Legislative Assembly Hansard 1982

Legislative Assembly Hansard 1982

Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly WEDNESDAY, 17 NOVEMBER 1982 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy 2376 17 November 1982 Questions Upon Notice WEDNESDAY, 17 NOVEMBER 1982 Mr SPEAKER (Hon. S. J. Muller, Fassifern) read prayers and took the chair at 11 a.m. PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table, and ordered to be printed:— Reports— Land Administration Commission including report of the Brisbane Forest Park Advisory Planning Board for the year ended 30 June 1982 Comptroller-General of Prisons for the year ended 30 June 1982 The following papers were laid on the table:— Order in CouncU under the Counter-Disaster Organization Act 1975-1978 Regulations under— Public Service Act 1922-1978 Explosives Act 1952-1981 Gas Act 1965-1981 Miners' Homestead Leases Act 1913-1982 Mining Act 1968-1982, SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS Appropriation BUl (No, 2) Hon, C, A, WHARTON (Buraett—Leader of the House): I move— "That so much of the Standing Orders be suspended as would otherwise prevent the receiving of Resolutions from the Committees of Supply and Ways and Means on the same day as they shall have passed in those Committees and the passing of an Appropriation Bill through all its stages in one day." Motion agreed to. QUESTIONS UPON NOTICE Questions submitted on notice by members were answered as follows:— It Government Expenditure for Job Programs Mr Wright asked the Premier— With reference to his recent Press statement in which he stated that the Government has approved expenditure of $58m for job programs, giving the impression that the $58m was additional to expenditure already announced in the Budget— (1) Where has this $58m been spent or where wUl it be spent? (2) Was the expenditure additional to expenditure already announced and allocated in the Budget? Answer:— (1 & 2) In an interview with the Press, I merely referred to the fad that in recent weeks specific approvals had been given for expenditure totaUing some $58m for various programs. These programs wiU obviously assist the employment situation. 2. Qangos Mr Wright asked the Premier— (1) How many statutory authorities, boards, commissions and other qangos, have been established under Queensland laws and are still operative? (2) What are the names of these bodies and under which Government department have they been set up? Questions Upon Notice 17 November 1982 2377 (3) What are the (a) names, (b) dates and terms of appointment and (c) salaries of all persons appointed to these bodies? (4) What has happened to the report of the inquiry into the performance of qangos ordered by State Cabinet in May 1981? (5) Will he table the committee's report in this Parliament? Answer:— (1 to 5) As advised by the Honourable the Premier on 26 October 1982, the matter of the number of statutory bodies and committees in Queensland and their reporting requirements and procedures is under investigation. Details as to the names, dates and terms of appointment, and salaries of all persons appdnted to these bodies are not readily available and, as considerable research would be necessary to prepare this data, it is not proposed to initiate such action, A complete assessment by Ministers has been made of statutory authorities and commktees following the report of the Co-ordinating and Review Committee, It is not proposed that this report, which was prepared for Cabinet, be made public. 3. Vehicle-crossing Counts, Pioneer River Bridges, Mackay Mr Casey asked the Minister for Local Government, Main Roads and PoUce— (1) What are the latest vehicle counts for traffic crossing the Pioneer River at Mackay by way of (a) the Hospital Bridge (b) the Rockldgh Bridge and (c) the Forgan Bridge? (2) What were the dates on which these counts were taken and what are the annual vehicle-crossing projections, based on these figures? (3) What were the counts and projections for each of the previous three years, where applicable, at each location? Answer:— (1) The latest traffic counts on the bridges crossing the Pioneer River gave average daily traffic volumes of 2 500 vehicles for the Hospital Bridge, 14 300 vehicles for the Ron Camm Bridge and 22 150 vehicles for the Forgan Bridge. (2) These counts were conducted during March 1981, July 1982 and Febraary 1982, rrapectively, over a period of approximately one month. (3) Prior to opening the Ron Camm Bridge, simUarly conducted counts gave average daily traffic volumes of 4 800 vehicles in 1979 and 5 140 vehicles in 1980 for the Hospkal Bridge and 26 800 vehicles in 1979 and 28 000 vehicles in 1980 for the Forgan Bridge. Since its opening, the average daily traffic volumes on the Ron Camm Bridge were 7 980 vehicles in 1980 and 12 500 vehicles in 1981. The average daUy traffic volume on the Forgan Bridge in 1981 was 21 800 vehicles. ^ Importation of Timber Mr Simpson asked the Minister for Lands and Forestry— (1) What varieties, types and quantities of timber are currently being imported into Queensland? (2) What effects will these