Legislative Assembly 4319 15 September 1993 WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 1993 Sunshine Motorway From Mr Laming (525 signatories) praying for the development of a 24-hour service station to replace the existing Mr SPEAKER (Hon. J. Fouras, Ashgrove) Mooloolaba toll booth on the Sunshine read prayers and took the chair at 2.30 p.m. Motorway. PRIVILEGE Sale of North Queensland Land Threatening Telephone Call From Mr FitzGerald (73 signatories) Mr SPEAKER: Honourable members, I praying that the Parliament of Queensland will refer to the matter of privilege raised yesterday ensure that the proposed sale by George by the member for Broadwater. I am of the Quaid of a large area of North Queensland to view that this is a matter which should first be overseas interests be not proceeded with. investigated by the proper policing authorities. If the person concerned can be identified, then the member could move that the matter Railway Services, Lockyer Electorate be referred to the Privileges Committee for its From Mr FitzGerald (1 288 signatories) consideration. praying that an improved railmotor shuttle service be provided to service Gatton, Helidon and Laidley and that buses not be considered PETITIONS as an alternative when the electrification of the The Clerk announced the receipt of the railway to Rosewood is completed. following petitions— Noosa National Park Ambulance Service From Ms Robson (2 538 signatories) From Mrs McCauley (36 signatories) praying that the Parliament of Queensland will praying that the Parliament of Queensland will reject any development proposal, private, object to the proposed tax for the Ambulance commercial or otherwise in the Noosa National Service. Park. Railway Services High School, Murrumba Downs From Mrs McCauley (234 signatories) From Mr Hayward (2 435 signatories) praying that the Parliament of Queensland will praying that the Parliament of Queensland will enact legislation which secures the services take urgent action to establish a high school provided by 29 railway branch lines which are at Murrumba Downs. to be closed. Bridges, Caboolture Area Railway Services, Lockyer Electorate From Mr Hayward (4 112 signatories) From Mr FitzGerald (176 signatories) praying for urgent action to upgrade and praying that an improved railmotor shuttle widen both the Caboolture River and Sheep service be provided to service Gatton, Helidon Station Creek Bridges. and Laidley and that buses not be considered Petitions received. as an alternative when the electrification of the railway to Rosewood is completed and that the service from Helidon to Toowoomba via STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS Murphy’s Creek be continued weekly. In accordance with the schedule circulated by the Clerk to members in the Native Animals and Plants Chamber, the following document was tabled— From Mr Slack (40 signatories) praying Local Government Act— that the Parliament of Queensland will actively maintain legal sanctuary and permanent Reference, dated 2 September 1993, of a preservation for all native animals and plants reviewable local government matter to the Local Government Commissioner by the in Queensland national parks and revoke all Minister for Housing, Local Government sections of Acts which appear to allow hunting and Planning. The reference relates to or gathering of native wildlife. the Shire of Croydon. 15 September 1993 4320 Legislative Assembly PAPER port is a legitimate fortified wine, bottled under The following paper was laid on the appropriate conditions. table— In response to the problems, the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Racing (Mr Government established a working party Gibbs)— comprising officers from my department, Review of the Racing and Betting Act Queensland Health, the Police Service, the 1980—Discussion Paper. Department of Aboriginal and Islander Affairs and the Community Justice Program. The outcome initially will be the enactment of a by- MINISTERIAL STATEMENT law by the Doomadgee Council prohibiting the Ministerial Offices Expenditure consumption and possession of alcohol, other than beer, on the area covered by Hon. K. E. De LACY (Cairns— Treasurer) Doomadgee's deed of grant in trust. (2.35 p.m.), by leave: As has been the case from our first term in office, this Government The community will trial the by-law for continues to place accountability high on the three months and its effectiveness will be agenda. In accordance with the guidelines for reviewed. At the same time, educative the financial management of the offices of programs on alcohol and related issues will be Ministers, I table a summary of ministerial considered. The Attorney-General has expenditure of the previous financial year. In encouraged Doomadgee residents to use the doing so, I draw the attention of members to resources of the Community Justice Program. the relevant section of Budget Paper No. 3, But the issues are much wider than this. It which provides further aggregate