Queensland

Parliamentary Debates [Hansard]

Legislative Assembly

WEDNESDAY, 8 OCTOBER 1975

Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy

940 Companies Act, &c., Bill [8 OCTOBER 1975] Questions Upon Notice

WEDNESDAY, 8 OCTOBER 1975

Mr. SPEAKER (Hon. J. E. H. Houghton, Redcliffe) read prayers and took the chair at 11 a.m.

PAPERS The following papers were laid on the

table:-Regulations under­

Apprenticeship Act 1964-1974. Main Roads Act 1920-1972.

Statutes under~ Griffith University Act 1971-1973. University of Queensland Act 1965-

1973.

QUESTIONS UPON NOTICE 1. FREEWAY CONSTRUCTION

Mr. Bums, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Local Government and Main Roads-

Cl) What are (a) the commencement dates for freeways to be constructed, (b) the completion dates of those in the process of construction and (c) the future pro­posals for freeway construction and the estimated costs?

(2) Will he outline any other factors which would allay the fears of many resi­dents that their homes could be adversely affected by the many freeway proposals?

Answer:-(1 and 2) The questions (a), (b), (c)

cannot be answered with any certainty because of the severe reductions in urban arterial funds imposed by the honourable member's colleagues in Canberra. It appears with the present level of reduced funding ·the next section of the South-East Freeway to Marshall Road will be com­pleted early in 1977 and a bypass to Taringa Parade (Indooroopilly) will com­mence in the near future. I cannot state any commencement dates for other free­ways in the climate of uncertainty generated by Canberra. In .the meantime if a landholder has a genuine hardship case, the Main Roads Department will endeavour to acquire the property.

2. and 3. REFERENDUM ON AUSTRALIAN CONSTITUTION

Mr. Lane, pursuant to notice, asked the Premier-

( 1) With reference to reports that at a recent meeting of the Australian Con­stitutional Convention it was agreed, with­out dissent, that a referendum be held to amend the Australian Constitution to allow for an interchange of powers between the Commonwealth and State Governments,

Questions Upon Notice [8 OcTOBER 1975] Questions Upon Notice 941

was Queensland represented at the Con­vention and, if so, did the Queensland delegates agree with the proposal?

(2) When such a question is being pre­pared for submission to the people of Australia, can he guarantee that the States will play some part in the drafting of the text of the question, to ensure that the Whitlam Government is not afforded the opportunity of deceit as was the case in previous instances of questions for the referendums in 1974?

Answers:-( 1) The Government members of the

Queensland Parliamentary Delegation to the Australian Constitutional Convention did not attend the recent Convention meeting in Melbourne. I understand -two delegates from the Opposition were present but I have not been informed by them as to the extent of their participation in the meeting.

(2) Unfortunately, no. The machinery for the text of any referendum ques-tion is provided for by Commonwealth legis­lation.

Mr. Lane, pursuant to notice, asked the Premier-

With reference to reports that when a referendum is held next year on an inter­change of powers between the Common­wealth and State Governments, as agreed at a recent Constitutional Convention, the Commonwealth Government may also consider holding simultaneous referendums to (a) give residents of the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory a vote in referendums, (b) alter the basis of the majorities by which refer­endums can be passed, (c) allow the Commonwealth Government to give direct grants to local government bodies and (d) allow for the reference of powers by the States on defamation, illegitimacy, adop­tion and maintenance, is the Queensland Government in agreement with each and every one of the proposals?

Answer:-If and when the Commonwealth Gov­

ernment initiates referenda on the various constitutional items referred to by the honourable member, then my Government will certainly make its views known, and only at that time.

4. TEACHING PosTS FOR FoRMER PARLIAMENTARIANS

Mrs. Kippin, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Education and Cultural Activities-

( 1) Did he read the articles, one appear­ing in "The Sunday Mail" and the other in "Sunday Sun" on 5 October, con­cerning former State parliamentarians Mr. Bill Wood, Mr. Peter Wood and Mr. Peter Moore?

31

(2) As these articles appear to be con­flicting, will he detail the applications for teaching positions lodged by each and the positions offered by his department?

Answers:-( 1) I did read an article appearing in

"The Sunday Mail" on 5 October entitled "Defeated 'Pollies' Never Die". I am unable to locate a similar article in "Sunday Sun".

(2) I am not able to comment upon any alleged conflict between the articles, but the following is information relating to the former State parliamentarians referred to in the question.

Mr. Bill Wood accepted an appointment to Rockhampton North Opportunity School on 3 February 1975. He resigned for personal reasons on 7 March 1975.

Mr. Wright interjected.

Mr. SPEAKER: Order!

Mr. Aikens: Send him out!

Mr. SPEAKER: Order! If the honourable member for Rockhampton and the honour­able member for Townsville' South do not behave themselves, I shall have to deal with them under Standing Order 123A.

Mr. Wright interjected.

Mr. SPEAKER: Order! I now warn the honourable member for Rockhampton under Standing Order 123A.

Answers (contd.) :-By letter dated 14 September 1975, Mr.

Bill Wood applied for readmission to a school in the Cairns area, but no suitable vacancy has become available and I will not transfer a teacher in order to create a vacancy. Mr. Peter Wood -applied in December 1974 for readmission to a school in the Toowoomba area, but before there was a vacancy he took employment as an Administration Officer in the Educa­tion Department of the Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education. Mr. F. Peter Moore has applied for readmission as a secondary teacher at the State High School, Innisfail, but no suitable Vll;cancy has yet become -available. I reiterate what I have said before: I will not trans­fer another teacher -to create a vacancy for the convenience of defeated members of Parliament.

5. RUNAWAY HoTEL, HoLLYWELL

Mr. Dean, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Local Government and Main Roads-

In relation to the article headed "New hotel for the Gold Coast" which appeared in 'The Courier-Mail" of 1 October, and which referred to the "Runaway Hotel"

942 Questions Upon Notice [8 OCTOBER 1975] Questions Upon Notice

costing an estimated $2,200,000 to be situ­ated behind the Runaway Bay Shopping Centre, Hollywell-

( 1) Why has Lae Enterprises failed to honour the promise made by the then Chairman, Mr. Neil McCowan, at a public meeting of Hollywell residents on 1 NO\ ember 197 4, to the effect that no expenditure would be incurred on the construction of the hotel until the dust problem was under control?

(2) Will he exercise his ministerial authority to prevent any action by the company to commence construction of the hotel until the whole area, including the bund wall area, is fully developed and planted with suitable grasses to prevent the wind blowing the fine black dust into the residents' homes adjacent to the development, thereby creating a serious health hazard?

Answer:-

6.

(1 and 2) I am aware of the newspaper article referred to by .the honourable mem­ber but I am not aware of ,any promises made by any person or company with regard .to the alleged dust problems associated with the construction of 1he hotel. It would not be within my juris­diction to prevent the company referred to commencing construction of the hotel, which is subject to the provisions of the Liquor Act 1912-1973 and of the by-laws and town-planning scheme of the Gold Coast City Council.

CHEQUERS NITE CLUB

Mr. Lamont, pursuant ,to notice, asked the Minister for Police-

( 1) How many persons have been apprehended or arrested in Chequers Nite Club and subsequently convicted in relation to (a) drug offences and (b) under-age drinking?

(2) Was the only stolen property recovered from the club, pursuant to the execution of a warrant, a used black and white television set of a value of approxi­mately $60 and as a result of which a person not connected with the club was charged?

(3) Was the licence not transferred to Gramons Pty. Ltd. until 22 August?

( 4) Did the Licensing Commission carry out an investigation, prior to the transfer of the licence, into the character and background of the directors of the com­pany and the nominee and were all found to be of good repute?

(5) Was the commission supplied with a list of all employees of the company involved in the club at the time applica­tion was made to transfer the licence and was no adverse comment made in respec:t of these persons by the commission?

(6) Does he appreciate that his com­ments made recently in the House could be misconstrued as casting the present ownership or management of the club in a disadvantageous light and will he give an assurance that this was not his intention?

(7) Does he know of any reason why the member for Archerfield or any other member of the A.L.P. might be attempting to cast a slur on the ownership or manage­ment of this particular club?

Answer:-I ask the honourable member to repeat

the question tomorrow.

7. LIBRARY AT HERMIT PARK INFANTS' SCHOOL

Mr. Aikens, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Education and Cultural Activities-

Is it proposed to establish a library at the Hermit Park Infants' School and, if so, on what date and under what conditions?

Answer:-My depa11lment is engaged in a pro­

gramme of raising the standard of school libraries to ,a more desirable level. This is being carried out progressively on a State-wide basis, and Hermit Park Infants State School will benefit under .that pro­gramme in due course. I would point out ,that this school is well placed as regards accommodation for the immediate future.

8. CONTAGIOUS DISEASES AMONG TIMORESE REFUGEES

Mr. Aikens, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Health-

( 1) Has he been informed of cases of tuberculosis and syphilis being detected in refugees from Timor admitted by the Whitlam Government and, if so, were some of these cases in North Queensland?

(2) If people suffering from these dangerous and contagious diseases were freely admitted to Australia for political purposes, what guarantee can be given that people and animals suffering from rabies and foot-and-mouth disease will not also be freely admitted, with resultant awful tragedy to Australia and its people?

Answer:-( I and 2) Departmental officers have

been assured by 1the Commonwealth Heal1h Department that 19 refugees from Timor arrived in Queensland and these are still at the Wacol Immigration Centre. State Health Department officers will be checking these refugees for tuberculosis and venereal disease in the next ,two days. It is understood that cases of rtuberculosis have been found amongst refugees who

Questions Upon Notice (8 OCTOBER 1975] Questions Upon Notice 943

arrived in other States. The Common­wealth Health Department has further assured departmental officers that all refugees entering Australia and their baggage had a complete quarantine check on arrival at Darwin to exclude the pos­sibility that any of them were suffering from such conditions as rabies and foot and mouth disease.

9. DECLARATION OF NATURE OF DOCTOR'S DEGREE HELD

Mr. Aikens, pursuant to notice, asked the Premier-

( 1) With reference to a report of a bare-footed practising homosexual, a guest of honour of the Students' Union at James Cook University, publicly stating that, as a doctor, he would attempt to have Dr. Norman Scott-Young disbarred from prac­tising medicine, what form of doctorate does this arrogant homosexual hold?

(2) As doctors' degrees are churned out by our universities for all sorts of useless and queer reasons, at about the rate of eleven "brumby doctorates" to every one "medical doctorate", and as many of the "brumby doctors" attempt to create the impression that they are doctors of medi­cine, will legislation be introduced to compel everyone holding a doctorate in anything to clearly specify, at every public appearance and pronouncement, just what sort of doctorate they hold?

Answers:-(1) I understand tha<t ,the academic in

ques<tion is shown in the 1975 Calendar of the University of Sydney as having obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree at the University of Tasmania and a Master of Arts Degree at Cornell University in the United States of America. Accord­ingly, it would not appear on that infor­mation that he is entitled to the designation of "Doctor" accorded him by the North Queensland Press.

(2) Even if he were the holder of a doctorate and performed in the deplorable manner reported last month, I would not consider that ,the words and deeds of a few like him should debar other academics entitled to this honorific from receiving the acknowledgement to which 'they are justly and traditionally entitled by reason of their having gained doctorates in university disciplines other than that of medicine.

10. CYSTIC FIBROSIS MACHINE FOR CAIRNS BASE HosPITAL

Mr. Tenni, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Health-

As he is aware that there is no cystic fibrosis machine north of Brisbane and as there are approximately six children requiring the use of this machine in the

far north, will he consider installing a machine in the Cairns Base Hospital for the people of Cairns and district?

Answer:-l presume that the honourable member

is referring to a special electric pump which is used to provide aerosol therapy to sufferers from fibrocystic disease. Approval was given in 1971 for such equipment to be supplied on a means test basis to persons suffering from the disease. The approval was not given exclusively to Brisbane, and all hosp1tals boards were advised of the necessary procedure. It is understood that the Cystic Fibrosis Assoc­iation also makes these pumps available in certain instances. Should any of the chil­dren to whom the honourable member refers require these machines, contact should be made with the medical superin­tendent of 'the local base hospital.

