Queensland

Parliamentary Debates [Hansard]

Legislative Assembly

THURSDAY, 8 AUGUST 1974

Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy

122 Matters of Public Interest [8 AUGUST 1974] Ministerial Statement

THURSDAY, 8 AUGUST 1974

Mr. SPEAKER (Hon. W. H. Lonergan, FHnders) read prayers and took the chair at 11 a.m.

P!A!PERS

The following papers were laid on the table:-

Orders in Council under­Explosives Act 1952--"1972. Medical Act 1939-1973.

Regulation under the Health Act 1937-1973.

By-laws under the Dental Act 1971-1973. Statutes under the Griffith University Act

1971-1973.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

SALE OF SUBSTANDARD LAND, RUSSELL ISLAND

Hon. W. A. R. RAE (Gregory-Minister for Lands and Forestry) (11.4 a.m.): I refer honourable members to articles which appeared in the "Sunday Sun" on 28 July 1974 and "The Australian" on 26 July 1974. These articles concern a Sydney couple who, after saving for some years, purchased aHot­ments on Russell Island. Upon inspection by them, the allotments were found to be -and I quote the buyers' own words­"a worthless tract of mangrove swamp."

My Department of Lands has been men­tioned in one of these articles. The land pur­chased has been indentified as freehold lots 343, 344 and 345 on real property plan 128019 and is held in the names of Denis Stanley Gibbons and Patricia Kay Mary Gibbons, his wife, as joint tenants.

This land is part of a freehold subdivision and I as Minister for Lands and Forestry have no jurisdiction over rthe sale of such freehold land.

I am concerned that my department and the Government may have been linked with the smell that usually flows from such prac­tices, which can only be described as uneth­ical and perhaps even criminal. My depart­ment sold about 500 Crown allotments during 1973-74 throughout the whole of Queens­land and complied with all ,the requirements of the shire councils in whose areas the allot­ments were situated. In fact, the shire coun­cils concerned were contracted by the Gov­ernment to develop according to all the nec­essary high standards. I make the point that my department adheres to all standards required in the field of subdivision and devel­opment.

The allotments on Russell Island sold privately to Mr. and Mrs. Gibbons were surveyed prior to the island being placed under the control of the Redland Shire Coun­cil in 1973. Obviously, the developers, tak!ng

Petition [8 AUGUST 1974] Death of Mr. C. B. English 123

advantage of this situation, connived to sur­vey worthless tidal land and by high-pressure salesmanship and false advertising in south­ern newspapers enticed gullible people to invest in worthless swamp land.

The Government has been concerned in recent years about the reported practices associated with the sales of land on Russell Island and for this reason the island was brought within the jurisdiction of the Red­land Shire Council on 12 May 1973. This will provide control over future subdivisions.

I take <this opportunity to declare that the previous owner of the land sold to Mr. and Mrs. Gibbons was a development company known as "C. Enterprises Pty. Ltd." The plan of survey shows the lots sold as fronting Palm Beach Road and I mention in passing as a warning to prospective buyers that there is another row of allotments between Palm Beach Road and the seafront.

I have nothing but sympathy for those who have been unfortunate enough to have been persuaded to buy this land sight unseen but, of course, the old saying "Let the buyer beware" is one that stands good for all types of sales. The Government can do little to assist these people who have been importuned except to issue a warning that prospective buyers should first inspect before consummating a sale.

I emphasise that, when it comes to the purchase of land, time spent in reconnaisance is seldom wasted. I stress that the purpose of this statement is to dissociate myself, my department and my Government from any involvement whatsoever in the sale of these substandard freehold allotments situated on Russell Island.

SELECT COMMITTEE ON PUNISHMENT OF CRIMES OF VIOLENCE IN

QUEENSLAND

Mr. PORTER (Toowong) (11.8 a.m.): I present to the House the report of the Select Committee on Punishment of Crimes of Violence in Queensland and move-

"That the report be printed." Ordered to be printed.

PETITION

PRESERVATION OF ANZAC SQUARE

Mr. MILLER (Ithaca) presented a petition signed by 1,205 residents of Queensland pray­ing that the Parliament of Queensland will do all things in its power to cause the Order in Council dated 31 August 1933, per­manently reserving and setting aside the lands known as Anzac Square in Brisbane for park purposes, to be reinstated and adhered to.

Petition read and received.

DEATH OF MR. C. B. ENGLISH

MoTION oF CoNDOLENCE

Hon. J. BJELKE-PETERSEN (Barambah­Premier) (11.10 a.m.), by leave, without notice: I move-

"1. That this House desires to place on record its appreciation of the services rendered to this State by the late Charles Bernard English, Esquire, a former mem­ber of the Parliament of Queensland.

"2. That Mr. Speaker be requested to convey to the widow and family of the deceased gentleman the above resolution, together with an expression of the sym­pathy and sorrow of the members of the Parliament of Queensland in the loss they have sustained."

The late Mr. English was elected to the Queensland Parliament in March 1953 as member for Mulgrave, and he served until his defeat at the August 1957 election. Although his service was brief in terms of years, he was well known on both sides of the House as a conscientious, kindly and quiet man who naturally drew people to him.

Born in New South Wales, the late gentle­man was only two years old when in 1904 his father took the family to the Atherton Tableland to become one of the pioneers of the area. Mr. English lived there all his life until a few years ago when illness forced him to come to Brisbane for hospital care.

Always a champion of the causes of the North, he was enterprising in business, hav­ing been the owner of timber mills. He was also extremely active in public life.

Mr. English was a member of the Eacham Shire Council for a very long period. He was also a member of the Cairns Harbour Board, president of the Malanda Show Society for many years and president of the Eacham Rugby League.

After a very long illness, the late Mr. English died last Monday in Mt. Olivet Hospital at the age of 72 years. With his passing the North has lost a staunch advocate and an active worker in the community.

We in this House mourn his death, and our sympathy is extended to Mrs. English and the late gentleman's four daughters at this very sad time.

Hon. Sir GORDON CHALK (Lockyer­Treasurer) (11.12 a.m.): I rise to support the motion moved by the Premier. I spent some seven years in business in North Queensland, and because of his milling interests in the North, Charlie English was known to me quite well before he entered Parliament.

124 Questions Upon Notice [8 AUGUST 1974] Questions Upon Notice

In Parliament, the late gentleman did not make his mark as an orator, but he was recognised as a very sincere member who gave of his best to the electors during the period that he represented them. After he left Parliament he continued with his acti­vities in the North and very often made representations to Ministers of the Crown. I received several approaches from him on northern matters in which he was interested.

As the Premier has said, Charlie English made a worth-while contribution in this House. I believe he also made a great contribution to the development of the timber industry and the other business with which he was associated. I join the Premier in this motion of condolence to his wife and members of his family.

Mr. TUCKER (Townsville West-Leader of the Opposition) (11.14 a.m.): I rise to associate the Opposition with this motion of condolence. The late Charles English was not a member of this House for very long; he was elected to Parliament in 1953 and was defeated in 1957, which, as we all realise, was a traumatic time for the Labor Party.

For many years he was a councillor on the Malanda Shire Council, and we all know that he owned several sawmills in that area. The English family is well known and well respected in the Eacham Shire and through­out Far North Queensland. I knew the late Charlie English only slightly because he served here before me and most other sitting members. He was a champion of the ordinary people and was well liked and respected in his own area. To his widow, four daughters and other members of his family, I express deepest sympathy on behalf of the Opposition.

Motion (Mr. Bjelke-Petersen) agreed to, honourable members standing in silence.

QUESTIONS UPON NOTICE

WORKERS' COMPENSATION INvESTIGATORS

Mr. Tucker, pursuant to notice, asked The Treasurer,-

(1) Under the Workers' Compensation Act, how many inspectors are employed on (a) checking premium payments for employees and (b) investigating workers' claims?

(2) How many (a) full-time medical practitioners and (b) photographers or cine-cameramen also investigate workers' claims?

Answers:-

(1) "(a) One. (b) Five."

(2) "(a) Seven. (b) Three."

OVERSEAS EQUITY IN PROPERTIES, CAPE YORK PENINSULA

Mr. Bousen, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Lands,-

(1) What are the names of the owners of the 12 largest properties in the area of Cape York Peninsula bounded by 17 degrees South latitude and 145 degrees East longitude?

(2) Are there significant pastoral holdings in this area which are in the hands of companies with overseas equity, either directly or indirectly?

Answers:-(1) "I am forwarding a list of the 12

largest properties in the Cape York Pen­insula showing areas and lessee companies to the Honourable Member. A locality plan in illustration will also be supplied."

(2) "Yes."

CLARE WEIR, BURDEKIN RivER

Mr. Bird, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Conservation,-

In view of the urgent need for additional water for irrigated agriculture, particularly rice production in the Lower Burdekin area, will every endeavour be made to have the proposed Clare Weir on the Burdekin River constructed at the earliest possible time, rather than having its construction delayed until the completion of the present appraisal of the Burdekin River system?

Answer:-"Clare Weir is an integral feature of

the Burdekin Extension (Urannah Dam) Project approved in principle by the Gov­ernment in 1971 and referred to the Commonwealth Government for financial assistance to implement the project. The scheme is included on the short list of urgent rural water supply projects sub­mitted to the Commonwealth Government. In recent months Commonwealth officers have been engaged, in conjunction with appropriate State officers, on an examina­tion of the scheme. There is no indication that their report will be deferred until the overall appraisal of the Burdekin Basin is completed. Unless a Commonwealth Grant is for,thcoming, it is unlikely that the Irrigation and Water Supply Com­mission, because of commitments on works now under construction or approved, could commence work on Clare Weir or other projects in the Burdekin within the near future utilising State funds."

C.S.R. Co. LTD. STUDY oF SuGAR INDUSTRY FOR 0RD RivER AREA

Mr. Bird, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Primary Industries,-

Has he considered an article in the July edition of the Australian Sugar Journal headed "New Study of Ord Sugar Industry",

Questions Upon Notice [8 AuGUST 1974] Questions Upon Notice 125

which stated that the Colonial Sugar Refining Co. Ltd. had been asked by the Western Australian Government to study the feasibility of a sugar industry on the Ord River?

Answer:-"Yes. The C.S.R. Co. Ltd., which had

advised my Department, rthe Sugar Board and the industry of this matter, seems to me to be a logical selection for this project. The Honourable Member may recall that the C.S.R. Co. Ltd. carried out a feasibility study of sugar production on the Ord River in 1963. I would add, for the Honourable Member's information, that discussions were held as far back as 1959 with the West Australian people on the development of a sugar industry in the Ord and that Queensland sugar industry leaders have visited the Ord project. I would mention too that an assurance has been received from West Australia that it would not take any action which would cut across the present orderly marketing arrangements for Queensland and New South Wales sugar."

NATIONAL DISASTER FUND

Mr. Inch, pursuant to notice, asked The Premier,-

( 1) Is he aware of the many approaches made by local government associations urging governments to establish a national disaster fund based on the same principles as the War Insurance Levy which prevailed in the years 1939-1945?

(2) In view of his past loquacity in this matter, has he co-operated with the Prime Minister in assisting with the establishment of this fund and .the setting up of the na1ional emergency operations centre and what have been his achievements in this regard?

(3) Will he supply relevant information to local authorities, principally 1hose who have become rorporate-body members of the National Disaster Action Committee?

Answers:-( I) "I have seen some such requests and

I would draw the Honourable Member's attention to the recently reported state­ments by the Commonwealth Minister for Social Security where he indicated his preference for flood insurance. He is opposed to the creation of a national disaster fund because such a fund would involve tremendous problems."

(2) "I have corresponded with the Prime Minister on the ma1ter of a Natural Disasters Organisation and the Minister for Works and Housing has attended a con­ference on this proposal. A Major-General of the Regular Army was recently appointed as Director-General, Natural Disasters Organisation and a Press state­ment on the matter was made by the

Commonwealth Minister for Defence on June 27. The Government of Queensland has certainly no reasons to believe it has been lacking in attention to the needs of the people during natural disasters. Nor has it failed to recognise with thanks the help of successive Commonwealth Govern­ments on these occasions. I might say thaJt the Honourable Member's electorate has little reason to complain about what has been done there to help in disaster situations."

(3) "I have no knowledge of the National Disaster Action Committee nor of which local authorities are corporate­body members."

PRE-SCHOOL, TOWNSVILLE SoUTH

Mr. Aikens, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Works,-

( 1) When is it proposed to commence building the pre-school at Townsville South and when will it be completed?

(2) If there is any reason for delay in the commencement of the school, will he clearly outline it?

Answer:-( 1 and 2) "My Department's district

officer reported that the contractor com­menced the work on this project on-site on July 11 last. It has a 25-week contract time for completion from June 20, 1974, expiring December 12 next. No delay is reported at this stage."

HOUSING COMMISSION PENSIONER UNITS, ToWNSVILLE

Mr. Aikens, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Works,-

( 1) How many pensioner home units have been built in Townsville and at what average cost?

(2) How many is it envisaged are to be built?

(3) On what date did the Whitlam Government repudiate its promise to financially assist in the building of this necessary accommodation for our pioneers and what extra burden on the State Gov­ernment has this blatant repudiation caused?

Answers:-( 1) "Current contracts provide for 40

units at an average contract price of $8,055 each plus land and incidental charges."

(2) "Consideration is being given to removal of some of the old wartime build­ings at Garbutt now occupied as fiats of very dubious standard and constructing up to 40 more aged persons units in their place. Other sites would also be con­sidered."

126 Questions Upon Notice [8 AuGUST 1974] Questions Upon Notice

(3) "It is not correct to say that the Commonwealth has repudiated its promise but we have been embarrassed by the absence of a firm arrangement from July 1, 1974. The Commonwea1th has paid the full amount it promised for the five year period which ended on that date. The Commonwealth Minister for Housing and Construction did promise last year that the scheme would be extended. The Minister confirmed in April, 1974, that the Commonwealth Government would give high priority to the necessary legislation to continue the scheme. The matter was further discussed at a recent meeting of State and Commonwealth housing officers in Melbourne. I do not doubt the Com­monwealth's intentions but until the amount of money is disclosed we are limited in letting further contracts. To keep the scheme going pending Commonwealth advice the State provided additional finance and the Housing Commission has already committed this in building contracts."

CIVIC CENTRES, TOWNSVILLE AND CAIRNS

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

( 1) Will his Government make any con­tribution towards the construction of the new Civic Centre, incorporating a theatre, in Townsville?

(2) Did his Government make any con­tribution towards the recently completed Civic Centre, incorporating a theatre, in Cairns, and, if so, how much?

(3) Did the Commonwealth Govern­ment make any contribution to the Cairns Civic Centre and theatre and, if not, will he inquire as to why the Prime Minister officially opened the theatre?

Answers:-(1) "Work on the Townsville adminis­

tration block will attract a State subsidy, under the approved State subsidy scheme, for that par,t of the approved work quali­fying as follows:-Public toilets, 33t per cent.; and public meeting room and exhibition/foyer area, possibly 20 per cent. For the Civic Theatre, subsidy will be paid at the rate of 20 per cent. on the structure and 33t per cent. on the public toilets. The actual amount of subsidy to be paid under these scales will not be known until a detailed costing of the rele­vant sections of the tender is received."

(2) "The Government is making a con­tribution to the Concert Hall at Cairns on the same subsidy basis, the amount of subsidy to be paid being estimated at $237,382."

(3) "No Commonwealth payments came to the State Treasury on account of the Cairns Civic Theatre and Centre. How­ever, I know that the Prime Minister flew

to Cairns with members of his family to open the Centre but I feel he would have been somewhat disappointed, as when 'Advance Australia Fair' was played instead of the National Anthem a number of people remained seated."

ST. LAWRENCB-SARINA SECTION, BRUCE HIGHWAY

Mr. Newbery, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Mines,-

As the St. Lawrence-Sarina section of the Bruce Highway has been declared part of the National Highway, how does this action fit in with the Main Roads Depart­ment's proposed programme?

Answer:-"The Queensland Government following

recommendations by 1he Main Roads Department decided as long ago as 1963 that Marlborough-St. Lawrence-Sarina should be the Bruce Highway. The Bureau of Roads in its recent report required further justification of this route and this has now been done. With my agreement rthe Commissioner of Main Roads pressed for an early decision on the adoption of the coastal route and it is pleasing to see that the Commonwealth reached the right decision arrived at over 10 years ago by the State."

EFFECT OF PROPOSED COMMONWEALTH LEGISLATION ON RURAL ROADS

PROGRAMME

Mr. Newbery, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Mines,-

As much concern has been expressed by many local authorities about work by the Main Roads Department in their respective areas, what effect will the Commonwealth Government's proposed Bill referring to roads have on this State's rural roads programme?

Answer:-"Queensland has lost much flexibility

in programming works on the roads system by the addition of Commonwealth cate­gories such as beef roads, national high­ways, export roads and the like. These are being financed out of the Common­wealth funds. Although there is additional money in the rural areas, national high­ways, beef roads and export roads have been given priority for the additional funds. The effect is to substantially reduce funds on rural arterials and these roads include the Capricorn, Dawson, Flinders, Mitchell, other highways and many important main roads. This year there is a reduction in funds and much greater reductions in 1975-76 and 1976-77 financial years. The Commonwealth Government has effectively taken freedom from the States to plan road programmes and openly claims ~hat it can do a better job. This must be

Questions Upon Notice (8 AUGUST 1974] Questions Upon Notice 127

strongly disputed and I challenge the Com­monwealth to show where Queensland has not achieved a remarkable amount of progress over the past 10 years. Local authorities can be assured that my Depart­ment will try to cushion the effect of the reduced mads funds wherever possible but there will be a reduction of work on many roads."

EFFECT OF ABOLITION OF PETROL SuBSIDY ON IsoLATED AREAs

Mr. Newbery, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Health,-

Has his attention been drawn to a state­ment in the Press of August 6, wherein it was claimed that the huge increase in the cost of petrol in Western Queensland brought about by the Commonwealth Government's abolition of petrol subsidy could cause a decline in the service to the isolated residents of this State?

Answer:-"Yes. Health problems which may arise

as a result are now under scrutiny with a view to identifying and, if possible, emeliorating them."

T.A.B. PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION

Mr. Davis, pursuant to notice, asked The Treasurer,-

(1) Is he aware of the rumour, cur­rently circulating in racing circles, that the T.A.B. percentage distribution to galloping clubs this year will be on a considerably reduced basis compared with that of last year?

(2) Is there any basis of fact in the rumour?

(3) Is the Government's share of T.A.B. turnover just?

( 4) Has the Queensland Turf Club ever expressed official dissatisfaction of the Government's share of the turnover?

(5) Has the Queensland Turf Club signified officially its dissatisfaction of the table of T.A.B. distribution to racing clubs?

Answers:-( 1 and 2) "I am aware that there have

been suggestions ·that the T.A.B. percentage distribution might be varied. I am also aware that the Board has, in common with other enterprises, experienced greatly increased costs of operation and is not able to maintain its previous ratio of profit to turnover. This fact, coupled with greatly increased prizemoney by certain clubs, will result in a reduced percentage distribution by the T.A.B."

(3) "Yes. Such is generally in line with the take of other States."

(4 and 5) "The Queensland Turf Club has discussed these questions with me on occasions but no official complaint has been lodged by the club committee."

REOPENING OF ART GALLERY Mr. Davis, pursuant to notice, asked The

Minister for Education,-As Brisbane is the only Australian

capital city which does not have an arts centre and as the •temporary State Art Gallery is not open at present even though the Art Gallery Chairman of Trustees advised in early April that it would be only a matter of weeks before the reopening date, will he, to ease the embarrassing situation of having to continually make feeble excuses to the thousands of tourists who wish to visit the gallery, ascertain when it is likely that it will be reopened?

Answer:-"I am informed that provision of addi­

tional air-conditioning is necessary in the premises being leased for the Art Gallery and that a tender for this work is expected to be let this week. The contract pro­vides for completion of the work in eleven weeks, so it is likely to be at least three months before the gallery can be opened to the public."

TOUR OF EUROPE BY MINISTER FOR TOURISM

Mr. Davis, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Tourism,-

With reference to his recent seven-week overseas tour for the purpose of promoting tourism-

(!) Was it necessary to embark on such a lengthy tour of Europe, just to arrnounce on return that it would be useless promot­ing tourism in Europe?

(2) Was he aware that the Honourable the Premier had also undertaken a State promotional tour to Europe some six months previously and could have had some information on the European tourist situation?

( 3) Did he consult the Honourable the Premier prior to his departure?

( 4) As the Press reports state that the trip was a seven-week tour of Europe, did he visit other countries?

(5) How many persons accompanied him in the official party?

(6) How many of the party were officials of the Queensland Government Tourist Bureau?

(7) What was the total cost of this promotional tour?

Answers:-( 1) "The purpose of my visit was to

attempt to boost Queensland's intake of tourists from Europe, to endeavour to

128 Questions Upon Notice (8 AUGUST 1974] Questions Upon Notice

stimulate interest in the fo11thcoming work­shop of P.A.T.A. to be held in Towns­ville in March next year and to have dis­cussions with tourist operators who have expressed interest in Queensland. These included major international airlines as it is well known that one of the greatest problems confronting Queensland tourism is the lack of direct international flights into Brisbane. Apart from any other effect which my visit may have on the future development of tourism in Queens­land, i>t certainly has had the effect of saving the State a considerable amount of money, far in excess of the cost of the trip, as the proposed major advertising promotion in Europe by the Queensland Government Tourist Bureau which was planned for this financial year will not now take place in view of the situation which I discovered."

(2) "I was aware of ~he visit overseas bv the Honourable the Premier but such a- visit was undertaken for other important matters of State and it could not be expected that he would have had the opportunity 1o make a detailed examination of the European tourist market."

(3) "Yes."

( 4) "No. Only brief en route stop-overs .. "

(5) "Unlike Federal A.L.P. Ministers and the South Australian Labor Premier whose $59,000 world tour included a party of four departmental officials and three members of his own staff, and which had additional expense involved to enable him to return to undertake a Federal election campaign, I did not travel with a large entourage and the only officer to accom­pany me was my private secretary."

(6) "See Answer to (5)."

(7) "Ministerial expenses are to be tabled in this House this Session."

HOME-BUILDING TREND

Dr. Edwards, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Works,-

( 1) Is he aware of a statement by the Minister for Social Security, Mr. Hayden, on August 5, that anti-government propa­ganda from vested interests and pressure groups ignored the fact that home building was still booming?

(2) Has there been a downturn in home building and have many carpenter gangs in private industry been retrenched?

(3) Have people been deprived of homes by the Commonwealth Government's economic policies?

Answer:-( 1 to 3) "The statement attributed to

Mr. Hayden is simply not borne out by the facts nor does it stand up to examin-

ation. The facts are these--Building approvals for Queensland for June this year were the lowest for three years (source-AuSitralian Bureau of Statistics); The overall cost of housing materials has risen by 19·2 per cent. in 'the year to May (source-Australian Bureau of Statistics); The cost of the essential and traditional building materials, timber, board and joinery rose in the year to May by 27 · 4 per cent. (source-Australian Bureau . of Statistics); Savings bank loans for housmg during June this year dropped by 20 ·1 per cent. (source-AI!stralian Ban~ers Association Research Directorate); Bmld­ing Society loans for housing in Australia in the quarter ended June, 1974, totalled just more than $156,000,000 compared with $214 million for the same quarter of 1973; In April this year Queensl~nd lost 67 200 working days production through ' strikes, mainly in the bu_ilding and construction and metal trades mdus­tries (source--Australian B~r~au of Statistics)· Australia's cost of hvmg rose by 4·1 p~r cent.-the highest for 22 years in the June quarter (source--Australian Bureau of Statistics) ; and in April Queens­land lost 40 020 man-hours through indus­trial strife (source-Australian Bureau of Statistics). 'Australia faces its most seri_ous economic situation since the depressiOn' (Institute of Applied Economic an~ ~ocial Research, Melbourne). I assume th1s IS the propaganda to which Mr. Hayden refers. One could hardly describe these sources as 'anti-government pressure groups'. . I might add here that less than a fortmght ago I was approached officially by a representative of a group of some of the largest urban developers in this ~tate ~ho informed me that because of mcreasmg financial pressures, brought about by high interest rates and a tight money market, his clients intended to immediately chop off the building side of their operations. It was pointed out that because of. ~he Federal Government's monetary policies, the building operations had to be aban­doned. The houses could not be sold. Would-be purchasers on low incomes could not afford the repayments due to the Federal Government's reliance on high interest rates as an anti-inflationary meas­ure. Those on higher incomes were unable to secure a loan because of a tight money market again the result of Federal Government monetary policy. It seems clear to me that increasingly high interest uncontrollable strikes that cause both delays and shortages of essential building materials, has already had a depressing effect upon the buildll:g industry (the figures I mentioned earher ~!early indicate this) and that before Chns~m~s there will be a further turn-down w1thm both the building and building-supply fields that will, of course, affect the entire economy."

Questions Upon Notice (8 AuGUST 1974] Questions Upon Notice 129

TRAlNING IN FIRE-FIGHTING, STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE

Mr. Sherrington, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Works,-

In view of the extreme fire danger because of the abundance of grass, etc., throughout the State and the repeated warnings given by the Chief of the Fire Brigade, Mr. Dowling, with regard to the extreme danger in the coming months, how much training in fire-fighting and fire-rescue work has been undertaken by the State Emergency Service to equip it to supple­ment the forces of the Fire Brigade should a major catastrophe arise from this source?

Answer:-"The Queensland State Emergency Ser­

vice has undertaken a series of practical fire fighting training sessions in recent months to provide its volunteer members with an understanding of the problems and the safety factors involved in fire emergencies. Such training was carried out under the direction of the Calamvale Bush Fire Brigade. Lectures have also been given to volunteers by a Metropolitan Fire Brigade officer and other persons experienced in fire fighting equipment. The Honourable Member is no doubt aware of course that the fire fighting and fire prevention is one for resolution by the responsible organisations formed for this purpose, Metropolitan Fire Brigades, Town and Country Fire Brigades, Rural Fires Board, and Bush Fire Brigades."

