Legislative Assembly 5961 18 November 1993 THURSDAY, 18 NOVEMBER 1993 PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC WORKS Report and Transcript of Evidence Ms SPENCE (Mount Gravatt) Mr SPEAKER (Hon. J. Fouras, Ashgrove) (10.03 a.m.): I table the following report from read prayers and took the chair at 10 a.m. the Parliamentary Committee of Public Works: Report of an Inquiry into the Construction of PETITIONS New Government Office Accommodation in Rockhampton. I move that the report be The Clerk announced the receipt of the printed. following petitions— Ordered to be printed. Ms SPENCE: I also lay upon the table of Cunnamulla/Eulo Festival of Opals the House the transcript of evidence of an From Ms Robson (561 signatories) inquiry into Government office praying that the Parliament of Queensland will accommodation in Rockhampton, and the ensure that the Cunnamulla/Eulo Festival of transcript of proceedings of a public hearing Opals is granted an exemption from the terms held in Rockhampton on 7 September 1993. of the Nature Conservation Act 1992 in order The Public Works Committee has recently to hold the Annual World Lizard Races. completed its inquiry into the construction of a multi-storey building in Bolsover Street, Rockhampton. The project will provide Remedial Unit, Establishment additional Government-owned accommodation From Mr Beattie (3 184 signatories) in the city and will redress the imbalance which praying that a remedial unit be established as has existed between Government-owned and prompted by the Fitzgerald inquiry, to be rented accommodation. I must stress that the headed by a panel of retired judges and committee has been most impressed with independent citizens. quality of the end product, not only in terms of its functionality but also in the way it harmonises with its surroundings. Primary School, Burpengary In conducting the inquiry, the committee From Mr Hayward (745 signatories) became aware that there was some local praying that the Parliament of Queensland will disquiet at further accommodation being ensure that a secondary primary school is provided in Rockhampton, as well as some established immediately at Burpengary. criticism of the tendering arrangements. The committee believes that these problems could have been avoided had there been a greater Aboriginal Deaths in Custody level of community awareness of the project From Ms Warner (1 689 signatories) and a greater understanding on the part of praying that the Parliament of Queensland will the tenderers of what was being sought. ensure that all 339 recommendations of the The committee has therefore made Royal Commission into black deaths in recommendations in relation to maximising custody be implemented and ratified as law. the benefit which can be given to regional Petitions received. economies, as well as the need to ensure full and proper community consultation and awareness. In its recommendations, the PAPERS committee has also addressed the need for The following papers were laid on the clear tender documentation and for evaluation table— processes which can be seen to have been just and reasonable. Minister for Housing, Local Government and Planning (Mr Mackenroth)— I would also mention that the committee was dismayed at the apparently unnecessary Reports of the Local Government expenditure of over $200,000 for design work Commissioner in relation to reviews of Internal (Electoral) Boundaries— which was latter superseded. This stemmed from the fact that there was a desire to speed City of Ipswich the project as quickly as possible and, Shire of Beaudesert. because of this, initial design work was carried out at a time when final requirements were not 18 November 1993 5962 Legislative Assembly fully known. Again, this matter is dealt with in bus. Very clearly, this is where the accident some detail in the report. problem exists, and this is where Government The committee is pleased to see the and community efforts should be focused. construction of such a quality building in Finally, this report contains Rockhampton. I would like to thank all of recommendations which are required to be those who made submissions to the responded to in this Parliament by the committee and who were able to appear responsible Ministers, pursuant to section 10 before it as witnesses. I commend the report of the resolution which established the to the House. Travelsafe Committee on 12 November 1992. I commend the report to the House and look forward to the relevant Ministers’ responses to TRAVELSAFE COMMITTEE the committee’s recommendations in due Reports and Transcripts of Evidence course. Mr ARDILL (Archerfield) (10. 07 a.m.): I table the 1992-93 annual report of the Parliamentary Travelsafe Committee. I move QUESTIONS UPON NOTICE that the report be printed. 