11. PRACTICE CRICKET WICKETS, FRESHWATER STATE SCHOOL

Mr. Tenni, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Works and Housing-

( 1) Is he aware that the Parents and Citizens' Association of the Freshwater State School applied on 28 July for site approval for the construction of practice cricket wickets in the schoolgrounds and as yet have not received this advice?

(2) What is the delay and when will permission be granted?

Answer:-(1 and 2) Yes. The matter was referred

to my department's district architect at Townsville for check against site usage for future building development. The school principal was subsequently advised on 17 September 1975 that the proposed site was satisfactory.

12. TUCKSHOP FOR MOSSMAN STATE HIGH SCHOOL

Mr. Tenni, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Works and Housing-

( 1) When will permission be given to the Mossman High School Parents and Citizens' Association to establish a tuck­shop?

(2) When will the construction of the residence for the principal begin and on what block of land?

Answers:-

(!) Plans and estimates of cost are pre­sently under consideration for approval of the necessary expenditure in relation to the availability of funds.

(2) A site for this residence has not yet been secured although negotiations are presently proceeding.

944 Questions Upon Notice [8 OcTOBER 1975] Questions Upon Notice

13. SCHOOL RESIDENT MANAGERS OF FURNITURE AND FABRIC

Mr. Byrne, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Education and Cultural Activities-

( 1) With reference to the recent school fires in Brisbane and Townsville, how many schools have suffered damage by fire in each of the last five years, including this year to date?

(2) What is the estimated cost to the department in each of the years due to the losses, taking into account the replace­ment costs?

(3) What action does he propose to take to ensure the security of school buildings, especially in metropolitan and provincial areas where there is no resident teacher on the premises?

( 4) Will he review the concept of appointing to schools a resident manager of furniture and fabric, who could also be a community officer?

Answers:-(1) 1971, 5; 1972, 5; 1973, 10; 1974, 4;

and 1975 (to date), 14.

(2) The estimated cost to my depart­ment, in terms of equipment losses, in the years for which figures are readily available are-1973-74, $28,000; 1974-75, $11,000. The loss of equipment in recent fires is still being calculated. My department has no figures in relation to the value of buildings and furniture destroyed in fires. These are areas which are administered in the Department of Works.

(3 and 4) As I have said in this Chamber previously, my department is continually considering realistic and eco­nomic ways of protecting schools and their equipment, whil&t ensuring that the schools can still be regarded as centres for com­munity activity. We have received a num­ber of suggestions and approaches follow­ing the recent fires and in some cases have invited the submission of more detailed information. We are also following other lines of inquiry. At present, the honour­able member's suggestion of the appoint­ment of a resident manager at each State school does not figure prominently in our thinking, but I certainly am not discarding this or any other suggestion at this stage.

14. WILDLIFE RESERVES

Mr. Byrne, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Lands, Forestry, National Parks and Wildlife Service-

( 1) Is he aware of an article in the "Sunday Sun" of 14 September headed 'Gun toting kids slaughter wildlife'~ in which it is alleged that teenagers are shooting the fauna in the Pine Mountain Reserve within the Belmont electorate?

(2) Is the whole of the Brisbane area a wildlife sanctuary?

( 3) Will he take such action as is necessary to ensure that the wildlife in this area will be preserved from such indis­criminate killing and that there are more rigid controls made to ensure the pro­tection of the flora and fauna within the Brisbane area, especially those areas desig­nated as parklands and reserves?

Answers:­(1) Yes. (2) Yes. ( 3) There is provisiOn under the

National Parks and Wildlife Act, as well as •the Fauna Conservation Act, the Native Plants Protection Act and certain parts of the Forestry Act and the Land Act, to cover all such offences. The chief prob­lem is that of surveillance, especially at week-ends, when most of this damage occurs. We are endeavouring to meet this in three main ways: (i) Staffed national parks are manned at week-ends and since this has been done, the incidence of vandalism has dropped. However, a general staff shortage makes it difficult to contain the problem. (ii) An active pro­gramme to .recruit honorary rangers and protectors is operated, and if the honour­able member so desires he would be most welcome to apply for such a position in his area. (iii) Recently an extension sec­tion has been developed to interpret parks and wildlife principles to school-children and students. This long-term approach will ensure increasingly that Queenslanders will develop pride in and awareness of the uniqueness of our wildlife and fauna heritage.

15. BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL PROPERTY, HECTOR ROAD, HoLLAND PARK

Mr. Byrne, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Local Government and Main Roads-

( 1) For what purpose is the Brisbane City Council developing its property in Hector Road, Holland Park?

(2) Is he aware that a portion of this block is designated as a reserve?

(3) Will he ensure that such portion will not be used for any other purpose than as park reserve?

( 4) When will this portion be devel­oped for community park purposes, in view of the gross lack of such amenities presently in the area?

Answers:-(!) I am informed that the Brisbane

City Council is developing par-t of its property in Hector Road, Holland Park, for residential A purposes, which is con­sistent with the zoning of the land since

Questions Upon Notice [8 OCTOBER 1975] Questions Upon Notice 945

the first town plan for Brisbane came into force. However, it is understood that as part of the development an area of 7,980 square metres ( 1 t acres approx.) will be developed as a children's playground.

(2) I am informed that the council pur­chased one allotment, sub. 26 (area 3 acres approx.), for open space, but this area is not included in the current work, except for a slight encroachment which is more than made up for by the children's playground area.

(3) The open space area will be subject to restrictions on use in accordance with the town plan.

( 4) Park development would depend upon the priorities of the Brisbane City Council and, no doubt, fund availability. However, the honourable member's atten­tion is drawn to the answer to question (1).

16. LOCAL AUTHORI1Y GENERAL RATES

Mr. Jcnsen, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Local Government and Main Roads-

What is the present general rate in the dollar on unimproved values of urban land and for sewerage and water charges for the cities of Bundaberg, Maryborough, Gympie, Gladstone, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville, Cairns, Toowoomba, Redcliffe and Gold Coast, and will he list the cities in order of the lowest over-all rateable city?

Answer:-! table the information sought by the

honourable member. Whereupon the honourable gentleman laid

the information referred to on the table.

17. RAIL FREIGHT STAMPING

Mr. Lowes, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Transport-

With a view to facilitating and expediting the transmission of goods by rail, will he consider the implementation of a means of denoting freight charges upon parcels other than by the affixing of adhesive stamps, a practice which has largely been discarded by the Stamp Duties Office?

Answer:-The Railway Department is interested

in any suggestion for upgrading services and facilitating business transactions with its clients, but the determining factor is generally the cost of such innovation. If the honourable member has some alterna­tive system in mind, I shall be glad if he will provide details. I would- point out that whereas it is quite practicable to machine stamp a document, as is done by the Stamp Duties Office, this is not practicable in the case of a parcel, and

it is necessary to affix some form of stamp. Within the Railway Department, at major centres, franking machines are used for intrastate traffic, and many of our major customers also operate franking machines. Plans are in hand for the introduction of the use of cash registers for intersystem traffic. However, both the franking machine and the cash register produce a stamp which it is necessary to affix to the parcel.

18. COMMONWEALTH ATTITUDES TOWARDS SALE OF HOUSING COMMISSION

HOMES

Mr. Alison, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Works and Housing-

( 1) Is he aware that the Commonwealth Minister for Housing stated in the Press of 6 October that if he had his way State housing authorities would be selling no houses at all?

(2) Is the statement further confirma­tion that the A.L.P. believes that workers should not own their homes even if they want to, but rather pay rent for their entire lives and not enjoy the benefits and security of owning their own homes?

(3) Will he give an assurance that this Government will continue to encourage those who want to either buy or build their own homes?

Answers:­(!) Yes. (2) No matter how much the Queensland

section of the Australian Labor Party may hold up its hands and claim to support home ownership, its political sociali~t col­leagues in the Commonwealth Parliament have indicated their clear desire to bring about a vast rental community. The require­ments in the 1973-74 Housing Agreement in respect of sales of houses are beyond the understanding of a free-enterprise Gov­ernment. In the negotiations leading up to that agreement the former Common­wealth Minister for Housing, the Honour­able Les Johnson, said-

"Our first proposal, and this is the firm view of my Government, is that there be an embargo on the sale of homes built or bought with Common­wealth monies advanced during the next five years."

This is a clear statement of socialist doctrine. After lengthy discussions and only after great pressure from States to permit at least 50 per cent sales, the Common­wealth reluctantly agreed to a 30 per cent maximum. But again we see the socialist doctrine coming to the surface. To qualify for tenancy, an applicant must satisfy a means test imposed by the Commonwealth Government. Later, if he wishes to buy because his income has improved, he can­not do so if his income has progressed

946 Questions Upon Notice [8 OcTOBER 1975] Questions Upon Notice

beyond the means test current at that time. In another way, the agreement further discriminates against home ownership. Fol­lowing extreme pressure from States, the Commonwealth reluctantly agreed that 15 per cent of new homes may be allotted outside the means test for rental only. This does not apply to ownership cases.

(3) It has always been the Queensland Government's policy to encourage home ownership and this policy will continue.

19. CoMMONWEALTH HousiNG FuNDS

Mr. Alison, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Works and Housing-

( 1) Is he aware that the Commonwealth Minister for Housing referred in the Press of 6 October to the Queensland Govern­ment's alleged overcommitting of itself in its housing programme for 1974-75, making it necessary for the State Govern­ment to seek further funds?

(2) In an effort to counter distortions and gross misrepresentations, will he set out once again the facts showing why the State Government asked for additional housing funds for 1974-75?

Answe•s:­(1) Yes.

(2) The explanation is so clear that I cannot understand why the Commonwealth Government is endeavouring to imply that this State committed a sin when it attempted to produce the maximum number of houses possible in 1974-75. The Federal A.L.P. Government has never stopped stressing the need for more welfare housing and because of this "The Courier-Mail" of 5 December 1974 has quoted the Prime Minister as saying-

"For Welfare housing, the Queensland Premier (Mr. Bjelke-Petersen) was assured of a blank cheque by me at the Premiers' Conference in June. I told him that we would pay for every Housing Commission house for which the Queensland Government could let a contract."

During 1974-75 there was an outstanding change in the home-building industry. All honourable members are aware that, with the record high interest rates created by the Federal A.L.P. Government's policies, the private home-building industry declined to an all-time low. Because of this all-time low in the private sector, the building contractors found that labour and materials were in greater supply and they were able to complete contracts more quickly. Sup­ported by the Prime Minister's assurance, the Queensland Housing Commission c::lid everything in its power to keep the icbs flowing and tradesmen in employment, notwithstanding that this necessitated a marathon effort to keep up the supply of

land. The Commission should not be con­demned for its efforts but should receive the highest praise for its positive actions to keep men fully employed in the building industry, which was brought to its knees because of the actions of the Common­wealth Government. When it was seen early in 1975 that more money was neces­sary to meet the costs incurred, the Com­monwealth was asked on 20 March for additional finance on the basis of the Prime Minister's assurance. It took the Commonwealth until 11 June to provide a further $6,400,000. In the light of Whitlam's statement, I fail to see how the Commonwealth can claim that this money was an advance against this financial year. Queensland received $43,800,000 in 1974-75 and, notwithstanding the Com­monwealth's misleading book-keeping, the Commonwealth will only provide $31,000,000 for Queensland this financial year, which is a cut of $12,800,000, or approximately 29 per cent. This is like many of its other actions with the obvious purpose of concealing this reduction until the last possible moment.

20 and 21. UNITED FIREFIGHTERS UNION

Dr. Lockwood, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Industrial Development, Labour Relations and Consumer Affairs-

Cl) Has the United Firefighters Union been involved in very expensive court litigation over the last few years?

(2) Did the court determine that the union was a bona fide trade union under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act?

(3) How much would such litigation normally cost a bona fide trade union?

( 4) What source of funds available to the union was used to pay for the litigation?

(5) Has he any information which would indicate that some members declared to be financial by the union are deceased or have deliberately refrained from retaining financial membership?

