VICTORIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) FIFTY-FIRST PARLIAMENT AUTUMN SESSION 1990 Legislative Council VOL. 397 [From 6 March 1990 to 3 May 1990} MELBOURNE: L. V. NORTH, GOVERNMENT PRINTER The Governor His Excellency the Reverend DR JOHN DAVIS McCAUGHEY, AC The Lieutenant-Governor The Honourable SIR JOHN McINTOSH YOUNG, AC, KCMG The Ministry [As AT 6 MARCH 1990] Premier The Hon. John Cain, MP Deputy Premier, and Minister for The Hon. J. E. Kirner, AM, MP Education Minister for the Arts, Minister for Major The Hon. E. H. Walker, MLC Projects, and Minister responsible for Post-Secondary Education Minister for Industry, Technolo$y and The Hon. D. R. White, MLC Resources, and Minister Assistmg the Treasurer in Budget Expenditure Minister for Police and Emellency Ser- The Hon. S. M. Crabb, MP vices, and Minister for Tounsm Minister for Health The Hon. C. J. Hogg, MLC Treasurer The Hon. R. A. Jolly, MP Minister for Transport The Hon. J. H. Kennan, QC, MP Minister for Local Government .. The Hon. M. A. Lyster, MLC Att<?rney-~eneral, and Minister for Eth- The Hon. Andrew McCutcheon, MP me Affalfs . Minister for Labour The Hon. N. A. Pope, MP Minister for Housing and Construction The Hon. B. T. Pullen, MLC Minister for Planning and Environment, The Hon. T. W. Roper, MP and Minister for Consumer Affairs Minister for Agriculture and Rural The Hon. B. J. Rowe, MP Affairs Minister for Conservation, Forests and The Hon. K. P. Setches, MP Lands Minister for Community Services, and The Hon. P. C. Spyker, MP Minister for Prices Minister for Sport and Recreation The Hon. N. B. Trezise, MP Minister for Property and Services, and The Hon. R. W. Walsh, MP Minister for Water Resources Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabinet M. J. Sandon, Esquire, MP [As FROM 2 APRIL 1990] Premier, and Minister for Ethnic Affairs The Hon. John Cain, MP Deputy Premier, and Minister for The Hon. J. E. Kirner, AM, MP Education Minister for Industry and Economic The Hon. D. R. White, MLC Planning, and Minister for Major Projects Minister for Health The Hon. C. J. Hogg, MLC Minister for Conservation and Environ- The Hon. S. M. Crabb, MP ment, and Minister for Tourism Attorney-General The Hon. J. H. Kennan, QC, MP Minister for Local Government The Hon. M. A. Lyster, MLC Minister for Planning and Urban The Hon. Andrew McCutcheon, MP Growth, and Minister for the Arts Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister The Hon. B. W. Mier, MLC for Prices, and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Minister for Labour The Hon. N. A. Pope, MP Minister for Housing and Construction The Hon. B. T. Pullen, MLC Treasurer The Hon. T. W. Roper, MP Minister for Agriculture and Rural The Hon. B. J. Rowe, MP Affairs Minister for Police and Emergency Ser- The Hon. M. J. Sandon, MP vices, and Minister for Corrections Minister for Community Services The Hon. K. P. Setches, MP Minister for Transport The Hon. P. C. Spyker, MP Minister for Sport and Recreation The Hon. N. B. Trezise, MP Minister for Property and Services The Hon. R. W. Walsh, MP Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabinet The Hon. R. A. Jolly, MP President: THE HON. A. J. HUNT Chairman of Committees: THE HON. K. I. M. WRIGHT Temporary Chairmen of Committees: The Honourables Joan Coxsedge, D. M. Evans, J. V. C. Guest, D. E. Henshaw, MBE, W. A. Landeryou, Robert Lawson, R. J. Long, and G. A. Sgro. Leader of the Government: THE HON. E. H. WALKER (until 2 April 1990) THE HON. D. R. WHITE (from 2 April 1990) Deputy Leader of the Government: THE HON. D. R. WHITE (until 2 April 1990) THE HON. C. J. HOGG (from 2 April 1990) Leader of the Opposition: THE HON. M. A. BIRRELL Deputy Leader of the Opposition: THE HON. HADDON STOREY, QC Leader of the National Party: THE HON. W. R. BAXTER Deputy Leader of the National Party: THE HON. R. M. HALLAM Heads of Parliamentary Departments Assembly-Clerk of the Parliaments and Clerk of the Legislative Assembly: Mr R. K. Boyes Council-Clerk ofthe Legislative Council: Mr A. V. Bray Hansard-ChiefReponer: Mr L. C. lohns Library"":'-'Librarian: Mr B. 1. Davidson House-Acting Secretary: Mr W. F. McKelvie Members of the Legislative Council FIFTY-FIRST PARLIAMENT-FIRST SESSION Member Province Party Member Province Party Ashman, Hon. Gerald Barry Boronia LP Landeryou, Hon. William Doutta Galla ALP Baxter, Hon. William Robert North Eastern NP Albert Best, Hon. Ronald Alexander North Western NP Lawson, Hon. Robert Higinbotham LP Birrell, Hon. Mark Alexander East Yarra LP Long, Hon. Richard John Gippsland LP Chamberlain, Hon. Bruce Western . LP Lyster, Hon. Maureen Anne Chelsea ALP Anthony McLean, Hon. Jean Boronia ALP Connard, Hon. Geoffrey Higinbotham LP Macey, Hon. Reg Monash LP Phillip Mackenzie, Hon. Roderick Geelong Ind. Cox, Hon. George Henry Nunawading LP Alexander Cox