1. Australian Friesian Sahiwal Ordered to be printed. Tender Process Mr ARDILL: I table a report from the Mr LINGARD asked the Minister for Parliamentary Travelsafe Committee on the Primary Industries— safety and economic implications of permitting “With reference to the Australian standees on urban and non-urban bus Friesian Sahiwal tender process, in which services. I move that the report be printed. invited tenderers were given an indication Ordered to be printed. of the stock available but with a disclaimer that it was subject to change Mr ARDILL: I also lay upon the table of because of the nature of the business the House the transcripts of evidence taken at and while such changes are the committee hearings during its inquiry into understandable to a certain extent for bus standees. Hearings were held in natural causes— Bundaberg on 16 August; Cairns, 17 August; Rockhampton, 18 August; Biloela, 19 August; (1) Is he aware that in the last week of and Brisbane, 7 and 8 September 1993. September 1993, about a week before tenders closed, options were This report on bus standees I have just taken over 400 embryos? tabled makes important recommendations on various aspects of bus travel as it relates to (2) (a) Who has the options on these standees. It should be stated that the report purebred and supposedly does not recommend that standees be unavailable embryos and (b) why banned. The safety and economic factors were they allowed to be taken out a associated with bus travel simply made this week before tenders closed?” type of recommendation impossible for the Mr CASEY: I table the answer and ask committee to consider. that it be incorporated in Hansard. Bus travel is the safest form of road- Leave granted. based transport, despite repetitive media references to tragic accidents involving long- (1) No options were taken over 400 Australian distance coaches. School bus travel has a Friesian Sahiwal embryos in the last week of September 1993. There are no options safety record second only to scheduled over any such embryos in my department domestic airlines. The large amounts of and nor has my department made any Government and industry funds required to commitment to supply embryos. completely eliminate standee passengers on buses quite simply cannot be justified in either (2) There are no options on Australian Friesian Sahiwal embryos. Australian road safety or public health terms. However, Friesian Sahiwal embryos are not the committee believes that the unavailable. My department sells recommendations of this report will address Australian Friesian Sahiwal embryos which some of the community concerns and further are surplus to the requirements of the improve on an already high level of bus Australian Friesian Sahiwal breed standee safety. improvement program. The previous National Party Government had an In the committee’s opinion, any moneys spent on improving the safety of bus travel identical policy. should be directed at improving safety off the 2. Australian Friesian Sahiwal Legislative Assembly 5963 18 November 1993 Tender Process Mr SANTORO asked the Minister for Mr LINGARD asked the Minister for Lands— Primary Industries— “(1) (a) What was the establishment cost “With reference to the operations of of his 34 mini–Titles Offices and (b) the Australian Friesian Sahiwal Project— what are the annual running costs, including wages, rents, travel (1) How many of each purebred and expenses, additional telephone and crossbred stock were produced courier expenses and relocation under this project in the financial expenses and all other on–going years (a) 1990-91, (b) 1991-92 and expenses? (c) 1992-93? (2) (a) How many Titles Office dealings (2) How many of each purebred and were lodged in each of the 34 crossbred stock were sold in each of mini–Titles Offices and (b) how many the above financial years? dealings were lodged at the Brisbane, Rockhampton and (3) In terms of the numbers sold, how Townsville Titles Offices in October? many have been paid for and what was the total revenue in each of the (3) How many search requests were above financial years? lodged at each office? (4) What system does the department (4) What are the detailed costings made have for auditing stock numbers by his department of the cost of under this program and how many providing the DOCFAX service? physical checks, if any, are (5) How many requests for access to the undertaken annually to ensure stock working maps held at each numbers are correct?” mini–office originated at that office? Mr CASEY: In view of the statistics (6) How many requests for access to contained in the answer, I table it and ask that those same working maps originated it be incorporated in Hansard. from offices other than at the office Leave granted. where they are held?” Mr SMITH: I seek leave to table the (1) Purebred stock produced in 1990-91 were 270, in 1991-92 were 222, and in 1992-93 answer and have it incorporated in Hansard. were 298. Production figures for Leave granted. crossbred stock are only available on a calendar year basis commencing in 1991.