Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly TUESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 1964 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Questions [20 OCTOBER) Questions 833 Answer:- "The Honourable Member might address his Question to my colleague, the Treasurer, within whose administration the Fisheries Department comes." ADVERTISING OF STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION LOANS.-Mr. Bromley, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Industrial Development,- (1) What is the name of the advertising firm which arranges the advertisements in connection with State Electricity Com­ mission loans? (2) Has this firm always done the advertising? (3) How much money was allocated to this firm for Loan No. 35? ( 4) How much money has been allocated for advertising in (a) press TUESDAY, 20 OCTOBER, 1964 (b) radio and (c) television for each Commission loan since 1957? (5) What percentage does the agent Mr. SPEAKER (Hon. D. E. Nicholson, receive per loan and what amount of Murrumba) read prayers and took the chair money is paid by the Commission to the at 11 a.m. agents for advertising each loan? (6) Have loans since 1957 all been QUESTIONS filled? If not, what are the figures GERIATRIC WARD, TOWNSVILLE GENERAL concerning them? HosPITAL.-Mr. Aikens, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Health,- Answers:- Has any finality been reached with regard ! am advised by the Commissioner for to the replacement of the present obsoles­ Electricity Supply on these matters as cent and inadequate geriatric ward at the follows:- Townsville General Hospital with a modern building capable of accommodating all (1) "Le Grand Advertising Pty. Ltd." patients who require admission and, if so, will he give relevant details? (2) "Yes, beginning in April, 1952, when the Commission made its first public Answer:- issue." "The Townsville Hospitals Board has a ( 3) "A provision of £30,000 was number of projects for extensions to the budgetted for, to cover all costs of Queens­ Hospital services in Townsville which will land and interstate advertising including cost in the vicinity of £700,000. These press, radio, television, screen slides, projects, which include the proposal for a posters, agents' fees, and other miscel­ new geriatric ward, are at present being laneous advertising expenditure to support re-considered. Previous planning in rela­ Public Loan No. 35 for a total raising of tion to these projects is required to be £2,250,000." reviewed in the light of Commonwealth legislation, but it is hoped finality will be ( 4) "In view of the amount of detail reached at an early date." required the information has been included in a document entitled 'Statement of Press, Radio, and Television advertising costs for SARDINE CANNERY AND FISHING INDUS­ each State Electricity Commission Loan TRY, TORRES STRAIT ISLANDS.-Mr. Walsh for since 1957--Statement No. 1' which I lay Mr. Adair, pursuant to notice, asked The on the Table of the House." Minister for Labour and Industry,- Owing to the urgent necessity for the (5) "The agency's percentage varies development of industries in the Islands of according to the media used. In the main the Torres Strait, will he have responsible media this varies between 10 per cent. and officers of the Fisheries Department visit 12t per cent. These percentages are stand­ the Islands with a view to ascertaining the ard to all accredited advertising agencies, possibility of establishing a sardine cannery and are not a cost to the Commission. In and fishing industry in the area? general the agency charges the Commission 834 Questions [ASSEMBLY] Questions a service fee of 2t per cent., 5 per cent. or varies from loan to loan according to the 7t per cent. whichever is relevant to ensure media used, and the amount of advertising that its remuneration conforms with the for which financial provision is made. The minimum specified by the Australian amount of advertising undertaken for any Association of Advertising Agencies. In loan and the media used is subject to Com­ certain media no service fee is charged mission direction and approval, and depends having regard to the rate of commission principally upon the size of a particular received from the media. These arrange­ loan, the state of the loan market at the ments have been in force since April, 1952, time, and the progress of the loan from when the Commission issued its first Public day to day. Payment of service fees to the Loan. The amount of money actually paid agent for the past six loans have been as by the Commission to the advertising agent follows:- Year and Loan No. Fees Paid Amount of Loan £ s. d. £ 1962-63- Public Loan No. 29 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,237 16 9 3,065,000 Public Loan No. 30 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 875 16 3 1,500,000 £2,113 13 0 £4,565,000 1963-64- Public Loan No. 31 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,037 