Legislative Assembly 993 14 May 1996 TUESDAY, 14 MAY 1996 STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS In accordance with the schedule circulated by the Clerk to members in the Chamber, the following documents were Mr SPEAKER (Hon. N. J. Turner, Nicklin) tabled— read prayers and took the chair at 9.30 a.m. Acts Interpretation Act 1954— Criminal Code Regulation 1996, No. 84 ASSENT TO BILLS Coal Industry (Control) Act 1948— Assent to the following Bills reported by Coal Industry (Control) Amendment Mr Speaker— Regulation (No. 2) 1996, No. 92 Constitution (Parliamentary Secretaries) Coal Mining Act 1925— Amendment Bill; Coal Mining (Moranbah North) Exemption Courts (Video Link) Amendment Bill; Order 1996, No. 91 Choice of Law (Limitation Periods) Bill; Crimes (Confiscation) Act 1989— Local Government Amendment Bill; Crimes (Confiscation) Regulation 1996, Land Amendment Bill; No. 89 Land Title Amendment Bill; Criminal Code [1995]— Education (Work Experience) Bill. Criminal Code Regulation 1996, No. 84 Electricity Act 1994— Electricity Amendment Regulation (No. 1) PETITIONS 1996, No. 86 The Clerk announced the receipt of the Hospitals Foundations Act 1982— following petitions— Hospitals Foundation (Townsville General Hospital Foundation) Rule 1996, No. 90 Homosexuals, Legislation Lotteries Act 1994— From Mr Carroll (1,109 signatories) Lotteries Rule 1996, No. 93 requesting the House to reject the Queensland Cement & Lime Company Limited Commonwealth Powers (Amendment) Bill or Agreement Act 1977— any similar Queensland legislation that might Queensland Cement & Lime Company either refer to the Federal Government the Limited Agreement Amendment Order State powers over property rights of "defacto (No. 1) 1996, No. 85 marriage" parties or homosexual pairs or State Development and Public Works create any additional rights for homosexuals. Organization 1971— State Development and Public Works Cats Organisation (State Development Area) Regulation 1996, No. 82 From Mr Horan (44 signatories) requesting the House to (a) direct councils to Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982— ban the use of traps by the general public for trapping domestic pet cats. Any such trapping Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements (Application of Parts 4 and 5) Amendment of injured, stray or wild cats only be Regulation (No. 1) 1996, No. 83 undertaken by the RSPCA or council personnel under strict conditions as they relate Traffic Act 1949— to the Animal Protection Act and (b) address Traffic and Transport Amendment the control of excess populations of cats, and Regulation (No. 1) 1996, No. 88 to encourage desexing of cats with subsidies Transport Infrastructure (Roads) Act 1991— and, if favoured, overnight curfews, registration Traffic and Transport Amendment and compulsory identification of cats. Regulation (No. 1) 1996, No. 88 Water Resources Act 1989— Bingil Bay Water Resources (Avondale Water Supply From Mr Rowell (196 signatories) Area and Water Board) Regulation 1996, No. 87. requesting the House that, in the event of the realignment of the boundaries in the Mission Beach area, Bingil Bay remains in the PAPERS TABLED DURING RECESS Johnstone Shire. The Clerk announced that the following Petitions received. papers were tabled during the recess— 14 May 1996 994 Legislative Assembly 3 May 1996 brings the Queensland Government into line Valuers Registration Board of with private sector companies like Westpac, Queensland—Annual Report 1995 AMP, the Commonwealth Bank and Lend Lease. 13 May 1996 Our decision shows the Queensland Lang Park Trust—Annual Report 1995. coalition Government's commitment to providing improved conditions for Queensland PAPER public servants. Paid maternity leave helps the The following paper was laid on the Queensland public service retain the table— investment in skills and training of its female employees. Six weeks' paid maternity leave is Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for the in line with the private sector and will, Arts (Mrs Sheldon)— therefore, not put too much pressure on the Report in relation to third party private sector, which is already under enough premiums—1 July 1996. pressure. This initiative will benefit a significant number of women within the public service, MINISTERIAL STATEMENT including nurses and teachers. Maternity Leave The coalition Government is again moving to clean up the mess left by the previous Hon. J. M. SHELDON (Caloundra— Labor Government, which had made yet Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for another unfunded and uncosted promise in The Arts) (9.35 a.m.), by leave: It is with great regard to paid maternity leave. On that note, I pleasure that I rise in this place to inform the wish to refer to some of the quite unbelievable Parliament of the Queensland Government's claims of the Opposition yesterday. The moves to bring State public servants toward Opposition spokesperson on women's affairs, parity in regard to paid maternity leave. As the Judy Spence, rushed out yesterday to hold a House may be aware, the State Government press conference to do what she does best: announced that from 1 July State public have a whinge. In