Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly TUESDAY, 14 MARCH 1989 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy 3628 14 March 1989 Papers TUESDAY, 14 MARCH 1989 Mr ACTING SPEAKER (Mr E. C. Row, Hinchinbrook) read prayers and took the chair at 10 a.m. PETITIONS The Clerk announced the receipt of the following petitions— Out-patients' Services at Wynnum District Clinic From Mr Burns (17 signatories) praying that the Parliament of Queensland will maintain existing out-patients' services at the Wynnum district clinic. Introduction of Poker Machines From Mr Burns (30 signatories) praying that the Parliament of Queensland will take action to introduce poker machines. Development of Moreton Bay From Mr Burns (99 signatories) praying that the ParUament of Queensland will make available for public scmtiny and debate all reports and recommendations affecting the development of Moreton Bay. Bus Services in Bayside Area From Mr Burns (106 signatories) praying that the Parliament of Queensland will take action to license the Brisbane City Council to provide bus services in the bayside area. Establishment of Nuclear Waste Dump at Redbank From Mr Beanland (66 signatories) praying that the Parliament of Queensland will take action to prevent the establishment of the proposed nuclear waste dump site at Redbank. Amalgamation of Pioneer Shire and Mackay City Councils From Mr Beanland (2 208 signatories) praying that the Parliament of Queensland will take action to amalgamate as one local authority the Pioneer Shire and the Mackay City Councils. Petitions received. PAPERS The following paper was laid on the table, and ordered to be printed— Report of the Director-General of Health and Medical Services for the year ended 30 June 1988. The following papers were laid on the table— Proclamation under the Forestry Act 1959-1987 Orders in Council under— Health Act 1937-1988 Forestry Act 1959-1987 Ministerial Statement 14 March 1989 3629 Harbours Act 1955-1987 Canals Act 1958-1987 By-laws under the Harbours Act 1955-1987. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Wolffdene Dam Project Hon. D. McC. NEAL (Balonne—Minister for Water Resources and Maritime Services) (10.05 a.m.), by leave: I wish to inform the House of my concern that the Wolffdene dam project in the Albert Valley is being used by those who should know better as a political football at the expense of the people of the Brisbane region. This is highlighted by recent comments made by the Leader of the Liberal Party and his party colleague the Lord Mayor of Brisbane. The Leader of the Liberal Party and the Lord Mayor have said that they both oppose the Brisbane and Area Water Board and would rather no such regional authority existed. They have said they have no confidence in the board's recommendation that the Wolffdene dam is the most cost-effective site for a major water storage in the south east. What a surprise I received when, upon checking Hansard, I was reminded that it was the Liberal Party in this House that fought tooth and nail for the board to be established back in 1979. The then member for Pine Rivers, Rob Akers, and the member for Stafford, Terry Gygar, both stood up in this House and staunchly defended the formation of the board. Mr Akers is now the Chairman of the Pine Rivers Shire Council and is its representative on the Brisbane and Area Water Board. Last week, in the Northern Times newspaper. Councillor Akers said that he opposed Mr Innes' plan to scrap the board and was quoted as saying that Mr Innes' action was ironic, as Liberal back-benchers had fought to get the board composed of local authorities. Indeed, Mr Innes' comments are made all the more surprising because, lo' and behold, who should bob up as an inaugural and great supporter of the board but Mr Innes' right-hand man, the member for Toowong. Perhaps Mr Innes should have asked some advice of the member for Toowong before he decided that the board should be sacked. After all, the member for Toowong sat on the board for six years, including a long term as the deputy chairman. Alderman Atkinson also seems to be suffering from a severe bout of amnesia. She, too, has forgotten the strong representations from Liberal members of Parliament to have local authorities represented on the board. Alderman Atkinson, with five members of her council on the board, says that she does not even know how the board operates. She says that she knows nothing about the extensive planning and investigations done in regard to the recommendation by the board that Wolffdene was the most cost-effective site. At the board's major meeting to determine the planning program for Wolffdene on 9 June 1988, it was Alderman Atkinson's Deputy Mayor, Alderman Denman, who moved the motion to constmct the Wolffdene dam and acquire the land. His motion was seconded by Councillor Nugent, the Chairman of Moreton Shire Council, and passed on a unanimous vote of the board, including the votes of the five