Answers:­(1) Yes.

(2) No. There have been six applica­tions for registration to the Indus·trial Registrar, namely 1950, 1960, 1968, 1972, 1973 and 1974. All of these applications were rejected whilst six appeals to the Full Industrial Court against these decisions were also dismissed.

( 3) In addition to the costs involved in regard to (2) the U~ited Fir~~ght.ers Union has been involved m costly litigation on a number of occasions in the Appeal Court constituted under the Fire Brigades Act 1964-1973, the Full Court and the High Court of Australia. The total cost incurred is not known.

Questions Upon Notice [8 OCTOBER I975] Questions Upon Notice 947

( 4) I have no knowledge of the financial affairs of this unregistered body.

(5) No reliable information is available at the present time. However, in 1974 during the hearing by the Industrial Registrar of the application for regist.ration, the list of members submitted in support of this application was challenged by objectors who submiHed information which showed that the list was inaccurate in many respects.

Dr. Lockwood, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Justice and Attorney­General-

( I) Is he aware of television appear­ances by a representative of the United Firefighters Union on the programme "This Day Tonight"?

(2) Were the comments made by the representative consistent with statements made in the infamous withdrawal letter?

(3) Did the comments show a blatant disregard for human life?

( 4) Will his department ensure that the accurate transcript or the videotape is retained and preserved for future use?

Answers:-

(1) Yes. (2 to 4) This has been investigated by

the Government's legal advisers.

22. APPOINTMENT OF DR. GUERIN AS MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT, QUILPIE

Mr. Ahern for Mr. Glasson, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Health-

( 1) Is he aware of an article in the '·Sunday Sun" of 5 October headed "Hospital ban on Doctor"?

(2) As I believe that most of the state­ments made by Dr. Guerin during his interview with "Sunday Sun" are non­factual, will he, after studying the article, make a statement to the House as to what actually did take place regarding the con­ditions of appointment of Dr. Guerin as Medical Superintendent at Quilpie, so far as the hospitals board and the Health Department were concerned?

. (3) As this article could seriously Jeopardise the future availability of medical care for the residents of Quilpie and dis­trict, will he ensure that the facts regard­ing Dr. Guerin and the hospital at Quilpie are made public?

Answer:-

( I to 3) I agree with the honourable member that the article in 'the "Sunday Sun" is a distortion of the truth, and like him, believe that the true facts should be made public. The position of Medical Superintendent at Quilpie is a part-time one with right of private practice. The

occupant of the position is paid a salary for his work at the Quilpie Hospital and an additional salary for attendance at the Adavale Outpatients Clinic. A residence with basic furniture and a private surgery are made available. In a letter from the Quilpie HospHals Board to Dr. Guerin, prior to his taking up duty, the manager gave a description of the residence and advised him that the salary would be $10,760 per annum for his work at the Quilpie Hospital and approximately $3,000 per annum for attendance at the Adavale Outpatients Clinic. The conditions regard­ing the land were also explained in the letter. Dr. Guerin visited Quilpie on 27 and 28 January I975 prior to taking up duty and inspected the hospital and resid­ence. He claims that he was given cer­tain assurances by a member of the board and the then manager of the board. A departmental investigation has revealed tha.t the claims that such assurances were made are quite incorrect. The hospital at Quil­pie is adequately equipped to carry out all procedures which are within the capa­bilities of staff available. No assurance was given that the house was air-conditioned, and Dr. Guerin, during his visit, would have noticed this. Dr. Guerin has since admitted at the board meeting that the board did not promise him a car as he stated. Dr. Guerin further claims that the board should provide the clerical staff and surgical equipment for him to carry out his private practice. The depart­ment is of the opinion that doctors them­selves are responsible for such matters, and no such assurance regarding clerical staff or equipment for his private practice was ever given to Dr. Guerin. As the honourable member knows, I recently made a visit with two of my senior officers to Western Queensland. As a result I have asked my department to prepare a plan to improve medical facilities which I can assure the House are already of quite high standard. I also wish to advise the House that at the request of the hon­ourable member for Grego.ry, because of his real and vital concern for his elec­torate and any associated problems, I met Dr. Guerin recently and made him fully aware of the requirements of pa!'t-time superintendents, and also made arrange­ments with Dr. Livingstone, the Deputy Director-General of Health and Medical Services, to speak with Dr. Guerin. I am sure that the honourable member would agree that the board and the department have done all that is possible to make conditions as attractive as possible for this doctor.

23. ANZAC SQUARE PROJECT

Mr. Lindsay, pursuant to notice, asked the Premier-

( 1) What is the exact position with regard to the Anzac Square dispute?

948 Questions Upon Notice [8 OCTOBER 1975] Questions Upon Notice

(2) Does he share my deep conviction that this shrine should not be desecrated but for ever remain as a memorial to those thousands of Australians who made the supreme sacrifice?

Answer:-

(1 and 2) Anzac Square is a reserve for park purposes under the control of the Brisbane City Council as trustee. Any further application by the council for the redevelopment of Anzac Square along the lines formerly proposed will receive very close and detailed examination.

24. GENERAL PURPOSE GRANT TO SCHOOL

Mr. Lindsay, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Education and Cultural Activities-

Will the general purpose grant of $100 per school and $4 per student per annum, described in the Budget presentation as applying to primary schools from 1 January 1976, be also available to special schools such as the Mitchelton Opportunity School from the same date?

Answer:-

y es, the general purpose grant will apply to special schools.

25. SCHOOLS AND SERVICES CADET UNITS

Mr. Houston, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Education and Cultural Activities-

( 1) What is the total number of (a) State high schools in the State, (b) State schools which have a secondary department together with a primary school, (c) high schools other than State high schools and (d) schools which have a secondary depart­ment together with a primary school, other than State schools?

(2) How many schools in each cate­gory above had or have (a) Army Cadet units, (b) Naval Cadet units and (c) Air Training Corp units, and what was the numerical strength allocated to each school in each instance?

(3) How many schools had both boy and girl enrolment in each of the categories in (1) and (2)?

( 4) How many schools in each category in (1) had dual cadetships available to the students?

Answers:-

(!) (a) 118. (b) 65. (c) The total number of independent approved seco-nd­ary schools is 118. (d) This departtnent has no record of independent secon<Jary schools which also hav·e a primary section.

(2 to 4) No records are kept in this department concerning Army Cadet units, Naval Cadet units and Air Training Corps units. I suggest the honourable member refer this matter to his Federal colleagues as they were responsible for the cancella­tion of the cadet corps.

26. LITERATURE BOARD OF REVIEW

Mr. Houston, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Justice and Attorney­General-

( 1) Who are the members of the Literature Board of Review?

(2) What are the backgrounds of the members which would make them quali­fied to dictate what literature people should or should not read?

(3) How many meetings did the board hold in 1974-75?

( 4) What was the attendance of each member of the board at the meetings?

(5) What was the yearly cost of the operation of the board and under what section of the Financial Statement is the cost shown?

Answers:-( 1 and 2) Mr. John Patrick Kelly,

O.B.E., B.A., solicitor-Chairman; His Honour Judge Vivian Martin Mylne, a judge of District Courts-Deputy Chair­man; Mr. Peter J ones, foundation secretary of the board; Mr. John Alan Weightman, journalist, Assistant Editor "Telegraph" newspaper; and Mrs. Betty Rutherford Davies, B.A., bookshop proprietor.

(3 and 4) Since the Board was reconstit­uted on 1 January 1975 and until 30 June 1975, seven meetings of the board have been held and attendances have been:-Mr. Kelly, 7; Judge Mylne, 6; Mr. Jones, 6; Mr. Weightman, 6; and Mrs. Davies, 2. During this period, Mrs. Davies' attendance was reduced due to her absence overseas.

(5) In 1974-75, $3,835.97-Chief Office: Postage, Incidentals and Miscellaneous Expenditure.

27. FILMS BoARD OF REVIEW

~Mr. Houston, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General­

( 1) Who are the members of the Films Board of Review?

(2) What are the backgrounds members which would make qualified to dictate what films should or should not see?

of the them

people

Questions Upon Notice [8 OCTOBER 1975] Questions Upon Notice 949

(3) How many meetings did the board hold in 1974-75?

( 4) What was the attendance of each member of the board at the meetings?

(5) What was the yearly cost of the operation of the board and under what section of the Financial Statement is the cost shown?

Answers:-(! and 2) Mr. Desmond John Draydon,

LLB., barrister-Chairman; Ms. Patience Rosemary Thorns, O.B.E., journalist­Deputy Chairman; Ms. Pauline Jennifer Luard B!ocksidge, theatre director; Mr. Thomas James Heike, J.P., purchasing officer; and Mr. David John Goulter, publicity officer.

(3) 19.

(4) Mr. Draydon, 18; Ms. Thorns, 17; Ms. Blocksidge, 11; Mr. Heike, 16; and Mr. Goulter, 17.

(5) In 1974-75, $1,999.51-Chief Office: Postage, Incidentals and Miscellaneous Expenditure.

28. TAXI-CAB SERVICE AT BRISBANE AIRPORT

lVIr. Frawley, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Transport-

In view of the increase in taxi fares from 1 November, will he consider increasing the number of taxi licences in Brisbane to enable people to obtain a reasonable service at the Brisbane Airport in peak hours?

Answer:-Certain administrative procedures have

been developed by the Department of Transport in conjunction with the Taxi Council of Queensland and the airport management to effect improvement in the availability of cabs at the Brisbane Air­port in peak hours. These arrangements have been kept under close surveillance by airport traffic officers and Inspectors of the Department of Transport and it was observed that there was an improve­ment in the facilities associated with the hiring of taxis and the conditions for the taxi operators generally. I am informed there has been favourable public reaction to the arrangements. However if it becomes evident that the present pro­cedures do not continue to be effective in increasing the availability of taxis, con­sideration will be given to alternatives, one of which could be the issue of additional licences. If the honourable member is able to provide specific infor­mation of a recent instance of some prob­lem with the taxi service from the airport, the complaint could be investigated.

29. REDCLIFFE COURT CRIMINAL CASES

Mr. Frawley, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Justice and Attorney­General-

(1) Will he provide the House with a list of all cases other than civil heard by the Redcliffe Court during September 1975?

(2) Will he provide complete details of charges laid in each case and, if the list is comprehensive, will he table it?

Answer:-(1 and 2) The information requested by

the honourable member will be obtained and tabled in due course.

30. COMMONWEALTH PURCHASE OF LAND AT LAKE COOTHARABA

Mr. Doumany, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Justice and Attorney­General-

(1) Will he investigate and report on the recent history of title transfers involving some 1,000 acres of land at Lake Cootharaba which was purchased by the Commonwealth Government for $420,000, which sum vastly exceeded the price of $240,000 paid some two months earlier for the total acquisition of the property of which the Commonwealth Government's portion forms only about half?

(2) Does he have any knowledge whether the Commonwealth Government entered into this apparently irrational exercise in order to assist the liquidity of Cambridge Credit Corporation?

Answers:-(1) Five contiguous parcels of lands

adjacent to Lake Cootharaba containing a total area of 2,417 acres 3 roods (978.4 hectares) were by a transfer executed 18 May 1973 transferred from Elanda Plains Pty. Ltd. to Aberdare Hold­ings Pty. Limited for a consideration of $430,662. The same five parcels by a transfer executed 27 June 1975 were transferred to the Commonwealth of Aus­tralia for a consideration of $420,000.

(2) The reasons for the purchase of this land by the Australian Government would be known only to that Government.

31. OPERATION OF PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC LIGHTS ON ARTERIAL ROADS

Mr. Doumany, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Local Government and Main Roads-

Will he review and remedy where neces­sary the time cycles currently applicable to pedestrian traffic-light crossings located on major arterial roads, with a view to deter­mining the adequacy of time intervals

950 Questions Upon Notice [8 OcTOBER 1975] Questions Upon Notice

allowed for safe usage by pedestrians, in particular the aged, infirm and mothers with young children?

