4604 4604ASSEMBLYJ BILLS (4): INTRODUCTION AND ITUeginlthwP Annentlg FIRST READING 1. Constitution Act Amendment Bill. Tuesday, the 13th November. 1979 Bill introduced, on motion by Sir Charles Court (Premier), and read a first Lime. The SPEAKER (Mr Thompson) took the 2. Police Act Amendment Bill (No. 3). Chair at 4.30 p.m., and read prayers. Dill introduced, on motion by Mr O'Neil (Minister for Police and Traffic), and LEGAL PRACTITIONERS read a first time. 3. City of Perth Superannuation Fund Act Petition Independent Consumer Tribunal': Amendment Bill. DR DADOUR (Subiaco) [4.31 p.mn.]: I wish to 4. Local Government Act Amendment Bill present a petition which reads as follows- (No. 4). The Hon. the Speaker, Members of Bills introduced, on motions by Mrs Craig Legislative Assembly and the Parliament of (Minister for Local Government), and Western Australia, in the Parliament read a first time. assembled. We the undersigned support the Consumer PUBLIC NOTARIES BILL Action Movement's campaign for the setting Report up of an independent tribunal (having Report of Committee adopted. sufficient statutory powers to enforce its recommendations and decisions) to deal with Third Reading the complaints made by consumers of legal Leave granted to proceed forthwith to the third services against Legal Practitioners. reading. An additional important factor is that the Bill read a third time, on motion by Mr O'Neil operations of such an independent tribunal be (Deputy Premier), and returned to the Council subject to the scrutiny of Parliament and with an amendment. your Petitioners as in duty bound will ever LOAN BILL pray, that this humble petition be acceeded Second Reading to. This petition bears 241 signatures, and I certify SIR CHARLES COURT (Nedlands-- Treasurer) [5.15 p.m.]: I move- that it conforms with the Standing Orders of the Legislative Assembly. It is signed accordingly. That the Bill be now read a second time. The SPEAKER: I direct that the petition be Each year authority is sought through a measure brought to the Table of the House. of this nature for the raising of loans to finance See petition No. 103. certain works and services detailed in the Estimates of Expenditure from the General Loan Fund. LEGAL PRACTITIONERS The Bill seeks to provide authority for the Consumer Tribunal: Petition raising of loans not exceeding $85.9 million for Independent the purposes listed in the first schedule. MR WILSON (Dianella) [4.33 p.m.]; I present Members may note that the borrowing a petition couched in terms similar to that authority being sought for each of the several presented by the member for Subiaco. This works and services listed in the schedule will not petition contains 320 signatures. I certify that it necessarily coincide with the estimated conforms with the Standing Orders of the expenditure on that item during the current Legislative Assembly. I have signed a certificate financial year. accordingly. In determining the loan authorisation The SPEAKER: I direct that the petition be requirement, account has been taken of the brought to the Table of the House. unused balance of previous Loan Act See petition No. 104. authorisations and of the need to provide sufficient new borrowing authority to enable works of a continuing nature to be carried on for QUESTIONS a period of about six months after the close of the Questions were taken at this stage. financial year. [Tuesday, 13th November, 1979] 404605 This is in accordance with the usual practice I referred earlier to the fact that responsibility and ensures continuity of works in progress for new borrowings rests largely with the pending the passage of next year's Loan Bill. Commonwealth Government. In those years when Details of the condition of the various loan the amount raised on the Australian and overseas authorities are set out on pages 42 to 45 of the markets has been insufficient to finance the Loan Estimates. Those pages also provide States' programmes the Commonwealth makes up information relating to the appropriation of loan the shortfall. repayments received in 1978-79; the allocation of It does so by subscribing the required amount Commonwealth general purpose capital grants; to a special loan from its own resources. These and the distribution of $25.5 million transferred special loans carry terms and conditions similar to from earnings on the investment of cash balances those offered in the previous public loan raised in to the 30th June, 1979. Australia and the proceeds are allocated to the The main purpose of this Bill is to provide the States as part of their normal borrowing parcel. necessary authority to raise loans to help finance As a point of interest, the State's capital works programme. the Federal Government has provided almost $443 million from its The required borrowings will be undertaken by Consolidated Revenue Fund in the last two the Commonwealth Government which