particular, Ms Spence made servants will be eligible for six weeks' paid claims that our decision to introduce six weeks' maternity leave. This is a major breakthrough paid maternity leave instead of 12 would for Queensland public servants, and it is the severely affect those female public servants first time they have been able to receive paid who had become pregnant because of maternity leave. Labor's pre-Mundingburra promise. The previous Government had Let us get this right: Ms Spence is saying announced during the Mundingburra by- that some Queensland women ran out and election that it would provide paid maternity became pregnant on the basis of a Labor leave for the State's public servants. However, Party election promise. Whom does Ms upon obtaining Government in February the Spence think she is kidding? Anyone who coalition discovered that these promises had made such a serious life decision on the basis not been costed and that no money had been of a Labor Party election promise obviously put aside to pay for the cost of paid maternity has not been keeping up with events over the leave. When combined with the underlying last six years. Labor has broken more election 1995-96 deficit of $185m and the projected promises than Paul Keating has antique deficit of $240m in 1996-97, there was severe clocks. Is Ms Spence suggesting that in doubt over whether the Government could November this year, nine months after Labor's fund Labor's uncosted promise. Fortunately, February promise, we are going to have a the Queensland coalition Government has baby boom—a Labor election-promise inspired provided money out of contingency funds and baby boom? Talk about a case of hard labour! supplementary savings to fund this initiative. I think Ms Spence made a fool of herself The Government will also take the cost of this and the Labor Party with her unbelievable maternity leave allocation into consideration claims yesterday that Queensland faces a when negotiating enterprise bargaining in the Labor election-promise inspired baby boom. future. The initiative will cost between $15m The people of Queensland know better than and $17m a year. to trust Labor promises. There is no way Labor This is a major breakthrough for women could have afforded to provide 12 weeks of working within the Queensland public service paid maternity leave this year, unless it took and it is a move towards the positions of the the Peter Beattie approach to Health and just Commonwealth, New South Wales and stole money from capital works for recurrent Victorian Governments. In fact, this decision funding or went into debt. The Queensland Legislative Assembly 995 14 May 1996 coalition Government has taken the first steps borrowing at margins below other central in providing—— borrowing authorities. It has proved to be a Mr BEATTIE: Those remarks are productive six months for QTC, and I wish to untrue. I find them offensive and I ask that, in commend this report to the House. I table the the interests of the dignity of this House, they report. be withdrawn. Mrs SHELDON: I thought the Health MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Minister, Mr Horan, had adequately explained Standard of Preparation and and shown the House that the words are Timeliness of Departmental absolutely true. Statements Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of Hon. J. M. SHELDON (Caloundra— the Opposition finds the remarks offensive and Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for asks that they be withdrawn. I ask the The Arts) (9.43 a.m.), by leave: On 14 honourable member to withdraw. November 1995, the report Response to Mrs SHELDON: Mr Speaker, on your Public Accounts Committee Report No. 33 on direction I withdraw. the Standard of Preparation and Timeliness of The Queensland coalition Government Departmental Statements was tabled in the has taken the first steps to provide paid Legislative Assembly. As the Minister maternity leave for the State's public servants. responsible for actions relating to It will happen under this Government; it would recommendations in this report, I now table a certainly have never happened under Labor. response to the 32 recommendations of the report. Many of the recommendations are MINISTERIAL STATEMENT covered by existing responsibilities of the Queensland Treasury Corporation accountable officers under section 503 of the Hon. J. M. SHELDON (Caloundra— Public Finance Standards. No further Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for elaboration on departmental responsibilities The Arts) (9.40 a.m.), by leave: The through legislation is considered necessary. Queensland Treasury Corporation half-yearly My department is writing to all accountable report provides details to Parliament of the officers in the context of the above report corporation's activities over that period, reminding them of their obligations in these particularly with regard to its operating surplus, matters. Several recommendations require borrowings and overall financial performance. minor amendments to the Financial Queensland Treasury Corporation's operating Administration and Audit Act for surplus before payment in lieu of tax was implementation.