VICTORIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) FIFTIETH PARLIAMENT AUTUMN SESSION 1987 Legislative Council VOL. CCCLXXXVI [From February 24,1987, to April 8, 1987J MELBOURNE: F.D. ATKINSON. GOVERNMENT PRINTER The Governor His Excellency the Reverend DR JOHN DAVISMCCAUGHEY 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 The Hon. E. H. Walker, MLC Affairs 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. Roper, 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 Council FIFTIETH PARLIAMENT-SECOND SESSION MEMBER PROVINCE MEMBER PROVINCE Arnold, M. J. Templestowe Lawson, Robert Higinbotham Baxter, W. R. North Eastern Long, R. J. Gippsland Birrell, M. A. East Yarra Lyster, Mrs M. A. Chelsea Chamberlain, B. A. Western McArthur, L. A. Nunawading Connard, G. P. Higinbotham McLean, MrsJean Boronia Coxsedge, Mrs Joan Melbourne West Macey, Reg Monash Crawford, G. R. JikaJika Mackenzie, R. A. Geelong de Fegely, R. S. Ballarat Mier, B. W. Waverley Dixon, Mrs J. L. Boronia Miles, J. G. Templestowe Dunn, B. P. North Western Murphy, B. A. Gippsland Evans, D. M. North Eastern Pullen, B. T. Melbourne Granter, F. J. Central Highlands Reid, N. B. Bendigo Guest, J. V. C. Monash Sandon, M. J. Chelsea Hallam,R. M. Western Sgro, G.A. Melbourne North Henshaw, D. E. Geelong Storey, Haddon, QC East Yarra Hogg, Mrs C. J. Melbourne North Van Buren, C. F. Eumemmerring Hunt, A. J. South Eastern Varty, Mrs Rosemary Nunawading Kennan, J. H. Thomastown Walker, E. H. Melbourne Kennedy, C. J. Waverley Ward,H.R. South Eastern Kirner, Mrs J. E. Melbourne West White, D. R. Doutta Galla Knowles, R. I. Ballarat Wright, K. I. M. North Western Landeryou, W. A. Doutta Galla President: THE HON. R. A. MACKENZIE Chairman of Committees: THE. HON. G. A. SORO Temporary Chairmen of Committees: The Honourables M. J. Arnold, Joan Coxsedge, D. E. Henshaw, Robert Lawson, R. J. Long, M. J. Sandon and K.1. M. Wright. Leader of the Government: THE HON. E. H. WALKER Deputy Leader of the Government: THE HON. D. R. WHITE Leader of the Opposition: THE HON. B. A. CHAMBERLAIN Deputy Leader of the Opposition: THE HON. HADOON STOREY Leader of the National Party: THE HON. B. P. DUNN Deputy Leader of the National Party: THE HON. W. R. BAXTER Members of the Legislative Council FIFTIETH PARLIAMENT-SECOND SESSION MEMBER PROVINCE MEMBER PROVINCE Arnold, M. J. Templestowe Lawson, Robert Higinbotham Baxter, W. R. North Eastern Long, R.J. Gippsland Birrell, M. A. East Yarra Lyster, Mrs M. A. Chelsea Chamberlain, B. A. Western McArthur, L. A. Nunawading Connard, G. P. Higinbotham McLean, Mrs Jean Boronia Coxsedge, Mrs Joan Melbourne West Macey, Reg Monash Crawford, G. R. Jika Jika Mackenzie, R. A. Geelong de Fegely, R. S. Ballarat Mier,B. W. Waverley Dixon, Mrs J. L. Boronia Miles, J. G. Templestowe Dunn, B. P. North Western Murphy, B. A. Gippsland Evans, D. M. North Eastern Pullen, B. T. Melbourne Granter, F. J. Central Highlands Reid, N. B. Bendigo Guest, J. V. C. Monash Sandon, M. J. Chelsea Hallam, R. M. Western Sgro,G. A. Melbourne North Henshaw, D. E. Geelong Storey, Haddon, QC East Yarra Hogg, Mrs C. J. Melbourne North *Tehan, Mrs M. T. Central Highlands Hunt, A. J. South Eastern Van Buren, C. F. Eumemmerring Kennan, J. H. Thomastown Varty, Mrs Rosemary Nunawading Kennedy, C. J. Waverley Walker, E. H. Melbourne Kirner, Mrs J. E. Melbourne West Ward, H. R. South Eastern Knowles, R. I. Ballarat White, D. R. Doutta Galla Landeryou, W. A. Doutta Galla Wright, K. I. M. North Western *Elected 21 March 1987 President: THE HON. R. A. MACKENZIE Chairman of Committees: THE. HON. G. A. SGRO Temporary Chairmen of Committees: The Honourables M. J. Arnold, Joan Coxsedge, D. E. Henshaw, Robert Lawson, R. J. Long, M. J. Sandon and K. I. M. Wright. Leader of the Government: THE HON. E. H. WALKER Deputy Leader of the Government: THE HON. D. R. WHITE Leader of the Opposition: THE HON. B. A. CHAMBERLAIN Deputy Leader of the Opposition: THE HON. HADOON STOREY Leader of the National Party: THE HON. B. P. DUNN Deputy Leader of the National Party: THE HON. W. R. BAXTER Heads of Parliamentary Departments Council-Clerk of the Parliaments and Clerk of the Legislative Council: Mr R. K. Evans Assembly-Clerk of the Legislative