6 Jun 2003 Legislative Assembly 2789 FRIDAY, 6 JUNE 2003 Mr SPEAKER (Hon. R. K. Hollis, Redcliffe) read prayers and took the chair at 9.30 a.m. PRIVILEGE Comments by Leader of the Opposition Hon. T. M. MACKENROTH (Chatsworth—ALP) (Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Sport) (9.30 a.m.): Mr Speaker, on Wednesday you advised the House in a statement that it was clear that the Leader of the Opposition had either inadvertently or recklessly misled the House with a question. I draw your attention to a speech made by the Leader of the Opposition in the parliament yesterday, in which he stated that in the first year of the previous National-Liberal coalition government—that is the Borbidge-Sheldon government, which was in power in Queensland between 1996 and 1998—45,000 jobs were created in this state. The Leader of the Opposition yesterday tabled a document which was an opposition analysis of Budget Paper No. 4. The coalition claims that it put the balloon up. In there is a graph which shows that in 1996- 97 45,000 jobs were created. Opposition members interjected. Mr MACKENROTH: The 45,000 jobs were actually the estimates in the 1996-97 Budget Paper. What the Leader of the Opposition would like to do— Mr Seeney interjected. Mr MACKENROTH: No, the reality is that in the 1996-97 financial year the number of jobs created was not 45,000 but 22,300. I would suggest that the Leader of the Opposition recklessly misled the parliament yesterday. I would say now that his balloon has burst. PRIVILEGE Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Staffing Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.32 a.m.): I rise on a matter of privilege. Mr Seeney interjected. Mr SPEAKER: Order! That is my final warning to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. Mr BEATTIE: I make reference to the same speech and to the reckless misleading of the House. The Leader of the Opposition's dodgy figures have shown once again why the coalition cannot be trusted with the keys to the Treasury. The Leader of the Opposition referred to the figure of 785 staff in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. That figure of 785 staff includes coalition staff. The true and accurate figure as per the 2003-04 Ministerial Portfolio Statement is 482 staff, not 785 staff. I am advised by my department that 246 staff are either working for the non-government parties or working in ministers' offices. I have now approved the allocation of another six staff in opposition offices. Mr Mackenroth: He wants to sack them. Mr BEATTIE: They do want to sack them before appointment. They are appointing six additional staff at the cost of $416,000. This will bring the total number of staff to 22. I should note that they plan to spend $13,600 on hospitality, compared to $11,200 in my office. I have also recently approved an extra adviser for One Nation. All of these staff will show up in Department of the Premier and Cabinet staff numbers. Our system is very different from that of the Commonwealth, where opposition and ministerial staff are not included in the staff numbers of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. About 60 staff in my department provide corporate services support to the Department of State Development, the Commission for Children and Young People and the Office of the Public Service Commissioner. The sharing of corporate services is an effective use of government resources, reducing duplication. The Leader of the Opposition has indicated that he would abolish 170 positions from the Department of the Premier and Cabinet under a coalition government. We have to ask what programs and what areas he intends to abolish. Will it be Security, Planning and 2790 Papers 6 Jun 2003 Coordination, Multicultural Affairs Queensland, the Office of Women, Protocol or E-Democracy? They are not positive policies but a threat to axe staff. Let me clearly put on the record that the Leader of the Opposition misled the House yesterday. He misled it in terms of the number of staff and he included his own staff in the numbers. He should tell the truth. PETITION The following honourable member has lodged a paper petition for presentation— Halse Lodge Guest House, Noosa Ms C Molloy from 5,347 petitioners requesting the House to ensure the protection of the cultural and heritage history of, and public access to, Halse Lodge Guest House by preserving forever the land and buildings that are so crucial to the Noosa community. PAPERS MINISTERIAL PAPER TABLED BY THE CLERK The following ministerial paper was tabled by The Clerk— Minister for Health and Minister Assisting the Premier on Women's Policy (Mrs Edmond) • Response from the Minister for Health and Minister Assisting the Premier on Women's Policy (Mrs Edmond) to a paper petition presented by Mr Seeney from 428 petitioners regarding the allocation of locum doctors to assist as private general practitioners in the Tara Shire— Mr N Laurie Clerk of the Parliament Queensland Parliamentary Service Parliament House George Street BRISBANE Q 4000 Dear Mr Laurie Thank you for your letter dated 16 May 2003, enclosing a petition regarding the allocation of locum doctors to assist as private general practitioners in the Tara Shire. I am advised that Queensland Health officers are assisting Dr Issa to attract private medical practitioners to join the private practice component of his medical practice. As well, Queensland Health has purchased the building at 33 Day Street, Tara for the medical superintendent with right of private practice to accommodate his private surgery and options have been offered for locum relief. It is also pleasing that the Tara Shire Council and community are also providing support to assist in recruiting extra medical practitioners to Tara shire. The Council's assistance in purchasing minor medical equipment for the private surgery and possibly providing suitable housing for a second private general practitioner for the community is also commendable. Through the local council and community working with the Northern Downs Health Service District and Dr Issa, there is the best chance to ensure medical services to the Tara shire are sustainable. Australia is facing a shortage of doctors and for some time now I have been lobbying the Federal Government, who is responsible for matters to do with private general practitioner services, to take action. The State Labor Government has called on the Federal Government to train more of our own doctors in Australia, and we are actively pursuing the establishment of a new Medical School on the Gold Coast. If you require further advice regarding Tara health services, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Linda Mulligan, Acting District Manager, Northern Downs Health Service District on telephone (07) 4662 8843. Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention and I trust this information is of assistance. Yours sincerely SIGNED Wendy Edmond MP Minister for Health and Minister Assisting the Premier for Women's Policy MINISTERIAL PAPER The following ministerial paper was tabled— Minister for Local Government and Planning (Mrs J Cunningham)— Copy of her reference of a reviewable local government matter to the Electoral Commissioner of Queensland in relation to the division of the Area of the Shire of Maroochy for the 2004 local government elections. 6 Jun 2003 Ministerial Statement 2791 MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Trade Mission, United States Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.37 a.m.): Next week I will lead a trade and investment mission to the United States. The 70-member delegation will include leading Queensland scientists, researchers and businesspeople involved in the biotechnology and information technology sectors, education, financial and legal services, mining and agriculture. I am pleased to announce that Dr David Watson, the shadow minister for innovation and information technology, will accompany me on this mission. Last year the leaders of the National, Liberal and One Nation parties accompanied me on a similar trade mission. The mission's key focus will be BIO 2003 in Washington D.C. BIO 2003 will be the largest gathering of biotechnology leaders in the world and is expected to at least match BIO 2002 in Toronto, Canada, which attracted representatives from 52 countries. This is our opportunity to sell the Smart State to the world. I will be unveiling details of our $100 million Smart State strategy, included in this week's budget. The Minister for Innovation and Information Economy, Paul Lucas, who will be accompanying me, will announce them with me. While in Washington I will also be meeting political and business leaders with a view to helping Queensland companies pursue potential subcontracting opportunities in the reconstruction of postwar Iraq. I will also be holding meetings on this issue in New York and will be promoting our education export sector. The trade and investment mission will also visit South Carolina to strengthen our economic and cultural ties with our sister state. This is particularly important given the change of government which occurred at the last US election. We will also be visiting Los Angeles to promote our movie and tourism industries, which the Minister for the Arts, Matt Foley, has been so vigorously pursuing. The trade and investment mission also offers a significant opportunity to promote Queensland's commitment to the proposed USA-Australia free trade agreement. This will be my fifth trade mission to the United States since I became Premier. It underlines the importance we attach to our relationship with the US. Exports are vital to our future and to job creation.