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23 Aug 2005 Ministerial Statement 2543 MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Tree Clearing Hon. PD BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Treasurer) (9.46 am): While an elected member of the National Party described Queensland’s tree-clearing laws as communism, judges who live in a rational world are handing out awards for the scientific foundations of those laws. I seek leave to incorporate details of that in Hansard. Leave granted. Rod Fensham and Russell Fairfax this month won one of Australia’s highest scientific honours, an Australian Museum Eureka Prize, for research which is the scientific basis of our changes to vegetation management laws (which the Liberal Party supported). Fensham and Fairfax, from the Queensland Herbarium, won the $10,000 Sherman Eureka Prize for Environmental Research on 9 August. Australian Museum Trust President Brian Sherman said their work “represents a significant increase in our understanding of how to protect bush and grasslands”. He said: "Fensham and Fairfax looked outside the square. Starting with explorers’ reports, old diaries, half a century’s worth of aerial photos and many other sources, they were able to identify the real changes that had occurred in natural vegetation and to search for the causes of those changes. Along the way, the researchers dispelled some myths. They showed that climate cycles drove the appearance of woody weeds and that bush clearing would not stop the spread of these weeds. And they proved that clearing is a net producer of greenhouse gas, clearly outweighing any reduction associated with vegetation thickening.” I congratulate Rod Fensham and Russell Fairfax for winning one of the prestigious Eureka prizes (which are sponsored by organisations including the Federal Government and the CSIRO). I thank them for helping to explode myths—and to amplify the message that Queensland is the Smart State. We base our resource management laws on the best available science, and that is what we will continue to do. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Gold Coast Stadium Hon. PD BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Treasurer) (9.46 am): As we near the climax of the 2005 National Rugby League season I can tell everyone on the Gold Coast how we plan to ensure that there will be a Gold Coast stadium waiting for the start of the 2008 season. I seek leave to incorporate details in Hansard. Leave granted. On 28 April this year my predecessor as Sports Minister announced that the Queensland Government would construct a rectangular stadium on the Gold Coast. On 25 July the Department of Public Works invited proposals from five architectural companies with demonstrated experience in recent significant sports stadium projects. The closing date for submissions is 29 August. We will be aiming for a stadium of about 25,000 seats. We expect to select an architect by the end of next month. By the end of October we expect to be selecting a managing contractor. By June next year we want to have in place the design development, sub-contract documentation, early works tendering and site establishment by the managing contractor. Construction is due to take place between July 2006 and December 2007. Commissioning will follow from January 2008 to February 2008, with the opening expected in late February 2008. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Administrative Arrangements Hon. PD BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Treasurer) (9.46 am): I wish to inform the House that on 18 August 2005, in accordance with the Constitution of Queensland 2000, her Excellency the Governor, acting by and with the advice of the Executive Council, approved the Administrative Arrangements Amendment Order (No. 3) 2005 and I seek leave to incorporate details in Hansard. Leave granted. Ministerial responsibility for the Crime and Misconduct Act 2001; the Misconduct Tribunals Act 1997; the Ombudsman Act 2001; and the Witness Protection Act 2001 have been transferred from my portfolio to the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice. These relate to the operation of the Crime and Misconduct Commission, Misconduct Tribunals and the Ombudsman.