representatives of the Brisbane City Council. The recommendations to which Alderman Denman's motion refers included such detailed matters as the supply level of the dam, the works involved and the land to be acquired. Why, then, are the Lord Mayor and Mr Innes telling the Wolffdene anti-dam committee that they have no knowledge of why the board recommended Wolffdene as the most cost-effective site for the dam? Why are they trying to tura the taps off in 3630 14 March 1989 Ministerial Statement Brisbane? Is it that they are using the board and the Wolffdene dam as a political football? I suggest that both Mr Innes, the man who will be remembered for putting the Wolffdene dam on his coalition shopping list, and the Lord Mayor, who wants her council to resign from a board that the Liberal Party supported, should have exercised their minds before their mouths on this matter. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Supply of Drugs in Schools and Other Educational Institutions Hon. T. R. COOPER (Roma—Minister for Police and Minister for Emergency Services and Administrative Services) (10.09 a.m.), by leave: I wish to inform the House that this Government has embarked on a course which will go for the throat of drug- dealers who dare to prey on innocent schoolchildren. Opposition members interjected. Mr COOPER: Opposition members are laughing. Mr R. J. Gibbs: This is the fifth time. Mr ACTING SPEAKER: Order! Mr COOPER: It is not the last. Mr De Lacy interjected. Mr ACTING SPEAKER: Order! I warn the member for Cairns under Standing Order 123A. It is impossible to conduct the Chamber in a satisfactory manner with half the voices raised at any one time. I intend to deal with offenders immediately. Mr COOPER: I know that all members in the Chamber, especially the responsible ones on the Government side, noticed the laughter from members on the opposite side when I referred to people with drugs preying on schoolchildren. State Cabinet yesterday acted on information received during last month's highly successful Operation Noah—information which indicated a disturbing rise in the supply of drugs within schools and other educational institutions. Reports to police indicated that some of the subhuman trash who trade in human misery are supplying cannabis laced with heroin to unsuspecting buyers. The effect of this insidious, disgusting practice is that people who think they are inhaling cannabis smoke are in fact also ingesting heroin. They are being hooked on hard dmgs without their knowledge and without their consent. This Govemment will not tolerate such abhorrent, criminal behaviour, and this very serious issue was addressed by my Cabinet colleagues and me yesterday. There are few people on this earth more despicable than dmg-pushers who trap innocent youngsters so that they can line their own greedy pockets. The Cabinet decided to move swiftly and firmly to get this scum off the streets, and I foreshadow amendments to the Dmgs Misuse Act in this session of Parliament. The amendments allow for an offence of aggravated supply and will put anyone convicted of supplying hard drugs within educational institutions behind bars for life— and that will be mandatory life. The same will apply to people convicted of administering hard dmgs to victims without their knowledge. Opposition members interjected. Mr COOPER: I wonder why it bothers Opposition members so much. I really wonder why it worries them so much. It always seems to get under their skin when the Goverament intends to take tough action against dmg-dealers. Ministerial Statement 14 March 1989 3631 Opposition members interjected. Mr ACTING SPEAKER: Order! The level of conversation has once again risen to the point at which the Minister is barely audible. I have to wam the member for Lytton. He is constantiy chattering. I have endeavoured to wam him unofficially, and he persisted. The Chamber will come to order. Mr COOPER: There is constant concem regarding the supply of dmgs within correctional centres. Mr Burns interjected. Mr ACTING SPEAKER: Order! The member for Lytton! Mr COOPER: The situation in New South Wales is at crisis point. Mr ACTING SPEAKER: Order! The member for Lytton! Mr COOPER: To drive home this Govemment's determination to stop the flow of dmgs into such areas, the amendments will bring in a penalty of mandatory life for people convicted of supplying dmgs within a correctional institution. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Granting of University Status to Institutions of Higher Education Hon. B. G. LITTLEPROUD (Condamine—Minister for Education, Youth and Sport) (10.12 a.m.), by leave: At a Cabinet meeting last week in Yeppoon, Cabinet agreed to a recommendation that three Queensland institutions of higher education—the Bris­ bane College of Advanced Education, the Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education and the Capricomia Institute of Advanced Education—be granted university status from 1993.