Legislative Council Tuesday, 10 June 2003 THE PRESIDENT (Hon John Cowdell) took the Chair at 3.00 pm, and read prayers. BILLS Assent Messages from the Governor received and read notifying assent to the following Bills - 1. Juries Amendment Bill 2003. 2. Appropriation (Consolidated Fund) Bill (No. 3) 2002. 3. Appropriation (Consolidated Fund) Bill (No. 4) 2002. 4. Acts Amendment (Equality of Status) Bill 2002. 5. Public Interest Disclosure Bill 2002. 6. Censorship Amendment Bill 2002. 7. Public Transport Authority Bill 2003. US NAVY SEA-SWAP OPERATIONS Petition Hon Dee Margetts presented the following petition bearing the signatures of 1 176 persons - To the President and Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia assembled. We, the undersigned residents of Western Australia object to arrangements that are being made with the U.S. Navy whereby crews of U.S. warships will be changed over in Western Australia. ‘Sea Swap’ will enable the U.S. Navy to save much time, fuel and cost, giving it greater accessibility to Afghanistan and Iraq, and possibly lead to the establishment of a permanent U.S. Navy maintenance base in Cockburn Sound and use of the Lancelin Defence Training Area for U.S. aerial and naval target practice. There are few advantages to our community. Through its Nuclear Posture Review, the U.S. has reiterated its reliance on nuclear weapons. It has stated it is prepared to use them against seven listed countries, among which is Iraq. By resorting to military force in its war on terrorism, the U.S. has vastly added to the resentment harboured against it in some quarters. We are concerned that Sea Swap will associate us more closely with the U.S. and its methods, and expose us further to threats of retaliation. We advocate diplomacy and development as peaceful means of responding to the global security crisis, and oppose providing support, via Sea Swap or by other means, for the militaristic strategies of the U.S. Your petitioners respectfully ask that the Legislative Assembly - The PRESIDENT: I trust that the petition will be checked to see whether it is in order; and, if it is, it will be accepted. Hon DEE MARGETTS: I have realised that some of the petitions I have are addressed to the Legislative Council and some are addressed to the Legislative Assembly. I am not sure how I progress. The PRESIDENT: The petition is probably correctly in order, but the numbers may be different. The numbers will be checked. Hon DEE MARGETTS: It continues - 1. consult with the electorate on this issue 2. urgently debate all aspects of the Sea Swap program And your petitioners as in duty bound, will forever pray. [See paper No 1112.] MOORE RIVER ESTUARY DEVELOPMENT Petition Hon Dee Margetts presented the following petition bearing the signatures of 83 persons - 8348 [COUNCIL - Tuesday, 10 June 2003] To the President and Members of the Legislative Council of the Parliament of Western Australia in the Parliament assembled: We, the undersigned residents of Western Australia respectfully oppose urban development of pristine coastal and Moore River estuary land without regard for potential consequences on the environment. We are concerned that: (1) Gingin Town Planning Scheme No. 8, Amendment 22 rezoned 557hA of pristine coastal and Moore River estuary land for urban development with a projected population of 13,500 persons; and (2) the impact of so large a population on such an ecologically sensitive area must result in serious degradation of the terrestrial and riverine environment; and (3) the W.A. Planning Commission has given approval to the Outline Development Plan for this development without any formal environmental review at any stage of the approval process. Your petitioners respectfully request therefore that the Legislative Council will investigate whether a proposed urban sub-division is likely to impact negatively on the environment. And your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray. [See paper No 1113.] STANDING COMMITTEE ON UNIFORM LEGISLATION AND GENERAL PURPOSES Acts Amendment and Repeal (Competition Policy) Bill 2002 -Tenth Report Hon Adele Farina presented the tenth report of the Standing Committee on Uniform Legislation and General Purposes in relation to the Acts Amendment and Repeal (Competition Policy) Bill 2002, and on her motion it was resolved - That the report do lie upon the Table and be printed. [See paper No 1114.] STANDING COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION Statutes (Repeals and Minor Amendments) Bill 2001 - Twentieth Report Hon Giz Watson presented the twentieth report of the Standing Committee on Legislation in relation to the Statutes (Repeals and Minor Amendments) Bill 2001, and on her motion it was resolved - That the report do lie upon the Table and be printed. [See paper No 1115.] QUESTION WITHOUT NOTICE 894, WATER CORPORATION DIVIDEND PAYMENTS Statement by Minister for Government Enterprises HON NICK GRIFFITHS (East Metropolitan - Minister for Government Enterprises) [3.12 pm]: On 8 May 2003, I responded to question without notice 894 from Hon Norman Moore, MLC, regarding Water Corporation dividend payments. In answering the question, I gave the House information provided to me by the Water Corporation on 7 May 2003. That information was that the dividend obtained by government in 1998-99 from the corporation was 100 per cent, and that, in addition, there was a special dividend that was in excess of $29 million. During the week commencing 12 May 2003, I became aware that the information provided by the Water Corporation earlier in May 2003 may have been incorrect. I sought an explanation from the managing director, which he provided at a meeting on 29 May 2003. I then requested a written explanation to enable me to clarify the answer at the first opportunity for the benefit of the House. I table correspondence from the Managing Director of the Water Corporation dated 4 June 2003. In this letter, Dr Gill confirms that the original information was incorrect, and, further, that the special dividend paid in 1998-99 was included within the 100 per cent dividend payment figure. [See paper No 1116.] Consideration of the statement made an order of the day for the next sitting, on motion by Hon B.K. Donaldson. ESTIMATES OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE Consideration of Tabled Papers Resumed from 16 May on the following motion moved by Hon Nick Griffiths (Minister for Racing and Gaming) - That pursuant to Standing Order No 49(1)(c) the Legislative Council take note of tabled paper No 1027 (2003- 04 Budget Statements), laid upon the Table of the House on 8 May 2003. HON ROBYN McSWEENEY (South West) [3.17 pm]: It is glaringly obvious that this budget is designed to prop up Labor members in certain electorates. A particular example of this is the electorate of Albany. When I read the [COUNCIL - Tuesday, 10 June 2003] 8349 member for Albany’s speech on the budget, I realised why so much money is being spent in the Albany area. However, I certainly commend the Government for its initiatives - Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Are you saying we should not spend any money there? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY: The parliamentary secretary came in too quickly, as I said I commend the Government for its initiatives in Albany. Hon Kim Chance: Thank you. However - Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY: Yes - however, I now come to the real reasons for these initiatives. Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Settle down, members! Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY: At least members opposite are awake and listening. Hon Bill Stretch: The roosters are crowing - I thought they were all in Canberra. Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY: So did I. The PRESIDENT: I think members are referring to the wrong Parliament. Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY: The Albany Regional Hospital has received ongoing funding - this continues from moneys provided when the Liberal Party was in government - to finish its paediatric ward. The past two years have been turbulent times at this hospital with no on-call surgeons being available, and no surgeons at all on many occasions at weekends. The Royal Flying Doctor Service has collected patients from Albany Regional Hospital almost every day, which is totally unacceptable when Albany has such an excellent facility. Many elderly patients with broken bones had to be flown out because no orthopaedic surgeon was available in the area. I am very pleased that this situation has been rectified. However, it took 12 months to provide a surgeon - a South African surgeon will be living and working in Albany. Mental health is a real problem in rural and regional Western Australia, which never have enough qualified staff. That situation needs to be continually looked at. The Denmark community has been allocated $480 000 for a new health facility. I note that the member for Albany was nowhere in sight when I addressed a rally that the entire community attended. Normally, I would not choose to say that, but the rally was a protest about the Government’s lack of commitment to a new hospital. The Liberal Government promised a new $7 million hospital prior to the last election. The allocation of $480 000 is far short of $7 million. However, I recognise that it is a good start in the planning stages. I read the budget speech of the member for Albany in which he ran down a member for not being present at meetings on this issue. I believe he is the one who has been caught out. The good thing about country people is that they do not forget the people who helped them and those who did not. The new police-justice complex will be a magnificent building. I hope the manpower needed to police the district of Albany will be just as well resourced as the building, given that the total cost will be $11 million.