Answer:-The practice of the Main Roads Depart­

ment is to adopt the recognised standard of 4 ft. per second for pedestrian move­ment. In some particular cases a slightly longer period is allowed. However, even in these cases if a pedestrian just catches the "Walk" sign a pedestrian will not gain any advantage from a longer interval. The signal shows "Walk" for the time to cover half the road width and flashes "Don't Walk" for the other half of the interval while the traffic is held on stop. If the honourable member has a particular location in mind I will arrange for the signal intervals to be checked.

32. DISCOUNT-HOUSE TRADING IN ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES

Mr. Doumany, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Industrial Development, Labour Relations and Consumer Affairs-

Will he investigate the trading terms practised by major electrical appliance manufacturers to determine if they are equitable as between small retailers and large volume discount houses in terms of price and product availability?

Answer:-My information is that the matters to

which the honourable member refers could come under the provisions of the Commonwealth Trade Practices Act relat­ing to restrictive trade practices and retail price maintenance.

33. BEENLEIGH STATE HIGH SCHOOL

Mr. Gibbs, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Education and Cultural Activities-

( 1) As the Beenleigh High School will exceed the projected enrolment of 91 0 by over 100 pupils, will he take urgent action to overcome the pupil and staff accommodation problem to avoid over­crowding in 1976?

(2) What is the department's long-term programme to provide another high school in the Beenleigh area to relieve the over­loading of the school and grounds?

(3) What would be the ideal maximum number of students for the school?

( 4) What plans are in hand to provide a science block for the school?

(5) When will the agricultural facilities, which were planned and ready for con­struction but were cancelled because the 1974 flood affected the site, be undertaken?

( 6) Will there be an expansion of the home science area to allow for all stud­ents, both male and female, to participate in the 1976 school year?

Answers:-(!) Action has already been taken to

provide six additional classrooms for the commencement of 1976 school year.

(2) A State high school for Springwood is projected for the school year 1977. Plans are also in train to erect a hrgh school at Kingston as soon as funds are available.

(3) The Department of Education has no ideal maximum number of students for a high school. New schools are being designed to cater for a student population of 1,200.

(4) The provision of a science laboratory for the Beenleigh High School is pro­grammed in the 1975-76 school works programme.

(5) There are no plans at present to erect any buildings for the agricultural section of the school. Other rooms at the school are being used at present for this purpose.

(6) There are plans for provision of a composite home economics room as extra accommodation for this section.

34. HARRISIA CACTUS

Mr. Casey, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Lands, Forestry, National Parks and Wildlife Service-

(1) What has been the cost to date of the harrisia cactus eradication pro­gramme and what has been the success achieved?

(2) Is this noxious, imported plant still spreading to new areas of Queensland?

Answer:-(1 and 2) The cost of era~icating har­

risia cactus to date, and th1s covers a period of approximately 25 years, is $4,144,755. The main threat and the heavy infestations have now been destroyed. We have reached the stage where harrisia has been reduced to a prob­lem of ordinary proportions. We have reached the stage where now it would be normally reasonable to expect landholders to handle this as they would any other weed or animal pest. Unfortunately, the best use of the lands in question is beef production and the economic circumstances of the beef industry today are such that it is not reasonable to expect landholders to complete the task. It is now necessary to continue operations und~r our . long­standing eradication campa1gn unlll we can reasonably require the individual l~nd­holder to complete the task. I ~entron, as a matter of interest, that expenmental work in the biological control of harrisia is demonstrating promising progress. I think it can be said that the fear that harrisia would take over much of our better quality lands can now be forgotten.

Questions Upon Notice [8 OCTOBER 1975] Questions Upon Notice 951

There is some small degree of spread, but this spread is taking place in difficult ter­rain and can be controlled.

35. DEATH DUTY LEGISLATION

Mr. Casey, pursuant to notice, asked the Deputy Premier and Treasurer-

Regarding the removal of succession duty on the transfer of an estate to a surviving spouse, when will amending legislation be introduced and will it be made retrospective to Budget day?

Answer:-Legislation providing for the lifting of

duty on succession from spouse to spouse will be introduced as quickly as possible effective for deaths on and after date of the Budget announcement, 25 September 1975.

36. SCHOOL FIRES

Mr. Katter, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Works and Housing-

( 1) In view of the constantly recurring incidence of costly school fires, are the damages sustained in the fires met out of Consolidated Revenue or out of the funds of an insurance company?

(2) If they are met out of Consolidated Revenue, will he investigate the possibility of utilising fire-proof material in lieu of timber in the building of all future schools?

Answers:-(1) Replacement of fire damaged build­

ings is financed from revenue funds. (2) The school buildings are being cur­

rently planned to conform to a higher standard of fire safety in accordance with the recently introduced Fire Safety Act and Building Act, 1975. It will not be possible, however, to eliminate all fire risks as use of wood furniture and of timber for building framing cannot alto­gether be excluded on economic grounds.

37. UNIFORM SENTENCING FOR SERIOUS CRIME

1\!Ir. K. J. Hooper for Mr. Melloy, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General-

(1) Is he aware that a recent Gallup Poll showed that 67 per cent of people interviewed believed that sentences imposed on persons convicted of serious crimes in Australia were too lenient?

(2) Does he have any plans to arrange seminars for judges and magistrates to brin~ about uniformity in sentencing policy, as IS now the practice in the United Kingdom where the Lord Chief Justice is arranging such seminars?

Answers:-(1) Yes.

(2) It is not within my province to instruct judicial officers in matters of this nature.

38. EROSION PROBLEM AT GREEN ISLAND, NORTH QUEENSLAND

Mr. Jones, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Tourism and Marine Services-

Is urgent attention to be given to the problems of erosion at Green Island, Cairns, and, if so, what is the extent of the measures proposed and when will the con­struction of effective work be commenced?

Answer:-Urgent attention has been given to the

problem of erosion at Green Island, Cairns. Following investigations carried out by my Department of Harbours and Marine and the calling of public tenders, a contract has been let to McQuade Dredg­ing Co. Pty. Ltd., Southport, for the con­struction of a groyne and beach restora­,Non by the pumping of some 21,000 cubic yards of sand from the navigation access channel. The work is scheduled to com­mence early November 1975.

39. PLANS FOR SUGAR TERMINAL RAIL PROJECT, EAST CAIRNS

Mr. Jones, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Transport-

Have surveys and design plans been undertaken and costing commissioned for the railway balloon loop line to the sugar terminal and the proposed new railway marshalling yards in the Smiths Creek area at East Cairns and, if not, what is the proposed programming for this pro­ject?

Answer:-Definite proposals have not been formul­

ated for the establishment of railway facilities in the area, but a preliminary survey has been undertaken and an approximate route for a suggested railway balloon loop line in the Smiths Creek area at East Cairns has been indicated on a plan for the information of the Cairns City Council, which is undertaking reclamation works on portion of the area. Planning is proceeding with a view to acquiring the land which will be required for the construction of such rail access.

40. SEIZED TAIWANESE TRAWLERS

Mr. Jones, pursuant to notice, asked the l\1inister for Tourism and Marine Services-

( 1) What is the present position of the two Taiwanese fishing trawlers, "Yuan Chang Fu" and "Wan Shun Chuan", which have been seized under the State Fisheries Act?

952 Questions Upon Notice [8 OCTOBER 1975) Questions Upon Notice

(2) How far does the State responsi­bility extend relative to members of the Taiwanese crew seeking (a) employment and/ or being employed ashore, (b) accom­modation and (c) repatriation?

(3) What amounts in each instance have been expended to date by the State Govern­ment on (a) each vessel for berthage and wharfage fees and charges since confisca­tion and (b) expenses for the crew's keep and welfare while in custody?

( 4) What amounts have been recouped by negotiation and/ or sale of vessels?

(5) Which department accepts the responsibility for their disposal?

(6) Have any incidents on either of the vessels or other similar vessels held in custody been connected with sabotage or suspected sabotage, apparently caused to accelerate early repatriation of the crews?

A.nswer:-

( 1 to 6) The matters ra,ised do not come under my control, and I suggest that the honourable member redirect his question to my colleague the Minister for Aboriginal and Islanders Advancement and Fisheries.

41 and 42. QuEENSLAND CoMMERCIAL FISHERMEN'S ORGANISATION

Mr. Y ewdale, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Aboriginal and Islanders Advancement and Fisheries-

( 1) Is he aware that a State councillor of the Queensland Commercial Fishermen's Organisation has resigned from the organ­isation because of a verbal attack made on him while chairman of the association?

(2) Is he aware that this attack was made by the secretary of the association, who is a paid employee?

(3) Does he intend to take any action regarding this matter?

Answers:-

(! to 3) The Queensland Commercial Fishermen's Organisation is constituted under the Primary Producers Organisation and Marketing Act 1926-1973 administered by the Minister for Primary Industries. I am confident that the organisation is cap­able of resolving any internal matters with­out external interference.

Mr. Y ewdale, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Aboriginal and Islanders Advancement and Fisheries-

( 1) Does the Queensland Commercial Fishermen's Organisation operate under a firm constitution and, if so, will he arrange for a copy of the constitution to be tabled?

(2) Have five executive members of the organisation the voting power to control the State council of the organisation?

(3) Is he aware of this situation and does he intend to take steps to rectify it?

Answer:-

( 1 to 3) The Queensland Commercial Fishermen's Organisation is constituted unde.- the Primary Producers Organisation and Marketing Act 1926-1973 administered by the Minister for Primary Industries. I am confident that the organisation is cap­able of resolving any internal matters with­out external interference.

43. BETTING SCHEME ADVERTISEMENTS

Mr. Wright, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General-

( 1) With reference to the pamphlets being received by many householders from Waiter Hughes of Sydney, is the adver­tising of such betting schemes illegal in Queensland and, if so, whose responsibility is it to take action against this person?

(2) Has any action been taken by the Queensland police, the Justice Depart­ment or any other Government authority against those persons behind the betting scheme advertisements regularly appearing in major Queensland newspapers and, if not, what is the reason?

Answer:-(1 and 2) This type of activity is not

subject to any legislation administered by me.

44. CoNSTRUCTION oF PRE-SCHOOLS

Mr. Wright, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Education and Cultural Activities-

( 1) How many pre-schools are planned for construction in the Central District during 1975-76 and at what schools will they be built?

(2) What was the average cost of build­ing a pre-school in 1974-75?

Answers:-(1) Pre-school centres will be con­

structed in association with the following schools in the Central Region during 1975-76:-Blackwater, 2 units; Crescent Lagoon, 1 unit; Duaringa, 1 unit; Mackay \lv'est, 3 units; Moranbah, 2 units; Moura, 2 units; Theodore, 1 unit; and Victoria Park Infants, 2 units. This is a total of 8 centres comprising 14 units.

( 2) Average cost for pre-schools varies from place to place in accordance with the Building Code Index. The over-all average for 1974-75 was approximately $60,000.

Questions Upon Notice [8 OCTOBER 1975) Questions Without Notice 953

45. FINANCIAL AID FOR SCHOOL ASSEMBLY HALLS

Mr. Wright, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Works and Housing-

( 1 ) Further to my question to the Minister for Education regarding the financial assistance given to secondary school parents and citizens' associations to construct assembly halls, what financial assistance is available from his depart­ment for such projects?

(2) What is the existing total debt owed by associations on completed assembly halls?

(3) What additional assistance is avail­able if an association is unable to meet interest and redemption payments on an assembly-hall project?

Answers:-( 1) Under the provlSlons of the school

improvements subsidy scheme, assistance is now available to a State high school parents and citizens' association by way of a dollar for dollar subsidy, with a maxi­mum subsidy of $84,000, for the con­struction of an assemblv hall. The full cost of seating provision is met by my department.

(2 and 3) The attention of the hon­ourable member is drawn to the answers provided by the Honourable the Minister for Education and Cultural Activities on Wednesday, 24 September 1975, in response to identical questions.

46. CERTIFICATES OF COMPETENCE FOR INTERPRETERS

Mr. K. J. Hooper, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Justice and Attorney­General-

(1) Has he seen the request from the Good Neighbour Council that his depart­ment issue certificates of competence to interpreters who appear in court on behalf of others?

