Legislative Assembly 175 18 July 1991 NOTE: There could be differences between this document and the official printed Hansard, Vol. 319 THURSDAY, 18 JULY 1991 ———— Mr SPEAKER (Hon. J. Fouras, Ashgrove) read prayers and took the chair at 10 a.m. CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMISSION Report Mr SPEAKER: Order! I have to report that on Thursday, 18 July, I received from the Criminal Justice Commission a report on a public inquiry into certain allegations against employees of the Queensland Prison Service and its successor the Queensland Corrective Services Commission. Ordered to be printed. CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMISSION Report Mr SPEAKER: Order! I have to report that on Thursday, 18 July, I received from the Criminal Justice Commission a report entitled Complaints Against Local Government Authorities in Queensland-- Six Case Studies. Ordered to be printed. PETITIONS The Clerk announced the receipt of the following petitions-- Adoption Law Amendment From Mrs Edmond (23 signatories) praying for significant changes to the Adoption of Children Act Amendment Act 1990. Abortion Law Repeal From Mrs Edmond (11 signatories) praying for all abortion laws to be repealed so that abortion can be safely and readily available as a confidential matter between a woman and her doctor. Paper-recycling From Mr Springborg (235 signatories) praying for Government assistance to paper-recycling industries, for the development of recycling processes and to maximise use of recycled material in products. Radioactive Material Storage From Mr Palaszczuk (41 signatories) praying that no new or temporary radioactive storage facility be established anywhere in south-east Queensland until a more suitable site is found in another area. Daylight-saving From Mr Booth (115 signatories) praying that daylight-saving be not introduced in future years. Legislative Assembly 176 18 July 1991 Electricity Transmission Line to Boyne Smelters From Mr Palaszczuk (258 signatories) praying that the proposed second 275kv line to Boyne Smelters be shifted from the residential area to the industrial area, near the original line. Amendment of Mineral Resources Act From Mr Vaughan (883 signatories) praying for significant changes to the Mineral Resources Act of 1990 so that those pursuing lapidary, fossicking and associated pastimes are not disadvantaged. Erection of Sound Barrier, Palm Beach From Mr Coomber (337 signatories) praying for the construction of a sound barrier between residences in Japonica Drive, Palm Beach, and the Pacific Highway, before the highway is widened. Petitions received. PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table-- Orders in Council under-- Health Act 1937-1990 Health Services Act 1991 Mental Health Services Act 1974-1990 Grammar Schools Act 1975-1989 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982-1990 Education (General Provisions) Act 1989 Griffith University Act 1971 Proclamation under the Health Services Act 1991 Regulations under-- Hospitals Act 1936-1988 Hospitals Act 1936 By-laws under the Nursing Act 1976 Statutes under-- University of Central Queensland Act 1989 Queensland University of Technology Act 1988-1990 Griffith University Act 1971 University of Queensland Act 1965-1989 Third report of the Ministerial Consultative Council on Curriculum on the Basics in Schooling Report appendices of the University of Queensland for the year ended 31 December 1990 Reports of the Board of Trustees for the year ended 31 December 1990-- Rockhampton Grammar School Rockhampton Girls Grammar School Brisbane Girls Grammar School Ipswich Girls Grammar School. Legislative Assembly 177 18 July 1991 APPROPRIATION BILL (No. 1) All Stages Hon. T. M. MACKENROTH (Chatsworth--Leader of the House) (10.05 a.m.), by leave, without notice: I move-- "That so much of the Standing Orders be suspended as would otherwise prevent the constitution of Committees of Supply and Ways and Means, the receiving of Resolutions on the same day as they shall have been passed in those Committees, and the passing of an Appropriation Bill through all its stages in one day." Motion agreed to. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Sister-State Agreement with Province of Central Java Hon. D. J. HAMILL (Ipswich--Minister for Transport and Minister Assisting the Premier on Economic and Trade Development) (10.06 a.m.), by leave: On 10 July, I was honoured to sign a letter of intent for a sister-State agreement with the province of Central Java in Indonesia. This agreement, which the Queensland Government has actively pursued for a year, is a real achievement as it opens the door for a significant boost in Queensland's cultural and trade activities in South East Asia. I wish to acknowledge the role of the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Mr Phillip Flood, in the achievement of this relationship. The ambassador saw the agreement as providing great potential for Australia, and particularly for Queensland, and I thank him and his officers at the embassy for their invaluable encouragement and support. It is fair to say that the results are