EFFECT OF POLLUTION ON FISHING, MORETON BAY

Mr. Sherrington, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Primary Industries,-

(1) In view of future intensive housing developments on Moreton Bay islands because of the great number of sales of residential allotments on various islands, has any impact study been made into the possible effects of this development on the surrounding marine environment and its possible effect on fish populations in the area because of possible pollution?

( 2) Because of the great importance to both professional and amateur fishermen, what measures are to be undertaken to ensure th:tt this concentrated development will not pave the way for an ecological disaster which would rob South-east Queensland of a great fishing and recreation area?

Annvers:-(1) ''No. However, these islands fall

within the scope of the land-use manage­ment study of the coastal region between Noosa and the New South Wales border currently being carried out under the direction of the Co-ordinator General's Department."

(2) "The aforementioned study is expected to produce recommendations for development planning in these areas."

5

FOREST TIMBER FOR WOODCHOPPING EVENTS AT SHOWS

Mr. Row, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Lands,-

In view of the popularity, spectator appeal, high tradition and historical status of woodchopping events which are held at agricultural and industrial shows, will he take action to ensure that regulations and levies made under the Forestry Act do not impede the ready availability of suitable forest timbers required for use in connec­tion with those events and that such events be treated charitably and encouraged in every way possible by the Forestry Department?

Answer:-"It is accepted that there is good reason

to encourage wood chopping events at ao-ricultural and industrial shows. The Department of Forestry provides this encouragement by assistance in arranging the supply of suitable material from Crown land where this is practicable. Further­mar~ timber from inferior species without norm'al commercial value is made available free of charge. Where it is necessary •to use millable species for this purpose charge is at minimum stumpage rates."

MEDICAL STAFF, REDCLIFFE HOSPITAL

Mr. Marginson for Mr. K. J. Hooper, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Health,-

(1) Is he aware that on July 18 a young lad was taken by his mother to the Redcliffe Hospital and, owing to the fact that only one doctor was on duty, it was 12.55 next morning before he was attended to?

(2) Is one doctor sufficient to cater for the needs of a busy hospital such as at Redcliffe? If not, what action does he propose to take to remedy the situation?

Answers:-( 1) "The Medical Superintendent of

Redcliffe Hospital has advised that on the night in question one doctor was on duty and another doctor was on call. He further advises that it was an extremely busy night."

(2) "The present full-time medical establishment at Redcliffe Hospital con­sists of one superintendent, three registrars, and six resident medical officers. In addition there are nine visiting specialists. The actual staff is one short of this estab­lishment but the superintendent has arranged for general practitioners to carry out sessions to relieve the position. The State Health Department is at present examining a request for addHional staff. I am surprised that another member of the Opposition would draw attention to the present shortage of doctors. Whilst the Queensland Government is doing every­thing it can to alleviate the position, the Commonwealth Government is taking the

130 Questions Upon Notice (8 AUGUST 1974] Questions Upon Notice

opposite view. The State Health Depart­ment has regularly advertised widely throughout Australia and New Zealand for medical staff. In addition in each of the last three years a senior medical officer has visited the United Kingdom on a recruiting campaign. Whilst the results of this campaign have been quite good, they have not been sufficient to completely relieve the situation. When it was claimed that a sh011tage of clinical material was preventing the training of more doctors in Queensland, the State Health Department took steps to declare Toowoomba and Ipswich Hospitals teaching hospitals so that students may obtain experience there in addition to the metropolitan hospitals. I have repeatedly drawn the attention of the Commonwealth Government to the need for increasing the number of doctors being trained but the only action has been to impose quotas at the University of Queensland. The Queensland University has been instructed by the Australian Universities Commission to reduce the total number of new undergraduates which it admits in 1975 by 1300. The medical faculty will be one of the faculties which will suffer in this reduction. The training of adequate medical and paramedical staff should engage the attention of Federal Ministers as a top priority. The invasion of traditional areas of State responsibility and threats to State authority in these areas should be abandoned."

COMMONWEALTH AID FOR URBAN ROAD WORKS

Mr. Lane, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Mines,-

In view of the great number of people in the Greater Brisbane area who are concerned as to whether the State Govern­ment's programme of freeway works will continue, will he indicate the current position regarding the availability of finance from the Commonwealth Government for urban road works?

Answer:-"In the last Commonwealth Aid Road

Act which expired in June 1974, .the 1973-74 financial year allocation was $27·4 million for urban arterial roads through­out Queensland. Under the proposed bill this has been reduced to $14·7 million in 1974-75, $13·8 million in 1975-76 and $13·7 million in 1976-77. This continued reduction will very seriously reduce the rate at which urban arterial and freeway works can proceed in the Brisbane region as well as Toowoomba, Gold Coast, Rock­hampton and Townsville cities."

ROAD EXTENSION, NEWSTEAD PARK

Mr. Lane, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Lands,-

( 1) Has he any knowledge of an inten­tion by the Brisbane City Council to construct a roadway for public motor

vehicles through Newstead Park? If so, will it eliminate some of the existing area of lawn and shrubbery in the park?

(2) Will the roadway surround historic Newstead House and how close will it be to the building?

( 3) Has a study been carried out by the council to ensure that the foundations of Newstead House will not be affected by vehicular traffic?

( 4) What is the land tenure of New­stead Park and who has control over it?

Answers:-(1) "Yes, the Brisbane City Council

has advised me that it proposes to extend the drive and turn-around in Newstead Park through to Newstead Avenue and thus relieve congestion in front of Newstead House. I have no knowledge whether the road extension will eliminate some of the existing area of lawn and shrubbery in the park."

(2) "A sketch supplied by Brisbane City Council indicates ,that the road will be situated on three sides of Newstead House and will vary in distances ranging from about 40 to 100 feet from that structure."

(3) "I have not been advised by the council that such a study has been carried out."

( 4) "What is commonly called New­stead Park comprises about 8 acres of freehold land owned by Brisbane City Council, 32 perches held by the council upon trust for recreation purposes and 1 rood 11· 8 perches reserved under the provisions of the Land Act for park pur­poses under the control of the Council."

PAYMENT OF OWNER TRUCK DRIVERS BY ARIZONA INDUSTRIAL PTY. LTD.

Mr. N. F. Jones, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Justice,-

(1) Has his attention been drawn to a report that 29 owner truck drivers, who had subcontracted work from a company called Arizona Industrial Pty. Ltd., have been unable to gain payment for work carried out?

(2) As it has been alleged that the company had contracted the work from a number of companies operating in the State and as payment for work carried out by the truck drivers was due on July 20, the sum alleged to be due amounting to $44,928, will he investigate the non-pay­ment of moneys and also ascertain if the truck drivers have any claims under the Subcontractors' Charges Act?

Answer:-(1 and 2) "The Subcontractors' Charges

Act 1974 prescribes a procedure to be followed for the settlement of disputes between subcontractors and contractors. The owner truck drivers should consult their own solicitors."

Questions Upon Notice [8 AUGUST 1974] Questions Upon Notice 131

HOUSING COMMISSION RENTAL ACCOMMODATION

Mr. N. F. Jones, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Works,-

( 1) How many applications for State rental accommodation are currently held by the Housing Commission?

(2) What number of these applications have priority and what number have not?

(3) How many applications are held by the commission for pensioner units and how many of these applications have priority and how many have not?

( 4) How many commission houses have been constructed for rental purposes in the last five years (a) on the north side of the metropolitan area, (b) on the south side of the metropolitan area and (c) by the Queensland Housing Commission or by contractors, or by contractors work­ing on behalf of the commission?

(5) How many pensioner units have been constructed for rental purposes (a) on the north side of the metropolitan area and (b) on the south side of the metro­politan area?

Answers:-(1 and 2) "For rental houses at June

30, 6,357 applications, being 2,753 with priority and 3,604 others."

(3) "For aged persons units at June 30, 1,508 applications, being 1,197 from single persons and 311 from couples."

( 4) "Rental houses constructed in the last five years by the Commission or by contractors for the Commission, (a) 282, (b) 1,996."

(5) "At June 30, in Brisbane and nearby areas 150 completed units being (a) 63 and (b) 87. Current contracts will pro­vide 265 further units being (a) 128 and (b) 137."

SoLICITORS' BOARD EXAMINATION FEES

Mr. N. F. Jones, pursuant to notice, asked The l\linister for Justice,-

Does he intend to increase the fees payable by articled clerks to sit for the Solicitors' Board examination and, if so, wiil the fee for each subject be increased by one third?

Answcr:-"The examination fees payable to the

Soli6tors' Board are currently under con­sideration. Any increase requires the approval of the Governor in Council."

FALSE MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION CERTIFICATES

Mr. Cory, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Justice,-

( 1) How many complaints have been received by the Consumer Affairs Bureau that used motor-vehicle inspection certifi­cates have been false?

(2) What is the main cause of com­plaint?

(3) How many of the complaints have, on investigation, been found to be either a deficiency in the system or a false return?

( 4) How many prosecutions have been made because of these investigations and how many complaints have been found to be without foundation?

Answer:-( 1 to 4) "The legislation relating to

motor vehicle inspection certificates is administered by the Honourable the Minister for Development and Industrial Affairs to whom this Question should be directed."

FISH FREEZER UNITS, TORRES STRAIT IsLANDS

Mr. WaUis-Smith, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Conservation,-

( 1) Further to my Question of October 30, 1973, relative to freezer boxes, have any boxes been delivered since that date and, if so, to what island or community?

(2) Are they of a similar type to the original boxes and, if not, what is the difference and how do they compare in price?

( 3 ) Where are they manufactured?

Answer:-( 1 to 3) "Yes. Additional freezer boxes

have been provided for Boigu, Coconut, Yorke and Stephens Islands. They are of similar capacity to the original boxes but the design has been modified to allow easier loading of the product and also to facilitate cleaning and draining. Whilst there would be some increase in costs compared to the original boxes supplied in 1972 because of 1the considerable escal­ation in costs of materials, equipment and labour, comparisons could not be accur­ately determined. The boxes were manu­factured in Cairns."

WHITE-ANT INFESTATION, AURUKUN HOSPITAL

Mr. WaUis-Smith, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Works,-

(1) Further to my Question of March 27 relative to white-ant infestation at Aurukun Hospital, is he aware that no repairs have been carried out?

(2) Was a subsequent inspection made? (3) Has all timber used in the con­

struction been treated to resist white-ant infestation and, if not, is it permissible to use untreated timber?

Answcrs:-(1) "Yes. The Honourable Member

is no doubt aware of the difficulty in obtaining labour for work in this remote area. Approval has been given for the

132 Questions Upon Notice (8 AUGUST 1974] Questions Upon Notice

remedial work to be undertaken by depart­mental employees and the district officer at Cairns will have these repairs effected as soon as possible."

(2) "Yes." (3) "No. Ant capping and constant

vigilance in poisoning and destruction of white-ant inroads is essential for protection of the timber in structures in this area. On a regular basis this responsibility attaches to the manager of the community. Treated timbers are not immune to white­ant attack."

HOUSING COMMISSION LAND

M:r. Marginson for Mr. Newton, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for vVorks,-

( 1) Further to my Question of March 19, what is the area of land held by the Queensland Housing Commission for housing purposes in (a) the metropolitan area, (b) provincial cities and (c) towns?

(2) Of these areas, what is available for immediate housing construction?

Answcrs:-(1)-

----------~------,

Metropolitan (Bris­bane and adjacent)

Provincial cities and major towns

Remainder of State

Surveyed sites

524

453 1,025

Unsub­divided acreage

1,303

860 141"

----- ---------------------------(2) "Approximately 1,300 sites."

HORMONE SPRAYING, REDCLIFFE AREA

Mr. .Houghton, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Primary Industries,-

(!) Has any complaint been received by the Agricultural Chemical Distribution Control Board regarding the use of hor­mone spray on February 28 in the Anzac Avenue-Kippa Ring-Redcliffe area, known as Hazardous Area No. 1?

(2) Did investigations concerning this breach take place and was a man named Thomas Naprasnik (fireman), 138 McDonnell Road, Redcliffe, interviewed in regard to the complaint?

(3) Was Naprasnik in possession of a licence at the time? If so, in whose name was it held, has it been cancelled and will action be taken against the offender?

Allswers:-( 1) "Yes." (2) "Yes." (3) "Yes. Harold Strain. It

considered that no further action necessary."

was was

CAUSE OF FISH DISEASE

Mr. Blake, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Primary Industries,-

( 1) Has any further evidence been revealed by investigations carried out by his Department, the C.S.I.R.O. or over­seas research institutes into the con­tributory causes of the ulcer-like fish disease found in the Burnett River and other rivers and streams?

(2) Has any factual evidence been pro­duced by any creditable research organisa­tion to support imputations Ll-tat agri­cultural chemical contamination is the "trigger" cause of the disease?

Answers:-(1) "There have been no furthet devel­

opments in this matter." (2) "No."

WATER STORAGE BARRAGE, MARY RIVER

Mr. Blake, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Conservation,-

( 1) Will the location of a water-storage barrage on the Mary River, near Mary­borough, be determined by December, in keeping with the expected date of com­pletion of the land-use survey in the Mary River-Tinana Creek-Yarra-Pilerwa areas?

(2) If the barrage site will not be determined by December, when IS it expected to be determined?

( 3) When will construction of the bar­rage commence?

Answers:-

(1) "It is expected that by December. 1974, the most favourable location for a barrage on the Mary River will h:.~ve been determined."

( 2) "See (1 ) . "

(3) "Until a report covering all agri­cultural, economic, engineering and environmental features of the proposal has been considered by the Government, it is not possible to indicate whether construc­tion of the barrage will be approved. Should it be approved, construction will depend on finance available. Present limited State funds are already heavily committed on other approved works. I might also add that the Honourable Mem­ber for Maryborough has been most active in making approaches for this proposal."

REPORT ON ADDITIONAL HOSPITAL FACILITIES, HERVEY BAY

Mr. :make, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Health,-

Is the Health Services Planning and Development Unit's report of its investiga­tions into the requirements of additional hospital facilities at Hervey Bay available for public scrutiny?

Questions Upon Notice (8 AUGUST 1974] Questions Upon Notice 133

Answer:-

"The report referred to by the Honour­able Member was furnished for Depart­mental consideration. He would however be aware of the substance of the report from the details which I furnished in a letter I forwarded to him on June 20, 1974."

CONTROL OF LOCUST PLAGUE

J\;1r. Neal, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Primary Industries,-

( 1) What was the State Government's expenditure on insecticides for the control of the locust plague earlier this year for (a) the Australian plague locust, (b) the spur-throated locust and (c) 'the migratory locust?

(2) Will the Commonwealth Govern­ment share the total expenditure with the State on a dollar-for-dollar basis and, if not, what is the reason?

(3) What was the value of crops saved by the State Government's action which ensured higher incomes to farmers and extra revenue to the Commonwealth Gov­ernment in taxes?

Answers:-

( I) "Expenditure to date is:-Australian plague locust, $14,810; Spur-throated locust, $172,286; and Migratory locust, $222,969. There are still some claims to be settled."

(2) "The Federal Government has stated tha,t any Commonwealth sd1sidv will provide support up to $500,000 on i1 dollar-for-dollar basis to all States for Australian Plague Locust control only. It is claimed that this is the only species of major inter-State significance. Requests by the Queensland Government fo;· sur­sidy on control of spur-throated and migratory locusts have been refused; this despite the fact th:-tt spur-throated locusts are now active in northern New South VVales and migratory locusts arc a poiential threat to that State."

(3) "H is difficult to e_ timate iust \i\·bt crop damage may have occurred" had the locusts continued unchecked. However, the gcoss value of the recent sor;rhum crop alo'le, in the Central Highlands and the South West would be in the vicinity of $14,000.,000."

PREMIUMS FOR FLOOD AND STORM AND TEMPEST INSURANCE, NoRTH

QUEENSLAND

1'\'!'r. Casey, pursuant to notice, asked The Premier,-

In view of the recent large increases in motor vehicle comprehensive and third­party insurance premiums in Queensland

and the public fear that other forms of insurance premiums will also be increased-

(1) Has the Insurance Commissioner completed his investigation into flood and storm and tempest insurance premiums in Queensland and has he submitted any recommendations to the Government regarding these premiums?

(2) As North Queensland coastal resi­dents are still very concerned at the manner in which they have been dis­criminated against in the zoning system for storm and tempest insurance premiums, when will a more equitable basis for such premiums be introduced in Queensland?

Answers:­

( I) "No."

(2) "The Insurance Commissioner is satisfied that the present storm and tempest zoning system is equitable and that it does not discriminate unfavourably against North Queensland coastal residents."

EXPORT OF BLAIR ATHOL COAL

Mr. Casey, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Mines,-

( 1 ) Is any company in Queensland conducting a feasibility study into the possibility of exporting large quantities of steaming coal from Blair Athol?

(2) Are the ports of Mackay and Hay Point being investigated as export outlets for this coal?

( 3) Will this study include the cost of extending the existing railway line from Peak Downs to Blair Athol and, if so, has the company been informed that any proposed extension would also have to be made available for the carriage of general goods, including lives~ock and grains?

Answers:­(1) "Yes." (2) ""Both ports have been studied, but

investigations are now concentrating mainly on Hay Point."

(3) "This route was investigc1ted origin­ally but the feasibility study is now di;·ected towards a line from Coppabella to Blair Atho!. The matter of carriage cf ;;er.eral goods is included in the company's studies and should the project reach fruition this line. in accordance with this Government's policy, will become a common carder. This ]s in marked contrast with the policy of a previous Labor Government which, when Blair Athol was suggested for develop­ment for export of coal, indicated that part of the carrier system could be a conveyor belt."

134 Question Without Notice (8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply

ADDITIONAL POLICE STATIONS, MACKAY AREA

Mr. Casey, pursuant to notice, asked The Minister for Works,-

( 1) Has any land been set aside in the North Mackay or Slade Point areas for the provision of police stations?

(2) Has consideration been given to the establishment of police stations in these fast-developing areas of Mackay and, if so, what is the delay in their construction?

Commonwealth Labor Government and its action in recognising North Korea, North Vietnam Cuba and so many other countries, it has b;en quite obvious that it is supporting and furthering the Communist cause. T~e Communists know they have a free go m Australia under the present Government. They know that they can do as they like because the Commonwealth Government will do nothing about it.

Answers:-(!) "No. However the Land Adminis­

tration Commission has been advised of the Police Department's requirement for land for future police purposes at Slade Point when the Slade Point Development Sc!.1eme is being finalised."

(2) "After full examination it is con­sidered that the establishment of a police station in the North Mackay area is not warranted. The question of establishing a poiice station in the Slade Point area wiil be duly considered later having regard to development of this and other areas in the State and availability of funds for police building on a priority basis."

QUESTION WITHOUT NOTICE

INDUSTRIAL DISRUPTION FoRECAST BY MR. JACK MUNDEY

Mr. HINZE: I ask the Premier: Although last year he gave the House a list of names of known, self-confessed "Commas" in Quee:Jsland, will he now give the P·arliament an up-to-date list so that we may be aware of those whom we can expect Mr. Jack Mundey to call upon for support in his attempts to disrupt industry and bring indus­try in this wonderful State to its knees?

Mr. BJELKE-PETERSEN: Mr. Mundey's recent indication of his plan to implement industrial turmoil and strife throughout Australia is a matter of concern to all honourable members. In recent years our nation has suffered from two devastating blows in this regard. The first was a result of the Commonwealth Government's mis­handling of the nation's economy, leading to industrial chaos and economic disaster; there can be no question about that. The alteration of investment policy announced yesterday was another indication that the Common­wealth Government does not know where it is going.

Secondly, the Commonwealth Government's foreign policy under Labor has been utterly and completely orientated towards Commu­nist nations. Under the Labor Government Australia is leading the world in the recogni­tion of Communist countries. The other day it was announced that the Commonwealth Government, to its eternal shame, had recognised the Soviet Union's take-ov,;r of three European countries-Estonia, Lithu­ania and Latvia. From the attitude of the

Therefore, I say to the honour~ble memb~r for South Coast that, as those m power m Canberra support the Communists and are, in turn, supported by them, it can be appre­ciated that Australians should prepare ~hem­selves for further serious industrial stnfe.

Opposition Members interjected.

Mr. BJELKE-PETERSEN: M~. Spea~er, we regret that today we have this SituatiOn thrust upon us. Honourable members oppo­site can talk and shout as much as th~y like, but Jack Mundey and the Commumsts are their mates and their friends. They support them and work through them.

At 12 noon, In accordance with the provisions of Stand­

ing Order No. 17, the House proceeded with Government business.

ADDRESS IN REPLY

RESUMPTION OF DEBATE-SECOND ALLOTTED DAY

Debate resumed from 6 August (see. p. 104) on Mr. Lane's motion for the acloptwn of the Address in Reply.

Mr. WHARTON (Burnett) (12.1 p.m.): Mr. Speaker--

Mr. Burns: interjected.

Mr. SPEAKER: Order!

Mr. WHARTON: When Opposition m~m­bcrs settle down, I will give them a little more to go on with.

On Tuesday I was speaking abou~ strikes, particularly the strike in the _meat m_dustry. Without recounting what I smd, I pomt out that the meat industry has been . reduced to such a state that many graz1ers are unable to pay their accounts and rates. Because of the devastating meat industry strike, they are unable to ~arket theu cattle. This will have a prolongmg effect.

Mr. Burns interjected.

Mr. SPEAKER: Order! I warn the hono:.rr­able member for Lytton under Standmg Order 123A. If he interjects again I shall deal with him.

Mr. WHARTON: As the strike continues, cattle will lose condition and those that would be available for sale today will not be available for some time in the future. This is one of the great problems in that industry.

Address in Reply [8 AuGUST 1974] Address in Reply 135

On Tuesday, the honourable member for Brisbane interrupted me on the subject of wages and salaries. I replied briefly, but I now wish to read for his benefit a letter from a Labor man. He is Mr. Denis Pie, of 24 Hillside Crescent, Hamilton. He is not writing as chairman of the Hamilton Branch of the Australian Labor Party; he is writing as an individual. The meat of what he wrote reads-

"The present approach of the Federal Cabinet in not facing the basic economic principles proposed by the Treasury shows lack of understanding and common sense.

"Their first responsibility is to the people who put them there and not to the pres­sures of the unions for the benefit of their members and not to the public at large.

"Unemployment is inevitable so why not plan for it instead of burying their heads in the sand?

"Increased postal charges, increased spirits and cigarette prices are inflationary in the first instance and not the solution.

"The solution is in the hands of all Australians-let's get back to a fair day's work for a fair day's pay."

Mr. Davis: When are you going to do it?

Mr. WHARTON: I have no doubt that the honourable member for Brisbane has not heard that before. I sympathise with him, because he has learned virtually nothing.

I express the hope that the Whitlam Government will honour its promises. Mr. Whitlam, in his election policy speech two months ago, said-

"The Australian economy is one of the most buoyant and vigorous in the world. Full employment has been restored. Busi­ness activity is at its highest for a decade; company profits are all at record levels and business expectations are at an all­time high. Through our economy policies and our social security programme, Aus­tralia's prosperity is becoming more fairly shared than ever before."

Have you ever heard so much tommyrot, Mr. Speaker? I have never seen such babes in the woods in economic policies. Even today, the Federal Government has altered its attitude to foreign investment and has reduced from 25 per cent to 5 per cent the amount that foreign investors must deposit, interest free, with the Reserve Bank.

This has precluded a good deal of money going to thriving businesses in Queensland­and I repeat "Queensland", not Australia -which could have used the money to make themselves better propositions. It would have created employment and would have helped to maintain the level of employment we need in this State. It was also a Labor daim that the Federal Government would not resort to unemployment to solve inflation.

Mr. Davis: Where's the unemployment?

Mr. WHARTON: I certainly need to be given some strength today. It exists in every local authority in my area alone, and that is only a small part of the State. Men are being retrenched in the various companies with which I am associated. Even in primary industry, the Federal Government has--

Mr. Sherrington: Call it the Australian Government. Why be so childish?

Mr. WHARTON: I do not think there is anything as childish as calling it the Aus­tralian Government. I am surprised that the honourable member for Salisbury refers to it by that name, because it is not the Australian Government. It represents only a small proportion of the people and is trying to do many un-Australian things. How could I possibly support the title "Australian Government"? I do not like anything un­Australian, either. For .the honourable member's information, I shall continue with the following newspaper quotation:-

"So we're back on the same old track. Inflation is out of control, and could top 20 per cent by the end of the year. All that Labor leaders and Treasury advisers can think up is the old depression policies. Taxes are to be increased; interest rates are to be hoisted further; bank lending is to be drastically curtailed; and the States and Local Government are to be placed in a position where they bear the brunt of the blame for the consequences.

"There are, however, a few added penalties which might make all of us apprehensive. On January 1, 1972, we saw the emergence of the biggest amal­gamation of trade union power in Aus­tralia's history, with the merging of three metal trade unions into the giant Amal­gamated Engineering Union. Those in control were Communists-men like Laurie Carmichael and John Halfpenny. The union has almost a quarter of a million members, and is in a position to directly affect the bloodstream of a modern indus­trial society like Australia-transport, oil, and electrical power. A temporary stop­page in any one of these three has drastic consequences. Stoppage in all three could produce a revolutionary situation. Add to this the situation in the postal services, where we have just seen a demonstation of the way in which communications can be sabotaged, and it can be seen how fragile is stability and order in society in Australia."

Mr. Sherrington: What are you quoting from-the "Wallaville Times"?

Mr. WHARTON: No, I think it is the "Booyal Bugle". The quotation continues-

"Any attempt to increase cost penalties in an effort to squeeze the economy can only trigger mass social disruption, and untold human misery, but the Labor Party seems bent on such a course."