(2) Will he institute such a system in Queensland?

Answers:­( 1) Yes. (2) The Justice Department maintains

a list of interpreters mainly for the pur­pose of translating documents. Arrange­ments for interpreters in court are made by the parties in the case of civil actions and by ·the police in criminal matters.

47. SHELTER FOR BATTERED WIVES AND CHILDREN

Mr. K. J. HOQper, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Community and Welfare Services and Minister for Sport-

( 1) What decision was made by the Government as a result of a submission

placed before it on 4 June 1974 seeking a 24-hour shelter for battered wives and children?

(2) If shelters are to be provided, what are their locations and will they provide a 24-hour "hot line" service?

Answers:-(! and 2) I would inform the honour­

able member that the submission referred to by him was not made to me. However, in relation to the matter generally of p.roviding accommodation for women with children in a distressed situation, I might mention that following a careful examin­ation by Cabinet of a request from the Evening Group of the Save the Children Fund, which provides emergency hostel accommodation for such women, it was approved that a grant not exceeding $2,000 be made available by the Government in 197 4-7 5 to that organisation.

48. HIGH SCHOOL FOR ST. GEORGE

Mr. K. J. Hooper, pursuant to notice, asked the Minister for Education and Cultural Activities-

(!) Is he aware that at present grades 8, 9 and 10 are currently housed at the St. George State School?

(2) In view of the Government's often­stated concern for the progress of country towns, when does it propose to construct a high school to cater for the needs of the children of St. George?

Answers:-( 1) Yes. They are housed in the

secondary department attached to the St. George State School, in the same way as the other 64 secondary departments are attached to primary schools throughout Queensland.

(2) This matter has been fully dis­cussed with the honourable the Premier and the member for Balonne, who is quite capable of looking after the interests of his own electorate.

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

INQUIRY INTO POLICE FoRCE; RETURN TO LONDON OF SCOTLAND YARD INVESTIGATORS

Mr. HOUSTON: I ask the Minister for Police: At the time the tvvo Scotland Yard investigators came to Brisbane, was he aware that within a few weeks from now they would be required to return to London to give evidence in a court action? If so, why was that not announced at the time of their appointment?

Mr. HODGES: I was not aware of it at the time. As a matter of fact, I did not think the inquiry would have taken as long as it has. That is the position as it stands at the moment.

954 Questions Without Notice [8 OCTOBER 1975] ;. Questions Without Notice

COST OF INQUIRY INTO POLICE FORCE

Mr. HOUSTON: I ask the Deputy Premier and Treasurer: What amount has been allo­cated in his Budget now before Parliament for the investigation presently being conducted within the Queensland Police Force by two police officers from Scotland Yard? Will it be necessary to increase the allocation now that the two officers must return to London and then come back to Queensland next year?

Sir GORDON CHALK: Certain Votes in the Budget cover the necessary expense of that investigation. It was difficult to deter­mine the time which would be involved and will be involved. The Minister for Police did discuss with me the need for those officers to return to Queensland. Knowing the work they have performed and the work they have still to carry out, I indicated to him that the State would be prepared to consider any claims that might be made in regard to expense.

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS SOCIETY SEMINAR

Mr. MILLER: I ask the Minister for Industrial Development, Labour Relations and Consumer Affairs: In view of pending amendments to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, will he comment on the seminar dealing with wage indexation and relativity convened by the Industrial Relations Society and held last week-end at Surfers Paradise?

Mr. CAMPBELL: The matter raised by the honourable member was not the subject of discussion at the seminar at Surfers Para­dise last week-end, but I have no doubt that it could well be a subject for discussion at next year's seminar.

The seminar provides a forum for impartial and dispassionate examination of matters appertaining to industrial relations. Like previous seminars it was conducted in an informal, non-political, non-partisan manner. As there were leading industrial representa­tives from the trade union movement through­out Australia, leading industry representatives and representatives of Government attending that seminar, it is quite notable that that was an area where dispassionate discussion could take place.

Of course, the seminar also provides a very good opportunity for informal discussion among the various participants. I should think that that woulc;l be as valuable as the papers presented by the various guest speakers. I am sure that the promotion of good industrial relations has been advanced significantly as a result of that seminar.

One remarkable aspect of the attendance at the seminar is that there were present three Liberal Ministers for Labour (the Hon­ourable Mac. Hewitt from New South Wales, the Honourable Joe Rafferty from Victoria, and myself), and six Government back-bench members of this Parliament.

From later conversations with them I know how greatly they benefited from having had the opportunity of exchanging points of view with leading trade-unionists from all over Australia. But the most significant aspect was that not one single representative of the par­liamentary branch of the Australian Labor Party was present, and this matter was the cause of some embarrassment to the trade­unionists who attended. Indeed, it was com­mented on by them.

Mr. K. J. Hooper: You're making a mockery of question time.

Mr. CAMPBELL: I can see that the hon­ourable member for Archerfield is greatly embarrassed, as was a prominent trade­unionist, by the fact that the Leader of the Opposition was not present at the seminar. In fact, this prominent trade-unionist, per­haps on a sarcastic note, made the acid comment that it may have been that the Leader of the Opposition regarded the Oktoberfest as having higher priority than the industrial relations seminar, and he added that the Leader of the Opposition in Queens­land does not cut much ice with the trade­union movement.

UsE oF ORTHo-ToLIDINE IN SWIMMING PooLs

Mr. MILLER: I ask the Minister for Health: Will he inform the House whether the chemical O'Tolidine, which has been ban­ned in Great Britain for a number of years, is to be banned in Queensland, and, if so, what alternative chemical can be used by owners of swimming pools to test the presence of chlorine?

Dr. EDWARDS: I am aware of the reports that were released recently concerning Ortho­Tolidine, which is a chemical used throughout Australia for the testing of chlorine in swim­ming pools. I am informed that reports indicate that this chemical is absorbed through the skin and that some overseas reports indicate that after long exposure to it a person can suffer from carcinoma of the bladder. As a result of this, we have asked the National Health and Medical Research Council for its opinion on the use of this chemical. I am advised that local authorities throughout Queensland do not use the chemical. It is, however, used widely in private swimming pools throughout the State. My advice is that until a suitable substitute is found the tests should be carried out out­side the swimming pool on water taken from the pool. As well, only very small quantities of the compound should be used, and care should be taken by persons using it to ensure that the water used for testing purposes is not emptied back into the pool. This would enable swimmers who use the pool to be free from any risk. We also advise those persons using the chemical to wash their hands thor­oughly after handling it. I will advise the House as soon as possible as to the contents of the report of the National Health and Medical Research Council and as to when a suitable substitute will be available.

Privilege [8 OcTOBER 1975] Matters of Public Interest 955

MEAT PIE STANDARDS

Mr. DOUMANY: I ask the Minister for Health: In view of the eminent role of the humble meat pie in our society, will he inform the House of the validity of state­ments by a leading food expert, namely, Oscar Mendelssohn on the A.B.C. "Guest of Honour" programme recently to the effect that the meat pie is one of the most adulter­ated and contaminated foods in the country?

Dr. EDWARDS: The alleged statement was brought to my attention. I am certain that the Queensland meat pie is still regarded as a very good and well-respected food throughout the State.

Sir Gordon Chalk: It helps people eat more beef.

Dr. EDW ARDS: As the Treasurer said if people ate more meat pies more beef would be eaten throughout the State. As to the standard of meat pies, I am informed that they are tested constantly throughout the State by the Health Department, and I am assured that the quality of our meat pies is very good on world standards.

Mr. SPEAKER: Order! The time allotted for questions has now expired.

PRIVILEGE DENIGRATION AND DERISION OF PREMIER AND

SENATOR FIELD BY A.B.C. TELEVISION

Mr. AIKENS (Townsville South) (12.4 p.m.): I rise on a question of privilege. Last Monday evening, on the programme "This Day Tonight" on A.B.C. television stations in North Queensland, and probably elsewhere, a gross and cowardly abuse of this Parliament was perpetrated. A man of comparable physical and facial appearance was used to personate Senator Field the appointee of this Parliament, and p~rtray him as a semi-imbecile. To emphasise the contempt of the A.B.C. for this Parliament a photograph of the Premier was displayed on th.e !able o~ the fake senator, facing the Vlewmg audience, so as to depict the Premier as an object of denigration and derision. This Parliament should consider bringing those responsible for that repre­hensible stunt before the Bar of the House and appropriately dealing with them under the Queensland Constitution Act, which pro­vides for Parliament to impose heavy fines and goal terms.

Government Members: Hear, hear!

Mr. SPEAKER: I shall be pleased to look into the matter and give an opinion on it tomorrow morning.

ADDITIONAL SITTING DAY SESSIONAL ORDER

Hon. A. M. HODGES (Gympie-Leader of the House) I move-

'That during this session, unless other­wise ordered, the House will meet for the dispatch of business at 11 o'clock a.m. on Friday in each week, in addition to the days already provided by Sessional Order, and that Government business do take precedence on that day." Motion agreed to.

MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST CONSERVATION OF BLACK MARLIN

Mr. W. D. HEWITT (Chatsworth) (12.5 p.m.): Honourable members well know that the blue waters off Cairns are recognised as being among the finest marlin fishing grounds in the world. As Queenslanders we are very proud of the standing of these waters. We are always very proud of the international fishermen of great repute who make their way there each year for their sport. It reflects great credit upon Queens­land that such outstanding fishermen as Lee Marvin and John Wayne and other interna­tional identities go there to enjoy some of the world's best fishing.

The marlin is an incredibly beautiful fish. I am told it is one of the coveted prizes of saltwater fishermen. I am sure that I speak for every honourable member when I express the view that the marlin belong there and that we should adopt a responsible attitude towards them. But because more and more people make their way there each year and because these fish are exploited more and more, there is growing concern about the chances of the marlin surviving. I must confess that on many occasions, as they have been won in greater numbers, this has exercised my mind and caused me anxiety. It was underlined in recent days when a visiting celebrity expressed the fears that some of us have entertained for a long time. A recent Press report reads-

"J apanese trawlers were destroying the world famous marlin fishing areas off Cairns, the celebrated French fighter pilot, Pierre Clostermann, said tonight.

" 'When are Australians going to wake up to themselves and impose a 200-mile limit on its waters?' asked Mr. Clostermann who is European representative of the International Game Fishing Association.

" 'The waters off Cairns are the only breeding grounds left in the world for Black Marlin.

" 'Yet fishermen from Japan are destroy­ing them. They are taking the Marlin back to their country to make pet food out of them.'

"Mr. Clostermann, who has fished off Cairns many times, has seen a trawler with 6,400 marlin on board, the result of a five-day catch.

956 Matters of Public Interest [8 OCTOBER 197 5] Matters of Public Interest

" 'That's more than game fishermen the world over would take in five years,' he said.

"Mr. Clostermann, who had a disting­uished record as an air ace during the Second World War, was in Brisbane as guest speaker at the inaugural dinner of the Queensland R.A.A.F. Europe Group."

It is interesting to note that Mr. Clostermann in his own right is a game fisherman and when a person expresses the concern that he has expressed, a responsible Parliament should respond to it.

Mr. Houston: The honourable member for Cairns raised this matter in a question this morning.

Mr. W. D. HEWITT: I acknowledge the question that he asked and I hope that he gets a responsive answer to it. The honour­able member for Cairns would certainly acknowledge that this is an area of concern that all of us share.

When we learn about the hauls of this beautiful fish to the order of 6,400 in five days, we are entitled to ask how long the species can stand such exploitation. I believe that the very responsible Minister for Fisher­ies would want to lend his talent and atten­tion to this problem.

As a first step, I believe, we should encourage studies into the breeding habits and ways of the marlin and, importantly, how profuse or scarce they are. If as a result of those studies our worst fears are justified, we in Queensland should certainly restrict catches, encourage the tagging and release of the marlin and advocate interna­tional studies and international control.

