Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly TUESDAY, 6 MARCH 1984 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Ministerial Statement 6 March 1984 1771 TUESDAY, 6 MARCH 1984 Mr SPEAKER (Hon. J. H. Warner, Toowoomba South) read prayers and took the chair at 11 a.m. ASSENT TO BILLS Assent to the following Bills reported by Mr Speaker— Guide Dogs Act Amendment BUl; Patriotic Funds Act Amendment Bill. PAPERS The following paper was laid on the table, and ordered to be printed— Report of the Cairns Port Authority for the year ended 30 June 1983. The following papers were laid on the table— Orders in Council under— City of Brisbane Act 1924-1982 City of Brisbane Act 1924-1982 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982 Electricity Act 1976-1982 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982 Supreme Court Act of 1921 Regulations under the Main Roads Act 1920-1983. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Railway Strike Hon. D. F. LANE (Merthyr—Minister for Transport) (11.4 a.m.), by leave: I would like honourable members to understand the correct position in relation to the strike by control clerks at Mayne centre. The current situation regarding train services is that electric trains are running on schedule in Brisbane. Services are not operating beyond Petrie, Kingston, Whinstanes and Grandchester. The long distance trains are also not mnning. In fact, passengers from a Sunlander service which terminated at Gympie are being brought to Brisbane by bus. The control clerks responsible for this strike have obviously given no consideration to the inconvenience and, in some cases, hardship that they have caused and are causing to people who had, in some oases, planned holidays months in advance. Those control clerks are adversely affecting the State's tourist industry. The major issues are— Passenger safety is not at risk. This is supported by both signalmen and drivers. At Mayne at any one time there are as many as six signalmen and a supervisor overseeing the running of trains. Control boards have been coupled and worked at Rockhampton and Toowoomba for years. The coupUng of boards is done only at week-ends or on public holidays, when there is greatly reduced railway traffic. Coupling of boards at the Mayne and city centres represents a saving to the tax-payer of $49,000 a year by reducing five Sunday penalty shifts. Those are double-time shifts. As to the dispute over the removal of guards' vans from long-distance coal trains in central Queensland—a conference is presently under way in the State Industrial Commission on this matter. It is to be hoped that the commission does not set a precedent by ruling on matters of operational safety—an area that must rightly remain under the control of the Railway Department. 1772 6 March 1984 Personal Statement Tradesmen at the diesel shed at Jilalan have also stopped work over roster amendments that would eliminate broken shifts. It is strange indeed that the men are striking over a matter that is the poUcy of their own State union executives. I have been amazed at the deliberately misleading and alarmist statements being made by some union leaders who obviously have no regard for the convenience of the general public. Mr Head of the Queensland Railway Employees Union and Mr Bond of the Railway Salaried Officers Union have done their unions' causes Uttle good by introducing the new dimension of scare tactics to score blatant political points. PERSONAL STATEMENT Mr PREST (Port Curtis) (11.6 a.m.), by leave: Last Thursday in this House, the Minister for Environment, Valuation and Administrative Services (Mr Tenni), in a ministerial statement, endeavoured to protect Mr Paltridge and Mr Ripper in relation to their involvement in a fund that has been set up and is known as the Fire Prevention and Protection Research Unit. As Mr Tenni stated, a formal approach was made to Comalco Ltd in October 1983 for a contribution. Whether the approach was made to Comalco before or after the decision to grant Boyne Smelters an exemption from paying the fire levy of $600,000 is of great concern. The $50,000 donation to the fund can be seen only as a pay-off or a bribe to obtain a let-off from the $600,000 annual levy. The Minister also stated that the decision to exempt Boyne Smelters from the Gladstone fire brigade district and from the levy of $600,000 was made after "both the board's chairman and secretary were consulted on several occasions before the decision was taken" I have here a statutory declaration that is signed by the secretary of the Gladstone Fire Brigade Board. I seek leave to have it incorporated in "Hansard" (Leave granted.) "The Oaths Acts 1867 to 1960" Statutory Declaration '^"^OwiT'} GLADSTONE I, Warren Douglas Dinte of Williams Road, Beecher, in the State of Queensland, Agent do solemnly and sincerely declare that 1. I am the Secretary to the Gladstone Fire Brigade Board. 