expenditure would be naive to expect that problems dating information on offices of Ministers. back decades will be solved in three months. Rather, the people of Doomadgee are being encouraged to take whatever steps they MINISTERIAL STATEMENT deem appropriate to limit the trauma inflicted Alcohol-related Problems, Doomadgee on their community by alcohol abuse. It is a problem which impacts as much on the elderly Hon. R. J. GIBBS (Bundamba— Minister and the young as it does on the drinkers. for Tourism, Sport and Racing) (2.36 p.m.), by leave: Members will be aware of ongoing In conclusion—the Government will await alcohol-related problems at the Doomadgee the outcome of the trial period and will community in the Gulf Country and the continue to support the people of Doomadgee deleterious effect they are having on that in their endeavours with all of the resources at community. Last March, these deep-seated our disposal. and long-standing problems came to a head again with a series of disturbances involving MINISTERIAL STATEMENT fighting among different groups of people, at times numbering 400, by police estimates. Let Safety Improvements, Parliament House me stress that alcohol abuse in this Hon. M. J. FOLEY (Yeronga—Minister for community is certainly not the province of the Employment, Training and Industrial Doomadgee area or the wider Aboriginal Relations) (2.38 p.m.), by leave: Workplace community. The issue of alcohol abuse health and safety entails a duty of care not among Aboriginal people is one of the tragic only for those who are employed in the consequences of European settlement of this workplace—be it a shop, factory or business country. office—but also for others who visit the In the case of Doomadgee, the workplace, such as customers or members of community has embarked on a course of self- workers’ families. As a parent of two small determination of its laws and attitudes relating children at a particularly mobile and to alcohol, and it does so with the full support adventurous age, recently I became of this Government. At the time of the March concerned at the potential risks on the fifth disturbances, much of the blame was floor balcony of this Parliament House attributed by local police and residents to port surrounding the Speaker’s green. Members known as "monkey blood". No-one is saying may have observed a large gap between the the port, which is purchased in Burketown floor and the railing along the fifth floor some 93 kilometres away, is solely to blame. walkway of Parliament House. A young child Rather, it was considered to exacerbate could easily fall through that gap. existing tensions. Indeed, Liquor Licensing I raised my concerns with Mr Speaker Division inspectors are satisfied the Rosetta and with officers in the Division of Workplace Health and Safety within my department. I Legislative Assembly 4321 15 September 1993 was disturbed to learn that the balustrade Service in return for their silence, and, does not conform with the current secondly, on 2 June 1993 were Messrs Harris requirements of the Building Code of Australia and Reynolds offered a CJC clearance for 1990. Officers representing the Speaker, early retirement if Harris were to withdraw his Q-Build and the Division of Workplace Health court action against the CJC? and Safety have since met to consider the On 30 August 1993, the Chairman of the matter. Criminal Justice Commission, Mr R. S. I am pleased to be able to advise the O’Regan, QC, responded in the following House that an order has been placed with terms— Q-Build by the Speaker’s office to install barriers similar to those already provided “I am unable to furnish you with a elsewhere on the fifth floor of the building. complete and detailed report from the These are currently being manufactured, and Commission outlining the facts, matters the Parliament House Services Manager, Mr and circumstances surrounding the John McDonough, informs me that they alleged ‘deal’ referred to in the Sunday should be installed after our current sitting and Mail article because no ‘deal’ was done. before we reconvene next month. An approach by the President and Secretary of the Police Union was made Mr Speaker, please allow me to express to me seeking settlement of the Supreme my appreciation of your positive action in Court action with each party bearing his addressing this safety issue. or its own costs and this was rejected. In the event, as the Court record shows, the PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE FOR applicant withdrew his application CRIMINAL JUSTICE unconditionally and was ordered to pay the Commission’s costs. Furthermore, Transcripts there is no substance in the suggestion in Mr DAVIES (Mundingburra) (2.40 p.m.): I the article that Harris and Reynolds were seek leave to lay upon the table of the House offered a CJC clearance for early two transcripts provided to the Parliamentary retirement if Harris withdraws his court Criminal Justice Committee by the Criminal action against the CJC.