I could well imagine that the response from the Minister's advisers would go along these lines: "Mr. Minister, it is an ocean fish. It comes into the Cairns waters only for its feeding forays. We could not control it. There is little we could do." In the broad context, I suppose there is little that we in Queensland can do, although I have made two suggestions and I believe that if our fears are justified we should take the steps that I have already mentioned.

We well know that whaling, for example, is controlled by the International Whaling Commission, of which Australia is a member country; but even then, that commission was set up far too late to avoid the demise of the blue whale, the hump-back, the fin, some species of the sei whale and some species of the sperm whale. So if we can recognise a possibility of threat to the marlin, we should respond sooner rather than later. It would be a great shame if, in 10 or 15 years' time, fishermen wring their hands and say, "The marlin are fished out. That is another extinct species. We see no more of them."

If we can respond internationally to control whaling, I believe we can respond inter­nationally to protect other endangered sea

species. I believe that no species can stand harvesting at the rate of 6,400 in five days, especially a species such as the marlin. Futurologists tell us that in the years to come mankind will be heavily dependent upon harvests from the sea, that our depen­dence upon sea life for food will be infinitely greater than it is now, and with this in mind we see the fisheries ministry not as a mundane, pedestrian one but one that is full of excitment and challenge. I believe that there are great challenges for this Minister to respond to.

Certainly the questions of fish-farming and fish-harvesting are enormously important ones, but I believe also that the question of preservation of existing species should be looked at very closely indeed. The Minister here has a unique opportunity with the marlin. He should certainly be instigating studies of this species; he should seek out opportunities to excite interest in it throughout Australia and, importantly, because there is international fishing of this species he should be trying to set the pace and press for an international commission to look into the future of marlin and other endangered species. The Japanese are the known preda­tors. As they come into these waters and take the marlin in such quantities, then obviously they are the people who have to be educated and who must be made to understand that, if in fact the marlin is a source of food for them, it is in their own interests to participate in controlled harvesting programmes. I know that the Minister for Fisheries in this Parliament is a responsive person. I hope he will consider these comments very carefully, because it would be the height of folly if another species were to be wiped out because we did not respond immediately the warning was given to us.

HOUSING ACCOMMODATION FOR CROWN EMPLOYEES

Mr. WRIGHT (Rockhampton) (12.14 p.m.): In the Financial Statement the Treasurer mentioned the Government's intention to establish a Crown employees housing authority. After speaking on this matter to a number of people in my electorate, I think that the proposal is generally welcomed. It is at least a token recognition of the shocking conditions that some of the people employed by this Government have to put up with. One has only to consider the rail­way fettlers. It might be a good idea for some of the Liberal members of this House to leave Brisbane and go into the country areas to see some of the conditions under which these men and \1 omen-often we are talking about families-have to live. Of all the accommodation in the State I would say theirs is the lowest in standard. They remind me of a film I saw the other night, "The Autobiography of Jane Pitman", which showed the types of shelter negroes were given at the turn of the century. It seems

Matters of Public Interest [8 OCTOBER 1975] Matters of Public Interest 957

to me that we expect people employed by this Government to live in conditions such as those.

There are so many things we take for granted that these people can never expect or hope to achieve. We take it for granted ,that if we rent a house, we will have electricity, a stove and refrigerator, and hot and cold running water, that there will be lining on the walls and that the roofs will be sealed. We expect some form of floor covering and at least some ablution blocks, yet we find when we travel around ~he State and see the conditions under which fettlers live that these things certainly are not provided for them. Their accommodation is mediaeval. They do not even have ablu­tions blocks similar to those provided at a work site, and the men have to use the old bush showers.

Main Roads camps are much the same. Conditions have improved slightly, thanks ,to the representations of the unions, but they are still very old-fashioned and unsatisfactory.

The huts that I have seen as I have trav­elled round the State by train are demoral­ising. I wonder what people who visit Queensland think, especially when they travel up and down the coast by train or when they encounter new Main Roads work and see the environment in which people are expected to live.

Some of the official railway houses are not much better. Over the period that railway houses have existed, one would have expected that some type of policy for improving them would have been implemented. It seems that the attitude of the Government is "out of sight, out of mind". Many railway houses are dilapidated and unpainted; many of them are about 50 or 60 years old.

This matter is not one of which the Gov­ernment can be proud. It is time that an over-all approach to the problem was made­in fact, a totally new approach, because ~he present approach is apathetic and negative.

Mr. Hodges: There has been a multiplicity of control before, which has brought this about. We are bringing it all together now.

Mr. WRIGHT: I intend to speak about that. That is my main reason for raising the matter today. I thank the Minister for his interjection indicating that there is a recog­nition of the problem. However, we are decades behind the times.

Unfortunately, parochialism is rife under the present policy. I have been told that houses in the Townsville area which are in the name of the Townsville Regional Elec­tricity Board-this is the way it was put to me-cannot be made available to railway workers. I was also told that in Charters Towers a number of houses of that type were vacant but no-one else could use them. That seems to me to be wrong. It certainly is not good stewardship of t:he State's resources.

The question of non-welfare housing in Queensland has already been the subject of an intense study by an interdepartmental committee, and I know, from questions that I have asked in the House and information that has been given to me by members of the trade union movement, and by the Queensland Teachers' Union in particular, that the com­mittee did look at the matter very carefully.

Mr. Hodges: Not welfare housing; hous­ing for Crown employees.

Mr. WRIGHT: No, not welfare housing. The point I was making was that the com­mittee looked into non-welfare housing, which is the area that I am dealing with in this debate.

I should imagine that the special authority being set up-the Crown Employees' Hous­ing Authority-was one of the main recom­mendations of the committee, and it is important that the Government gets on with the job. The study has been carried out and experts have looked at the question. Therefore, there should not be any delay in improving the conditions that people in this State have to put up with.

Mr. Hodges: Cabinet adopted the recom­mendation at its last meeting.

Mr. WRIGHT: I am pleased that the Minister is in the House. He was formerly Minister for Works and Housing, so he should know about this matter.

I hope that special cognisance is given to the housing problems confronting teachers in Queensland. Most honourable members probably have received a copy of a letter from the Queensland Teachers' Union stres­sing the need for a teacher housing author­ity. The union is aware of the criticism that it will get in the sense that it is exclu­sivist. Others might say that the Teachers' Union is being a little bit parochial. How­ever, in my opinion, teachers have a really strong case because they are facing special problems, especially in country areas. I remember when I taught in country areas. In one place where I taught, the teachers lived in an old provisional school that had been turned into a residence. We put up with it, I suppose, because we thought we were being adventurous in some way. But attitudes are different today and some people expect more.

I have been given a list of some of the areas that are regarded as crisis areas by the Teachers' Union-places such as Begonia, Gallangowan, Wallangarra, Texas, Elgin Vale, Eulo, Bollon, Bungunya, Yarrabah, Aurukun, Hope Vale, Almaden, Chillagoe, Edward River, Bamaga, Mornington Island, Moran­bah, Moura, Alpha, Burketown, Thursday Island, Greenvale, Weipa, Pasha, Dysart, Gogango, Duaringa and Tresswell. I expect that most honourable members have received that list. The important point to note is that a number of these are mining towns­Moranbah, Moura, Weipa and Dysart. I am not kicking the conditions that the mining employees have, but the Government always

958 Matters of Public Interest (8 OCTOBER 1975} Matters of Public Interest

makes sure that they have the incentive to go to these areas and that the company employees, too, have the incentive to go there. The Government also ensures that the banks provide decent living conditions for their employees. In effect, teachers are second-class citizens. I remind honourable members that these are mining areas in which the Government is building many houses through the Housing Commission; yet it is not willing to build suitable houses for teachers.

I accept, as the Minister said, that there is a need for an over-all housing authority. All Crown employees must be protected in this respect, but I think that special recog­nition must be given to the critical situation now confronting members of the teaching profession. There are arguments against a separate teacher housing authority. I know it could be asked, "Why not set up a separ­ate police housing authority?" But we may have to learn from the experience of other States that have set up Public Service hous­ing authorities. Now we note that in Vic­toria, New South Wales and South Australia the Governments have set up, in addition, separate teacher housing authorities. It may be that pro-tern arrangements could be made under some type of compromise. Perhaps we could set up a Crown employees hous­ing authority, which is vitally important to cover railway fettlers, police, main roads workers, teachers and all public servants, but let us have some special section to deal specifically with the teacher housing problem,

Mr. Hodges: Why separate the teachers?

Mr. WRIGHT: I think there are special reasons. The teachers' contribution is not one only of production in the sense of work output; it involves many people's lives and future. Because of the conditions under which they have to live, many teachers are not prepared to go into country areas. There has to be some type of incentive to get the good teachers to go into country areas. That is vitally important. Housing standards are one of the most important considerations for teachers. That is one of the first things they look at. If a teacher marries a girl from a city area, she probably does not want to go somewhere where she has to use a kerosene lamp. She wants the advantage of electricity; she wants hot and cold running water; she wants the normal things we take for granted. I do believe they have special problems.

Mr. Hodges: This would come under the Crown employees scheme.

Mr. WRIGHT: I know, but I am saying that there are special problems for teachers. If the Government is not prepared to set up a single teacher housing authority, it should initiate a special section within the over-all authority to cater for teachers. The Queensland Teachers' Union has put out a document explaining some of the roles of such a body. It could be allocating and

controlling the tenancies; it could be control­ling rents; it could be purchasing land and houses; it could even get involved in subdi­vision and the development of land. There are many areas here that pertain mainly to the teaching profession. They could be looked at, and should be looked at, by a special authority within the over-all Crown employ­ees housing authority.

Mr. Hodges: Why should a teacher have a better house than a policeman?

Mr. WRIGHT: I am not saying that. I do not want to get into an argument with the Minister. I am saying that there is a special case for the teacher. If the Minister does not believe that the teacher needs that incentive to go into country areas, that is his personal opinion, and I respect him for it. I believe there is a need for a special Teacher Housing Authority within the over-all authority.

(Time expired.)

SCHOOL OF MINES, MT. IsA

Mr. BERTONI (Mt. Isa) (12.24 p.m.): I should like to bring to the attention of Parliament the very worrying situation that is developing because of the non-availability of skilled technical workers to meet the future demands of industries in this State, particularly our very valuable minerals and energy industries. No doubt all honourable members are aware of the drastically reduced enrolments in universities through­out Australia, particularly for the study of sciences connected with mineral and energy research and development. The Queensland University is no exception. At that univers­ity enrolments in mining, engineering and geology are at an all-time low. This is very concerning.

We should develop some ideas to increase the demand for entry to those faculties. This Parliament must give youngsters an oppor­tunity to prepare themselves to take advant­age of what could be a great future in mineral development. The Mt. Isa elect­orate, in the centre of a fabulously rich mineral province in north-west Queensland, is a vivid case in point. From Mt. Isa itself, Cloncurry is some SO miles to the south. To the north is Gunpowder, with Lady Annie developing some 10 miles further north. To the south-west of Mt. Isa there are the great phosphate deposit mines. If one looks at the area on a map, it is obvious that Mt. Isa is the centre of that major development. Each of the mining companies that operate there is planning long-term-scale development and expansion, and, in order to take full advantage of these plans, we need to create opportunities in the many technical skills that no doubt will be required in the future. No doubt it will be claimed that people in the Mt. Isa area should develop their own skills. I would suggest, however,

Matters of Public Interest [8 OCTOBER 1975] Matters of Public Interest 959

that we look at the over-all picture to determine what can be done to assist those who are developing the area.

I could speak at length about developments such as those to the north as well as those to the south of Cloncurry at the Pelmont mine. However, I will content myself by drawing attention to the urgent need to encourage young Queenslanders to study and qualify in the sciences associated with our expanding minerals and energy industry. To this end, I advocate the estab­lishment in Mt. Isa of a school of mines. I realise, of course, that some critics of my suggestion would argue that there is no demand there for such a technical institu­tion. I would rebut such claims by stating that the demand for training in mining is not in the capital cities or in non-minining communities, where students are not properly informed on mining techniques. It is in mining communities that children are likely to be interested in careers in mining. To illustrate my point, I cite the overwhelming success of Mount Isa Mine's apprenticeship training scheme, under which young people are trained in readiness for employment in the company. It is unfortunate that of the hundreds of children born each year in the Mt. Isa district many leave it to find work elsewhere.

