7338 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thursday, 26 November 1992 THE SPEAKER (Mr Michael Barnett) took the Chair at 10.00 am, and read prayers. PETITION - BICYCLE HELMETS LEGISLATION OPPOSITION MR KIERATH (Riverton) [10.01 am]: I present the following petition - To: The Honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia in Parliament assembled. We, the undersigned, protest strongly against the recent introduction of compulsory helmets for adult bicycle riders. This law is an unjustified restriction of our freedom, has no clear statistical justification, and is a cheap substitute for real improvement in traffic conditions, for cyclists and motorists alike. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you will give this matter earnest consideration and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. The petition bears 12 234 signatures and I certify that it conforms to the Standing Orders of the Legislative Assembly. The SPEAKER: I direct that the petition be brought to the Table of the House. [See petition No 140.] STAMP AMENDMENT BILL Introduction and First Reading Bill introduced, on motion by Dr Lawrence (Treasurer), and read a first time. Second Reading DR LAWRENCE (Glendalough - Treasurer) [10.03 am]: I move - That the Bill be now read a second time. The purpose of the Bill is to exempt from stamp duty the standard form proprietor/resident nursing home agreements which are being introduced by the Federal Government to promote and protect the rights of nursing home residents. The Western Australian Government supports this initiative. The standard form agreement will apply in more than 90 approved non-Government nursing homes - those covered by the National Health Act 1953 - in Western Australia. These nursing homes provide accommodation and care for around 5 000 patients. In their current form, these agreements are liable for stamp duty only if they are signed under seal by the nursing home proprietors, a requirement in some cases where the proprietor is a corporate entity. Even then the stamp duty payable is only a nominal $5. However, the Federal Government has advised that an objection in principle to the payment of any stamp duty on these agreements may delay their introduction in this State. The cost of this exemption in 1992-93 will depend on how many agreements are entered into under seal, but should not exceed $25 000. In addition, to ensure the fairness of the exemption, the Bill provides flexibility for any similar agreements involving residents and proprietors of nursing homes other than nursing homes covered by the National Health Act - for example, State Government nursing homes - to also be declared exempt from stamp duty by way of notice published in the Goverment Gazette. I commend the Bill to the House. Debate adjourned, on motion by Mr Nicholls. MOTION - FRANCOIS PERON NATIONAL PARK, CREATION SUPPORT MR McGINTY (Fremantle - Minister for the Environment) [10.10 am]: I move - That this House supports the creation of the Francois Peron National Park on the boundaries defined in the plan tabled in the House today. [Thursday, 26 November 1992] 733933 The 1975 EPA System 9 Red Book recommended that attempts be made to purchase the then existing pastoral leases on the Peron Peninsula in Shark Bay, with the aim of creating an A class national park. The 1988 Shark Bay region plan specifically recommended that the "northern pant of Peron Peninsula should be made a national park". In October 1990 the Peron pastoral lease was acquired and the Government reiterated its intention to declare the northern part of the peninsula a national park. The area was subsequently dc-stocked and the Department of Conservation and Land Management has since been managing the area as if it were already a national park. The plan tabled in the House outlines the boundaries of the proposed park. Attention is drawn to the following aspects: Firstly, the area of the park is approximately 53 500 hectares. Secondly, the park will go to high water mark, abutting the surrounding Shark Bay Marine Park, which is declared to high water mark. Thirdly, the southern boundary will generally follow the Denham-Monkey Mia Road. However, in the south west corner it will abut Reserve 30899 and deviate around the Denham airstrip, and in the south east corner it will abut Reserve 1686, at Monkey Mia - Point of Order Mr CiJ. BARNET:. I wonder if the Minister can explain what he is doing? The Opposition is a little confused about what is happening. The SPEAKER: 1, not the Minister, will inform the House. On the Notice Paper appears notice of motion No 2, notice of which was given at the commencement of yesterday's sitting. The motion is described as follows - The Minister for the Environment: To move - That this House support the creation of the Francois Peron National Park on the boundaries defined