136 Address in Reply (8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply

Those remarks apply to the Federal Labor Party, but there is no question that they apply also to the Labor Party in Queensland. Both are tarred with the same brush. They are socialists, and it is their aim to inflict socialist doctrines upon the community. Not only do they want to control the means of production, distribution and exchange; they want to control the destiny of every person. The honourable member who has just been elected Leader of the Opposition in this House will attempt to introduce here the policies that have been enunciated by the Labor Party in the Federal sphere. If the people would only sit down and think for a moment, I would not expect any Labor Party members to be returned to office. They are good fellows, but they are still socialists, and their aim is to introduce socialistic policies that will bring ruin to this country.

[ilr. Marginson: What is your definition of a S<'Cialist? Come on; just tell us.

Mr. WHARTON: It is quite obvious that countr_· people have been forgotten. I do not W<,'1t to single out farmers; the Labor Party ct_-es not give two hoots about them, and, so i<r as it is concerned, they could be stripped . :~ked. The Labor Party has no concern fc>r the entire rural community. Irrespective of where people in the country work-on farms, in shops, or anywhere else-they are all WOJ1kers, yet the Labor Party is trying to segregate them from the rest of the community.

Mr. Sherrington: What did you say when Sir Gm·don Chalk closed down that railway line in your area? That shows how much he thought of country people. What do you say about that?

Mr. VfH.\RTON: The honourable mem­ber unfortunately does not know what he is talking about. He was born at Booyal, and I think he must still live there. I think there is one shop there at present.

Mr. Sherrington: I was proud to live there.

Mr. WHARTON: Then why doesn't the honourable member go back there and let us have a little peace in this House?

Mr. DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr. W. D. Hewitt): Order! I trust the honourable member for Salisbury will not attempt to make a speech by way of interjections.

Mr. WHARTON: I acknowledge the great help that the honourable member gives me. I raised the matter of the closure of the rail­way line, and clear action was taken on it. The people in that area are now able to travel over a reasonably good road. H is not good enough, but a lot has been done. The question, of course, is why the railway line had to be closed. This action has to be taken because A.L.P. and trade union policies increased wages and costs to such an extent that the Government could no

longer afford to operate the line. That is the sum total of it, and that is what honour­able members opposite do not like.

All country people, irrespective of the work in which they are engaged, have been ear­marked for attention by the Labor Govern­ment, and they are now forgotten people. The people in the cities have been forgotten, too, and this is another matter of concern to me. The removal of fertiliser subsidies and the abolition of the scheme under which petrol prices in rural areas were kept closer to those in the cities can only lead to increased food prices. I admire people living in the cities who are prepared to wo11k, and I will always stick by them and be happy to see them receive a reasonable wage. They also will be faced with higher food prices.

What is the point of it all? The A.L.P ., in its desire to crucify country people and people in rural areas, is killing the goose that lays the golden egg. I know that Labor members representing Isis and Bund~berg, which adjoin my electorate, will be questiOned closely during the next election. c_ampaign about their attitude towards socmhsm and about the ruination of the fine areas that they represent. I am very worried about what is happening there.

Mr. Davis: For your information, citrus prices have never been higher.

Mr. Wi-IARTON: There is no doubt about it, Mr. Deputy Speaker! I cannot help accepting the interjection; it shows how little the honourable member knows about the matter. I wonder if Arch Bevis told him that. Probably he did, and it shows how much he knows about it.

Mr. Davis: I used to grow citrus.

Mr. WHARTON: If the honourable mem­ber used to grow citrus, they probably were very scaly.

Mr. Davis: They were good quality.

Mr. WHARTON: Citrus prices have not increased in the last 10 or 15 years while I have been growing citrus.

Mr. Davis: Oh, rubbish!

Mr. WHARTON: They have not increased.

Me. Sher:rmgton: What is the reason for the high prices in the shops?

Mr. WHARTON: The honourable member could probably answer that question hin:self. I think it could be the result of the attitude of the A.L.P. towards wages, services, and so on. The farmer certainly has not received any increase.

The point that I wish to make, Mr. Deputy Speaker is that the Federal Government wants t~ strangle everybody. Local authorities cannot spend their own money; they have to account to the Federal Government for what they spend.

Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply 137

Queensland is benefiting by the Common­wealth Sugar Agreement, but the Federal Government now wants to tie that up in a lot of red tape. Sugar-growers in my area are very concerned about what is taking place, as are the people generally. The sugar industry is fairly stable at the moment, but I do not know how long that stability will last. One might say that it is the only primary industry that is doing fairly well; I do not know of any other one that is.

Citrus prices were mentioned a little earlier, and I remind honourable members that the canning industry is affected by the sugar concessions provided for in the Common­wealth Sugar Agreement.

Mr. Davis: I can tell you something about that.

Mr. WHARTON: I ask the honourable member not to tell me now; I have no time to listen to a diatribe from him. The citrus-growing industry, in common with all fruit-growing industries, has a great interest in canning, and the sugar concession makes possible the export of canned fruits. The chairman of the Citrus Growers' Federation, Mr. R. L. Baker of Gayndah, is very con­cerned about the outcome of the negotiations on a new sugar agreement. Any variation in the present price will, of course, affect the price of canned fruits. The concern of growers is greater because the export market has been strangled by the socialist Federal Government. I wonder how it expects to win seats in country areas.

Mr. F. P. Moore: Don't you know that sugar is at a record price at the moment?

Mr. WHARTON: Of course I do, but that is not because of the actions of the A.L.P. Federal Government. What about the price of beef before last Christmas? Producers were receiving good money then; they are getting virtually nothing now. What has happened to the dairying industry, the tobacco-growing industry, and the wheat­growing industry? I cannot think of any more illustrations at the moment to give the honourable member for Mourilyan. Every farmer has lost money and is going to lose more. Farmers cannot win under a socialist Government, and it is time we were wise before the event.

I wish to make one further point by quoting from an editoria'l on value for money that I think sums up some of the socialist attitudes which, although they come originally from Canberra, are being advanced in this State by very dedicated supporters of the Federal A.L.P. Government. The Labor members in electorates adjoining my own have been advancing and defending that socialist policy. This is what the editorial said about value for money--

Mr. F. P. Moore: What newspaper is that?

Mr. WHARTON: "Queensland Country Life"-a very good newspaper. I do not suppose the honourable member reads it.

I read "The Worker". Honourable members opposite would benefit by reading '·Country Life". The editorial reads-

"Broken promises will strangle the Whitlam Government but why let it wreck the country?

"A business run like Australia is being run today wouldn't see the month out!

"Leader of the Federal Opposition, Mr. Snedden, expressed the feelings of a good many Australians when he moved this week that the Government be indicted for its incompetence in economic policy, its control of inflation and its broken promises".

The Federal Government continually changes its policies and breaks its promises. It has a policy of socialisation which is ruining everybody. This is what upsets me. The article continues-

''But we know there will be no indict­ment-that the various Ministers will each go their own way on policy and that industrial anarchy will steadily worsen.

"Why do we pay people to land us in this mess? And to add insult to injury some of them claim they are underpaid!

"While the politicians argue, costs go on rising, the service gets worse and survival becomes more difficult for people on the land and in business.

"At a time like this it is inconceivable that any Government would abolish the $28,000,000 petrol subsidy for country districts. However, Mr. Whitlam seems to have his knife into the country sector and in spite of stiff opposition within his own caucus had it carried by 45 to 42. Let's hope it is defeated in the Senate.

"Mr. Whitlam claimed that if the deci­sion was reversed, undertakings given to the Premiers would be dishonoured but he had the Green Paper as a good reason for continuing the subsidy".

He only takes from the Green Paper what suits him.

Mr. F. P. Moore interjected.

Mr. WHARTON: To be honest, I have not read all of the Green Paper but I have read a great deal of it. I will give the honourable member a run down on it one day although, if I might say so, it would be very hard to enlighten him.

The article goes on-"Without the petrol subsidy, country

costs are going to soar at a time when everything possible should be done to c~rb inflation. There seems to be no alternative but to demand the resignation of the Whitlam Government. An election between now and the end of ,the year would produce a very different result from the last one and it seems that only a change of Government can save Australia from economic disaster."

Mr. Davis: That came from the save-our­State newspaper.

138 Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply

Mr. WHARTON: It did not. I read it from "Queensland Country Life".

As I &aid, Federal policies are strangling the States. I have mentioned road alloca­tions and my belief that we must have a wages and prices freeze. I also believe that we must have lower taxation. The Federal Government is collecting over $2,000 million extra in taxation. Why can't it use some of that money to reduce com­modity prices? Subsidies could be paid on foodstuffs as well as on petrol so that, instead of prices being forced up, they would be lowered. The Federal Government is getting extra funds from taxation but is not spending them wisely. I repeat that some of the money could be spent in subsidising the cost of essential foodstuffs.

If excise duties were removed from petrol and other fuel, the nation's transport costs would be reduced by $600,000,000. This would be one way of reducing prices. The tariff charges set by the Federal Government do not help the farmer at all. He cannot buy at world prices, but he has to sell at world prices. Therefore, if it is good enough to use tariff policies to protect the consumer, conversely I think they should be used to enable the farmer to buy on a free market. This would permit him to buy cheaply enough to produce on a world-market basis.

To overcome some of these problems I suggest that we might set up a State bank. I believe this is essential for the welfare of our State. Queensland is a separate State and I emphasise the importance of the part the Premier is playing in its welfare when he speaks for and on behalf of Queensland and Australia. He is criticised unduly as there is no doubt that he is expressing the senti­ments of the people of Queensland.

Mr. Sherrington: With 20 per cent of the vote?

Mr. WHARTON: The honourable mem­ber wants to grow up. He does not know what he is talking about. The Premier is speaking on behalf of the people of Queens­land and for Queenslanders. He is also speaking for Australians, and he is doing a very fine job. He is criticised for sniping at the Federal Government, but because the Federal Government continually takes action that upsets the people no-one could honestly blame him for it. If members of the Opposition in this Parliament are not upset by the actions of the Federal Government, they have no skin at all.

(Time expired.)

Mr. BOUSEN (Toowoomba North) (12.20 p.m.): In rising to take part in this debate I voice my strongest protest against the way in which Government members ask questions that are prepared for them so ,that, in answering, the Premier and his Ministers can vent their spleen on the Austra­lian Government. The asking of such ques­tions is designed deliberately to occupy a large portion of Question Time so that

Opposition members are prevented from asking the Premier and his Ministers either what they are doing or what they are not doing in matters that affect the progress of the State.

Mr. Frawley: Rubbish!

Mr. BOUSEN: The honourable member for Murrumba 1s one of the worst offenders.

Mr. Frawley: No I'm not.

Mr. BOUSEN: Yes you are. This morn­ing we heard an example of such a question when the honourable member for South Coast, at 5 minutes to 12, asked the Premier to name the Communists in this State who are in league with Mr. Mundey. What did the Premier do? He went all round the country and did not answer the question by naming the men he was asked to name. That is an example of the way in which Government members are wasting time by asking facetious and stupid questions of the Premier and his Ministers, who are bent on slating the Australian Government.

Everyone knows that the Queensland Gov­ernment is anti-Australian Government. This contention is clearly borne out by Ministers' answers in which the Australian Govern­ment is blamed for the shortcomings of the State Government. I suppose that if the House cat had kittens the Premier would blame the Australian Government for that, too.

From the present Australian Government the Queensland Government has received more money than from any Liberal-Country Party Government. In spite of that, how­ever, the Queensland Government continually rubbishes the Australian Labor Government. Hew often have we heard the Premier blame the Australian Government for the present inflationary trend? Everyone knows that inflation is world wide and that its rate in the majority of overseas countries is much higher than in Australia. In fact, Australia has one of the lowest rates of inflation in the world.

In a recent question I asked the Premier what he was doing about inflation in Queens­land. The answer to that question is, of course, "Nothing at all." He refuses to introduce price control and at the same time is spending money as if it is going out of fashion.

Mr. Lee: South Australia has price con­trol, and there everything has gone up twice as much as here.

Mr. BOUSEN: I can assure the honour­able member that South Australia is much better off than Queensland.

I have asked the Premier to tell us the amount of money he has spent in flying all round the State in his campaign for a "No" vote in the recent referendums. I ask him now: what did he cost the Queensland people when he was campaigning throughout the

Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply 139

State prior to the recent Federal election? How much of Queensland people's money has he spent in trying to defeat the Australian Government? On top of all this we are informed that the Premier is about to spend the sum of $750,000 on the purchase of a new aeroplane.

Mr. Davis: Would it be fair to say that he is the first Premier to cost the State $1,000,000?

Mr. BOUSEN: Of course he is, and if he is not soon thrown out of office he will cost Queensland a lot more. I assure you, Mr. Speaker, that this money would be better spent on providing cheaper land and housing for people in the lower wage bracket in this State. The Premier has squandered public money on High Court appeals against a joint sitting of the Australian Parliament. Although it has a mandate from the people to govern, the Premier is trying to vilify it by saying that it is bringing the country to ruin.

I now refer to a news item shown on TV Channel 9 'last Tuesday night wherein the Premier said that the Australian Gov­ernment did not have a mandate from the people to govern unless it had a 100 per cent vote. But what is the position in Queensland? In the light of the Premier's reasoning we find that his party, with one­fifth of a mandate, is governing the State of Queensland. His party polled only 20 per cent of the total vote in Queensland. On his own reasoning he has no right to govern; he should resign and go to the people to try to get a mandate.

In addition to the waste of money I have referred to, the Premier has six "legal eagles" in Great Britain. Only last week he sent the Minister for Justice on a holiday to Great Britain to confer with the "legal eagles" and tell them what to do. If that is not a waste of public money, I know of nothing that is. The Premier should be the last person to criticise the Prime Minister and the Australian Government for spending public money. I suggest that he should forget his hatred of the Australian Govern­ment and give it some co-operation instead, so that he may do something worth while for Queensland and our wonderful Com­monwealth.

I now make a plea for another high school in the city of Toowoomba. Since coming to this House in 1969 I have had occasion each year to refer to our desperate need for a fourth high school in Toowoomba in the Wilsonton area where about 25 acres are reserved for this purpose. I have led deputations of other deeply concerned citizens of Toowoomba, spoken at public meetings and written innumerable letters all with one end in view, that is, to convince the Minister of the seriousness of our plight.

Perhaps the :Minister will remember the deputation he met in Toowoomba on 17 November 1972. When that deputation was

being arranged he said that he did not have much time because he was going else­where. When he asked me where we could meet I said, "Well, we could meet at the city hall, the Trades Hall, or wherever you like." He said "No, can't we meet somewhere along the ro~d?" He met a deputation of reputable citizens of Toowoomba under a camphor laurel tree on the corner of James and West Streets, Toowoomba.

At that time the Minister said he would have to be convinced that Toowoomba's need for a fourth high school was greater than Bundaberg's. I point out that Bunda­berg now has its new high school so that that comparison is no longer available to the Minister. Surely after so many years of waiting Toowoomba's needs must take priority. Until 16 May last year the answer was always the same-that a fourth high school was not warranted. At that time we were given a feeble glimmer of hope that the school might be built. I shall now quote portion of a letter from the Minister to that effect, in which he said-

"Provision will be considered when the building programme for 1974-75 is being prepared."

But of course there was a catch, which is found in the ensuing words-

"It is not possible to anticipate the amount of money which will then be available, and Toowoomba's needs will have to be considered against development in other areas."

The first part of that objection can be dismissed because both the Premier and the Treasurer have gone to considerable pains to point out that Queensland's financial posi­tion is quite secure. It would be illogical if the Premier were to refuse to build the school on the ground of lack of finance. Furthermore, last year the Federal Labor Government made available to the States a total of $1,094,412,000 for spending on education. Therefore, we should be able to assume that the money is available for this high school, especially as $1,750,000 of Queensland's grant remains unspent.

That brings me to the second point of the argument, which is that Toowoomba's needs must be compared with development in other areas. I would welcome such a comparison, as it would undoubtedly assure us of the school. Toowoomba has experi­enced record advances in development. It is a quiet city with clean air and a low crime rate. It now has good employment opportunities, and the growth of the Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education is aiding its reputation as an education centre. A suggestion has been made that one of the Federal Government's proposed new trade union schools be established in our city. Toowoomba wiH thus experience increased growth, even though its student population already is well in excess of the State's average. In order to further assist

140 Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply

the Minister in his consideration of Too­woomba's needs, I shall provide him with a detailed statement of the reasons why I feel Toowoomba should be given priority in the field for a new school.

This year, the various high schools in Toowoomba enrolled 925 Grade 8 students, the intake for each one being 355 at Mt. Lofty, 365 at Harristown and 208 at Cen­tenary Heights High School. Their enrol­ments are now 1,294, 1,114 and 782 respec­tively. It is estimated that next year the high-school-student population will further increase, to the point where the schools will be attempting to cram more than 3,500 students into quite inadequate accommoda­tion. I know that in three schools alone that are close to the proposed \Vilsonton High School 136 pupils will be leaving to attend the Toowoomba State High School, many miles away.

I emphasise that ,, hen the need for a third h{gh school was recognised and the Centenary Heights High School was estab­lished, the quota was similar to that appli­cable today, as also was the over-cro.,·ding in the schools at that time. Already the situation is so desperate that assembly halls, C0mmonwealth science laboratories, and libraries can seldom be used for their original purposes.

Mr. R. E. Moon~: Don't you know that we spend 53 per cent of the Commonwealth tax reimbursement on education now?

Mr. BOUSEN: Thousands of dollars given to this Government by the Commonwealth Government are lying idle. What is the honourable member talking about?

Mr. R. E. Moore: Where is this money? I have never heard of it.

Mr. BOUSEN: Ask the Premier and the Treasurer.

Mr. R. E. Moore: You are inventing it, I think.

Mr. BOUSEN: Assembly halls, laboratories and libraries are being pressed into service to house classes for which no standard class­rooms are available. Teachers are robbed of the staffroom areas that they need for effective preparation and correction work, because every spare nook and cranny is being utilised for student accommodation. In short, because a decent education cannot be achieved in such substandard working con­ditions, Toowoomba children are deprived of the standard of education that is their right. I recall one great educationist say­ing that once a school had more than 650 students it was too big; the students could not receive adequate teaching.

Recently the Federal Government, which operates on a needs policy when distributing financial aid, allocated $215,000 to St. Saviour's girls' college in Toowoomba. Surely this must be taken as an indication of the growth that has occurred in our secondary­school population.

Another important reason for providing a fourth high school is the physical well-being of our children. Today, students have a heavy work-load. Honourable members may remember a series of letters published in "The Courier-Mail" on the effects of the Radford scheme on students and teachers It is all very well to dismiss such compl;ints by saying that only a misunderstanding of the scheme could cause such a burden. None­theless, misunderstandings do occur. Some schools in the State do not even have enough space for all the records it is felt must be kept.

Many high-school students find it necessary to carry a full load of books to and from school five days a week. It is bad enough when they have only a short distance to travel, but it is quite common for students in the Wilsonton area to have to trudge several miles each way every day and they are weighed down by more than 2 stone of books or, in metric terms, about 13.6 kilograms.

The bus services are already overtaxed. The bus fares for three children may amount to more than $3 a week. Some families resort to using bicycles. This means that every afternoon at the same hour 1,000 cyclists take to the roads. This is bad enough in summer but in winter the students must ride through thick fog. Despite their precautions of wearing clothing designed to add to their safety on the roads, fog makes them almost invisible to motorists. Already, a number of serious accidents have occurred. I hope it will not take a f:ltality to convince the Minister of our desperate needs.

The children's health is also endangered by rain, which is experienced frequently in Toowoomba during the winter months. A child who has to ride several miles to school through driving rain and is then obliged to endure damp, cold clothing all day will be susceptible to bronchial infections and ail­ments that will cause him to lose time at school. It is appalling that children should have to take such risks.

A fourth high school would substantially reduce the present strain on the bus services, remove the need for so many students to put themselves at risk by cycling to school and relieve the burden that bus fares. represent in a normal family budget.

However, the most important effect of the establishment of a fourth high school in Toowoomba would be improvement in the educational standard of our children. The Government often prutests its concern for country people, yet its failure to provide a fourth high school in Toowoomba has disadvantaged country children during essen­tial high school years that lay the foundation for all tertiary education. The country people from various centres around Toowoomba who send their children to Toowoomba schools for secondary education can no longer be certain that their children will receive an education equal to any in the

Address in Reply [8 AuGusT 1974] Address in Reply 141

State, because overcrowding there makes it impossible for teachers and students to give of their best.

The Government claims that it believes in decentralisation. This being the case, I appeal to it to practise what it preaches. By allow­ing Toowoomba to develop as an education centre, the Government would decrease the current dominance of Brisbane in the State education system. For all of those reasons, but mostly for the sake of the children, I request the Minister to make provision in his Estimates for the construction of a fourth high school at Wilsonton.

I now want to make further reference to the need for the establishment of a branch of the Titles Office at Toowoomba. I think most honourable members would have read the comment made by the previous registrar, Mr. Maddock, when he retired last year that because of the overload of work at the Titles Office in Brisbane it was necessary that such an office be established in Too­woomba. Delays at the Titles Office will have been experienced by all honourable members. At the moment, delays range from six to 18 months, and one distressing result of them may be seen in Toowoomba, where the provision of an urgently needed hostel for students has been held up for nearly eight months.

I imt:mce from my files the following examples of delays:-

1. Transfer: Sent to Titles Office on 3 December 1973; no requisitions issued; not registered.

2. Plan of Survey: Requisitions issued; requisitions attended to on 16 November 1973; registered 11 June 1974.

3. Tr<msfer: Sent to Titles Office for registration on 20 November 1973; no requisitions; not registered.

4. Transmission by death: Caveats expired 5 February 1974; not yet registered.

5. Transmission by death: Caveats expired 19 February 1974; deeds received 29 May 1974.

6. Transfer: Transfer lodged 29 January 1974; not registered.

I should like to make it quite clear that in no way is this the fault of the Titles Office staff, who have done their utmost to assist in all cases that I have brought to their notice. The delays are caused by circum­stances that the Government could easily correct if it really wished to do so. I hold members of the staff of the Titles Office in very high regard. They are most helpful, and on every occasion on which I have taken matters up with them they have given me the utmost attention and helped to the best of their ability in the circumstances in which they work.

Mr. R. E. Moore: You've had it from now on.

Mr. BOUSEN: I suppose the honourable member for Windsor will now get in touch with them and tell them that I said something about them.

A prime cause of delays is the physical structure of the Titles Office in Brisbane. Despite all the partitions that have been erected, there is not enough space in which to work. On occasions, in order to find room in which to work, a clerk has been obliged to spread the relevant documents on the floor. In such conditions, it is surprising that there are not more documents mislaid. That this does not happen is a tribute to the 200 staff members, who devote so much of their time and energy to doing a good job for the people. All work almost constant overtime, and all honourable members-at least those on this side of the House-will be aware of the debilitating effect that con­stant overwork under extreme Pressure can have.

The Titles Office was equipped originally to deal with some 110 documents a day. The flow has now increased to 1,500 docu­ments a day, which is more than 13 times the volume that the office was built to handle.

Mr. Lee: That shows what a progressive State we have.

Mr. BOUSEN: Then we could progress a little more by establishing a Titles Office in Toowoomba to obviate present delays.

Many facets of Titles Office procedure belong to the 19th century. All register books are bound into one register. The register is used for searching, for noting documents lodged but not yet registered, and for the endorsements section and registration. Obviously, if the register is being used for one of these purposes, it is unavailable for the other two. Searches cannot be made to find out if registration is proceeding until at least two months after the lodgment of a document, and even after registration a week or more may elapse before the deed is available.

This chaotic situation affects ail who have any dealings with land. Those who suffer most are the two groups for whom the Government is constantly protesting its special concern, namely, young couples who are building their first home, and countrymen. If the Government is sincere in this expression of _concern, something_ must be done quickly to 1mprove the operatiOn of the Titles Office. The solution I would suggest is that the Government decentralise its administrative operations by setting up more provincial branches of the Titles Office.

I would suggest that the most suitable site with the most urgent need for a Titles Office is Toowoomba. Toowoomba, not Brisbane is the focal point of the large farming area' of South-east Queensland. Already the city is experiencing rapid growth; consequently, large numbers of applications for title deeds registrations and searches are emanating fro~ the area.

142 Address in Reply [8 AuGUST 1974] Address in Reply

There would not be any difficulty in obtain­ing office space in Toowoomba. The State Government has some unused land in the existing Court House and Post Office com­plex, and currently under construction are some business premises in which rented space will be available.

If the Court House and other governmental offices 'could be established in a State Govern­ment centre, it would be possible to arrange for fire-proof storage of records. At the moment, any disaster such as a fire in the Brisbane offices would destroy records for the whole of South-east Queensland. That risk would be greatly reduced if the records concerning this area could be removed to Toowoomba.

Searches, which under the outmoded system now require so much time and cost that they are almost impossible for any but Brisbane residents, would be vastly simplified by such a move. At present, any applications by country people for abstracts of title to assist with moves to bring land under the Act must be referred to Brisbane, where the consequent delay makes their position almost untenable.

Plainly, the establishment of a Titles Office in Toowoomba would be a boon to such people. Nor would there be any difficulty in staffing a Titles Office in Toowoomba. The clerical staff could be recruited locally. The State Government would need to provide only a deputy registrar, a senior examiner, and an examiner of plans. Furthermore, the Toowoomba office could be used to train Titles Office staff, which would both reduce the strain on the Brisbane staff and increase the number of qualified personnel. A Titles Office in Toowoomba would assist Dalby and Warwick, each of which is only about 50 miles from Toowoomba, and would in fact improve services to all people in South-east Queensland country areas.