2. In about September 1983, I became aware that Boyne Smelters Limited had approached the State Government hoping to have the land occupied by the smelter removed from the Gladstone Fire Brigade Board District. 3. In September 1983, I located Mr Gayle Paltridge at the Gladstone Airport and in discussion, he advised me that he had visited the smelter site and was on his way back to Brisbane. 4. On Sunday, October 16, the Board Chairman, Mr John Artderson; Deputy Chairman, Mr Les Norris and I met with Mr Paltridge at Hervey Bay. Mr Paltridge advised us that he has having a meeting in the near future with representatives of Comalco in relation to the Boyne Island Smelter, and that the company claimed that the area had been gazetted into the District without any prior knowledge, request or desire by the company to be so included. He sought clarification of this claim. 5. Mr Paltridge then asked if we had any documentation to confirm that the company was aware of the Board's intentions. 6. I undertook to check the files in this regard. Questions Upon Notice 6 March 1984 1773 7. Mr Anderson, Mr Norris and I then informed Mr PaUridge that the Gladstone Board had spent a large sum of money in providirtg the infrastmcture for a Boyne Island fire fighting force, which would not be needed if the smelter was removed from the District. 8. No discussion was held with Mr PaUridge as to the abUky of the Gladstone firemen and officers to deal with any emergency fire sUuation at the smelter. 9. On or about October 24, 1983, I received a telephone caU from Mr PaUridge wherein he inquired if I had been able to locate any documents as mentioned in paragraphs 5 and 6 hereof. He informed me that he had to attend a meeting with the representatives of the smelter in one hour. 10. I have not received any correspondence from Mr Paltridge, or any other person, concerning the removal of the smelter site from the District. The views of the Gladstone Fire Brigade Board were not sought. 11. I am informed by the Chief Officer, and I verily believe that no person sought information from him as to the procedures to be adopted in fighting fires at the smelter site, and/or the capabilities of the Brigade to deal with any fire emergency within the plant. And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true, and by virtue of the provisions of "The Oaths Acts 1867-1960" TAKEN AND DECLARED before me W. D. Dinte at Gladstone this 2nd day of March, 1984. Declarant W. Howard, J.P. A Justice of the Peace. Mr PREST: Both the chairinan and secretary denied that they were consulted. I believe that both Mr Paltridge and Mr Ripper deliberately misled the Minister and acted improperly. They should be dismissed. Furthermore, the Minister should be replaced in Cabinet. PETITION The Clerk announced the receipt of the following petition— Trading Hours of Motor Dealers From Mr Ahern (11 signatories) praying that the Parliament of Queensland will take action to increase fines imposed on motor dealers operating illegal hours, and that no action be taken to extend trading hours. Petition received. QUESTIONS UPON NOTICE Questions submitted on notice by members were answered as foUows— It Crown Payments for Public Relations and Advertising Mr Wright asked the Minister for Welfare Services and Ethnic Affairs— With reference to the Return to Order showing all payments made by the Govemment to public relations agencies or consultants and advertising agencies or consultants durmg 1982-83— (1) For what purpose were Gamsey Stafford Clemenger Pty Ltd and Market Facts of Queensland Pty Ltd engaged for each item identified in the Welfare Services Department in the Return to Order? (2) Were tenders caUed or expressions of interests sought by the department for advertising, pubUc relations, or consuhauts to be ertgaged by the Welfare Services Departmertt during 1982-83? 1774 6 March 1984 Questions Upon Notice Answer— (1) Garnsey Stafford Qemengef Pty Ltd was engaged by the Department of Welfare Services as its prirtcipal advertising agency to co-ordinate all advertising, pro­ motion and pubUcity activities across the portfolio for a two-year period commencing 1 January 1983. Market Facts (Qld) Pty Ltd was commissioned in August 1982 to conduct a survey of the general welfare and related needs of the community in the Brisbane metropolitan area. The specific amounts referred to in the Return to Order so far as Garnsey Stafford Qemenger Pty Ltd is concerned relate in the main to the develeopment of a new logo and promotional campaign for the Queensland Recreational Council, the promotion of the Crisis Care service offered by the Department of Children's Services and the promotion of Queensland's first Recreation Week.