imports have on our important timber industry? (3) What timber types and varieties of timber are required and are not being met in fuU or part? (4) How do royalties and labour costs in Queensland compare with those in other States and in New Zealand? (5) What incentives for export are given to New Zealand timber and other timber products and what protection exists for Queensland and Australian timber and timber products against cheap imports? (6) Is the present forestry policy aimed at self-sufficiency some time in the future and, if so, how is this calculated and implemented in both hardwood and pine and what assumptions is it based on? 2378 17 November 1982 Questions Upon Ndice Answer:— (1) In 1981 timber was imported into Queensland from overseas sources at a rate of some 130 000 cubic metres per annum. This was made up principally of sawn lumber of framing and larger sizes from the foUowing areas— West Coast North America cubic metres Spruce pine fir mix and Douglas fir 60 000 New Zealand Radiata pine and Douglas fir ,, .. .. .; .. 25 000 Asia Meranti/Philippine Mahpgany, etc. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 45 0(X) In addition, large quantities of radiata pine enter Queensland froin New South Wales Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia, while mixed hardwoods enter from northern New South Wale^. On an interstate trading basis,, net sawn timber imports to (Jueensland total some 50 000 cubic metres per annum. , (2) Traditionally, Queensland has been partly dependent on imports of tiihber from outside the State, particularly from New South Wales. More recently, depressed conditions in the buUding industry in Australia, intense cornpetition from low-cost timbers, and often subsidised timbers from other sources, both overseas and inte;rstate, have l«l to a number of Queensland sawmills ceasing production cOitipletely and others seterdy curtailing production. These fadors have had particularly adverse! effeds on the cypress pine and plantation-based industries, with the closure of sawmills in many small rural communities causing serious economic repercussions. • - (3) At the present time, there is a serioUJs market over-supply in most grades of timber products. However, the mafket demand for high-grade veneer from natural grown hoop pine cannot be totally satisfied. , (4) A direct comparison of royalties in New Zealand and Australia cannot be readily made since there is Uttle firm and up^to-date information immediately available. As a generalisation on an equivalent log-size and quality basis, howevd, k is the understanding of my departmental officers that New Zealand royalties are about one-third of those in Australia. Any more direct comparison is complicated by variations in the New Zealand/AustraUa, exchange rate. On mainland Australia, royalty levels are broadly comparable, from State to St^te, recognising location of timber supplies relative tP major markets. Royalties on timber in Tasinania are somewhat lower... My ofiicers do not monitor New Zealand labour costs on a regular basis. However, if labour costs in New Zealand are converted to the Australian dPllat equivalent, they are unddslood to be some 40-45 per cent below costs in AustraUa for similar work undertaken. (5) New Zealand timber producers currently enjoy a variety of export-oriented benefits provided by their Government. Full details of these are not immediately'available to me, but coUectivdy such advantages are repcwtedto repwesent an approximate'30 per cent benefit to the New Zealand industry. In the case of square-dressed stradural timber, evidence recently presented to the Australian Customs Bureau under the Customs Tariff (Anti Dumping) Act indicates that export sales to Aiistralia have been conduded at pri& levels which represent apparent dumping margins of up to 49 per tent when coiiipared to domestic price levels, for similar timber in jl^ew Zealand. Presently imports of many New Zealand forest products into AiistraUa are duty free under the New .Zealand Australia Fre^. Trade Agreement, Some exc^ipns do exist, however, including particle board and hardboar4 (15 per cent duty), some flooring material, including plywood (12.5 per cent duty) and certaiin Ibuvered goods ^7.5 per cent duty). These protection levels are currently under review in the light of ptdposiis to. enter;closer economic relations with.New Zealand. In the case of Seribus material injury being inflicted on local industry, there is provision foir application \0 be made via the AustsaUft Customs Bureau under the. Customs. T^Uf (Anti Dumping) Act or for the imposition of prptective or countervailing duty, : • ; (6) The present forestry poUcy in Queendand is aimed at achlevilig nd self- sufficiency in timber, taking account of projeded population trends^ peir capita consump­ tion levels, overaU. estimated . demand; dedining production frorii native forests, anticipated availability in the long term of competitive imports" and the possibility of some Questions Upon Notice 17 November 1982 2379 limited export markets.

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