I would remind the State Government that decentralisation has always been one of its favourite hobbyhorses; yet, at the moment, Brisbane has 45 per cent of Queensland's population. Obviously, moves must be made to correct this trend, and the best place to begin is with such governmental adjuncts as the Titles Office in Toowoomba. New Zealand, only three-fifths of our size, has 11 Titles Offices; we have three. The Downs and South-western Law Society has already made strong representations to the Minister for Justice on this matter. On 16 November 1973, I asked the Minister a question about establishing a Titles Office in Toowoomba, but his reply was unhelpful and the Govern­ment as a whole has continued to ignore the situation.

Mr. Lee: Have you discussed this with the Titles Office in Toowoomba?

Mr. BOUSEN: That shows how much the honourable member knows about the subject. What doe' he think I am talking about?

Mr. Lee: I know now.

Mr. BOUSEN: If the Government chooses not to listen to my request, perhaps it will consult the professional legal men whose clients must suffer because of governmental apathy. It will find that Queenslanders need more Titles Offices. It remains to be seen whether the Government is willing to actually do something useful for the people of this State.

Although I have tried to interest the Government in correcting this situation, the only indication of interest that I have found is the advertisement that I have in my hand, which appeared in "The Chronicle" in Too­woomba on 11 April this year. In it the photogenic Minister for Justice, trying to dethrone the State Treasurer, Sir Gordon Chalk, is seeking publicity through the Press to build up his image and become Leader of the Liberal Party. I want to make reference to the first paragraph of that advertisement, which reads-

"The Queensland Titles Office had proved entirely satisfactory in its handling of property transactions for years. Until the great land boom of the Seventies came along, and everyone realised (amid a rising pile of paperwork, ,files and rapidly lengthening delays) that what was a successful system in the nineteenth century is not always sufficient for the twentieth."

That is what the Minister for Justice said. It is evident that he is satisfied that the present position in Brisbane is not as good as it once was and is fit only for the pro­cedures of the 19th century. The adver­tisement goes on to assert that the realities of modern communication have now been recog­nised. I doubt that a delay of 18 months could be regarded as modern communication, though we must allow for the fact that the State Government is not aware that we are now in the 20th century.

However, one must admit that the illus­tration in the advertisement faithfully depicts the state of affairs in Queensland. It shows a number of areas virtually denuded of natural vegetation by feverish overdeve­lopment and lacking all essential facilities. It depicts a situation where land-sharks are obviously free from any hint of State endeavour to control land prices. Regrettably, this advertising gem is the only sign of interest that the Queensland Government has shown in the Titles Office. I hope that some heed will be taken of what I am saying today and that in the not too dis­tant future provision will be made in the State Budget for a Titles Office in Toowoomba.

I have one further subject that I desire to raise in the House. It is-the Leslie Dam. Construction of this vital irrigation facility is virtually at a standstill. I have had some correspondence with the Minister for Conservation, Marine and Aboriginal Aff~irs on the matter. I regret that the Minister has attempted to "pass the buck" to the Australian Government. It appears

Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974) Address in Reply 143

to be his party's policy to blame the Federal Labor Government for everything including the weather, but I assure the Minister that it just will not "wash". The Queensland Government cannot, in any credible way, use lack of funds as an excuse for its pro­crastination. The Premier and the Treasurer have been too vocal in boasting of the State's enviable financial position. If the Government regards this matter as a most urgent work of high priority, as the Minister said in his letter to me of 11 June 1974, one might reasonably expect to see some signs of this urgency in the State's attitude; but no such signs are evident.

Mr. Lee: That is not true.

Mr. BOUSEN: The honourable member should go and look for himself.

Mr. McKeclmie: Not only does the Federal Government not give, but it takes away what was given, as with Glenlyon Dam-$4,000,000 worth.

Mr. BOUSEN: In answer to the Minister for Local Government and Electricity, I am speaking about Stage II of the Leslie Dam project, the raising of the dam by 9 feet or approximately 2.7 metres, which will more than double its holding capacity. It is then proposed to build three weirs between the dam and the Condamine River basin. This will enable water from the dam to flow into the weirs and channel water from the south arm to the north arm of the Condamine River.

At present the north arm only flows when the river is in flood, but as the north arm has a wide irrigation purpose it is felt that it is most important to the river basin. At the present time, the dam holds 38,200 acre-feet of water. By raising it 9 feet, or 2.7 metres, and installing seven spilling gates, the holding capacity of the dam will be improved to 87,200 acre-feet, or more than double its present volume. It is evident, therefore, that Stage II will be of enormous benefit to farming in the Condamine River basin. I am sure that the Minister for Local Government and Electricity, as the representative of the Carnarvon electorate, will agree with that claim.

This project is by no means a gamble in an untried area. It has been shown beyond doubt that, with irrigation, the Condamine River basin can produce extremely valuable crops. For example, this year the value of summer crops produced in the area exceeded $12,000,000, of which $3,400,000 came from soybean and $2,050,000 from cotton. In 10 years the area under irrigation has multiplied tenfold, and the quantity of cotton produced is now 20 times the original crop.

Almost $15,000,000 worth of the capital invested in this region is dependent on irriga­tion, and in addition to this there is the considerable and invaluable experience and expertise that farmers of the Condamine River basin have acquired in irrigation farm­ing. One-fifth, or 20 per cent, of the total

area of Queensland holdings under irrigation is to be found here. Yet, if present usage rates are maintained, this immensely valuable region has only eight years of life remaining because the available water resources will not be sufficient after that period. The "salad bowl" will become a dust bowl, and at a time when its products will be most needed. What were formerly farmlands in South­east Queensland are rapidly disappearing under the urban sprawl. It would be tragic­ally foolish to neglect the areas that remain, yet here a tried and tested area, capable of much greater expansion, is suffering and already declining under what must be regarded as dangerously irresoonsible treat­ment.

The Minister for Conservation, Marine and Aboriginal Affairs says that the Federal Government has been asked to provide finance, and also that the Queensland Gov­ernment has not pressed the matter so as to give the Australian Government "time to settle in" after the recent election. It is curious that the State Government has never before shown such consideration to the party chosen by the electors to govern the country. I put it to the State Government that it is deliberately dragging its feet in this matter in order to have an excuse for blaming the Federal Government for the delay. As I said at the commencement of my speech, the State Government blames the Australian Government for everything that happens.

I would not like to think that any Govern­ment, irrespective of its political complexion, would intentionally act against the best interests of the people in order to score such a cheap and meaningless political point. However, the Queensland Government's action, or inaction, leaves me little choice. I suggest that the real cause of the delay can be found in Queensland rather than in Canberra.

The Minister has assured farmers that their needs would not be neglected in favour of the construction of the Wivenhoe dam. However, it is plain that the Wivenhoe scheme is to be pushed ahead by the State Government. A lot of political acclaim is to be won by constructing a dam that may possibly reduce flooding in some areas­the experts cannot even agree that it will do so-but there is less vote-catching potential in improving a dam that has shown its worth. It is evident that, despite all the Government's cries for the countryman, it takes notice of him only during election years. At other times the Government ignores him on the assumption that it has his vote safely in its pocket.

Mr. Frawley: That's a lot of tripe.

Mr. BOUSEN: And so are you. The State Government is neglecting the people it is supposed to represent. Water from the Leslie Dam will flow through the electorate represented by the Minister for Education, a member of the National Party and, as I say, a Minister of the Crown. Yet, when

144 Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply

the people in his area want something done, they approach a Labor man in an adjoining electorate to represent them.

Mr. Frawley: Who's that?

Mr. BOUSEN: The best Labor man on the Downs-the member for Toowoomba North.

We are told by the Minister that finance for the Condamine basin will not be affected by work on the Wivenhoe scheme. It needs little economic insight to realise that money spent on one project leaves less to be spent on others. Perhaps the Minister is depending on the Australian Government to bail him out of his dilemma. I am sure, of course, that the Australian Government will do everything possible to help Queenslanders­which is more than can be said for the State Government-but it is not fair that the tax­payers throughout Australia should continu­ally bear the burden of rescuing Queens­landers . from the politically oriented, economically disastrous policies of the Queensland State Government.

As I do not wish to use unparliamentary language about the Minister's promises I shall simply suggest that the Condamine farmers provide themselves with a few grains of salt when they next have discussions with him on this subject. The Wivenhoe Dam will not have any effect on the productivity of the area for many years. It will not even be completed until 1981. On the other hand the Leslie Dam is the lifeblood of an are~ of proven productivity-an area which the National Party dictatorship of the coalition, in its questionable wisdom, has decided to ignore. Telling the farmers that the Leslie Dam has top priority will not irrigate the crops.

(Time expired.) [Sitting suspended from 1.1 to 2.15 p.m.]

Mr. R. E. MOORE (Windsor) (2.15 p.m.): Firstly, I associate myself with the message of loyalty to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II so ably moved by the honourable member for Merthyr and seconded by the honourable member for Balonne. Both gentlemen made very worthwhile contributions in this Chamber.

The honourable member for Merthyr does not hide behind the door when something has to be revealed or said. He always has the courage to adhere to his convictions and is ready to stand up and be counted when necessary. He is always very rational and responsible in his dealings in this House and has made a good contribution to debates since coming here.

The honourable member for Balonne has not been in the House as long as the honourable member for Merthyr, but he, too, has made good contributions to debates. He is never behind the door in making excellent representations on all matters concerning his constituents and other country people and I am sure that in a few years he will become the Minister for Primary Industries. He is a young man with a great future.

I congratulate Sir Colin and Lady Hannah on their dedication to Queensland and the superb job that both of them are doing. They have made extensive trips throughout Queensland. Sir Colin and his lady have not lost the common touch and they are a credit to the monarchy they represent.

Opposition Members interjected.

Mr. R. E. MOORE: Labor's attitude of non-recognition of the monarchy and the Governor becomes very patent in contribu­tions made in the Address-in-Reply debate by Opposition spokesmen who do not include in their speeches any message of loyalty to the Crown.

The monarchy is a very stable part of our system of government. If we trace history in Britain from Magna Carta to the present time, we find that, under the monarchy, Britain has not suffered any major upheavals or revolutions. This can be attributed mainly to the monarchy and tradition--Great Britain is a great place for tradition-and the fact that the monarchy is non-partisan. It does not play any part in politics even though the party in power may be doing something to bring about the demise of royalty. In such circumstances royalty does not make a great fuss because history has shown that this phase will pass and that there will be another Government to rectify matters. Royalty's behaviour has done nothing to destroy an absolutely stable political atmosphere . in Britain. If Australia continues to appomt governors, and governor-generals, we, too, will have a stable future in which we will not have to fear revolution.

Honourable Members interjected.

Mr. R. E. MOORE: We will get the "mob" out of Canberra, but it has been elected for three years. If it runs its full term, it will have made such a mess of the country it will certainly be thrown out.

Whilst I am on the theme of Governments and royalty, it seems strange that the Whit­lam Government, which is hell-bent on the nation's becoming a republic--

Mr. K. J. Hooper: Hear, hear!

Mr. R. E. MOORE: I heard the "Hear, hear!" from the honourable member for Archerfield.

A Government Member: He would be the only fool over there game enough to make the statement.

Mr. R. E. MOORE: However, one must give the Whitlam Government credit for its monkey cunning. The Prime Minister knew that there were some votes to be gained by having the Queen open Parlia­ment; so, with all the pomp and circumstance it could muster, the Government wheedled every last vote out of the situation, while at the same time having the Monarch's head on the political chopping block.

Address in Reply [8 AuousT 1974] Address in Reply 145

cannot understand the barefaced effrontery and hypocrisy of the A.L.P. in using the Queen in that way for five minutes' political kudos. As it turned out, it needed the votes badly. I cannot understand such a move by a party that is pledged to severing ties with Great Britain, severing ties with royalty, and heading us in the direction of becoming a republic, and has the idea of replacing the Governor-General with a Vice­roy as a first step to taking authority away from the Monarch. The only thing that will save us is that time will run out for the Whitlam Government and it will be out of office-and for a long time, too-before it is able to implement its plan.

When Ralph Waldo Emerson described the difference between a republic and a monarchy, he stated that a republic is some­thing like a yacht in that it sailed along very well for a short time but then by chance hit a rock and sank; whereas a monarchy is something like a raft. It will never sink. Even though anyone on it may sometimes have his feet in the water, it will always be there. I hope that in Australia we continue on that raft.

Members of the Opposition have made all sorts of statements about the Governor and Government House. On one occasion they boycotted the opening of Parliament and attended a small party for half a dozen old-age pensioners, who did not thank them for it, anyway, because they were all royalists. The attitude of those members was, "Let us turn Government House into an aged persons' home, with a big saving." However, if we do not have the office of Governor, with all that that entails, something has to replace it. Are we heading for the situation in which a future Labor Government will abolish the office of Governor and then place a political crony in his stead to do the Government's bidding? No-one on either side of the House could say anything but that the Governor acts independently and without bias, with favour towards none. If this country is to steer a steady course, that is the situation we must attempt to maintain.

I will not prolong the debate on this theme for too long, because I have other topics to raise, but it is obvious that the Labor Party has double standards. After Papua had been under Queensland control for quite some time, and after New Guinea had been a mandated territory for about 60 years, those countries sought their inde­pendence while a Liberal-Country Party Government was in power in the Federal sphere. At that time, Labor pressed the Government of the day for early indepen­dence for New Guinea. On the other hand, Labor recognised Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia as being part of the U.S.S.R. after only 30 years of subjugation. What type of double standard is that? Labor says it is all right for those Baltic countries to be colonised, although it is not all right for New Guinea to be one of Australia's

territories. I do not suggest that it should be, but if Labor's argument is sound, what­ever it says about the three Baltic countries must also apply to New Guinea.

Various Australian statesmen and others who have spoken to heads of other nations have the feeling that, overseas, Australia is regarded as becoming a Communist nation. It is claimed that we are now part of the Communist bloc and that we have aligned ourselves with the countries in the Com­munist bloc. This does us no good. We have our traditional friend, the United States of America, which came to our assistance when we wanted it.

Mr. K. J. Hooper: Only to protect itself.

Mr. R. E. MOORE: Perhaps to protect itself as well.

Having America as an ally is like a youngster having a bigger brother or cousin. No-one tackles him when he is going home from school. If anyone decided to give him a hiding, his brother or his cousin would give him a hand, so he leads a pretty quiet life. If we think we can stand on our own feet or rely on various Communist nations to give us a hand, we will be like an orphan. We will get a belting every time we raise our head. We need our traditional allies whom we can trust, not countries in the Communist bloc, where all persons are dressed in the same type of uniform and are as alike as peas in a pod. The world at large could say that people in those countries are happy. They may appear to be happy, but they are somewhat like birds in a drain. What they have never had, they do not miss.

Australia must not fall into a situation such as that. Some people say, "What does it mat­ter if we turn socialist?" That is like saying, "What does it matter if the Labor Party won the Federal election?" They soon found out the difference and now realise how hard it is to make a change. If Australia turns socialist, where does it go from there? Where is the incentive for people to earn a living and to put something aside? How can people be guaranteed that they will not all be put into the same mould?

The Address-in-Reply debate is one of the few occasions on which honourable mem­bers can talk at length on any matter. It i:;, of course, an address in reply to the Governor's Opening Speech, which covered many matters and outlined the Government's proposals for the ensuing year.

I should like to deal with a few matters that some of my constituents have raised, matters in respect of which I agree with them. The first concerns an area of land about the size of three ordinary house allot­ments, situated in Billington Street, Grange.

This piece of land was given to the Lands Department by Colonel Dunworth and that department gave it to the Brisbane City Council by deed of grant for a children's

146 Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply

playground. The council filled in portion of it, and did nothing more with it for some years. I have now been informed that the land has been surveyed into three house allotments for the purpose of sale. Whilst it is true that building allotments are needed, playing fields for children are also needed. It is not a very large area of land. However, it is sufficient for a small playground and, while children are playing on the roads, it is distressing to see it being prepared for sale by the Brisbane City Council as house allot­ments in order to pay for grandiose schemes such as car parks, the demolition of various buildings, and the desecration of Anzac Square. It is time that the Government looked carefully at handing over anything to this irresponsible council.

While I am dealing with the Brisbane City Council, I may say that another problem is presented by the inroads being made by the council into various parks and other open spaces. Anything the council can sell, it will sell. I mentioned Anzac Square before. Doubtless that will end up as the roof of a car park, with attempts made to grow grass and trees in concrete plots. It will never be a park, or indeed anything worth while. The Government has to accept responsibility for handing Anzac Square over to the city council, and it must ensure that it is retained as a memorial park to the fallen, as was the original intention. Neither the R.S.L. nor any other servicemen's organisation has anything to do with it. It is a memorial to the fallen, and it does not belong to any organisation. No-one can speak for the dead, or for their relatives. The park was dedicated as a memorial, and it should remain unchanged.

There is a similar situation with the Botanic Gardens, which come under the control of the Brisbane City Council. The Government, in conjunction with the Bris­bane City Council, has allowed the Queens­land Institute of Technology to make inroads into the gardens. The likely next step is what worries me. Is the Government to say to the council, ''This is yours. It is under your control."? It will be a scandal and a disaster if the Q.I.T. is allowed to make any further inroads into the gardens. It is my opinion that the gardens should be taken back by the Government from the Brisbane City Council and made part of the precincts of Parliament House. Then we would have some say over the gardens, and we could see that they always remained as they are now. Such a step would at least prevent the Q.I.T. from taking another few hundred yards, and then another.

After the recent flooding of the gardens, the council put out the cry, "The Botanic Gardens are in such a state that they are beyond recovery." It was said that they would have to be abandoned in favour of a few mountainous gardens around Mt. Coot-tha. That should not be allowed to happen, and I hope that both the city council and the Government will heed my warning.

There is talk in the Brisbane City Council of chopping down mature trees along Corona­tion Drive. I hope that does not happen. The mature royal palms in front of the Brisbane City Hall were removed and the council said, "We will plant them out at Toowong and then replant them in King George Square." Where are they today? They are as dead as the dodo. The trees in Anzac Square will have a similar fate. When they die the council will say, "We cannot do anything; it is a fait accompli. We attempted to save them."

In South-east Asia and Japan, mature trees are transplanted. The people who trans­plant them go to a sufficient depth and ensure that there is sufficient soil round the roots, and one sees streets of mature trees that have been replanted and propped up for a couple of years, until the root systems become established. But what is done in Brisbane? Trees are chopped down and people say, "We will plant seeds and let the trees grow." In 60 or 100 years, when the trees have matured, a situation will arise in which someone will want to knock them down.

Mr. Hodges: The trees in Queen's Park, near the Administration Building, were trans­planted when they were mature.

Mr. R. E. MOORE: The Forestry Depart­ment and the Government have had some success in this direction, but the Brisbane City Council has had many dismal failures.

Another subject that is close to my heart and to the hearts of many people in the Windsor electorate is prevention of cruelty to animals. During a strike some months ago, there were a number of starving calves at Cannon Hill saleyards. Some died before anyone finally decided to feed them. When the decision was made, what was done? Calves had a whole egg put in their mouth and crushed against their teeth, and the egg shell, yoke and white all went down their throat. In some instances they swallowed the egg whole. God only knows what good that did them! It makes one wonder about the sanity of the Government and people in authority when a situation such as that arises. No-one seemed to know that dried calf food could be purchased. The days when farmers fed calves on separated milk and a bit of bran or molasses have almost gone, because milk is now used for many other purposes. Calf feed can now be bought.

The problem of selling day-old calves has always been with us, and I am opposed to such sales. It does not matter whether a calf is a day old or a week old; as long as it is 40 Ib., it can be sold. It is based on weight. In my view, calves should not be sold until they are a couple of months old. It is wrong that people should be eating immature meat. It is virtually embryonic meat, and I do not think its sale should be allowed.

Address in Reply (8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply 147

The Act relating to prevention of cruelty to animals provides that if there is a starving animal on a property and a person feeds it, he can then send the bill to the owner of the animal. That should apply also when a strike occurs at the saleyards. Calves should at least be so placed that they can fend for themselves to some extent. They should be fed. It is a shame that they were allowed to starve in that instance to which I have referred.

A problem also arises with sheep in sale yards in times of drought. This problem has never been resolved. It is true that in such times sheep will probably die on the property, in the saleyards or while being transported between the two. But my com­plaint is about the conditions that exist when they arrive at the saleyards and fall down and cannot get up. They should be destroyed there and then instead of being thrown into a truck, dead ones and live ones together, with the live ones not being dispatched. This is happening and it is about time we did something about it.

Similar problems are also encountered with persons who hire out horses that are galloped about until their shoes fall off­that is, if they have any shoes in the first place. This practice should be stopped. The hiring of horses should be confined to riding schools because, from what I have seen of them, as a general rule, their horses are well looked after and well kept by responsible people. I know of horses in The Gap area with strangles, girth galls and saddle sores. They are in very poor condition and no-one seems to be able to do anything about it. When it comes down to finding the owner, no-one will admit ownership. How can responsibility be pinned on anybody when no-one knows who owns a beast? However, if ownership cannot be established, the beast can be said to belong to the State and something can be done about it. At Mt. Gravatt, unbeknown to the Department of Primary Industries, calves and horses are being slaughtered in paddocks. The meat is sold to greyhound owners and other such people. These matters could easily be policed and beasts prevented from being treated in that way.

Again in relation to cruelty to animals, battery-operated collars are now available to prevent dogs from barking. If the dog barks, a small microphone picks up the sound, operates a relay and the dog is given a shock. It might be fair enough to say, "If he barks, let him get a shock", but even if it is the dog next door that barks he still gets a shock. That is a sorry situation.

A Government Member interjected.

Mr. R. E. MOORE: I would put one on tbe honourable member for Lytton, but that v, ould be fair game.

A situation such as that, where a dog wears a collar that gives him a shock if the dog next door barks, constitutes extreme

cruelty and should not be allowed m this State. I do not know whether the collars can be purchased in this State; I would not be surprised if they are obtained interstate.

I pass now to another topic relative to the Federal Government and the present credit squeeze. Many people in real estate are now going out of business and are not returning to it because they think it is a rather dicey business. They are honourable people who h<tve been in quite a high income bracket but now find that they are over-committed with hire purchase and other debts. Several approaches have recently been made to me suggesting that the Government should enact legislation providing for a moratorium so that these persons do not have to pay their debts immediately or be made bankrupt. Some of these people are pilots and such like who want to be retrained. They should be given the opportunity to do so and not have the worry of a debt hanging over their heads until they are able to repay it. If the debt is owing to a hire-purchase com­pany, perhaps it can afford to wait for its money; but if the debt is owing to a smaller firm it may not be able to wait. This is where the Government, either Federal or State, must give assistance during the term of the moratorium to ensure that no-one gets hurt.

Mr. P. Wood: You must be talking about property speculators, not those engaged in real estate.

Mr. R. E. MOORE: I am talking about all persons who are adversely affected by the Whitlam Government's inhumane credit­squeeze policy.

The Labor Government's policy has cre­ated high unemployment in secondary indus­tries, such as the cotton and textile industry. Many textile firms are going out of business while others are paying dividends as low as 8 per cent. If a textile firm is forced out of business and loses its capital and its plant and machinery, it will not even consider going back into business to earn profits from which it is able to pay dividends of as little as 8 per cent. In an attempt to rescue a certain textile firm the Govern­ment has ordered from it a large number of blankets; but such ordering cannot con­tinue forever. The Federal Government's tariff policy is forcing cotton and textile firms out of business, and a huge incentive is needed to induce them to go back into operation. Some of their unemployed staff will need the assistance of a moratorium Bill.

Anv nation that is worth its salt must be able to stand on its own feet. It should be able to build its own ships and aircraft, manufacture its own cloth, and pwduce all the commodities that are essential to its existence. Relying on manufacturers in Asia or in other countries is sheer stupidity, because a nation that does so will not be able to stand on its own feet in times of

148 Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply

emergency. Any nation that is not totally independent has only its own administration to blame.

I want to speak now about insurance. Home-owners must be enabled to take out insurance cover against flood damage. I do not suggest for one moment that a person who builds his home in a creek bed, as it were, should be protected; what I contend is that insurance cover must be extended to those who live in areas that are flooded perhaps once every 50 years. They must be enabled to get insurance protection.

An anomaly exists also with fire insurance. A person who insures his home against fire for $20,000, and pays premiums assessed on that sum, may find that upon his house being burnt to the ground the insurance company claims that it was worth only $10,000 and pays that amount. This is quite wrong when the insurance company had been accepting premiums based on a value of $20,000. It does not matter whether the destroyed h:)Use is an old one or a ne\' one; :f the insnc;nce company accepts ,-,remiums assessed on a value of $20,000 it should honour it;; con­tract and pay out the sum of $20,000 replacement value. Some insurance com­panies can be likened to the bookmaker who gives the punter certain odds and as soon as the horse wins wants to change the odds. This is completely wrong.

I am pleased that the Minister for Works and Housing is present. His portfolio includes administration of the Police Force. Recently there has been a police blitz on pedestrians. If a pedestrian crosses the road against a red light it is fair enough if he is booked, b'i.!t 'when he is crossing a road with the green light and is booked for walking 3 feet outside the defined crossing because it is narrow and perhaps crowded, something is wrong. He is charged with crossing the road within 60 feet of the pedestrian traffic lights. On raising this subject with policemen I have been told, "You fellows make the Jaws; all we do is carry them out." Perhaps that is so, but surely in such circumstances they sho11ld be allowed some discretion. I do not see how the provisions of legislation can be made so black or white that the exercise of common sense is precluded.

I do not like blitzes under any circum­stances. Generally speaking, if a law is enacted it should be enforced, but within reason. When a person is virtually forced to break the law in crossing a road, I see no harm in it. A similar situation arises when a car with a "P" plate is singled out from a group of vehicles all travelling at more than 40 miles an hour and its driver is booked for exceeding 35 m.p.h. The police say, "We cannot book them all." That is so, but they should not discriminate. They should stop all the drivers and book them rather than penalise the driver with a "P" plate. Such discrimination is stupid, especially in cir­cumstances where discretion should be used.