Many women who live in North-west Queensland have indicated their desire for employment opportunities. In fact, a recent advertisement in our local newspaper inviting applications for the position of shop assistant attracted no fewer than 1,000 applica·tions. There are in the minerals and energy industry many skilled operations that could be carried out by women. It is a sorry waste of a valuable resource if we do not train young people and channel them into an industry to the benefit of themselves and to the State.

The city of Mt. Isa has a great deal to commend it as the location for such a school of mines. Steps should be taken now to prepare for the expansion that will follow in years to come. Mount Isa Mines has gained world-wide recognition, and it is my opinion that some of the prestige attaching to the company would rub off on any technical institute established in the city. I am confident that, with proper backing and support, a school of mines in Mt. Isa would soon gain world-wide recognition, and would make a valuable contribution towards providing skilled workers to fill the many technical positions in our State and nation.

I fully appreciate that such centres of advanced education are not created overnight. I would hope, however, that our Government has the foresight to be concerned with what happens tomorrow. I also hope that it means what is says when it speaks of achievina decentralised development, and of retaining children in decentralised areas.

A school of mines is necessary to the future of Mt. Isa. Just as the agricultural college at Gatton meets the needs of the rural industry, so, too, would such a school of mines at Mt. Isa meet the demands of the mining industry. As my fellow-members who represent rural electorates fully appreci­ate, there is no better candidate for a rural college than a youngster who has a rural background. The same situation applies in the minerals and energy industries.

I hope that 'the Minister for Mines and Energy, the Minister for Education and Cultural Activities and the Minister for Industrial Development, Labour Relations and Consumer Affairs follow up this possi­bility. Indeed, the Minister for Industrial Development may see fit to explore this possibility as part of the survey of North­west Queensland being undertaken currently by his department.

DISCLOSURE OF PARLIAMENTARIANS' PECUNIARY INTERESTS

Mr. LANE (Merthyr) (12.31 p.m.): Only a few days ago a report was tabkd in Fed­eral Parliament recommending that all mem­bers of Parliament be required to disclose their financial interests in a special registry. The report was a result of a joint parliament­ary committee of the Federal Parliament, and the recommendations contained therein were the unanimous findings of the com­mittee. I emphasise that it was a joint-party committee.

I believe ,that this is a sound recommenda­tion which should be noted by State Parlia­ments throughout Australia, ·and put into effect in the State of Queensland. Elected members of Parliament should be ,required to disclose pecuniary interests. All honourable members elected to public office should disclose the names of any companies in which they have shareholdings or bene­ficial interests, no matter how insignificant they may be. Honourable members should also be required to disclose the location of any real estate or realty in which 'they have a beneficial interest, and should declare the names of companies of which they are directors.

The proposal in the report of the Fed­eral parliamentary committee is that inform­ation be provided in the form of a statutory declaration to a parliamentary registl'ar who will be responsible directly to the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The public would have access to ,this information after establishing ,to the satisfaction of the registrar (with the approval of the Speaker) that a bona fide reason exists for such access. In Queensland, a similar proposal could easily be imple­mented. Our ombudsman, or Parliamentary Commissioner, could well fulfill the role of a parliamentary registrar, and he could be made responsible in these matters to the Speaker of Parliament.

960 Matters of Public Interest [8 OCTOBER 1975) lvfatters of Public Interest

In addition, I believe an obligation should rest with Ministers to resign directorships of public companies upon appointment to the ministry. They should also dispose, of all shares in either public or private companies that might be seen ,to be affected by deci­sions taken within 1the ministry or within the Minister's sphere of responsibility. How­ever, I do not believe that any member should be required compulsorily to state the actual value of his shareholdings, but merely to list them. The matter of concern is not the value of what an honourable member owns, or how rich or poor he may be. Rather, it is essential that private interest should not cut across public responsibility.

In !line wi,th my proposal relating to elected members of Parliament, we should recognise the important part played by the most senior of public servants and statutory officers in the decision-making process. Indeed, some of 'the decisions taken at this level may well be more significant in pract­ical terms 1than those taken by Ministers of the Crown. It is therefore not unreason­able to expect that these very senior officers should comply with the requirements apply­ing to Ministers. I do not propose that these requirements should apply ,to the Public Service as a whole, but merely to, say, the top 50 officers who, because of their posi­tions, have a real say in Government, both in the area of policy and in the expenditure of public money. I feel that 50 officers of a Public Service of many thousands would not be too many.

I make this proposal generally and, in doing so, I see it not as a means of detect­ing fraud but as a means of assuring the public, who meet the costs of Parliament and Government, that decisions made ,in ~heir name are indeed in the public interest. I know that what I suggest would be immed­iately condemned by those 'to whom it would apply as an invasion of privacy. But surely elec,ted members of Parliament readily gave up their right to absolute privacy when they agreed to stand for public office. All of us in this Parliament know how little privacy each of us enjoys in his everyday life. We should be used to it. Once we are elected to Parliament, our homes become public places and our time becomes public property. Each of us accepts this as a fact, and I suspect that some members of this Parlbment even enjoy it.

What is a matter for decision is the degree of privacy to which elected persons who voluntarily seek office are entitled. I remind honourable members that there are no conscripts in the Parliament; that we all corn~ here by our own choice-indeed, substantially by our own efforts and at our own initiative. In return, we are well paid from the public purse, and enjoy a great number of other advantages and privileges beyond those enjoyed by the man in the street. We therefore accept a great obligation to the people who elect us. In our dealings

as members of Parliament and as Ministers, we have an obligation to carry out our job without favour or affection, malice or ill will. We also must be seen to be doing so; in other words, we must set an example to the public.

I am not suggesting for a minute that ,there is at present any circumstance existing in Queensland whereby the integrity of any­one is in doubt. The point is that we just do not know for certain, and I believe that the public is entitled to feel assured. We are paid from the hard-earned dollars of each and every man and woman in Queensland, and for that we must pay the price of sacrificing some part of our privacy.

A system under which the financial interests of members are declared would also have the advantage of stopping the malicious rumours and gossip to which some of us are subjected. No longer would unscrupulous persons, many of whom are only politically motivated, be able to smear their opponents. 1t would bring a new dignity to the Parlia­ment and a new respect for parliamentarians.

We are all familiar with the accusations publicly made, usually under privilege, against our Premier, Deputy Premier and other Ministers about shares and alleged land­holdings. It is suggested that because of their financial interests certain Government decisions have been, and will be, made in one way or another. Up to this point, I believe that such allegations have been answered effectively. As I said earlier, I am personally satisfied about the integrity of this Government and its members. But then I am close to the people, and I am in a position where I can see and know them. I believe that sometimes doubt still lingers in the minds of the public, fed by ruthless and unscrupulous political activists. How much simpler it would be if the member or Minister were to declare his interests to a responsible person appointed for the purpose. That would dispel all doubt, all rumour and all scandal.

The Opposition would also be improved. If Opposition members declared their pecuni­ary interests, we would know that some of the attacks they launch on the Govern­ment, and some of the things they say publicly, are without self-interest; that they are not carrying a point of view or a tale for some particular section of the com­munity or some particular financial interest that may show them a favour. We are all aware of the story that the present Leader of the Opposition has a financial interest in the Tangalooma resort on Moreton Island, and that he has received parcels of shares as consideration for his present or former position. If the system I advocate were implemented, he, too, would be free from such accusations.

What is required, Mr. Deputy Speaker, is some positive action. I advocate the appoint­ment by Parliament of a joint committee,

Matters of Public Interest [8 OCTOBER 1975] Matters of Public Interest 961

.composed of representatives of all parties, which would be given the task of drafting a code of ethics for members of Parliament. I suggest that Parliaments are based on the presumption that all who serve in them are honourable men, but I am not certain that today that is sufficient protection.

$100 LEVY ON SMALL FRUITERERS

.Mr. BURNS (Lytton-Leader of the Opposition) (12.40 p.m.): I should like to talk today about the very small business­men who I believe will be affected adversely by a decision of the Government and the Brisbane Market Trust. It concerns a $100 fee that will be struck on fruit hawkers and small mixed business operators who use the Rocklea markets early in the morning to buy fresh fruit and vegetables to sell them in their particular suburbs.

One of the first ways I earned money was hawking fruit and vegetables, When I was a lad on the farm in Maryborough, my father used to give my brother and me a load of watermelons in a dray and we would hawk them around the streets. This gave us the opportunity to make some money and of course helped to sell the crop.

A small fellow who wanted to get a start in life could always get a few dollars together, go to the markets and buy the glut lines such as pineapples and cart them from door to door in the suburbs for sale at a reason­able price. He would be able to turn his money over fairly quickly. There was no problem about liquidity. If he bought $20 worth of pineapples and sold them for $30, he made $10 profit that same day. When I came out of the Air Force around the end of the Korean War, two or three of my friends and I used to do that. We could not have done it if we had had to pay $100 for a licence.

Mr. Hales interjected.

Mr. BURNS: Yes, it will. From 1 Novem­ber it will cost $100.

Mr. Hales: It didn't cost you anything then.

Mr. BURNS: That's right. We did not have $100, anyway. We would each put in £10 to get a pool of £30 and then go out to the markets and get a load of fruit and hawk it from door to door. We gave service. We would carry it to the doorstep. At the finish of the day whatever fruit or vegetables we had left over were given away and that was it; we made good money.

The markets used to be at Roma Street then and it was more convenient because there was no need to drive to Rocklea. If we had been told on arrival, "You have to pay a fee of $100 to come in early in the morning", we would have had to refuse and say, "We do not have $100 so that is the end of it. We will have to try to find some other way of making a quid."

.Mr. Goleby: You can still get in at 9 o'clock.

.Mr. BURNS: That is right-after 9.30.

What the Government is saying to the small businessman is that he will have to pay $100 for the privilege of getting in early to get the best for his customers. . In my area some people have been h_awkmg fruit door to door for years. My wife and many other people in the area would buy extra fruit and vegetables because Syd Bal­linger, our fruiterer, comes regularly two or three times a week. He calls on them per­sonally and his fruit and vegetables are always of good quality. Because he brings them to the door and because the wife does not have to go out, she says, "Yes, Syd, I have no apples so give me a half dozen." I discovered this myself when I was hawking fruit. In many cases the fact that you called brought a sale.

A restriction that is placed on these people will not only be a restric,tion on fr~e enterprise in the smallest possible way m the community but will also reduce the con: sumption of fruit and vegetables by the community. In many ways it will create a monopoly for the big million-dollar super­markets that have come into the fruit and vegetable trade.

The $100 levy will be struck in such a way that a person who does not pay it will be admitted to the markets only after 9.30 a.m. Probably the best thing for me to do would be to quote the Minister's Press release. It reads-

" 'This action has been taken in response to many requests to eliminate the traffic hazards facing young children who, with­out warning, leave their mother's side and run into the path of vehicles,' Mr. Sullivan said,"

Mr. Frawiey: That is a lot of rubbish. It is just another way of getting $100.

Mr. BURNS: Of course it's a lot of rub­bish, It is just another way of taking $100 from the fruiterers, mixed busil!.esses a,nd the really small man. Let me go further and prove how much rubbish it is. The Press release continues-

"There has not been a serious accident so far but there have been almost-daily 'near misses' in this high-density traffic area.

"He advised that trading times would be licensed buyers, 7.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily each trading day."

That is a reduction and I do not know why. When I left school, I went into a mixed business at Milton. We would go in and pick up our fruit and vegetables and conduct other transactions associated with the business and be home in the shop by half past 7 in the morning. We used to buy from Lambert, Murray and other people in the market.

962 Afatters of Public Interest [8 OcTOBER 1975] Matters of Public Interest

Mr. Goleby: You are talking about the old Roma Street markets.

Mr. BURNS: Yes.

Mr. Goleby: You want to get au fait with what is going on now at Rocklea.

