VICTORIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) FIFfIETH PARLIAMENT AUTUMN SESSION 1987 Legislative Assembly VOL. CCCLXXXVI [From February 24,1987, to March 26, 1987} MELBOURNE: F.D. ATKINSON, GOVERNMENT PRINTER The Governor His Excellency the Reverend DR JOHN DAVIS McCAUGHEY The Lieutenant-Governor The Honourable SIR JOHN McINTOSH YOUNG, KCMG The Ministry Premier The Hon. John Cain, MP Deputy Premier, and Minister for The Hon. R. C. Fordham, MP Industry, Technology and Resources Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs The Hon~ E. H. Walker, MLC Minister for Health The Hon. D. R. White, MLC Minister for Education The Hon. I. R. Cathie, MP Minister for Labour The Hon. S. M. Crabb, MP Minister for Community Services The Hon. C. J. Hogg, MLC Treasurer The Hon. R. A. Jolly, MP Attorney-General, and Minister for The Hon. J. H. Kennan, MLC Planning and Environment Minister for Conservation, Forests and The Hon. J. E. Kirner, MLC Lands Minister for the Arts, and Minister for The Hon. C. R. T. Mathews, MP Police and Emergency Services Minister for Water Resources, and The Hon. A. McCutcheon, MP Minister for Property and Services Minister for Transport The Hon. T. W. Raper, MP Minister for Local Government .. The Hon. J. L. Simmonds, MP Minister for Consumer Affairs, and The Hon. P. C. Spyker, MP Minister for Ethnic Affairs Minister for Sport and Recreation The Hon. N. B. Trezise, MP Minister for Public Works, and Minister The Hon. R. W. Walsh, MP Assisting the Minister for Labour Minister for Housing The Hon. F. N. Wilkes. MP Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabinet Dr K. A. Coghill. MP Members of the Legislative Assembly FIFTIETH PARLIAMENT-SECOND SESSION MEMBER DISTRICT MEMBER DISTRICT Andrianopoulos, Alex St Albans McGrath, W. D. Lowan Austin, T. L. Ripon McNamara, P. J. Benalla Brown, A. J. Gippsland West Maclellan, R. R. C. Berwick Cain, John Bundoora Mathews, C. R. T. Oakleigh Callister, Miss V. J. Morwell Micallef, E. J. Springvale Cathie, I. R. Carrum Norris, T. R. Dandenong Coghill, Dr K. A. Werribee Perrin, D. J. Bulleen Coleman, C. G. Syndal Pescott, Roger Bennettswood Cooper, R. F. Mornington Plowman, S. J. Evelyn Crabb, S. M. Knox Pope, N. A. Monbulk Crozier, D. G. Portland Ramsay, J. H. Balwyn Culpin, J. A. Broadmeadows Ray, Mrs M. E. Box Hill Cunningham, D. J. Derrimut Remington, K. H. Melbourne Delzoppo, J. E. Narracan Reynolds, T. C. Gisborne Dickinson, H. R. South Barwon Richardson, J. I. Forest Hill Edmunds, C. T. Pascoe Vale Roper, T. W. Brunswick Ernst, G. K. Bellarine Ross-Edwards, Peter Shepparton Evans, A. T. Ballarat North Rowe, B.J. Essendon Evans, B. J. Gippsland East Seitz, George Keilor Fogarty, W. F. Sunshine Setches, Mrs K. P. Ringwood Fordham, R. C. Footscray Sheehan, F. P. BaHarat South Gavin, P. M. Coburg Shell, H. K. Geelong Gleeson, Mrs E. S. Thomastown Sibree, Ms P. A. Kew Gude, P. A. Hawthorn Sidiropoulos, Theodore . Richmond Hann, E. J. Rodney Simmonds, J. L. Reservoir Harrowfield, J. D. Mitcham Simpson, J. H. Niddrie Hayward, D. K. Prahran Smith, E. R. Glen Waverley Heffernan, V. P. Ivanhoe Smith, I. W. Polwarth Hill, Mrs J. M. Frankston North Spyker, P. C. Mentone Hill, L. J. Warrandyte Ste~ll, B. E. H. Swan Hill Hirsh, Mrs C. D. Wantirna Stirhng, G. F. Williamstown Hockley, G. S. Bentleigh Stockdale, A. R. Brighton Jasper, K. S. Murray Valley Tanner, E. M. P. Caulfield John, Michael Bendigo East Toner, Mrs P. T. Greensborough Jolly, R. A. Doveton Trezise, N. B. Geelong North Kennedy, A. D. Bendigo West Vaughan, DrG. M. Clayton Kennett, J. G. Burwood Wallace, T. W. Gippsland South Kirkwood, C. W. D. Preston Walsh, R. W. Albert Park Lea, D. J. Sandringham Weideman, G. G. Frankston South Leigh,G. G. Malvern Wells, Dr R. J. H. Dromana Lieberman, L. S. Benambra Whiting, M. S. Mildura McCutcheon, Andrew St Kilda Wilkes, F. N. Northcote McDonald, M. J. Whittlesea Williams, M. T. Doncaster McGrath, J. F. Warrnambool Wilson, Mrs J. T. C. Dandenong North Speaker: THE HON. C. T. EOMUNDS Chairman of Committees: MR W. F. FOGARTY Temporary Chairmen of Committees: Miss Callister, Mr Delzoppo, Mr Ernst, Mr B. J. Evans, Mr Harrowfield, Mr Hockley, Mr Jasper, Mr Kirkwood, Mr Plowman, Mrs Ray, Mr Remington, Mr Richardson, Ms Sibree. Mr Stirling, Or Vaughan, and Mr Whiting. Leader of the Labor Party and Premier: THE HON. JOHN CAIN Deputy Leader of the Labor Party and Deputy Premier: THE HON. R. C. FOROHAM Leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party and Leader of the Opposition: THE HON. J. G. KENNETT Deputy Leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party and Deputy Leader of the Opposition: THE HON. T. L. AUSTIN Leader of the National Party: MR PETER