sedge, Hon. Joan Melbourne West ALP Mier, Hon. Brian William Waverley ALP Craige, Hon. Geoffrey Central LP Miles, Hon. John Gould Templestowe LP Ronald Highlands Pullen, Hon. Barry Thomas Melbourne ALP Crawford, Hon. George Jika Jika ALP Sgro, Hon. Giovanni Melbourne North ALP Robert Antonio Davidson, Hon. Burwyn Eric Chelsea ALP Skeggs, Hon. Bruce Albert Templestowe LP de Fegely, Hon. Richard Ballarat LP Edward Strachan Smith, Hon. Kenneth South Eastern LP Evans, Hon. David Mylor North Eastern NP Maurice Guest, Hon. James Vincent Monash LP Storey, Hon. Haddon, QC East Yarra LP Chester Tehan, Hon. Marie Therese Central LP Hall, Hon. Peter Ronald Gippsland NP Highlands Hallam, Hon. Roger Murray Western NP Theophanous, Hon. Theo JikaJika ALP Henshaw, Hon. David Geelong ALP Charles Ernest, MBE Van Buren, Hon. Charles Eumemmerring ALP Hogg, Hon. Caroline Jennifer Melbourne North ALP Fredrick Hunt, Hon. Alan John South Eastern LP Varty, Hon. Rosemary Nunawading LP Ives, Hon. Robert Stuart Eumemmerring ALP Walker, Hon. Evan Herbert Melbourne ALP Kennedy, Hon. Cyril James Waverley ALP White, Hon. David Ronald DouttaGalla ALP Knowles, Hon. Robert lan BaHarat LP Wright, Hon. Kenneth Irving North Western NP Kokocinski, Hon. Licia Melbourne West ALP Mackenzie Death ofHon. Sir Henry Edward Bolte, GCMG 6 March 1990 COUNCIL Tuesday, 6 March 1990 The PRESIDENT (the Hon. A. J. Hunt) took the chair at 3.3 p.m. and read the prayer. DEATH OF THE HONOURABLE SIR HENRY EDWARD BOLTE, GCMG The Hon. E. H. WALKER (Minister for the Arts)-I move: That this House expresses its sincere sorrow at the death, on 4 January 1990, of the Honourable Sir Henry Edward Bolte, GCMG, and places on record its acknowledgment of the valuable services rendered by him to the Parliament and the people of Victoria as member of the Legislative Assembly for the electoral district of Hampden from 1947 to 1972, and as Premier and Treasurer from 1955 to 1972, Minister of Water Supply and Minister of Mines from 1948 to 1950, Minister of Conservation from 1949 to 1950 and from 1955 to 1961, Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey and Minister of Soldier Settlement in 1955, Minister of Mines and Minister of Water Supply in 1964, and Minister of State Development in 1964. Shortly after Sir Henry's death, the Premier was accurate when he said that Sir Henry Bolte had placed an indelible stamp on Victorian politics-no-one would disagree with that. The enduring nature of Sir Henry's contribution was evident at his death in January by the sad sense of loss experienced by so many Victorians. Despite his having been retired from public life for approximately eighteen years, there was a real sense that Victorians knew and respected Sir Henry. Such a response is understandable as all Victorians-supporters and opponents alike, and he would not have had it otherwise-recognise the commitment that Sir Henry had to the development of Victoria. He took over as Premier in a period of great political instability. I have no doubt that other honourable members-particularly those opposite-will detail their memories of that turbulent era in the mid-1950s. Despite the benefits to some from the wool boom early in that decade, most Victorians were still experiencing rather tough times. Sir Henry turned those problems into opportunities. Through his own leadership and political nous he ushered in a period of significant political stability. Sir Henry recognised the need to develop Victoria, and as Premier and Treasurer he proceeded in a single-minded way to do just that. He was tireless in his efforts to promote Melbourne and Victoria to the rest of Australia; indeed, he was one of the first Premiers to begin strongly selling Victoria to the rest of the world. His period as Premier was marked by significant development in Victoria's resources. His enthusiasm for development had its genesis in his success in developing his own property at Meredith, which I had the pleasure of visiting when I was Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Sir Henry was a good farmer. I was fascinated when he gave me a lecture on the fact that one ought not bale hay, and that it was a wasted effort. That was new to me since I do not have a significant farming background. We went into the details of his theory and, in the end, he convinced me that farmers tended to bale hay to give themselves something to do. Many commentators have made much of Sir Henry's contribution to the economic development of Victoria; but other contributions should be acknowledged. As the Minister for the Arts and Minister responsible for Post-Secondary Education I particularly say that because, during his time as Premier, Sir Henry saw the establishment of two new universities-Monash and La Trobe; not a bad record for a Session 1990-1 2 COUNCIL 6 March 1990 Death ofHon.