acts on financial years to meet such shortfalls. In view of behalf of all States in arranging new borrowings, the current situation in the money market it is conversions, renewals and redemptions of existing likely that further support will have to be loans. provided in 1979-80. The Commonwealth Government exercises this In times of tight liquidity this underwriting function under the terms of the 1927 Financial arrangement has proved to be Agreement and within the total borrowing of great practical programme for all Governments determined by benefit to the States to the extent that it enables the Australian Loan Council. The Loan Council us to proceed with planned works programmes also prescribes the terms and conditions of each each year secure in the knowledge that the full loan. Loan Council allocation will be forthcoming. It is most unfortunate that a similar undertaking is not Under a long-standing arrangement, the provided by the Commonwealth in relation to the Commonwealth will subscribe, from its own borrowing programmes of the larger semi- resources, any shortfall to complete the financing governmental and local government authorities. of the overall borrowing programme of the States. In addition, it provides a proportion of the total Under a "gentlemen's agreement", originating programme for State Governments agreed to by in 1936, the Australian Loan Council also the Loan Council in the form of a capital grant. approves an aggregate annual borrowing programme The capital grant now constitutes one-third of for those larger authorities wishing to each State's total programme and is intended to raise in excess of $1.2 million in new borrowings assist in financing capital works such as schools, during the financial year. The limit was raised police buildings and similar institutions from from $1 million at the June, 1979, Loan Council which debt charges are not normally recoverable. meeting. The Loan Council, at its June, 1979, meeting, The Loan Council has approved a borrowing approved a total State Government programme programme for larger State authorities of for 1979-80 of $1 245 million. Of this amount $I 301.6 million in 1979-80. Of this amount two-thirds, or $830 million, will comprise Western Australia has been allocated $108.7 borrowings and one-third, or $415 million, will be million. provided as an interest-free capital grant to the The basic programme remains at the same level States. as in 1978-79-namely, $75 million-but is The Western Australian Government's supplemented by temporary additions totalling borrowing allocation for the current financial year $33.6 million for the following purposes- is $76.8 million and our capital grant $38.4 $1 million to meet outstanding commitments million. This represents a reduction of 13.2 per on the Kwinana power station conversion; cent on the 1978-79 allocation, which, in turn,' was held at the same level as in 1977-78. 1 have $I5 mrillion for further electric power already discussed at length the impact this severe development at Muja; and, reduction in real terms has had on the State's $17.6 million for rehabilitation and works programme and I do not intend to cover the upgrading of the railway between Kwinana same ground again. and Koolyanobbing. 4606 4606[ASSEMBLY] A further $4.5 million will be available to the to the raising of money for the General Loan State Energy Commission in 1979-80 under the Fund. special programme of borrowing for I commend the Bill to the House. infrastructure, specifically for the Pilbara Debate adjourned, on motion by Mr Davies electricity grid scheme. This is the first of (Leader of the Opposition). increasing amounts that will be borrowed in subsequent years for projects approved under this Message: Appropriations programme. Message from the Governor received and read Details of the borrowing programmes of larger recommending appropriations for the purposes of authorities in 1979-80, including infrastructure the Bill. borrowings, are set out on page 46 of the Loan BILLS (10): ASSENT Estimates. Message from the Governor received and read Borrowings by authorities seeking less than notifying assent to the following Bills- $1.2 million are not restricted to an overall limit 1. Credit Unions Bill. although they are subject to the terms and 2. Agriculture and Related Resources conditions applying under the "gentlemen's Protection Act Amendment Bill. agreement". The borrowing programmes for State 3. Medical Act Amendment Bill. authorities in this category are detailed on page 47 of the Loan Estimates. 4. Local Government Act Amendment Bill (No. 3). It is evident that both larger and smaller authorities will experience difficulty in filling 5. Family Court Act Amendment and Acts their loan programmes this year. Repeal Bill. The demand for capital funds by authorities in 6. Unauthorised Documents Act Amendment all States has created a very tight market Bill.