Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly TUESDAY, 11 APRIL 1989 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Ministerial Statement 11 April 1989 4323 TUESDAY, 11 APRIL 1989 Mr SPEAKER (Hon. L. W. Powell, Isis) read prayers and took the chair at 10 a.m. ASSENT TO BILLS Assent to the following Bills reported by Mr Speaker— Rental Bond Bill; Scartwater Station Trust Extension Act Amendment Bill (No. 2). PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table— Proclamation under the Forestry Act 1959-1987 Orders in Council under— Public Service Management and Employment Act 1988 Beach Protection Act 1968-1986 River Improvement Trust Act 1940-1985 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982-1988 Water Act 1926-1987 Water Act 1926-1987 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982-1988 Forestry Act 1959-1987 Report of the Privacy Committee for the year ended 31 December 1988. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Allegations by Leader of Opposition against Touche Ross Hon. M. J. AHERN (Landsborough—Premier and Treasurer and Minister for State Development and the Arts) (10.04 a.m.), by leave: I rise to inform the House about what I consider to be one of the most damaging and serious allegations levelled against one of Australia's most reputable business operations by the Leader of the Opposition. To begin with, Mr Speaker, I seek leave to table a copy of the latest edition of Business Review Weekly, which incorporates an article entitled "Touche Ross feels the heat on Prisons". As members will see from this article, the boy lawyer who seeks to ingratiate himself with the business world has made a scurrilous accusation of business impropriety against Touche Ross, an accounting firm of considerable international reputation which also has a significant prisons management consultancy. This company was hired to conduct an investigation into the recent break-out of prisoners at Boggo Road gaol, and the Opposition Leader, in a scandalous attack, has sought to make a political football out of its work. The article contains the allegation by the Leader of the Opposition that the security inquiry has been compromised because of an alleged close association between Touche Ross and the Queensland Director of Corrective Services, Brigadier Doug Formby. The Leader of the Opposition goes on to say— "It is wrong that they have been hand-fed the task of investigating a mass escape that he (Formby) should have known about." 4324 11 April 1989 Ministerial Statement The article goes on to say that the debate engendered by the Leader of the Opposition moved to a personal level and quotes the Opposition Leader as saying— "It is entirely inappropriate for Touche Ross to carry out the inquiry into the breakout. The army connection... represents a serious conflict of interest in this firm." Among other comments, this ill-informed, ill-advised seat-warmer for Peter Beattie adds— "Touche Ross simply isn't equipped to extract the information needed to determine the circumstances involved in the execution of this mass breakout." There is more. The Leader of the Opposition says of Touche Ross that they are accountants, and adds, "How are they going to investigate a gaol breakout?" then someone from the Opposition Leader's office chips in with this comment— "It needs someone who has a knowledge of the prison system and who has the confidence of the prison officers to delve properly into exactly how the breakout took place." Well, as the Business Review Weekly then rather belatedly points out to the Opposition Leader, Touche Ross has considerable experience in the prison system in Australia and overseas. In the United States it has 30 prison consultancy specialists on staff, advising prisons around the world on how to operate more efficiently. It has carried out extensive reviews of prison management in the Labor States of South Australia and Victoria and, of course, it was involved in the Kennedy commission of review. It undertook development of the top Yatala prison in South Australia—a prison about the same size as Boggo Road. It also advised the South Australian Government on prison security and management, following which two new prisons were built and two others altered. This article will have serious repercussions in the business world. It is contained in one of the nation's most respected business journals. It could seriously damage the future operations of an internationally known company, all because our friend over there wanted to score some cheap political points. His reputation as a friend of business is shot to bits and once again his inexperience and inability to cope with serious issues is exposed for all to see. I do not think we have heard the last of this latest episode of foot-in-mouth disease from the Opposition Leader. Unfortunately for him, he made the mistake of uttering his comments outside the protective walls of this House, which is somewhat amazing for a man who is supposed to be a trained lawyer. In conclusion, I call on the Leader of the Opposition to present evidence on the so-called conflict of interest to this House or, alternatively, to offer an unequivocal apology to Touche Ross. It is the least he can do, bearing in mind the damage he has done to this company. Mr SPEAKER: Order! Is leave given to the Premier to table the document? Leave granted. Whereupon the honourable member laid on the table the document referred to. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Australian Broadcasting Tribunal's Ruling on Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen's Defamation Action against Alan Bond Hon. P. J. CLAUSON (Redlands—Minister for Justice and Attorney-General and Minister for Cortective Services) (10.07 a.m.), by leave: Considerable speculation in the media and the public has arisen since the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal's ruling that Mr Alan Bond's payment of money settling a defamation action to Sir Johannes Bjelke- Petersen was improper. I therefore bring the matter to the attention of the House. Ministerial Statement 11 April 1989 4325 The former Premier, Sir Johannes Bjelke-Petersen, was questioned before the Fitzgerald commission of inquiry, giving a significant body of evidence on this aspect of the inquiry. The Special Prosecutor Act was passed in November 1988 by this House of Parliament. Mr D. G. Drummond, QC, was appointed the Special Prosecutor under that Act, and his duties include preparing, instituting and conducting criminal proceedings arising out of evidence taken at the commission of inquiry chaired by Mr Gerald Edward Fitzgerald, QC. Mr D. G. Drummond, QC, indeed was the person who examined Sir Johannes Bjelke-Petersen for a large portion of his evidence-in-chief He is now an independent, statutorily appointed officer who has responsibility for the necessary consideration and conduct of any future proceedings. Thus, in the circumstances, this issue is already in the appropriate arena for consideration and there is no need for any further action on my part at this time. 1 thank all the members of this House for their wisdom in supporting the Special Prosecutor Bill when it passed through this House, thus ensuring the mechanism for any necessary action to be already in place. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Visit to China by Leader of Opposition Hon. R. E. BORBIDGE (Surfers Paradise—Minister for Industry, Small Business, Technology and Tourism) (10.11 a.m.), by leave: Yesterday on the ABC and today in the Courier-Mail, the Opposition Leader, Mr Goss, gave details of his forthcoming visit to China. While I am happy to acknowledge the Opposition Leader's general support for our efforts to increase trade with China, it would appear he is a little lacking in his knowledge of the curtent state of play. For a start, to correct what he claimed to be the latest trade figures with China, he stated that our exports had decreased between the 1985-86 financial year and last year— from $214m to $152m. However, in the first six months of this financial year, July to December 1988— the most recent figures—our exports totalled $91m, or 17 per cent of the Australian total—our highest percentage ever. Much of this improvement has occurred because of the substantial efforts of the Ahem Government. As Mr Goss pointed out, the Premier will be formally signing a sister-State relationship with Shanghai Province in May. However, contrary to Mr Goss' statement in which he said it had taken three years to arrange this relationship, in fact it took closer to three months. For the honourable member's information—it was in August last year that the initiative was approved by Cabinet with initial negotiations taking place in Shanghai prior to Christmas. As a result, four senior Shanghai officials visited Queensland in mid- February to satisfy their requirements, as a sister-State relationship is not entered into lightly by either party. And, already, even before the officj^l signing of the agreement, I am pleased to announce that a senior trade mission from' Shanghai Province will visit Queensland in mid-May to examine opportunities for investment. As far as other trade initiatives with China are concerned, may I suggest that Mr Goss first check with officers of my department's International Business Centre or the Queensland-China Council to save himself from future embarrassment. In the mean time, for his information, may I briefly outline what the Queensland Government has achieved in this area— • In April 1986, the Premier, the then Industry Minister, signed an agreement on behalf of the Queensland Government with the Chinese State Commission of Machinery Industry for technical co-operation in the metal and machinery fields with a view to technology transfer. 4326 11 April 1989 Questions Upon Notice • In February 1987, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with Fujian Province to foster greater economic links.