Ross-EoWAROS Deputy Leader ofthe National Party: MR E. J. HANN Heads of Parliamentary Departments Council-Clerk ofthe Parliaments and Clerk of the Legislative Council: Mr R. K. Evans Assembly-Clerk ofthe Legislative Assembly: Mr R. K. Boyes Ha nsard-Ch ief Reporter: Mr L. C. lohns Library-Librarian: Mr B. J. Davidson House-Secretary: Mr R. M. Duguid Opening a/the Session 24 February 1987 ASSEMBLY VICTORIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Second Session of the Fiftieth Parliament Legislative Assembly Tuesday, 24 February 1987 OPENING OF THE SESSION The SPEAKER (the Hon. C. T. Edmunds) took the chair at 2.30 p.m. and read the prayer. The Clerk read the Proclamation by His Excellency the Governor convoking Parliament. The Usher of the Black Rod of the Legislative Council brought a message from His Excellency the Governor desiring the attendance of honourable members in the Chamber of the Legislative Council. The House, headed by the Speaker, proceeded to the Council Chamber. The sitting was suspended at 2.36 p.m. until 5.35 p.m. DEATHS OF STANDISH MICHAEL KEON, ESQUIRE AND NEIL FRANK STACEY, ESQUIRE The SPEAKER-Order! I suggest that the Premier move the condolence motions separately. When the motions have been dealt with, I shall ask the House to agree to the motions in the traditional manner. Mr CAIN (Premier)-I move: That this House expresses its sincere sorrow at the death of Standish Michael Keon, Esquire, and places on record its acknowledgment of the valuable services rendered by him to the Parliament and the people of Victoria as a member of the Legislative Assembly for the electoral district of Richmond from 1945 to 1949. Stan Keon died on 22 January this year at the Epworth Hospital in Richmond, the area where he was born, where he grew up and which he represented in both the State and Federal Parliaments for a considerable period. As the motion states, Stan Keon was a member of this House from 1945 to 1949. He had a long association with the Labor and union movements. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party during the 1940s and early 1950s and was later a member of the Democratic Labor Party having held office at branch and executive level within both organisations. He was also the Secretary of the Victorian Public Service Association and a Session 1987-1 2 ASSEMBLY 24 February 1987 Deaths delegate to the Trades Hall Council. A one time public servant, Stan Keon followed his Parliamentary years with careers in the wine industry and as an agent for Tattersall's. It could be said that Stan Keon is one of those who represented a long tradition of Parliamentarians who lived, grew up, represented and died in the same district and who were totally caught up in and part of the political and social life of those areas. That was especially true of the inner suburbs in the early part and through the middle of the century. Growing up in and being part of the Richmond scene is perhaps different to doing the same in any other inner suburb. Not long ago I read the book by Janet McCalman about the struggles of Richmond, which is a superb work. The book refers to the way people grew up and how they lived and behaved and it contains some references to Stan Keon. It is enlightening for all who may wish to gain a better perspective of the early years of the inner suburbs. People such as Stan Keon came into Parliament at a fairly young age without much formal education or financial resources to give them an easy start. Stan Keon had an intellect of some measure and a personal determination to better his lot and that of those around him. He came from the pre-electric age when politics and being part of campaigns and elections involved being on street corners and where affiliations to and legends about people such as Stan Keon could proliferate. Stan Keon was a powerful orator, as those who were his contemporaries in both this House and the Federal Parliament have attested. At a time when one's worth in politics was measured by oratorical skills, Stan Keon was seen by many good judges as having the capacities to take him right to the top in Federal politics. It can be said that the vehemence with which members such as Stan Keon pursued their views is to be admired and respected, if not always agreed with. He achieved prominence both in and out of the Australian Labor Party at a time when that party was undergoing considerable turmoil, not unlike the turmoil currently being experienced by another part of the political spectrum. Political parties go through such turmoil-there is no disgrace in it-and they have to resolve it. Perhaps that sort of turmoil tends to bring to the fore people with a rigid approach to politics.