Legislative Assembly 3593 15 July 1993 THURSDAY, 15 JULY 1993 PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table— Mr SPEAKER (Hon. J. Fouras, Ashgrove) (a) Deputy Premier, Minister for read prayers and took the chair at 10 a.m. Administrative Services and Minister for Rural Communities (Mr Burns)— Response to Recommendations One PRINTING COMMITTEE to Twenty (inclusive) of the Parliamentary Committee of Public Report Works Report of an Inquiry into the Mr SPEAKER: Order! Honourable Cairns Courthouse, Police members, I lay upon the table of the House Headquarters and Watchhouse the report of the Printing Committee titled Complex. Timeliness of Annual Reports Required to be (b) Minister for Education (Mr Comben)— Tabled During 1992. Reports for 1992— University of Central PETITIONS Queensland The Clerk announced the receipt of the University of Southern following petitions— Queensland Ipswich Grammar School Board of Trustees Eagle Junction-Pinkenba Railway Line (c) Minister for Justice and Attorney-General From Mr Santoro (553 signatories) and Minister for the Arts (Mr Wells)— praying that the Minister for Transport will not (i) Queensland Law Reform continue with the proposed termination of Commission—Report for 1992-92 passenger rail services along the Eagle Junction-Pinkenba railway line. (ii) Reports by the Queensland Law Reform Commission on— Intestacy Rules Crown Lease Rental Fees Bail Act 1980 From Mrs McCauley (21 signatories) DeFacto Relationships praying for action to be taken to alleviate financial hardship caused by the proposed increase in Crown lease rental fees MINISTERIAL STATEMENT implemented on 1 July 1993. Overseas Visit by Minister for Consumer Similar petitions were received from Mr Affairs Laming (51 signatories) and Mrs Sheldon Hon. G. R. MILLINER (Ferny (326 signatories). Grove—Minister for Consumer Affairs and Minister for Corrective Services) (10.03 a.m.), Gatton and Grantham By-pass by leave: I wish to report to the House on my visit to inspect consumer affairs practices and From Mr FitzGerald (268 signatories) trends in the United States of America, Ireland praying that urgent action be taken to and the United Kingdom, and to attend an complete the four lanes of the Gatton and international conference in Holland. After the Grantham by-pass. formation of the Department of Consumer Affairs in September last year, a strategic plan was developed to address the needs and Kindergarten Funding rights of Queensland consumers and business From Mr Pearce (44 signatories) praying as we enter the twenty-first century. that sufficient funds be provided in the 1993- The department plans to promote and 94 Budget to enable State Education enhance a trading environment for consumers Department Subsidies (SEDS) to continue to and business in which all participants are provide adequate funding for community treated fairly and equitably, so that within kindergartens and that extra funding be also three years the department will be recognised provided for the Creche and Kindergarten nationally as a pre-eminent, responsive and Association. innovative leading consumer affairs Petitions received. organisation. It was important to compare and 15 July 1993 3594 Legislative Assembly contrast this plan with the strategic directions The delegation comprised the Director- taken by other Governments to ensure that General of the Department of Minerals and the department will, indeed, deliver the best Energy, Mr Paul Breslin, the deputy director of legislation, advice, protection and programs to the department’s energy division, Mr Paul Queenslanders. The meetings, inspections, Balfe, the senior executive officer of discussions and addresses which comprised investment promotion, trade and investment the study tour gave me a powerful overview development in the Premier’s Department, Ms and insight of trends and developments which Jodie Kingston, the business development are likely to spread to other jurisdictions in manager for Queensland Rail, Mr Michael coming years. Scanlon, and my media adviser, Mr Graham I inspected a very wide variety of Earle. operations carried out by the California The coal land release arises from a Department of Consumer Affairs. Also in the change in Queensland Government policy United States, emerging consumer issues regarding management of coal exploration in were discussed at meetings with the public the central Queensland coal area. This policy information director of the National Association change has lifted restrictions on access to of Consumer Agency Administrators, the land for exploration purposes. The initial executive director of the Consumer Federation release in March 1993 resulted in 16 of America, the director of the Bureau of applications for new exploration permits. A Consumer Protection, the director of the further 12 areas of proven and highly Federal Trade Commission, executives of the prospective coal resources have been made United States Office of Consumer Affairs and available for competitive application on a staff of the Division of Credit