Another difficult situation arises with the driver who approaches a "Stop" sign, looks all ways, sees that nothing is coming, almost stops, and then moves on. He is booked by a policeman who is standing behind a post. The driver is often fined and loses three points. These are really little things, but they are pinpricking annoyances to those who are caught. I can understand their feelings. More discretion should be used, but how can we write discretion into legis­lation?

Mr. Hodges: What does "s-t-o-p" mean?

Mr. R. E. MOORE: It means "almost stop''.

Mr. Hodges: No, it doesn't; it means ""stop".

Mr. R. E. MOORE: That is the sort of pedantic answer I thought I would get.

Opposition Members interjected.

Mr. R. E. MOORE: I am not trying to get the best of two worlds. When honourable members opposite talk about stopping, it brings to my mind a piston working in a motor-car. It travels up and down, but they do not know that it stops every time it gets to the top or the bottom of the stroke. They would not know if it stopped or not because "blind Freddie" would think it was moving continuously. A driver can pull up momentarily at a "Stop" sign and the police­man may blink his eyes and think he has not stopped. I do not believe that "Stop" signs were intended to be enforced according to the pedantic meaning of the word. The intention was that drivers should not drive past a "Stop" sign without using due care. That is the way in which the law should be enforced. Discretion should be used. If a driver says to a constable, "I am sorry; I almost stopped, but there were no cars around and instead of changing into another gear I moved off again," the constable should not say to him, "The sign says 'Stop'. That's too bad; pull over," and then proceed to book him. Such bookings do nothing to lessen the road toll but merely frustrate good, honest, decent people who should not be treated in such a way.

I intended to make some comments about secret ballots and compulsory voting in union decisions, but I do not think I will have enough time to cover these matters. However, to let people know just where I stand-and I have made myself clear on many occasions-! point out that we should have secret, compulsory voting so that minorities cannot make decisions on what should happen. No-one should be forced to pay political levies to any party. All unionists should be automatically relieved of levies; they should not have to contract out. If they wish to pay a levy, they should have to contract in. When a Liberal follower is asked to pay to a union a political levy to swell the funds of the Labor Party, I can understand why he does not wish to become a union member. I know that unions play a

Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply 149

very important role and that the average trade unionist wants to have a say in how trade unions work. I hope that in the very near future the Ciovernment has the courage to grasp the nettle and afford these people a say in their own affairs-not by a show of hands but through the ballot-box or in some other way.

(Time expired.)

Mr. "VRIGHT (Rockhampton) (2.55 p.m.): As many students and citizens have dis­covered, the study of political science can be a very interesting and often rewarding sphere of endeavour. It gives the individual an opportunity to delve behind the media's inter­pretation of current issues, to get behind the p:trty-propaganda veils and to obtain a more objective appreciation of past political events.

The vjew is often expressed that history repeats itself, and that is certainly so in the specific realm of politics. If one were to compare the various extremist Ciovernments that h:lVe reigned during past centuries, certain characteristics would be seen to be common to many. For instance whenever dictatorial leaders or oligarchies f;und them­selves faced with serious domestic problems, they all made use of the tactic of finding an outside enemy to divert the atten­tion of the people. This was true of Napoleon, Czar Nicholas, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Nasser and Sukamo, to name but a few.

Government Members interjected.

Mr. WRIGHT: Even great American presidents have used this tactic when the political tide was running against them. History has demonstrated that there can be short-term advantages in such a policy. I think it is therefore understandable why it 1s so often used.

I h:we be.en interested in some of the iaterjec:ions from Gm·ernment members. Hono:.mtble members have probably won­dered why I have raised this matter in the Queensland Legislative Assembly. I have raised it because, in common with thousands of other Queenslanders, I have questioned why this Ciovernment has been, and still is, maintaining such a vicious propaganda cam­paign against the Whitlam administration in Canberra. Like many others interested in political science, I have come to realise that the National-Liberal coalition that unfortu­nately runs this State is not just opposing the policies of the democratically elected Australian Government on ideological prin­ciples. It is, instead, adopting this tactic of :finding an outside enemy-and for very good reasons. Just like its historical counter­parts, it is desperately trying to divert the attention of Queensland people from the maladministration and the gross mismanage­ment that have become part and parcel-and in fact are the main characteristics--of this Government's term in office.

The Ciovernment is very much aware that, unless public scrutiny of its activities and policies is kept to the barest minimum, the people will realise what is going on. It knows that there is truth in the Hitlerism that if one tells the biggest lie often enough, the people will eventually believe it. It knows that, with the help of the Tory ele­ments of the media, it can continue to place the blame for the State's problems squarely at the feet of the Federal Ciovernment. It knows that fear of the unknown and the distant can be a very effective weapon-thus the anti-Canberra campaign. It knows that it has some fine bedfellows in the multi­national companies who will pay well for services rendered.

One has to hand it to our most high and honourable Premier when it comes to using these tactics. He is a master. And what a master he is! He even used the Governor's Speech in the opening of Parliament to snipe at the Australian Government. Doubtless his efforts are greatly appreciated, for one only has to look at the hundreds of thousands of dollars that have been poured into the Ciovernment's campaign coffers by the multi­national companies; at the praise given to him in journals that are owned and controlled by the mining companies; at the admiration expressed by the land developers; and at the applause heaped upon him by the huge, profiteering commercial interests.

We might ask why they have so applauded the Premier? Is it because of the secret freight rates that he has given to the mining companies; his repeated opposition to price control; the special agreements and arrange­ments for investors who wish to come to this ::>tate and make massive profits; the blind-e)'e treatment he has given to the huge money-lending companies who contravene the Money Lenders Act; the protection of unethical subdividers and developers against Ciovernmcnt interference; and also the open go he has given foreign speculators who have pirated, and will continue to pirate, our Queensland industries? No wonder he is so well loved.

I believe the day will come when the Premier will get his just reward. One day the people of this State will wake up, and it is -not too far off because they are already starting to see through his propaganda. Many people are beginning to question the value of the persistent tirade against the Aus­tralian Government. More and more people are realising that Queensland cannot be an island, politically or economically.

Thousands of Queenslanders are embar­rassed by the repeated, ridiculous, extremist, royalist policies that are espoused by our honourable and high Premier; his ridiculous notion of a Queen of Queensland; subservi­ence to the Privy Council; the threats of

150 Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply

secession; and then the petty, stupid, ridicul­ous things, such as the departmental instruc­tion sent out in May of this year to all the schools telling them that they had to play the National Anthem and nothing else.

That shows how petty the Premier is, yet he gets up in this Chamber and claims that Canberra is too far away to participate in the administration of Queensland. On the other hand, he has advocated that this country's legal system-the very essence of control in any administration-should have as its supreme head that archaic body known as the Privy Council, which is 12,000 miles away. And he has claimed that Canberra is too far away!

Many Queenslanders are gradually becom­ing aware of the Government's hypocritical approach to the problems that affect the people of this country. They are aware that, on the one hand, the Queensland Gov­ernment is calling on the Australian Govern­ment to cut back on its expenditure yet, on the other hand, it is criticising the Australian Government for not giving it enough money to carry out its programmes. It is launching bitter attacks on the Federal Government through very expensive High Court chal­lenges. As the honourable member for Toowoomba North has said, it is employing a team of constitutional lawyers in London. What is the cost of that? No doubt, with the secrecy that surrounds this Government, we will never know. As well, all the Ministers are flitting off to London, the U.S.A. and their favourite home, Japan, on any lame excuse.

We also have a desire for the State to give the lead, yet the Government buys a $600,000 aeroplane for the Premier. We would not mind if it was used properly. But we have the stupid, ridiculous situation arising where, only last Friday, the Treasurer visited Rockhampton to open the new cinema corn: plex, and he travelled in the Premier's plane.

Government Members interjected.

Mr. DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr. Wharton): Order! There is far too much noise and interjection on my right.

Mr. WR!GHT: I have a few questions that I should like answered. Why didn't the Treasurer use T.A.A.'s flight 2876, which left Brisbane at the same time as he did and had 26 unoccupied seats? Why did he add thousands of dollars to the expenditure that has to be met by the people of this State by using the Premier's little "bus"? I believe those questions should be answered. I want to know the total cost of that flight. Why wasn't a commercial flight used? Who was in the Government plane with the Treasurer? These are things that we have a right to know.

We also have a right to know why the State Government should be spending hun­dreds of thousands of dollars setting up an anti-Labor propaganda campaign in the State

Public Relations Bureau, and why it is spend­ing further thousands of dollars making its own films and radio broadcasts? And what do we find? It is giving them away to commercial stations-all to propagate the policies and personalities of the Government parties.

The State Government is accusing the Federal Government of not helping local authorities. We have heard that accusation made here in the past couple of days, but, on a study of statistics issued by local auth­orities, we find that it is the Queensland Government-the so-called great parent of local authorities-that has cut back its grants to them. This is the Government that opposes direct participation by local auth­orities in meetings of the Loan Council. This is the Government that says to local auth­orities, "We want to control you. You are not going to get any money from the Federal Government."

I do not deny that the Federal Labor Government has made some mistakes. I believe that this is to be expected of any party that was in opposition for 23 years. It is to be expected when a Government is faced with a hostile Senate, and con­fronted by certain States that have no inten­tion of co··operating. I admit in this Chamber that there are some decisions of the Federal Government that I have been concerned about. I state publicly that I do not agree with the proposed removal of the petrol subsidy, and I question the national roads scheme. But I do think that we should look very closely at some of the schemes as publicised by the Tory Press because so often they are misrepresented. \Ve heard, for instance, that the Federal Government was removing pre-school payments, yet we find that the Labor Government will still. spend $34,000,000 on pre-schools in 1974-75. In fact, the amount may well be as high as $60,000,000. We find, too, that in the pre­vious year the then Tory Government spent a miserable $5,000,000 on pre-school educa­tion. Yet the Press claims that what is to be spent by the present Government is not enough, and that it is going back on its promises. The fact is that expenditure has been increased sixfold, and possibly up to twelvefold.

I point out, too, that at the last election it was the Liberal and Country parties that said that if they were elected they would defer the entire pre-school programme inde­finitely. Ridiculous statements on this matter are now being made in the Press, and by Government members in this State. There is too much baloney about what the Austra­lian Labor Government has done or has not done, and it is all being perpetrated in an attempt to cover up the problems existing in this State. It is about time we started to look at these problems, because they are many and varied.

I ask honourable members to read very carefulLy the report of the Select Committee on Punishment of Crimes of Violence in.

Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply 151

Queensland, because violence in the com­munity is increasing at a horrifying rate. Yet this Government, which praises itself so much, has a Police Force that is under­manned, and it is closing down neighbour­hood police stations and those in country areas. It is apathetic to firearm control; it is not interested at all. It also opposes greater security standards for banks.

Mr. Kaus: We don't want it.

Mr. WRIGHT: I am pleased to hear the honourable member say that he does not want any control over firearms, and that he does not want any protection provided for bank officers. Thousands of young men and women risk their lives daily because of the policy that the honourable member espouses today.

Honourabh~ Members interjected.

Mr. DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr. Wharton): Order! The House will come to order.

Mr. WRIGHT: We have heard so much about the anti-country policies of the Labor Government in Canberra. The fact is that statistics clearly show that the drift from country areas has been continuing for 20 years. Dairymen themselves will say that it is this State Government that, over the last 17 years, has destroyed them. This is the Government that destroyed their equity in their own enterprise.

Decentralisation, too, is a myth in this State. There are 14 ports along the coast from Brisbane to the Gulf, and the Premier had an ideal opportunity to assist them. Many members on the Government side live in the areas in which those ports are situ­ated. Have they had the courage and intes­tinal fortitude to stand up for their areas? Not on your life! They stand by the Premier's ridiculous policy of opposing the use of the Australian National Line to help those ports.

The Queensland Government is purposely promoting centralisation through a few major ports, and the worst aspect of this policy is that most of them are not in the State of Queensland. The greatest benefit is received by Sydney and Melbourne. Country members on the Government side will stand up and say, "That is all right. We do not mind if we destroy the ports." The Premier has stated that he is opposed to the offer of the Australian Government to use the inter­state trade service provided by the A.N.L. He says that it would destroy the railways, yet the railway unions themselves have said that that is complete nonsense. That claim has been totally refuted by the railway unions, and I believe that the Premier takes this stand only because he has an inbuilt desire to oppose the Labor Government.

I raise specifically the matter of Port Alma. I do not believe I could be blamed for being parochial, because there is a real need for State Government assistance for

this port. Every year the people of Rock­hampton are bound to pay $90,000 into the coffers of the Rockhampton Harbour Board to try to meet debts on Port Alma. That has been going on for many years; yet, because of the centralist policies of the State Government, the port is dying. Less trade is going over the wharf, and the debts are mounting. There is a need for more services. There is a need for Government intervention and Government assistance, and that is the responsibility of the State Government because it was the State Government which forced the debts on the Rockhampton City Council-not the Federal Government, but this State Government. It is all very well for the Premier to say, when he writes to me, that he is interested, but he never follows it up. We do not want words; we want deeds.

Honourable members have heard a great deal about promoting decentralisation in this State. I wonder what would happen if the mining towns were suddenly taken away; we would then see how much decentralisation there is.

While I am talking about mining, I think it is worth noting-it is rather strange, I think-that at long last the State Government has decided to follow the Australian Labor Party policy of increasing royalties. We have promoted it for many years; finally the Government has adopted it.

This is not an unusual situation in Queens­land, because there seems to be a "me, too-ism" in this Government. I have noticed it in my capacity of spokesman on justice matters. A.L.P. members put up the idea of a small claims tribunal, but it was the Minister for Justice who raced in a few months later and introduced it. A.L.P. members put up the idea of a small debts court, and the Minister has since adopted it. It was an A.L.P. member-in fact, myself-who advocated a clamp-down on under-age drinking in this State. The Minister in charge of police opposed me, but one month later the Minister for Justice said that it must be done. Things such as that are happening all the time.

Let me turn now to other areas. My Deputy Leader has mentioned many times­and I agree with him-that there is a des­perate housing situation in this State. The Government tries to blame the Federal Gov­ernment; but legally and constitutionally it is the State's responsibility through the Queensland Housing Commission. Constitu­tionally, land is completely the responsibility of the State. However, the Queensland Housing Commission is making massive profits. It gives special priorities to the big mining companies. I ask why it cannot use some of the profits of the State Government Insurance Office to build houses in Queens­land, instead of that money being lent at very low interest rates to the speculators and developers who want to build high-rise buildings. Why cannot the finance provided

152 Address in Reply (8 AUGUST 1974) Address in Reply

by the Federal Government be used at the appropriate time instead of being withheld, as it has been in instances lately? The Government has no interest in the people who need assistance. That is obvious, because it removed rent controls and is not interested in taking any action on rents now. It does not care what ridiculous rents are charged by unscrupulous landlords. It has no interest in the standard of living of many Queenslanders or desire to do anything about it.

The roads in this State are in a shocking condition, yet whenever one raises the matter the Minister says, "We have had some rain." Every State has some rain, but that is the way the problem is shelved here. Queensland has the highest road accident rate in the Commonwealth, but all the Government does is increase fines. Too high a priority is given to the metropolitan area, and people in country areas and provincial cities and towns do not get their just dues. However, I do not hear complaints from Government members who represent country areas.

There are many other problems. The deteriorating situation in many hospitals in Queensland has been raised by the honour­able member for Mourilyan. There is the increasing incidence of venereal disease, the huge increase in domestic problems the increase in the number of families 'being deserted, the alarming increase in ex-nuptial births, and the serious drug problem. The Premier has had the audacity to rise twice in this Chamber and tell honourable members that Queensland has no drug problem. How ridiculous!

The Minister in charge of police has made similar statements about under-age drinking. The problem is receiving blind-eye treatment· in fact, it is indirectly being encouraged because the sale of liquor in picture theatres is now permitted. The Government is kowtowing to the breweries because of the huge sums of money they give to National Party and Liberal Party campaign funds. I believe that the police should be allowed to do their duty in this area. This is one aspect of administration that could be handled, but nothing is being done about it.

I return to the major problem of inflation. Although it is not confined to the State it is a very important State responsibillty. Instead of acceptmg that, the Government is using its propaganda machine to attempt to lay the blame solely on the Federal Government. It conveniently forgets the ~angerous economic trends set by the infla­tiOnary budgets of former Federal Liberal­Country Party Governments in 1971 and 1972.

It overlooks the fact that inflation is a world-wide problem, irrespective of the ideology of the particular government in control. This has been said, not only by Labor f!eople or socialists but even by Tory economists. They admit that it is a fivefold problem. It is a matter of controlling exces-

sive money; unrestricted capital flow into a country can have very serious economic effects. Then there is the problem of rising overseas prices of raw materials and manu­factured goods that are required in a country -which cannot be controlled. There are also the effects of increasing taxation, about which I will speak at a later time, escalating wage demands, and the important one-unrestricted price increases.

I accept that the control of inflation is mainly a national responsibility but, because of the constitutional powers of the States, anti-inflation measures will be effective only if they are made in a co-operative effort between the Commonwealth and the States. The Australian Government has power over the inflow of overseas capital and it has the say so far as taxation is concerned; but it can do nothing about overseas prices nor has it the constitutional power to deal with increasing prices within this country, except in the minute cases of those few $20,000,000 firms.

Price control in this nation is the responsi­bility of the States. In Queensland it is the responsibility of this Government, but what has happened? Over the last three months the matter has been raised on at least four occasions, and each time the Premier has taken a different stand. He changes his view. At one moment he will not give control to the Federal Government; the next minute he will consider it; then he says he will give it on a short-term basis and the next minute again he says he won't. \Ve have never had the consistency that is desirable.

Mr. F. P. Moore: Somersaulting Joh!

Mr. WRIGHT: I take the honourable member's point. I think it is a very apt description.

I believe that this Government is deter­mined to maintain its undermining role, to sit back and hope that the Federal Govern­ment fails. And J have to admit that it almost got away with it until 18 May this year. It will try to do it again, but even the pro-Liberal economists are now talking about the need to slow the price spiral. Even a newspaper like "The Courier-Mail" is calling for State and Federal co-operation to combat inflation, and the average man and woman in the street is fast waking up to the fact that, unless steps are taken by all levels of government to curb prices, they will be pushing wheelbarrows of money to the grocery stores instead of carrying it in wallets or purses. People are realising that the Federal Government can do only so much and are starting to wake up to the fact that the irresponsible attitude of the Queensland Government in refusing to co-operate is the greatest danger they face. I do not need anyone to explain to me that rising prices affect every person, young and old, whether he is in private enterprise or any other walk of life; whatever his economic status he is affected. It is also very true­and l do not think it needs to be stressed

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heavily-that if voluntary restraint cannot be achieved by private enterprise, then legislators have a responsibility to do it.

The Queensland Government has con­sistently claimed that price control will not work. We have heard the Minister for Justice, who is in charge of consumer affairs, say this on numerous occasions and, every time, he has tried to back up his argument by using the price-control policies of the South Australian Government.

Mr. Davis: He didn't say anything about Weedmans.

Mr. WRIGH'f: That is so, until the hon­ourable member for Brisbane raised it and completely embarrassed him with it. I believe that the attitude adopted by this Government is a complete oversimplification and is pur­posely distorting the facts.

In the time I have left I wish to place on record a survey of the price controls that exist in this country. I think it is worthwhile looking at the total question because evidence is available to demonstrate clearly that price control will work, that it has worked, and that it is working. If one goes through the \ arious States and examines the various Acts in those States, one will find that every State, including the Territories, has some form of control over prices or charges.

In New South Wales, under the Prices Regulation Act, 1948 to 1965, the Govern­ment controls the prices of bread and motor spirits. As well, some control and prices regulation is exercised under the Industrial Arbitration Act, the Monopolies Act and other Acts ,7ontrolling commodities and ser­vices such as milk, cream, wheat, gas, elec­tricity and public transportation. I point out that New South Wales has a Liberal­controlled Government.

In Victoria the Government has direct control over milk under the Milk Boards Act. lt has control over taxi and bus charges under the Transport Regulation Act. It has control over ihe prices and services charges of real estate through the Real Estate Agents Act. Prices are fixed for electricity, gas and fuels and transport through many statutory cor­poracio;;s, such as the State Electricity Com­mis~ion. tl1e Gas and Fuel Corporation anJ the Victorian Railways. And I point out that Vic:oria, too, is a Liberal-conirolled State.

Tasmania, under a Labor Government, has direct price control over milk and primary products, and it also has the Consumers' Protection Act, which permits the investiga­tion of prices charged for goods and services. The Act gives the Tasmanian Government the pmver to investigate the various charges that are made. In fact the Government can insist that justification for increases be shown.

In Western Australia, which was once a Labor State but is now controlled by the Liberals, controls are exercised over the

prices charged for wheat, milk and elec­tricity as well as for hospitalisation and transportation. In 1972 a Bill was introduced to prevent excessive practices.

In the Australian Capital Territory, where changes have been made since the Federal Labor Government came to power, a prices­regulation ordinance controls the prices of petrol, bread and beer and the fees of doctors. A Controller of Prices has been appointed to fix the maximum prices that can be charged under this ordinance. The right thing is done by the home tenants in that the commissioner has revoked exemp­tions from rent control for builders of fiats under the landlord and tenant ordinances. Furthermore, action has been taken to estab­lish a fair rents board to review commercial rents.

To return to South Australia-there is a real need to place in "Hansard" the truth about price control in that State, which is the only State that has what could be described as a really comprehensive system of price control. However, it is not, as the Minister for Justice has tried to assert, that a few commodities have been selected at random. An investigation will reveal that a two-tier system operates. On one level price orders are made fixing maximum prices for specific goods and services, maximum and minimum mark-up margins and also delivery charges and discounts. At the second level there is a voluntary system involving private enterprise, in which details of pro­posed increases in prices are submitted to the Commissioner for Prices 14 days prior to their implementation.

I believe that the South Australian system has worked in spite of certain problems. As we know, under the Commonwealth Constitution no control can be exercised by one State over the prices of goods brought from another State. South Australia is required to import large quantities of com­modities from the highly industrialised States of New South Wales and Victoria, but has no control over those commodities. This is the real reason why thinking members of Parliament have claimed that we need a national policy of price control.

Mr. Davis: They have curbed their land prices, anyway.

Mr. WRIGHT: Indeed South Australia has, and it proves that such control is within the constitutional realm of the States.

Now let us come back to Queensland. Regardless of what the State Government might say about the ineffectiveness of price control, it is interesting to note that in Queensland there already exists a fair amount of price control. Milk, cream, beer and other alcoholic beverages, electricity, gas, taxi fares, solicitors' fees and real estate charges are all subject to price control. As well, the State has on its Statute Book the Profiteering Prevention Acts, 1948 to 1959-which are not implemented.

154 Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974) Address in Reply

Mr. F. P. Moore: Don't forget primary industries. Sugar is under price control.

Mr. WRIGHT: That is quite so-l had forgotten some of the primary products that are controlled either directly or indirectly. The point is that price control has worked and is working in Queensland, and I believe that is could be made more effective if the Government were to show real concern for the people and were prepared to extend its legislative powers in this field.

It is no use blaming the Federal Govern­ment for high prices; it simply cannot control them by legislation. Apart from the defence powers, under the Constitution the Federal Government has no general power to deal directly with price control. Moreover it has no power to enforce such control. All of us know that in 1973 the Federal Govern­ment endeavoured to obtain such powers by way of a referendum and that its pro­posals were rejected as a result of the massive propaganda campaign mounted by multi-national, big-business companies. I admit that it has some limited power over res~rictive trade pra~tices. The relevant legis­latiOn was brought m by the Liberal-Country Party Government in 1971, with amendments in 1973. History well records that price control has worked. In my reading I went back to the early days of Queensland and Australia, and found that in 1914-18 price control was introduced by both Federal and State Governments. Admittedly, Australia was at war then.

Mr. R. E. Moore: It works only m the short term.

Mr. WRIGHT: I am glad the honourable member made that point. I accept his interjection as it is vital. I am pleased he made that admission, and I hope he will support the rest of my comments.

The powers given to the Commonwealth by the States at that time were reintroduced at the outbreak of war in 1939. In the first instance, it was done under the Com­monwealth Government's defence regulations. Eventually the Commonwealth was able to assume certain powers to prevent profiteering and to provide for general price control. But it was noted even then-under the Menzies Government-that that was not effective enough, and in 1939 the States and the Commonwealth got together. It was a joint, co-operative effort, similar to what we have been asking for. They got together, and through co-operation brought about one of the most successful price-control operations ever experienced not only in Australia, but throughout the world. They not only con­trolled profiteering and prices, but also agreed to implement rent control, using the State administration.

Mr. R. E. Moore: And how dreadful that was.

Mr. WRIGHT: I do not believe it was dreadful, and I will prove that it was not. It was a definite programme and was imple­mented not hastily but in three separate phases. Phase 1 dealt with the automatic adjustment of price increases. It contained a very special principal which helped every­body-the consumer as well as the retailer.

To enable price control to be extended to all sorts of goods and items, and to make sure that it was administratively possible, it was run on a two-tier system. In tier 1 the Commissioner had power to fix prices of particular products or declared goods. He sorted out the important essential com­modities and fixed prices for them. In tier 2, traders were permitted to increase prices automatically according to cost increases. If their costs increased they were allowed to increase the price to the con­sumer, but with one very important quali­fication, that is, that the maximum price that a retailer could charge for goods was not to exceed the cost to him plus the profit margin that was set in August 1939. That was reasonable. Retailers were told, "If you have to meet increased costs you can add them to the price, but your margin must remain the same." That protected both the consumer and the retailer.

The Prices Commissioner was also given power to investigate undeclared goods to control cornering, hoarding and blatant pro­fiteering. That meant that, in the main, undeclared goods also tended to be con­trolled. It became the practice for retailers to consult the commissioner before increas­ing prices. I raise this point because it is S(')mewhat similar to what has been tried in South Australia by a Labor Government and, in part, by the Tasmanian Labor Government.

