population of some 704,000. ROAD TRANSPORT CHARGES, MOUNT (2) Validity of the estimate of population lsA-ToowooMBA of 1 million in 100 years must be uncertain. Mr. Bousen, pursuant to notice, asked The However, accepting this figure the require­ Minister for Transport,- ment of 824,000 acre feet per annum ( 1) Under what system do road trans­ would be equivalent to an average daily use port companies calculate their charges and per head of population of some 615 gallons. do these freight-rate tables require the This appears to be excessive, even presum­ approval of the Commissioner for Trans­ ing the establishment of further large port? industrial activities. ( 3) The council can (2) Will he investigate the charge of be assured that in undertaking re-appraisal $19.20 made by Wridgways Removals of possible further development on the (Qld.) Pty. Ltd. for the consignment of Burdekin River catchment, future supply a bicycle and a small carton of books, to the City of Townsville will be kept in measuring •ten inches by ten inches, from mind. Existing knowledge of supplies Mount Isa to Toowoomba and delivered available in the Townsville region indi­ at Toowoomba on August 28, to ascertain cates some 270,000 acre feet per annum whether the consignee has any redress? could be made available in the Lower Burdekin with construction of Urannah Answer:- Dam, uliimate construction of the Burde­ kin Falls Dam could provide up to (1 and 2) "This information is not 1.800,000 acre feet per annum, and stor­ available to me." age on the Herbert River could provide up to 480,000 acre feet per annum.