Practices. combined cash bid/work program basis, with In Europe, I met with the director of the tenders closing on 4 January 1994. Irish Office of Consumer Affairs and Consumer Most meetings were conducted as one- Ombudsman, attended the world conference on-one presentations by the delegation to on sustainable consumption organised by the senior executives of individual companies. International Organisation of Consumer Discussions generally focussed on explaining Unions in Holland, and then in the United the exploration land release; describing the Kingdom had talks with the director-general of bidding process; promoting the availability of the Office of Fair Trading and the director of detailed technical and commercial data the Association for Consumer Research, and necessary to evaluate the prospects; and visited the Research Institute for Consumer summarising the transport infrastructure Affairs. I have compiled a 23-page report available. We took the opportunity to screen a dealing with these matters which I commend video—in Japanese, Korean or Chinese—on to all those interested in consumer affairs. I the Queensland coal industry and the land table the report. release. The delegation responded in detail to a MINISTERIAL STATEMENT broad range of specific coal industry questions. The land release was generally Overseas Visit by Minister for Minerals and regarded as a welcome and progressive policy Energy initiative of this Government. For example, Hon. T. McGRADY (Mount Isa— Minister one major Japanese coal buyer commented for Minerals and Energy) (10.05 a.m.), by that the release was “very timely and leave: I rise to present to the House a report welcome, and would meet the needs of Japan on a recent overseas trip I undertook on and their company”. Another aspect of behalf of the Government of Queensland, Queensland Government policy warmly primarily to promote the release of a large welcomed was the proposed changes to the area of central Queensland for coal royalty rail freight system. exploration and development. I led a Experience in the coal industry has delegation of six on a 13-day visit to Japan, shown that it does not pay to count one's Korea, southern China, Hong Kong and chickens before they are hatched. However, Taiwan during which we met with more than Queensland has plenty to crow about. I 30 influential coal and energy companies, as believe our delegation was a success, and well as Government organisations. Overall, we that only good can come from it. The energy were encouraged by the response to the land demand predictions we heard, even if taken at release, which promised a strong, continuing the most conservative levels, will certainly demand for Queensland coal well into the mean increased demand for steaming coal in next century and continued willingness to Japan, Korea, Taiwan and southern China. invest in our coal industry. Legislative Assembly 3595 15 July 1993 Whether this demand is met by Queensland reintroduction in 1992 of optional preferential or by our competitors, including New South voting following 30 years of compulsory Wales, remains to be seen. From the preferential voting in Queensland. indications our delegation received, I believe An impact analysis and evaluation of that that Queensland is in there with a very good campaign conducted by the research and chance of not only maintaining its market education staff of the Electoral Commission share but also increasing it. contains a number of facts which should be In Japan alone, the power industry drawn to the attention of all honourable expects growth in coal demand of around 40 members. As a consequence of the million tonnes over the next 10 years. If commission’s information and awareness Australian market share is maintained at campaign, enrolment was promoted to a current levels of around 70 per cent—and this record high of 64.25 per cent of the total is achievable—Japan will require a further 28 Queensland population; voter turnout was million tonnes a year from Australia. Of this, increased by 0.3 per cent from 91.18 per cent Queensland could reasonably expect to in 1989 to 91.48 per cent in 1992; and, while supply between 10 and 15 million tonnes—a the total votes increased by 161 766, or 10 production increase equivalent to three new per cent, from 1989 to 1992, both the number coal mines the size of Gordonstone by the and the rate of informal votes were reduced year 2002. by 8 522 and 0.75 per cent respectively at the One satisfying aspect of the trip was the 1992 election. number of times companies said that Moreover, I am pleased to report that the industrial relations was no longer a problem in improved participation of the electorate at the Queensland coal industry and on the large was accompanied by a substantial waterfront. While this acknowledgment of reduction in information and awareness good performance is gratifying, it was very campaign costs. The 1992 campaign was clear from the discussions that this reputation conducted at 76 per cent of the cost of the must be jealously guarded.