in the plan tabled in the House today. The Clerk tabled papers which defined the boundaries and the Minister is moving that this House support the creation of the park defined in those boundaries. It is open for the House to put that motion and for members to adjourn it or carry on. Debate Resumed Mr McCINTY: Fourthly, mining leases 0917 and 09/8 have been excluded. These leases are held by Agnew Clough/AMP. The companies have not been prepared to surrender the leases, so it is intended to leave both areas out of the park while the leases are in existence. When the leases expire in June 2005, or should the companies surrender the leases before then, the areas covered by the leases may then be added to the park. The Francois Peron National Park will be named after the French naturalist who visited Shark Bay with the Geographe expedition in 1801 and 1803. In his journals Peron describes the wildlife he collected, the Aborigines he encountered, and their dwellings at Cape Peron. Developed in the late 1880's the Peron pastoral lease was managed as a sheep station until bought by the State Government in 1990. In the late 1800s a pearling camp was established at Herald Bight, where old pearl shells still litter the beach. The park will protect rare wildlife, spectacular coastal scenery and arid shrub lands, and offer visitors a wilderness experience. Its landforms incorporate undulating sandy plains interspersed by gypsum claypans known as birridas. Most birridas were landlocked saline lakes formed when sea levels were much higher than at present, and gypsum was deposited on the lake floors. Where the sea has access to the claypans, such as at Big and Little Lagoons, shallow inland bays are created. Two distinct arid-vegetation types are found in the proposed park. Wattles dominate the red sandy plains and are typical of the region. H-akeas and grevilicas, flowering plants of the south west, reach their most northern range at Peron Peninsula. One of the most striking and abundant flowers is the Shark Bay daisy, a creeper that grows over shrubs and covers them in purple daisies. Navigator William Dampier visited the area in 1699 and was impressed by the area's blue flowering plant species such as Dampiera, the wild tomato bushes and halganias. Along with white myrtle, yellow wattles and purple peas, they form a colourful display in spring. A variety of seabirds and land birds are found on Peron Peninsula, including fairywrens, scrubwrens, finches and wedgebills. The thick-billed grasswren was once widespread on the 7340 (ASSEMBLY] mainland, but is now restricted to a small area that includes the proposed Francois Peron National Park. Distinctive dragons, known as thorny devils. are abundant and feed on the ants that are common in the proposed park. Several snake species, such as the gwardar and mulga, are found ini the area. From the cliffs at Cape Peron visitors may see bottlenose dolphins, dugongs, green and loggerhead turtles, and large manta rays. The area is a popular camping destination and a boating, fishing, scuba-diving. snorkelling and swimming location. Camping areas are located at Big Lagoon, Gregories. Bottle Bay, South Gregories and Herald Bight. Small boats can be launched from the beach at Big Lagoon, Gregories, Bottle Bay and Herald Bight. Creation of the national park will enable better management and development of visitor opportunities on the Peron Peninsula. Creation of the Francois Peron National Park was foreshadowed in the Government's "Resolution of Conflict - A Clear Policy for National Parks' document released in November 1990. Extensive consultation with the Shire of Shark Bay, the Environmental Protection Authority and the Departments of Land Administration, Marine and Harbours, Minerals and Energy and Conservation and Land Management has occurred. All outstanding issues have been resolved and the proposed national park is accepted by these parties. I commend the motion to create the Francois Peron National Park to the members of the House. Debate adjourned, on motion by Mr Nicholls. COMMISSION ON GOVERNMENT BILL Second Reading Debate resumed from 25 November. MR CJ. BARNETT (Cottesloc - Deputy Leader of the Opposition) [ 10. 17 am]: I seek clarification concerning this debate: As you, Mr Speaker, and members will be aware, the second part of the Royal Commission report was tabled nearly two weeks ago. At the time, Parliament was not sitting. The Government stated that a debate would take place on the second part of the report of the Royal Commission. The Opposition coalition wished to have that debate on Tuesday. The Government declined at the time and said that the House would debate it on Wednesday in the context of this Bill. As it happened, the Bill was not ready for the Parliament on Wednesday and was presented in the form of a second reading speech only at five o'clock last night.