Assembly: Mr R. K. Boyes Hansard-ChiefReporter: Mr L. C. Johns Library-Librarian: Mr B. J. Davidson House-Secretary: Mr R. M. Duguid Opening ofthe Session 24 February 1987 COUNCIL VICTORIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Second Session of the Fiftieth Parliament Legislative Council Tuesday, 24 February 1987 OPENING OF THE SESSION The Second Session of the Fiftieth Parliament was opened this day. At 2.30 p.m., the CLERK read the following: PROCLAMATION By the Governor of the State of Victoria The Parliament of Victoria is adjourned until the day and hour fixed by the President of the Legislative Council and the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly respectively. I, the Governor of the State of Victoria, prorogue the Parliament until Tuesday, 24 February 1987, and fix Tuesday, 24 February 1987 at 2.30 p.m. as the time for the commencement and holding of the next Session of Parliament, for the despatch of business, in the Parliament Houses, situated in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Honourable the Members of the Legislative Council and the Members of the Legislative Assembly are required to give their attendance at that time and place. Given under my hand and the seal of Victoria on 21 January 1987. (L.s.) J. DA VIS McCAUGHEY By His Excellency's Command JOHN CAIN Premier GOVERNOR'S SPEECH The Usher of the Black Rod announced the approach of His Excellency the Governor. His Excellency entered the Chamber attended by his suite. The Legislative Assembly, with their Speaker, attended in response to His Excellency's summons. His Excellency addressed the following Speech to both Houses of Parliament: MR PRESIDENT AND HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL: MR SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLv: In this its sixth year of office, I should like to present a summary of my Government's intentions and aspirations for Victoria. It is now five years since the people of Victoria entrusted to my Government the responsibility of assuring the future of this State. Session 1987-1 2 COUNCIL 24 February 1987 Governor's Speech It was then, and it remains, a great responsibility, for this is a crucial time-a watershed­ in Victoria's history. It is a time of unprecedented economic change-in the world at large, and of necessity in Australia. It is on the calibre of our response to these changes that Victoria's future depends. The planning and co-ordination of that response is the prime task of my Government. In the context of past and contemporary events, it might well be called an historic task. Five years ago, Victoria was performing poorly in a national economy which itself was far from impressive. It is apparent that Victoria had stumbled into the modem economic era still burdened by the baggage of an earlier one-those days when it was possible to think that this nation rode on the sheep's back, and on what could be dug out of the ground. Most believed that wool and minerals would provide the export revenue we needed and protection would secure our jobs. Manufacturing industry continued to creak behind the tariff wall. Manufacturing had no future, just a continuing existence. So rapid have the economic changes been, and so manifest the lessons-so threatening are the consequences of failure to come to grips with them-Australians have suddenly learnt that they must change their attitudes. Reform can only be effective however when contemporary realities are properly understood. My Government set out to understand those realities-its reforms therefore address them. It seeks to redress injustice where it presently exists, and equally to take the maximum advantage of all those opportunities which a rapidly changing world presents. It seeks, in other words, nothing less than a humane and prosperous society: an enlivened, modern society. No Government could have a greater challenge: in the last five years it has set Victoria on a new course. Victoria now leads the economic recovery which has been occurring in Australia. The statistics which underline this fact have a significant social meaning. In the first place they mean that far more Victorians have jobs than might have been expected a few years ago.