2544 Ministerial Statement 23 Aug 2005 A copy of the relevant notification from the Queensland Government Gazette will be tabled. I sought the Governor in Council’s approval to transfer responsibility for these groups, so I can focus more time and energy on working with the Health Minister, Stephen Robertson, to improve the health system. Upholding accountability is central to this government and I will continue to keep a watch on matters of integrity and transparency. However after years of building accountability and openness in the wake of National Party corruption, I have faith in the machinery that upholds integrity in government. On the other hand it is crystal clear that we must work very hard to rebuild Queenslanders’ confidence in the health system. I have said since the reshuffle that I would use my position as Treasurer to focus on health, and would work closely with Stephen Robertson—who is performing extremely well as our new Health Minister. The CMC, Misconduct Tribunals and Ombudsman operate independently of government. They monitor and oversee the integrity, transparency and accountability of the Queensland public sector. The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice is responsible for the administration of the justice system and for the operation of other similarly independent bodies, such as the courts and the Director of Public Prosecutions. It makes sense to transfer responsibility to Mrs Lavarch, because she and her agencies have the expertise to support these accountability watchdogs. This arrangement is consistent with arrangements for the Australian Crime Commission and the Western Australian Corruption and Crime Commission. Arrangements have been made between the Department of the Premier and Cabinet and the Department of Justice and Attorney- General to ensure a smooth transition of administration. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Ideas Festival Hon. PD BEATTIE (Brisbane Central—ALP) (Premier and Treasurer) (9.46 am): Eight months before the 2006 Ideas Festival Queenslanders are already showing a strong appetite for the thought provoking lectures. At 6 pm tomorrow night, that is Wednesday, 24 August, international commentator John Ralston Saul will give an ideas lecture at the Cremorne Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, and I seek leave to incorporate details in Hansard. Leave granted. All tickets sold more than 2 weeks in advance. Saul is a Canadian with a reputation for stoking debate about issues including democracy and globalisation. Whether you love his ideas or oppose them, it can’t be denied that he has influenced thought and debate around the world. This will be his only Queensland lecture on a tour to discuss his new work, The Collapse of Globalism and the Reinvention of the World’. Through the Ideas Festival we are able to attract to Queensland leading international thinkers to present their ideas and foster debate. In June a sell-out audience of more than 800 people heard a lecture by internationally renowned historian Jared Diamond. The enthusiastic response to the lead-in events presented by the Ideas Festival shows that people in the Smart State are keen to hear and debate new and challenging ideas. The calibre of people presenting these lead-up lectures gives a taste of what we can expect from the full Festival in 2006. The Queensland Government is presenting the Ideas Festival, with major sponsors are Griffith University and Brisbane Airport Corporation. The Ideas Festival will run from 29 March—2 April 2006 at South Bank. For more information visit www.ideasfestival.com.au. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Water Subsidies Hon. H PALASZCZUK (Inala—ALP) (Minister for Natural Resources and Mines) (9.46 am): The Queensland government is taking the lead on the urban water problems in south-east Queensland, but everyone—local councils, industry and householders—all have a part to play. We cannot make it rain, but we can make sure we get the best possible value out of every drop of water that is available. We have to look at the short, medium and long-term initiatives and we cannot wait until we are in the middle of a crisis to act. We have to get ahead of the game and that is exactly what our government is doing. Our local governments and the state government have already done an enormous amount of work on south-east Queensland’s water problems. We estimate that the state government will contribute around about $380 million over the next five years to south-east Queensland local authorities as part of our subsidy scheme. This is more than trebling the $113 million in subsidies that the state government has made to the councils over the past five years. As part of this commitment to boost subsidies we are bringing forward an additional $10 million for the 2005-06 year to assist local governments to implement water conservation measures such as
Page 1 and 2: PROOF ISSN 1322-0330 WEEKLY HANSARD
Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents — Tuesday, 23 A
Page 5 and 6: 2536 Papers 23 Aug 2005 PAPERS PAPE
Page 7 and 8: 2538 Ministerial Statement 23 Aug 2
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Page 19 and 20: 2550 Scrutiny of Legislation Commit
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Page 23 and 24: 2554 Questions Without Notice 23 Au
Page 33 and 34: 2564 Members’ Ethics and Parliame
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Page 45 and 46: 2576 Constitutional and Other Legis
Page 47 and 48: 2578 Transport Legislation Amendmen
Page 49 and 50: 2580 Transport Legislation Amendmen
Page 51 and 52: 2582 Housing Legislation Amendment
Page 53 and 54: 2584 Education (Queensland College
Page 55 and 56: 2586 Succession Amendment Bill 23 A
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2600 Racing Venues Development Amen
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2642 Adjournment 23 Aug 2005 One pa
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2644 Adjournment 23 Aug 2005 years.
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2646 Adjournment 23 Aug 2005 Finall
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weekly hansard - Queensland Parliament - Queensland Government

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