Phase 2 involved the pegging of profit margins. This began in 1942, when the war was at a serious stage. It was aimed at limiting the profit margins of traders because of the profiteering that was still taking place. It was limited not to a per­centage mark-up, but rather to the actual money margin as at April of that year. It was only then that it became possible to hold back huge price increases.

Those who oppose price control persistently put forward the argument that effective price control is an administrative impossibility. I have heard it said that there will be such high costs involved in government that it is not worth controlling prices. But it is recorded that adjusting prices automatically to cover cost increases gave the desired flexibility at that time, and there was also a fairly speedy administration of price control. Admittedly, not all prices were controlled. There were still some price increases because of the desperate shortage of materials and the dependence that this nation had on over­seas countries for goods and materials. But the step certainly contributed to maintaining sc,me control and some degree of restraint on prices.

Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply 155

There was then the third phase-price stabilisation-under which a ceiling was applied not only to retail prices but also to the prices being charged at the production and distribution stages. Further, if a trader's costs were reduced, he was required to lower his price to the consumer. That was only fair, and it was observed at that time.

The filial aspect of price control during that period was the payment of special sub­sidies to the producers of such commodities as tea, potatoes, milk, coal and even fire­wood, because of its desperate shortage. That policy was of great benefit, and the success of the programme is now a matter of history. It is well accepted that had these policies not been introduced, the post-war economy of this nGtion would not have recovered as quickly as it did.

I know there are arguments against price control. As the honourable member for Windsor has said, it is most effective if it is applied in the short term. However, regardless of when or how it is applied, one has to accept that it is a necessary adminis­trative tool of government and should be used in times of economic difficulty such as this nation is presently facing. It must also be accepted that it is dependent upon State and Federal co-operation. Queensland has to accept that point and begin to co-operate with the Federal Government. It simply cannot continue to refuse to accept its respon­sibility in curbing spiralling prices, and it also has a responsibility to consider the matter urgently instead of chopping and changing.

Other countries have found the need to introduce price control. There have been many alternatives. I accept that there are numerous ideas for implementing it, includ­ing voluntary restraint. However, time and time again it has been proved that voluntary restraint on its own will not work. It has never worked, and it never will. It has been suggested that we must have some form of coercion. It has been proved in dozens of countries that if voluntary restraint is introduced there must be some type of coercion whereby various firms are at some time required to give prior notification of price increases.

Such a requirement is made in the case of key industries. It may be made a require­ment that sufficient information on costs, prices and profits is made known to the Government to demonstrate that a price increase is justifiable. However, I think honourable members will agree that, if these elements were made part of voluntary price control, it certainly would not be a voluntary system.

I believe, therefore, that the point is clear that there is a need for Government involve­ment and Government interference in this very important area of administration if there is to be the slightest degree of success. While I agree with the honourable member for Windsor that it is better in the short term, I still think the problems that exist can be

overcome if there is a combined system of short-term freezes in conjunction with long­term freezes on basic commodities.

I know it is true that, if there is a short­term freeze, prices suddenly go up once control is relaxed. I say, therefore, that the answer is not to have rigid terms for price freezes, with specific commencing and finish­ing dates, but instead to increase price con­trol gradually over a period of time and, likewise, if a freeing of the situation is desirable, that this also be done gradually. Legislatively that is possible, and it is in the interests of the consumers and retailers alike, because they do not want sudden cost increases thrust upon them.

It is time that something was done. We have proved in our own State, as it has been proved in other States, that price control can work. I challenge the Premier and his Government to stop riding this ridiculous anti-Labor hobby-horse and start legislating for the interests of all Queens­landers. Let him show the people of Queensland this so-called sincerity that he is supposed to have by introducing a pro­gramme of price control in commodities and services-for example, children's clothing, bread building materials, everyday household good; and everyday household services. Let him introduce price control on these com­modities and services for a trial period of at least one year. Let him accept his respon­sibility as a State Premier by co-operating with the Australian Government in this vital field in its battle against inflation. Let him demonstrate that he is really a loyal subject of Her Majesty the Queen by showing first and foremost that he is prepared to put the good of Australia before his own personal political vindictiveness and ambitions.

It is all very well for the Premier to be scoring against the Federal Government, but surely there comes a time-and the time is now-when the good of the Parliament and the good of the State should be put first. Instead of worrying about what the Labor <;Jovern­ment is doing, he should be co-operatmg an:I taking action to assist the people of th1s State. Let him do something for Queensland itself. I am very worried about the erosion of this Parliament. I am not criticising your control, Mr. Speak.er-and I . say t~is to you directly-but I beheve that th1s Parha­ment is becoming a joke. Question-time has become a farce, with "Dorothy Dix" ques­tions being asked and with many questions not being answered correctly. I have here an instance of a blatant lie that was told by a Minister in answer to a question by the honourable member for Bundaberg.

(Time expired.)

Mr. CORY (Warwick) (3.35 p.m.): At the outset I should like to refer to a few comments of the honourable member for Rockhampton, particularly his criticism of the Premier's campaign for what he believes is right. It would be refreshing to receive a little more co-operation from Opposition

156 Address in Reply [8 AuGusT 1974] Address in Reply

members in doing what is best for Queens­land rather than a political and personal attack on the Premier.

He also referred to price control. I think we all agree that price control has certain good points, but the two worrying aspects of price control were not mentioned. They are the creation of shortages and a reduction in quality. They are two of the grave problems with price control. Neither was mentioned by the honourable member simply because there is no clear answer to them.

The honourable member for Rockhampton should remember that the Privy Council is not a Government. It administers nothing. All it does is make decisions, and to com­pare it and the Federal Government is ridiculous.

I thank the Governor not only for opening this session of Parliament, but also for the personality and sincerity that he has brought to his office. Wherever he goes in Queens­land, he is very well received. He is obviously interested in everything and, as a Queenslander, is playing a very important role.

Over the years I have been a member, I have had the pleasure of having quite a lot to do with the late Fred Haigh, who was Commissioner of Irrigation. I admit that I have not always agreed with his decisions or opinions. However, we must respect not only his ability and hard work but also the sincerity with which he did his job. I believe that the hard work he put into his job contributed to his early passing. I take this opportunity to extend my sym­pathy to his family.

A matter of great concern to me is the Federal Government's attitude of "Do what I say, not what I do." This is particularly so in its attack on inflation. It expects everybody to do something about inflation, yet it does the reverse. It seems to feel it is the only body that has the ability to spend money.

Mr. l'vlargfnson: It doesn't buy aeroplanes, though.

Mr. CORY: If the honourable member bad one seat in one of the VJ.P. planes, he would be far better off. I do not think any Opposition member should criticise the buying of aeroplanes when the Federal Gov­ernment uses its planes to take bulls and furniture to China and members to the races and everywhere else.

I return to the Federal Government's lack of attack on inflation. It is displaying administrative inefficiency and dishonesty. How it can believe that an increase in living costs will ease wage and income demands, I do not know. If inflation is to be attacked, surely these pressures must be eased, not increased. How inflation will be reduced if everything is to cost more, I do not know. Surely the answer is to ease the pressures on the pay packet of the average person in the community. The purchasing power of

the pay packet should be restored; it should not be eroded, as it is being eroded by the Federal Government through tax increases. No matter what one buys today, it is dearer than it was 12 months ago, and a large por­tion of the increase has been brought about by taxation.

The Federal Government has caused increases in the price of food, transport, petrol and homes, mostly by me[ms of taxa­tion increases. I believe that in his approach to the matter the Premier is on the right track. If value is to be put back into the dollar, surely encouragement should be given to increasing production, rather than efforts to reduce it by taking extra tax out of the pockets of the average workers. In it-; hatred of ownership Labor seems to forget com­pletely that it was only by initiative and ownership that Australia was developed in the flrst place. If avenues for initi2tive ar.d ownership are to be closed, this nation will not continue its development, nor will it even hold its present position.

Why should there be this vendetta-this changing merely for the sake of change­without really knowing what we are chang­ing to? I refer to a number of ways in which this has happened. In the first place, there has been interference and disruption in both primary and secondary industries, for the benefit of socialistic policies and the bureaucratic establishment rather than for the people. I was brought up to believe that democracy was Government of the people by the people for the people. Let us look how far this nation has moved from that ideal at the present time. In the name of democracy, the Federal Gov­ernment has emerged as a centralised power that is acting not on practical advice but on academic advice that promotes ideological beliefs, not the people's wishes. It is a centralised power that gives "jobs for the boy,;", whilst the community pays and unem­ployment increases. A lot more of that will be seen in the future.

The personal ambitions of the socialists create an atmosphere of change for change's sake. The tariff structure, for instar:::e, was, head over heels, changed 0\ ~rnigh:. This change affected secondary industries. employ­ment in those industries, and the relat;on­shio between Australia and manv o,·erseas co~ntries. I have in mind natio1~s such as India and Pakistan. It also clffecied the motor industry, together with the employ­ment opportunities that it offe~ed and its international standing. Having cre:;ted all this trouble, the Federal Governmei't is now looking for some way of gettin.g out of it.

Similar trouble was caused by currency changes, which had a considerable effect on exporters, particularly those in primary indus­try. This change represented $10 per l 00 lb. to primary producers, at a time when the price of beef decreased from S43 to $23 per 100 lb. Half that loss can be attri­buted to the currency devaluation. If the $10 per 100 lb. could be added to the

Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply 157

present beef price, it would bring it to just above $31 per 100 lb. which is the present cost of production of beef. Stop-go tactics­creating a problem by rushing in without ascertaining all its repercussions, and then trying to do something about it--shoT a lack of experience, intelligence and integrity.

Why cause this trouble if it is known that sooner or later something will have to be done about it? Why create the shortages and social heartburning that we have at the present time? Shortages are created when industry it not prepared to use the equip­ment and man-power that it has available because it is simply not worth doing so. \Vhy create problems concerning tariffs and overseas capital? Only today it was reported in the Press that the statutory deposit of overseas capital with the Reserve Bank is to be reduced. Surdy it was obvious that there would be little overseas capital coming into Australia under the previous situation. After stopping the inflow of capital, the Government now wants to start it again. Why stop it in the first place? From $289,000,000 to $28,000,000 in 12 months is a considerable drop. That $250,000,000 could have been very useful to Australia's economy. It would have saved many local finance houses from being unable to meet the normal financial requirements of Australians.

The results were obvious before the Gov­ernment embarked on plans of that type. It created unemployment and, having done so, taxed the people to implement a retraining scheme. I ask: why create unemployment? None of the Government schemes has been based on a sound foundation; not one of them has been asked for by a particular industry.

I wish to refer now to the export of beef, and to the election of Mr. Norton as the Chairman of the Meat Exporters' Association, which now faces a real problem. Australia outpriced its beef by revaluing its currency. It allowed America into the Japanese market, and beef exports to overseas countries were "killed". Australia cannot get back into those markets because of the tariff situation. Mr. Smeltzer, Mr. Norton's predecessor as president of the Meat Exporters' Association, did a very fine job. However, I know that Mr. Norton will also do a good job under the worst of circumstances. One could say that, like the man with the wheelbarrow, his job is dl in front of him.

Businessmen and farmers in Australia have taken things too philosophically for too long. Naturally, they are decent, law-abiding people. However, under the present set-up, it is obvious that the polite person is the one who is left behind. Farmers find that their ownership, their livelihood and their margins are all being eroded; yet, at a farmers' meeting, Senator Wriedt, the Fed­eral Minister for Agriculture, said to those present, "Don't become too militant." Again, it is a question of "Don't do as I

do; do as I say." Although Senator Wriedt was involved in all sorts of industrial unrest on the other side of the ledger, he said to the farmers, "You must not be too militant."

The policies of the present Federal Gov­ernment are a cause for concern. It was thought that Australia was reaching the stage where it would be self-supporting in many areas. Before long it will be buying cheap foodstuffs from overseas. That is happening now to a small degree, but it will happen to an increasing extent. If people are not allowed to produce Australia's requirements, if farmers are not given a chance to live at the same standard as the rest of the community and to make a success of their operations, development will cease. Taiwan and other countries will be only too happy to provide Australia with some of its requirements.

Today, farmers are working on a 3 per cent to 5 per cent return on their invest­ment. Surely people should be given a fair return for their labour, for the use of their capital, and for their managerial skills. A farmer is paid for only 40 of the 80 hours he works each week. He receives only 3 per cent on his capital and the managerial skill he uses to earn his livelihood is don­ated. I do not think anyone would say that a situation such as that should be allowed to continue in an affluent and progressive society. An honest approach is needed. If the community and Governments are not prepared to pay a reasonable price for com­modities, how long can the farmer be expected to produce those commodities? Senator Wriedt says, "Don't be militant." I do not believe in militancy but I wonder how long we can stick it out without digging our toes in.

We are all in favour, in principle, of the social service improvements that have been instituted. I am fair enough to say that many of those improvements could well have been made previously. It is the way many of them are being administered and the formulas under which some of them are working that are causing concern. No-one can object to a reasonable tax on profits, but people do object to a tax on ownership as if it was a crime to own, regardless of the profits that are made. If anyone makes a profit he must, of course, pay his tax. Nobody can argue about that, but a tax on ownership is a different thing altogether.

I could accept the principle of a capital gains tax in lieu of death duties. I say this because a capital gains tax is a tax on some increase of money-some increase that has been gained over a period. But death duties is a tax on ownership--on something that is not necessarily money and where there is no earning capacity. It is a tax on a block valuation and has nothing to do with earning capacity. To be quite frank, I believe that a capital gains tax in lieu of death duties would be the fairer and more

158 Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply

socially just of the two and in that light I would accept a capital gains tax as an alternative only.

Australia was built on initiative which we do not want to kill. But it is the very thing that will be killed by ownership taxes. If we kill initiative, we kill the goose that lays the golden egg so far as the development of Australia is concerned. I repeat that I am in favour of social service improvements and believe that many of them could have been instituted earlier.

I now want to refer to the racial tendencies of the present Federal Government­tendencies of preference rather than equality. I was always brought up to believe in equality in our community regardless of colour, occupation, religion, or anything else, and this is the very area into which the Federal Government is trying to drive a wedge-not only between black and white through educa­tion, accommodation and wage differences, but also between city and country people. In referring to "country people" I include the businessman and employee in the country whose jobs are affected. The Federal Gov­ernment is driving in this wedge and one might well ask why. It is purely to cause unrest because it is on unrest that its type of ideology thrives.

Why kill the decentralisation that people want? Why increase costs for country people, as has been done in the last 12 months? Why erode the things we have fought for over the years, particularly when they are already there? The costs of food­stuffs, freights, petrol, homes, and taxation on beer and cigarettes have all been increased. Everything that is bought in one's daily life is dearer because of increased taxes and, since freight is being paid on these taxes, the further one goes out from the capital cities the dearer the commodities become.

The interest on ownership is making it harder and harder for people to own their own homes. Less money is being provided for rnral roads in spite of talk about more being provided. With the inflation now being experienced, there is far less money available, particularly for rural roads.

We should be using people's initiative because we need the production it provides. We certainly do not want to kill it, but our situation is basically becoming one in which the person who bludges receives help and the one who works hard and accepts his responsi­bilities in society pays for that help by way of taxes. No-one can object to a reason­able tax on profits, but in return the tax­payer should surely expect a bit of responsi­bility in the spending of the money.

We must not lose sight of the fact that everyone in business-whether he is a farmer or a businessman-pre-pays his tax; he pays next year's tax this year. The wage-earner pays as he earns his money, so the Federal Government does not face the possibility of not being paid. I would like to think that, as the Government is guaranteed of receiving

its revenue by way of taxes, it should guarantee the public that they will receive some benefit in return.

The whole system appears to be working for the establishment and not for the people. Surely people still count. One of the greatest pleasures that we, as members of Parliament, have is our endeavour to help people. Unfor­tunately a remote, centralised Government tends to forget the people and loses touch with them. Government by the people, for the people and of the people is completely foreign to the Federal Government under its present system.

A previous speaker referred to the national road plan. Nothing will cause more argu­ment and friction between the respective areas of the State than this plan. For a start there will be duplication of costs in areas where road surveys have already been carried out, because the national road plan totally disregards such surveys and the cost involved and envisages new surveys and new roadworks. But, more importantly, it totally disregards the livelihood of the people whose properties lie in the path of the proposed works. The whole environment of certain rural areas will be changed by the con­struction of the planned roads. People's lives are being totally disregarded by academics who simply draw lines on a map.

I know of a landholder whose crops had ripened and were ready for harvesting and who had been given notice that surveyors would move in. That fact did not create any problem. However, instead of asking the landholder when the crops would be harvested they proceeded to hack his crops down. When he complained he was told that he would receive compensation. A decision had been arrived at to spend some­one else's money, and that is not good enough. The farmer would have been pre­pared to harvest his crop and clear a track for the surveyors. However, he was never asked to do so. This academic approach totally disregards the individuals who are involved. It is laughable to contend that the Federal Government is governing for the people.

Other than by maintaining contact through their m.embers of Parliament, the people have lost touch with the bureaucracy. Their points of view do not even reach first base because the bureaucrats arrive at their decisions without contacting the people who are involved.

Mr. Davis interjected.

Mr. CORY: The surveys taken between Wallangarra and Cunningham's Gap for the national road plan are a good example. Twelve properties could have been bypassed simply by upgrading the highway and by constructing a new bridge across a creek. However, those persons who are drawing up the national road plan said that that was not suitable and that a new road would be constructed through those properties.

Address in Reply [8 AuGUST 1974] Address in Reply 159

Mr. Davis: Next you will be complaining about the freeways in Brisbane.

Mr. CORY: I am not speaking about the freeways in Brisbane; I am dealing with the national road plan. The Federal Govern­ment is like a kid with marbles. While it will not provide money for any of these jobs, it will provide money for local authori­ties and certain other things I have referred to if it has the say on how these peopk spend their own money. I repeat that this is like a kid who takes his first bag of marbles to school and says, "I will play only if the rules suit me." That is not a reasonable approach. I am particularly sorry for the engineers and surveyors on these jobs who have to bear the complaints of property owners. They understand the local problems but they are directed to get out and draw the line in certain places. A man who is in contact with people on the spot should surely be allowed to exercise some discretion. While there is a delay in much of the expenditure by local govern­ment the people are missing out on roads other than the national highways that are being forced ahead at more or less indecent haste. The people are waiting for help with the other roads while the Federal Govern­ment plays politics with their money. Let us never forget that it is the people's own money.

I now wish to refer to the withholding of money from private enterprise to give the appearance that private enterprise cannot cope with the necessary production. The shortages we are experiencing are caused only by priyate enterprise not being given an opportumty to fill the vacuum. Its normal operations and expansions have been reduced because money is not available to it. The obvious reason for creating this vacuum is to ~ive the Fed~ral .Government an oppor­tumty to move m With progressive Govern­ment ownership. In Australia we cannot aff<?rd the cost of nationalised monopolies, which are one of the most expensive means of production. Allowing public ownership to .creep in progr~ssively by withholding capital from the pnvate sector, is a back­door method of nationalising operations.

I turn now to individual close-to-home problems concerning bureaucracy in Federal and State departments. Firstly I shall deal with a taxation problem th~t affected a person in 1973 when a tax stamp sheet was madvertently left in a folder in his account­ant's office. Naturally the person was billed for the value of the tax stamp sheet. When !he accountant f<;Jund t.he tax stamp sheet, It was se_nt down Immediately with a covering explan_atwn. However, that was not accept­able; It had to be covered by cash of an equivalent value. The appropriate sum was sent and the matter was sorted out in February 1974. Although it was accepted in February this year that a refund was due, no refund has been made to date despite numerous telephone calls and letters. How could any private business get away

with operating in that way? Surely at 30 June the Taxation Department, if at all possible, should clear its decks of old problems. Despite the fact that it was clear­cut in February and there was no more argument, no-one has got around to sending a refund for the amount that was paid prior to June 1973. It has remained in the Federal Government's coffers ever since.

Another matter I wish to deal with con­cerns registration payments to the Main Roads Department. I find that acknowledge­ment of payment is becoming slower and slower. l have been given an instance of money being paid to the Main Roads Depart­ment through the Clerk of the Court on 23 May 1974 and receipt not being issued until 26 July 1974, two months later. Although it took the department two months to acknowledge receipt, if an owner were one day late in paying his registration, he would be in trouble. However, the story becomes worse. If further proof is needed of the lack of organisation of some of these big departments, where nobody seems to be responsible for efficiency, after the motorist had waited two months for his receipt and registration sticker, on 5 August he was sent a final notice! Surely that is indicative of a complete lack of efficiency!

I know of another instance-! imagine it is happening in all areas in which registra­tion was paid in June but receipt has not been acknowledged yet. It seems ridiculous that a person should have to wait two months for a machined receipt of his renewal of registration.

Both State and Federal fields have this fault. Neither the Post Office nor the Rail­way Department will accept cheques. Even though an individual, firm or company may have a ledger account with the Railway Department, cheques will not be accepted unless special arrangements have been made. Everyone else accepts cheques as the normal way of doing business. Even though a firm or co-operative is obviously sound and backed by security, neither department will accept its cheque. After all, the Railway Depart­ment is trading in the community as a part of the community, and it should be willing to accept cheques just as every other busi­ness organisation does.

On the other hand, if one attempts to obtain a refund, the delay is quite consider­able. I have mentioned the Taxation Depart­ment, but the Railway Department is even worse. One of my constituents had to wait four years for a refund. In most instances freight has to be prepaid-yet even then, unless special circumstances apply, cheques will not be accepted. I know that some people are receiving special consideration, but generally a monopolistic approach is adopted.

Surely the public bas the right to expect reasonable service even from a public mono­poly! After all, it is the people who pay for the losses sustained by public monopolies.

160 Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply

Almost all public monopolies lose money, and the taxpayers are entitled to adequate service. In many respects-not in all respects, by any means-public ownership is wasteful. In a big organisation without individual interest in the money spent, expenses are not as tightly controlled as in private enterprise. The big difference lies in the financial interest. If a person has a few dollars of his own invested in an enterprise. he uses his initia­tive much more and abuses are less likely to occur. I do not for a moment suggest that everybody in a large concern acts irre­sponsibly, but often decisions are made with­out the same sense of responsibility and the public suffer. As the public pay for the service, I believe they should be the ones to benefit from it.

The taxpayers' money should not be wasted on ideologies; it should be used for the benefit of the people. This is not the case at present because too much money is being spent on organising schemes, setting up committees to do all sorts of things and inquire into matters-in fact, everything but getting on with the job of helping the man who paid the money and so made it possible.

Mr. F. P. MOORE (Mourilyan) (4.11 p.m.): It is a pity that the Government did not see fit to accept the amendment so ably moved by the Leader of the Opposition and seconded by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, because we feel that several problems are confronting the State.

Owing to the hypocrisy of the Premier and his Ministers this session, I have been able to ask only questions without notice of the Premier concerning an inquiry into Queens­land's health service. I was given garbled answers by that person of little ability. He usually has an array of public relations officers assisting him. He is not willing to debate anything on the public platform. I do not know how much Government money is being used to buy David Frost off because if Frost were fair dinkum, he would "do" the Premier more than Mike Willessee did, to the extent that the Premier will not appear on any show hosted by Mike Willessee.

When I raised the prohibition on medical operations at Her Majesty's Prison, I was told by the Minister in charge of welfare services that he was surprised that I did not have the guts to question the Minister for Health about his portfolio. I have questioned him often in this House and, in his pompous way, he has tended to misinform the House and the public on the present situation in Queensland. There is a serious decline in the morale of the staff in all major hospitals, particularly Royal Brisbane Hospital. This has resulted from proposals which have been formulated in secrecy over the past couple of months by the boards and the consultants.

One of the proposals put forward by the boards and the consultants is that senior medical staff carry out purely administrative

duties without accepting any clinical responsi­bility. Is that why Dr. Cooper resigned from the Royal Women's Hospital? Is that the reason for the resignation of this highly trained and respected obstetrician, who has been told that the medical skills he has attained are of no consequence? The Minister does not come out into the open.

In May 1973, the Minister for Health was reported in "The Courier-Mail". He passed the buck once again. The headline reads, "Hospital Teamwork Poor, says Tooth", and the article commences-

"The Health Minister (Mr. Tooth) yester­day criticised the staffs of several Queens­land hospitals for the lack of co-operation and team spirit."

Secrecy has surrounded hospital administra­tion in Queensland. Threats and intimidation have emanated from the Liberal Party, which is a common tactic of that party. There has been criticism from dedicated staff in the State. Recently, some nurses approached me on a matter and two of them are now missing from the Royal Brisbane Hospital and I cannot contact them.

Mr. Lane interjected.

Mr. F. P. MOORE: Here we had the "two bob" Tory, the honourable "Shady" Lane, informing me--

Mr. SPEAKER: Order! I would not like the honourable member to think that the House appreciates his sense of humour in referring to the honourable member for Merthyr as "'Shady' Lane". He has used that expression quite often in the past. I ask him not to use it again.

Mr. F. P. MOORE: I am sorry, Mr. Speaker. That is how the honourable mem­ber is commonly known.

Mr. SPEAKER: Order! The honourable member will refer to him as "the honourable member".

Mr. Wright: Don't you think it's time the honourable member for Merthyr told us about his land developments?

Mr. F. P. MOORE: I do not know what land he has, but I know that he hc.s a spaghetti factory and he stands over the Italians and Greeks who work in it.

Mr .. LANE: I rise to a point of order. I find the remarks of the honourable member objectionable, and I ask that they be with­drawn.

Mr. SPEAKER: Order! Is the honourable member making a denial?

Mr. LANE: Most certainly.

Mr. SPEAKER: Order! I ask the honour­able member for Mourilyan to accept the denial of the honourable member for Merthyr.