15 4 4,575,000 Public Loan No. 32 (conv~;sion ~~ly) .. .. .. .. .. .. Nil I 416,500 Public Loan No. 33 (conversion only) .. .. .. .. .. .. Nil I 368,000 £1,037 15 4 £5,359,500 1964-65- Public Loan No. 34 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £1,331 0 10 £2,750,000 ( 6) "A total of 7 out of 19 Public Loans 1963. The most recent closing of group raised by the Commission since 1957 have tenders was on 13th instant for 100 houses been filled by public subscription. The total at Mount Isa and the tenders received are face value of public issues made since that now under consideration." date amounts to £28,974,500 by way of cash and conversion loans, and the total value of direct subscriptions from the CRITICISM OF PUBLIC HOSPITAL public amounts to £22,461,950, an average PHARMACIEs.-Mr. Herbert, pursuant to public subscription of 77 · 5 per cent. With notice, asked The Minister for Health,- the addition of Public Loan No. 35 which Will he detail the background to the has just closed the total face value of loans criticism levelled by visiting chemists from raised by the Commission since 1957 Victoria against the public hospitals in becomes £31,224,500. The details requested Queensland and advise the House regarding are included in a document entitled 'The the enquiries he has initiated? State Electricity Commission of Queensland Public Loan Raisings, 1957-1964-State­ Answer:- ment No. 2' which I lay on the Table of "On October 9 the Federal Conference the House." of the Society of Hospital Pharmaceutical Chemists of Australia assembled in Bris­ Papers.-Whereupon Mr. Munro laid upon bane. They were provided with accom­ the Table of the House the Documents modation for their meeting at one of our referred to. hospitals, the Princess Alexandra Hospital, GROUP TENDERS, HOUSING COMMISSION and were assisted by the Department in HousEs.-Mr. Sherrington, pursuant to other ways including granting of special notice, asked The Minister for Works,- leave with pay to enable hospital employees Has a decision been made not to let to attend. At the conclusion of the con­ further group tenders as far as Housing ference visiting chemists from Victoria, Commission homes are concerned? If so, Messrs. F. J. Boyd and S. W. Hayes took does this indicate a slowing-up in the part in a tour of a number of our hospitals. provision of homes throughout the State They then launched an attack on the and particularly in the metropolitan area, pharmaceutical services in Queensland so that the supply of houses on account hospitals. This onslaught, which appears to of the Comalco refinery, Gladstone, may have a rather complex background, was in be concentrated upon? part an attack on our free hospital system and in particular on our system of central­ Answer:- ised control and bulk buying of pharma­ "No. In addition to completing 1,876 ceutical needs for our hospitals. This houses in 1963-1964 as against 1,798 in practice, which is unique in Australia, saves 1962-1963, the Housing Commission at the public purse a sum greatly in excess of June 30, 1964, had let contracts for a £100,000 annually. It is, however, viewed further 1,131 houses as against a com­ with disfavour by some members of the parable figure of 1,023 houses at June 30, Society of Hospital Pharmacists and by Questions [20J:0CTOBER] Questions 835 some large wholesale druggist organisations. I am happy to inform the House that my In the context of this situation I feel I officers, after investigation, have assured me should relate to the House the circum­ that the allegations against our pharmacists stances surrounding my presence at a are unfounded. In this connection it is of dinner at Lennon's Hotel at the beginning interest to record that in June last, I of the Society's conference. This function received a letter from an industrial union was represented to me as a social gathering which made the following points: 1. An at which my presence as Health Minister objection had been lodged with them by would be welcome. At some personal incon­ hospital chemists against Mr. Boyd's venience I attended the dinner and was organisation. 2. Mr. Boyd's organisation more than a little disconcerted to have to does not speak on behalf of hospital listen to an attack by Mr. Boyd on Queens­ chemists generally. 3. That I as Minister land's health policy including our free should refuse any representation from them hospital system. I was prepared to accept in regard to industrial matters. Honourable this incredible piece of rudeness as a Members will, I am sure, appreciate my personal lapse on Mr. Boyd's part, and to reluctance to become involved in what disregard it, but was seriously embarrassed appears to be the beginning of a demarca­ to be told later in the evening that the tion dispute between an industrial union entire cost of the function was being met by and the Society of Hospital Pharmaceutical one of the big international drug houses, Chemists.