Mr. BURl~S: I am au fait with the hawkers and fruiterers because I have been talking to many of them about this matter during the past few weeks. They wonder why the hours have been cut back. I am told that before the floods opening time was 7 a.m. Now it is 7.30, which has cut down the early trading by half an hour. That has no bearing on being worried about the kids. This is the sort of restriction put up by honourable members opposite, who should be supporting an extension of trading hours and providing incentives to attract more traders.

Mr. Goleby interjected.

Mr. BURNS: Let me just ·finish what the Minister said. He said-

"Unlicenced buyers still would have unrestricted rights on Wednesday."

On the one hand he says that he is imposing this $100 fine-and that is virtually what it is-on people such as the hawkers who have been going there for years. The pretext u&ed is that the kids might get knocked over. But they will not get knocked over on Wednesdays-only on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. On Wednesday you can get into the place early but on the other days you are restricted. Honourable members opposite must stop fooling themselves. That ststement won't hold water. The Minister also said-

"Controlled trading will help regular retail buyers by making it easier to move around the Market, load supplies and leave earlier."

It will not make it any easier whatsoever. The Minister continued-

"This should result in improved fresh­ness, particularly of vegetables, in sub­urban stores."

I suggest that it will do exactly the opposite. The ordinary little grocer who makes prob­ably only $30 or $40 a week out of his retail fruit and vegetables but provides them as a service and who drives to the market every day will find it much more difficult. When we lived at Milton we went in every day of the week and took fresh fruit and vegetables back to our store. It is just going to make it all the more difficult for those people. The little grocer will say, "I don't want to be in the $100 levy idea, I'll have to go after 9.30." That is just too late to be getting out there to start choosing the fruit and vegetables that he wants; he has to be there early. The people who will benefit from this will be large supermarkets and the others who are selling pre-packed to the storekeeper. They will say, "I can save you money. Don't waste your time going

out to Rocklea and buying fresh yourselves. Buy from me, I deliver. I will pre-pack ~t in these plastic packs." In most cases this does not help the fruit and vegetable growers of the Redlands electorate one bit. The honourable member representing them will find that the product is marked and bruised and that buyers are not aware of how long it has been in those packs. People are con­cerned about the type of rubbish that is being put into these fancy packs for which they are being charged extra.

Mr. Goleby interjected.

Mr. BURNS: There are a couple more points I want to make. The honourable member can get up and make a 1 0-minute speech later and attack these small business­men, but I am making my speech now. My point is that it used to be the hawkers who went around and sold the growers' glut products. Today a marketing scheme is being established. I can quote one of the officers of the Department of Primary Industries, who tells me that an increasingly smaller percentage of the shares of retail spending is going on fresh fruit and vegetables. He said-

"Foodstuffs are taking an increasingly smaller percentage share of our retail spending. This decline has been from about 25 per cent in 1950-51 to about 19 per cent in 1972-73."

Does the honourable member for Redlands know what some of the proposed clearance schemes did? They gave nothing to the grower. The grower does not receive any return for the produce that is cleared in a glut time. In my time those glut products were sold by hawkers. I cannot understand how the honourable member can talk to me about helping the little businessman when here the smallest businessman of the lot, the bloke who gets himself a wheelbarrow or a truck or a horse and dray and decides to go door-to-door, is the one who suffers. He provides the best service. He provides fresh fruit and vegetables which are not dressed up in fancy packaging. He puts this plain unvarnished product in front of the lady at the door.

When I hawked watermelons, housewives used to make me tap the watermelon and lift the piece out and if it was not red all the way down they did not buy the water­melon. As a result I had a watermelon I could not sell and she had one that satisfied her. The same thing occurred with pine­apples. If I said, "This is a good rough pineapple" she would say, "Cut it in halves." If I cut it in half and it didn't look sweet, all I had was a pineapple I could not sell. These hawkers and small shopkeepers were the ones who were giving the right service to the housewife.

The honourable member talks about what the Government is doing for small business. I suggest to him that this is a rough impost, that this is the rough end of the pineapple

Matters of Public Interest [8 OcTOBER 1975] Matters of Public Interest 963

for the little hawker. That is what the Government has done to him, yet it talks about being on his side. I suggest that he gives correct weight, he gives 12 to the dozen and gives good service. I do not believe this action can be justified by saying that there might have been an accident on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays or Fridays but there will not be one on Wednesdays. I do not believe the Government should pick on 500 hawkers and say to them "You have to pay $100 each." It would be more than 500 if we take every little corner shopkeeper in Brisbane who wants to go t0 the market. If we add the hawkers to that number and the Government levies them alL that is $60,000 a year going into the market. The market people say, "It also was intended that part of the fee receipts be used to meet a small portion of the market's operating costs, and it will cover the cost of administering the scheme." We are setting up a scheme and slugging the little fellow to pay for it. There is no reason the market cannot allow--

Mr. Goleby: Who pays for the market administration now?

Mr. BURNS: The growers and the agents. The growers in the honourable member's area would be far better served by having more people going to the markets and buying, thus providing greater competition and keeping prices up, than restricting the number of buyers. The Government is restricting the opportunity of the agent to sell the grower's produce direct. It is work­ing against the whole idea of what honour­able members opposite are supposed to believe in-free enterprise and competition.

The honourable member for Redlands does not believe in enterprise by the little fellows with $20 or $30 who want to be fruiterers. He does not believe in com­petition; he is in favour of restrictina com­petition by imposing a levy of $100 to pre­vent the little fellows from going to the market early. The honourable member is arguing completely against the ideas that ~e pr.ofesses to believe in. He stands up m this Chamber and says, "I believe in free enterprise. I believe in ·supporting the small businessman." But in reality he is kicking the small businessman every time.

(Time expired.)

PRIORITIES IN ROAD-IMPROVEMENT POLICY

Mr. TENNI (Barron River) (12.51 p.m.): The matter of public interest about which I shall speak is transportation, which is of particular concern to the people of the Far North of this State.

I state clearly that the problems of trans­portation in the Far North-and, for that matter, right throughout Australia-have been brought about by the socialist attitudes

of the Federal Minister for Transport (Mr. Jones). I do not know whether he is related to the State member in this House; I do not think he is.

Mr. Wright: Whose fault was it before 1972?

Mr. TENNI: There was not a problem then. At the moment, roads are falling to pieces because members of the Australian Labor Party are interested only in the city­ites and in national highways.

I heard the Leader of the Opposition's speech about hawkers. What is he talking about? I had 300 cases of pineapples ploughed in because Mr. Jones removed the subsidy on shipping and fuel, and in fact, Mr. Deputy Speaker, on whatever one likes to name, and I could not get them out. He talks about highways! Primary producers cannot even get the produce off the land because of the stupid attitude that the social­ist regime in Canberra has adopted towards people in country areas. As I said. it is interested only in the people who live in the cities or on the national highways. It has ploughed money into national highways and it does not care two hoots about the people who live away from those highways.

I will give honourable members an example of the thinking of Mr. J ones. As chairman of the Mareeba Shire Council, I attended a meeting in Cairns some four or five months ago at which 13 councils were represented. In his speech, Mr. J ones told the meeting how much money the Federal Government was ploughing into national highways and how much money it was taking from the rural arterial, rural local and rural beef roads. I told him very clearly that of the 13 councils represented 12 were not on a national highway. I told him he was wasting his time telling us what he was going to spend on a national highway and that the national highway was going to be brought up to an all-time high standard at the cost of rural arterial, rural local and beef roads. That shows the type of man who is in charge of transportation in this country.

Throughout his speech Mr. Jones repeat­edly said, "With our money we are doing this. With our money we are doing that." When my turn came to speak, I put it to him very clearly, "It is not your money, Mr. Minister. It is our money-the money of the taxpayers of this country-and people in country areas are entitled to a part of that money. It should not be used only for the benefit of those living on a national highway."

Mr. Gibbs: Charlie Jones is pretty careless with the truth.

Mr. TENNI: I do not think he knows how to tell the truth. He tried to deceive 12 out of 13 councils at that meeting. Admit­tedly, when the council representatives had

964 Matters of Public Interest [8 OCTOBER 1975) Matters of Public Interest

finished with him, he did not have a leg to stand on. We told him what we thought of him and his national highways.

Mr. Aikens: The only council that sup­ported him was the Labor-controlled Cairns City Council.

Mr. TENNI: I .thank the honourable mem­ber for Townsville South for his interjec­tion. That is dead right. The Labor­controlled Cairns City Council supported Mr. J ones because it stood to gain from the improvement of a national highway. Any­way, it is no good talking about the Labor­controlled council in Cairns, because it will be out after the next ekction. Perhaps the people of Cairns will then get some­where.

It annoyed me that Mr. J ones kept talking about a national highway. He would not accept the fact tha,t people in country areas have to get •their produce •to this so-called national highway. He has deliberately with­held finance from country roads to such an extent th8Jt primary producers in the North will not be able to get their products to the national highway to transport them to markets in the cities.

Mr. Jones said that the national highway was not for the transpor·tation of goods. He said that the Railway Department and shipping were for the transportation of goods and he talked about his so-called, socialist Australian shipping line. I said, "Mr. Jones, in that case you are admitting that you are building a national highway not for the transportation of goods but for the trans­portation of tourists from city to city. You are blatantly stating, 'To hell with the rural arterial and rural local. We are not going to do a thing about them.' " With his change from the development roads and beef roads to rural local and rural arterial, he penalised the taxpayers of my electorate and many other electorates in the Far Nor-th. In doing so he said, "As a ratepayer you will subscribe 10 per cent of all outlays on main roads in the rural arterial rural local." Under the old system the ratepayers put in only l:f per cent. He got at us again. That is his tactic. He knocks the country areas to assist the cities. Without the food from the country areas, the cities would die. That is what Mr. Jones is doing for the country people! He is crippling them. The sooner we get rid of him and his type the better for this country.

Mr. Turner: It won't be long.

Mr. TENNI: It won't be long. In December we will chuck that socialist mob out.

Look at what Mr. Jones has done for the Outback aerodromes! We have a licensed airport at Chillagoe in my shire. He and his department dictate what has to be done to that airport. At the same time they cut back its allocation of funds. They give us approximately $2,500 a year but then they say that we have to spend $8,000 to upgrade the airport to D.C.A. regulations. How stupid can people be! The Chillagoe airport is in the electorate of the honourable member for Cook.

Mr. Turner: He is doing a good job, too.

Mr. TENNI: He is doing an excellent job. I was with him and the Premier in Chillagoe the other day. They both did a darn good job. That airport provides the sole means of transport out of that area during big floods. The railway line gets washed out or slides. The road goes out. We cannot do anything with the road because we haven't the necessary funds-thanks to Mr. Jones. He is deliberately knocking Out­back airports such as the one at Chillagoe. But for the rail ambulance we would have lost the lives of five out of seven people we took out of Chillagoe last year. ·That is not my say-so, but the opinion of doctors up there. They say that we saved the lives of five people. But there is no way in the world that Mr. Jones will make available in cases of emergency the helicopters that are sitting in Townsville doing nothing. That is the socialist policy. That is the policy that ALP. members in this Chamber support. The honourable member for Rockhampton is backing it.

Mr. Wright interjected.

Mr. TENNI: I accept the fact that the honourable member agrees with the socialist mob in Canberra.

Opposition Members interjected.

Mr. TENNI: The honourable member for Bulimba is another one. The members for Lytton and Cairns both agree with that principle. They are all a mob of socialists.

We have a road from Cairns to Mareeba. It is called a rural local road. Under the Federal Government's policy no finance is

Staff at Stop-Work Meeting [9 OcTOBER 1975]

available for it. The amount made available would not fill the potholes. A driver gets airsick from going over the bumps and humps. He puts his life in his hands every time he goes over the Kuranda Range. Fantastic money is being spent on national highways yet people's lives are at stake because they have to drive over those stupid, silly, narrow roads that the Federal Minister for Transport completely ignores. He could not care less about them. That is his policy. Those roads were being improved every year up to two years ago. They were being widened. But now Mr. Jones couldn't care less about them.

(Time expired.)

The House adjourned at 1 p.m.

Privilege 965