Mr. F. P. MOORE: Which part of my speech do I have to withdraw, Mr. Speaker?

Address in Reply [8 AuGusT 1974] Address in Reply 161

Mr. SPEAKER: The honourable member said that the honourable member for Merthyr owns a spaghetti factory and stands over his employees. The honourable member says that is offensive to him.

Mr. F. P. MOORE: I withdraw the state­ment that he stands over his employees.

I now return to the point that I was making. I feel that the Minister for Health has covered up the situation for far too long. We on this side of the House feel that we have a right to co-operate with the Government, and only the other day I requested the Premier to set up an inquiry into the health services. He stumbled about, not knowing what to say, and was prompted by the Minister for Health when he was trying to answer me. He then made allega­tions that Opposition members were like their Federal counterparts.

I have frequently said that the people in the Federal sphere have their problems. We are here to govern this State, so let us get on with it and let us improve conditions for the people of Queensland, 65 per cent of whom said in a recent survey that health was the matter with which they were most con­cerned. There are frequent resignations of senior medical officers in this State. We have all seen what took place at the Southport Hospital, and also in hospitals in the North. Even in my area, applications for a hospital posting have frequently been sought.

All those who occupy positions in the Health Department at present are living in fear of the wrath of the Minister and some senior departmental officers. At the Brisbane Prison there is an operating theatre suitable for use by visiting specialists and other medical officers, but Dr. Patrick will not allow it to be used. Why should prisoners such as John Andrew Stuart be permitted to go to a general hospital for operations? Possibly, as I said of another Minister, John Andrew Stuart would be as popular among the nurses as the Minister is.

Mr. Frawley: Why are you always criti­cising the Minister? Why don't you give credit where it is due?

Mr. F. P. MOORE: In my opinion, the Minister should have retired before this. He is in the twilight of his career. He is still refusing to give information to the House; in fact, he gives us false information.

Mr. TOOTH: I rise to a point of order. The honourable member has accused me of giving false information to the House. That remark is untrue. It is a personal reflection on me, and I ask him to withdraw it.

Mr. SPEAKER: Order! I ask the hon­ourable member for Mourilyan to withdraw the remark.

Mr. F. P. MOORE: In order to continue my speech, I have to withdraw it.

6

As I have mentioned before, the Minister and certain of his departmental officers have said that, on the advice of management con­sultants, superintendents in particular fields are not sufficiently valuable and their duties are to become purely administrative. Why hasn't an inquiry been held involving the doctors them~elves? Confusing statements have been made, and I will come to them shortly.

In my opinion, the careers of senior medical staff in this State are in jeopardy, and mass resignations are on the cards. If honourable members opposite do not accept what I am saying, I point out to them that I have here a copy of a letter from a doctor in this State confirming it.

Mr. Frawley: You wrote it yourself. Why don't you admit it?

Mr. F. P. MOORE: The honourable member for Murrumba can come over here later and read the letter for himself. As I have told him quite often, he reads "News Weekly" far too frequently and communi­cates with Bob Santamaria far too often. I shall quote from newspaper reports to substantiate my remarks about the Minister.

Yesterday the honourable member for Bundaberg, Mr. Jensen, asked a question relative to an advertisement by Associated Sporting Promotions in a Bundaberg news­paper. He asked whether it was a bona fide company, and Sir Gordon Chalk, as Acting Minister for Justice, answered-

"Associated Sporting Promotions is not registered as a company or business name in Queensland. The Commissioner for Corporate Affairs is having enquiries made into its activities."

That went into the newspapers; it was men­tioned in both the Channel 7 news and the national news. I have here evidence that it is a registered business. The Treasurer of this State gave false information. I am not saying whether the company is good or bad; but if it is good, the fact that the Treasurer has given false information to the House has virtually condemned it for all time. He said it is not a registered company; I have here the certificate of registration.

Mr. Wright: What is the number?

Mr. F. P. MOORE: The registration number is C4386. If that does not confirm that the information given by the Treasurer is not correct, I am a Dutchman-and I certainly am not a Dutchman.

Let me go back a little. I sought the Minister's permission to visit Wolston Park on 29 May. I said to "The Courier-Mail", "Wolston Park is overcrowded." I also said that I admired Dr. Urquhart for his sin­cerity and honesty, and that he admitted that the conditions at Wolston Park were pathetic. He admitted that to me and to my committee, and I did admire his sincerity. However, on the following day this heading appeared: "Hospital not overcrowded, claims

162 Address in Reply [8 AuGUST 1974] Address in Reply

Mr. Tooth". I challenge Mr. Tooth, either tomorrow or next week, to go through Wolston Park with me and wi'th cameramen and newspaper representatives.

Mr. SPEAKER: Order! I ask the honour­able member to refer to the Minister as "the honourable gentleman", not as "Mr. Tooth".

Mr. F. P. MOORE: I ask the honourable gentleman to go through Wolston Park with me. Through you, Mr. Speaker, I say to him, "Will you accept that?" The Minister will not accept it, because he is frightened to show the people of Queensland what Wolston Park is really like.

Mr. Frawley interjected.

Mr. SPEAKER: Order! The honourable member for Murrumba will have an oppor­tunity to speak later, if he wishes to do so.

Mr. F. P. MOORE: I have today received proof that a 23-year-old girl was put into a maximum security ward with murderesses and others. The girl is a schizophrenic but is not dangerous. I was informed of that today by her mother. If the Minister claims in all honesty that there were 60 vacant beds in the hospital, why did he open up women's ward 8, which is a den of iniquity? He should have a look at it him­self. I am sure that while he is telling these outlandish untruths to the Press he cannot sleep at night. That is why he has bags under his eyes. This is the truth and I challenge the Minister once again to go through Wolston Park with me, together with a cameraman and representatives of the Press.

I also said that some patients had died and others were suffering because of the lack of medical supervision in Brisbane's short-staffed, over-crowded and badly administered public hospitals. The Minister denied this, too, but let me go back to September 1972 and quote a Brisbane neuro­surgeon, Dr. Atkinson, who said that deaths were occurring in hospitals because of low staff numbers at night. Another Brisbane neurosurgeon, Dr. Geoffrey Toakley, told the same convention-they were speaking to a Mater Week audience-that the prob­lems of getting into Queensland hospitals for elective surgery were enormous. I have mentioned this on numerous occasions, but the Minister keeps on denying it. That is why I have asked for an open inquiry­a reasonable inquiry with co-operation between the Labor Party and Government members in order to improve conditions in our hospitals. Government members should stop castigating the Federal Government, which has barely settled into the Federal House but which is having all the blame laid on it.

I believe that the Minister has let the State down during his term of office. I have said before what "The Australian" said once, namely, "We have had enough, Mr. Tooth." I certainly have had enough of the Minister's assertions in reply to truthful and honest

statements that I have put before the Press and the people of Queensland. In "The Australian" of 26 June 1974 I said that our hospital system was on its knees. I do not retract that statement. The Minister knows quite well that that is so. If he does not, he should ask the staff. In fact, he tried to blame the staff, who are doing a wonderful job in most hospitals in this State. What an indictment it is of the Minister for him to say that there is no co-operation amongst the staff.

In "The Courier-Mail" of 27 June 1974 there is a statement by Dr. H. W. A. Forbes, of the Australian Medical Associ­ation, in which he says there is a general shortage of doctors throughout the Queens­land hospital system. He goes on to say-

"However, doctors had not lodged any specific complaints of staff shortages at the Royal Brisbane Hospital or the Prin­cess Alexandra Hospital recently."

The article points out-"Dr. Forbes was replying to the State

Labor Party's spokesman on Health (Mr. F. P. Moore)."

I know which party the A.M.A. supports. It is not the Labor Party, but isn't it ridiculous for a person like Dr. Forbes to make such a statement! In 1972 Dr. Lee, the then president of the A.M.A., said-

" Doctors are finding it impossible to get acutely ill patients into hospital beds in Brisbane."

What are the true facts? The position has not improved since 1972 because wards at Brisbane hospitals have been closed, yet Dr. Forbes says that the position is not serious. In 1972, Dr. Lee said it was. I repeat: he said, "Doctors are finding it impossible to get acutely ill patients into hospital beds in Brisbane."

In answer to a question that I asked about the report on hospital improvements, the Minister for Health said that ,fue hospital­study report was private. I do not see why it should be kept private, but apparently the Minister believes that everything to do with the Health Department is private. I suggest that the deterioration in the State's health services is the result of the secrecy '!hat surrounds them. In a recent editorial "The Courier-Mail" asked the Minister for Health why the report should be kept private. I, too, ask why we, as individuals, should not have the right to read the report.

The management consultants have made certain recommendations, but they cannot be implemented until the Minister for Health approves of any necessary alterations to the hospital regulations. As the Minister has not foreshadowed any such alterations, I presume thaJt he has no intention of imple­menting the recommendations. If they are not to be implemented, why has the State been put to the coSI1: of $250,000 for the management consultants' report, which was presented on 21 March 1974?

Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply 163

It has been claimed that the executive staff of the Royal Brisbane and the Princess Alexandra Hospital Boards agreed in prin­ciple with the report. However, as I have said, as a result of certain suggestions that were made, a highly qualified man, the superintendent of the Royal Women's Hos­pital, tendered his resignation.

From some of the remarks made in the report we are led to believe that democra­tisation is called for in hospitals. As I have said previously in relation to hospital budgeting, if more people with knowledge of what occurs in hospitals were to become involved, the Minister for Health would be given valuable assistance. I suggest that he visit the hospitals more frequently than he does to see at first hand what is occurring there.

Senior medical staff have informed me that hospital boards are concerned more with instructing nurses on how to fold their uniforms than with solving the really serious problems. The time has come for a change, and if this means a political change in Queensland, let us have it.

In spite of the fact ~hat the Premier recently expressed complete faith in the Minister for Health, nearly everyone else in the State is calling for the Minister's resigna­tion. He has even suggested that my visit to Wolston Park was at the instigation of the union. He cannot even leave the union alone. As I told the union when I opened its annual conference, the Minister for Health wished it to remain like a cactus that could not grow.

I have a lot of time for Miss Schultz, secretary of the Royal Australian Nursing Federation, although 'she could be much more militant and, in my opinion, is nothing more than a Liberal. I have here an article which states that the industrial officer of the Royal Australian Nursing Fed­eration said last night that the unions with members employed in Brisbane public hos­pitals had been informed of the consultant's investigation. That is poppycock. The unions have not been informed. One of the recom­mendations was that there will be meetings of representatives of the unions and staff organisations to further discuss the principles outlined. How could the Minister make the statement that he did? He is sitting back knowing that there is an application before the Industrial Commission for increased wages and that this State is miles behind the others. That is why we are not attracting suitable staff and nurses to our hospitals. We must improve conditions and pay more money if we are to get an increase in the number of nursing staff and doctors.

This morning the Minister said that the Federal Government is the cause of the decrease in quotas. That is absolute nonsense. There have always been quotas in the Queensland medical faculty just as there have been quotas for first-year engineering, veterinary science and so on. The Minister

should not make such statements in the belief that he can get away with them with sensible people.

There are loyal and honest servants in our health administration. I speak in this way as a result of my visit yesterday to "Even­tide", Sandgate, which is serviced ably by a good staff and a good manager. I enjoyed my visit. "Eventide" is well looked after by the honourable member for Sandgate, who has a good relationship with the people in his electorate. I make the point that the buildings at "Eventide" were once incor­porated in an Air Force camp. I give credit where it is due: the staff at that home­there are a number of hospitals there­deserve credit for the way in which the grounds are kept, but the buildings are archaic. How long will the Government and the Minister delay in providing suitable accommodation and facilities at "Eventide", Sandgate. "Eventide" is desperately in need of better buildings. Although the buildings are old and decrepit they are at least livable and the persons there are fairly happy thanks to the efforts of the staff and management.

It is high time that money was made available for the construction of the first stage of a new "Eventide" complex at Sand­gate. The employees are loyal, sincere and dedicated to their job, but as the present home has been in operation since 1945, and was formerly an Air Force camp, it is only just to expect that any Government would be prepared to start on the initial stages of construction of a new "Eventide".

Why is it necessary to send the laundry from this home to Bishops, when there are 875 inmates and 465 staff? "Eventide" is a township in itself. If a [aundry were established there, it would result in more employment for Sandgate people, more people living there, and more people whom the honourable member for Sandgate could so ably look after. I am told by responsible people that the firm that has the contract for the laundering quite often returns the uniforms of the sisters in a torn and dilapidated condition. If it is thought desir­able for a small hospital such as Wolston Park to have its own laundry (or for a larger one such as the Royal Brisbane Hospital), why should there not be one at "Eventide", which has approximately 1,300 people? Further, if motel conditions can be given to prisoners, surely the same conditions should be provided for our aged, whose numbers wiH increase. They are, as I have been reminded, the pioneers of our State. I remind all honourable members that some day we, too, will be old.

Ever since I have been in this House I have heard the honourable member for Sandgate repeatedly ask questions about future planning for "Eventide". Why can the Minister not set a programme for the rejuvenation of "Eventide"? I warn him that, if ever the home was established on another site, he would have a revolt on

164 Address in Reply (8 AUGUST 1974) Address in Reply

his hands. The present position is a pleasant one and the grounds are well kept by the staff. If speculators ever talk the Gov­ernment into turning the present site over for development and the Government builds an "Eventide" in a different area, there will be a revolt throughout the length and breadth of Queensland, not just in Sandgate.

I now wish to mention a number of actions of the Australian Government that have been dealt with by previous speakers. I have stated on other occasions that the Australian Government's actions so far have not been for the benefit of all. Attempts have been made to catch the Queen Street and Pitt Street farmers-people such as doctors and companies such as that of the honourable member for Yeronga, whom I have often called "the nut-grass farmer".

The National Party, as it is now known, is so preoccupied with condemnation of the Australian Government that it is completely neglecting the problems of Queensland. Government members criticise the Federal Government's action in abolishing the petrol subsidy. Let me say, as the honourable member for Rockhampton has said, that price control can be exercised in this State. The Premier has the power to prevent large increases in the price of petrol in country areas. A survey conducted by the university showed even before the abolition of the subsidy that petrol was far too dear. The Premier has the right to control prices and should exercise that right to prevent [arge increases in the price of petrol. If he raised the price of petrol in Brisbane by half a cent a gallon, country people would not have to pay increased prices. However, if he did that, there would be a big squeal from the city-based cow-cockies, such a,g the honourable member for Murrumba, who, unlike you, Mr. Speaker, does not know what the country is like. He has lived in the city all his Hfe and claims to be a National Party representative.

Mr. Davis interjected.

Mr. F. P. MOORE: Yes, I suppose he is a multi-National Party representative.

Because of the Government's preoccupation with the destruction of the name of the Australian Government, I wonder about the Premier's recent statement that he was con­sidering asking Her Majesty to be Queen of Queensland. I have been told by a reliable source-the honourable member for Mur­rumba-that the Premier has Mr. Tanaka in mind as the first Governor-General of Queensland because he is having trouble in the Japanese Parliament. If this is so possibly his nickname, "Japanese Joh" is correct. He certainly could not call himself a Queenslander.

Another problem in North Queensland is school play areas. Schools have grown, yet there are no covered play areas in this wet region. The Innisfail State High School,

which is in my electorate, has raised approxi­mately $11,000 to provide a covered play area. At this point of time, the Government should be considering the provision of covered play areas in North Queensland where rain is measured in feet not in inches.

Mr. Wallis-Smith: And the heat.

Mr. F. P. MOORE: Heat is also a prob­lem; so is humidity on the coastal belt right up to Cape York Peninsula. Those are important points that the Government should consider.

I have been responsible for having Innis­fail State School rebuilt. Stage I is nearly completed. Anybody who saw some photo­graphs I have of the arts room at the Innis­fail State School would be shocked. If I gave them to the newspapers, all people in Queensland would say what a ridiculous show it is in the education of our young people. I give notice to the Minister for Works and Housing that I will be pressing for a new art block at that school. It should be provided immediately. It is no use arguing that money is not available because this country has never been better off in educa­tion, health and welfare than under the Australian Government.

On behalf of Dr. Maruff, I made a plea in this House for the survival of his tea plantation. It has survived under new management, and is highly rated, through the auspices of the Australian Govern­ment in granting a development loan to a group of people to keep the tea planta­tion going. I resent the complete refusal of my request for consideration to be given to granting Dr. Maruff a contract to supply Queensland hospitals. However, when a group of National Party supporters took: over and asked me to help them obtain a loan, they were given a contract to supply the Innisfail Hospital with second-grade tea at 38 cents a lb. Nobody in this State can obtain 38 cents from a broker. I am reliably informed that the same firm has been given a contract to supply all hospitals from Mackay North at just over 40 cents a lb. How just was the Queensland Government to Marnff? The Queensland Premier destroyed him!

{Time expired.)

Mr. FRAWLEY (Murrnmba) (4.50 p.m.): I wish to reaffirm my continued loyalty, and that of my constituents, to Her Majesty the Queen. Incidentally, I have not yet heard any A.L.P. spokesman affirm his lcyalty, which is typical of the state of this country at present.

Evidence has already been produced of the very strong anti-socialist feeling in the electorates of Fisher and Petrie at the recent Federal election. As honourable members are no doubt aware, the electorate of Mur­rumba, which I am fortunate enough to represent, is contained within those two Federal electorates. "God Save the Queen"

Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply 165

is still played at official functions and in schools in my electorate, and it will con­tinue to be the national anthem in Queens­land while the National and Liberal Parties are in power. I state here and now that I am a royalist and a firm believer in State rights, and I shall continue to support the Premier in his unrelenting fight to retain Queensland's rights and to keep this State from socialist domination.

I congratulate the Governor, Sir Colin Hannah, on the way in which he has carried out his duties. The A.L.P., of course, would abolish the post of Governor, pos­sibly in favour of setting up a commissar or some other head of the Left Wing.

Recently Arch Bevis, secretary of the Transport Workers' Union, said that the Governor should refuse any increase in salary in order to set an example to the rest of the State. It would certainly be interesting to know the union salary and allowances received by Arch Bevis. His salary would certainly be well in excess of that of any transport driver I know. He should be very proud of himself for the suffering that he caused innocent women and children during the recent transport strike. He opened his big mouth about the Governor's salary, yet he got his members to strike for an increase of $25 a week.

A.L.P. members always bleat their con­cern for the workers and the people, but who suffered during that strike? It was the workers' wives and children. When the chips are down and their own selfish interests are at stake, we soon see who stands for the workers. It is certainly not members of the A.L.P. The dairymen who organised supplies of milk to the public are to be congratulated for their stand and for their concern. This should be an example to those union bosses who believe that they are omnipotent. For the benefit of the honourable member for Brisbane, that means all-powerful. I say to these union bosses, "Have fewer strikes and show a little con­cern for the people of this State. Do not involve innocent people in campaigns to embarrass the State Government."

A recent statement by the new Leader of the Opposition that he is a believer in States' rights will fool nobody. In the realisation that Queenslanders are very con­scious of States' rights, he has decided to attempt to mislead people into believing that he is not a centralist. During the eight years in which he was Deputy Leader of the Opposition, he spent all of his time under­mining the Leader of the Opposition. Never at any time did he give him any support at all. He left the honourable member for Bulimba to carry the banner on his own. l'<ow we know that the leadership of the Opposition has sunk to an all-time low. Of course, it is only a caretaker leadership. After the next State election, when Labor is soundly defeated, there will be another Labor leader. I do not know who he will be.

The Leader of the Opposition expressed his concern for country people. We all know why he went to Mt. Isa after the recent flood. It was not out of concern for country people; it was to patch up a split in the A.L.P. over the selection of a can­didate for Mt. Isa. The honourable member for Townsville South told us all about it.

The people of Townsville will not forget the cowardly, vicious attack made by the present Leader of the Opposition on Dr. Scott-Young and the staff of the Townsville General Hospital. Let it not be forgotten that on 14 October 1966 the present hon­ourable member for Townsville \Vest made one of the most scurrilous attacks ever made by a member of Parliament on a public hospital and a doctor. Some of his state­ments were deliberately intended to throw suspicion on the staff of the Townsville General Hospital. In fact even today, eight years later, sisters, nurses and wardsmen are still afraid to purchase anything for any staff members or patients for fear of being accused of robbing them.

Mr. Marginson: When v.as this?

Mr. FRAWLEY: In 1966. The present Leader of the Opposition persuaded an A.L.P. stooge at the Townsville General Hospital to break into the hospital office and remove certain statements and vouchers. He 'ilaited outside the hospital in a car. This wardsman, or whatever he was, took the documents back into the hospital after the honourable member sat in his car over the road and made copies of them. What a method of obtaining information! It is typical of the lengths to which the A.L.P. will go to undermine confidence in the Government.

Since his elevation to the leadership of the Opposition, the honourable member for Townsville West has been striking out at this Government, attacking on all sides, appar­ently to show that he is a tiger and an attacker; but we know that he is a tame old pussy cat.

When claiming that the Government was selling the State's resources on the cheap and that there would be a confrontation between the people of Australia and the multi­national companies, the Leader of the Opposition spoke with tongue in cheek. His statement that he is the leader of a political party determined to halt multi-national manipulation in Queensland will not fool anybody. He is the leader of a party that will give the rights of Queenslanders away. He is bound to support the socialistic aims of the Labor Party, and, of course, any means will be used to mislead the people of Queensland.

All that the Leader of the Opposition is concerned about is placing the people of Queensland under the domination of social­ism, which is the running mate of Com­munism. The difference between socialism and Communism is very small. It is similar

166 Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply

to the difference between an alligator and a crocodile, both of which will eat a person if given the chance.

When it is all boiled down, A.L.P. leaders do very little for the people. In fact, most of them are grandstanders and front-runners. Take the recent Sinatra fiasco. Bob Hawke intervened in the dispute. What did he do? He ended up letting Sinatra and his bunch of hoodlums get away with their insults to the Australian Press and to the public. Bob Hawke propably got a couple of free seats for the show. For his weak effort and the way he backed down he should be known over the length and breadth of Australia as "Chicken" Hawke.

Recently some Press statements by the honourable member for Lytton appeared under the heading "My View". The column should be called "My Twisted View". That would be a more appropriate title in view of the garbage that is in it.

Recently the biggest grandstander in the A.L.P. shot off his big mouth and said that any Australian who cannot live on $150 a week does not deserve to live. He is known as the "King of the Trades Hall". If he continues in that vein, he will be known as the court jester. I refer to Jack Egerton, State President of the A.L.P., who as far back as 1956 was an associate of Com­munists. During the wool strike, he travelled throughout Queensland with Gerry Dawson, Hanson and Macdonald, who were well-known Communists. At a later date I intend to have a lot more to say about this, and also about salaries a_lld wages.

The honourable member for Rockhampton said earlier this afternoon that police were not being allowed to do their job and book under-age drinkers. I know for a fact that the honourable member made representations to the Minister in charge of police to have a licence restored to a man who had been convicted of his third drink-driving offence.

Opposition Members interjected.

Mr. FRA WLEY: That is right, and the honourable member made representations to have his licence restored to him. It certainly shows that he is a very inconsistent member of Parliament when he speaks like that.

Mr. Marginson interjected.

Mr. FRAWLEY: I have said on more than one occasion that members of the A.L.P. are rubber stamps for the Q.C.E. I wish to correct that statement because it is not quite true. Not all members of the A.L.P. are rubber stamps for the Q.C.E., and some of them are very good men. Unfortunately, most of them are retiring at the end of this term. I have a real regard and respect for some of them. Of course, honourable mem­bers know that the man who should be the Leader of the Opposition, the smartest man on that side of the House, certainly did not get what was due to him. He got it in the back instead.

The people of Queensland have lost faith in the A.L.P. because of the give-away, centralist attitude that would make Queens­land just another suburb of Canberra. I remember the days of the late Ned Hanlon, for whom I had the greatest respect and admiration, when there were good Labor men in the House, not men like the ones who are here now.

Recently many attacks have been made on the Minister for Health and his department by people who are completely ignorant of the truth. False claims have been made by certain stooges that the State Government has adopted a penny-pinching attitude towards t.l:Je inmrutes of "Eventide" home. This is a downright, deliberate untruth. Single pen­sioners at "Eventide" receive a pension of $60 a fortnight. At least, that is what they received before the recent increase. Out of this sum they paid $41 a week for full board and lodging, which covered all accom­mod<IJtion, meals, dental and optometrical services and any clothing they required. Some residents used to handle the remaining $19 themselves while others had the money paid into a Patients Trust Account. At "Even­tide", Sandgate, there is approximately $448,000 in that Patients Trust Account.

The honourable member for Mourilyan, pathetically attempting to justify his position as Labor spokesman on health, has recently turned his attention to the Wolston Park Special Hospital. During the recess he has had the opportunity to gain some rather limited medical knowledge by watching some of those famous television movies, "Days of Our Lives", "General Hospital", "Doctor at Large" and "Doctor at Sea". His statements that condi,tions at Wolston Park Hospital have deteriorated are as false as many of his other statements regarding Queensland hospitals. We all know that the honourable member does not really believe any of his own statements but is merely parroting his instructions from Trades Hall and making a very poor job of doing ~hat. According to information which I have received and which I know is reliable, the honourable member for Mourilyan is in grave danger of losing his endorsement at the Labor and Politics Convention in September.

Mr. R. Jones interjected.

Mr. FRAWLEY: He has been making a poor job of it; that is why they are going to get rid of him. According to some of the members up there he has revealed himself as a politically imma,ture member of Parlia­ment who wishes to employ cheap, sensa­tional tactics to denigrate the Queensland hospitals system.

The inspection carried out by the honour­able member for Mourilyan and his com­mittee on 23 May at Wolston Park failed to reveal any sign of overcrowding. The honourable member once again proved to the people of Queensland just how naive he really is. In two of the 34 nursing units there were a number of unoccupied beds.