already beginning to show, because, last week, three business people who accompanied me in Central Java were offered space for exhibits in a major trade fair in the province later this month. I returned from Indonesia on Saturday, and by first thing on Monday morning the Trade and Investment Development Branch of the Premier's Department had moved into high gear to prepare for Queensland's participation in the trade fair. The trade fair involvement that we organised will enable Mr David Schwede of Specialist Export Services Pty Ltd, Mr John Hocken of Hocken and Associates, and Mr George Faulkner of the Queensland branch of the Australia-Indonesia Business Council, to take part in a six-week exposition that will be attended by more than a quarter of a million Indonesians. That is only the beginning of the potential benefits to evolve from my recent and previous trips to Indonesia to mould the sister-State agreement. Indonesia is a country of 180 million people, of which 27 million live in the beautiful province of Central Java. After the signing ceremony, our hosts on last week's trip organised an exhaustive tour of some of Central Java's rural and industrial sites. It was an impressive--indeed, breathtaking--experience, which augers well for the prospects of a successful cultural exchange and joint investment program. Last year, trade between Australia and Indonesia grew by 31 per cent to a value of $1.8 billion. The balance was heavily in Australia's favour, with an export growth rate of 45 per cent to $1.3 billion. Last year, Queensland's exports to Indonesia totalled $86m, with cotton, machinery and non-ferrous metals representing half of that total. Recently, Indonesia has introduced a liberalised trade package which has lifted restrictions on imports of fresh fruit, beef, chicken and some fish products. Indonesia is also preparing to initiate a multibillion-dollar transport infrastructure program, for which it will require equipment and expertise which Queensland could supply. We are positioned very well indeed for a mutually beneficial exchange. I am confident that, in the future, this sister-State agreement and the personal contacts we have made with some of the most senior Government officials in Indonesia will pay huge dividends for Queensland. I am pleased to advise the House that, in September, the Governor of Central Java, His Legislative Assembly 178 18 July 1991 Excellency Mr Haji Mohammed Ismail, will be visiting Queensland to finalise the agreement in a signing ceremony with the Honourable the Premier. I seek leave to table my report detailing the meetings I attended during the trip. Leave granted. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Sunshine Coast Hospitals Hon. K. V. McELLIGOTT (Thuringowa--Minister for Health) (10.09 a.m.), by leave: Three months ago I instructed that a review be conducted of the management and operations of all hospitals which previously came under the Sunshine Coast Hospitals Board. The hospitals were reviewed as part of the program of random audits for public hospitals throughout Queensland initiated last year. The findings and recommendations of the review team have now been forwarded to the Sunshine Coast Regional Health Authority for consideration and implementation. The report concludes that the Nambour, Caloundra and Maleny hospitals all offer a high standard of health care. Although the population on the Sunshine Coast is expanding rapidly, the report states that the resources of the three hospitals are adequate for the services being provided. It is acknowledged that the Nambour hospital, in particular, is very busy, with many departments working at maximum capacity. Next year, when additional beds are provided as part of the State Government's redevelopment program, increasing levels of demand caused by population growth will be met. Five million dollars has been earmarked as part of the accelerated capital works program for this task. The review team looked also at management issues, strategic planning and support services. It identified some areas in which improvements could be made in the management of resources. However, the report's major priority recommendation is the establishment of day surgery procedures at Caloundra Hospital. After consideration of the report, I have decided to allocate $240,000 of Medicare incentive funds for capital and recurrent expenditure to establish day surgery procedures at Caloundra. The objective of day surgery is to benefit patients from the surrounding community by providing the convenience of day-only procedures. It will have the additional benefit of reducing the excess demand on facilities at Nambour hospital by undertaking clinically approved procedures which are cost efficient. In a full year of operation, the expected throughput is 900 to 1 000 procedures. There are also other benefits, including the potential for expansion of the number and type of procedures for day surgery and the possibility of private day surgery. As an increasing number of private patients elect to choose the short-term, lower-cost alternative of day surgery, this will further reduce public demand.