9 Oct 2003 Legislative Assembly 3873 THURSDAY, 9 OCTOBER 2003 Mr SPEAKER (Hon. R. K. Hollis, Redcliffe) read prayers and took the chair at 9.30 a.m. PRIVILEGE Townsville Hospital, Emergency Department Wait Times; Mr M. Clarke Hon. W. M. EDMOND (Mount Coot-tha—ALP) (Minister for Health and Minister Assisting the Premier on Women's Policy) (9.31 a.m.): I rise on a matter of privilege. Yesterday in question time and in today's media the member for Maroochydore claimed a patient at Townsville had been diagnosed with cancer and had been forced to wait more than 30 days to be admitted for further testing and treatment. The member for Maroochydore said the patient was still waiting due to a lack of hospital beds. The following are the facts of this matter. The hospital has advised that this patient has been receiving appropriate treatment for some months. The diagnostic testing is to monitor his progress. I am advised by the hospital that these tests are normally done on an outpatient basis and there is no clinical reason for the patient to be admitted. He was seen on 16 September 2003 by Dr Ian Irving, Director of Medical Oncology, and it was agreed that he could be admitted as an inpatient to perform the diagnostic procedures. The patient advised that he was going on holidays and it was agreed that when he returned the necessary arrangements for the diagnostic procedures would be made. He returned approximately one week ago from his holidays and the hospital indicated it expected to admit him in the next few days. I am assured that the procedure is not medically urgent and therefore the time frame is quite acceptable. PRIVILEGE National Party: Sport and Recreation Policy Hon. K. R. LINGARD (Beaudesert—NPA) (9.33 a.m.): I rise on a matter of privilege. Yesterday in this House the Deputy Premier accepted a Dorothy Dix question about the National Party's sport and recreation policy. Every member of this House would have heard the Deputy Premier say that the first policy was to re-establish the Office of Sport and Recreation and then they would have heard his criticism of the fact that the office is already there. I was also concerned because the National Party has committees who write policy and these policies are approved by shadow ministers who must take responsibility for them. But then I went to the web site, I retrieved the policy and read it. The number one policy states— Mr SPEAKER: Order! This sounds more like a debate which you could bring up at any time. What is your point of privilege? Mr LINGARD: The web site article states— Re-establish the Office of Sport and Recreation to ensure that proper recognition is given to, and due importance is placed on, the sport and recreation industry in Queensland. Later it continues to outline how this recognition will be carried out. The Deputy Premier has taken the first words of a sentence and read them out in a blatantly dishonest and deceptive manner. Similarly, other statements have been selectively taken from the sentences. The Premier has made an issue of this recently and has criticised members for selective quoting. Mr SPEAKER: Order! Is this a point of privilege? Mr LINGARD: The matter has been referred to the ethics committee. The Premier has made statements in this House followed by orchestrated 'Hear, hears' from the ALP members. Yet we find the Deputy Premier thumbing his nose at the Premier and using this House to conduct dishonest attacks. The opposition has shown the Deputy Premier considerable courtesy over a period of 25 years and the Deputy Premier has many issues which could be the subject of personal attacks. Mr SPEAKER: I am showing courtesy to the member for Beaudesert— Mr LINGARD: I will finish. 3874 Ministerial Statement 9 Oct 2003 Mr SPEAKER:—but this is not a matter of privilege. Mr LINGARD: He has made many mistakes recently in the interpretation of standing orders. He has been the subject of vicious attacks in the Courier-Mail, and when his voice cracks in this House the opposition extends the courtesy of the House. Mr SPEAKER: Order! No! This is— Mr LINGARD: All Australians are prepared to walk past a sick dog in the street, but if the dog— Mr SPEAKER: Order! Mr LINGARD:—then turns around and bites you— Mr SPEAKER: Order! Order! Mr LINGARD:—there can be no respect. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Beaudesert! Mr LINGARD: I have no respect— Mr SPEAKER: Order! Mr LINGARD:—for what happened yesterday. Mr SPEAKER: Order! That is a personal reflection on the member. It is not a matter of privilege. PETITIONS The following honourable member has lodged a paper petition for presentation— Regional Nature Conservation Strategy Mrs Smith from 2,200 petitioners requesting the House to endorse the south east Queensland's Regional Nature Conservation Strategy and declare vegetation cleaning as an environmentally relevant activity under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 and to allocate adequate funding for koala research, education, management and acquisition of koala habitat in the Gold Coast region. The following honourable member has sponsored an e-petition which is now closed and presented— Criminal Court Cases Mr Springborg from 101 petitioners requesting the House to remove the right for silence in Queensland Criminal Court cases. PAPER MINISTERIAL PAPER TABLED BY THE CLERK The following ministerial paper was tabled by The Clerk— Attorney-General and Minister for Justice (Mr Welford)— Four reports by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice under section 56A(4) of the Statutory Instruments Act 1992 MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Mr R. Power Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.36 a.m.): It is with sadness that I report to the House that Townsville Enterprise Chief Executive Richard Power died yesterday following a 14-month battle with cancer. Richard was appointed Chief Executive of Townsville Enterprise in January 1994. Before that he held senior management positions in manufacturing, retail and free-to-air broadcast television. The success of his nine years with the enterprise is shown by Townsville Enterprise now being used throughout Australia as a model for regional marketing and sustainable development. Richard has been a magnificent contributor to the growth of the Townsville/Thuringowa region and indeed the whole of the north Queensland region. He played a major role in the development in north Queensland and had a great influence in shaping its infrastructure. He had my personal respect and I had a very high regard for him. He will be sadly missed. His funeral will take place at 11 a.m. on Friday, 10 October, at St James Cathedral. I have asked the Minister for Emergency Services to represent the government at that service. I also express our deepest sympathy to Richard's wife, Gillian, and their two daughters. As I say, he will be sadly missed. 9 Oct 2003 Ministerial Statement 3875 MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Slim Dusty Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.38 a.m.): Mr Speaker, while I am talking about solemn matters—I had the strange pleasure of joining with mourners from all over Australia in singing A Pub with No Beer while representing Queensland at the state funeral of Australian country music legend Slim Dusty on Friday, 26 September, in Sydney. I acknowledge that Jeff Seeney represented the opposition on that occasion. Slim was a great friend to Queensland and to so many Queenslanders. I was privileged to, on behalf of all Queenslanders, extend our deepest sympathies to Slim's wife, Joy McKean, and their children Anne and David Kirkpatrick and their families. All of us loved Slim. He was an inspiration for so many for so long. Rich or poor, city or country, black or white, it mattered not—Slim was loved by all and, like few individuals, he united the nation. It is people like Slim who enhance the best values in our already cherished reputation. It is hard to imagine any other Australian being bestowed the honour of a nationally televised funeral. Today I want to thank the ABC, Channel Nine and Sky News for doing that. It was fitting and proper that such a contributor to making this a better nation was afforded such an honour. Slim's passing is sad, but Australia is a better place for him and his lifelong contribution not just to country music but to our very fabric as a nation. As he would often say: happy camp fires, old mate! MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Brisbane Lions Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Minister for Trade) (9.39 a.m.): Today I want to congratulate the Brisbane Lions on having done themselves, this city and this state proud in winning their third premiership—'threepeat' it is now called. I congratulate all of them. Their win in the AFL grand final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground the Saturday before last was a memorable moment in this state's sporting history. It was also an honour to host a state and council reception in King George Square and a ticker tape parade for the Lions. I say to them: well done and we look forward to a 'fourpeat'. I seek leave to incorporate the rest of my ministerial statement in Hansard. Leave granted. They have also done their band of Fitzroy Lions fans in Melbourne proud. Right from the very start at 2.30pm on Saturday September 27 it was obvious they were primed to claim another title. By quarter time it was obvious they were the better team.