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That is perfectly true and the claim that the hospital was overcrowded was a deliberate attempt to mislead the public. On the day of the inspeotion there were 60 vacant beds in the hospital and there are now 100 fewer inmates in the hospital that there were two years ago and 1,000 fewer than when this Government took office. There has been a big increase in staff during that time.

The reason for this improvement is that this Government does not confine aged people to mental homes as was previously done under A.L.P. Governments, which ignored their responsibility to old people. It was absolutely disgusting but indicative of the lengths to which the A.L.P. will go to use old people, their relatives and their friends as pawns in the rough game of filthy politics.

The honourable member for Mourilyan challenged the Minister for Health to visit Wolston Park. I inform the honourable member and anyone else who cares to listen that there are certain days when Wolston Park and other hospitals of a like nature are open 1to the public. I suggest that the honourable member for Mourilyan and his friends should go up there and have a look at the hospital on the next open day.

Allegations have been made by Mr. Ringelstein of the Hospital Employees Union concerning Wolston Park. They are simply figments of his imagination. He has made serious allegations about conditions, no doubt acting under instructions rt:o do all in his power to undermine public confidence in Queensland's hospitals. His allegations should be exposed for what they are-cheap political tricks. The well-being of the mentally ill is being prejudiced. On each occasion that the general secretary goes away, the opportunity is seized by some of his union mates to undermine his authority. When he returns he has to show them how strong he really is. The Hospital Employees Union is using strong-arm tactics in an endeavour to achieve a closed shop. Mr. Ringelstein would know that the majority of patients at Wolston Park are free to come and go as they please. They are there voluntarily and can leave whenever they so desire. They stay because the conditions are acceptable to them, and they realise that the treatment they are receiving is for their own benefit.

Fortunately the Address-in-Reply debate gives honourable members an opportunity of bringing to the notice of the House matters concerning their electorates. I wish to raise some such matters. Over the past two years the people of Woodford have had to sit back helpless while two houses and a school building were moved from the district although they could have been put to good use in Woodford. One of the houses, a police dwelling, was sold to an organisation in another area before I was elected to represent Murrumba, but the memory still rankles in the minds of the people of Wood­ford. In the past six months the Stanmore State School building and the school resid­ence have been sold to organisations in other

electorates. The school building went to the Burnside Scout Goup in the Nambour district, and the school resident to the Glasshouse Sports Club.

I have no doubt that those two organisa­tions are worthy ones and are doing good work. However, there are equally worthy organisations in Woodford, such as the Wood­ford Pony Club and the Woodford Show Society, both of which applied through me for these buildings. However, as the applica­tions were received after other members of Parliament had made representations on behalf of public bodies in their electorates, they were not considered.

The Minister for Works and Housing has promised that in future any Government building that is declared surplus will first be offered to organisations in the electorate where the building is situated. This is com­mendable and will, I hope, prevent a repe,ti­tion of what happened a:t Woodford. I do not believe that any building should be shifted fmm a member's electorate-! include those electorates represented by Opposition members; no distinction should be drawn between them and those represented by Gov­ernment members-until that member is given the opportunity of offering it to an organisa­tion in his electorate.

T am still not satisfied with the circum­stances surrounding ,the disposal of the Stan­more school residence, I was led to believe that the building was to be oliered at public auction and was not available f.or sale to any public body. A letter written by the Lands Department to me, informing me that the building was handed over to the Works Department and would be available to any public body, was not received by me. How­ever, as a copy of the letter was read out to me I must accept that it was written.

When I applied on behalf of the Woodf.ord Pony Club to the Department of Works for the Stanmore State School building, I was informed that it was under offer to a scout group in another electorate.

Sometimes I suspect that new members of Parliament are considered by some Gov­ernment departments to be of very little importance and that scant regard is paid to their requests. I do not intend to mention this matter again unless I am forced to do so, but in future I intend to be severely critical of any Government department that I feel is not giving back-benchers reasonable con­sideration. I do not expect any special treatment, but I certainly expect my letters to be answered-not within 24 hours but at least within 14 days.

Another important matter that I wish to raise is the new playing field at the Kippa­Ring State School. Resumption of this area commenced as long ago as 1971, while I was an alderman in the Redcliffe City Council, and was completed in 1973. A contract was let to clear the land, which was covered with small shrubs, trees and long grass. The

168 Address in Reply [8 AuGUST 1974] Address in Reply

date on which the clearJng was to commence was 4 March 1974. However, so far nothing has been done. This is disgraceful, especially in the light of the fact that new classrooms at the Kippa-Ring State School have encroached onto exis,ting playing fields. The one playing field that is available for use by the pupils is constantly wet from water run-off in Henzell Street. Drainage in this area is non-existent. Until either the Works Depart­ment or the Redcliffe City Council attends to this problem, the children at the Kippa­Ring State School will be deprived of a much­needed playing area.

Since the changeover to metric speeds, I have noticed alterations to speed limits that are not in the best interests of the people of my electorate. Perhaps similar alterations have occurred in other electorates. Motorists ~who drive along Anzac Avenue, Redcliffe, find that the speed limit has been increased in Anzac Avenue West, travelling towards Rothwell, from 45 m.p.h. to 80 km/h, or to 50 m.p.h. Near the busy Rothwell inter­section on the Redcliffe connection road, which was the old Bruce Highway, the speed limit has been increased to 100 km/h, or 62.5 m.p.h. From there it is only half a mile to the boundary of the Pine Shire and about three-quarters of a mile to the boundary of the Caboolture Shire.

Over the past 15 years a number of road deaths have occurred in this small area, where at least 40 children board buses each day for school. Many of these children have to cross both the Redcliffe connection road and Anzac Avenue in the area that has recently been designaJted as a 100 km/h zone. I think that the speed limit in Roth­well between the boundaries of the Pine and Caboolture Shires should be reduced to 60 km/h or, at the very worst, 80. Speed is all very well on main roads but it should be reduced in populated areas, especially when children have to cross the road.

The intersection of Anzac Avenue, Eliza­beth Avenue, Boardman Road and Grimley Street at Kippa-Ring is one of the most dangerous 1ntersections in the electorate of Murrumba. I live three-quarters of a mile from it and, in the past few years, I have noticed the hazards confronting motorists, especially on Sunday. On Sunday afternoon it is virtually impossible for motorists to drive from Boardman Road into Elizabeth Avenue in a southerly direction, and it is even worse to attempt to turn right into Anzac A venue and travel west. Motorists leaving Grimley Street face the same problem. I know that the Department of Main Roads has a plan for the redesign of this inter­section. I hope the Minister tries to have this matter expedited.

In the past two years I have made repeated representations to the Minister for Mines and Main Roads and the Minister for Transport about heavy transports bypassing the Burpengary Weighbridge and causing extensive damage to council roads in the

Shire of Caboolture. I know that the Ministers are as concerned about this damage as I am. During the period January to November 1973, 80 vehicles were intercepted attempting to bypass the weighbridge. Regular patrols have been carried out on the bypass roads at varying hours of the day and night. Despite all this, heavy vehicles are still dodging the weighbridge and, in the process, they are seriously damaging council roads.

Recently the Deception Bay Progress Association, a group of civic-minded people who have the interests of Deception Bay at heart, wrote to me asking that 'something be done to stop heavy vehicles damaging roads in Decelption Bay whrlst dodging the weighbridge. On numerous occasions the Caboolture Shire Council has also requested that something be done to stop the damage caused to council roads by these heavy, overloaded vehicles. In addition, Narangba residents have complained about heavy vehicles using roads in the area and causing a serious dust problem. A scout car proceeds some of these vehicles to look for Main Roads Department police. If the coast is clear the driver of the scout car passes on the word to the transport driver.

Frankly, I believe the Transport Depart­ment is doing all in its power to apprehend the weighbridge dodgers, but to adequately police the area would require a huge number of officers and a fairly high overtime bill. Perhaps the answer lies in increased penalties and, if offences continue, the loss of a trans­port driver's licence after the third offence. That may be rather drastic but transport drivers have to realise that they must respect the rights of the shires through which they drive.

Mr. 1\filler: Do you mean the driver's licence or the owner's licence?

Mr. FRA WLEY: I really mean the owner's licence.

Some of these drivers are a law unto themselves and bring discredit on the Trans­port Workers' Union as a whole. I sincerely hope that officers of the Department of Transport can arrive at a solution in the near future before the roads in the Shire of Caboolture are completely destroyed by heavy transports dodging the Burpengary weighbridge.

The news that the Brisbane City Council has allocated $250,000 for the construction of two synthetic athletic tracks is indeed welcome, especially for all Queensland athletes who, for years, have had to compete and train on inferior tracks. On more than one occasion I have stated that the main reason for the low standard of athletics in this State is the lack of an all-weather track. The Brisbane City Council is trying to obtain the 1982 Commonwealth Games for Brisbane. I congratulate the Lord Mayor on the part he has played in this. It is probably the only worth-while thing the Lord Mayor of

Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply 169

Brisbane will ever do for amateur sport, and possibly the only good he will ever do in Brisbane until he resigns. I trust that the people of the North Pine area who have been robbed of their heritage by the Lord Mayor and his stooges in land resumptions for the North Pine Dam will not think that I have turned a political somersault when I offer my congratulations to the Lord Mayor. When he sees that the people in the North Pine area receive justice by way of speedy and adequate compensation for their land I will apologise for all the unkind but true statements I have made about him.

To return to the matter of synthetic athletic tracks, I hope that at least one of these tracks is built on the north side of Brisbane, rather than both on the south side as the Lord Mayor has stated. I expect the honourable member for Brisbane to support me on this. Surely athletes on the north side of Brisbane deserve facilities equal to those on the south side. There are two ideal areas on the north side of Brisbane: Marchant Park, Chermside, and Shaw Park, Kalinga. Either site would be satisfactory, although Marchant Park is the better of the two.

In all fairness, the Brisbane City Council should not be called on to carry the burden of constructing these tracks, which will be used by athletes from all over the State. Admittedly, Brisbane athletes will use the tracks more than wili those from other parts of the State, but I hope the State Govern­ment will contribute something towards the cost of construction and that the Federal Government will contribute a similar amount. Any synthetic athletic track will certainly enhance the prospects of Queensland athletes in interstate competition. This type of track which is unaffected by weather and constant use, would allow a heavy programme to be undertaken to improve Queensland's athletic standards. Many young people would be encouraged to remain in sport, as they would be able to train and compete in all types of weather. I repeat that, irrespective of where the two tracks are situated they will be an asset to the State. '

Since I have been a member of this Parliament I have listened on many occasions to members of the Opposition attempting deliberately to mislead the people of Queens­land. Spe!lking with tongue in ch.eek, they have contmually bleated and whmed that the A.L.P. was robbed in the 1972 election by a gerrymander. I invite honourable members to look at the results of the recent ~ederal election in Petrie and Fisher, which mcludes Murrumba. How well was the A.L.P. supported in those areas?

For the benefit of those who care to ~isten and those who read "Hansard", I mtend to relate the story of the greatest gerrymander in the history of Queensland politics, which was carried out by the A.L.P. in 1949. Not one person who has any

knowledge of politics could fail to agree that the Electoral Districts Act of 1949 was a frustration of democracy. It was a scheme devised by the A.L.P. to keep in office despite a large movement of public opinion against it. In the elections of 1950 the Country-Liberal Party team gained 49.7 per cent of the vote but won only 31 of the 75 seats. Labor polled 46.5 per cent of the vote and won 42 seats. On the old boundaries the A.L.P. was beaten.

Mr. Newton: You have improved on that today, haven't you?

Mr. FRAWLEY: Opposition members are always squealing about gerrymanders, so they should listen to this one that their own party perpetrated.

The metropolitan zone in those days had a quota of 10,715, with 24 seats; the south­eastern zone 9,373, with 28 seats; the northern zone 7,696, with 13 seats; and the western zone 4,613, with ten seats. In Labor's eyes these quotas were justified by the claim that outback electorates were large and there was a need to avoid domination of the State by the capital city. These argu­ments for unequal electorates and weighing of country electorates do not quite fit in with Labor's policy of equal electoral dis­tricts. Of course, the real reason was that the A.W.U. had thoroughly organised the pastoral and mining industries of the west and north and also the sugar industry of the north. Naturally, the union organisers were Labor Party agents in these areas and there were good majorities for Labor can­didates. So the quotas were put back to create more Labor seats.

In the 1950 Queensland elections Labor won nine out of 10 western seats after the greatest gerrymander of all time had been carried out by that Party in 1949; yet some members of the Opposition have the gall to accuse this Government of a gerrymander. Toowoomba is a classic example, and the two members for that city are here today only because of the fraud perpetrated in that area in 1949.

There was then the Bulimba fraud of 1950, in which the section 7 votes were altered with the result that the election result was changed in favour of the A.L.P. can­didate. Mr. Justice Mansfield, as he then was, found that a gross and criminal fraud had taken place in which Liberal votes had been counted as Labor votes. The Labor Party covered its tracks fairly well and nothing could ever be proved conclusively against it; but we all know who rigged the ballot.

I am reminded of a poem which I feel is rather appropriate-

"The electoral law says two years' hard labour

For the villain who steals the votes of his neighbour

170 Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974] Address in Reply

But ignores the crooked boundaries and subtle quotas

By which bigger villains steal the rights of all voters."

I say to all A.L.P. members who are squeal­ing about gerrymanders that they should not complain too bitterly, because their party earned out the worst gerrymander in the history of Queensland politics.

We have heard a lot from Opposition members about inflation. Look at the con­tribution to inflation that is being made by the Federal Government. Look at the latest effort-a $100,000 China chair lift. The Federal Government chartered two Qantas Boeing 707 jets to send furniture to the Australian Embassy in Peking. That is an absolute insult to the people of China because, when an embassy is established in another country, the furniture provided by that country should be used. Even four carpet-layers were taken over there. I could not be convinced that the Chinese cannot lay carpets. What a lot of rot! And the Federal Minister said he will not give any details of the flight. Look at all the overseas trips of Mr. Whitlam. He has had eight overseas trips in a Boeing 707 jet.

Mr. Davis interjected.

Mr •. FRAWLEY: One of those eight over­seas tnps was worth 10 of the other trips.

In addition, Federal Ministers took their wives and children on those trips. Since ~he Labor Party came to power in Canberra, 1t has been a free-for-all. There have been "jobs for the boys", and wives and children have been taken on trips. Even the honour­able member for Lytton was taken over with the Murray Grey bull. I do not know which was the biggest "bull" in the aircraft. The plane had a pretty good load of "bull", with the honourable member for Lytton and the Murray .Grey on board; they made a pretty good pa1r.

In the Commonwealth Public Service, 1,142 people are on $17,000 a year. They received a housing allowance of $40 a week for ah;nost 18 months. What would pensioners thmk of that? And all of this was done by the Whitlam Government! Government departments in Canberra increased in number from 27 to 31 and 95 new boards were created-half of them to provide jobs for the boys. Look at Grassby in a job at ~26,000 a year. ~h.e best thing that happened m Australian poht1cs was when we got rid of that rotten, little swine. It was the greatest thing out when the people got rid of Grassby bef'?re he turned this country into a refuge for aliens. Some 157 new divisions and branches have been created in the Com­monwealth Public Service and staff strength has been expanded at the rate of 240 a week. I will not be convinced that that did not make a great contribution to inflation.

The Federal Government has removed the petrol subsidy. What a shocking imposition on country people. The honourable member

for Mourilyan bleated about Brisbane motor­ists paying half a cent a gallon more for petrol.

Mr. Marginson interjected.

Mr. FRAWLEY: I am giving my own thoughts, not saying what somebody else has said.

Australia has never been closer to domina­tion ?Y Communists. This has been going on smce 1972 when the socialistic-Com­munist-dominated Whitlam Government was elected. The time it has spent in Govern­men and the time it spends in Government ~ill go down in history as the darkest era m Australian politics; or should I say the reddest era?

Who will ever forget the raids on A.S.I.O. by. Senator Murphy, ostensibly to discover evrdence of Croat terrorism? I wonder how many dossiers were removed by Murphy that no doubt branded many leading ALP. members as members of the Communist Party. One dossier he forgot to remove was that of Jim Cairns and that was soon made public. Then there were the raids on the N.~:-" A;tstrali~ns in Sydney and on the FIJians m Bnsbane. Senator Murphy has used the Commonwealth Police Force to strike fear into the hearts of New Australians.

Make . no mistake; if the A.L.P., the Commumsts and the Left-wingers ever gain complete control of this country, they intend to use the criminal element as a secret police force to smash all opposition. The sight of At;st~alia's male Labor leaders hugging a_nd klssmg members of Communist de!ega­twns from North Korea and Vietnam must surely have sickened all those who witnessed that spectacle. Ex-servicemen and women must have been absolutely disgusted, and people overseas could be forgiven for think­mg that many of Australia's male Labor leaders could be homosexuals.

I intend to relate the strategy and tactics employed by the Communists in their bid for power. The Communist theory is to apply pressure from above through the Parliament, and pressure from below through the trade unions. When through fraud trickery and other underhand methods ~ pro.-C?m~unis~ or :r-eft-wing parliamentary ;na)onty 1s gamed-It is pretty close to that m Canberra now-fellow-travellers will be sacked and eliminated, and replaced with trusted party members whose membership of the Communist Party has been kept secret. The Communists control certain trade unions and they use these to create industrial ~nrest and organise political strikes. I mstance the metal workers' union and the Builders Labourers' Federation. So far, there is a coalition of the Left, and they have ~ucceeded in winning control of the A.C.T.U. mterstate executive. These "Comms" have established firm control over the A.L.P. Federal Conference and the Federal Execu­tive, and they determine the policy of the A.L.P. and the policy programme for Federal Labor parliamentarians.

Address in Reply [8 AUGUST 1974} Personal Explanations 171

Everyone is aware that all Labor poli­ticians-Federal, State and local government -sign an agreement to carry out the policies of the A.L.P. They have no free voting rights. Since I have been a member of this Parliament, I have not seen even one Opposition member vote with the Govern­ment during any division on legislation. But I have seen Government members cross the floor and vote with the Opposition when they felt so moved. We on this side of the House can vote according to our consciences. We are not subject to any sort of dictation.

Opposition Members interjected.

Mr. SPEAKER: Order!

Mr. FRAWLEY: The Opposition here­indeed, all Labor politicians-have to vote as directed by the Q.C.E., and honourable members opposite well know it. They get their orders daily from the Trades Hall and woe betide anyone who does not to~ the line. A fairly good example of this was seen in the methods used prior to the last State election to get rid of the 10 Right­wingers on the Opposition side of the House. Ten were threatened with having their heads chopped off, but Bennett and Thackeray were the only two who "copped" it.

The coalition of the Left now has the numbers in the Federal caucus; that was proved by the election of Jim Cairns as Deputy Prime Minister. Of course, they have control of the Whitlam Cabinet, and they are directing the radical changes that are taking place in Australia. lt is a fact that the Federal Executive of the A.L.P. is directing the Prime Minister and Labor leaders throughout Australia to implement pro-Communist policies and, of course the Left-wing element in the A.L.P. 'have demanded that their leaders adhere to these policies.

I have always recognised the importance of trade unions, especially when they are concerned with the welfare of the workers.

Opposition Members interjected.

Mr. SPEAKER: Order!

Mr. FRAWLEY: I was a member of the Electrical Trades Union for 20 years, when it was con~rolled by good, solid people, not the Left-wmgers who are in control now. Today, however, many unions are merely power bases for the A.L.P. Huge sums of money contributed by members as fees are siphoned off in donations to the A.L.P. A typical example of Communist domination of unions is Maoist Gallagher, the Federal secretary of the Builders Labourers' Federa­tion, who said that there would be bloodshed if the master builders of New South Wales attempted to obtain justice for themselves. Gallagher is a vice-chairman of the Peking­line Communist Party of Australia. He is typical of the hard-line Communists who believe in enforcing their point of view with violence. It will not be long before these opposing Communist factions break out and

involve many innocent builders' labourers in their personal feud. As I said before, many unions today are merely power bases for the A.L.P.

These union officials are merely using the workers' money for their own political ends. For example, the Queensland Teachers' Union is allegedly non-political, but the support and money given by it to the A.L.P. belies that contention. We have heard numerous com­plaints about teachers' salaries. I would imagine that many teachers would be inter­ested to learn that Mr. Costello, their union president, is on a salary of $14,000 a year for the part that he plays. Many other union officials are on similar salaries-! could quote some of them-and many pick up a little more on the side with another job. A good example of a union secretary "touching" his fellow unionists is Keith Leo Mitchell, Victorian secretary of the Hospital Employees' Union, who admitted that his salary, allowances and other benefits totalled $41,000. His salary was $21,000.

(Time expired.)

Under the provisions of Standing Order No. 17, the debate stood adjourned.

PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS

Hon. Sir GORDON CHALK (Lockyer­Treasurer) (5.30 p.m.), by leave: On Tuesday, 6 August, the honourable member for Bun­daberg gave notice of a question regarding the registration of a particular firm. A copy of that question was conveyed through the private secretary to the Minister for Justice to the Acting Commissioner for Cor­porate Affairs. Yesterday morning a written reply was received by me and, having read the contents of that reply, I then delivered to the House an appropriate answer in accordance with the information contained in it.

At 12.50 today I was informed by the private secretary to the Minister for Justice that incorrect information had been con­veyed. Consequently, I sent for the Acting Commissioner for Corporate Affairs and asked for a written explanation of what had happened. I emphasised to him the seriousness of providing a Minister of the Crown with information that was inaccurate, and which could also be to the detriment of the person or persons concerned.

I want now to read to the House, so that it will be recorded in "Hansard", the letter to the private secretary to the Minister for Justice, which was delivered to me at 3 o'clock this afternoon by Mr. J. A. Moore himself, the Acting Commissioner for Corporate Affairs. It says-

"Re: Associated Sporting Promotions "I refer to a reply to a question asked

in the House on the 7th instant in relation to this firm on which information was supplied by this office to the effect that

172 Personal Explanations [8 AuGUST 1974] Special Adjournment

Associated Sporting Promotions was not registered as a company or business name in this State.

"I regret to advise that this information was incorrect in that an application for registration as a business name was rec~ived. on the 1st August, 1974 and registratwn was effected on the 2nd August, 1974. Through a fault in the system of recording in this office, the name was not placed on the business name index until after the search relating to the question was actually made. The matter was first brought to my attention this morning when an article appeared in 'The Courier-Mail'.

"Associated Sporting Promotions shows it~ na.ture ?f ~usiness as distribution agents With its pnncipal place of business situated at. Suite 15, 8th Floor, Perry House, Elizabeth Street, Brisbane and the pro­prietors of the business are Frank Maxwell McGowan, 8 . Gladstone Road, Ipswich; Raymond David Thomas, 26 Lily Street Everton Heights and Brian Joseph Meldon' 129 Green Meadow Road, Mt. Gravatt:

."The error is :'ery much regretted and this office apologises to the Minister and urgent steps have been taken to prevent any further repetition of such an incident.

J. A. Moore, Acting Commissioner for

Corporate Affairs."

Mr. Wright: Will clarification be made by Channel 7? Can we ask for that?

~ir GORDON CHALK: It is a matter entirely ~or wha~ever newspaper has picked up any mformatwn. What I am saying is that I personally regret that an officer has provided this information in the manner in which it was provided. As I said I have emphasised to him the seriousness ~f it and what ,it could mean to any organisation or to any persons concerned.

I want to draw the attention of the Hou~e to th.is matter, and I hope that any medJa that m any way published the reply that was given by me will be good enough to ensure that the correction is made known to the public.

Mr. Marginson interjected.

Sir GORD~N CHALK: The interjectirn1 is perhaps facetwus but, at the same time, the statement I am making is a serious one because I believe that inside this House ':'hen Ministe:s ~re giving answers to ques: tJons or replymg m any matter, there is need for truthfulness. Whatever might be my shortcomings in political life, I do not think anyone can a:ccuse me of ever providing or giving false information to 'this House. It distressed me considerably this afternoon when I heard of it. I understand that whilst I had the officer with me some reference

was made to false information being given by a Minister in this Chamber. That again perturbs me because it is an indication that somewhere between the time of this discovery and the time I interviewed Mr. Moore there was some leakage somewhere. From my point of view, I hope, as I said, that a full explanation has been given and that the media will take steps to assist me in ensuring that there is adequate correction of the incorrect statement.

Mr. WltlGHT {Rockhampton) (5.36 p.m.), by leave: In view of what the Treasurer has said, I rise to make a personal explanation. I believe that the House should have some clarification of how this matter was raised here. As you will recall, Mr. Speaker, I endeavoured to raise it at the very end of my Address-in-Reply speech, but my time expired. I then gave the information to the honourable member for Mourilyan {Mr. Peter Moore), who raised the maHer at my request.

At about a qua!'ter to 12 today I was approached by two members of this firm, who showed me evidence-which I have here­that, in fact, the name had been registered. I was asked to try to do something about this. There was no opportunity during question time; we all know what happened this morning. I therefore decided that the matter was urgent enough to be raised in an Address-in-Reply speech.

On behalf of the honourable member for Mourilyan and myself, I can say that we accept what the Treasurer has said.

Hon. Sir GORDON CHALK (Lockyer­Treasurer) (5.37 p.m.): I also accept the explanation given. I was interviewing the officer concerned at the time the statement was made. I did not know how the inform­ation had come into the possession not of the honourable member for Rockhampton but of the honourable member for Mourilyan. I knew the honourable member for Rock­hampton had the information at that time.

Mr. Wright: It was not through the depart­ment.

Sir GORDON CHALK: I appreciate that. All I was concerned about was that refer­ence was made to it, and I have taken the earliest opportunity available ,to make the correction.

SPECIAL ADJOURNMENT

Hon. Sir GORDON CHALK (Lockyer­Treasurer): I move-

"That the House, at its rising, do adjourn until Tuesday, 20 August 1974."

Motion agreed to.

The House adjourned at 5.38 p.m.